Description

An intriguing and entertaining study in characters going through varying levels of crisis and introspection. This psychological drama leads you in several different directions, weaving and intersecting various subplots and characters, from a brilliant Tom Cruise, as a self-proclaimed pied-piper, to a child forced to go on a TV game show and the pressures he faces from a ruthless father. ... Read more

Reviews (653)

Brilliant!
Magnolia is a hard film for many people to watch. The reason for this is that Magnolia is a film about what we watch movies to escape from... real life. That's what its about; forget the sprawling plot, Magnolia is about the trials and tribulations of modern life. It's about coping with regrets and fixing our mistakes. This makes for a very depressing film. It also makes for a very real film.

Filled with many different characters, its easy to find someone to identify with. Whether it be Frank TJ Mackey, a womanizing motivational speaker who refuses to come to terms with his father, or Jim Curring, a cop who's trying to find love while doing the right thing, you're sure to find someone who you love.

Stellar performances are turned in across the board, but that's no surprise looking at the cast. You stop seeing William H. Macy, you start seeing Quiz Kid Donnie Smith. The only weak link is Julianne Moore as Linda Partridge. She's way over the top, but its forgiveable if not dismissable.

Magnolia is one very smart film. It is filled with themes of redemption, courage, freak accidents, and God. Director Paul Thomas Anderson does not dumb these down for us; he does not insult his audience. He knows we are smart, capable people and leaves it all up for our own interpretation. It may be a little overwhelming, but that's why this is a great DVD to purchase. You can watch it repeatedly and pick up on all the little things you may have missed that make a big difference. On the suplemental disk is an interesting documentary about the making of Magnolia that offers much insight into PT Anderson and the way he works. The only thing that's missing is a commentary track by Anderson; he thinks the film speaks for itself. He may be a little off base there, but Magnolia is nonetheless a very satisfying purchase.

Best of the Year
I know "Magnolia" technically came out in 1999, but it's wide release was in 2000, and with this year not even half-over, I can honestly say that this movie is one of the best I've ever seen. With few and relatively minor flaws (such as trying to tackle 10 different storylines; some of them not resolved well enough by the 3-hour period)P.T.Anderson beautifully uses the camera to convey moods parallel to the characters that he writes. There are some surreal moments that are just flat-out cool, ie. the whole singing thing (that's being labeled as stupid, but aren't you supposed to leave reality at the door?) A great soundtrack that makes this movie as amazing as it is and a brilliant ensemble performance with stand-outs by Julianne Moore and John Reily (who plays the most damn convincing cop I ever seen). But I agree with the last review: Anderson should have focused on 3 or 4 storylines and explored them more. Even so, one has to admire it's gutsiness to take on themes like desperation and lonliness and do so with such conviction-

(There are also symbols in this film, which at times can be confusing-but after you see this, read Exodus:8 from the bible and some of your questions will be answered.)

Just for the record. . .
It really does rain frogs, though it is a rare occurance. I always get a bit peeved when people complain about that aspect of this wonderful film.

Do a little research. It shouldn't take you long to find a dozen or so newspaper articles documenting frog storms.

". . .but it did happen."

Original Artistic Masterpiece
This movie is a must see for anyone who appreciates artistic well thought out movies. If you are dumb then I don't recommend it as you will be unable to comprehend it's brilliance, most of the time these people will dimiss it with negative reviews just because they don't get it.
.... And I quote Bob Dylan ' Don't criticize what you can't understand'
A unique film run with fantastic acting and an undercurrent of genius. The music, Starring Aimee Man's Beautiful voice captures the atmosphere of the movie with insane accuracy as does the superb camera work. Well Done!

Powerful, impacting movie
This is not a perfect movie but I think it comes across powerfully. The acting is superb. Tom Cruise's character suits him well and Julianne Moore plays her part so daringly that I ended up hating her and then pitying her. The other actors/actresses all do a great job. The film is fast-paced, a good thing considering it lasts about 3 hours. There is a coming together of several seemingly unrelated stories. A common thread that I picked up is the severe pains caused by personal, self-serving decisions that hurt loved ones. The message of the movie is powerful and compensates for some of what I consider the movie's shortcomings--such as the seemingly constant yelling and cursing--much usage of the f-word (just like in real life) and several scenes drowned out by loud music and an odd even of the sky raining bullfrogs, an event that plays an integral part in the climactic ends to the several stories. ... Read more

Description

A young man struggling to access sublimated childhood memories finds a technique that allows him to travel back to the past. Occupying his childhood body, he is able to change history. But every change he makes has unexpected consequences. ... Read more

Reviews (209)

This film is very underrated...
Ever since I first saw previews for this film, I was excited about it. Anytime the subject of time travel is approached, it usually makes for an interesting and exciting film. However, the film did have the critics going against it, and Ashton Kutcher trying to play in a dramatic role.

I finally got to see the movie recently, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good this film turned out to be. While it is not the best time travel film I have ever seen, it was extremely entertaining and suspenseful to see all the different lifetimes being played out. I really enjoyed the fact that Kutcher's character used his mind to travel in time and not a machine. The movie can be frustrating at times. In fact, after the first 20 minutes of the film I had serious doubts. Things would happen, followed by Ashton's Kutcher's character having a blackout right at the moment when an explanation was needed. This left myself and the rest of the audience feeling confused at what was playing out. But after the film gets over the initial speed bump in the beginning, The Butterfly Effect turns into a riveting thriller and everything is explained in the long run. The entire cast did a fantastic job in my opinion. While I still feel that Ashton Kutcher is not a very good actor, he did a lot better than I thought he would. Especially, when you consider the fact that he is known for being a comedy actor.

One of the best things about this film was the ending. It was not your typical happy ending. While every character's life turned out for the better, Kutcher's character still experiences loss and regret by how the story turns out. I was very happy with the ending, because it actually manages to leave your emotions feeling conflicted, which gets you thinking about how things could have been. Anytime you leave the theater in discussion about what you would have done differently, it means that the film made an impression on you. That is definately something that The Butterfly Effect manages to do.

I really don't understand the harsh treatment from critics. In Entertainment Weekly, the average grade for this film is a "C-". While The Butterfly Effect does have its flaws, it turned out to be a riveting thriller, with an original take on timetravel and an unpredictable ending.

A solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Don't Listen to the Critics - Good Movie
Because most of the critics slammed this movie, I went to see it expecting a lot less than I got. I thought the movie was fine: rich plot, good pacing, intense drama, and solid performances by all of the actors. Ashton Kutcher, who has a great screen presence (I've never seen him before; don't watch much TV) played the role with just the right degrees of intensity, bewiderment, and desperation. Amy Smart's performance fluctuated convincingly from loyal lover, to air-headed ingenue, to hardened prostitute, etc. And I loved the way the other supporting characters changed personalities with time shifts.

The kid actors looked very much like their adult counterparts, especially in Kutcher's case, so that the constant transitions between pre-teen, teen, and adult versions of the characters were very smooth... this was important to keep the audience suspending its disbelief.

The screenplay delved into taboo subjects fearlessly, which I think added to its richness and made it all the more riveting.

