Reviews (240)

The Lost World
This sequel to the 1993 blockbuster is good as sequels go but isn't a great movie. Jeff Goldblum gives a good performance as Dr. Ian Malcolm and Julianne Moore contributes too. The screenplay based on the novel by Michael Crichton is poorly done but has a few funny lines. The cinematography is good and captures the horror very well, and the production design is very frightening. The soundwork is very good, but the editing by veteran Michael Kahn (Close Encounters, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T.) is not very well done, you can hardly digest what is happening. John Williams contributes a rousing yet ominous score. One thing that keeps this movie moving are the incredible Oscar nominated special effects done masterfully by the great Dennis Muren and Stan Winston. The basic plot is that John Hammond, the creator of Jurassic Park, has an island where dinosaurs roam freely but must send Malcolm along with his girlfriend and two other companions to photograph the dinosaurs so Ingen will be kept from disturbing the dinosaurs. Overall, fairly well done, suspenseful, but fails to capture the awe, greatness, and wonder that the original possessed. There is also a Jurassic Park 3 coming out. I can't wait.

Dinosaurs Galore
Recently I was able to catch Spielberg's The Lost World. I say Spielberg because other than the title it bears no resemblance to the book. This is not necessarily a bad thing. While a lousy interpretation of the book it is still a good film.

Jeff Goldblum is hired (by a man who is dead in the book) to study the ecosystems on InGen's Site B where dinosaurs have been flourishing. Only the fact that his girlfriend is in danger gets Goldblum to go. No sooner does he arrive and try and convince her to leave than a massive InGen expedition shows up to hunt and capture dinosaurs.

InGen's plans for capturing dinosaurs goes awry when Goldblum and friends release the dinosaurs during a satellite-linked board meeting. InGen plans to open a dinosaur park facility at the San Diego zoo. During the chaos every radio in the camp manages to get trampled. The survivors must now find a way off of the island. Unfortunately most of them are killed in a brief attack by velociraptors while in tall grass.

The few survivors of the second expedition manage to capture a T-Rex and ready it for shipping to the states. Goldblum and friends escape by helicopter.

In San Diego the T-Rex manages to escape and go rampaging through the city. Goldblum must lure the T-Rex back onto the freighter that brought it to the States. In the end a huge navy escort follows the freighter back to the island while Mr. Hammond implores to public to leave the dinosaurs alone; they deserve it.

Some people definitely had fun making this movie. There were scenes from classic and not-so-classic movies including King Kong, Godzilla, Carnosaur 3 (CARNOSAUR was the book Crichton got the idea for JURASSIC PARK from) and others. Two scenes I particularly enjoyed were a crowd of screaming Japanese looking over their shoulders while running in terror and a little boy who wakes his parents to tell them that there is a dinosaur in the back yard.

It was reported that a paleontologist made sure that the dinosaurs acted as current scientific beliefs say they should. Hah! The Stegosaurs were the size of apatosaurs. Something, possibly the escaped triceratops, managed to knock a hummer airborne so that ir reached an altitude of at least a hundred feet and an amazing distance. Velociraptors can now leap three stories up and forty yards out. The tyrannosaur can run right through building walls without slowing down. Fun? Yes. Realistic? No way. Needless to say if the dinosaurs acted this way in the first movie then no one would have escaped.

Still, it was a very fun film that I recommend to any dinosaur lover who can stand to see people pulled apart by huge carnivores sharing a tidbit. The Lost World (the third film by that name) should be available on video and day now.

Steven Plays Around A Bit...
Actually, LWJP is just Steven Spielberg having some fun. It's an obvious tribute to movies like King Kong, Godzilla, and even the original 1925 version of The Lost World. It's a non-stop SFX extravaganza that is more dessert than a nourishing meal. Jeff Goldblum returns as Ian Malcolm. He is not bad in his role, though he does wear thin. Julianne Moore is beautiful as always, and pulls off her "concerned scientist" part with ease. The T-rex is back, with his mate and offspring. The Raptors terrorize, managing to kill off many slimy hunters and Ingen drones. Not a bad sequel, considering that most sequels are pure rubbish anyway. I enjoyed the T-rex running rampant in LA. I only wish it had had more time to cause hysteria and chaos! A nice binge-eating trip down Hollywood Blvd would've been cool! Oh well. Watch with brain on pause...

It's Lost All Right
"Jurassic Park" could be forgiven the lack of story and character development because it was artfully crafted to be a thrill ride. This sequel, also inspired by Michael Chrichton's book, departs more from the story and fully flops into the B-movie category.

Jeff Goldblum is back visiting the dinosaurs, along with several other characters from the previous movie. This time our scientists are observing the behavior of the dinosaurs, trying to learn as much as possible, a very scientist-like activity. However, greed plays a part once again as a team of big-game hunters come to the island to attempt to capture an array of dinosaurs for a dinosaur zoo in an attempt for Ingen to recoup some of its substantial investment in the dinosaurs.

All appears to be going well for everyone except the dinosaurs until the scientists decide to play environmentalists and release all the dinosaurs from their cages. The dinosaurs go on a rampage (ever seen a rampaging triceratops?), destroying the camp of the hunters. Even then our scientists would have been okay had they not decided to help a baby tyrannosaurus. The parents track down the baby with predictably bad results for the humans.

Now scientists and big game hunters alike are on the run from the tyrannosaurs, and in the process of escaping they encounter our old friends the raptors, still intelligent, still agile, and still very hungry.

Eventually some of the characters escape, and the tyrannosaurus and its baby are captured so that they can be taken to California. Something unexplained happens on the ship and the only thing left are the tyrannosaurs and a hand trying keeping a cargo bay door closed. Remove the hand and a miniature Godzilla roams the streets of San Diego.

The first Jurassic Park movie had plot holes that you were able to ignore in favor of the cool special effects and the action. This time the plot holes are bigger than the movie. Real scientists do not behave as Dr. Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore) does in this movie. As Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) advises her, "Do not interact," a basic rule of scientific observation. Interacting is for Green Peace and the Sierra Club, not for real scientists.

Our hunters blunder about in a manner that is guaranteed to get them killed. They run when they should walk. They walk when they should stay put. The actions of the supposed scientists continually put everyone into danger. When you remove the bullets from a gun, and the gun is later used to attempt to protect you, the result is predictable. The plot holes continue in allowing the tyrannosaur escape.

Added to the plot holes are moments of humor that further spin this movie into the realm of low-budget monster movies. The scene with the dog in a San Diego suburb was completely unnecessary. Of course, by that point I was beyond disappointed with the movie.

