Reviews (96)

One Of The Best Action Thrillers Of All Time
Before "Speed", before "The Matrix" or any of a half dozen other memorable films that Keanu Reeves has been in, there was "Point Break". For sheer action, adrenaline, and quick thrills, nothing compares to this cops and robber movie set in the surfer sub culture of southern California. Keanu Reeves plays a young FBI recruit (Johnny Utah) on his first assignment, and lands in the middle of a bank robbery mystery that has been unraveling for several years. A group calling themselves the Ex-Presidents, and wearing outlanding disguises as Ron Reagan, Dick Nixon, Jimmy Carter and Lyndon Johnson, have successfully been looting area banks, so far without shooting or killing anyone. Reeves' older partner, played masterfully here by Gary Busey, confides to Keanu that he believes the bank robbers are surfers, who hit banks to support their wandering lifestyles, following the waves.

Suddenly the stage is set for a masterful cat and mouse game between Busey and Reeves on the one hand, and a group of surfers led by Patrick Swayze, on the other. The movie has everything, from gloriously photographed scenes of surfing to outrageous action sequences which are choreographed so memorably that they become the coda for the movie. There are several exceptional chase scenes, including one that is run by foot through yards, houses, and streets. In the end, it is a powerful allegory regarding the meaning of contemporary life and the rules we all try to live by, but in the meantime it is also a hell of an entertaining ride on the rollercoaster that Reeves and Busey have to ride in pursuit of the Ex-Presidents! "Surfers rule, I swear to God". Hahaha. Inside joke that you'll understand after viewing the film. Enjoy!

Exhilirating, Artistic, Great Entertainment
"Point Break" is Bigelow at her best. It has wonderful artistic moments ,with the waves used by the villainous surfers, as well as a group parachuting scene with the hero and villains all holding hands in a circle in the air. The actors are well paired with both Keanu Reeve as the hero FBI agent who learns how to surf to catch the ex-Presidents bank robbers. Patrick Swayze, in his best role, plays a guru philosopher surfer who heads up the bank robbers, wearing a Ronald Reagan mask during the armed robberies. The bank robberies by the 4 surfers in their ex-presidents' masks verge on the hilarious. The final surfing footage with Swayze and Reeve in Australia is breathtaking. "Point Break" is well worth owning. Writer-director Kathryn Bigelow was a very talented painter before she went to film school to become a movie director. It shows in her work which is very artistic for someone primarily known to the action-adventure genre of filmmaking. She is a breath of fresh air in this genre, investing it with literate scripts and haunting imagery. Her most frequent producer is James Cameron (the action wonder king, "Titanic," "Terminator"), who is also her ex-husband. You can see his influence on her work as well.

Get Me Two!
This awesome action movie is the original 'Fast and the Furious' where surfers with souls are used instead of expensive cars and special effects. Keanu Reeves is perfect for the role as Johnny Utah,the cocky "quarterback punk" fbi agent who has to infiltrate the deep roots of a clan of surfers who rob banks. Garey Busey is a gem as the Utah's crazy partner, Angelo, and Patrick Swayze makes a perfect anti-villain, Bodi.

The action is never-ending, the surfing scenes are amazing (even if Keanu learns how to surf a bit too quickly) and then there's that great chemistry between Swayze and Reeves..two action junkies from completely different backgrounds but that same carnal desire for madness! This film is must for anyone who thinks Vin Diesel is a good anarchist with a spiritual side.. wait 'til you meet Bodi!

if only i could give it zero stars...
This movie is so freakin' lame! Keanu continues his streak of forgettable and unbelievable roles as FBI agent Johnny Utah. Besides the stupidity of that name, his acting is so reminiscient of his role in "Bill and Ted's" that I actually watch it when it's on TV just to laugh at the plot lines and dialogue. Are we really supposed to believe that he ended his career as the Ohio St. QB, went to law school and finished at Quantico within the time frame they purport in the movie? Uh, no. When they're surfing at night after that really great football game on the beach (...yeah, it really looks like he was a college QB in those scenes!) there are at least two sequences where you can see the sun on the horizon, yet this was supposed to be at night? Poor. Oh, and he followed Swayze all over Mexico, Sumatra and Fiji, but still found time to surf "every day?" Come on! "Vaya con Dios," Keanu. Your acting stinks and so does this movie! Good thing the movie also had Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Pepper fame, too. He did a good job of making faces like he was either constipated or stupid.

