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Disney's take on this historical confrontation between European settlersand Native Americans follows the paths of two future lovers. One is British adventurer John Smith, who travels the Atlantic with the Virginia Company to establish Jamestown. On the shore is Pocahontas, a typical Disney heroine: bright, beautiful, mischievous, and motherless. The two meet in the untamed wilds of America (the first meeting is quite divine), fall in love, and try to ward off the warring factions. It's Disney's version of a Native American West Side Story. Two Disney trademarks do not quite muster up: the villain isn't hissable and the score's only high point is the Oscar-winning "Colors of the Wind." Calling it "historical" is a stretch, but Disney created a very natural look at the two cultures. The Native American characters are handled especially well, andkids should be intrigued by their world; the movie is a far different lesson from the one their parents and grandparents learned. Disney has discovered a few things, though: you don't have to kill to solve your problems, and you can end the film without a happily-ever-after, illustrated by a touching final visual. (Ages 5 and older) --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (113)

Disney's Pocahontas Gold Collection DVD
Pocahontas is a good tale that deserves to have the Disney name. While far from the most entertaining in the Disney library, this one does have some of the most spectacular animation and imagery then any of them! The film is definatley not for the very young, there is much war violence (superficial, yes, but it's still there), including some blood-free shot wounds. The story is much more mature oriented, with Pocahontas trying to end the war between her people and the white-men for the sake of her love for John Smith.

The film has many songs, but only a few stand out - -Oscar Award Winner "Colors Of The Wind" is one of them, "Around the River Bend", and "If I Never Knew You" is the other - - the rest are catchy, but unmemorable numbers.

The "Gold Classic Collection" DVD edition of the 1995 film, has a mediocre picture. There is constant grain, and it is rarely perfectly clear. On the plus side, the animation is still able to be appreciated and the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is good.

Again, this is NOT the Disney movie to show little kids (it would probably be a complete fly-by for them), but it does have much appeal to an older audience who can appreciate the animation, and the Oscar- winning music. A true modern masterpiece.

POCAHONTAS DVD REVIEW: What happened to the video???
I suppose this movie has a more meaning for me due to a past romance and the this to be the movie we shared, so I enjoyed it. Sure, Disney knows how to take some part of history and make it so fictional but one of the things I like about this movie is the detail they put into Pocahontas facial expressions. That feature always caught me.

Anyway, you either like the animation or you don't. The audio is very well done. No major sound effects but the music and the dialogue is the main things for this film. What about the video? The video is a shock. Where Tarzan bursts with a radiance of colors, not Pocahontas. What happened during the transfer? It's like a transfer from a video tape seen 10 times before. Not acceptable with a DVD! I can't believe the colors aren't superb.

Extras...well, I guess after the fans were upset that Disney didn't include any extras in their previous releases, now they are with their "Gold Collections". I like how the DVD has the two music videos especially "Colors of the Wind" by Vanessa Williams. There are a lot of trailers before the movies which you can fortunately skip over, a trivia game and DVD storybook like the Tarzan DVD and a fun with nature booklet which they should of added to the DVD. Otherwise it's better than what we got before from older Disney DVD's. So, we have the movie at above average, the special features in the C to C- range and the DVD Overall probably a B-/C+.

Otherwise, for a DVD from Disney, this movie deserved better. A better video transfer and they could at least added the making of Pocahontas or something. (sigh)...

Anyway, if you want to watch Pocahontas, get the DVD version. Even those it's VHS quality, you get those extras and good sound. If you don't care about the extras and just want to see the movie, then the VHS might be your thing.

Politically-correct racism
I wish my children had never seen this movie, but since I made the mistake of trusting Disney and since it reappears on TV frequently, I've used it as an opportunity to talk about the blatant (but politically-correct) racism woven through it. My point to my children: racism is wrong, no matter who it's directed at (a point that goes directly against the main theme of the movie).

In this movie, there is one and only one exception to the rule that all Native Americans are good and all English are bad. John Smith is the exception that proves the rule - other than him, all British are evil (and crude, dirty, greedy, etc.). The Native Americans aren't all quite perfect but all come around in the end, while the English are clearly rotten to the core, and the world would be a better place if they were all gone.

Get this movie for your children IF you want to teach them to use skin color as a way of predicting good versus evil. And don't worry, they won't get the wrong, racist lesson that dark skin is bad - they'll get the politically-correct lesson, that people with white skin are bad.

Disney produces yet another inaccurate cartoon...
As always, Disney provides us with an hour-glass shaped, beautifully dashing, ever accomodating heroine, and a strong, handsome, brave, conquering hero; a romance story that is historically inaccurate, romanticized, racist, and sexist. "Pocahontas" was not her real name, and she was about ten years old. According to LEGEND, she saved John Smith's life - the woman of color saves the white man, while falling in love with him. According to REAL history, he was brought in to the village, well-fed and well-treated. Most likely, she simply talked with him while he was in her village. There was NO romantic relationship. She was actually kidnapped a few years later and held for ransom in Jamestown. She died of a White Man's disease. Disney has created a cartoon "Romeo & Juliet" story for children, and what hurts my heart the most is that people really believe that the Disney version is true. There are so many un-truths in the world, especially in our Media, and "Pocahontas" is one of them.

Love Story with a touch of History
In reality Pocahontas was the wife of another white settler named John Rolfe. She later became Lady Rebecca. We can say she fell in love with John Smith but their love story didn't workout.
The story of Pocahontas repesents us all Americans. That no matter how you look like, Black or White we are all foreigners on this land.The original Americans are the American Indians, cause they are already here when Columbus discovered America.As for this movie itself, I love it especially the music. ... Read more

Description

Disney's amazing undersea classic lives on in an all-new story bursting with the same captivating musical style, unforgettably colorful characters, and brilliant animation that made the original film an Academy Award(R)-winning favorite. After rejoicing over the birth of their daughter Melody, Ariel and Eric must face a new threat from Ursula's revengeful sibling Morgana -- a threat that forces them to hide Melody's true mermaid heritage. Melody, a young princess curious about her roots, ultimately ventures into the sea against her parents' wishes. There, she meets new friends, and in her dream to be a mermaid becomes a pawn in Morgana's plot to gain control of the Seven Seas. Ariel must reunite with her childhood friends Sebastian, Flounder, and Scuttle to rescue her daughter and restore harmony to her family. An all-star cast returns, including Jodi Benson (Ariel) and Samuel E. Wright (Sebastian), for a remarkable adventure teeming with surprises and four phenomenal new songs. ... Read more

Reviews (126)

Ariel's like a different person!!
They RUINED the main characers. Eric sounds like a different person! Couldn't they have found someone who sounded just a little like the original Eric?? And I found it very disconcerting to see Flounder as a fat adult with a bunch of kids. He had such a cute, clumsy, little-kid charm...that's who he was. Now, most disturbing of all, was seeing Ariel transformed from a spunky and spirited, independent teenager to a very motherly..."old" character. What happened? They turned her into her father, exactly! That's not who she is, at all.

Otherwise, the movie was adorble. The film was entertaining and fun thanks to Melody and her friends. I didn't think I'd like Melody but she's a mettlesome little daydreaming mermaid with alot of personality. I just love Sebastian no matter what! And the penguin and walrus she meets along the way are a really cute and funny pair! If they'd just elimate the original Little Mermaid characters this would be worthy of five stars!

