Description

From Hollywood's hottest new director comes the outrageous epic that throws the covers back on California's adult entertainment industry in the swinging seventies. It's a touching and often humorous portrait of a most unusual family of filmakers, brought ... Read more

Reviews (248)

Why don't you feast on that?
Boogie Nights is a very stylish and funny film that is sure to please movie fans. While its slightly subtle and offbeat humor may be lost on some viewers, Boogie Nights is a hilarious movie.

The film is centered around the rise and fall of adult film star Dirk Diggler (played by Mark Wahlberg). Diggler starts out as a polite, bright-eyed kid but is slowly corrupted by life in the fast lane. Wahlberg gives a great performance as the dopey Diggler, whose words aren't necessarily meant to be funny yet often come off as hilarious.

The supporting cast also does an excellent job in this film. John C. Reilly plays Diggler pal and fellow adult film star Reed Rothchild to perfection. Reilly is funny throughout the movie, but stands out particularly in a scene where he is being interviewed about the impact of movie violence on viewers. Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, Don Cheadle, William H. Macy, and Philip Seymour Hoffman also deliver very strong supporting performances.

It's hard to explain what makes Boogie Nights such an entertaining movie. The humor in the dialogue is often quite subtle, but is nevertheless very effective. The characters are colorful and really seem believable despite their sometimes odd behavior and personalities.

Director/writer Paul Thomas Anderson did a great job with this film. Viewers are sure to feel empathetic towards the characters as they struggle and yet will likely find themselves laughing at just how bad and weird things get at times.

The scene that best sums up Boogie Nights as a whole occurs when Diggler, Rothchild, and friend Todd Parker find themselves in the home of an oddball drug addict trying to sell him some bad dope. The use of music and camerawork in this scene really creates a feeling of tension, yet viewers will probably be tempted to laugh at some of the various events of the scene. I won't say exactly what happens, but the entire sequence shows how Boogie Nights is a dichotomy of the laughable and the tragic.

In short, Boogie Nights is a very entertaining and memorable film. Wahlberg's portrayal of Dirk Diggler is top notch and the other actors also do excellent work in the film. Boogie Nights seems to get better with each subsequent viewing and I highly recommend the movie to fans of subtle and slightly dark humor.

Worthwhile
Boogie Nights is an entertaining movie, but not a fantastic one. While Burt Reynolds and of course Don Cheadle are solid choices for their roles, the film hinges largely on the performance and natural charisma of Wahlberg, who is possibly the only actor who could even be imagined in this role without risking his career. Claims that the story is based on that of John Holmes are nothing but publicity to give it more legitimacy than a completely fictional narrative about the porn industry, which is really what it is. Wahlberg's character bears no specific resemblance to Holmes whatsoever, and the narrative is entirely generic of its topic: pool parties, drug use, filming porn scenes. The "big package" schtick is too repetitive and overdone, and in fact is the main drama of the entire film: Will we get to see it after witnessing the jaw-dropping over-reactions of nearly everyone else who appears on screen, or not? Such tension. Wahlberg's persona is portrayed as overly stupid, almost appearing to have a significant mental impairment, and with minimal comic advantage. His total wide-eyed gullibility gets tiring, but is balanced somewhat by the grittier drug deal scenes in the second half of the film.

Although this film does have its moments and is worth watching overall, it is not a legendary cinematic achievement.

Interesting, but good
Boogie Nights is a good movie(i watched it last night) with a lot of good actors just some of the scenes seemend to drag but you want to see what happens. while i was watching it seemend like it lasted about 4 hours and i just began to get bored with it but it still kept an intresting story with great performances from Burt Renyolds, Mark Whaelberg, and Julianne Moore

This movie was funny, touching and even nostalagic
When I first saw this film, I was skeptical, thinking it was a low-brow glossed-over "milk the renewed interest in Disco".

I am pleased to say I was wrong!!

In a very elite cast, I thought Mark Wahlberg, as "Dirk Diggler" aka John Holmes, the well-endowed porn king who winds up a hapless coke addict "stole the show". Growing up in this "era", it was very nostalgic to see Hi-Fi's, 70's hair, and the soundtrack brought back the whole era, along with a story of people who extended themselves past their most essential limit- that of self-control.

I rated it a "5 of 5"; to all who enjoy it, "54" is a must-see, also!!

the arrival of a truly great director
although Hard Eight was the first time people may of heard of Paul Thomas Anderson (and a really great movie also) Boggie Nights was the film that truly marked the arrival of great director..for my money this movie is a well made and ENTERTAINING (something many film makers forget about) as almost any films to come out in the last 10-15 years. great story arc..well written script..authentic feel, without trying too hard for that 70's cheesiness it just seems natural..and just flat out stellar performances from a huge cast...too me while not on the same level it has the same sweeping through the gutter, rags to riches to rags feel as Goodfellas..and like that movie gives realness and depth to a group of people who live outside of the world the rest of us live in..but are still effected by it...P.T. Anderson with his next movies Magnolia and Punch Drunk Love cemented his place as one the great directors in hollywood...check out Boogie Nights to see where it started ... Read more

Reviews (408)

The Perfect Storm The Perfect Movie on dvd
Directed by Wolfgang Peterson who has a career
for making great films like the "The NeverEnding Story", "The Perfect Storm" was another great film into Mr. Peterson's resume.

The perfect storm, is based on the book written by Sebastian Unger. It's the true account of a group of fisherman who , in October 1991, died in the worst storm in the century, sacrificing their lives because they were doing their duties
and trying to put food on the table for their families.

There are many reasons I liked this movie:
1) The characters are real and genuine
2) The movie has a lot of heart, action, drama and suspense
3) The movie does have a certain mystique and aura around it, due to the fact that these are very special people whom if you met them you've probably wouldn't forget.

The cast and crew is made up of Billy Tyne
(George Clooney), captain of the Andrea Gail, Bobby Shatford (Mark Wahlberg) ,a beloved
fisherman in Gloucester, Mike "Bugsy" Moran
(John Hawkes), Dale Murphy (John C. Reilly) , David "Sully" Sullivan (William Fichtner). All these characters were loved in their community.

To feed their loved ones, the fisherman go to the Great banks to catch as many fish as possible but they don't see that a huge Hurricane named " Grace" is headed their way, a deadly storm in fact. The fisherman's boss though, Mr. McNally I believe is his name, pays them very little and makes even fishing a hassle for them. The men though still go out to see despite this because of their great love for the see.

One of the characters that are shown
at the beginning is Christine Cotter (Diane
Lane), Bobby's girlfriend, who has an undying love for him, even though she knows that fishing in rough waters can be dangerous.

Making the characters more realistic and with a real storyline the movie shows the mixed hate/love relationship, the crew has with Captain Billy (Clooney). It's debatable whether Tyne might
have been at fault over the dealth of his shipmates. During one scene Tyne, gets a message about the upcoming storm, however, he doesn't immediately make the crew think about how dangerous it is. He instead just leaves the decision in their hands, but another Captain might have taken control and said the hell with the trip.

Each characters has a story to them, it's not just that these guys were average joes and they worked a crummy job, no, they were very much by everyone and the extras on the dvd prove that with all the interviews by people in the community.

The visual effects for the movie are outstanding, it is a very big budget production loaded with great sets and great models..

The movie was a box office hit, and received
praise for all the actors in it like Clooney and Walhberg.

The effects were done by award winning special effects ma Stan Winston and ILM , the same group who gave us the effects for "Terminator 2",
and "Jurassic Park" to give two examples.

The Dvd for the movie comes with many extras:

*Three Documentaries one by HBO called
"Creating the Storm" which has interviews with Bobby Shatford's family,i former Captains of the Andrea Gail, and interviews with local fisherman who know all about the characters involved. Then other documentary on the dvd is called "Witnessing the Storm" which has photos from the storm in 1991 and many interviews on it

Next is the commentary. The commentary
is actually split differently during one
commentary I believe you have Wolfgang
Petersen talking about the film. The other
commentary has Sebastian Unger who talks
about how afraid he was if his book on
the storm would fail,and then how great he felt when the families of the fisherman told
him how good a job he did with it.

