Amazon.com

Fat Girl is a typically shocking, utterly discomfiting provocation from director Catherine Breillat, whose excursions into female psychology and movie sexuality are anything but clinical. (See 36 Fillette and Romance for further proof.) Two adolescent sisters journey to the seaside on vacation with their parents; the younger sister is overweight and brooding, the older girl a beauty who attracts the attention of a smooth-talking boy. Much of the film is built around two painstaking seduction scenes, characteristically shot by Breillat with both comic and horrific overtones and long, uncomfortable takes. The final section then tips into an outright descent into hell--you can never let your guard down with Breillat. So complicated were the seduction scenes that Breillat subsequently made a feature about the shooting of them, Sex Is Comedy. Fat Girl was released under an alternate title, A ma soeur!, but Fat Girl, in English, is Breillat's original and preferred title. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (10)

brilliant portrayal of adolescent female sexuality
It upsets me that reviewers have focused on the issues of weight and female competition and jealousy that do exist in this film, but completely ignore the major point of this film. Breillat gives us a brutally honest portrayal of female "baptism" into sexuality. It is not pretty, or romantic, or even sensual (as the socially astute "fat girl" realizes). The older sister, whose bed is surrounded by issues of Cosmo, appropriately enough) is hyper-feminized, and believes that she needs to look as if she stepped off the pages of Cosmo to get and keep and please a man--the most important tasks a woman is given by our culture. Her younger sister is less accepting of these--in fact she repeatedly says that she wants to lose her virginity to someone she doesn't love (a fact consistenly ignored by reviewers in their reviews, and vital to understanding the ending and the distinction between the two sisters). The shocking ending is so significant in this regard--Breillat dares us to question the nature of female adolescent sexual experiences, and to blur the line between consensual and nonconsensual sex in the context of female adolescent sexual awakening. I believe that the consistent overemphasis on weight, (note the strange translation of A Ma Soeur to Fat Girl???) which certainly is an important underpinning of all that transpires in the film, is to the detriment of fostering open discussion of the issue of sexuality; I can only assume that this stems from an inability on the part of the public to get past the reality that adolescent females are in fact sexually active, do not have adequate and reliable resources and information to deal with newfound feelings and cultural expectations and norms, and face often traumatic circumstances as a result.

Not your average rites-of-passage teen movie.
When I first heard that the English title of Catherine Breillat's 'A ma soeur' (literally 'for my sister') was 'Fat Girl', I was shocked that such sexism and sizism could exist in such strangulatingly p.c. times, especially in the light of the director's uncompromising, though idiosyncratic feminism. But from the very first sequence, Anais' weight is foregrounded, as she devours a banana split at a cafe while her sister is being chatted up by an Italian student. The body is the focus of this film, its display, and the attempts to control it, whether by deciding how much you're going to eat, by seducing minors or by deciding to whom you'll offer your virginity. Like another recent French film, Patrice Chereau's 'Intimacy', Breillat focuses on sexuality in a way hostile to mainstream cinema. Unlike 'Intimacy', whose gauche attempts at realism destroyed its credibility, Breillat insists on formality and artifice, from the summer holiday setting, with its two heroines 'locked up' in a chalet that, with its guards, gates, bars, curfews seems like a high security prison; to the ritualistic manner in which characters negotiate sex; to Breillat's awesomely complicated filming apparatus. The film's coup-de-theatre is a lengthy scene in which Elena sneaks in her boyfriend to the bedroom she shares with a sister she assumes is asleep. Not only is the viewer faced with the problematics of staring at the naked, fetishised body of a minor, and the increasingly grotesque and hypocritical attempts of her lover to seduce her; not only is the framing unflinchingly static, with the odd, sinisterly creeping movement, and the tight compositions forcing the two lovers into an airless claustrophobia; but our voyeurism is shared by our knowledge of the mostly unseen gaze of the younger girl looking on. Though this is the longest and most rigorous example, the film is full of scenes like this, triangular groupings of characters inflicting or evading each others' surveillance, while the parents who have theoretically imposed a rigid discipline on the girls see nothing. Spatial relations draw attention to themselves, as do the symbolic resonances of the settings (chopped woods, dunes etc.). The filming is deliberately unshowy, often flat. Narrative proceeds by a looping pattern, the same characters shifting positions in similarly-set scenes.

So rarefied and artificial is this milieu, that when reminders of the outside world intrude, such as financial worries, it is shocking. And this is where the film becomes especially brilliant. What seemed to have been a fascinating dramatisation of ideas culled from feminism and film theory, focusing on ideas of free will, choice, exploitation, truth, knowledge, appetite etc., the extraordinary last third reminds us that we don't always have a final say in everything we do. The mix of suspense and surprise, and the play on doubles, mirrors, sleeping and fairy tale motifs, is masterly.

Loved Y tu mama tambien. Hated 'Fat Girl"
I saw this movie in a theater. There was a stunned silence after the violent, ridiculous ending. Not only did I think I should get my money (ticket price) back - I thought they should pay ME for my time.

I love the intrigue and thoughtfullness of french movies, but this one stunk up the joint. (I know, elequent, huh?)

Y Tu Mama Tambien is excellent (and more powerful on the second viewing). This "Fat Girl" is a waste of time.

Zero Stars
This is by far the worst movie I've seen in my life. Boring, slow, and ridiculously violent ending. This will be the last French film I'll see. What a farce!

Abrasive, shocking
Although this film shows a very realistic portayal of sisterly relationships and offers a realistic (at times painful) view of teenage sexuality, the shockingly violent ending left me scratching my head. What was the message here?
The "fat girl" Anais must endure constant emotional neglect and abuse from her family and others while having her sister flaunt her intense sexual relationship in her face. Not one of the characters was likeable. The parents were all but absent. This movie left me cold. ... Read more

Reviews (149)

An adventure in mediocrity
Better than Little Nicky, far from Happy Gilmore, and on about the same level as The Waterboy, Mr. Deeds is decent, but not all that great. Adam Sandler plays Longfellow Deeds, a good man with a somewhat short temper, but ultimately mild mannered. When it is determined that he is the son of a recently deceased billionaire, he inherits the entire estate. The premise sounds good, and apparently it did before as it is based on the movie, "Mr. Deeds Goes To Town." That however doesn't help this movie. What does push it forward is some good acting, inventive characters, and a decent plot. Sandler has the ability to get more cameos into a movie than I thought physically possible. Al Sharpton, John MacEnroe (forgive the spelling), Rob Schneider, Kathy Bates, and others all wind up in this film and do an excellent job in supporting Sandler. Detracting seriously from the film though is Winnona Ryder. Why on Earth she is still an actress boggles my mind. She plays her part horribly and just sounds so atrocious. Her, and the dips in comedic action pull this film down 2 stars. Overall though it could be worse, given everything it's not that bad. It's an enjoyable film that can be viewed a few times without the effect wearing off.

Good rebound for Sandler after the "Nicky" bomb
I'm not going to compare this movie (tho loosely based) to the 1936 classic with Gary Cooper, "Mr. Deeds Goes To Town". Sure, the basic storyline is the same, but that's it. Cooper & Sander are totally different actors in totally different times. Cooper was a classic actor with a flair for some comedy, where Sandler is a comedian with a flair for some acting. "Deeds" did fairly well at the box office in 2002. Sandler proved there was life after his previous bomb, "Little Nicky". A great cast with Winona Ryder, Steve Buscemi, and John Turturro - stealing the show with his "sneaky" one liners and his incurable foot fetish. You'll recognize some supporting cast members from some of Sandler's previous flicks ("Wedding Singer, "Big Daddy", etc). Tho on the short side of today's movie standards (approx 90 minutes), this film is enjoyable on all levels. Sandler is more of the naive bumbling comedian here (remniscent of his role in "Wedding Singer"), rather than relying on gross humor geered toward the older adolescent male movie watchers. Included on this DVD are the standard feature length commentaries, outtakes & deleted scenes, and miscellanious featurettes. For those Sandler fans, I put this one behind the classics "The Wedding Singer" and "Happy Gilmore"... but well above "The Waterboy", "Big Daddy" and "Little Nicky".

