Reviews (355)

Best of the summer blockbusters, to date.
XXX (Rob Cohen, 2002)

Here's a surprise: Rob Cohen, whose The Fast and the Furious was not only one of the biggest surprise hits of 2001 but also by far the biggest of Cohen's career, teams up again with Vin Diesel. The major lineup change here is the addition of screenwriter Rich Wilkes. Anyone familiar with the name should be ready to crawl under their seats right about now; Wilkes has been responsible in the past for such deathless cinematic fare as The Jerky Boys and The Stoned Age.

Whatever Cohen did to Wilkes, though, he did it right. XXX is absolutely typical run-of-the-mill shut-your-brain-off spy movie fare, so cut from the cloth of James Bond that the opening scene of the film features a nameless tuxedoed secret agent getting shot in the middle of a Rammstein concert. Cohen and Diesel threw down the gauntlet from the get-go to Albert Broccoli and Co. (and if the trailers for the new Bond film are anything to go by, "Bond"'s death at the beginning of this film is most welcome. Actually, it probably should have come after A View to a Kill. But let's not be petty.)

XXX goes right into the wonderful world of Bond starting soon after, including a scientist/weapons geek (relative newcomer Michael Roof, last seen in Black Hawk Down), a number of fabulous one-liners, and the most beautiful women in Hollywood falling at his feet, in this case Asia Argento. (Asia fans take note: you won't see nearly as much of her, in any respect, as you did in b.Monkey. Grieve now.)

So what is it about XXX that makes it the best of the big-budget summer films? The movie does exactly what it promises. You go into XXX looking for a mindless action movie, and you get a mindless action movie. Diesel is one of Hollywood's hottest properties right now, Cohen is finally hitting his stride after two decades of failed attempts to be deep and meaningful, Wilkes wrote a script that actually contains some humor, and the three of them will be back together again for the sequel in 2004.

Eighteen films from now, hopefully, someone will shoot Xander Cage in the middle of a Rammstein concert, and there will be a new superspy. Until then, sit back and enjoy the ride. *** ½

The Next Big Thing¿
Many have claimed that Vin Diesel (along with The Rock) may very well be the next big action stars in the vein of Arnold and Stallone. Diesel's latest entry, "XXX" may very well prove all doubters that he is in fact, The Next Big Thing.

THE STORY:

Xander Cage is a non-law abiding citizen, an extreme athlete/punk, who gets chosen by Uncle Sam as one of the next generation of secret agents. An unlikely hero, Cage gets sent off to the Czech Republic in pursuit of a group of former Soviet anarchists and winds up sampling the fine Eastern European big-money party life while raising Cain in between.

THE COOL STUFF:

Well my friends, if you love action, this has got action!!! Cohen and Diesel kick it up a notch outdo themselves VERY much from the "Fast and the Furious." Bond, Stallone, Arnold, Chan, Li, Cruise, Vam Damme, Segall or anyone else for that matter has nothing on Diesel in this one. The cool gadgets and the awesome action scenes will please just about anyone watching this.

The coolest thing about "XXX" that does separate this movie from others in the action genre is the use of all the "Extreme Sports" mainstays (motorcross, snowboarding, hot cars) in the filming of all the action/fight scenes.

The stunts and the cinematography of them are simply amazing and breathtaking. Cohen's filming really does put the XXX in XXXTreme. Awesome stuff!!!

THE BEST STUFF:

1. The snowboarding scene

2. The motorcross scene

3. The tons of cool "spy gadgets."

THE COMMENTARY:

Admittedly, if you are watching this for superb acting performance, etc, you really are watching the wrong movie/watching this movie for the wrong reasons. Sure, some of the plot was not that easy to follow and may have been a little confusing. Sure, Diesel will probably not be the next Tom Hanks or Mel Gibson which is alright because that's probably not his talent. A XXX franchise will probably NOT be the nail in the coffin of James Bond. However, the quality of the action in this flick and the pure adrenaline rush it exudes will help experts' claims that Diesel might be the next Arnold or Sly become all that more true.

THE VERDICT:

Again, this is just a great movie if you are looking for your action fix. I'll put the action right up there with anything Arnold or Sly's ever done plus a few bonus points for all the cool usage of the XXXtreme sports stuff. Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!!!

