Reviews (463)

If there was ever an offer you couldn't refuse, it's this!
Francis Ford Coppola and Paramount Home Entertainment held a press conference and street fair in Brooklyn, and yours truly was there! The exciting news, of course, was announcing the release of THE GODFATHER DVD COLLECTION on October 9, 2001! If the preview of the set is any indication, then I must say this will be the crown jewel in any DVD collection!

The three films will only be released together in this set. The Godfather and The Godfather Part III will each be on one disc, and The Godfather Part II will take two discs. The first of the good news? Francis Coppola has recorded full-lenth audio commentaries for all three films!

But wait, there's a fifth disc that will blow your socks off! Check this out -- the bonus disc contains 3+ hours worth of special features, including: > "The Godfather Family: A Look Inside" documentary > "Francis Coppola's Notebook", an inside look at taking the book to screen! > "On Location" with production designer Dean Tavoularis! > "The Godfather Behind The Scenes" 1971 featurette! > "The Cinematography of The Godfather"! > "The Music of The Godfather" -- two featurettes! > "Coppola and Puzo on Screenwriting"! > Storyboards from GF2 and GF3! > "The Corleone Family Tree" character and cast bios! > Academy Award® acceptance speeches! > Photo galleries with captions! > Theatrical trailers! > Filmmaker bios! > Corleone Family timeline, with real-life events mixed in! > Never-seen alternate opening of GF3! > And "all" of the extra footage found in the televised Godfather Saga!

The picture quality looked fantastic -- Coppola's American Zoetrope did a wonderful job restoring the films! From what I could tell, the sound quality was perfect, and the on-screen menus looked great. And the DVD packaging looks very nice.

All three films are in widescreen format with English 5.1 surround sound, French mono, and English subtitles.

Perhaps the only "bad" news I heard was that there were no plans at this point to release the chronological version on DVD. Francis said that the films were meant to be seen with the flashbacks, and I tend to agree. The biggest plus of having The Godfather Trilogy or Epic on tape, or watching The Godfather Saga on TV, was all the extra footage included. Well, the bonus disc in The Godfather DVD Collection contains "all" of the extra footage, and even something we've never seen anywhere before: an alternate opening for The Godfather Part III. Francis didn't give a firm "no" though; he cited technical reasons for not being able to include all the extra footage on DVD: the different scenes are in various levels of production ("they weren't mixed and scored"), making it difficult to add them seemlessly with today's technology. Maybe, but they seemed to be okay in the boxed sets and on TV to me.

Do yourself a favor and order the biggest DVD release of all time!

The Godfather Series: Movies You CANNOT Refuse.
What can one say about The Godfather series? All three films were masterpieces. Classics. Part One told the tale of Vito Corleone played by Marlon Brando--the Mafia Don of a family in the 40's and 50's, which eventually is head by his son, Michael (Al Pacino) in the sequel. Part Two also tells the story of Vito as a young man in Sicily played by Robert DeNiro. In the final installment set about twenty years after the original, Michael's dreams of becoming legit are countered by his trigger-happy nephew (Andy Garcia), along with new and opposing foes that make it impossible to go straight and leave his crime backround behind. To quote Pacino: "Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in," and countless other lines will be quoted for years to come. The performances are absolutely perfect, the screenplay and direction are superb by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. What more can I say? You must watch all three to appreciate just how great these movies are. At three hours apiece they would be great fun for a rainy day. Pop them in at 8 in the morning and by 6 you'll be a member of the family. Part One is my favorite. Check out GoodFellas, another one of the best films of all time.

A Classic
Ah, the music, the scenery, the horse's head...

Belonging to a family headed by two German matriarchs who married two Italian guys, watching The Godfather every year or so was a family tradition. I felt like I knew the Corleones and loved them, never mind they knocked off a few people who deserved it now and then. This mixed feeling is what makes the series so fascinating.

The story is really about four men - Marlon Brando/Robert de Niro as Don Vito Corleone, the ultimate old-school mob boss, and his three sons - James Caan a force of nature as hotheaded Sonny, who lives to regret going to his sister's rescue one fateful day; John Cazale heartbreaking as Fredo, who's existence depends on his mother's continued good health after he makes the worst mistake of his life, and, most of all, Al Pacino; bonechilling as Michael, who outlives them all but lives to wish he hadn't.

The first movie has most of the cliches - the Italian wedding, the "sleeping with the fishes" line, the amazing baptism/massacre scene, and Brando's whole performance. The second ostensibly deals with the respective rises of Vito and Michael to power and Michael's gripping cat-and-mouse game with wily old Hyman Roth, but I'll bet what everyone never forgets about this one is what happens to poor Fredo. If Michael hasn't lost his soul by the end of Part I, he's lost it by the end of Part II. Part III was inevitable, I suppose, but there's really nothing else to say. A good movie, yes, but the other two are so great that it's almost an anticlimax.

Coppola's legacy enclosed with others
While the original film ranked #2 on the AFI's list of 100 Greatest Movies (#1 being Citizen Kane), many film buffs, afficionados, and audiences believed that the first Godfather film deserves that #1 spot. How many people do you know who know some of those famous quotes like, "I'm gonna' make him an offer he can't refuse," or "Never take sides against the family again, ever..." A few maybe? Or perhaps you grew up in an Italian family like mine and your father can translate the Italian for you while you watch? Now how many people can quote Citizen Kane beyond, "Rooooosebuuuud...."

Despite the excellence of the first film, it is my opinion that Godfather part 2 delves deeper into the family, more into the two-toned life that Michael Corleone orchestrates between the family business and his family. Nowhere is this more apparent than with the relationship he cultivates between himself and Hyman Roth (wonderful performance by Lee Strasberg), cementing the old adage that you keep your friends close and your enemies closer. On the surface they are friends, behind closed doors they are co-conspirators, between each other they are close friends and confidants. Beneath it all, in the depths of each man's heart, they are mortal enemies, Corleone ultimately the victor. The whole movie is a mounting tension between the two, reaching heights as when Hyman fumes over the death of a great man, Mo Green, whom Corleone had killed in the first film. In the end, Hyman becomes just another victim, mowed down by a Corleone footman.

The court proceedings are shot in a way that transmits the claustrophobia and morose tedium of the justice system back in the days of McCarthyism (the eras align somewhat, both post-war 1950's). The court is crowded, people line the walls, journalists write furiously in the heat of the courtroom, in the background, people walk in and out of the proceedings like is was a Wal-Mart. People speak into microphones, their voices drone in the hollow, sparse room.

And then Michael Corleone has his own brother killed. Many would say this is when Michael gives himself over fully to the title "Godfather." This is actually one of the central themes of the first film, when exactly does Michael become Godfather? The first film has a wonderful moment where, in the family office (the predominant colors are brown and orange), Brando gets out of his chair, moves over to the side of the office, Michael gets up from the couch on the other side, moves to the desk, and sits in his fathers chair. This is when Michael becomes Godfather in my opinion, but Coppola is good enough to give us more moments that question exactly, "When?"

Coppola's film legacy lies within this box set, as does Pacino's, Brando's, Caan's, and Duvall's. DeNiro managed to go off and do other things, his legacy lies somewhere else, but to the aforementioned actors, they have never done another film or role as well as what they did in the Godfather films. You don't realize it until you pop in the bonus disc, but composer's Nino Rota and Carmine Coppola also put their legacy into this film with the music. Who can forget Rota's seven-note theme that opens and closes the film? Carmine Coppola adds a more Italiano flavor to the music in the flashback scenes featuring DeNiro as a young Vito Andolini (a.k.a. Don Corleone in the first film).

There's so much to go over, the least of which is film #3. But the contents of the other three discs justifies the cost, which could actually be higher. But really, this collection is an offer you can't refuse, or do I have to put a gun to your head??

