Reviews (263)

Well, at least his mask looked pretty cool
Ah yes, the sixth installment in the Halloween series. I watched this over and over and over and still have mixed feelings about this. The plot from this movie differs a bit from 4 and 5, and that's what this series needed, a change. But the change the movie took shoudn't have happened like this. Don't get me wrong, I liked this movie just like every other Halloween but I mean come on, thorn? I remember the good old days when Michael was just a psychopath who escaped from a sanitarium. That was simple. When you introduce the thorn aspect it "totally" takes away the simplicity that made the original so great. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasance) returns for his last film before he past away. And as always, he gave a great performance. This movie is explicitly violent, and gory. The soundtrack was just annoying. And the fact that they killed Jamie was a real dissapointment to me. Hey, at least the plot was interesting and fresh. And as always, the ending made us wonder which is always a plus. In conclusion, I think die hard Halloween fans will enjoy, while other movie buffs will not be impressed. You have anything to say about what I said about this movie? E-mail me at: omicron_30@yahoo.com

Scary and atmospheric sequel that will deliver the goods!
They haven't made a bad HALLOWEEN movie yet. Each new sequel manages to be a stand-out above all other horror sequels, showing that effort is being made by the film makers. HALLOWEEN 6: THE CURSE OF MICHEAL MYERS is one of the finest and scariest HALLOWEEN movies in the series. Director Joe Chappelle creates moments of intense suspense and drenches the movie with haunting atmosphere. The script also introduces some very intresting and fun characters such as Tommy Doyle, Kara Strode, and of course the return of Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence in his final role). Viewers who are not familiar with HALLOWEEN 4 and 5 may find this movie a little confusing, so I do suggest watching the previous sequels first. H6 has a few plot holes, but nothing that can't be forgiven. If you get a chance, try and find the Producer's Cut bootleg which explains a lot more. But I do recommend this movie to people looking for good scares and a quality sequel.
Side Note: Avoid the DVD becuase it doesn't have ANY extras. Save a few bucks and go with the VHS for now.

The Makings of a Great Sequel, what a shame...
Let's get started by saying that I personally liked the "thorn"-related Halloween movies (4 and 5 to be specific), but this was very disappointing.

Halloween 4 was a solid movie. H5 was somewhat weaker, but was still OK, as it presented the mysterious "man in black".

Why was this movie so terrible? This is a long story but, first of all, it was somewhat doomed from the start. Mid-way through production, director Joe Chappelle viewed the currently shot footage and found it to be horrible. He went to Dimension Films and asked to reshoot the ending as well as various additional scenes, all of which Dimension greenlighted. At the same time, Halloween 6 had its budget slashed by two million dollars, which is something it definitely did not need. Chappelle reshot the scenes, but this "alternate" version of the film was not what was eventually sent to theaters. Instead, was a film that many found confusing. And, it truly was. Many of the connecting plot lines had been cut out. The film ended up being a box-office failure. One can blame it on many things, but I point it to a loosely-connected plot, poor script, and poor use of Donald Pleasance. And yet, he was the best thing about the movie. His performance is solid, as it always is. Pleasance, who was ill during filming, died before the film's release. Coincidentally, his last film would be a sequel to the one that made him famous.

After hearing about why this film ended up being one of the poorer Halloween sequels, you may now want to know what it was about. H6 is the most intensely thorn plot-centered movie of them all, and starts off with an adult Jamie giving birth to a baby. Jamie and the baby escape, but Michael quickly shows up and murders Jamie. Tommy Doyl, whom you may remember from the original Halloween, is now an adult, an is devoted to tracking down Michael Myers. He and Dr. Loomis team up in an effort to protect the baby from Michael.

My advice would be to avoid this movie. If you are one of those people who are interested in seeing "what could have been", track down the famous "Producer's Cut" DVD, which is available on many online auction sites and containes 43 minutes of alternate footage.

i hate moustapha akkad
DO NOT see this. it sucks. it is wretched. it has no suspense, all the characters suck, and the thorn thing, what the F@$#! it was scarier when michael just killed his family for no apparent reason. just skip this trash along with 4,5,6 and ressurection. stick with the first two and you can't go wrong. H2O wasn't bad either. and season of the witch is good, just don't expect myers to be in it. watch it as if it was NOT part of the halloween series and you will have fun.

