Reviews (36)

A movie that made a big splash
"Splash" was a big hit when it first hit the screens back in the 80's and it's still fairly popular today. A man (Tom Hanks) that has been waiting to find the right woman for a long time finally finds her. But there's one problem that he doesn't understand until he really gets to know her, she's a mermaid (Daryl Hannah). How will a man and a mermaid work it out and stay together?

"Splash" is a real entertaining movie and it's not all drama. It tells a story of true love and it does have a lot of drama in it, but it also has a little bit of comedy to it in some parts, and most of that is credit to one of the best comedy actors ever, John Candy, who plays as Tom Hanks's brother. If you like good movies, I definitely recommend getting "Splash." It's bound to make a big splash while you watch it.

One Of My All Time Favourite Comedys!
I will never forget the first time I saw the movie "Splash". It was in California 6 years ago and I watched the tape with my cousin. I thought it was so creative and the acting was so good. It was also a very humorous and did have a few sad parts in it, but all in all, I still liked it and watched it as many times as I could on TV because it was on alot. I then ended up buying my own copy. Ok, enough about me, let me tell you a bit about the storyline

Tom Hanks plays Allen Bauer, a single bachelor who is looking for a love. After a boating accident, he is rescued by a mermaid (Daryl Hannah) and falls in love with her and names her Madison. For he thinks she is a normal, everyday American woman, he has no clue he is dating a mermaid who has 6 days to have legs and not fins!!! Of course this film has lots and lots of surprises, it never tires me out when I watch it!

What a film! No wonder why it is a classic! Rated PG for Language.

SWEET, FUNNY, ROMANTIC, ORIGINAL, WHAT ELSE CAN YOU ASK FOR?
Usually when I hear "an 80's comedy" I really hear "a silly, gross, stupid comedy"...but not this time my friends, because "Splash" is one of the funniest films of the 1980s. You see, it really has it all: funny jokes, tender moments, romance, an intelligent script, and a very charismatic cast.

In "Splash" we can see a very young Tom Hanks (in his comedic period), a promising Darryl Hannah (she didn't quite reach stardom, but in this movie she is great), a hilarious John Candy (in one of his finest and funniest performances), and Eugene Levy, he plays a wacky and clueless scientist.

"Splash" is a movie that effectively combines comedy with romance and fantasy, perhaps the movie succeeded so well because the people involved in the film were youthful and energetic, and they put their hearts in the making of "Splash". This movie is highly recommendable.

Hilarious romantic comedy
I just watched Splash over the weekend on video, for the umpteenth time and I have to say is one of my all time favourite comedies. It still has me laughing out loud and makes me want to weep over the romantic scenes.

A young Tom Hanks plays Allen Bauer, a fruit wholesaler who has just been dumped by his girlfriend. He goes off to Cape Cod one evening after getting drunk and is rescued by a naked beautiful girl (Daryl Hannah) when he falls into the sea. The naked beautiful girl later arrives in New York at the Statue of Liberty in search of Allen whom she also saved from drowning many years ago when they were children. Allen immediately falls for her and spends the happiest days of his life steaming up his appartment and seeing the sights of New York. The only problem is the naked beautiful girl (now named Madison) is in fact a mermaid but Allen doesn't know this.

She has six whole days to stay with Allen and then she must return to the sea. Allen thinks that Madison is an illegal immigrant and offers to marry her so that she can stay with him. She refuses at first and then accepts his offer but before she can tell him her big secret she is exposed to the whole world by a scientist (Eugene Levy) that she is a mermaid. Allen is shocked and backs away from Madison but later realises his mistake and with his brother (John Candy) and the help of Eugene Levy they save her from imprisonment by the scientists.

John Candy who plays Allen's playboy brother is absolutely hilarious. His character is literally larger than life. The comic timing between Tom Hanks and John Candy is spot on. Daryl Hannah is also great as the mermaid who learns to be human in literally a few days. There are some brilliant laugh out loud scenes such as when Daryl Hannah is at Bloomingdales watching television for 6 hours to educate herself in the English language and when she's in a restaurant eating lobster including the shell. There are some great lines aswell such as when Allen mentions about getting married and having children and Madison innocently asks what kind.

Splash is a timeless comedy and is highly recommended to all those who love a bit of romance along with a good laugh.

Lealing

A "Slash" of a Romantic Comedy!
Here's a true piece of Hollywood Candy, a sweet as they come! An 8-year old boy falls off of a tour boat at Cape Cod and is saved from drowning by what appears to be a little girl mermaid. The boy never forgets about what happened that day, although everyone insists he was hallucinating.

Years later, now a man (and played by Tom Hanks), another trip to Cape Cod brings a dejavu: Hanks falls off of a tour boat and is rescued by an all grown mermaid (played by Daryl Hannah). Could it be the same mermaid that saved him when he was a boy? -- The mermaid has normal legs when kept dry, but once douced with water, the legs turn into fish finns. Hannah is able to conseal her true identity, until a "bad guy" exposes her. There are complications, but eventually everything comes up roses.

One great scene is where the grown up mermaid spends 6 hours in the electronics department of a store, and learns the English language fluently by watching tv non-stop. Cute! -- This film is very entertaining and helps us feel compassion for anyone who is somehow different from what society considers the norm. The somewhat predictable ending is beautiful! Highly recommended, especially to the hopelessly romantic cinema enthusiasts out there!***** ... Read more

Reviews (247)

Sword and Sorcery Epic
An ancient prophecy tells of a sacred child that will bring an end to the reign of the evil Queen Bavmorda(Jean Marsh). The sacred child is smuggled out of the castle and finds her way to Willow Ufgood(Warwick Davis). He leaves his village on a quest to return the baby but he becomes trapped in the middle of a battle beween good and evil. With the help of Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) Willow must protect the baby from the queen and her daughter Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) and fulfill the prophecy.

Willow has received a very nice transfer that is a step up from the old laser disk. It is presented in Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1). There is no edge enhancement and very little grain which is amazing for a picture from 1988. The sound however doesnt make use of the surrounds. Very few times are the rear speakers used. The film is in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround.

The audio commentary by Warwick Davis is very informative and every fan of the movie should listen to it. I just wish that George Lucas and Ron Howard participated as well. Two great featurettes are included along with several trailers and stills. Unlike most fantasy movies it is suited for all ages. Willow is a movie that I grew up with and today am still very fond of it. This film has it all, action, adventure, comedy and romance. Highly recommended.

This Movie, I Love It!
Val Kilmer and the delightful Warwick Davis take us on a fantasy adventure that noone should ever forget. When Willow (Davis) happens to come upon a mystically sacred child, he finds out he must defend the child to help save her and all that is good from an evil sorceress bent on taking over the world by using the power of the child. Along his way, Willow encounters some interesting counterparts, including Madmartigan (Kilmer) who had been imprisoned for wrongdoing. What happens on Willow's adventure is something every fantasy film fan should enjoy.

Much like Legend, Labryinth, and The Goonies, I grew up with Willow being one of my favorite films. Willow has the special ability to make me return to my childhood and thoroughly enjoy it, no matter how many times I've watched it. My excitement when I found out Willow would be transferred to DVD was great! And I'm a satisfied customer after purchasing it. The video and audio transfers are wonderful. The picture makes the film even more colorful than I've ever seen. The Making Of . . . featurette is quiet entertaining, and it was awesome to see both Ron Howard and George Lucas working behind the scenes with the cast. The commentary with Warwick Davis is a good little listen, and the theatrical trailers and tv spots are neat to watch.

I was very very ecstatic about this Willow's DVD release. And even more ecstatic that all of my favorite 80 films are getting good DVD releases. I hope there's more to come.

