Reviews (30)

Reel History: Johnny Tremain
Nostalgia compelled me to rent Disney's 1957 adaptation of Johnny Tremain. I remember seeing the film in grade school and indeed, some of the visuals from those early screenings left an imprint on my mind whenever I heard the terms "colonial life" and "Revolutionary War." Part of that, I think, is because Johnny Tremain (the movie, not the book) makes the era (1773-1775) seem like a great place for a 10-year old boy to seek adventure and take potshots at the villainous Redcoats. It's a glossed over (some would say "dumbed down) version of Esther Forbe's classic book, and unfortunately, the film, and not the book, is often what many educators choose to incorporate as part of their curriculum when teaching students about the origins of the Revolutonary War.
Aside from that, the film is classic in the Disney sense. Ever notice how 1950s and 60s Disney movies have a distinctive "look" all their own? As a "History Lite" lesson, I suppose the film works on some level. Most of the actors are fine, and some of the set pieces are also nice. The Lexington sequence near the end of the film is probably where young people will begin to pay more attention. Teachers for 6th grade and up might do well to consider Esther Forbe's book over the film, or perhaps "April Morning" by Howard Fast. PS - It's interesting to look at Johnny Tremain and consider that it was made in 1957 with the Cold War in full swing. The Cold War is something that most kids today cannot fully relate to. In the 1950s, Disney no doubt had the current political climate in mind when Johnny Tremain was produced. Youth, freedom, political principles and ideology are recurrent themes throughout the film, and the Revolution serves as a metaphor, ever so subtle, for the struggle against the Reds as well as the Redcoats.

An enjoyable Disney rendition of the cause of the Revolution
This is an enjoyable Disney rendition of the causes of the American Resolution. No, it may not be faithful to the novel, and some of the historical events may not ring true to how they actually happened, however I am sure Disney did not intend them to be. This movie was made in 1957, the same time frame that Davey Crockett played by Fess Parker was made, America was caught up in patriotic fever and Disney was more than happy to serve this up to the viewing public. I did enjoy this movie, and the overall theme it was trying to portray, such as freedom from tyranny, the rights of every man from the wealthy to the silversmiths apprentice. This may not be a movie to analyze the Revolutionary War with, however it is a great starting point to discuss the Revolution with young ones, and those who do not know very much about the American Revolution. An enjoyable film that is recommended to those who like Disney and "light history".

Very Good Movie!!!!
This movie was different than the book for sure, but it was very good. My sister and I bought this movie and we were very satisfied. Excellent casts, great history. This movie deserves five stars, but don't expect it to be like the book.

Weak link
the movie stunk. First of all the movie had all the details mixed up and how could u not have the Famous John hancock or laviinia Lye as a character.In stead of Dove there id some guy named caleb. talk ABout disney making movies they cant meake anything true. i REGRET I BOUGHT IT. 50% OF THE MOVIE WAS ALL mixed up stuff, totaly differnt from the book and the other 30% was bad quality effects even for an old video released.

not good...for shame*tisk**tisk*
I wasn't even a fan of the book, but I know that this movie is terrible. This movie has no elements from the book and this movie hardly deserves a star
My I.Q. (117) plummeted to room temperature....*tisk* ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Magic School Bus, The - Out of This World
This Video is about the space field trip to rescue the Earth from an asteroid collision, and kids are learning all about gravity and meteors. My kids loved this one very much. Strongly Recommended....

Star light, Star Bright...
This video about stars is a great introduction to our sun! The kids set out to "buy" a star. They encounter different age stars and learn how they are different and how they are the same. As always Ms. Frizzle takes all kids for an adventure they wont soon forget! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Frank Capra's 1938 populist spin on the George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart play about a family of happy eccentrics is a great deal of fun, though it significantly rewrites the original work and doesn't represent Capra (Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) at his best. Jean Arthur plays a member of the blissful Vanderhof household who falls in love with a rich man's son (James Stewart) and brings him into her nutty home. Lionel Barrymore, who played such a bad guy eight years later in Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, is the wonderful Grandpa Vanderhof, who addresses God during the dinner prayer as "sir" and speaks plainly and beautifully of why it's good to be alive. Capra took this opportunity to rail against big business and champion the common man, but the overall tone of the film--typical for the director's comedies--is buoyant and snappy. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Frank Capra + Moss Hart & George Kauffman = ??
A fine Frank Capra comedy featuring Jimmy Stewart at his most boyish and gangly, and Jean Arthur as the girl of his dreams. It's a comedy of mismatched lovers: Stewart plays the son of a cold-hearted business tycoon (Edward Arnold) who looks forward to the coming world war as a way to make a killing on the stock market. In the path of Dad's capitalistic machinations lies a family of carefree bohemian kooks, whose open, life-affirming attitude holds together the neighborhood where Arnold hopes to build his next munitions factory. And guess what? Surprise...!! Jean Arthur's character also just happens to be the object of his son's affections. Into this "Dharma & Greg"-like scenario, add Lionel Barrymore as her saintly, eccentric father, who was once a businessman but then dropped out and now spends his days smiling at life, following his passions, and encouraging others to do the same.

In all honesty, although the film is charming, it isn't Capra's best work -- adapted from a stage play by George Kauffman and Moss Hart, it shouts out its kookiness, and has the feel of an off-Broadway production gone awry. The scenes that are meant to show how wacky her family is often play out too broadly, with shouting and grand gestures and a flurry of chaotic action -- dancing, xylophone playing, cooking, painting, newspaper rustling, fireworks going off -- and all of it happening at once. It's too obvious and dramatically weak... Plus, Stewart really hasn't found his feet yet as a star actor. On the other hand, both Barrymore and Arnold give delightfully strong performances, and Jean Arthur is *always* easy on the eyes. Even when slightly muddled, Capra is still better than practically anything coming out comedywise from Hollywood today. A charming 'Thirties comedy.

Classic Capra Comedy!
The rich young son of an esteemed banker (Jimmy Stewart) falls in love with his secretary (Jean Arthur). His family disapproves, but graciously agree to meet with his girlfriend's family. Jean Arthur wishes to plan the meeting as an elegant dinner with her family's eccentricities somewhat constrained. When her boyfriend and his parents show up on the wrong day, all hell breaks loose. Jean Arthur's wise grandfather and patriarch of the family (Lionel Barrymore) helps sets things aright with his harmonica and a little sound advice. This hilarious classic pits an eccentric middle class family against their snobbish upper-crust potential in-laws. You'll roll on the floor laughing at Stewart's "scream" scene, the Russian ballet teacher, the jail-cell and courtroom sequence and more. One of Frank Capra's best!

Great film, Poor DVD
First of all, this film is great, and deserves to be owned by any classic movie fan. It has some of the greatest stars that have ever been on-screen, together! This is easily a favourite of mine, with Jimmy Stewart, Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore AND Frank Capra, you cant go wrong with watching this.

This film easily deserves the 5 stars, but I take one away because of this very disappointing release from Columbia on DVD. Many of Columbia's releases of classic movies on DVD have been poor ('Awful Truth' comes straight to mind) while others have great releases ('It Happened One Night' for an example).

I will start with the picture quality. It is full of scratching, throughout the film, and in all honesty, it does kind of look like a video. Still, saying this, it is actually watchable, but what a poor effort.

Now for the sound. Ok, this is the real problem. The sound is really quite bad. It is full of hissing, and becomes annoying. Its listenable, but oh, they could have done a lot better here.

The extras. Well, there isnt much to say really, is there? There are nothing for you on this disc.