Most of the critics didn't like this film, and I suspect a lot of that has to do with their personal disdain of Kutcher. That's neither relevant nor fair. Roger Ebert tried to be fair in his review and did say some good things about the movie, but he was bothered a lot by the inexplicably artistic quality of the drawing and the note-lettering penned by the Kutcher character. I agree that this high quality this was kind of odd, since the character was never portrayed as an artist, but I think that's a minor detail that detracted only slightly from one's enjoyment of the movie. Overall, Butterfly Effect was a handsomely-filmed, "sci-fi" movie that didn't rely on special effects to hold my interest and entertain me. It was a great ride. What more could the critics want?

Great movie- I have answers
I absolutely loved this movie and I think that anyone would enjoy it if they would just actually watch it. All those people that say it was a horrible movie because it doesn't make sense, are just flat out stupid.<br /> It is called the butterfly effect because every little change he makes in his past has a devastating effect on his life and everyone around him. A butterfly flapping his wings, though very insignificant, can cause a typhoon in wherever. I'm not saying it's true, but that's the reason it's called the butterfly effect.<br /> If your'e wondering why evan had the knife, Evan goes back in time to destroy the blockbuster, and he gets a knife. However, he drops it when his mom walks in the room, and is unable to destroy it. <br /> When he is in the cell with carlos, and he goes back in time, he puts scars in his hands so carlos can see them. When he goes back in time and jabbs his hands into those two sharp things, it is not a big enough change to have that big of an effect on his life. His past is not changed and so everthing leading up to the jail still happened. The only difference is that now he has scars in his hands.<br /> This movie is very violent but all of it's for a reason. The passion of the christ is has just as much gore if not more, and it really get's your attention. It gives the movie more emotion. It makes you think. I agree that this is not suitable for children, but this is a great movie. If you get a chance, i strongly suggest watching this movie.

Excellent Film---Believe It Or Not!
The first time I ever saw Ashton Kutcher was the very first episode of "That '70's Show"---a show that I fell in love with right away. As it went on to become one of the best sitcoms in the past ten years, I at first saw star Topher Grace as becoming the superstar of the bunch. However, as the third season began, I began to realize that Ashton Kutcher was the valedictorian. As terminally clueless, and childishly impish, stoner Michael Kelso, the former straight-A college engineering student has created one of the most memorable sitcom characters of the modern television era. His impending superstardom seemed more & more destined to be. By the beginning of the year 2000, I was wondering when his first movie would come out. By the end of the year 2000, my question had been answered, though not my prayers.

As Ashton's film career began with the incredibly unfunny DUDE, WHERE'S MY CAR?, I shook my head with disappointment at how the lowest-common-denominator mindset of Hollywood was going to drag him down along the forgotten road of Typecast Alley. I missed the few other comedies he did afterwards (TEXAS RANGERS--2001, JUST MARRIED, MY BOSS'S DAUGHTER--both 2003), but after viewing my DVD rental of THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT (2004) last week, I was disappointed no more.

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT shows the beginnings of Kutcher's hopefully-maturing career-turn as a real all-around actor. This isn't an Oscar-caliber performance, but he brings a real heart & soul to his portrayal of a young man whose future seems inexorably bound to his past---a past to which he discovers he can return at any time in order to affect his present. Evan tries to fix what went wrong in his life; however, in doing so he creates unintended consequences for himself and his beloved Kayleigh (a radiant Amy Smart, showing real depth of character here).

This DVD shows both the original 113-minute Theatrical Version and the full 2-hour Director's Cut. I saw only the latter version, which is said to be the superior cut. I have not yet seen the original, so I am unable to compare the two versions. I will just say for now that the Director's Cut had a similar effect on me as the incredible Adrian Lyne-directed 1991 psycho-horror flick JACOB'S LADDER (1991): both films begin as strangely perplexing, but develop a strangely hypnotic and engrossing quality as well. As much as I wondered what the *beep* was going on, I just couldn't take my eyes off the bizarre action unwinding onscreen. And then *THE ENDING*---> Unexpectedly blindsiding, it pulls the previously indecipherable clues all together, and makes total sense out of senselessness, order out of chaos. Funny that the central theme of THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT *is* Chaos Theory!

Although it displays some of the more unpleasant qualities of a conventional horror flick (foul-mouthed youngsters doing things they have no business in doing, cute dogs existing purely for the purpose of being sadistically put to death), there is no doubt that Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber---the co-writers and directors who had previously teamed up to write the 2002 chiller sequel FINAL DESTINATION 2---have crafted a truly original story that contains a deceptive amount of substance behind the blurry, slick style. Some people---especially kids, it seems---did not particularly like the Director's Cut ending. I say that this is the only true ending this story could have had. (It also serves my strongly-felt theory that movies like this are most decidedly not meant for kiddies.) It makes me all the more curious as to what alternative kind of ending was edited into the Theatrical Version in order to 'please' the audience (whatever it was, it sure didn't seem to please many). Well, it looks like I'll just have to purchase this loaded-with-extras DVD to find out. That's just fine with me, as the Director's Cut alone is worth the money! If you're like me and passed on seeing THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT during its theater run, take another look at it on DVD. It may just surprise you, too!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED; AGES 16 & UP

THE BEST MOVIE
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT was one of the greatest movies on earth. I hear a lot of Ashton Kutcher with everybody talking about him, I thought he would wreck this movie up A LOT, but man was I WRONG. Ashton plays the part of Evan in the movie. As a kid he had many interesting moments and had blackouts. So his doctor told him to write in a journal each night about that day. Ever since he became older, or an adult, he had the journals, and everytime he became in a bad moment, he read the journals which sucked him up back to that time to change it, and as he was older things have been going wrong.....I don't want to spoil all of the movie for you but you MUST buy this movie if you are into action and drama like this. I would rate this movie a 100 out of 5, it was one of the best movies on earth!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you're going to submit yourself to a dazzling example of mainstream action, this thriller is as good a choice as any. Eraser is a live-action cartoon, the kind of movie in which Arnold Schwarzenegger can survive nail bombs, hails of bullets, an attack by voracious alligators ("You're luggage," he says, after killing one of the beasts), and still emerge from the mayhem relatively intact. Arnold plays an "eraser" from the Federal Witness Protection Program, so named because he can virtually erase the existence of anyone he's been assigned to protect. His latest beneficiary is an FBI employee (Vanessa Williams) who stumbled across a secret government group involved in the sale and export of an advanced weapon capable of shooting rounds at nearly the speed of light. Fantastic action sequences are handled with flair by director Charles Russell (The Mask), so it's easy to forgive the fact that this movie is almost completely ridiculous. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Eraser is one of of Arnold's best action films.
Eraser is Arnold's action spectuclar in years scene The terminator, Total Recall, Terminator 2: Judgement day and True lies. the story is about US Witsec officer John Kreuger (Arnold Schwarzengger) who protects, and takes out the ID's of federal witness's where he is recruited to protect witness Lee Cullen (Vanessa Williams) who is trying to get evidence about a weapons company selling new deadly guns, where Lee is a target of the company's renegades, where John plans on helping her, as his Witsec friend Robert (James Cann ) is invovled with them as John goes to put a stop to the madness. The film features very good special effects featuring Arnold firing EM rail guns, beging attack by crocodiles and sky diving out of a plane, if your a Arnie fan buy this right now or rent it in you nearest video store END

ERASER??? More like TRUE LIES 2! A real Arnold thriller!!!
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER explodes to the TV screen as U.S. MARSHALL JOHN KRUGER of the WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM, assigned to protect LEE CULLEN (Vanessa Williams), a woman who is willing to testify against illegal weapon dealers. But, something goes wrong. A fellow Marshall and friend of JOHN's is working for the wrong team and trying to cover up the deadly plot to take out KRUGER's witness. Now, everyone at WITSEC is trying to kill KRUGER and CULLEN believing that they are the real enemies. Will ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER be able to prove his innosense and save the day in an explosive action thriller?!!!