What the.........!?
Here's something you don't see everyday: an expectation that a movie will be good based on who stars in it being completely shafted. Actually, I get that feeling quite a bit, but never like this. Adam has been in some great movies (Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, and, despite what everyone else seems to say about it, I loved Little Nicky). However, this movie is complete garbage, and those responsible for this Godforsaken piece of crap should be burned at the stake. I guess this was supposed to be based on an earlier version of this movie (Mr. Deeds goes to town or whatever), and I hope to God that movie is at least 100X better than this waste of space.

Let me get right to the point. This movie tanked from start to finish. Few movies have accomplished this, but this one does so as if doing so is a no-brainer. What I remember of the beginning is lame and boring, the freaks that Adam hangs around must have some sort of mental retardation (if you've seen the movie, you know I'm not talking about stupidity that is funny, but just plain retardation that sucks), and H-O-L-Y CRAP Winona Rider is in the movie; nuff said! The best part of the moive (and I say best only to emphasize how bad this movie is) is when Rider's character kicks the overweight pizza store manager in the crotch, and she says "What are you kickin there for? I ain't got no b*lls!" Geeeezzzzz.......I couldn't even try to laugh at this nonsense; what was Adam thinking? By the way, Adam is very mellow in this movie (except for a couple of scenes where he beats someone up, but it's not even near funny this time), just like in Waterboy, but without the lousy accent (thank God!). He writes poems for greeting cards for Christ's sake!!! How much more of a loser can you be? I guess he's trying to model himself after Jason Biggs (which is about as low as you can go). Just get me a gun so I can put this movie and myself out of our misery!

It's not what you got in the bank.....
Adam Sandler in another formula feel-good romantic comedy. As a simple guy in a New England Hicks-Town, Sandler is loved all the towns-folk for his cheerful disposition and his magical way of always wanting to help people out. When he is snatched away from his little piece of Paradise to accept a 40 billion dollar inheritance from a media tycoon in NYC, a snowball-effect of events starts to roll.

Vaguely similar to Steve Martin's "The Jerk", but sadly quite predictable and far fetched. Many side-gags for pop-culture buffs are included. The best one's are a take on "Mr. French" and references to the Sunday Funny Papers. The frequent "appearing/disappearing act" of the butler character at first is spooky, but works well with the surprise at the end. The final scene (I won't give it away) is a cute way of showing how much Deeds wants to help out the little people. Some of the "cut scenes" are hilarious, although some (like the pizza delivery) are a bit risque. Otherwise, this is safe bet for all ages. A very pleasant film.****

Ratings Comparisons
The original Mr. Deeds Goes to Town was given a three and a half out of four star rating on cable, but this version was only given one star.

This of course does not surprise me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Thanks to the ambitious vision of director Tim Burton, the blockbuster hit of 1989 delivers the goods despite an occasionally spotty script, giving the caped crusader a thorough overhaul in keeping with the crime fighter's evolution in DC Comics. Michael Keaton strikes just the right mood as the brooding "Dark Knight" of Gotham City; Kim Basinger plays Gotham's intrepid reporter Vicki Vale; and Jack Nicholson goes wild as the maniacal and scene-stealing Joker, who plots a takeover of the city with his lethal Smilex gas. Triumphant Oscar-winning production design by the late Anton Furst turns Batman into a visual feast, and Burton brilliantly establishes a darkly mythic approach to Batman's legacy. Danny Elfman's now-classic score propels the action with bold, muscular verve. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (261)

The best comic book movie.
Superman. Spider-man. X-Men. They're all good comic book films, but to me they pale in comparison to this 1989 classic. Micheal Keaton plays Batman/Bruce Wayne and pulls both roles off real well being a millionaire by day and a crimefighter by night. Jack Nicholson also pulls off a great role as the psychotic Joker. The writers did a very good job on the story. My only complaint is the DVD itself. There's not even a theatrical trailer. Maybe Warner Bros. will release a 2-disc special edition next year for the film's 15th anniversary, complete with a theatrical trailer, deleted scenes, and possibly a commentary. They should, considering all the 2-disc special editions they've been releasing lately. Anyway, I highly recommend this to anyone.

My favorite line from the movie:

Mugger: Don't kill me.
Batman: I'm no going to kill you. I want you to do me a favor. I want you to tell all your friends about me.
Mugger: What are you?
Batman: I'm Batman.

Is there a 6-foot bat in Gotham City?
I can still remember as a 4 year-old being completely obsessed with the Batman character. And I loved the movie. To put it simply, Batman was my hero. Of course this isn't the case anymore but I still think that "Batman" is a great film.

One of the most striking things about "Batman" is the set design by Anton Furst, which is very Gothic and bleak looking (during the outdoor scenes there is no sun whatsoever). The Gotham City that looked like any other in the TV series is transformed into dark, slimy crime pit in which good is basically nonexistent. Tim Burton gives the film some good direction, keeping things tight and interesting. He executed the action scenes nicely as well. Aside from the impressive set design and direction, the movie is also well acted. Michael Keaton played the role of Batman very well, giving Batman a powerful presence and a sort of everyman personality (which is even a bit off-the-wall) when he's Bruce Wayne. Jack Nicholson, meanwhile, was excellent as the Joker. He hams things up a lot, which makes sense since the character of Joker is supposed to be a complete, smart-mouthed maniac. I did notice a few problems with this movie though. The story, for the most part, focuses too much on the Joker, which is silly. I mean, isn't the movie called "Batman"? The plot is bit shallow as well, which probably explains why I found it a bit difficult to pin point exactly the Joker wants to do with Gotham City. The love story was bit weak as well. While Kim Basinger did good job as Vicki Vale, she and Keaton didn't develop a lot of chemistry to make their pairing believable.

If you can ignore some minor problems, "Batman" stands as pretty good comic book adaptation. If you like superhero films, then this one is certainly worthy being included in your collection.

al right
It's the first batman movie and it really wasn't that good. Jack Nicoleson was good at joker. But this movie just doesn't catch you. The story between Bruce and Vicky is okay. Tim Burten filmed it well,the action wasn't that good, and compared to the others except the fourth one it doesn't stand a chance.

im batman!
jack nicholson set a world record for accepting 89 million bones to play the joker here.i didnt like the fact that the joker got wasted since he was easily the best character in thefilm.also,although i think tim burton is a directing genius,in this film he focused way too much on character development and the beautiful gothic arcitecture of gotham and really had little left for the actual storyline.michael keaton is batman.children will enjoy this one.this is easily the best of the batman onslaught of the 90s.this is a film most anyone will enjoy except people who criticize everything.there is only one really hot babe in this one.her name is vickie.shes one of those stuck up buisness broad by day-raving whore by night types.the only major difference between this movie and the comic book is that the joker is batmans long time arch nemisis not just some fly by night clown who gets wasted in the first episode.jack nicholson played an awesome joker.he deserved an award.people say this movie rocks and THEY ARE RIGHT.

garbage
Laughable special effects, especially for a movie that came out in the 90's, Robot Jocks had better effects. Watch where the joker falls off the building, and where the bat plane crashes, I think the fire is done with cigarettes. Choreography is lame, like at the end where a guy jumps over Batman's head then goes falling through the floor. Batman doesn't use his intellect or detective skills really, just goes charging in to battles, he almost gets killed twice while out of costume. It doesn't make sense that batman tries to tell Vicky Vale his secret identity. "Yeah, this'll make her respect me
". I can imagine him in front of a mirror practicing "I'm Batman". He also endangers innocent civilians in a car chase(...). What's up with her wardrobe?(glasses), and the guy reporter is an annoying geek. The batsuit is more powerful than the batplane? Batman is shot about 15 times through the course of the movie (twice without the suit), but all it takes is one shot to bring down the plane, i guess because it's moving towards the bullet at such a speed. An aluminum tray also provides stronger armor than the batplane according to tihs movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

On October 20, 2001, this now-historic concert took place at Madison Square Garden, a mere six weeks after the horrific terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Thousands of firefighters, police officers, survivors, families, and fans witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime event as, in the space of nearly six hours, many legendary musical performers donated their time and their talent to one of the greatest causes ever, in the process giving their audience an unforgettable burst of pure emotion.

