Description

A lone prospector ventures into Alaska looking for gold. He gets mixed up with some burly characters and falls in love with the beautiful Georgia. He tries to win her heart with his singular charm. ... Read more

Reviews (79)

A life worth remembering
Rob Cohen's DRAGON THE BRUCE LEE STORY is the best film that Bruce Lee never made. Though Cohen recounts the man's life in some kind of chronological order, he doesn't simply "tell it like it was", preferring instead to visualise Lee's major achievements in terms of his philosophy and beliefs. Therefore, alongside the development of Lee's martial arts techniques (demonstrated in a series of increasingly fluid fight sequences) and his relationship with his wife and children, Lee's inner demons are personified by way of a spectral Ming warrior who seems to intrude on his everyday reality, prior to claiming him forever in 1973 at the age of 32. Perhaps the film's major triumph is the fortuitous casting of Jason Scott Lee in the title role, giving the performance of a lifetime under what must have been hugely difficult circumstances, and he dominates a fine cast of supporting players, including newcomers Lauren Holly and Sterling Macer, and veterans Robert Wagner, Michael Learned and Nancy Kwan. Universal's region 1 DVD is a replica of their 'Signature Collection' laserdisc, and is probably the last word on this exceptional film. Presented in glorious Panavision widescreen (though not, alas, anamorphically - the disc's only real flaw), the images are solid and colorful, and Randy Edelman's evocative music score is well-served by the Dolby Digital soundtrack. There's a wealth of extras, too, including the obligatory (but very welcome!) trailers, production notes, star profiles, and an eye-opening director's commentary which manages to bridge the difficult gap between education and entertainment. The "Making of" documentary could have been longer and more detailed, I suppose, and it took me ages to figure out that the storyboards and photo-gallery sections could only be manipulated using the chapter-skip function on my remote control, but the disc is otherwise an essential purchase for anyone even remotely interested in the subject matter. All in all, a worthy tribute to the enduring legacy of a remarkable man.

Well Meaning, But Too Over the Top
This well-meaning but flawed film purports to be about the life and times of Bruce Lee, the intense, talented actor and martial artist who died tragically all too young. There is dispute over the biographical truth of the film, which is really neither here nor there, as the film seems far less interested in delving into Lee's biography than it does walking a strange line between drama and melodrama. Though he doesn't much resemble the real-life Bruce Lee, star Jason Scott Lee tries hard to capture the actor's raw power and charisma, with mixed results. He's best in the film's quieter moments, when the sincerity of his face gives the film much-needed grounding, and worst when his frenetic facial expressions and frequent shouting border on camp. But this probably isn't Lee's fault, as the film itself drifts in and out of wanting to be taken seriously and wanting to be a pseudo-chopsocky matinee, all to an often-syrupy music score. Co-star Lauren Holly is believable as Lee's caucasian wife, who struggles with him against racism that comes from so many in society--even her own mother. It is here that the film works best, illustrating the humiliation and degradation of anti-Asian racism that Lee, who simply wants to be recognized as the American he is, endures from fellow Americans, even after achieving his fame. A particularly clever--and dead-on accurate--scene reveals the isolation and thoughtless prejudice that Asian Americans frequently face: amidst a crowd of whites roaring with laughter, Lee quietly suffers Mickey Rooney's grotesque yellowface characterization in the critically-acclaimed "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Had the film focused more on meaningful emotional pyrotechnics like these, rather than the frequent, goofy interplay between Lee and a symbolic Mongol warrior, it might have captured the essence of the man instead of his onscreen persona. Like "Boogie Nights," it would have risen above the obvious exploitive qualities of its subject matter.

Inspiring
"Dragon" is an epic depicting the life of Bruce Lee. In my opinion, it is one of the most entertaining biopics of recent times. It follows the life of Bruce Lee from his childhood in Hong Kong to right before his death. The DVD version is particularly interesting because it comes with a few interviews that really shed light on Bruce Lee the man. This movie doesn't just focus on his martial arts, but it also shows his life as a family man, and an American. I found his struggle against racism to be the most moving point in this movie. Prior to Bruce Lee, the roles of Asians in Hollywood were restricted to laundrymen, villians, and caricatures. Through his effort and self-confidence, Bruce was able to make Asians into Hollywood heros. Suddenly Asia was cool.

Jason Scott Lee does a great job of portraying Bruce Lee and it's a shame that we can't see more of him these days. You can really feel the power of his performance on the screen. If you have any interest in Bruce Lee, you have to check out this film. It's sure to inspire you to reach for your own impossible dreams.

"Dragon" REVIEW
Biographical pic of martial arts legend Bruce Lee (inspired by a novel written by his widow) is as intruiging as it is exciting. The film follows Lee from his arrival in the United States to showcase his transformation from a shy bus boy to an international movie icon. Along the way, we learn about Bruce's decision to bring Jeet Kun Doe to the Western civilization despite heavy objection from his peers. "Dragon" is also treated as a love story as director Rob Cohen shows us the origins of Bruce's romance with wife Linda. While Cohen uses a great deal of artistic license in telling the "true story" of Bruce Lee, it certainly makes for one hell of an impressive movie. Randy Edelman's first-rate musical score is the icing on the cake.

Not a documentary, just a great movie!!!!
Director Rob Cohen intended this movie to be an entertaining and thought-provoking homage to Bruce Lee and his wife Linda, not a historical re-enactment. As such, the movie only follows the outlines of the real Bruce and Linda Lee story. And the movie is definitely as much about Linda as it is about Bruce. It is as stirring a love story as any other put onto the big screen in recent times.

For all those hyper-Bruce Lee fans who have panned this movie, I have just one thing to tell you - watch the DVD version with the Director's Commentary turned on. You might learn a thing or two about the real Bruce Lee story. Yes, Rob Cohen's commentary track is worth it all by itself to get this DVD, because he discusses many of the changes made in the movie from the real story, and explains why he made the changes. He doesn't have time to explain everything, but he covers a lot (e.g., the deletion of Seattle from the storyline came about because the Univ. of Washington pissed him off with their refusal to allow him to film on campus, so he just scratched out the entire city and changed it to San Francisco). Along the way, he throws in a number of little historical gems, pointing out things in the movie that might have been put in for dramatic effect but in fact really did happen (e.g., Linda's mother making the comment to her about "having yellow babies" - Linda's mother, who was still alive, actually signed a release to allow herself to be portrayed this way).

Anyway, here's why this movie is great:

1. It is one of the first of the few major Hollywood movies ever made that depict an interracial love story of a Chinese/Caucasian couple where the Chinese person in the story is a MAN. Even today, Hollywood still seems to be much more comfortable with putting cute Chinese women matched with Caucasian leading men onto the big screen.

2. The movie really emphasizes the racial discrimination aspect of the Bruce Lee story, for example, bringing out to the general public the real story behind how David Carradine got the TV show "Kung Fu" (Carradine became very defensive about this part of his acting resume after this movie came out). Cohen dwells on this racism aspect more so than either Linda or Bruce Lee ever did in real life. Most likely, they preferred to ignore the racism and rise above it rather than draw attention to it. It's great that themes like this finally get explored in movies.

3. Jason Scott Lee is terrific. He's bigger and buffer than the real Bruce Lee (who at 5' 7" was shorter than my teenage daughter) And he's a better actor. And no, he's not as quick as the real Bruce Lee, but few people ever were, and for somebody not trained in the martial arts, he sure did a great job of faking it. Unfortunately, since this movie, Jason seems to have undergone a Bruce Lee experience of his own - after making a few more major movies, his career has started to fade from the big screen as more "authentic" and bankable (in the Asian market anyway) Chinese actors such as Jet Li, Jackie Chan and Chow Yun Fat take over Hollywood's slot for Asian leading men.