Lacking in suspense, thick with cliche
This is the worst film in the long running "Halloween" series. By trying the desperate attempts of bring in a new story line about a bizzare paganistic cult is more funny than frightening, the use of gore in this film is shocking, belting it out to hideous and camp levels with no style or originality.

The only elements that are worth credit are the revamped score and the fact the mask in this movie is closer to that of Carpenter's orginal. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

So sad about us.
Nicole Holofcener's Lovely And Amazing has alot of terrific moments, but overall pales in comparison to her earlier Walking And Talking. The comedic tone this time is a lot darker as we observe a few days in the life of a mother and her three "screwed-up" daughters (two biological adults and an adopted African-American child).

Holofcener again uses the acerbic Indie staple Catherine Keener, who plays the lazy, bored and arrogant eldest daughter. Keener is without doubt the best thing here, she's played this character many times before but does it so well the repitition hardly matters. If only the other characters were as engaging (or as painfully true to life).

Lovely And Amazing suffers from the presence of a few flat (male) characters and one too many unresolved subplots.
It's a more ambitious film than Walking And Talking and that's probably why it's not as satisfying.

In an age of expensive, overpraised, CGI smothered, Tinseltown atrocities, the very existence of a small budgeted delight like Lovely And Amazing is quite revolutionary.

the title describes the film!!!
The four females in "Lovely & Amazing" look at themselves through a self-cracked mirror. Jane (Brenda Blethyn) is a well-off woman in her 50s who cares enough about others to adopt Annie (Raven Goodwin), an 8-year-old African-American girl whose birth mother is a crack addict. Jane also cares enough about herself to sign up for cosmetic surgery ($10,000 a pop and no insurance) to remove 10 pounds from her midriff.

Along with Annie, Jane has two adult daughters. The older one, Michelle (Catherine Keener), is a former homecoming queen who has turned into a childish, self-centered neurotic. Though Michelle's husband constantly prods her to get a job, she fancies herself an artist. She makes miniature chairs to sell to knickknack shops, but no one's buying.

Michelle's younger sister, Elizabeth (Emily Mortimer), is a beautiful aspiring actress who's already landing some small movie roles. But she has such a distorted self-image that she thinks of herself as unattractive -- even as she's posing for a photo spread in Vogue. Asked to do a "chemistry" audition with a big star named Kevin McCabe (Dermot Mulroney), she's forced to listen while casting agents casually appraise her sexuality -- or lack thereof.

Both sisters are stuck in unfulfilling relationships. Elizabeth's overcritical live-in boyfriend is tired of hearing her obsess about her auditions, her resume photos, her agent, etc. Meanwhile, Michelle's sullen self-absorption and testy attitude have worn down her husband to the point that he's not especially interested in sleeping with her. To spite him, she takes a menial job at a one-hour photo shop, where her teenage boss (Jake Gyllenhaal) takes a Mrs. Robinson-like interest in her.

As she proved in her fine 1996 film, "Walking and Talking," director Holofcener has an uncanny understanding of people as well as a gift for sharp, funny dialogue. Yes, "Lovely & Amazing" will probably spawn noxiously shallow lifestyle pieces on why women have poor self-esteem. But the film is much subtler and more complex than that.

The entire cast is terrific, from Goodwin to Mulroney. But you have to focus on Keener, perhaps best known for her role as the merciless co-worker of John Cusack in "Being John Malkovich," who's become the Queen of Late Summer. She's creating her own type -- the acerbic smarts and ironic world-view of wisecracking dames like Rosalind Russell or "Frasier's" Peri Gilpin, with a twist of simmering anger and a drop of self-loathing. As vulnerable as she is venomous, she doesn't want to be the way she is, but she can't quite give it up, either.

Deftly directed, winningly acted and shrewdly written, "Lovely & Amazing" is as softhearted as it is ruthless, as amusing as it is poignant, but it does have its faults. Mostly, it doesn't offer a lovely and amazing final resolution, one reason why I wish it went on longer. It's an engrossing and emotional film that every woman (and gay man) should see.