Willow- What i think...
When i was little, i really did enjoy this film, and watched it for hours. I am not sure about it now, since its been a while. But i remember it being amazingly fantastic, and i loved every minute of it. The storyline was well thought out, and it had a mixture of genres. Including, Fantasy, Comedy, adventure and more, all the aspects which will please a child audience.Its a love, hate relationship, either you LOVE it or hate it really. Its not every ones cup of tea, but its certainly mine. If your things such as Lord of the rings, Never ending story, etc, (anything with magical aspects) Then this is the thing for you! :)

Is this the best they can do?
I really wish Lucas had made a better movie than this. In fact he did, it was called Star Wars. Look at this movie and see the similarities to Star Wars. Willow is Luke Skywalker. Billy Barty is Obi Wan Kenobi. Val Kilmer is Han Solo. The two little faries are R2D2 and C3PO. And you can obviously see who the Darth Vader character is.
I would have forgiven this if at least the story were watchable. Even when I saw this movie as a kid I found it hard care what happened it any of these characters. I really wanted to like this movie because I am a big fantasy fan. Unfortunately when Hollywood makes a fantasy movie 9 times out of 10 they make it silly beyond belief or so sappy that you wonder why they didn't just make a modern romance movie instead.
If you want to see a real fantasy movie check out any of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Princess Bride, Excalibur or Conan the Barbarian (NOT the Destroyer.)

Great for kids!
I remember seeing this movie as a child and absolutely loving it. The sets and monsters are magical and entertaining, and the plot is well-crafted and fast-paced for a kid. I did get the movie for Christmas, and it doesn't hold up as well to my now adult mind as The Dark Crystal or The Princess Bride, especially the acting, but still, it's fun to watch. If you liked this as a kid, or are still a kid, I'd recommend it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

NASA's worst nightmare turned into one of the space agency's most heroic moments in 1970, when the Apollo 13 crew was forced to hobble home in a disabled capsule after an explosion seriously damaged the moon-bound spacecraft. Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton play (respectively) astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise in director Ron Howard's intense, painstakingly authentic docudrama. The Apollo 13 crew and Houston-based mission controllers race against time and heavy odds to return the damaged spacecraft safely to Earth from a distance of 205,500 miles. Using state-of-the-art special effects and ingenious filmmaking techniques, Howard and his stellar cast and crew build nail-biting tension while maintaining close fidelity to the facts. The result is a fitting tribute to the Apollo 13 mission and one of the biggest box-office hits of 1995. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (137)

Engrossing, Excellent, Awesome & Inspiring!
We really enjoyed this DVD... it's one of our "keepers" and definitely worth owning and viewing regularly -- it will remind you (as it has our family) that is is so very good to be born/raised/live in this country.

It begins with a voiceover by Walter Cronkite (and yes, our announcer is the real thing!) which introduces us to the heroes as they walk across the gantry, and pays tribute to the three we lost in that disastrous fire on the launch-pad....

The movie follows those fateful days (beginning in pre-launch) and then in orbit, and it focuses on the united effort in bringing our boys home. These men are so smart -- all of them (not just in space but at Mission Control) and is a realistic view of the times. You'll see the old Izod shirts (remember the Alligators?) and Corvettes, Mission Control (hey, they smoke -- this was not a purified/Politically Corrected re-enactment/revision of truth)... I appreciated that.

Oh, and it's not all drama. There are moments of smiles, and it's not too intense excluding the JOYOUS moment when we hear them respond after four minutes coming through the atmosphere.... Still, I wouldn't suggest youngsters under age eight view it alone.

[Note: our family is protective of our children and they have not been raised on a diet of broadcast television. Yours may be used to intense programming -- please use your own judgment. There is nothing bloody-gruesome in the movie, nor in the commentary. That said, you will CARE DEEPLY about all the people you see.]

One more little (out of sequence) note: The end has Tom Hanks (who plays Jim Lovell) narrating a mini catch-up to present of the whole story. We learn what happens to the individuals in the movie. It's a wonderful "wrap" to an amazing six days in space.

If we are going to do a docu-drama, one might also suggest that future writers/directors view this one to get an idea that they public will spend perfectly good money on QUALITY shows that are truthful, accurate and not hack-jobs. (End mini-rant!)

I found the scenes compelling and recall the "lump in throat" of those days. To me though, seeing the families perspective broadened the effect. Oh, and Mrs. Lovell is a force to be reckoned with -- I liked her a lot! She's a classy lady.

Minor Quibbles: In two places there are swear words (Mrs. Lovell -- who in the commentary states she doesn't "talk like that" -- when discovering the magnitude of Jim's problems swears... I thought that extraneous. Also, in another section one of the astronauts uses a bad word (appropriate maybe, but basically, unnecessary).

The Best Stuff: After the movie we are provided with a mini-movie on how they filmed it all. NASA cooperated and many of the scenes were filmed in those planes that "deliberately plunge toward the earth" so the actors/film-makers/lighting guys et al were weightless. One of the brave actors in particular didn't want his testosterone questioned but... ;)

I particularly enjoyed the interviews... you could really see how much the whole crew wanted this to be an *excellent* movie, one to last through the ages. It's brought out that the movie will be (at some point in history) a look back on the whole era. We (the USofA) have some incredible individuals to be proud of... this is perhaps one of the best patriotic movies I have ever seen -- notwithstanding war epics. It makes me glad to be an American.

Okay, so you also see the real gents appearing on the Johnny Carson Show too. One more thing -- at the very end of the movie you see Jim Lovell -- he's the Captain of the ship that picks up the astronaut. His wife appears once too, but don't blink! (grin)

Also, the Bonus Materials include two voice-over commentaries. The first is made by Director Ron Howard (you know, he's good -- very good!) and tells inside things about the creation of this movie. I enjoyed it.

The best Commentary though was done by Mr. and Mrs. Lovell -- ah, and Ron -- that con-trail isn't supposed to be there. (winks)

All in all, this is one of our favorites... I'd go so far as to suggest you Pay Retail, and maybe even opt for First Class shipping so you won't have to wait. It is that good!

Fellow Reviewers, I Have a Problem
I posted a review of this film some four years ago after I had purchased the "Collector's Edition". About a year later, I watched the movie one more time. Since that time, my DVD has been stored in its jacket, safe and sound. About one month ago, I was going to view the film again but my DVD player tells me, "This Disc Cannot be Played on this Player". Cleaning and otherwise re-inserting the disc proved useless. I have since tried the disc in both my computer's DVD drives, two other different DVD players, a laptop and one more computer, all to no avail. I keep getting the same message. Does anyone know what happened to my disc while stored safely in its jacket? Why did it play well two times, and now says it can't be played, on the same player. Has anyone experienced this problem? Thanx...........

A bit of history hits the big screen...
Nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Picture, Apollo 13 is one of the best movies of its decade. Despite prior knowledge of the historical outcome, it's guaranteed to keep viewers steeped in suspense. Director Ron Howard creates yet another fantastic picture, solidifying his transformation from Mayberry's favorite son on Andy Griffith to one of the most accomplished director/producers in all of Hollywood. Standout performances by Gary Sinise and Tom Hanks (on the heels of their Oscar-caliber portrayals from Forrest Gump) make Apollo 13 especially enticing to the movie connoisseur. Based on the true story of the Apollo 13 mission, the film stirs emotions of all types - hope, fear, and patriotism among them. In the end, it's one of those rare movies where the characters are able to intimately connect with the audience. In short, Apollo 13 provides a true glimpse into the lives of those who defined history...

Tom Hanks plays the role of real life astronaut Jim Lovell, member of the three man crew of Apollo 13 - the 1970 lunar landing mission. Accompanied by fellow crewmates Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), Lovell rockets into space in pursuit of his dream of walking on the moon. Unable to make the flight, fellow astronaut Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise) reluctantly remains on the ground.

Meanwhile, Americans show little interest in this latest lunar mission despite the fact that barely a year has passed since Neil Armstrong's famous words. Apollo 13 is perceived as "routine" and the flight gets little press coverage until Lovell utters some famous words of his own, "Houston, we have a problem"...

When things go horribly wrong on Apollo 13, the mission changes from one of moon landing to astronaut survival. Lovell, Haise, and Swigert feverishly work to uncover the problem. Meanwhile, in Houston, flight director Gene Kranz (Ed Harris), bumped crew member Ken Mattingly, and the legions of NASA ground control work around the clock to maintain contact and bring the astronauts home safely. As the minutes pass, the entire world holds its breath in anticipation of the outcome...

Following on the coattails of Tom Hanks back-to-back Academy Awards for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump - Apollo 13 hit the movie theaters with widespread anticipation. The monumental expectations of movie goers were not without merit as the film's multiple Academy Award nominations will attest. But what makes Apollo 13 such a strong and emotion-driven epic is its connection with the historical record. The events that unfold happened for real, and at the time, no one knew the final outcome. Unlike today, traveling to space was not routine (or at least not as overlooked as it is now). The men who flew the Apollo 13 mission were true heroes in every sense of the word.

