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Widely considered the best movie in the "classic Trek" series of feature films, Star Trek IV returns to one of the favorite themes of the original TV series--time travel--to bring Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Sulu, Uhura, and Chekov from the 23rd century to present-day San Francisco. In their own time, the Starfleet heroes encounter an alien probe emitting a mysterious message--a message delivered in the song of the now-extinct Earth species of humpback whales. Failure to respond to the probe will result in Earth's destruction, so Kirk and company time-travel to 20th-century Earth--in their captured Klingon starship--to transport a humpback whale to the future in an effort to peacefully communicate with the alien probe. The plot sounds somewhat absurd in description, but as executed by returning director Leonard Nimoy, this turned out to be a crowd-pleasing adventure, filled with humor and lively interaction among the favorite Star Trek characters. Catherine Hicks (from TV's 7th Heaven) plays the 20th-century whale expert who is finally convinced of Kirk's and Spock's benevolent intentions. With ample comedy taken from the clash of future heroes with 20th-century urban realities, Star Trek IV was a box-office smash, satisfying mainstream audiences and hardcore Trek fans alike. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (168)

A socially conscious Trek movie
On the fourth installment in the Star Trek movie series, Kirk and company are flying their captured Klingon vessel back to Earth to face the punishment for their misdeeds. On the way though, fate intervenes in the form of an alien probe wreaking destruction upon Earth's oceans. With quick thinking, the crew figures out that it is attempting to speak to an extinct species of Whale, so they slingshot their crummy "Klingon fleatrap" around the sun and travel back in time to San Francisco circa 1986 to save the future.

The time travel cliche is done very well by the Star Trek crew, and although the movie is incredibly dated, it's still a very humerous film that takes a pressing social issue (mainly ecological conservation) and wraps it into an enjoyable sci-fi plot. One of the biggest strengths of the Star Trek series has always been its social conscious, and they deliver yet again with "The Voyage Home".

I'd like to stress again that this is a very lighthearted and humerous film that is saved by the fact that it doesn't take itself too seriously. If nothing else, where else do you get to watch Spock develop a penchant for profanity? Add to that the usual interplay between him, Kirk, and McCoy, and you've got a winning movie that hard core Trek fans and casual moviegoers can enjoy.

EXCELLENT!
After the often overshadowed Star Trek III, producer Harve Bennett and returning director Leonard Nimoy wanted to make a light-hearted adventure with no deaths. That was understandable because III had the destruction of the Enterprise, the death of Kirk's son, and an overall serious revival adventure for Mr. Spock. After a script by Steve Meerson and Peter Krikes (with Eddie Murphy originally supposed to have a role because he was a big Trek fan), Harve Bennett needed a rewrite. The man chosen: Nicholas Meyer, writer and director of Star Trek II.

What we have here is one of the magnum efforts in the series. Not only does it deliver solid laughs from start (ok, more so middle) to finish, it is also a grand adventure that Roddenberry probably loved. The relationships between the characters are fully exploited here and Nicholas Meyer even takes advantage of Spock's rebirth as humor. The laughs? Filled with classics like Scotty's "Hello computer" scene or the hospital chase scene, this film perfectly blends urban realities with the world of Star Trek in a similar way to Beverly Hills Cop's blending of action and comedy.

The only thing that flaws this film is Leonard Rosenman's somewhat lackluster score. The film manages to blend (or hide, depending on if you like the score or not) the music enough that you really don't notice it. I still would've preferred James Horner or Jerry Goldsmith, but I'm not complaining.

Hate Star Trek? Watch this film. Even if you hate Star Trek, this will keep you entertained. An excellent film in every sense of the word with great humor abounds. Some people may claim II or VI as the best, but this one's got its share of moments. If you're looking for great humor and a decent story (ok, it's corny... "save the whales", so what?), this one's for you.

classic star trek, with a twist
Another classic trek movie, this one from 1986, is awesome, and the most shocking thing about it is that it doesn't even take place in space, save for about 15 minutes! Instead it takes place in 1986, where the crew members go back in time to capture two whales to stop the destructive calls of an intergalactic whale species trying to contact the long-extinct whales. The whole plot sounds like it would suck beyond belief, but it comes close to being the best trek movie, and is one of my faves ever.

The awesomeness of the movie, unlike the rest of the series, comes not from suspense and action scenes, but the hilarious and often touching culture shock the crew faces in mid-80's San Fransisco. There is so much to laugh at: the crew earnestly walking along the SanFran streets, Sulu in his cape, Kirk in his red StarFleet uniform, and unforgettably, Spock in his monk robe with the belt tied around the tops of his pointy ears, making him look like an angry ninja master with a botched Botox job. Also hilarious is McCoy's disgust at how rudimentary 20th Century medical practices are/were. In a scene inside a hospital, he asks a woman what ails her, she responds she has kidney dialysis, and he's like, "What is this, the dark ages?! Swallow this, and call me if you have any problems." Several scenes later she is wheeled out claiming a miracle.

There is much more in the movie I won't spoil for you (or more like I'm too f*#&ing lazy to write any more), so turn the PC off and rent this great flick, also it's been on AMC recently, so try that too.

I agree with everybody.
I read a lot of these Amazon reviews on Star Trek IV, and oddly enough I can agree with almost all of them -- the 5 star as well as the 1 star.
I agree with the 5 star reviewers that this probably is the best Trek movie, that a lot of the humor is good, that the movie captures much of what was loved about the original series.
But I also agree with some of the 1 star reviews that the humor may be overdone and may wear thin on repeated viewings, that Catherine Hicks' character is overemphasized, that the environmental message is heavy-handed, that the aliens at Kirk's trial look ridiculous, etc.
But ultimately the question is this: If I stumble on this movie while channel-surfing, will I stop and watch it? Will I laugh, or at least smile, at the designated humorous moments? Answer to both questions: Yes. On balance, it remains an entertaining flick.

The Enterprise crew in the 1980's=AWSOME ADVENTURE!
O.K., first my one complaint-The plot where a mysterious, massive, invincible alien force that threatens the Earth was already done before. (Remember the first Star Trek film?) Otherwise, this is a wonderful addition to the Star Trek legacy. Just about everyone already knows the story, where the crew of the now destroyed Enterprise must pilot a captured Klingon Bird Of Prey back in time to the present day (well, 1986 WAS the present day when this came out,) to bring back some humpback whales. It seems to be a toss-up between which is the best Star Trek movie-this one, or part II. The second film, where Kirk and Khan have their last battle, has the most action, but this one has the most comedy, so they both have their strengths. Unless you absolutly hate Star Trek, check this one out. ... Read more

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One of the landmark films of the 1960s, Bonnie and Clyde changed the course of American cinema. Setting a milestone for screen violence that paved the way for Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch, this exercise in mythologized biography should not be labeled as a bloodbath; as critic Pauline Kael wrote in her rave review, "it's the absence of sadism that throws the audience off balance." The film is more of a poetic ode to the Great Depression, starring the dream team of Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway as the titular antiheroes, who barrel across the South and Midwest robbing banks with Clyde's brother Buck (Gene Hackman), Buck's frantic wife Blanche (Estelle Parsons), and their faithful accomplice C.W. Moss (the inimitable Michael J. Pollard). Bonnie and Clyde is an unforgettable classic that has lost none of its power since the 1967 release. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (73)

The original Natural Born Killers!
Rarely has a film been as widely influential as director Arthur Penn's crime spree masterpiece. Single-handedly spawning the psychotic-lovers-on-the-run sub-genre (Badlands; Natural Born Killers; True Romance; SFW etc.) and simultaneously breaking the envelope in its frank, realistic depiction of violence - see this movie for a pre-Wild Bunch usage of exploding blood satchets in an equally elegiac gunshot death sequence - Bonnie and Clyde decisively consigned all vestiges of 50's Hollywood to the scrapheap of the 60s and signaled the start of the most creative, daring and satisfying decade in Hollywood history, the Seventies. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway are at the peak of their powers as actors and pop culture icons and blister across the screen with their volatile, unpredictable and ill-fated relationship. One of the first movies to be decidedly anti-Establishment, its jaundiced view of family, town, country and violent confrontation with authority and tradition is obviously not for the Norman Rockwell crowd, although the authenticity of time and place is impeccable. With gorgeous golden rural landscapes, gorgeous golden Faye Dunaway and some of the best costume design ever put to screen, this is one film you need to have on DVD. Even the best VHS version is too grainy to do this movie aesthetic justice. An essential for collectors of crime movies and those interested in historically significant movies. But it also works on the simplest level as well: a well-paced exciting story, skillfully and violently told.

