Reviews (20)

Couldn't ask for a better sequel
Unlike many sequels, "Short Circuit 2" is a good one. Johnny 5's creator, Ben (Fisher Stevens), is making little robot toys when a man named Fred (Michael McKean) convinces him to start a business selling them. Johnny 5 arrives to help the duo out, but some trouble arises. Some thieves who are hunting for some jewels try their best to disassemble Johnny 5 so they won't have any obstacles in their way. Johnny 5 must find a way to stop the thieves while also surviving.

The "Short Circuit" movies are some of my favorite movies of all time, I grew up watching them. Even now that I'm grown, I never get tired of seeing them over and over. In my opinion, both of the "Short Circuit" movies are great, but I like this one the best. It has some classic scenes such as when Johnny 5 tours the city for the first time and when he helps Ben talk to Sandy (Cynthia Gibb) by putting the words on a huge billboard.

"Short Circuit 2" is a great comedy and family movie. It will make you laugh in parts, some parts are sad, and others are heartwarming. Some parts even have a hint of an action movie in them. If you want to see a movie that you'll never forget, watch "Short Circuit 2." I recommend everybody to get it.

When Johnny comes marching home again
This is the sequel to the movie "Short Circuit" and relies heavily on having "Short Circuit" viewed first. In the original an experimental automated warier (complete with laser and Nuke) is stuck by lightning causing a short circuit and making robot number 5 (Johnny) alive.
This movie has several other subplots and some slapstick humor.

Strapped for cash, Ben Jahrvi, co-creator of Johnny 5, is pushed into the manufacturing business, making little Johnny replicas. This movie contains a love interest (Sandy), and economics. The action comes from when they leave Johnny (you guessed it) home alone. He is bamboozled by petty crooks, and abducted by ruthless people because someone wants the warehouse access.
So will Sandy and Ben get past they awkward stage? (Can Johnny help?)
Will Johnny Five be recovered?
Or will Number five lead his now life of crime?

Best movie ever!!!
This movie should be re-released for the next generation of older kids. The robot in this movie was really cute.
......a ten year old (...)

Short Circuit 2
I love this movie and I watch it at least once a week. This Movie is next best to owning Johnny 5. I wish I could own J-5, but do not have the Big Bucks to by him even if he is real. The only thing wrong with this movie is some of the bad language, so I just fast forward some of the scences. I wish they would make more movies using Johnny 5, I would like to see Ben & Sandy get married and J-5 as the Best Man. My Husband & I rent DVD's and have kept this Movie since Oct., so I thought I better buy it, so I can return the rental to get to watch other DVD's. Great Movie that could be even better without the bad language...

Great!
This movie has been my favorite movie for years. In the first movie Number 5 or Johnny 5 was viewed more as a prop than a character. I'm not dissing the first movie!... In Short Circuit 2, Johnny 5 knows he is alive, but he struggles throughout the film trying to prove it to the rest of the world.
There are many emotion through out the film. Most of it is just humor! ... Read more

Description

Two young girls who happen to look identical, bump into each other in the woods and decide to swap households so they can play matchmaker to their single parents. ... Read more

Reviews (50)

A fun family movie
Amanda lives in an orphanage where her only real friend is her social worker. Alyssa is the only child of a multi-millionaire. But one summer, they meet by accident and hatch a daring plan. They switch places and try to get Amanda's social worker and Alyssa's dad to fall in love before he marries an awful woman. But when the fiancée figures out what's going on, can the girls pull it off?

Granted, this movie is a variation of The Parent Trap. And while there were a few unexpected twists, there really isn't anything new to the plot. But the movie is incredibly fun. The first time I saw it I laughed so hard it hurt, and I was in college at the time. The movie creates humor from the premise, sometimes setting up jokes well ahead of the punch line. The Olsens do a good job with the acting. It's fun watching them basically play each other. The adults do a fabulous job with their rolls, making it easy to get lost in this world.

I have shared this movie with many friends since I first saw it, and they all enjoyed it. I highly recommend this entertaining film.

Fun, fun, fun!
This is my favorite Olsen Twins movie, and I'm an adult who can honestly say she enjoys it. I grew up on Full House and have always loved watching those two. They've done a lot of movies, and this one is my favorite. Supported by the charming Steve Guttenberg, the extremely funny Kirstie Alley, and a supporting cast that includes Philip Bosco as the sly and smart butler and Jane Sibbett as Clarice, the snooty, evil-plotting fiance of Guttenberg's character, this movie is sure to please any fan of Mary-Kate and Ashley. So the story goes kind of like this: look-alikes Amanda and Alyssa (Mary-Kate and Ashley, respectively) literally bump into each other while at a summer camp (that Amanda's a camper at and that Alyssa's extremely rich father happens to own). Once the two realize how closely they resemble each other, they hatch a plan to get Alyssa's single dad and Amanda's pretty caseworker romantically involved. Will they succeed, amidst foodfights, canoes falling over, and the interference of the conniving Clarice? This is a fun movie from beginning to end, with lots of visual treats (Andy Tennant Films--Fools Rush In, Ever After, etc.--always seem to have beautiful scenery), funny dialogue, and fantastic characters. There's exactly one slightly objectionable word (spoken by one of the Olsens), but I think only very conservative parents will have a problem with it. This movie is part Parent Trap, part Three Men And A Little Lady, and . . . basically just a really cute movie.

