Reviews (101)

THRILLING! BREATHTAKING! HEART-WRENCHING!
This is the greatest SPACE movie of all time, without any reasonable doubt. Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, and Kathleen Quinlan ALL give superb performances. I really like the way they were able to make an old story exciting without taking much dramatic license. This movie actually makes you FEEL as if you're with Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert in their desperate battle to stay alive in their crippled space craft 200,000 miles from safety, or with Lovell's wife and family as they sit by and hope for the best, or with Gene Kranz and other mission control ground crew members struggle to bring them home. This is still Ron Howard's best film as a director. Anyone who wishes to see an historical adventure movie should look no further than APOLLO 13. It'll make you feel great, trust me! Grade: A+

Our Finest Hour!
Since the U.S. had landed on the moon in 1969, most of the world was not that excited about the Apollo 13 mission. But in 1970 when three astronauts going to the moon suddenly experience a malfunction in the equipment. They are in the race of there lives. The race is them against time. Tom Hanks (Lovell), Bill Paxton (Haise), and Kevin Bacon (Swiegert) use only what they have to survive. Hope, each other and there ability to work through a problem. Gary Sinese plays Ken Mattingly who was suppost to go but didn't because he was to get the measles. It is Ken who helps find the way to get the men home. Ed Harris is head of the groud crew. Who gives his best performance here. The supporting actors help round out this movie into a great story. A true one by that. One of the best films of 1995. Great acting, directing, editing, special-effects, script and a great score by James Horner. Oh by the way, Mattingly never got the measles. Grade:A

Correction to previous post. regarding cropping the DVD...
Hey Zahnduhl,

You're right to point out that we want to see movies in their true "theatrical aspect ratio" so I commend you for that. Film is an artform - would you crop a Picasso to fit your TV screen?

However, I felt it necessary to note that what you have noticed here in this case is most likely an instance of Universal Pictures releasing the un-masked (or Full-Ap) version of the movie as a 1.33:1 release instead of the typically butchered Pan&Scan version that we all so detest. I can't say for 100% sure on this DVD, but I will say that this was fairly common in the past to help the VHS sales. I commend them for at least doing this as opposed to cropping, but I can see how it could leave you (and others) thinking that your precious movie was cropped for the WS transfer.

Rest assured, however, that most likely you are just getting "more" in this VHS version than was ever released theatrically. This is possible when the studio decides to release original Full Aperture footage for the VHS release. Although, you will likely find that Visual Effects shots will still typically be cropped b/c most of the time VFX houses will only work in the final theatrical aspect ratio.

Anyway, I hope this clears up any confusion for you, now go buy the DVD. ;)

-anonymous

Murphy's Law in Outer Space
Talk about rolling snake eyes. To begin with, your mission is numbered "thirteen." Then the pilot you've trained with is grounded prior to lift-off because he's allegedly been exposed to the measles; he's replaced by a young buck still wet behind the ears. Once you're within spitting distance of the surface of the Moon an oxygen tank explodes. Obviously, it takes oxygen to breathe, so now what? Shut down everything in the command module, of course, shiver in the lunar module, and hope the gravitational tug from the Moon will slingshot you back home.

And I thought I had my bad days.

Yet the problems mentioned above merely scratch the surface of the true trials and tribulations of APOLLO 13. Director Ron Howard recreates this gripping, compelling story, right down to beehive hairdo's and computers the size of Mt. Rushmore. The drama, the sense of urgency--on the part of the astronauts, and the NASA staff in Houston frantically trying to save them--is so powerful and vivid I felt I was watching the actual event itself. To magically weave the viewer into the story is a crowning achievement for any filmmaker, and here, Howard succeeds like a wizard waving a wand.

Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris, Kevin Bacon, and Gary Sinise headline a stellar cast in a grim race-against-time that had the entire world transfixed in April of 1970. I remember being glued to the TV watching Walter Cronkite broadcast around the clock to give us the latest developments of the Apollo 13 story; I remember the relief and joy I felt when that banged-up capsule was retrieved from the ocean. To relive the triumph--and near-tragedy--of this event is an awesome experience, and APOLLO 13 is awesome, indeed.
--D. Mikels

One of My Absolute Favorites
Apollo 13, the story of NASA's near-loss of one of its manned spacecraft in 1970, is on my top-five list of all-time favorite movies. This, for me, is one of those movies that I've see a million times, know all the words to and get everyone whose watching it with me annoyed because I HAVE TO say the lines along with the actors. The acting in the movie is fantastic...everyone from Tom Hanks to Ed Harris on down the list superbly act this true event from our nation's history. Even the background music is great...seamlessly fitting into the mood of the movie. Annie Lennox does the vocalizations, and her voice is, as always, immensely powerful.

As someone who craves the day when this nation returns to the resolve it had in the 1960's and early 70's when we were shooting for the moon, the story of Apollo 13 should inspire those who yearn for humanity's renewed interest in exploring the immensity of what lays beyond our small planet, not just with robotic devices, but with people as well. Apollo 13's failure to land on the moon, and near-loss, should prove to humanity that from failure, we can still triumph. That is something that I think we have forgotten today...especially after the loss of the Shuttle Columbia, we have nearly forgotten the incredible risk of exploring space is more than worth the benefits we will reap with our explorations...even when some do not return home. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Buried like a bone in a snowdrift, Balto never achieved the theatrical success it should have, but it's worth digging up. The film is structured on the true tale of a lead sled dog, Balto, that brought a diphtheria antitoxin to the small town of Nome, Alaska. The film balances comedy, villany, and drama very well and the voice work is above average. Safe family viewing, as even the villain's comeuppance manages a civilized resolution. The only problem is that the film never explains why these events in Alaska inspired New Yorkers to build a statue to the dog in Central Park. Maybe Balto eventually got mugged there. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Wonderful!
This is a film I have no problem recommending to anyone! Suitable for adults and children alike, Balto is a movie that first touched my heart back in 1995 when it was first released and continues to reign as my all-time favorite animated movie. Kevin Bacon delivers an excellent performance as the humble and timid, Balto, while the rest of the voice cast brings to life his simple but captivating world. I can't say enough about this movie. While it isn't exactly historically correct, the movie uses the true story of Balto as a stepping-stone into a tale about friendship, love, and what real courage is. Relaying a timeless message of excepting others for who they truly are, Balto is a movie thats perfect for helping children realize that hate, prejudice, and discrimination are evil poisons. It also delivers a message about loving those who hate you and that one person (or dog) can make a difference- they just have to be willing to stand up and step in. These are lessons that not just children but also adults need to be reminded of and this is just the movie to do that. Forget Disney for awhile and check out this true masterpiece from Universal.

Couldn't be a better film!
This is a really good movie.I've been watching it for as long as I can remember.It's about a dog (part wolf)who is an outcast in Nome,Alaska.He's friends with a Russian snow goose called Boris (the funniest character in the movie) and 2 polar bears called Muk and Luk who can't swim.He's also in love with a dog called Jenna, and there's a villian called Steele.
When a disease strikes (with Jenna's owner, Rosie, among the sick) and the sled team sent to get the anti-toxin is lost, Balto must find and rescue the team and face avalanches,icicle falls and (of course) Steele.A brilliant movie.

A powerful story
My only regret with this movie, is that I did not catch it at the cinema! However when I first rented it from a video store, I instantly fell in love with it (and ended up re-renting it out quite a few times before finally receiving a VHS copy of my own later on). Now it is on DVD and so I have happily purchased this to keep forever more, it really is an absolute favourite of mine.

Story Summary:

Our main character is a half-dog, half-wolf protagonist who is shunned by the townspeople and rejects the outside life of the wolves, he doesn't belong anywhere. This story sees the children of the town threatened by a virus and when it seems that the life-saving medicine will be impossible to obtain, our protoganist throws himself into the world of both realities for the sake of others and getting his chance at proving his worth to the world, but not without it's trials and tribulations of course. Place in an overbearing and selfish lead husky, a gentle canine love interest, a cynical goose partner, and some fun polar bears, then be prepared for a ride filled with danger, love and humour. All carried along with a powerful message that "You don't need a pedigree to help someone" and of acceptance of the self so as to cherish those personal qualities that make you different and attempt to rise above the odds by acting to your fullest.

