Reviews (311)

Dark and creamy
"Chocolat", chocolate in french, is one of the few quality fables filmed in history. Its sweet tooth theme is perfect with the characters' emotions. The old town french town was wonderfully crafted. The fashion designers crafted the costumes perfectly to look 1959. Lasse Hallstrom directed this movie brilliantly. The writers give the movie the extra unique touches that most other today's movies need. They make all the events fit together as one.

Juliette Dimoche was the perfect actress to play Vianne, a chocolate cook whom most of the town calls her "Satan" for no reason. Judi Dench wonderfully portrays a cranky old woman whose fate becomes unexpected. Both deserved their Oscar nominations. Johnny Depp proves that he's improved greatly in the past few years in his role as a river drifter who falls in love with Vianne. Lena Olin plays a battered wife emotionally.

***Important word of caution: One will become very hungry while watching this movie. A small bowl of chocolate will cure the craving and will give the experience an extra touch.

Yummy!!...
This movie is so well made, it is sometimes difficult to remember it was filmed in 2001 and not 1959. It's a mouth-watering experience. Being that I own this movie now, and have seen it 3 or 4 times, I always order chocolate-drizzled brownies from a local restaurant while we watch it. Beware, you don't want to see this one without something sweet.

Vianne(Binoche) and her daughter Anouke, travel with the North winds. On this new journey(in 1959), they land in a small town outside France that seems to be stuck in a time warp.

"Tranquility" , says the town mayer, is the "motto" of his small province. Vianne and her Chocolaterie, bright red shoes, sexy clothes, and illegitimate daughter are exactly what the mayor does not welcome into his quiet little town. Epecially, during Lent.

Vianne still manages to stir up love and lust with her ancient chocolate formulas under the watchful eye of the Mayor. "One bite and you are hooked". Her time in the little moral town is interupted with wonderful characters and new friends. I loved Johnny Depp as the gypsy who lands his riverboat alongside the little town, only to cause distubances amongst the chuch-going frenzy of people. He and Juliet Binoche light up the screen and make a sexy match.

The movie, although a dramatic one, has some outrageous funny moments as well. Dame Judi Dench, one of my favorite actresses, plays the landlord of Vianne's Chocolaterie. Every word out of her mouth is sarcastic and somewhat "dirty"(very reminiscent of her small coveted role in Branagh's "Henry V"). I enjoyed her truthfulness and laughed along with her lines.

It doesn't need to be Valentine's Day for someone to enjoy this delicious movie. Why not buy it and package it with a box of chocolates for your sweetheart.

Chocolat
I didn't get all the hype around Chocolat that everyone made it seem.The acting and dialogue aren't the problem.The film is just extremely strange which made me kind of like it, but it was to odd and boring at times.It tells a sweet tale and ends well but I just didn't get into it.Binoche does a great job along with much of the cast.The characters are loved and you hurt when they are hurt but it doesn't pay back for the dullness.I just can't sit two hours through a film like that.I get bored and start to doze off especially later at night.Don't get me wrong it has a sort of heart warming tale and great looking chocolate but that doesn't help a movie get a good rating.Johnny Depp and Judi Dench especially do a fabulous job and Dench really was in my opinion a stronger and more believable character.Another thing that is interesting about the film is the setting and it's moral.I didn't like the cloudly dark feeling around the film either.The overall major problems though are the dullness and unusual plot; also it is a bit predictable.I really only reccomend this one if you are very easily impressed by all movies or you may want to check it out if your bored.

It is the late 1950s, but it might as well be the late 1850s in a small French town where everyone behaves as they should (supposedly), and attends church regularly. When a strong North wind blows through town, it brings the vivacious and mysterious Vianne (Juliette Binoche) and her young daughter Anouk (Victoire Thivisol). Vianne is soon the talk of the town: an unwed mother who declines to go to church and opens up a chocolate shop in the midst of Lent. Her good-natured, honorable personality and psychic ability (she can predict what kind of sweets best suit each person, and magically cures each of them of their particular maladies) make her as irresistible as her delectable treats. However, Vianne and her daughter are resented by the conservative mayor, the Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina), and by the pious Caroline (Carrie-Anne Moss), who has disowned her own spirited mother (Judi Dench, who plays Vianne's landlady), refusing the elderly woman access to her beloved grandson.This touching fairy tale, based on the novel by Joanne Harris, was filmed on location in rural France. An intelligent, exquisitely filmed fable that deals with the idea of 20th Century paganism rising up against a closed-minded church and a persevering aristocracy, CHOCOLAT is enjoyable, romantic, and entertaining, with affecting performances by both its stars and its supporting actors (Lena Olin and Johnny Depp.)