Directed By: Charles Russell (The Mask, Bless the Child) and starring ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (End of Days, 6th Day, Predator), JAMES CAAN (Mickey Blue Eyes), VANESSA WILLIAMS, and DANNY NUCCI (Crimson Tide, The Rock, Titanic)- ERASER is an action rush of sheer explosive adventure!

MOVIE NOTE: This movie might as well be TRUE LIES 2. ARNOLD is back, he's a U.S. MARSHALL SPY-Like hero, He has big guns, he's protecting a woman against a vengeful nemisis, he has great one-liners, he battles terrorists, crocodiles, jumping out of a speeding plane- trying to catch his parachute, shooting huge EMP guns, breaking into a high security weapons building, and blowing up a house by making a trap that will light a fuse in the house! That is TRUE LIES 2 to me! Anyway, we'll have to see what TRUE LIES 2 has in store for us when it comes to theaters sometime within the next 5 years...

MY REVIEW: This movie ROCKS! The special effects are great, the stunts and action sequences rule, the story, acting and directing are spectacular, and the humor is good too! THIS MAY NOT BE ARNOLD's BEST FILM EVER, BUT IT SURE MAKES HIS TOP 10 LIST!!!

Rent this movie or buy this movie today action fans!

ERASER is rated "R" for STRONG LANGUAGE and STRONG ACTION VIOLENCE THROUGHOUT. 1 hr 55 min.

Excellent action thriller!
Austrian accented "Terminator" actor Arnold Schwarzenegger hits another home run in his career in the 1996 action thriller entitled "Eraser" and let me tell you, this movie is truly unsettling and not to mention will make you angry as such acts could in fact happen in real life as we know it although the items are a bit far-fetched with today's technologies.

A special agent U.S. Marshall named John Kruger works for the Witness Protection Agency, an organization that takes witnesses of major crimes away, wipe out their identities, in order to shelter them from potential criminals who aim to kill those who witness their crimes. His latest mission is to protect a worker named Lee Cullen (Vanessa Williams) who works for a corporation named Cyrez that produces top secret weapons but a massive scandal is brewing and Lee discovers what's really going on and aims to expose the scam to the FBI. However, high level government marshals who are crooks themselves aim to kill Lee and Kruger to attempt to stop the truth from coming out. The Cyrez corporation, under the leadership of a corrupt CEO, is involved in an illegal arms deal with a Russian Mafia hitman who has had a history of murder and terrorist acts against civilians. The arms deal involves trading extremely advanced weapons that don't use any conventional ammunition and instead use magnetic pulses to fire rounds of aluminum at nearly the speed of light and if the arms trade succeed it will bring forth a horrific new era of high-tech terrorism worldwide and John Kruger must stop the arms shipment before it's too late while also protecting lee from corrupt high-ranking officials participating the scam.

If Lee Cullen and John Kruger are killed, then the FBI will lose any leads and/or evidence to bring the Cyrez officials to trial and to expose the scandal to the public.

This movie sometimes makes me angry not because it is bad because it is a really great movie but it's the whole concept of high-ranking government officials actually being a part of the problem than as the people trying to fight the criminals committing these crimes. I sometimes wonder how one can be able to fight such acts of capitalist greed even if they're totally fictional events.

The special effects while limited are really well done especially with the way the bullets create those smoke trails when speed through the air at speeds nearly that of light plus the action sequences are really awesome especially towards the climax.

The high-tech weapons are really terrifying with not only the light-speed ammunition but also how they seemingly can scan through buildings and make out movements all around the immediate vicinity. One can't help but feel really paranoid when viewing the scenes where they scan the area when seeking their targets.

Once again Arnold Schwarzenegger hits another home run right out of the ballpart playing the U.S. Marshall John Kruger. Arnold's action sequences are once again in top form as he fights against the crooks aiming to eliminate both Kruger and Lee. If you loves his "I'll Be Back" and/or "You've just been terminated" lines from the "Terminator" movies, then he comes up with another brilliant line which is "You've just been erased". God I love it. Vanessa Williams is also very good playing Lee Cullen as she tries to escape the assassins pursuit of her while trying to deliver the evidence of the crime to the FBI. In all honesty, Vanessa is far better when she's acting in movies and singing and releasing albums as opposed to wasting her time on these numerous bland commercials and infomercials!!

My favorite though of the main characters was Star Trek actor James Caan. Man, his portrayal of the traitorous agent Degeurin is absolutely terrifying and truly vivid and brings the horrifically callous nature of the corrupt agent to 'life' on the movie. I just can't help but feel really sometimes ticked off at Deguerin because of his horrific acts against the country but I've got to admire Caan's incredible acting in this movie because he was perfect for the role of the bad guy and Deguerin is one of the greatest bad guys I had seen in many years at the time of this movie's release.

While only a minor role, James Cromwell's performance as the CEO of the Cyrez corporation was also compelling and sometimes really scary. While not as bad as let's say Deguerin, Cromwell's character in this movie is just enough to make you upset at his callous nature.

Other favorites are the late Joe Pastorelli as Johnny C. along with his mob crime family and some of the characters are really funny especially Johnny C. It's really sad that Pastorelli departed us so soon because he was a talented actor. I also thought that the late Joe Viterelli was phenomenal playing the pug-faced mafia gangster. :-(

This movie is really very well done and delivers incredible action sequences, not to mention an original plot idea. The DVD as of this writing offers little of anything in the way of bonus material but is a grand improvement on the VHS.

Really excellent action-thriller! 2 Thumbs up!
Austrian accented "Terminator" actor Arnold Schwarzenegger hits another home run in his career in the 1996 action thriller entitled "Eraser" and let me tell you, this movie is truly unsettling and not to mention will make you angry as such acts could in fact happen in real life as we know it although the items are a bit far-fetched with today's technologies.

A special agent U.S. Marshall named John Kruger works for the Witness Protection Agency, an organization that takes witnesses of major crimes away, wipe out their identities, in order to shelter them from potential criminals who aim to kill those who witness their crimes. His latest mission is to protect a worker named Lee Cullen (Vanessa Williams) who works for a corporation named Cyrez that produces top secret weapons but a massive scandal is brewing and Lee discovers what's really going on and aims to expose the scam to the FBI. However, high level government marshals who are crooks themselves aim to kill Lee and Kruger to attempt to stop the truth from coming out. The Cyrez corporation, under the leadership of a corrupt CEO, is involved in an illegal arms deal with a Russian Mafia hitman who has had a history of murder and terrorist acts against civilians. The arms deal involves trading extremely advanced weapons that don't use any conventional ammunition and instead use magnetic pulses to fire rounds of aluminum at nearly the speed of light and if the arms trade succeed it will bring forth a horrific new era of high-tech terrorism worldwide and John Kruger must stop the arms shipment before it's too late while also protecting lee from corrupt high-ranking officials participating the scam.

If Lee Cullen and John Kruger are killed, then the FBI will lose any leads and/or evidence to bring the Cyrez officials to trial and to expose the scandal to the public.