Elements:

The animation is wonderfully done, very impressive and carries the story well. As mentioned before, the music is also a treat, the end credits vocal fits the whole movie extremely well and is as powerful as the movie's message itself, the instrumental soundtrack also gives a powerful underlying atmosphere to all the dynamic scenes. The plot is played out well, as firstly you are gradually introduced to the main characters through fitting scenes and get a good feeling for who they are and how they carry themselves out in life, an important factor for following a character driven plot. Then there is a good variety in the action, causing our protagonist to be pitted against an array of odds that keep you gripped and doesn't let the pace die. As mentioned, the voices are all acted out very well.

Conclusion:

Either way this film is a must-see in my opinion, and one I have happily seen many times myself. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Sidenote:

However on another note, I believe the VHS cover would of been better than this new cover, it seemed to have a more powerful composition with a nice variety of colour. If I remember right, it doesn't outrightly say "true story", it was more like "the story that became a legend" which could still be in a fictional sense since it is a word often used in mystical themes, rather than the word "true" that pulls away any doubt of this not being from something or other based in reality. If I remember correctly that is. Either way, since I didn't enter this movie initially thinking in a forward manner of "This is based on a true story" I felt the ending words had an added impact. But this is an extremely minor point, and this movie is very impacting either way in my opinion.

So, as stated, this is based loosely on a true story. For the purpose of this version of the original story things have been re-invented and so on. I do not believe this being an alternative interpretation detracts from this movie, incase you wondered, and I feel it's very impacting and influential. When I first watched this film I had no idea of this being based at all on a true story, so when the final words came, "Based on a true story", I was very touched as the underlying achievement is extremely impressive. To see the bare facts you may wish to see other documentation in company with this movie, however.

All in all, a great and influential story.

Lots of fun!
Does it really matter that this isn't exactly "historical?" I mean c'mon people, it's entertainment, not a history book.

My only gripe is that is was released in 4:3, aka "Full Screen." This was probably done for the kiddies, but for those of us that enjoy a good animated flick, release it in widescreen! That's the only reason it doesn't rate 5 stars.

If you've got access to a region free DVD player, order the German version from Amazon.de. It's a much nicer presentation, in it's original 16:9, with the english dialogue track.

Maybe Universal will release a special edition here in the states, with the theatrical version. Don't hold your breath too long, tho!

Another Universal Classic Animated Feature
Balto has been around since 1995 and even today the animation is still spactacular. There is nothing but absolute beauty in every shot and in every note in the compelling music score. The voice acting is performed very well. Especially Phill Collins as Muk and Luk. If there's one complaint I have about this film is the fact that it's not acclaimed as much as it should be. I do wish that a widescreen presentation was availible and I don't very much agree with them changing the cover art. Unfortunatey Universal doesn't seem to care much. But the film is a joy either way. ... Read more

Reviews (187)

"I haven't been home in years"
In my opinion this is John Candy's best movie. They should dedicate it to him. Steve Martin does a great job playing the cynic. It will have you crying from hysterical laughter or from tugging at your heartstrings. It starts out with "Neal" played by Steve Martin getting out of a marketing meeting late in New York during rush hour he runs to catch a cab for the airport so he can spend Thanksgiving with his family. With two days to get there you figure he should be plenty early. You aren't counting obstacles like "Del" played by John Candy. While Neal is giving money to a lawyer to buy him out of taking a cab in front of him, Del loads his trunk in it and takes off. The meetings and journey these two have after that is one for the record books. Del does everything he can to get Neal home to his family. They must take a Plane, Pickup Truck, Train, Bus, Rental Car, Semi, and the El to make it to Neal's Chicago Home with a detour to Kansas City. Neal may miss his daughters Thanksgiving Play but he will get a life lesson from Del that is priceless. This is a great one to own on DVD.

Any transportation will do!
Steve Martin and the late John Candy team up for this hilarious comedy PLANES,TRAINS and AUTOMOBILES. There's a cameo by Kevin Bacon who grabs a cab in the heavy New York City traffic. Bacon starred in SHE'S HAVING A BABY filmed around the same time as this film. Neal Page(Martin) is a marketing executive who plans to return home to Chicago for Thanksgiving. Neal grabs a cab,throwing out Del Griffith(Candy) who was about to enter the cab. Salesman Griffith and Page meet in an airport about to fly to Chicago. Massive storms forced the Chicago flight to be canceled so the two end up in Wichita,Kansas. Page and Griffith check in at the Braidwood Inn. They both take out their credit cards to pay,thus their respective cards accidentally end up in the other's wallet! Page and Griffith share a room since it was the only available room left. They sleep together,thus Page becomes annoyed by Griffith's loud snoring. Page became so angry that he impulsively got up and prepared to get dressed and leave. The pair end up in a heated argument over Griffith's behavior and imcompetence. Page's anger subsides so he undresses again and goes back to bed. Come daylight,Griffith is dreaming that he's embracing his late wife. He gently kisses Page's ear and Page is holding Griffith's hand. So Neal and Del make their plans on how to get home safely and quickly. One point in the film shows an angry Neal upset with an agent at a rent-a-car company("YOU CAN GET ME A F---ING DATSUN,A F---ING TOYOTA,A F---ING BUICK,A F---ING MUSTANG! FOUR F---ING WHEELS AND A SEAT!") What happens next? Del shows up in a car he's renting. Incompetent Del finishes smoking a cigarette that when he was about to toss the still-burning butt out the window,it accidentally ended up in the back seat of the car. The car becomes ablaze and even worse,Neal's wallet was in the glove compartment with his credit card back in it. All the glove compartment contents burned in the fire. Now Neal is really furious with Del. Neither had $42.50 to check in for the night at a nearby motel so Neal comes up with $17 cash and a wrist watch. The on-duty manager accepts Neal's alternate payment. When Del comes up with $2 cash and a nicer-looking watch,the manager refuses and "says goodnight". Del is freezing to death outside in his charred rent-a-car until Neal invites him to share his room. Come Thanksgiving Day,despite all the aggravation and struggling,Neal arrives home in Chicago safe and sound. Del is with him. Del confessed that he is homeless and lost his wife. That was why Del said in one scene,"I haven't been home in years." His business of selling shower curtain rings is what is keeping him financially stable and clean. The end theme is "Everytime You Go Away" written by Daryl Hall of the rock/pop duo Hall and Oates and was a minor hit for them and later a bigger hit for Paul Young. This film was directed by John Hughes who also directed SHE'S HAVING A BABY and would later direct CURLY SUE. Listen for an audio excerpt from SHE'S HAVING A BABY. It's an argument between Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern. I dedicate this film to the memory of John Candy who died in 1994 at age 43 of a heart attack.

TOPS!!
Call me silly, but I am 44 and have been watching movies most of my life. This is my #1 favorite movie of all time. It cant compare with the great movies throughout history, but they are not my #1 favorite....this one is. How is that for a review?

That's it?
Just the film? No give-me's? No side dishes? Movie a la carte? No interviews, outtakes... nothing?

Fortunately the movie itself is a decent comedy. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES is a fine film in a long tradition of road films, where the final destination is seemingly impossible to reach (like CLOCKWISE, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, e.g.) Steve Martin and John Candy make a surprisingly good team, and John Hughes lets them cut loose, fortunately. Unfortunately, the ending lurches into the treacly, sentimentality that Hughes just can't seem to avoid. Scratch that last comment, the ending I suppose is okay for this comedy. Give this film a view.

