Description

A prince who was turned into a frog by a witch's spell is ultimately saved by the kiss of a self-centered princess. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

my personal fairy tale theatre movie
If your looking for a fairy tale for kids that can make even you laugh this is the one. Robin Williams will lighten the mood every time.

Bad for Children
This film contains language and sexual content. Robin Williams uses profanity and parental discretion is advised. It is a funny telling of the story for adults but not younger viewers... Parents should watch the movie first to decide if it is appropiate for their children, and trust me, it isn't!!!!

Undoubtably one of the best Faerie Tale Theatre videos.
This episode of The Tale of the Frog Prince, starring the hilarious Robin Williams and wonderful Teri Garr, is not only a very well told classic children's tale, but a comedy. It has plenty of bits an adult would find entertaining, none being underhand or crude, while still amusing to a younger audience. I grew up watching this series; I loved it then, and I still love it now ... A very good movie to see, and a deal if you can buy it anywhere!

Hilarious, but for adults
This is a hilariously funny version of a children`s fairy tale. Both Robin Williams and Teri Garr do a superb job in their portrayals of the frog-prince and the princess, but you will, most likely, be surprised at how well Rene Aberjonois (Clayton, fron the t.v. series Benson) does comedy. The only caveat is that because of the language and some the situations I would not recommend this video for pre-teens, but anyone else will definitely be amused! ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Laugh Out Loud - More than once
The Dinner Game is a movie not-based on an unfamilar premise: a group of snobby French men have a dinner to see who can invite the biggest idiot. The person who brings the biggest idiot to the dinner is deemed the winner. This concept has been done before however Thierry Lhermitte's take on this theme is done with class, spunk, and wit so much so that it will leave you enjoying every minute of this movie. This was the best *comedy* that I saw in 2000, period and is not slap-stick nor high-school comedy which has been popularized by American Pie and American Pie 2. People of all ages can appreciate this movie, even your mom or dad who are always doubting your taste in movies! :) I highly recommend you purchase or rent this movie.

A very funny movie
I laughed so hard while watching this movie. A man invites a stranger to dinner, who he believes to be an idiot, so he can entertain himself and laugh at the idiot. Little by little, the idiot ruins the intelliegent/rich mans life, and one is not sure who the real idiot is. This is the kind of movie that could be real bad, but the actors have perfect timing and all the jokes work.

One other comment- for those learning French. I have been buying movies made in France to improve my speaking and listening skills. This movie is excellent for learning French, the words are the ones I studied using the first 26 lessons of "French in Action". Many of the common words begenners learn are repeated in this movie and are easy to understand.

The DVD is excellent. The colors are bright and rich and everything is crystal clear. I wish more DVD's had the same quality as this one.

Ou Est L'Humanité?
I agree: there are some good laughs in this film, especially as it warms up after the first half hour. That said, it left me with a quibble and with a slight off taste.

First, the quibble -- unlikely to have bothered most people. The premise is that the snobs invite an idiot to dinner each week, but the film has a bit of an odd notion of where to look for idiots. Why does Pignon get picked? Because he has an obsession -- just like the boomerang man in one of the opening scenes. In Pignon's case, the obsession is making meticulous scale models of bridges, buildings, the Eiffel Tower... out of matchsticks. But weird hobbies and peculiar obsessions aren't the same as stupidity.

As it turns out, Pignon doesn't disappoint. Not only is he obsessed; he's also clueless. But that's where the off taste comes in. We don't have any sympathy for Pierre, the snob who invites Pignon to his house, but nonetheless, the movie puts the audience in the place of the would-have-been dinner guests: we get our laughs as much at Pignon's expense as from looking down on his host. There's one brief moment of humanity at the very end, but the screenplay immediately takes it back.

The reply, I suppose, is that it's a comedy, for heaven's sake! True enough; we aren't watching it to be edified. But the film would be cleverer if the audience got its own come-uppance.

Funny, really funny
Oh mon dieu! Ce film est tres drole! It didn't make me laugh the whole way through, but then again, no movie ever has. The plot concerns a group of stuck-up upper class french guys who get their kicks by trying to find the biggest idiot they can and inviting them to dinner. Once the idiots get together, the fun is watching them talk. As you can probably tell, these guys are not the nicest out there and they probably deserve their comeuppance (spelling?). Well, don't worry 'cause one of the rich guys, a publisher perfectly played by Thierry Lhermitte accidentaly throws out his back the night of an idiot dinner. (In French, un diner de con). His invited idiot decides it is his duty to stay and help Thierry since his wife seems to be absent...
What follows, not suprisingly is top-grade humor. Few actual punchlines are to be found, which is somehow even funnier. Just because you liked, say, American Pie (I did) doesn't mean you'll hate this, but I would recommend staying away from this if you've never laughed at anything but a poo-poo joke. For the record, I think the "Belgian" phone call is one of the funniest things I have ever seen along with the expression on the tax auditor's face when he finds out where his wife is.

SEE THIS MOVIE

Great Fun & Great for French Class
This film is absolutely fantastic! I would highly reccommend this movie if you enjoy intelligent comedy---and I certainly would reccommend seeing it before an American/English version comes out---a movie this good, you know they will try to remake it!!

P.S. If there are any French teachers out there, this is a great one to use for listening/comprehension exercise as well. It's rich with lots of first/second year vocab, and easily understood. And your students will be entertained as well! No moans or groans here!! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One of Bardot's best
"La bride sur le cou" ("Please Not Now!") is a pure joy to watch. Brigitte is sexy beyond compare, the plot is amusing (and sometimes very funny), and the story has some unexpected comical moments (e.g., the "kitchen" at the hotel).

I loved the opening sequence in which Sofie (Brigitte) is driving her Deux Chevaux through the streets of Paris, creating traffic mayhem in her wake. A creative mix of real time and sped-up photography, it's a comic gem that can't be missed. The Paris driving sequence foreshadows a "cool" moment later in the film where Sofie and two courting men race each other around bales of hay in karts, with the POV at ground level just a few feet in front of the karts.

Because it's a fantasy sequence, Brigitte's nude dance is seen through a glass haze. Enough clarity is seen to make it exciting without sacrificing taste. But what makes this sequence extraordinary is (1) the visual "back and forth" interplay of the la Bamba drummer, who dances while he plays, and Brigitte's strip tease, and (2) the accelerating rhythm of the music itself. I also enjoyed the fact that the director (Roger Vadim) chose to employ (literally) a visual metaphor--smoke and mirrors.

The film quality is excellent. The black and white photography is first rate, and Anchor Bay is to be commended for its transfer.

The subtitles are good, though, of course, it doesn't capture ever single word said in French. What does translate is Brigitte Bardot's sensual innocence and inimitable charm.

