Reviews (447)

The best Bond film yet.
The 19th MGM James Bond-007 movie is here. It's probably the best movie yet. It has the best stunts.

Filmed in: England, France, Spain, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and the Bahamas. The name is taken from 1969 On Her Majesty's Secret Service when James takes a look at his coat of arms and is told that the family motto is: The World Is Not Enough.

Of course, Pierce Brosnan returns as the role of 007. Sophie Marceau as the murdered tycoon's daughter, Elektra King. Denise Richards as nuclear expert, Dr. Christmas Jones. Robert Carlyle as the doomed terrorist, Victor Zokas aka Renard. And John Cleese as R, Q's assistant. The movie also sees Robbie Coltrane's return as Valentin Zukovsky and Judi Dench 3rd appearance as M, the boss.

The plot involves Sir Robert King, an oil industrialist. He buys a report about the Soviet's missile department accidentally thinking it contained info about the terrorists attacking his pipeline in the East. Surprised to find out his money was wasted, a Swiss banker retrieves the money. M sends 007 to pick it up. But the banker, Lachaise, is in for a surprise. The report Sir Robert bought was stolen from an MI-6 agent who was killed for it. Knowing Lachaise knows who killed the agent, Bond threatens him. Unfortunately, Bond only escapes with his life and the money. No name. After a spectacular scene, Sir Robert is dead. Days later, his daughter Elektra takes over the construction of the pipeline. But 007 suspects there is something suspicious about terrorist Renard, the King organization, and even Elektra herself. M refuses to listen to 007's crazy instincts. Only Dr. Christmas Jones & Valentin are on Bond's side.

The movie sees Q's retirement. And a good thing too. After all, the DVD isn't dedicated to Desmond Llewelyn for nothing. However, Q has given the Q labs to R. Probably a bad choice. R will talk you through putting a shirt on!

The language features are: Languages-English and French. Subtitles-English, Spanish, and French.

Special Features. Music video performed by Garbage (the band). The Making of The World Is Not Enough. Audio Commentaries. The Secrets of 007-alternate video options. Theatrical Theater.

Well, that's about everything this DVD includes. Hope the review was helpful.

Bigger and Better!
Here's a Bond film that deserves to be ranked among the best in the series. Along with the usual Bond formula of high tech gadgets, one-liners, and of course, the Bond girl(s), this latest installment also provides a story with a different twist. Throw in a combination of mind games, an unusual villain, exotic locales, and amazing stunts and you get an explosive, testosterone driven, eye-candy, action-packed thriller with a dash of high quality performances. One sequence in particular is the high adrenaline boat chase along the Thames River that takes place very early in the movie. Cool stuff!

The story delves much deeper into the psyche of James Bond than previous 007 flicks. Pierce Brosnan plays a much darker and vulnerable 007 in his third run as the British super agent spy James Bond. The World Is Not Enough also showcases the acting talents of Dame Judi Dench (who plays M) and Sophie Marceau as well as many others. John Cleese, of Monty Python fame, also plays a role in the movie as the heir apparent to Q. Every character played a larger role in this movie, in which, there were times when I felt James Bond was a supporting character rather than a leading one. There is definitely no shortage of star power in this movie.

A few things I didn't like about this movie (just my personal opinion mind you) were the opening Bond song, the paraglider-ski sequence, and the miniature scaled models. Yuck! Still though, this latest 007 thriller gives a good ride! Humor, international intrigue, and plenty of action. This is a James Bond of the 21st Century and I hope Pierce Brosnan sticks around to do many more like this one!

Bond is the best of this time......Dry,humorous,and elegant,
Mr.Bond is ranking itself as the highest of his quality,and is back once more,but this time dry as a glass of martini,and elegant as far as he could ever get,making his job as right as Beethoven while composing his 9th.
James bond,her majesty's loyal star,is back in a very different style and story;He is involved in a complex of a villian trying to take over the world with his lover's own oil pipe line. The thing is,you see,he feels no pain.Nothing.Amazing,as it is surprising for the first time to hear it. Elektra,the new bond girl,is to my own taste one of the best bond girls ever in the series,simply because she has many sides to be related with,and sophie marseau,the actress,bringing an excellent performance in the role of Elektea.The other bond girl,christmas,portrayed by denise richards,has a small relation to a bond girl,but still interesting,though.
As well as the deep and dark plot which develops suprisingly,we also discover a more darker side inside the familiar characters,like M,for example,Which makes this movie special and wonderful.
Also,We are introduced to the the next Q(The great,humorous,and giant John Cleese,from the mighty "Fawlty towers" and "Monty Python's flying circus"),Which is,and believe in my own words,the best there is to portray the charcacter of Q.He is doing it very,very well.
You are going to see a different bond,a new bond,a complex and dark story,the best british humor ever brought to a bond film, and,of course,James Bond himself,Pierce Brosnan,is worth all of the bond touches and twists.
You think you can give me the whole world?
Well,the world is not enough,maybe,but the movie,believe me,does.

"I never miss"
This is the best film to date in the series, hands-down. It may not have the classic charm of Goldfinger, but a couple of viewings (something most people aren't willing to credit a Bond film with) reveal a film which is incredibly substantial, in an unprecedented - and unnecesary - way. It could get by on the charm of the locations, one-liners etc., but it still tries to put together a credible and interesting plot, and it succeeds.

The most obvious credit to the writers is Carlyle's brooding, existentialist villain, which reminded me of The Misfit in O'Connor's 'A Good Man is Hard to Find.' Carlyle, in surprising contrast to his turn as the psychotic Begbie in Trainspotting, plays the role with just enough subtley and understatement, making the character's evil much more believable than the cackling megalomania of earlier specimens. What I also like about the screenplay, though, and what isn't immediatley apparent, is that it casts some doubt on the role of Bond in the world. In other movies, he seems to have an absolute moral imperative, able to gun down scores of people without any consequence, simply because his enemies are abosolutley evil. In this film, though, among the ruins of the USSR (a theme already explored in Goldeneye), there's more gray than black and white, and the circumstances don't allow him to get off so blamelessly; ultimately he has to do something which he might might regret. It's far from making him human - if that were to happen, it would undermine the whole promise of the series - but it's an interesting take. Then there's the way the plot works in minor characters, like Judi Dench's M and the Russian gangster Zukovsky, both of whom provide a usually self-reliant Bond with indispensable help, while Zukovsky experiences the closest thing to character _development_ which anyone has probably ever experienced in a Bond film. As for Richards, I don't know what she's doing there, either, and probably it would have been a stronger movie without her, but at least she's hot.

What's The Point of Living If You Can't Feel Alive?
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (known to Bond fans as TWINE) may be Pierce Brosnan's finest outing as Bond to date. A more complex and nuanced story than most recent Bond films, TWINE recaptures a good part of the exotica and international intrigue of the Bond series as first conceived.

The precredits sequence sets up the story nicely: Sir Robert King, oil magnate and friend of "M" (Judi Dench) is killed by booby trapped money delivered to him by Bond. All roads lead to Rome, the roads being clues, and Rome in this case being represented by Electra King (Sophie Marceau), Sir Robert's beautiful daughter, who was the victim of a recent kidnap plot hatched by the mysterious Renard, a terrorist rendered unable to experience pain by a bullet lodged in his skull. "M" dispatches Bond to protect Electra, who has taken over her father's petroleum empire in central Asia.

From the moment he arrives in Azerbaijan, Bond is a hunted man. Although first enamored of Electra, Bond soon realizes that there is something amiss.

In TWINE, Brosnan resurrects the dark Bond of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. His dual nemeses, Electra and Renard, are ably played by Marceau and Robert Carlyle, who both bring some surprising depth to their characters. Electra is particularly sympathetic, being both the brainwashed victim and willing accomplice of Renard. She is by turns sexual and ingenuous, vulnerable and implacable. Marceau is breathtakingly beautiful.

Carlyle's Renard, trapped in a body that can't feel, exudes both pathos and hatred as he plots the destruction of the democracies.

Dench's "M" plays a central role in the film, far larger than any "M" before her. The film is notable for being the last appearance as Desmond Llwellyn as "Q". Llewellyn, who played "Q" in almost every Bond film after 1964, died in a car wreck just days before the theatrical release of the picture, and John Cleese was cleverly edited into the film as his replacement, "R".

