Description

Olivia is an artist, but recurring dreams pull her toward the daughter shewas forced to give up as a young girl, bringing urgency to her work. Natalia has justcommanded her first magazine cover as a photojournalist, but an aching to know whathappened to the subject of her cover leads her on a new direction in life. Catherine,despite being an accomplished cellist, is consumed with lingering emotional pain.She iswavering unsteadily as she disappears from her family, exacting revenge on the source ofher anxiety. As the three women each are visited by the same vision of a young girl, theybecome inspired to pursue their dreams with a renewed spirit of hope and freedom. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

incredible movie
"Between Strangers" was an incredibly moving film, and I am glad to have had the opportunity to see it.

Some people may not enjoy it because there is not an obviously to it, no real action. However, the stories of the three women that unfold are sad and dramatic and very touching. All the actors are incredible, from Sofia Loren down to Wendy Crewson.

A great cast cannot save a horrendous film
Despite a cast that ought to be a recipe for success, "Between Strangers" is a plodding film that recycles cliche after cliche after cliche. The characters are one dimensional; the dialogue is amateur, and though the cinematography is rather good, the editor should have been fired. Films that deal in human relationships need to be directed with an eye for nuance and subtlety. It is as if Ponti had fashioned whatever point he was trying to make into a spike and then drove it into your head with a hammer.

Lacking the sophistication of "Lost In Translation", the loving and poignant melodrama of "Far From Heaven" and the sense of urgency of "The Hours"--a flawed but very worthwhile film--"Between Strangers" is not even adequate. There is, alas, really nothing good to say about this film. That is a shame.

Adagio for Three Women
BETWEEN FRIENDS is a tough story told with unrelieved intensity, acted with underplayed angst, and directed with quiet strength by Eduardo Ponti. The "Strangers" are three unrelated women, each of whom has a burden that grows until it must be lifted.

Mira Sorvino is a media photographer, daughter of Klaus Maria Brandauer (who has multiple awards for his own news photography, who has just had one of her images appear on TIME magazine - an image of a little girl from Angola who we gradually learn died in the fire Mira was photographing. She is haunted by the fact that the time she spent photographing the child could have been used to save the child's life.

Deborah Unger is a concert cellist whose wife-abusing father (Malcolm McDowell) is released from prison despite her conviction that he should die for his cruelty, forcing her to leave her own family in the attempt to end her father's existence.

Sophia Loren is a haggard housewife who has devoted her sad life to caring for her wheelchair-bound past athlete husband (Pete Postlethwaite) until she sees her illegitimate daughter she was forced to abandon becoming the sculptor artist she herself always wanted to be. Each of these women have visions of the same small girl at moments when they are forced to confront their pain and each finds a way back to salvation through 'living out a dream'.

Some may find the story saccharine, but the actors deliver these sad folk in such an honest way that together they manage to capture our hearts. It is a true pleasure to see Sophia Loren act again and even the makeup she dons for her dowdy role cannot hide the fact that she remains one of the most beautiful women the screen has known - and one of the best actresses. All cast members are superb. Just be aware of the fact that this is a bleak story that requires much from the viewer. The rewards are worth it. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Who Wants To Be Quentin Tarantino?
This is another movie that seemed to suffer of the "Pulp Fiction" effect, as it pretty much relies on attitude, cool badass characters, stylish cinematography and edgy music to give mood. The story, however, isn`t that great, turning into an average betrayal plot that doesn`t bring nothing new or too memorable, and is a bit too slow. Some good moments still occur, though, and the acting is alright, with talents like Eric Stoltz, James Spader, Mary Tyler Moore and even a then unnoticed Cameron Diaz. So, "Keys To Tulsa" is a decent indie movie that`s neither too surprising nor too disappointing, another one to watch at a rainy night.

Not a good buy at all
I bought this movie because I collect movies with Cameron Diaz and I can say it was disapointing. She appears during one minute at the beginning and never again!
I didn't find any interest in the story, and I was yawning all the time. How boring can this be?

don't buy it!
the story is boring and stupid, the actors act very bad, except Cameron Diaz, but we only see her 5 minutes.

Cool little film; lousy DVD release!
I could hold forth on the relative merits of this DVD's entertainment value--you get to see some weird incarnations of various prominent actors, James Spader looking particularly weird; not that many flicks set in Oklahoma these days; Joanna Going carried the film, etc. etc.--but instead I think I'll criticize the DVD itself. First off, it has exactly ONE "special feature" (production stills, at that!). Furthermore, not only does this disc lack the extended cut (missing 3 minutes, this is just the R-rated version), it is also, most pathetically of all, full-frame only. Come on! This is a 2002 release of a **1997** film, and somehow they couldn't manage a widescreen edition. Has the distributor already been repossessed or something? It's DVDs like this that make me doubt for the future of the medium. Get with the program, Artisan!

Joanna Going -- WOW!
It's offensive that Cameron Diaz is on the cover of this thing, when her mediocre part is over just about as soon as the credits.

