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A surprise hit and one of the highest grossing films ever to come out of Great Britain, this effortlessly enchanting romantic comedy finds confirmed bachelor Hugh Grant (Nine Months)attending weddings with his single friends as they all lament not being able to commit. Grant keeps running into an attractive American (Andie MacDowell) at these festivities and begins a long-running affair with her, even as he attends her own wedding, the funeral of one of his best friends, and his own pending nuptials. Featuring a spirited supporting cast including Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient)as the acerbic friend quietly in love with Grant, this touching and funny film with a mischievous sense of humor and some truly heartbreaking moments is destined to become one of the classic romantic comedies of all time. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Very Best Romantic Comedy
"Four Weddings and a Funeral" may not be the greatest movie in the history, but it surely is the best modern romantic comedy I ever saw. The only film that can possibly surpass this delightful one is, perhaps, "When Harry Met Sally ..." Maybe tied.

Hugh Grant has starred in many films since then, but his best role is still Charles of this film, who unwittingly finds his love in Carrie, an open-hearted American played by beautiful Andie MacDowell at his friend's wedding. One miatake is, he foolishly couldn't realize it before he let her go after one-night stand. But as the number of ceremony goes up (including one funeral), he gradually comes to notice that he threw away the best thing in his life. And while he is wondering what to do, friends around him start to search for their real love, including his own brother David, his timid friend Tom, Tom's sister Fiona, and Charles's eccentric roommate Scarlet. But where should Charles go? Going back to his countless ex-girlfriends? Or, Carrie? But she got already married.

To be honest, a little abrupt ending of the film damages an entire movie's strength a bit, but all comedies have to pay the price to end the show within an appointed hour. What is incredibly splendid about "Four Weddings" is that the characters are all so lively and sparkling with witty dialogue that you think they are not acting at all. Actually, on top of Hugh Grant, many actors are still associated with the roles in this film even if they got more populality after this film; Kristin Scott Thomas is later to be nominated Oscar for her turn in "English Patient," but she will be remembered as deliciously aristocratic Fiona. John Hannah made his name popular through the Hollywood blockbuster series of "Mummy," but still he is kind-hearted Matthew to those who have seen him recite W H Auden (most touching moment) in "Four Weddings." This is that kind of film that changes the cast's life. It happens once in your lifetime.

With this great ensemble cast, we have fantastic script by Richard Curtis, filled with funny lines uttered by completely believable characters. He does not fail to take great care of minor characters, and give them equally good moments. Look how Serena, in love with handsome David who is hearing impaired, learns sign. Trying to impress him, she mixes up "nice" with "mice," but, you know, when boys and girls are in love. nothing can stop them from understanding each other. Cute.

Brilliantly written, "Four Weddings" is a superb model of romantic comedy. If you like this type of movie, you surely will fall in love with it; and if you're not, your mind will be changed just like mine (I didn't expected much from it, so I didn't go to theater until the last day). And the film never forgets the sad side of life as the title implies. Sad thing is one of the cast Charlotte Coleman, who played most unconventional bridesmaid Scarlett, has passed away recently. She is terrific.

Insightful and Fun!
This movie features memorable comic vignettes and great insights into relationships, love and fear of commitment. The mumbling Hugh Grant delivers an effortlessly charming performance, he is rapidly becoming the British Cary Grant. Also extremely good supporting cast. Unfortunately Andie MacDowell doesn't add enough life to her important character and makes 'Carrie' almost lifeless and dull, which is the exact opposite of Kristin Scott Thomas performance which is quiet but right on the money. The whole movie is ultimately entertaining, fun and very funny at times. The ending is out of place and doesn't seem as smart as the rest of the film. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 7!

Great Movie . . . Ugh! Except for Andie MacDowell!
Yet another smashing British comedy. Yes . . . Yes . . . It would have been perfect if not for Andie MacDowell.

The movie carries on rather wittily (if not cynically) as seven friends: one pair of siblings: Charles and Scarlet; another pair of siblings, decidedly richer: Fiona and Tom; a pair of homosexual lovers: Garreth and Matthew; and a deaf man: David; attend four weddings (one being Charles'own) and a funeral with a particular air of skepticism.

Hugh Grant plays the main character, Charles, who in the first wedding is the best man, the tardy best man. During the reception, Charles falls in love with Andie MacDowell's character, the uncharismatic Carrie. That night the two "make love." The following morning is another wedding at which Tom is the best man (hilarious wedding indeed!) and Charles arrives late again. He finds Carrie's there also to discover that she is engaged to a Scottish "gentle"man, after which the two end up in bed again. Over the course of the movie, and after a considerable period since their last lovemaking session, Charles receives Carrie's wedding invitation and the gift list. She asks him to help her pick out a wedding dress, then accompanies her to coffee where she gives him the lowdown on her thirty-three sex partners. Charles actually attends her Scottish wedding (still in love with her). After which he decides to settle down with a woman who, for lack of a better word, stalked him after they dated. Carrie shows up, confesses her divorce to Scottish bloke, and her love for Charles.

In the end Charles denies his bride at the altar and lives happily ever after with Carrie after she agrees that she will not marry him.

Yes, it' just that empty. Only where Charles and Carrie are concerned, though!

MacDowell is just . . . all wrong for this movie. How Grant's character could still love her after he discovered she was a jaunty harlot (33?!) and engaged escapes me! MacDowell wasn't even a likeable harlot (Kristin Scott Thomas's character, Fiona, said it right: American slut). Her plain country voice just clashed horribly with Grant's charming British one. Nothing she said was funny. She just should not have been here. Another American actress would have been better suited, or a British actress even better.

Having said that, the rest of the movie is fantastic. Most of the humor is laughable, at other times it is clever without being sidesplitting, like most British humor.

James Fleet is wonderful as the bumbling Tom.
Simon Callow is perfectly cast as the flamboyant Gareth whose funeral is the Funeral from the title.
John Hannah has a lot of chemistry as Gareth's Scottish lover, Matthew, the more optimistic of the group.
Kristen Scott Thomas brilliantly plays Fiona, the more critical of the seven because of her secret feelings for Charles.
Charlotte Coleman is Charles' sister, Scarlett: the wild child with scarlet hair.
David Bower is the deaf David who, despite speaking in sign language, adds to the film (whereas Andie MacDowell, who spoke often, contributed nothing).
And of course Hugh Grant is Charles, the convincing bachelor who falls into an unconvincing relationship that flaws the movie.

Highly Recommended!

Overrated Piece of Garbage
I can't believe this movie was a hit, unless I saw a different movie with the same title.

We are given the rare priviledge spending time around a bunch of shallow, annoying, whiney, vacuous people as they attend the titular events. Why we are meant to care what happens to any of them, we are never told.

The only character who is almost halfway likable is a condesending jerk, and its his funeral in the title.

The only reason I went to see this was that Rowan Atkinson is billed as one of its main players. He is only in two scenes, and is even less funny than the rest of the cast ("Oh, he said 'spigot' instead of 'Spirit,' I think my sides are about to burst.") Screenwriter Richard Curtis, who also wrote for "Black Adder," must have blackmailed him.

I think Americans who like this movie, and others like it (the Curtis genre), think that seeing it makes them really sophisticated. The joke is on them, however. Just before dying, the jerk makes fun of some Americans for not knowing Oscar Wilde is dead. The American who is ignorant of things British is one of the most tired cliche's in Brithish "comedy." Many who laught at it, I'm sure, don't recognize a difference between types of Americans. We're all stupid, in their books. The ones who vist Britain as tourists or watch their movies and TV shows are the most visible to them. They like to take our money, as much as they seem to resent us.

Don't get me wrong. There is a lot of British stuff I like. I dream of one day visiting the Sceptre'd Isle. The Curtis genre, however, occasionally mocks Americans while pandering to a certain type of American, while the charcaters, but for their accents alone, are indistinguishable from the most boring types of shallow, middle-class Americans.

