Reviews (166)

Better use the DVD as a coaster
This movie was garbage. Placing a well-mixed martini atop the DVD on your coffee table will provide far more entertainment than this movie, even if you are spending your evening completely alone. I'd like to say the script was terrible, but, to be honest, I don't think there was a script. Lopez and McConaughey, two people with at least some talent, never had a chance in this film. If I had to allow this movie one saving grace it would have to be Justin Chambers as the puppy-lovesick Mossimo, but even he was sadly underserved by this sadly underwritten script.

Crazy about the Wedding Planner
I loved this movie! Timless and classic, this movie is the best chick flick ever! I can't get enough of Lopez's style, and Matthew M. is a winner as well. The ending was no surprise, but it still made me cry. Great for a girl's night in!

How Hollywoodish!
An easy to watch - no concentration needed movie that will allow you to pass time. Things would have been acceptably okay had it not been for the cheesy - predictable ending. I personally think it would have made a slight impact to the audience if Mary married Massimo & not Steve. There, just saving you your money in case you haven't seen it yet.

Good For a Romance
.... It seemed simply typical: Two people are set to be married, the star of the movie falls in love with one of them, the engaged person falls in love with the star, the engaged person leaves their significant other for the star, and they live happily ever after. For this reason, I avoided seeing the movie for some time. I now regret not seeing it in the theater with my girlfriend. The movie provided the viewer with enough twists and turns to keep them interested and Jennifer Lopez worked magic in making you fall in love with her. It made for a great date movie and one worth seeing even if you weren`t on a date.
This wasn`t a thought-provoking Drama or a action-packed Thriller, but if you are in the mood for a romantic film without the need of alot of thought, it is definitely worth watching. In the Romance genre, it followed in the footsteps of Pretty Woman in making you feel good, which should be the goal of any Romance. It was an unexpected delight and I recommend seeing it.

Uninspired Chick Flick Yawner
Bridgette Wilson does a convincing job playing a fussy, demanding, selfish bride. But J.Lo can't act--she's poorly cast as an Italian (and has a big caboose, too). Matthew McConaughey is a joke; his twangy accent makes him seem goofier than intellectual.

"The Wedding Planner" might appeal to women, but it's not for men. The typical wedding jokes and been-done-before romantic plotlines are worn-out, and this movie does nothing to refresh them. There are many obvious plot holes (a wedding planner with no social life, a doctor who never seem to busy himself with anything not to mention the occasional patient). The characters are shallow and stretched thin over a plot that is not emotionally engaging.

This is a terrible movie. If your wife or girlfriend insists on watching it, demand a night out with the guys. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Tears of Endearment
Fresh off the success of his television series TAXI, James L Brooks came to the big screen with his directorial debut: a comic film culminating in a main character succumbing to cancer. That certainly doesn't sound like the most promising comedy material but TERMS OF ENDEARMENT is a success in both comedy and drama. It is a very funny film that ends up a tearjerker without ever sacrificing the humor.

The mother and daughter act of Aurora (Shirley MacLaine) and Emma (Debra Winger) are at the heart of the story. The mother is consistently over-protective and disappointed in her daughter. Emma is one of the most compassionate human beings in the cinematic world. When Emma ups and marries the wrong guy (Jeff Daniels) there relationship becomes one of the phone lines. Even that doesn't squelch Aurora's power of her daughter. But when Aurora finally dates her free-spirited neighbor (Jack Nicholson), she softens as a human being and backs off of.

The film is quite clever with its characters and dialogue, often right from McMurtry's novel. Brooks works wonders with a dream cast that was often a nightmare. The audio commentary on the DVD offers a very open discussion of the Diva attitudes on the set. And Brooks exposes some other things as well but the commentary is often self-congratulatory. This is a great film in the style of BROADCAST NEWS and AS GOOD AS IT GETS.

Funny,sad,intense,just like real life.A classic.
I first saw "Terms of Endearment" in the theatre when it first came out at Christmas 1983 and thought it was an excellent picture. Then,saw it several years later on home video and I still think so. I even gave a copy of the video to my sister for a birthday present(along with some other of her favorite movies). A lot of the credit should go to James L. Brooks who was the writer and director.Mr. Brooks was a writer on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" in the '70's and wrote the enjoyable movie "Starting Over" in 1979.

Shirley MacLaine stars as Aurora and Debra Winger is her daughter Emma and the story is about their relationship over many years.The two leads both gave fabulous performances. Ms.MacLaine won the Academy Award for Best Actress(her one and only win) and Ms. Winger was nominated.Jack Nicholson gave a very funny,likable performance as the former astronaut who lives next door to Aurora. Nicholson won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role(a role that Burt Reynolds turned down due to a prior commitment.Reynolds regretted it later because the movie he turned the role down for turned out to be a flop).Actors John Lithgow and a then unknown Jeff Daniels also give good performances in supporting roles.

