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| 1. Training Day Director: Antoine Fuqua | |
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Reviews (447)
Overtly intense it may be, Training Day's so-called excesses are absolutely necessary to this film's shockingly disquieting view of modern law-enforcement and societal factors. Brimming full of the morally deplorable, tumultuously volatile, and authentically immediate sights and sounds that at first may resonate as a typical wam bam thriller, Training Day intellectually reaps a ground-braking resourcefulness that consistently curtails the audience from comprehending its inner plot points too quickly or becoming aware of it's character predestined paths before they develop into view. Though the film does provide us with ample evidence to it's character's interior inner workings, Training Day continues to creativity and tirelessly redefine it's identity so often and so cleverly that any first-time viewer can't help but be consciously blown away by it's narrative, radically stunned by it's story-telling audacity, or emotionally bewildered by it's cultural implications. It remains a testament to this film's resiliency that it persists in haunting you so long after it concludes spinning web of intrigue. Dominantly at the artistic center of this vivaciously riveting crime tale, Denzel In a blisteringly radiant gem of a performance that should earn him an Academy Encased with incredibly edgy supporting performances, invariably claustrophobic As for Training Day's upcoming DVD edition, hopefully it will include a descent P.S. Always Pick Up a Rape Victim's Wallet
The supporting cast is outstanding with Ethan Hawke, Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, Scott Glenn and others providing excellent back up to Denzel as he glides through one day and night in the life of an LA narcotics officer. Seeing this film twice let me appreciate all the more how well acted is the role played by Denzel. He is philosophical, violent, humorous, practical, political and, at all times, wise to the ways of the street. Ethan Hawke is marvelous as his 'rookie'and meshes very well with his more senior counterpart, Denzel Washington. The only reason Denzel may not receive the major kudos he deserves for this role is that in today's hyper-patriotic, support the law enforcement climate, this downbeat look at the cops may not be deemed politically correct even as it is spot on.
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| 2. The Hurricane Director: Norman Jewison | |
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Reviews (136)
I really liked this Movie (until I did my homework). The Movie was very powerfull leaving you in disbelief, how could this happen? How could a innocent man be sentenced to Life for a crime he didnt commit? The Movie's 2nd half left me teary eyed of the injustice done to Hurricane Carter and very touched by the young man that wrote, visited & belived in his innocence and who along with his Canadian Family worked so hard to free him. Denzel Washington Does an exceptional peformance, what a great actor, But SHAME ON YOU Mr. Washington, This Movie is Based More on Lies than on the Truth, you were one of my favorite Actors, but your credibility has suffered, you had to of known of the Untruths of this Movie, and then to embrace Hurricane Carter and make a statement that this man is full of Love? I gave this Movie 5 Stars because it was entertaining. The Movie left me with wanting more, immeadiately after watching the movie I did a search on Boxer Hurricane Carter. The First site was: http://www.graphicwitness.com My first impression was, Wow this must be some Racial Web Site against Hurricane Carter, but after spending hours reading all the many pages of well documented articles and interviews, my conclussion is their is more evidence that this man, Hurricane Carter is a Guilty as charged, than an innocent man wrongly accused as partrayed in the Movie.
I highly recommend the film and would hope that someday Hollywood would consider giving Mr. Washington an oscar for such excellent acting. It is films such as THE HURRICANE which will create an awareness in the minds of Americans that we can no longer and must no longer tolerate such behaviour by those who are in authority. In a day when prejudice and racism seem to be on the rise in the so-called first world countries, the movie's message is a must for all. May God help us! Rev. Eriberto (Eddie) Soto Presbyterian Missionary to Brazil, South America
Besides the work of Washington, the film benefits from marvelous turns from co-star Vicellous Reon Shannon as a young man enamored of the boxer and determined to right the wrong that has befallen Carter. The young man possesses the right amount of "wide-eyed innocence" as he confronts a man that he discovers in a long-forgotten autobiography. Who cannot be moved when man and boy share a tender moment by touching through the bars of the convict's cell??? This kid deserved a supporting acting nod, if nothing less. And a film that sports such stellar character performers as Rod Steiger, Debbi Morgan, Dan Hedaya, Harris Yulen, Clancy Brown, and David Paymer is a cut above the others. Liv Shrieber, Deborah Unger, and John Hannah are wonderful as Canadians that assist Shannon's "Lesra" as the lad works to free his friend. While there are a few slow moments, the overall film is worth viewing...and owning.
Carter was a rough, tough, seasoned boxer, with slightly above average power, a decent mandible & average hand/foot speed. He struggled against slick styled boxer's that were defensive gurus - movement off angles, stylists and great side-to-side movement. Carter would literally give up when outclassed in the ring - ie. the Joey Giardello and Luis Rodriguez fights. The Giardello fight is one of the key elements of the movie. In the movie, Carter pounds on Giardello for 15 rounds & then gets outrageously robbed of the decision by a racist conspiracy by boxing's powers that be. Joey Giardello - foolishly portrayed as a racist in the film - beat Carter as convincingly as Nigerian Dick Tiger did - both beat Carter like a drum. Carter's main weapon was sheer intimidation. He looked as bad (mean) as Sonny Liston, but when he was about to do battle with someone who wasn't intimidated, Carter simply had problems - not to mention he was easily outboxed. USA Today described Rubin Carter as, "A true folk hero" & a "warrior scholar" - obviously the public seemed to be buying the movies hook, line & sinker. The fact is, Carter was never a world champion and clearly lost to every upper echelon fighter he fought. Though wrongfully accused, Carter was well out the game when convicted. Unfortunately "The Hurricane" is more about artistic rape. ... Read more | |
| 3. Rush Hour 2 (Infinifilm Edition) Director: Brett Ratner | |
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Reviews (219)
Robert Eldridge (...)