The most satisfying Bardot available.
(Though it's only a matter of time before CONTEMPT is issued.) I don't know why it's so hard to get a sex goddess into a great movie. Billy Wilder managed it with Marilyn. Poor Brigitte spent her early years on film saddled with empty froth and scripts aimed more at third-rate philosophy than genuine drama. If not great, at least there's nothing in the way here of getting the full measure of this charming actress. It's amazing how far a few seconds of nudity and a surpisingly joyfull riverdance through La Bamba goes to make the whole deal worthwhile.

Quaint !
Definitely quaint, and sexy, though abominably old-fashionned, in the laboriously goofy plot, and loose character interactions. But all right, it's the sixties, and it's Bardot! My god, she's got something, this Bardot, to lift this little nothing movie out of the nothingness where it actually belongs. Who can forgive director Vadim for giving such small and dead-end parts to actors like Jean Tissier and Claude brasseur, for instance? But sure, he had Bardot, and the Bamba scene as well as the nude scenes remain (cute) classics....The DVD is decent in its viewing and extra features, too...I got my money worth...

Naïf et drôle...
Film à voir pour les fans de la belle blonde pulpeuse. C'est rafraîchissant et léger à souhait, mais quelque peu décevant pour le cinéphile exigeant. Bon cinéma quand même! Les blondes n'y sont pas à l'honneur encore une fois. ... Read more

Description

Pierre and Anne have been married for several years. They have slowly started to grow apart. One night after a party, Anne tells Pierre that she is in love with another man. Although her admission is not surprising, Pierre's reaction is. This seemingly commonplace story is told in a modern, sharp, intimate style, allowing two remarkable actors to express a complex range of emotions.Full Filmographies, Interactive Menus, Scene Access, Production Credits, Widescreen Format 1.85:1 ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The End of Something
Well if you are going through a break-up of your own and you want some company then this film is for you. The actors are what drew me to the film. Isabelle Huppert has been in at least a dozen great films including The Piano Teacher and Merci Pour Le Chocolat. I would recommend both of those films to anyone. She can play enigmatic very well. In her best roles though we eventually start to see glimpses into just what makes her enigmatic characters tick. In this role there is enigma but not enough glimpses behind the facade. She just plays a generic unhappy wife. Anne(Huppert) just stares at her husband (Auteuil) as if waiting for him to react in the opening scenes when she reveals she has fallen in love with someone else. One doesn't sense this woman is capable of feeling passion for anything though. The new love doesn't give her life any added spark. It seems more like a diversion from facing what the real problem is. It seemed to me the real problem was that Huppert's character felt nothing for anyone. This is partly because of the kind of actress Huppert is--remote. And when Huppert's character does express some belated emotion toward the end of the picture it seems forced. Other directors have used this remote quality that Huppert has to great effect by offering us clues as to why she became that way but in this film shes just remote.

Auteuil is fine. He is an actor who never hits a wrong note. What he portrays time and again is the lone brooding and quietly suffering type. He can play intense, in fact his characters are always intense, but his intensity is an inward intensity. There is not much chemistry between Huppert and Auteuil. For a movie about a break-up thats perfectly alright but its hard to imagine what these two characters ever shared and so it is hard to feel remorse that the relationship has runs its course. What is interesting is that though the passion between them is gone they still rely on each other because they know each other so well. And what is sad is that Huppert's affair though it turned out to be meaningless was enough to ruin a friendship which meant more to both of them than either of them ever knew until it was too late. The film is decidedly downbeat in its uncompromising look at a couples dissolution. And an honest film about such a topic could be no other way.

Very real...
Daniel Auteuil. Need I say more? I love him! If he is in a film, you can sure bet it is going to be a picture filled with depth and substance. He is one of my favorite actors, right up there with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. After you see this one, buy "The Girl on the Bridge", and see Auteuil show off his outstanding capability of playing a wide varitey of acting roles. One of the BEST in the profession!

French blues
Although based on a novel by Dan Franck with the same title, the name of this film is misleading. Parisian couple Daniel Auteuil and Isabelle Huppert have a crisis when Isabelle confesses that she has fallen in love with another man, but this doesn't directly lead to their separation. It's more like a 10 point study of suffering in co-habitation. The source material having been written by a man clues us into whose story we are seeing, typified by how Isabelle doesn't see how her affair should impact on their relationship, but Daniel does. He's all jealousy and frustration and she's understanding. That is, until his hostility breaks out. Director Christian Vincent casts a relative as the couple's child, who Daniel videotapes intermittently, and the blue tint of the video is carried over into a general blue lighting state for the whole film. Vincent also controls the actors so that both deliver restrained performances, with Isabelle wearing a lot of jackets. Daniel has a few amusing bull sessions with his best male friend (an opportunity Isabelle is deprived of), and has a memorable hugging moment. Vincent also gives us the most stressful flying kite scene I've ever witnessed, though I could have done without the film's obvious ending. A conversation with Isabelle resting on Daniel's chest is particularly striking, and she looks very beautiful when dishevelled and her hair covers her face. The soundtrack is bleakly silent, with only Glen Gould playing Bach's Goldberg Variations over the credits, and we get a clip from Roberto Rossellini's Europe '51 with Ingrid Bergman.

Flawless performances.
Intimate and intense French drama details the painful dissolution of a relationship. Superb and mature performances make this movie highly appealing for french movies fans. It is a slow exploration of a family break-up when Anne told Pierre that she is seeing another man. Fans of Huppert and Auteuil will not miss this movie. The end is of course depressing. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

1OO% CHEESY but it wasn't TOO BAD!
Here's the basic plot: A pack of money-grabbing, extremely rich and attractive relatives (the Ferretti's) are trying to take over their ailing uncle's industrial empire.
The pack is led by Maurizio Ferretti (played brilliantly by Billy Zane), a rich, very savy and attractive million dollar playboy...his main goal is to take over the family's million dollar business while his Uncle Leo is dying in a hospital somewhere. And how does he plan on doing this? Black-mailing his father, sleeping w/ numerous women (for pleasure AND to get what he wants, of course) and being an all around money hungry, scheming jerk!
Lauren Hutton plays Cristina, Uncle Leo's estranged wife who seems to be the only one staying at his bedside...
Carol Alt plays the beautiful (...)/wild child/bad seed niece who can't seem to keep her clothes on or get her life on track...and Alexandra Paul plays the promiscuous, (...), seductive, cold-hearted sister in-law. The plot is okay, but aside from the characters listed above, the acting [is bad]. And even though this movie was released in 1991, the bad hair and fashion looks like something out of a late 80's movie.
Lauren Hutton looks ravishing, Billy Zane is extra-yummy, and Carol Alt is extremely pretty...even Alexandra Paul (known for the flat-chested plain jane Lt. Stephanie Holden on Baywatch) gets into the seductive-(...)-queen role rather well.
But nothing can save the cheap quality, chessy (...) soundtrack, blah acting, and bad ending. If you have a hour or so to kill and don't mind seeing Billy Zane sleep w/ a bunch of women, including his cousin, his sister in law, and his dad's mistress or watching a bunch of rich spoiled people plot, whine, and (...) each other - then go ahead and pick this one up. I guess it can't hurt, call it a guilty pleasure.

