Reviews (762)

Lethal Hatchet Part 4
So sue me, I stole that by-line from Newsweek. But it's the most apt description I've heard. It really is a Mel Gibson revenge flick, with him running around with a couple dozen hatchets and rifles rather than a semi-automatic Glock. Don't get me wrong, I loved this movie, but it wasn't historically accurate, and for anyone who wants a truly good Colonial period drama(I'm one of those), they'll have to keep looking. The Last of the Mohicans didn't do it(yes, I know that that was the French and Indian War), and this one doesn't do it either. It's pure action, pure revenge, pure adrenaline. Same as almost any Mel Gibson picture. The scene where he eliminates a 20 man British contingent is definitely a cool sequence; The follow up to this movie should have Bruce Willis and be called "Die Patriot". Ok, bad joke, but basically, this is an adventure film that is fun to watch, as it is in the vein of all my favorite adventure films, like Die Hards 1-3 and Lethal Weapons 1-4. Cool movie, not exactly Oscar material. Heck, not even Golden Globe material.

The Patriot a perfect Fourth of July rouser
What is it about American wars that brings the best out of otherwise trivial filmmakers? Ten years ago, the glorious Glory came from "thirtysomething" creator Edward Zwick. Now, Godzilla's Roland Emmerich, about the last director from whom we could expect full-bodied characters, brings us The Patriot--in every sense of the word, the most beautiful movie of its year.

Part of the credit should probably go to screenwriter Robert Rodat who, as Saving Private Ryan proved, surely knows which patriotic buttons to push. Whoever should be credited, there's not a false move in this rousing three-hour tribute to American spirit. When they say "They don't make 'em like that anymore," point to this one as an example of how it can still be done.

And who knew Mel Gibson still had any actorism left in him? As Benjamin Martin, a reluctant war veteran who is finally moved to fight in the Revolutionary War when a redcoat kills one of his sons, Gibson sheds his familiar love-me mannerisms like an old winter coat. He never relies on cutesy tics, and not once does he strike a false note. His character elicits laughter, tears, and bloodshed, and for the first time in years, Gibson emotes an honest-to-gosh person on the screen.

The movie's basic point--stated outright by Martin early on in the story--is that the Revolutionary War was won by wily militiamen who served as a direct counterpoint to the straight-on British manner of battle. But that's about the only thing in the movie which is stated so blatantly. The dialogue, rather than being laden with jingoism, is appropriately sparse, letting the movie's considerable action tell the story. And as such, this movie is a perfect argument against gratuitous movie violence (despite its R rating)--it shows the devastating effects of war (Martin loses a great deal of his family, one by one) and yet doesn't linger on its horrific effects.

Gibson's magnificent underplaying and Rodat's spare screenplay seem to have invigorated the rest of the cast as well. Everyone from Jason Isaacs (the British colonel with a bug up himself about Martin) to Tom Wilkinson (terrific as British warlord Gen. Cornwallis) to Trevor Morgan (the actory smart-aleck in The Sixth Sense) as one of Martin's sons, seem just as juiced up as Gibson is.

I haven't told a great deal about the plot, have I? (I haven't even touched upon Caleb Deschanel's beautiful cinematography, or John Williams' best movie score since E.T.) And this is as it should be. Please just trust that you should devote nearly three hours to one of the most perfectly realized movie visions you're likely to see for a long, long time.

The Patriot is rated R, mostly for very graphic violence, though in context, a PG-13 would be far more appropriate. Its only dramatic effect is to get kids talking about the story, an opportunity that I'd imagine most history teachers and parents would welcome.

STIRRING AND MOVING
Once again, people crave for authenticity...the way it really happened....and once again, I say, "It's a movie. It's entertaining and moving....I didn't take my history book along to make sure it was totally accurate. I like escapism, and movies that move me." This movie did that. It's beautifully filmed by the respected Caleb Deschanel; the music by John Williams is moving, and the cast on a whole is exceptional. Mel Gibson has been labeled an okay actor, but if you look deep inside his performances, the man does his best in filling whatever shoes his role dictates. As the family-oriented and somewhat stubborn father, he evokes the pain he feels from his actions in an earlier battle with the French; he seems devastated by his youngest daughter's silence to him; and he loves his family. Joely Richardson is effectively cast as Mel's sister in law, who helps take care of his family during this crisis. Heath Ledger is all gungho and spirited as Gabriel, and plays well with the rest of his cast. Tom Wilkinson is superb as Cornwallis, a man steeped in tradition and British fanfare. His scene with Gibson in which the patriot negotiates for the release of his 18 prisoners is exceptional. Jason Isaacs is pure evil in his role as the heartless Haverton (or whatever), and shows that war to him is merely licensed murder. The rest of the supporting cast: Chris Cooper, Rene Auberjonois, Adam Baldwin, Gregory Smith, Mira Boorkem, and Donal Logue, in particular, are great additions.
The movie is a manipulative film, of course...how else would it work, but it's to director Roland Emmerich's credit, that when the credits were over, I felt moved and touched. That's what films are meant to be in my opinion.

Complete and Utter Waste of Time
I am genuinely surprised at this movie's good rating!
1)The historical innaccuracy is horrible
2)It is a movie that glorifies the WRONG things about the American Revolution
3)The love story is nauseating
4)The characters are weak and underdeveloped. Mel Gibson is an ok (Just OK) actor. Most of the others are too, with some really really bad ones thrown in- just for kicks!
5)People say it was entertaining- really? I was writhing through the entire thing. Oh, and the war scenes really aren't that gruesome... maybe its because I saw Kill Bill a month ago?

I wish I didn't waste my time with this movie! Please, please watch something else! There are so many better (historical or otherwise) movies!

An American Patriot
The 2000 summer film, "The Patriot" which I believe was in theatres appropiately on the 4th of July, stars Mel Gibson in the heroic role of Benjamin Martin, a father fighting for his family and his colony from the British enemy forces of General Cornwallis (played by Tom Wilkinson). The movie was directed by Roland Emmerich, the director of Independence Day, which, though science fiction blockbuster epic that it was, still maintained the 4th of July American patriotism theme much like this movie. Being entirely different from his usual blockbusters (Godzilla, Day After Tomorrow most recently) Emmerich immerses us into the historical period of early America in the 1770's, when the budding, newfound country was at war with Great Britain. The American Revolution was the first real war in America. The country was earning its independence and fighting for it in the most literal sense.

Althoug the movie keeps its period piece/costume drama visuals, in the dialogue you can find traces of modernism. For example, in one scene, Mel Gibson sits with his wife and asks "Can I sit here ?" and she replies in comedy tone "Hey it's a free country.. or that is it will be". Much of Mel Gibson's own influence is in this movie. He did not direct this movie although he could have easily done so. The fighting scenes, the battles, the gunfights and the violence is very Mel Gibson in nature (he is after all responsible for such films as Braveheart). The portrayal of the British is of course biased since it's on the American side we're sympathezing with. Cornwallis is a man we love to hate-rude, arrogant and cruel. The other British in the film are also portrayed as very nasty. The message of patriotism, love of family and home is all quite strong here. But it does make a good film if you're into this period, if you want to see Mel Gibson doing a historic piece and as the hero which he always does so well in. Mel Gibson, though much older now, is still a great actor and provides much romantic/sex appeal. On DVD, the movie is loaded with extra features including commentary and "Making Of" segment. ... Read more

Reviews (156)

Fascinating ......they're after the same rainbow end
I love this film.From the first scene when the yellow cab stopped with Holly alighting,having her breakfast in front of Tiffany's to the very last scene when Holly & Paul reconciled and kissed in the rain...

Simply marvellous piece of work. With the flawless performance from Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. The unique mood of the movie.And my fave song "Moon River". Who can forget the part when Holly sitting by her window plucking the guitar strings and singing...."Moooonnn River...." Great adaption from Truman Cropte's book with many magical touches and refinements. It's about a free-spirit girl Holly's struggle in Life,her fear of Love and commitment, she didn't even think she own her nameless 'cat'. Paul is a struggling writer who actually a 'kept-man' by a rich lady. Fate brought them together,first as neighbours to friends and eventually lovers. They were soul mates who needed each other and are made of each other....they are after the same rainbow end.