One of the most enjoyable movies of the last 15 years
C'mon! Some of you dudes are, like, taking this flick waaaay to seriously, man. This is a great movie to put in if your bored or high and nothing's on tv or if your with some friends and you don't feel like going out. Instead you get a six pack, a pizza, turn the lights off and pop this movie in. The absolute most enjoyable thing about this movie is its complete indefensibility. How can anyone possibly defend a movie in which no five straight minutes are the slightest bit believable. But that's the genius of it. At every even slightly crucial point in the movie, the plot demands that FBI Special Agent Johnny Utah (Reeves) make the stupidest decisions, the most incompetent blunders and display the most irresponsible and morally wrong behavior humanly possible in a member of law enforcement. If he wises up at all, he figures out who the robbers are and sends about two dozen black and whites over to their home and the movie's over in about a half hour. Pretty anticlimatic end, huh? Rather, its about three quarters the way through the movie that the obvious occurs to him. Second in his class at Quantico...riiiight. Instead, we get two hours of surfing, skydiving, bank robbing, stunts, fistfights, gunfights, hot babes, one-liners and chases. Personally, I prefer all the running around to the realistic ending. Don't you? ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Divorce In The 70's
1979's Kramer vs. Kramer mirrored a trend that was becoming more and more prevalent in America in the 1970's, the breakup of marriages. Dustin Hoffman & Meryl Streep star as Ted & Joanna Kramer. Ted is the prototypical yuppie. His job in an advertising company is really accelerating and it is taking up most of his time from his family that also includes eight-year old Billy (Justin Henry). Ted is so involved in his career, he knows little of the day-to day routine of his own household. One day, Ted's world is shattered when Joanna leaves him and Billy in order to find herself. Ted must learn how to raise his son, juggle his work and home life and go through a divorce trial. The film is both poignant and touching as Ted & Billy bond and form a loving relationship. Mr. Hoffman is excellent as is Ms. Streep and Jane Alexander gives a strong turn as the Kramer's woman's libber neighbor who Ted feels egged Joanna on and caused the breakup of his marriage. But the true find is young Justin Henry. He gives one of the finest performances by a preteen in movie history. The film was much lauded and praised and come Oscar time, Mr. Hoffman finally took home the Best Actor award after several failed nominations. Ms. Streep won Best Supporting Actress, director Robert Benton took home the Best Director award and the film won Best Picture.

Scenes From A Divorce
Those's who are familiar with the Ingmar Bergman film "Scenes From A Marriage" might get a kick out of my heading for the movie and my think of it as nothing more than a silly pun, but think about it. "Kramer vs Kramer" does for divorce what Bergman's film did for marriage. Okay, I'll stop the jokes.

Robert Benton's "Kramer vs Kramer" is really a well made, powerful, semi-heart tugging movie. Based on a novel written by Avery Corman, Benton (who wrote the film also) takes a clos look at what happens when a couple gets a divorce when children are involved. "Kramer ect" offers us a twist. Here it is the woman (Meryl Streep) who leaves her husband (Hoffman) and now Hoffman has to raise their 6 year old son by himself. Yes, the film goes for some quirky, funny shots in the beginning, and it's done with some realism, we might expect the characters to behave this way, but then the film goes for more heart.

As much as I enjoyed this film, I do think it's odd that this won the Oscar for best picture. 1979 had some strong movies, "Apocalypse Now", "All That Jazz", and although it wasn't nominated for best picture that year, one of my favorites Woody Allen's "Manhattan". But still "Kramer vs Kramer" was nominated for 9 Oscars, and walked away with 5. Also, something I want to point it is the nominated camerawork by Nestor Almendros, who many know for his work with Francois Truffaut and Eric Rohmer.

Bottom-line: Heartfelt, powerful and sometimes realistic look at what happens during a divorce. Very good performances by Hoffman and Streep (both won Oscars) and strong directing by Benton.

