Reviews (447)

A Micraculously Provocative Must-See Cautionary Tale
Antoine Fuqua's (The Replacement Killers) exasperatingly intense, masterly evocative,
and grandly psychologically accosting crime police thriller Training Day starring
Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Macy Gray, and Snopp Doggy Dogg
commences by imprinting on the viewer an all-together familiar seedy crime melodrama.
Then this seemingly recycled cop movie equation summarily becomes estranged
from all of the genre's pre-conceived formulas, conventions, and clichés and
zestfully thrusts its audience into a Pulp Fiction-esque Twilight Zone of infinite
unknowns.

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
Washington blazes open, with one decisively unforgettably potent character,
an entirely new occupational direction for the once cinematically pure leading
good guy. In an unexpected melee of acting bravado, Washington almost appears
to be inordinately possessed with this character that is so aesthetically and
dramatically powerful that you almost forget Washington is playing it.

In a blisteringly radiant gem of a performance that should earn him an Academy
-Award nomination, Denzel plays L.A.P.D. Narcotics veteran Alonzo Harris who
in the course of a single day trains and enlightens 19-month rookie cop Jake
Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) in the increasingly sinister underbelly of drug policing
in Los Angeles. Harris initiates Boyt upon the mandatory necessity of protecting
the tax-paying sheep (the citizens) from the Narcotic predators by becoming
predators themselves. Alonzo sanctifies these views by lulling Hoyt into believing
that his skeptical pessimism is an indispensable requisite of becoming an undercover
cop, and with this premise the audience's unfathomable descent into inconceivable
darkness begins.

Encased with incredibly edgy supporting performances, invariably claustrophobic
locales, an charismatically haphazardly enticing plot, many subtly thrilling
story eccentricities, and a superbly larger than life leading performance by
Denzel Washington, Training Day transcends it's source genre to pose generally
unsettling questions with such relish and audaciousness that it still should
remain as fresh and relevant fifteen years from now.

As for Training Day's upcoming DVD edition, hopefully it will include a descent
anmorphic widescreen presentation, an Antoine Faqua commentary track, deleted
scenes, and several other fine materials to go along with such a fabulous film.

P.S. Always Pick Up a Rape Victim's Wallet

Reality Bites
Denzel Washington should be a lock for at least an Academy Award nomination as best actor in 2001 for his totally heartfelt, violent and over the top performance as a corrupt Los Angeles police narcotics officer. It's obvious that the LAPD is less than thrilled with this movie which is an amalgam of all the scandals which have rocked the department; i.e. Rodney King, 'Ramparts' for starters. Despite the potential difficulty in putting together a coherent tale the director has done his job with a film which holds the viewers' interest from the rising sun to the final scene early the next day.

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.

I hated this movie
I first of all am not a Denzel Washington fan. So my review is a little biase in the sense that I went in thinking this movie was going to be bad....and boy was it. I first want to say that Denzel Washington is a good actor he just doesn't do anything for me. I thought this movie was waaaayyyy over the top unrealistic and I could not in good consious recommend it. For one thing all the singers and rappers in the movie who can't act took away from any beliveable scenario. Ethan Hawkes character was such a wimp he had literally no back bone. Every "bad" thing that Denzels character wanted him to do he did it. I think this is one of the worse movies I ever seen. And the ending who didn't see that coming a mile away.

The "Wolf" of Action Films...
...is what you can call Training Day, the distrubing police epic starring Denzel Washington in an Oscar-winning performance.
Denzel stars as Alonzo, a very corrupt cop playing both sides of the law. He doesn't resort to evidence, or jurys, or interrogations. He just packs brutal violence into his brand of law-making.
Training day is about a young cop's training day, a day that will test if he is good enough material that can become an infamous narcotic officer. His mentor, and mental abuser, is Alonzo. During the day Alonzo sets Jake(Ethan Hawke)up, holds a gun to his head and forces him to use narcotics that destroy his mind, and he makes him assist in murder and robbery. Alonzo teses him, plays with his mind, and puts jake way over his boiling point.
In the end, Alonzo ditches Jake with a gang of Mexican hitmen, leaves him for dead, and goes back to his wife(Eva Mendes) and their son.
Jake finds Alonzo, chases him to a rooftop, and they battle for control over Alonzo's ground. It is a climatic battle of "mentor" and "student".
Training Day is brutal and disturbing to watch and digest. It will certainly make you think about the NARC squad, and will leave you feeling different than when you came in.

Overall Good
The acting is supurb by all, especially Denzel. I had some qualms about the type of character he played in order to get the statue, but actually seeing the movie put all that on the backburner. This film is not as cookie-cutter predictable as most cop dramas and in fact I was left honestly waiting to see what would happen next. There was a point where I felt the movie was dragging, but when the credits rolled I didn't feel at all cheated of my time or money. ... Read more

Reviews (136)

Great Movie To Bad It Is Based On Lies
I just watched this movie for the first time last nite, I dont know how I never heard of it, or the story of Hurricane Carter but I had not.

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.

A Movie to be seen by all!
THE HURICANE is a movie that is to be seen by all ages and members of the family. It speaks of a problem which continues to haunt American democracy--racism and prejudice. The movie communicates its story very well and there are not enough adequate words to say how excellent a job Denzel Washington did as an actor. I was very, very impresssed with the plot and acting from the very beginning and tears were in my eyes as, finally, Carter was declared innocent. To think that such blatant things can happen in the America we love in this day and age is unbelievable.

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

"And the Oscar goes to..."
Well, it should've gone to Washington for his breathtaking performance in this biopic from 2000. Washington captures the very essence of the different modes of "Hurricane" Carter, a man wrongly incarcerated for a crime that he didn't commit. Washington superbly displays the various sides of this most complex man: anger, defiance, reflection, intelligence, humility, and perseverance. As others have hypothesized, Denzel's win for "Training Day" was a reward for Academy oversights for earlier tremendous performances...and his work in "The Hurricane" ranks as one of his best.

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.

Consistant
This film always kept its focus and Denzel was supurb. The inaccuracies of the movie are to be expected because afterall, this is Hollywood's take. I don't understand why there are so many condemnations of Ruben by reviewers who are taking information from a questionable website. Of course there are documents out there that suggested he is guilty or he never would have been convicted in the first place. Whether those documents are truthful or not should be considered before wasting space on amazon, not giving any commentary on so much as the acting in the film.

Hollywood Revisionism At It's Freakin' Finest
The story is about 15% factual. Carter was set free because of two alleged procedural errors, NOT because of new evidence. His resume was 27-12-1 - high point of his career was his 1st round TKO of former welter & middleweight champion, Emile Griffith. he didn't destroy the great Emile as depicted in the movie. The fight was stopped after 3 flash knockdowns. Griffith was never dangersouly hurt, he was caught cold & never regained his legs - due to the three knockdown rule, the fight was prematurely stopped.

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

Reviews (219)

rush hour 2
Rush Hour 2 is an unbelievably hilarious, action packed, better-than-the first sequel to Rush Hour. I strongly recommend that you rent and watch the first one before you go see Rush Hour 2 because much of the humor and jokes are based on the original one, however, this is not necessary because you will catch on quickly and only miss a couple of the related jokes. Rush Hour 2 begins exactly where the first movie leaves off. If you watch both movies in order it will just seem like one long movie. This is a nice feature because it makes the movie easier to follow and understand.
Rush Hour 2 is about two detectives, Detective Lee (Jackie Chan) and Detective Carter (Chris Tucker). While on their vacation to Hong Kong Lee and Carter are called back to duty to investigate and bust an international counterfeiting ring. This is no easy task, however, as they soon find out. Carter and Lee find themselves locations around the world such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas and even Tokyo.
Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker give a perfect and encore performance doing what they do best. Jackie Chan plays the serious logical and skilled martial artist Detective Lee. Chris Tucker portrays the never serious, ego boosted LAPD officer, Detective Carter. I don't believe that this movie would have had the same punch without these talented actors working together in this fabulous duo.
The action in this movie is spectacular. As always, Jackie Chan performs unbelievable stunts during his fighting rendezvous. At one point in the movie he jumps and dives through a very tight slot, much like one at a cashiers cage. On the other hand
Chris Tucker, let's just say... is not very good at Kung Fu, but nevertheless great comical relief.
The humor in this movie is absolutely bladder busting. Ethnic and personality differences between Carter and Lee create humorous situations. For instance: Carter speaks his own version of Chinese. Obviously, he just says a bunch of random gibberish and makes himself look like a total idiot in front of a rather large group of Chinese people. Carter is quick to the tongue and is always bashing on the Chinese culture. Lee is just simply funny while acting so serious and straight-faced: A perfect contradiction.
I recommend that you go see this movie or rent it when it comes out in January 2002 It will be worth your time and money, and because it stars Jackie Chan, you will get to watch the comical, and quite painful out-takes at the end of the film during the credits. You'll laugh your way through Rush Hour 2 with its wonderful blend of action and comedy.