And although they failed to reach the moon, the astronauts of Apollo 13 are immortalized in history in ways they never would have been had their flight gone off without a hitch. Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, and their colleagues do justice to this classic story of man's triumph over adversity. Compelling, suspenseful, and filled with drama, Apollo 13 is an unforgettable film - and a definite must-see movie...

The DVD Report

10th Anniversary Package Makes Superb Movie Soar Even Higher
I will always remember those tense three days in April 1970 when the Apollo 13 astronauts seemed suspended in space, and this was well before the days of 24-hour coverage by CNN and Fox. For those who have yet to purchase this movie on DVD, the tenth anniversary two-disc set is a must-have for any adventure film-lover, especially for those like myself who were obsessed with the nation's space program in the 1960's and early 70's. Ron Howard, the director, came of age with this thrilling recreation of the aborted Apollo 13 mission, as defining a moment in NASA's history as the tragic Challenger explosion. The 1995 movie was a faithful depiction of what went wrong with the flight and how the mission changed dramatically to one of saving the three astronauts from being marooned in space forever. One would think that knowing the ending would rob the viewer of the suspense factor, but Howard does an amazing job in making the story feel fresh by guiding us through the heroic acts both in the capsule and at NASA's Mission Control in vividly realistic detail. He also evokes the atmosphere back then with emotional and visual accuracy, showing how anti-climactic the mission was perceived in light of Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon just the year prior. A rupture in the oxygen tank changed things completely as the movie illustrates a desperate attempt at survival with computer systems turned off, the capsule moving toward freezing temperatures and the three men relying on their gut instincts to maneuver the capsule home.

What I appreciate most about the movie is that Howard does not derail the basic story with unnecessary subplots or flourishes of melodrama. He realizes the real story is more than enough to engage the viewer and that the attention to detail, often technical in nature, is not off-putting.Howard even creates blood-pumping suspense out of the ground effort to jerry-build a scrubber to clean carbon dioxide from the capsule's air supply.This kind of film is all in the details, even the more predictable home scenes where family members try to confront their increasing sense of fear. The movie has a solid testosterone-heavy cast - Tom Hanks stalwart as always as Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell; Bill Paxton as Fred Haise; Kevin Bacon as last-minute substitute Jack Swigert; Ed Harris as determined flight director Gene Kranz; Gary Sinise as grounded astronaut Ken Mattingly; and bravely leading the homefront is Kathleen Quinlan as Lovell's wife, Marilyn. Even though the move is full of familiar suspense elements and the characters' interactions are often just officious, there is hardly a wasted dramatic moment in the entire film, pretty impressive given its 140-minute running time. This is a superbly done real-life adventure film and docudrama and aside from Philip Kaufman's 1983 adaptation of Tom Wolfe's "The Right Stuff", probably the best movie about the space program.

The smoothly edited, 116-minute IMAX version (produced in 2002) is on the second disc, and the widescreen orientation coupled with the enhanced sound makes for great viewing as well. There are three documentaries included spread across both discs: the comprehensive making-of feature, "Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13 - The Making of Apollo 13", which has interviews with Howard and the cast, as well as insight into how the space shots were created; "Conquering Space: The Moon and Beyond", a 48-minute general overview of the race to the Moon and the exploration of Mars, produced mainly for the uninitiated; and a twelve-minute NBC Dateline feature called "Lucky 13: The Astronauts' Story", which contains interviews with the astronauts and members of Mission Control for the Apollo 13 mission. There are two alternative commentary tracks, the first with Howard who is extremely knowledgeable and highly infectious in his descriptions of the shoot, the other with Jim and Marilyn Lovell providing valuable insight as to how it really felt as the events were unfolding. A truly excellent package.

The NASA Mission That Began 35 Years Ago Today
People can sometimes become complacent when it comes to technology and forget that it is the product of human endeavors that are far from perfect.Usually, engineers and builders do their best to ensure that the technology to be used is safe.However, mistakes can and sometimes do happen.Such was the case during NASA's Apollo 13 moon mission that was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on April 11, 1970.Intended to be the third landing and human exploration of the lunar surface, many people had lost interest in the program following the huge success of the previous two missions that included the first-ever manned landing on the moon.However, such complacency was quickly replaced by fear and anxiety, as the fates of the three Apollo 13 astronauts were unknown following a potentially lethal accident.These fears, anxieties and hopes were beautifully captured by director Ron Howard in his 1995, Oscar-nominated film aptly named "Apollo 13".

In the film, the three Apollo 13 astronauts, Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), have a flawless launch as they set out for the moon.Jack Swigert was not originally supposed to be part of the Apollo 13 crew though.It was supposed to be Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise), but when NASA doctors thought that he might have the mumps, he was grounded and Jack Swigert replaced him.This caused some minor consternation among all involved, but the mighty Saturn 5 rocket was launched on April 11, 1970 anyway.Everything appeared to be going normally until April 14, some 205,000 miles away from the Earth.Jack Swigert was instructed to mix the oxygen tanks, which, when he did, caused an explosion.The explosion caused multiple failures on board making the Mission Control personnel initially think that there was simply a communications or monitoring equipment failure.However, once Jim Lovell & Fred Haise regained control of the damaged ship, Jim Lovell reported to Mission Control those immortal words, "Houston, we have a problem."Once Mission Control personnel realized the severity of the situation, they considered ordering the crew to turn back, but there was no way to know whether the main rocket booster had been damaged.Instead, they opted for the safer, but longer route that would have the damaged ship go around the moon, then begin its return to Earth.Since the crew had to shut off power and had no active guidance computer, the tension was very high as Jim Lovell & Fred Haise manually operated the lunar-lander's rocket to cause the ship to return to Earth.Other problems included the intense cold (since there wasn't enough power for heat), having to adapt the square air filters from one ship to work in the round filter holes in the other so that they would not die from asphyxiation, boredom, not knowing whether or not the ship's systems would come back on properly, not knowing whether the heat shield had been damaged and Fred getting sick.This was truly one of NASA's finest moments in being able to assist the otherwise helpless crew be able to return to Earth, including Ken Mattingly working hard on the ground to help ensure that the Apollo 13 crew would be able to turn on what they need with the little power that they had available.

Other memorable characters in the film include Mission Control chief Gene Kranz (Ed Harris), Marilyn Lovell (Kathleen Quinlan) and Blanch Lovell (Jean Speegle Howard, 1927-2000).For its overall realism, wonderful cinematography, engaging story and wonderful acting, I rate "Apollo 13" with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars.The film won two Oscars for Best Film Editing and Best Sound, but was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Visual Effects, Best Art & Set Decoration and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.Additionally, Ed Harris received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, as did Kathleen Quinlan for Best Supporting Actress.If you have never seen the film, but aren't sure that you want to purchase a copy, I highly recommend seeing it at least once. ... Read more

Reviews (50)

A Wonderful Family Masterpiece
I can't express how much Parenthood is a great film. It's a beautifully crafted story with comedy and drama all woven together in a perfect movie gem. The film centers around a large family who are just going through the trials and tribulations of life. Kids, sex, jobs, relationships, divorce. You name it. Steve Martin headlines this film that has an undoubtedly brilliant unsemble cast. Dianne Wiest stands out in a hilarious and yet, very real performance. She has trouble adjusting to son in law Keanu Reeves. She has a few classic scenes that are undeniably funny and brilliant. The legendary Jason Robards is on hand as the family patriarch. He is solid and wonderful. The remaining cast is outstanding: Mary Steenburgen, Rick Moranis, Martha Plimpton, Joaquin Phoenix, Tom Hulce. You can't go wrong with any of them. Director Ron Howard is a master at putting this film, with different story arcs, together. This is his best work. Steve Martin also shows at how good he can do dramatic parts. If he is deserving of an Oscar, then he should've been recognized for this. Parenthood is a stylish, clever, funny, and teriffic film on family life. See this movie and you'll feel good in the end.

