Amazon.com

Penny Marshall directed this well-intentioned drama-comedy about a middle-aged advertising executive (Danny DeVito) whose heart has never been in his work. Fired for incompetence, DeVito's character is on the skids; but then comes an unusual job offer: Teach a bunch of boot-camp army recruits to read and think. The first-time teacher leads the uniformed men and women to an appreciation of Shakespeare, but he still has to grapple with his own problems with commitment and responsibility. Watching this film is like staring at a pool of broken eggs that never quite becomes an omelet. The story's promise is always there, but the satisfaction never quite comes.Still, there are some nice moments, and the whole thing works better on video than it did in the theaters. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Comedy plus Shakespeare
I can't believe that only 10 people have wrote a review for "Renaissance Man." I thought it was a lot more popular than that and I know that it deserves all the praise and popularity that it can get! Bill Rago (Danny DeVito) takes a job as a teacher in the Army even though he doesn't have any teaching experience and doesn't really want the job. Yeah I agree that that does sound a little far fetched, but not all movies have to tell a true story!

Bill doesn't exactly know what to teach about, so he just teaches the 'students' about something he really likes, the book, Hamlet. Will the army students enjoy learning about Hamlet or will they think it's boring? Will Bill Rago be a good teacher or a fluke? I recommend watching the movie to find out.

I thought "Renaissance Man" was a great movie. Unlike what many people might think or might had heard about it previously, it's not really a full-fledged comedy movie. Danny DeVito is hilarious in the movie and the part that I'll remember the most from the whole movie is one of the funniest parts I've ever seen in any movie!! I couldn't quit laughing at the part where Danny DeVito got to the top of a tall place in the army, and he has to try and work his way down with a rope even though he's TERRIFIED of heights. "Renaissance Man" has a few other hilarious parts, but really when it all comes down to it, it's more of a drama movie and more of a feel-good movie than it is a comedy. Not that that's bad, but that's the only complaint I have whatsoever about the movie, it could've had a few more hilarious parts where more people would have given it rave reviews and remembered it the rest of their lives. However, it wasn't bad enough to take away any of my rating for it, so I still give it a 5.

If you like great comedy/drama movies, I recommend getting "Renaissance Man." You'll laugh your head off and feel the drama at the same time.

Genius Point
Danny DeVito was perfect for his character as Bill Rago. The story is about an unemployed man who becomes a teacher in the Army to train eight iffy soldiers. DeVito's job is to teach his kids to comprehend. The thing is, if DeVito fails, that's it for these guys, they're out of the Army and out of a job. DeVito instructs the kids early in the film to bring something to read to class. Then a soldier asks DeVito what he was reading. He responds, "Hamlet." One of the soldiers then identifies the book as a story about a little bitty pig. But as anyone knows it is written by Shakespear. The kids show great interest in it. The film goes on and DeVito starts to bond with the kids he once hated.

DeVito had been typecasted as a man who is halfway good/halfway bad due to his roll in "Taxi," but he shows his true acting talent here in this film. Rent it, it's a great movie.

I Love this Movie!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love this movie. All of the great actors and actresses that are in this movie are incredible. I can't get enough of this movie. I watch it almost everyday. This movie is a classic. This movie is to me as The Godfather is to guys. That's how much I love this movie.

Danny De Vito
I simply adored this movie with Danny De Vito! I really cracked up with the scene where he goes up the victory tower and has to come down. I also love Lillo Brancato and his impersonations of "Scarface" and the "Raging Bull." I'm not a real Shakespeare fan, but I admit that I definitely got into this movie. Danny is on my top 10 of favorites.

Above average and more sensible than you think
Yes, there really are English teachers in the Army. My sister-in-law was a civilian hired to improve the writing and reading of GIs who needed extra help. This is a very funny movie and Danny Devito makes it worth watching. It takes the right teacher to make Shakespeare worth reading. I'd have paid a lot more attention in English class if I had a teacher like him! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Boy meets girl, and boy loses girl--no more and no less than that--in this romantic story of young, upwardly mobile African Americans navigating through Chicago club culture to the perilous shores of a relationship. The film was surprisingly popular at a couple of key film festivals in 1997, but there isn't anything particularly noteworthy about it aside from its rare emphasis on a love affair between black urbanites. Larenz Tate and Nia Long are fine in the leads (Tate makes a convincingly self-centered boy-man), and director Theodore Witcher aims for his small target and hits it squarely. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (76)

Acting with style.............
This movie had reminded me of watching the old black and white movies with my dad. More true to life characters looking for love, being in love, and loosing it. Old story fresh view. Larenz Tate was so Cary Grant in style as the character may have been in a clumsey situation, but the actor kept him from looking silly and like a cardboard cut out.
Nia Long has always been a favorite of mine she is sweet even whe she is tough, almost like a Kathrine Hepburn.
This is one of his best work and showing that he is better than always playing an angry black man.