More-of-the-same in terms of content AND style, but still pretty engaging, with lots of action and thrills. Chan and Tucker still share the same chemistry, and overall there are some good laughs. (Worth it just to see Tucker perform Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough"...) For me, one of the perks of this sequel is watching "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" beauty Zhang Ziyi as a very fetching and lethal assassin.
Chris Tucker delivers another high energy, comedic performance. Since Chris first caught my attention in the Bruce Willis vehicle, Fifth Element. He has proven himself to be a real comedy - action star. This movie might have worked with a different actor playing chans part, but jackie chan is the genious that created these incredible films and may now be our top action star. Highly recommended, but only partially family friendly.
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| 4. Scarface (Widescreen Anniversary Edition) Director: Brian De Palma | |
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Amazon.com essential video Reviews (539)
The hard-edged script for the film is written by Oliver Stone, who holds nothing back, as usual Directed by Brian De Palma, the movie doesn't flinch at all to tell its story. The film remains a favorite of mine and will leave you with quite a lasting impression. A "remake" of 1932's SCARFACE, in name only, the film is nearly flawless. The "Collector's Edition" contains a feature length retrospective documentary, that is so well done, you almost forget that there is no commentary track. It is very comprehensive and covers all aspects of the film and its place in cinema history. There's also a number of deleted scenes and outtakes that were nice to see. These fine extras add up to one heck of a DVD for one of the best gangster movies ever made. SCARFACE should not be missed and comes highly recommended.
Ostensibly, this is a reworking of Howard Hawks' classic 1932 gangster pic about Al Capone. This time, the setting is Miami circa 1980, the contraband in question is cocaine, and the lead character, Pacino's Tony Montana, is a Cuban-born criminal who just came off the Mariel boat lift with 125,000 others that Castro let go, twenty percent of whom were known criminals. Pacino gets in on the ground floor with a local drug boss (Robert Loggia) and soon works his way to the top, doing just about everything to tick someone off--associates, enemies, cops, his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer), his sister (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), and the Colombian drug kingpins he has to do business with. But in his cocaine-fueled journey to achieve the so-called American Dream, he neglects to follow two rules taught to him by Loggia: (1) Don't underestimate the other guy's greed; and (2) Don't get high on your own supply. He finally crosses the line in the end by alienating a Colombian drug boss (Paul Shenar) so much that Shenar sends assassins to Pacino's Miami villa. The result is a horrific and bloody shootout in which most of the assassins are rubbed out, and so is Pacino. Without a doubt, SCARFACE continues to generate wildly divergent opinions, both pro and con. I for one had some trouble trying to stomach Pacino's Cuban accent at first, but then his ultra-charistmatic performance kicked into high gear, four-letter words and all. The film is very true to its essentials of showing how a certain segment of the Cuban boat people, a very SMALL segment, tried to latch onto the American Dream by trafficking in illegal narcotics and thus earning millions. Probably the most interesting thing about SCARFACE is the political view that Stone espouses in his screenplay: he seems to espouse a very Reaganesque view of the world of the 1980s (virulent anti-Communism; anti-Castro), but in truth he is severely critical of those very same policies that motivated Castro to send the worst of his worst onto American soil and thus accelerate this nation's drug problem. SCARFACE does have its faults. It requires a lot of patience to sit through with a running time approaching 170 minutes, and I am not all that sure there is enough in there to sustain it for that kind of length. The film continues to be controversial in some quarters for its extreme (as opposed to merely excessive) violence; the chainsaw scene in an apartment, the hanging from a helicopter, and the ultra-gory shootout at the end rank as some of the most violent scenes ever shown on film. Only four other films in history challenge it in this respect: THE WILD BUNCH, SOLDIER BLUE, TAXI DRIVER, and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Finally, this film set a record for the greatest number of times the "F" word, or variations of it, are used; I lost count at two hundred. This IS a bit much, although it probably fits the reality of the situation it depicts. On the other hand, DePalma, whose 1976 film CARRIE remains one of the touchstone suspense/horror films of all times, does make quite a lot out of Stone's wild and crazy screenplay--though surprisingly, for the violent scenes, he doesn't use slow-motion or montage that much, which would have earned him favorable comparisons with the legendary Sam Peckinpah. Just as solid is the camera work of John Alonzo, who worked on CHINATOWN and BLACK SUNDAY, among others. Giorgio Moroder's score is pretty good, though I do admit it gets a little cheesy after a while. And Pacino's performance is also high-caliber; just get used to his Cuban accent, and it works very well. This film comes highly recommended, but with this warning: It is definitely NOT for younger audiences, it is rated 'R' for a lot of good reasons.
