Reviews (9)

Bruno Kirby is the catalyst
Max (Bruno Kirby) is a conniving entrepreneur. He tries to make a deal with a Russian by copying and selling a painting, stolen from Russians that stole it from Nazis that stole it from France. Instead he is given the job of delivering a tape to people in Helsinki. He must pose as a "Reindeer condom" distributor.
It turns out that the tape on the surface is a porn tape which sees a lot of mileage in this movie, which is somehow embedded with a coded message. The CIA wants to be sure it does not reach KGB hands.
Of course the cold war is supposed to be over but enter Harry Howe (Bill Pullman) CIA, and Natasha Scriabina (Irène Jacob) KGB, supposed lovers. Toss in Dave, a renegade CIA agent and you have a strange mix.
Everyone is out for them selves and still has to be civil. A substitute video is produces and we get to watch. Will Harry and Natasha get over their different backgrounds? Will Max ever make a profit? Someone is bound to be shot. The real question is, is Louise Hodges (Porn Woman) now an actress?

usa spy + ussr spy =sex ,love,confusion
see a silly fun movie...irene is funny in this ...bill pullman and her skiny dip in cold waters ...bill is a lucky man ....RED the DVD were is it? i am waiting.

boring
The script is clever i admit, but when it becomes a movie, it makes me fall asleep. Jacob is wooden; i do like her but she can play limited roles, very limited. (Although, actually in this movie, this is not important completely.)

This is a piece of gold!
I love this film, and so will you. I saw this film by the first time at the movie theatre and I had difficulties to sit on my chair because it was so funny. Järvi-Laturi achieved to create an unique athmosphere to this film, for example scenes from Lappland are superb. Super-star Pullman is one of the most interesting actor in Hollywood at the moment and his performance in this movies is even better than in Independence Day! You have missed a lot if you haven't seen this movie. Best Buy Movie!!!

"Historiaa Tehdään Öisin"
Ilkka Järvi-Laturi one of the Finnish great film directors brings something different to the screen with major stars! I heard that this movie was flop in America. Well, I'll understand that, this picture touches only Finnish people and especially people who lived in the capital. Almost every exterior shots have been filmed in Helsinki, only some short parts in northern Finland. The reason why this film interest so many Finns is that, Bill Pulman is in locations where you don't really imagine see that fellow -big Hollywood name. Anyway, this is the first large budget Hollywood picture, where city of Helsinki plays in it's own! (Not some Russian city, like all other films before that). ... Read more

Amazon.com

Most generation gaps focus on conservative parents and radical kids, but My Son the Fanatic depicts the opposite: taxi driver Parvez (Om Puri) can't understand why his son has turned to Muslim fundamentalism, calling the Western world of their corner of London corrupt and driven by sex. Meanwhile, Parvez finds himself working for a hedonistic German businessman (Stellan Skarsgård from Breaking the Waves and Good Will Hunting) who has more or less hired a prostitute named Bettina (Rachel Griffiths from Hilary and Jackie and Children of the Revolution), with whom Parvez has become friends. As Parvez's wife also turns towards fundamental ways, and a Muslim holy man comes to live in their house, Parvez turns more and more to Bettina for solace. Their friendship turns more intimate, bringing the family conflict to a head. This could be little more than a midlife crisis fantasy, but My Son the Fanatic thickens its story with cultural details and well-developed characters. The performances are rich and affecting; Om Puri is charming and sympathetic, and makes Parvez's moral conflicts genuine and understandable. Though Bettina, as a hooker with a heart of gold, isa bit of a stereotype, Griffiths's integrity as an actress makes the character compelling. An affecting film that doesn't provide easy answers to the difficult questions it explores. Written by Hanif Kureishi (My Beautiful Laundrette, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Slightly flawed gem...
You might want to rent the film first before you buy the DVD--though I didn't and don't regret it. It was hyped as a "funny" film, but I did not laugh much, though it is very very wry.

The story takes place in London, England and most of the characters are Pakistani immigrants or their children. Two exceptions are the Scottish(?) prostitute played by Rachel Griffins (Betinna, aka Sandra) and the German businessman played by Stellen Skaarsgard. If you have any problems understanding accents this film could drive you mad. The German business man says "I speak better English than you" to the Pakistanni taxi driver, and since he has a heavy German accent be warned.

Although the story takes place among Pakistanni immigrants living in modern Britain, it could have been any non-English group of immigrants with 'different' religious convictions (Mennonites, Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormans). These folks just happen to be Muslim.

Although assimilation is the background issue, the story is more complex. The core issue the film explores is "What is a good man?" At one point, Parvez the father says to his son Farid, "There are many ways to be a good man."

The son is unhappy with his life as a second generation Muslim living in London, and turns to what he believes are his roots. The father abandoned these roots long ago, and has no inclination to revisit them. The two of them inevitably clash.

Eventually, the son discovers his father has a very unorthodox relationship with a prostitute named Bettina. And, the father is involved in activities the son describes as 'pimping.' It's hard not to sympathize with the son's disillusionment and disappointment, and yet the son seems bent on taking up a new life style that is equally harsh where women are concerned.

Is it better to be a man who helps his female friend the whore acquire clients, or better to be the man who spits in the faces of women, burns down brothels, and makes his mother enshroud herself and eat alone in the kitchen? This is a complex morality play.

The gentle humor adds to the humanity of this fine film
The theme of immigrant children rejecting traditional values is a common one. But in this 1997 British gem, there's a twist. This screenplay, by Hanif Kuresshi, tells a story of a Pakistani-British taxicab driver whose only son reverts to Moslem fundamentalism much to his father's displeasure. It's a modern story, and we've all become painfully aware of these issues lately.

Om Puri, with his weathered pock-marked face, has the ability to create a character that is easy to identify with. He's a foreigner, the victim of racial prejudice. He has also become alienated from his family. And yet, he is bursting with vitality and is full of wisdom. When his son breaks his engagement with an English girl and turns to fundamentalism, he's horrified as it is against the basic principles of the secular life he has chosen for himself. He has nobody to turn to as a friend with the exception of Rachel Griffiths, cast in the role of a prostitute he chauffeurs around. She, too, is alienated, and as their relationship grows, the story become more complex.

Many of the scenes are shot inside the cab, and even though it took me a few minutes to get adjusted to the fact that the driver's seat is on the right in England, it really gave me the feeling of what a cabdriver's day-to-day life is like. The cross-cultural conflicts are sharp and grating as the son invites a visiting holy man to stay in their house and the young extremists demonstrate for moral decency. I could certainly identify with the father's dilemma as he grappled with his own complex moral choices. There's gentle humor too, and it adds to the humanity of the film, although I could never call it a comedy. It's simply an offbeat story with some unlikely people dealing with very real issues. Definitely recommended.

Father and Son
Somewhat similar to movies like "Bend It Like Beckam" or "East is East", "My Son the Fanatic" is an interesting effort that wisely approaches subjects like the generational gap, the clash of cultures, family ties and social disorder. Presenting a credible and realistic atmosphere with solid acting (Om Puri is particularly great), compelling characters, witty dialogue, a good plot and a fine mix between drama and comedy, this cinematic experience doesn`t quite reach classic status but manages to deliver a strong and convincing movie. The pacing is a bit uneven, though, and some more comedy-oriented moments wouldn`t hurt. Still, a good flick nonetheless.

