Amazon.com

There are those who may regard it as old wine in a new bottle, but that doesn't mean that Stargate Atlantis doesn't have something to offer to both newcomers and fans of Stargate SG-1, the franchise from which it evolved. Co-creators and executive producers Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, both of whom worked on the earlier show, have concocted an appealing premise for this spin-off, in which the so-called Ancients abandoned Earth millions of years earlier, taking their city (i.e., Atlantis) with them. Now, a new team has gained access (via the Stargate, the "wormhole" our heroes use to travel to different worlds) to the legendary sunken city, where new adventures and deadly new enemies await. Stargate SG-1 stars Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks make appearances in this series premiere, but the focus is on the new characters. Of these, Joe Flanigan excels as the insouciant Major John Sheppard, an Air Force pilot unexpectedly recruited for the new mission because of his preternatural ability to interface with the Ancients' wondrous technology. The new leader is Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson), a role that is neither especially well-written nor well-played. The new monster-villains, replacing the trusty old Goa'uld, are the Wraith, whose name is actually cooler than they are; they may eat humans, in addition to being all-powerful (natch), but they tend to come off like refugees from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Overall, the production values and special effects remain top-notch, especially for television, and the story itself is OK. But while Stargate Atlantis is certainly promising, it has a ways to go to equal its predecessor, which remains one of the best-made, most compelling sci-fi programs on television.--Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Bonus feature on Rising single DVD
Yes, don't panic, the "Rising" episode will of course be included in the DVD box set of Season 1 of Stargate Atlantis.What makes the single DVD noteworthy -- aside from being a 'fix' for those previously noted who "can't wait" for the box set -- is that it will have AUDIO COMMENTARY by producer Brad Wright and star Joe Flanigan.I haven't heard that this will also be included with the box set and actually doubt that it will.I recorded "Rising" and the rest of the season from the TV broadcasts so I don't need to "wait" for either the DVD single or set, as far as just watching the episodes, but I am planning to purchase both the single DVD AND the box set just for the additional bonus material.Just another viewpoint; some of us really enjoy the bonus stuff.

PLEASE PEAPLE!!DON'T BELIEVE THAT GUY!
DO NOT believe that guy who says that the 2-parter pilot episode won't be included in the Atlantis season 1 boxset. Of course it will be. The thing is you won't get a special box for "Rising". The boxSET will contain 5 discs. Every disc has 4 episodes on it. "Rising" will be on the first disc with among episode 3 and 4. If you are a MAJOR FAN of the show and really can't wait for the whole boxset then go ahead. And if you think you'll need this special neat box I'm not stopping you. But please understand that if you think you can wait then don't buy it. It costs alot and THESE EPISODES ARE INCLUDED IN THE BOX SET.

Amen!
I agree-the pilot episodes should be included in the First Season box set, not served here alone.It's also a bit pricey. Even Farscape gave you two episodes for ten bucks when they first started to be released to DVD and tape.However, the release date may be a bit of a clue to the two-parter DVD. Most likely they are trying to drum up business for the show before its second year summer premiere.

As for the show, I liked it as a whole.Granted, it's obviously a Stargate clone.The characters are characters we've all seen before and when you compare them to the originals, they do come away second best. But to paraphrase from a Stargate SG-1 episode, I'd 'listen to Rodney even if all he was doing was reading the telephone book.' He's such fun.

I'd still buy this, but only second-hand.

To: Crystal O'Brien
This 2-part pilot episode "Rising" will be released in June and the complete season is released in November. Although you have to get this DVD aswell because the Stargate Atlantis season 1 boxset doesn't include these episodes. The boxset contains episode 3-20. Hope this helps.

Please tell me you're releasing a box set!
Seeing just the pilot movie for sale makes me skittish. I really dislike it when companies release shows piece-meal. I'd like to know if this will be part of a Season 1 box set later so I can save my money. Or do they plan on releasing them bit by bit much like Farscape and Andromeda only to turn around later and sell you the same thing in a neat little box set? I like what we've come to expect from SG1 and am hoping that SciFi/MGM don't begin this nerve racking trend. Anyway the spin off from the original SG1 is clever and refreshing, something Stargate fans should really enjoy. But please tell me you're putting out a box set I'm sure many agree with me on this. Loyal fans of the show deserve better! Can I get an Amen! ... Read more

Description

New York, the City That Never Sleeps, is trapped in a nightmare of horror and destruction when a massive earthquake rocks the unsuspecting city.Countless lives are lost, families are torn apart, and chaos runs rampant as the Mayor (Charles S. Dutton) and former Fire Chief (Tom Skerritt) race to enact a city-wide emergency plan.The two men also face personal devastation and uncertainty as their own family members lie buried in the toppled infrastructure.Sharon Lawrence, Lisa Nicole Carson and Cicely Tyson also star in this incredible story of undying courage in the face of unimaginable human tragedy. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