Denise Richards has the weakest major role, playing Dr. Christmas Jones, a nuclear physicist. Richards could have been left on the cutting room floor in her entirety. More's the pity, because Richards is a strikingly beautiful woman who is entirely upstaged by the exotic, erotic Marceau. Besides being a rather miscast improbable genius in cargo shorts and a tank top, Richards' character has even more of an "afterthought" feel than "R" does, as if the producers just couldn't tolerate the idea of the film ending with an unredeemed Electra King and no virtuous love interest for Bond.

Two hours and some of intelligent action-adventure, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH fulfills all expectations. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

A rousing adventure tale! Highly recommended!
I was pleasantly surprised to find this version of JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS as a worthy successor to the original film starring Todd Armstrong.

I admit I was expecting some cheesy, low budget, badly-acted made-for-tv series but was pleased to find an entertaining film that stays faithful to the original myth. Add to that a strong cast, good production values and impressive special effects and you have a film that you will want to watch again and again.

The story centers on Jason (Jason London), who returns to reclaim his kingdom from his uncle, Pelias (Dennis Hopper). In order to regain the throne and save his mother's life, Jason agrees to sail to Colchis and obtain the golden fleece. With a crew that includes Orpheus, Atalanta, the mighty Hercules and the shipbuilder Argos, Jason faces many dangers on his quest for the fleece. The argonauts encounter the bronze giant Talos, the women of Lemnos (led by their queen Hypsypile - Natasha Henstridge), blind Phineas (Derek Jacobi) and the frightening harpies, the clashing rocks and more. When Jason arrives in Colchis, he falls in love with the lovely Medea (Jolene Blalock) but must face more challenges (including its ruler, King Aertes - Frank Langella) before he can leave the island with the fleece.

This version is more faithful to the myth than the 1963 film. For instance, Orpheus, Atalanta, Castor and Pollux make their appearance here. Also, this version shows what happens when the argonauts return home and has a better, more tightly woven ending than the original. The special effects are impressive and I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes bickering between Zeus (Angus MacFadyen) and Hera (the lovely Olivia Williams). I also thought that this version's Hercules (Brian Thompson) was a lot more convincing than Nigel Green from the original. This film also does a great job of portraying the role of the gods in Jason's quest.

However, there are also a few weaknesses. For one, I certainly miss the Talos of the original. Watching Talos first come to life on the 1963 film still gives me goosebumps up to this day. That Talos was definitely one of Ray Harryhausen's greatest creations. I also preferred the many-headed hydra to this version's giant lizard-like creature. Jason London is a passable lead but I believe the filmmakers could've picked a stronger actor. He certainly is nice to look at and the supporting actors more than make up for his shortcomings.

All in all, I enjoyed this film and would recommend it to those who enjoy mythological, fantasy or action/adventure films. For those who enjoy Greek mythology, I suggest you also check out the 1963 version of JASON OF THE ARGONAUTS if only to see the fantastic Talos and the army of skeleton soldiers as well as CLASH OF THE TITANS (starring Harry Hamlin) and upcoming film TROY (starring Brad Pitt). Edith Hamilton's book MYTHOLOGY: TIMELESS TALES OF GODS AND HEROES is also a great introduction to the wonderful world of Greek and Roman myths and legends.

Despite weak lead, this "Jason.." still entertains.
This recent NBC mini-series covers the classic Greek myth of young Jason, who sought the Golden Fleece in his quest to be king. Unlike the classic Ray Harryhausen film of the 60's, this version is a little more grim and dark than usual for this type of film, but it entertains nevertheless. Brian Thompson (the alien bounty hunter from THE X-FILES TV show) is a hearty and jovial Hercules, while the kings of Frank Langella and Dennis Hopper and Natasha Henstridge's queen provide ample opposition for our hero. As the musician Orpheus, Adrian Lester delivers a thoughtful and solid performance. Robert McFadden is good as a petulant, yet puckish, Zeus. Unfortunately, where this movie falters is in the performance of Jason London as our hero. While he has the "angry young man" aspect right, he lacks the heroic passion and fire (that Todd Armstrong displayed in the 60's version) needed to be a credible leader of his Argonaut crew. Fortunately, there is so much action and special effects in this film that it can be overlooked to some degree. While not the classic that Harryhausen created, this is still an intelligent and solid film version of a favorite myth.

One of the Best Movies Ever Made
This movie is based on the classic Greek myth. As it begins, Iocles is being invaded by King Pelias(Dennis Hopper) and his soldiers. He defeats the defending army and marches into the palace, where he tricks his brother and murders him. He tries to kill the king's son, Jason, but a soldier of the king rushes in and saves him just in time.

Some years later, Jason(Jason London) awoke from a dream. It was a dream that he had many times before. It was the memory of the day Pelias invaded. He asks the centaur Chiron, who had been raising him ever since the day his father was murdered, what the dreams meant. Chiron told him that they were a memory, that the man who was murdered was his father, and that the man who murdered him was his uncle, and that the woman present was his mother, the queen, whom Pelias had taken as his wife. So with this information in minds, he goes to the capital of Iocles to meet his mother. Along the way, he loses one of his sandals.

The court seer sees Jason, and informs Pelias that a dangerous threat to his throne has arrived at Iocles, but that all he knew about him was that he only had one sandal. So, Pelias orders Jason to be brought to him. He speaks with Jason, and is about to have him killed, and asks Jason for one good reason not to, and Jason says that he will find the Golden Fleece, which Pelias wanted above all other things. Now, the Golden Fleece was said to be the Gods greatest gift to man, for it brought it's wearer his hearts desire. And Pelias's desire is to live forever, so that he may rule Iocles forever.

Pelias has ordered a ship to be built for Jason by the famous shipbuilder Argos. The ship is named the Argo, in homage of it's builder, especially as seen as Pelias had ordered Argos to travel with Jason under pain of death. Jason goes off to look for a crew. First, Jason recruits a former soldier named Mopsus, whom Jason recognizes as the man in his dream who saved his life. Then, they hire two blacksmiths named Castor and Pollux. Then, Jason hires a shepherd named Laertes, who happens to know how to bulljump. Jason also goes to the mapmaker's house, where he gets a map that will take him to the Golden Fleece. The unusual thing about the map is that it is not an ordinary map, but a map of the stars. Jason also recruits the musician Orpheus.

Jason finds the rest of his crew, but as he heads for the Argo, a thief steals the map. Jason chases him, but the thief is caught by the famous Greek hero Hercules,(Brian Thompson) who requests to be let a crewmember. Jason readily agrees.

Just as the Argo is about to set sell, four unexpected things happen. Jason finds his half-brother Acostes stowing away. Acostes wants to travel with Jason, for their mother's very life is at stake. The thief who stole Jason's map requests to be let a crewmember, claiming he has reformed his ways(the thief's name was never mentioned), the mapmaker's son Zetes hopes aboard offering his assistance, which is invaluable(he has eyesight tens times greater than an eagle; a gift from the gods, of course), and the great huntress Atlanta also requests to be let onboard. Jason agrees to all of the requests. At last they set sail for Colchis Along the way, Zeus, King of the Gods(Angus MacFaydon), and his wife Hera(Olivia Williams, help and hinder Jason and his crew as they sail across the seas in their fantastic search for the Golden Fleece...

Also starring Jolene Blalock, Frank Lagella, Natasha Henstridge, and Derek Jacobi. As an adaptation of the classic myth, this story is incredibly. The real myth was hokey and boring-definitely a myth-but this movie is fantastic. The special effects are great, the acting is great, the storytelling is great, and the movie in and of itself is great. It's one of the best movies I have ever seen, and an excellent version of a classic myth.

Recommended age: 10 and up. PG-13. 2000.

