Reviews (349)

Fantastic!
Quentin Tarantino's debut film RESERVOIR DOGS broke new ground that many other directors and screen writers were afraid to tread upon. This amazingly well-written, directed, and acted film is about a jewel heist gone wrong and the consequences of each man's suspicions. Harvey Keitel is wonderful as tough but compassionate Mr. White(Each man is given an alias name, no one's real name is used), Michael Madsen is cool and psychotic as Mr. Blonde, Sean Penn delivers a strong performance as Nice-Guy Eddie, Lawrence Tierney is very intimidating as Joe, the crime boss, and Quentin Tarantino gives a great cameo performance as the short-lived Mr. Brown. The really great performances definitely go to Tim Roth and Steve Buscemi. For Roth(Mr. Orange), this was a breakthrough role in which he spends a good deal of the movie drenched in his own blood and in his screams of pain never once goes into an over-the-top performance. It's right on the money. Buscemi is dripping with attitude and gives one of his best performances until FARGO in RESERVOIR DOGS. From the moment he appears on screen, you know its gonna be a bumpy ride. A must-see for anyone who enjoys lotsa suspense, catchy dialogue and music, and some great action scenes.

Tarantino Makes His Mark
Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut, Reservoir Dogs is a brilliantly written, unique film that paved the way for Mr. Tarantino's breakthrough film, Pulp Fiction. The plot of Reservoir Dogs revolves around a diamond heist that goes afoul. A group of criminals who have never worked together are assembled and given names like Mr. White, Mr. Pink and Mr. Blonde. The film is intercut with flashbacks in which the characters played by Michael Madsen, Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth are explored in more detail. Mr. Madsen is incredible as the psychotic Mr. Blonde and his scene in which he brutalizes a cop in medieval fashion is alternately disturbingly brutal and humorous. Steve Buschemi is a scream as the jumpy Mr. Pink and Mr. Keitel provides the film with its backbone as Mr. White. Mr. Tarantino has keen eye for detail and the opening scene in a diner in which the crooks are discussing everything from what Madonna meant in her song "Like A Virgin" to 70's songs to tipping contains some of the sharpest dialogue in years. Mr. Tarantino also uses music to great effect and he overlays scenes with the voice of comedian Steven Wright as host of a radio show K Billy's Super Sounds of the 70's. Reservoir Dogs is a tremendous debut film and introduced Mr. Tarantino as a force.
The 10th Anniversary Edition is nice a step up in sound and quality from the first edition. The extras are good, but just the overall better sound and picture is worth purchasing this version if you already own the first.

Stylized, intelligent--but someone tell Quentin he can't act
To a degree amateurish, but to an equal degree compelling and original, Reservoir Dogs is a stylistic, gritty look at the gangsters of Quentin Tarantino's imagination. The story, such as it is, is the weak point of the film. The strange tale of an undercover cop who tries to bust up a family-sized gangster ring is just plain silly at times. The strong points, however, are many. Each character has a terrific, interesting voice; the dialogue is snappy and artistic; the music choices are inspired. And that infamous "ear" scene? Frankly, it's one of the few scenes that doesn't work. It just comes off as dumb.

Think of Reservior Dogs as the rough sketch for a movie yet to come: Pulp Fiction. Pulp Fiction is superior in every respect, but it's a treat to see its progenitor.

Bold enough to be a new genre
Quentin Tarantino has done an amazing job at taking a very low budget, and using a unique method of story telling and raw dialogue to turn it around. He was also lucky to get a great cast much like Pulp Fiction did. This film creates a new genre, because his un-chronological and very raw vision will be and is being copied all over the world. Many people criticize Tarantino for worshipping violence and profanity. However, when you examine the film's plot, it is really quite reasonable that characters swear as much as they do. And also, the violence in the movie only seems as bad as you make it in your mind, as the worst parts are only partially shown. This is another one of Tarantino's tricks. Some great performances are had too, for example Michael Madsen. His cold-blooded and partially psychotic character misleads us, up until a scene where he attempts to burn a kidnapped police officer, where our adoration of him turns to hate. However, Quentin quickly balances that out wonderfully. The ending may be a little "off" for some people, but all in all a great film.

Awesome movie. Awesome DVD. Definitely one of the Best!
First and foremost, this is indisputably Quentin Tarentino's best film ever. After having seen it some dozen-plus times, it still captivates and intrigues me with every watching. The way the plot works itself out is ingenius, the suspense is second-to-none. Steve Buscemi, as Mr. Pink, is a highlight of this movie: He plays his character ridiculously well.

The entire two hours of this film are violent, disturbing, riveting, captivating, and raw: All said, this film is like a cinematic car accident - you rubberneck, you gasp, you feed this primordial urge to see violence and power. The story of five men - Mr. Blue, Mr. Pink, Mr. White, Mr. Brown, Mr. Blonde - converge when they are called into do a jewelry store heist. However, theyf ind out that one of their fellow gangsters has set them up: That the heist failed because someone among them had ratted them out.
The entire movie unfolds as, really, a two hour dialogue between Mr. Blonde, Mr. Pink, and Mr. White - as well as with the subsequent intruders into the wharehouse. The entire film, essentially, takes place in a wharehouse with sporadic flashbacks and cuts to other instances which lead up to the final scene.

This DVD is an awesome buy. It comes with a fullscreen and widescreen edition, as well as lots of special editions: trailors, posters, picture galleries, etc. Definitely, this movie is an excellent addition to anyone's DVD collection. One of the best values I have in my collection! ... Read more

Reviews (1388)

Quentin Tarantino's Tribute &...
The guy is very creative in displaying a story in a very original structure and media. Kill Bill is a cult movie fan's greatest dream come true. Everything is in there from good old Western Coybow movies to the cinema of the east slapped together. For the sterotypical "white" person who only consumes the blockbuster hits of what ever popoular trend is out, this movie may appear silly or confusing to a degree of laughter. Thats the beauty of this movie, it shows us which movie watchers are out there. In the theaters I caught a lot of white people laughing at the asian sequences of the film and they were also dumbfounded by the special appearances of the actors from Wild Zero, Ichi the Killer, Battle Royale, and Suicide Circle to name a few. (i was hoping to see Tekashi Kitano) The only special appearnce of a star they would know is "David carra..whats his name...? the guys from that Kung-Fu show...yeah." A lot of people failed to see the element of honor that was displayed in both films between characters which was a very beautiful element. The action sequences were directed very well so that it made up for a lot of the actor martial arts flaws such as akward positions and hyper extended punches, so there are little moments killed.

One sad thing though is that Kill Bill Vol.2 had a trailer for the 2002 film HERO, which is now going to hit theaters here that did it injustes. They stated that the movie was presented by Quentin Tarantino, but I've overheard many reactions of people thinking that it is directed by Quentin Tarantino rather than the truth (Zhang Yimou). Plus the trailer gave the art film a false representation of an epic war film, many may be disapointed. So are movies like Kill Bill building bridges with Hollywood and Asia or are they just going to jokingly stereotype Asian films and cuture in an unfair way? Fans and crowds shall tell in time.

Oh and by the way, I don't want to sound like "white" people are not cool, I use the term "white" for the typical stereotyping day by day american. As far as stereotypes go, sometimes people enjoy becoming part of it and making it obviously true. I look forward to one day the stereotypes are non existant and everyhting in around our lives is understood for what it is and not what it looks like on the surface.

Maiming and decapitation are never fun. Until now...
Oh, the joy of being a movie geek. This year has been a tremendous blessing for all of the human race, or just us film fanatics, as the movie gods have listened to all our prayers to deliver cinematic goodness. One of these that came as a major grace is called "Kill Bill: Volume One", the latest offering from the dark, perverted but brilliant mind of Quentin Tarantino. Last seen under the spotlight in 1997 with "Jackie Brown", we have been painfully awaiting his next move throughout a six-year-span. Well, time finally came upon us and the wait is definitely worth it.

Appropriately entitled "Kill Bill", Tarantino tells a simple revenge story, albeit through his usual non-linear storytelling structure, about a lanky blonde woman (played by the invigorating Uma Thurman) only known as "The Bride" a.k.a. "Black Mamba" who wakes up from a coma to exact revenge on her former assassin group called "The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad" lead by Bill (David Carradine), who aren't really happy of her decision to quit and marry someone in El Paso, Texas. Hence, bloody carnage ensues as Bill and the gang made of eclectic members-Budd, Vernita Green, Elle Driver and Oren-Ishii-massacres The Bride's family and guests on her wedding day, including her unborn baby. Bill saves her for last and shoots her head (on what could be one of the most startling introductions in a movie). Thinking that she's dead, they leave her cold in her blood-splattered wedding dress, which is a terrible mistake on their part, as The Bride gets up from her hospital bed after four years with furious determination and will to destroy every single one of the perpetrators, saving the best for last, which is, of course, Bill, proving that as far as justice goes, it can easily get very poetic.

