Reviews (70)

Well animated but not true to the strip
Garfield: The Movie is a fairly straightforward story with no secondary tales or other touches that could take this film out of kidvid. The interaction between the animated Garfield and the real actors and sets is subtle, rather than the eye-popping wow! of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Unlike better family films such as Shrek or Finding Nemo, this one is strictly for kids as there is little to keep an adult's interest.

The movie starts out with a few scene-setting vignettes, brief unconnected tales much like the Jim Davis comic strip the movie was lifted from. But right away something is amiss. Jon, Garfield's human, isn't presented as a complete loser. He lives in a very nice house in an unspecified part of the midwest that looks suspiciously like Oak Park or a similar John Hughes location. The furnishings are tasteful and reasonable quality. And Jon isn't completly incompetent in his day to day actions.

And what's worse, Jon's unrequited feelings for Garfield's veterinarian, Liz, are not thrown in his face (as per the strip) but returned within the first 20 minutes. The vet character is just as wrong as Jon; both are cute, thin, and dress well. Jon should be a zhlub, Liz should be strictly business. Here, Jon's a heartthrob and Liz dresses like she's on her way to a disco. Wrong, wrong, wrong!

The major plot point is okay (evil cable-TV animal show host kidnaps Odie after dog wins a blue ribbon, Garfield rescues him), the animated Garfield is done well, and the status quo is preserved. My kid liked it okay. But I would not advise anyone over 12 to watch this unless accompanied by an interested elementary schooler. 14 June 2004 by mad-haus

Garfield the movie.
I saw this movie. I like it. It's funny, cute. Good movie.

Why listen to the critics? This movie's great!
Entertainment Weekly said Garfield was a cloddish, unfunny dud.

For all I care, they can wear dunce caps on their heads (ha ha.)
I personally like Garfield, especially the part I like to call, "cat meets gravity, cat hits truck window." Garfield has tyke-friendly jokes, but, WHO CARES? Garfield is a fun movie that I would recommend to all fans. So, Garfield fans should just push the critics aside, and enjoy Garfield.

Bill Murray+Garfield=THE BIGGEST LAUGH YOU'LL EVER HAVE!!
When I heard about the Garfield movie, I thought, (Hey, I love the Garfield comic, and I LOVE Bill Murray, I'd love to see it!) So I went to see it with my parents and my friends, Laura and Andrew. I laughed my head off! Bill was AWSOME and Garfield looked like a real cat! The funniest part was when Garfield accidently destroyed the owner's living room!! (I forgot the owner's name.) The people that didn't care for it were; my Mom and Andrew. Tho everyone thought Garfield looked like a real cat! I wanna see it again, tho my Mom said no. I'm buying the DVD when it comes out. I recommend this movie to anyone who likes, Bill Murray, Garfield the comic, and/or silly humor. Fortunely, I like all three! ME-ow 4 now!

Out of character from start to finish
So, I just saw this recently ("That's your own darn fault", I can almost hear you say) and it is indeed everything the more reputable reviewers have called it, plus a side of fries. From the very first scene on, this Garfield is the polar opposite of his comic book equivalent, talking incessantly, recklessly jumping around, waking Jon so he can make it to work in time (and though he is never seen working, Jon must indubitably have a very cushy job, judging from his at least one million dollar home). Hmmm, I always thought Garfield conserved energy as much as possible.

If this film resembles anything, it's one of those bad Disney talking animal movies from the '60s. Plot modus operandi: Animal with extraordinary abilities is abducted and exploited by evil, greedy big city person, other animals and/or animal owners must come to the rescue. Yawn. I wouldn't even mind the uber-generic plot contrivances if they were spruced up with some decent gags, but you could count this film's laughs on one finger. What Garfield really needed was a punch-up by a bunch of Simpsons writers.