4. The soundtrack by Randy Edelman is terrific (if somewhat repetitious). One of the most beautiful parts of the movie was the scene where Jason Scott Lee and Lauren Holly go through their balletic kung-fu excercises in perfect unison to Edelman's stirring score.

5. Lauren Holly is terrific. She too is a Hollywood improvement on the original. For one thing, in the movie, although she cuts her hair short after marriage, just like the real Linda Lee, her hair never takes on the 60's - era puffed bun look of the original Linda Lee (geez, was there ever a more horrible hairstyle than the puffed bun). For another, her role is much more aggressive and pro-active, more of a proto-feminist from the 90's. The ending of this movie makes it seem as if she was close to leaving Bruce Lee to return to the U.S., whereas the real truth was that Bruce Lee at the time was already traveling back and forth to the U.S. as well as all over the world, and it would have been far more likely that he would have been the one to spin out of her orbit as he scaled the heights of international superstardom.

This is not just a movie about Bruce Lee, it is a great and moving love story. Listen to Director Rob Cohen again as he talks about the final scene in this movie, when Jason Scott Lee gives a good-bye kiss to Lauren Holly and then climbs up the stairs to the Han Island movie set:

"When I look at this scene, no matter how many times, I still get choked up.... Part of it is that how much these people loved each other. Part of it was how beautiful they were together, and what a stand they made for their time. Part of it is that, as he's finishing this film, he's finishing his life, and we know it and he doesn't.....I wanted to give the homage of his fellow martial artists to the great image, the great work, the great place in history of Bruce Lee....to see him again, mythically, legendarily, above and eternal, in motion, never stopping, always kinetic, and always with us." ... Read more

Amazon.com

61* is an endearing ode to the baseball days of yore when the press was the enemy, salaries were in check, and breaking records with bat and glove took on Ruthian proportions. In 1961 baseball expanded its season from 154 games to 162, allowing weaker pitching into the major leagues and two New York Yankees teammates--the colorless Roger Maris and golden boy Mickey Mantle--to make an assault on the sport's ultimate record: Babe Ruth's 60 home runs. To add to the stew, baseball commissioner Ford Frick announced any record set in the last eight games of the season wouldn't count toward the official record; records had to be achieved in 154 games.

Director Billy Crystal guarantees success for his movie in the perfect casting of the leads. Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan's religious sniper) is deft as Maris, and Thomas Jane is a perfect Mantle, a superman in a Yankee uniform. Despite the differences between family man Maris and hard-living Mantle, they form a rewarding friendship amid the media and fan frenzy. The shy Maris took the brunt of the storm, even facing boo-birds in his home stadium. Crystal and first-time writer Hank Steinberg keep the pace moving quickly between the field, the locker room, the press box, and the home front. The film never tries to dazzle with more than the facts (and it softens Mantle up a bit), yet it belongs on the short list of grand baseball movies. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (80)

An Excellent Baseball Film
A truly outstanding movie, as director Billy Crystal and actors Thomas Jane (Mickey Mantle) and Barry Pepper (Roger Maris) bring the 1961 baseball season and home run chase to life. This movie is as authentic as perhaps any sports movie I've ever seen, and the two stars give powerful performances--Mantle's charisma and legendary carousing as well as his tape-measure home runs made him a hero to millions, while Maris was a quiet, shy type who didn't want the limelight. But he was Mantle's equal on the field that year, and the pair was chasing the home run record of perhaps the biggest legend of all, Babe Ruth.

The Yankee fan will love this movie, as Crystal went to great pains to recreate Yankee Stadium and cast actors as baseball players who looked and played not only like Mantle and Maris, but Whitey Ford (Anthony Michael Hall), Yogi Berra, Elston Howard and all the rest. The relentless sportswriters (including a fine performance by Richard Masur as "Milt") who wouldn't leave Maris alone ring true, and Ford Frick, the commissioner of baseball back then, is a bit of a villian--he loved Ruth and clearly didn't want the record broken.

One of the most touching aspects of the film is the open and close, where Crystal intercuts actual footage of Mark McGuire tying and breaking the Maris record with actors and actresses portraying Maris's widow Pat and their kids looking on. Likewise, Crystal's daughter, Jennifer Crystal Foley, is excellent as the young Pat Maris.

The extras on this DVD are nearly as good as the movie itself. Crystal offers off-camera audio and narrates each scene of the movie, which is fascinating, and there's an hour-long behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film which is also powerful...it includes a clip of the "Dinah Shore Show" from 1977 when Crystal, then starring on "Soap," sat next to Mantle, introduced himself and showed his hero a program with his signature from 1956.

Strongly recommended, a movie which will stand the test of time for baseball fans, and another feather in the cap of Billy Crystal--there's very little he can't do, and if nothing else, you'll realize what a true baseball and Yankee fan he is.

Five Stars Is Not Enough
It was the summer of 1961, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle were chasing the illusive home run record held by none other than Babe Ruth. This is the story of that fateful summer. "61*" is probably one of the best baseball movies I have ever seen. I would have never imagined that Billy Crystal would have ever been able to put together such a great film.

The cast in this movie is wonderful. Roger Maris, played by Barry Pepper, who was also in "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Green Mile," was played very well. I can't comment on accuracy of the actual character as I was not alive when this story took place. But, the roles were very believable. The struggle that Roger Maris went through as a result of the media blitz that surrounded him and the ghost of Babe Ruth, must have been so painful.

Now, I don't claim to be a baseball expert, nor would I say that I am actually a fan of the game in the state it is in today. But, this film was when baseball was a game and people still played for the love of the game. Yes, there were rich ballplayers, but many still had winter jobs and needed playoff bonuses to stay afloat. They had a head for the game and they had heart for the game, now most have a head for the game and a heart for real estate.

This movie is wonderful. If I was a producer, I would defiantly give Billy Crystal money for a movie. . . I do know that Mr. Crystal is a fan of the game. So, I do wonder slightly if the movie is accurate or if it a fan piece. . . But, honestly, I do not care. The story was amazing.

epc

This movie was a lot like baseball-slow and going nowhere
This movie is just like baseball...you sit in a seat for hours watching an incredibly slow game while you drift off to sleep. Sorry all you baseball fans...but I'm a football fan and I need action to sustain life when I'm sitting in a small stadium seat for numerous hours. You have to hand it to Barry Pepper, who plays Marris quite well. I thought that he had hit an all-time low when he played the ape-like human with dred locks in "Battlefield Earth". Back to *61. What is the deal with the asterik? Is that the most interesting thing that a baseball columnist can think of? But with respect for Marris for breaking the Babe's record, I have to give the film two stars, cause if I gave it one you'd all probably find me and beat me with his signed baseball bat.

Region 1 Encoding
Just a quick note about the Region encoding for this DVD for UK customers. This DVD WILL work on the PAL PS2 when used with a product called "DVD Region X" (about £10). Just make sure your TV can display 60Hz. 50Hz TVs will play the movie in black and white.