Film that's full of humor, but no resolution
There are good performances in this film and interesting subjects that are brought up, but there is a serious flaw here and that's the fact that it doesn't face up to the issues much and just presents them. The ultimate presentation of this is the mother who gets lyposuction, there are certain things in her life which she simply doesn't remedy and movie seems OK to let her not deal with them. In a way this is true to life, but if you wanted to broach certain subjects in film about people's crossroads in life than the film should have a definitive view on them. This film's view on the characters was that it liked them and so it was non-judgmental. It just doesn't seem to have a point for existing even though that existence is funny, sad,and presented with a very matter of fact, frankness, that is rare nowadays. One thing that wasn't dealt with that I liked was Dermot Mulroney's character in relationship to Emily Mortimer's character. He's completely using her and he's completely honest about that, but we don't know if she'll have another liason with him in the future, or not. I liked that particular open end.

Insightful
Lovely & Amazing surprised me at the sheer content of sociological examination. Nearly every scene exposes a glimpse at unspoken, or rather rarely-spoken, idiosyncracies in everyday interaction.

For example, the adopted girl, Annie, shows white viewers that even at her young age she must confront such topics as: straightening her hair, being told her "mother" (older black woman who is a mentor) must wear a swimming cap in the pool while the white swimmers do not; being told she doesn't need sunscreen because her "skin is already brown"; understanding why her adopted mother needs liposuction to look better (Annie must wonder if she needs to look better also).

These are but a breach in the bundle of issues this movie examines. Each character raises a multitude of motifs that could serve as meaningful topics for lengthy essays. If I were a sociology professor, this movie would be required viewing in my classes.

Lacked coherence.
Lovely and Amazing (Nicole Holofcener, 2001)

Nicole Holofcener (Sex and the City, Gilmore Girls, Six Feet Under) delivers her second feature film in which a lot of people do a lot of talking and no one actually does much of anything. This one centers around a mother (Brenda Blethyn, recently seen in Little Voice) who's about to go into the hospital for liposuction, and her three daughters, Elizabeth (Emily Mortimer of The Ghost and the Darkness fame), Michelle (Catherine Keener from being John Malkovich), and adopted daughter Annie (Raven Goodwin, last seen in The Station Agent). The mother and the three daughters are all variously dysfunctional. Elizabeth, an actress, has a minor part in a movie that's about to open and no other forthcoming prospects. Michelle is an artists trying to consign her handicrafts to various art stores and failing repeatedly, while her husband is off knocking boots with her best friend. Annie, transracially adopted, is just trying to fit in however she can. Let's face it, it's an Oprah Movie Club pick waiting to happen, if Oprah ever starts a movie club.

Still, it's got its good points. I rented it solely for the Jake Gyllenhaal factor, truth be told. While Gyllenhaal's entrance into the movie comes late, the boy is never less than a pleasure to watch onscreen, and he does a great deal to redeem the movie (his character is the catalyst that drives many of the few events that actually occur in the film). Dermot Mulroney, as a possible new relationship for Elizabeth, does some of his best work here since Young Guns (one wonders if, between this and The Safety of Objects, Mr. Mulroney isn't beginning to vault himself up onto the A list). The four main actresses are all very good in their roles, if not actually given much to do. Even the normally loathsome Brenda Blethyn is watchable (i.e., a bit less loathsome than usual), though she just doesn't sound right with an American accent.

The strength of the movie, however, lies in Raven Goodwin. Annie's search for some way to fit in to the mess that is this family provides most of the movie's truly absorbing moments (the relationship between Keener and Gyllenhaal providing the rest of them). The rest of the movie seems to be made with an eye towards exciting a kind of embarrassed, nervous laughter from the viewer (and it succeeds well), but most of the scenes containing Annie aim for the heart, and without the usual emotional manipulation one is apt to find in most Hollywood fare. It's a refreshing change.

If you want movies where lots of things happen, you can probably dismiss this. If you don't mind a slow pace and a lot of dysfunction, give it a look. ** ½ ... Read more

Reviews (30)

So sad about us.
Nicole Holofcener's Lovely And Amazing has alot of terrific moments, but overall pales in comparison to her earlier Walking And Talking. The comedic tone this time is a lot darker as we observe a few days in the life of a mother and her three "screwed-up" daughters (two biological adults and an adopted African-American child).