"We rob banks!"
Criminals became a whole lot more glamorous with the release of Arthur Penn's "Bonnie and Clyde." They were now slim and fit and not hunchbacked or overweight. They had beautiful faces that were not marred by scars or eye-patches. This was Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway looking their best and being as bad as they could.

Clyde Barrow (Beatty) rescues Bonnie Parker (Dunaway) from her uneventful life back home and promptly plunges her into a life of crime. In a country where despair has become a way of life thanks to the Depression, the bank robbers become heroes to the common folk who have been victimized by the instruments of capitalism. Relying on their wits and a touch of good fortune, the young lovers evade the law while basking in their newfound fame but their luck eventually runs out and they meet their end in a hail of bullets.

"Bonnie and Clyde" is infamous for introducing a new level of graphic violence to cinema by way of its final shoot-out. However, that one aspect of the film tends to overshadow its other accomplishments. The moral ambiguity running throughout the film distinctly separated it from the "white-hats-and-black-hats" characterizations of past Hollywood heroes and villains. This problematic approach to morality was a byproduct of the upheaval society itself was undergoing in the late-Sixties as it was discovering how difficult it was to distinguish between the good guys and the bad guys in the real world. The film also went to great pains to appear as realistic as possible. Difficult themes in film were often satirized or exaggerated to soften its impact on the audience, but Penn created such an authentic feel to "Bonnie and Clyde" that the line between fantasy and reality became uncomfortably blurred. Throw in solid supporting work by Estelle Parsons, Gene Hackman, Michael J. Pollard, and Gene Wilder to complement the film's other aforementioned accomplishments and what you have is milestone work whose impact on the medium has been far-reaching.

More Hollywood garbage
Hollywood has a track record of turning vile, murdering cowards and criminals into folk heroes. This piece of trash is among the winners. What a load of pure hogwash. When it first came out, the critics went into ecstasy about the sexual message all through the movie, using handguns as a phallic symbol. More Freudian dribble!!! The police are the villians here while the gang are the heroes. (The scene with Denver Pyle playing Texas Ranger Frank Hamer sneaking up on the bloodthirty duo is pure bilge. If the real Capt. Hamer had had his way, B&C's crimewave wouldn't have lasted any length of time.) The real Bonnie Parker was absolute trash. She blew a policeman's head off point blank with a sawed off shotgun! And she's a HEROINE ? More like she was on HEROIN. If you think this is a "Robin Hood" tale of robbing from the rich and giving to the poor, you live in a fantasy world. The small businesses that Barrow and Parker robbed were "mom and pop" stores. And the poor certainly didn't benefit. The only redeeming part of this film is seeing these two thugs riddled by gunfire by the law. A fitting end.

We Rob Banks!
To me, the best film of 1967 (above the other landmark film of that year, The Graduate), and one of the most startling films ever made. I think that the "modern era" of moviemaking begins with Bonnie and Clyde." It's really about a "family" of bankrobbers who owe much of their success to the press; the newspapers make it seem as if they intend to terrorize every small town that has a bank to begin with. And so the Barrow gang becomes legendary during the depression, and heroes to some because they are against the government that is taking so much away from the "little people." Although much praised, "Bonnie and Clyde" was controversial in its day, partly because of the considerable bloodshed and partly because audiences felt bad for the two criminals. As one character says, "they're just a bunch of kids!" This is one of the rare films in which the violence punctuates the story--it makes the viewing experience more powerful. Because of it, one watches much of the film in a state of apprehension.

Natural born killers
Trust Hollywood to turn two common criminals into two American folk heroes. Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were two small-town young people drifting aimlessly during the Great Depression of the 1930's; she's bored out of her gourd, and he's a felon who had killed fourteen men by the time he met his end at the ripe old age of twenty-four. They meet, fall sort of in love, and embark on a petty crime spree. At first it's all good-humored fun; they steal a couple of cars, hold up a couple of stores, and in a moment of hilarious insanity, Clyde attempts to rob a bank that went bust a week before, much to the amusement of the banker and Bonnie, who's collapsing with laughter over the steering wheel. But then a storekeeper takes offense at Clyde attempting to hold him up, and is pistol-whipped by Clyde in his frantic efforts to escape. Once the batterer storekeeper ID's Clyde's photo to the cops, things turn serious.

As Clyde's posse expands to include a lowlife neer-do-well named C.W. Moss and Clyde's brother Buck and his sister-in-law Blanche, their crimes get bolder and the violence spirals out of control. A bank robbery in broad daylight (while C.W. manages to get their getaway far stuck in a too-tight parking space) goes off almost without a hitch; but when Clyde shoots a pursuing cop in the face and his head explodes all over their back windshield, the fun stuff is over. They're wanted criminals being chased from Arkansas to Oklahoma and back to Louisiana. As their notoriety spreads, so does their audacity. In one of the funniest scenes in the film, they capture a sheriff who was about to sneak up on them and handcuff him while Clyde snaps pictures of Bonnie holding a gun on him. But their fame comes at a terrible price; they're wanted outcasts, alienated even from their own. When Clyde meets Bonnie's mother and tells her they'd like to live within three miles of her, Mrs. Parker tells her daughter, "You try to live three miles from me, and you won't live long, honey."

From the scene where Buck expires in a hail of police bullets to the slow dance on the killing ground in Louisiana, the film takes on a somber tone in stark comparison to the lighthearted opening sequences. Once the cascading violence has turned brutal, the movie becomes darker and more foreboding as well. But as bad as they are, we can't help but like them. Maybe that's the difference between Hollywood and real life. One wonders how many people who came across Bonnie and Clyde actually liked this pair?