Organized by Sir Paul McCartney, the Concert for New York City was an overwhelming experience that deserves to be saved for posterity. The two-CD audio recording is crammed with dozens of superb performances but doesn't give a sense of the whole show that this two-DVD set certainly does. Not only can we relive such seminal performers from that evening as the Who, David Bowie, John Mellencamp, and Sir Paul himself, we can see the charming and personal short films made for the occasion by such New York filmmakers as Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese, or the dozens of celebrities and unsung firefighters and police officers who immortalized that day with their stories and musical introductions.

There is one quibble: the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris," one of the blues standards Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy played, and McCartney's "From a Lover to a Friend" and "Lonely Road" are all missing, which seems curious, considering that the entire show could have easily fit onto two DVDs. So don't erase that videotape you made of the concert the night it aired, because that remains the definitive version. But this DVD (with very good Dolby 5.1 surround sound) comes close. --Kevin Filipski ... Read more

Reviews (37)

POWERFUL
I preordered my dvd in early january, i was not fortunate enough to see this event live. Why buy this? You could cop out and only say: Mc Cartney, jagger,keif, elton john, james taylor etc. etc.. You could buy this to feel the emotions of the firefighters and police who lost so many. Listen to politicians who represent the emotion that we felt at the time. Not fighting for a partisan but for the people. Toss in a few entertainers who can make us laugh and cry. Still you have not gotten to the point of why to buy. This may be the most powerful dvd you can ever buy. You cannot watch washington cross the delaware or see lincoln give the gettysburg address. We have watched the towers be struck and tumble again and again. This concert is the beginning of the healing. We cry with our great servicemen and women We sing along to the songs that we have grown up with. We cannot, will not forget sept. 11th and if only one penny from each item purchased goes to help someone who lost a loved one. Then it is a penny well spent. GOD BLESS AMERICA and may god bless new york city. Thank you for a great piece of history and an even better night of entertainment

Heart and Soul of New York
This concert exemplified the magic of music as the background for Americans coming together to grieve collectively. Watching this concert will show you raw emotional energy rarely seen on television. It is a sad concert and there are many times where you can see individual instances of personal grief among the music of many different superstars. It is a long concert and well worth a viewing. Among other things, I thought Paul McCartney was cheesy and his song "Freedom" was a situation where you had an amazing song writer reacting to bad circumstances but with poor results. The Who in my opinion, stole the show and then some, they were amazing as always. I don't think Jay-Z was placed at the right time when he came out. Billy Joel was everything New York as he always has been.
The ultimate point for you, is that you should own this DVD as it is a recorded reminder of music's response to an American tragedy with an audience showing us the rawest and most powerful of human emotions out for the world to see. Some may say it was convenient for superstars to show up and act really concerned and to use their fame as a pulpit to try and relate to everyday people; however, those people are uptight, why else do you go to concerts?, to be taken away from everyday routines and tragedies of life, so a concert of this magnitude after 9/11 was exactly what the country needed.

The Best Concert Ever...With a Few Exceptions
Overall, 99% of this concert is very good. David Bowie, the Who, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Paul McCartney and Elton John all played fantastic sets here. But I have a problem with some of the other music. Eric Clapton plays "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man," totally unreated to 9/11. Jay-Z also had no business appearing at this show, especially if the only piece he can come up with is "H to the Izzo." My other complaint is that this DVD is incomplete. Two Paul McCartney songs, one Eric Clapton song, one Goo Goo Dolls' first song, and a good cover of "With a Little Help From My Friends" are all missing. The entire 6-hour concert could've easily been released. But what's here, for the most part, is very good. So on the whole, this is a good buy.

The Concert That Proved New York Is Still Number One
It was a night of healing. It was a night of reconcilliation. It was a night for firefighters, policeman, paramedics, musicians, actors and "Saturday Night Live" alumni alike to join together and prove New york did not grow weak after 9/11. It grew stronger and this 5 - hour concert showed those shems in the Middle East right.

Disc 1 is chock full of memorable moments. For me, the highlights were Billy Joel doing "New York State Of Mind", Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy doing a scorching rendition of the blues standard "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" and Adam Sandler reviving Operaman. But as just about every reviewer pointed out, The Who blew everyone away. I think it was "Won't Get Fooled Again" that stood out. It was also a spectacular swan song for the band's bassist, John Enthwistle. This was his last live appearance ever. He died suddenly in June 2002.

Disc 2 is even better. My favorite performer here is Elton John, who delivers a powerful version of "Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters". Mick Jagger and Keith Richards do great versions of "Salt Of The Earth" and "Miss You", though I would have liked it if all of The Rolling Stones were onstage. Jimmy Falon does an interesting medley of 1980s' hits that includes "Who's Johnny", "Der Komisar", and "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight". Paul McCartney brings down the house at the end. I really enjoyed it when Richard Gere got booed. He was asking for it.

Overall, a great concert.

Support a Good Cause
Just a reminder that proceeds from the sale of this video still go to the Robin Hood Relief Fund. ... Read more

Description

Rita Lee Lance and Chris Lorenzo solve high-profile crimes of passion for the Palm Beach Police Department.They'll stop at nothing in their pursuit of those who, due to their power or fame, feel that they are above the law of the land. ... Read more

Reviews (535)

THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME
I LOVE THIS MOVIE. It is si-fi action film which is made perfectly. The cast is amazing with my favorite actor, Bruce Willis who does a good job. Please buy this and enjoy it as much as I do!

Awful crap
We can't believe this load of crap was called Star Wars for the ninties! Three of us were watching it. One fell asleep as the other two watched a ridiculous plot with annoying as hell characters unfold. If you have insomnia, this movie is recommended but if you vomit frequently, don't watch it!

Great.
This movie is a great furturistic fantasy style movie in which a cab driver played by Bruce Willis has to save the world from the evil, Darkness. This movie has great special effects such as when driving through the city, where I think Star Wars Episode 2 stole the idea. It has a good story but as usual it always ends good. The acting was superb. I still don't know why no one went to go see this when it came out. I guess it was ahead of its time. This is a fabulous movie, Don't miss out.

"The Fifth Element"
The Fifth Element (PG-13) ****/5
Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm, Chris Tucker, Milla Jovovich.
Directed by: Luc Besson.
Synopsis: A "perfect being" and a taxi driver must save the galaxy from evil.
Special Features: Widescreen and Fullscreen Versions of the Film.
Review: A perfect being (Jovovich) crashes on Earth and must prevent evil from destroying it. She gets help from a cab driver (Willis), and a priest (Holm). Bad guy Gary Oldman proceeds to help the evil attempt to destroy the galaxy for some unknown reason. To be honest I did not understand this film really. I got the basic plot, but it's a bit goofy. Do I care? No not really this was one of the most enjoyable times I had at the movies, and I have no idea why. Willis gives a fun performance, Jovovich is terrific as Leeloo, Ian Holm gets the job done splendidly as usual, and Oldman is one of the best bad guys going. Luc Besson injects this film with energy, and a fantastic futuristic vision. As for the DVD? Weak buy the Superbit disc instead.

