Reviews (87)

Good Entertainment if not Historically Correct
I enjoyed this movie. If you read all the newspapers seems like all the critics want to do, is criticize Disney for claiming it is based on a true story. Well if I remember correctly, if a movie is all true, it is probably a documentary. Hollywood always takes libertys with the truth in the sake of good entertainment. There is even one website devoted totally to trashing anything about Mr. Hopkins. Regardless I liked it!
Viggo Mortensen plays Frank T. Hopkins, mostly just a lover of horses, but happens to have gotten a nice mustang named Hidalgo, a horse known for his fortitude. After an incident at Wounded Knee, and a stint in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Mr Hopkins is propositioned by a few gentleman about competing in an endurance race of 3000 miles across the Middle Eastern deserts. His mates in the Wild West show chip in the entry fee, and off he goes. Encounters with many cultures and sandstorms , thirst, thievery, kidnapping, murder etc; follow. Viggo's performance is good, although much different than Lord of the Rings. Check out the performance by Omar Shariff, playing the Sheik of Sheiks. A good escapist movie in the realm of Indiana Jones et. all.

Good, old fashioned adventure in a faraway place
Last year, we had MASTER AND COMMANDER: FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, old-time adventure epics produced just for pure fun (and box office receipts, of course) and lacking any overt social or political correctness agendas. Now, we have HIDALGO.

Frank Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen) is one of the acts in Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show on the basis of his reputation as the world's greatest cross-country horse racer. But Frank, the son of a U.S. Army scout and an Indian woman, is drinking himself out of a job, tortured by self-guilt over a tangential and relatively innocent association with the Army's massacre of Native Americans at Wounded Knee. Hopkins is challenged by an Arab sheik to participate in a grueling, 1000-year old horse race across the deserts of the Middle East. To redeem his self-esteem, Frank signs-on with his horse, Hidalgo, a mixed-breed Spanish mustang. Arriving in Arabia, Hopkins is despised by the locals for his infidel status, while Hidalgo's small size and lineage are held in contempt relative to the purebreds he's running against.

Omar Sharif appears as Sheik Riyadh, the Sheik of Sheiks whose own stallion is the favored entry in the race. (I guess Omar has been wandering the desert these past 42 years since appearing in a similar role in the sandblown epic LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. He looks weathered.) Zuleika Robinson plays the sheik's daughter, Jazira, unnecessary to the plot except that she provides Frank with a Damsel in Distress to rescue, but little else.

HIDALGO is perhaps 15-20 minutes over-extended. The Jazira In Peril bit could've been left in the digital-editing trashcan quite handily without sacrificing too much of a story that's otherwise everything anybody could want in escapist entertainment for the whole family.

The real darling of the film is, of course, Hidalgo, who pluckily braves a host of perils to win the prize purse: sandstorm, concealed pit with sharpened stakes, attack leopards, sniper, horde of locusts, broiling sun, blistering heat, and human treachery. (Hmm. Sounds like my hometown on a daily basis.) By the movie's conclusion, you just want to take Hidalgo home with you and to hell with zoning ordinances.

Not that impressed
My biggest mistake was probably going into the theater with high expectations, and by the end of the movie, i was thoroughly disappointed. I expected more action, and a more interesting storyline. Sure, there were some really cool scenes, but most of those can be seen in the theatrical trailer, so there were no surprises there. I found the dialog to be boring, especially with Viggo Mortensen's monotone voice. Also, since I have never really been a horse lover, i haven't really been interested in horse-racing, which the whole story revolves around. Some people will really like this movie, but as for me, i would much prefer to see Viggo in LOTR.

Great western with a twist
I loved this movie so much. This movie reminded me of all those westerns my dad would watch when I was younger. Finally an adventure movie WITHOUT the language, lame acting, poor story line, & over done special effects. It reminds me of "Quigley Down Under" only better. This movie has breathtaking shots throughout and a solid lead character. And did I mention Viggo is hecka fine in it! Don't pass up this one. Get it! Do it! Do it!

Hottie
Viggo Mortensen is a hottie!!!!!!!!!!!!! And so is Hidalgo!(but mostly Viggo!) The tower boy is kinda cute too! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Get shot in the head and become a better person. This 1991 Mike Nichols(Wolf) film stars Harrison Ford as a big-shot cold-hearted lawyer who gets a bullet in his brain during a holdup. The film de-emphasizes the traumas of recovery to focus on the title character's personality change after the fact. The canny Ford gets to work from his full, familiar palette of arrogance to boyishness, and even builds Henry from top to bottom after the wounded fellow awakens with no memory. But this is a slow and unremarkable film from Nichols, its sentimentality eclipsing all else, most of all profound insight.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (39)

In case you missed this movie...
This isn't one of Harrison Ford's bigger hits, but it should be, at least within the dramatic genre. Sure, he's Indiana Jones, and he's Han Solo, but outside of those series, Ford's movie choices have occasionally left this fan, at least, scratching her head (Sabrina? What were you thinking!?).

"Regarding Henry" is a rare little gem of a story, a simple film about a man whose life changes, believe it or not, for the better when he's shot and nearly killed by dint of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Ford's Henry Turner takes us through a life he doesn't remember, including a daughter and a wife played by an impossibly young and fresh-faced Annette Bening.

Sure, it's a little sentimental. But it's a pretty simple story with a positive feel. Filmed on location in New York City, the Manhattan scenery is rather delightful as well.

It's not film noir, it's not a tour de force of characterization, and no, it's not Academy Award winning screenwriting. But it is a thoroughly enjoyable movie, one Ford doesn't have any reason to be ashamed of.

Sometimes the worst curse is your truest blessing
Despite being less well known, "Regarding Henry" is one of Harrison Ford's best works. The film demands a wide spectrum from this great actor and he delivers convincingly. For the most part, the other performers take their cue from Ford's "Henry" and render a near perfect glimpse of a life that could have been.