The tension between Bonnie and Clyde helps keep the movie on edge. Arthur Penn's superb direction, assisted by knockout performances from the cast, helps keep the movie on a razor edge balanced between laughter and revulsion. Warren Beatty was never better than in his title role as Clyde Barrow, and Faye Dunaway makes a perfect Bonnie to his Clyde. Michael J. Pollard is winning as the doofus C.W. Moss and Gene Hackman is wonderful as Buck, torn between his loyalty to his brother and his love for his ditzy wife. But Estelle Parsons, as that ditzy wife, almost runs off with the film; her hysterics during the shootout between Clyde's gang and the cops has the viewers in equal hysterics rolling in the aisles. The cinematography is great; we feel all the heat, dust, and emptiness of Depression-era America, and the foot-stompin' banjo music by Flatts and Scruggs helps anchor the movie to its time and place. "Bonnie and Clyde" has become an American classic, one of the best films to come out of the 1960's. ... Read more

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Legendary actress Joan Crawford (Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?) stars in this 1941 melodrama directed by George Cukor (A Star Is Born, Adam's Rib) as a scheming con woman and blackmailer, a bitter woman shut off from society because of a disfiguring scar. The opportunity to undergo an operation--by plastic surgeon Melvyn Douglas--to remove the offending scar presents her with a choice: open herself up to a whole new life or return to her old ways and the only life she's ever known. Eventually, Crawford is drawn back into her old ways by her lover, Conrad Veidt (Casablanca), as he enlists her aid in a kidnapping and murder plot. Soon she finds herself trapped between her hopes for a new beginning and the malevolent double-crossing lover who seeks to exploit her for the woman she used to be, rather than who she can be. Crawford is oddly touching as a woman who undergoes a spiritual rebirth, yet cannot shake the pull of her past. A Woman's Face is one of those classic dramas, deliciously wicked and immensely enjoyable. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Let's Not Forget Lighting and Photography
Yes, under Cukor's direction Joan Crawford and the other players give performances of their lives but what keeps me coming back to this film is also its stunning black and white cinematography.

Crawford's Finest
Anyone who doubts Joan Crawford's acting ability should watch the first half of this wonderful George Cukor film (second half dissolves into standard MGM melodrama fare). She is heartbreaking and constantly compelling. One wonders what could have happened to her career if she had been used more for her talent than her looks. Conrad Veidt is her spine tingling costar. A dynamic and dastardly duo!

Joan Crawford - what a face!
To the point: Joan once said her performance in A Woman's Face has led her in winning an Oscar for Mildred Pierce. Directed by George Cukor A Woman's Face was indeed a film that shows that Joan was not only a star but an dramatic actress.

from an audience point of view.
...

CRAWFORD ACTS.
This film contains a superior Joan Crawford performance, and one in which her fans should appreciate. It took courage for Crawford, who was, in 1941, the glamour girl of 49 movies and the idol of autograph hounds to be the face in A WOMAN'S FACE. When you come to know her as Anna Holm on the screen, she is a sullen slattern, the brain trust of a ring of sniveling criminals, a sort of female "Sea Wolf" who beats, bullies and blackmails her victims. The reason for this behaviour you discover in a series of flashbacks from a Swedish courtroom, where, heavily veiled, Anna stands trial for murder. From the testimony you learn that when she was 5, her brilliant, drunken father had set fire to her room. From then on she has been disfigured by a ghastly scar that criss-crosses her right cheek from mouth to eye and is only rarely revealed by M-G-M. Shunned by a horrified society, she has sought refuge in music, painting, poetry and alcohol only to find final solace and revenge in a life of crime. All this changes when she meets Conrad Veidt...........M-G-M's remake of the 1937 Swedish film - which starred Ingrid Bergman - unfortunately loses its brisk forward-moving psychological narrative and dissolves into an overexposure of melodramatic sweetness and light. But, in 1941, most critics were impressed by Crawford's savage, snarling performance & gave her a four star rating, calling A WOMAN'S FACE her fortune!

One of Cukor's best.
Cukor matches Joan Crawford's moral, social and, er, facial transformation with his own generic transformation. The film, despite its underworld milieu and courtroom framework, begins as ripe melodrama; it closes as a finger-disfiguringly tense thriller. Crawford plays one of the most remarkable female characters in Hollywood's history - how many female ganglords, blackmailers, thieves and women of easy virtue get not only to morally redeem themselves, but get the man too? Behind it all, Cukor shapes a fierce, ironic social critique, and pulls off some of his most remarkable shots, my favourite being the hall of mirrors Joan admires herself in after the operation. ... Read more

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Clint Eastwood's 1978 comedy introduces Filo Beddoe, a truck driver and mechanic whose daily life is an absurd grind. He's constantly coming up short on money, love, and anything else to help him get through the day, while also saddled with a loony mother (deliciously played by Ruth Gordon), a best friend (Geoffrey Lewis) who's not too swift on the uptake, and an orangutan named Clyde who fights almost as well as Clint. While moonlighting as a bare-knuckle fighter, Clint finally meets the girl of his dreams (Sondra Locke), a snooty country singer who rebuffs him even as he pursues her, trailed by bikers and brawlers. It's Eastwood's magnetism and charm that make this more than a mere string of comic sketches, and things move along quickly enough to be entertaining, if a little thin. Clyde is a natural scene-stealer, but it's Ruth Gordon's crazy, cranky old coot who steals the movie. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (14)

THANK GOD IT FINALLY MADE ITS WAY TO DVD!!!
This is one the best (and most profitable) of all of Clint Eastwoods movies. It has everything, comedy (Ruth Gordon alone is worth the price) action, a great soundtrack, and yes Clyde the Orangutan, But never let this be seen as just a "Guy with an Ape" movie, that would really do it an injustice, it has SO much more to offer than that. An absolutely great movie. ...

One of Clint Eastwood's most successful films!!!!
Like "Smokey & the Bandit" before it, this movie had the same kind of charm, & despite being set in Los Angeles, it had a down home southern feel to it, offered to Clint to give to his pal Burt Reynolds, Clint liked it so much he asked Burt why he should do it, Reynolds told him to do one, & like "Bandit" did for Reynolds, this one did for Eastwood, who stars as Filo Beddoe, a truck driver who falls for a local singer in a nearby bar only to discover that she has a questionable past, this is pretty much the plot that has a series of running gags where Filo pals around with an ape known as Clyde who basically steals the movie as does Ruth Gordon as Filo's mother who constantly curses Clyde, Filo's run-in with a local motorcycle gang is funny to watch as the leader has a look on his face as to how he ended up with such misfits, as Filo searches for love he encounters all kinds of misfits, in addition to the gang, he runs afoul two idiot cops, & bar room brawlers, a fun movie that was a change of pace for Eastwood, & featured his then-girlfriend Sondra Locke who has a secret all her own, if you liked "Smokey & the Bandit", you will love this one!!!

Great Film. Ape Death Story Is Bogus
Fantastic film which represents a by-gone era in films. The films of the 1970's were simply better because while Hollywood was still interested in making a buck, they still wanted to make good films. Now it's all about the buck, who cares if it's good as long as it turns a profit. Pick this one up and keep it in your library as a monolith of better times gone by.

By the way, it is my understanding the original Clyde died of natural causes. The "donut beating" story has been circulated by the PETA Extremists for their hate filled fodder.

Good Film and it works in my Region 2 players!!!!
One line to sum the film up - "This film is a classic"

I have been waiting to get it for ages, and I finally bought a Multi Region player (We have 3 Region players as well). The film arrived, I watched it - and then decided to try it on the other players - and to my amazment it worked. I tried Any Which You Can in the Region 2 players as well and it worked.

I got another R1 DVD and that didnt, so I guess its a one off of this DVD.