Holofcener again uses the acerbic Indie staple Catherine Keener, who plays the lazy, bored and arrogant eldest daughter. Keener is without doubt the best thing here, she's played this character many times before but does it so well the repitition hardly matters. If only the other characters were as engaging (or as painfully true to life).

Lovely And Amazing suffers from the presence of a few flat (male) characters and one too many unresolved subplots.
It's a more ambitious film than Walking And Talking and that's probably why it's not as satisfying.

In an age of expensive, overpraised, CGI smothered, Tinseltown atrocities, the very existence of a small budgeted delight like Lovely And Amazing is quite revolutionary.

the title describes the film!!!
The four females in "Lovely & Amazing" look at themselves through a self-cracked mirror. Jane (Brenda Blethyn) is a well-off woman in her 50s who cares enough about others to adopt Annie (Raven Goodwin), an 8-year-old African-American girl whose birth mother is a crack addict. Jane also cares enough about herself to sign up for cosmetic surgery ($10,000 a pop and no insurance) to remove 10 pounds from her midriff.

Along with Annie, Jane has two adult daughters. The older one, Michelle (Catherine Keener), is a former homecoming queen who has turned into a childish, self-centered neurotic. Though Michelle's husband constantly prods her to get a job, she fancies herself an artist. She makes miniature chairs to sell to knickknack shops, but no one's buying.

Michelle's younger sister, Elizabeth (Emily Mortimer), is a beautiful aspiring actress who's already landing some small movie roles. But she has such a distorted self-image that she thinks of herself as unattractive -- even as she's posing for a photo spread in Vogue. Asked to do a "chemistry" audition with a big star named Kevin McCabe (Dermot Mulroney), she's forced to listen while casting agents casually appraise her sexuality -- or lack thereof.

Both sisters are stuck in unfulfilling relationships. Elizabeth's overcritical live-in boyfriend is tired of hearing her obsess about her auditions, her resume photos, her agent, etc. Meanwhile, Michelle's sullen self-absorption and testy attitude have worn down her husband to the point that he's not especially interested in sleeping with her. To spite him, she takes a menial job at a one-hour photo shop, where her teenage boss (Jake Gyllenhaal) takes a Mrs. Robinson-like interest in her.

As she proved in her fine 1996 film, "Walking and Talking," director Holofcener has an uncanny understanding of people as well as a gift for sharp, funny dialogue. Yes, "Lovely & Amazing" will probably spawn noxiously shallow lifestyle pieces on why women have poor self-esteem. But the film is much subtler and more complex than that.

The entire cast is terrific, from Goodwin to Mulroney. But you have to focus on Keener, perhaps best known for her role as the merciless co-worker of John Cusack in "Being John Malkovich," who's become the Queen of Late Summer. She's creating her own type -- the acerbic smarts and ironic world-view of wisecracking dames like Rosalind Russell or "Frasier's" Peri Gilpin, with a twist of simmering anger and a drop of self-loathing. As vulnerable as she is venomous, she doesn't want to be the way she is, but she can't quite give it up, either.

Deftly directed, winningly acted and shrewdly written, "Lovely & Amazing" is as softhearted as it is ruthless, as amusing as it is poignant, but it does have its faults. Mostly, it doesn't offer a lovely and amazing final resolution, one reason why I wish it went on longer. It's an engrossing and emotional film that every woman (and gay man) should see.

Film that's full of humor, but no resolution
There are good performances in this film and interesting subjects that are brought up, but there is a serious flaw here and that's the fact that it doesn't face up to the issues much and just presents them. The ultimate presentation of this is the mother who gets lyposuction, there are certain things in her life which she simply doesn't remedy and movie seems OK to let her not deal with them. In a way this is true to life, but if you wanted to broach certain subjects in film about people's crossroads in life than the film should have a definitive view on them. This film's view on the characters was that it liked them and so it was non-judgmental. It just doesn't seem to have a point for existing even though that existence is funny, sad,and presented with a very matter of fact, frankness, that is rare nowadays. One thing that wasn't dealt with that I liked was Dermot Mulroney's character in relationship to Emily Mortimer's character. He's completely using her and he's completely honest about that, but we don't know if she'll have another liason with him in the future, or not. I liked that particular open end.