Highly Recommended

Rebellious, in a conformist sort of way
While "XXX" may be a movie for white suburban teenagers who listen to raprock and think they're rebellious, it manages to overcome this impediment and be an entertaining popcorn flick. It turns out to be a solid star vehicle for Vin Diesel as Xander "XXX" Cage, an extreme sports star impressed into going to Europe to spy for his country. Combining the bad action movie with the spy thriller (think Bond James Bond crossed with Schwarzenegger), "XXX" is a good deal better than it has a right to be. It is, as many before me have pointed out, a total ripoff of the James Bond franchise, complete with the unrealistic action scenes and outrageously lame one-liners. That said, the movie isn't without its redeeming qualities. Despite the its two-hour length, the plot, concerning XXX trying to stop a group of baddies with vague eastern European accents from nerve-gassing Prague, moves along pretty quickly. Of course the plot is basically just an excuse for lots of cool stunts and explosions, and the movie doesn't fail to deliver in this aspect. Although I'll be the first to admit that it's all pretty mindless, it's hard not to enjoy such scenes as XXX driving a sports car off a bridge, riding a serving tray down a railing, and outracing an avalanche on a snowboard. There are some pretty nifty visuals as well, most notably Asia Argento as XXX's Russian love interest (yet another plot point lifted straight from the Bond series). For the most part, the acting is pretty good, certainly better than that of most of the bad action movies of the '80's (not that I don't like those movies). Deisel is clearly a talented actor, as he manages to keep his dignity even when uttering lines that would make Sean Connery and Roger Moore wince. And of course, Samuel L. Jackson is always reliable, and he seems to be having fun as the government agent who may or may not be on the level. Overall "XXX" get my thumbs-up, even though it does cut it pretty close.

Vin Diesel Revs Up in Triple X
Triple X is a non-stop thrill ride with an action hero as resourceful and clever as he is atypical of the secret agent genre. In this refreshing, highly entertaining vehicle, young Vin Diesel demonstrates he has inherited (actually co-inherited with The Rock) the crown of action movie star from the likes of Van Damme, Schwarzenegger, Willis, and Stallone.

The female co-star in here is pretty good as the moll of a Czech crimelord. She has a very expressive face, unlike the blank Barbie faces of some of the actresses in these types of roles.

Shameless
This movie had me lost within 10 minutes. As soon as Vin started spewing his tirade about how bad the government was because it tried to censor any cliched "Gen-X/Y" touchstone, i.e. video games and rap music, I looked at the rest of the movie through the eyes of someone who was trying to be blatantly marketed to. This never stopped, between the then trendy music, the constant attempts to be hip (mentioning Playstation a few times), it was obvious they were trying to create a franchise by throwing everything 20-somethings are supposed to like in a pot, blow stuff up around it and watch the money roll in. I have never felt so insulted by a movie in my life. If your idea of a good time is watching a movie that does nothing but pander to the cliche of what the "young generation" likes according the a studio's marketing department, watch "XXX" (even a porn reference in the title to "spice" it up). This movie is one of those terrible 60s beach movies with half the intelligence and 100X the budget. Marketing departments shouldn't write movies, writers should. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This remake of a 1947 film noir casts David Caruso (freshly escaped from TV's NYPD Blue) in the role originally played by Victor Mature. He plays Jimmy Kilmartin, a reformed criminal struggling to keep straight and keep his wife (Helen Hunt) from going back to the bottle. But a favor for his cousin lands him back in the clink, and when his wife dies, he comes out ready to make a deal with the D.A. He becomes an informant, joining the crew of Little Junior Brown (Nicolas Cage), a pumped-up, asthmatic psycho who weightlifts strippers for amusement. Eventually, Jimmy finds himself forced to keep his radar up for treachery from both the criminals he's finking on and the cops he's working for. This film, directed by Barbet Schroeder, didn't do much business, despite a powerful but controlled performance by Caruso and a scarily splashy one by Cage. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (8)

3 1/2 Stars
Kiss of Death was a decent movie , it's worth (...) but that's about it.Dave Caruso was in his prime back then so how can anyone say his acting sucks.But most people are right he should have kept that NYPD Blue gigg.Nic Cage does play a soft bad guy , even in Face / Off.But I give him more credit for taking such a role.John Travolta plays a good villian ! Kiss Of Death is worth 13 bucks , best 13 bucks you'll probably spend on a movie.

