Reviews (535)

THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME
I LOVE THIS MOVIE. It is si-fi action film which is made perfectly. The cast is amazing with my favorite actor, Bruce Willis who does a good job. Please buy this and enjoy it as much as I do!

Awful crap
We can't believe this load of crap was called Star Wars for the ninties! Three of us were watching it. One fell asleep as the other two watched a ridiculous plot with annoying as hell characters unfold. If you have insomnia, this movie is recommended but if you vomit frequently, don't watch it!

Great.
This movie is a great furturistic fantasy style movie in which a cab driver played by Bruce Willis has to save the world from the evil, Darkness. This movie has great special effects such as when driving through the city, where I think Star Wars Episode 2 stole the idea. It has a good story but as usual it always ends good. The acting was superb. I still don't know why no one went to go see this when it came out. I guess it was ahead of its time. This is a fabulous movie, Don't miss out.

"The Fifth Element"
The Fifth Element (PG-13) ****/5
Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm, Chris Tucker, Milla Jovovich.
Directed by: Luc Besson.
Synopsis: A "perfect being" and a taxi driver must save the galaxy from evil.
Special Features: Widescreen and Fullscreen Versions of the Film.
Review: A perfect being (Jovovich) crashes on Earth and must prevent evil from destroying it. She gets help from a cab driver (Willis), and a priest (Holm). Bad guy Gary Oldman proceeds to help the evil attempt to destroy the galaxy for some unknown reason. To be honest I did not understand this film really. I got the basic plot, but it's a bit goofy. Do I care? No not really this was one of the most enjoyable times I had at the movies, and I have no idea why. Willis gives a fun performance, Jovovich is terrific as Leeloo, Ian Holm gets the job done splendidly as usual, and Oldman is one of the best bad guys going. Luc Besson injects this film with energy, and a fantastic futuristic vision. As for the DVD? Weak buy the Superbit disc instead.

This Movie is Art
This movie is a "forty-timer," that is a movie I have watched over and over and still marvel at it. Not only is it a terrific story, fun and and fast paced, but the film is shot and edited with stunning perfection. The ONLY complaint I have about the DVD is there are no extra features. I want to see the "Making of" and hear comments by the director and the stars. There are so many little details and artistic touches to this movie that I don't believe I will ever catch them all. Better yet, I won't get tired of looking as I view this movie time and again. A+++ ... Read more

Amazon.com

Timothy Dalton made his 007 debut in the lean, mean mode ofSean Connery, doing away with the pun-filled camp of Roger Moore'sfinal outings. He establishes his persona right from the gritty pre-credits sequence, in which he hangs from a speeding truck as it barrelsdown narrow cobblestone streets, battles an assassin mano a mano, andlands in the arms of a bikinied babe. This James Bond is ruthless,tough, and romantic. The Living Daylights, set during the thawof the cold war, begins with the defection of Russian KGB GeneralKoskov (Jeroen Krabbé) and his revelation of a Soviet plot toeliminate Britain's secret agent force. Assigned to eliminate Koskov'sSoviet boss (John Rhys-Davies, cutting a memorable figure in his briefappearance), Bond uncovers a conspiracy involving Koskov and anAmerican arms dealer (Joe Don Baker). Maryam d'Abo makes a fine Bondgirl as Koskov's beautiful cellist girlfriend, a classyinnocent who soon loses her naive blush and shows her pluck. Thevillains are lackluster--Krabbé is a clown and Baker a blowhard--and Dalton hadn't yet mastered the delivery of the trademark quips,but it's a sleek script with a no-nonsense attitude. Veteran seriesdirector John Glen's action scenes have never been better--especiallythe show-stopping mid-air battle on the net of a speeding cargo plane--and he returns the series to the smart, rough, high-energy adventuresthat made the Bond reputation. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (97)

"The Living Daylights": Nobody does it better!
With the release of "The Living Daylights", Bond fans finally saw another "Golden Bond Film" in the classic tradition of "Goldfinger". This film was, hands down, the best of the Dalton era films - the only other Bond movie with Dalton being the mildly disappointing "License to Kill". Timothy Dalton replaced Roger Moore as agent 007 when the gray haired Moore decided to call it quits after the release of "A View to a Kill" in the mid-eighties. Naturally, with a new Bond came a new style. I believe that Dalton's style was the most compensating to Ian Flemming's Bond; he wasn't a super man all of the time. He has moments when doubt or fears enter his mind. In other words, Dalton is a much more realistic Bond than Connery or Moore ever were. Unfortunately for Dalton, however, it seems many people like the unrealistic Bond better than the realistic.

