Amazon.com

As directed by Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast) and dimly lit by cinematographer Harris Savides, Birth is a melancholy chamber piece, its pensive mood sustained by nearly sub-sonic nuances in a fine, thematically developed score by Alexandre Desplat. All of these fine qualities are well-matched by the somber performance of Nicole Kidman, playing a still-grieving widow of 10 years, about to remarry when a 10-year-old boy (Cameron Bright) arrives to announce that he is her dead husband, reincarnated and full of convincing answers to personal marital questions. Rather than go for Sixth Sense-like chills and thrills, Glazer approaches Birth as a conundrum with no clear-cut solution, and his directorial style is so subdued, so deliberately understated, that most of the story's dramatic impact is sacrificed to oppressively dour atmosphere. If it doesn't lull you to sleep, Birth might hold your attention as a strange, subtle thriller in miniature scale. With its delicate, mature approach to the processes of grieving and recovery, however, Birth rewards attentive viewers attuned to the film's ultra-low-key wavelength, and it's guaranteed to provoke interesting post-movie discussions. Lauren Bacall, Danny Huston, Anne Heche, and Arliss Howard lead an esteemed supporting cast. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (86)

Long Labor, Doesn't Deliver

I just watched this movie and while the music, lighting, and hollywood "slickness" were all present and accounted for, I kept waiting for this movie to really get going.It never did.Which is such a shame because I think it had potential.The main problem I felt was that the characters were almost impossible to connect with.Sean, who is the 10 yr. old boy claiming to be Anna's dead husband, has such a flat affect, which may have been intended, that no emotion comes across onscreen (doubt that was intended).And with the exception of one comment by him that his memories are "like deja vous", he gives no other reason for his laspes in memory.Or why he thinks the whole thing is happening at all.Hence, me waiting for something significant to happen.If only slightly.

The movie does have the feel of a foreign film and at times is visually pleasant but overall, the performances by the actors, is rather bland. If you like movies of this genre to have detail and answer some very basic questions, then is not the movie for you.On the other hand, if you like pretty scenes, pretty actors, and a feeling of "was that it?", then this movie is definitely worth your time.

Absolutely Pointless
The premise of this film is intriguing but it is so badly delivered that it seems as though the script were incomplete. This is a film where very little is said; there are long, annoying shots of winter trees, icy New York streets, etc. all amounting to abolutely nothing. Questions that are so obvious are not even touched upon, and Nicole Kidman comes across as mentally ill herself.
It ends so abruptly, as if the director said, "Let's just end this thing and put ourselves out of our misery". This film insults the intelligence of any viewer in a way that is shameful. What a waste of an evening.

the movie was great but some compains about the dvd release
It's not a regular hollywoodic movie which if it was, it could be more entertaning. but its an excellent valuable and conseptual movie with very good actings and very good directing. I said conseptual but its not a boring movie and certainly grabs you to the end. DVD has not special features but theatrical trailer and 10 sneak peaks. but nothing more. It could be good if the studio release it at least with some deleted scenes and alternate ending. And a directors commentary could be useful in many scenes. but the dvd has no special features. I'm sure they will gonna release a director's cut or special edition of this movie in near future but when they want to stop this tradition, releasing a simple dvd first and release several editions later!? anyway, I Suggest everyone, if you like this movie, dont buy this release, simply rent it, and wait for a special edition or director's cut!

Beautiful film...but very boring
Genre: Drama/Thriller

Genre Grade: C-

Final Grade: C+

This movie only saved itself in my book because of Nicole Kidman's wonderful performance and the amazing cinematography and soundtrack. The story itself was weak, uninspired, pointless, and did nothing to entertain the audience. It seemed as though the director made this movie for his own enjoyment and didn't care that it might put the audience to sleep. It's sad because this movie had such potential...if only it had an ending.

Snaps to Nicole Kidman, Alexander Desplat (for the music), and Harris Savides (for the cinematography), but that's all the credit I can give, this movie sucked other than those things.

Pretty good but Pointless...
This movie is good. There is a fairly good plot but some parts aer just stupid. The end makes you think Why was this movie even made? It seems pointless. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Spend the Weekend with Bernie .. AGAIN :)
I don;t know how to say this in an un-bised way. I am a huge fan of both of these movies. ILOVED THIS ONE it is JUST AS GOOD as the first one! How can I put this. This movie is awesome. I had so much fun laughing at ALL FOUR main charaters get in trouble yet again, because of BERNIE. and he's dead. Or is he? This movie is genius and I wish I could watch both movies every day! You gotta love WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S 2!

Overall, A GOOD MOVIE!
This movie was ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS! I think Andrew McCarthy is very good actor and he backs it up with his performance in this movie. Buy both of the Weekend at Bernies movies if you can. IT's Worth it from all the laughs you will get from it!

LAME
I suffered through this movie at work the other day, because we had some down time, and I didn't have a book with me. It must be a big hit with severe head injury survivors, but I don't know who else would waste their time with this crap.

The movie has two jokes than run the entire length, and neither are funny. Watch Bernie's corpse slam into things, and worse, watch Bernie come to life and dance when music is playing. Ho ho. Perhaps our military would find this film useful in interrogations.

If your idea of great comedy is watching a middle aged man dance the limbo for two hours, occasionally falling down, or banging his head into something, then this movie was made for you.

