Description

In this exciting supernatural thriller, Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer play a seemingly happily married couple who uncover a terrible secret…a secret so disturbing it threatens to destroy them.
When Claire Spencer begins seeing ghostly images and hearing mysterious voices in their home, her husband Norman suspects it’s just her imagination – until the images turn real.Now, together they must uncover the truth, confront their worst fears and find "what lies beneath"…with twisting and terrifying results. ... Read more

Reviews (344)

A nice change of pace for Pfeiffer
After 'Scream' rehashed the horror genre, 'Lake Placid' tried to do the same for the horror genre. The ghost genre inevitably came next, but fared somewhat better. Take 'The Sixth Sense' and 'House On Haunted Hill' for example, both well above your average scary movie. Now this film sold itself on the basis that it was an 'adult' horror movie. By that it simply meant old-fashioned, for supposed teen flicks such as 'Scream' were actually far more intelligent. This is just sophisticated.

Still, it's nice to see a movie where Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer manage to move away from type-casting and prove that they can both act. Also impressive is the fact that director Zemeckis filmed this whilst on a hiatus from his other film 'Castaway'. Unfortunately though, it drags a lot at the start. After things hot up a little you'll be at the edge of your seat but for a long while it's a little dull. Of course, this was passed off as being adult and a great tension-builder and no-one dared say anything. It was just kep quiet about whilst everyone raved about the ending.

If you're not accustomed to the genre then this is probably a really good start to ghost movies. But there are far better ones out there and this is little more than ordinary. In fact, it is only really a fantastic turn by Pfeiffer that makes it anything special. Watch out throughout the movie for key points that are heavily earmarked as future plot elements - what's with the mysterious (and conveniently misty) lake? the old photos? and the seemingly insignificant fact that you can't get mobile phone reception on the deserted bridge?

Highly entertaining in parts, very dull in others.

A brilliant, complex and masterfully engaging horror.
What Lies Beneath, a brilliant, masterfully played out homage to Hitchcock is quite frankly the scariest movie I have ever seen. I came out of the cinema pale and shaking and while I was watching the film I was so scared I even had to shield my eyes at parts. All the scary parts are brought to life by a great score with manages to grab you in the nuts at the most unexpected times. The movie is over 2 hours long but never tires. I have watched this about 5 times now and every time I get the chills and always appreciate the film more. Robert Zemeckis excellent direction reminds us of how many great movies directors can do in 1 year. Cast Away and this film were both brilliant experiences and Zemeckis directs them both brilliantly. The performances excel, with Michelle Pfeiffer excellent as Claire Spencer who, while trying to uncover a masterful mystery, is slowly losing her mind. Harrison Ford brings up many shocks and takes a surprising back seat. His performance is fabulous. What Lies Beneath builds its suspense - especially in one horrifyingly Hitchcockian bathtub sequence - and always uses its ideas. I couldn't find many plot holes but the film can be complex at times. If you watch the film carefully and take note of everything that's happening I'm sure you'll understand the ending and the mystery that is slowly unlocking. What Lies Beneath has many great camera shots too like Michelle's toe peaking above the bath water, her hand clutching the side, her grabbing a sharp piece of glass and it reflecting her terrified face and a freaky close-up on Harrison Ford's eye. I love this movie, and it will always be a heart-stopping and fun experience for me to sit through.

verrry suspenceful
i was focused on this movie the whole time, and i'm the type of person wondering when it's going to be over. i was litterallyon the edge of my seat for some of the parts. if you like scary movies, you should see this one. it was great.

"A Thriller"
Well Harrison Ford has a heel turn in this movie, well the whole movie until the last 30 min of it he trys to kill his wife cause she finds out he killed a student.Well this was a great movie.

horrific horror (that means good)
this is a good horror movie, but i don't know if it would still be suspensful the 2nd time around. (i only like em super scary.) ya. that's it. ... Read more

Reviews (162)

The most frightening FRIDAY of them all!
After the disappointing if entertaining PART 3 (which was plagued by the kind of "bright" lighting that destroys any sense of terror), director Jospeh Zito came on board to deliver this delightfully downbeat and particularly nasty entry in the series, which at the time (somewhat obviously!) was meant as THE FINAL CHAPTER.

Not only is the film consistently frightening and disturbing (thanks largely to Zito's gritty and very dark vision), it's competently written and very well acted, at least as far as "stalk 'n' slash" movies go! Crispin Glover hints at what a diverse and fine actor he would become (although he seems to have disappeared now!), and Kimberly Beck's performance as the heroine is extremely gutsy and realistic, and along with PART 2's Amy Steel is the most impressive of all 9 movies.

Zito's decision to hide Jason for the majority of the movie also pays big dividends, as he suddenly becomes a terrifying figure, brimming with brutality and immense strength (unlike the lumbering psychopath of PART's 2 & 3). Ted White does a good job in the role (even if he didn't really enjoy it), and Tom Savini's return to the series brings out some of the best make-up and gore sequences ever seen in a horror movie. The only disappointing thing therefore, is that Paramount in their infinite wisdom, are not releasing the DVD in "UNCUT" form - that and the fact that there's no extras (apart from the Theatrical Trailer probably!). At least however, the series is getting released on DVD and in widescreen too.

My only fear however, is that after releasing all the movies on DVD, there will then be a "Special Limited Collectors Box Set" with tons of extras and in "UNCUT form too! We'll just have to wait an see.

For now though, THE FINAL CHAPTER comes recommended as one of the best "slasher" movies of them all, and for me at least, the finest of the FRIDAY THE 13th series. Roll on JASON X!

Finally a good sequel for Friday the 13th
Chapter four was the best sequel of Friday the 13th series since it began.The original was very good and impressive, Part 2 was stupid and boring(The only good thing was that the killer was Jason).Part 3 was better, but still dumb(But we got the hockey mask).

After Part 3 murders, Jason is taken to the morgue.Of course he's not dead.So he scapes and goes back to Camp Cristal Lake.Near the camp, lives a family: The Jarvis.
And across te Jarvis, lives a group of teenagers trying to have fun.Guess what is going to happen?, YES, Jason is going to kill them.

What I really enjoyed here, was the creative and original deads.They were funny and scary at the same time.In my opinion the best dead was Axel's, the morgue doctor.But Tina's was cool too, it was very well done.

The main character was Trish, a nice girl.Her brother Tommy, was a horror fan, he made his own scary halloween masks and liked blood.

This is not the final chapter as it's called.We still got 6 more sequels to go.But this was one of the best.

FINAL GRADE: C+

Oh no, not... doggy defenestration!
Sigh... if only this truly WAS the final chapter. After goin' through the first three films and seein' pretty much the same stuff each time, you'd think I'd have taken the hint by now and not get my hopes up about seeing anything all that new in the next installment. Just like the last three go-rounds, ya see the killer take out an entire group of horny, pot-abusing teenagers (with a few adults thrown in for good measure). Then there's the wide array of dispatchings, most of which are pretty gruesome but score higher on my gross-out meter than on my fright-o-meter. The only thing I found all that scary-- granted you take the rise and fall of this person's movie career following this-- is a pre-teen Corey Feldman as a sorta geeky messed-up kid who gets even more messed-up by the time the closing credits roll. Er, messed up in a psychological sense that is. Also kinda disquieting is the performance of lovable oddball Crispin Glover, who goes almost totally against type by playing a kinda normal ill-fated teenager. Corey & Crispin add a level of scariness to the 'Final Chapter' (*snicker*) that ol' Jason could never even come close to approaching...