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| 5. Scarface (Full Screen Anniversary Edition) Director: Brian De Palma | |
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Amazon.com essential video Reviews (539)
The hard-edged script for the film is written by Oliver Stone, who holds nothing back, as usual Directed by Brian De Palma, the movie doesn't flinch at all to tell its story. The film remains a favorite of mine and will leave you with quite a lasting impression. A "remake" of 1932's SCARFACE, in name only, the film is nearly flawless. The "Collector's Edition" contains a feature length retrospective documentary, that is so well done, you almost forget that there is no commentary track. It is very comprehensive and covers all aspects of the film and its place in cinema history. There's also a number of deleted scenes and outtakes that were nice to see. These fine extras add up to one heck of a DVD for one of the best gangster movies ever made. SCARFACE should not be missed and comes highly recommended.
Ostensibly, this is a reworking of Howard Hawks' classic 1932 gangster pic about Al Capone. This time, the setting is Miami circa 1980, the contraband in question is cocaine, and the lead character, Pacino's Tony Montana, is a Cuban-born criminal who just came off the Mariel boat lift with 125,000 others that Castro let go, twenty percent of whom were known criminals. Pacino gets in on the ground floor with a local drug boss (Robert Loggia) and soon works his way to the top, doing just about everything to tick someone off--associates, enemies, cops, his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer), his sister (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), and the Colombian drug kingpins he has to do business with. But in his cocaine-fueled journey to achieve the so-called American Dream, he neglects to follow two rules taught to him by Loggia: (1) Don't underestimate the other guy's greed; and (2) Don't get high on your own supply. He finally crosses the line in the end by alienating a Colombian drug boss (Paul Shenar) so much that Shenar sends assassins to Pacino's Miami villa. The result is a horrific and bloody shootout in which most of the assassins are rubbed out, and so is Pacino. Without a doubt, SCARFACE continues to generate wildly divergent opinions, both pro and con. I for one had some trouble trying to stomach Pacino's Cuban accent at first, but then his ultra-charistmatic performance kicked into high gear, four-letter words and all. The film is very true to its essentials of showing how a certain segment of the Cuban boat people, a very SMALL segment, tried to latch onto the American Dream by trafficking in illegal narcotics and thus earning millions. Probably the most interesting thing about SCARFACE is the political view that Stone espouses in his screenplay: he seems to espouse a very Reaganesque view of the world of the 1980s (virulent anti-Communism; anti-Castro), but in truth he is severely critical of those very same policies that motivated Castro to send the worst of his worst onto American soil and thus accelerate this nation's drug problem. SCARFACE does have its faults. It requires a lot of patience to sit through with a running time approaching 170 minutes, and I am not all that sure there is enough in there to sustain it for that kind of length. The film continues to be controversial in some quarters for its extreme (as opposed to merely excessive) violence; the chainsaw scene in an apartment, the hanging from a helicopter, and the ultra-gory shootout at the end rank as some of the most violent scenes ever shown on film. Only four other films in history challenge it in this respect: THE WILD BUNCH, SOLDIER BLUE, TAXI DRIVER, and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Finally, this film set a record for the greatest number of times the "F" word, or variations of it, are used; I lost count at two hundred. This IS a bit much, although it probably fits the reality of the situation it depicts. On the other hand, DePalma, whose 1976 film CARRIE remains one of the touchstone suspense/horror films of all times, does make quite a lot out of Stone's wild and crazy screenplay--though surprisingly, for the violent scenes, he doesn't use slow-motion or montage that much, which would have earned him favorable comparisons with the legendary Sam Peckinpah. Just as solid is the camera work of John Alonzo, who worked on CHINATOWN and BLACK SUNDAY, among others. Giorgio Moroder's score is pretty good, though I do admit it gets a little cheesy after a while. And Pacino's performance is also high-caliber; just get used to his Cuban accent, and it works very well. This film comes highly recommended, but with this warning: It is definitely NOT for younger audiences, it is rated 'R' for a lot of good reasons.
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| 6. Clear and Present Danger (Special Edition) Director: Phillip Noyce | |
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Description Reviews (65)
Former CIA analyst Jack Ryan, (Harrison Ford) is asked by his mentor and friend, Admiral Greer (James Earl Jones) to take over for him, while he battles cancer. Ryan reluctantly accepts. When a friend of the President's (Donald Moffatt) is killed, Ryan learns that a drug kingpin (Miguel Sandoval) may be responsible, for the crime. As he briefs the President, forces inside the administration, are working to take the cartel out, even without any proof. Ryan must discover the truth, about who is working against him before it's too late The cast also includes the great Henry Czerny as Ritter, a smarmy guy at the CIA who butts heads with Ryan, Harris Yullin as the National Security Advisor, and Anne Archer returns as Cathy, Jack's wife. Directed by Philip Noyce, who also directed Patriot Games, the film stays within the framework of the book. The movie also is detailed enough to keep fans of the book happy, while at the same time it is nicely paced Ford proves once again why he's so right for roles like this. He wears his hero hat so well. It is Czerny though, that makes things really interesting for Ryan and, he gives the film an extra spark or two. As part of the reissued "Jack Ryan" series on DVD, Clear And Present Danger, contains a retrospective featurette on how the film was made. It's pretty good and does a decent job taking you back, to what it was like on the set. The standard theatrical trailer tops off the extras. I wish there was a commentary track to go along with the other stuff--or maybe some deleted footage-that would have helped. Still the DVD is recommended over the "movie only" edition from a few years ago