The tile character, Henry Turner, is introduced to us as a top-flight litigator for a large New York legal firm. He is well groomed, dressed in a designer suit and he is seen speaking sincerely to a jury about human desires and justice. Our opinion of him changes as soon as Henry leaves the court. He quickly makes a call to his interior designer to berate her for having the wrong table delivered to his palatial home. He is just another lawyer, after all.

It is hard to watch this movie at the start. Henry is one of those men we all love to hate. He is selfish, self centered, successful and confident. His daughter is frightened of him and his wife is a pale reflection of him. Luckily we are not forced to watch this Henry for very long. He makes the classic movie exit and "goes out for some cigarettes."

What follows is a scene that is perfectly directed. Henry walks into a corner store demanding his brand of cigarettes, unaware that the other patron is robbing the owner. Henry does not become scared but before he can even attempt to control the situation, he is lying on the sidewalk with two bullets inside his body and the wail of approaching sirens in the background. This event is the cusp of Henry's life.

Annette Bening plays Henry's Wife, Sarah. She may not be in love with her husband anymore but she needs him. As her financial position becomes clear, she realizes she needs him very much. But she is not unaffected by it all. This is the man in her life, the father of her child, a good provider and protector. Seeing him lying motionless in a hospital bed, drooling and staring vacantly, is probably the most painful thing she has ever experienced. But there is some hope of recovery.

Henry's long rejuvenation at a specialty medical center is like a rebirth. He remembers nothing, coming into his new world without the power of speech or the ability to walk. His midwife/physiotherapist, Bradley, is wonderful. He is full of life, energy and enthusiasm. As Henry is taught to walk and speak and function, Bradely becomes the mainstay of his life. Sarah keeps her distance and Henry doesn't get to see his daughter, (Rachel), at all until the day he is deemed fit to go home, a scary separation from the only people he trusts.

But the Henry that returns to a home he barely remembers, is not the same man that left for cigarettes. He is a little shy, very calm, forgiving, gentle and above all, nice. His transformation is interpreted in different ways by different groups. The movie serves as an interesting depiction of how society views disabilities. His boss is patronizing, his daughter delighted, his mistress is distraught and for the longest time, Sarah doesn't know what to feel.

The ending may be predictable but in this case, it is the journey that we love. Most of us feel we have lost our innocence and that our honor has been a little tarnished by life's decisions. Henry takes us on a trip to see what might happen if we surrendered all the hard won prizes in our life and instead, chose to embrace life itself. This is a film that will make you feel. Some days, that's just what we need.

RITZ!
a great movie. even if you dont like drama i think you will like this one. its about harrison ford gets shot in the head and has to go to rehad to learn how to speak and work again so he can go home to his wife and kid. its not is most knowen movie but still a great one

Worth Seeing
I know this movie was not a big hit when it came out but it is really a good film. Harrison Ford is great as one of his most likeable characters that I have seen him portray. Henry, a corrupt lawyer who withholds evidence when his client is obviously guilty and a womanizer is seriously injured in a robbery. When he comes to, he has lost his memory and has to be re-taught just about everything. His teacher is a very virtuous man, who teaches Henry to enjoy the good things in life (Henry loves most of all Ritz crackers). Thus the mean, cheating Henry who forced his daughter to remain at a boarding school that she hates, is suddenly transformed into a kind man who cares about everybody's feelings.

Eventually, he figures out that the Henry he once was was a horrible person and he hopes never to go back to that life.

Annette Benning is great and beautiful as the wife that had an uncaring husband who all of a sudden loves her more than anything. She has to decide if she is ready to leave the life they led with other uncaring and obnoxious friends.

Priceless scenes, especially those involving Henry and his secretary!

AT LEAST THE FILM'S HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE..
A hotshot, hyper-workaholic lawyer finds himself in the middle of an accidental shootout, loses his memory, and lo and behold, his world goes topsy turvy. Quite predictably, as is the case with pretty much every scene in this feel-good Oscar bait, the man turns over a new leaf, becomes a good father, a conscientious husband and a decent human being. Yawn.

The movie's slowly unfurling narrative and its high predictability levels could have made it a skippable fare, but Ford's rendition of amnesia is moving, and Annette Bening's performance is very impressive. An occasional saving grace is also the music, if you have an ear for that kind of stuff.

Recommended rental. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Mike Judge, the creator and voice of MTV's insouciant Beavis and Butt-head characters, made his feature film directorial debut with this full-length B&B misadventure, which finds the boys going on a cross-country adventure after their all-important television set is stolen. Fans of the now-defunct TV show will obviously enjoy this film the most, though almost anyone with a passing awareness of the characters will find something to chuckle about. (The funniest recurring gag finds beleaguered B&B neighbor Tom Anderson constantly sabotaged by the guys while on vacation.) Celebrity voices are fun to pick out, particularly that of David Letterman, who rather appropriately plays Butt-head's long-lost father. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (60)

it ROCKS, it ROCKS
The funniest thing about this feature-length release from MTV's mid-1990s animated poster children is how well-done it was. The story is simple, and silly in spots, but well told. It's a typical Beavis & Butt-Head tale writ large, with developed characters and enough sight gags and plot twists to keep the whole family interested.

"Beavis and Butt-Head Do America' could almost be called wholesome family entertainment in this post- "South Park" world. Indeed, the...fire references that were considered over the top in 1996 when this movie first came out seem almost quaint compared to movies like "South Park: Bigger, Louder & Uncut" which pushed the envelope much further.

The only problem I see are the scarcity of bonus materials on the DVD edition. All you're getting is the movie and little extra. Buy it anyway, the movie's good enough by itself.

