Amazon.com

Ever spend eight hours in a "Productivity Bin"? Ever had worries about layoffs? Ever had the urge to demolish a temperamental printer or fax machine? Ever had to endure a smarmy, condescending boss? Then Office Space should hit pretty close to home for you. Peter (Ron Livingston) spends the day doing stupefyingly dull computer work in a cubicle. He goes home to an apartment sparsely furnished by IKEA and Target, then starts for a maddening commute to work again in the morning. His coworkers in the cube farm are an annoying lot, his boss is a snide, patronizing jerk, and his days are consumed with tedium. In desperation, he turns to career hypnotherapy, but when his hypno-induced relaxation takes hold, there's no shutting it off. Layoffs are in the air at his corporation, and with two coworkers (both of whom are slated for the chute) he devises a scheme to skim funds from company accounts. The scheme soon snowballs, however, throwing the three into a panic until the unexpected happens and saves the day. Director Mike Judge has come up with a spot-on look at work in corporate America circa 1999. With well-drawn characters and situations instantly familiar to the white-collar milieu, he captures the joylessness of many a cube denizen's work life to a T. Jennifer Aniston plays Peter's love interest, a waitress at Chotchkie's, a generic beer-and-burger joint à la Chili's, and Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show) has a minor but hilarious turn as Peter's mustached, long-haired, drywall-installin' neighbor. --Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (493)

Way underrated
Anyone who has ever worked in corporate America will relate to this hilarious gem.
It is low key as opposed to slapstick comedy. I think the movie was well cast about a cube dweller who had enough and basically quits working and gets a promotion to upper management while his hard working and dedicated buddies get slated for layoffs by "The Bob's" two management consultants.
Ron Livingston does a great job as Pete Gibbons, and Ajay Naidu as "Samir Nu, ne, nunu, uh nnn ,not work here anymore" David Herman as Micheal-why should I change - Bolton.
The boss Lundbergh is played perfectly deadpan by Gary Cole, and I think there is a Tom Smykowski and Milton Waddams in every organization. Lets not forget the "Bob's" I knew two idiot consultants just like them.
Office Space has it all, from stupid meetings, CI programs, and of course the infamous TPS reports - "didn't you get the memo about the new cover sheets?"
I could not stop laughing through the whole thing.

Well worth the price of the DVD, even though the transfer was only fair.

Hiliariously Close to the Truth
Though the situations and characters in Office Space are certainly larger than life, they are not that far from the truth--to which those of us in the corporate world will readily attest. That's what makes the movie so delightfully funny: seeing characters on screen act out (without much exaggeration) the trials and tribulations of today's desk-bound workforce.

The plot of the movie itself is somewhat secondary to its entertainment value. Basically, the main character (Ron Livingston) isn't happy with his job; having been asked once by his high school guidance counselor to picture what he'd do without being paid and consider that his ideal job, he responded that he's like to sit around and do nothing. The rest of the main plot centers on his attempt to get his life back on track, from discovering a love interest in a local waitress (Jennifer Anniston) also unhappy with her job to plotting revenge on his company for firing his friends.

Quickly one sees exactly why the characters are so unhappy with their jobs: a clueless, paper-shuffling boss who speaks in total monotone; inane office regulations requiring more time spent on reports than on real work; faulty office equipment; and so on. Carefully crafted to represent archetypes we all know from our own office experiences, the characters and their attempts to break free of the 9-to-5 drudgery are absolutely hilarious.

You don't have to be a computer programmer or engineer to enjoy this film--all you need is to have worked somewhere once in your life that was far from the ideal environment. Watch this film and enjoy a laugh at schmucks who have it ten times worse than you ever have!

THE comedy movie to see from the late 90s
If you see one comedy from the late 90s, see this one! The cast is great, and the story is better. The only person I know who didn't like this movie just doesn't understand the modern industrial/metroplitan environment. Driving to work in Silicon Valley REALLY IS THIS BAD, and if your definition of heavy traffic is going 15-20 mph on the freeway, you might not appreciate this film.

Dilbert's got it easy!
OFFICE SPACE either suffered from bad marketing or poor distribution because I had never heard of it nor did many of my movie-going friends. When I saw it on cable, I kept asking myself, "Where did this come from?" While the film occasionally breaks down in predictable sequences and cheap shots, it really does hold together remarkably well. This is one of the better written, directed and acted comedies in a long time. Even though the late 90's office world it illustrates is long gone, muddle-headed supervisors, know-nothing consultants, and very weird office workers are not. Enjoy this movie!

A MODERN CULT CLASSIC
Having seen and enjoyed bits and pieces of this movie countless times on cable (usually on Comedy Central) over the last couple of years, I finally broke down and purchased it to add to my DVD collection. Smart move on my part. Now that I've seen the entire movie from start to finish, it makes a lot more sense now (I'd never seen the hypnotism scene). It has all the makings of a modern cult classic. How do I know? Because every time I roll across it on cable I usually wind up watching the balance of the film and enjoying it all over again. Having 2 Geto Boys songs on the soundtrack and co-starring Jennifer Aniston doesn't hurt either. Damn it feels good to be a gangsta. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

excellent family movie !
tale about inocence , fantasy, and fate.
the fate of a child who had the opportunity to come back to his origins, his birth place, to play with a dolphin.
the fate of a catholic priest who die for a sin .
the legend of a beautiful woman who lived where the river runs black...
I recomend this movie to anybody who likes to enjoy a good trailer together in family. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Patterns exist everywhere: in nature, in science, in religion, inbusiness. Max Cohen (played hauntingly by Sean Gullette) is a mathematician searching for these patterns in everything. Yet, he's not the only one, and everyone from Wall Street investors, looking to break the market, to Hasidic Jews, searching for the 216-digit number that reveals the true name of God, are trying to get their hands on Max. This dark, low-budget film was shot in black and white by director Darren Aronofsky. With eerie music, voice-overs, and overt symbolism enhancing the somber mood, Aronofsky has created a disturbing look at the world. Max is deeply paranoid, holed up in his apartment with his computer Euclid, obsessively studying chaos theory.Blinding headaches and hallucinogenic visions only feed his paranoia as he attempts to remain aloof from the world, venturing out only to meet his mentor, Sol Robeson (Mark Margolis), who for some mysterious reason feels Max should take a break from his research. This movie is complex--occasionally too complex--but the psychological drama and the loose sci-fi elements make this a worthwhile, albeit consuming, watch. Pi won the Director's Award at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (410)

3
An astonishing film, often unfairly compared to David Lynch's 'Eraserhead' by people who have only seen stills. Uniquely, it's an intelligent taught thriller about number theory, with a gritty visual style, accomplished with a tiny budget and lots of dedication. The stark, black-and-white footage and apocalyptic plot (with a nod to Arthur C. Clarke's 'The Nine Billion Names of God') seem to set the film in a strange otherworld in which big business and religion combine to drive a mathematician to the brink of insanity. The acting is fine - naturalistic, with no scenery-chewing (and any bad performances can be written off as the warped perceptions of the lead character), and the script, whilst being very functional, nonetheless conveys an impression of a mental world ruled by numbers. The soundtrack is fantastic, too - lots of edgy 'braindance' from Warp-esque artists, available on a great CD. On DVD you get two commentaries, a music video, some trailers, some cut bits (although they are nothing special) and a preview of the graphic novel - a 'Matrix-esque multimedia blitz. It sticks in the mind and you won't forget it - try not to watch whilst suffering from a toothache, either.

