Reviews (55)

Sneakers...Sneaks in 5 Stars!!
SNEAKERS is a great caper flick with minimal violence and an ensemble cast one would never expect would ever be put on screen. Who would think that a movie would contain the likes of Robert Redford, Dan Aykroyd, David Strathairn (Eight Men Out, League of Their Own), Mary McDonnell (Dances with Wolves), River Phoenix (Dog Fight, Stand by Me), and the great Sidney Poitier to boot. It's fun, light, and suspensful. Redford heads a group of high tech misfits who troubleshoot and hack security systems. They are hired by a renegade government agency to steal a device that can decipher electronic coded messages developed by a mathematical genius, but get caught up into something more sinister than they bargained for as people begin getting kidnapped and murdered. Great characters including Dan Aykroyd's tailor made 'Mother' who sprouts off any conspiracy theory at whim, David Straithairn's blind hacker 'Whistler' whose ears can "see" more than anyone's eyes and whose only need in life is peace and good will towards his fellow man, and a great cameo by Ben Kingsley as the vengeful 'Cosmo' who is behind all the evil doings. Overall, a great cast, great script and first class entertainment!!

Conspiracy Theory?
Other movies that have tried (and failed) to cover hacking/conspiracy theories have one fatal flaw. Instead of trying to be entertaining, as movies should be; they take their cues from the mainstream media and try to scare the audience to death with images of cival liberties being taken away as fast as some on screen hacker can type into a not-so-secure government database.

Sneakers on the other hand shows us what the government(and people pretending to be the government) is capable of through the eyes of very entertaining yet somewhat believable characters in the industry. From a phone phreak to an ex cia man, their group covers the gambit in skills and personalities. Redford leads an allstar cast as a good looking social engineer who talks his way past security in lieu of hacking. Dan Akroyd gives a performance unparalelled except maybe for his character in Gross Pointe Blank.

So if you are in the mood for something completely different from the Net, Conspiracy theory, and Masterminds, then this is the movie for you.

Loved it, seen it uncountable times, just upgraded to DVD version. James *Too Many Secrets* Stewart

A strong, intellectually intriguing movie
When I first saw this movie I was expecting something completely different. Being a software developer, I was expecting the standard stereotype of eccentric not-in-touch-with-reality radical leftist computer nerds. What I got instead was a bunch of really fun characters that I thoroughly identified with and who covered the gamut of personality types. The plot was somewhat believable (the core plot device notwithstanding) and the choices the characters made to come out on top were also fairly enjoyable, such as the sightless gentleman driving the van down a steep embankment to save his buddies with only radioed instructions to keep him on track. What few persons have mentioned, however, in these reviews is that the movie also has a winning soundtrack. Its theme is quite catchy and emminently memorable. Pay no attention to the gentleman who says the movie isn't worth anything. This movie was meant to be a cut above the rest and it succeeded. If someone was unable to enjoy it, then I unashamedly chalk it up to his small mind.

Superlative Film; DVD is Lacking in Supplements
I currently own the original Widescreen Edition (1998 Universal). I'll buy the 2003 Collector's Edition, but I'm very disappointed by the paucity of extras: This movie is too good to have this few DVD extras.

One of my favorite movies of all time, for all of the same reasons listed by others here. I own the original DVD, which was released in 16:9 anamorphic, quite ahead of its time.

Unfortunately, it's painful to see a favorite movie come out on DVD with so few Special Features. This was a wasted opportunity, considering the quintessential ensemble cast that made this movie as fun as it is. The movie's 11 years old, and while I'm glad Universal thought enough to re-release it earlier this year with director Phil Alden Robinson doing a commentary track, I think there's much more that could have been done. I can understand the difficulty in tracking down such an incredible ensemble cast after 11 years. But as a consumer, I can say: this movie is too good to have this few DVD extras.

I *will* buy this new version for the following reasons: It's under $15, my existing copy is worn from repeated use, and I have been hoping for extras such as Robinson's commentary. I am, however, disappointed at the waste of potential on Universal's part: The quality of this movie deserves a DVD with a lot more to it.

5 stars for the movie, 2 stars for the extra features.

Great Film, Fair DVD
This film is an example of what an ensemble cast of A-list actors can do when they have fun with a project. While their acting has been better in other films, their camaraderie carries the film. Clocking in at over 2 hours, the film becomes muddled in parts, but your interest in the characters keeps you from becoming overly impatient with it. Equal parts "Charade" and "WarGames" the movie keeps you guessing at who's who and what the character's true motivations are, while the technology doesn't get out of hand (most solutions are low- not high-tech).

For a Collector's Edition, the supplementary material on the DVD is disappointing. The high point is the commentary: the detailed reminiscences of the director and writers are informative and enjoyable. The "Making of" documentary is pleasant, but doesn't build much on the commentary; the comments of the cast don't expand beyond telling who the characters are (only Ackroyd describes anything he brought to his character beyond the writers' amalgam of 70s and 80s phone phreaks and social engineers). The single theatrical preview is nice, but with along with the bonus materials in general, you feel there should have been more. The only other item on the Bonus Materials section is a "Recommendation" for "other films you might enjoy": Field of Dreams (same director/writer), Spy Game (also with Redford), and The Sting (Redford again, with James Earl Jones' father); there aren't previews of these films, just three small DVD cases sharing the screen. No deleted scenes (although several are described in the commentary). No outtakes (you know there had to be some serious hijinks on the set). No scripts or scene comparisons to show the film's decade-long evolution. Not even an Easter egg to reward devoted hackers.

Buy this disc for the movie, not the bonus materials. It's a lot of fun and the cast is a "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" player's dream. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A phenomenal hit when it was released in 1989, Field of Dreams has become a modern classic and a uniquely American slice of cinema. It functions effectively as a moving drama about the power of dreams, a fantasy ode to our national pastime, and a brilliant adaptation of W.P.Kinsella's exquisite baseball novel Shoeless Joe. Kinsella himself found the film a delightful surprise, differing greatly from his novel but benefiting from its own creative variations. It is the film that cemented Kevin Costner's status as an all-American screen star, but the story resonates far beyond Costner's handsome appeal. As just about everyone knows by now, Costner stars as Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella, who hears the mysterious words "If you build it, he will come," and is compelled to build a baseball diamond in the middle of his cornfield. His wife (Amy Madigan) supports the wild idea, but a reclusive novelist (modeled after J.D. Salinger and played by James Earl Jones) is not so easily persuaded. The idealistic farmer is either a visionary or a deluded fool, but his persistence is rewarded when spirits from baseball's past begin appearing on the ball field. Past and present intermingle in the person of "Moonlight Graham" (superbly played by Burt Lancaster), an unknown player who sacrificed his dreams of baseball glory for a dignified life as a small-town physician ... but what all of this means is unclear until the film's memorably heartfelt conclusion. A meditation on family, memory, and faith, the film balances humor and magic to strike just the right chord of thoughtful emotion, affecting audiences so deeply that the baseball field created for the production has now become a mecca of sorts for dreamers around the world. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (149)

One of Costner's Best Movies
This ranks as one of my favorite movies of all time. You don't have to be a baseball fan to appreciate the nostalgia and warm heartedness this movie brings to the big screen - well little screen in the case of the DVD. It's part ghost story, part fantasy, part nostalgia. It's also about redemption and the fulfillment of dreams.

The story begins when Ray Kinsella, a reluctant Iowa farmer, although he won't admit he's reluctant, starts hearing a voice telling him "build it and he will come." Ray dreams, ponders and finally plows under many acres of his crop to build a baseball field on his farm, against all rational logic. And the magic begins. This magic takes Ray on a strange quest in search of a '60s radical holed up in a New York City apartment writing children's books played by James Earl Jones - to tell why would spoil the movie. But suffice it to say Jones ends up with one of the most memorable "speeches" in the movie about the nostalgia of baseball.

It's hard to really do justice to the plot without spoiling the movie but it will at times give you chills and in the end is very uplifting.