Double Your Viewing Pleasure With The Olsen TwinS :)
Even though i am NOT one for remakes.And this is a remake of the
classic Disney movie "The Parent Trap" but underneath a different name.This is one remake that is even better the original.The Olsen Twins are these days' Shirley Temple.Both on screen and the way they conduct themselves.We have gotten to meet them and trust me they are the same in real life.We been fans of the TwinS since fuLL house days.I only have to warn parents of one thing in this movie that Mary-Kate does suprise the viewer with the use of a somewhat "dirty word".I would tell you what it is but it would most likely not get posted.Its P*SSED.Ok from that you can tell.
If you don't want your kids hearing that then stay away.But remember they hear that and worse then that in school and can't stop them from going to school.But most importantly the TwinS deliver in this movie.We have been blessed now with 18 years of their sweetness and talent.We wish them all the best they deserve all that they got.And when child stars turn out as they did that is more then an achievement.Don't miss this movie.And as for the Twins this is their best and that is saying a lot.Sit back relax and laugh and enjoy and double your viewing pleasure with the Olsen TwinS : Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen......

Moi
The Movie isn't half bad. Kids will like it, but adults might be annoyed. To be perfectly honest, Ashley's acting is forced and very annoying at times; she sounds like she's trying to have a British accent, but fails.. Mary-Kate does a fine job. It's really hard to believe that Steve Gutenburg would pick Kirstie Alley over his fiance, too.
If you really like the Olsen Twins, then you'll like this movie. If you aren't, then don't go into this movie with high hopes.

Charming!
I'm not a hardcore Mary-Kate and Ashley fan but I'm not one of their haters and I actually like them, have liked them ever since Full House. I think It Takes Two is a sweet charming movie and I agree that it's like The Parent Trap meets The Prince and the Pauper and I'm surprised that not many people seem to have noticed The Prince and the Pauper angle of this story. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen were pretty good and Steve Guttenberg and Kirstie Alley were good too and fans of the NBC sitcom friends will notice Jane Sibbet as Steve Guttenberg's nasty fiance. She plays Ross's first ex-wife on Friends. I would like for me and my family to have this charmer on DVD but Amazon doesn't list what the aspect ratio is and from experience I have found that usually means the DVD is edited into a pan and scanned format and I would rather have widescreen. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Be careful what you pretend to be
Throughout his acting career, Nick Nolte has never particularly inspired my admiration. Until MOTHER NIGHT, that is.

In a film adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's novel of the same title, Howard Campbell is an American playwright who grows to manhood in Germany before World War II. He marries Helga, a German actress. During the war, he elects to broadcast anti-Semitic speeches for the Reich Propaganda Ministry. Unknown to his Nazi bosses, he was recruited as an agent by the U.S. Defense Department shortly before the outbreak of the conflict, and Howard's radio sermons pass along coded messages to the Allies. Only three other Americans know of his role: his mysterious recruiter Frank (John Goodman), FDR, and the head of the OSS. Frank tells Campbell that the American government will eternally disavow his heroic actions as the Soviets would twist the story into some sort of anticommunist German-American plot.

By the war's end, Helga is dead. (Or is she?) Campbell is captured by the U.S. Third Army, but then released, apparently on the intercession of Frank, who also manages to spirit him to New York to restart his life. After 15 years living there unnoticed, Howard's role as Hitler's tame American is revealed to the public by an admiring neo-Nazi organization. Both the Israelis and Soviets clamor for his repatriation to stand trial.

MOTHER NIGHT plays more like a live stage production. It begins with Campbell being escorted to an Israeli prison to the song of Bing Crosby's "White Christmas". The film is a series of long flashbacks. At one point, Howard observes in a voice-over to the viewer that one must be careful what one pretends to be for that is what one truly becomes. Although MOTHER NIGHT has been criticized for its lack of a message, I rather believe that it's that an individual must in the end take responsibility for his/her actions in life regardless of the role, real or pretend, that's been played. For Campbell, realization of the consequences to humanity of his wartime persona comes at three widely separated points. The first, as the Red Army drives on Berlin's outskirts, Howard's father-in-law, the Chief of Police, tells Campbell that even though he (the Chief) suspected his son-in-law of being a spy, he now realizes that Howard served the Reich more than he might have ever served the enemy. Why? Because Campbell, with his broadcasts, made the Chief (and presumably other Germans) better Nazis. The second point comes in New York as Campbell views archival footage of one of his more rabid diatribes. And the last, in the Israeli prison, when Howard has a stunning insight during a conversation with Adolf Eichmann regarding the amount of self-credit the latter takes (or not) for the annihilation of 6 million Jews.

I can't give MOTHER NIGHT five stars for the simple reason that the neo-Nazis that Campbell eventually meets in New York are rendered as almost comic characters whose racist views don't come across as menacing as they truly are. Had they been portrayed with more seriousness, the overall impact of the film would have been, I think, greatly enhanced. Nevertheless, MOTHER NIGHT is well worth viewing.

Clearly fiction, and too clever. But still interesting.
This 1996 film, starring Nick Nolte, is based on a 1961 novel by Kurt Vonnegut. Knowing the author's work, we can expect a few satirical scenes and this is what is both the strength and the weakness of the adaptation by John Gordon. The opening segment is in black and white and is set in an Israeli prison in the 1960s. Nolte has just been arrested for war crimes. He is put in a cell and told to write his memoirs. He is given a manual typewriter and a ream of paper. He begins to type.

Now we switch to color and we see Nolte's story. He's an American living in Germany in the 1930s. He's a successful playwright and is married to a famous German actress who he loves dearly. When John Goodman, an American agent asks him to spy for the Americans, Nolte accepts the challenge. It's a very unique challenge too. Nolte is to write anti-Semitic [news articles] and broadcast them over public radio, in English, to be heard around the world. However, every time he coughs or pauses or clears his throat, it's really a coded message to the Americans. The Germans love him and he holds a high status. At the end of the war, there is nothing but devastation for him.