This DVD is worth getting, but I only say this because of the film itself. What a poor release for such a wonderful film. Hopefully, Columbia will re-release this soon, with a better print, better sound, and some decent extras. If only this could have been more like their release of Capra's other classic, 'It Happened One Night'.

Dont avoid this DVD, but just dont expect much.

PLEASE NOTE: Since I am in England, I own the Region 2 release. It appears to be no different to this Region 1 release though.

very good movie
I'm playing a character in the play that this movie is based on, and so I watched this DVD to get a hint of what it could look like. First, the story is excellent! Do what you want in life; don't work your whole life doing something you hate! That is basically the Sycamore family's philosophy. But when the younger daughter in this household falls in love with the son of the wealthy Kirby family, trouble brews, landing the Kirbys and Sycamores both in jail! In the end, Kirby Sr. learns that maybe the Sycamores have something and gives the young couple his blessing, leaving everybody happy. The play is a little different from the movie, but with the addition of a simple harmonica, the movie is able to give the viewer a wonderful feeling in the end and reinforces the fact that everyone should do what makes him or her happy in life! I will say that the quality of the movie is not the greatest at times, but that's to be expected since it is an older movie. Other than that, it's great!

Warm & Wonderful
This is a gem of a movie. It's all madness & mayhem on the surface, and warm & cozy underneath. Like most of Frank Capra's movies, this is a morality play. The filmaker continues his favorite theme, downplaying the materalistic and embracing the things that really matter, love, both romantic & platonic, friends & family. This type of material might be a preachy bore in the hands of a person less skilled than Frank Capra, but he makes it work. Not only does it work, but the movie is hilarious. The cast is excellent, starring Lionel Barrymore, I would say at his best, but I never saw anything he was in where he wasn't great. Jimmy Stewart plays one of his nice guys here to the max & is terrific also. The rest of the cast is excellent as well. I especially loved the "mad Russian" played by Mischa Auer. Eddie Anderson steals every scene he's in whether he's speaking or not.
All in all, it's a fine ensemble cast, everyone is very good. Do yourself a favor, if you have an opportunity to see this, please do! ... Read more

Reviews (146)

Disney Still Makes You Appreciate The Family Magic...
Disney's latest animated feature film directed by Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker tells the heartfelt tale of the relationship of brothers, dream and the belief in nature.

Beautifully animated and sprinkled with songs by the Phil Collins (Tarzan, Hook) and even one sung by Tina Turner (Road Warrior: Beyond Thunderdome) the movie has energy and an appreciation of older culture and how man and nature can co-exist.

This movie teaches the value of appreciating your siblings and the elderly in your families. Sometimes their advice is the only thing you may have to fall back on. Its starts with a tragedy and this threat come full circle at the end of the film. The perspective is that of the Bear. The Bear sees man as the Monster Man sees Bear as the monster. The spirit of one of the brother intervenes and shows the perspective of the other.

Three brothers are voiced by Joaquin Phoenix (Signs, Gladiator), D.B. Sweeney (Dinosaur, Fire In the Sky) and Jason Raize (First Feature). The lovable but obnoxious youthful bear Koda is played by Jeremy Suarez (Jerry McGuire, Bernie Mac Show).

Of the comic relief is mainly supplied by the two Moose - Rutt and Tuke played by Dave Thomas (Coneheads, Boris and Natasha) and Rick Moranis (The Flintstones, Honey I Shrunk 1,2,3,4). There perspective gives tribute to the Canadian traditions of the old past.

The movie has a warm heart and is fun and family orientated. What's really nice is it has a closure that leaves every character happy with his newly found situation. Including little Koda. Good clean family fun! (11-10-03)

Fun Family Movie
"Brother Bear" is a good family movie. It has a good message to it and the story is very enjoyable to watch. The cub, "Koda," is fun to watch and the moose brothers, "Rut and Tuke," are just hilarious. The movie's message of loving one another and protecting family is fantastic. The entire film has a good "family" feel to it without coming across as too gushy or preachy.

It's also a great comedy. There are multiple scenes in the film that make children of all ages laugh. My two-year old loves watching "Koda" be silly. "Rut and Tuke" provide great comedy for the adults. The character of "Kenai" is also very funny when he comes to realize that he isn't human anymore.

The only shortcoming of this film is the music. Don't get me wrong, it is nice to listen to, but it doesn't sound as inspired as past Disney efforts. As another reviewer stated, the music reminds me a lot of "Tarzan."

The DVD is chock full of extras. I like both the "family-friendly" version of the film and the original theatrical aspect that are offered. The games are fun and the "Bones" game is actually quite challenging for the younger lot. There are deleted scenes(including one with a character not seen in the movie) and funny "outtakes" a la "Bug's Life." "Stitch" even makes a cameo appearance in the extras! There are a number of other extras, including a documentary on different aspects of the film. You can pick and choose which parts you want to watch.

Overall, I highly recommend this film. Some folks have knocked it for the violence in the early sequences of the movie. This is ashame, because the scenes are handled with care and there is no blood actually viewed on-screen. If you're bothered by the violent sequences, watch the movie without your kids first and prepare yourself to explain the scenes to your child. I honestly don't think this is necessary, but I know how sensitive some folks can be. Others have questioned the spiritism used in the film. Considering this movie takes place at the time of the Inuit people, I find no fault with the totems or spirits involved. Don't let a few naysayers in the crowd ruin your experience.

This is a fine family movie that can be enjoyed by all.

An Amazing Bear
I saw the trailers for Brother Bear when it was in theatres and didn't really think much about it, until it got the Academy Award Nomination for Best Animated Feature, then I said to myself that this could be good, and guess what...it is!

Brother Bear is about Kenai (Joaquin Phoenix), a young Native boy who takes revenge on the bear who killed his older brother. When his brother's spirit sees what he's doing, he changes Kenai into a Bear to make him see through the animals point-of-view.

AMAZING! I was really impressed at how well done this movie is. I have to admit that this is one of my favorite animated films to date. The music by Phil Collins and (surprise!) Tina Turner are great! The score really stands out too, especially during the exciting transformation scene. Though, not as much music as my second favorite animated film, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, this one still delivers and music placement is put in where music is needed. The story is a bit strong and there are some scary scenes that may frighten little children, but other than that, the kids will forget about it when the two hilarious Moose, Rutt and Tuke, arrive on-screen (voiced wonderfully by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas). The Animation mixed in with a few CGI's are fantastic! as is the detail and the usage of the widescreen scope is used to the fullest extent. I was reading around and one reviewer said that this is a collaboration of all of the Disney themes, such as family in 'The Lion King', the transformation of 'The Little Mermaid', the Natives in 'Pocahontas' and the collaboration of Phil Collins again, just like in 'Tarzan'. I do agree with this and found it incredibly interesting that there are similarities which I welcome to with open arms.

I have to comment on how animated films have more adult themes to them these days. The 3 Nominated films of 2003 have elements of death or separation to them. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, it's actually, to me, a breath of fresh air. Brother Bear does have some intense and scary moments but at the same time there are are those fluffy scenes that back it up. I grew up watching Disney films right when I was at least 7 years old and ten years later, I have to admit, I still watch them. That may seem a bit sad and embarrasing, on my part, but it just shows how Animated films, such as Brother Bear, have that long range of age where no matter how old you are, you can still learn and relate to what these stories have to tell. It's really a dissapointment to hear that Traditional Animation is fading away, as it really shows the talent of human art, but times are changing and so is technology. So, just as long as Animated films have a great story to tell then I'm open to the posibilities that Computer Animation has to offer.