Is this a God dam? Hehhehheh
I love this movie! My favorite thing about B&B is that no matter how dumb they get,the writing is always very intelligent...a point that is overlooked far too often.Of course fun is the main factor when watching B&B,and no,it shouldn't be taken seriously,but I hate when these snobbish yuppie types get on their high-horses and dismiss it as unintelligent,because it is everything but that! Major gripes aside,let's get down to business.I'm not gonna reveal any details about the movie,for those of you who havn't seen it yet.All I'm gonna say is that it's absolutely HILARIOUS,and very well-written...crude and low-brow of course,but that's the whole point! The show was literaly the official show of my childhood (it started when I was 8,and ended only months before I turned 13),and the movie is everything the show was,and then some.So,if you like crude but intelligent humor,and you're prepared to laugh your gluteus maximus off,then by all means check out "Beavis and Butt-head Do America".Oh,by the way,my review title is taken from one of Beavis's lines (and I didn't misspell "dam"...you'll see what I mean when you watch the movie). -Peace-

A Great Movie!!!
A long time ago, my dad and mom bought this movie and they said a lot of people were buying this. So I watched it. And I didn't remember a lot of it. When I was older I was understanding it. so I watched this over and over because it was very good.

Two stupid teens, Beavis [Mike Judge] and Butt-head [Mike Judge] had discovered their tv is stolen. then Butt-head go search for their TV. Then they go stealing the school's TV and then they get caught from the Principal [Mike Judge]. Then the 2 teens visit a guy [B. Willis] and do his wife [???].
Mike Judge directs this movie and does most of the voices. He does Beavis, Butt-head, Tom Anderson, Principal McVicker, others.

This movie is very funny. I would reccomend it to many people.
I would give it a 5 if it would have more humor in it.

Beavis & Butt-Head RULE!!!
Alot of people today seem to have forgotten Beavis & Butt-Head. People today usually restrict themselves to The Simpsons or South Park. Although those shows are EXTREMELY hilarious, we must never forget the crazy antics of Beavis & Butt-Head. Because without Beavis & Butt-Head, shows like South Park would probably never exist. Matt Stone & Trey Parker (creators of South Park) themselves said that they like Beavis & Butt-Head. And there would CERTAINLY be no King of the Hill without Beavis & Butt-Head. If you have seen little to no Beavis & Butt-Head in your life, then you are truly deprived of really funny comedy. Mike Judge (creator of Beavis & Butt-Head and King of the Hill) is a very funny person with very good ideas, and this movie proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

For those of you who don't know, Beavis & Butt-Head are two very stupid yet very funny teenagers who are completely perverted and who are obsessed with heavy metal bands such as AC/DC and Metallica. Their crazy antics affect their life at home, at school, at stores, and basically everywhere. If you don't think they are funny from just this description, buy this movie and your attitude will change COMPLETELY!

Beavis & Butt-Head Do America is basically Beavis & Butt-Head on a roadtrip across America. After their T.V. is stolen, they are somehow thrown into an international conspiracy dealing with two criminal masterminds and a virus that is inside a computer-chip-like object. While they are being thrown into all this, they are prooclaimed the most dangerous men in America. And while the FBI is after them, they are blissfully unaware of what is going on. I don't want to give away what actually happens in the movie, but I will say that their journey takes them from their home town of Highland to Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam, a church, the Old Faithful geiser, the middle of a desert, and Washington D.C..

All in all, this movie is one of my favorite comedy movies of all time. This movie deserves a place right next to South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut in your personal VHS/DVD library. If you like comedy like South Park and The Simpsons, then you will definately like Beavis & Butt-Head and ultimately...Beavis & Butt-Head Do America.

HEHEHEHEHEHE HUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUH
I think like most people who have purchased this DVD are ike me, and love the movie, it truely is a classic comedy. But the DVD could have done with more bonus features.

I was hoping that maybe Mike Judge would do an Audio commentary? I could imagine quite clearly the opening credits rolling, and Mike saying that persons name, and then Beavis and Butthead saying somthign like "shes a s**t" and "I scored with her" and all the other classic things that Beavis and Butthead would say.

Plus there is apperently delted scenes that are not on this DVD. This movie is great. But the DVD should have more features then just a couple of trailers. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful, Real, Sad, Profound
Four simple stories to touch the heart. In black and white,shot on location, real immigrants playing the parts, this film probably cost next to nothing to make but is a testament to what film can be. It is worth a thousand big budget blockbusters.

One of the few movies that changed my life
This movie is so moving and so provocative that I have yet to see a movie this good since I saw this one in 1998. Riker uses the techniques of neo-realist Italian cinema to tell 4 poigant stories concerning the lives of Latino immigrants. Each story focuses on characters of different ages and genders, but they share the same struggle to survive in New York's lower east side. There are fables, there are tragedies, but more importantly there is an endurance that the old man, the day-laborors, the seamstresses, and the couple put forth in a ghetto they call America. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Annabella Sciorra plays a Manhattan shrink with a couple of particularly troubling patients. The most haunting is a woman (Deborah Unger) with unusually kinky sexual tastes; Sciorra gets gooned out when she realizes that her new boyfriend (Jamey Sheridan) is the same guy her patient has been seeing. And when the patient winds up dead, Sciorra begins looking slantwise at her boyfriend. Unfortunately, despite some spooky mood setting, this psychological thriller goes in circles and ends up nowhere, thanks to the implausible stretches of writer-director Christopher Crowe's script. Sciorra seems hollow at the film's center, though Sheridan brings a certain scary charisma to his boyfriend role and Alan Alda is solid as her psychiatric mentor. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Hey, it's good. Honest.
I don't know why reviewers were so harsh with this film. It was interesting and entertaining, and it kept me quessing, even though the other contributers on this page gave away the ending without warning of "spoilers." I recommend this film when you are not in the mood for the latest "critical success/oscar contender," preferring instead a nifty little mystery. It gets points also for having a straightforward ending, and not one of this twists where you go "huh?"

