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The satirical sensibilities of writer Peter Shaffer and director Milos Forman (One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest) were ideally matched in this Oscar-winning movie adaptation of Shaffer's hit play about the rivalry between two composers in the court of Austrian Emperor Joseph II--official royal composer Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham), and the younger but superior prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce). The conceit is absolutely delicious: Salieri secretly loathes Mozart's crude and bratty personality, but is astounded by the beauty of his music. That's the heart of Salieri's torment--although he's in a unique position to recognize and cultivate both Mozart's talent and career, he's also consumed with envy and insecurity in the face of such genius. That such magnificent music should come from such a vulgar little creature strikes Salieri as one of God's cruelest jokes, and it drives him insane. Amadeus creates peculiar and delightful contrasts between the impeccably re-created details of its lavish period setting and the jarring (but humorously refreshing and unstuffy) modern tone of its dialogue and performances--all of which serve to remind us that these were people before they became enshrined in historical and artistic legend. Jeffrey Jones, best-known as Ferris Bueller's principal, is particularly wonderful as the bumbling emperor (with the voice of a modern midlevel businessman). The film's eight Oscars include statuettes for Best Director Forman, Best Actor Abraham (Hulce was also nominated), Best Screenplay, and Best Picture. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (363)

Rock Me Amadeus
Milos Forman's Amadeus is a hugely entertaining adaptation of Peter Shaffer's play. The movie is told in flashback style from the memory of Antonio Salieri. Salieri was a successful and popular composer who was a rival of Mozart's. History has speculated on the death of Mozart and some people are of the opinion that Salieri had a hand in his death (possibly even murdered him). The film explores this angle of the legend. Salieri is consumed by his jealousy and hatred of the infantile Mozart. Mozart is a musical genius, but a wild spending and is always looking for the next good time. His operas are utterly brilliant, but are unsuccessful. He is in constant debt. Salieri concocts a plan for Mozart to compose a requiem. This work is actually planned as Mozart's own requiem. Mozart is shown as slowly going mad and at the end of the film, Salieri helps him by writing the musical score down for a very weak Mozart. The morning after Mozart and Salieri work together, Mozart is found dead and we are left speculating whether he died through natural causes or if Salieri did something to him. F. Murray Abrham is absolutely amazing as Salieri. He brings across the jealousy and hatred, but doesn't make Salieri a fiend. He has major respect for Mozart's musical talents, but doesn't understand why God would give them to such an obvious heathen. Tom Hulce is equally as good as Mozart. He plays him with a reckless abandon and in an over the top fashion that is perfectly suited for the role. The film took home the 1984 Best Picture Oscar, Mr. Forman won Best Director and Mr. Abrham beat out Mr. Hulce for Best Actor. This was a case where a tie would have been more than appropriate. The new director's cut adds 20 minutes of footage, but the real standout is the remastered sound. The Dolby 5.1 version brings alive the sounds of Mozart in brilliant detail.

Memorable cinematic achievement gets a new look
I was way too young to have seen AMADEUS in its original cinematic release (unfortunately), but it's not hard to see why it not only took home the Best Picture Oscar, but caused a rebirth of "Mozart mania". The story, although fictionalized, is an intriguing one. Salieri, the pious man who prayed to God to be given sublime musical talent, has to face the fact that God has given it to Mozart, who is exuberant, childish, and bawdy. Salieri's subsequent jealousy drives the entire movie. You can see his character becoming more and more consumed by his extremely negative feelings. The character of Mozart, on the other hand, is fun, even though the real Mozart wasn't really that over-the-top. I might add, however, that the distinguishing giggle is actually historically accurate. Listen to the commentary on the DVD and Peter Shaffer himself even mentions something to that effect. Although it was delightful to see the film in its entirety, I could see why some of the scenes were deleted. They simply weren't that strong or they distracted the viewer from the main focus. The only real complaint I had was that there weren't more extras. It does have the commentary, the original trailer, and the short featurette which consists of various people looking back at making the film, but I would have liked to have seen an actual "making of" documentary from around the time the film was being made. Overall, though, a worthy addition to any movie collection.

a mythical, fabulous portrait of genius
Peter Shaffer wrote the "Amadeus" screenplay based on his play, which is a quirky, fanciful vision of Mozart and Salieri, and how God gave Mozart the gift of musical genius despite his character flaws, but bypassed Salieri, who tried to strike a deal with the Almighty, vowing pious devotion, if He would only grant him brilliance and fame.
F. Murray Abraham is marvelous portraying Salieri's pride and envy, and having to suffer the indignity of mediocrity; the part garnered him a Best Actor Oscar and a Golden Globe, among other awards, and as Mozart, Tom Hulce is stupendous, with his high pitched raucous giggle, fluffy wigs, and energetic appeal.
Others in the cast of note are Elizabeth Berridge, excellent as Mozart's wife Constanza, and Roy Dotrice as his stern father Leopold.

The biggest star of the film however, is the music...the glorious sounds of Mozart's operas, and his magnificent Requiem. Many of my favorite scenes are depicted, from the ballet music from "The Marriage of Figaro", to "Don Giovanni a cenar teco", as well as portions of "The Marriage of Figaro", "The Magic Flute", and much more.
Some of the great voices heard are Samuel Ramey (Figaro), Richard Stilwell (Count Almaviva / Don Giovanni), June Anderson (Queen of the Night), Brian Kay (Papageno) and Gillian Fisher (Papagena), though the parts on screen are played by actors, and not those singing.

Twyla Tharp's choreography is fresh and exhilarating, Miroslav Ondricek's cinematography is exquisite, and Milos Forman's direction imaginative and well paced.
As well as Best Actor, the Academy bestowed Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction/Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, Best Sound, all well deserved.
Total running time is 160 minutes.

As close to "perfect' as a movie can get
When I saw this movie in its original release in 1984, it was only due to the fact that I was dragged to the theatre. (A movie about Mozart -- BORING!!) I have never been so quick to change my mind. From the opening moments, hearing F. Murray Abraham shout out the word "MOZART" I was hooked, and my eyes never waivered from the screen. I anxiously awaited the release of this Director's Cut, due primarly to the extras that were purported to be included. The extras more than deliver on their promise.

Not only did I get the joy of watching once again one of the best movies to have ever been released -- to remember how enthralled I was by the performances of Tom Hulce, F. Murray Abraham and Elizabeth Berridge (unfortunately, most reviewers tend to exclude her contribution to this movie, but her performance as Constanza, Mozart's wife, is as powerful as the others) -- but the extras (behind the scenes, the commentaries) added to my delight.

I truly find it hard to put into words how wonderful this movie is. I have spent the last 20 years telling people "Trust me, just watch it, and you will understand what I am talking about." It is more than just a grand journey through the worlds of these two men (yes, granted, told from a "movie" point-of-view). The entire package, from the scenery, the costumes, the story and THE MUSIC, THE MUSIC, THE MUSIC!!! shows you how a movie should and can be produced. Even if you can't stand classical music, you will adore the wonder that is Mozart.

Please -- I'm begging you -- WATCH THIS MOVIE. You will NOT be disappointed!!!

Love it, warts and all
I loved "Amadeus" the first time I saw it and every time thereafter, on tape, DVD and now in this DVD package. It is a very great film, exceptionally worthy of its Oscars, and the role of a lifetime for Tom Hulse. The operatic and musical scenes in this film succeed on a scale never seen before. The finale of "Don Giovanni" is better in this movie than in the two live performances I've seen and the performance Herbert von Karajan led that was shown on PBS in 1990. The direction, acting, script and locations are all sumptuous. It apparently does not follow the play on which it is based, but artistic difference is the basis of enjoyment. Having said all this, I would caution viewers not to judge the real-life Mozart by the portrayal of Hulse in this film. The real Mozart, I have read, was a prudish workaholic that would never go out drinking with his buddies. He also played by the rules of the day and adored Salieri, respecting his role as the musical director in Vienna. Still, it's fair to set history aside in a work of art this fine. Anyone that likes great music or great movies will enjoy this. ... Read more

Reviews (96)

Uplifting and inspirational... a movie to treasure
All too often the lack of quality acting, writing or a budget tends to ruin filmaker's attempts to bring a quality Christian work to the screen. Left Behind is an example and if you are a fan of the series and saw the movie, then you understand what I mean. So it should come as no surprise that anyone like myself who has so enjoyed the Joshua series written by Joseph Girzone would be skeptical about the movie. But very quickly I realized that not only was this movie going to be fairly faithful to the original book, it was also going to maintain the consistant message of love and salvation that sometimes gets lost in Christian filmmaking. Tony Goldwyn whose probably been typecast since Ghost, quickly made me forget that role and pulls off an extraordinary portrayal of Joshua. Add that to a quality supporting cast and some surprises that stray a bit from the book but are nonetheless enjoyable, I would recommend this movie to anyone, whether you are a fan of the series or not.