COMMENDABLE MOVIE
It's ironic that in this 1999 film. the Twin Towers remain standing after the devastating earthquake that tumbles the powerful city to its feet. A t.v. movie originally aired on NVC, AFTERSHOCK is directed well by Mikail Solomon and has a fine cast. The script is typical vignettes of several people and how they deal with the quake, but it is well written and performed, and adds the requisite human touch to the film. The overall acting is very good: Tom Selleck as the disgruntled fire chief who is having an ongoing political battle with Mayor Charles S. Dutton; Jennifer Garner as a ballet wannabe who meets up with a Russian cabby; Sharon Lawrence is very good as a mother whose carelessness rendered her little boy an invalid; Lisa Nicole Carson as an up and coming lawyer who gets an alleged murderer off the hook only to doubt his innocence; Cicely Tyson as the feisty mayor's mother who turns a street kid into a young man; and many actors whose names I can't recall who did a fine job in the storyline.
The earthquake sequence is devastating and very convincing. The movie is one of those "feel good" movies, that works.
Not your average made for TV fare.

The Big Apple can have the big shake
If you are in any doubt as to how good this film is, then ask yourself the question "why are people discussing the scientific fact behind the storyline?" The special effects are more than convincing and you really do get the feeling that you could be watching an earthquake in progress. If anyone out there questions the possibility of earthquakes in Manhattan, then maybe you should refer to the following ...I live in the United Kingdom, where earthquakes can not happen, tornados never happen and the possibility of hurricanes is "laughable" as one 1987 forecaster said. In 1987, we had a hurricane, in 1998 we had tornadoes and this year, we suffered a minor earthquake. Never say never.

Earthquakes will get you!!!
Okay so my title sounds like some kind of horror movie but who cares. As many people have writen in their previews that earthquakes don't happen in New York. Survey Says... ERRRRRRRRR!
Earthquakes can happen anywhere! Okay so manhatten hasn't had an earthquake for a while that doesn't mean that there's a switch to turn earthquakes on or off in New York. So Earthquakes happen in California more often. It's because they lie on a huge fault line. Earthquakes have happened in North Carolina and Missouri that doesn't mean New York is safe. And although September 11 was bad that doesn't mean that god will suddenly protect New York from Earthquakes because of Two Towers Collapsing. Earthquakes can hit New York and they will. Same with Canada last year Toronto had a 5.2 Earthquake! Anyway this movie is great and the special effects are A W E S O M E! (P.S i'm not some science geek). Defintaley worth 5 stars

Twin Towers Rock Before 9-11
As an avid sci-fi/action genre maven who likes special effects, I was very surprised that a low budget movie did so well in cinematography. A well written and acted script,and very good special effects lends some credibility to having a powerful earthquake in a relatively low risk zone. It was eerie seeing the Trade Center again (as so many movies do), suffer damage other than terrorist driven. The main complaint about the DVD is that it is not widescreen. Being a TV movie, one would not expect widescreen, but the jewelcase description says "formatted to fit your TV", thus it leads one to believe that a widescreen exists. Still, I enjoyed the film and actually believe the special effects to be better than in "Earthquake".

AFTERSHOCK - thoroughly enjoyed -- great surprise!
I enjoyed the VHS version and was greatly surprised - and pleasantly so - when I discovered the DVD had a more complete version of the movie -- I really liked the interaction between Tom Skerritt and Charles Dutton's characters -- Action was nicely paced and the characters were great to follow in their individual story lines - a great blending of characters -- loved the ending -- really need to see it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Unhappy and lonely after her mother's death, Casey (Lindsay Lohan) attempts to resurrect her mother, but a minor mishap changes the results of her spell and brings an unwanted doll named Eve (Tyra Banks) to life instead. Eve is elated when she first encounters the smells and flavors of real life, but is shocked to realize that she's not the perfect role model she's always considered herself to be. Casey initially despises Eve--she never wanted this doll in the first place and now she's ruined her chances of bringing her mother back to life. But as Eve grows, she brings out the best in Casey, encouraging her to renew old friendships and spurring personal growth and healing. Even Casey's father (Jere Burns) rises above his grief and builds a better relationship with his daughter as a result of his interaction with Eve. This is an entertaining, 89-minute video that juxtaposes the stresses and disappointments of the real world, with their accompanying potential for personal growth, against what initially appears to be a stereotypically idyllic world. What makes the movie powerful is its suggestion that that ideal world is inherently flawed. Performances by Lindsay Lohan (The Parent Trap), supermodel Tyra Banks (Higher Learning), and Jere Burns (television's Something So Right) are very good. The story, while based on a fairly unreal premise, successfully explores some very real issues facing kids today. --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Be A Star And Buy This Movie
This dazzling comic fantasy stars popular Lindsay Lohan (The Parent Trap) and top fashion model Tyra Banks (Higher Learning) in a delightfully entertaining tale of a young girl's toy that turns out to be a truly living doll! Sad and lonely after the death of her mother, Casey (Lohan) would do anything to see her again. But when a series of mystic mishaps mistakenly brings her fashion doll "Eve" (Banks) to life instead, it changes Casey's world forever!

Heartwarming and lots of fun, the magical story of this happy accident captures a spirit your family will want to relive again and again!