Godfather collection~ a def. 5 stars
personally, I thought Godfather II was the best out of the three films. I loved the fact that the movie kept fading from Michael's reign as Godfather to Vito Corleone's in 1920s New York and his olive oil (wink wink) business. great storytelling on Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Copolla's respective parts in II.
Godfather was a classic, no mistake in that..what's weird is that the movie makes the audience love the mafia...never have I seen the mafia world portrayed from the inside out so unbelievably.
part III was a bit disappointing...really made us want more of Michael Corleone and the rest of the family. ... Read more

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Rarely has The Merchant of Venice, one of Shakespeare's most complex plays, looked as ravishingly sumptuous as in this adaptation, directed by Michael Radford (Il Postino). In a decadent version of renaissance Venice, a young nobleman named Bassanio (Joseph Fiennes, Shakespeare in Love) seeks to woo the lovely Portia (newcomer Lynn Collins), but lacks the money to travel to her estate. He seeks support from his friend, the merchant Antonio (Jeremy Irons, Reversal of Fortune); Antonio's fortune is tied up in sea ventures, so the merchant offers to borrow money from a Jewish moneylender, Shylock (Al Pacino, Dog Day Afternoon). But Shylock holds a grudge against Antonio, who has routinely treated the Jew with contempt, and demands that if the debt is not repaid in three months, the price will be a pound of Antonio's flesh.

The Merchant of Venice is famous as a "problem play"--the gritty matters of moneylending and anti-Semitism sit uncomfortably beside the fairy tale elements of Portia and Bassanio's romance, and some twists of the plot can seem arbitrary or even cruel. The strength of Radford's intelligent and passionate interpretation is that he and the excellent cast invest the play's opposing facets with full emotional weight, thus making every question the play raises acute and inescapable. Irons is particularly compelling; kindness and blind prejudice sit side by side in his breast, rendering the clashes in his character as vivid as those in the play itself. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (38)

"How Sweet the Moonlight Sleeps"
This is, generally, a very satisfying filming of a very problematic play.Director Radford, who also adapted the screenplay, deserves credit for his bold choices in casting and for his not shying away from some of the more troublesome aspects of the text.Is Pacino a successful Shylock?I think so, although by way of Brooklyn.He is especially powerful in the famous courtroom scene, which otherwise comes dangerously close to being exploitative on the screen.There is much to recommend here, including a stellar supporting cast.Few actors can hold their own next to Pacino, but Lynn Collins comes close.After an unfortunate entrance as the young lawyer (she looks uncomfortably like Sonny Chiba), Collins makes us forget the incongruities in her role and attend, instead, to Portia's masterful polemics.The quality of makeup is not strained!(Collins, by the way, is an actress from Texas, but this does not become an issue.She has been linked romantically with Keanu Reeves, her costar in "Il Mare."Perhaps these two will at some point treat us to a film of "Anthony and Cleopatra"?--another of Shakespeare's plays that has been criminally neglected by Hollywood.)Other actors worthy of mention are MacKenzie Crook and Ron Cook as the younger and older Gobbos, and Kris Marshall and John Sessions as Gratiano and Salerio.Heather ("Kinsey") Goldenhersh as Nerissa and Allan Corduner as Tubal are also fine.Several up-and-coming young actors appear in supporting roles, including Tony Schiena, Julian Nest, and Tom Leick, who is soon to be seen in "House of Boys," with a screenplay by J.T. LeRoy.

I have given the film 4 stars, but I would like to give the DVD itself 5. Watching the film, I had many questions for the director--for instance, why are certain scenes deleted, while others are out of sequence?--and I'm happy to say that most all of these are answered in the delightful director's commentary, for which Michael Radford is joined by Lynn Collins.I learned a lot about the rationale behind certain casting and directorial choices and came to appreciate the film itself better as a result.For example, the director has choreographed certain scenes to reflect a love triangle among Antonio, Portia, and Bassanio, something that is heavily debated in Shakespearan criticism.Radford even gives us a rationale for his having asked the actresses playing prostitutes to appear with their breasts exposed!See this film, certainly; it has many qualities to recommend it, not the least of which are a lovely soundtrack by Jocelyn Pook and location filming in both Venice and Luxemburg.But, to get the whole experience, see it on DVD and then watch the director's commentary.

Not Bad
Good sets.Good costumes.Al appears to be reading from cue cards off camera in some scenes, although I think he plays a believable part. I wish Jeremy could speak up a little. No subtitles in English, only French; kinda dumb isn't it?

Pacino and Shakespeare save this movie from itself
Shakespeare's lines will carry any movie above the waterline, and the same can be said of Pacino's acting. They both make this movie presentable and even excellent at times. However, the angle of the movie seems to be one of contradiction to the text, beginning with the introductory text prior to the film's dialogue (text from the Director NOT Shakespeare). This text attempts to excuse the very play itself for its characterization of Christians and the Jew, Shylock. If the play needed an intro, Shakespeare would have written a prologue. It certainly works to bias the audience in a way. The other attempt to do this is several scenes where the "Christian" characters are carousing in a bawdy house with a bunch of half-naked prostitutes. Clearly, the director attempts to make a martyr of Shylock and hypocrites of all the non-Jew characters: however Shakespeare's text is what it is. The nudity is utterly unnecessary and detracts from the integrity of the play--plus it cannot now be shown to young people.

Other than those detractions, I think the film is excellent. The trial scene is superb and brings the tension of the moment to life. Besides Pacino the other actors do a fine job. Unfortunately, though I am a lover of Shakespeare, I would not want to watch this again.

Author of "Shakespeare on Spirituality: Life-Changing Wisdom from Shakespeare's Plays"

gratuitous nudity
While this film is a relatively accurate and well acted version of the Shakespeare play, it has nudity in it where none is called for. This makes it unusable in the American classroom and cheapens the play itself.

Great production of a play that is hard to like!
This is an outstanding production of the one work of Shakespeare that is the most difficult to like.It is impossible to get around the anti-Semitism.This production tries very hard to put the anti-Semitism in context and I think to tone it down, but in the end it is impossible to eliminate it.To some extent Shylock is being punished for being vindictive and not showing mercy, but it is impossible to ignore that in the end the play seems to celebrate Shylock's foced conversion to Christianity.

Al Pacino's performance is disconcerting as he seems to be playing Shylock with a New Yawk accent.But Lynne Collins is truly oustanding as Portia.This version of Merchant really shines in the comic portion of the story where Portia masquerades as a man and successfully entreats Bassanio to give up his wedding ring (which he had earlier promised Portia he would never part with).This is one of the few Shakespearean productions I have seen where a woman masquerading as a man is actually credible.

The settings, costumes, and photography are all spectacular.I found I was able to focus on the positive elements and not get bogged down with the more distressing parts of the plot.But I sympathize with those who find the anti-Semitic aspects of the story too distressing. ... Read more

Reviews (191)

Docked two stars for shoddy DVD treatment
First of all, let me go on the record as saying that Glengarry Glen Ross is one of my all-time favorite films. The acting is nothing short of astounding. Each actor (particularly Jack Lemmon) is at the top of their form. This is an actor's movie. There's no special effects, chase scenes, superfluous love story subplot, or pat ending. It should be obvious to anyone watching this film that it is based on a play -- specifically, David Mamet's Pulitzer-prize winning play of the same name. Mamet also wrote the screenplay, which is full of the fiery brilliance he always brings to the table. This is not a film for the timid. The language is raw and crude. The film takes no prisoners and I love it.

The film takes place in a real estate office, where cutthroat salesman do "cold calling," basically selling land by telemarketing. It's a brutal business (we've all been on the other end of that phone call and usually end up hanging up on the salesman), and the people these guys work for are brutal as well.