International corporation hi-jinks
Three reasons to rent (or buy) this movie are: Carol Alt, Alexandra Paul and Lauren Hutton. Two former supermodels and a Baywatch Babe to boot!
The plot is not that great. Billy Zane plays a rich young heir and stockholder in an international company who wheels and deals his way to increase his fortune, stabbing other family members in the back. He crosses paths (and bedsheets) with several women, among them the married Alexandra Paul and Zane's hot nightclubbing cousin, Carol Alt.
Don't expect too much. Aside from some European vistas and bed-hopping, it was a bore. It reminded me of a Judith Krantz novel. Maybe it was? ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Misleading (esp. for people new to Highlander)
Ok, so this i probably mostly my own fault for not having done the proper research on it before I purchased it, but when I saw the DVD Highlander "Finale", I was expecting an individual release of the actual final episode of Highlander: The Series. Naturally, I was quite disappointed when I found it to actually be the season finale from year three...which I already have on DVD because I own the complete season boxed set.
However, I give this three stars despite that setback due solely to the fact that being a part of the Highlander series it is naturally a wonderful piece of action/adventure/sci-fi/fantasy storytelling.
If you already own season three you can probably skip this release (unless you are set on having every Highlander DVD that's produced). If not, then I recommend giving this release a shot.

Please Be Advised....
This DVD contains the two-part, season-ending episode from Season 3 of the Highlander TV series. If you already own or are planning to buy the Highlander Season 3 Box Set, please be advised that these episodes are included in that set. ... Read more

Description

Justin Theroux is Daniel Beckett, the black sheep son of awealthy New York art dealer.He and his girlfriend, Suzanne (AlyssaMilano), are meeting his family for Thanksgiving at their sprawlingcountry estate.During dinner, Daniel's domineering father informs himhe must join the family business or be cut off from their vast wealth. Daniel and Suzanne retreat downstairs to the basement when... ...screams and gunfire erupt from above!A band of murderous thieves,lead by Jim (Ice T), has entered the house and is killing off Daniel'sfamily.Knowing that the only way to survive is to take the offensiveand fight back, Daniel and Suzanne eliminate the killers one by one. With the body count rising, a shocking twist to this deadly game of catand mouse proves that blood isn't always thicker than water. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great thriller
This is one of my favorite movies. It's a thriller and both Alyssa and Justin do an excellent job in it. It's exciting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The villains are kind of funny, in an evil way. It has some twists and the background to the story is really great, the setting is a mansion of a family who has a great artwork collection. There are no real extra's on this but it's an independent film and you don't really need them.

NICE LITTLE ACTION FILM WITH A CLEVER ENDING
DANIEL [JUSTIN THEROUX], WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND [ALYSSA MILANO] VISITS HIS FAMILY FOR THANKSGIVING. BUT DURING DINNER, A VICIOUS GANG OF THIEVES [LED BY ICE-T] BREAK INTO THE HOUSE, KILL OFF DANIEL'S FAMILY, AND STEALS HIS FAMILY'S ART. BEING THAT DANIEL AND HIS GIRLFRIEND ARE TRAPPED IN THE BASEMENT, THEY MUST FIND A WAY TO ELIMINATE THE KILLERS. NOTHING SPECIAL, BUT IT'S AN OK LITTLE ACTIONER. WHAT HAPPENS IN THE END IS TRULY SHOCKING.

Body Count Is A Great Suspence and Action Film.
I rented this movie and I thought it was one of the best movies that I had ever seen. It's a great action film with an all-star cast that keeps wondering what's going to happen next. It is definitely one that I have to add to my movie collection. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Astonishing Rita and DVD; silly movie
Rita Hayworth was never more captivatingly beautiful and sensuous than in "The Loves of Carmen". Fortunately, this lushly restored digital transfer is breathtaking in color and clarity and a fitting medium for Rita's screen presence and the film's fantastic cinematography.

The movie, however, is beyond melodramatic and turgid. The dialogue is often hysterical. While Rita (a Latina whose real name was Cansino) is actually pretty impressive as the gypsy Carmen, the otherwise reliable Glenn Ford is hopelessly miscast as the naive Spanish don who falls under her spell.

But if you love simply to behold Rita (and I do!), this is the ultimate feast for you. She is beyond stunning in this film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Only two years separate The Fourth Man, the final Dutch language movie by director Paul Verhoeven, and the explosive commencement of his Hollywood career. Controversy raged about violence in Flesh & Blood, RoboCop and everything else he made thereafter. Yet controversy has always been a part of the filmmaker's work. This savage comedy shocker could well be seen as a trial run for Basic Instinct, since it features an ice-cold seductress (Renée Soutendijk) with mysterious motivations and sexual preferences. The hallucinatory tale follows a novelist (Jeroen Krabbé) first falling for her, and then feverishly investigating whether she's a serial husband killer. The film is full of what would soon be recognized as Verhoeven trademarks: a little blasphemy, a lot of nudity, dispassionate characters, and hidden agendas. One of the aspects that caught the eye of international audiences was the film's colorful lighting and camerawork. This was from Jan de Bont, who, thanks in large part to Verhoeven, would go on to direct Speed and others. Full of symbolic flourishes and allegorical plot points The Fourth Man is a dizzying display of the type of black comedy that not even Verhoeven can get away with in today's politically aware industry. --Paul Tonks ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Simply Sublime; Worth Owning & Savoring Again & Again
I first saw this film at a wonderful old art house theater which no longer exists. It was run by a film professor and its loyal audience saw just about everything that played the art house circuit. At the end of this film, the audience burst into applause, which I'd never seen it do before and never saw it do again. Hubby and I were madly clapping along with them because we all knew we'd just seen bravura, breath taking film making. Renée Soutendijk plays a blonde hairdresser (DVD cover) who meets gay writer Jeroen Krabbé and lures him into her black widow like web. Krabbé becomes haunted by visions of his own death and Soutendijk has perhaps already had that terminal effect on three prior husbands. If you are thinking that maybe this is like the American "Black Widow," it is not except in the essence of idea. This film takes that basic idea and makes it high art, exploring the dream, surreal world adjacent to the real world. Jan DeBont's cinematography is a surreal painter's delight come to life. Director Paul Verhoeven showed the wit, style, and right-brained art making that he gave up when he came to the USA to make American films, such as "Basic Instinct." The two films are similar in that both have a female messing with the mind of a male in murderous connotations but "Basic Instinct" has all of the flash and style of "Fourth Man" but none of its art. This film also is more sexually daring than "Basic Instinct" with its exploring both gay and straight sexuality. Krabbé lusts after Soutendijk's boyfriend, who is much younger than he. It also contains full-frontal nudity of both men plus the woman. I really wish Verhoeven had remained a Dutch filmmaker, doing more of this kind of work, rather than "going Hollywood" with his films upon coming here to the USA.