I wouldn't mind buying Chris Beck's (Buffy) fun but rather standard score if I came across it in a bargain bin somewhere, but barring that unlikely scenario I'm likely not going to go out of my way to track down a promo. Even his work here remains more of a "Meh" than a "Hmmm... neat." ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good, old, HBO horror series
They really should bring this series back. To those of you who have been living under a rock for the last 16 years, this is basically a very good, revamped-gory version of the twilight zone. Some great short horror stories!
Side note: I still have the old Crypt keeper dolls (still in their boxes) in my closet. I bought them at Spencer's gifts ages ago, maybe someday they will be worth something.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the FEAREST of them all?"
Welcome to my review, horror freaks! So glad you could join me and read about the 6 eerie episodes of HBO's "Tales from the Crypt," the very ones that helped the series rise from its tomb back in 1989. It's been 9 long years since the show went off the air, and until now, I've been waiting for the Crypt Keeper's putrid puns and awful alliterations to be forever preserved on DVD format. And why not? The show lasted a full 7 seasons and featured many of the biggest actors and directors in Hollywood. Each tale carefully incorporates the grisly black humor William M. Gaines EC comic books, which were almost banned in the 1950's. Did I say 'almost?' Anyway, as other HBO programs like "Dream On," "Deadwood," and "Carnivale" were packaged and displayed on Best Buy shelves, I wondered if "Tales" would ever be among them. Well, the time has finally arrived, creeps! As stated by John Kassir himself, Warner Brothers wisely chose to create these discs so we ourselves can scare the next generation of kiddies to come. Even better is the fact that the second disc of this Season 1 set will contain a sickening array of never-before-seen extras. I don't want to give the surprises away, but I will briefly tell you the stories you are about to see. Enter, if you dare!
"Dig that Cat...He's Real Gone" stars Joe Pantoliano as Ulric, a homeless alcoholic who becomes a rich and famous sideshow performer after a mad doctor (Gustav Vintas) surgically implants a cat's gland into Ulric's brain. This procedure allows him to die and return to life nine times. Morbid hilarity ensues as a carnival barker (Robert Wuhl) presents Ulric the Undying to astounded audiences who watch him get electrocuted, hanged, drowned in a tank, and shot with an arrow (among other things).
In "The Man Who was Death," Bill Sadler (who eventually starred in the 1995 Tales from the Crypt film "Demon Knight") plays Niles Talbot, a state executioner who loses his job after spending 12 years pulling the switch. This resulted because the government unexpectantly repealed the death penalty. However, not wanting to abandon his favorite occupation, Niles drifts to the other side of the law by killing criminals who were acquitted by the courts.
The frightening and festive "And All Through the House" stars Mary Ellen Trainor as a devious housewife named Elizabeth, who brutally bludgeons her husband with a poker to collect on an insurance policy. Just when she is ready to eliminate the corpse, a homicidal maniac donning a Santa Claus costume (Larry Drake) terrorizes her with an axe. Even worse, Elizabeth can't call the police for fear of being convicted of first degree murder and losing custody of her daughter.
Vanity and greed play a central role in "Only Sin Deep," a tale about a street prostitute named Sylvia Vane (Lea Thompson). After killing a pimp and stealing his gold jewellry, she willingly sells her beauty to a strange pawnbroker (Britt Leach) in exchange for $10,000 cash. At first, Sylvia wins over the affections of a suave playboy millionaire. But immediately afterward, as a result of some black magic performed by the pawnbroker, she gets increasingly distraught as her face quickly ages. Desperate to buy back her looks, she shoots her rich lover dead, but is then forced to avoid prison by staying ugly for life.
Prepare for a honeymoon hell in "Lover Come Hack To Me." Here, a cunning bachelor named Charles (Stephen Shellen) marries a naive Peggy (Amanda Plummer) for her inheritance money. On a rainy night, after accidentally getting stuck in an abandoned mansion, the two go up to the bedroom and make perfect love for the very first time. Originally, Charles was going to kill Peggy and stage the crime to look like a burglary. But he soon discovers that her family history is cursed, and that much darker skeletons lie in the bride's closet.
Last but not least is one of my favorite episodes, "Collection Completed." M. Emmet Walsh plays Jonas, a grouchy tool salesman who finally gets to retire after 47 years on the job. His slightly odd wife Anita (Audra Lindley) has developed a fondness for pets...alot of pets. In fact, she keeps a zoo-full of cats, dogs, and birds in the house. On top of that, she talks to squirrels and runs an aquarium in the bathtub. Obviously, such an attachment to animals is enough to drive Jonas up the wall! Inevitably, he gets sick and tired of not having enough attention, and he gleefully takes up taxidermy as a hobby. But those poor animals weren't the only living creatures that ended up getting stuffed.

Tales from the Crypt
I have written HBO countless e-mails over the years begging for this dvd set. I never received one e-mail response from HBO. Oh, well. I really did not expect one.
This is one of the best horror shows, period. Some of the top horror/adventure writers and directors wrote and directed these episodes. I believe this series ran for seven seasons. This can be intense stuff, not for children because of the nudity, sex, graphic violence, superb gore effects, language, and more. Some of these stories are truly the stuff of nightmares. They will haunt you.
If you have never seen Tales from the Crypt you are in for a treat, if you are a fan of horror. Go to your local book store and pick-up a trade paperback of the old EC comics these stories are based upon to get a feel for the translation from comic book to television show. Wait until you meet the Cryptkeeper, who introduces each episode, for a meeting of the surreal and insane and just plain weird. And, you will see some big name stars come to fantastic demises. Just wait, you'll see.
Now, where are Tales from the Darkside and Friday the 13th the series. These are two more violent horror series from the pre-politically correct present day.