More fidelity to the classical myth but no sense of epic
As someone who teaches Classical Greek & Roman Mythology it is impossible for me to sit through something like the 2000 mini-series "Jason and the Argonauts" without constantly thinking about its fidelity to the myths of antiquity. Certainly this new version works in more members of the Argos crew than the 1963 film version with its Ray Harryhausen stop motion animation that is one of the beloved films of our youth. This time around there we have not only the mighty Hercules (Brian Thompson) aboard, but also Orpheus (Adrian Lester), Atalanta (Olga Sosnovska), Castor (Omid Djalili) and Pollux (John Sharian). We also have Jason (Jason London) and the Argo visiting the land of the Amazons and other details from the epic poem written by the third-century poet Apollonius of Rhodes, as well as the relationship between Jason and Pelias (Dennis Hopper) taken from Pindar. There is also a hint of the Medea (Jolene Blalock) that Jason will get to meet in the tragedy by Euripides. The only complaint is that unless you know the background on most of these characters you have no way of appreciating who is sailing with Jason. A prime example is when Orpheus mentions losing Eurydice but does not tell of how he almost won her back from Hades. Meanwhile, Atalanta seems to be interested in Jason (what would Artemis say?).

But while Matthew Faulk and Mark Skeet get credit for working the ancient sources into this telling of the tale, the problem is that the end result misses the magic of the Harryhausen version. The problem is twofold. First, the tenor of the story has contradictory impulses. On the one hand we have the active participation of the gods, with Hera (Olivia Williams) and Zeus (Angus MacFadyen) aiding and hindering Jason in his quest as they work out one of their frequent marital spats. But on the other hand there is an effort to make the story more realistic, in terms of the politics and relationships, which works against the idea of being the playthings of the gods. None of the actors strike heroic poses or speak in grand phrases and even Dennis Hopper is remarkable restrained in his performance. 'Jason and the Argonauts' tries to reconcile these two by having the gods work behind the scenes for the most part, but then Poseidon stands up and that idea is quickly dispatched.

Second, Jason London as the title character looks too young. I know the actor was 28 when he made this mini-series but he seems like a youth. One of the problems with the story was while the greatest heroes in Greece would come to sail with Jason, a callow youth, which Apollonius solved by having Hera make them all want to go. Instead Faulk and Skeet have Jason make up have the crew with undesirables, some of whom provide comic relief, helped because of the aid of the guard who saved him from death as a youth. In other words, Jason leads the Argonauts because that is what was written in the script. Granted, this is consistent with the tone of the mini-series, but you cannot help but think that when Jason meets Medea that she is going to eat him alive (of course, she does much worse, but that is another tragedy). The end result is a production of 'Jason and the Argonauts' that lacks the sense of heroic adventure that the tale personifies in classical mythology. It was okay and it should have been fantastic.

Jason and the Nonactornauts
True to the story, good cinematography, and nifty transitions however the acting by Jason and Pelias was downright painful to watch. King Pelias couldn't even pronounce Queen Hera's name correctly. Other actors were good. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

And Now For Something Completely Different!
This is a quiet film--very, very British with wonderful shots of Oxford University--particularly New College, although Mr. Palin himself attended Brasenose College. The scenery is beautiful and the story is wonderfully thought-provoking. We enjoyed it very much--particularly the insight into "What is integrity?" It was good to see Connie Booth again and Alfred Molina was very convincing as a Brit. Michael Palinn is quite excellent in his Oxfordian restraint, and it was touching to see people very much in love without having to jump into bed immediately. Imagine! Well done, Mr. Palin!

A Different Role for Michael Palin
I have rented this movie twice, and I would like to say that this is a video worth seeing. Michael Palin stars as Reverend Francis Ashby, an English professor at Oxford University. He takes a trip to the Swiss Alps where he meets two American women. Connie Booth plays Caroline Hartley, and Trini Alvarado plays young Elinor. Throughout the movie the two women are in a competition for Reverend Ashby. At Oxford however, women are prohibited and also they are not allow to marry. It's a struggle seen by Reverend Ashby who is at odds with his devotion to Oxford and the women he loves. I won't give away whose heart Reverend Ashby wins so you will have to watch and see.

For those of you who are familar with Michael Palin's work, comedy is his speciality. Also Michael is known for his world travels. This movie is drama although it does have a few light moments. Not only Michael stars in the movie but he also wrote the movie. The movie is set in the mid 1800's and is based on the diaries of Michael's great grandfather. The scenery of the Swiss Alps are very beautiful. It makes you want to take your next vacation there. It's a movie that you will want to have and it also shows that Michael Palin can do drama. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

An interesting allegory on fakes...and attributions
attribute: to regard as produced by or originating in or with; credit; assign;

The Cambridge Spy Ring of the 30's and 40's. There were four: Guy Burgess, Donald MacLean, Kim Philby, and Sir Anthony Blunt, and they passed on information to the Soviet Union. When found out, Burgess, MacLean, and Philby fled to the Soviet Union. As for Blunt, he remained in charge of H.M.Q.'s art collection and confessed in 1964. However, the Thatcher government exposed him and he was stripped of his posts and knighthood, dying four years later in 1983.

Alan Bennett, originally one of the Fringe (Peter Cook, Dudley Moore), wrote a drama work on Sir Anthony Blunt. Blunt is being persuaded by various intelligence men led by Donleavy to reveal other names, or rather, names behind the names in the Burgess/MacLean/Philby spy ring. To that end, Arthur Chubb, a firm but congenial man is sent to take over from the last agent who failed to get Blunt to reveal names. As Blunt is reminded over and over, he was guaranteed immunity, but not anonymity. The temptation is growing among MI5 to expose him, but alternatively, as Donleavy says, "we could order a vat of excrement and publicly haul ourselves into it." Meaning that the British public will know the government was involved in a coverup in shielding Blunt.

Aside from showing Blunt the usual stack of B&W photos of past faces, Chubb tries to get to Blunt through art, and learns about art theory and history as a result. But Blunt already knows who the fifth man is, and continues the evasion: "the canvas is vague, but the details stand out."

Standouts include the explanation of Titian's painting the Allegory of Prudence, and the restoration of a fake Titian, where they uncover a face that has been painted over it, mirroring the puzzle intelligence agents face when trying to figure out what the whole picture, i.e. who else is a traitor? Blunt tells Chubb that both their careers involve teasing out riddles and running some risks, where common sense is thrown out in favour of making a hobbyhorse. The faces behind the canvas, faces behind the faces, that's what Chubb is indeed looking for, moles and their puppetmasters.

However, the surreal conversation between the Queen and Blunt makes one wonder. In talking about the fake Titian, she tells him that it's very well to have a painting with the pedigree and background, but when one voices suspicions, hard to believe, that it's not what it seems, that it's a fake, does one still stick with its official attribution? Is she talking about the painting, or about Blunt? Yet the thing about fakes is, they are more interesting than the genuine article because of the publicity and sensation.

There are lots of revealing things about art, on how different periods and styles reflect different ways of looking at the world, and how importance it is not to see a painting and see it as one would see a photograph, but to see it as if one were living in that time, not as a stage to something better. And portaits are self-revealing, showing what one's really like; it shows one's secret self.

James Fox does a clearly toffee-nosed, snobbishly scholarly performance as Blunt. James Calder's good as Chubb, well known as Eleanor Bramwell's patient father in the Bramwell series. Geoffrey Palmer (As Time Goes By) has a small role as Donleavy, someone who's anxious on what Blunt will do. However, having Prunella Scales, a.k.a. Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers playing Queen Elizabeth II, is an interesting choice for this drama piece that debuted on Masterpiece Theatre.

Great film - pity it's being sold by a cynical profiteer.
This is a wonderful film, but the only VHS copy of it on Amazon.com costs a staggering $100. The original release price was $29.95, and I just can't see how a second-hand tape whose original cover has been cut up and deformed to fit in a plastic video case could INCREASE the price by over 300%.

I'm sorry, but to sell this video at 3 times its original price strikes me as daylight robbery, and a blatant attempt to cash in on the present rarity of this title. Such profiteering just makes Amazon.com look bad. Hopefully, the powers that be will re-release this video at some point (preferably on DVD) so that the seller will be forced to lower the price to a more reasonable amount for a video that is certainly in less-than-collectible condition.

masterpiece
I must give this 5 stars. I understand why the previous reviewer found the story to be somewhat confusing. It takes some doing initially to pick up the thread but it is a slight hurdle. The most outstanding feature of this film is its artful portrait of Blunt: a spy who had betrayed his country, abused his position and caused the distruction of those acting honorably in its service. Nevertheless his situtation and ultimate disgrace provoke compassion. The scene between him and the Queen is wonderful; however, I think that one is not supposed to be certain as to just what she knows about Blunt. She is depicted as a clever woman with an marvelous understated, ironic personality. I do not know whether Queen Elizabeth is accurately presented but it is certainly very good theatre and a memorable, highly amusing scene. I saw this as a campanion to "An Englishman Abroad" to which I would also assign 5 stars.