On the upside, this booger does feature the silliest Jason-kill I've ever seen when he tosses a pooch through a second-story window of a lakeside house. Now I'm not into animal torture and all that, but after seein' that moment I couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh. Talk about hittin' a whole new low...

'Late

Again, okay for a "Friday" film...
Another decent "Friday the 13th" flick. This one actually has a family involved as well as the usual bunch of college-students. And it was actually the first "Friday..." film I've ever seen!

Splitting hairs
Somebody explain this movie to me.

I get it -- it's not really the final chapter. I have no problem with that. Stop pointing it out.

No, I'm talking the climactic scene, where Tommy Jarvis (the *cough* incomparable Corey Feldman) shaves his head. For some reason, this gives JASON FREAKIN' VOORHEES the heebie-jeebies, allowing Tommy's forty-three-year-old sister to sideline Jason with a machete. Of course, Jason's hand twitches, sending Tommy into a berserker rage hack-a-thon.

Hence the "finality" promised by the title. Jason's dead...or as dead as Jason gets until Part VI.

But stop and think about this for a second. Why would Jason care that Tommy shaved his head? Did he get confused into thinking he was looking at a funhouse mirror? Was it supposed to make Jason think there was a "mini-me" version of himself running around? Did it make Jason hearken back to his days as a weird-looking bald kid, and warm the cockles of his heart? Did he just love Tommy's charming bowl-cut, and get dumbfounded that Tommy would squander such a magnificent hairstyle?

At the end of Part 2 (they were still using Arabic numerals at that point), Ginny (Amy Steele) put on a crusty sweater that once belonged to Jason's decapitated mother. By tucking her hair behind her neck, Ginny apparently looked enough like Pamela Voorhees to momentarily make Jason think his mother had returned. Hey, nobody's ever nominated Jason for MENSA membership, so it wasn't THAT big of a stretch. At least it made sense.

But Tommy's cueball ploy shouldn't have made Jason stop for two seconds, unless it was to double-over laughing.

Ultimately, Jason got the upper hand; he's been in eight movies since that day. I'm pretty sure that beats Corey Feldman. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"It's an ugly world," warns brooding undercover cop Jason Patric to his naive rookie partner Jennifer Jason Leigh. "You get ugly with it." First-time director Lili Fini Zanuck brings both accomplished style and three-days-without-a-shower grit to this tough adaptation of Kim Wozencraft's book, the real-life story of two undercover narcotics agents who succumb to the rush of the drugs and the danger while building a case in rural Texas in 1974. This isn't an action film, but a harrowing, tense drama in which sudden death hangs over every drug deal and the so-called rules no longer exist. Patric and Leigh give riveting performances as the compromised cops trying to survive the self-destructive spiral into addiction, and Gregg Allman is memorable in an almost wordless performance as a shady bar owner. Eric Clapton's bluesy score and a soundtrack of well-chosen roadhouse tunes perfectly set the time and the tone. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Career Building 101 for Jason Patric
First off, any film with Gregg Allman as the villain you can count me in for. Allman does a servicable job as the local bar owner/drug dealer, but he has virtually no dialogue. Nonetheless, his presence is menacing enough to pull off the desired effect. Jason Patric is the unquestioned star of Rush. He turns in a career making performance as a "seasoned" narcotics officer who makes his living going undercover. Jennifer Jason Leigh is the straight-laced partner he is given to help bring down Allman. Needless to say, Patric is good at his job, almost too good and there's a reason. His partner soon finds out the real deal and also becomes romantically involved with him. Begin the downward spiral into heroin addiction...The film lags a bit at times but Patric's edgy performance is enough to get you to the eventual climax. The ending seems like it was studio mandated which is a shame because the film itself stands on it's own up to the last scene. Anyway, Rush is worth a viewing for anyone interested in deep character development and taut drama. Recommended.

Cops use drugs in order to make arrests. Bad move.
I read the book from which this screenplay was adapted a long time ago. It's the true first-person story of a female police officer in Texas who went undercover to catch drug dealers and eventually became addicted to drugs herself. I thought the book was good. This 1991 film is a remake of that story and stars Jennifer Jason Leigh..

The storyline shows the young idealistic cop being slowly convinced by her partner, Jason Patric, that they would have to do drugs in order to make drug dealers trust them. Eventually, she and Patric not only become seriously addicted, they also get involved in a romance. The viewer knows that no good will come of this. The viewer is right.

The roles are difficult but the actors did their jobs well. I really believed they were addicted and felt sorry for their predicament. Their commanding officer, Sam Elliott, knew what was going on but looked the other way because they kept making arrests. And their world was so infested with drugs that it became impossible to resist.

Because I had read the book, I knew how the story would turn out and this made the film seem a little slow. It could have been edited better. But generally, I enjoyed the film, felt totally turned off by the world it depicted, and feel that justice was done. I just wish it packed a bigger punch.

Rush is a rush
Patric and Leigh are great as the undercover cops and their chemistry is great. Patric also plays an undercover cop later in 2002 in Narc with Ray Liotta and Busta Rhymes. Max Perlich(Drugstore Cowboy, Cliffhanger) does a great job as well. an addictive time

gripping drama
I Thought This Movie Was Such A Great Movie. I Don't Like Most Drug Movies Because They Seem Really Dragged Out But Not This Movie. This Movie Was A Example Of What A Drug Movie Should Be. An Interesting Look Into How Bad Drugs Can Be And Two Cops. This Movie Is Really Sad But I Loved It. My Favorite Thing About This Movie Is That It Was Based On A True Story And It Has One Of Eric Claptons Greatest Songs On The Soundtrack.

Wow!
The nitty gritty of the drug underworld is shown through the eyes of two undercover cops. It will never sease to amaze me on how good movies about drugs really are. 25th Hour was and excellent movie as well as the Salton Sea but Rush comes out on top by taking you farther into the grug world thatn you will ever be. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Through the idyllic but war-ridden jungles of Vietnam strides Chuck Norris as Braddock, one-man army, killing the enemy in droves with every gun burst, hauling wounded buddies to safety draped across his shoulders like sacks of wheat. He doesn't wear a helmet because clearly his head is not a particularly vulnerable area. As he leaps upon a vicious Vietcong who's brutally bayoneting a buddy of Braddock's, he plucks the rings from two hand grenades--and wakes from a recurring nightmare. Haunted by his memories, Braddock joins a delegation sent to Vietnam to negotiate for the return of missing-in-action prisoners of war (hence the movie's title, Missing in Action). But when the communist government accuses Braddock of war crimes, he fights back! It's all pretty preposterous--particularly the subtler absurdities, like when Braddock dresses entirely in stealthy ninjalike black except for his head, allowing his feathered blond locks to fly free--but fans of this kind of jingoistic action flick will find it satisfying enough. The fight scenes are frequent, if not particularly imaginative. Also featuring the great character actor M. Emmet Walsh as an old army buddy who helps Braddock out when the going gets tough. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A Good Action Packed Movie!
This was a very good movie. Braddock(Chuck Norris) is part of a delegation who is sent to negotiate the release of American P.O.W.s. Braddock immediately comes under fire. He then leads a secret rescue mission back to Vietnam. Here the action picks up. The jungle scenery is very original. There is one action sequence after the other. Braddick is forced to do battle with many of his old enemies. After many battles Braddock continues on his mission. The ending of the movie is very dramatic. The actors in this movie were very good as well. The movie also had a very good plot. Be sure to see this film. You will not be dissapointed.