Too detailed and open-ended
Being a mathematical person myself (I have a Masters degree in Statistics) I was intrigued by the premise of the movie but in the end I was left with more questions than answers and was left dangling. The plot includes too much of the mathematical detail (and medical detail, listing all the drugs Cohen was taking!), often coming across as nurdy.

The solution seemed too straightforward and practical, with many details lacking here (unlike in the build-up). I thought the final mix might include emotions, basically a more relationship-centric argument, especially as the plot did allude to the potential for something to happen between Cohen and his neighbour, but this didn't come up at all.

This all said, Darren Aronofsky is clearly a very talented director. His use of the black&white medium and close-up camera shots in Pi were a stroke of genius - it certainly helped one get into Cohen's mind. Requiem for a Dream is an outstanding movie but Pi fails to deliver because he took on a very weighty and complex subject in his first attempt at a motion picture. The problem lies in the screenplay (which he co-wrote), and not his direction, however.

It is interesting to note Aronofsky's use of some of the effects that he would later use in Requiem for a Dream, especially the fast-forward pill-popping sequence which was always worth a chuckle in both movies (in a dark sort of way).

paranoia and math a winning combination? ....who knew
This movie is excellent. The direction is phenomenal. In all honesty this movie actually has the ability to drive a sane person out of their mind. It's creative and takes math to a whole new level...and i hate math, but i did love this movie, mainly because i like chaos theory and other interesting philosophical viewpoints. It's always interesting to explore these ideas. I watched this movie once, and then watched it close to three more times before i finally understood everything that was going on, but honestly i think it was well worth it. The acting is top notch, and on top of all that, the direction is superb. Incredible film, but not everyone's cup of tea. If this review has sparked your interest...don't miss it.

No middle ground
on this one. You either love it or you hate it. I loved it, so did one of the two friends I watched it with, but the other hated it, and my parents hated it. RENT IT FIRST and see if you like it before buying it! There is nothing worse than buying a movie and finding out you hate it. I have not watched this movie in quite some time, so I will not attempt to post a real review of it, but at least get this from my post:

DO NOT BUY THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE WATCHED IT!

Stop giving away the ending
The two worst things you can do in a review are over-hype and give away the ending (especially for movies that build to the end) - here's looking at you 'The Aphasic Android' (other reviewers gave away the ending too). This movie is somewhat pretentious and suffers from some neo-classical art-house direction tricks; however these flaws fail to take much away from a truely intersting storyline. I guess this movie isn't for everyone - sort of the equivalent to listening to the Jesus and Mary Chain. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Austin-based filmmaker Richard Linklater (Slacker, Dazed and Confused) has a knack for discovering young actors and getting the best out of them. For example, Dazed and Confused launched the careers of Matthew McConaughey (A Time to Kill), Parker Posey (Waiting for Guffman), Adam Goldberg (Saving Private Ryan), and Anthony Rapp (star in the original cast of the Broadway musical sensation, Rent). SubUrbia, based on the play by monologist Eric Bogosian, is the first Linklater-directed film that he didn't also write, and although the result feels more in-your-face Bogosian than laid-back Linklater, his way with actors is still very much in evidence.

SubUrbia centers on a group of bored, aimless, post-high-school kids who spend an inordinate amount of time hanging out in the parking lot of a local convenience store. It all takes place over a single night, when a fellow classmate by the name of Pony (Jayce Bartok), who has become a hot pop star since graduation, returns with his limo and his publicist (Posey) to do a little slumming in his hometown. Giovanni Ribisi (Saving Private Ryan) as the introspective Jeff, Ajay Naidu as the proprietor of the Circle A (for "anarchy"), and Steve Zahn (Out of Sight) as the buffoonish Buff, are also very impressive in a movie that's a real showcase for its terrific actors. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Put back the Leprechaun!
This is a funny movie that will also get you thinking. It's about some post-high school losers who have nothing better to do than get drunk and hang outside a convenience store. That may sound kind of lame, but it picks up when 'Pony' (Jayce Bartok), a high school acquaintance of theirs who has made it as a rock star pays a visit, along with his attractive publicist Erika (Parker Posy), creating tension between some of the characters. The main character Jeff (Giovanni Ribisi) is constantly questioning everything, and helps to move the plot along by provoking reactions from the others. There is also tension building up between the convenience store owner (Ajay Naidu) and the group, and it all crescendos into a fantastic finale.

I'm giving this 4 stars because the first half hour or so is pretty dumb; there isn't many laughs, and not too much happens before Pony shows up. But since this movie is two hours long, it has plenty of time to redeem itself and succeeds in doing so.

Oh Man!
For all you Giovanni lovers out there, you have to see this! He gets neggie in this movie! It's not really an adult movie, it's more for teenagers cause they are the only ones who understand. I guess I just liked it cause I'm obsessed with Giovanni Ribisi.

great movie
This movie was really great. It's by far my favorite movie...I've seen it more than five or ten times, and it isn't at all old. It's about a group of kids (just under 20 years old) trying to figure out life and trying to deal with it at the same time. The brief nudity part that helped give this movie it's R rating is because Giovanni Ribisi (really hot) decides to take off his clothes. But anyways...great movie that I definatly recommend.

Vun-der-full!
I love this movie. Giovanni Ribisi is a wonderful actor, and he is obviously on the way to big things. If you've seen him in any of his 'big' movies, check this one out- he's at his best.

stereotyped characters?
To call the characters in this film stereotypical is downright blind. This movie IS my town, it's not only my town, but probably thousands of others as well. And to the other reviewer who called giovani ribisi's character "the only smart one", I think she missed the point. He was an intelligent guy, but his counterparts were smart as well. This guy is basically me. He doesn't want to do anyhting, he just wants to live. He says that he wants to "maybe write", THAT'S MY EXCUSE TOO!! I tell my family that I want to be a writer so they won't realize that I just want to stay where I am. All the characters in this film have real counterparts in my life. I know a girl like Suze, I know an alcoholic likr Phoebe, I know the drunk goon like Buff, and I know a guy who although he wasn't in the military, is still alot like Tim. Sadly there are no rock stars where I live, but hey, you can't have 'em all right? Richard Linklater's films always have a mirror to my life, Dazed and Confused was basically my parents, Slacker is me, and Suburbia is my town and my friends. I always like Linklater's movies because they're so laid back, they make you think, and question yourself, something that not many films do well. Anyways, this all brings me to my point, (I knew I had one somewhere) Although this subject matter is better for the stage, It still makes a helluva thought provoking film. If you live in a small town, watch this, you might recognize someone. ... Read more

Description

Filmmaker Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise) explores the lives of young Americans at a crossroads in subUrbia, adapted by Eric Bogosian (Talk Radio) from his playIt rocks with soundtrack music by Sonic Youth, Beck Skinny Puppy, Butthole Surfers, Elastica and more of today's edgiest alternative bands.

