Reviews (62)

And this ain't no bull
Often mentioned as 'one of the best sports movies ever.' I'm gonna go farther and say one of the finest movies of the past 30 years. Ron Shelton directs from his own screenplay. And that screenplay makes modern poets out of baseball players, clever words consistently spewing from the mouths of wanna be Babe Ruths. At its core, the story focuses on the love triangle involving Annie Savoy (Brilliant Susan Sarandon), Crash Davis (Kevin Costner in an unpretentious performance) and Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh (Tim Robbins). And minor league ball is the backdrop which allows for grand slam of well executed comedy and just a touch of pathos. Robert Wuhl's assistant coach is so finely tuned, he can bring you to hysterical tears. The ultimate 'chick flick for guys', Bull Durham is filmmaking at its greatest. The DVD has an informative commentary by Director/writer Ron Shelton (Tin Cup).

the carnival that is baseball
Bull Durham is a near-perfect baseball film. Although I feel it lacks some of the wonder of Costner's field of dreams, there are few films that can match Bull Durham's honest, sometimes gritty but always hilarious look into the carnival that surrounds the national pastime.

What particularly special about Bull Durham are the excellent performances given by the lead actors as well as the supporting cast.

Director Ron Shelton couldn't have asked for better performances from his three lead actors. This movie was made back when Costner could still carry a film. He is in the height of his "everyman" powers here. His portrayal of aging minor league slugger Crash Davis is one for the ages. Susan Sarandon smolders yet somehow manages to retain a certain kind of innocence as the groupie-slash-mentor Annie Savoy. Tim Robbins is outstanding as the hotheaded and somewhat mentally challenged rookie pitcher Nuke Laloosh.

The highlights of the supporting cast are Trey Wilson and Robert Wuhl. They play the manager and pitching coach. Wilson is a pure scene stealer in this movie. He provides some of the movie's greatest lines and tenderest moments. Wuhl is the master of the obvious in his cool, almost straight-man delivery.

Bull Durham, like baseball, is about so much more than baseball. Along the way we are invited to think about both the inane and the deeper issues of life. Annie struggles for meaning, Nuke come of age and even Crash's cynical heart softens a bit.

All of the things listed above, as well as the fact that it is a darn good movie earn Bull Durham my hearty recommendation.

Minor League Baseball Masterpiece
Ron Shelton spent some time in the minor leagues represented in his screenplay for Bull Durham, so he knows about the baseball things represented. But he also clearly has a gifted ear for the tempo of real life, and he knows about hopes and desires and the things that make human beings tick. The setting for this film with the minor league Durham Bulls works, and works perfectly, but the characters, especially among the central love triangle, could just as easily have been traveling salesmen or race drivers or con artists or gangsters.

Susan Sarandon plays Annie Savoy, a slightly older woman who is a Durham Bulls groupie of sorts: once a season she picks out a promising young player and begins an affair with them. During that season the promising young player has the year of his life and gets called up to the big leagues, leaving Annie to look for next year's promising young player.

The Bulls also have a million-dollar prospect of a pitcher with a right arm who the gods reached down and turned into a thunderbolt. He also has less control than a seven year old with hyperactive attention deficit disorder without his Ritalin. He's as likely to throw it over the backstop as throw a strike, although his "stuff" is like Nolan Ryan or Randy Johnson. Tim Robbins brings "Nuke" LaLoosh to life in his best comic performance.

Kevin Costner, in the best of his many baseball-movie appearances, plays "Crash" Davis, a power-hitting catcher with enough talent to be a leader on minor league teams, but only 21 days in "The Show" in years of minor league work. Crash is not only a competent minor league catcher though - he also knows the history of the game, and he knows how to get into the heads of players who have mental blocks preventing them from achieving all they can as baseball players.

Crash, meet Nuke. Both of you - meet Annie.

The dialogue is so witty and sparkling that more than a decade after the film's release, it still shows up frequently in discussions about baseball movies and on ESPN. Crash envies Nuke's god-given talent, and by degrees the clueless Nuke begins to appreciate Crash's baseball wisdom. Annie has the hots for both of them, and they for her, and the way this triangle evolves and resolves makes for a very satisfying baseball movie watching experience.

The movie would be worth watching if only for the hilarious little scenes that happen out on the playing field between catcher Costner and pitcher Robbins. Nuke has the million-dollar arm and the ten-cent head. Crash knows his job (and everyone elses as well) like the back of his hand. Whenever Nuke starts trying to think for himself, he quickly gets into trouble, frequently with active assistance from Crash.

Crash "calls" the game - signalling to the pitcher which pitches to throw. When Nuke listens things go well. When Nuke doesn't listen, Crash whispers to the hitter what pitch is coming so that the batter can tee off on the pitch. Then as the batter circles the bases after his home run Crash goes out to the mound to remind Nuke not to try thinking for himself. "Boy, the last thing I saw fly out of here like that had a stewardess and passengers on it!"

Supporting parts are performed to hilarious perfection as well, with particular kudos to Trey Wilson as the manager and Robert Wuhl as a team coach. They have many entertaining scenes, including the one following Nuke's minor-league debut - when he struck out 18..... but also walked 18 - both league records! A must for grown-up baseball fans.

I hate Susan Sarandon
Not one of the best comedies that would be Mr.Adam Sandler are someone this was average at best and she sucks very badly watch other movies this is just alright nothing to special.
Acting 8/10 Story 7/10 Direction 3/10 Action 3/10 Entertained 3
Overall 24/50 A little Predictable 3 stars

A fantastic script in a dated film.
4.5 stars. Time passes, and what was once a sparkling 5-star film in the year 1987, shows its age. However, the script is still spectacular! There is so much quotable dialogue here as to seem ridiculous. But there is also a fine cast of excellent actors who bring the words and characters to life, even though they have eighties haircuts and wardrobe. This is a charming film about baseball, romance, (...) baseball, breathing through you eyelids, and baseball. This is smart filmmaking in every respect. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The gang that created Airplane and The Naked Gun sets its sights on Top Gun in this often hilarious spoof starring Charlie Sheen, who previously only inspired laughs with his personal life. He plays Topper Harley, a fighter pilot with an ax to grind: clearing the family name. He gets involved in a relationship with Valerie Golino, a woman with an unusually talented stomach. But his mission is to avenge his father. Lloyd Bridges, late in his career, revealed an aptitude for this kind of silliness, here as a commander who is both incredibly dim and delightfully accident prone. Directed by Jim Abrahams, the film makes fun of a variety of other films as well, from Dances with Wolves to The Fabulous Baker Boys. It was so successful that they all returned in the sequel, Hot Shots! Part Deux. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (25)

The Mother of all Slapstick
After setting the police profession back 100 years with the "Naked Gun" movie, director Jim Abrahams decided to set his sights on the military with "Hot Shots." And the military will never be the same again.

