Description

In the tradition of THE PRINCESS DIARIES, Disney's FREAKY FRIDAY is the extremely funny and heartwarming comedy everyone will love.Dr. Tess Coleman (the hilarious Jamie Lee Curtis) and her teenage daughter Anna (Lindsay Lohan) have one thing in common -- they don't relate to each other on anything.Not clothes or men or Anna's passion to be in a rock band. Nothing. Then one night a little mystic mayhem changes their lives and they wake up to the biggest freak-out ever.Tess and Anna are trapped inside each other's body! But Tess's wedding is Saturday, and the two must find a way to switch back -- fast! Literally forced to walk in each other's shoes, will they gain respect and understanding for the other's point of view? Filled with comedy, rock 'n roll, and lots of heart, FREAKY FRIDAY is freaking fun everyone can enjoy together. ... Read more

Reviews (223)

Super Freaky
The original Freaky Friday, released in 1977, starred Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster, as a mother/daughter, who pull off the old switchero. The sprited 2003 remake is as much fun as the earlier incarnation and is a great showcase for the comedic talents of its two female leads.

Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her 15-year-old daughter Anna (Lindsay Lohan) are not getting along all that well. The pair butt heads over everthing from boys, household chores, to mom's upcoming nuptials to Ryan (Mark Harmon). However, everything changes when two identical Chinese fortune cookies cause a little mystic mayhem and Tess and Anna find themselves inside the other's body. And with Tess's wedding only a few days away, the two have to find a way to switch back before the big day.

Under the direction of Mark S. Waters, Freaky Friday, has what many of the identity crisis comedies of the past did not--good chemistry between the leads. Curtis and Lohan make quite a team. I was very impressed with the way they were both able to transform into each other. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a clever and witty script, to back you up. After seeing Curtis strut her stuff, her Golden Globe nomination for her performance, was well deserved.

The DVD has a solid assortment of extras, but I really wish the stars had recorded an audio commentary, that probably would have been lots of fun. Waters offers an introduction for a deleted scene and no less than three alternate endings. I'll let you decide for yourself, which ending works best. Actress Lindsay Lohan grabbed a DV Camera for some fun backstage moments with the cast and crew during the making of the film. There's also a three minute blooper reel that's worth a look, two music videos from the film's soundtrack: Lillix's "What I Like About You" and Halo Friendlies' "Me Vs. the World", a few DVD-ROM weblinks, and the usual Disney sneak peeks. The actual theatrical trailers for either Freaky Friday film, however, didn't make the disc. Viewers can watch the movie in either the full-screen or widescreen formats

This is a lighthearted family comedy that made even this somewhat cynical reviewer smile. Recommended

SWITCHEROONIE
FREAKY FRIDAY is a movie of revelations. First, we have the breakout performance for an actress who has always done well, but in this movie, well she finds her niche. Jamie Lee Curtis is absolutely delightful in the role of Tess Coleman. She brings a comic ability hardly evidenced in her earlier films; she also has the maturity to cut loose and play her teenage daughter with all the stops pulled out. If this was a perfect world, Jamie Lee would find herself with a Best Actress oscar nomination this year. Likewise, Ms. Lindsay Lohan---incredible performance, going from the self-centered teenybopper to the more sophisticated and mature personage of her stressed out mom.
Lohan and Curtis work brilliantly together, and in this same perfect world, Lindsay would also be Oscar nominated.
Director Mark Waters kept things moving at a frenetic pace, and had me chuckling throughout the movie. We can't overlook, either, the wonderful actors in their supporting roles: Mark Harmon was his usual stuffy self, but there was innate warmth lurking there, too; Harold Gould was charming as the hard of hearing grandfather; Ryan Malgarini was perfect as the brother from hell; Dina Spybey was perfect as the too perfect classmate, Stacey; and my favorites: Rosalind Chao and Lucille Soong as the Chinese ladies who get the ball rolling with the switching. They are so full of life, they give the movie incredible bursts of fun and humor. Ironically, Chad Michael Murray worked best in his scenes with Jamie Lee; he seemed to have more maturity and self-confidence.
This is a very entertaining movie, and in its own way, much better than the original.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND OSCAR DON'T BE SUCH A STUFFSHIRT!

Awesome movie!
Great family movie! Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan once again prove what great actresses they are! The movie is very funny and the chemistry between the actors is amazing!

A Fillm for the whole family
I was very happy when I got Freaky Friday for christmas and I enjoy every moment of it. It has a little of everything for the whole family. Rock, love and comdey it just a feel good movie for any age.

Average Flick
I have to say I liked the book better. The movie is kind of shallow. I like Lindsay Lohan a lot, but for some reason this movie didn't serve a purpose for me.
They twisted the story of the book, which was much better might I add, to make 'Anna' a rebel punk rocker with a bad attitude and a belly button ring. I think I may have appreciated this movie more if it had some more meaning.
Some parts of the movie were really good and some parts were kind of stinky. No offense, but after Chad Michael Murray's character entered the movie, that's when the movie got boring. That's the word. Boring. Not bad, just kind of boring.
Don't get me wrong though, it's a lot better than that Lizzie Maguire movie and What A Girl Wants, and I guess maybe littler kids might like it more than I did. But here's the breakdown.....
THE MOVIE: Definitely worth watching, Definitely worth checking out of the library, Worth renting, Maybe not worth buying until you've seen it.
AGES?: 4-6, probably wouldn't get it. 7-9 May like it. 10-13 - my age group....It was okay...kind of predictable. 13+ - most likely will find it boring.
MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS: Mean Girls (PG-13) for younger kids, The Parent Trap and Cheaper By The Dozen.
OTHER: I recommend Freaky Friday, the book, wholeheartedly. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

One of my top 10 movies....
I love this movie, it's one of my top 10 favorites. It's glitzy and it dazzles me, and it's just the kind of movie that gives me sweet dreams and one you'll love to cozy up with on a Saturday night. It's so very lavish and everything in this movie is just beautiful and huge!! Everything about this movie is on such a grand scale, everything is just so big and gorgeous, the mansion is again just gorgeous, the rooms are perfectly and beautifully decorated and the colors that are used are just dreamy, the flower arrangements are also huge and they sit atop huge fireplaces, this movie is just a feast for the eyes! (I found that I watched it again so that I could rewind and rewind just to feast on the sets!) For the most part, the movie stays pretty close to the storyline of the book, and the book was again a huge and wonderful read, (which I also suggest!) My husband also liked this movie, he liked the actors and the storyline, the cars, the racing and the bird's eye view of the auto industry, and one of his favorite actress is Leslie Ann Downs. The flashbacks made me feel like I had slipped back in time, and oh I also just loved how Betsy got her man, the little swim she took... (she's the same actress who played the little girl on Make Room For Daddy with Danny Thomas--I think?). Lawrence O is in my opinion, very sexy and magnetic and perfect for the part, he's very handsome and even though I had never seen him before in any other movie, whew, what a cutie he is, even for an older man! But I love Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. And yes, I totally agree with the viewer who said there was no chemistry between any of the actors and that Tommy Lee rushed through his lines like he was in a hurry to get to an audition for Coal Miner's Daughter (I had a good laugh at this!), but still he's young and cute and he does not disappoint. I love movies with good actors, pretty sets, lovely clothes, romance and happy endings and any movie that goes back in time or ia a period piece, gets my vote every single time.

Not a masterpiece but still good
The betsy which is based on a novel by Harold Robbins is not

a very good movie but it is not that bad.I didn't like Olivier's

performance but i think Tommy Lee Jones did great.The love

scenes in the movie are very beautiful and Kathleen Beller is

a very gorgeous actress [Most known for her role as Kirby

andrews in Dynasty] and i adore her love scene with Tommy Lee

Jones.

A So-Bad-It's-Great Classic
There's so much awfulness to love in this movie, a camp classic done as straight as an arrow.