Who's afraid of Nicolas Cage?
All right, so he's not the most convincing goon. It's still amusing to see him in this role. I'd say these nay-sayers need to lighten up. As a poor country boy unfamiliar with the urban crime cliches and plot twists, I can honestly say I enjoyed this movie. No, it's no masterpiece, but it is entertaining enough to be worth seeing, even buying at such a reasonable price. Caruso and (as they all admit) a fine supporting cast do very well with a now conventional plot that is at least not as droll as they say. This is probably the first time I've rated something higher than others. Strange.

Kiss Me Baby!
When David Caruso made headlines by leaving the hit TV show "NYPD Blue," the question people were asking was "Is he making a mistake?" Looking back on his career the past few years, we have to say that he did. But you couldn't tell that from his performance in "Kiss of Death." He's actually quite good.

Caruso plays Jimmy Kilmartin, a reformed car thief with a wife and baby who is desperately trying to go straight. Before he does, though, he reluctantly agrees to help his worthless cousin Ronny (Michael Rapaport) on one last run. If he doesn't, then Little Junior (Nicholas Cage), a sadistic killer, will bury Ronny. Naturally, things go bad. A cop gets shot and Jimmy ends up taking the fall by himself.

True to his personal code of honor, Jimmy won't rat out the others no matter how hard the sleazy DA (Stanley Tucci) pushes him. Then Ronny starts to move in on Jimmy's wife (Helen Hunt) and things really go wrong. Jimmy agrees to make a deal and cunningly manipulates events so that Little Junior takes Ronny down.

Three years later, Jimmy finally gets out of prison. The DA's not about to let things drop, however. He wants Little Junior bad and he'll do what it take to get him, even if that means using Jimmy and his family.

The plot of "Kiss of Death" is loosely based on the 1947 original-a class film noir-which featured Victor Mature, and Richard Widmark in his star?making role. (Remember his maniacal giggle as he pushed the old lady down the stairs?)

The story's been updated and it is grittier, realer and even more gripping. Novelist Richard Price ("Clockers") wrote the screenplay and he is one of the very best writers working in movies today. He has a true affinity for the seedy side of life and the characters and situations that populate his films are always enthralling to watch.

The direction by Barbet Schroeder ("Reversal of Fortune") is tense, well?paced and energetic. The acting is very good, especially by Caruso and Cage. Caruso is a very subtle and contained actor, much like Robert Mitchum, a veteran of many films noir. Also like Mitchum, Caruso seems like a powder keg about to go off. He projects seething fire and intensity without overplaying his hand.

Cage is mostly known for his dimwitted nice guy, hero roles, but he shows here that he has some real chops, creating a maniacal thug with a hair?trigger temper. With his pumped?up body and goatee, he has a hard look that goes great with his intense persona. It would have been very easy to go over?the?top with this part, but Cage never does. This is a very good performance.

The ending is the weakest part of the movie. It seems that the filmmakers ran out of gas and had to settle for less than the picture deserves. This is not a great crime film like "Goodfellas" or "Pulp Fiction," but it still makes for an enjoyable viewing.

Very weak
this film suffers from bad writing& trying to showcase non-big screen acting David Caruso.he should have stayed on Blue.Nicolas Cage is okay.but only Samuel L.Jackson keeps your attention.this film goes nowhere fast.despite having names there's no Chemistry.

Caruso probably should have stayed with NYPD Blue
One reason Caruso was so missed after his departure from NYPD Blue was because he created a character that was so wonderful. His character of John Kelly was the backbone for that show. That is how great his character was! Well, if you're a fan of John Kelly, fear not, he's back in Kiss of Death. How can that be you ask? Well, the character isn't actually in the film, but he might as well be. Caruso sticks with what works and makes this character just like his NYPD Blue character, with the exception of him being a convict. But, he does this well. Its a fine performance. The performance that lacked was that of Nicolas Cage. The academy award winning Cage you ask? Yes, the same. But, evidently, he got better after this movie. He presents a mildly amusing villain who is so stupid, you get irritated after he gets off the hook time after time. Although this film has strong performances from Samuel L. Jackson, Ving Rhames, Helen Hunt, and Stanli Tucci, the script is lacking. Its such a shame that a marvelous cast can be assembled only to make a mediocre film. This was definately the wrong film for Caruso to launch a film career on. He probably should have just stayed with NYPD Blue, where his performances as a great guy could have been better appreciated. This film is only recommended for die hard Caruso fans or those who want a reason to dislike Nicolas Cage. ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