However, this is only half of the story, as Miramix, the film distributor, and Tarantino himself decided to cut the three-hour long movie in half and released them four months apart. That being said, I am very sure that Volume Two will be as equally brutal and vigorously entertaining to what I've seen four times in the theaters (Yes, four times! It's that good!)

"Kill Bill: Volume One" is perhaps the most violent American movie ever (and I've seen a lot of movies). It can be easily be used as an example of how the morals of the Western world have dramatically fallen in the 21st century. But it's most important to know that this movie was made as an ode to those rare, odd, cheesy and absurd kung-fu, Western, exploitation, slasher and grindhouse movies we usually see gathering dust in the cult section of a video store or occasionally seen playing on television at 3 in the morning. Kill Bill: Volume One on the surface looks like a very empty fluff made to only shock the already seemingly desensitized viewers, but underneath, it is really a very intelligent piece of art. Intelligent in a sense that it knows the rules of the cinema: it knows it audiences are and doesn't give a damn thing or two to those who don't want to get involved. For instance, The Bride wears a yellow jumpsuit during the last hour of the movie. To the uninitiated, it's just a striking sexy vintage number. To those in the know, it's a replica of Bruce Lee's tracking jumpsuit from his 1979 movie Game of Death. And this is just only a fraction of Tarantino's endless references, in-jokes and homages to old and obscure cinema. From Brian DePalma to Godzilla, from giallo films to Japanese animations, God knows what else are there he injected. I say this movie is an entire pop culture of pop culture.

Even without this quality, it's still deliciously entertaining, boldly creative and visually arresting, it's safe to say that this is an instant classic. No, this is not an Oscar-winning movie, let alone be nominated. But not everything has to have a deep storyline with complex characters to be a great film. This movie has no substance and as empty as a dead shell. But it's an amazingly great film, nonetheless. The fact of the matter is that Tarantino made this with great respect, love and passion of the medium, that he practically utilizes everything to its full advantage from complicated camera shots (the long tracking shot of The Bride going to the washroom is incredible), beautiful cinematography (the claustrophobic and filthy Hospital environment, the beautifully exotic and bright Japanese backdrop), the amazing eclectic selections of music (from Nancy Sinatra's "Bang, Bang" to "The Green Hornet" theme song) and the excellently choreographed fight scenes as if we're watching an amazing, exhausting ballet dance with swords. Oh yeah, and the beautiful gushing of the blood and gore like water coming down from Niagara Falls.

"Kill Bill: Volume One" is an extravagant, highly-stylized, ultra-energized, uber-violent piece of celluloid. It's made up of a world were grativity is without law, violence is sheer poetry, pissed-off Caucasian women likes to play with samura swords, and even assassins have feelings. It's a world where obscure 1970's disco music goes perfectly seamless along with the motion of decapitation and maiming.

Oh what fun!

Aside from that movie that left me with tears featuring hobbits and wizards and that fetus-looking boy-fish who seems to say the word "Precciooooooussssss...." a lot, this year belongs to Kill Bill: Volume One (and I cannot wait for Volume 2!)

Thank you, Tarantino for your sick and twisted mind.

great movie
i loved this film! great STYLE, great action, great story. and very funny. i loved the use of zamfir's famous tune for the samurai scene! it's a delicious homage (or parody?!) of various genres - japanese samurai (esp kurosawa), chinese kung fu, american spaghetti westerns. wonderful.

HOLLYWOOD Tarantino??
Great movie I have to say, paying respect to crazy asian cinema. My only gripe is Uma Therman being in the movie. I would have like to see Quinten dig up and unknown actor or maybe some B movie or expoitation actress. And although I like Lucy Lu I can think of a hundred different asian actresses that would have fit the role better. ANyway, great movie! If you like this movie check out any movie by Takashi Miike like: Iche the Killer, Dead or Alive, Dead or Alive 2, Dead or Alive Final, Audition, Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl.... any one of these movies makes KILL BILL look like a Walt Disney film!!

5 stars for SONNY CHIBA and GORDAN LEU!!!!!
I just saw this movie on DVD after not getting a chance to see this in the theaters. 5 stars for Gordan Leu and Sonny Chiba!! Awsome to see these 2 great legends of asian cinema! I remember seeing Gorden Leu as a kid from just about EVERY great Shaw Bros. kung fu flick! And Sonny Chiba? ..... Cmon! The Japanese James Bond!? Excellent casting. Great flick!! ... Read more

Reviews (15)

There are three subtitle modes
Actually there are two subtitles, full english captioning and just the translated subtitles, the modes are Subtitle Off, Engligh 1, and English 2.

And the aspect ratio is actually letterboxed in 2.35:1 instead of the standard PSP widescreen, so I don't know what is being misprepresented. I've heard more people complain that it is in its original widescreen and not formatted to fill the PSP screen (Spider-Man 2 for example actually was cropped from 2.35:1 down to the PSP's screen size).

This is a great UMD, it has great looking animated menus, it actually HAS a scene selection menu, and it has extras too, a Making Of video and music videos. Compared to the rest of the UMD pack this disc is a feature packed jewel.

Looks and works great, but...
It looks and works great on the PSP, but my only complaint is that there is only two subtitle modes: All off, or all English on. In the DVD version there was an option to translate (display) only the Japanese words and not the English ones. Otherwise, a good buy if you want a great movie on the go.

Do not buy this UMD
Put everything else you have against UMD's aside for the moment (sparse extras, poor video and sound by comparison to DVD's, and insane pricing) and realize what a half-assed product this is. Kill Bill is a fantastic film that was sorely screwed over in its UMD conversion. Not only is the 2.35:1 aspect ratio incredibly misrepresented on the PSP, which means you lose a large amount of the picture on each side of the screen, but you're not even getting the complete director's cut. It's still the edited version. Since the director's cut will be out on DVD in only a few months time, there's a good chance they'll re-release the UMD again as well. And fairly soon at that I'm sure. It'll just prove to be a bigger waste of money for those of you complaining that this format is already expensive enough as it is.

price, not that big of an issue
the price isnt much higher than dvd's, and converting a movie to umd format, you can't expect it to be cheaper i mean come on...... and the quality is just as good as dvd's, if not better.

the shipping is great
i think you should have a selection of movies and ask the customer which regional psp they are getting then it will work i have 2 PSP's one american and one japanise so if i buy the any rejion UMD DVD it will work but most of i will recomend u guys definetly!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (257)

Volume 2 Delivers The Goods (4 Stars)
Kill Bill Vol. 1 might have been action driven and fast paced, but Vol. 2 was not. The slower pace made room for better focus on dialogue though. There are still great fight scenes, but not as many as there were in the first movie. Tarantino hit his stride with this movie. Die hard fans should go out and see it. The movie is two and a half hours long, but it's totally worth sitting through. There are great new characters (most notably Pei Mei) and it does a great job of filling in the holes that were left in Vol. 1(like Uma's screen name). Memorable scenes would be Uma Thurman being buried alive and her fight with Elle Driver in the trailer home. Easily one of the best fight scenes ever. Then there's Bill, played by David Carradine. He was probably the most engaging character in the whole movie. While I was disappointed in the way he died, it totally made sense. Overall, Kill Bill Vol. 2 definitely meets all expectations with its great dialogue and awesome fight scenes. Be warned though, the fight scenes aren't as fast and furious as the first movie. Nor are there as many. But that's not bad because it plays to Tarantino's strength: dialogue. If you liked Vol. 1 or if you're into karate flicks, you'll love Vol. 2. But if you didn't like Vol. 1, you'll like Vol. 2 even less.

Better than Vol. 1
If cinema is ever in need of edgy freshness, then Charlie Kaufman is the man to turn to. But when that need arises and has to be fused with humorously offbeat style then Quentin Tarantino is the Kaufman of directors. Or is Kaufman really the Tarantino of aspiring writers? It doesn't matter. In any case, what truly matters is that Tarantino continues to inject that richly abnormal talent of his into his latest piece "Kill Bill: Volume 2."