However, the real kudos go to James L.Brooks who won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay Adaptation(from the novel by Larry McMurtry)and for Best Director,very impressive since this was his directorial debut.And,it also won Best Picture of the year.The story has many funny moments,sad moments,and intense moments,just like in real life.Mr.Brooks went on to write and direct "Broadcast News" in 1987 and "As Good As It Gets" in 1997 which were both very good pictures also.There was a sequel to "Terms of Endearment" some 16 years later in 1996 called "The Evening Star" with Ms.MacLaine and Mr. Nicholson but with a different writer and director."The Evening Star" was no classic but "Terms of Endearment" truly is.

Somewhat cold, but still wonderful.
I saw this movie after I had seen Steel Magnolias, and to be honest it did not impress me as much as Steel Magnolias did. They are both classics in the film world, but I found Magnolias better and more heartwarming. Shirley Maclaine did a wonderful job acting in this film as the troubled mother of a sickly daughter. The movie comes together in the end but at some points the movie lacked that sense of heart and home that Steel Magnolias had. See it and make the judgment for yourself. I do reccomend it.

Tear-jerker
Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger play mother and daughter who are alternately at love and war with each other as they go on the roller-coaster of life. On a routine visit to the pediatrician for one of her sons, Winger's doc is more interested in her swollen glands than he is in her son's ear ache - and the next thing we know, Winger's diagnosed with a terminal illness. The pathos is well played, and I challenge anyone to emerge dry-eyed from the scene in which she says good-bye to her sons, esp to the one who is so angry and uncommunicative.
Everyone comes thru in the end, including the lumpish ex-husband, and Jack Nicholson, playing a free-spirited astronaut who is MacLaine's love interest, deservedly won an Oscar for this performance.
Excellent book by McMurtry; great movie by James L. Brooks.

As a Male, I Dig This Movie
This film is categorized as a chick flick...but hey it made me cry too. I was a kid when I saw this film. My cat had just died, and guess what her name was? ...EMMA!!!!
Well when Emma died in the film I almost lost it..
Shirley MacLaine said working with Debra Winger was hard to do as Debra was very gassy... ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Two comedy classics on one DVD!
-INTRODUCTION: The Revenge Of The Nerds films are comedy masterpieces. And finally, the first two entries in the series have arrived on DVD - together on a single disc! Read on for my review of the films, as well as the DVD itself.

REVENGE OF THE NERDS - 1984
Two lifelong friends (portrayed by Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards) have finally gone off to college. Unfortunately, these guys are two of the biggest nerds on the face of the earth. Combine that with the fact that they are freshmen, and you've got trouble. They meet with immediate resentment, getting thrown out of their dorm and being forced to live in the gym! Among the tormentors is none other than Ted McGinley of Happy Days and Married With Childen fame. Fortunately, they aren't the only freshman class outcasts. Joining forces with a loser (Curtis Armstrong), a black homosexual (Larry B. Scott), a Japanese exchange student (Brian Tochi), a dork with a bad haircut and even worse eyesight (Timothy Busfield), and a pre-teen genius (Andrew Cassese), the nerds plot revenge against their tormentors.

REVENGE OF THE NERDS II - 1987
Some time has passed since the first film (probably one year.) And everyone's favorite gaggle of nerds is chosen to represent Adams College at a fraternity conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Unfortunately, the Alpha Beta fraternity (the guys that tormented them in the first film) also have representatives at the conference, so the geeks must once again find a way to stand their ground.

FILM OPINIONS:
The first film is a comedy classic, no questions asked. Honestly, who WOULDN'T laugh at a fraternity full of nerds doing a panty raid on a sorority house? However, the film does question reality - there's NO WAY a college would force its freshman class to move into the gym and give its dorm to jocks. Likewise, many of the actions you see in this film would get students expelled. And do you see anyone getting expelled in the film? Nope. Likewise, it's a movie about college life, but there's only ONE SCENE in the entire movie that takes place in the classroom! The second film is really more of the same, but it's not quite the masterpiece the first one was. Still, it's worth watching.

DVD:
The DVD is nice, but it's severely lacking in the extras department. All you get are the trailers for both of the films, and the trailers for both of the Porky's films. I guess you can't expect to have a whole lot of extras, since it's two films on one disc.

OVERALL:
Eighties comedy films are the best comedy films of all time, and this collection beautifully demonstrates that. If you sit down and watch these films, I guarantee you - it will be impossible not to laugh.