The opportunity for a good sequel was there.......
....but all hopes were dashed when they said, "Action!"
The first "Weekend at Bernie's" was an absolute hit. A cult classic comedy loaded with humor, crazy situations, and kept the audience involved the entire time. "Weekend at Bernie's Part II" had some great moments, but this movie seemed to go in the wrong direction.
To make a sequel enjoyable, the viewers need more from the first film to make a connection. Only Richard, Larry, and Bernie were back. Where were many of the major characters from the first film?? The mob boss, the girlfriend who was fooling around with Bernie, and Gwen, who was Richard's love interest, should have been back to build the story. Even some of Bernie's beach pals (remember the nut who wanted his car?) could have made cameos.
This time, however, things changed for the worse. Barry Bostwick was essentially the "new" Paulie (who was the hit man in part I) and did a horrible horrible job. Paulie should have returned in some way or form. Can you say prison breakout?
Instead of Richard having a love interest or continuing things with Gwen, this time it was Larry trying to make it with the girl on the island. HUGE mistake, as there was no chemistry or any sense that the relationship might have worked. Larry seemed way to silly to even attempt date or romantic scenes!! Not even close to believable.
I fully agree with one viewer who suggested that Terry Kiser (Bernie), who was hilarious when he was alive, should have been in Part II in a flashback mode or something playing the part of the living Bernie. He was great in the first one and had very little chance to improve the part this time.
The two clowns who were chasing Bernie's body around and carried out the voodoo were terrible. The whole idea of voodoo was super silly, except for it giving Bernie a chance to move around a bit and not be a lifeless corpse the whole time.
Also, the soundtrack for Part II was awful! The first one had great party/beach music. Why not capitalize on that? Who could forget the "some like it hot/cold/never know" song from the first one? Just another example of how the writer-turned-director (he wrote the first and directed this one) helped make this movie tumble.

WAB fans should still see it but true comedy happened in the first film.

BEST MOVIE EVER
I loved this movie. If you really want to see a funny movie you should rent it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The husband (Michael Douglas) is a currency trader whose portfolio value is going right down the drain. The wife (Gwyneth Paltrow) is the heiress to a $100 million fortune. The marriage is not a happy one, but the promise of long-term affluence keeps them together. The wife pursues an affair with an artist (Viggo Mortenson) who gives her all the passion she doesn't get at home, and when the husband finds out, well ... someone's going to pay with their life. Who will the unlucky one be? We wouldn't dare spoil the elegant plot twists of this devious thriller, but it's well known that Douglas excels at portraying greedy characters with ice in their veins. Here, it's easy to assume that Douglas has pulled off, as the title implies, a killing that nobody will ever pin on him. But this is the kind of glossy thriller (loosely inspired by Alfred Hitchcock'sDial M for Murder) that delights in disrupting your expectations, so it grabs your attention right up to the final scene. It's a bit too cold to really draw you in (hey, these are not very nice people we're dealing with here!), but with its able cast and stylish direction by Andrew Davis, this less-than-perfect murder thriller is still definitely worth a look. The widescreen Special Edition DVD includes audio commentary by Michael Douglas, Andrew Davis, and producer Peter McGregor Scott, an alternate ending deleted from the finished film, and sketches by the film's costume designer. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Keepin' it real!
I loved this movie. I think that any movie that stimulates emotion is great. There are not many movies like that anymore. I found myself laughing, crying (really crying), and feeling filled up inside during this movie. It was worth every single cent I paid for it. This movie, the actors and directors should receive awards for this one. People from every walk of life can relate to Antwone Fisher's experience. So many people find themselves in the same position. I especially loved it when Antwone Fisher walked back into his aunt's home after seeing his natural mother and finding all his elder relatives there. That was simply GREAT! I also admired the respect given to his natural mother even though he was angry with her. Honor thy Mother and Father.... Also, the way he handled his foster mother and the women that molested him as a child was awsome! I also admired the effect that his relationship with the psychiatrist (Denzel Washington) even provided a source of healing for the good doctor. Even though Antwone was attaching himself to the doctor's family, the doctor (and his wife) were also attaching themselves to Antwone. Thereby allowing the doctor to recognize his own short-comings. I think that people are able to relate to others better and have a better sense of self when they know from whence they came! Hence, I was pleased to see that Antwone Fisher was able to forgive his mother and move on with his own life. I highly recommend this movie.

A great film with a great heart
When I saw ANTWONE FISHER early last year, it was one of the only few films that I've seen an audience applauded after the film was over. That's a sign of a wonderful film.

The film is based on the troublesome real life autobiography of Antwone Fisher, who wrote the screenplay of his painful past as a child which leads him to confront his demons as a Navy seaman. He meets a psychologist (Denzel Washington) who lifts his spirits up even though he's reminiscing about his unpleasant years.

Derek Luke is an excellent up-and-comer who gives a naturalistic performance as Fisher, and Washington's directorial debut is fine.

I was astounded by the real Antwone Fisher, who first revealed his story as a film-studio security guard, whose sad life is penetrating theme to the audience. Courage, dignity, and a great heart is Fisher's message in the film. A notable accomplishment by Fisher! A thoughtful film about life and a highly recommended movie to watch and learn.

The most heartfelt film of 2003
Antwone Fisher tells the real life story of the title character. A young black navy seaman faces his tough and miserable past with the help of a caring navy psychologist and then sets out to change his situation by confronting his inner struggles and finding the love of the family that he never knew.

The film is beyond brilliant. Denzel Washington, hot off of his Oscar winning performance in Training Day, scores big with Antwone Fisher. He not only stars as the psychologist, but directs this flawless drama in his first ever debut in the director's chair. Derek Luke, a name that is destined to shine in years to come, portrays Fisher with such conviction that he successfully steals the show in the scenes he's in with Denzel.

The film is very heartfelt. It will bring tears to your eyes.

A very recommended movie.

A+

A Surprisingly Good Movie
Antwone Fisher is a surprisingly good movie in light of its unlikely subject matter. Most movies centering around psychologically troubled persons that are not crime dramas are just simply not very good. Antwone Fisher rises above the rest and is a very good movie.