Insightful
Lovely & Amazing surprised me at the sheer content of sociological examination. Nearly every scene exposes a glimpse at unspoken, or rather rarely-spoken, idiosyncracies in everyday interaction.

For example, the adopted girl, Annie, shows white viewers that even at her young age she must confront such topics as: straightening her hair, being told her "mother" (older black woman who is a mentor) must wear a swimming cap in the pool while the white swimmers do not; being told she doesn't need sunscreen because her "skin is already brown"; understanding why her adopted mother needs liposuction to look better (Annie must wonder if she needs to look better also).

These are but a breach in the bundle of issues this movie examines. Each character raises a multitude of motifs that could serve as meaningful topics for lengthy essays. If I were a sociology professor, this movie would be required viewing in my classes.

Lacked coherence.
Lovely and Amazing (Nicole Holofcener, 2001)

Nicole Holofcener (Sex and the City, Gilmore Girls, Six Feet Under) delivers her second feature film in which a lot of people do a lot of talking and no one actually does much of anything. This one centers around a mother (Brenda Blethyn, recently seen in Little Voice) who's about to go into the hospital for liposuction, and her three daughters, Elizabeth (Emily Mortimer of The Ghost and the Darkness fame), Michelle (Catherine Keener from being John Malkovich), and adopted daughter Annie (Raven Goodwin, last seen in The Station Agent). The mother and the three daughters are all variously dysfunctional. Elizabeth, an actress, has a minor part in a movie that's about to open and no other forthcoming prospects. Michelle is an artists trying to consign her handicrafts to various art stores and failing repeatedly, while her husband is off knocking boots with her best friend. Annie, transracially adopted, is just trying to fit in however she can. Let's face it, it's an Oprah Movie Club pick waiting to happen, if Oprah ever starts a movie club.

Still, it's got its good points. I rented it solely for the Jake Gyllenhaal factor, truth be told. While Gyllenhaal's entrance into the movie comes late, the boy is never less than a pleasure to watch onscreen, and he does a great deal to redeem the movie (his character is the catalyst that drives many of the few events that actually occur in the film). Dermot Mulroney, as a possible new relationship for Elizabeth, does some of his best work here since Young Guns (one wonders if, between this and The Safety of Objects, Mr. Mulroney isn't beginning to vault himself up onto the A list). The four main actresses are all very good in their roles, if not actually given much to do. Even the normally loathsome Brenda Blethyn is watchable (i.e., a bit less loathsome than usual), though she just doesn't sound right with an American accent.

The strength of the movie, however, lies in Raven Goodwin. Annie's search for some way to fit in to the mess that is this family provides most of the movie's truly absorbing moments (the relationship between Keener and Gyllenhaal providing the rest of them). The rest of the movie seems to be made with an eye towards exciting a kind of embarrassed, nervous laughter from the viewer (and it succeeds well), but most of the scenes containing Annie aim for the heart, and without the usual emotional manipulation one is apt to find in most Hollywood fare. It's a refreshing change.

If you want movies where lots of things happen, you can probably dismiss this. If you don't mind a slow pace and a lot of dysfunction, give it a look. ** ½ ... Read more

Amazon.com

Julie Barnes (Claire Danes), Pete Cochrane (Giovanni Ribisi), andLincoln Hayes (Omar Epps) have one thing in common: They're young adults on the wrong side of the law, arrested for crimes of robbery, grievous bodily harm, and arson. Taken in by mentor and father figure Captain Adam Greer (Dennis Farina), they are assigned to a special task force working undercover for the police--the logic being that these kids can get into the hip young establishments that the older, more cynical officers can no longer infiltrate. Ill-suited to each other and chastised by their peers, this rogue squad is forced to come together when they uncover a seedy world of police corruption. Not knowing who to turn to, the kids are left with their wits and street cunning (they're not allowed to carry guns) to overcome mounting odds against their survival.

With Hollywood facing increased pressure in 1999 to curb its screen violence, this film arrived with perfect timing. The only problem is the film was aimed at an audience that never saw the early-1970s TV series that inspired it, and this dubious recycling resulted in paltry returns at the box office. Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable action movie with some noteworthy performances--especially from Omar Epps, who shines with strength and vulnerability, like a young Laurence Fishburne. The energetic camera work and throbbing soundtrack also stand out, alongwith some retro styling and a plot that's refreshingly free of excessive violence or gratuitous special effects.--Jeremy Storey ... Read more

Reviews (29)

MORE CORN & ONIONS
This movie really blows! It's among the worst I've ever seen. Not recommended.