With all visual effects, story, good acting
and great directing by Wolfgang "Perfect
Storm" is a very good movie, by a guy
who hasn't really done bad movies.
In fact Wolfgang's next movie is "Troy"
with Brad Pitt. So check that out and check
out this one.

Fantastic Special Effects!!!
The Perfect Storm has some really great special-effects. The movie starts out a little slow describing all the characters and their relationships but then moves along at a breathless pace. You get so caught up with the crew in the middle of this greatest storm in recorded history that you can't take your eyes away from the screen. This storm occurred in the Atlantic Ocean in October 1991, a true story. You feel like your on the ocean with the crew it is so realistic. It even made me feel seasick at times. George Clooney & Mark Wahlberg did a wonderful job as the two main characters. There are a lot of surprises in this film. You get a good feel for the life & people involved in this tough fishing port of Gloucester, Massachusetts.

I only had one problem with this movie, and it was the soundtrack. I felt the music was really appropriate and well-done, but it should have been toned down a little. It overpowered the actors words to the point where you couldn't tell what they were saying. At least during the storm it would have been better to have no music at all and just the natural sounds. Other than that it's a great movie that I will definitely watch again. The special features & documentaries are great on this DVD version, that explain how the film was made. Really quite interesting

lukewarm
I really wanted to like this movie but it came off as a bland viewing experience. A lot of it had to do with poor casting...Clooney (IMO) is not a good actor so without a strong lead, the rest of the ensemble faltered. I don't remember much of a soundtrack-a good musical score would of greatly improved this film.
As a New Englander, I find it quite tiresome to listen to ridiculous interpretations of the local dialects. Obviously most of the actors could not speak it, so the few who tried, looked even more stupid. I would of been happy if they had spoken in their natural accents (even if by fluke, someone was from the South, per se)-at least a viewer can justify it by interpreting the character as a transplant; a horrible rendition of a dialect is just that...horrible, and it is very distracting. The hollywood adaptation of New England locals always strikes me as an insult. It seems fair to state that these filmmakers from the west coast don't know enough about the people and culture of New England either.

No suspense whatsoever
It's hard to get psyched for a movie when you basically know the ending. How can you sustain any kind of tension or suspense? That's a key problem with most movies which are deemed "historical". What most great historical films have done is examine the aspects of the history and demonstrate how the forces came together to create that ending. Think of GLORY or THE LONGEST DAY. They don't even have to be war stories. Think of A NIGHT TO REMEMBER or SEABISCUIT, for that matter.

The problem with THE PERFECT STORM is that there is no suspense, essentially. We know the crew ignored or were deprived the information that things were going to get a little rough in the North Atlantic, and its boat got walloped. I don't know how Wolfgang Petersen or the script writers could have created the suspense, and it's not a reviewer's job to make recommendations. But as it is, I found myself increasing impatient during the first half of the film. Let's just get to the F/X and get it over with, I thought.

The performances, I have to say in all fairness, are good, considering what the actors had to work with. The F/X were great, of course. But I still left this film with an empty feeling. Pass on this one.

Very depressing, but still a good movie.
This film truely has some great special effects, good acting, heart, but the one thing that it lacks is that positive ending that even the saddest films have. The film was very depressing in every sense. George Clooney, Mark Whallberg, and the rest of the cast all did a great job. The cinematography was brilliant. All in all the film is something you need to follow up with a happier movie. If you are in the mood to be crushed stay away. I reccomend this film to people who love special effects films. Two sad thumbs up. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Two years before he let it all hang out in Boogie Nights, former rapper and Calvin Klein underwear model Mark Wahlberg played the psychotic boyfriend in this derivative but surprisingly effective thriller, aptly described by producer Brian Grazer as "Fatal Attraction for teens." Reese Witherspoon plays Nicole Walker, the unwitting teenager who gets the hots for David McCall (Wahlberg). David only seems like a nice guy until he gets upset by the girl's overly protective father. That's when hell breaks loose and the love-struck Romeo turns into a deadly threat who just won't go away. You'd think this kind of material would be beneath the talents of a fine director like James Foley (whose credits include At Close Range and Glengarry Glen Ross), but Foley gives the film just the right blend of style and tension to match Wahlberg's breakthrough role as an all-too-believable teenage maniac. You might feel silly afterwards, but don't be surprised if you find yourself getting caught up in the expertly manipulative suspense. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (90)

Fear Rocks!!
This movie is the most terrifying movie that I have ever seen.(And I am a horror-movie buff) This movie is so creepy, so electrifying that it is scary(please excuse that punn) This movie has a hot young cast of some extremely talented actors, including the beautiful Alyssa Milano and Reese Witherspoon, and a young fellow of the name Mark Wahlberg. I can pretty much tell what is going to happen with movies. I couldn't tell a thing in this movie. This is not just your run of the mill teen hororr/suspence/thiller/Mystery type of movie. This movie is a great movie to enjoy and a great life-lesson (or moral, if you will) wihout actually living it. I won't tell what the lesson is, but Reese Witherspoon is generally in movies that teach something at the end, so be sure to look for it at the end and during this film. This movie is so great in every way possible. By far the best[for me] hororr film of them all! Great movie!!! Very similar to "Fatal Attraction" But, geared towards a teen auidence. Both films are great, but also both have cerin material that DIDN'T have to be in there. VERY realsitic, in the sense that there are teens who choose to...ummm...well spend "quality" time with each other, and do live to regret that "quality" time spent. Alot of the time, that person that you spent the time with, ISN'T the person you thought they were. Very creepy. "Fatal Attraction" and "Fear" are similar, and different at the same time. "Fear" is pratically a re-make of "Fatal Attraction" which it sortta is...

FEAR ITSELF
Maybe it's derivative, but FEAR packs a punch due to the expert direction of James Foley and the dead-on performances of Mark Wahlberg, Reese Witherspoon and William Petersen. Nice girl Reese (beautiful and a marvelously talented actress) goes along with pal Alyssa Milano to a club where she catches the eye of hunky David McCall (Wahlberg, in a chilling and good performance). Of course, once she finds herself falling for him, she sees a violent and darker side as he attacks her best friend and pushes her in the face. David, being the charming psychopath he is, manages to patch things up, and then things really start firing up. Petersen's father is a devoted, family man, who truly loves his daughter. When he realizes Wahlberg is not the Prince Charming he appears to be, he warns him to stay away from his daughter. But Wahlberg won't take no for an answer, so he rallies up his drug-dealing friends and attacks the home of Reese and her family. A tense, nerve wracking ending with powerful performances.
A guilty, but enjoyable, pleasure, showing that Wahlberg has more than a buff body to credit his success.

Amazing
This is a classic. Reese Witherspoon is so cute, and as if we didn't all know so is Mark Walberg. Put them together and you've got a hit. This is my favorite movie ever and I am a video freak. I couldn't even imagine what was going to happen next. It was scary yet romantic. I love it, however I wouldn't recommened this movie for anyone under the age of 16

Does anyone knows????
Hi there! I loved the movie, it's really great. Now I'm looking for the soundtrack... does anyone knows where can I get it???? PLEASE!!! if you can tell me I'll be so grateful!!! My email is: gpalomo@telecontacto.com.mx
THX
G.

It could really happen
When 16 year old Nicole meets David McCall for the first time, he is a sensitive and caring man. Over time they build a deep relationship. All the problems start after their first intimate encounter. David goes wacko with jealousy, beating up one of Nicole's best friends, who happens to be a guy. Nicole is torn between wanting to stay with him and never wanting to see him again. After a riff with her father, Nicole runs off temporarily with David. Later that night she catches him with her best friend. She dumps David and turns her back on her best friend Margo (Alyssa Milano), not letting her explain what really happened. David ends up stalking Nicole and essentially holding her family hostage.

