Description

Three-generational epic saga of the Sanchez family as told by the eldest son. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

great acting and a great cast.
My Family chronicles the Sanchez family over three generations. From the parents migration from Mexico to East LA. The movie shows the struggle of the Immigrants to survive in America with the lack of education, but a determination to improve their lives in America. The family is split by the cynical views of the rebel sons Chucho(Esai Morales) and Jimmy(Jimmy Smits) and the political views of the NUN(eventually marries) sister and her also political (former priest) husband, and the educated lawyer brother, who is engaged to the white girl from UCLA and is slightly embarrassed when his future in-laws visit EAST LA. All the time the Sanchez family is struggling with their lives Jose and Maria try to keep the family together. The movie trys to show the diversity that can occur in the lives of this mexican/american family and the culture associated with a typical family of that ERA it illustrates some of the hostile feelings felt by this familiy of their perceived prujudices against them by the establishment. The characters all go thru some transformations as they mature. James Olmos as the oldest son Paco and his narration is the movie. Esai Morales and Jimmy Smits turn in some brilliant performances, and my wife swoons at every scene with them both. They have mastered the 50'S/60'S Pachucos roles. The allstar cast of LA Latin Actors Enrique Castillo, Morales , Olmos are excellent as always and aptly supported by Mary Steenburgen and Scott Baculla as well as the other latino actors Lupe Ontiveros Jennifer Lopez and others. If you are of thAt ERA and ethinic background this movie is a must. Its a great family movie and just as awakening as AMERICAN ME AND ZOOT SUIT. In closing, being of that 50's era and my Mexican background I especially enjoyed the generous portions of the slang and music references throuhout the movie to recreate the way it was back then, and referencing an actual artist Rosie and the originals (Jeanette Jurado of Expose) was genius on the part of the director/Author Mr. Nava. Addios Vince Guillen from Burque.

Powerful Movie
I first saw this movie in 1995 when it was first released in theaters. Nine years later, the movie still has the same effect as it did when I first saw it. Although my experiences and my family's experiences are not identical to the ones experienced by the Sanchez family, there are similarities, and I'm sure many other Mexican-Americans can identify with the small things that make this movie so good.

What makes this movie so good is that the director, Gregory Nava, captures the nuances that many Mexican-Americans can relate to. 'Crossing the Bridges,' as Edward James Olmos explains, is something that the patriarch of the family must do when he goes to work on the other side of downtown LA. What's so strange is that many people continue to cross those bridges every day of their lives (literally and figuratively).

Little things like this as well as Chucho's pride in having the best creased pants, the mother's passion for her 'novelas,' and Jimmy Smits' hard personality really give this movie a feeling of familiarity. I also like the fact that Memo goes to UCLA.

The casting is good, and it's weird to see Jennifer Lopez in small roles like this before her rise to stardom. While the movie may not identically reflect the experiences of every Mexican-American, it will be hard not to see some parallels.

My Family
One of the best movies I have ever seen!

my family
best mexican american story line of the struggle most mexican families live. Good story line and very good actors.

Nice epic look at one family and their trials
Jimmy SMits really nails this role. He does such a great job it was kind of surprising that his film career never really got off the ground. He's just meant for television, I suppose. But you'd never know it from this film! Excellent storyline, plot, characters. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Highly recommended story about life on the streets
"Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life)" is an HBO movie about Hispanic girls growing up in Echo Park. Each main character was allowed to tell his or her story and the director effectively blended these lives into a tale about real people facing death on the streets. It shows what it means to belong to a neighborhood, how the neighborhood gangs provide support, and how people, especially women, cope with the deaths around them. There were no "bad" people here, just nice kids who accept murder as an effective way to solve problems in a dangerous environment. I highly recommend the film to anyone who has seen "Kids" for a more mundane but believable take on poor urban teens.

Not that accurate, but fun to watch
I work in Echo Park and I grew up here. I have friends in the movie. I don't think it was very accurate; Echo Park is not just gangs, but also artists, professionals, and people trying to make a difference. There are former Echo Park gangmembers who have professional degrees after attending universities on scholarship, just as there those who are still in jail or still banging.

Be careful watching any movie supposedly based on fact. Mi Vida Loca doesn't tell the whole story, but the movie is well-made and fun to watch.

One of a Kind
This movie is one of a kind. If your into the other movies like, Blood In Blood Out, American Me, Boulevard Nights, than you will definitley enjoy this film. I have it on VHS and I am very excited that it is FINALLY coming out on DVD. I highley recommend Mi Vida Loca to add to you gangster movie collection.

Why everyone must see this film...
...This film is amazing. It realistically deals with the problematic role of girls in a gang and the same girls as mothers (or a mother figure). Additionally, it realistally protrays the girl gang culture in L.A. (specifically in Echo Park). As a third generation California latina, I am shocked by the disparity of Echo Park as it was at the time of the film and now.

Love, Loss, and Friendship Beyond All Circumstances
Alison Anders did a wonderful job directing this movie. characters seem so real and alive. Women of all races and ages will appreciate this story of love, loss and friendship surviving all circumstances. I just love this movie. El Duran steals the movie in his brief role. The score was done by John Taylor of Duran Duran if you didn't know. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ice Cube wrote and stars as Craig in this sequel to Friday, which he also wrote. His nemesis from that film, neighborhood bully Debo (Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr.), has just escaped from county jail and is out to get revenge. To protect Craig, Craig's father (John Witherspoon) sends his son to stay with his Uncle Elroy (Don "DC" Curry), who won the lottery and bought a house in Rancho Cucamonga. Craig expects the suburbs to be dull, but no sooner has he arrived than conflicts arise: The neighbors are hostile hoods, his cousin's girlfriend is out for blood and child support, and the house is about to be seized because of unpaid taxes. It's up to Craig and his cousin Day-Day (Mike Epps) to solve these problems before the day is over. It's a rambling, loose movie, but a genuinely entertaining one. Ice Cube doesn't write punch lines--though funny lines abound. He writes richly comic characters that speak in virtual arias of bragging, complaining, and scamming. Sure, some of the characters are stereotypes and many of the jokes are about drugs and scatology--but that's been the basis of humor since Plautus and Molière. The rhythmic energy of Ice Cube's dialogue and the easy charisma of his performance make Next Friday thoroughly enjoyable. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (100)

can u please tell me what ive been watching for 90 minutes?
this movie is very bad. i enjoyed the first friday to some degree, and was expecting a more comical sequel give the box office take of NEXT FRIDAY. what i got was more dirty jokes and stereotypes left and right, and not much of it was funny. a lot of the same topics are rehashed and beaten to death by the poor script and horrible acting. i chuckled maybe 4 or 5 times, and that was it in terms of comedic value. the film is confused, leaving the viewer even more confused.

Next Friday
I have to admit, when I first heard about this one and people told me that Chris Tucker wasn't going to be in, I thought right off the bat that this was going to be another terrible sequel. After I saw it, I gotta say I was wrong because NEXT FRIDAY was really funny and all out a great sequel to it's original FRIDAY.