So, in the end, Brother Bear is an excellent mix of Disney themes that is filled with great music, good story and overall just a great film.

GREAT MOVIE!
I LOVED THIS MOVIE! I FIRST SAW IT IN THEATERS AND I THOUT IT WAS REAL GOOD!I GOT IT ON DVD THE FIRST DAY IT CAME OUT!I RECCOMEND THIS MOVIE FOR EVERY KID IN THE WHOLE WORLD!THE GROWN-UPS WOULD PROBABLY LIKE IT TO!I HOPE THEY MAKE A BROTHER BEAR 2!

Breathtaking!
This film is just absolutely wonderful. Not only will my daughter sit and watch it over and over again, but I dont' mind it, even after the 400th time! It's a movie that my husband, daughter and I can all watch as a family, and enjoy. It's cute, fun, and will hold true to Disney themes of making you laugh, cry and anticipate. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Shakespeare in Hollywood.
Let me begin by saying that the 5 star rating is purely subjective. As you can see from the other reviews you either like this film or you don't. I LOVE this film. As an adaptation of Shakespeare's play it's not very good. Such is the case with other Shakespeare movies of this vintage (check out the 1934 ROMEO AND JULIET with Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer or the 1929 TAMING OF THE SHREW with Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford). In fact the hostile reception this version received steered Hollywood clear of anything by Shakespeare for years. So much for Shakespeare in Hollywood. The fairy scenes are among the most magical I have ever seen in any film echoing their German origins while the Athenian scenes are as Hollywood as they come. F.W. Murnau's FAUST (the co-director William Dieterle played Valentine in FAUST) meets 42ND STREET (note the dance numbers). The performances by James Cagney, Olivia de Haviland, Ross Alexander, Jean Muir, and Victor Jory are quite good. Anita Louise is a lovely Titania and Mickey Rooney (12 at the time) is loud and mischievous. Just what I would expect Puck to be. Most of these performers were in Max Reinhardt's stage production which this film is based on. The tradesmen are vaudeville comics with the exception of Frank McHugh and are perfectly at home in this dual setting. Joe E. Brown and Hugh Herbert get to do their shticks while an unrecognizable Arthur Treacher gets to do nothing. A MIDSUMMERNIGHT'S DREAM is not for everyone and definitely not for Shakespeare purists. But if you approach it as a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood and all that implies then it's much easier to enjoy. Postscripts for the historically curious (with apologies to Henry W. Simon). This was the film that brought Erich Wolfgang Korngold to Warner Brothers. His job was to arrange the well known music by Mendelssohn. The rest as they say is history. The part of the young Indian prince is played by Kenneth Anger of HOLLYWOOD BABYLON fame.

I liked the new one better
This wasn't a terible movie, but I liked the new version better. Some of the acting in this version was overdone; Anita Louise, who played Titania, sounded like she belonged in an opera house, and why did Mickey Rooney decide to portray Puck as a wild animal in human form? Olivia De Havilland did give a good portrayal of Hermia, however; I just wish she'd had more lines! James Cagney also gave a good portrayal of Bottom. In the new version, whoever played the man who played the woman in the play about Pyramus and Thisbe gave a much better performance than Joe E. Brown does here. Brown just plays it for laughs. For the most part, the acting in the new version was much better. I believe the special effects were innovative for the time period; it is easy to see that, but, unfortuanatly, they pale in comparison to all that has come since in special effects in movies. The sets weren't too bad, either. So, on the whole, there were pluses to this movie, but minuses, too. The new version had more pluses.

Puck steals the show!
This is not the type of movie I would normally watch - but it is a must-see! The dance numbers are awesome, and the real kick is watching the performance of Puck, which I only realized later was Mickey Rooney - he doesn't look 12, and I found myself wondering "how did they get him to act like that?".

The movie seems long at times, particulary in the party at the very end. But I wouldn't mind watching it again with someone -

The best to date
There have been criticisms here of Reinhardt's AMND as "un-Shakespearean," but truly: who among us would really want to sit in a theater with almost no props or backdrops, minimal costuming, men performing the women's parts, and audiences that were anything but quiet during the show? -For that's exactly what Shakespearean theater conditions amounted to. Our idea of Shakespeare derives simply from modern Masterpiece Theater style productions, which make a virtue of sober lucidity, and do a fine job of it, too.

But Reinhardt gives us a German High Romantic version of AMND, and displays a very different virtue, seldom seen in modern screen transcriptions of older works: a sense of well-conceived and executed style. You may not like his Mendelssohnian fairies, but their integration into the play--by choice of dialog, imaginative staging and costuming, brilliant special effects and incidental music--is consistent. Mendelssohn's music was in fact intended to accompany actual performances many years previously; and the ballet sequences built around it have a way of stopping time even today with their visionary beauty, a matter of movement, staging, lighting (the remarkable Hal Mohr), editing and effects. A book in fact could be written on Reinhardt's multi-level application of thematic materials, which is done in a manner that's far less boring than the way it sounds. This is a brilliant conception of Shakespeare, far from the "let's be different to grab attention" Shakespeare of punk Romeos that have fled across our screens in recent years.

The casting is generally very good. Mickey Rooney, in his first film role, displays all the remarkable energy and focus which were his greatest gifts. (What a shame the film industry kissed him off when he matured into a short, pudgy man, who was just as talented!) No prim, polite observer, his Puck is an elemental force, taking malicious delight in the strongly felt emotions of the humans that have come to the forest. Everything is brilliant, bright mockery: his deliberately garbled imitation of the speech and gestures of Lysander prior to the latter's magical sleep is a good example. This is not a Puck you would want call Robin Goodfellow, not unless you wanted to please him--and you most definitely would want to please him. It is a taut, kaleidoscopically varied performance.

The comic players are also well cast. James Cagney is superb as Bottom, particularly in the monologue that follows waking from what he considers "his dream." Hugh Herbert brings more variation to a giddy giggle, both for accompanying expression and meaning, than any other human being probably ever has. Frank McHugh is a delight as Peter Quince. Only Joe E Brown, as Flute, goes overboard, trying to steal the scene from others during their lines; but he makes up for it with a delightful Thisbe. Arthur Treacher is very much wasted, with nothing to say; and their are indications in the action that more may have been filmed, or at least planned of their material to film. Considerations of length and/or budget probably intervened.

Victor Jory, so well known even today for his villainous roles (especially in Flash Gordon serials), is a superbly dark Oberon: not sinister, but more of a somber Herne the Hunter type, in contrast to Anita Louise, who is all Elven gossamer. Presumably Reinhardt saw them as a balance of light and dark, perhaps with an overlay of contemporary Austrian psychoanalysis: masculine/dark/forceful against feminine/light/receptive. No, I don't buy the silly pop analysis of Men Are From Mars, Women From Venus; but in Reinhardt's AMND, we may be looking at an earlier incarnation of the same values, definitely presented on a more creative level. I don't buy into Reinhardt's portrayal of Oberon's followers as a bunch of anthrompomorphized bats, but I have to admit it works in context. This especially holds true for the ballet sequence where one bat follower symbolically forces a fairy follower of Titania to the ground, overshadows her, then bears her off, horizontal, her hands waving delicately in the air. I suppose we can only be thankful that the Hayes Office wasn't really paying attention to high prestige Art films.