Joanna Going gave her all, meanwhile, and isn't mentioned on the box at all. I bought the DVD to see her, and every red-blooded male out there bought it for the same reason. Who are they kidding with this Cameron Diaz jazz? It's a taut mystery story, too, with real characters in an unreal situation. I loved it. ... Read more

Description

The last incredible chapter of the thrilling action-adventure series, HIGHLANDER: THE FINAL DIMENSION finds the immortal Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert -- HIGHLANDER 1&2, FORTRESS) destined for a decisive battle with his ruthless eternal enemy, Kane (Mario Van Peebles -- GUNMEN, POSSE, NEW JACK CITY). Pursued across time by his arch rival, MacLeod must make a heroic last stand if he is to rid the earth of the seemingly unstoppable Kane! Packed with intense action and astonishing special effects -- the Highlander's greatest challenge will become your ultimate adventure! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Highlander Action!!!
Highlander: Final Dimension is a very good movie. Some complain that it is too much like the original but I found it very good. Its way better than part 2 and Endgame. To be honest they should've just let Connor MacLeod rode off into the sunset instead of bringing him back for Endgame.
The action in this movie is very good and so are some of the special effects. As always the soundtrack is great with the talented Lorenna McKennit singing Bonny Portmore. There's even a poor man's version of Motley Crue's Dr. Feelgood during the final battle! I always like this movie because it brings us back to Connor in a realistic way. None of this futuristic or Sanctuary garbage. This is really the second best movie in the whole series.

Nowhere near a good film, but most average sequel yet
Some fans will strike me for this, others will clap me on the shoulder, but in my opinion, HIGHLANDER III: THE SORCERER is the only trustworthy, even average sequel to HIGHLANDER. Let's face it - HIGHLANDER II can't even be considered a sequel, while HIGHLANDER: ENDGAME was a complete waste of potential.

Released in the U.S. as HIGHLANDER: THE FINAL DIMENSION, H3 has immortal Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert, back and better than ever) realizing that he didn't win The Prize, and that some immortals still remain: one of whom is evil sorcerer Kane (Mario Van Peebles). After Kane is freed from a 400-year slumber, he journeys to New York City seeking the Highlander. There MacLeod must do battle again. The game may have changed, but the rule remains the same: in the end, there can be only one.

First of all, let me say that while it's nowhere near a good movie, HIGHLANDER III is very entertaining and actually quite fun to watch. It's almost even a remake of the first film. Everything we want to know is explained (including why we have HIGHLANDER sequels!), and ... *sigh* Deborah Unger is included ...

Surprisingly, the film was also the only HIGHLANDER movie to get a PG-13! (The director's cut, however, is back to an R for a couple of sex scenes)

HIGHLANDER III also bears the most resemblance to HIGHLANDER: THE SERIES, which was, at the time, being filmed. It also features Loreena McKennit's "Bonny Portmore", one of the most beautiful songs ever written, which was featured in H:TS and later in HIGHLANDER: ENDGAME.

For every 1 good review of this film there are 10 bad ones. I think you'll just have to rent it yourself (Director's Cut, only) and see what you think. I thought it was the only reliable HIGHLANDER sequel yet.

The rule still remains: there can be only one. And so far, it applies to the sequels as well.

CAUTION!!!!
Only one ''special'' feature-trailers for other movies! Also this is in a format not mentioned on this site now- Widescreen. Repeat- Not full screen but crap screen as I call it. Now all 3 versions of the highlander movies [ excluding part two of course ] are widescreen. Me and everybody I know and have asked have no use for widescreen and hate it in comparison to full screen, who wants this? Stupid! 15$! Not recommended. 1 bad special feature- crapscreen format- copy protected so you can't put it on tape with one player [ boy I tried ]. I own it, but I can't put it on tape if I want to? I wasn't going to sell it, I just wanted to tape it for a friend who doesn't have a dvd player to watch it on. The quality of the transfer is nothing great. Considering it was made in the 90's and all- it looks about like it did. Also the story has plot holes you can walk through. I bought It partly for collection and partly because as bad as the actual story is or is laid out, it has good special effects -funny moments-deborah unger nude scene and I needed another highlander fix by the way. Not unwatchable at all, simply not well made. Entertaining but no real emotional weight like parts one and four. Horrible flashback of Lambert and Unger. Anyway half decent for fans' fixes, awful dvd packaging. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Hey, it's good. Honest.
I don't know why reviewers were so harsh with this film. It was interesting and entertaining, and it kept me quessing, even though the other contributers on this page gave away the ending without warning of "spoilers." I recommend this film when you are not in the mood for the latest "critical success/oscar contender," preferring instead a nifty little mystery. It gets points also for having a straightforward ending, and not one of this twists where you go "huh?"

Problematic
Unger nailed her part as an obsessive patient perfectly but Sciorra seems to blunder around this film, not suspecting her mentor until the very end. I would think that if you could suspect your boyfirend so quickly and see that his face wasn't exactly real you would suspect everyone. Instead of goign that route, it makes her tunnel focused on teh always charismatic Sheridan as teh main suspect.
Great actors, with a story that doesn't quite shock.

Bottom of the barrel
Recent Soprano mistress, Annabella Sciorra plays a Manhattan therapist who gets in a complete mess and a murderous tangle with a new boyfriend and patient. The plot in this film is just absurd. It is a mess and you find your self screaming at Sciorra not to be such an idiot. The detective is not much better and the conclusion looks tacked on. Not a good whodunnit. Not much of anything.

It has a good cast, but the script is hopeless. The plot makes no sense, Sciorra breaks every ethical rule of therapy and the whole film is a waste of time. I do not think this will make an Alan Alda retrospective. Infact most of the cast have gone onto better things and that is the best you can say about it.