Great movie an great performance bye all.....BUY THIS MOVIE!!!

When Harry Met Sally: Urban Style
Love Jones is a film worth upholding. It is a beautiful love story full of realistic characters. It is one of the few black films in the last twenty years that deplicts blacks like we truly are: intelligent, cultural and just as obsessed with being in love as anyone else.

Larenz Tate plays Darius. Being an author myself I could relate fully to his character. While struggling with his upcoming book he meets Nina played by Nia Long. Nina is a photographer who's struggling just as much as he is, but her feet appear to be on the ground more firmly than Darius'. Darius and Nina begin a passionate love affair that is cut short when Darius' friends and Nina's ex get too involved. This is the perfect example of how a relationship can suffer due to too many " outside " opinions. Darius and Nina realize they cannot focus on their careers because their hearts and minds are on each other. Nina returns to the spot they first met: the sultry poetry and blues club where Darius first spied her. Nina delivers a touching poem in Darius' honor unaware that he is around. The two pick up where they left off and declare their love for one another.

This film is touching without being as mushy as some romance movies. Larenz and Nia have wonderful chemistry despite the fact that Long is five years older than Tate. The supporting characters include the wonderful Isiah Washington and MTV's Bill Bellemy. If you keep your eyes open you'll see Khalil Kain playing another delightful supporting role as Nina's ex.
I am a big Larenz Tate fan and I've liked Nia Long since her days on " Guiding Light ". The two have both grown tremendously as actors and they prove it in this film. I wish there could be a sequel. I'll keep my fingers crossed. If you haven't seen this movie you've been cheated out of one hell of a love story. It's a modern " starcrossed lovers " romance suited for all ages and professions.

O.K.
I watched this movie about four times before I could begin to like it. It's still not one of my favorites but it does showcase admirable performances by both Larenz Tate and Nia Long.

Not Bad At All
It was great to see Chicago look so beautiful in this well told love story. I hope we get more movies like Love Jones. The DVD is a wonderful edition to my collection.

great love story
i felt as fof that it has happen to me as the characters played on throughout the story. I felt i was well written and the ending was great. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A GREAT PLAY TURNED INTO A MEAN MOVIE
Based on Charles Fuller's Off Broadway play, ZOOMAN & THE SIGN, the film tells the story of what happens to a family and community when a young sociopath accidently shoots and kills a little girl. A family comes together, but a neighborhood falls apart. The acting is excellent, but so intense and emotional, it is sometimes difficult to watch. Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, the ending was changed. In the play, you learn that Zooman like the little girl was a victim of the callousness and apathy of society. In the film, he just receives street justice. A mean and cold ending to an eomotional wrought film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Spike Lee's longtime cinematographer, Ernest R. Dickerson, made his directorial debut with this violent story about four Harlem teens whose lives are changed when a store robbery goes wrong. The film has been likened to an urban The Wild Bunch, but it is far too artificial for that. With Dickerson's eye, Juice understandably looks great, but at the end of the day it is only a slightly better version of the heavily clichéd crime movies that have artificially dominated perceptions of black cinema in the U.S. in the '90s. Rap fans might enjoy seeing some familiar stars on board, including Queen Latifah and Tupac Shakur. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Solid performance by you-know-who...
After 9 years, I finally got to see this movie on DVD. I've always wanted to see it, but you gotta admit that the price is pretty high considering the lack of extra features. I'm not disappointed at all with my purchase, but a few production notes and at least a theatrical trailer would have sufficed.

Anyway, Juice is about four best friends who quickly grow distant after a store robbery goes horribly wrong. It's a pretty involving story with some shocking scenes (though not as violent as they're reputed to be) and Omar Epps is okay in the lead role. But, let's face it. This is Tupac's movie. I didn't expect his debut role to be as powerful as it was! By now, I'm sure all fans have heard his now famous line, "I know I'm crazy. And you know what else? I don't give a ..." Truer words were never spoken about a movie antagonist. His character (Bishop) went absolutely nuts. I'm rambling, I know. But if you've seen the film then you understand why. Aside from Gridlock'd, this is Tupac's best performance.