I have a hard time figuring out what's my favorite thing about this movie because there's so much to love -- the total miscasting? Olivier's "Americanish" accent which is frequently slurred? The complete lack of chemistry between any of the principle characters? That "Where's My Paycheck?" look on Katherine Ross' face? The way Tommy Lee Jones spits out his lines so quickly like he needs to leave the set early to go to the Coal Miner's Daughter audition? ... The heavily gauzed-lens flashbacks? The complete implausibility of Harold Robbins' story? Mansions decorated with whicker furniture? Sir Larry's parade of horrendous toupees?

If you miss Dynasty or The Colbys for any of the above reasons, or if you are just a connoisseur of So-Bad-They're-Great movies you can't miss this one. ...

Great Fun in A Grat Pot Boiler
This is a movie with no pretensions. It is about corporate intrigue, family disputes and beautiful bodies. It is an unashamed pot-boiler. It is helped by the fine acting that does not descend into camp. There are many highy capable actors here. No one hams it up for the camera which only makes this glorius bit of cheese all the more fun.

A 3-star movie, 5 stars for Tommy Lee Jones, average to 4
This is a big, gorgeous movie, but can drag at times. Whenever Tommy Lee Jones is on the screen, however, it's fabulous. I remember seeing this movie when it first came out, and wondering why he wasn't in more movies. Some very beautiful and surprisingly explicit nudity showing the actress playing Betsy. I wonder what happened to her? ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not as entertaining as the others!
My preshooler (3.5 yrs old) has recently discovered MSB and is now hooked on it. It is the only thing he wants to watch. But not this one! This one did not get the kind of enthuastic response that the others (the Bee Hives, Salmon, Lunch (Arnold's digestive system), etc.) got.

An oldie but goodie
This movie is one of my favorite MSB videos. It is a true oldie but goodie video. It teaches kids about how sound is made and what it can do in the world today. During the movie, the class has to performe infront of parents, but Carlos, who has to make his own instrument, can't seem to find the right sound. With the help of Mrs. Frizzel and some other friends, Carlos saves the day with his musical instrument. ... Read more

Reviews (277)

Brave New World II
Gattaca pleasantly surprised me as a thoughtful and rather worrisome view of the possible future instead of the special-effects-laden sci-fi movie I was expecting.

The story takes place at a time when genetic excellence is the yardstick by which individuals are measured. The ability to preselect genes among offspring and measure one's genetic potential through simple biological tests gives rise to a new form of discrimination that bars the genetically flawed protagonist, played by Ethan Hawke, from his lifelong goal of becoming an astronaut. Undaunted, he sets out to fool a genetic screening system and gain admission to the space program where he can pursue his dream. A scandalous incident at the space center (Gattaca) casts a scrutinizing light on each of the employees and threatens to expose his deception.

The details of this movie are clever and well thought out. The film has a graceful, almost poetic quality bolstered by a lush musical score. The acting is quite good all the way around. Ethan Hawke's fine performance certainly puts him on the map if he wasn't already there. Jude Law almost steals the show with his convincing portrayal of the broken golden child made miserable by his own misfortune but who comes to share in the dream of Ethan Hawke's character as he helps him outwit the system.

Gattaca shows us that lackluster natural potential coupled with unwavering desire and ambition can ultimately reach higher than mere genetic predisposition. Well worth seeing; four-and-a-half stars.

Celebrates the strength of spirit and desire
This is truly one of the most inspiring movies I've ever seen.

It's replete with symbolism: helix shaped stair cases, red and green lights indicating valid and invalid, the heart disease of Vincent (the natural born) as opposed to the lack of heart (spirit) of Jerome (the "superior", genetically engineered human), etc. The setting also makes use of connotations associated with the past. Slick hair styles, clothing, and sterile interior furnishings have an organized, repressed feeling evoking the controlled and prejudiced 1950's. This helps enhance the mood of lifeless surrender. Even the bald head of the geneticist at the beginning of the movie was a statement against the pursuit of perfection by means of perfecting the body and brain. Wealth of living is not found in the the physical plain, but in the spirit in which each day is lived.

Add to all this wounderful cinnematography, an unforgettable musical score, and fine acting that meld together into a fluid whole, and you've got a fantastic movie that repays many viewings.

Biology Lovers Unite and watch Gattaca
If you love Biology, especially genetics and DNA, this movie is for you. Gattaca combines a love story, with high-paced action, that is sure to get your adrenaline pumping. Gattaca will at first be confusing, but it will all make sense in the end, and it will be sure to make a place on the front of your DVD/VHS shelf.

Gattaca is an unforgettable warning
The best exploration of the possibility of genetically modified people becoming a separate social and economic class leaving behind and opressing those who are not genetically modified.

My favorite film
The word "Inspiring" is grossly overused in film reviews. Gattaca is one of the very few that genuinely deserves it. In a nutshell, it's the story of a mutt (Ethan Hawke) bypassing and surpassing a world that's designed against him. This movie really affected me (another overused appraisal.)

Maybe I just love this movie because I relate too much to the protaganist, Vincent. Despite everyones expectations, from my high school counseler on, and my lack of any prestigious schooling, I'll soon have my physics PhD.

This is a wonderful movie. That it didnt sweep the Oscars only validates the movies point. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Terrorific as life
Terrorific as life, "Johnny got his gun" tells much more that can be described with words. I was searching this movie years ago, and now that I have found it (and watch it) I can say that this is one of the greatest films ever made, a masterpiece. What Dalton Trumbo shows here will dig deep inside you. There are more subliminal messages, themes and even philosophical reasonings aside from the anti-war message (wich is omnipresent, of course). I'll get the book soon. I won't say anymore, just watch it. You won't see life the same.

a disturbing ,but very good anti-war film
Something that most reviewers are leaving out is that this movie was orginally released at the climax of the Vietnam war (70 or 71 I dont remember exatcly when) because of its very anti-war message the film was a little controversal . The main reason I watched this was because of the old Metallica video for "one" and thought that whatever movie they were stealing scenes from had to be good . Also there is more truth in this movie than one would think .If you look into World War II a lot of military doctors were really proud of just who or rather what they could save and keep alive . Later though things on the battlefield were different with most doctors realizing that there are times when people are better off dead , and that they should think about what someones life would be like when they recover...

The story basically goes something like this: A young soldier in World War II gets hit with a bomb with his name on it , leaving him blind , mute , deaf , armless , legless , and more or less faceless . He then spends his time bed-riden in a dark storage room of a hospital thinking about what life was like before and fantisizing about life after the bomb (watch for Donald Sutherland as Jesus in one of his fantasys)some very disturbing stuff also happens like the scene in which he uses his head to tap a more code message on his pillow of "Kill me , Kill me..."

Beyond words
When I was young, the heavy metal group Metallica released a video entitled "One". A child at the time, I remember seeing black and white images of a man who appeared to be wearing a nurse's mask, and hearing narration. Later on, seeing the video a few times, I realized what it was about, who this man was, and the general plotline. I was so simultaneously horrified, depressed, and abysmally aware that this COULD happen and probably had happen that I thought about it for days. I even feared, for a time, turning on MTV for fear of seeing the video again. It stuck in my mind like morbid superglue.

Finding out more about "Johnny Got His Gun" as novel, I was almost terrified to touch the book, but soon couldn't resist anymore. The impact of the novel on my mind was indescribable. Although I had no intention whatsoever of seeing the film (the book, in it's depth, sincerity, hopelessness and painstaking attention to gruesome detail had overwhelmed me), I promised myself that one day I would.

I did. While it doesn't approach the power of the novel, it is a film like no other. I have never once seen a plot this bleak and "in your face" in terms of anti war, matters of human dignity and just bare suffering ever. It made my stomach turn, heart leap and etched in my memory. The scenes where Joe talks to an obviously illusory Christ are surreal and disturbing. This is bar none the most powerful anti-war film, and one (if not the) powerful films I have ever seen. I am not surprised at it's obscurity, as few would even want to see it. Brilliant, breathtaking, and absolutely devastating. If you're up for a challenge and a mind blower, watch this straight through with no breaks.