These Whispers are Not Much Fun
A number of characters in this movies are sexually disturbed, and it is a matter of guessing which one of them is a killer. I won't give away the plot, but, somewhat predictably, none of the patients are guilty. And the real killer documents his crimes on tape so diligently that you have to wonder if this detail is an intentional insult directed to the audience. The movie is occasionally sexy, but unfortuantely, some moments are also nauseatingly grusome. All in all, this thriller is neither that thrilling, nor exciting.

This Film is Whispering to be Remade
WHISPERS IN THE DARK has a terrific screenplay. It's an overlooked gem of a plot. In the claustrophobic world of New York upperclass psychiatrists, there are doctor-patient intrigues, patient-patient intrigues, and doctor-doctor intrigues. Like walking through a minefield. The author not only manages to keep them all in the air at the same time, but adds in a murder mystery with genuine surprises like a classical whodunnit. At the end of the movie I felt like standing up and shouting "REMAKE!" except it would have been futile because I was watching the VHS tape alone. The Hollywood moguls missed a good bet when they underfinanced this script. Christopher Crowe, who wrote the brilliant script, just isn't a brilliant director. You can tell because he had a superstar, Alan Alda, and got a lot less out of him than Alda could have delivered. The rest of the cast wasn't star quality. Leonard Maltin says there were "standout performances," but I have to disagree. Just imagine what a huge hit this film would be if it had a great director and a cast of real actors like Sharon Stone or Nicole Kidman in the female lead, Elliot Gould in the Alan Alda role (not that Gould is a better actor than Alda, but he can be more menacing), and William Hurt as co-star. In fact, I think this movie will be remade some day--the story is just that good! Meanwhile, should you see it? Indeed yes, if you like a well-plotted tale moderately-well told. ... Read more

Description

They had ' 'the world on a string' '. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, known as ' 'The Rat Pack' ' set the style and the pace for 1950's America as the nation roller coastered its way towards the swinging '60s. But can the high life last forever? If Frank and the boys have their way by electing John F. Kennedy, the party has only just begun. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A Litttle Off-Center, But Brilliant Nonetheless
No matter how you slice it, "The Rat Pack" is a good movie. Great performances, a very well-written script that captured the subjects beautifully, a swinging soundtrack and stylish visuals all combine to make this a fantastic film..

A better Sinatra could have been found out there, surely. Ray Liotta is a great actor in his own right, but just wasn't the right choice for this part. However, Joe Mantegna as Dean Martin and Don Cheadle as Sammy Davis, Jr. (both were nominated for Emmys) were spot-on. Mantegna was wonderfully elusive as the deadpan, enigmatic, very sober Dino, and Cheadle stole the show as the immensely conflicted Sammy. I very much enjoyed Angus MacFadyen as long-suffering Peter Lawford and, even though he appeared only one or two times, Bobby Slayton as Joey Bishop. Good performances also came from William Petersen as JFK, Megan Dodds as May Britt, and Dan O'Herlihy as the scheming Joe Kennedy. And it doesn't hurt that the makeup (Emmy-nominated also) was great--take a look at the briefly-shown old Sinatra at the beginning!

The movie tries way too hard to cover several years in a couple of hours. It completely skips any backstory (including the Pack's formation), leaves out lots of things and people, and ends far too early, cutting out the many interesting developments in the years to come; also, many key players included are downscaled, like Bishop, Monroe, and mobster Sam Giancana. Also, incredible dramatic license is taken in places, ranging from the not-so-important (like the fact that the Pack always had their hotel rooms on the same floor, and "One For My Baby" was recorded years before the end) to the major (Peter informed Frank that Kennedy wasn't coming over the phone from D.C., and Dino and Sammy weren't there, either). But, somehow, it all still works.

Plot defects aside, there are some moments of sheer brilliance; the gang's music was used in striking ways to enhance what was onscreen. Sammy's first scene, with him singing, dnacing, and playing the drums AND the trumpet, really showed the immense body of talent he possessed (arguably more than any other Pack member) and the one-man showstopper he was. The group's carousing was caught nicely with the Summit re-enactment, and the after-parties in the great segment with "Ain't That A Kick in the Head" playing while the camera enters each member's hotel room. (Dean really would settle in with a comic book and a Western on TV!) The scene with Frank sailing with JFK at Hyannis Port, when Frankie was on top of the world, had "I've Got the World on a String" playing under it (it also played over the credits). Sammy singing "I've Got You Under My Skin" to the Ku Klux Klan; the juxtaposition of the lyrics and the situation--suddenly the words aren't about love anymore, but strong hate! This is a number that will leave you reeling. The final segment, with Frank singing "One For My Baby" as we see what becomes of the Pack and all their cohorts and remember their glory days, before Frank disappears in a cloud of smoke a la his "retirement" concert in '71, is as beautiful as it is stunning. I got chills when I saw the scene with Sammy, dressed in black satin pajamas, watching racist television reports about himself in an entirely white room. And Frank's introduction, singing "Live Till I Die," is beyond words. The lyrics sum up his life so well it's scary: "Those blues I lay low/I'll make them stay low/They'll never trail over my head/I'll be a devil till I'm an angel...Gonna dance gonna fly/I'll take my chance riding high/Before my numbers up I'm gonna fill my cup..."

It may miss here and there, but all in all, "The Rat Pack" is an motion picture experience that should not be missed.

terrific entertainment
Chris Dudley must be a famous movie maker, that's why he knows so much more about making films than the people who made this piece of terrific entertainment. Why, this film doesn't "focus" on how each one of them became famous. It spends too much time on Sinatra, when really we all wanted to see more of Peter Lawford. At least Dudley knows how to spell "non-sequitur" but either he doesn't understand it or doesn't get why the lyrics to the song "I'm Gonna Live" perfectly presage the extracts from the life of its singer, Frank Sinatra, we're about to see.