Poor "Clyde"
Interesting that none of these reviews mentions the fact that Clyde (who was named Buddha by his trainers) was beaten so severely (for stealing doughnuts on the set) by his trainers that he died of brain hemorrhage. They replaced him, quietly, for the sequal. Primates are brutally dominated by their trainers in order to do the smallest actions (like smiling, which is a sign or fear in the wild). It isn't entertaining, it's cruel. Don't spend money on films that exploit animals. Grow up. ... Read more

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Devotees of Neil Simon's repartee, such as in his Goodbye Girl and Brighton Beach Memoirs, will enjoy this earlier tale of domestic dispute between newlyweds.Corie (Jane Fonda) is the young housewife trying to keep life exciting while making a home for her and her husband, Paul (Robert Redford), on the fifth floor of a Greenwich Village walkup apartment. He's working hard at starting his career as lawyer; she's eager to be romantic and spontaneous; and the two have plenty to squabble about. The film suffers a bit from Corie's excessive perkiness and the odd lack of chemistry between the two actors. But those who find the dramatic conventions a bit stiff (some of the dialogue and action seems more suited for stage than screen) may still smile at the dated look (circa 1967) at home life. Mildred Natwick is superb as Corie's mother, and Charles Boyer milks his role as the elderly bohemian neighbor upstairs. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (25)

"SHAMMA SHAMMA!"
This is a great romantic comedy it has the charm of woody allen and billy crystal's films and it has the humor of its writer Neil Simon. The story takes place in the mid 1960's and involes a young newlywed couple played by Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.
After spending six "wonderful days at the Plaza" as miss Fonda so well put it they go home to start the marrige. They move into a one room apt. on the east side of new york and it's a walk up six flights. in the film we meet some very funny charecters like Victor Volasco and Corrie's mom who happend to still the hole film. This is a great sit at home date movie and im sure you'll love it! "Shamma Shamma"

Just a delight!
An old friend (and fan of goofy romance) recommended this film to me. It took 6 months and I finally got around to seeing the DVD. The DVD has the original trailer and looks great. The sound is solid, but you aren't buying this DVD for the effects. You are buying this for the film.

Pauline Kael called this film, "a trifle and almost amusing in a harmlessly, pleasantly stupid way" (5001 Nights at the Movies). She missed the whole point of the film. You don't take a movie like this seriously. You let the charm of Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, and the bouyant Charles Boyer take you away. You just laugh and enjoy. The story of two young newlyweds is age old. You can see where Dharma and Greg get their inspiration, and the 90 minutes of this film are far better than any episode of that show. I immediately fell in love with Fonda's Corrie.

Charles Boyer steals the movie. At times it is a bit dated (like Corrie's mom's advice about making a happy marriage), but that is no matter. If you want to smile and fall in love, see this film.

It looks great on DVD. Do yourself a favor, ignore the junk playing at a theatre near you and enjoy this one at home as winter comes.

Charming
What a neat little movie. Goes by in a flash. Jane Fonda is fun and has never looked better. Fun. Silly. Predictable. Harmless. A small quiet gem.

I Love This Movie!
Barefoot in the Park is one of my favorite movies, I taped it when it was shown in Letterbox Widescreen on TCM and when I get around to it I'm going to buy it on DVD. This is a very charming movie and has a wonderful cast! Jane Fonda is absolutely charming as spunky, fun-loving newlywed Bride Corrie Bratter and Robert Redford is very good as her uptight husband Paul but also good are Mildred Natwick as Corrie's mother and Charles Boyer as eccentric neighbor Victor Velasco and I highly recommend this charming movie!

Best of Neil Simon Romantic Comedy
My two favorite Jane Fonda movies are "Sunday In New York" and this one. Redford & Fonda are super. Great soundtrack. ... Read more

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The intoxicating chemistry and repartee between the oft-teamed William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles--America's favorite soused detectives--is fully 100-proof in the marvelously witty Thin Man movies. You simply won't find more delightful movie company than Nick and Nora. The title, of course, refers not to Nicky the dick, but to the mysteriously missing scientist he and his lovely partner set out to find. Powell and Loy deliver their sparkling dialog with giddy enthusiasm (and occasionally slurred speech) in this rapid-fire, three-martini suspense comedy directed by famously speedy W.S. Van Dyke and adapted from the novel by Dashiell Hammett. The success of The Thin Man spawned a litter of sequels, including After the Thin Man (featuring a young James Stewart), Another Thin Man (in which a baby is added to the Charles family), Shadow of the Thin Man, The Thin Man Goes Home, and Song of the Thin Man. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (64)

The best movie since the last time Nick sent me up the river
"Would you mind putting that (gun) away? My wife doesn't mind, but I'm a very timid fellow..." Talk about memorable movie lines! The Thin Man is simply one of the best detective films I have ever seen, and one of my favorite movies. William Powell and Myrna Loy star as Nick and Nora Charles, recently of California. Back in the Big Apple with Asta, their "courageous" sidekick pooch, the two drink ("Want a drink?" "What do you think?"), dine , and solve a murder case(reluctantly, on Nick's part) while giving the audience the time of their lives. Cleverly written and brilliantly played are Nick and Nora themselves, and William Powell and Myrna Loy rival Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. I give this film two VERY enthusiastic thumbs up, and recommend these for anyone with a good taste for movies in general. Who could forget Nick blasting a hole through the window and pretending to be asleep? Or Nora's first appearance, taking a huge spill as Asta drags her towards Nick? And who could forget that last endearing threat to Asta by Nora-"If you let anything happen to him, you'll never wag that tail again!" How...sweet.

Classy, Witty, and Entertaining-Who could ask for more?
"The Thin Man" is probably one of the best movies I've ever run across. Based on the mystery by Dashiell Hammett, this movie far outstrips the book in terms of wit and elegance. It's a rare occasion indeed when the movie is better than the book, but this is one of them. "The Thin Man" stars William Powell and Myrna Loy, perhaps two of the most forgotten, yet beloved stars of their time. Powell and Loy have an undeniable chemistry and dead-on comedic timing. Add to that a script filled with witty banter, never-ending martinis, and plenty of bad guys and you've got a movie that can't be beat. To be honest, since I'm writing this in July and the DVD doesn't come out until October, I cannot possibly be reviewing the DVD version of this film. However, I have the VHS version and I've watched it many dozens of times. The DVD version probably won't have tons of extras on it, considering that all major stars of the film are dead and it was filmed in 1934, long before "Making Of" featurettes were standard. Regardless of what extras do or do not come with the DVD version, you should buy this film for the sheer pleasure of watching actors at their best, enjoying each other and their work, and in the process, making a damn fine movie.

Nick and Nora outside the studio......
As an aside, I read a funny little story about how well William Powell and Myrna Loy got along in real life. Somewhere about 1937 or 1938 a magazine ran a nationwide poll to determine the most popular actor and actress in Hollywood. The response to the poll was huge, with Clark Gable and Myrna Loy winding up being the winners.

William Powell finished 4th in the actor's category, and wasn't about to take this lying down. He sent Myrna a long, florist box filled with sour grapes. The attached card read "Congratulations, from William the Fourth".

Gotta love it....... ;-)

The begining of a great franchise!
(...) this is a cute romantic mystery. Nick & Nora Charles broke new ground with their love bickering. The film is a nice break from the more typical hardboiled detectives of the 20's, 30's and 40's.

I think Nora (Myrna Loy) was at her best in this film. She is beautiful. Her cute nose, which as she aged grew less and less cute, and short dark hair came off as very sexy. This is the only film in which her desire to see Nick work as a detective came off as genuine. In the later films it seemed to be a little to scripted. I think my favorite scene is when Joe Morelli broke into Nick and Nora's bedroom. In order to keep Nora from getting shot Nick punches Nora in the jaw to knock her out of the line of fire. As a married man I can tell you Nick got to do what most men wish they could do at some point in time. (jk). Nora takes it like a champ. Instead being upset at Nick she's upset that she missed the action while she was dazed on the floor.

While not my favorite THIN MAN movie overall I do think it has the best romantic sparring between Nick and Nora. The plot is pretty good and the story moves at a good pace. If you're not familiar with that many 1930's films you'll get a kick out of the 30's lingo, especially some of the womens lingo, in the film. I don't know if recreational drinking was ever as carefree as it is with Nick but it doesn't come off as hokey and is quite funny.