61*
This is now one of my favorite baseball movies of all time. I had never seen this movie until I purchased it on amazon. First, it is needed to say that I hate the Yankees. Even with my bias view of the team, this is the first (and last) time I will ever pull for the yankees. The bottom line is simply that this is an enjoyable movie for both baseball fans and those who do not follow the game. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The mind-bending worlds of author H.P. Lovecraft have long interested horror directors, but the films have rarely successfully captured his nightmarish mix of madness and mythology. John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness is not directly based on Lovecraft's work, but screenwriter Michael De Luca draws his inspiration from Lovecraft's Cthulu mythology and then adds his own ingenious twists. John Trent (Sam Neill), an insurance investigator recently fitted for a straightjacket, tells his story to a psychiatrist. Hired to track down the missing pop-horror phenomena Sutter Cane, a Stephen King-like author whose fans are literally made for his books, Trent finds the supposedly fictional Hobb's End.He watches the town collapse into madness, murder, and monstrous transformations: the fantastic horrors of Cane's novels played out in front of his eyes. "Reality isn't what it used to be," deadpans one zombielike townsperson. In fact, it is how Cane writes it--but is he Devil, dark oracle, or simply a preacher in the service of an evil that grows stronger with every soul his books convert? The script never quite gets a grip on the blurry relationship between fact and fiction, but those details fade in the face of Carpenter's demented imagery, shiver-inducing twists, and dark wit. It's more eerie mind game than straight-out horror, a portrait of a world gone mad, and Carpenter relishes every hallucinatory moment.

The DVD features both widescreen and pan-and-scan editions of the film--like all of Carpenter's films, this is shot in CinemeScope, so widescreen is a must--and commentary by Carpenter and cinematographer Guy Kibee that fills every second of the audio track with observations, technical information, and production stories. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (102)

Among the top Horror Films of our Times
I've seen a lot of horror and sci-fi movies, and this is among the best. For anyone who likes to read, this movie is a must. It blurs the boundary between what's fact and what's fiction. Neill goes in search of the elusive horror writer Sutter Cane, and finds that perhaps he is more than a good horror writer. The movie is scary without all of the expensive special effects that other movies rely upon to scare the audience. The ending is classic. This movie may make you want to think twice about settling down with a good book...

Best horror film of the '90s
John Carpenter has been to hell and back and now he wants us to know what it is like! No other movie this decade can compare with the disturbing imagery of Madness. Sutter Cane is the top selling horror novelist in the world, but it appears that Cane's writings are having no shortage of ill effects on his readers. Cane is writing to bring about the end of the world and it looks like he just might succeed! Carpenter spares no expense in the dementia department and pulls no punches with the gore. Along with Event Horizon & Lord of Illusions this is a 90's classic!

This movie is so horrifying,it'll put you in an institution!
This movie is so scary you will have nightmares for years! Sam Neill is absolutely fantastic for the part! This is quite possibly his best movie!

Leaves something to be desired
If I was an avid fan of John Carpenter, perhaps I would have found the movie more appealing. After viewing it two times, I still find it lacking. First, Julie Carmen STINKS! She lends no support to Sam Neill... (can someone please tell me what he's doing in this movie?! He's so much better than this!) She's stiff and I found this distracting. The plot, although potentially good, failed to deliver. I saw the movie twice just to find any redeeming qualities. While there are some good parts to it, my overall review is that there are better movies to spend your time watching.

This is one great movie!!
This is the best movie John Carpenter did since Halloween. His creepy style of music and plot makes this a bone chilling movie. It is well thought out and definetly should not be a disappointment to anyone. If you like creepy movies and music, then this is a must have.

Movies that I would also recommend is:

(1) Event Horizon
(2) Scream 1 and 2
(3) From Dusk till Dawn
(4) Maximum Overdrive
... Read more

Reviews (2)

Back to Business
After mucking about in England during "Sharpe's Regiment", Sharpe and Harper are back in Spain, as Wellington dithers about which way to go to invade France. Along comes the Maquerre, a French aristocrat loyal to the Royalist cause who claims that Bordeaux is ripe for revolt against Napoleon. Sharpe and the South Essex are sent with his new and very green commanding officer, Colonel Bamfylde to take the Maquerre's ancestral castle, a simple mission which quickly becomes more complicated than not. In the meantime, Sharpe's new bride, Jane Gibbons is sick with malaria, and may not survive to see Sharpe return - if he manages at all to do so.

Well, it's back to blowing things up and firing upon the French for old Sharpie, and we're all the better for it. The Chosen Men return, as do the wonderfully grotesque "Sweet" William Frederickson and Sharpe's own nemesis, the French spymaster Ducos. This is a competently told Sharpe, almost by the numbers, with the only thing of note being a completely useless and idiotic Colonel Bamfylde, who shouldn't be entrusted with the command of a toilet brush, let alone a regiment. They overplay this quite a bit and it got annoying - surely nobody could be that stupid. However, having read the military history of that period, I could almost believe it.

The subplot of Jane on the verge of death had me pretty bored. I know that the ladies love the romance bits, but even then, Jane is a pretty useless character, with no real personality. But then, that was the purpose she served in the books, until.... ah, well, no spoilers.

The print on this DVD is suprisingly clear, better than some of the others in fact. Not as crisp as we spoilt viewers demand these days, but above the rest. Perhaps the film stock was improving as the series went on.

A formulaic Sharpe, but we're getting closer to the good stuff now, and right at the end of the road waits a small Belgian town called Waterloo...

Sharpe's SIEGE... another GREAT adventure!
What can I say? I personally found this to be one of my favorite episodes of SHARPE'S. Its not quite as good as the first two episodes (RIFLES and EAGLE) but SIEGE is great all the same. If you're not familiar with the series, see try to see the other episodes first. If you are familiar with the series, try to see REGIMENT before watching SIEGE. A new character is introduced in that story, and she's important in this one.

This adventure sees our favorite British Riflemen on a mission to take a French castle, during the British invasion of France (1813). While battling the French, British forces must also battle fever, and political manipulations from all around. This episode also features appearances by some re-occuring characters (both friend and foe).

The video and audio quality are great, though there are no supplements on the disc, like the other SHARPES discs. Good acting, witty dialogue, and some of the best action scenes in the series make this a must own for fans of SHARPES! ... Read more

Reviews (326)

Who (or what) Goes There?
When John Carpenter decided to remake the 1951 classic Howard Hawks' The Thing from Another World, he went back to the original John W. Campbell Jr. short story Who Goes There instead of the first movie for inspiration. Hawks' version was a very fine depiction of an alien creature loose among an arctic group of scientists and military men, who must fight for their lives against the unknown horror from outer space. Despite their peril, they have only one "thing" to deal with, easily recognizable, and whose movements are easily tracked with a Geiger counter. Still, the battle is a desperate one, with several casualties.

Campbell's story was essentially asking the question: what is human, and how do you know? What is a test for humanity? His "thing" could assume a perfect human shape and move among others without detection. How could such a powerful being be discovered and destroyed? Carpenter's film asks the same questions, and how they are answered makes for a gripping suspense thriller, with state-of-the-art visual effects, an eerie music score, and a great ensemble cast.

The special effects were so shocking that most mainstream critics were put off by them and their reviews showed it. One in particular, Gary Franklin, said in his TV review that he was "disgusted and outraged" by the movie! Another TV critic, David Sheehan, was more moderate and even-handed, giving it a lukewarm acknowledgment for its suspense. Because of the poor reviews and the fact that it was competing with E.T., The Thing was a box-office failure.

But it's not a failure as a sci-fi/horror movie, despite some flaws in the story and the editing, and the unsatisfactory, unresolved ending. Why, for instance, is a scientific research group in Antarctica so well-armed? The Americans have revolvers, shotguns, switchblade knives, dynamite, and flame-throwers! The Norwegians have AK-47s, thermite bombs, and hand-grenades! All this hardware in a place where the predominant lifeform is penguins! What's the rationale for so much weaponry? (In the first movie the Air Force guys had side-arms, thermite, and a carbine, but they were military men.)