This time around, Ford investigates the murder of a close friend of the President (Donald Moffatt) by Colombian drug cartel hitmen. When his mentor (James Earl Jones) falls ill due to pancreatic cancer, Ford is suddenly put in charge as deputy director of the CIA. He continues his investigation of the murders and ties them in with one particular drug cartel leader (Miguel Sandoval) with whom the murdered man had a little issue with ill-gotten money,.... But what Ford doesn't know is that, on orders from the revenge-minded Moffatt, his second deputy (Henry Czerny) and the president's national security advisor (Harris Yulin) have ordered a rogue officer named Clark (Willem Dafoe) in with a covert military team to put a huge dent in the cartel's activities. Dafoe and his team are successful at what they do, but the cartels retaliate with deadly results on Ford's friends in the FBI during a visit to Bogota. And when Ford finds out about the operation, he finds himself going down to Colombia a second time to help spirit Dafoe and the covert team out of harm's way. Ably directed, once more, by Phillip Noyce (DEAD CALM; PATRIOT GAMES), CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER gives Ford another chance to prove his mettle in the action genre. The suspense and CIA intrigue are all laid out exceptionally well by Noyce and his first-rate cadre of screenwriters, Donald Stewart, Steven Zaillian, and John Milius. Jones is at his usual best as the now-dying Admiral Greer, and Anne Archer returns as Ford's wife. But a performance really worth noting here is Czerny's as the unconsciously corrupt CIA deputy director Robert Ritter. About as uncouth and conniving a heavy as there has ever been in the movies, his performance is absolutely chilling and believable. It makes the whole notion of our government going beyong reasonable bounds even more credible than it already is. Some will object to the film not pandering to Clancy's right-wing political points of view or his gung-ho pro-military stance, but that isn't necessarily what this movie is about. It does not condemn covert military action, but it does question the wisdom of sending men into a war zone where the risks are extreme, the reasons for such actions are vague at best, and there is no clear exit strategy. Such points are made extremely well in this film's action format; and for those reasons, it gets the highest marks.
For what it's worth, I'm not a picky movie viewer. I'll watch nearly anything. So for me to complain about this movie means that something was really off-base. As far as an action movie goes, it was passable. As far as the technological thriller that the book was, it doesn't even come close. There is no character development (never felt anything towards Ding), random changes in a character's persona (Clark goes from wanting to kill Ryan to making the chopper go back), thing missing that are important to the plot (downing of drug running planes), and things that were never in the book (yacht owner tied to the President). To make what could be an extremely long review somewhat shorter, if you've read the book and are a fan of Tom Clancy, don't bother. If you're just looking for a film with " 'splosions," this might work.
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| 7. Cutthroat Island Director: Renny Harlin | |
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| 8. Stuart Saves His Family Director: Harold Ramis | |
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Reviews (34)
Every detail of this film, from the opening montage to the marvelous acting, (these are TOP NOTCH actors in this film), to the hilarious comedy to the story to the music...everything is hysterical. I only wish they had chosen a different title. Stuart does not save his family, he can only try. The movie should have been called "Stuart Smalley." I was so astounded by how wonderful this movie was, yet practically no one saw it and Al Frankin calls it a disaster. I honestly, truely, unexagerratedly believe that this movie should have been up for several Oscars, including Best Director and for the supporting cast. The actor who plays the father was especially wonderful. I only hope that more people discover this movie. When the movie was over in the theater, (I have since seen it again on video several times), the two other people in the audience came up the aisle and also expressed how good the movie was. I wish I could have direct addresses for director Harold Ramis and Al Frankin so that I could write to them and tell them how proud they should be of this movie.
To describe the story line of this very funny movie would be to sell it short, because the premise doesn't sound like it would lend itself to such a delightful comedy. But the film grabs one's attention from the very beginning with its montage of 50s and 60s family photographs during the opening credits. Are these possibly family photos of the lead actors at an earlier stage of life? When Vincent d'Onofrio's name is on the screen, the guy in the photo looks an awful lot like him. And then we're off and running, with Stuart telling us on his television show that he has just received a sweater that one Melissa D. knitted for him. Melissa is a recovering sex addict and knitting the sweater "gave her something to do with her hands." From that point on, the pace only rarely slackens, as we are introduced to Stuart's various friends and nemeses, beginning with Roz Weinstock, very possibly the meanest and most sadistic boss since Captain Bligh, and deliciously played by Camille Saviola. Roz has fired Stuart for maligning her on the air, and she is only the first of a series of people Stuart manages to annoy as he lives out his affirmation of "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and, doggone it, people like me." Perhaps not everyone likes him, certainly not the customer in the restaurant (an unbilled role, possibly director Harold Ramis?) who has to wait while Stuart explains his latest predicament to his best friend and Al-Anon sponsor Julia, wonderfully played by Laura San Giacomo. From there, it is a constant back-and-forth for Stuart between Chicago, where he lives, and Minneapolis, ironically one of the chief centers of recovery programs, and the home of his very dysfunctional family. Stuart's beloved Aunt Paula has died, setting in motion an ever-muddier chain of events that eventually teach Stuart in a big way that the only one he really has the power to change is himself. Nevertheless, the ever-optimistic Stuart continues to offer his gifts to others, some of which are eventually picked up and appreciated. Just as the setting goes back and forth from Chicago to Minneapolis, so the time frame goes back and forth from the present to the past through black-and-white flashbacks, some happy, some less so. These give us some idea of how Stuart has come to be the way he is today, and of the ghosts that he has to grapple with while living out his affirmation. The film does take a rather serious turn near the end, but Al