A typical 80's action/adventure film..
This is one of several movies made during the 1980's that deals with the subject of American POW/MIA's being held in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Typically, the movie has the main character (in this case, Chuck Norris) finding evidence that the POW's are alive, and he sets off to rescue them.

That being said, the movie is a typical action/adventure shoot em' up film. While the movie is still enjoyable to watch, the special effects and audio/video quality definitely appear vintage. If you like this genre of film, you will no doubt enjoy this movie.

Great Action Flick
This is one of the greats of the 80's. Before cinematography took over and everything was just special effects. Chuck norris does a great job. And every war/action movie lover should have this in his collection

GIMME A BREAK!!!
This so called "movie" is nothing more than mindless flag-waving. People who were moved by this flick need to talk to some Vietnam vets to learn what really went on over there. There really is no such thing as a good Chuck Norris movie

Missing in Action
VERY EXCITING MOVIE!! CHUCK NORRIS BLAZES HIS WAY THROUGH VIETNAM TO RESCUE U.S. POWS. HE MOVES EVERYTHING IN HIS WAY. I WOULD RECCOMEND ANY OTHER CHUCK NORRIS MOVIES. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Originally called Sex Crimes, executive producer Dick Wolf wisely opted for something less lurid when the second in the inexhaustible Law & Order franchise hit the air in 1999. Still, as the opening voiceover makes clear, the "sexually based offenses" investigated by New York's Special Victims Unit can be "especially heinous." Wolf penned series premier "Payback," which sets the scene, but not the tone. It's a lively, if uneasy mix between horror (rape) and comedy (risqué banter). As the first season progressed, humor would be written out altogether (leaving Richard Belzer's Homicide-derived John Munch with increasingly less to do), and less emphasis would be placed on the home lives of this "elite squad of dedicated detectives." Mostly, "Payback" introduces us to the unit, centering around partners Olivia Benton (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni). For two people with so little in common, they make a terrific team--arguably one of TV's best. Stabler is married with four children; Benton is single and her closest relationship is with her mother (Elizabeth Ashley). While Stabler can get a little rough with suspects, Benton tends to over-empathize with the victims. They report to the no-nonsense Captain Cragen (Law & Order vet Dann Florek). Like the parent program's Lenny Briscoe, he's a recovering alcoholic. Dean Winters and Michelle Hurd round out the rock-solid cast. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Not Worth Getting
Don't get me wrong. This episode was great but not worth getting all by itself. If you pay twice as much, you get 22 episodes instead of just the one. This episode is included in the set. I just wish there was an episode introducing all the characters to each other instead of introducing the audience to the characters all at once. I was disappointed that there wasn't a 2-hour beginning like most series. Oh well. Don't bother with this dvd. GET THE SET!!!!!!

A No-Brainer
Why am I even reviewing this? I suppose it's just to verify with you, reader, that you will now be clicking over to SVU's first season DVD release. 3 stars is generous, but I think justified. One must take into account the material AS WELL AS the packaging of the product (It's a 5-star program in a 1-star package).

Pro - strong enough concept to survive on its own away from the original Law and Order series (material).
Con - you would be officially declared an idiot to buy one episode for about a third of the price of the entire first season (of which there are approximately 20 X as many episodes).

Let's break that down for all ye non-rocket-scientists out there. It would take over 50 million bowls of your cereal...err...umm... I mean, buying only three independent episodes of SVU (which mercifully you can't, and the producers gave the consumers' brains atleast SOME credit) would have bought you the entire first season (now going for roughly $50), a net loss of, again, roughly 20 episodes (I've done some rounding for the non-rocket-scientists).

A quick justification for the 3 stars -

A) SVU, like the original Law And Order, has so much going on, you'll ALWAYS pick oodles up upon subsequent viewings (the rewind button can offer you everything that Munch was saying that you just sort of glossed over the first time).... thus, purchasing one episode won't REALLY give you just 45 minutes of something to watch.

B) This is especially true, as they've packed those infamous "DVD extras" in - the original "Everybody's favorite Bag Man" pilot, as well as some interesting interviews and extra footage (the squad room walk-through) keep "Payback" from feeling lonely.

Real fans should boycott these piecemeal relaease
Another bad DVD release. It looks like a crude attempt to extract as much revenue as possible from large base of loyal fans. Some reviewers who wax lyrical over the 'special' interview features and "insight into the show" in this single episode DVD either work for the publisher or miss the point that any of these items could have been included in a 'full season' release. This piecemeal approach is frustrating for real fans of the series who, to date, have seen only one complete season released. I for one will protest with my wallet. It stays shut until the complete seasons are released.

Why buy one episode?
Law and Order is on television most nights of the week. Why buy one episode on DVD. I did not buy this one, and would like to add to the previous comments stating a season box set release is necessary and in demand! Come on executives of Universal, we're waiting!

More, please!
I gave this DVD 3 stars because I have seen this episode - it is terrific. However, I will not be shelling out [money] for 1 episode... I'll be saving it to put it towards the purchase of the entire 1st season on DVD, when and if that is released! Gimme a break, Universal! ... Read more

Reviews (503)

Man Out Of Time
It's hard to think of a movie in which the hero ponders a metaphorical crossroads in his life while standing at a literal crossroads. Insipid or inspired? The problem with Robert Zemeckis's visually and viscerally eye-punching Robinson Crusoe ins that you can't say for sure. Could the movie really be as thematically trite as an insprirational office poster? Or is it an admirably stripped- down examination of the ancestral essence of being human?
Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) doesn't worry about such big questions. He's airlifted into Moscow and other emerging capital hot-spots when local operations are absolutely, positivly running from that tireless hunter: time. (It's alerrgorical! Get it?) Summoned on Christmas to make an emergency run, Chuck leaves his fiencee Kelly (Helen Hunt) with the promise that he'll return New Year's Eve. Cue from a "Perfect Storm": Chuck and the FedEx jet crew lose radio contact and crash into the Pacific Ocean in a truly harrowing, you-are-there disaster sequence. This is no film for the squeamish, particularly after Chuck and a few FedEx packages wash up on an unnamed, utterly uninhabited island (Fiji's Monukiri and Mana, actually).
Almost everything, from what Chuck's forced to eat to his horror at consequences of a desert-island toothache, is accompanied by all the blood and guts left over from SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.
Add in Chuck's deteriorating hold on sanity---evinced by the inspired conceit of his relationship with a volleyball on which he has drawn a face---and you have a long middle section of bravura filmaking.
But once Chuck get home, the film turns anticlimatic and emotionally nil, and there's a startling lack of chemistry between Hanks and an unimpressive Hunt.