Great John Candy & Steve Martin Movie, but no extras
Let me start by saying that this is one of my favorite comedies of all time. I've loved this movie for years and I can watch it over and over again. I personally don't see how anyone could not like this movie, but you can't please everybody.
During the movie, Steve Martin is trying to get home to Chicago for Thanksgiving, but his plane lands in Kansas where he's stuck with Del Griffith (John Candy). They do everything they can to get home, but something always goes wrong. And you will laugh through almost the entire movie.
You've probably noticed that I gave this DVD 4 stars, and not 5. My reason for this: There are no special features. It seems like Paramound is just lazy when they put out DVD's. Almost every DVD I have that has no special features are by Paramount. There had to be interviews with Steve Martin and John Candy when the movie was made, or do some new interviews with Steve Martin and John Hughes. I would like to correct one reviewer about them cutting scenes from the DVD. I assume you are talking about the funny scene on the plane when they are being served their food. This is a scene that was not included in the movie at all, it's just added sometimes to the TV version. But I still think that scene should have been included on the DVD. Not as a deleted scene that you could view by itself, but actually included in the movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This splatter flick, along with John Carpenter's Halloween, helped spawn the great horror-movie movement of the '80s, not to mention eight sequels, many of which had nothing to do with the films that preceded them. It also gave birth to Jason Voorhees, one of the three biggest horror-movie psychos of the modern era (the other two being Halloween's Michael Myers and A Nightmare on Elm Street's Freddy Krueger). Forever duplicated, the original Friday the 13th popularized a number of themes and techniques that today are now clichés: the increasingly gory murders, the remote forest location, the anonymous and nubile cast, the murderer as cult hero, and, of course, the moral that if you have sex, you will die, very painfully. Still, if you have to see a Friday the 13th movie, this is the one to check out. A group of eager (and horny) teenagers decide to reopen Camp Crystal Lake, which 20 years earlier was closed after the shocking and mysterious murders of two amorous camp counselors. You can take it from there, as the teens get picked off one by one, during a dark and stormy night; of course, their car won't start and there's no phone. The ending stole shamelessly from Brian De Palma's Carrie, but it still provides a slight if campy shock. Look for a young Kevin Bacon as the requisite stud--you can tell that's what he is because when the cast appears in swimsuits, he's wearing a Speedo--who's the beneficiary of the film's best murder sequence, an arrowhead to the throat. Right after having sex, of course. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (359)

The Original Slasher Opus!
Camp Crystal Lake, 1957. A mysterious figure hacks up two love-bonding teenagers, kicking off a great, entertaining credits sequence with Harry Manfredini's great score!
Opening to 1980, a teenager is on her way to Camp Crystal Lake,
to meet up with other camp counselors who are putting the camp back up for the summer. She is warned by the town's people, but ignores their warnings. Ofcourse, being the original film in the Friday The 13th horror movie series, she makes a deadly mistake, picking up a ride from a mysterious figure in a jeep.

Meanwhile back at camp, the head, Steve Christy, leaves the young counselors to clean up as he goes to town. As night comes, a storm comes and so does Mrs. Voorhees hacking her way threw this horror venture, featuring special effects by Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead).

This original flick in the great franchise has so far, spawned nine sequels, including the groovily fun Jason X! Ofcourse all these horror greats are fun! Some good gore abound in this flick, including a slit throat, arrow threw the neck, axe to the face and more! The sequels got even better, more [gore] scenes and ofcourse, Jason would take the axe over in Part 2!

HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13TH!

Friday the 13th (1980).
Written and directed by Sean S Cunningham, Starring Kevin Bacon...Make-up: Tom Savini. This early trendsetter spawned 8 sequels and set a new type of standard in the slacher genre. This bloody tale is about some youngsters camping around the area of Christal Lake. But what they don't know is that the camp has a curse, namely Jason's curse. Jason is(that most of us know) a young kid that drowned back in the 50's wile the dreadful teenagers made love. Now he is back for revenge, or is it his mother?

What more can I say then that this movie is amazing. Sean S Cunningham takes the genre one more step further then Halloween and adds a simple revenge story but whit a great touch of atmosphere and loads of gore. Fx guru Tom Savini gives us some truly terrifying death scenes (who can ever forget Kevin Bacons harpoon trough the chest scene) that really deliver entertainment to us dark souls. The Psycho inspired music and the dark settings give Friday the 13th a creepy stile. This is a historic flick in horror history that any serious fan of the genre should add in there horror collection. Many people underrate this kinds of films. I suggest you don't. Those people are boring moralists that are all to small minded. This flick deserves to be a classic as much as Psycho or Silence of the Lambs.

Earn your self to see this blockbuster. You will have a lot of fun seeing it (trust me). Remember this was one of those movies that started the hole area of 80's horror.

Rating: 5 stars of 5 possible.

The best Friday ...
Though I enjoy Jason Voorhees a lot, this is the best Friday the 13th. For the most part, this movie actually didn't have that bad of acting, as did the sequels. It's better because it is the original storyline. The sequels are better in that since Jason is the killer, he has unique and gruesome ways of killing people, and he's much scarier and would be much harder to get away from.
This movie has everything that a horror movie should have. There is no way someone can go through their life claiming to be a huge horror fan and have no seen this movie INCLUDING the sequels. If you like teenage horror with plenty of killings, get this. A good movie to start off your horror collection.

Don't listen to the critics!
"Friday the 13th" is a typical slasher from the early 80's, only it's better than most. Despite critics, like Roger Ebert and Lenorn Maltin giving it ridicuosly low ratings, it really isn't as bad as they claim. In fact, the scripting, at least, is every bit as good as that of "Halloween"'s, only it isn't as well made and certainly not as original. Almost everyone knows the plot-line, even those who have never seen it, so I won't bother on outlining it. And if you are familiar with it, then you know what just about every "Friday the 13th" is about.

The Friday the 13th film franchise kicks off with a whimper.
Some things defy explanation, the success of this lame and predictable series is one of them. Perhaps the minimal amount of explicit violence was shocking in 1980, but by today's standards it is tame and would be unscary to even bed wetting pre-teens.
This is a low budget film about a summer camp being finally reopened after a decades old drowning tragedy. Shortly after the arrival of the young camp counselors, the legendary Camp Crystal Lake is rocked by a series of gruesome murders.
This is a pioneering film in the genre of the slasher film and follows the formulaic plot of horny teens retreating to a secluded area to have sex and smoke pot before being killed for their sins by an anonymous killer. If you are a fan of this genre, you have seen this a million times and probably much better than this.
Some of the gratuitous violence and murder in parts I and II could be considered clever and inspired, if it were not essentially plagiarized from an earlier and much better italian film entitled Twitch Of The Death Nerve (now available on DVD) by Mario Bava. The influence that Bava's film had on this crap is blatant, especially in part II.
The cast is uninteresting, even a pre stardom Kevin Bacon puts in a lethargic performance and the film is mostly dull and tedious. One of the most harrowing sequences, the abduction of the female hitchhiker, happens during the first half of the film and its basically all downhill from there.
There is nothing to recommend this even to hardcore gore fans as most of the effects fade to white before you can get a good look at them.
In the end the whole mess seems overlong and boring. With the absence of any character development or significant suspense, this is a very shoddy exercise compared to the immensely successful Halloween which predates this by two years. No wonder this sorry excuse for a series never produced a veritable horror icon like Jamie Lee Curtis.
The DVD is lame also, almost completely devoid of extras. My advice to fans is to save their cash for the upcoming box set, which will be reasonably priced and contain the first eight entries in the series. ... Read more

Reviews (204)

SLEEP...SLEEP...SLEEP
and so our protagonist Tom (Kevin Bacon) slips into a deep hypnotic state, and after he awakens, he starts to "receive" messages from the supernatural. This is the basis for a very scary story which takes place in a close-knit, blue-collarish town where everyone knows their neighbors...but not as well as they think! Bacon's acting is right on the money. I especially liked the supposed blue-collar speak: Aye, how youse doin'? He convincingly acts terrified, confused, & sad...a man on the brink of going looney. Rounding out the cast is the always quirky-yet-attractive Illeana Douglas, down-to-earth sexy Kathryn Erbe as Tom's wife, and playing Tom's son, Jake, Zachary David Cope does a fairly good imitation of the kid from "The Sixth Sense". ( The kid here, you see, has always "received" the same messages!) The director & writer, David Koepp uses a great visual style to move things along, as well as a few neat special FX shots as the supernatural forces come to light. The scene where Tom first goes under hypnosis is very very effective...I almost felt like I was being hypnotized as I wathced...you will too. Thoroughly enjoyable. Great extras. Well worth the price of ownership.