Instant Pacifist
I saw this movie years ago, and when I'm asked what was the scariest movie I've ever seen, I always point to this one. It turned me into an instant pacifist, and I recommend it be required viewing for anyone endorsing war as a U. S. policy.
No movie brings home the truth that human beings pay a horrible price during a war better than this one does.

where's the gun?
this movie doesn't make any sense. the main character (johnny) doesn't even have a gun in most of the movie. and he never gets it. he doesn't even have arms to shoot a gun with, so even if he had a gun it wouldn't do him much good. i think they should remake this movie and give him arms in it so that he can have a gun and then it would make sense. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Favorite Cartoon
Why aren't these cartoons on DVD yet? If you too love the Animaniacs, go here to help us get them put out on DVD.

Insightful (and Inciteful) Satire
With the Pinky and the Brain cartoons, Spielberg productions found the root cause of the Warner Bros. classic animation success: a good story that appeals to adults will win over children. I have had the good fortune to watch my son appreciate more about these cartoons over the years, and, when he's ready to vote, I'll be sure to get him to watch "Meet John Brain" again--a clearer explanation of the electoral process than anyone ever got from "Schoolhouse Rock." ;) Now, if only Warner Home Video would release P&tB on DVD . . . .

A MUST for Pinky & The Brain Fans!
This video contains a few of the funniest toons featuring Pinky & The Brain, and of course, The Brain is up to his usual scheming to take over the world. Cartoons on this video: "Puppet Rulers"--Pinky & The Brain become pop culture icons on a childrens' puppet show, only to abandon the show at the height of its popularity, sending their viewers into therapy. "Win Big"--a classic toon spoof of "Jeopardy!" Even The Brain is no match for Alex Trebek's smugness! In "Battle for the Planet," they spoof the radio version of "War of the Worlds," and darn near convince their listeners that the earth is really being invaded, and of course, the plan backfires and the show ends up being a comedy smash instead of a power coup. In "Meet John Brain," The Brain runs for president, and it's not until he's rating high in popularity polls that anyone notices he's a mouse. For anyone who couldn't stomach Billy Ray Cyrus, then the last toon "Bubba Bo Bob Brain" will have your side splitting. Brain tries to take over the world by combining country music and subliminal messages! Watch for the caricatures of Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton... Guaranteed to make you laugh good 'n hard -- NARF!

Yes, I WILL buy this video.
I love the Animaniacs. I used to watch them every afternoon, and this video provides a great way to get my fix any time of day. Attention college students: buy this video as a way to procrastinate! It's better than just sitting around! ... Read more

Reviews (205)

Great film (it's Scorcese: what do you expect?)
"Casino" falls short of Scorcese's classics like "Goodfellas," "Taxi Driver," and "Raging Bull," and it covers too familiar ground (another mob movie? De Niro and Pesci again?). Nonetheless, it's an irrestistible glimpse at the mob scene in Vegas, and it's chock full of stellar performances. If Joe Pesci deserved an Oscar for his role in "Goodfellas," then he should have deserved two for "Casino," where he's in even better form. DeNiro also shines in his role as Rothstein, looking dapper in his flawlessly-tailored suits. But the film's revelation is Sharon Stone, who radiates as De Niro's love. She was rightfully nominated for an Oscar, but, to this day, she has never since had a role worth our while as this. Scorcese snobs will roll their eyes and call this film "Goodfellas"-lite, but, at nearly 3 hours, it's good enough to glue your eyes to the screen.

If you don't have my money for me, I'll crack your...
In many ways, Casino is the epic Goodfellas could not be. Casino is about relationships between characters in and around organized crime and gambling, and it's about the arc that an entire city of pleasure takes over these people.

It's Scorsese and Pileggi and DeNiro and Pesci and Frank Vincent again and it's a top-notch, gorgeous gangster epic.

In the early 70s the Chicago Outfit sends Sam 'Ace' Rothstein out to Las Vegas to manage the casinos they're skimming cash from. Ace is a gambling master, a sure-bettor who never loses; soon the Tangiers is raking in more dough than ever due to his management. In order to better 'manage', the Outfit also sends Nicky Santoro, a crafty but hot-headed soldiers (Pesci) to Vegas, to provide the muscle. Pretty soon Pesci is smacking people around, stabbing them with pens, putting their heads in vices, and even vandalizing their cars (not to mention flat-out threatening to crack their heads open) all as he looks to set up his own empire away from the Dons in the Midwest.

When Ace marries a call girl named Ginger (Sharon Stone) and attempts to start a family, things start going downhill. Ginger is still involved with her old pimp, for one. And let me pause to mention that James Woods has played possibly the sleaziest, most disgusting rat pimp of all time, from the subtleties like his mustache and mesh shirt to his cheap talk and bullying threats. Eventually, Ace, Nicky, Ginger, Nicky's Vegas crew, they all manage to bring the house crashing down on them.

This is all based on the true story of the Chicago Mob in Las Vegas and the hold the families had on the big casinos. Pillegi's source book is an interesting account for sure, with more commentary from some minor characters in the film, giving it different angles than just the Deniro-Stone-Pesci trifecta.

The film looks gorgeous, it has to be one of Scorsese's biggest budgets. The 70s clothes, the cars, the settings--they manage to scrounge up enough un-touched 70s Vegas left, and they film in real casinos quite a bit.

The film is three hours long; there's a lot packed into this. Along the way it can be fun; the voiceover sequences of Ace describing the workings of a casino, or how people cheat (and get caught) playing blackjack, or the montage of Nicky's gangster antics, all make this very engaging. The film is a lot bloodier than Goodfellas, and even had to be cut (during the infamous head-vice scene.)

This can't be recommended highly enough, HOWEVER, once again we have a very lame DVD, not as bad as Goodfellas, but not much better. You don't have to flip this one over, but for a three hour film, there are far too FEW chapters, making it very frustrating if you want to watch certain portions again. There's a trailer, wow! There's also some text you can read on the production and the stars, but quite frankly, that is one of the lamest features they try to put on discs. Can't they simply print production notes in a booklet?

If you haven't seen this or Goodfellas, come out of the cave. If you listen to some people who say 'It's like Goodfellas, but not as good', well, you can let them think for you. It's as good as Goodfellas, and arguably better.

And Joe Pesci has some of the most choice swearing lines...

Crippled American Version
This is a great movie that deserves a better dvd treatment. The layout and features are extremely vanilla. Not since Dracula have I see such a vhs content type dvd. Maybe in the future it will get a proper treatment in a boxset but in its current condition this release shouldn't be purchased to accompany any collection.

Also its important to note that this is not the uncut version. So far the only uncut version of this classic to make it to dvd is the Australian release.

A Scorsese Masterpiece.
'Casino' is a dominant film which is based on the true story of how Las Vegas was transformed from a simple gambling mecca into a place that has as much personality and colour as Disney World. Robert De Niro stars as a casino owner who is on the ground-level of the city's change. He is a high-class crook who's able to turn profits with the help of the mafia and crooked gaming practices (a norm for all casinos). Joe Pesci is on hand as the mob assassin with the short fuse who is De Niro's right-hand man. However, no one stays on top forever and De Niro's demise is partly due to his ex-prostitute wife (Sharon Stone, in her Oscar-nominated role). Bad decision-making, shady dealings, and questionable alliances will also be key factors in his ultimate downfall. Once again Martin Scorsese has created a film that is so multi-layered and smart that the viewer is completely engrossed for the entire 182 minutes.

'Casino' is a crime epic, in close contrast with 'The Godfather' series of films. Scorsese accomplishes what he did with 'Raging Bull' and 'GoodFellas'. Once again De Niro and Pesci shine with his direction and the unrelenting screenplay. Sharon Stone does the best work of her career. She does not necessarily shine brighter than De Niro and Pesci, but she holds her own and never lets either of them steal her thunder and lightning. Another great thing about 'Casino' is the supporting cast: Don Rickles, Kevin Pollak, James Woods, and Joe Bob Briggs all add great elements of both comedy and drama to this outstanding winner which has been overlooked on Scorsese's list of credits.