Sequel
Obviously, the sequel isn't going to be as good as the first. They never are. This is no different, the storyline is similar with all the characters resembling each other as well. Basically, Melody is Ariel, only in a much younger perspective wanting to be a mermaid (just like Ariel wanted to be a human in the first), Morgana is Ursula, only skinnier with her pet shark who is the eels. Tip and Dash are basically Flounder and Sebastian. I enjoyed Tip and Dash a lot, especially compared to the annoying Flounder. All the original characters make appearances, Sebastian is the crap that used to look after Ariel for King Tritan but now he's supposed to look over Melody for Ariel and Eric. Flounder is still around, yet fatter and his voice is more annoying, King Triton is now the worried grandfather instead of just the worried father. The real downfall here is Prince Eric, who is rarely in the movie but his voice is different and for the worst. He looks a bit different too, he has like blue eyes in this one which makes him look strange.
The storyline as I said is similar. Melody wants to explore the sea, she's an OUTCAST on land and SNEAKS out by going under the wall between the castle and the ocean. She meets Morgana, an EVIL OCTOPUS who has the POWER to TRANSFORM her into a mermaid (hint: with help from Ursula) and she can REMAIN a MERMAID if she STEALS the "pitchfork" (sorry I forget its name) from her grandfather, yet she doesn't know he's her grandfather. Melody captures it with the help of Tip and Dash and returns to Morgana. All the while Ariel has transformed back into a mermaid in hope to find Melody in the sea while Eric looks on land. Morgana TURNS on Melody and transforms her back into a human and keeps her underwater until she drowns. The shark crashes into the ice barrier and Melody is free, Ariel and Melody chat then realize that Eric and the rest of them are in trouble. Melody saves the day. That is basically the whole storyline.
Though very similar to the first one, this is still a good watch and would be a nice movie to show your little kids, especially since they probably wouldn't care if the first one is the original. It's a fun movie, not as romantic or as funny as the first but still fun. If you collect Disney movies or really enjoyed this one if you saw it, buy it. Other than that I'd just suggest you rent this one.

Rent it, Dont buy it.
I was ten years old when the Little Mermaid came out, and I loved it. I seriously wanted to be Ariel, I just loved the songs and the color.

Recently, I rented both the Little Mermaid and its sequel, the Little Mermaid II. WHile I am pleased that there is at least something out there for little kids these days, I was disappointed with the movie. I did not connect with Melody, and Ariel was like nothing I remembered. The only thing pleasing (and, I must say, humorous) was the presence of Sebastian. He alone retained the charm of the first film.

Of course, maybe the reason I didnt like this movie is that I am now an adult. But I gotta tell you, when I re-watched the original, it was still the magical movie that it was for me 15 years ago.

The Little Mermaid 2 - Return to the Sea
What if you learned you were half mermaid? You'd probably want to test your flippers. Melody, the daughter of Ariel and Prince Eric, certainly does! Disobeying her parents' warnings to stay away from the sea, Melody sets out to find adventure and make new friends. But danger looms when she becomes a pawn in the evil Morgana's plot to control the Seven Seas. Lively songs enhance this sequel to Disney's animated favorite The Little Mermaid.

Return to the Sea...WHY BOTHER?!
(as posted on IMDB.com.)

Okay, as a long time Disney fan, I really -hate- direct-to-video Disney sequels. Walt HIMSELF didn't believe in them. He believed in "AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER" being the end of it. But this one...REALLY ticked the taco. There were so many ripoffs of other Disney films in this, it wasn't funny. Quick summary, if you don't already know...: Melody, the daughter of Ariel and Prince Eric, is born. Ursula's sister, Morganna (who basically looks like Ursula, if she were to dye herself green and go on the Ally Macbeal starvation diet) shows up and, after trying to do the newborn tyke in, and failing, prophesizes (sp?) doom for the characters. After that ordeal, Ariel goes into a lapse of being like her father, and refuses to tell Melody about her mermaid heritage, and later on, forbids her to go near the sea. Well surprise surprise. Melody finds out, being the stubborn brat she is, and runs away, then makes a deal with Morgana to become a mermaid, in exchange for something. (Gee does THAT sound familiar?) She becomes one, but in her half of the bargain, has to retrieve her granddaddy's Trident and bring it back to the sea witch. While doing THIS, she runs into a couple of outcast animals, a penguin and a walrus named Timon and Pumb--huh? wait...no! that's not Timon and Pumbaa! or is it? Could of fooled me. Anyway, i'd like to reveal more, but pretty much anything that could be guessed to happen does. OK so...long story short. This movie "borrows" too much from other (better) Disney films...and does it horribly. Come on...Tip and Dash? Why not just make Dash obscenely flatulent and make it an even more obvious ripoff! Ugh. Not to mention, the total character butchery of Ariel's persona. She's gone from being a freespirited, headstrong woman, to a clone of her father. Not good at all...they're basically telling us the sweet, firey little mermaid we've known to grow and love is dead. Plus Melody herself isn't such a great character either...she's damned annoying! And bratty! Not to mention what they've done to Flounder. Ugh...anyway if you decide to see this piece of created-mainly-for-profit-reasons, no-imagination, Eisner-sponsored crapfest, I suggest maybe waiting 'till its on the Disney channel or some other tv station. Because, it's not even worth the price of a rental. ... Read more

Description

Disenchanted with the daily drudge of crushing rocks on a prison farm in Mississippi, the dapper, silver-tongued Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney, THE PERFECT STORM) busts loose. Except he's still shackled to his own chain-mates from the chain gang -- bad-tempered Pete (John Turturro, SUMMER OF SAM), and sweet, dimwitted Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson, HAMLET). With nothing to lose and buried loot to regain -- before it's lost forever in a flood -- the three embark on the adventure of a lifetime in this hilarious offbeat road picture. Populated with strange characters, including a blind prophet, sexy sirens, and a one-eyed Bible salesman (John Goodman, COYOTE UGLY), it's an odyssey filled with chases, close calls, near misses, and betrayal that will leave you laughing at every outrageous and surprising twist and turn. ... Read more

Reviews (523)

Homer meets The Three Stooges in the Mississippi Delta!
Alright, folks... here's your riddle of the day: Whaddaya get if you cross the Three Stooges with the Greek poet Homer?

"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" that's what!

Here is another superb comedy finely crafted by screenwriters /producers/ directors Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro, it features a brilliantly written script, superb acting by a wonderful ensemble cast, and a musical score that's simply second to none.

"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" is a simple story really... set in the Mississippi delta region during the Great Depression, it's the tale of three petty criminals who escape from the chain gang in quest of buried treasure and experience a series of misadventures along the way. Ulysses Everett McGill (Clooney) is the silver-tongued, self-appointed leader of this odd trio, a man who claims to have stolen and buried over a million dollars in cash. Delmar O'Donnell is the docile, sweet-tempered dimwit (played to perfection by Tim Blake Nelson). The third member of our little gang is an irritable, acerbic fella named Pete. Together they set off, chained to each other, in search of McGill's treasure, which is buried somewhere about to become a man-made lake. Our heroes have only four days to find the loot before it's lost forever at the bottom of the newly created reservoir.

As they begin their journey, the run across an old blind seer who prophesies that they will find a fortune, but not the one they seek. with a posse of law enforcement officers and vigilantes hot on their heels, Everett, Pete and Delmar ditch their chains and prison garb and continue on their quest.

Our trio's journey is anything but quiet and uneventful. They continually run into strange people and situations... At one point, soon after stealing a car and picking up a guitar-playing hitch-hiker, they stop at a local radio station and, posing as an "old-timey" music group called the "Soggy Bottom Boys," they cut a record that's soon all the rage throughout the region. Later they encounter a Baptist congregation at river's edge, singing a beautiful song, lulling our heroes into sweet forgetfulness for a few brief moments. They happen upon three washer-women, also at river's edge, whose siren-like song ensnares our three miscreants... George Nelson, a bank robber on the run, who nearly co-opts our heroes into a REAL life of crime... the one-eyed, fast-talking Bible salesman Dan Teague (played by John Goodman) who offers Everett, Pete, and Delmar a hard lesson on economics and life in general in the Depression-ravaged Deep South... and other characters as well: Governor Pappy "Pass the Biscuits" O'Daniel, running for re-election against a reform-minded candidate named Homer Stokes... Everett's ex-wife Penny, soon to me re-married to a real drone named Vernon Waldrip... and a whole gang of fellas dressed in white sheets and hoods who take exception to our heroes' intrusion into their ceremonies.

One of "O Brother, Where Art Thou's?" greatest strengths is its musical score. As the Coen brothers point out, nary a scene goes by without some kind of music in the background. The songs - 19 of them by my count - are all wonderful. It's a sublime mixture of old-time gospel and country music and African-American spirituals. From James Carter and the Prisoners' "Po' Lazarus," through Alison Krause's sweetly simple and reverent "Down to the River to Pray" (with brilliant harmonies added by the First Baptist Choir of White House, Tennessee); the old-time country classics "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" and "Hard Rock Candy Mountain," and "You Are My Sunshine;" to the old-time Gospel classics "Keep On the Sunny Side;" "I'll Fly Away" and "I Am Weary (Let Me Rest)," (and many other songs as well), the music adds an extra dimension to this already multi-faceted film. (By the way, all these songs can be found on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack compact disc... but that's another review!)