What makes this movie so much fun are the sight gags that are in almost every scene. As with all good slapstick comedy movies, there are too many sight gags for you to be able to catch them all the first, and even second, time around. Every time you watch this movie, you will find another sight gag that you hadn't noticed before.

The movie also comes with a great comedic cast. It stars Charlie Sheen who for the first time really gets a chance to show how funny he can be (his previous comedy movies are pretty much forgettable). He is supported by Jon Cryer, Lloyd Bridges, and Cary Elwes. Each of these people have a great track record on their own when it comes to comedy. Together, they make the movie work.

Hot Shots
Maybe it's just because I haven't seen Top Gun, but when I first saw this film I was absolutely clueless. Yeah, there were some funny parts and humor from the makers of Airplane, Naked Gun, and Mafia, but the plot fell a little short. Charlie Sheen plays Topper Harley and follows his fathers footsteps when he flies in the Navy. There's also other great appearances by Cary Elwes and Lloyd Bridges (getting a little older), and silly characters like Washout and Dead Meat. I suggest you see Top Gun first, maybe then you will get more of the jokes. I give credit to Jim Abrahams and Pat Proft, though, because Top Gun seems like a tough movie to spoof.

Hilarious!
Hot Shots is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Charlie Sheen is okay, but in my opinion, the real comic here is Lloyd Bridges, playing Admiral Benson. Of course there are many other funny characters including the wall-eyed vision Washout. If you like movies with stupid humor, this is a must see.

Great Goof Comedy!
If your not into those whacky comedy spoofs then you will hate this Parody of Top Gun, amongst other movies! But I love these kind of send up whacky comedys, and this one is high up there with the best of them all!

Charlie Sheen plays Topper Harley and has had a bad past with the US Air Force and has quit the army... but the Army needs him once again and with non stop stupidity and comedy through the movie from door bells on Indian Tee Pees, to Barbequing hot hots with the jets of fighter planes, and a dog that just keeps getting sat on amongst many others, this movie will have you laughing your tushy off!

Its no acadamey award winner, but thats obviously not the idea for this comic life movie! It parodys a lot of movies, mostly Top Gun, but adds its own great jokes to the plot with outrages slapstick humour!

Part 2 - Wasnt as great. It sends up alot of movies and the plot changes completly into a difreent type of movie! But if you can, the edition thats available in regoin 4 at the moment of Part one and Two togther in the same package is worth getting!

Good Despite Sheen
I guess you can see from the title of this review I am not a big Charlie Sheen fan. There were tons of men that would have shined in this film. Sheen does an okay job ( seeing how he isn't a comedian ) but he is overshadowed by a funny script and funnier co-stars. This film makes fun of famous dramas like " 9 1/2 Weeks " but is mainly a parody of " Top Gun ". Hot Shots is an enjoyable movie that sticks to a strong plot. It doesn't end up falling into that trap of " trying " to be funny like some spoofs. It's not as good as " Naked Gun " by all means but it is a heck of a lot better than " Hot Shots: Part Duex " which was far too silly for my taste. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

shoot the prisoners
americans sponsor some guys who go into a central american country to bring 'universal sufferage' and to provide 'stability'. sound familiar? walker is a tale of megolmania and ahistorical vertigo with surrealist parallels to the modern era. it's an amusing black comedy, about equal parts sergio leone and luis bunuel. the dim and sarcastic view of american imperial behavior and myth making did not endear this film to most critics, especially the anti-intellectual, anti-art, pro 'entertainment' hacks (like a ceratain oft-quoted movie/video critic who shall remain nameless (wink, wink)). but for the rest of us, especially those with a skeptical view of offical history, walker is both funny and frightening, with great characterizations by ed harris, peter boyle, rene auberjunois, miguel sandoval and yes, marlee matlin.

complimented by an amizing Joe Strummer score
This movie is definitely a hidden gem. Ed Harris is brilliant as is the supporting cast of knock-offs who join his rag tag army on their quest for glory in central america. the blurring of the timeline reminds us that our meddling in C.A. is fundamentally not much different today than it was during the period this movie depicts. The entire flow of the movie is further augmented by a completely stunning score from x-Clash man Joe Strummer, one of the finest movie scores i have ever heard. A classic!

Alex Cox And The Spaghetti Western
Director Alex Cox finally got to make his hommage to the Sam Peckinpah/Sergio Leone myth...and what a film it turned out to be. A mix of politics, satire, bloody violence, humor, slavery, business, guns, and all around chance-taking cinema. Upon first viewing, I admit I did not care for the film. After repeated viewings, I discovered the rhythm and intentions of director Cox and his motley band of adventurers. It actually made me want to read more about this period and discover for myself how we, as a country, STILL have not learned from history! Great originality and brave acting/direction makes this a film that will stand the test of time. I recommend it to lovers of daring filmmaking/storytelling. Forget Hollywood mainstream, long live director Alex Cox!

WALKER awaits discovery by cult film buffs
WALKER (1987) is a cult movie in search of an audience. A critical and financial disaster upon its initial release, the film is hard to find on video and rarely televised--but to fans of Psychotronic Cinema, it is worth the effort to find! The film is a schizo, intentionally anachronistic bio of William Walker (1824-1860), the Nashville-born doctor/lawyer/journalist who led his own private army into Nicaragua, ultimately installing himself as president of that nation. Obvious similiarities between Walker's filibustering activities and the US's often ham-handed diplomatic policies towards Central America during the 1980s led the filmmakers to turn WALKER into a political satire, but it is by turns funny, tragic, exciting, informational, and thought provoking. Ed Harris plays Walker, and as something of an expert on the filibuster, I can assure you Harris' interpretation is perfect. Lotsa familiar faces--Rene Auberjonis, Richard Masur, Marlee Matlin, and the hilarious Peter Boyle among them--make this one a character actor watcher's dream film. This picture is only for those who can appreciate weird movies! This film deserves to find a cult audience, and I hope this review helps to establish one!