Recommended.

A TRUE MARVEL WITH COMPLEX BUT REAL CHARACTERS
Made in 1997 (ps: pre-911) it is remarkable how a movie so simple in its narrative, and so in the shadow of critical cinema, could depict such smack-dab nuances of eastern immigrants at odds with a western setting or how the cultural assimilation of trans-national immigrants doesn't always look like a rainbow colored day at the beach.

But despite that seemingly ho-hum central tack, there are many conflicts studied very poignantly -- modern versus mediaeval, father versus son, fidelity versus emotional satisfaction, ethnic conservatism (ok, fanaticism) versus open minded cosmopolitanism, Good House Husband versus Bad Man Who Befriends Prostitutes, Decent Living Taxi Driver versus Someone Who Became Filthy Rich...and each is sublte yet hard-hitting in its simplicity.

Without giving away too much about the plot, there is no ordinary character in the movie, certainly no ordinary Muslim. The father (Parvez, played wonderfully by Om Puri) is a cabbie who flirts about in a relationship with a streetside floozy whom he finds more uplifting (no pun intended) than his standpat wife back home who disapproves of his free-wheeling ways and even finds his interests in jazz "too trumpety". The other Muslim, the son, is at loggerheads with his peers in throes of non-acceptance and instead gets inveigled into Islamic fundamentalism as an escape. This contrast is very, very credible, real and amusing.

Particularly noteworthy are Udayan's idiosynchratic implications about what constitutes "right" or "wrong" character. Parvez's prostitute girlfriend has a loving heart, a sharp mind and a vivacious presence despite her ostracization from the Good People Club. The son and his other right-wing Islamic acolyte buddies come off as annoyingly childish in a thoughtless "promiscuity" of their own.

For instance, they invite a Pakistani Maulvi to sermonize/"guide", and a hilarious TRUE moment pops up when the Maulvi requests the non-approving father for some help with his immigration into England.

Another VERY, VERY quiet 5 second scene that leaves an indelible impact is the depiction of male chauvinism dominating orthodox Islam where Parvez's wife is huddled in the kitchen for dinner, behind a closed door, and refuses to come out to dine with the men of the house in fear of doing something "inappropriate" in the presence of the supposed Maulvi.

The movie has many light-hearted moments and the cinematography is unexpectedly stunning. All this emotional, moral tussle between father, son, wife, romantic interest etc leads to a denouement that is hardly a resolution of sorts but is deeply moving. Everyone makes a choice (and I found the choice of Parvez's wife particularly startling) in favor of freedom from personal and social shackles. Made me think for days and recommend this movie to everyone I care about.

This is probably not your average East Meets West type ethnic take and certainly not a look into typical Muslim life as it makes no pretense of being. Yet, as a movie that tackles very touching, very identifiable themes of how simple convictions about life and love can sway people into/away from relationships, it comes HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from me.

Can cultures intermix?
Islamic fundamentalism and western hedonism collide in Hanif Kureishi's film "My Son the Fanatic", wich takes place in the small English town of Bradford.

The film was a huge hit in the 1997 Cannes film festival. It's intriquing way of combining comedy and drama earned it the Official Selection.

"My Son the Fanatic" gives us a peak to the life of Parvez, an Indian-Brittish taxi-driver, who doesn't care much about his roots, but is very fond of the western way of life. He befriends with the lower class of his town, eventually falling in love with a prostitute.

His son, Farid, represents a very different kind of thinking. He opposes the western way of living recklessly and seeks order. This leads to him leaving his English fiancé and joining a group of islamic fundamentalists.

The film that begins as a light comedy turns into serious drama as Parvez and Farid collide in their different ways of viewing life. Parvez's worry about his son and his long-dead marriage to his traditional Indian wife who doesn't approve of him mingling with criminals and prostitutes etc. offers us meaningfull moments, wich carry the deep characters through situations.

The film speaks for open mindedness, showing that a prostitute can be a good person and that a religious fanatic is always someones child. It offers much to think about while questioning common prejudiousness.

The adequate acting performances and Udayan Prasad's talented directing support Hanif Kureishi's insightfull script, wich unfortunately, or perhaps intentionally, is left a bit superficial.

"My Son the Fanatic" shows us that cultures can indeed intermix, and I recommend it strongly, especially at these times.

To quote Parvez: "Farid tells me cultures can't be combined. Jesus! You can't keep them apart!" ... Read more

Description

Love is the ultimate kick! "Alive and Kicking" is a lively romance between unlikely lovers--Tonio (Jason Flemyng), a narcissistic dancer pushing his body to artistic perfection, and Jack (Antony Sher), a therapist whose mind is more agile than his body. The mismatched pair stumble along the rocky path of commitment in a poignant, often hilarious, always believable portrayal of gay courtship in the new "Swinging London." "Alive and Kicking" is the first screenplay by noted playwright Martin Sherman (Bent) and the second feature to be directed by Nancy Meckler, whose debut film "Sister My Sister" won critical acclaim around the world. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Sometimes we need to be reminded....
For some unfortunate reason in the year 2002 people want to believe that Aids is over. That just because to some degree it can be controlled with medication that we've cured it. This couldn't be further from the truth.

Alive and Kicking is a lovely, funny and at times very tender reminder that there are still people out there not only living with Aids,dying of Aids, but also loving despite the limitaion of Aids. It's a realistic look at life, love, and dying. And about excepting that sometimes the body betrays the will.

ALIVE AND KICKING!
Martin Sherman, author of the acclaimed play "Bent," wrote the screenplay for this thoughtful and moving drama of life in the era of AIDS! Directed by Nancy Meckler, this 1997 British film stars Jason Flemyng as the dancer who is too proud to let his HIV-positive status interfer with either his career or his love life! In addition to Flemyng's outstanding performance as Tonio, is the story line which has him finding comfort with an older man, a psychotherapist who is angry over the deaths of so many of his patients! "Alive and Kicking!" is one of those life affirming films in which it does not matter if you are gay or straight, sick or well, because it will touch everybody!

THE ACTORS WERE REAL AND VIBRANT!
One thing I look for in a gay based movie is whether the actors either gay or straight, can give a realistic performance. Jason Flemying and Antony Sher gave a convincing dialog, and romantic scene, after scene. All the actors were good and the dance sequences were outstanding, (and I don't like ballet) .

The ending dance is very sexy and the cast really seemed caught-up in the dream-like-naked-torso-writhing and really enjoyed themselves.

The fact that this was about aids and people dyeing could have smothered the whole movie, but, it didn't dwell on the morbid, rather it gave everyone hope to carry -on with their lives.

Jack knew that if Tonio was not dying, he would not have given him a chance at the romance they have. And Tonio knows that there is a certain infatuation that Jack has for the fact that Tonio is dying.

They have their spats and both men need extra room now an then. Jack from the everyday dealings with aids patients (he is a therapist) to Tonio's hurting, aching body and the pressure to perform one last show.

I got wrapped-up in these characters and was able to have genuine feelings for them. I saw this on vhs and I understand it is available on DVD which I will add to my collection...

I really liked it!
The movie was great! The dancing was absolutely beautiful and the story was just great. It was really touching and like so many British films, it left you with no definite conclusion, which usually bothers me, but in this movie it was okay, because you get the sense that it will all be okay, even during trying times. I really recommend this movie.