I've now watched "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" about a dozen times. Each viewing has been a genuine pleasure for me. This film is clever in its conception, extraordinary in its execution, sublime in its storytelling, and masterful in its music. In short... wonderfully entertaining in every respect. A definite "must-see" for movie-lovers everywhere!

A Coles Notes approach to Homer's "The Odyssey"
"O Brother Where Art Thou" was an entertaining journey through the Great Depression and Homer's Odyssey. The stellar cast (including George Clooney, John Turturro, John Goodman, and Holly Hunter) shines. All of the characters are quirky to say the least: a one-eyed KKK Bible salesman, a Dapper Dan-obsessed intellectual jailbird, a blues guitarist who sold his soul to the devil, a blind "prophet," the Devil bent on revenge. This is a Coles Notes approach to Homer at best (even the directors, Joel and Ethan Cohen ("Fargo," "The Big Lebowski," "Raising Arizona") admit to never actually having read "The Odyssey," the story on which "O Brother" is based), yet is unusual and highly entertaining in its own right.

Fueled by an eclectic soundtrack, "O Brother" brought about an unheard-of resurgence of early country music, winning the Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack and outselling most other CDs that year. The selections include gospel, blues, a chain gang song ("Po Lazarus") and a hobo anthem ("Big Rock Candy Mountain"), along with plenty of toe-tapping country music from The Soggy Bottom Boys (fronted by Union Station's Dan Tyminski), Alison Krauss, Gillian Welsh, Emmylou Harris, and more.

The film has an unusual look as well: it was digitally edited to give it the washed-out appearance of the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. There is a very interesting documentary about this process on the DVD; it is the first film to use this technique in North America (although not in Europe). In fact, there are several interesting extras on the DVD, including a making-of, a music video for "I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow," and a script-to-storyboard comparison. "O Brother" is filled with fun, unexpected turns and twists, and a great soundtrack. It may not be the greatest film you'll ever see, but it sure is entertaining!

the best clooney film ever
this is very very loosely based on homers odyssey.you ever hear of this?most people havent.4 dumber than a box of hammers criminals escape from a chaingang to go get a bunch of money one of them stole previously.it is a movie the whole family can enjoy filled with high adventure and many exciting scenes.it is set in 1939.there are a pack of sirens-i call them (...) this one but no fornicating.george clooney gives his best performance ever in this one.it was the best movie in a long time when it came out.an abselute classic.no matter what you hear,this is one of the best films in years.georges ol lady in the movie is a real psycho (...) but is FINE!

Watchable, but why?
The fact is, I've watched this movie three or four times, right through, without really knowing why. It's not exactly Joyce or Kazantzakis. It isn't that good, and Clooney's role and performance are irritating. He didn't play the part well. The songs aren't so very terrific, unless you're addicted to that kind of music. I used to sing "You are my Sunshine" during WWII when I was about 4. I'd heard about Bonnie Face Nelson, and he had a pretty good part. People from the South are often shown as very ugly and extremely fat in movies. The Sirens weren't beautiful, just ordinary. I don't think the Coens really like other people at all: they just watch them. Tommy was a nice fellow, with excellent manners. The cons were very mean to the little kid who rescued them from the burning barn. Early on there were only four days until the valley was to be flooded, then several weeks must have gone by before it actually was. Penelope was not exactly faithful, but she probably wasn't in the original either. That actress has a lot of character: the camera likes her. Probably I just keep on watching it because I'm puzzled and mystified without being bored. You just want to see what happens next, and it could meander on for ever, but stops because it has to. The flood washes nearly all of it away.

One of Their Very Best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I must say at the outset that I am a TOTAL Coen Brothers fan and have seen ALL of their projects. This ranks right up there as one of their crowning achievements.

This is a re-telling of the "Odyssey" by Homer and after viewing this, I finally got a handle on just what the "Odyssey" was about. In a nutshell, it follows the exploits of a man and the exotic characters he meets along his journey. The way the Coen Brothers personified such stalwart literary characters as the Cyclops (John Goodman) and the Furies is most creative.

Excellent performances all around from the likes of George Clooney (in one of his most endearing roles), the incomparable John Goodman, Holly Hunter, John Turturo, Charles Durning and a wonderfully strong supporting cast.

However, one cannot mention the merits of this movie without a mention of the soundtrack. It is most obvious that the Coen Brothers invested an enormous amount of research to make sure that the music adequately accompnaied the mood and tone. A wonderfully indelible example is the use of an acapella song (that utilizes no words, only moans) still used in African-American churches that is beautifully realized.

The music in this project is positively spellbinding, regardless of your particular musical preferences - there is something here for everybody. The soundtrack deserved the kudos it received.

This one you will enjoy over and over and over again!!!!
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeexcellent! ... Read more

Description

Toula Portokalos is a quiet, devoted daughter in a big, hectic, crazy Greek family. Working at her father's restaurant, "Dancing Zorba's," she hides behind a mop of mousy brown hair and thick, impenetrable glasses, keeping her family close and the world at a distance. But one day at the restaurant, she finds herself pouring coffee for a man so strikingly good-looking, that he inspires her to change her life - and the way she sees the world - forever. With a new hairdo, wardrobe, contact lenses, and most important of all, a whole new attitude, Toula steps out into the world a new woman, all ready to meet her man. Ian Miller is tall, handsome, but definitely not Greek. And whether he can handle Toula, her parents, her aunts, uncles, cousins and several centuries of Greek culture remains to be seen. But when you see the world through Toula's eyes, anything is possible! ... Read more

Reviews (686)

A Surprise Hit - Well Worth Watching!
Screenplay writer doubling as actress, Nia Vardalos plays herself - the frumpy daughter in a paternalistic Greek family in Chicago. She's dying to get out from the family business, a Greek restaurant, so that she can take some classes at the local college.

Enter Ian, a handsome suitor that is perfect in every way but one. He's not Greek.

Hilarity ensues as Ian introduces Nia to his family and she introduces Ian to her family. The cultural and familial differences make for many laughs.

The film nails the family relations perfectly - aunts that like to talk about their medical conditions, overprotective brothers, a misguided but loving father that likes to use Windex, a mother obsessed with cooking, the nosy beauty-queen cousin....

Most anyone will be able to identify with this film. It makes no difference whether one comes from a Greek background or not.

The film is filled with genuine laughs and subtle humor (e.g. as Ian tries to attract Nia's attention outside the storefront window he runs into an old woman who then takes it out on him with her purse). I found myself laughing throughout.

The characters are well played. Nia plays the role she was born to play - herself, and the film is thankfully absent of any high-powered Hollywood names. With no big names to distract the viewer, it makes the film work well.

Look for either a sequel or a sitcom to be spawned from this surprise blockbuster. Three cheers for independent films!

Hilarious and sweet
I saw this movie with my best friend and it was awesome.

I love how Ian goes to great lengths to be accepted by Toula's family. He's someone any woman would love to have. When Toula was "frump girl" he saw past that and just saw her as she is.

Although her family can be a huge pain in the ass, they only want what's best for her. In a way,they remind me of my family.

Everyone should see this movie. It'll make you laugh and it has really sweet moments.

It's All Greek To Me!
My Big Fat Greek Wedding is the Greek-American take on love, work, food, drink, school, language, religion, fashion and dating among other things. As the title suggests, it features a massive cast of relatives, half of which are called "Nick".

Toula (Nia Vardalos) is a 30 year old Greek-American waitress at her parents restaurant. Her folks want her married and with children. She is shy, a little ashamed of her family, and looking for something new in her life. She lands a job at a Greek-American run travel agent and meets Ian Miller (John Corbett), a handsome, long haired guy, and a non-Greek to boot. HE'S something new! Toula falls in love with him, secretly dates him, and eventually gets proposed to by him. A clash of cultures follows as the wedding draws near!

The love element is just the icing on the cake. What this film is really about is Greek-Americans and their way of life, which may often seem strange and silly to outsiders but really is close knit, fun loving and family centred. I have some Greek friends, and though living in Australia they're slightly different here, the attitudes, the values, the oddities and the relatives are pretty similar to those shown in the film. It's not that exaggerated or played up upon, as a lot of other Hollywood films often are.

