Reviews (77)

Better than "Citizen Kane"
The muse has spoken. Vanilla Ice's feature film debut is absolutely astounding. Astounding because this film was actually made to cash in on Vanilla's success as a one-hit rapper whose popularity was dubious at best and was only equalled by the vitriolic backlash he received shortly after. Contains Oscar-calibre dialog like "drop the zero and get with a hero". Jesus wept. I cannot hardly imagine who put their hard earned ducats down to see this in the theatre. The saving grace is that this film is so undeniably bad that it's good. To quote another reviewer: "Vanilla Ice accomplishes what every comedian dreams of; he makes the audience crack up without making a single joke". Kristin Minter is shortchanged as Ice's love interest being that she is hot and can act but due to poor direction and the fact she likes Vanilla her talents are wasted. At least Michael Gross is given one last chance onscreen before his career sank without a trace. To summarize, the sheer fact that this movie exists is a testament to how poor our taste was in the 80's. Beats out every bad movie I've seen to be number one. I give it 4 stars for irony. A classic of the genre. Rent it, you'll thank me.

Simply the Most HANDSOME AND POWERFUL MOVIE ON EARTH!
I laughed! I Cried! I hurled! I've seen this movie over 30 times -- more than any other movie that I have seen in my life. I take that back. To call this a movie is an insult...it is film at its finest. And there are so many fine points to the film. For example when Nik and Cat are leaving the Sugar Shack, every car in the lot is white. Also, did you notice the writing on the wall, how about the tv set with the planter? Can you read what's on the side of Vanilla's shades? What's Johnny's last name? Do you remember the name of the model in the opening sequence (monique) who was a VERY popular swimsuit model in the early 90s? Just look at the blossoming careers of the stars. Tommy was in sandlot, Kat on ER, the goon has been in Seinfeld. Obviously, Cool As Ice was the springboard to their success! Vanilla Ice owns his own extreme sports store in Fla and is most recently been on tour at major venues across the States! From the classic one-liners "Aww yeah. Drop that Zero and get with the hero" "You need a psychiatrist" "I'm kinda busy right now know what I'm sayin?" "Lookie lookie lookie in Kat's black bookie" "I'm gonna drop some funky lyrics" "Scmucks" "You know, the chick who drives the horse" "You're seein me now" "See ya dick. That's nick. Oh yeah yeah ....Nick" "You are ours!" "Hey you hit pretty good for a girl" and the unforgettable "yup yup she likes me" "dissed again" Of course these are only a few of the classic lines from this classic tale of adventure and romance. Most of all, there is no profanity beyond a "hell" and a "damn" therefore it is family entertainment at its finest! Why have your kids watch Bambi and end up crying when Bambi's broke mommy gets the smackdab? Johnny'd tell them kids to "drop that zero and get with the hero." The kids will cheer the ending of Cool As Ice and want to watch it again and again and again. For $80, it's a wise investment in what has made American Film "the best around."

Dr. Shawn E. Chase, P.E., J.D. D.V.M., M.D., MBA, OBgyN

Fact of the matta is ill.
Yo word up. This be the greatest love story in da world. You can forget all 'bot Romeo and Juliet. Now it's on with Johny and Cat. If the world ever needed anything more than a boy, his girl, and his bike, than everything is whack.

Even the credits are ill phat. Naomi Campbell herself sings the opening song. How bad be that? This whole flick is slick with sick to the max. Yo.

Vanilla Ice is the hero and we all be zeros. There will never again be a 'Nilla Ice. He was the coolest, he was the smoothest. He was cold. Cold as Ice.

An incredible motion picture...
What can I say about Cool As Ice that hasnt already been said?

Probably nothing. Still. I recently received a foriegn DVD release of the film and was THRILLED.

From the action (Ice makes a jump on his bike so bad-a$$ that it makes a horse freak out!) to the dialogue ("Well, I'll see you.." "Yer seein' me NOW."), this is a WONDERFUL motion picture.

See, I believe in a thing called a Happy Accident. Movies that are SO INCREDIBLY BAD that they actually end up being wonderful.

There are TONS of bad movies, but very few Happy Accidents. Road House was one. Showgirls was another. Wild Things was the most recent.

But Cool as Ice? BEST. HAPPY. ACCIDENT. EVER.

What made it so great was that you could tell it wasnt MEANT to be bad. Someone actually thought they were writing a good movie!!!

All in all... if you can find an old video store that has this? Rent it. If you have ANY type of sense of humor, you will NOT regret it.

absolutely terrible....
after a freinds recommendation I watched this film - without doubt it is the single, most terrible thing that has ever appeared on my television. I now have one less freind - and some horrible memories of seeing Vanilla Ice try to act.... please don't make the same mistakes I did - avoid this film at all costs.
If bad acting, awful script writing, weak directing and shoddy storylines are your thing then this movie is the one for you. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Perhaps only Spike Lee could make a dignified yet extremely funny comedy-drama about phone sex. Theresa Randle (Bad Boys) is the title character, a hard-working actress who becomes addicted to this peculiar form of safe sex (the movie is verbal, not physical, in that department) at a high-class New York agency. Throughout the film, Girl 6 (she's unnamed beyond this) sports a dazzling array of new looks, hairstyles, and clothes. Randle radiates every step of the way. Lee even delivers on fantasy elements when Girl 6 finds herself in a send-up of blaxploitation films and a keen lampoon of The Jeffersons (the three-minute sequence is better than any planned TV-to-movie film that may come along). Revelations about Girl 6's life are brought out through her ex-husband (Isaiah Washington), who, in his very flawed but honest way, plans to reunite with her. Better yet are conversations with the next-door neighbor (Spike Lee, doing some of his best work). Solitary, experimental, with plenty of delicious cameos (including Madonna), Girl 6 is playwright Suzan-Lori Parks's first screenplay. Similar in tone to Lee's debut, She's Gotta Have It, Girl 6 also boasts an energetic mix of old and new songs by Prince and, as always with Lee, colorful camerawork. An alleyway kiss near the end is a great romantic image. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (15)