Absorbing and rewarding film noir
Gerard Reve (Jeroen Krabbe) is a bisexual writer with who is obsesssed with religious imagery, who arrives in Amsterdam to give literary lectures.
There he meets a beautiful female psychiatrist named Christine (Renee Soutendijk)and he spends the night with her, because despite his sexual preference he finds her figure to be like a boy's (I didn't think so). But it soon becomes apparent to Reve that he should have stuck with men so he predictably dumps her. But what Gerard doesn't know is that Christine may or may not be a serial killer who has murdered her three previous husbands and that he or his gay lover may become the fourth man of the title. Things get worse when he has hallucinations (or are they premonitions?) in which he is castrated with a pair of scissors. Funny seeing as Christine is also a hairdresser. Later in the movie Gerard has more hallucinations, which seem real even to the viewer. Are we going mad with him?
I've seen all Paul Verhoeven's movies from FLESH + BLOOD onward, so this is quite different from his later stuff. THE 4TH MAN is a successful take on film noir, but it's pace dwindles at times. However, I still highly recommend this movie. There is also a notable secne involving an eyeball squelching through a keyhole early in the movie, which makes sense later on. Worth a look.

An indulgence for both the eyes and the mind.
This was Paul Verhoeven's last, most thematically dense and visually stunning Dutch film before he immigrated to America and started making lackluster Hollywood nonsense.

Without giving too much away, just know that this film is a cinematic masterwork, lovingly crafted by an artist at the height of his powers...before he allowed himself to be seduced by the dark side of commerce and greed.

This film is a profoundly puzzling mystery wrapped in a refreshingly immoderate eroticism and a breathtaking, lyrical symbolism. THE 4TH MAN is as close to how I would choose to define "pure cinema" as any other film I have ever seen in my entire life.

One caveat, however...do not view this film if you are at all easily offended by religious imagery, especially religious imagery that some may interpret as potentially blasphemous.

Signs and visions of looming doom...
Gerard Reve (Jeroen Krabbé) is a renowned novelist and he is invited to Vlissingen's Literary Society to give a speech about his writings. On Gerard's travel from Amsterdam to Vlissingen, a Dutch seaside town, he is provided several mysterious warnings that are related to his Catholic beliefs. However, Gerard disregards the signs and spends the night with Christine Halsslag (Renée Soutendijk), the treasurer of the Literary Society. Christine invites Gerard to reside in her home, which Gerard accepts as he has an alternative motive. Gerard stays in Christine's house because he is attracted to her boyfriend from Cologne who is coming to visit and wants to meet him. As Gerard remains in Vlissingen the secular warning sings continue to haunt him. The question is why are these frightful visions and signs returning to him. Verhoeven creates a suspenseful story as it is built up around some moral taboo's and Catholicism, which are entangled in Gerard's desires and wishes. The 4th Man leads the audience into a spiraling build up of apprehension as the visions lead Gerard closer to the key behind the signs, which offers the audience a thrilling cinematic experience.

why? and how?
when i first saw this film i was very confused about what 'the Fourth Man', the film, was supposed to be doing. Now after reasearching the film, mostly through reviews, i guess it was supposed to be a black comedy. I didn't get that at all...i love black comedies....favorite genre. This wasn't funny.... and by a near universal standard. Wasn't all that 'Black' either. The alleged 'Blaspemous' element came off as very corny.....the subject matter may have been blaspemous 200 years ago. It's mostly geared towards christianity. It's a sort of 'blasphemy' that operates from the presupposition that the fundamental principles of christianity are serious....so maybe if you are really into jesus this might be funny. It's on say the same level as Sinead O' Conner tearing up a photo of the pope as a statement...very "controversial"!! so i guess if you are a big fan of black comedies stay away from this as the characters and story will just come off as very annoying. though if you have decidedly bourgeois sensibilities and take christianaity semi seriously this might be interesting. I would highly reccomend seeing any Luis Bunuel films first....he was the black comedy master. If you see a Bunuel film (the Phantom of Liberty?) and then watch the Fourth Man you will know exactly why the Fourth Man is really bad. alot of it is on a visceral level so addmittedly it's hard for me to describe. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Pacing Is Slow - But Situations Are Funny.
KISS ME GUIDO is one of those off beat movies that has a kick to it. It's funny, it's charming and it has a lot of sass to it. It stars Nick Scotti (Bullet, Detroit Rock City) as a straight Italian lover who thinks an add with GWM in it means 'Guy With Money' instead of what it really means which is 'Gay White Male'.

He then befriends this gay man looking for a roommate to help paying bills played by Anthony Barrile (Sinatra, Hamburger Hill) who has an ex-lover (Played by Craig Chester (Frisk, Bumping Heads) )who has a new boyfriend actor (Played by Christopher Lawford (Exit Wounds, Thirteen Days) ) who is about to put on a play production.

Guido is an actor who has no talent in the people skills area but seems to have a natural affinity for 'gay' acting roles until he realizes he must, and has to, kiss a man. The rest is pure comedy. From the straight laced strict Catholic Italian families of New York to the stereo typical 'Queens' of gay New York City

The movie made me chuckle and chuckle many times. Cleverly directed by Tony Vitale (Very Mean Men, Jungle Juice) the films makes you believe anything is possible. Fun and charming - all the way around. ...

It made me laugh so hard it hurt haha
A lot of people don't really know of this movie. It's not a movie for everyone and it may not be the best gay movie but I sure loved it. I couldn't stop laughing because of the characters' personalities. The land lord Meryl is one of my favorites and Tony's brother is someone you love to hate. God, just give this movie a chance. It's worth at least one time of watching.

Not the Best Gay Movie
Frankie is a slightly dense Italian working in a New York pizzeria while dreaming of becoming a famous actor. When he discovers his brother screwing his girlfriend, he impulsively decides to leave the family business and pursue his dream. He finds an ad in the newspaper for a GWM seeking a roommate. Frankie assumes GWM stands for "guy with money" and moves in with no questions asked. It doesn't take long for even the dim-witted Frankie to realize that his new roomie Warren is gay. The homophobic Frankie is horrified and wants to move out, but can't afford to find another place, so the two must learn to overcome their differences and get along. Can they pull it off? And could they possibly even become friends in the process?

This movie is based on so many stereotypes and rather flimsy plot premises, that I don't really know where to start. Italians and gays are both parodied in a well-meaning if unremarkable script. It's not a horrible movie; it's just not a particularly good one either.