5 STARS FOR SCARING ME OUT OF MY WITS!
If you're super cynical, you might view Stir Of Echos as just a trumped up murder mystery with supernatural overtones and some oddly coincidental parallels to the Sixth Sense thrown in; (although I just recently found out who might have been copying whom)! However, if you're honest, you'll have to admit that Stir Of Echos is incredibly suspenseful (definitely Edge Of The Seat stuff!) totally riveting, and far, far CREEPIER than the Sixth Sense! In this movie, (starring Kevin Bacon) the lead character is hypontized on a drunken whim, at a party. Afterwards, he starts experiencing some very bizarre hallucinations as he realizes a "door" to another world has been opened up in his brain! As he desperately tries to get to the bottom of these terrifying images and visions he's seeing, he loses interest in his job, his family; everything! An intriguing plot, that does not disappoint! My opinion? Watch it and view for yourself! (But DON'T watch it alone)!

Stir of Ehs
This is not a bad movie. It is reasonably well made, although it has dubiously long sequences of Kevin Bacon searching for power tools and using said power tools w/o any serious tension, as we know exactly what he will find, as does he. Also, the background crime and its perpetrators were too easy to discern halfway through the film, and some variation of the confrontation was obvious 40 minutes into the film. The film has an effective mood, and a couple of jolts...

My problem w/ films like this, and I know there are those of you like me, is this: In horror, in Supernatural horror, the supernatural has to be malevolent and it has to be the threat. If an average human is a greater threat to the protagonist than the ghost--which seems to be the common norm of most modern horror/thrillers (Below, 6th Sense, What Lies Beneath, The Others, 28 Days Later, this)--then it does nothing for me. It's not scary. A ghost trying to warn you or avenge its death isn't scary. Sure, the film may manipulate some jumps out of you w/ quick shots of the practically harmless ghost, but after you've experience the thrills, what remains? Once you know the secret of "The Others", what could possibly be scary about the movie after a second viewing? The Exorcist is still scary, because that movie is about an evil presence out to harm you. The Ring gave me some uneasy nights, I admit, because the threat was evil. The Blair Witch Project, the same thing. There's nothing scary about the ghosts in this, in The Others, in the 6th Sense.

So, if you really enjoyed movies w/ ghosts who are only harmful in their pop-up-out-of-no-where powers, and human conspiracies about failed coverups scare you more, then you'd like this. If, however, it's the vile nature of the beast that keeps you up at night, then you'd feel you had wasted money on this picture.

Good Movie
Stir of Echoes is a good, supernatural thriller. It's above the other movies nowadays. Bacon is great.

Kevin Bacon? Never seen him so good.
This is a very clever film. I was a bit skeptical both because of it's lack of popularity and the fact that Kevin Bacon is in it. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Not only is this is a great story, it is well put together with many good actors/actresses.

There's not much to say, other than: If you want a good, rare movie pick this. I warn you however that I'm not promising your liking it. Although with the right mindset, anyone can enjoy this film. Just remember: "Don't be afraid." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Wild Things is the kind of lurid, trashy thriller that you'll either dive into with unabashed pleasure or turn away from in prudish disgust; it's entirely your choice, but we suggest the former option since it's obviously much more fun. The plot's so convoluted it's hardly worth describing, except to say that it's set in humid Florida and involves a respected high school teacher (Matt Dillon--yes, Matt Dillon as a teacher!) who is faced with accusations of rape by a student (Denise Richards, from Starship Troopers) who had been giving him the kind of attention most people would consider improper for such a "nice" young lady. Another student (Neve Campbell) raises a similar charge against the teacher, and that's when a police officer (Kevin Bacon) begins to investigate the allegations. Just when you think the movie's gone overboard with its shameless sex and absurdly twisted plot, in drops Bill Murray as an unscrupulous lawyer (of course) to spice things up with insurance scams and welcomed comic relief. As directed by John McNaughton (who has a way of making just the right moves with this kind of film noir melodrama), Wild Things is a bona fide guilty pleasure--the kind of movie you may be ashamed to enjoy, but what the heck, you'll enjoy it anyway. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (203)

Neve Campbell steals the show
Wild things is an easy movie to love. It tells the story of a Blue-Bay highschool teacher ( Dillon ) who is been accused for rape by two of his female students , spoiled rich kid Kelly ( Richards ) and drug-addict basketcase Suzie ( Campbell ) . Did he really do it ? The script provides more than just a yes-or-no answer during the one and a half hour the movie lasts . It includes a little more than a few plot twists and manages to constantly suprise us and turn things around. In addition to all that this is an extremelly well-made film , surely one of the sexiest movies you'll ever get the chance to see.The love scenes are simply sensational , steamy yet never cheap.All the members of the cast deliver some good perfomances but eventually it's the two girls who stand out. There's a first-class chemistry between Campbell and Richards . Campbell gives her best perfomance yet as confused freak Suzie.She totally crashes her next-girl image and prooves she's capable of playing many different kinds of characters with equally good results.It's actually weird that after that role she disappeared from the spotlight when one might have excpected that then was the time where her star would rise even higher.Denise Richards is really charming as Kelly Van Ryan too.She's one more person i hope i'll be seeing more in movies in years to come.Also great are many of the supporting roles.Bill Murrey , Daphne-Rubin Vega , Theressa Russel and Robert Wagner have all been smartly casted in roles they seem to fit perfectly with their physique . Director McNaughton knows how to handle all the above and achieves to make a movie you won't feel bored with for even a second.Let yourself free to enjoy the guilty pleasures of this film which combines crime , corruption and sexuallity so succesfully you'll have to see it twice to believe it.

This movie left me saying WOW
Wild Things is one of the most draw dropping movies I've ever seen. It had so many twists and turns I had to see it again to believe what I had seen earlier and had just seen again.

Matt Dillon plays a high school counsler at a high school in South Florida. He is well respected and loved by the students. He is really loved by his student played by Denise Richards. She likes to him to a very dangerous point. She later accuses of him of rape to the local cop played by Kevin Bacon along with another student played by Neve Campbell. Matt's character is hated by the community and he hires a lawyer played by Bill Murray to defend him. However, the movie turns into a story of sex, murder, and betrayl that like I said earlier will leave you saying "WOW" and have you watching it again.

Denise Richards is absolutely crazy in this movie. I couldn't believe this was the sweet innocent girl I had seen in Starship Troopers. Denise, Matt, and Neve shoot a soft porn in the movie when they do a three some. I couldn't believe it. I think this is the best acting Denise has done in her young carear. She is a beautiful woman and I love her to death. Most guys become a fan of her from watching this.

Kevin Bacon has a nice role in the film. It's one of the better performances of his carear. I hate his character in the movie. He plays a huge role in the film though, and Bacon liked this movie so much he helped produce it.

This is a different kind of role for Matt Dillon in the beginning of the movie. However, by the end he won't disappoint his loyal fans as he returns to the kind of character he typically plays.

I liked Wild Things. It's an insane sexual thriller. If nudity is not your thing I would not get this movie. Nevertheless if you want to see a movie with a ton and twists and turns this is it. Men will really like Denise in the movie. But like I said this movie will leave you saying "WOW" and will have you watching at again.

Keeps you guessing
...that's for sure! This movie really does keep you guessing until the very end. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you don't and are very far from the truth. It has so many twists in the plot that you really do have to pay close attention to it the first time you watch it or you will miss something vital to understanding the ending. I liked it mainly because I thought I had it figured out but when the end came I was totally wrong. I enjoy movies that are unpredictable, which this one most definitely is. The movie is cast well. It includes Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Kevin Bacon, Denise Richards, and even Bill Murrey. I think as far as casting goes the actors were prefct for the parts. Matt and Kevin play somewhat bad guys, which don't they usually. Neve Campbell plays a strange girl from the wrong side of the tracks and just nails the part. I like this movie and would recommend it to those that like a good ending and maybe some of you that want to see Neve Campbell making out with Denise Richards. Not my favorite part, but I know many guys would enjoy that scene.

Best Movie Ever!
This is one of the greatest movies ever made. Its has a mixture of fighting,cat fighting,drowning,betrayl,lieing,decieving, and just everything that makes a movie good. I would reccomend this movie to anyone.