Creepy in a way because it's a situation that can, and I'm sure has, happened. ... Read more

Reviews (667)

Good movie, packed DVD
Why 5 stars? Well I looked at what everyone else was writing, and as far as their complaints go, they seemed to be frustrated with some dialogue issues and logistics in the characters. I saw most of the original Planet of the Ape films, and while they were fascinating, they didn't quite stack up to this.

The dialogue, were it was corny "Get you stinking hand off me" was one of a few inside jokes within the movie that was a referrence to a Charlton Heston line in Planet of the Apes. As I recall this was the first line the Apes spoke in the film (as Attar demonstrated). Heston spoke those same words (from a different point of view) to the apes when he was captured, much to their surprise. There a quite a few inside jokes in the movie. So you need to be familiar with th first film to appreciate this one.

It also makes intriguing referrences to cultural issues of the past, in particular, slavery, using humans and apes. Course there is more to the story. Planet of the Apes was always breaching ground for Civil Rights. This was a more emphatic example.

The costumes and special affects were stellar. Definitely two Oscars will nodded for makeup and costumes. Tim Burton did a good job in directing and respects go to the screenwriter for his visions. THis was a labor 12 years in the making with numerous names attached (Arnold S. and Oliver Stone at one time).

The DVD is loaded with everything you could want. I got some kind of limited edition CD-Rom. Not sure if everyone else got it, but it offers cast interviews as well. I and my parents enjoyed it, so good for the 20- somethings and 50- somethings..

Not a remake of the original but a totally different story
First let start off by saying that this is not a remake of the 1968 classic but a totally different telling of the story. I respect Tim Burton for not trying to do your basic remake, which consists of updated special effects but the same story. The story in this movie is entirely different than the original. Other than the fact that Apes are involved there are very few similarities. The story is well thought out and keeps you engaged throughout the movie. Tim Burton also knew that Mark Wahlberg is no Charlton Heston, so he kept his dialogue to a minimal. Actually Tim Roth and Michael Duncan Clark have more dialogue in the movie than Wahlberg does. Rick Baker does an outstanding job with the makeup, which allows the actors facial expressions to come through which is key for this type of movie. I will not ruin the ending but will tell you that it is unique and as unexpected as the first one was in 1968. Now onto the DVD, the Anamorphic transfer is flawless and the DTS 5.1 soundtrack is superb. The video shows no signs of edge enhancement, artifacting, or color bleeds. The blacks are deep and rich and all the colors are vibrant. The DTS 5.1 audio track is just awesome; it utilizes the rears and subwoofer frequently. All dialogue is focused on the center channel and is well balanced. The DVD has more special features than any other DVD to date. There are at least 6 documentaries, a "first person" point of view feature, and all the other normal fanfare that comes with a special edition DVD. This by far and wide is Fox's best DVD to date as it pertains to special features.

not a very good version
this is tim burtons adaption of the original movie from 68.the story strays way off course from the original but is way funnier.marky mark stars in it.oh yeah!now will take it seriously.as if it wasnt bad enough we were watching a bad remake of an old classic,now it stars one of the worst bands in histories brothers.bbbboooooooooooooo!the kids will like it.tim burton directed it.besides the lack of keeping with the original and bad casting,this movie is good.it is a disapointment from a lot of his far better movies though.there are a lot of racial undertones in it.they are done in a funny way.is this even possible?its kind of a down but still manages a 3 star rating due to tim burtons masterful save.

loved it!
I'm an "Apes" kid who grew up on Planet Of The Apes, Beneath The Planet Of The Apes, Escape From The Planet Of The Apes, Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes, Battle For The Planet Of The Apes, Return To The Planet Of the Apes animated series, The Planet Of The Apes comic book series, The Planet Of The Apes TV series, The Planet Of The Apes novel...I loved all of this Apes stuff. Why? Because it was FUN. Sadly it seems those days are gone for good and their ain't too many folks left who get the fun of these sort of things. It's clear that Tim Burton still gets it. He obviously loves the Apes movies and he grew up with all of those same movies and fun Ape toys that I did. His version is a loving tribute to that period of time in his childhood when the whole world seemed to have gone ape. He's even thrown in an ending that's not unlike the ending of the original novel. That novel inspired the movies, but none of them tried to stay true to that idea until Burton's version. Burton is obviously a fan of the Apes craze that made many a youngster want to battle talking apes or be talking apes. He captures that sense of wonder that many of us experienced in our Ape invaded youth, but he also doesn't take the whole thing too damn seriously. There are plenty of laughs here too. It's a big fun talking Apes movie that's just as much FUN as the ones that so many of us loved in the old days. I wondered, laughed, marveled, and had a great time being a kid again. I couldn't have asked for anything more. If Burton hadn't directed this thing I'm sure I would have got a hell of a lot less. Burton "gets" FUN.

(...)
am a big Tim Burton fan, I've practically seen
all his movies: "Batman" , "Sleepy Hollow", "Edward Scissorhands", "The Nightmare before Christmas" are the Directors best works to name a few.

But when I first heard, that Director Tim Burton
was going to make a remake of the original classic sci fi movie "Planet Of The Apes" with Charlton Heston, I was skeptical. Everyone knows that remakes of classic movies 90% of the time, plain suck. The movie remake of "Psycho" is a good example. I was further skeptical that Tim Burton's remake would equal the success of the original because all the ideas thought possible were used for the "Planet Of The Apes" series and movies.

Apes going into space, an Ape's son taking over the world, and even mutant beings are just a couple of the ideas that were used for the four sequels and 2 television series that wanted to profit of the 1968 film. Now after watching the film , my gut instinct told me I was right. The New version of Planet of The Apes is highlly predictable, copying a large bulk of material from the original, with brief differences.

Probably the biggest problem is that this movie itself has is the lame, and dumbest ending I've seen. It makes me laugh just thinking about it. It makes me laugh more because this was a Tim Burton film. In fact, the ending looks like it was written by a 13 yr old, who has too many cheap sci fi films with bad endings. The end of the film, lets you down with an incredibly stupid ending that makes you feel like you wasted time watching it.

Even Tim Burton commented after the film, that he would not make another sequel. Apparently, even he knew that his movie failed. Now my review of the film:
Planet of The Apes starts with great visual effects,
as we learn that an Air Force Space Station has occupied the universe. Mark Walhberg plays Captain Leo Davidson,
who is teaching scientific chimps how to pilot space vessels for research. Basically, the chimps are sent as probes , if you will, to uncharted planets. However, something goes wrong, and the head chimp, gets lost on a voyage to a planet. Davidson, caring for the chimp, disobeys orders and goes after him.
Now then comes the copying of the original film into the remake,but Burton tries his best or worst to not make it look like a copycat film.

Davidson is eventually captured by the Apes of the Planet. Just like the original film, the Apes personality traits are split by class. The warriors are made mostly of Apes and Gorillas. The lying and cunniving politicians are made up of Urangantans. While the more sympathetic apes relate more to the chimp class.

In the original fim, Charlton Heston has the famous line that all fans know when he is captured by the Apes:
"Let go of me you damn dirty ape".

However, Burton changes the script to not copy the original. In the remake, it is the ape who use a line similiar to this:

"Let go of me you damn dirty human"

Lol. I laughed for a while when I saw this.
It's just a very dumb scene. Because even Burton changed the lines, it's still trying to copy that classic scene from the original. Anyways Davidson is captured and eventually meets the head Ape of the planet. Davidson is eventually put into the lines of human slaves that the apes have. Here also Burton tries to add differences between this film and the original. If you recall in the original, Charlton Heston was the only human who could think and talk, while all the over humans either had labotomies or had their throats cut out.

