Amazon.com

A Japanese auto company is persuaded to take over an abandoned factory--and abandoned U.S. workforce--in a small rust-belt town in Middle America. Alas, this wonderful idea for a culture-clash comedy goes pretty much to waste in Gung Ho. Michael Keaton gives his most relentlessly obnoxious performance as the fast-talking shop foreman who never stops BS'ing his Japanese employers, his work buddies (George Wendt and John Turturro among them), his girlfriend (Mimi Rogers), and himself. There's a trumped-up crisis in every reel, and a great deal of double talk about whether the Japanese are workaholic freaks or the new, true inheritors of the old American get-up-and-go. Director Ron Howard and screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel had made the enchanting comedy-fantasy-romance Splash only a couple of years before; they probably thought they were concocting a Frank Capra-style fable here, but, far from having a beautiful mind, this movie is strictly sitcom mentality from top to bottom. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Great Movie
A great comedy and a fun movie to watch. This movie shows how the clashing of two cultures can lead to some very funny moments. Michael Keaton gives an outstanding performance helped by a teriffic supporting cast. The American and Japanese auto workers learn to get along and put aside their differences to help each other. This movie is all about working as a team and getting the job done right. A comment to the last reviewer:If you want to see reality I suggest you do not watch movies. Cinema is fiction and the director's interpretation of reality. This is a great movie and does not disrespect the japanese in any way.

Working Class Man
This movie was released in Australia as 'Working Class Man' and I believe that it even had the Jimmy Barnes hit dubbed into the sound track at the end of the movie.

Thoroughly enjoyed the movie and encourage anyone who has not seen it to have a look and judge for themselves.

From an Australian point of view, still too American, perhaps some fun made of the Japanese, but like I said, judge for yourselves.

A fun movie
This is a guilty pleasure. Unfortunately, like many Paramount transfers, this is too soft and not vibrant; a real dissapointment (sometimes I would swear it is also out of focus...but that may be in the original masters).

Gung Ho
This is one of my favorite movies. I think, while a comedy, it really does hit the head of the nail about the mentality of auto industry. It is very original and the story is interesting enough that the movie flies by. Check it out.

A fun movie about a tough time in America
This movie gives a glimpse of how America came to terms with its economic fallibility. In a way, it was prophetic becuase so many American companies have partnered with Japanese companies in just this manner, and had the same kinds of growing pains. Ron Howard gave a touchy subject his magic, and Gung Ho! is a hilarious and delightful story.

Some people find the movie a simplistic version of an American-Japanese culture clash. Don't be such a fuddy-duddy! Good comedies don't portray reality, but they make us THINK about reality, which is much more important. In that aspect, Ron Howard and his talented cast did a great job. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Even-numbered Star Trek movies tend to be better, and this one (#8 in the popular movie series) is no exception--an intelligently handled plot involving the galaxy-conquering Borg and their attempt to invade Earth's past, alter history, and "assimilate" the entire human race. Time travel, a dazzling new Enterprise, and capable direction by Next Generation alumnus Jonathan Frakes makes this one rank with the best of the bunch. Capt. Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his able crew travel back in time to Earth in the year 2063, where they hope to ensure that the inventor of warp drive (played by James Cromwell) will successfully carry out his pioneering warp-drive flight and precipitate Earth's "first contact" with an alien race. A seductive Borg queen (Alice Krige) holds Lt. Data (Brent Spiner) hostage in an effort to sabotage the Federation's preservation of history, and the captive android finds himself tempted by the queen's tantalizing sins of the flesh! Sharply conceived to fit snugly into the burgeoning Star Trek chronology, First Contact leads to a surprise revelation that marks an important historical chapter in the ongoing mission "to boldly go where no one has gone before." --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (224)