Wonderful and Life Affirming
As this was a "pig in a poke" selection, I had no pre-conceived notions as to what this film would amount to. From the very first frame the wonder began, and it continued to the very last roll of the credits. Not only are the performances of Jason Flemyng and Anthony Sher excellent, but the entire cast is great. Directed with an apparent love for the subject,the film never has a false moment. We do care about the characters and their circumstances, and feel certain that whatever may become of them, they will have made choices out of love, not pity. There are wonderful life lessons for anyone here...don't miss it! ... Read more

Reviews (67)

One Man. One Masterpiece. One Very Big Mistake.
Mr. Bean makes it to the USA in this movie and, just like he does back home in England, he causes absolute chaos. He works as security guard in a London art museum and is assigned to escort the famous "Whistler's Mother" painting to an LA museum. When Mr. Bean arrives there, the museum owner and the curator mistake him to be an art expert and from then on the disasters begin. "Bean" had some very funny moments in it, however I don't think the Mr. Bean character was well -suited to this type of film. It's nothing more than a typical comedy with Mr. Bean thrown in it to generate some laughs (most of which are Americanized). Not only that but Mr. Bean is forced to interact with a lot of characters and stay in the confines a plot, which is not like him. Bean is at his best in the TV series, not an American comedy. But as I said, there were some hilarious scenes here. The part where Mr. Bean spikes a security guards coffee with laxative (and then takes the bathroom key with him!) was great and so was the scene when he wrecks up the painting. If you happen to be a Bean purist or a nonfan, you might not appreciate this movie. However, if you are a fan of Rowan Atkinson then do try this out.

Not for everyone
I suggest watching one of the tv episodes before taking this one in; if it doesn't appeal to you, don't bother. The humour here is somewhat different than the typical American humour. Actually, the biggest problem I had with this movie is how much they catered to the north american audience. They altered one of the best aspects of the tv show by giving Bean moral character. He's funniest when he has no regard for the chaos he creates; the viewer laughs at the consequences while Bean just carries on. Sure, that would have meant less of a plot line, but it would have been more daring film-making. Also annoying was the recycling of some skits from the show (again catering to NA audiences). I should note at this point that the version released in Canada was different than the one released in the US; the US version has more recycled skits from the show, I guess because they figured no one in the US had seen them. All that aside, there are some hilarious sequences. You'll either love it, hate it, or just not get it at all.

The art of a comedy.
I saw this film at the local theater when I was but a boy in 1997. Batman and Robin was a complete f***ing failure that year but I had something to bounce back on. And that was Bean. This movie was too hillarious for words. Rowan Atkinson is one of the greatest comedic masterminds of all time. He can take one simple mistake such as for example, sneezing on an important piece of American history like the "Whistler's Mother" painting and turning it into a full scale disaster involving paint thinner, breaking and entering, bathroom humor, and an incredibly moving speech and make it so frickin funny that you have to see it again. I must admit, I saw Bean 3 times that year and it got funnier every time. It's like a classic film such as Forrest Gump or Star Wars. Films like that get better and better everytime because you notice something new and it feels like watching a brand new movie. That's what makes movie watching so worthwhile. It starts to grow on you. But anyhow, Bean is probably one of the greatest comedies of all time and it only gets better because behind this great comedy there was an even greater television series. In 1998, the Fox family channel which is now ABC family swept into my cable company's channel list and Mr Bean was one of the shows that came on all the time. And it's even funnier that the movie. Some of the movie's bits came from the show such as Bean getting the turkey stuck to his head. If you buy this dvd which you should, buy the dvd sets of the tv series. But on a final note, this is one of the most hillarious films ever, so buy it.

Wow
Rowan Atkinson talks in this movie for a change!
It's one of the best comedies ever.
This time, mr.Bean is a caretaker at Royal National Gallery. As a matter of fact he's a sleeper as he sleeps all day long at his work place.
Since the chairman adores mr.Bean instead of getting him fired he sends mr.Bean to U.S.A.
This is where the trouble begins...:)

A must see movie

YOU WON'T STOP THE LAUGHTER!!
It seems that nationality has something to do
with how we enjoy humor. I expected to see a higher
rating given to this movie. For me, puertorrican, this is
the kind of humor I enjoy the most. This movie is terribly
funny - I simply has no words to describe it - just watch it
as soon as you can, you won't be dissapointed. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Granton Star Rules!
I hadn't read the Irvine Welsh book from which this movie is based. A friend of mine though said that he thought 'The Granton Star Cause' was one of the best short stories he ever read and of the 3 stories within this film it certainly works the best. I first saw the film in North America and if you happen to be from the Celtic side of the pond the use of English subtitles for English dialogue can be quite disjointing and takes away from the enjoyment of the film. Nevertheless the 'Granton Star Cause' creates a big impact in the guise of a modern fable. Add to that the satirical nature of the policemen's investment, God's theological justifications and Nick Cave's brooding, melancholic soundtrack and you wonder why more filmmakers (indeed writers for that matter) don't incorporate more traditional story-telling elements in their work.

'A Soft Touch' proves to be morbidly depressing, while 'The Acid House' story itself just works as an extended pop video. All in all it doesn't work as a full feature, the remaining 2 stories develop as a huge anti-climax to the magnificent and insightful narrative of the first. Watch just for 'The Granton Star Cause'.

= - A_c_i_D - =
This movie is excellent. I suggest you read the book before you see the movie though, otherwise you'll really not know what the hell is going on because its very difficult to understand what thoes goddamn people are trying to say even though it has subtitles. This movie take three main stories from the book and recreates them into live action, following strictly to the written material. It was cool to see the movie after reading the book because it gave me a new view on how to picture everything in my mind, from the way the cities looked, the way that the characters looked and so on. This movie was dead on. Everything that I imagined while reading the book is what I saw on the screen when i saw the movie. Irvine Welsh has done it again. He is a literary god!

Strong adaptation
Bearing in mind that this film is of the same style and tone as "Trainspotting," it stands as a departure from what the casual Irvine Welsh (no pun intended) fan may expect. Whereas -- despite some surrealist sequences -- "Trainspotting" had a realistic plot, this effort is a sort of Twilight Zone set in the schemes (projects)of Edinburgh. The movie's three segments closely follow their respective short stories in Welsh's novel. One departure, which I actually liked, was that unlike the Coco Bryce in Welsh's short story "The Acid House," the character is portrayed as more of a protagonist in the screen adaptation. Admittedly, Ewan Bremmer wasn't who I'd pictured as Bryce based on having read the story (much like I hadn't pictured Carlisyle as Begbie in Trainspotting), but he does an outstanding job with the character. Really good sequence at the end, where Welsh used actual Hibernian FC fans in the final scene. Overall, it's worth seeing; although, I found it difficult to find in the U.S. and would have prefered that the subtitles be optional on the DVD version.