"The Living Daylights" has a classic story and action. It's one for all Bond fans to definitely see, while being good enough to warrant the attention of first time viewers. No film (except perhaps "Goldfinger") has done it better than "The Living Daylights".

Timothy Dalton as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007
As a child of the 70's and 80's,The Roger Moore-era movies defined the tone of the entire James Bond 007 series.When Moore left the series after A View To A Kill,Timothy Dalton took over and put Bond in a direction that was familier to readers of Ian Fleming's novels, yet confusing to moivegoers.
The Living Daylights (1987)brought an end to the tongue and cheek tone of Moore's movies.Instead,Dalton becomes the 007 of the original novels,Tough,ruthless ,yet still refined. Dalton read the original novels and redefined the roll.
Unfortunately,movie goers were a bit uneasy with a James Bond who didn't crack cheesy one liners,jump into bed with an average of three women per movie and was harder edged than any other Bond on the screen.
The movie itself is a fine, yet slow-paced, involving a latter-day cold war defection of a Soviet soldier, only to be turn into a plot involving the elimination of British spies.Great scenes include an escape from the iron curtain in an updated Aston Marten, and an airplane cargo fight in mid air.
Dalton only portrayed Bond one more time (License to Kill) before the series was in limbo for six years (until Goldeneye with Pierce Brosnan in 1995).Since then, Dalton's portrayal of Bond has been praised in it's approach to bring Bond back to where it all began.

Dangerous Bond
The taglines for this, the 15th Bond entry, promised- "The most dangerous Bond ever," and right there beyond the flippant fun that Roger Moore had brought, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS came and made good on that vow. In a cool, totally decked-out Aston Martin, our favorite spy propels himself into this, the last of the series' Cold War intrigues (furthermore being the final title penned by its creator, Ian Fleming). And herein, the flavour of Fleming is found everywhere-

Having been a child of 007's Roger Moore era, I had- on some seven different occasions during the course of his 14-year reign as Bond- looked forward with great anticipation to the very heights of fun and adventure. Moore, with his infectious charm and cheeky wit, was absolutely and completely entertaining as Bond. So I was naturally a little edgy when, in 1987, he retired, to pass the torch to another actor.

I was in college, studying English literature when I heard Timothy Dalton would be the next James Bond. To me, this seemed an exceedingly interesting choice- for here was a classically trained Welsh actor, who at that time had been fairly unknown. Yet I already knew him, of course: not only had he made his impression in some of the Shakespeare plays I'd been studying, but this ardent, sensitive actor had actually won my heart with his perfect portrayals of two beloved Bronte heroes- (Charlotte's "Rochester" and Emily's "Heathcliff.") Needless to say, I just couldn't wait for this one~~

THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS is a spy thriller in every classical sense. From the get-go, it's exciting: the gun-barrel sequence, where John Barry's arrangement pulses more quickly to keep in tempo with the motion of a more youthful 007- the exhilarating pre-credits: where, after a parachute jump onto the Rock of Gibraltar, a double-0 agent gets murdered and Bond jumps onto the roof of a speeding jeep as it hurtles down the cliff, and requites the assassin in like. He then lands emergently onto a yacht- where, by sheer coincidence, the bikini-clad babe onboard has been lamenting her failure to find any "real men" anywhere. Bond grabs her phone to call headquarters, introducing himself with a brisk offhand, "Bond, James Bond". She offers him champagne and, as a consequence, he's an hour late reporting back........

After opening credits - Maurice Binder's flowing artwork gracing John Barry's title song- (a colorful pop number performed by Ah-Ha that won't ever let you forget it's the 80's), Bond reports to Bratislava for a seemingly unrelated assignment. Saunders, of section V, Vienna (Thomas Wheatley) has arranged the defection of a top KGB agent, Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé). Bond is called in to kill the sniper assigned to assassinate Koskov if he should try to bolt. -This scene makes up the whole of Fleming's short story, wherein our hero turns over in his mind the conflicting implications of his work. Well, it's apparent that this James Bond is definitely a man who, though despising certain aspects of his profession, is quite capable of killing an enemy sniper in cold blood. The sniper, however, turns out being the lovely woman cellist that Bond had only moments before been admiring. And Bond, who follows instincts before orders, observes, "that girl didn't know one end of a rifle from the other," and instead of killing her, shoots the weapon from her hand.