This movie does have a few good points, all based on action scenes, but the plot holes outweigh the good portions and the mistakes and silly behavior make this movie difficult to watch. I give this movie three stars because the special effects continued to be good, the only redeeming feature of this movie.

Okay, not as good as the first
This movie was okay. The first one is so much better, but this one is still not bad. I thought it was awesome when the T-Rex attacked a city! I still bought it because I love the movies. See it if you like the first, but don't expect it to be better.

MPAA: PG-13
Running Time: 129 minutes
Year released: 1997 ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

You don't have to be a Star Trek fan to enjoy GalaxyQuest, but it certainly helps. A knowingly affectionate tribute to Trek and any other science fiction TV series of the 1960s and beyond, this crowd-pleasing comedy offers in-jokes at warp speed, hitting the bull's-eye for anyone who knows that (1) the starship captain always removes his shirt to display his manly physique; (2) any crew member not in the regular cast is dead meat; and (3) the heroes always stop the doomsday clock with one second to spare. So it is with Commander Taggart (Tim Allen) and the stalwart crew of the NSEA Protector, whose intergalactic exploits on TV have now been reduced to a dreary cycle of fan conventions and promotional appearances. That's when the Thermians arrive, begging to be saved from Sarris, the reptilian villain who threatens to destroy their home planet.

Can actors rise to the challenge and play their roles for real? The Thermians are counting on it, having studied the "historical documents" of the Galaxy Quest TV show, and their hero worship (not to mention their taste for Monte Cristo sandwiches) is ultimately proven worthy, with the help of some Galaxy geeks on planet Earth. And while Galaxy Quest serves up great special effects and impressive Stan Winston creatures, director Dean Parisot (Home Fries) is never condescending, lending warm acceptance to this gentle send-up of sci-fi TV and the phenomenon of fandom. Best of all is the splendid cast, including Sigourney Weaver as buxom blonde Gwen DeMarco; Alan Rickman as frustrated thespian Alexander Dane; Tony Shalhoub as dimwit Fred Kwan; Daryl Mitchell as former child-star Tommy Webber; and Enrico Colantoni as Thermian leader Mathesar, whose sing-song voice is a comedic coup de grâce.--Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (394)

An good fun entertainment film.
This was one of the few good surprises that came out in December, last year. The film has good story which is clever and well written. Nice visual effects done by Industial Light & Magic(They also did all of the Star Trek films). Good Cast:Tim Allen(Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story Films), Sigourney Weaver(The Alien Series), Alan Rickman(Die Hard, Dogma), Tony Shalhoub(The Siege), Sam Rockwell(The Green Mile) and another cast in the supporting roles are engaging. Directed with a nice sense of humour by Dean Parisot(Home Fries) makes the film works with a lot of characters are fun to look at and some hilarous moments. Stan Winston(Aliens, The Terminator) did once again an incredible make-up and good looking alien designs.

DVD has good anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1)picture quality and excellent dolby digital 5.1 sound also got the alien dubbed track for dolby surround track! is quite funny to listen. Seven deleted scenes. A small behind the scenes featurette and Omega 13, you have to watch the movie first to make it worth.

Travia:In one of those deleted scenes has Dian Bachar(Baseketball, Orgamzo) has a comic scene with Tony Shalhoub. Bachar is credited as Nervous Tech Alien. Is also in the film, cast like as a extra. You can spot the actor in a couple of scenes only. Grade:B+. Panavision.

But What Happened After The Convention?
"Galaxy Quest" is a lighthearted satire of the whole sci-fi world, especially the "Star Trek" gang (here called "Quest-arians"). A group of TV actors now make their living from appearances and autograph signings, after being on the cult favorite TV show, "Galaxy Quest". Real aliens then come and need their help to save the aliens' planet. Tim Allen is positively Shatneresque as Commander Peter Quincy Taggert (shades of Captain James Tiberius Kirk!) Sigourney Weaver (playing actress Gwen DeMarco who plays Lieutenant Tawny Madison) has only one job to do - as she says, "Oh my God, I'm repeating the computer!" Tony Shalhoub is hilarious as Tech Sergeant Chen, sort of a Scotty-on-tranquilizers.... in a deadpan voice, "Commander, they tell me that the engines are about to blow...just a FYI..." Alan Rickman as Alexander Dane playing "Doctor Lazarus" gives a great performance as a classically trained Shakespearean actor who has been typecast as the Spock-like alien of the show. He's known for just one line ("If I have to say that line again I'll throw up!") But since The Show Must Go On, he does say it again and again. "By Grapthar's Hammer, I will avenge you!" One question for the fellow Quest-arians out there. The movie ended (SPOILER WARNING! SPOILER WARNING!) with our heroes taking part of the real alien ship and landing it pretty hard in the convention parking lot and convention hall! That is, scattered cars, busted walls, torn-up stage flooring all over the place! Now how are they going to explain this?

Wonderful Spoof Of Both Trek AND Trekkies!
Dean Parisot's GALAXY QUEST (1999) was released at around the same time as some very big, high-profile, Oscar-nominated films during the Holiday season, advertising itself as the light in the midst of all the dark. Starring Tin Allen, who at that time had starred in films ranging only from cute (THE SANTA CLAUSE--1994, TOY STORY--1995) to lame (JUNGLE 2 JUNGLE, FOR RICHER OR POORER, both 1997), I had the sickening feeling from the trailer that this would prove to be the latter. I was encouraged by the presence of Sigourney Weaver, although unsure of her blond-bimbo role, Tony Shalhoub and Alan Rickman. But still, I wasn't sure...

That is, until I began reading the reviews, and then saw the film as soon as it came out on DVD. This is one of those movies that I can't believe has taken me this long to write about on these pages. Make that rave about: GALAXY QUEST is one of the funniest films I have ever seen, and would be in my Top 30 Listmania List if I were allowed to go to 30. It does help that I'm a STAR TREK fan (although not quite a Trekkie; please read my review of the documentary TREKKIES for more exposition on this point), but I honestly think that anyone with a good sense of humor will like this movie. It is written with a knowing wink to the Trekkie phenomenon as well as to Star Trek, and has smart dialogue courtesy of David Howard; unbelievably enough, this was his first---and still his only---film for which he has written.