The reason for this is that the movie is an autobigraphy of a real life person. Antwone Fisher served in the U.S. Navy and had a productive relationship with a Navy shrink played by Denzel Washington.

This movie boasts an excellent script and cast to match.

How did Oscar ever pass over this movie?
How Oscar ever passed over this movie is beyond me. As a matter of fact, I boycotted watching the Academy Awards that year simply because they overlooked Fisher. This movie contained many fine categories---actor (Derek Luke) director (Washington) screenplay(Fisher) and definitely Best Picture. Even the actress who played his real mother (sorry didn't get her name) helped deliver one of the most heartwrenching scenes seen in movies in a long time. Now that I have that out of my system, this movie is simply about getting negative things in life such as child abuse,neglect,and death out of your system and getting on with life and proving to even your toughest opponents that they can NOT break you. Fisher is forced to go see the Navy psychiatrist as a last resort to save his career. At first he refuses to talk but once he starts he can not stop and what he reveals even makes the Navy shrink blush. The final perscription is to face the demons of his past face to face and answer all the unanswered questions that keep him from moving forward. This movie would be great for teens and preteens who may may be struggling or know someone who is struggling with their past. Anchors Away! Fisher and yes my eyes got a little misty watching this fine Navy flick. Two salutes!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Cotton Club is routinely eclipsed by the controversies that surrounded its tumultuous production, but the film itself offers abundant pleasures that should not be overlooked. If Apocalypse Now represents the triumph of director Francis Coppola's perilous ambition, then The Cotton Club represents the ungainly glory of uncontrolled genius, as brilliant as it is out of its depth. As an upscale homage to classic gangster films it's frequently astonishing, cramming a thick novel's worth of plot and characters into 129 minutes, gloriously serviced by impeccable production design, elegant cinematography, and stylistic flourishes that show Coppola at the top of his game.

What The Cotton Club lacks is cohesion. As written by Coppola and novelist William Kennedy (then enjoying the peak of his critical acclaim), the movie struggles to exceed the narrative scope of The Godfather, but its multiple early-'30s plot lines fail to form any strong connective tissue. It's three (or four) movies in one, with cornet player Dixie Dwyer (Richard Gere, playing his own jazzy solos) drifting from one story to the next--loving a young, ambitious vamp (Diane Lane, with whom Gere shares precious little chemistry), enjoying the success of a hotshot hoofer (Gregory Hines), and protecting his brazen bother (Coppola's then-newcomer nephew, Nicolas Cage) from the deadly temper of mob boss Dutch Schultz (James Remar). Bob Hoskins and Fred Gwynne also score big in grand supporting roles, but The Cotton Club is perhaps best appreciated for its meticulous re-creation of Harlem's Cotton Club heyday, and the brilliant music (Ellington, Calloway, etc.) that brought rhythm to gangland's rat-a-tat-tat. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (22)

OK, so it's not The Godfather
There have been many criticisms of this movie: that it favors style over substance, that it has too many conflicting storylines, that it slides all over the place without any real character development. I don't disagree. But, that being said, I still like this movie an awful lot. It is packed with talent from end to end, not just the proclaimed stars of the picture, but other little surprises that turn up from time to time. Look for Tom Waits in a bit part that takes place within the Cotton Club, Laurence Fishburne (credited as Larry) as a stylish and dangerous member of black organized crime, and Jennifer Grey as Nicholas Cage's perpetually dim and semi-clad young wife. Diane Lane is as lovely as can be, and really seems to convey the singleminded amorality of her teenaged character, determined to get some security for herself, and the conflict created when she is forced to confront the growing madness of her keeper, mobster Dutch Schultz, and her love for Gere's character of Dixie Dwyer. The music and dance numbers are as good as you've heard, and the sets and costumes beautiful and believable. I think that one problem with this movie may have been the era in which it was released, when a 2-hour movie was still considered extraordinarily long. It does have the jerky, confusing feel of a movie that's been too heavily cut. Perhaps if it had been made today, audiences would be willing to sit through three hours of the intricate plot development that so complex a story really needs. Let's hope a director's cut is released someday.

All in all, this is worth a look, or several, despite its rather considerable flaws.

Satisfying Fun
There was enough tap and dance to keep my creative spirit satisfied and smiling wide. The poetic drama was wonderful and the singing was quite entertaining as well. I was surprised to see Nicolas Cage in his supporting role, although he has played other gangsters in his time. The sex and violence were not too graphic, however, not tame enough for the younger set. You can't beat it for the price, especially if you like tap and drama. Nice late 20s music and costumes... Hines fans should be pleased!

Skip the movie, get the soundtrack!
Like many of Coppola's movies, Cotton Club is great to look at and listen to, but the storytelling falls flat and lacks coherency.
If you're going to watch it, watch it for the musical numbers and don't set your expectations too high for anything more, or skip the DVD and just get the STUNNING soundtrack.

One of my personal favourites.
This movie is brilliant and fascinating from beginning to end. It's so romantic, stylish and beautiful. I always loved everything about it, and was really surprised to know it wasn't a huge hit when it first came out. To me, it's a cult movie.
Diane Lane's character, the tough adolescent who looks like a grown woman and whose face is her fortune, is a personal favourite of mine. I love her wardrobe and hair style, as well as how she starts out as a brunet in the movie and turns blond by the end. People talk a lot about Richard Gere's trumpet playing and not enough about what a nice singing voice she has. I always thought she was a very underestimated actress.
The musical scenes are unforgettable. I loved the late great Gregory Hines, both as a dancer and as an actor, and he really excelled in this picture.
It's a master piece and no one should miss it.