Touches the Soul
This movie adaptation of Father Girzone's book wonderfully compells the viewer to sit back and be fascinated by a modern day Christ story.

Joshua, an artist and woodcarver, drifts into a small town and within days turns a disjointed group of citizens into a community of good neighbors. Joshua's manner is straightforward, kind, yet fun and amusing---just the kind of guy you'd want at your next get-together. He doesn't preach---he simply is---his love and selflessness runs out from him like cool fresh water to the thirsty. His actions are transforming---but alas, they also cause trouble. The pastor of the local church is frightened by Joshua's charisma and he does his worst to disassemble the band of neighbors by attempting to blacken Joshua's name.

The movie is not as complicated as the novel, the scenes where Joshua is asked to speak at the nearby Jewish Synagogue are completely eliminated as is Girzone's hopeful message of all roads--all houses of worship--leading to the same goal rather than insisting that their way is the only way. The dialogue at times can be a little too persuasive in attempting to disclose the true nature of Joshua--which the audience identifies correctly from the start anyway.

I was disappointed that more attention was not paid to Joshua's exquisite carvings----only one of the statues of Peter is manifested here.
Of note is F. Murray Abraham's portrayal of the threatened pastor and lovely sad-eyed Giancarlo Giannini as the Pope.

Recommended to all who enjoy or need a spiritual kick in the head.

What if Jesus showed up as a carpenter in a small town?
"Joshua," based on Joseph F. Girzone's novel, is not about the Second Coming of Christ. In fact I would think that it is not about a second coming either, because I get the feeling from this film that Jesus has shown up in similar ways countless times before. This time a stranger named Joshua (Tony Goldwyn) shows up in the quiet town of Auburn. He moves into a dilapidated old barn on the outside of town and when he finds a Baptist church that was destroyed in a storm, he starts working on fixing it up. This seems odd to the members of the congregation of that church, but some of them start to pitch in and help Joshua.

There are no real surprises in "Joshua," especially since the opening credits tell us that Giancarlo Giannini plays the Pope in the movie we are about to see. But the point of the story here is not to tell you anything you do not already know. The message, when Joshua actually articulates one, is the one that has been around for almost two thousand years. So the attraction here is the enticing "what if?" as to what it would be like if Jesus suddenly showed up in your neck of the woods and started doing things and talking to people. Joshua does not preach series nor does he tell parables. The important thing here is that when you talk, he listens to you.

This is not the first time that a movie has tried to portray a more "realistic" type of Jesus. There was Jeffrey Hunter in the 1961 film "King of Kings," where Jesus walked among the masses while he gave the Sermon on the Mount. In "The Passion of the Christ" the focus on the story is on the scourging and crucifixion of Jesus, but in the film's few flashbacks James Caviezel reveals a remarkably accessible figure. Tony Goldwyn has an advantage in that he does not have to wear the beard, long hair, and flowing robes of the conventional images of the Biblical Jesus. He plays Joshua as what you can only describe as being a good guy, which is more difficult to play that you would think.

Auburn is not a modern Sodom or Gomorrah. The worst you can say about the place is that the different denominations are not paying attention to each other. But then one of the points about Joshua is that he not only fixes churches and carves statues of Peter, he also fixes small things. "Joshua" is about the ministry of Jesus and the miracles have the same affect they did the first time around.

The supporting cast is solid, with F. Murray Abraham as Father Tardone, the local priest who is suspicious of the stranger in town, Kurt Fuller as Father Pat Hayes, who is captivated by that same stranger, and Stacy Edwards as Maggie, who has a different idea as to what void in her life Joshua can fill. Granted, anyone who has never been to church on Sunday is not going to be interested in this film, but "Joshua" should appeal to most Christian audiences, who will find it a pleasant reaffirmation of their beliefs.

A Gift from the lord
I have watched this movie well over 50 times, though i dont beleive in the church i do beleive in god, this movie i have recommended to others in need weather it be for emotional support or physical pain, it is uplifting, and beautiful. I truely beleive that the actors in this movie at the making were guided by the hand of God, This is a MUST SEE MOVIE....if not a must own movie, one of the nicest aspects of it was all ages can watch it, and get something out of it

A true call to everyone
The first time seeing this movie was completely by chance. My family and I rented it one evening without knowing what it was about at all. For whatever reason it stood out on that shelf, I may never know, however, the impact it has left upon me will last my lifetime. ... Read more

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This sprawling epic of bloodshed and excess, Brian De Palma's update of the classic 1932 crime drama by Howard Hawks, sparked controversy over its outrageous violence when released in 1983. Scarface is a wretched, fascinating car wreck of a movie, starring Al Pacino as a Cuban refugee who rises to the top of Miami's cocaine-driven underworld, only to fall hard into his own deadly trap of addiction and inevitable assassination. Scripted by Oliver Stone and running nearly three hours, it's the kind of film that can simultaneously disgust and amaze you (critic Pauline Kael wrote "this may be the only action picture that turns into an allegory of impotence"), with vivid supporting roles for Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Robert Loggia. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (539)

His Name Is Tony...
Actor Al Pacino gives a powerhouse performance in 1983's SCARFACE. Paciino plays Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee hoodlum, who quickly rises to the top of Miami's cocaine industry. On his way to the top, Tony uses any means at his disposal to get there, no matter who he hurts or betrays in the process. Pacino takes hold of the character and never lets you forget that he is "Scarface". The supporting cast is wonderful too. It features Steven Bauer, as Tony's right hand man, "Manny" Ray. Michelle Pfeiffer is Tony's girl, Elvira, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, in a role early in her acting career, plays Gina, Tony's sister.

The hard-edged script for the film is written by Oliver Stone, who holds nothing back, as usual Directed by Brian De Palma, the movie doesn't flinch at all to tell its story. The film remains a favorite of mine and will leave you with quite a lasting impression. A "remake" of 1932's SCARFACE, in name only, the film is nearly flawless.

The "Collector's Edition" contains a feature length retrospective documentary, that is so well done, you almost forget that there is no commentary track. It is very comprehensive and covers all aspects of the film and its place in cinema history. There's also a number of deleted scenes and outtakes that were nice to see. These fine extras add up to one heck of a DVD for one of the best gangster movies ever made. SCARFACE should not be missed and comes highly recommended.

Nothing Succeeds Like Excess
Given the high-power talent behind the camera (Brian DePalma), in front of it (Al Pacino), and at the typewriter (Oliver Stone), SCARFACE should have quite a lot going for it. It does indeed, although I can't quite call this a GODFATHER-type masterpiece for certain reasons.

Ostensibly, this is a reworking of Howard Hawks' classic 1932 gangster pic about Al Capone. This time, the setting is Miami circa 1980, the contraband in question is cocaine, and the lead character, Pacino's Tony Montana, is a Cuban-born criminal who just came off the Mariel boat lift with 125,000 others that Castro let go, twenty percent of whom were known criminals. Pacino gets in on the ground floor with a local drug boss (Robert Loggia) and soon works his way to the top, doing just about everything to tick someone off--associates, enemies, cops, his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer), his sister (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), and the Colombian drug kingpins he has to do business with.

But in his cocaine-fueled journey to achieve the so-called American Dream, he neglects to follow two rules taught to him by Loggia: (1) Don't underestimate the other guy's greed; and (2) Don't get high on your own supply. He finally crosses the line in the end by alienating a Colombian drug boss (Paul Shenar) so much that Shenar sends assassins to Pacino's Miami villa. The result is a horrific and bloody shootout in which most of the assassins are rubbed out, and so is Pacino.

Without a doubt, SCARFACE continues to generate wildly divergent opinions, both pro and con. I for one had some trouble trying to stomach Pacino's Cuban accent at first, but then his ultra-charistmatic performance kicked into high gear, four-letter words and all. The film is very true to its essentials of showing how a certain segment of the Cuban boat people, a very SMALL segment, tried to latch onto the American Dream by trafficking in illegal narcotics and thus earning millions. Probably the most interesting thing about SCARFACE is the political view that Stone espouses in his screenplay: he seems to espouse a very Reaganesque view of the world of the 1980s (virulent anti-Communism; anti-Castro), but in truth he is severely critical of those very same policies that motivated Castro to send the worst of his worst onto American soil and thus accelerate this nation's drug problem.