The lovers are not quite as effective. All four are good, with Olivia de Haviland perhaps the best of the lot; but there's little sense of emotional depth in their performances, at least enough to draw forth Puck's disparaging remark about "what fools these mortals be." Some of this, again, may be due to the director's conception. Reinhardt clearly plays them more for laughs, cutting a fair amount of the four-way badinage, and deliberately staging at least one famous piece of it as a four-way, non-stop, unintelligble harrangue, in which opponents trade off to continue arguing. The quartet in Adrian Noble's 1996 AMND is to be preferred, here (though the staging is, IMO, awful).

To round out, I have to return to Reinhardt. He gave many of Hollywood's greatest talents during the 1920s-40s their apprenticeships. The contemporary notices for his productions are unanimous raves for his artistic insight, integrity, intelligence, directorial ability, and brillance of execution. Yet he would be no more than a footnote in some theatrical encyclopedia if it were not for this single film, made after Reinhardt escaped from the Nazis. A modest success in box offices at the time, Hollywood could not countenance the huge expenditure of resources on such a film, and Reinhardt was a respected pariah in the film community until his death in the early 1940s. But AMND lives on, and provides an excellent sense of what all the excitement was about this master visionary of theater...and potentially, cinema.

Mere Words Cannot Describe the Horror
Max Reinhardt was among the great theatrical impresarios of the early portion of the 20th Century, renowned primarily for the pageantry of his stage productions. His 1930s Los Angeles staging of William Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM was such a popular success that Hollywood studios went wild to lure Reinhardt into adapting his production to the screen. Strange to say, Warner Brothers--more at home with gangster movies, tough melodrama, and strident musicals--won the bid, and the result was this 1936 abomination.

Now, I won't go so far as to say this version of Shakespeare's famous fairy tale will actually make you run screaming from the room, but I will say that by the time it ends you may wish you had. Fairies flutter, flounce, and flop around to some of the most uninspired choreography imaginable; the score, lifted from the Mendelsson's most obvious works, could rot your teeth at twenty paces; the sets and costumes strive for a Parrish-like effect and instead come up with clunky Hollywood gloss. And need we mention that Shakespeare's gossamer script has been ripped to shreds?

The cast is simply horrendous. This was Olivia de Havilland's first film, and while she isn't memorably bad, neither is she memorably good--and that's really the highwater mark of the performances as a whole. James Cagney is terribly miscast, and Dick Powell behaves exactly as if he is about to launch into a Busby Berkley musical number. And then there is Mickey Rooney, who gives what must be single most abrasive performance in all of 1930s cinema. Only Joe E. Brown manages to emerge unscathed.

All in all, watching the 1936 Warner Brother's version of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is akin to watching an alligator swallow an innocent, sweet-eyed fawn. You just can't quite believe that it is happening, right there, in front your own eyes. Now, if you have an interest in how Hollywood approached Shakespeare in the 1930s, you may actually want to sit through this movie once. But don't inflict it upon any one else. They won't thank you for it.

--GFT (Amazon.com Reviewer)-- ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Charming movie
I've seen this movie quite a few times now over the years, and why not wright a little review of this wild and crazy classic. it actally isnt as silly as most of the jerry lewis films, this is serious at times, and has alote of fine actors in it.
Jerry Lewis plays (as almost always) a nice and friendly chap, but clumsy who just can't seem to do anything right.
In this movie he is working at a big store, a huge store. and everything goes wrong! almost anyway. alote of fun scenes. not just a couple. i laughed many times through the movie. this is a fun and crazy jerry comedy, i think its one of the best jerry lewis movies. (atleast of what ive seen so far)
oh, and by the way, check out that beatiful secretary "Shirley", oh mama! i wish she had played a bigger role! and don't you just love the movie title? check it out.

Physical Comedy At Its Finest!
This is the first movie Jerry Lewis appeared in after his masterpiece "The Nutty Professor." Freed from the chores of writing and directing this film, Jerry turns in one of his finest performances. Norman Phiffier (Jerry Lewis) lives his life according to the philosophy that honesty is the best policy. He is a dog walker and dog sitter in love with Barbara (the beautiful Jill St. John). He believes that she is just an elevator operator at Tuttle's Department Store but, in reality, she's the daughter of the store owner and heiress to the Tuttle fortune. Her mother Phoebe (Agnes Moorehead) disapproves of Norman and doesn't want her daughter to marry him. Determined to break up their romance, she instructs the store manager Mr. Quimby (Ray Walston) to hire Norman to work in Tuttle's Department Store and give him the worst possible jobs. He first assigns Norman to paint the tip of the flagpole hanging outside the ninth floor window. Norman tries to climb out on the pole and almost falls to his death. He comes up with the bright idea of putting a paint brush at the end of a fishing pole. To paint the bottom, he enters the office of the store's president John Tuttle (John McGiver). John is a henpecked husband whose wife really runs the store. Since John is busying himself by putting golf balls, Norman takes him to a machine that electronically measures how far you hit the golf ball. When Norman hits the ball it flies out the window, hits a traffic cop on the head, keeps bouncing around and knocking things over, and eventually lands back on the tee and explodes!

One of Norman's jobs is working in the women's shoe department. Mr. Quimby has hired a lady wrestler to come in and try on a pair of shoes much too small for her foot size. Norman tries to force the shoes on her feet and they end up getting knocked to the floor. She gets Norman in a headlock, picks him up and flings him over the counter. Looking closely, it's plain to see that it's Jerry and not a stunt double flying over the counter! After getting stomped on, Norman gets thrown into a huge rack of shoe boxes, which crash through the window and land on the same traffic cop who earlier got hit with the golf ball! In another scene, Norman is working in the men's clothing department on the morning that they're having a 50% off sale. As soon as the doors open, a crowd of stampeding women converge on the clothes, grabbing every article of clothing in sight. They even pull off most of Norman's clothes! There are many other departments Norman has to work in, all ending with disastrous results.

My favorite scene involves a rich woman, carrying her Chihuahua and accompanied by her manservant, who is bringing an old vacuum to the store to be repaired. Mrs. Tuttle appears with Mr. Quimby to observe the proceedings. Norman rewires the vacuum to increase its suction. The vacuum becomes so powerful that it starts moving on its own, sucking up everything in sight, including the old lady's dog and Mrs. Tuttle's wig! Norman is unable to switch off the vacuum or even unplug it, so the vacuum's bag keeps getting bigger and bigger, and eventually floats up to the ceiling! Norman ends up climbing a ladder and sticking a knife into the bag. The resulting explosion of dirt and debris is hilarious, as the Chihuahua plops back into the old lady's arms. Norman puts the dirty, dust covered wig back on Mrs. Tuttle, who promptly fires him. Mr. Tuttle, accompanied by his daughter Barbara, come to Norman's aid and Norman finally learns that Barbara is the Tuttle's daughter. Proud and determined to make it on his own, Norman quits and goes back to being a dog walker. The last scene involves Norman walking a large number of dogs. First Barbara, then her father, and finally her mother go by also walking many dogs and wearing jackets that say I'M SORRY. They all round a corner out of sight. The next thing you hear are the screeching of brakes and the sounds of cars crashing. The last shot is of the poor traffic cop, surrounded by wrecked cars and barking dogs. "Who's Minding The Store?" is, without a doubt, one of the funniest movies Jerry Lewis has ever done!

Hilarious but...3 stars for format
No need to review the film which is a comedy gem...just the format:
The film starts in widescreen, unusual for a video tape. And just when you're getting used to it, the opening credits end and it reverts back to fullscreen(!)
To add insult to injury, the end credits are not even included, the movie simply ends! So much for finding out who the actors were.......