Cast Away
Cast Away
The first thought I had after seeing this film was whether or not I fully understood all of what I had seen. Posing this question will undoubtedly offer no easy answers, which for a film like Cast Away is probably a good thing. Cast Away begins with Fed Ex Executive Chuck Nolan (Tom Hanks in another stellar performance) explaining to his employee's that quote "We live by the clock". It's Christmas Eve and Chuck is enjoying a good meal with family and friends when his beeper rings and he finds himself forced to go out on a quick job. He tells his beautiful girlfriend Kelly (Helen Hunt) that he will be home in time for new years celebrations. He promises. However a tragic plane crash into the ocean (which is very thrilling and realistic) changes all that. Now Chuck will no longer be living by the clock because he's now got all the time in the world. A trailer that gives away the entire movie ruined cast Away for many people. A spokes man for 20th Century Fox Entertainment said that Cast Away is movie about a man lost at sea and how he deals with coming home to world of change. Frankly I do not see it that way. I am a firm believer that people want to be surprised when they go to the movies. The only other quibble I have about the movie is the ending from which I think we the viewers are left with too many questions. Besides those problems I walked out of the theatre feeling really satisfied with what I had seen. The acting is top flight. The cinematography is excellent and the score is also a plus. One thing to mention to people is that there isn't allot of dialogue in the movie which may turn some people off. However, those people not too fussy may find this film truly riveting. For me it was a breathtaking experience. Review: **** out of five

unwooden Hollywood
Greeting comrads. Whats all can be said. read Yugijouohs' stunning review here in this Amazon customer review section, and you can believe me, he be harsher than I would have been if i talk , but that's repeating, he has said all there is to say! But I'll toss my 2 lira - Helen Hunt is the cats pajamas for ME personally--as opposed to me impersonally haha eddu make funny--and if had known she was not going to appear in Cast Away, I would not have even gone to see it.As mia santa momma said , flattery is no pizza,...but I will smash that rule here. WHENEVER Ms. Hunt is on picture, the movie is EYECATCHING! Again, see Yugijouohs review for more "depth" , I only write to urge you, the last TWENTY minutes of this movie recall the label on minestrone soup cans when i was a boy- Mm Mm GOOD! Probably the best use of digital storage in this crazy filmmaking world. Happily, this is my first positive review on Amazon, and this kind of filmmaking must "be a shining city on the hill" like Ronald Reagan speech! I say, Stay away from bad foreign film, go see Hollywood..(you may learn english)! To say 1 negative thing, the scenery shots ARE boring & Hanks seems a very disengenous man. To believe this movie was hardly "test screened", I love that this type of movie ending is not what world "wants"(?) At most you cant turn your DVD off when Mr Hanks is rescued,the movie would get malto bazillioniano stars I give in the review. This is my best advice.

I shared the same experience as Chuck Noland did...
This movie is very touching, and it's been hard for me to watch it again. Why you ask, because I use to date a girl back in 1996 when she lived here in Fitzgerald, GA. Her name is Kelly aswell. We dated briefly, but that all ending when her dad had to move to Houston, TX because of his job being transfered from the railcart co. here in Fitzgerld, GA, to Houston, TX. Me and her lost contact with each other until 2002, when I was able to find where she was and to finally get in touch with her again. She came back to Fitzgerald and We hugged each other for a long while. She stayed for a day or so here in town with another family member of her's, then they left to go back to Houston, TX. Sadly she started dating someone there in January of 2003. She told me that she did not think she could take having a long distance relationship, which that does make since. She did however came back later that year, but it was different. She saw it as a Friendly visit instead. But we still email each other everynow and then.

I know you could care less about my experience compared to this movie, but anyway Tom Hanks again brings in a great performance in "CastAway", just like he did in "Saving Private Ryan". The only thing I dislike about this movie is that he sounds like he is apologizes for not coming back to Kelly(Helen Hunt). It's not his fault the plane went down and he got stranded on an island, and Kelly(Helen Hunt) should have held out longer to see if he would indid be found. Which he is found and returns to Texas, and to his job as a Fed-Ex worker. But Kelly(Helen Hunt) is now remarried and has a daughter. But the movie does end on a positive note.

I recommend this movie to anyone wanting to see an adventure type movie, after you watch this movie it will make you look at life a different way and to stay close to the love ones you so dearly treasure.

Tom Tanks
Castaway was gravely lacking whether it was a true story or not. I hope it was true because that would at least validate the reason why somebody would put an anti-climactic and obvious-to-the-point-of-silliness story like that on a screen. The only enjoyable parts were where he lost something: Wilson the volleyball and his only companion of four years; blood, in the ocean accident where he tries to row a deflated lifesaver tube towards a light in the distance and breaks his leg open on the coral; his flashlight burning out; his soul-mate re-marrying and starting a new family; etc. It was enjoyable because I wanted him to suffer further. I think sympathetic feelings should only be lent to greatness, like Stalin or the Hindenburg exploding into flames, not to some shlub lost at sea who survives against great odds and endures to what? Saving his life only to give into the convention of letting things be as they are? Of course if there is resistance one shouldn't push and pull, but it seemed the only thing holding him back were the qualms and strictions of leaving well enough alone. Too bad this didn't register in his brain on that island and save the two hours and twenty plus minutes of film. Although there were some amusing parts there was never really any suspense as the viewer knows without any advance warning that he would survive his ordeal no matter the severity or peril he faced. Two stars begrudginly because it was 50 times better than Wendigo and I like to be consistent. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Scott McPherson's off-Broadway hit made a strong transition to the screen in this 1996 film by director Jerry Zaks. Diane Keaton stars as a woman who, while taking care of her vegetating father in Florida, discovers that she has leukemia. Only her long-estranged sister (Meryl Streep) or the sister's children can provide a possible match for a bone-marrow transplant. But the reunion is a rocky one, marked both by Streep's guilt at having abandoned her sister to take care of their father, and by the explosive dynamic between Streep and her rebellious, pyromaniac oldest son (Leonardo DiCaprio). As grim as this all sounds, there is a strong vein of black humor running through it that has the viewer laughing at unlikely moments (particularly Keaton's visits to her distracted doctor, a surprisingly funny Robert De Niro). But rest assured: tears will flow, even as the film makes you reassess all of your own family relationships. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (73)

DEEPLY MOVING ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS
Instead of the usual over-the-top heavy-sentiment scenes in a dysfunctional family, Marvin's Room finds a clever, non-contrived way to end by leaving its characters at a magical moment of mutual understanding. It is one of the most powerful endings I've ever seen in a film.

Greatly acted by almost everyone (including a very young Leonardo Di Caprio), great score, excellent screenplay, a tinge of wry humor through it all, and gutwrenching emotion.

I picked up the DVD for Streep, and found her character a little one-dimensional. But when I really think of it, the most remarkable thing about the film is how it reveals how similar the two sisters are, despite their non-trivial character differences. Both abandon one part of their family to sacrifice for another part -- they each merely take different parts, and that's why Lee's character is not as bad, selfish or one-dimensional as she first seems. Lee's problem was understanding love. Despite all her lovers, Lee (Streep) had to learn the real meaning of love from her spinster sister Bessie (Keaton).

Worth buying, as anyone with a heartbeat will watch this gem more than once. Highly recommended.

An Emotional Rollercoaster
"Marvin's Room" is not only a wonderful movie that has both comedy and drama, but it has an excellent cast. I was very surprised that it wasn't nominated for Best Picture at the Oscar's. Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep shine as two sisters who have not seen each other in twenty years. Their bond is very easy to relate to. And then you have Leonardo DiCaprio (beofre "Titanic"). He is wonderful as Hank, the older son of Lee (Streep). You can tell that he wants attention, mainly from his mother who has her sights set on other things. Bessie (Keaton), in a very moving and loving way shows Hank that he is loved, by his mother and by herself. I thought that the car-ride by the water was wonderful. It showed the two of them bonding, which is what they do more and more as the film progresses.

