Amazon.com

Made at the height of the pint-sized Ninja comedy craze, this fast-paced adolescent adventure stars teenage black belt Ernie Reyes Jr. as a California beach boy with a royal legacy. One minute he's a smart-mouth surfer and high-school jester, the next he's battling Ninja assassins, romancing a teenage princess (former Miss Teen USA Kelly Hu), and leading his subjects in a rebellion against a vicious metal-clad colonel (Leslie Nielsen). At least it gets him out of class. Real life karate kid and former Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stuntman Reyes has a winning (if somewhat loud) screen presence and Rob Schneider offers a few laughs as Reyes's clueless buddy. Nielsen, however, mugs his way painfully through a glorified cameo. More frantic than funny, with slapstick liberally sprinkled through the many bloodless martial arts battles, this one is strictly for the kids. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Silly but fun!
I love this movie, but it is silly. Moto-surfing, Patusan aka. Port-a-san "eww, I'd give up the throne," and Rob Shnider playing their "scottish uncle" in a wheelchair always makes me laugh. True many people think it's stupid, and that's because the humor is. Trust me, if you like "Dude, Where's my Car?" and "Baseketball" then you'll love this movie like I do. If not, your loss. For those who hate movies like this, go watch a foreign film and leave the great silly movies to those who can appreciate them.

Great for the kids...ho-hum for the adults who love them.
Well, if for no other reason, buy this DVD because I play drums on the song that covers the opening credits. Yes, that was over 10 years ago, and I still get to point at the screen and say "That's me on drums!" whenever I watch it. (Which is about every 3 years or so.)

It's a fun movie for kids, but the adults will find it rather dull, especially in comparison to today's kid's movies that are loaded with well-concealed adult humor and references. Not to mention the gaping holes in the plot. (You could drive a Hummer through these babies.)

But heck, you'll enjoy the opening song.

Flexin' With The Best Of Them
Another Ernie Reyes Jr. vehicle with a mediocre plot & limitedacting skills throughout but hey my main man's in it & that usually means a bit of struttin' & dizzying displays of fleshalong the line. And so here we get the 'cut & chiseled' beyond belief-ripped to the max look from Ernie with a pair of pipes'bulgin' to beat the band.' You'd think a cat this young wouldbe carrying 'round some baby fat but there's nary an ounce visable to the naked eye. Choosing to be a 'tease' thru most of the movie, Mr. Reyes doesn't treat viewers to his 'muscles on top of muscles' bod 'til near's end. Tho not shirtless, hemight as well be with those half inch criss-crossed pieces ofbraided leather huggin' his classicly carved chest. His gorgeous pecs & washboard abs are deliciously displayed. The flick itself has an intentional comedic air about it-'specially at it's close during the 'fight scenes' which come off quite realistic. Leslie Nielson is on-board here to addto the fun. Naturally, it's an absolute joy watchin' Ernie'smuscles 'flex up a storm' in these sequences. This is a MUSTBUY if you're into martial arts, fitness, body building orsimply body watching. Reyes is definetly into three out of four & for that this fan would like to thank him from head to toe. The picture zoom on my player gets a 'real workout' on this one. YOU THE BOMB ERNIEJR. but dad isn't exactly chopped liver!

once watching, you will find the purpose of life.
This movie is one of the most hillarious movies I have seen in years. The thing of it is, its sooooooo bad, its great!!!

Buy it damn it! Buy it!!!! Or I will!
Buy it!! It's simple, really really simple, buy it! If you have never seen the movie, don't worry, just buy it. You'll love it, I guarantee it, or you love nothing. At least go to some video store and rent it, then buy it. And if you're not gonna buy it, then send me your money and I'll buy it for you and keep it for myself! If you see or hear anyone with a negative of this movie, it's really simple, they're wrong!!! WRONG! WRONG! WRONGGG!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

After his bloody showdown with Brad Pitt's psychopathic redneck in Kalifornia, David Duchovny used an off-season hiatus from The X-Files to star in this 1997 thriller, in which he plays a doctor whose fall from professional grace leads to a dangerous career in the criminal underworld. Having lost his license after drug abuse caused him to lose a patient during surgery, he's recruited into his illegal career by a slimy but charismatic millionaire (Timothy Hutton) whose associates have a way of getting shot all the time. Before long, Duchovny comes to realize the extent of Hutton's evil, and he finds himself caught in a criminal trap that also involves an alluring femme fatale (Angelina Jolie) and a Faustian bargain that could cost him his life. The plot's rather absurd and fairly predictable, but fine performances by Duchovny and especially Hutton (who makes a memorable screen villain) make this stylish thriller intriguingly worthwhile. The DVD includes the original theatrical trailer. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Uneven, couldn't make up its mind about what it was
"Playing God" was supposed to be David Duchovny's breakout movie role; he had previously starred in movies such as "Kalifornia" and "The Rapture," but "Playing God" came out at the height of "The X-Files"'s popularity and acclaim.

You can understand what Duchovny was trying to do here, to get away from the straight arrow yet weird role of Fox Mulder. So he chooses the role of a disgraced doctor whose license to practice medicine has been revoked due to his substance abuse problems. What's a guy supposed to do?

Well, if you hang out in seedy bars where gunfights break out, you demonstrate how handy your skills can be to people who get shot and wounded a lot. Kind of like a black market surgeon. That's how Duchovny gets hooked up with crime boss Timothy Hutton.

I had great expectations for this movie when it came out, and while I was disappointed, I thought the critics were far harsher than warranted. True, Duchovny's performance, while not bad, seems very similar to what he does on "The X-Files," a sort of flat, somewhat wry, never in real danger attitude.