Nevertheless, the coup is a grand success. Hours later, in a safe house on the English countryside- (wherein Bond shows himself to be a connoisseur of good food: "The foie gras is excellent," and champagne: "The brand on the list was questionable, so I took the liberty of choosing something different.") -Koskov reveals a sinister plot by General Pushkin (John Rhys-Davies), the head of the KGB, to kill foreign spies- ("Smiert Spionen," Fleming's SMERSH term meaning death to spies). Bond is immediately a little skeptical of Koskov's story, and his suspicions are further enhanced when, shortly thereafter, Koskov gets snatched out of Britain by forces unknown -pulled off by henchman Necros (Andreas Wisniewski), disguised as the most menacing milkman one could ever imagine. For answers, Bond returns to Czechoslovakia to investigate that female "sniper," and discovers she's Kara Milovy (Maryam d'Abo), Koskov's girlfriend. He then poses as Koskov's friend in the hope that she'll be able to locate him.

The inertia of this complex plot carries Bond further, through a number of beautiful locales in the world- London, Vienna, Tangier, Afghanistan, and New York. His mission involves drugs, deceit, diamonds, eccentric American arms dealer Brad Whitaker (Joe Don Baker), and the Afghan resistance, Mujahadin. There's action aplenty - highlights being a car chase in the Aston Martin fully armed, a ski chase downslope in a cello case, and a seat-gripping airplane ride I'd never in a million years want to ride!

The late 80's had safe-sex everywhere afoot - even in Bond. Kara's certainly endearing as the Bond girl, but she doesn't hold the screen next to Bond so well as many of her predecessors. The villains are undeniably wonderful: a swarthy combination of the fearsome and the ludicrous. And Dalton's tough, gritty Bond is as close to Ian Fleming's creation that any actor has come- yet whether or not that's a good thing is a matter of infinite debate. The cinematic Bond had already been well established by then. Like Connery, though, Dalton has a certain cat-like grace, albeit minus the twinkle in his eye. And though he brings an intensity to the character that even Connery could not own, he never really does let loose - never hams it up or has the famous fun that every other Bond has had! But notwithstanding all that, I'm forever disposed to find him perfect.

first good bond in a long time and daltons great
the last decent bond movie before this was for your eyes only.
then came dalton.
despite what the brosnan fans like to believe dalton was asked twice to be bond, several years before brosnan was even considered.
and when dalton finally took his turn at bond, he delivered.
this one is a bit better than the follow up, which, though featuring a very fine performance from dalton, was a bit too much like a miami vice episode.
dalton gives us his bond which is different than either connery or moore and its a valid and etertaining one.
the first three major bonds all had their own take and all three are enjoyable.
actually, it is brosnan who really delivers nothing new.
dalton's bond is an assassin, albeit one with morales
and for the first and last time bond is NOT a [prostitute]. he has one girlfriend in this and his lack of bed jumping is refreshing.
the quiet intensity dalton gives the character is unequaled by the actors who played the role before and since.
actually he is the best 'actor' to play the character, though connery is the best bond of course.
though living daylights is a bit too long and sags at times and joe don baker is badly miscast, its a succesful entry in the franchise.
grab a beer and some popcorn.

a decent entry with a great bond
the brosnan fans have it wrong. dead wrong.
and the facts are there in print!
dalton was asked twice. long BEFORE brosnan.
dalton turned it down twice before accepting ONLY AFTER brosnan couldnt commit.
for a very long time (way back when moore was even still fresh into it) the original producers both felt dalton would be the quintessential bond.
and, while this movie and it's sequal are decent (not great) they do contain an original performance from dalton.
far more original than brosnan, who is a mix of connery, moore AND dalton.
as a matter of fact, if one has ever even read the original books, dalton is much closer to fleming's bond than connery even was.
and dalton is undoubtedly the best ACTOR that has played bond.
check out the inner intensity in many of his scenes here (popping the balloon after his fellow agent has been killed) and for once, bond isnt (...) his way through the movie. he has one girlfriend and the film does benefit from not going overboard on the bordello activities.
that said, the movie is tooooo long and joe don baker is god awful in an campy, over the top performance.
still, we do have dalton and, sorry pierce, you dont hold a candle to this actor. ... Read more

Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format. ... Read more

Reviews (535)

Wild, Giddy Space Opera...
The story goes that director Luc Besson began writing THE FIFTH ELEMENT in his teens, incorporating all the Sci-Fi elements he loved into one over-the-top, grand space opera...sort of an "E.E. 'Doc' Smith 'Skylark' Meets Flash Gordon and Barbarella" hybrid with sex, intergalactic action, and even some pseudo-religious overtones tossed in...in other words, a teenage daydream come true! Critics panned the end result for this very reason, sneering at Bruce Willis' Earth-saving (yet again!) Korben Dallas, and Besson's then-girlfriend, clothing-optional Milla Jovovich, as the innocent demigod, Leeloo.