Gwen Verdon is wonderful as the absent-minded Aunt Ruth who really brings a lot of comedy into the movie. Hume Cronin was simply wonderful, even though he didn't have any actual speaking lines, his actions throughout the movie seem to bring the disfunctional family together. Robert DiNero plays the very kind Dr. Wally who also brings a sweetness into the film. But the person who, in my opnion, really shines in this film is Diane Keaton. She has a rare talent and it definitely shows in this movie. The ending was so wonderful as well. I am glad that they ended on a positive note instead of a sad one. My advice: Rent this movie!!!!!

Witty, Funny and Heartwarming
Taken from a play by Scott McPherson, "Marvin's Room" at first seems like it might be a dreary tear jerker of a drama. But wait, there is a dream cast involved and somewhat maudlin scenarios turn out to be sheer delights. Imagine a film with Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, Robert DeNiro, Leonard DiCaprio and Hugh Cronyn and you cannot go wrong. Keaton is taking care of her long failing father (Cronyn) when she discovers she has leukemia. She contacts her long estranged 'beauty school graduate' sister (Streep) and pyromaniac nephew (DiCaprio) as possible donors. When the families unite in Florida, it's a flurry of funny, hard-nosed and real life dialogue. All cast members are at their best and Streep and Keaton juxtaposed as sisters is amazing. DeNiro plays Keaton's scatter-brained doctor and he is priceless. There's strong warmth and reality in this film and despite the occasional tear, the ultimate feeling is happiness. This movie is a keeper.

Marvin's Room
Beautiful, touching and funny film that shines on every level. Two long-estranged sisters, Bessie (Diane Keaton) and Lee (Meryl Streep), come together when Bessie discovers she has lukemia and needs Lee and her two sons, one of whom is a patient in an Ohio mental hospital (Leonardo DiCaprio) to be tested in order to save Bessie's life. With a beautiful music score, simple but inspiring direction, compelling performances (especially from Keaton, DiCaprio and Streep), and a simple but moving story, this is one of the true classic films of all time. "Marvin's Room" is a must for all to see.

DEEPLY MOVING ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS.
Close to a perfect movie as you can get. Instead of the usual over-the-top heavy-sentiment scenes in a dysfunctional family, Marvin's Room finds a clever, non-contrived way to end by leaving its characters at a magical moment of mutual understanding. It is one of the most powerful endings I've ever seen in a film.

Greatly acted by almost everyone (including a very young Leonardo Di Caprio), great score, excellent screenplay, a tinge of wry humor through it all, and gutwrenching emotion.

I picked up the DVD for Streep, and found her character a little one-dimensional. But when I really think of it, the most remarkable thing about the film is how it reveals how similar the two sisters are, despite their non-trivial character differences. Both abandon one part of their family to sacrifice for another part -- they each merely take different parts, and that's why Lee's character is not as bad, selfish or one-dimensional as she first seems. Lee's problem was understanding love. Despite all her lovers, Lee (Streep) had to learn the real meaning of love from her spinster sister Bessie (Keaton).

Worth buying, as anyone with a heartbeat will watch this gem more than once. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Chuck Norris himself cowrote Invasion U.S.A., a movie that's partly a right-wing paranoid fantasy and partly a prescient vision of contemporary terrorism. A Soviet superagent named Rostov leads an invasion of guerrilla squads who, after landing in Florida, spread throughout the U.S. and start shooting bazookas into suburban homes, inciting race riots by impersonating the police and attacking ethnic events, and planting bombs in churches and on school buses. Soon martial law descends as the country sinks into chaos. Only American superagent Matt Hunter (Norris) can take Rostov on, and eventually the two men face off, Rostov in full-body black leather, Hunter in black gloves and painfully tight blue jeans. For anyone who yearns for the simplicity of the cold war and enjoys a vengeance-laden action flick with lots of guns and exploding cars (but little martial arts), Invasion U.S.A. will provide some cinematic comfort food. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Amazing Bad Movie
Ah, days gone by. The days of Cannon films, mindless, loud, ultraviolent, ridiculous 80s action films.

A previous reviewer gave an impressive account of Cannon and the Golan/Globus production duo that gave us classics like Death Wish 3 and Cobra.

Invasion U.S.A. is a great bad movie, period. Chuck Norris, normally an awful actor, looks to be trying really hard not to act at all. Matter of fact, Chuck looks plain creepy, his face completely blank and emotionless. He plays an ex 'government agent'. Turns out there's a planned nighttime invasion of America being cooked up by an evil Russian general, an old nemesis of Norris. There's also some Cubans, and even Arabs from some unnamed country. They invade America one evening, killing Americans easily because we're weak, etc, etc, and they even roll into town to blow up a few suburban family homes with rocket launchers.

Chuck Norris is the only one in America with any real idea of what's going on, so he wearily puts on his twin Uzi straps and sets out to kill the invaders. It's a typical 80s, updated cowboys and Indians flick, dripping with cynicism. Invasion U.S.A. also adheres to an ironclad Golan/Globus rule: the badder the criminal, the worse he has to suffer before dying horribly.

This movie would have scared young children in 1985 into thinking Russia would actually invade and we would be bazookaed in our own homes. But now it reveals itself to be a true masterpiece, a moment of cinema from a bygone era when exploitation, paranoia, fear, violence, and profit were running amok.

The director is Joseph Zito, so you're in good bad genre hands, he having directed The Prowler and Friday the 13th The Final Chapter before. The film makes no sense at all. Like Death Wish 3, for instance, the film deserves a lot of credit for so completely disregarding anything of quality, save for the bullet-riddled violence. Plot, acting, direction, plausibility are all jettisoned in favor of pure gratification of hidden right-wing fantasies.

If you long for the 80s, love bad movies, love Chuck Norris, love Golan/Globus, love moronic guy movies, this is highly recommended

One of my greatest guilty pleasures.
When a group of terrorists invade America, only Matt Hunter (Chuck Norris) can stop them. Pretty simple stuff, not an ounce of plot to get in the way of the story, but what a story it is. Invasion U.S.A. was one of the million or so b-movie thrill rides put out by the now, sadly, defunct Cannon Pictures. I was fearful that changing times (and fashions) would date Invasion U.S.A. some, and, to be honest, they have. But it still retains enough of its bad movie charms to entertain in a brainlessly high octane way. Stuffed with enough action for two Cannon Pictures, this is an essential for both Cannon and Chuck Norris fans - though the 'good' movies The Chuckster did for the studio are, in my opinion, the first Missing in Action and The Hero and The Terror. But this is my favorite of the bunch and I give it my highest recommendation.

One of Chuck's Best!!!
In summary, terrorist start to take over the states. Chuck takes care of things, so don't worry, Norris IS homeland security. Very rock solid action movie, but a litlle dated by todays standards. Who gives a crap? Much better than his Walker, Texas Ranger days. 4 1/2 Stars.

vintage Chuck Norris
One of Chuck Norris's better known movies; TBS has shown this countless times. It doesn't really get better with age though. Not Chuck's best movie but better than several of the real duds like Forced Vengeance and Good Guys Wear Black. It's Chuck against the Russkies who invade his homeland and really tee him off. No real extras on the DVD, just the movie. Action is not really memorable in this movie, and it's pretty unbelievable even for a Chuck movie. But, if you're a Chuck fan, this one is a must because it's got a few classic Chuck one-liners.