One of my favorite films
I really liked this movie so much that I want to buy my own copy. I'd heard about the film when it first came out in 1996, but like so many smaller films, if you don't see it right away you miss your chance. Right away, the Prince soundtrack is wonderful and sets the tone and you hear so many great songs throughout the film. This movie has great dialogue and is very well written. If that isn't what you like, you will be bored and should go see some mindless action flick. I can't imagine how anyone would not like this film. It is my favorite Spike Lee film without a doubt. There is definitely an ethereal and dreamy quality to the film that I liked very much. The main character, Lovely or Girl 6, played by Theresa Randle, is stressed and and overworked from too many part time jobs. The movie is set in and around Manhattan. Lovely is working all the jobs so that she can be free to go on acting auditions. Her agent gets her a great audition for a film and she believes she is doing fine until the director says he needs her to take off her top so he can look at her breasts. She is so disgusted by this treatment that she walks out on the audition and she becomes increasingly frustrated at what it seems it will take for her to get a break in the acting field. While looking at want ads while riding the subway (we see her sick, coughing and exhausted from overwork and stress) she sees an ad that promises great money doing phone sex and she interviews for the job. The whole process of her inquiring about the job, training for the job and the people she encounters, not to mention the whole "business" of phone sex is so entertaining. There are some great cameos in this film, including Madonna (who is terrific), Naomi Campbell, Richard Belzer and Quentin Tarantino. Debi Mazor is another phone girl who warns Lovely (Theresa) not to take it all too seriously. Spike Lee is wonderful as Lovely's neighbor- a dreamer just like her. He chastises her for doing the "phone bone" when she ought to be pursing her acting career, but as Lovely points out, her job actually is acting on a certain level. There are some touching moments, too such as when Lovely hopes to meet one of her clients in Coney Island and she's waiting for hours and looking for him. There is also a very frightening scene when a sicko (snuff fantasy) client finds out where Lovely lives and wants to make his fantasy a reality. There is a funny side plot about Lovely's ex-husband who steals from local merchants such as fruit vendors. This ex-husband wants Lovely back and never stops trying. I won't give the rest of the plot away, but if any of this sounds remotely interesting, check out this film. I think that this film was well done in all aspects and I consider it one of my all time favorite films.

A Serious Comedy From Spike Lee
1996: Spike Lee directed this movie believe it or not. He wrote the screenplay and performed in the role of the wise, comforting and dreamer neighboor in Lovely's apartment. Theresa Randle of the Bad Boys film, stars as Lovely, or the eponymous Girl 6. When I saw this film, I could not believe it was a Spike Lee film, but his presence in the movie and his signature urban themes are distinctly marked in this movie. The film deals with an aspiring actress who is coaxed into working as a phone sex operator. Despite the good money it pays, it becomes messy and dangerous for her after a client becomes insanely obscessed with her. Her relationship with her (boyfriend ? husband ?) is in jeopardy due to her choice of work. Although clearly this movie attempts to be serious, there are many comic features written into many of the scenes, particularily the sordid, bizarre and outrageous sexual fantasies of the clients. The phone sex scenes that play out between the operators and their clients are hilarious! The "fantasy sequences" in which Lovely acts out various roles from television and film are also hilarious. These roles are: Lovely as Dorothy Dandridge in Carmen Jones, as the daughter in the old sitcom The Jeffersons, as Pam Grier's Foxy Brown in 70's exploitation movies and as a 30's or 40's Hollywood Golden Age diva towards the end of the film shot in black and white.Guest stars abound in this witty urban comic drama. Among them Madonna, as a phone sex operator instructor who is giving the girls tips and advice via a monitor, Halle Barry in a brief interview scene, and even Quentin Terentino shows up in the film. I don't know whether to laugh non stop at one of the silliest films ever made by Spike Lee or to wonder at the subtle signficance of its theme. Spike Lee seems to be portraying a strong black woman who undergoes terrible misfortune in a dark and risky business only to give it up in a beautiful scene towards the end when she and her boyfriend/husband kiss and telephones start falling from the sky in slow motion. In Hollywood, she does not give up her morals or dignity and refuses to do a nude sex scene that might be featured in pornpgraphy. It's really a look at Hollywood's love for sex, its classless tastes and its exploitation of women. It might be Spike Lee's greatest film. Just try to look beyond the comedy.

This is in my top 10
One of my favourite films of all time. There's something about Spike Lee's *Girl 6* that's particularly stuck with me. In short, it's about a phone-sex agency and the people that work there. Theresa Randle plays Girl 6 brilliantly as a woman of great strength and tenderness. Like the film itself, very funny, yet painfully gritty. A surprisingly good performance from Naomi Campbell as Girl 75. An excellent cameo from Madonna playing the aging scarlet-woman with too much makeup spouting sexual profanitys - typecast or what! And the cherry-moon on the cake is the ace use of Prince music running through the film... *How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore* (which was a rare track back then), *HouseQuake*, *17 Days* and *Hot Thing* (which plays during Madge's monologue) being the musical highlights, for me. Oh, and Mr Lee himself is pretty good in it too... I really hope he gets around to releasing this on DVD... soon?!

A Spike Lee Surprise
Spike Lee's "Girl6" proves to be a fantastic exploration into the urban american dream. Although it took me more than one viewing, i find this movie to be on the same level as "Do the Right Thing" and "Crooklyn." What does it take to strike out on your own? What is the difference between reality and imagined reality? These are questions that Theresa Randle encounters as she executes a steller performance as an aspiring actress new to the Big Apple in "Girl6". Lee's unique use of composition and setting create tangible texture with potent imagery. Originally a play, "Girl6" maintains theatrical dialogue and pacing. At first, subtleties are difficult to tap into, but through a more aware viewing "Girl6" blooms into a cinematic gem.