C'mon Paramount...how about the full version on DVD?

THE BEST PART WAS WHEN JERRY WAS WITH THAT BIG SHEEPDOG
I GOT TO OPEN A PRESENT EARLY-AND IT WAS 3 JERRY LEWIS VIDEOS-WHOS MINDING THE STORE-ROCK A BYE BABY-THE NUTTY PROFESSER!

WHOS MINDING THE STORE IS ABOUT A DOGWALKER WHO ALSO DOG-SITS WHEN THE DOGS OWNERS ARE AWAY-BUT WHEN A MEAN WOMAN WHO OWNS A DEPARTMENT STORE FINDS OUT HER DAUGHTER IS GOING TO MARRY THIS LOSER SHE HIRES HIM TO WORK AT HER STORE AND GIVE HIM TOUGH JOBS-SHE EVEN HAS HIM FIRED!

I WOULD RECCOMEND THIS MOVIE TO ANY JERRY LEWIS FAN!

Who's Better than Jerry?
THIS MOVIE IS ONE OF JERRY'S GREATEST, GREAT SUPPORTING CAST & A GREAT GAG DIRECTOR, FRANK TASHLIN...NO COMEDY OF TODAY EVEN COMES CLOSE TO THIS ONE...ONE OF THE KING OF COMEDY'S GREATEST! ... Read more

Description

Based on the true story of the life and times and love affair of mobster Sam Giancana and America's songbird, Phyllis McGuire. Their too public relationship and tense atmosphere of the times could put an end to her career - and his life! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Really A Thrill
What a great movie. I loved everything about it. Mary Louise Parker has never been more radiant. In this movie, she has it all: talent, attitude, romance, and a little humor on the side. And speaking of wornderful performances, John Turturro gives, in my opinion, one of his best. We love to hate him and he makes being a gangster seem glamorous and suprisingly ethical. The added "gansta" crimes only add to the plot of this movie, as does the story of the stunning McGuire sisters. By the end you with laugh and cry and flat out have a good time. It is a nice change from all of the other garbage around. Excellent!

Sugartime is a Goodtime
Sugartime is an interesting and entertaining movie. It is most interesting when Mary-Louise Parker is on screen. She is prim and beautiful and is a perfect offset to Turturro's portrayal of Sam Giancana. The movie tries its best to place historical references to Kennedy, Hoover, et al. Sugartime is an excellent choice for a fun, enjoyable evening. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Behaving as if it hadn't already been immortalized in Judges, chapters 13-16, Cecil B. DeMille immortalized history's most famous haircut all over again in this 1949 classic of the Epic Saga genre. Victor Mature is a trifle bovine as Samson--which perhaps isn't so inappropriate--but Hedy Lamarr's Delilah is a magnet on fire. Impossibly perfect and sexy, she sashays through the movie in a whole wardrobe of revealing halter tops, bending the men like blades of grass. These days it's hard to enjoy a DeMille film without condescension: from Samson's fight with a lion that might well be stuffed, to the famous collapsing-temple scene, we are constantly aware of how far movies have come, and the Philistines parade around in costumes that won an Oscar but can only remind the modern viewer of Klingon cocktail parties. But in so many other ways this is very classy filmmaking. DeMille takes considerable liberties with the biblical story to come up with a sort of Ur-narrative of love, betrayal, and remorse that you can swallow very nicely with or without its religious ingredient. Best exchange: Lamarr--"You killed him with... your hands. Oh, Samson!" (Jumps on Mature's back.) Mature--"Hey! One cat at a time!" Also stars George Sanders, a very youthful (and miscast) Angela Lansbury, and impassioned music by Victor Young. --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (18)

AN EPIC OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS!
One of the greatest films ever made, "Samson and Delilah" stands out as a crowning achievement in Biblical epics, the trademark of legendary director Cecil B. DeMille. The story of Samson, the strongest of men, felled by the temptress Delilah is brought to the screen in majesty and splendor. Victor Mature is wonderful in his role as Samson, bringing a sense of humor and humanity to the role. Hedy Lamarr nearly overwhelms the brilliant Technicolor with her ravishing beauty as Delilah, sleek and seductive. As Delilah's sister, Angela Lansbury fares well in her brief role as do George Sanders (as a subtle ruler of the Philistines) and Henry Wilcoxon (as a military governor). And the actors are only one ornament to the production. The art direction is masterful and incredible. And the costumes... such gorgeous opulence and splendor were never seen since, sometimes almost stealing the scenes from the actors. Both categories won 1949 Academy Awards, giving Oscar's gilt to this classic. The film is immensely entertaining and superbly directed with reverence to the sacred texts by DeMille (at 128 minutes, dramatically shorter than DeMille's "Ten Commandments". But the special effects are one of the best reasons to see the film: Mature's three-minute fight with a lion, to the unbelievabe climatic scene in which Mature pulls down a temple of stone. A classic all the way through, "Samson and Delilah" is a film that you will never tire of, and always want to see again and again...I now quote the film's final words: "Men will tell his story for a thousand years." And if it lasts that long, men will watch this movie for a thousand years.

Correcting an error in the Amazon review
Yeah, I give the film "four stars" but my main reason for submitting is to set the record straight. Angela Lansbury did not play Samson's sister; she played "Semadar", sister to Delilah and betrothed of Samson. Her accidental death at the hands of one of the Philistine wedding party sends Samson in a murderous rage, setting the stage for Delilah's emergence as a treacherous romantic interest.

yes, groucho, vic's chest is bigger than heddys!
when the inimitable groucho marx was asked if he was going to attend the premiere of this movie, he responded that he refused to go to any movie where the hero had a bigger chest than the leading lady!

they dont make them like this anymore, which is a good thing!

Great Hollywood Biblical Epic
I have always loved this movie since I was a kid. I want to purchase this movie but I prefer to wait until it is released on DVD. Why isn't this movie on DVD? There is no excuse. DVD has been out for a long time now. PLEASE PUT THIS MOVIE OUT ON DVD!!!

why 2 tapes?
I like this movie. Wish it were on DVD. But why is it on 2 tapes? The movie only runs 128 minutes! Why did they divide it? I have movies that run MUCH longer on a single tape. Strange. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A little-known chapter of American labor history is brought vividly to life in this period drama from writer-director John Sayles. It's a fictional story about labor wars among West Virginia coal miners during the 1920's, but every detail is so right that the film has the unmistakable ring of truth. The tension begins when the Stone Mountain Coal Company of Matewan, West Virginia, announces a lower pay rate for miners, who respond by calling a strike under the leadership of a United Mine Workers representative (Chris Cooper). Proving strength in numbers, the miners are joined by black and Italian miners who initially resist the strike, and a fateful battle ensues when detectives hired by the coal company attempt to evict miners from company housing. Violence erupts in a sequence of astonishing, cathartic intensity, and Matewan achieves a rare degree of moral complexity combined with gut-wrenching tragedy. The film salutes a pacifist ideal while recognizing that personal and political convictions often must be defended with violence. To illustrate this point, Sayles enlisted master cinematographer Haskell Wexler, who creates the film's authentic visual texture--a triumph of artistry over limited resources. The result is a milestone of independent filmmaking, and Matewan remains one of Sayles's finest achievements.--Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (37)

An exploration of America's terrible dark side
It's difficult not to get your personal feelings called into play when watching an obviously slanted film like Matewan. John Sayles, like Oliver Stone, is an obvious agit-prop master for the left. But so are several others. However, those others do not get the responses that Sayles has evoked because they don't have half the movie making talent that Sayles possesses. There is no fence-sitting when watching his films, and that's because his visions and messages are clear, uncompromising and passionate. Matewan is his highest achievement in those regards.