Reviews (56)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Album Description

Canadian edition of 1992 surrealistic black comedy starring Brad Pitt & Catherine Keener, directed by Tom Di Cillo ('Living in Oblivion'). ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Brad Pitt Sparkles as a Surreal Anti-Hero
Brad Pitt is obviously the main draw here, and although he brings his great physical beauty to the role, as in every role he plays, it is not all he brings. He is able to capture the essence of Johnny "Suede", a quiet, disconnected young man whose dreams of being an idol are much more real to him than his aimless and odd real life. You hear Brad sing too! This movie is completely weird and wonderful and Brad is so captivating. It's a wonderful hybrid of Twin Peaks meets Melrose Place. A must see, for both men and women, I think.

A haunting tale of loneliness and isolation
I stumbled across this movie by chance, when watching Australian SBS's movie of the week slot with Margaret Pomeranz. When renting the video some-time later the blurb on the back did not do the movie any justice. Johnny Suede is an original and haunting movie which touched my heart like no other. Brad Pitt is excellent as Johnny Suede. He captures all the emotions so well; alienation,loneliness,dreaminess, naivety. The catchy guitar riff at the start sets the scene so well as you drift off into Johnny Suede's idealic dreamworld. I can relate to Johnny Suede's character very well. Being an outsider with a very naive but positive outlook on the world. People using you for their own needs (eg, Darlette, Yvonne even Deek.)Also having a bizarre but unique way of thinking and saying. The shoes were great symbolism also. This movie could well be about the director himself in Tom DiCillo. It seems to be a very personal movie. I also loved the supporting cast; Deek made up his own mind on Johnny, Darlette just used Johnny for support, Was Yvonne still seeing the married guy (remember the bruises, Flip Doubt was great as the weird, possesive photographer guy, I think he was actually a nice guy, Freak storm was convincing as the con- man muso. Being a big fan of James Dean, you can see the comparisons between Pitt and Dean. Unfortunately in my opinion, Brad Pitt ended up taking the easy road playing no emotion macho types which are not really him. This movie is the closest to Brad Pitts personality - vulnerable and sensitive. Anyone could've played Tyler Durden. The bleak wasteland environment where Johnny lives demonstrates the hardships you have to endure when you follow your heart as an artist. This movie deals with issues that I struggle to accept about myself; intimacy, belonging, trying to fit in, being too nice, being a doormat. Pitt has some excellent dialogue. Some of my favourites are; These hands were not meant to hold a god-damn paintbrush, What'ya think I was doin' playing hockey! Babe..you look so beautiful right.. now, The name's suede johnny suede, With these shoes on I'm pretty light on my feet. And heaps more. Johnny Suede will touch those dark subterrannean caverns in your heart where you hardly ever visit. ....

Not to mention the hair
This was really quite a deplorable little movie. The awfulness of the acting, with one exception, eclipsed even the painfulness of the concept. Brad Pitt, never very gifted as an actor, here hit rock bottom, fortunately early in his career. When I say fortunately I mean for him, not for the rest of us, who have had to endure his later somnolent roles whose dreadfulness is said, by some, to be compensated for by his abs and pretty face.
I am sure this movie would have sucked out my life and left me a vegetable, except for the performance of Catherine Keener, whose brilliance as an actress has, alas, never been rewarded with the success that she deserves.

