Reviews (596)

A marvelous adaptation of one of the great novels.
This A&E/BBC miniseries is a true masterpiece, bringing Jane Austen's most popular novel to life in a near perfect production. It has everything: authentic Regency Period atmosphere, costumes, settings, a beautiful musical score, excellent performances by a well-chosen cast. Andrew Davis's script does full justice to Austen's original. Colin Firth is excellent as Mr. Darcy, but Jennifer Ehle just takes my breath away with her magnificent performance, which catches every nuance of Elizabeth Bennet's character exactly right in every scene. It is a pleasure to watch all 4 1/2 hours straight through again and again. As a longtime devoted admirer of Jane Austen's works, I am very critical of any movies based upon her novels, but this has to be one of the very best adaptations of any major literary work.

WORTH OWNING AND REPEAT VIEWING
I'm usually very hesitant about adaptations from book to film (especially classics), but this movie does justice to Jane Austin's timeless masterpiece. I rented this movie on a whim, thinking that it would at least be somewhat entertaining, but to my surprize and great pleasure, it not only captivated the true essence of the novel but the characters really came alive and stayed true to the story the whole way through. I eventually bought the DVD and I have NOT had "buyer's remorse" ever since. I get caught up in every moment of every scene of every viewing.

There are no annoying "Hollywood stars" in it like in Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility, yet the acting is incredible. Although I enjoyed Sense and Sensibility (on the second viewing because the first time I watched it I fell asleep), it doesn't hold a candle to Pride and Prejudice. This adaption lets your imagination steep in the imagery, language, and essence of the film so you never get "pulled out" of a scence. If you're unsure as whether or not to buy this gem, just do what I did and rent it for the weekend. You'll soon discover that your movie collection will be lacking without this rendition of Pride and Prejudice.

Superb, true to Jane Austen adaption
This version of Pride & Predjudice is my absolute favorite. I have owned the tapes and the original DVD. As far as the movie itself goes, the characters are all perfectly cast. From the embarassingly annoying Mrs. Bennet, the sweet oldest sister Jane, the condescending and IQ challenged Mr. Collins, to the feisty Elizabeth and the Proud Mr. Darcy, you will find yourself engrossed in every character's story. The script was written to stay true to the original novel. The scenery in breathtaking, and you will find yourself paying as much attention to the beautiful countryside as you will the drama.
As for technical details, the biographies that are included on this special version are simply printed words on the screen. Interesting information, but each bio is only one or two paragraphs long with a complete list of credits for only a few of the characters. The mini featurette is okay.
My bottom line: if you love romance, drama, and history then this is the movie for you. If you already own it on tape or have the original dvd, save your money and enjoy the version you have.

Period Movie - Lovely to watch
As an avid lover of period movies, I received this particular one last Christmas. I've been able to watch it multiple times. I love Colin Firth's portrayal of a proud and prejudice man who finally learns there are more important things. It's funny and romantic and the dialogue, as with any period piece, will keep you on your toes . . . maybe that's why I can re-watch so many times. It is a timeless movie!

Colin Firth...need I say more? Great Movie Colin Firth aside
This movie is so amazing I've watched it so many times and I never get tired of it. I thought this was by far the best film adaptation of the novel. Colin Firth portrayed Mr. Darcy exactly as I pictured him in my mind. I loved all the characters and felt like the actors/actresses lived up the their characters in the novel. While the picture quality may not be that great (read several comments about it) it didnt bother me one bit. The locations they filmed were simply beautiful, the story and characters entralling, and the costumes and scenes eye catching....I didnt even notice the quality. ... Read more

Amazon.com

By getting nominated for Academy Awards in both the Foreign Language Film and Best Song categories, Les Choristes (The Chorus) made a rare (for a European film) double impression at the 2004 Oscars. This sentimental tale follows the arrival of a new teacher at a remote boys school in 1949 France (the war is a largely unspoken but ghostly presence). With disciplinary problems rampant, and the policies of the old-fashioned headmaster not helping, Monsieur Mathieu decides to introduce choral singing as a way to bridge the gap with his students. You don't need a crystal ball to figure out where this will go, although the movie uses its atmospheric location and lush vocal arrangements well. Bald, dumpy Gerard Jugnot provides a refreshingly offbeat hero (though securely in the traditions of the My Most Memorable Teacher movie); he's sort of a younger Philippe Noiret. Director Christophe Barratier works in the winsome-cute mode that makes a certain kind of French movie into an overly sweet bon bon, although at least this bon bon sings. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (20)

'Music that soothes the savage beast...'
LES CHORISTES (THE CHORUS) is director Christophe Berratier's first foray into the realm of full-length films and his adaptation of the 1945 film LA CAGE AUX ROSSINGNOLS written by Georges Chaperot and René Wheeler serves to introduce his talents as a master storyteller well.This tale of how music can alter the lives of even most renegade of boys is warm, sensitive, and satisfying on every level.

The story opens with the reunion of two men who were classmates at Fond de l'Etang, a boarding school for troubled boys in France in 1949.Pepinot (Didier Flammand) arrives at the door of consummate symphony conductor Pierre Morhange (Jacques Perrin) with a journal written by their beloved teacher Clement Mathieu , now dead, and the two read the journal, recalling their shared childhood experiences at Fond de l'Etang.

1949 and the Fond de l'Etang is a dreary jail-like, rundown place run by the cruel disciplinarian headmaster Rachin (François Berléand).Clément Mathieu (Gérard Jugnot) is an older, bald, failed musician who seeks employment as a prefect in the school and immediately is forced to confront the rigors of the school's harsh discipline with the still flagrantly wild boys.Mathieu slowly wins the confidence of his boys by standing up to the cruel Rachin and when he is near his wits' end as to how to transform his class, he hears a boy sing and decides to use his musical talent to change these boys' lives.Two of the chief problem children are the angry but vocally gifted Pierre Morhange (Jean-Baptiste Maunier) and Leclerc (Théodul Carré-Cassaigne) and Mathieu coaxes them into the inner circle of his newly developing chorus.The other child who is without talent but for whom Mathieu empathizes when the child waits every Saturday for someone to claim him at the gates is Pepinot (Maxence Perrin) who Mathieu assigns as his assistant chorus master!

Through a series of incidents including the cruelty of Rachin, the appearance of Violette Morhange (Pierre's poor working mother who cannot afford to feed him), the success of the chorus in the eyes of the Countess (Carol Weiss) who acts as benefactor to the school, andsome evil doings of the more difficult children, Mathieu's Chorus becomes a symbol for how problem children can bond in mutual need to the enrichment music provides.Rachin cannot tolerate Mathieu's success and fires him without allowing him to say a farewell to his beloved choristers.The manner in which this is portrayed is most touching and spiritually enriching and serves to resolve the mystery of Mathieu's departure to the adult Morhange and Pepinot as they finish the journal.

Simple story, told before, but superbly acted and performed.The music is by Jean-Philippe Rameau with original songs by director Barratier and Bruno Coulais, all beautifully sung by Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc with young actor Jean-Baptiste Maunier singing his own solos.The cinematography is in the capable hands of Jean-Jacques Bouhon, Dominique Gentil, and Carlo Varini.In French with English subtitles. Highly recommended little jewel of a film!Grady Harp, May 05

Touching French Drama: Beautifully Told and Beautifully Sung
'The Chorus' became a huge hit in France in 2004, and there's a good reason for that.Despite some obvious flaws, the film is moving and uplifting as any good music is, and anyone who likes films like 'Dead Poets Society' will surely love this one too.

The theme of the film is nothing new, but quite universal.A middle-aged music teacher Matthew is sent to a school.The setting is post-war France, and we find the educational environment there is worse than Matthew expected -- the pupils are rebellious and the headmaster is strict.To adjust to the new situation, Matthew, himself a failed musician, thinks of organizing the kids into a chorus group.