Where's the "E"?
I'm a collector of movies with the word 'Chocolate' in the title (Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory, Like Water For Choclate, Chinese Choclate, Stawberry and Chocolate, etc.) I don't really watch the movies, A.) because I don't want to break the anti-theft seal and reduce the collector's value. B.) because I don't really have the patience for movies. C.) Even if I DID have the patience for movies, I wouldn't have the patience for movies like "Chocolate And Strawberries" and "Like Water for chocolate" because I find them--I don't know--artsy fartsy, I guess you'd call it. The only reason I watched "Chocolat" is because I was intrigued that the director would leave the "e" off Chocolate which everyone knows ends in "e". I found myself dozing through a lot of it because-- like I said-- most movies with chocolate in the title are rather boring and arty. Also my father was always telling us when we were kids that he'd "sell us to the Gypsies" if we didn't behave so it was hard for me to get behind the Jonnny Depp character. I don't know, I just always loved movies with the word chocolate in the title. I don't even really like the word chocolate written on anything else, nor do I like the sound of it spoken aloud. I don't eat chocolate because it gives me hives. I just like the word chocolate in movie titles be they on marquees, video, or dvd boxes; and so I expect to see the full word there without any dropping of the last letter.

One of my favorites
This moving is moving and touching. I loved how chocolate bought the town together. ... Read more

Description

Nab the star-studded comedy-adventure that dazzled moviegoers everywhere! It's the action-packed tale of three loyal swordsmen (Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt) who are joined by an eager recruit (Chris O'Donnell) to protect the King of France. Together, the foursome battle enormous odds in their attempt to defeat an evil royal advisor (Tim Curry) and a seductive envoy (Rebecca De Mornay) plotting to overthrow France's crown -- fighting against both time and scores of enemies! You'll cheer out loud when these exciting muskeeteers face danger, fun, and adventure at every turn -- proving they are the greatest swashbucklers who ever lived! ... Read more

Reviews (95)

My favorite musketeers movie
All right, let it be said. This movie has NOTHING to do with Dumas's novel. It isn't even close. There, now that that's out of the way, let me just say that this is a great film. It's done in typical Disney style, with an incredible cast that brings to life this classic tale with a lot of flare and some good, old-fashioned fun.

The entire cast is great: the three Musketeers (Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt, and Charlie Sheen) are hilarious, and the impetuous young D'Artagnan (Chris O'Donnell) proves the perfect complement to this already comic trio. Add Tim Curry and Michael Wincott as the bad guys and you've got yourself a comic, action-packed adventure that is sure to please the whole family.

Loved it
I found this movie very entertaining... Oliver Platt (Porthos) provided some great laughs. Charlie Sheen (Aramis) was one of the nice looking ones. Kiefer Sutherland (Athos) could have acted a bit more bitter... but he did an over good job. Chris O'Donnel (D'Artgnan) no. I don't think he took to this part well at all. I agree with several other reviewers. He turned it into mush. Tim Curry (Car. Richeliu) LOVED HIM! He played that part two ways to the director... funny or scary/serious. The director wanted to go for the funny way, mainly because everyone else in the cast would be as well. I would have loved to have seen him play it serious. Rebecca DeMornay( ?) was quite good as a seductress. The man w/the patch (can't remember name) did fairly well. Wasn't the best performance, but wasn't mush either. I give this film only four stars, mainly because of Chris O'Donnel's performance. No,it didn't stay true to the book, but I liked it anyways.

F.U.N
is this film corny? silly? fun? YES! its a FUN romp! The acting is great the story is great its a very well done version of the classic story. the sword fighting isnt bad either. If you have seen this you must get it quick, most disney films don't last long. If you like swashbuckling movies that are fun and pay homeage to the films of days long gone this is for you!