Suede is groovy man
filled with great direction and sparkled together with the likable performance of Brad Pitt as Johnny Suede. Suede wants to make a band and he does but then things fall apart as he spirals into relationships and conflicts. Catherine Keener is also great. Samuel L. Jackson and Calvin Levels also star, though Jackson has a small roll as Pitt's band bass player. a great movie

Is Johnny For Real?
"Johnny Suede" is a wonderfully refreshing off-beat comedy that blends surrealism and a critical pop-culture sensibility while challenging film conventions in a playful, entertaining way. The story follows would-be retro rocker "Johnny" (Brad Pitt) though his adventures in love and music. Katherine Keener plays Johnny's "real" love interest as the girl who rescues him from his shallow ambitions. This is an extremely unusual film that mixes magical events and dream sequences energizing the work with a highly surreal feeling. Set in a decaying and spooky section of Brooklyn, the relationships between characters take on a greater, more universal significance. If I didn't know better, I might consider Tom Dicillo a cinematic genius, with a touch of Beckett for good measure. But, funny enough....

In an interview years later, Tom Dicillo said that "Johnny Suede," his first feature film, was the product of a "shooting nightmare." According to Dicillo, Brad Pitt (Johnny Suede) played the character as if he recently had a "frontal lobodomy." There was even a suggestion in the interview that Pitt willfully dumbed-down the character despite Dicillo's direction to play him as an ordinary mixed-up guy "just trying to figure things out." There was even a hint that Pitt was intentionally sabotaging the shoot as buzz began to circulate that he was destined for stardom (think Thema & Louise). However, I believe he was simply too good an actor to take a character like Johnny without irony. Dicillo considers the movie a failure and said that he was forced to leave in strange, awkward scenes because he simply had no choice (read money) to shoot them again.

"Johnny Suede" remains forever a puzzle. Is Johnny brain-dead or really a perfect symbol for a fallen and lost humanity? Nobody knows...Perhaps, the wasteland in which the action takes place is merely a sign of low-budget, low-awareness-film-making, or is it a deeper, more spiritual wasteland, one in which we all inhabit? Do we, like Johnny, need to have a shoe tossed into our face to understand the true nature of love. Is Tom Dicillo just writing about himself, or did he really intend to make one of the dreamiest, way-cool films about love and art? Nobody knows... ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great movie!!
I simply loved this movie. Tim Roth is excellent in it, pulling of the New York accent perfectly. Very dramatic, very touching, great acting.

Essence of New York
One of many interesting films starring the great Tim Roth using the inner city of New York as a character in itself to show the aggression and hopelessness caused by living in the concrete jungle. In some ways the film is a comic take on New York, in some ways has a tragic logic. Most interesting is how Roth's character relates to such negative circumstances, trying to surmount the negativity with aggressive will; the ending was obviously a product of a toss up: should we have him succeed or fail. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Best in the genre
This movie is incredible! Christopher Walken's role is one of his best. Val Kilmer as Elvis - how cool is that! Well written and wonderfully portrayed - it is one of the best movies of the decade! ... Read more

Reviews (127)

Worth Your Contemplation
This movie will make you think. What exactly are "rules of engagement" in battle? Can rules even apply to conflict?

Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson are both excellent as veteran Marine soldiers fighting the battle of their reputations. Incidents occur in Yemen that unfortunately result in civilian deaths. So who takes the blame? Soldiers. This film brings to light the willingness of civilian judgement against someone volunteering to fight for his country. I don't think a bunch of desk jockies should have that right considering they have never faced a loaded gun and a moment to make the decision of their lives. This film will make you think about your own judgement and about the information you receive.

William Friedkin directs this film with an easy hand, allowing the actors to carry the movie rather than a bunch of guts and glory. Although it was released in 2000 the events are very much related to today. Consider the court marshalls currently taking place against our soldiers in Iraq. Who is to say what rules exist for a young man or woman prepared to die. We know scapegoats exist if only politicians would take their share of the blame. Is it even possible to have rules when some people are immune to following them? Soldiers aren't playing a game that can be replayed for fairness, if they were none of them would ever die would they?