She's alive!
Casey Stewart (Lindsay Lohan, The Parent Trap) is having a tough teenage life. Her mother has recently passed away, and her father, Ben (Jere Burns) is always busy. He always tries to make it to her football games, but he always misses them. Casey feels that the answer to all her problems would be to bring her mother back to life.

Casey is given a birthday gift by Ben's co-worker, Drew (Anne Marie Loder), and the gift is an Eve doll which doesn't really interest Casey. When Casey tries to cast a spell to bring her mother back to life, she accidentaley brings back to life the Eve doll. Now, Eve (Tyra Banks, Halloween: Resurrection) is a human with the thoughts of a doll. Casey thinks this is terrible...but it gets even worse when she realizes that her dad has gotten a crush on the doll.

LIFE-SIZE is such an entertaining movie. It is a great movie for the entire family. Not only was there an excellent script, but the actors were wonderful--especially Lindsay Lohan and Tyra Banks. Each scene was full of humor, especially when Eve was a complete idiot. Despite the comedy of the movie, the end was very sad and could make anyone cry. I recommend this movie to anyone...even to people who hate dolls.

SO-SO Movie
This movie is SO-SO. It has good but not great comedy and Tyra acts with Lindsay fairly. I am a boy and I could say proudly that this movie is ten million times better than the Cheetah Girls! If your sister likes this movie you are luckier than the people whose sister likes the Cheetah Girls (like me) I hate that movie with all my heart but this movie is a good fair movie and would give it 3 more stars than the Cheetah Girls whom deserve zero stars but there is no such thing on amazon.com

This movie makes me puke
Don't listen to all these people!

I watched this movie because it had Lindsay Lohan, and I am a die-hard fan of Lindsay. She is so hot. But anyways...

This movie made me want to puke. The conclusions were unclear, the themes were conflicting, and the whole premise was really really stupid. Even in the end, the true problem of the little girl (not having her mother) had not been solved. Tyra Banks was an annoying skank who says such things as "I'm anatomically correct" to a man and then slaps him for propositioning her. The whole movie is fake feel-good-touchy-feely disney crap. I am a teen and I hate this movies guts. Don't believe peope who say that "teens will love it to." If you show this to your teen they will kill you and hate you forever. THerapy will not be able to solve the problems this movie creates.

Interesting plot, but involves some weird things
The story is interesting, a doll that comes to life, but the way she was brought to life is a bit disturbing. I didn't like Casey's obsessions with magic. The chanting part was kind of strange. It made me feel uncomfortable. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

An slick entertaining thriller.
Jack Carter (Sylvester Stallone) find out the news that his brother died of an car accident, based on Drunk Driving but Jack doesn't believe it. Once Jack meets his brother's wife (Miranda Richardson) & his daughter (Rachel Leigh Rock) & his old friend (Mickey Rourke) not everything's it's seems to be. Then he meets his brother friend (Micheal Caine) & his business parter (Alan Cumming), the situation is getting much worse than he has think.

DVD's has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer & an strong Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. An good running commentary track by director:Stephen Kay. Deleted Scenes with the Original Ending. Cumming is the Stand-Out in the film, who has the best supporting role in this. An underrated thriller was an Box Office Flop but it has a good Stallone's Perfromance, his best since Cop Land. The Problem with the film, it`s comes to no surprise of the Identity of the Killer, who murder Carter`s Brother, that`s only main problem but another than that. It`s a solid, stylish film which is Based on a Novel by Ted Lewis, which it`s originally called:Jack`s Return Home. Screenplay by David McKenna (S.W.A.T., Blow, American History X). Super 35. Grade:B+.

Distilled "Carter"
Having not seen the original for some time,I finally saw it in its entirety last week.Considering I've only just seen the remake tonight,it's fair to say it's going to be difficult to describe it as a film that stands on its own two feet.GET CARTER(1971) was about a mobster going back to Newcastle to find who murdered his brother.His search for the truth is ruthless. GET CARTER(2000) follows much the same story,Newcastle is now Seattle.I had my misgivings about Stallone playing Carter,but surprisingly he pulls it off.Not only does he look the part,this is one of his best roles. Supported by a sleazy Mickey Rourke,Miranda Richarson as his late brother's wife,and Rachael Leigh Cook who shines in this version,as her daughter Doreen. I wasn't expecting an action fest because the original gets by because of Micheal Caine's ruthless determination to get the truth. I do like this version but I have to deduct two stars for trying to sanitise Carter and adding a happy Hollywood ending.Also most of the film,the director is so obsessed with attention span,he "strobes" the picture regularly and unnecessarily.The final confrontation between Carter and Mickey Rourke is an anticlimax.The beach chase replaced by a brawll on a dancefloor.Not quite as memorable. Stallone seems to better with age and here he still packs a punch.And rather being a hinderance to a remake with a"you're the disease,I'm the cure" approach,he's much better in this film.

GET CRACK!!!!
You'll need it to stay awake!

good movie for another era.Haven't seen the original but..
If this movie was made about 20 years ago; I could see it being a hit. The trouble is that Stallone is choosing scripts that would have worked ...if done in the eighties.