Case in point: during an early, crucial scene, Blake (played brilliantly by Alec Baldwin) tells the gathered crew that the top prize for highest sales is a Cadillac. The second prize is a set of steak knives and the third prize -- "you're fired." The speech is a sadistic, humiliating version of a pep talk, all macho brags and venomous insults. He dangles the new contacts, or "leads," in the faces of the salesmen. "They're for closers," he tells them. These guys would kill for the good leads, and Blake knows it. The scene was written especially fo the film and Baldwin eats it up. It's easily the best thing I've seen him do.

Jack Lemmon plays Sheldon Levene, the office's oldest employee. He used to be the best one around (they call him "The Machine"), but he's been on a bad streak lately and desperately needs his luck to change. His daughter's in the hospital and is unable to pay her medical bills. Al Pacino plays Ricky Roma, the current hotshot. His way of befriending a potential client in a bar and gaining his trust is odd, but effective (his opening monologue is totally insane, but thoroughly entertaining). Kevin Spacey is the office manager who will not bend the rules for anyone, much to the rage of the office. Ed Harris and Alan Arkin round out the rest of the salesmen. Harris plays Dave Moss, who has the world's biggest chip on his shoulder. Arkin is George Aaronow, who desperately needs to land a good sale. Most of his role consists of reacting to Harris and Pacino, but he's very good.

The day after Baldwin's talk, the salesman come to work to find the office robbed. The new leads are missing. Probably an inside job. It could have been anyone. Everyone is questioned by the police and everyone is insulted that they are considered suspects. Ricky is mad because the robbery may have screwed up his latest sale, putting his ownership of the Cadillac in jeopardy. Also, last night's client comes looking for him -- he has second thoughts. The way Ricky tries desperately to blow off his client while still playing the salesman is creepy and brilliant. Lemmon is amazing as Levene -- I've never seen desperation played so well.

Having said all that, I, along with the rest of the GGR fans, have been waiting years for this film to arrive on DVD. Especially since it's been promised as a "two-disc special edition." What a disappointing package it turned out to be.

Well, let's be fair. First of all, the film. It looks great. It sounds great. They did a great job with the film itself. But don't promise a loaded special edition and then give us something as lame as this. The only commentary track on the widescreen version is director James Foley. He only speaks during three scenes. The other commentary tracks are only available on the full-frame version (on disc two) and are not scene-specific.

The extras include "Magic Time," a tribute to the late Jack Lemmon, which is well-meaning but could have been a lot better. It does, however, end with a clip from Lemmon's appearance on "Inside the Actor's Studio," which is sweet. There is also "Always be Closing," another slapdash mini-documentary that features directors, playwrights, actors (including GGR's Alan Arkin and Alec Baldwin) discussing the role of the salesman in plays and films, as well as actual salespeople themselves. Sound interesting? It's not. It lacks any kind of cohesive thread. It appears to have been produced by a first-year film student. There's no structure to it. It looks unfinished.

There's also a clip from Kevin Spacey's appearance on "Inside the Actor's Studio" where an audience member acts out a scene from GGR with Spacey. I'll admit, I enjoyed that bit.

Why in the world didn't Criterion release this? They would have done a much better job and besides, they released the laserdisc version (with commentary tracks from Jack Lemmon, among others, I'm told). What we end up with here is an amazing film with an amazing transfer...and a bunch of lame extras thrown in.

If you're a fan of this film, by all means, buy the DVD...but don't expect much in the area of extras.

Best Sales Movie Ever
Exaggeration & Repetition: Performance keys to live by

There are two keys to being a good performer, whether you are writing or telling a story, whether you are selling something or selling yourself: Always exaggerate things by one thousand percent, and use repetition at least 500 percent.

Those who understate a story or product that may not be very strong in the first place, will fall victims to making that story or product look weak. The way to avoid making yourself or whoever/whatever you are representing look weak is to follow the aforementioned keys. The way to do that when the product or story is weak is to learn how to "B.S." That is where being a good performer comes in...

You are an actor, and being outgoing and to the extreme will always give the impression that whatever you are talking about is "the best." A good actor can do this perfectly and not come off as overly co.cky or obnoxious. Always say what the other person wants to hear. The customer is always right. Do whatever you can to "nail the gig."

There is something else to keep in mind when doing this particular form of "B.S.-ing," and that is the "K.I.S.S." method of "keep-it-simple-stupid." That may sound like a contradiction to the keys, but it is not. Keeping it simple, is not disclosing the real specifics, but still making your case sound like it's above and beyond every other possible option. This comes in handy particularly when someone asks you a question that you may not know the full answer to. That is where "filling" comes in---something that students do when writing an English essay on a test. If you have a general idea of what you want to say but don't have a specific reply to a portion of the question, you "fill" that essay with long winded run-on sentences. However, the whole thing must be coherent, and if your essay is well-written and has a good amount of clever puns and humor, you cannot lose. If you are a slick actor or writer, you can fool even the best of English teachers into at least giving you an "E" for effort.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you will never lose if you can "meet in the middle." What that means is this: Suppose a shirt looks like it is worth $15 to a customer but you build it up so much and make it sound like it's worth $50... By the end of the conversation, if you are doing your job, you are going to get them to meet you in the middle and the final conclusion will be that the price of the shirt is around $25. The real worth may be no more than $15 (and maybe even less), and certainly nowhere near $50, but you still get the "E" for effort and earn $25. You aren't really getting into details on why the shirt is worth so much more than the customer thinks, but you are pounding it into their head that it's worth $50. You are exaggerating and repeating. You are using adjectives that may or may not apply to that shirt but you are making it sound great and far above what it's worth. So finally, they will concede a price of $25. You were stretching the truth about the shirt being worth $50 and they may have been undervaluing it at $15. Essentially, you are both lying and both playing a game with one another, but finally, a minimum of $25 is agreed upon. No one may ever find out the true value, but it's irrelevant anyway. This works in any situation.

Exaggeration and repetition. But remember to K.I.S.S.

These keys could have been discussed in one paragraph, but it took an entire page, yet you as the reader were compelled to hang onto each word from start to finish. So I succeeded as a writer in that this essay was read from start to finish and my point was proven.

The "Whale"

A whale is a customer that you pull in, hook, line and sinker and mount on the wall. He is a golden nugget, a superstar, a monster. This type of customer that you get lucky enough to snag will be your customer for life. That means, you will either be set up for life from one deal you strike up or you will have him as a repeat customer that you can call back as a strong possible prospect forever.

Sometimes it is tough to spot a whale, he may not always be overly outgoing or obvious about being a "buyer." So anyone can be a whale. The way to learn if someone is a whale or not is to simply get into their home and learn about their life and about them. So anything you can do to get your foot in the door will work.

Start off small and discuss something that may appeal to their interest and work your way into their world. Don't pre-judge them until you learn about them. This will take time and patience, but all you need is a small "in" and then you can build on that and if you win the whale's trust, all it takes is one big deal to set you up for life.

So practice the "A.B.C." method of "always be closing" with everyone, because anyone can be a prospect. While the impression may be given that you genuinely care about them, the main objective is getting them to sign on the dotted line.

Of course the obvious "Gordon Gecko" type whales who go around showboating their spending habits and their skills are the true whales that if you are lucky enough to somehow snag, you are set.

A play trapped inside a movie.
'Glengarry Glen Ross' has good dialogue and good acting by the fine actors, but this is actually a play trapped inside a movie. They should not have made it into a movie.

Put that coffee down!
If you're looking for car crashes, gun fights and naked people you won't find them here. But if great dialogue and raw emotion hold your interest, it doesn't get any better than this. Every one of these guys should have won an award for their roles in this movie. Not sure if this particular DVD contains the interview with Jack Lemmon that was included after one of the cable TV broadcasts of the film. If not, it should!