Stellar Performances Spark Thought-Provoking Drama
"Rules of Engagement" is a terse and tough drama that opens in the Vietnamese war and moves to the Yemen of today in a story that could easily have been ripped from today's news stories. Samuel L. Jackson is accused of ordering his Marine troops to open fire on a group of men, women and children who were allegedly peacefully protesting at the American Embassy, and murdering eighty-three of them. He enlists his Vietnam buddy, Tommy Lee Jones, to come out of retirement to defend him and save his career and reputation. The story moves along at a rapid pace, sparked by outstanding performances by Jones and Jackson. The many close-ups of their endlessly subtle reactions create a powerful effect and draw you into the drama. The story itself is thought-provoking and challenging in that it asks the viewer to draw his or her own conclusions regarding right and wrong in the Middle East. Blair Underwood is on deck to deliver an excellent two scene tour-de-force; he is well on his way to becoming one of our finest younger actors. Ben Kingsley and, especially, a notably de-glamorized Anne Archer, also provide high points. Director William Friedkin keeps things moving right along with his hand on the pulse of the story throughout. Well worth the time.

Engaging
The framework in which this story is centered around is quite compelling: an American embassy in a 3rd world country is being besieged by an angry and volatile anti-American mob. A security detail from a Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) is called in to defuse the situation. From that point onward, utter chaos breaks out.

In this day & age the scene of the mob is sure to be quite gripping to any American viewer. This is especially the case given the fact that we've had several embassies overseas bombed in the past 10-20 years. Ever since 9/11 it has been exceedingly difficult to have a whole lot of sympathy for anti-American mobs, regardless of where they are.

While the film examines nicely some of the ethical intricacies of combat, the major flaw is that there is a rather large hole in the plot that even the least clever moviegoers will be able to point out. As the rest of the movie is pretty good, the best thing to do is to try and overlook this unfortunate inconsistency.

Another facet that strikes close to home is the cover-up attempts of the State Department. Not only is this plausible, but it is downright realistic. Few people with morals work for the State Department and the history of the department is filled with cloak-and-daggar silliness.

In all, this is an entertaining movie that compels one to think. It would have been a great movie, if not for the hole in the plot. It is a story that reminds us that the rules that govern war according to the Geneva Convention were written by lawyers who sat in the comfort of debate tables and not battle-hardened soldiers on the front-lines who get shot at on a daily basis.

Disgraceful!
This is a piece of disgraceful American jingoism, implying that all Arabs are evil, and that only the US can save the world. And the inference is that it's a true story - IT'S NOT! It's Stars and Stripes fiction of the most racist kind. And to cap it all, it's a huge waste of talented actors. It's the responsibilty of reasonable people to make sure that the young and naive never see this tripe. They could end up believing it's true.

William Friedkin is a Man of Honor
Within the sanguine moral abyss of combat, lies the grey zone. William Friedkin peels back the souls of men like a savage karmic banana, embedded with the shrapnel of moral ambiguity, the kind that fuels the war machine. And caught in the middle are the Marines, elegantly exemplified by the firebrand conviction of Samuel L. Jackson and the decency incarnate Americana personified by Tommy Lee Jones. Under the hands of maestro William Friedkin, "Rules of Engagement" proves that only honor survives amongst the ashes of men. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Actress Kasi Lemmons made an auspicious debut as a writer and director with this delicately handled, wrenchingly emotional drama, hailed by critic Roger Ebert as one of the best films of 1997. Eve's Bayou begins with ominous narration: "The summer I killed my father, I was 10 years old." From that point the story moves backward in time and memory to Louisiana in 1962, when a young girl named Eve (Jurnee Smollett) witnesses a shocking act on the part of her womanizing father (Samuel L. Jackson). But what really happened? And can Eve be certain about what she saw when there is more than one interpretation of the facts? Less a mystery than a study of deeply rooted emotions rising to the surface to affect an entire family, the film has the quality of classic Southern literature, with layers of memory unfolding to reveal a carefully guarded truth. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Feel The Heat
Eve's Bayou is a spectacular movie. The color and scenery is wonderful and the people are elegant and troubled. Even the character's names stir up visions of dark swamp water and sultry heat. The story is told and seen through the eyes of little Eve Batiste played by a wonderful young actress named Jurnee Smollett. Eve takes us deep into her world which is filled with colorful characters and complex personalities.Diahann Carroll is fabulous as the old fortune teller Elzora with her insane laughter. Debbi Morgan as Aunt Mozelle Batiste Delacroix is something to behold. Aunt Mozelle has promised her family that she will not use her "second sight" to tell fortunes, but neighbors won't let her keep her promise. They seek her out to find missing husbands anyway. Lynn Whitfied as the manor born wife is beautiful and poised as she tries to keep her family together in spite of her wandering husband (Samuel L. Jackson). Jackson is very sexy in this movie and his character has roving eyes as well as roving hands that don't stop even when he is caught in a compromising position by his youngest daughter, Eve. This starts a set of events that lead to the total destruction of an already deeply troubled family.Although this movie did not make history at the box office my guess is that it will become a cult classic. Years from now this movie will be viewed for what it is, a brilliantly produced film. You can literally feel the Louisiana heat from Eve's Bayou. Vannie