Uneven and Inaccurate
The film had uneven humor throughout and little accuracy in it's portrayal of the phone sex industry. I am in the phone fantasy business and "Girl 6" is largely fantasy. While callers do indeed have a racial bias and many quirks; offices never are even half that nice and working from home isn't scary. Although I suppose there are girls who give their personal number out to callers and obsess over their work; most of us are well adjusted educated women with normal homes and families in suburbia who keep a safe distance from our clientel. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Good
A surprisingly watchable documentary. Christie is the Audrey Hepburn of supermodels, with all the graciousness and class and poise that Hepburn had, and so is a treat to watch move and talk and walk in CATWALK. When you have big-headed, sometimes nasty supermodels like Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell annoying the public, it's nice to have a kind Christie Turlington to prove that just because you're beautiful doesn't mean you can't be humble. It's a shame that Christie was diagnosed with emphysema at age 31. She said smoking cigarettes from aged 13 to 26 is probably what brought it on. It's hard to have much sympathy for the rich, famous and beautiful, but my heart does go out to Christie because she seems such a lovely, lovely person in every way, as CATWALK shows.

Great Supermodel Documentary
The video documentary "CATWALK" is way better then it should be. Beautifully shot, great Malcolm Mclauren soundtrack, all the supermodels. This video stars the freakishly beautiful supermodel Christy Turlington and takes place when Supermodels ruled the world and lived the lives of rockstars (witness some lady telling Christy, "We Love you Christy" on the way to a fashion show.

Christy takes us behind the scenes to a life of a supermodel during the fashion weeks in Milan, Paris, and NYC. She takes us to 5 star Hotels, Nightclubs, and house parties with other supermodels.

Ms. Turlington doesnt show any of the darker sides of the modeling industry, which is the only thing missing from this film. But, this documentary is wonderful journey that show us a side of Christy, Naomi Campbell, and Kate Moss that is rarely seen by the public.

A Must for Fashionistas!
Should I be embarrased to say I found this documentary completely engrossing? From the initial cover shoot at Versace to the closing shots of Christy T. sitting for a Francisco Clemente portrait (it's haunting and beautiful -- he's the artist that did the artwork for the movie "Great Expectations" BTW), I was glued to this movie. The soundrack includes "St. Germain" by Malcolm McClaren, which I love, during the Paris collections. Many parts are beautifully shot in black and white. Some great moments go by quickly: a really funny exchange between Christy and model Veronica Webb, Kate Moss drunk at a club in Milan, behind the scenes at Galliano ("Think Irving Penn, Irving Penn!!"), ALT commenting on the same collection ("This man HAS NO MONEY!"), Christy eyeballing Naomi's gift flower bouquet at the Georges V ("Is hers bigger than mine?"), the whole documentary is full of great stuff.

diverting
An amusing but tepid documentary. I alway thought of Christie as beautiful for sure. But when you see her walk and talk, she is so BLAND. She has to be the least sensual beautiful woman I've ever seen. She has no sensuality. She's kind of nerdy even. She doesn't have any wit. She once said, "I'm known as the nice supermodel. I want to be known as the smart supermodel." Well, she's definitely nice, but in a bland way. And it's funny to see some physical flaws in her in this film. She has ugly feet. Most people's feet flare out toward the toes. But her feet are rectangular shaped, the sides being straight lines. Weird looking feet. And sometimes when she smiles, her lip goes above her gumline, so there's a big gap of gum-space above her teeth. Gross to look at. Anyway, this is over-all a diverting but hardly fascinating film.

FABULOUS...that is, if ur in2 Fashion.
If you're not into fashion scene, steer clear from this one. If you're into the fashion scene or have a curiosity about the world of the supermodels, you'll luv this. Yes, sometimes it gets a bit dull, but some of the behind the scene footage is incredible. Trust me, it's so worth it! If u can find it, buy it. I got my copy from ebay, and believe me I'm holding on to it! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Miami "Rhap"sody.......
Here is a film that is so negative about the possibilty of finding true love, it should be banned from sale or rental to all engaged couples. In fact, anyone who has a positive outlook on relationships and doesn't wish to wallow in the mire of adultery, divorce and human failure, should skip it altogether. I think that covers everyone who is not one of the characters in this film, or similarly inclined. ............... Sarah Jessica Parker who is the only saving grace here, is Gwen, an engaged lady who is surrounded at every turn by dysfunctional relationships. This film is not even close to reality at any point. No one knows this many unhappy people buried in illicit tawdry affairs, even if they live in Hollywood! In fact, this film tries so hard to be NOW and HIP and COOL, like this is what you can expect from todays relationships. Totally absurd. Gwens mom, played my Mia Farrow, is having an affair with her mothers aka Gwens grandmothers nurse, played by Antonio Banderas in an earlier fleeting role. Makes you wonder why he got later roles. Gwens dad is terribly upset, but mom reveals HE has been having plenty of affairs for years too. Big surprise! What is Gwen to do? Go to her brother for advice, of course. She arrives in the middle of a fight between him and his pregnant wife, they couldn't possibly be cooing on the couch happily now could they? Of course not. What is THEIR fight about? His affair with his partners model wife Naomi Campbell. Wow, let's play the interracial card possibilities here into the film for a little added zest! Of course, she isn't a single model, I said partners WIFE. Yet another wayward spouse to add to an ever growing roster of remorse. There is just NO hope for this family or anyone they touch illicitly in cheap brightly painted motels. .............. So there you have the basics. Everyone is married, everyone is miserable. They're all cheaters, liars, adulterers, and just not any sort of example for poor Gwen to reason herself into not being afraid of the possibilty of her own marriage. The poor girl, even I got depressed at the whole situation. ............. If you want to watch a movie that emphasizes all the negative possibilities of married life, here is a perfect film for the committment shy to bolster his or her argument. However, if you still believe in true love and happily ever after, you will want to avoid this like the plague. Especially don't watch this with anyone you love. Some romantic comedy, it sends a message to the faithful like THEY have the problems. If you are curious, go ahead and watch. Don't say I didn't warn you.

light woody-allen parody
Miami Rhapsody stars Sarah Jessica Parker as Gwynn Marcus, one of several sibs of a prominent, wealthy, Jewish and dysfunctional family in Miami. Though things seem okay on the outside, tangled relationship problems threaten every quarter of the family. Her brother Jordan (Kevin Pollack) cheats on his pregnant wife with a high-strung model (Naomi Campbell); Her sister's (Carla Gugino) new husband is a pro-football player plagued by career insecurities and terminal cheapness; both of her parents (Mia Farrow and Paul Mazursky) cheat on each other; and she remains unhappy if only because she's the sort of person who's so concerned about happiness that she must strangle the happiness out of wherever it pops up in her life. Though she's engaged, Gwynn soon finds herself attracted to the male nurse (Antonio Banderas) who cares for the family's stroke-ridden grandmother.