Dudley doesn't want a movie, he wanted a 10-hour mini-series.

What we got was fun and exciting, with several scenes you will remember forever (at least I will), not just because it's like you're watching the real history we never knew at the time, but because they are well played and paced. For example, the scene in a nightclub with Frank, Dean, Sammy, Peter, Marilyn Monroe, Joe Dimaggio, and Jack and Bobby Kennedy sitting at a big table, with Judy Campbell (later to become Exner) sitting at a small table off to the side, with mobsters Johnny Roselli and Mickey Cohen over there, is extraordinary. The "High Hopes" number was great, and yes it did happen. The meeting between Joe Kennedy and Sinatra where the Kennedy clan patriarch directs Sinatra to ditch the blacklisted writer he had hired and to get his mob pals to help "win" the West Virginia primary is all the more powerful for being so brief. Frank's passionate argument with Ava showed how much two people who really love each other can hurt the other. How much more can you reasonably ask from a 2 hour TV movie, or indeed from any movie?

I didn't see this until just the other day and I damn near stayed up all night just to watch it, and it takes something arresting to grab my attention and keep it that late at night when I really had no intention of seeing the sun come up.

Rat Review
I thought the Rat Pack was an excellent movie. Charactor portrayals were very close to what I remember them being having grown up in the early 50's. Tensions abound inside the Pack as they deal with the evolution of entertainment industry close friendships and outside as Sinatra draws the Pack through a politics-meets-the-mob maze. Perhaps the most telling and eloquint of all lines spoken, Sinatra's reflection on days past, "I miss my guys."

If you haven't seen this movie, you're cheating yourself out of a delightful romp through the old days of wine, women, and song.

OK movie but Not all that Realistic!
I had this DVD, it was one of the first DVD's I bought when I got my DVD player and it was an ok movie but perhaps containing more fiction then fact. The acting was good even though most of the cast didn't resemble the people they were portraying except maybe Angus MacFadyen who looks a little like Peter Lawford but I think Bobby Slayton who played Joey Bishop looked a lot like the real Joey Bishop. While this movie wasn't a totally true accurate account of these guys it was worth watching once and I do think that Ray Liotta (Frank Sinatra), Joe Montegna (Dean Martin) Angus MacFadyen (Peter Lawford), Don Cheadle (Sammy Davis Jr) and Bobby Slayton (Joey Bishop) gave good performances even if most of them didn't look much like who they were portraying. An ok movie but after I watched it I went to a store that lets you sell or trade your DVD's and I traded it in for another used DVD.

Entertainment 4 stars, accuracy 2 stars maybe
This movie is indeed good entertainment and nothing more than that. It somewhat captures the swinging late 50s and early 60s before the onslaught of the Beatles changed the music industry forever.

There are a bunch of half truths and rumors in here but the movie is fun to watch anyway if you take it with a grain of salt. For example, by early 1962, Sinatra was no longer at CAPITOL and the song ONE FOR MY BABY was recorded at CAPITOL in 1958.

None of the rat pack except maybe Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford's character closely resemble the real legends in looks and speaking voice.

As stated earlier, this is a good half truth, half fiction movie. ... Read more

Description

Bobby is the golden boy and everything in life has gone his way.Boredand looking for a challenge, he buys the film rights to "Lantern Moon," a classic andtouching Canadian novel. Bobby, once again, is seeing gold. That’s before Hollywoodgets its hands on it. Through a riotous turn of events which sees an aging andmanipulative actor’s plunge into paranoid insanity, a novelist seeking damages forwatching her life’s work ruined, Bobby losing control of his ideal vision, and an on-handdocumentary crew catching the debacle on film, "Lantern Moon" becomes "Flight toBogota," and Bobby’s dream spirals out of control. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Quite a worthy and entertaining film
I disagree with the previous reviewer of this film. I would concede that Hollywood North is certainly a little jumbled in places, and certainly could have been simplified (ie. elements such as a documentary film of the making of a film which itself is the focus of the story). One element alone justifies the rating I have given it - the performance of Alan Bates as the ageing, rancorous, bigoted, paranoid, coke-snorting Hollywood star Michael Baytes. It is a brilliant portrayal, despite the limitations imposed by the script. Essentially, Hollywood North is about the results that occur when two first-time producers attempt to make a film from a classic Canadian novel in the late 1970s. In addition to Michael Baytes and his rewrites that turn the gentle story into a one-dimensional, John Wayne-style action film, these naive producers have to contend with an over the hill director (John Neville), a nymphomaniacal lead actress (Jennifer Tilly), and various other problems. It is certainly not a perfect film, but it maintains an agreeably light/comic touch.