In this one, Craig (Ice Cube) is going to his Uncle Elroy's for a little while. After a few days of hanging out and doing whatever with his cousin Dae Dae (Mike Epps), Craig signs for a special delivery and the letter states that his Uncle Elroy owes a lot of money because of a delinquent property tax payment and now his Uncle will lose his house if they can't get the money. So now Craig and Dae Dae have to fund the money so they don't lose the house, dodge their next door neighbors the Joker brothers that want to take it to them, Dae Dae has to dodge his ex-girlfriend and her destructive sister and the word is out that Debo has broken out of prison and he's looking for Craig. It's another great, kick back and laugh out loud comedy.

Like I said before, just because Chris Tucker isn't in this one doesn't mean that it's bad. I thought it was pretty funny and Epps really doesn't replace Tucker. In my opinion, Epps just adds a new character to the mix and Cube and Epps are funny as hell together. Plus this one has a lot more laughs. Granted yes, most of the comedy circles around the pot smoking but the parts that don't are really funny.

Just remember, if you want to check out NEXT FRIDAY you have to check out FRIDAY first or you'll miss some jokes and there will be holes in the plot as well. Check out these 2 great titles and when it comes to DVD and Video check out FRIDAY AFTER NEXT.

The Friday Collection Left The Other Movies In The Ash Tray
First off I'd like to start my review like this.
Why are you guys even attempting to compare these movies to other ones?

Friday ... it really set the standards to what goes on now in our community. It told people "dont be ashamed if you do it".

This second movie was without a doubt just as funny as the first one. Yes, Chris Tucker is not in it but they covered it up well in the movie.

The whole plot of the movie is that Craig has to get away from his neighbor---hood because of Deebo. He went to jail but rumors circulated that he was planning an escape.

Craig's Father decides he's going to move in with Uncle Elroy and his cousin Day-Day. His uncle had won the lotto so he moved into what they called a "White neighborhood".

Trouble occurs naturally. Ya'll just gotta buy it. If you haven't done so already, buy part 3 (Friday After Next) aswell.

Holla At Cha Boi

"Next Friday" DVD Review!
Ice Cube returns for the second installment in the "Friday" franchise. This time, he's moving out of the hood and into his rich uncle's home in Rancho Cucamonga. Chris Tucker's out of the picture and in his place is Mike Epps as Cube's wacky cousin. Also returning for this one are John Witherspoon and Tiny "Zeus" Lister but a majority of the characters are brand new to the series with Don "D.C." Curry, Tamala Jones, Clifton Powell, Justin Pierce, and Sticky Fingaz joining the ensemble cast.

"Next Friday" has Craig moving out to the 'burbs when he learns that the neighborhood bully, Deebo (Lister) has escaped from prison and is looking for him. The suburbs prove to be just as much trouble as he has to deal with the Latino thugs who live next door, a trigger-happy record store owner, and his cousin's obsessive ex-girlfriend. When it turns out that his uncle has just 24 hours to come up with some money to cover some unpaid taxes on the house, Cube devises a plan that has him, his cousin, Day-Day (Epps), and their token white friend (the late Justin Pierce) breaking into the next door neighbor's house.

"Next Friday" is a decent follow-up but the loss of co-writer DJ Pooh and star Chris Tucker is a lot to get over. Epps puts in a humorous comedic performance but he's no Tucker. The new characters are hit and miss. Amy Hill's Asian neighbor is a weak and tired sterotype-driven character. If you can't tell that Hill isn't Korean by looking at her, her awful attempt at an accent will give it away. Jacob Vargas as the loud-mouthed Latio neighbor is entertaining though they seemed to have run out of material for him in some areas. Sticky Fingaz is hilarious as Tyrone, Deebo's prison sidekick and Lisa Rodriguez is easy on the eyes as Cube's love interest.

While it's not on the same level as the original, "Next Friday" has more than a few laughs. Cube and Epps have pretty good chemistry and the suburban backdrop makes for a nice change of pace for an urban comedy (it's certainly done more effectively than on Fox's "Red And Meth"). The DVD presentation has a lot of cool extra features including an alternate ending, the Mike Epps audition tape, and an audio commentary by director Steve Carr.

should have been the third film
I enjoyed Ice Cube in this movie, but I think Day-day and uncle Elroy could have been funnier, Debo was the best part along with the new character sticky fingaz but wtf happened to Debo? ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hailed by many critics as one of the best films of 1995, this finely tuned black comedy sparked a renewed interest in movies based on books by prolific crime novelist Elmore Leonard, whose trademark combination of tight plotting and sharp humor is perfectly captured here. After the success of Pulp Fiction, John Travolta continued his meteoric comeback as Chili Palmer, a Mob "mechanic" whose latest assignment takes him to Los Angeles, where his fascination with the movie business turns into a new career as a would-be movie producer. He pitches ideas with a sleazy producer (Gene Hackman) and a major star (Danny DeVito), and also finds time to deal with a vengeful Mobster (Dennis Farina) and assorted Hollywood types (including Renee Russo and Delroy Lindo) who all want their piece of a tempting show-biz pie. The plot unfolds with enticing precision, but it's really Elmore's snappy dialogue--and the performances that bring it to life--that make this one of the best comedies of the 1990s. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Look at me...
"Get Shorty" is a humdinger of a movie - smart, funny, and VERY full of itself...kinda like its "hero", Chili Palmer.

Every character and performance hits all the right notes, starting with John Travolta's right-on portrayal of Palmer, a loan shark who has tired of the mob business and would like to try his hand at a REAL mob business: the movies.

Palmer isn't a bad guy; he's just all business, which certain characters (especially Ray Bones) should have figured out early on. But they don't, and we get to see Chili eliminate his enemies one by one through sheer guile and smarts. In particular, his payback on Bones is an absolute classic.

One of the film's truly great pleasures is watching great actors like Gene Hackman and Danny DeVito try to play Chili. Hackman's performance gets him a very unwelcome audience with Bones ("I heard you shot the guy four times in the chest and once in the foot"), while DeVito's simply doesn't work, and by the end of the movie Chili is looking to "get" someone other than "shorty".

Also look for James Gandolfini in his best pre-Tony Soprano role as an ex-stuntman.

You Just Got to Get "Get Shorty"!
"Get Shorty " in my opinion is one of the most hilarious send ups of the Hollywood movie industry ever put to film.Director, Barry Sonnenfeld and writer, Elmore Leonard have put their talents together to create a satirical film, which 'takes no prisoners' in its look at the underhanded ways, that folks wheel and deal to get movies made.The film centers on a charismatic mobster (John Travolta), who while on a trip to L.A., decides to switch careers. He wants to make movies!This is not as far fetched as it seems. Apparently being a movie producer isn't that far of a jump from being a loan shark or racketeer! Along the way Chilly meets up with with a schlock movie producer, a scream queen, a L.A. hood and his henchman, another mobster from Miami and finally the 'Shorty' (a self-involved, superstar actor)of the film's title. All of them underestimate Chilly and think he is just a dumb hood, who can be conned out of some major, illegal money waiting in a locker at the L.A. airport. But Chilly seems to know all the right moves and plays everyone at their own game.Writer, Elmore Leonard wrote this fast paced, witty story after experiencing a real life, frustrating job of trying to write a script for vertically challenged actor, Dustin Hoffman... Revenge must be sweet, because it inspired a great piece of comic writing.The cast of actors in this movie is wonderful. Normally, I'm not the biggest John Travolta fan, but his take on mobster, Chilly Palmer is electrifying. Travolta plays the character with a swagger, confindence, and a smile that is sheer perfection! Gene Hackman is also hilarious as the sleaziest of sleazy Hollywood producers. This guy would sell out his own mother if it ment getting a piece of the gross!.Finally, Danny DeVito just makes this movie with his send up of every spoiled rotten, self-indulgent Hollywood actor that could ever come to mind. Kudos should also go for great, comic supporting roles from James Gandolfini and Dennis Farina.For an evening of some very funny Hollywood satire, I recommend you to get..."Get Shorty"!