The film opens with a convention for the immensely popular "Galaxy Quest" series, which starred full-of-himself screen hog Jason Nesmith (Allen) as Cmdr. Peter Quincy Taggart (not dissimilar to James Tiberius Kirk), Gwen DeMarco (Weaver) as Lt. Tawny Madison, former Shakesperean actor Alexander Dane (Rickman) and former child actor Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell) as Lt. Laredo, the ship's (very) young Navigational Officer. Nesmith secretly hates the Conventions, but plays up to the shows' fans, whose attention he monopolizes at every turn. Naturally, this long-established practice has alienated him from his co-stars, who hate his guts but like participating in the Conventions (except for Alexander Dane, who rues the day he became more famous for his character, and his character's famous rallying cry, than for being a 30+ year veteran of the Shakespeare stage). Nesmith finally loses his cool when being overly nagged by a teenaged nerdy fan (Justin Long), and yells at him in a manner that instantly recalls the "Get a life!" mock admonition that William Shatner gave in a 1986 Saturday Night Live skit. However, on the next drunken-hangover morning, Nesmith is visited by a strange-looking and talking man (Enrico Colantoni) who introduces himself as Thermian Cmdr. Mathesar, whose people are under attack by an evil alien leader named General Sarris (Robin Sachs). He pleads for Taggart's assistance, having seen the "historical documents" of his crew's many victories over greater enemies. Nesmith hazily just assumes that this is another nerdy fan with no life and goes along with him just to appease, and perhaps he has nothing better to do at this point. But then he finds out...

Of course, Mathesar and the Thermians are real aliens who had picked up the TV-wave transmission of the "Galaxy Quest" show and, in their childish impressionability, have assumed that the crew, the ship, everything was real. They have replicated the ship in full, both inside & out (since you know, for example, that Star Trek has always been so detailed that exact replicas of the Enterprise have numbered in the thousands) and have modeled their society from their example. Nesmith exitedly gets back to his fellow cynical and unbelieving actors, who go along only because they think it may be a well-paying job. Then they find out...

GALAXY QUEST is smart, funny and has a lot of fun with the TREK phenomenon, as portrayed through this fictional TV show and its characters. It also has fun with all the conventions (that is, *customs*) of Sci-Fi TV shows, such as gigantic, death-defying devices being present in a starship's engine room, or that the fate of our heroes comes down to one final second. It nudges & prods at all of these (plus more) with a complete love for the Sci-Fi genre. It also manages to convey a *sense of wonder* through visual effects that are really excellent. As for the acting, everybody---yes, including Tim Allen---gives a terrific performance, including Sam Rockwell as a minor "Galaxy Quest" character who constantly fears for his life during the actors' real mission, because nobody knows his last name, which, of course, is a sure sign that he is going to die, just like his character did on the one episode of the TV show! Enrico Colantoni's performance as Mathesar is infectious, and is perhaps the biggest revelation in the entire film; it can be argued that he may have deserved an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Robin Sachs creates an evil presence as the murderous, slimy alien General Sarris. Best of all, everybody's in on the joke.

GALAXY QUEST is a great buy on DVD. The "On Location In Space" feature is entertaining and informative. The deleted scenes are a hoot! All in all, this film is a great way to entertain the entire family, as it is among the few comedies that are intelligent yet can be viewed by children. I wholeheartedly give it a "thumbs-up"---wait, no, that's the other guy! In other words, I deem this movie to be

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED; AGES 8 & UP

MISCHIEVOUSLY CLEVER AND SLICK SCI-FI SATIRE
If you have seen the earlier episodes of "Futurama", you'll know how effective a cleverly done sci-fi satire can be.

Galaxy Quest mines a shuttle-full of sci-fi cliches for its banter, and while I don't remember anything laugh-out-loud rip-roarious, there is a good deal of congenial charm that permeates throughout. Which makes it a perfect family flick to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Apart from the spoof gags, what took me by surprise were the superb special effects, as octopodal aliens morph effortlessly into humans and back again in articulately designed space (the interior of the spaceship itself borrowed its staid cardboard looks from Star Trek of yore, perhaps as an intentional sardonic effect)

Overall, the film's affection for its audience (especially those weaned on Lost in Space, or The Next Generation, etc) and for the characters it parodies covers up for the gaping blackholes in its highly implausible and goofy plotline.

Great rental, and even a good buy because it lends itself easily to repeat viewing.

A terrific sci-fi spoof
"Galaxy Quest" was woefully ignored at the box-office, which is a crying shame because it's one of the best films of its kind to come down the pike. Writer David Howard did a tremendous job in drafting a film that is equal parts spoof and homage to science fiction television shows, most notably Star Trek, but there are hints of other shows as well. You can tell that Howard is obviously a fan of science fiction because as a sci-fi film, Galaxy Quest stands on its own two feet proudly; but he also appreciated the cheese that went into the shows as well, everything from the ship's commander who loses his shirt in every episode to that irritating line that gets repeated so often the actor who utters it comes to abhor it (think "Live long and prosper" or "He's dead, Jim").

The premise is simple enough. "Galaxy Quest" was a TV show that rode the success of "Star Wars" in the late 70s to join "Battlestar Galactica," "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century," and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" as the popular programming of the time. But like those shows, "Galaxy Quest" didn't survive through the early 80s, and now the cast is a bunch of washed-up has-beens who are lucky to be earning paychecks from convention appearances and electronics store openings. That is, until they are approached by a group claiming to be Thermians needing assistance with the interstellar bully in their quadrant of the galaxy. The cast takes the Thermians and their leader, Mathesar (Enrico Colantoni, "Hope and Gloria"), as ardent fans of the show wanting a private appearance of the cast, but the truth is, the Thermians are real aliens with a real problem; it seems the Thermians are a very naive race, believing the television signals from Earth to be real historical accounts of the NSEA Protector and it's gallant crew, and at the same time, gifted scientists and engineers capable of recreating the NSEA Protector as a real spaceship. But they aren't warriors, so they come to Earth looking for the "real" crew of the original Protector to man their version, and to help them in their negotiations with General Sarris (Robin Sachs, TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), the resident bully.

The actors that played the original Protector's crew are lead by Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen, TV's "Home Improvement" and the "Santa Clause" series), who played Cmdr. Peter Quincy Taggart, a character not unlike the original Star Trek's Capt. Kirk, constantly mugging for the camera and sleeping with every alien princess. Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver, the "Alien" series) played Lt. Tawny Madison, the buxom blonde kitten whose only real job on the show was to look sexy and repeat everything the computer said. Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman, "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and the "Harry Potter" series), a Shakespearean actor, is Dr. Lazarus, the alien science officer. Fred Kwan (Tony Shalhoub, TV's "Monk") is the laid-back engineering officer, Tech Sgt. Chen. Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell, "Sgt. Bilko") is the actor who as a child played the Protector's helmsman, Lt. Laredo. And Guy Fleegman (Sam Rockwell, "Matchstick Men") was Crewman #6, who died in his lone episode (in the original Star Trek, Fleegman would have been the crewman in the red shirt on the away mission), but who tags along on the mission anyway, constantly fretting that he'll die in real life on this mission just as his character died on the show.