This made Heston's character, Taylor, much more unique and dangerous to the apes. In the remake though, Burton makes it so all humans can talk. This made Walhberg's character not as unique and dangerous, as the original Heston characterm, hell it made him average, not standing out from the crowd.

Tim Roth, plays the evil General Thade who is the military dictator in control of the planet. For the most part, Roth's part is admirable, he does display that aura of intimidation and fear, that all villians in the movie have, but all of this is ripped to shreds by the horrible ending of the film.
Eventually Davidson and the rest of his human and ape friends stage a revolt against General Thade to see who will rule the planet.

This is actually one of the few good points of the film,Burton gives you the hope that things will turn out the best in the end, but not necessarily... Without giving away the ending of the film, all I can say is that it is one of the cheesiest, dumbest endings I've seen!!! In fact, my first reaction to the ending was disbelief, followed by sheer laughter. I couldn't believe that Burton had done that type of ending. The ending reminds me of those low budget, cheap sci fi endings from the 1950's and 60's. If I wanted to see sci fi movies with a cheap , laughable, ending I would watched the reruns of "Mystery Science Theater 3000"!!.

What upsets me about the ending, is that before the ending, we are lead to believe that the movie is going to end one way. In fact, if the movie ended up the way I thought it was going to end, I would have given it a perfect 10!!! But Burton (I don't know what he was thinking)sabotages, the good film with a cheap ending, that leaves you feeling rip-offed. He is not the only guy to do this, the legendary Roman Polanski likewise had the dumbest ending of his career in the movie "Femme Fatale" with Antonio Banderas.

Several weeks after the movie was released, Burton said he would not do a sequel to "Planet Of The Apes". It seems that Burton himself, knew that he messed up a perfectly good film and , proved that remakes of classic films should be left alone. I am big Tim Burton fan, but the remake of "Planet Of The Apes" is probably the worst film that he has done. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A confident hybrid of M*A*S*H, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and Dr. Strangelove, Three Kings is one of the most seriously funny war movies ever made. Improving the premise of Kelly's Heroes with scathing intelligence, it explores the odd connection between war and consumerism in the age of Humvees and cellular phones. Writer-director David O. Russell's third film (after Spanking the Monkey and Flirting with Disaster), it's a no-holds-barred portrait of personal conscience in the volatile arena of politics, played out by one of the most gifted filmmakers to emerge in the 1990s.

George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and Spike Jonze (director of Being John Malkovich) play a quartet of U.S. soldiers who, disillusioned by Operation Desert Storm, decide to steal $23 million in gold hijacked from Kuwait by Saddam Hussein's army. Getting the bullion out of an Iraqi stronghold is easy; keeping it is a potentially lethal proposition. By the end of their mercenary mission, the Americans can no longer ignore wartime atrocities (and neither can we--the film is boldly unflinching), and conscience demands their aid to Iraqi rebels abandoned by President George Bush's fickle wartime policy. This is serious stuff indeed, but Russell infuses Three Kings with a keen sense of the absurd, and the entire film is an exercise in breathtaking visual ingenuity. Despite a conventional ending that's mildly disappointing for such a brashly original film, Three Kings conveys the brutal madness of war while making you laugh out loud at the insanity. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (409)

Provoking Satire
Writer-director David O. Russell's almost-remake of "Kelly's Heroes" set during the Persian Gulf War provides a satirical view on the concept of war, humanity, and who really profits from them.

George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and Spike Jonze, are weekend warriors who aren't happy about being in the desert risking their life for no money. Hearing about some Kuwaiti bullion (No, not the little cubes you make soup out of)in the hands of Iraqi soldiers, they decide it's time to go out on their own to hit the jack pot before anyone else gets there. On their way back they have to decide whether greed is more important than compassion or whether the two can be mixed somewhat.

Fast-paced with shifting images and camera angles, the movie gives one the sense of the values of the high-tech 90s and war in general. Exploring materialism and greed from top to bottom, David O. Russell explores the rationale of war and the Persian Gulf-War in particular. A great film for a wide audience. Whether you like war-movies, political satires, comedy, drama, or action, this movie has something for everyone.

A solid piece of filmmaking
I'm not a war fan. My dad is, but I could care less about the genre. However, Three Kings opened up my eyes.

Unfortunately, I walked into the theater 20 minutes late so I missed most of the "comedic" part of the film. However, I did get a chance to see the gag with the blood and guts falling from the sky. However, after that, I saw a good movie with a good plot, stylish directing, and good performances all around.

This movie takes place right after the Gulf War. Our heros (George Clooney, Mark Walhberg, Ice Cube) are in charge of getting stolen gold from Iraq back to Kuwait. They complete their mission, but they find themselves in the middle of a heap of trouble. After they shoot a couple of Iraq soldiers, they must escape with refugees to the Kuwait border to get them from a certain death. Of course, the US has ordered a cease of fire andnow both Iraq and US troops are after them as they trek to the border.

The script is somewhat cut and dry, but the action is pretty engaging. The ending is a little predictable, but it leaves a good impression. I recommend this movie, and I'm considering taking this genre for real.

BACK HAND SWIPE AT BUSH 41
"Three Kings" starred the ultra-liberal George Clooney in a convoluted story of U.S. soldiers trying to get rich in war torn 1991 Iraq, possibly re-creating the theme of Clint Eastwood's 1970 film "Kelly's Heroes". "Kings" is not a highly political story, but leaves little doubt that it views the first President Bush's war in Iraq, particularly the Kurdish uprising that he encouraged and did not back, as a cynical American lie.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

so-so
fortunately, i don't need a movie to tell me people are human. They are different kinds of people and not everyone is the same.
I was shocked at some of the reviews when people all of a sudden assumed "all" soldiers were greedy when this is a fictitous plot after all. As for some of the other actors, really well played.
I hate to portray a film as anti-this or pro-that unless the director wanted it so.

Completely unrealistic war movie
This movie is based on the Gulf War. The acting is of extremely poor quality. The story plot is non-existent. The movie is about three U.S Marshals who intend to steal a large sum of gold. The surprising and very unrealistic thing about this story is that the three marshals get past top Iraqi security then into an underground lair full of armsmen without a sing bullet being fired. They even steal the gold from the iraqis in front of them with only two shots fired between at least two dozen men.
To cut it short this movie is PATHETIC. It is way toooo patriotic, and seems to lack any plot whatsoever. Please don't make the mistake I made of watching this movie and wasting my time. ... Read more

Description

Expect big, big laughs when funnyman Danny DeVito (TWINS, RUTHLESS PEOPLE) joins forces with talened director Penny Marshall (A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, BIG) to deliver a lively five-star comedy you're going to love! DeVito plays a down-on-his-luck businessman who desperately takes the only job offered -- a teaching position in the U.S. Army. His mission: keep a ragtag bunch of underachieving misfits from flunking out of basic training! Be on alert for laughter as this unlikely new teacher and his underdog class unexpectedly inspire one another to be all that they can be! ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Comedy plus Shakespeare
I can't believe that only 10 people have wrote a review for "Renaissance Man." I thought it was a lot more popular than that and I know that it deserves all the praise and popularity that it can get! Bill Rago (Danny DeVito) takes a job as a teacher in the Army even though he doesn't have any teaching experience and doesn't really want the job. Yeah I agree that that does sound a little far fetched, but not all movies have to tell a true story!

Bill doesn't exactly know what to teach about, so he just teaches the 'students' about something he really likes, the book, Hamlet. Will the army students enjoy learning about Hamlet or will they think it's boring? Will Bill Rago be a good teacher or a fluke? I recommend watching the movie to find out.