This DVD edition features a commentary by Carpenter and Kurt Russell, which sounds just like two good buddies sitting around with a six-pack of beer and discussing old times. It's very interesting and amusing. The disk is packed with plenty of interesting stuff and worth its price. I recommend it to all fans of the sci-fi/horror genre and all John Carpenter fans in particular. A class act--don't miss it!

An amazing DVD title
I still remember seeing John Carpenter's "The Thing" on the widescreen during it's theatrical run, and the memory of the audience's reaction to this film still makes me grin. People were shrieking and jumping; it was WONDERFUL. This film did not receive the recognition it deserves during its run, and I am one happy camper that Universal decided to give it the Collector's Edition treatment. If not THE best, it is certainly ONE of the best films by John Carpenter. The setting, mood, music and acting are great. Although the horrific elements are there in full force thanks to Bottin's excellent F/X work, it is the sense of psychological horror that makes this one work; that feeling of dread, isolation, being trapped in a situation from which there is no escape. HOO BOY. I still consider this one of my all time favorites. This DVD is beautiful. The picture and sound are top-notch and the DVD extras are a sterling example of what others should strive for. It will take you quite a while to dig through all the treasure contained on this disc, and it is well worth the effort. I cannot recommend this one highly enough, and if I could give it 10 stars, I wouldn't hesitate.

Classic horror from John Carpenter
The Thing is one of the great horror movies of the 1980's. Set in Antarctica in 1982, it circles around a group of researchers who uncover an alien buried under the ice that then proceeds to wreak havoc on the crew. Awsome effects by Rob Bottin (The Howling) and a terrific story make "The Thing" a rare horror treat. If you are still interested in learning more about it, read the book "Who Goes There?", which is the novella which they based the movie.

THE THING
Rated R: Strong violence and gore, and brief language.

Not Anything New
Same DVD As The Last One. Only A New "Welcomed" Transfer. So Hopefully It'll Look Nice And Crisp. But Still A Great Movie. Number One On My List Of Horror Movies.

perfection
My all time,number one favorite film,"The thing" is a hell of a ride. From the classic opening credits to the suprising ending "the thing" burns into the mind with its chilling mood @ atmosphere.It also has the best movie monster ever seen,no weak cgi,old fashioned blood @ tears created this horrific beast.It takes the the viewer from one tense situation to another,giving you the feeling it wont be a happy ending for the 12 men trapped in the middle of nowhere.If you couldnt tell I highly recommened "The thing". ... Read more

Amazon.com

Just as visual artists understand the relationship between positive andnegative space in their work, France's master filmmaker Henri-Georges Clouzot(Diabolique) understood--and set about demonstrating via The Mysteryof Picasso--the relationship between creation and destruction in theartistic process. In 1955, Clouzot teamed with his friend Pablo Picasso tocapture as many aspects of the brilliant painter's working methods as possible.Clouzot innovatively placed the camera in front of Picasso while the latterworked, thus capturing astonishing reverse images of brush strokes and"bleeding" inks in volatile motion. The result is that Clouzot's film--thescreen, the frame--become Picasso's canvas, and we find ourselves inside hisprodigious genius as works of beauty spontaneously burst forth and are instantlycrushed beneath the weight of new images, new ideas. A viewer would be forgivenif, more than once, he felt like screaming at such nonchalant carnage. --TomKeogh ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Brought Life To My Eyes
I was completely awestruck by the absolute wondrous way in which Picasso constructed his paintings. It was one of the most beautiful essays of an artist on film. I still can't believe the magic that Picasso weaved with his brush, transforming the painting from one image into another. Funnily enough, I saw "Surviving Picasso" a week ago, and this made that film seem completely and utterly ridiculous. I am so thankful that a film such as this, is available. Just imagine having a movie of Da Vinci or Raphael, well this is it! The true genius of the twentieth century in all of his glory. I was just blown away by his astounding confidence yet there was none of the ego-maniacal ways that I have read about. This puts that all to rest. This is a lasting testament to a mans greatness. Thank you Picasso!

MASTERFUL!
This film is a real treat, as gives us an insight into the work of Picasso by literally allowing us to see the master at work and how his simple brush strokes incredibly evolve into masterpieces, in some instances even metamorphosing before our eyes from a figurative piece in to a cubist expression of the same. This is a film that I was pleasantly surprised to see my 5-year-old son sit through shearing my amazement as Picasso worked for the camera. It's a definite "must have" for those that like Picasso and who, after viewing this movie, will appreciate his work even more!

Facsinating Film on Picasso
This is a nice DVD edition. The images are clear and the color is rich and natural. The commentaries are also quite good. Peggy Parsons talks about the film as a film and about Picasso's showmanship, and the commentary by Archie Rand analyzes the paintings and is quite insightful. His commentary is a bit dry, and since he is a professor, he's a little too into himself and his big words. One annoying aspect to his commentary is his constant reference to Picasso's "courage" in the act of creating art. No, sorry! Someone suffering from cancer and living through hellish treatments shows courage, not a wealthly perfectly healthy artist in a studio making a painting! But overall I found both commentaries insightful and added to my understanding and appreciation of this film and Picasso.

The Eye Molds the Canvas
A Fabulous film showing how an artist- in this case Picasso- takes a blank sheet of paper or canvas and transforms it into a work of art. Thru a special process that lets the inks bleed thru to the wrong side of the canvas where a camera captures the developement of a drawing from the first placement of a brush stroke to the final completed drawing/painting. Sometimes it is truly amazing to see what comes forth from the humble beginnings. We also are able to follow the developement of paintings as well with the aide of stop motion photography. I wish I were an art teacher so I could share this with my students! An enjoyable film for anyone with an interest in art!

Unforgettable
I once saw this film on television, late at night. This was at least ten years ago, and despite having seen it only once, many of the images are still fresh in my mind. Along with Paul Cox's "Vincent", an extraordinary documentary about the life of Vincent Van Gogh, this is probably the best portrait of the work and life of an artist. Worth every penny. ... Read more

Reviews (279)

not the best by james cameron
but quite the adventure for sure. it isn't james cameron's best work. i don't think it deserves five stars just because it played too much on the cold war, which just ended after the movie came out. that's all.

Incredible movie, fantastic Special Effects, Excellent Story
This was and is an excellent movie. The special effects are absolutely fantastic. Several plot lines weave together to make this movie riveting, surprising, and fast paced. Its only drawback is the length, it is over 3 hours. If you have the time then spend it on this movie, it is just well worth the investment.

Better ending, better movie
The Abyss fell into the Abyss because it was chopped to fit the time length of movie theaters, making it another ho-hum trapped-under-the-sea flick, with some aliens.

When you finally see that the world is on the verge of nuclear destruction and that the ocean-bottom aliens are fed up, that the movie makes sense and takes on an entirely epic meaning. Now it becomes a GREAT movie.

There are 2 scenes in the movie that are noteworthy, one belongs as one of Hollywood's single most powerfullest, perhaps it is THE most powerful single scene ever filmed.

That is when Mary E. M drowns herself to save her husband played by Ed Harris and he wills her back to life in a flood of tears. This scene alone, even if the rest of the movie is truncated, makes it worthwhile.

But the director's cut then shows why later on when Harris dives into the Abyss--a metaphor on life----to deactivate a nuclear bomb with no chance of getting back before his air runs out, this is the second most powerful scene.

As Harris descends, deeper, deeper, Mary E. M in tears says goodbye to her husband.

The Aliens see this unselfish courage and love and decide to give mankind a second chance. I second the motion. Real people do such things in real life.