Feel the Rush...
A sequel that exceeds its predecessor. That in itself is an anomaly these days, but Rush Hour 2 packs enough wallop for both movies. How about some of the best lines in an action comedy in recent years? From one liners to the chemistry that has evolved between Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, this movie will make you pause the scenes until you finish laughing. Hit play again and you'll be slapped with more humor. Carter runs through downtown Hong Kong, where no one knows what he is saying, yelling, "Get outta the way! L.A.P.D!" There's a moment in Hong Kong where Carter meets up with a chicken vendor and the laughs keep coming. Rush Hour 2 opts for a more sexy approach with the Chinese massage parlor scene, and the 2 main female characters who are sure to boggle the eyes of the male population. As for action, there's plenty of it to support the clever dialogue. The movie is so realistic and unrealistic at the same time, you'll be bringing the first movie back out and panting for Rush Hour 3. I can't leave out the fact that a story goes with this and it's told quite well, and for what this movie is, it doesn't burden the high-jinks, but supports it. Simply put, Inspector Lee has an old vendetta with the man who killed his father and Carter is pulled along from Hong Kong to L.A. A few plates need to be found from a counterfeit ring using them to make a "Superbill," which is identical to a real bill. Not quite an original story, right? Well, it's all in the way you tell it and Rush Hour 2 pulls off a good time and that's what we wanted to see.

Robert Eldridge (...)

Funnier Then The First...
Slick, chaotic, and decently entertaining sequel picks up where the first movie left off. LAPD Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) is on vacation in Hong Kong with his friend, Detective Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan). Carter just wants to relax, have fun, get some "mu shu", but Lee can't stop doing his job even for a minute. This time, he's hot on the trail of gangster Ricky Tan (John Lone), who may have been behind an Embassy bombing.

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.

Terrific High energy sequel is GREEN!
Not satisfied to just build on the personalities and chemistry created in Rush Hour -RH1, this action movie delivers an inventive script and great action. I would have given 5 stars but I down grade for language.

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.

Better than the first, alot better!
Take peoples word for it when they tell you this is better than the first Rush Hour movie, even Chris Tucker is much funnier in this one. The movie is funny, not amazingly funny but you can expect for laughs than the first one. Though there's alot of stupid things in this movie it wasn't made to be serious, now really two guys fighting off 10 guys at once on several different occasions. The ending was not bad, it was a pretty cliche ending but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. After watching it, I am looking forward to a possibly Rush Hour 3 and I hope they make one, if you're into action/comedies this is a must watch. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This sprawling epic of bloodshed and excess, Brian De Palma's update of the classic 1932 crime drama by Howard Hawks, sparked controversy over its outrageous violence when released in 1983. Scarface is a wretched, fascinating car wreck of a movie, starring Al Pacino as a Cuban refugee who rises to the top of Miami's cocaine-driven underworld, only to fall hard into his own deadly trap of addiction and inevitable assassination. Scripted by Oliver Stone and running nearly three hours, it's the kind of film that can simultaneously disgust and amaze you (critic Pauline Kael wrote "this may be the only action picture that turns into an allegory of impotence"), with vivid supporting roles for Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Robert Loggia. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (539)

His Name Is Tony...
Actor Al Pacino gives a powerhouse performance in 1983's SCARFACE. Paciino plays Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee hoodlum, who quickly rises to the top of Miami's cocaine industry. On his way to the top, Tony uses any means at his disposal to get there, no matter who he hurts or betrays in the process. Pacino takes hold of the character and never lets you forget that he is "Scarface". The supporting cast is wonderful too. It features Steven Bauer, as Tony's right hand man, "Manny" Ray. Michelle Pfeiffer is Tony's girl, Elvira, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, in a role early in her acting career, plays Gina, Tony's sister.

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.

Nothing Succeeds Like Excess
Given the high-power talent behind the camera (Brian DePalma), in front of it (Al Pacino), and at the typewriter (Oliver Stone), SCARFACE should have quite a lot going for it. It does indeed, although I can't quite call this a GODFATHER-type masterpiece for certain reasons.

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.

Best Movie Ever!!!!!!!!!
This is the greatest movie that was ever created! I could not beleive how great this movie was when I saw it. Not only the movie was great but great actors like Al Pacino. If you have any money don't spend it on anything else than this movie!

WOULD YOU KISS ME IF I WEAR THE HAT!?
This is one of the greatest movies of all time and the AFI top 100 movies of all time refuses to acknowledge it. Al Pacino deserved an oscar for his portrayal of Tony Montana, the movie deserved an oscar for something yet this movie is constantly overlooked by all critics, but the cult following that it has amassed is by far more telling of it's popularity than sheer box office numbers. ask anyone on the street and they'll tell you Scarface is one of the best movies ever made, and if they don't think so they haven't seen it. So sit back, crack some hennessy and alize, light up a cigar, and enjoy one of the best movies ever made!

Classic Gangster Flick
No matter what anybody says, this has to be one of the ten best gangster movies ever made, if not in the top three. If you are a fan of this genre, Scarface is a gourmet banquet of acting, action, dialogue and intensity. And if you don't enjoy this, all I can say is I'm sorry that you're missing out. The only reason I don't give this movie 5 stars is that I don't know what to make of Giorgio Moroder's cheesy sythn soundtrack and disco tunes. If you think in the context of the movie, that 80's Cuban drug dealers might like listening to really bad disco music ("...Rush, rush to the yeyo") then this music works in the confines of the Babylon nightclub along with the bad hair, clothes, Belzer's lousy comedy and the mime. But these songs, if they had to stand on their own outside the movie, would be totally ignored. I wonder if Deborah Harry ( then at the height of fame with her band Blondie) knew when she laid down the vocals for Moroder's muzak that this song was designed as junk to suit the movie or if she thought this might boost her singing career. If you account for the disco muzak as necessary "set dressing" for the Babylon it still doesn't excuse Moroder's cheesy synth soundtrack. How much better this movie could have been if it was scored by an accomplished orchestral composer such as Morricone or Williams. If you want more proof of Moroder's shortcomings check out the soundtrack of Metropolis. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This sprawling epic of bloodshed and excess, Brian De Palma's update of the classic 1932 crime drama by Howard Hawks, sparked controversy over its outrageous violence when released in 1983. Scarface is a wretched, fascinating car wreck of a movie, starring Al Pacino as a Cuban refugee who rises to the top of Miami's cocaine-driven underworld, only to fall hard into his own deadly trap of addiction and inevitable assassination. Scripted by Oliver Stone and running nearly three hours, it's the kind of film that can simultaneously disgust and amaze you (critic Pauline Kael wrote "this may be the only action picture that turns into an allegory of impotence"), with vivid supporting roles for Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Robert Loggia. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (539)

His Name Is Tony...
Actor Al Pacino gives a powerhouse performance in 1983's SCARFACE. Paciino plays Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee hoodlum, who quickly rises to the top of Miami's cocaine industry. On his way to the top, Tony uses any means at his disposal to get there, no matter who he hurts or betrays in the process. Pacino takes hold of the character and never lets you forget that he is "Scarface". The supporting cast is wonderful too. It features Steven Bauer, as Tony's right hand man, "Manny" Ray. Michelle Pfeiffer is Tony's girl, Elvira, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, in a role early in her acting career, plays Gina, Tony's sister.