Cry More vs. Cry More
MAD MAGAZINE named the movie "Cry More Vs.Cry More" for the parody of the film. KRAMER VS. KRAMER is an effective tearjerker with somewhat of an unrealistic ending. The movie is manipulative but somehow manages to be a riveting divorce drama with clearly defined characters to care about. The standout character being young Justin Henry as Billy Kramer. The other issue here is the telling of a single father's trials and tribulations of suddenly taking on the responsibilities of single handedly rearing a child. The film shows the evolution Ted Kramer (Hoffman) with the relationship of his son and the definition of being a father. The film seems to be in two parts. The first being the set up of establishing the relationship of father and son, the second part is when the mother Joanna Kramer(Streep) "finds herself" (remember that catch phrase from the 70's?), has established a career, and decides that she wants her son back. She suddenly appears out of nowhere to get her son back. This is when the movie becomes a cut-throat custody courtroom battle between the Kramer's. Actor Howard Duff is excellent as Ted Kramer's/Hoffman lawyer John Shaunessy. The other standout performance is Jane Alexander as best friend (Margaret Phelps) to both the Kramer's who suddenly finds herself torn between the two sides of the custody battle. Overall, a movie that has captured a moment of time, showing some conventional if not sugarcoated problems of a bitter divorce. The film is notched up a bit because of the casting and oustanding performances of the leads.

1 star NOT for the movie
Is there any chance the movie studio will get a clue and reduce their list price?! DVDs are cheaper now...wake up already. This DVD has been out going on 3 years now. It's time to slash and burn the prices.

Beautiful casting, beautiful acting, beautiful movie
Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep don't make a single mistake in this movie, and neither does Justin Henry, the kid actor who plays the child torn between two parents. Hoffman plays a workaholic dad who is stunned (when his wife abruptly leaves him) to find himself the single parent of a child he barely knows. The film is beautifully book-ended between two telling events: getting breakfast for himself and his son at the beginning, we watch Hoffman hilariously, angrily, and ineptly screw it up, while by the end father and son have a quiet dance of cooperation and guy-ness all worked out. There are so many similar pivotal moments, such as a playground accident that sends Hoffman, child in arms, racing the streets of NY to the emergency room. Hoffman finds he cannot balance the demands of parenting with the high-pressure demands of his job in the advertising industry - and he chooses parenting. Then, like multitudes of single MOMS before him, he discovers how difficult it is to make ends meet.
Meanwhile, his wife, freed of parenting responsibilities, is on her own trajectory, is 'finding herself,' and becomes financially successful. Also, she watches how husband and son are doing, spying on them from a distance, and we sense her loss and her pain - yet also her pride that Ted (husband/father) is actually coming thru for the kid.
Then comes the custody battle at the end, the wrenching scene in the elevator - and Streep's final comments to the judge. Wow. Kramer vs. Kramer won 5 Academy Awards. Filmed in 1979, it is just as relevant today as it was 25 yrs ago.
People who declare this film is one of the finest movies ever made aren't lying. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Walker (Lee Marvin) strides through Los Angeles with the steel-eyed stare of a stone-cold killer, or perhaps a ghost. Betrayed by his wife and best friend, who gun him down point-blank and leave him for dead after a successful heist, Walker blasts his way up the criminal food chain in a quest for revenge. Did he survive the shooting or return from the grave, or is it all a dying dream? The question is left in the air in John Boorman's modern film noir, a brutal revenge thriller based on Richard Stark's novel The Hunter (remade by Brian Helgeland as Payback), set in the impersonal concrete and steel canyons of Los Angeles and eerily empty cells of Alcatraz. Walker kills without remorse, guided by shadowy "informant" Keenan Wynn, whose own agenda is carefully concealed, and assisted by Angie Dickinson, as he desperately searches for someone, anyone, who can just give him his money. But if Walker is an extreme incarnation of the revenge-driven noir antihero, the modern syndicate has been transformed into a world of paper jungles and corporate businessmen, an alienating concept to the two-fisted, gun-wielding gangster. Boorman creates a hard, austere look for the film and fragments the story with flashes of painful memory, grafting the New Wave onto old genres with confidence and style. Haunting and brutal, Point Blank remains one of the most distinctive crime thrillers ever made. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (26)

This is where 40's noir went in the 1960's
No, it's not full of Raymond Chandler style simile's.No, there's no voiceover.There's no Bogie or Bacall, but Lee Marvin is more believable taking on the syndicate in this movie than Bogie could ever be.And Angie Dickinson serves quite nicely as replacement eye candy for Lauren Bacall, thank you.The soundtrack is very good, too.

The depiction of the corporatized mob is also brilliant.Carroll O'Connor is excellent as the surprisingly energetic mob middle manager.