An ensemble cast featuring Parker Posey (Party Girl), Steve Zahn (That Thing You Do) and Nicky Katt (A Time to Kill) stars in this engrossing story that opens during a typical night among friends who are stuck somewhere between high school and the rest of their lives.The night doesn't stay typical for long.The arrival of a former classmate who is now a rock star sets passions and conflicts in motion.Before the night is over, friendships will be forged or shattered, romances will be won or lost, limits will be tested and futures will be shaped. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Dude, let's go hang out at Circle K!
Boy, talk about a movie about nothing! It's basically two and a half hours of a bunch of punk kids standing around in parking lots talking. Okay, maybe I'm being a bit unfair. This movie is very slow, but it is meaningful. It's basically a look at the lives of bored small town teens (although Austin is a strange choice for the locale. I live there, and trust me, it's far from a small town) who have nothing at all to do, and have to deal with their friend's rise to stardom. But really, for the most part, nothing really happens in the movie! It's like real life! But, perhaps that's the genius of it. You'd better have a good attention span, though. I would have to say that Giovanni Ribisi pretty much runs the movie. He by far outdoes everyone else's performance, and is really the only likable character in the movie (with the possible exception of Steve Zahn). Ribisi sort of serves as the grouchy but eloquent voice of reason in the group. It's cool to see him play such a well-spoken character, because he usually plays a dumb guy in everything else. You sort of get the feeling that he hates his friends, and would rather be anywhere but with them, but he hangs with them anyway because he doesn't really have a choice. But, when your friends are a drunken goofball, a big, belligerent guy with tattoos, and a pretty boy folk singer, and your girlfriend is a bad poet with an even worse hairdo, it's kind of understandable. This is really more like a documentary than a movie, but it has its moments. I think the thing I liked the best about it was that it was filmed where I live, so I recognized a lot of the stuff in the movie. All in all, I'd say I don't have any strong feelings for this movie, I neither love it nor hate it, but if you like this kind of stuff, you might as well check it out.

Compares to Kevin Smith
I think this movie is absolutely true and hilarious. This group of 20-somethings is exactly like people I know. This has a theme similar to Kevin Smith movies and other funny realistic comedies. If you liked this I recommend you see Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Glory Daze, and Mallrats. This group of people hang outside a convenience store getting drunk and encounters real life issues. You should definitly buy this movie! Ribisi and Zahn are the funniest ever. The scene where Zahn steals the lawn ornament is great. Its an awesome flick. The only character I don't like is the rock star, he is the only reason I don't give it 5 stars. Rent or buy it, its worth it. Its kind of an immature comedy but that is what makes it good. If you like Kevin Smith movies or Glory Daze you'll really like Suburbia.

Linklater knows that small towns can suck.
I rented this movie for two reasons: the first being that I was stood up by a friend on a Saturday night and wanted something to calm my anger; and secondly, it looked good. I must say, from start to finish, this is a wonderfully directed movie. The performances that Richard Linklater got out of these actors was astounding. Out of all of them, I think that Goivanni Ribisi gave one of his all-time best (even compared to Saving Private Ryan, which I think was his finest dramatic moment).

Everything about the movie screams teen-angst, from the theft of a lawn-knome, to one of the many anti-MTV sentiments.
I gave this movie 5 stars because I was tired and ornery when I put it in, and by the end I couldn't fall asleep if I had wanted to.

Don't see it for laughs
From the cover one would think that this movie is a teen comedy. The movie is very good, but it is more of a morality tale than a comedy.

Teen Angst
I saw this movie in a sunday at 2 A.M. and I think it`s a nice hour to watch it. "Suburbia" is one of those movies that captures well the state of loneliness and melancholy that the late-teens/ young adults feel when they enter a world with limited perspectives and an uncertain future. Yep, it`s the everyday world we all live in. The director Richard Linklater innovates a bit (again) as he prefers to center all the plot action in a single night, developing some key moments for his characters. The teens portrayed here seem a bit stereotyped in the beginning but they slowly change during the movie. The dialogue and camera-work are realistic and the acting usually competent. However, it`s a bit slow at parts and the overall atmosphere is not for everyone. But for those who try it, it`s still a good indie-movie with something to say about today`s youth. ... Read more

Reviews (710)

A truly horrific masterpiece
"Requiem for a Dream," directed by Darren Aronofsky, affected me like few other films I've ever seen. "Requiem" tells the intertwined stories of Sara Goldfarb, a lonely widow (Ellen Burstyn), her son Harry (Jared Leto), Harry's girlfriend (Jennifer Connelly), and Harry's best friend (Marlon Wayans). As Sara sinks into a nightmare of prescription drug addiction, her son experiences a parallel hell of "street" drugs. Thus, the film explore two sides of drug addiction in the life of a single family.

Aronofsky directs this film brilliantly, and his ensemble cast gives outstanding performances. Ellen Burstyn is heartbreaking in the starring role. In addition to the principal actors mentioned above, Christopher McDonald gives a creepy performance as a talk-show host with whom Sara is obsessed.

This is an incredibly intense, upsetting film. Never before have I seen such graphic and relentless images shown in a theater. Aronofsky turns his cinematic eye on the extremes of human suffering, disorientation, and exploitation, and he never flinches. The images and sounds he presents were, to me, more upsetting than Holocaust video, Klan rally footage, or other real-life horrific material which I have seen over the years. And most conventional horror films will look like children's cartoons next to this movie. The final 20 or so minutes of the film are particularly intense; the unsettling musical score and sound effects blend perfectly with Aronofsky's visual symphony of pain.

Despite the shocking images, I did not find "Requiem" to be exploitative. I believe this is because Aronofsky never loses sight of the humanity of these characters. Sara and the others are not just cinematic "cannon fodder"; they are characters with whom, despite their faults, we can empathize.

"Requiem" is a technical tour-de-force. Be warned: the graphic scenes of sexual exploitation, cruelty, and suffering will, I believe, be simply too much for many viewers to bear. But the discriminating film lover may, like me, find "Requiem" to be a haunting masterpiece.

a beautifully tragic film with stunning visuals
Wow. I just saw Requiem For A Dream for the first time. I don't really know what to say about it. What a stunning film. Gorgeously filmed, beautiful visuals...wholly depressing...crystal clear filmmaking. Excellent performances by the cast. The story almost seems inconsequential somehow (even though it's not)...mostly, I felt like I was was watching a moving painting.

Ellen Burstyn's performance as the mother, a lonely widow whose hope of being on TV (so that her loser son and deceased husband would be proud of her) leads to an addiction to diet pills and a severe case of dementia, was one of the finest moments of acting I believe I've ever seen.

The film style itself employs a variety of different camera angles, split screens, and some truly beautiful juxtapositions. The scenes become darker, more jagged and frantic, as the movie progresses and the four main characters spiral steadily downward.

The music and the sound in this film is also extremely powerful. The popping of pill bottles, the quitly mocking laughter of the empty mailbox...those are the two sounds that really stick out for me. Then the music, the haunting background theme that plays nearly constantly over much of the film, will stick in your mind and haunt you long after the movie has ended.

I believe everyone I know that has seen this movie has loved it, and I have to say that despite its disturbing content, I really loved it too. That said, this is definitely one of those films that people will either love or hate...it's really not a middle-ground type of movie. It's truly an example of movies as an art form. As you can see from my first impressions of it there, first viewings of it seem to lend themselves more to the art of the filmmaking itself rather than the actual content of the movie...it was so clear cut that I don't think there's a lot left to 'understand', but at the same time, repeated viewings will likely be necessary just to let it sink in.

I resisted watching it for a very long time because no one could tell me why they loved it so much and I had it in my head that it was going to be 'just another of those stupid drug movies'. I understand now why they couldn't explain it, and I only wish I could explain it myself. :) Unfortunately, I think I'm going to fall short of that wish tonight.