I LOVED THIS FILM!!!
"the acid house", reunites 3 different stories written by irvine welsh...(writter of "trainspotting" , and co-writter of "dockers")...about misfortune,football,drugs,god,neighbors and of course,coco!

these hilarious shorts are really bizzare!...the title says it all! it's very "acid".

the first segment of the film is called "the granton star cause"...in this introduction, boab (stephen Mccole) an apparently mediocre football player is being rejected from his team, his fiance,his parents and to top it all,beaten by a bunch of cops and punished by GOD!(maurice roeves)...after a long arguement with boab.,god finaly decides to transform him into an insect.(what happens next is just too long to explain)

the second part of the film is entitled " a soft touch",it's the most depressive and detestable moment of "the acid house"..johnny,(kevin mckidd) is married to catriona (michelle gomez),a self-destructive,dumb wife who sleeps with her neighbor,prostitutes herself and eventualy gets pregnant..the neighbor,larry(gary mccormack) uses johnny's electricity,he comes and goes in johnny's flat,sleeps with his wife..etc..the ending of this short film is very annoying!...but the acting in this segment is simply magnificent, and frightfully realistic!
...

the final, and 3rd part of the acid house...called "the acid house", and is without a doubt the best short of this trilogy. it's about coco (ewen bremner),who is struck by lightning and suddenly swaps his mind (or soul) into a newborn baby...the reslut is simply hysterical!...

the direction: the acid house was paul mcguigan's first film . after that,followed the exellent "gangster number one" and recently, "morality play"...his style is very recognizable!,and works even better in "gangster number one",(it's a more mature work IMHO)...the same goes for andrew hulmer (his editor),who also worked on G.number1 and Morality play. his style goes pretty wild on the final segment of the film!

the acting and cast:
the best thing about the "acid house" is it's cast of incredible actors...from michelle gomez (who also played in michel blanc's "the escort" starring daniel auteuil & who also was in the "stage version" of trainspotting), to kevin mckidd (also known for his part in trainspotting as "tommy", topsy-turvy, small faces) , there's also maurice roeves (beautiful creatures , last of the mohicans) , stephen mccole (orphans , band of brothers , my name is joe), garry sweeney (small faces) , gary mccormack (gangster n.1 , gangs of new york) and ewen bremner or "spud" (trainspotting , naked , julien the donkey boy , snatch , black hawk down, morality play )

the music...if you dont own it already, make sure to buy the soundtrack of this film ,it features great groups such as "primal scream" , "oasis" , "chemical brothers" , "texas" , "the pastels", "beth orton" , "arab strap"..etc......etc..

the acid house is not as good as "trainspotting" but it's worth checking!. (try fo find the dvd version of the film if possible, it contains interesting stuff such as irvine wlesh's commentary and interview,theatrical trailer,and of course a glossary (you'll need it!,some words have different and several meanings..)

WELSH DELIVERS AGAIN
Well, ladies and gents. If you are a fan of Scottish cinema or Irvine Welsh or just strange indie flicks you should take a flight on the Acid House airlines. 3 sorted stories to make your skin crawl. The Acid House delivers yet another one of Welsh's great books. Nice, romatic, sweet people should stay away from this flick. But anyone who likes their movies full flavored should stop and pick up this masterpiece. If you are a fan of Welsh than the accents and slang should be no problem but for anyone else it will take some getting used to. This covers lots of cool things that people were afraid to put in Trainspotting. Thank Zeitgeist filmsfor delivering a fantastic new movie for a real collectors collection. BRAVO!!! ... Read more

Description

The long-awaited sequel to Boys Briefs -- six outstanding short films about gay first lust. Hosted by DANNY ROBERTS, star of MTV's THE REAL WORLD NEW ORLEANS. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Different, but good because of it.
The stories in "Boy's Brief 2" fairly different from what I've seen in various gay short film anthologies (Boys Life 1-4, etc.) I really liked "Doors Cut Down", "Back Room" and "Breakfast", though "Touch" is by far the most poignant (a story of 8-year abuse as told by the survivor). I rented this and will likely purchase because these stories feel real and are portrayed in a very engaging way by the various actors. "Chicken" was a waste of film and time, and "Take Out" was interesting but perplexing by being diliberately vague about what's real and what's imagined. All in all, a collection of unique shorts on topics not normally discussed, must less filmed.

Some Good Some Bad
All together I thought the stories on the DVD were good; the most noteable, (and in my opinion the best story) being Doors Cut Down. The lead actor Israel Rodriguez was outstanding and more than believable in the role.
The Pizza Delivery story was also good, as well as the short Irish story that just begins to take shape and then ends for no apparent reason. I know it was a short movie, but hey three minutes just didn't cut it.
Danny Roberts of MTV Real World fame who hosted the movies got better as the stories moved along but he seemed a little uneasy throughout, better luck next time. All in all I would give the DVD 4 stars based mostly on the strength of the first story Doors Cut Down.

Better than average compilation
I like to buy the various compilations of short gay films because you get a variety of perspectives and ideas. Unfortunately all too often the selections are uneven, with only one or two standouts per. This collection is one of the better ones. Artistically, the films are each pretty well done, adopting a style and point of view and following it through. The content of these films, though somewhat varied (although connected by the theme of "first lust")was pretty consistantly good. I enjoyed the whole collection. I won't go into details, as the other reviews take care of that, but I will recommend this DVD.
The introductions by Danny Roberts (and I really do like you, Danny) were pretty weak. The scripts are flat, as is Danny's delivery (why do people think they have to be unnatural when acting?). But it was fun to see him in various states of undress and away from that Real World crowd.

New and Improved Briefs!
"Boys Briefs 2" is a collection of six non-USA gay-oriented short films from 1999-2002. The movies and their framing introductions are much better than in the first "Boys Briefs."

If one plays all the movies through, they are each given a hotter and less wordy introduction (this time by Danny Roberts of MTV fame) than happened in the first "Boys Briefs." One can play each movie separately without any introduction. There are substantial skin scenes in all but "Chicken". There are English subtitles for the films from Spain and Germany; the rest are in English already.

"Doors Cut Down" ("En Maias Companias"; Antonio Hens; Spain; 17 minutes) shows 18-ish Guillermo as a skilled predator in a the bathroom of a Madrid-area mall. Guillermo casts his net a bit wider and attracts the attention from the police and his parents. Still, things have a way of changing and working out too. This was the most fun feature and had a catchy thematic beat.

"Chicken" (Barry Dignam; Ireland; 3 minutes) shows two guys between the train tracks and the beach trying out each other's courage and affection. Effective for the time spent.

"Back Room" (Guillem Morales; Spain; 13 minutes) is a dark, anonymous place upstairs from a Spanish gay dance club that five major (and several background minor) characters go for quick sex. There's a first-timer, a punk, a hottie, a hunk, and an older man. They go through their motions, but the audience gets to hear their much less mechanical thoughts along the way. I liked the movie maybe too much; I found myself redoing parts and thinking about how to embed it in a longer movie that would show the characters before and after.

"Breakfast" ("Fruestueck"; Alexander Pfeuffer; Germany; 14 minutes) has romantic, Berlin newcomer Boris (Nico Link) trying to keep a hold on impulsive, promiscuous Till (Tobias Schenke). Till's friend, Giselle (Anna Thalbach), offers breakfasts. Can they help? This is a nice, romantic comedy.