Good acting, confusing story
A Question of Atribution is the story of Sir Anthony Blunt, the curator of the Queen's Pictures who was revealed as a former Soviet agent in 1979. Sir Anthony had actually been uncovered as a spy in the 1960s, but received immunity and anonymity in return for his cooperation with western intelligence services. A Question of Attribution takes place sometime after Sir Anthony's role as a spy was discovered, but before his public disgrace. British viewers will probably be more familiar with the ins and outs of the Blunt case than will we Americans. Even though I knew the barebones details of the Blunt case and how it connected with the Burgess-Maclean-Philby cases, this film was a bit confusing for me. The best part of the film depicts Blunt's meeting with Queen Elizabeth II, excellently portrayed by Prunella Scales. (I believe this was the first time The Queen had been portrayed by an actress in Britain). The Queen skewers Sir Anthony's pretensions and makes it clear that she knows all about his KGB connections without being so impolite as to refer to it directly. This scene is the highlight of the film. Buy the film and fast forward to it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Silence of the Exile
Jeremy Irons plays a man in a state of exile, a Pole living in England. He has not altogether left his country, he's only come to England to work as a go-between who hires cheap Polish laborers to do jobs for frugal English clients. Irons has a wife back home in Poland but makes more money in England than he ever could at home so he stays and grows ever more isolated from his homeland. When a new batch of workers arrive he greets them at the airport and escorts them to their living quarters and tends to their every need. This is the status quo he lives in. And one suspects he prefers stable old England to the instability of his homeland. His life is secure if at times lonely. We see his wife only as a picture that he has pinned to the wall above his bed. One day he notices that events in Poland have taken a turn for the worse. He knows if he tells the men this news they will want to return immediately so he hides the newspaper deciding to hide the news from the men as long as it takes to finish the job. This dishonesty is nothing less than a betrayal. And he knows it. We know this act is despicable and yet we also know what motivates it. Irons wants to preserve the only order he knows. He is not necessarily close to any of the men nor does he share any sense of community with them nor does he express any sort of sentiment about Poland, he is a loner and yet to preserve his sense of order he is forced into this treachery. And once he begins lying to the men his treachery knows no bounds--he does whatever is necessary to preserve the illusion to his men(and himself) that things are just fine. It is only a matter of time til the inevitable confrontation will come when his men find out that he has lied to them. And the confrontation like everything else in this film is subtle and memorable and poignant. Along the way we hear Irons thoughts about what he is doing and it is facinating to see this man do what he does all the while knowing full well what the consequences will be. Powerful acting performance by Irons as this man whose loyalties are no longer certain.

Superb Independent British Film
Despite the people who think this film has anything to do with the TV show, I believe that this film will be remembered as Jeremy Irons best work to date. It is an understated and fascinating film about 4 Polish workers who come to London to renovate (illegally) their boss' condo. This was made in 1982 after the Soviet crackdown on Solidarity. If the first 10 minutes of the film (masterfully directed) don't hook you then you'll be missing one of the best films made in the 1980's. Read ANY film critic's review.

Let the show begin. Moonlighting from the start!!
Being an addict of this long forgotten television show, I found the initial debut movie a treat and a great preview as to some of the wild antics we were to see in the upcoming epsiodes of Moonlighting. David Addison, a wise cracking, funny, complex guy meets supermodel turned poor woman Maddie Hayes. The chemistry is evident from the start as David tells Maddie, "you're lucky the package is so attractive, because no one would guess what a cold bitch you are." David is determined not to let Maddie close the detective agency he runs (she owns) and go into business together with him. A case is looming in the background and it is predictable that the two partner up to create a fabulous duo of detectives with attitude, style, wise cracks and ultimatelty love. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

One of the top twenty best pictures in 2001
This film turns around the study of the several sociological human reactions under edge knife conditions. The play of Lehar in the middle of the desert is just one more device to explore the inner soul of every human being in that hopeless place.
An extraordinary performance of Jeniffer Jason Leigh.
In this argumental line there's a film of Buñuel titled El angel exterminador , that is very closed related to this one.

One of the best twenty top films in 2001
This film is deeply disturbing anguishly. A superb sociological of the human being through a catharsis process. The playing of Lear in the middle acts as an efficient device for exploring the multiple facets that the people adopts when is under an edge knife situation like this one.
Stunning performances and high realism.
A must in your collection.

The Dead Zone
This "experimental" movie about 11 people who get lost in the desert, managing to survive in a difficult and unusual situation, is a missed attempt at trying to examine the human condition. Shakespeare`s play "King Lear" is a central element here, as the filmmaker tries to use it as a starting point to study its characters ideas, dramas, reactions and motivations, however this doesn`t quite work as well as it should and ends up being a pretentious, long and lifeless movie. There`s a promising dramatic tension in the beginning and some actors try to achieve something, but it ultimately fails and goes nowhere. The directing is weak as it should since this is a "Dogma" movie, one that doesn`t use artificial resources to enhance the lightning, scenery, direction or wardrobe, but here it just seems poor, uninteresting and unfinished. The characters are dull and despicable (I understand that`s the idea but they didn`t grab my attention) and the plot moves at a snail`s pace, becoming empty and dry just like the desert landscape where the movie was made. The King is dead.

Powerful film, **not** a "Lear" remake!
"A group of people stranded in the desert decide to stage King Lear" does not begin to summarize this powerful and challenging film, which shows how extremity reveals both flaws and strengths of our characters. One of the stranded characters, who has unresolved issues with his own daughter, attempts to convince the other characters to stage "Lear," or as much of it as he can remember and write down. This attempt proceeds haltingly against crisis incidents between the various characters and against fragmented revelations of character that have the allusive quality of Japanese haiku. Finally, the cast does not so much stage "Lear" as become "Lear."

The story's resolution resonates deeply with the "Lear" theme while avoiding allegory or simplistic, one-to-one correspondences. There are disturbing, even shocking moments, and characters do not go unscathed, but there are also small moments of redemption. At the conclusion, I was left with that sense of surprise and inevitability that marks the most excellent drama. The Dogme 95 emphasis on actor improvisation worked well for me in this depiction of a situation which, in real life, would require improvisation for survival. And even with the Dogme 95 technical restrictions (available light, natural sound), this film captures the beauty and immensity of the African desert and light. One is left with a heightened awareness that our own human dramas are played out against forces, both external and internal, that are only partially under our control.

Be prepared to concentrate, perhaps even view the movie more than once, to understand fully what's happening. This is **NOT** a "Hollywood rip-roarer" or love story. It **IS** one of the most thoughtful and thought-provoking films I have seen in a long time.

Reach Exceeds Grasp
"The King is Alive," is problematic in a very good way. It's a Dogme film, which means it was made under a set of rules that holds the film maker to natural light, ambient sound, actual locations, and possibly a few more restrictions. Working within that format the director, Kristian Levring, has made something quite remarkable. His location is the Namibian desert, and he has captured the splendor of the light, color, and landscape quite well. The intrusion of a soundtrack is blissfully missing, and the only music in the film leaks from a set of headphones for a disc player, lasts about 5 seconds, and works with great effect. Mr. Levring also made good casting choices, and the cast does a good job except for a few moments that are miserably improvised. The big problems are with the script. There's one plot hole that you could drive the broken down bus through, and a conclusion that's not conclusive - it's as if the production just ran out of film, or tape. Otherwise, it's entirely believable that a group of people disintegrating in a survival situation would choose to take their minds off their impossible situation by enacting a drama, especially because their situation is one of waiting rather than action; and it's conceivable that "King Lear" would be the drama, but it seems to me that if that's the set up then the play within the play should have some relevance to the play itself, and though Lear contains madness and betrayal, the connections are tenuous at best. Anytime you let Shakespeare into the picture you raise the audience's expectations for a work that will illuminate the master's vision, or vice versa. Unfortunately, neither occurs. The study of survivors in extrema is not enhanced by the use of "King Lear," and "King Lear" is not enhanced by the situation - or the film. Too bad, because it was an interesting concept. Given that, the film is worth seeing. It's certainly better than most of what Hollywood has to offer, and is a great example of how less can be more. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

A rousing adventure tale! Highly recommended!
I was pleasantly surprised to find this version of JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS as a worthy successor to the original film starring Todd Armstrong.