That's it, and the story of the film is certainly predictable.The boys at first make a fool of the new teacher, and then starts to listen, revealing their brilliant singing voices.Among them, one handsome and quiet boy Morhange (newcomer Jean-Baptiste Maunier who really sings here) turns out the best singer, who is given the solo part.

The film (written and directed by first-timer Christophe Barratier) goes smooth, and for some critics, goes too smoothly.In fact, some accused the film of being too sentimental.Maybe so.But I for one think that the film is made with honest heart, with humanities enough to convince the sincerity of the filmmakers and actors.Sentimental or not, what really counts is good acting, good story, good characters, and good music.And the good music is as moving as the story itself.What else do you want?

Jacques Perrin appears as grown-up Morhange (in the same way he did in 'Cinema Paradiso'), and he is also one of the producers of the film.The little boy 'Pepinot' (waiting for Saturdays to come) is played by Maxence Perrin, his real-life son.The chorus part is supplied by Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc.

So you want to see a good film?Here's the one for you.I don't say it's perfect.But I can assure you that you will be won over and immensely moved in the end.

One of the best movies ever!
Fact is that this is a truly incredible, moving film.
I am not a fan of European movies, however, this movie is extremely well done. Is never boring, it is sentimentally rich and the music is fantastic.

It is certainly not a new topic: The music teacher that changes the lives of bad students. We have seen that with Mr. Holland Opus or Sister Act. But the truth is that this movie makes the others so secondary, that you really have to see it yourself. I saw it today while on vacation in Mexico city and decided to order the DVD immediately.

Most uplifting, you can't help but be moved.
I was fortunate to catch this film this past weekend and was enthralled. The reviews were mixed and I'm glad that I ignored the so-called 'Critics' who were less than flattering in their reviews of this wonderful film. From the start of the film to it's uplifting ending, the acting was superb. But the main highlight was the music, and the emerging joy and hope in the children as they discover something so wonderful within themselves. By all means, get the film and also the wonderful soundtrack. You won't be sorry.

Yes! Choral music cures the soul!
Well, I'm a choral conductor myself and I specialized in children's choirs so this film touched the deepest fibers in my soul. I watched it (cried it) the first time a week ago and I've seen it 3 more times since that. Yes, as a choral conductorI've witnessed, I've promotedI`ve seen the miracle of choral music doing what many other aspects of "education" just can't do today. Why would that be? It may sound harsh, but many schools and many fields of "education" have turned into plain business all around, just preocupied with "manufacturing" consumers for the market world, as John Holt once said, no matter how this is acieved. Obviously, we're talking here about 1949: the post war times of this story, we all know,were very hard, sick with so many missconceptions about "discipline" and "order". But this globalized times with new nazis like Mr. Bush, Blair or Berlusconi are not so different. Children feel all that violence and , deep within them, they resent it. Art, on the contrary,and choral music in particular, was then and still is nowa deep language of the soul and no kid is alien to it as long as a true artist helps him discover it. This is obviously, the very foundation behind Europe's old and solid choral culture. So, this is what Mr. Mathew does with this group of lonely and abandoned kids so abused by the hard, stupid ways of Mr. Rachin. They come to discover their true souls through the power of music. As an artist, Mr Mathew knows this and goes for it with love and faith.
The story is beautifully put to screen, somehow reminding us of the classic films by Truffaut. The Saint Marc kids chorus is an A-1 group with a lovely head voice sound and, not only Rameaus piece, but all selections by Bruno Coulais are lovely.
It goes without saying that as a musician I'm really pleased to know that today's kids may have a chance of enjoying a film such as this one. Our actual choristers will remain with us, strongly motivated. And we may receive new ones!
I give this picture, and the sound track 6 stars each!
Don't miss it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

By any rational measure, Alan Parker's cinematic interpretation of Pink Floyd: The Wallis a glorious failure. Glorious because its imagery is hypnotically striking, frequently resonant, and superbly photographed by the gifted cinematographer Peter Biziou. And a failure because the entire exercise is hopelessly dour, loyal to the bleak themes and psychological torment of Roger Waters's great musical opus, and yet utterly devoid of the humor that Waters certainly found in his own material. Any attempt to visualize The Wall would be fraught with artistic danger, and Parker succumbs to his own self-importance, creating a film that's as fascinating as it is flawed.

The film is, for better and worse, the fruit of three artists in conflict--Parker indulging himself, and Waters in league with designer Gerald Scarfe, whose brilliant animated sequences suggest that he should have directed and animated this film in its entirety. Fortunately, this clash of talent and ego does not prevent The Wall from being a mesmerizing film. Boomtown Rats frontman Bob Geldof (in his screen debut) is a fine choice to play Waters's alter ego--an alienated, "comfortably numb" rock star whose psychosis manifests itself as an emotional (and symbolically physical) wall between himself and the cold, cruel world. Weaving Waters's autobiographical details into his own jumbled vision, Parker ultimately fails to combine a narrative thread with experimental structure. It's a rich, bizarre, and often astonishing film that will continue to draw a following, but the real source of genius remains the music of Roger Waters. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (323)

Same as the last DVD release but still a great film
If you are a fan of this film, as I am, please note that this release is an exact duplicate of the last DVD release but with new packaging.The documentaries are worth the price of the disc alone, as they are excellent.A great transfer of a great film.

As a side note to "Der Kommissar", the last I heard, we have freedom of speech in this country.So, I am mentioning your "review" in my own and there is nothing you can do about it.I could care less if you are a "top reviewer" or not - never presume to tell me what I can or can't do again.Who the hell do you think you are?

New but....whats new?
I did notice a clearer picture overall when comparing it to the first DVD release, since it does say high definition. As far as audio is concerned...havent ran it on a legitimate 5.1 or better system to compare the audios...email me if anyone knows if this new version is remastered, again?

jorgejz@bellsouth.net

Greatest Rock Movie Ever!!!
Pink Floyd is the greatest band ever and the wall is one of their best albums. The movie is not for everyone though. If you don't like Pink Floyd then you probably won't dig the movie. But if you like Pink Floyd, you will definetly like the movie.

Respectable
I am a long-time fan and follower of The Floyd, their music has touched me in a way that no other band has. My favorite works by them are Dark Side, Animals, and Meddle. The Wall is an amazing story more than it is an album. Although it is great, it is not really a Floyd album to me, because it lacks the greatest asset that floyd has to offer: the epicly symphonic pieces of rock music. (excepting Comfortably Numb). The album was made to be listened to by yourself in a dark room. The story is meant to be composed by you, in your head. It is supposed to be meaningful to you in your own head. You deserve to have your own interpretation of it. The Wall is a good movie by movie terms, but it goes against everything that the Wall stood for. The album is ofcourse, asking for a movie like this, but it is much better for the movie to just be in your head, not spoonfed to you by the screen. If you want the quintessential Floyd movie, sync up the Wizart of Oz with Dark side of the Moon, and you will see the Floyd for what they really are.

A horrible disappointment and mangling of The Wall
I just watched this movie this afternoon for the first time and I was truly stunned and blown away with how absolutely abysmally horrid this movie is.What makes it truly unbearable is that in addition to just being a bad movie in the first place, the actual music of The Wall is distorted and re-recorded in such a horrible way -- for example, the actor who plays the teacher says "Stand still, laddie!" instead of the original recording, and says it very badly and unconvincingly. ... Read more

Reviews (90)

The best contextual musical ever
Norman Jewison's "Fiddler On the Roof" is the story of a poor milkman living in tsarist Russia, which in the outskirts of Russia. This is one of the most original musicals, based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem. Played by Chaim Topol and Norma Crane as Tevye and Golde, the acting of this role of parents of five daughters in an orthodox Jewish family is done brilliantly. Tevye's misquotings of the bible is hilarious. The songs in the movie are outstanding and poignant. Starting from the beginning with "Tradition", with violinist Isaac Stern doing his magic, every song has its uniqueness.