Trash of the Gods!
"Wild Things" is a gloriously lurid and decadent little gem of a movie. I love movies that respect the intelligence of the audience while pandering to their base desires (most studio releases skip that first part), and "Wild Things" fits the bill perfectly.

The plot is - well, the plot is twisted, in every sense of the word. The story that seems to be unfolding ends at the halfway point of the movie - and then the real story begins. And in a technique I've never seen before, it continues through the ending credits, as director McNaughton gleefully fills in the holes.

"Wild Things" offers great, juicy turns from Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Theresa Russell, and especially Bill Murray as a hilariously corrupt small-time lawyer. Along the way we get lots of steamy, lurid peek-a-boo sex and nudity (which is so gratuitous it inspires genuine laughter), violence, and characters motivated by nothing more than pure greed. Put 'em together in the Everglades, and you have one hot movie.

I generally don't like movies that mess with the audience by hiding information, and then springing it on them later as a "twist." But twists work beautifully if the character is just as befuddled by them as the audience. Since "Wild Things" offers nothing but characters who think they have secrets and alliances but are actually only pawns in a game, every twist is justified.

This new "unrated" version incorporates scenes that aren't necessary, but are joyful anyway. If you have the original cut and you've got the money to throw around, go for it. If you haven't seen it, well, it's probably not for anyone. But if the thought of a wicked little Hitchcockian melodrama, dripping with sex and humor and directed with a wink, appeals to you, you can't go wrong with "Wild Things." ... Read more

Reviews (304)

NOT Eastwood's best...
...that title remains with Unforgiven.

Mystic river is a good movie, not a great one. It has a great story and great characters - with a good screenplay by Brian Helgeland, based on Dennis Lehane's book. The directing is solid, while not really bringing anything special to the film, yet pacing it prefectly in building the tension around the murder.

What is outstanding about this film is the acting. Sean Penn gives yet another inspired performance as a working class father from Boston who just lost his oldest daughter to a horrific murder. Although the scenes that most people seem to remember (and that are shown in the trailer) show his *exaggerated* response to his daughter's death, the rest of the performance is more subdued and restrained.

Tim Robbins' performance is also of note, as Penn's disturbed boyhood friend who shows up covered in blood the same night of the murder, making his frightened wife (Marcia Gay Harden) start to doubt his story and to believe that he is in fact the murderer.

The rest of the cast give solid performances in somewhat limited characters, Kevin Bacon and Laurence Fishburne as the cops asigned to the case, and Laura Linney as Penn's second wife.

However, there are a few things about the film that rubbed me the wrong way; the whole sub-plot about Bacon's wife calling him on his cell phone and not speaking? What was that suppossed to bring to the movie? Or Linney's (apparently) sudden transformation into Lady MacBeth, telling Penn's character that he should do whatever needed to be done? Or the final parade scene?

In short, while not a great film (certainly not Eastwood's best), it's a good one worth catching, and not as bad as some other reviewers will have you believe (certainly not Mistake River!).

Sean Penn and Tim Robbins are outstanding!
In Mystic River, director Clint Eastwood has taken the themes of pain and loss, added superb actors, and a literate script to make a memorable movie.

Jimmy, Sean, and Dave were childhood buddies growing up in a working-class neighborhood in Boston. One day, Dave was lured away and sexually abused by two men. Years later, the boys are now adults; Jimmy (Penn) is an ex-con with a loving family, Sean (Bacon) is a cop with marital woes, and Dave (Robbins), forever damaged by his childhood trauma, is barely clinging to reality. When Jimmy's daughter is murdered, Sean investigates, Jimmy vows vigilante justice, and Dave is a prime suspect.

The lead actors are outstanding here. Penn is utterly convincing as the former thug and heartbroken father. Robbins displays his acting chops in the performance of a lifetime, showing a fragile man dealing with such pain that he can no longer function rationally. The two men certainly deserved their Oscars.

This is a movie that will pull at your heartstrings while keeping you guessing who the killer is. There are, thankfully, no graphic scenes of child abuse or the girl's death, yet you will be on the edge of your seat much of the time. This is an outstanding film.

Stale As Month-Old Potato Chips
I was quite surprised at how bad this movie was. Perhaps it was just me, but I was looking forward to a Unforgiven-type directoral masterpiece from Mr. Eastwood and the stars Robbins and Penn. Given the hype this movie recieved (and the oscar nods to its 2 main stars and director Eastwood) I was really ready to sink my viewing teeth into something substantial.

Unfortunately, this movie was as stale as a bag of month-old potato chips. I never really came to symphathize at all with Sean Penn's character, even though his daughter was murdered. I mean, seriously, how can you symphathize with a criminal (Penn's character) who barely was involved in his kid's life to begin with?

Perhaps if the movie had shown a more deeper relationship between Penn and the kid then I could have cared more about the outcome. As it was all my sympathy went to Tim Robbins character, sexually molested as a child and then basically forgotten by his so-called "buddies". In my opinion Tim Robbins is the only reason to watch this movie. He walks around with an aire of utter hopelessness (reminiscent of the character he played in Jacob's Ladder), and yet he tries so hard to get passed the mental anguish of his past and make it through each day as an adult that by the end you are cheering for him.

Which brings me to the other reason why this movie stinks - the ending.

Like in a good novel, the reader/viewer doesn't want to be cheated in the end. I don't want to give away the ending, but be warned - it stinks.

All in all there really wasn't any substance to most of the characters, and I found myself toward the end wondering why I should even finish watching it. I like to be absorbed by characters played with heart and substance. Watching these jokers (except for Robbins) was like watching carboard cutouts being moved around on a stage.

Mystic River..The Ending Bites
First off..someone please tell Clint Eastwood to back away from the camera slowly and never ever direct another film. As far as everyone who raves about this film..you have lost all cred. I supposed your enthralled by shiny objects too. The ending was ridiculous....my daughter is killed..lets go to a parade?????? The fact that this drivel was considered genius in two mediums is baffling...more proof that everything is watered down beyond hope...whoever says this is a classic- I have some old home movies..you wanna shell out money to see those too???

Pretentious Puddle?
.
In great dramas, people aren't perfect, but their mistakes make sense. In melodramas, their mistakes don't; they occur only because the screenwriter wants them to.

Mystic River is a horrid melodrama, Hollywood's worst in years.

Pick any three-minute segment, jump in the shoes of any major character, and you'll find at least two instances where common sense would completely unravel the plot. There would be:

phone calls to doctors
routine checks on how the investigation is going

alerts to detectives
ridiculous assumptions thrown out the window
obvious suspects brought in for questioning
DNA and blood evidence rapidly analyzed and suspects eliminated
direct confrontations and/or backchannel neighborhood chats to double-check facts
and, oh, maybe a teeny bit of thinking before irreversible acts are committed.

None of this happens, of course, because the screenwriter creates a world without accepting its rules. The major characters are supposed to have lived in the same rough neighborhood and known each other all or most of their lives. But the lifelong aggressors uniformly jump to conclusions, as though they've never served time or seen other hoodlums get burned by assumptions. And the lifelong victims never seem to have their radar up around shady characters.

So we're asked to believe in a tough, jaded world where all statements are taken at face value, where no one seems to have ever seen a crime movie or played a single hand of poker, and where seasoned homicide cops don't seem to have heard of fingerprints, basic procedure, or internal affairs investigations. It's totally implausible.

In a decent drama, Dave never gets in the Savage brothers' car. Not with his history, not knowing the Savage brothers, not given the circumstances. But he gets in, because that's the only way the screenwriter gets Dave to the next scene. Ugh.

As a counterpoint, check out any Farrelly brothers movie. Yeah, they're comedies, but they follow the rules of drama: the characters are put in situations they take seriously, and make decisions that, given who they are, make lots of sense. The funny comes from sensibly navigating absurd situations. Unlike the funny in Mystic River, which inadvertently jumps out from umpty-jillion RIDICULOUS plot twists.