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.

Nothing Succeeds Like Excess
Given the high-power talent behind the camera (Brian DePalma), in front of it (Al Pacino), and at the typewriter (Oliver Stone), SCARFACE should have quite a lot going for it. It does indeed, although I can't quite call this a GODFATHER-type masterpiece for certain reasons.

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.

Best Movie Ever!!!!!!!!!
This is the greatest movie that was ever created! I could not beleive how great this movie was when I saw it. Not only the movie was great but great actors like Al Pacino. If you have any money don't spend it on anything else than this movie!

WOULD YOU KISS ME IF I WEAR THE HAT!?
This is one of the greatest movies of all time and the AFI top 100 movies of all time refuses to acknowledge it. Al Pacino deserved an oscar for his portrayal of Tony Montana, the movie deserved an oscar for something yet this movie is constantly overlooked by all critics, but the cult following that it has amassed is by far more telling of it's popularity than sheer box office numbers. ask anyone on the street and they'll tell you Scarface is one of the best movies ever made, and if they don't think so they haven't seen it. So sit back, crack some hennessy and alize, light up a cigar, and enjoy one of the best movies ever made!

Classic Gangster Flick
No matter what anybody says, this has to be one of the ten best gangster movies ever made, if not in the top three. If you are a fan of this genre, Scarface is a gourmet banquet of acting, action, dialogue and intensity. And if you don't enjoy this, all I can say is I'm sorry that you're missing out. The only reason I don't give this movie 5 stars is that I don't know what to make of Giorgio Moroder's cheesy sythn soundtrack and disco tunes. If you think in the context of the movie, that 80's Cuban drug dealers might like listening to really bad disco music ("...Rush, rush to the yeyo") then this music works in the confines of the Babylon nightclub along with the bad hair, clothes, Belzer's lousy comedy and the mime. But these songs, if they had to stand on their own outside the movie, would be totally ignored. I wonder if Deborah Harry ( then at the height of fame with her band Blondie) knew when she laid down the vocals for Moroder's muzak that this song was designed as junk to suit the movie or if she thought this might boost her singing career. If you account for the disco muzak as necessary "set dressing" for the Babylon it still doesn't excuse Moroder's cheesy synth soundtrack. How much better this movie could have been if it was scored by an accomplished orchestral composer such as Morricone or Williams. If you want more proof of Moroder's shortcomings check out the soundtrack of Metropolis. ... Read more

Description

In CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, Harrison Ford returns as intrepid CIA agent Jack Ryan.When his mentor, Admiral Greer (Jones), becomes gravely ill, Ryan is appointed acting CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence.His first assignment: investigate the murder of one of the President's friends, a prominent U.S. businessman with secret ties to Colombian drug cartels.Unbeknownst to Ryan, the CIA has already dispatched a deadly field operative (Dafoe) to lead a paramilitary force against the Colombian drug lords.Caught in the crossfire, Ryan takes matters into his own hands, risking his career and life for the only cause he still believes in -- the truth. ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Wars Abroad, Wars At Home
Clear And Present Danger is the third Tom Clancy novel, featuring hero Jack Ryan, to be made into a movie. The story deals with the war on drugs and corruption in the government. The end result is a better film than Patriot Games, taking its cues more from the original novel, than that film did.

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

Ryan, The Drug Cartels, And CIA Abuse
The third installment in the cinematic series based on Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan, CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER is a long but engrossing political action thriller that once again puts Harrison Ford, the thinking man's action film actor, in the role of Ryan.

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.

Best Clancy Movie
Out of the four Tom Clancy/Jack Ryan movies, I think Clear and Present Danger is easily the best. Harrison Ford is one of my favorite actors, and even though he's made some dreck in recent years, his string of successes post-Star Wars and Indiana Jones reached their peak around this time.
The story of the film revolves around the U.S. war on drugs, attempting to stop the flow at the source of production in Colombia. To this end, Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan becomes caught up in the action along with the always-great Willem DaFoe as CIA agent Clark. Just about all of the actors in this movie are great, including Joaquim de Almeida, Donald Moffat, Henry Czerny (the slime dripping off his character might damage your TV), and Raymond Cruz.
Not only is this one of my favorite spy/government intrigue movies, but it's just flat-out one of my favorite movies. Great story, great actors, great movie. Highly recommended.

Not even close
Once there was a man named Jack Ryan. That's about where the similarities to the book end.

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.

The Best Jack Ryan on the Screen, and with Good Reason!
Harrison Ford isn't the person who wrote this story, Tom Clancy is. But, Harrison Ford is the perfect Jack Ryan, a spy with a conscience and a man who does the right thing not the expeditious thing. While this is not close to his biggest role or hit, he plays the character, Jack Ryan, as perfectly as he can be portrayed in a movie. He gives the right feeling to his character, the right indignation to wrongs done in the name of Patriotism and Justice, and portrays the right kind of patriotism to the fullest. But, the rest of the cast is also well played, including the good guys, Clark, Chavez, and James Earl Jones' character, and the bad guys, the President and his sleazy administration, as well as the drug dealers. Tom Clancy wrote a great book with this one and the book is well served by the overall excellence of the movie. I strongly recommend the movie to fans of Harrison Ford, Tom Clancy, and William Dafoe. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I HAVE EVER SEEN...
The first time I saw this movie was when it was in theatrical release, (which lasted about a week). I was in a movie theater in Times Square with a friend, and there were only two other people in the audience. Al Frankin has referred to this movie as a "disaster" because it was pulled from theaters after not even reaching one million dollars. Note to Al: THIS MOVIE IS NOT A FALIURE!

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.

He doesn't really save his family, but...
Sadly, a lot of folks have never heard of this little gem. It had a very short theatrical release but has been gaining a wider audience, largely among members of 12-step programs, through its various video releases.

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.

Great Great Movie
I absolutely love this movie! I watch it everytime I am frustrated with my family and always end up feeling a little bit better. Other than making us laugh, this movie teaches us that at some point it's ok to separate ourselves from our family's problems and that we have to accept that we can't fix everything for everyone that we care about. I was happily surprised that this movie contained more than obvious humor, it actually has heart!!

If you've ever been a member of a 12-Step Program...
If you're ever been or are now a member of a 12-Step Program you'll find this movie wildly entertaining. Sadly, the humor so evident in this film is so common amongst many familes struggling with relatives of addictions. Key words here are : affirmations, 12-Step, intervention, codependency, and many others to mention here.