A Poetic Accomplishment
This movie is moving and poetic in every sense of the word. From the acting right down to the musical score. I was astounded to learn this is a directorial debut.
Debbi Morgan is absolutely amazing in her role as the sister with the "gift of sight". She provides us with the most amazing scene in the film. In the scene, she is recalling a confrontation between her secret lover and husband. She recalls the events while looking through a mirror, and the scene is acted out as "reflections" in the mirror. This is one of the most powerful scenes I have witnessed. Now that I own the DVD, I can watch it over and over, it is that powerful.
My 2nd favorite performance is by Dianne Caroll, who plays the town voodoo witch.
The DVD has great commentary and an equally well produced short featurette.
The film is complimented by the musical score, which helps the story flow like velvet. I even bought the soundtrack for its amazing hypnotic quality.

Top 10
Eve's Bayou is one of my favorite movies starring one of my favorite young actresses, Jurnee Smollett. You may remember her from On Our Own, a sitcom with her siblings all apart of the cast. The acting is great and the whole movie is a lot different(including the setting) than the usual stuff that comes out. Samuel Jackson is the loving, but adulterous husband and Jurnee doesn't like it. When she decides he goes too far she does the unthinkable to protect her family.

Loved this movie!
Mystery, Magic, and Family what a wonderful base for a movie. I loved the setting, the characters, and the story. It left enough to the imagination to keep it believable. This movie is worth owning!

Eve's Bayou
This is one of the most beautifully written, directed, filmed & acted films of all time! Kasi Lemmons outdid herself with this smoldering family drama set in 1950's Creole Louisianna.

With a stellar cast including Sam Jackson, the incomparable Debbie Morgan, Lynn Whitfield, Diahann Carol, Megan Goode & Jurnee Smollet, this drama seethes with intensity broken by moments of levity. ... Read more

Description

Two trigger-happy cops try to stop the distribution of mind-rotting Wilderness Girl cookies. Starring Emilio Estevez, Kathy Ireland and Samuel L. Jackson. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

A Typical Lampoon Movie!
Hilarious from start to finish, this movie lampoons pretty much any action movie which includes Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Basic Instinct, Silence of the Lambs, and even Wayne's World. It tells the story of detectives Colt and Luger two miss-matched detectives that come together to solve the murdering of Luger's old partener. Colt and Luger are played hilariously by Emilio Estevez (Colt) and Samuel L. Jackson (Luger). Other hilarious preformances come from the two villians, Tim Curry and William Shatner, also from Jon Lovitz. The cameos are countless. They include Whoppi Goldberg, Bruce Willis, Charlie Sheen, Phil Hartman, Corey Feldman, Paul Gleason, F Murray Abraham, and Erik Estrada. You will have to watch the movie more than once to catch all of the jokes and puns.The movie pretty much mocks Lethal Weapon, with the buddy-cop theme. My favorite Lampoon movie, this is one you don't want to miss!

One of my favorite spoofs. Incredibly underrated!
I'm not a huge fan of slapstick spoofs. I love "Airplane!" and the "Naked Gun" films, but it's not my favorite genre.

Ironic, then, that I find most spoof movies enjoyable, at the very least, because they're all really, really stupid. There's more quality in "Airplane!" than, say, "Hot Shots!", but both films are enjoyable, because you have to do absolutely no thinking whatsoever. All you have to do is laugh a few times. And with the millions of jokes (okay, hundreds) per film, you're sure to find at least a handful of things worth laughing at.

"National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1" is one of my favorite spoof flicks. Why? It's stupid, silly, funny, and one of the most enjoyable films available to see. Yeah, it's stupid, like I already said. But it's loads of fun, too. And I don't care if critics bashed it when it came out -- it's still a very fun movie.