I admit I was expecting some cheesy, low budget, badly-acted made-for-tv series but was pleased to find an entertaining film that stays faithful to the original myth. Add to that a strong cast, good production values and impressive special effects and you have a film that you will want to watch again and again.

The story centers on Jason (Jason London), who returns to reclaim his kingdom from his uncle, Pelias (Dennis Hopper). In order to regain the throne and save his mother's life, Jason agrees to sail to Colchis and obtain the golden fleece. With a crew that includes Orpheus, Atalanta, the mighty Hercules and the shipbuilder Argos, Jason faces many dangers on his quest for the fleece. The argonauts encounter the bronze giant Talos, the women of Lemnos (led by their queen Hypsypile - Natasha Henstridge), blind Phineas (Derek Jacobi) and the frightening harpies, the clashing rocks and more. When Jason arrives in Colchis, he falls in love with the lovely Medea (Jolene Blalock) but must face more challenges (including its ruler, King Aertes - Frank Langella) before he can leave the island with the fleece.

This version is more faithful to the myth than the 1963 film. For instance, Orpheus, Atalanta, Castor and Pollux make their appearance here. Also, this version shows what happens when the argonauts return home and has a better, more tightly woven ending than the original. The special effects are impressive and I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes bickering between Zeus (Angus MacFadyen) and Hera (the lovely Olivia Williams). I also thought that this version's Hercules (Brian Thompson) was a lot more convincing than Nigel Green from the original. This film also does a great job of portraying the role of the gods in Jason's quest.

However, there are also a few weaknesses. For one, I certainly miss the Talos of the original. Watching Talos first come to life on the 1963 film still gives me goosebumps up to this day. That Talos was definitely one of Ray Harryhausen's greatest creations. I also preferred the many-headed hydra to this version's giant lizard-like creature. Jason London is a passable lead but I believe the filmmakers could've picked a stronger actor. He certainly is nice to look at and the supporting actors more than make up for his shortcomings.

All in all, I enjoyed this film and would recommend it to those who enjoy mythological, fantasy or action/adventure films. For those who enjoy Greek mythology, I suggest you also check out the 1963 version of JASON OF THE ARGONAUTS if only to see the fantastic Talos and the army of skeleton soldiers as well as CLASH OF THE TITANS (starring Harry Hamlin) and upcoming film TROY (starring Brad Pitt). Edith Hamilton's book MYTHOLOGY: TIMELESS TALES OF GODS AND HEROES is also a great introduction to the wonderful world of Greek and Roman myths and legends.

Despite weak lead, this "Jason.." still entertains.
This recent NBC mini-series covers the classic Greek myth of young Jason, who sought the Golden Fleece in his quest to be king. Unlike the classic Ray Harryhausen film of the 60's, this version is a little more grim and dark than usual for this type of film, but it entertains nevertheless. Brian Thompson (the alien bounty hunter from THE X-FILES TV show) is a hearty and jovial Hercules, while the kings of Frank Langella and Dennis Hopper and Natasha Henstridge's queen provide ample opposition for our hero. As the musician Orpheus, Adrian Lester delivers a thoughtful and solid performance. Robert McFadden is good as a petulant, yet puckish, Zeus. Unfortunately, where this movie falters is in the performance of Jason London as our hero. While he has the "angry young man" aspect right, he lacks the heroic passion and fire (that Todd Armstrong displayed in the 60's version) needed to be a credible leader of his Argonaut crew. Fortunately, there is so much action and special effects in this film that it can be overlooked to some degree. While not the classic that Harryhausen created, this is still an intelligent and solid film version of a favorite myth.

One of the Best Movies Ever Made
This movie is based on the classic Greek myth. As it begins, Iocles is being invaded by King Pelias(Dennis Hopper) and his soldiers. He defeats the defending army and marches into the palace, where he tricks his brother and murders him. He tries to kill the king's son, Jason, but a soldier of the king rushes in and saves him just in time.

Some years later, Jason(Jason London) awoke from a dream. It was a dream that he had many times before. It was the memory of the day Pelias invaded. He asks the centaur Chiron, who had been raising him ever since the day his father was murdered, what the dreams meant. Chiron told him that they were a memory, that the man who was murdered was his father, and that the man who murdered him was his uncle, and that the woman present was his mother, the queen, whom Pelias had taken as his wife. So with this information in minds, he goes to the capital of Iocles to meet his mother. Along the way, he loses one of his sandals.

The court seer sees Jason, and informs Pelias that a dangerous threat to his throne has arrived at Iocles, but that all he knew about him was that he only had one sandal. So, Pelias orders Jason to be brought to him. He speaks with Jason, and is about to have him killed, and asks Jason for one good reason not to, and Jason says that he will find the Golden Fleece, which Pelias wanted above all other things. Now, the Golden Fleece was said to be the Gods greatest gift to man, for it brought it's wearer his hearts desire. And Pelias's desire is to live forever, so that he may rule Iocles forever.

Pelias has ordered a ship to be built for Jason by the famous shipbuilder Argos. The ship is named the Argo, in homage of it's builder, especially as seen as Pelias had ordered Argos to travel with Jason under pain of death. Jason goes off to look for a crew. First, Jason recruits a former soldier named Mopsus, whom Jason recognizes as the man in his dream who saved his life. Then, they hire two blacksmiths named Castor and Pollux. Then, Jason hires a shepherd named Laertes, who happens to know how to bulljump. Jason also goes to the mapmaker's house, where he gets a map that will take him to the Golden Fleece. The unusual thing about the map is that it is not an ordinary map, but a map of the stars. Jason also recruits the musician Orpheus.

Jason finds the rest of his crew, but as he heads for the Argo, a thief steals the map. Jason chases him, but the thief is caught by the famous Greek hero Hercules,(Brian Thompson) who requests to be let a crewmember. Jason readily agrees.

Just as the Argo is about to set sell, four unexpected things happen. Jason finds his half-brother Acostes stowing away. Acostes wants to travel with Jason, for their mother's very life is at stake. The thief who stole Jason's map requests to be let a crewmember, claiming he has reformed his ways(the thief's name was never mentioned), the mapmaker's son Zetes hopes aboard offering his assistance, which is invaluable(he has eyesight tens times greater than an eagle; a gift from the gods, of course), and the great huntress Atlanta also requests to be let onboard. Jason agrees to all of the requests. At last they set sail for Colchis Along the way, Zeus, King of the Gods(Angus MacFaydon), and his wife Hera(Olivia Williams, help and hinder Jason and his crew as they sail across the seas in their fantastic search for the Golden Fleece...

Also starring Jolene Blalock, Frank Lagella, Natasha Henstridge, and Derek Jacobi. As an adaptation of the classic myth, this story is incredibly. The real myth was hokey and boring-definitely a myth-but this movie is fantastic. The special effects are great, the acting is great, the storytelling is great, and the movie in and of itself is great. It's one of the best movies I have ever seen, and an excellent version of a classic myth.

Recommended age: 10 and up. PG-13. 2000.

More fidelity to the classical myth but no sense of epic
As someone who teaches Classical Greek & Roman Mythology it is impossible for me to sit through something like the 2000 mini-series "Jason and the Argonauts" without constantly thinking about its fidelity to the myths of antiquity. Certainly this new version works in more members of the Argos crew than the 1963 film version with its Ray Harryhausen stop motion animation that is one of the beloved films of our youth. This time around there we have not only the mighty Hercules (Brian Thompson) aboard, but also Orpheus (Adrian Lester), Atalanta (Olga Sosnovska), Castor (Omid Djalili) and Pollux (John Sharian). We also have Jason (Jason London) and the Argo visiting the land of the Amazons and other details from the epic poem written by the third-century poet Apollonius of Rhodes, as well as the relationship between Jason and Pelias (Dennis Hopper) taken from Pindar. There is also a hint of the Medea (Jolene Blalock) that Jason will get to meet in the tragedy by Euripides. The only complaint is that unless you know the background on most of these characters you have no way of appreciating who is sailing with Jason. A prime example is when Orpheus mentions losing Eurydice but does not tell of how he almost won her back from Hades. Meanwhile, Atalanta seems to be interested in Jason (what would Artemis say?).