SCARFACE does have its faults. It requires a lot of patience to sit through with a running time approaching 170 minutes, and I am not all that sure there is enough in there to sustain it for that kind of length. The film continues to be controversial in some quarters for its extreme (as opposed to merely excessive) violence; the chainsaw scene in an apartment, the hanging from a helicopter, and the ultra-gory shootout at the end rank as some of the most violent scenes ever shown on film. Only four other films in history challenge it in this respect: THE WILD BUNCH, SOLDIER BLUE, TAXI DRIVER, and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Finally, this film set a record for the greatest number of times the "F" word, or variations of it, are used; I lost count at two hundred. This IS a bit much, although it probably fits the reality of the situation it depicts.

On the other hand, DePalma, whose 1976 film CARRIE remains one of the touchstone suspense/horror films of all times, does make quite a lot out of Stone's wild and crazy screenplay--though surprisingly, for the violent scenes, he doesn't use slow-motion or montage that much, which would have earned him favorable comparisons with the legendary Sam Peckinpah. Just as solid is the camera work of John Alonzo, who worked on CHINATOWN and BLACK SUNDAY, among others. Giorgio Moroder's score is pretty good, though I do admit it gets a little cheesy after a while. And Pacino's performance is also high-caliber; just get used to his Cuban accent, and it works very well.

This film comes highly recommended, but with this warning: It is definitely NOT for younger audiences, it is rated 'R' for a lot of good reasons.

Best Movie Ever!!!!!!!!!
This is the greatest movie that was ever created! I could not beleive how great this movie was when I saw it. Not only the movie was great but great actors like Al Pacino. If you have any money don't spend it on anything else than this movie!

WOULD YOU KISS ME IF I WEAR THE HAT!?
This is one of the greatest movies of all time and the AFI top 100 movies of all time refuses to acknowledge it. Al Pacino deserved an oscar for his portrayal of Tony Montana, the movie deserved an oscar for something yet this movie is constantly overlooked by all critics, but the cult following that it has amassed is by far more telling of it's popularity than sheer box office numbers. ask anyone on the street and they'll tell you Scarface is one of the best movies ever made, and if they don't think so they haven't seen it. So sit back, crack some hennessy and alize, light up a cigar, and enjoy one of the best movies ever made!

Classic Gangster Flick
No matter what anybody says, this has to be one of the ten best gangster movies ever made, if not in the top three. If you are a fan of this genre, Scarface is a gourmet banquet of acting, action, dialogue and intensity. And if you don't enjoy this, all I can say is I'm sorry that you're missing out. The only reason I don't give this movie 5 stars is that I don't know what to make of Giorgio Moroder's cheesy sythn soundtrack and disco tunes. If you think in the context of the movie, that 80's Cuban drug dealers might like listening to really bad disco music ("...Rush, rush to the yeyo") then this music works in the confines of the Babylon nightclub along with the bad hair, clothes, Belzer's lousy comedy and the mime. But these songs, if they had to stand on their own outside the movie, would be totally ignored. I wonder if Deborah Harry ( then at the height of fame with her band Blondie) knew when she laid down the vocals for Moroder's muzak that this song was designed as junk to suit the movie or if she thought this might boost her singing career. If you account for the disco muzak as necessary "set dressing" for the Babylon it still doesn't excuse Moroder's cheesy synth soundtrack. How much better this movie could have been if it was scored by an accomplished orchestral composer such as Morricone or Williams. If you want more proof of Moroder's shortcomings check out the soundtrack of Metropolis. ... Read more

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The biblical story of Esther, the Jewish woman who saved her people whenthey faced annihilation, is told in this production featuring British actressLouise Lombard in the title role and F. Murray Abraham as Mordecai, Esther'scousin and foster father. As a girl living under Persian rule, Esther wasessentially kidnapped and taken into the harem of the king, Xerxes. The king,taken by her beauty, made her his queen, and as dramatized in the film, shefound herself involved in a delicate balancing act between the ruling Persiansand her own Jewish people. While this is a fairly elaborate production with asolid supporting cast, it proceeds at a relaxed pace and never quite takes offdramatically. But it does provide a solid telling of Esther's story, and ifconsidered as something of a docudrama, it's successful. The story is clearlytold of how the king's chief minister, Haman, had hoped to see the Jewsannihilated, but thanks to Esther's intercession the Jews were able to defendthemselves and destroy their enemies (events which are celebrated at the JewishFeast of Purim). The production does provide much of the period flavor ofancient life, and the major facets of the story and portrayals of the characterscoincide with biblical accounts. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Beautiful movie
With so much tasteless stuff comming out of hollywood these days this movie was a refreashing change. I enjoyed the fact that it remained with the biblical storey of Esther...ever so much portraying the king as a flake. Great movie and well done just like Jacob, David, Abraham and the rest of those movies that have been recently produced. Louise Lombard was perfect for the part of the biblical Jewish Queen Esther.

ONE OF THE BEST
I MUST SAY I'M A CRITIC, BUT THIS MOVIE IS REALLY REALLY GREAT!! IT IS SCRIPTUAL AND THE ACTORS DID A GREAT JOB. ESTHER WAS NOT PORTRAYED AS A HOLLYWOOD STAR, BUT AS A JEW. THE KING IS THE COMIC IN THIS MOVIE. I LOVED HIS FIRST MEETING WITH ESTHER, A TRUE ROMANCE. MORDECAI AND ESTHER'S TRUE TEST OF FAITH WILL MAKE YOU LOVE THE STORY MORE. I JUST DISAGREED WITH THE PART OF ESTHER'S ENTRANCE INTO THE COURT TO SPEAK TO THE KING, WHERE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO HOLD OUT THE SCEPTURE TO HER, INSTEAD OF HIM LEAVING HIS THRONE TO MEET AND SPEAK TO HER. WELL PUT TOGETHER FOR THE 20TH CENTURY. WE DON'T SEE MUCH OF THESE BIBLICAL MOVIES NOWADAYS. THEY SHOULD MAKE MORE LIKE THESE AND THE ONES OF TIME PAST, LIKE A.D. TEN COMMANDMENTS, BEN-HER AND JESUS OF NAZARETH. THESE MOVIES MAKE YOU THINK THAT THE ACTORS AND THE SETTINGS PORTRAYED IN THE MOVIE WAS HOW IT REALLY HAPPENED. THESE PRODUCERS SPEND MILLIONS TO MAKE THESE "SO CALLED GREAT MOVIES" WITH NO SENSE AND MORALS. I REALLY WISH THEY WOULD PUT THEIR MILLIONS INTO MAKING THESE BIBLICAL MOVIES. PLEASE KEEP MAKING MORE. I THINK DANIEL AND THE THREE HEBREW BOYS WOULD MAKE AN EXCELLENT MOVIE.

a woman of courage
Of all the Bible sories, I find the The Book of Esther does not flow as easily as others, but nevertheless, this film based on the story is interesting; it is faithful to scripture, with a few additions to fill out the plot.
Queen Esther is beautifully cast with English actress Louise Lombard (seen in 2004's "Hidalgo"), and Oscar-winner F. Murray Abraham excellent as her cousin and guardian Mordecai.
King Ahasuerus (historically known as Xerxes) is a character I find hard to like; he appears to be an indecisive and capricious man, who puts all his trust in the evil Haman (well played by German actor Jurgen Prochnow). It is Esther who courageously stands up to Haman when he tries to annihilate all the Jews of the land.

The main addition to the story is the inclusion of Ezra as a friend of Mordechai. Ezra was the scribe and priest who led a remnant of the Jewish captives back to Jerusalem, but this would come twenty years later, under the reign of King Artaxerxes, in 457 B.C. Having Ezra in the story also emphasizes the importance of God, whereas in the Book of Esther, no mention of God is made.
Directed by Raffaele Mertes (who was the cinematographer for most of the other films in this television series), it has a good score by Carlo Siliotto, lovely cinematography by Giovanni Galasso in the exotic area of Quarzazate, Morocco, with the use of a wonderful color palette in the costumes, using rich earth tones and shades of teal and olive greens.