A Jewel of a Movie
It's sad when I mention scenes in this movie at work and I get a "huh?" Very few people has bothered to see this movie and I think they're missing something. I found it poignant, funny and subtle. It it has some of the best one-liners and a rather sad but well written ending. Any grown-up out there (belonging to a dysfunctional family) still trying to stay with the concept of "family holiday gathering" should do what Stuart ultimately did in the end. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Scarface (1983)
This sprawling epic of bloodshed and excess, Brian De Palma's update of the classic 1932 crime drama by Howard Hawks, sparked controversy over its outrageous violence when released in 1983. Scarface is a wretched, fascinating car wreck of a movie, starring Al Pacino as a Cuban refugee who rises to the top of Miami's cocaine-driven underworld, only to fall hard into his own deadly trap of addiction and inevitable assassination. Scripted by Oliver Stone and running nearly three hours, it's the kind of film that can simultaneously disgust and amaze you (critic Pauline Kael wrote "this may be the only action picture that turns into an allegory of impotence"), with vivid supporting roles for Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Robert Loggia. --Jeff Shannon

Scarface (1932)
Howard Hawks's Scarface was one of the first "talkies" to reclaim the fluidity of the late-silent masterpieces, while also tapping into a feral new energy that came with talking smart and moving smarter on the motion picture screen. Outgunning such contemporaries as Little Caesar and The Public Enemy--in terms of both its ferocious death-dealing and dynamic style--the movie was interfered with by censors and kept out of circulation for decades thanks to its eccentric producer, Howard Hughes. It remains the gold standard among classic gangster pictures. Paul Muni's portrayal of Al Capone surrogate Tony Camonte etched a screen original: a merciless assassin who's not only reflexively criminal but pre-civilized, almost pre-evolutionary, a simian shadow ready to rub out the world if he can't have it for his own. This is still one of the greatest, darkest, most deeply exciting films American cinema has produced. Those demonically ubiquitous X's--starting with that titular scar gouged into Tony's cheek--rival "Rosebud" for resonance. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (539)

His Name Is Tony...
Actor Al Pacino gives a powerhouse performance in 1983's SCARFACE. Paciino plays Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee hoodlum, who quickly rises to the top of Miami's cocaine industry. On his way to the top, Tony uses any means at his disposal to get there, no matter who he hurts or betrays in the process. Pacino takes hold of the character and never lets you forget that he is "Scarface". The supporting cast is wonderful too. It features Steven Bauer, as Tony's right hand man, "Manny" Ray. Michelle Pfeiffer is Tony's girl, Elvira, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, in a role early in her acting career, plays Gina, Tony's sister.

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.

Nothing Succeeds Like Excess
Given the high-power talent behind the camera (Brian DePalma), in front of it (Al Pacino), and at the typewriter (Oliver Stone), SCARFACE should have quite a lot going for it. It does indeed, although I can't quite call this a GODFATHER-type masterpiece for certain reasons.

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.

Best Movie Ever!!!!!!!!!
This is the greatest movie that was ever created! I could not beleive how great this movie was when I saw it. Not only the movie was great but great actors like Al Pacino. If you have any money don't spend it on anything else than this movie!

WOULD YOU KISS ME IF I WEAR THE HAT!?
This is one of the greatest movies of all time and the AFI top 100 movies of all time refuses to acknowledge it. Al Pacino deserved an oscar for his portrayal of Tony Montana, the movie deserved an oscar for something yet this movie is constantly overlooked by all critics, but the cult following that it has amassed is by far more telling of it's popularity than sheer box office numbers. ask anyone on the street and they'll tell you Scarface is one of the best movies ever made, and if they don't think so they haven't seen it. So sit back, crack some hennessy and alize, light up a cigar, and enjoy one of the best movies ever made!

Classic Gangster Flick
No matter what anybody says, this has to be one of the ten best gangster movies ever made, if not in the top three. If you are a fan of this genre, Scarface is a gourmet banquet of acting, action, dialogue and intensity. And if you don't enjoy this, all I can say is I'm sorry that you're missing out. The only reason I don't give this movie 5 stars is that I don't know what to make of Giorgio Moroder's cheesy sythn soundtrack and disco tunes. If you think in the context of the movie, that 80's Cuban drug dealers might like listening to really bad disco music ("...Rush, rush to the yeyo") then this music works in the confines of the Babylon nightclub along with the bad hair, clothes, Belzer's lousy comedy and the mime. But these songs, if they had to stand on their own outside the movie, would be totally ignored. I wonder if Deborah Harry ( then at the height of fame with her band Blondie) knew when she laid down the vocals for Moroder's muzak that this song was designed as junk to suit the movie or if she thought this might boost her singing career. If you account for the disco muzak as necessary "set dressing" for the Babylon it still doesn't excuse Moroder's cheesy synth soundtrack. How much better this movie could have been if it was scored by an accomplished orchestral composer such as Morricone or Williams. If you want more proof of Moroder's shortcomings check out the soundtrack of Metropolis. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There were two movies about murder and the U.S. presidency released in 1997, and when you compare it to Absolute Power, this one is clearly the lesser of the two. That doesn't mean it's a bad movie, but it does make it a mildly disappointing one, and it illustrates the hazards of crafting a film to fit the persona of its leading man. In this case, you've got Wesley Snipes, a young, savvy man of action, playing a Washington, D.C., police detective assigned to investigate the murder of a woman in the White House. The president's son is a prime suspect, but there's a cover-up underway that forces Snipes to intensify his investigation beyond normal parameters. For a while at least, this makes Murder at 1600 a sharp and interesting film, and while the national security advisor (Alan Alda) seems highly cooperative (but don't be so sure), Snipes meets a secret service member (Diane Lane) who shares his belief in a high-level conspiracy. Unfortunately, that's when the film takes a downward plunge, resorting to a series of thriller clichés including an unlikely chase through secret tunnels beneath the White House. We're not suggesting this couldn't happen, but it's the kind of thing you typically see in movies that have run out of original ideas before they're over. Kinda makes you want to watch Absolute Power again, doesn't it? --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Identity crisis leaves Murder at 1600 unsolvable mess
Murder at 1600 is an unsolvable mess that suffers from a severe identity crisis. It starts out with the murder of a White House staffer and ends up with everyday cop Wesley Snipes and his Secret Service counterpart Diane Lane trying save the nation from a constitutional crisis. Therein lies the problem with Murder at 1600: it is really two not very good movies in one. The first half is rather ho-hum, but is still believable; Snipes wades through bureaucratic bull while investigating the death of a White House intern. The second half is pure fantasy, livened up with shoot'um up action, as the trail of crumbs leads to an incredibly dumb conclusion. If the producers of Murder at 1600 could have decided which direction to go, they would have had an average, but entertaining movie. Instead, we get a movie that is average and not entertaining.

Good movie. Great picture quality, Great Sound quality
The story about a DC cop (Snipes) investigates murder of a young woman in the White House. Everybody is a suspect including the President and his son. The story is quite good and Dwight Little direction keeps the film interesting all the way. The DVD sound and picture quality is very good. This movie also features my favorite actress, Diane Lane. She is so good in the role of Secret service. I am so disappointed she was not even considered to replace Jodie Foster in the sequel of Silence of the lamb (Julianne Moore got the part). The producer should have seen this movie before made the decision. Anyway it is a great entertaining DVD to be added to your collection. You won't be sorry.

BILL CLINTON'S CRIMES?
"Murder at 1600" had me thinking that somebody read my screenplay, "A Murderous Campaign", used my idea but gave me no credit. Maybe. This plays on the public perception that Bill Clinton might just be a murderer. However, the President bears no resemblance to Clinton and the film does not take a partisan tone, although Alan Alda seems to be a caricatured right wing militarist.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

An impressive, tantalizing thriller
Once again I find myself praising a movie that a majority of folks seem to view as average at best. Murder at 1600 is a serious movie that you can't take too seriously, not if you want to enjoy it. Wesley Snipes has a few humorous bits, and Dennis Miller is his normally wisecracking self, and I think the movie perhaps benefits from this remote air of unreality due to its subject matter - after all, the brutal murder of a young woman inside the White House is some pretty serious stuff. The other main aspect of the film, which supplies the motive for the murder in the first place, is - granted - a little bit out there, and that is where the subtle sense of unreality pays dividends; without it, it would really be hard to get from here to there.

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.

Alda gets to show a different side of "Hawkeye"
Any movie that allows former-M*A*S*H star Alan Alda to play against type is worth a look.