Grand Slam
On the surface, Field Of Dreams, seems like it belongs as an epidsode of The Twilight Zone. The cynic in me takes it one step further, and says, "there's no way I can buy into this sentimental hockum". As I watched the film for the first time, all of those concerns melted away, leaving me with a sense of wonder...normally reserved for children

Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) is inspired by a voice he can't ignore that will take him on a journey that will change his life forever. Supported by his wife Annie (Amy Madigan), Ray begins his special quest by turning a portion of his cornfields into a baseball diamond. Along the way he meets reclusive activist Terence Mann (James Earl Jones), the mysterious 'Doc' Graham (Burt Lancaster) and even the legendary 'Shoeless Joe' Jackson (Ray Liotta).

Adapted from W.P. Kinsella's novel "Shoeless Joe", director Phil Alden Robinson, has created a fine tribute to the sport of Baseball, the fans who love the game, and more importantly, it's a metaphor about father's and sons everywhere. Aside from a handfull of films, I don't really think of Kevin Costner, as a good actor. As Ray though, he gives one of the best perfomances of his career, ideally capturing the sense of wonder I talked about earlier. Of course it doesn't hurt that James Earl Jones and Burt Lancaster are there to back you up. Both men add so much to the film, giving a sense of realism and warmth, that may have seemed artificial had lesser actors been cast. As Joe Jackson, Liotta is very effective and I had forgotten just how good he can be in a non gangster/bad guy role. For more on the life of Joe Jackson and the World Series scandal that rocked the sport, be sure to watch Eight Men Out, another winner. Field Of Dreams also boasts one of composer James Hornor's best scores.

I don't really know why I never picked up the Collector's Edition of the DVD. But after watching the Anniversary Edition 2 disc set, all I can say is, I'm glad I waited. The remastered picture and 5.1 sound very clean transfers and work well on either my TV, or, my speaker enhanced PC. The audio commentary with Robinson and the film's director of photography John Lindley is very good. Both men are well spoken, never dull, and clearly respected the source material In keeping with the father/son themes I spoke of, I especially enjoyed "...Passing Along the Pastime" - memories of father and son baseball as recounted by the director, star, and major league baseball players. The newly discovered deleted scenes are mostly throwaway stuff that was wisely cut. I was surprised to learn while watching "The Diamond in the Husks", that the baseball set made for the film still exists, and attracts tourists every year. We also get to visit the Minnesota home town of Moonlight Doc Graham. "A Look Inside Field of Dreams is a new 90-minute documentary on the film and its lasting appeal. Also included is a 48 minute segment of the Bravo channel series "From Page to Screen" on the movie. The "Field of Dreams Roundtable", with Costner and former baseball players, including Bret Saberhagen talk about the state of the game and the film. Trivia buffs will really like the topper to the set, fun facts about America's stadiums.

Field Of Dreams is not your typical "sports" movie. Indeed, it's much more than that...Even though, I never had the chance as kid to pitch baseballs with my dad, the movie allows me to dream that I can...

Sentimental nonsense
Sports fans tend to be both nostalgiac and sentimental and sports movies tend to fall into the same trap. This movie is a perfect example of why sports, and especially baseball, rarely makes for great cinematic subject matter. Corny, predictable and manipulative- perhaps baseball fans might enjoy it, but I can't imagine anyone else sitting through it.

It was you. -- No, it was YOU.
When I attended the Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa, we were given one rule: "Never write about Christmas, the circus or baseball." The reasoning was that these three topics were just too ingrained in the American psyche, they were too iconic, and that they had been used too often. Well, I'm glad that Ray Kinsella (author of the book "Field of Dreams") and screenwriter Phil Alden Robinson didn't attend the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

FIELD OF DREAMS is a marvelous examination of America's infatuation with baseball and a moving exploration of family loyalties. Ray (as sensitively played by Kevin Costner) has a loving wife (Amy Madigan, making it look so easy) and a doting daughter, but something is missing. A voice tells him that he must build a baseball field in his corn crop (in Iowa!). When he does, the apparition of Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) shows up to play. What follows is a series of baseball adventures on and off Ray's baseball diamond, as well as in and out of the present day. Eventually, it becomes apparent that what was missing in Ray's life can only be addressed through baseball, and through a cultural icon from his past, played by the ubiquitous James Earl Jones.

When everything is resolved, there's a bit of throwaway dialogue that, in reality, is very moving. "It was you," Ray tells Shoeless Joe Jackson in reference to the voice he'd heard early in the film. "No, it was YOU," Jackson replies, indicating that
Ray's conscience prompted the entire adventure. Don't let anyone tell you that FIELD OF DREAMS is just a baseball movie. That would be like someone telling you that baseball is just a game.

1989 Classic And Kevin Costner's Best Film
On DVD, the movie is loaded with extra features including commentary, interviews, trailer, etc. This was on Channel 7 last week. Kevin Costner stars as a suburban family man who is hearing voices. "If you built it they will come". The voices keep changing their messages and lead him in pursuit of the gathering of baseball legends who have passed away. The goal is to establish a "field of dreams" a baseball park with old pros playing and a magic working on its audience. And it did for many people when this movie was released in 1989. Too many, it was a movie about hope, following your dreams and persistence. Kevin Costner is doing a terrific performance and is perhaps doing his greatest role. He was merely a romantic lead in the early 90's "The Bodyguard" with Whitney Houston and he was not as committed in "Dances With Wolves" which though the right kind of movie for him was not as interesting enough a character as he is in this movie. Other than this movie, his only fine role was in J.F.K. In this film, he plays a dedicated and persistent dreamer who discovers that indeed dreams come true if you hold fast. A great job by all the actors, including James Earl Jones (the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars) as the hermit and elusive author Terrence Mann, who wrote books in the 60's advocating love and peace. He is supposedly modeled after J.D. Salinger. The chemistry between James Earl Jones and Kevin Costner, especially in the scene in which Costner attempts to pursuade him to join him to a baseball game is exceptional. Magical and unexpected things start to happen as the voices carry him onward through his mission, including a trip back in time to 1972. Bring the magic home in this remarkable DVD. It's as much an adult's movie as it is for the whole family. It's almost a Disney film. Five stars. ... Read more

Amazon.com

How long will truck tires last on top of molten lava? A surprising amount of time, apparently, according to this wild and wildly improbable disaster movie. Pierce Brosnan stars as a government geologist who shows up in a small Washington town to check out an active volcano, and in doing so gets in the way of the local-development agenda of the mayor (Linda Hamilton). Mother Nature soon levels the playing field, however, quite literally, as the pair and sundry kids and others try to keep ahead of the volcano's many spin-off problems. Roger Donaldson (The Bounty) directed, and if the film is remembered for nothing else, its special effects are unnervingly realistic, no doubt drawn in part from research into the Mount St. Helens disaster. The DVD release has a widescreen presentation, director commentary, behind-the-scenes material, and optional French and Spanish soundtracks, plus optional Spanish subtitles. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (99)

An explosive treat!
Dante's Peak seems like the ideal place to live... the serenity of the mountainous landscape and the friendly atmosphere seems to wipe out the fact that the town is nestled at the base of a dormant volcano. However, when the U.S.G.S. begins to pick up signals from the volcano that indicate a possible eruption, they send Harry Dalton (Pierce Brosnan) to investigate. While there, he befriends town mayor Rachel Wando (Linda Hamilton) and informs her of the risks. When he begins to get the city council into an uproar, his advisor shows up to cool things down and wards off any ideas of an eruption. But the symptoms begin to grow, and soon, ash and rock are flying in the sky as the mountain explodes upon the small township. It's a race for survival for Dalton and Wando, as they must search for Wando's children and get them out before the impending final showdown with the volcano. Digital Domain's special effects contribute so much to the story, making it real and placing its characters in real peril. Suspense, action, romance and a terrific cast make this disaster movie a winner. The DTS version is remarkable, and it is recommended that this be the version you buy.