The biggest flaw with the movie has to be the fact that it couldn't make up its mind about what it wanted to be, film noir or dark comedy. At times, it veers toward a "Pulp Fiction"-like fascination with the minutia of being a criminal, while at other times it tries (but fails) to evoke suspense and fear. (For example, there's a scene where some bad guys want him to fix up their dead friend. The way the scene is cut in the trailer, it comes across as funny when Duchovny says, "I'll see what I can do." The way its cut in the movie, there's an intervening line of dialogue where Duchovny seems to be quite frightened; the effect of the following response is ruined.) With the excellent cast, it could have done either one competently; but its attempt to do both fails. Personally, I think the dark comedy would have been the better way to go. There's a scene near the end where Duchovny, in an elevator surrounded by Asian tourists, does a deadpan response to an annoying FBI agent that's the highlight of the movie.

In summary, this is a decent rental if you lower your expectations.

Morality Play as Duchovany Plays God
Some reviewers call the premise absurd.... I don't know... I didn't find it to be such a stretch of the imagination. Some one loses their license to be a doctor and gets roped into doctoring for a bad guy... It could happen! I thought Timothy Hutton performed well as well as David Duchovany. Nicely done.

A very enjoyable movie
I would give it five stars because it is my favorite movie of all time, but some would say that it's far from perfect. I really like this movie because the main character, has flaws. It makes it seem more realistic to me when people in movies aren't perfect. It has good camera work that I really like. It makes for some cool shots and I never felt lost when some action was going on. It has a cool car chase, just the right amount of comedy here and there, a decent story, fairly good acting, and some good action! This definatly could have been better, but I think it has just the right combination of things to make it an enjoyable movie that I think anyone that is a fan of action or David Duchovny should definately see. I don't think you'll be dissapointed!

The WORST movie of all time!!!
I should have known to stay away from this when our local newspaper gave it an F. But, 9 times out of 10, film critics are usually wrong, and I end up loving what they hate. So, we went anyways.....Well, for once, we should have listened to that paper. This movie is SO ridiculous, and the acting is SO horrible, and the plot is SO completely asinine, that it brings a question to mind....who in their right mind could have possibly thought this script was worthy of committing to celluloid??? My friend and I managed to keep people from walking out and lamenting on their lost 7 bucks by cracking jokes throughout the whole movie, and halfway through, we had the whole theater (all 6 of them, my party of 3 included) turned around in their seats watching us to see what we were going to say next. I don't think any of us actually saw the ending.....I do have a sort of affection for this movie for the fact that I realized that no matter how bad the movie is, I can always manage to keep myself entertained, simply by making fun of it. For that, it gets my one measly star. Well, that and you're required to put at least one when you review these things. Although I do have to agree with one of the reviewers..I haven't laughed so hard in a while either!

Excellent acting with an absurd premise
David Duchovny took his time off from The X-Files to star in this far fetched thriller where he plays a disgraced surgeon who is recruited by a wealthy criminal (Timothy Hutton) to perform meatball surgeries on his wounded henchmen. The plot, character development, and directing aren't anything sophisticated and are far from being anything special, but Playing God kind of works thanks to excellent performances from Duchovny, Hutton (in his best role next to The Dark Half), a pre-fame Angelina Jolie, Peter Storemare, and CSI's Gary Dourdan. Check it out if your a fan of Duchovny, just don't take it too seriously. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Jack and Besty are in Vegas with Elvis
When Honeymoon in Vegas begins a man named Jack Singer (Nicolas Cage) is in a New York Hosptial. It's 1987. His mom is not feeling well. And he is visting her in the hospital.

Jack's mom requests that if she dies, that Jack will awalys love her and never get married. She does die and Jack screams at her body that he promises never to get married.

Then 4 years later a man (Robert Costanzo) is in Jack's office. The man's wife is cheating on him. Jack has a girlfriend named Besty (Sarah Jessica Parker) wants to take the next step to marriage. So he pops the question and takes her to Las Vegas.

There, a gambler named Tommy Korman (James Caan) has returned to Las Vegas and invites Jack to a poker game. There is an Elvis impersonator aslo in the game. Jack loses big to Tommy and owes him $65,000.

But Tommy will erase the money if Besty will spend the weekend with him. Jack agrees and Tommy takes her to Hawaii. Tommy's wife is dead. Tommy's son (John McMahon) is aslo going to be there.

When Jack finds out where Besty is. He checks out of his hotel and goes back to New York. He sees on a news report Tommy and Besty on his tv. If your are a big Elvis Presley fan, and wants to see 3,000 Miles to Graceland. Stay home and watch this or Finding Graceland or both.

There are Elvis Presley impersonators. From Bruno Hernandez to Rick Marino. And there is even a black Elvis Preseley impersonator (Clearance Giddens). Maybe 3,000 Miles To Graceland is half bad as people say it is. There are aslo flying Elvises that sky dive. This is a great film for Elvis Presley fans.