We've all seen this plot before. He performance is good but his character is too one note. He wants revenge for the death of his brother. I didn't believe his hit man with a heart of gold act though. The action scenes were good. The action was very influenced by music videos. While not a total waste of time the movie needed more substance to work.

I could see Stallone in roles taken by Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro..I think that he needs a role that doesn't put him in the tough guy mode. "Cop Land" proved to me he could do Oscar material.

An Underrated Stallone Classic!
Get Carter is film in which Stallone fans will enjoy thoroughly. Although it is different. The different camera angles and weird screen effects make the movie hard to follow the first time out.
The acting is pretty solid. Though Mickey Rourke seems to sort of slump on his part.
All in all, it's a great thriller movie that does have some nice action to it. Stallone delivers well here. I don't think many will be disappointed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A string of insurmountable gaps in logic keeps this science fiction/thriller hybrid from director John Dahl (Joy Ride, The Last Seduction) from fully developing its intriguing premise. Ray Liotta stars as a medical examiner who is obsessed with finding his wife's killer. A possible solution is found in neurobiologist Linda Fiorentino's experimental serum, which transfers memories from one person to another--even from the deceased. Liotta injects himself with the serum, which allows him harrowing glimpses into other people's minds. But while each dose brings him closer to identifying the killer, it also puts him one step nearer to death. Dahl keeps the film moving briskly and wraps it in noirish photography, but he's let down by Bill Geddie's script, which asks viewers to swallow some implausible notions (the instantaneous success of the experimental serum, for one). --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (6)

MEMORABLE
Once you get past the implausibility of the plot (mainly that the drug culled from Cerebral spinal fluid could do what occurs in this movie), you have a nervewrackingly good thriller. Ray Liotta, one of our most underappreciated actors, stars as a medical examiner who was cleared of murdering his wife by a technicality. In investigating a horrifying killing spree at a pharmacy, Ray thinks the killer is the same one who murdered his wife. He goes out on a date and meets Linda Fiorentino (quite good in a laconic way), who has developed a serum which allows memory transfer between rats. But, it is dangerous, and has not been tried on humans. Liotta is so empassioned with finding his wife's murderer, he steals the drug and uses it, and it does work, but without damage to his heart. From heron, Liotta finds out that Kim Coates (as a seedy drug dealer) is the one who did the pharmacy killing, and in flashbacks, he sees Coates attacking his wife. But, is he the true culprit? Many surprising plot twists evolve, and it is a great film. Featured are Peter Coyote, as Liotta's friend, a police detective; "Sex and the City's" Kim Cattrall has a small role as Liotta's sister in law who has custody of his girls; David Paymer plays Liotta's friend and partner; and Christopher McDonald is a seedy, sleazy cop who thinks Liotta did kill the wife.
John Dahl directs with assuredness and the rainy Seattle setting is perfect.
An unknown gem.

FIRST RATE THRILLER
John Dahl should smash the box-office one of these days because he truely deserves it. Unforgettable is his best work effort, a gripping suspensefiul script supported by an excellent cast and a director who knows how to keep you on the edge of your sofa. The Dolby Digital track is very dynamic and does justice to Christopher Young's remarkable score. This widescreen edition is not anamorphic, as marked on the back cover, but the image is sharp.

It's finally on DVD!
I've been waiting for this movie to come out on DVD since I first got a DVD player about three years ago. Ray Liotta gives an excellent performance as a man falsely accused of murder trying to find his wife's killer. The plot is very interesting and original and presented so that it is believable and intense. Definitely a must-have.

effectively moody
surprisingly well executed and acting was expecte

Malton is a disgrace!
A more inntense thriller/suspense movie is hard to find ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Devil Winds Blows You Away
I just got my DVD of Devil Winds and it is awesome. Joe Lando(Dr. Quinn, Higher Ground) is still a hottie. The storyline is very plausible and the CGIs look like a real tornado was happeining. The chemistry between Pete (Joe) and Julia (Nicole Eggert) could have been explored more, but there is alot of action to make up for it. If you like "disaster" type movies, I think this one will become a favorite to watch. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, stars of the late '70s, live-action television series The Incredible Hulk, cap a run of sporadic TV movies based on the old show with Death of the Incredible Hulk. The gloomy title says it all. Bixby's Dr. David Banner, spiritually exhausted after years of rage-induced transformations into a snarling, green monster, takes a last stab at finding a cure by posing as a retarded janitor in a government-funded research laboratory. His secret collaboration with a scientist (Philip Sterling) on "killing" the Hulk's genetic viability goes awry when a gorgeous foreign spy (Barbara Tarbuck) disrupts a crucial procedure and invites the wrath of brutal terrorists, the federal government, and, yes, the big man (Ferrigno) himself. With death chains rattling in the background, various ironies in the story become poignant: After years of isolation, Banner finds friendship and love just in time to risk it all for a lasting peace. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Smoke Jumpers
I never understood why Howie Long doesn't make more like this. I think he did a fine job. Good perfomances by Scott Glen and William Forsythe as well. Forsythe has bad guys down to an art. If you liked action films like "Cliffhanger" with Sylvester Stallone, "Diehard" with Bruce Willis, "The Fugitive" with Harrison Ford, or "Shoot to Kill" with Tom Berenger you should like this. This is as good as many I have seen by these actors. While fighting a fire a group of convicts escape and Howie must stop them from kidnapping his friends. I would say give the critics the axe.