Will have you alternately laughing and crying!
Steve Martin is top billed in this film and he is excellent but the rest of the cast is just as good. This movie is actually divided into four separate parts-four different branch off's of the same family (the father, his kids and their families)-that allows this fine ensemble to portray all the ups and downs of family life. It is a film that teaches without preaching and it's lesson is clearly understood: in life, you can't have the peaks without the valleys. And because of it every character comes to stark realizations about themselves and their relationships with other people. All the characters, that is, except the one played by Tom Hulce. But even that character is correctly written; it just simply isn't the right time for him to realize.The interactions between the father (Jason Robards) and his two sons (Hulce and Martin) tell us much about all three characters' past, present and future. Unfortunately there isn't any interaction between the father and the two daughters, played by Martha Plimpton and Dianne Wiest, but with so many characters to deal with and so many ties to bind, there simply wasn't time. But the time the writers have is well spent indeed. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel have taken a very basic idea and expanded on it in a realistic and original way. It's no wonder that all the characters are tied together so perfectly in the end.Ron Howard has taken that script and directed these tremendous performers to superlative work. Very seldom have any of them been better. Martin shines in an everyman IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE portrayal of the father of three and the second oldest child of the four earlier mentioned. Not since ROXANNE had he given a performance of such range and depth. Dianne Wiest as his older sister won another Oscar nomination and is just as good as she was in HANNAH AND HER SISTERS. Martha Plimpton as the next oldest child is fine as a mother torn between her high-tech-education-supporter-husband (Moranis, his best work since LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS) and her young childhood deprived daughter. Tom Hulce is the youngest of Jason Robards' four kids and has the toughest role to play. He wasn't given the one-liners the others have. His character isn't likeable. His father obviously favors him at first, which is hard for the rest of the family as well as the audience to understand. But he portrays the character as it should be played-a wanderer with unstoppable dreams who is also to be pitied. Robards' portrayal of the father is one of his best and should have garnered him another Oscar nomination. Through Robards' father character we see how his kids turned out the way they did. And we see him growing and learning as he finds you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. Joaquin Phoenix, here billed as Leaf (River's kid brother as Wiest's youngest) and Helen Shaw as Grandma, the matriarch of the family are also excellent. Keanu Reeves (Wiest's son-in-law) and Mary Steenburgen (Martin's wife) round out the cast beautifully. Randy Newman's score is perfect and the song "I Love to See You Smile" is very infectious.Pulling everything together for a production is not an easy thing. When you couple that with the fact that in this movie, comedy and drama are blended together seemlessly, Howard and his cast and crew have created a true treasure. Being a perfect parent is not easy. Being a perfect person is impossible. If you are anything less, see this movie.

Very Good now
When I first saw this movie about 7 years ago I did not like it. I did not get why it was so funny back then and thought it all rather sad.
But I tried and it was worth it! It is sometimes very gripping in what happens in the lives of people, though it is sometimes a little exaggerated, like in an Irving book.

It is also funny. The things that happen in itself are hilarious, and sometimes also there are some funny things interspersed ("Take Grandma away from the Nintendo").

The part of Keanu Reeves is also interesting. He plays a dumb guy like in Bill and Ted's excellent adventure. There is a touching scene where he talks to his wife's mother about her son's masturbation ("That's why little dude's do"). Even though he is the stupidest, he has the best advice.

Tom Hulce is brilliant as the youngest gambler son. The dad, useless in the beginning, now finally realized what he has to do.

It is a funny movie and sometimes touching. One of the better Steve Martin movies.

Overpriced, no-frills DVD of a wonderful movie
This is a wonderful, heartwarming film that always manages to make me laugh AND cry....that's why I wanted to own a copy. Unfortunately, the DVD lacks any special features to enhance it (especially frustrating since it's a comparatively expensive one!). How tough would it have been for Ron Howard, Steve Martin or any of the supporting cast to offer a commentary track?

That's why I'd recommend it as a rental only. Dianne Wiest and Helen Shaw deliver exceptional performances...Steve Martin's at his most charming...the child actors are superior and it's one of Mary Steenburgen's best performances.

"No widescreen", "NO SALE"!!!!!
This is such a good film that ranks in the top five of Steve Martin films, with such a great supporting cast and a truly original and funny screenplay for them to work with, it just seems a shame that we the consumer had to wait more than a decade for a "Pan-Scan" DVD release of this great family film, I'm sure alot of people would agree with me that it's like watching 1/2 of the original movie. I hope the distributer of this DVD gets copies of all these reviews and then thinks twice about the next movie he "butchers" by releasing it in a "Pan-Scan" format on a DVD because he just lost a lot of sales due to the lack of a widescreen version of this DVD and "I am sad to say I'm one of those lost sales". ... Read more

Reviews (641)

Schizophrenia is *not* this pretty
It's extremely difficult to get into the mind (and therefore the world) of the patient with schizophrenia or a similar thought disorder. Necessarily simplified from the biography of mathematician John Nash, this film achieves dramatic pace and structure that has no analogue in the life of even some of the most extraordinary individuals suffering from such a condition.

Setting aside the fact that Ron Howard's work is not true to the nominal subject of the movie, however, this film comes laudably close to a good clinical depiction of the desperate vividness of the auditory and visual hallucinations suffered by patients with schizophrenia, including the sort of elaborate structures of delusion which the more intelligent individual has been known to develop.

I would wish that Howard and his associates had managed to portray something more of the adverse effects of the drugs available to treat schizophrenia in the '50s and '60s. Indeed, I would've liked to have seen Russell Crowe add to his superb performance some intimation of these harrowing elements so that the audience could better understand the pharmacotherapeutic factors that drove Nash to discontinue his neuroleptic medications and undertake what is essentially self-directed cognitive therapy in order to address his thought disorder. Even the more recently-developed "atypical" antipsychotic medicines have pretty nasty side effects, and we are far from perfection in the medical management of schizophrenia today.

This is in no way a perfect movie, certainly. It is, however, good art, and we owe the makers of this film our thanks for helping increase the general public awareness of thought disorders. Schizophrenia is a great deal easier to treat (both with and without neuroleptic agents) when it is brought to appropriate medical attention at the earlier phases of development, and Russell Crowe has succeeding in putting a human face on the disorder -- much as Tom Hanks did for HIV/AIDS in *Philadelphia* -- with great power and (I hope) telling effect.

An Excellent Film
While many complain that Ron Howard whitewashed much of John Nash's life in A BEAUTIFUL MIND, those same fail to acknowledge that the film as it stands is in and of itself quite a strong picture. And while those same people scream of sentimentality throughout, there is nothing here that suggests anything sentimental or even likable about the person of John Nash. Granted, there are a few moments where scenes with his wife teeter on sappy, but overall I think the film depicts rather well the horror that must have been, and still is, Nash's life as a schizophrenic. The acting is uniformly excellent--Russell Crowe shows far more of his capability(and should have got the Oscar) here as an actor than in GLADIATOR The supporting cast is also first-rate--Jennifer Connelly gives a quiet, beautifully restrained performance as Alicia Nash(and I think it's safe to say the Oscar wasn't completely unjustified), and there's also equally fine work from Ed Harris, Paul Bettany, and Christopher

Plummer. Best Picture of the year? Nope, that would have been LORD OF THE RINGS. But I think this is a solid second choice.

"They are my past. Everyone is haunted by their past."
Ron Howard's "A Beautiful Mind" is a tragic and inspiring masterwork that showcases one of the most impressive acting performances in recent memory. If there were still any lingering doubts as to the extent of Russell Crowe's acting prowess, this film dashed them all.

John Nash (Crowe) is a brilliant mathematician who makes an amazing breakthrough in his field while a student at Princeton. After graduating, he teaches at M.I.T. while working for the federal government as a code-breaker. He begins a relationship with a graduate student (Jennifer Connelly) and soon they are married and settle into a quiet domestic life. However, Nash soon starts to see patterns and associations of information everywhere and it is soon discovered that he is suffering from schizophrenia. Serious questions as to his perceptions of the real world, both in the past and in the present, must now be confronted.

Virtually all aspects of "A Beautiful Mind" work beautifully. Howard's confident direction and the strong lead performances by Crowe and Connelly is the glue that holds the entire production together. However, the important contributions made by supporting actors Paul Bettany, Ed Harris, and Christopher Plummer, composer James Horner, and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman should not be underestimated and should also be acknowledged. Furthermore, "A Beautiful Mind" deserves credit for not sentimentalizing Nash's struggle against mental illness. The darker aspects of his tortuous road to recovery are not avoided and are unflinchingly presented warts and all. It is a credit to Crowe's talent that we come to know John Nash so well and come to care so much for him. Nash's life is an amazing story and "A Beautiful Mind" is an amazing recounting of it.