I thought "Renaissance Man" was a great movie. Unlike what many people might think or might had heard about it previously, it's not really a full-fledged comedy movie. Danny DeVito is hilarious in the movie and the part that I'll remember the most from the whole movie is one of the funniest parts I've ever seen in any movie!! I couldn't quit laughing at the part where Danny DeVito got to the top of a tall place in the army, and he has to try and work his way down with a rope even though he's TERRIFIED of heights. "Renaissance Man" has a few other hilarious parts, but really when it all comes down to it, it's more of a drama movie and more of a feel-good movie than it is a comedy. Not that that's bad, but that's the only complaint I have whatsoever about the movie, it could've had a few more hilarious parts where more people would have given it rave reviews and remembered it the rest of their lives. However, it wasn't bad enough to take away any of my rating for it, so I still give it a 5.

If you like great comedy/drama movies, I recommend getting "Renaissance Man." You'll laugh your head off and feel the drama at the same time.

Genius Point
Danny DeVito was perfect for his character as Bill Rago. The story is about an unemployed man who becomes a teacher in the Army to train eight iffy soldiers. DeVito's job is to teach his kids to comprehend. The thing is, if DeVito fails, that's it for these guys, they're out of the Army and out of a job. DeVito instructs the kids early in the film to bring something to read to class. Then a soldier asks DeVito what he was reading. He responds, "Hamlet." One of the soldiers then identifies the book as a story about a little bitty pig. But as anyone knows it is written by Shakespear. The kids show great interest in it. The film goes on and DeVito starts to bond with the kids he once hated.

DeVito had been typecasted as a man who is halfway good/halfway bad due to his roll in "Taxi," but he shows his true acting talent here in this film. Rent it, it's a great movie.

I Love this Movie!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love this movie. All of the great actors and actresses that are in this movie are incredible. I can't get enough of this movie. I watch it almost everyday. This movie is a classic. This movie is to me as The Godfather is to guys. That's how much I love this movie.

Danny De Vito
I simply adored this movie with Danny De Vito! I really cracked up with the scene where he goes up the victory tower and has to come down. I also love Lillo Brancato and his impersonations of "Scarface" and the "Raging Bull." I'm not a real Shakespeare fan, but I admit that I definitely got into this movie. Danny is on my top 10 of favorites.

Above average and more sensible than you think
Yes, there really are English teachers in the Army. My sister-in-law was a civilian hired to improve the writing and reading of GIs who needed extra help. This is a very funny movie and Danny Devito makes it worth watching. It takes the right teacher to make Shakespeare worth reading. I'd have paid a lot more attention in English class if I had a teacher like him! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Though it bears little resemblance to the original 1969 thriller starring Michael Caine, the 2003 remake of The Italian Job stands on its own as a caper comedy that's well above average. The title's a misnomer--this time it's actually a Los Angeles job--but the action's just as exciting as it propels a breezy tale of honor and dishonor among competing thieves. Inheriting Caine's role as ace heist-planner Charlie Croker, Mark Wahlberg plays straight-man to a well-cast team of accomplices, including Mos Def, Jason Statham, and scene-stealer Seth Green in a variation of the role originally played by Noel Coward. As the daughter of Croker's ill-fated mentor (Donald Sutherland), Charlize Theron is recruited to double-cross a double-crosser (Edward Norton in oily villain mode), and once again, speedily versatile Mini Coopers play a pivotal role in director F. Gary Gray's exhilarating car-chase climax. It's perhaps the greatest product placement in movie history, and just as fun the second time around. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (204)

"I liked him, right up until the moment I shot him."
Well done! Now THIS is what I call a popcorn movie. No big drama, no great life issues; just a fun plot, great action, and good looking people packing the screen. "The Italian Job", a remake of the 1969 Michael Caine flick, is cinema escapism at its best and a great bet for a Friday night date.

Mark Wahlberg stars as Charlie, acting head of a gang of high-tech, high class thieves. He's taking over for his mentor (played by the always welcome Donald Sutherland) as his team sets up a brilliant scheme for $35,000,000 in gold bars (the "Italian Job" of the title).
But things don't go quite as planned, and one year later Charlie reassembles his mates, plus his mentor's daughter (Charlize Theron) to take revenge on the man who betrayed them and set things right once and for all.

The action here is splendid, imaginative and well filmed. The script is tight, with plenty of snappy lines to go around (including a great running gag about just who invented Napster) and the musical score is surprisingly nice. All the actors have fun with their roles, especially Seth Green as a computer geek and Edward Norton as the slimy bad guy. And of course there's Wahlberg.

I like Mark Wahlberg. I can't help it. I like him more with every movie he makes. I like his quiet, confident walk, his little boy smile, and the way his forehead crinkles whenever somebody yells at him. He seems to actually get better looking as the movie goes along, and his chemistry with Theron is low-key but sexy.

I give "The Italian Job" five stars not because it was a masterpiece, but because I had a great time and know the film will hold up well with future viewings (it was a lot like "Ocean's Eleven" in this regard). Go on and see it; you'll like it. And probably want a Mini when you get out.

GRADE: A-

(By the way, I LOVED the way our heroes never carried guns or shot anybody. Old school baby!)

A slick, and brilliantly done caper.
A group of expert thieves led by mastermind Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) and his father figure mentor, John Bridger (Donald Sutherland), successfully steals 35 million dollars worth of gold from a Venetian safe. But they are quickly double-crossed by one of their own partners in crime, who kills Bridger and forces the others to plummet into an icy river, leaving them for dead.
A year goes by and Croker contacts Stella (Charlize Theron), Bridger's daughter and a safe-cracking expert, and tells her that he has picked up the trail of the man who killed her father. He invites her to join his team and help reclaim their gold and avenge John Bridger's death.
Don't be discouraged from watching this movie by believing it to be a modernized remake of the 1969 classic. While there are definitely some connections between them (a plot-driving gold heist, car chases involving mini coopers and the movies' titles), this one is an excellently executed, Gary Gray film that shines on its own.
In a tight, solid plot it combines fast-paced action, thrilling suspense, clever and daring heists, great locales, state-of-the-art technology, engaging and witty characters, and a healthy dose of comedy skillfully added in all the right places. And the fact that it leaves out any unnecessary dramatic, life-altering issues makes it even more fun to watch.
The enjoyable mix of characters flawlessly portrayed by the actors, come alive through smart, snappy dialogues and believable characterizations. The choice of good, old-fashioned stunts that lend authenticity to the action over the not always effective CGI special effects, and the surprisingly pleasant musical score, give this movie the perfect finishing touch.
Sit back and enjoy the ride!

cute movie.....
cute movie, but there was a bit too much mini-cooper in it.

come on, is this a movie or commerical?

Fast paced suspenseful action...
Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) has planned a gold heist with a group of professionals in Venice, Italy, that displays his sophisticated style without using violence. In order to accomplish the heist Croker has asked the old-timer John Bridger (Donald Sutherland) to help crack the safe in which the gold is located. They get safely away with a large amount of gold, however, Steve (Edward Norton) has decided to keep all the gold for himself and kill the rest of the group. Steve shoots John while the rest of the group escapes, but they decide on settling the score with Steve as they decide to take the gold back with the help of John's daughter Stella (Charlize Theron). The Italian Job is a fun and suspenseful action film with car chases and dubious schemes, which leaves the audience with a good cinematic experience.

Kinetic script!
This is a movie plenty of action. The script runs about an old thief who decides make the las robery. Thirty five millions in gold is a great temptation . But suddenly there will be a twist of fate.
Wonderful locations and excellent special effects. Shuterland as always, steals the show. Walberg is OK and the cosmic beauty of Charlize Theron plays a convincing role.
There are many hair raising sequences.
A good entertainment but without the punch of the previous version from the sixties. ... Read more

Reviews (57)

The Truth About The Truth About Charlie
Before this film even started, it already had two strikes against it in my book. You see, "Charade" - the film of which "The Truth About Charlie" is a re-make of - is one of my all-time favorite films. Thus, when I first heard it was being re-made, I thought that idea was insane. Why mess with near-perfection? "Charade" still holds up very well after forty years and no present-day actor and actress pairing could ever re-create the magic Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn brought to the original. Director Jonathan Demme sure had guts to take on this project. If he desecrated the memory of "Charade" then its legions of fans would surely let him know about it. Well, after finally viewing the re-make with as much of an open mind as possible, I can say that the film is not the total disaster I feared it might be, but, despite good stabs by Mark Wahlberg and Thandie Newton, "The Truth About Charlie" is significantly inferior to "Charade."