Pretty Good if You're Bound and Gagged for Two Hours
Mod Squad is nothing to watch on purpose mind you. It's one of those bad films that requires no thinking at all to get through. That's probably why you could be watching it for over an hour and not even realize what anyone in the scenes are doing. This is the worst ripoff of a television series I have ever seen. The characters didn't act anything like the originals. Omar Epps rocked and as a black person I was embarrassed he even took a part in the mess. He is too good of an actor to even think of taking a role where he had so little to do. Ribisi was unnoticable as the " dumb " one of the group. His lines were supposed to be funny but he only ended up making me more bored. Claire Danes was stylish for once but she tried too hard to be sexy and once again her acting barely passed. With many more exciting young actresses out there I was surprised that someone thought Claire Danes who played Julie like a ditzy tramp could be smart enough to be a cop. This is the movie that proved Danes is not leading lady material. She does much better as a supporting actress. This was awful and unless you've got the hots for any of these three people don't waste your time. Poor Omar, thank goodness he went on to better roles. If you like new adaptations of old shows, I'd watch the new Charlie's Angels movies. They may not be perfect but at least they aren't boring.

Embarrasing.
For those who don't know, the premise of the TV show was that these three troubled kids had some attitude but were actually decent, sympathetic characters. And they had as their "father figure", Captain Greer.

Just copy that formula, with Clarie Danes--who IS cute--and bingo, instant hit.

But no. First we kill off the guy who's supposed to watch over them. Next, we make them unsympathetic slackers. Finally, add a dash of silly, dated dialog like "Solid, man". (Which sounded ridiculous, even in the 60s, trust me).

I don't know who Giovanni is but he should get some sleep and try breathing through his nose so he can close his mouth occasionally. Even when he isn't talking his mouth is open.

Didn't they give any thought to the lack of chemistry between these actors--and how unappealing they are in these roles? I'd send them back to prison.

more like 2 in a half
this movie has 3 good leads in the roles of Julie, Pete and Linc. but theres some funkyness and stupidity in some of this one, especially in Michael Lerner's Howard character, the man who dances with Omar Epps. Giovanni Ribisi is the stand out here as Pete, hes crazy and likable. my favorite scenes with him are teh scene with the carwash and the ones where he has the gun, hes so great with the gun, Claire Danes looks delicious in her black undies and Epps is buffer then ever. a good view and I having seen the tv show its based on though I hear its kinda good and corny.

Negative Stars Apply
First of all, Peggy Lipton's Julie would have whipped Claire Danes' Julie two times over and thrice on Sunday. How such a cool TV show could go bad as a movie boggles the mind. Ribisi's a great actor, but he's totally miscast at Pete. Same goes for Omar - not the Linc I had in mind AT ALL!!

Seriously, those of us who actually paid money to see this dribble weren't going in for Masterpiece Theatre. What we got was the thrill of telling everyone we know that we paid to see one of the worst films of all time. Yippee. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In an effort to bond with his son, Lance (Dan Aykroyd) agrees to helphis father, Harry (Kirk Douglas), a former boxer now hampered by a stroke (as Douglas is in real life), hunt down some diamonds he was given by a crooked boxing promoter but had to hide for reasons that don't exactly make sense. The three generations drive to Reno in a convertible (driving with the top down in winter, for some reason), where they win at gambling and decide to blow the money at a nearby whorehouse, where Lauren Bacall is the madam and Jenny McCarthy is one of the "girls." Lessons are learned, honor is regained. Every clichéd scene of Diamonds is written and played in such broad strokes (er, so to speak) that it's impossible to really connect with the characters; they don't have enough substance that you can grasp them as people. It's particularly difficult to watch Kirk Douglas--an actor who's spent his life playing thorny, galvanizing characters--being mined for cheap, easy sentiment. Get one of his older movies instead; get Paths of Glory or Out of the Past or Gunfight at the O.K. Corral or Spartacus or even 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, any one of which is a thousand times the movie Diamonds is. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (7)

"A Family Project!"....
This review refers to the DVD edition(Miramax) of "Diamonds"...