Each of his three older daughters choose a different path. The first one refuses to marry the person chosen by the father as she in love with the tailer Motel. The way Tevye cons his wife into agreeing for this wedding is one of the funniest pieces of the movie. The characters chosen are unique and beautifully portrayed. The song before this, "Matchmaker, matchmaker" is beautiful. The way Yente, the matchmaker looks at the youngest daughters as though they were caravans wares is extremely funny. The second daughter Tseitel chooses the revolutionary who is against the Tsar and wishes communism. The song in the bar "To life, Le Chaim" is unusual and shows the way the Jews and the Christians can get along in a limited manner. The third daughter chooses a gentile.

Though this is a musical, the acting, story and the character portrayal is deep. Songs range from comic like "If I were a rich man", to haunting, "Sunrise, sunset", to sad and lonely, "Little bird". Though being Jewish will help one understand this movie better, it is not a necessity. The screenplay is wonderful. The particular one that I like is when Avraham comes and tells that there are bad things going on in the world. Another person says, "Why should I break my head about the outside world, let the outside world break its own head". Here Tevye says, "He is right, if you spit in the air, it lands in your face." Then the revolutionary says, "Nonsense, you cannot be blind to what happens outside." Then Tevye says, "You know, he is also right." At this time Avraham points to the revolutionary and the other person and says, "He is right and he is right, they can't both be right." Now Tevye looks at Avraham and says, "You know, you are also right."

When the Jews are evicted, it is extremely sad. They console themselves saying that their village Anatevka was not exactly the garden of Eden. This song, "Anatevka", is sad and heartbreaking. They have so little but still love it. It reminds one that happiness is something of the inside and has nothing to do with material possessions. This movie is a classic and a timeless masterpiece. It might be difficult for some people to understand due to the history of Tsarist Russia and its pogroms and the context, otherwise, to date it is my favorite musical.

One of the greatest musicals of all time...
Fiddler on the Roof is a cinematic masterpiece. Originally a musical, this movie is an amazing adaptation that remains faithful to the original, while at the same time not making it seem "theatrical" to the point where it looks contrived. The characters are played perfectly with Topol (who plays Tevye, the poor village milkman) taking the highest honors.

Fiddler on the Roof is simply a timeless story, even if it finds itself placed in czarist Russia. The story revolves around Tevye, a poor Jew living in Russia and his struggle to stay true to his faith (and ideals) in a world that is rapidly changing. This film follows Tevye in his journey to meld his rich Jewish past with the modern world that surrounds him. His arguments with himself ("On the other hand,...") are priceless and allow us to relate with Tevye as he struggles with his heritage (the pogroms), his financial status ("If I Were a Rich Man") and his family (his daughters are entering marrying age).

Ths music is wonderful. The songs are poignant and easily remembered. I guarantee that you'll wind up singing/humming "Tradition" or "If I Were a Rich Man" days after watching the movie. The movie itself is humourous at times, and sorrowful the next and the storyline is deep, but is not a damning social commentary. The cinematics are also extraordinary, with the film being shot "on location" in Zagreb, Yugoslavia.

This is an ideal family movie, and I can remember watching (and loving) this movie at an early age. I'm glad I purchased this movie for my DVD collection, as it will become one of my most watched (and sung to) films. The box comes with only a single DVD, but is double-sided and contains additional footage, an additional song (cut at production) and a commentary on the movie itself.

Fiddler on the Roof
IT was absolutely amazing. Everything about it! The backround and effects were amaxing and it was a very touching story with absolutely wonderful actors and unforgetable songs. SPECTACULAR!

An excellent film, except for the cover art
I love this movie, but was highly dissaponted with the ugly cover art design. They should have stuck to the original poster art. Anyways, the music is great, and it is good to see such movies being restored on DVD.

The best of all musicals.
I agree with HeadbangerDuh in every sense. This is the best of musicals. While some other musicals amy be corny, boring, and downright dumb, Fiddler shows humor, interest, and is educational. Although part one is funnier, part two I feel is richer, and more full, not as goofy. This is probably the best film of the century. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Chronicles of Narnia, a seven-volume, Bible-based children's fantasyseries written in the 1950s by British theologian C.S. Lewis, draws youngreaders into the magical, dangerous land of Narnia and plunges them into theage-old battle of good and evil. Lewis envisioned these stories as picturesbefore he wrote them, so it seems only proper that the books would eventuallymake it to the small screen. In the late 1980s and early '90s, three adventuresin this series--The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (169 minutes),Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader (168 minutes), andThe Silver Chair (168 minutes)--were faithfully adapted into a TV seriesby the BBC and Home Vision Entertainment, then edited to feature-lengthproductions. All three of these discs (nine hours of viewing!) are included inthis boxed set of DVDs, along with interactive trivia games and more.

Youngsters expecting special effects like those found in The Lord of theRings or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone may miss the subtlercharms of these sweet but rather homespun productions, with humans dressed aswoodland creatures and patched-in animation. And kids expecting fast-pacedaction adventures may snooze after a few hours of these relatively slow-movingscripts. But those who want a refresher course in all things Narnia will bethrilled to see these well-loved fantasies come to life in gorgeous snowylandscapes--the good lion Aslan (played by a large, talking stuffed animal), thehorrible White Witch (performed with deliciously over-the-top zeal by actressBarbara Kellerman), the four siblings, fauns, dwarves, deadly sea monsters, andall. --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Best TV adaptation yet!
Well, the DVD set box arrived and it made my weekend! 20 years after reading the books, I am currently rereading them again, and following them up by watching the DVDs. I enjoyed the DVDs and so did my two sons aged 4 & 2. Well done to BBC for trying to faithfully adapt the books, even with the limited budget. Yes, the special effects are not always special, but pretty good for a television production back in the late 80s/early 90s. The animatronics of Aslan is convincing, especially his size. I hope this DVD production prompts the filmmakers who are planning to make a movie of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to produce something great. One surprise with the DVD set; having ordered it from North America, I thought I would not be able to play the DVDs on my Japanese (Region 2) DVD player, but, 'by Jove' it did! So maybe it is a 'Region Free' DVD. One disappointment: Maybe it was my DVD player/amp but the mono sound did not play very well on my system, with the dialogue often hard to hear. But the biggest disappointment maybe that not all 7 books were visualized by the BBC. Maybe one day! Also very good packaging, menus, special features, and liner notes!

Great for hard-core Narnia fans and not much of anyone else.
These movies obviously suffered from an unrealistically low budget. Additionally, in my opinion they tended to follow the books far too closely, which made them very slow-paced. The exception is Prince Caspian, where the pace is no quicker, but they cut out more than two thirds of the material and combined it with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in a single movie.

These movies are also very sanitized. In Prince Caspian it seems that this was intentional, as the battle scenes lack any realism, and the subplot with the tree spirits, Bacchus, etc., has been completely removed. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is sanitized basically due to budget constraints, because it's impossible to feel any fear at the death of Aslan when half the evil creatures around him are hand-painted cartoons.

Of the three movies, I think that only The Silver Chair is much good, and that is mostly because Tom Baker as Puddleglum steals the show. He is funny, deep, and powerful, all at the same time--it's comparable in many ways to Johnny Depp's performance in Pirates of the Carribean. Camilla Power as Jill also makes it a better movie, since she was the only child actor in the series who could actually act; and Richard Henders as Prince Rillian gives an outstanding performance as well.

The Silver Chair is perhaps further helped by the fact that we only have to endure about fifteen or twenty minutes of humans in animal costumes, while they are present throughout the other two movies. Such costumes work great in a well-done stage performance, but look absolutely silly on screen.