Always Be Closing!
Most people think of explosions, car chases and action/adventure films as guy movies. Well, maybe, but those are for boys. There's no car chase in this movie, no deaths and no guns. But it manages to hold your attention while telling its story of real estate salesmen. This is the quintessential guy movie. This screen adaptation of David Mamet's Pulitzer-winning play is incredibly stagebound, which was a stroke of genius: thus, the fast-paced dialogue and the desperate, macho facades of the characters become, and stay, the focus. This allows the amazing talents of the cast to flourish. Pacino and Lemmon are untouchable. Ed Harris is outstanding. Having just the four main characters makes the whole thing seem oddly forced at times. Baldwin's slick delivery of his ball-busting speech to the three underachieving salesmen, is a scene to remember. Highly recommended. ... Read more

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Tony Kushner's prize-winning play Angels in America became thedefining theatrical event of the 1990s, an astonishing mix of philosophy,politics, and vibrant gay soap opera that summed up the Reagan era for anentire generation of theater-goers. Post-9/11 wouldseem to be too late for a film version--philosophy and politics don'talways age well--but this 2003 HBO adaptation, ably directed by Mike Nichols(The Graduate), provides a time capsule of the '80s and reveals thedeep emotional subcurrents that will give the play lasting power.

The story centers around Prior Walter(Justin Kirk) and Louis Ironson (Ben Shenkman), a gay couple that fallsapart when Prior grows ill as a result of AIDS. But cancer is not the onlything invading Prior's life: He begins to have religious visions of anangel (Emma Thompson, Sense and Sensibility) announcing that he isa prophet. Louis, who doesn't cope well with disease and suggestions ofmortality, leaves and starts a relationship with Joe Pitt (PatrickWilson), a closeted Mormon who works for Roy Cohn (Al Pacino, Dog DayAfternoon)--the real-life right-wing lawyer, notorious for hisruthless behind-the-scenes machinations. Add in Joe's depressed andhallucinating wife Harper (Mary Louise Parker, Fried GreenTomatoes), his determined but open-minded mother Hannah (Meryl Streep,Adaptation), a fierce drag queen/nurse named Belize (JeffreyWright, Basquiat, reprising his celebrated performance from theBroadway production), and you've still only begun to discover the wealthof characters and storylines in Kushner's ambitious work.

Thepowerhouse cast (also featuring James Cromwell, Michael Gambon, and SimonCallow) is uniformly superb. The script has its weaknesses--some of thefantastic elements, including Prior's journey to Heaven towards the end,fall flat--but even what doesn't work is bristling with ideas and aferocious desire to capture human existence in this time and place.--Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A profound human dimension amid the politics and pain
A jaw-dropping film adaptation of Tony Kushner's epic, 5-hour play, which was a defining artistic statement documenting the political and social upheaval that AIDS-HIV disease brought to America's gay community and to the wider America around it. Mixing agitprop and camp with magical realism and utter, heart-rending, pathos, Kushner and director Mike Nichols bring the story to the screen in a big, big way, with all-around amazing performances by a perfectly cast ensemble. Al Pacino gets to chew up yards of scenery in his portrayal of the sleazy, venal, far-rightwing attorney Roy Cohn (who acted as Joe McCarthy's point man in the infamous 1950s prosecution of "atom spies" Julius and Ethel Rosenberg) and for once, all of Pacino's high-decibel yelling pays off with some real dramatic ooompf.

There are a lot of things that you could comment on in this play -- the exploration of Jewish-American assimilation, the powerful reaffirmation of a supposedly marginalized leftist perspective, etc. -- but the most profound insight Kushner has to offer is about who the real redeeming angels will have to be in our nation's coming cultural reconciliation. The humanity that he is able to impart into the character of the middle-American Mormon, Mother Pitt (played faultlessly by Meryl Streep), is a marvel of modern political drama: and it rings undeniably true. Pushing past our narrowly defined social and political "roles," and into our shared humanity, is the only road open to folks who want to see America's moral and ethical core liberated from the ideological intrusions of the religious far-right, and the resulting frustrated anger of the disenfranchised middle-liberal-left. In a strictly us-vs-them world view, Mother Pitt would be derided by those on the we're-here-we're-queer Left... but as many people have learned, particularly amid the devastating upheavals of the HIV crisis, our real emotional lives are (ideally) not ruled by dogma. Mother Pitt isn't just a caring parent, she's also a kind, pragmatic person, and for her, the most pragmatic choice when confronted with an epidemic, is to simply offer sympathy and solace. What could be more natural? Let's hope her example prevails.

The CITIZEN KANE of the Modern Era
My expectations were high when I learned that HBO was going to spend over $60 million on an adaptation of Tony Kushner's extraordinary 6-hour epic play, but I could nt have imagined that the resulting film would move to the top of my list of best films ever made in the United States - but that is precisely what Angels in America has done.

Streep and Pacino deliver the finest performances of their careers here (Streep in 4 roles!). Emma Thompson is radiant. And the performances of Jeffrey Wright, Mary-Louise Parker, Justin Kirk and Ben Shenkman positively shine.

And the WRITING and DIRECTION! As close to Shakespearean as any American work I have ever read. And scenes that captivate in their composition and lighting, in their structure and their content. And a magical blending of profundity, humor, pathos, tragedy, and ultimately, the triumph of the human spirit over desperation and resignation. A musical score to match the high levels of word and vision.

In short, this film is nothing short of miraculous. All who worked on this masterpiece should be proud of their achievement. Angels in America stands as testimony to what the human mind can accomplish at its finest and most creative.

Simply the best movie I've seen in years....
HBO should've released this movie in movie theaters. I saw it at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco and it was a fantastic experience. Seeing it on TV is great, but.... Oh well, just enjoy! The acting, story, and filmography are amazing.

awesome
I started to watch the series using the on demand feature of our cable company and then it went away before I got to watch the whole thing. I can't wait to get the dvd so I can finish watching it and have it to watch again and again. Having been around when this was all going down makes this series really hit home. The acting is superb as are the special effects.

beyond wonderful
If they had released this movie in the theaters, there would not have been enough Academy awards to give to the writer, the director, and the wonderful cast. Who should get Best Actor? Al Pacino as the loathesome Roy Cohn or Justin Kirk as the dying Prior Walter? Who should get Best Actress? Meryl Streep as the practical, compassionate Mormon housewife, or Emma Thompson as the beautiful, terrifying angel? This series had me riveted to the TV set. I could not do anything but watch. Get this movie. You owe it to yourself to witness one of the major artistic events of the decade. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Francis Ford Coppola took some of the deep background from the life of Mafia chief Vito Corleone--the patriarch of Mario Puzo's bestselling novel The Godfather--and built around it a stunning sequel to his Oscar-winning, 1972 hit film. Robert De Niro plays Vito as a young Sicilian immigrant in turn-of-the-century New York City's Little Italy. Coppola weaves in and out of the story of Vito's transformation into a powerful crime figure, contrasting that evolution against efforts by son Michael Corleone to spread the family's business into pre-Castro Cuba. As memorable as the first film is, The Godfather II is an amazingly intricate, symmetrical tragedy that touches upon several chapters of 20th-century history and makes a strong case that our destinies are written long before we're born. This was De Niro's first introduction to a lot of filmgoers, and he makes an enormous impression. But even with him and a number of truly brilliant actors (including maestro Lee Strasberg), this is ultimately Pacino's film and a masterful performance. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (94)

I have my reservations...
It should go without saying that this is a great film and a good buy but if this edition is anything like the originial single dvd version of the Godfather I'm not sure if it's worth it. The original one only came with the movie and essentially no bonus features. Not that I'm saying that you must have as much bonus features as the LOTR's Special Extended Edition, but it would be nice to have at least enough to warrant this $15 purchase. If you don't have any of them I would recommenend getting the Godfather collection even if you're not a fan of the third film.