An Utterly Ridiculous Yet Fun Actioneer
Ah the '80's. Reagen, over-indulgence, superficiality, and of course, the seminal genre that we now know as 1980's action movies. Invasion U.S.A. is everything that an 80's action movie should be: action packed (no matter how ridiculous and moronic the plot lines are), extremely right-wing, and of course, having stone-faced macho men declare war on the entire world. This film lacks in every aspect of a "good" movie (realistic action scenes, drama, good acting, interesting and or thought provoking), yet manages to suceed magnificently on the entertainment scale. One of my favorite scenes in the film are when Chuck Norris takes on the Russian dude in a man to man close combat rocket launcher scene! Also, I must say I was quite intrigued as to how Chuck Norris's ridiculously big truck managed to remain un-scathed through all of the gun battles that occur in this movie.

All in all, Invasion U.S.A. is the perfect movie for a night with a couple of buddies. Don't expect that much, and you'll enjoy this mindless 80's action flick. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

SAME PILOT AS ON FULL SEASON COLLECTION
Just so you know, this is the IDENTICAL PILOT THAT IS IN THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON SET. I give the show itself 5 stars, and for everyone who just wants a taste, buy the DVD. BUT if you own the first season, there is NO NEED to buy this one.

What is different about this Pilot?
I was wondering if this Pilot episode is any different from the Pilot episode provided on the first season DVD set? It just seems odd that they would sell the Pilot as a stand alone episode. I had heard through different Gilmore Girl websites that the Pilot episode presented to WB execs before the show was picked up did differ slightly from the episode that viewers saw. Apparently, both Sookie and Dean were played by different characters and I believe there was some different dialogue. Anyways, if this Pilot is different from the DVD set, I would happily buy it! Can you ever get too much Gilmore Girls? And I think we all know the answer to that question ... NO! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The pilot episode for Tony Shalhoub's "Monk" (but just that)
Absolute agreement that the premier episode of "Monk" is one of the more memorable television pilots of recent vintage, but only having one episode, even that one, is less than satisfactory. Consequently, this DVD is not really for the devoted fan of the show but more for those who have missed out on the party from the first episode and need to get up the speed. What you get is an introduction to Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub), a former San Francisco homicide detective who left the force because he suffers from an extreme case of obsessive-compulsive disorder, a condition that afflicted him after the murder of his wife. However, when there is an assassination attempt on a mayoral candidate he is coaxed out of retirement by his former boss, Captain Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine).

The idea is that Monk is now a private consultant with an uncanny ability to pick up details missed by other detectives. You can think of Monk as a really quirky Sherlock Holmes, with his full-time nurse Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram) in the role of Watson. However, she spends more of her time serving as a buffer between Monk and the real world. The result is one of the rare delights on television from last season and the first television show to cross over from cable to networks. By the time you get to the scene where Monk knocks all of the little colored pins out of the candidate's map, you will be hooked and checking your television schedule to see when the next episode is airing. That is one of only a half-dozen scenes where Monk provides his bona fides as a detective.

The most important thing is that in addition to all the quirky comedy shtick with Monk's super attention to detail, the crimes he is investigating are worthy of his attention. The dynamic between Monk and Sharona becomes the pivot on which the pilot and all other episodes have turned, even though the idea of a potential romance between the two misses the point. Just watch the scene where he blows away her date and you can see the foundation of their relationship and just more proof that this is the role of Shalhoub's career. If you are not on the "Monk" bandwagon, then check this out. If you are already a fan and do not have everything on tape, keep hope alive that all of Season 1 will be available sooner or later.

"Mr. Monk and The Candidate" DVD Series Pilot A Delight
And to think Tony Shalhoub initially passed on the role of Adrian Monk when it was offered to him! It's as amazing as his strong, effective and often touching performance as the leading character, Adrian Monk, in the series' pilot: he never overplays the charcter's OCD--nor plays it solely for laughs. Shalhoub has demonstrated that in acting this part, less is actually more, not only in his dramatic scenes but also in his physical comedy and character's humor. It's called balance, and Tony Shalhoub is a skilled and talented pro who walks the tightrope flawlessly! In Monk we have an unlikely (and flawed) hero who for over three years could never even venture out of his home due to the trauma of his late wife's car bombing death, which induced full-blown OCD and phobias.

Enter Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram), a nurse and single mom who doesn't always treat Adrian Monk with kid gloves. He relies on her yet she never allows him to become too dependent upon her. While she may supply antibacterial hand wipes along with note-taking/phone calling as Monk's hired assistant and nurse, she is a fiesty and independent woman who doesn't take much guff; yet, she also enjoys tracking down the baddies and solving the murder mysteries with her boss, Monk, whom she both admires and is aggravated by. She often threatens to quit, but Monk somehow never believes she really will. When she goes on a date, which Monk thought she was only joking about going on, he turns up at the restaurant where the couple is dining and after a few moments of sitting at their table blurts out that the guy she's with is both a phony and a liar--not even the entertainment attorney he claimed to be... All so low key it's as if he's talking about menu items' pros and cons... And he wonders why Sharona becomes very upset and says she's quitting her job with him. He seems more taken with the fact she'd been a dancer in Atlantic City (as he's sure she'll return to her job with him).

The mystery in the pilot episode revolves around a seemingly small little murder of a young woman that Monk has been working on but is later able to tie to the supposed assassination attempt of a local political candidate. It's as if Monk has ESP, but it's plain common sense, a photographic memory, attention to detail, and logic which aid Monk in his deductions. Higher stakes matter here, though, as we learn Monk is also working to gain re-instatement to the police force he was discharged from when his wife was killed and his OCD flared up full-force. He's been working as a private detective and also a consultant to the police for about a year (with Sharona's assistance) for very meager pay.

Monk's shrink, Dr. Kroger, initially believes Monk may be ready to re-join the force (which does get Adrian's hopes and spirits up) after Monk solves both murders (plus a third, another campaign aide's murder, which happens along the way) and saves Sharona from being murdered in the sewer! The reaction he has to his unexpected recognition for solving the case--by the candidate (with full media coverage)--the will both touch and move even the hardest heart watching. The comedy is a treat: fresh, although often bizarre, upbeat (yet sometimes dark) and sure to take you by surprise and make you laugh in spite of your feeling you shouldn't (maybe) even be laughing.

The role of Adrian Monk in this series' pilot garnered Tony Shalhoub a Best Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy Award Nomination. The pilot is well-paced, superbly acted by a talented cast, effectively directed, and is rich with strong production values (just having some of it filmed in San Franscisco alone is enough to set mood and tone).

And even when the pilot ends, we want to see/know more. It's the relationship between Monk and Sharona which grabs our attention, our interest--and it's Tony Shalhoub as Monk who makes us care. The man's a magician--the plastic gloves and antibacterial wet wipes, like smoke and mirrors, are simply an added bonus to the genuine life he breathes into the character and the comedy/drama. Two clean hands way up for this rare gem!--Lenore Hutton

Monk is on the Case
When an assassin takes a shot at a mayoral candidate, the current mayor insists that Monk is brought in as a consultant on the case. Adrian Monk has been consulting for three years trying to get over his intense fears and obsessive compulsive disorder enough to return full time to the force. Still, his curses are also gifts that help him notice little things others miss. Right away, he makes a connection between this case and another murder that otherwise would appear unrelated. But can Monk figure out what is going on?