These guys are in no way heroes. For example, none of the other actors can stand Jason Nesmith, for example, because of the constant attention he gets being the commander (which does much to fuel an already sizeable ego), but especially Alexander Dane, who sees him as a scene-stealing hack with no talent, and Gwen DeMarco, who's simply tired of him hitting on her all the time. Are you reading this, William Shatner? In the end, though, the prima donnas find their inner-strength and succeed against Sarris, but that much you already knew going in, right?

This movie should have been an instant classic. Seeing actors playing actors is always loads of fun, as we get a peek at how Hollywood really views itself. The sci-fi spoofing is dead-on accurate, and it really is an homage to the classic series as well, most notably "Star Trek." There are also great bonus stuffs on the DVD, including a "making of" special, deleted scenes that made me wonder why they were deleted, and an alternate soundtrack in the Thermian bark-and-squawk language.

If you love "Star Trek," you'll love "Galaxy Quest." If you hated "Star Trek," you will also love "Galaxy Quest." ... Read more

Reviews (394)

An good fun entertainment film.
This was one of the few good surprises that came out in December, last year. The film has good story which is clever and well written. Nice visual effects done by Industial Light & Magic(They also did all of the Star Trek films). Good Cast:Tim Allen(Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story Films), Sigourney Weaver(The Alien Series), Alan Rickman(Die Hard, Dogma), Tony Shalhoub(The Siege), Sam Rockwell(The Green Mile) and another cast in the supporting roles are engaging. Directed with a nice sense of humour by Dean Parisot(Home Fries) makes the film works with a lot of characters are fun to look at and some hilarous moments. Stan Winston(Aliens, The Terminator) did once again an incredible make-up and good looking alien designs.

DVD has good anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1)picture quality and excellent dolby digital 5.1 sound also got the alien dubbed track for dolby surround track! is quite funny to listen. Seven deleted scenes. A small behind the scenes featurette and Omega 13, you have to watch the movie first to make it worth.

Travia:In one of those deleted scenes has Dian Bachar(Baseketball, Orgamzo) has a comic scene with Tony Shalhoub. Bachar is credited as Nervous Tech Alien. Is also in the film, cast like as a extra. You can spot the actor in a couple of scenes only. Grade:B+. Panavision.

But What Happened After The Convention?
"Galaxy Quest" is a lighthearted satire of the whole sci-fi world, especially the "Star Trek" gang (here called "Quest-arians"). A group of TV actors now make their living from appearances and autograph signings, after being on the cult favorite TV show, "Galaxy Quest". Real aliens then come and need their help to save the aliens' planet. Tim Allen is positively Shatneresque as Commander Peter Quincy Taggert (shades of Captain James Tiberius Kirk!) Sigourney Weaver (playing actress Gwen DeMarco who plays Lieutenant Tawny Madison) has only one job to do - as she says, "Oh my God, I'm repeating the computer!" Tony Shalhoub is hilarious as Tech Sergeant Chen, sort of a Scotty-on-tranquilizers.... in a deadpan voice, "Commander, they tell me that the engines are about to blow...just a FYI..." Alan Rickman as Alexander Dane playing "Doctor Lazarus" gives a great performance as a classically trained Shakespearean actor who has been typecast as the Spock-like alien of the show. He's known for just one line ("If I have to say that line again I'll throw up!") But since The Show Must Go On, he does say it again and again. "By Grapthar's Hammer, I will avenge you!" One question for the fellow Quest-arians out there. The movie ended (SPOILER WARNING! SPOILER WARNING!) with our heroes taking part of the real alien ship and landing it pretty hard in the convention parking lot and convention hall! That is, scattered cars, busted walls, torn-up stage flooring all over the place! Now how are they going to explain this?

Wonderful Spoof Of Both Trek AND Trekkies!
Dean Parisot's GALAXY QUEST (1999) was released at around the same time as some very big, high-profile, Oscar-nominated films during the Holiday season, advertising itself as the light in the midst of all the dark. Starring Tin Allen, who at that time had starred in films ranging only from cute (THE SANTA CLAUSE--1994, TOY STORY--1995) to lame (JUNGLE 2 JUNGLE, FOR RICHER OR POORER, both 1997), I had the sickening feeling from the trailer that this would prove to be the latter. I was encouraged by the presence of Sigourney Weaver, although unsure of her blond-bimbo role, Tony Shalhoub and Alan Rickman. But still, I wasn't sure...

That is, until I began reading the reviews, and then saw the film as soon as it came out on DVD. This is one of those movies that I can't believe has taken me this long to write about on these pages. Make that rave about: GALAXY QUEST is one of the funniest films I have ever seen, and would be in my Top 30 Listmania List if I were allowed to go to 30. It does help that I'm a STAR TREK fan (although not quite a Trekkie; please read my review of the documentary TREKKIES for more exposition on this point), but I honestly think that anyone with a good sense of humor will like this movie. It is written with a knowing wink to the Trekkie phenomenon as well as to Star Trek, and has smart dialogue courtesy of David Howard; unbelievably enough, this was his first---and still his only---film for which he has written.

The film opens with a convention for the immensely popular "Galaxy Quest" series, which starred full-of-himself screen hog Jason Nesmith (Allen) as Cmdr. Peter Quincy Taggart (not dissimilar to James Tiberius Kirk), Gwen DeMarco (Weaver) as Lt. Tawny Madison, former Shakesperean actor Alexander Dane (Rickman) and former child actor Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell) as Lt. Laredo, the ship's (very) young Navigational Officer. Nesmith secretly hates the Conventions, but plays up to the shows' fans, whose attention he monopolizes at every turn. Naturally, this long-established practice has alienated him from his co-stars, who hate his guts but like participating in the Conventions (except for Alexander Dane, who rues the day he became more famous for his character, and his character's famous rallying cry, than for being a 30+ year veteran of the Shakespeare stage). Nesmith finally loses his cool when being overly nagged by a teenaged nerdy fan (Justin Long), and yells at him in a manner that instantly recalls the "Get a life!" mock admonition that William Shatner gave in a 1986 Saturday Night Live skit. However, on the next drunken-hangover morning, Nesmith is visited by a strange-looking and talking man (Enrico Colantoni) who introduces himself as Thermian Cmdr. Mathesar, whose people are under attack by an evil alien leader named General Sarris (Robin Sachs). He pleads for Taggart's assistance, having seen the "historical documents" of his crew's many victories over greater enemies. Nesmith hazily just assumes that this is another nerdy fan with no life and goes along with him just to appease, and perhaps he has nothing better to do at this point. But then he finds out...