Star Trek Comes Of Age.
Jonathan Frakes is hands-down one of the best directors Star Trek has ever had. This talented man needs more work! Give the guy a big film, someone! If Spielberg is too busy to helm another 'Indiana Jones', then I respectfully suggest Mr Frakes. He does a fine job on 'First Contact' with a story that pays homage to Trek folklore. The cliches are all there; time travel, a threat to Earth and the existence of the Federation. But Frakes dances with the cliches instead of stepping on their toes. We have an exciting voyage that finally makes use of the big-screen potential of The Borg. There are only a couple of flaws to the story and the production itself. How does someone living in a virtual shanty-town build a starship in his back yard and why do the space battle scenes only last 55 seconds? Movies are supposed to give you what you CAN'T get from television. So why does the average TV episode of 'Deep Space Nine' have far more space battle action than a two hour big-budget film? Quibbles for sure, but worth noting anyway. This movie is well worth the money and effort but with the quality of the TV shows so relatively high it makes you wonder how much longer they excellent performances of the whole cast. And yay! Rock and Roll music finally gets some respect in Star Trek. To hear them tell it, you'd think that classical and jazz were the only forms of music in their century! And finally; have you ever noticed how many Star Trek films are based on, or have major scenes on the planet Earth? ALL OF THEM EXCEPT 'Insurrection'. For heavens sake, stay AWAY from the Earth and seek out those life forms and civilisations! How can Star Trek movies be so much about the Earth? Trek the STARS some more, guys.

A nice way to kick off the new series of films, but shallow
First Contact starts of with a major offensive against Earth by the Borg, and every Federation starship possible is involved, including the Defiant and the new Enterprise. But before they can be destroyed, the Borg travel back in time to 21st century Earth in the hope of changing the course of history in their favor. The Enterprise follows, and must make sure that the first contact with aliens takes place, or the Federation will never be founded, and the Borg will take the galaxy apart.

But what I did not like is that you did not get familiar with the new Enterprise as well as we should have. The ship represents the Star Trek franchise even better than Kirk. But we only get glimpses of it, no stats on it's performance, etc. Plus, the movie drags along. I have no problems with a slow movie, but this one just seemed to slow without much of plot or character development.

It is not a bad film, just not as good as Generations, or the Voyage Home. It is of course worth checking out, but not to buy. The only redeeming value is the astounding picture and sound on the DVD version.

The best of a mediocre "Next Generation" movie lot
The Next Generation movies in the Star Trek series, generally speaking, stink. Which is unfortunate, since in some ways the TNG series was better than the original Trek. However, the movies generally vary from pure cheese to holier-than-thou piffle.

First Contact is a good, fun movie overall, with pretty good effects shots and plenty of generally well-executed action. However, it also has some defects that can really get on your nerves.

-The plot is dumb. Time travel has been done to death in Trek, and is a real groaner when you realize that it is being done yet again.
-The movie beats into the ground the Star Trek plot gimmick of "we've found a mysterious energy field, let's duplicate it/follow it/etc." We've gone from the first Star Trek movie (crappy in other ways), which at least gave a nod to real science, to the end of TNG, where they just make up fake scientific-sounding B.S. AT WILL as a plot fix.
-Picard acting like Ahab from "Moby Dick" is way overdone, the worst acting by Stewart EVER. Pure scene-chewing cheese, and the PC bit of having the skinny black chick talk reason into him is just dumb and annoying, since she was a throw-away moron of a character. If you are going to be PC for no reason, at least have Geordi do it, we've established that LeVar Burton's character has a brain, and he can actually ACT, unlike what's-her-face.
-Making the Cochrane character such a total jerk was a BIG mistake. Yes, it was intentional, but it was a bad decision... it makes you hope he gets shot in the head instead of fulfill history, and makes the whole middle section of the movie drag.

Overall, however, it is a fun movie and the only TNG movie worth watching.

The Origin of Warp Drive
STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT is one the best of the Star Trek franchise. A nifty time travel story that includes an inventive origin story of humans first meeting with "Vulcans" (i.e. Mr. Spock) and using a major nemesis from the tv-series "the Borg". The "Next Generations" crew is on hand for an above-average adventure yarn along with a great character created as the point of origin, Zefram Cochrane played perfectly by James Cromwell (BABE, L.A. CONFIDENTIAL) along with Alfre Woodard (as Lily Stone) and finally a great villianous turn as the Borg Queen is Alice Krige (GHOST STORY). Director/starring Jonathan Frakes knows these characters very well and with many things going on at once, there is no sag in the storytelling and everything seems to be in sync. One aspect that the screen writers took into account was the toning down of Data's (Brent Spiner) "emotion chip" that was so annoying in the 'ST-GENERATIONS' film and the character is able to redeem himself as one of the heroes in the story. Enough can't be said of Patrick Stewart whose Picard is the glue that holds the movie/crew together. The scenes with he and Michael Dorn (as the Klingon Cmdr Worf) are some of the best. Overall, a Star Trek movie that holds its own to WRATH OF KHAN, THE VOYAGE HOME, and THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY due to some ingenious plot devices, great characters, good special effects, and excellent direction.