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

Reviews (103)

Guns, guys and horses!
Ok, if you want something historically accurate this film is not for you. But its not supposed to be accurate; its supposed to entertain , and boy, it does just that!
Right from the starting scene in a civil war battlefield and on to the end, the thrills never stop. It'll have you sitting on the edge of your chair or jumping up and down in excitement all the way through!
Farrell is an excellant Jesse (and very handsome too!), set off well by Scott Caan's equally brilliant Cole Younger. When Frank and Jesse James Return to Liberty, Missouri after the civil war, they find things greatly changed. The railroad is heading West and it needs their land. Jesse and Frank refuse to sell and create a spread of rebellion throughout their village. After seeing their Ma brutally murdered by the railroad men, the James brothers join forces with the Youngers and begin careers as outlaws in order to stop the railroad's advance.
The film does have a slightly romantic edge in the form of Zie, Jesse's beautiful fiancee (Ali Larter).
American Outlaws is equal to Pirates of the Caribbean for excitement, yet being shorter it doesn't even drag in the slightest. Infact, its only fault has to be that it lacks a Jack Sparrow, but with Bob Younger's wisecracks you scarcely notice it.
If, like me, you lost your heart to the West long ago you'd be a fool to miss this film. Even if you ain't lost your heart to nobody, you'd still be a fool.
So cowboys, saddle up; Let's Ride!!

A shallow movie for shallow viewers
This is to movies what "Springtime For Hitler" was to plays.

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.

Okay, if you can get past the modern accents and dumb girl
The action scenes in this movie are GREAT. I can get past all the other stupid stuff in this movie just to watch those. I think they should have cut out the part where they come back home and chat with all their friends because that just slows down the movie, but once you get past all that, the movie just keeps you jumping in your seat. Yes, the actors' lines are kind of dumb in some parts (only SOME parts!!) and Ali Larter is not the best actress, and sometimes Colin Farrell forgets he's not supposed to be Irish in this movie and Scott Caan still sounds too much like he's not out of high school yet- but hey it's not all that bad. There's a good plot and lots of humour and good fight scenes. If you're not a super overly critical and picky person you'll find yourself a decent movie that's entertaining and has a good ending. The Special Features are great. They give you a lot of inside info into the making which is always a treat to watch after seeing a good movie. Go for it!

BAD, VERY BAD
Can somebody believe those baby face actors, look like tough cowboys? I've always seen men playing cowboys in films, not smooth-faced teens. And who had the idea to put a rap in a western movie? If Colin Farrel wants to be a good actor he musn't accept these characters, and Scott Caan is very far from be that good actor his father is. And Ali LArter? She looks like a Barbie in cowgirl disguise, it takes more than a pretty face and whipped cream bikini to be a good actress.

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.

The South might've won...
I liked the movie American Outlaws. Even though hollywood took its creative liberties or whatever you want to call it with the historical facts, it still was an awesome movie! The Younger farm was in Lee's Summit, MO and the James farm was in Kearney, MO definitely more than a days ride by horse between the two. Other than that it is a story told by the southerners and southern sympathizers from the north. This is definitely the story we didn't hear in the yankee schools of the north. If you're looking for a cool western with the look and feel of the civil war and young america in missouri, then this is for you. My favorite was Gabriel Macht, who portrayed Frank James. All the characters played well off of each other but his character held the gang together he was the intelligent calm voice of reason. So enjoy this is a funny dramatic western all rolled up into one! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good Action With goldberg;s sense of humor is a good combo
A fast talking smart mouth cop investigates a cocaine ring who specalizes in a lethal form of cocaine and sells it to the highest bidder. Basically what the viewer has here is the female version of BEVERLY HILLS COP With Goldberg having the same dialouge Eddie Murphy had. The violence and bloodflow never stops from the opening scene right to the climatic finale. The best part was the massive shoot out in the mall. The film has one weak point Sam Elliot, wasn;t really convincing as a bodyguard who ends up falling for Goldberg. Whoopi Goldberg pulled off a very funny genuine performance. The film is worth seeing and is much,much better than BURGLER realased the same year.

One of my favorite Whoopi films
I'm surprised at the bad review Amazon gave this. I really enjoy watching the film over and over. Whoopi is as funny as ever in her "character" rolls and the drama adds another dimension. There is profanity, but not inappropiate to the movie. I think she did a great job and if you liked Jumpin' Jack Flash, I think you'll like this one. ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Tom Keogh...SHOVE IT!!
OK, Tom's review is by far one of the worst that I have seen for this movie...I can't believe it was posted. He obviously is not a Ghostbuster fan, but if you are a fan of the first movie, you will definately love this flick. Ironically Dana Barrett(Sigorney Weever) is suckered in by the world of the supernatural again, and who else but the Ghostbusters to help her...and her baby, Oscar(yes, like the hotdog), out of a fix with Vigo the Carpathian. It's a great movie to sit down with the family and eat popcorn on a Friday night with or to sit and watch by yourself. Very entertaining, and the comedic chemistry of Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Dan Akroyd, and Ernie Hudson add together to make one of the best films of the 89 year. Loads of fun! This one goes a little further, because it has a massive river of slime, and the bathtub tries to eat Dana and her baby. Great stuff. I hope you enjoy this movie as much as I have over the past few years that I have owned it. So, if you have a night with the family, make it a GB night. :^)

Ghostbusters II
So, after risking their lives by crossing the streams and barely averting NYC from a disaster of biblical proportions, the guys in grey are sued out of business and shunted off into their own stupid little jobs. Even Dana Barett, the love interest from the first movie, has a baby, but w/o Venkman, who now runs a shoddy psychic talk show.
But when the guys are called into court over charges of Ray's causing a power outage, two dead killers return from the grave to menace the judge and jury. Reluctantly, the recalcitrant judge rescinds the previous sentence and the guys are back, blasting away and having a whole new car.
Unfortunately, while it has a strong start and good performances, the plot holds up like a wet paper bag. Never boring, but a bit of an anticlimax, especially with the end villain. Zhuul and Vinz Clortho are far superior to Vigo's half-possessing of Ray and a museum clerk, and the end battle doesn't make much use of his supposedly wizard-like abilities.
Final Analysis: While have a good start and entertaining performances, Ghostbusters II, unlike its predecessor, is a film that doesn't really pull you in (if you'll pardon the pun).

'Busting Makes Me Feel Good! (A lot Less In This Movie)
One of the main problems with GHOSTBUSTERS II is that it came out five years too late and that everything from the first film was invalid. In the first film the Ghostbusters literally save New York City and were heroes. In the sequel, we find out that that they are prohibited from "ghostbusting" and owe the city a hefty bill for the destruction incurred at "spook central" (Dana Barrett's /Sigourney Weaver apartment building near Central Park from the first movie). In the sequel, they have to literally start from scratch to re-establish themselves along with a new Ghostbusters logo. The rest of the plot is interestingly inventive but not as thrilling or memorable as from the original Ghostbusters (who can forget Gozer, Zhule, the Stay Puft Marshmellow Man). The heroes have to stop an evil spirit from the 16th Century, Vigo the Carpathian (currently inhabiting a painting of his own image being restored at a museum by Dana Barrett). He wants to come back to life by taking over Dana Barrett's baby boy, Oscar while "enlisting" the aid of Dana's boss,Janosz (an annoying Peter MacNicol with a european accent). At the same time his evil presence is oozing pink ectoplasmic slime (the first movie had green slime) being fed by all the negative vibes in New York City. Also,as in the first movie, the antagonizer against the Ghostbusters business was a man from the EPA (which was hilariously original and inventive), in this film it's the the mayor's campaign manager (Kurt Fuller). GHOSTBUSTERS II's production values and special effects are excellent along with the chemistry and comraderie among the cast and characters. However, it feels like it could have been a preliminary draft of ideas for it's characters instead of a sequel (i.e. The Statue of Liberty compared to the Stay-Puft Marshmellow Man). The filmmakers should have taken out the "trying to re-establish themselves" plot from the script, and concentrate on a more inventive and earth-shattering storyline which is the point of any sequel. The hype on the first GHOSTBUSTERS poster states "Coming This Summer To Save The World" and the film lived up to that hype. GHOSTBUSTERS II did not have that kind of atmosphere. Lastly, as stated earlier, the film came out five years too late. To show what five year can do, in the first film, there was a catchy pop tune by Ray Parker, Jr. In this film, it is replaced by an unmemorable rap song...rap had become contemporary by the time the film was released.

The Funniest Movie Ever!
The funniest part of this movie was when a lady's mink coat came alive. I liked the way the ghostbusters sucked up ghosts.
If you liked the Gremlins, you'll enjoy this movie.