The idea was refreshing....esp.doing things that each have never done:- Strolling down New York street in the morning, stealing, visiting the Library and of course Tiffany's. Simply amazing, fantastic and romantic .

The best part about it was both Holly and Paul were practical people with dark secrets and not really perfect human beings and it make the story more realistic but not losing the romantic fairy tale feel.

This film is one of the best in movie history. It touches my heart my soul with scenes with the perfect combo of laughter,sadness,ironic,truth,secrets,romance,life,etc....... Timeless and Unforgettable......

Fascinating¿They are after the same rainbow end!
I love this movie. From the first scene when Holly(Audrey Hepburn) alighted from the yellow cab to have breakfast in front of Tiffany to the very last scene when Holly and Paul(George Peppard) reunited and kissing in the rain.

Mesmerizing film, shine in all departments. Excellent adaptation from Truman Capote's same name novel. Skillful directing by Blake Edwards and flawless performances from both the leads and not forgetting great supporting casts. This role was made for Audrey Hepburn, she was graceful, witty, charismatic and totally awesome. One of her best performance ever!

The story was about a free spirited and helpless Holly Golightly who lived with a nameless 'Cat', didn't want to own anything and afraid of love and commitments. Life pretty much socializing because holly's goal in life to marry one of the richest man under 50. Things take a twist with Paul Varjak moved into the apartment below hers. Paul was a struggling writer who actually a kept man by a rich lady. They became neighbour to friends then soul mate and eventually lovers.

This is not the usual romance story, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is a timeless classic, showed sincerity, sensibility and class.

I also love the song of this movie "Moon River". Who can forget the part when Holly plucking the strings of the guitar and singing it "moonnn----riv---ver"......

This movie touch my heart with memorable characters, song, etc and I've watched it from time to time because each time I watch it, I renewed the feeling. Marvellous vintage classic.Simply divine!

One of the best chick flicks ever
I loved Breakfast at TIffany's. I had read about it from all of the gossip girl books and eventually became curious about the movie. I figured the movie would be good but I didn't expect to fall in love with it as much as I did. It is one of the best romantic comedy, chick flicks I have ever seen.

Good for ALL ages!
Because of the fact that I'm only 17 years old, I just got around to watching this movie. I'd always heard about it but I never knew what it was about. And, to be quite honest, I didn't even think about watching it because I thought it was in black and white! (Eh, I didn't know when it was made!)

My dad made me watch it this past weekend and I fell in love with it! Unlike most romantic comedies made today, both main characters are broke. It doesn't follow the mold of: poor/average girl falls for rich guy blah blah blah or the other way around. It was funny (Mickey Rooney's character was HILARIOUS!) and sad (when Holly finds out about Fred) and sappy (the last 20 minutes) all at the same time.

This movie is great for anyone, whether you saw it the first time around or you're a "late viewer" like me.

my fav movie!
i love this movie so much!
it is a love story but its not sappy it is so fun to watch

it is not an earlier version of pretty woman at all (as another review stated) audrey hepburn does not play a prostitute really she just has a lot of suitors. Anyway i completely recommend it so worth the $ ... Read more

Description

Screen favorite Kurt Russell (VANILLA SKY, STARGATE) teams up with funnyman Martin Short (FATHER OF THE BRIDE I&II, JUNGLE2JUNGLE) in an outrageously wild comedy that's sure to drive you overboard! Russell plays hilariously laid-back Captain Ron -- a vagabond seaman who charts a course for comedy when he skippers the newly inherited Caribbean yacht of corporate executive Martin Harvey (Short) and his family! With his dubious nautical skills, Captain Ron takes the helm and creates wave after wave of hilarity as he leads the Harveys on a wildly amusing oceanic voyage in their dilapidated sailing vessel, all the while driving well-meaning Martin Harvey off the deep end! ... Read more

Reviews (92)

Captain Ron
For a Wildly hilarious re-watchable comedy, this is your film. My review is of the movie as this is written pre-DVD. This film has the family of Martain Short, beautiful independent decorator wife and 8 year old son and 16 going on 25 yr old daughter all thrown together on an inherited sailboat they must sail back from the Caribe! They get the aid of one-eyed Captn Ron, a patch eyed Kurt Russel who seems to have no credentials, but to perturb Martain Short when against logic, he comes through time after time when the chips are down in the most humorous ways possible. Scene after scene has so much humor you can't pick it all up in one showing. Kurt Russell and Martian Short as Captn Ron and the father/ships owner are perfectly cast. You will not regret this film and if you are like a lot of folks will end up knowing many of the lines and jokes, the recollection of which will brighten your day with a smile long after the movie. Has a happy heart warming ending, some suspense, and a generally upbeat tone more movies should have. It's many sailors' favorite. I personally loved Steve Martain in The Jerk and to me they both rank one and two in terms of modern comedy movies. Suitable for a whole family and with a gut splitting ending.

That's okay, Boss, it could happen to anyone!
Even Captain Ron! Finally, on DVD!!! This is my family's favorite movie. We know all the lines and recite them along with the movie, and we still laugh so hard it hurts. Plus, the wisdom of Captain Ron helps bring humor into MANY real-life events. Something goes wrong at work? Just say, "That's okay, Boss, it could happen to anyone" and make everyone else wonder why you're smirking. Having trouble merging onto the freeway? Just say, "They'll get out of the way, they always do. Learned that driving the Saratoga." MUST HAVE DVD!!! CAN'T WAIT!!! Planning to buy several copies of the DVD. (rating the VHS version) (FYI, boaters, especially sailors, will probably find this movie more funny than land-lubbers.)

Don't cost much
Why are all the good movies so cheap within a month of me buying them? Try this one out. Don't cost much and it's worth a whole lot more.

Lets not get to serious here
This is just a fun movie. Yes, it is unbelievable, yes it is a bit dorky but hey so is Disneyland and it's a lot of fun. If you like movies like Goonies ect then get this film.

Funnier than it should be
First off, I laughed throughout this film. I suppose it qualifies as a 'guilty pleasure' since it isn't (and doesn't pretend to be) the Citizen Kane of boating flicks.

Kurt Russell gives an excellent comedic performance, something that isn't always easy to do. He plays his role straight, and really lets the antics of Martin Short and the rest of his family play off him. I love the scene where Russell is sleeping, and the daughter notices that he has his patch on the wrong eye...is Captain Ron for real, or a con man, or worse...?

This film brings a smile to my face whenever I watch it, or even think of a scene, or line, here or there. And what more do you want a comedy to do? Buy the film...you'll watch it more than once.

The cinematography is excellent, the boat beautiful, the Caribbean never looked better, and it's as good-naturedly funny as heck.

Recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Bulls-eye!
The best noir ever made for the small silver screen, this classy series exudes as much pizzazz today as in its heyday! The dark streets glisten with rain and neon, the nightclubs steam with sultry jazz and smokey-voiced women, and stalwart men stalk the unlit alleyways, shadowy docks, and hitman hideouts of the urban jungle. The storyline of each half-hour-slotted epidode is tight and to the point, but time is still taken to explore the relationahip between Gunn and his glib, glamourous girlfriend Edie, his matron-with-moxie chum Mother, and the dogged, job-bound Lt. Jacoby. The series has a timeless ambience. It oozes with hot, on-the-surface sexuality without being brazenly explicit, and the violence is palpably throbbing without being gratuitous or gorey. As terrific television, it's right on target!