Interestingly, CBS tried to turn this movie into a sitcom called "Some of My Best Friends" starring Jason Batemen as Warren, but a weak movie idea makes an even weaker TV show, and it quickly flopped.

Can a straight Bronx man live with a clean gay man?
After catching his brother having sex with his girlfriend, Frankie (Nick Scotti) is upset (no marriage now) and feels he must move out of Brooklyn. He ends up in a room-for-rent situation. So he decides to live with Warren (Anthony Barrile). He later finds out Warren is gay. But Frankie is a straight Bronx, a Guido. Both are in a financial situation and the apartment is nice, so Frankie stays the night. Can this odd couple possibly live together and make it work? Watch out for that landlord (Molly Price, NBC tv-series "Third Watch") She's a ball-buster. Followed by the short-lived CBS tv-series, "Some of My Best Friends" (2001), starring Jason Bateman and Danny Nucci.

My Favorite Movie!
A Witty, Entertaining Movie.
Have shown it to many friends and family to the delight of all.
Rent & watch this movie...you will come back here to buy it for your collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This science fiction blockbuster from 1990 began its production life as a very different movie than the one that was released. An adaptation of the Philip K. Dick short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale," Total Recall was originally conceived of with Richard Dreyfuss starring as a Walter Mitty-like character who experiences a variety of artificially induced fantasies. The movie we know is a mega-budget action epic set on Mars.Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a normal working man who discovers that his entire reality has been invented to conceal a plot of planetary domination. Oscar-winning special effects and violent action propel the twisting plot, in which Arnold manipulates his manipulators in a world of dazzling high technology. Director Paul Verhoeven (Robocop) indulges his usual penchant for gratuitous bloodshed, but the movie has enough cleverness to rise above its excesses. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (145)

Despite Flaws, Recall Is Total As A Fun Sci-Fi Story
Paul Verhoeven has become among Hollywood's better known directors. His most recent work, Starship Troopers, did well at the box office thanks to its outstanding special effects, interesting premise, and surprisingly good cast.

Verhoeven first earned widespread movie fame with Robocop, but it was 1990's Total Recall that stands as his best work.

Arnold Schwarzenegger gives a genuinely great performance as Douglas Quaid, a construction worker in the late 21st Century who, out of an unconquerable fascination with Mars - now a colony run by vicious corporate dictator Vilhos Cohaagen - goes to Rekall, Inc., a company that implants "memories" of experiences in those willing to pay. But when Rekall implants a memory of a trip to Mars, it "pops a memory cap" in Quaid, who turns out not to be who he thinks he is. When his wife Lori (the overrated Sharon Stone in the only performance of hers that is truly worth watching) tries to kill him, Quaid forces! her to tell him that a supersecret Agency under the direction of Cohaagen erased his memory and implanted a new one.

Quaid dodges the guns of the murderous Richter (a delightfully insane performance by Michael Ironside) and gets help from a former buddy of his on Mars. He then travels to the Red Planet and gets mixed up in a bloody civil war between Cohaagen's goons and rebel followers of a being called Kuato. But seemingly nothing is as it appears to Quaid, until he learns from Kuato just what the secret is that Cohaagen wants.

It is fairly easy to point out what is wrong with this film - it is excessively violent and gory, and includes some action scenes - like a bloody bar brawl - that are unnecesary. The pivotal scene - when Quaid is strapped in an implant chair to have his memory erased again, but he rips free and slaughters the scientists performing the procedure - is effective, but ruined because it allows Quaid to pull off an absurd flexing of muscle - he rips ! a heavy arm restraint out, anchor and all, and rips it thro! ugh the throat of one Cohaagen scientist thug. There is also the usual absurdity of action films - the wholesale slaughter of enemy soldiers without so much as a scratch on the one or two good guys. There is also a PREPOSTEROUS speech by Cohaagen during the final act that is a glaring example of the cliche of the villian who has the hero cornered, but spends so much time talking it gives the hero an opportunity.

Nonetheless, it is a superior script, with many twists and a fascinating climax. END

"See you at the party Richter."
Total Recall is one of those movies I can watch over and over and never get sick of. It is what every true Arnold fan wants in an Arnold flick. And aside from being one of Arnold's best films it is a very great sci-fi flick period.

Arnold plays everyman Douglas Quaid, a guy living an average life on the near future earth who is obsessed with the idea of going to Mars(which is colonized). He decides to go to a futuristic company called Recall, which sells it's customers memories of vacations they did not really take. Quaid decides to do it and while the salesman is making his pitch he poses the question, "what is the same about every vaction you have ever taken?" The answer: You. So Quaid buys the secret agent package and that is when the action begins. Suddenly everyone is out to get Quaid and he can't figure it out, all he knows is he has to get his "a** to Mars." He does and the film really takes off with mutants, rebels, women, corruption, double crossing, heavy carnage, planet saving, and Arnold, smack in the middle of all of it.

The story in summary can actually be found within the movie, which is a very unusual plot device, but it works in this film. The guy at Recall says by the time this is over you will kill the bad guys, get the girl, and save the planet. So is Total Recall a dream or a reality. This question is one of the things that makes it such an engaging movie because you don't know. Really though the best part of this film is Arnold. He is in tip top form in this film and it is certainly one of his best. The character allows him all the elements to shine, odds against him, guys always trying to fight him, lots of guns, and terrific one-liners. Paul Verhoeven(Robocop, Basic Instict) has crafted a awesome film. The set direction is great and it makes the fantastic action that much better. Sure Verhoeven may get a little carried away with violent nature of his action, but would anyone really want this film any other way? Not me.

Total Recall is a blast. On an additional note I just picked up the DVD Collector's Edition and it is a must have for fans. The commentary with Verhoeven and Arnold is hilarious and the making of's are very well done. This is one of those films that will become a classic over time because that is what it is, CLASSIC.

ETMR - Total Recall
1. Humanity: What problems do you see in the Mars colony in the film? Is the colony a feasible idea for today?

2. Implications: The movie is centered around the question of what is reality, and how to discern truth from fiction. What dangers does the film speak of for today, in terms of distinguishing reality from a created world?

3. Evolution: It could be said that the technology expressed in the film is very basic, compared to technological innovation today. Concepts like terraforming using a combustion of air, planetary colonies with glass windows, and cheap, robotic androids are all scientific anomolies in that they seem to belong to a past age. How has the technology in the movie changed in our world?

4. Realism: Philip K. Dick's stories are heralded because of their closeness to what an actual future will be like. Do you think the story in Total Recall is an accurate prophecy for the future?

5. Stageplay: Verhoeven, the director, is known for his elaborate and overblown stories told with a comedic satire, using colorful special effects. But aside from the eye candy, do the actors convince you?