"Rhapsody" is a lot like an overlong episode of "Sex and the City" without the neat closure of that show's half-hour snippets or the materialism or communal honesty of that show's leads. Gwynn obsesses over Miami and sex, noting that both are extremely popular despite the inherent messiness of either. I had never seen "SatC" when catching this flick back in '95. Instead I recognized the flick as more of a parody of Woody Allen movies - the sort of rambling flick centered around a city (not NYC this time) and the hang-ups of those who endure it. The cinematography, Gwynn's neuroses (the film opens with Gwynn lamenting to a therapist), casting of Mia Farrow and even the opening credits hint at one of those small Woody Allen flicks that breezes through town without warning. "Rhapsody" works mostly on its stars' ernestness but also depends on some familiarity with that sort of Woody-ish kind of film. I doubt anybody who's never seen an Allen film will find this film more than amusing. Despite its dark take on marriage and relationships, I eventually married the girl I took to see it.

a funny, sexy romp
The wonderful Sarah Jessica Parker (HOCUS POCUS, the hit series SEX AND THE CITY), stars in this hip and sexy comedy about love and everything in between.

She plays Gwyn, a young woman about to be married to the man of her dreams (Gil Bellows), and she could not be happier. However, the bulk of her siblings, and her parents, could do with some apparently, as they are all conducting affairs behind the backs of their respective spouses!

Gwyn tries to come to terms with the fact that marriage and fidelity don't always go hand in hand, and in the process, discovers that her fiancee isn't all that she wants either.

Featuring Mia Farrow, Antonio Banderas, Carla Guggino, Paul Mazursky, Kevin Pollack and Jeremy Piven, MIAMI RHAPSODY is a frisky, funny romantic romp with a great script by David Frankel.

A Fun Walk Down Romantic Comedy/ Light-hearted Film Lane
I enjoyed watching this film, and give it three and a half stars. This film is one to rent when you just want to kick back and laugh a little. It is entertaining and light, and clever in parts. It's good for the kind of night when you're not in the mood for subtitles because you'd have to actually read them. :) Think "When Harry Met Sally," "You've Got Mail," or "Playing By Heart." I'd have been sad to miss it at the video store, as it is sweet in its heart, and had me laughing out loud more than once.

The film is about a family of three adult children and their parents, and the love lives of all of them. It starts with Sarah Jessica Parker's character (Gwyn) getting engaged, and her sister getting married. From there, things get a little messy. Gwyn, unsure of the state of her union (to-be), goes to her mother for advice about marital life. What she finds then is that her mother is having an affair. Shocked and surprised at first, Gwyn anxiously watches as her inner circle of family and friends fall prey to infidelity/relationship-confusion one by one, with no happy outcome in sight. As her wedding day draws near, she must come to some conclusion about her own impending marriage. Should she tie the knot, or are there existing problems in her relationship which would only be made worse by a walk down the aisle? She obsesses. She stresses. She considers dating her mother's lover!

Along the way, there are funny scenes and conversations, and a lot of the type of banter (especially from Jessica Parker) that made Sex and the City such a runaway hit. Parker's role here is reminiscent of her role on Sex and the City. As in that show, she plays a writer, here an ad-writer who reluctantly sets her sights on writing for sitcoms. She has trouble along the way, though, as her work is considered "too creative." This was classic SJP mode, as she is both sexy *and* smart! Jessica Parker may be tinier than most women (or men) I've ever seen, but she packs a wallop when it comes to magnetic acting and comedy skill. Her energy always shines on-screen, and this film is no exception. Gil Bellows (from TV's Ally McBeal) does a decent job playing her zoologist fiance who may or may not move to Africa when his career dictates that he should. There are patches of chemistry between them, and they are believably matched.

Mia Farrow's performance as Gwyn's mother is indeed reminiscent of her acting in her ex's (Woody Allen's) films. Farrow's husband in the film is strong in his role, as are other supporting actors, especially Carla Gugino, as Gwyn's sister, a lusty newlywed. One lackluster standout as far as the acting is Naomi Campbell. She may be one of the most beautiful women on the planet, but she really could do with figuring out whether or not to keep that British accent when playing in an American film, and how to get excited about acting/learn to lose herself in her role instead of striding her way through it as if she's merely rehearsing her lines.

I have to say that, unlike another reviewer on this page, I really *like* the one-liners that appear in this film, and in shows like Sex and the City. What can I say, they make me laugh, and that can't be that bad, can it? This film is funny and has some great lines, including some banter about election woes,this time about Bush *Senior*, and Ross Perot. :) (The film came out in '95). Watching it so soon after Indecision 2000, and feeling many of the same things myself in reference to George Junior this time around was an unexpected highlight.

As an aside, another thing I liked about the film was that it touched on all three generations: Gwyn's, her parents, and her grandparents (specifically, her grandmother, who, after a series of strokes, might not say much, but who showed grace and kindness with her smile, her eyes, and the touch of her hands.) I like that the film had this window into a nursing home/elderly life. People need to remember their elders more than they do these days. The film also briefly made the point that we shouldn't be too selfish in our lives, when we consider the horrors that previous generations have had to endure on a daily basis. Here, the experience of the grandmother having to flee the Nazis when she was a young woman. Jessica Parker's character says, in essense, people used to have real problems, war, etc, etc, [but] "I couldn't live a month without cable TV and a shower. We're a generation of weaklings." So some hints of deepness do exist in this shallow-ish romantic comedy!

Overall, I think Miami Rhapsody is a cute little film which will perhaps be enjoyed most by fans of Sex and the City and similar works.