Using the coal miners' unionization efforts of the 1920s as his springboard, Sayles explores one of the dark truths at the heart of free-market capitalism: the unblinking willingness of those in power to crush--physically and spiritually--those who work.
Sayles' gritty realism, the gaunt faces of the actual citizens of West Virginia who serve as extras in the film, Haskell Wexler's recreation of a long-gone era, and, of course, the great performances all around, drive that dark point home. Sayles' script, although a little long-winded at points, illustrates well how employers pit worker against worker, worker against scab, scab against scab. In fact, the workers do as much violence to each other as the bosses do to them. Don't dismiss this as a masnifesto disguised as a film. In the tradition of On the Waterfront (also based on an actual event), the characters, situations, and dialogue are all convincing.

This is a great film but be sure to see it on video, not DVD, as others have pointed out.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of THE FIVE POINTS

Bleak mood sets the tone of this coal mine strike story
This 1987 film, written and directed by John Sayles, is based on a real incident from the 1920, when workers from a West Virginia coal mine went on strike. Chris Cooper stars as a labor union organizer who comes to the town which is run the Company that have just brought in a trainload of black men as well as a group of Italian families to do the work of the strikers. James Earl Jones is cast as the leader of the blacks who says out loud that he understands people can't help calling him the "N" word, but no man can ever call him a "scab". Will Oldham is cast as a 14-year old mine worker and sometimes preacher. There are heroes and villains in this film, and Kevin Tighe and Gordon Clapp are the kind of bad guys you love to hate.

The pace is slow as the story unfolds, each actor giving depth to his or her role. The Union is represented as a good and unifying force for the diverse types of people caught up in the drama. The company is represented as bad. Really bad. Not only did they exploit their workers and push people out of their homes, they also did not stop at brutal murder. There were enough personal stories to keep the film interesting although I found some of the speeches a little long and talky. It was all about mood and bleakness and John Sayles sure is a master of setting the mood. Most of the extras in the film lived in the area of Appalachia where it was shot and the close-ups of their faces added to the film's authenticity.

One of the problems was that the transfer of the film to DVD wasn't done well. The sound was muffled and some of the words were indistinct. And the shots set in the forest were so dark that it was hard to tell what was going on. I enjoyed the film although I thought it was too long. Followers of John Sayles work will enjoy it though, as well as those with an interest in union struggle.

MATEWAN as teaching tool
To avoid repeating what others have said, I'll just concur that this movie has the ring of truth about a little-known chapter of American labor history, and writing, acting and photography are superb. I showed it to two classes of students this semester and they were almost all fascinated. (Freshmen!) I was asked why they didn't learn about the mine wars of West By-Gosh in their history classes, which led to interesting discussion questions like "who writes history?" I used the film in conjunction with Denise Giardina's STORMING HEAVEN--a novel about the same mine wars. Both are based on actual events and lives.

For material that promotes fast-paced classroom discussion, Sayle's MATEWAN can't be beat. He is a fascinating writer and producer; MATEWAN is, however, the best Sayles' movie I've seen on all counts--writing, acting, photography, and historical content. Some reviewers here have called it slow-moving. I have watched it at least 5 times and find it just as compelling now as when I viewed it the first time. Buy it--you won't be sorry!

Word to the wise: Canadian widescreen available
Just an announcement for Sayles fans and fans of this film: a very good widescreen dvd of this film does exist, but it's only being produced in Canada. Its sound is supposedly much better than anything else available, and the widescreen transfer is totally decent. You can read a review of this dvd at dvd verdict.

Given what we learned about the peacefulness of our neighbor to the north in Bowling For Columbine, it's ironic that this most bloody-minded of Sayles films should be released there and not here. No other film I can think of more clearly explains the tragic connections between violence and class politics in American history. Lefty types such as myself have always loved this film, but I know a good many conservatives who do as well. The story of the little guy fighting for his very survival against the bully is always a compelling one, never more so than here. And for those who think the bad guys in this film are TOO evil--I have relatives from coal country and they assure me that if anything, the movie could have gone even further. More than in any of his other films of the 1980s, Sayles is just so brutally honest here about the necessities and the strange accidents that can lead us toward a better future, though with much to suffer in the meantime. A dead-solid American classic.

Supposedly Sayles has recorded commentary for an American release of a widescreen dvd, but I can find no evidence of its being produced any time soon.

Great film - awful DVD
John Sayles' best film merits a far better DVD treatment than this technical travesty.

Others here have mentioned the film's amazing cinematograhy, fine performances (indierockers note: a young Will Oldham -- later of the band Palace Brothers -- has a featured role) and stirring story. But it bears repeating that this digital transfer is *atrocious*. The film is presented in "full-screen" format, lopping off the edges of Haskell Wexler's beautiful frames. Celluloid scratches and "reel change" hole-punches are visible throughout. And the sound, if you can believe it, is worse -- it's in hissy, almost inaudible MONO, for God's sake!

Zero commentaries. Almost no bonus extras, unless you count a few panels of "production notes."

Not worth a purchase. Wait for the morons at Artisan to get their collective act together and give this fine film the gold-star release it deserves. ... Read more

Reviews (203)

A Powerful Film By Master Of Disaster Emmerich
Roland Emmerich directed the 1996 blockbuster hitIndependece Day which many still consider his best work. Later, he directed Godzilla, which according to some was not well-crafted. But 2004's "Day After Tomorrow" is quite powerful and moving and Roland Emmerich brings back the magic and dynamics of his old masterpiece Independence Day. This time the threat is not alien, it's our own earth. Global warming has caused the polar ice caps to melt and erratic weather to errupt. Hail begins to attack Tokyo, Japan and it snows in the usually hot New Delhi, India. Star Dennis Quaid gets a hold of the fatal news that the world is going to end as it experiences a new Ice Age. His son Sam (Jake Gallynhaal) is away in New York City on an Academic Decathelon which he joined to be with the girl he loves. Sela Ward plays Sam's mother and Dennis Quaid's wife, a doctor who is caring for a cancer-struck little boy. The President of the U.S. and the Vice President (who looks a bit like Dick Chaney)completely ignore the warnings and it's not long before Los Angeles is destroyed by a tornado. The Hollywood sign gets blown away. New York City is flooded. The special effects are top-notch and the characters and plot stunningly engaging. Only a small group who has listened to Sam, who in turn was going by his father's directions, remain in the New York City Public Library even after it freezes entirely. Dennis Quaid searches for his son in the extreme weather. This is a movie about survival, as is expected about humans when confronted with great disaster. It is about courage and human compassion. To contrast the epic disaster with its serious drama is touches of humor such as the bum and his dog who survive the disaster and the fac that the tables are turned and it is desperate survivor Americans who are crossing the border illegally into Mexico, which was not effected by the disaster. All the performances are credible and though one can easily criticize for its typical disaster movie routine, it does'nt matter. The success of this film proves that we love to see this kind of genre. Humankind surviving all sort of disasters and the will to live. Five stars. An incredibl experience at the movies and hopefully it will make a wonderful DVD loaded with interesting features.

Disaster movie
We don't need to get too intellectual on this movie, nor make any pretense of why you should see it - there is one reason and one reason only to view The Day After Tomorrow, the special effects. We all know this. So I really don't want to spend a page writing about the dialog that is worse than a soap opera, the science that made Lord of the Rings look reality based, or the believability factor that made Cliffhanger look like CNN. C'mon, you kind of expect that from a movie like this don't you?