Nerds on DVD
While the first of the Revenge of the Nerds films helped to breathe new life in the struggling teen film market and moved the genre back to college all the while helping to create a newer "hipper" version of the "nerd" character in teen cinema - the same cannot be said for its sequel. Still, it's refreshing to see Jeff Kanew's first successful feature film, as long as it doesn't make you wonder how a director with a gift for great comedic direction managed to lose his way with such dismissable tripe as 1989's Troop Beverly Hills and the flabby Kathleen Turner pic V.I. Warshawski. Nevertheless, Revenge of the Nerds still works as a triumph in teen cinema with a talented cast (led by Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, and a delightfully evil Ted McGinley - before Happy Days, The Love Boat, and Married With Children turned him into a one-dimensional acting joke). Even the normally noxious Timothy Busfield has fun with his role as the violin playing Poindexter. With a story that celebrates (however problematically) diversity in class, race, and sexuality - the film succeeds on a level beyond merely making the audience laugh. Add to this a touchingly heartfelt final speech by Anthony Edwards, and there is only one way that the sequel could have gone - down.
Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise has neither the sensitivity nor the humor of the first film. Directed with heavy handed excess by Hollywood uber producer Joe Roth (you have probably stumbled into a few of his sequels - most notably Young Guns II and The Exorcist III - not to mention his directing work which includes 1990's passable Coupe DeVille and last years America's Sweethearts), Roth manages to strip mine the first film of its humor and originality and replaces its gentle approach to T&A with a hamfisted collection of fart jokes. It does have some grin worthy moments (such as the memorable zen loogie), but its otherwise a xerox of the first film, faded and uninspired. It may please die hard fans of the series, but I was disappointed at the young age of 14 - and 14 year olds aren't hard to impress.
Still, the DVD is worth picking up if only for the beautiful transfer of the first film, which is both impressive in its visual design - taking the production beyond the sitcom modeled standard for eighties comedies. I believe that the second film is packaged with the first because Fox knew that people were unlikely to buy it on its own. I know I would be.

movie
Follow the nerds through life. They try to act cool and hang out with the popular kids but are never accepted. So they hang out together and get into some crazy stuff. Fun pointless movie that has had way to many movies dedicated to them.

Revenge of the Nerds
I watched Revenge of the Nerds hundred times, they really awesome. Before there was American Pie Kevin Meyers, Jim Levinstien, Chris 'Oz' Ostreicher, Paul Finch, Michelle Flaherty, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Xander Harris and Willow Rosenberg their was Revenge of the Nerds. Ted McGinley came from Happy Days,The Love Boat, Married With Children and Hope & Faith became their enemy and their friend three and four made him a great actor. Anthony Edwards came from Top Gun and ER made Gilbert the leader of Tri-Lams into a great actor. Bradley Whitford came from The West Wing into people love to hate. Revenge of the Nerds were like the American Pie Guys of the eighties. They always said Nerds always Rule in the eighties, Ninties and the millenium.

funny
Revenge of the nerds is one of the funniest movies ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!***** stars
Ive never seen number 2 but im gona see it soon ... Read more

Amazon.com

Before hitting the big time with his second film Boogie Nights, young filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson impressed critics with this deftly conceived, low-budget film noir chamber piece. With its minimalist plot, deliberate pacing, and brief, but shocking bursts of violence, Hard Eight won't please everyone, but Anderson and his first-rate cast were clearly working on the same authentic wavelength. It's a mystery at first why a solemn professional gambler (Philip Baker Hall in a captivating performance) cares for a down-and-out loser (John C. Reilly) and a dimwit, Reno cocktail waitress (Gwyneth Paltrow). But his motivations become clear--and the movie packs a quietly effective punch--when the gambler faces blackmail by a small-time crook (Samuel L. Jackson). This unheralded film seemed like a closely kept secret itself, until it showed up on the 1997 top-10 lists of several prominent critics. In tandem with Boogie Nights, it marked the arrival of a new filmmaker whose talent is as impressive as that of that other '90s hotshot, Quentin Tarantino. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (51)

A nice Find
Hard Eight is one of those sharp character driven dramas that film fans will appreciate if they Like Paul Thomas Anderson in general. Anderson is the kind of writer that brings new things to life each time out. This time he finds a lonely gambler in his later days who befriends misfits. A great cast led my Phillip Baker Hall and John C. Reilly make the movie a treat and Sam Jackson and Gweneth Paltrow also show up for supporting roles.

The Special Features offer three scenes from the movie shot on video as part of a Sundance workshop. It also has two commentary tracks. The first one with Anderson and Hall is interesting, because Anderson is really funny and well spoken and has a lot of interesting things to say. Hall, on the other hand, drones on and on about character motivation and dynamics and sounds like a junior level college course on acting. Not to take away from Hall's performance which is top notch, but listening to actors talk about what goes on in an actor's mind is numbing.