Disturbing, Graphic and Great
I went to this movie hearing plenty of buzz about how graphic the content was. Over the course of the movie you see just how Aronofsky wants to send his message to the audience. The characters start off with somewhat mild addictions and then next thing you know the four main characters are living in hell. I couldn't believe how low they all fell. This movie may be the greatest anti-drug message of all time. I dare anybody to watch this and to not be touched and frightened by these characters. Before the movie started I noticed the audience was quite loud and garrulous, but as it ended and the credits rolled the whole place was stone cold silent. It was amazing.

As a whole I felt the movie was excellent. The visuals were well done and the editing was outstanding. The actors really put themselves into their roles. Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly had very good chemistry, while Marlon Wayans showed he is a talented actor and not just a talented comic. Ellen Burstyn. Wow! She was amazing. I can't believe an older woman would allow herself to be filmed like that. She has some serious guts. Hands down the best female performance I've watched this year, not even close. I was totally amazed by her.

All in all, I would say Requiem For a Dream is a great movie. It had a profound impact on me and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I watched it on opening night. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone. This is a movie everyone should see, but unfortunately not enough will.

A dream of a Movie
Ooooooh baby!
If one appreciates Independent Films, this is one of the best.
Three characters (mostly)--- Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly, and Jared Leto make up the brilliant cast.

each of them despartely stuck in situations they appear they cannot get out of, each of them pathetically sick (in different ways), each of them will grab the viewer by the neck and demand their full attention.

they will get it.

Ellen Burstyn in one of the most superb roles of her career...absolutley stunning as the old, lonely, heart-wrenching widow with nothing to look forward to except a pathetic, no-mind game show.

Jennifer Connelly and Jared Leto as heroine junkies...who need it so bad they steal, lie, she sells her body, performs at stag parties---and all of this for a temporary high.

This movie is powerful, will bring you out of your seat (if you're alive), will bring you into places you do not want to be, dark, lonely, bug-filled filth.
But you'll stay...because you cannot bring yourself to leave..,
because you want so much for the characters to change, to be what they are meant to be.

But they don't---they only take up space---only exist while life happens around them. They are like bugs, moving, eating, breathing, but really nothing. Nothing.

This movie was directed beautifully, multi-layered, poetry on the screen (the kind of poetry that will make you cry, feel, and think about for weeks on end.

Another film about what happens when you do drugs.
Alright the plot is simple. A movie about four individuals who are junkies. Three are addicted to illegal drugs and one is addicted to prescription drugs. This movie has been done before. But what sets it apart is how the movie reflects the four seasons. The movie starts with the excruciating heat of summer where the four characters becomes agitated, restless, due to drugs. Then Fall, which means when their lives starts to unravel before being doomed to the the dark uncertainties of drugs. Winter becomes their death. When we think of winter we think of bare tress, lifeless like the characters. The director associated the lives of the four individuals with the four seasons. Except at the end there is no spring because spring is hope, spring is a where life starts again. For them there is none anymore. A simple plot based on how we live our lives with the seasons of changes. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

a great feel good movie with excellent acting
This movie really shows how Michael Keaton can really do comedy.
He plays a wealthy hockey player whose life is turned upside
down when he meets a Latino kid who muggs him and his mother.
We see a romance revolve and Michael Keaton's character sees
just what a lonely life he has. His scence with the little boy
are touching and funny. Michael Keaton can do comedy and serious
roles and he was perfect in this movie. Everyone was great.

I was quite pleased!
I am happy to say that "Touch and Go" was a great movie. My old buddy Michael Keaton finally did it again. He made a film that I enjoyed as much or even more than "The Dream Team". I actually cared about each individual character and their outcome.

It is a story about a self absorbed hockey player who finds out what that there is a world outside of himself. After being mugged by a wisecracking 12 year old kid, he ends up taking the brat under his wing unintentionally. He begins a romance with the boys mother (Maria Conchita Alonso-lookin SMOKIN' as ever-of course this was 1986) and ends up putting his hockey career on the backburner.

After renting a slew of BAD movies including "My Own Private Idaho", "A Kiss Before Dying" and "One Good Cop"(it just didn't do it for me) It was a treat to have something with substance finally. I highly recomend this film to anyone looking for a good time on a Saturday night.

5 out of 5 with complete confidence.

great interaction
the movie was intertaining and thought provoking.great inter-
action with it's 3 main characters.

touch and go
i saw the movie once and i love it. i enjoyed how the heart of micheal was change due to his meeting the little boy and his mom who i felt really needed him. oh i really enjoyed when he got with her and the boy was going to have a father figure in his life now and how she would no longer have to struggle any more cause she got micheal. she is a lovely girl and they play well together in this movie. i love it--------yes!!!!!!!!.

Touch and Go
This is one of my all time favorite movies. Michael Keaton and Maria Conchita Alonso are wonderful. It is an entertaining and heartwarming story about a young boy headed in the wrong direction in life and a playboy hockey player who become friends and "straighten" each other out. I highly recommend this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (710)

A truly horrific masterpiece
"Requiem for a Dream," directed by Darren Aronofsky, affected me like few other films I've ever seen. "Requiem" tells the intertwined stories of Sara Goldfarb, a lonely widow (Ellen Burstyn), her son Harry (Jared Leto), Harry's girlfriend (Jennifer Connelly), and Harry's best friend (Marlon Wayans). As Sara sinks into a nightmare of prescription drug addiction, her son experiences a parallel hell of "street" drugs. Thus, the film explore two sides of drug addiction in the life of a single family.

Aronofsky directs this film brilliantly, and his ensemble cast gives outstanding performances. Ellen Burstyn is heartbreaking in the starring role. In addition to the principal actors mentioned above, Christopher McDonald gives a creepy performance as a talk-show host with whom Sara is obsessed.

This is an incredibly intense, upsetting film. Never before have I seen such graphic and relentless images shown in a theater. Aronofsky turns his cinematic eye on the extremes of human suffering, disorientation, and exploitation, and he never flinches. The images and sounds he presents were, to me, more upsetting than Holocaust video, Klan rally footage, or other real-life horrific material which I have seen over the years. And most conventional horror films will look like children's cartoons next to this movie. The final 20 or so minutes of the film are particularly intense; the unsettling musical score and sound effects blend perfectly with Aronofsky's visual symphony of pain.

Despite the shocking images, I did not find "Requiem" to be exploitative. I believe this is because Aronofsky never loses sight of the humanity of these characters. Sara and the others are not just cinematic "cannon fodder"; they are characters with whom, despite their faults, we can empathize.

"Requiem" is a technical tour-de-force. Be warned: the graphic scenes of sexual exploitation, cruelty, and suffering will, I believe, be simply too much for many viewers to bear. But the discriminating film lover may, like me, find "Requiem" to be a haunting masterpiece.

a beautifully tragic film with stunning visuals
Wow. I just saw Requiem For A Dream for the first time. I don't really know what to say about it. What a stunning film. Gorgeously filmed, beautiful visuals...wholly depressing...crystal clear filmmaking. Excellent performances by the cast. The story almost seems inconsequential somehow (even though it's not)...mostly, I felt like I was was watching a moving painting.

Ellen Burstyn's performance as the mother, a lonely widow whose hope of being on TV (so that her loser son and deceased husband would be proud of her) leads to an addiction to diet pills and a severe case of dementia, was one of the finest moments of acting I believe I've ever seen.