Pretty Good Movie
This one doesn't measure up in any meaningful sense to "Goodfellas" (one of the greatest films of all-time).
However I just wanted to voice my sentiments regarding one magnificent scene that gives me a bit of a vicarious thrill; when Pesci's character Nick Santoro (based on the true life mob enforcer Tony Spilotro) confronts the banker: "...I don't think you realize what it is that I do for a living. If I go down to your bank tomorrow and you don't have my money I'll bust your fckin' head open. And just about the time you're getting out of your coma I'll be getting out of jail and I'll bust your fckin' head open again. See, that's the business I'm in..."

I think just about every poor, working class and middle class person has had the urge to sound off to a bank official like that on at least one occasion.

Also Sharon Stone's legs are quite easy on the eyes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Rolling Thunder's ex-Vietnam War POW Major Charles Rane (William Devane) returns to a hero's welcome in San Antonio in the early '70s. He's bestowed with a red Cadillac convertible, $2,500 in silver dollars, and accolades from all sides. Soon, however, he discovers that all is not as it seems; his wife strayed with a close friend during his years of confinement. He also finds that he has his own personal POW groupie, Linda; her fascination with him is met with the same shoulder-shrugging blandness that he shows toward everything else in what's left of his life. One day Rane comes home to find a houseful of assorted Texas white trash demanding his small fortune in silver dollars. Their efforts to beat him into revealing the location of the money are for naught, so they jam his right hand down a garbage disposal instead. When his wife and kid come home, the two gladly give up the money but the robbers cold-bloodedly gun them down anyway. Flash-forward: Rane has himself fitted with a hook prosthesis (which he sharpens on a grinder), cuts down a couple of shotguns, and points the scarlet Caddy land yacht south towards Nuevo Laredo, bent on revenge. With Linda in tow, he tracks the bad guys as far as Acuña and Juárez, where he hooks up with war buddy Johnny (Tommy Lee Jones) for a final showdown. What would otherwise play as a routine revenge story is given a measure of dimension and depth by Devane's performance and Paul Schrader's script. The comparison to Schrader scripts such as the previous year's Taxi Driver are inevitable and obvious. Like Taxi Driver's Travis Bickle, Rane wears opaque state-trooper sunglasses that allow no window into his dead soul. However, Bickle's internal monologues are missing; all the audience can see of Rane's character is what's on the surface, only what Rane wants others to see. He's simply a vengeful automaton, riddled with a cold, poisonous, implacable rage. Strong stuff indeed. --Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (5)

DEVANE'S SCREEN PRESENCE
This is a flawed but very interesting movie. What strikes me is that it starred Bill DeVane with Tommie Lee Jones in a supporting role. At the time, DeVane was headed, seemingly, for stardom. He had been brilliant as JFK in "The Missiles of October" and even better as a turncoat spy in "Marathon Man". Yet it was Jones, not DeVane, who went on to screen greatness.

DeVane is a Vietnam flyboy, shot down, captured by the Communists, held and tortured for seven years. He returns to his family, but is estranged from them. They are killed in a robbery. This is where the film veers somewhat, because it is in the realism of his character that DeVane leaves us wanting. The realism is that DeVane has learned, been programmed, to be dehumanized. It was the only way to survive his Vietnam ordeal. As he reacts to "the world," or rather does not react to it, to his family, his wife who plans to leave him, he has no emotion left. It has all been drained from him. He speaks about "when we were alive," which was the prisoner's code for before capture. He is like a zombie. It is good method acting, but the viewer thirsts for more.

The script tries to take us there by showing DeVane with a blonde "groupie" who tags along while he sojourns into Mexico and El Paso looking for his family's killers. Eventually he teams with Jones and they exact their revenge, which is as much their personal release of violent expression against their captor as it is the killing of the robbers who murdered DeVane's family.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
...

"GOT YOUR TIME BOY."
WILLIAM DEVANE HAS MADE A CAREER OUT OF STARRING IN T.V. MOVIES, MOST OF WHICH ARE OF THE HUM DRUM VARIETY. THIS BIG SCREEN FILM STANDS OUT ALONGSIDE MOVIES LIKE 'PAYBACK' AS SHOWING WHAT A FINE ACTOR DEVANE REALLY IS.
THIS WAS LONG BEFORE TOMMY LEE JONES WAS A HOUSEHOLD NAME ALSO AND YET IT DISPALYS THE TALENT THAT HAS MADE HIM A MULTI MILLIONARE.
THE TWO VIETNAM VETS RETURN HOME AFTER BEING HELD IN A P.O.W. CAMP AND ROUTINELY TORTURED. NEITHER MAN SHOWS UP WITH THE HUMANITY THEY PROBABLY LEFT WITH.
DEVANES WIFE WANTS A DIVORCE WHICH SUITS HIM FINE EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT HE GENUINELY WANTS A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS SON.
DEVANES FAMILY IS SET UPON BY PETTY CROOKS WHO INVADE THE HOME IN AN EFFORT TO STEAL SILVER DOLLARS AWARDED TO DEVANE UPON HIS RETURN. THEY KILL ALL, OR SO THEY THINK. DEVANES CHARACTER SURVIVES WITH A PROSTETIC HOOK FOR ONE HAND. HE THEN SETS OUT TO AVENGE HIS SONS MURDER. HE IS ACCOMPANIED BY AN AIRHEADED GROUPIE WHO THINKS HE IS COOL.
WE THEN RIDE ALONG FROM SOUTH TEXAS TO VARIOUS MEXICAN BORDER TOWNS IN SEARCH OF THE LOW RENT KILLERS HEADED BY ACTOR JAMES BEST WHO PORTRAYS A GOON FAR REMOVED FROM THE ROSCOE P. COLTRAIN CHARACTER HE MADE FAMOUS IN 'THE DUKES OF HAZZARD.'

DEVANE ALONG WITH ASSISTANCE FROM WAR WRECKED TOMMY LEE JONES CORNERS THE BAD GUYS IN A WHOREHOUSE JUST ACROSS THE BORDER FROM EL PASO.
THE FINALLY IS CLIMACTIC, AND JUSTIFIABLY SO. THE COOLEST SCENE IN THE PICTURE IS WHEN DEVANE CONFRONTS BEST WHO LAYS IN BED WITH A PROSTITUTE. DEVANE WAKES THE MAN, SAYING "GOT YOUR TIME BOY." YOU CAN GUESS WHAT HAPPENS NEXT GIVEN THE FACT THAT DEVANE IS BEARING DOWN ON THE MAN WITH A DOUBLE BARRLED SAWD OFF SHOTGUN.

THIS IS KIND OF A 'DEATH WISH' TEXAS STYLE FILM BUT IT WORKS. THE BAD GUYS ARE SO BRUTALLY DISGUSTING THAT YOU CANT WAIT FOR THEM TO "GET THEIR TIME."

ITS A GOOD EFFORT AND WORTH A LOOK.

Rolling Thunder: Diamond in the Sand
I first saw this video in 1985. The movie caught my attention and held it throughout. Sure, there are other movies that attempt to deal with the plight of the vet, robberies and vengeance, love of family and vendetta. But there is not a movie out there that combines all of these with the same rhythm and intensity as "Rolling Thunder." At a time when movies are relying more on computer generated graphics than on a plot with substance, Rolling Thunder should be being aired on TNT, TBS, Lifetime, TNN and any other cable channel that wants to break away from the monotonous hum-drum of the fare being shown in the name of "entertainment." Devane does more than one good hand and a hook than most of today's action heroes do with both hands and both feet. Rah also for my main man, Tommy Lee Jones, who takes a back seat to Devane, but stands by his buddy to the end as they seek out the baddies that done Devane's family wrong. A must see!