Good...
Being such a huge fan of this film's predecessor, I was bound to be somewhat overtly critical of the sequel. Ghostbusters 2 is by far not a bad movie, but it could've been a lot better. On a creative level, the script/plot is basically the same as the first movie... It's kinda like watching the first one, just throw a baby into the mix. A rehash, you could say. Anyway, it isn't all that bad. The jokes are funny, performances are strong... More could've been done with the script and plot basically to make it more unique and original. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

KEATON'S BEST ROLE (X FOUR)!
This is a frequently funny movie with some improbable situations thrown around the central fact that Keaton is cloned repeatedly in an effort to do his job, help out with the housework and maybe, just maybe, get to drive a golf ball once in awhile. Andie MacDowell is simply beautiful and beautifully perplexed as his wife who, in one crazy night, gets ravished by all the clones breaking "rule #1", just one of many hilarious set pieces. Keaton is all over the place and, considering the premise, he does well here (his double-takes are classic) so the only question is, "Whatever happened to...Michael Keaton?" Our family's favorite!

Poses an interesting scenario
This is definitely an original premise for a film, and the casting was dead on in selecting Michael Keaton, as he puts his comedic talent to excellent use in Multiplicity. The movie presents an interesting perspective of cloning and what may occur in its aftermath. Utter hilarity ensues as each clone displays unique personality traits - one is a tough armchair-quarterback type, another a male Martha Stewart, and the fourth - a copy of a copy - needs to be seen to be believed. The film was co-written and directed by Harold Ramis, and as far as comedy is concerned you can't go wrong with most of his work. The script holds together pretty well considering that it was a four person collaboration. My favorite scene was probably the one where Andie MacDowell is in the mood and encounters each of the clones - that scene is worth the price of admission. This movie deserved more of a push than it received - it's worth checking out if you are a fan of any of the participants.

One times one is two. That's Multiplicity.
Seeking simplicity causes complexity in the movie Multiplicity. An over-worked construction contractor's life gets even more hectic when his homemaker wife decides to return to the workplace. He seeks relief by delegating his work and domestic duties to clones. But, a new brand of chaos ensues when the natural order is disturbed. The life lesson taught in the movie is captured in one line, "About quality time with your family? It's all quality time." Michael Keaton is superb in his four diverse roles: the macho workaholic, the sensitive husband and father, the mental deficient, and the original Doug Kinney. This is a must see comedy worthy of every star.

Stinker
I thought this movie was boring and when they do the 'clone of a clone' thing it was a cue for some jokes at the expense of the mentally impaired that really are in very, very poor taste.

Aren't comedies supposed to be funny?

Too Cute
Michael Keaton is truly funny in this. He never has enough time, so he decides to clone himslef..The clone then clones itself...It gets funnier with each clone! hahah "Hey Steve..I like Pizza" ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Good but a little white-washed
This PBS documentary is loaded with clips from Lenny's long career, and captures many of his great moments on film. There are also the requisite interviews with people fawning over him. No mention of the extremely negative (often deservedly so) reviews he got in his early days at the helm of the NYPO, or the sordid story of how he wrestled the top job there away from Dmitri Mitropoulos by "outing" him when he himself was flagrantly bisexual. What he did to his wife, emotionally, in her final years, is only briefly hinted at. The whole Tom Wolfe/Radical Chic incident is also only glossed over in about a minute, and the effects this and other "anti-Lenny" incidents had on his psyche are barely mentioned. His depression is talked about, but the reasons behind it are not. But TV documentaries usually skim the surface this way, and the real treat is in the performances and interviews captured here. This is a great two hours for any Bernstein lover. They may not learn anything new, but they'll have a wonderful time reliving the old.

"Lenny in Retrospect"
Leonard Bernstein is perhaps one of the greatest men to stand on any podium, anywhere in the world. One gets a sense of how much larger than life he was through watching this video. The video provides a poignant look into his family life, and how much of his work was influenced by his personal life. Like any man Bernstein had to grapple with outward, and inner personal turmoil which is highlighted in this video. The Chichester Psalms allowed him to get further in touch with his Jewish roots, something that he was very proud of. Clips from rehearsals around the globe are included, as well as personal family home video footage. This video is a must for any home library, and especially for any Bernstein fan.

Reaching for Lenny
"They don't make 'em like they used to." This phrase can certainly apply to Leonard Bernstein: conductor, composer, teacher, humanitarian, and complex individual. Bernstein worked hard to knock classical music and opera from their pedestals and make those genres accessible to ordinary people, while according popular music and jazz the same respect as classical and opera. Whether it was his charisma, sense of humor, good looks, "Renaissance Man" attitude, or a combination of all these elements, Bernstein still has no peer in attempting this feat. Maybe it's just not "lucrative enough" in our corporate-oriented, essentially conservative, times.

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.

Not as good as I expected
I was a bit disappointed by this release., especially considering PBS' impeccable credentials. The very beginning set my expectations very high : slow-motion, artsily fuzzy sequences from Bernstein's funeral cortège through the street of NY, touchingly commented by his son. Very intense, but also very telling of the overall approach of the movie : the man first , and then the musician. It's not an easy task because, as those interested into this great composer-conductor know well, Bernstein was a very complicated, troubled and sometimes puzzling man. In this respect the video is very nicely done: it's pretty straighforward about potentially controversial issues like L.B.'s depressions or bisexuality, without sounding gossipy or trashy. All these aspects are described though lenghty interviews with L.B.' s son and daughters. This has obvious advantages but also shortcomings : I would have liked to hear somebody from outside the family, somebody less viscerally involved, so to say. I also liked the way the video gives us, through the Bernstein family's home movies, a fascinating idea of the life of the post-war American cultural elite. There are flaws, though. First of all, to apply the definition of "motion picture" to this documentary is, sometimes, kind of a stretch: the viewer spends decidedly too much time staring at vintage photographs with an audio commentary not especially related to them. This is actually baffling, because I don't think there has ever been a more filmed or recorded artist than L.B. and it's hard to believe that PBS could not obtain the rights on more video performances from Deutsche Grammophon, Sony/CBS and whoever else. Through the narration we learn about L.B.'s ascent to prominence and his lifelong internal struggle between the great conductor he was and the great composer he desperately wanted to be, but there aren't enough visual demonstrations of the great music that flowed from this troubled soul. And we don't get much of the legendary impact of a Bernstein performance either. In this respect the few interviews to musicians don't help much, being for the most part ridicolously brief (average 2 minutes) : a world-class maestro like Andre' Previn is just allowed the time to say that "L.B. was the figure who had the greatest influence on American music". Thank you very much. I don't want to seem harsh on this video: it's what I would call a "classy" product, and

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".

An Essential American Musician
For many of us growing up, Leonard Bernstein *was* American music. This excellent, thrilling PBS biography captures the essence of Bernstein. He was flamboyant as an actor at the podium, but it never seemed forced. And his performances seemed to intensify the music--he was like the speaker in "Spinal Tap" that went up to 11 instead of just 10. Watching this, you begin to feel as music-intoxicated as Bernstein himself must have been. This documentary doesn't whitewash his dark side--substance abuse, ridiculous radical-chic politics, a certain predatory sexuality, and the deep unhappiness that struck him in middle age (after he had the world at his feet.) As he turns 70, you can see the dissipation written all over his face. But he was a man with great musical gifts who changed American culture, and this fast-paced video captures that very well. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This underrated film is by far Woody Allen's most satisfying I-wish-I-were-Ingmar Bergman movie, and in its elegantly constrained fashion it teems with imagination--not to mention a glorious cast. Gena Rowlands plays a philosophy professor who, subletting an apartment as a writing office, finds that the confidences murmured to her psychiatrist neighbor are audible through the air vents. In particular, the fears and desperation of a younger, very pregnant woman (Mia Farrow) trigger a stream of reveries regarding the professor's own life, past romances, and troubled family. Some of these seem to be straightforward memories (though we take too much for granted, and that's part of the point); others are theatrically stylized, with different actors taking over roles initiated by others (Rowlands sometimes appears in long-ago flashbacks, trading off with Margaret Marx as her younger self).