This Movie is Art
This movie is a "forty-timer," that is a movie I have watched over and over and still marvel at it. Not only is it a terrific story, fun and and fast paced, but the film is shot and edited with stunning perfection. The ONLY complaint I have about the DVD is there are no extra features. I want to see the "Making of" and hear comments by the director and the stars. There are so many little details and artistic touches to this movie that I don't believe I will ever catch them all. Better yet, I won't get tired of looking as I view this movie time and again. A+++ ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Tears of Endearment
Fresh off the success of his television series TAXI, James L Brooks came to the big screen with his directorial debut: a comic film culminating in a main character succumbing to cancer. That certainly doesn't sound like the most promising comedy material but TERMS OF ENDEARMENT is a success in both comedy and drama. It is a very funny film that ends up a tearjerker without ever sacrificing the humor.

The mother and daughter act of Aurora (Shirley MacLaine) and Emma (Debra Winger) are at the heart of the story. The mother is consistently over-protective and disappointed in her daughter. Emma is one of the most compassionate human beings in the cinematic world. When Emma ups and marries the wrong guy (Jeff Daniels) there relationship becomes one of the phone lines. Even that doesn't squelch Aurora's power of her daughter. But when Aurora finally dates her free-spirited neighbor (Jack Nicholson), she softens as a human being and backs off of.

The film is quite clever with its characters and dialogue, often right from McMurtry's novel. Brooks works wonders with a dream cast that was often a nightmare. The audio commentary on the DVD offers a very open discussion of the Diva attitudes on the set. And Brooks exposes some other things as well but the commentary is often self-congratulatory. This is a great film in the style of BROADCAST NEWS and AS GOOD AS IT GETS.

Funny,sad,intense,just like real life.A classic.
I first saw "Terms of Endearment" in the theatre when it first came out at Christmas 1983 and thought it was an excellent picture. Then,saw it several years later on home video and I still think so. I even gave a copy of the video to my sister for a birthday present(along with some other of her favorite movies). A lot of the credit should go to James L. Brooks who was the writer and director.Mr. Brooks was a writer on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" in the '70's and wrote the enjoyable movie "Starting Over" in 1979.

Shirley MacLaine stars as Aurora and Debra Winger is her daughter Emma and the story is about their relationship over many years.The two leads both gave fabulous performances. Ms.MacLaine won the Academy Award for Best Actress(her one and only win) and Ms. Winger was nominated.Jack Nicholson gave a very funny,likable performance as the former astronaut who lives next door to Aurora. Nicholson won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this role(a role that Burt Reynolds turned down due to a prior commitment.Reynolds regretted it later because the movie he turned the role down for turned out to be a flop).Actors John Lithgow and a then unknown Jeff Daniels also give good performances in supporting roles.

However, the real kudos go to James L.Brooks who won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay Adaptation(from the novel by Larry McMurtry)and for Best Director,very impressive since this was his directorial debut.And,it also won Best Picture of the year.The story has many funny moments,sad moments,and intense moments,just like in real life.Mr.Brooks went on to write and direct "Broadcast News" in 1987 and "As Good As It Gets" in 1997 which were both very good pictures also.There was a sequel to "Terms of Endearment" some 16 years later in 1996 called "The Evening Star" with Ms.MacLaine and Mr. Nicholson but with a different writer and director."The Evening Star" was no classic but "Terms of Endearment" truly is.

Somewhat cold, but still wonderful.
I saw this movie after I had seen Steel Magnolias, and to be honest it did not impress me as much as Steel Magnolias did. They are both classics in the film world, but I found Magnolias better and more heartwarming. Shirley Maclaine did a wonderful job acting in this film as the troubled mother of a sickly daughter. The movie comes together in the end but at some points the movie lacked that sense of heart and home that Steel Magnolias had. See it and make the judgment for yourself. I do reccomend it.

Tear-jerker
Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger play mother and daughter who are alternately at love and war with each other as they go on the roller-coaster of life. On a routine visit to the pediatrician for one of her sons, Winger's doc is more interested in her swollen glands than he is in her son's ear ache - and the next thing we know, Winger's diagnosed with a terminal illness. The pathos is well played, and I challenge anyone to emerge dry-eyed from the scene in which she says good-bye to her sons, esp to the one who is so angry and uncommunicative.
Everyone comes thru in the end, including the lumpish ex-husband, and Jack Nicholson, playing a free-spirited astronaut who is MacLaine's love interest, deservedly won an Oscar for this performance.
Excellent book by McMurtry; great movie by James L. Brooks.

As a Male, I Dig This Movie
This film is categorized as a chick flick...but hey it made me cry too. I was a kid when I saw this film. My cat had just died, and guess what her name was? ...EMMA!!!!
Well when Emma died in the film I almost lost it..
Shirley MacLaine said working with Debra Winger was hard to do as Debra was very gassy... ... Read more

Reviews (353)

A Masterpiece...
Bill Parrish ( Anthony Hopkins) is a media tycoon who is about to celebreate his 65th birthday. Unfortunately, it is also his time to die as well, because Death ( Brad Pitt) decides to pay Bill a visit. Bill manages to make a deal with Death to keep him alive a little bit longer, in exchange for teaching him what it is like to be human. Things become complicated however, when Death not only takes up an interest in life, but in Bill's beautiful daughter Susan ( Claire Forlani) as well.

For some reason "Meet Joe Black" has received mixed reviews from critics and moviegoers. In my opinion, this remake of the 1934 film "Death Takes a Holiday" was one of the best films I have seen in quite some time. The movie has gained a reputation for being long and drawn out because it is 3 hours long. I did not find the film to be drawn out at all, and time flew by for me when watching this film. Brad Pitt is actually a very good actor and shows it in this film. Pitt accurately portrayed how Death would react to the world around him with his endless curiousity and naive behavior. The scene where Death discovers peanut butter for the first time is priceless!! Anthony Hopkins was great as usual, and turns in another oscar worthy performance as Bill Parrish. You come to legitimately feel for his character because you know that it is only a matter of time before the inevitable is coming. The thing that impressed me most about the film, was that the romantic story between Death and Claire Forlani's character Susan is extremely well done, despite the gloom setting that Death's presence brings. I also highly recommend picking up the soundtrack to this film. The musical score used was outstanding.

The only piece of advice I can give with this film, is to ignore its reputation and give it a shot. Overall, "Meet Joe Black" is a captivating and touching film with great performances given from the actors and an incredible soundtrack.

A solid 5 stars...

What a range of acting by Brad Pitt!
OK, the guy has played some weird roles in some rather bad movies -- but he's always played them well. This movie takes full advantage of Pitt's talent by having him play the nice guy, tough guy, intelligent, sensitive, compassionate and romantic. There are scenes where he is actually funny even though it's presented in a subtle way. I found myself laughing out loud several times and couldn't believe I was watching a movie about death! So now Brad is playing his best role ever in a great movie and the critics seemed to pan the movie anyway.

Hopkins and Forlani are also excellent in their roles. Hopkins gives a wonderful performance as a loving father and powerful business man faced with death, but having to hide it from his family. Claire Forlani plays the part of his beautiful and intelligent daughter so well. She's constantly probing into Joe's situation to find out why he is living in her father's house meanwhile falling in love with this stranger and teaching Joe about love (something that is obviously new to him).