Howie Long Needs to Stick to Football
FIRESTORM is Howie Long's first film where he is the Marquee star and, and so far the only one. Which may be a good thing. The buff, square-jawed ex-football player and FOX NFL commentator should DEFINITELY stick to bantering with Terry Bradshaw and the rest of his FOX co-workers on Sunday afternoons. Perhaps I was expecting too much of this movie--after all, it is an action flick--but Long only seems to wear one facial expression throughout the movie, and he reads his dialogue like he's watching cue cards off camera. The rest of the cast is little better. Scott Glenn appears in every shot to be thinking "How did I get roped into making this movie?" Suzy Amis' character is pure cliche as the developing romantic interest for Long's character. The only joy to watch is William Forsythe, who seems to be the only one who really seems to enjoy playing his role. He plays bad guys very well--You may remember him as Al Capone during the short-lived syndicated revival of "The Untouchables" TV show a few years ago (Or Maybe not). Of course, the forest fire special effects are spectacular, and they may be the only reason I give the movie two stars instead of one. There's one question that puzzles me: How did two bird's eggs survive intact in an unpadded, unsealed metal case through A) a motorcycle ride over a rough forest floor B) a parachute jump into a river and C) immersion in a forest lake?

HEROIC HOWIE
Sports stars turned actors have never been serious threats at the Academy awards, and big Howie Long is certainly no exception. However, with his buff bod, icy blue eyes and a hint of malevolent humor, he acquits himself quite nicely in this blazing adventure. He plays the news fire chief of the Smoke Jumpers when buddy Scott Glenn is injured in a frightening opening rescue scene. The pyrotechnics in this movie are awesome and heat up the screen (ha ha). Suzy Amis is fun as the ornithologist who just happens to walk into the thick of things; William Forsythe is painfully effective as the cold-hearted killer who offs his prison escapee buddies so he can get all of his 37,000,000 dollars! There are some mind-blowing fire scenes and the firestorm itself is awesome.
A great kickbutt type of movie, and Howie's the man!!!

Howie Jumps Cons
I don't understand why Howie Long doesn't make more like this. I think he did a fine job. Good perfomances by Scott Glen and William Forsythe as well. Forsythe has being a bad guy down to an art. If you liked action films like "Cliffhanger" with Sylvester Stallone, or "Shoot to Kill" with Tom Berenger you should like this. This is as good as many I have seen by these actors. While fighting a fire a group of convicts escape and Howie must stop them from kidnapping his friends...

A Life Modification
"Firestorm" is one of those movies that can change a person's life. It changed mine. I have so much admiration for fire jumpers now since Howie Long battled those forest fires. Yes. He destroyed bad guys with a chainsaw, an ax and his bare hands. Almost eternal. Too bad Teri Hatcher didn't star in this movie to talk about Radio Shack and irk the honorable individual. Yes. I have been swayed by this cinematic event of the century to tell you about it. This event is charity to the human race. Sagacity! ... Read more

Description

New York, the City That Never Sleeps, is trapped in a nightmare of horror and destruction when a massive earthquake rocks the unsuspecting city.Countless lives are lost, families are torn apart, and chaos runs rampant as the Mayor (Charles S. Dutton) and former Fire Chief (Tom Skerritt) race to enact a city-wide emergency plan.The two men also face personal devastation and uncertainty as their own family members lie buried in the toppled infrastructure.Sharon Lawrence, Lisa Nicole Carson and Cicely Tyson also star in this incredible story of undying courage in the face of unimaginable human tragedy. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

COMMENDABLE MOVIE
It's ironic that in this 1999 film. the Twin Towers remain standing after the devastating earthquake that tumbles the powerful city to its feet. A t.v. movie originally aired on NVC, AFTERSHOCK is directed well by Mikail Solomon and has a fine cast. The script is typical vignettes of several people and how they deal with the quake, but it is well written and performed, and adds the requisite human touch to the film. The overall acting is very good: Tom Selleck as the disgruntled fire chief who is having an ongoing political battle with Mayor Charles S. Dutton; Jennifer Garner as a ballet wannabe who meets up with a Russian cabby; Sharon Lawrence is very good as a mother whose carelessness rendered her little boy an invalid; Lisa Nicole Carson as an up and coming lawyer who gets an alleged murderer off the hook only to doubt his innocence; Cicely Tyson as the feisty mayor's mother who turns a street kid into a young man; and many actors whose names I can't recall who did a fine job in the storyline.
The earthquake sequence is devastating and very convincing. The movie is one of those "feel good" movies, that works.
Not your average made for TV fare.