If anything, maybe it's a little downplayed. My Greek friends are a lot louder and larger than life that this cast. A little more entertaining too, actually. Maybe because of this, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" it didn't really have a big impact on me. I'd seen all these cultural elements before, so it wasn't a novelty, and since I'm not a Greek immigrant myself (or a child of), it was harder to relate to. Still, that's just me. This film is warm hearted, funny and insightful, and you can tell that everyone involved had a lot of fun recreating a Greek-American household.

If you liked this film, you may also like to see "The Wog Boy", a slightly sillier movie about the life of a workshy Greek-Australian.

You have to see this movie!!!
I first saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding alone on the big screen. I had no idea that it would be such a hit.

Nia Vardalos does an incredible job about bringing out the humor in what it means to be a Greek American. I laughed before things were even said in the movie -- the Greek school scene, the Greek "boys" her dad wants her to marry, the brother, and the pomp & circumstance of the wedding. This is a funny movie, I think for non-Greeks, but for Greeks, it's a must. You have to see this movie. How often does anyone make a movie about Greek Americans anyway??

That being said, the dialogue could have been improved. Ian was a bit boring and flat of a character. I suppose that was the point, seeing as we were supposed to "see" Toula better. I think if Vardalos had realized what a hit she had on her hands, there would have been more polish on the movie. As it is, it is a diamond in the rough -- more or less.

A funny light entertainment
This film is austere but delightful. Written with sincerity and honesty. Affective memories support this movie.
Laughable situations along the process to approach to the greek mood.
Good performances and fluid script. ... Read more

Amazon.com

An examination of the relationship between political power and personal conscience, Joseph Mankiewicz's traditional Julius Caesar (1953) is a veritable master class for aspiring thespians. As the opportunistic Marc Antony, Marlon Brando delivers the famous funeral speech with pure conviction, elsewhere casting an intense physicality that recalls his work in A Streetcar Named Desire. James Mason suggests a latent Hamlet in his turn as the honorable Brutus, while John Gielgud is positively serpentine as the lean, hungry Cassius. Louis Calhern invests Caesar with intelligence and edgy noir echoes, and director Mankiewicz astutely balances the Renaissance view of Caesar as a power-obsessed, corrupt tyrant destined for punishment with modern suggestions that his murder may have been ill advised. The director's scrupulous pacing is supported in no small measure by Miklós Rósza's stunning score. At film's end, power itself is without a master, and the spirit of Caesar has been left unrevived: and to Mankiewicz's credit, the latter is revealed to be the true tragedy of Julius Caesar. --Kevin Mulhall ... Read more

Reviews (20)

NOT ONE SINGLE COMPLAINT!
I am really tempted to say that I enjoyed this better than the book. It is almost unbelievable what a great job the director did in capturing the essence of this play concerning moral ambiguity in a political setting. It was a true blessing that the director managed to gather James Mason, John Gielgud, and Marlon Brando together. Mason is very convincing as the good and honest Brutus who sees a world where everyone is as honest and honorable as he. Gielgud portrays the ambitious (but not without redeeming features) Cassius well. Brando is over the top as the back stage player Antony who eventually emerges as the most powerful character in the play. The effects are simple but good. The scenery is well done (especially considering the limited resources at the time). One fine addition (not in the book) is when Antony's archers defeat Cassius. Modern special effects may have their place, but these actors showed that it takes real acting to tell the story. I can not overestimate how much Mason, Brando, and Gielgud had their fully 3 dimensional characters down to the very core of the essences created by the master of literature William Shakespeare.

A PRODUCTION WORTHY OF AN EMPEROR
Restrained, stately, dramatic, intelligent and powerful--all these adjectives and more apply to "William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar," a genuine triumph not only on the part of director Joseph Mankiewicz (whose command of tone and atmosphere is nearly flawless here) but for the entire cast and crew. Marlon Brando is justifiably most often singled out for his herculean performance as Mark Antony, and his impassioned speech to the people of Rome, in which he alternately succumbs to grief for Caesar and thirst for power, is Oscar material all on its own. But the other actors shine too: Louis Calhern is an arrogant but affable Caesar blind to his encroaching doom as great leaders so often are; James Mason captures the ultimate pathos that Brutus should embody; Deborah Kerr wins my heart if not Brutus's as Portia; and John Gielgud is the oily, corrupt serpent in the midst of the false Eden that was Rome, and almost implodes before our very eyes with envy and frustration. All in evocative sets that are grand enough to please the eye without distracting from the real drama of brilliant actors portraying a brilliant script. A must for Shakespeare fans.

"There are Some that are Whole that Must be Made Sick"
meaning, of course, that there's going to be a hit today on Mr. Big, Julius Caesar.
This is a very successful translation of Shakespeare's play into film. The title character is played rather well I think by Louis Calhern, and his aide de camp Mark Antony is the brooding Marlon Brando. Greer Garson is the barren Calphurnia, trying vainly to convince her husband Caesar to heed her dream of doom. The conspirators are really a first-rate collection: James Mason's Brutus leads the pack--what a beautiful speaking voice. John Gielgud as Cassius is a little less good, but nonetheless effective. Others include Edmund O'Brien and Alan Napier, better known as Alfred the Butler on TV's Batman show. Deborah Kerr as Portia makes an impassioned speech to her husband Brutus to take her into his confidence--how differently things might have worked out if he had done so.
Things move along very well here; it is a well-rehearsed cast and a highly professional one to boot. I disagree strongly with those who suggest that Calhern is miscast; on the contrary, his speaking with an American accent puts him quite apart from the mostly British conspirators, and helps underline why they find him so antithetical to their beliefs. He really seems a threat, someone who has no respect for the old world order but would easily turn it upside down to suit his humor. The two funeral orations are great in print; on film, both Mason and Brando are so persuasive you'll have difficulty yourself not being swayed.
Fine ensemble piece, superlative Shakespeare showcase.

Brando's Masterful Performance
I must say that Brando was indeed a versatile actor. Admitedly, I only watched this movie because Brando is in it, ordinarily I wouldn't have, but I am glad I did. This movie has made me want to study Shakespeare in greater depth (beyond the required reading in high school and college). I believe that it was the funeral scene, the turning point of the play, that really did it for me. In this film, Brando delivers a powerful performance worthy of his Oscar nomination. His beauty and passion shine through in this production. It is truly first rate...now if only I could get the DVD version!

Wonderful!
For a good analysis of this masterpiece, seek out Harold Bloom's in his fine book on Shakespeare. When I was much younger I thought Julius Caesar was a fairly straightforward play--actually a bit dry and classical--but with repeated encounters its richness reveals itself and the, at first, tantalizing ambiguities eventually dominate. Bloom comments well on these qualities.

Julius Caesar is very much a play for our times. One could imagine a similar play about Jack Kennedy's death if the heresy ever came into anyone's head that perhaps that particular political assassination, like Caesar's, was the result of complex motivations and machinations that couldn't be reduced easily to cozy confrontations between good and evil (as we've done).

This film version is excellent--one of the great adaptations of Shakespeare. It's a beautiful production and the cast is superb and often surprisingly so. The scruffy Americans stand up well against the Brits (We always seem to assume they alone are genetically designed for Shakespeare). The play should really be titled "The Tragedy of Brutus" (Brutus is the central character) and by a double irony, Brando who plays Mark Antony gets top billing over James Mason (who does an amazing job with Brutus). Brutus loses again but this time to some Hollywood dictators (rather than Roman or Elizabethan) along with (perhaps) the dictatorial position of American Culture in the post-war era. The play can be seen as a commentary on its own future handling. Mr. Brando did a fine job but-be warned-this is not a Brando flick. The box art and presentation are misleading.

Dang! Why isn't this on DVD yet? ... Read more

Description

This comedic and touching family film follows the adventures of a shy young boy (Haley Joel Osment) who is sent to spend the summer with his eccentric uncles (Michael Caine, Robert Duvall).At first shocked by his uncles' unconventional behavior that includes ordering African lions through the mail, the boy soon becomes enthralled with unraveling the mystery that has followed the uncles for years. Hearing tales of their exotic adventures involving kidnapped princesses, Arabian sheiks and lost treasure, not only brings him closer to his uncles but also teaches him what it means to believe in something... whether it's true or not. ... Read more

Reviews (168)

Something for Everyone.
The best way to describe SECONDHAND LIONS is that it's like an independent art film for families. The movie is a hodge-podge of genres and varies between the sublime to the parodical. The plot revolves around a young boy named Walter and how he ended up being raised by two crazy bachelor uncles in the mid 1960s. The uncles (played by Duvall and Caine) have been missing for forty years and have recently returned to Texas to live out the rest of their days. Rumor has it that the old coots have millions of stolen loot stashed away somewhere and every salesperson and relative within a thounsand miles is trying to get their hands on some of the cash.