The contrast between Pitt, the lawyer in the coffee shop and Pitt as Joe is fascinating. The guy in the coffee shop is opimistic, fun, lively and a great conversationalist. He smiles and laughs easily making Susan extremely attracted to him. Pitt as death (Joe) is quite different even though he looks the same. Joe is quiet, serious, mysterious, and somewhat clueless about people. As time goes on, Joe becomes more comfortable and Susan gets him to smile after his first kiss and he get a "week feeling" in his knees. The love scene is beautifully done and shows Susan undressing Joe. They get to the point where he can't get his shirt off all the way and he has this huge grin looking at Susan. I loved that part!

There is a lot of conflict in this movie too. Many of the characters have personal issues to work out. It seems like a simple story but actually has several stories being told.

Death at its finest
I do believe this is one of the rare movies that every member of the cast gave a stellar performace. But applause must go to Pitt for his portrayal as both Death and the human Joe Black. The subtle changes in his character was performed masterfully. Forlani did well as the youngest daughter of the media mogul Parish, going from daddy's little girl to seductress. But besides it, this movie also raises some deeper issues, like highlighting the small things we take for granted in our everyday life. Do make an effort to watch it, you'll find yourself profoundly touched by it.

One of the best of all times
Meet Joe Black is one of my favourite movie of all times, I think it is also one of the best movie of all times. I remember the first time I saw it in the theatre; I was taking a break in the middle of my projects with hardly any sleep for days. I did not realise that is was a 3 hr movie and I did not fall asleep. The opening scene with Anthony Hopkin just captivated me within the first 5 mins of the movie. Since then, I have watched it over 5 times, each time with new discovery in the wonderfully written script about love, death, and life; how a perfect gentle, who I think has everything, still cannot escape mortality, and how this fear has been transformed into courage. The movie had many wonderful moments, one of which when Hopkin with Forlani in the helicopter talking about love like "when lightning strike", also a moving scene when Bill's (Hopkins charactor) less favourite daughter told the father that it is alright as everyone is allowed to have a favourite, it is OK as long as she feels loved. I strongly recommend anyone to watch the movie for yourself and not listening to the negative reviews from the "critics" as most of the time, they are wrong.

GREAT- MUST SEE!
I never liked Brad Pitt in his movies, so when my neighbor told me to watch it, I was hesitant. I thought it was going to be really dumb. I watched it anyway and have found a great movie! Brad Pitt was awesome! I couldn't believe it. This movie is worth it's weight in gold. (or at least the 12-20 bucks most places are asking for it!) If you haven't seen this you have got to! The lines are perfect, they all fit together, and there is enough comedy, romance, mystery, etc ,etc to keep it from being too sad. In the end, it is happy so for those of you who don't like sad movies - DON'T WORRY ABOUT THIS ONE, IT IS GREAT! ... Read more

Reviews (533)

Fun and Meaningful
I'm surprised by all the negativity this movie has produced, by the "fans" and at its initial run at the box office; truth is, I love this film and I found it to be quite entertaining and downright heartfelt at times. This new installment to the Star Trek universe marks the long-awaited return of the Next Generation crew -- and during a time when we are subjected to truly the worst of the franchise ('Voyager', and somehow even worse, 'Enterprise'), it was the perfect time to hail the return of this beloved cast of characters. The writing is top-notch by John Logan (who helped pen 'Gladiator' and 'The Last Samurai'), allowing the characters to finally grow and develop after a rather poor ninth movie ('Insurrection'). While, it's not the best of the series of now ten films, it is certainly one of the top four, providing action and intrigue at every turn.

The extras on the DVD are great, providing viewers with a pretty extensive look at how the film was made and several deleted scenes -- one or two I think should have made the final cut. This DVD is a must-have for anyone who enjoys science fiction films.

Nemesis plays well on TV, despite its flaws....
Star Trek: Nemesis, the 10th (and possibly final) feature film based on Gene Roddenberry's seminal science fiction TV franchise, isn't as bad a Trek film as some would lead one to believe. Sure, it isn't as good or satisfying as Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, but then again that film had Nicholas Meyer at the helm, which gave the Original Series' cast a worthy farewell.

Noted film editor-turned-director Stuart Baird isn't Nick Meyer, who gave his two Trek chapters its clever mix of Horatio-Hornblower-in-the-stars, literary allusions (Dickens and Melville in The Wrath of Khan and Shakespeare in The Undiscovered Country) and some outsider's irreverence to counter the first, flawed Star Trek film's pondering pretentions of grandeur. But as a Trek outsider, Baird attempts to tell a dramatic tale which pits Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the Enterprise-E crew against Shimzon (Tom Hardy), a human who has been a slave on the Romulans' sister planet Remus and has become Praetor of the Romulan Empire in a deadly coup d'etat. Cunning, ruthless and brimming with resentment, Shimzon is not only a fierce warrior and a veteran of the Dominion War, he's also Picard's clone.

For all its perceived flaws, Nemesis somehow plays better on the small screen than it does in the multiplex. It feels more natural watching this at home on a DVD player; screenwriter John Logan is an admitted Star Trek fan and blended elements from Star Trek II (which this movie's plot bears a similarity to in various respects) with an above-average Data-and-Picard episode from The Next Generation. After all, Nemesis revolves around Picard and Data (Brent Spiner, who, with Logan and producer Rick Berman, co-wrote the story); each finds a mirror image of himself -- Picard/Shimzon and Data discovers his flawed prototype B-4 -- and each is forced to deal with his "evil" twin.

At the heart of the story, Nemesis is also about family and the many transitions families go through in life. We first see the Enterprise family celebrating the long-awaited "conjugation" between Cmdr. William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and ship's Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), who, like children leaving home for college, are leaving the Enterprise for the USS Titan, Riker's first command. We follow the crew on this final trek across the stars, only to watch as they mourn the loss of a cherished comrade.

Star Trek: Nemesis' special effects are excellent, and Baird's experience as both an editor (Superman: The Movie) and director gives the action sequences a kinetic energy absent from the previous film, Insurrection. The score by noted composer Jerry Goldsmith is also outstanding. (Brent Spiner fans who know the actor is also a gifted singer should find his rendition of Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" as a very enjoyable bonus.)

The Paramount Widescreen Collection DVD is above average considering it's not a 2-disc "Collector's Edition." It not only has a crisp digital transfer and clear sound, but it has audio commentary by Baird, deleted scenes and a handful of "making-of" documentaries.

Good but not great.
This final outing of the 'next generation' crew is one of the better films in the franchise but not the best.
On the plus side it offers some excellent action scenes and SFX and we finally get to see the enigmatic Remans who are being led by a clone of Picard. A lot of the story threads that have continued throughout the T.V. series and prior films are also tied up, such as Deanna and Will Riker finally marrying, Riker getting a command etc.
However, the film is not perfect. Data discovers a 'brother' on another planet but there is no indication of why/how he get there and this thread is never fully explored. Picard's clone seems obsessed with Deanna at one point...why??
This film works on a pure entertainment level but don't expect any complexity in it. It is like a marshmallow...a lot of bulk but not a lot of substance.

A Very Sad Farewell
Star Trek: TNG happens to be the best among all Star Trek Series EVER for me and growing up with this series on the sideline, it has been a part of my life. And they have come to their very last production of that series with this very sad farewell movie. I came out watching this movie with this familiar tugging in my chest, like you have when you are attending a funeral of a very close relative or friend.

This movie started with the most anticipated wedding of Riker and Troi, yes it is about time! While on their way to Troi's home planet, for the traditional naked wedding, they encounter a strange signal from an unknown source, which turns out of be a broken up android who looked like Data and it is not Data's evil brother. Trying to fix him, they continue course back to their original destination until Janeway (yes, yuck lol) contacted Picard about some political associated meeting and Picard agreed to help.