The film style itself employs a variety of different camera angles, split screens, and some truly beautiful juxtapositions. The scenes become darker, more jagged and frantic, as the movie progresses and the four main characters spiral steadily downward.

The music and the sound in this film is also extremely powerful. The popping of pill bottles, the quitly mocking laughter of the empty mailbox...those are the two sounds that really stick out for me. Then the music, the haunting background theme that plays nearly constantly over much of the film, will stick in your mind and haunt you long after the movie has ended.

I believe everyone I know that has seen this movie has loved it, and I have to say that despite its disturbing content, I really loved it too. That said, this is definitely one of those films that people will either love or hate...it's really not a middle-ground type of movie. It's truly an example of movies as an art form. As you can see from my first impressions of it there, first viewings of it seem to lend themselves more to the art of the filmmaking itself rather than the actual content of the movie...it was so clear cut that I don't think there's a lot left to 'understand', but at the same time, repeated viewings will likely be necessary just to let it sink in.

I resisted watching it for a very long time because no one could tell me why they loved it so much and I had it in my head that it was going to be 'just another of those stupid drug movies'. I understand now why they couldn't explain it, and I only wish I could explain it myself. :) Unfortunately, I think I'm going to fall short of that wish tonight.

Disturbing, Graphic and Great
I went to this movie hearing plenty of buzz about how graphic the content was. Over the course of the movie you see just how Aronofsky wants to send his message to the audience. The characters start off with somewhat mild addictions and then next thing you know the four main characters are living in hell. I couldn't believe how low they all fell. This movie may be the greatest anti-drug message of all time. I dare anybody to watch this and to not be touched and frightened by these characters. Before the movie started I noticed the audience was quite loud and garrulous, but as it ended and the credits rolled the whole place was stone cold silent. It was amazing.

As a whole I felt the movie was excellent. The visuals were well done and the editing was outstanding. The actors really put themselves into their roles. Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly had very good chemistry, while Marlon Wayans showed he is a talented actor and not just a talented comic. Ellen Burstyn. Wow! She was amazing. I can't believe an older woman would allow herself to be filmed like that. She has some serious guts. Hands down the best female performance I've watched this year, not even close. I was totally amazed by her.

All in all, I would say Requiem For a Dream is a great movie. It had a profound impact on me and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I watched it on opening night. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone. This is a movie everyone should see, but unfortunately not enough will.

A dream of a Movie
Ooooooh baby!
If one appreciates Independent Films, this is one of the best.
Three characters (mostly)--- Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly, and Jared Leto make up the brilliant cast.

each of them despartely stuck in situations they appear they cannot get out of, each of them pathetically sick (in different ways), each of them will grab the viewer by the neck and demand their full attention.

they will get it.

Ellen Burstyn in one of the most superb roles of her career...absolutley stunning as the old, lonely, heart-wrenching widow with nothing to look forward to except a pathetic, no-mind game show.

Jennifer Connelly and Jared Leto as heroine junkies...who need it so bad they steal, lie, she sells her body, performs at stag parties---and all of this for a temporary high.

This movie is powerful, will bring you out of your seat (if you're alive), will bring you into places you do not want to be, dark, lonely, bug-filled filth.
But you'll stay...because you cannot bring yourself to leave..,
because you want so much for the characters to change, to be what they are meant to be.

But they don't---they only take up space---only exist while life happens around them. They are like bugs, moving, eating, breathing, but really nothing. Nothing.

This movie was directed beautifully, multi-layered, poetry on the screen (the kind of poetry that will make you cry, feel, and think about for weeks on end.

Another film about what happens when you do drugs.
Alright the plot is simple. A movie about four individuals who are junkies. Three are addicted to illegal drugs and one is addicted to prescription drugs. This movie has been done before. But what sets it apart is how the movie reflects the four seasons. The movie starts with the excruciating heat of summer where the four characters becomes agitated, restless, due to drugs. Then Fall, which means when their lives starts to unravel before being doomed to the the dark uncertainties of drugs. Winter becomes their death. When we think of winter we think of bare tress, lifeless like the characters. The director associated the lives of the four individuals with the four seasons. Except at the end there is no spring because spring is hope, spring is a where life starts again. For them there is none anymore. A simple plot based on how we live our lives with the seasons of changes. ... Read more

Reviews (149)

Raunchy, funny, but repetitive. And not for the kids.
"Bad Santa" is a movie from that dirty magazine row tucked in the back of gas stations: It is thrilling, and funny, and eventually a little tiresome and disappointing, to watch Billy Bob Thornton play a degenerate, drunk thief masquerading as a department store Santa Claus. Appropriately named Willie T. Stokes, Thornton achieves a kind of white trash zen, slurring, stumbling and cursing his way through nativity sets.

And Willie's just the jumping off point. "Bad Santa" is a comedy cast like a noir picture, where every player reveals a touch of the bizarre. There's Willie's dwarf partner (Tony Cox), a fat kid who takes to Willie as a father figure and Willie's Jewish girlfriend (Lauren Graham), who has a Santa fetish. Bernie Mac and John Ritter have smaller, goofy roles as department store employees; the late Ritter, sadly, is again cast as a nebbish, probably gay man for no particular reason and to little avail.

The humor is repeatedly pitched at basic crassness, or maybe just a notch above, as Thornton and his co-stars run the same gags into the ground; there are only so many ways the dwarf can verbally dress down Willie, or Willie dress down the kids. Some scenes border on scatological "Who's On First?" routines. Terry Zwigoff's direction is painfully flat and amateurish for a guy who made "Ghost World."

The idea, of course, is to offer perfectly intelligent, affluent adults a bargain-budget 90 minutes to indulge in the communal loathing of precious tykes and holiday materialism while extolling the virtues of loose women, cheap whiskey and stone cold burglary - essentially a middle finger to the very suburbanites that will be among its biggest fans. If your SUV can handle an evening in the cold, there are worse ways to get over yourself.

Note: "Bad Santa" has drawn some fire from Christian conservatives for debunking that long held Christmas myth that, apparently, Santa and Jesus are long lost buds. That couldn't be better publicity for a movie like this.

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE DARK COMEDY
If you love comedy, especially dark comedy then this is the movie for you. When I first saw the commerical on TV I knew I had to see this movie and I was right- it was excellent. Movies arent meant to be the same and I have never seen a Santa like this before!!!! It's a collectible item if you ask me and a must have. People with a sense of humor shouldn't miss it.

FEARLESSLY BAWDY BUT FUNNY
Bad Santa has many crass gags, it almost drags you into a dark alley of tasteless humour and thrashes you up. Imagine Billy Bob Thorton in a comic lead role, tough to visualize. But the man is bloody hilarious! Some parts are better scripted than others, but for a film that's so determined NOT to have a heart, it does surprise you with one. A wonderfully perverse treat that goes by in a flash, so it can't be all that bad any way. Recommended!

The funniest movie ive seen in a long time
this movie is god awful funny, if you have a problem with sex or language this movie is in no way for you. For all of the rest of us, this movie is hilarious. Billy Bob Thorton is funny as hell throughout the whole movie and you will be quoting him for weeks after. please, if you dont mind language or sex, watch this movie, you will love it.