This movie sometimes makes me angry not because it is bad because it is a really great movie but it's the whole concept of high-ranking government officials actually being a part of the problem than as the people trying to fight the criminals committing these crimes. I sometimes wonder how one can be able to fight such acts of capitalist greed even if they're totally fictional events.

The special effects while limited are really well done especially with the way the bullets create those smoke trails when speed through the air at speeds nearly that of light plus the action sequences are really awesome especially towards the climax.

The high-tech weapons are really terrifying with not only the light-speed ammunition but also how they seemingly can scan through buildings and make out movements all around the immediate vicinity. One can't help but feel really paranoid when viewing the scenes where they scan the area when seeking their targets.

Once again Arnold Schwarzenegger hits another home run right out of the ballpart playing the U.S. Marshall John Kruger. Arnold's action sequences are once again in top form as he fights against the crooks aiming to eliminate both Kruger and Lee. If you loves his "I'll Be Back" and/or "You've just been terminated" lines from the "Terminator" movies, then he comes up with another brilliant line which is "You've just been erased". God I love it. Vanessa Williams is also very good playing Lee Cullen as she tries to escape the assassins pursuit of her while trying to deliver the evidence of the crime to the FBI. In all honesty, Vanessa is far better when she's acting in movies and singing and releasing albums as opposed to wasting her time on these numerous bland commercials and infomercials!!

My favorite though of the main characters was Star Trek actor James Caan. Man, his portrayal of the traitorous agent Degeurin is absolutely terrifying and truly vivid and brings the horrifically callous nature of the corrupt agent to 'life' on the movie. I just can't help but feel really sometimes ticked off at Deguerin because of his horrific acts against the country!

Other favorites are the late Joe Pastorelli as Johnny C. along with his mob crime family and some of the characters are really funny especially Johnny C. It's really sad that Pastorelli departed us so soon. :-(

This movie is really very well done and delivers incredible action sequences, not to mention an original plot idea. The DVD as of this writing offers little of anything in the way of bonus material but is a grand improvement on the VHS.

Action packed fun for the masses!
This movie is awesome!!! Starring Ahnold as an adventurous U.S. Marshall he is assigned to protect a female witness to an illegal arms deal between a U.S. business and Russian mafia terrorists and the witness and Ahnold are the targets for assassination by the corrupt federal marshalls taking part in the arms deal. The arms shoot rounds of aluminum near the speed of light. California's governor once again hits another home run with awesome acting and incredible special effects. Go and see this movie today!!! ... Read more

Reviews (239)

Almost
Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, Cold Mountain is mostly a story about both the kindness and the cruelty of ordinary people during difficult times.

It's also a love story.

Unfortunately, at least for this reviewer, I felt that the budding relationship between Inman (Jude Law) and Ada (Nicole Kidman) wasn't developed enough. Although they flirt and share a special kiss before Inman leaves for war, there just didn't seem to be enough of a bond between them for someone to risk their life returning home. (Perhaps this aspect of the film will be fleshed out more in an extended DVD version?)

Honestly, even at 2 1/2 hours, I felt like this epic film could have been a half an hour longer. There were plenty of interesting characters who deserved more screen time.

Up and coming actress Natalie Portman (Star Wars: Attack of the Clones) finally breaks out with an incredible performance as a single mother with a baby just trying to get by through the ravages of war. Even though her part was small, she still managed to convey the utter despair of her very sad character.

Cinematically, this film is breathtaking. In fact, the filmmakers have managed to painstakingly recreate the 1864 siege at Petersburg, Virginia complete with trenches, gaunt Confederates and even the Battle of the Crater. As far as I know, I don't believe this particular battle has ever been depicted in a major motion picture. As such, it was well researched and very authentic.

All in all, Cold Mountain is a good film. However, I believe it missed the mark of greatness by not developing the relationship early on between the two main characters. This detracted a bit from the aspect of Inman's long and perilous journey home. Was she really worth all of that?

In sum, if you're a fan of period Civil War movies like "Summersby" or "Ride With the Devil", then this film is certainly one for your DVD library.

Emotionally Cold Mountain
This story of one man's walk from Virginia to North Carolina in his attempt to return to the love that motivates him has - unsurprisingly - a somewhat rambling form. Somehow I think the rambling and episodic structure was probably better suited to a novel than to a mainstream Hollywood film.

In part "Cold Mountain" is based on Homer's Odyssey, with Jude Law as the Ulysses-like Inman, and Nicole Kidman's Ada Monroe as the Penelope who waits for him despite the attention of at least one highly unsuitable suitor.

The film's set before and during the American Civil War, and begins with a devastating battle in Petersburg, Virginia. Troops from the Northern Army mine the Southern front line. The resulting explosions demolish it to great effect, but all doesn't go according to plan, as the advancing Northern soldiers are caught in the crater made by their own explosions ... and mown down. That scene is writer / director Anthony Minghella's version of "Saving Private Ryan's" opening scene, and very much shows us that the movie isn't going to be about the glories of war.

"Cold Mountain" gets off to an excellent start, inter-cutting gritty battle scenes with Inman's memories of Ada, the woman he loves, and with whom he's shared little more than one hurried kiss. Ada is the daughter of Reverend Monroe, played by Donald Sutherland, and has received a fairly good education in Charleston. That means she hasn't learned how to do much of anything practical.

Inman, after suffering a bad neck wound, decides he is going to return to Ada whatever the cost, deserts the army, and begins his long trek back to North Carolina and Cold Mountain. Ada meanwhile is having to cope with the death of her father, the difficulty of surviving as a single woman, and the attentions of lecherous bad guy and home guardsman Teague, played by Ray Winstone. Her neighbours, including Sally Swanger (the excellent Kathy Baker) try to help her, but it becomes pretty clear she's not going to make it through the next winter without help, and that help turns up in the shape of the extremely practical and down to earth backwoods girl Ruby Thewes (Rene Zellwegger)

Although the film starts superbly, it gradually becomes disappointing. The grittiness of the beginning gives way to ever more Hollywood glamour as the movie goes on, particularly in the story of Kidman's Ada. Kidman gets prettier and prettier as times get harder and harder. Zellwegger comes on like Doris Day in "Annie Get Your Gun" or something out of "Oklahoma", and adds scrunched up funny faces to the mix. And the bad guys back at home turn into cardboard villains that might almost come from a spaghetti western, particularly the almost albino Bosie (Charlie Hunnam). And why are albinos always evil in movies?

Inman's story fares somewhat better. During his trek he encounters a variety of picaresque characters. There's a preacher (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) who is initially about to murder his pregnant black mistress when Inman stops him. Jena Malone plays a girl who operates a ferry boat that will allow them to escape their pursuers, if they pay her enough. Giovanni Ribisi is hillbilly Junior, who in another nod to the Odyssey, lives with a bevy of sex-starved siren-like women. Natalie Portman is Sara, a single mother who Inman sleeps beside and then has to rescue from the attention of marauding Southern soldiers. And there's a strange gipsy woman who - particularly given that much of the movie was shot in Romania - seems rather like a refugee from one of the old universal werewolf movies.

John Seale's cinematography captures the din of war, the stunning scenery of Romania, and the quieter interiors, well. And, visually the film is helped much by the production design of Dante Ferretti, although I wonder if sometimes that too isn't a little too pretty. There's some good music, although the best of it is performed within the film, old American hymns, and folk music such as "Wayfaring Stranger". There's even a song composed by Sting and sung by Alison Krauss, which works better than one might expect it to. Gabriel Yared's more thematic soundtrack music seems rather less memorable.