PORTRAIT OF AMERICAN DIPLOMACY, THEN AND NOW.
JEEPERS WHAT A GOOD MOVIE. I'M NOT TOO ARTICULATE A GUY, NOT TOO BRIGHT, BUT I UNDERSTOOD WHERE HE TOOK THIS MOVIE. ALEX COX IS ALWAYS ABLE TO GIVE A MOVIE AN OPINION. AND WHAT ABOUT ED HARRIS, I USED TO HATE THAT GUY. BUT NOW, I CAN TOLERATE HIM, HE GAVE A GOOD PERFORMANCE. ... Read more

Description

The creators of ' 'House Party' ' invite you to experience ' 'a multi-cultural Twilight Zone.' ' (Chicago Tribune) Three tales from the other side ... of the other side. ' 'Unflinchingly brilliant. Revolutionary!' ' (L.A. Weekly) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A remake of Seven Days in May (1964)
This is a very good remake of Seven Days in May (1964) ASIN: B00004RF83. It goes to show that the theme even thought it was conceived during the cold war that it is still timeless. They did not distract from the script trying to be politically correct. It is wroth watching both versions.

The Enemy Within
I thought this movie was very gripping. I love movies that portray mostly military themes and this movie took that portrayal one step further by combining the elements of espionage and military power. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A classic 80's gem...
If you are a fan of those 1980's movies that were so bad that they were good, then you will adore this little film. It is one of the most enjoyable movies I've ever seen. The characters are easy to love and the plot is just clever enough to make you keep coming back for more. This is definitely a movie that deserves a re-release on DVD.

Michelle Meyrink fans might enjoy
Mom (Barbara Harris) employs a pyromaniac to persuade daughter (Michelle Meyrink)that love can be lethal. Mildly amusing,at best, although if you're looking for an inoffensive video that can be enjoyed by most of the family, this isn't a bad choice. Michelle Meyrink, something of a minor cult actress for nerds, handles the limited requirements of her role well.

Andy: William O'Leary. Ken: James Nardini. Chuck Martinez directed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This earnest effort at media criticism is never convincing enough to stir a viewer's outrage in the way filmmaker Costa-Gavras (Music Box) might have intended. John Travolta plays a barely educated museum guard who is laid off from his job and ends up holding his former boss (Blythe Danner) and a bunch of schoolchildren hostage. Dustin Hoffman is a former television-network journalist making a grab at the limelight again by pushing and controlling press coverage of the story. What follows is by the numbers and not nearly as enlightening or enthralling as other films (such as Dog Day Afternoon or Billy Wilder's Ace in the Hole) about simple events manipulated into a media circus. Despite Travolta's tragic performance and Hoffman's impassioned one, the film breaks up over efforts to blame electronic voyeurism for social chaos. The DVD release has optional full-screen and widescreen presentations, production notes, theatrical trailer, television spots, optional French soundtrack, French or Spanish subtitles, and Dolby sound. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (20)

"Mad" about John Travolta and Dustin Hoffman!
"Mad City" focuses on John Travolta as Sam Baily, a museum security guard who loses his job due to budget cuts. Sam pretty much has a normal life, has a wife and kids, etc. Sam decides to talk to his boss Mrs. Banks (Blythe Danner) about getting his job back, but Mrs. Banks told Sam time and time again that there was nothing she could do about it. So, in one fell swoop, Sam pulls out a shotgun as a result in getting his job back. Sam not only holds Mrs. Banks hostage, but a group of schoolchildren as well. The film also focuses on Dustin Hoffman as Max Brackett, a local TV news reporter who just so happens to be inside the men's room at the museum and listening in on what is happening in the lobby between Sam and Mrs. Banks. Brackett listens to Sam's story about Sam not meaning for any of this to happen and such. And Brackett decides to give Sam's story a heroic spin as the days go by...and the film goes on from there. I own the DVD of "Mad City" and its features were all right. This is sort of a sad film for John Travolta's character because of his position in the film. "Mad City". A film that is nothing short of intense. A great film with two great powerhouse actors.

Heartfelt Drama with a Shakespeare Ending
As an audience we can not help but feel compassion for Sam Bailey (John Travolta) as he unexpectedly brings himself from one terrible situation to a worse one. Holding a museum tour hostage, he makes one thoughtless mistake after another, all the while being observed by News-Anchorman, Max Brackett (Dustin Hoffman). Through this overnight ordeal, Brackett befriends the criminal as we learn a lot about what life dumps on us and how we deal with it. A superb performance by John Travolta in which I believe to be the best of his career.

Great Suspense!
This is a great suspense movie.

Gives a realistic view of how the media circus sometimes go to far.

Hoffman and Travolta are marvelous in this film.

It's a mad, mad, mad world
This satirical movie starts innocently enough, with Dustin Hoffman (Max Brackett) doing a "controversial" story on a local criminal. Brackett has been relegated to small-town duty after embarassing the network star, Kevin Hollander (played brilliantly by Alan Alda). Sam Baily (Travolta) has been fired after working as a guard at a museum. He lives paycheck to paycheck and has a family to support.

To get his boss to listen to him, he makes the decision to take a gun with him to capture her attention...a gun and a bag full of dynamite. The movie is wonderful, not for the twists and turns, but for the performances and nuances. A number of times, Brackett could take a risk and end the situation, a situation he basically created himself out of his own greed. In the end, this movie has great commentary on how the media goes overboard in its coverage. This movie may be more relevant today than when it was made.

Excellent farce of a hold up
It epitomizes the media circus following the armed hold up of a museum with children. Certainly a comical look at terror attacks is a much needed relief in this day and age of color coded alerts. Costa Gavras of "Missing" fame sugar coats the ordeal with satirical portrayal of liberal and conservative neonazis fishing in troubled waters; while extracting a remarkable performance from Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Candyman: Farewell To The Box Office.
This has to be one of the worst movies i have seen in my live of loveing horror films. CANDYMAN 1 was a god film and i had big hops for this one, but waht can you get out of must sequels these days. It's nothing to original, but it thalls you how Candyman became candtman etc, etc. And it had some good gore scenes, but only see this film win you have a movie to see you know is good.

Rated R for horror Violence and Language.

good sequel
this one has Tony Todd reprising his role as the Candyman. good horror and the story drags here and there but its fast going and enjoyable nontheless. Todd knows how to stick it to the people, especially in the beginning where the guy is sliced in the bathroom. other scenes like when the cop chants the guys name in the mirror and suddenly he is hooked and he is thrown out of the window, then the brother of the woman gets shot down I thought was a highlight in the movie. it tells also of how Candyman came to be, he was a slave and they caught him with some guys daughter, they tortured him and cut off him hand(thats where his hook comes in at) then they rub honey all over him and the bees just start crawling on him. its pure fun if you can stand the slow pace and some wooden dialouge but in the end it pays off.