Fun and intense action!
Action, suspense, and intensity abide in the effects-driven disaster film "Dante's Peak," a movie that will leave you awestruck and numb. I was completely enamored by almost everything the movie had to offer, even if some of the scientific information was a bit far-fetched to make room for the plot's twists and turns. Actors bring life and a human factor to the movie, but the real action lies with the astounding special effects used to bring a volcanic eruption to vivid and detailed life.

When seismic readings and graphs point to some geologic activity going on around the small town of Dante's Peak, the United States Geological Survey sends volcanologist Harry Dalton to investigate the possibilities. His arrival brings a silent tension on the town, which becomes voiced when he, along with Mayor Rachel Wando, come across two badly scorched bodies in the local hot springs. Dalton believes that the volcano may be "waking up" from a dormant period, but his boss shows up to calm his theories and instill calm back into the town council. Of course, the movie points in all directions to the impending eruption, in subtle ways that the characters have no interaction with.

From here, the group of scientists begin taking samples, surveying the landscape as well as taking helicopter trips into the volcano to determine if the recorded activity is of any consequence for worry. Meanwhile, Harry and Rachel get close, and their delicate relationship is put in the balance when the warning signs become more fervent, forcing them to call an evacuation of the entire town. But it comes too late, and soon everyone is fleeing for their lives as the mountainous volcano begins to spew hellfire and ash into the air, destroying the landscape and casusing massive destruction that stands in the way of Harry and Rachel's escape.

"Dante's Peak" follows a very well-known pattern for the duration of its plot: a situation that has implications of disaster is presented, one person knows what it going to happen but no one listens, and then all hell breaks loose. This movie carries off this particular structure quite well: it starts out slow and then speeds up to full speed, never slowing down and heightening the suspense given us by the incredible action sequences, smart dialogue and intense and vivid special effects that are the showcase of the movie. I found myself cheering it on in places, becoming completely enamored with what was going on, and satisfied with the final outcome of the movie.

The special effects for this movie are stupendous, and add a lot to the atmosphere the movie portrays. From the moment the mountain begins erupting, the effects give us the feel that everything is larger that life, from the volcano itself to the large, expansive cloud of ash that spreads across the sky and keeps the sun from penetrating. The nice thing about this film is that most of the effects are done with miniatures, giving it a mucher richer look than if it were only done with computerized effects. The sound is incredible, bass-heavy and prominent in wrapping us up in the action. All of these elements at work put us right in the middle of the film, bringing us into the experience as we hold our breath for the next new twist.

The scientific aspect for this movie is, for the most part, authentic, and while there are certain liberties taken, it is evident that the filmmakers wished for it to be as true to life as possible. Dalton throws out a lot of technical terms and phrases, making the sincere and believable. Allusions to eruptions and catastrophes of the past give the movie a sense of foreshadowed doom, while also keeping the suspense building. The overall effect this portion of the plot will have on you is overall intellectually backed up by facts and data, which keeps the movie real to life while keeping it moving.

The two main leads for the film are excellent in their roles, adding a lot to the experience. Pierce Brosnan is the ideal Harry Dalton: rough, rugged, and totally charming. He has the image of a loner who is looking for the right person. He also has a starkly emotional human side to his personality, as is shown in the beginning sequence when he loses his fiancee in a volcanic disaster. Linda Hamilton, playing Rachel, has a complex role of leader, damsel and mother. She does all three of them at different points, and her ability to combine her performance into all of them makes her performance the best of the film.

"Dante's Peak" is the kind of movie you watch with eagerness for the next scene, and then when it's over, all you want is more. The action comes to a screeching halt, and you've been throttled with so much of it already that to have it stop is murder. The movie is one that shakes the senses, and makes us believe in movies that have romance, suspense, intense action and rousing suspense.

Excellent movie with a realistic twist.
Many seem to have hashed "Volcano" which came out around the same time as "Dante's Peak" and it's a shame because both of them are highly realistic and te things that happen in them could literally happen in real life. Both of them are really excellent disaster flicks and are enough to really make you 'think' but even then they deliver incredible amounts of entertainment. In all honesty though, "Dante's Peak" is more realistic and has a more compelling twist to it due to the volcano's more destructive power.

In this case, a small town is thriving in the mountains of Washington state and has recently been declared one of the best places to live in in the United States. Dr. Harry Dalton, a scientist is sent to the vicinity to survey unusually high geological activity but one day he makes an alarming discovery that the volcano that the town sits on the base of, has come back to life and geological surveys have cofirmed that Dante's Peak is about to erupt in a cataclysmic eruption and wipe out the town and it's people. Rachel Wando, the town's mayor along with Dalton now must try to evacuate the town before the volcano erupts but their safety is stifled by their economic interests.

This is a really excellent and highly compelling movie. The special effects are absolutely thrilling and highly realistic and the movie's plot and script are very good. The lava and plumes of ash and dust are highly realistic looking and scary to watch as the volcano starts spewing out it's contents into the atmosphere and surrounding vicinity. The characters are excellent even though the acting could've been a little better but the acting for the most part is excellent by almost if not the entire cast.

I was thrilled to see this on the big screen because I have had a longtime fascination with volcanoes for almost my entire life and "Dante's Peak" succeeds in delivering a thrilling tone and is very enjoyable for most of its length. The DTS edition is absolutely incredible because the sound quality is a gargantuan improvement on both the VHS and older DVD editions and if you have a stereo system with speakers all around you, then hook them up and the surround audio speakers will make you feel almost like you're back at the movie theatre with the awesome sound quality.

If you can, get this movie whenever possible because it is a really excellent natural disaster thriller and delivers far more scares than these so called 'horror' movies because most of them are just mindless gorefests that are more gross than scary but "Dante's Peak" is scary because it is so realistic and such things could happen and could turn out much worse. For example Mt. Rainier near Seattle could erupt at any time and cause a lot of damage nearby and Seattle may be choked with dust if a full blown eruption occurs even though the city and most of its suburbs would pull through relatively unscathed apart from having a snow of volcanic ashes but it could cause social instability. Even Mt. St. Helen's caused a great deal of destruction and wiped out a large amount of forests around it. "Dante's Peak" is an excellent movie that should not be passed up. End of story.

Thar She Blows
Ever since seeing the preview, I have wanted to see Dante's Peak. While waiting for it to be released, a second film called Volcano suddenly popped up. Dante's Peak had Pierce Brosnan (playing a character named Dalton) and Volcano had Tommy Lee Jones. Peak also had the creative talents of Michael Crichton. Volcano had none. But, having finally seen Dante's Peak I have to say that Volcano was the better movie.

Brosnan is part of a national team that keeps an eye on volcanic activity. He is sent to the town of Dante's Peak to see if there is reason for further testing. He goes, he looks and he becomes convinced that the sleeping volcano will blow sometime soon. Unfortunately he has no real evidence. The rest of the team arrives and they can find no justifiable evidence. Guess what? Brosnan is right and the volcano blows. There is a rather amusing scene where in order to survive the shockwave, Brosnan and the town's mayor must seek shelter in some unstable mines (an idea that only works when the alternative is certain death). In the end there is no town but almost no casualties thanks to Brosnan and the rest of the team.

The scenes with the volcano erupting were quite spectacular but they were not enough to carry the film. It is an almost intellectual endeavor as opposed to the pulse-pounding of Crichton's previous film Twister. Obviously meant to ride the wave of Twister's success, Dante's Peak fails to make the grade. In Twister we cared about the research team and their work. In Peak all we are concerned with is how soon everyone will be convinced the volcano is unstable. Plus, several twisters buoy up a film better than one volcano (unless handled as it was in Volcano). So go ahead and see Dante's Peak if you want but you will probably agree that there is something just not right.

Gripping!
While it contains remarkably realistic special effects, those who have been told that "Dante's Peak" is merely a piece of "eye candy" can consider themselves among the woefully misinformed. It isn't a simple sugar-coated snack to be consumed and hastily digested; it is an elaborately composed symphony of a film. It contains riveting performances, breathtaking locales, a captivating love story and an extremely agile dog. Thus, the "eye candy" label would be ill-suited for this particularly film and more properly directed at other assembly-line disaster movies. Reader, I assure you, after one viewing you will understand: to watch "Dante's Peak" is to have your retinas treated to 109 minutes of cinematic fillet mignon.