Great Series Finds It's Footing In A TV/DVD Obsessed World
Yes, It has finally happened: Warner Bros./HBO Productions has announced that a 2-Disc, First Season set of "Tales from the Crypt" will be released on July 12th. The first season consisted of six episodes that fit quite nicely on this set's first disc. They are: "The Man Who Was Death", Dig That cat...He's Real Gone", "All Through The House", "Only Sin Deep", "Lover Come Hack To Me", and "Collection Completed". The second disc will hold bonus features that are rumored to include 2 Featurettes: One on "Tales From Comic Books To Television" and the other on "The First Season's History." Plus a new introduction by "The CryptKeeper"(John Kassir). Now this has not been confirmed, so it's pretty much a rumor but these are the possibilities. So far, there is no cover art or any other materials but stay tuned to tvshowsondvd.com for more news info which should be coming soon! Tales From The Crypt: Season One, July 12th! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Great Adventure Story!
This is a great adventure story about a fictious daughter of Robin Hood & Maid Marian named Gwen, set at the time of King Richard's death. King Richard's son & heir is a son in France, and his claim to the throne is being challenged by the familar villians, Prince John & the Sheriff of Nottingham. Robin Hood is called upon to help bring the young Prince Phillip to England, and daughter Gwen wants to come along. He refuses to allow her of course but she cuts her hair, dresses as a boy & follows along anyway. Though cunning & skillful she manages to cause as much trouble as she does help, including landing her famous father in jail.
You'll have to watch the movie for yourself to see how it ends, but be prepared for a refreshing time of old fashioned adventure & chilvary without the language & bloody violence that is standard fare for today's "family" videos. The rating was PG but it is a very mild PG. Light-hearted, good family viewing for all ages but especially the pre-teen & up group. Preschoolers & younger elementary children will most likely be too young to fully understand the story line, but may still enjoy the battle scenes. And it includes a romantic twist for those who enjoy that. The movie ends with a brief but very interesting historical dialogue about the real Prince Phillip, son of King Richard the Lionhearted, and his reign. Interesting note: lead role is played by an actress from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Star Wars buffs will enjoy trying to figure out which one of the Queen's handmaidens is now the Princess of Thieves.

Wonderful !!!
Wonderful story to the Robin Hood legend - and the directing, acting and photography of the film is truly delightful. The ending is great!!! - I loved it!!! Without giving it away this movie's love "interest" ultimately has to do with the love between a father and daughter. There is a romantic interest in the film/story that is beautifully done - but it is the relationship between Robin Hood and his daughter Gwyn, the Princess of Thieves, that is the real beautiful ending to this delightful and very well done movie. Enjoy!

Keira Knightley's movie
Indeed that is what this is. The story is somewhat predictable. The special effects were dismal. (WIth the exception of Keira knightley, the acting was not anything special. The scene which saved the movie was the archery scene. It had a predictable ending but an unpredictable way of getting there. With many plot twists it holds your attention but the ending you can predict. Keira Knightley, in her first of her many outstanding performances is an absolute joy to watch. The movie is saved by her honest and true acting. Just an outstanding effort on her part. This movie is fun to watch and I love watching it over and over.

Good Romantic Adventure
This is a really good movie with lots of action and some romance thrown in as well. Gwen, the neglected daughter of Robin Hood, decides to prove to her father that she can help him in his quest against Prince John. The King is dying and Robin is trying to make sure the rightful heir, Philip, the illegitimate son of King Richard, is placed on the throne. Gwen cuts her hair and pretends to be a boy. This is the only part of the movie that is somewhat unbelievable because she is a beautiful young woman that could never be mistaken for a boy, hair or no hair, lol. Keira Knightley (Gwen) is just outstanding in this film, and seems older than her 15 years! Stephen Moyer, is also stunning and does an excellent job in his role as the prince. One of the most memorable performances is by Del Synnott as Gwen's best-friend Froderick. Gwen meets Philip and he tells her he is Conrad, the Prince's valet, and that Prince Philip is dead. Little does she know that he is the prince himself! I didn't give this movie the highest rating because the conclusion is somewhat disappointing for someone like me who is such a die-hard romantic. Get the kleenexes! The story is more about Gwen's relationship with her father, and her desire to share his occupation of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, even though she is not a son. It's an interesting movie with good acting, and is a good movie for the whole family. If you want all the romantic loose ends tied up nicely though, I'd suggest you watch a movie such as Ever After instead. The soundtrack of this movie is beautiful. I also liked the creative way that they aged Gwen from a small child to a woman at the beginning of the film.

Tired, low-budget, limp children's flick
The only interesting thing anyone can note about "Princess of Thieves" is the filmmakers savvy in casting soon-to-be famous Keira Knightley in the lead role. God knows, she's stunningly beautiful, oozing star quality from every pore (not unlike an early Julia Roberts) and shown here at only 15, she has a lot of poise and screen presence.

But this is the kind of children's film -- presumably made FOR girls -- that I absolutely detested as a child, and I think most pre-teen and adolescent girls would ultimately feel the same way. It sets up a scenario where you THINK you are going to see a high-spirited and adventuresome girl actually getting to ride horses/shoot arrows/fight etc....but what you actually end up with is a super-pretty model-type actress who wears mascara and lip gloss in Sherwood Forest, has a perfect fashion model figure and doesn't actually get to do much in the way of action. Much of the movie's action scenes (and plot) surround Robin Hood (Stuart Wilson) or other characters. The thrust of the plot surrounds not Gwyn's own adventures, but her desire to be with her mostly absentee Dad. Very wholesome, but not very interesting.