Problematic
Unger nailed her part as an obsessive patient perfectly but Sciorra seems to blunder around this film, not suspecting her mentor until the very end. I would think that if you could suspect your boyfirend so quickly and see that his face wasn't exactly real you would suspect everyone. Instead of goign that route, it makes her tunnel focused on teh always charismatic Sheridan as teh main suspect.
Great actors, with a story that doesn't quite shock.

Bottom of the barrel
Recent Soprano mistress, Annabella Sciorra plays a Manhattan therapist who gets in a complete mess and a murderous tangle with a new boyfriend and patient. The plot in this film is just absurd. It is a mess and you find your self screaming at Sciorra not to be such an idiot. The detective is not much better and the conclusion looks tacked on. Not a good whodunnit. Not much of anything.

It has a good cast, but the script is hopeless. The plot makes no sense, Sciorra breaks every ethical rule of therapy and the whole film is a waste of time. I do not think this will make an Alan Alda retrospective. Infact most of the cast have gone onto better things and that is the best you can say about it.

These Whispers are Not Much Fun
A number of characters in this movies are sexually disturbed, and it is a matter of guessing which one of them is a killer. I won't give away the plot, but, somewhat predictably, none of the patients are guilty. And the real killer documents his crimes on tape so diligently that you have to wonder if this detail is an intentional insult directed to the audience. The movie is occasionally sexy, but unfortuantely, some moments are also nauseatingly grusome. All in all, this thriller is neither that thrilling, nor exciting.

This Film is Whispering to be Remade
WHISPERS IN THE DARK has a terrific screenplay. It's an overlooked gem of a plot. In the claustrophobic world of New York upperclass psychiatrists, there are doctor-patient intrigues, patient-patient intrigues, and doctor-doctor intrigues. Like walking through a minefield. The author not only manages to keep them all in the air at the same time, but adds in a murder mystery with genuine surprises like a classical whodunnit. At the end of the movie I felt like standing up and shouting "REMAKE!" except it would have been futile because I was watching the VHS tape alone. The Hollywood moguls missed a good bet when they underfinanced this script. Christopher Crowe, who wrote the brilliant script, just isn't a brilliant director. You can tell because he had a superstar, Alan Alda, and got a lot less out of him than Alda could have delivered. The rest of the cast wasn't star quality. Leonard Maltin says there were "standout performances," but I have to disagree. Just imagine what a huge hit this film would be if it had a great director and a cast of real actors like Sharon Stone or Nicole Kidman in the female lead, Elliot Gould in the Alan Alda role (not that Gould is a better actor than Alda, but he can be more menacing), and William Hurt as co-star. In fact, I think this movie will be remade some day--the story is just that good! Meanwhile, should you see it? Indeed yes, if you like a well-plotted tale moderately-well told. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

BRAVO
I'm a major fan of Kiefer Sutherland and I would like to say his performance was excellent. I would recommend this movie to everyone. It has a very touching story with a happy ending. ... Read more

Amazon.com

New York director Susan Seidelman, who made the delicious Desperately Seeking Susan, ran into a critical buzz saw with this follow-up film, which is actually a smart and cleverly acted little comedy about the battle of the sexes. Performance artist Ann Magnuson plays a commercial whiz who is hired to market a new, almost human android to the buying public. The scientist who created him (John Malkovich) is an antisocial nerd, but the robot (also Malkovich) is exactly what any woman would want: sensitive, caring, eager to please, and willing to listen. This leads Magnuson, who is repelled by the creator, to fall for the creation--but what do you do when you fall in love with a man-made man? Malkovich is delightfully loopy, while Magnuson brings snap and vigor to this role. Definitely better than its reputation. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great under-rated FLICK!
This is a GREAT UNDER-RATED little 80's flick that I think more peolpe would enjoy if they just gave it a chance! All of the characters are so great and funny! I've never heard of Ann Magnusen but let me just say that she's great! So is John Malkovich! He plays 2 completely different charcters and does it very well! So just give this movie a chance! If I liked it, I'm sure you would too!

An 80's comic masterpiece!
This movie is absolutely hilarious, with moments that make you laugh out loud. I saw this movie when I was younger and I loved it. It's the type of movie, that after you're done watching it, just makes you feel good. Ann Magnuson is spectcular, her character is trendy, sexy and witty. John Malkovitch shines in this movie. It's one of the few performances of his that I do enjoy. Laurie Metcalf is dynomite! A VERY under-rated actress, Laurie is an incredibly funny woman and a true master of her craft. She steals the movie in her portayal of Sandra. "I told you to call me Sandy!!!!!!"

Dumb
Overall, I did not care for this movie.

There are some very good things about it though. The music is great and there are some very funny scenes in it. John Malkovich does an excellent job with the two different personalities - the android and the doctor.

The acting of the other actors is very poor though and overall the movie was corny and pretty dumb.

A grate movie
I loved this movie it was funny and interging. I love this movie. and I say this is a must see.

What a sweet, little, feel-good piece of comedy!
This is a really great movie, worth seeing if only to witness John Malkovich playing against type. In the dual role of both the creator and creation, Malkovich is careful to keep their personalities entirely separate. Whilst Dr Peters is arrogant and dispassionate, Ulysses is gentle and sensitive. I love the way the android grows during the course of the movie, from child-like innocence to loving tenderness. The movie keeps you guessing to a certain extent as to who Ann Magnuson's character will end up with, but it is great how it all comes to a head in that magical scene, when the two of them kiss for the first time. It is deeply moving and gently humourous, with neither outweighing the other. See it! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Great under-rated FLICK!
This is a GREAT UNDER-RATED little 80's flick that I think more peolpe would enjoy if they just gave it a chance! All of the characters are so great and funny! I've never heard of Ann Magnusen but let me just say that she's great! So is John Malkovich! He plays 2 completely different charcters and does it very well! So just give this movie a chance! If I liked it, I'm sure you would too!