The Big Apple can have the big shake
If you are in any doubt as to how good this film is, then ask yourself the question "why are people discussing the scientific fact behind the storyline?" The special effects are more than convincing and you really do get the feeling that you could be watching an earthquake in progress. If anyone out there questions the possibility of earthquakes in Manhattan, then maybe you should refer to the following ...I live in the United Kingdom, where earthquakes can not happen, tornados never happen and the possibility of hurricanes is "laughable" as one 1987 forecaster said. In 1987, we had a hurricane, in 1998 we had tornadoes and this year, we suffered a minor earthquake. Never say never.

Earthquakes will get you!!!
Okay so my title sounds like some kind of horror movie but who cares. As many people have writen in their previews that earthquakes don't happen in New York. Survey Says... ERRRRRRRRR!
Earthquakes can happen anywhere! Okay so manhatten hasn't had an earthquake for a while that doesn't mean that there's a switch to turn earthquakes on or off in New York. So Earthquakes happen in California more often. It's because they lie on a huge fault line. Earthquakes have happened in North Carolina and Missouri that doesn't mean New York is safe. And although September 11 was bad that doesn't mean that god will suddenly protect New York from Earthquakes because of Two Towers Collapsing. Earthquakes can hit New York and they will. Same with Canada last year Toronto had a 5.2 Earthquake! Anyway this movie is great and the special effects are A W E S O M E! (P.S i'm not some science geek). Defintaley worth 5 stars

Twin Towers Rock Before 9-11
As an avid sci-fi/action genre maven who likes special effects, I was very surprised that a low budget movie did so well in cinematography. A well written and acted script,and very good special effects lends some credibility to having a powerful earthquake in a relatively low risk zone. It was eerie seeing the Trade Center again (as so many movies do), suffer damage other than terrorist driven. The main complaint about the DVD is that it is not widescreen. Being a TV movie, one would not expect widescreen, but the jewelcase description says "formatted to fit your TV", thus it leads one to believe that a widescreen exists. Still, I enjoyed the film and actually believe the special effects to be better than in "Earthquake".

AFTERSHOCK - thoroughly enjoyed -- great surprise!
I enjoyed the VHS version and was greatly surprised - and pleasantly so - when I discovered the DVD had a more complete version of the movie -- I really liked the interaction between Tom Skerritt and Charles Dutton's characters -- Action was nicely paced and the characters were great to follow in their individual story lines - a great blending of characters -- loved the ending -- really need to see it. ... Read more

Description

On a dare, twelve-year old, terminally ill Owen Walters sneaks into the mortuary and videotapes Mr. Rice's funeral. Later, Owen and his friends break into Mr. Rice's house to watch the tape. In the bedroom, they discover a sealed envelope addressed to Owen - a letter from Mr. Rice, written in his secret code. Owen soon discovers that Mr. Rice has left him a medieval code ring, a treasure map and a series of clues. Clues that will lead him on a surreal treasure hunt and one steop closer to his destiny - which may save his life. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Warm
I found this film engaging and uplifting. One of those films that makes you think about the essential things in life in a healthy and inspiring way.

From A Bowie Fan Perspective......
If you are seeing this film for ANY other reason than David Bowie, you may want to run and not just walk away, NOW. However, Bowie's performance lights up this film, and considering all of the less than well-chosen works of the cinema under his belt, this film is sweet and very under-rated....in a sentimental kind-of way. However, this film has a definate message, one that has resounded in other Bowie works (music and film), as well as from Bowie himself. Everyone makes a difference - it's what you do in life that counts, not how long you live. Take if from me, this film isn't as bad as people would want you to beleive!

A Secret we could All Learn from.
Mr. Rice's Secret is a wonderful opportuitity to explore the
imporantance each of us represents in Life. No matter how long
or short your life is; it's what you do while your here that
counts. How you treat others and what you believe in. I liked
the moral this story left me with. Be true to yourself and each
other.Rejoice in every moment you have been given.

Bowie is the only real star here, has good message for kids.
So your search for anything Bowie has finally led you here. The story seems like a resurrected after school special with silly adventures and dialogue that just doesn't exist for kids. But then David (Mr. Rice) starts speaking... and things don't seem so bad. Uh, then again. A 400 year old man you would think wouldn't require kids to let's say, exhume a corpse! There is a message to the movie, very predictable, but this movie doesn't get past it's simpleton plot. And for you diehard Bowie fans, you'll love how he and his voice take over. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A CUT ABOVE THE REST
Malcolm McDowall is one of those actors you thought would have had a meteoric rise to fame after his unsettling performance in 1970's CLOCKWORK ORANGE. However, other than a few minor flicks in the seventies, he sort of became one of those actors who pops up in unlikely places, such as ISLAND OF THE DEAD and this dark comedy from Canada.
McDowell is this movie's strength, though. With his acerbicly funny narration and his smooth deft performance as Dexter Miles, the barber, he uses the movie to showcase his innate talents.
I still have a little trouble in why they decided Vance Corrigan was the killer; that point was never really clarified, so that when the movie comes up with its twisty yet appropriate ending, you're still left with wondering why Vance was suspect.
Oh well, this is a combination of TWIN PEAKS and FARGO, and it's highly enjoyable.