Children will like this movie especially for the cheesy flashback scenes that appear to be a cross between Indiana Jones and Saturday morning cartoons. However, cheesy as those scenes appear, they fit for the purposes of the film.

The movie also has something to say about faith and honesty. In fact, this is probably the best film I've seen about faith since SIGNS. It takes faith to believe the unbelievable, but when you find out what you were believing really was true, it becomes even that much more amazing.

Highly recommended for families, old codgers, and eccentrics like myself.

Wonderful family film! Rare these days.
This was a great movie. I just saw it last night -- for the second time. With Robert Duvall, Michael Caine, and Haley Joel Osment, how could they go wrong? But there's many a film out there that boasts a multi-talented all-star cast and yet still fails to deliver the goods.

SECONDHAND LIONS is not one of them.

The story is about young Walter who is just barely in his teens and is sent to live with his two great uncles. He constantly hears rumors of their hidden treasure that they stole from Al Capone, or took from a wealthy Arab, or obtained through a lawsuit, or...whatever you want to believe. Throughout the movie, Walter learns from his uncles, Hub and Garth, how to grow into a man and what the truly important things are in life; and Garth and Hub learn from Walter how to enjoy life to the fullest.

The drama here is fantastic, and only once does the emotionalism get a little over-the-top (which is why I gave it four stars instead of five). The acting is fantastic. In this adventurous film you'll be reminded of images of INDIANA JONES, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, among many others.

...

I wish every goofball (i.e. summer blockbuster) filmmaker in Hollywood -- you know, the ones that think creative filmmaking means having alot of CGI characters jumping around on skyscrapers and fighting villains in Power Ranger suits -- would simply sit down and watch SECONDHAND LIONS. Then they would know how to make a good movie.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IN?
It was sad for me to see adults pushing their kids in the long-winded queues for Spiderman2 and Pokemon at the local theatre, while this touching entertainer was tossed aside (relatively) to the sidelines.

There is no doubt that Secondhand Lions is a semi-manipulative film, it has its fair share of smarmy feel-good contrivances that betray its zeal to tug at our heart strings. But the quirky mirth of all its characters, the idiosynchratic plotline, and a healthy dose of moving, meaningful moments makes this a very wholesome experience.

Duvall and Caine, as two reclusive millionaire uncles drunk on guns and eccentricity, pitch in very well. Caine warms up to his part in the film first, but the screen is really owned by a very fit Duvall, who soon becomes the pivotal character in the film as the uncle that the kid (Hailey Osment) turns to for advice. Osment does remarkably well to hold his own against these two big tykes. A barnful of cute animals and a truckful of drooling relatives round up the doozy cast.

Some fantastic (literally) flashbacks form an interesting trope for the movie's core message: that in our lives having conviction in things we may doubt to be untrue is ultimately a critical virtue. This leads to a somewhat corny twist at the end but it's an interesting one to make the point. There's plenty of action and some amusing gags that even evoked loud guffaws in the theatre.

All in all, whether you have kids or not, but especially if you do, this deserves a recommendation of the highest order.

Best Family Movie in a long time
I loved this movie. Laughed and cried. I do not usually buy movies, I only own three - we rent alot, but this was a must have. It is the best family movie we have seen in a very long time. I can't wait to see it again.

Wow (for sure)
I cannot understand why Amazon uses paid reviewers who are afraid to like the films they review and don't even bother to see many of them, as indicated by the errors of fact in the second quoted review. Make no mistake, folks, this is the real thing: a truly mesmerizing family film that is able to be humorous, scary, thrilling and inspiring - frequently all at the same time. How many years has it been since three generations of your family were able to repeatedly laugh and cheer loudly for a film? This is in the rare class of films that will go on and on, like Wizard of Oz, Shane, Dragonslayer, High Noon, Miracle on 34th Street, and a very few others, except that it is better than several of them. It is a film for all time and all ages. It is definitely not just a "kid's picture". Perhaps I am partial to "modern legends." I think we all are. ... Read more

Reviews (664)

Rob Reiner Weaves His Best In Fanatsy!
THE PRINCESS BRIDE is directors Rob Reiner (A Few Good Men, Stand By Me) third feature film ever. It was based on a book written by Academy Award Winner William Goldwin (Misery, Maverick, Chaplin) who wrote this book for his children in 1973. After almost 15 years, and several studios, MGM decided to back it up and make the finished film.

It fun, it's funny and has adventure and romance, monsters and villains. It also has some of the best performances of an ensemble cast in a fairy tale ever. Robin Write-Penn (Then Robin Write at 19 years old) (Forrest Gump, Unbreakable) starring as Princess Buttercup who has fallen in love with a farm boy-turned Pirate, Cary Elwes (Twister, Robin Hood: Men In Tights, Quest For Camelot) and is seeking the kidnapped Princess from three renegades played by Wallace Shawn (Toy Story, Star Trek Deep Space Nine). The late Andre The Giant (Trading Mom) and an astounding performance by Mandy Patikin (Yentel, Alien Nation, Chicago Hope-TV ). Christopher Sarandon (Nightmare Before Christmas, Fright Night, Just Cause) and Christopher Guest (This Is Spinal Tap, Best In Show) head up the evil King and sidekick roles. The chemistry between Cary and Mandy is phenomenal. They are seriously funny in a sarcastic and monotoned way. The swordplay is the best I have seen since Errol Flynn.

What makes this movie special and energetic is the magic of fantasy with a splash of you have to believe in True Love for all this to work and for your happiness to be real. Shot entirely on location and with a minimum of a budget the movie is wonderful to watch and look at. A GEM for all the family - literally.

The DVD extras include three behind the scenes documentaries and lots of production photos. Very well put together and filled with interesting comments and antique dotes from all the cast and crew. There's even a behind the scenes home movie view of the production thanks to Carry Elwis himself. Of the trailers and production posters show you more of movie making and what it takes. The audio commentary by Rob Reiner is comical and very interesting. There is also a commentary by William Goldwin which gives you a lot of insighjt to the production. This is a great addition to the family film collection. (10-27-02)

"My name is Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!"

Director: Rob Reiner
Format: Color
Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios
Video Release Date: March 7, 2000

Cast:

Cary Elwes ... Westley
Mandy Patinkin ... Inigo Montoya
Chris Sarandon ... Prince Humperdinck
Christopher Guest ... Count Tyrone Rugen
Wallace Shawn ... Vizzini
André the Giant ... Fezzik
Fred Savage ... The Grandson
Robin Wright Penn ... Buttercup/The Princess Bride
Peter Falk ... The Grandfather
Peter Cook ... The Impressive Clergyman
Mel Smith ... The Albino

Carol Kane ... Valerie
Billy Crystal ... Miracle Max
Anne Dyson ... The Queen
Margery Mason ... The Ancient Booer
Malcolm Storry ... Yellin
Willoughby Gray ... The King
Betsy Brantley ... The Mother
Paul Badger ... The Assistant Brute
Sallie McLaughlin

A storybook stable boy turns pirate and rescues his beloved who is about to marry a dreadful prince.

The story is told by the Grandfather (Peter Falk) to his cynical (at first) Grandson (Fred Savage).

The story is a love story with all of the elements of a fantasy fairy tale. Westley (Cary Elwes), the good guy, is opposed by Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin--"My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father. Be prepared to die!"), at first, and then wins Westley's admiration. Another opponent who becomes a co-conspirator, is Fezzick (Andre the Giant). Buttercup/The Princess Bride (Robin Wright Penn) is the princess who needs rescuing.

There is a lot of good tongue-in-cheek humor involved, and even though it is understood that this is a story told to a young boy, there is nevertheless a good level of tension involved.

This is a fun movie.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

What a marvelous movie... I waited too....
long to buy this movie -- my boys loved it the first time they watched it. It is timeless, a great comedy, wonderful lines.....
A great addition to our movie selection!