16 slices of late '50s "cool"
Unfortunately in the 23-24 minute length of each episode there isn't all that much time for plot or character development, so for better or worse, we get right down to the nitty gritty. But for a taste of 1950s "Cool", being the TRUE "cool", it doesn't get much tastier than this. Bet you can't watch just ONE! Peter Gunn (Craig Stevens) is a sharp P.I. in a sharp suit who hangs out in a jazz club called "Mothers". His singer/girlfriend, Edie (Lola Albright) has got to be one of the most gorgeous 50s babes outshining even "Hawaiian Eye" cutie Connie Stevens and "77 Sunset Strip" bombshell Jacqueline Beer. And not a word of sass, just cool... so refreshing! Gunn's way-out beatnik buddy, Wilbur, is a welcome addition in selected episodes. The rain-soaked streets at night, the menacing docks area, the 1950s cars, great character actors like Whit Bissell, Jack Weston, Gavin McLeod, Frankie Darro, etc. show up, also guest musicians Shelley Mann, Shorty Rogers and others in on-camera appearances PLUS that Mancini score!! Today's teens, with their laughably misguided concept of "cool," should look in, take note, and shut up! They couldn't be this smooth if they tried. Some episodes are better than others, but all of the shows have great moments. The picture quality varies a little as well, but overall, considering the vintage of this stuff, it's pretty good. I have no complaints and highly recommend both Vol.1 and Vol.2

peter gunn sucks
Peter Gunn sucks,and "mother" is a rotten singer.However,Lola Albright is lovely and the music score by Henry Mancini is wonderful.

The bar was set low, and I don't mean in Mother's
I recalled some details of this show, but no particulars. Bought it because I thought it might be a gem, like "Have Gun, Will Travel," which holds up spectacularly well.

But Gunn? The scripts are by folks with attention deficit disorder. The characters are above average in large part, but there's virtually no attempt to consider a vague plot.

There's a ridiculous trivia quiz in which you view scenes from the episodes a second time -- geez, they were ridiculous enough the first time -- and then you're given a memory quiz, such as, "Who offered Peter Gunn a chair?" in this scene. Who cares? Trivia should be questions such as, "Were producers looking for a TV version of Cary Grant when they cast Stevens and told him to talk with clipped, Grant diction?" At least we might have learned something.

And rights could be an issue, but if not, why not include some of this fine music on a few tracks?

Oh. Gunn gets beat up more than Mannix. In real life, he would have had Parkinson's Syndrome at 45 from all the brain battering. Maybe if he'd look behind himself once in a while.

The epitome of cool
If the world wants to know what cool is watch Peter Gunn.
I was very lucky to watch it on TV as a tot.
The music soundtrack is maximum cool,too.
Craig Stevens plays it smooth.
He is the hero you know in your gut will be there for you when no one else will.
TV shows are not made like this anymore. ... Read more

Reviews (203)

A Powerful Film By Master Of Disaster Emmerich
Roland Emmerich directed the 1996 blockbuster hitIndependece Day which many still consider his best work. Later, he directed Godzilla, which according to some was not well-crafted. But 2004's "Day After Tomorrow" is quite powerful and moving and Roland Emmerich brings back the magic and dynamics of his old masterpiece Independence Day. This time the threat is not alien, it's our own earth. Global warming has caused the polar ice caps to melt and erratic weather to errupt. Hail begins to attack Tokyo, Japan and it snows in the usually hot New Delhi, India. Star Dennis Quaid gets a hold of the fatal news that the world is going to end as it experiences a new Ice Age. His son Sam (Jake Gallynhaal) is away in New York City on an Academic Decathelon which he joined to be with the girl he loves. Sela Ward plays Sam's mother and Dennis Quaid's wife, a doctor who is caring for a cancer-struck little boy. The President of the U.S. and the Vice President (who looks a bit like Dick Chaney)completely ignore the warnings and it's not long before Los Angeles is destroyed by a tornado. The Hollywood sign gets blown away. New York City is flooded. The special effects are top-notch and the characters and plot stunningly engaging. Only a small group who has listened to Sam, who in turn was going by his father's directions, remain in the New York City Public Library even after it freezes entirely. Dennis Quaid searches for his son in the extreme weather. This is a movie about survival, as is expected about humans when confronted with great disaster. It is about courage and human compassion. To contrast the epic disaster with its serious drama is touches of humor such as the bum and his dog who survive the disaster and the fac that the tables are turned and it is desperate survivor Americans who are crossing the border illegally into Mexico, which was not effected by the disaster. All the performances are credible and though one can easily criticize for its typical disaster movie routine, it does'nt matter. The success of this film proves that we love to see this kind of genre. Humankind surviving all sort of disasters and the will to live. Five stars. An incredibl experience at the movies and hopefully it will make a wonderful DVD loaded with interesting features.

Disaster movie
We don't need to get too intellectual on this movie, nor make any pretense of why you should see it - there is one reason and one reason only to view The Day After Tomorrow, the special effects. We all know this. So I really don't want to spend a page writing about the dialog that is worse than a soap opera, the science that made Lord of the Rings look reality based, or the believability factor that made Cliffhanger look like CNN. C'mon, you kind of expect that from a movie like this don't you?

All of that nonsense aside, there are several scenes which are truly spectacular, some of the best special effects that I've seen. True, a great deal of those scenes were shown in the previews, but there are still many staggering effects that are saved for the film.

Yes it's melodramatic. Yes it's preachy (Al Gore and Al Franken actually used this movie to promote their environment agenda). But if you would enjoy seeing LA destroyed by what would be the largest tornado in recorded history, or New York getting swallowed by a wall of water, it's worth the price of the movie ticket. And here's another idea - go with some friends and keep notes of the best (i.e. worst) lines, and then afterwards you can argue about which was the worst line of dialogue. Mine was probably, "Jake...tell her how you feel," with "I think I will go close my eyes for a while," coming in at a close second.

One final note to the dude at Amazon who filters these reviews: Here's a little inside tip - *stop posting reviews written by people who haven't even seen the film - and even ADMIT this in their reviews!* And certainly don't make them the spotlight review. Maybe you could have a special "trailer review forum" for these idiots and stop wasting our time.

Best new movie
The Day after Tomorrow is a outstanding movie. The special effects are awesome. I was not sure about the movie at first but after I rented it from blockbuster and viewed it, I definitely will buy it on dvd fullscreen. There have been a few movies made involving natural diasters but this one is the best. If you have not seen it yet, definitely watch it. The director did a fantastic job, the cast members put a outstanding job. It's one of those movies you'll want to watch again and again.

Great Thrill Ride Movie
When you watch this movie it will feel like you are in the movie. Trust me I have seen it 4 times in the theaters. You will have to watch it again and again and each time you will find something new. Enjoy the movie.

"Independence Day" minus the aliens, plus eco-propaganda.
If you've seen the 1997 sci-fi hit "Independence Day", then for all practical purposes you've seen this movie too. The only real difference is that instead of a bunch of ticked-off aliens, the threat of human extinction comes from a ticked-off "Mother Nature". In the former, however, it was all about "us versus them" and the triumph of the human will to survive. In "Day After Tomorrow", the message is: "We have met the enemy, and they are the Republicans."

Yeah, the movie is about the epic struggle to survive in the face of an overwhelming natural catastrophe, but it's pretty obvious that the producers were less interested in telling a story and more concerned about sending an election-year political message. From the early scenes of the movie, the "hero" character (a very forgettable paleoclimatologist played by Dennis Quaid) serves as the "voice crying in the wilderness" against the environmentally unsound excesses of corporate America. He warns of the doomsday scenario which does in fact unfold throughout the movie, but the heavily stereotyped conservative politicians (who are, no doubt, in the pockets of the polluters) shrug off his warnings. Maybe it's just me, but I thought the "vice president" character looked uncannily like Dick Cheney. Coincidence? I don't think so, but feel free to decide for yourself.

The main story is about a dysfunctional family whose members find themselves separated by the unpredictable (yet somehow predicted) chain of natural events. Of course, the events aren't really natural -- they're caused by foolish and greedy men who fail to pay attention to the needs of Mother Earth. Somehow, against incredible odds, the family manages to reunite, save the human race, and resolve their own domestic issues all at the same time. And of course, the tale is duly concluded with the humiliation of America and its (implied Republican) leaders, as well as some cheap jabs at American immigration policy.