Moments of Greatness Only
I think the biggest problem is the casting. Richard Gere and Diane Lane did a wonderful job together in the recent film Unfaithful but in Cotton Club they seem more like big brother and precocious little sister. Gere plays a Hollywood actor and he is just too smooth with his little moustache and greased back hair--one moment he is smooching with Diane Lane, the next moment he is onstage playing trumpet, the next hes talking tough to a ruthless killer. Its like hes supposed to be some kind of Harlem Renaissance Man. I think at this phase in his career Gere was not so popular because people perceived him as being kind of conceited and this role just seems crafted for a guy who adores himself. Nowadays he comes across as a much more appealing type of fellow but then the self love was just annoying. Diane Lane was a wonderful child actress but in this role she is not a child anymore and not quite a woman yet either. The awkwardness of the Gere-Lane relationship hurts the film considerably. Plus when your lead just isn't Al Pacino or Robert DeNiro and its a mob picture you feel disappointed. Gere is not a mob guy, he's too sophisticated to play mob roles, and he knows it.

Additionally what happens on-stage at the Cotton Club really takes us out of the drama that is happening off-stage. By the time each musical number ends you almost forget what the film is about. There are so many characters(Bob Hoskins, Fred Gwen, Nic Cage, Joe Dallesandro) saying so many things and yet no one character ever grabs our attention and so its hard to care what each character is plotting to do. Its possible to watch this film and not really know who the main character or what the main plot line is. The writing is that obscure. Even if you figure out its a film about Gere and Lane it doesn't help much because they just don't seem right for each other anyway. As a result we have no one and no thing to root for. Beneath the flash of the costumes the film just has no heart and soul. Its like a glossy magazine with pretty faces but no substance.

That said the film is a wonder of cinematography and choreography. One wonderful scene toward the end of the film has Coppola cutting between Gregory Hines tapping and a particularly lurid murder scene. This is the kind of thing Coppola did so well in Godfather--mixing life and death in an operatic way--but here the great camera work seems kind of empty because the characters have failed to really make their mark on our imaginations.

Perhaps in the future Coppola will release an extended version of this film which will make the story clearer. Until then I would recommend this film only if you want a strictly visual entertainment. ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Keepin' it real!
I loved this movie. I think that any movie that stimulates emotion is great. There are not many movies like that anymore. I found myself laughing, crying (really crying), and feeling filled up inside during this movie. It was worth every single cent I paid for it. This movie, the actors and directors should receive awards for this one. People from every walk of life can relate to Antwone Fisher's experience. So many people find themselves in the same position. I especially loved it when Antwone Fisher walked back into his aunt's home after seeing his natural mother and finding all his elder relatives there. That was simply GREAT! I also admired the respect given to his natural mother even though he was angry with her. Honor thy Mother and Father.... Also, the way he handled his foster mother and the women that molested him as a child was awsome! I also admired the effect that his relationship with the psychiatrist (Denzel Washington) even provided a source of healing for the good doctor. Even though Antwone was attaching himself to the doctor's family, the doctor (and his wife) were also attaching themselves to Antwone. Thereby allowing the doctor to recognize his own short-comings. I think that people are able to relate to others better and have a better sense of self when they know from whence they came! Hence, I was pleased to see that Antwone Fisher was able to forgive his mother and move on with his own life. I highly recommend this movie.

A great film with a great heart
When I saw ANTWONE FISHER early last year, it was one of the only few films that I've seen an audience applauded after the film was over. That's a sign of a wonderful film.

The film is based on the troublesome real life autobiography of Antwone Fisher, who wrote the screenplay of his painful past as a child which leads him to confront his demons as a Navy seaman. He meets a psychologist (Denzel Washington) who lifts his spirits up even though he's reminiscing about his unpleasant years.

Derek Luke is an excellent up-and-comer who gives a naturalistic performance as Fisher, and Washington's directorial debut is fine.

I was astounded by the real Antwone Fisher, who first revealed his story as a film-studio security guard, whose sad life is penetrating theme to the audience. Courage, dignity, and a great heart is Fisher's message in the film. A notable accomplishment by Fisher! A thoughtful film about life and a highly recommended movie to watch and learn.

The most heartfelt film of 2003
Antwone Fisher tells the real life story of the title character. A young black navy seaman faces his tough and miserable past with the help of a caring navy psychologist and then sets out to change his situation by confronting his inner struggles and finding the love of the family that he never knew.

The film is beyond brilliant. Denzel Washington, hot off of his Oscar winning performance in Training Day, scores big with Antwone Fisher. He not only stars as the psychologist, but directs this flawless drama in his first ever debut in the director's chair. Derek Luke, a name that is destined to shine in years to come, portrays Fisher with such conviction that he successfully steals the show in the scenes he's in with Denzel.

The film is very heartfelt. It will bring tears to your eyes.

A very recommended movie.

A+

A Surprisingly Good Movie
Antwone Fisher is a surprisingly good movie in light of its unlikely subject matter. Most movies centering around psychologically troubled persons that are not crime dramas are just simply not very good. Antwone Fisher rises above the rest and is a very good movie.

The reason for this is that the movie is an autobigraphy of a real life person. Antwone Fisher served in the U.S. Navy and had a productive relationship with a Navy shrink played by Denzel Washington.

This movie boasts an excellent script and cast to match.