This is the last film that was good under Candyman
This movie is a little less that its prodessesor but still is quite scary. Definitely watch this movie on a Friday night, you will be disturbed beyond your wits. once again do not watch it repeatedly. u will get bored..lol. i recommend this film..but dont get the sequels to this..please dont waste your time watchin them.

Prety decent horror movie
They don't make horror movies like they used to. (Shining, Omen, Exorcist.) If you happen to be browsing by the Horror movie section, skip the Friday the 13th, and the Holloweens, rent this one instead. And if you are building a Horror movie DVD library, include this one. I saw the first one and honestly I liked them both equally. The blonde this time is Canadian Kelly Rowan being pursued by Candyman Tony Todd. There's plenty of blood, and screaming and the New Orleans setting is also a nice touch. I dropped the fifth star because I'm an old hag at horror movies and still waiting for a really scary one.

Come . . . Be Candyman's victim
Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh takes up the story of the Candyman legend and runs with it, giving us a much greater understanding of the man who would become the hook-gutting avenger of wronged souls; it offers a short and respectable summary of the first movie and then proceeds not to redo what has happened before but to carve its own name indelibly in the flesh of cinematic horror. I think this movie stands as a testament to proper sequel-making in the horror movie genre.

I love the opening sequence of this film. The smarmy academic professor who is an expert on the Candyman but does not believe in him (the same man who needled Helen as she worked on her project in the original movie) is speaking about his new book in a New Orleans bookstore. Naturally, he proves his disbelief by theatrically calling out Candyman's name five times in front of his own reflection. Let's just say he ends up a convert to the Candyman religion. Then we meet Annie Tarrant (Kelly Rowan), a devoted schoolteacher in a poor neighborhood of town. Her brother is accused of killing the lecturing professor, but Annie does not believe his own statements of guilt. She believes something about her father's death is responsible for her brother's unexplainable behavior. That death, we learn, precipitated an enduring tragedy in the Tarrant family. Annie's mother is dying of cancer and seems to be holding something back from her questioning daughter. Annie herself, foolishly trying to prove to her frightened students that Candyman isn't real, calls him, and then things really get ugly. People die, many of them Tarrants, and the Candyman seems to engage in some sort of romantic courtship of Annie. Tarrant family secrets are eventually revealed, and in the process we get a bird's-eye view of the suffering inflicted upon Daniel Robitaille a century earlier - for those who don't know, he was lynched for having loved a white woman; his right hand was cut off with a rusty blade, and then he was smeared with honey and left at the mercy (or lack of it) of a whole colony of angry bees.

By the end of the movie, Candyman is not some horrible monster bent on destruction just because he enjoys gutting people; he is quite real, and his humanity shines through the robes of gore he has wrapped himself in over the decades. If you saw off his hand, will he not jam a hook in the stub of his arm and start gutting people? If you scratch his face, will not hordes of bees pour forth from his body? I love Candyman; he really is one of the most complex, sympathetic yet disturbing "monsters" wandering the horror universe today. Much of the credit for his power must go to Tony Todd, who portrays him brilliantly. Maybe the ending of this movie leaves a little bit to be desired, but the journey features some pretty decent gore and a lot of almost philosophical horror ruminations. If you want to call Candyman, go ahead; he's real enough to me that I'm not going to do it. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Good TV movie about a paranoid egomaniac
Although hastily made, (if my memory is correct, it was still being filmed when the 51 day standoff reached its fiery finale) this lightly fictionalised account of the events leading up to the siege is good and thought provoking viewing nonetheless. I watched it for the first time after reading an account of life in the Branch Davidian Cult written by Marc Breault (an American who now resides in Australia and who was Koresh's right hand man for 3 years) and Martin King (who was a reporter for the Australian version of "A Current Affair" and who was the only journalist ever invited into the Branch Davidian compound to conduct a 1992 interview with Koresh and his minions), and I have to say, the book gave me a clearer vision of Koresh than the movie did - enough to say that the outcome was inevitable. But Tim Daly delivers an absolutely compelling portrayal of Koresh, showing the viewer the full depth of his paranoia, his gigantically proportioned libido, his disregard for authority, and most of all, his complete dominance over his followers. I am not going to say anything about the performance of the US government agencies who were involved in this tragedy, since my fellow reviewers have said enough, but after getting a feeling about Koresh from the book and the movie, I daresay that even if the ATF had arrested him whilst he was on one of his forays into Waco and THEN gone to the compound to serve the search warrant, the ensuing shootout would still have occurred, for Koresh had completely ingrained his own paranoia into the psyches of his followers. And although the ATF made MANY mistakes on 28 February 1993, they certainly have paid for them - 4 agents paid with their lives.

The Video Bible of FEDERAL CONSPIRACY THEORISTS
Had the cast & crew of this laughable piece of Quackery lived in North Korea, they would be able to churn out this kind of stuff on a monthly basis.

The reality is that were President Clinton to ship over several hundred CIA agents to Northern Ireland & have them adopt the same tactics towards Sinn Fein as they adopted towards the Branch Davidians, then there would be hundreds of dead Catholic women & children.

Monthly.

Back in the early 1970s, the American Psychiatric Assoc. determined that homosexuality was no longer to be classified as a mental illness.

Now is the time for the APA to reverse the process.

The belief that the FBI were "innocent" of murdering dozens & dozens of Branch Davidians must indicate

PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIA.

And warrent incarceration in a top security mental hospital.

For life.

Facist Garbage
After reading such books as "A Place Called Waco", and watching the excellent "Waco: The Rules Of Engagement", All I can say is that this is nothing but propoganda to demonize David Koresh and the Davidians, and portray the ATF as heroic dragon slayers. Do yourself a favor, stay away from this one and buy "Waco: The Rules Of Engagement", available on Amazon.com

Propaganda
Sorry, anyone giving this tape five stars does not have possession of the facts. I know too much about what happen at Waco and can state this tape if misleading to false. The public deserves better.

Great!!!
I have seen the film on TV last weekend, and I can only say:GREAT!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (62)

And this ain't no bull
Often mentioned as 'one of the best sports movies ever.' I'm gonna go farther and say one of the finest movies of the past 30 years. Ron Shelton directs from his own screenplay. And that screenplay makes modern poets out of baseball players, clever words consistently spewing from the mouths of wanna be Babe Ruths. At its core, the story focuses on the love triangle involving Annie Savoy (Brilliant Susan Sarandon), Crash Davis (Kevin Costner in an unpretentious performance) and Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh (Tim Robbins). And minor league ball is the backdrop which allows for grand slam of well executed comedy and just a touch of pathos. Robert Wuhl's assistant coach is so finely tuned, he can bring you to hysterical tears. The ultimate 'chick flick for guys', Bull Durham is filmmaking at its greatest. The DVD has an informative commentary by Director/writer Ron Shelton (Tin Cup).

the carnival that is baseball
Bull Durham is a near-perfect baseball film. Although I feel it lacks some of the wonder of Costner's field of dreams, there are few films that can match Bull Durham's honest, sometimes gritty but always hilarious look into the carnival that surrounds the national pastime.