Franken as Stuart Smalley helps to keep the tone somewhat light during this section. And, as in real life, not all the loose ends ever get neatly tied up, but Stuart has nevertheless made his impact, as we see in a very heartwarming ending. While most of the actors in the film are not household names, a number of them are quite experienced and turn in some memorable performances. Harris Yulin, Shirley Knight, Lesley Boone and Vincent d'Onofrio are all good as Stuart's family members, the men in particular. There are also a number of memorable cameos, particularly Julia Sweeney as the constantly apologizing Mea C., and Walter Olkewicz and Jeremy Roberts as the Skoag brothers who try to force the teetotaling Stuart to drink beer at a bar. The music is fun also, beginning with the codependent song that is played during the opening credits. And it was great to hear Ethel Merman blasting her way through "Everything's Coming Up Roses," during one of the scenes where Stuart is trying to pull himself up by his bootstraps. This picture has some of the funniest lines I have ever heard in any film. My particular favorite is Stuart's brother Donnie's attempt to define for him what an "easement" is, despite the fact that he obviously doesn't have the slightest notion. But many will like even better Stuart's comment to his sister about the pound cake. While there is plenty here for audiences in general to laugh at, there are also a number of jokes that are targeted toward members of 12-step programs, and especially those programs geared toward helping friends and family members of those addicted to alcohol and drugs. It's obvious from the writing that these are topics near and dear to screenwriter Franken's heart. So, I recommend this movie with just the caveat that you will find it funnier and closer to home if you have some familiarity with the programs that the film gently pokes fun at. And even if you don't, after seeing the film you may still wind up with a new approach to life.
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| 9. Scarface Deluxe Gift Set - Scarface (1983) & Scarface (1932) Director: Brian De Palma | |
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Amazon.com essential video Scarface (1932) Reviews (539)
The hard-edged script for the film is written by Oliver Stone, who holds nothing back, as usual Directed by Brian De Palma, the movie doesn't flinch at all to tell its story. The film remains a favorite of mine and will leave you with quite a lasting impression. A "remake" of 1932's SCARFACE, in name only, the film is nearly flawless. The "Collector's Edition" contains a feature length retrospective documentary, that is so well done, you almost forget that there is no commentary track. It is very comprehensive and covers all aspects of the film and its place in cinema history. There's also a number of deleted scenes and outtakes that were nice to see. These fine extras add up to one heck of a DVD for one of the best gangster movies ever made. SCARFACE should not be missed and comes highly recommended.
Ostensibly, this is a reworking of Howard Hawks' classic 1932 gangster pic about Al Capone. This time, the setting is Miami circa 1980, the contraband in question is cocaine, and the lead character, Pacino's Tony Montana, is a Cuban-born criminal who just came off the Mariel boat lift with 125,000 others that Castro let go, twenty percent of whom were known criminals. Pacino gets in on the ground floor with a local drug boss (Robert Loggia) and soon works his way to the top, doing just about everything to tick someone off--associates, enemies, cops, his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer), his sister (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), and the Colombian drug kingpins he has to do business with. But in his cocaine-fueled journey to achieve the so-called American Dream, he neglects to follow two rules taught to him by Loggia: (1) Don't underestimate the other guy's greed; and (2) Don't get high on your own supply. He finally crosses the line in the end by alienating a Colombian drug boss (Paul Shenar) so much that Shenar sends assassins to Pacino's Miami villa. The result is a horrific and bloody shootout in which most of the assassins are rubbed out, and so is Pacino. Without a doubt, SCARFACE continues to generate wildly divergent opinions, both pro and con. I for one had some trouble trying to stomach Pacino's Cuban accent at first, but then his ultra-charistmatic performance kicked into high gear, four-letter words and all. The film is very true to its essentials of showing how a certain segment of the Cuban boat people, a very SMALL segment, tried to latch onto the American Dream by trafficking in illegal narcotics and thus earning millions. Probably the most interesting thing about SCARFACE is the political view that Stone espouses in his screenplay: he seems to espouse a very Reaganesque view of the world of the 1980s (virulent anti-Communism; anti-Castro), but in truth he is severely critical of those very same policies that motivated Castro to send the worst of his worst onto American soil and thus accelerate this nation's drug problem. SCARFACE does have its faults. It requires a lot of patience to sit through with a running time approaching 170 minutes, and I am not all that sure there is enough in there to sustain it for that kind of length. The film continues to be controversial in some quarters for its extreme (as opposed to merely excessive) violence; the chainsaw scene in an apartment, the hanging from a helicopter, and the ultra-gory shootout at the end rank as some of the most violent scenes ever shown on film. Only four other films in history challenge it in this respect: THE WILD BUNCH, SOLDIER BLUE, TAXI DRIVER, and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Finally, this film set a record for the greatest number of times the "F" word, or variations of it, are used; I lost count at two hundred. This IS a bit much, although it probably fits the reality of the situation it depicts. On the other hand, DePalma, whose 1976 film CARRIE remains one of the touchstone suspense/horror films of all times, does make quite a lot out of Stone's wild and crazy screenplay--though surprisingly, for the violent scenes, he doesn't use slow-motion or montage that much, which would have earned him favorable comparisons with the legendary Sam Peckinpah. Just as solid is the camera work of John Alonzo, who worked on CHINATOWN and BLACK SUNDAY, among others. Giorgio Moroder's score is pretty good, though I do admit it gets a little cheesy after a while. And Pacino's performance is also high-caliber; just get used to his Cuban accent, and it works very well. This film comes highly recommended, but with this warning: It is definitely NOT for younger audiences, it is rated 'R' for a lot of good reasons.