The worst movie ever created by man
This movie was a waste of money. Only good part was that one guy saying the F word a lot. This movie is dull, boring, and is slow developing. I took this DVD and broke it into pieces after I watched it, I had more fun breaking this DVD than watching it. For anyone who is going to buy this DVD I warn you, it is a retarded movie, and waste of your money.

are you out of your minds
Anyone who gives this hunk of junk movie more than 1 star is either a moron or generously sympathetic.Then again 1 star is too much. AMAZON should incorperate a ZERO star selection.I bet the reviewers that raved about this one were payed to do so, and it could only have been in cash. Penny Marshall?? Uhggg!!! give me a break. She should have yelled CUT! before this was crap was made.An ex friend recommended this film. He wasn't an ex friend before I watched t it.

A very fun movie!
This is one of the cleverest comedies out there. John Travolta plays a bookie (Chili Palmer) in Miami Beach, FL. He is one of these respected hard nose, no BS type of people that just demands respect wherever he goes. But for a change of pace and a change of heart, not to mention money that is owned to him, he flies out to California. He is searching for a man who took a very large some of money, but in the mean time is caught up in the Hollywood movie making industry. He meets up and makes friends with Gene Hackman, a B movie director always looking for the next big break. Rene Russo plays a B movie washed up actress who is helping Travolta get into the movie industry. Mean while, old friends and enemies follow Travolta to the sunshine state to find out what he is up to and possibly move in on the action. This movie also has Danny DeVito, Dennis Farina, cameo by Penny Marshall, Delroy Lindo, James Gandolfini, and more twists and turns that you can imagine. If you are looking for a really fun comedy with lots of stars then this is the movie to get! ... Read more

Reviews (166)

More Tribute Than Biopic
Jennifer Lopez does a great job of portraying the lovely Selena, even though the only resemblance that Jennifer and Selena have is due to race, not feature. However, this movie isn't about Selena-the-human-being or even Selena-the-star. This the sanitized, Disney view of the life of a young, fast-rising star whose life was cut short in her prime. Now, I'm not saying that this is a rotten movie at all. It's actually a good movie. It's well written, well-acted, and you can't tell that Ms. Lopez is lip-synching. However, you're not going to get a clear picture of Selena-the-person from this movie. I love Selena as much as the next Selena fan, but I would have liked to see a movie named Selena that's actually about Selena, not just what her dad thinks is appropriate. Playing down her murder was not good, because how is someone going to get a clear picture of the mourning that went on all over the United States when they don't see all the things that came out after? How does one get a picture of Yolanda the Fruitcake if they don't see how fruity the woman is? We know what we lost. It would be nice if this movie at least showed us the why. Selena's memory would not have been damaged if this had been in the movie. Like I said, I like this movie as just a movie, but as a biography it falls short.

Lopez at her very best!!!!!!!
I actually didn't see this film until about 6 months ago when it was on tv late one Sunday night. After watching it i was very impressed and went out straightaway the nexy day and purchased a copy on dvd for myself. Jennifer does an outstanding job portraying Selena, so good in fact that whilst i'm watching it i actually forget it's JLO and think it's the real Selena! She perfected Selena's dance moves right down to a T. The Astrodome recreation is perfect and very close to the real thing. I like the film because every scene builds on from the previous one. Every stage of Selena'a life is documented including her most triumphunt moments such as when she won the Grammy, when "Como La Flor" went to number 1 etc. I highly recommend this film to any Selena fans out there- go out and buy yourself a copy right now, you won't be disappointed!!!

Selena
The movie really touched me. Today I'm 26 years old and I didn't know Selena until I watched the movie. Pray for us Selena from up high in Heaven. Selena I think you know what I mean.

Portrait of a superstar
Many know that Selena is my all-time favorite performer and this film is a beautiful (thought not thoroughly accurate) tribute of the slain Grammy-winning Tejano Queen. I don't usually enjoy Jennifer Lopez performances - acting OR vocal - but this being her first breakthrough role she does quite well; this 1997 film came out before her diva-esque image took over and she became a glitzy woman who won't tip bellhops after carrying up some 20-something bags.

the angel selena
this movie makes me sad! selana was a beautiful singer just becoming popular when i was in junior high then she was tragically killed and her star burned out as fast as it came the movie shows the hardwork of her life growing up traveling and singing with her family only to finally hit it big find love marriage and soon a baby but sadly she was killed by a lunatic obsessed fan jennifer lopezs best acting job by far is in this movie she becomes selena from her gorgeous smile to her funny infantile manner and beautiful voice this movie shows u who selena was an angel ... Read more

Reviews (505)

Very Good, but not quite great...
I hesitate to heap tremendous amounts of praise on this film. Its strongest point is clearly the exceptional characters. They make all the difference. The PLOT is, well, I don't know how to describe it. A bit disjointed I suppose, but still strong enough to pull you in. This movie isn't really about a story, it's about people being affected by the drug trade in North America.

Soderbergh's direction is excellent. The scenes in Mexico just LOOK hot because of that grainy yellow tinting. And living in San Antonio, near the border, I can certify that yes, that's genuinely how it feels down here. Often. The lack of steadycam shots gives it a "newsreel" feel to it. It will draw you in if you let it.

Now onto the characters. My favorite was Del Toro's. I just think the guy can act and he shows it to you here. His character faces the trials of loyalty, friendship and ultimately the choices between doing good and doing for yourself. Catherine Zeta Jones character was also captivating in her descent into the drug game. The characters I least liked involved the Michael Douglas storyline. While they were genuine and somewhat interesting, I found myself waiting for their scenes to end so that I could get back to the more intriguing developments. Also, I'm not quite ready to buy how easily it wrapped up near the end. A hint of optimism is good, but that was a little too much sunshine after a mostly cloudy set up.

Overall, it's a good film, and Soderbergh's Oscar for direction isn't a bad choice (though I still think it probably took more skill for Ang Lee to make people FLY). Watch it for the characters and the perspective on the drug "war."

A bleak look at the war on drugs
TRAFFIC is a great film. It showcases from many angles the world of the drug user and trafficker. Director Steven Soderburgh uses a wonderful cast, many different camera types, and many intriguing subplots that all somehow link to make this film great. If you enjoy fine acting, great directors, views from many locations, and just great films in general, buy TRAFFIC today.

TRAFFIC bases around the installation of a new drug czar, superbly played by Michael Douglas. How can he fight a war on drugs when his daughter is a user? This is the question the character seems plagued by throughout the film. This makes for interesting discussion. Meanwhile, two Mexican police officers are swept into helping ward off cartels in Tijuana. Benecio Del Toro is excellent in the role. There are other plots which call for wonderful performances from the likes of Don Cheadle, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Albert Finney. All in all, this film is well scripted and acted.