Rhapsody in Red
Miami : A major U.S. city on the Southern tip of Florida. Rich with Hispaninc culture, affluent yuppies and tropical weather. An ideal location for a film-maker hoping the colorful locale would distract the audience from his apathetic and empty film.

Rhapsody : 1-(Music)Romantic composition in irreglar form 2- Express enthusiasm or delight in speech. Here I suspect the word is borrowed from Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue which was featured heavily in Woody Allen's Manhattan. More on that later.

David Frankel's abysmal 1995 "romantic comedy" is neither romantic or comedic. Its stars Sarah Jessica Parker as Gwyn, a sitcom writer who is having cold feet about marrying her zoolgist boyfriend Matt (Gil Bellows). In her anxiety, she goes to other members of her family to see how their own marriages are going, and perhaps find heartwarming stories that could encourage her to take that big step. From then on the script operates like a wind up toy. She goes to a loved one, asks about his/her marriage, and that loved one then proceeds to narrate a supposedly humorous horror story about his/her relationship. The big band score kicks in as their little, self absorbed and bitter stories unfold. Will she conquer her fears and get back to the man of her dreams, have you seen one movie in your life?

Then again, romantic comedies are not really about plot, but the company of the characters that take you through it. And unfortuantly our heroine Gwyn is a neurotic, self absorbed idiot who suffers diarrhoea of the mouth spewing out hollow, cheap one liners that would embarrasse a gossip columnist. By the end of the film you won't be concerned weather they make up or split up just as long as they shut up.

Now we come to the Woody Allen question. There is a pretty thick line that seperates a homage and a rip-off. And here Frankel lifts Allen's style so completely that it enters the realm of criminal plagerism. What he forgot to steal however was the wit, charm and underlying poignancy that makes Allen's neurosis lovable. Even's Allen's worst film, the pointless Celebrity is infinitly more watchable .

Miami Rhapsody's only virtue is Jack Wallner's luminous photgraphy, he makes the city come alive with bright reds, browns and other tropical delights. The look of the film is why I suffered it to the very end, perhaps its not such a good thing then. To quote Roger Ebert's review of another film "this film is not merely bad, its unpleasant in a hostile way". Quite possibly the most irritating film I've ever seen. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great, but way too short.
This a strange little 3 video collection. It contains 2 videos for "Numb" and a video for "Love Is Blindness". Why they didn't just throw in the rest of the Zooropa videos like "Lemon" and "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" to help fill it up is a mystery.

Anyway the main video for "Numb" is a riot. It is just The Edge watching TV (actually it's just made to look like he's watching TV, it's really just some light being refracted onto his face) while people do lots of random and funny things to him in an effort to divert his dedicated gaze. You see (among other things) Bono and Larry singing directly into each of his ears as Adam wraps a piece of rope around his head, U2 manager Paul McGuiness' burly hand caressing his cheek, the hands of two of the belly dancers from the ZooTV tour massaging his shoulders, someone cutting the straps of his black tank top with scissors, someone offering a spoonful of sugar to which he somewhat reluctantly succumbs, the belly dancers rubbing their feet all over his face as if he is a foot fetishist, two beautiful women kissing and licking both sides of his face simultaneously, and a short succession of fans taking snapshots of themselves with him.

The second "Numb" video features a remix of the song done by Emergency Broadcast Network exclusively for the video and for live performance of the song during the ZooTV tour. It's a very cool remix that features an endless array of random samples that really punch up the song. The video coincides with the samples, editing in the film footage from which the samples are gleaned at the moments in the song where the samples are heard. So, for example, you hear a sample in the song of an African tribesman and you see the accompanying footage in the video at that moment. This is all intercut with shots of The Edge singing (or rather rapping) the song to the camera.

The "Love Is Blindness" video is absolutely stunning. It is a mixture of different images pasted together by master video craftsman Matt Mahurin. There are gorgeous super-8 shots of the band during the ZooTV tour pieced together with a variety of other things like quickly-moving clouds, koi in a pond, a busker with an accordion, people engaged in a peace march, the ocean, and a park bench with no one on it, all shot in vibrant, beautiful colors.

Inspiring and different
Coming in the middle of U2's ZooTV romp through America, Numb defies the music video public with something so ordinary it's near revolutionary. The Edge(who sings lead for this track) is seated, and is molested by an assortment of characters while he sits there oblivious to it all thanks to his watching TV. The EBN Remix isn't quite as good and got on my nerves after a few viewings, but it's worth passing through for Unitl the End of The World, directed by Wim Wenders. A visual treat and a fitting treatment for such a great song. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Subtitled An Alan Smithee Film (referring to a long-standing pseudonym for a director who disowns a film), this 1998 satire is notable chiefly for having the same thing happen in real life, as director Arthur Hiller (Love Story) took his name off the picture after clashing with screenwriter and producer Joe Eszterhas (Showgirls, Basic Instinct). The plot of Eszterhas's farce has to do with a filmmaker who really is named Alan Smithee, played by Eric Idle (Monty Python's The Meaning of Life). After signing on to direct a big-budget blockbuster at the behest of a sleazy producer (Ryan O'Neal), Smithee realizes he has lost control of the film and decides to removehis name and publicly destroy the project. Along the way he encounters a host of celebrities in cameos, including the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Sylvester Stallone, Jackie Chan, and rappers Chuck D and Coolio, all of whom become involved in Smithee's doomed film. Meant as an insider's take on the machinations of Hollywood from one of its most prominent screenwriters, Burn Hollywood Burn is a cheerfully over-the-top send-up of modern moviemaking and the equally outlandish characters involved. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Interesting but.....
Funny at some parts, very witty too. Alan Smithee (Eric Idle) has just made the biggest Hollywood Picture ever starring Jackie Chan, Whoopi Goldberg, and Sylvester Stallone. But when Smithee kind of goes crazy the film doesn't come out and it makes a lot of people mad. This is the story of that. Has a lot of potential, this movie that is, but doesn't quit live up to it. Very funny in some parts, then it lags and get's annoying in others. If you liked "Waiting for Guffman" and could stand and liked Julia Sweeny's "God Said 'Ha'". Then this is your movie, otherwise, let it go by.