I saw an interview with Schlesinger in which he said that Lee Marvin completely improvised his silence in the scene where he meets up again with his girlfriend.He was supposed to say some fairly standard things ripping her for leaving him but decided it'd play better not saying a thing.It does.

July 5, 2005 DVD release!!!
I have heard that this movie will finally find its long, long, long overdue release on DVD in July, 2005.

I can't rate the transfer or the sound or the extra features (which reportedly include a commentary and two vintage featurettes), but I can give 5-stars to whomever made this happen.Hell, you can get "Payback" on DVD. You can get "Point Break" on DVD. You can even get the totally unrelated 1998 movie "Point Blank" on DVD.You should at least be able to get "Point Blank" with Lee Freakin' Marvin on DVD.

I realize this is a film that has had many release dates that haven't come through, but I'm hoping this one happens.I've heard that Boorman does a commentary with Steven Soderbergh.Soderbergh's one of my favorite commentators, even when he's talking with another director about that director's movie (his track with Mike Nichols on "Catch-22" is one of my favorites).

A Subversive Noir Masterpiece!
"Point Blank" fans take heart----a DVD version is promised in 7/05, supposedly complete with a commentary by John Boorman & Steven Sonderburgh(sp.?).The movie is among the greatest noirs ever made, with a pitch-perfect cast.One persuasive theory about the film is that the whole story actually never happens, but is instead a last dying revenge fantasy running through Lee Marvin's brain as he checks out on Alcatraz Island.Hence, the sequences where Marvin will swoon unexplainably into near-unconsciousness (his character is named "Walker" as in "sleepwalker"), Marvin being framed by the huge excavator digging out a grave in a graveyard, & various other hints along the way that he's actually a dead man, with the final sequence being cut short inconclusively as the camera pans across San Francisco Bay back to Alcatraz Island where the whole movie started, possibly indicating that Marvin has finally died along with his final fantasy.Very intriguing, tantalizing stuff!Hang on, folks, the DVD is on the way!

WHERE IS THE DVD???
This is probably the best post-noir film ever made.The DVD has been promised since at LEAST 2004, early in the year.WHERE IS IT??

Are there legal problems, as is the case with another great film, O Lucky Man?That film is so snagged in legal problems that a DVD of it looks completely unlikely EVER.Is that the case with Point Blank?

Sorry for the rant.

What makes this post-noir film so great is the big three--plotting/writing, acting, directing.Based on The Hunter by Richard Stark (Donald Westlake), Point Blank has Lee Marvin as a whipsmart thief, shot by his partner in a doublecross and left for dead, recover and seek revenge.True this is not exactly an original storyline.But director John Boorman knew exactly what Stark was trying to do and, true to the writer's name, made the film a lean, stark portrayal of revenge.

Who better to carry out a plan of revenge than Lee Marvin?No one; at least, no one in 1967, the year this film was made.Marvin nails his role like no one else has done in any neo-noir film, and it's also great to see Carroll O'Connor, long before his All in the Family days, as a nasty piece of work with whom Marvin tangles.John Vernon's also on target as one of Marvin's enemies and Angie Dickinson supplies just the right sizzle for what she has to do in the film.

Hands down, the best American crime film of the 60s, the fact that Point Blank is STILL not on DVD is a total embarrassment to the film industry, and to the studio who owns the rights to it, whoever that may be at this time.

Hopefully if enough people raise a squawk, things will change.

Rock solid noir, and a model for all kinds of films since then.Interestingly enough, the remake, Payback starring Mel Gibson was, in my estimation, not a bad film at all.But for the real deal, this is it.

A debt is always a debt!
In the underworld language the honor is much more than as simple world. The term implies in many cases an absolute respect and ethics . whenmember of the band is sent to prison under weird circumstances and his assigned part is $ 93.000, you really should think it over specially if this man comes back hunger for greed and fury.