Not Canada At Its Best
Although I much admire Canadian humor and look forward to Canadian movies, I found this one a great disappointment. It promised to be a fine satire on both Canadian film aspirations and the absurdities of American pop culture. Instead it became an anti-American jumble of meaningless ideas. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Saved by the actors
Jonathan Nossiter's "Signs & Wonders" can't decide if it wants to be Ingmar Bergman's "Scenes From A Marriage" or Nicholas Roeg's "Don't Look Now". The amazing Stellan Skarsgard, who can skate effortlessly between "Dogme 95" and Hollywood without a slip, plays the married American businessman, living in Greece with his family, who is having a passionate affair with a co-worker (ice-queen Deborah Unger). Long-time art-house favorite Charlotte Rampling gives a believable, measured performance as the betrayed wife who eventually finds her own lover. Unfortunately,after the involving first third, the story meanders into too many dead-end directions. For instance,in one scene Unger drops a bomb on Skarsgard that hints at noirish intrigue and conspiracy, but this is never explored, nor mentioned again. An underlying theme of destiny, precognition and/or superstition is interwoven with the story, but if all the ominous foreshadowing is meant to point to the completely out-of-left-field "Bad Seed" ending, then the film is ulitmately false and little more than a pretentious excercise with pretty Mediterranean scenery. Skarsgard and Rampling have such great on-screen chemistry that one hopes they can work together again with better material. A guarded recommendation.

KWINKYDINKS AND BEYOND
More than sex, food or survival, we are creatures driven to find meaning in our lives (or so it's said by those who claim to know such things). A recent film that tap into that mindset, with varying degrees of success, is now available in a fine digital edition.

In SIGNS & WONDERS, the once happy 17 year marriage of Marjorie (Charlotte Rampling) and Alec (Stellan Skarsgard) comes undone and Alec begins making decisions based only on coincidences and superstitions.

Complex and strangely mesmerizing, this original film is especially unsettling as Alec ever more desperately seeks to understand signs that he believes will explain what is happening to him and give meaning to the tragedy that has befallen him, his adulterous wife and their two children. Special features include director Jon Nossiter's video diary.

Different and disturbing because it hits close to the desperate sanity we all share in our fragile and perilous world view.

(In)Security Guard --- and the human condition
I've never had an emotional experience while viewing a film comprable to that which overwhelmed me while watching Signs an Wonders. Strangely enough I was most moved by the scene of Skasgard entering the embassy. This was a minor masterpiece of taut directing, cinematography, and acting--I was strangely touched by the actor playing the security guard, who with only the slightest of gestures somehow conveyed the essence of the human experience. A must see for all serious lovers of the cinema.

A very good unconventional movie.
...

I am a big fan of Stellan Skarsgard so my opinion is probably biased. ...I really enjoyed it. It's about a guy who makes some major decisions about his life based on superstitions and coincidences, and the affect it has on those close to him. He is constantly looking for signs around him and tries to understand what the signs are telling him about his life. It is a very complex movie, and you don't know whether to feel sorry for him or just dislike him. There are some twists and turns in the movie that keep you interested, wondering where they are going with the story.

... ... Read more

Reviews (3)

True drama!
This movie was excellent! To appreciate this film, a person has to know what great acting really is, and this film shows just that. This all star cast of 10 women telling their "LOVE" stories play with your emotions till the end. They tell you everything that comes along with being in love, in the raw!
NOTE: If anyone says anything distasteful about this excellent film, they don't know film. Trust me, I'm a writer/director

good movie, absolutely no action
The actresses sit in chairs and talk directly to the camera, so this is a good movie to have on if there are things around the house you want to do. The women talk about the men who have touched their lives in some way -- either positively or negatively --- so don't watch this with a guy. I mean, it is just women sitting and talking about relationships.

Some of the women annoyed me, others were moderately all rigt. The only really strong one was Kathy Baker's solilioquy at the end. She made the movie. No dumb hat with cat ears like Radha Mitchell, no overacting like Kimberly Williams, just a real women speaking plainly. Kathy Baker made the movie worth watching.

This movie has nothing to do with love!
Ten Tiny Dysfunctional Stories is what the title should be. I was really surprised that actually NONE of the stories were love stories. They had nothing to do at all with love, in fact. The stories were all told by women, talking to the camera in a sort of confession-type monologue. This is a really interesting format, but can get boring after the seventh story. The stories mostly go like this: Girl meets boy, girl hates boy, girl sleeps with boy and then feels dirty. It really does not lend confidence in women, or the human race. You definitely see a darker side to infatuation, or whatever it can be called... some of the women had incredibly low self-esteem: "I begged him to let me stay, and he told me I could sleep on the couch. Later I tried the door to his room but he had locked it."

I was upset because these stories were obviously written by a man. In no way did any of these women walk away with any dignity left. I did not feel anything towards these women except disgust. One woman seemed normal and then told the camera in a blase tone that she liked her ex-husband's new wife and they had a wonderful daughter together (the new wife and her ex), and that she still slept with him. All of these women just seemed completely soulless. It was a dissappointing movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's not quite as clever as it tries to be, but The Game does a tremendous job of presenting the story of a rigid control freak trapped in circumstances that are increasingly beyond his control. Michael Douglas plays a rich, divorced, and dreadful investment banker whose 48th birthday reminds him of his father's suicide at the same age. He's locked in the cage of his own misery until his rebellious younger brother (Sean Penn) presents him with a birthday invitation to play "The Game" (described as "an experiential Book of the Month Club")--a mysterious offering from a company called Consumer Recreation Services. Before he knows the game has even begun, Douglas is caught up in a series of unexplained events designed to strip him of his tenuous security and cast him into a maelstrom of chaos. How do you play a game that hasn't any rules? That's what Douglas has to figure out, and he can't always rely on his intelligence to form logic out of what's happening to him. Seemingly cast as the fall guy in a conspiracy thriller, he encounters a waitress (Deborah Unger) who may or may not be trustworthy, and nothing can be taken at face value in a world turned upside down. Douglas is great at conveying the sheer panic of his character's dilemma, and despite some lapses in credibility and an anticlimactic ending, The Game remains a thinking person's thriller that grabs and holds your attention. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (162)

Gordon Gekko gets his comeuppance--big time!!!
Less than a full year before A PERFECT MURDER (1998) was released, Michael Douglas starred in THE GAME (1997), which is not simply a Michael Douglas movie, it's a David Fincher film-and you know what that means! From a screenplay by John D. Brancato & Michael Ferris, THE GAME is classic Fincher: dark, mysterious and with a constant sense of brooding danger in which lets you know that somehow, somewhere, something is not quite kosher.