In short, this is enviro-hysteria at its cheesy best, but election year political propaganda at its worst. There isn't even a mild attempt to veil the message -- it's right there in your face. If you're a Bush-hater, you'll cheer. If you're a little more honest with yourself, you'll see this film for the cheap trash that it is. The ONLY reason I gave it a second star was because it was chock full of stunning visual effects from beginning to end. Beyond that, your enjoyment of this movie will stand in direct relation to your political affiliation. That's no way to make a movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Clint Eastwood's second film as a director (and his first Western) is a variation on the "man with no name" theme, starring Eastwood as the drifter known only as "the Stranger." He rides into the desert town of Lagos and is quickly attacked by three gunmen. Recovering with the aid of a local dwarf (a memorable role for Billy Curtis), the Stranger is hired by the intimidated townsfolk to fend off a band of violent ex-convicts. After teaching the citizens self-defense and instructing them to paint the entire town red and rename it "Hell," the Stranger vanishes. He reappears when the marauding criminals arrive, and delivers justice and teaches the townsfolk a harsh lesson about moral obligation. Is he a figure from their past or a kind of supernatural avenger? Combining humor with action, High Plains Drifter is both a serious and tongue-in-cheek tribute to the Westerns that made Eastwood a household name.--Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (53)

The "Man with No Name" returns
This movie is one of the best Eastwood Westerns that I have seen and is right up there with "Pale Rider" is supernatural quality. Clint plays almost an avenging spirit who returns to seek justice for a past crime and does so with his usual coolness. The movie offers a red painted town named "Hell", flashbacks showing a crime committed against Clint in the past and some awesome action scenes. Eastwood is wonderful throughout the whole film and even sports a pistol with a Cobra painted on the handle (cool! ). This is a great Western to add to any collection.

Last of the Spaghetti Westerns
Once again Eastwood does it with great style. The man with no name rides into town and wreaks havoc on the bad guys. An unusual dream of a sheriff that was whipped to death haunts him. As the story unveils itself we are drawn further into the past of the towns people. Not quite like his previous spaghetti westerns but still a hint of his character remains like a ghost that has come to see that justice is metered out. The fact that he rapes and kills does not seem to make us hate him, just accept him and know his final goal is as close to justice as we will see. The supporting cast is very good and the sets and music are great. Well worth adding to anyones western DVD collection. The quality of the picture and sound is excellent. Extras include notes, bios, highlights, and theatrical trailer.

Excellent!
I remember seeing this for the first time back in the day. It was probably the fascination with the "man with no name trilogy" but this film is just as classic as those. The story is your typical "revenge" tail but this adds a bit more to it. First of all the character is dark and aloof which really helps set the mood for this film. Its dark its fun its ultra cool! If you liked the man with no name trilogy, hang em high or pale rider see this!

Vengence rides into town
In "High Plains Drifter", Clint Eastwood stars and directs this really dark western. He plays an amoral drifter known only as 'The Stranger". He rolls into Logo and quickly kills three losers and seemingly rapes a local lady. He is then asked to be sheriff to protect the town cowards (the whole population) from three killers the town wronged years ago. Who the Stranger is is a major part of the mystery of the movie. Eastwood is pretty good as 'the man with no name' taken the millionth degree. He is cold and eccentric as he's givin free reign, then leaves at the moment they need him mst. The town's people are horrible people, who's corruption reaches into the collective conscience; not only is it rotting them to death, they have gladly sold their souls for gold. The vengence at the end is grim, but then so is the whole movie. It is not your John Wayne western; in fact Wayne himself walked out of the movie saying Eastwood owed his fans an apology. But that is not so, it wasn't that bad. But they still don't make movies this grim ofter. Not for everyone, but OK.

Eastwood turns in his typical performance

This gives the old saying, "painting the town red," a whole new meaning.

Eastwood is portraying a gunman wreaking vengeance on an entire Western town for standing by while a gang of nasties brutally kills the sheriff. One gets the impression, at the end, that he is the reincarnation of the murdered sheriff, himself.

This is, in no way, intended as a criticism: Eastwood, like John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable and a host of other fine actors, always plays himself. His stock in trade is his "tough guy" impression, and he does it flawlessly.

His films are always well-done, and he always plays the same basic part, which his audience obviously loves.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books ... Read more

Description

Jimmy. Dave. Sean.Friends who grew up in working-class Boston, they drifted apart afer a terrible tragedy.Year later, brutal events reconnect them. ... Read more

Reviews (304)

NOT Eastwood's best...
...that title remains with Unforgiven.

Mystic river is a good movie, not a great one. It has a great story and great characters - with a good screenplay by Brian Helgeland, based on Dennis Lehane's book. The directing is solid, while not really bringing anything special to the film, yet pacing it prefectly in building the tension around the murder.

What is outstanding about this film is the acting. Sean Penn gives yet another inspired performance as a working class father from Boston who just lost his oldest daughter to a horrific murder. Although the scenes that most people seem to remember (and that are shown in the trailer) show his *exaggerated* response to his daughter's death, the rest of the performance is more subdued and restrained.

Tim Robbins' performance is also of note, as Penn's disturbed boyhood friend who shows up covered in blood the same night of the murder, making his frightened wife (Marcia Gay Harden) start to doubt his story and to believe that he is in fact the murderer.

The rest of the cast give solid performances in somewhat limited characters, Kevin Bacon and Laurence Fishburne as the cops asigned to the case, and Laura Linney as Penn's second wife.

However, there are a few things about the film that rubbed me the wrong way; the whole sub-plot about Bacon's wife calling him on his cell phone and not speaking? What was that suppossed to bring to the movie? Or Linney's (apparently) sudden transformation into Lady MacBeth, telling Penn's character that he should do whatever needed to be done? Or the final parade scene?

In short, while not a great film (certainly not Eastwood's best), it's a good one worth catching, and not as bad as some other reviewers will have you believe (certainly not Mistake River!).

Sean Penn and Tim Robbins are outstanding!
In Mystic River, director Clint Eastwood has taken the themes of pain and loss, added superb actors, and a literate script to make a memorable movie.

Jimmy, Sean, and Dave were childhood buddies growing up in a working-class neighborhood in Boston. One day, Dave was lured away and sexually abused by two men. Years later, the boys are now adults; Jimmy (Penn) is an ex-con with a loving family, Sean (Bacon) is a cop with marital woes, and Dave (Robbins), forever damaged by his childhood trauma, is barely clinging to reality. When Jimmy's daughter is murdered, Sean investigates, Jimmy vows vigilante justice, and Dave is a prime suspect.

The lead actors are outstanding here. Penn is utterly convincing as the former thug and heartbroken father. Robbins displays his acting chops in the performance of a lifetime, showing a fragile man dealing with such pain that he can no longer function rationally. The two men certainly deserved their Oscars.

This is a movie that will pull at your heartstrings while keeping you guessing who the killer is. There are, thankfully, no graphic scenes of child abuse or the girl's death, yet you will be on the edge of your seat much of the time. This is an outstanding film.

Stale As Month-Old Potato Chips
I was quite surprised at how bad this movie was. Perhaps it was just me, but I was looking forward to a Unforgiven-type directoral masterpiece from Mr. Eastwood and the stars Robbins and Penn. Given the hype this movie recieved (and the oscar nods to its 2 main stars and director Eastwood) I was really ready to sink my viewing teeth into something substantial.

Unfortunately, this movie was as stale as a bag of month-old potato chips. I never really came to symphathize at all with Sean Penn's character, even though his daughter was murdered. I mean, seriously, how can you symphathize with a criminal (Penn's character) who barely was involved in his kid's life to begin with?

Perhaps if the movie had shown a more deeper relationship between Penn and the kid then I could have cared more about the outcome. As it was all my sympathy went to Tim Robbins character, sexually molested as a child and then basically forgotten by his so-called "buddies". In my opinion Tim Robbins is the only reason to watch this movie. He walks around with an aire of utter hopelessness (reminiscent of the character he played in Jacob's Ladder), and yet he tries so hard to get passed the mental anguish of his past and make it through each day as an adult that by the end you are cheering for him.