And seeing Hugh Grant in this movie caused me to wonder from under which rock he was found. The slime oozing off his body was quite obviously palpable to me. Why nobody else? Is this a hoax? Is everyone just pretending to like this guy for some reson? Even assuming he's good looking and all that, so what? There are lots of pretty boys, and some of them don't engage in marathon sessions of nodding and blinking. I think hundreds of actors could do just as well, if not better than him in most of his movies in I've seen. For a list of the few good movies he's been in, see my "Films with Hugh Grant that are Actually Worth Watching" in Listmania Lists.

After ten years, the bad aftertaste of this movie lingers on.

Not enough funerals
If it's possible for a movie to be any worse, I don't know how. Oh, that's right... LOVE ACTUALLY!

This meandering, pointless hodgepodge of unsympathetic and amoral characters in unbelieveable settings is a complete waste of time and film. And what was the ending about, anyway? Hugh and Andie agree to "not be married" for the rest of their lives? So, like, they're gonna just shack up for life? We all know that works soooooo well... see Hugh's non-marriage to Liz Hurley for details.

One star, but only because I can't give it zero. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Piece of Cake
You don't have to be a military aviation or World War II buff to enjoy "A Piece of Cake". Originally aired on British television in 1988 and then the following season on Public Television here in the U.S.,"Piece of Cake" is a six-part mini-series, that follows the fortunes of Hornet Squadron - a fictional RAF fighter squadron - during the first year of World War II. Based on the book by Derek Robinson, the story begins on September 3, 1939 and ends on September 7, 1940.

"Piece of Cake" takes the viewer from Chamberlain's broadcast, through the so-called phony war, the fall of France and finally, the Battle of Britain. "Cake" tells the story of these historic events, not on the grand scale of a "The Longest Day", but on a small, intimate scale. Life and death, love and war, sorrow and joys are told through the stories of the men (boys in many cases) of this squadron - individually and collectively.

"Piece of Cake" is an example of what British television does so well - the ensemble production. There are no stars in this series, except perhaps the half-dozen or so antique Spitfires rounded up to perform the aerial sequences. The cast assembled were relative unknowns, although some have subsequently became familiar faces to viewers of PBS series such as "Masterpiece Theater" and "Mystery". Certainly the absence of big-name stars contributes to the realistic feel of the series. You are meeting each actor and the character he portrays for the first time.

Another factor contributing to authenticity of the series was the way "Piece of Cake" was filmed. According to an article that appeared in the October 1988 issue of "TV Times", the cast lived and worked together on location during the filming - even going as far as calling each other by their fictional nicknames and attending "funerals" for those cast members when they written out of the series.

While there are no stars in "Piece of Cake" and all the roles are well acted; several stand out and are worthy of being singled out for special mention. As Squadron Leader Rex, a career RAF officer who leads Hornet Squadron during the first half of the year, Tim Woodward plays Rex as a generous country squire - paying half of his squadron's mess bill. But this benevolence comes at a price - Rex insists upon his pilots flying tight, tidy formations and he tolerates no questioning of these tactics.

The pilot who most often dares to question Rex's tactics is the American Christopher Hart III, ably portrayed by Boyd Gaines. A rich-kid and a veteran of the Spanish Civil War, Hart is the officer best positioned to take on Rex. He's the only pilot who has had combat experience against the Luftwaffe.

Neil Dudgeon appears in all six episodes as Flying Officer 'Moggy' Cattermole, a cynical pilot who is out - at all times -- for number one. A quick-witted, sarcastic bully, 'Moggy' is - by his own admission - not "an officer and a gentleman". Although his constant sniping gets on everyone's nerves at times, his skill as a pilot and his killer instinct is appreciated - as long as it's aimed at the enemy.

The two actors whose characters evolve the most during the course of the year are 'Fanny' Barton and 'Flash' Gordon. Through Tom Burlinson's portrayal, 'Fanny' grows from a conscientious pilot to the leader of Hornet Squadron during the tumultuous days of the Battle of Britain. Nathaniel Parker takes 'Flash' from a well-scrubbed young pilot to a romantic young husband and eventually into madness. His appearance during the first episode is little more than "wallpaper", lounging against a fireplace during the declaration of war radio broadcast. By the final two episodes we find an unshaven 'Flash' shooting seagulls from a shabby beach chair atop the cliffs of Dover, flying his Spitfire upside down, and quoting large "chunks of Churchill" to an RAF medical officer.

Supporting the pilots of Hornet Squadron were the Adjutant and Intelligence officers - Flight Lieutenant 'Uncle' Kelleway and Flying Officer 'Skull' Skelton - convincingly played by David Horovitch and Richard Hope. As a veteran pilot of Word War I, Horovitch's Kelleway is the calm, pipe smoking, voice of experience. Hope's "Skull", on the other hand, is a Cambridge don, a Flying Officer who calls flying "unnatural".

"Piece of Cake" is visually beautiful. The sequences with the Spitfires are aerial ballets - so graceful that one almost forgets the real horrors these scenes represent. Derek Robinson's excellent novel was well adapted by Leon Griffiths and the excellent cast was well directed by Ian Toynton. Lynnette Cummin's costume designs capture both the spirit of time and the individual eccentricities of pilots of Hornet Squadron.

In his speech before the House of Commons at the height of the battle, Prime Minister Winston Churchill said - "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." The creators, cast and crew of "Piece of Cake" have created a fitting tribute to those "few".

Gritty and realistic view of the early days of WWII
A very well done series that was faithful to the book. True, the part about the Battle of Britain takes place in the latter part of the series. But this work devotes time to the early days of WWII, the "phony" war, a time period that gets little or no attention. You see a rather believeable transformation of this squadron of young men from peace-time pilots to warriors and how they have to disabuse themselves of some notions and become hardened and scarred. What made it more realistic for me was the portrayal of the pilots as human beings, not barracks saints. Some were decent men while others, like "Moggy" Cattermole, were vile. Some got along with each other while there was open hostility between others. Finally, even with the technical flubs such as the squadron flying Mark XI Spitfires with four-bladed variable pitch props in 1939-40(there is a dearth of serviceable Hawker Hurricanes in the world today) and other budget limitations of this being a made-for-TV series, the attention to detail really transports you back. This series has what it takes to be one that can be watched time and again; a good story with good writing and good acting.

Masterpiece Theatre production worthy of the name
Everybody I know who has seen this series has high praise for it. Based on Derek Robinson's superb book, the characters and scenes will stay with you long after you see them. Watch it before or after reading the book, just do both.

Was "Moggy" real
I remember the introduction given by Alistair Cooke about the many strange characters in the squadron. He said something like "Veterans of the time tell me that they recognised all the characters as people they encountered but not all at the same time and in the same squadron". This is confirmed by my own experience in Vietnam. I saw all the types over 2 tours, including a CO who insisted in tight formation flying. The typical helicopter pilot's idea of formation flying is "same day, same way". Eventually enough of the discontent of the pilots filtered upstairs and he was 'promoted' to a desk job. With that caveat, the series is well done and worth seeing.

A point worth making is that at the begining of every war, the troops have to find out what works and what doesn't, often at the cost of lives. Tight formation flying was a case in point. Essential in WW1, deadly in WW2.

First class account of Battle of Britain
Ignore the cover of the DVD. The love interest is really a minor part of this wonderful British miniseries which follows an RAF squadron through the "Phoney War" (September 1939 - May 1940), the battle for France (May-June 1940), and the Battle of Britain through its climax in the fall of 1940.

This is not your usual squadron of movie heroes. For starters, the squadron commander seems to spend more time working on the wine list than thinking about strategy. As for flying, he wants them to fly into battle in straight, wingtip-to-wingtip formations like a marching band. The pilots are for the most part upper class elites happy with the leader's 'fox and hounds' demeanor. Some of the pilots are not especially likeable, particularly "Moggy" , a boarding-school bully who, it turns out, is an ace killer. The one "Yank", a Canadian socialist and veteran of the Spanish Civil War, gets to smirk at the upper crust poseurs.