Four years after being betrayed by her former boss Bill (David Carradine) and shot in the head at her wedding, The Bride (Uma Thurman) wakes up from her coma and thirsts for revenge. After dispatching Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox) and O-Ren (Lucy Liu) in "Volume 1," this previously retired assassin is back in "Volume 2" to finish off the rest of Bill's Deadly Viper Assassination Squad and ultimately, kill Bill.

"Volume 2" is definitely the heart of the two movies. Saturated with intense fighting scenes "Volume 1" ended with a bitter sweetness as The Bride seemed completely undeveloped as a character. But "Volume 2" complements the first movie nicely as the action takes the passenger seat and Tarantino concentrates on storytelling, fleshing out The Bride's character. There's actually emotional depth involved now, revealing The Bride's relationship with Bill as well as her motives for leaving an assassin's life.

Thurman is wonderful as The Bride, playing along with Tarantino's take on Hollywood cheesiness to executing some intense dialogue scenes that transition between emotions within seconds. Tarantino is obviously extracting all the skills he can from Thurman, and the end result is worth every squeeze: she pulls off acrobatic feats and heavy dialogue in the same two hours with seamless changeovers.

Carradine also does such a marvelous job of portraying Bill to the point that it becomes frightening. Carradine's subtleties are what form this character and by the end of it all it becomes clear just how insane of a character Bill is: he philosophizes about death while making sandwiches and questions past relationships with a menacing sword in hand. The low and relaxed tone that he carries through the movie makes it feel like Carradine isn't even playing anyone, he's just slipping this character on like an old, comfortable shirt.

But it's not just the characters that make Kill Bill so special. The first installment is wonderful in paying tribute to Japanese anime, folksy spaghetti westerns and an overall homage to "old school" Asian kung fu flicks. Tarantino again draws various sources from 70's pop culture to showcase the quirks of "Volume 2." Whereas the first movie displays Tarantino's knowledge of Asian cinema with wire-wearing kung fu, with unrealistic squirting samurai-movie colored blood included, "Volume 2" solidifies that homage to the full extent.

Perhaps the single greatest movie moment of 2004 is in "The Cruel Tutelage of Pai Mei," the film's chapter in which the origin of The Bride's abilities is discovered. Tarantino brings out all the stops on this one. From the stereotyped supercilious personality to the superficial white facial hair, the character of kung fu master Pai Mei (Gordon Liu) is the absolute embodiment of a 70's Chinese kung fu flick. After this scene, it's obvious that Tarantino is on the edge of oddball insanity, right there with brilliance on the other side.

Like the chapter of Pai Mei, the rest of Tarantino's film combines everything campy and corny with his bizarre sense of direction. And everything rationally ridiculous here somehow ends up as abnormally gorgeous.

Superb second chapter
A radiant bride-to-be (and mother-to-be) who calls herself Arlene takes a few minutes out of her wedding rehearsal to talk to her former boss (and ex-lover) about the peaceful new life she's planned. She tells him she'll be working in a record store where she'll get to "listen to music all day, talk about music all day. It's really cool. It's going to be a great environment for my little girl to grow up in."

"As opposed to jetting around the world, killing human beings, collecting vast sums of money?" her one-time employer asks.

Yes, Arlene is actually The Bride (Uma Thurman), a.k.a. Black Mamba, one of the Deadly Vipers Assassination Squad (D.I.V.A.S., for short). And, yes, the man with whom she's sharing her future plans is Bill, the enigmatic, shadowy D.I.V.A.S. commander who never showed his face in "Kill Bill, Vol. 1."

Bill, played to diabolical perfection by David Carradine, is visible throughout "Kill Bill, Vol. 2," and that's only one of the many changes between the first and last installments of writer-director Quentin Tarantino's epic saga of revenge and retribution. "Vol. 1," which took place largely in Japan, was a magnificently gory, almost operatic homage to the Hong Kong and Japanese cinema of the 1960s and 1970s; "Vol. 2," set primarily in Texas and Mexico, is considerably more controlled -- although no less stylish -- and moodier, paying tribute to the unconventional Westerns of director Sergio Leone and, in its black-and-white flashback sequences, recalling such late-1940s/early-1950s thrillers as "Gun Crazy" and "The Big Heat."

No one ever accused Tarantino of being shy when it comes to laying out his catalog of influences.

Cinematographer Robert Richardson's all-seeing camera swoops, slithers and moves stealthily around each scene, just like our unstoppable heroine, then throws in some extreme close-ups that feel like a fist between the eyes. Editor Sally Menke and production designers David Wasco and Cao Jui Ping do wonderful work as they recreate everything from "In Cold Blood" to the washed-out-looking, jumpy Chinese chop-socky films of the 1970s.

But far from being merely imitative, "Vol. 2" features a few breakthroughs for its creator as well. A prolonged sequence involving a character who is pummeled, drugged and buried alive is one of the most gripping episodes of Tarantino's career, and The Bride's apprenticeship to merciless martial arts master Pai Mei (Gordon Liu), a deceptively wispy-looking type with a strong chauvinistic streak, is outrageously hilarious. "Your so-called kung fu is really quite pathetic," Pai Mei taunts as The Bride tries -- and fails -- to impress him with her moves. "Like all Yankee women, all you can do is order in restaurants and spend a man's money!"

The finale of "Vol. 1" was a blood-drenched, wickedly hilarious free-for-all, with The Bride dispatching scores of would-be hitmen in a showdown in a Tokyo nightclub, but the last half-hour of "Vol. 2" is a shocker of an entirely different kind, as Tarantino aims for the heart instead of the funnybone. He tried something somewhat similar in the bittersweet wrap-up of "Jackie Brown," with mixed results. He's much more successful this time out, partly because he's created a steadier build-up to the crucial emotional crescendo (set to a marvelously trippy remix of The Zombies' "She's Not There") and partly because the tension Carradine and Thurman generate in the pivotal scene, as bloodlust collides with memories of happier days, is utterly riveting.

Tarantino's cast fills out a classic rogues' gallery, dominated by Carradine's Bill, a psychotic who conceals his sadism beneath a calm, paternalistic exterior. Daryl Hannah's one-eyed Elle Driver and Michael Madsen's Budd, both of whom were briefly seen in "Vol. 1," get ample opportunity to prove their worth as antagonists of The Bride. The face-off with Elle, in particular, is so delightfully demented only Tarantino could have conjured it up.

Was the director wise in turning "Bill" into a double-bill? Absolutely. For one thing, he must have realized he had made an extravaganza that would have been too intense and certainly too emotionally exhausting for most audiences to process in a single four-hour sitting. Also, he obviously knew he had a second half that would be well worth the six-month wait.

"Gargantuan -- always liked that word; so rarely have a chance to use it in a sentence," the icy-hearted Elle murmurs at one point. Try this on for size: The frenzied, funny and unabashedly ultraviolent "Kill Bill" saga represents a gargantuan achievement in action cinema.

Can a movie possibly get any better than this?
First I'd like to say that Quentin Tarantino is the best film maker that ever lived period. I would say that KILL BILL VOL. 2 is the greatest film since Casablanca. This is by far my favorite of Quentin Tarantino's films. This is a must own Dvd. Buy this awesome mind-blowing classic movie today.

This movie should not be see by the stupid ones
YES YES MAN I THOUGT THAT THERE WAS NOT TOO MUCH STORY BEHIND THE 1ST VOL IT WAS GREAT BUT SOMETHING WAS MISSING IT WAS THE AWESOME STORY OF THE 2ND. IS LIKE WATCHING A SPAGHETI WESTERN BY SERGIO LEONE BUT BEING DRUNK.BUT STILL I DONT KNOW HOW SOME PEOPLE TALK SO MUCH CRAP ABOUT THE 2ND VOL.IS PROBABLY THAT THEY MISSED THE POINT THAT IS VERY SAD MAN.THAT'S WHY THIS MOVIE IS NOT SUITED FOR THE DUMBASSES.WHEN YOU SEE THIS VOL YOU WILL DEICIDE IF YOU ARE A TRUE TARANTINO FAN!!!! ... Read more

Description

Nothing was going to stop Roy Hobbs from fulfilling his boyhood dream of baseball superstardom.Robert Redford stars in this inspiring fable that begins when 14-year-old Hobbs (Redford) fashions a powerful bat from a fallen oak tree.He soon impresses major league scouts with his ability, fixing his extraordinary talent in the mind of sportswriter Max Mercy (Duvall), who eventually becomes instrumental in Hobbs' career. But a meeting with a mysterious woman shatters his dream. Years pass and an older Hobbs reappears as a rookie for the New York Knights. Overcoming physical pain and defying those who have a stake in seeing the Knights lose, Hobbs, with his boyhood bat, has his chance to lead the Knights to the pennant and to finally fulfill his dream. ... Read more

Reviews (97)

Coulda Been Great
THE NATURAL has some truly great elements, especially the much copied score, good cinematography, and some moments that almost capture the mythical quality of baseball. Unfortunately, it falls short of the greatness it should have achieved. Nevertheless, THE NATURAL is arguably one of the better films about baseball (along with "Pride of the Yankees"), and it's worth a look.