An 80's comic masterpiece!
This movie is absolutely hilarious, with moments that make you laugh out loud. I saw this movie when I was younger and I loved it. It's the type of movie, that after you're done watching it, just makes you feel good. Ann Magnuson is spectcular, her character is trendy, sexy and witty. John Malkovitch shines in this movie. It's one of the few performances of his that I do enjoy. Laurie Metcalf is dynomite! A VERY under-rated actress, Laurie is an incredibly funny woman and a true master of her craft. She steals the movie in her portayal of Sandra. "I told you to call me Sandy!!!!!!"

Dumb
Overall, I did not care for this movie.

There are some very good things about it though. The music is great and there are some very funny scenes in it. John Malkovich does an excellent job with the two different personalities - the android and the doctor.

The acting of the other actors is very poor though and overall the movie was corny and pretty dumb.

A grate movie
I loved this movie it was funny and interging. I love this movie. and I say this is a must see.

What a sweet, little, feel-good piece of comedy!
This is a really great movie, worth seeing if only to witness John Malkovich playing against type. In the dual role of both the creator and creation, Malkovich is careful to keep their personalities entirely separate. Whilst Dr Peters is arrogant and dispassionate, Ulysses is gentle and sensitive. I love the way the android grows during the course of the movie, from child-like innocence to loving tenderness. The movie keeps you guessing to a certain extent as to who Ann Magnuson's character will end up with, but it is great how it all comes to a head in that magical scene, when the two of them kiss for the first time. It is deeply moving and gently humourous, with neither outweighing the other. See it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It seems that thrillers these days--even good ones--are all about scene-chewing bad guys, cute retorts fit for the Dennis Miller show, and one big special effect to end the movie. Well, something like The Peacemaker, the first feature film from DreamWorks, puts the record straight. Here is an expertly paced thriller with a sensible villain, smart instead of cute dialogue, and a focus on action instead of special effects. It's not original, just solid. It's the second of these energetic and effective thrillers that writer Michael Schiffer (Crimson Tide) has penned. The White House Nuclear Smuggling Group tracks down 10 stolen nuclear bombs after a suspicious train wreck in Russia. The acting head of the department (Nicole Kidman) and her military field officer (George Clooney) are off to Europe to track down the bombs. Instead of a Gary Oldman-Bruce Dern madman, The Peacemaker's heavy is an unknown Romanian actor (Marcul Iures) playing a Bosnian rebel who works passionately and quietly. This may be a popcorn movie, but it uses the ripe emotions of the Bosnian War to create tension. This is the best film vehicle yet for the overwhelming charisma of George Clooney as a quick witted, generally warm Oliver North type who will seek deadly vengeance without pause. He's matched very well by the professional polish of Nicole Kidman who is showing great flexibility in dividing her roles between serious and fun fare. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (67)

3 1/2 Stars
I do wish that we could do the half star rating here. Anyway when I first saw this movie I wasn't really impressed with it. But I was at the end of seven long years in the Army and I was tired of all things military. A week ago I gave it a second chance. Now, many months after leaving the Green Machine, I find this movie is better then I remember. Like the first review said this isn't a big scale, over the top, Hollywood action flick. The bad guys are believable and some are even sympathetic, to a point. The special effects are subdued, the writing is brisk, the suspense is constant and the soundtrack is invigorating. Actually I found it preferable to the Joel Silver and Jerry Bruckheimer school of action films. George Clooney plays a somewhat arrogant, but charming hero is also capable of being very deadly. Nicole Kidman does a capable job playing an academic who arises to the emergency at hand. Nowhere in the movie is there superhuman heroics or larger than life bad guys. This isn't a masterpiece but it is a nice way to pass the evening.A Tom Clancy story without the verbosity. Or to paraphrase another reviewer it's like the Day of the Jackal only better made.

VERY refreshing spec ops piece
This is the most refreshing action movie I've seen in a while. Forget the critics: director Mimi Leder has delivered a very credible film. The strategic premise is realistic, and the action scenes are hot, thanks to the inspired casting of George Clooney as Special Forces colonel Devoe.

Clooney is completely unlike the sad special operatives that Hollywood has been doping us with. He's no Rambo at a funeral, no tortured soul, no reluctant anti-hero full of dark secrets, ambiguities, or self-doubt.

Instead, he reminds me of certain Navy SEALs I've met: intelligent, cocky, self-assured, grinning. Ready for immediate action. Direct, practical, and unhesitating in dealing out whatever destruction and demolition will get the job done ... fast. Clooney's character metes out punishment equally well in military and civilian settings, and he is VERY clear about why he does what he does. The man has energy and snap.

If you like the fast, decisive action of special operations, do yourself a favor and check out The Peacemaker. Bear with the muddled plot; the hard action scenes are worth the wait. The fact that overweight film critics didn't like the movie, shouldn't trouble you in the slightest. They're paid to sit in armchairs and pontificate. This movie was made for you, not for them.

Excuse me I hate to keep interrupting
While 1997's prescient "Peacemaker" is a piercing wakeup call with early echoes of 9-11 and weapons of mass destruction, it is also an instrument of propaganda that could easily have oozed out of America's trigger-happy military-industrial complex. But it also goes beyond both of these cliches to try to achieve an understanding of the subverted forces fighting each other in our ever churning world.

Politics not withstanding, this is just about the finest, tightest thriller I have ever seen, and extremely fast paced. It was Dreamworks' first major thriller, a home run that vaults way out of the ballpark! They did it right. Congratulations to Mimi Leder for a first rate job. Among the many German crew members, Hans Zimmer's score is one of his best. Or anyone's best, complete with full choir.