The best thing about the film is the relationship between Nick and Nora. I wish there were more directors like Van Dyke around today. He, without lengthy dialogue scenes, was able to capture the love Nick and Nora had for eachother. He also kept the pace moving. He was able to deliver in a hour and a half what most directors spend 2 to 3 hours trying to do and not succeeding as well as he does.

I am grateful for the DVD release of this film and so I hate to complain. I do wish that the DVD producers had put a little more detail into the extra features portion of the DVD. This film kickstarted a sucessful fanchise, including 5 sequels and a radio program. I would think there are some movie historians that could have put together a good documentary and or some behind the scenes stories. The treatment this DVD got would be fine for the 5 sequels, if they ever make it to DVD. However, this film deserved more than it got.

Gettin' impatient waiting on the others!!!
I love all the Thin Man movies. If you're in a crummy mood, just watch one of these. However, I'm beginning to grow more and more impatient waiting on the others in the series. Please hurry up!! ... Read more

Reviews (220)

A Solid Comic Gem
Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis are the ultimate ghost hunters in the entertaining supernatural comedy hit "Ghostbusters". After being fired from the University, three paranormal investigators (Murray, Aykroyd & Ramis) open their own ghost extermination business. When an evil being from a spiritual dimension invades New York, these unlikely heroes become the only ones that could save Manhattan. "Ghostbusters" is a creative mix of witty humor and amusing fantasy. This engrossing 80's comedy features an imaginative storyline, memorable characters and great visual effects. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis deliver some excellent comic performances. The cast also includes Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson and Sigourney Weaver.

Columbia TriStar has certainly put some effort in developing this Collector Series DVD. The smash-hit comedy is presented in its theatrical 2.35:1 widescreen format. The DVD contains a great video transfer with fine sharpness. The 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is well-balanced and quite clear. The DVD features an amusing commentary with director Ivan Reitman and crew, deleted scenes, trailers, behind-the-scenes featurettes and inventive animated menus. With its clear widescreen presentation and clever supplemental extras, "Ghostbusters" is one of the best Columbia TriStar DVDs and earns a winning "A".

Incredible DVD for an incredible movie
My words simply cannot do justice to this amazing DVD release. If you haven't seen "Ghostbusters", you really don't know what you're missing.

Incredibly entertaining, "Ghostbusters" is a comedy about paranormal scientists who go into business for themselves in New York City. The Ghostbusters (played finely by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson) go around Manhattan eliminating the spooks and spirits that trouble people. Director Ivan Reitman's 1984 masterpiece takes an interesting premise and works wonders with it. Funny and suspenseful, "Ghostbusters" features first-rate acting, witty writing, and some impressive special effects.

This Collector's Series DVD release is unmatched in quality. The anamorphic widescreen presentation makes the film look better than ever before. And the tons of extra features that Columbia has included allows "Ghostbusters" to excel on DVD. Included a three in-depth featurettes, audio commentary (with an innovative "live video" option that shows their silhouettes), deleted scenes, conceptual art, storyboards, trailers, and so much more. The 3-D animated menus are a nice touch. This DVD is highly recommended as it surpasses all the other discs in my collection. If you like "Ghostbusters", you certainly won't be disappointed with this release.

Central Park West was never funnier.
No need to tell anyone that GHOSTBUSTERS was the best comedy of the 80s (and probably better than anything in the 90s). Without resorting to adolescent potty humor (like PORKY'S or AMERICAN PIE), GHOSTBUSTERS relied on a super script, powerful directing, and the best acting jobs of the cast's careers. It did NOT rely on the special effects. As another reviewer perfectly put it, the special effects served the plot, not the other way around.

What I do need to tell you is that what makes this set worth the price is the gravy: all those extras, like the interviews, special effects demonstrations, and storyboards. The transfer to dvd is great and the enhanced soundtrack complete the value.

Still StayingPuft
The movie is classic. Period. Nuff said. End of discussion. Bill Murray is a legend. Every man should have at least one Bill Murray DVD in his collection, and if you only have one, then Ghostbusters has to be it. Sure others will go on about Caddyshack and blah, blah, blah. Those people are idiots. Sure Cadyshack was great, but it is no Ghostbusters. Ghostbusters started a completely new genre: modern sci-fi comedy.

The DVD itself is great. Nice menus, engaging commentaries, etc., but the DVD still feels a little "light" on extras for such a classic movie. Hopefully it'll get the royal DVD treatment on it's 20th anniversary release.

still holds up
This film phenomenon still holds up two decades later, with still passable special effects and great lines and performances from a very talented cast -- Bill Murray at his acerbic best, Rick Moraniss, Dan Ackroyd, Sigourney Weaver et al. DVD extras are very good and include: a text commentary (which works very well), a video, an original making-of featurette and a 1999 featurette, a sfx featurette, trailer, drawings and storyboard comparisons and 10 deleted scenes. The film can only be heard or subtitled in English.

Revisit your past -- you won't be disappointed! ... Read more

Reviews (184)

Identity Crisis
ENEMY OF THE STATE is a high-intensity thriller directed by Tony Scott (TOP GUN). Washington D.C. Attorney, Robert Dean (Will Smith) is unknowingly given a piece of evidence that ties a top official in the National Security Agency, (Jon Voight) to a political murder. All at once Dean's life is taken away from him and he is a man on the run. The only way that he can stay one step ahead of his lethal pursuers is to listen to a mysterious opperative (Gene Hackman) and he doesn't exactly trust him either. I think that the movie is saved from being too predictable, thanks to Will Smith and Gene Hackman, you really care about these two characters. Voight's bad guy is your typical bad guy in this film. But he isn't as memorable as, let us say, Dennis Hopper in SPEED or Alan Rickman in DIE HARD. The action is well staged and had enough punch to keep everythings moving. Produced by Jerry Bruckhiemer, the film is better than I anticipated it was going to be when I first heard about it during its theatrical run.

The only extras on the DVD, (aside from the trailer), are 2 mini-featurettes on the making of the film They seem ok but still are nothing more than EPKs (electronic press kits) If you like Smith and Hackman (and who doesn't?) than this is a keeper. This film is what I like to call a "true popcorn eating movie"

A Nice Surprise
I rented this expecting it to be totally mediocre, but at least worth a 3$ rental. I was pleasantly surprised to find this very watchable, thrilling, and something I'll probably rent again. Will Smith is great and easy on the eyes. All the acting was very good, though Jon Voight has popped up in so many movies lately I am starting to get tired of him. I didn't figure out how it was going to end, and the final showdown, plus how the main characters outwit the bad guys was great. Tom Sizemore I didn't recognize at first since he's put on so much weight, but he was fantastic. I give the writers extra points for not going for the cheap shot and having the bad guys kill Gene Hackman's kitty (if they had, I would have only given this movie one star, and probably not watched the rest). I thought that they did kind of beat you over the head with the "SURVEILLANCE IS BAD" message. After the first half hour it was like, ok, I get the idea guys. The various fictional super-sophisticated tracking devices were cool, and Tony and Ridley Scott always shoot their films beautifully. Oh, and the woman who played Will Smith's wife kicked a$$!

Enemy of the State (1998)
Director: Tony Scott
Cast: Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight, Regina King, Loren Dean, Jake Busey, Barry Pepper.
Running Time: 127 minutes.
Rated R for violence and language.

Another producer Jerry Bruckheimer/director Tony Scott thrill ride without substance, this time pitting family man lawyer Robert Clayton Dean (played by Will Smith in a ho-hum performance) against a technologically-driven government. Not knowing that the trivial meeting with an old friend would cause him so much trouble, Dean gets sucked into a conspiracy case involving a rogue National Security Agent (Jon Voight) who killed a United States congressman because he accidentally received a video tape with footage of the murder. With incredible surveillance techniques and technology, Voight is able to track all of the lawyer's moves and keep tabs on him.