Not a true tale
Let's be clear from the start: This is a movie about A Nobel Prize winning mathematician that suffers from schizophrenia named John Nash. However, this is not the true-life story of THE John Nash, a Nobel Prize winning mathematician that suffers from schizophrenia. Nor is this the screen adaptation of the book "A Beautiful Mind," by Sylvia Nasar. The two share a title, a mental illness, and character names but little else.

That said, the movie does an excellent job of portraying the life of a promenant individual who suffered from many classic symptoms of schizophrenia in the 60's & 70's. But it does not present the illness from both sides equally. We see how the main character (not named in this section to avoid confusion) is afflicted, but we do not see enough of what those around him see. Nor does it quite arrive at showing how glorious the "light at the end of tunnel" is after decades of fighting the darkness.

The movie does not discuss John & Alicia's real-life divorce, the repeated coast-to-coast trips, or the years John spent living in Europe. And definately does not offer any hints at John's experiments with homosexuality (discussed at length in the text, but reportedly excluded at Nash's request).

In short, this movie is a starting place for future movies about mental illness, but is not an end-all experience.

Darn This Movie
I can't stop watching it. The music always gives me goose bumps and I cry every time Crowe says goodbye to the little girl. And I never even noticed the pigeons the first time!....duh. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Filmed in the widescreen splendor of "Panavision Super 70" and blessed with the finest production values that Hollywood clout can buy, this tale of spunky Irish immigrants forgot one crucial ingredient: a decent screenplay. The film is entertaining enough, and director Ron Howard brings his technical proficiency to the simple plot, culminating in a dynamic, breathtaking depiction of the Oklahoma land rush of 1893. But the movie is really just a vacuous vehicle for married stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as (respectively) the poor tenant farmer and rich landlord's daughter who flee Ireland to be American pioneers. The scenery and the stars are never less than stunning, but Howard falls short of the mark in his attempt to match the epic sweep of films by David Lean. On the other hand, this movie is certainly never boring even if it rarely makes sense, and Lean's own Irish epic, Ryan's Daughter, is a snoozer by comparison. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Book of Days
Far and Away is such an incredible looking movie that your heart might end up hating your eyes for distracting yourself from the true beauty of the film.

This film is the story of Joesph and his hopes and dreams. His father is killed and he seeks to kill the man that took his land. Joseph meets up with Shannon, the wealthy daughter of the man responsible for taking Joseph's land, and she pays him to take her to America. Unfortunately they're robbed and we see the cold, harsh realities of foreigners trying to survive in America. Through prize fighting, Joseph begins to make a nice life for himself, while the spoiled Shannon ends up plucking chickens to make end's meat. Their trials and tribulations bring them together in one of the best love stories told, and the ending...well, lets just say that it's one of the most wonderful endings you'll find in a film.

Ron Howard has done an incredible job of bringing this film to life, and the performance of Tom Cruise is one of his best ever. Far and Away is a film that you have to see. You'll feel better about life after you have.

A real feel-good love story for the dreamer in us all.
What can I say about this film to begin my review? Three words. I LOVE it. I may be a little biased, but I love things set in Ireland, Scotland, and that area. I was hooked immediately on the beautiful scenery of Ireland's west coast, and my heart was immediately stirred by the rich and dramatic, yet at times very soft and tender music. Even more so when I read "Music By John Williams" in the opening credits. But I digress.

Music and scenery aside this movie still has much going for it, and it really shines. It's a love story yes, but it's beautiful. Others have mentioned the great chemistry between Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman here, and they are right. I am not a big fan of Tom Cruise (Rain Man was excellent though) or Nicole Kidman, but they played very well off each other. This film follows, again as many have mentioned, the two lead characters as they make a harrowing journey from Ireland to Boston to Oklahoma in pursuit of their dreams. His is "I'll work my own land someday" hers is "I'm modern, and I'm going to a modern place" She wants to get away from her parents old-fashioned and "stuffy" way of living.

I hate to diss other films so I'll try not to do that here. I WILL say that I loved the love story in Far And Away because it works. And it works because it is given time to develop. Joseph and Shannon hate each others guts at first and make no secret of it, but they are drawn slowly together by the perils of their journey. It is touching to see their hatred for each other change from hatred to grudging respect, to affection, and finally grow all the way to genuine love. This works MUCH better than spending a day on a ship, and saying to yourself "Oh look, there's a pretty girl up on the next deck. Let's take her dancing, partying, teach her how to spit, how to stand on the back of a ship with her eyes shut and her arms outstretched. Then I'll draw a nude portrait of her, and then we'll go and have sex in the back of a car. All witihin a period of about three or four days." (Just for the record I loved Titanic too, but the "quickie" love story took away from the power of the film JUST a TAD because the love between Rose and Jack was not allowed to GROW and DEVELOP into itself as it is here in FAR AND AWAY. In TITANIC the love between Jack and Rose was just THERE. It was just: Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. Boy loves girl. Girl loves boy. Badda-BING, Bada-BANG, Badda-BOOM)

I'm sorry, I'm digressing again, so I'll try to keep to the point and keep the rest of this short. In summary , to me this film is a great one, well done in every part of the package. LOVELY scenery is wedded to absolutely beautiful music as two great actors are supported by an assortment of loveable aqquaintances and a couple of dastardly villians (I'm counting Mike Kelly here too, see the film to know who he is and why I call him a villian). All this comes together in a beautiful love story that has the power to touch the heart, and the tear ducts, and make you realize the importance of holding onto and going after your dreams. I loved it, and so can you, if you have the courage to let this film touch your heart. If you do allow that, it will carress it. Peace, and God bless you. Always.

Do you have a craving for strawberry tart?
Watch this movie to find out where that line comes from.

In 1892-93, Tom Cruise is poor Joseph in Ireland and Nicole Kidman is rich Shannon from the same country. Their fake accents are collectively awful. Cruise sounds like a wannabe leprechaun.

Together they run off to America where they tell the landlord they are brother and sister so they can share the rent. Joseph becomes a boxer and wins big in the ring. Shannon decides to be a dancehall girl.

Although they profess to hate each other, you know where that storyline is going to end. It is, after all, Cruise and Kidman in their heyday.

I did like the homesteading scene at the end -- where people raced across the plains and made their claims to land. I hadn't known about that piece of history before. Nicely done, Ron Howard!

Too much edited from TV version
I was very disappointed to find so much missing from this movie on DVD. I have the TV version recorded and I know they left out quite a bit. This seems strange since DVDs are suppose to hold so much more information. I also saw the movie at the theater a couple of times,there are parts missing on the DVD that were in the theater version also. Don't buy the DVD if you enjoyed the TV version"with never before seen footage". I had expected the DVD to cover it all,but at least everything I saw at the theater.

Only because I can't give it zero
This well may have been the worst movie I've ever seen. I only watched it to the end to see if it could continue to deteriorate. Shockingly, it did. The storyline was terrible, the dialogue was worse. The best part (or worst, depending on how you look at these things) was the very end. Just when you think the film couldn't get more insipid, a horse rolls over Tom Cruise and, much to Nicole Kidman's chagrin, he dies. She starts crying and screaming over his dead body and, shades of Beauty and the Beast, his eyes suddenly pop open. Yes, he's been brought back to life by the strength of her love. What were these people thinking? If you are trying to find a movie to fill out your list of the ten most worthless films of all time, check this one out. If not, don't bother. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A Japanese auto company is persuaded to take over an abandoned factory--and abandoned U.S. workforce--in a small rust-belt town in Middle America. Alas, this wonderful idea for a culture-clash comedy goes pretty much to waste in Gung Ho. Michael Keaton gives his most relentlessly obnoxious performance as the fast-talking shop foreman who never stops BS'ing his Japanese employers, his work buddies (George Wendt and John Turturro among them), his girlfriend (Mimi Rogers), and himself. There's a trumped-up crisis in every reel, and a great deal of double talk about whether the Japanese are workaholic freaks or the new, true inheritors of the old American get-up-and-go. Director Ron Howard and screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel had made the enchanting comedy-fantasy-romance Splash only a couple of years before; they probably thought they were concocting a Frank Capra-style fable here, but, far from having a beautiful mind, this movie is strictly sitcom mentality from top to bottom. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Great Movie
A great comedy and a fun movie to watch. This movie shows how the clashing of two cultures can lead to some very funny moments. Michael Keaton gives an outstanding performance helped by a teriffic supporting cast. The American and Japanese auto workers learn to get along and put aside their differences to help each other. This movie is all about working as a team and getting the job done right. A comment to the last reviewer:If you want to see reality I suggest you do not watch movies. Cinema is fiction and the director's interpretation of reality. This is a great movie and does not disrespect the japanese in any way.