Hard Eight is as interesting if not as ambitious as Anderson's later projects. If you like his other films, you'll do yourself a favor seeing this one.

compelling and heartfelt
My personal favorite of Paul Thomas Anderson's films, Hard Eight quenches my thirst with a good twist and ending. Boogie Nights and Magnolia seemed to me to be primarily centered around the characters (which is great in it's own respect), but both movies left me wanting a bit more. Philip Baker Hall stars this time as elderly lonesome gambler Sydney, who, for reasons unknown, helps two young confused kids find love and peace in the world.
This film deals with issues of regret, guilt and self-redemption as Sydney's generosity and charity is not as selfless as it may seem. And so we follow the daily lives of Sydney and these young adults, as their neuroses guide them into very unique situations which brilliantly outline the chaos they feel in their lives. The characters are sad, realistic, and evoke empathy from the viewer simply on maintaining their everyday lives.
The question that is raised is whether or not personal guilt of the past can ever be abolished by performing acts of kindness in the present. Can a man redeem his character even when he is in his 70's, or have his bad choices set the tone for his existence? Is covering up the past while refusing to deal with it head-on a detrimental decision? These questions are left unanswered in this compelling story of a lonely old man's attempt to clear his conscience.

SLICK
Move over Tarantino and Mamet we got a new writer director in town.Paul Thomas Anderson.Boogie Nights and this one Hard Eight
make him an easy competitor in the world of indie film-making
this movie is great.Philip Baker Hall finally scores a lead role
and does an outstanding job as Sydney,the kind,nice,and all to
calm and slick pro gambler who helps John(John C. Reilly)a down
on his luck chum.Then they become good freinds and we skip a head
2 years and we meet Clementine Johns new love played good as usual by Gweneth Paltrow and slick casino pro Jimmy played by
Samuel L.Jackson who is the standout.This movie crackles with
dialogue and your never bored because you never know whats gonna
happen next and we find out secrets about our nice freind Sydney
and from their it gets interesting.SEE IT NOWWWW

Too ambiguous and understated
Maybe I was born into a generation of short attention spans, but I just felt this movie moved too slowly. I understand that it's a character-driven drama and not an action flick, but I do now believe there's such a thing as too much subtlety. Ninety percent of the film consists of extremely drawn-out, quiet conversations between two characters, with lines no more than a couple of words long: "Cigarette?" "No thanks," etc. It seems too artsy and contrived. A lot of filmakers - I can't help but mention Tarantino here - use mundane, understated dialogue to act as comic bathos, or to develop character, but it doesn't work so well in Hard Eight.

That said, it still deserves at least 3.5 stars (rounded to four). Hall's unrelentingly phlegmatic Sydney plays so well off of Jackson's 'enobled thug' Jimmy; the scenes where they confront each other, Sydney doggedly trying to assert his principles, Jimmy exposing Sydney's hypocrisy and condescension, are well played-out. You have trouble deciding where your sympathies lie, which always good, and I was strangely satisfied with the ending as well. Also, it's such a short, simple and (in some ways) unpretentious movie that it's hard to judge it very harshly; it would be like condemning a nice little schoolhouse in relation to the Taj Mahal.

Hard To Stay Awake...
Don't get me wrong here. I am a fan of Anderson's work in general, especially Boogie Nights and Punch-Drunk Love. But I just could handle Hard Eight. Usually Anderson's slower pace is a welcome change for me as I really enjoy character driven dramas. The acting was pretty good, but I just thought the script lacked anything of interest. Maybe next time, but I can't recommend actually buying this one unless you want a complete Anderson collection. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Cockroaches & Power Tools & Destruction, OH MY!!!
The seemingly charming, but sadistic, brutal, destructive & oh yeah... homicidal, Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton) puts
yuppies-cum-landlords, Patty Palmer and Drake Goodman (Melanie Griffith & Matthew Modine) through their paces as they experience the WORST tenant in the history of landlord lore!

Carter Hayes, armed with power tools, garbage, his little cockroach friends, and the law on his side, are GUARANTEED to drive Patty and Drake out of their beautiful victorian fixer-upper that they have just purchased. It seems like Carter would like to pick up the house for himself and thus, tries his darndest to make Patty and Drake default on their huge mortgage.

Tippi Hedren, Laurie Metcalf and Dan Hedaya also star.

This is a great suspense filled movie with a "killer" ending. Michael Keaton is perfect in the role as Carter Hayes. He is one of the most flexible and versatile actors, playing good guys (Mr. Mom & The Dream Team), bad guys (Pacific Heights & Desparate Measures), cartoon characters (Batman & Beatlejuice), & a dying man (My Life).

This is a most excellent suspense film and highly recommended!

Happy Watching!