Obviously this was made for TV or cable and it has a painfully low budget look, with most of the movie shot in close ups (eliminating the need for much in the way of extras or sets). The quality and staging of the fight scenes and archery is especially lame and unprofessional looking. But the lameness is evident in other ways that are really unnecessary, even from a $$ point of view: such as when Gwyn decides to disguise herself as a boy, she has to cut her hair. It appears that Ms. Knightley's own hair at this point was cut in a chin-length bob. So when her character first appears with long hair, we can assume it's hair extensions...therefore, it shouldn't pose any problem to actually SHOW her cutting her (fake) hair! But the director skips this pivotal scene (showing the character transforming from girl to "boy") and just lets us see the strands of hair hitting the floor.

I feel a bit mean-spirited picking on a movie so obviously simple and low budget, as they obviously didn't have a lot of resources to work with. But there is a real need for adventure films for girls, and this is just so bland, disappointing, and utterly without personality or viewpoint.

Only worthwhile for die-hard Keira Knightley fans, who'd like an early look at her, pre-fame. ... Read more

Reviews (45)

A most excellent, totally non-heinous sequel
While Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure was funny, Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey is simply hilarious. Of course, the movie is "dumb," but it's a comedy classic in my opinion. This totally triumphant sequel goes all out to entertain, producing a most memorable ending that brings the storyline of both movies together and unifies the past, present, and future of the Bill and Ted universe. Keanu Reeves is, I believe, at his best and most believable as Ted Theodore Logan, while Alex Winter shows off his impeccable comedic timing as Bill S. Preston, Esq. I think the wit is a little sharper in this sequel than it was in the original Bill and Ted film, and its closer associations and sometimes impressively subtle references to popular culture should make the comedy more appealing to a wider audience than that attracted to the original movie.

As the movie opens, the whole world is Bill's and Ted's oyster. They have their own apartment, they are in love with the princess babes they rescued from mediaeval England in the first movie, and the Battle of the Bands is all set to take place the following night. As they already know from Rufus (George Carlin) of the future, their performance at the Battle of the Bands will change the entire world and quickly lead to a blissful future for mankind in which everyone is excellent to each other. In that happy future, Rufus is teaching a class with the aid of such historical figures as Bach, Edison, and the killer guitar player from Faith No More. Then, from out of the blue, the classroom is taken over by gunmen led by Rufus' old crotchety gym teacher Chuck De Nomolos. The man's hatred for Bill and Ted and the way of life they brought into permanent being is so strong that he sends two evil Bill and Ted robots back in time to ruin the lives and future of Wyld Stallyns before they can really even begin. The robots are pretty successful, actually killing the good Bill and Ted. Here begins the truly bogus journey of our heroes, as they face the Grim Reaper himself, get an up close and very personal look at the depths of Hell, and journey to heaven to meet God Himself. It takes more than a well-coordinated Melvin attack on Death to bring them back to life, but they never waver from their determination to come back, save the babes, kill the evil Bill and Ted, and play most triumphantly at the Battle of the Bands.

I love the ending of the movie; it has little shame in its pursuit of utter goofiness, and I admire that type of commitment to inanity for the sake of entertainment. The whole scene takes about fifteen minutes, but the guys put on one heck of a show at the Battle of the Bands. The fun doesn't even stop when the credits begin to roll because we are treated to a number of magazine and newspaper headlines of the future chronicling the many successes of Bill and Ted and the somewhat troubled rock and roll career of Death. I love this most non-heinous, totally excellent movie. If you want comedy, look no further than Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey.

Bill And Ted's Journey through the After-life.
The first Bill and Ted movie was a big hit and now they came out with an awsome sequel. Instead of going through time, they go to the after-life. The two began a Bogus Journey they won't ever forget.

The story starts out in San Dimas, CA 2688 at Bill and Ted University. Rufus (George Carlin) is teaching a seminar class and the evil Chuck De Nomolos invades with his private army. With him are two evil robots of Bill and Ted who he sends back through time to kill them before they become superstars.

We find the Wyld Stallyns (Bill, Ted, Elizabeth, and Joanna) auditioning for the battle of the bands contest. Of course they stink, but they still get a shot in the contest. That night after Bill and Ted propose to their girlfriends, the evil twins call the good Bill prettending to be Joanna and dump them. So the evil twins show up prettending to be helping them by bringing them to the desert where the evil twins said the girls were. Instead they throw them off a cliff and the good ones are dead.

Then they wake up in the after-life seeking revenge and then Death shows up (William Sadler). He tells them to come with him and they ask him if they can come back to life. Deaths says they must challenge him to a contest and if they win, they go back to life and if not they stay in the after-life. So they ditch him by melvining him (otherwords, a wedgie).

So, they go Ted's parents for help and Ted's step-mom, Missy and her spiritual group send them to hell. So they are stuck in their own personal hells that revolve around the bad things they did in life. After the two being chased by a evil colonel, a evil easter bunny and Bill's grandma, they decide to challenge Death.

Now on with the games. They play Battleship and of course Bill and Ted win. Death is a poor sport and makes them play best 2 out of 3. Then he loses again in Clue and he says best of 3 out of 5. Then he loses in electronic football. Bill: "Best of 7?" Death: "DAMN RIGHT!" The last game is Twister. He loses and decides to take them back to life. They go to heaven, and find two alien scientists to help them build two good robots of themselves.