The story involves the charmingly quaint town of Dante's Peak and its charmingly quaint inhabitants. While the town is the embodiment of peace and tranquility, there is trouble brewing beneath the surface. Geologist Harry Dalton (played with unwavering masculinity by Pierce Brosnan) and Mayor Rachel Wando (played with unwavering masculinity by Linda Hamilton) believe the town in danger of being destroyed by an unexpected eruption from the presumed-dormant neighboring volcano. Their quest to rescue the town meets resistance in the form of a stubborn city counsel, Dalton's ignorant boss and, of course, an enormous volcano.

It should be noted that "Dante's Peak" is the perfect star-vehicle for Pierce Brosnan. He is pitch-perfect as the resolute Dalton. In fact, it occurred to me while watching the film that nobody other than Brosnan could have played the role (he just looks like a "Harry Dalton," doesn't he?). In the face of Mother Nature's wrath, Brosnan provides the searing rivers of magma with a worthy human adversary. Early in the movie, his character is introduced vigorously doing a grueling set of pushups. Seeing this, we immediately think, 'The volcano doesn't stand a chance.' Indeed, Brosnan is a force of nature all his own.

The film itself is an uplifting one; a tribute to the human spirit. The only thing which disappoints me is that a sequel has yet to materialize. Years have passed since the film's initial release and it has failed to escape the consciousness of movie-goers. "Dante's Peak" has given us such rich characters and wonderfully-realized scenarios, who wouldn't want to witness the further exploits of Harry Dalton & Friends? Personally, upon first viewing the film, I envisioned a trilogy. I could imagine a sequel where the U.S. government calls Dalton out of retirement to stop the potential volcanic eruption of Mount Rushmore. Perhaps in the third installment Dalton & Co. could be thrust into the deep unknown of outer space as they investigate the unusual seismic activity of a dormant volcano on Mars. These sequels, I believe, would prove to be lucrative for the studio while also satiating the overwhelming public thirst for more "Dante's Peak."

Regardless of how many sequels are made, the original film will always remain a classic. A skillfully-crafted spectacle filled with wonderful performances and indelible images, you don't have to be a geologist to realize that "Dante's Peak" is a gem. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

After dominating the teen-movie genre for the bulk of the 1980s, writer-producer (and sometimes director) John Hughes proved that he had at least one good movie left in him before squandering his talent on lame comedies throughout the 1990s. LikeThe Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful treated its teenaged characters like real people with real feelings, hopes, fears, and desire. Mary Stuart Masterson gives a great performance as a tomboy drummer named Watts who's secretly in love with her best friend, Keith (Eric Stoltz), an aspiring artist who is oblivious to her affection because he's got a crush on Amanda (Lea Thompson), the popular high school beauty. Watts will even go so far as to chauffeur a date for Keith and Amanda, if only to prove--after a lot of patient, emotional anguish--that she's better for Keith than Amanda could ever be. The movie's drama comes from Keith's gradual realization that there's more to love than surface attraction, and Hughes gets extra mileage out of the romantic confusion by allowing Thompson's character to be more than a shallow campus cutie. All three of the leads are good fits in their roles, and this was one of the few teen films of the '80s to add genuine depth to its mainstream appeal. It's one of the few John Hughes movies to stand the test of time.--Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Pretty In Pink with a sex change...
Very cute movie by eighties teen film master, John Hughes, has a young Eric Stoltz as the poor kid trying to land a date with Lea Thompson, playing the rich girl, even though Mary Stuart Masterson, Stoltz's tomboy best friend, is really in love with him. I really liked this one, I can't imagine why it's the only one of Hughe's teen flicks that never got alot of attention considering it's up there with Ferris Bueller and Sweet Sixteen. Perhaps cinema audiences were getting tired of the formula at the time but in retrospect it's a sweet, funny little drama with the goofy late-Eighties settings and costumes we all know and love.

Before Dawson's Creek, There Was Some Kind Of Wonderful
This movie has remained my favorite film since it came out in 1987. That's 13 years my friends. Like most of the teen angst pictures made by filmmaker John Hughes (Pretty In Pink, Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off), this movie treats teenagers problems with a level of reality that you can't help but respect. John Hughes always made sure the adults were talking on a different level then the kids. Clifford (Keith's dad): "Ah, Keith, you're only 16 years old." Keith (Eric Stoltz): "Then I'm 18, then I'm 19, then I'm 20. When does my life belong to me?" There is a certain level this movie attains that other films cannot touch. Plus, at the core is a love-triangle story that you can't help but get wrapped up in. Mary Stuart Masterson (Fried Green Tomatoes) and Lea Thompson (Back To The Future) reaaly shine as the ladies in the life of Eric Stoltz (Mask). This movie does't pontificate with so many 50 cent words as much as it hits home with bright, witty dialog and a cast that actually looks like they live in the world they move about in. Buy it. You won't regret it.

Wonderful 80's Film
1987's Some Kind Of Wonderful is a gender-revised version of 1986's Pretty In Pink. Eric Stoltz takes the place of Molly Ringwald and Lea Thompson & Mary Stuart Masterson do the same for Andrew McCarthy & Jon Cryer. Mr. Stoltz plays Keith a loner, artistic type who works at a garage and whose best friend is a tom girl, drummer Watts played by Ms. Masterson. Keith pines after Amanda Jones (Ms. Thompson), one of the most popular girls in school. Amanda dates the spoiled rich boy Hardy Jenns (Craig Sheffer) and after they fight, Keith swoops in and asks Amanda for a date, to which she agrees. Keith finds out that the whole date is just a setup to get him to Jenns' house so he can beat him up, he still continues with the date. He sets an elaborate evening, dinner at a fancy restaurant, art museum after hours and a set of diamond earrings. It turns out that Amanda isn't some spoiled rich girl, but a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who sold herself out for popularity. All the while, Watts is secretly in love with Keith and in the end after a showdown at Jenns' house where he is exposed as a chicken and fraud, Keith realizes his true feelings for Watts and they kiss. The movie is filled with nice performances by the three leads, but it is the supporting players that give the best performances. John Ashton is perfectly gruff and pushing as Keith's dad, Maddie Corman is the classic, annoying younger sister, but Elias Koteas steals the show as Duncan, the school thug who befriends Keith. Mr. Koteas throws out some classic lines. This was the last film John Hughes would write or director in the classic 80's teen angst vein. The soundtrack to the film is excellent, featuring no name bands like Flesh For Lulu, The Licking Tins and Furniture and it captures the essence of the films.

Some kind of predictable
The saving grace to SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL are the performances by the three lead actors: Eric Stolz, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Lea Thompson, especially Masterson. There isn't much in this script that hasn't been done before, and yet these three very young performers really pulled something out of it. Otherwise, this is another typical Hughes film filled with teenagers who are vain and self-important until something that SEEMS significant enters their lives. I know I'm in the minority here, and I'm probably just too old, but I would feel so insulted if I were a teenager watching any of Hughes' films. (Go ahead, let me have all your "Not Helpful" votes)

80's music and movies unite in the bratpack movie genre
What is it that makes the 80's so special? It is almost like these beautiful years are the ultimate result of youth fighting through a rapidly changing world where things speed up, and where fighting for independance, emotions and love has become an art. Nothing captures this art better than movies. And there are few who can do this as great as John Hughes.
Yes, ofcourse the 80's are my youthful years and everyone romances his youth, but I am certain that the 60's, 70's were great years, and the 80's is the sum of all that.
Some kind of wonderful takes you right into the 80's rollercoaster with the cool drum scene opening of Mary Steward Masterson , the typical interactions between the teenagers and the punk and wave influences apparent in the clothing. Also the social groups becom clear. The punk-wave guy, the pretty popular girl, the alternative girl, the average normal neighbour boy (Stolz), the spoiled popular macho bratt, etc.
This combination was even enlarged in the best 80's picture ever, the breakfast club. It beautifully captures the different social groups on a highschool.
Some kind of wonderful, makes you happy, gives you that warm, first love feeling in which you would wrap yourself in as in a warm blanket. Just like the breakfast club, secret admirer, pretty in pink or st. Elmo's fire....it's makes you feel young....like the teenager you are of the 80's ... Read more

Description

Romance-Drama set in a small Southern town at the turn of the century. The romance is between an independent woman from the North who marries the local general-store owner. The drama comes from the townspeople's reaction to their age difference. He's much older than she is - and he's only been a widower for three weeks! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A MODERATELY ENTERTAINING FILM...
This is a pleasant little Hallmark Hall of Fame film based upon the book of the same name by Olive Ann Burns. It a film that takes place in a very small, sleepy southern town around the turn of the century where an elderly gentleman, a Mr. Blakeslee (Richard Widmark), runs a general store in which he employs a very attractive, middle-aged milliner with the unlikely name of Miss Love Simpson. She is an outsider and a non-southerner, an attractive independent woman who is looked at a bit askance by the town's residents.