A family comedy funnier than this? Inconceivable!
For millions of television viewers who grew up during All in the Family's groundbreaking run (before it became stale in the post-1977 seasons), Rob Reiner will always be remembered as the Meathead, a.k.a. Archie Bunker's ultra-liberal, atheistic, and argumentative son-in-law, Mike Stivic. But Reiner, whose father Carl is one of America's best comedic writer-actor-directors (The Dick Van Dyke Show, Your Show of Shows, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid), is far more than just a good actor with one famous role, for after he left Norman Lear's flagship comedy series after six seasons, Reiner the Younger followed in his father's footsteps to become a well-known and well-regarded actor, writer, producer, and director.

One of Reiner's best films is 1987's The Princess Bride, a witty-yet-sweet comedy/fantasy written by two-time Academy Award-winning screenwriter William Goldman, who adapted his own novel about the beautiful maiden Buttercup (Robin Wright), whose true love, a young farmboy named Westley (Cary Elwes), goes off to sea to seek his fortune, telling Buttercup that he would come back for her.

But when Buttercup learns that Westley's ship has been attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts she swears she will never love anyone again, an oath she keeps even when she accepts a marriage proposal from Florin's Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), a handsome yet somewhat shady fellow who probably could give Machiavelli some lessons in, well, Machiavellian diplomacy. His plan is simple: take over as King of Florin as soon as his father passes away, get bethroded to a beautiful engaging commoner, then stage her kidnapping and demise to incriminate the neighboring rival kingdom Guilder and start a war.

Aided by the equally heinous Count Rugen (Christopher Guest), Humperdinck hires a trio led by the too-clever-for-his-own-good schemer Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), the revenge-obsessed Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), and Fezzik (Andre the Giant), a brawny hulk with a heart of gold and a fondness for rhymes. The three manage to kidnap Princess Buttercup, but before they reach the Guilder-Florin border they run into an unforeseen obstacle: a dashing swordsman dressed in black.

Goldman's clever way of grabbing the audience's heart and funny bone is to present this fairy tale with a framing story of a 1980s grandfather (Peter Falk) who visits his sick grandson (a pre-Wonder Years Fred Savage) and reads the tale of The Princess Bride to him, following a long family tradition.

Reiner gets wonderful performances not only from the major cast members, but also from Billy Crystal and Carol Kane, who play Miracle Max and his wife Valerie in a short but hilarious scene. He approaches the fractured fairy tale as a comedy/romance/swashbuckling adventure, poking gentle fun at the conventions of all the fantasy/medieval adventure films of the 1930s and '40s without being obnoxious or too sardonic. The result: a film that overcame box-office failure (it had a brief and unprofitable theatrical run in the summer of 1987) by becoming a home video success. (This is not unique to The Princess Bride, either. 1939's The Wizard of Oz was no box office champ when it premiered; only when it became an annual TV staple in the mid-1950s did Oz become a family classic.)

The 2001 MGM Special Edition DVD presents The Princess Bride in its original widescreen format, and features a director's commentary track by Reiner, a writer's commentary by Goldman, English and Spanish audio tracks, a new documentary on the making of the film ("As You Wish"), plus theatrical trailers and two original featurettes.

As Vizzini might have added, to try and find a funnier family film is absolutely inconceivable.

An Awesome Movie (Review by Jennifer Baker)
The Princess Bride is an excellent movie, and though at first viewing may seem pretty simple, it has much deeper meeting, but it may take more than one viewing to see this. First of all, it teaches the all-too-true, and sometimes overused lesson that good will prevail over evil. This is shown in Inigo's avenging of his father's death and Westley's rescuing of his true love, escaping his encounter with death, surviving "The Machine", making it through the fire swamp, battling the ROUS's, wrestling a giant, swordfighting with a Spaniard, and out-witting a Sicilian. (whew!) However, if you look closely, and watch this movie at least 100 times (which I have), then you will come to see that there is a lot of symbolism in The Princess Bride. Whether Buttercup is wearing blue (sadness) when she is getting married or red (danger) when she is kidnapped,the symbolism in this movie shows just how detailed this movie really is, which in turn makes it all the more fun to look for and watch. So in conclusion, The Princess Bride is a swashbuckling fun time for the whole family!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

After viewing Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote to Walt Disney about adapting his novel of an ape-man into a feature animated cartoon. Sixtysome years later, the tale is finally told with brilliant design work that looks unlike any previous animated film. The story is a natural for Disney since the themes of misunderstood central figures have been at the heart of its recent hits. Disney's Tarzan doesn't wander far from the familiar story of a shipwrecked baby who is brought up by apes in Africa. What gives the film its zing is its clever use of music (the songs are sung by Phil Collins himself rather than onscreen characters) and the remarkable animation. Deep Canvas, a 3-D technology, was developed for the film, creating a jungle that comes alive as Tarzan swings through the trees, often looking like a modern skateboarder racing down giant tree limbs. The usual foray of sidekicks, including a rambunctious ape voiced by Rosie O'Donnell, should keep the little ones aptly entertained. The two lead voices, Tony Goldwyn as Tarzan and Minnie Driver as Jane, are inspired choices. Their chemistry helps the story through the weakest points (the last third) and makes Tarzan's initial connection with all things human (including Jane) delicious entertainment. Disney still is not taking risks in its animated films, but as cookie-cutter entertainment, Tarzan makes a pretty good treat. (Ages 5 and up) --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (300)

Better than average Disney
Looks like Disney is trying improve on the standard Disney animation with Tarzan. The animation quality is excellent! DVD on a large screen TV is the best way to experience the results of the technology Disney developed to make this movie. Parents will appreciate the animation quality which in turn enhances the story and kids will simply like the animation because it's cool!

The story follows the traditional Disney story line, but places a greater focus on positive messages(family, loyalty, respect and acceptance). As a result, this sets Tarzan a part from the standard Disney story line(exception Mulan).

With the exception of Jane, Disney did a good job in matching actors to the characters. Unfortunately, Mimie Driver's voice and lines seemed to be out of place with her Jane Porter character. Maybe its all those Johnny Weismuller Tarzan movies I watched as kid.

As with all Disney animation, music plays a major role. The scores written and sung by Phil Collins are excellent! However, there is one musical score(Trashin the Camp) which seems to be out of place in both the story line and music.

Overall, this is a better than average Disney feature that hopefully is an indication of things to come for future Disney animation features.

Excellent animation, music, songs and story
Despite the inevitable "Disney formular", it is a great animation achievement. Let's face it, you can't expect Disney to really break away from their formula without the parents with young kids screaming murder. Within the confine of the formula, I think Disney did a marvelous job in entertaining the adults as well as the young tots. So stop being a purist and just enjoy a great animation feast.

Tarzan is definitely one of the most "live-like" animation characters in history. The story is rushed at times, and the comic side-kicks can be distracting, and even annoying. But overall it is a powerful story, with powerful emotions and conflicts, great action, and very very touching. The scene with Tarzan and his ape mother brought me to tears, and I am a 30-something guy. The relationship between Tarzan and Jane is sexy and yet innocent, romantic and yet realistic.

As for the violence... Oh come on! I think Disney did a great job portraying violence in real life (but not excessive) without being encouraging or offensive. Death? Disney animation has always dealt with death and violence, starting from Snow White -- remember the Queen and her immenent death? How about Bambi's mother? How about the hundreds of Huns and Chinese soldiers who died in Mulan? Oh, at the end, Tarzan did not throw Clayton off a tall tree... watch carefully. Clayton was trying to get to Tarzan but Tarzan noticed the danger, and he was actually trying to save Clayton! Clayton did himself in because he was too obsessed. There's a lesson to be learn here. So I think the violence in Tarzan is very well done and serves as education... it is not at all gratuitous. I suggest parents discuss it with their young children.

One gripe about the DVD though. I totally agree with other reviewers about the annoying previews and ads. It's a totally unnecessary marketing ploy and will only alienate their customers.

*****Wow!******
This is a great movie but its the kind that you can get a little tired of after a while. I didn't really care for Minnie Driver's voice for Jane Porter; it didn't fit somehow. And while the music in Trashin' the camp was differant from the rest of the soundtrack,it was refreshing and I thought it fit perfectly with the destruction of the camp.
Phil Collins did a superb job with the music. I got goosebumps on several parts,he's that good. His singing voice just seems to fit with the wild jungle setting. All in all,a good movie.

AWESOME MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!
i am a disney movie collector and tarzan is one of my favorites among the disney collection.great animation great story.this movie is a must to get!!!!