Verhooven to subtle for his own good...
I used to hate this film. Which is odd, because I like Philip Dick, I like Verhooven and, then, I liked Schwatzenegger. The film was actually good up to the end. I just thought the end was too soapy and stuid even by Hollywood standards. Then I read the book "Dead Air" by Iain Banks. There the film is explained, and suddenly it all made sense to me. Verhooven's films are full of action and gore, which tend to overshadow that they also tend to have a quite strong message. That's why Total Recall always bothered me: where is the message? But it is there, quite obvious really: it all takes place in Schwartzenegger's head; he is still in the reality simulator! That would explain why things start happening shortly after his visit there. It would explain why the girl on Mars looks exactly like the girl he chooses for the reality simulation. The whole ending with them close to dying in the low pressure on Mars is a total replay of what he experiences in the beginning, when we know he is in the reality simulator. Finally, it explains how ridicilously fast the Martian atmosphere is replenished by the melting glacier. Suddenly the film becomes really good, and truly follows the spirit of Dick. I think I must watch it again.

"Come to Rekall!"
Another Arnie flick? I've already lost count... Well anyway, this film, loosely based on Phillip K. Dick's "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" is pretty much worth your while, especially since Arnie has one of his better roles here.
Doug Quaid (Arnie) has dreamed continuously of going to Mars. He talks with his wife Lori (Sharon Stone) about it, but she does not like the idea. One day, Quaid hears about a company named Rekall that can take you on a virtual vacation. Arnie tries it out, only to find that nothing is what it seems... and that he may not really be who he thinks he is. He travels to Mars, and discovers that he is a rebel leader fighting against the ruthless Cohagen (Ronnie Cox) and his man Richter (Michael Ironside).
Arnie acts well in this flick, Sharon Stone is good as his wife, and Cox and Ironside act as if they are truly evil. The story is somewhat complex, and will have you hooked.
BUT: Don't forget that this is a Paul Verhoeven film, and Paul Verhoeven=Lots of shooting and gore. This is definately not for the squeamish, but if you can stomach it, you be on for a wild ride. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It may prove confounding to anyone expecting a more conventional narrative, but The Element of Crime--the debut feature of Danish visionary Lars von Trier--marks the arrival of an audaciously original talent; the film is deeply personal in its inspirations yet richly informed by a pure love of cinema. Approaching a hard-boiled detective plot from a hypnotically subconscious perspective (thus establishing the tone he would echo in his later films Epidemic and Europa), von Trier presents a murder case solved from the inside out. Which is to say, the plot unfolds as recollected under hypnosis by Fisher (Michael Elphick), the grizzled cop who investigates the case.

This framework is arguably beside the point; it's merely von Trier's way of entering a post-apocalyptic world of his own making, flooded and decaying, and filmed entirely in an amber-tinted tone punctuated only by blue police lights and sickly green fluorescents. By following principles of crime solving conceived by his mentor (played by British film veteran Esmond Knight), Fisher closes in on an awful revelation that spins The Element of Crime into another psychological dimension. Multilayered, deliberately paced, and atmospheric in the extreme (which less appreciative viewers may find intolerable), The Element of Crime elicits a dream state that is simultaneously oppressive and visually unforgettable, crammed with symbolic subtleties and cinematic references that can only be fully absorbed over multiple viewings. To say the least, this is a film that grows on you. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Amazon.com

Made in 1975 and directed by Paul Verhoeven, Katie Tippel ("Katie the Streetwalker") is a handsome period drama set in 19th-century Holland, based on a true story. The second eldest daughter in a poor, Friesland family who move to Amsterdam, Katie (Monique Van de Ven) must find whatever work is going to make ends meet. She has already learnt to have no faith in her weak father. Now, as she enters a succession of jobs in which she experiences both exploitation and sexual harassment, she learns that men want her for only one thing. Duly, at the behest of her own mother, she enters prostitution. However, when she becomes model to an artist she is finally able to escape the poverty trap and ascend the social ladder, particularly when banker Hugo (Rutger Hauer) takes her as his lover. All this is set against a backdrop of social foment as the workers' impatience at poor social conditions increases.

Although director Verhoeven, as well as Hauer and cinematographer Jan De Bont eventually became involved in mainstream American movies, Katie Tippel is very much of the European school of film-making, episodic and harsh in its depiction of everyday poverty. The dead puppy at the beginning definitely marks it as contrary to Hollywood's near-zero canine mortality rate. The sexual scenes are graphic to the point of gratuitousness but always grimly non-titillating. Budgetary limits cramp some of the mass street scenes, but generally the film is beautifully shot and ageless in feel. A far cry, certainly from Showgirls, for which Verhoeven was later responsible. --DavidStubbs ... Read more

Reviews (122)

Basic Instinct: A thriller that pushes the limits
As a child, future director Paul Verhoven's playground was the recently bombed out homes of his neighbors. The absurd violence in the world seems to be reflected in all his movies. I have been involved with four Verhoven films while on the Rob Bottin effects crew. Verhoven made a name for himself directing the edgy and funny "Robocop" originally receiving an X-Rating for the violence in his director's cut. Total Recall and Starship Troopers are other wild examples of his romance with ultra violence. He has always made films that push limits of acceptable social boundaries. Before he directed Showgirls he tested the public's tolerance for a sex with buckets of blood with his thriller Basic Instinct.
Basic Instinct is a Hitchcock style murder thriller featuring Sharon Stone who is "dressed to kill" as famous author Catherine Trammel (a dead ringer for Kim Novak in Vertigo) A violent icepick murder seems to have been taken right out of her recent novel. Arrogant and cool, she actually invites the police investigators to wonder if she did it in the now legendary interogation scene where she crosses her legs and shoots Detective Curran (Michael Douglas) an eyeful of her unpantied intimate territory. Curran is investigates her a little too closely and compromises his integrity by getting ensnared in her sexual web. Did she do it or is it the copycat work of a crazed fan? Even intimately close to the suspect Detective Curran doesn't really know for sure.
Even though this is the unrated director's cut you won't find some of the most extremely gory footage. Stone shot a scene in the nude where she straddled a realistic torso of a victim repeatedly plunging the icepick into the chest and face. Splattered with fake blood and feeling in her arm the sensation of the pick piercing this rubbery body, the illusion was all too real. Sharon became nauseous and had to leave the set. Also missing Gus (George Dzunza) takes a nasty icepick in the cheek. Basic Instinct is a stylish and dark film that can be frustrating and uncomfortable as it never quite fully allows you to know all its secrets. But it is intriguing none-the-less.
Personally I was always uneasy with the boundaries Verhoven likes to push but this is a better film than expected. Verhoven has had several unfulfilled dreams to push even harder but so far has been thwarted. For example "Crusade" Another Arnold movie quashed in negotiations "Crusades" had a scene where Scharzenneger is found with his head sticking out of the backside of a donkey's rear end. Verhoven often joked with Rob Bottin about making a film designed to enrage his critics called Jesus 2000. Rob thinks he would have seriously done it if he was given the money.
Overall if you are a fan of Basic Instinct there is a lot for you on this disc. Two commentaries. One by Verhoven and the other by a feminist author as well as deleted scenes and some behind the scenes featurettes. The novelty plastic case with plastic ice pick was probably a bad idea as the hinges break very easily. Be careful when opening or you will be pretty ticked off.