So if you're a collector of Tupac material, pick the DVD up. Like I said, it ain't cheap, but it's worth it. And even if you don't like Tupac, it's still a very good movie.

2pac's most AMAZING performance ever
Juice is a hip-hop charged adrenaline rush of a movie that takes place in the busy streets of New York. The star is Q(Omar Epps) who is a DJ and kicks it with his click called the Wreckin Crew. His buddies are Raheem(Khalil Kain),Steele(Jermaine "Big Hugg" Hopkins), and Bishop(the late great 2pac Shakur). The wreckin crew have fun and roam the streets looking for trouble and doing what most teenagers do. Thry are surrounded by violence and chaotic occurences. Q sees a friend Blizzard rob a diner(with EPMD in it)and later reveals he was shot by police, and the Wreckin Crew is harassed by a rival gang led by Radimez, a Latin thug who at one point threatens Bishop. Q tries to get a spot on a DJ tournament unaware that his crew is planning to rob a convenience store. As soon as they get the money, Bishop deliberately kills the clerk. Two minutes later, Bishop kills Raheem. Obviously, Bishop has LOST HIS MIND and it is up to Q, who is the only person who knows the truth, to defend himself against one of the most psychotic and brilliantly menacing villains in the entire history of cinema! The most amazing scene is a part where 2pac is playing a video game in a bar and somehow breaks the arcade game. The close-up of his eyes shows what kind person Bishop has turned into. The bartender says "Man, what you do to my machine". One of my ten favorite films of ALL TIME!

WORTH A HELL OF A MORE THAN 5 STARS!!!!
IF I COULD WATCH "JUICE" EVERYDAY,I WOULD!!!! EVERY SINCE THIS MOVIE CAME OUT, I'VE BEEN RECITING IT LINE FOR LINE... EVERYONE HATES TO WATCH IT WITH ME.SO I WATCH IT BY MYSELF!! IF YOU DON'T OWN A COPY OF JUICE, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE A REAL COLLECTION.!!!!

Thirst Quenching!
Tupac's debut film was his best! His performance was hypnotizing and believable. A compelling movie about friends in the hood and how greed can turn one against the others.

Brilliant Film..Serious Stuff
Tupac is brilliant in this film alongside Omar epps.
This is a great example of Harlem Life. the word JUICE is very Powerful. This film is a classic. If you Like Black Action cinema such as Boyz N the hood, Menace 2 Society then you must watch Juice ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this drama, set in New Orleans just as the civil rights movement was about to send shockwaves through society, Andre Braugher plays a priest from Baltimore who has offended his superiors and is sent southward to teach at a Catholic high school for young African American men. Braugher's character, Father Verrett, is to teach history and stay out of trouble, but before long he's making problems by raising the consciousness of his students. Named as the school's basketball coach, Verrett succeeds in instilling pride in his team, especially when, in a scene fraught with tension, he drives the team bus to a "whites only" diner after a game and insists on being served. As the sports leagues in New Orleans are segregated, Verrett's team will never play the team from the all-white high school that is supposed to be the best in the city. But one of his energized players issues a challenge to the white team, and a real championship game ensues. This all may sound simplistically moralistic, but the film does provide a multilayered look at segregation, and especially at the tensions it created within families when the younger generation sought change. And though the plot's outcome may not be surprising, the film's strongest points are the fine performances, in particular Braugher as the idealistic if abrasive priest. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Well Done!
I can't get enough of watching this movie. It was well-written, well-acted, and even though it was easy to figure out the outcome of the final game, that really isn't the point. The point was that the game happened at all. I am actually in the movie (yes, I am an extra-sitting next to one of the parents during the final game), so I saw it first-hand many, many times in real-life during filming. Yet, I still find myself watching it once again to see the story yet one more time. This should be required viewing for high school kids.

In A Class By Itself
TNT has often called itself the best movie studio on telivision. PASSING GLORY would suggest that maybe it is. This is a first rate production. The performances are gripping. The basketball sequences are thrilling. I have rented this movie over and over again. It is truly a classic. This is a small gem that no one should miss. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not quite that bad
I'm writing this review to let the world know that this movie isn't quite as bad as the other reviewers have said. It is definately hokey. With the exception of Keith David playing Earl Woods, the movie is pretty badly acted. It has a very made-for-tv movie quality, which isn't surprising since it was made for Showtime.
It does provide a pretty basic insight into Tiger's life up until the '97 masters. Its an easy and light movie to watch.
Please note, I didn't shell out any money for this tape - it was just shown on Showtime. I think I wouldn't pay more than $5.00 for this movie.