BRAVO!!!
Definitely a great epic movie and one of my personal favorites, The Three Musketeers, brings to the screen the tale of who else, but Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan. Kiefer Sutherland, Chris O'Donnell, Charlie Sheen, Oliver Platt, Tim Curry, and the gorgeous Rebecca De Mornay whose performances are simply amazing, make this movie one of the best of its kind. (Tim Curry's character, in particular, as Cardinal Richelieu, steals the show!)
The actors' great talent and chemistry clearly shows, thus providing an entertaining film that can be watched over and over again. The castles, the battles and the costumes are all wonderful! The Three Musketeers is a movie about love, honor, bravery, loyalty, and heroes from a time long gone. It is a great movie indeed!

Wish I could give it O stars
The cast seems ludicrously out of place in this movie--only Anwar is partially believable and her part is slight.

If you wish to see an interesting an authentic three musketeers, look for AISN B00006LPC5 , a 1972 version that is incredible. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Based on a comic book, the international co-production Renegade (original English-language title: Blueberry) is a feverish, supernatural Western about a young Cajun man, Mike Blueberry (Hugh O'Connor), who defends his prostitute-girlfriend against gunman Wallace Blount (Michael Madsen) and ends up barely alive. Patched up by Indians, Blueberry undergoes the familiar cultural transformation to honorary Native American, then returns to his world to become a small-town marshal. (Vincent Cassel plays the adult Blueberry.) The arrival of Blount, possessed with otherworldly powers and seeking a mystical manuscript, sets the stage for a spooky duel that forces Blueberry to face old demons. The latter part of the film is overtaken by computer-generated effects that grow wearying, but before that director Jan Kounen makes up for weak narrative skills with mesmerizing imagery of the American Southwest. A nice supporting cast includes Juliette Lewis and her father, Geoffrey Lewis, plus Colm Meaney, Eddie Izzard, Ernest Borgnine, and Tcheky Karyo. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Fantastic film. Very poor DVD transfer.
This is an amazingly good movie, and film performances don't get any more compelling than those delivered here by Daniel Day-Lewis and Brenda Fricker. Day-Lewis's portrayal of Christy Brown and his handicap is so convincing that it is difficult to believe that Day-Lewis is not actually stricken with Cerebral Palsy. But his portrayal, like the Irish writer and artist he portrays, gets far beyond the physical challenges of the disease. He conveys a warmth, humor, and human intensity that avoids cloying sentimentality. In terms of the movie content, I can only echo the superlatives of the previous reviewers. The film itself deserves 5+ stars.

Unfortunately, the DVD transfer is not what I had hoped for. The picture is not noticeably better than on VHS. It is not particularly clear or vivid, and the red hues bleed a bit (like on an aging VHS tape). Perhaps most distracting, there are specks of dirt visible on the image (particularly in light areas, like sky), and there are dust and lint artifacts throughout the transfer. I don't know if all of these flaws were part of the original, master copy, but it looks like they just made a quick transfer from a film copy they had handy. It's a shame that such a fine movie, which won 2 Academy Awards, did not merit more care in the transfer to DVD.

In short, this a triumphant movie that merits seeing (and owning). But if you have a VHS copy in working order, you won't get much added value from buying the DVD.

This is not a Movie..this is a LIFE !!
...First , i have to admitt that i've never ever heared about this movie bofore one night i was just watching the T.v and there it was..and i guess i was lucky...i didn't feel like watching a movie i felt like beeing a witness of that man's life...as if i was a member of his family or even as if i was him....Daniel day lewis' great performance makes you feel all the non-spoken feelings...personally, daniel day lewis became my favourite actor since i've seen that beautifull movie....the movie is about life so it's full of joy as it's full of sadness, you'll smile as you'll tear. very senstive and heart catching....the movie is divided ito chapters..which are the chapters of the autobiography of the writer ..in each a portrait by painting and by words for every one who did impact the writer...the tender mother, the furious father who held unshowed tenderness and more..........if you are browsing to buy it...do it with out thinking.. :))

This Will Warm Your Heart!!
This movie will warm your heart. Daniel Day Lewis is extraordinary in this role of Christy Brown. In a day and age when those with special needs were thrown aside as rejects of society, this film is a very sensitive portrayal of the immense courage needed to forge one's way. Lewis deserved the Oscar for this film. What a marvelous actor! I wish he were more commercially palatable.