In THE GAME, Douglas is Nicholas Van Orton; a man of great wealth and power and totally devoid of any human compassion (as evidenced by the cold and callous way in which he fires a longtime employee). If this sounds like Gordon Gekko to you, it's because Michael Douglas, at this stage in his career, plays cold callousness like no one else. Call it typecasting; I call it brilliant acting ability and being smart enough to stick with what works. However, Gordon Gekko in the legendary Oliver Stone-directed WALL STREET (1987) didn't have a younger brother; Nicholas Van Orton does. On Nick's 48th birthday (the same age at which his father died, hint hint), his black-sheep-of-the-family brother Conrad, as brilliantly played by Sean Penn, visits him in his sprawling, cherry-wood office and hands his older sibling his birthday present: a business card with the name Consumer Recreation Services (CRS) on it. "What is this," Nicholas cynically asks. The sly answer given by Penn is one of my favorite lines in the film, and one that tells us that his elder bro's life will never be the same, once he begins to play THE GAME.

Along the way, Nicholas Van Orton encounters CRS and its primary spokesman (or so he thinks) Jim Feingold (played with disarming confidence by character actor James Rebhorn), a mouthy cocktail waitress (Deborah Kara Unger) who seems to hold the secret to THE GAME, and a spooky-looking full-size inanimate clown who appears to watch everything he does. Also along the way are near-brushes with death that culminate with Conrad Van Orton's tearful admission that he "didn't know what the $#@! he had gotten them into" when he had signed his brother up for THE GAME. But that's still just the beginning...

Everyone is superbly cast in this film, including BABY DOLL (1956) herself, Carroll Baker, and the always-watchable Armin Mueller-Stahl. But the real star here is David Fincher; he is so adept at guiding us down a labyrinthic path of which only he knows the end, that all we can do is hang on and enjoy the rollercoaster ride on which he breathlessly takes us. He primarily relies on small, subtle signs of foreboding to generate suspense, as opposed to full-blown violence and gore. Although this is one of those films that relies on first-time viewers' lack of knowledge of what to expect, and thusly loses something on repeated viewings, it is still a very good film to re-visit on occasion, if only to experience Fincher's unique style (this film and A PERFECT MURDER are miles apart in this respect, believe me), Douglas and Penn's acting and the production values, which are first-rate.

See and experience THE GAME for yourself.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

CULT MOVIES 57
57. THE GAME (thriller, 1997) On the day of his birthday millionaire businessman Nicholas (Michael Douglas) is visited by his brother Conrad (Sean Penn) with a gift. The gift involves Nicholas signing up for a mysterious company which offers a 'game', which in turn offers the participants a series of surprises that "provides whatever is lacking" in their lives. Though a rather pessimistic and somber individual Nicholas accepts in the hopes of escaping the memory of a solitary childhood and witnessing his father's suicide. When the surprises the 'game' issues become seriously deadly Nicholas wants out. But this particular game offers no escape.

Critique: Nerve-wracking, high wire act of a movie directed with guile precision by David Fincher ('Seven', 'Alien 3'). So far all of David Fincher's films have been good which is rare for someone who has been dubbed as a purely commercial director. The sort of tagline that is a deathnail for anyone seeking true legitimacy in Hollywood. Michael Douglas is good in the role of another heartless tycoon type character in the mold of Gordon Gekko from 'Wall Street'. Douglas gives the character just a slight insidious turn and taking him into Twilight Zone territory. It's also good seeing Sean Penn in a first rate mainstream movie for a change. Film is made in such a way that every detail has to be dissected in order to make a logical progression of events. Which otherwise would seem chaotic and purely coincidental. Towards the climax it all makes perfect sense and provides a most welcome escape ending. When the credits roll and you know it is truly over it is strangely satisfying and disappointing.

QUOTES: Conrad: "What do you get for the man who has everything?"

The initiation of a millionaire
Nicholas Van Orton (Douglas) thinks that he has everything - this is true only is we consider material possessions (a vast house, millions of dollars, an enviable reputation, etc.). What he is lacking is the access to the sacred and to his true Self. CRS is there to help, courtesy of his brother Conrad (Penn). But Van Orton will have to get rid of all that he previously stood for and accept to lose himself in the unknown. While some viewers have objected to the film's outrageous events and progression, this is precisely what draws me to it: its willingness to dispense with 'believable' developments makes Van Orton's quest all the more powerful. The movie could have been subtitled 'The initiation of a millionaire', because Van Orton undergoes numerous archetypal trials: he is stuck in a car underwater (in the belly of the monster); he is buried alive; his descensus ad infernos is such that he (literally) has to make a death-defying jump in a garbage dump; he has to find his way through mazes and use secret keys; most scenes take place in darkness. By the time he becomes a new man late in the movie, he has already died three or four times! Perceptive viewers will discover far more than a strandard thriller here, if they allow themselves to dig under the surface... a remarkable film.