The critics were wrong!

THE FIFTH ELEMENT is, in the best sense of the word, a classic 'B' movie, a space opera where a prologue vaguely similar to STARGATE leads to a future Earth where traffic jams occur thirty stories above the ground, humanity is ruled by beefy 'Tiny' Lister Jr., and where the Ultimate Evil is served by everyone's favorite villain, Gary Oldman, sporting a Southern accent! If this DOESN'T convince you that this is a 'popcorn' flick, not to be taken too seriously, there is Chris Tucker, sporting a blond hairdo, as the Galaxy's favorite media personality, promoting himself as he hits on his adoring female fans; Ian Holm, as the monk who knows 'the Secret', forced, despite himself, to become an active participant in the adventure; and some of the most ... ugly alien mercenaries you'll ever see, terrorizing a space resort, until they meet their match in Bruce Willis' 'DIE HARD in Space' protagonist! Yippee-Ki-Yay, indeed!

The FX are astonishing, the comedy, broad and sly, the heroics, macho, and as Leeloo, sent to save Earth, Jovovich manages to be both naive and sexy, with broken English and a gymnast's grace.

Bruce Willis is a joy, as always, to watch, and he carries the film with charm and self-depreciating humor, whether dealing with endless phone calls from his mother, driving his sky taxi recklessly (cabbies change very little in the future!), taking on terrorists single-handed, or falling for the exotic Leeloo. When he blows away a roomful of hostage-holding aliens, then asks, "Does anyone else want to negotiate?", you KNOW Besson picked the right guy for the lead!

If you want Profound Science Fiction, watch 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY again...but if you want to kick back and just have fun, look not further...THE FIFTH ELEMENT delivers!

Star Wars Fans can love this movie too!
I grew up with Star Wars, and still love it today, but times, tastes and styles do change. It doesn't make one "better" than another, just different. I, for one, absolutely love this movie! It's fun, flashy, thin in spots and hopelessly romantic, but also very positive about the future (if a bit crowded). Futuristic New York is enough to give you vertigo! The visuals, set designs, aliens and costumes are amazing - if you don't like this movie's look, you are probably dead.

Mila makes Leeloo "perfect" as the Supreme Being out to protect all mankind - innocent and wise all at once; and you just can't fault Bruce for doing what he does so well, a cynical wisecracking working stiff just looking for that "one perfect woman". But the secondary characters are what truly makes this one fun: "Weddings?" - Ian Holm delivers classic straight lines and Chris Tucker is just high-energy comedy as Ruby Rhodd (that trashy radio guy) - I roll on the floor every time I watch this - and it's definitely one to watch over and over for the incredible detail and sheer visual magic.

Buy widescreen and see the whole thing!

QUITE A TRIP
It's entirely possible that Luc Besson was on some kind of drugs when he scripted this way-out, wacky, but extremely entertaining scifi thriller. His vision of the future is both impeccably original and wildly humorous. Cars spinning through space; police cars that still squeal tires when there's nothing to squeal them on! Like a wild video game, the vision of this future is great.
Bruce Willis is fine as Corbin Dallas; he evinces his usual cool macho, with that underlying bit of sensitivity. Milla Jovovich, red hair and all, does a good job in conveying the enthusiasm, innocence and naivete of the newly born. Notice the sadness in her eyes as she views the word "War"; her reactions are poignant. Gary Oldman as Zorg is all out ham and he pulls it off, showing what a versatile actor he is. The usually stoic Ian Holm has never been livelier than in his role as Father Cornelius. He looks like he's having the time of his life and after all the stuffy, laconic roles he's played, he cuts loose and is wonderful. And Chris Tucker---what a character. Tucker is manic, frantic and annoying---but he is also very very funny. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. Note too the capable performances of Tiny Lister (usually a mindless body bag) and Brion James (also a lot looser than in his usually villainous roles).
THE FIFTH ELEMENT is a strange movie indeed, but I found it to be one of the most unusual scifi films in some time.