TRAFFIC, like any film, has flaws. It is tedious at certain points, sometimes the language is too excessive, and it seems to offer a negative message to youth. However, for its few flaws, it is still a wonderfully crafted and shot film. It was lauded because of that fact. If you need a great film to watch, I urge you to buy TRAFFIC today!

Flat out, lousy movie-making
This is a frustrating film for many reasons. Firstly the schizophrenia of the plotlines is poorly done and distracting. It merely further hindered me from actually gaining any sort of emotional connection to the characters (and that's counting the headstart the dialogue had given).

The themes of the movie are so apparent that they become oppressive. A previous reviewer encapsulated the film with the phrase: Drugs R bad, and while I can appreciate a noble premise like this, the way Soderbergh badgers the audience with the futility of the "war on drugs" and the affect that drugs have on addicts is devoid of tact and feels contrived to the point of nausea.

The characters are not well-developed either. Their actions are completely obvious. While this is not usually a just complaint about a movie, the lack of intrigue in the plot, the often cheesy dialogue, and the general lack of subtlety makes for an obnoxiously assuming film. It comes across not only snobbish to the layperson, but boring to the average movie-goer.

This movie really drags. This is an in-escapable fact. There were too many trifling scenes in this movie.

But that's just how it rubbed me. Although, I can see how many a pseudo-intellectual film buff could trick himself into gushing about how thought-provoking and "original" this film was, I can also see how many critics and sincere film-goers would like it as well. The message is certainly an important point of discussion regardless of how you feel on the issue, and the conclusions leave much to be debated (although, not about the film)

My main point is this: Unless you're interested in grinding your way through a movie with a plot that can be summarized in the political/humanitarian issue of the film, it's not worth seeing. If you're interested in drug-related issues, do yourself a favor and simply walk, don't run to your nearest bookstore and sift through the myriad of books on the matter. Heck, why not (since you're online anyway) look through one of the lists here at Amazon.com?!

Traffic, not your typical Half Baked
this movie ruled. the shaky camera and grittyness is awesome. but instead of some review on how it is an academy award brilliant film of substance abuse,etc i will tell you how cool it is, even if those cool parts glorify drug dealers.
i like the part where that girl is at the party and the kid topher grace from that 70s show is talking all philosophically cause hes so stoned. and the kid on the other couch is like 'im so high' and he passes out and they drop him off at the ER and the cop comes and he yells the F word. ya i cant say it cause of amazon.com policies. its also funny when he has to get that girl messed up in a seedy hotel downtown to get with her. and theyre like doing trashy drugs too, whats up with that? since when do private school seniors do heroin through their foot? man i thought it was all about coors light and weed. guess not.
the movie starts out cool too when benicio del toro is in the mexican desert with his highway patrol giant sunglasses waiting for this plane to go over them thats traffiking cocaine. hes such a mexican badass. and his buddy cop next to him is playing game boy. thats the first noise you here in this 3 hour plus long drug war epic: mario jumping over a green tube. i love it.
another great part is when don cheadle and that funny peurto rican guy luiz something shoot that drug dealer in a san diego chuck e. cheese place. and the clown gets scared and goes back into the kitchen.
o ya when michael douglas takes topher grace out of spanish class and the teachers like where are you going and hes like im taking seth on a field trip and he takes him to the ghetto to find his prostitute heroin junkie 17 year old daughter.
traffic is a great movie cause it has moments like this. stephen s. the director is a badass who makes movies like the limey and this and the writer is good too. hes like 21 and he got the oscar for best adapted screenplay. this movie rules for stoners, concerned parents and politicians alike.

Interesting look at drugs
"TRAFFIC" is three interwoven stories about the drug trade and its impact on people. It attempts toshows how drugs can affect everybody connected to the drug dealers and pushers eg. family. It works in a way, but not enough to make me feel empathy for the characters.

It's fast moving and engaging, but something is missing from this film. Big names like Zeta Jones and Douglas aren't enough to make the film great.

If you really want to see a film that tackles the subject really well but in a different light, may I suggest "Requiem for a Dream". The devastation of drugs is well told in this film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As superfluous remakes go, Flight of the Phoenix could've been better, and could've been worse. It's a passable popcorn adventure, especially for those unfamiliar with the 1965 original, which starred James Stewart, made headlines for the crash-landing death of stunt-pilot Paul Mantz, and now stands as a minor classic of its era. This flashy remake stars Dennis Quaid in Stewart's role, adds a woman to the list of plane-crash survivors, and showcases Giovanni Ribisi, who gives a cleverly eccentric performance as the model-airplane designer who proposes to rebuild a crashed cargo plane into a single-engine escape from certain death in the remote Gobi desert. Both films are essentially identical, but this remake is somehow less believable (due to shortcuts in a haphazardly written screenplay) and much more spectacular, owing to the advantage of impressive special effects. Otherwise it's a routine dose of survivalist entertainment from the director of Behind Enemy Lines, never convincing enough to be genuinely compelling, but certainly never boring. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Okay, Okay, Okay. Okay. We'll build it.
Disappointment is just one of the emotions felt after viewing this cinematic failure.Frustration, aggravation, and anger could also be used, but mainly it was disappointment.One of the most important rules of making a film is to incorporate believable characters into an unbelievable situation.Flight of the Phoenix proves that you can place unbelievable characters in an unbelievable situation, and the end result will be ... well ... unbelievable (not in a good way).From the very blurry beginning, until the incredibly cheesy ending, this film gives us a taste of Hollywood proving that sometimes creativity, originality, and strong storytelling falls to the wayside to allow for more of Hollywood's leading men the ability to prance around shirtless.From the non-existent acting, to the scattered story, and finally followed by a very predictable and unrealistic ending, The Flight of the Phoenix never really took off to begin with.This was one of those films that tried to stuff as much in as possible without any thought to the five basic questions (who, what, where, when, and why) and thinking of the female drive in replace of a decent story.

To tell a good story, you must have a strong leader to guide you through the rough spots.Since Flight of the Phoenix was nothing but rough spots, I was looking forward to having the best leader who would draw my attention away from these distractions.Sadly, there was no leader, thus it forced me to focus on the gaping plot holes and meaningless dribble that happened throughout this film.Dennis Quaid was not the best choice for this picture.To make this film work, you needed to have someone strong, brainy, and a bit egotistical.You needed a leader, not one that would just sit around waiting for a rescue team to arrive.His nonchalant acting (bordering apathetic) never quite meshed well with the other actors.This didn't make him the central focus of the film, but instead turned our focus on Giovanni Ribisi's character.Sadly, nothing was given to us about Ribisi's character throughout the film, so we were forced to see an unknown character acting a bit eccentric.To me it didn't make much sense and lead to the very uneventful climax.With Quaid doing his least and Ribisi going a bit overboard, I would normally look towards the other characters to provide at least one line of enjoyment ... again ... normally ... but not in this case.Instead, what you found was the most diverse cast that I have ever seen, all of which are vying for more screen time.So, each push forward, nothing gets accomplish, the audience looses faith in the characters.Then, you have Miranda Otto.I only section her out because I had no honest clue what her role was in this film other than to provide a female interpretation on what was happening.You can't have all these men in the desert without some woman ... someone is going to be angry, and it will be up to Hollywood to show the diversity.It was pathetic and it felt forced to me.