Working Class Man
This movie was released in Australia as 'Working Class Man' and I believe that it even had the Jimmy Barnes hit dubbed into the sound track at the end of the movie.

Thoroughly enjoyed the movie and encourage anyone who has not seen it to have a look and judge for themselves.

From an Australian point of view, still too American, perhaps some fun made of the Japanese, but like I said, judge for yourselves.

A fun movie
This is a guilty pleasure. Unfortunately, like many Paramount transfers, this is too soft and not vibrant; a real dissapointment (sometimes I would swear it is also out of focus...but that may be in the original masters).

Gung Ho
This is one of my favorite movies. I think, while a comedy, it really does hit the head of the nail about the mentality of auto industry. It is very original and the story is interesting enough that the movie flies by. Check it out.

A fun movie about a tough time in America
This movie gives a glimpse of how America came to terms with its economic fallibility. In a way, it was prophetic becuase so many American companies have partnered with Japanese companies in just this manner, and had the same kinds of growing pains. Ron Howard gave a touchy subject his magic, and Gung Ho! is a hilarious and delightful story.

Some people find the movie a simplistic version of an American-Japanese culture clash. Don't be such a fuddy-duddy! Good comedies don't portray reality, but they make us THINK about reality, which is much more important. In that aspect, Ron Howard and his talented cast did a great job. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

"Men should be explorers, no matter how old they are."
In 1985, the well-known actor/director Ron Howard directed the charming and endearing sci-fi film "Cocoon". Set along the Florida coast, a group of aliens that have taken human form return to Earth to retrieve shipmates that they were forced to leave behind in suspended animation thousands of years ago. They hire a boat owned by Jack Bonner (Steve Guttenberg), who believes that his employers are nothing more than a group of divers and is very attracted to one of them who is named Kitty (Tahnee Welch). The alien in charge goes by the name of Walter (Brian Dennehy). After retrieving some very large objects from the ocean depths, the aliens take the objects to an indoor swimming pool within a large beach house that they have rented. Next door to the beach house is a retirement home. The aliens' activities as well as the desire to swim within the pool tempts several of the retirement home's eldery residents to sneak into the private beach house. These residents, which include Arthur Selwyn (Don Ameche, 1908-1993), Benjamin Luckett (Wilford Brimley) and Joseph Finley (Hume Cronyn, 1911-2003), start to feel invigorated after taking a swim in the pool; so they invite their wives to join them: Marilyn Luckett (Maureen Stapleton), Alma Finley (Jessica Tandy, 1909-1994) and Bess McCarthy (Gwen Verdon, 1925-2000). As their health and strength continue to improve, the six try to keep their illicit swimming pool activies a secret, but are not entirely successful. Further, not everyone offered restored youth approves.

With its brilliant story, acting and directing, "Cocoon" won Don Ameche an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and the film itself won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Other memorable characters in the film include Bernard Lefkowitz (Jack Gilford, 1908-1990), his wife Rosie Lefkowitz (Herta Ware), Benjamin & Marilyn's grandson David (Barret Oliver) and Susan (Linda Harrison, who played the character Nova in the 1968 "Planet of the Apes"). Memorable scenes include the swimming pool scenes, Jack and Kitty, the six residents doing various activities that they otherwise couldn't do, no longer a secret, and the closing scenes. Overall, I rate "Cocoon" with 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it.

A moving, funny, and original sci-fi/fantasy/drama.
This is one of the few movies I've seen that has really made me cry. Director Ron Howard scores it big with this wonderful movie, and the plot is verrrrry original; three old men who live at a retirement center sneak over to a close-by deserted house every day to take a swim in the swimming pool. But a group of aliens disguised as humans come down to earth to save some of their comrades that they left there thousands of years ago, who are now sealed in large rock-like cocoons beneath the ocean, and take them home. And when they put the cocoons in the swimming pool to keep them alive and the old men go for a swim, they come out feeling like a million bucks! This would be a perfect family film if it wasn't so sexual and vulgar at times (hence the PG-13 rating). But for nine years and up, this is a sure treat. Don Ameche does a wonderful job as one of the old men, and Steve Guttenberg is downright funny as the guy who owns the boat the aliens use, and has a love affair with one of the aliens, as well. It has good lessons on friendship and love, and is a tear-jerker at times. A VERY GOOD movie!

Forever Young
For most of Ron Howard's career as a director, a majority of his work lands in the "feel good" cinema category. It is only recently, that Howard has been tackling darker subjects. One of the best films, from his early in his filmograghy, is 1985's Cocoon. This lighthearted fantasy proved that getting older can be a good thing.

When a group of aliens comes to Earth, on a secret mission, their strange behavior as humans, causes a group of senior citizens to become curious. As it turns out, the alens have special powers that cause the retirees to feel rejuvinated and stops the aging process.

The cast is what makes the story work. Don Ameche, who won an Oscar for his role here as Arthur Selwyn, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, his real life wife, Jessica Tandy, Brian Dennehy as the alien leader Walter, Gwen Verdon, Jack Gilford, Maureen Stapleton, and Herta Ware, all make the sci-fi elements, that much more compelling. Heck, even Steve Guttenberg playing boat skipper Jack Bonner, who helps the aliens with their mission, gives a solid performance here. The film uses special effects sparingly to enhance the story. Sure, things can get a bit schmaltzy at times, but thanks to Howard's recipe it never goes overboard. Cocoon has something for all age groups to enjoy.

The extras on the DVD are pretty good. The audio commentary with Howard offers some nice gems about what it was like to work with a cast brimming with some true stars of Hollywood's golden age. The behind-the-scenes featurette and the underwater training footage was originally part of the publicity for the film's release. We also get a look at how the special effects were created, profiles of Ron Howard and the cast, the theatrical trailer, TV spots, and a still gallery. Viewers can watch the movie, in either the full screen, or widescreen anamorphic format.

Cocoon is timeless. And given the youth obsessed culture in which we live, it's a nice change of pace, that's worth a peek on DVD.

Great Movie, Great Soundtrack
I can't add anything to the other reviews, except to say this movie has an EXCELLENT soundtrack by James Horner. The fantastic music definately adds to the movie's excitement and emotion. In fact, it's so good I'd also recommend buying the soundtrack CD.

Who wants to live forever?
This is a charming comedy based in the science fiction the addresses the issue of immortality, everlasting love, and the price paid for either. It was a movie the could potentially move the easy criers to tears, and will make anyone watching it laugh. The cast is great and Ron Howard has outdone himself. Truly enjoyable. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A somewhat contrived screenplay doesn't stop this thriller from serving up some of the most spectacular fire sequences ever committed to film. Like any Ron Howard production Backdraft is impressively slick and boasts a stellar cast, including Kurt Russell and William Baldwin. The actors play sibling rivals who have been at odds since the death of their firefighter father years earlier. Robert De Niro is the veteran fire inspector who is tracking a series of mysterious and deadly arsons, and Donald Sutherland is effectively creepy as the former arsonist who understands the criminal psychology of pyromaniacs. Rebecca De Mornay, Scott Glenn, and Jennifer Jason Leigh are featured in supporting roles. Backdraft is a triumph of stunt work and flaming special effects. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Firehouse Fairy Tale...
Ron Howard's Backdraft, is a film that centers on the lives of two brothers. Their father, a Chicago firefighter, was killed on the job when they were young boys. As adults, the McCaffreys, are both members of fire department. The elder brother Stephen (Kurt Russell), nicknamed "Bull", is a veteran firefighter, who prefers taking on a fire head on. His younger brother Brian (William Baldwin), is a recent graduate into the department, and though he seeks to serve out of his brother's shadow, he finds himself assigned to Bull's stationhouse. While Bull is something of a legend within the department, all is not perfect in his life, as estranged from his wife (Rebecca DeMornay), he lives on his father's old dry docked boat.