Now they have built the robots and they are at the Battle of the Bands where the evil ones are. So they destroy them at the concert. Chuck De Nomolos shows up to finally kill him themselves. He loses and Death melvins him (Wedgie). They play at the concert and win. The song they play is KISS's very own "God Gave Rock and Roll To You II" that they released for the movie and for their Revenge album in 1992.

This movie isn't as exciting as the first but definately a great sequel. Take the Bogus journey with Bill and Ted.

It's a great movie.
I love this movie. It's very funny, it has references to metal bands, and it's kinda like Terminator with the evil robots from the future. Terminator Bill and Ted! I think that could have worked besides Evil Robot Bill and Ted. Terminator is also a good movie. Buy that and this movie. Ha ha. I've watched this thing eighteen times since I bought it.
It's funny because a lot of the times Bill and Ted look like they are so stoned in the movie with their facial expressions and valley talk. And it if you smoke, watch this movie under the influence. You won't be disappointed.
This movie is also touching and has a message; Treat people nicely and don't judge them. "Be excellent to each other!" It's just flat out a good movie guys.

Hands up if you want more!
There definitely has to be at least one more of Bill & Ted. Both are approaching 40, and their bank accounts may soon be running a little dry (that's a joke), so surely that's an excuse enough to make another! Please? I'm sure there are more Bill & Ted fans out there, it's just not me! Keanu & Alex have both said they'd work with each other again, and lets face it, Alex isn't exactly up to much recently. He's mainly doing behind the scenes stuff, and apparently has a wife and child, and is looking mighty fine for a guy approaching 40. Keanu is also a fairly small name in the movie business these days, you may have heard of the Matrix trilogy?

The first movie was a success. The second isn't as exciting, although it does have its moments, but it is still a totally bogus movie. All the old characters appear, the princesses, the dads, Missy, and some great new stars, William Sadler playing the Duke of Spook, the Doc of Shock, The Man with No Tan, Death himself, the Grim Reaper. He is terrific in this movie, moreso towards the end, where he comes out with a excellent line: "You might be a king or a little street sweeper, but sooner or later you'll dance with the reaper." You've gotta love that line.

Not since Chasing Amy etc, has a movie come out with great end credits. (If you like the final song, you'll probably watch the credits right to the end, if you don't, you won't!) Here are some examples of what appears in the end credits to Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey:

"Be Excellent to Each Other and Party On."
The Full On First Unit
The Stellar Cast
The Non-Heinous Second Unit
The Bodacious Video Effects
The Atypical Creature & Makeup Effects
The Unprecedented Video Photography
The New Age Dudes
Totally Outstanding Guitars Provided By
Camera Operator "Evil" Bill Roe
First Assistant Camera "Good" Bill Clevenger

I hope there will be a third Bill & Ted movie. The best bit of both movies has to be the newspaper/magazine covers towards the end. If you read the headlines, they're pure class! If you haven't seen these movies, you must. They're before Keanu really hit the big time, when all he could do was goofy (and sexy at the same time!), and when Alex really didn't look like he'd hit puberty yet!

smarter than you might think
Watch the Seventh Seal by Ingmar Bergman and you'll appreciate the "battle" with Death even more. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Hey, it's fun! Even though it was intended as a JTT vehicle!
When I watch a Tom Sawyer movie, or a Huck Finn movie, I'm wanting to have fun, that's all. That's why I love 'em. Maybe from Huck I expect some touching moments, but throw Tom in and I expect 99% fun. That's why I love the movies so much more than the books! This movie is easy to play off as a film targeted at Jr. High girls, with the hopes that boys will come for the adventure angle. Well, it probably didn't work out because girls just don't seem interested in the characters of Tom and Huck, no matter who the actors are, and sadly, boys nowadays just don't care about the classic characters of Tom and Huck either. I guess there just aren't enough guns and aliens. I think only the really loyal JTT and Renfro fans went to see this, and a few guys like me, who just find Tom and Huck movies so much fun! Oh, and of course Rachael Leigh Cooke is in it! On that note, I'll say, this movie was very successful! I found it quite fun! JTT doesn't seem to have had the staying power as a heartthrob now that he's grown, but to say he was miscast was all wrong. He was great. I though maybe Renfro looked a bit too old for Huck, but I think that's because I LOVE the Elijah Wood version of Huck Finn, and he was pretty darn young in that. By the way, for the best version of Huck I've seen so far, get the Elijah Wood one, I've nearly worn mine out. If you're looking for a version true to the books, forget it. They're too controversial and frankly, have some really long boring parts, therefore I doubt a movie that's true to the books will ever be made. Anyway, as for this version, sure, it's a little obvious it's targeted at young kids, but actually, it will probably be more enjoyable for those who just like fun Tom Sawyer stories. Oh, here are two things to check out. One, the wonderful music! (Also check out the REALLY Wonderful music in the Elijah Wood film) And two, for a good laugh, pay attention to the scene where Tom and Becky have gotten lost in the cave, and Judge Thatcher gets everyone together to search for them. Here's the hilarious part, for the benefit of the expected all kid audience, Judge Thatcher basically explains the whole plot of the film up to that point, so they know exactly what is going on, who's chasing Tom and Becky, and why. It really is hilarious, but believe me, it doesn't detract to the enjoyment of the movie, only adds to it! Okay, well, that's all I'll say about it, except to add that I actually bought the soundtrack in addition to the video. Now I'm off to get a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, an animated version where Tom is a cat and Huck is a fox, etc... I believe it's fairly new, from MGM, and I hear GREAT things about it. Read the reviews here on Amazon. I'll post mine after I've seen it.