Robert Redford plays Roy Hobbs, a man who truly loves baseball. All his life, he's been poised for greatness, but life has thrown him for some loops. He returns to the game in his late 30s and gets a final shot. Redford is pretty good in the role, although he's really too old for the part. Barry Levinson directs, and his direction is unusally ham-fisted...he and the actors telegraph every plot twist. Glenn Close was nominated for an Oscar, but she really isn't that good as Hobb's long-time love interest. Ultimately, the movie is too melodramatic and unfocused with cardboard characters, especially the villianous judge.

Extras: The only real DVD extra is a documentary on the movie featuring Cal Ripken Jr. It's pretty good, more affecting than the movie!

A Classic Baseball Fairy Tale!!
This fictional 1920s fairy-tale-style film is about a guy named Roy Hobbs (played by Redford) who is a great baseball hitter... thanks to the bat which he made as a kid from a tree that was hit by lightning. Hobbs' career gets sidelined for about 15 years due to an "encounter" with a mysterious woman. The tragic results cause a dark spot in Hobbs' past. Now older, and considered over-the-hill by the baseball community, the sports press, and his soon-to-be manager (wonderfully played by Wilford Brimley), Hobbs unpacks his "Wonderboy" bat and proceeds to decimate ballfields at seemingly every at-bat! Filmed in a retro 1920s style, this is one of the best baseball films ever made. It's not a true story obviously, but you won't care. Was it his "Wonderboy" bat that made Hobbs a star?? Great music by Randy Newman too (high praise coming from me, since I can't stand Randy Newman). If you are undecided on purchasing this one, definitely rent it and check it out... you'll be coming back to watch this one again and again! A great film to curl up and watch with the kids too. END

The Greatest Baseball Film Ever
THE NATURAL, based on the book of the same name by Bernard Malamud, is probably the greatest baseball film ever produced. Why? Because it contains no magical realism, no "tricks," no "gimmicks." It's just a film about second chances and redemption, in this case, redemption through the game of baseball. THE NATURAL is not nearly as dark as the book on which it is based and it's not totally factual in its portrayal of baseball, but who cares? This film gives us something better than facts. It gives us the poetry and lyricism of the game, the magic that made baseball "America's Pastime."

THE NATURAL is the story of Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford), a Midwestern boy who dreams of being "the best" in the world of baseball. Roy's dreams aren't just "pie in the sky." This kid has talent, talent like no one's ever seen before. But, as he's making the trip to Chicago to try out, he encounters Harriet Bird (Barbara Hershey), an enigmatic and dangerous woman, and Roy's life changes forever. Sixteen years later, though, Roy Hobbs is given what most people can only long for, a second chance. Yes, this second chance requires a stretch of the viewer's imagination, but not so much that it becomes an impossibility.

I know many people didn't care for Robert Redford's portrayal of Roy Hobbs, but I thought he was perfect. He really makes us believe in Roy and in his dreams and in his principles. I can't think of any other actor who could have carried off this role and carried it off so perfectly. Wilfred Brimley is perfect as Pop Fisher, Hobbs' manager. Robert Duvall as Max Mercy is also perfectly cast as is a very young Kim Basinger as Memo Paris, the woman who wants to be Hobbs' nemesis "the second time around." I didn't particularly like Glenn Close as Iris, but that's just personal preference. Close did a very good job with her role but not quite as good as did Basinger and Basinger's was far more demanding.

There are few mistakes in the continuity of this film. At one point, while playing for the mythical New York Knights at Wrigley Field, Hobbs' hits homeruns in the bottom of the ninth. What? He wasn't traded to the Cubs, so this has to be an oversight on the part of the production crew since the Knights, as visitors to Wrigley Field, would bat in the top of the inning. There are a few other such oversights, but I don't feel they're worth mentioning.

THE NATURAL works, and works so well, I think, because it relies so heavily on mythology, most notably the myth of the Fisher King. It romanticizes the game of baseball. Sure, it's been romanticized before, quite possibly more than any other sport, but THE NATURAL does it so well that we do believe and we do root for Roy Hobbs and all he stands for. Make us believe? This film makes us believe like no other.

Levinson has changed Malamud's ending considerably, but I feel that's for the best. Had there been no departures from the book, Hobbs wouldn't have been a sympathetic character and the film would have been too dark and contained too much despair. As it is, we're left with the promise of better things to come and hope for the future, just what baseball gave us in the "good old days."

THE NATURAL may be dismissed as "hokum" by some but I think it's an American masterpiece and pure magic.

Redford to the rescue

Director: Barry Levinson
Format: Color
Studio: Columbia/Tristar Studios
Video Release Date: September 26, 2000

Cast:

Robert Redford ... Roy Hobbs
Robert Duvall ... Max Mercy
Glenn Close ... Iris Gaines
Kim Basinger ... Memo Paris
Wilford Brimley ... Pop Fisher
Barbara Hershey ... Harriet Bird
Robert Prosky ... The Judge
Richard Farnsworth ... Red Blow
Joe Don Baker ... The Whammer
John Finnegan ... Sam Simpson
Alan Fudge ... Ed Hobbs
Paul Sullivan Jr. ... Young Roy
Rachel Hall ... Young Iris
Robert Rich III ... Ted Hobbs
Michael Madsen ... Bartholomew 'Bump' Bailey
Jon Van Ness ... John Olsen
Mickey Treanor ... Doc Dizzy
George Wilkosz ... Bobby Savoy
Anthony J. Ferrara ... Coach Wilson
Philip Mankowski ... Hank Benz
Danny Aiello III ... Emil LaJong
Joe Castellano ... Allie Stubbs
Eddie Cipot ... Gabby Laslow
Ken Grassano ... Al Fowler
Robert Kalaf ... Cal Baker
Barry Kivel ... Pat McGee
Steven Kronovet ... Tommy Hinkle
James Meyer ... Dutch Schultz
Mike Starr ... Boone
Sam Green ... Murphy
Martin Grey ... Additional Knight
Joseph Mosso ... Additional Knight
Richard Oliveri ... Additional Knight
Lawrence Couzens ... Additional Knight
Duke McGuire ... Additional Knight
Stephen Poliachik ... Additional Knight
Kevin Lester ... Additional Knight
Joseph Charboneau ... Additional Knight
Robert Rudnick ... Additional Knight
Ken Kamholz ... Additional Knight
Sibby Sisti ... Pirates Manager
Phillip D. Rosenberg ... Pitcher Youngberry
Christopher B. Rehbaum ... Pitcher John Rhoades
Nicholas Koleff ... Umpire Augie
Jerry Stockman ... Umpire Babe
James Quamo ... Memorial Game Umpire
Joe Strnad ... Final Game Home Plate Umpire
James Mohr ... Al
Ralph Tabakin ... Al's Customer
Dennis Gould ... Carnival Boy
Joshua Abbey ... Home Plate Photographer
Gayle Vance ... Maid at Party
George Scheitinger ... League Official
Peter Poth ... Dr. Knobb
Bernie McInerney ... Hospital Doctor
Elizabeth Ann Klein ... Stern Nurse
Charles Sergis ... Newsreel Narrator
Edward Walsh ... Newsreel Presenter
Darren McGavin ... Gus Sands
Brian Reingold ... Baseball Fan

This film made quite a stir when it was released. One of Redford's better ones.

Roy Hobbs (Redford) loves baseball. He played in high school and the semi-pros, and was picked up and given a contract by a scout for the fictional big league team, the New York Knights. Of course, he is the best! A natural.