A Funny Contrast to The Christmas Story
It's true, most reviews I have seen, they have described "Bad Santa" as a Christmas movie for cynics. Billy Bob Thornton takes a huge risk with the leading role, as a hard drinking, swearing, unkempt department store Santa with a fetish for plus-size women.
Let me be completely frank...although I admit most kids nowadays have been seasoned with the F-word, I think the language in the movie alone would dissuade most parents from screening it for young children. This is for adults, folks. Anyway, Bad Santa teams up with his partner, Marcus (who masquerades as a black elf) to rob department stores every Christmas. They have an interesting modus operandi..get jobs at the mall at Christmas time as Santa and elf, break in after hours, and abscond with the store's safe contents and assorted loot. Next season, different city, different mall, and so on. Thornton's Santa, real name Willie, is portrayed with no redemptive qualities. He is talked every year into the robbery scheme by his diminutive partner Marcus. Let's face it..Willie is only good at two things..drinking and safe cracking. The fact that Willie can barely tolerate people and hates children creates a great deal of comedy in itself. His exchanges with the children who sit on his lap and the department store manager (well played by the late John Ritter)are both shocking and funny in their audacity.
Anyway, through a bizarre set of circumstances involving a young boy (it was a stroke of genius for the director to cast the child as a fat, socially inept stalker) and a kinky bargirl who has a fetish for Santas, Willie goes through a slight reformation..sort of. Don't get me wrong..there are no "It's a Wonderful Life" brush strokes of cinema in here. "Bad Santa" knows why some people spend Christmas in bars..and gets more than a few twisted laughs from its observations. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

a great feel good movie with excellent acting
This movie really shows how Michael Keaton can really do comedy.
He plays a wealthy hockey player whose life is turned upside
down when he meets a Latino kid who muggs him and his mother.
We see a romance revolve and Michael Keaton's character sees
just what a lonely life he has. His scence with the little boy
are touching and funny. Michael Keaton can do comedy and serious
roles and he was perfect in this movie. Everyone was great.

I was quite pleased!
I am happy to say that "Touch and Go" was a great movie. My old buddy Michael Keaton finally did it again. He made a film that I enjoyed as much or even more than "The Dream Team". I actually cared about each individual character and their outcome.

It is a story about a self absorbed hockey player who finds out what that there is a world outside of himself. After being mugged by a wisecracking 12 year old kid, he ends up taking the brat under his wing unintentionally. He begins a romance with the boys mother (Maria Conchita Alonso-lookin SMOKIN' as ever-of course this was 1986) and ends up putting his hockey career on the backburner.

After renting a slew of BAD movies including "My Own Private Idaho", "A Kiss Before Dying" and "One Good Cop"(it just didn't do it for me) It was a treat to have something with substance finally. I highly recomend this film to anyone looking for a good time on a Saturday night.

5 out of 5 with complete confidence.

great interaction
the movie was intertaining and thought provoking.great inter-
action with it's 3 main characters.

touch and go
i saw the movie once and i love it. i enjoyed how the heart of micheal was change due to his meeting the little boy and his mom who i felt really needed him. oh i really enjoyed when he got with her and the boy was going to have a father figure in his life now and how she would no longer have to struggle any more cause she got micheal. she is a lovely girl and they play well together in this movie. i love it--------yes!!!!!!!!.

Touch and Go
This is one of my all time favorite movies. Michael Keaton and Maria Conchita Alonso are wonderful. It is an entertaining and heartwarming story about a young boy headed in the wrong direction in life and a playboy hockey player who become friends and "straighten" each other out. I highly recommend this movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It was one of those "something in the air" moments in Hollywood. In the space of a year, four different films came out on the same subject: A kid lands in an adult's body (and, often, vice versa--get it?). The best was Big, but this one was surprisingly amusing, thanks to a goofily adolescent performance by Judge Reinhold (as the kid in an adult's body) and a comically serious one by young Fred Savage, who can convey the sense of an grownup trapped in a kid's world. The plot is virtually identical to its competitors--overworked Dad has a big deadline and has to rely on the unreliable kid to come through for him, even as he gets a sense of what his son's life is like--but Reinhold and Savage charm their way through it. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (7)

My All Time Favorite Movie
Whatever you do, don't miss this jewel. I have enjoyed this movie since it came out in 1988. Frankly, it remains my favorite all time movie. This movie is just PURE FUN to watch and moves along in a brilliant manner. You can't watch this movie without laughing out load. Now, isn't this the reason we watch movies? The complete cast should be applauded for a wonderful performance. If you have not seen this movie, buy it or rent it as fast as you can and join in the FUN!

This is quite an exquisite movie.
WOW! what excellent promos. You cant do any better, I mean Judge Reinhold and fred savage in the same film. It is a really good movie. Al i've got to say is, "GIMMIE TWO FOR MALICE"

Vice Versa
Judge Reinhold was very funny transforming into a young boy. But the most amazing thing in the whole picture is my ex-wife, Michelle Philpot. She was brilliant as the cosmetic salesgirl; smearing eye cream on the bad guy. She was amazingly beautiful and funny in her short but sweet part. I still feel proud when I see the movie and, by the way, I own it! Look for her 51 minutes into the film. Everyone on the set gave her the nickname Pebbles. Watch it and you'll see why!

You'll Laugh For Sure In This 1988 Film!
Marshall (Judge Reinhold) plays a wonderful role as seperated, over-worked father who is trying to make his son Charlie (Fred Savage) happy while he is visiting. After Marshall's trip to Thailand, he is sent an ancient, powerful skull by mistake that changes Marshall into Charlie and Charlie into Marshall! So now, Marshall is going to have to realize how it feels to be a 12 year old kid.....again and Charlie is going to have to learn how to run a business, take care of meetings and give speeches.....alone!! How will they change back to normal??

Like "Ruthless People" (Released 1986) Judge Reinhold has made us laugh again with his hillarious acting! This is definetly a film of the 80s! "Vice Versa" was released in 1988 and released onto video in 1989. It is packed with lots of comedy and entertaining with a cool soundtrack!

Watch it on cable, it's cheaper.
While the movie has its moments, I recommend you just watch comedy central, it's bound to be on there at least once a month. I mean don't have a judge reinhold spaz or anything, just check it out for free, save some cash. By the way, Reinhold delivers a tour de force performance, I'm sure he was proud of this role. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Bollywood crosses Hollywood
Ramu Gupta (Jimi Mistry) is a dance teacher to little old ladies in Delhi. One day he decides to up and leave for Hollywood to find his fame and fortune. He gets a job in an Indian restaurant but is fired not long after after he pours chicken tikka masala over an angry customer. He then auditions for a role in a movie without knowing that it's a porn film. There he meets Sharronna (Heather Graham) who is a philosophical porn star. He doesn't manage to make the film because he has a problem achieving "wood" what with being surrouned by a film crem of 20 people. During a birthday party he disguises as a swami and starts talking about sex philosophy. He meets the birthday girl Lexi (Marissa Tomei) and they start up a relationship and partnership to turn Ramu into a sex Guru who eventually becomes successful. The thing is he knows nothing about sex philosophy so has meetings with Sharronna who teaches everything she knows about sex. Slowly Ramu finds himself falling in love with Sharronna but she's already engaged to Rusty who doesn't know that she's a film star.

There are some wonderful Bollywood dance scenes in the film but there aren't too many funny lines. I thought that the premise was good but it could have been so much funnier. Watch it if you have nothing better to do.