How did Oscar ever pass over this movie?
How Oscar ever passed over this movie is beyond me. As a matter of fact, I boycotted watching the Academy Awards that year simply because they overlooked Fisher. This movie contained many fine categories---actor (Derek Luke) director (Washington) screenplay(Fisher) and definitely Best Picture. Even the actress who played his real mother (sorry didn't get her name) helped deliver one of the most heartwrenching scenes seen in movies in a long time. Now that I have that out of my system, this movie is simply about getting negative things in life such as child abuse,neglect,and death out of your system and getting on with life and proving to even your toughest opponents that they can NOT break you. Fisher is forced to go see the Navy psychiatrist as a last resort to save his career. At first he refuses to talk but once he starts he can not stop and what he reveals even makes the Navy shrink blush. The final perscription is to face the demons of his past face to face and answer all the unanswered questions that keep him from moving forward. This movie would be great for teens and preteens who may may be struggling or know someone who is struggling with their past. Anchors Away! Fisher and yes my eyes got a little misty watching this fine Navy flick. Two salutes!! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Mama Flora's Family
I have viewed many movies, Mama Flora's Family is truly one of the best I've seen in a long time. The movie displayed emotions that seem to have been forgotten in most families. Flora had a mission and set out to put her family where they needed to be no matter the cost. The Writer had to have been deeply inspired to write sure a epic movie. Thank You for presenting such a classic for good CLEAN Family Viewing.

A Great Movie
This Movie Has Queen Latifah and Cecily Tyson! Two Really Great Actress! This movie is about how Younger people don't know anything about there Family History! It made me cry! Right after I watched this I asked my Grandfather about His past and Experiences!

Excellent!!
The best drama of black American history ever!! It is about a black woman named Flora and about her troubled relationship with her family from 1895-1970. Flora and her family face life in the Jim Crow South, WWII, Civil Rights, Vietnam, and Black Panther eras. I personally was interested with Flora's mixed relationship with the white family who employs her. Mama Flora's Family promotes the important values of family and personal responsibility, which anyone can learn from. A must see!!

REMARKABLE!
I experienced this movie for the first time just today and I found it to be remarkable. A depiction of a true and tried black family at its finest and darkest hours. A MASTERPIECE!

Best Movie Of All time
First time I saw this film it made my cry, and still when I tune in to Hallmark and this movie is on, I cry even more, it has a facinating story and great actors as well, I think many people can see themselves in this situation. So thats why im highly recommending this movie to you guyes. I Just bought the movie, and im very anxious to getting it:D ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Moira Kelly at one of her best
The movie itself is a kind of the early nineties' AIDS pandemonium projected onto the Orwell's visions of 1984. Mentally nothing really challenging although romantic (as 1984 book for a big part of it) and somewhat inspiring. But... if you like Moira Kelly (as I do) - this is the one you shouldn't miss (beside "The Cutting Edge" of course)! Three stars for the movie, five stars for Moira and four for the others - averages to four at my scale. This means: go for it.

The best movie in the world
This was the best movie I have ever seen. But I hated the end, it depressed me for days, because I wanted them to be together. It is still my favorite movie. Cuba Gooding Jr. is the sexiest man, he is a very good actor. And Moira Kelly is a good actress. You can tell they are because you could feel the love between the two characters and they didn't even have to say I love you. I really wish the end had been different. I wanted them to make love so bad. He should have escaped with her or they should have found a cure and then they could have lived happily ever after and had a baby. And I hated when Willie died. The end of that movie made me so mad. I don't see how she could go on without him. They should have made love, no matter what. They were very good together. They should do another movie together. I love that movie so much but when I watch it ( I have the video) it leaves me depressed for days. But it's still the best. ... Read more

Description

A lingering solar eclipse casts a strange spell on a dead-end New Jersey town and unleashes hidden passions, frustrated dreams and lonely yearnings in this quirky, bittersweet portrait of small-town life. Full of wonder and wit, this award-winning, critically-acclaimed film, shot in luminous black and white, transforms the familiar terrain of suburbia into an eccentric landscape suffused with a dark and unexpected beauty. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Beautiful "Day-in-the-life" Character Study
"Judy Berlin" is one of those tiny films you stumble upon and from which you come away with a whole new respect for acting, the power of good films and...hell...humanity! Everything about this film is small, and all the more powerful for its smallness: the setting, the plot, the time that passes, even the actors. This was made before Edie Falco (Judy) gained fame on "The Sopranos", so she doesn't project the over-confidence many stars do in little "vanity" projects. No, everyone here is real and pitch-perfect, especially the wonderful actress Madeline Kahn in her final role, filmed during her losing fight against ovarian cancer. If you have patience for films you won't find at your local movie theatre, and you appreciate real acting, "Judy Berlin" won't disappoint.

Excellent character study
Eric Mendelsohn's Judy Berlin is, aside from being a Sundance Film Festival award winner, an intelligently observed portrayal of middle class foibles. Set in Babylon, Long Island (not New Jersey as the Description indicates), it views a day in the life of several of its residents as a midday solar eclipse plunges them into an unnatural darkness.

As a mismatched couple, Bob Dishy and Madeline Kahn are superb. He is an elementary school principal; she is his chatty dependent wife who needs, needs, needs. This was, very sadly, Kahn's last film role--she died of cancer shortly after the film finished shooting. She captures this character to a tee. You watch her and realize nobody else could have performed this role. Dishy, normally a comic actor, here gives a touching performance as a man lost in a half childlike state, as is his wife, although in a subtly different way.

In fact, many of the characters are associated with the elementary school. This is Mendelsohn's clever way of aligning their inability to express mature emotionality with their daily routine. Julie Kavner and Anne Meara, in small roles, work in the school nurse's office. Barbara Barrie is a teacher in the school whose somewhat supercilious attitude gives way, ultimately, to an attraction to her principal, who is having a hard time relating to his wife.

The title character is well played by Edie Falco, currently of The Sopranos, a struggling actress planning to make it big in Hollywood. She has a casual relationship with her mother, the schoolteacher played by Barbara Barrie--so much so that she calls her mother by her first name. On the day she is scheduled to leave for California, she runs into David, son of the Golds (Kahn and Dishy). David is a struggling filmmaker with his own agenda that excludes much of life. The two of them hit it off, but Judy has to leave....