Of course, Mathesar and the Thermians are real aliens who had picked up the TV-wave transmission of the "Galaxy Quest" show and, in their childish impressionability, have assumed that the crew, the ship, everything was real. They have replicated the ship in full, both inside & out (since you know, for example, that Star Trek has always been so detailed that exact replicas of the Enterprise have numbered in the thousands) and have modeled their society from their example. Nesmith exitedly gets back to his fellow cynical and unbelieving actors, who go along only because they think it may be a well-paying job. Then they find out...

GALAXY QUEST is smart, funny and has a lot of fun with the TREK phenomenon, as portrayed through this fictional TV show and its characters. It also has fun with all the conventions (that is, *customs*) of Sci-Fi TV shows, such as gigantic, death-defying devices being present in a starship's engine room, or that the fate of our heroes comes down to one final second. It nudges & prods at all of these (plus more) with a complete love for the Sci-Fi genre. It also manages to convey a *sense of wonder* through visual effects that are really excellent. As for the acting, everybody---yes, including Tim Allen---gives a terrific performance, including Sam Rockwell as a minor "Galaxy Quest" character who constantly fears for his life during the actors' real mission, because nobody knows his last name, which, of course, is a sure sign that he is going to die, just like his character did on the one episode of the TV show! Enrico Colantoni's performance as Mathesar is infectious, and is perhaps the biggest revelation in the entire film; it can be argued that he may have deserved an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Robin Sachs creates an evil presence as the murderous, slimy alien General Sarris. Best of all, everybody's in on the joke.

GALAXY QUEST is a great buy on DVD. The "On Location In Space" feature is entertaining and informative. The deleted scenes are a hoot! All in all, this film is a great way to entertain the entire family, as it is among the few comedies that are intelligent yet can be viewed by children. I wholeheartedly give it a "thumbs-up"---wait, no, that's the other guy! In other words, I deem this movie to be

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED; AGES 8 & UP

MISCHIEVOUSLY CLEVER AND SLICK SCI-FI SATIRE
If you have seen the earlier episodes of "Futurama", you'll know how effective a cleverly done sci-fi satire can be.

Galaxy Quest mines a shuttle-full of sci-fi cliches for its banter, and while I don't remember anything laugh-out-loud rip-roarious, there is a good deal of congenial charm that permeates throughout. Which makes it a perfect family flick to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Apart from the spoof gags, what took me by surprise were the superb special effects, as octopodal aliens morph effortlessly into humans and back again in articulately designed space (the interior of the spaceship itself borrowed its staid cardboard looks from Star Trek of yore, perhaps as an intentional sardonic effect)

Overall, the film's affection for its audience (especially those weaned on Lost in Space, or The Next Generation, etc) and for the characters it parodies covers up for the gaping blackholes in its highly implausible and goofy plotline.

Great rental, and even a good buy because it lends itself easily to repeat viewing.

A terrific sci-fi spoof
"Galaxy Quest" was woefully ignored at the box-office, which is a crying shame because it's one of the best films of its kind to come down the pike. Writer David Howard did a tremendous job in drafting a film that is equal parts spoof and homage to science fiction television shows, most notably Star Trek, but there are hints of other shows as well. You can tell that Howard is obviously a fan of science fiction because as a sci-fi film, Galaxy Quest stands on its own two feet proudly; but he also appreciated the cheese that went into the shows as well, everything from the ship's commander who loses his shirt in every episode to that irritating line that gets repeated so often the actor who utters it comes to abhor it (think "Live long and prosper" or "He's dead, Jim").

The premise is simple enough. "Galaxy Quest" was a TV show that rode the success of "Star Wars" in the late 70s to join "Battlestar Galactica," "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century," and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" as the popular programming of the time. But like those shows, "Galaxy Quest" didn't survive through the early 80s, and now the cast is a bunch of washed-up has-beens who are lucky to be earning paychecks from convention appearances and electronics store openings. That is, until they are approached by a group claiming to be Thermians needing assistance with the interstellar bully in their quadrant of the galaxy. The cast takes the Thermians and their leader, Mathesar (Enrico Colantoni, "Hope and Gloria"), as ardent fans of the show wanting a private appearance of the cast, but the truth is, the Thermians are real aliens with a real problem; it seems the Thermians are a very naive race, believing the television signals from Earth to be real historical accounts of the NSEA Protector and it's gallant crew, and at the same time, gifted scientists and engineers capable of recreating the NSEA Protector as a real spaceship. But they aren't warriors, so they come to Earth looking for the "real" crew of the original Protector to man their version, and to help them in their negotiations with General Sarris (Robin Sachs, TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), the resident bully.

The actors that played the original Protector's crew are lead by Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen, TV's "Home Improvement" and the "Santa Clause" series), who played Cmdr. Peter Quincy Taggart, a character not unlike the original Star Trek's Capt. Kirk, constantly mugging for the camera and sleeping with every alien princess. Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver, the "Alien" series) played Lt. Tawny Madison, the buxom blonde kitten whose only real job on the show was to look sexy and repeat everything the computer said. Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman, "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and the "Harry Potter" series), a Shakespearean actor, is Dr. Lazarus, the alien science officer. Fred Kwan (Tony Shalhoub, TV's "Monk") is the laid-back engineering officer, Tech Sgt. Chen. Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell, "Sgt. Bilko") is the actor who as a child played the Protector's helmsman, Lt. Laredo. And Guy Fleegman (Sam Rockwell, "Matchstick Men") was Crewman #6, who died in his lone episode (in the original Star Trek, Fleegman would have been the crewman in the red shirt on the away mission), but who tags along on the mission anyway, constantly fretting that he'll die in real life on this mission just as his character died on the show.

These guys are in no way heroes. For example, none of the other actors can stand Jason Nesmith, for example, because of the constant attention he gets being the commander (which does much to fuel an already sizeable ego), but especially Alexander Dane, who sees him as a scene-stealing hack with no talent, and Gwen DeMarco, who's simply tired of him hitting on her all the time. Are you reading this, William Shatner? In the end, though, the prima donnas find their inner-strength and succeed against Sarris, but that much you already knew going in, right?

This movie should have been an instant classic. Seeing actors playing actors is always loads of fun, as we get a peek at how Hollywood really views itself. The sci-fi spoofing is dead-on accurate, and it really is an homage to the classic series as well, most notably "Star Trek." There are also great bonus stuffs on the DVD, including a "making of" special, deleted scenes that made me wonder why they were deleted, and an alternate soundtrack in the Thermian bark-and-squawk language.