Thoroughly entertaining, more then a bit sentimental, and highly enjoyable, "Diamonds" is a gem of a film. It's a charming comedy that will have you smiling from beginning to end. Kirk Douglas, Dan Aykroyd, and Corbin Allred are three generations of the Agensky men who take you on an adventure you won't soon forget.

Lance(Aykroyd) and the teenage Michael(Allred) are a father and son who's relationship is in dire need of some help.They are spending sometime together before Lance's ex remarries and Michael will move away with the newlyweds. They are en-route to visit Harry(Douglas), father of Lance, and their relationship is also in need of some major mending. Harry in his younger days, was "The Polish Prince" a welter-weight boxing world champion, but alas, has of recent lost his loving wife, and has had a stroke, and only has his memories to make him feel like the man he once was.

For years, Harry has been retelling the family stories of his younger days, and one story especially, of some hidden "magic diamonds" is one he can't let go of. Although thought to be one of Harry's pipe-dreams, Lance and Michael are convinced to take a little adventure with grandpa to search for this long lost treasure.

It's a joyous, funny, and sentimental ride with these three men who start out just trying to like each other, but somewhere between Canada and Reno discover how important they each are to the others. Oh and along the way..there's more bonding of another kind...ahem... they make a little pit stop at, as Harry puts it, a "Chicken Ranch". And what a treat not only for the boys, but for the audience as well, as the wonderful Lauren Bacall is "Sin-Dee", the Madam of the brothel and dubs their little adventure "a family project". Then there's the always fun and delightful Jenny McCarthy, who will be giving Michael his first experience of "life".

Aykroyd is wonderful as the son and father trying to bring the three generations together. Allred is charming as the younger Agensky trying his best to annoy his Dad. Bacall..well, she's always a welcome treat and will steal your heart away once more.
Kirk Douglas will move you to no end. His real life stroke does not keep him from being the great star that he is and playing a stroke victim, shows us that life is wonderful and you've got to move ahead no matter what the circumstances. He plays the part with great humor, courage and is not only very inspiring but will charm the socks off of you as well.

The film has some great music that you might not be able to get out of your head for a while. Footage from Douglas's great boxing movie "Champion" is cleverly incorporated and shown as flashbacks to his younger days. The DVD is a good buy. It's a beautiful widescreen picture with vibrant colors from the beautiful scenery of the road trip to the flashing lights of Reno. The surround sound in 5.1 is excellent. There are cast and crew bios,and an entertaining featurette "The Life and Times of Kirk Douglas" included. It may be viewed in French and has English captioning. I found going through the set-up menu a little slow, but absolutley worth the wait.

This film is heart warming, funny, inspirational and better than a month of therapy!

Enjoy....Laurie

Touching story about a father ,his son, & his son's son
This movie is about a old boxer played by Kirk Douglas(Oscar,Greedy), and his son Dan Aykroyd(Blues Brothers 2000,Ghostbusters). The old boxer father wants to give his sons some diamonds. They end up on a road trip from Canada to Reno,Nevada. The grandpa takes along Aykroyd's son on the road trip .Upon arriving they go to a brothel run by Lauren Becall)The Mirror Has Two Faces). All of the men each have a girlin the brothel For fans of Dan Aykroyd he is shirtless several time he displaying his hairy chest and flabby stomach(should'nt he go on diet? ) Then the party leaves after Lauren Becall tells Kirk Douglas who and where the diamonds are. They get the diamonds and go back home.The other brother played by Kurt Fuller is mad about taking the dad on unauthorized trip! it has a happy ending and it was a touching drama about family relationships and togetherness. This movie is rated PG-13 for nudity, swearing and sexual jokes.I do not why this movie did make it to the mainstream theaers.It's was made by Miramax(a divison of the Walt Disney Studios and owned by them!) . I know many people will overlook this movie but at least we can see Kirk Douglas act after his stroke!Jenny McCarthy(Scream3) also co-stars in this movie too!

On the plus side, the DVD is closed captioned,has bios about the star etc,scene choices and docementary about Kirk Douglas!On the bad side to the DVD there is now two or pan/scan or widescreen option like "Reindeer Games"(another Disney movie) and no trailers for the movie or about the movie!I liked it and I did not even see it on the big screen! Fans of Kirk Douglas,Lauren Becall and Dan Aykroyd will be happy with this movie!