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 ... Read more

Reviews (11)

AWESOME is an understatement...
This is an absolutely awe-inspiring film from Woody Allen.
Not in any way a lighthearted romp, this is rather a soul-wrenching film which literally forced me to re-evaluate my life, as it does on each subsequent viewing (of which there have been many).
Not giving away any plot details, suffice it to say that Gena Rowlands is simply magnificent here. In a mere 80+ minutes, you will be convinced, as am I, that this is one of our greatest living actresses and a true legend (for another great Rowlands performance, do not miss Cassavettes' earlier "A Woman Under the Influence").
If you are in any way thoughtful and/or introspective about your life and what you've accomplished (or haven't accomplished), do NOT miss this. Also: be prepared to look at yourself not as you perceive yourself, but rather as OTHERS see you, which (for me anyway) was very disconcerting but also extremely enlightening.
This is one of a handful of truly great modern dramatic films which literally raised the bar for all filmmakers to come.

Gena Rowlands and Sandy Dennis--Legends
I think I may have reviewed the video version of this, but it won't hurt to review it again. The extras on this DVD are fairly useless, but who cares? It's just fantastic to have a sharp digital copy of this classic film. It's my favorite by Woody Allen (just behind Interiors, Crimes and Misdemeanors and Annie Hall). Of course THE reason to watch this film is the great Gena Rowlands and Sandy Dennis. Yes, folks, it's dark and depressing and sometimes painful to watch. The dialogue could have been tweaked, but my, oh, my when it works it is devastating. The encounter between Rowlands and Dennis (who play estranged friends) at a bar is one of the best written and acted scenes ever committed to celuloid. This was Sandy Dennis' last film and she tears through that moment with such visceral rage. The complexity of this one scene reverberates throughout the film. Rowland's character, Marion, is a by-the-book, emotionally cold college professor. Through wonderfully observed flashbacks (that defy time and logic really)we discover that Marion was once a passionate artist and student and now all that is buried under a thick layer of delusion. Her life and the things happening around her are not what they seem, but she is has deluded herself for so long that it all slips by her. The supporting work here is, of course top notch. Gene Hackman is brilliant as a man who once loved Marion, Ian Holme is letter perfect as her proper husband, Betty Buckley has a one scene cameo that sets the tone early on for much of the story. One of the best movies ever made.

Mature Woody
Woody Allen's seventeenth film, 'Another Woman,' is one of his greatest accomplishments. While one can argue that it owes thematic and visual debts to Ingmar Bergman, Allen's work here remains solely his own. In numerous interviews, Allen claimed to feel more attracted to serious, dramatic works than to comedic ones - it just so happened that he was given a talent for comedy. In 'Another Woman,' Allen proves he has the potential to be a great dramatic filmmaker. After seeing this film, one wishes that he had devoted more time to creating works such as this (although he does have two other dramatic masterpieces: 'Interiors' and 'September').

'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.

To Be....Or Not To Be
This is definitely Woodman's best "serious" movie, from conceptualisation (in-depth understanding of what contemporary women want), to casting (Gena Rowland was superb, always evoking the much-needed sympathy of her plight; not least supporting players like John Houseman et al).

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.

Semplicemente uno dei miei dieci film preferiti...
Romantico, struggente...
Dedicato a tutte le donne e a tutti gli uomini che vogliono conoscere meglio la loro parte femminile.
Una donna sposata con un uomo sbagliato che incontra l'uomo giusto...
La mia frase preferita: "E non saprai mai se un ricordo rappresenta qualcosa che hai avuto o che hai, invece, perduto per sempre..."
Colonna sonora perfetta...il lead motif in piano, anche ascoltato separatamente dal film, non può non far piangere... ... Read more

Amazon.com

This vastly underrated Arthur Penn film from the mid-1970s ranks as one of the era's nastiest and most fascinating pieces of business, a detective story that shuttles back and forth between Hollywood and the Florida Keys, with a plot nearly as complex as Chinatown. Gene Hackman stars as a tired, aging private eye who, as a favor to a friend, agrees to track down a runaway teen. But the case turns out to be something much larger: a smuggling ring of Mayan antiquities. The human impulses get darker and darker and Hackman's character gets pulled in deeper and deeper, even as his own life is falling apart. Ultimately, in one of his best and most unsung performances, Hackman winds up hurting the people he is trying to help. A great cast includes Susan Clark, Jennifer Warren, a young James Woods, and very young Melanie Griffith. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (16)

smile because this a great flick
and michael ritchie's smile is melanie griffith's first flick.not as big a role as this one, but she has a few lines and a couple great scenes in the movie, including the final shot.so check out that flick and check out this flick, cuz the 70s and actors like gene hackman and bruce dern and directors like micheal ritchie and arthur penn RULE.

To the poster below
Ummm...to the poster below: Cherry 2000 came out in the 80's.This is from the 70's.Don't correct when the correcting is wrong.Enough about that though, just watch this movie.A bonafide classic in a world of diminishing expectations when it comes to flicks.

Just a correction!!!!!!!
Just a comment THIS IS NOT MELINES FIRST MOVIE , HER FIRST MOVIE
WAS " CHERRY 2000 "

Tangled up in the Watergate-era Blues
Film-noir, cynical thriller, jaded mystery,...Night Moves is all those things. There were many conspiracy saturated films after Watergate but Penns film is perhaps even darker because it finds the seed of corruption in every aspect of American life .Everyone is in some way morally compromised and if not yet corrupt getting very near to being so. And they start young. A very young Melanie Griffith plays the runaway teen who seems perfectly capable of finding her way as well as getting her way and doesn't really need any finding. Gene Hackman plays the detective doing the family a favor. And James Woods plays what at first seems like a villainous role but there are no easy gradations in this film. Everything and everyone operates in their own grey area. There is no high ground.
The locations are perfectly chosen. L.A. and the Florida Keys each have a wonderfully seedy resonance in any film goers mind. The locations are wonderful surfaces which barely conceal thedirty secrets seething just below the water line.Hackman tracks Griffith from L.A. to the Keys and there encounters the very sexy drop out Jennifer Warren living in tropic squalor mixed up in the trafficking of all kinds of strange cargo. The plot is complex to describe but all is very competently put together into a flawlessly structured whole by the great Arthur Penn. The ending allows for no easy resolution and may have effected the way the film was intitially received but it is a gutsy exit. One of the great films of a great period in American cinema, the early 70's. Smuggle this film into your library.

JUST OK
Although much praised, I found this film to be just an average noir private eye film.The tape I had showed the photography to be lacking; some scenes were so dimly lit that you could barely discern the action.I believe Arthur Penn's direction is lacking too.

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

Reviews (13)

WOW! A simply stunning DVD Set!
I've always loved the Ghostbusters movies, and these DVD really deliver! The first CD is loaded--and I mean packed--with goodies about the first movie. Everything from Director/Actor commentary to story boards to scenes with and without the effects for comparrison... it's all there! This set is worth the first DVD alone.

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.

Who you gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS!
The Movies

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:
Scene Selection
Subtitles
5.1 Dolby Digital
1999 Feaurette and Original Feaurette
Deleted scenes
Storyboards
Trailers
Production Photos/Conceptual Drawings
SFX Team Documentary
SFX Before and After (Multi-Angle)
Digitally Remastered
Widescreen Format
Many films released to present day don't even have the plethora of features Ghostbusters has! Any enthusiast of Ghostbusters will adore the special features and layout of the DVD!

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:
5.1 Dolby Digital
Widescreen/Full Screen Formats
Productions Notes
Talent & Filmographies
Subtitles
The DVD is mostly giving the viewer the prerequisite features being: 5.1 Dolby Digital and Widescreen. One can infer that great amount of time and effort put into 1st movie and the short, vague DVD of the sequel.