Awesome movie! But, if you don't get it, you won't like it
Although I find it difficult to believe people wouldn't get it.

I think the reason it got so many razzies was because the portrayal of hollywood was too jaded. I think that we fear that our most cynical view of hollywood is too cynical. Remember the old saw about people who like sausages and politics should never watch either being made? Maybe the same is true of movies, and with this movie, you're too close to the magic to appreciate it.

Good condition, fast delivery
I was very pleased with the video and I received it very fast!! Would buy from this seller again!! :)

Embarrassing Beyond Belief!
Badly written, badly cast, badly acted, badly directed - it's all here. And the embarrassing cameos don't help. At all. One would be hard pressed to pick out the worst of the bunch; Whoopi or Weinstein? Would've been way better if Billy Barty had Ryan O'Neal's role though.

However, there's this 'inspirational' line in there somewhere: "If we believe in film - and we do - then don't we have the responsibility to protect the world from bad ones?" Indeed.

Too bad the film makers didn't take it to heart.

Funny on the page, but on the screen, ouch.
Got a chance to read a script of "An Alan Smithee Film" a couple of years back. Funny, funnier, funniest. Not much plot, but funny, believable, outlandish circumstances. Joe Eszterhas lays some Hollywood realism on the line for us all to enjoy.

Too bad funny on the page doesn't necessarily transfer to funny on the screen. Eric Idle: not funny, Richard Jeni: less than not funny, and Ryan O'Neal: torturously cruel and inhuman.

Sandra Bernhard as someone's wife? Always funny.

The little cameos aren't even cute, although you gotta appreciate the irony of Gavin Polone's appearance. Too bad Michael DeLuca wasn't available.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda...translates to better ways to spend your time. ... Read more

Description

What happens when the right guy and the right girl share the same apartment - but on different nights of the week? It could be love, but it's certainly fun, romantic and a great date movie. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A perfect romantic comedy
Mathew Broderick and Annabella Sciorra are simply great in this small romantic comedy. It is one of my all time favourite films, and my pick for best romantic comedy. Although they don't really met until the end of the film, they cross paths briefly and their on-screen chemistry is evident. Sights of New York, including my favorite Dean & Deluca, charm you into the this nicely done film about life's chances.

Nice, relaxed, cute movie - recommended.
I'll admit it; I like chick flicks. But, I need to stress this: only the good ones. That Jennifer Aniston one - whatever it was called - that one bit. But a movie with some decent characters who's feelings you wind up caring about, as far as I'm concerned, will make for an entertaining movie even if stuff doesn't blow up.

This movie is an excellent example of what I mean. Matthew Broderick plays a single guy sick of living with roommates, but unable to afford to move out on his own. He finds a happy medium at a rent-controlled apartment only available a few days per week, while the remaining days are distributed amoung two other tennants. Inevitably, the schedule gets mixed up, and the confusion that arises is the basis of this movie's plot.

All in all, it's not spectacularly wonderful or anything, but it's funny, captivating, and it's definately cute. I guess you could call it a "feel good movie" - if you did that sort of thing. But, I don't. Instead, I call it a "chick flick" ... one of the ones I'd not only watch, but buy my own copy of.

definately a sleeper
This movie a little known gem! None of my friends have even heard of it but if you like MAtthew Broderick you'll love this movie. It's unique - imagine that - a unique romantic comedy! I actually ended up buying it so I could watch it whenever. It makes me believe that romance does still exist.

Romance with wit
This is a movie which I continue to come back to over and over again. This movie relies on intellectual stimulation rather than flashy special effects--something which is rather hard to find nowadays. It is so easy to see yourself in any of the main characters and the relationship problems that they are dealing with--yes, even the sophmoric Brian. And who could help but be tickled by the nosey neighbors. While the film may tend to be predictable, the humor and wit more than make up for it. And then of course, there's New York itself.....not the glitz and the glamour, but even more engaging. For anyone who really believes that New York apartments all look like the ones on "Friends", this is a definite reality check.

Good job for all 3 of room mate.
My favorite point is, after Ellen has slept wrong guy Brian in his apartment house, the man who has been misunderstood by Ellen,so Ellen did approach to Brian. Those two of conversation was very funny. Brian tried Ellen calm down, but all of his ward to the contrary. One more good point is, Ellen got a taxi the way her back home, taxi driver's reaction or response make me laugh very much.I could give you one more point, Brian's fiancee gets into the room without knocking door, while Sam(movie star)getting a lucky and she destroyed everything. how poor guy Sam was! and please look at how Sam insult Brian's fiancee just after! Sam has a lot of vocabularies. and music was very nice too. Check it out. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

A great collection of videos, lasting almost 2 hours!
If you like George Michael, then you'll love this video. As a side note, it totally eliminates need to buy the George Michael Faith video, as all of those videos are on here too.

Since you may not be able to find a track listing, here goes: Outside, Fastlove, Spinning the Wheel, Freedom '90, Killer/Papa Was A Rolling Stone, Too Funky, Faith, I Want Your Sex (mistakingly listed as part 2, it's really part 1), Jesus To A Child, Waltz Away Dreaming, Father Figure, Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Kissing A Fool, I Knew You Were Waiting For Me, Somebody To Love, Monkey, One More Try, Star People 97, I Can't Make You Love Me, A Different Corner, You Have Been Loved, Careless Whisper.

Most of these videos can be found elsewhere if you're lucky. Exactly half (11 of 22) I have on commercial releases, and others you could simply have copied from MTV. But I've been a lucky fan.

A great set of videos from a great musician!

Great Compilation of Video Classics
The voice of George Michael is probably one of the greatest in music history. Starting with Wham! and later with a successful solo career, Michael's transformation from teenage poster boy to a mature adult singer happened in front of our eyes due to the growth of music videos during the last 20 years.

This compilation which covers most of the span of Michael's career makes an excellent addition to any music lover's collection. As a pioneer of sex in music videos, Michael has definately left his mark on the medium. His popularization of fashion models in such videos as "Freedom" and "Too Funky" made many runway models household names. Other videos such as "I Want Your Sex" popularized foreplay without any smut involved at all.