What makes this film so resonant and memorable is the writer-director's mature emotional intelligence. He understands that the dreams we all have of how we want to live our lives are almost never fully realized in reality. The eclipse is a potent metaphor for the gap between what we dream of and what we live. And, he says, it is our lack of understanding how to realistically achieve what we want that plunges us into this gap.

The only sticking point in the film is David's (the filmmaker's) overly self-conscious remarks to Judy about filmmaking itself, which do tend to bog things down somewhat. But aside from that, this is a wonderful, beautiful film with heart and intelligence. Note that the DVD includes Mendelsohn's excellent short (23 minute) film Through an Open Window with a great performance by Anne Meara as an aging woman who feels trapped in her house by the presence of a bird that's flown inside on a summer day. She leaves, only to be confronted by others who make her realize just how trapped she really is...

Highly recommended.

We Love "Day In Life" Character Driven Film
Hubby and I both love slice of life filmmaking so giving us a totally character driven film involving only one day in these people's lives, minimal plot and minimal conclusions doesn't trouble us at all. I know many viewers, however, who require more of a plot than this movie has and/or a higher level of tension. The soundtrack is primarily harpsicord music and we enjoyed that too but if you like state of the art avant garde soundtracks, this also isn't for you. This is a very quiet, art house type film with excellent actors. I loved the chance to see the late Madeline Kahn in one last role. She is absolutely luminous here as the wife of the town's principal whose 30 year old son has moved back home and whose husband may be leaving her for another woman. That other woman's daughter and the Kahn character's son are the other couple in the film. Edie Falco plays the title role as that daughter and gets to show a whole other side of her acting talent outside of her role on the "Sopranos." She is leaving for California that night to try to be an actress there. David Gold, the 30 year old, has just returned from California, having failed in the movie business. After seeing Judy Berlin act at a local theme park it is obvious she is never going to make it as an actress. David is at first discouraging of her going and then starts swinging the other way as he catches hold of her dream. Another character is an old woman who used to teach in the school and is now coming down with Alzheimer's but it is just beginning to dawn on her friends and neighbors that she is failing. This is all set against a total eclipse which darkens the town for the day. The film is shot on such glorious black and white that at times I wondered if I were looking at infrared film, known for its otherworldly blacks and whites. You will probably either love this or hate it with not much inbetween.

Good offbeat drama
I read an interview with John Sayles recently where he noted that Edie Falco's performance in this film(not the SOPRANOS) is what made him decide to cast her in his new film SUNSHINE STATE. She really is quite good in this film. I just wanted to see more of her. The rest of the cast is also good-Barbara Barrie(BREAKING AWAY), Bob Dishy and Madeline Kahn. It's pretty easy to feel some Woody Allen influence here, but it's welcome. Eric Mendelsohn's short-THROUGH AND OPEN WINDOW is also included and I liked that too(stars Ben Stiller's mom Anne Meara). ... Read more

Description

A pregnant teen and her younger sister run away from foster homes and kidnap a woman whom they believe can help with the pregnancy. Mary Kay Place, Scarlett Johansson and Aleksa Palladino star in this breakthrough drama that received four Independent Spirit Award nominations. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Solid movie, but a bit pricey for bare-boned DVD
The Amazon editor summed up the plot, and there is not much to add there.

Scarlett Johannson and Mary Kay Place were very entertaining, as was the movie in general. It did not have any Oscar-caliber aspects to it, however.

The DVD itself has a good image quality, but there were no features other than scene selection, and a trailer to 3 other movies.

It is very over-priced for what you get, but if you are a fan of any of the three lead actresses, it may be worth it to you.

GREAT MOVIE!
I saw Manny and Lo for the first time on the OXYGEN channel earlier this year and fell in love with it. The movie is very entertaining and funny at times, I'm so glad that it is finally coming out on Dvd! I'm going to be at the front of the line buying this one when it comes out in January.

a early Scarlett Johansson role
Two orphan girls kidnap an eccentric woman from a baby store. One of the sisters is pregnant and holding her hostage proves to be most handy. A young Scarlett Johansson plays the younger smarter one. The rebellious teenager and the woman take time to adjust to each other but a bond is eventually drawn between the three. Scarlett is amazing in this. Her performance is mature and far beyond her age. I'm hardly surprised by her recent success. She deserves it. She didn't just pop up overnight. The hot dish references made me roar. I can so relate.

No men allowed
This is the sweetest film. It's definitely a "chick thing" with Manny and Lo and Elaine bonding around an infant to be (Lo's). No men are allowed in this paradise. One appears and he gets bopped over the head, gagged and hog-tied. This is a fem-family made on the run. Lo (Aleska Palladino) in her high teens runs away from a foster home with her younger sister, Manny (Scarlett Johansson). It's a Thelma and Louise crime spree made as a movie for children. Well, not quite. Turns out Lo's pregnant. She has been hiding this from 11-year-old Manny, who has the eye of Sherlock Holmes and is the brains of this team. They find a rather nice, used only during the ski season, cabin in the woods and hole up to await the stork. They spot Elaine (Mary Kay Place), a lonely spinster working in a baby clothes shop and kidnap her to help deliver the baby. Everybody, despite gruff exteriors, has a heart of gold, and togetherness and loving concern prevail. And what's wrong with that?

Nothing really. But I was thinking: this is the obverse of male war movies where none or few women appear, men doing their manly thing killing one another, women irrelevant. I think that's the key word here for director Lisa Krueger: in the reproductive game that is war by other means, men are irrelevant. Or almost so. In war it doesn't matter how many men are killed. As long as there are some left the population will quickly spring back. Kill the women, though, and you have a serious population problem. Manny and Lo and Elaine prove that you really don't need the male: his sperm will do, and that way you don't have to put up with his loutish behavior.