A must have thriller!
This is a must have for your average movie buff. Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith play a nice couple trying to rent out their spacious house to make the mortgage. Then along comes Michael Keaton who puts on a brillant performance as the well mannered/psycho Carter Hayes. And wastes no time at making their life hell so he can keep the house for himself. The directing is nicely done and pretty convincing. Keaton's performance is much like that of the movie "Desperate Measures." And so good you'll wonder if Carter Hayes could ever lose. Definitely a great flick!

Not what I expected.
It was about 8 years ago at least when I first seen this film. At that time I was young and I couldn't remember it, but I just bought it the other day. I watched it, and it was totally different from what I expected. I could only remember this film being very nasty and the villain (played by the excellent Michael Keaton) to be more scarier. Even though the film wasn't what I expected it was still good. Many people hate Michael Keaton's character in this, I can see why, but the character I more hate in this is Matthew Modine's. His character always treats Keaton's very badly in it, and he never treats him nice in it. The ending is quite tense (it was the only part I remember from when I saw it 8 years ago), a bity predictable, but it was good. The film can also try to be funny in places, it can be too.
So, you might not expect such a psychological thriller that much in this, but it does reach a point in the film where it does become psychological as it nears the end.

Beware Of Tenants Bearing Trust Funds!....
This review refers to the DVD edition(Warner) of "Pacific Heights".....

A really good thriller for me, is one that not only grabs me and keeps me in suspense the first time around, but one that keeps me on the edge of my seat on repeated viewings as well. "Pacific Heights" is one of those thrillers, that makes buying the DVD worthwhile, as I know this one will not be collecting dust on the shelves.

The very cool and respectable looking Carter Hayes(Michael Keaton) is new to San Francisco. He's looking for an apartment and his done his homework well. He's found the perfect place and has even taken the time to check out his landlords.Drake and Patty(Matthew Modine/Melanie Griffith) are the eptiome of Yuppiedom. Unmarried, but a couple, they bury themselves in debt buying the Victorian fixer-er-upper, that they will renovate and make a huge profit on when it's complete. In the meantime they will simply rent out the two apartments downstairs to help pay the bills. They should have done their homework as well as Hayes.

The smooth talking Hayes worms his way into one of the apartments and promises payment when his expected funds arrive, which of course will be very soon. It doesn't take long for Patty and Drake, as well as the other tenants, to discover the Carter is the tenant from Hell.He has a few social and psychological problems. He imposes a frightening presence and knows all the legal manuevers, and scare tatics to take over the house for himself. It's a journey frought with fear and suspense as Patty and Drake try to reclaim their home and their sanity.

A nice clear picture with good color is presented in widescreen. The Dolby Dig 5.1 Surround was excellent. The haunting score by Hans Zimmer, all background and surrounding sound effects, and the dialouge all came through beautifully. No special features on this one. It may also be viewed in French (2.0), but there are no subtitles in any langauge for those who may need them. There is also a short theatrical trailer.

Modine and Griffith are very believable as the beleagured and frightened but determined landlords. Michael Keaton pulls off this repulsive villain amazingly well. His versitility is unending.Directed by John Schlesinger("Midnight Cowboy"), it also stars Laurie Metcalf,Mako and Dorian Harewood. Also look for Dan Hedaya and a real special treat and rare appearance by Tippi Hedren.

Get the popcorn ready and don't watch this one alone! Oh and remember to always check refrences!.....Laurie

Is Anyone Home?
Drake (Modine) and Patty (Griffith) are the average, healthy, nonchalant couple who having just purchased their dream Victorian house in Pacific Heights, San Francisco; get themselves further into debt as they delightfully tend to both the interior & exterior of the residence to a surpassed point. Fortunately within days, one of the flats is rented by gentle elderly pair who, like Drake and Patty, are pushed to the limits by new resident, Carter Hayes who rents out flat No. 2.

A smooth operator in both person and when away, hypothetically on business, Hayes brusquely tears their lives apart in what would seem like revenge for something they seemingly did not commit. Asking candidly for their first instalment of rent from the now-missing Mr Hayes, Drake loses his temper and gets physical with the slippery weasel and ends up naively in police cuffs. With Drake away, Patty resumes regular duties in the house which alas results in a terrifying experience for the broken lovers. A few drill holes and clunking-around later, Drake attempts to access the flat, but when his master key fails to work on Hayes' new lock, Drake pulls a berserker and decides to cut off the tenant's gas and disconnects his electricity. Living on Squatters Law, Hayes & Co. takes as much as they can as quick as they can, until Drake & Patty uncover the brutal truth of their new inexplicable tenant.