Silly.
If only they had another director (perhaps Ridley Scott, using a little "Blade Runner" flair), this movie could have had the potential to be very good. Instead, director Luc Besson ("Leon," aka: "The Professional") chose to formulate this sophomoric piece of sour eye-candy that even the geekiest science fiction aficionado would despise. Aside from the poor direction, Hudson Hawk paired with an androgynous (and extraordinarily annoying) Chris Tucker sidekick, is enough to drive anyone to mercilessly strangle a kitten.

the unperfect movie
Give me a break! Milla Jovovich as the perfect woman, a god?! This movie would have not seen the light of day if she was a black woman. I mean there are far better looking white women than this lady, indeed, in a white mans world, would such a film be fashioned in the way that it has been. Outside of the whole white supremacy view, I thought this movie was koo with its special effects, although Judge Dredd did the same exact scenery in its earlier day, so, nothing new in that department. I also didnt care for how the black man was depicted as a wimpy feminine sambo, but this is what white america views as a great film, who cares if they made Tiny lister a black president, that was probably the only good thing about the whole cast arrangement, thats if that didnt have some personal insult to it as well. lmao! The insecurities of ppl who are in denial about such, will always be revealed in some way. As this movie made so brutally clear, dont get me wrong, racist ppl do not bother me in the least bit, I just like show them up, on their hidden agenda's, say what u want, but I would have prefered the perfect being to be nonhuman, as our species has proven to be something less than perfect, to say the least. pun intended ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ancient curses, all-powerful monsters, shape-changing assassins, scantily-clad stewardesses, laser battles, huge explosions, a perfect woman, a malcontent hero--what more can you ask of a big-budget science fiction movie? Luc Besson's high-octane film incorporates presidents, rock stars, and cab drivers into its peculiar plot, traversing worlds and encountering some pretty wild aliens. Bruce Willis stars as a down-and-out cabbie who must win the love of Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) to save Earth from destruction by Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman)and a dark, unearthly force that makes Darth Vader look like an Ewok. ... Read more

Reviews (535)

Wild, Giddy Space Opera...
The story goes that director Luc Besson began writing THE FIFTH ELEMENT in his teens, incorporating all the Sci-Fi elements he loved into one over-the-top, grand space opera...sort of an "E.E. 'Doc' Smith 'Skylark' Meets Flash Gordon and Barbarella" hybrid with sex, intergalactic action, and even some pseudo-religious overtones tossed in...in other words, a teenage daydream come true! Critics panned the end result for this very reason, sneering at Bruce Willis' Earth-saving (yet again!) Korben Dallas, and Besson's then-girlfriend, clothing-optional Milla Jovovich, as the innocent demigod, Leeloo.

The critics were wrong!

THE FIFTH ELEMENT is, in the best sense of the word, a classic 'B' movie, a space opera where a prologue vaguely similar to STARGATE leads to a future Earth where traffic jams occur thirty stories above the ground, humanity is ruled by beefy 'Tiny' Lister Jr., and where the Ultimate Evil is served by everyone's favorite villain, Gary Oldman, sporting a Southern accent! If this DOESN'T convince you that this is a 'popcorn' flick, not to be taken too seriously, there is Chris Tucker, sporting a blond hairdo, as the Galaxy's favorite media personality, promoting himself as he hits on his adoring female fans; Ian Holm, as the monk who knows 'the Secret', forced, despite himself, to become an active participant in the adventure; and some of the most ... ugly alien mercenaries you'll ever see, terrorizing a space resort, until they meet their match in Bruce Willis' 'DIE HARD in Space' protagonist! Yippee-Ki-Yay, indeed!

The FX are astonishing, the comedy, broad and sly, the heroics, macho, and as Leeloo, sent to save Earth, Jovovich manages to be both naive and sexy, with broken English and a gymnast's grace.

Bruce Willis is a joy, as always, to watch, and he carries the film with charm and self-depreciating humor, whether dealing with endless phone calls from his mother, driving his sky taxi recklessly (cabbies change very little in the future!), taking on terrorists single-handed, or falling for the exotic Leeloo. When he blows away a roomful of hostage-holding aliens, then asks, "Does anyone else want to negotiate?", you KNOW Besson picked the right guy for the lead!

If you want Profound Science Fiction, watch 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY again...but if you want to kick back and just have fun, look not further...THE FIFTH ELEMENT delivers!

Star Wars Fans can love this movie too!
I grew up with Star Wars, and still love it today, but times, tastes and styles do change. It doesn't make one "better" than another, just different. I, for one, absolutely love this movie! It's fun, flashy, thin in spots and hopelessly romantic, but also very positive about the future (if a bit crowded). Futuristic New York is enough to give you vertigo! The visuals, set designs, aliens and costumes are amazing - if you don't like this movie's look, you are probably dead.

Mila makes Leeloo "perfect" as the Supreme Being out to protect all mankind - innocent and wise all at once; and you just can't fault Bruce for doing what he does so well, a cynical wisecracking working stiff just looking for that "one perfect woman". But the secondary characters are what truly makes this one fun: "Weddings?" - Ian Holm delivers classic straight lines and Chris Tucker is just high-energy comedy as Ruby Rhodd (that trashy radio guy) - I roll on the floor every time I watch this - and it's definitely one to watch over and over for the incredible detail and sheer visual magic.