Lousy, Lousy
This was not a good movie. I didn't like anything about it and I thought that it would be at least half way decent due to the price. One day I left it in the VCR when I went to work and my wife watched it. When I came home she was laughing histerically. I asked her why, she said the movie was so funny because it was so bad. In the film, Monty isn't even fat, that's how funny it is. If you're rich, like golf, and want a laugh, then get this terrible movie. Otherwise, stay the hell away. Save your money for a hooker in Times Square. LOL.

This movie down-right ...!
I've never seen a sicker movie. The attempts to act out Tigers life are ill and they would make any golf lover vile. It is dull, boring, terribly fake and laughable. It doesn't even feel right when you watch it. It's as if you're watching bologna. And you'd probably be better off staring at a blank wall.... Monty didn't even have a beer gut or nothing. And his accent was some kind of Pakistany/French! The whole time Faldo's face made it look like his undies were too tight. I'm not kidding, this was one of the worse stinkin movies I've ever seen. And look how much it costs!

Tiger gets Rough Treatment
Some films are so bad they're good, and this feeble effort qualifies with flying colours. Not only is a biopic of this sporting icon absurdly premature, the narrative is a hotch potch of journalistic speculation and third hand supposition. Allied with some appalling acting and the most risible sporting recreations since Michael Caine donned a soccer shirt in "Escape To Victory", this ludicrous film will have you laughing until your guts split.

The film starts badly, chronicling Tiger's childhood filled with his father's portentous Forrest Gump style spouting. However, it is not until the toothsome lad handles a golf club for the first time that the quality truly starts to deteriorate. Clearly strapped for cash, the makers decamped to the nearest municipal to film the golf scenes, and thus we witness a ball unconvincingly wobbling its way across grass that might be Augusta, but more closely resembles a patch of rocky scrubland on the side of a Welsh mountain. Even this, however, is surpassed by the array of golfing talent portrayed in useless fashion by the best of America's Z list thesps. Nick Faldo [complete with Cockney accent] is one of those being extremely poorly imitated; the biggest laugh of the night, though, is the man playing Colin Montgomerie who has none of the gravitas and weight to pull off a character as substantial as Monty. What he lacks in bulk the actor makes up for in hair, sporting a massive blond affro, and accent: Monty's gentle Scottish burr removed and replaced by a hilarious composite of international languages closer to Delhi than Dundee.

In short, this film could have picked up every Oscar from "Least Convincing Portrayal of a Scotsman" to "Most Unwittingly Humorous Recreation of a Winning Putt", and should receive the derision and recognition that it richly deserves as a consequence. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Disapointing
I bought this video as I am a Michael Biehn fan. He is superb in his role, but was gutted when he is only in the long opening sequence. The film itself does have messages in it, mainly about forgiveness and healing. Quite violent, and with average performances from Peterson and Rossi. The great Paul Winfield is great, but again, only in one scene. The film has a great cast, but some what wasted. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Horror B-Movie: Nothing More, Nothing Less
It's been over ten years since cinematographer Ernest R. Dickerson made his feature directing debut with the urban drama, "Juice." Since that time Dickerson has emerged as one of the hardest working journeymen in the business. The volume of his creative output rivals that of his former collaborator, Spike Lee. In 1998 alone, Dickerson directed three feature length projects.

While clearly a technically competent director, his work tends to fall short in some way or another. "Bones" is no exception.

It tells the story of Jimmy Bones (played adequately by rapper Snoop Dogg) as a popular underworld figure that is double crossed by his own men, resulting in his murder.

Some twenty years later, the ghost of Bones returns to get back at those who killed him. This is hardly an original storyline, even for a black film. The plot is essentially similiar to "J.D.'s Revenge," a film starring Glynn Turman, that was released in 1976.

The corpse of Bones resides in an abandoned house. It just happens to be recently purchased by Patrick (Khalil Kain of "Juice"), the son of Jeremiah Peet (Clifton Powell), one of the men who betrayed him. Patrick and his partners plan to convert the house into a hot nightspot. As expected, Bones lashes out at a bunch of people, who mostly end up dead.

In the process, the audience experiences some better than average special effects. Obviously, much thought was put into the film's production design. If only the same were true for the very predictable and obvious script. Adam Simon and Tim Metcalfe's screenplay leaves very little to the imagination.

In terms of acting, it is generally way over the top. This is true pretty much across the board -- from the veteran actors to the less experienced members of the cast. Standard for movies of this type, the film's exaggerated acting is not necessarily a criticism. At the very least, the actors all know that they are in a B-movie and not say, "Silence of the Lambs."