They call of their imminent destruction by tidal waves etc.

Buy the director's cut, watch the film as it should be seen and enjoy.

Deep Sea Adventure for True Romantics
James Cameron has developed a reputation for turning out first rate action films. OK, on one level, he does that. However, if one examines his total output, it becomes obvious that the man likes love stories. I haven't been able to find one of his films that does not fit that description.

Case in point: THE ABYSS. The movie opens as a nuclear submarine is caught in the wake of an object moving at incredible speed through the water. The sub regains navigational capabilities too late to prevent disaster. Since a hurricane is on the way (Mr. Cameron does lay it on pretty thick), timely rescue from the surface is impossible, so an underwater drilling rig is dispatched to provide assistance. The crew of the rig is to be under the supervision of Navy SEALs.

Sounds like a pretty good premise for an action movie so far, doesn't it? Well, the SEALs arrive with the soon-to-be ex-wife of the drilling rig commander and the story takes a turn from that point.

I won't give away too much. Just know that I don't shed too many tears in action films as a rule. This is an exception. Get it. You won't be sorry.

When will the special editions stop?
James Cameron is clearly the Werner Herzog of today's modern action film. He never does things halfway and weather you like his films or not you have to respect his courage. I personally love "The Abyss". It's my favorite Cameron film because it typifies his work. The acting is top notch and all out heart. You never hesitate for two seconds when Ed Harris or Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio step onto the screen. That's because Cameron creates the most realistic environment for his actors to work in. If your characters supposed to be stressed then he's gonna make sure to do something that reflects that on the screen. He dosen't pull any punches and I think that's why he's such a love him or hate him kind of filmmaker. In the case of "The Abyss" I got both sides. The original film is offered on the first disc. It's a great movie about and underground oil facility that has to rescue a downed American sub. The military gets involved and like most movies that's when things go wrong. I won't go any further than to say that the film does enter "E.T." terrain. The performances are outstanding and the cinematography and effects are Cameron's typically brillant standard. The second film....well, here's the delima. Every time a special edition comes out you get a taste of the good and the bad. A lot of times the extra footage is great, but there's always that one scene that just dosen't fit and you think to yourself "That should've stayed on the cutting room floor!" With the special edition of "The Abyss" I thought I had finally found the perfect special edition. That was until the end. I won't tell you what happens but it angered me so much that I hated the rest of this film. I will say this. The last guy I need telling me that we are a waring race and that peace is the only way possible is James Cameron. This is the guy who made "True Lies" and "The Terminator". He's killed more men than Cecil B. DeMille. I know I shouldn't be angry when someone offers hope and peace to the world but I can't help but wish it wasn't Cameron. Also, like the thumbs up at the end of "T2" this was just way too sappy for me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Billy Crystal plays Mickey, a basketball referee who has to accompanyhis estranged father's body to France, where the old man requested to be buried with the other members of his D-Day platoon. Unfortunately for Mickey, the airline loses his body. Fortunately for Mickey, this leads him to meet Ellen (Debra Winger), an airline executive who takes personal charge of the case and even joins him at the funeral. A whirlwind Paris romance leads to marriage, but that's when the complications begin... The story of Mickey and Ellen's marriage is recounted by their friends (played by Joe Mantegna, Cynthia Stevenson, Julie Kavner, Richard Masur, John Spencer, and Cathy Moriarty) as they wait for Mickey and Ellen to arrive at a dinner party. And of course these friends have their own stories, which are played out in witty shorthand as they bicker about who's going to tell the next part of the Mickey/Ellen saga. Forget Paris is uneven (unsurprisingly, Winger is stronger in the dramatic sections and Crystal in the comic parts, a schism that takes its toll on their chemistry), but its best parts hold up, even if the whole is shaky. Plus, the movie's theme (that romantic memories aren't what makes a marriage work, you have to live in the present) is explored with conviction and tenderness. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Charming
Forget Paris is indeed a charming romantic comedy. Billy Crystal is his usual wise cracking self and Debra Winger fits in decently as his love interest. I like the way the story seems to weave as each of the supporting cast members relate an amusing anecdote about our star couple. Several hillarious moments include when Crystal and Winger are in therapy and the reactions of the different psychologists. Love Crystal's retort to a couple psychologist team,"When do you get involved, when there is gunplay!"

Overall, the story is pretty similar to When Harry Met Sally. In some ways its a little irrealsitic. Nonetheless, there are some comedic moments that will keep you amused.

Funny Romantic Comedy
The romantic comedy is a very popular genre at the movies right now. I suppose that it always has been. In "Forget Paris" the emphasis is on the comedy, rather than the romance, and it provides a nice counterpart to some of the others.

The story is structured in a fashion that will be familiar to Woody Allen fans. Three couples are sitting around at dinner telling stories about their absent friends Mickey (Billy Crystal) and Ellen (Debra Winger).

Mickey and Ellen first meet in Paris through a rather amazing set of circumstances. (I won't give it away.) They fall in love, but Mickey has to go back to work-he's an NBA referee-so he leaves. He pines for Ellen, though, and it starts to affect his work. (There's a great scene with him and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.) Finally, Mickey returns to Paris and they resume where they left off.

Eventually, they decide to get married and Ellen quits her job and moves to California with Mickey. That's when the problems begin. Mickey is constantly on the road, so Ellen gets lonely, plus she hates her new job. Basically, she's miserable.

Trying to make things work out between them, Mickey quits his job and stays home with Ellen. In the meantime, she has gotten a great job that she loves so she's never home. Now Mickey is miserable.

If you suspect that somehow everything works out in the end, you've probably seen this kind of movie before. No matter. A romantic comedy succeeds or fails, not based on its originality or unpredictability, but on its charm, humor and the charisma of its characters. On that basis, "Forget Paris" succeeds.

Billy Crystal produced, directed and co-wrote the film, in addition to starring in it, so it's his picture all the way. With that kind of pedigree, you know it's going to be funny, and it is. Sometimes hilariously so.

It also means that there will be moments when the story or the characters will be sacrificed in order to serve the humor-and there are. There are too many scenes where Crystal cracks jokes and all Winger is given to do is laugh at them. That's too bad. An actress of her talent and intelligence should have a character that is more worthy of her.

There will be natural comparisons between this film and "When Harry Met Sally...," which also starred Billy Crystal. Although this picture is not as good as that one, it is still enjoyable.

Better Than Average
This is not a great movie, but I have to admit it is better than most romantic comedies out there. There are at least two or three "laugh-out-loud" moments (my favorite is the pigeon scene), but for the most part it is just okay. I thought my lack of enthusiasm could be attributed to the fact that this is more of a "chick flick," but alas, my wife felt the same way.

Using the friends of the main characters to tell the story in flashback is an interesting device, but overall this film is only a little bit better than average.

romantic comedy wins despite itself
Debra Winger and Billy Crystal are surprisingly well matched in this romantic comedy. The two meet in Paris where Mickey Gordon (Crystal) has come to bury is father, a WWII vet for whom Mickey had little love. When papa's coffin gets lost, it falls to Ellen Andrews (Winger), an airline exec to help him out. Paris is magical, and they fall in love. Unfortunately, while there love endures, that Parisian spark doesn't survive the wedding. Crystal's bachelor life proves harder to leave behind than he thought (Mickey has what amounts to Bill Crystal's dream job - as an utterly fearless NBA ref - but may have to sacrifice it; He may also have to bear living with Winger's dementia-plagued father played by William Hickey). She may have to bear the obvious unhappiness of causing Mickey to lose his dream job, not to mention his loutish friends, including Joe Mantegna as a sportswriter, and primetime TV vet John Spencer ("LA Law", "West Wing") as a serial divorcee who derisively refers to his latest spouse as "the new Mrs. Jack."