The highlights of this DVD collection have to be the videos "Fast Love" and "Outside". "Fast Love" (from his "Older" album) incoporates beautiful color schemes and special effects. "Outside" (his new single off his greatest hits collection) starts out a soft-core German sex film. However, in reality Michael wants the song and video to be a message about sexuality (especially his own's) and the troubles it can lead people to. While many are aware of his 1998 scandal where he was arrested at a public bathroom in Los Angeles due to indecent behavior, Michael actually shows he has no shame of what he did in what I think is one of the most inventive videos made in recent years.

The only negative thing here is that with the exception of "Careless Whisper," all of his videos from his Wham! days were not included in this collection. Videos such as "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and "Everything She Wants" were excellent videos, however it seems that the producers of this video compilation thought differently.

Besides the videos, the DVD version contain several live performances on several American and British programs. It was great to see these, because it only shows that Michael's voice is all natural, even in front of a studio audience. I loved this collection, and hope that everyone who purchases this collection will enjoy it as much as I did.

Terrific Review of a Remarkable Career
This collection is essential for any fan of George Michael, and is a bracing reminder of one of the greatest pop songwriters of the last 25 years. It also shows his astuteness in choosing directors for his videos. No one, aside from Madonna, has done this as well over such an extended period of time.

Some of the clips may seem dated now ("I Want Your Sex", anyone?), but most hold up incredibly well. "Kissing a Fool" is the best of the "Faith" era tracks, and one of the finest songs George has written - maybe his best. And the video presents it beautifully. "Freedom '90" might be the best video he ever made in which he did not appear, but it's fantastic all the same, with Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford and Elaine Irwin filling in. It's also one of the greatest video clips ever filmed.

A wonderful addition to this collection is George's show-stopping performance of "Somebody to Love" from The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert of '92. This, I believe, shows him at the peak of his powers. It's simply chill-inducing.

From the "Older" period, the best are probably "Jesus To A Child" (gorgeous and mournful) and "Fastlove" (virtual reality gone haywire). "Fastlove" is fun for two reasons: George always has gorgeous models so everyone has something to enjoy, and in the part where George sings, "...in the absence of security..." he's dressed in sunglasses and latex (?) being sprayed with water. What's not to like?

In this age of "American Idol" and faceless, bland "insta-stars" (who, on top of singing schlock, will most likely never write a song of their own), this will remind you how true talent will always shine through.

The best DVD I own.
This is the best DVD I own. Period. In fact, I bought a second one. The video collection is good. There's 24 videos on the one DVD. Both the Sound and Video quality is great. If you're a George Michael fan, this is about as good as it gets. I would have liked a DTS version. And if I could, I would probably swop a few songs. But all-in-all, this is a great DVD.

Ladies & Gentlemen The Best Of George Michael Home Video
The album was amazing to begin with. I had no idea that he wouldn't stop there. He then releases this outstanding video containing only his greatest videos and they are certainly his greatest. Take a look at the songs he has chosen and you'll understand what I'm trying to say.

OUTSIDE
The song is amazing. Great disco sound. The video mocks his bathroom incident. It is on the strange side, but still a cool video.

FASTLOVE
Although the song is really great, the video needs just a little work.

SPINNING THE WHEEL
Awesome tune. The video is not that bad.

FREEDOM 90
I like what I see here. Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, etc. George, gay or not, knows how to pick 'em.

KILLER/PAPA WAS A ROLLIN' STONE
Okay.

TOO FUNKY
A funky video goes with a funky song. Incredible.

FAITH
The song is not all that great, but it isn't all that bad. The video is real cool, especially in the beginning where it plays a little of I WANT YOUR SEX.

I WANT YOUR SEX
If you look at the track list, it says I WANT YOUR SEX (Pt. II). Apparently, this isn't I WANT YOUR SEX (PT. II). George only put out I WANT YOUR SEX (PT. I) as a single and he made the video for that one. The video is great. The chinese girl wasn't all that pretty, but she sure had a great package.

JESUS TO A CHILD
A beautiful song to begin with. The video is very nice and it fits the song perfectly.

WALTZ AWAY DREAMING
I haven't watched this one yet.

FATHER FIGURE
Although a great song, the video needs work, like showing more of George and the hot model in scenes together.

DON'T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME with Elton John
Although I like this version because Elton ...didn't do all of it, I still wish George didn't have Elton ... join him on it...

KISSING A FOOL
I still do not like Jazz, but this is an irresistible song. This has to be one of my favorites. The video doesn't quite fit but it's still a good video.

I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING (FOR ME) with Aretha Franklin
I do not like Aretha Franklin, but somehow, I just knew that this was gonna be a great song and I was right. I love this song. The video is a great touch.

SOMEBODY TO LOVE with Queen
I just wish Freddy Mercury was alive to join George and his bandmates on this one. I have been a great fan of Queen for quite some time. George sang this song with emotion and he sang it with passion. That's what makes me love this song so much. The way he handles the stage is incredible.

MONKEY
Not one of my favorites, but the video is real cool.

ONE MORE TRY
First off, this is the song that turned me into a George Michael fan. This is one of the most beautiful ballads I have ever heard. The video does not fit, but it is a great video.

STAR PEOPLE '97
Okay.

I CAN'T MAKE YOU LOVE ME
Not bad.

A DIFFERENT CORNER
A great song.

YOU HAVE BEEN LOVED
Not bad.

CARELESS WHISPER
This was actually done when George was in WHAM! This song was a classic back then. It is a classic today. It will remain a classic in the future and then on. Everyone knows it. The concept of the video fits the song perfectly because the concept of the video shows what is being sung in the song. Great video.

If you are a George Michael fan and you don't have this, add it to your collection of George Michael merchandise. You will definitely not be disappointed. I guarantee it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Hard To Say
This film is definitely not what you'd call good. It's like a cheap porno flick without the sex.