The town is turned upside down when three weeks after the death of his wife, Mr. Blakeslee proposes to Miss Love, and she accepts. They get married, much to the chagrin of the Blakeslee family who must grin and bear it. They are outraged that he is recently widowed and that she is young enough to be his daughter. The only one in the family who truly welcomes Miss Love is Will Tweedy (Neil Patrick Harris), Mr. Blakeslee's teen grandson. The rest are simply aghast.

When a blast from her past turns up on Miss Love's doorstep and something happens that threatens to cause a major scandal among the town gossips, Will and Mr. Blakeslee stand by Ms. Love. Gradually, what seems to have been a marriage of convenience blossoms into something more than for which either party bargained. While Mr. Blakeslee confers a certain respectability upon Miss Love, she puts a spring into the step of her old codger husband, and he begins to look positively rejuvenated. It is also a coming of age film with respect to Will.

Richard Widmark and Neil Patrick Harris give wonderful performances, very easy and natural. Faye Dunaway gives a decent enough performance, but I felt that she tended to pose for the camera rather than act. I was also very distracted by her face as it was so tightly pulled back over her cheekbones that her smile tended to look as if it were in rictus. The name Mr. Sardonicus would come to mind whenever she smiled. That is not to say that she did not look attractive, only somewhat unnatural. That being said, the film never rises to a level beyond that of a film made for the small screen. Notwithstanding that, it is a film that is worth a rental, as it is moderately entertaining.

Not bad, fairly entertaining
Dunaway produced this one herself after a string of lousy flops that had no artistic value at all, and I mean a loooong string of them. Cold Sassy Tree isn't too bad. It was made for cable. It has a fairly tight script and a good cast. She and Wildmark fall in love in a small town in the South. He is an old widower, she is either a widow or a spinster, I cannot remember which. His family disapproves. They forge ahead with their love and at the end, everyone is happy. This is post-face work for Dunaway, I think Beverly Hills Madam was the last we saw of the original Dunaway face, sadly. Nevertheless, this is a good movie. It is not something to watch over and over, but it's good for a single sitting.

Read The Book!
This is a wonderful novel. It is one of my favorites, so I was expecting great things from this video. I don't know why, because, with the exception of To Kill a Mockingbird, the movie never measures up to the novel. This one is even worse than usual. The characters are very poorly developed, the story has been changed somewhat--and not for the better. It has none of the warmth and humor of the book. I was disgusted with my choice and wish I had the money back!

AWESOME SCRIPT!!
THE COLD SASSY TREE IS A REAL PICTORIAL VIEW OF THAT TIME AND HAS A GREAT SCRIPT THE WORDING IS FANTASTIC.

it sucked
it su ... Read more

Amazon.com

Seas boil, heavens fall, and Demi Moore takes a candlelit bath in this effective apocalyptic chiller. The prosthetic-enhanced Moore plays a pregnant nonbeliever whose baby may hold the key to impending Armageddon. Logic is not exactly the strong point in this well-acted, stylish, theological grab bag, but the random collection of horrific images manages to work more often than not. An acceptable time waster for fans of The Omen and The Exorcist. Also starring Michael Biehn (The Terminator), the always welcome John Heard in a brief cameo, and the exceptional Jürgen Prochnow as a mysterious stranger who could either be from the extreme North or way, way down South. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Bring on the end of the world!
Demi Moore (Abby Quinn), Michael Biehn (Russell Quinn)and Jürgen Prochnow(David Bannon) star in this end of the world apocolyptic thriller.

It's an interesting movie about the possible end of time. A mysterious stranger (Jurgen Porchnow) is seen breaking a seal which unleashes the judgement predicted by the great prophet John in the book of Revelation. Disasters and strange happenings ensue and as he breaks more seals, it gets closer to the end. Abby Quinn (a very young and pregnant Demi Moore) is pregnant with a baby which could be connected with the events. Porchnow moves in upstairs with them and the mystery begins.

Seventh Sign is a very good apocolyptic film, sure it takes some liberties but what film doesn't. I love movies that make people think and this one might just get you thinking about the meaning of your life. Very well written and acted.

Rated R for very brief unsexual nudity and refreshingly free of foul language (except for 3 blasphemies).

Thanks for reading.

One of the better apocalyptic thrill-rides from Hollywood.
Most have never even heard of this movie, which is a true shame, for The Seventh Sign is a nice little look at what will happen, or might happen, when the seven signs of the apocalypse come to pass. Demi Moore plays Abby Quinn, a woman in the last month of her pregnancy who meets a man intent on renting the apartment above the Quinn's garage. This man is seen earlier in the film walking among different places, cracking seals that unleash ruin on the lands and seas. Abby, after much deliberation, begins to discover that her tenant is not what she originally saw him to be, and suspects that he may want to bring harm to her unborn child. She dreams of a man being struck, and a soldier yelling, "Will you die for him?" This movie definitely has a factor of suspense which is evident throughout most of the picture, and the conveyance of each of the seven signs is very haunting and original. Acting is an added plus, especially in the most tense of situations. Do not be mistaken by its low-key status; The Seventh Sign will have you on the edge of your seat, hungry for answers.

brainless catastrophy
one of the worste movie of all time. senseless script, overweight actresses, no budget FX, demi moore looks like a trailer camp bumer and yet she was choosen to save the universe.
zero. the bible is used to explain the script for 1.5 hour and then, chazaaam ho after all little jesus changed his mind, the end of the world is for some other day.

big laugh

CULT MOVIE
This is the type of movie that 50- people will have seen 50+ times. It is much better than most other apocalypitc films except perhaps Child of Light, Child of Darkness as I think it was called. This completely self-countained and manages to condense all the 7 signs, while explaining it throughly (they explain what the silence in heaven means), very well written. But then after watching it, it is also just cheesy enough to make one quote the lines. This is why it is a cult film, and I've seen it several times.

Outstanding Film
I watched this movie with my mother and my brother. They were really happy I introduced them to this film, and they both had tears in their eyes. I strongly recommed this film if you need a boost of faith. ... Read more

Reviews (149)

One of Costner's Best Movies
This ranks as one of my favorite movies of all time. You don't have to be a baseball fan to appreciate the nostalgia and warm heartedness this movie brings to the big screen - well little screen in the case of the DVD. It's part ghost story, part fantasy, part nostalgia. It's also about redemption and the fulfillment of dreams.

The story begins when Ray Kinsella, a reluctant Iowa farmer, although he won't admit he's reluctant, starts hearing a voice telling him "build it and he will come." Ray dreams, ponders and finally plows under many acres of his crop to build a baseball field on his farm, against all rational logic. And the magic begins. This magic takes Ray on a strange quest in search of a '60s radical holed up in a New York City apartment writing children's books played by James Earl Jones - to tell why would spoil the movie. But suffice it to say Jones ends up with one of the most memorable "speeches" in the movie about the nostalgia of baseball.

It's hard to really do justice to the plot without spoiling the movie but it will at times give you chills and in the end is very uplifting.