It's a good mix, and for the first six months of the war, there's not a lot of go at the Boche, and what is great about the series is the shock and surprise when the war begins in earnest. The battle scenes are as well done as the big screen "Battle of Britain", except we really know these characters by the time the real war hits. Some excel, some crack, and some pack it in. One character starts to speaking exclusively in quotes from Churchill speeches, unnerving the squadron adjutant. The final two episodes are very, very intense, and unlike Hollywood, the movie does not play favorites with who lives and who doesn't.

The Spitfire was the most beautiful plane ever flown, and we get good long looks at the real thing. The flying scenes are a treat. Great for grognards, but the story is well rounded and a good time should be had by all. ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Not The Quiet Man, Thank God
Someone called this movie a romantic comedy for people who don't like romantic comedies, and I think that's pretty accurate. The story of a hapless senator's aide (Garafalo) who is shipped to Ireland to search out Irish relatives (bogus or otherwise) of her dim boss, it is refreshingly funny, cynical and lighthearted. While there are, of course, some of the Irish stereotypes and cliches to be found, they are presented in a very sly, acidic, tongue-in-cheek manner, and some of the digs at tourists are particularly funny. The characters are charming, from the matchmaker(s)to the Kelly brothers who run one of the local hotels/pubs. David O'Hara is a find as a romantic leading man--no pretty boy but very sexy--and Jeananne Garafalo makes a great, offbeat romantic foil for him. The scenery is beautiful (it's Ireland, after all) and the dialogue very funny and, at times, touching. Even Murphy, the dog, is funny (note especially the scene in the home of the crusty and anti-tourist Aran Islander). In sum, this movie has some of the best comedic scenes I've seen and some of the most endearing characters as well. Highly recommended for light viewing.

Refreshingly different romantic comedy
The Matchmaker is a romantic comedy with a twist - it has an orginal premise, funny characters, truly comic moments, and the leads look like real people, which only adds to their appeal.

Janeane Garaofalo, as the U.S. Senator's aide visiting a coastal Irish village during their annual matchmaking fair, is funny and caustic. David O'Hara, as the seemingly n'er do well bartender who turns out to have a bit more going for him, is sexy as all get out, without looking anything like a Hollywood pretty boy.

The two stars have great chemistry and timing with each other, and the supporting cast is excellent. The only false notes are sounded by Dennis Leary, who overacts a bit as the obnoxious Senator's aide, and the character of the Senator himself, who is too much of a caricature. Milo O'Shea brings a poignancy to the key Matchmaker role that could have easily sunk into a stereotype.

This film has some very funny moments, with one of the best being a desperate car ride by O'Hara and his brother, both sporting full leg casts and trying in vain to pilot a stick shift.

All in all, you could do worse than to spend a couple of hours with "The Matchmaker". It left me smiling, as well as wanting to see more of O'Hara in future lead roles.

a sweet little sunday afternoon type of movie
having visited Ireland and flown into Shannon airport like Janeane Garofalo does at the beginning of this movie,it is a favorite.the scenery is beautiful,Janeane is adorable. i absolutely love the scene when she judges the singing contest!this movie is something you can simply enjoy-let it take you away to Ireland,its beautiful there!

Worthy of a Deluxe Turbo Tan!!
Bollix to those of you who don't like this movie! It is filled with quirky off center humor and constantly had me asking, "Did I really just hear that?" As a very pale caucasion myself, I related particularly well to the various jokes about the lack of pigment in the Emerald Isle. Anyone who's ever been set up on a blind date will find the matchmaking humor particularly entertaining as well. The charachters are wild and eccentric, but entirely lovable. This is one of those movies that leaves you feeling warm fuzzys, and is not to be missed. Even if you end up hating it, I recommend that you watch it and decide for yourself.

A Disappointment
This movie has beautiful scenery of Ireland but beyond that I can't recommend it. The acting is weak and the story hard to believe. There is a lot of offensive language that isn't really necessary to the story. The film never held my attention but did make me want to visit such a beautiful country. ... Read more

Description

Life seems to have settled down for British Officer Richard Sharpe as he enjoys a much-deserved rest at a French chateau with his new love, Lucille. However, the news of Napoleon's return from exile drives Sharpe back to the army. He is placed on the staff of the incompetent British ally, the Prince of Orange. Reunited with his Chosen Men, Sharpe abandons his inept commander and organizes the defense at the farm of La Haie Sainte. It is here he plays a key role in one of Britain's most famous victories, the Battle of Waterloo. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Interesting performance!
This was an interesting look at the Battle of Waterloo. It probably isn't presented in a fashion for those trying to understand the battle completely. Small skirmishing and parts of the battle are covered in a complicated format. This movie is probably for those who already have an understanding of the battle and want to get to different details. The fighting, cannonades and reenacting goes far in this movie. Sometimes I was puzzled by why the I felt that the director used the same scene several times such as cannon fire scenes or marching. From a grand scale this movie never portrayed large armies massing together which made me disappointed to see. This movie has great action, though is far too brief on the subject matter making Waterloo appear as a small skirmish.

Yes I do like the series
I like the series so I am not objective in viewing this a stand alone.

I am very plesed that the budgets have become much bigger as the series progressed. Far more extra's, more horses (some of them actually moving together as cavalry should) more variety of uniforms and nice settings.

I look at period/costume pieces for more than just a plot...I am looking for an escape in time...the Sharpe Series does this for me (as does the Hornblower's)

I am looking for a "feel"...for 90 minutes I want to believe I am in another world...I want the flavor of what it was like to live in another time, doing historic things.

Sharpe's Waterloo does a good job at making me feel I am actually there at the defence of La Haye Sainte...there is no examination of the whole battle...just the worm's eye view of the men who had to hold the gate...

So if you want the glamor and the big picture...maybe this isn't for you...however,if you want to pick up a rifle and help hold a key spot on the battlefield in a fighting that was desperate...then this is definitely for you.

Buy the DVD, grit your teeth, then read the book
I became enchanted by the Sharpe series by watching the series on TV. The chemistry between Sharpe (Sean Bean) and Harper(Daragh O'Malley), the struggle of the compentent Sharpe to get recognition and authority within the rigid class structure of the British Army (makes you wonder how the British army could have been so successful in the 19th century), the wary relationship between the Spanish and the British, the fantastic luck that keeps Sharpe and Harper alive, and the characterization of even temporary characters all presented against the background of the peninsular campaign during the Napoleonic wars, I found fascinating and moving. Sean Bean plays a much more compelling character here than in any of his villianous movie roles (e.g. Bond).

Of course, I looked forward eagerly to the release of the series on DVD.

In the meantime, I read all of the books. Since the completion of the television series, Bernard Cornwell has extended the story of
Sharpe both before the peninsula campaign and after Waterloo. The books are far richer than the TV series, but this doesn't detract from the series at all. The series generally stands on its own but the books add considerable depth, background, and context.

The last episode in the series, Sharpe's Waterloo, suffers more in comparison with the book, because the underlying events are familiar. 100 minutes is hardly engough time to explain the manner in which the battle of Waterloo unfolded and to develop the several other story threads involving Sharpe. Still, it is fine culmination to the series.

As in all of the DVDs in this series, the video quality is poor. This has been mentioned by other reviewers but needs some explanation. The color is good, the video has little noise, and there are no surprizing artifacts. The problem is image resolution. The DVD is encoded at 4.35Mbites/sec with almost no variation responding to changes in scene or motion. This is low: the Abyss, a high-quality DVD transfer, is encoded at 5.79Mbites/sec with occasional bursts at over 7Mbits/sec. The difference is dramtic. All of the Sharpe DVDs are fuzzy and lack detail; they appear to be out of focus. There are not enough pixels in the image to provide a good image on even a small TV screen. And forget about watching these on a large screen.

Still I recommend this series. Buy the DVDs, put your chair across the room, and enjoy. At the end you'll want more. That's the time to buy the books.