I will give some credit that there was some creativity involved, but it was the overall development and final direction which lost all of the creativity that Flight of the Phoenix may have had going for it.Plane goes down in the desert and a group of people must rebuild before they die of dehydration.Interesting concept, but just not done well.There was too much sitting around and waiting for the first half of the film, where there could have been some decent character development or studies, instead we have these huge long-shots of the desert which is to show the vast nature of their surroundings.This was a great technique to use, but sadly director John Moore created the opposite effect than what he was going for.I understand that he was trying to show the vast landscape and how there was really no way for our ... is heroes to easy of a word? ... to escape the desert.He wanted the feel of the film to be this huge desert, but instead I felt trapped.I felt trapped in a characterless world where the scenery seemed like it should all have "Made in Hollywood" stamped on the back.I just could not grasp the horror that this team was feeling, and while some of that may be the actor's fault, I do feel that Moore had something to do with it as well.His ethics behind the camera, I do believe, hurt the final product of this film.

Finally, I cannot complain about this enough, but for me to fall in step with characters, I need to know their names, their weaknesses, and something about their lives.My biggest issue with the film Black Hawk Down and Tears of the Sun was that I didn't know any of the soldiers really well, so when they started dying I didn't know who they were, nor did I care.This is similar to what I felt when I watched this film.I knew only two-three of the characters really well, while the others were extremely expendable.When this happens, and something tragic happens to them, it will not evoke any emotion from you.Most of the time you shrug it off and wait for the next nameless victim.It is sad, but I can add Flight of the Phoenix to the ever-growing list of films that decided to use this technique.

Working around films so much I have seen so many patrons rent this film and come back with such glowing remarks.While most loved this film, I cannot agree with them because without decent characters, a stronger story, and a defined reason as to why Miranda Otto was involved with this project, then I cannot say this was a valued film in my book.

Grade: * out of *****

Barely worth a rental
After 30 minutes into Flight of the Phoenix, I asked myself, "Self, when does the action start?" Upon falling asleep and waking up later into the movie, I asked myself that again...and again.The trailer is incredibly misleading in that it makes this movie look somewhat...well...exciting.It's incredibly sleep-inducing and terribly written.One question: Why is Dennis Quaid trudging through the scorching desert with a winter bomber jacket and full flight regalia? Another question: why remake the original and make it worse? Don't waste your time.

Not Bad
The acting in this film was pretty good, and so were the special effects. I also thought the story was very good, and the ending was sweet.
That said, this good film is somewhat dirtied by a bad screenwriter. The lines were completely dumb, and the characters had to say them seriously.
You probably will like this movie anyway, but it could have been great with a better screenplay.

Good Plot , Exaggerated ,Uninspiring Performances
This movie is an absolute disaster. I haven't seen the original but let me tell you no director could possibly put together any worse set of actors for a film. In a land where they're doomed to be roasted to death, they show optimism. They build a plane ,dance aroud to radios that appear from nowhere. There are many loopholes to this plot. It didnt seem that the moderate sized plane that crashed in the desert could carry as much as load as they somehow bought out of it.

If you're an intense movie watcher like most are or if you're looking for a good lost nowhere movie please don't buy this. It's good that I borroweda friend's copy of the dvd. Somehow my friend hasn't seen it.I suggest he put it up for auction somewhere. In any case,this movie's a complete disappointment with very incompetent acting and action.

Poor casting, slow, and predictable
Given its premise, it sounds like this should have been a really good movie.Unfortunately, that's not the way it plays out.

First, the casting is poor.As the pilot and main character, Dennis Quaid's all-American, average guy persona just doesn't work.Giovanni Ribisi comes close to over-the-top acting, and the other characters - especially those played by Hugh Laurie and Tyrese - are completely one-dimensional stock characters whose actions can be easily predicted.

There's very little in the way of action, with most of the time spent on trite dialogue or needless shots of the desert and the plane.When events start to unfold, their outcome can be guessed well in advance.And while I don't have a problem with being able to guess the movie's ultimate outcome, a little bit of suspense would have helped.

Finally, the "updates" on the characters that are shown during the credits may be the corniest thing I've seen in a movie this year.We really could have done without that touch.

I'd recommend avoiding this one, even if you're looking for a light and mindless film.It just doesn't work on any level, and it was a real disappointment. ... Read more

Reviews (127)

I love this movie it is so funny! You MUST buy it today!!!
If you like dumb humor or are looking for a great movie buy this one. It is the best movie of the year! I GIVE IT 5 STARS!!!!

WONDERFUL CAST! CAN GET STUPID BUT FUNNY!
I thought that Lisa Kudrow was very good in the role of Romy and I thought that Mira Sorvino was good too but I felt that another actress should have played michelle. Other than that it was a great movie in which everyone tryed hard.

funny and quick
this movie is funny,the way they portray 1980's is on course of that behavior back then.then lisa kudrow playing a dunce is always funny even though she is really brilliant and mira does a real good job in this movie.but are stupid quirky standards in the usa stopping people from doing what they could really do in high school movie and thats why they only go so far with this stupid immaturity crap in this movie.but over in europe this movie wouldve gone alot further and been alot better because in europe the standards are far more sexual than in usa.then afterwards the movie really gets you rooting for lisa and mira and its pretty good movie where you can watch again and again.well if you cant find a movie and your last resort is this movie,well then give a try and see what you think

Dumbest movie around? ...well, DUH!
This is one of those movies that preach it's OK to be yourself, no matter how nerdy or pea-brained you may be... ...provided you have great looks, a great body or lots of money! Bottom line? Meanness isn't cool, but overweight is worst (neither characters get a happy ending)! Very funny picture, though, only I think they overdid it in the last reel. Should have ended right after the hillarious "Time after time" dance scene.

Romy and Michelle have nothing on Thelma and Louise.
Apparently this movie has quite a cult following. I know 2 people off hand that have wore this film out big time. One of whom is my mother. What surprises me is that this movie is so well regarded by everyone. I've seen it twice, thinking I may have missed something the first time. It had it's moments, like the surreal dancing sequence at the end of the film, that was quite touching. The music was fabulous, considering it's from my generation (The generation X!). The story? Well, that's when we run into some problems. The only thing i disliked about the plot was the conventionality and the stereotypical portrayal of high school life. I think there's enough films about the trials and tribulations of a nerd surviving the perils of high school. One other high point of the film is Janine Garofalo. Although her character wasn't explored in depth, she gave good..... performance. I wish she would have cut loose more though, (like more swearing and raunch). So if you want to hear Mira Sorvino do her best Bill Pullman, check this movie out. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

James Belushi should have gotten an oscar for this...
So then why do I only give 3 stars? Well, for one the movie was not as long as I hoped it would be and I also didn't care too much for the abrupt ending. Despite all that The Principal is probably the most realistic story of a man who even though has serious difficulty turning a trashy high school into a somewhat safer learning environment, manages to slowly succeed while firmly enforcing his rules. I wouldn't be surprised if this movie was based on a true story. I've seen movies like this such as Lean on Me, Dangerous Minds, High School High, and the Substitute but The Principal is the most realistic (not to mention more entertaining) film of the "Teacher vs. dangerous schools" scenario and I never seem to tire of it.