A Hilarious Lesson In Love And Marriage.
The wonderfully talented and versatile Nicholas Cage turns in a great comic performance in this Andrew Bergman comedy adventure. .............. Cage plays Jack Singer, a commitmentphobic private investigator who loves longtime galpal schoolteacher Betsy (Sarah Jessica Parker) but, "Just hasn't gotten around to marrying her." ............... Like most women who have been waiting on their love a bit too long for the comfort of the commit and not getting past the girlfriend status to wife, Betsy delivers the ultimatum, marriage orgoodbye. .............. Jack, not wanting to lose Betsy, decides they'll finally get married in Vegas. Unfortunately, Jack is diverted from his plans by Tommy Korman, smarmily played by the great veteran talent James Caan. Korman is a "Garment district" guy, and major player on the Vegas gambling circuit. He decides to invite Jack to a "complimentary" poker game after spying Betsy in the hotel lobby, and deciding she will be the look alike replacement for his deceased wife. ............ From there, lot's of laughs, mayhem, twists, trips and a competition between Cage and Caan's characters that lead to a "Flying Elvis's" declaration of love that will ultimately see to it that the best man wins. .............. No matter how many times I view this movie, it always remains a fresh and fun adventure that leaves me with a smile on my face. The three leads are terrific, and there are plenty of funny cameos along the way as well. Peter Boyle as "Chief Orman" a burnt-out Indian wanna-be, is truly hilarious. Pat Morita, Ben Stein, and more amusing familiar faces appear as well. ................ This is one of my all time favorite comedies, and one that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone looking for a "feel good" first rate comedy film experience.

Brilliantly Three Starred
I was shocked and appalled by the amazingness of the neutrality in which I viewed this video. I could find nothing wrong or funny with it. It was completely and utterly even. I think, that this in and of itself, should deserve an award. Never have I seen such unbiased representation of life.

Cliche
The villain said one phrase that I hadn't predicted. The whole rest of the movie I had top to bottom. I even guessed the cloths the heroine was going to be wearing in the final scene.

A couple goes to Vegas to get married; the guy gets in debt; the villain clears the debt on condition he can be with the guy's fiancee for a weekend. Of course, the villain claims nothing romantic; and of course, he starts romancing her the moment their out of sight; then of course, she falls for him; then of course, she falls back for the hero; and the end is happy.

If you want that. I'll say this: for what they had to work with, the story was rather charming.

Great Comedy
This is one of my favorite Nicholas Cage films. This movie was perfect for his style of humor. I can and have watched this film at least 35 times :-) ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

They get drunk on sour milk. They have two hearts and bald,spotted heads. They're highly intelligent, but if you drop them inseawater they'll melt into a puddle of goop. They're "Newcomers," andthey arrived as refugees in a massive alien slave-ship, quarantined forthree years and then reluctantly accepted as citizens of Earth. To somehumans--including seasoned Los Angeles cop Matt Sykes (James Caan)--theNewcomers are unwelcome "slags." Sykes's own virulent "speciesism"intensifies when Newcomer thugs kill his partner, but he sees logic inteaming up with Sam Francisco (Mandy Patinkin), the first Newcomerdetective in the LAPD. Francisco's Newcomer knowledge is vital to theirinvestigation of an alien drug ring, and a friendship grows fromlife-or-death circumstances.

A routine cop thriller with a comedic sci-fi twist, AlienNation> has two things working in its favor: Caan and Patinkin forma memorable duo, and the basic premise--as conceived by Rockne S.O'Bannon (who later developed the film as a TV series)--intelligentlyaccounts for the sociological impact of an alien population. The subtlepoint is made that humans are extraordinary beings who squander theirpotential, and the evil of drugs--as dealt by a social-climbingNewcomer played by Terence Stamp--leads to a crisis that threatens togenerate global intolerance. These points are well presented in acontext of overly familiar plotting and standard-issue sarcasm. It'sentertaining for a brisk 90 minutes, but in its attempt to be widelyappealing, Alien Nation glosses over issues that might have madeit more uniquely provocative. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Very watchable, funny, and provocative.
This is a very watchable movie that succeeds because of: a) bravo performances by James Caan (as always) and Mandy Patinkin; b) a solid storyline; and c) the fact that the movie does not try to take itself too seriously even as it makes some social and political points. In effect, this movie is racial politics wrapped in equal parts science fiction and a satirical cop thriller. The amazing thing is, it works--this movie is a brisk and enjoyable viewing experience. The storyline never drags and always entertains. The social commentary, while pervasive, never intrudes on the storyline.

The basic premise of the film is that a huge spaceship full of alien "Newcomers" lands in the California desert. They have high IQs, average over 6 1/2 feet in height, get drunk on sour milk, cannot eat cooked meat, and have a variety of other odd characteristics as well. Their goal, and the government's goal, is to assimilate the Newcomers into American society as quickly as possible. James Caan plays a police detective who is assigned the first Newcomer detective partner: Detective Sam Francisco (Patinkin)and they are investigating a murder involving the Newcomer community. The chemistry between Caan and Patinkin is excellent, and both turn in fine performances. Lots of interesting and downright hilarious things happen along the way, which makes this film downright entertaining even as it gives a certain amount of lighthearted social commentary about the challenges that the most recent people "off the boat" can expect to face when entering American society.

The movie succeeds in its most important goal: it entertains. This is good lighthearted entertainment with a frosting of social commentary that avoids being PC.

The movie works.

An routine cop-thriller with a unique premise.
In the future, Aliens that looked like Humans land on earth in Peace and they becoming a society mixed with the Humans. When a cop (James Caan) is teamed with his new partner, which is a Alien named Samuel 'George' Francisco (Mandy Patinkin). Together, they are teamed to ferrot out the Prepetrators of a Series of Mysterious Murders among the aliens.

Directed by Graham Baker (Omen:The Final Contact) made This familiar but fascinating Sci-Fi Thriller has it`s good moments. Terrific performances by Caan and Patinkin. This film didn`t do too well at the Box Office but it gained a Cult Following on Video. Followed by T.V. Series and Two made for T.V. Films, based on the T.V. Series. Super 35. Grade:B+.