Which brings me to the other reason why this movie stinks - the ending.

Like in a good novel, the reader/viewer doesn't want to be cheated in the end. I don't want to give away the ending, but be warned - it stinks.

All in all there really wasn't any substance to most of the characters, and I found myself toward the end wondering why I should even finish watching it. I like to be absorbed by characters played with heart and substance. Watching these jokers (except for Robbins) was like watching carboard cutouts being moved around on a stage.

Mystic River..The Ending Bites
First off..someone please tell Clint Eastwood to back away from the camera slowly and never ever direct another film. As far as everyone who raves about this film..you have lost all cred. I supposed your enthralled by shiny objects too. The ending was ridiculous....my daughter is killed..lets go to a parade?????? The fact that this drivel was considered genius in two mediums is baffling...more proof that everything is watered down beyond hope...whoever says this is a classic- I have some old home movies..you wanna shell out money to see those too???

Pretentious Puddle?
.
In great dramas, people aren't perfect, but their mistakes make sense. In melodramas, their mistakes don't; they occur only because the screenwriter wants them to.

Mystic River is a horrid melodrama, Hollywood's worst in years.

Pick any three-minute segment, jump in the shoes of any major character, and you'll find at least two instances where common sense would completely unravel the plot. There would be:

phone calls to doctors
routine checks on how the investigation is going

alerts to detectives
ridiculous assumptions thrown out the window
obvious suspects brought in for questioning
DNA and blood evidence rapidly analyzed and suspects eliminated
direct confrontations and/or backchannel neighborhood chats to double-check facts
and, oh, maybe a teeny bit of thinking before irreversible acts are committed.

None of this happens, of course, because the screenwriter creates a world without accepting its rules. The major characters are supposed to have lived in the same rough neighborhood and known each other all or most of their lives. But the lifelong aggressors uniformly jump to conclusions, as though they've never served time or seen other hoodlums get burned by assumptions. And the lifelong victims never seem to have their radar up around shady characters.

So we're asked to believe in a tough, jaded world where all statements are taken at face value, where no one seems to have ever seen a crime movie or played a single hand of poker, and where seasoned homicide cops don't seem to have heard of fingerprints, basic procedure, or internal affairs investigations. It's totally implausible.

In a decent drama, Dave never gets in the Savage brothers' car. Not with his history, not knowing the Savage brothers, not given the circumstances. But he gets in, because that's the only way the screenwriter gets Dave to the next scene. Ugh.

As a counterpoint, check out any Farrelly brothers movie. Yeah, they're comedies, but they follow the rules of drama: the characters are put in situations they take seriously, and make decisions that, given who they are, make lots of sense. The funny comes from sensibly navigating absurd situations. Unlike the funny in Mystic River, which inadvertently jumps out from umpty-jillion RIDICULOUS plot twists.

Me Myself and Irene is a better cop drama than this overhyped clunker. Kingpin is a vastly better study of victims and villains. And no, I'm not kidding. Skip MR. ... Read more

Description

After serving in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway finds himself with a collection of medals and no war to fight. Training a new group of Marines that are more green than mean, Highway complicates matters by attempting to reconcile with his former wife, Aggie. Rekindling the spark in his failed marriage won't be easy with a crisis brewing in Grenada and his pathetic platoon far from ready. ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Heartbreak Ridge
Easily one of my favorite films of all time. From the intro's black and white scenes of the Korean conflict with Don Gibson's "Sea of a Heartbreak" playing, with a dubbed in banjo, in the background to the fade to color present with a battle scared Clint in the drunk tank telling war stories and backing it up with action to prove his point in front of a captive audience. This is a great action and scene packed film. Meant to be taken as tongue in cheek. I look at it as what it might be like if Clint Eastwood did standup comedy. I probably watch this movie 3 times a year. No it's not high art as other reviewers have stated; but who cares. It's a good story, an honest story with some peripheral basis in fact and a lot of patriotism. The story exploits ideals and emotions that most folks over 50 can probably identify with throughout the movie. My 11-year-old son loves the movie. " This is an AK47 assault rifle, the preferred weapon of your enemy and makes a distinct sound when fired at you." This is entertainment at its best.

Clint Eastwood's Marines
Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the lead role of this film about a "salty," battle-hardened career sergeant who whips a platoon of new Marines into shape. Along the way, he attempts to repair his failed marriage and locks horns with the Marine Battalion's Operations Officer.

Eastwood is Gunnery Sergeant Highway, a Korea and Vietnam veteran who won the Medal of Honor and survived a horrific battle in Korea referred to as "Heartbreak Ridge" in the film. He's a warrior on the battlefield, but his aggressive, hard-drinking and "tell-it-like-it-is" personality has cost him promotion and his marriage. Nearing retirement, he receives orders to return to his elite specialty of Force Reconnaissance. Upon arrival, the battalion's operations officer treats Gunny as a washed-up old prima donna and he finds his new platoon comprised of misfits. On the personal side, Gunny's ex-wife still resides locally earning a living as a cocktail waitress.

Tackling his main problem, he commences to breathing fire into his young Marines, turning them into "heart-breakers and life-takers." During his off-time, he tangles with his ex-wife in an attempt to repair their failed marriage. All during this time, he's one step away from being under-mined and kicked out by his nemesis.

The film culminates with their deployment to intervene the crisis on the Island of Grenada (actual operation in 1983), leading the way into combat for the Marine battalion. It is here where the plot unfolds to reveal if Gunny's old-school training methods have worked, if his wife decides to return, and if he'll survive.

Overall, the movie has Eastwood's brand of humor and it's a likeable feature not to be taken too seriously. There are some technical flaws, such as an absence of other officers in the battalion, but this doesn't spoil the movie too much unless you're a proud member of the Marine Corps. Another item about this movie is the use of profanity; it's colorful and there's plenty of it. By rumor, this story was originally written for an Army Ranger battalion, but apparently the Army denied permission to portray their Rangers in this fashion. Whatever the case, it's enjoyable to watch and does touch upon some actual leadership values.

"I'm mean, nasty, and tired"
I can't tell you why this movie is great, if you break it down into individual pieces, it probably wouldn't hold a candle to a bad made-for-TV movie. However, I've watched it dozens of times (and several more on the extra-clear DVD version) and enjoy it thoroughly each.

Eastwood's lines are memorable, if only for their raunchy hilarity. "I eat canstantino wire and piss napalm". Ooh Rah!

A Tribute to Greatness
Heartbreak Ridge is hardly about the military- it's more about greatness and integrity. Clint is assigned to lead a team of rowdy recruits. By demanding greatness from them, Clint is able to transform the group from a bunch of criminals into a well-oiled military team. In doing this, Clint shows the true nature of great leadership. There is also a fair amount of comedy throughout the film, making it enjoyable on multiple levels.

A Great Ride With Clint....To..."Heartbreak Ridge"....
This review refers to "Heartbreak Ridge"...Warner Home Video..DVD edition...

"Heartbreak Ridge" from 1986 is Eastwood's tough guy image personified. He is Gunnery Sgt. Tom "Gunny" Highway. Gunny has seen it all, and done it all. He's a decorated war hero who has survived battle in both Korea and Vietnam.He's tough and gruff and will soon face mandatory retirement.With no war to fight his last assignment is to whip the members of a raw but feisty recon platoon into shape. He's up against an unwilling group,a "follow orders or else"(not exactly his style)type commanding officer, and an ex-wife who's as feisty as the recruits.Both he and his men(and his ex-wife) are put to the test when war breaks out on the Island of Grenada.It was directed by Eastwood, Marsha Mason co-stars and the cast is nicely rounded out by Mario VanPeebles, Moses Gunn, Bo Svenson and the wonderful Eileen Heckart.