He has a problem with his past, which he is close mouthed about, but a corrupt club owner, the Judge (Robert Prosky), tries first to pay him to lose in the playoffs, and then tries to blackmail him, and to subject him to the wiles of a femme fatale. And, of course trouble comes in threes...it is also discovered that he had a bullet in his gut that could be fatal if he keeps playing ball. So, guess what? He keeps playing ball.

This is a good, entertaining story. Redford has a huge following, and for good reason. Normally, I'm not enamored of baseball films, but this is a good one. I recommend it to you.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre Great Movie
The Natural is the best baseball movie ever made. Great for everyone in the family. ... Read more

Reviews (85)

Based on a true story....
Working undercover as a jewel dealer Joe Pistone (Johnny Depp) earns the trust of Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino). Lefty vouches for Joe and brings him into his mob family. What was supposed to be a three-month assignment for Joe turns into several years. Joe begins to drift away from his own family and deep into the mob. He and Lefty form a strong bond and a father son relationship. When the investigation is coming to an end Joe realizes that his only way out of the mob is to betray his friend.

The film is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. It is a very nice transfer the only flaw I noticed was a hint of grain occasionally. A Dolby Digital 5.0 audio track is provided. The surround speakers are hardly used. When they are its mostly only for music. With a movie like this that is mostly dialogue its understandable. This special edition DVD has several extras. The highlights are a director's commentary, two featurettes, deleted scenes and trailers. The featurette titled "Donnie Brasco: Out of the Shadows" was excellent. It gives a lot of background on the film and contains several interviews with the cast and crew. The deleted scenes are nice to see but I can understand why they were cut from the film.

For those of you thinking this is just another mob movie, you are wrong. Instead of showing the top of the crime family tree like many other films this one shows the bottom. It shows soldiers that are scraping at the bottom of the barrel and are just trying to make ends meet. This is a film that stands on its own on many levels. It was perfectly cast with Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, Michael Madsen and Anne Heche. If you like mob movies or just fine acting this is one film you need to see.

A Mobster Masterpiece Worth Watching Over and Over Again
Based on a true story that is so amazing and shocking, "Donnie Brasco" is a fantastic film that hooks you from start to finish. With stars like Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen, and many more, this is a movie that should be seen by all.

FBI Joseph D. Pistone is an undercover agent who's goal is to get into the violent and unpredictable mob world. He goes the by name of Donnie Brasco. Soon he is discovered by Lefty Ruggiero, who sees potential in the kid, not aware of who Brasco really is. He brings him into the family and the world of the Mafia. It doesn't take long for Joseph to get so deep into the action that he starts to become one of them. This unforgettable picture shows us that sometimes you can become what you chase if you're in too long, and that in order to catch a monster you may become one yourself in the process.

I became addicted to this film in no time. It's one of my favorites that I have seen over and over again, and it hasn't gotten old yet. The acting and directing is all fantastic. Al Pacino really shines, as always, and Johnny Depp gives an Academy Award performance as the FBI agent. He actually spent time with the real Joseph Pistone to get his character down, as he did when he was working on "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Michael Madsen is also terrific and can once again send chills down our spines just as he did in "Reservoir Dogs."

This new special edition of the DVD is much, MUCH better than the original. First off, the sound and picture quality has really improved. Especially the picture; it looks a lot better than the first version that came out. There are also a lot of extras, including features such as director's commentary, and exclusive featurette, the original featurette, deleted scenes, trailers, and more. The featurettes are very interesting and makes the DVD that much more special. A very high quality special edition, if you ask me.

All in all, "Donnie Brasco" is an outstanding picture on all fronts. Filled with drama and suspense, this is a film that will take you deep into the world of the Mafia. The only question is how far would you go? And would you risk becoming one of them when it's all said and done? Excellent all the way!

More of the Same
There are so many great mafia/mobster movies out there. This aint one of them. Slow and preachy. Pacino plays a schmuck and Depp's character must have rocks in his head for going undercover. Kind of dull.

Finally we know what 'fuggedaboudit' means
Donnie Brasco is based on a true story but it is still gripping. Donnie Brasco is the alias of Joe Pistone, an undercover agent. He joins the mob as a help of Lefty played by Al Pacino. Pacino again plays a great mobster. This time as just a spoke, and sometimes not very smart.

But DB gets so involved that he does not know on which side he is, that is what loyalty does to him. Even his marriage is almost falling apart.

Depp and Pacino are of course brilliant as ever and this is another great maffia movie like Goodfellas are the Godfather.

Great Movie
Al Pacino learns what its like to be Fredo Corleone in this movie..being stepped on, stepped over, getting no respect, and finally getting killed by people he trusted...he plays a loser trying keep his head above water with great conviction. Johnny Depp holds his own on the screen and gives another great performance as well.. ... Read more

Reviews (155)

Script Bad, Actor Good
The script to Oliver Stone's The Doors may not have been great, but V. Kilmer did a good job as Jim Morrison. I am a fan of Jim Morrison's writing and the Doors' music, and I think VK took Morrison on, body and spirit. A few moments in the film, in particular, are extraordinary, where his resemblance to/embodiment of Jim Morrison is uncanny... (*If you saw the movie and you're a Doors' fan, you can't have missed that.)

I agree that the soundtrack was fantastic, however maintain that Val Kilmer was the right one to play Morrison. In fact, I read that Val Kilmer was recorded singing along with Jim Morrison's voice on the last song in the film. For those who feel he was the wrong choice, go back and listen to how well he did that. I am a singer and I know what kind of work it takes to do something like that. It's hard enough to match your own voice, let alone someone else's. Credit where it's due. END

Absorbing movie - i didn't want it to end. (my only friend..
Utterly absorbing bio-pic of Jim Morrison. The name Val Kilmer is, or should be, synonymous with incredible acting that is not merely natural or convincing, but immensely fun and commanding. You may have noticed while watching his recent Wonderland - Val has the ability to make a picture. Here, he IS The Doors: The Movie. There, he WAS Wonderland. I am exaggerating, i suppose. For Oliver Stone has crafted a marvellous film which makes you feel like you've experienced what the sixties were like. Through using The Doors actual music (what was missing from the recent Sylvia, the art of the subject itself - her poetry) to help tell its story and colour its scenes, and filmic techniques to create the drug-induced world vision of Jim Morrison, Stone really takes you into the world of his movie, and the world of the sixties.

This movie made me appreciate what an exciting experience The Doors were, and has actually cultivated love in me for their music. I didn't realise they had more than one classic: Light my Fire, The End, People are Strange, Love her Madly, Break on Through to the Other Side, Riders on the Storm, Touch Me, Roadhouse Blues (Let it roll, baby roll) and probably more i'm yet to discover.

For a better recreation of what Andy Warhol's factory actually felt like, see I Shot Andy Warhol. Crispin Glover actually looks more like Andy than the guy who plays him in "I Shot," but the guy in I Shot much better captured Andy's vagueness and almost unconsciousness while in conversation. This, however, is but three minutes in the movie and has no effect on it as a whole.

Oliver Stone has an amusing cameo: a young film student, Jim Morrison, shows his short film to his class, who are uncouth and disparaging about it, after which camera pans to reveal Oliver Stone standing at the lecturn, (obviously, playing the film professor), who says: "Why don't we ask the author what he thinks?"

Flawed but Fascinating Film.
When a young man by the name of Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer), who writes Poetry and Studying Film in the University of Los Angeles. When Jim falls in love with a beautiful young woman (Meg Ryan). But then, his life slowly changes, when he decide to quit film school to be a songwriter and singer with the help of his close friend (Klye MacLachlan). Jim and his friend, together, they form a band called "The Doors" with two another members (Frank Whaley and Kevin Dillon). Which "The Doors" becomes One of the Most Sensual and Exciting Figures in the History of Rock and Roll, especially the lead singer-Morrison from the Sixties. Which the legendary outlaw, who rocked America's Consciousness-forever.

Directed by Oliver Stone (Any Given Sunday, Born on the 4th of July, The Hand) made a fascinating drama that make Stone's One of his Best Films. Kilmer is Perfectly Cast as Jim Morrison. The Supporting Cast are Terrific, including:Kathleen Quinlan and Micheal Madson. Also Rock Singer:Billy Idol, Cult Star:Crispin Glover and Film Director:Stone appears in Cameos. DVD has an sharp non-anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an digitally remastered-Dolby Digital 5.0 Surround Sound. This DVD is the Director appoved transfer for HD Televisions. DVD Feautres are only:Production Notes, Cast & Crew Bios and Theatrical Trailer. There's also a Special Edition DVD of this film also. This was a Box Office Disapointment and the only flaw in the film is Second Half, where the film slows down. The film is nicely photographed by Robert Richardson (JFK, Kill Bill Vol.1 & Vol.2, Natural Born Killers). Written by the Director:Stone and J.Randall Johnson. Panavision. Grade:A-.