All hard-core Narnia fans should own these movies. Unfortunately, it's not because they're especially good, but rather because they're a piece of Narnia.

book and movies
I heard about the books but haven't tried them yet. But the movies are awsome! The first one is the best along with the second movie. My rating is the top 5 I love the movies if i had the money I would buy a set for my whole family! Like my aunt my uncle so on so on. Buy this you wont be sorry!

Wonderful Surprise
We stumbled onto this during a visit to a local B&M. My wife and daughter had read the books but I knew nothing of this material but was familiar with some of his other works. If you are expecting a special effects treat, this is not for you. If you are familiar with Dr Who, that is more of what you are getting. (Tom even appears in one of the series) The stories are wonderful for all ages. My children ages 7 and 12 often choose to watch them over Nemo, Spy Kids, etc which pleases me greatly. The quality could be better but is acceptable and when you consider the limited production budget they did quite well. For a Christian with children, this is a must have. Better to get this faithful reproduction of the author's work now because Disney has bought the rights to the books and will be releasing something around Christmas 2005. I hope they can stay true to the story line and not deviate too much but I am not holding my breath on that one.

Time for a remake
I watched this on PBS as a kid and was disappointed. Aslan looked totally fake. His mouth didn't even move when he talked. I'd like to see all the Chronicles of Narnia be made into movies now that we have the technology to do it. There could be a CGI Aslan that would actually look alive. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The chameleon-like actor Kevin Spacey is best known for playing pyschopaths (in Seven and The Usual Suspects) and capturing a creepy mid-life crisis in American Beauty--but surprisingly, playing crooner Bobby Darin, Spacey does some snappy dancing and top-notch singing. Beyond the Sea puts Darin's life through a bit of a kaleidoscope: While singing Darin's most memorable hit, "Mack the Knife," Darin suddenly stops the show, revealing that he's not at a nightclub, but in the middle of a shooting a scene about his life as a nightclub performer. Why has he stopped? Because he's just seen himself as a young boy, peering from behind a curtain. Such self-conscious narrative twists recur throughout the movie, turning Darin's fight for fame and respect into a love story between his adult and childhood selves. Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!), a hugely popular movie star in her own right, was supposedly the love of Darin's life, but she never holds his attention as does his childhood self (played by newcomer William Ullrich). It's a striking metaphor for the narcissism that drives such success-hungry entertainers. But despite (or perhaps because of) the complexity of the telling, the events never grip your emotions; though Darin's life featured hits galore and a few soap opera twists, his story lacks the seductive charm of his nighclub show. Also featuring Bob Hoskins, John Goodman, Brenda Blethyn, and Greta Scacchi. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Un-interesting
From what I remember of him, Bobby Darrin was a colorless character, trying to be more than his talent would allow.This is pretty much how this movie comes across.

Kevin Spacey appears to capture him well, as a vain and ultimately a lonely young man who, in the end, faded away from relevance.But this does not make for a good movie.The movie seemed to be very selective in what it presented, and created no sympathy for the man or for those around him.I was glad when it was over and I can not recommend it as worthwhile viewing.There are much better movies out there based on the life of a musician, and with more interesting characters, such as De-Lovely or Ray, and this one just does not belong in that category.

Great music and performances
I saw this movie in theatres and ever since I've thought about it quite often.Certainly will pick up this DVD - definitely a gem that was missed by many.If you are a Darin or Spacey fan for sure pick this up.If you like music-bios or enjoy the nostalgia of the 50's and 60's, this brings it all together.

A dozen years in the making
I came to this film as a Kevin Spacey fan. I was around when Darin was singing, but my interests were elsewhere. Now, I've seen a couple of his films and a DVD, and hopefully, Kevin has revived some interest in his music. For those critics, who complained Spacey was too old for the part; he was just the right age when he first tried to get backing for the film. Finally, he had to produce and direct it himself. He was born to play the part; no one else could have sang like Darin. Kevin was excellent in the role, and, directed the film with imagination and courage. He was given the cold shoulder from the Hollywood Academy Awards, and many critics used the words"vanity piece" to put the, suddenly unpopular, actor in his place. To be fair, there were some critics, Ebert and Roeper, among them, who lauded the film. Thank you Kevin, for trying the unusual and making it work for many of us. Christine Souter

Bobby Would've Been Pleased
The movie is a musical done in the style of Bobby Darin's era.As a lifelong fan of Bobby Darin, I was hoping for a straight bio with music ala "Ray" as Bobby had a fascinating life. It's always risky to make something that isn't necessary commercial but true art.It's a movie about a cool and classy guy made by a cool and classy guy.It's also nice to do without the usual lip synching.Kevin sings and sings so incredibly well that some of his vocals outshine Bobby's.For that alone, rent the DVD when it's released.For that matter, purchase the soundtrack.You won't be disappointed...it's incredible.

See for Kevin Spacey's Bravura Singing and Dancing
This is no box-office hit, and ignored by Oscar, but 'Beyond the Sea' has lots of good things in it, even if you don't know anything about Bobby Darin.Kevin Spacey made it publicly known that to make Bobby Darin's bio-pic had been his dream, and the film proves that he really meant it.Though the film could be better with different approach, 'Beyond the Sea' is still impressive for its songs, dances, and acting.

Though many remember him as the singer of pop songs like 'Splish Splash' 'Dream Lover' or various jazz numbers including 'Mack the Knife,' Bobby Darin did much more than that.Born in 1936, Bobby Darin was Oscar nominated for his supporting role in 'Captain Newman, MD' in 1963; he sang a Tim Hardin folk rock song; and he hosted a TV show in the 70s.Kevin Spacy as director and star follows the life of Bobby Darin from his childhood in Bronx to his early death.

What is most memorable and amazing is the musical parts inserted here and there in the story.Kevin Spacey is usually associated with the part of A) creepy guy or B) weird guy, but here he shows his side of great entertainer.Not only he sings Bobby Darin songs himself, but shows amaaing dancing.In fact, the film looks as if it stops to show his skills, and though some may say it's his vanity, his talent is still undeniable.

The supprts include Kate Bosworth as Sandra Dee, John Goodman, Bob Hoskins, Brenda Blethyn and Greta Scacchi.Quite frankly, none of them are as effective as Kevin Sapcey, perhaps with an exception of Brenda Blethyn who disappears too soon from the film.I really like Kate Bosworth (and I liked her in 'Blue Crush'), but there's hardly any chemistry between Spacey and her that makes us believe Bobby and Sandra are married.Real Sandra Dee was younger than Bobby Darin by six years while Kate Bosworth, gifted as she is, is younger than Kevin Spacey by 24 years.That's too much descrepancy.

But my real complaint is not this: as some of you know, Bobby Darin knew he was not going to live long (see the film), and was determined to be a professional singer no matter what people say.This is a great story, and Kevin Spacey must have known it.However. Kevin somehow decided on using 'frames' or unorthdox storytelling (used also in 'De-Lovely') in which Kevin's Bobby sees his life, guided by a child actor playing Bobby Darin's childhood.Why not use more orthodox way of telling a story when there is a good story at hand?

At one scene (I don't say where), Kevin Spacey indirectly gives his answer to some of the media people who continues to say he is too old to play the role of Bobby Darin.At another scene (in fact, it's opening), Kevin's Bobby Darin stops singing in the middle of 'Mack the Knife' and shows us that it's part of shooting the bio-pic of Bobby Darin.Take away these self-conscious moments, which clearly lessen the impact of the story, and 'Beyond the Sea' would be much better.