Lee Marvin is perfect as the rough guy who will make these codes maintain its right profile. To my mind this is not only one of the most famous films of the noir films of the late sixties but besides one of my top cult movies ever filmed. Boorman as you know is a real master in what direction concerns and this picture will prove it.
... Read more

Amazon.com

For all of its conventional plotting about an obsessive-compulsive curmudgeon (Jack Nicholson) who improves his personality at the urging of his gay neighbor (Greg Kinnear) and a waitress (Helen Hunt) who inspires his best behavior, this is one of the sharpest Hollywood comedies of the 1990s. Nicholson could play his role in his sleep (the Oscar he won should have gone to Robert Duvall for The Apostle), but his mischievous persona is precisely necessary to give heart to his seemingly heartless character, who is of all things a successful romance novelist. As a single mom with a chronically asthmatic young son, Hunt gives the film its conscience and integrity (along with plenty of wry humor), and she also won an Oscar for her wonderful performance. Greg Kinnear had to settle for an Oscar nomination (while cowriter-director James L. Brooks was inexplicably snubbed by Oscar that year), but his work was also singled out in the film's near-unanimous chorus of critical praise. It's questionable whether a romance between Hunt and the much older Nicholson is entirely believable, but this movie's smart enough--and charmingly funny enough--to make it seem endearingly possible. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (226)

Jack, Melvin; Melvin, Jack
Perhaps the most overrated film of the 90s, "As Good As It Gets" is still a quality movie about a man who is mean and surly seemingly for no other reason than because he is supposed to be. Jack Nicholson plays the obsessive-compulsive romance novelist Melvin Udall. Melvin lives across the hall, in a nice New York apartment building, from gay artist Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear). Melvin also develops a crush on single mom waitress Carol Connelly (Helen Hunt) who has a perpetually sick child named Spencer (Jesse James).

Melvin is moved to be human by the trials he witnesses Simon and Carol experiencing. While he is never able to be entirely decent, Melvin thaws a few degrees by the end of the film to the point where he can maintain a normal relationship with two people who he, by all appearances, should despise.

And they all lived happily ever after. Sorry I couldn't help throwing that in there.

"As Good As It Gets" does have its strong points; but, it is plagued by one enormous problem that has a tendency to afflict these types of films: its own sense of self-righteousness. The movie practically points an accusatory finger at the viewer as if to say, "You little people probably hate the kind of people you see in this film and we're going to show you why you're wrong".

This film is also harmed by the overacting of Helen Hunt. I never understood the Helen Hunt buzz that went crazy in the late 90s. She always seemed to be someone who was in the right place at the right time and was not much better than an above average actress.

Of course the true saving grace of the film is Nicholson. Melvin Udall is the Nicholson character who I think he most likely is when the cameras are turned off. Not the OCD aspect to Melvin but the relentless disgust for other people. This is not necessarily a bad trait in a movie star.

This film is very similar to another film starring Helen Hunt called "Pay It Forward". If you can get over the 'holier than thou' attitude of either film, they're not that bad.

A BEAUTIFUL MOVIE.
It seems like year after year after year I am consistently disappointed with the films and actors chosen for Academy Award nominations. I usually don't even bother to watch the awards show because it's very rare that there is anyone I really want to win. 1998 was one of those rare exceptions...and it was because of this movie.

There is something about Helen Hunt that fascinates me. Not only is she able to display believable emotions but more importantly she always comes across as someone whom the viewer truly, deeply cares about. I am not embarrassed to admit that I cried on more than one occasion during this film. It was at times heartbreaking to watch her character suffer through so many difficult situations.

"As Good As It Gets" features the talents of Helen Hunt, Jack Nicholson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Greg Kinnear and the underrated Shirley Knight. There is, of course, a plot to the film but it seems secondary to what this movie really is about...human interaction. Jack Nicholson plays Melvin, a completely neurotic person who won't step on cracks in the sidewalk and actually brings his own silverware to the only restaurant he'll eat at. Helen Hunt plays Carol, a waitress with whom Melvin becomes quite smitten with. Simon (Greg Kinnear) is a gay tenant in Melvin's building and Kevin (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is his lover.

Circumstances come about which send Melvin, Carol and Simon on a road trip to remember. I would usually go more into detail about the plot mechanics but they seem almost trivial in a movie of this caliber. The true enjoyment is watching some of the finest actors of our time doing what they do best. You really want to see these characters find true happiness. If you are one of the few people who have yet to see this film then please, please go out and rent it...or better yet, buy a copy. You'll be crying with Helen Hunt, laughing hysterically at Jack Nicholson's antics and will feel amazingly fulfilled when the beautiful ending rolls around. "As Good As It Gets" is a modern classic.

pretty boring........yup........boring........(snore)
I watched this movie twice. Both times it sucked. I thought maybe if I watched it a second time, I would have better luck, but no. The first time I wanted to watch this movie bc I thought it was about the dog (who I could spoil all day!!!!). I don't even think it played too much of a role in that movie. There are a couple things I liked about this movie. Jack Nicholson's acting was nothing less than supurb. The dog was the best thing in the movie. I also liked the one line of the movie (as said in the title) 'What if this as good as it gets?'it was a shock of realism there and i liked that. Also, I loved the gay guy. He was...eh.....kinda funny..... I had to sit through everything else. If all that u wanta see Jack Nicholson in 'one of his best preformances' than u should get this movie. If not, don't waste good money on it.