"I'm The Principal, Man!"
In 1987, James Belushi starred in one his best roles to date. James stars as Rick Latimer: a tough, motorcycle bar-fighter who is a school teacher that is transfered to become the principal at the worst school in the entire district, Brandell, which is a drug-infested, full of gangs and the worst kid in the school that everybody fears is the gang leader Victor Duncan (Michael Wright). When Rick arrives at his new school, he notices all the violent actions that go on here. When he takes notice of all this, he makes his official speech to the school with these two words as his demand to the students: "NO MORE!" Now he plans to clean up this school with the help of the head security guard Jake (Louis Gossett Jr.).

Rick realizes that it won't be easy cleaning up this school with almost all of the students against them, including Duncan and his gang. Rick creates a whole team of secuity guards to stop the selling of drugs on school grounds, gambling, fighting, and stealing. Duncan realizes that this new "Principal" isn't going to go away. So he and his gang brutally beat him up to teach him a lesson. To Rick, THIS MEANS WAR! Now Rick has set his mind on getting rid of Duncan and his gang. The two start battling back and forth including a high-speed chase and threats until Duncan screams at Latimer, "You come here tomorrow, you're going home in a body bag." The BATTLE HAS BEGUN!

Will Rick be able to get rid of Duncan and create a school out of Brandell? Can the Principal do it? Buy the principal and James Belushi will show what a Principal is all about.

The Principal gets a bravo . . . a Rio Bravo! (me an idiot)
In this wonderful reworking of Hawks' Rio Bravo, Belushi takes on both the role of the sheriff and of the drunk. This is the best of all of the 1980s faculty vs. evil student movies. Belushi towers in this film, giving a wondeful leading man performance which should have forever brought him out from under his brother's shadow. The film, like a lot of Hawks films, has the main characters trapped in a building and having to fight their ways out. Morales, Gosset and Rae Dawn give strong support. Though director's Cain's Young Guns was his most popular film on the decade, this was clearly his best.

James Belushi gets a promotion
Following an arrest for drunk and disorderly conduct, schoolteacher Belushi is transferred to the worst school in the district and designated the new principal. Except for some halfhearted support from some of the faculty and a few students, he's all on his own. That sets the tone of the story, because most of the student body is out to get him. Louis Gossett Jr. is solid as the school security guard, and so is Rae Dawn Chong as a teacher that Belushi is able to make headway with. The fine performances and some gripping tension lift this above some of the other "violent youthgang" movies.

The Principal Is Your Pal
Jim Belushi shines in this film. Lou Gossett and Rae Dawn Chong are strong as well. This film does bring together elements of drama, suspense, and comedy together very well. The drama of trying to reach out to the kids in the school. The suspense that hangs continually because of the threat of violent drug dealing students. The comedy comes from Belushi trying to put up with it all and make change happen. A worthwhile film and is worth checking out. ... Read more

Description

Ernest P. Worrell, America's lanky, lovable know-it-all (played to perfection by comedian "Hey, Vern! KnoWhutImean?" Jim Varney), stars as the hero of this frenetic, side-splitting comedy. The handyman at Kamp Kikakee, Ernest achieves his greatest ambition and becomes a camp counselor to a gang of juvenile delinquents from the Midstate Boys Detention Center! Not only must Mr. Advice-for-every-possible-occasion wrangle the wayward youths, but he has to save the camp from the ruthless clutches of a giant mining company too. Comic pandemonium ensues in the laugh riot of the summer season ... or any ol' time! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

The Funniest Movie Ever!
Ernest Goes to Camp is one of the funniest films I have ever seen. Jim Varney is one of the funniest comedians ever and along with this film, should go down in comedy classics history. It is certainly worth a look for fans of the genre or the curious, who will no doubt fall in love with Ernest and want to see all the wonderful sequels this movie produced. Ya know what I mean Vern?

Humorous and Touching
Jim Varney does an excellent job with his humorous, yet touching role as Ernest: Camp Counselor. The introduction to this movie is really funny. If you haven't done so already, pay attention to the golf cart! That isn't the last time you'll see it. Ernest's tolerance of the Second Chance boys is touching. I listen to "I'm Glad It's Raining" every now and then to remember this movie. It's really nice to see a movie where everything comes out ok in the end. The war at the mining camp is a riot! Simple little things such as the turtle saying "I'm scared, sarge" adds to the humor. This movie would not be as good if you tried to apply logic to some of the actions or if you dissected the plot. Just enjoy it for the humor & caring!

One Of My Favorite Movies Ever!!! (For Some Sick Reason)
"Ernest Goes To Camp" You just can't say that phrase, and not crack a smile! Jim Varney (Rest In Peace) Is my second favorite actor, next to Jack Nicelson. This is one of my favorite things do do at school:

[Go up to someone and ask:]
Me: "Have you ever seen "Ernest Goes To Camp"?
[They responed either "Uhh... Yes" or "Uhh... No".]
Me: "Oh, well I could get a projector, and show it on my butt."

I guess you had to be there... Anyway. I love this movie. If you love stupid/funny/retarded people doing/saying stupid/funny/retarded things. you'll love this movie!!!

P.S. Jim Varney, We hardly knew ye.

Cinematic Perfection
Why Jim Varney was overlooked for an Oscar for his portrayal of Ernest is a mystery to me. This film is pure comedic genius which rivals that of Charlie Chaplin and Lauryl and Hardy. The premise of the film is simple enough. Ernest longs to be a camp counselor where he works as a maintenance man. The hijinx are a plenty as Ernest takes on a group of tough misfit kids. This heart of gold maintenance man can teach us all a lesson for what's really important in life, being true to who you are and having friends. This film generated a lot of Oscar buzz when it was first released in 1987 and hasn't lost a step over the years.

Going Back to Camp.
ERNEST GOES TO CAMP was the first of the Ernest movies and it was made in the hey-day of Jim Varney's career as Ernest. The movie was made when Varney had a Saturday morning television show and was still making those popular television commercials on a regular basis. The film precedes other ventures in Varney's career, such as his voice work in the TOY STORY films. Next to ERNEST SAVES CHRISTMAS, ERNEST GOES TO CAMP is the best of all the Ernest movies that were made.

Unlike the other Varney films, Varney sticks to playing Ernest. Ernest works at a summer camp for boys as a maintenance man. He longs to be a camp counselor, but the director feels he isn't qualified. However, when the camp participates in a "Second Chance" program for delinquint boys and no one else seems to be able to handle them, Ernest is given the job of being their counselor. At first the gang finds him annoying and a push-over, but over time they come to respect him and realize all he has done for them. The climax of the movie erupts when a nearby mining company threatens to takeover the camp after duping the Native American chief who owned the land. Ernest won't stand by and see the camp destroyed and with the help from his boys they take on the mining company.