I came to the party rather late, not watching until season 2. I was quite anxious to see the pilot because I wanted to get the complete background on the character. Since I've seen almost every episode now, I did know the basics of what I needed to know, so I could just sit back and enjoy the storyline.

I am a mystery fiend, and I especially love a good puzzle. Monk is wonderful for that, and this episode is no exception. I should have seen the ending coming, but, as usual, was taken completely by surprise. There are some wonderful laugh out loud moments as well.

The episode does fall into the traps of a series premier. Since we need to know about our characters, story is often slowed down for exposition. While it would have been helpful the first time around, I didn't need it. Fortunately, we were treated to the back story in small doses, so it didn't slow the story down for long. Also, the actors and writers are still trying to define the characters. While not as sharp as they later in the series, they're quite acceptable here.

I'm not completely sure why this DVD was put out. Maybe it was to test the waters or hold over fans until season one was released. Either way, all you get here is the two part pilot episode. No extras whatsoever. Since it's included again in the recently released complete season 1 set, if you are a fan of the series, just pass right on by.

Monk is one of the most original and entertaining shows currently on TV anywhere. While not perfect, this is a great intro to the character and tone of the series. If you only want an intro, get this disc. Otherwise, save your money for all of season 1.

Wait for the full first season
Around mid-June, the entire 13-episode first season of Monk will be included on DVD for about $40 (pretty reasonable, comparatively speaking). Unless you really need a Monk DVD fix right now, just wait a couple months for the whole enchilada.

Well blended cast and great script
I was really impressed with this Premiere Episode of "Monk". Of course, the lead character is played so well by Tony Shalhoub, but it takes more than that to make a premiere interesting enough to run as a TV series for another two seasons. The three main supporting characters are wonderfully written in the script and played to perfection by the actors. Every time I watch this premiere, I think I have a different favorite supporting character. I can't wait for the DVD to be released with the season episodes from season one and two. I think I like it so much because it's very different from all the rest of what's on TV these days. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Underrated, unusual slasher gets A-grade DVD treatment
To say THE PROWLER is any kind of great film is simply untrue. However, the whole thing has an eerie, unsettling, dream-like quality to it that carries it through the slower patches and makes the film's near-total lack of coherency and logic much easier to take. The tension is kept taught throughout, and with top-notch scoring, photography, gore effects and direction, makes for a surprisingly effective and repeatable horror film. Just make sure you watch it in the dead of night! The Blue Underground DVD has a fine anamorphic transfer that is as good as the original negatives will allow, some fascinating on-set footage of the make-up effects, an impressive stills and poster gallery that is definitely worth ploughing through and a superb, hugely entertaining commentary with director Joseph Zito and make-up maestro Tom Savini. Very much recommended.

Not just your typical 80s Slasher
The Prowler has become one my favorite films. There is some bashing of this one, but I really don't get it. I love everything about this movie. The storyline, how the killer looks, the weaponry of his choice. It was like nothing I'd seen before. Also, a great showcase of the incredible talents of legendary FX artist Tom Savini. Contrary to popular belief, There is an explanation for the killings, like most slashers have some vague motive... the Prowler's motive was to get revenge on Rosemary for leaving him. Simple as that. I really dont think that many people who watch horror films religiously worry about plot and details too much anyways. The film definetly delivers in the violence department. If you're looking for a different kind of slasher, go ahead and pick this up. I think Prowler and Frank Zito could have been best friends.

Plain awful; everything that HALLOWEEN wasn't
I don't think even Tom Savini's impressively gory make-up effects (seen uncut on this DVD edition, which for some I imagine is a plus) saved this movie. At least FRIDAY THE 13TH had a decent sense of atmosphere; THE PROWLER is just plain boring. Obviously it seems director Joseph Zito (who directed the fourth FRIDAY THE 13TH film, which was only marginally better) is more interested in the next bloody killing than he is in creating genuine atmosphere or suspense---a common (and definitely serious) problem with many post-HALLOWEEN slasher flicks. For those who don't demand graphic gore in their horror movies, HALLOWEEN is clearly the way to go if you're looking for a well-made, stylish, suspenseful slasher flick. THE PROWLER, even with Tom Savini's perverse imagination at work, is absolutely negligible in any genre.

Uninspired
It's not scary. It's not interesting. There is only one good aspect of this movie and that is the superb effects by Tom Savini. They are some of the best I have seen him do (I have yet to see Maniac.) Otherwise, this is a big waste of time. You just wait for the next grisly death scene, but could care less about any of the characters or where the movie is going (nowhere.) Very typical slasher flick with some gory deaths. No suspense, no wit, no depth, no nothing.

A Slasher Flick With A Moral
The moral? Don't dump your boyfriend while he's overseas fighting the Germans. Well that's just what Rose does and now we got a bloodbath on our hands. The success of Friday The 13th gave us about 600 other slasher flicks in the early 80s. I'm a big fan of this all but forgotten subgenre. The Prowler stands out(to me anyway) as one of the best of those films. There's nothing new here-nothing you haven't seen in every other slasher flick. You'll figure out who the killer is a half hour into the film, but we're not really watching this movie for twists or suspense. But it does have a creepy looking killer and some of the bloodiest deaths for this kind of movie. Slasher flicks always tried to create gruesome and creative deaths. The Prowler's deaths aren't all that creative(lots of pitchfork and bayonette stabbings is all), but they are bloody. They look Fulci-esque. This also has one of the goofiest looking leading men I've ever seen. Directed by Joeseph Zito who brought us the timeless classics, Friday The 13th-The Final Chapter, Invasion USA and Missing In Action. With that said, you no longer have a reason not to own this. Get to the store. Chop chop. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Sequel Better Than The Original...Warm Hearted and Sweet
Usually sequels aren't as good as the original (although there are exceptions such as the Star Wars trilogy and the Back To The Future series), but this movie is much better than its predecessor, "My Girl." It is a warm and fuzzy family film with a great soundtrack featuring songs of the early 1970s. Vada is now 13, tackling a school assignment in which she decides to write about her mother's life. A trip to California to visit her uncle aids in her quest to track down her mother's high school classmates and friends. With each person she interviews, Vada makes some unexpected discoveries about her mother. Her search culminates in a touching, sadly sweet moment when she is able to "meet" her mother. Along the way, Vada finds love from Nick, (played by Austin O'Brien), her somewhat reluctant escort who was paid by Vada's uncle to accompany her around town. I love the fact that all of the primary actors were retained for the sequel (except for Macauley Culkin, whose character died in the first film). Jamie Lee Curtis and Dan Akroyd give fine performances as the happily married Mr. & Mrs. Sultenfuss expecting their first child. While "My Girl" was sad and depressing, "My Girl 2" is positive, upbeat, and great fun. Don't let that surly old curmudgeon, Leonard Maltin, influence you with his review. This film is great family entertainment and quite enjoyable.