The family drama is set against a subplot, involving a series of suspicious fires that are being investigated by the fire department's arson specialist, Lt. Rimgale (Robert De Niro). A local Alderman (J.T. Walsh) responsible for budget cutbacks to the department, is pressing Rimgale for answers. After another clash with his big brother, Brian transfers to Rimgale's arson investigation unit.

Once this occurs, the story expands to become more than just a sibling rivalry, as the focus shifts to the investigation of arson and other matters. De Niro, Baldwin, Walsh and Donald Sutherland, who plays a crazed imprisoned arsonist, then assume more primary roles. The physics of a backdraft are quite fascinating, and the results spectacular and explosive. The film does feature some fine special effects and stunts, related to the fire fighting scenes. The identity of the arsonist, and the reasons for the crimes, may not be very credible, but the film proceeds towards a spectacular and emotional finish. In the end, it all comes back to the two brothers, and the special bond between firefighters.

The film does have its flaws. Baldwin (28) and Russell (40) are a bit of a mismatch as brothers, with more of an age difference as adults, than it appeared when they were children. The incident where Brian mistakenly rescues a mannequin is simply ridiculous. And the attempts to attribute to fire almost metaphysical qualities, may be something only firemen can truly appreciate. While the film's focus does bounce around a bit between drama, adventure and suspense, overall the presentation is still worth seeing. The DVD however offers very little in the way of extras.

Great special effects, plus a moving ending
"Backdraft is the story of two brothers. After the death of their firefighter father, older brother Steven (Kurt Russell) follows Dad's footsteps into the Chicago Fire Department. Younger brother Brian (William Baldwin) bounces from one scam or get-rich-quick scheme to another. But Brian eventually winds up back in Chicago in the Fire Department, and in Steven's Co. 17, no less. They go back and forth for a while, until finally Steven drives Brian out of the department and into arson investigation. Brian winds up working for an arson investigator (Robert De Niro) investigating a series of murders-by-arson.

This movie features a stellar cast, giving mostly excellent performances. Special notice should be given to Russell, in what I think is his best performance ever. J.T. Walsh gives an excellent supporting performance as the sleazy Alderman Swayczak, as do Rebecca De Mornay as Steven's estranged wife and Scott Glenn as Firefighter "Axe" Adcox. Donald Sutherland is especially creepy, yet charming as an imprisoned arsonist to whom De Niro and Baldwin go to for advice on identifying the arsonist. Baldwin and Jennifer Jason Leigh (playing Brian's girlfriend and Swayczak's aide) could have held up their parts better, but that doesn't detract from the movie as a whole.

The fire is the real star of this movie. The special effects are truly incredible, and have to be seen to be believed. This movie boasts the best effects I've ever seen in a non-science-fiction movie. Whoever the effects man is should have won an Oscar for the fire scenes in this movie.

Some may criticize the ending for being overly sentimental, but every single time I see this movie, I get choked up during Steven's last scenes. As an older brother, I really identified with Steven and how he wants the best for his brother, but he isn't quite sure of the line between pushing him to improve and pushing him down.

The special effects alone are worth getting this movie, but director Ron Howard put together an all-star cast that (mostly) managed to put together a movie in which the plot isn't entirely overshadowed by the effects. All in all, a very good movie that's well worth your $15.

Predictable but watchable
Backdraft sticks to convention and only innovates in its special effects. The plot is rather contrived and provides the excuse for the filmmakers to play with fire -- lots of it.

Hollywood inferno.
"Backdraft" is Hollywood's version of the firefighter's life. The men are blue collar, ordinary guys who are at times heroic and other times cowardly, men who fight fires because it's their job. Being a Hollywood movie, however, most of the men are in-shape, rugged masculine types who cruise to an alarm call with rock music blasting from the fire engine stereo system and who fight fires that contain surprisngly little smoke. Kurt Russell is not altogether likeable in this film, and yet he carries his two roles off successfully with his familiar macho persona. William Baldwin is the standout character, and shows a vulnerable side to the world of firemen that is usually not seen on film. Pyrotechnics are first rate, although there are many more explosions and a lot less smoke than in real-life fires. Another slick film from Opie Taylor.

respectable movie
I was a fire fighter 82-83, and i seen the movie when it was in the theatre, i liked it a lot, in fact i used to work but a few blocks away from the china town station on cermak road where some of the footage was shot, it dealt with fire house comrades, dealt with " hero syndrome", i was not expecting a techical as it really suppose to be movie, but the heroism displayed by
the fire fighters are 5 star commendable. ... Read more

Description

Odd-couple partners Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton spice up the morgue night shift by running a call-girl ring. Year: 1982 Director: Ron Howard Starring: Henry Winkler, Michael Keaton, Shelley Long Special Features: Interactive menus, Scene access Video Format: A: Standard; B: Widescreen Sound: English: Dolby Surround 2.0; Subtitles: English, French Region Coding: 1 (U.S. and Canada) ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Excellent DVD version of an all-time classic!
How can you go wrong with a Ron Howard directed movie? Well, maybe there is a slight possibility, but not with this cast. This is an enormously funny movie with links to Neil Simon and his inimitable, uncanny nack for brining together unlikely characters in all too likely and believable situations. Michael Keaton used this movie as a spring-board, but Henry Winkler (although hilarious in this role) kind of faded away quietly. Shelley Long is terrific, as are the myriad of extras. A definite addition to your collection!

Work the Night Shift
Night Shift was the first major release for recent Academy Award winning director, Ron Howard. For the film's star he recruited his old Happy Days friend, Henry Winkler, to star. In addition to Mr. Winkler, he featured two unknowns, Michael Keaton & Shelley Long to co-star. The film centers around Chuck (Mr. Winkler) as real pushover, who works the night shift at a New York City morgue. Nothing in Chuck's life is going right, his finance is a demanding shrew, he gets bumped from the day shift to the night shift as his supervisor's young nephew takes the preferred time slot, he never gets the right sandwich he orders and his neighbor's dog chases him down the hall everyday. His new neighbor, Belinda (Ms. Long), is perfectly lovely, but she turns out to be a hooker. His new partner, Bill Blazejowski (Mr. Keaton), is a loud mouthed, pushing "idea" man, who is always coming up with one harebrained scheme after another. Chuck secretly falls in love with Belinda and when her pimp is killed and she is beaten up by a customer, Chuck gives into Bill's idea to become Belinda and her friend's pimps and operate out of the morgue. Mr. Winkler is very funny playing against his Fonzie role, but Mr. Keaton steals the entire film. He explodes off the screen as the manic Bill and just about every line he utters is hysterical. The film made him a star and he kept up the funny roles until Batman. Mr. Howard does a superb job helming the film as it is perfectly paced with virtual no dead spots. The film's closing credits feature Rod Stewart singing the original version of "That's What Friends Are For" which of course, a few years later, would become a huge hit for Dionne Warwick and Friends.

Young Michael Keaton! WOW!
This is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen and a keeper. Michael Keaton's "Billy Blaze", a ne'er-do-well entrepreneur, is hilarious and his antics are fast-paced and manic ("Note to self: CALL STARKIST"). Henry Winkler's metamorphosis from Superwimp into Superman is a relief ("YOU'RE GONNA PLAY TENNIS WITH GOD!") Shelley Long's portrayal of a hooker is great. Cameo includes Clint Howard (Ron Howard's brother) as a dorky high-school kid looking for a prom-night ride for him and his girl in a limo, ANY limo, even the City Morgue's hearse! See it with someone you can laugh with until your sides hurt.

A fine early offering from Ron Howard.
I haven't seen this movie in 20 years, but it has still stayed with me. It's one of those blessedly funny films that you can watch while your brain is on autopilot.Ron Howard has really created a fine comedy here. Chuck works as a director in the local morgue. He's a good guy, but he's as stiff and uptight as the corpses. Yet he has a decent-paying day job and a loyal, if shrewish and carping, fiancee. If he can put aside bad sandwiches and aggressive dogs, it's not a bad life. All that changes when he's bumped from his cozy day shift at the morgue -- the plum job has gone to his employer's nephew -- to the night shift to work with Bob, his diametric opposite. Brash, loudmouthed, and annoying, Chuck can barely tolerate him. Chuck, however, forms a friendship with a kind prostitute named Belinda, and with the death of her pimp, he agrees to implement one of Bob's wild schemes: to run an escort service for Belinda and her sister prostitutes out of the morgue. Everybody's happy and making lots of money until a prominent pimp, who is peeved at missing out on a piece of the action, pays Chuck and Bob a visit. This is a fine and very entertaining movie. Check out the theme song from the short-lived early-80's pop band Quarterflash!