But while Matthew Faulk and Mark Skeet get credit for working the ancient sources into this telling of the tale, the problem is that the end result misses the magic of the Harryhausen version. The problem is twofold. First, the tenor of the story has contradictory impulses. On the one hand we have the active participation of the gods, with Hera (Olivia Williams) and Zeus (Angus MacFadyen) aiding and hindering Jason in his quest as they work out one of their frequent marital spats. But on the other hand there is an effort to make the story more realistic, in terms of the politics and relationships, which works against the idea of being the playthings of the gods. None of the actors strike heroic poses or speak in grand phrases and even Dennis Hopper is remarkable restrained in his performance. 'Jason and the Argonauts' tries to reconcile these two by having the gods work behind the scenes for the most part, but then Poseidon stands up and that idea is quickly dispatched.

Second, Jason London as the title character looks too young. I know the actor was 28 when he made this mini-series but he seems like a youth. One of the problems with the story was while the greatest heroes in Greece would come to sail with Jason, a callow youth, which Apollonius solved by having Hera make them all want to go. Instead Faulk and Skeet have Jason make up have the crew with undesirables, some of whom provide comic relief, helped because of the aid of the guard who saved him from death as a youth. In other words, Jason leads the Argonauts because that is what was written in the script. Granted, this is consistent with the tone of the mini-series, but you cannot help but think that when Jason meets Medea that she is going to eat him alive (of course, she does much worse, but that is another tragedy). The end result is a production of 'Jason and the Argonauts' that lacks the sense of heroic adventure that the tale personifies in classical mythology. It was okay and it should have been fantastic.

Jason and the Nonactornauts
True to the story, good cinematography, and nifty transitions however the acting by Jason and Pelias was downright painful to watch. King Pelias couldn't even pronounce Queen Hera's name correctly. Other actors were good. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Drama and possitive roll models
This film explores and scores, the concept behind what is a good roll model. A Father who is in every aspect a good and responsable parent living with his lover, is considered less fit that an abusive home where the child is harmed by the boyfriend of his Mother. The acting is exceptional and the script credible. It is not an uplifting film but it is one of the better films that removes a few typical cliches and allows you to see a better example of a gay man and his lover. A good movie that most should enjoy and an excellant movie to show for some one wanting to better understand differant perspectives. A good film for those getting comfortable with themselves.

An intelligent look at a cliched situation
It is astonishing what a good script, good acting and good all-round moviemaking can do. On paper this film looks like one of those awful made for TV "based on a true story" tear jerkers, with two exceptions: the mother isn't the hero and the father is gay. Another potential giveaway as to the film's quality might be that the leads are not played by Melissa Gilbert or Susan Dey. It is, in fact, a British film made for Channel Four and, like this sender's "Beautiful Thing", it is a high-quality affair.

It would have been very easy to turn this film into another cliche. The fact that it isn't one is, in fact, almost unbelievable. The script is largely to thank for this, avoiding stereotyping as far as possible (some degree is inevitable) and not dividing characters into "goodies" and "baddies". Sure, you'd have to be dead not to love Martin Donovan's character (he sports a very convincing British accent for the role), but even the horrible, child-battering, evil boyfriend (Ian Hart) has various aspects to his character, which allow one to to swallow the fact that the mother (a brilliantly restrained performance from Joely Richardson) is willing to give him a second chance.

Maybe the most refreshing aspect about the film is that it does not for a moment try to preach. It is far from politically correct and shows that gay men can be childish and insufferable, as much as they can be normal run-of-the-mill type fellows. We are spared the "gym queen health freak" image as well as the camp image of gays by Donovan and Jason Flemyng (although the latter does get to show off a rather cute butt). The child, played by remarkable youngster Sam Bould, is neither cute and precocious, nor too obviously traumatised; another saving grace.

The film is about various things: child abuse, divorce, sexual fulfilment, sexual identity (both straight and gay), relationships, commitment; the list is long. It is complex, intelligent and features one of the most convincing trial scenes I have ever seen on film. A superb achievement by director Angela Pope and her (perhaps surprisingly) largely female supporting crew.

Hollow Reed
Warm and touching,proving that gay fathers do have many fears in countries that are bigotted against them, but the strenth of this father overcomes the fears and makes him a stonger person for protecting his son. It is a postive look at gay life you won't regret seeing it

Beautiful movie, in every way
The acting was superb. The camera work was awesome. The plot was extremely well developed. What more could you want? It rates as one of only two movies I've ever seen which I would consider a '10 out of 10', the other being Contact.

Emotionally charged film deals intelligently on two levels.
Angela Pope scores high points with the story of Martin Wyatt, a divorced gay man, played extremely well by Martin Donovan, who suspects that his nine year old son is suffering child abuse at the hands of his ex-wife's live in boyfriend. When Martin, a doctor, decides to go for custody of his son, he is suddenly under scrutiny from the British court system. This film not only deals on the subject of child abuse and at what lengths a parent will do to protect a child; it is also an examination of still ever-present homophobia when dealing with a parent who happens to be gay. It is a thought provoking and stirring drama that will stay with you for some time. If you like substance to your movies, I strongly recommend Hollow Reed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the politically charged atmosphere of Margaret Thatcher's Britain, newspaper reporters are hungry for the big story that will make them stars and their newspapers famous. Nick Mullen (Gabriel Byrne in his first starring role) is one such reporter for the London Daily Dispatch. A top member of Parliament (Ian Bannen) is the focus of the latest political scandal: he has been photographed with a prostitute who is known to have Russian contacts. Nick barrels into the scandal full-bore, despite warnings from his mentor (a deft Denholm Elliott). Nick receives a tip that makes his story a front-page item and he quickly becomes a celebrity himself. But as he soon discovers, there is much more to the story than he imagined. Director David Drury (Prime Suspect 3) keeps this highly complex, John le Carré-esque story moving swiftly. The clues are hard to find at times, but it is not because the story is told unclearly; rather, the filmmakers have decided that audiences can think for themselves and piece together the information along with Nick. An overlooked and truly entertaining thinking person's film. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One you missed at the theatre.
Saw this little gem when it originally was released theatrically. Needless to say, I was impressed.

Starring a terrific Gabriel Byrne (does this guy ever age?), it is a very tight story of a newspaper reporter (Byrne) who comes across a story of a Member of Parliament having an affair with a prostitute, who is also seeing a KGB agent.

But things are much more complex than they initially appear, and it becomes a much thicker paranoia thiller (one of my favourite themes). If you liked "The Parallax View" (1974) - or favour conspiracy theories - then you'll like this very British effort.

Watch for the gaggle of reporters camped on the Minister's doorstep. Durning the scene, a car backs into one of the reports, knocking him down. It is never explained...

The DVD transfer is exceptional, though in typical MGM fashion, there are no extras except for the original trailer.

A thinking person's movie
Fast moving all too credible movie showing dealing with the issue of press freedom versus what should be considered secrets of the state.
Great casting. This is a gem that is surprisingly little known.

Defense of the Realm
Overlooked. Something of a quiet sensation when it came out in the mid 1980's. Starring Gabriel Byrne(in his first lead role), Greta Scacchi, and Denholm Elliot. The script could have been written by John Le Carre. A complex, claustrophobic, dark, fast-paced film which requires alertness on the part of the audience. Not available on DVD in the U.S.

An absolute cracker
The showbiz adage of 'never work with children or animals' was, within the British film industry, extended to 'never work with children, animals or Denholm Elliot'. He was, rightly, labelled a 'scene stealer' and with his passing, one of the 'true stars' were lost.

Gabrielle Byrne and Greta Scacchi star in this 1984 UK film, but the film, despite featuring a young Robbie Coltrane ( Cracker ), is forever Elliot's. Massively underrated, this film is a powerful indictment of the true 'powers that be'. Governments come and governments go, but the engine room remains in place, along with the stokers.

Is this a political thriller, a journalistic thriller, a shadowy thriller even - scary too, maybe ?. Probably all and more besides. It's very taut, very fast, very complex and, perhaps, very true to life ( the scary bit ). Underhand and double dealing are rife and little mercy is shown to the designated stooges. Elliot, as Vernon Bayliss, suffers no fools here and realising the enormity of the truth and confiding in nobody, pays a heavy price for his refusal to be swept along with the tide of seemingly incontrovertible proofs. Perhaps Fox Mulder saw this film and coined 'trust no-one' from Elliots' performance.