At this point John Goodman returns and tells him the Americans will never acknowledge his work but they will bring him to America to get lost in the crowd. He now moves to Greenwich Village, and this is where the story goes a little out of control. Alan Arkin is cast as his neighbor. And his role is a mystery. There's also a neo-Nazi organization, which is so comical that I had to laugh out loud. And a silly story whereby a beautiful woman who might or might not be his former wife, comes into his life.

The story was interesting and moved quickly. But it was clearly just fiction, and sometimes taken to such extremes as to be silly. Nolte is one of the finest actors around and his acting is terrific. The role calls for him to not be really patriotic towards either of the regimes. He chose to do what he did because of a personal adventure. And therefore is not a sympathetic character. It's a film designed to be clever rather than one that pulls at your heartstrings in spite of the interesting theme. And it's done well.

The DVD has an interview with Nolte and Vonnegut during the filming. It didn't add much to my appreciation of the film, but its nice to see the work in progress. "Mother Night" is clearly a showcase for Vonnegut's talent and a good role for Nolte. I do recommend it but don't expect to be moved or enlightened.

One of the Best Adpatations Of A Novel To A Film
"Mother NIght" in not one of my favorite Vonnegut novels, but the film adaptation is superb. This is one of the best adaptations I've ever seen from page to screen, and extremely thought provoking. I give it my highest recommendation.

Fictional Fate of an American Nazi Collabotator
This is the story in which Kurt Vonnegurt tackles the heavy topic of a fictional character:- an American Nazi Collabotator, at least partially based on the true-life examples of 'Axis Sally' and Lord Haw Haw, American/British collaborator who worked for the Reich Broadcast Service and beaming out anti-Allies propaganda in WWII. A dangerous and difficult topic at best of times, an explosive one if it is not handled well. But the director pulls it off with great skill, sensitivity and panache with this adaptation, blending the tension of war, personal tragedy, picaresque twists of fate and "X-files" like paranoid conspiracy theory. A remarkably keen-eye and un-preachy treatment of the issue of Nazi collaborator and their subsequent lives living incognito amidst their arch-enemy, America. The director wisely avoided moralising, crude evil/good comparisons, and cut-out stereotyping of Nazis as ogres or monsters, but instead produced a thought-provoking & sensitive account of the picaresque twists of fates endured by the lead character, an American Nazi Collabotator who married the daughter of the Chief of Police of Nazi Berlin. If you are interested you may also wish to try 'Apt Pupil' (DVD also available on Amazon.Com), which is a uniquely insightful & tautly directed psychology thriller about an aged SS officer living under an assumed identity in idyllic American suburbia, whose true identity was discovered by a teenager and who was subsequently 'blackmailed' into telling the youth his true-life experience as a death camp commandant in Poland

As good as Vonnegut
This movie captured the essence of the novel in such a way that i really believed the actors read it. This is not typical of movies based on books. I truly believe that those involved with the production of this film were concerned with the ideas and intentions of the author. ... Read more

Book Description

screenplay to Egoyan's film, w/illus, photos ... Read more

Reviews (6)

"You've just got to know which buttons to push."
In Atom Egoyan's film, "Speaking Parts" bit-part actor, Lance, works in the housekeeping department of a posh, but strange hotel. Lonely co-worker Lisa (Arsinee Khanjian) stalks Lance during the day, and at night, she rents and re-rents his films. Lisa maintains that Lance may never actually speak in his roles, but that his scenes are crucial to the films. Lance, however, is not content with minor roles and understandably wants a big break. That big break seems to arrive when a writer named Clara checks into the hotel. When cleaning Clara's room, Lance discovers a script, and he approaches her for an audition. Clara is smitten with Lance, and soon auditions him for a part in a film.

Clara seems to have some artistic control over the film, but this power rapidly diminishes as the story progresses. In selling her true story to a film producer, Clara becomes disenfranchised from her own history, and soon she doesn't have a voice--or a speaking part in her own truth. Lance and Clara are both presented with occasions for moral compromise, and speaking out jeopardizes the tenuous positions they both hold.

"Speaking Parts" is about power--the power in relationships, and the only truly powerful person in this film is the producer (played with delicious icy gravity by David Hemblem). The producer lives on quite a different plane of existence, and he mostly communicates to his minions via television conferences which he entirely controls. Hemblem and Gabrielle Rose (she plays Clara) appear in many of Egoyan's films. I particularly enjoyed Lisa's odd relationship with Eddy, the video shop owner whose initial interest in Lisa sparks friendship.

Egoyan once again shows his obsession with television and technology. Egoyan seems to delight in placing his characters in front of the camera, and I can't think of another director who exploits and explores this medium quite so thoroughly--displacedhuman

80's Avante Garde
This movie is a prime example of 80's egosim and the human need to see the way others view you. Lisa played by Khanjian,(I think she is also Atom's wife) is a hotel maid that craves the attention of Lance a co-worker. The bulk of the movie is centered on Lance and Lisa and how they their need for attention ultimately throws them into a web of intrigue, delusions, sexual desire and ultimatley death. This is a movie that is best seen more than once, due to it's hidden meaning and dialogue. If possible I would highly recommend getting the DVD version, because there is commentary from Atom that is very helpful. F.Y.I. Micheal McManus also appears in the sci-fi show "Lexx," as the dead bun-headed assassin Kai and he also has a cameo in "Dog Park," as the waiter.