Newlywed Regina Lambert (Newton) returns to Paris to find her apartment abandoned and looted. Matters become worse when the police soon inform her that husband has been murdered. After Regina is shown one passport after another of her dead husband, each with a different identity, she immediately realizes Charlie was not exactly what he seemed. One crucial clue to unraveling the truth about her husband comes to her when a government official played by Tim Robbins tells her that mysterious strangers would soon be stalking her . . . . because her husband had stolen six million dollars. Thankfully, a knight in shining armor by the name of Joshua Peters (Wahlberg) shows up to help Reggie. Or is he only after the money too?

"Charade" worked because of three reasons: (1) its clever story was a delight to unravel as one charade after another was exposed to reveal the true intentions of all its characters, (2) Grant and Hepburn were perfectly matched and fed off each other's screen charisma, and (3) director Stanley Donen delivered a crisp and breezy film that managed to never confuse its audience while still keeping all of its complex elements intact. "The Truth About Charlie" fails to deliver in all three respects. Demme tweaked his version of the story to prevent it from being a straight re-make of the original. However, these new twists - while interesting at times - do not improve matters. While "Charade" assembled all of the pieces of the puzzle in a neat manner at its conclusion, "The Truth About Charlie" concludes in a mess (and an unnecessary epilogue only works to complicate matters further). Wahlberg and Newton do the best they can but there's not much spark between them. Separately, Newton is very good in creating a character who is scared, angry, clever, and charming at the same time and Wahlberg makes some amends for his "Planet of the Apes" debacle, but sadly neither of them can elevate the film. Finally, Jonathan Demme is no Stanley Donen, plain and simple.

If you are purchasing the DVD, then the good news is that the original "Charade" is included on the DVD and the print of it is of very good quality compared to the many public domain copies in circulation. If anything, the release of "The Truth About Charlie" can be considered a good thing for bringing "Charade" to the attention of a new generation of film watchers. There are times when new is not better than old and one need only look at both "Charade" and "The Truth About Charlie" to see such an example of this point.

Grant over Wahlberg but Thandie surpasses hepburn
when i first saw this film, a remake of charade, I gave it 2 and a half stars based on thandie newton's performance alone. yet watching it repeatedly I become more fond of it up to 4 stars plus.where cary grant had screen presence and charm superior to wahlberg, thandie newton holds her own and is far more beautiful than audrey hepburn.when you watch this film you must see it as a type of foreign film for it's production techniques, appreciate the scenery and outstanding soundtrack. it is more of a suspense thriller than the original, which was a suspense comedy if that's possible. the french actress who plays the commandant is outstanding as well as the cameos by aznavoir and anna karina.tim robbins is acceptable as the mysterious man who offers assistance to our heroine. director demme cast thandie newton in the hepburn role for he felt her beauty was equal to the task. Well, he's wrong! thandie newton is far more beautiful than miss hepburn and it is her beauty that makes me watch the film over and over! she is the movie see it for her and you'll truly enjoy it!

1 Star for the Remake but I would Give Charade a 5!
Charade is a teriffic movie!

Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn shine in their rolls as does the supporting cast of James Coburn, Walter Matthau, Ned Glass, and George Kennedy.

The remake, the Truth about Charlie has a great cast, Thandie Newton, Tim Robbins and Mark Wahlburg but even they can's save this turkey!

Jonathan Demme is usually a great director, his movie Philadelphia was amazing but he tried to hard to make this Charade remake into some sort of arty movie and it just didn't work and I like arty movies. Also the plot was a mess, there was too much going on at once, the criminals weren't as compelling as in the original and were very boring and I definitely have to agree with the previous reviewer that the added character of Charlie's crazy mother was awful, she was an awful addition and just didn't fit in to the story and the twist ending during the end credits involving her and Tim Robbins character was stupid.

This DVD is only worth buying for Charade because it's shown in a beautiful anamorphic format and is cheaper then the Criterion DVD but if the Criterion DVD goes on sale I will buy it and get rid of this DVD!

TERRIBLE
My husband and I just watched this movie yesterday and both agreed that it was terrible. I have seen (and loved) Charade previously, but he had not and we both did not like the movie for the following reasons:

1. The Chemistry between Walberg and Newton was non-existent. You kept asking yourself during the movie, why do they like each other, and why do I care what happens to them.

2. The constant close-ups on people's faces was annoying.

3. Charlie's crazy mother was a bizarre addition that was not entertaining.

4. The plot dragged along and seemed to go nowhere. There was no suspense. Tim Robbins appeared to be suspicious and guilty the entire time. And when they all go out dancing together, you wonder why Newton is scared of any of them.

I could go on, but those were the main reasons we didn't enjoy the movie. Watch Charade instead!

An inexpensive way to buy a masterpiece: "Charade" !
"Charade" is the very best romantic comedy thriller ever made. It is Stanley Donen's masterpiece, and the only film collaboration between Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. I've watched it as many times as "Singin In The Rain", because just like that famous musical it makes me smile! My original copy of "Charade" was a cheap VHS knock-off. Universal apparently long ago let the copyright lapse, so they never promoted a video, and for the same reason "Charade" was unjustly ignored by the AFI, since the commercial reason for the AFI lists was to promote the sale of videos.

The less said about "The Truth About Charlie" the better! The charming "Melvin and Howard" is the best Jonathan Demme film I have seen. ... Read more

Reviews (130)

Enjoyable and funny film
This film is really enjoyable and funny. I wish it were available here in my country too. My musical taste is quite wide, from the music earlier performed by the main role actor of this film to the music on the soundtrack of this, even if these styles differ from each other strongly. Many songs on the soundtrack of this film have relations to some dates in my personal history too. And Mark Wahlberg really is the man for this film, even if his original musical style differed from the music performed in this film.

Real 80s Rockers Make It Work
I missed this one at the theater, but bought it on DVD. Sound is excellent. The Steel Dragon tunes are awesome and in my opinion make the movie work. Stephen Herek and crew did a great job putting together Jason Bonham, Jeff Pilson, and Zakk Wylde on percussion, bass, and guitar (respectively) along with vocalists Jeff Scott Soto and Mike Matijevik to form an actual band. STEEL DRAGON would make a great 80s style rock band and these talented musicians make the songs work. I have already ordered the soundtrack. If you enjoyed the "larger than life" concert productions of 80s style bands with melodic and driving tunes, you will enjoy the movie and soundtrack of Rock Star.

Oh yea, Mark Wahlberg does a fine job along with the other actors holding down the plot of the movie which showcases humor and melodrama mixed with the wild "lifestyle" of many major rock bands. Still, the music makes the movie and the concert scenes are the most powerful. I give it five stars for the music.

A dissatisfying film
I find Rock Star to be disappointing. It centers around the '80s hard rock music scene. Chris Cole--played by Mark Wahlberg--has a day job that consists of fixing photocopiers. At night, he is a vocalist for a tribute band, Blood Pollution, that performs songs by the popular group Steel Dragon. Subsequently, he is contacted by Steel Dragon, does the audition, and becomes their new singer. The first hour of Rock Star shows promise but becomes tedious afterwards. The flaws are a thin plot and cardboard cutout characters. While the acting from the cast is not bad, the problem lies with their characters not being fleshed out enough. The facets I like are the music, cinematography, and concert scenes. Even though Rock Star sports good aspects, it is not a solid movie. Rock Star is 106 minutes. I actually give it 2.5 stars.