Pros: 1. Ghostbusters is a great classic that one will want to see again and again.
2. Ghostbusters 2 surpasses a sequels stereotype (cheap and repetitive) it's exciting, funny, and even scary.
3. Ghostbusters DVD will fulfill fans expectations of the genre; numerous special features and an animated menu.

Cons: 1. Ghostbusters 2 DVD was vague, despicable, ... but it did include prerequisites. Fans will be disappointed with this DVD.

Pick Em Both Up!
Ghostbusters has always been one of my favs! And this DVD release has a been difitally remastered and includes a few newly done scenes! There not brand new scenes or redone completly, the scene is still there, it just has a bit of addition to the end battle with Goza and shows the building a bit more! You wont notcie it really!

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!

Ghostbusting
These two movies are both, very funny. Peter, Ray, and Eagan both are scientists/doctors who seek out ghost. In none other then New York City but when the ghost start finding them. They get more then what they bargain for.

A box set so good it's spooky
Ghostbusters is just one of those movies that leaves it's footprint on our culture's collective consciousness. "Who ya gonna call" brings out an automatic response to anyone who lived during the 80s and even for many of those who were born after the 1984 debut of Mr. Stay-Puft and Slimer. The Ghostbusters (1984) disk has everything a die hard fan would want, yet has interesting info on the filmmaking process to keep the casual movie watcher occupied. It has several documentaries made during filming and a 15 year retrospective with cast and crew. The director/star commentary provides amusing anecdoetes with Reitman and Ramis' silhouettes a la MST3K. There are oodles of production photos, concept sketches and even before and after SFX shots. The only thing I regret it doesn't have is the music video performed by Ray Parker Jr.
Ghostbusters II certainly doesn't equal or surpass the original, but it is still an entertaining film in its own right. Definately worth buying for the film, but unfortunately, the second disk doesn't offer hardly any of the special features that the original has. Cast biographies and 3 trailers make up all this disk has to offer.
Both disks have a crystal clear picture and while the sound may not be up to par with more modern films, you can still hear the thrum of the proton packs and the rumble of the Marshmallow Man's footsteps with excellent clairity. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Not quite a Million Dollar Dud, but lacks Wim and vigour
Written and co-produced by U2's Bono and directed by Wim Wenders, MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL is more a movie for film students to analyze and nitpick over than for casual viewers.
In one of his most bizzare (and best) roles Mel Gibson plays FBI agent JD Skinner, who is investigating the suicide/ possible murder of a billionaire (Tim Roth) in a run down hotel. He must try to deduce who the killer is among the hotel's bizzare guests. He enlists the help of the victims mentally ill best friend Todd (Jeremy Davies) to be his partner. TomTom also is one of the hotel patrons and he drags his equally unwell girlfriend Eloise (Milla Jovovich) into the picture. Among the suspects are a John Lennon wannabe, complete with Liverpool accent (Donal Logue)and a wacko American Indian, Israel "Geronimo" Goldkiss (Jimmy Smits). Other familiar faces to appear among the guests include Amanda Plummer and Julian Sands. But what Skinner doesn't realize is that Todd has set him up and is getting the guests to throw all manner of red herrings into the investigation.
MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL has an effectively dark noirish setting and aspires to be a modern day SUNSET BLVD. or MALTESE FALCON but it misses the mark. The first half of the film is stylish but icy and pretentious, the second (and more absorbing) half gives the viewer the chance to have more involvement with the characters. It's still worth a look, but it requires patience on the viewer's part. DVD extras include deleted scenes, interviews with the cast and crew and commentaries from Bono and Wim Wenders.

See it for yourself..
I find it interesting the mixed reviews for this movie. I will agree with most in that it's not a movie for everyone. I'm an indie film maker and I appreciate this movie for many reasons.

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.

FELLINI IS BACK!!!!
"The Million Dollar Hotel" is truly a movie about the magic in every person's life. A group of freaks, junkies, mentally deficient people, [prostitutes], people without money, people without expectations, etc. In other words, the other side of the coin of the "American Dream". Yet, just like in a Fellini movie, we are made to watch, and somehow understand them, and like them and love them. They are much better adapted to their "underprivileged" world than we are to ours. They have the magic of life in them. This movie is a great Love Story in many different levels. It is also, a movie about friendship, passion, greed, jelousy, hate, revenge, etc. On a personal level, on a HUMAN level. Certainly it puts us ("The Privileged", with our diregard for others, our consummerism, our wars, our weapons, our fears, our hatreds)to shame.
Another great movie by Wim Wenders. May he continue showing us that deep down we are better than we can see us in a mirror. We need his magical mirror to de the trick!

a beautiful portrait of humans
I really think this movie is great, but I don't think most people would. The love story between Jeremy Davies and Milla Jovovich is just so sweet and quiet. To be honest, I think that was the best thing about the movie, the realtionship of these two characters that was so moving. This movie just portrays the fragility and emotional complexity of people so beautifully.

Wenders' romanticism at its best
This film combines Wenders' great romanticism and his loving, if not uncritical glances toward Americans--their sickness, loneliness, and lovingness. First time I saw it, I thought it was a somewhat commercialized (or Americanized) version of Wenders' earlier work, "Wings of Desire." Second time, I got into the story and felt it's real. It is such a powerful and smart movie that strings love, sadness, and their once-ness in life together. Music by Bono is also great. If you like Wenders, it is a must-see. If you do not like Mel Gibson in his usual role, then you will find it amusing. At any rate, do not trust the ad. on VHS/DVD... They say something like "everyone has a secret," trying to present the film as a Mel Gibson detective story. It is not a detective story, but much more than that! ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Inspirational
I have wanted to be a teacher for years now and watching movies like The Emperor's Club make me dream about teacher even more. The Emperor's Club is about a group of affluent teenagers at an elite private school with a teacher better than one can imagine. Kevin Kline is this teacher, and once again delivers with an amazing performance. Unfortunately after giving these students a year of his life, and making decisions based on favorites, he is struck with the harsh reality that some people, one student in particular, are ruthless and greedy. This reality strikes him on one more occasion as a slap in the face to him that some people never change. The Emperor's Club is not a movie just about how people cannot be trusted, but how people make mistakes, and how other people can forgive them for their mistakes. It is about learning, even teachers learning, lessons of life that everybody learns at some point. The Emperor's Club was fascinating film from pretty much every aspect. Although it reminded me of Dead Poets Society, the best film of this genre ever, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

An engrossing tale, well acted by Kevin Kline
The Emperor's Club was one of the best films about a teacher that I've seen. It was a refreshing and rewarding movie because the story kept my interest without ever slipping into Hollywood's normal excessive sentimentality or easy plot turns. Kevin Kline was perfectly cast as a history teacher at an exclusive boy's school (Mr. Hundert, not "Herdunt"), and his struggles with a difficult student (Bell) didn't always unfold the way I thought they would.

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.

Reaches for greatness--and misses
Finally, someone makes a movie like Dead Poet's Society! Well, no, not exactly. I'm a sucker for Kevin Kline, and it's hard to argue with his performance--or Emile Hirsch's--in this film. But the script screws the actors. This isn't a terrible movie--it's a pleasant enough way to pass a few hours--but the promise of the obvious comparisons to the Robin Williams hit makes it a disappointment. And just wait for the whammy that hits ten minutes from the end--a total repeat of the plot from the first half of the movie. The lesson, apparently, is that some folks never learn from their mistakes. Including Hollywood folk who tag good actors with a bad script...

Kevin Kline is a teacher
An excellent plot "with a twist", plus illuminated acting of Kevin Kline and a well chosen cast makes this movie a rewarding entertainement.

A DIFFERENT SHADE ON THE TEACHER-STUDENT THEME
For the first 15 minutes, I felt that the movie would walk that oft-tread road of teacher-student movies such as Holland's Opus, Finding Forrester, Dead Poets Society etc.

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