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| 10. Murder at 1600 Director: Dwight H. Little | |
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Amazon.com Reviews (26)
STEVEN TRAVERS
Carla Towne is a young unknown White House staffer - until her body is found in a White House restroom sporting a number of deadly knife wounds. This is not good news for the President, who is already bottoming out in the polls for still attempting to negotiate, six months into the crisis, the release of an AWAC crew captured and obviously tortured by the North Koreans. Wesley Snipes plays Detective Harlan Regis, the investigator summoned to the White House to investigate the murder. The Secret Service as an organization is less than friendly and cooperative, viewing the White House as its beat alone. Except for his buddy and sometimes partner (played by Dennis Miller), Regis is pretty much on his own. The tight-lipped and intimidating Nick Spikings (Daniel Benzali), the chief of White House security and definite contender for the next Lex Luthor look-alike contest (his Marlon Brando impersonation isn't half bad, either) assigns Agent Nina Chance (Diane Lane) as Regis' liaison with the Secret Service. Spikings doesn't mess around, and once he has tabbed an individual for the murder, he wants Chance to have nothing to do with Regis. The detective is pretty persistent, though, and Chance has to weigh her sense of duty against her sense of justice. The list of suspects is quite fluid, and I think the movie does a very good job of sustaining suspense and the sense of mystery throughout. The facts as Regis acquires them make not only the President's philandering son, but the President himself possible suspects. Then you have the crisis with North Korea coming to the fore, with the President really frustrating his top advisors with his incredibly wimpy refusal to risk war with North Korea over the military hostage crisis. The truth, when it comes, does push the envelope to some degree, but it is certainly logical in the given context. I didn't ID the real bad guy any sooner than Regis and Chance did, so that to me is a good thing. A great mystery, plenty of action, power politics, lust, murder, conspiracy inside conspiracy: Murder in 1600 offers the viewers all of this and more. The ending itself is well done in my opinion, as well. Thus, this reviewer counts this as an impressive and very entertaining thriller.
Star Snipes adds another "action role" to his ever-expanding arsenal of "kick butt" types. Diane Lane, Ronny Cox, and Daniel Benzali supply enough backing to make this thriller passable. The appearance of Diane Baker as the President's wife makes the movie work for me. ... Read more | |
| 11. American Outlaws Director: Les Mayfield | |
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The Jameses and the Youngers were part of outlaw raiding parties against Northern towns during the Civil War and murdered people during their bank robberies. If you want to make a fun, fictional movie, use fictional names. I don't have a quarrel with the reviewers that said they knew the plot was fiction, but liked the movie for its entertainment or good-looking cast. That's your choice. But when reviews say that Colin Farrell "is completely believable as Jesse," that "the history of Jesse, Frank, and Jim were accurate," or the movie "shows the motivation and the reasoning behind the famous outlaw gang," I feel like I'm watching auditions for "Street Smarts." The movie tells you that the James-Younger gang was heroically fighting oppression by the railroads. In truth, they were thieves and murderers. If you want to see what the gang did to people--including shooting a father going to the aid of his fallen son-- ... It's wrong to make cold-blooded killers out as heroes just for the sake of a few box office dollars, whether it was 10 years ago or 130 years ago. To those that say "historical accuracy is a moot point," that may be your opinion, but it's certainly not mine.
Keeo your money in your pocket and buy one of those good old western movies, you'll see good actors and good movies with good plots. Not this nonsense.
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| 12. Fatal Beauty Director: Tom Holland | |
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| 13. Ghostbusters 2 Director: Ivan Reitman | |
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| 14. Multiplicity Director: Harold Ramis | |
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Aren't comedies supposed to be funny?
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| 15. Leonard Bernstein - Reaching for the Note Director: Susan Lacy | |
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Accompanied by interviews with friends, collaborators, and his children, "Reaching for the Note" provides a compelling portrait of Bernstein. This could have been a conventional documentary, but it instead captures a flavor for Bernstein's life. Rather than just covering "major events," this documentary also explores the struggles of being Leonard Bernstein. Beginning with footage from his funeral cortege (accompanied by the second movement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony), this documentary contains many unforgettable and moving moments, such as Bernstein's chiding of the Vienna Philharmonic for giving an indifferent rehearsal of Mahler ("I don't care about your 'eight hours.'"); building morale for Israel in the Six Days' War by performing Mahler's "Resurrection" symphony (which, in view of the atrocities committed by Israelis against Palestinians, may begin to seem as politically incorrect as Wagner's anti-Semitism); and the montage of home movie footage from the Bernstein family's "golden years," which seems even more poignant when one realizes how it collapsed under the weight of Bernstein's personal struggles in his later years. Most striking are the ambiguities of the man: a conductor who also wanted to be remembered as a composer; a humanitarian who could become temperamental; a family man who struggled with his bisexuality. Was it indecision, or simply a desire to live life to its fullest in the material and spiritual realms? Whatever one may think of the man, Bernstein's legacy has made him a musical titan. And until someone else as well-read, charismatic, godlike, and human comes along in conducting, Bernstein is guaranteed a top spot alongside such legends as Herbert von Karajan and Sir Georg Solti. One decade after his death, Lenny is still sorely missed. Who knows what else he could have done had he smoked a few less cigarettes, downed a few less bottles of scotch, and had been productive into his early eighties? He would have recorded Benjamin Britten's "Peter Grimes," or written his planned symphony about the Holocaust. But Lenny is gone, and we won't see the likes of him again. But, as one person said, maybe Lenny's spirit is now in the body of a bright and talented ten-year-old. Perhaps s/he will compare the angst in Mahler's symphonies and the music of nine inch nails, or rail against the corporate oligarchy, mean-spiritedness, and political conservatism that's slowly devouring our country. One can only hope that Lenny will live again. If not, then he has left us with much to contemplate, both about music and ourselves.