This 1986 film looks great on this DVD. Warner has done a nice job with the clarity and colors. The widescreen format lets us in on all the action and the Dolby Dig 5.1 surrounds wonderfully. Lennie Niehaus' fabulous score completes the package.Don't look for much in the way of special features.There are theatrical trailers, some cast film highlights,and subtitles in English, French, Spanish,Portugese and Japanese.It may be viewed in French as well.

If you're a big Eastwood fan, you may want to purchase this in the Eastwood "Hero" 3-pack instead. It also includes "Absolute Power" and "A Perfect World"...You know you'll buy them all anyway and this way will save you some money...check it out!

Thanx...and enjoy.....Laurie ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jules Verne's classic adventure is perfectly matched with Ray Harryhausen's timeless movie magic in Mysterious Island. Based on Verne's sequel to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, this rousing Civil War-era fantasy begins when a band of Union war prisoners (and one Confederate straggler) escape in a hot-air balloon, which crash-lands on the titular island of mystery. Verne's novel doesn't include any gigantic creatures, but Harryhausen's version--under the capable direction of genre specialist Cy Endfield--features giant oysters, bees, a prehistoric Phororhacos (a giant chickenlike bird!), an undersea cephalopod, a giant crab, and enough danger to keep its resourceful ensemble on constant alert. Captain Nemo (Herbert Lom, ably filling James Mason's shoes) is a third-act hero, pursuing an ill-fated dream to save humanity from hunger and war. The action may be too intense for younger viewers, but Endfield's pacing and Harryhausen's stop-motion mastery make Mysterious Island a wondrous precursor to Harryhausen's follow-up classic, Jason and the Argonauts. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Exciting sci-fi
Mysterious Island is a very exciting movie that is even better because of the graphics done by Harry Hausen. Five Union prisoners and one Confederate soldier in a hot air balloon are caught up in a huge storm, blown off course and crash land on an unknown island full of plenty of secrets. The castaways meet two women whose ship was sunk forcing them to take cover on the island. All the survivors must deal with a huge crab, enormous bees, an oversized bird, and plenty of other surprises. The creatures made by Harry Hausen are very good and really ahead of his time. Without computer graphics, he was able to make excellent creatures that still look very good.

Michael Craig plays the heroic leader of the castaways and is pretty good in the role. The rest of the Union prisoners are also okay, but I didn't recognize any of them from other roles. The Confederate soldier I recognize from The Bridge on the River Kwai, but cannot remember his name. Herbert Lom appears late in the movie as Captain Nemo, the famous submarine commander who disappeared several years before the story takes place. The DVD is great with extras that show how Hausen created some of the creatures, a making of documentary, theatrical trailer and widescreen presentation. This is a very enjoyable movie that keeps you in your seat from beginning to end! Do not miss!

JULES VERNES' CLASSIC TALE....
Entertaining fantasy-adventure based on Jules Vernes' story about escapees from a Civil War prison who hijack a hot air observation balloon during a thunderstorm and get blown off course. They crash land on a strange island and discover it's inhabited by giant creatures. They are joined by two female survivors of a British ship wreck and forge together for survival. They battle a giant crab, a giant bird and a giant honeybee before they encounter the islands' oddest inhabitant---the infamous Capt.Nemo who has invented a submarine and learned to move about underwater with special equipment fashioned from giant sea shells. They are soon set upon by pirates whom Nemo dispatches when he sinks their ship. Nemo agrees to help them escape before a huge local volcano erupts. Great score by Bernard Herrmann and imaginatively filmed with a spirited cast. Only problem is the DVD transfer---it's not very good. Kind of a disappointment since this is a very colorful and stylish film. But since this is the best we can do for now I'll have to recommend it for lovers of escapist fare and Ray Harryhausen fans. The creatures are wonderful and the individual set pieces involving them are great. There's a marvelous underwater encounter with a giant tentacled shell creature near the end of the film that's mostly done in silence to great effect. The film is grand entertainment even if it's not the best quality DVD it should be.

No, it wasn't faithful to Verne...
However, what movie versions of literature usually are? Instead of criticizing the liberties taken, let's just look at the points of merit of the film: great special effects by way of the stop-motion master Ray Harryhausen, a stirring score by legendary Bernard Herrmann, superb scenery, a tale of survival, and lots of action.

Of course the acting is a little wooden but there are decent performances from Herbert Lom as "Captain Nemo", Joan Greenwood as "Lady Fairchild", and Gary Merrill (the former MR. Bette Davis) as "Mr. Spillet".

The real highlight for this viewer upon the film's release was the inclusion of a pivotal character portrayed by a black man, Dan Jackson as "Neb". The character is in the novel but he is younger and a bit too "subservient," reflecting the times of the book's publication. In 1961 it was notable to see a black man in a fantasy film, portraying an "equal" to his fellow castaways.

The DVD extras, including the documentary "The Harryhausen Chronicles", are adequate but the film holds its own as a wonderful excursion into the fanciful and makes for a fine family film.

Not a substitute for the novel
This movie has attempted to accomplish the same end as other classic films taken from the stories of Verne: to recreate an adventure movie of something much less action-oriented. Relying on the fame of this renowned author, Harryhausen has found a novel much less suspenseful and reenvisioned it as a wild tale of monsters and pirates. Verne described himself as primarily a geographer, taking the word in quite the broadest sense to indicate focus of interest in the geology of the earth, oceanography and seafaring, chemistry, and biological and applicable knowledge of Earth's flora and fauna. Like in many of his myriad books, Verne attempts in "The Mysterious Island" to impart his learning to the general populace through the medium of highly fictionalized romances - thus science fiction. His two skills - learnedness in the sciences and mastery of storytelling - intertwine with such alacrity as to preserve his legend as an author for all time.

"The Mysterious Island" itself is a novel Verne placed prime significance in. Within this three-part volume, Verne places five castaways on a deserted island without a single tool and describes how, in great detail, these men are able to recreate their own civilization from the raw materials of an amazingly diverse island. From simple tools, the men master pottery and metalworking, domestication of animals, machine manufacture, electric generators and devices, and eventually fuel-powered elevators, automobiles, and airplanes. Seen as both a vision of past and future technological advances, this book caused such a success that, when researchers investigated in 1961, it remained one of the most popular novels checked out in public libraries across America and Europe. In response to this popularity came a movie.

Cy Endfield, a specialist in epic adventure movie-making, directed this film in a way very unlike Verne's original plot and motives. It is likely Endfield did not even read the lengthy novel and its biographical relatives, or if he did chose a very different approach for a very different audience. Verne's novel does include the fantastic events of the protagonists' escape from Richmond, the attack on Granite House by pirates, and the volcanic eruption which destroys the island, but these events are but a fraction of his attention. In our movie, the audience is witness to pure action, and only the basic threads of plot and characterization of individuals are retained in the book's transformation to the screen. Furthermore, this film includes a very memorable character from Verne's novel "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," the Captain Nemo. Apparently the author and character are inseparable, and to make a movie based on Verne is to borrow from any novel of one's choosing.