Still, the songs and dances are all great, full of energy and expert skills of first-rate artists.I don't know you and your reaction, but I like this film as the showcase of Kevin Spacey's talent. ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Rice & Lloyd Webber's Operatic Passion Play on Film
After the bizarre Broadway staging of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera, the film version of "Jesus Christ Superstar" had to be a more traditional offering. Producer-Director Norman Jewison filmed on location in Israel, using natural settings and sparsely constructed sets for what is essentially a string of music videos (since it was written as a studio album first, the music presents problems for moving from one scene to the next). The framing device for the film is the cast arriving/departing by bus. Ted Neeley's voice is suited to the role, but certainly he is the shortest Jesus I can recall seeing in films. Yvonne Elliman and Barry Dennen remain from the original studio album and Broadway production as Mary Magdalen and Pilate, which is perfectly all right. However, it is clearly Carl Anderson as Judas who gives the best performance in the film. The film version suffers from the inadequate voices of several of the supporting cast members (most notably Josh Mostel as Herod) and the grossly reduced chorus of singers which never comes close to matching the number of bodies on screen, and there are a few unintentional laughs (as when Israeli tanks come over the dune and chase Judas). But the use of paintings depicting the crucifixion and the final shot of sheep being herded past the cross the cast leaves behind on the hill, are particularly effective. Of course as with most movies, if you want to watch it you want to get a hold of the widescreen edition, otherwise you cannot appreciate the Last Supper tableau or just enjoy the compositional elements of the shots. Every Easter weekend I watch this film, even if I do not have time to do all of "Jesus of Nazareth" or "The Greatest Story Every Told." The only thing radical here is the music, but I still have to think it qualifies as the requisite joyful noise.

Controversial Rock Opera
Jesus Christ Superstar was Andrew Lloyd Webber and Time Rice's first major success. The rock opera was first a concept album that exploded on the charts hitting number one and spending almost a year in the top ten and unleashed Murray Head on the world. It was then made into a successful Broadway play starring Ben Vereen. In 1973, respected director Norman Jewison (In The Heat Of the Night, Fiddler On the Roof) brought it to the big screen. The film was shot on location in Israel and that gives it an authentic feel. There is no dialogue in the film, everything is sung in true opera fashion. It kind is like a forerunner of the music video in that fact. Mr. Jewison mixes the biblical setting with modern nuances such as guards carrying machine guns, tanks and planes appear and at the beginning of the film, the cast arrives by bus and at the end it leaves on the same bus. The beginning of the film shows the cast setting up what appears to be a play. They get into costumes and set up for the play. The movie focuses on the last seven days of Jesus and Ted Neeley appears in the title role. The movie focuses on Jesus' relationship with Judas, who is played by Carl Anderson. The plot likens Jesus to a modern-day rock star, who rises above all the other prophets due to the hype-machine. Judas thinks that Jesus is believing the hype and moving away from his humble roots. He turns traitor in the belief he is helping the nation. At the end, we are left wondering if this was just a play or was it real as all the cast members get on the bus except Mr. Neeley. The movie fades out quite powerfully in the sunset on the cross. The movie moves along through the series of songs and is well choreographed. The album, play and film were highly controversial due to its take on the Passion of Jesus, but putting religious beliefs aside, it is an excellent film.

Most powerful movie ever produced!
Too many people miss the point. This movie was not made as a literal portrayal of Jesus' last days...it was (and remains) a figurative interpretation of the last days of one who would inspire a new branch of religion.

From the opening moments of the movie when Carl Anderson (Judas) sings ("...my mind is clearer now, at last, all too well, I can see, what we all, soon will be...") through Ted Neely (Christ) during "Gethsemane" ("Allright! I'll die, just watch me die!") the viewer is mesmerized by some of the most powerful music, lyrics, and staging ever written and performed. This particular sequence (when Jesus is climbing the mountain, fairly crying out for God's explanation of things to come ~ "Show me just a little of your omnipresent brain") still brings tears to my eyes and I've seen this movie at least 100 times!

The movie was shot on location in Israel a few years after the 6 day war, and during the Vietnam war. These realities are not lost on the writers, and evidence of their beliefs and opinions are sprinkled throughout the movie (the tanks coming over the horizon and the F-16's flying over Judas' head were a nice touch). Their religious convictions are displayed in such moments as when the priests are on the scaffolding ("He is dangerous") and the crowd extols Jesus below ("Haysanna, hosannah, sanna sanna ho, sanna hey sanna hosanna; hey JC, JC won't you die for me...") watch Jesus' face at that moment....

Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdelene) does a fine job of balancing the angst of Judas with the over-arching compassion of Jesus, and Barry Dennen (Pilate) captures a high point when he washes his hands of Jesus' plight. Bob Bingham's (Caiphas) bass rattles your soul with his deep melodic tonality.

While the acting is certainly not on par with the great actors of our times, one has to take that with a grain of salt. I was 7 when I first saw it and I still watch this movie at least once per year (can you guess which day? :) By far this is Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice at their best.

Who the Hell did they get to play Jesus?!
The guy who plays Jesus is an awful singer. He ruined the entire movie sounding like the lead from some punk band. Also, it's clear they did not cast the actors based on their looks (or even their talent for that matter). I tried very hard to like this. I love musicals but this ranks down there with Cats, Hair, and Nine. If you want a great musical based on the scripture, check out the amazing Godspell.

awesome
OK, granted this musical was done in the early 70's and therefore has some 70's overtones, but the acting and singing are magnificent. The relationship between Judas and Jesus is powerful, and Ted Neeley stares right into your soul. I first saw this movie when I was about 7 years old and it left a lasting, positive influence on me regarding Christ. ... Read more

Reviews (337)

The happiest sound in its best version yet!
Reviled by some, beloved by many, consistently referred to as the most popular movie musical ever made, THE SOUND OF MUSIC more than fulfills the promise of its beautiful visuals and expert song numbers on home video via DVD. This edition tops the 1995 laserdisc by allowing the sparkling, exemplary design of its 70mm. Todd-AO frame to be exhibited with increased sharpness and resolution. The 4.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack is powerful and clean, but since this film was originally mixed for six-track magnetic stereo, it's curious why the effort wasn't made by Fox to split the surrounds! Nonethless, the film sounds terrific. The extra features make this package a bargain at the price. Full length commentary by director Bob Wise, with the musical numbers presented sans vocals, is a great touch. And the two documentaries are beautifully presented; full of facts and bits of arcane information that any fan will truly enjoy. A great movie, and a great DVD rendition. More like this, PLEASE!

Wonderful!!! One of the Best Musicals Ever Made!!!
First of all, I'd like to confess that I've probably watched this movie more than one hundred times in my lifetime.

"The Sound of Music" is such a popular movie that people can't enough of making fun of it, which is understandable: I mean, a nun, seven children, songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Austrian landscape. In reality, most of these people probably haven't sat down and watched this movie, because it is an absolutely unforgettable experience.

Julie Andrews is absolutely magical as Maria. When she runs on the mountaintop and starts singing the famous lyrics "The hills are alive...," it sends chills down my spine to this day. Christopher Plummer cuts a good figure as the captain but gave a rather stiff performance: he doesn't bring anything extra to the role. Eleanor Parker, as the Baroness, was wasted--a role like that was far beneath her talents. But the children were all wonderful, especially Charmian Carr who was charming as Liesl.

This movie is ultrasentimental and proud of it. But I'll stick with this rather than some of those one-dimensional slasher flicks which are in fashion these days. It has a plausible story, some of the world's most remembered songs, and the glorious Austrian and Swiss Alps in the background. Overall, I can't say anything other than I loved it.