Johnny ( Eric Thal ) is a hitman who's never made a hit. On his way with his mob buddies to " whack " someone he meets up with a beautiful bartender ( the luscious Naomi Campbell ) in a jazz club and falls instantly in love with her. The two set a date but complications arise in their relationship when Johnny stands up Tracy ( Campbell ) to complete the hit he was supposed to do in the first place. Tracy witnesses the murder. When his Uncle Walt orders Johnny to kill Tracy he decides to lock her up in a dingy warehouse until the heat cools down. All the while Tracy is begging for freedom while Johnny goes off performing unsuccessful mob duties. Of course, as suspected good wins over bad and Johnny comes out as the good guy after all. He and Tracy reunite at the end of the film and proclaim their love.

This film is slighty entertaining but nothing to watch unless you observed the chemistry between Thal and Campbell and could fully appreciate it. They have excellent chemistry but for a romance movie there is no romance. Tracy and Johnny spend their scenes whining about the mob instead of brewing an interesting love story. By the middle of the film you'll get sick of that warehouse and end up not caring if Tracy gets out or not. This may not be the worse film in the world but it's certainly not good. And you'll spend most of it wondering why you decided to watch it in the first place. But who knows? You may like it.

A MUST for MST3K fans
The DVD version is a rare gem. Of course, the movie is as bad (or worse) than you imagine from the hackneyed copy. But played with the commentary by the yahoo writer (replete with catty comments about the Director's girlfriend)--this treat transcends the awful to acheive Enlightened Idiocy.

1 Star goes for the camera work for remaining in focus throughout (for the most part).

Heck it's even cheaper than the new Boyz2Men CD--go for it.

Movie: ok / Menu Graphics: Great!:)
The overall movie was just ok. The storyline and premise were a bit weird and the acting was mediocre. But the menu graphics were very cool. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Hard To Say
This film is definitely not what you'd call good. It's like a cheap porno flick without the sex.

Johnny ( Eric Thal ) is a hitman who's never made a hit. On his way with his mob buddies to " whack " someone he meets up with a beautiful bartender ( the luscious Naomi Campbell ) in a jazz club and falls instantly in love with her. The two set a date but complications arise in their relationship when Johnny stands up Tracy ( Campbell ) to complete the hit he was supposed to do in the first place. Tracy witnesses the murder. When his Uncle Walt orders Johnny to kill Tracy he decides to lock her up in a dingy warehouse until the heat cools down. All the while Tracy is begging for freedom while Johnny goes off performing unsuccessful mob duties. Of course, as suspected good wins over bad and Johnny comes out as the good guy after all. He and Tracy reunite at the end of the film and proclaim their love.

This film is slighty entertaining but nothing to watch unless you observed the chemistry between Thal and Campbell and could fully appreciate it. They have excellent chemistry but for a romance movie there is no romance. Tracy and Johnny spend their scenes whining about the mob instead of brewing an interesting love story. By the middle of the film you'll get sick of that warehouse and end up not caring if Tracy gets out or not. This may not be the worse film in the world but it's certainly not good. And you'll spend most of it wondering why you decided to watch it in the first place. But who knows? You may like it.

A MUST for MST3K fans
The DVD version is a rare gem. Of course, the movie is as bad (or worse) than you imagine from the hackneyed copy. But played with the commentary by the yahoo writer (replete with catty comments about the Director's girlfriend)--this treat transcends the awful to acheive Enlightened Idiocy.

1 Star goes for the camera work for remaining in focus throughout (for the most part).

Heck it's even cheaper than the new Boyz2Men CD--go for it.

Movie: ok / Menu Graphics: Great!:)
The overall movie was just ok. The storyline and premise were a bit weird and the acting was mediocre. But the menu graphics were very cool. ... Read more

Description

Aspiring to be a supermodel has replaced the age-old dream of becoming an actress as the most coveted career among teenage girls around the world.Supermodels today enjoy revered celebrity status; Cindy, Naomi, and Kate are known by first name alone. Intrigued by this fascination, filmmaker Katharina Otto traverses the globe, following four young models on the verge of capturing their dreams and becoming superstars.

These four hopefuls are plucked from their homes and families and thrust into an adult world with little guidance. They are sent to various international markets to establish themselves, where they are expected to navigate strange cities completely on their own. Agencies make it painstakingly clear the girls must take full responsibility for their potential success.Balanced with interviews with established models such as Lauren Hutton, Elle MacPherson, and Claudi Schiffer, BEAUTOPIA contrasts the sobering reality of the business of beauty with its false promises, competition and rejection to the fairy tales images in the young models' heads.

Otto examines the modeling world from the inside, gaining entry to the most private situations: from agents discussing models traits on a go-see to a fitting for a Paris runway show.The glamour the public sees on the printed page is a far cry from life behind the scenes. Otto has crafted a suspenseful journey of lost innocence, filled with hope and anguish. Where Unzipped led us behind the curtain of the fashion industry, BEAUTOPIA gets beneath the perfect skin of the modeling world. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Question
This Documentary was interesting, my question is

Does anyone have an update on these Models???

Will there be a Beautopia 2???

Behind the smiles
Many girls dream of becoming models, but perhaps if you showed them this video they would change their minds. The girls are young, most of them about 16. The four main characters are stunning, two are winners of modeling contests in foreign countries and sent to Manhattan to seek their fortunes. However, once in NYC they are lost in a sea of literally thousands of supermodel hopefuls. The suspence is in seeing whether or not they will claw their way up or if they will be sent back home poorer and disillusioned.

You watch them pretend to be big girls in the harsh Manhattan fashion world. At points they're crying, homesick, struggling through language barriers, and worrying about financial uncertainties. In the hopes of eventually getting paying work, they shell out hundreds each month on high rent and photographs to promote themselves. Everyday they pound the pavement interviewing with potential clients only to be rejected and insulted time and time again.

This documentary explores the dark depths of this shallow world and I recommend it to anyone who ever dreamed of being adored for being pretty.

Rocks the Face of the Modeling World
I have to say that I was skeptical of this movie and its topic. However, I found it an interesting sociological view of 20th century culture. It covers the modeling craze and many young girls' aspirations in different marketing enivronments and different worlds. Amazing! ... Read more