"Touch" (Jeremy Podeswa; Canada; 27 minutes) is the most serious and, for me, the most memorable of the six films. A boy is locked in a basement and abused from the time he is eight years old until he is sixteen. When the doors open, the boy is free to leave. Upon leaving a hospital, he is given a name and lives with foster parents. Not given any further treatment, his past continues to drive his future. Brendan Fletcher gives an amazing performance as the sixteen-year old "Richard". The grainy photography fits well with the deadened sensibility and the shadowy faces used. Daniel Janke's dissonant music for violin and prepared piano fits perfectly and is performed well by pianist Janke and by violinist Mark Fewer. Five stars out of five.

"Take-Out" (Jean-Francois Monette; Canada; 37 minutes) was sponsored by Quebec and features road signs in French, although the characters all speak English. High school student Rory (Gianpaolo Venuta) delivers chicken dinners for Chalet Bar-B-Q. One day he delivers to Pete (Daniel MacIvor), a lawyer in a big house and with time on his hands. Rory keeps being asked back, and the tips keep getting bigger. Fellow worker Enzo (Benjamin Plener) and Pete's wife(?) Virginia (Kaya McGregor) are starting to ask questions. Rory has wandering eyes in the school shower and is looking at some interesting magazines in the rack. What happens next? This was the most finished looking movie of the lot and had fine acting throughout. There were parts worth reconsidering on repeat viewings.

The biggest drawback to the DVD was that there were no director's commentaries to any of the movies. I enjoy commentaries as a way to learn about movie-making and about how other cultures handle matters. Another annoyance was that the first three movies do not show linkages between the actors' names and the parts they play; one can try to guess by who appears first or speaks first or is the most important.

Still, this is a very enjoyable collection of films from outside the USA.

Synopsis
Much like its predecessor, BOYS BRIEFS 2 is a compilation of five short foreign films that that focus on gay first love and sexual awakenings. DOORS CUT DOWN (Spain) is about a day in the life of a 16-year-old boy who frequents the bathroom of a local mall. BACKROOM GUILLEM MORALES (Spain) is an eye-opening tale of what men could be thinking while cruising the backroom of a dance club. BREAKFAST (Germany) takes a look at the conflicting mindstates of two possible lovers. TAKE OUT (Canada) focuses on a teenager's brief encounter with a middle-aged man. In CHICKEN BARRY DIGNAM (Ireland), a game of dare tests the boundaries of a friendship between two boys. Each film is introduced by two fictitious characters as they go on an adventure of their own. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Very Thought of You charms the very heart
I finally rented "The Very Thought of You" on a whim with some friends, after tiring of always seeing it on the "New Release" shelf and not knowing what it was about. What we eneded up watching was an endearing romantic comedy with great repartee and interesting plot development. The story of Martha (Monica Potter) and her unplanned trip to London causes her to meet lifelong buddies Daniel (Tom Hollander), Lawrence (Joseph Fiennes) and Frank (Rufus Sewell) who, independently and at different times, met and fell in love with her. The narrative moves backwards and forwards, gradually filling in gaps until we see the story of the three men unfold. Cute, amusing and very watchable movie, this is a great feel good movie to watch any time of the year.

Really cute, but not a classic
This may horrify Joeseph Fiennes fans, who seem to be this movie's main audience, but he is not the best thing about it. No, neither is Monica Potter, although she has an easy charm and a truly gorgeous smile. The best thing about the film are the three hilarious supporting performances. Tom Hollander is great as an unlikely rock star and ego-maniac, Ray Winstone charming as the "psychiatrist" and Rufus Sewell constantly giggle-inducing as the unemployed and unemployable actor (the best scene has got to be him on the bus shouting "I love my mother" and hyper-ventilating about an upcoming audition). Anyhow, despite great work from these three, the movie suffers from being so outrageously implausible. Oh well, it's a romantic comedy, and it is a lot of fun. Just remember: T.H, R.W, and R.S. are the real stars here!

Sorry Hollywood!
This movie, which by the way is actually called "Martha meet Frank, Daniel and Lawrence" (too complicated for the American market???), Britains Daily Mail lables "The best romantic commedy EVER - and it's British!". Being no friend of Romantic commedies in general, I find myself not having anything to add to this. This is as un-Hollywood as can be, although it sports the usual Happy End with a kiss. But man, this is the first time I actually wanted this to happen... ;-)
You might aswell buy it, because you end up renting it again anyways...
PS: The original title hints at the plot and the way it is narrated....changing it was a big mistake!

PPS: Just breezed through the reviews and noticed that some people found the plot implausible.(!) WELL, OF COURSE IT IS! But that's totally beside the point! How plausible is "Much Ado about Nothing"?? Doesn't make it any worse a play, now does it?

I liked it
I thought this movie was very cute. It didn't play out like your typical love story, and I thought it was amusing to see 3 friends fall in love with the same woman, and not one of them knew it! I especially liked the idea of just getting on a plane, regardless of where it was going, and starting over...it's something that makes this movie really cute, even if a bit predictable. Overall, I can't see why it didn't make into theatres....if XXX, Gigli, and many others made it, then the reasons that something decent like this didn't eludes me. Go rent it, and have fun!

Martha meet Frank, Daniel and Lawrence
This was how i came to know this video so maybe thats just the british version. To me that title just denotes the meandering quality of the film. I like the way fate worked in this movie and although it was hopelessly unrealistic I enjoyed it alot. It was very funny and Joseph Fiennes gives an excellent performance in his role as caught-in-the-middle lawrence, and despite the fantatical nature of the storyline the friendship the three men have is so true to life you can believe in it. They are all very good actors. If you, like me, find yourself drawn to romantic movies with happy endings do yourself a favour and watch this. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

FATE, NOSTALGIA AND PENELOPE
True, the plot of TWICE UPON A YESTERDAY, a british movie directed by María Ripoll in 1998, will ring a bell in you. If reviewers have already pointed out that the screenplay of SLIDING DOORS ( also a 1998 movie ) is very similar to Rafa Russo's TUY screenplay, I've personnally thought about GROUNDHOG DAY while watching the movie. But who cares after all, only counts the result.

I didn't like so much the first third of the movie, fearing the worst after two or three so so scenes of comedy implying Douglas Henshall who plays the main character. But as soon as Victor Bukowski, rejected into the past, is trying to fight against destiny in order to keep Lena Headey at his side, the movie gains a new dimension.

María Ripoll could have chosen to stay in the comedy field but has preferred the tragi-comedy domain, a domain very difficult to master. So TWICE UPON A YESTERDAY becomes then a little pearl of melancholy and nostalghia about love and missed opportunities. Of course, the (late) apparition of Penélope Cruz cannot but elevate the level of the film (word of a fan!).

As bonus features, only a trailer and different subtitles. Sound and images OK.

A DVD zone Penélope reserved shelf.

very charming...
I am a secret admirer of British Romantic Comedy because it is so much less sappy than the american hollywood dish and the stories seem to be much wittier. Case in point would be a lovely movie like Twice Upon a Yesterday where the character roles are very strong and the story is an intriguing twist upon a tried and true love plot. I enjoy the fact that this is not a love story about enemies and resulting vengeance, neglect, sadness, or hate -- but really about love, friendship, caring, and understanding. And good people shine: Penelope Cruz is all sweetness.