The story of Esther is the basis for the Jewish Festival of Purim, which is a grand time for children; it's a time to dress up in costumes and masks, eat sweets, and best of all, twirl one's gragger (noisemaker) whenever Haman's name is mentioned in the reading of the story.

Stupid movie.
Stupid acting, the only people who would like this film are protestants, because they like anything misrepresented. (In which is why protestants are divided among them selfs.)

Biblically accurate and tastefully done
I thought this was a very watchable version of Esther's story. There is no nudity, foul language, or graphic violence. I'm sure this will disappoint some viewers, since there is potential to show those elements of the story in detail - and this is so common in Hollywood. However, it did not happen here!

I'd suggest preteens not watch it, because what is not shown has the effect of making the movie more intense, like Hitchcock's movies. And - Depending how protective you are, you might not want to explain:

1 - What the harem was learning to do to please the king (!)
2 - why the eunichs were acting silly (effeminately) and said they were not men
3 - What went on when Esther went to the king the first night, and the camera cuts away to a dew-covered red rose falling to the floor. (a great visual symbol of virginity lost)

There are some intense emotional scenes that could scare young children, from Esther being taken from her home by force, to Mordecai lamenting that the Jews will all be killed. The settings and clothes were all well chosen and appropriate. Nothing low budget about it, in my opinion. It is empowering for women to see how one woman can make a difference, even in a bad situation, and how faith makes a difference: God hears. ... Read more

Reviews (187)

A well-made feel good movie
I have seen many feel good movies in my lifetime such as Good Will Hunting, Scent of a Woman, Dead Poet's Society, Patch Adams, & Finding Forrester is way up there with them. The movie is portrayed as a matter-of-factly of a 16 years old African American boy, Jamal living in the Bronx. He deliberately passed his grades simply rather than excelling in the exams & shooting hoops in order to fit in with his peers but his hidden potential was soon discovered by an elite school in the nation's bursary which offered him a free scholarship. In a dare with his friends, Jamal sneaked into William Forrester's (depicted brilliantly by Sean Connery) apartment & by accident, a lifelong frienships ensued. Jamal's significant improvement in his grades raised suspicion from his teacher (potrayed well by Murray Abraham). As William put to Jamal's succinctly, a good teacher could either be very effective or very dangerous & soon enough, Jamal was at the receiving end of the teacher's wrath for being too good. Naturally, race issue was touched upon, & the awkwardness of Jamal to date a white woman (acted by Anna Paquin) with a rich background was displayed not by words but by those silent moment & brief glances. Towards the end, it all came to a climax with a predictable but resounding ending. A movie that deserved to be savoured slowly & the message shines thru, that if you have a dream, pursue it albeit how late it is as long as you pursue it. A cameo appearance by an unexpected star which would give the whole meaning to irony. Rob Brown (who played Jamal), a non actor was believable with his big innocent eyes craving for knowledge, Busta Rhymes played a surprisingly low key character of Jamal's elder brother who wished for nothing but the best for Jamal as he accepted his own fate as a parking attendant at the local stadium, & Sean Connery was simply splendid as always. A movie that deserved to be stood alone on its merit. Special features in the DVD are widescreen presentation, English & French subtitles, Dolby Sound, HBO Making of the movie, Rob Brown, deleted choir scenes, theatrical trailers, talent files, interactive menus, production notes, & lastly scene selections.

Finding a beautiful movie..
Finding Forrester is one of the rare movies that don't rely on corny music and movie cliches to touch your feelings.The message is delivered in a subtle form and although the story is not unique,this time I really found myself caring for the characters.This leads me to the conclusion that it is not what you tell,it is how you tell..

Jamal(Rob Brown)is a high school student living in Bronx.He has two skills,playing basketball and writing.At a time in his life when he must decide what kind of future he wants,he meets William Forrester (Sean Connery),a once Pulitzer winning author,who dissapeared and decided to live a life of isolation after the publishement of his only book.Traditionally,it would be expected that Jamal needs Forrester's help to truly understand who he is and what he wants,buth both characters are in need of help of some kind.Their friendship starts in a bizarre way,and change both of their lives.

I was not surprised by how great Connery's performance was,because anything else is unthinkable,but Rob Brown really impressed me.And I was even more amazed to learn that it was his first screen presence.He applied to be an extra because he needed money to pay hiss cellphone bill.Well,I hope he did,and that he continues making movies,because he is a natural actor in my opinion.

The movie definitely reminds me of Good Will Hunting,the director's other movie,but although I liked that one too,I think Finding Forrester is superior.It doesn't have those "high" moments like Good Will Hunting,but the movie as a whole is touching,and some of the dialogue and the ending is genuninely original and emotional.

The DVD has a nice picture transfer.The extras are average,not bad but cold be better.I think this is a must-have DVD.

In Finding Forrester,you will find something..

Your the man now, dog!
I loved the way that a most uncommon friendship formed between 2 most different people. Who would have thought that Sean Connery fitted into a role such as this, but it was very clever to see it all develop. I've always enjoyed the melancholy acting of F. Murray Abraham, and once again he proves that he is perfect for the role. It was the first movie where I realized that Busta Rhymes acted on the side.I thought he almost played a key role as the ideal big brother, and showed the genuine love for Jamal that some siblings never experience. Rob Brown, awesome. A talented young basketball player who learns that he is also a talented writer.

One thing that I love are some of the comments that Brown and Connery come out with in this. Brown: "You read all these, man?" Connery: "No, I just have them to impress all my visitors." Another one I like is, "Bolt the door... if you're coming in." But my favorite line throughout the whole film as to be one you probably would never expect from someone like Sean Connery. He booms, "PUNCH THE KEYS!!!" and Jamal punches the keys, and then he proceeds to say, "You're the man now, dog!" Who's gonna forget that! Ha!

Not Much To Find Here
Probably Gus Van Sant`s more mainstream (and uninspired??) movie, "Finding Forrester" presents a couple of intriguing moments and ideas yet the result is typical and too close to cliched territory. A coming-of-age story combined with an essay about the writing process, this average melodrama starts well enough but loses its steam halfway through. There`s nothing new here, and some of the plot resembles aspects of the previous (and better) Van Sant`s picture, "Good Will Hunting". Sure, the acting is very convincing and the direction shows some brilliance at parts, but the pacing is too uneven and drags in many moments. "Finding Forrester" is also too PC and "pretty", delivering another awe-inspiring Hollywood piece of fluff that doesn`t dare to challenge the viewer (and Van Sant is usually a challenging director). Overall, this cinematic experience is not a complete disaster but doesn`t manage to impress either, offering a so-so story that has been done before and with better results.

Good at parts, a somewhat interesting failure as a whole.

MOVING TALE, DESPITE THE PLOT'S SHORTCOMINGS
The story is so played -- a ghetto genius is discovered, quite by accident, and is guided by a rough-around-the-edges genius-in-his-own-right mentor. You have seen this in "Good Will Hunting" or "Hoop Dreams" among others.

Fortunately, Finding Forrester does have a somewhat different hue, and unlike the mawkish sentimentality of movies like Patch Adams or Bruce Almighty, it includes decent and well-contained drama.

It unfolds smoothly. So smoothly in fact that you don't really realize how many cardboard characters are smooshed in -- a spent-up reclusive J.D. Salinger type writer (Sean Connery), a failed writer with a grudge (the professor), a rich WASP student in a rich WASP school (the love interest of the black boy that never really takes off)..etc.

Besides, the movie's main premise hinges on a rather implausible chance meeting between a bunch of kids playing basketball and a Pulitzer winning writer who purportedly lives a hermit's life.

Yet, the script makes all the difference, it overshadows these minor quibbles. Very well written movie, tinged with modernistic poetry spoken and actuated with the least accents and efforts, more than enough to keep the spirit going.

Recommended rental. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Two inept cops who frame An Innocent Man
This is the story about two inept cops who frame AN INNOCENT MAN named Jimmie Rainwood(Tom Selleck). The two plain clothes police officers deviously plant drugs inside Jimmie's home,also using his mailing address. The cops spot a shadow of what looks like a pistol,but is actually a hair dryer. Jimmie was drying his hair after taking a shower. After other officers discover the drugs in Jimmie's home,he is arrested,arraigned,convicted and sent to prison for six years. After Jimmie is released,he and a few friends scheme to incarcerate the drug-planting cops. The cops end up in jail. Jimmie's buddy(F. Murray Abraham),who's still in prison,says at the end of the film,"Ain't life a motherf---er?". This film was not as great as THREE MEN AND A BABY and HER ALIBI,but I loved it.