If you love "Star Trek," you'll love "Galaxy Quest." If you hated "Star Trek," you will also love "Galaxy Quest." ... Read more

Reviews (240)

The Lost World
This sequel to the 1993 blockbuster is good as sequels go but isn't a great movie. Jeff Goldblum gives a good performance as Dr. Ian Malcolm and Julianne Moore contributes too. The screenplay based on the novel by Michael Crichton is poorly done but has a few funny lines. The cinematography is good and captures the horror very well, and the production design is very frightening. The soundwork is very good, but the editing by veteran Michael Kahn (Close Encounters, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T.) is not very well done, you can hardly digest what is happening. John Williams contributes a rousing yet ominous score. One thing that keeps this movie moving are the incredible Oscar nominated special effects done masterfully by the great Dennis Muren and Stan Winston. The basic plot is that John Hammond, the creator of Jurassic Park, has an island where dinosaurs roam freely but must send Malcolm along with his girlfriend and two other companions to photograph the dinosaurs so Ingen will be kept from disturbing the dinosaurs. Overall, fairly well done, suspenseful, but fails to capture the awe, greatness, and wonder that the original possessed. There is also a Jurassic Park 3 coming out. I can't wait.

Dinosaurs Galore
Recently I was able to catch Spielberg's The Lost World. I say Spielberg because other than the title it bears no resemblance to the book. This is not necessarily a bad thing. While a lousy interpretation of the book it is still a good film.

Jeff Goldblum is hired (by a man who is dead in the book) to study the ecosystems on InGen's Site B where dinosaurs have been flourishing. Only the fact that his girlfriend is in danger gets Goldblum to go. No sooner does he arrive and try and convince her to leave than a massive InGen expedition shows up to hunt and capture dinosaurs.

InGen's plans for capturing dinosaurs goes awry when Goldblum and friends release the dinosaurs during a satellite-linked board meeting. InGen plans to open a dinosaur park facility at the San Diego zoo. During the chaos every radio in the camp manages to get trampled. The survivors must now find a way off of the island. Unfortunately most of them are killed in a brief attack by velociraptors while in tall grass.

The few survivors of the second expedition manage to capture a T-Rex and ready it for shipping to the states. Goldblum and friends escape by helicopter.

In San Diego the T-Rex manages to escape and go rampaging through the city. Goldblum must lure the T-Rex back onto the freighter that brought it to the States. In the end a huge navy escort follows the freighter back to the island while Mr. Hammond implores to public to leave the dinosaurs alone; they deserve it.

Some people definitely had fun making this movie. There were scenes from classic and not-so-classic movies including King Kong, Godzilla, Carnosaur 3 (CARNOSAUR was the book Crichton got the idea for JURASSIC PARK from) and others. Two scenes I particularly enjoyed were a crowd of screaming Japanese looking over their shoulders while running in terror and a little boy who wakes his parents to tell them that there is a dinosaur in the back yard.

It was reported that a paleontologist made sure that the dinosaurs acted as current scientific beliefs say they should. Hah! The Stegosaurs were the size of apatosaurs. Something, possibly the escaped triceratops, managed to knock a hummer airborne so that ir reached an altitude of at least a hundred feet and an amazing distance. Velociraptors can now leap three stories up and forty yards out. The tyrannosaur can run right through building walls without slowing down. Fun? Yes. Realistic? No way. Needless to say if the dinosaurs acted this way in the first movie then no one would have escaped.

Still, it was a very fun film that I recommend to any dinosaur lover who can stand to see people pulled apart by huge carnivores sharing a tidbit. The Lost World (the third film by that name) should be available on video and day now.

Steven Plays Around A Bit...
Actually, LWJP is just Steven Spielberg having some fun. It's an obvious tribute to movies like King Kong, Godzilla, and even the original 1925 version of The Lost World. It's a non-stop SFX extravaganza that is more dessert than a nourishing meal. Jeff Goldblum returns as Ian Malcolm. He is not bad in his role, though he does wear thin. Julianne Moore is beautiful as always, and pulls off her "concerned scientist" part with ease. The T-rex is back, with his mate and offspring. The Raptors terrorize, managing to kill off many slimy hunters and Ingen drones. Not a bad sequel, considering that most sequels are pure rubbish anyway. I enjoyed the T-rex running rampant in LA. I only wish it had had more time to cause hysteria and chaos! A nice binge-eating trip down Hollywood Blvd would've been cool! Oh well. Watch with brain on pause...

It's Lost All Right
"Jurassic Park" could be forgiven the lack of story and character development because it was artfully crafted to be a thrill ride. This sequel, also inspired by Michael Chrichton's book, departs more from the story and fully flops into the B-movie category.

Jeff Goldblum is back visiting the dinosaurs, along with several other characters from the previous movie. This time our scientists are observing the behavior of the dinosaurs, trying to learn as much as possible, a very scientist-like activity. However, greed plays a part once again as a team of big-game hunters come to the island to attempt to capture an array of dinosaurs for a dinosaur zoo in an attempt for Ingen to recoup some of its substantial investment in the dinosaurs.

All appears to be going well for everyone except the dinosaurs until the scientists decide to play environmentalists and release all the dinosaurs from their cages. The dinosaurs go on a rampage (ever seen a rampaging triceratops?), destroying the camp of the hunters. Even then our scientists would have been okay had they not decided to help a baby tyrannosaurus. The parents track down the baby with predictably bad results for the humans.

Now scientists and big game hunters alike are on the run from the tyrannosaurs, and in the process of escaping they encounter our old friends the raptors, still intelligent, still agile, and still very hungry.

Eventually some of the characters escape, and the tyrannosaurus and its baby are captured so that they can be taken to California. Something unexplained happens on the ship and the only thing left are the tyrannosaurs and a hand trying keeping a cargo bay door closed. Remove the hand and a miniature Godzilla roams the streets of San Diego.

The first Jurassic Park movie had plot holes that you were able to ignore in favor of the cool special effects and the action. This time the plot holes are bigger than the movie. Real scientists do not behave as Dr. Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore) does in this movie. As Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) advises her, "Do not interact," a basic rule of scientific observation. Interacting is for Green Peace and the Sierra Club, not for real scientists.

Our hunters blunder about in a manner that is guaranteed to get them killed. They run when they should walk. They walk when they should stay put. The actions of the supposed scientists continually put everyone into danger. When you remove the bullets from a gun, and the gun is later used to attempt to protect you, the result is predictable. The plot holes continue in allowing the tyrannosaur escape.

Added to the plot holes are moments of humor that further spin this movie into the realm of low-budget monster movies. The scene with the dog in a San Diego suburb was completely unnecessary. Of course, by that point I was beyond disappointed with the movie.