What particularly special about Bull Durham are the excellent performances given by the lead actors as well as the supporting cast.

Director Ron Shelton couldn't have asked for better performances from his three lead actors. This movie was made back when Costner could still carry a film. He is in the height of his "everyman" powers here. His portrayal of aging minor league slugger Crash Davis is one for the ages. Susan Sarandon smolders yet somehow manages to retain a certain kind of innocence as the groupie-slash-mentor Annie Savoy. Tim Robbins is outstanding as the hotheaded and somewhat mentally challenged rookie pitcher Nuke Laloosh.

The highlights of the supporting cast are Trey Wilson and Robert Wuhl. They play the manager and pitching coach. Wilson is a pure scene stealer in this movie. He provides some of the movie's greatest lines and tenderest moments. Wuhl is the master of the obvious in his cool, almost straight-man delivery.

Bull Durham, like baseball, is about so much more than baseball. Along the way we are invited to think about both the inane and the deeper issues of life. Annie struggles for meaning, Nuke come of age and even Crash's cynical heart softens a bit.

All of the things listed above, as well as the fact that it is a darn good movie earn Bull Durham my hearty recommendation.

Minor League Baseball Masterpiece
Ron Shelton spent some time in the minor leagues represented in his screenplay for Bull Durham, so he knows about the baseball things represented. But he also clearly has a gifted ear for the tempo of real life, and he knows about hopes and desires and the things that make human beings tick. The setting for this film with the minor league Durham Bulls works, and works perfectly, but the characters, especially among the central love triangle, could just as easily have been traveling salesmen or race drivers or con artists or gangsters.

Susan Sarandon plays Annie Savoy, a slightly older woman who is a Durham Bulls groupie of sorts: once a season she picks out a promising young player and begins an affair with them. During that season the promising young player has the year of his life and gets called up to the big leagues, leaving Annie to look for next year's promising young player.

The Bulls also have a million-dollar prospect of a pitcher with a right arm who the gods reached down and turned into a thunderbolt. He also has less control than a seven year old with hyperactive attention deficit disorder without his Ritalin. He's as likely to throw it over the backstop as throw a strike, although his "stuff" is like Nolan Ryan or Randy Johnson. Tim Robbins brings "Nuke" LaLoosh to life in his best comic performance.

Kevin Costner, in the best of his many baseball-movie appearances, plays "Crash" Davis, a power-hitting catcher with enough talent to be a leader on minor league teams, but only 21 days in "The Show" in years of minor league work. Crash is not only a competent minor league catcher though - he also knows the history of the game, and he knows how to get into the heads of players who have mental blocks preventing them from achieving all they can as baseball players.

Crash, meet Nuke. Both of you - meet Annie.

The dialogue is so witty and sparkling that more than a decade after the film's release, it still shows up frequently in discussions about baseball movies and on ESPN. Crash envies Nuke's god-given talent, and by degrees the clueless Nuke begins to appreciate Crash's baseball wisdom. Annie has the hots for both of them, and they for her, and the way this triangle evolves and resolves makes for a very satisfying baseball movie watching experience.

The movie would be worth watching if only for the hilarious little scenes that happen out on the playing field between catcher Costner and pitcher Robbins. Nuke has the million-dollar arm and the ten-cent head. Crash knows his job (and everyone elses as well) like the back of his hand. Whenever Nuke starts trying to think for himself, he quickly gets into trouble, frequently with active assistance from Crash.

Crash "calls" the game - signalling to the pitcher which pitches to throw. When Nuke listens things go well. When Nuke doesn't listen, Crash whispers to the hitter what pitch is coming so that the batter can tee off on the pitch. Then as the batter circles the bases after his home run Crash goes out to the mound to remind Nuke not to try thinking for himself. "Boy, the last thing I saw fly out of here like that had a stewardess and passengers on it!"

Supporting parts are performed to hilarious perfection as well, with particular kudos to Trey Wilson as the manager and Robert Wuhl as a team coach. They have many entertaining scenes, including the one following Nuke's minor-league debut - when he struck out 18..... but also walked 18 - both league records! A must for grown-up baseball fans.

I hate Susan Sarandon
Not one of the best comedies that would be Mr.Adam Sandler are someone this was average at best and she sucks very badly watch other movies this is just alright nothing to special.
Acting 8/10 Story 7/10 Direction 3/10 Action 3/10 Entertained 3
Overall 24/50 A little Predictable 3 stars

A fantastic script in a dated film.
4.5 stars. Time passes, and what was once a sparkling 5-star film in the year 1987, shows its age. However, the script is still spectacular! There is so much quotable dialogue here as to seem ridiculous. But there is also a fine cast of excellent actors who bring the words and characters to life, even though they have eighties haircuts and wardrobe. This is a charming film about baseball, romance, (...) baseball, breathing through you eyelids, and baseball. This is smart filmmaking in every respect. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Candyman: Farewell To The Box Office.
This has to be one of the worst movies i have seen in my live of loveing horror films. CANDYMAN 1 was a god film and i had big hops for this one, but waht can you get out of must sequels these days. It's nothing to original, but it thalls you how Candyman became candtman etc, etc. And it had some good gore scenes, but only see this film win you have a movie to see you know is good.

Rated R for horror Violence and Language.

good sequel
this one has Tony Todd reprising his role as the Candyman. good horror and the story drags here and there but its fast going and enjoyable nontheless. Todd knows how to stick it to the people, especially in the beginning where the guy is sliced in the bathroom. other scenes like when the cop chants the guys name in the mirror and suddenly he is hooked and he is thrown out of the window, then the brother of the woman gets shot down I thought was a highlight in the movie. it tells also of how Candyman came to be, he was a slave and they caught him with some guys daughter, they tortured him and cut off him hand(thats where his hook comes in at) then they rub honey all over him and the bees just start crawling on him. its pure fun if you can stand the slow pace and some wooden dialouge but in the end it pays off.

This is the last film that was good under Candyman
This movie is a little less that its prodessesor but still is quite scary. Definitely watch this movie on a Friday night, you will be disturbed beyond your wits. once again do not watch it repeatedly. u will get bored..lol. i recommend this film..but dont get the sequels to this..please dont waste your time watchin them.