The Hills Are Alive...Now and Forever
No matter how many times you've seen this 1965 musicalization of the 1959 stage classic, it's still a joy to behold. For me, there are many reasons. On location filming in Saltzburg heightens the story's magnitude. The casting of Julie Andrews as Maria Von Trapp was a coup for both 20th Century Fox and director Robert Wise. She's magnificent and ever so professional. Back then, this was only her third Hollywood movie. But she's a pro from start to finish. Everything she does it fraught with such emotion and conviction, you'd swear she was Maria Von Trapp. Opening up the stage play with several new scenes, sub plots, songs, characters and dialogue also benefits what could have been a very sticky situation. Finally, there's the DVD itself. This is the widescreen version that was shown back in theaters when the film first opened. It includes the intermission and the Act II opening music. With no formatting for television, you get to see everything in all it's technicolor glory. On video, half the Von Trapp children didn't fit on the televsion screen. Musical numbers lost there scope as did scenes where you had 13 characters in one room and only saw 7 on the screen. I highly recommend this DVD. But wait, there's more. The 87-minute documentary is awesome. So are segments showing scenes that were cut and up dates on how the kids look today.

Incredible movie, must see, but don't buy the one disc
First off. Think you have seen the Sound of Music? Well you haven't. I thought I had, many times. Of course it was always around Xmas with the commerical breaks. But that is a much edited version. There are small but significant cuts everywhere in that version. So this is a great thing to have. My 3 stars relates directly to the lack of extras on the one disc. The movie is 5+ stars, but the lack of extras warrants the 3 stars.

So this is a must buy. Also the commentary is very good here. But given the price for this on Amazon, just buy the 2 set version. I got the one disc version at a very good price so it is not a bad buy. But for $6 more, why not enjoy the double DVD? This is a must get for any movie fan, and if you are not into the extras, by all means buy this one. This movie, like all of Rogers and Hammerstein's work is emotional without ever being fake or sentimental. It is full of sentiment and completely honest sentiment at that, but never sentimentality. It totally puts to SHAME almost every director and producer and writer working in Hollywood today. Complete and total shame and disgrace. Nothing coming out of Hollywood today can hold a candle to this. Entire director's careers with academy awards can't even begin to even compare to just this one movie. So get some version, especially if you have young ones. Sit them down, and let them experience what a real movie can be.

This has been a great thing to share with my daughter.
I grew up with this video and watched it on TV every year. The songs have always stuck in my head. I even did the Sound of Music Tour when I was in Austria. But now I've got my daughter introduced to this beautiful music. This and the Wizard of Oz are her favorites.

I bought the easy piano scores for her to play the songs on the piano, and singing lessons on CD "Voice Lessons TO GO", by Vaccarino (They're great and a lot cheaper than private voice lessons!) for her, (even though I use them when she's at school). So she is confident to sing along while she plays her Edelweis and Do a Dear. We love it. ... Read more

Reviews (177)

The Depths Of Depp
Johnny Depp plays George Jung, your every day man turned multi-millionaire drug dealer. The amazing journey starts with just a bit of weed going to people on the beach, soon he and his friends are working their way to Mexico in major exports. After a brief stop in jail Depp changes from marijuana to cocaine. Soon Depp has so much money he can't fit anymore in his house. It is in this time he meets his wife-to-be decently played by Penelope Cruz. A mishap with his wife later and he is in jail again. The part about this film that sets it apart from most drug movies is that it shows the highlights of the illegal exchange business but it also shows the bottoming out. The other thing it has is a connection with the characters. You actually begin to feel for Depp as he is separated from the one thing that he loves in his life, his daughter. Franka Potente (Run Lola Run) and Paul Rubin (Pee Wee Herman) also have roles in this film that has heart and substance(s).

Strong Powder
BLOW is based on the true story of George Jung (Johnny Depp). In the 70s and 80s, Jung was the single largest importer of Columbian cocaine, to the United States. Therefore, he alone, changed America, and helped to create the "drug culture" in this nation. At the film's center is the partnership between Jung and Pablo Escobar, (Cliff Curtis) and how they operated, with and against each other. It really is true what others have said about Depp's performance in the film. He doesn't let this highly complex role intimidate him. He pulls it off brilliantly. He scenes with Penelope Cruz are pure magic. Directed by the late Ted Demme, BLOW offers viewers an inside look into how some people got very rich off of other people's addiction to drugs. Even though some have blasted the film because, in their opinion, it glorifies drug use, I see it more as an anti drug film. Having said that, dont expect an overt anti-drug message in the movie either. My take on it is that the "message" hides as a subtext as an implied theme. If the film does have any connection to any indictment against drugs, that comes from the fact that Demme died last year from apparently using the stuff himself.

The DVD is part of New Line Cinema's Infinifilm series. Like all other discs in the series, it is packed with extras, allowing viewers to have more of an interactive experience, while watching the film. Hearing Demme talk about drugs on the commentary track with Jung, may unsettle some, given what happened to him, but there really isn't much of that on the track. The deleted scenes don't really add much to the film and were properly edited out of the picture. The Ted Demme Production Diary is cool because it takes us through how movies are made (I always enjoy that stuff). Rounding out the standard features are trailers, filmographies, and a Nikka Costa Music Video. The disc also has a few DVD-ROM extras. The Infinifilm extras include interviews with Jung conducted by Demme, a trivia track, among others. Use of the Infinifilm mode gives you access to these features for a unique look at BLOW.

Thanks to powerful performances and solid, well produced extras, BLOW is a Highly Recommended film/DVD **** and a half stars.

Blow is about the life of Mr. George Jung from childhood to
his final drug bust for which he is still serving time. Johnny Depp carries this movie very well, like all movies about gangs or drugs or anything crime related, this movie starts off with everything going well and then everything starting to go downhill again, it is a true story, obviously with quite a bit of Hollywood fabrication but none the less, it inspires sympathy for the characters, I for one am someone who isn't really a very emotional person when it comes to movies, at least I don't think so, but this movie brought a tear or two to my eye, especially the ending, where Depp recited a poem written by Jung and it is the saddest thing, the special features are quite amazing, I would recommend this movie to people over 14 because it does have an R rating which is due to a lot of language, drug content, extremely brief nudity and some violence here and there. Enjoy.

extras no good
I rated this movie 5 stars, until I got a load of the DVD extras. These extras actually serve to drag down the enjoyment of the movie. First, there are the "character outtakes" whatever that term is supposed to mean. These consist of various characters being interviewed about George Jung - the character, not the real person. They say poorly thought out and inarticulate things like, "This guy... he's like... this guy don't care what anybody thinks, you know?" My impression was that the actors just got in front of a camera "in character" and extemporized. The results are pretty ghastly. Also, there is the jailhouse interview that director Ted Demme makes of George Jung, the real person. This is also pretty disedifying, consisting at the end of Demme sitting next to Jung on a bench and saying similarly inarticulate and poorly thought out things, like, "Yeah, its like schoolteachers make minimum wage and there's truckdrivers making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year..." Now, I am an ex-schoolteacher and though I did not make a mint at my job I certainly did not make "minimum wage" and I worked for one of the most underfunded school districts in the country. One has the impression of being a witness to a guy blowing his mouth off on the balcony of somebody's post-college get-together. Not pretty. How Demme ever got people to trust him with millions of dollars remains a mystery: the man is simply not preposessing intellectually. Also, his world is morally vague and equivocal. He tells Jung he takes a non-judgemental stance to his crimes and then says that he himself has skeletons in the closet, its just that his are not so well known. Now, I kind of doubt that Ted Demme is himself a serious criminal who has simply evaded discovery. But that is what he is in effect implying, in bad faith to George Jung - a hardcore criminal. The real implication is that any degree of malfeasance is equivalent to any other. If one man has smuggled enormous quantities of drugs, and another man has left the cap off his toothpaste well, they're pretty much the same: we all do bad things. Interestingly, the stance that Demme takes is NOT that what Jung did was not morally wrong. His stance is that, though it was wrong, so what? I can respect and perhaps agree with someone who says that smuggling drugs, though illegal, is not immoral. I can understand the argument that by and large it is an utter liberal myth that anybody is forced to use drugs by anybody else. Peer pressure? One gravitates to "peers" with similar interests. If you get into drugs and your friends don't, you find new friends: druggie friends. This happened in my circle of friends and I have seen it happen first-hand. I had many druggie and non druggie friends and I never saw anybody use drugs who did not want to. And there is simply no substance so addictive that it turns a straight arrow into a degenerate against the straight arrow's will and inclination. Drugs simply help you along in the direction you are inclined.
All this being said, I can agree with someone who does not morally judge George Jung. Personally I am morally indifferent to his actions. But this is not the same thing as saying that what he did was wrong but so what we all do bad things. If I once ignored a parking ticket, is this the same thing as being a murderer? I suspect that Demme's thus cozying up to Jung actually lowered him in Jung's regard.