Lealing

Funny light hearted comedy with a fresh slant!
This is a fun light hearted romantic comedy with so much going for it!
Jimi Mistry is Ramu - a star struck young actor/dancer who has come to New York to make it big. When he arrives his good friend Vijay is not driving a Mercedes and living in a Penthouse...he is driving a cab and sharing a one room apartment with 2 other young Indian men.
Ramu gets into all kinds of predicaments ( his big movie break is in a porn flick with Michael McKean as director) and ends up becoming famous as a Swami- the Guru of Sex to uptight upper east side social types with help from Marissa Tomei.
It is not his own philosophy he spouts but that of his friend Sharrona played by Heather Graham. Sharonna is a porn star trying to become a good girl by marrying a normal guy ( who has some secrets of his own).
Things roll along with ease and a light and gentle touch- the humor is at times obvious- other times more subtle.
Not a serious movie- this is a nice light flick which will stay on my DVD keeper shelf as a pick me up for dark winter days.

Some mild language ,nudity and adult situations that go with the theme.

For another light hearted Indian themed flick check out Bend it Like Beckham.

dont waste your time on this movie
I brought this movie, not with very high expectations. Inspite of powerful performance by Heather Graham, playing an adult porn star in US, with an unusual sense of spiritual sexuality , Jimi Mistri, the Indian dance teacher who had come to US to become a big shot in Hollywood, and Marisa Tomei,the American girl who is obsessed with Guru culture, the plot has its inherent shortcomings. It ranks among one of the most disastrous and desperate attempts to make a comedy. Of course this movie should not be watched even with an ounce of seriousness....but even if you are looking for some light entertainment turning off your brains for a while (as many people want to do after a week's hard work), this movie will disappoint you....people are sort of hypnotized by the GURU ,so much so that they readily shake off their pants at his slightest indication...this is most unreal... can't they come up with something better if they are so desperate to profane the Indian Guru culture? the DVD is ok...sound and picture quality is average. i will give the movie 2 stars, mainly because of some good acting from Heather, Jimi and Marisa but the plot does not even deserve one star !

Fluffy and funny
I admit, I get hooked easily. This time, it was the opening scene, a dance class full of women in beautiful saris. The dance was the Macarena, and I almost fell off my chair laughing.

After that, the movie gets off to a slow start, with Our Hero (Ram) moving to America, the land of opportunity. The opportunities aren't quite the ones he expected, or even really wanted. The first was thrust upon him when a faker of a fakir falls down drunk just before a performance. The second happens when he fails to get up for another kind of performance.

Heather Graham does a great job as a warm-hearted woman of debatable morals. Marisa Tomei also does a great job as a warm-hearted woman of debatable judgement. No spoilers, but everyone ends up happy.

It's sweet, silly amusement. It takes a while to get going, but it's worth the wait.

Avoid this
I won't spend a lot of time on this as I've already wasted 95 minutes watching it. In short, this was one of the stupidest movies I've seen. The jokes aren't funny, just crude, and the plot is banal. Don't waste your time or money. ... Read more

Reviews (165)

Great Sci-Fi... or is it?
In a year with somewhat meager sci-fi offerings one movie broke free from the pack by avoiding science fiction techniques almost entirely. "K-PAX," based on the novel by Gene Brewer, Academy Award Winner Kevin Spacey ("American Beauty") stars as prot, a mental patient who believes himself to be an alien from the planet K-PAX. Jeff Bridges does a great turn as prot's psychiatrist, proving his diversity as an actor -- although just as good as he was in "The Big Lebowski," the characters are worlds apart.

The film has very little in the way of the fantastic, yet still conveys an incredible sense of majesty that movies these days simply don't have, and it does it in a fashion bizarre enough that, combined with the premise, brands this movie as light sci-fi, although calling it "light" is to do it a disservice.

Something Different!!!
I loved this movie....I give it a strong 4 stars for the acting of Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges, for subject content and for writing. It is definitley not your run of the mill, forgetful, love story, war movie, car chase, slasher, art film or science fiction movie. It does not follow the typical movie plotlines we see too many of.

It contained many thought provoking levels and made one think about the possibilities within the universe as well as within our own lives. K-PAX is "Contact" meets "The Cuckoo's Nest", with class and grace.

I identified personally with many of the lines in the movie.... sat quietly and said "Wow" under my breath, numerous times.

K-PAX displayed some profound moments/lines and a dynamite, unpredictable, twisty ending. Just when you thought you had it all figured out, there were more and more levels to confuse you. It was fun to contemplate the ending throughout the entire film......I liked it a lot, it made me think and I will remember it.

good, but what the heck?????????
Fine acting for the most part, an enjoyable story line and good photography, too. But I have to ask: how does Spacey know the orbit trajectories or whatever it is of his supposed far-off galaxy? Did he secretly bone up on this one thing to sway the authorities? And the ending! A vibrant, intelligent (if troubled) person is turned into a drooling basket case by the brilliant doctors of Manhattan Institute. Now that's some serious doctoring! And then the good doctor finally bonds with his son? Huh?

"I have a beam of light to catch"
Kevin Spacey plays a character named Prot, who may be from the planet K-PAX, or he may be a deluded person from New Mexico with a painful personal secret. A case could be made for either scenario, but I find compelling evidence for the former.

In any event, Prot makes an unusual appearance at a train station, is involved in a minor altercation, and is arrested and put in a mental ward under the care of Dr. Powell (Jeff Bridges) and claims to be from the planet K-PAX, 1000 lightyears from Earth. Prot is questioned and hypnotized on several occasions, without conclusive evidence to his true identity. Without spoiling the end, Dr. Powell finally follows a clue to his apparent satisfaction, though uncertain conclusion.

Regardless of the outcome, getting there is pretty well done. Spacek puts a slightly unusual spin on things (especially fruit) and is quite humorous, and Bridges is good as well. Nice cinematography.

The DVD has a director's commentary, a behind-the-scenes documentary, deleted scenes, alternate ending, and the usual setup features.

"Your produce alone has been worth the trip."

A Psychiatrist Meets a "Fruity" Extraterrestrial
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This 2001 movie (120 minutes) consists of eighteen scenes. It is based on the novel of the same title. Like the novel, this movie is part mystery, part comedy, and part human drama.

The story is about a man who claims to come from the utopian world called K-PAX (a planet he says is in the constellation Lyra). This man is the prot-agonist of the movie and calls himself Prot (Kevin Spacey).

Excellent cinematography is one of the highlights of this movie. For example, the way Prot (pronounced pr-OAT) is introduced to the movie viewer is truly amazing. At the beginning of of the movie, we find ourselves in a busy and crowded train station and gradually the sunlight coming through the station windows brightens. Then the crowd parts and we see Prot standing in the center of the station floor with his sunglasses on. It's as if he entered the station "on a beam of light."

Eventually, Prot ends up in a mental institution and the psychiatrist that treats him is Dr. Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges). Most of the movie is concerned with the interaction and relationship that develops between Prot and Powell.

The acting, especially among the above two actors, is another highlight of this movie. Spacey does a superb job of getting across Prot's wit, humor, and extensive knowledge (especially in sciences like astronomy and physics). He also gets across Prot's passion for eating fruit. Bridges, as the psychiatrist Powell, does a great job in trying to analyze Prot. Powell finds Prot quite rational and later admits that this patient is "the most convincing delusional I've ever seen."