Prety decent horror movie
They don't make horror movies like they used to. (Shining, Omen, Exorcist.) If you happen to be browsing by the Horror movie section, skip the Friday the 13th, and the Holloweens, rent this one instead. And if you are building a Horror movie DVD library, include this one. I saw the first one and honestly I liked them both equally. The blonde this time is Canadian Kelly Rowan being pursued by Candyman Tony Todd. There's plenty of blood, and screaming and the New Orleans setting is also a nice touch. I dropped the fifth star because I'm an old hag at horror movies and still waiting for a really scary one.

Come . . . Be Candyman's victim
Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh takes up the story of the Candyman legend and runs with it, giving us a much greater understanding of the man who would become the hook-gutting avenger of wronged souls; it offers a short and respectable summary of the first movie and then proceeds not to redo what has happened before but to carve its own name indelibly in the flesh of cinematic horror. I think this movie stands as a testament to proper sequel-making in the horror movie genre.

I love the opening sequence of this film. The smarmy academic professor who is an expert on the Candyman but does not believe in him (the same man who needled Helen as she worked on her project in the original movie) is speaking about his new book in a New Orleans bookstore. Naturally, he proves his disbelief by theatrically calling out Candyman's name five times in front of his own reflection. Let's just say he ends up a convert to the Candyman religion. Then we meet Annie Tarrant (Kelly Rowan), a devoted schoolteacher in a poor neighborhood of town. Her brother is accused of killing the lecturing professor, but Annie does not believe his own statements of guilt. She believes something about her father's death is responsible for her brother's unexplainable behavior. That death, we learn, precipitated an enduring tragedy in the Tarrant family. Annie's mother is dying of cancer and seems to be holding something back from her questioning daughter. Annie herself, foolishly trying to prove to her frightened students that Candyman isn't real, calls him, and then things really get ugly. People die, many of them Tarrants, and the Candyman seems to engage in some sort of romantic courtship of Annie. Tarrant family secrets are eventually revealed, and in the process we get a bird's-eye view of the suffering inflicted upon Daniel Robitaille a century earlier - for those who don't know, he was lynched for having loved a white woman; his right hand was cut off with a rusty blade, and then he was smeared with honey and left at the mercy (or lack of it) of a whole colony of angry bees.

By the end of the movie, Candyman is not some horrible monster bent on destruction just because he enjoys gutting people; he is quite real, and his humanity shines through the robes of gore he has wrapped himself in over the decades. If you saw off his hand, will he not jam a hook in the stub of his arm and start gutting people? If you scratch his face, will not hordes of bees pour forth from his body? I love Candyman; he really is one of the most complex, sympathetic yet disturbing "monsters" wandering the horror universe today. Much of the credit for his power must go to Tony Todd, who portrays him brilliantly. Maybe the ending of this movie leaves a little bit to be desired, but the journey features some pretty decent gore and a lot of almost philosophical horror ruminations. If you want to call Candyman, go ahead; he's real enough to me that I'm not going to do it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A classic 80's gem...
If you are a fan of those 1980's movies that were so bad that they were good, then you will adore this little film. It is one of the most enjoyable movies I've ever seen. The characters are easy to love and the plot is just clever enough to make you keep coming back for more. This is definitely a movie that deserves a re-release on DVD.

Michelle Meyrink fans might enjoy
Mom (Barbara Harris) employs a pyromaniac to persuade daughter (Michelle Meyrink)that love can be lethal. Mildly amusing,at best, although if you're looking for an inoffensive video that can be enjoyed by most of the family, this isn't a bad choice. Michelle Meyrink, something of a minor cult actress for nerds, handles the limited requirements of her role well.

Andy: William O'Leary. Ken: James Nardini. Chuck Martinez directed. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Worst Movie I Have Ever Seen
Be forewarned: this movie has disturbing suicide images and the plot delves into severely disfunctional families in a cliched, purposeful manner. Action scenes were mediocre, storyline was bizarre, acting was poor. An all-round let down.

This is one of the best movies i have ever seen!
I never new this movie existed till i saw it. It is action packed and if you like nukes you will love this movie. Even Dave loved this movies so much that he had to buy it!

good movie
I never knew this movie existed until I saw it the other day. I was surprised how good it was. It was much better than most of Air Force movies I've seen. It didn't have any of the sappy, romantic scenes in it that usually (and unbearably) bog action films down. It was pure action with an intriguing plot. This was very worthy movie! ... Read more

Reviews (62)

And this ain't no bull
Often mentioned as 'one of the best sports movies ever.' I'm gonna go farther and say one of the finest movies of the past 30 years. Ron Shelton directs from his own screenplay. And that screenplay makes modern poets out of baseball players, clever words consistently spewing from the mouths of wanna be Babe Ruths. At its core, the story focuses on the love triangle involving Annie Savoy (Brilliant Susan Sarandon), Crash Davis (Kevin Costner in an unpretentious performance) and Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh (Tim Robbins). And minor league ball is the backdrop which allows for grand slam of well executed comedy and just a touch of pathos. Robert Wuhl's assistant coach is so finely tuned, he can bring you to hysterical tears. The ultimate 'chick flick for guys', Bull Durham is filmmaking at its greatest. The DVD has an informative commentary by Director/writer Ron Shelton (Tin Cup).

the carnival that is baseball
Bull Durham is a near-perfect baseball film. Although I feel it lacks some of the wonder of Costner's field of dreams, there are few films that can match Bull Durham's honest, sometimes gritty but always hilarious look into the carnival that surrounds the national pastime.

What particularly special about Bull Durham are the excellent performances given by the lead actors as well as the supporting cast.

Director Ron Shelton couldn't have asked for better performances from his three lead actors. This movie was made back when Costner could still carry a film. He is in the height of his "everyman" powers here. His portrayal of aging minor league slugger Crash Davis is one for the ages. Susan Sarandon smolders yet somehow manages to retain a certain kind of innocence as the groupie-slash-mentor Annie Savoy. Tim Robbins is outstanding as the hotheaded and somewhat mentally challenged rookie pitcher Nuke Laloosh.

The highlights of the supporting cast are Trey Wilson and Robert Wuhl. They play the manager and pitching coach. Wilson is a pure scene stealer in this movie. He provides some of the movie's greatest lines and tenderest moments. Wuhl is the master of the obvious in his cool, almost straight-man delivery.

Bull Durham, like baseball, is about so much more than baseball. Along the way we are invited to think about both the inane and the deeper issues of life. Annie struggles for meaning, Nuke come of age and even Crash's cynical heart softens a bit.

All of the things listed above, as well as the fact that it is a darn good movie earn Bull Durham my hearty recommendation.