Ultimately, "Cold Mountain" is marred by several weaknesses, one of the worst is that in its conclusion it's something of a shaggy dog story. It also suffers, like some of Minghella's other films, from a strange emotional coldness: neither Jude Law nor Nicole Kidman touches us as much as they should. Often the emotions surrounding the cameo characters are far more intense, particularly those played by Nathalie Portman and Kathie Baker.

But this is nothing new for Minghella. In both "The English Patient" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley" you wanted to feel somewhat more emotional about the characters than you actually did. In his first film "Truly, Madly Deeply" director Anthony Minghella struck a wonderfully poignant emotional note. With the move to Hollywood his films to have become much more focussed on about surfaces or spectacle, and that's a pity.

Like "Legends of the Fall" Cold Mountain" is ultimately an attempt to transform a sweeping and often gritty historical novel into a movie that's just far more glamorous than it should be for its own good. It's an interesting movie, but not a wholly successful one.

A waste of time
I absolutely hated this movie. Nicole Kidman is too old to play such a young character. The story started depressing and ended suicidal! I actually bought this dvd and after I watched it one time, I threw it in the trash. The only good thing about it was Renee Z's excellent rendition of a tough country girl. Only watch this movie if you like self-punishment.

Moving
Cold Mountain is a very good movie. The only problems I have with the movie is it takes so long to get into (but once you do it's so worth it) and the fact that they barely met and were already madley in love!

As a previous reviewer mentioned there is a very explicit love scene. It is my opinion that the love scene is so very important to the movie. You almost feel the love between the two. The movie would not have made such an impact on me without this scene.

Violence, OK but sex bad?
so it is OK to see people maimed and killed in horrible ways, but if two people have sex it is bad? Give me a break. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Before hitting the big time with his second film Boogie Nights, young filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson impressed critics with this deftly conceived, low-budget film noir chamber piece. With its minimalist plot, deliberate pacing, and brief, but shocking bursts of violence, Hard Eight won't please everyone, but Anderson and his first-rate cast were clearly working on the same authentic wavelength. It's a mystery at first why a solemn professional gambler (Philip Baker Hall in a captivating performance) cares for a down-and-out loser (John C. Reilly) and a dimwit, Reno cocktail waitress (Gwyneth Paltrow). But his motivations become clear--and the movie packs a quietly effective punch--when the gambler faces blackmail by a small-time crook (Samuel L. Jackson). This unheralded film seemed like a closely kept secret itself, until it showed up on the 1997 top-10 lists of several prominent critics. In tandem with Boogie Nights, it marked the arrival of a new filmmaker whose talent is as impressive as that of that other '90s hotshot, Quentin Tarantino. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (51)

A nice Find
Hard Eight is one of those sharp character driven dramas that film fans will appreciate if they Like Paul Thomas Anderson in general. Anderson is the kind of writer that brings new things to life each time out. This time he finds a lonely gambler in his later days who befriends misfits. A great cast led my Phillip Baker Hall and John C. Reilly make the movie a treat and Sam Jackson and Gweneth Paltrow also show up for supporting roles.

The Special Features offer three scenes from the movie shot on video as part of a Sundance workshop. It also has two commentary tracks. The first one with Anderson and Hall is interesting, because Anderson is really funny and well spoken and has a lot of interesting things to say. Hall, on the other hand, drones on and on about character motivation and dynamics and sounds like a junior level college course on acting. Not to take away from Hall's performance which is top notch, but listening to actors talk about what goes on in an actor's mind is numbing.

Hard Eight is as interesting if not as ambitious as Anderson's later projects. If you like his other films, you'll do yourself a favor seeing this one.

compelling and heartfelt
My personal favorite of Paul Thomas Anderson's films, Hard Eight quenches my thirst with a good twist and ending. Boogie Nights and Magnolia seemed to me to be primarily centered around the characters (which is great in it's own respect), but both movies left me wanting a bit more. Philip Baker Hall stars this time as elderly lonesome gambler Sydney, who, for reasons unknown, helps two young confused kids find love and peace in the world.
This film deals with issues of regret, guilt and self-redemption as Sydney's generosity and charity is not as selfless as it may seem. And so we follow the daily lives of Sydney and these young adults, as their neuroses guide them into very unique situations which brilliantly outline the chaos they feel in their lives. The characters are sad, realistic, and evoke empathy from the viewer simply on maintaining their everyday lives.
The question that is raised is whether or not personal guilt of the past can ever be abolished by performing acts of kindness in the present. Can a man redeem his character even when he is in his 70's, or have his bad choices set the tone for his existence? Is covering up the past while refusing to deal with it head-on a detrimental decision? These questions are left unanswered in this compelling story of a lonely old man's attempt to clear his conscience.

SLICK
Move over Tarantino and Mamet we got a new writer director in town.Paul Thomas Anderson.Boogie Nights and this one Hard Eight
make him an easy competitor in the world of indie film-making
this movie is great.Philip Baker Hall finally scores a lead role
and does an outstanding job as Sydney,the kind,nice,and all to
calm and slick pro gambler who helps John(John C. Reilly)a down
on his luck chum.Then they become good freinds and we skip a head
2 years and we meet Clementine Johns new love played good as usual by Gweneth Paltrow and slick casino pro Jimmy played by
Samuel L.Jackson who is the standout.This movie crackles with
dialogue and your never bored because you never know whats gonna
happen next and we find out secrets about our nice freind Sydney
and from their it gets interesting.SEE IT NOWWWW

Too ambiguous and understated
Maybe I was born into a generation of short attention spans, but I just felt this movie moved too slowly. I understand that it's a character-driven drama and not an action flick, but I do now believe there's such a thing as too much subtlety. Ninety percent of the film consists of extremely drawn-out, quiet conversations between two characters, with lines no more than a couple of words long: "Cigarette?" "No thanks," etc. It seems too artsy and contrived. A lot of filmakers - I can't help but mention Tarantino here - use mundane, understated dialogue to act as comic bathos, or to develop character, but it doesn't work so well in Hard Eight.

That said, it still deserves at least 3.5 stars (rounded to four). Hall's unrelentingly phlegmatic Sydney plays so well off of Jackson's 'enobled thug' Jimmy; the scenes where they confront each other, Sydney doggedly trying to assert his principles, Jimmy exposing Sydney's hypocrisy and condescension, are well played-out. You have trouble deciding where your sympathies lie, which always good, and I was strangely satisfied with the ending as well. Also, it's such a short, simple and (in some ways) unpretentious movie that it's hard to judge it very harshly; it would be like condemning a nice little schoolhouse in relation to the Taj Mahal.

Hard To Stay Awake...
Don't get me wrong here. I am a fan of Anderson's work in general, especially Boogie Nights and Punch-Drunk Love. But I just could handle Hard Eight. Usually Anderson's slower pace is a welcome change for me as I really enjoy character driven dramas. The acting was pretty good, but I just thought the script lacked anything of interest. Maybe next time, but I can't recommend actually buying this one unless you want a complete Anderson collection. ... Read more

Description

Get ready for over-the-top hilarity when comedy original Chris Elliott (THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, SCARY MOVIE 2) goes overboard in this hysterical high-seas misadventure that's sure to keep everyone laughing! Elliott stars as Nathanial Mayweather, a spoiled rich kid whose plans for a ritzy Hawaiian cruise backfire, finding him lost at sea with a gang of salty old sailors. And when his crusty cabin mates get a whiff of his highfalutin attitude, they give him every rotten chore on the boat -- and take him on the wackiest adventure yet to sail the Seven Seas! Chart a course for fun with CABIN BOY -- a truly wild comedy! ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Just plain goofy
Ok... I really like this movie. But in honesty there can be a little too much lag between the really funny parts.