Luff ist der drug
Let me be clear, this is a great film. It actually reassures me that all movies are not garbage. But for me the best part of the movie is Franka Potente's performance as Barbara, a comely stew who, so far as I can tell, is not supposed to be German. It is a special pleasure for me to watch Franka Potente, with her thick Cherrrmann accent, ya? trying to speak in a vey zat iss recognizeable as chust typical yanqui American dialect. I also thrilled to her performance in The Bourne Identity, hearing her deliver such lines as, "But he vas chust shining us all on" like the Munchen-frau she is. Yeah, I'll get all liquored up on Spaten Premium, or maybe even brave the forbidding slopes of the Optimator, then I'll hunker down for a triple-bill of Run Lola Run, Bourne Identity, and Blow. Its like my own private Oktoberfest that I chust by myself heff got going on, ya?
unt ich bein auss. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Perhaps the highest compliment you can pay to Edward Norton is that his Oscar-nominated performance in American History X nearly convinces you that there is a shred of logic in the tenets of white supremacy. If that statement doesn't horrify you, it should; Norton is so fully immersed in his role as a neo-Nazi skinhead that his character's eloquent defense of racism is disturbingly persuasive--at least on the surface. Looking lean and mean with a swastika tattoo and a mind full of hate, Derek Vinyard (Norton) has inherited racism from his father, and that learning has been intensified through his service to Cameron (Stacy Keach), a grown-up thug playing tyrant and teacher to a growing band of disenfranchised teens from Venice Beach, California, all hungry for an ideology that fuels their brooding alienation.

The film's basic message--that hate is learned and can be unlearned--is expressed through Derek's kid brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), whose sibling hero-worship increases after Derek is imprisoned (or, in Danny's mind, martyred) for the killing of two black men. Lacking Derek's gift of rebel rhetoric, Danny is easily swayed into the violent, hateful lifestyle that Derek disowns during his thoughtful time in prison. Once released, Derek struggles to save his brother from a violent fate, and AmericanHistory X partially suffers from a mix of intense emotions, awkwardsentiment, and predictably inevitable plotting. And yet British director Tony Kaye (who would later protest against Norton's creative intervention during post-production) manages to juggle these qualities--and a compelling clash of visual styles--to considerable effect. No matter how strained their collaboration may have been, both Kaye and Norton can be proud to have created a film that addresses the issue of racism with dramatically forceful impact. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (555)

This film was flat out amazing!!
Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) loses his father Dennis (William Russ), who is a firefighter , that died putting out a firefighter in a crack house. Ever since then, Derek has been filled with hate, rage, violence, and racism. He joins up with Cameron Alexander ( Stacey Keach) who is the leader of the Nazi movement in Los Angeles. One night Derek catches three African American men breaking into his car, and he kills them. Derek is sent to prison for six years. While inside, Derek reluctantly becomes friends with an African American prisoner named Lamont (Guy Torry). Over time, Lamont causes Derek to realize that all his hate and anger never made his life any better. Now he is out and a changed man. Unfortunately , his brother Danny ( Edward Furlong) is headed in the exact same direction Derek was, and loves the life of a Nazi. Now it is up to Derek to save his brother and teach him the true meaning of redemption.

"American History X" is one of the best films that I have ever seen. The story is amazing, all the actors are outstanding, and the script provides for shocking scenes and great dialogue overall. The film takes an extremely controversial look at racism and shows just how damaging it can be. Watching the film unfold will leave you in awe. The parts dealing with Derek's past are shot in black and white to give them more of an ominous appeal. The present is shot in color to give the appearance of hope. Edward Norton gives the performance of his career as Derek Vinyard. He plays both sides of the character great. He is very convincing as a skinhead, and after prison shows that redemption is possible. Edward Furlong in my opinion did the best job in the movie. Furlong supplies extremely realistic emotion to let the audience know the inner conflict that his character is dealing with. The reason the character has such an impact on the film is because he is only trying to be like his brother. The rest of the cast was filled with excellent actors that include Stacey Keach, Avery Brooks, Ethan Suplee, Beverly De Angelo, and Fairuza Balk.

"American History X" is a highly controversial and disturbing film. It has shocking scenes and a realistic look at racism. But the story and characters are emotionally driven, and Derek's fight towards retribution is inspriring! It is an entertaining film, but an important one as well. A truly memorable classic.

Racism learned and unlearned
Wow. I didn't want to watch this movie at first, but it has since become one of my all-time favorites. It is incredibly graphic in almost all areas (nudity, violence, language), but only to hammer the lifestyle these characters live home.

The movie stars Edward Norton as Derek, a Neo-Nazi skinhead in the city of Venice Beach, Cali. Angered by his father's death and the circumstances surrounding it, he turns to a path of race hatred culminating in the brutal killings of 2 black men. In prison, he learns that his rhetoric and propaganda won't save him here - he must rely on bribes paid to other race groups to survive. After a brutal rape by fellow skinheads, he renounces his racist views and, once released from prison, must prevent his younger brother Danny from following in his footsteps.

This is a very powerful movie, with scenes that can shock and sicken. It carries the highest possible RSAC ratings for violence, language, and sexuality. Beyond all that, however, you'll find an excellent film with a powerful message.

Incredible Film
This movie will, quite simply put, blow you away. An incredible look into the mind of Derek Vinyard(a skin head) and his little brother Danny Vinyard(a up coming skin head). You will find yourself repulsed at times as you catch yourself actually findng their convoluted arguements for white supremecy to make sense. Edward Norton took this part and made it his own and drags you into the movie in such a way that by the end you really feel like you've known the characters for years. This is not for those with weak stomachs, nor those who, for example, have trouble sitting through the first few scenes of a movie like Clockwork Orange, it has near the same gut wrenching effect. But like a Kubrick film, once you get past the initial nausea you truly learn something about a societal battle. This is an amazing work on the foundations of racism in America and how a family overcomes it.

listen close
this movie has a lot of skinhead philosophy in it.some crips try to steal a guys truck that his father who was killed by crackheads.he father was putting out a fire in thier crack den during the rodney king riots when a black dude shot him.so,the guy goes down and chases them off.things get intense and a few would be car jackers get killed by the skinhead dude.the crazy guy in fight club is the skin head.most people will be too offended by this movie to allow thier kids to watch it.it is the best movie involving racism ive ever seen.there is one very nasty part where some guys in prison rape the skinhead.once again,there is no place for this in movies.no one likes rape.no one like guys doing it.so why must we be forced to watch this?oh!its because the black guys who made this movie wanted to take a cheap shot at whites as if to say "if you are a white racist we will rape you but its perfectly alright to be a black racist."i think all racism should be taken out of movies.the slaves were freed over 130 years ago.ww2 was over 50 years ago.jfk officialy made everyone eqiual in the 60s.so,get the hell over it already!its old news.the chick from waterboy is the skinhead dudes ol lady.they get busy but no nudity.they do show guys butts in prison.ok,as long as youre reading this,WE LOVE BOOBIES AND HATE NAKED AND PARTIALY NAKED MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!the message here is cant we all just get along?or at least shut up about it?fight club is better.this one is way better than waterbot though.its good but will rub a lot of people the wrong way due to its inability to take a side.