"Rock Star" is routine, but still a lot of fun.
For what it's worth, "Rock Star" is an enjoyable fantasy yarn about an aspiring musician who makes it to the big time, only to realize that it's not all about sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll. Sure, the concept is surely not fresh, and the lack of purpose that plagues the movie keeps it from truly soaring. But despite its flaws, it manages to entertain through its bright cast, wonderful execution, and delightful sense of humor.

Carrying the lightweight story on his shoulders like a guitar case full of memories is young Chris Cole (Mark Wahlberg), a twenty-something grunge rocker who still lives with his parents, and gets his jollies by recreating the sense of excitement an audience gets from attending a Steel Dragon concert. Insisting that his band is a "tribute band" rather than a cover band, Chris idolizes the band, particularly the lead singer, Bobby Beers, whom he looks, sounds, and acts like on stage.

With the support of his mother and father, as well as his longtime girlfriend Emily (Jennifer Aniston), Chris finds comfort in his fanaticism, perhaps too much comfort. His drive to recreate each song specifically and correctly makes him overbearing in the eyes of his band members, who, after an on-stage brawl, decide it's time for Chris to walk.

In any other movie, this would be the complete story, ending with reflections by each of the characters on how their experiences together shaped the rest of their lives. But in the world of "Rock Star," this is only the beginning. Just when Chris begins to give up his dreams, he gets a call from none other than Kirk Cuddy, one of Steel Dragon's guitarists, offering him a chance to audition as the new lead singer. He heartily accepts, flies out with Emily to meet the band and begins to get into the life of a rock star, all the while paying little notice to his past life, which slips away more and more each day.

This cautionary turn of events that begin to cloud the jubilance of Chris's lifestyle is a well-known tactic used by many other films that bear the routine grass-isn't-always-greener-on-the-other-side warning. The film shows us both the glamour and the depression of this lifestyle, from the excessive drinking and parties where Chris is surrounded by adoring female fans, to a scene in which Emily is told by the wife of another band member that since Chris is a rock star, "the normal rules don't apply." At times, however, I got the feeling that the movie is warning against the rock-and-roll way of life it has been embracing all along.

So what is the film's position? Neither, really; its inability to take a stand for or against this lifestyle is bothersome only if you allow it to be. If you can put this inconsistency aside, you'll find that there's a whole lot of fun to be had with the movie. Some impressive work is done in creating a fictional 80's rock band, complete with long, tossed hair and mascara during performances, screaming guitars and singing that resembles a screeching tire. It may not be as authentic a recreation as, say, the era of "Almost Famous," but it gets the job done with fashionable results.

Mark Wahlberg has always been a versatile actor, and proves his worth with this role. As Chris, he manages to convincingly segue from a controlling perfectionist obsessed with precisely recreating Steel Dragon, to a legend at the top of his game and the bottom of his personal life. It's nothing stellar, but he carries it so well, with all the brazen charm of an 80's rock idol/sex symbol. Of the band members, Timothy Spall's character is the most memorable, a humorous mix of wit and longing for the stability of his past. Jennifer Aniston practically steals every scene she walks through, crossing moments of real emotion with some of the film's funniest one-liners. At one point, a groupie begins talking about G-strings gaining more respect for exotic dancers, to which Aniston replies, "Nothing says 'respect' like cramming a strip of Lycra right up your a--."

There's an air of familiarity that hangs over the movie that is hard to ignore, but what keeps it from becoming too formulaic are its wonderful cast, its comedic wit, and its interesting premise. There's nothing totally hardcore about it, but it hardly matters, since we already know this is going to be an uplifting movie rather than a downbeat adventure of self-discovery. As a cautionary fantasy, "Rock Star" is too routine to remain with one for long, but while you're there, it's quite an experience.

This flick needs Viagra
Don't waste your time with this one...The "dramatic" scenes of band members arguing are laughable. I was an 80's big-hair rock fan, and I still didn't like the movie. Marky Mark once again shows his one-dimensional acting prowess (did his facial expression EVER change in Planet of the Apes?). Rent "This is Spinal Tap" instead. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nick Chen (Chow Yun-Fat) is not your average New York cop. Working in Chinatown has its multifarious cultural nuances and its fair share of ubiquitous enticement, both of which are reflected indetective Chen's weary face. He had to get into bed with the highest echleons of the Chinese Mafia as a way of augmenting his own career, while maintaining a semblance of control over the dime-a-dozen hoods who proliferate on this turf. To make matters worse, he now has to break in rookie detective Danny Wallace (Mark Wahlberg), who has asked to be assigned to the Chinatown division. Apparently Wallace is infatuated with all things Chinese, or is suffering from "Yellow Fever," as his fellow colleagues would have us believe. Chen, not one to suffer fools gladly, takes young Wallace under his protective wing, oft-warning the shady powers of the neighborhood not to sink Danny into their sordid pool of corruption. But before he knows it, both he and Wallace are caught in a deadly ring of double-crosses, shady-dealings, murders, and car chases. And all of this under the suspicious eye of Internal Affairs.

Part Serpico and part Hard Boiled, this film seems at first to be a major departure from director James Foley's previous work. However, Foley has frequently revealed a keen eye and understanding for emotionally complex relationships, especially between teacher and pupil (Glengarry Glen Ross) or father and son (At Close Range). This movie is no different. In fact, Foley's meticulous attention to the relationship between the wise, morally burdened Chen, and the naïve, innocent Wallace morphs this otherwise tedious plot into a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Hats off to Chow Yun-Fat and Mark Wahlberg, whose sympathetic chemistry creates an authentic and deeply personal connection, a factor that proves crucial to the film's poignant, disturbing finale. --Jeremy Storey ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Too Long!
Despite bad reviews I enjoyed Chow Yun Fat in the Replacement Killers. It was not up to par with his John Woo stuff but I enjoyed it very much.

The Corrupter is Chow Yun Fat's second American film. He is perfectly cast as a shady New York City cop in China town. Mark Walhberg is also very good as his new partner. Another good performance was by Brian Cox as Walhberg's father.

The film has some great action parts. The film also does a great job contrasting Chinese and US culture. On many levels its a great film about cultural diffusion.

However, despite some great cultural exchanges, good actions scenes, and great acting the film in my opinion was not very good.

Its too long and by the last 20 minutes the story is dragging and dragging. I wanted to like this film very much, but the story itself and its collapse into boredom at the end sank this film for me.

This was a good effort but it failed to cross the finish line. It is worth a rental, but not too buy. You will not want to watch this film more than once.

Again, I really wanted to like this film and wish I could have.

DON'T EVER LISTEN TO ANYONE WHO LIKED THE REPLACEMENT KILLER
It makes me sick that "The replacement killers" gets praise. CHow yun fat is an actor, not just a suit with guns. The Corruptor, was an equal blend of this, good action sequences and a good story. Chow plays nick chen, a NY cop on the Asian Gang unit. newcomer Danny Wallace (Wahlberg), is put on the unit, to take down mobster henry lee before the local punk fukienese dragons gang puts him out of business. There are so many twists and turns in this film that i don't want to give anything away. I had high hopes for this film, after the replacement killers and it fulfilled them. It gave chow a chance to act (more than the 13 words he had in replacement killers), not just shoot (although it's nice). The ending of the film I found particularly well shot and acted. All in all a good showcase for chow's talents, and a worthy third rank under Serpico and prince of the city for movies about police corruption.