AN EXCELLENT SELLECK MOVIE
As long as I can remember I've always immensely enjoyed/loved Tom Selleck movies. This is defintely one of his best(as well as 'Her Alibi'). This is a very enjoyable prision movie with a range of emotions. This film as always been on my DVD wishlist so I'm very excited that it's finally on DVD. I highly reccomend this film, you won't regret it.
By Justine Ryan

An Entertainingly Uncomfortable Film
Even though you know what's going to happen to Tom Selleck's character, and you know that the ending will be happy, watching the process is enjoyably discomfiting. This is a plot film -- stuff keeps happening to the main character, things he appears utterly incapable of controlling, and everything spirals right into disaster. Great Friday night fare. Make a lot of popcorn and savor it.

an excellent movie
Very entertaining movie. The characters are all great, the plot and the suspense are terrific.

Best Selleck Drama
I always like Tom Selleck movies. Some are actually very entertaining. This is by far his best dramatic role. I was very impressed how well he played the part of a framed Airline crew chief Jimmie Rainwood. F. Murray Abraham gives a great performance as one of the prison inmates, Virgil Cane, that befriends him. It has all the elements for some good drama, bad cops, drugs, decent and really bad convicts, attractive loving wife, and motive for revenge.

David Rasche and Richard Young do a fine job as the crooked detectives that frame him. I have recommended this to many people since many Selleck fans are not even aware of it. Whether you like Selleck or not you will enjoy this film if you like movies like "The Fugitive","US Marshals", and "Shawshank Redemption". It is being released on DVD soon and you can bet I pre-ordered a copy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Star Trek fans were decidedly mixed in their reactions to this, the ninth big-screen feature in Paramount's lucrative Trek franchise, but die-hard loyalists will appreciate the way this Next Generation adventure rekindles the spirit of the original Trek TV series while combining a tolerable dose of New-Agey philosophy with a light-hearted plot for the NextGen cast. This time out, Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his executive crew must transport to a Shangri-la-like planet to see why their android crewmate Data (Brent Spiner) has run amuck in a village full of peaceful Ba'ku artisans who--thanks to their planet's "metaphasic radiation"--haven't aged in 309 years.

It turns out there's a conspiracy afoot, masterminded by the devious, gruesomely aged Ru'afo (F. Murray Abraham, hamming it up under makeup resembling a cosmetic surgeon's worst nightmare), who's in cahoots with a renegade Starfleet admiral (Anthony Zerbe, in one of his final screen roles). They covet the fountain-of-youth power of the Ba'ku planet, but because their takeover plan violates Starfleet's Prime Directive of noninterference, it's up to Picard & crew to stop the scheme. Along the way, they all benefit from the metaphasic effect, which manifests itself as Worf's puberty (visible as a conspicuous case of Klingon acne), Picard's youthful romance with a Ba'ku woman (the lovely Donna Murphy), the touching though temporary return of Geordi's natural eyesight, and a moment when Troi asks Dr. Crusher if she's noticed that her "boobs are firming up."

Some fans scoffed at these humorous asides, but they're what make this Trek film as entertaining as it is slightly disappointing. Without the laughs (including Data's rousing excerpt from Gilbert & Sullivan's HMS Pinafore), this is a pretty routine entry in the franchise, with no real surprises, a number of plot holes, and the overall appearance of a big-budget TV episode. As costar and director, Jonathan Frakes proves a capable carrier of the Star Trek flame--and it's nice to see women in their forties portrayed as smart and sexy--but while this is surely an adequate Trek adventure, it doesn't quite rank with the best in the series. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (393)

Is This Supposed To Be A Film? Write A Good Film For Once!!
Granted this film had the best morals and provoking thoughts than any film to date but who does paramount think they are making this cheese wagon of a film and trying to pass it off for a movie? Everyone associated with star trek need to be fired away from it except for ira stephen behr as someone wrote earlier who made ds9 one of t.v.'s greatest series. Yes folks-special effects have a lot to do by making a movie or episode entertaining-and so do battles in space or on the ground. People like war-look at 2, 6, and 8- duh! the best films in th series. As for Paramounts plans to dump all of the current casts for the next movie and series, dont do it or you will kill off whats left of your fan base. I had so much expectations for this film especially when i saw the trailers-- and now I cant forgive paramount for disappointing me so badly. Well- Jar Jar Episode 1 wasn't all that good either but at least it was entertaining unlike Trek 8 with its "here take this humor and like it no matter what" attempt at comedy. Action? What action? And what the heck is the deal with the Joystick Frakes?! Talk about embarassing to be a trek fan! If Voyager doesnt come around like DS9 Did in its 3rd season this upcoming Fall- I'm a Trek fan no more. Heres a story idea Paramount: Borg/Dysons Sphere/Dominion/make like Starwars and destroy the Federation and bring it back stronger than ever in a 125year later from the current timeline movie. Duh!! and Paramount, get rid of Berman and Moore and Braga- they ruined this saga and so are you if you dont wake up!!!!

Lighten up, fellow Star Trek fans!
In a TV series, especially a sci-fi series, you expect a certain number of shoot-em-up shows. You expect to see our heroes conquer evil aliens while overcoming seemingly impossible odds. but will someone please show me where in the rulebook it says every show should be about this? Some of the original series and TNG's best shows were about political, romantic, and/or humorous exploits of our favorite characters. "The trouble with Tribbles" is almost always in a listing of the top 5 shows whenever TV guide or simply a group of trekkies talk about their favorites, and "The city on the edge of Forever" won a Hugo for crying out loud and neither one of them were slashed with phaser fire. Yes, Insurrection may have been a little uneven in spots plotwise but I've not seen any you could drive a semi through. And the central theme of the displacing of a small group of people to satisfy the demands of a larger group as being a terrible injustice as well as a clear violation of Trek's prime directive is right on par with the overall vision of Star Trek. I don't think Roddenberry will turn over in his grave because of this one and neither should a true Trek fan get all disappointed just because the Borg, the Romulans, the Dominion or any other "traditional" Star Trek villian is not involved. In fact, I think this film breaks the so-called legacy of "odd-numbered" trek films being not so good as "even-numbered" films. No, Insurrection is no "Wrath of Khan" but it is a solid entry in the series. After all, Johnathan Frakes himself said they wanted to have to have some fun with this one and I think they accomplished that while still making an entertaining movie that lives up to Star Trek's ideals.

STAR TREK Lightens Things Up A Bit, To Mixed Results...
For STAR TREK: INSURRECTION (1998), unfortunately famous for Data saying the ultimate cheesy one-liner, "Lock & Load" (*cringe*), Jonathan "Two-Takes" Frakes, back in the director's chair, makes the atmosphere decidedly lighter. That's a good thing; however, after all is said and done in this, the ninth installment in the legendary STAR TREK film saga (and the third one featuring the "Next Generation" cast of characters), there is really not much meat on the bone. In this episode, which begins jarringly with a sudden murderous rampage by a malfunctioning android Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner, in not one of his finer moments as an actor here), the crew of the Enterprise "E" have beamed down to Planet Ba'ku and rather quickly become familiar with the peaceful residents of this planet. This planet is nicknamed "Paradise," correctly so because it has magical regenerative powers which prevent its people from aging and dying. These people, numbering only 600, are peaceful and seem to have a kind of neo-religious quality to their personalities, as they live in total harmony with nature and openly reject any kind of technology. (This leads to what is probably the best scene in the entire movie, as the Enterprise is revealed to be camouflaged to blend in with the lush surroundings!)

Anyway, as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (the always-wonderful Patrick Stewart) begins to get friendly with one of the eligible female Ba'ku residents, and Commander Will Riker (Frakes) and Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) get friendlier with each other (leading to a surprisingly sensual hot-tub scene), there is trouble brewing in Paradise: an incredibly ugly band of aliens known as the So'na, led by the especially monstrous Ru'afo (F. Murray Abraham), who intends to displace the peace-loving Ba'ku residents and take over the planet for themselves, so as to de-uglify themselves (I'm not making this up). Not only that, but they are given full authority to do so by a suspicious Federation admiral (Anthony Zerbe, in his final film role). Because this order clearly violates the Prime Directive (which forbids the interfering of any sovereign planetary civilization), this puts Capt. Picard & crew into a conundrum: do they follow orders like good little Starfleet soldiers or do they uphold the Prime Directive to protect these peacemongers? Put it to you this way: Based on the title alone, plus what you know about the Next Generation characters, what do you THINK they will do??? Duh...Lock & Load!!!