Grand Slam
On the surface, Field Of Dreams, seems like it belongs as an epidsode of The Twilight Zone. The cynic in me takes it one step further, and says, "there's no way I can buy into this sentimental hockum". As I watched the film for the first time, all of those concerns melted away, leaving me with a sense of wonder...normally reserved for children

Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) is inspired by a voice he can't ignore that will take him on a journey that will change his life forever. Supported by his wife Annie (Amy Madigan), Ray begins his special quest by turning a portion of his cornfields into a baseball diamond. Along the way he meets reclusive activist Terence Mann (James Earl Jones), the mysterious 'Doc' Graham (Burt Lancaster) and even the legendary 'Shoeless Joe' Jackson (Ray Liotta).

Adapted from W.P. Kinsella's novel "Shoeless Joe", director Phil Alden Robinson, has created a fine tribute to the sport of Baseball, the fans who love the game, and more importantly, it's a metaphor about father's and sons everywhere. Aside from a handfull of films, I don't really think of Kevin Costner, as a good actor. As Ray though, he gives one of the best perfomances of his career, ideally capturing the sense of wonder I talked about earlier. Of course it doesn't hurt that James Earl Jones and Burt Lancaster are there to back you up. Both men add so much to the film, giving a sense of realism and warmth, that may have seemed artificial had lesser actors been cast. As Joe Jackson, Liotta is very effective and I had forgotten just how good he can be in a non gangster/bad guy role. For more on the life of Joe Jackson and the World Series scandal that rocked the sport, be sure to watch Eight Men Out, another winner. Field Of Dreams also boasts one of composer James Hornor's best scores.

I don't really know why I never picked up the Collector's Edition of the DVD. But after watching the Anniversary Edition 2 disc set, all I can say is, I'm glad I waited. The remastered picture and 5.1 sound very clean transfers and work well on either my TV, or, my speaker enhanced PC. The audio commentary with Robinson and the film's director of photography John Lindley is very good. Both men are well spoken, never dull, and clearly respected the source material In keeping with the father/son themes I spoke of, I especially enjoyed "...Passing Along the Pastime" - memories of father and son baseball as recounted by the director, star, and major league baseball players. The newly discovered deleted scenes are mostly throwaway stuff that was wisely cut. I was surprised to learn while watching "The Diamond in the Husks", that the baseball set made for the film still exists, and attracts tourists every year. We also get to visit the Minnesota home town of Moonlight Doc Graham. "A Look Inside Field of Dreams is a new 90-minute documentary on the film and its lasting appeal. Also included is a 48 minute segment of the Bravo channel series "From Page to Screen" on the movie. The "Field of Dreams Roundtable", with Costner and former baseball players, including Bret Saberhagen talk about the state of the game and the film. Trivia buffs will really like the topper to the set, fun facts about America's stadiums.

Field Of Dreams is not your typical "sports" movie. Indeed, it's much more than that...Even though, I never had the chance as kid to pitch baseballs with my dad, the movie allows me to dream that I can...

Sentimental nonsense
Sports fans tend to be both nostalgiac and sentimental and sports movies tend to fall into the same trap. This movie is a perfect example of why sports, and especially baseball, rarely makes for great cinematic subject matter. Corny, predictable and manipulative- perhaps baseball fans might enjoy it, but I can't imagine anyone else sitting through it.

It was you. -- No, it was YOU.
When I attended the Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa, we were given one rule: "Never write about Christmas, the circus or baseball." The reasoning was that these three topics were just too ingrained in the American psyche, they were too iconic, and that they had been used too often. Well, I'm glad that Ray Kinsella (author of the book "Field of Dreams") and screenwriter Phil Alden Robinson didn't attend the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

FIELD OF DREAMS is a marvelous examination of America's infatuation with baseball and a moving exploration of family loyalties. Ray (as sensitively played by Kevin Costner) has a loving wife (Amy Madigan, making it look so easy) and a doting daughter, but something is missing. A voice tells him that he must build a baseball field in his corn crop (in Iowa!). When he does, the apparition of Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) shows up to play. What follows is a series of baseball adventures on and off Ray's baseball diamond, as well as in and out of the present day. Eventually, it becomes apparent that what was missing in Ray's life can only be addressed through baseball, and through a cultural icon from his past, played by the ubiquitous James Earl Jones.

When everything is resolved, there's a bit of throwaway dialogue that, in reality, is very moving. "It was you," Ray tells Shoeless Joe Jackson in reference to the voice he'd heard early in the film. "No, it was YOU," Jackson replies, indicating that
Ray's conscience prompted the entire adventure. Don't let anyone tell you that FIELD OF DREAMS is just a baseball movie. That would be like someone telling you that baseball is just a game.

1989 Classic And Kevin Costner's Best Film
On DVD, the movie is loaded with extra features including commentary, interviews, trailer, etc. This was on Channel 7 last week. Kevin Costner stars as a suburban family man who is hearing voices. "If you built it they will come". The voices keep changing their messages and lead him in pursuit of the gathering of baseball legends who have passed away. The goal is to establish a "field of dreams" a baseball park with old pros playing and a magic working on its audience. And it did for many people when this movie was released in 1989. Too many, it was a movie about hope, following your dreams and persistence. Kevin Costner is doing a terrific performance and is perhaps doing his greatest role. He was merely a romantic lead in the early 90's "The Bodyguard" with Whitney Houston and he was not as committed in "Dances With Wolves" which though the right kind of movie for him was not as interesting enough a character as he is in this movie. Other than this movie, his only fine role was in J.F.K. In this film, he plays a dedicated and persistent dreamer who discovers that indeed dreams come true if you hold fast. A great job by all the actors, including James Earl Jones (the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars) as the hermit and elusive author Terrence Mann, who wrote books in the 60's advocating love and peace. He is supposedly modeled after J.D. Salinger. The chemistry between James Earl Jones and Kevin Costner, especially in the scene in which Costner attempts to pursuade him to join him to a baseball game is exceptional. Magical and unexpected things start to happen as the voices carry him onward through his mission, including a trip back in time to 1972. Bring the magic home in this remarkable DVD. It's as much an adult's movie as it is for the whole family. It's almost a Disney film. Five stars. ... Read more

Reviews (287)

The Moose Hole - 'Fears' Realized
Ben Affleck is not the most likely actor you would expect to see playing CIA agent Jack Ryan from the famous Tom Clancy novels. But whether you like him or not, he is the third actor to take on the role after Alec Baldwin in The Hunt for Red October and Harrison Ford in Patriot Games and Clear & Present Danger and it will be interesting to see how the film fares out. Not for the sake of Affleck's ability to take on the role but to see if a film with a story so deeply involved on terrorism can succeed. Though the villains in the film had been changed from Muslim terrorists from the novel to Neo-Nazis, this decision was made before the September 11th attacks and kind of represents our innocence back then. If the film pays off in the end, perhaps studios will be less reluctant to release films in genre like they are now.

The story for the fourth film based on the Jack Ryan series finds the famous Tom Clancy character at a much younger age then in the previous theatrical efforts and showcases his early start in the CIA. Jack Ryan is recruited to the CIA program by Bill Cabot after the president of Russia dies and is replaced by a man the United States does not know about and therefore fears. The only thing they have on him is the report that Ryan wrote on him years ago. After a bomb goes off during the Super Bowl in Baltimore, Ryan must get the right information to the president before a conflict between Russia and the United States ignites World War III. The story for The Sum of All Fears holds together pretty well and the reason may be because it is based on a best selling novel with little changes made overall. Despite this being a lower budgeted effort then Attack of the Clones or The Scorpion King, the story for this film is ten times better then the more budgeted fare.

Though the cast really only carries two big names, those being Affleck and Freeman, the cast is put together well with plenty of lesser known, but exceedingly more talented, actors. Ben Affleck, who has had a series of unmemorable films including Reindeer Games and Bounce, takes over for Harrison Ford in the role of Jack Ryan and, quite frankly, doesn't do bad of job. Affleck certainly proves the critics wrong about his range of acting by showing much more emotion then previous efforts like Armageddon and Pearl Harbor. Morgan Freeman is, once again, wonderful and one has to wonder if there will be a role that he can't pull off. James Cromwell comes off effectively as the President of the United States who is faced with decision of whether to push the button or not. Obviously the emotions are extremely intense in this feature and the delightful cast of characters make the film all the more so though they aren't as great the leading roles, which can be expected from time to time in films of this nature.