Birthday that you'll never forget
Can you imagen a movie with no victims and yet it's one of the best thrillers ever made?! When I heard that director is David Fincher who is responsible for hits such as Seven or Fight Club and that Michael Douglas has leading role, that was more than enough for me to buy it. And I didn't regret it: This film is one wild ride through every aspect of your mind. Just in the moment you think - It's all clear now, next one will leave you with your mouths open. Every scene is one big surprice for you and for main character Nicholas, who is cold rich businessman, who cutted all bonds between him and his family and friends just for power and more money. But his brother's present for his birthday will change everything. One moment, he's on the top of the world, next one he is down in rags, fearing for his life; confused and with no confidence in anyone. That is the price when you are in The Game. Michael prooved that he worths dozen Oscars and Sean Penn is also very good. If you like fast, confusing and surpricing thrillers, this is a movie for you. Note: Ending is unforgetable!!!

Where's The Director's Cut????
This was a great movie with an excellent story to go with it. It's too bad the dvd shares the same fate of others with weak features and no behind the scenes or commentary. This is one dvd that deserves an overhaul like the one that panic room received. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ten-year-old Phillip (Eric Lloyd) and his mother (Deborah Kara Unger of Crash and The Game) travel constantly from town to town, stealing enough money from obnoxious men to keep them in food and gas. A car crash lands them in Jersey suburbia, where Mom decides to settle down with Pedro, the man who rescued them from the wreck. Phillip doesn't agree, and after he takes a rash step, they're in flight once again--but now Mom is realizing she may not be the most troubled member of the family. When Phillip's father (Jamey Sheridan, The Ice Storm) returns to reclaim his child, the trouble only increases, and Phillip once again decides to take matters into his own hands. Luminous Motion is a mix of compelling psychology and beautiful cinematography, with a storyline that coils tighter and tighter. Dark and elliptical, but rewarding. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (3)

disgusting
I originally bought this movie to see Eric Lloyd, it turned out to be a complete bomb. There is no plot, it is incredibly weird, lacking any sense of anything. All that happens is him and his mom go from town to town stealing what they can from unsuspecting strangers to survive. It will leave you thinking "what was that" and have you looking for some normality for an hour or two later. There is nothing to grasp. If you were thinking about buying it to see Eric, it's not worth it, go see him in something else worth the time.

Bad, unpleasant film
LUMINOUS MOTION is the kind of mess that just can't escape certain people who praise it because it's so "offbeat" and "different" and "low key". Yes, it is all three of those and I myself certainly like something offbeat, different and low key in my movies too. However, those qualities don't necessisarly translante into "Good".And LUMINOUS MOTION is definitely NOT a good or even OK film. In fact, it's pretty bad. It's not that it's badly acted...Eric Lloyd is very good. The film goes way overboard with the "motion" theme, pummeling it to death. People also apparently don't mind that this boy ends up doing some pretty nasty things in this movie. It left me feeling empty and depressed with hardly anyone likable or redeeming in it. The movie rambles on and on with occasional fringes into the surreal. Surreal stuff like this is tricky to handle, and LUMINOUS MOTION can't get a handle on it.

Eric Lloyd Gives a Performance That Will Win Your Heart!
Scott Bradfield's novel of the same name receives a senstive and winning screen adaptation. Although this movie did not get much attention when it first appeared, you will greatly enjoy seeing it on DVD. The DVD transfer is first-rate. Eric Lloyd is the one to watch here!

--Sensitive Stephen, Host of BoysOnYourScreen.net

A plot summary:

Ten year old Phillip Davis has spent half his life
joyously living on the California highways with his
carefree and highly seductive mother. Every night is a
road, every man is a map, and no love is stronger than
the love Phillip feels for his mom. Mom is light and
Mom is motion.

So when Mom decides to settle down and lead an
average life with an average American man, Phillip
sees himself as her savior, and his mission is to
liberate Mom. At first, he appears to succeed, but an
unexpected event sidetracks his plans: Phillip's
powerful father re-enters his life and he wants his
family back. Oedipus was lucky - he was ignorant of
his crime. But Phillip is all too aware of his situation
and he knows exactly what he must do to regain a life
in motion.

Phillip's obsessive love for his mother is intense and
perhaps perverse but it is also as innocent and
psychologically familiar as Humbert Humbert's
hopeless love for Lolita. Ultimately, Phillip learns that
Mom is a world all her own and there are some places
we must all go alone. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Denzel's Performance Overcomes Films Flaws.
Norman Jewison has officially become the new Stanley Kramer with Hurricane. Jewison has made preachy, dull, message pictures like 'In Country' or poor adaptations of stage plays like 'Agnes of God' or over-long and not as good as they should be wanna-be-classics like 'Fiddler on the Roof' or utter misfires like 'F.I.S.T.' And He's also helmed some well liked films like Jesus Christ Superstar, Rollerball, And 'Justice for All', 'Other People's Money' and 'Best Friends.' He's also the director of Moonstruck and the original Thomas Crown Affair, The Cincinatti Kid, The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming,

His best films: 'In the Heat of the Night', and 'A Soldier's Story' have a winning combination of pure Hollywood gloss, and well captured realistic details which manage to deal with controversial subjects in entertaining and engrossing ways. They pretend they aren't preaching to the audience, but wind up leading them down paths toward somewhat liberal politically correct views. Nothing wrong with that. Artists often have agendas and why shouldn't screenwriters and directors, particularly when often the agenda involves dealing with or over-coming racism with understanding, compassion, tolerance and love.