I never knew Huck Finn was this cute!
Even though this is probably not the highest quality production of the Tom Sawyer story ever made, it is my favourite version, because the two boys are at the ages I always imagined them as being. Jonathan Taylor Thomas really does do a good job as Tom, and I really like that the movie shows the way he kind of hero-worships Huck, and sort of wants to be him. Speaking of whom, I know y'all out there reading, will never take me seriously after this, but....I never knew Huck Finn was so cute! Best Huck Finn I ever saw (see? I said you'd not take me seriously!). Really, though, Brad Renfro makes a great Huckleberry Finn. It's interesting, the way the character seems even younger than Tom, in some ways.
The other characters were really good, too. Little Sid is marvelously fun to despise, and Muff Potter is actually rather endearing. The lady cast as Aunt Polly did a great job portraying the careworn, but once-pretty woman I never knew Aunt Polly was.
While not exactly matching the book's description, Rachael Leigh Cook makes a great Becky Thatcher. I really like the fact that, while she can be quite spunky, and at times, responds the way a boy might, she is by no means a misfit. She's plainly a girl who has no problem with being one, and engages in girlish activities with as much enthusiasm as any of her friends.
I was delighted with the actor who played Injun Joe, Eric Schweig. He looked perfect for the part, and really brought the character to life. He didn't play Injun Joe as a complicated villain whose point of view one can see from. But, neither did he play a one-dimensional bad guy who's bad because he's a bad guy. What you see in the movie, is someone who is unquestionable a bad guy, but is still plainly human. He's *interesting*.
It's been a while since I read it, but Tom & Huck is a fairly accurate adaptation of the book into a movie, with all the characters brought to life so well. And, it's a lot of fun to watch.

Tom And Huck
Very entertaining but alittle scary for little ones. I would view with your child and explain certain situations. My 7 year old son enjoyed it!

huck finn is hot!!
i like this movie coz it has brad renfro in it, he's sooo cute. and i think the acting is good i only seen it on tv once but i love brad so yeah=)

Great Movie but Wrong Actors
The story of Tom Sawyer in the book was brought out in the film. The story was great. But the actors were not right. Brad Renfro was much better in other films. And JTT wasn't the best actor for the part. Don't get me wrong, the movie was still great, but it could have been better. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Good for the whole family
This movie is a great one for everyone to watch together, as it can interest anyone, from very young kids to adults.

The miniaturization effects didn't seem particularly advanced - I wasn't wowed by any technical advances I saw. But I would say that they were very imaginably used, making for some cute scenes that were refreshing. They were also carefully done, minimizing the "fakey" feel and letting you concentrate on the story.

The DVD version has a cool "making of The Borrowers" featurette that shows how the special effects were done, which is fun to watch after you've seen the movie.

Fun Adaptation of Norton Classic
I just had the opportunity to see the film The Borrowers starring John Goodman as the evil Mr. Potter. Overall the movie is fun and entertaining and it has been so long since I read the books that I can't be sure the weak points originate in the movie (although I believe they do).

The movie is based upon a series of books by Mary Norton about a race of small people who live in the cracks and walls of the world and are known for borrowing things from humans (or beings). The story centers around one borrower family who are the last of their kind in an old house. Their existence is threatened when the evil Mr. Potter sees to kicking out the being inhabitants in order to knock the house down. There then follows a series of adventures as borrowers and beings alike try to save the house from destruction.

The weak points in the movie concern anachronisms. For the most part the movie is set decades ago as in the books. But annoying anachronisms pop up such as a cellular phone and an in-door ice maker. Considering the vintage of the vehicles on the street these items really stand out. But despite the anachronisms the movie remains entertaining with some very good performances from Goodman and the rest of the cast.

Exelent
i think the film is fantastic i especialy like Raymond Pickard in this film and wish there were more pictures of him available. i think the film is funny and exciting. i have given this film five stars because it is unbelevably good.

Tiny little people,great adventure. 22nd april 2004.
A GREAT film for anyone. They are tiny and a boy rescues them. But when they fall out of the removal van, they go back to where they used to live and they get caught but the man who is there is dying to kill them. But all they do is borrow not steel, really they are friendly people but he the horrible man dosen't realise that. The boy is the only one out of his family that knows about them, he keeps it a secret he makes an excuse to get out of the van, but they just carry on driving. When he finally reaches his new house, he rides back to his old house to try and find them. The two kids and their 2 parents are split up from each other. He drives them to the old house as fast as possible to find their lost 2 kids. But they are only tiny people so they have to be very careful. And the adventure carries on great film.