"ALRIIIGGHHHTTT!!!"
This is the best rock movie ever made. Oliver Stone is the most talented filmmaker of all time. This is a film he gets less credit for, but it was very personal to him and brilliantly done. First of all, he nails the life of Jim Morrison, the story of The Doors, and the L.A. Scene (1960s) as perfectly as it can be done. It is beyond nostalgoia, it is time travel.

As great as Stone's use of Doors songs, scenery, drug use and beautiful, heavily-decorated '60s California girls is, it is Val Kilmer who does this turn its proudest. Kilmer probably gets to the core of a real person as thoroughly and realistically as any actor who ever portrayed actual folks.

Next on the agenda, you have to love Frank Whaley as Robbie Krieger and Kyle McLaughlin as a spot on, irritating Ray Manzarek. To those of us who really studied Morrison and The Doors, everything is flawless. The film also conveys the essence of the bar scene, particularly Morrison urinating at Barney's Beanery, which used to be a real rock hangout before it turned into a cafe.

The feeling watching "The Doors" switches between a longing for the romance and excitement of the rock life these people led, and revulsion for the drugs and immorality inherent within it.

Love my girl!

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
...

Fiction Not Fact
For a director who tries to show Jim Morrison as a poet who turned to philosophy and music to discover the truth about himself I have to say I am dissappointed because Oliver Stone created a drunk egoistic poser. Jim Morrison was the lizard king not a sex machine. ... Read more

Description

Charlie Sheen is a fearless cop, who goes undercover inorder to infiltrate a notorious motorcycle gang, in this film based on atrue story.He soon finds a new outlaw persona taking hold of him andrisks destroying himself by getting too close to the evil he has swornto fight. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

decent movie based on a true story
This is probably the best biker gang-action movie. That's not saying a whole lot because most biker movies are kind of stupid. This one is a true story so it kind of makes this one more interesting. Michael Madsen is one of my favorite actors and he makes this movie worth watching as the leader of the biker gang. Dennis Berkley fits in perfect as one of the gang members. I wasn't too impressed with Charlie Sheen, though. His acting ability ranges somewhere between Erik Estrada and a turkey baster. He's just not my idea of an action hero. They should have got someone like William Forsythe to play the part of the undercover guy. He played a good biker gang member in Stone Cold. Beyond the Law is worth two hours of your time if you can overlook Charlie's bad acting and cheesey dialog.

A great all around movie
The first time I saw "Beyond The Law" I didn't pay enough attention to it to understand it so I didn't see what all the fuss was about. After I watched it a few more times while I was visiting my family in Texas, I realized why everybody was bragging about it all the time. Charlie Sheen is an undercover cop surveying a biker gang by becoming one of the crew and gaining the respect of even the leader of the bikers.

If you watch the movie and pay attention to the whole thing, you'll find out that this is a great all around movie in every respect. It has good suspense, action, and best of all great acting. It's one of Charlie Sheen's best movies, if not his best, and one of the best movies to own for anybody if you ask me.

Great Performances
This film took my breath away when I saw it almost 10 years ago, and still does to this day. Charlie Sheen pulls off an excellent performance as Dan Saxon, and Michael Madsen does one of the best performances of his career as the down and dirty Blood. This movie is on my top 10 of all time list, and with very good reason. The grittyness of the times and situation were captured perfectly with this film. It's an absolute must see.

Good True Story
This is a good movie based on a true story. Charlie sheen is thrown into an undercover situation with very little training - two people could blow his cover at any time. Some might find the bike-building scene as a distraction, but I liked it. I think the portrait of some of the nuances of biker groups was rich in detail. Only complaint is that the biker "babes" in the movie were not accurate. Come on we all know biker babes are hot (my Mom is a biker babe) but the ones in the movie were - let's say, "lacking". Another non-intended comic point was the redneck bar scene. Charlie storms into a bar filled with "the meanest rednecks you ever seen" and they are all wearing pressed oxfords and loafers. But maybe that's the way rednecks dress in AZ? Charlie plays this multi-dimensional character very well. Overall, a good story well told.

Fixing the Shadow
Released here in Australia under the more 'spiritual' title "Fixing the Shadow", this film, based on a true story, deals with an undercover cop (Sheen) who verges on the suicidal. His pain stems from the confrontation he had with his cop-step-father who abused him as a child.

Sheen, encountering an Apache, learns the tale of someone who 'lost their shadow.' Thus, as Sheen goes undercover, he must confront his fears in order to be restored whole.

You can bear this in mind, otherwise this would just be another biker film. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

A pleasure to watch
A beautifully shot, low-key noir flick, MULHOLLAND FALLS is a pleasure to watch, despite a too predictable plot and sleepy pacing. I guess we're supposed to be more occupied by "mood" which is okay with me. This is the only film I've seen where Melanie Griffith gives a more than tolerable performance, and Nick Nolte is excellent as your grim, conflicted noir hero guy. Not nearly as emotionally wrenching or as well-written as CHINATOWN, and nowhere near the interesting, subtle and exciting LA CONFIDENTIAL, this is still a classy movie worth watching. The 1940s setting is almost too perfect, and oh my, what a car! Chazz Palminteri is excellent, despite the writers not giving us enough depth. The rest of the supporting cast is superb. A mellow murder mystery making for a great late-night watch, in the tradition of the film noir. Cheers.

A Cops vs. Federal Government story of murder

Format: Color
Not for sale to persons under age 18.
Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios
Video Release Date: June 23, 1998

Cast:

Nick Nolte ... Max Hoover
Melanie Griffith ... Katherine Hoover
Chazz Palminteri ... Elleroy Coolidge
Michael Madsen ... Eddie Hall
Chris Penn ... Arthur Relyea
Treat Williams ... Colonel Nathan Fitzgerald
Jennifer Connelly ... Allison Pond
Daniel Baldwin ... McCafferty
Andrew McCarthy ... Jimmy Fields
John Malkovich ... General Thomas Timms

Kyle Chandler ... Captain
Ed Lauter ... Earl
Larry Garrison ... Perino's Maitre d'
Chelsea Harrington ... Lolita
Johnna Johnson ... Bar Woman
Rick Johnson ... Staff Car Sergeant
Britt Burr ... Staff Car Driver
Melinda Clarke ... Cigarette Girl
Ernie Lively ... Foreman
Richard Sylbert ... Coroner
Michael Krawic ... Assistant Coroner
Titus Welliver ... Kenny Kamins
Robert Peters ... Cop #1
Father William M. Thigpen ... Priest
Drew Pillsbury ... Chief's Assistant
Brad Hunt ... Guard
Aaron Neville ... Nite Spot Singer
Buddy Joe Hooker ... DC-3 Pilot
Eddie Caicedo ... Gasping Patient
Price Carson ... Honor Guard
Azalea Davila ... Perino's Girl
Sky Solari ... Perino's Girl
Alisa Christensen ... Spaghetti Girl
Bruce Dern ... The Chief
Rob Lowe ... Hoodlum
Johnny Martin ... Mafia Hitman
William L. Petersen ... Jack, Mafia Mobster
Sharmagne Leland-St. John ... Woman in Night Club
Louise Fletcher ... Esther

Max Hoover (Nick Nolte) is the head of a special police squad that is given carte blanche when it come to methods of running bad guys out of L.A., including throwing them off cliffs; hence the title: as one of the bad guys observed, "There are no falls on Mulholland Drive," Until of course, he discovers them as he falls down the cliff.

The instant crime which the story centers around is the death of a young woman, whose body, it turns out, is discovered to be radioactive, and was a paramour of General Thomas Timms (John Malkovich), who is in command of an Atomic Energy Commission base. The AEC and the FBI, on the one hand, and the LAPD on the other, head for an inevitable jurisdictional clash, in spades.

I will not divulge further details of the plot, except to say that it is rated "R" for language and violence--deservedly.

But, unlike several other reviewers, I found the film interesting and am watching it for the second or third time.