What is sure, though, is that a field day awaits conspiracy theorists who watch this. There is no sex, no violence and no profanity and I defy anyone to watch this film only once. ... Read more

Description

Hank, 39, like most people about to hit forty, can feel things catching up to him.

At the same time distant and caring, Hank is a single parent. And his 13 year-old daughter, Constance, is there to remind him that in fact things are not only catching up, they're closing fast.

Hank has guilt from leaving his daughter while away on long assignments as a photojournalist.

Then there's Hank's messy divorce...

...and the fact that Constance's raging hormones are pushing her (and everyone in her way) closer to madness.

Then there is Hank's girlfriend Erin, 26 (yes, just 13 years older than Hank's 13 year-old). She and Constance have a lot in common: they both wear the same Betsey Johnson dress.

Despite the fact that they've been an item for over a year, Erin has never met Hank's daughter. Hank has his reasons for keeping his girlfriend a secret; he "just wants to protect her." "From what?! What am I gonna do? Boil her bunny rabbit?"

Then there's Giovanna -- Hank's boss. Over the years, Hank's had an on and off affair (chiefly off) with Giovanna. She is pressing him to spend more time campaigning for the prize he's just been nominated for -- the coveted Humanitas Award.

Something's eating away at Hank and no one's sure what it is. He refuses Giovanna's request to spend more time focusing on his career...

...and inexpleciably breaks up with Erin.

Finally, when his ex-wife leaves the country for a three-month honeymoon, Constance moves into Hank's apartment and all heck breaks out. The Young Girl and the Monsoon,a romantic comedy about the way people really live. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

One of the top twenty best pictures in 2001
This film turns around the study of the several sociological human reactions under edge knife conditions. The play of Lehar in the middle of the desert is just one more device to explore the inner soul of every human being in that hopeless place.
An extraordinary performance of Jeniffer Jason Leigh.
In this argumental line there's a film of Buñuel titled El angel exterminador , that is very closed related to this one.

One of the best twenty top films in 2001
This film is deeply disturbing anguishly. A superb sociological of the human being through a catharsis process. The playing of Lear in the middle acts as an efficient device for exploring the multiple facets that the people adopts when is under an edge knife situation like this one.
Stunning performances and high realism.
A must in your collection.

The Dead Zone
This "experimental" movie about 11 people who get lost in the desert, managing to survive in a difficult and unusual situation, is a missed attempt at trying to examine the human condition. Shakespeare`s play "King Lear" is a central element here, as the filmmaker tries to use it as a starting point to study its characters ideas, dramas, reactions and motivations, however this doesn`t quite work as well as it should and ends up being a pretentious, long and lifeless movie. There`s a promising dramatic tension in the beginning and some actors try to achieve something, but it ultimately fails and goes nowhere. The directing is weak as it should since this is a "Dogma" movie, one that doesn`t use artificial resources to enhance the lightning, scenery, direction or wardrobe, but here it just seems poor, uninteresting and unfinished. The characters are dull and despicable (I understand that`s the idea but they didn`t grab my attention) and the plot moves at a snail`s pace, becoming empty and dry just like the desert landscape where the movie was made. The King is dead.

Powerful film, **not** a "Lear" remake!
"A group of people stranded in the desert decide to stage King Lear" does not begin to summarize this powerful and challenging film, which shows how extremity reveals both flaws and strengths of our characters. One of the stranded characters, who has unresolved issues with his own daughter, attempts to convince the other characters to stage "Lear," or as much of it as he can remember and write down. This attempt proceeds haltingly against crisis incidents between the various characters and against fragmented revelations of character that have the allusive quality of Japanese haiku. Finally, the cast does not so much stage "Lear" as become "Lear."

The story's resolution resonates deeply with the "Lear" theme while avoiding allegory or simplistic, one-to-one correspondences. There are disturbing, even shocking moments, and characters do not go unscathed, but there are also small moments of redemption. At the conclusion, I was left with that sense of surprise and inevitability that marks the most excellent drama. The Dogme 95 emphasis on actor improvisation worked well for me in this depiction of a situation which, in real life, would require improvisation for survival. And even with the Dogme 95 technical restrictions (available light, natural sound), this film captures the beauty and immensity of the African desert and light. One is left with a heightened awareness that our own human dramas are played out against forces, both external and internal, that are only partially under our control.

Be prepared to concentrate, perhaps even view the movie more than once, to understand fully what's happening. This is **NOT** a "Hollywood rip-roarer" or love story. It **IS** one of the most thoughtful and thought-provoking films I have seen in a long time.

Reach Exceeds Grasp
"The King is Alive," is problematic in a very good way. It's a Dogme film, which means it was made under a set of rules that holds the film maker to natural light, ambient sound, actual locations, and possibly a few more restrictions. Working within that format the director, Kristian Levring, has made something quite remarkable. His location is the Namibian desert, and he has captured the splendor of the light, color, and landscape quite well. The intrusion of a soundtrack is blissfully missing, and the only music in the film leaks from a set of headphones for a disc player, lasts about 5 seconds, and works with great effect. Mr. Levring also made good casting choices, and the cast does a good job except for a few moments that are miserably improvised. The big problems are with the script. There's one plot hole that you could drive the broken down bus through, and a conclusion that's not conclusive - it's as if the production just ran out of film, or tape. Otherwise, it's entirely believable that a group of people disintegrating in a survival situation would choose to take their minds off their impossible situation by enacting a drama, especially because their situation is one of waiting rather than action; and it's conceivable that "King Lear" would be the drama, but it seems to me that if that's the set up then the play within the play should have some relevance to the play itself, and though Lear contains madness and betrayal, the connections are tenuous at best. Anytime you let Shakespeare into the picture you raise the audience's expectations for a work that will illuminate the master's vision, or vice versa. Unfortunately, neither occurs. The study of survivors in extrema is not enhanced by the use of "King Lear," and "King Lear" is not enhanced by the situation - or the film. Too bad, because it was an interesting concept. Given that, the film is worth seeing. It's certainly better than most of what Hollywood has to offer, and is a great example of how less can be more. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One you missed at the theatre.
Saw this little gem when it originally was released theatrically. Needless to say, I was impressed.

Starring a terrific Gabriel Byrne (does this guy ever age?), it is a very tight story of a newspaper reporter (Byrne) who comes across a story of a Member of Parliament having an affair with a prostitute, who is also seeing a KGB agent.

But things are much more complex than they initially appear, and it becomes a much thicker paranoia thiller (one of my favourite themes). If you liked "The Parallax View" (1974) - or favour conspiracy theories - then you'll like this very British effort.

Watch for the gaggle of reporters camped on the Minister's doorstep. Durning the scene, a car backs into one of the reports, knocking him down. It is never explained...

The DVD transfer is exceptional, though in typical MGM fashion, there are no extras except for the original trailer.

A thinking person's movie
Fast moving all too credible movie showing dealing with the issue of press freedom versus what should be considered secrets of the state.
Great casting. This is a gem that is surprisingly little known.

Defense of the Realm
Overlooked. Something of a quiet sensation when it came out in the mid 1980's. Starring Gabriel Byrne(in his first lead role), Greta Scacchi, and Denholm Elliot. The script could have been written by John Le Carre. A complex, claustrophobic, dark, fast-paced film which requires alertness on the part of the audience. Not available on DVD in the U.S.

An absolute cracker
The showbiz adage of 'never work with children or animals' was, within the British film industry, extended to 'never work with children, animals or Denholm Elliot'. He was, rightly, labelled a 'scene stealer' and with his passing, one of the 'true stars' were lost.

Gabrielle Byrne and Greta Scacchi star in this 1984 UK film, but the film, despite featuring a young Robbie Coltrane ( Cracker ), is forever Elliot's. Massively underrated, this film is a powerful indictment of the true 'powers that be'. Governments come and governments go, but the engine room remains in place, along with the stokers.