There are some great snapshot moments that will stick with you and make you laugh.

Sometimes around the house I can hear my wife or one of my boys say "Wanna buy a monkey?".... aaahhh... I love that.

And Lord help me, there is just something unbelievably funny about a floppy dancing Chris Elliott being pelted on the head by beer cans. Comic genius? Hardly - but damn if it does not crack me up every time I think about it.

I struggled to watch the whole movie
and I had to give up. I got what they were trying to do and I didn't think it was funny. I like Chris Elliot but not in this movie.

Are you drunk or something?
Honestly... the older I get, and the more views I give this flick... the funnier it gets. I've been fan of Elliott's since "Get A Life" and by the time I saw this film, any hope of anyone even knowing who he was, was long gone. But it didn't matter. I struggled through my first viewing thinking, "wow, this movie sucks hard," but for some reason still decided to watch it again. That's Elliott's charm/magic... you don't really get him, sometimes he even annoys you, but you just wanna give him another go. So... 5, 6, 14 viewings later... I get it! I get it every time now! I get a little more each and every time now! Honestly... even my girlfiend didn't want to like this and she was howling! It's about the subtleties... a funny glance, a funny dance, a flying, talking cupcake, or more than likely, a really good one-liner. Anyway... I'm rambling... watch this movie 2-3 times then enjoy!

"The Odyssey" on "Ecstasy"
This twisted little adventure tale is either a full-sail comedy classic or a rudderless shipwreck, depending on your opinion of star Chris Elliott, the only true heir to the late Andy Kaufman. Like Kaufman before him, Elliott's comedic ouvre is something you "get", or you don't (before I am accused of being a snob, let me freely admit that there are comedians I don't "get": Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler and George W. Bush). The man who gave us "FDR: The One-Man Show" embarks on a rollicking voyage through a sea of Irony when his "fancy lad" books passage on the barely seaworthy "Filthy Whore". Brian Doyle-Murray (who played Elliott's crusty landlord on his short-lived Fox TV series) is memorable as the fishing boat's captain. Great cameos by "Tumblin'" Russ Tamblyn (as a Mer-Man!) and Ann Magnuson as the sex-starved, multi-limbed wife of a cranky ogre. Crew member Brion James (who you may recognize as one of the replicants in "Blade Runner") gets to deliver the movie's best line: "Oh-purple lightning. THAT'S always a good sign." Don't throw this one back!

The trick to enjoying this movie is to..
watch it with kids under the age of 13. But even the kids will tell you it's the worst movie they've ever seen.

You know, I like Chris Elliot too and I thought "Get a Life" was pure comic genius before the network started tinkering with the recipe. But this thing (insert head shake thingy) is so monumentally bad I'm actually at a loss for words. The blue chick with 6 arms and her giant husband that just opened a "housewares" store on a remote deserted island was pretty creative. OK, seeing Chris Elliot riding on the back of his girlfriend swimming across the Pacific with a ski rope to hold on to was pretty funny but that was about it.

Now, if you find yourself all that curious about this flick the DVD transfer is pretty good and the sound is about what you would expect...but who cares? 2 wigs ... Read more

Reviews (38)

WISE GIRLS, STUPID AGENTS
Nearly every distributor in the business understandably passed on this straight-to-video stinker, not wanting to enable Mira Sorvino in gleefully cramming her flailing career in the Cuisenart.

Fans of Mariah "Meltdown" Carey may be tempted to rent this in hope gaining some insight into the rumored-about, salt shaker-tossing catfight that erupted between her and Sorvino when the diva showed up late on the set for the umpteenth time. Watching this pastafoozeling silliness, you'll marvel at the fact that she showed up at all.

It's clear early on that no one involved in this opus knew what kind movie they were making. What starts out as a marinara-flavored 9 to 5 inevitably spirals into a Girl Power Good Fellas. (Forgive the tacky, Italian clichés but these here filmmakers already beat me to the punch.)

Wisegirls, an undercooked narrative lasagna, tells us the story of three waitresses: the surly, confident workhorse (Carey), the struggling, flibbertigibbet actress (Melora Walters), and the sensitive newcomer (Sorvino) who harbors a Terrible Secret and is looking for a Clean Start. They slave away in an upscale, "Family" eatery for exorbitant tips doled out by lecherous goombahs.

The unintentional laughs begin when a coked-out, thug hanger-on blows his nose off with his own pistol. (Anything to get out of this movie.) Sorvino stops the movie dead, announcing, "Back off! I went to medical school!" Just when you think it can't get any loopier, Sorvino saves the day by wrapping the guy's head in cellophane! You won't want to miss the sight of Carey squirming while having to prop open the goon's bloody nostrils with her fingers.

Naturally, the ladies bond after enjoying some working-girls-out-on-the-town antics. During one particular girlie rap session, Carey sips champagne with her pinky finger up and goads Sorvino's Terrible Secret out of her. I wouldn't dream of spoiling it for you but I do have to let one thing slip: you'll never look at carnival rides the same way again.

Try to stay awake to see hapless Sorvino finally Run Afoul Of The Mob. Our heroine is clocked after mouthing off to her drunken boss and one of her Guido admirers comes rushing to her defense, beating the jerk into a bloody manicotti. Now that she's Seen Too Much, Sorvino is forced to use her well-learned surgical skills on the disposing of the evidence. Held at gunpoint, she contemplates taking a bullet or gettin' busy with the hacksaw while she acts and acts and acts!

Stay tuned for another ridiculous surprise involving Walters' character (It makes her heretofore birdbrained performance somewhat forgivable) but I can't resist spoiling the biggest surprise of all: MARIAH CAREY IS THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS MOVIE. I'm still not sure why this is. Perhaps it's because she doesn't try as hard and simply coasts through the wreckage on her starpower while Sorvino and Walters are embarrassingly methody, toiling away as if they're making serious art.

So open a bottle of cheap Chianti, bask in the sleazy glow of this made-by-coke-money bonfire, and be prepared to hate yourself in the morning. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Wisegirls- WISE Choice- !!
I had to get this DVD- becuase I am a Huge Mariah Carey Fan. Although I thought "Glitter" was no where near as horrible as critics said it was, I figured I would see her in "Wisegirls". What an awesome Movie. It really revolves around Mira Sorvino- who was awesome- she is such a natural actress- so sincere. Great acting all around. I also thought Mariah did an amazing job and added ALOT to this movie. The girl (mariah) CAN ACT! If you like Mob type movies, a bit of suspense, action, witty dialog- then this movie is for you! If you also love Mariah, you will love and appreciate her in this film. I strongly do recommend it to all- even the Mariah Bashers that think she cant act. Good comeback for her. The DVD lacks features- but what can ya do?

Good First Half (about Three Girls' Friendship) and Then ...
... very bad, impossible ending with one bloody scene. I don't say Miriah Carey is in the same league with some Hollywood leading ladies, but at least her acting is not bad as you may think, far better than her in "Glitter." The problem lies elsewhere; the film's story.