Sweet!
I thought that the performace by Sean Bean was brillient! He is the perfect actor to play sharpe. This was the best sharpe of them all! I thought that it was so funny when the man that was cheeting on sharpes wife peed his pants when sharpe was going to kill him.

Sharpe's End
Here we are, after thirteen hundred glorious minutes, at the last hundred minutes of the TV adventures of Richard Sharpe. After the events of "Sharpe's Justice", Sharpe has returned to Normandy to Lucille, as he promised, never to fight another battle. Except: it is now the summer of 1815 - Napoleon Bonaparte has left his exile on the island of Elba, marching across France and calling his loyal troops back to him. The Hundred Days have started, the final gasp of the Napoleonic Wars. Sharpe's greatest regret has been that he has never faced Boney in battle, so off he goes to war, his Chosen Men back at his side.

But Wellington places him on the staff of the Prince of Orange, young, arrogant and incompetent - his adulterous wife, Jane wants her lover, Rossendale, to kill him - and Napoleon has humbugged them all, quickly and efficiently splitting the Anglo-Dutch and Prussian armies apart, to destroy each individually. Will Sharpe survive this? Boney's attacking, the Prussians have still not arrived to give aid, and the fate of Europe will be decided in this little valley near a town called Waterloo...

Bernard Cornwell's original novel, "Waterloo: Sharpe's Final Adventure", was masterful - it managed to weave an exciting personal story for Sharpe and at the same time give an understanding of how this most famous of battles unfolded. Unfortunately, "Sharpe's Waterloo" doesn't really do that. I could follow it because I already knew how the battle progressed, but I would think the viewer who knows little about what happened that day wouldn't be able to follow the grand scheme of battle. As a result, we see Sharpe take part in various bits of the battle but never quite get why each is important.

On the other hand, one could argue that this shows the fog of war from the soldier's perspective - that the individual didn't really know how the big picture was forming up. This isn't particularly convincing to me, because I've seen it done magnificently in Ted Turner's production of "Gettysburg", and with a good script I don't see why it can't be done here.

Also, the same budgetary limitations that have plagued the series also show up here. One doesn't get the impression in the slightest that this was a battle than involved more than 300,000 men, all in all, on all sides. We never get much more than one regiment at a time on screen and the final advance of the Imperial Guard as a result winds up looking pretty wimpy. Given this was the grand finale, I had hoped they would splurge a bit, but sadly this was not the case.

On the positive side, the acting is cracking as usual and loose ends are (more or less) tied up. The battle at La Haye Sainte is particularly well done, even given the budgetary problems. Sharpe does a lot of swordplay and firing and realizes his dream of commanding a battalion. We see the deaths of beloved and hated characters, and Harper and Sharpe finally get their wish - to see Boney. The rest, as they say, is history, and you're going to have to watch it to find out what happens to our heroes. The transfer, like the latter few episodes, is surprisingly good compared to the earlier DVDs - one wishes heartily that they could have put some extras in, though.

About time for them to adapt "Sharpe's Devil" one of these days, I think... ... Read more

Reviews (68)

TERRIFIC SCI-FI...
I first saw this film when it was released in the mid nineteen seventies. I recalled how much I had enjoyed it, when I saw that it was available in DVD. The DVD itself is disappointing, as it offers virtually none of the features one has come to expect from a DVD.

This aside, the film itself, though somewhat abstract, is terrific, as it is not just a science fiction film with a twist. It is a film that explores themes that are timeless: desolation, alienation (no pun intended), and loneliness. At times, these themes are palpable, due to David Bowie's wondrously androgynous performance, which is heartbreakingly moving at times.

The plot is fairly simple. An alien, Davie Bowie, leaves his family on his dying and arid planet in search for water. He lands on earth and begins his project to send water to his devastated planet by amassing the wealth that he needs to do this. He patents numerous lucrative inventions which eventually find him at the head of a world wide conglomerate. He joins up with a kindly, though stupid and vapid woman who drinks gin like a fish, Candy Clark, with whom he begins a liaison of sorts. Yet, he is always lonely and melancholic, and like her, begins to spiral into an alcoholic haze, sometimes sidetracking him from his purpose here.

At some point, excruciatingly sad and lonely, longing for his family, he reveals himself to her for who he truly is, shedding his earthly appearance, only to be met with absolute horror and repugnance by her at the sight of him. She ultimately tries to understand him, but it is truly beyond her ken. He is infinitely sad at this and longs all the more for home.

On the threshold of returning to his planet and loved ones, he is kidnapped by corporate raiders who take over his holdings, and it is here that the movie begins to disintergrate somewhat. Yet, it remains strangely hypnotic and compelling, and becomes a sort of "Lost Weekend" of betrayal, booze, and promises that will never be kept. A parable of wanting to belong, yet knowing one never will. A story about wanting to go home, but knowing on some level that one can truly never go home again.

Restored science fiction art classic
It was an odd year. 1976 saw the release of Logan's Run with its occasionally heavy handed parable about the youth culture, Ralph Bakshi's Wizards gathered steam at the box office and included a trailer for some movie called Star Wars. Along came Nickolas Roeg with his arthouse science fiction epic and totally mystified everyone. David Bowie is perfect as the alien in this classic science fiction film. He's left his arid, dying planet and come to Earth in hopes that some of "his" inventions could create enough capital so that he can take resources from our planet to save his.

Unfortunately, Bowie's character pretends to be human all too well--he's sucked into the very flaws that cripple humanity. He becomes a victim of our culture rather than master of it. Roeg's film is fragmented and spooky (particularly the scene where Candy Clark discovers that Bowie's character has various attachments to make him seem human). The visually unsettling photography and editing help bring an edge to the film. Roeg manages to fuse science fiction to his European art sensibilities very well. In fact, Man is probably Roeg's most powerful film outside of Don't Look Now his gothic take on the horror film.

Anchor and Bay have restored the film to its original, uncut running time. They also have gone back to the original negative and camera elements to create as sharp a print as I've ever seen. The aspect ratio is finally correct and the sound, while not perfect, is a huge improvement over the previous DVD, video and television versions that have been floating around.

How to explain this movie...
This is one of those films that is best watched in the dark, by yourself, because sometimes, you just might want to shout out "WHAT?"

Basically this movie is a great cult classic about an alien who comes to our planet in search of water for his desert planet. David Bowie... how do you rate his performance with that of other conventional actors? You can't. He is brilliant in his role as Mr. Newton! I was completely mesmerized and even attracted to him as the thin redhead. I was surprised however that he was completely unclothed in one scene, but hey, it didn't hurt any part of the movie!

I would recomend this to anyone, period. I give the movie a 5, but Bowie's performance gets a 10!

Loving The Alien
I never went into thi film expecting anything that
conventional,considering David Bowie stars in it.But it is a
socially relevant science fiction movie about an alien who comes
to Earth in search of water to aid his draught-ridden planet and
in the process get's caught up in the corrupt politics of human
culture.In the end he basically forgets why he came to Earth to
start with after falling in love and becoming owner of a big
cooperation.The overall message-if aliens arn't visiting this

planet there's a REASON!The movie uses stark settings and is
shot very surreally so it isn't for those without the most
open mind to avante-garde film making.Bowie,having already had
mime and theatre experience (and being the dramatic Ziggy Stardust of course) is brilliant as an actor and it is all too
believable that he doesn't come from Earth (I wonder if Bowie
really IS an alien sometimes anyway).But for those who can make
their mind and visual spectrum stretch and who don't mind a sadly
ironic ending you will enjoy this film.