Overall, The Sum of All Fears, despite some eerie unintentional reflections of September 11th, manages to hold its ground with such explosive material. At the time the film was released, India and Pakistan were near nuclear war and the United States was involved in the war on terrorism with the horrible images of the World Trade Center attacks still embedded in our minds. With those events in mind the release of this film may seem a bit controversial but they actually help make the film more realistic and message it expresses is more efficiently produced because of that. The Sum of All Fears awakens people to the real problems in the world and may give some people the incentive to join government programs like the military or the CIA. If a film can inspire young movie-going to achieve a promising job then that film deserves some praise. Certainly not as exciting as the other summer efforts but an overall good popcorn thriller.

Morgan Freeman was Superb!
Even though Ben Affleck is too young (and not smart enough) to play Jack Ryan, and even though he's made out to be a CIA rookie (rather than a seasoned espionage professional), the Sum of All Fears (the movie) is still fairly true to the book. Tom Clancy, after all, was executive producer.

The material to make the nuclear bomb still comes from an Israeli jet shot down during the 1967 war. Rogue Russian scientists still assemble the bomb. Politics and egos still bring the world to the brink of nuclear war -- from which we are saved by Jack Ryan.

And the way the weapon was smuggled into America was still remarkably easy (and a much more plausible scenario as to how we'll be attacked than via a third-world intercontinental ballistic missile). Morgan Freeman's performance (as Jack's mentor) was also superb.

Tom Clancy accurately predicted the use of an airliner as a weapon years before 9-11. Let's hope that, in the case of nuclear bombs, he isn't right as well!

Reall good film
Can Ryan save the world from a terrible war? Well we can only hope. Ben Affleck has been cast as Ryan, and he actually surprised me. He takes over for Harrison Ford who had the part in previous films. He was really good in the role. He brings something new and different to the role. I watched this movie more because of Morgan Freeman then Ben Affleck. I know I'm dating myself, but I've been a Morgan Freeman fans since seeing him on the Electric Company on PBS. Ryan is a rookie who helps to unravel a plot that could have the Russians and America at war with one another. A nuclear bombs goes off in Baltimore and the two countries point the fingers at one another. Morgan plays Affleck's boss and friend in this film , and his performance is outstanding. There is a touch of comedy that takes the edge off in the flim, but you never lose fact of the terror and drama in the film. I've rented this film 4 times so far. I think I will end up buying this one to add to my collection. It's not often I like a movie with Ben in it.

I liked it. I REALLY liked it.
I saw this movie at a theatre for the first time and thought it was an 'excellent' movie. I thought it was excellent because I felt 'something' as I was walking out of the theatre. I don't know- I liked particularly the latter part of the movie, where Ben Affleck tries to convince both side to the very ending of the movie. I am not personally familiar with Tom Clancy's novels (I began to read his novels, after watching this movie twice, starting with 'the Hunt for Red October'), meaning I'm giving this review purely from 'unadulterated' perspective.

It looks like lot of reviewers gave this movie low rating due to 'political incorrectness' and 'revisions' from original plot. However, I still thought it was an excellent movie for several reasons. Honestly I could not pinpoint exactly why I felt 'moved' when I was walking out of theatre nor inspired watching it on DVD again- I think, I think I felt moved and inspired because it does demonstrate a glimpse of 'truth', the truth that all nuclear war is possible as long as we and they have them. Our very fear of nuclear war might have diminished considerably after the end of the Cold War era, however, the 'possibility' still exists as long as the existence of nuclear weapons is a fact. I do not think the 'possibility' of nuclear war would differ whether it's Neo-Nazis or some fundamental terrorists trying to accomplish their purpose; the 'more' important point is that the sum of all fears will exists no matter what. I think I was moved because of another possibility that this existence of sum of all fears can be prevented by one side's willingness to yield and back down 'unconditionally'. This was very important factor, at least for a novice movie critic like myself, because you are preventing the sum of all fears by 'putting down' your pride and even risking everything you have- I was definitely inspired by Russian president's very courageous and bold decision in the heat of the moment... wow.

You know, perhaps I was moved walking out of the theatre on one sunny day because of realization that anything is possible. Anything is possible in the sense that I might die or vaporize instantly without knowing it, especially when you went through and witness 9/11. I was motivated to live my life more faithfully and courageously. And I also want to believe that the good of humanity can be achieved through true courage. (I'm being sidetrack here...but who's real 'chicken' when you refuse to smoke back in high school under peer-pressure? Those, who try to force you to smoke and call you 'chicken' for not smoking, are the ones who couldn't stand up to the peer-pressure in the first place...the true C)

I liked the ending, whether it's realistic or not, to see that there are still forces working for the good of humanity.

Alrite people..better get back to Ryan now.

It was alright, but in the end was weak.
The movie is ok, not one of the best. There are better Jack Ryan movies out there (The Hunt for Red October). The main problem with the movie is it leaves out a ton of stuff mentioned in the book, this was why the book was good. In the end though, I'd only rent this movie, not buy it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Needs to be revived from the graveyard
Good horror independent flick, was big in 1991 and then all of a sudden disappeared, i think because media home entertainment went out of business?? anyway it should be revived for a DVD release, i would purchase a copy of it on dvd!

Dabney Coleman is Ant Bee --oops! Aunt Bea
The full title of this movie is "Meet The Applegates." This is an ecological movie right up there with "Medicine Man" (1992) ASIN: 6305428506. Only this time the bugs are set on revenge or at least survival which means removing humans. The mission is to blow up a nuclear power plant. To do this they must look and act human. They start out statistically average. As they hold down the fort and wait the arrival of Aunt Bea, They learn more of the complexities of being human.

Ed Begley Jr. who played a misunderstood husband (bob) in "She-Devil" (1989) ASIN: 0792844726, plays a well understood husband in this movie. Stockard Channing who played Rizzo in "Grease" (1978) ASIN: 6300213668, Teaches us how to properly handle credit as the wife Jane Applegate. Dabney Coleman of "9 to 5" (1980) ASIN: 6300247236 fame plays a "queen" Aunt Bea.

Don't miss this or you will be bugged for the rest of your life.

Send up of Suburbanism
Although Michael Lehman and Denise di Novi's follow up to their brilliant satire Heathers is not as wicked, it is an equally bizarre slant on middle class American life. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The movie is like a prize fight - laughter hit after hit
The Three Fugitives will bring out many emotions that you normally do not get to feel. You will laugh out loud so many times at the outrageous comedy scenes with Martin Short (wait until you see the hospital delivery scene with Short as the pregnant mother!). The girl is so cute you will love to watch the bonding with Nick Nolte. It will touch you deep inside. Emotions galore in The Three Fugitives!!!!

Great comedy movie
I must have watched this movie about 8 times, it's a very funny movie, from beginning to end, it keeps you entertained with some great laughs along the way. This is another classic movie, pick it up today if you don't already own it. :)

Very funny
I was surprised when I saw how few reviews there were for this film. It must be a real sleeper, but boy is it a good movie. Funny, a bit serious and fun to watch.

Notle delivers a solid performance but it is Short that makes the movie shine through his brilliant comedy. There were many laugh out load scenes in this movie and it is fun to watch more than once.

Notle is an ex con going straight and Short is the straight but desperate man turning to crime. The straight man/comic routine really comes across well between these two characters. If you enjoyed "Pure Luck" with Glover as the straight man, you'll also enjoy this film. I give a strong recommendation to this movie.

the best!!!!!!
its a heart-felt comedy for everybody children and adults. martin short and nick nolte are the funniest together and have great chemistry.and the little girl who plays meg is just adorable you just fall in love w\her.i highly recommend it for anybody thats into a good old comedy,and mainly if you're a big fan of martin it makes it all worth it!!!!!!!