From first frame to last, Peacemaker is a film of razor-sharp pacing, superb casting, spectacular stunts, and incredible locations. It stimulates the brain on the most primitive and sophisticated levels, as the best films should -- a sensory delight of sound, music, facial expressions, graphic action, and delightful camerawork, and crisp and often funny use of language.

I found this film totally believable. From a standpoint of cast, script, and score, we clearly have here a labor of love.

First, let's talk about George Clooney as Lt. Colonel Tom Devoe. Clooney's never been in anything this good before or since. Mimi Leder brings out the best in George. His role summons superlative comparisons such as Alec Baldwin in Red October. Or William Shatner as Captain Kirk. Will the feat ever be repeated? Heroes like this don't come along every day.

Clooney is in his element, whether screaming expletives into a helicopter radio, or testifying before a congressional committee.

I nominate Clooney's peak moments in the film were when he 1) "excuse me I hate to keep interrupting" in the congressional briefing and 2) when he captures those warheads on the Russian bridge. Righteous! He has the most important neck of any actor in Hollywood, living or dead.

Kidman, with her sharp, aggressive, professional feminity, lights up the screen! Sorry, there just wasn't time for romance or love in this life-threatening story.

From the moody richness of a a train chugging through the dark Ukrainian forest, to the crowded streets of New York, Peacemaker is rich in imagery and texture.

Look closely. There are no extras. Nothing is generic or stock. Everyone on the screen, from lead actor to those many people in the background, render perfectly convincing performances! Even minor non-speaking roles were delivered with utter authenticity.

After the sensational Mercedes car chase in Vienna and the helicopter pursuit in Russia, the pursuit of Bosnian diplomat Dusan Gavrich in the streets of New York brings the film to it's desparate climax.

The only thing I found hokey and overblown was when the Russian General Aleksandr Kodoroff first steps out of his vehicle in the smoky train station; it seemed rather staged.

But forget that. This is one of the best thrillers ever made. Intelligent, thought provoking, and precise.

Basically, George Clooney portraying Oliver North
The is a good, solid political thriller. It's probably the best of that sub-genre that does not involve Tom Clancy in some capacity.

The most interesting thing, perhaps, about the movie is to see a diehard liberal like George Clooney play a character based EXACTLY on Ollie North, right down to mannerisms and hair. I guess this film proves ol' George can act after all...

One I've watched over and over
I've owned this movie for years. I seem to find myself reaching for it whenever I can't make up my mind on what to watch. I think it is George Clooney's finest film. I'm an avid action movie fan and this one just never gets old. There are very few slow spots and even they add to the story instead of leaving you sighing because you want it to get on with it. I don't usually review movies but this is one that I feel pretty strongly about. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys movies that you want to watch more than once. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Street Art - Live And In Color
Laurence Fishburne has displayed his talent as an actor in films since the mid 70's. He has memorable performances in the Matrix series and Apocalypse Now and less memorable in Cornbread, Earl, and Me. The point is he has done them and survived in the fickle world of film making.

Now Fishburne writes. This script is not to for the tender ear but if you want to take a walk in the world of the hoodlum and you want to take in style, this film is a delight. The characters are well developed and the plot pulls you right in the room with them.

Emmonn Walker and Titus Welliver put on very good performances as best friend and half brother. The fact that Titus is a white guy makes the half brother thing alittle humorous but it works really well.

The sets were downtown and colorful. The feel was beleivable but at the same time somewhat surreal. I loved the graffitti scenes while Tony was reciting poetry. It shouldn't have fit in a somewhat violent film about a drug steal gone bad; but it did.

Very fine film!

A must-see for Titus Welliver fans
Finally an opportunity for Titus Welliver to let his exceptional skills as an actor sparkle. His portrait of Torch, 20/20 Mike's dangerous, scared and increasingly suffering brother, is so intense and captivating, it makes you forget that you are watching a movie. I don't know why he has not been considered for an Academy Award; he certainly would have deserved it.

This is not an easy movie to watch, but the cast, the story and Laurence Fishburne's talent as a story-teller makes it a breathtaking experience for those who enjoy theatrical cinema. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

3 1/2 Stars
I do wish that we could do the half star rating here. Anyway when I first saw this movie I wasn't really impressed with it. But I was at the end of seven long years in the Army and I was tired of all things military. A week ago I gave it a second chance. Now, many months after leaving the Green Machine, I find this movie is better then I remember. Like the first review said this isn't a big scale, over the top, Hollywood action flick. The bad guys are believable and some are even sympathetic, to a point. The special effects are subdued, the writing is brisk, the suspense is constant and the soundtrack is invigorating. Actually I found it preferable to the Joel Silver and Jerry Bruckheimer school of action films. George Clooney plays a somewhat arrogant, but charming hero is also capable of being very deadly. Nicole Kidman does a capable job playing an academic who arises to the emergency at hand. Nowhere in the movie is there superhuman heroics or larger than life bad guys. This isn't a masterpiece but it is a nice way to pass the evening.A Tom Clancy story without the verbosity. Or to paraphrase another reviewer it's like the Day of the Jackal only better made.

VERY refreshing spec ops piece
This is the most refreshing action movie I've seen in a while. Forget the critics: director Mimi Leder has delivered a very credible film. The strategic premise is realistic, and the action scenes are hot, thanks to the inspired casting of George Clooney as Special Forces colonel Devoe.

Clooney is completely unlike the sad special operatives that Hollywood has been doping us with. He's no Rambo at a funeral, no tortured soul, no reluctant anti-hero full of dark secrets, ambiguities, or self-doubt.

Instead, he reminds me of certain Navy SEALs I've met: intelligent, cocky, self-assured, grinning. Ready for immediate action. Direct, practical, and unhesitating in dealing out whatever destruction and demolition will get the job done ... fast. Clooney's character metes out punishment equally well in military and civilian settings, and he is VERY clear about why he does what he does. The man has energy and snap.