YOU HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE...
Another completely contrived and silly British film along the lines of Sliding Doors. What if you had done something differently? In this case, a man in a long-term relationship is having an affair with a co-worker in the theatre where he is an actor. He decides he is going to leave his girlfriend for the actress, so when the girlfriend confronts him about his affair, he says, yes he did have the affair. She is devastated and leaves him. He ends up alone, and his now ex-girlfriend meets a new man at her gym, and they are about to get married. He tries to stop her, but fails. He meets some strange men who put him back to the day when he decided to tell the girlfriend about the affair to see if he could change things if he did everything differently. He decides not to tell her about the affair and puts an end to the affair and starts to change his life. As it turns out, she still meets the man at the gym and she has an affair with him before finally leaving the boyfriend for the guy at the gym. So the actor is left alone again, but he meets a girl (Penelope Cruz) and suddenly realises that he has really found the right woman for him. And his life changes dramatically. He gets a part on a television show, wins rave reviews, and has an outstanding love life. But Cruz is not satisfied because it still seems to her that he is holding back, still hung up on the ex girlfriend. Eventually the ex girlfriend calls him and wants to try to get back together again, but by this time he realises that Cruz is the one for him. Really just a contrived story. Nothing worth seeing because chances are you have seen it all before, done better.

How I accidentally tripped over and fell (for a film!)
This was a movie, had it been listed in a tv-guide sort of thing, I wouldn't have watched. Flipping through all the HBO channels one dreary afternoon, and happened across "Twice Upon A Yesterday." For the most part, foreign films have never really interested me. But I thought I'd give this one a chance, as I had nothing else to do that day. Much to my delight, this unhearalded film was really quite good. I'd barely heard of Penelope Cruz, and wasn't at all familiar with the rest of the cast and crew. But I found the movie struck some cords, some sweet, some bittersweet, but overall an excellent balance of both. I found I could relate to the characters as they were portrayed, and it required little suspension of belief on my part. I was entranced with/by this movie. It's one of the better movies I've seen in a long time (this coming from a well-jaded amateur movie critic). It managed to be an entertaining comment on life without being too preachy. For this genre of movie, I would recommend without reservation!

Great British Film
I've always liked foreign films, and this is definitly no exception. A lot of people are comparing it to "sliding doors" and although this film is similar in topic, this one is much better. It's funnier and has a different twist to it. And, needless to say, Gwyenth is NOT in this film. ... Read more

Reviews (57)

A fun and enjoyable adaptation of the Jane Austen novel...
I've read all of Jane Austen's books and am usually very critical of the film adaptations. I have to admit though that the adaptation of Northanger Abbey sort of grew on me after one or two viewings (yes, I've owned the tape for years). I've probably seen this film dozens of times and I really quite enjoy it. Katherine Schlesinger is perfectly cast as Catherine Morland (anyone who has read the book would most likely agree) and Peter Firth has the charm and playfulness to pull Henry Tilney off. True, the film does not pretend to be a faithful adaptation of the book(there are some quirky scenes that Catherine's wild imagination conjures up) but all the same it adds a certain "tongue-in-cheek" element to the story. The major points of the plot, however, are straight from the book and characterizations are pretty much on the dot (especially that of John and Isabella Thorpe). If you enjoy Jane Austen's books then you'll easily find Northanger Abbey a guilty pleasure.

Disappointing!
This novel is my least favorite of Austen's work. However, I did expect to pleased when I sat to watch this video. I was thoroughly disappointed. This film was just plain silly.

A Jane Austen fanatic who loves this movie
As a devoted fan of Jane Austen's novels, I must say I love this movie. Although it's not a slavish attempt at recreating the book, the characterizations are very true to the book, and the movie successful embodies several of the book's themes. In addition, it works beautifully as a movie. The actors who play the leads bring their roles to life beautifully, and the character actors are wonderful.

Worth a perusal
We all know that the BBC, with some funding from A&E, could do a great adaptation of this film (hint, hint)! But since they don't seem to be interested in doing that, fans of the Jane Austen novel this film is based on, will have to refer to this made-for-British-TV version for a quick Northanger Abbey 'fix'.

Which is not a bad way to describe the nature of this film. Its screenplay is the bare bones of JA's classic novel, which leaves much of her satire, -- not to mention her witty dialogue,-- out. What was an intriguing and entertaining satire on the popular Gothic novels of its time, was made into a dreamlike, slightly creepy, light romance. Entertaining for what it is; deeply satisfying it is not. However, there are good things about this film, that JA fans will enjoy.

The biggest of these is the strength of the film's cast. The acting is superb, and the actors well suited to their roles. Peter Firth is perfectly charming as Henry Tilney, and though deprived of some of JA's better lines from the novel, conveys those he has with just the right passion for a romantic hero. And the heroine, played wonderfully by Katharine Schlesinger, is just as the novel imagined, innocent and eager to greet the world, all wide eyes and innocence. The supporting cast is also fine, especially Googie Withers as Mrs. Allen, and the Thorpe siblings.

Other high points are the lush and colorful costumes, and the vivid and romantic setting. All the opulence of dress from the 1790's, the novel's timeframe, is preserved, including piles of curls on the head, and garrish make-up. The Roman bath scene is a unique and interesting look at what one of the popular health spas of yesterday were like. And in spite of the inappropriateness of substituting a castle for an abbey, who wouldn't want to be a guest in one like this, or think it a likely place for adventure and romance for the heroine of a Gothic tale, which Catherine Morland so wants to be?

There have been just complaints about this film. The soundtrack is a departure from the JA film norm, and takes some getting used to. John Thorpe is a leering villian, instead of a bumbling fool, as in the novel. The Gothic daydream scenes are sometimes jarring and even disturbing, different from the novel's lighter, satirical tone. But overall these little quirks, along with others, seem to work, within the peculiar context of the film's truncated, but still Gothic and romantic, world. Even the Marchioness's strange appearance adds a pinch of dream flavor to this Gothic soup.

This film is probably best viewed as its own entity, and not as an adaptation of the novel. For JA fans, a more faithful version is needed (please!) but this has strong parts enough for occasional viewing as a curiosity (or just to give the Pride and Prejudice dvd a rest)! Like the Gothic romance novels of Mrs. Radcliffe, which this film in part satirizes, it should be enjoyed by quick consumption, and like that list of laundry bills in a mysterious, old trunk, not too seriously.

A different feel from the book
I acknowledge that good films don't have to follow their original scripts exactly, but this one was lacking in the spirit Jane Austen wrote it in. The characters of General Tilney and Catherine Morland are preserved, but Catherine has strange and bloody fantasies that don't match up with her character in the novel. The saxophone that's wailing as you watch the pastoral English scenery makes you cringe, and the creepy soundtrack is better fitting for a horror movie. Eleanor Tilney acts at once assertive and submissive, unlike her original whose timidity and obedience helped show the depth of the general's control. And the marchioness with the Kiss makeup and the boy doing cartwheels were not created by Austen and came out of left field. More than anything, the gory and creepy feel doesn't match up with the lighthearted satirical tone of the novel, thereby missing the point of the story. The ending seems to fit into the type of out-there romantic and gothic writing that Austen intended to make fun of. Let's hope a better version is made someday. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If Birthday Girl is a far-fetched thriller, it's also a slice ofabsurdist fun populated by some awfully interesting actors. Nicole Kidmanplays Sophia, a chain-smoking, mascara-smudged, wildly sexual mail-order bridefrom Russia who answers an Internet plea for companionship from a lonelyBritish bank employee, John (Ben Chaplin). For a while, the two make astartling and intriguing pair: she apparently speaks no English and henaively frets over the veracity of the Web business that brought themtogether. The gorgeous Kidman and sad-eyed Chaplin are briefly the engine oftheir own unique movie, but then the other shoe drops. Sophia, obviously up tosomething mysterious, is paid a visit on her birthday by two Russian"cousins" (French filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz and one of his own frequentstars, Vincent Cassel, also seen in Brotherhood of the Wolf).Suddenly, John's quest for a lover becomes a web of deceit and corruption.Directed and cowritten (with his brother Tom) by Jez Butterworth, Birthday Girl is hampered a bit by sluggishness and insufficient characterdevelopment. But it is also original and strikingly entertaining. TomKeogh ... Read more