Riveting and Spellbinding!!
I was pleasantly surprised to see the release of this film, since it got less than it's deserved attention. The moodiness and underlying tension focus on Lance, a part-time actor/houskeeper/ prostitute trying desperately to break into the forefront of dramatic performances, but all of his efforts seem to be thwarted at every turn. His employer wants to keep him as her own personal sexual property to be doled out upon demand to customers, and Lisa, another employee at the hotel where he works has raised the level of obsessiveness to new heights, dragging other people into her obsession. Claire, a screenwriter Lance seduces into helping him to be cast in a locally produced film, has her own obsessions, and incorporates Lance into compromising his own needs with disatrous results. The performances were outstanding, especially from McManus, who portrays the effete Lance with a mixture of selfishness and torment. Lisa's descent into madness is underplayed just right, no over-the-top histrionics. The only flaw I found was the unbelievably bad wig they put on McManus for the comparison to Claire's brother's image. It must have been dreadful to acheive the desired results with the stringy locks hovering around just enough to distract his performance. But then, bad wigs pretty much come with the territory for McManus, who is also one of the lead actors on the sci-fi epic, "Lexx", currently on television, but his performances are just as spellbinding.. The Dvd comes with lovely extra goodies, especially the narration by Egoyan, which explains motivations behind each and every scene. Also contained were deleted scenes, which explained a few things not evident on first viewing. Highly recommened, but ignore the bad costumes and hairdos...

A deeper look into Speaking Parts
"Speaking Parts" is far more than just the script for the movie. This softcover book also includes an introduction by Ron Burnett, an essay by Atom Egoyan, and an interview with Egoyan by Marc Glassman. These all lead the viewer to a deeper understanding of the complexity and artistry of Egoyan's second major film. The book is also enhanced by black and white stills as well as pages from the original script showing hand written sketches and dialogue changes. Also included is a filmography of Egoyan's films through 1993. If you've been carried away by the film as I have, you must find a copy of this book!

Speaking Parts, Brilliant!
An excellent film by Atom Egoyan. The moody atmosphere enhances the plot and the production is excellent. McManus fans who know him through Tales from a Parallel Universe, or Lexx as it is called in the UK, will love him in this. McManus' portrayal as the ambitious, but emotionally ambivilant Lance is fantastic as is Arnesee Khanjan's performance as the frustrated Lisa. UK buyers will be pleased to know that this tape will play well on a video with duel PAL and NTSC format, with a decent PAL t.v. and is a must. Well worth the wait and not as pornographic as some reviews make out, but very erotic in parts. Not rated but not suitable for veiwers under eighteen. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Trapped In Paradise
I'd just like to say that this movie rules, and Alvin is the best! Dana Carvey and Jon Lovitz are both really awesome actors. Usually Nicolas Cage isn't my favourite, but in this movie he's cool. Most reviewers, (ones that I've seen anyways) hate Trapped in Paradise, but as you may have guessed, I don't agree with them. If you like movies, you'll like this. So rent it,now!

Not Very Funny
"Trapped in Paradise" was not a complete waste of time but it certainly wasn't a very good movie. I don't care much for Cage and Carvey, but I'm a big Jon Lovitz fan and I was disappointed that he chose to participate in this movie. It wasn't a horrible movie, it just wasn't funny. Jon Lovitz even did better in "High School High," which all in all wan't a masterpeice either but, well . . . you know. I would not blame the actors (even though they weren't funny) for the fault of its stupidity, but rather the writer. This movie's dialogue was pathetic. The movie had great potential and a good story-line but what it lacked was good dialouge. In "High School High," Jon Lovitz was involved as the star of the movie and though the story-line was poor, the dialogue was fantastic and he made the parts that he had really funny. In "Trapped in Paradise" he nor Cage and Carvey could do that because, while the story-line had potential, they weren't given "funny" characters. They never had a chance!

You'll laugh until your gut hurts!
I've been waiting patiently forever for this movie to finally come out on DVD. Nicholas Cage, John Lovitz and Dana Carvey make this movie utterly hilarious throughout. Cage plays the typical normal, logical, calculating brother of the 3. John Lovitz is the brother you can never trust and Carvey is a goofy, klepto-maniac who hardly uses any common sense. When these 3 come together in a scene it's hard to imagine something funny "not" happening. 3 Diverse and conflicting personalities make for a great comedy farse!

Not to be taken seriously, just enjoy the comedy on display!
While not a masterpiece, Trapped In Paradise in many ways masters the comedic tour de force of it's three stars Dana Carvey, Jon Lovitz, and the as always, very good Nicolas Cage. While the film got some really negative reviews, the reason why is that it's just plain stupid fun. The movie centers around Nicolas Cage, and his two brothers, once they are released from prison, the two Firpo Bros. form a plan to rob a small town friendly bank in Paradise, Pa. Their brother Bill Firpo (Nicolas Cage) decides strangely to go with them, and while not really feeling right about it, he does it any way. So when they try to rob the bank is when the movie really get's moving with the three leading men (Carvey, Lovitz, Cage). Of course this is all set during Christmas time. For those who have not seen it, if you liked Airplane! or any of The Naked Gun movies, give Trapped In Paradise a try, it's harmless movie fun.

UNDERRATED HOLIDAY MOVIE
This is actually quite a charming little holiday movie that is not well known. Nick Cage, John Lovitz and Dana Carvey play three brothers. Lovitz and Carvey just get out of prison and convince their brother to go to little Paradise, Pa during Christmas to deliver a note from a fellow inmate to his daughter.

Of course, the hidden agenda is that they know there is a bank there that is just ripe to be robbed. After convincing Brother Nick who wants to go straight, the three pull off the job.

unfortunately, a huge snow storm prevents them from getting out of town. After their car crashes, they found themselves aided and taken in by no less than the Bank President and his family.

After seeing how nice the people of Paradise are, they decide to try and put the money back. Meanwhile, a mobster inmate has escaped Prison and abducts the brothers mom as the bank job was his idea.

This is really a pretty funny movie. I've wondered why it doesn't pop up more at Christmas time as it does have a very strong Christmas spirit to it. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

How come this didn't work better?
I ordered this, because I don't remember seeing it in Finland and because of the great actors. I mean: Kevin Kline, Harvey Keitel AND Alan Rickman! What more could a grown woman want?