All of that nonsense aside, there are several scenes which are truly spectacular, some of the best special effects that I've seen. True, a great deal of those scenes were shown in the previews, but there are still many staggering effects that are saved for the film.

Yes it's melodramatic. Yes it's preachy (Al Gore and Al Franken actually used this movie to promote their environment agenda). But if you would enjoy seeing LA destroyed by what would be the largest tornado in recorded history, or New York getting swallowed by a wall of water, it's worth the price of the movie ticket. And here's another idea - go with some friends and keep notes of the best (i.e. worst) lines, and then afterwards you can argue about which was the worst line of dialogue. Mine was probably, "Jake...tell her how you feel," with "I think I will go close my eyes for a while," coming in at a close second.

One final note to the dude at Amazon who filters these reviews: Here's a little inside tip - *stop posting reviews written by people who haven't even seen the film - and even ADMIT this in their reviews!* And certainly don't make them the spotlight review. Maybe you could have a special "trailer review forum" for these idiots and stop wasting our time.

Best new movie
The Day after Tomorrow is a outstanding movie. The special effects are awesome. I was not sure about the movie at first but after I rented it from blockbuster and viewed it, I definitely will buy it on dvd fullscreen. There have been a few movies made involving natural diasters but this one is the best. If you have not seen it yet, definitely watch it. The director did a fantastic job, the cast members put a outstanding job. It's one of those movies you'll want to watch again and again.

Great Thrill Ride Movie
When you watch this movie it will feel like you are in the movie. Trust me I have seen it 4 times in the theaters. You will have to watch it again and again and each time you will find something new. Enjoy the movie.

"Independence Day" minus the aliens, plus eco-propaganda.
If you've seen the 1997 sci-fi hit "Independence Day", then for all practical purposes you've seen this movie too. The only real difference is that instead of a bunch of ticked-off aliens, the threat of human extinction comes from a ticked-off "Mother Nature". In the former, however, it was all about "us versus them" and the triumph of the human will to survive. In "Day After Tomorrow", the message is: "We have met the enemy, and they are the Republicans."

Yeah, the movie is about the epic struggle to survive in the face of an overwhelming natural catastrophe, but it's pretty obvious that the producers were less interested in telling a story and more concerned about sending an election-year political message. From the early scenes of the movie, the "hero" character (a very forgettable paleoclimatologist played by Dennis Quaid) serves as the "voice crying in the wilderness" against the environmentally unsound excesses of corporate America. He warns of the doomsday scenario which does in fact unfold throughout the movie, but the heavily stereotyped conservative politicians (who are, no doubt, in the pockets of the polluters) shrug off his warnings. Maybe it's just me, but I thought the "vice president" character looked uncannily like Dick Cheney. Coincidence? I don't think so, but feel free to decide for yourself.

The main story is about a dysfunctional family whose members find themselves separated by the unpredictable (yet somehow predicted) chain of natural events. Of course, the events aren't really natural -- they're caused by foolish and greedy men who fail to pay attention to the needs of Mother Earth. Somehow, against incredible odds, the family manages to reunite, save the human race, and resolve their own domestic issues all at the same time. And of course, the tale is duly concluded with the humiliation of America and its (implied Republican) leaders, as well as some cheap jabs at American immigration policy.

In short, this is enviro-hysteria at its cheesy best, but election year political propaganda at its worst. There isn't even a mild attempt to veil the message -- it's right there in your face. If you're a Bush-hater, you'll cheer. If you're a little more honest with yourself, you'll see this film for the cheap trash that it is. The ONLY reason I gave it a second star was because it was chock full of stunning visual effects from beginning to end. Beyond that, your enjoyment of this movie will stand in direct relation to your political affiliation. That's no way to make a movie. ... Read more

Description

Irene Cara (Fame) and Lonette McKee (Round Midnight) sing and struggle their way to show-business glory in a Supremes-like girl group. Dynamite Curtis Mayfield soundtrack. Year: 1976 Director: Sam O' Steen Starring:Philip M. Thomas, Irene Cara, Lonette McKee ... Read more

Reviews (27)

MY FAVORITE MOVIE!
I must say Sparkle is my favorite movie. I've seen it probably hundreds of times since the 70's. Lonette McKee and Irene Cara were great in this movie. Making it big in the "Music Business" was their dream until Sister (Lonette McKee) let something over power her dreams. Fortunately, Sparkle (Irene Cara) was able to succeed with the help and encouragement of her boyfriend Stix (Philip Michael Thomas). This is definitely an African-American Classic. I hear there's going to be a remake of this film soon. It may be good, but it will never come close to the original.

"Sparkle" SPARKLES!
I saw this film in the movies as a teenager and I've never forgotten how it made me laugh, cry and sing. It's the story of the fictional struggles of three sisters who are trying to make it in the music business, but each of them encounter individual problems. There are fine performances in this movie. Irene Cara (who plays "Sparkle"), Lonette McKee, and Dorian Harewood are particular standouts. Look for future "Miami Vice" star, Philip Michael Thomas, as Sparkle's enterprising boyfriend. It has been compared to Broadway's "Dreamgirls" and the Supremes' story, but it has its own strengths, plus a slammin' soundtrack, written and produced by the late, great Curtis Mayfield, and sung by the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. "Something He Can Feel" is STILL the jam. I gave it four stars because the ending was predictable, but all around this is a wonderful film. Highly recommended.

Sparkle
I Really Loved This Movie, I Must Have Watched It About Fifty Times, And Everytime It Makes Me Want To See It Again. Please Can Somebody Put This Movie On DVD.

"Sparkle" is a hidden classic
The movie "Sparkle" is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love this movie and think that this movie is something that everyone should see at least once. Although I watch this movie all the time, I love the singing, acting and just overall concept of the movie. I reccommand this movie to everyone.

BEST Movie hidden!!!
Sparkle is a classic and excellent cast and directed film. This movie is hidden from getting the attention that is deserves. The story and acting is superb! It's a classic movie in the class with "The Imitation of Life" (but a different type of story here). I STRONGLY recommend this film. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The Blue Bird
As a small child I remember seeing this lesser-known movie, and it so impressed me that I wanted our small grandchildren to see it. I hadn't seen it since then, so I watched it again to make sure it was as I remembered. I know that when our "grands" come soon, they will enjoy it as much as I did years ago. Shirley Temple was magical little child, and the story line is unusual for a Shirley Temple movie in that it is a fantasy tale. I heartily recommend it for small children!

"The Blue Bird means Hapiness"says Berri Lou
This is my favorite Shirley Temple movie and I being a lover of "The Wizard of Oz," I fell in love with "The Blue Bird" also. I love stories that have fantasy plots and adventures of young children seeking love and/or happiness. The characters in the story are very creative and loveable-except for the mean Tylette and the greedy Luxuries. The setting is beautiful for being an early 1940's picture. I'm a big fan of Shirley Temple and love anything she does, but this is my favorite all time movie of hers. If you have children or are a child of the heart, rent or buy the movie from the trustworthy Amazon.com. If you miss out on this movie, you are missing out on a classic picture.