The Godfather Part II (1974)
I love Godfather II even more than Part I, because I love the way you can see Michael's character disintegrating over the course of the story. You watch him strip away all human connections in order to protect the "family." He finally asks his mother "Can you lose your family?" She doesn't understand the question, but of course Michael has lost his family, as well as his own soul. The paradox in this--killing your family in order to protect the "family"--is wonderful. As in Part I, Diane Keaton is kind of a weak link--just not a credible Mafia wife. De Niro gives one of the greatest performances ever--channeling Brando. I also love the young versions of Don Corleone's sidekicks when they first go into business doing things like stealing rugs. And Robert Duvall has had to work very hard ever since to equal this performance.

The acting is classy, silent, not overdone. Robert DeNiro won an oscar for his portrayal of young Vito Corleone. Francis Ford Coppola won Best Director for the movie. There were several rivetting scenes in the movie. But for me, the best one was the one in which Vito Corleone kills Don Fanucci. There are several simliarities with this movie and the original (Godfather Part I). For instance, in both movies, one of the parents dies, and after that, a treacherous family member is killed. All the other gang leaders too are executed at the same time. Yet, both have been done very differently. The movie is educational in it's own way, and is definitely a must see. It truly is a class act.

Mikey's back, and this time it is personal!
This has to be, hands down, the best sequel ever made in motion picture history, possibly even the best film ever made. Without a doubt, it beats any modern-day new release. I would venture to say that this film surpasses the original, but this is my opinion. This film is more dramatic than the first, and perhaps that is what appeals to my sensibilities (and others').

This movie may be a little bit harder to follow than the first, but this is not a disappointment. This is something that grabs you and pulls you in (don't even think of getting out). A few viewings will solidify its classic status in your heart. The Vito/Michael Corleone trade-off scenes show parallels and contrasts between the two Dons' rise to power. The formations and unravelling of loyalty and power are revealed as the scenes trade off. This is magical.

Hopefully, I won't give too much away by mentioning the most memorable elements of the most memorable scenes. Who can forget when the Corleone family shamed Frankie "Five Angels" Pentangeli back into loyalty and omerta at the senate hearing by bringing his brother in from Sicily? Who can forget when Senator Pat Geary, while with a favorite prostitute, was framed for murder, ensuring his cooperation with "the family," lest political scandal? Who can forget the Sicilian affection shared by Michael and Fredo at the New Year's Eve ball in Havana, Cuba (i.e. kiss of death, followed by the unforgettable line, "I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!")? Who can forget Al Pacino's incomparable performance in, among other scenes, his argument scene with Diane Keaton (note: his trembling face deserved at least two Oscars!)? Who can forget the closing scene of Michael's dispair in realization of his own destiny?

The musical score is unforgettable, no doubt about it. You may even catch yourself walking around, humming some of these haunting melodies. The acting is unparalleled. Kudos to Gazzo, Shire, Strasberg, DeNiro, and others. This is Pacino's finest acting, in my opinion. At the expense of conciseness, I have to give credit to the late John Cazale for his talent as well. I don't think anyone could reproduce the guilt in Fredo's eyes as he sits in the Cuban cafe with his brother, Michael (watch it, and you'll know what I mean).

Clearly by the end of the film, Michael is consumed by empire, power, etc. as he confides to Tom Hagen the necessity of killing all enemies. The process of decline takes its toll on the Don, revealing the drama that is The Godfather Part II (note: this is why Michael, with twinges of paranoia, treats Tom Hagen like crap towards the end--- because he anticipates Hagen's betrayal). This movie shows what happens when Michael begins to lose all that he loves and has built up by legitimate or illegitimate means as a consequence of his illegitimacy. All lines between personal and business are blurred by the close of the film.

In closing, it is probably inappropriate, as I've read in one review posted here, to refer to The Godfather Part II as a sequel or even a prequel/sequel. It can be said that it is two movies within a movie. Nonetheless, as one of the best movies ever made, it holds its own. Beware, though: the final scenes will "break your heart," as the Corleone family's powerful "Sicilian thing" falls apart in more ways than one. But do yourself a favor and buy this, and don't worry about having to return anything to the Don. Capice paisano? Enjoy!

The Saga Continues...
The first time I saw "Godfather, Part II" was on NBC back in the pre-VCR days and they cobbled it together with "The Godfather" and told the Corleone family saga in linear fashion.It was good but it wasn't until years later that I saw "Part II" properly.Director Francis Ford Coppola effectively jumped back and forth between the young Vito Corleone (Robert DeNiro) and Michael Corleone who five years on was still trying to legitimize the "family".The flashing back that Coppola utilized effectively pointed out the fact that the young Vito turned to organized crime as a means of survival in a New World where recent immigrants had to look out for themselves.Michael's ruthlessness, on the other hand, can only be attributed to a deluded vanity that he tosses off as looking after the family's interests.Al Pacino is simply superb here in an even-keeled portrayal as Michael.It's hard to believe that this is the same actor who did the over-the-top "Scarface".Good supporting cast includes Michael V. Gazzo as Frankie Pantagale, a disgruntled Corleone foot soldier, and Lee Strasberg as Hyman Roth.John Cazale's Fredo Corleone emerges in this film with all the seething resentments finally coming to the surface after years of being the forgotten Corleone brother.Domenic Chianese(Junior Soprano) appears as Johnny Ola, one of Roth's associates.Coppola offers a colorfully informative commentary that should not be missed.

One of the great ones!A great sequel to a great film!
The Godfather is one of the great films of the 20th Century, and Godfather II is one of those rare sequels that measures up to the original in every way.This is a great and compelling story with a wonderful cast that turns in superb performances.About the only thing one can complain about in this film is the absence of Brando, but that, of course, was more or less inevitable given the storyline of The Godfather.On the other hand, Robert DeNiro turns in an absolutely flawless and powerful performance as the young Godfather: Vito Corleone.

The film wonderfully juxtaposes the Corleone family in more or less the modern age, circa 1965, against the early immigrant Vito Corleone as he flees the local mafia boss in Corleone, Sicily as a child, and seeks his fortune in early 20th Century New York City.The Italian ghetto of New York, filled with hopeful immigrants, is incredibly well done, and the viewer feels transported to this brawling, bustling, and formative era of American history.This is a great film.

Like The Godfather, although the protagonists, most of whom are criminals, are portrayed with some sympathy, this film shows the mafia and organized crime to be ultimately futile and self-destructive institutions in no way worthy of emulation or aspiration.This adds to, rather than detracts from, what is a truly great story of the American immigrant and social experience.

The DVD features excellent sound and brilliant colors, and constitutes a very good value.Any film afficianado will want to own this one. ... Read more

Reviews (370)

Movie sizzle.. DVD extras fizzle...
HEAT is one of the best crime dramas ever made! Director Michael Mann's saga is simply a tried and true tale of good versus evil. Al Pacino plays an L.A. cop, who leads a team, that is hot on the trail of a band of criminals. The bad guys are led by mastermind Robert De Niro. Mann tells the epic with such precision and skill, that it is just flawless, from start to finish. Even though Pacino and De NIro do not share much screen time, the film has so much going on, that it almost does not matter. When the two mega-stars do act in the same scene, everything crackles with intensity, that is is almost palpable. The supporting cast is first rate. Val Kilmer, Diane Venora, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, and JonVoight lead the way into putting this film in the "classic" catagory

The DVD is a major disappointment, due to the lack of any extras, save for a trailler and production info. I wish those in charge would consider a special edition reissue soon. The movie is a winner despite the DVD sans extras and should be part of anyone's film collection. Warner Home Entertainment GET CRACKING on HEAT 2 disc set!