Actually, "Wisegirls" starts pretty well, about the medical student Meg (Mira Sorvino) coming back to her home in Staten Island, New York. She starts to work as food server at a local restaurant where she meets two other workers, Raychel (Carey) and Kate (Melora Walters). Meg soon finds out that this Italian restaurant is 'connected,' and some customers look like coming from "The Sopranos," but anyway she does the hard works better than the owner of the shop at first estimated, and Raychel and Kate are always there to be helpful.

Then the story of the friendship between three girls start. The scenes of the restaurant in which they work are the best part of the film, with its very convincing production design. In spite of the unique location of the Staten Island, the film spends most of its time in indoor scenes, and the decision is justified by the impressive work from the designer.

But the film suffers from cliched moments. You see, Meg has something to confess, and when Mira Sorvino does it, it's an amateur hour with the uninspired lines for her to say. Not that Mira Sorvino is bad, remember it. But the simple fact is, no one can save the awfully melodramatic, uninteresting monologue from utter boredom (but I still believe Mira Sorvino truly needs revamping of her career).

More damaging thing is, however, the plot twist at the second half of the story. The feel-good story about these girls' friendship is turned into something totally different, utterly unnecessary and forced beyond belief, which includes a murder and some cheap and disgusting gore from B-gangstar film. And even that part is not free from cliche.

As I said, Ms. Carey is not bad. Well, if you like her, you won't give the film with her name a bad review anyway, but if her acting had been as good as this in her first feature film, she might have escaped the harsh critical attacks on her she suffered in "Glitter."

But as you can easily imagine, the most impresive actor is Melora Walters, who changes her tone as the film goes on. She might be wasting her talent, as in other films of her in the past, but the fact remains that she could be the reason for you to see the film, no matter how bad it could be. And here, unfortunately, she is following the same pattern again.

Love Surprises
This is one of those simple movies with subtle depth. I missed WiseGirls when it came out and just caught it on HBO. Mira Sorvino was wonderful, as always, and, I'm embarrassed to say, I didn't recognize Mariah Carey so I was able to enjoy her solid performance without getting distracted by the baggage of her "persona." It's clean, moving, intelligent and thought-provoking. There's a bit of "Hollywood" in it, but so what? When I see these great movies that I somehow missed in the theater, I always go to Roger Ebert to see what he said about them and was surprised when I was unable to find a review. ?? I can't wait to rent it to catch the first ten minutes that I missed and see it over again with my husband.

Fun formula movie.
For those viewers that are enamored of Mariah Carey, she can do no wrong. Those viewers that do not particularly care for her, she can do nothing right. The reality is all of the actors were very sufficient for the movie. The bad buys are bad and the good guys are bad. The costumes and dialog fit very well. The story was formula and the standard twists are standard. The only thing that is below par if the "lets wrap this up" ending.

Basic story is of three waitresses that form friendships in an adversarial environment. Each brings their strengths and weakness which balance out. I will not do into detail as the unfolding story is the only attribute the movie has. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Memorably funny movie
I thought this movie was hilarious. I love the guy w/ the dolls: "Hey girls, brought you a new little sister. She's a little different, let's try to get along." Of course, offbeat dark humor is my thing.

Unpublicised Pulp Fiction
I read the reviews on [this site] and was surprised they were mixed. "American Strays" is only for offbeat viewers who have experienced the wierd side of life along with David Lynch and Robert Rodriguez. Don't take it serious but as an everyday dry humor flick. The bungling frustration of Eric Roberts and pseudo naievity of Jennifer Tilly make this a GREAT film for those who take life very lightly. I liked it enough to make the purchase.

One of best jokes ever...
The vacuum cleaner storyline in this movie is worth the watch (five star)-- the rest is filler (one star) for an over all great late night three star cult movie look-see. In the "weird people in the desert movie" category Jennifer Tilly deserved an Oscar for her performance. And with respect to the vacuum cleaner story don't doze off toward the end-- you'll miss one of the best cinematographic punchlines I've ever seen in a movie. If only Harry Dean Stanton, or Dennis Hopper had had roles then this movie would have been perfect. The violence is not for the weak of heart, or for kids.

In the same class as Pulp Fiction...great.
This is a really terrific movie.It's somewhat of a sleeper having never really gained the respect it deserves.It is a multi layered ultimately 'Good News' story with subtle humour and great acting performances.I think for sure someone should have been nominated for academy award for this 'underground cult classic'. It sure beats the likes of Jerry Maguire and American Beauty. I enjoyed this movie more than any other.My tastes run to LA Confidential..Pulp Fiction...Red Rock West..Cat Ballou..Clint Eastwood... Cameron Diaz...so if you enjoy any of those... you'll love American Strays.

One thing good
only highlight of this movie was jennifer tilly. it wasnt for her acting either. she is hot and thats about all this movie has going for it. dont waste your time. movie gets a 1 and tilly gets a 3. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There's lots of desert in this made-for-cable caper, but not many saints. Banks (Keifer Sutherland) is a hit man for hire and Bennie (Magnolia's Melora Walters) is the abused wife he takes on as an accomplice. She just wants a ride out of town. If it means driving the getaway car while Banks makes his next hit--so be it. As the duo drives from Arizona to Mexico for his next assignment, Banks turns out to be more sensitive than he at first appears, while the seemingly ditsy Bennie turns out to be smarter. Jamey Sheridan (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) plays the FBI agent who's hot on their trail. Desert Saints, which was coproduced by Meg Ryan and premiered on Cinemax, is a taut thriller with a twist at the end. What it lacks in humor and excitement, it makes up for with solid performances and an abundance of lost highway atmosphere. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Excellent
This is a superb movie in regards to portraying a contract killer. It's almost just like a -How-To- manual from Rex Feral's controversial book Hit Man with the way the story goes. I'm pretty sure the writer and director who made this movie were strongly influenced by that book. What I really appreciated from the flick was that it tried to be as realistic as possible. Sutherland's character constantly forging IDs, being invisible using common creative methods, as well as the movie used common weapons seen today rather than James Bond like gadgets, or giant machine guns so commonly seen today in many dimwitted Hollywood blockbuster style movies.

To me Banks is more of a regular person instead of the James Bond/Rambo type or mafia assassin which may exist but however those people are extremely rare. Because of this it gives a new twist to these types of stories. It's realistic and shows how people are who do this type of work for a living...as bizarre as that seems. Although Sutherland's character is a very ordinary like man to me he's truly playing a realistic professional. Some people who seem to be interviewed about being in this type of work such as "The Iceman"/Richard Kuklinsky seen on HBO whose type is always caught because these type of people aren't concerned with their freedom/life causing them to get into the trade because of that, as well as wanting to be a infamous tough guy often easily seen by true criminals like him or John Gotti type personalities, etc.

Anywayzzz....to stay on topic anyone enjoying this there are two more classics to go with it in my opinion. They're -The Day of the Jackal- (73' Version of course) and -The Mechanic- with Charles Bronson. The Mechanic isn't very popular I guess because it's not simple minded Steven Seagal BS like so many of his movies were.

I highly recommend this movie to people who like to see the mental aspects of subjects like this. It's not going to be the best movie you've ever seen for most people but if you like movies like this then you'll enjoy.

sutherland and walters are great
Sutherland(Truth or Consequences N.M.) is a killer who makes women become partners in crime, manily women and then kills them after hes done with them...this time he picks the wrong woman..Melora Walters(Magnolia) who in the end turns out to be a cop..the movie ends great...Walters thinks Sutherland's dead but then we see his feet come in view of the screen..which was a great ending..Jamey Sheridan(The Ice Storm and tv's Law and Order:Criminal Intent)also stars.