If "Paris" is uneven it's because it's trying to be a romantic comedy that is often not very romantic or that funny. Still, the flick knows when to light things up (much of the story is told over dinner by Mickey's friends - especially Mantegna who display's a reporter's knack for knowing where his audience's attentions will flag, and a gift for reclaiming them) and in the end, romance wins.

A good story that's funny and original!
Genuinely funny and original! From the opening, you'll be both touched and thoroughly entertained by this truly romantic comedy!

Billy Crystal is wonderful as a slightly neurotic basketball referee and Debra Winger is convincing as an ascending career woman who finds herself torn between love, Paris, and her job.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Taking a page from The Animatrix, Dark Fury is part of a new trend of bridging theatrical sequels. As an official product of a franchise, the 35-minute anime benefits from having the original actors voice the characters, including Vin Diesel as Riddick. This story opens with the new action hero and the two other survivors of Pitch Black already caught by a giant spaceship filled with dread. The sinewy leader has a unique--and creepy--jail for master villains and she has her sights set on Riddick. The film--indeed the series--is indebted to animator Peter Chung, who brings his techno style from his Aeon Flux series. His smooth animation for Riddick doesn't reinvent the character as much as give him a new, appealing fluidity. As anime goes, there's nothing really new here--plenty of action, cool killers, and dramatic spurts of blood--but it's a building block for how this genre might enliven movie series and sequels in the future. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Something to Wet the Appetite
I have seen both Pitch Black and the Chronicles of Riddick, so Dark Fury was another welcomed visit to a complex and quite fascinating universe. The story begins right where Pitch Black leaves off. Riddick and the two survivors from the first movie Jack and Imam are thrust into another "Dangerous Situation."

Peter Chung did an excellent job for such a short anime film. Dark Fury does an excellent job filling in some gaps between the two feature films. THe animation is not excellent but neither horrid but the world is simply fascinating. All Sci-Fi fans should get a hold of this and check it out. Riddick does not disappoint.

Live-action or anime ; let`s pray the series keeps up.
I am not a fan of Peter Chung. Half of his animation I can`t stand. However, "Dark Fury" is one of his best. The short animated film stays true to the characters of "Pitch Black," and broadens the time and universe they live in.
It`s also nice that the original cast has vocie-acting credits to their names. Much more fluid than the short animated "Van Helsing" film. Animation is awesome and very well done. Especially, the character designs.
"Dark Fury" also gives us (gasp) character development. Mostly noted towards the end. You will also understand why Riddick felt responible for Jack in " The Chronicles of Riddick".

To me, this is the true sequel to "Pitch Black". The only really bad thing about this: It`s too SHORT! Only 35 mins, but hey, it`s worth it.
I hope the "Riddick" series dosen`t end on a bad note. I pray they keep it up. I `ll take live-action or anime after seeing this film.

interesting
Well I would have to say it was interesting. Of course I'm not going to watch the movie. I just had to buy this dvd simply because I enjoy animated Sci-Fi. I'm still hunting for a Star Trek cartoon dvd release. But anyway, the graphics are great for a 35 episode. It has a very adult feel to the story. There are small blood scenes. This biggest thing I've noticed about this short film is the guns and bullets. Well it is almost guaranteed that most Japanese animation has bullets flying across the screen. This adds more feel and illustration to pain. Most american animations elect to go with lazers. Even movies like Titan AE, GI-JOE, and Street Fighter (USA Network) use lasers. Horrid since shows like Street Fighter (Japanese anime) use bullets and show off holes through the walls etc...

But in this short film, they have great bullet sound effects and even blood in some scenes. It's a step up from the traditional american cartoons. Also the use of CGI was in pretty good taste. I do think CGI is better off left for movies rather than animation, but they did a pretty good job of keeping it looking like 2D animation.

Well for $11.00 I guess you can't complain. It's really short, so if I were you, I would think about if you own the Blue Sub No. 6 series. If you own the Bandai release of BS No. 6, then obviously this DVD wouldn't be an issue for you...

Got me interested in seeing the live action movie,,
If you have seen "Aeon Flux" or "Reign" then you are familiar with the style of animation of Peter Chung. It goes well with this material. Although the film is short, I recommend it highly. Dark Fury is well worth your time and $$.

Bridge Between Pitch Black & Riddick
This animated feature is done by the Animtaor of AEON FLUX (Peter Cheung). It has an extremely dark style which fits in well with Pitch Black, and the recently released Chronicles of Riddick. Great music and good voice overs make this a fun filler between Pitch Black & Riddick. It's also nice to see how the charcters were split up for the begining of Riddick.

Someone mentioned in a review previously that Harry Potter Killed Riddick in box office. Well of course it did. But that's not cause Riddick was a bad film. It's because it was Harry Potter for gods sakes!

I suggest picking this dvd up for 9.95 it's a good buy, and also see Riddick in theaters or when its released on DVD & VHS. ... Read more

Reviews (160)

The Coen brothers tackle Film Noir and get it right
is a delight to find the Coens in top form and an equal delight to view their take on Film Noir. Billy Bob Thornton stars as a seemingly bland and simple barber named Ed Crane whose life is about to be turned upside down after he discovers his wife is having an affair with her boss.
The film starts off slowly, allowing plenty of time for the mood to develop and seep into the viewer's consciousness. The movie is filmed in black and white, a good choice for a story centered in small town life - and, of course, black and white film helps drive home the film noir mood. This is noir with a capital N, heavy on mood, insinuation and tone. You can almost feel the length of the slow-paced days, the heaviness of the hours as they creep by. Every shadow, every moment is tinged with foreboding.
Some viewers who are used to the fast pace of most films today might be put off by the slow, langourous pace of this one - but they'll be missing a rare, lovely treat of a film. They might also find Billy Bob Thornton's monotone voice and unemotional exterior a bit off-putting but I didn't. He is, after all, playing a man who fades into the woodwork, a man who people forget as soon as he walks out the door.
He is also a man who wants a different life than the one he's been living and sets out to make his dreams come true. Unfortunately, his efforts set off a complicated set of tragedies. Far from making the film dark and depressing (in spite of the black and white) these events reveal the precariousness of everyday life and the mysteries of the heart.

Coen Brothers Do It Again
You never know what to expect from the Coen brothers. I guess that's what we like about them. I sure never expected a black and white film about a barber in 1949 California to be anything special...but it is.

Billy Bob Thornton, in one of his finest performances, plays Ed Crane, a quiet, almost ghost-like barber who is married to a woman (Frances McDormand) who barely communicates with him. The problem is, she communicates a little too well with another man who is not her husband. What appears to be a very simple story takes off in several different directions through the course of the film and all of them are interesting and intriguing. 'The Man Who Wasn't There' is a great example of "They don't make 'em like that anymore" filmmaking. The film noir feel is absolutely on target with wonderful cinematography, great period sets and costumes, and superb acting. Thornton's Ed Crane is one of those movie characters that I believe will find himself in the "unforgettable" category along with Nicholson's McMurphy (from 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest') and Hopkins's Hannibal Lecter.

When the film is over, the viewer is left to think about a lot of things. Some of the questions the viewer may have are answered in the commentary with the Coen Brothers and Billy Bob Thornton, but most of them are left to the viewer to decipher. All of the scenes work for me, except for one which happens during a car ride.