If you like the fast, decisive action of special operations, do yourself a favor and check out The Peacemaker. Bear with the muddled plot; the hard action scenes are worth the wait. The fact that overweight film critics didn't like the movie, shouldn't trouble you in the slightest. They're paid to sit in armchairs and pontificate. This movie was made for you, not for them.

Excuse me I hate to keep interrupting
While 1997's prescient "Peacemaker" is a piercing wakeup call with early echoes of 9-11 and weapons of mass destruction, it is also an instrument of propaganda that could easily have oozed out of America's trigger-happy military-industrial complex. But it also goes beyond both of these cliches to try to achieve an understanding of the subverted forces fighting each other in our ever churning world.

Politics not withstanding, this is just about the finest, tightest thriller I have ever seen, and extremely fast paced. It was Dreamworks' first major thriller, a home run that vaults way out of the ballpark! They did it right. Congratulations to Mimi Leder for a first rate job. Among the many German crew members, Hans Zimmer's score is one of his best. Or anyone's best, complete with full choir.

From first frame to last, Peacemaker is a film of razor-sharp pacing, superb casting, spectacular stunts, and incredible locations. It stimulates the brain on the most primitive and sophisticated levels, as the best films should -- a sensory delight of sound, music, facial expressions, graphic action, and delightful camerawork, and crisp and often funny use of language.

I found this film totally believable. From a standpoint of cast, script, and score, we clearly have here a labor of love.

First, let's talk about George Clooney as Lt. Colonel Tom Devoe. Clooney's never been in anything this good before or since. Mimi Leder brings out the best in George. His role summons superlative comparisons such as Alec Baldwin in Red October. Or William Shatner as Captain Kirk. Will the feat ever be repeated? Heroes like this don't come along every day.

Clooney is in his element, whether screaming expletives into a helicopter radio, or testifying before a congressional committee.

I nominate Clooney's peak moments in the film were when he 1) "excuse me I hate to keep interrupting" in the congressional briefing and 2) when he captures those warheads on the Russian bridge. Righteous! He has the most important neck of any actor in Hollywood, living or dead.

Kidman, with her sharp, aggressive, professional feminity, lights up the screen! Sorry, there just wasn't time for romance or love in this life-threatening story.

From the moody richness of a a train chugging through the dark Ukrainian forest, to the crowded streets of New York, Peacemaker is rich in imagery and texture.

Look closely. There are no extras. Nothing is generic or stock. Everyone on the screen, from lead actor to those many people in the background, render perfectly convincing performances! Even minor non-speaking roles were delivered with utter authenticity.

After the sensational Mercedes car chase in Vienna and the helicopter pursuit in Russia, the pursuit of Bosnian diplomat Dusan Gavrich in the streets of New York brings the film to it's desparate climax.

The only thing I found hokey and overblown was when the Russian General Aleksandr Kodoroff first steps out of his vehicle in the smoky train station; it seemed rather staged.

But forget that. This is one of the best thrillers ever made. Intelligent, thought provoking, and precise.

Basically, George Clooney portraying Oliver North
The is a good, solid political thriller. It's probably the best of that sub-genre that does not involve Tom Clancy in some capacity.

The most interesting thing, perhaps, about the movie is to see a diehard liberal like George Clooney play a character based EXACTLY on Ollie North, right down to mannerisms and hair. I guess this film proves ol' George can act after all...

One I've watched over and over
I've owned this movie for years. I seem to find myself reaching for it whenever I can't make up my mind on what to watch. I think it is George Clooney's finest film. I'm an avid action movie fan and this one just never gets old. There are very few slow spots and even they add to the story instead of leaving you sighing because you want it to get on with it. I don't usually review movies but this is one that I feel pretty strongly about. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys movies that you want to watch more than once. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Poor Calista!
This is a truly terrible movie and the only reason that it got released on video at all is that Calista Flockhart got famous! Save your money!

"Sexy, surreal and entirely original..."
Sexy surreal and entirely original, "Milk & Money" is the kind of film that is nearly impossible to pull off and yet somehow writer/director Michael Bergmann manages to do so with great success.

David (Robert Petkoff), a recent medical school dropout, is walking casually down a New York City street. Within moments, two different women --utter strangers-- have asked David for enormous favors. In each case the amiable david immediately agrees to help. This premise may be preposterous but the acting is so winning and the directing so assured that the viewer is happily drawn into the film. Soon David becomes involved with the relocation of twenty-one cows,a homeless cattle expert (Peter Boyle) and a rich man's mistress (Calista Flockhart) who has a PhD in medieval literature.

Trying to guess how all of these fantastical elements tie together is only one of "Milk & Money"'s gleeful pleasures.

--Hamptons International Film Festival ... Read more

Reviews (39)

In case you missed this movie...
This isn't one of Harrison Ford's bigger hits, but it should be, at least within the dramatic genre. Sure, he's Indiana Jones, and he's Han Solo, but outside of those series, Ford's movie choices have occasionally left this fan, at least, scratching her head (Sabrina? What were you thinking!?).

"Regarding Henry" is a rare little gem of a story, a simple film about a man whose life changes, believe it or not, for the better when he's shot and nearly killed by dint of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Ford's Henry Turner takes us through a life he doesn't remember, including a daughter and a wife played by an impossibly young and fresh-faced Annette Bening.

Sure, it's a little sentimental. But it's a pretty simple story with a positive feel. Filmed on location in New York City, the Manhattan scenery is rather delightful as well.

It's not film noir, it's not a tour de force of characterization, and no, it's not Academy Award winning screenwriting. But it is a thoroughly enjoyable movie, one Ford doesn't have any reason to be ashamed of.

Sometimes the worst curse is your truest blessing
Despite being less well known, "Regarding Henry" is one of Harrison Ford's best works. The film demands a wide spectrum from this great actor and he delivers convincingly. For the most part, the other performers take their cue from Ford's "Henry" and render a near perfect glimpse of a life that could have been.