Thank you to my friend Kate in Minneapolis for recommending the picture, I'm sorry I took 15 years to act on her advice.

This is a very smart movie. :)

Jeffrey McAndrew
author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"

My Left Foot = Stunning
I will admit, I am one of the most picky film reviewers that has ever lived, and I have only ever given three films in my life a straight five out of five stars, however this film comes out as a four and a half out of five. Defiantly one of the most powerful films I have ever witnessed, and is on my top ten greatest films of all time list. Daniel Day-Lewis, who I have to admit I did not really cared for until I saw this film, gives a powerful tour de force of a performance, that shifts you from tears to joy and back again in only a few short minutes. However Day-Lewis is not the one who shines out above the rest, that is done by Brenda Fricker, in a stunningly beautiful performance, one of the greatest I have ever seen done by a female actor, both Fricker and Day-Lewis did above and beyond in their roles, and most defiantly deserved their Oscars. The direction is also dead on, along with the script, overall the entire film is an experience of a life time, by far the best movies of 1989, and one of the greatest achievement in film of all time.

Day-Lewis is Incredible in this Inspiring True Story...
Admittedly, when I first saw this movie many years ago, I thought that the director had hired an actor with cerebral palsy to play Christy Brown! That's how good Daniel Day-Lewis is in this film. Taking absolutely nothing from the rest of the movie's cast, but I became a fan of this great actor almost from the opening scene. (I read somewhere that during filming, Day-Lewis spent the entire three-month shoot confined to his weelchair - even off camera! Talk about focus, concentration and dedication.)

To say that this film did justice to the life and times of Christy Brown would be an understatement. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Whoa, sleeper flick that's better than you'd expect...
Given that this is a virtually unknown film, I believe it was released in 2002, this is a good watch. Excellent sets and backdrops filmed on location in Prague really portrayed the misery of trench warfare during WWI. Add a creepy twist and the product is this very decent psychological thriller that delivers a wholloping, yet subtle at the same time, visual trip and ending. If you're looking for an easy to understand plot or lots of mindless action, look elsewhere. If you're in the mood for something that makes you think, just a little, and don't mind being spooked a bit, "Deathwatch" is for you. Hats off to the team that put this original ride together, well done and recommended.

Awesome film
Deathwatch was a brilliant film, with a message that really made you ponder....
I really enjoyed watching it, and will hopefully get the DVD, so that I will have access to the bonus features.
Great job Mr. Bassett!!! :-D

A film that kind of sticks with you.
After viewing this movie I thought and thought about what it all meant. Durring the beginning there is a scene of a very horrifying battle that leaves much of both sides dead. The next scene is a group of lost Allied soldiers, which I thought died, taking over a haunted german trench. The rest of the film is a psychological horror film where each cast member is killed by another cast member. The scenes in the film are all shot with a very dark, rainy claustophobic look. There is something in the trenches that plays on each soldiers worst fears and ends up making them go mad and kill each other. I believe the Allied soldiers died in the beginning and the rest of the movie is them all living a nightmare in hell. The movie has some pretty good supplemental stuff in the extras section. There is not much gore. There are plenty of frights thrown at you. A very violent death scene with barbwire thrown in for utter chills. I am an avid reader of WW1 and WW2 history and the film truly captures the trench warefare that made WW1 so terribley violent and horrible. I would recommend a rent this instead of dishing out the $20 bucks for a copy. Watch in a dark room with your mate and see and hear all the spooky stuff going on in the film.

Harkens Back to Horror TV series "Night Gallery"
"Deathwatch" was a very interesting film that is more on the style of the horror T.V. series "Night Gallery", than a typical gore film.However, that being said, many people who are fans of horror without being fans of strictly gore, will enjoy this film.
Personally, I found this film to be enjoyable, and a nice period piece as well as a horror/suspense film.My 4 star rating was given as I feel that to be classed as a genuine theatrical release"horror" film,a little more zombie action was needed.