The Borrowers
I really liked this movie. I thought it was very funny. It also had 2 cast members who where later in the 2nd Harry Potter movie. Tom Felton (a very young Tom) and the guy who played Mr. Weasley. He was the exterminator. There was one part that I thought was falling down funny. I won't say what it was but it had to do with Tom Felton. He must have been about 7 or 8 years old in this movie. His name was Peagreen Clock. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The popular children's books by Mary Norton have been filmed before, but never with as much imagination and ingenuity as you'll find on display in this delightful fantasy film released to critical praise in 1998. The "Borrowers" of the title are a family of tiny people who live in the walls and under the floorboards in the homes of "normal-sized" humans; they earn their by "borrowing" the household items (string, food crumbs, buttons, etc.) needed to furnish their tiny hiding places and provide their meals. The little Clock family lives happily undisturbed in the home of an aged aunt, but when the aunt dies and her will is stolen by an unscrupulous lawyer (John Goodman), the Clocks face eviction and the frightening hazards of the outside world. Under the ingenious direction of Peter Hewitt, this simple, straightforward movie mixes comedy, adventure, and suspense with some of the cleverest special effects you've ever seen, taking full advantage of effects technologies to immerse you in the world of the tiny people. A climactic chase scene in a milk-bottling plant is a visual tour de force, and the movie's smart and dazzling enough to entertain parents and children alike. After its modest success in theaters, The Borrowers stands a good chance of becoming a home-video favorite. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Good for the whole family
This movie is a great one for everyone to watch together, as it can interest anyone, from very young kids to adults.

The miniaturization effects didn't seem particularly advanced - I wasn't wowed by any technical advances I saw. But I would say that they were very imaginably used, making for some cute scenes that were refreshing. They were also carefully done, minimizing the "fakey" feel and letting you concentrate on the story.

The DVD version has a cool "making of The Borrowers" featurette that shows how the special effects were done, which is fun to watch after you've seen the movie.

Fun Adaptation of Norton Classic
I just had the opportunity to see the film The Borrowers starring John Goodman as the evil Mr. Potter. Overall the movie is fun and entertaining and it has been so long since I read the books that I can't be sure the weak points originate in the movie (although I believe they do).

The movie is based upon a series of books by Mary Norton about a race of small people who live in the cracks and walls of the world and are known for borrowing things from humans (or beings). The story centers around one borrower family who are the last of their kind in an old house. Their existence is threatened when the evil Mr. Potter sees to kicking out the being inhabitants in order to knock the house down. There then follows a series of adventures as borrowers and beings alike try to save the house from destruction.

The weak points in the movie concern anachronisms. For the most part the movie is set decades ago as in the books. But annoying anachronisms pop up such as a cellular phone and an in-door ice maker. Considering the vintage of the vehicles on the street these items really stand out. But despite the anachronisms the movie remains entertaining with some very good performances from Goodman and the rest of the cast.

Exelent
i think the film is fantastic i especialy like Raymond Pickard in this film and wish there were more pictures of him available. i think the film is funny and exciting. i have given this film five stars because it is unbelevably good.

Tiny little people,great adventure. 22nd april 2004.
A GREAT film for anyone. They are tiny and a boy rescues them. But when they fall out of the removal van, they go back to where they used to live and they get caught but the man who is there is dying to kill them. But all they do is borrow not steel, really they are friendly people but he the horrible man dosen't realise that. The boy is the only one out of his family that knows about them, he keeps it a secret he makes an excuse to get out of the van, but they just carry on driving. When he finally reaches his new house, he rides back to his old house to try and find them. The two kids and their 2 parents are split up from each other. He drives them to the old house as fast as possible to find their lost 2 kids. But they are only tiny people so they have to be very careful. And the adventure carries on great film.

The Borrowers
I really liked this movie. I thought it was very funny. It also had 2 cast members who where later in the 2nd Harry Potter movie. Tom Felton (a very young Tom) and the guy who played Mr. Weasley. He was the exterminator. There was one part that I thought was falling down funny. I won't say what it was but it had to do with Tom Felton. He must have been about 7 or 8 years old in this movie. His name was Peagreen Clock. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tales from the Crypt is no Sopranos, but in its day it was HBO's most popular original series. Based on the EC Horror comics of the 1940s and 1950s, these short shock-and-suspense stories with twist (and often twisted) endings weren't exclusively horror tales, but they consistently mined, in a comic sort of way, the dark side of human nature. The three episodes directed by series coproducer Robert Zemeckis are among the most memorable. In "All Through the Night," perhaps the single most famous story from the original comic book series, a psychotic killer dressed as Santa escapes Christmas Eve and terrorizes a middle-class home where murder has already made a holiday appearance: a homicidal wife plunges a fireplace poker into her husband's skull. (It was also adapted in the 1972 British anthology movie Tales from the Crypt). Kirk Douglas stars as a blood-and-thunder World War I general who discovers his son is a coward in the grim "Yellow," the most dramatically acute of the trio. Digital magic morphs Humphrey Bogart into "You, Murderer," a high-concept, rather gimmicky tale of murder, double crosses, and poetic justice as seen through a dead man's eyes. Isabella Rossellini (daughter of Bogie's Casablanca costar Ingrid Bergman) and John Lithgow costar as plotting lovers. Zemeckis has a great deal of fun with the first and last films, giving them a flamboyant comic book exaggeration, but the underplayed irony of "Yellow" makes it one of the darkest, most affecting stories in the series' run. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Lights! Camera! Hack-tion! Zemeckis Directs CRYPT!
Based on stories from the deliciously depraved E.C. horror comics (TALES FROM THE CRYPT, VAULT OF HORROR, HAUNT OF FEAR) of the 1950s, TALES FROM THE CRYPT was a TV horror anthology that, like most TV anthologies, had a lot of both hits and misses. Some of the stories really stank, but when a story was a hit, it was usually dead on (excuse the pun). This DVD represents three episodes that HBO execs apparently consider hits, probably because they were all directed by the renowned and Oscar-winning (1994's FORREST GUMP) Robert Zemeckis. And though CRYPT fans would like to see more episodes made available on DVD, the execs made pretty good selections with this lot.