Anyone else notice....
....the shadow of the dead body hanging in the noose?! Probably not....most folks set their kiddos in front of a Disney movie hoping for some quiet time. Do the world a favor: toss the movies, better yet, toss the TV and read a book with your children! ... Read more

Reviews (51)

The Sap Head
This l949 black and white movie still looks good. It has a screenplay written by ultra-individualistic Ayn Rand, based on her classic novel. But other than everyone being complete miscast and the film looking nothing like the book, this is a major dissapoint to this faithful Randist. Director King Vidor initially wanted Greta Garbo as Dominique but of course she refused. John Garfield was mentioned as Howard Roark. He would have been fantastic. Instead, they got laconic, low-keyed, much too old Gary Cooper who always made you think of a straw-sticking-out-of mouth cowboy. Patricia Neal simply ain't no Dominique Francon. Edward Carrere was the production designer, capturing nothing of hte grandeur of over-the-top architecture described in the book. William Cameron Menzies (who had designed Gone with the Wind, King's Row) should have designed this flick. Art direction should have been genius Anton Grot, instead of insipid william Kuehl. (Grot was the genius who designed the now legendary, nearly surreal sets of the Bette Davis/Paul Henreid camp classic, "Deception" with its football sized penthouse of the supposedly poor, struggling Bette--"I had to take in piano students!") Miles Anderson costume designs for "Fountainhead" were uninspired. Why didn't they get--again from "Deception"--the fabulous Bernrd Newman? Max STeiner actually did the film score but you'd never know it? He also created a masterpiece with his musical of Bette Davis' greatest film, the l949 "Beyond the Forest." They should remake this film today, have mature actors in the roles, not the MTV brat pack. Rand supposedly had a bloody time trying to keep her screenplay from being watered down--which it was.

Pressure can have unintended consequences . . .
Is what Howard Roark (Gary Cooper) tells Dominique Francon (Patricia Neal) about her fireplace. They're talking about er...marble.

This is in a scene which occurs shortly after their first encounter, when Dominique spots Roark and his muscular forearm working at a quarry operating a drilling machine into the stone.

After a long and prolongued silence which ranks among the best moments in cinema, she asks, from her height above the pit: "Why are you looking at me?" Roark replies: "For the same reason you're looking at me."

And if you think that's a good moment, wait till Roark's climactic speech to the jury. Over five minutes long. (What! A movie audience sitting still through a speech? Impossible!) and absolutely spellbinding.

The film version of Ayn Rand's bestselling novel was directed by the expressionist master, King Vidor, and the screenplay written by, of all people, Ayn Rand.

Who, during a pre-production party accosted Jack L. Warner and warned him that if he cheapened or otherwise dumbed down her work, she would dynamite his studio. She nmeant it. Jack smiled and gave her a cigar.

The Fountainhead is the story of a hero who wins.

By hero, we mean an uncompromising man of genius and absolute integrity. This seems as far fetched to us as Cyrano fighting a hundred armed swordsmen---and winning! (Rostand was a major influence for Rand ) It's clearly impossible. He's not in Russia, so he won't be shot, it's not that explicit--it's America, he's bound to quietly fade into obscurity and failure. It would be naive to suppose otherwise, so how can this be a triumph instead of a tragedy?

Thematically that's the question that Roark's alter egos Gail Wynand (Raymond Massey) and Dominique Francon ask themselves. Gail is the billionare owner of an "Enquirer" type of news rag who rose from poverty by giving the suckers what they wanted. He lives by the credo "Oppress or be oppressed."

Dominique wants to want nothing, the logical credo of a beautifull woman who is convinced that beauty and greatness have no chance at all in this world. We first meet her as she's destroying of a statue of a Greek god. She's fallen in love with it and can't bear the pain of neeeding it, or anything else.

As usual with Rand, these are tortured giants, not the "folks next door"

Critics of Rand are right in stating that they are improbable beings. (Name a great man or woman of history who isn't).

Roark does make Conan the Barbarian look like a wimp by comparison. But you see, that's the fun of it. As are her villains, who are NOT romanticized ( forget "Bonnie and Clyde" , "The Godfather" and the rest of zillions of ever so cool bad guys we've been fed by Hollywood for decades) they are chilling parasites, exemplified in the character of Ellsworh Toohey.

I'ts Ayn Rand, people. Teenage girl sexual fantasies out of Danielle Steele combined with the mind of an Aristotle! A strange but wonderfull combination.

And as to Cooper, Neal and Massey, their acting is phenomenal. Perfect casting and flawless directing by Vidor.

A true classic.

You don't need to know about the book to enjoy this film
While it was based on Ayn Rand's book, Ayn Rand personally altered the story to adapt it to film. It is a great movie that really makes the viewer think about many things including individualism, selfishness, and even what is right and wrong. For many people who take these notions as given from a very young, questioning them with an adult mind is a good idea. If you enjoy this movie, be sure to pick up and read some of Ayn Rand's non-fiction.

Absolute Hookum and a pure joy!
As an Architect, my opinion is biased by actual experience in this field, but, this movie made me laugh so hard the first time I saw it, it became one of my all time favorites. No architect I have ever met acted anywhere near as self rightious as Roarke, they'de be working at MickieD's the rest of there lifes, as NO ONE would ever hire them, not even to clean pools. Architecture is about knowing your client needs and providing a solution that meets all the requirements of the client, city, and context. That being said, this movies a HOOT!!!

First off, too all the Rand-ites out there, THIS IS A MOVIE! get over the fact that the book is better, every book is better than the movie, thats the nature of the beast.

For the Non-Rand-ites out there, SEE IT SEE IT SEE IT. This movie is a melodramotic potboiler of bad movie bliss. Dont get me wrong, the production values are excellent, its beautifully shot and the cinematography is terrific. The archtectural projects are really spectacular and completely impossible to build, so they are way over the top. But the script is pure Hooey! and the music is sooooo overly-dramatic. Thats what makes this such a great film too watch. Only Ann Rand could take a good novel and cram it into such a laughably compacted screenplay. I felt I has watching cliffnotes from the novel. In the first 5 minutes a year of the story goes by, and the whole film is like that.

There are some very good moments in the film though, topped by Coopers speech to the jury. But the best sceen is after the "drills in the quarry" scene when Patrica Oneill is thinking of Cooper and in the background are images of drills with this completely campy Xylophone music acompanying it. Its one of the most overtly sexual suggestive scenes ever put of film and it hilarious, and dont forget to wait till the end, when you can see the Worlds Greatest 200 story Phallic Symbol ever created on film in the Wymann Building, with Cooper standing on top of course!

Great!!
If you liked the book... get this movie. ... Read more

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After her success with Basic Instinct, Sharon Stone opted for familiar territory with this campfest that purports to be a sexualized thriller about voyeurism but in reality is more of an excuse to get Stone and costar William Baldwin out of their clothes. Rear Window it ain't. Stone plays it drab and quiet as a successful career woman on the rebound from a bad marriage who moves into a mysterious Manhattan high-rise. Once there, she discovers that she has a few admirers: a hunky and enigmatic neighbor (Baldwin), a popular writer of crime novels (Tom Berenger), and someone who seems to enjoy watching her every move on the building-wide surveillance system. And is one of them the serial killer who's stalking the comely female tenants? Scripted by the erstwhile Joe Eszterhas (Basic Instinct and Jagged Edge), Sliver follows the standard Eszterhas plot line of a protagonist suspecting that his or her lover may or may not be a vicious killer, the tension mounting as clue upon clue is discovered. Unlike both Instinct or Edge, though, Sliver delivers little suspense, thanks in part to a reshot ending that changed the original identity of the killer in the Ira Levin novel and confounded students of rational thought. However, if you're looking for an unintentionally funny thriller with loads of extraneous nudity, Sliver is an enjoyably huge hunk of cheese. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Stone in yet another over-charged sex-thriller.
This super-sleazy sex-mystery features Sharon Stone as a lonely book editor who moves into a handsome, slender Manhattan apartment building(the "Sliver" of the title), and later learns that it is the scene of a series of brutal and unsolved murders. Unfortunately, this filmization of Ira Levin's reasonably suspenseful novel focuses more on Stone's steamy relationship with practicing voyeur William Baldwin rather than the mystery/suspense angle. This muddled mess was obviously an ill-fated attempt to cash in on the success of "Basic Instinct" and attract that same audience, but it was all for naught because "Sliver" still crashed and burned at the box-office. Admittedly, there are several hot and heavy sex scenes, but they would be more at home in a hardcore skin flick rather than a film like this that tries to pass itself off as a suspenseful murder mystery. The unrated version features several minutes worth of even more sexually explicit material. If you're going to buy it, get the unrated version since the few sex scenes are the film's only real virtue anyway.