Buy widescreen and see the whole thing!

QUITE A TRIP
It's entirely possible that Luc Besson was on some kind of drugs when he scripted this way-out, wacky, but extremely entertaining scifi thriller. His vision of the future is both impeccably original and wildly humorous. Cars spinning through space; police cars that still squeal tires when there's nothing to squeal them on! Like a wild video game, the vision of this future is great.
Bruce Willis is fine as Corbin Dallas; he evinces his usual cool macho, with that underlying bit of sensitivity. Milla Jovovich, red hair and all, does a good job in conveying the enthusiasm, innocence and naivete of the newly born. Notice the sadness in her eyes as she views the word "War"; her reactions are poignant. Gary Oldman as Zorg is all out ham and he pulls it off, showing what a versatile actor he is. The usually stoic Ian Holm has never been livelier than in his role as Father Cornelius. He looks like he's having the time of his life and after all the stuffy, laconic roles he's played, he cuts loose and is wonderful. And Chris Tucker---what a character. Tucker is manic, frantic and annoying---but he is also very very funny. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. Note too the capable performances of Tiny Lister (usually a mindless body bag) and Brion James (also a lot looser than in his usually villainous roles).
THE FIFTH ELEMENT is a strange movie indeed, but I found it to be one of the most unusual scifi films in some time.

Silly.
If only they had another director (perhaps Ridley Scott, using a little "Blade Runner" flair), this movie could have had the potential to be very good. Instead, director Luc Besson ("Leon," aka: "The Professional") chose to formulate this sophomoric piece of sour eye-candy that even the geekiest science fiction aficionado would despise. Aside from the poor direction, Hudson Hawk paired with an androgynous (and extraordinarily annoying) Chris Tucker sidekick, is enough to drive anyone to mercilessly strangle a kitten.

the unperfect movie
Give me a break! Milla Jovovich as the perfect woman, a god?! This movie would have not seen the light of day if she was a black woman. I mean there are far better looking white women than this lady, indeed, in a white mans world, would such a film be fashioned in the way that it has been. Outside of the whole white supremacy view, I thought this movie was koo with its special effects, although Judge Dredd did the same exact scenery in its earlier day, so, nothing new in that department. I also didnt care for how the black man was depicted as a wimpy feminine sambo, but this is what white america views as a great film, who cares if they made Tiny lister a black president, that was probably the only good thing about the whole cast arrangement, thats if that didnt have some personal insult to it as well. lmao! The insecurities of ppl who are in denial about such, will always be revealed in some way. As this movie made so brutally clear, dont get me wrong, racist ppl do not bother me in the least bit, I just like show them up, on their hidden agenda's, say what u want, but I would have prefered the perfect being to be nonhuman, as our species has proven to be something less than perfect, to say the least. pun intended ... Read more

Amazon.com

Director Michael Radford made a surprising about-face from his international hit Il Postino to this grungy British romantic crime thriller. Asia Argento (Dario's daughter and costar of Abel Ferrara's New Rose Hotel) is the title character, a street criminal whose specialty is breaking and entering: "I can get into anywhere." Jared Harris (Richard's son and Andy Warhol in I Shot Andy Warhol) is a bookish, shy schoolteacher with a yen for jazz who becomes smitten with Argento's sexy wildcat. Argento brings a vitality to the supercharged street thief trying to break with her past, but stick-in-the-mud Harris is restrained to a fault and Radford never quite finds the right chemistry to make their union any more than curious. Rupert Everett costars as a smart-mouthed, sleepy-eyed ne'er-do-well whose drug habit puts him deep in debt, and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is Argento's volatile partner, a jittery young punk on a hair trigger. Radford has more fun with the villains than his ostensible hero; the film bubbles when they're on screen and the movie's single heist scene is a short, sharp, energized shot in the arm to a slowing story. Only Harris sticks out as an impossibly resolute saint who's dedicated his life to a passionate sinner. The conclusion reverberates with echoes of Straw Dogs, as remade by a kinder, gentler filmmaker. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (13)