"Come on in, and try not to ruin everything by being you."
AS GOOD AS IT GETS is...
...a beautiful character study.
...an Oscar-garnering comedy of 1997.
...one of the greatest comedies of not only the 90s, but perhaps of all time.
...sharp, witty, and satirical with praise-worthy performances from all cast members.

Jack Nicolson plays Melvin Udall, a middle-aged writer with obsessive-compulsive disorder and a heart of stone (or what you may first think). Melvin is bigoted, cranky, moody, and often times outright nasty. His morning routine consists of things done in methodical order, immaculate routines. One of these rituals includes his daily breakfast at the local diner, served by the one and only waitress who will tolerate him and his odd demands.

Her name is Carol Connelly and she's a single mother to an asthmatic young son. Hospital bills, as well as life's other expenses, have skyrocketed. Carol is having difficulty making ends meet and struggles on a daily basis. She temporarily leaves work to take care of her child.

Therefore, Melvin can't eat his breakfast.

Greg Kinnear plays Simon Bishop, Melvin's out-and-proud gay neighbor. When he's brutally beaten and left for dead, his trusty little pup is left in Melvin's care, despite the fact that the two men despise each other. Melvin's new babysitting job, along with Carol's absence from the diner, means that life is changing - and for the worst, he believes. Melvin's ordered, hermetic world is falling apart due to these conflicts.

These three entirely different people form a friendship and are soon able to see "the sunny side" of life, so to speak, due to the weaving and intersecting of their lives with each other's.

AS GOOD AS IT GETS is an enlightening comedy that the majority of critics agreed with. It is not a typical screwball comedy; it is instead a thought-provoking, earnest look at the lives of 3 people who at first seem to face normal hardships and tribulations. But, as this film progresses, we find that the characters, played by each of the actors with such grace and such astounding skill, are anything but ordinary. This fine film deserved every bit of praise it received from the critics and audiences alike. I've watched it countless times and it never grows tedious or boring, even when I memorize the dialogue.

AS GOOD AS IT GETS is one of those scarce treasures that finds the perfect and ideally comfortable balance between seriousness and humor. The realness of Melvin, Simon, and Carol is something almost undeniable. What can I say? I love it.

you should be made to touch my pubic hair
the part in the resteraunt where jack tells the adjacent table that they should be made to touch his pubic hair.........jack, baby, your beautiful ... Read more

Reviews (374)

Aliens and bees and corn fields, oh my!
"The X-Files: Fight the Future" is an endlessly fascinating and complicated movie that ties together all the mythology pieces from the popular series upon which it's based. Although I think that people who never watch the show can enjoy this movie, I doubt they can understand it very well. Heck, I watch the show religiously and I still don't think I understand everything.

However, it succeeds in introducing the audience to the characters of Agents Mulder and Scully, without rehashing the things that are familiar to the fans of the show. When we are first introduced to our favorite duo, their conversation on their cell phones is enjoyable to both old audiences and new ones alike.

The film also makes clear the deep affection and love Mulder and Scully feel for each other--something regular viewers already know--which comes to a head in the famous hallway scene outside of Mulder's apartment.

The film is top quality, as we've come to expect no less from "The X-Files," with an intelligent story-line, great action sequences and special effects, and plenty of aliens to satisfy the sci-fi junkie in all of us. But don't get me wrong--you don't have to be a sci-fi junkie to enjoy this film. You have to like a good suspense/thriller, with some action, intelligent story-telling, and yes, a little bit of hinted-at romance. I mean, for "The X-Files," any 'Shipper will tell you that this is a pretty romantic movie. As one of those so-called 'Shippers, I was very angry at that darn bee, which was my biggest disappointment.

The DVD itself is nicely presented, with all the theatrical trailers, an informative commentary track by Rob Bowman and Chris Carter, and an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film. Best of all, it has added footage not originally in the theatrical version.