SLIVER, WANNA WATCH?
Sliver is a fantastic film. The best out of all the erotic thrillers filmed between the years of 1987-1995, preferably the time in which the Erotic Thriller genre was big. Ending with Eszterhas's JADE. Eszterhas (Basic Instinct, Jade, Jagged Egde) wrote Sliver. A film starring Sharon Stone as Carly Norris, stuck in this age of loneliness after coming out of a 7 year bad marriage. Moving into a slick and sleek sliver apartment building, she is warmly welcomed by all of it's tennants. Including, Vida Warren a woman with a dark double life. Gus Hale, a man that is willing to tell all dirty little secrets. Zeke Hawkins a handsome young man that takes a sexual interest in Carly, FAST. And Tom Berenger a classy writer, with a macho jerk attitude. When Carly gets involved, very involved, with Zeke she begins to learn that inside the walls of this building hides a secret that could reveal everything. With an ending so fast paced it will blow right by you, but a very satisfying ending if I do say so in the least. Again, buy SLIVER in the unrated version, sit down and relax in the darkness and remember that there is no place more frightening than home...

Very sexy but empty
There was a time when movies were slicker than they are now, when they pushed the buttons of sexuality/abhorrent sex. This is a lot about voyeurism and the thrill of being stalked. Sharon Stone was of course capitalizing on the Basic Instinct success. Billy Baldwin is very attarctive and they make a sexy couple but it didn't make a good movie. The soundtrack is amazing though!

LONELINESS - exemplified !!!
Few films have a matching soundtrack.This is one of those few.
The script is strong.The pace is quick.Actors/Actresses have done a commendable job.It's all about people , who have made good money - stable lifestyle - those who are already out of the daily rat race - who now have time for some mischief & pleasure.And , a rare combination of Money & Loneliness formulates a unique approach to life.This is it.The best that the people of this status can do in life.The beginning is simply superb - mystery commences right from shot 1 - excellent dialogue quality - absolutely no useless chatter - just to the point action & dialogues.A great addition to the collection - for sure.

So much for the "erotic thriller" genre
Sharon Stone is Carly Norris, one of those sucessful types who, in Hollywood's mind, must be tortured by insecurity and self-loathing. She's just moved into a new building which, for its stark loveliness, leaves her feeling even more unsettled than usual. (Because Joe Ezsterhaus perpetrated the script, the regular denizens of the building are into rough and otherwise generally unconventional intercourse. Closer to Carly are two suspicious admirers ' Lanford (Tom Berenger), a hardboiled crime novelist, and the building's owner, Zeke (Billy Baldwin). Lanford telegraphs his problems in the way he introduces himself ' running into people while jogging in Central Park. Zeke has a bigger problem ' he's wired the building for sight & sound, using a hidden control center stacked with monitors and recorders on which to view whatever's going on in his building (lover's pressuring their mates into rougher sex; parents molesting their children, women shaving, etc..) When suspicion exuded by the characters isn't enough to get the story going, a string of murderers is tossed in. ... Read more

Reviews (227)

Brad Pitt as Achilles
Brad Pitt stars as the legendary Greek warrior Achilles in "Troy," an epic drama full of action and adventure based on Homer's Iliad. Lovesick Prince Paris has run off with Helen to his land of Troy. Helen's husband wants her back, and convinces Greek King Agamemnon to "launch a thousand ships" and bring Helen back. The King enlists the aid of Achilles, and the battle begins.

On the plus side, the movie looks just great, with spectacular sets and thousands of soldiers who fight gallantly. The supporting cast is wonderful; in particular Eric Bana as Paris' brother, Hector, and Peter O'Toole as his father, King Prium. Their scenes are the best in the film.

On the down side, Brad Pitt, while ruggedly handsome and sincere, never really loses himself in the character of an ancient Greek hero; you can't forget he's Brad Pitt. The actress who plays Helen is not the classic beauty one would expect and looks like so many modern starlets. The battle scenes are for the most part filmed in close-ups and edited in very quick shots, which makes them look blurry and chaotic, and you may need a scorecard to keep up with all the characters.

Troy has the look and feel of a good epic, but isn't a great one. If you enjoy sword and sandal war movies with handsome leading men, you'll like Troy. Brad Pitt is delicious eye-candy and that just may be good enough after all.

A Beautiful War
If you happen to be a fan of Homer's epic, be warned that it is time, place, and character that are the same but not truly the story. Filled with beautiful people, scenes and clothes, this movie misses the mark. Helen could no more inspire me to go to dinner than to war and I need to eat to live. Orlando Bloom as Paris, is so beautiful of a boy that it is unbelievable that he would have the requirements needed to steal another man's wife, no matter how usavory the other man proved to be. Yet he would be just the fool to wage a ten year war over a woman. Only in the movie the war accounts for slightly over 12 days worth of action.
How the Greeks managed to be so hard up that after 12 days or so of war they need to build a wooden horse to enter the city is beyond me.

However Hector is amazingly played as are most of the other roles, with the exception of Achilles who falters here and there. You manage to be blinded by the beauty of the spectcale presented to you, and when you begin to object to the brusing of Homer's great works you see Brad Pitt semi-naked and forget all about it. For that alone I give this move 3stars and well worth seeing. You should know, that if you plan to see this move instead of reading the book you will fail. Neither is this movie a match to the TV movie of the Odyssey which manages to capature the book and you along with it. But Brad Pitt naked should not be missed.

Not Homer, but great, lively entertainment!
OK, so the film's not faithful to Homer's epic. That doesn't really matter. It's good, old-fashioned entertainment with lots of spectacle, fine battle scenes, gorgeous performers (mostly male), and some fine acting. Critics tend to penalize Brad Pitt for his remarkable good looks, but he does a very nice job here. His Achilles, of course, looks godlike whether in armor or in the buff, but he also conveys an undercurrent of humanity, even sensitivity, beneath the sullen, violence-prone facade. Eric Bana is also excellent as the stoic, honorable Hector. Brian Cox has a hammy old time as Agammemon, and Peter O'Toole is memorable as Priam. Two pretty faces, Orlando Bloom's and Ms. Kruger's, don't do much for the movie acting-wise, but provide some eye candy for the younger viewers. Quibbles: it would have been nice to have a little greenery in the scenery instead of all that sand, but the walls and city of Troy looked spectacular. All in all, "Troy" is worth seeing more than once (perhaps not for those under the age of 12).

What was the name of this movie???
I don't think it was Troy! Why? Because it had nothing to do with the written story by Homer. Menelaus dies only because he has to be the bad guy in this movie... and there wasn't enough time to show the real death of Agamemnon, (he was killed in his bath by his own wife after returning to Greece) , so they killed him in a way they liked best. Also, Achilles (Brad Pitt) and Hector are the only ones who fight quite well. The rest just get slaughtered. But as we know from the Iliad there were also other great fighters which in this film were left at home! The only strong thing in this movie is Brad Pitts performance but he alone can't save this fiasko! The t.v. movie HELEN OF TROY is closer to the true story although its low budget and this unbelievable and unexeptable bald Achilles... Just read the book! You will love it!

"This will be the greatest war the world has ever seen"
Hollywood's recent obsession with historical epics has produced some truly amazing films... and some truly not. "Troy", mercifully, falls into the former category. The whole production was a risky endeavor; would mainstream audiences be interested in ages old myths? Would scholars and classics devotees condemn the film for it's reworking of Homer's "The Iliad"? And of course there was the expensive price tag; $200+ million, which brought to mind the similarly-themed and legendarily pricey box office bomb, "Cleopatra". Though never quite reaching such wondrous heights as historical epics such as "Braveheart" and "Gladiator" and not earning enough domestically to make a profit, "Troy" succeeds as a fine film reminiscent of old Hollywood epics such as "El Cid" and "Ben Hur".

The production values are simply astounding. Wolfgang Peterson's flawless reproducti