Doesn't get much more powerful. . .
I am a huge movie buff and if you are looking for a raw, powerful, gritty movie experience, definitely check out this movie, which remains one of my all-time top three. I personally like this film better than "Taxi Driver", but if you liked "Taxi Driver" then you will definitely like this film, because it was written by the same guy and the themes are similar. I was blown away not only by the performances (particularly Tommy Lee Jones in a startlingly forceful role), but by the amazing amount of action. There is definitely more violence and action than there is in "Driver" and that's why I like it. Some people criticize the violence, but with the powerful storyline, disturbing violence is almost necessary. Definitely see this film. Along with "Driver" this film will awaken you to the horrors of the Vietnam War.

If you are a fan of "Taxi Driver", you will love this one
Basic storyline is this. Major Charles Rane returns home, Texas, from seven years of torture in POW during Vietnam War. As a big welcome gift, he receives a Cadillac and a couple of thousands dollars from city. Charles soon finds out his wife fell in love with other man and his emotion starts to build up. Then people came after Charles' reward money kill his son and wife and Charles loses his hand. Charlie and his friend from the war, Johnny played by Tommy Lee Jones, get together for a revenge. I found out about this movie from the "King Pulp: The Wild World of Quentin Tarantino". The movie "Rolling Thunder" is written by Paul Schrader, writer from "Taxi Driver". Like "Taxi Driver", this movie is charged with gripping scripts and emotionally rich and powerful characters. Without showing any real battle scenes, the movie builds up very strong Vietnam war drama. Also, the sequence where Major Charles Rane (William Devane) drives to find killers of his son and wife with a girl reminds the stoyline of "Natural Born Killers". Performance by Tommy Lee Jones as a supporting actor is also interesting to look at. This movie is as powerful and brutal as "Taxi Driver". ... Read more

Amazon.com

Essentially a cautionary tale of slightly futuristic cyberterrorism, Netforce carries Tom Clancy's heavyweight name as the executive producer (but not writer). Don't expect a drama on the level of Patriot Games, however: Netforce is a blunt and somewhat rushed thriller with little time for character or relationship development. What it does offer is a scenario for the prospect of organized crime uniting with computer geeks and malevolent industrialists to sabotage national security through attacks on the Internet. Scott Bakula plays the FBI agent in charge of the Netforce division of the bureau; he takes charge after his mentor (Kris Kristofferson) is murdered and the investigation points to the involvement of a Web pioneer (Judge Reinhold). The hero's romance with a colleague (Joanna Going) grows a little trickier after he promotes her to the number two spot behind himself, but with the president's chief of staff (Brian Dennehy) breathing down their necks, that's the least of their professional problems. The action bounces around from good guys to sundry bad guys, but there's no question that a creeping paranoia about Net vulnerability and its disastrous implications grows on this production--and the viewers. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Trite, slow, boring, inaccurate - Minus 5 stars
I've read a lot of Tom Clancy bookds and seen his movies...this is really a travesty...a poor premise/plot, a clunky use of technology throughout, just a sad, sad excuse for a movie. By the way, I really have begun to dislike Scott Pakula as an actor, he's not too smart and in my mind has screwed up Enterprise ... he does an equally lame job here

A great movie
I have never read Tom Clancy's books nor had I heard of the Net Force series before, but this movie was so good that I actually went to the net to look for Clancy's books. Even though some characters are not well developed, the movie was a very realistic depiction of how our technology could be in about 20 years. The plot was fast moving and it kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end.

Tom Clancy's Netforce
I've read some of Tom Clancy's works before. They are all quite entertaining in their own different way. However, the only one of Clancy's works transferred to the screen I've bothered to watch was Netforce. That was strictly to see Scott Bakula again. Scott's portrayal of Alex was a gem to see. After Netforce, I went out to find other books in this series and only read the Alex parts!

It sounds good
Hi everyone. MOst of you know who Tom Clancy is. He has video games out there. Like Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6 and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell. Those are great games. So most people would think this would be a great movie since it has his name in it. I thought it was a pretty good movie. But most of the other reviews said it sucked. So if you don't believe me just see it yourself. And stop listening to the reviews.

Clancy must not research his movies as much as we thought
Very inaccurate depiction of computers. Tom Clancy, i thought you were highly touted as being a realistic researcher of the details... how did you flub this one so bad? ... Read more

Reviews (157)

Fantastic adaption of Clancy's novel
A first-rate thriller that provides the goods again and again. Excellent cast, good direction (the almost always reliable McTiernan--see "Last Action Hero" for the only real blemish on his record), plenty of suspense and thrills. There are a few differences between the novel and the film, but only purists will quibble about that. And yes, Scotsman Connery plays a Lithuanian, but he does it well, and as always, brings a touch of class to the role. I despise Alec Baldwin, but he's perfect as Ryan--the right age and look combined with the proper mix of guile, humility, and cockiness. The film also boasts an excellent supporting cast, with kudos to Sam Neill, Richard Jordan, and Courtney Vance for their performances. Scott Glenn and James Earl Jones are also solid in their roles. The occasional "technobabble" and military talk may confuse those unfamiliar with such terms, but it doesn't detract from the plot or action--in other words, you can still understand and follow the film even if you don't understand the terminology. The DVD features no extras of note, unfortunately, but the transfer quality--while a bit off-color at times--is still far better than VHS, and those of you with home theaters BEWARE--the sound quality (5.1 Surround) is frighteningly good at times (is that torpedo in your living room, or on the screen?!?). A so-so disc, but an incredible, intelligent thriller that's worth buying in any format.

Decent film; terrible DVD
"The Hunt for Red October" is a smart, tightly directed adaptation of Tom Clancy's novel of the same name. It's probably one of the more entertaining submarine movies (if you'll buy into the genre). There are some wonderful performances (especially by Joss Ackland, Courtney B. Vance, and the late Richard Jordan) as well as some inspired casting (most notably Tim "Dr. Frank-N-Furter" Curry as Dr. Petrov). While this film is certainly no "Das Boot," it is highly entertaining for all of its 134 minutes.
However, as an avid collector of DVDs and laser discs, this is perhaps the worst video transfer I have ever seen. In fact, I've seen Chinese bootleg copies of other films that have been superior in terms of video quality. For example: In the opening sequence there is a great deal of dust and dirt on the screen - like you're in a third-rate theater watching the film after it has been showing for about a month and a half. Another example: There is an important interior scene on the USS Dallas that features a wonderfully acted and written interplay between Seaman Jones (Vance) and Seaman Beaumont (Ned Vaughn). However, each shot of Jones is inexplicably awash with so much video noise that it completely distracts from the performances.
Why Paramount would neglect such a film is beyond me. The other huge disapointment on this disc is the complete lack of any extras. This disc is a complete bust. Frankly, I hope that another edition is released out of respect to this worthy film.

The best of the Jack Ryan film series.
Based on Tom Clancy's 1984 novel of the same title, "The Hunt for Red October" is the first Jack Ryan adventure on film. Although I like Harrison Ford better in the role of Jack Ryan than either Alec Baldwin or Ben Affleck, "Red October" is the best of the Ryan films partly because of the script, but largely because of the ensemble cast including Scott Glenn, Sam Neill, Tim Curry, James Earl Jones and, of course, Sean Connery as Captain Marko Ramius, the Lithuanian-born commanding officer on the Soviet nuclear submarine Red October who seeks to defect to the United States. Tension builds as Ramius and the Red October move closer to U.S. waters with the Soviet Navy in pursuit and U.S. forces unsure of Ramius' true intentions. "The Hunt for Red October" is a taut thriller, an excellent movie based on a modern masterpiece of a novel, and I fully recommend it.

One of the best movies you will ever see
Tom Clancy is a master writer. His books are amazing thrillers and the moives haven't been that bad either. This is the best of all the Tom Clancy books that have been made into moives and is one of the best book adaptations ever.