Different take on race relations
Excellent movie, possibly overlooked by many people. The aliens have landed, and thank God they are not the Aliens from LV-426. They come to live here and try to get along. They are smart, they work themselves hard, they are an employer's dream. And, they are not always well liked by the earthlings. We just don't always seem to like these "beings". Outstanding movie about a xenophobic cop and his alien partner investigating a series of violent crimes in the alien areas. It's hard to compare this to a buddy-cop movie, or something like Brother From Another Planet. Either way, this movie is very well done, and is a great film for sci-fi or any other class of film.

A Very Clever Variant on a Routine Storyline
Alien nation is so novel and clever that its already over before you realize that it is the same basic buddy cop theme that's been done to death in Hollywood. The "murder to cover up a drug conspiracy in high places" plot is more than a bit familiar, but the writers came up with a fascinating science fiction premise that made the end product entirely worth while. Nothing in the performances apart from the special effects is earth shaking, but the screenwriter did a magnificent job in creating a film that holds the attention and engages the interest. This was a very worthy project and never seemed hackneyed, although there are a lot of similar films that do so almost effortlessly. I recommend it heartily.

a sci-fi film that`s a cut above the rest in it`s genre
James Caan wasn`t in peak performace here like he was in ROLLERBALL but still he managed to pull of a good performance as a hard nosed cop stuck in a futuristic socitey of unwanted aliens with human qualities. Another highlight is seeing this film in dvd instead the visual graphics and imagrey were much more stunning in this version. The storyline is nothing exceptional a cop goes after his parnter`s killer with the help of an alien cop who he`s forced to work with. Good film to watch but after seeing this film it`s nothing worth remembering. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Sequel Better Than The Original...Warm Hearted and Sweet
Usually sequels aren't as good as the original (although there are exceptions such as the Star Wars trilogy and the Back To The Future series), but this movie is much better than its predecessor, "My Girl." It is a warm and fuzzy family film with a great soundtrack featuring songs of the early 1970s. Vada is now 13, tackling a school assignment in which she decides to write about her mother's life. A trip to California to visit her uncle aids in her quest to track down her mother's high school classmates and friends. With each person she interviews, Vada makes some unexpected discoveries about her mother. Her search culminates in a touching, sadly sweet moment when she is able to "meet" her mother. Along the way, Vada finds love from Nick, (played by Austin O'Brien), her somewhat reluctant escort who was paid by Vada's uncle to accompany her around town. I love the fact that all of the primary actors were retained for the sequel (except for Macauley Culkin, whose character died in the first film). Jamie Lee Curtis and Dan Akroyd give fine performances as the happily married Mr. & Mrs. Sultenfuss expecting their first child. While "My Girl" was sad and depressing, "My Girl 2" is positive, upbeat, and great fun. Don't let that surly old curmudgeon, Leonard Maltin, influence you with his review. This film is great family entertainment and quite enjoyable.

My Girl 2 is ok but there was no point in making it though.
This is a pretty good movie but whatever his name was Austin whatever was trying way to hard to be the tough guy in the movie. And it was so obvious that he was just there to replace Macualay Culkin. It would have been really nice if at the of My Girl 1 Vada and Thomas had gotten together. Because I personally think that Vada and Thomas were sort of the right ones for each other. It depends on how you look at it. I also know that deep down inside Thomas had a little soft spot for Vada you could tell by the way he was acting around her. Vada and Thomas 4ever.

it is a cute movie
i luved this movie my favorite part was when she brought bac the thought of my girl one i think evry 1 should go and bye it right away but watch the fist 1 befor the second i think that u people will like it

Original My Girl: Ok Second My Girl: Much, Much Better!!!
My Girl 2 was much better than the original My Girl. This one goes more in depth with the story focusing more on Anna Chlumsky, or Vada Sultenfuss as she's known in the movie. Vada is assigned by her English teacher to write a poem about someone who had achieved something and someone who was a complete stranger to her. She picked her mother. Vada goes to Los Angeles despite her father's firm decision to not let her go. Throughout the movie, she is searching for answers about her mother. What was she like? The big mystery she must solve is to figure out why there was a date written on a paper lunch bag in her box of her mother's things. Will Vada succeed in finding answers to her questions? Will she find out things she didn't know before? The only way to find out is by WATCHING THIS EXCELLENT MOVIE! DON'T MISS OUT!

Great, but not as good as the original
This was a wonderful movie. I love how much Vada has matured. She's 13 now, and not obsessed with death like in the first one. She's also not the tomboy she was. She's more into boys and makeup and things like that. During her spring break, Vada goes to California to stay with her uncle and do research on her mom. Nick, her uncle's girlfriend's son, is her reluctant tour guide. It's obvious they like each other from the start, but they try to hide it. Vada makes some startling discoveries about her mother, and for awhile it seems she's not the person Vada thought she was. In the end she "sees" her mother and goes home reassured-not before her first real romance, though.
This was an excellent movie, but in my opinion, not as good as the first one. Maybe it was just the absence of Macaulay Culkin, whose character I fell in love with after watching the first movie. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Finally Releaseing Chirty Carlson Romano Stuff!!
They Released Her Greatest Disney TV & Film CD & Now The Even Stevens Movie & Cadet Kelly Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hilarious Even Stevens Movie
I've always enjoyed the show, but this movie takes the cake.It is a spoof of the survivor shows.It is really funny and definitely worth watching and buying.This is one of the best made for TV movies Disney has made.I'm so glad they are being released on DVD.