I think I got this right. Anyway, it's a cute movie.

Super movie!
This is a wonderfully, sweet movie, with superb acting and a fantastic script. There is no cheap sentimentality-- just real human issues and real, genuine relationships. Just trust me! If you like independent movies that are truly original, creative and not out-of-the-box, you will love Manny and Lo. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Probably the best movie ever made
Warning-some spoilers ahead.This ladies and gentlemen,is what I like to call the ultimate in film making.It's simply brilliant.There is much to recommend here.First off,the acting and plot are great.John Rubenstein gave an excellent and highly believeable performance as Frank Kramer and is one of the best actors to come out on a film reel.Sam Rockwell is a surprisingly good actor.I think this was his first acting job if I'm not mistaken.Whatever his first movie was,he's great. He oftentimes stole the show and had me laughing the whole way through.Calling himself Al Pacino and using profanity nonstop.He's practically a comedian.He's great.Second,the plot is terrific. Matty ( Rockwell's character,AKA Al Pacino) along with a friend kidnap Frank's daughter Nicole and are holding her for a ransom.Sure,a plot like that is old,but here,it's almost new.The music score is quite good and the sense of drama and suspense was wonderfully balanced.It's funny and gripping all at once.The film at the start however,is littered in limp humor.A tranvestite hooker,tough talking homeless man and a clown midget with laughably done make-up,you could say that the film is part comedy.But don't let that fool you.Halfway,it gets very gripping and the suspense becomes very tight.We know that Nicole is in danger and we're hoping she makes it out alive. Or when Frank is confronted by a disturbed man in his underwear in an old building.That scene is funny at first,but gets gripping later on. Overall,this is a simply brilliant film that will forever be a masterpiece.An excellent mix of drama,comedy and suspense,wonderful acting and a great plot makes this a must-have movie.Just buy this! Rated R for extreme profanity,brief drug use and some violence.

One of the best movies ever
Warning-some spoilers ahead.This is a terrific and truly gripping film that very sadly doesn't get as much credit as it deserves.It's very entertaining and boasts great performances and John Rubinstein is a wonderful actor and was excellent at the role of Frank.Sam Rockwell is great too and about half the time steals the show (his characters alias is Al Pacino!) The film also has a terrific sense of drama and is also very funny at times.A truly brilliant and gripping film with an excellent mix of drama,comedy and suspense.The acting is wonderful and the film truly does keep you at the edge of your seat.BUY IT! Rated R-contains extreme profanity,drug use and some violence.

Taut, tense indie thriller
Mercy is a taut, tense thriller, with a raw New York edge. Though contemporary it sometimes feels like a classic thriller from the 70's (c.f. French Connection, Fourth Protocol). Terrific performances from Sam Rockwell (The Green Mile, Box of Moonlight) and Rubinstein (The Practice, Someone to watch over me). The screenplay was rumoured to be a big influence on the script for RANSOM, but Mercy has a far harder edge, and refreshingly ambiguous ending. Shot all over Manhattan and Queens, with adventurous photography, a story that twists, turns, and squirms, and a killer score. A dark and very rewarding film. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Great acting, superb script
What I like about this film is that it leads the viewer through the heart-wrench and painful gutted sense of a woman who discovers her husband has been unfaithful, and then who goes through the slow process of making a life without him. You actually go through those feelings with the wife. One criticism is that it's a little bit hard to believe Jill Clayburgh, who's otherwise so sharp, could have put her WHOLE life into her dopey husband, since she appears college-educated and has worked part-time even through her marriage. Michael Murphy always plays kind of super-achiever but wishy-washy characters, and typically a woman he'd be involved with would have her own life anyway.

It's never too late to become your own person
I first saw this movie with my mother when it was released theatrically. Because I was just 13 years old, some of the subject matter sailed right over my head, but I was still entranced by the film and cheered Erica on to find her own happy ending.

I have seen the film many times since, and it has become one of my all time favorite movies. Jill Clayburgh shines as Erica and brings such a believability to this role. You are right there with Erica as she revels in her comfortable Upper East Side life, as she walks around in a fog when her husband leaves, as she takes those tentative first steps into the world of dating, as she finds love once again, and ultimately, as she emerges as a woman who discovers who she is and is determined to face life and love on HER terms.

I think this is Paul Mazursky's best work. He was not afraid to explore his feminine side and write this film from a woman's point of view. Many of the themes brought up in the film, such as loss, self-esteem, and independence still ring true today and I am hard pressed to name a recent film that explores this territory as well.

On a purely aesthetic level, I would kill to have Erica's apartment. A spacious, tastefully decorated hi-rise apartment with stunning views of Manhattan...I would be in heaven. The movie gets a star alone for that location.

Unmarried Woman
It`s excellent. I need the films have subtitles in spanish, for my english very bad. The film have a way for persons unmarried, wish we begin the live again. I live in San José Costa Rica, América Central.

One of the Best Films
This is one of the best films I have ever seen. It is well-written, superbly acted, introspective, accurate.

When will this be on DVD!!!???