The movie uses clichés with a twist: a heroic but difficult cop (Kline) who has been unjustly sacked and is now a fireman, but - being a genius in his work - gets called back to solve mysterious killings. Of course, the police department is against the idea. But there is no choice and he starts to work in his own terms, for instance bringing along an assistant, a moody artist (Rickman in a part where he speaks very little, which is always a shame). Brother (Keitel) isn't too thrilled either, because they still love the same woman (Sarandon). Mayor's daughter (Mastrantonio) gets sucked in, because her friend is murdered.

The movie has all the elements of comedy, humour, suspense and good actors and actresses - and still it misses something. Kline is fine as always and even in this small part Rickman makes an impression and it's hard to point out any flaws - but still it doesn't work as well as it could have.

Anyway, the movie is entertaining, not bad at all. Harmless fun with a couple of original jokes. Kline's cooking is very odd and Rickman's use of models even more personal.

Mark your Calendar..... good all year 'round..
sure, no car chases, no explosions....but an interesting plot with about a half-dozen twists...i first saw this film in spain in 1989....(in english, somehow) and have probably viewed it twice a year since. scores of friends (and my now grown son and daughter) have also found themsleves enamored of it.
rickman's turn is a far cry from his 'die hard' and 'quiqley down under' roles; kline is brilliant kline....no wonder he finally got an ocar for 'a fish called wanda'....allieo is just great, and steiger is, well, vintage stieger.
harvey keitel is semi-controlled sibling rivalry entrapped..the tension is palpable...susan sarandon is the tortured fatale that holds it together; mastrantonio's 'in a hundred years, we'll all be dead' has been my mantra ever since.
the tape's finally worn out. i gladly paid for the dvd...
would someone get me a cup of coffee, please? preferably an espresso?

Improbable? Yes, but...
It's the script that really brings this movie down. While the mystery itself is contrived and some of the acting is overplayed, the script is just pathetic. At least, that seems to be the only explanation for why this movie didn't work, since all of the actors have shown their talent elsewhere. I found it hard to immerse myself in the story when every other sentence was unbelievably stupid. There was one character, however, whose odd lines actually sounded right: Ed. Alan Rickman plays the eccentric artiste wonderfully, and the offbeat things he said didn't sound strange because the character himself was offbeat. Unfortunately, Ed is a man of few words. The story could have worked, but is instead undermined by the very weak script. One star for Alan Rickman as Ed, and another one for the chemistry between Rickman, Kline, and Mastrantonio. The trio's scenes together are the only ones worth watching.

Most Improbable Murder Method In The History Of Movies
The solution to the murder puzzle in this plot -- the manner in which the killer was choosing his victims -- was the most improbable and absolutely lamest contrivance in the entire history of mysteries -- and this extends backward in time to before the Big Bang, to include any films which might have been made in all the past universes which existed before our present one.

One interesting line of dialogue, however, was a comment Kevin Klein made to Susan Sarandon, asking about certain results when she thought about the money to which she now had access, due to marrying a rich man. It's the only time in a movie I have ever heard so precise a reference to that particular phenomenon -- it was simply something that is never referred to so specifically in mainstream cinema.

COMICAL CHARACTER STUDY WRAPPED IN A SUSPENSE THRILLER..
This movie is not a typical "mystery thriller," at least not in the usual sense of the genre. The characters unravel intriguingly but very fluidly, and it is easy to relate to almost all of them (I bet we can all think of parallels in our own lives.)

Theme-wise it is ostensibly presented as a suspense movie where an ex-cop (Kevin Kline) is re-instated into a homicide detective role to solve a brutal murder spree by a NY psychopath. There is an interesting subplot of unrequited romance between Kline's character and his brother's (who is commissioner of police) wife. Kline's artist friend, his new girl friend (the Mayor's daughter), and in fact the Mayor himself -- are all amusing characters. But Kline is clearly the pivot of the movie, he turned what many might consider a very below standard screenplay and turned it into a very keepable film.

The cinematography is neat, the dialog entertainingly scattershot and the movie flows with a very good pace. Most people who revile this under-rated but actually very watchable movie do so because it doesn't fit any Hollywoodesqe molds. It is not a suspense movie alone (clearly, to me, it didn't make any overt attempts to be) -- it is also a very adult and somewhat intellectual but credible study of multiple intertwined characters.

The ending surprised me a bit, but I don't think it was chinsy or overdone. It was probably supposed to try and imitate real life and I'd say it did so.

And with that kind of a price tag, this is definitely a steal. Recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Great Modern Drama about Sexual Obsession
Surreal as it may "The Adjuster" is still streaks and bounds ahead of most other sexual dramas. The story basically revolves around an insurance claims advisor (Elias Koteas) who helps people come to terms with the lose of their homes and possessions to some form of accident. He wife Hera (Arsinee Khanjian) works as a film censor who secretly films the pornography that she is viewing. There are various other characters who come into contact with the pair and sexual fantasies are the main theme that drives the story forward.

In many ways it is hard to describe without actually seeing it. There is very little plot but the movie does have some very memorable characters and it does have a good climax. It is sort of like a tone-downed version of a David Lynch movie and film director Atom Egoyan does wonders with the cinematography. The film looks visually wonderful and is very pleasing to the eye.

All in all this is a great drama but do not try and find too much of a plot here. It is more about the characters and their sexual dysfunctions. Some very memorable scenes throughout.

Well worth seeing.