Amazon.com

Shooting Fish is the kind of movie that evaporates once the end credits roll, but it's lightweight fun while it lasts. An amusing prologue sets the tone: Two young orphan boys--one in America, one in England--demonstrate their precocious ability to subvert the strict rules of society. Eighteen years later, the clever Yankee schemer Dylan (Dan Futterman) and techno-geek Jez (Stuart Townsend) are fast friends in London, pulling off a series of royal scams to finance their dream of building a luxurious home for orphans--of course, it's a selfish cause since they're the orphans. Their newly hired secretary Georgie (played by the delightful Kate Beckinsale) goes along with their con games in the belief that their intentions are good, and when she discovers their selfish motivations... well, let's just say the boys (who are both smitten with the charming medical student Georgie) manage to rise to the occasion and do the right thing. Despite a few clever twists, this frothy plot meanders too much to be very involving, but the three young costars make it all worthwhile. (Futterman had already played Robin Williams's son in The Birdcage and Beckinsale made a strong impression in The Last Days of Disco.) It's one of those featherweight British comedies that's so good-natured you feel Scroogey if you resist it, and director and cowriter Stefan Schwartz has made the movie just smart enough to hold its own against a wall-to-wall soundtrack of kitschy pop songs.If you don't consider "cute" a derogatory term, this movie will offer an agreeable diversion. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Another great Kate Beckinsale performance in very funny film
I won't try to detail the plot of this movie because that might spoil it. I'll just say that it has enough surprises and turns to work. But what makes this movie shine is the characters, especially Georgie played to perfection by Kate Beckinsale. By now it's getting difficult to praise Ms. Beckinsale's performances without repeating myself because she is always so excellent in every role. Her Georgie is wonderful and she hits every note exactly. Her character is the central point of a three part comedy about con men and love. I know it may sound strange but you must see this movie. Very funny! Hilarious! This is the kind of film the English can do so well and I hope they keep sending them to us. Especially with Kate Beckinsale in them. We don't see enough of her on this side of the Atlantic. Buy this DVD and enjoy a great comedy (in widescreen!) that you can share with your friends. They'll thank you.

"Shooting Fish"...a very entertaining film!!
When I saw "Shooting Fish" not too long ago, I found it very enjoyable and funny, etc. And I also found Kate Beckinsale's character attractive and very sweet, and I like that in her. And also, Dan Futterman and Stuart Townsend were outstanding as well. To me, "Shooting Fish" is not a cut-to-the-chase kind of film. It describes each character from his/her past to where they are now. But still, it is very, very funny and that anyone on this website should take the time to see it one day.

great entertainment
This is a very funny movie. I was captured by the first scam sequence. The cast do a very good job and the chemistry between
Dan Futterman and Stuart Townsend is wonderful. The characters are fresh and original and my daughter and I laughed all the way through it. This is a clean movie with only a few curse words. Dan Futterman is gorgeous and Stuart Townsend even though playing a shy electronics nerd is irresistable as usual. A must see for any fan of one of these two men.

mindless fun for people why can turn off their mind
Every aspect covered by this film is different from the way the real world works. This includes the totally false technology, business leaders with poor judgment, government officials that give people's personal data to telephone callers, a medical student with the intelligence of a 12 year old, and the way the tax system works. The only realistic part was the few minutes of Phyllis Logan being a competent woman business executive. In her case this probably was not acting, as she is a pretty competent woman to start with. Her part is the only reason my copy has not found its way to the trashcan. There is a reason why new copies are under $...and used ones around $....

average.
I've seen worse, and I've seen better. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Wax up your boards and hang 10 (or whatever) where the big waves come crashing in: off the English coast at Cornwall. Huh? No endless summer? No two girls for every boy? No, but in Blue Juice one can see what most of us probably never even thought about: the British Isles are indeed islands and, not incongruously, there's a considerable surfing culture with a handful of homegrown legends. One of the latter is JC (Sean Pertwee), a skilled surfer so driven by the challenge and so dedicated to his mates that it threatens his meandering romance with the long-suffering Chloe (Catherine Zeta-Jones). The two have planned an extensive, around-the-world trip as a kind of prelude to discussing marriage, but the arrangement is threatened when three of JC's old childhood chums arrive from London. One of them (played by Steven Mackintosh) is a famous record producer who has sold his soul (in every sense) to reap profits from fashionable electronica. Another (Ewan McGregor) is a chronic screwup resorting to hustling junk to unsuspecting customers. The last (Peter Gunn) is an anxious sort terrified of marrying his longtime girlfriend. Together, these four guys look like a pack of nowhere men and they know it: while the story largely focuses on JC and Chloe, there's plenty of material for the supporting characters to indulge in mucho self-loathing. The film never quite jumps off the screen and the script may be hampered by too many layers of character eccentricity, but this is still an enjoyable piece with some fine comic performances. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (20)

It's not British, it's Australian
Another reviewer made the mistake of calling this a british movie...it is not, it's Australian. That fact is what makes the movie interesting. It's an Australian surfer movie...and that's not something that's too common. As a Zeta-Jones fan, I rented this and liked her in the role. Sean Pertwee and Ewan McGregor play their roles well enough to make this a passable moive. I would liked to have seen a bit more surfing footage, and a little less dialog (after all, this was supposed to be a surfing flick), but still, it wasn't too bad, and worth watching for Zeta-Jones fans.

Awesome
Blue Juice is an absolute classic which sums up the Cornish surfing community very well. The film and countryside is true to Kernow and as a Cornish surfer myself, know alot of people in situations very similar. Although actual footage is limited, its a film about their lives rather than a surfing vid. It is balanced well and is funny, true to life and shows what some of our lives down here are really like.

Good no-brainer
This is a great cute movie if you don't want to have to think too hard. Some classic funny lines, really goofy characters.

JC (Sean Pertwee) must prove his worth as a surfer (in England!) where surfing barely exists. Kind of a cute twist on the surfer movies: it's cold and there's really no waves to speak of. But once in a blue moon, these huge waves come in and that is when JC must prove himself.

BUT... his girlfriend (Cahterine Zeta-Jones) will disown him if he even tries! So, here lies the issue. Does he pronounce his love and forget the stupid wave, or is he influenced by his childhood friends who care nothing for intimate relationships?

Unrealistic, sure. Of course. But cute.

Plot is thin, but the characters are memorable and there are some truly classic funny lines. JC's childhood friends (Ewan McGregor, Peter Gunn and Steven Mackintosh) are hilarious characters and are all portrayed very well. Definitely worth the rental price, or buy it used.