Minor League Baseball Masterpiece
Ron Shelton spent some time in the minor leagues represented in his screenplay for Bull Durham, so he knows about the baseball things represented. But he also clearly has a gifted ear for the tempo of real life, and he knows about hopes and desires and the things that make human beings tick. The setting for this film with the minor league Durham Bulls works, and works perfectly, but the characters, especially among the central love triangle, could just as easily have been traveling salesmen or race drivers or con artists or gangsters.

Susan Sarandon plays Annie Savoy, a slightly older woman who is a Durham Bulls groupie of sorts: once a season she picks out a promising young player and begins an affair with them. During that season the promising young player has the year of his life and gets called up to the big leagues, leaving Annie to look for next year's promising young player.

The Bulls also have a million-dollar prospect of a pitcher with a right arm who the gods reached down and turned into a thunderbolt. He also has less control than a seven year old with hyperactive attention deficit disorder without his Ritalin. He's as likely to throw it over the backstop as throw a strike, although his "stuff" is like Nolan Ryan or Randy Johnson. Tim Robbins brings "Nuke" LaLoosh to life in his best comic performance.

Kevin Costner, in the best of his many baseball-movie appearances, plays "Crash" Davis, a power-hitting catcher with enough talent to be a leader on minor league teams, but only 21 days in "The Show" in years of minor league work. Crash is not only a competent minor league catcher though - he also knows the history of the game, and he knows how to get into the heads of players who have mental blocks preventing them from achieving all they can as baseball players.

Crash, meet Nuke. Both of you - meet Annie.

The dialogue is so witty and sparkling that more than a decade after the film's release, it still shows up frequently in discussions about baseball movies and on ESPN. Crash envies Nuke's god-given talent, and by degrees the clueless Nuke begins to appreciate Crash's baseball wisdom. Annie has the hots for both of them, and they for her, and the way this triangle evolves and resolves makes for a very satisfying baseball movie watching experience.

The movie would be worth watching if only for the hilarious little scenes that happen out on the playing field between catcher Costner and pitcher Robbins. Nuke has the million-dollar arm and the ten-cent head. Crash knows his job (and everyone elses as well) like the back of his hand. Whenever Nuke starts trying to think for himself, he quickly gets into trouble, frequently with active assistance from Crash.

Crash "calls" the game - signalling to the pitcher which pitches to throw. When Nuke listens things go well. When Nuke doesn't listen, Crash whispers to the hitter what pitch is coming so that the batter can tee off on the pitch. Then as the batter circles the bases after his home run Crash goes out to the mound to remind Nuke not to try thinking for himself. "Boy, the last thing I saw fly out of here like that had a stewardess and passengers on it!"

Supporting parts are performed to hilarious perfection as well, with particular kudos to Trey Wilson as the manager and Robert Wuhl as a team coach. They have many entertaining scenes, including the one following Nuke's minor-league debut - when he struck out 18..... but also walked 18 - both league records! A must for grown-up baseball fans.

I hate Susan Sarandon
Not one of the best comedies that would be Mr.Adam Sandler are someone this was average at best and she sucks very badly watch other movies this is just alright nothing to special.
Acting 8/10 Story 7/10 Direction 3/10 Action 3/10 Entertained 3
Overall 24/50 A little Predictable 3 stars

A fantastic script in a dated film.
4.5 stars. Time passes, and what was once a sparkling 5-star film in the year 1987, shows its age. However, the script is still spectacular! There is so much quotable dialogue here as to seem ridiculous. But there is also a fine cast of excellent actors who bring the words and characters to life, even though they have eighties haircuts and wardrobe. This is a charming film about baseball, romance, (...) baseball, breathing through you eyelids, and baseball. This is smart filmmaking in every respect. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

"Mad" about John Travolta and Dustin Hoffman!
"Mad City" focuses on John Travolta as Sam Baily, a museum security guard who loses his job due to budget cuts. Sam pretty much has a normal life, has a wife and kids, etc. Sam decides to talk to his boss Mrs. Banks (Blythe Danner) about getting his job back, but Mrs. Banks told Sam time and time again that there was nothing she could do about it. So, in one fell swoop, Sam pulls out a shotgun as a result in getting his job back. Sam not only holds Mrs. Banks hostage, but a group of schoolchildren as well. The film also focuses on Dustin Hoffman as Max Brackett, a local TV news reporter who just so happens to be inside the men's room at the museum and listening in on what is happening in the lobby between Sam and Mrs. Banks. Brackett listens to Sam's story about Sam not meaning for any of this to happen and such. And Brackett decides to give Sam's story a heroic spin as the days go by...and the film goes on from there. I own the DVD of "Mad City" and its features were all right. This is sort of a sad film for John Travolta's character because of his position in the film. "Mad City". A film that is nothing short of intense. A great film with two great powerhouse actors.

Heartfelt Drama with a Shakespeare Ending
As an audience we can not help but feel compassion for Sam Bailey (John Travolta) as he unexpectedly brings himself from one terrible situation to a worse one. Holding a museum tour hostage, he makes one thoughtless mistake after another, all the while being observed by News-Anchorman, Max Brackett (Dustin Hoffman). Through this overnight ordeal, Brackett befriends the criminal as we learn a lot about what life dumps on us and how we deal with it. A superb performance by John Travolta in which I believe to be the best of his career.

Great Suspense!
This is a great suspense movie.

Gives a realistic view of how the media circus sometimes go to far.

Hoffman and Travolta are marvelous in this film.

It's a mad, mad, mad world
This satirical movie starts innocently enough, with Dustin Hoffman (Max Brackett) doing a "controversial" story on a local criminal. Brackett has been relegated to small-town duty after embarassing the network star, Kevin Hollander (played brilliantly by Alan Alda). Sam Baily (Travolta) has been fired after working as a guard at a museum. He lives paycheck to paycheck and has a family to support.

To get his boss to listen to him, he makes the decision to take a gun with him to capture her attention...a gun and a bag full of dynamite. The movie is wonderful, not for the twists and turns, but for the performances and nuances. A number of times, Brackett could take a risk and end the situation, a situation he basically created himself out of his own greed. In the end, this movie has great commentary on how the media goes overboard in its coverage. This movie may be more relevant today than when it was made.

Excellent farce of a hold up
It epitomizes the media circus following the armed hold up of a museum with children. Certainly a comical look at terror attacks is a much needed relief in this day and age of color coded alerts. Costa Gavras of "Missing" fame sugar coats the ordeal with satirical portrayal of liberal and conservative neonazis fishing in troubled waters; while extracting a remarkable performance from Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Worst Movie I Have Ever Seen
Be forewarned: this movie has disturbing suicide images and the plot delves into severely disfunctional families in a cliched, purposeful manner. Action scenes were mediocre, storyline was bizarre, acting was poor. An all-round let down.