An excellent Erotic Thriller
A San Francisco Detective (Two Time Oscar-Winner:Micheal Douglas) invesgates the murder of a Ex-Rock Singer. The Suspect is a Attractive, Smart, Bi-Sexual novelist named Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone). The Detective find himself seduced (Repeartedly) by her.

Directed by Paul Verhoeven (Showgirls, Starship Troopers, The Hollow Man) is a well made intense erotic suspense-thriller with a fine Screenplay by Joe Eszterhas (Jade). Stone is a Real-Light in this film. The film Oscar Nominated for Best Film Editing and Best Score by Oscar-Winner:Jerry Goldsmith. One of the highest grossing films of 1992, which have become a Cult Classic. A clever film, which is not for all tastes. DVD has an good non-anamorphic Widescreen (2.20:1) transfer (Also in Pan & Scan) and an great digitally remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The Lastest DVD from Artisan is Digitally Remastered in the Picutre Quality and Sound with Two Commentaries Tracks by the Director and Cinematographer:Jan de Bont (Speed, Twister, The Haunted-1999) and Film Critic:Camille Pagila, Alternative Scenes for T.V., Trailers and More. Do not miss this strong Erotic Thriller. Panavision. Grade:A-.

KING OF EROTICASM
This movie is simply great.Michael Douglas is one of my favorite
actors and in this he gives his best performance since Wall Street as the detective Nick Curran who's recovering from a
shooting stunt that put him in the headlines.He's clean of the
booze and the smokes but it will all come back as you'll see.
He is investigating the homicide of a rock star and he is drawn
more like obseesed with the victims girlfreind,the sexy Katherine
Tremell.Sharon Stone is at her sexiest in this one but you look
at her and you can get chills for she just looks so diabolique.
From there Curran is caught up in a web of deceit,two-faced
charaters,and alot of sex,murder,and a few chase scenes.This is
by far the best erotic thriller ever.The only one thats a close
second is Single White Female.

The king of erotic thrillers!
"Basic Instinct" is one of the best films of the nineties. The best English-spoken film of Paul Verhoeven, ther same guy who brought us "Robocop", "Total Recall", "Showgirls" and "Starship Troopers". Michael Douglas gives a great performance as Nick Curran, the lucky cop. Sharon Stone is brilliant in what must be the best portrayal of a femme fatale ever filmed. She is such a charming devil, you can't help but admire her intellectual capacities and much more! You don't get the chance to see a film like this everyday. "Basic Instinct" remains the king of erotic thrillers -- it's gutsy, has a great deal of action (including two sophisticated car chase scenes), it's intelligent and so sexy... hot as Hell!

Near the apex of the sex/slasher genre
We might call this trash, but if we do we'd have to call it very clever trash, the sort of trash one might find dumpster-diving in Beverly Hills.

It stars Michael Douglas (who, by the way, has eclipsed the Hollywood power, if not the screen presence, of his dad, Kurt Douglas) and Sharon Stone who, as usual, finds herself in a part that requires that she take off her clothes and spout hard-edged one-liners: she does both with a certain delight that makes us think she is having a good time.

He's a San Francisco homicide cop named Nick Curran with some questionable shootings hanging over his head, hence his nickname, "Shooter." She's a rich best-selling trash novelist named Catherine Tramell (pen name Catherine Wolfe) who likes kinky sex and other deviancies. It seems that her latest boyfriend (depicted in a blood-splattered opening scene) abruptly, shall we say, met his maker while in the arms of Venus, something predicted in Catherine's latest opus. We are made to believe that she could very well have been that Venus, although of course keeping us in the dark is part of the seduction.

Jeanne Tripplehorn plays Beth Garner, police Internal Affairs shrink who just happens to be Nick's latest main squeeze. It seems that Catherine and Beth had a one-time intimate liaison while undergrads at UC Berkeley. We are led to believe that she too might have done the killings.

So Nick has a choice, whom to believe about who's responsible for all the dead bodies, the blonde Catherine or the brunette Beth? Both seem a little wacko/sexy. He tries them both out, and we see a lot of skin and hear a lot of fast breathing, and are kept on the edge of our whoopee cushions until the very end--and after, actually, as though the purveyors were already counting on the sequel. I am reminded of a lyric from Elvis Costello's "Everyday I write the book": "Even in a world where everyone was equal/I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel."

In other words, what this film is about is money--money for the producers, director, actors, crew, etc. It's an extreme sexploitation thriller diabolically done with absurd plot twists and plenty of dead bodies and some diverting chase scenes (did I mention sex?); indeed I suspect that Basic Instinct will be recognized by future film historians as one of the primo examples of the sex/slasher genre, that is, as soft porn with a sick edge.

But wait, why did I watch this? Uh...Sharon Stone amuses me like a comedic actress, but she ain't exactly funny, is she?

Also it's interesting to notice that in these late eighties/early nineties sexploitation flicks it's the women who are the aggressors (I'm thinking also of Single White Female from the same year) while the men play a little tagalong. Michael Douglas is particularly adept at playing the sort of male who seems natural being dominated by Sharon Stone.

Bottom line: mass mind trash, but worth seeing for its ability to define the Hollywood mentality circa 1992. ... Read more

Description

When her sadness becomes so overwhelming that a princess refuses to leave her room, a king searches the land for someone to make his daughter laugh. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

My favorite childhood movie!
My sister and I were recently discussing our favorite movies when we were little. And this one was it. We had the disney movies and stuff, but this movie is funny and a great story. We use to watch this movie a lot! A great, perfect movie for children.

Fond Memories
I rented every volume of the Faerie Tale Theatre that the video store had at least 100 times when I was a kid. All these years later, this is the one I remember the most. That must say something for the quality of this story. Kids and parents will love it.