amasing...nothing like it
this movie is the most amasing movie ive seen. there is no other movie like it. This movie shows how anyone can change and that u shouldnt judge people by there race. i could watch this movie over and over again. this movie is remarkable. its sad its mean its basicly everything a movie can be. i think this is edward nortons greatest movie and the same with edwark furlong. i think that everyone should watch this movie no matter what ages. even if it is graphic anyone can learn from this movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When a movie can blend passionate social concern with good old-fashioned suspense, it must be doing something right. Maria Full of Grace scores high on both counts. Maria is a Colombian teenager who, for a large paycheck, agrees to be a mule for drug-runners:she has to swallow dozens of thumb-sized capsules of heroin and smuggle them into New York. This debilitating process is painstakingly described, and of course not everything goes as planned when Maria and her fellow mules land in America. Director Joshua Marston is working on a low budget, which explains the film's narrow, single-minded focus--but this may be a strength, not a weakness. The trump card is the lead performance of Catalina Sandrino Moreno, who won awards at the Seattle and Newport Film Festivals. Her empathetic face carries us along on Maria's journey, and humanizes a problem that is too easily relegated to a headline. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (51)

A funny, warm comedy all audiences will enjoy!
I recommend you all go see this movie! Tom Hanks plays an immigrant named Viktor Navorski from the Eastern European country of Krekozhia who travels to New York City on a personal mission. Upon arriving to the U.S., Navorski finds out that his country has had a civil war. As a result, he can neither return to his country nor enter the U.S. until the civil war ends and if the U.S. recognizes Krekozhia's new government.
He is left stranded at J.F.K. airport and is then ordered by Homeland Security officials to remain in the airport's international transit lounge until peace returns to his country. During the time he is there, Navorski finds out that the terminal is a world in itself where he experiences things like ambition, generosity, amusement status as well as romance with a beautiful flight attendant he meets played by Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Meanwhile, the Homeland Security supervisor who originally ordered Viktor to remain in the terminal considers him a problem he has a hard time controling in the system he oversees and a glitch he wants to quickly erase.
This film also touches on the bureaucratic non-sense immigrants have to endure when they come here. Aside from its (what I percieve to be) indirect political statement, overall, The Terminal is a funny and warm comedy audiences of all kinds can enjoy.

"Do you have an appointment?"
If you're looking for a sweet, poignant comedy, The Terminal is the movie for you. Tom Hanks stars as Victor, fresh off the plane from a small Eastern European country whose government was overthrown while he was inflight. Until the U.S. recognizes the new regime, his passport is invalid and he cannot leave the airport, according to the security chief (Stanley Tucci). Victor proceeds to make himself at home in the terminal, befriending some airport workers and even starting a romance with a lovely but flawed flight attendant (Catherine Zeta-Jones).

This movie is simply a joy. Hanks' innocent-but-wise character is so likable that you are cheering for him all the way as he becomes involved in the lives of his quirky airport friends (lead by the scene-stealing Kumar Pallana), gets a good-paying airport job, and shows what a decent and caring man he is. Tucci is perfect as the humorless security man who watches as Victor's stay in the terminal stretches to nine months. Zeta-Jones is interesting as a troubled woman who collects men, and her character adds some reality and even saddness to the otherwise fantasy-world of Victor's airport.

The Terminal is a feel-good comedy with an excellent script and an amazing set that will make you think it was really filmed in an airport. Fans of Tom Hanks will add Victor to his long list of loveable characters. Highly recommended.

Great movie... just too long!
Wow. This is an amazing movie. One of Tom Hank's best, and one of Catherine Zeta-Jones's worst. She is the only disappointment in this movie. She is normally I very good actress but in this movie she is just... I don't know...her and Tom Hanks don't really click. Her portrayal of a somewhat ditzy, emotionally distraught flight attendant is wimpy and a little boring. The three people who befriend Tom Hanks in this movie, the janitor and the other two people... who he plays poker with... have great supporting roles and their careers should sky-rocket now. So...if it is such a great movie why do I only give a a four star rating? BECAUSE IT IS SOOOOOOOO LONG! It is about two hours and eight minutes long which doesn't seem terribly long (especially after seeing Return of the King twice in one day), but it is almost like there could be twelve endings...and it seems like its almost over then BAM! a pan to another scene. That is the only reason it gets four stars. But go see it anyways. Its one of those movies that, even though you might now watch it all the time... it is one that you will love watching a couple times a semester ( I'm a Jr.High student and movies are like... one of my favorite things in the world). Anyway great flick, go see it, and when it comes out buy it.

Terminal, indeed.
For all Steven Spielberg's directorial gifts, brevity is not one of them. The worst film he has made since "1941" 25 years ago, "The Terminal" is aptly named - a 90-minute concept stretched a full hour beyond its expiration date, with only a accent-bearing, shambling Tom Hanks to accompany us.

Spielberg's film fails on more than one level, but mostly because he saddles the central plot - a man forced to live in the international terminal of New York's JFK Airport - with a collection of either forgotten or underdeveloped side stories that pay lip service to diversity - a Latino, a black guy, a black girl, an Indian janior, a beautiful stewardess - without making much of use of them until the last half-hour, when these cardboard cutouts suddenly claim a stake in the game.

You think "Return of the King" had too many endings? Just wait. And wait.

Hanks is Viktor Navorski, a native of the fictional Krakovia, where rebels have overthrown the government. Viktor is in New York on a trip whose motiviation remains unspecified until very late in the film. With his country in the throes of a coup, his passport and visa are no longer valid. Homeland Security agent Frank Dixon (Stanley Tucci) tells Viktor bluntly with a bag of chips smashed by an apple: Viktor can't go home, and he can't go to New York. He's shown the terminal, and the doors to New York through which he cannot pass.

What follows is a mix of Frank Capra fable and a human jungle version of Hanks' "Cast Away." Viktor builds a makeshift bed out of torn seats at an abandoned gate; he finds quarters to buy Burger King cheeseburgers (at a cheaper cost than you'd ever find in an airport); he makes friends with a baggage handler (Chi McBride), the janitor (Kumar Pallanatucci) and a food service worker (Diego Luna) smitten with an INS agent (Zoe Saldana); and he flirts with the Midwestern stewardness (a perky Catherine Zeta-Jones), a psuedo-intellectual who is the mistress of a wealthy, married man.

Viktor also turns down Dixon's offers to help him into New York, where he can become, Dixon thinks, "someone else's problem." Viktor won't leave on his own. He refuses asylum. Dixon won't detain Viktor until he's broken some law, although, I would think, taking payments under the table to do construction work in the airport is reasonably illegal.

The movie's turning point occurs when a Russian man threatens to kill himself unless he's allowed to deliver Canadian medicine to his dying father; Dixon calls in Viktor to translate, and Viktor's solution, clever as it may be, is so prepostorous that it takes "The Terminal" off whatever rail its was still hugging and straight into foolishness: A marriage proposal, an elaborate, mosaic fountain built out of ceramic scraps, a cruel blackmail by Dixon and, yes, a jumbo jet brought to a halt by a wet mop.

Despite his two Oscars, Hanks is more gifted than critics give him credit for, and his subtle comic work as Viktor works much better than his recent turn in "The Ladykillers." Tucci, until his character is forced to become vengeful, embodies a decent-yet-prideful Dixon. If there is a couple in this film, it's these two. Hanks and Zeta-Jones have zero chemistry - their