Another sub-par Anchor Bay disc
I suppose the flimsy slipcase, free-floating booklet design was intended to ward off Chinese pirates (Arrrh!) and sidewalk counterfeiters; however, the presentation is so awkward and unsatisfying to the die-hard collector that I've decided to consign this must-see film to my permanent memory bank and ditch this coaster set. As my collection grows, I find it increasingly difficult to find time to watch everything I've got (let alone multiple viewings which, if you think about it, is kind of the point of having a disc) and, thus, previously essential items are being turfed if they do not conform to Criterion-like presentation standards; heck, I'm even ditching some Criterions (take that, Antonioni!). Anyways, excuse the ramble folks and enjoy the rest of the reviews. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

An all time favorite
I'm not entirely sure why I like this movie so very much, but I have loved it from the very first time I saw it more than 20 years ago and still watch it often. It is a dramatization of the true story of the short-lived first cruise of the German battleship "Bismarck", of the destruction it wrought and of the hunt to find and ultimately destroy it. Yes, there are some inaccuracies in the details of which ships took part in the hunt, as well as in the portrayal of German Admiral Gunther Lutjens, but the fact that this is a British movie, made while the scars of war were still a strongly living memory, should be borne in mind in this regard.

Among the things that make it worth viewing are: the presence of Edward R. Morrow recreating the atmosphere of his wartime London radio reports, the recreation of the Naval command center underneath the Admiralty building and the highly believable performance of Kenneth More (himself a wartime naval officer) as the deeply wounded Captain Shepherd. Dana Wynter also gives a delicately nuanced performance as Second Officer Anne Davis. The moment when she enters Shepherd's office and realizes that he is crying is beautifully done.

The highly restrained romantic undercurrent doesn't interfere with the main story line and is very believable for wartime professionals. One comes away from this movie knowing that a great menace to the eventual survival of Britain has been eliminated and that there may be hope for both the UK and for two lonely people.

The inclusion in the new DVD of some newreel footage of the actual event is a nice little bonus. The subject of the hunt for and destruction of the "Bismarck" has also recently been the subject of some recent documentaries. The story retains its impact, even after more than 60 years.

Honorable Men in Desperate Battle
Honorable Men in Desperate Battle

In May 1941, Britain stood alone against Nazi tyranny. The German blitz had devastated much of the English industrial base. The lifeline to America across the North Atlantic was critical to England's survival. In an effort to cut this lifeline, Hitler built the Bismarck, the fastest and most powerful battleship the world had ever seen. "Sink the Bismarck" is the story of a desperate 6-day naval engagement to find and destroy the German battleship. The British initially dispatched the pride of the Royal Navy, the H.M.S. Hood, to intercept the Bismarck. A single shell from the Bismarck penetrated a magazine on the Hood, instantly destroying the British ship.

The film depicts the subsequent efforts of the Royal Navy to locate and attack the Bismarck with overwhelming fire power. As often happens in war, the most unpredictable bad luck was counterbalanced by miraculous good fortune. The film evokes the grim resolution, the desperate gambles, and the professional skills of the British command to bring the Bismarck to bay. Kenneth More is well-cast in the role of Captain Jonathan Shepard, a man who conveys both iron will to duty, yet vulnerability to personal human loss in his pursuit of the Bismarck. The film teems with excitement and suspense as it records one of the great naval battles ever fought.

Classic 1960 film tops most war films
1st of all Dana Wynter is a real "looker".
For all you losers who think the 1969 film The Battle of Britain is a good film, well, you are total easily manipulated fools. This film tells all. Nuff said.

A Great Movie About the Hunt for the Bismarck
This fine film, made in 1960, does a fine job of re-creating the events surrounding the search for and eventual destruction of the pride of the German navy: the Bismarck. Veteran British actor Kenneth More stars as Captain Jonathan Shepard, a new officer who gets placed in charge of the hunt for the Bismarck in Britain's Naval Operations center. Shepard has a personal stake in seeing the Bismarck sunk. Bismarck's commander, Admiral Gunter Lutjens, played by Karel Stepanek, sunk Shepard's vessel earlier in the war. Dana Wynter stars as 2nd officer Anne Davis, an assistant to Capt. Shepard. A fictional implied but never shown romance develops between Shepard and Davis throughout the course of the film. Carl Mohner stars as Bismarck's Captain Lindemann.

The battle scenes are excellent. One must remember when viewing this film that the special effects are from the 1960's, but that does nothing to detract from the excitement of the ship-to-ship combat scenes. The fight between the HMS Hood and Bismarck is the high point of the film. It was exciting to see the ships being straddled by the other's shells, and seeing the Hood blow up was especially thrilling.

The historical correctness of the film was excellent except for a few minor details. For example, during the attack on the Bismarck by the British Swordfish torpedo planes, the movie shows two being destroyed when in reality none were lost. Also, the movie depicts a British destroyer being sunk by Bismarck. This is also incorrect as the Hood was the only British loss. Finally, the movie depicts Admiral Lutjens as being a staunt supporter of the Nazi party. This is also false. Lutjens was against Naziism, and refused to give the Nazi salute, instead preferring to use the old German navy salute. The movie also depicted a rather close relationship between Lutjens and Lindemann. This was also not the case. In reality, the two German commanders disagreed on many topics, and at one point during the heat of battle, Lindemann said to Lutjens that he refused to sit by while his ship was shot out from underneath him. Aside from these points, the historical aspect of the movie is very well done.

I highly recommend this film. The acting is excellent and the battle scenes will keep you on the edge of your seat. Watch this great movie and experience the hunt for the most feared ship in the German navy.

The story and acting carry you
In this era of elaborate SFX, a 1960 B&W movie of the war at sea might be expected to come up poorly. But the superbly crafted story and steady acting carry you along. While history has been modified here and there, the main points are solidly grounded (reality is almost always more compelling than fantasy: compare the struggle for Tarawa with Helm's Deep). Even though all but the brain dead know what the outcome will be, the level of tension achieved during the hunt for Bismark is remarkable. Viewing this film ought to be compulsory for all directors - story and acting are far more important than SFX. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Manchester music scene
The film "24 Hour Party People" is presented in documentary style by narrator Steve Coogan who plays Tony Wilson--a television journalist. The film begins in the late 70s with Wilson lucky enough to attend an early Sex Pistols concert (with footage thrown in). Wilson's assignments lack a certain seriousness, but he compensates by promoting the Punk Rock scene in Manchester. Wilson forms Factory Records "an experiment in human nature," opens the Hacienda club in Manchester, and explains that the music scene "is like a helix"--as one trend ascends--another descends. And we see trends come and go.

The film charts the rise of Joy Division and the band's metamorphosis into New Order, and the introduction of Rave music "when even the white man dances." If you enjoyed the music of the 80s or have an interest in music history, you will probably enjoy this film. Coogan adds an amusing touch as the enterpreneur Tony Wilson.

Happy Happy Joy Joy
"24 Hour Party People" was among the most entertaining motion pictures released in 2002, and easily one of the most engaging and innovative films that I've seen in years. Although certainly not for everyone, if you've an interest in the music industry, the UK indie scene, and/or Factory Records (of course) then this is mandatory viewing material.

I'll not bore you with a summary of the plot...but it's no secret that there's almost as much fiction as fact in this comedic, documentary-style account of Tony Wilson and his legendary Factory record label. However, there are numerous exceptional portrayals of the central figures from Factory's sordid history, and the city of Manchester is a star in itself, functioning as the drab backdrop to the movie's colorful story.

The DVD has two featurettes - a ten minute 'behind the scenes' piece (obligatory for almost all DVD releases) and a five minute quickie about the real Tony Wilson. Neither contain particularly engrossing content but they're welcome just the same. There are eleven deleted scenes, only a couple of which are really worth a toss (ironically, the cut scene with Vini Reilly that Steve Coogan's Tony Wilson actually references in the film isn't even included). There's a photo gallery with at least 40 stills taken during the film's production, although including pictures of the real people and places depicted in the movie would have made more sense. I've not listened to the running commentary by the real Tony Wilson or his celluloid facsimile, but I understand that both are enlightening.

With the exception of the James Bond series, MGM Home Video is notorious for lacking in the special features sections of their DVD releases, so this product is actually commendable on their part. Of course, the UK DVD release of "24HPP" (complete with a Factory catalog number - FACDVD 424) is a 2-disc set packed with extras vastly superior to what's offered to us poor Yanks. So while I'd give the film five stars, the DVD rates only three, thus my average of four stars overall.