The movie is full of dumb humor that kids are sure to enjoy. I remember laughing hysterically when I originally saw this film in the theatre. My tastes have changed since then, but after watching the movie again on DVD, I still enjoyed it for what it was: a big, dumb movie with an awful lot of heart. The movie is a great family movie because it contains no foul language or sexual innduendo and very little violence. It's also a joy to watch because it illustrates the comic genius of Jim Varney back in his prime. Plus, it has the only film I know of that includes turtle paratroopers. Happy viewing! ... Read more

Description

Traffic examines the effect of drugs as politics, business, and lifestyle. Acting as his own director of photography, Steven Soderbergh employs an innovative, color-coded cinematic trea tment to distinguish the interwoven stories of a newly appointed drug czar and his family, a West Co ast kingpin's wife, a key informant, and cops on both sides of the U.S./Mexican border. Rarely has a film so energetic and suspenseful presented a more complex and nuanced view of an issue of such int ernational importance. Instantly recognized as a classic, Traffic appeared on more than 200 c ritics' ten-best lists, and earned 5 Academy Award® nominations. ... Read more

Reviews (505)

Very Good, but not quite great...
I hesitate to heap tremendous amounts of praise on this film. Its strongest point is clearly the exceptional characters. They make all the difference. The PLOT is, well, I don't know how to describe it. A bit disjointed I suppose, but still strong enough to pull you in. This movie isn't really about a story, it's about people being affected by the drug trade in North America.

Soderbergh's direction is excellent. The scenes in Mexico just LOOK hot because of that grainy yellow tinting. And living in San Antonio, near the border, I can certify that yes, that's genuinely how it feels down here. Often. The lack of steadycam shots gives it a "newsreel" feel to it. It will draw you in if you let it.

Now onto the characters. My favorite was Del Toro's. I just think the guy can act and he shows it to you here. His character faces the trials of loyalty, friendship and ultimately the choices between doing good and doing for yourself. Catherine Zeta Jones character was also captivating in her descent into the drug game. The characters I least liked involved the Michael Douglas storyline. While they were genuine and somewhat interesting, I found myself waiting for their scenes to end so that I could get back to the more intriguing developments. Also, I'm not quite ready to buy how easily it wrapped up near the end. A hint of optimism is good, but that was a little too much sunshine after a mostly cloudy set up.

Overall, it's a good film, and Soderbergh's Oscar for direction isn't a bad choice (though I still think it probably took more skill for Ang Lee to make people FLY). Watch it for the characters and the perspective on the drug "war."

A bleak look at the war on drugs
TRAFFIC is a great film. It showcases from many angles the world of the drug user and trafficker. Director Steven Soderburgh uses a wonderful cast, many different camera types, and many intriguing subplots that all somehow link to make this film great. If you enjoy fine acting, great directors, views from many locations, and just great films in general, buy TRAFFIC today.

TRAFFIC bases around the installation of a new drug czar, superbly played by Michael Douglas. How can he fight a war on drugs when his daughter is a user? This is the question the character seems plagued by throughout the film. This makes for interesting discussion. Meanwhile, two Mexican police officers are swept into helping ward off cartels in Tijuana. Benecio Del Toro is excellent in the role. There are other plots which call for wonderful performances from the likes of Don Cheadle, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Albert Finney. All in all, this film is well scripted and acted.

TRAFFIC, like any film, has flaws. It is tedious at certain points, sometimes the language is too excessive, and it seems to offer a negative message to youth. However, for its few flaws, it is still a wonderfully crafted and shot film. It was lauded because of that fact. If you need a great film to watch, I urge you to buy TRAFFIC today!

Flat out, lousy movie-making
This is a frustrating film for many reasons. Firstly the schizophrenia of the plotlines is poorly done and distracting. It merely further hindered me from actually gaining any sort of emotional connection to the characters (and that's counting the headstart the dialogue had given).

The themes of the movie are so apparent that they become oppressive. A previous reviewer encapsulated the film with the phrase: Drugs R bad, and while I can appreciate a noble premise like this, the way Soderbergh badgers the audience with the futility of the "war on drugs" and the affect that drugs have on addicts is devoid of tact and feels contrived to the point of nausea.

The characters are not well-developed either. Their actions are completely obvious. While this is not usually a just complaint about a movie, the lack of intrigue in the plot, the often cheesy dialogue, and the general lack of subtlety makes for an obnoxiously assuming film. It comes across not only snobbish to the layperson, but boring to the average movie-goer.

This movie really drags. This is an in-escapable fact. There were too many trifling scenes in this movie.

But that's just how it rubbed me. Although, I can see how many a pseudo-intellectual film buff could trick himself into gushing about how thought-provoking and "original" this film was, I can also see how many critics and sincere film-goers would like it as well. The message is certainly an important point of discussion regardless of how you feel on the issue, and the conclusions leave much to be debated (although, not about the film)

My main point is this: Unless you're interested in grinding your way through a movie with a plot that can be summarized in the political/humanitarian issue of the film, it's not worth seeing. If you're interested in drug-related issues, do yourself a favor and simply walk, don't run to your nearest bookstore and sift through the myriad of books on the matter. Heck, why not (since you're online anyway) look through one of the lists here at Amazon.com?!

Traffic, not your typical Half Baked
this movie ruled. the shaky camera and grittyness is awesome. but instead of some review on how it is an academy award brilliant film of substance abuse,etc i will tell you how cool it is, even if those cool parts glorify drug dealers.
i like the part where that girl is at the party and the kid topher grace from that 70s show is talking all philosophically cause hes so stoned. and the kid on the other couch is like 'im so high' and he passes out and they drop him off at the ER and the cop comes and he yells the F word. ya i cant say it cause of amazon.com policies. its also funny when he has to get that girl messed up in a seedy hotel downtown to get with her. and theyre like doing trashy drugs too, whats up with that? since when do private school seniors do heroin through their foot? man i thought it was all about coors light and weed. guess not.
the movie starts out cool too when benicio del toro is in the mexican desert with his highway patrol giant sunglasses waiting for this plane to go over them thats traffiking cocaine. hes such a mexican badass. and his buddy cop next to him is playing game boy. thats the first noise you here in this 3 hour plus long drug war epic: mario jumping over a green tube. i love it.
another great part is when don cheadle and that funny peurto rican guy luiz something shoot that drug dealer in a san diego chuck e. cheese place. and the clown gets scared and goes back into the kitchen.
o ya when michael douglas takes topher grace out of spanish class and the teachers like where are you going and hes like im taking seth on a field trip and he takes him to the ghetto to find his prostitute heroin junkie 17 year old daughter.
traffic is a great movie cause it has moments like this. stephen s. the director is a badass who makes movies like the limey and this and the writer is good too. hes like 21 and he got the oscar for best adapted screenplay. this movie rules for stoners, concerned parents and politicians alike.

Interesting look at drugs
"TRAFFIC" is three interwoven stories about the drug trade and its impact on people. It attempts toshows how drugs can affect everybody connected to the drug dealers and pushers eg. family. It works in a way, but not enough to make me feel empathy for the characters.

It's fast moving and engaging, but something is missing from this film. Big names like Zeta Jones and Douglas aren't enough to make the film great.