It's also worth noting that more often than not the lead and/or supporting actors in Jewison films give wonderful performances for which they are nominated and sometimes win Academy Awards for.

The Hurricane is not the best film Norman Jewison has made, but it is certainly a worthwhile one. He uses Rubin Hurricane Carter's story to again tell us that "words are mightier than swords and love really does conquer all". It's not the most earth shattering of messages but it certaintly bears repeating.

Denzel Washington's powerful performance overcomes the films considerable, though predictable flaws. And much of it works very well. Several scenes would have been drastically improved if they were cut short by about 15 to 30 seconds to avoid some unnecessary last lines of dialogue or reaction shots which denuded the scenes impact or even made the scene feel like it was following a television friendly structure and we're cutting to a commercial now.

There were however several moments which were caught perfectly. Jewison can be very good at choosing moments to add just the right kind of emotional impact to a scene. A well placed shot of some clouds in a sky has deep meaning when it's connected properly to the right character at the right moment.

Unfortunately, Jewison can also be very heavy handed in re-stating the obvious. An establishing shot which lingers on the scales of justice just isn't necessary for instance.

The film has one foot firmly planted in the traditional Hollywood type biographical film, which keeps it's story fairly simple, easy to follow and with clearly drawn lines of right and wrong, good and bad, fairness and injustice etc. etc. Yes most everything in the film has been overly simplified. i

Sure, we see that Rubin was an angry black man full of hate. We also see he's a boxer who channels that energy into his sport. And while he doesn't begin the film as a completely sympathetic character we know enough of the story almost immediately that we get to know the film version of Rubin from a very particular viewpoint. It's not uncommon for movie biographies to do this though. Most movie biographies frame their subjects in the best of lights of course, but the film pretends to be balanced. It's not. The error here is that it thinks it has a duty to try to be somewhat balanced and so when it fails to do so, you have got to consider it a flaw.

I would expect, since it is not a documentary there would be inconsistencies and inacuracies. And that many liberties will be taken with real life characters. In truth there were a group of 7 Canadians along with Lezra (the young african-american boy who befriended Rubin), whose efforts wound up re-opening Carter's trial in the mid 80's which lead to his release. In the movie the seven are turned into a composite character of three Canadians and we aren't sure if the two guys are sleeping with the one woman, or if they are indeed friends, business partners and roomates. It's referred to as a commune a couple of times, but communes are made up of more than three people. You can quibble about many minor details in the film, but the film's message is positive and it's an effective and entertaining film.

I think for most, the film will work beautifully. It will be upon a second viewing that one can choose to let the films flaws bother them a great deal, or to easily over-look them because the films story and message is an important one to remember.

I'm happy to report the DVD is full of worthwhile extras. The obligatory Behind the Scenes featurette is better than most because we get to see and hear the real life Rubin Carter and Lezra.

There are also several deleted scenes, nicely introduced by Norman Jewison who comes across as a pretty friendly if slightly condescending film-maker who found it difficult to cut some of the scenes he shares with us from the film. None of the scenes were absolutely necessary and a few have the same flaws as many in the film do (not ending a few seconds earlier to make things sharper and less t.v. movie-ish), but these are indeed pretty good scenes .

Chris Jarmick, Author of The Glass Cocoon with Serena F. Holder-a steamy cyber- thriller ...) ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Who Wants To Be Quentin Tarantino?
This is another movie that seemed to suffer of the "Pulp Fiction" effect, as it pretty much relies on attitude, cool badass characters, stylish cinematography and edgy music to give mood. The story, however, isn`t that great, turning into an average betrayal plot that doesn`t bring nothing new or too memorable, and is a bit too slow. Some good moments still occur, though, and the acting is alright, with talents like Eric Stoltz, James Spader, Mary Tyler Moore and even a then unnoticed Cameron Diaz. So, "Keys To Tulsa" is a decent indie movie that`s neither too surprising nor too disappointing, another one to watch at a rainy night.

Not a good buy at all
I bought this movie because I collect movies with Cameron Diaz and I can say it was disapointing. She appears during one minute at the beginning and never again!
I didn't find any interest in the story, and I was yawning all the time. How boring can this be?

don't buy it!
the story is boring and stupid, the actors act very bad, except Cameron Diaz, but we only see her 5 minutes.

Cool little film; lousy DVD release!
I could hold forth on the relative merits of this DVD's entertainment value--you get to see some weird incarnations of various prominent actors, James Spader looking particularly weird; not that many flicks set in Oklahoma these days; Joanna Going carried the film, etc. etc.--but instead I think I'll criticize the DVD itself. First off, it has exactly ONE "special feature" (production stills, at that!). Furthermore, not only does this disc lack the extended cut (missing 3 minutes, this is just the R-rated version), it is also, most pathetically of all, full-frame only. Come on! This is a 2002 release of a **1997** film, and somehow they couldn't manage a widescreen edition. Has the distributor already been repossessed or something? It's DVDs like this that make me doubt for the future of the medium. Get with the program, Artisan!

Joanna Going -- WOW!
It's offensive that Cameron Diaz is on the cover of this thing, when her mediocre part is over just about as soon as the credits.

Joanna Going gave her all, meanwhile, and isn't mentioned on the box at all. I bought the DVD to see her, and every red-blooded male out there bought it for the same reason. Who are they kidding with this Cameron Diaz jazz? It's a taut mystery story, too, with real characters in an unreal situation. I loved it. ... Read more