The DVD features the standard extras. This includes audio commentary by Dickerson, Simon and Snoop Dogg. The dominant theme of the commentary seems to be how the studio was constantly trying to "dumb down" the material. Perhaps they are right.

However, given some of the B-movies that Dickerson cites as inspiration, even if he was given complete artistic freedom, the picture would never have risen to the level of the gothic horror masterpiece that he was obviously striving to reach. From the looks of things, Dickerson had some intriguing ideas, but didn't quite know what to do with them.

Overall, "Bones" is a decent time filler. For fans of horror B-movies, there are plenty of jolts, visual effects and gory scenes to keep you interested. If you don't come expecting anything special, you won't be disappointed.

Be sure to bring plenty of popcorn.

It was good
This movie was good, it would have got 5 stars but the ending was trash. The special effects are good and the story was good and the movie was tight up until the end, where it changed to garbage.

won't quite fo'shizzle yo nizzle, but not bad.
Imagine this scenario if you will: Shaft goes to investigate weird goings on in The House on Haunted Hill, goes inside and finds a beautiful girl sprawled out in the hall. he gets in, starts to be a sex machine to this particular chick, when it suddenly morphs and he finds himself delivering ten times out of ten to Freddy Kruger. nine months later, there is the pitter patter of tiny feet. and all four of them belong to BONES.

And, surprisingly, it is quite watchable. Snoop cuts a fine figure as the titular Jimmy Bones, the direction is great, with Bruce Dickerson playing games with the structure and imagery of the movie, and hearlding the return of one of the ghost movies biggest staples: maggots.

Such a shame then, that the script is a little patchy. first, delving into sub Elm Street mythology (Bones has his own song!), and throwing in some humour towards the end that changes the tone of the movie way too rapidly. the writers are going for an urban horror classic with this, but the lack of imagination in the original story drags it down to b movie territory. which is unfortunate because this is fun, unsettling and very watchable.

it won't quite fo'shizzle yo nizzle, but give this thizzle a vizzle and enjoy yo bad self. chuch.

Better than I expected but a few flaws.
Ok, let me just start of by saying that I hate rap, so you would think that I wouldn't be able to stand it. yet, some how this movie turned out to be good...except the ending was just dumb...not to mention incredibly gross! but other than that this movie is not what I expected...especial coming from snoop dogg! all in all, its a good movie for young'ens (despite the language) and adults!

Decent B movie
Bones is a low budget b horror flick with some nice touches. Snoop Dogg does a good job in the title role and is an actor I would like to see more of. He's done some nice work in small parts in movies like Baby Boy and Training Day and despite playing the title role, he isn't in this all that much. There are a bunch of young actors who star in this who give it a Scooby Doo vibe that is very uncool. There should have been more retro scenes of 70's era Jimmy Bones ruling the streets like the Mack Daddy that his character was supposed to be. It is a treat though to see Snoop and Blaxploitation icon Pam Grier together in the same movie. All in all, not a bad cheesey horror flick but the blood is unusually phony looking, like thick red paint.
The movie is well paced and flies right by like the painless timekiller that it is. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this tale of intersecting lives in New York City, Sidney Poitier plays a powerful Manhattan business executive whose roots were in a Brooklyn ghetto, and Poitier's daughter, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, plays a teenager living in a South Brooklyn housing project who wants to break free from her desperate circumstances. The lives of the characters happen to collide when a robbery attempt at Nicole Turner's place of work, a fast-food franchise, turns bloody, and Will Clemmons, who has helped the old neighborhood with investments, returns to deliver an inspirational eulogy. Realizing what life has to offer, Nicole tracks down Clemmons, and after overcoming his considerable reluctance, becomes his student. That plot admittedly seems like standard fare, something of a Pygmalion in "the hood," but the performances, especially that of the elder Poitier, elevate the film. He burns the screen with passion and is charmingly good-humored as he endeavors to turn Nicole into, as he puts it, "a thinking individual." Some plot developments, thanks to both Nicole's impulsive personality and her role as the witness to the shootings at her former job, provide bumps in the road, but this is mostly a tale of uplifting oneself from dire circumstances, and the acting overcomes any predictability in the story. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Look beyond your horizon
I have just finished watching this film for the second time and I'm still inspired. Mr. Poitier gives a phenominal performance as does his daughter. I'm buying a copy for my 15 year old niece, I think every teenager should see this so that they know that there is more out there in the world than what they are currently living today. The importance of education is something far too many people are taking for granted. Use your inner self and reach for the stars! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

BET- Stick to Videos!
As an author I realize more and more that some movies are better left as books. This is one of them.