My Girl 2 is ok but there was no point in making it though.
This is a pretty good movie but whatever his name was Austin whatever was trying way to hard to be the tough guy in the movie. And it was so obvious that he was just there to replace Macualay Culkin. It would have been really nice if at the of My Girl 1 Vada and Thomas had gotten together. Because I personally think that Vada and Thomas were sort of the right ones for each other. It depends on how you look at it. I also know that deep down inside Thomas had a little soft spot for Vada you could tell by the way he was acting around her. Vada and Thomas 4ever.

it is a cute movie
i luved this movie my favorite part was when she brought bac the thought of my girl one i think evry 1 should go and bye it right away but watch the fist 1 befor the second i think that u people will like it

Original My Girl: Ok Second My Girl: Much, Much Better!!!
My Girl 2 was much better than the original My Girl. This one goes more in depth with the story focusing more on Anna Chlumsky, or Vada Sultenfuss as she's known in the movie. Vada is assigned by her English teacher to write a poem about someone who had achieved something and someone who was a complete stranger to her. She picked her mother. Vada goes to Los Angeles despite her father's firm decision to not let her go. Throughout the movie, she is searching for answers about her mother. What was she like? The big mystery she must solve is to figure out why there was a date written on a paper lunch bag in her box of her mother's things. Will Vada succeed in finding answers to her questions? Will she find out things she didn't know before? The only way to find out is by WATCHING THIS EXCELLENT MOVIE! DON'T MISS OUT!

Great, but not as good as the original
This was a wonderful movie. I love how much Vada has matured. She's 13 now, and not obsessed with death like in the first one. She's also not the tomboy she was. She's more into boys and makeup and things like that. During her spring break, Vada goes to California to stay with her uncle and do research on her mom. Nick, her uncle's girlfriend's son, is her reluctant tour guide. It's obvious they like each other from the start, but they try to hide it. Vada makes some startling discoveries about her mother, and for awhile it seems she's not the person Vada thought she was. In the end she "sees" her mother and goes home reassured-not before her first real romance, though.
This was an excellent movie, but in my opinion, not as good as the first one. Maybe it was just the absence of Macaulay Culkin, whose character I fell in love with after watching the first movie. ... Read more

Reviews (177)

NOT AS FUNNY AS THE FIRST TWO
Scary Movie 3 is, obviously the third installment in the comedy/horror spoof series which skewers recent horror movies. In the third installment which stars Leslie Nielsen and Charlie Sheen, the targets of the jokes are "The Sixth Sense", "Signs", "The Ring", the matrix, "The Others" and "Darkness Falls".

The heavy targets are "signs" and "The Ring" with Charlie Sheen taking over the Mel Gibson role as the former minister. Leslie Nielsen plays the President in typical Airplane-esque fashion.

The jokes come rapid fire and there are a lot of sight gags and inside jokes that you might not get unless you saw the above movies.

Scary Movie 3 is a bit toned down than the first two movies and gets a PG13 rating for language and sexual content. Nothing too strong though. The opening sequence with former Playboy Playmates Pam Anderson & Jenny McArthy playing out the opening sequence from "The Ring" in dumb blonde fashion complete with their enhanced breasts in bras is a classic.

No classic, but good fun and several laugh out loud funny scenes.

Terrifyingly hilarious
After the success of SCary Movie 1 and 2, it would be inevitable that a third would be released, and Scary Movie 3 carries on the tradition of parodying the latest and greatest horror movies, but this one ventures away from horror movies in a couple of scenes, parodying the likes of 8 Mile and the Matrix. As always, the first scene nearly steals the show, having Pam Anderson and Jenny McCarthy playing the two girls at the beginning of The Ring. After the hilarious beginning, we find Charlie Sheen playing the part of Mel Gibson, who has 60 days to make a 1.50. Meanwhile, Cindy views the tape that kills people, her sister's kid Cody gets hit by countless objects, and Sheen's brother ventures out to become a white rapper. However, the movie takes a not to welcome break from humor for about 10-15 minutes, following the rap showdown. But the movie picks up again once Cindy meets the oracle with bad gas, and all this leads up to Leslie Nielson playing the president, who's trying to stop the alien's trying to kill the girl on the tape, after viewing it. This is a very funny movie, but it falls flat in some parts which is why I had to give it 4 stars.

"Sex, violence and the weather"
Loosely based on the summer blockbuster movies The Ring and Signs, and strangely enough, the Eminem film, 8 Mile, Scary Movie 3 provides more of the toilet humour and juvenile laughs that we have come to expect from this series. Unfortunately though, this installment is pretty light on the laughs. The first two movies were actually funny and clever, and although they were unashamedly audacious in their tackiness, there was a kind of enduring honesty to them that left the viewer chuckling for more. When watching Scary Movie 3, the viewer is more likely to be laughing in embarrassment, and wondering why Hollywood could malign and continue a franchise that has become so obviously tired.

If you've seen Signs or The Ring, you'll have a pretty good idea of the plot of Scary Movie 3. Like in the previous Scary Movies, lead actress Anna Faris is back as Cindy Campbell. This time, she's dropped into the middle of a combination alien invasion/ghost story. After watching a killer video tape, she has only seven days to live, and, in that time, she has to stop a deranged ghost living in a well, fall in love with a white, self-doubting rapper named George played by a bumbling Simon Rex, and help the President - a tired, embarrassed looking Leslie Nielsen - stymie an invasion by aliens who have a fondness for the corn field of a minister-turned-farmer, played by the desperate Charlie Sheen. Along the way, Denise Richards, Queen Latifa, and Camryn Manhem, Simon Cowell, and the big-breasted Pamela Anderson pop in for a visit.

Anna Faris is her usual perky, big-eyed self, Charlie Sheen appears somewhat ashamed to be in this rubbish, and Simon Rex is probably the unlikeliest and most unlikable love interest one will ever see in a movie. Then there's the sad case of 77-year old Leslie Nielsen, as a bumbling lame-duck president who spends his limited screen time trying to re-create the kind of comedic bumbling that became his meat-and-potatoes when he re-invigorated his career in the '80s. Now, this routine is tired, repetitious, and devoid of energy - which is a pretty good way to describe the movie as a whole.

Absent for this third installment are the Wayans Brothers who are replaced by David Zucker and his scribe-for-hire, Pat Proft, which is unfortunate because it is the Wayans Brothers gift for irreverent humour, that made the first two so funny, even though they were bordering on the offensive. There are about three or four genuine laughs in Scary Movie 3, and a lot of failed jokes in between. The comedy is lame and flaccid with characters that are either constantly falling over or bumping into things and there's a child that is continually hit by a car and thrown out a window. There's also some gross-out material and various indignities are performed on a corpse. The weaving together of the primary three storylines is done awkwardly, and the narrative is fractured and hard to follow. With so much of the humor failing, it becomes increasingly obvious that there's not much of a storyline to fall back on, and that makes Scary Movie 3 a gigantic waste of time and almost unwatchable. Mike Leonard July 04.

Better than Scary Movie 2 but that isn't saying much...
Scary Movie 3 works well over the disappointing Scary Movie 2 in many ways. A different cast of characters for the most part and better movie spoofs. But saying Scary Movie 3 is better isn't all that special since Scary Movie 2 was one of the worst movies I ever saw.

Scary Movie 3 is great humor at first. This one spoofs "The Ring", "Signs", "The Matrix", "The Others" and "8 Mile". Its funny really but only the first time around. The second time you get a chuckle and the third time you probably won't care for some parts.

The movie begins with a rather clever spoof of "The Ring", letting you know what the main spoof of the movie is. The movie then goes off into Cindy (yes the same Cindy from the previous two films). She finds this mysterious tape and watches it and learns that she'll die in seven days. Not unusual for anyone who's seen "The Ring".

The film also focuses on a Pasture that's lost his faith since his wife died in a c