Buy It!
This crime story contains one of the best scenes in movie history. Al Pacino sits down in a coffee shop and chats with Robert De Niro. One is an eccentric detective and the other a ruthless criminal. They talk about what they do for a living and how it effects them. It's a tense and dramatic moment and you have to wonder if the actors are actually talking about their character's lives or their very own. "Heat" is one of the most underrated crime/heist movies of the genre. It has extravagent action scenes, solid performances and cameos (Hank Azaria,Tone Loc,Natalie Portman) and an engrossing plot. My only complaint is the tacked-on ending which seems to belong in a B-movie. Warner Bros. did only an okay job bringing it to DVD so be warned. It's missing some of the special features we have come to expect (director's commentary, deleted scenes, etc). Michael Mann did an admirable job of showing the exploits of professional bank robbers and the detectives who chase them. It's rumored that one of the advisors to the film was one of the bank robbers who was later killed in the infamous North Hollywood Shootout in 1997. Enticed enough now? This is an action movie with class...buy it!

fantastic
this movie has some of the best acting i've ever seen. the plot is great and the action scenes are also great. the dvd i'm reviewing now lacks extras, but a special edition is supposed to come out later this year. some might not like it being three hours, but i think the three hours i spent watching were well worth it.

The best!
Great flick.....perhaps the best car chase scenes and most "tactically correct" fire and maneuver sequences ever filmed. Outstanding plot and great acting.

Long, but good
Pacino, De Niro, Kilmer, Voight all in one movie. Isn't that great? It is. This cop movie is not bad at all, especially the story and the personalities are well developed.

Pacino is sometimes a little too rude and the movie takes too long with 2 hrs and 45 minutes.

Still worth seeing if you have the sitting-flesh. ... Read more

Reviews (179)

I'll Write A Review You Can't Refuse
Francis Ford Coppola does something with this movie many filmmakers are unable to do. Coppola makes us feel as if we're part of the"FAMILY". We feel as if were behind the scenes watching the Corleone's up's and down's. A one of a kind screenplay written by Mario Puzo and Coppola,and as we all should know by now,the film the based on Puzo's novel. Truly desevering of the Oscars in won. Brando's performance in this movie,is in my opinion,the best of his career. And the same goes with the rest of the cast:Al Pacino,Diane Keaton,James Caan,Robert Duvall,and Talia Shire. Everyone in this movie delivers a powerhouse performances. Many unforgettable lines and characters that will stay with us forever. Terrific music score by Nino Rota,beautiful camerawork by Gordon Willis,and top notch directing Coppola. Truly one of the greatest films ever made! If there's anyone who hasn't seen this movie,you have no idea what your missing. A must for anyone's video collection.

The Greatest Movie of All Time.
A movie of such size, influence, and power as "The Godfather" isn't simply a movie. It's a life-altering experience. Francis Ford Coppola, barely into his thirties, would team up with author Mario Puzo to create the greatest period gangster epic whose influence remains incalculable. It all begins with the performances. Take a look at the opening scene, in which the undertaker Bonasera comes to Vito (Marlon Brando) for "justice" following the brutal assault of his daughter. That scene is brilliantly played and wonderfully directed, and Brando's portrayal as the Don is nothing short of perfect. The public perception of a Don of this magnitude is someone who is loud, brash, and emotional. Not this one. Brando's Vito is calm, soft spoken, and rarely raises his voice, which makes his character even more intimidating. But while Brando shines in this film, the heart of the movie (and indeed the entire trilogy) belongs to the then-newcomer Al Pacino, who playes Vito's youngest son, Michael. Michael's transformation from a mild-mannered college grad to a ruthless Mafia thug is one of the greatest performances you will see. James Caan as the hotheaded Sonny, John Cazale as the dim Fredo, the suave Robert DuVall as attorney Tom Hagen, and Talia Shire as the troubled newlywed Connie all shine in their supporting roles. Reviewing a movie like "The Godfather" is a bit overwhelming, as it has already been studied by other, more experienced film geeks. But if there's one movie you see in your lifetime, it has to be this verified, straight-up classic. Give three hours of your life to this movie, and what it will give in return will reward you richly.

LOUSY TRANSFER OF A CLASSIC
I can only add my voice to the many who were disappointed by the DVD transfer. How can you mess up one of the best movies of the last half century? Looks very grainy in some indoor scenes...in fact, some scenes looked like they were filmed with an old, cheap video camera. That said, the story, acting, editing and music are just about perfect. The only thing that rings false is the carelessness the family exhibits after Don Corleone's attack. They act a bit like amateurs. This begs for a DO-OVER (maybe they're waiting for another anniversary year to roll around to release a definitive edition). I refuse to buy the box set as it includes the inferior Part 3. Hopefully, when they release Part 2, they pay more attention to the quality of the transfer.

"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."
I never saw the movie before because I have no interest in "the Mob", New York, or gang politics. It took Brando's death, plus all the great reviews here and the #1 ranking at IMDB to prompt me to get this movie to add to 400 movies I have. The only thing I knew about it going in was there was a horse head in a bed, and Brando mumbled and played with a cat.

The movie has a long list of big name actors including Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan and Robert Duvall, and was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It seems to be filmed rather darkly with muted colors, though many posts here complain about the transfer.

I had big expectations for this movie, but at the one-hour mark I was so bored I turned it off. Later I started over with the commentary, which was a bit more interesting. I took a nap in the middle, then came back to finish this 3-hour exercise in tedium.

Mostly OK acting. Good photography. Famous theme. I liked 2 lines of dialog, but that's about it.

Okay, but not great. Poor DVD Transfer.
I have just viewed this movie for the first time, and for the life of me, I don't know what all the hype has been about. The acting is at most, mediocre (with some roles just downright poorly acted). The plot seems to come and go throughout the movie, and the violence is by today's standards very cheesy. I also kept wondering how Marlon Brando's character became so tied to this movie, as his role seemed very minor.

I give it three stars because, I'm sure when this movie was originally released, it was "Epic", but it just hasn't stood the test of time. Some of the scenes are well acted, but are overshadowed by lack of plot and some particularly bad acting as well.

Aside from the movie itself, Francis Ford Coppola should be embarrassed about the quality of this DVD transfer. It has several flaws (scratches, flickering, low lighting, etc.) and really looks bad on a large screen television. Perhaps he should let George Lucas have a go at a Special Edition version of his movie to "clean it up" and bring it up to date (Whatsa Heesa Deesa Meesa?) - of course I'm joking. ... Read more

Reviews (85)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com essential video

This sprawling epic of bloodshed and excess, Brian De Palma's update of the classic 1932 crime drama by Howard Hawks, sparked controversy over its outrageous violence when released in 1983. Scarface is a wretched, fascinating car wreck of a movie, starring Al Pacino as a Cuban refugee who rises to the top of Miami's cocaine-driven underworld, only to fall hard into his own deadly trap of addiction and inevitable assassination. Scripted by Oliver Stone and running nearly three hours, it's the kind of film that can simultaneously disgust and amaze you (critic Pauline Kael wrote "this may be the only action picture that turns into an allegory of impotence"), with vivid supporting roles for Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Robert Loggia. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (539)

His Name Is Tony...
Actor Al Pacino gives a powerhouse performance in 1983's SCARFACE. Paciino plays Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee hoodlum, who quickly rises to the top of Miami's cocaine industry. On his way to the top, Tony uses any means at his disposal to get there, no matter who he hurts or betrays in the process. Pacino takes hold of the character and never lets you forget that he is "Scarface". The supporting cast is wonderful too. It features Steven Bauer, as Tony's right hand man, "Manny" Ray. Michelle Pfeiffer is Tony's girl, Elvira, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, in a role early in her acting career, plays Gina, Tony's sister.