SEX AND THE CITY IN THE 1970'S
BEFORE SEX AND THE CITY HOLLYWOOD MADE A GREAT FILM IN THE ERA OF THE EQUAL RIGHT MOVEMENT! IN THIS MOVIE A WOMAN WHO WAS HAPPILY MARRIED FINDS HERSELF SINGLE AFTER HER HUSBAND HAS BEEN HAVING AN AFAIR! AFTER THE DIVORCE SHE DISCOVERS HERSELF AND FIGURES OUT WHAT HER NEEDS ARE! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Excellent adaptation.
I still place Stuart Woods's "Chiefs" among the best police dramas ever written. Since I learned that a TV adaptation of the book was made, I've always wanted to see it - and, about a year ago, I finally found and bought the DVD release of the series (which seems to be unavailable outside R2). I actually did not expect much, but what I received surprised me - and it was a positive surprise. The series is an excellent adaptation of the novel and manages to do it justice, which is a rarity... as is the fact that very little of the book's plot is omitted. Certainly, some of the details - such as Will Henry's growing obsession with the mysterious murders, and the technical sides of his investigation - have to be treated superficially, but every important subplot and aspect of the book is present in the film; consequently, the series manages to be just as thrilling and involving as the novel. Amusingly enough, the credits on the box of the DVD misled me slightly - I assumed Charlton Heston, Keith Carradine and Billy Dee Williams would be playing the three chiefs, chronologically; of course, this is not the case. Of course, a Collector's Edition, with some extras and a commentary (perhaps even by Stuart Woods?) would be even better, since the DVD I have is bare-bones, with only a spartan menu and chapter selection, but that's unlikely to happen with a TV series. Then again, it's been done with, for instance, "IT!", so... you never know. If a Special Edition DVD is ever released, I'll certainly buy it in addition to the standard one I have.

One of the Best
This was one of the BEST movies I have ever seen. This movie touches on everything from Domestic Violence to Racism and everything in between. Danny Glover before he was super famous! Can't get much better than that!

A Great Mini-Series with a good plot and great actors
I first watched "Chiefs" when I was about 14- my aunt taped the whole mini-series for my family, and we all enjoyed it immensly.(A bit heavy subject for a 14-year-old, but a definate eye-opener, on racism, politics AND hitchhiking!) It is about three successive police chiefs in a small Southern town, how each deals with the myriad prejudices against Colored People, and a decades-long case involving the mysterious disappearances of young boys hitchhiking through (as well as the political aspects of)the town. It is a very sad conclusion, when they discover what happenened to the boys, but an excellent series overall.
However, my mother eventually bought the VHS version when it came out, and we were very dissapointed to find that many memorable scenes were cut out- in particular, my favorite, where Billy Lee(up & coming politician & all-around good guy)invites his fellow politicians to lunch (to discuss deplorable prison conditions) -at the prison! -I would only buy the DVD edition if the WHOLE, COMPLETE series were there,(lots of room on DVD's I'm told) -a commentary on the series and book, as well as interviews with actors would also be great, if available!
Hard to pick a favorite actor here, as everyone in the movie was top-notch, but Billy Dee Williams got the best part in the whole movie, when he proclaims to the rednecked hicks that arrest him for no better reason than being a Black Man(I speak as a white chick), "My name is Tyler Watts- but you can call me "Chief"! -Well worth watching even once, if just to draw your own conclusions- but I warn you, if you like it, you'll be hooked! If you don't....well, we'll probably be hearing from you! :)

Chiefs
I have been a reader for 44 years, since I was 12 years old. CHIEFS is one of the best books I have ever read. It was not until I was finished with it that I found out it had been a mini-series on TV in the 80s. The story is full of honorable men doing their best against many prejudices in the South. It took 43 years to solve the mystery of the missing youths and who their killer was. I said to my husband - boy you'd like this if it were a movie. The snaking plot(s) fit right in with what I like to watch on TV. A touch of the Old West, small town living, Southern attitudes, and heroes!

Entertaining mini-series
I greatly enjoyed this three-part series when it was televised back in 1983. Based on the novel by Stuart Woods (which I later read), it covers three generations of police officers in the town of Delano, Georgia, and the deadly secret that they all will face. For its first chief, Delano decides to hire "a good man," so Wayne Rogers (Trapper John on "MASH") is the choice. Next was the corrupt officer (Brad Davis), followed by the town's first black officer (Billy Dee Williams at the height of heartthrob-ness, having just been Lando in "Star Wars"). Charlton Heston and Keith Carradine have recurring roles. I would enjoy seeing this again on DVD, though I wonder if it would be a full release or the 3.5-hour edited version I've heard about on VHS. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Boooooring!
The only reason why I finished watching this movie it is because I bought it, but if I knew it would keep being so boring I would have not lost my time on top of losing my money...
This is the boring version of the tv show "friends". It is the real boring version. There is nothing wrong with the actors or the acting but the plot is as lame as it can get.
It seems like a bunch of people got together and tried to show us that they can act, which is true, they actually can, the cast was good but the story, what was the story, I don't think I have figured it out, and neither in my opinion did anybody behind this movie....
Save your money!! don't buy it and don't rent it.....
One star goes to Amanda Peet, and the other one to Sandrine....

Party like it's 1999
This movie was never released at the cinema or on video so the only place you can get it is right here on dvd. Amanda Peet has a big role in this film and if you're a fan of hers the film is worth getting for her performance alone. The quality isn't perfect but it gives it that nice indy film vibe. If the movie wasn't already good enough the dvd has many extra features such as a hillarious Introduction by the director, Commentary and deleted scenes... all in all a great dvd check it out!

New Years Fun
This movie was made back in 1998 about a group of 20 somethings in new york trying to get through new years eve in 1999 going into a new millenium. The film succeeds where 200 cigarette's didn't quite pull it off as far as new years movies go. Noteable performances by Amanda Peet who you will know from "Saving Silverman" and "The Whole Nine Yards" also a great performance from one of my all time favourite comedians "Steven Wright" Showing he can still perform with the best of them. This is a definite happy romantic fun night in movie at a very reasonable price... check it out! ... Read more