Intimate Betrayal is not a good film at all. The actors do their best to stay true to the story but the direction and writing was horrid. The film seemed cheap. The production sets were loud and messy. It looked like the movie was on stage. If BET expects to keep making movies they should come off of some real money because this is not working.

Monica Calhoun is not a great actress but she plays Reese the way it needs to be played: dumb, whipped and hyper. Khalil Kain seems to go from one bad role to another. I usually enjoy him on anything but even he couldn't help me like this. The supporting characters weren't developed properly. We didn't know who most of them were just what they did. There were too many loopholes and the plot was a big mess. A stronger lead, a better production and more money would have gotten this film released in theaters. This was a pathetic display for even made-for-cable. I hope BET does better than this in the future.

Like they say, if it ain't broke don't fix it. I stopped watching BET years ago. I watched this film by mistake. BET needs to save their money making a better channel and leave movies to networks who can bring them to their best potential.

ARE YOU CRAZY? THIS MOVIE IS GREAT!
I LOVE THIS MOVIE,
IT IS FULL OF SUSPENSE, AND PASSION!
I LOVE HOW, THIS MOVIE ENDS!
I DON'T UNDERSTAND, WHY IT HAS ONE STAR!

Don't waste your money
Save yourself some money and buy the book. The movie was no good. Once again I say BET should stick to publishing the books and STOP destroying these authors works by trying and failing to make movies that are not worth the film they are printed on. Buy the book and wait for the movie to be shown again on tv. You'll be glad you did. ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Solid performance by you-know-who...
After 9 years, I finally got to see this movie on DVD. I've always wanted to see it, but you gotta admit that the price is pretty high considering the lack of extra features. I'm not disappointed at all with my purchase, but a few production notes and at least a theatrical trailer would have sufficed.

Anyway, Juice is about four best friends who quickly grow distant after a store robbery goes horribly wrong. It's a pretty involving story with some shocking scenes (though not as violent as they're reputed to be) and Omar Epps is okay in the lead role. But, let's face it. This is Tupac's movie. I didn't expect his debut role to be as powerful as it was! By now, I'm sure all fans have heard his now famous line, "I know I'm crazy. And you know what else? I don't give a ..." Truer words were never spoken about a movie antagonist. His character (Bishop) went absolutely nuts. I'm rambling, I know. But if you've seen the film then you understand why. Aside from Gridlock'd, this is Tupac's best performance.

So if you're a collector of Tupac material, pick the DVD up. Like I said, it ain't cheap, but it's worth it. And even if you don't like Tupac, it's still a very good movie.

2pac's most AMAZING performance ever
Juice is a hip-hop charged adrenaline rush of a movie that takes place in the busy streets of New York. The star is Q(Omar Epps) who is a DJ and kicks it with his click called the Wreckin Crew. His buddies are Raheem(Khalil Kain),Steele(Jermaine "Big Hugg" Hopkins), and Bishop(the late great 2pac Shakur). The wreckin crew have fun and roam the streets looking for trouble and doing what most teenagers do. Thry are surrounded by violence and chaotic occurences. Q sees a friend Blizzard rob a diner(with EPMD in it)and later reveals he was shot by police, and the Wreckin Crew is harassed by a rival gang led by Radimez, a Latin thug who at one point threatens Bishop. Q tries to get a spot on a DJ tournament unaware that his crew is planning to rob a convenience store. As soon as they get the money, Bishop deliberately kills the clerk. Two minutes later, Bishop kills Raheem. Obviously, Bishop has LOST HIS MIND and it is up to Q, who is the only person who knows the truth, to defend himself against one of the most psychotic and brilliantly menacing villains in the entire history of cinema! The most amazing scene is a part where 2pac is playing a video game in a bar and somehow breaks the arcade game. The close-up of his eyes shows what kind person Bishop has turned into. The bartender says "Man, what you do to my machine". One of my ten favorite films of ALL TIME!

WORTH A HELL OF A MORE THAN 5 STARS!!!!
IF I COULD WATCH "JUICE" EVERYDAY,I WOULD!!!! EVERY SINCE THIS MOVIE CAME OUT, I'VE BEEN RECITING IT LINE FOR LINE... EVERYONE HATES TO WATCH IT WITH ME.SO I WATCH IT BY MYSELF!! IF YOU DON'T OWN A COPY OF JUICE, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE A REAL COLLECTION.!!!!