The hard-edged script for the film is written by Oliver Stone, who holds nothing back, as usual Directed by Brian De Palma, the movie doesn't flinch at all to tell its story. The film remains a favorite of mine and will leave you with quite a lasting impression. A "remake" of 1932's SCARFACE, in name only, the film is nearly flawless.

The "Collector's Edition" contains a feature length retrospective documentary, that is so well done, you almost forget that there is no commentary track. It is very comprehensive and covers all aspects of the film and its place in cinema history. There's also a number of deleted scenes and outtakes that were nice to see. These fine extras add up to one heck of a DVD for one of the best gangster movies ever made. SCARFACE should not be missed and comes highly recommended.

Nothing Succeeds Like Excess
Given the high-power talent behind the camera (Brian DePalma), in front of it (Al Pacino), and at the typewriter (Oliver Stone), SCARFACE should have quite a lot going for it. It does indeed, although I can't quite call this a GODFATHER-type masterpiece for certain reasons.

Ostensibly, this is a reworking of Howard Hawks' classic 1932 gangster pic about Al Capone. This time, the setting is Miami circa 1980, the contraband in question is cocaine, and the lead character, Pacino's Tony Montana, is a Cuban-born criminal who just came off the Mariel boat lift with 125,000 others that Castro let go, twenty percent of whom were known criminals. Pacino gets in on the ground floor with a local drug boss (Robert Loggia) and soon works his way to the top, doing just about everything to tick someone off--associates, enemies, cops, his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer), his sister (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), and the Colombian drug kingpins he has to do business with.

But in his cocaine-fueled journey to achieve the so-called American Dream, he neglects to follow two rules taught to him by Loggia: (1) Don't underestimate the other guy's greed; and (2) Don't get high on your own supply. He finally crosses the line in the end by alienating a Colombian drug boss (Paul Shenar) so much that Shenar sends assassins to Pacino's Miami villa. The result is a horrific and bloody shootout in which most of the assassins are rubbed out, and so is Pacino.

Without a doubt, SCARFACE continues to generate wildly divergent opinions, both pro and con. I for one had some trouble trying to stomach Pacino's Cuban accent at first, but then his ultra-charistmatic performance kicked into high gear, four-letter words and all. The film is very true to its essentials of showing how a certain segment of the Cuban boat people, a very SMALL segment, tried to latch onto the American Dream by trafficking in illegal narcotics and thus earning millions. Probably the most interesting thing about SCARFACE is the political view that Stone espouses in his screenplay: he seems to espouse a very Reaganesque view of the world of the 1980s (virulent anti-Communism; anti-Castro), but in truth he is severely critical of those very same policies that motivated Castro to send the worst of his worst onto American soil and thus accelerate this nation's drug problem.

SCARFACE does have its faults. It requires a lot of patience to sit through with a running time approaching 170 minutes, and I am not all that sure there is enough in there to sustain it for that kind of length. The film continues to be controversial in some quarters for its extreme (as opposed to merely excessive) violence; the chainsaw scene in an apartment, the hanging from a helicopter, and the ultra-gory shootout at the end rank as some of the most violent scenes ever shown on film. Only four other films in history challenge it in this respect: THE WILD BUNCH, SOLDIER BLUE, TAXI DRIVER, and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Finally, this film set a record for the greatest number of times the "F" word, or variations of it, are used; I lost count at two hundred. This IS a bit much, although it probably fits the reality of the situation it depicts.

On the other hand, DePalma, whose 1976 film CARRIE remains one of the touchstone suspense/horror films of all times, does make quite a lot out of Stone's wild and crazy screenplay--though surprisingly, for the violent scenes, he doesn't use slow-motion or montage that much, which would have earned him favorable comparisons with the legendary Sam Peckinpah. Just as solid is the camera work of John Alonzo, who worked on CHINATOWN and BLACK SUNDAY, among others. Giorgio Moroder's score is pretty good, though I do admit it gets a little cheesy after a while. And Pacino's performance is also high-caliber; just get used to his Cuban accent, and it works very well.

This film comes highly recommended, but with this warning: It is definitely NOT for younger audiences, it is rated 'R' for a lot of good reasons.

Best Movie Ever!!!!!!!!!
This is the greatest movie that was ever created! I could not beleive how great this movie was when I saw it. Not only the movie was great but great actors like Al Pacino. If you have any money don't spend it on anything else than this movie!

WOULD YOU KISS ME IF I WEAR THE HAT!?
This is one of the greatest movies of all time and the AFI top 100 movies of all time refuses to acknowledge it. Al Pacino deserved an oscar for his portrayal of Tony Montana, the movie deserved an oscar for something yet this movie is constantly overlooked by all critics, but the cult following that it has amassed is by far more telling of it's popularity than sheer box office numbers. ask anyone on the street and they'll tell you Scarface is one of the best movies ever made, and if they don't think so they haven't seen it. So sit back, crack some hennessy and alize, light up a cigar, and enjoy one of the best movies ever made!

Classic Gangster Flick
No matter what anybody says, this has to be one of the ten best gangster movies ever made, if not in the top three. If you are a fan of this genre, Scarface is a gourmet banquet of acting, action, dialogue and intensity. And if you don't enjoy this, all I can say is I'm sorry that you're missing out. The only reason I don't give this movie 5 stars is that I don't know what to make of Giorgio Moroder's cheesy sythn soundtrack and disco tunes. If you think in the context of the movie, that 80's Cuban drug dealers might like listening to really bad disco music ("...Rush, rush to the yeyo") then this music works in the confines of the Babylon nightclub along with the bad hair, clothes, Belzer's lousy comedy and the mime. But these songs, if they had to stand on their own outside the movie, would be totally ignored. I wonder if Deborah Harry ( then at the height of fame with her band Blondie) knew when she laid down the vocals for Moroder's muzak that this song was designed as junk to suit the movie or if she thought this might boost her singing career. If you account for the disco muzak as necessary "set dressing" for the Babylon it still doesn't excuse Moroder's cheesy synth soundtrack. How much better this movie could have been if it was scored by an accomplished orchestral composer such as Morricone or Williams. If you want more proof of Moroder's shortcomings check out the soundtrack of Metropolis. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

As revisionist history, Michael Mann's intelligent docudrama The Insider is a simmering brew of altered facts and dramatic license. In a broader perspective, however, the film (cowritten with Forrest Gump Oscar-winner Eric Roth) is effectively accurate as an engrossing study of ethics in the corruptible industries of tobacco and broadcast journalism. On one side, there is Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), the former tobacco scientist who violated contractual agreements to expose Brown & Williamson's inclusion of addictive ingredients in cigarettes, casting himself into a vortex of moral dilemma. On the other side is60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino), whose struggle to report Wigand's story puts him at odds with veteran correspondent Mike Wallace (Christopher Plummer) and senior executives at CBS News.