Me Myself and Irene is a better cop drama than this overhyped clunker. Kingpin is a vastly better study of victims and villains. And no, I'm not kidding. Skip MR. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is one of those movies that works for all the wrong reasons--disgusting, lowbrow, base humor that we are all far too sophisticated to find amusing. So, just don't tell anyone you still think it's a riot to watch John Belushi as the brutish Bluto slurp Jell-O or terrorize his less-aggressive fellow students. This crude parody of college life in the '60s spawned many imitations, but none could match the fresh-faced talent or bad taste of this huge box office success. (Remember all those toga parties in the '80s?) The first of the National Lampoon movies, this was originally released as National Lampoon's Animal House. Keep an eye out for a very young Kevin Bacon in his first credited screen appearance. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (253)

This movie is a funfest!
Title of film: National Lampoon's Animal House
Year Released: 1978
Running time: 109 minutes
Director/studio: John Landis/Universal Studios
Actors/Actresses: John Belushi......"Bluto"
Tim Matheson......"Otter"
John Vernon......."Dean Wormer"
Verna Bloom......."Marion Wormer"
Tom Hulce........."Pinto"
Cesare Danova....."The Mayor"
Peter Riegert....."Boon"
Mary Louise Weller...."Mandy Pepperidge
Stephen Furst........."Flounder" Dorfman
James Daughton........"Greg Marmalard"
Bruce McGill.........."D-Day"
Mark Metcalf.........."Douglas Neidermeyer"
Karen Allen..........."Katy Fuller"
James Widdoes........."Robert Hoover"
Martha Smith.........."Babs"
Lisa Baur............."Shelly Dubinsky"
Sarah Holcomb........."Clorette De Pasto"
Kevin Bacon..........."Chip Diller"
Donald Sutherland....."Professor Jennings"
Douglas Kenney........"Stork"
Chris Miller.........."Hardbar"
Bruce Bonnheim........"B.B."
Joshua Daniel........."Mothball"
Sunny Johnson........."Otters Co-ed"
Stacy Grooman........."Sissy"
Stephen Bishop........"Guy with guitar"
Eliza Roberts........."Brunella"
Aseneth Jurgenson....."Beth"
Katherine Denning....."Noreen"
Raymone Robinson......"Mean Dude"
Robert Elliott........"Meaner Dude"
Reginald Farmer......."Meanest Dude"
Jebidiah R. Dumas....."Gigantic Dude"
Priscilla Lauris......"Wormer's Secretary"
Rick Eby.............."Omega"
Nominations/Awards:
1979 Won People's Choice Award for Favorite Non-Musical Motion Picture
1979 Nominated WGS Screen Award Category/Recipients--Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen
Douglas Kenney, Chris Miller (III), Harold Ramis

Faber College during fall fraternity pledge season is the place all young men want to be regardless of societal ranking. The disparity between two of the fraternities is quickly evident when we see the wealthy white young men recruiting look-a-likes to join their fraternity and snubbing wannabe's who don't quite measure up. The wealthy frat house has the approval of the school's Dean Wormer and he despises with a passion the characters who choose Delta House fraternity. Dean Wormer wants Delta House off of his campus and he asks Omega House (the rich boys) to help him accomplish this task. This is where the fun begins.

It doesn't take long for the viewer to realize that fun-loving, sloppy, middle-class guys inhabit Delta house and they live for pulling pranks on the Omega House fraternity and Dean Wormer.

This movie truly portrays college life on campuses during the 1970's. The underdog Delta House is only looking for acceptance and they won't stop at anything to achieve it! The pledge class consists of all the rejects from Omega House not only from this year but year's past. Together this group works together to undo Dean Wormer's wish to rid their house from his campus.

Flounder's experience with the horse is hysterical. The lunchroom scene with Bluto is classic. Otter's "happy-go-lucky" love interests including Dean Wormer's life are characteristic of a young man's college sexual escapades of the 70's. The closing of the Delta House and the road trip are comical. And finally the parade of all parades allows Delta House to get their revenge.

Scenes from this movie stay with you forever! Keep smiling as you relive quotes and replay scenes in your mind years after viewing this very funny film!

Life, Liberty, And Fraternity
Animal House is a rowdy and riotous look at college life in 1962. Faber College is home to the infamous Delta Fraternity. Known for its wild parties, peeping toms, food fights, and practical jokes at Dean Wormer's (John Vernon) expense.

Director John Landis assembled a great cast for this film. Aside from the late John Belushi as "Bluto", there's inspired lunacy from Tim Matheson, Tom Hulce, a very young Kevin Bacon, Stephen Furst as "Flounder", Mark Metcalf, Peter Riegert and Karen Allen, all have a memorable moment or two. The script, written by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kennedy, and Chris Miller, gives us plenty of laughs. Anyone who watches this will identify with at least one character in the film. Many people that have seen Animal House has their favorite bit in the movie. As for me, it has to be the horse in the Dean's offce, I laugh every time--Belushi was born to play "Bluto"

To celebrate the film's 25th Anniversary, the Double Secret Probation DVD, boasts some solid extas. A somewhat funny "mock-u-mentary", catches up with the cast as their characters. Some of the jokes work better than others. But everyone gives it the "old college try" and has fun. Instead of an audio commentary, there's an animated anecdotes trivia mode that's fun. The cast and crew gather again for a retrospective documentary about the film. This 45 minute feature is filled with great stories about the production-ala the Caddyshack DVD. The song "Shout", sung by Otis And The Knights in the film, gets a video from MxPx. The theatrical trailer, additional production/cast+crew notes and DVD-ROM material tops off the disc.

Because Animal House is set in the past, it is timeless, and holds up quite well. It was the first of its kind and remains a comedy classic. If you have never seen this, do yourself a favor...if you already have seen the movie before...this is one reunion use should not miss.

Classic College Movie
This is one hilarous movie! My dad always used to tell me how good it was and how he watched it when he was in college, but I never believed him. When I got a DVD player as a gift from my boyfriend my freshman year of college, it was one of the first movies that I purchased. It is so funny and it's a great movie to watch with your friends while you're relaxing and having a few beers! I think that everyone who has ever experienced college parties should be buying this movie because you probably never experienced a party like the guys on Animal House throw! Enjoy!!

no more advertising!
enough!!!! i do not want to be forced to watch advertising on DVD's I buy. this DVD forces you to watch previews, even if you do not want to see them.

Bluto Lives!
ANIMAL HOUSE is one of the funniest, most subversive comedies ever made! It takes the college system apart, turning it into a playground for the outcasts on campus. Dean Wormer (John Vernon) has had just about enough of these delinquents. Delta Tau Chi is the worst frat in Faber College history, infamous for it's debauchery and total lack of respect for the traditions of the fraternity system. Delta house is more funhouse than fraternity house. It's members are a band of sex-obsessed alcoholics (hmmm, actually sounds pretty normal to me) with a knack for causing mayhem. Peter Riegert is "Boon" and Karen Allen is his girlfriend, Katy, who is just about fed up with the whole immature mess. Tim Matheson is "Otter", the Don Juan-type, set only on finding and fulfilling every woman's fantasy.... well, something like that. John Belushi is brilliant as "Bluto" Blutarski, a drunken lunatic with a heart of gold. His near silent performance steals every scene in a Chaplin / Keaton-esque way. This movie is the best thing the NATIONAL LAMPOON (the most irreverent, politically incorrect, spot-on hilarious humor magazine ever conceived) ever did. Written by Chris Miller, ANIMAL HOUSE is VERY loosely based on his own experiences at Dartmouth. He even has a small part as "HARDBAR". Doug Kenney (A national lampoon founding father) is "STORK", the guy who leads the Faber marching band astray in the legendary parade scene. If you like toga parties (aka: orgies), road trips, food fights, and anything else it takes to get through an otherwise dull existence, then ANIMAL HOUSE is for you! This movie was the first of it's kind, unfortunately giving birth to a stream of immitators and lesser phlegms.. er, films, like Porky's, Revenge Of The Nerds, etc. None have come remotely close to this masterpiece of hijinx gone terribly wrong! Highly recommended... ... Read more

Reviews (103)

A Great Dog's Tale
This movie will make you laugh as much as it will make you cry. Frankie Muniz (as Willie Morris) does an incredible job as a 9 year old boy longing for a friend during one particular hot summer in the midst of World War II. A loving mother played by Diane Lane. An over protective father played by Kevin Bacon. And a local high school sports hero named Dink Jenkins, played by Luke Wilson. Praise also to Harry Connick, Jr for his subtle narration; and Enzo ("Skip" the dog). Behind the father's back, Willie's mother buys Skip and gives the dog to him on his birthday. The father quickly takes him away - telling Willie he's not ready for a dog. Luckily the mother talks the father into letting the boy keep the dog... and the rest is history. Skip helps Willie thru some tough times... meeting girls, befriending the tougher kids from school, keeping Willie company one night in the grave yard, walking back and forth to all his little league baseball games, etc. This is just a great adventure seen thru the eyes of an innocent boy and his best friend - his dog. Great cast. Great story. If you ever truly loved a dog, you should see this movie. Old man Walt Disney would have been proud to have his name associated with "My Dog Skip".