Egoyan's most complex,funny and reflective
After sitting through multiple viewings of both a Pan & scan, censored vhs and a dim, murky widescreen PAL transfer, what a JOY to finally get to see this splendid film in a clean widescreen transfer. The soundtrack is possibly the best I've heard since "The Conversation" -a curious layering of soundtracks to films which are being censored, which you'd never want to see. Sometimes the film is funny, sometimes thoughtful, always it gives me time to think my own thoughts about its' troubling implications regarding our inability to see the whole picture. I LOVE this movie. I Love owning it. This is what DVD is really great for: being able to own great looking and sounding copies of your favorite films at reasonable prices.

mal-adjusted cinema
Of all of the early Egoyan's this is the one most like Sweet Hereafter as both are centered around a character whose job it is to assist victims of a tragedy but it doesn't hit as many notes as Sweet Herafter in fact mostly its just dark and occasionally darkly comic. Perhaps too dark in places and in other places just too bizarre to be taken seriously. I like Egoyans cast of actors many of whom appear over and over again in his films. Egoyan is sort of like Altman in his use of tangled narratives and ensemble casts but unlike Altman he doesn't give us much variety. Everyone in the Adjuster is wounded beyond repair and after awhile one longs for at least one character who is not emotionally crippled but its a vain hope. Sweet Herafter had its share of bizarre characters and moments but many of those characters had moments of self realization and found their way toward some form of redemption and though the film focused on human vulnerability and weaknesses and imperfections the film also offered glimpses of human strengths and will and capacity to endure. The Adjuster focuses on the weaknesses and imperfections exclusively. The Adjuster himself played by Elias Koteas is a complex character who has collected the victims of various tragedies around him. Its his job to help these vitims collect on their insurance claims but his interest in the job has him doing more than that. Apparently others tragedies arouse him in some way and he ends up sleeping with many of the people he is supposed to be helping. No one seems to notice what hes doing, in fact all the victims inexplicably see him as some kind of angel there to help them through their suffering(perhaps they see him in this light because they need something to give them strength)but of course the Adjuster is no angel. Since most of the victims have been burned out of their homes they all live in the same hotel and this makes for one of the more inspired dark comic scenarios in memory. A few of the characters are interesting but some of the story lines are so outrageous that they dwarf everything else in the movie. At points the film feels like overkill. For instance the adjuster's wife is a censor who watches porn flicks all day and then along with other censors casts her vote as to which bits need censoring. However she actually really enjoys watching the stuff and shes strikingly beautiful so its not a scenario without considerable appeal. But the scenario gets out of hand when Egoyan makes the censors offices (as well as the people working there) look and act like something out of Kafka or Orwell. Egoyan seems to be trying too hard to be clever and so the point he is making about humans fascination with forbidden or dark subjects gets lost or misplaced. And then the nymphomaniac/exhibitionist seemed like a character from a very adult version of Saturday Night Live. The ending of the film reveals how Elias Koteas met his wife but reveals very little as to why Elias Koteas is so turned on by the victims that seek his services. Tragedies induce strange maladies is all we know. Koteas deserves credit for finding something human in his character. The film itself seems to be a study of the various ways we become dehumanized but the study seems superficial. Unlike Sweet Hereafter the film never digs deep enough into its characters to give us a chance at knowing them as sufferers of one bizarre affliction or another. Koteas does an excellent acting job with what hes given but even he seems a frustratingly incomplete sketch.

A CLASSIC OF CEREBRAL CINEMA
What little hope I held for the future of mankind retaining any intellect, capacity for introspection, or sense of humor is now gone due to the asinine, stupid, brain-dead comments below that this film is slow and stupid.

THE ADJUSTER is a great film. Wicked, funny as all get out, darkly comic, sexy as hell, and perhaps the most chilling and dead-on critique of '666' and consumer-society ever filmed. Mychael Danna's score is Byzantine-perfect; Elias Koteas is at his peak as an enigmatic, lost soul.

What's it about? Well, it's about us. Modern people in a listless, overindulged, sensate-conscious lifestyle flailing about in a Northern American state of emotional repression doing anything they can to give meaning to their lives, or rather, just accumulate more stimulation. And in such a society, who becomes a 'Christ' figure to people who can't afford one due to their lukewarmness? Well, an Insurance Adjuster, pal. Who else? The guy who evaluates your 'lifestyle' and returns a semblance of it to you. I mean, it is ALL 'lifestyle' now, isn't it? You don't need a Diety, do you? No, all you want is an insurance adjuster. He will even sleep with you.

The ending quotes from "The Sound of Music" in a comic/horrific finale. One of the main characters - unable to 'play house' anymore in the landscape of modern time and space - decides to burn down the Insurance Adjuster's house he has rented - starts singing "My Favorite Things" as he proceeds to extinguish them all. Filmmaking doesn't get much more sly than that.

5 STARS for the ... Fantasy Play ALONE!
True this movie is SSSSLLLLLOOOOOWWWWWW.
That does not negate, however, some fantastic scenes and dialogue. Terrific ... Role Play situations!!! ... Read more

Description

A new version of the all-time family favorite starring Henry Winkler. It is Christmas Eve 1933, and the townspeople of Concord, New Hampshire, are trying to hold onto their Christmas spirit in the face of the Great Depression. But old Mr. Benedict Slade is ruining what Christmas hope the town has left by mercilessly repossessing their prized goods. Alone in his apartment, Slade is visited by three ghosts--Christmas Past, Present and Future--who take him on a fantastic journey through time that will show him the tragic consequences of his actions if he doesn't mend his ways forever! Adapted from Charles Dickens' classic story "A Christmas Carol." ... Read more

Reviews (19)

An interesting contrast to more traditional versions
If you already have (and love) the Alistair Sim version (Scrooge, 1951), the Reginald Owen version (1938) and Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (no, I'm not kidding, it's beautifully done), this will be an interesting film for comparison.