better than 3 stars, but not 5
I think this movie was very good, I didn't give it 5 stars because I would have liked to seen a tad bit more of the barbed wire zombies (action sequences) but it did have some bloodshed....the movie plays out like an episode of the twilight zone, very good! Oh and to the other dorks, whats your deffinition of horror? War is the most Horrifying thing in the world, then to add ghost into it? ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Fantastic film. Very poor DVD transfer.
This is an amazingly good movie, and film performances don't get any more compelling than those delivered here by Daniel Day-Lewis and Brenda Fricker. Day-Lewis's portrayal of Christy Brown and his handicap is so convincing that it is difficult to believe that Day-Lewis is not actually stricken with Cerebral Palsy. But his portrayal, like the Irish writer and artist he portrays, gets far beyond the physical challenges of the disease. He conveys a warmth, humor, and human intensity that avoids cloying sentimentality. In terms of the movie content, I can only echo the superlatives of the previous reviewers. The film itself deserves 5+ stars.

Unfortunately, the DVD transfer is not what I had hoped for. The picture is not noticeably better than on VHS. It is not particularly clear or vivid, and the red hues bleed a bit (like on an aging VHS tape). Perhaps most distracting, there are specks of dirt visible on the image (particularly in light areas, like sky), and there are dust and lint artifacts throughout the transfer. I don't know if all of these flaws were part of the original, master copy, but it looks like they just made a quick transfer from a film copy they had handy. It's a shame that such a fine movie, which won 2 Academy Awards, did not merit more care in the transfer to DVD.

In short, this a triumphant movie that merits seeing (and owning). But if you have a VHS copy in working order, you won't get much added value from buying the DVD.

This is not a Movie..this is a LIFE !!
...First , i have to admitt that i've never ever heared about this movie bofore one night i was just watching the T.v and there it was..and i guess i was lucky...i didn't feel like watching a movie i felt like beeing a witness of that man's life...as if i was a member of his family or even as if i was him....Daniel day lewis' great performance makes you feel all the non-spoken feelings...personally, daniel day lewis became my favourite actor since i've seen that beautifull movie....the movie is about life so it's full of joy as it's full of sadness, you'll smile as you'll tear. very senstive and heart catching....the movie is divided ito chapters..which are the chapters of the autobiography of the writer ..in each a portrait by painting and by words for every one who did impact the writer...the tender mother, the furious father who held unshowed tenderness and more..........if you are browsing to buy it...do it with out thinking.. :))

This Will Warm Your Heart!!
This movie will warm your heart. Daniel Day Lewis is extraordinary in this role of Christy Brown. In a day and age when those with special needs were thrown aside as rejects of society, this film is a very sensitive portrayal of the immense courage needed to forge one's way. Lewis deserved the Oscar for this film. What a marvelous actor! I wish he were more commercially palatable.

Thank you to my friend Kate in Minneapolis for recommending the picture, I'm sorry I took 15 years to act on her advice.

This is a very smart movie. :)

Jeffrey McAndrew
author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"

My Left Foot = Stunning
I will admit, I am one of the most picky film reviewers that has ever lived, and I have only ever given three films in my life a straight five out of five stars, however this film comes out as a four and a half out of five. Defiantly one of the most powerful films I have ever witnessed, and is on my top ten greatest films of all time list. Daniel Day-Lewis, who I have to admit I did not really cared for until I saw this film, gives a powerful tour de force of a performance, that shifts you from tears to joy and back again in only a few short minutes. However Day-Lewis is not the one who shines out above the rest, that is done by Brenda Fricker, in a stunningly beautiful performance, one of the greatest I have ever seen done by a female actor, both Fricker and Day-Lewis did above and beyond in their roles, and most defiantly deserved their Oscars. The direction is also dead on, along with the script, overall the entire film is an experience of a life time, by far the best movies of 1989, and one of the greatest achievement in film of all time.

Day-Lewis is Incredible in this Inspiring True Story...
Admittedly, when I first saw this movie many years ago, I thought that the director had hired an actor with cerebral palsy to play Christy Brown! That's how good Daniel Day-Lewis is in this film. Taking absolutely nothing from the rest of the movie's cast, but I became a fan of this great actor almost from the opening scene. (I read somewhere that during filming, Day-Lewis spent the entire three-month shoot confined to his weelchair - even off camera! Talk about focus, concentration and dedication.)

To say that this film did justice to the life and times of Christy Brown would be an understatement. ... Read more