Punk Rave and Dry Humor.... What a combo...
Great movie, lots-o-british humor, lots-o-british music history. Too much Happy Mondays, not enough about New Order but you get to see the birth of the rave scene which is very cool. Where else can you get a movie and see a guy hang himself while watching a chicken dance on his TV....

Improves with Time
If you are a Joy Divion acolyte or something of that nature, you will not enjoy this film as much as if you are a devotee of Manchester's music scene in general. Somehow I made the transition from Joy Division fan to dj afficinado, so I found the whole thing quite excellent. What I have noticed is that things grow funnier with time. Steve Coogan's performance reveals itself funnier every time. Example: Ian C's funeral and he says, in the midst of all this gaudy crap, with a straight face: "That is the musical equivalent of Che Guevera." Absolutely hilarious.

brilliant!
This was an especially fun movie for me to watch. These were my favorite bands in 1980, and it is fun to see them relived. There weren't many photos back then, and Factory Records had few, if any, liner notes.
The film has great cameos, such as Howard Devoto, and Marky Smith. I think it was well made, and anyone would enjoy it. ... Read more

Reviews (86)

Dicaprio and Thewlis brilliant as creative misfits.
I loved watching this movie mostly because of the acting. The story itself is pretty over-the-top about self-absorbed creative types. All the other characters just take it in the neck, especially if they try to interact or inhibit them. I really related to these characterizations because of personal experience with "artistic types" in NY.

Back to the acting: Dicaprio and Thewlis are both brilliant in these roles. There was no self-consciousness in the middle of either the nonsense philosophizing or passionate sex. There is never any doubt that these two characters have taken over the actor's bodies and minds. Bravo!

The impact of the story, about where the alienated and self-absorbed philosophy that drove early 60s and 70s pop and rock stars came from is worth watching the film for: Morrison fans take note.

Exceptional movie
I must say that this was an excellant film all around. The quality of the production and the acting was outstanding. DeCaprio did a fantastic job, in fact the best acting I've ever seen him do to date. I was totally impressed with the story and I could not find one poor performance in the film. The script is based a true story with damatic additions I'm sure, however it was a very enjoyable film if only for the chance to see what I believe is some of the finest acting I've ever seen. This is a fantastic investment and a must for the video collection. Be aware that most of the film deals with subject matter best viewed by adults because of sexual content,implied sex acts and nudity. This is not a film for narrow minds or prudish thinkers.

Fantastic, Leonardo DiCaprio is brilliant
This is a great movie and is by far Leonardo DiCaprio best performance yet. He should of won an Oscar for his harrowing portrayal of 19th Century French poet Arthur Rimbaud. Rimbaud was a literary genius at the age of 16, who wrote wonderful and obscure poems about sex and death among other topics.

His intense and volatile relationship with fellow poet Paul Verlaine was often times disturbing and mad. Verlaine had trouble accepting the fact that his friend, confidant and lover was extremely gifted and more successful than he ever was.

Arthur Rimbaud was a merciful and shrewed young man who found pleasure in getting his way all the time and making other people look ridicule (especially the ones he did not like). Verlaine's young wife could not tolerate him and blamed him for making her husband abandon her for long periods of time. Verlaine would always come back to his wife but found Rimbaud so irresistable that he always ended up doing what he wanted and would succumb to his every need be it emotional or sexual. Arthur always knew had to get Paul wrapped up around his finger and got him to do whatever he wanted atleast most of the time.

This film is highlated by great performances from the entire cast and once again it is DiCaprio's remarkable performance that makes this film extremely interesting to watch. I don't think this movie is for everyone especially the ones that only think that a good movie is not good unless someone or something gets blown off. DiCaprio's character goes thru many changes in his appearance especially when he is dying of a terrible disease (I'm sorry but I can't seem to remember which one) his character is both physical and emotional and he plays it with incredible strength and emotion.

If you are a serious movie collector this is a "must have" for your collection. I love everything about this film and is one of my favorite movies ever. I gave it a 5 star rating because that as high as it goes but I would give a 10 rating because it has all the ingredients a great movie suppose to have. Watch this movie and it will leave you breathless. Superb and beautiful all the way through.

A Masterpiece!!
an astonishing film. one i wont soon forget. i love how leo dicaprio has a special ability to play any type of character he chooses!

Not altogether accurate, but fun.
Total Eclipse does a fine job at painting a portrait of a beautiful, disturbed genius. However in actuality some of Arthur Rimbaud's photos from his childhood show a less attractive poet.

Much dialogue was taken from Rimbaud's own writings, so don't expect that he actually told Verlaine one day that "Love needed to be reinvented." This is simply a line from his "A Season in Hell" and the verse that proceeds it says that he does not like women. Then again we will never know some of the amazing things that Rimbaud said in his daily life, but from his poetry the director takes the best of what he wrote and almost makes it seems as if he said the phrases to Verlaine one day while drinking absinthe.

One who is truly familiar with Rimbaud should expect the movie to contain sadomasochism and sexual content. I've read other reviews that said the movie contained too much. Denying Rimbaud's role this would make the movie a fairy tale as thankfully the director knew that Rimbaud experienced these things and wrote of them.

Lastly, just expect to see a small portion of Rimbaud's life in the movie. He had other companionships and childhood friends which were more interesting than Paul Verlaine. I do appreciate this film and the viewer should expect to be shocked. Or as Rimbaud would say "Then why would you suppose that I intended you to be?" ... Read more

Amazon.com

Critics were ruthless when Give My Regards to Broad Street was released in 1984, but the passing years have turned it into an offbeat curio from Paul McCartney's post-Wings era. The ex-Beatle was roundly panned for scripting this empty-headed vanity project, and it still qualifies as a mistake of sorts, dubiously combining new performances of Beatles classics with a few Wings hits and tracks from McCartney's popular 1982 solo album Tug of War. Most of these songs are performed as semi-lavish, blandly filmed production numbers ("Silly Love Songs" comes off like an embarrassing mix of Michael Jackson's Thriller and a Flock of Seagulls reunion), and the whole movie reeks of cheesy early-'80s New Wave/MTV influence, even in the casting of Tracey Ullman as a leather-clad Londoner with streaks of red hair dye.

The "plot" is entirely dispensable, consisting of "24 hours in the life of a rock star," in which Paul has until midnight to find the missing master tapes of his latest album, or lose his entire music empire to a slimy corporate takeover. (Parallels to Macca's loss of Beatle music rights to Michael Jackson are fascinating to consider.) It's all an excuse for a rambling, amiable mess of a movie, with slim supporting roles for Ringo Starr (who admirably refused to participate in re-recording the Beatles hits), his wife Barbara Bach, Linda McCartney, and, most inexplicably, Sir Ralph Richardson in one of many throwaway fantasy sequences. Critic Roger Ebert rightly called Broad Street "about as close as you can get to a non-movie" (which might explain why director Peter Webb never made another film), but the music's still good (look closely for Dave Edmunds and former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones), and we'd sure like a spin in Sir Paul's groovy vintage hot-rod. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (43)

It's all perspective....
What you want out of the film might affect what you expect. This is a fun film. It's like a long music video. No More Lonely Nights,Not Such A Bad Boy, and No Values are 3 good new songs put on here. Some people feel it is a sacrilige for Paul to have re-worked Beatles tunes, but it at least offers an interesting twist. And oh, yeah, Paul was tyring to have some fun with the film. It seems some reviewers (see review below) are being way too serious and biased against Paul. To some "music fans" he can do no right. Not every project is genius, but Beatles fans can find fault with all solo Beatles material. None of them is a "saint", and all have their flaws.

This film would do nice with a DVD release with some extras. After all Shanghai Surprise (George's 1986 film) and Caveman (Ringo's 1981 film) are both on DVD and did not fare well commercially, either.

Enjoy this film as a music video with a thin plot. To me, it is a nice small film that deserves to be re-released. And if Paul would only do a video collection spanning 1970-Present onto DVD....