The tile character, Henry Turner, is introduced to us as a top-flight litigator for a large New York legal firm. He is well groomed, dressed in a designer suit and he is seen speaking sincerely to a jury about human desires and justice. Our opinion of him changes as soon as Henry leaves the court. He quickly makes a call to his interior designer to berate her for having the wrong table delivered to his palatial home. He is just another lawyer, after all.

It is hard to watch this movie at the start. Henry is one of those men we all love to hate. He is selfish, self centered, successful and confident. His daughter is frightened of him and his wife is a pale reflection of him. Luckily we are not forced to watch this Henry for very long. He makes the classic movie exit and "goes out for some cigarettes."

What follows is a scene that is perfectly directed. Henry walks into a corner store demanding his brand of cigarettes, unaware that the other patron is robbing the owner. Henry does not become scared but before he can even attempt to control the situation, he is lying on the sidewalk with two bullets inside his body and the wail of approaching sirens in the background. This event is the cusp of Henry's life.

Annette Bening plays Henry's Wife, Sarah. She may not be in love with her husband anymore but she needs him. As her financial position becomes clear, she realizes she needs him very much. But she is not unaffected by it all. This is the man in her life, the father of her child, a good provider and protector. Seeing him lying motionless in a hospital bed, drooling and staring vacantly, is probably the most painful thing she has ever experienced. But there is some hope of recovery.

Henry's long rejuvenation at a specialty medical center is like a rebirth. He remembers nothing, coming into his new world without the power of speech or the ability to walk. His midwife/physiotherapist, Bradley, is wonderful. He is full of life, energy and enthusiasm. As Henry is taught to walk and speak and function, Bradely becomes the mainstay of his life. Sarah keeps her distance and Henry doesn't get to see his daughter, (Rachel), at all until the day he is deemed fit to go home, a scary separation from the only people he trusts.

But the Henry that returns to a home he barely remembers, is not the same man that left for cigarettes. He is a little shy, very calm, forgiving, gentle and above all, nice. His transformation is interpreted in different ways by different groups. The movie serves as an interesting depiction of how society views disabilities. His boss is patronizing, his daughter delighted, his mistress is distraught and for the longest time, Sarah doesn't know what to feel.

The ending may be predictable but in this case, it is the journey that we love. Most of us feel we have lost our innocence and that our honor has been a little tarnished by life's decisions. Henry takes us on a trip to see what might happen if we surrendered all the hard won prizes in our life and instead, chose to embrace life itself. This is a film that will make you feel. Some days, that's just what we need.

RITZ!
a great movie. even if you dont like drama i think you will like this one. its about harrison ford gets shot in the head and has to go to rehad to learn how to speak and work again so he can go home to his wife and kid. its not is most knowen movie but still a great one

Worth Seeing
I know this movie was not a big hit when it came out but it is really a good film. Harrison Ford is great as one of his most likeable characters that I have seen him portray. Henry, a corrupt lawyer who withholds evidence when his client is obviously guilty and a womanizer is seriously injured in a robbery. When he comes to, he has lost his memory and has to be re-taught just about everything. His teacher is a very virtuous man, who teaches Henry to enjoy the good things in life (Henry loves most of all Ritz crackers). Thus the mean, cheating Henry who forced his daughter to remain at a boarding school that she hates, is suddenly transformed into a kind man who cares about everybody's feelings.

Eventually, he figures out that the Henry he once was was a horrible person and he hopes never to go back to that life.

Annette Benning is great and beautiful as the wife that had an uncaring husband who all of a sudden loves her more than anything. She has to decide if she is ready to leave the life they led with other uncaring and obnoxious friends.

Priceless scenes, especially those involving Henry and his secretary!

AT LEAST THE FILM'S HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE..
A hotshot, hyper-workaholic lawyer finds himself in the middle of an accidental shootout, loses his memory, and lo and behold, his world goes topsy turvy. Quite predictably, as is the case with pretty much every scene in this feel-good Oscar bait, the man turns over a new leaf, becomes a good father, a conscientious husband and a decent human being. Yawn.

The movie's slowly unfurling narrative and its high predictability levels could have made it a skippable fare, but Ford's rendition of amnesia is moving, and Annette Bening's performance is very impressive. An occasional saving grace is also the music, if you have an ear for that kind of stuff.

Recommended rental. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Street Art - Live And In Color
Laurence Fishburne has displayed his talent as an actor in films since the mid 70's. He has memorable performances in the Matrix series and Apocalypse Now and less memorable in Cornbread, Earl, and Me. The point is he has done them and survived in the fickle world of film making.

Now Fishburne writes. This script is not to for the tender ear but if you want to take a walk in the world of the hoodlum and you want to take in style, this film is a delight. The characters are well developed and the plot pulls you right in the room with them.

Emmonn Walker and Titus Welliver put on very good performances as best friend and half brother. The fact that Titus is a white guy makes the half brother thing alittle humorous but it works really well.

The sets were downtown and colorful. The feel was beleivable but at the same time somewhat surreal. I loved the graffitti scenes while Tony was reciting poetry. It shouldn't have fit in a somewhat violent film about a drug steal gone bad; but it did.

Very fine film!

A must-see for Titus Welliver fans
Finally an opportunity for Titus Welliver to let his exceptional skills as an actor sparkle. His portrait of Torch, 20/20 Mike's dangerous, scared and increasingly suffering brother, is so intense and captivating, it makes you forget that you are watching a movie. I don't know why he has not been considered for an Academy Award; he certainly would have deserved it.

This is not an easy movie to watch, but the cast, the story and Laurence Fishburne's talent as a story-teller makes it a breathtaking experience for those who enjoy theatrical cinema. ... Read more