really quite lovely
B. Monkey is a movie that has its flaws, but it's entertaining nonetheless. The director was replaced halfway through filming, and although Michael Radford (the credited replacement) does well, the movie does have the certain vague feel of, well, a film whose director was replaced halfway through filming. There are also a few scenes that go on too long, one or two shots that are inconsistent (for example, the title character walking somewhere in a red dress, only to be at work in a black dress in the next shot), and some dialogue that sounds distinctly written, rather than natural. However, I still really enjoyed this movie. The performances (not to mention the great cinematography) are what really sell it. Asia Argento as B. (Beatrice) is beautiful, charismatic, and a strong screen presence. I expect she will only get better as her career progresses. Jared Harris does a fine job, although (and this is not his fault, just an annoyance of mine) I found his character rather unfeeling in how quickly and completely he expects B. to drop her old life and friends. Those friends/partners-in-crime are played by Rupert Everett, sleazy and clearly having a high time of it as Paul, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, very effective as temperamental, nearly desperate Bruno. The one thing this movie really left me wishing for was a more in-depth look at the relationship between these two and Beatrice. It's an unusual dynamic--Paul and Bruno are lovers, but Bruno is clearly also in love (or at least obsessed) with B., who is the only person to ever truly care about him. Overall, yes, it does have shortcomings and it's not the greatest thing I've seen, but B. Monkey is still a fine movie, plenty of fun, and worth checking out.

Love hurts
This film, directed by Michael ("Il Postino") Radford, goes to show that you can't always pick those you love. Beatrice (Asia Argento), the B Monkey of the title, falls for a mild-mannered grade school teacher (Richard Harris' son, Jared) and must choose between her new love and the "family" of criminals that have nurtured her career as a jewel thief. If you can swallow the premise, this one sits pretty sweetly on the pallet of a Eurofilm junkie. While neither as stylish as "Diva" nor as violent as "La Femme Nikita," it owes something to both, being most at home in scenes that feature its supporting cast of unsavory characters, which includes Rupert Everett, as a Fagin-esque thief with a drug habit that gets him into trouble with his suppliers; John Rhys Meyers, as his punk lover, who proves once again that love is a hurtin' thing; and Julie T. Wallace, as an abusive mom, who gets a visit from Argento and Meyers that sets her on the path to righteousness. With Peggy Lee, Portishead, Cassandra Wilson, and the above-mentioned Reinhardt along for musical atmosphere, I'd like to know where to get the soundtrack.

A moving little film from the director of Il Postino
This is actually a quite wonderful little film.
Asia Argento is radiant as a thief who chances to meet (and enchant) a nerdish, but goodhearted, teacher who completely falls head over heels in love with her (who wouldn't?). In an effort to change lifestyles and settle down, she can't quite get rid of her past and this puts a strain on her newfound boyfriend and her new existence.
All the leads are sensational (Rupert Everett a particular scene stealer) and the film is moving all the way.
Rumours are that a large portion was left on the cutting room floor and it took the film three years to get released, but it doesn't show easily. Highly recommended.

asia
To be honest with you , I only saw this film because of Asia. I have no idea what the plot is. But she looked quite pretty throughout it.

Unfortunately Titled Thriller Has Super Hot Babe.....
...I've got to put Asia Argento on my list of Much Watch Actresses: she puts to mind a combination of Angeliina Jolie and Thora Birch, but with way more fire than Jolie ever goes for...Jolie is kinda 'mellow', y'know?

But, I caught this on one of my cable stations one Sat. evening 'cause I'm a big fan of heist cine, and this *is* one, albeit wrapped in a rather odd love story. Tawk about opposites attracting! The grade school teacher trails live wire Beatrice one day and asks her out for a drink. What follows is one of the most passionate and interesting court ships I've ever seen on film. They go to Paris to find their love. I thought that was a rather nice touch. But, always, always, one muddy alley away, one warehouse loft away, one scummy tavern away are the boosters and druggies threatening to pull her back in the mire. Beatrice does one more job out of a since of obligation to her ex-partners and to help her pallie (played with greatness by Rupert) pay some drug bills.

The heist at the jewelry shoppe nearly gets botched when her companion loses nerve: they are saved when the driver slaps a man with a car lug wrench. And Beatrice comes away with a 'well, I did get a rush from this, but I can't afford this type of rush anymore. They are 'way too risky'. So she and the teacher find a way to get a house in the country side. And one day, in a break of monotony and ennui, Beatrice calls up Rupert from a road side phone...just to check up on her pallie, you know?

You can just about guess what happens next, but by the time this part of the film happens, if you are anything like me, you find yourself into the story so deeply that you let the obvious cliches run their course. That's what I did.