It's too bad this film wasn't seriously considered for Oscar contention. It wouldn't have been a "safe bet" like 'A Beautiful Mind' turned out to be, but it would have caused audiences to think while they're entertained. The Coen Brothers certainly know how to do that.

The Man Who Wasn't There Went Nowhere
The Coen brothers go artsy black and white and it works for the most part - the cinematography is wonderful. Great camera angles, intense shadows and wonderful shades of white/gray/black make "The Man Who Wasn't There" really something to look at. However, actors Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand and James Gandolfini, all have done better work before in other films. You'll find a little bit of intrigue and mystery... but the pace is incredibly slow, and outside of Gandolfini's character being stabbed in the neck, not much happens. The film is all dialogue (and it's none of that trademark witty Coen dialogue we've come to love and expect). The story line is weak and for the most part dull. Thornton's dead-pan monotone delivery of his lines and narration almost drove me insane. No lie, when the movie ended, I said to my wife... "Well, that movie sucked!" I've come to expect so much more from the Coen brothers - they are truly gifted in their medium. With classics to their credit like "Raising Arizona", "Fargo", "O Brother Where Art Thou?", "Miller's Crossing", etc... I can't help but put "The Man That Wasn't There" towards the bottom of their list. Sorry - that's my honest review.

Less is more
The Man Who Wasn't There is the Coen brothers slow-moving film-noirish movie about a chain-smoking barber named Ed Crane (Billy Bob) who has an opportunity to get into the dry-cleaning business, and blackmail his wife's (Francis McDormand) lover (James Gandolfini) for the $10,000 needed to get into the deal with a dry-cleaner (Jon Polito). As with most Coen brothers movies, the simple plot gets involved in subleties that may help or hinder it.

Billy Bob plays Ed with a sedate, reserved manner. Scarlet Johansson has a supporting role as a piano-playing young girl who Ed wants to help get lessons. She turns out to be only a mediocre player, and has no interest in a musical careeer. She does show her gratitude toward Ed in an oral, yet non-verbal way, however.

There are no English subtitles which could have come in handy during the giggly commentary by the Coen's and Billy Bob. The "making of" documentary was a bit below average. The conversation with cinematographer Roger Deakins could have benefitted from his voice-over on top of clips as examples, rather than having to try to remember scenes he is talking about. A few deleted scenes, photo gallery, filmographies and a trailer round out the reasonably-priced DVD.

Rated "R" for some neck-stabbing violence.

Not for everyone, but fans of the Coen brothers, Billy Bob, or Scarlett Johansson should like it. Perhaps generous with 4 stars, I'm giving the movie and extras the benefit of the doubt.

The Coen Brothers Do It Again
"The Man Who Wasn't There" is a great film release from 2001, starring Billy Bob Thorton, Frances McDormand, Scarlett Johansson, and James Gandolfini. The Joel and Ethan Coen, the Oscar winning writers of "Fargo", prove that their creative minds express great and original entertainment. This gloomy themed movie keeps audiences interested in every scene, besides the black and white scenery. The plot of a barber who begins illegal dry cleaning, then becomes blackmailed, is brilliant. Its combination of mystery, drama, and suspense blends perfectly. The special effects, namely the UFO, add more interesting entertainment value. As the series of events unfold, the timely theme builds, leading to a surprising conclusion. Such movie quality offers a great unforgettable film experience. Billy Bob Thorton beautifully acts his role of Ed Gayne, the barber. Gayne's hard times are expressed greatly, which proves more difficult to accomplish because he doesn't speak often. His narration throughout the film offers another sense of mystery and gloomy effect. Frances McDormand's role as Gayne's wife is performed at her top throughout the film, expressing every emotion accurately. Scarlett Johansson proves that she is one of the few child stars with actual acting talent (she was 16). All other actors also perform their roles greatly. "The Man Who Wasn't There" is a great film that will keep audiences entertained for a long time. There is no other film like it. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Don't get involved with things you don't understand
"Serpent and the Rainbow" is a classic horror voodoo flick with a good dose of intrigue and mystery to keep the viewer guessing. Perhaps the highlight is Zakes Mokae brillant performance as the evil voodoo high priest Dr. Peytraud. He steals each and every scene that he's in. Bill Pullman is passable as the naive doctor searching Haiti for a magic drug that turns humans into zombies. With any Wes Craven film, there are plenty of spooky "dream" sequences were the lines between reality and the sub-conscious become blurred. This film should not serve as an introduction to the practices of voodoo, possession or zombies but just as a fun, scary film that should remind many of the B-movies of the 50's.

The World of Black Magic
An interesting, yet far-fetched tale of black magic and political upheaval during the final days of the regime of Haiti's dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier is entertaining fare for any horror fan. An anthropologist (Pullman) is sent to Haiti to investigate the mystery of that country's zombies. There he gets himself involved in the chaos that erupts in the world's oldest black republic in addition to discovering a world of black magic that brings him more trouble than he expects.

Directed by horror-king Wes Craven ("Scream"; "Nightmare on Elm Street"), the "Serpent and The Rainbow," is partially based on the novel by the same title by anthropologist Wade Davis. Unlike his book, the film moves away from the books central theme and into a horror movie only Hollywood could create. Although, a reviewer from the neighboring Dominican Republic says that he totally agrees with the voodoo theme of the film, he probably has read or done his research in understanding the complexity of Haitian spiritualism. Due to both countries ongoing strife with one another, I would ignore such comments if I were a newcomer to the topic, and read the book before watching this film.

Having very scary scenes, including a live burial, and a final battle with a the head voodoo master was great, but the film lacks the authencity of a true story converted into a horror film (e.g. "Amityville Horror"). Regardless, this is a good film if you want to take a glimpse of poverty-stricken Haiti and the severity of race and politics on the western end of Hispaniola.

Great, except for the ending.
This is a well-crafted thriller. It weaves together everything from Amazonian shamans and ayahuasca dream-visions to Haitian voodoo rituals into a ripping yarn that follows the explorations of a Harvard anthropologist in search of the next great medical breakthrough. Retained by a medical conglomerate, he ventures to Haiti to find the secret of zombification. He finds it alright, together with a host of creepy characters and a sexy native doctor. The acting is altogether first-rate. Not a weak performance in the lot (though Bill Pullman is not the best of the group).

It's visually fascinating, engrossing, and just enough grounded in reality ... until an ending that is both rushed and almost comical. I don't to ruin it, and you really should watch it--if for no other reason than to speculate about how you might have ended the movie.

Surprisingly Excellent Creepy Drama/Horror
Though not nearly as famous as "Scream" or "Nightmare on Elm Street", this is possibly Craven's best film. It isn't a terrifying movie but is a spooky film with a smart, well written story. This is one of Bill Pullman's earliest roles (first time I'd seen him) and he does a great job as a scientist sent to Haiti by a pharmaceutical firm to research the medicinal potential of a mysterious powder known to plunge people into a temporary deathlike state. The story effectively touches many different topics (life under the Duvalier regime, profiteering drug companies, religion, the supernatural...) without overdoing any of them. This is a diamond in the rough. You'll get more enjoyment out of it than you expect. Always a nice situation.