While this film does not preserve the intentions of the movie, several features must be stated to its benefit. Acting and plot development here are brisk and enjoyable, but most notable elements are witnessed in special effects. Thanks to the stop motion genius Harryhausen, "The Mysterious Island" is now home to giant crabs, bees, cephalopods, and Phororhacos. These creatures are explained as Captain Nemo's experiments in gigantism with which he hopes to feed the nations of the world. In a deeply humanitarian speech, Nemo professes hatred for the follies of war (quite unlike his literary nationalism) and paints a future of "big wheat, and sheep the size of cattle," where no nations suffer those economic dilemmas that inspire international aggressions. Contained on this DVD, additionally, is a fascinating hour-long documentary which should not be missed, chronicling the history of Ray Harryhausen and his art.

one heck of a movie
this is one of my favorite jules verne movie along with 20000 leagues...but my only complaint as with all columbia harryhausen movies on dvd is sound..my vhs tape is 4 times better sound than this dvd..i'm asking if ray reads any of these or someone from columbia dvd please do better a better job on sound...my dvd list on chapter and extras has better sound than the movie..it would mean so much to all fans if these were redone and done right with at least surround sound on all ray's movies on dvd. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Readers of John Berendt's bestselling novel were bound to be at least somewhat disappointed by this big-screen adaptation, but despite mixed reaction from critics and audiences, there's still plenty to admire about director Clint Eastwood's take on the material. Readers will surely miss the rich atmosphere and societal detail that Berendt brought to his "Savannah story," and the movie can only scratch the surface of Georgian history, tradition, and wealthy decadence underlying Berendt's fact-based murder mystery. Still, Eastwood maintains an assured focus on the wonderful eccentrics of Savannah, most notably a gay Savannah antiques dealer (superbly played by Kevin Spacey), who may or may not have killed his friend and alleged lover (Jude Law). John Cusack plays the Town & Country journalist who arrives in Savannah to find much more than he bargained for--including the city's legendary drag queen Lady Chablis (playing "herself")--and John Lee Hancock's smoothly adapted screenplay succeeds in bringing Berendt's characters vividly to life with plenty of flavorful dialogue. In similar fashion to Warner's acclaimed DVD of L.A. Confidential, this classy DVD includes a behind-the-scenes documentary titled The Real People in the Garden and an interactive map tour of Savannah and its most celebrated (or notorious) citizens. The original theatrical trailer is also included. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Dark at "Midnight"
The echoes of Southern Gothic don't come much more gothic than "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," Clint Eastwood's flawed adaptation of the bestselling true crime book. While the movie only dips briefly into the genteel decadence of the upper-crust South, and the general air of Savannah, it does have its fun moments and good acting.

John Kelso (John Cusack) has come to Georgia to cover the famous Christmas party of the wealthy James Williams (Kevin Spacey). As well as Williams, Kelso ends up befriending a bevy of eccentrics, including some happy-go-lucky partygoers and the Lady Chablis (played by... the Lady Chablis), a drag queen with a mischievous sense of humor.

But things go wrong after the party. Williams' employee/boyfriend Billy Carl Hanson (Jude Law) is found dead after a fight with Williams -- and Williams seems like the most likely suspect. As a not-so-pleasant trial begins, Kelso sets out to unravel the mystery of what really went on that night, and what the truth behind Hanson's death is.

The biggest flaw of "Midnight" is that it is way too short for the material it stems from -- several years and multiple trials are compressed into a matter of weeks, and many of the endearingly freaky people of Savannah are given short shrift. Only the Lady Chablis gets enough time -- the guy with the flies and poison, for example, is touched on but never dealt with.

But as far as execution goes, much of "Midnight" is quite charming -- warm, sleepy and a little overgrown, much like the vision of Savannah it shows. Even a midnight voodoo session doesn't break the mood. And Eastwood manages to give us a charming view of the eccentricities of "Gone With the Wind on mescaline." (Exhibit A: The guy walking an invisible, deceased dog)

Both Cusack and Spacey do an excellent job bringing their characters to life: Cusack always seems a little out of the current, a realistic outsider, while Spacey exudes grace, charm and a sort of apologetic pride. Jude Law, for the brief time we see him, does a good job as the redneck hellraiser. And who can forget the Lady Chablis? Chablis is pretty clearly having a wonderful time (playing herself, no less). The one cast flaw is Alison Eastwood, who doesn't seem to bother acting.

While "Midnight of Good and Evil" fails to live up to its promise, it is a charming and funny look at the deep South. Well-acted but patchily adapted, this is an amusing movie if you don't expect it to stick too closely to the book.

A timeless piece of eccentric south
I have lived in the south all my life. Watching this movie reminded me of how beautiful and special this place is. Clint Eastwood's interpretation of John Berendt's piece of literary art was splendid in its own right. It reminded me of how rich our heritage is. The music, the superb casting (no one can deny the talent of the great Kevin Spacey) and the seemingly endless parade of characters kept me enthralled from the beginning. It's not often a film can pull at my heartstrings, teach me something about tolerance and history, reveal such beauty and amuse me at the same time. The movie so moved me that I read the book. Although somewhat different, each form was intriguing. I have just returned from Savannah. I was constantly reminded of the story of Jim Williams as I walked the squares and felt the history therein. This filmed turned attention once again to a wonderful magical place, the South.

I liked this movie...
...back when it was called "The Great Gatsby!" This movie (and book) is a thinly-veiled rip-off of The Great Gatsby.

One of Eastwood's best and funniest movies
For years I put off watching this movie because of lukewarm reviews, but when I finally rented it I was delighted by its surrealistic regional irony. In fact, I was laughing out loud through much of the movie. Granted, social satire tends to rely on exaggeration and stereotype for effect, but its humor succeeds most when it portrays characters in a sympathetic rather than derisive light. This movie succeeds admirably in that regard.

One complaint is that, as with many Ron Howard or Steven Spielberg movies, a bit of sentimental shmaltz creeps in at times, for example with the voodoo priestess character. Thank heaven at least they didn't cast Whoopi Goldberg in the role.

If movies such as "Fargo", "Best in Show", and "Eyes Wide Shut" left you more puzzled than tickled, then this movie may seem as slow and inactive as some critics accuse. Other critics bemoan that it doesn't do the book justice: I have not read the book, but I do feel that the movie stands well on its own. So much so, in fact, that I immediately went to Amazon afterwards and purchased it. For me, anyway, this movie is a keeper.

Not what I expected
I read the book when it first appeared on the bestseller list, and waited for the movie, holding my breath. The book was simply wonderful and deserved it's place as number one, but sadly, the movie was lacking. But there were some good points. Part of the fun of watching this movie is sorting out the real characters from the actors. John Cusack's role as a writer for an upscale magazine was an understandable, even essential fabrication to tie the events together with some dramatic continuity. How many people noticed Cusack's sister Ann in a brief walk-on appearance? One character that stands out, and I mean really stands out is Lady Chablis. If you watch this movie for no other reason, watch it to witness this highly unusual and sometimes hilarious real life personality who as a local entertainer still resided in the Savannah, Georgia area at the time of the DVD release. Again, for such a wonderul book, the movie didn't do it justice. One can only hope that McCrae's book, "Bark of the Dogwood--A Tour of Southern Homes and Gardens" does not suffer the same fate. ... Read more

Description

An ex-flyer who is a distress victim from Vietnam experience is ordered back into military duty to head a secret mission. His assignment is to sneak into Russia and steal a Soviet warplane which is far more advanced than any other air machine being used by the NATO alliance. ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Awesome! Firefox takes off with suspense and excitement!
This movie is one of my favorite movies. Eastwood is absolutely fantastic in his role as Mitchell Gant, and the scenes for Russian locales are very much how I thought the USSR would be like. The first half of the movie, with Gant sneaking into Russia, and the base where the Firefox is, is very suspenseful. The sleek, black, Firefox aircraft itself is an incredibly cool looking design, and one of the most realistic looking movie aircraft I've ever seen, both when it's on the ground, and flying in the air. The aerial sequences are great, and the dogfight at the end of the movie between the two Firefoxes, Gant's and a pursuing, Russian pilot's, is incredible, and as realistic as the ones in Top Gun. With all these great qualities, Firefox is a great movie that deserves far more than 5 stars. I would recomend this movie to any aircraft, espionage, or Clint Eastwood fan, and anyone who likes great movies.

"Go Ahead...Mig My Day."
If you liked "The Hunt for Red October" and you're a BIG Clint Eastwood fan, you're still not likely to cheer "Firefox". With lame-o generic spy genre characters, obvious "clip and paste" special effects and the burden of having to believe that Eastwood's character was born Russian, "Firefox" taxes the audience severely. The young Smithers-esque intellience guy that gets giddy as a school girl everytime Eastwood does anything and Freddie Jones who's character is completely unintelligable throughout the whole movie (even though he's speakin English) are as distracting as dancers with pulled hamstrings. Add a "psychic" Russian general who can predict Eastwood's every move and a "super jet" that appears to be as aerodynamic as a dictionary and you've got yourself one pretty bad flick. So why the two stars? Well, it IS Eastwood and he IS kicking Ruskie butt...