Arriving to some strange planet, Picard meet an unusual encounter with the leader, who looks exactly like him when he was way way way younger, who ironicly, is an exactly clone of Picard, and he extremely wants Picard bad. This is where the adventure really starts.

Gosh! I can't believe this is the end of TNG.

Don't listen to the critics....
This movie was released during the first Lord of the Rings maina a few years back. How did they expect to do going up against a blockbuster like that? It is a good film. It has space battles and a antagonist that would have made a good two part episode. It's all in the expectations...you are not watching the Matrix when you see a Star Trek movie. It's about a cast of characters we've been watching for seven seasons and three movies...it's not the loser that critics say it is... ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A Heavenly Movie
I think I first saw this film when I was about 7 or 8 years old. Just about a month ago I saw the sequel on television and then I suddenly remembered this animated masterpiece. Welp, a few clicks and the order was on its way... (I couldn't find this title from EU at all)As soon as the package arrived I ripped it open and put the disk into the player. Time passed and as I was watching the end credits I was feeling very impressed and good.

So waddaya know, waddaya say? This movie is a true classic if you ask me. The Characters and their voices in particular are very good. Both Dom DeLuise and Burt Reynolds have done a great job and therefore it's very enjoyable to watch Charlie's story go further. I think the songs fit in pretty nicely too -ie. "Soon You'll Come Home" is good so are the others. What deserves a true thumb-up, however, is the animation - it's very good looking and surely 'feeds the eyes'. Oh.. that means.. something.. *grin*

Summary: This one is a must for persons who like animal-centered movies, and for the rest I would also highly recommend it. And naturally for all ages - I, myself, am an 18-year old (perfectly normal) guy who likes this movie at least as much as Terminator II. So if you haven't seen "All Dogs Go To Heaven" yet now it's time fix that little problem.

By the way, Don Bluth, thank you!

5 stars for the movie - not the disc
Okay, I don't need to repeat what has already been said. It's not a movie for little kids, but it's a wonderful piece of animated art that is a refreshing new way of telling a story - I mean you can tell from beginning to end that this is not a Disney movie (not that Disney isn't good, I just think they shouldn't dominate the world of animated art alone). I was 8 when I first saw it and now I still love with all my heart.
So I was really happy to finally get it on dvd.
However, the format is 4:3 - no Widescreen (!) and there is no Dolby Digital 5.1 track on that disc. Am I too spoiled by watching Disney DVDs or does MGM just don't care about the movies they put on dvd? It's the same with The Secret of Nimh.
They should be ashamed to decrease the viewing pleasure of their customers like that! 0 stars for MGM

A good but scarilous film
A world of warning I recomend unless you are an adolescent 10-12 or older you do not want to watch the this movie. This movie has gambling in it and thugs and some old violence seen in the ganster movies. It talks about Charley.

Charley was a naugty dog that carried only about himself. The movie begins with Charlie and his pal Itch a wenner dog breaking Charly out of prison. I was real young when I saw this the first time about 9 maybe it scared the crap out of me.

Anni Marry who unfortunately was not put in the sequel and the Christmas movie.

Killer and itch wer a hoot. Carface, his thugs and King Gator not to mention the nightmare sequence when Charlie goes down into hell. The party at the end when the river catches on fire kills me.

I hated this movie at first because it made dogs look bad but now I love it. I would rent int but because it so old Blockbuster does not have it avilable to rent anymore.

The King Gator was potrayed accurately as being savage. He scared me he was so big he was huge this alligator must have been about the size of a killer whale. About Mabe 30 feet and weighed probably about 30 tons probably. Another reason the alligator scared me was he came really close to eatting Charley.

Since it was rate G which I 100 percent disagee with I think I should have been either PG or PG -13 because of the scene befor this when Charlie and Any Marry ar in the markeet air Carface is on top of this big gun. He start shoot at charlie with I belivie it was a ray gun.

I just found out something really interest the King Gator is not a which doctor I thought he was awhich doctor becase he had a bone coming out of his nose. Withc doctors are belived to have supnatural abilities like to be able to steal souls and stuff like that.

The only thing that saves Charlies from die a painfull death inside the alligator stomach is his howl. The people who wrote the script for some reason which I have never figured out made the King Gator a music fantic.

He thinks Charlie howl is beautiful he takes him out of his mouth. In the chage with had been partly crushed by his huge teeth. Lets him loose and he refuse to eat Charlie instead the become friends.

This I fought was cease and one percent a cat and a dog possible like int Oddis and milo. But an alligator the most vicious of all the reptiles next to the crocodile impossible.

I also fought some parts where I human. Like when carfcae ties Charlie up to a big Chain drops him into the water ro kill him was inhuman. I also thought carface death at the end of the movie was in Human. Come on you do not have a dog get devouured by and alligator in a movie that hte book claims is appropriate for all ages rate G.

While wher eon it whats with these rating system people they need to be more pick those sickos only made Scare Movie R It was alot nastery than that.

If you like this see all dogs go to heaven 2. I recomend that you don't see All dog Christmas Charlie which never should have been made. For it messed up the whole Story line. Carface is not supposed to be alive he is supposed to be and he is supposed to be in Hell.

FINE MOVIE! But Barney is stll fat enough to kill them
I saw this movie,I saw most of it though.This movie was nice,but mean,also the additinoal dogs looked funny...very funny! Not funn,funny-looking-I saw ADGTH 2 was muuuuch better!!

Not for the younger children
I remember loving this as a kid because it had dogs in it, but I didn't really know what was going on. When I watched it later, I was horrified that this was made as a children's animated movie because of the violence and bad lessons taught in it. There is drinking, smoking, machine gun violence, murder, betrayal, stealing, and other lessons that should not be taught to little children. Mind you, I did not understand this until I was older, so it might be harmless and not as bad as I perceived it as an adult. The ending is actually touching, because Charlie, the main character, is an angel because he changes his selfish ways and saves Marie's life. Also, this DVD does not have a widescreen format, which is disappointing, because full screen cuts out some of the movie. The movie is dark, so I recommend it for children seven and up. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The beat goes on for television's Farscape sci-fi series with this, the third volume of episodes from the show's second season. This two-disc set includes five episodes: "Out of Their Minds," based on a clever mind-switching premise in which the cast flexes their collective acting chops; "My Three Crichtons," which finds Crichton (Ben Browder) meeting up with both primitive, Neanderthal-like and futuristic, super-smart versions of himself; and "Look at the Princess," an elaborate three-parter. Farscape fans will no doubt debate the merits of this season versus the first run, and while the stories may not be as strong this time around, the character-driven episodes feature the other qualities that distinguish the show--namely its mix of drama and humor, convincing effects, and the delightful puppet characters designed by the Jim Henson Company. DVD features include deleted scenes, a bio of actress Virginia Hey (and a study of Zhaan, the character she portrays), and more. --Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Look at the Princess
4 very strong episodes, and one somewhat weak episode: Out of their Minds has good performances by 6 of the actors playing one another's characters in the Farscape turn on the old "body-switching" cliche, some character development, and rather backstabbing bird-like aliens. The three-part Look at the Princess is brilliant, with lots of character development, political intrigue, assassination attempts, confrontations with various bad guys (including an early encounter with a Scarran, and a complex bit of dancing with Scorpy), backstory on Moya, and an intriguing central plot point; like the other great three-part arc episodes (Lies, Guns and Money, and the interrupted Nerve/Hidden Memory/Family Ties), it really pushes the series along and bears rewatching again and again. My Three Crichtons, on the other hand, is just a rewrite of the old "split into two halves" SF cliche with the two halves being "past Crichton" and "future Crichton," but with the original combined Crichton being kept around for safety. Tiny amount of character development, but really not up to the standards of the other episodes.