This is one of the best movies i have ever seen!
I never new this movie existed till i saw it. It is action packed and if you like nukes you will love this movie. Even Dave loved this movies so much that he had to buy it!

good movie
I never knew this movie existed until I saw it the other day. I was surprised how good it was. It was much better than most of Air Force movies I've seen. It didn't have any of the sappy, romantic scenes in it that usually (and unbearably) bog action films down. It was pure action with an intriguing plot. This was very worthy movie! ... Read more

Reviews (25)

The Mother of all Slapstick
After setting the police profession back 100 years with the "Naked Gun" movie, director Jim Abrahams decided to set his sights on the military with "Hot Shots." And the military will never be the same again.

What makes this movie so much fun are the sight gags that are in almost every scene. As with all good slapstick comedy movies, there are too many sight gags for you to be able to catch them all the first, and even second, time around. Every time you watch this movie, you will find another sight gag that you hadn't noticed before.

The movie also comes with a great comedic cast. It stars Charlie Sheen who for the first time really gets a chance to show how funny he can be (his previous comedy movies are pretty much forgettable). He is supported by Jon Cryer, Lloyd Bridges, and Cary Elwes. Each of these people have a great track record on their own when it comes to comedy. Together, they make the movie work.

Hot Shots
Maybe it's just because I haven't seen Top Gun, but when I first saw this film I was absolutely clueless. Yeah, there were some funny parts and humor from the makers of Airplane, Naked Gun, and Mafia, but the plot fell a little short. Charlie Sheen plays Topper Harley and follows his fathers footsteps when he flies in the Navy. There's also other great appearances by Cary Elwes and Lloyd Bridges (getting a little older), and silly characters like Washout and Dead Meat. I suggest you see Top Gun first, maybe then you will get more of the jokes. I give credit to Jim Abrahams and Pat Proft, though, because Top Gun seems like a tough movie to spoof.

Hilarious!
Hot Shots is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Charlie Sheen is okay, but in my opinion, the real comic here is Lloyd Bridges, playing Admiral Benson. Of course there are many other funny characters including the wall-eyed vision Washout. If you like movies with stupid humor, this is a must see.

Great Goof Comedy!
If your not into those whacky comedy spoofs then you will hate this Parody of Top Gun, amongst other movies! But I love these kind of send up whacky comedys, and this one is high up there with the best of them all!

Charlie Sheen plays Topper Harley and has had a bad past with the US Air Force and has quit the army... but the Army needs him once again and with non stop stupidity and comedy through the movie from door bells on Indian Tee Pees, to Barbequing hot hots with the jets of fighter planes, and a dog that just keeps getting sat on amongst many others, this movie will have you laughing your tushy off!

Its no acadamey award winner, but thats obviously not the idea for this comic life movie! It parodys a lot of movies, mostly Top Gun, but adds its own great jokes to the plot with outrages slapstick humour!

Part 2 - Wasnt as great. It sends up alot of movies and the plot changes completly into a difreent type of movie! But if you can, the edition thats available in regoin 4 at the moment of Part one and Two togther in the same package is worth getting!

Good Despite Sheen
I guess you can see from the title of this review I am not a big Charlie Sheen fan. There were tons of men that would have shined in this film. Sheen does an okay job ( seeing how he isn't a comedian ) but he is overshadowed by a funny script and funnier co-stars. This film makes fun of famous dramas like " 9 1/2 Weeks " but is mainly a parody of " Top Gun ". Hot Shots is an enjoyable movie that sticks to a strong plot. It doesn't end up falling into that trap of " trying " to be funny like some spoofs. It's not as good as " Naked Gun " by all means but it is a heck of a lot better than " Hot Shots: Part Duex " which was far too silly for my taste. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

BEEN THERE DONE THAT
DAYBREAK has it's heart in the right place, and Ted McGinley (Happy Days, Married with Children) is always fun, as he belies his leading man looks and brawn with a childish innocence and awkward macho. However, looking at this movie on the whole:
*Roy Scheider has succumbed to playing roles that require a toughness and in charge kind of person, but he lately seems rather bored with it all;
*Ken Olandt, who usually plays a good guy, is really very bad as the villain;
*Ursula Brooks as the rape victim starts out bitchy, then unexplicably becomes McGinley's soul partner;
*The rest of the cast including the man who plays Griffin are overwrought and unconvincing, and even the young nerd who plays Newton is derivative of other nerdish characters;
*the special effects are very amateurish, and the earthquake scenes, which are very brief, are filmed at night and nowhere near as effecive as those in the tv thriller AFTER SHOCK.
The movie seems long, and while it concentrates on character development, the action scenes are unimaginative and dull.
Not a bad movie, but not great either. Rent instead of buy, though. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

The Mother of all Slapstick
After setting the police profession back 100 years with the "Naked Gun" movie, director Jim Abrahams decided to set his sights on the military with "Hot Shots." And the military will never be the same again.

What makes this movie so much fun are the sight gags that are in almost every scene. As with all good slapstick comedy movies, there are too many sight gags for you to be able to catch them all the first, and even second, time around. Every time you watch this movie, you will find another sight gag that you hadn't noticed before.

The movie also comes with a great comedic cast. It stars Charlie Sheen who for the first time really gets a chance to show how funny he can be (his previous comedy movies are pretty much forgettable). He is supported by Jon Cryer, Lloyd Bridges, and Cary Elwes. Each of these people have a great track record on their own when it comes to comedy. Together, they make the movie work.

Hot Shots
Maybe it's just because I haven't seen Top Gun, but when I first saw this film I was absolutely clueless. Yeah, there were some funny parts and humor from the makers of Airplane, Naked Gun, and Mafia, but the plot fell a little short. Charlie Sheen plays Topper Harley and follows his fathers footsteps when he flies in the Navy. There's also other great appearances by Cary Elwes and Lloyd Bridges (getting a little older), and silly characters like Washout and Dead Meat. I suggest you see Top Gun first, maybe then you will get more of the jokes. I give credit to Jim Abrahams and Pat Proft, though, because Top Gun seems like a tough movie to spoof.

Hilarious!
Hot Shots is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Charlie Sheen is okay, but in my opinion, the real comic here is Lloyd Bridges, playing Admiral Benson. Of course there are many other funny characters including the wall-eyed vision Washout. If you like movies with stupid humor, this is a must see.