Two good points stand out for this version of Dicken's classic Christmas story:

1) Since it is an adaptation, set in a different time and place from the original (Depression-era New England), deviations from the text and basic plot-line, are not as bothersome as they are in the films that adapt the story in "Dickensian" England.

2) Henry Winkler, who, at the time, was playing against his well-known Fonz character, gives an excellent characterization to the Scrooge-like Benedict Slade.

George C. Scott and Albert Finney give detailed performances as Scrooge in their version, and the films that feature them have good production values -- and, in the case of the Finney version a couple of good songs -- but the deviations in text in the Scott version and the added material in the Finney version (Scrooge in hell -- what?) are both unnecessary and more than a little annoying.

A Classic Tale Revisited
Awesome. If you like Christmas, then you'll like this movie. Just as the original by Dickens, it teaches us the true meaning of Christmas. I have been hooked since seeing this movie as a young adult and it still delivers. I enjoy the American twist on Dicken's story. You won't get a Victorian town in England, but you will get a simpler America and the American entrepreneurial spirit. Henry Winkler gives a commendable performance and the supporting cast works well. All in all, a must see for Christmas.

Another Great Christmas Classic
Henry Winkler stars in this remake of the classic tale of Scrooge. This one is set in post-Depression era America and is oneof the best I've ever seen. Winkler is equally at ease as a young man with a girlfriend or an old man with an attitude. I watch this every Christmas and was delighted to discover it on DVD. You'll love it!

Excellent...
Like many other reviewers, I first saw this as a kid on television in '79 and Henry Winkler's "Fonzie" persona was still so much a part of the cultural fabric that it was somewhat shocking to even think of him, much less see him, as anything else.

However, I was transfixed by this adaptation on the Dickens story and was genuinely moved by Winkler's ( Benedict Slade ) transformation at the end. Winkler is simply superb: believable, funny, dramatic, and imminently likable even as the curmudgeon. The supporting cast is wonderful as well even though most of them, with the possible exception of David Wayne, will be unknown to most viewers. The actor who plays Thatcher (the "Cratchit" character in the Dickens novel) does a wonderful job of being as compassionate as the role demands without being too "soft".

The actors playing the roles of Mr. Brewster and Helen Brewster also hold their own and give Winkler solid performances to react to even with limited screen time.

The movie looks and feels like I would imagine turn of the century and Depression era New England to look and feel like to an outsider: quaint, majestic, proud; yet tired and despairing.

My only problem with the movie, and this is REALLY nitpicking, is that they simply made Winkler look too old for the latter Slade ("Scrooge") part. the movie does an excellenet job of letting us know when things are happening, even in the Christmas Past scenarios, e.g., we know Slade and Helen broke up around 1917 because of the backdrop of the war effort (WW I). The contemporary story is set in 1933 and Slade looks like he has aged forty years instead of only 16 or so. He looks MUCH older than his contemporaries. However, maybe they intended to achieve this effect to accentuate his gnarliness. I just thought it was too much. The only other thing is that many of the actors are obviously Canadian born (Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher and Helen , for example)and several times their Canadian tones and speech patterns come out. This is noticeable particularly against the distinctive New England accents employed throughout the rest of the picture.

I recommend this DVD highly for anyone who loves the Christmas season, the Dickens novel in particular, Henry Winkler, or just any good heartwarming story. I looked for this on DVD and/or VHS for almost twenty years.It was worth the wait.

My Favorite "Christmas Carol"
"A Christmas Carol" may well be the most-adapted Christmas story in literature, with version ranging from whimsical to musical to deadly serious. This particular version, starring Henry Winkler as Benedict Slade (a.k.a. Scrooge) is my favorite.

The movie translates Dickens' classic story from 19th century England to Depression-era New England. The result is very effective. For me, an American born to parents who grew up in the Depression, the 20th century setting made the story feel very real. The writers and director made excellent decisions in their choice of sets. Three notable examples were the New England furniture factory as the setting for Slade's youth, the newly-conceived idea of consumer credit as the source of his subsequent wealth and avarice, and the choice of an African-American as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come ("You must be Future," Slade declares, cowering before him).

Winkler's performance is brilliant. He captures the essence of Slade perfectly, and makes the gradual transformation from miser to redeemed man seem natural and believable. The scene at the Thatcher (a.k.a. Cratchit) household at the end of the film never fails to bring tears to my eyes and those of my family. The supporting cast performs ably as well, making this a Christmas classic that one can watch every year.

"An American Christmas Carol" debuted in 1979, midway through Winkler's popular "Happy Days" television series run. After a few years of reruns, it disappeared from view until recently, when it became available on DVD and video. I heartily recommend it for your holiday DVD collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A warm Yuletide special, A Muppet Family Christmas pairsthe Muppet gang with the perennial favorite Sesame Street castfor a holiday celebration. With a blizzard brewing outside, Fozzie'schildhood farmhouse on Christmas Eve becomes the backdrop for a medleyof holiday tunes--eight in all--ranging from the Muppet band's rousing"Jingle Bell Rock" to Big Bird's sweet rendition of "The ChristmasSong." Though the script meanders in part, the 42-minute program shinesas a musical revue, seasoned with quick-witted interludes by theculinary comedic Swedish Chef, slapstick odd couple Ernie and Bert, andthe diva-like escapades of Miss Piggy. While lacking the irresistiblesizzle of The Muppet Movie, the show's finale, which includesKermit and Piggy under the mistletoe and a cameo appearance by JimHenson, proves that nothing can dim the Muppets' appeal. --LynnGibson ... Read more

Reviews (87)

Pieces missing from Classic
This is an annual favorite. I can't for the life of me figure out why Henson Productions would allow these meaningless edits. After all, a vhs tape will hold 2 hours-worth. This special was watched BY MILLIONS of people on Nick-at-Night for years, not to mention it's original airings. Did they think NO ONE would notice the missing scenes????? For this reason, I give this vhs version only 4 stars. Absolute senseless and stupid editing by people who obviously have NO CLUE why we true fans like The Muppets. It's a good thing I have an old video tape copy from having taped it off TV myself. Maybe we'll all get lucky, and The Odyssey Channel will air it this season, unedited. (tho their track record for giving the Muppets their due is sketchy at best).