Perhaps not a "great" film, but certainly entertaining within its genre, and well acted and directed.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Mulholland...FALLS--Oh, NOW I get it!
Let's get to the good stuff about this movie before the real fun of dissecting it. For Nick Nolte fans, you'll enjoy it because he's good in it and cuts a swaggering figure in a fedora. For Jennifer Connally fans, this is a must have (you naughty boys) and you'll want to keep your finger hovering over the pause button. In the meantime, you'll be cursing the director for editing the heck out of that really good 8mm B&W movie starring the impressive Miss Connally and spending most of the film on something about radiation and men with hats in a shiny Buick. Even though this impenetrable storyline features the additional treat of one of the Baldwin brothers (Adam? Stephen??) getting the crap beat out of him, I still found it lacking since the complete footage of Miss Connally's kinky films were never found and fully displayed to their archival stature. Talk about an extra for your DVD edition!

Now for the bad stuff. The film tries for atmosphere, but only occasionally succeeds. The shot out at the A-bomb crater is impressive, but on the whole, the movie spends too long doing too little. Of the cast, only Nolte is given enough meat to excel. This is a strong cast, but with the exception of Nolte, they have little to do. Melanie Griffith looks fresh off collagen injections to enlarge her upper lip, sadly ruining her beautiful face. Lord help me, but I kept expecting her to go "quack!" Why is it some gorgeous women keep obsessing about their bodies-tattooes, piercing, injections, etc.? They are like masterpieces that continue to have work done to them and hence ruin their natural beauty (ahem, end soliloquy). And miscasting reaches new heights with uber-quirky John Malkovich as an Army General! Apparently they offered him the part in the B&W porno flick and he was theirs for whatever role nobody else wanted.

Well, I don't want to give away the ending, but for me , the whole movie FELL FLAT. My interest PLUMMETED in the climactic scene. So don't feel you should DROP EVERYTHING to go out and rent this movie.

entertaining
with a early 1950's flair, this los angeles police drama and suspense movie is no oscar winner, however a saturday afternoon a the movies would be good.
also after seeing the cast;

nick nolte
chazz palmenteri
bruce dern
kyle chandler
treat williams
william petersen
rob lowe

they could have had more of a movie, such as l.a.confidential
than this mess.

i liked it, up to a certain point.

Modern Film Noir... a classic!
This movie is NOT on the level of Chinatown, LA Confidential or some of the genuine film noir made in the late 40s.... however... if you enjoyed them, you will enjoy this one, and I give it 5 stars for the atmosphere, music, style, costumes, and story so typical of those other great films. ESPECIALLY interesting is Jennifer's portrayal of a "Black Dahlia" type character, pale blue eyes and all.... and Treat Williams role as a military thug, which he plays beautifully. The score by Dave Grusin is absolutely gorgeous and brings the perfectly beautiful shots of period Los Angeles and matching sets to life. Cinematography and sound is first rate. I can hardly wait to own this on DVD. ... Read more

Description

Kevin Costner plays the most famous lawman ever to stride the Wild West.In a gritty, complex portrayal hailed as a "classic American performance" (Bob Campbell, Newhouse Newspapers), Academy Award winner Costner (Dances with Wolves, The Bodyguard) plays the man who became a myth in acclaimed director Lawrence Kasdan's (The Big Chill, Silverado) epic, action-filled saga.Gene Hackman, an Oscar winner for Unforgiven, as Wyatt's iron-willed father, and Dennis Quaid (The Big Easy, The Right Stuff) as Earp's deadly best friend Doc Holliday add power to this mammoth, hard-hitting Western.From Wichita to Dodge City to the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, Wyatt Earp is a thrilling journey of romance, adventure and desperate, heroic action. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Wyatt Earp was a Man
A lot of people forget that Wyatt Earp was a real man who had more courage and integrity then most people you will ever know. This movie is a pretty accurate portrayl of that man. Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid (Doc Holliday) do a superb job, although the supporting cast has a lot to be desired. This movie differs from the movie "Tombstone", in that it portrays a lot of Wyatt's life from being a teenager during the Civil War to his and Josie's adventure to the Alaskan gold fields near the turn of the century. "Tombstone" deals primarily with the happenings in Wyatt's life in that one town, which ironically dealt with less than 2 years of his long adventurous life. I liked this film because it dealt with an approximate 35 year time span of Wyatt's life, and the movie is long enough to dipict this. There are a lot of historical accuracies in the movie which include proper representations of places and dialogue such as what is said on the way to and during the gunfight. The inaccuracies are easily overlooked such as Virgil being shot in the wrong arm and the reference to "Johnny behind the duece" as "Tommy." All in all though, a good film about the life of a great man, Wyatt Earp.

BUY THIS DVD!
At last Warner Bros. has seen fit to release Kasdan's masterpiece on DVD. Sadly and inexplicably this movie was overlooked at the time of it's release. This superbly written,beautifully played piece is the definitive account of the life of a western archetype achieving everything that previous Earp accounts have failed to with the possible exception of Hour Of The Gun. Avoiding the ludicrous romanticism of My Darling Clementine, or the appaulingly laughable Lancaster/Douglas fiasco, Gunfight At OK Corral, Kasdan's portrayal presents these characters as the contradictory individuals they undoubtedly were and the actors and actresses do a tremendous job of bringing them to life. Costner is utterly believable as a complex man who, influenced by his father's belief in the family unit, almost destroys the very family he is trying to protect. We see him go from an idealistic young man to becoming a resolute, serious individual as a result of circumstances often beyond his control which serve to form his hardened personality and tunnel vision. Dennis Quaid is superb as Doc Holliday and presents a real person rather than Val Kilmer's amusing charicature in the over rated t.v movie-quality Tombstone. JoBeth Williams, Catherine O'Hara and Isabella Rosselini are great in their portrayals of the role of women in the west. Each of the actresses in this movie portrays a distinctly different character never resorting to cookie-cutter characterisations but the one thing they all have in common is, true to the period, women were expected to be supportive but not to have minds of their own; No revisionist western this.
Technically the movie looks and sounds great. Kasdan creates a visual style without being heavy handed and we are presented with a west in various stages of development from shanty towns to the developing, lawless Dodge City and Tombstone where law and order are trying to take hold even when the "law" is being enforced in a very subjective manner, again there is a lot of gray in this movie.
Finally I have to praise James Newton Howard for his wonderful score which, if it were isolated on the DVD would make this a 6 star release.
Apparently deleted scenes are being included on a second disc. An expanded lazer disc was released some years ago which restored this footage to the film, adding even more depth to the characters and as a result an even better movie.
Please buy this movie and, in doing so, encourage Warner's to release the expanded version in the near future. You will not be disappointed.

Western Classic
No doubt this movie is a western classic. I saw it years ago and loved it. I don't have anything negative to say about the movie itself. I almost picked up this 2 disc set until I learned it's a cut down or edited version. Why is the complete 212 min version only available on VHS ? That's just stupid. This is a great movie worthy of a director's cut edition maybe 3 disc set? I'd spend the extra cash on a deeper edition, until then I'll save my money. Please, please release the FULL version on DVD!

I'm very disappointed-why not the Director's Cut on DVD??
I was actually planning to but Wyatt Earp on DVD, but as I already have the Director's Cut on VHS video, I'll wait until the release of it on DVD. I believed this would be the "definitive" video release of Wyatt Earp. I'm quite disappointed!! I would rather have had the complete film on DVD than all of the extras!! Five-stars for the film, one-star for the short-sightedness of this DVD's content!! This is just as puzzling as why the restored version of John Wayne's The Alamo is not on DVD yet, either.

Typical Costner - long drawn out epic!
While the story was great and gave some interesting, perhaps unknown insight to the character of Wyatt Earp (did you know he was married and lost his wife to Typhoid? I didn't!) the movie was a very long, slow, drawn out epic like most of Costner's films. While Dennis Quaid portrayed a believable Doc Holliday, his performance was paled by the superior, more entertaining version by Val Kilmer in "Tombstone". In either movie it was almost unbelievable that the character was played by Dennis Quaid and Val Kilmer respectively (although Val Kilmer was more recognizable), I think both versions of Doc Holliday outshined the portrayal of Wyatt Earp in either movie. While still a good Western for this century, I would not rate this one higher than 3 stars because it was too long and drawn out. 3+ hours is just too long to sit through for something that could have been accomplished successfully in maybe 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
The rating age only goes up to 12, I'm actually 40 years old - LOL ... Read more

Reviews (473)

Die Another Day
The title of Bond's twentieth foray onto the screen comes not from Ian Fleming but rather from the last line of a Houseman poem.Lee Tamahori directs the hero through the usual paces but by now the franchise seems a little dated. Sure there is a lot of action here but the film is a little weak (read farfetched) when it comes to plot.