Quite Possibly The Greatest STAR TREK Film Ever Made!
STAR TREK - FIRST CONTACT (1996), being only the second film to feature the "Next Generation" characters---and the first one without any of the originals---is a masterpiece of suspense, drama and violence. Easily earning its PG-13 rating, this one deals with (as I'm sure all who are reading this know) the Borg attempting to conquer Earth by going back in time to prevent "first contact" between humans and Vulcans. Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (the wonderful Patrick Stewart), who had once been "assimilated" by the Borg, being renamed Locutus in the process, takes this particularly hard and makes it his professional duty as Captain of the Federation Starship Enterprise 1701-C, and his personal duty as a member of the human race, to stop the Borg from attaining its goal.

This entry in the series, directed by Jonathan Frakes (Commander Will Riker), is a full step-up from the original series, employing dazzling visual effects and taking on a decidedly darker tone than previous STAR TREK films. It also ramps up the dramatic tension big-time, as Capt. Picard is so deeply affected by his previous experience with the Borg; his hatred is not just for what the Borg collective is, it's also a result of what the Borg collective had made of him, if only briefly. Meeting him head-on in his anguished tension are an unlikely stowaway (the equally wonderful Alfre Woodard) and the unlikely inventor of the Warp Drive Dr. Zefram Cochrane (the inspired James Cromwell). Of course, series regulars Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn), Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) and Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) are back in fine form, as are Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden). We even get a brief prize of a cameo appearance of The Doctor (Robert Picardo) from the "Star Trek: Voyager" series. But the one who really steals the show is the evil Borg Queen (Alice Krige), who slyly exudes mechanical sensuality even as she provokes danger and disdain (and perhaps disgust). Her kidnapping of the android Data and insinuation into his deep-seated desire to "become more human" makes for possibly the scariest scene in the entire movie.

STAR TREK - FIRST CONTACT combines an immense amount of elements in order to make its unified whole. The result is a stark, darkly brilliant film that comes close to sensory overload at times. True, Capt. Picard's climactic head-butting scene with the sharp-tongued stowaway Lily goes dangerously over-the-top at one point (and eventually would be parodied in the hilarious "Fingerbang" episode of "South Park"), but it STILL works. Everything else in this film does, too. Jonathan Frakes did a splendid job in creating the highest-budget STAR TREK film yet (a reported $80 million) in record time, earning himself the nickname "Two-Takes Frakes" from his fellow cast members and the admiration of a new generation of STAR TREK fans. Also, he earned well over the magical $100 million mark for film studio Paramount, making the studio moguls happy in the process! Unfortunately, he couldn't quite match this success with the next series installment, the lighter-toned STAR TREK - INSURRECTION (1998); however, with this film, Jonathan Frakes achieved something of a series masterpiece, of which he should always be proud. Don't get me wrong; I loved STAR TREK GENERATIONS (1994), but in STAR TREK - FIRST CONTACT, the "Next Generation" crew hold their own, and our complete undivided attention, for the nearly-two-hour film. This would easily be the greatest of the "Next Generation" movies, and quite possibly, the best in the entire franchise.

MOST RECOMMENDED ... Read more

Description

Erin (Allison Dean), A beautiful, young and wealthy corporate executive witnesses a brutal crime and becomes the key witness in the prosecutions case. After a long bid the murderer is released and sets his sights on revenge.to protect his baby, Erin's father (Ron Glass) hires a handsome bodyguard (Richard T. Jones) to protect her from this psychotic killer. The suspense and thrills prove to be overwhelming forcing Erin to find refuge in and the arms of her protector. Can love save the day? ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Suspence
I loved this movie. It kept me wondering who the killer was. Another great BET Movie. Good job BET. ... Read more