Is my cat totally disgusted, or what?
It's 1942 in Yazoo City, in the Mississippi Delta. Nine-year old Willie (Frankie Muniz) is a lonely kid. Small, scrawny and physically uncoordinated, he's held in contempt by his peers. His Dad, Jack (Kevin Bacon), is stern and aloof, having lost a leg in the Spanish Civil War, of all places. (Why he was there at all is never explained.) Willie's only friend outside the family, his adult next-door neighbor and personal sports hero, Dink, has joined the Army, and is off to fight the Nazis. Realizing her son needs a pal (and a bit of responsibility), Willie's Mom, Ellen (Diane Lane), gets him a dog for his ninth birthday over the strenuous objections of Jack. ("He's not old enough!") Enter Skip, a terrier puppy way too cute for words.

MY DOG SKIP is a classic, family-oriented, G-rated story about a boy and his dog growing up together in small town America. And whether Willie is facing up to the local bullies, running afoul of moonshiners in the local cemetery, playing (ineptly) in a Little League game, watching a Saturday picture show at the local movie palace, or holding hands with the town's prettiest girl, Skip is there to provide moral support, a friendly lick, a happy bark, and a spirited wag of the tail. Disregarding for the moment that encounter with the moonshiners - a bit of a stretch even for Mississippi - the viewer loses himself in this charming reminiscence of a childhood with Man's Best Friend. It should rekindle fond memories in anyone who grew up with a pooch of his/her own. (I didn't. Our family had a succession of cats. But you know what I mean.)

MY DOG SKIP, based on the true life experiences of Harper's magazine editor Willie Morris, is not a great film. But it's an eminently watchable one, mostly due to the antics of the lovable Skip. I don't think my cat liked it, but I certainly did.

(It should here be noted that Willie Morris, a cat-hater most of his life, later came to have a feline Best Pal - a story of adult enlightenment told in the book MY CAT SPIT MCGEE. This charming volume is available from Amazon.)

A Good Family Film
This was a good Family film he helps out a little dog who he takes in and a bunch of stuff happens I liked it

FUN FOR THE FAMILY. saturday 10th april 2004.
I cried at the end of the film, it was so sad when his dog dies. I also cried when he hit skip. The story is about a newborn puppy skip who is bought by a childs mum on his 9th birthday, when his dad sees him the puppy gets taken off him but when she manages to work round him, the puppy grows up into a loving family he does the house hold plays games and loves willie his owner. The dog grows up and when the boy is older he goes off leaving his mum dad and dog to go and work on a career. Soon the dog dies with arthritus and old age, and that is very sad. LOVING SAD AND FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY.

Huge letdown
I can't understand all of the good reviews for this film, which I found to be a huge disappointment. Bad performances, coupled with awful direction and hackneyed, cliched writing puts this on my list of films to avoid. The film obviously tried to capitalize on Muniz's rising star power among youngsters and families, but offered little substance for this film to endure. There is never an indication at what makes this dog so special. And it' hard to believe that only two dogs were used for Skip; his appearance changes quite frequently throughout the film.If you want a recent "uplifting" family film, opt for "The Sandlot." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tremors didn't actually break any new ground (even though its tunneling worm monsters certainly did), but it revved up the classic monster-movie formulas of the 1950s with such energetic enthusiasm and humor that it made everything old seem new again.It's also got a cast full of enjoyable actors who clearly had a lot of fun making the film, and director Ron Underwood strikes just the right balance of comedy and terror as a band of small-town rednecks battles a lot of really nasty-looking giant worms. The special effects are great, the one-liners fly fast and furious between heroes Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward (and yes, that's country star Reba McEntire packin' awesome firepower), and it's all done with the kind of flair one rarely associates with goofy monster flicks like this. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (124)

Attention monster movie lovers:
TREMORS is nothing more then pure fun. The story takes place in a very small Western town that is besieged by four giant sluglike monsters. These slugs attack anything that causes a seismic vibration on the ground much like a piranha attacks anything that leaks blood. But these slugs chase after a would-be victim with the speed of a runaway train. And add to that, the surviving slugs seem to get smarter when one of their own is killed.

This is one film where the producers could have just put in a bunch of teenagers that only serve the purposes of taking their clothes off and being victims. But instead, we get a several enjoyable characters that we can actually care about. Fred Ward and Kevin Bacon are priceless as two laborers looking for work only to find - How do I put it? - man-eating slugs. Michael Gross, who plays an NRA poster boy, is far removed from his role as an ex-hippie on FAMILY TIES. His equally gun-toting wife is played by country singer Reba McIntyre, who turns in an impressive performance. Unlike all the FREDDY THE 13TH (Don't blame me if I can't tell'em apart) movies, you find yourself rooting for these people.

While this movie might not be CITIZEN KANE, it is a perfect rental for a Friday night.

Classic horror/camp. A fun movie.
If you are looking for a good scare, Tremors is not the movie for you. However, if your goal is to be entertained, this is a great choice. Tremors is the story of two handymen, the people of the town they live in, and their encounters with a bunch of giant, man eating worms that live in the ground around the town. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward, who play the two handymen, won't win any academy awards for this one, but their performances as two offbeat handymen looking for something better make the movie. Micheal Gross and Reba McEntire add to the campy feel of this film as a survivalist couple with enough firepower to start (and probably end) world war three. The special effects are good and the plot, while simple, keeps you involved. Overall, this is a movie that is overjoyed to make fun of itself.

As for comparisons I have seen between this movie and Dune (possibly the WORST adaptation of any book ever to hit the big screen - David Lynch should be ashamed at the way he treated this classic story) the only similarity is that both stories have giant worms in them. Don't let comparisons to Dune scare you off - this movie is in no way similar. Tremors tries hard to be just what it succeeds in being - a campy, funny, semi-horror film that has no other goal but to entertain. Enjoy the film!

Fantastic
The best movies are those in which you don't expect much and then it blows you away. I've read the other reviews and all those that are five star are on target. What can I add? Some of the banter, and curse words (that are not just the f word over and over) are orginal. The pseudoscientific stream involved with seismology, and sensitivity to sound is wonderfully written. All in all a classic tongue firmly in cheek movie.

Guess you broke into the wrong damn rec room, didn't ya!
In "Tremors," as you know, massive underground worms threaten to devour everyone in a small redneck town. I'm sure Freud would've loved it!

You'll love it too, if you have a penchant for cheerfully profane horror/comedy. "Tremors" is a delight, from the slightly bickering (and somewhat homoerotic) performances of Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward, to the offbeat casting, to the clever dialogue ("What kind of fuse is that?" "Cannon fuse." "What the hell do you use it for?" "My cannon."), to the worms themselves, which are totally convincing, if not all that scary.

It adds up to a wonderful waste of a couple hours. Is "Tremors" for you? Well, put it this way: if you're not interesting in seeing Steven Keaton and Reba McEntire blast the hell out of a massive worm from their underground arsenal, well, I just don't know how to talk to you.