The film is very interesting!!!
Paul is a genius and the man that composed the essential and style of Beatles's music. The Sargent Pepper album was an idea of Paul and it's more important songs belongs Paul. Macca was the best of the Beatles. This film is not a masterpiece BUT is an interesting film that show us the concept, the idea to make movie in a basic format with sweets songs. The songs are very beautiful and the performer of YESTERDAY is the best version solo than I heard it. "Bad boy" is a deliciuos song and "No more lonely nights" is a imponent song. I think that when the most important composer and singer of the Rock/Pop's History like Paul McCartney gives his ilusion and work like this film WE must to be happy and glad. THANKS SIR PAUL!!!!

Fantastic Movie for Any True Beatles Fan!
While nobody should be fooled into believing that this is a real movie with a real storyline to begin with, viewers should realize from the get-go that this is nothing more than a MUSICAL...meaning that it was made to feature Paul Mac's absolutely great & awesome music, and nothing more!!! SO, that being said...the self-appointed experts and movie "critiques" should realize this before they go bashing such a flik!!! Obviously, to the non-Beatles or McCartney fans searching for a "real" movie, this would be a "HORRIBLE" film! But to those who truly love and appreciate Beatles' and McCartney's music, (hey! nobody can say that their previous movies had fine plots either!), this film is just one more "gift" to all us hard-core Beatlemaniacs out there, to chrish and remember for the rest of our lives, just like the other half-dozen or so musicals that the Fab Four left us....

Absolutly out of this world!
I loved this movie in fact I had to buy two VHS movies of this great film because I didn't want to wear the other out and find that the movie wouldn't be available! I just can't stop watching it. This movie is my number one choice among my Beatles collection, next to A Hard Days Night, Help, and The Magical Mystery Tour. I recommend this show to all that like Paul McCartney or The Beatles. I also think that this movie has gotten a really bad rap for being a bad show, for there wasn't enough of Paul's old songs on it, I think that there is just the right amount of music. The criticts are wrong about this movie, dead wrong. I am sorry that because of the rap this show got Paul McCartney doesn't do more movie scripts and act a little more, he is so good at it. This is the best movie I have seen since The Magical Mystery Tour!

Glad to have it on DVD
It ain't the best movie ever made, but it ain't the worst.

Two big mistakes McCartney made with this project: 1) re-recording old songs (including a half-dozen Beatle tunes), instead of writing all new material (only three new songs were used) 2) writing the screenplay himself, instead of hiring an experienced screenwriter to flesh out his idea.

I can't think of a reason why a non-McCartney fan would want to watch this. If you are a fan, then there's worse ways to spend a couple hours. But really, it's hard to say anything specifically good about this movie. It's hard for me to believe that Macca never realized that the story was so under-developed and unimaginative. For such a creative person, he seems to have set out write the most boring story he could. That's why I consider it a mistake to use old songs-- he could've at least let the movie coast along on the strength of all new material.

I didn't see this in theaters 20 years ago. I can understand why people were so dissapointed. While there's nothing special about the film, it is far from the biggest disaster ever committed to celluloid. ... Read more

Reviews (136)

Excellent Film -- Historically Accurate.
In my opinion, the best war movie ever made -- a notch better than "Saving Private Ryan," which contains certain historical inaccuracies. "A Bridge Too Far" masterfully adapts Cornelius Ryan's meticulously-researched book of the same title. More importantly, with the exception of the German tanks and armored personnel carriers depicted in the failed attempt to capture the northern end of the Arnhem bridge, the uniforms, machine guns, rifles, tanks, landscape, etc. depicted in the film are accurate -- unlike the vast majority of war films that cut corners, film off location, fail to research key facts, etc. The "second Omaha Beach" crossing of the Waal River by the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division -- filmed on loaction -- is the most riveting scene in the movie. Also spectacular is the reenactment of the dropping of hundreds of paratroopers over Holland from C-47 Dakotas. The only negative is that the movie can be quite confusing to one who is not familiar with the intricacies of Operation Market Garden. I urge anyone considering viewing the film to first read "Arnhem 1944" by Martin Middlebrook or Cornelius Ryan's above-mentioned book. Some research will help put this complicated military operation into perspective. After you've seen the movie, and if you have the time, money and inclination, take a battlefield tour of Nijmegen and Arnhem (both just an hour-or-so drive from Amsterdam) so you can truly appreciate the sacrifices made by the British, American, and Polish paratroopers depicted in the film nearly 55 years ago.

Gripping account of Operation Market Garden
A Bridge Too Far is one of my favorite war movies, and books of all time. The book is a classic, which you should read if you have not done so before watching the film.

The film is long (almost 3 hours), but well worth it. I have seen it more than a few times, and always enjoy watching it. I particularly like the Airborne drop and combat scenes. All which leave me wondering how they actually filmed some of them. The cast is full of all-stars with the likes of Anthony Hopkins, Robert Redford, Sean Connery, James Caan. The list of great actors just goes on and on.

The film does a good job of telling the tragic tale of Operation Market Garden, the largest Airborne operation ever. The plan is bold, which is a surprise in itself since General Montgomery was considered to be one of the more conservative well known commanders from WWII. As you watch the movie, you start to wonder how could they have been so wrong. Of course, hindsight is 20/20, and you have to realize that this operation was to be the final punch to put Germany out of the war. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. And, in the end, the goal of reaching the Arnhem bridge is never achieved, and the British Airborne Division pays the ultimate price for the plan's failure.

The book does a better job telling the stories of individual soldiers involved in the battle. But, the movie does an excellnet job of keeping the viewer in the action, and aware of what happened when, during the fight. Especially considering, the action took place at three different areas all at the same time.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone interested in WWII, war movies, combat leadership, or airborne operations. I also recommend watching the movie on a large screen TV if you can.

Great Battles, Dialogue, Characters Make A Great Movie.
I liked this film very much. It's not overly patriotic like Saving Private Ryan. It doesn't go for the happy, crowd pleasing ending. It doesn't pick out heros & bad guys for easy watching and it doesn't oversimplify.

This is well-paced, collage-style film about human fallibility and what happens when large wartime operations break down.

The dialogue is superb. There are 10+ characters interlocked in various relationships at all levels inside the army. These were the top actors in the world at the time, each with a role to play and an independent fate in the battle. All these guys are in their 60's now and seeing them so young is a surprise. Look for John Ratzenberger (Cliff Claven of Cheers) in Robert Redford's paratrooper platoon.

The production values were also excellent, on par with the best of WWII movies. There were many very realistic battle scenes and all the scenery and soldiers, equipment, etc. one could imagine. To the untrained eye it was 100% authentic.

This is not a happy movie or much fun. It's more real than that. Unfortunately it's also not especially harrowing - you know that things are not going to work out. It's just thoughtful and well-paced and very watcheable. If you like WWII movies this one is certainly worthwhile.

You need the Australian 2-disc set!
Personally I found this so-called classic a total bore. But if you're one of those dusty old f*rts who collects war memorabillia and gets off on these true-to-life war epics, get yourself a multizone player and buy the Region 4 Two-disc set which also includes: "Heroes From The Sky" featurette, "A Distant Battle: Memories of Operation Market Garden" featurette, "Richard Attenborough: A Filmmaker Remembers" featurette, (These featurettes are quite long...some go for nearly an hour) Photo Gallery, Trailer, Audio Commentary and Trivia Track. This is the way classic movies on DVD should be presented. Tons of information and a great price. Ezydvd.com

Excellent Adaptation of a Classic War Book
The movie version of Cornelius Ryan's book A Bridge Too Far is a fully faithful adaptation of a war classic. As such, it is a classic in its own right. The movie includes the planning and execution of the flawed Operation Market Garden, the largest Allied airborne operation of World War II. It also includes several of the human interest vignettes from Ryan's book. The movie is consistently interesting throughout and is never boring.