Jonathan Frakes had an obviously daunting task: following up the incredible STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT (1996), one of the very best in the entire STAR TREK film saga. STAR TREK: INSURRECTION looks really nice (the visuals are, once again, truly amazing), but alas, there is not really much to care about here. F. Murray Abraham is one of the finest actors of our time, but he must have really needed the money in order to agree to fill a role in which he's not only unrecognizable, but also the recipient of the worst movie makeover in recent big-screen history. STAR TREK: INSURRECTION is certainly not the worst STAR TREK film ever made (that honor would unquestioningly go to the William Shatner-directed misfire STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIER), but it's definitely not among the best. See it if you're a fan.

MODERATELY RECOMMENDED; AGES 10 & UP

It Takes Six...
The rule of odds and evens continues to apply in Star Trek Insurrection. Being the second true Next Generation film it is a must-see for fans.

The film opens with scenes on a tranquil, agricultural planet. Then things heat up as we run into Data and some Federation personnel. It seems they are observing the tranquil society in what is called Operation Duck Blind (the inhabitants don't know they are being looked at). From there we run into the rest of the main cast and the plot begins to develop. It involves a malfunction Data experiences while assisting at Operation Duck Blind that results in the mission being compromised.

As the crew of the Enterprise investigate what went wrong with Data they begin to raise more and more questions. As the main plot is revealed the crew must band together and stand up for what they feel is right. In the end the crew triumphs (did we really think it would be otherwise?).

This is really not a film for people who are not already fans of the show as it is the way the characters act and their personal interactions that makes the film so entertaining. Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis seem to have a tremendously fun time with this film. Fans are treated to some great scenes of their favorite characters (although Gates McFadden was not particularly important). We even learn some more about Data's design and operation. But do not be misled by the title and the trailer, the scenes are all there but in the trailer they tell a much different story.

There are a few technical problems in the movie but you don't really think about them until afterwards. These include small things like not being able to count (claiming two slave races and showing three), the Federation is pretty stupid (giving membership to a race that has just managed warpdrive but only has been around for less than a hundred years, has only six members and seems to have better ships). There is the inevitable total ignorance of nebulae and what they are and just how not dense they are. But these are all minor things that don't jump out as the movie progresses.

So if you are a Next Generation fan and want to see the crew back together in a story that is really just a long, but very good, episode, then you really should take the opportunity to see this one. On a final note it passes Lynch's Law for a successful Next Generation episode in that it does not rely on techno-babble to drive or advance the plot but uses situation, character and emotion for fuel instead.

Star Trek Takes a Nap
Star Trek:
Insurrection

If your looking for a movie to watch in your spare time, Star Trek Insurrection is a decent movie but definitely not one of my favorites. Starring Patrick Stewart as Jean Luc Picard and directed by Jonathan Frakes, this movie goes face first into face stretching action,literally.

Though not as exciting as First Contact, it still provides the cheesy action of an old guy [ Jean Luc] climbing in dangerous places with a big phaser rifle shooting aliens. I think it's funny because in this movie, two gramps meet and fight to the finish. One's got a facial problem [the bad guy], the other a mental problem, what kind of 70 year old man would think himself strong enough to fight wars?

I might suggest this movie to people who like to watch people from a nursing home duke it out. They never learned not to play with guns either. It's pure entertainment for people that like to watch strange movies and laugh at them.

The camera work could have been better. Towards the end, it doesn't show much of the enemy ship, there isn't much of an inside of a ship to see though. The special effects were all right, but the phasers looked kind of fake to me.

One scene made the movie purely messed up to me. Jean Luc runs around an enemy ship firing a phaser, right after that he says, " If you fire your phaser, you risk igniting your ship, you wouldn't risk that would you?" [The guy he was chasing is one of the old gramps I mentioned earlier]. Isn't that stupidly cheesy?

I don't under stand why everybody except the captain always wears the same stuff. The captain wears a dress suit and regular clothes but the rest of the crew always wears the same old red suit. All the Ba'ku wear different stuff.

Star Trek Insurrection is rated PG-13. I say a lot of people would like this movie. For other people though, it gets really annoying.

Anomynous ... Read more

Reviews (14)

KEITH CARRADINE WAS SIMPLY TERRIFIC
I've watched this movie about 4 times, and really enjoyed the personifications of these historic characters (albeit apocryphal). Johnny Lee Miller and David Arquette are very convincing as Gus and Woodrow. The most memorable performance is easily by that of Keith Carradine. He portrayed Bigfoot Wallace, a larger than life frontiersman, who actually outlived the firing squad at Saltillo, in a clever, poetic and humorous way. The only downer of the movie, is the same with any and all Larry McMurthy films: they're depressing as hell! Death, tragedy and sufferin'! And as with all of his films, the conquering will of the human spirit shines through. A fine example of a Western film.

A very very enjoyable movie based on Larry McMurtry's novel.
Dead Man's Walk is based on Larry McMurtry's book by the same name. The main characters, Woodrow Call and Gus McRae (from his best known in this series - Lonesome Dove) are shown as young men - probably in their late teens or very early twenties. This one is a little bloody at times. David Arquette (fiancee of Courtney Cox and they guy on those goofy 10-10-321 commercials) is Gus McRae. Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting, Hackers, Afterglow) is Woodrow Call. Jonny Lee is the standout in this video. His interpretation of Woodrow Call is right on the money - he says so much with just an expression and since Woodrow doesn't say much - that's pretty important. We really enjoyed it but again, younger kids might want to skip this one.

Dead'sMan's Walk
I watched the flim about 50 times, and I was very impressed with
young Gus and woodrow, also I could not stop laughing when shad and bigfoot were telling the boys all about the methods the comanches use to
kill and torture the only thing that I did not like is that buffalo hump got off too easy, and bigfoot being one of the men to face the firing squad.
All in all I enjoyed the flim very much and I really like how all the actors played their parts jonny was scream, but Gus seem to be jealous of woodrow even though the two of them were great friends I am still trying to figure out what was buffalo hump doing out there all alone sitting on a blanket?

One of the dullest, most inane movies that I ever watched
To be fair, I also disliked the much praised Terms of Endearment, so maybe McMurtry fans will love this. For myself, if there are ever prizes for the worst beginning and end of a movie, this is a contender for both. The first beginning is an elderly Native American woman warning her son to beware of a truly odd pair of women. Then it switches to a fascinating discussion among the cowboys: "Woody, did you ever see a whore (pronounced hur) with a snapping turtle?" "Why no, Gus, I never did see a hur with a snapping turtle. How about you Clem, did you ever see a hur with a snapping turtle?" "Why gracious sakes alive, no, I never did see a hur with a snapping turtle." I'm sure it didn't really last for twenty minutes, but it was a long time until she finally threw it at someone. "How about you Slim, did you ever see a hur with a snapping turtle?" "Oh no, I seen an investment banker with a snapping turtle, but never no hur." Maybe the idea is to convince us that, say what you will about television, it beats flying snapping turtles. "How about you, Russ ..." Most of the movie consists of watching the characters drop like flies from various causes, mostly being shot. This is less exciting than one might think: the very few characters I liked died, and I was utterly indifferent to the fate of the rest. Finally, our surviving heroes are held captive by the Mexicans and then sent on their way with two women and a boy. They are nearly attacked by the aforementioned Native American warrior. However, his mother did warn him that if he saw a white woman with leprosy riding naked on a horse followed by a black woman, also riding, brandishing a sword, he should high-tail it out of there. The most bizarre thing is that the women assume these postures as if this were the well-known, sure-fire method of scaring off attacking Indians. The viewer should take the hint and vamoose as well.