Another great Farscape Volume!
This is a great DVD set which includes the episodes, Out of their Minds, My Three Chrictons, and Look at the Princess Parts 1-3.
Here are my own personal ratings for each
Rating Scale
5 One of the best
4 an excellent episode
3 a good episode
2 a fair one
1 a poor episode
Out of their Minds-4 an Excellent episode
My Three Chrinctons-4 an excellent episode
Look at the Princess Part 1-3 a good episode
Look at the Princess Part 2-4 an excellent episode
Look at the Princess Part 3-4 an excellent episode
Don't miss out on this great volume on DVD.

MASTERPIECE!
Wow, was I wrong about this show. It's tightly written, well acted and amazing story. Possibly the best science fiction show I've yet seen!!!!!!!!!

awesome
a continuation of a GREAT scifi Show!

The Cows Have Not Come Home
This review is not meant to criticize the phenomenal series, but to draw attention to lack of quality in the DVD release. The first season of Farscape on DVD established a quality of excellence that has yet to be matched by the second season. There is a definant lack of the highly informative, as well as entertaining commentaries thus far in the second season. Character backstories as well as alien encounters have been diminished from actual interviews to mere reading material with no additional insight. And this particular set claims to have "deleted scenes." Season 2 had previously deleted scenes available on an extras menu, but this release does not indicate that on either disc. If they were reincorporated back into the program, a "commentary would be helpful to let us know what's new to us since the original US airing as was done in season 1.

I cannot help but to wonder that since this fine program has such a great US fan base, why are we just recently getting season 2 while season 3 is already in Australia? I know that the show is filmed there, but is that any reason to make us wait? And I can't help but to wonder if their DVD's contain even more footage and informtion that is not supplied to us.

I think that the notion of setting four or five episodes per set is supposed to make up for that which is lacking from the season 1 releases. I am grateful that my affection for this program has not been diluted by those that market it for public sales. And although I will miss the future episodes that will never be aired, thanks to the myoptic suits in charge of not allowing this incredible vision to continue, I will not mourn the loss that the vision of what fans have been forced to accept as a definative release of a now, not-so "commercial product" in this consumers' eyes, has suffered from a multitude of selfish corporate wrongdoings. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Bernardo Bertolucci's controversial 1973 film stars Marlon Brando as an expatriate American in Paris reeling from his wife's suicide and entering into a nihilistic sexual relationship with a young woman (Maria Schneider). The film is still shocking, not simply because of its (sometime unconventional) sexual sequences, but because Brando's protagonist needs his liaison with Schneider's character to remain anonymous, an experience not to be shared but indulged on either end. Bertolucci is also operating on subtext here: in a way, Brando's nonengaging engagement is a metaphor for a certain attitude toward directing movies. Jean-Pierre Léaud costars, but the film is more than anything a vehicle for a great performance by Brando.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Among the greatest performances in the history of cinema
Movie critics, both professional and otherwise, use the term "greatness" far too often. The term is so extreme that it should be reserved for movies that make us forget that we are in a theatre, or in our living room. This movie, if nothing else, makes us forget that we are movie-goers and makes us believe we are witnesses to human emotions.
"Last Tango in Paris" shows not only the talent of Bertolucci as a director, but also it allows Brando to fully express his emotional range, as perhaps the greatest screen actor of all time.
The movie exists almost as a set of inter-related scenes; each one stands on its own merit and style. The scenes do not, however, ever fall beneath the status of genius. They merely do not settle under one blanket description; the scenes occupy so many titles: love story, sucicidal, remorse, nostalgic, existential.
The story of the movie is well known by nearly everyone acquaitned with cinema: two people, a recently widowed American and a young, engaged French girl, meet by chance in an apartment and begin a purely carnal relationship. However, the actual movie delivers on so many more levels.
Brando's scenes which deal with his wofe and/or past are the best performances I have ever seen. The true emotion of an actor is visible, perhaps in their purest form ever on screen. Brando is not acting; he is living the role of one who is left and confused by love. His acting in the movie seems a bit unsure, which relates the contrasting emotions of Paul, his character.
Above all other scenes in this movie, Brando's encounter with the body of his dead wife is a testament to his ability to transcend his role as an actor. The screen seems to almost dissappear, and we are left with Brando and his dead wife, not an actor and an actress. This scene makes me feel, it causes emotions to rise from my heart. This is the ability of a truly great film.

For Brando Fans, It Doesn't Get Better Than This!
Marlon Brando's recent death effected me deeply. He has always been one of my favorite actors and I truly admire him for his extraordinary talent. During the last few weeks I have rented many of Brando's films and am still amazed, after all these years, at the force of his acting in "Last Tango In Paris." I believe that some of his best work was done in this film.

Paul, (Brando), an aging American expatriate in Paris, comes home to discover that his marriage has ended. His French wife, Rosa, had slit her veins, leaving bloody bath water and spattered walls behind. She didn't leave much else - no good-bye note or explanation for her husband, parents or lover, a guest in the fleabag hotel she owned and managed. She did bequeath the hotel, and it's seedy occupants, to Paul. Overwhelmed with grief, Paul walks the streets and finds himself looking at an apartment for rent. He finds Jeanne, (Maria Schneider), a girl-woman, barely out of her teens, looking at the same apartment. She is to be married in a few weeks to her bourgeois, filmmaker fiancee. Paul and Jeanne circle each other warily in the empty flat, each contemplating the rental, (and each other), and wondering who will take it. Suddenly, they grab each other and have hard, fast sex against the apartment wall. Thus begins a most bizarre relationship.

Paul makes the rules. Jeanne must follow them or she will not see him again. Their purely carnal relationship must remain anonymous, emotionless, and exist only within the walls of the apartment, which Paul rents for this purpose. There are to be no sexual taboos between them. He does not want to know her name or anything about her and refuses to give her any information about himself. They are not to see each other outside the apartment confines, nor even leave together. It seems as if Paul wants to bury his pain, his sense of betrayal and hurt in the mindless, sometimes brutal, act of sex. Director Bernardo Bertolucci's camera perfectly captures the impersonal nature of their coupling. The shots are blunt, without sensuality or eroticism, but an enormous sexual energy is captured. I think Jeanne is fascinated by the mystery that is Paul. She is bored, perhaps, and looking for something, maybe excitement. She is certainly intrigued by Paul's dominant role, and seems to enjoy playing the passive partner most of the time. She is clearly not happy with her boyfriend, who relates to her as the object of his latest film. He talks at her, not to her. And he does not listen. However, I do not see Jeanne as merely an object here, as do some others. The film focuses on Paul, not Jeanne.

It is unfortunate that Ms. Schneider's career fizzled after this movie. She is excellent as Jeanne and perfectly captures her character's capriciousness, playfulness, bewilderment, vulnerability, anger, frustration, seductiveness and curiosity. Brando is simply superb. There are times, when he and Jeanne are together, that it appears as if he is extemporizing. He acts as if there is no camera filming him - as if he is not acting at all. There is one scene, where he is alone with his wife's body - she is layed-out in a coffin. Brando begins to speak to her and just loses it. His remarkable outpouring of guilt and grief is probably the best acting I have ever seen.

Towards the end of the film there is a surreal ballroom scene where couples are dancing the tango. It is both haunting and memorable. The end is a bit of a letdown, but in a Brandoesque moment the actor comes to the rescue.