"The Barber" - a must see!
"The Barber" - not your average murder mystery, this movie tells the tale of a serial killer (in his own words, no less!) who attempts to evade justice. His latest victim is discovered sooner than he thinks, and it is highly amusing to watch Dexter (McDowell) play along with the bumbling idiots on the case. What tops this movie is Malcolm's brilliant acting - he is extremely good, and makes the viewer root for him, although he is portraying a murderer! You want him to get away with it, as he eventually does, in the end. A must see for any Malcolm McDowell fan

Anticritic Reviews The Barber
Hair today, dead tomorrow, life goes on. In a remote town in the far north of the world lies a town where citizens die out of blue, but to [heck] if they die without great hair thanks to the barber known as Dexter Miles (Malcolm McDowell). In a town where everybody sleeps with the same woman, hunters kill in the off season, and the chief of police is about as smart as the village idiot one would never suspect a serial killer to waste his time messing with these people since their existence alone is as depressing as the 24 hr darkness they live in.

Suffice to say, bodies of the few and pretty women of the town start showing up and the chief's answer is to get irate about his fax machine. The locals know the answer to this of course, it's called S.A.D. which stands for Seasonal Affection Disorder and blame the darkness for making people crazy. ... With all of this going on who would ever think it would be the one man who wields a blade as a living?

Wonderful serial killer flick with a smooth mix of dark comedy and thriller fare. Malcolm McDowell was the only known star in this and the main role as the satirical mass murdering barber was made for him and no one else. He also narrates through most of it and with his voice that only helps.

The town is covered in darkness throughout the entirety of it's runtime and it only brings out joy from me. Living in darkness would be wonderful, minus a barber that imbibes in killing of customers of course. This brings a wonderful morose mood to the movie and FOR ONCE the serial killer isn't some lame one dimensional single tracked fiend set out on getting himself caught no matter what. Malcolm's character is written very well and in a scene where he says "Come here I have a nice sink to do you in" makes me crack up everytime cause when you see it you'll know why, it just works on so many levels. Not to mention his comments throughout the film are just observations on people's preconceptions of psychopaths and are not only great satire, but also make since and can even dare I say, be informative.

Slick production and some nice Canadian supporting actors make this a sure fire hit that people will surely pass off as a cheap horror movie. Nothing horror about it really, if you love dark comedy it's perfect.

The only thing wrong with this movie is that I couldn't stop laughing long enough to see some scenes. Wonderful flick.

Eventhough it is funny throughout, I digress to say that the comedy in this is dark and you have to have the right sense of humor to enjoy that. It mostly tries to be a thriller so don't feel bad if you don't laugh....maybe i'm just "special".

The Barber- A cut above the rest!
After actually being involved with the shooting of The Barber, I was anticipating it's release. I was pleasantly surprised at the finished product. A solid script with believable characters and thrilling plot that will have you continuously wondering- will they catch him? Malcolm Mcdowell is eerily fantastic. With a simple facial expression, added with his chilling narration, he successfully brings to life, Dexter, a psychopath you love to hate.

Can't wait for the sequal!

Since I run www.malcolmcdowell.net I got an advance copy
Wow! This is one great movie. I was impressed at how much fun this simple little film could be. Low budget, small amount of set changes and no special effects. I love it. A near perfect film and another great leading role in the 2000s after Gangster No.1.

I first heard about the film when I got the press release and people in Canada started emailing me about it in April 2001. One guy on the set said this is the one to watch and Malcolm said to me how much fun it was. I have been looking forward to it ever since and was not disappointed. I think the plot was perfectly done because it wasn't about figuring out who the killer was, it was getting inside his mind and seeing how normal he was. The great thing is that he narrated the film. I think that is the secret. If Malcolm narrates his film it is going to be great. He did it for A Clockwork Orange, Assassin of the Tsar + Gangster No. 1...need I say more?

It might be billed as a horror film, but it is not. It has more of a Twin Peaks kind of feel. Both start out with a murder of a girl who you don't know anything about and only learn a little at time as the film goes on. Plus both have a male out of town agent who the women like to come in to solve the case. Both take place on an isolated area of the west coast in the US. What makes The Barber fun is that the focus isn't on the horror, the killing or sex. It is on the characters and the psychological aspect of the story and their personalities. There are four murders, but no blood and guts, no killing blows or struggle are shown. We only find out about the killings after the fact. They also show dark very well. It is like another character - the never ending darkness during the winter months of Alaska. In fact, besides the opening scene, the whole film was set at night. You can imagine how it would get to you - waking up and it is dark, dark at noon, dark at night....endless night. They call it S.A.D. - seasonal affective disorder. I don't think the whole film was shot at night though, it looks like some of the dark was digitally added.

Malcolm does the classic Anthony Perkins Psycho role. Seems nice enough, but slips in and out of insanity and he knows it. This means he is smart enough to stay ahead of the law. This also means there was no crappy ending where he gets killed, though the murder of the doctor at the end would easily be traced back to him...unless they just chalked it up to Vance and let it go. He has a couple of great lines and really plays it straight - no over the top crazy antics. He talks to us just like a regular guy which is the point - you never really know when a psychopath could be right next to you.. There is never any explanation or back story as to why he committed the crimes. The only hint is when he is telling the guys the personal involvement of strangling someone as opposed to just shooting thm.