Our hero's life is turned upside down until he meets up with a stealthy former NSA active named Brill (played very well by Gene Hackman). With the assistance of Brill, Dean attacks the government head on and must learn the truth in order to save his life. Director Tony Scott brilliantly uses the camera to portray his views, jolting the characters through a series of incredible chase scenes, rip-roaring explosions, and intense firearm combat, but ultimately "Enemy of the State" focuses solely on the unbridled advances in special effects abilities that it keeps the audience from understanding the story and getting involved with the characters. Smith is only adequate in his first major "dramatic" role, while Hackman and Voight pick up some of the slack in their devilishly effective parts. A must-see if you are into big explosions and dynamite cinematography, but one to leave on the shelf if over-acting and a mediocre script are an annoyance.

For what it is, perfect
Enemy of the State is a breakneck thriller that genuinely keeps you on the edge of your seat and is a real nail-biter. It is incredibly well-constructed for what it is: slick, well-shot, gloriously pacey and even with a dash of interesting social question in there. Granted, often it is incredibly implausible, and his ability to sit back and be happy at the end despite all the carnage of what has happened, make it a little laughable, but the fact is, thats not the point with this kind of film - the point is it is truly thrilling, stylish and cool. You really get deep into it.

Will Smith is startlingly good in his best performance since Six Degrees Of Seperation - if only he would turn in these great performances in credible, interesting films more often, and is well supported by a strong cast that includes Gene Hackman, Jamie Kennedy and Jack Black amongst others. This comes highly reccomended for an evening's entertainment and is truly exhilirating and packed with plot and intrigue that puts most regurgitated, lame excuses for a storyline to shame. Great stuff.

Excellent
I strongly recommend you buy or at least rent this fantastic film. It's got it all, suspense, action and even comedy for the lad-eez, as Will Smith might say. It's got excellent pacing and great suspense. The storyline is a little implausible, but it's hollywood so just chill out and expect it. Kick back and watch this rollercoaster ride of a film.
Great performance from Will Smith, his best to date in fact, suggesting there is more than just comedy and Bad Boyz to his routine. And Gene Hackman too - what more could you want?
If i was Roger Ebert, i'd give it two thumbs up!
The DVD is loaded with extrea special features too, and that makes the DVD in particular a must. Don't just buy this film, make sure you get it on DVD.
I give it 8/10, but cos i'm generous i'll round it up to 5 stars, including those great DVD features. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A REAL TRIBUTE TO VIET NAM VETERANS
This film is the pinnacle of the way life and death befell the soldiers of the "Viet Nam Conflict". As depicted in this movie, men fought for there own reasons but when it came to dying most gave by committing the ultimate sacrifice, for love of their fellow soldiers. Boy's From Company C had shown historicism, not a story. If you want to know why Viet Nam Vets are shy heros or why the Viet Nam war is not taught in history classes in school watch this movie, it will scare the heck out of you, or at the very least, remind you respect those vets. PS: To David Lee, They Are Not Forgotten. We will always take a glance back to where they can no longer go.

Truly the best Vietnam War movie
The Boys in Company C is one of the most accurate depictions of what the Vietnam War was like. It all starts off with a bunch of high school kids and shows you each person's life and why they are going to Vietnam. These kids are wipped into soldiers, and as fate should have it, were sent to Vietnam. On the ride to Vietnam, the commander has them learn the game of soccer to think like the Vietnamese. Many things happen in this video that help you to feel the affect of the war and it makes you wish it never happened. This movie has one of the best plot lines for a Vietnam Movie. You haven't experienced a good war movie until you've seen this one. And to note, I liked it so much I'm trying to find it on video to buy, so if you know of anywhere i can get it-email me at Schaferstyle_03@hotmail.com. Thanks

A few good men...
The parallels between 'Full Metal Jacket' and this film, 'The Boys of Company C', could not fail to be noticed, even without the stand-out performance of R. Lee Ermey in both films as a Drill Instructor (DI), a role he fulfilled in real life prior to his acting career. This was Ermey's first film role, and made him a person to watch; ironically, Ermey is better recognised today that most of the other stars of the film. Stan Shaw gives one of the best performances of his career here as Tyrone Washington, the independent, out-for-himself recruit who, being a natural leader, is tapped to take charge, and finds his sense of duty and teamwork growing stronger as his time in the Marine Corps proceeds.

Other recruits followed include Billy Ray Pike (Andrew Stevens, in one of his early roles), a high school jock depressed because he has lost the glory of those days; Alvin Foster (James Canning), the aspiring writer who is hoping to turn the Marine Corps into a story for fame and fortune; Vinnie Fazio (Michael Lembeck) as a hot-to-trot Marine, looking to survive to the next sexual encounter; and Dave Bisbee, a hippie-turned-marine looking to survive as well.

The plot is realistic -- there's no over-the-top play in either the Boot Camp or the in-country Vietnam scenes. The waste and futility of war comes through clearly without too much political overtones (more like one big snafu), and the run-of-the-mill situations of bureaucratic and leadership less-than-competence contrasts with the ground grunts' hope to live through it all and still carry on a valid mission.

The battle scenes are well choreographed without false glory and without false carnage. The base camp and boot camp situations are true to life in design, as are the situations; officers vs. enlisted, racial conflicts, American vs. Vietnamese. Small touches like letters from home and sub-plots such as the journal writing and drug-smuggling ideas also add to the strength of the film.

In a long tradition of Vietnam films and war films, this ranks among the better ones in many respects.

Blah.....
I remember renting this movie a few years ago with some friends. I loved it. Especially some of the scenes of boot camp. The movie makes a statement about war without getting too preachy. I think that says alot. It also has a fine performance by one Lee Ermey. He pretty much makes the movie.

I wish they would release this puppy on DVD so that I can own it. The showings they have AMC don't do it justice.

R Lee Ermey Kicks Butt in His Debut Movie
If Your a true R Lee Ermey Fan, You've got to add this movie to your collection. Ermey is in true form (Before full metal Jacket). So If You want to see why Stanley Kubric picked R Lee Ermey for full metal jacket, get the Boys in Company "C". I'm a former Marine and Love this Movie. OOHRAH!!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent Film
While not historically accurate, this is the most under-rated westwern I have seen. Robert Duval makes a convincing Jesse James with his evangelical outbursts and psychopathic behavior.Cliff Robertson plays the sly, yet introspective, charming ladies man as Cole Younger. The soundtrack and narrative couldn't be better. This is one very entertaining movie, with Duval and Robertson at their best.

Good film, bad history
Cliff Robertson is charming and charismatic as the outlaw Cole Younger and Robert Duval is menacing and more than a little scary as his comrade Jesse James in this film which purports to tell the story of the real-life attempted robbery of a bank in Northfield, Minnesota. The plot deviates sharply from some of the historical facts, but the greatest historical "sin" of the movie is the way in which it presents the townspeople of Minnesota, showing corruption, cowardice, and incompetence where, in fact, a group of ordinary people stood up to the most notorious outlaw gang in the West and basically shot them to pieces. This film in its strongly anti-Establishment thrust is certainly a product of its times, enoyable to watch but not history.