Michael Keaton with one of his alien straighter roles, as was he a year earlier in Tim Burton's 'Batman', he acquaints us with another beguiling character from his mental library of personalities. Melanie Griffith is stupendous as the tormented wife and Matthew Modine as the everyday nonentity pushed to his individual limitations, is in an all-out performance in one of his more fashionable years when he also starred in the smash-hit war epic, 'Memphis Belle'. With no bona fide soundtrack, of course excusing the sporadic classical wipe over, the film breeds on its sinister sound effects of creaking floorboards and mechanical shrills from an assortment of industrial tools. Griffith must have thanked her lucky stars after the flop of the highly anticipated film from Brian DePalma, 'The Bonfire of the Vanities'. John Schlesinger brings an incredibly tight-knit story with menacing and suffocating direction that barley pauses for breath. One of his more finer recent pieces that only has the unbelievably underrated Richard Gere movie 'Yanks' to battle with in terms of best contemporary movie from his catalogue. A brightly written script by Daniel Pyne, with one of the most far-fetched productions by Scott Rudin and William Sackheim.

Includes an Alfred Hitchcock style cameo from British-born director Schlesinger as an elevator passenger as does Griffiths mother, Tippi Hedren as a millionaire charmed by Hayes. ... Read more

Reviews (130)

5 Star Show... Support the DVD so more will be released!
Ok, I admit it... I'm a B5 freak. I'm a First One that started watching this show because it had a good review in Cinefantastique. At first, I fell into the trap of comparing this show to the standard for all other TV SciFi, "Star Trek" and it came up poorly... but sticking with the show, I began to realize that it wasn't a Star Trek immitation. It was establishing itself on it's own merits. It was to Star Trek as "Law & Order" is to "Hill Street Blues", two excellent shows sharing a similar genre. I became - in short - a FAN...

So having admitted to my biases...

When the VHS sets were released, I shared "In The Beginning" with my two sons... Rather surprisingly to me, they became hooked as well! "In The Beginning" produced after the show had ended, is just a good scifi/adventure romp for the viewer - not requiring any previous knowledge of the B5 universe (although your enjoyment is enhanced if you do)... It is an excellent jumping-on point.

Then theres the other side of the coin, "The Gathering". This is the pilot episode - unfortunately, is rather a poor representation of the show...It has the unenviable task of establishing the main characters as well as the entire universe in which the series would play. Additionally, because the series was not immediately picked up after the pilot, there were quite a few character and design changes from the pilot to the first regular episode. (And the creator has gone on record stating that it wasn't his best effort, that he was still too timid in asserting his creative vision). So all in all "The Gathering" despite a re-edit is probably one of the weakest shows in the lot of over 100...

Alas - poor sales of the VHS sets (beautifully packaged btw) caused Warners to cancel future VHS releases after only 1/2 the series was thus produced.

Now Warners is trying it again with the DVDs, but have backed off from plans for complete season-by-season releases until sales are gauged from this intial offering. So, despite the fact that I would prefer boxed sets ala "Stargate SG-1" - I will buy this release sight unseen. I hope that all B5 fans, Scifi fans, indeed fans of well-written, tightly scripted TV in any genre, will support this endeavor.

Getting the pilot, but rest will wait until boxset
Hi,

I have been really looking forward to this. I will buy the pilot episode alone on DVD .... But for me to buy the rest of the episodes, I am waiting for AOL Time Warner to release the whole season, one box set at a time. Until then, it's only the pilot episode for now. I sincerely hope AOL Time Warner makes the right decision!

The best sci-fi series ever made.
My wife & I watched the entire series seasons 1-5, put up with the strange times of the night it was shown (before TNT), taped the entire TNT series, and we are now watching our tapes for the 3rd time. Babylon 5 plays like a wonderful long movie you want to see over again every year or so. For that reason alone, I am ready to buy all 5 seasons on DVD. It deserves to be sold as a season-by-season box set for the fans (TV movies included), along with releases of 2 shows each (like the VHS releases) for those that don't want to buy it all at once. I would also highly recommend the companion B5 guide books by Jane Killick or Andy Lane while you watch this classic, well made series.

Join the Revolution
Among science fiction fans, there are two groups. Those that Love Babylon 5, and those that 'just can't get into it'. Part of that separation may come from a lack of long term attention span.

Those that love B5 have patience, a permanently installed sense of wonder, and the capacity to enjoy the long involved story line - the evolution of the characters and the B5 universe. Those that 'don't get it' seem to have less patience, need a 'quick fix' of color and sound, and do not care too much about continuity, logic, or character development.

And, you are encouraged to THINK in this series. That puts some people off. How does a despotic dictatorship take over a free society? Watch the Night Watch develop, remember Earth history (Nazi Germany), look around you. How can a womanizing lizard and a drunken gambler become heroes, bitter enemies, loyal friends, a Leader and an Emperor? Watch J'Kar and Lando grow and change. How can 'angels' betray Mankind? Watch....

This series isn't for everyone. Just the Best of Us.

Have patience. Join the Revolution.