Sub-par attempt at Wizard of Oz
I previewed this movie for my 5 year old after all the great reviews I saw on Amazon... This movie has poor production. The shifting from black and white to color was not explained but just happens.
Then it is down right scary!
Walking across the grave yard at midnight comes out ok but I'm curious Why can't light go with them? No real reason is given.
the script is poor and pathetic. The lines these children were made to say makes me shutter...
Someone raved about the grandma scene.. It teaches your child to think Grandma is only "alive" when you think about her. Yuck! Why lay that burden on a childs' shoulders.
Oh and BTW all babies are pretty and caucasion before being born.
The big fire scene is really frighting.
Not to mention the script writer must have hated cats!
This is not a movie for Cat lovers.
I can understand why I had never heard of this movie.
The production writing and acting leave a whole bunch to be desired.

Grandmas house
when i was younger and i would visit my grandmas house, before bed i got to choose a movie to fall alseep to "The Blue Bird" was always my choice. the movie was filled with imagination and wonder. i fell in love with it the first time i saw it. now that my grandma has past away i want my own copy. not only because its my favorite movie, but because there will always be great memories with it.

A Remarkable film
"The Blue Bird" Has to be one of the most beautiful and underrated films ever made. I am also a big fan of "The Wizard of Oz" But Iv always felt that The Wizard of oz was not a childrens due to it's scary scenes and I for one used to be very afraid of it. I could never just sit and watch it because I would always be worried about one Scary Scene after another. With The Blue Bird you can sit back and relax while your chiled gets a good clear useful message from the film. I advise any parent to show there children "The Blue Bird" before showing the Wizard of oz. ... Read more

Reviews (231)

The Greatest Vietnam Movie, In my opinon.
Oliver Stone's "Platoon" is one of the best and most powerful of all war pictures. It is the best movie ever made about the Vietnam war. Stone's film is gritty, frighteningly realistic and incredibly powerful. Stone doesn't just show us the Vietnam war, he takes into the Vietnam war. The screenplay is brilliant and doesn't fall into the trap that other war films fall into, where the violence turns into a fun experience and fighting seems "cool." This is a movie that truly shows the horrors of war realistically and with great effect. The cinematography by Robert Richardson (JFK, Natural Born Killers) is rich and gritty, giving more feeling to already great material. The characters are believable and convincing. It's great work because Stone himself went to Vietnam, so he has a better idea of what happened than Francis Ford Coppola when he made "Apocalypse Now" (which is also a great movie). "Platoon" is mesmerizing, powerful, effective, disturbing and even philosophical. It is one of Stone's greatest works. He ignites the screen with passion. The music is incredibly moving. No other director has made better films about Vietnam than Stone, who's "Born On The Fourth Of July" and "Heaven And Earth" followed "Platoon," and opened our eyes to greater clarity. I was never less than spellbound by this work. "Platoon" vibrates with realism and energy. A very special motion picture

The Nam
Oliver Stone's Vietnam War film, PLATOON, remains a very intense film, even some 15 years after its theatrical release.
As seen through the eyes of Private Chris Taylor, (Charlie Sheen), the film focuses on the experiences of this naive young man and the other soldiers in his unit. As tensions mount and fears of the enemy threaten to overtake the men, a sick rivalry develops between Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Sgt. Elias (Willem DaFoe) that sets soldier against soldier. The entire film takes you inside the minds of these 3 men for different views on the war and what it was like for the men that were there. Of course some of it seems tamer now, especially after, more recent war films. But PLATOON still is an intense look at the war, that, even today, no one really understands. Stone puts his real life experiences as a "Nam" vet, to direct to perfection. The performances by the cast are superb...

The Special Edition DVD has an excellent retrospective documentary on the film that is quite comprehensive. Of equal interest, were the 2 audio commentaries The first by Stone, the second by millitary advisor Dale Dye---both men put the actors through their paces. The photo gallery, theatrical trailer, t.v. spots and "collectible" booklet round out the disc's extras. This edition is vastly improved over the movie only edition and comes highly recommended

not God as some people praise it at but pretty damn good
very very enjoyable flick, mainly because it reminded me of FMJ(full metal jacket) and the humor was pretty good too. i might have preferred this film a little better if charlie s. wasnt in it but he actualy didnt do that bad of a job one part i found hysterical was that johnny depp has a part in it. with short blonde hair and he just is walking by then gets blown up. this film should deffinalty be in a war collects colection.

way too isolated and without emotions
Oliver Stone's was a veteran of Vietnam himself and he appears late in this movie, which is unfortunate for his own sake, because if I were him, I'd want to be hiding from this movie, pretending to have nothing to do with it. The three main soldiers (Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger) hate each other from the very beginning and everyone knows before it begins that it is about the loss of innocence because war is hell, so the things that happen to the three of them are pretty predictable. In some of his better work, mainly The Doors and Natural Born Killers, Oliver Stone uses a lot of effort to show the effect that the plot is having on the rest of the world. In The Doors, we see footage of Vietnam because it was transpiring at the same time. Likewise for Nixon. However, in this movie, we just see the war itself without seeing the outside world reacting to it as it unfolds. Oliver Stone does better work in the 90's.

Favorite Vietnam Piece
This is my personal favorite vietnam film. It blew away the others for me (ie..Hamburger Hill, Full metal jacket etc) The story, acting and gritty take of the war made this film VERY important. It asks some pointed questions and is a breathtaking film. Not to be missed! This should be in EVERY war film fan's library. plain and simple. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Riding the strange '50s nostalgia wave that swept through America during the late 1970s (caused by TV shows like Happy Days and films like American Graffiti), Grease became not only the word in 1978, but also a box-office smash and a cultural phenomenon. Twenty years later, this entertaining film adaptation of the Broadway musical received another successful theatrical release, which included visual remastering and a shiny new Dolby soundtrack. For its video and laser disc re-release, Grease lovers can also now see it in the correct 2:35 to 1 Panavision aspect ratio, and see retrospective interviews with cast members and director Randal Kleiser. All these stylistic touches are essential to the film's success. Without the fabulously choreographed, widescreen musical numbers; vibrant colors; and unforgettably campy and catchy tunes (like "Greased Lightning," "Summer Nights," and "You're the One That I Want"), the film would have to rely on a silly, cliché-filled plot that we've seen hundreds of times. As it is, the episodic story about the romantic dilemmas experienced by a group of graduating high school seniors remains fresh, fun, and incredibly imaginative. The young, animated cast also deserves a lot of credit, bringing chemistry and energy to otherwise bland material. John Travolta, straight from his success in Saturday Night Fever, knows his sexual star power and struts, swaggers, sings, and dances appropriately; while Olivia Newton-John's portrayal of virgin innocence is the only decent acting she's ever done. And then there's Stockard Channing, spouting sexual double-entendres as Rizzo, the bitchy, raunchy leader of the Pink Ladies, who steals the film from both of its stars. Ignore the sequel at all costs. --Dave McCoy ... Read more

Reviews (221)

5 Star Movie Lowered (Slightly) By Disappointing DVD
I won't go into the plot here, because, let's face it, if you haven't seen Grease by now, you probably won't ever see it. And you are missing out on a really fun film. That is the secret to this movie's popularity. It's just plain fun! It doesn't have a really great script, none of the performancies (with the exception of Stockard Channing) is anything above run-of-the-mill, but it's got a lot of great, catchy songs, a very likeable cast, and is just a treat to watch again and again. I was disappointed by this DVD release though, because it's exactly the same as the laser disc, only smaller and you don't have to turn it over. The cast interviews at the end are four years old, and this is really just a delayed release of the 20th Anniversary Edition on DVD. And what fan of Grease needs a cheap, paper booklet of song lyrics? Believe me, we know them all by heart. Truly the most profitable and one of the most popular musicals ever made deserves a better DVD package. The fans certai