For sheer fun, "Tremors" can't be beat
What a rare treat to have comedy and horror blended together so amazingly well! This movie takes a standard thriller plot (small group of colorful characters becomes trapped by monsters and must work together and use their heads to figure out how to escape) and makes it seem brand-new. The rapport between the cast members--Bacon and Ward in particular--beautifully serves an already tight script. This movie has it all: drama, excitement, laughs, creativity, scares, and yes, even our hero's search for a good woman. Don't be put off by the fact that it co-stars Michael Gross and Reba McIntyre... their characters are two of the most enjoyable in the movie! As survivalists with somewhat itchy trigger fingers, the mere concept of these two characters could have easily plunged the movie into stupidity. But this is no inane shoot-'em-up flick. The direction and script are smart, and they don't let us down. Buy "Tremors." It's a blast. You won't regret it. I promise. If you don't love it, come find me and I will personally call you a moron. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Barry Levinson's first and best film
Barry Levinson has been hailed as a great director on the basis of such films as Rain Man, Good Morning Vietnam and Bugsy. Diner is where his career began and remains the best film in his entire catalogue.

Diner takes place in Baltimore in the 1950s and tells the story of five young men hanging onto their high school antics by the skins of their teeths while coming to terms with fast-approaching adult responsibilities.

College, work, marriage, and responsibility in general threaten the quality time they spend hanging out at the Diner, discussing "What's on the B-Side?" and "Who's better: Sinatra or Mathis?" (The answer, of course: "Presley").

The film's laughs originate from its good ear for dialogue and the fantastic acting, which at times appears to be improvised. The film's young actors include Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, and Steve Guttenberg in the collective high point of their careers.

A thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud masterpiece.

We'll always have "Diner," and hooray for that!
What is really interesting about Diner is that it came very early in the career of its director and actors, yet although most of them have had monster hits since then, they have never surpassed their achievement in this movie. In none of his other films has Barry Levinson made his slice-of-life Baltimore milieu seem so cohesive, so moving, or so hilarious; in no other films did Mickey Rourke and Steve Guttenberg--who looked like nascent superstars in 1982 but squandered their early promise--come across with such charisma and charm. Even the preponderance of actors from this movie who went on to huge success--Kevin Bacon, Ellen Barkin, Daniel Stern, Tim Daly, Paul Reiser--reached a personal best in "Diner." In a way this is the ultimate "guy flick"--concerned very much with the way guys talk, think, and react to each other and to women--yet there's enough humor, tenderness and humanity in Levinson's vision to make this an excellent choice for any audience. It's interesting to note that Stern also starred in "Breaking Away," another classic sleeper comedy about young guys hanging out and trying to forget the future. The two flicks would make a great rental double bill!

"Are you going to eat that?"
The first time I saw this film was as a teenager with my mother. Kids, learn from my mistake--DO NOT watch this film with your parents. I still have nightmares about the "Popcorn Scene."

I decided to watch Diner again recently, since I had little recollection of it. Given all of its critical acclaim and somewhat cult-status, I'd say I felt just a little let down. Really, I do mean a little:
--the storylines were interesting, but not fascinating;
--the "witty banter" at the diner was fun, but could have been better (think the coffee shop scene in Reservoir Dogs or the foot rub conversation in Pulp Fiction--now THAT's funny).

I think part of the reason for all of the accolades is that the film's "free-form" style was somewhat groundbreaking in 1982. It has been done better several times since then. Overall, I'd say this is a solid, entertaining film. Great? Nah.

As delicious as fries with brown gravy
DINER has been receiving a lot of unkind remarks in recent years, and much of it is undeserved. Time is really what has been unkind. In 1982, after years of hippie doldrums, disco ho-hum, and punk self-destruction, Barry Levinson reached back to a different era which seemed like a simpler one. But he did so without a nostalgic eye. He presented five young men at a point in life when hard decisions have to be made. To compound this, each of the five young men are facing critical issues at this critical time. (Notice I say five men, not six. Modell [Paul Reiser] doesn't have a plot line. He's there for comic effect mostly.)

Boogie (Micky Rourke), his gambling problems aside, struggles to keep his dreams but must learn to accept the responsibilities of life. The intellectual but alcohol-plagued Fenwick (Kevin Bacon) must face-down his crusty, aloof family once and for all. Shreevie (Daniel Stern) must learn to translate his love for love songs for love for his wife before his marriage completely evaporates. Mama's boy (with a twisted mama), Eddie, (Steve Guttenburg) who has no real excuse for treating his fiancee so badly, is the most desperate in need of growing up.

To me, Billy (Timothy Daly) has the most poignant of all problems. He's willing to face up to his responsibility; he's willing to do the right thing. In one scene, where he decks the last opposing player of a baseball team that had ganged up on him, he essentially has put his boyhood behind him. What's standing in his way is the woman carrying his child but won't marry him. (She has good reason, by the way, for being reluctant.)

But comedy is watching other people struggle with their problems, after all. To me, the more believeable the problems (and they are believeable) the more effective the comedy.

Levinson squeezes so much humor out of these characters, and the actors deliver beautifully. The ease with which the cast interacts makes the viewer wonder whether they had been friends for years before making this film. Unlike other comedies of the early 80s--the infamous one-liners strung together--DINER's tangle of plot lines grows logically; it progresses as a result of the characters, not the situation. And while the film ends, according to true comic convention, with a wedding, it is the only traditional aspect of the film. It was truly unique for its time. And perhaps the time will come again when people will appreciate the value of this movie.

Far from excellent
This is one of the top 100 comedies, according to the American Film Institute, but I hardly laughed at all. I enjoy many comedies, but this one had few funny moments. Plus, I could not stand Mickey Rourke; is he always this annoying? And the rest of the actors are far from great ones. Where did the idea of calling this a classic come from?

The only reason I'm giving this 2 stars is because the film itself was made fairly well. It did have a 1950's atmosphere, but other than that, I was highly disappointed. ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Solemn drama gets the all-star treatment
By virtue of its all-star cast, handsome production values and solemn subject matter, Barry Levinson's "Sleepers" (1996) was clearly intended as a Major Motion Picture from the outset. Based on the harrowing true-life bestseller by journalist Lorenzo Carcaterra - first published in 1995 - book and film describe the appalling fate of four Hell's Kitchen kids (played as children by Joe Perrino, Brad Renfro, Geoffrey Wigdor and Jonathan Tucker) who, in 1967, were sentenced to confinement in the 'Wilkinson Home for Boys' following a near-fatal accident involving a hot dog vending machine which they had stolen as a prank. Inside the reformatory, all four boys are sexually and emotionally abused by a group of sadistic guards led by the sinister Nokes (Kevin Bacon at his slimiest). More than a decade later, traumatized by their experiences, two of the now grown-up boys (Ron Eldard and Billy Crudup) corner Nokes unexpectedly in a local diner and murder him in cold blood. The other members of the group - one a prosecuting attorney (Brad Pitt), the other an aspiring writer and journalist (Jason Patric) - formulate a daring plan to have their friends acquitted, expiose the reformatory's dark secrets, and take revenge on their abusers...

Such an extraordinary tale was always going to be controversial, of course, and so it proved. Upon release, book and film drew immediate fire from critics who accused author and filmmakers of embellishment and exaggeration, since no records could be found to prove that the trial depicted in the film ever took place within the Manhattan district, or that the Wilkinson Home for Boys ever existed - even though Carcaterra's book (and Levinson's script) makes it clear that most of the names, dates and locations have been changed or fictionalized to protect those involved, and that the records of all children held in institutions like Wilkinson are routinely deleted after seven years. Further scandal ensued when the movie ignited protests from those who believed the story drew unfortunate parallels between pedophilia and homosexuality, thereby reinforcing the worst kind of homophobic stereotype. The point is certainly valid, given Hollywood's shameful mistreatment of gay themes and characters over the years, but "Sleepers" doesn't seek to draw any kind of parallels, unconsciously or otherwise, merely to recreate events described in Carcaterra's book. Besides, monsters are monsters, whoever their victims may be.

As a movie, "Sleepers" is competent, briskly paced, and beautifully acted by a dream cast of old pro's (including Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman in key roles) and a new generation of rising stars. It's an ensemble piece, and the lack of grandstanding - in favor of narrative momentum - is admirable. But while the film is consistently intelligent and engaging, it's drawbacks are significant: The kids are terrific, especially Perrino, but the adults are burdened by the gravity of the subject matter, and Patric's sombre narration seems a