This DVD is sure to please all forms of movie-goers. =)

FIGHT THE FUTURE made me a fan
I watched this movie without ever watching an episode of the series before. I came into the movie only knowing that the main characters were FBI agents Mulder and Scully who sought the truth about aliens and government conspiracies that tried to cover up their existance. That was all I knew, I didn't know anything about the black oil, or the bees, or even who the Smoking Man was. This movie did a good job presenting the basics so a first timer (like myself) wouldn't feel totally lost while watching it. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson were superb in their big screen roles of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. The hallway (I think you know what I'm talking about!) scene was one of the best scenes of the movie. Now if only there was no bee.... Overall, this movie was X-cellent. The acting was great, the special effects were cool, and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. I recommend this movie to anyone who has ever watched The X-Files and loved it, and also to anyone who hasn't seen an episode before but likes sci-fi movies. And I'd just like to say thanks to Chris Carter and crew for a really good season 6 - here's onto season 7, unfortunately the very last one. I'll be looking forward to the next X-Files movie, I can't wait until it comes out!

Solid X-Files adventure
"The X-Files: Fight the Future" doesn't answer a lot of the questions that fans were waiting for from the movie. The only difference between this movie and, say, a two or three part X-Files story arc is the size of the budget, effects and the guest stars. The writing, unfortunately, doesn't measure up to the best the series offered. Nevertheless, it's a fine theatrical episode of the series.

Thousands of years ago an alien species ruled this planet. Humanity was just an afterthought. It's clear that these aliens want to regain control of the planet and members of the government have made a pact with the devil; humanity will become a slave race to these aliens (and other things you don't want to know about if you haven't seen the movie otherwise it'll spoil plot points).

Somehow all of this is tied into two little boys that discover an ancient underground cavern. One of the boys is infected with some sort of virus as are several rescue workers. In another part of the US, Mulder and Scully are checking out terrorist threat against the US. The building that Mulder and Scully and the rest of the team believe to be the target is a decoy. Mulder and Scully accidently discover the real target. The mystery at the heart of the film is why the terrorist targeted a building that had the agency FEMA in it when there were more vital government agencies they could have hit. Also, the building was evacuated. So how come there were two victims discovered in the rubble?

All of this remains at the heart of the mystery and it does, indeed, play into the alien conspiracy story arc than began to be undcovered in season one of the series. If you're interested in "The X-Files" but haven't seen the entire series, this movie is still comprehensible to the average moviegoer. The ramifications of the plot, however, will be much more important if you've seen the bulk of seasons 2-6 first (season 1 just sets up the conspiracy angle and is important but not a central part of the conspiracy arc).

The picture quality is pretty good considering this came out close to the beginning of the DVD craze. It could be improved with an anamorphic widescreen transfer (higher picture quality)and with a separate disc of extras. The extras aren't bad here they're just not as indepth as they should be. My guess is that Fox plans on re-releasing this on DVD when the new X-Files movie comes out in 2006 and/or within the next year or two because they've finally got the entire series on DVD.

Well worth picking up for fans but for casual new viewers, I'd suggest starting with seasons 2-6 to fully understand the consequences of this film's plot line. Carter's script isn't his best but there are enough gems in the script to make it worthwhile for fans of the series.

An enjoyable move to the "big screen"
The X-Files "Fight the Future" takes place after the end of season five when the X-Files have been shut down. FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully ( Gillian Anderson) are assigned to a Federal building in Dallas to locate a bomb. Unfortunately, the bomb goes off before it can be defused, and an FBI agent as well as three fireman and a boy are killed in the explosion. The FBI needs someone to blame for what happened and look to Mulder and Scully. Wanting to find out what really happened to save their careers, Mulder starts searching for clues. He soon encounters a paranoid doctor ( Martin Landau) who reveals to Mulder a conspiracy dealing with a deadly virus that could be alien in origin - and capable of destroying all life on earth. Mulder and Scully are soon forced to put their careers and lives on the line, when they are pitted against a powerful group of men known as the Syndicate, who are somehow connected with the virus and willing to kill to keep their secrets safe.