In this film Bond must save the world from a mad North Korean colonial who has perfected what is essentially a death ray. The colonial wants to use his death beam in order to move into South Korea and then into the west.

All the usual Bond special features are here. We have car chase on ice, exotic locales, beautiful women but something feels like its missing. Halle Berry tries hard in this movie as NSA agent Jinx but she remains little more than eye candy. If there is a Bond girl to watch in this outing it is Rosamund Pike who plays double agent Miranda Pike.

The real treat here is the two DVD set by Universal which offers two commentaries, a trivia track, a great documentary, photo galleries and Madonna's video of the title song.

All in all not one of the best Bond movies but certainly worth its two hour running time.

Die Another Day- So you'll live to die another day.
Die Another Day, the 20th Bond installment is for the most part entertaining. The best Bond film yet, well I'm not sure. Featuring a great cast including Halle Berry, Rick Yune, Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike, Judi Dench and John Cleese as well as Diretor Lee Tamahori (Along Came A Spider, The Edge).
Pierce Brosnan reprises his role as the secret agent James Bond 007, which he still aces. Bond is trouble when he learns he's been betrayed, soon he embarks on a craz North Korean (Rick Yune) who has an accomplice, our villan Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens). Graves has a sophisticated weapon, a laser satellite and wants complete dominance over the world. The movie's plot isn't totally original or intelligent but it still works. Bond is on the trail with an assitant, our new, gorgeous Bond girl Halle Berry playing an NSA agent named Jinx. The film features a few remarkable sets and locations including a set consisting of ice. The gadgets aren't too amazing, mainly the car, the Aston Martin Vanquish with a unique invisibility mechanism. Gadget guru John Cleese and Judi Dench as "M" sparkle.
Die Another Day is rated PG-13 for Action Violence and Sexuality. The film is abundant in terms of violence, including gunplay, swordplay, a hovercraft and car chase and fistfights. There is also a decent amount of sexual innuendo, and non-explicit sexual situations but rather steamy and erotic. Worth seeing, I saw it in theatres and was glad I did and now own it on DVD. DVD has a lot of features and is a two-disc set. Purchase or atleast rent.

bond ,james bond
i love all james bond movies and this is a good action movie adventure and i love pierce brosnan then i am waiting bond 21 this movie is great

STILL LIFE IN BONDAGE
Who would have dreamed in 1963 that Dr. No would be the first of twenty James Bond films? There have been some misses in those 20 films (Moonraker, Octopussy, to name two), but overall the series has aged quite well, and moves into the 21st century quite adroitly.
While ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE remains my favorite Bond film, Pierce Brosnan has done well in his Bond role. He's dashing but vulnerable, and he is a good actor. He's joined in this technological brouhaha by the talented Halle Berry. While this is certainly not Halle's best performance, she shows the versatility and dedication that eventually led to her Oscar win in MONSTER'S BALL. She's a beautiful woman and she holds her own in the fight game too! Rosamund Pike is delightful as Ms. Frost, the double agent who battles Halle in the climax. Toby Stephens does a good job as Graves, but he's not the most memorable of the Bond villains. The action sequences and effects are stunning, except for the obvious blue screen used when Bond escapes from the supercar. And the laser in the sky threat has been used twice before in Bond movies: You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever. John Cleese is cool as Q; Madonna is silly in her cameo, and DIE ANOTHER DAY is one of the worst themes of any Bond movie. No one will ever replace John Barry as the master of the Bond themes. And it wouldn't hurt to see Judi Dench soften a little in her role as M. Nice touch in having B movie actor Michael Masden as the American NSA chief.
All in all, a worthy entry in the Bond series; if Brosnan and crew can keep up this kind of pace, we may see Bond hit 50!!!

Dreadful
Ridiculous effects, ridiculous story, ridiculous dialogue... And Halle Berry can't act to save her life. The fact that the producers wanted to make a spin-off series with her prove they don't know what they're doing! When the studio execs (the ones who axed the Jinx/Halle Berry movie) are the ones with taste and commons sense you know you're in trouble! ... Read more

Reviews (90)

Enjoyable "Buddy Film" classic
Is there anything more satisfying then a romantic, funny, action-packed, well scripted AND well acted movie? Perhaps, but after watching "Thelma and Louise" I certainly have my doubts. Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis star in this highly entertaining, truly heartfelt movie. When one begins this film, you immediately feel the need to choose a "favorite" between the two characters, Thelma or Louise. It is impossible. You can masquerade that you like Thelma more, or that Louise tickles your fancy...but the truth is that both characters are immediately likeable and hard not to love.

The basic plot: Thelma and Louise go on a seemingly weekend long roadtrip as a brief escape from their drab, unexciting lives. Their first night out, Thelma has a terrifying experience...Louise, in her efforts to save her, commits a major crime. Suddenly, they are no longer two pals going on a trip...they are fugitives running for their freedom and from the law. As the story progresses, their list of crimes grows longer, and their chances at reaching their destination seem to get slimmer as they get closer to it.

A thrilling romp through the southwest, with beautiful acting, writing and cinematography, this movie is a classic "buddy movie", "road movie" and "chick flick". Whatever label it is given, it is one of the best of its kind.

The Ultimate Road Movie!
This is an instant classic. Controversial and creating two instant female American icons. Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis are nothing short than perfect as Thelma & Louise, both creating equally likable and complex characters. Considered to be a female buddy road-trip movie, but this film is much, much more, mainly because of the excellent multi-layered screenplay. Ridley Scott directed an instant American classic. Some scenes are now considered classics, such as the ending. The 'male' part of the cast are all excellent, Harvey Keitel and Michael Madsen are great. Brad Pitt is also a stand-out in the role that shot him into stardom. Extremely entertaining and even poignant near the end. This one is in a category all of it's own. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film an 8!

A remarkable movie!
Originality is the supreme adjective for this picture. It won deservedly the Academy Award as Original script. Ridley Scott made an authentical road movie but loaded with humor , cynicism , haunting and above all very anti macho movie.
The sinister fact that will turn a twist of fate in these two women who only wanted to have fun just for a while will become in a permanent and menacing nightmare for both of them .
The spectacular landscapes are a huge background all the way reminds us Paris Texas . The use of big lenses and the arresting images walks together with a solid script .
Brad Pitt appears briefly as the hitch hike guy who eventually seduces Thelma . Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis are the mirror images of Sundance Kid , you may consider it a speculation, but think it carefully . Since the accidental murder , and the sweet smell of the risk when Geena robes a supermarket , the dramatic car chase is very close in spirit to the sudamerican getaway and above all the ending sequence .
Keitel works efficiently , once more and Scott shows us once more why he's on the top direction .
Consider this one from its release as one of the most powerful nineties cult movies!

The Ultimate Buddy Movie.
This is definately Ridley Scott's best film to date. Thema and Louise may be one of the most popular chick flicks, but you do not have to be a woman to like it. This film is the absolute perfect movie to watch with your best friend. The way that Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis take you into the lives of these two friends is amazing. On their jouney they encounter lots of characters including a perverted truck driver, and a young drifter played by Brad Pitt. The movie all in all is good, and I would definately give it two thumbs way way up.

A modern classic
I saw an interview with Susan Sarandon, and she said that "Thelma and Louise isn't about feminism, it's about human liberation." I completely agree.

If you put the sexual politics aside, what you have is a story of two human beings who have spent their whole lives being oppressed and controlled by other people. Louise (Sarandon) is a waitress with a tragic past and an unreliable boyfriend. Thelma is a housewife with an arrogant, controlling husband. The two decide to embark on an impromptu vacation, but while stopping for a couple of drinks at a redneck nightclub, Thelma is almost raped by a lecherous customer, and Louise shoots and kills him in the parking lot. Instead of going to the police, the two decide to skip the country and head to Mexico, but a string of unfortunate events forces the two to commit even more crimes, turning them into bona fide fugitives and outlaws.

Strangely, what the two characters discover is that their new lives as outlaws are more satisfying than the stifled lives they led before. At the end of the film, the two make a choice to remain free and never surrender, despite the consequences.

This film asks the question: is the only way to be free in our society to be an outlaw? The answer just might be yes. ... Read more