As the urgency of the story increases, so does the film's palpable sense of paranoia, inviting favorable comparison to All the President's Men. While Pacino downplays the theatrical excess that plagued him in previous roles, Crow is superb as a man who retains his tortured integrity at great personal cost. The Insider is two movies--a cover-up thriller and a drama about journalistic ethics--that combine to embrace the noble values personified by Wigand and Bergman. Even if the details aren't always precise (as Mike Wallace and others protested prior to the film's release), the film adheres to a higher truth that was so blatantly violated by tobacco executives seen in an oft-repeated video clip, lying under oath in the service of greed. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (233)

Exceeding my expectation
I didn't go to the cinema to watch this movie because I thought it's 3 hours length would have put me to deep sleep. Then, I reasoned the imposssibility of a director to dwell on an issue for 3 hours when we already knew beforehand that smoking is bad for you. Well, I will have to put my hands up in air & admitted defeat as this movie is compelling to watch. It could be the tightness of the script, the intensities of the main characters; played so well by Al Pacino, Russell Crowe (with his new found American accent), Christopher Plummer (a far cry from his Sound of Music day); brilliant directions by Mann; or semi documentary format of the movie. I had watched his previous offerings such as The Last of the Mohicans, Heat but The Insider would have to be my all-time favourite. I admired Wigand's bravery for standing up against the big giant corporation amid losing everything that he's owned, the loyalty of the Producer of 60 minutes for not hanging out Wigand to dry. Whilst it's true that in real life, that might not be the whole truth but the ideal is definitely worth reminding. One thing that niggled me would be Mann's usage of same actor & actress in his other movie such as Al Pacino (who could fault him?) & also the lady who played his wife in Heat, who played Wigand's wife in this movie. Highly recommended. Wide screen format is an extra bonus.

Of Smoke, Mirrors...and Truth
I enjoy a well acted and well written movie, especially if it's a true story, and most especially if the story is based upon a newsworthy event. For me, "The Insider" delivers on all accounts! I found myself completely captivated by this film from start to finish. It combines a compelling true story, sparkling performances by an all-star ensemble cast, an outstanding screenplay filled with sharp, crackling dialog, a beautifully haunting musical score, and cinematography which is darkly brooding. All add up to a taut and suspenseful real-life thriller.

This is the riveting tale of how the lives of two men - Jeffrey Wigand, the famous tobacco industry "whistleblower," and Lowell Bergman, a producer for CBS News' "60 Minutes" - become suddenly entwined in the maelstrom of one of the most controversial political and social issues of the mid-1990s: the conspiracy by American tobacco companies to enhance the addictive properties of cigarettes, and then cover up that conspiracy. It is the story of how one lone "whistleblower" publicly exposed the secret actions of the tobacco industry, and endured his enemies' public vilification for his efforts. It's also the story of how one of America's greatest and most respected news organizations, when confronted by the truth of that "whistleblower's" information, betrayed its own journalistic principles in the face of a threatened lawsuit by the tobacco industry.

This film abounds with superlative acting. Al Pacino delivers yet again a stunning performance as Lowell Bergman, the self-assured, still idealistic-after-all-these-years CBS News producer. Russell Crowe, nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Jeffrey Wigand, richly texturizes his character - in part a tormented soul, in part an easy to dislike cynical tough guy, and in part a dreamy idealist. Christopher Plummer brings a perfect blend of shirty arrogance and pomposity to the character of Mike Wallace. Other performances of note include Diane Venora as Liane Wigand; Philip Baker Hall as CBS News boss Don Hewitt; and Michael Gambon as Brown and Williamson CEO Thomas Sandefur.

If you enjoy an intelligent, fact-based movie, one that is unafraid to confront real and controversial issues, and one delivers a powerful message, you will most definitely enjoy "The Insider." It is a movie that I will view and savor...over and over again!

Saved My Life
Dear reader, I was a 5 packs a day man when the insider moved my insides and thus forced a desion from within my soul barren to quit this awful fart inhalation. Well I didn't quit but I changed from a Brown and Williamson product to a Philip Morris product and I now smoke the great Marlboro Reds(recommend by me).

But in our hazen discovery of the truth lest us not neglect our shakeperian duty to rise and fall like an empire of sand, liquid sand. dissolving me and you and the constipation and lts us have our deeply desired laxative, yes dear reader, a laxative is what THE INSIDER reminded me of and it is the best laxative of 1999. But crowe has acne, but I dug venora you know.

A superb thriller!
"The Insider" starts out slowly, but with arresting gravity, and snakes its way into a riveting, superb thriller. The acting is magnificent, the direction superb, the pacing precise, and the dialog riveting. It's a long movie, but you can't stop watching it. Everyone involved should be congratulated, for this is the telling of a complex story on film that captures multiple layers, human pathos, and modern paranoia, all equally effectively. A MUST SEE!

Doesn't really go inside
Quick camera movements and hushed dialog heighten the claustrophobia and paranoia faced by Russel Crowe, the putative hero of "The Insider". A former scientist for a cigarette manufacturer. Crowe's Jeff Wigand is already an outsider in the first few frames, and on the verge of losing a severance package negotiated to keep him silent about the workings of his ex-employer's marketing tactics. Al Pacino, a producer for 60 Minutes proves, at about the same time, that he's not afraid to put his personal saftey on the line for the story. Christopher Plummer is a surpisingly effective Mike Wallace. Unfortunately, this account of the dirty tricks the cigarette makers will stoop to to hide business practices that ensure continued addiction to smoking is undone by its own murky paranoia - just how do these menacing guys manage to hold onto their political power the way nicotine holds onto smokers? Least convincing is speed with which the editorial staff at "60 Minutes" caves into corporate pressure to dump the story. It's never really explained how guys who regularly face-off against government bureaucrats, corporate honchos and the leaders of terrorist factions in the darkest corners of the new century crumble like a house of cards before big tobacco. The film, by never explaining the stranglehold of the cigarette industry implicitly supports them - that the "big" in big-tobacco is a myth created by the self-righteous of the media and government to explain their own inability to deal with America's nicotine problems.

For all its murkiness, the film remains evocative, a collection of great scenes, like Crowe's epiphany in a hotel room, and Pacino's giving a hotel attendant long-distance instruction in the art of talking like Al Pacino. Remember this as the movie in which TV action fixture Wings Hauser played a lawyer for the tobacco industry. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

One Good Cop
Al Pacino became a star thanks to his role as Michael Corleone in The Godfather. The film that cemented Mr. Pacino as one of the best actors of his generation was Serpico. Based on the Peter Maas book of the same name, Serpico is the true story of a New York undercover cop who seems to be the only honest cop on the force. Due to his honest nature, the other cops are leery of him and refuse to accept him as a real cop. To that end, he moves from precinct to precinct in search of a friendly work environment, but wherever he goes, he finds the same old situation. Serpico then goes to the higher-ups in the department, but they too have no use for his accusations. Finally, he goes public with his accusations and that triggers an investigation into the dealings of police officers. Serpico becomes a marked man and is nearly intentionally killed by another cop who while Serpico is on an undercover operation. Mr. Pacino brings a realistic approach to the role and you feel sympathy for Serpico. He is not a great man, he has his faults, but he believes in what he does and he takes a stand for his belief that policeman should serve the public and not illegally benefit from their position of power.

Very compelling story.
The story of Frank Serpico, an honest Nyc cop, is one of the most compelling police movies ever made. Al Pacino gives the character a lot of class and cool. Serpico is an easy-going guy with very clear morals about what's right and what's wrong. As he moves from precinct to precinct in dire hope of finding an honest place to work, all he finds are more and more corrupt cops...and it seems to be driving him insane both morally, and insane because the cops aren't comfortable with cops who don't take money. The film does a great job of displaying how the corruption is corrosive and unjust to the people of our country...but esp. interesting is that this wonderfully directed Sidney Lumet film is really very much like a suspense adventure chase...but at a much slower speed in which you can watch as things crumble and go to pot. Pacino plays the role in an understated manner...perhaps due to his knowledge of the real Frank Serpico, or maybe a creative choice. Either way, it's not his usual boisterous way...no crooked looks, no playful grins, etc. You'll forget Pacino is in this character. That Academy is worthless for not handing out an Oscar for this or Scarface or for Godfather I or II...or Dog Day Afternoon or Glengarry Glen Ross.

Nothing to wonderful
I did'nt like this one to much. Al Pacino's character is ok. There where only a few parts in the movie, where he really did an amazing job. The story plot did'nt make sence, it kept jumping around, Pacino looked like a horrible Charlies Manson, look-a-like. Don't waste your time.