Rivetting
I've watched this on HBO and it is a movie to make you think about each character. Definitely didn't expect what happened at the end which is good. The director did a good job as well as the actors/actresses.

Desert saints
This was a very good movie. It had a great story line and keeps you interested. Kiefer does a great job and even has a steamy love seen. Very nice.

Sutherland Shines in Triplecross Indie Gem!
Desert Saints is a surprisingly good 'hitman with a twist' tale by first time writer/director Richard Greenberg. He takes the standard 'assassin's last hit' formula, and shakes it up by introducing FBI agents with their own agendas, a 'plant' who may or may not be falling for the gunman, and, in Kiefer Sutherland, a hero/villain who is ruthless, sexy, and, ultimately, sympathetic. His performance is remarkable, and is matched by Melora Walters, as the latest of his string of doomed accomplices, who is keeping even more secrets than he is! She shows a remarkable range in her role, at times ditzy, at times mysterious and sexy, and, by the film's climax, intelligent and self-sufficient.

For an indie, the cast is first-rate all the way, with the always reliable Jamey Sheridan as a veteran FBI agent, as dedicated to his job as Sutherland is to his; Leslie Stefanson as Sheridan's second-in-command, and the wild card of the operation; and, in a very sexy cameo, Rachel Ticotin, who smolders as a waitress and occasional bedmate for Sutherland.

Greenberg cleverly uses flashbacks and flashforwards to lull the viewer into believing they know how the story will end, then springs a surprise that works extremely well, and will have you paying VERY close attention to detail during the last five minutes! While the ambiguous ending may disappoint some viewers, it offers a clever 'capper' to this tale of betrayal, and works for me!

If you are a fan of Sutherland, or stories with a twist and enough sensuality to raise your heartbeat a few notches, 'Desert Saints' is the film for you! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Memorably funny movie
I thought this movie was hilarious. I love the guy w/ the dolls: "Hey girls, brought you a new little sister. She's a little different, let's try to get along." Of course, offbeat dark humor is my thing.

Unpublicised Pulp Fiction
I read the reviews on [this site] and was surprised they were mixed. "American Strays" is only for offbeat viewers who have experienced the wierd side of life along with David Lynch and Robert Rodriguez. Don't take it serious but as an everyday dry humor flick. The bungling frustration of Eric Roberts and pseudo naievity of Jennifer Tilly make this a GREAT film for those who take life very lightly. I liked it enough to make the purchase.

One of best jokes ever...
The vacuum cleaner storyline in this movie is worth the watch (five star)-- the rest is filler (one star) for an over all great late night three star cult movie look-see. In the "weird people in the desert movie" category Jennifer Tilly deserved an Oscar for her performance. And with respect to the vacuum cleaner story don't doze off toward the end-- you'll miss one of the best cinematographic punchlines I've ever seen in a movie. If only Harry Dean Stanton, or Dennis Hopper had had roles then this movie would have been perfect. The violence is not for the weak of heart, or for kids.

In the same class as Pulp Fiction...great.
This is a really terrific movie.It's somewhat of a sleeper having never really gained the respect it deserves.It is a multi layered ultimately 'Good News' story with subtle humour and great acting performances.I think for sure someone should have been nominated for academy award for this 'underground cult classic'. It sure beats the likes of Jerry Maguire and American Beauty. I enjoyed this movie more than any other.My tastes run to LA Confidential..Pulp Fiction...Red Rock West..Cat Ballou..Clint Eastwood... Cameron Diaz...so if you enjoy any of those... you'll love American Strays.

One thing good
only highlight of this movie was jennifer tilly. it wasnt for her acting either. she is hot and thats about all this movie has going for it. dont waste your time. movie gets a 1 and tilly gets a 3. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

wise investment
this collection is a must have if you grew up watching arnold. great choice of movies,any arnold fan should be very pleased. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Better than its reputation
This sixties time-warped retro kind of "power to the people" nineties flick is mostly a procession of set pieces, some of which are not bad. The bit at the gun store with Billy Bob Thornton was superb. The crack philosophers scene was also very good. And the way "What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love and Understanding?" was sung so badly was just perfectola. (Actually that's "What's So Bad about Peace, Love and Understanding?" but whatever...) And the way that big silver fish popped those gold fish...gulp!

I think some of the negative comments about this movie ought to be greeted with a "Whoa, dudes--get a sense of humor." Or, "Don't be offended, man, it's only a movie." Or maybe, "Uh, the soundtrack is awesome, dude." (Oh, god, people really did talk like that!) The dream sequences fooled me at least twice. They were funny. Funniest line: when the trash lady pulls her rifle out of her cart and says "Vive la Revolution!" Second funniest line: "What kind of music do you want to hear?" "The farm report."

Okay, this was no masterpiece, and any episodic movie sans plot is not going to rival The Godfather at IMDb. And James LeGros ain't no Marlon Brando. And if you've ever been to Venice Beach...well, you know it's a freak show. But I think director and screen writer Peter McCarthy did a nice job of bringing that slacker street scene to life. I think the big mistake was to headline actors like Steve Buscemi, John Cusack, Ethan Hawke, and Billy Bob Thornton when they only had cameos. That should have been made clear up front. And there was more than a touch of the kind of sixties moral pretension that we've all grown a little tired of. But bottom line for me, this was a funny movie.

One of my personal favorities.
This movie has everything: salient social commentary, great acting and character development, a captivating and touching story line, timely humor, cameos (Billy Bob Thornton, John Cusack, Kim Wayans, Steve Buschemi, Ethan Hawke, and others), and most importantly it deals with the human soul and the complexities of navigating your way through the hardships of the modern world in which we live. I stumbled across this flick while watching the IFC back in 97'. Since then, I've seen this film at least 10 times, and each time its has helped me to clear my head and put things in perspective. Everyone I've ever shared this brilliant picture with has been truly touched by it. If your in search of meaning in the world, yourself, or truth, this movie is for you. "What's so funny bout Peace, Love, and Understanding"

Independant Masterpiece
James LeGros is by far one of the most underrated actors of all time. He plays John Boyz, a man trying to figure out the meaning of life. It has great cameos, wonderful narrarations, and terrific acting. If you like movies about searching for the truth, this is for you.

Flounders for 90 minutes
I thought this flick would be good because Ethan Hawke, John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, and Steve Buscemi are listed as "starring" in it, but they only have cameos! James Le Gros was great in "Drugstore Cowboy", but he doesn't have the appeal or charisma to pull off the lead role in this miserable excuse for a movie. He goes on and on about the L.A. riots, his search to find himself, spirituality, etc. Who cares? Not me, and hopefully no one else either.

Oh...this one is really bad!
A movie made during the peak of the indie film revolution tries so hard to be smart and thought provoking. However, the only thought it provokes is "How did this film get made?" It is filled with cameo performances that simply use up screen time with really nothing to say. One of the cameo's is an emabarrasing display of overacting by Ethan Hawke that was so overdone it surprised me. The film itself suffers from having no idea where it wants to go...Maybe this was the intent of the director and for it's lead character. But, it just doesn't work. This was a film trying too many techniques on how to look and be hip...like the indie crowd..tsk tsk. Sorry. it doesn't work at all. This film is pure trash. Don't waste your time. ... Read more