An excellent prequel to a Western classic.
'Dead Man's Walk' is a wonderful introduction to the characters of Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call.I was most impressed by Johnny Lee Miller's Texas accent--he is one of England's rising stars and his accent was very believable.David Arquette captured Gus and his mannerisms perfectly and I thought that he and Johnny had great chemistry.Special mention has to go to Keith Carradine and his performance--he is one of America's finest actors. The picture quality was not as good as I had hoped as the video was in extended play format.I would like to know if there is a video in SP version.Other than that I would recommend 'Dead Man's Walk' to anyone who loves Westerns. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The film that answers the immortal question: what species is Gonzo?Kermit the Frog's curly-nosed friend feels alone in the world. When his breakfast cereal starts spelling out questions and he hears voices, Gonzo is convinced he must be from outer space, and his alien brothers are coming to earth. Of course, there are evil scientists (led by Jeffrey Tambor) who kidnap Gonzo to learn his secrets (like "What do you do with a nose like that?"). The usual brand of merriment from the gang is in good order, especially in the opening scene when the Muppets start the morning under one roof.It's not as memorable as earlier films, but nevertheless the joy and sly humor will warm most souls age 5 and up. Human cameos include Ray Liotta, Rob Schneider, Josh Charles, Andie MacDowell, David Arquette, and F. Murray Abraham (as Noah, no less). --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Lacking some of the Henson Magic, but still a lot of fun.
This movie has some big shoes to fill. The original Muppet Movie, Muppets Take Manhattan, The Muppet Christmas Carol and the Muppet take on Treasure Island are classics in my mind. Muppets from Space ranks about fourth of the six, but these are six films at the top of the list of all time favorites. This film holds more tru to the earlier films, where our favorite fuzzy friends play themselves and the cameos fly fast and furious. Gonzo (The Whatever) decides that he is tired of being the only Muppet that is specialy challenged. A series of dreams and a sequence lifted directly from Contact help him to realize that he is actually from ?Out there?. Not only that, but his family is finally ready to come get him. From here the movie does what Muppet films do best- Vaudeville type gags and pop culture references that sometimes fly over children?s heads, but help keep parents entertained. I originally saw this film with my wife, brother, sister in law and 6 year old niece. We adults (all raised on The Muppets on TV and at the movies) laughed longer, harder and more often than the moppet. References to contemporary science fiction films and TV series abound and are among the more clever gags peppered through the movie. Be sure to keep an eye open for a reference to Brent Spiner?s appearance in ID4 once Kermit and friends get into the secret lab. It?s a riot. The ending of the film is the only place it really misfires. It can be seen from a mile off and we all knew what would happen before we even entered the theater. Bu that?s OK. We need the happy ending for the kids. The first 90 minutes were for us.

Lacking some of the Henson magic, but still a lot of fun.
This movie has some big shoes to fill. The original Muppet Movie, Muppets Take Manhattan, The Muppet Christmas Carol and the Muppet take on Treasure Island are classics in my mind. Muppets from Space ranks about fourth of the six, but these are six films at the top of the list of all time favorites. This film holds more tru to the earlier films, where our favorite fuzzy friends play themselves and the cameos fly fast and furious. Gonzo (The Whatever) decides that he is tired of being the only Muppet that is specialy challenged. A series of dreams and a sequence lifted directly from Contact help him to realize that he is actually from "Out there". Not only that, but his family is finally ready to come get him. From here the movie does what Muppet films do best- Vaudeville type gags and pop culture references that sometimes fly over children's heads, but help keep parents entertained. I originally saw this film with my wife, brother, sister in law and 6 year old niece. We adults (all raised on The Muppets on TV and at the movies) laughed longer, harder and more often than the moppet. References to contemporary science fiction films and TV series abound and are among the more clever gags peppered through the movie. Be sure to keep an eye open for a reference to Brent Spiner's appearance in ID4 once Kermit and friends get into the secret lab. It's a riot. The ending of the film is the only place it really misfires. It can be seen from a mile off and we all knew what would happen before we even entered the theater. Bu that's OK. We need the happy ending for the kids. The first 90 minutes were for us.

This hilarious film is truly out of this world
Muppets From Space (not to be confused with the original Muppet Show's Pigs in Space) is one terrific movie. The Muppets redefine themselves on the cutting edge of entertainment, put together a film of nonstop action and hilarity, pull off a rather touching ending, impart an important lesson about life to children as well as adults, and really bring their own special magic to the viewing audience. Feature films permit the Muppet universe to expand in altogether new ways. For one thing, you get to see full-body shots of Muppets doing extraordinary things (rather than having to settle for the old above the waist only shots). More significantly, in relation to this movie, there are some pretty good special effects that really make the Muppet world seem more believable than ever. All of the Muppets look great, and some relatively newer characters are nothing short of hilarious (Pepe the Prawn in particular).

Muppets From Space centers around Gonzo, the little guy with the big nose and no real history. He's tired of being a one-of-a-kind creature and yearns to know where he came from. First things first, though. The film opens with the start of a new day in the Muppet house; everyone gets up out of bed and quickly gets down with their bad selves to the funky music of "Brick House." The Muppets have definitely found the funk, and this makes for a really happening, memorable soundtrack. Just when Gonzo is really down about being alone in the world, he receives a communication from outer space (via his alphabet-shaped breakfast cereal). Soon, he is convinced that he is an alien and, what is more, he claims his alien family is on its way to earth. A certain secret agency picks up signs of the aliens and comes after Gonzo, thinking he can tell them what the aliens want and where they will land. The leader of this secret group, played by Jeffrey Tambor, is a little bit out of his mind, and Gonzo falls right into his pending trap by showing up at the local news studio to announce that the aliens are coming. The other Muppets don't really believe Gonzo's claims, but they are eager to help rescue him when he falls into the evil clutches of the Men in Black. The conclusion of the movie is a real hoot indeed, delivering a close encounter of the truly unique kind.

All of the Muppet characters are great; Kermit and Miss Piggy don't get as much screen time as usual, but that may well be a good thing. Gonzo and his roommate Rizzo the Rat (another fantastic, relatively new character) are more than capable of carrying the movie by themselves - of course, they don't have to do it alone because many of the Muppets play important parts. Pepe the Prawn absolutely steals the show, if you ask me; he may be the funniest Muppet yet created. As usual, a number of famous stars make cameo appearances in the film, including Andie MacDowell, Ray Liotta, F. Murray Abraham, Kathy Griffin, Hollywood Hogan (as his NWO self), and an always annoying David Arquette. Kids as well as adults should love this movie. Older viewers will appreciate some of the subtle nods to popular culture; for example, you will find parallels to big movies such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Star Trek, Men in Black, Independence Day, and The Shawshank Redemption.

This is as funny and enjoyable a Muppet movie as you will find. Don't let the kids get all of the enjoyment out of Muppets From Space, though; there are plenty of things incorporated into the plot and script to make adults smile and laugh, as well.

CLASSIC
this is such an unexpected movie. This is my kind of humor. Its definetly worth watching, especially if you are a muppets fan.

My favorite Muppets movie!!!
After being disappointed by Muppets Treasure Island (which had so much potential) we were reluctant to see this movie. What a pleasant surprise! This movie is really fun, funny, and the soundtrack rocks. This movie turmed my significant other into a muppet lover. We love the MST2K version with the muppet commentary too. Lots of neat extras. No disappointments! ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Sherlock Holmes as You've Never Seen Him Before
The late, great George C. Scott does a fine turn as a widower judge who thinks he's Sherlock Holmes in "They Might Be Giants," a film that proves Scott easily could have played the fictional detective in a straight adaptation of Conan Doyle's mysteries, too. The film takes great delight in lampooning the establishment of the day--no surprise, as it debuted in 1971--with particular attention on cutting down to size the burgeoning mental health industry. Joanne Woodward is charming as a psychiatrist and social misfit, appropriately named Dr. Watson, who teams up with Scott to track the nefarious Moriarity, only to discover love and destiny instead. Along the way, they are joined by a battalion of New York City's cataways, including laconic Jack Gilford, a young M. Emmet Walsh, F. Murray Abraham with an afro, and even Paul Benedict, the fellow who would go on to fame as "Mr. Bentley" of television's "The Jeffersons" fame. Though it has an atypical but beguiling score by John Barry and some very tender moments courtesy of screenwriter James Goldman (Gilford's affinity for swashbuckling and Watson's doomed attempt at a romantic dinner among them), "They Might Be Giants" sometimes suffers from a lack of thematic focus that rivals the mania of its main characters. A slapstick scene in a grocery store seems tonally wrong in a film that otherwise takes the high road of satire rather than the low road of farce. (Apparently, it was originally excised from the film, only to return in a later version, though I recall seeing the film on TV as a child in the 70s, and the grocery store scene was intact.) Commentary by the film's director, Anthony Harvey, is worth noting, though the man interviewing him dodges the most obvious question burning in the mind's of viewers--exactly what is one to make of the film's ending?

Hm...
Okay, I gave this movie 3 stars, mostly because I didn't know if it deserved 2 or 4 stars. It's kind of a weird flick, and I bought it soley because I'm a They Might Be Giants fan; and TMBG, to my understanding, plucked their band name from this film.