If all bad cops could be this good!
I loved the confrantation that Danny Wallace had with his dad about the contemplation of what to do about turning in his partner Nick Chen .. I won't spoil the quote you have to take it in context of the scenario of the movie. What an impact it made in my life that what I do in my life will be what I live with. I don't know if I over looked the goings on with Nick Chen because after all he was Yun-Fat Chow or that his over looking Uncle Benny's activities was some how a kindness to help May a lost drug addict and prostitute unable to escape her fate he tries to be more then a cop in her heart. The entire movie was tastefully done, story line excellant, directed in a way to make you laugh, cry, sit at the edge of you chair during those action scenes. Not to mention the sound track subpurbly done. I have had always found Yun-Fat Chow a believable actor in all rolls he portray; this movie he stole my heart (more then in Anna and the King).. the ending must be seen to appreciate how to me he was a good cop, with admiration to the writer in whatever message he wanted to leave you at the end. If you thought Mark Wahlberg was exceptional in this roll you should see him in The Perfect Storm and never thought he would play such a sicko in Fear but had me convinced. Lady's don't judge all men by what goes on in this movie but be wise to it's message of common sense. It always amazes me when an actor can play his/her complete opposite. I look forward to watching more of both of these great actors movies. Don't wait to buy THE CORRUPTOR should it go out of print you will regret it! Well I think so. Thanks for listening - Bye. Would welcome your comments too.

Wow!
I was really surprised by how good this movie is. I figured a straight-forward shoot-'em-up and some exotic intrigue was about all it would have going for it. The cover had the usual fatuous nonsense on it: "You can't play by the rules when there aren't any." Why is it 90% of video covers have a reformulation of the same stupid subtitle? Apparently there is some lucky guy out there is employed writing new, yet indistinguishable ways to either deny the existence of Rules/Boundaries/etc. or at least deny their applicability to some beautiful, well-armed people. Good for him.

Anyway, this movie definitely exceeded my expectations. Great direction, but most of all great performances from Chow-Yun Fat and Mark Wahlberg. Wahlberg's relationship with his father was fairly cliched, yet it still came across as believable. The various moral predicaments of the two cops were just as interesting and well-done as the fight scenes. There is one major chase scene, which I found silly after a while, since it gave the impression that there were absolutely no other police cars within ten miles of some maniac with an Uzi blowing away civilians.

But that is a nothing criticism. Really, the only sore spot was the FBI goonish guy, who was both tiresome and one-dimensional in comparison with the other characters. But on the main, an excellent action-thriller. Chow-Yun Fat wasn't limited by John Woo's formula this time around, and his chops definitel show as a result.

Best Chow Yun-Fat film so far, EXCELLENT PLOT
This movie has excellent plot and is not one of those mindless John Woo action films. Acutally, it is the ONLY John Woo films that has a good plot in addition to the usual good actions. ... Read more

Reviews (86)

A gritty, realistic film with wonderful acting performances.
"The Basketball Diaries" is a gritty, uncompromising look at a basically good guy's decent into heroin hell. The cast, headed by Leonardo DiCaprio, is superb; the screenplay doesn't pull any punches. Realistic, shocking, eye-opening, the film gives DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg the chance to display their true talents and really ACT -- these fellows do a terrific job because it all looks so REAL. What a great film with an ending I guarantee you won't expect -- connoisseurs of fine films and DiCaprio fans should check it out -- this is a real movie with a real script and real acting, and the characters and storyline aren't larger than life. They're real as life, and that's not something you see on TV every day. END

Gritty, Powerful And Well-Acted
The name Jim Carroll may not be familiar to mainstream, radio-friendly listeners, but to those who know about rock poetry and Punk Carroll is one of the genre's greatest word-players along with Patti Smith and has recorded two especially noteworthy works, "Catholic Boy" and "The People Who Died," which sound like wonderfully gritty hybrids of beat poetry and Punk rock. "The Basketball Diaries" is based on Carroll's novel of the same name which is a testament of his days living in the streets of New York during which he became addicted to heroin, saw friends either die or spiral down into self-destruction and eventually found his talent for words as an exit out of the hell he was trapped in. As a movie, the story comes alive with a powerful impact. Director Scott Kalvert does not make the movie into an obvious anti-drug message, instead the story of Carroll's teen years is simply just...told. There is almost a documentary-like realism in how scenes are put together, nothing feels false but instead chillingly real. Anyone who has lived in an environment like this or attended high school in the more gritty, violent sections of a city can instantly relate to the people and events. The actors bring these characters to live with great believability, Leonardo DiCaprio broke through with this role, but even his recent work in films like "Titanic" and "Gangs Of New York" seems more tame compared to his brilliant, effective performance here. The scenes where Carroll is addicted to heroin and lives in the junkie underworld are performed by DiCaprio with a vivid realism that is disturbing. One reviewer here complained about the movie missing a plot, plot is not something central here, the story is central and it is the story of a very talented young man gripped by addiction in a world where vices and the darker side of life can easily suck you in. And of course, there is some great music here by Soundgarden, The Doors, The Cult and a great highlight which is Carroll performing "Catholic Boy" with Pearl Jam. In the history of rock music there are many popular stories of addiction from Iggy Pop to Scott Weiland, Carroll's is brought to life in a movie that breathes and doesn't need to throw the message in your face, the message is right there in the story itself.

Those are the people who died.......
Jim Carroll's autobiographical life story is the basis for this cult classic of the early 90's. Leonardio DiCaprio plays Jim Carroll a poet writing basketball star at a Catholic prep school in Manhatten who's future comes tumbling down when he gets addicted from glue sniffing to heroin. Mark Wahlberg co stars as Mickey his partner in crime as they skip school and do drugs, Jim realizes his future of becoming a pro basketball player are gone when he sees a local kid that he used to run with that decided to stay clean makes it to college ball. Eventually his mother kicks him out and he is saved by a black preacher an ex drug user from the streets takes him in. A powerful story about addiction and the negative affects it has on one's dreams. Leonardo DiCaprio's performance was amazing & makes you wonder how accurate it was of Carroll. The soundtrack also is amazing, essential to collection & a must see film.

well done
This is the most accurate depiction of dope addiction I've seen (drugstore cowboy too). From sticking a cutoff straw in a bag for a toot in the highschool bathroom or lockerroom, to the sick daydreams, to the fiending, the pure exileration of copping bags, to the allure of the needle. I started doing dope at 15 (1994)and stopped at 19, 6 years ago in 3 days. I saw this movie in 97 and I havent seen it since. Definitly not a movie you will want to watch over and over.

Like a drug, film has very high highs and very low lows
Don't take my middle of the road three star rating as a sign of apathy. This movie is one you will either love or hate, and in my case I very much enjoyed certain things and very strongly disliked others.

Obivously the big draw in this movie is Leonardo DiCaprio. I have to say, he does an outstanding job with this role. In the true story of drugged-out high schooler Jim Carroll, he thrives on the type of script Academy Awards are made out of: tons of opportunities for him to be high, low, enraged, in sorrow. There are a lot of opportunities to use his physicality in the role, and he seizes every one. In particular I think of his drug withdrawal sequence and he and his friends' mourning the death of a close friend by getting drunk and playing basketball in the rain.

The plot has a sixteen year old Jim Carroll playing high school basketball. Three of his teammates are his best friends, and when not on the basketball court, they tend to find all kinds of "innocent" trouble around New York (knocking over food vendor carts, for instance). Another outlet of energy for Jim alone is his diary where he records sensations he feels in his young life.

His search for sensation and his friends' desire to find trouble coalesces in experiments with drugs like cocaine and herione. As Jim notes in the monologue of the movie, there is no such thing as a part-time addict. They fall further and further into the downward spiral in an effort to evade pressures from school teachers, coaches, and parents.

Some of the scenes in this movie are very gripping and visceral. However, the links between these scenes tend to be bogged down in poor directing. I realize this movie was a lower budgeted one, but there really is no excuse for having a movie made in 1995 that looks like it was made in 1985. While the performance by DiCaprio is extraordinary, the directing is lackluster. Poor camera angles, helpless lighting, bit part actors who look and sound amateur; those should all be blamed on the director.

However, this movie is worthwhile if you are one who has a particular interest in either Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg (he stars as a main character and one of Jim Carroll's best friends), or the subject matter. I have to say I thought "Trainspotting" handled the subject of drug use extremely well, but this movie is right up there in the ability to depict the sensations felt by t