One of the best and most colorful scenes occurs at a planetarium where Prot demonstrates to some distinguished astonomers and astrophysicists that he knows the precise orbital pattern of his home planet in a newly discovered star system. The thing is he should not know this information! As well, Prot demonstrates certain otherworldly abilities. Thus Powell and the movie viewer don't know if Prot is indeed an extraterrestrial or a traumatized human.

Prot has a positive influence on all the people he meets especially on Dr. Powell, his family, and other patients in the mental institution. This gives the movie a certain warmth.

Suspense is created when Prot tells Powell that he must eventually return to K-PAX. As well, even though all his fellow patients want to go with him to his utopian world, he states that one can only come with him. As the announced "departure" date approaches, the question asked by Powell is: "What will happen when this day arrives?" As well, the other patients wonder whom Prot will choose to go with him.

This movie is perfect for the first 75 minutes. It retains its wit and humor for that time. After this, the movie seems to lose its humor and becomes serious. For about 15 of the remaining 45 minutes, Powell does some investigative footwork and he has no further interaction with Prot. In my opinion, this was a mistake since (as mentioned above) this story revolves around the interaction between Powell and Prot. (Note that the novel never loses its humor until the very end and an investigative reporter does all the investigative footwork thus allowing Powell and Prot to maintain their interaction.) However, some movie viewers may forgive this because the story is so engrossing.

The ending is well done. The movie ends on an ambiguous note and leaves you wondering. (However, some viewers may not think that the ending is ambiguous.) An ambiguous ending is also found in the novel.

Thus this movie ends and the end credits start rolling. The movie is over. Right? Wrong! I'm not sure why this was done (and it seems that other reviewers never noticed this), but the movie actually continues AFTER the end credits have stopped!! (I found this out by accident.) For about a minute, we have a scene (with no dialogue) where Powell is looking through a telescope at a constellation. Readers of the novel will understand what this means but those who have not read the novel will probably not understand its significance. Then the movie ends.

Yet another highlight of this movie is its music. In a word, it's--beautiful. It is hard to describe but I might call it "quiet new age." This music seems to heighten the emotion experienced in each scene.

Finally, you don't have to read the novel to understand this movie. However, if you want to understand its finer nuances, I recommend that you read the novel first.

In conclusion, this movie is one that has extraordinary acting, cinematography, and music. Be sure not to miss this magical movie so you can experience what it's like to "catch a beam of light."

**** 1/2

<=====> ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Jill Hennesey is great in this quirky flic
Jill Hennessey made this along with many other indy flicks between her stint on Law and Order and Crossing Jordan. I see a lot of Jordan in her character her- she is tough and guarded, yet needs friends and affirmation, hot headed yet caring.
Her lover is played subtly and with a light touch. I liked this lesbian movie- caught it on Showtime as one of their gay theme film specials. Works as a love story and a relationship movie- period. The fact that it is between 2 women is beside the point- the issues that face this couple are age old and handled well with a nice cultural flavor not seen too often in American cinema.

For my fav Indian/American romance check out Mississippi Masala with Denzil Washington.

ok
This is one of the better lesbian films. I must admit I have yet to see anything like it and I liked the fact that it dealt with other races and pregnancy options for lesbians.

Nisha Ganatra Rules!!
This is an excellent film, I first saw this movie back in June 2001, I don't know how many times I have watched it since, but from the very first time I saw Nisha I thought-Wow what a beautiful woman! The movie was and is outstanding. The other Actresses and Actors were good, too. The storyline was something positive to think about. Reminded me of my younger days, bringing out many emotions, in other words it touched me like hardly any movie has. Nisha is magic. Am looking forward to many more of her creations. This woman has it going on. I am very happy to have gotten the chance to see this movie, then own it, on VHS and DVD.

One of my favorites
Chutney Popcorn is one of the bessst cross-cultural lesbian films I've seen so far. It's not decadent or in this "admire us just because we're hot lesbians" mode, but has a plot and purpose. Above all - it's directed in a very artistic essence - the color juxtoposition and emotional interplay. Check that out next time you watch it.

...AND BABY MAKES THREE
This is a decent directorial effort by Nisha Ganatra, in this film about families, lesbian lovers, and cultural divides. This film is her first feature film and it shows in its somewhat amateurish constructs. Still, there are some flashes of promise.

Reena (Nisha Ganatra), an artist of Indian descent, and Lisa (Jill Hennessey of Law and Order and Crossing Jordan fame) are lovers, despite the fact that Reena's tradition bound Indian mother is in total denial. She is still trying to match Reena up with a member of the opposite sex, refusing to acknowledge Lisa as anything other than Reena's roommate.

When Sarita (Sakina Jeffrey), Reena's older sister gets married, she soon discovers that she is infertile. Reena offers to be a surrogate mom, and Sarita initially agrees. After some failed attempts through a fertility clinic, Reena, with the cooperation of Sarita's husband, Mitch, decides to get pregnant the old fashioned way, at home by using a turkey baster. She succeeds where the specialists failed.

Unfortunately, this causes problems with her relationship with Lisa, who is initially unable to come to terms with Reena's pregnancy and what it will mean to their relationship. Sarita is also having difficulty, changing her mind when it is too late to turn back. She sees it as a reminder of her own failing and questions the impact that it will have on her life and marriage. Reena's and Sarita's mother, however, grasps the irony of the situation, and eventually comes to terms with it, as well as with the nature of Reena's and Lisa's relationship.

Nisha Ganatra should have concentrated on just directing this film, rather than acting in it, as she is no actress and is the weak link in the cast. Moreover, there appears to be little chemistry between her and Jill Hennessey, which does not help the film. There are, however, some very funny moments in this moderately entertaining film, having mostly to do with the character of the mother.

As a director Ms. Ganatra displays some promise. It is hoped that in the future she will concentrate on where her talents seem to lie. ... Read more

Reviews (710)

A truly horrific masterpiece
"Requiem for a Dream," directed by Darren Aronofsky, affected me like few other films I've ever seen. "Requiem" tells the intertwined stories of Sara Goldfarb, a lonely widow (Ellen Burstyn), her son Harry (Jared Leto), Harry's girlfriend (Jennifer Connelly), and Harry's best friend (Marlon Wayans). As Sara sinks into a nightmare of prescription drug addiction, her son experiences a parallel hell of "street" drugs. Thus, the film explore two sides of drug addiction in the life of a single family.

Aronofsky directs this film brilliantly, and his ensemble cast gives outstanding performances. Ellen Burstyn is heartbreaking in the starring role. In addition to the principal actors mentioned above, Christopher McDonald gives a creepy performance as a talk-show host with whom Sara is obsessed.

This is an incredibly intense, upsetting film. Never before have I seen such graphic and relentless images shown in a theater. Aronofsky turns his cinematic eye on the extremes of human suffering, disorientation, and exploitation, and he never flinches. The images and sounds he presents were, to me, more upsetting than Holocaust video, Klan rally footage, or other real-life horrific material which I have seen over the years. And most conventional horror films will look like children's cartoons next to this movie. The final 20 or so minutes of the film are particularly intense; the unsettling musical score and sound effects blend perfectly with Aronofsky's visual symphony of pain.

Despite the shocking images, I did not find "Requiem" to be exploitative. I believe this is because Aronofsky never loses sight of the humanity of these characters. Sara and the others are not just cinematic "cannon fodder"; they are characters with whom, despite their faults, w