The first story, "And All Through the House," is definitely the scariest of the three. It's about a disgruntled wife who murders her husband on Christmas Eve, only to have a madman dressed in Santa garb show up to deliver her just deserts. It is a particulary frightening morality play not only because it warns that "what goes around, comes around"; it also makes a multi-faceted statement about innocence and youth, as it is the murderous woman's little daughter who ultimately lets "Santa" into the house. Larry Drake delivers a delectably deranged performance as the insane Saint Nick. (This has proven to be one of the most enduring stories from the original E.C. Comics series, as it was also previously dramatized in 1972 as one portion of an excellent five-part British flick entitled TALES FROM THE CRYPT. In that version, Joan Collins--DYNASTY's Alexis Carrington Colby--played the part of the homicidal wife.)

In the second story, "Yellow," Kirk Douglas is a stone-hearted, by-the-book WWI General and, his son, Eric Douglas, is a craven Lieutenant under the General's command. Embarrassed by his "yellow" progeny, the General engages his son in an insidious course of action that will save the young man's reputation as well as allow the General himself to save face. Although the ending is easily predictable, the acting is top-notch and the depiction of WWI is fairly gruesome (for TV, anyway), and it all adds up to an engaging and suspenseful drama. This is definitely the strongest episode of the trio, though not as scary as the first.

The last of the three offerings, "You, Murderer," is also the weakest. It covers the last day in the life of a business exec who, altered via plastic surgery to hide from a dark past, is blackmailed and then offed by his cuckolding wife and her lover. Though the plot is a bit cliche and its ending predictable, the episode does, nonetheless, have a few interesting aspects: one, the story is told via flashbacks from the point of view of the already-dead exec; two, á la plastic surgery, the exec is the spitting image of Humphrey Bogart; and three, great performances are delivered by Isabella Rossellini (daughter of the real-life Bogart's CASABLANCA costar Ingrid Bergman) and character actor John Lithgow. The episode's biggest flaw is the special effects, which are primarily computerized insertions of Bogart film-clips á la FORREST GUMP. Unlike in GUMP, the effects come across as embarrasingly cheesy, and the manner in which they are utilized is very awkward to the flow of the narrative. Still, it's an entertaining entry for CRYPT, just one that is not up to par with the other two on this disc.

One minorly disappointing aspect to the DVD overall is the fact that there are no extras on the disc. Some HBO or syndication promotional spots or an interview with Zemeckis would've been nice, or maybe even a behind-the-scenes short featuring our gregarious host, The Crypt Keeper. Still, this DVD is well worth the expense, especially for fans of TALES FROM THE CRYPT or fans of the horror genre in general. At Amazon.com's asking price, the cost is less than $5 per episode, and that's cheaper than the cost-per-episode charged for many TV shows in either VHS or DVD format!

Yellow Shines, More Tales Please!
Of all the television series I want on DVD, Tales From The Crypt is it!

I hope this is just the first in a long running set for this series, but it doesn't look like it.

This DVD contains the three episodes done by Robert Zemeckis.

And All Through the House" (1989), remided me of the 'Tales From The Crypt - Have A Scary Little Christmas' CD I've had for quite a while. Basically the same backdrop of the story told on the CD is here, except for the 'Mother' killing her husband. Anyhow, that's how it starts, but what the poor mother does not know is that an escaped lunatic is on the prowl.

"Yellow" (1991), A dang good yarn if I do say so eh kiddies? Martin Sheen's excellent in this story of a san who cannot live up to his father's aspects of courageousness.

"You, Murderer" (1995), is really wierd. Stars Humphrey Bogart, Sherilyn Fenn, and some other famous personalities and basically the tale is in Bogart's voice. He is dead (murdered actually) but can still see what is happing around him, hear everything, and worse feel everything!

Pretty good set. Some great stars in these episodes and I really loved the episode 'Yellow'.

Hopefully more will be produced as I love the whole series.

great. but only 3 of the episodes.
this is worth buying if you are even a remote fan of tales from the crypt, however; it's only has 3 of many episodes on it. "yellow" is my personal favorite. they need to release more of the episodes on DVD so i, and everyone else who wants it, could have the complete collection. ... Read more