Captian Ramius(Connery) is the best the Soviet fleet has to offer. He's trained most of it and he's now in charge of a new Soviet sub. This sub has a new drive system that runs silent meaning it can't be detected by other subs sonars. After Ramius writes a letter to the Soviet Naval command the search is on. They alert the Americans saying Ramius and his crew has gone mad.

The Hunt for The Red October is on. The U.S. can't play around on this idea because the October could park in any U.S. bay and launch hundreds of Nuclear missiles. Jack Ryan(Baldwin) is a CIA Operative that gets selected to help with this mission. He's met Ramius before and doesn't believe that the man wants to harm the U.S. He believes that Ramius wants to defect along with his officers to the U.S., but he's not sure how Ramius is planning to do it. He now has only a couple of hours to prove the intentions of Ramius and save the ship before the U.S. or Soviet fleets find it and sink her.

All the actors are fantastic in the movie. Alec Baldwin is Jack Ryan is flawless. He played the role to perfection and it's the best movie he's ever made. Sean Connery is the man. Instead of killing Soviets he plays one to perfection in this moive. I love his accent and I though he did a great job of faking it. I loved Sam Neil in the moive. His character Vasily has always been one of my favorites because of his loyalty to Ramius. One of Neils best performances. Tim Curry is good as the weasal Soviet doctor. He plays a weasal better than anybody else. James Earl Jones is himself in this movie and like Connery is just the man. I also like Courtney Vance as 2nd Petty Officer Jones. He gives one of the most memorable performances of the movie. This is an all star cast and everybody is fantastic.

John Mctiernan is one of the best directors in Hollywood. He was one of the biggest when this moive was done with hit titles under his belt like Die Hard and Predator. He can make a good action thriller and this is one of the best ones ever made.

The cinematography is great in the film. You feel like your on real naval ships. The uniforms are authenic on both fleets. The sound is fantastic. This is such a well made movie and the is the movie that all submarine movies should stive to look like.

This is such a good movie. It's made to perfection with a great cast, well made, awesome score, and is just flawless. If you want to sit down and watch a good action thriller than this is it. You will struggle to find a better made movie than this.

Best of the Series
Though I have to admit that I prefered Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan, I'll have to give THFRO the nod for the best in the series. The show's brilliant. Brilliant script that is well executed by wonderful acting. Sean Connery's the man. Can't imagine anyone else playing Ramius. Baldwin did a wonderful job playing Ryan. His best role till date. Would have been greeat to have seen him develop the character in the sequels. And furthermore, James Earl Jones aka the voice of Darth Vader makes his presence in all 3 movies felt though his air time's brief. His presence was greatly missed in The Sum of All Fears.

If the studios are planning another Jack Ryan movie..... please get rid of Affleckand bring back Baldwin. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

After the tight plotting and quirky intensity of Fargo, this casually amusing follow-up from the prolifically inventive Coen (Ethan and Joel) brothers seems like a bit of a lark, and the result was a box-office disappointment. The good news is, The Big Lebowski is every bit a Coen movie, and its lazy plot is part of its laidback charm. After all, how many movies can claim as their hero a pot-bellied, pot-smoking loser named Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) who spends most of his time bowling and getting stoned? And where else could you find a hairnetted Latino bowler named Jesus (John Turturro) who sports dazzling purple footgear, or an erotic artist (Julianne Moore) whose creativity consists of covering her naked body in paint, flying through the air in a leather harness, and splatting herself against a giant canvas? Who else but the Coens would think of showing you a camera view from inside the holes of a bowling ball, or an elaborate Busby Berkely-styled musical dream sequence involving a Viking goddess and giant bowling pins? The plot--which finds Lebowski involved in a kidnapping scheme after he's mistaken for a rich guy with the same name--is almost beside the point. What counts here is a steady cascade of hilarious dialogue, great work from Coen regulars John Goodman and Steve Buscemi, and the kind of cinematic ingenuity that puts the Coens in a class all their own. Be sure to watch with snacks in hand, because The Big Lebowski might give you a giddy case of the munchies. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (470)

VERY funny and original
Yeah, the F-word is uttered about 500 times, the lead character is either drinking or smoking grass all the time, and the core plot was probably written on a couple bar napkins at 2:00 a.m. But this is a laugh-out-loud masterpiece, full of both subtle humor and farce/slapstick. To those who are tired of unfunny Hollywood comedies (does the name "Adam Sandler" mean anything to you?), this is a breath of fresh air. Marvelously inventive in its concept and presentation, with dialogue that almost demands that you watch the movies again. The fact that I came of age in the 60s and was a dedicated stoner for a number of years undoubtedly enhanced my appreciation of this flick. But anyone with a taste for over-the-top humor and quirky characters will love it. While Jeff Bridges was quite good, John Goodman's character is the most memorable in recent memory. BTW, after seeing this movie, you'll never be able to think of the drink "white russian" without laughing.

A very interesting movie..
You wouldn't expect anything lesser from the makers of Fargo and Raising Arizona, arguably two fantastic movies in their own right. The B L is a freaky comedy without any situational plot in particular but weirdly engaging in the theme and its treatment nevertheless.

It's about a man named Jeff Lebowski, who calls himself the Dude, and is described by the narrator as the laziest man in LA County. He lives only to go bowling, but is mistaken for a millionaire named the Big Lebowski, with funny consequences. The Dude is played by Jeff Bridges with a goatee, a potbelly, a ponytail and a pair of Bermuda shorts so large they may have been borrowed from his best friend and bowling teammate, Walter Sobchak (John Goodman). Their other teammate is Donny (Steve Buscemi), who may not be very bright, but it's hard be sure since he never is allowed to complete a sentence.

Los Angeles in this film is a zoo of peculiar characters. One of the funniest is a Latino bowler named Jesus (John Turturro), who is seen going door to door in his neighborhood on the sort of mission you read about, but never picture anyone actually performing. The Dude tends to have colorful hallucinations when he's socked in the jaw or pounded on the head, which happens often, and one of them involves a musical comedy sequence inspired by Busby Berkeley. (It includes the first point-of-view shot in history from inside a bowling ball.)

Some may complain The Big Lebowski rushes in all directions and never ends up anywhere. That isn't the film's flaw, but its style -- ala "Go" and "Swingers". The Dude, who smokes a lot of pot and guzzles White Russians made with half-and-half, starts every day filled with resolve, but his plans gradually dissolve into a haze of missed opportunities and missed intentions. Most people lead lives with a third act. The Dude lives days without evenings.

Definitely a light hearted allround enjoyable movie -- something that deserves more than 9 reviews at Amazon! (as of this writing)

gay
this movie really sucks hairy old fat balls. what kind of trashy filth is this? it dosen't even make sence.

Times like these call for a Big Lebowski.
While I haven't seen the latest Coen Brothers films, like Intolerable Cruelty (2003) or The Lady Killers (2004), I have seen all their movies since O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), and I can say I've never been disappointed, and that certainly holds true for The Big Lebowski (1998), the film, not received well by the critics, they made after their Oscar winning film Fargo (1996). While it may not have been a critical success, it is one of my favorite films, and one the rarely gathers dust on my shelf, as I've seen it a few times.