Great Craven romp
Making an attempt to legitimize a horror film, Wes Craven adapted the best selling true life account by Wade Davis into this creepy horror romp. When a Harvard researcher (Bill Pullman) travels to Haiti to find a mysterious voodoo powder which can put anyone whom it is given to in a state of perpetual death, he gets way, way in over his head as he tries to uncover the mysteries behind the black magic. Craven manages to play with the viewer's psychological fears (including arachnophobia and claustrophobia as Pullman is buried alive with a huge tarantula crawling all over him) while inducing a few visceral thrills as well, but The Serpent & The Rainbow is definitely one of Craven's best films thanks to the realistic touch given to the film and Pullman's superb performance. Just like Universal's recent horror DVD re-releases, The Serpent & The Rainbow is devoid of any extras whatsoever, not even a trailer. ... Read more

Reviews (355)

Best of the summer blockbusters, to date.
XXX (Rob Cohen, 2002)

Here's a surprise: Rob Cohen, whose The Fast and the Furious was not only one of the biggest surprise hits of 2001 but also by far the biggest of Cohen's career, teams up again with Vin Diesel. The major lineup change here is the addition of screenwriter Rich Wilkes. Anyone familiar with the name should be ready to crawl under their seats right about now; Wilkes has been responsible in the past for such deathless cinematic fare as The Jerky Boys and The Stoned Age.

Whatever Cohen did to Wilkes, though, he did it right. XXX is absolutely typical run-of-the-mill shut-your-brain-off spy movie fare, so cut from the cloth of James Bond that the opening scene of the film features a nameless tuxedoed secret agent getting shot in the middle of a Rammstein concert. Cohen and Diesel threw down the gauntlet from the get-go to Albert Broccoli and Co. (and if the trailers for the new Bond film are anything to go by, "Bond"'s death at the beginning of this film is most welcome. Actually, it probably should have come after A View to a Kill. But let's not be petty.)

XXX goes right into the wonderful world of Bond starting soon after, including a scientist/weapons geek (relative newcomer Michael Roof, last seen in Black Hawk Down), a number of fabulous one-liners, and the most beautiful women in Hollywood falling at his feet, in this case Asia Argento. (Asia fans take note: you won't see nearly as much of her, in any respect, as you did in b.Monkey. Grieve now.)

So what is it about XXX that makes it the best of the big-budget summer films? The movie does exactly what it promises. You go into XXX looking for a mindless action movie, and you get a mindless action movie. Diesel is one of Hollywood's hottest properties right now, Cohen is finally hitting his stride after two decades of failed attempts to be deep and meaningful, Wilkes wrote a script that actually contains some humor, and the three of them will be back together again for the sequel in 2004.

Eighteen films from now, hopefully, someone will shoot Xander Cage in the middle of a Rammstein concert, and there will be a new superspy. Until then, sit back and enjoy the ride. *** ½

The Next Big Thing¿
Many have claimed that Vin Diesel (along with The Rock) may very well be the next big action stars in the vein of Arnold and Stallone. Diesel's latest entry, "XXX" may very well prove all doubters that he is in fact, The Next Big Thing.

THE STORY:

Xander Cage is a non-law abiding citizen, an extreme athlete/punk, who gets chosen by Uncle Sam as one of the next generation of secret agents. An unlikely hero, Cage gets sent off to the Czech Republic in pursuit of a group of former Soviet anarchists and winds up sampling the fine Eastern European big-money party life while raising Cain in between.

THE COOL STUFF:

Well my friends, if you love action, this has got action!!! Cohen and Diesel kick it up a notch outdo themselves VERY much from the "Fast and the Furious." Bond, Stallone, Arnold, Chan, Li, Cruise, Vam Damme, Segall or anyone else for that matter has nothing on Diesel in this one. The cool gadgets and the awesome action scenes will please just about anyone watching this.

The coolest thing about "XXX" that does separate this movie from others in the action genre is the use of all the "Extreme Sports" mainstays (motorcross, snowboarding, hot cars) in the filming of all the action/fight scenes.

The stunts and the cinematography of them are simply amazing and breathtaking. Cohen's filming really does put the XXX in XXXTreme. Awesome stuff!!!

THE BEST STUFF:

1. The snowboarding scene

2. The motorcross scene

3. The tons of cool "spy gadgets."

THE COMMENTARY:

Admittedly, if you are watching this for superb acting performance, etc, you really are watching the wrong movie/watching this movie for the wrong reasons. Sure, some of the plot was not that easy to follow and may have been a little confusing. Sure, Diesel will probably not be the next Tom Hanks or Mel Gibson which is alright because that's probably not his talent. A XXX franchise will probably NOT be the nail in the coffin of James Bond. However, the quality of the action in this flick and the pure adrenaline rush it exudes will help experts' claims that Diesel might be the next Arnold or Sly become all that more true.

THE VERDICT:

Again, this is just a great movie if you are looking for your action fix. I'll put the action right up there with anything Arnold or Sly's ever done plus a few bonus points for all the cool usage of the XXXtreme sports stuff. Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!!!

Highly Recommended

Rebellious, in a conformist sort of way
While "XXX" may be a movie for white suburban teenagers who listen to raprock and think they're rebellious, it manages to overcome this impediment and be an entertaining popcorn flick. It turns out to be a solid star vehicle for Vin Diesel as Xander "XXX" Cage, an extreme sports star impressed into going to Europe to spy for his country. Combining the bad action movie with the spy thriller (think Bond James Bond crossed with Schwarzenegger), "XXX" is a good deal better than it has a right to be. It is, as many before me have pointed out, a total ripoff of the James Bond franchise, complete with the unrealistic action scenes and outrageously lame one-liners. That said, the movie isn't without its redeeming qualities. Despite the its two-hour length, the plot, concerning XXX trying to stop a group of baddies with vague eastern European accents from nerve-gassing Prague, moves along pretty quickly. Of course the plot is basically just an excuse for lots of cool stunts and explosions, and the movie doesn't fail to deliver in this aspect. Although I'll be the first to admit that it's all pretty mindless, it's hard not to enjoy such scenes as XXX driving a sports car off a bridge, riding a serving tray down a railing, and outracing an avalanche on a snowboard. There are some pretty nifty visuals as well, most notably Asia Argento as XXX's Russian love interest (yet another plot point lifted straight from the Bond series). For the most part, the acting is pretty good, certainly better than that of most of the bad action movies of the '80's (not that I don't like those movies). Deisel is clearly a talented actor, as he manages to keep his dignity even when uttering lines that would make Sean Connery and Roger Moore wince. And of course, Samuel L. Jackson is always reliable, and he seems to be having fun as the government agent who may or may not be on the level. Overall "XXX" get my thumbs-up, even though it does cut it pretty close.

Vin Diesel Revs Up in Triple X
Triple X is a non-stop thrill ride with an action hero as resourceful and clever as he is atypical of the secret agent genre. In this refreshing, highly entertaining vehicle, young Vin Diesel demonstrates he has inherited (actually co-inherited with The Rock) the crown of action movie star from the likes of Van Damme, Schwarzenegger, Willis, and Stallone.

The female co-star in here is pretty good as the moll of a Czech crimelord. She has a very expressive face, unlike the blank Barbie faces of some of the actresses in these types of roles.

Shameless
This movie had me lost within 10 minutes. As soon as Vin started spewing his tirade about how bad the government was because it tried to censor any cliched "Gen-X/Y" touchstone, i.e. video games and rap music, I looked at the rest of the movie through the eyes of someone who was trying to be blatantly marketed to. This never stopped, between the then trendy music, the constant attempts to be hip (mentioning Playstation a few times), it was obvious they were trying to create a franchise by throwing everything 20-somethings are supposed to like in a pot, blow stuff up around it and watch the money roll in. I have never felt so insulted by a movie in my life. If your idea of a good time is watching a movie that does nothing but pander to the cliche of what the "young generation" likes according the a studio's marketing department, watch "XXX" (even a porn reference in the title to "spice" it up). This movie is one of those terrible 60s beach movies with half the intelligence and 100X the budget. Marketing departments shouldn't write movies, writers should. ... Read more