The premise is interesting enough: a once-respected judge has decided he's THE Sherlock Holmes. His brother is trying to get him declared an official nut-ball. His seemingly fate-selected Dr. Watson is a female psychiatrist who has taken his case to heart. A slice or romance rises between them, but that's not quite the thrust of the movie. I've yet to identify that "thrust" by the way.

I was bored in spots, and I mention this because I think many of you might feel the same. But, considering when the film debued (1971, the year of my birth), it was pretty unique. I cut it lots of slack. It was just . . . strange.

The ending made me squirm with embarassment that I was enjoying myself; at the same time, I squinted my eyes wondering why.

As with all of my Amazon reviews, I don't like to give away too much. I just like to give my reactions. I haven't watched this movie twice, though I do own it. I will probably put it my DVD player again soon and perhaps come up with a second opinion.

I'm curious to know what you all think of it. All I can tell you is it wasn't bad. It was probably a 4-star movie, maybe a 2, and I finally acquiesced and ratee it with a 3 while scratching my head and smirking smirkingly.

They Might Be Giants
I write lots of lists. Lists like, 100 Geatest Movies and 100 Greatest Westerns and so on and so on. This movie is near the very top of my 100 Greatest Sleepers(a very cherished list)and near the very top of my Movie Charm list. It is the top, though, of my Greatest Movie endings list, contrary to a lot of Amazon reviewers. That means I think it has a better ending than 2001 or Some Like It Hot or A Clockwork Orange or Ball of Fire or All Quiet on the Western Front or Blow-Up. It breaks me every time.
It's one of the sweetest movies ever made and I'm going to purchase the DVD this weekend. I found it on VHS some time ago and was dismayed to find that it had the late night supermarket scene removed and I'm dying to have a copy with it restored. After many repeated viewings I went from finding the supermarket sequence, originally, a silly outta place slapstick moment to later it being an integral part of the resolution and essential to the impact of the ending.
I'm not the biggest fan of George C Scott. I often find he's chewing the scenery. That's not to say that I don't think he's a great actor and that I don't like many of his films. This is my favorite of his performances and I think the role is perfectly suited for his style. He also seems to be enjoying himself tremendously. He was so rarely given a chance to play lighter or comic roles. An unfortunate fact considering how well he did with this role and with General Buck in Dr Strangelove.
Joanne Woodard is the perfect counterpoint and has all the needed skill to be able to play off such a powerhouse as Scott, keeping everything in balance.
Both play their part with great vunerablity while hiding behind their facades. There some great acting going on here.
Add an seemingly endless ensemble supporting cast of great character actors like Jack Gilford and Al Lewis and Severn Darden
and many others. Plus a teriffic script, full of wit and heart and room to let everybody to spread their wings and you have one of the most charming undiscovered gems in the world. Mind you, this isn't for everyone. It has to be watched with a little sensitivity and patience and it's quirky to say the least. When they go to the phone company, well, there aren't too many scenes like that in anywhere(Most directors are too afraid something like that just won't work). Films of the late sixties and seventies were just a little more courageous and less worried with the bottom line. So, during that time we get some of our greatest flops and some of our sweetest sucesses.
If you liked The Owl and the Pussycat or Little Fugitive or Little Murders, you'll like this movie. A real little gem.

A Waste of Good Plastic
George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward were/are great actors. What is a great mystery is what they are doing in this piece of junk. The derainged one had to be the director. At the ending(?)I felt totally robbed! But I'm being too kind. The only reason I gave it one star is there was no option to give it less. This movie SUCKS! and if you buy it don't say I didn't warn you!

George C Scott and Joanne Woodward shine!
This is a GREAT film that was unnoticed upon it's original release because of its quirkiness.
It concerns a judge (played by Scott) who believes he is Sherlock Holmes. He lives in a complete fantasy world, which he created right after his beloved wife died, to provided shelter from a cold world. However, he finds the fantasy world a bit lonely, for no one believes he is Holmes. A psychiatrist played by Woodward (also excellent) tries to cure him, much to the disdain of his brother, who would like Scott to be declared incompetent so he can control Scott's money.
It turns out that Woodward is also lonely, and you can see where the movie will go, but it doesn't detract from a sweet, funny and touching movie.
The film gained popularity on TV's Late Show. It isn't shown much on cable, so this DVD is invaluable. It also contains commentary by the director.
Much thanks to Anchor Bay for releasing this film, and so many others that deserve to be seen but are not that well known. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

It helps to have one of history's greatest scoops as your factual inspiration, but journalism thrillers just don't get any better than All the President's Men. Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford are perfectly matched as (respectively) Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, whose investigation into the Watergate scandal set the stage for President Richard Nixon's eventual resignation. Their bestselling exposé was brilliantly adapted by screenwriter William Goldman, and director Alan Pakula crafted the film into one of the most intelligent and involving of the 1970s paranoid thrillers. Featuring Jason Robards in his Oscar-winning role as Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, All the President's Men is the film against which all other journalism movies must be measured. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Their obsession for a good story brought down a president
This Oscar winning 1976 film is about Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, the two Washington Post reporters who broke the biggest story of the 1970's - that of the Watergate scandal. It originally seemed like a small story, a break-in at the Democratic headquarters, but because of these two young men doggedly going after the facts, it brought down a president.

Starring Dustin Hoffman as the chain-smoking and quirky Bernstein, and Robert Redford as the more sophisticated Woodward, there is a chemistry between them which gave them the impetus to push way beyond the limits of what the story required, and as one discovery led to another, build on the accumulated details to go even further. Both the men were good at sizing up people, and the film shows how, in one interview after another, they got each interviewee to reveal those details that could fit into the king-size puzzle that they had taken on. Martin Balsam, cast as the managing editor, wanted to give the job to more senior reporters, but as Jack Warden, the metro editor, pointed out, the two young men had a passion for the story that was very special. Jason Robards, the executive editor, was quick to question all their facts, but generally supported them all the way.

Throughout, there are lots of shots of the massiveness of the tall buildings in contrast to the smallness of the men. And, when it came to the secret informer who they called "Deep Throat", those scenes were cast in shadow. The pacing was excellent and the there was tension throughout, which kept me fascinated even though I knew the eventual outcome. This story became an obsession with the two reporters and it seemed as if nothing would stop them. Occasionally, it got a bit repetitive, but that is the nature of good reporting, which can also be called good detective work.

The film brought back the reality of the 1970s, from the hairstyles to the manual typewriters. I found myself thinking about the cell phones and computers we take for granted today, as I watched them pour through phone directories as well as thousands of library take-out slips as they followed up on every clue. The acting, of course, was excellent as well the screenplay, which focused entirely on the news story, rather than becoming maudlin with the personal lives of the men. I give this film a high recommendation. It's definitely worth seeing.

A timeless historic piece
Absolutely shameful that "Rocky" beat out this Oscar nominee as Best Picture. "All the President's Men" is the faithful big screen treatment of the same-name book by the Washington Post reporting duo that dug deeply enough into the Watergate burglary that it led to the downfall of the Nixon Administration. Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, each in some of their best work of their careers, portray their real-life counterparts not only as journalists but with the human frustration they undoubtedly felt while chipping away at what at first couldn't be predicted to become a major event in American history. Just what was at stake for the country is best delivered by the late Jason Robards in his role as Post editor Ben Bradlee, a performance that got Robards one of two back-to-back Best Supporting Oscars ("Julia" was the other). We even get to see Deep Throat. He's Hal Holbrook but, for reasons that still exist, we don't know who he really is and how he has obvious insider knowledge. Read the book by Woodward and Bernstein first, though, for an appreciation of the faithfulness of the movie to its subject. Not only is "All the President's Men" riveting entertainment, it's a vital historical reference. How "Rocky" beat it out for Best Picture ought to be deemed one of those Academy embarrassments.

Re-birth of a Nation
"All the President's Men" is the well-made movie about the political fiasco known as "Watergate". Watergate remains the biggest political mess in American history and it led to the resignation of president Richard "I am not a crook" Nixon.

The movie has big stars, including Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford as the two Washington Post reporters who begin to unearth the story about the break-in at the Watergate hotel and subsequently piece together the details that implicate a long list of top politicians.

The intriguing story is helped by supporting actors Jason Robards, Jack Warden, Martin Balsam, and Hal Holbrook who plays "Deep Throat", the still-unidentified informant who guided Woodward and Bernstein along the trail of information.

The DVD includes text-based cas