The Best Ending to the Best Show!!!
Even Stevens is one of the better things that disney has produced in the last couple years. The show was hilarious, originally following the lives of two rival siblings, Louis (played briliantly by Shia LaBeouf) and Ren (rising star, Christy Carlson Romano) The show started to spread to all the other chartchers in the show, and most of the have noticable roles in this movie. Louis is a goof-ball, while Ren (being the complete oposite) is a well-respected straight A overachiever. The series hit its high in its 2002 episode, "Influenza: The Musical" which featured the cast memebers in very cool song and dance numbers. The movie premiered in July 2003, achieveing amazing reviews and millions of viewers. Disney is smart to release this one, becuase this is a must have for any DIsney fan. This movie ends the series on a high note, with Ren graduating middle school (in an episode didn't she say she was past 8th grade?), and Louis preparing for the Ultimate Summer Vacation, when an enthusiastic man shows up on their door. He tells the Stevens that they have won an all-expsense trip to an exotic island. But when the Stevens family arrive on the island with their annoying neighbor frined, they have no idea the rest of the world is watching them. They are now staring on the new show "Family Fake-Out", and their friends back home (who unknowingly sold them out) venture outto save them. This movie is complete with off-the-wall humor, and one of the most memorable endings in all DCOM history. This one is a MUST BUY!

3 star movie for a 5 star show
Even Stevens is what 'Arrested Development' would be if it were meant for kids. I have watched this show since I was 10 years old, I have seen every single episode tons of times, and they are all great. The show is smart and very funny. This movie doesn't live up to the show though. You can tell it was put together in a very short amount of time to silence the fans upset of the show's cancellation. It doesn't at all have the style of the show and if it weren't for the title and the cast it would be anything but similar to the show.
HOWEVER! BUY THIS DVD IF A FAN OF THE SHOW! DISNEY CHANNEL WILL MORE THAN LIKELY SEND THE SHOW TO DVD IF THIS HAS GOOD SALES! But whenever I say good sales I don't mean Top 20, Top 100, or even Top 1000, but anywhere over 5000 in rank and the show coming to DVD is probably competely out of question. So every fan should buy this nonetheless.

FINALY!!!
I can't say much about the DVD it's self, but the movie is great!I'm just happy that they are putting Even Stevens anything on DVD.This show was great. ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Huddles tries hard to charm audiences with his modest little American indie comedy about a kooky British clan on a sprawling northern California estate. Rufus Sewell is the would-be family entrepreneur on a financial losing streak ready to sink the last of his fortune on a failed manganese mine. His girlfriend (Minnie Driver) can't talk him out of the doomed venture and his brother is busy getting back to nature, so eccentric uncle Nigel Hawthorne climbs down from his spiritual cloud to knock some sense into his nephew: "His karma was constipated. I gave him an enema." Executive producers Driver and Hawthorne were surely drawn to the sweetly offbeat characters and hopeful message of healing in the script, but Huddles's stylistic gymnastics distract from the comedy's gentle pace and simple tone, and even these engaging performers can't buoy the film through the phony contrivances of the feel-good finale. The film has previously been released under the names At Sachem Farm and Higher Love. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Uncorked Spirit
Uncorked is a delightful movie for those who are sick of the same old Hollywood stories. Rufus Sewell's character, Ross, is determined to get rich quick, and after a string of failed ventures is sure an abandoned manganese mine is his ticket. His incredibly successful girlfriend (Minnie Driver) and her pretty, ethereal friend come to help him sell off his family's wine collection. But an eccentric uncle (Nigel Hawthorne), who is currently living on a pillar, is about to give him a "Karmic enema." A great cast, breathtaking scenery and an enchanting soundtrack accompany this beautiful, uplifting movie. I highly recommend this movie to anyone wanting a break from the ordinary. Uncork your own spirit!

Dreaming of Utopia
I thought Uncorked was absolutely delightful! Some may argue that it is too Utopian, too ideal. But wouldn't you love to find that place? I watched the movie with my parents, and I asked them, "Can we move there?" It wasn't just the beauty of the land, it was the atmosphere: you can be happy without earning money as long as you can find what is right for you. Yes, I am a dreamer. But all I know is I, the dreamer, am a lot happier than everyone else I know. The characters were beautiful as well. Perhaps a little too perfect, but wouldn't you love to know that family? I want to be a part of that family I too am a "young girl with the old spirit" like Laurie. Perhaps I will nevr find the Utopia that Ross and Paul and Laurie and Mya and Uncle Cullen have found, but I will always dream of it. Uncorked made me believe I could find it, if only I can let go and be me.

A Work of Art
"And what are you going to be when you grow up?" We have all been asked this at some point. Those of us who forgot the answer live unhappy lives. Those who reminisce, live but are not happy. To those who are happy, the answer is not a memory but a way of life.

Uncorked takes a charming and witty glimpse into the soul of a confused young man whose life is going in every direction, with little success or joy. A seemingly haphazard compilation of events unites seamlessly and stops him in his tracks. He learns to face reality, not his versions of it. He realizes that happiness is not some ephemeral state, more mythic than real, but the direct and attainable result of a purposeful existence.

Uncorked has achieved that illusive state of complex simplicity. Nothing in it is superfluous. Every element enhances the theme, be it the script, photography, music. Most rewarding of all, this story is a light one. You need not cringe at the prospect of viewing it. It will not depress you; it will uplift. It will not tire you; it will rejuvenate. It will make you laugh just as you begin to cry. It is a work of art!