Thirst Quenching!
Tupac's debut film was his best! His performance was hypnotizing and believable. A compelling movie about friends in the hood and how greed can turn one against the others.

Brilliant Film..Serious Stuff
Tupac is brilliant in this film alongside Omar epps.
This is a great example of Harlem Life. the word JUICE is very Powerful. This film is a classic. If you Like Black Action cinema such as Boyz N the hood, Menace 2 Society then you must watch Juice ... Read more

Reviews (76)

Acting with style.............
This movie had reminded me of watching the old black and white movies with my dad. More true to life characters looking for love, being in love, and loosing it. Old story fresh view. Larenz Tate was so Cary Grant in style as the character may have been in a clumsey situation, but the actor kept him from looking silly and like a cardboard cut out.
Nia Long has always been a favorite of mine she is sweet even whe she is tough, almost like a Kathrine Hepburn.
This is one of his best work and showing that he is better than always playing an angry black man.

Great movie an great performance bye all.....BUY THIS MOVIE!!!

When Harry Met Sally: Urban Style
Love Jones is a film worth upholding. It is a beautiful love story full of realistic characters. It is one of the few black films in the last twenty years that deplicts blacks like we truly are: intelligent, cultural and just as obsessed with being in love as anyone else.

Larenz Tate plays Darius. Being an author myself I could relate fully to his character. While struggling with his upcoming book he meets Nina played by Nia Long. Nina is a photographer who's struggling just as much as he is, but her feet appear to be on the ground more firmly than Darius'. Darius and Nina begin a passionate love affair that is cut short when Darius' friends and Nina's ex get too involved. This is the perfect example of how a relationship can suffer due to too many " outside " opinions. Darius and Nina realize they cannot focus on their careers because their hearts and minds are on each other. Nina returns to the spot they first met: the sultry poetry and blues club where Darius first spied her. Nina delivers a touching poem in Darius' honor unaware that he is around. The two pick up where they left off and declare their love for one another.

This film is touching without being as mushy as some romance movies. Larenz and Nia have wonderful chemistry despite the fact that Long is five years older than Tate. The supporting characters include the wonderful Isiah Washington and MTV's Bill Bellemy. If you keep your eyes open you'll see Khalil Kain playing another delightful supporting role as Nina's ex.
I am a big Larenz Tate fan and I've liked Nia Long since her days on " Guiding Light ". The two have both grown tremendously as actors and they prove it in this film. I wish there could be a sequel. I'll keep my fingers crossed. If you haven't seen this movie you've been cheated out of one hell of a love story. It's a modern " starcrossed lovers " romance suited for all ages and professions.

O.K.
I watched this movie about four times before I could begin to like it. It's still not one of my favorites but it does showcase admirable performances by both Larenz Tate and Nia Long.

Not Bad At All
It was great to see Chicago look so beautiful in this well told love story. I hope we get more movies like Love Jones. The DVD is a wonderful edition to my collection.

great love story
i felt as fof that it has happen to me as the characters played on throughout the story. I felt i was well written and the ending was great. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Horror B-Movie: Nothing More, Nothing Less
It's been over ten years since cinematographer Ernest R. Dickerson made his feature directing debut with the urban drama, "Juice." Since that time Dickerson has emerged as one of the hardest working journeymen in the business. The volume of his creative output rivals that of his former collaborator, Spike Lee. In 1998 alone, Dickerson directed three feature length projects.

While clearly a technically competent director, his work tends to fall short in some way or another. "Bones" is no exception.

It tells the story of Jimmy Bones (played adequately by rapper Snoop Dogg) as a popular underworld figure that is double crossed by his own men, resulting in his murder.

Some twenty years later, the ghost of Bones returns to get back at those who killed him. This is hardly an original storyline, even for a black film. The plot is essentially similiar to "J.D.'s Revenge," a film starring Glynn Turman, that was released in 1976.

The corpse of Bones resides in an abandoned house. It just happens to be recently purchased by Patrick (Khalil Kain of "Juice"), the son of Jeremiah Peet (Clifton Powell), one of the men who betrayed him. Patrick and his partners plan to convert the house into a hot nightspot. As expected, Bones lashes out at a bunch of people, who mostly end up dead.

In the process, the audience experiences some better than average special effects. Obviously, much thought was put into the film's production design. If only the same were true for the very predictable and obvious script. Adam Simon and Tim Metcalfe's screenplay leaves very little to the imagination.