This movie does have a few good points, all based on action scenes, but the plot holes outweigh the good portions and the mistakes and silly behavior make this movie difficult to watch. I give this movie three stars because the special effects continued to be good, the only redeeming feature of this movie.

Okay, not as good as the first
This movie was okay. The first one is so much better, but this one is still not bad. I thought it was awesome when the T-Rex attacked a city! I still bought it because I love the movies. See it if you like the first, but don't expect it to be better.

MPAA: PG-13
Running Time: 129 minutes
Year released: 1997 ... Read more

Reviews (240)

The Lost World
This sequel to the 1993 blockbuster is good as sequels go but isn't a great movie. Jeff Goldblum gives a good performance as Dr. Ian Malcolm and Julianne Moore contributes too. The screenplay based on the novel by Michael Crichton is poorly done but has a few funny lines. The cinematography is good and captures the horror very well, and the production design is very frightening. The soundwork is very good, but the editing by veteran Michael Kahn (Close Encounters, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T.) is not very well done, you can hardly digest what is happening. John Williams contributes a rousing yet ominous score. One thing that keeps this movie moving are the incredible Oscar nominated special effects done masterfully by the great Dennis Muren and Stan Winston. The basic plot is that John Hammond, the creator of Jurassic Park, has an island where dinosaurs roam freely but must send Malcolm along with his girlfriend and two other companions to photograph the dinosaurs so Ingen will be kept from disturbing the dinosaurs. Overall, fairly well done, suspenseful, but fails to capture the awe, greatness, and wonder that the original possessed. There is also a Jurassic Park 3 coming out. I can't wait.

Dinosaurs Galore
Recently I was able to catch Spielberg's The Lost World. I say Spielberg because other than the title it bears no resemblance to the book. This is not necessarily a bad thing. While a lousy interpretation of the book it is still a good film.

Jeff Goldblum is hired (by a man who is dead in the book) to study the ecosystems on InGen's Site B where dinosaurs have been flourishing. Only the fact that his girlfriend is in danger gets Goldblum to go. No sooner does he arrive and try and convince her to leave than a massive InGen expedition shows up to hunt and capture dinosaurs.

InGen's plans for capturing dinosaurs goes awry when Goldblum and friends release the dinosaurs during a satellite-linked board meeting. InGen plans to open a dinosaur park facility at the San Diego zoo. During the chaos every radio in the camp manages to get trampled. The survivors must now find a way off of the island. Unfortunately most of them are killed in a brief attack by velociraptors while in tall grass.

The few survivors of the second expedition manage to capture a T-Rex and ready it for shipping to the states. Goldblum and friends escape by helicopter.

In San Diego the T-Rex manages to escape and go rampaging through the city. Goldblum must lure the T-Rex back onto the freighter that brought it to the States. In the end a huge navy escort follows the freighter back to the island while Mr. Hammond implores to public to leave the dinosaurs alone; they deserve it.

Some people definitely had fun making this movie. There were scenes from classic and not-so-classic movies including King Kong, Godzilla, Carnosaur 3 (CARNOSAUR was the book Crichton got the idea for JURASSIC PARK from) and others. Two scenes I particularly enjoyed were a crowd of screaming Japanese looking over their shoulders while running in terror and a little boy who wakes his parents to tell them that there is a dinosaur in the back yard.

It was reported that a paleontologist made sure that the dinosaurs acted as current scientific beliefs say they should. Hah! The Stegosaurs were the size of apatosaurs. Something, possibly the escaped triceratops, managed to knock a hummer airborne so that ir reached an altitude of at least a hundred feet and an amazing distance. Velociraptors can now leap three stories up and forty yards out. The tyrannosaur can run right through building walls without slowing down. Fun? Yes. Realistic? No way. Needless to say if the dinosaurs acted this way in the first movie then no one would have escaped.

Still, it was a very fun film that I recommend to any dinosaur lover who can stand to see people pulled apart by huge carnivores sharing a tidbit. The Lost World (the third film by that name) should be available on video and day now.

Steven Plays Around A Bit...
Actually, LWJP is just Steven Spielberg having some fun. It's an obvious tribute to movies like King Kong, Godzilla, and even the original 1925 version of The Lost World. It's a non-stop SFX extravaganza that is more dessert than a nourishing meal. Jeff Goldblum returns as Ian Malcolm. He is not bad in his role, though he does wear thin. Julianne Moore is beautiful as always, and pulls off her "concerned scientist" part with ease. The T-rex is back, with his mate and offspring. The Raptors terrorize, managing to kill off many slimy hunters and Ingen drones. Not a bad sequel, considering that most sequels are pure rubbish anyway. I enjoyed the T-rex running rampant in LA. I only wish it had had more time to cause hysteria and chaos! A nice binge-eating trip down Hollywood Blvd would've been cool! Oh well. Watch with brain on pause...

It's Lost All Right
"Jurassic Park" could be forgiven the lack of story and character development because it was artfully crafted to be a thrill ride. This sequel, also inspired by Michael Chrichton's book, departs more from the story and fully flops into the B-movie category.

Jeff Goldblum is back visiting the dinosaurs, along with several other characters from the previous movie. This time our scientists are observing the behavior of the dinosaurs, trying to learn as much as possible, a very scientist-like activity. However, greed plays a part once again as a team of big-game hunters come to the island to attempt to capture an array of dinosaurs for a dinosaur zoo in an attempt for Ingen to recoup some of its substantial investment in the dinosaurs.

All appears to be going well for everyone except the dinosaurs until the scientists decide to play environmentalists and release all the dinosaurs from their cages. The dinosaurs go on a rampage (ever seen a rampaging triceratops?), destroying the camp of the hunters. Even then our scientists would have been okay had they not decided to help a baby tyrannosaurus. The parents track down the baby with predictably bad results for the humans.

Now scientists and big game hunters alike are on the run from the tyrannosaurs, and in the process of escaping they encounter our old friends the raptors, still intelligent, still agile, and still very hungry.

Eventually some of the characters escape, and the tyrannosaurus and its baby are captured so that they can be taken to California. Something unexplained happens on the ship and the only thing left are the tyrannosaurs and a hand trying keeping a cargo bay door closed. Remove the hand and a miniature Godzilla roams the streets of San Diego.

The first Jurassic Park movie had plot holes that you were able to ignore in favor of the cool special effects and the action. This time the plot holes are bigger than the movie. Real scientists do not behave as Dr. Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore) does in this movie. As Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) advises her, "Do not interact," a basic rule of scientific observation. Interacting is for Green Peace and the Sierra Club, not for real scientists.