Is this a political thriller, a journalistic thriller, a shadowy thriller even - scary too, maybe ?. Probably all and more besides. It's very taut, very fast, very complex and, perhaps, very true to life ( the scary bit ). Underhand and double dealing are rife and little mercy is shown to the designated stooges. Elliot, as Vernon Bayliss, suffers no fools here and realising the enormity of the truth and confiding in nobody, pays a heavy price for his refusal to be swept along with the tide of seemingly incontrovertible proofs. Perhaps Fox Mulder saw this film and coined 'trust no-one' from Elliots' performance.

What is sure, though, is that a field day awaits conspiracy theorists who watch this. There is no sex, no violence and no profanity and I defy anyone to watch this film only once. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One you missed at the theatre.
Saw this little gem when it originally was released theatrically. Needless to say, I was impressed.

Starring a terrific Gabriel Byrne (does this guy ever age?), it is a very tight story of a newspaper reporter (Byrne) who comes across a story of a Member of Parliament having an affair with a prostitute, who is also seeing a KGB agent.

But things are much more complex than they initially appear, and it becomes a much thicker paranoia thiller (one of my favourite themes). If you liked "The Parallax View" (1974) - or favour conspiracy theories - then you'll like this very British effort.

Watch for the gaggle of reporters camped on the Minister's doorstep. Durning the scene, a car backs into one of the reports, knocking him down. It is never explained...

The DVD transfer is exceptional, though in typical MGM fashion, there are no extras except for the original trailer.

A thinking person's movie
Fast moving all too credible movie showing dealing with the issue of press freedom versus what should be considered secrets of the state.
Great casting. This is a gem that is surprisingly little known.

Defense of the Realm
Overlooked. Something of a quiet sensation when it came out in the mid 1980's. Starring Gabriel Byrne(in his first lead role), Greta Scacchi, and Denholm Elliot. The script could have been written by John Le Carre. A complex, claustrophobic, dark, fast-paced film which requires alertness on the part of the audience. Not available on DVD in the U.S.

An absolute cracker
The showbiz adage of 'never work with children or animals' was, within the British film industry, extended to 'never work with children, animals or Denholm Elliot'. He was, rightly, labelled a 'scene stealer' and with his passing, one of the 'true stars' were lost.

Gabrielle Byrne and Greta Scacchi star in this 1984 UK film, but the film, despite featuring a young Robbie Coltrane ( Cracker ), is forever Elliot's. Massively underrated, this film is a powerful indictment of the true 'powers that be'. Governments come and governments go, but the engine room remains in place, along with the stokers.

Is this a political thriller, a journalistic thriller, a shadowy thriller even - scary too, maybe ?. Probably all and more besides. It's very taut, very fast, very complex and, perhaps, very true to life ( the scary bit ). Underhand and double dealing are rife and little mercy is shown to the designated stooges. Elliot, as Vernon Bayliss, suffers no fools here and realising the enormity of the truth and confiding in nobody, pays a heavy price for his refusal to be swept along with the tide of seemingly incontrovertible proofs. Perhaps Fox Mulder saw this film and coined 'trust no-one' from Elliots' performance.

What is sure, though, is that a field day awaits conspiracy theorists who watch this. There is no sex, no violence and no profanity and I defy anyone to watch this film only once. ... Read more

Reviews (447)

The best Bond film yet.
The 19th MGM James Bond-007 movie is here. It's probably the best movie yet. It has the best stunts.

Filmed in: England, France, Spain, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and the Bahamas. The name is taken from 1969 On Her Majesty's Secret Service when James takes a look at his coat of arms and is told that the family motto is: The World Is Not Enough.

Of course, Pierce Brosnan returns as the role of 007. Sophie Marceau as the murdered tycoon's daughter, Elektra King. Denise Richards as nuclear expert, Dr. Christmas Jones. Robert Carlyle as the doomed terrorist, Victor Zokas aka Renard. And John Cleese as R, Q's assistant. The movie also sees Robbie Coltrane's return as Valentin Zukovsky and Judi Dench 3rd appearance as M, the boss.

The plot involves Sir Robert King, an oil industrialist. He buys a report about the Soviet's missile department accidentally thinking it contained info about the terrorists attacking his pipeline in the East. Surprised to find out his money was wasted, a Swiss banker retrieves the money. M sends 007 to pick it up. But the banker, Lachaise, is in for a surprise. The report Sir Robert bought was stolen from an MI-6 agent who was killed for it. Knowing Lachaise knows who killed the agent, Bond threatens him. Unfortunately, Bond only escapes with his life and the money. No name. After a spectacular scene, Sir Robert is dead. Days later, his daughter Elektra takes over the construction of the pipeline. But 007 suspects there is something suspicious about terrorist Renard, the King organization, and even Elektra herself. M refuses to listen to 007's crazy instincts. Only Dr. Christmas Jones & Valentin are on Bond's side.

The movie sees Q's retirement. And a good thing too. After all, the DVD isn't dedicated to Desmond Llewelyn for nothing. However, Q has given the Q labs to R. Probably a bad choice. R will talk you through putting a shirt on!

The language features are: Languages-English and French. Subtitles-English, Spanish, and French.

Special Features. Music video performed by Garbage (the band). The Making of The World Is Not Enough. Audio Commentaries. The Secrets of 007-alternate video options. Theatrical Theater.

Well, that's about everything this DVD includes. Hope the review was helpful.

Bigger and Better!
Here's a Bond film that deserves to be ranked among the best in the series. Along with the usual Bond formula of high tech gadgets, one-liners, and of course, the Bond girl(s), this latest installment also provides a story with a different twist. Throw in a combination of mind games, an unusual villain, exotic locales, and amazing stunts and you get an explosive, testosterone driven, eye-candy, action-packed thriller with a dash of high quality performances. One sequence in particular is the high adrenaline boat chase along the Thames River that takes place very early in the movie. Cool stuff!

The story delves much deeper into the psyche of James Bond than previous 007 flicks. Pierce Brosnan plays a much darker and vulnerable 007 in his third run as the British super agent spy James Bond. The World Is Not Enough also showcases the acting talents of Dame Judi Dench (who plays M) and Sophie Marceau as well as many others. John Cleese, of Monty Python fame, also plays a role in the movie as the heir apparent to Q. Every character played a larger role in this movie, in which, there were times when I felt James Bond was a supporting character rather than a leading one. There is definitely no shortage of star power in this movie.

A few things I didn't like about this movie (just my personal opinion mind you) were the opening Bond song, the paraglider-ski sequence, and the miniature scaled models. Yuck! Still though, this latest 007 thriller gives a good ride! Humor, international intrigue, and plenty of action. This is a James Bond of the 21st Century and I hope Pierce Brosnan sticks around to do many more like this one!

Bond is the best of this time......Dry,humorous,and elegant,
Mr.Bond is ranking itself as the highest of his quality,and is back once more,but this time dry as a glass of martini,and elegant as far as he could ever get,making his job as right as Beethoven while composing his 9th.
James bond,her majesty's loyal star,is back in a very different style and story;He is involved in a complex of a villian trying to take over the world with his lover's own oil pipe line. The thing is,you see,he feels no pain.Nothing.Amazing,as it is surprising for the first time to hear it. Elektra,the new bond girl,is to my own taste one of the best bond girls ever in the series,simply because she has many sides to be related with,and sophie marseau,the actress,bringing an excellent performance in the role of Elektea.The other bond girl,christmas,portrayed by denise richards,has a small relation to a bond girl,but still interesting,though.
As well as the deep and dark plot which develops suprisingly,we also discover a more darker side inside the familiar characters,like M,for example,Which makes this movie special and wonderful.
Also,We are introduced to the the next Q(The great,humorous,and giant John Cleese,from the mighty "Fawlty towers" and "Monty Python's flying circus"),Which is,and believe in my own words,the best there is to portray the charcacter of Q.He is doing it very,very well.
You are going to see a different bond,a new bond,a complex and dark story,the best british humor ever brought to a bond film, and,of course,James Bond himself,Pierce Brosnan,is worth all of the bond touches and twists.
You think you can give me the whole world?
Well,the world is not enough,maybe,but the movie,believe me,does.

"I never miss"
This is the best film to date in the series, hands-down. It may not have the classic charm of Goldfinger, but a couple of viewings (something most people aren't willing to credit a Bond film with) reveal a film which is incredibly substantial, in an unprecedented - and unnecesary -