probably a totally comprehensive Bernstein portrait is far beyond the possibilities of a 2-hour video, but if it's Bernstein the musician that you really want to get to know, you'll learn much more from the 10-minute part devoted to him by the marvelous Teldec video "The Art of conducting".
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| 16. Another Woman Director: Woody Allen | |
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Amazon.com Allen had, like his protagonist, recently turned 50, and the sense of personal stocktaking here is much more compelling--and much less self-indulgent--than in a lot of his other films. Surely the magisterial presence of Rowlands made a big difference. She's in excellent company, including Ian Holm as the prof's tightly wrapped husband, Sandy Dennis as the dear old actress friend who hates her guts, and John Houseman as her widower father. Like Lloyd Nolan's in Hannah and Her Sisters and Keye Luke's in Alice, Houseman's turned out to be a valedictory performance. We cherish it--along with the inspired casting of David Ogden Stiers as, in effect, the younger John Houseman. --Richard T. Jameson Reviews (11)
'Another Woman' offers a glimpse into the mind of a successful philosophy professor named Marion. The movie follows the trail of her thoughts as they drift from attention to world around her to the deepest realms of her dreams and thoughts. Allen chose to use voice-over narration to progress the film. In most cases, I have been opposed to this technique - feeling that film is essentially a visual medium and should concern itself primarily with images rather than words. However, 'Another Woman' proves to be the rule's exception. Marion's narration depicts the method in which she attempts to put her life in order and to block her own perceptive abilities. 'Another Woman,' while exposing the numerous social complexities we all face, may concern itself predominately with the idea of perception. Marion, a philosophy professor, is awaiting the anniversary of her marriage to a doctor named Ken - with whom she had an affair with years ago. Both Ken and Marion have failed marriages behind them and both have been criticized for being 'cold.' Gena Rowlands' rendition of Marion is that of a woman who places such emphasis on appearing composed and intelligent that she fails to realize that her friends and family, the ones who care for her and depend on her, all resent her in one fashion or another. In her 'perfection' Marion has positioned herself above all others - assuming the right to judge those around her. What makes Rowlands' performance so memorable is her ability to make the audience care for this seemingly cold woman; we realize the good intentions behind her actions, as do we sense Marion's inability to see the nature of her own actions. Gene Hackman (who played the part of Harry Caul so brilliantly in 'The Conversation' - one of my favorite films) turns in an effective performance as well, although his screen time is somewhat limited. He plays the one man in Marion's life that is capable to see the passion within her. Hackman's character probably understands Marion better than anyone; and it is with regret in the end that she looks back on her missed opportunity with him. The film unfolds in a mesmerizing fashion. 'Another Woman' shows us the inside of a woman who gradually begins to lose her grip on the delusions she crafted for herself. The cinematography, done by the legendary Sven Nykvist, is among Allen's most accomplished works in color; each image flows into the next, making us almost forget the non-linear nature of the movie's almost stream-of-consciousness technique. Choosing to work in this manner, Allen became free to do anything he wanted. With 'Another Woman,' Allen has accomplished a subtle film that touches on many feelings, but comes together to form a thoroughly entertaining motion picture.
One thought-provoking question emerged from "Another woman" - "Is it better to remain in control and to not live a life of full abandonment; or to follow the heart and go through endless serial monogamous relationships if one were truly blessed with luck, decent looks, social status, power or wealth (pardon my skepticism)? What makes "Another Woman" such an effective, heart-wrenching story to watch is the inevitablity of it all. In light of the transience of love, passion, romance and male-female relationships, most women, or men for that matter,have become so jaded, and are nine times out of ten conditioned to think with nothing but their heads, to become die-hard believers of "mind over matters". And in return for the greater good of financial, and hopefully, emotional independence, a life-long process of loneliness and solitude.
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| 17. Night Moves Director: Arthur Penn | |
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Amazon.com Reviews (16)
It is a chance to see a young Melanie Griffith and James Woods though.Who would have thought at the time how well they would be paired up in the future in "Another Day in Paradise." ... Read more | |
| 18. Ghostbusters 1 & 2 Director: Ivan Reitman | |
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Reviews (13)
Enough about what features come with the DVD (like a couple of documentaries on the movie), and more about the movies themselves! Who couldn't enjoy the laughter and the magic surrounding these two movies? Both are great fun and laughs. Some guys go into business catching ghosts... wouldn't we all love to do that? How can I say more about an american classic? These movies are easily some of the best movies of all time. Any fan of the Ghostbusters should buy this DVD--trust me--it's worth every last penny.