Our hunters blunder about in a manner that is guaranteed to get them killed. They run when they should walk. They walk when they should stay put. The actions of the supposed scientists continually put everyone into danger. When you remove the bullets from a gun, and the gun is later used to attempt to protect you, the result is predictable. The plot holes continue in allowing the tyrannosaur escape.

Added to the plot holes are moments of humor that further spin this movie into the realm of low-budget monster movies. The scene with the dog in a San Diego suburb was completely unnecessary. Of course, by that point I was beyond disappointed with the movie.

This movie does have a few good points, all based on action scenes, but the plot holes outweigh the good portions and the mistakes and silly behavior make this movie difficult to watch. I give this movie three stars because the special effects continued to be good, the only redeeming feature of this movie.

Okay, not as good as the first
This movie was okay. The first one is so much better, but this one is still not bad. I thought it was awesome when the T-Rex attacked a city! I still bought it because I love the movies. See it if you like the first, but don't expect it to be better.

MPAA: PG-13
Running Time: 129 minutes
Year released: 1997 ... Read more

Amazon.com

Following their super-quirky films Twin Falls Idaho and Jackpot, the Polish brothers take a leap of faith with their third picture, Northfork. And it pays off handsomely. Somewhere in the desolate Midwest, the town of Northfork is about to be drowned in the waters held back by a new dam. It's up to a group of men (in identical black suits and fedoras) to clear out the last stubborn landowners. Meanwhile, a deathly ill boy bargains with a delegation of heaven-sent searchers--at least that's what they seem to be. Is this Fargo meets Touched by an Angel? That's the peculiar feel of this otherwise unclassifiable movie, which veers from academic artiness to wacky blackout humor. Who can explain the restaurant where diners must guess the lone menu item? And who would want to? James Woods and Nick Nolte lead a game cast through this oddly winning enterprise. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Indescribably beautiful, albeit a bit confusing.
Northfork (Michael Polish, 2003)

Michael and Mark Polish, the same writing team behind the delightfully twisted Twin Falls, Idaho, now unveils Northfork. I'm not sure there are enough good things I can say about this movie, and yet I feel I lost a lot in translation from the big screen.

The basic structure around which all the stories revolve is the moving of the (real) town of Northfork, Montana, to higher ground in 1955. Various subplots involve three teams of related men hired to move the locals who refuse to leave their homes; the priest who runs the local orphans' home, which is left with a sole orphan to place; and four individuals impossible to describe who are searching for a relative.

The acting in this film is simply superb, which is to be expected given its high-powered cast. James Woods, Nick Nolte, Kyle McLachlan, Claire Forlani, Daryl Hannah, Peter Coyote, Michele Hicks, Ben Foster, and Anthony Edwards, among many others, all make appearances (one wonders only why the Polish brothers didn't case their favorite actor, underrated comic genius Garrett Morris, in this one). The sound transfer to the DVD is one of the worst I've ever heard, however; the voices are mixed so painfully softly compared to the ambient sound that subtitles are a necessity in some parts of the film unless you want the cops citing you for noise violations. Use the subtitles. You want to catch what's going on.

Despite the darkness of the locations and cinematography (which lends the film a claustrophobic, ominous air throughout), the main feeling of the work is a sense of pure whimsy. Angels in Montana in 1955? Well, that would seem to be the case, along with a conspiracy to hunt them down and amputate their wings. James Woods actually says the words "Whatchoo talkin' bout, Willis?" and pulls it off. The eviction agents find themselves in increasingly absurd situations as they travel from house to house, and the orphan, who is terminally ill, orchestrates wilder and wilder delusions in his head. (Possibly. It gets hard to tell what's real and what's going on in the boy's head.) I'd be hard-pressed to call Northfork a comedy, but it contains moments of sheer comic genius.

Brilliant. ****

Indeed Odd
I fully agree that this movie was odd. This was our first experience with the Polish brothers. Throughout the movie my husband kept asking now who is that? Whose house is that? We compared it to "Vanilla Sky" which we also walked out of the theater going "Oookay and Huh?" It was a good movie though. Incited discussion.

beautiful
This is a very beautiful, but rather confusing movie. You feel the progress of the plot in your emotions, but you're not quite sure what the progress is. Nevertheless if you think, you can piece together a general idea of what it's about, and a general idea is all you really need to watch something (if you're in doubt, watch Akira or spend some time as a working immigrant). The movie feels slow, but when it's over it seems very short, and you wish it lasted longer. It has a soundtrack of haunting music box melody, oldtime 50s tunes (we are not speaking of rock music), and one other style, used to great effect in one of the funny parts. The overall mood is melancholy, but also often very beautiful; sometimes pensive; sometimes a sense of wonder; sometimes very funny and sometimes dry. This movie has something for everyone, and is mixed and out there enough for everyone to think it is weird. You'll be glad you watched it, but no one else will be able to predict why you'll feel that way.

The worst movie I have ever seen
This is truly the worst movie I have ever seen. It transitions in and out of some bizarre dream state and offers nothing to engage the viewer (except for some interesting cinematography).

I typically trust film critics' tastes, however they were severely off the mark with this film. It upsets me to think that I have wasted my time and money.

View at your own risk!

Offbeat but beautiful meditation on change and acceptance
In 1955, the town of Northfork, Montana was flooded when the gates of a completed dam were closed. Against this backdrop, two related stories are told. In one, three teams of men, motivated by rewards of lakefront property, attempt to get local die-hards to move on before their homes are flooded. This story is filled with humor - visual gags, offbeat characters, and a 100% off-the-wall scene at the local diner. But there are human touches, too, as one father-and-son team argue over whether to save their wife/mother's coffin from the rising flood.
In the other story, Father Harlan (played with heart-breaking tenderness by Nick Nolte) takes care of Irwin, a young orphan who is dying. As Irwin drifts in and out of consciousness, his fevered mind creates visions of angelic beings and reunion out of the landscape and his pitifully few belongings - a model airplane, a comic book, bird feathers he's collected.
This film is very carefully crafted. The two, interleaved stories are visually unified by the "big sky" landscape and a color palette of muted blues, grays, and tans (everything - land, water, buildings, machinery, people - is color-coordinated). The transitions between the two stories deliberately link the fantasy-like character of Irwin's angelic visions with the absurd elements in the evacuation story, and at one point suggest that Irwin's dreams may not be that far off the mark. And finally, Nolte's monologue, inspired by his own experience, goes straight to the heart of the matter.
The result, for me, was a gentle and moving meditation on the inevitability of change and loss, and the grace we find through humor and acceptance. This is visual poetry, a movie to watch again and again. ... Read more