JENNY McCARTHY IS A DIAMOND OF HER OWN
THIS MOVIE HAD EVERYTHING LAUGHS,TEARS,WONDERFUL CAST,GREAT SCRIPT.I THOUGHT KIRK DOUGLAS MADE A GREAT RETURN AFTER SUFFERING THAT STROKE.DAN AKROYD DID A GREAT JOB.JENNY McCARTHY WAS EXCELLENT SHE PROVED SHE CAN ACT.WISH I COULD GIVE IT 10 STARS

Kirk Douglas in a triumphant return
Kirk Douglas is one of the all time great leading men in the last century. At 83 and having suffered a stroke, I'm sure no one ever thought he would be acting again. Think again. Douglas is back, and although he is hampered somewhat by the effects of the stroke, he is as feisty, energetic and dramatically potent as ever.

Douglas plays Harry, the patriarch of a three-generation family in this bittersweet comedy exploring the relationships between a father, his son and his grandson. Harry is seen early in the film doing exercises to recover his speech and strengthen his facial muscles after a stroke. A former welterweight champion, Harry tells his son (Dan Akroyd) and grandson (Corbin Allred) that when he was younger, he had a friend hold 13 diamonds for him, and if he could find the friend; he could recover the diamonds. So, the three men set out on a mission in quest of the booty.

The story is bittersweet character study of the three men, their relationships and misadventures. It is a bit overly nostalgic and the dialogue often meanders. However, the good points outweigh the bad. Douglas gives a plucky performance as the aging patriarch. This is his film, and he dominates every scene. His would have been an excellent dramatic performance for anyone regardless of age and health. When those facts are considered, it makes the performance truly inspirational. It speaks volumes about Douglas' indomitable character. It is obvious that he worked very hard to overcome his disability and he was determined not to let it get the best of him. There is also some great vintage b/w footage of Kirk Douglas, who played a prizefighter in the movie "Champion" (1949).

Lauren Bacall was also delightful and the scenes that she and Douglas played together were touching and wonderful. Bacall is still lovely, poised and confident, and her portrayal was sensitive and powerful. Seeing the two of them together was like watching two masters at work.

I enjoyed this film, even though the story and characters were somewhat unoriginal. I rated it a 7/10. It brought back two screen legends and more than a few magical moments in watching them perform.

DIAMONDS
This is a sloppy, sentimental, sweet and sour film that most critics will pan. They miss the point - for the film is a cameo piece of gutty acting, for both Douglas and Bacall, and most savvy viewers will recognize and appreciate this swan-song salute. It is a warm and intentionally cliched piece with an ending that is all but obvious - and I loved it because it was just plain fun. The last scene, music and all, sums it all up and is worth the price of admission. Buy the soundtrack and play the very last selection - over and over - a heartwarming paean to the triumph of the courage and iron will of ordinary people which this film celebrates. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

cool, grungy, jazzy, sexy, dirty, druggy, love story
obviously a real shoestring indie, but this one is very tight. Kind of a cross between Turkish Delight, Sid and Nancy and Leaving Las Vegas all rolled in one. Jon Jacobs and Ayesha Hauer are really good... I read that she is RUTGER HAUER's daughter. Good Acting runs in that family.

A drifter rolls into LA, gets picked up by a junkie, next day he wakes up chained to her bed. And she has spent all his money of heroin..... Cheap Red wine, desperate Sex and Cold Turkey all play a part in the unfolding of this Erotic drama. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

cool, grungy, jazzy, sexy, dirty, druggy, love story
obviously a real shoestring indie, but this one is very tight. Kind of a cross between Turkish Delight, Sid and Nancy and Leaving Las Vegas all rolled in one. Jon Jacobs and Ayesha Hauer are really good... I read that she is RUTGER HAUER's daughter. Good Acting runs in that family.

A drifter rolls into LA, gets picked up by a junkie, next day he wakes up chained to her bed. And she has spent all his money of heroin..... Cheap Red wine, desperate Sex and Cold Turkey all play a part in the unfolding of this Erotic drama. ... Read more