The film boasts quite a cast of actors including Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Jullianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, Ben Gazzara, Sam Elliot along with a few veterans of previous Coen brothers films like Steve Buscemi, John Tuturro, and Peter Stormere. So what is the film about? Well, I'll tell you...The film, which takes place in California in the early 90's, starts off with a little expository by a narrator known as The Stranger (Sam Elliot) giving us a little detail about the main character, Jeffery Lebowski aka The Dude, played by Bridges, who seems to have put on a bit of weight for the role, and sports long hair much like that he had when he was in the 1976 flopperino remake of King Kong. Anyway, the first thing you notice about The Dude is he is extremely laid back, very possibly a casualty of the California counterculture of the 60's and early 70's who seems perfectly content to take each day as it comes. While returning to his modest rental home one night, he finds two thuggish men waiting for him, one who soon acquaints The Dude's head with the inside of The Dude's toilet, while the other decides to despoil The Dude's living room rug in the manner of a unhousebroken dog. Seems these two men work for a smut peddler named Jackie Treehorn, and are looking to collect money owed to Mr. Treehorn by Jeffery Lebowski's wife, Bunny (Reid). Only thing is they got the wrong Jeffery Lebowski. Seeking reimbursement for his rug, The Dude visits the other Jeffery Lebowski, an older, well-to-do wheelchair bound man whose young trophy wife seems to have amassed quite a debt to a number of people, including Mr. Treehorn. This meeting sets into motion a complicated series of events including kidnapping which evolves into a mystery, a ransom request for one million dollars, a suitcase of dirty underwear, a stolen car, an altercation with nihilists, various beatings, guns, a bowling tournament, interpretive dance, a sexual liaison, a ferret, some drugs, painting in the nude, the removal of a toe, a wicky drug-induced dream sequence, copious amounts of profanity and even a death, all with The Dude right smack in the middle.

Jeff Bridges is wonderful as The Dude, a laid back individual with a self awareness few possess having to deal with harshness put upon him by circumstances just always a bit out of his control. He ends up basically going with the flow, finally stumbling on a moment of clarity as the mystery resolves itself. The funniest scenes usually involve The Dude, his friend and bowling teammate Walter Sobchek (Goodman), and fellow friend Donny (Buscemi) as their conversations, riddled with ludicrous tangents, usually devolve into heated debates and personal attacks, usually with Donny getting the worst of it. One of the things I like so much about this film is there is just so much going on, much of which may seem unrelated to the main plot, but I think it's purposeful, weaving an thick, intricate, colorful tapestry right before your eyes and definitely requires numerous viewings, just to soak it all up. There is definitely a beginning, a middle, and an end here, but the path between is very convoluted at times, but not confusing, if that makes sense. Normally I dislike dream sequences in films, as they often tend to be a mish mash of stylistic tripe, but the one in this film was truly enjoyable and laden with symbolism relating to the events preceding it, and even utilizes a song I consider to be a classic in that of Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. It was funny, because the core of the story is based on a mystery, but I spent little time in trying to decipher it, as I was so intrigued with everything that was going on, the related and seemingly unrelated material. A word of warning, though, as I've mentioned before, there is a good amount of profanity throughout the film, so if you are easily offended, you might steer clear of this movie.

The film is offered in both wide screen and full screen format, and the picture quality is good, but not as good as I would have expected with such a recent release. Some scenes seemed a bit dark, and there was a slight fuzziness at times, but nothing very notable unless you are seated very close to the screen (I normally refrain from getting so picky, but I've seen this film a number of times). Special features are pretty slim, including a 30-minute interview with the Coen brothers on the making of the film, along with a teaser trailer and cast biographies. I didn't care for presentation much, as after putting the disc in your player, you are directed to pick a format, wide screen or full screen, and the movie would start playing, skipping entirely over the menu, presenting it only after completion of the film, or by pressing the menu button on the remote. This is most common on older or extremely cheap releases (this was originally released in 1998, and then again in 2003 with no enhancements or changes). If any film was ripe for an enhanced special edition re-release, this is it.

Cookieman108

The Coens at their best
I saw this when it came out and didn't get it. After Fargo, The Big L just seemed like a loser's mystery that never went anywhere. A year later my friends are cracking me up doing movie quotes and it helped me see it in a new light. The movie is hilarious! It's awkward at first because the Coens are messing with you, setting up expectations and constantly doing something else instead. Once you're in on the game, sit back, make a white russian, and let the funny happen. ... Read more

Reviews (676)

A dissapointment
The first Mummy was an enjoyable, if tedious, romp about the struggles of an adventurer and his companions to stop the apocalyptic agenda of an ancient Egyptian priest. Far from perfect, The Mummy nevertheless boasted an infectious blend of high adventure, low-scare horror, and special effects that transformed it into a surprise hit. Now comes the sequel; The Mummy Returns along with most of the original cast. The rather jumbled plot is as follows: A cult of power-mad Egyptologists have concocted a plan by which they can obtain world domination. First, they must resurrect Im-Ho-Tep, the mummy from the first film. Since they are being led by the ancient priest's re-incarnated girlfriend, Anck-Su-Namun (Patricia Velazquez), this proves to be surprisingly easy. Then, with his powers restored, Im-Ho-Tep heads off to do battle with the mythical Scorpion King, whose tomb lies in a pyramid at the center of a hidden oasis. In order to find that oasis, Im-Ho-Tep needs an artifact which happens to be in the possession of Alex O'Connell. And, when the boy is kidnapped, that brings his parents, his uncle Jonathan, and their old friend, Ardeth Bay, into the conflict. This results in a lot of chasing around the globe and a climax that features a special effects-laden battle between two armies. Unfortunately, it becomes obvious real fast that the only reason The Mummy Returns exists is because of Universal Studio's greed, and not due to a creative process. Of course this is the thought process that kills most sequels. The story is told so sloppy and is so unnecessary, the characters are eventually abandoned and it becomes really hard to care about anyone or anything. The plot pot is boiling so furiously with silly deaths-and-rebirths and various attempts at sub-plots, it turns to overkill.

Fraser has never seemed more smarmy; he doesn't retain a smidgen of his usual bumptious charm. Weisz, who must shift from being a strong woman at one instant to a helpless damsel the next (and endure some really embarrassing fight sequences with Velasquez in flashbacks to her former life in ancient Thebes -- she's been reincarnated -- don't ask), is surprisingly nondescript in all these guises. Even the CGI is a let down: The computer generated Scorpion King is simply awful (the warriors of Anubis are so startingly fake you can feel Ray Harryhausen crying out for vengeance). While roller-coaster rides can be fun, even they need proper timing: they require occasional pauses from the plunges, and certainly shouldn't drag on forever. Oh well, I hope Jurassic Park and Planet of the Apes score better than The Mummy Returns.

Action-packed Entertainment - a True Sequel
I tend to rate a movie on it's 'see again' factor - I'd watch this one again and again... I've rarely seen a sequel that follows on so beautifully from where the original left off. It's 10 years later and the O'Connells have a son, Alex, who has a relentless tendency to get into trouble - kind of like his mother, really.

Okay, so there are a few 'seen-it, 'been there, done that' moments, but despite this, "The Mummy Returns" manages to pack in the action and keep your eyes glued to the screen. Best points: the story behind the murder of Pharaoh Seti I in the first movie involving Evy, Imhotep and Anck Su Namun - nice follow on there; the FANTASTIC battle between Anubis's army and the Medjai in the desert - great SFX! And the moment of Anck Su Namun betrayal - one of those rare times your heart goes out to the bad guy.

Most importantly, the movie is about FUN. Yes, there are things that defy reality, the plot isn't water-tight or rock-steady - so what? It's an action-packed, entertaining, SCI-FI movie with memorable characters, great actors that makes brilliant use of special effects and doesn't take itself too seriously. What more could a die-hard movie buff ask for?

All I'm saying is...
...this could have been much better. Three years after the fact, I know many of us are in agreement that this sequel did not live up to the original, so instead of just bashing it, I thought I'd do a take on what NOT to do with a sequel:

1.) Do not sacrifice plot for action. After so many sequels that bombed because of this, the producers still fell for it anyway. Do you know what made "The Mummy" so awesome? The lure of all the ancient Egyptian lore and myth, which, when interspersed with action, brought the entire movie alive. We don't need more brawls and swordfights and self-consuming cities--we need more of the MAGIC.

2.) Don't reference the original more than twice. It's not as if we don't remember the books and the plagues and the happy romance. If anything, constant reflections insult us as an audience. It's another bad trap that sequel-makers fall into, and again, it happened here too.