A quirky funny vintage with lots of perspective
Ross (Rufus Sewell) is about to make a fortune. He plans to sell all the collected bottles of wine bequeathed to him by his Uncle Cullen, the proceeds of which he will use to buy a manganese mine three miles west of the many-acre Satchem Farm they own. He will become financially solvent, and will be able to marry his girlfriend Kendal, who arrives on the farm with a quiet but pretty friend, Laurie, whom Cullen describes as "the girl with the young eyes but old soul." Laurie's quiet, reserved, very pretty, and has a very nice smile.

The title action occurs, thanks to Uncle Cullen, and deliberately it seems, and that appears to be the end of Ross's dream to get somewhere in life, as home insurance does not cover senility. Ross feels the need to be responsible, as his hermit-like brother Paul lives in the arboretum, planting trees with a bunch of H'mong, a peaceful arboreal people hailing from Laos.

Kendal has been patient, loving, and exasperated with Ross, but she's more a clear, organized person who thinks Ross should get his priorities straight. She does sympathize with him though, telling Laurie that everything Ross does is "like a perversion of the law of physics. The harder he works, the less he gets out of it."

Everybody thinks Cullen has gone around the bend when he has a twenty cubit high (about twenty-eight feet) Greek pillar made of titanium and plexiglass installed in the yard overlooking the woods, and in one of the movie's highlights, proceeds to perch himself atop it a la St. Simeon, who did so in the fifth century as an ascetic practice of achieving enlightenment. Well, everybody except Laurie. He spends the second half of the film on that perch.

However, Cullen is far from senile. As he tells Kendal, "life has a long experience of suffering, disappointments, and chaos, but the moment you stop squirming against the catastrophe of being alive, music flies out of the dog doo." But his most important pearls of wisdom are for his nephew, whom he wants to learn what he was put on earth for. What are his special gifts? To this, he enlists the aid of Laurie and Kendal.

Other characters include Tom, a former Olympic contender whose career ended when he tripped on his shoelace and broke his ankle. He spends his days diving, his interface to the real world thus severed, and barely says a word, especially to his former flame Kendal, who turned to Ross when Tom cut off communication with her.

The best performance and lines comes from Nigel Hawthorne (Cullen) hands down, playing an eccentric, idealistic, and ultimately cleverly strategic old man who's got a lot of perspective in life. As Kendal tells him, "Satchem Farm ...is a growing collection of hermetically sealed neurotics and the not so funny part is the common denominator is you." Such a far cry from the devious Sir Humphrey Appleby in Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. He delivers the funniest line regarding a character: "His karma was constipated. I gave him an enema."

Laurie is played by Amelia Heinle, who bears a strong resemblance to Denise Richards. Her quiet, reserved manner, warm and compassionate smile really make Cullen's description of her as the girl with "young eyes with an old soul" appropriate. It's her quiet but potent presence and role that makes her outshine Minnie Driver (Kendal), who herself is good in this movie.

Keone Yong (Harrison Tang, the wine dealer) has an amusing moment where he plays guitar and sings a funny song in Chinese. His performance either bemuses or dumbfounds his listeners. Michael A Rodgers stands out as Paul, the arboreal hermit brother of Ross.

As Ross says in an onscreen narration, it's "so easy to lose perspective on life. It's also not hard as you think to get your perspective back." And this quirky film with its oddballs is a ticklish but heartwarming vintage.

Great Movie!!
A friend recommended this movie to me, said to take it with a grain of salt. Not your typical Hollywood movie. I love it and watch it all the time. I never get tired of it. It is wonderful and rich, funny and touching. Nothing offensive or of questionable values in the movie. Wouldn't ever be embarrased watching it with your kids, or anyone else. Great movie. ... Read more

Description

A well-respected firefighter's family leaves him because of his physical and verbal abuse. He then seeks revenge on the family next door to him, whom he suspects of convincing his wife and son to leave him. Stars Charlie Sheen and Academy Award® nominated actress Mare Winningham. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

PRESSURE COOKER
UNDER PRESSURE is a tense, disturbing film, dominated not by star Charlie Sheen's over the top performance as the demented fireman, but by the down to earth, touching performance by Mare Winningham. Mare portrays the mother of a family that is almost picture perfect; David Andrews plays her adoring husband, and she has two cute if persnickety kids. However, next door neighbor Charlie Sheen seems to have fallen apart since his heroic life-saving. His wife and son have left him, he's on probation from his job, and his wife has put a restraining order on him. Naturally, this leads him to resent the couple next door, and soon Charlie's a bloodthirsty killer. He tortures an unsuspecting refrigerator repairman, and ultimately does in a couple of cops before the final showdown with Mare and Andrews.
This could have been a much better film, had we at least understood what Sheen was like before his heroic deed. We also find out he let the baby's mother die in the fire because he was judgmental enough to condemn her having a child in a crackhouse.
Okay, so without that, we still have a good, solid movie, thanks mainly to Miss Winningham.

great
charlie sheen a firefighters wife leaves him so he starts messin with the neigbors nextdoor he starts out by punchingout thier windshield to move thier car later on he gets mad at the kids for wasting earths precious water and he fights an asian mailman charlie sheen plays a funny in a dark way lunatic in this cheap falling down clone i give 5 stars for the funny parts

Average Thriller with Major Chills
Under Pressure is about a fireman gone wacko. After being dumped by his wife and child, Lyle ( the neighbor from hell ) gets ticked off by anything he can't control. Mainly Mare Winningham and her two bratty children. It's obvious that the incredibly sweaty Lyle is insane the moment we lay eyes on him. The way he stalks around his neighbors' yards can only mean one thing: something's about to hit the fan. And it does.