Finally!
Babylon 5 is in my opinion the most outstanding sc-fi series ever. I have been waiting long and patiently for the series release on DVD.

Let's hope that the studio now releases all seasons in rapid succession. Boxed sets for a complete season would be nice. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

sophomore film indeed not a jinx
i am not exactly sure why this film didn't do well but i rather found it entertaining and actually better than many of the films ms.midler would do later on. let's just say upfront the musical numbers here would not go down as anything special but that alone shouldn't have kept the film from being sucessful. the film features the diving miss m doing exactly what she is best at and that is making us all laugh. you will hoot, you might howl, and it's assured you will be charmed by her magnetic performance here which shows she was able to more than pull her weight in this film. whether or not you believe ken wahl's performance or even mr. torn, you will love ms.midler and with good reason too. for those of us who believe ms.midler was best when she was less vulgar and a bit more subtle but nonetheless a jewel to behold, this is the film for you. in this cute but somewhat black comedy, we find ms. midler playing a lounge singer traveling from town to town with her abusive hubby played by mr.torn is a part which i thought he pulled off rather well. not to mention ms.midler's black cat which i thought was absolutely adorable. we find mr. torn following a blackjack dealer from town to town as he has somehow managed to jinx the youngman. as fate would have it, the blackjack dealer and bette meet, fall in love, and devise plans to get mr. torn out of the big picture so to speak. the end results are often witty, clever, and always unpredictable. for a surprising and entertaining early bette vehicle, this one was not nearly as bad as the reviews have clearly suggested. give it a chance folks !!!

Bette Midler is hilarious!
This movie was terrible, and so was Ken Wahl. But every time Bette opened her mouth, I couldn't control myself. I loved it when the tumbleweed hit her, and the way she said "I love you, pumpkin" to her cat. Her and Miss Nina should have their own movie! She really did save this truly awful movie, and because of her I am able to laugh through most of it.

Bette saves the movie!
I think that Bette should have gotten better reviews and better publicity on this movie! The movie itself is flat but Bette saved it!

This movie was a jinx!
Bette tried hard for this movie, and even though I am her biggest fan, I have to say this movie was bottom of the list. I did'nt see a plot, or even point in it. Same with Scenes From A Mall. We all know she can do better than that.

BETTE JINXED!
In this film, the full-legth motion picture follw up to THE ROSE, Bette is less serious than THE ROSE and not as funny as her follow-up DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS. There was more drama behind the scenes to this movie than the movie itself. Based on the movie DOUBLE INDEMNITY with Barbra Stanwick, a story of how a woman tries to kill her husband, collect the money and run off with her new love. Bette adds a little humour to the role. The highlight, of course, is the shower scene with her dead husband and black humour. If you're a Midler fan, it would be interesting to see her in this film in her early comic stages. But don't expect the comic genious in the string of hits to follow:DOWN AND OUT..., RUTHLESS PEOPLE and OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE. ... Read more

Reviews (92)

JACK FROST a holiday classic!
Cheap, silly, goofy characters and an extremely low budget all but help to make JACK FROST the EVIL DEAD of the 90's. The director must of known that the premise of a killer snowman wouldn't be taken seriously by an audience no matter how good the script was, so instead he plays the movie for laughs with lots of camp and B-style effects. On top of that, JACK FROST actually introduces us to really memorable characters who we come to enjoy. And once Jack Frost himself appears he's like a cold chilly version of Freddy Kruger with good smart remarks and a nasty attitude. What makes JACK FROST even funnier is watching as the prodcution values and acting get worse and worse towards the end. It goes from a good B movie to a really bad B movie all in 90 minutes! Its awsome! As long as you keep an open mind and learn to enjoy cheap fun, JACK FROST is a holiday treat. I have yet to see Part 2, but I have recently ordered it from amazon and can't wait to see it!

if you want a good laugh.......
Its hard to say if this movie is good or bad. All I can say is that i deffinantly reccoment it. If you like hilarious horror movies than you will love Jack Frost. I saw this movie last summer with a friend. We were searching for a funny horror movie and when we saw the great cover of it at blockbuster we knew we had to watch it. The movie is basically about a mass murderer named Jack Frost who was just caught and about to sentenced to execution. However of course things dont quite work out as planned. Jack Frost gets into an accident and somehow transforms into a killer snowman. Jack in the form of a snowman continues to be a psycho killer. He goes after a family with an exremely annoying child who unfortunantly is not killed and the people in this town. What makes this movie so funny is the way the snowman kills people. At one point he kills a woman with christmas lights and as a snowman rapes a teenage girl in a bathtub. oh yeah where did the carrot go around this point? Also while he kills these people there is strange upbeat music in the background. The acting in this is also horribly funny. i reccomend this movie for anyone who gets a laugh out of cheesy horror movies because id have to say this is about the cheesiest i have ever seen.