A couple things I don't understand:

WHY ON EARTH IS THE PRICE SO HIGH!?!?! What's up with that? But it used.

WHY is Ewan McGregor on the front cover, as if he is the main character? Yes, he plays a pivotal character - JC actually forsakes his love to save Dean's pride and his life. But shouldn't Sean Pertwee be the one on the cover with Catherine Zeta-Jones? As cute as McGregor is, he never looks this clean-cut (or sane) in the movie!

bought this for ewan but love Sean Pertwee as well now
I always made fun of the surfer dudes before seeing Ewan in this movie. I loved the acid trip scene where Ewan gets embarrassed over his friend's behavior although he gave him the acid. Check out the braided hair on Ewan as well and they had a cool song and sock/p*nis scene as well.

Blue Juice the reivew
In one part of the moive I think you sould look away on that one. Trush me. The legend is here it's JC (Sean Pertwee). In the moive he has the look's and fame and he has it all: And he has the hottest girl in town her name is Chloe (Catherine Zeta Jones). Ok one of his friend's (Ewan McGregor) enter him in a dangerous surfing contest, poor JC he must risk his life or his one ture love.

Which one is it going to be? The girl or the contest???

In the moive he said he is out of shape and he can't surf like that anymore. In the moive he said he almost die form that foolishly stuff. Once he had it all but now I don't know about that one.

Well, enjoy the moive I did you will too!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (567)

More like A Clockwork Tangerine!
Some consider this to be Kubrick's masterpiece. In my opinion Dr. Strangelove was his masterpiece, but Orange is a master work, nonetheless. It's a dark tale of prophecy, a vision of a bleak future, violent and vicious in the extreme, which some might also say we're living in today, judging by the headlines.

So this is a great movie, but this DVD is a great disappointment! Despite what the details above say and what it says on the disc snap-case, the film is not in widescreen letterbox format, but is in full screen format! And the image quality is only fair-to-good. The sound is OK on my mono TV speaker but evidently is not Dolby multi-channel. And the theatrical trailer freezes at various points during playback. There's a chapter index and a list of awards the movie won or was nominated for, and that's about it for bonus features! One can only hope that the next release of this movie on DVD will do it justice, and make it a true Kubrick collectible!

Substance and Style!
Perhaps the greatest irony in "A Clockwork Orange" occurs in the scene where Alex is reading the Bible in prison. He informs the viewer that he loves the violence and sex contained in the first part, but really has no use for the preaching in the latter half. I've come across a lot of folks who have seen this flick and it never fails- there are many out there who, like Alex and the Bible, love the brutality of the first hour of the film, and cannot abide the preachy second half. If you are one of those, stop reading this review.

"A Clockwork Orange" is an ingenious comparison of two theories of punishment- retributivism and utilitarianism. Debate has raged over the proper role of a criminal justice system. Is the goal to punish the criminal according to the old eye for an eye standard (retributivism) or to reform the criminal into a useful, law abiding citizen (utilitarianism)? At the outset, many people dismiss utilitarian values as a lot of liberal silliness: soft on crime. A more important question is whether we should reform criminals whether they desire to be reformed or not for the good of society. One of the more interesting aspects of this film is that is shows utilitarianism can be a far more brutal method than retributivism, contrary to popular thought.

Here we have the debate crystallized as if the proponents of both, Kant and Bentham, were debating the merits before our very eyes through the characters on screen. Alex is unquestionably rotten to the core; he maims and rapes helpless victims for laughs. The first hour of the film is dedicated to underscoring this point. When Alex is apprehended by the authorities, he is dealt with in the old fashioned Kantian way- punishment.

Alex then volunteers for a special treatment that will "cure" him, in exchange for freedom. The cure is a form of conditioning that causes Alex to become terribly ill whenever any inclination towards sex or violence surfaces- he now has a reflexive aversion toward evil, and "ceases to be a being capable of moral choice". The final act of the film deals with the consequences of being "cured" in such a way.

By now you probably get the idea- go see this film (but not as a "date"). To further entice you, it's one of the most visually exciting movies ever made, with vibrant images that will burn themselves into your mind. If you've never seen it on DVD, the transfer is great, and you will see things you've missed before. And as a final bonus, look for the guy who plays Darth Vader as a bodyguard.

I'm laughing at clouds
"A Clockwork Orange" is screenplay writer/director/producer Stanley Kubrick's interpretation of the book of the same name by Anthony Burgess. The dialog includes some of Burgess' made-up language from the book.

The plot revolves around Alex de Large and his group of friends who are very violent, and get their kicks by raping and assaulting people. After Alex and friends commit various crimes, Alex is finally arrested and put in prison with a sentence of 14 years. Eventually, his sentence is commuted in exchange for him undergoing experimental aversion therapy which makes him physically ill at the thought of sex or violence. However, it also makes him hate Beethoven's 9th Symphony which was played as background music to some aversion films during treatment. After an attempted suicide, Alex is re-treated with apologies by the government for inhuman treatment, and Alex appears he will resume his old ways.

This movie is highly stylized, including wardrobe, hairdo's (mom has purple hair, another woman had dark blue hair), set dressing, location and props. There is a fair amount of full frontal nudity of both sexes, and some stylized and slow-motion violence. Kubrick has made some good and bad movies, but this is his most stylized and over-the-top effort. Not for everyone.

DVD has chapters, English or French spoken language, several subtitle languages, a trailer and list of awards.

MUST SEE!!!
Amazing portrayal of the effects of a violent youth on society, and the effects of society on the violent youth in turn. Not enough can be said for Malcom McDowell's genious, artistic performance as the lead character "Alex". This character would be despised if played by any other actor, but Mr Mcdowell's rendition somehow finds us leaving the film with an almost endearing "fondness" for the boy.Fabulous must see art film, but definitely not for sissies!

gorgeousness and gorgeosity made flesh
With this provocative, amusing and beautiful tour-de-force Stanley Kubrick established himself as the most audacious and original directors of his time. Though the are thoses who despise it, no one can deny the power of this film to spark impassioned discussions on the film's sudject matter. And I for one feel this is an achievement all on its own. This stirring classic, I hope, will endure and inspire generations of young film enthusiasts like myself. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A great British crime comedy always worth watching again, Two Way Stretch is about imprisoned crooks who hatch a scheme to pull off a heist with a perfect alibi by breaking out, doing the job, and then breaking back in to serve out their sentences. Peter Sellers, usually an eccentric support in these things, takes a rare lead as cocky mastermind Dodger Lane, confident enough to share the screen with performers who would be doing serious time if scene-stealing were an actual offense. The chief delight of the film is Lionel Jeffries's bristling, infuriated, hilariously humiliated warder Sidney Crout, forever fuming as Dodger gets away with some new scheme. Also in on the scam: Wilfrid Hyde-White as a bogus clergyman, David Lodge as the dimwitted muscleman, and Bernard Cribbins in the nice young man part. The British cinema has been turning out an unheralded series of wonderful caper comedies for decades, from The Lavender Hill Mob through A Fish Called Wanda to The Parole Officer; this effort--along with the follow-up, The Wrong Arm of the Law--ranks among the best. --Kim Newman ... Read more