When the bratty son from next door ruins Lyle's window he pays the family a very scary visit. This segment made no sense whatsoever. We were all geared up to see real action when Sheen grabs the knife and peddles it in front of the boy's face. But the supposed-frightening scene turns silly. Lyle just leaves claiming he has to check his mail. It was a cheap trick to get the audience's mouth watering. Later that night Lyle sneaks into their home and holds them hostage with a gun. He wants to play Russian Roulette. How original!

Okay this movie has some chilling moments. It's not boring but at times silly. The way the neighbors act towards Lyle isn't realistic at all. Anyone else would have called the cops the moment he stomped into their house. Just because he leaves on his own the first time made it all right? Please. The father was the most pitiful role in the film. He didn't do anything but get the heck beaten out of him. This film is lame to the T. Charlie Sheen does a decent job but hits the planet of overacting big time. Mare Winningham is okay. The kids were cute and cuddly. Minor characters like Dawnn Lewis and Cliff from Cheers moved the story along. This movie was too short for my taste. I would have liked to see the reason behind Lyle's insanity. I couldn't buy that he went crazy just because his wife took his son away. That didn't do it for me.

If you like exciting movies, you may like Under Pressure. It doesn't make sense all the time and the characters do stupid things but it's better than serving jury duty. You may realize Sheen's scarier than you ever thought he could be.

Sheen plays an excellent psychotic character role here!!!
I loved the tension that builds up during the movie. Sheen's character is funny, psychotic, and well rounded. The one liners in this movie are a piss. Especially between Sheen and the air conditioner repairman. Unfortunately I saw it on pay-per-view and never taped it. If you like Charlie Sheen as a actor, then you'll like seeing a different side of him in this film.

Great movie.
A great movie, wouldn't mind seeing for a second or third time ... Read more

Amazon.com

An underrated gem of the early 1980s, this film is a solid mystery with a terrific and unlikely romance at its core. Hurt plays a New York janitor whose fantasy life centers on TV reporter Sigourney Weaver. When a murder occurs in the office building where he works, he claims to have seen more than he did just to get her attention. But when the murderers believe him, they both become targets. The plot is workable, but mostly serves as a meet-cute device for throwing together the unassuming janitor and the TV star, and the resulting collision of social strata when he successfully woos her. James Woods nearly steals the film as Hurt's jumpy Vietnam vet friend, a shifty operator of whom cop Morgan Freeman observes, "He was born to be a suspect." --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Underrated Gem!!
Sigourney Weaver,William Hurt and James Woods rule in this great underrated gem.It's well worth watching!! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Ann Jillian offers a strong performance.
Also known as GIRLS OF THE WHITE ORCHID (1983).
This film is not for children to see. Mature Adults Only.
Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Thomas Byrd, Mako, Carolyn Seymour, Richard Narita, Soon-Teck Oh, Ann Jillian, Yvonne McCord, Philip Charles McKenzie, Leslie Wing, John Hancock.
Jeffifer Jason Leigh is a young lady, Carol, in Hollywood who works as a waitress. She is lonely for her boyfriend (Thomas Byrd) who is in the military. She decides to answer an ad for singer/dancer. She gets the job in Tokyo, but she has no idea what she is about to happen to her. She gets to sing in a nightclub (if you can call it that), but behind the curtain she has no idea yet it's a prostitution ring. The dancers and singers are expected to "be of service" to the Japanese clientele.
Marilyn (Ann Jillian) who is one of the more experienced dancers, tries to give Carol some comfort, but yet tells her how the business is. When the girls refuse to "please the customers" and they want to go back home to the states, the girls are made to "disappear". They are never seen of again. It is said, always said, that they were sent to Osaka.
Can Carol escape before it's too late for her?
This film was originally shown as a Network television movie. The cable version and this DVD version, includes scenes of nudity and adult content.
Ann Jillian offers a strong performances in this film.
I saw this film several times when I was younger not really thinking about the film to seriously. It was just a film to put on. But now some 20 years later, and now I'm middle-aged, this film is a bit disturbing to watch. But there is a message here in this film, and one will taken. Perhaps this is why the actors agreeed to do this film.

Oh god I can't believe I own this movie!
If you haven't seen a movie with Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ann Gillian, and Mako in it, this is your movie. Keep in mind that half of the dialogue is in Japanese but there are no subtitles. Also keep in mind that there's a near-rape scene and lots of toplessness. This is not Jennifer Jason Leigh's best movie. In fact I would bet that she would rather forget this film shot twenty years ago, as would most who worked on it. The best thing about it is its name. Oh, but there are no martial arts in the movie. Sorry.