Though the ending was not what I was hoping for, watch it!
Martin Short and Nick Nolte are fantastic in this adorable film. James Earl Jones and Alan Ruck (That guy from Speed, Twister, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off) also do great jobs. Both kids and adults will love it. I searched for this movie for three months and I finally found it. Searching was no fun, but it was worth it. ... Read more

Reviews (264)

Robin Williams's creppiest hour.
One critic wrote that "One Hour Photo" will "Do for photo developing what 'Psycho' did for showers". It is a creppy and somewhat demented film, with an amazing performance by Robin Williams, but is flawed by a script that falters towards the end of the movie.

Williams plays Sy Parrish, a photo developer at a Savmart (a department store similar to ...) who takes special pride in the prints he produces. To him, developing is an underappreciated art form. His life revolves around his job, and for good reason, he has no real life to speak of outside of his work. He was never married, has no real friends or relations, and we learn very little about his past. What we know of his present situation is bleak and depressing. But Sy has taken a special liking to a suburban family, with a successful husband, a pretty wife, and a beautiful son. Domestic bliss personified. He, in his lonely state, becomes obsessed with the family, and longs for something he can never have. This pushes him to the brink of near insanity.

I will not give away any more than I already have, but I will say that the ending lets down the whole movie. The movie begins as a fascinating character study, and ends as a hollywood cliche (a diet version, if you will). While the creppiness and the quality of the acting keeps "One Hour Photo" entertaining, you feel unsatasfied in the end. Similar to movies like "Silence of the Lambs" and "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer", the characters are more interesting before the go over the edge.

The movie is the perfect starring vehicle for Williams, who is proving that his move from comedy to drama in his later years is indeed a good idea. The script, while meandering at times, is smartly written and doesn't turn the movie into a Hannibal-type affair. Williams is a lonely man who seeks love and attention, and only finds it out of his reality and in the photos he develops. He nailed the character perfectly.

While it's not Oscar material, it is definitely worth checking out. Most people will love Robin Williams's darker side, while others will like the unique story.

Makes you wonder about who is developing your pics
One Hour Photo is an interesting film starring Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting), Michael Vartan (ABC's Alias), and Eriq la Salle (NBC's ER). It features Williams as Sy "the photo guy" at Sav-Mart and Sy's obsession with the Yorkin family. It's rather creepy to see Robin Williams playing such a creepy character, but surprisingly, he does an excellent job with the wackiness.

I thought the coloring of each scene was interesting. The majority of the movie is done is white and "cold" colors. They definitely invoke a sociopathic feeling. Of course, at the Yorkin house (the one place that Sy really wants to be) there is a warm yellow-ish tone. It definitely sets the mood.

The movie is not as suspenseful as it is promoted to be. It's got a good premise, but the writing is lacking. I think that it would've been better with a little more development of certain parts.

Luckily, the talented cast makes up for what is lacking, and that's why I give it 4 stars.

Gets "under the skin"
The idea of this movie is not to scare the hell out of you with visions of gore, violence, or action. It's to scare the hell out of you with ideas of something that could easily happen to anyone. Little things that we take for granted could be something that brings the most harm.

In this case, the idea is that someone could be quietly "stalking" you without ever coming near you. Through a series of photos, a seemingly harmless man has come to know too much about a certain family. How did he get these photos? He develops them at the local photo lab. How many times have you given someone vacation photos or wedding photos? The idea that someone, through all of these photos, knows where you have been, where you live, even what the inside of your house looks like, is what makes this such a creepy film.

As far as casting, Robin Williams portrays the quickly-unravelling developer with perfection. He has just the right amount of madness to make it totally believable.

Overall, this is a movie that will get under your skin.

worst movie ever
this is one of the worst movies ive seen and i am a big robbin williams fan ive seen every thing he has done even the birdcage i thought thet insomia was ten times better then this garbege but thats just me im sure there are heeps of poeople out there who like it i thougt it was bouring

Robin Williams at his best....but something was missing
I have to admit Robin Williams is one of the most talented actors out there. he can play so many different roles. In this movie he plays a very lonely and depressed man named Sy who just wants a family. He works at a 1-hour photo store and stalks a family with a young son who are long time customers. The intensity is very good. you can really see how scary Robin Williams can be and i thought that was impossible. but some how the suspense dies off, and the ending left me disatisfied. I won't spoil the ending you have to see it for yourself. Good performance by Robin Williams! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's not hard to see what attracted director Marshall Herskovitz (TV's thirtysomething) and writer Steve Zaillian (Schindler'sList) to this tragicomic story of a widower trying to keep life together for his two young sons. And Danny DeVito gives them a surprisingly sympathetic and low-key performance that capably blends pathos and humor. But the story--about Jack's attempts to get his drinking under control, even while holding down a job as a late-night TV horror-movie host--descends into bathos. Then it gets downright weird and scary when the family's strange neo-Nazi neighbor (a popeyed Gary Sinise) takes an unhealthy interest in one of the children. Jack the Bear sat on the shelffor a couple of years while Herskovitz reworked it, but it was like changing the tires on a car with a broken drive-train. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (12)

See it for the first time all over again.
I was eleven when I first saw Jack the Bear, and at the time I didn't think too much of it and I would have rather been watching some action movie. It is only now that I realize how good this movie really is. Danny De Vito plays widow John Leary, a late night TV show horror clown whose wife was killed in a car accident. Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. plays Jack Leary and a young Miko Hughes plays Jack's brother Dylan. The movie tells the story of this family and how they cope with the loss of John's wife, Jack's newfound interest in girls (especially young Reese Witherspoon), and the man of corruption who lives next door (played by a very frightening Gary Sinise). The movie is funny, dramatic, heartwarming, and is one of the most realistic portrayals of a family's love for one another. Danny De Vito's performance is phenomenal, adding just enough humor to his dramatic roll. Robert Steinmiller is exellent and Miko Hughes shows just how talanted he is, even at the very early age of seven. This movie is one not to be missed by anyone who has ever known the importance of family.

Brings back a great era in time
Where is the DVD ??? As a kid growning up in the 70's the music brings me right back to where I was at that time in my life. Mr. De Vito, get with who ever you need to get with and pump out this DVD real soon. The movie makes you laugh, cry, frightens you and makes you just love family. All the performances in this movie are awesome and would love to see where some of those actors are now these days .... I'd be the first in line to get this movie ....

I love this movie!
i remember watching this movie years ago and it mad me teary an it still makes me teary eyed in scenes! its about danny devito playing a horror host of a tv show raising his two young sons the best way he knows how. the scenes that got to me was where danny devito missed taking his son to school so his older brother took him. when danny goes a few hours later to check on him the look on the kids face just breaks your heart! this movie is so powerful. i had never heard of it and a friend recommended it. i am so glad because this movie is excellant!

The Best film you've never heard of
This film had a gigantic impact on my life. It introduced me to the dark side of human nature. It showed me that "Monsters are Real". It got me started writnig dark fiction, at that time mostly bad copies of the events in this film, but I was very young, and very sheltered. I contemplated watching this film again before I reviewed it, but I don't want to. I'm afraid that if I watch it again I won't like it as much as I did then. You shoulld see my copy, I bought it new and now it looks like a rental. Where is the DVD? I can remember watching it only to rewind it and watch all over again. I can't tell you exactly what it is that resonated so strongly with me. The performances are great, I don't know if Danny Devito did a serious role ever again. It'a worth watching just for that. Not to mention Gary Sinise's un-nerving performance. After watching this film I became obsessed with everything in it: the A's, the soundtrack, finding the book. I found it years and years later, the book is almost as beat up as the VHS. I saw the film "Unstrung Heroes" not to long after I saw this film, besides having Julia Louise Dreyfuss (?) in common, it also has the same meloncholy appeal. Maybe that's just it, not only did "Jack the Bear" teach me about the existence of monsters, it may also have taught me about what makes real drama. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that it stirs my soul, and isn't that what all good films do?