A true classic. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

An Entertaining Musical Sci-fi Comedy!
"Earth Girls Are Easy" is a musical sci-fi comedy about valley-girl Valerie (played by Geena Davis) living in 1980's Los Angeles, and who is engaged to a cheating, boyfriend doctor named Ted (played by Charles Rocket). Catching her boyfriend at home playing with a nurse, the disgruntled Valerie gets the surprise of her life when a spaceship crash lands in her swimming pool. The spaceship's crew (played by Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans), haven't had any "shore leave" in a long time. Not wanting to cause too much of a stir, Valerie takes the alien trio to her best friend Candy (played by Julie Brown) who owns a beauty salon. After Candy transforms the furry trio into believable human males, Valerie finds their captain, Mac (Jeff Goldblum), very attractive. Wild things happen when the alien trio are taken to a dance club and letting them drive in California traffic!

The fact that this film is also a musical only adds to the humor as there are several original songs by Julie Brown!

If you enjoy remembering the excesses of the 1980's and New Wave music, you will probably enjoy this film!

The Greatest Cinematic Acheivement Of All Time...
Alright, maybe not. But I can't think of a movie I love more. The parody of all things 80's is hilarious to those of us who suffered through them, though at times it's a tad heavy-handed (I mean, the exotic fish named Mercedes, Beamer, Aston & Martin is a bit...well, heavy-handed). But Geena Davis is cute and funny as a sweet, airheaded manicurist. Julie Brown is hilarious. Julie Brown is ALWAYS hilarious. Jeff Goldblum doesn't say much and is very, very sexy as a shaved alien. Of course, everyone knows that Jim Carrey & Damon Wayans were in this before In Living Color made them into stars. Both are very, very funny. Jeff Goldblum is much more a straight man, but this movie left me with a crush on him that I still have.

This movie is a great send-up of all things 80's, especially the SoCal sex comedies and beach flicks. Someone said that they thought this movie was supposed to bring back musicals. I don't think so. It's too quirky and too strange (I mean, the salon Geena Davis & Julie Brown work at is called "Curl Up and Dye" for gods sake). I don't think it was made to be a blockbuster. It is, however, a really good time. Julien Temple is marvelous with film visuals, and the silly, sexy humor is lots of fun. Get this movie. It's a treat not to be missed.

Could be an episode of "Before They Were Stars"
It was all about flash and glitz during the 80s, which makes me wonder why there simply weren't more musicals. Well, at least there was this one. Earth Girls Are Easy is a silly, kitschy romp with songs that are as fun as the goofy storyline.

Valerie (Geena Davis) is a manicurist at a styling salon in "The Valley" called Curl Up & Dye. She's engaged to a philandering doctor (Charles Rocket), and looks forward to the day that she'll be a bride. Life is confusing, but headed in the right direction, Valerie thinks. Until the fateful day when an alien spaceship crash-lands in her swimming pool.

The brains behind Earth Girls Are Easy is Julie Brown, who takes part of the credit for writing the script and the songs, who sang several of the songs, and who also co-stars as Valerie's best friend, Candy. Before this movie, really the only thing Brown had been known for was serving as a vee-jay on MTV. Likewise, two of the aliens who at the time were unknowns would later become comedic powerhouses, Jim Carrey and Damon Wayons. Rounding out the trio of aliens was Jeff Goldblum, who was Geena Davis' real-life boyfriend at the time and who, not surprisingly, plays her character's love interest in this film.

Mostly the movie is a series of setups for each of the songs, as well as some great comedy skits. Keep your eyes peeled during the "Cause I'm A Blond" sequence for uncredited dancer Robia LaMorte, who would later become well known to fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as computer science teacher Jenny Calendar - she becomes de-throned as "this month's Miss August" by Julie Brown when she's exposed as really being a brunette.

There's also a great turn here by Michael McKean as over-the-hill surfer Woody.

If you enjoy a good, goofy musical-comedy, you don't want to miss Earth Girls Are Easy.

Terrible Movie
This movie was extremely poor lacking in taste, acting quality and humor.

Snap shot: 1989ish
For better or worse, this film really represents an era, particularly in So Cal. This film is superficial but bright and smart... and has VERY bright colors -- like a 90 minute Starburst commercial. The entire look, in every nook and cranny, is eighties glitzy-junk new wave excess taken to the extreme. And then grunge (Seattle, Nirvana, Clinton:-) put an end to it all, sort of. But while it lasted, the end of the eighties ($ boomtime for So Cal) is shown here in all its glory: Yuppiedom, lots of gadgets, almost disposable clothes, accesories to the max, disposable pop-culture references, and big-haired beautiful women. Julie Brown epitomizes all of the above with a postmodern wink. She is the heart here... while Geena Davis is the straight person, properly vacant, wandering through this neon world. As so many reviewers wrote, the Julie Brown musical numbers are real standouts. And Geena's "Ground That You Walk On" is great too. Highly recommended time capsule. (Compare this film to 1980ish "Xanadu," where lots of this glitz was in its infancy, more serious and innocent). ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Another visit to the PRIEST
Re-visiting PRIEST, a film by Antonia Bird that is genteel, soulful, yet probing and made in 1995, makes us realize how much of a wake-up call it was to the internal troubles wasting the Catholic Church so blasted in the media on a daily basis in 2003. This extraordinary film looks at the issues from the inside of the Church, issues such as incest, adultery, celibacy, homosexuality, privacy of the confessional, misguided allegiance to the parish in favor of the doctrine of the priesthood vows, etc. Much of the sensitivity of the message of the film (that despite vows and dictums, priests are human beings whose occassional 'weaknesses' can make them even more effective as tenders of the flock) is due to superb performances by a cast of committed actors. Tom Wilkinson shines as a priest who (against the vow of celibacy)lives with his lover, the tender and beautiful Cathy Tyson, dedicating his role for the common man, a priest who cares more about social injustice than about ancient rules of catholic order. Linus Roache, as a creed-challenged young priest who copes with being gay as well as his inability to share confessional secrets about the incest of his parishoner Lisa (Christine Tremarco), and her trustingly uninformed mother (Lesly Sharp). Robert Carlyle is Roache's 'lover' and is introduced to us in this film before he subsequently became the established actor he is today. The affair between Roache and Carlyle is as sensual and touching as any gay affair on film. The growing relationship between Wilkinson and Roache is humorous and tender and triumphant. Antonia Bird directs with a taut eye on character and atmosphere and makes her story dark and light and quiet and probing. This is a fine film that just grows better with each watching. The only moment of laxity comes at the very end when the heartstrings are pulled below pitch with the wholly unnecessary music background of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' muddying up an otherwise honestly moving film.

Priest is movie that moves the soul
This film touches the human soul. It looks at the priest hood in its human form. Linus Roache plays Father Greg Pilkington. Father Greg is going through hard times he knows he is supposed to be a priest, however his sexual urgings for men is strong. He starts a relationship with Grahm, and although he knows he is breaking his vow of celibacy he cannot stop. Sharing his home and church is father Matthew an older worldlier priest played by Tom Wilkinson, who becomes a great friend. However father Matthew is also having an affair with the live in house keeper Maria. Father Greg's problems are not just refined to his sexual orientation and relationship with Grahm. In confession he learns a horrible story by a young girl. His only choices are to stay quiet or tell and break the sanctity of confession. Staying quiet will mean the young girl continues to suffer. Through all his trials and tribulations, I grew to love Father Greg and care about the cast of characters. So if you sick of movies all about killing and death, this is a movie about life and the battle it is to live it and what it means to be human.

Asks good questions
I enjoyed Priest and felt it asked quality questions and addressed heavy issues. The strongest question is if our expectations of those in the service of the church are realistic. I thought the script was good and the acting was solid. This is not a feel good movie but it is a movie that inspires thought and it will draw you in and impact your emotions. It offers no easy answers and hits several issues hard. If you have a collection of Gay films than this would be a good addition for a well rounded selection. This was a good investment of time and money.

I've never liked religions, but I adore human emotions.
Christian, not Christian; gay, not gay; does it matter? We are all prisoners of our own, chained by our individual view points of this world and of this life. Want to think or just bored, want to