ANN JILLIAN STEALS THE PICTURE!
Ann Jillian delivers an award winning performance in this movie that co- stars Jennifer Jason Leigh. It's worth the price just to see Ann Jillian as a red head, wow!!!! she's hot and so interesting to watch, you NEVER catch her acting. Jonathan Kaplan, the Director did a good job and he also directed "Heart Like A Wheel", I give this 5 stars! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A minor TV venture for director Jonathan Kaplan, whose penchant for themes sensitive to the plight of women in extremis informs even this lesser work with a heartening sympathy for its characters.Jennifer Jason Leigh plays a naive, would-be singer named Carol Heath who, through the machinations of a sleazy agent (Philip Charles MacKenzie), signs away a month of her life for the chance of being a nightclub singer in Tokyo.Only once she's there, she finds herself pressed into sexual service by her real employer, the yakuza.Not that she succumbs to the pressure to perform in that other capacity.That's her problem.Because others in her predicament, having refused to serve, wound up on the title's "Death Ride" (the pre-video title was Girls of the White Orchid).The plot is standard thriller fare, taken from a true story, and somewhat redeemed by Kaplan's no-nonsense direction and his affinity for stories of women in trouble.Indeed, along with Leigh's finely realized naive-girl performance, Death Ride to Osaka's main interest may lie in the resonance it has with Jonathan Kaplan's later, more accomplished films.Although it does lack the ambiguity that helps make The Accused interesting, similar themes of abuse are explored.Ditto for Brokedown Palace, its naive young girls in treacherous paradise and legal closed doors making Death Ride look like a dry run for Kaplan's later film. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Ann Jillian offers a strong performance.
Also known as GIRLS OF THE WHITE ORCHID (1983).
This film is not for children to see. Mature Adults Only.
Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Thomas Byrd, Mako, Carolyn Seymour, Richard Narita, Soon-Teck Oh, Ann Jillian, Yvonne McCord, Philip Charles McKenzie, Leslie Wing, John Hancock.
Jeffifer Jason Leigh is a young lady, Carol, in Hollywood who works as a waitress. She is lonely for her boyfriend (Thomas Byrd) who is in the military. She decides to answer an ad for singer/dancer. She gets the job in Tokyo, but she has no idea what she is about to happen to her. She gets to sing in a nightclub (if you can call it that), but behind the curtain she has no idea yet it's a prostitution ring. The dancers and singers are expected to "be of service" to the Japanese clientele.
Marilyn (Ann Jillian) who is one of the more experienced dancers, tries to give Carol some comfort, but yet tells her how the business is. When the girls refuse to "please the customers" and they want to go back home to the states, the girls are made to "disappear". They are never seen of again. It is said, always said, that they were sent to Osaka.
Can Carol escape before it's too late for her?
This film was originally shown as a Network television movie. The cable version and this DVD version, includes scenes of nudity and adult content.
Ann Jillian offers a strong performances in this film.
I saw this film several times when I was younger not really thinking about the film to seriously. It was just a film to put on. But now some 20 years later, and now I'm middle-aged, this film is a bit disturbing to watch. But there is a message here in this film, and one will taken. Perhaps this is why the actors agreeed to do this film.

Oh god I can't believe I own this movie!
If you haven't seen a movie with Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ann Gillian, and Mako in it, this is your movie. Keep in mind that half of the dialogue is in Japanese but there are no subtitles. Also keep in mind that there's a near-rape scene and lots of toplessness. This is not Jennifer Jason Leigh's best movie. In fact I would bet that she would rather forget this film shot twenty years ago, as would most who worked on it. The best thing about it is its name. Oh, but there are no martial arts in the movie. Sorry.

ANN JILLIAN STEALS THE PICTURE!
Ann Jillian delivers an award winning performance in this movie that co- stars Jennifer Jason Leigh. It's worth the price just to see Ann Jillian as a red head, wow!!!! she's hot and so interesting to watch, you NEVER catch her acting. Jonathan Kaplan, the Director did a good job and he also directed "Heart Like A Wheel", I give this 5 stars! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Ann Jillian offers a strong performance.
Also known as GIRLS OF THE WHITE ORCHID (1983).
This film is not for children to see. Mature Adults Only.
Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Thomas Byrd, Mako, Carolyn Seymour, Richard Narita, Soon-Teck Oh, Ann Jillian, Yvonne McCord, Philip Charles McKenzie, Leslie Wing, John Hancock.
Jeffifer Jason Leigh is a young lady, Carol, in Hollywood who works as a waitress. She is lonely for her boyfriend (Thomas Byrd) who is in the military. She decides to answer an ad for singer/dancer. She gets the job in Tokyo, but she has no idea what she is about to happen to her. She gets to sing in a nightclub (if you can call it that), but behind the curtain she has no idea yet it's a prostitution ring. The dancers and singers are expected to "be of service" to the Japanese clientele.
Marilyn (Ann Jillian) who is one of the more experienced dancers, tries to give Carol some comfort, but yet tells her how the business is. When the girls refuse to "please the customers" and they want to go back home to the states, the girls are made to "disappear". They are never seen of again. It is said, always said, that they were sent to Osaka.
Can Carol escape before it's too late for her?
This film was originally shown as a Network television movie. The cable version and this DVD version, includes scenes of nudity and adult content.
Ann Jillian offers a strong performances in this film.
I saw this film several times when I was younger not really thinking about the film to seriously. It was just a film to put on. But now some 20 years later, and now I'm middle-aged, this film is a bit disturbing to watch. But there is a message here in this film, and one will taken. Perhaps this is why the actors agreeed to do this film.

Oh god I can't believe I own this movie!
If you haven't seen a movie with Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ann Gillian, and Mako in it, this is your movie. Keep in mind that half of the dialogue is in Japanese but there are no subtitles. Also keep in mind that there's a near-rape scene and lots of toplessness. This is not Jennifer Jason Leigh's best movie. In fact I would bet that she would rather forget this film shot twenty years ago, as would most who worked on it. The best thing about it is its name. Oh, but there are no martial arts in the movie. Sorry.

ANN JILLIAN STEALS THE PICTURE!
Ann Jillian delivers an award winning performance in this movie that co- stars Jennifer Jason Leigh. It's worth the price just to see Ann Jillian as a red head, wow!!!! she's hot and so interesting to watch, you NEVER catch her acting. Jonathan Kaplan, the Director did a good job and he also directed "Heart Like A Wheel", I give this 5 stars! ... Read more