An adequate, unusual techno-thriller from Clint Eastwood
This was Clint Eastwood's second dip into the waters of the espionage thriller (the first was the awful "Eiger Sanction" back in 1975), and one of the few films he directed which relies heavily on visual effects. As a director, Eastwood seems uneasy with both modes, which go against the grain of his realistic, tough, and often stoic & silent directorial style. Nonetheless, "Firefox" works better than it should. Eastwood brings understated realism to what might have been a hopelessly hokey Cold War techno thriller, and the visual effects-laden last third is fairly exciting. However, the mixture of elements ultimately produces only an adequate film, a strange entry in Eastwood's long string of hits.

The plot is a Tom Clancy story before there were Tom Clancy stories (this is based on a novel by Craig Thomas). The Soviets (remember them?) have developed a super fighter jet, the Firefox, with thought-controlled weapons system. The Firefox threatens the balance of power in the Cold War, so NATO needs to get their hands on it, pronto. The only man who can do it is pilot Mitchell Gant (Eastwood). He speaks fluent Russian, can infiltrate the base with the help of Russian Jewish dissenters (played by Ronald Lacey, Nigel Hawthorne, and Warren Clarke), and has the skill to fly the Firefox. Only problem: Gant is highly unstable from his Vietnam experience, is prone is nasty flashbacks (a problem if you're flying a though- controlled plane!), and has done no undercover work before.

"Firefox" is overlong at 136 minutes, and tends to drag with far too many scenes of Russian and NATO boardroom arguments. The film works best in the early parts during the scenes with Lacey, Hawthorne, and Clarke, who all give fine, sentimental performances as double agents who know they are doomed but struggle on for what they know is right. In a few place, Eastwood shows traces of the later themes of the consequences of violence that would mature in "Unforgiven" and "Mystic River." Eastwood himself is fairly good in the role, avoiding any "Dirty Harry" clichés or relying too much on his tough guy image, but he does look rather silly in his undercover disguise scenes.

Nonetheless, it does seem to take forever until the last third, where the Firefox tries to blaze an almost hopeless escape trail out of the Soviet Union, with another Firefox prototype on its tail. The effects (by John Dysktra of "Star Wars" fame) are zippy and fantastic, but any human element left in the film pretty much bails out at this point. Enjoy the planes, enjoy the speed, enjoy Clint just staring out the window and not moving much. It's fairly exciting, but when it's all over, you'll feel a bit let down.

The DVD, like most Warner Bros. discs in the Clint Eastwood Collection, looks very good, and the sound is 5.1. But also like most Warner Bros. discs in the Clint Eastwood Collection, there are no extras.

Good, but not great
FIREFOX is one of those films made back when the U.S.S.R. still existed, and espionage is the key here. Clint Eastwood plays Mitchell Gant, a retired Air Force pilot who is resurrected to steal the FIREFOX fighter jet from Russia. Based on a novel by the same name, FIREFOX certainly looks like an interesting movie, and it is to some extent. It has a little James Bond flavor in it too. It is not great, however, and has many flaws.

Eastwood constantly changes deguise throughout the film as his allies seek to get him to the jet. The process is long and confusing, and the whole time Clint doesn't look like he has any idea what he is doing. Once he grabs the jet itself, and pulls out of the hanger, night suddenly changes to day! The special effects during the flying sequences are exciting. John Dykstra, who won an oscar for the special effects in STAR WARS, did the job on the effects here and the results are impressive, even though they look dated. The movie does drag, however, when the U.S.S.R. intellegence constantly is trying to figure out which direction he is headed. The worst thing about this film is the ending. After winning a dramatic dogfight with the other FIREFOX, the movie ends right there in the sky. It would have been interesting if Eastwood could have entended it a little more to at least see him land the plane in his home country. This was Eastwood's eighth time as a director as well. The movie is interesting, but the minor flaws, and flat ending are what kind of hold it back from being great. FIREFOX wass a good movie, but it could have been better, alot better.

Not a bad espionage thriller
I remember when I first saw this 20 years ago on cable TV. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A devastatingly skillful and emotionally compelling documentary, TheTimes of Harvey Milk charts the political rise and brutal slaying ofthe first openly gay city official in the United State, Harvey Milk.Ironically, the same election that brought Milk to the board of citysupervisors of San Francisco also elected the man who killed him, a formerpolice officer and fireman named Dan White. After White shot both MayorGeorge Moscone and Milk, his defense lawyers convinced the jury thatWhite's judgment was impaired by depression and junk food, resulting in aconviction for manslaughter instead of murder--a verdict that promptedriots. With care and conviction, The Times of Harvey Milk capturesnot only Milk himself, but also the political and social landscape inwhich these events took place. The interviews--with friends, politicians,and journalists--are articulate and heartfelt, expressing the impact thatMilk had upon this historical moment. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Times of Harvey Milk
While this documentary is pulls at the heart and makes this reviewer as a gay person,want to step back into time to experiences the feeling of that era.....of the emerging political movement What a time of total optimism!!! The Tragedy of Milk and Moscones' death was are downers in an otherwise positive time for gays and lesbians...in California. Little did they know that within 3 years the first of thousands upon thousands of Aids deaths would rock the Castro. (SEE THE CASTRO) a pbs film about the history of the Castro.
That said however , as a person inspired by this film in 1985 when I first saw it to find out all I could about Harvey Milk was somewhat disolusioned to learn that the Harvey portrayed in The Times of Harvey Milk, beared little resemblance in many ways to the Harvey Milk of Randy Shilts book, The Mayor of Castro Street. His life a personal mess one some levels, Unorganized, vindictive and petty.....on others. Still though Milks strength of persona and the era in which he lived transends all the faults.
The XTRAS are well worth the purchase of this disc for anyone who has seen this documentary before.
I have watched The Times of Harvey Milk MANY MANY times over the past 19 years when I feel down about the gay movement and the forces that wish to have us relegated to a sub existence in this country. It reminds me always that anything worth fighting for sometimes requires a sacrifice....Sadly Harvey was a sacrifice for the betterment of the Gay community... Sad yes but it gives me strength and resolve every time i watch it!!!

Powerful DVD for all!
Great DVD of what has become a classic of the queer community's most important hero! The extras are amazing, I was asking where can I get more on Moscone's son and Harvey's nephew, wow? How can they be contacted? The alternative ending was very insightful, very! Is there more to come? I will use this in every class I teach. Unforgetable!

A MUST SEE FILM
The Times of Harvey Milk never ever fails to touch you. I saw it in the 80's on PBS and it's just as relevant now as it was then. The DVD remaster looks and sounds terrific and is packed with lots of bonus materials, but the the real meat of the impact is still the actual film. If you've never seen it, you need to.

His life, his legacy; our hope
I was one of the millions who probably heard of Harvey Milk at some point in my life, but never connected any dots to his life. Then one summer day, while housesitting, I found an old VHS tape of this documentary called "The Times of Harvey Milk". Not having anything better to do, I popped it in the VCR and sat back to watch. Two hours later, my life, perspectives, and outlooks were dramatically transformed by meeting Supervisor Harvey Milk. So it is with great excitement that this monumental film which pays tribute to a monumental time finally comes to DVD, and warrants my attention for my 200th review.

"The Times of Harvey Milk" is a transformative documentary both in style and information, created by visionary filmmakers Rob Epstein and Richard Schmiechen. The film not only covers the life of Milk, but the times which surrounded him that allows for a broader, more in-depth story. From the opening moments of the film, we learn of Harvey's untimely death, so as not to aggrandize it. Through personal interviews, newsreel coverage, and personal film shot at certain events, everything is brought to a real, intense focus. You feel as if you are watching the events unfold as San Franscians must have done in the late 1970's.

The shining stars of the film are the personal interviews given by people who knew Harvey best. Tom Ammiano, friend o