He's chillin' and killin'!
Dang this movie is sure campy and extremley bad as a movie, yet it is very entertaining all the same. I first rented on VHS wjile spending a week at my grandparents house, after viewing it, I just had too have it on DVD. Too bad it got trashed by the critics!

The plot is: a serial killer named (oddly enough) Jack Frost gets doused with some genetic liquids during a lite blizzard and dissolves into the snowy ground (this is the only actual scary scene in the whole movie). Inside the snow is where a
strange mutation takes place: the spilled genetic fluids combined with Jack's personality turns Jack into a MUTANT KILLER SNOWMAN! After that, Jack sets out to kill the man who caught him in the first place: Sherrif Samuel Tyler!

The dry humor and death scenes is what ALMOST makes this B-grade flick a classic. There was this one scene where Jack thrusts an ax down some old guy's throat, and "walks" off saying, "Gosh, I only axed ya for smoke!" That was priceless! In another scene, Jack busts into the sherrif's house and calls himself things like "F*ckin' Frosty" and "The world's most pissed off snowcone!" I can't stop laughing at that scene!

I almost had to be sent to the hospital after watching JACK FROST, because it's so d@mn funny!

Great B-Movie With Style
I just finished watching this movie, and I have to say it was a great B film. The pure camp, humor, and fun of it all makes takes this right up there with Killer Klowns from Outer Space, and the slick direction, and clean, well shot feel of it all make it an easy watch.
The movie is obviously cheesy, and plays for laughs most of the time. But it still comes through in the gore department every once in a while. And while it isn't a total splatter fest, there are some nice death scenes, all with some good one liners from the title Killer Snowman.
It also helps that the director has real style, and uses the camera, and the cheap budget to his advantage. Even the fakest looking scene (like the van flipping in the begining) works, because the director uses his mole hill, and exploits it, creating one of the funniest scenes in the movie. Plus, even the Jack himself looks VERY fake, he still gets some nice shots in the movie.
Acting wise, well, it's all very B grade, with over acting, and under acting done perfectly for the parts at hand. No characters are all that deep, and most of the time you could care less weither they live or die. Although there is one somewhat likeable character who gets an extremely grissly end to their life. Still, decent acting. And Shannon Elizabeth even comes out seeming like a decent, if not stiff, actress.
For some great B movie fun, with some style, some gore, and a whole lot of humor, check out Jack Frost. Who knew a Killer Snowman could be so fun.

A Second Chance to be the Coolest Dad...Whoops, Wrong Film!
Although often touted as a horror comedy, the most amusing aspect of this 1997 direct-to-video clunker is the fact that it is often confused with its saccharine family-flick namesake, a commensurately clunky and similarly themed Michael Keaton vehicle released in theaters the following year. Interestingly, the titular character of each film is a snowman that has somehow come to life. However, those planning a nice evening with the youngsters will be in for quite a shock if they purchase or rent the wrong movie. The snowy dude in Keaton's film is a benevolent father figure who wants to help out his real-life family; the icy hombre in the 1997 horror flick is animated by the soul of an escaped convict with a penchant for rape and murder.

Outside of the amusing thought of 1997's JACK FROST getting an accidental showing at a kiddie party, this film has very little to offer. The special FX are amateurish, the script is so inane that it is nearly impossible to suspend one's disbelief for the duration, and much of the acting is horrid. While some films can be admired for their cheesiness--Sam Raimi's EVIL DEAD (1981) comes immediately to mind--JACK FROST falls way beneath even THAT standard. Writer-director Michael Cooney seems unable to decide if he wants to spoof the horror genre--there are scenes that mimic horror clichés but few, if any, that parody or satirize them--or simply make, á la Wes Craven's A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984), a scary film with humorous characters and an amusing premise. The film vacillates between both styles without gaining sufficient footing in either, and the result is a slushy thematic jumble that is neither scary nor entertaining.

JACK FROST is not without a few near-redeeming qualities, however. There are lots of amusing Python-esque puns and jokes sprinkled throughout the film, the kind of verbal gags that make you simultaneously chuckle and...well, GAG. And this film also marks the cinematic debut of gorgeous actress Shannon Elizabeth, who here has some, ah, revealing moments with the eponymous snowman. Unfortunately, these elements do not elevate the film enough to make it worth wasting an hour-and-a-half of one's life.

Don't be fooled by the artwork on the DVD's packaging--that cool skull made of snow does not appear in the film. In truth, 1997's JACK FROST is an ice-cold stinker that few discerning horror fans will want to add to their collections. ... Read more

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"Fair Game" and "Pacific Heights" (starring Melanie Griffith, Michael Keaton, Cindy Crawford) now at a single hot price! ... Read more