An Overlooked Gem
"Ain't it a wonderment?" Phil Kaufman uses the framework of the James/Younger Gang's disasterous raid at Northfield Minnesota to create a unique and witty revisionist Western. Full of nice touches like an early, rough & tumble baseball game in a cow pasture, steam caliopes & tractors, and other period details. Wry humor in the hypocrisy of the banker & townsfolk, and in Robert Duvall's self-righteous, manipulative, psychopathic Jesse James and Cliff Robertson's laconic, intelligent, reflective Cole Younger. Well cast in all departments, nicely photographed in the gritty, wet, McCabe & Mrs. Miller fashion, with a similar slant on history. No idea why Maltin was muddled.

Simply a great western...
This is a really gritty western in the film period of The Wild Bunch and McCabe and Mrs. Miller. And what is probably a fairly accurate reenactment of the failed final bank job of the Younger-James Gang. Great characterizations of these outlaws, with Cliff Robertson as probably the toughest outlaw who ever lived. Cole Younger was allegedly shot 23+ times with heary caliber firearms and survived to a ripe age. Great entertainment, but not for the whole family. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

GREAT MOVIE
The Quarterback Princess was a great movie. Helen Hunt was very good, and did you happen to notice Tim Robbins as the backup quarterback. My only complaint was that the blond cheerleader should of been the homecoming princess. I mean lets be reasonable she was a beautiful girl.

The Maidas Of Prince George
I was fortunate enough to have gone to school (Prince George College) with the younger Maida girls (Heidi & Gidget), having never had the pleasure of meeting the Quarterback Princess. I actually didn't know any of this when they were there, it's only years later that I found out who they were.
This is a very inspiring story and a very good movie. Helen Hunt is very credible as Tami Maida. This movie was the 'Rudy' of the 80's. Highly recommended.
They should've covered the Prince George years too, I could've been a pretty good subplot.

QUARTERBACK PRINCESS
A very good lighthearted movie. Tifanny, the blond chearleader, should of been the beauty pagent winner, but Tamis character was the main part of the movie. Tami should of excepted the fact that Tifanny was a better person, and she should of been much nicer to her when she was given the chance at being her friend.

This Helen Hunt Movie Should be on DVD!
Being a fan of Helen Hunt from when she was still a child actor and being a fan of her today I recall watching this movie on HBO or Cinnemax in the 80's and thinking it was good. I'm a woman who is not really into sports but I still liked this movie and I liked the message about going for ones dreams and even if this movie was only loosely based on Tami Maida's experience as a girl who was the homecoming queen and a quarterback on the the school team it still is good and this is one of my favorite Helen Hunt movies and I would like to see The Quarterback Princess put on DVD as well as all her other movies she made in her years as a child actor but especially this movie and The Miracle of Kathy Miller.

Inspired by a true story, but certainly not based on it
Having been in school with Tami at the time, I didn't really care for the movie, nor did anyone else I know for that matter. For the record, she faced no obstacles, her endeavor was supported by her classmates and the town, and she was QB for the freshman team. She was the freshman class' homecoming princess though, and she was a very sweet girl. After only 1 year in Philomath, her family moved back to Canada. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With good production values and a load of suspense, Atomic Train delivers the goods--ahead of schedule. A rich bureaucrat with a Porsche, a goatee, and a defective sense of morality places a defective Russian nuclear warhead aboard a defective American train for cheap disposal, but the engine loses its brakes and hurls out of control toward Denver. Will it explode? Will it wipe out half the city? Will the thoughts and prayers of the President--played by Edward Herrmann, in his best Chrysler-salesman mode--do any good? Will Rob Lowe, the major hero of this epic, ever be able to save his career?

Atomic Train hauls along every disaster-flick formula you can think of: an estranged couple bonding again during a time of crisis (you begin to miss the hysterical Harvey Fierstein character of Independence Day); urban rioting and mayhem; government officials wearing headsets and breathlessly watching video monitors; trigger-happy military men; high-speed stunts; escapes by helicopter; clean-up crews in white spacesuits; many scenes of families being reunited after subplot cliffhangers, to major-key crescendos on the soundtrack. The only typical element missing is a dog saved from a fire at the last minute. But, you have to admit, what Atomic Train does it does with pizzazz.

Everyone's a hero in this movie and almost everyone faces great danger, including Esai Morales, an estranged husband and father; Kristin Davis, the ex-wife with child he's competing with Lowe for; and Zack Ward, the assistant train engineer. It's interesting to see what Ward looks like and what he's doing so many years after playing the yellow-eyed bully in A Christmas Story (hint: a strikingly handsome decent actor). That's one of the many guilty pleasures of this film, with its post-Armageddon tone of overly heroic but ultimately disposable machismo. And explosions. Lots of explosions. --Robert Burns Neveldine ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Cheesy but watchable if there is nothing else on TV
Okay so this film was pretty cheesy but let's be honest there have been worse that have been screened and have even won Oscars, so lets not be judgemental okay?

Rob Lowe does a pretty passable job as the jaded Train Crash expert John Seager trying to hold his family together, rebellious teenage daughter Grace, shy and gentle step-son Chance plus a sassy young wife with a chip-on-his-shoulder Cop for an ex-husband.

The plot is fairly simple and perhaps a little long winded. Nuclear Bomb ends up on a train conveniently sitting next to some highly inflammable chemicals; train has a REALLY bad leaky break problem. Enter Rob Lowe, a bunch of army guys, a gung-ho General who wants to blow the train off the mountain (this actor plays General Hammond in Stargate by the way!) a rather goofy good hearted President of the USA and an assortment of heroes, heroines, goodies and baddies all putting in their 10 cents worth..

The train ends up behind derailed and the bomb explodes, and the disaster movie becomes a disaster movie twice over.

The special effects are not bad, the acting ditto, a bit hammy but like I've said, there's worse out there in cellular city. The movie does however lack any real suspense, and of course you have the cheesy family reunions , rescues, tears and tantrums, plus the obligatory resentful step-daughter embracing her step-mother near the end of the film.

You also get some terribly embarrassing speeches from the President but hey why on earth not? You've got everything else in this kitchen sink of a film, why not some heart-felt speeches to give it a little patriotic zip?

All in all though, its not a bad little film to wile away a really boring evening, I've seen worse and at least with this film, I won't loose my way in the plot, so I can nip out and make a cup of tea and still know where I am when I get back!

Atomic Train was a surprise blast.
I took a chance on buying the movie Atomic Train. I have never seen it before or knew anyone that has. I based my decision on the title and the reviews I read on Amazon. Knowing that it was a made for TV flick my expectations was low. I have watched the movie twice now and I am glad I bought it. The basic story is a stowaway nuclear bomb on a runaway train. Will the train crash and set off the bomb? I will not give much away but to say there are a few surprises. Being a TV movie you have your soap opera elements but not as bad as I had expected. The special effects are good and the acting decent. There is a short making of the movie on the DVD. If you like trains and action you probably won't be disappointed.

Not bad, but not good, either
Atomic train is one of those "In between" TV films. It is not bad, but it is by no means good. The movie is about a runaway train heading towards Denver with a nuclear bomb inside one of its cars. The engineers an't stop it, so one man, a train wreck investagator, John Seger (Rob Lowe) goest out to try and get the situation under control.

Now, I just saw this on Sci-Fi a few days ago. The action scenes were well done, but some of the acting could have been much better. Also, there are a few holes in the plot that were extreamly noticeable, and during the course of the film there are many chances to stop the train that are overlooked. (i.e, when a crew member on the train is leaning against the hand break of one of the frieght cars and says "How the hell do we stop this thing"). But other than that, this was a good movie. If you like trains, you should see it at least once.