3.) Don't wreck the memory of a beloved setting. Hamunaptra was chock-full of all that we as Americans want from ancient Egypt: vast treasures, sarcophogi, curses, booby traps, juicy mummies. And what did we see of it in the second film? Sand, teeming with people who couldn't even find it eight years before. Huge electric lights illuminating what once could only be seen by torchlight. Trucks, instead of camels! And some really strangely reincarnated Anck-su-namun. The moviemakers effectively ruined the magic of Hamunaptra, and they didn't have to. Shame!

4.) Never, ever, ever pull a stunt like a CGI Rock again. Could they not afford to pay him for the final scenes? Just imagine the heroic fight between Rick, Imhotep, and the Scorpion King--only all three are in the flesh! People would have been cheering in the theatre watching the Rock fight with Brendan Fraser and Arnold Vosloo. But noooo...let's pull CGI out of our butts for the eighty millionth time. Shame shame!

5.) Don't ruin the best moments of the film by shortening them. Were we too busy playing around with CGI Rock to choreograph a great fight scene between Anck and Evie? I think we might have been. I understand that having Anck shy away from fighting helped set up her not being brave enough in the end for other things, but even just extending the fight a little longer would have helped. Anck could have given her best in an extended fight but still lost, and then we could have watched her bravado melt away and become her undoing.

All that being said, there are some bright spots. The mummy himself, for one. And the character of Jonathan was as lively and funny as ever, thank goodness; Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr) was even more campily serious and apocolyptic, and that was fun, too. Enough can't be said for Brendan Frasier, who IS the action hero of the the new millenium--handsome, funny, totally self-aware, and he puts his heart into everything completely.

I hope they make a third "Mummy." There's a lot left of ancient Egypt to explore, especially since in the time period of the movies not everything had been discovered yet. I think all the main characters would have to return, and that the plot with the most potential still remains that between Imhotep and Anck-su-namun. With all the money they have in Hollywood, the producers should be able to hire a team talented enough to write a movie as magical as the first.

Mummy Dearest
Such trash the movie studios insult us with. The Cringometer peaked over the red line from the opener and climaxed with some of the worst CG ever. The Rock- more like The Crock! Possibly the worst film in any aspect ratio, preferable on NO SCREEN. Had hoped that Stephen Sommers would be sent into exile for this sub-par Jules Verne abortion, but we've just seen Van Helsing and don't understand why he hasn't suicided.

Mummys Back
The second adventure of this series is set eight years after the first. This time the affects are better and we get to see more of supermodel, Patricia Velasquez, wearing only gold paint as well as toting a machine gun. The most popular scene in the movie is the chic fight between Velasquez and Weiss, no doubt the pause and shuttle buttons will get a work out...

As usuall Brendan Frazer is at his silly best with his now on screen wife, Rachael Wiess a still overly beautiful adventurist. This time they have an equally inqusitive son who simple can't leave things alone... ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Don't miss this comedy!
Jennifer and Mr. Templeton meet when he gets her mermaid-suit on the hook while fishing (she's working as a mermaid in the weekends, hired to swim under her father's glass bottom boat for tourists). Later he, a famous scientist, hires her as his biographer and seduces her. After a while she's mistaken for a Russian spy.

Does it sound silly? Yes, it is. And very funny too. Almost all scenes, except for some in the middle of the movie, are very funny. Some examples: The kitchen scene, the scene with the remote-controlled boat and the scenes on the party towards the end of the movie. You should see for yourself! Doris sings "Soft as the Starlight", "Que Sera, Sera" and the title song.

If you like good comedies, this movie is for you. The cast is very good, especially Doris Day, and the screenplay is clever, and silly at the same time. This movie will make you laugh a lot.

Smooth Sailing "Boat"
"The Glass Bottom Boat" sailed into the nation's movie theatres in the summer of 1966 and quickly became one of the summer's top grossing comedy hits. Perennial favorite Doris Day showed a gift for slapstick comedy under the direction of Frank Tashlin who had honed his skill directing Jerry Lewis, Jayne Mansfield and others. Aided by a comedy dream cast including Dom DeLuise, Paul Lynde, Dick Martin, Edward Andrews and others, "Boat" is a fast paced, nutty, often side-splitting laugh fest whose plot is difficult to describe.

Day plays a tour guide at a space plant, who phones her dog Vladimir regularly. She's mistaken for a spy after being "caught" off Catalina Island by Rod Taylor, where she impersonates a mermaid for her father, Arthur Godfrey's glass bottom boat tours. Mix in some banana creme cake, some eye popping clothes designed by Ray Aghayan and his partner Bob Mackie, including a "Cher-like" Mata Hata outfit, some nosy neighbors played by "Bewitched" cast members George Tobias and Alice Pearce, and you've got the recipe for comedy highjinks.

Doris sings a couple of tunes including her signature hit, "Que Sera Sera" in a charming sequence with Godfrey, in his film debut. The mix is perfect throughout and this is one boat worth taking a cruise on.

Is Doris a secret spy or just a woman in love?
Doris Day is a mermaid that is until Rod Taylor (THE TIME MACHINE [1960]) catches her suit on a fishing hook in Catalina. She lost the bottom of her costume. She does it all. She is also a tour guide for the company Rod Taylor works for. She calls her dog at home from time to time. We've got Paul Lynde as a snoopy Security Guard. After the mermaid incident, clumsy Doris and Rod become friends and he invites Doris to his home to see the space-age kitchen. No need for a woman in this kitchen as you will see. Not quite "The Jetsons".
Also in the cast is several other character actors you have seen in Doris day films. Arthur Godfrey, John mcGiver, Edward Andrews, Dom DeLuise, Elizabeth Fraser, Dick Martin and Ellen Corby. Florence Halop and Robert Vaughn in cameos.
There is also Alice Pearce and George Tobias who at that time played the snoopy married neighbors in the Bewitched tv series. Alice Pearce was the first "Gladys Kravitz" from 1964-1972. George Tobias was the realistic "Mr. Kravitz".
Doris day and Arthur Godfrey ham "Que Sara Sara".
Some scenes filmed in Avalon, Catalina Island.
Paul Lynde has a scene in "drag".

All aboard All abaord on the Glass Bottom Boat
This is a movie that I watch all of the time. Jennifer Nelson (Doris Day) is a worker at the NASA center in Florida. The day before she starts work she is swimming in the ocean and Bruce Templeton (Rod Taylor) gets hold of her mermaids tail with his fishing pole and pulls it off! Well when Jennifer finds out who he really is and that he is her boss she gets really nice to him. She is then put in as his private secratery to write a book about his life! Well the head honchos find out that she is doing some funny things and they think she is a Russian Spy because she calls her dog Vladimir but they think that is her Russion CounterPart! Well the movie ends funnily! Great family movie I highly suggest it to ya'll!

Please bring this out on DVD!
I've been waiting for this (along with some Jerry Lewis movies) to be produced on DVD. People are eager to see these older movies! I just love Doris Day! Please bring it out on DVD! ... Read more

Reviews (240)

The Lost World
This sequel to the 1993 blockbuster is good as sequels go but isn't a great movie. Jeff Goldblum gives a good performance as Dr. Ian Malcolm and Julianne Moore contributes too. The screenplay based on the novel by Michael Crichton is poorly done but has a few funny lines. The cinematography is good and captures the horror very well, and the production design is very frightening. The soundwork is very good, but the editing by veteran Michael Kahn (Close Encounters, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T.) is not very well done, you can hardly digest what is happening. John Williams contributes a rousing yet ominous score. One thing that keeps this movie moving are the incredible Oscar nominated special effects done masterfully by the great Dennis Muren and Stan Winston. The basic plot is that John Hammond, the creator of Jurassic Park, has an island where dinosaurs roam freely but must send Malcolm along with his girlfriend and two other companions to photograph the dinosaurs so Ingen will be kept from disturbing the dinosaurs. Overall, fairly well done, suspenseful, but fails to capture the awe, greatness, and wonder that the origi