"Love Brokers!!"
Micheal Keaton hits an absolute home run on this one.Manic comic genius!Henry Winkler makes a great straight man,and Shelly looks marvelous.An overlooked classic! ... Read more

Description

The Missing is the story of Maggie Gilkeson (Cate Blanchett), a young woman raising her two daughters in an isolated and lawless wilderness. When her oldest daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) is kidnapped by a psychopathic killer with mystical powers (Eric Schweig), Maggie is forced to re-unite with her long estranged father (Tommy Lee Jones) to rescue her. The killer and his brutal cult of desperados have kidnapped several other teenage girls, leaving a trail of death and horror across the desolate landscape of the American Southwest. ... Read more

Reviews (113)

This may well be the most leisurely chase film every made
The problem is not that "The Missing" is 135-minutes long. I have no problem with long movies. The problem with director Ron Howard's 2003 film is that the pacing is so slow. This may well be the most leisurely chase film every made. The situation, as you should know from the trailer, is that young Lily Gilkeson (Evan Rachel Wood) is abducted by someone wearing a hood. With the local sheriff (Clint Howard) and the army (Val Kilmer) unwilling or unable to lend help, Maggie Gilkeson (Cate Blanchett) has to rely on her estranged father, Samuel Jones (Tommy Lee Jones). Eventually we learn that he abandoned his family a long time ago to live with the Indians and basically throw his life away. With her father and her younger daughter, Dot (Jenna Boyd), Maggie heads off to bring Lily back.

Every time there is a story in the news today about a kid being abducted we always here about how those first few hours are critical. In "The Missing" the searchers even have the advantage of knowing where Lily is being taken, but this does not spur them to any great effort. Granted, it is nice to see that Maggie does not become a hysterical wreck given what has just happened (there was more than an abduction involved in the violence), but certainly she should be a bit more frantic. Yes, the Indians they are tracking are taking their time picking up more young girls to sell across the border, but Maggie and her party do not know this. To my way of thinking they should be moving fast, pausing for the briefest of rests (tie Dot to her saddle if they need to), and certainly not stopping to bury anybody. By the time Samuel declares there is no time to stop for water, we are almost two hours into the film.

On the one hand it is hard to believe that this trio is going to bring back Lily alive, but one aspect of "The Missing" that I liked was how rescue plans keep getting messed up, especially with Lily being both the victim and the cause of such circumstances. How realistic you find the bravery of the three Gilkeson women to be for the time and place is open to debate as well, as are the various ways in which "The Missing" is an old-fashioned western with modern sensibilities. Of course in addition to the rescue mission there is the gulf that needs to be bridged between father and daughter. We keep waiting to find out what Samuel's Chiricahua name Chaa-duu-ba-its-iidan means, because it clearly is going to provide insight into the story of how he has come to throw away his life.

The biggest surprise to me in the film was Eric Schweig. I knew he was in the film and was keeping an eye out for the actor who had played Uncas in "The Last of the Mohicans." It was only after the film was over that I discovered Schweig was playing Chidin, the Apache brujo (male witch), who took Lily and the other girls that his group of renegade Apache cavalry scouts is taking to Mexico to sell. Even watching the movie again and knowing that is Schweig underneath that makeup, I still just do not see it. That must be why they call it acting, especially what he is doing with his eyes. Chidin is a whirlwind of cruelty and violence, which is why his magic as a brujo is so strong and which also serves to underscore that an old man, a woman, and a kid should not be able to take him down. For so much of the film Chidin is ahead of the game and it seems the only reason he loses in the end is because the script says that he does.

Cinematographer Salvatore Totino clearly favors a palette of blue and white to contrast with the browns in this film. The result is a rather odd looking western, although beyond the idea that it has something to do with these color choices I cannot really explain the feeling. The performances are certainly competent enough, but that is hardly surprising given the cast. Perhaps the point here is that the Western is back as a genre, at least to the point where we have more than great films like "Dances With Wolves" and "Unforgiven," and now are back to having average films like "The Missing" as well.

LONG DAY'S JOURNEY
Ron Howard's THE MISSING is a blend of western, action and supernatural ingredients. Having the marvelous Cate Blanchett as Maggie catapults the picture into its worthiness. Blanchett is exceptional as Maggie, a single frontier mother raising two feisty daughters (played wonderfully by Evan Rachel Wood and Jenna Boyd), while maintaining an affair with the affable Brake (Aaron Eckhart, always good). Her estranged father shows up one day and it's obvious Maggie has little affection for him. Tommy Lee Jones plays the father, with his usual swagger and rugged machismo. His performance is good, but he is overshadowed by Ms. Blanchett.
The movie has a cruelty to it, in that Eric Schweig as El Brujo is a heartless and cruel man, perhaps even a witch?? His treatment of the girls he kidnaps is brutal and inhumane, so this adds a very dark edge to the film.
The photography is sumptious, and the music appropriately moving. The film tends to bog down at times, and it's length at over two hours doesn't help. Overall, though, THE MISSING shows the talent of a very determined director and a wonderful gifted actress. That makes it worth viewing.

The Missing is missing something...
"The Missing" is an incredible piece work, an epic western, and an effectively eerie thriller. Directed by Ron Howard and starring Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones, this film is worth a peek and watchable, despite being bogged down by repetitive flaws and an unnecessary length. Then again, 2003 wasn't the best movie year...

The film involves a healer Maggie (Cate Blanchett) who lives on a farm with her lover Brake and her two children. Her father (Tommy Lee Jones) has been estranged from her since she was a child and he has since become an Indian and married many times. One evening, Maggie's father comes to their ranch in search of a healer, not realizing that she is his own daughter. She completely ignores him and quickly fixes him up. He is arrested that evening after a scuffle with Brake, who is also preparing to take the two daughters to a fair the next day. When the daughters and Brake go off to the festival, Maggie falls asleep on her porch and awakes to find a wolf in her house and a creepy feeling about the air. She is unsure of her family's whereabouts and ventures into the woods to find them. There is a butchered Brake and the younger daughter, Dot, screaming because her older sister is gone, having been kidnapped by a brutal group of Apache Indians. Maggie has her father released from jail and he assists her in finding the daughter. Dot insists on joining them and they venture off into plains, floods, and grounds of witchcraft to track the Indians.

Some may call this a horror film, and in fact, I remember one critic calling it "Stephen King's 'Little House on the Prairie.'" It is not a scary film, though. The idea of kidnapping and Indians might be disturbing to some, but it is not at all scary. The trailers misrepresent the film. It is, in fact, a riveting drama with fine performances and a brain. The musical score is captivating and beautiful, certainly deserving of an Oscar nomination. The photography is gritty and evocative, capturing the essence of the pain that Maggie and her family must be going through. The screenplay is weak, though, in several spots. The dialogue is often smart but often unclear. It probably takes several viewings to truly understand this movie.

The performances are really what make this film good. Cate Blanchett is brilliant, as usual, and never fails for a moment. You can't take your eyes off the screen because she is just so great. Tommy Lee Jones also reemerges with a fine performance too, worthy of an Oscar nomination. These two stars are great together, and the young actresses are good as well. Aaron Eckhart is solid, but not great, seeing as he is only in the first 30 minutes of the movie. The acting makes the movie.

Overall, the film is worth a viewing, even though flaws are seen throughout. I really found it enjoyable and thrilling, but it kept ending and ending. Why do movies do this? They never want to end...do they?

Not Much Missing from "The Missing"
New Mexico has one of the most beautiful and haunting landscapes in the United States. Desert, arroyo, plains, twisted wood and rock formations, and a sky that is like something out of a dream. In The Missing, this landscape shifts constantly, evoking fantastic and surreal images that lend well to the mood of the story.

Cate Blanchett stars as Maggie, a tough and independent frontier "healer," who is als