Make Up Your Minds, People
I am watching this movie on Sci-Fi as I write this. Not a bad movie, HOWEVER, atomic energy is not nuclear energy. The movie is called "Atomic Train" but the filmmakers can't decide if its an atomic bomb or a nuclear bomb. They're not the same. Atomic came before nuclear. And my mother hates Mena Suvari because she is a blonde. (I think she's cute.) And that concludes our lesson for the day.

Holy ... - a-zoida
WOW! What a movie. I've watched the movie probobly a 100 times it is so good. The plot is super and it is very true to the subject matter. Due to a great crew. SUPER MOVIE! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beatty on Beatty!!
This is one of the small group of films Mr Beatty made after
" Splendor in the Grass" and before " Bonnie and Clyde"

I think its important to appreciate that after " Splendor...when Mr Beatty was very much in demmand..he did not make programmer types of films. In my opinion he choose very carefully and came up with a thought provoking group of films that live on today as " what might have been"

" Lillith" and " All Fall Down" are two of these films.
" All Fall Down" written by William Inge( Splendor,,,Picnic etc)
is an artistically unique film about people and their needs and detachments.

Berry Berry( Beatty) and Brandon De Wilde play off each other very well as two brothers totally different( where have we seen that before). The film is well acted from all that include Karl Malden, Ms. Lansbury who turns in another fine tectured performance as the mother..and a very fragile and hopeless Eva Marie Saint

John Frankenheimer's direction and editing is put to good use when there is so much to say visually and very little time to do so. A Real Gem!

An Overlooked Dramatic Gem
Why is this film always overlooked? Frankenheimer made it in that same incredible year (1962) as "The Birdman of Alcatraz" and "The Manchurian Candidate". With those two terrific movies, it seems to form a trilogy of "monster mother" tales. Thelma Ritter (controlling and guilt-tripping in Birdman) and Lansbury (the ultimate monster mother in Manchurian). Perhaps this was a theme for the director at the time.

In "All Fall Down", Lansbury, as always, stands out among several other fine performers. Karl Malden is perfectly cast as her foil, a seemingly passive husband reaching the boiling point. De Wilde and Saint are both excellent. Watch for the underrated Barbara Baxley as a lonely school teacher and Evans Evans (Mrs. Frankenheimer) as a prostitute at the very beginning of the picture. (By the way, what was the story on Madame Spivy? "Out! O-A-T!!" she yells to the De Wilde character in the bar.) This film is an over-the-top dysfunctional family drama to the max. There's something unforgettable about Berry Berry (Warren Beatty) and his tortured interactions with Anabelle. Based on a wonderful novel by J. L. Herlihy (Midnight Cowboy).See this film, you won't regret it ... Read more

Amazon.com

Anyone who fought in Vietnam can tell you that the war bore little resemblance to this propagandistic action film starring and codirected by John Wayne. But the film itself is not nearly as bad as its reputation would suggest; critics roasted its gung-ho politics while ignoring its merits as an exciting (if rather conventional and idealistic) war movie. Some notorious mistakes were made--in the final shot, the sun sets in the east!--and it's an awkward attempt to graft WWII heroics onto the Vietnam experience. But as the Duke's attempt to acknowledge the men who were fighting and dying overseas, it's a rousing film in which Wayne commands a regiment on a mission to kidnap a Viet Cong general. David Janssen plays a journalist who learns to understand Wayne's commitment to battling Communism, and Jim Hutton (Timothy's dad) plays an ill-fated soldier who adopts a Vietnamese orphan. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Good, But Flawed
Although I have seen this picture well over a dozen times and although I think it's basically a good movie, I must be objective and admit that "The Green Berets" is basically a propaganda piece that at the time of its filming was an attempt to change public sentiment about our country's involvement in Vietnam. For this reason, as well as the healing period our country went through after Vietnam, the movie seems rather archaic and naive today. Those on the far left ridicule it. Those on the far right treat it with the reverence of a Biblical tale. The truth about "The Green Berets" is that it lies somewhere between these two extremes.

The Fort Benning, Georgia filmed training sequences appear to be as real as anything I ever saw while I was in uniform. The combat sequences, however, contained a fair share of errors, most notably the well-known "sun setting in the east" flub. The acting was rather wooden, especially from Wayne as well as Jack Soo, portraying the ARVN officer, and the plot meandered from being quite good in some parts to being downright silly in others.

The most important thing to remember about this movie is that it should be taken for what it is...a good war movie. To casually dismiss it as irrelevant or hopelessly out of step with the truth simply doesn't do it justice. In similar fashion, it's rather stupid to portray it as an homage to the American way of life and characterize those who point out this picture's many flaws as "un-American", as one previous review did. This picture is best enjoyed with the viewer's bias, be it liberal or conservative, turned off.

from a patriot who was not afraid.
if John Wayne had made something like this today he would be ostracized from all of Hollywood and from about 2% of this nation. he was a man, a patriot and he wanted to show the good of our struggle. vietnam was a war that was not unlike every other war, the only difference was our citizens. the baby boomers grew up spoiled (founding fathers of the modern left). they didnt understand hard work and what a country need's to do for freedom. the left will today say freedom is a slogan, that we will always be free, they will say bush's war is for oil or some uneducated and clichéd response, but freedom is not just about a war or occupation, it's the freedom to not be afraid to get on a airplane, the freedom to not fear going into tall buildings, the freedom not to fear gathering large groups in public. and for the arab world it means to not be afraid to have your wife drive your car, or wear a dress in public, or to question a religious authority. the whole idea of vietnam was to prevent the spread of communism, it was a war that transcended vietnam itself, it was a war to measure our country and our people's resolve. vietnam taught our enemies (and todays modern terrorists) that if they can scare us, horrify us or kill enough of us that we will cower and not fight. Stalin, Khrushchev, khadafi, Usama, and hussein thought this, and we taught them all a lesson through might.

just because liberal's think war is not the answer it does not mean that our enemies do also. we are not europe, if we do not spend money on our military, flex our muscles, set deadlines and take action no one ele will. we do not have anyone to protect us like europe and the world have us. terrorist do not seek peace, they do not hate us because we are us they hate us because of hollywood, because of our freedom from starvation, our comfort in life and from our belief that we can live life any way we want without regard.

John wayne in his portrayal of vietnam was not "propaganda" it was to boost moral for the country, to support our efforts in defeating communism. i read before someone said john wayne was no patriot, what is a patriot if not to support the united states and to keep it's moral up? john wayne did that, ask any soldier from WWII to the present day. i feel bad for the liberal's they hate everyone, stand for everything while believing in nothing and really do not know anything of history or of humanity.

THE DUKE HAS THE LEFT TIED IN KNOTS
In 1969, John Wayne infuriated the Left with "The Green Berets", a film that made no apologies in its all-out support of America's effort in Vietnam. It was lambasted by critics, but in a very interesting sign, sold out at the box office. It plays today and while it is heavy-handed, there is little about it that rings untrue. The soldiers do not swear, complain or bastardize their uniforms like the actual guys did, but their patriotism and military professionalism was the real deal. The Communists they fight in the film are shifty little pissants. This does not deviate from the essential truth.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM

bad propoganda but a couple of gem performances
the performances of david jansaan and jim hutton stand out in this really blatant propoganda piece.
wayne the director and producer is not someone i empathize with but i do believe wayne the actor was vastly underrated.
too many people, myslef included, often let waynes politcs get in the way of acknowledging his acting powers.
this film is that in a nutshull.
his politics are unavoidable but the scen in which he wells up, on the verge of tears, trying to tell the young boy of huttons death is powerhouse acting pure and simple.
try to appreciate it.

A solid, well-made film
John Wayne like any other American had the right to promote his opinion. Period. ...

Now, the film is as accurate as any other