The Original ***** Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Remis play three scientists studying supernatural phenoema. But when they are kicked out of the university, they must find a way to still study the paranormal, thus the form the Ghostbusters. At first they are low on money and business is very slow, but they soon earn their fame and success. But when all hell breaks loose across New York City, the major and law enforcement turn to their only hope- the Ghostbusters. The Sequel ***** Ghostbusters 2 was an excellent, faithful sequel that lived up to the standards of the original. Incorporating all of the original cast five years later; mostly all separated doing different jobs that correlate to their personality. Once again supernatural occurrences start to surpass the law enforcements comprehension, therefore they turn to the professionals- the Ghostbusters. This sequel is well worth watching and very enjoyable. Actually, this film is quite scary in some parts and aspects that add to it's features of comedy, suspense, and action. This sequel is definitely one you won't want to miss! The DVD- Ghostbusters 1 ***** At first there were a large batch of defective Ghostbusters 1&2 DVDs released that had many glitches including one major problem: the inability for the DVD player to detect the second half of the film. ... The Ghostbusters DVD is impressive for it's release date: 1999. The features include: The DVD- Ghostbusters 2 ** Limited features accompany this spectacular sequel that really deserved more than this vague DVD. Fans will be disappointed with the DVD's limited amount of features that only include: Pros: 1. Ghostbusters is a great classic that one will want to see again and again. Cons: 1. Ghostbusters 2 DVD was vague, despicable, ... but it did include prerequisites. Fans will be disappointed with this DVD.
Ghostbusters 1 is a great comedy that changed the way people looked at ghosts and ghost effects! These days the FX might look a bit dodgy compared to what they can do these days, but remember they didnt have the tech we have now back then, and this was breaking FX when these movies came out, and they defnitly did a great job with it! On the first disc you get a few bonus features of trailers , deleted scenes, and a few extras, and of coarse your usualy auiod commentry! The disapointing bit was I never heard the story of how Ghostbusters came about! Dan Akroyds brother really is an actualy Ghostbuster! They dont catch ghosts or do anything like in this film, but his brother is a paranormal investigator and thats were the idea for this movie began! Part 2 is a movie that wasnt too bad. but it was not as good as the first! Far from it! But at least the same cast returned and there are far worse movies out there to say it was a bad movie! It may not contain any bonus features on that disc, but its still good to have the collection of both films! Its a shame when in 1998 the go ahead for Ghostbusters 3 was cancelled. Bill Murry did not want to take place in it, at least they know that a sequll wont work without the original cast! But these 2 movies are worth getting for your collection if you enjoy paronormal comedies!
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| 19. The Million Dollar Hotel Director: Wim Wenders | |
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Of course many find the plot "too complicated" or "boring" but most of you should realize that those are the people that love movies where all the hard parts are spelled out so you don't have to think. This movie is thought provoking and after a few viewings you begin to pick up on more of the plot. I can't possibly find why many have said the acting is horrible, Milla Jovavich and Jeremy Davies play very creative and supportive roles to each other. It's obvious it's not Mel Gibson's best role but the script wasn't written for him to be the leading star. If anyone would take the time to look into more of the story behind this film (other than the DVD extras) they'd appreciate it more. The atmosphere and tone set in the movie create a chilling emotion, which the music matches quite successfully. If you're a fan of U2 then you should appreciate the soundtrack, although it's a lot less complex (than any other U2 stuff) and something to listen to on a rainy day, it's good music. I listened to the music before I saw the movie and I enjoyed it. Overall the movie is good. It's not the best movie I've ever seen but I really like the mood you get from it. In my opinion you should see it for yourself. If you're really scared about wasting a few hours then maybe you should find other things to do with your busy life than watch movies. Maybe you'll see it as a waste time maybe you'll love it, but atleast you've seen it.
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| 20. The Emperor's Club (Widescreen Edition) Director: Michael Hoffman | |
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Hundert faced various moral dilemmas during the story. The situations that led to those dilemmas and the teacher's decisions were both presented in realistic ways. Who knows how any of us would have have handled similar decisions? In fact, I saw the film with a teacher friend who remarked about the movie's accuracy, that indeed sometimes teachers must decide whether to grade a student higher than merited (to inspire) or give the appropriate grade and risk de-motivation. The best thing about The Emperor's Club was the gracefulness and subtlety in how the story was told, epitomized by its untidy yet still satisfying conclusion. It's a movie that will lead to active discussions between moviegoers after leaving the theater.
But in the end, it takes on a different contour than what I would have imagined through its course, so that was a welcome denouement. The finishing twist is delivered with a flourish, and although I felt that the writer didn't quite have the guts to follow his story to its natural, cynical conclusion, the end was surely a bit unpredictable. The story line, admittedly, is on a diet. But the script is taut. What really shimmers though is the acting. Kevin Kline is, as always, in top form, he neither underplays nor overplays his professor role getting everything just right, from his quiet, guilt-ridden introspection to the light comedy that results from a frivolous baseball game. And as the counterpart protagonist Emile Hirsch displays the arrogant bravado one expects from a bad seed student rather well. All in all, I probably wouldn't see this movie more than once, but it's a worthwhile rental. Especially to watch with kids for some decent messages about morals, discipline, friendship, respect. ... Read more | |
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