The Princess Who Had Never Laughed
I really enjoyed this movie. It was very comical. It's the funniest Faerie Tale Theatre film I've seen yet. And it teaches a very good moral too! A great family film! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Once in a while, studio heads actually make smart decisions. Kudos to whoever at Trimark screened this embarrassing, overwrought, underthought "mystery" and decided, "You know, we really don't need to let the American public see this," and immediately shipped it straight to video. Probably the one most pleased by the decision was Alicia Silverstone, who didn't need this type of thing getting a theatrical distribution and hurting her blossoming career. As for Kevin Dillon? Well, he was probably happy just to get a paycheck. Silverstone plays the teen Nancy-Drew-meets-Encyclopedia-Brown protagonist who teams up with fresh-facedpolice cadet Dillon to try to bag a serial killer who's been butchering teenage girls at traveling carnivals in various cities. Writer-director Pat Verducci packs his thriller with implausible detective work and numerous plot twists, all visible 20 minutes away. The "shock" ending can pretty much be figured out within the first act, leaving viewers another hour to watch Verducci concoct several amateur dream sequences, and explore a disgusting sexual relationship between Silverstone and Dillon. By the end, the question isn't so much "Whodunit?" as "Who cares?" --Dave McCoy ... Read more

Reviews (10)

I liked this
I like most of the movies Alicia Silverstone is in. I thought this movie was entertaining but i can see it as just a tv movie, im not suprised it wasnt in the theatres. It is probably on the same level or a little bit better than the babysitter which also starred Alicia silverstone. Movie is about a girl who is fascinated and interested in crime and detective work. Soon a fellow classmate is murdered and she starts to investigate the case along with the police officer played by ( matt dillon). While shes investigating signs are pointing to dillan as the killer and then things get worse from there. This was a pretty good thriller and if you like this i recomend the crush and the babysitter as well. Overall good story.

Stop not so FAST!
First of all as a big Alicia Silverstone fan, I thought she played horrible.For Kevin Dillon he looks like a mutant and he cannot act.Second,the theme was very good but the way they put it made it "not-watchable".Alicia Silverstone deffinetely wasn't the beautiful girl in Clueless .I did not appreciate that also.Therefore, I do not recommend you to buy this movie.

SO bad you just have to love it
Let's face it sometimes you just need to sit through a bad movie. Well this one would be a great choice !

Kevin Dillon is, well, Kevin Dillon. At least he seemed to remember his lines.
Alicia Silverstone is an ugly virgin bookworm (yeah, sure).

The big mystery can pretty much be figured out within 10mns and you spend the next 80 screaming at your TV "Don't you GET IT by now ??".

All in all a very very very bad flick I really enjoyed.

Above average thriller
This is a good thriller despite the fact many critics panned it. Alicia Silverstone is excellent as the virginal Mary Giordano who wants to follow in her dead father's footsteps and become a police officer. Secretly investigating some recent teenage murders Alicia finds herself in mortal danger from a madman who knows more about her than she realizes. Billy Nunn is great as a cynical older Cop who knew Alicia's father and tries to tell the eager young woman she shouldn't romanticize crime. Aided and abetted by a sexy young cop played well by Kevin Dillon, Alicia is drawn into a web of deceit and desire that just might kill her if she is not careful. There is a wonderful sting in the tale that will shock you (if you don't work it out first) and the plot and acting is first rate. Another underrated film that deserves more merit than it is given.

Almost a Fine Thriller
An enjoyable movie that needed a good editor. If you can tolerate some slow parts, and ignore the sophomoric and silly dream sequences that clutter up the movie, it's very well acted by Silverstone and Dillon. Bottom line: it's a one hour movie wrapped in a 94 minute package, but the one hour inside is pretty darn good. ... Read more

Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format. ... Read more

Reviews (243)

Good.
The Hollow Man has a solid story, until the end. It is about a driven, egotistical scientist who is developing the power to make animals invisible for the military. Invisibility is easy, it appears. Making animals reappear seems to be the trick. Still, early in the movie, even this trick seems be solved. The other trick left - applying this new science to people.

The project leader, played by Kevin Bacon, volunteers to be tested. This isn't your mother's Bacon. That is, in the past, Kevin Bacon often played a sweet boy next door roles like "He said, She said." and many others. Recently he, (Bacon) has been portraying a darker side of humanity. In "Wild Things" he was an evil police officer. Here he is actually worse.

Before he becomes invisible, his character already has "issues." The process of becoming invisible seems to makes him worse. (It does badly affect some of the animals.) His companions and co-workers, concerned about him and the project, try to put some controls on him. They don't work. Eventually they attempt to report him to the military supervisors, when his character finally goes bezerk.

From this point on, "Hollow Man" has a similar feels to Alien, but not as good, as Kevin's character hunts down each scientist in the underground research complex. For a while, this movie seemed like it was distinguishing itself by the smart characters within in it as each person comes up with different, but effective, ways to find an invisible person.

Unfortunately, "Hollow Man" slips considerably in the end with a series of endings which go on and on and become less and less believable. Had they ending this movie 20 minutes earlier, it may have become a cult classic. As it is, "Hollow Man" is still worth seeing, but it will probably disappoint you at the end. Still, it is worth renting and seeing, but I wouldn't advise buying the video or DVD. It was average.

Great special effects, weak plot.
Hollow man is definitely eye candy, but it changes from suspenseful at the beginning to a slasher-type film at the end. It's good for horror movie fans, but matrix fans may only appreciate the dazzling special effects it has to offer. It's an OK DVD, I guess.

Disappointing invisible man 'thriller'
Hollow Man

Score: 45/100

This is basically a double episode of the TV show The Invisible Man. There is not much else to be said, except how lacking this film is in both a horrific and dramatic atmosphere. No, wait! I forgot all the other bad things about Hollow Man! Oh, well, I might as well put them into a review. Here goes!

A group of scientists, led by the brilliant yet eccentric twinkle-addicted Sebastian Caine (Kevin Bacon), are successfully researching invisibility. Having accomplished making animals invisible, Caine insists on being the next subject for the experiment. Unfortunately, the serum effects not only the external physical nature of the subject, but morphs the internal personality too. And that's when things start to go horribly wrong...

And that is also where the script and lots of other things start to go wrong in the film. Hollow Man starts promisingly, with a shocking opening scene and a thrilling gorilla chase, but it quickly puts itself down and starts to be overly-silly, using a whole bunch of original ideas to try and keep the audiences entertained, while all we're doing in our seats is yawning and trying to keep our eyes open as much as possible. The performances are awful, Elisabeth Shue is just so terrifyingly horrid in her role that she deserves a big, fat Razzie, and a gigantic knife in the back. Kevin Bacon overacts stupidly, and turns what could've been a chilling performance into one big joke. The characters Shue, Bacon and all their co-star's play are far from likeable, and Paul Verhoeven's direction effort isn't plausible, it seemed like all he was waiting for was the fake-looking and typical CGI ending we see in crappy blockbusters just like this ones.

Not exactly the worst film of 2000, but this is far from been anything but a wannabe and completely pointless invisible man 'thriller.'

Good flick...not great!
Love Kevin Bacon when he is despicable! An interesting premise, told in a non-stop fashion with great special effects. Plot and characterization are a little shallow, but still an entertaining thriller!

Waste of a rental fee
This is probably the worst movie I have ever seen, and I have been known to enjoy some pretty bad movies. I wanted to turn it off, but for some reason, I just kept watching. Afterwards, I was so mad that I wasted my time and money on this piece of c***. I am seriously embarrassed for the people involved in making this movie. It just kept getting worse. There is