Also, this is one of the most attractive of the modern British gangster/heist cines I've seen. Many of them have that dark or greyness as if the directors were trying to capture years of sooty, foggy decadence on film. My overall opinion is that if you see this, it will entertain you.... ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A visual feast for the senses and soul
I was so enthralled by the beauty of this film that I had to go back and see it again the next night. I might add that I almost never see movies twice. Visually stunning black and white cinematography toned a deep blue-tone, lent a rich sense of dreamlike antiquity to the film. Shot on location in northern France, full of medieval icons and stone buildings, surrounded by peasant farms and fields the film touched on many local customs and lore : gypsies with houses in trees, a dark-tressed virgin mary-possibly an older connection to Ceres or an earth-mother goddess, early midwivery, and, perhaps most importantly the desire for a direct connection to God, which conflicts with the Church-as-middle-man role. The story was a deeply moving and inspiring tale of a pure desire to touch divinity.

A Profound depiction of medieval life
There are not enough words to describe the utter beauty of Anchoress. The imagery and symbolism is intellectually and visually satsifying; one could watch this film over and over again without boredom. The silence, which so permeates this film, allows for a certain contemplation for the viewer; the dialogue is fabulous, and is not thrown around in an uncareful manner - it is placed where it is needed, conveying perfect and correct meaning. Overall, Anchoress offers the most expressive and possibly most accurate depiction of medieval life (even though us 21st century folks don't know what that would truthfully be) on film. I could not imagine Anchoress being in color - it would take away from the grainy feeling of the black and white, which is such a key part to the imagery I believe; the black and white even adds more to the medieval feel. Moreover, the story of Anchoress is equally important. Christine, the young anchoress (Natalie Morse) could teach us a lesson or two - she finds God in her food, in the dirt, in a beautiful (yet very primitive looking) Virgin statue, in a small cell, and underground; Christine discovers God. . . she does not allow God to be dogmatically pushed on her (as seen in her discussions with the Priest). I could watch Anchoress over and over. . . honestly. As a medieval history buff and as one interested in the lives and practices of medieval anchoresses, I highly recommend this film to others with the same interests. Also, to anyone who appreciates visually stunning film, Anchoress will fill your mind with awe.

Gorgeous and thought-provoking
What a joy it is to see "Anchoress" coming out on DVD -- and at a consumer-friendly price, no less. This artsy/indie film should appeal to lovers of unusually and visually beautiful films, and it should appeal both to Pagans and to Christian mystics, as it explores issues of the soul dear to both groups. The central character, the Anchoress of Shere, is reminiscent of Julian of Norwich, a more orthodox though no less spiritual historical figure from the 14th century. The Anchoress of Shere enters the stern life of a female mystic/recluse, in part because she has visions of the Blessed Mother, in part to escape the unwanted advances of her landlord. Trouble begins to brew when her visions of the Mother do not match the rigid orthodoxy of the parish priest. This movie asks important questions about the relationship between authentic spiritual experience and the dogmatic "party line" of organized religion; it also explores the tension between heavenly-oriented and earthly-oriented spiritualities. It also has a few things to say about gender politics. But beyond the philosophical tension in the story, this film (shot in a softly-focussed black and white) is cinematographically gorgeous, a pure delight to look at -- a visual hymn to the mysterious beauty of both heaven and earth.

Very Cool
I'm not saying much, because saying anything is already too much. Filmed in black/white, the poetic suggestions and use of imagery are simply spectacular. At the same time it's very subtle, evoking comparison with Bergmann, Lagerkvist and Popol Vuh. See the rough sculpture of the blessed virgin being carried across the field of rye and you will get drunk on the poetry that's in it. Oh, and the ending!!! It's wine....

A friend told us about it, we caught it the last night of its run and I thank GOD every day that we did not miss it.

Each scene framed like a renaissance graphite drawing.
In the oppressive atmosphere of the medieval times where midwives and herbalists were considered in league with the devil, one witnesses the transcendental journey of a young, spirited, and spiritual woman as she explores the feminine aspects of God, with Mary as her inspiration. The naturalistic concepts within the exploration of the feminine (Earth/Mother ideology) may offend some fundamentalists, but I interpret this as metaphorical. This film is worth seeing for the cinematography alone. It's unspeakably beautiful, shot in black and white, each scene framed like a renaissance graphite drawing. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Anthony Michaels review of "The Fifth Element"
Along with great masterpieces such as Forrest Gump, Frequency and others, The Fifth Element is there along with them. It's stunning visual effects along with average acting and a great script, The Fifth Element is worth your time. Trust me. Bruce Willis does a great job. Enjoy it.

ALSO STARRING BRUCE WILLIS
The Sixth Sense
The Kid
12 Monkeys

Best picture and sound of any DVD so far
If you need to justify the expense of your DVD player and surround sound system to your spouse and/or friends, this DVD is it!

Spectacular sound and special effects coupled with a perfect DVD transfer make up for the childish plot and simplistic dialogue. But hey, it's great fun! END ... Read more