The X-Files film "Fight the Future" offers a very enjoyable transition from the television series to the big screen. I first saw the film, back when it was released in theaters. I had never seen a single episode from the show, and even though there were some things I did not understand, like who the Lone Gunmen were, the Syndicate's role in the overall conspiracy, etc., the film managed to entertain me. Now that the prices on the DVD sets for the show have been reduced, I was able to go back and finally watch the first five seasons. I recently watched the film again, and I really enjoyed it because I was finally able to understand all the smaller details that eluded me the first time around. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are in fine form once again as Mulder and Scully. Martin Landau was very good as well. Fans of the show will be happy with the film, because it does a very good job expanding on the overall mythology, as well as bringing in characters from the show like Assitant Director Skinner played by Mitch Pillegi, the Lone Gunmen, and the Cigarette Smoking Man played by William Davis. The special effects, action sequences, and suspense this film brings will entertain people who have never seen the show.

In my opinion, "Fight the Future" can be enjoyed by hardcore fans of the show, as well as a person who has never seen the show. I know this from experience because I was able to watch the film from both points of view. In fact, it was seeing the film the first time around that made me want to watch the show in the first place. The DVD itself offers top notch picture and sound quality, as well as commentary from Chris Carter, and an in-depth featurette on the making of the movie and the transition from the show to the big screen.

A solid 5 stars...

Good series, bad movie
On the commentary track of this movie, someone says that this movie tried to appeal to both the die hard fans of the movie and to potential new fans. Unfortunately, doing an extended 'myth arc' episode as a movie ends up short for both groups. The X Files movie came along at a time where the series's mythology was already, overly complicated and convoluted, so it was hard for newbies to follow the story without having to do extended research about the back story. Die hard fans, on the other hand, would find the story progresses too slowly, compared to the series. ... Read more

Reviews (54)

that "Little Bird" is going to leave you breathless!
Demi Moore came under intense public attention for those "pictures", little did they know she was going to star in a movie about going starkers...STRIPTEASE.

STRIPTEASE is one of those "guilty pleasure" movies that have a certain campy charm, it's certainly more enjoyable that it's bastard-sister-film; SHOWGIRLS.

Erin Grant (Demi Moore) loses the custody battle for her daughter when she is fired from her job. What's a girl to do? Go and shake her booty, what else?!!

Down at the Eager Beaver Club, where the beer isn't the only thing on the menu, Erin finds a job prancing around to such innocuous tunes as "Little Bird" and "Money Can't Buy It". Soon, a mysterious murder and a hilarious excuse for a congressman - Dilbeck (Burt Reynolds in an inspired performance) prove more of a hindrance than a help as Erin decides to expose her lousy ex-husband as the drug-pushing, slack-jawed yokel that he really is, all the while spinning around a pole in a G-string. Sound exhausting? Nah! We're only getting started!

Overall a pretty enjoyable caper. The DVD transfer is beautiful.

2 stars for Demi Moore
This movie is not a fully erotic movie as it might be expected.But it is not a clever and funny movie either.So what makes Striptease bad,I guess,is that it doesn't manage to satisfy any taste at all.

Erin Grant (Demi Moore) must strip for a living,and her biggest fight is against her ex-husband to get her little daughter back.Meanwhile a [physically excited] congressman (Burt Reynolds)gets fixated on her,a murder occurs and things get quite complicated.

Striptease has humor at times,but not much really happens.The plot,if there is any,is pretty weak.The only thing that makes this movie worth watching is probably Demi Moore and her dancing on beautiful Eurythmics songs.However other than those "music videos",there is nothing else to care about in the movie.I wish Eurythmics used Demi on their videos,which would make making a movie like Striptease unnecessary.

The DVD doesn't have a single extra as it suffers from being an old release,so I can not show any reason why you should buy this DVD,except if you are a hardcore Demi fan..

NATURALLY BAD CONGRESSMAN WAS REPUBLICAN
"Strip Tease" was typical. In it, Burt Reynolds was depicted as so many Republican politicians are depicted: Stupid, immoral, greedy, corrupt...am I leaving anything out?

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

Stunningly Bad Movie
This is a stunningly bad movie. The plot is basically Demi Moore's character as a single mom who needs money so she works in a strip club (yes, stripping) and has men problems (crappy ex-husband, lecherous politician). While Demi Moore looks great in this movie that was not even worth the two hours or so I wasted watching it.

Best Movie Ever!!!
I love this movie... It is the best ever made and I love to watch it late at night, if you know what I mean. Demi Moore is the best when she starts stripping, I start stripping!

I watch this movie every night of the week! ... Read more