Bertolucci was very effected by the work of painter Frances Bacon, considered to be one of the best artists of the 20th century. He chose Brando after seeing a Bacon painting "of a man in great despair who had the air of total disillusionment." The "Last Tango In Paris," defined as "the most controversial film of an era," brought Bertolucci to international attention. It was nominated for two Academy Awards. Vittorio Storaro's cinematography adds to the cold, remote ambiance. His camera pans the colorless apartment and makes the viewing experience as impersonal as the couple's relationship.

This is obviously not a film for everyone. It has been called obscene, and worse. However, there are many, like myself, who think it is a great film. For fans of Marlon Brando, it doesn't get better than this. Bravo!
JANA

Strangely Beautiful as is eccentric and erotic
I like this movie for many things but mainly because of its frankness and eccentricity. One of the highlights that makes this movie great is without a doubt Maria Schneider's revealing nude scenes (...). She is also very pretty, however getting serious for a moment this film was in 1973 when it was release and still today a milestone in filmmaking largely due to Marlon Brando's outstanding performance. He really was one of the greatest actors of all times and his performance in Last Tango in Paris more than proves it. I really like the chemistry that both Brando and Scheneider had together through out the movie but especially in their key scenes together. Marlon Brando sadly enough passed away on July 1, in Los Angeles due to lung failure he was 80. Lucky for all of the people (myself included) who admired and appreciated his great talent as an actor, he left us a thrilling and fantastic collection of wonderful performances that are forever capture on film for all of us to enjoy time and time again. Anyone who is not aware of the contribution that this legendary actor left on American Cinema can begin by either renting or buying some of his most dynamic movies (All of them are available on DVD or VHS). These are my personal favorites and in which feature some of his greatest performances.

THE MEN (film debut)
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
ON THE WATERFRONT (Best Actor Oscar)
THE WILD ONE
VIVA ZAPATA
JULIUS CAESAR
ONE EYED JACKS (The only movie he ever directed)
THE APPALOOSA
BURN!
THE GODFATHER (Best Actor Oscar in which refused to accept)
LAST TANGO IN PARIS

A Bravura Performance by Brando
Since I don't have a copy of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, I watched again for the fifth or sixth time this fine film to remember Marlon Brando on the day of his death. Every time I see this movie I'm amazed all over again at how good it is. Brando, nominated for an academy award for best actor for his performance here, is simply stunning. As always he takes over and commands any scene he is in. When the film was first released, most of the media attention was about the extremely naturalistic sex scenes between Brando, who plays a 45-year-old whose wife has just committed suicide, and Maria Schneider, a beautiful 20-year-old beauty about to be married. Then there was all the hoopla about the episode with the stick of butter, the fingernail trimming scene, etc. What many reviewers and critics overlooked-- as I recall it now-- was at its core this movie is not just another movie bordering on soft porn but makes extremely serious and profound statements about life: who of us can really know anyone else, love can be found in very unlikely places, the undercurrent of violence often connected with sex, all the ramifications of sex with a stranger, and what happens when lust turns into love, for instance.

While Maria Schneider is certainly no slouch-- and a beauty both naked and clothed-- this film ultimately is Brando's. Kaleidoscopically he goes from the comic to rage to uncontrollable anguish and back again. The story is that he improvised many of his lines, giving his performance a very fresh, natural feel.

The film is beautifully filmed and very visual. There are many images repeated-- the overground Metro shots for instance-- and scenes between Brando and Schneider lead into similar frames between Schneider and her young fiancee.

This film is directed by another genius, Bernado Bertolucci and is like nothing else Brando did. He certainly gives one of his finest performances here.

A Great Performance, A Flawed Film
It's been said, by a reviewer whose name escapes me at the moment, that this is the last film where Marlon Brando looked good. Truth is, it's also probably the last film where Brando demonstrated why he was considered one of America's best actors. It's most definitely a flawed film. The scenes where Brando does not appear are pretentious and fairly boring. I tend to agree with the assessment of Ingmar Bergman, who opined that the storyline of this film actually would have made more sense if the 2 main characters had been played as gay men. Perhaps. Maria Schneider is very sexy, but she's just not a really good actress. And yet, when Brando is on screen, he's absolutely dynamic, enthralling, electric. Never before, and probably never again, will you witness a performance so raw, so unadorned, so revealing. Forget the sexual scenes that earned the film its notoriety. Check out Brando's soliloquy beside his suicidal wife's coffin. Or his ironic blend of tenderness and misogyny in his scenes with Schneider. Or when he weeps for...what? the impossibility of his romance with Schneider? His lost, blighted past? Or his silent, agonized finale when he sees for the final time the magnificent skyline of Paris. It's easy to become jaded by the films of today, watching as modern Hollywood's so-called stars perfunctorily perform their bland roles by rote, gearing their performances to the lowest common denominator possible. Watching Brando in his blistering and towering performance here reminds one of why acting can be considered an awe-inspring art form and why it was that I used to love going to the movies. ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Boorman's 1985 South American epic never quite gets all of its gears working simultaneously, but it remains an often startling work with an extraordinary performance by the director's own son, Charley Boorman. Powers Boothe plays an American engineer working on a dam project in Brazil. When his young son is seemingly absorbed one day into the dense perils and beauty of the Amazon rain forest, Boothe's character goes on a protracted, 10-year search for him. In the interim, Boorman puts his full storytelling powers to work by characteristically exploring the arcane rhythms and dangers of an indigenous world hidden from ordinary view. Specifically, Boorman leads us into the life of a forest tribe who have assimilated the missing child and who will ultimately send him back with the opposite of his father's pro-development sensibility. The movie is gorgeous to behold, and it's great fun watching Boorman find ever-novel ways of making the same film again and again. But the environmental message and the emotion of the core relationship get in each other's way a bit, preventing the film from uniting on every front. Still, this is a must for Boorman fans. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (22)

This is my favorite movie of all time
The beauty and power of the rainforest juxtaposed to the beauty and power of "civilization," on of my favorite themes. Who is the true savage? Powers Boothe plays a construction engineer building a dam in the rainforest that is increasingly changing the structure of the most valuable real estate on earth. Not only is it effecting the plants and animals, creating desert where there was once rich vegetation, but it is affecting the indigenous tribes in horrendous ways. Charley Boorman plays the beautiful young son who is kidnapped by the leader of the "Invisible People." His father and mother (played by the beautiful Meg Foster) spent the next ten years searching for the boy as he is being raised in tribal customs.

Meanwhile, as the living space for the tribes grows increasingly smaller, the "Invisible People," who are basically good hearted, land loving indigenous people who keep to themselves and only want to survive, are increasingly threatened by the "Fierce People," a carnivorous, cannibalistic tribe who are desperately seeking space for themselves.

We watch Tomme grow up, learn from his new "father" who loves him dearly and was perhaps initially attracted to the tyke's golden blond hair and his own need for a son. We watch Tomme go through a ritual rite of passage that sends him on a dangerous quest for the special green rock that allows what are now his people to become "Invisible." It is in this quest that Tomme and his father cross paths again, and a lesson is learned about the cost of the damage civilization has brought to what is truly a beautiful and rich country better off left alone.

For a long time I couldn't find this movie anywhere. Not even at amazon.com. I cherish the copy I did finally find. I am thrilled to see that it is now available on DVD, but would like to see a DVD created with educational "special features" about the rain forest and the fight to preserve it. That's really what this movie is all about. See it now, before it gets away again.

ENTERTAINMENT'S EMERALD
A dam-builder is in the rain forest one day with his family, showing off his stuff. Suddenly his young son takes off to the woods and is never seen again. For the next few years the father leads a double life. Half the time he's building this dam, while the other half he's picking up his machine gun and running into the jungle to fin