In terms of acting, it is generally way over the top. This is true pretty much across the board -- from the veteran actors to the less experienced members of the cast. Standard for movies of this type, the film's exaggerated acting is not necessarily a criticism. At the very least, the actors all know that they are in a B-movie and not say, "Silence of the Lambs."

The DVD features the standard extras. This includes audio commentary by Dickerson, Simon and Snoop Dogg. The dominant theme of the commentary seems to be how the studio was constantly trying to "dumb down" the material. Perhaps they are right.

However, given some of the B-movies that Dickerson cites as inspiration, even if he was given complete artistic freedom, the picture would never have risen to the level of the gothic horror masterpiece that he was obviously striving to reach. From the looks of things, Dickerson had some intriguing ideas, but didn't quite know what to do with them.

Overall, "Bones" is a decent time filler. For fans of horror B-movies, there are plenty of jolts, visual effects and gory scenes to keep you interested. If you don't come expecting anything special, you won't be disappointed.

Be sure to bring plenty of popcorn.

It was good
This movie was good, it would have got 5 stars but the ending was trash. The special effects are good and the story was good and the movie was tight up until the end, where it changed to garbage.

won't quite fo'shizzle yo nizzle, but not bad.
Imagine this scenario if you will: Shaft goes to investigate weird goings on in The House on Haunted Hill, goes inside and finds a beautiful girl sprawled out in the hall. he gets in, starts to be a sex machine to this particular chick, when it suddenly morphs and he finds himself delivering ten times out of ten to Freddy Kruger. nine months later, there is the pitter patter of tiny feet. and all four of them belong to BONES.

And, surprisingly, it is quite watchable. Snoop cuts a fine figure as the titular Jimmy Bones, the direction is great, with Bruce Dickerson playing games with the structure and imagery of the movie, and hearlding the return of one of the ghost movies biggest staples: maggots.

Such a shame then, that the script is a little patchy. first, delving into sub Elm Street mythology (Bones has his own song!), and throwing in some humour towards the end that changes the tone of the movie way too rapidly. the writers are going for an urban horror classic with this, but the lack of imagination in the original story drags it down to b movie territory. which is unfortunate because this is fun, unsettling and very watchable.

it won't quite fo'shizzle yo nizzle, but give this thizzle a vizzle and enjoy yo bad self. chuch.

Better than I expected but a few flaws.
Ok, let me just start of by saying that I hate rap, so you would think that I wouldn't be able to stand it. yet, some how this movie turned out to be good...except the ending was just dumb...not to mention incredibly gross! but other than that this movie is not what I expected...especial coming from snoop dogg! all in all, its a good movie for young'ens (despite the language) and adults!

Decent B movie
Bones is a low budget b horror flick with some nice touches. Snoop Dogg does a good job in the title role and is an actor I would like to see more of. He's done some nice work in small parts in movies like Baby Boy and Training Day and despite playing the title role, he isn't in this all that much. There are a bunch of young actors who star in this who give it a Scooby Doo vibe that is very uncool. There should have been more retro scenes of 70's era Jimmy Bones ruling the streets like the Mack Daddy that his character was supposed to be. It is a treat though to see Snoop and Blaxploitation icon Pam Grier together in the same movie. All in all, not a bad cheesey horror flick but the blood is unusually phony looking, like thick red paint.
The movie is well paced and flies right by like the painless timekiller that it is. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A GREAT PLAY TURNED INTO A MEAN MOVIE
Based on Charles Fuller's Off Broadway play, ZOOMAN & THE SIGN, the film tells the story of what happens to a family and community when a young sociopath accidently shoots and kills a little girl. A family comes together, but a neighborhood falls apart. The acting is excellent, but so intense and emotional, it is sometimes difficult to watch. Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, the ending was changed. In the play, you learn that Zooman like the little girl was a victim of the callousness and apathy of society. In the film, he just receives street justice. A mean and cold ending to an eomotional wrought film. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Well Done!
I can't get enough of watching this movie. It was well-written, well-acted, and even though it was easy to figure out the outcome of the final game, that really isn't the point. The point was that the game happened at all. I am actually in the movie (yes, I am an extra-sitting next to one of the parents during the final game), so I saw it first-hand many, many times in real-life during filming. Yet, I still find myself watching it once again to see the story yet one more time. This should be required viewing for high school kids.

In A Class By Itself
TNT has often called itself the best movie studio on telivision. PASSING GLORY would suggest that maybe it is. This is a first rate production. The performances are gripping. The basketball sequences are thrilling. I have rented this movie over and over again. It is truly a classic. This is a small gem that no one should miss. ... Read more