If you've never seen this... it's a family favorite, charming, sweet, and **very** funny! The running gag of the icey patch, the Swedish Chef trying to make a holiday meal of Big Bird, Piggy getting caught in a blizzard, and the poignant cameo by Jim Henson all make it a wonderful special that's hard to beat (even the edited version). At the end is a wonderful Christmas carol sing-along. A real treasure.

Not for 80's version fans!
Really now.. When I heard that they were putting my FAVORITE Christmas film on DVD I was so excited. Muppet Family Christmas is something that my family always watches. It's funny, sweet, and so entertaining.

But, unfortunetly, the version on the DVD is not the version I just praised. They're are massive edits that are very noticable to viewers who have watched it since it first aired on TV and may leave new time viewers confused. Fozzie's duet with the Snowman is cut out, the Muppet Babies home video is cut out (leaving Doc with a very strange line that doesn't make sense) and in my opinion the best part, where Miss Piggy enters and sings her song and slips on the Icey Patch is edited out. The best Icey patch gag and it's left out of the DVD/VHS.

I am not going to buy this DVD, Fortunetly, my VHS tape still works well enough to watch it (yes with the OshGosh commercails and Double Mint Gum ones too!). Until they put the real version on the market, I will not spend my money on the DVD.

Oh, if anyone has a good version of the real version, please let me know!

The Best of Jim Henson's Muppets
I have loved this movie for years. Not only does it have Kermit and the others(including Robin) but it has Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and a special appearence by Jim Henson in it. I have watched this for too many Christmas's to remember, and always cry when I see all of them together.

Great "Make Yourself Feel Good" Movie !
I've loved this movie, along with The Christmas Toy, ever since I was little ! I was going to get the dvd but saw that many funny, familiar parts were cut out. Luckily, I went through some old tapes and found my original, 47 minute, taped from t.v version. Until they put out an absolutely uncut dvd, I'll stick with my 19 year old taped copy. If you've grown up with the full version, the cuts will greatly bother you. If not, then you won't really notice all that much of a difference. That said an done, this is a really wonderful movie to watch with the whole family. For the older people, it's a great chance to see all your fave muppets from childhood. For the youngin's, they see THEIR favourite muppets the way they used to be. If you've never seen this movie, or don't mind edited movies too much, you might consider getting this for the little ones....maybe just for yourself !

BUYER BEWARE!
I would have very gladly bought this DVD if it wasn't so poorly put together and edited. It is missing some of the best moments including Fozzy singing, dancing and telling jokes with the snowman. I had taped a lot of Christmas specials from TV and I went through my old tapes but I was upset when I found out that the tape that had the uncut version was the tape that broke in the video rewinder and the remaining tape had the edited version so apparently unless you were lucky to have caught the original airing you will be out of luck because it seems that they now show the edited version on TV. Sorry people but this edited DVD is the pits and the video tape version is the same and are total rip offs! BUYER BEWARE! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A Muppet Family Christmas
A warm Yuletide special, A Muppet Family Christmas pairs the Muppet gang with the perennial favorite Sesame Street cast for a holiday celebration. With a blizzard brewing outside, Fozzie's childhood farmhouse on Christmas Eve becomes the backdrop for a medley of holiday tunes--eight in all--ranging from the Muppet band's rousing "Jingle Bell Rock" to Big Bird's sweet rendition of "The Christmas Song." Though the script meanders in part, the 42-minute program shines as a musical revue, seasoned with quick-witted interludes by the culinary comedic Swedish Chef, slapstick odd couple Ernie and Bert, and the diva-like escapades of Miss Piggy. While lacking the irresistible sizzle of The Muppet Movie, the show's finale, which includes Kermit and Piggy under the mistletoe and a cameo appearance by Jim Henson, proves that nothing can dim the Muppets' appeal. --Lynn Gibson

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
Originally a special for HBO, this Jim Henson production (he also directed) was one of the first real forays into the more realistic, less vaudevillian direction for the Muppets. It also included Frank Oz (Muppeteer), Paul Williams (songs), and Jerry Juhl (script), some of the Muppet Show's usual suspects. Emmet Otter and his jug band are trying out in the local talent show, but they face fierce competition from a gang of toughs, the Riverbottom Gang and their rock band. Perhaps the most notable thing is the creation of a sense of poverty and want that suffuses the little production. Even Emmet's mother, who sacrifices her washtub to further Emmet's cause, gets in the act. Fine Christmas viewing for all ages. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Two Classics, sadly mangled
I was thrilled to receive these two old favorites for Christmas. Then, I watched them. For A Muppet Family Christmas, the video has been remastered and the picture is quite clear, but there are HUGE edits, entire scenes cut out, that not only remove the best part of the show, but make the whole experience choppy (see other reviews under "A Muppet Family Christmas" sold separately).

Emmet Otter is, as near as I remember, fully intact, but the audio remastering has left the lyrics during the musical numbers nearly impossible to discern, even if you know them by heart.

If you've got either of these taped off of TV from some time in the past, I would encourage you to borrow a second VCR and record them over onto a fresh tape to last you another 15 or so years. Maybe they'll have brought out a good version of these shows by then.

Emmett Otters Jugband Christmas
We've been waiting for this one on DVD, it's a tradition in our house. A family must have, an everybody must see! A holiday classic now in clear crisp Henson artistic expression. ... Read more