The other actors also did well especially Jeremy and Garwin. You could feel the tension when they weren't getting along which added to the excitement. The girls were OK, but were mainly just there to wind up dead. Jewels is somewhat annoying as the dippy young woman. There is no reason given why she wants her hair done strawberry, to appeal to Crawley? Then the next scene she has it completely washed out!? And when she shows up at Dex's she complains how cold it is and takes off her coat - only wearing a small belly shirt underneath!? The soundtrack was by Peter Allen and it was pretty cool, but sounded way too much like Danny Elfman - he needs to get his own style going. The last point is I don't understand why they filmed it in Revelstoke Canada, but called it Revelstoke Alaska in the film.

I can't recommend getting a hold of this film as fast as you can. In the credits it mentions Dolby sound in select theaters, so it looks like it was planned for a theatrical release, but they changed their minds and put it straight to video. This is a good way to save money, but disappointing for those of us who would love to see it in the theater. Mistakes in a great film won't bother me unless they are obvious. There are shots you can tell that were not filmed together. Malcolm leaves the barber shop and it is snowing. He looks across the street when Agent Crawley pulls up and the angle changes. Now it isn't snowing. Cut back - snow, cut back - no snow. Also with all these shots of it snowing there is never any snow buildup in the town streets. Also the Danny Elfman wannabe soundtrack is out of place sometimes. That is why I subtracted a half point from my rating.

Rating 9.5/10 ... Read more

Reviews (9)

COMMENDABLE MOVIE
It's ironic that in this 1999 film. the Twin Towers remain standing after the devastating earthquake that tumbles the powerful city to its feet. A t.v. movie originally aired on NVC, AFTERSHOCK is directed well by Mikail Solomon and has a fine cast. The script is typical vignettes of several people and how they deal with the quake, but it is well written and performed, and adds the requisite human touch to the film. The overall acting is very good: Tom Selleck as the disgruntled fire chief who is having an ongoing political battle with Mayor Charles S. Dutton; Jennifer Garner as a ballet wannabe who meets up with a Russian cabby; Sharon Lawrence is very good as a mother whose carelessness rendered her little boy an invalid; Lisa Nicole Carson as an up and coming lawyer who gets an alleged murderer off the hook only to doubt his innocence; Cicely Tyson as the feisty mayor's mother who turns a street kid into a young man; and many actors whose names I can't recall who did a fine job in the storyline.
The earthquake sequence is devastating and very convincing. The movie is one of those "feel good" movies, that works.
Not your average made for TV fare.

The Big Apple can have the big shake
If you are in any doubt as to how good this film is, then ask yourself the question "why are people discussing the scientific fact behind the storyline?" The special effects are more than convincing and you really do get the feeling that you could be watching an earthquake in progress. If anyone out there questions the possibility of earthquakes in Manhattan, then maybe you should refer to the following ...I live in the United Kingdom, where earthquakes can not happen, tornados never happen and the possibility of hurricanes is "laughable" as one 1987 forecaster said. In 1987, we had a hurricane, in 1998 we had tornadoes and this year, we suffered a minor earthquake. Never say never.

Earthquakes will get you!!!
Okay so my title sounds like some kind of horror movie but who cares. As many people have writen in their previews that earthquakes don't happen in New York. Survey Says... ERRRRRRRRR!
Earthquakes can happen anywhere! Okay so manhatten hasn't had an earthquake for a while that doesn't mean that there's a switch to turn earthquakes on or off in New York. So Earthquakes happen in California more often. It's because they lie on a huge fault line. Earthquakes have happened in North Carolina and Missouri that doesn't mean New York is safe. And although September 11 was bad that doesn't mean that god will suddenly protect New York from Earthquakes because of Two Towers Collapsing. Earthquakes can hit New York and they will. Same with Canada last year Toronto had a 5.2 Earthquake! Anyway this movie is great and the special effects are A W E S O M E! (P.S i'm not some science geek). Defintaley worth 5 stars

Twin Towers Rock Before 9-11
As an avid sci-fi/action genre maven who likes special effects, I was very surprised that a low budget movie did so well in cinematography. A well written and acted script,and very good special effects lends some credibility to having a powerful earthquake in a relatively low risk zone. It was eerie seeing the Trade Center again (as so many movies do), suffer damage other than terrorist driven. The main complaint about the DVD is that it is not widescreen. Being a TV movie, one would not expect widescreen, but the jewelcase description says "formatted to fit your TV", thus it leads one to believe that a widescreen exists. Still, I enjoyed the film and actually believe the special effects to be better than in "Earthquake".

AFTERSHOCK - thoroughly enjoyed -- great surprise!
I enjoyed the VHS version and was greatly surprised - and pleasantly so - when I discovered the DVD had a more complete version of the movie -- I really liked the interaction between Tom Skerritt and Charles Dutton's characters -- Action was nicely paced and the characters were great to follow in their individual story lines - a great blending of characters -- loved the ending -- really need to see it. ... Read more