If you really want to see a film that tackles the subject really well but in a different light, may I suggest "Requiem for a Dream". The devastation of drugs is well told in this film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As superfluous remakes go, Flight of the Phoenix could've been better, and could've been worse. It's a passable popcorn adventure, especially for those unfamiliar with the 1965 original, which starred James Stewart, made headlines for the crash-landing death of stunt-pilot Paul Mantz, and now stands as a minor classic of its era. This flashy remake stars Dennis Quaid in Stewart's role, adds a woman to the list of plane-crash survivors, and showcases Giovanni Ribisi, who gives a cleverly eccentric performance as the model-airplane designer who proposes to rebuild a crashed cargo plane into a single-engine escape from certain death in the remote Gobi desert. Both films are essentially identical, but this remake is somehow less believable (due to shortcuts in a haphazardly written screenplay) and much more spectacular, owing to the advantage of impressive special effects. Otherwise it's a routine dose of survivalist entertainment from the director of Behind Enemy Lines, never convincing enough to be genuinely compelling, but certainly never boring. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Okay, Okay, Okay. Okay. We'll build it.
Disappointment is just one of the emotions felt after viewing this cinematic failure.Frustration, aggravation, and anger could also be used, but mainly it was disappointment.One of the most important rules of making a film is to incorporate believable characters into an unbelievable situation.Flight of the Phoenix proves that you can place unbelievable characters in an unbelievable situation, and the end result will be ... well ... unbelievable (not in a good way).From the very blurry beginning, until the incredibly cheesy ending, this film gives us a taste of Hollywood proving that sometimes creativity, originality, and strong storytelling falls to the wayside to allow for more of Hollywood's leading men the ability to prance around shirtless.From the non-existent acting, to the scattered story, and finally followed by a very predictable and unrealistic ending, The Flight of the Phoenix never really took off to begin with.This was one of those films that tried to stuff as much in as possible without any thought to the five basic questions (who, what, where, when, and why) and thinking of the female drive in replace of a decent story.

To tell a good story, you must have a strong leader to guide you through the rough spots.Since Flight of the Phoenix was nothing but rough spots, I was looking forward to having the best leader who would draw my attention away from these distractions.Sadly, there was no leader, thus it forced me to focus on the gaping plot holes and meaningless dribble that happened throughout this film.Dennis Quaid was not the best choice for this picture.To make this film work, you needed to have someone strong, brainy, and a bit egotistical.You needed a leader, not one that would just sit around waiting for a rescue team to arrive.His nonchalant acting (bordering apathetic) never quite meshed well with the other actors.This didn't make him the central focus of the film, but instead turned our focus on Giovanni Ribisi's character.Sadly, nothing was given to us about Ribisi's character throughout the film, so we were forced to see an unknown character acting a bit eccentric.To me it didn't make much sense and lead to the very uneventful climax.With Quaid doing his least and Ribisi going a bit overboard, I would normally look towards the other characters to provide at least one line of enjoyment ... again ... normally ... but not in this case.Instead, what you found was the most diverse cast that I have ever seen, all of which are vying for more screen time.So, each push forward, nothing gets accomplish, the audience looses faith in the characters.Then, you have Miranda Otto.I only section her out because I had no honest clue what her role was in this film other than to provide a female interpretation on what was happening.You can't have all these men in the desert without some woman ... someone is going to be angry, and it will be up to Hollywood to show the diversity.It was pathetic and it felt forced to me.

I will give some credit that there was some creativity involved, but it was the overall development and final direction which lost all of the creativity that Flight of the Phoenix may have had going for it.Plane goes down in the desert and a group of people must rebuild before they die of dehydration.Interesting concept, but just not done well.There was too much sitting around and waiting for the first half of the film, where there could have been some decent character development or studies, instead we have these huge long-shots of the desert which is to show the vast nature of their surroundings.This was a great technique to use, but sadly director John Moore created the opposite effect than what he was going for.I understand that he was trying to show the vast landscape and how there was really no way for our ... is heroes to easy of a word? ... to escape the desert.He wanted the feel of the film to be this huge desert, but instead I felt trapped.I felt trapped in a characterless world where the scenery seemed like it should all have "Made in Hollywood" stamped on the back.I just could not grasp the horror that this team was feeling, and while some of that may be the actor's fault, I do feel that Moore had something to do with it as well.His ethics behind the camera, I do believe, hurt the final product of this film.

Finally, I cannot complain about this enough, but for me to fall in step with characters, I need to know their names, their weaknesses, and something about their lives.My biggest issue with the film Black Hawk Down and Tears of the Sun was that I didn't know any of the soldiers really well, so when they started dying I didn't know who they were, nor did I care.This is similar to what I felt when I watched this film.I knew only two-three of the characters really well, while the others were extremely expendable.When this happens, and something tragic happens to them, it will not evoke any emotion from you.Most of the time you shrug it off and wait for the next nameless victim.It is sad, but I can add Flight of the Phoenix to the ever-growing list of films that decided to use this technique.

Working around films so much I have seen so many patrons rent this film and come back with such glowing remarks.While most loved this film, I cannot agree with them because without decent characters, a stronger story, and a defined reason as to why Miranda Otto was involved with this project, then I cannot say this was a valued film in my book.

Grade: * out of *****

Barely worth a rental
After 30 minutes into Flight of the Phoenix, I asked myself, "Self, when does the action start?" Upon falling asleep and waking up later into the movie, I asked myself that again...and again.The trailer is incredibly misleading in that it makes this movie look somewhat...well...exciting.It's incredibly sleep-inducing and terribly written.One question: Why is Dennis Quaid trudging through the scorching desert with a winter bomber jacket and full flight regalia? Another question: why remake the original and make it worse? Don't waste your time.

Not Bad
The acting in this film was pretty good, and so were the special effects. I also thought the story was very good, and the ending was sweet.
That said, this good film is somewhat dirtied by a bad screenwriter. The lines were completely dumb, and the characters had to say them seriously.
You probably will like this movie anyway, but it could have been great with a better screenplay.

Good Plot , Exaggerated ,Uninspiring Performances
This movie is an absolute disaster. I haven't seen the original but let me tell you no director could possibly put together any worse set of actors for a film. In a land where they're doomed to be roasted to death, they show optimism. They build a plane ,dance aroud to radios that appear from nowhere. There are many loopholes to this plot. It didnt seem that the moderate sized plane that crashed in the desert could carry as much as load as they somehow bought out of it.

If you're an intense movie watcher like most are or if you're looking for a good lost nowhere movie please don't buy this. It's good that I borroweda friend's copy of the dvd. Somehow my friend hasn't seen it.I suggest he put it up for auction somewhere. In any case,this movie's a complete disappointment with very incompetent acting and action.

Poor casting, slow, and predictable
Given its premise, it sounds like this should have been a really good movie.Unfortunately, that's not the way it plays out.

First, the casting is poor.As the pilot and main character, Dennis Quaid's all-American, average guy persona just doesn't work.Giovanni Ribisi comes close to over-the-top acting, and the other characters - especially those played by Hugh Laurie and Tyrese - are completely one-dimensional stock characters whose actions can be easily predicted.

There's very little in the way of action, with most of the time spent on trite dialogue or needless shots of the desert and the plane.When events start to unfold, their outcome can be guessed well in advance.And while I don't have a problem with being able to guess the movie's ultimate outcome, a little bit of suspense would have helped.

Finally, the "updates" on the characters that are shown during the credits may be the corniest thing I've seen in a movie this year.We really could have done without that touch.

I'd recommend avoiding this one, even if you're looking for a light and mindless film.It just doesn't work on any level, and it was a real disappointment. ... Read more

Description

EMI Latin presents Selena: Greatest Hits. All audio tracks have been remastered and the videos have been restored to their original quality. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

It's Great!
Selena is great! This DVD is great! What more can I say? It is a great find for any Selena fan.

For Selena's fans
It seems to me that Selena's family is still reproducing the same material again and again. The DVD Selena: Greatest Hits (2003) was in fact included as a bonus material in the CD Selena Ones (2