Everything gets lampooned in this: "Lethal Weapon" to "Die Hard" to "Silence of the Lambs" to "CHiPs." And, alongside "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"; "Austin Powers in Goldmember"; and "The Player," it has some of the most cameos/stars to date. Get this: Emilio Estevez, Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Curry, Jon Lovitz, William Shatner, Denis Leary, Erik Estrada, Dr. Joyce Brothers, Bill Nunn, Kathy Ireland, Corey Feldman, J.T. Walsh, Paul Gleason, F. Murray Abraham, Bruce Willis, Phil Hartman (R.I.P.), Whoopi Goldberg, Charlie Sheen (Emilio's half-brother)...am I missing anyone? Mel Gibson, Danny Glover and Joe Pesci would have completed this cast. I wonder if they rejected cameos.

Wes Luger (Jackson) has been assigned a new partner, the loose canon Jack Colt (Estevez), who lost his dog long ago and is now mentally unstable. Luger lost his partner (Goldberg), too, and the effects of the past often catch up with him, so far that he finds it impossible to fire a gun without shaking violently and spastic-like.

General Mortars (Shatner) is planning a devious scheme of running drugs through a Girl Scout cookie-type company, and Colt and Luger try to thwart his plan and save the day before it's too late. Meanwhile, they come to appreciate each other -- while lampooning everything in sight.

The most puzzling thing about "Loaded Weapon 1" is the fact that, if you look at most user comments on the Internet Movie Database, they're all quite positive. It has a low standing at 5.3 stars, yes, but the user reviews for the film are pretty decent. A lot of people found the film "funny for what it is." I do, too.

Spoofing a spoof is kinda pathetic, I'll admit. "Lethal Weapon" always was more tongue-in-cheek comedy than anything else. Even as a hard action film it was always winking at the other films of its genre. "Wayne's World" isn't exactly a drama of epic proportions, either, come to think of it. Even "Basic Instinct" is a hard film to spoof, if you take a moment to reflect -- it's never exactly horribly serious. Just sleazy. (I won't ruin how "Loaded Weapon 1" pokes fun at the famous Sharon Stone interrogation scene.)

Yet, in my honest opinion, "Loaded Weapon 1" does a pretty darn good job of spoofing everything in sight. Estevez is a good Riggs-type who pines for his lost dog (not a wife, mind you, but a dog). Jackson -- who's usually great -- is decent as the Murtaugh-type character, although he is shoved aside by the screenplay to make room for Estevez. (Whose brother was just as good in "Hot Shots!", although I think this is a funnier film.) Lovitz, hair bleached (impersonating Joe Pesci from the "Lethal Weapons"), comes across as an irritant sidekick who appears out of thin air only when the plot needs him -- which I suppose was the point. (Was "Loaded Weapon 1" assuming that Joe Pesci's Leo Getz character was an irritating co-star placed in the film as nothing more than an easy plot device? Probably.)

And in one of the simplest -- but also one of the most effective -- scenes, we get the famous bathroom bomb sequence from "Lethal Weapon 2" told in an entirely fresh perspective. Here's how it goes: The door to Jackson's house is wide open. Estevez walks in and calls him. "I'm up here!" is the response. Estevez walks up the stairs, gets to the bathroom, opens the door, sees Jackson on the toilet and says, "What are you doing?" Safe to say, he's doing exactly what it looks like. His blunt reply is one of the highlights of the film. (Let's face it, that scene from "LW2" was destined to get poked fun at some time or another -- I'm just glad it got spoofed in this.)

A hilarious spoof of "Lethal Weapon"
Emilio Estevez and Samuel L. Jackson are the Mel Gibson and Danny Glover of this film. There are spoof scenes from the Lethal Weapon trilogy and one from WAYNE'S WORLD. This filn was dircted by Gene Quintano who previously directed 1986's POLICE ACADEMY 3-Back In Training. This film reunites Quintano with Lance Kinsey. Kinsey was Lieutenant Proctor in many of the Police Academy sequels. Many people who have seen this film also saw THE BREAKFAST CLUB,THE MIGHTY DUCKS films,STAKEOUT,ANOTHER STAKEOUT(Estevez's other films),and PULP FICTION,one of Jackson's later films. Also many people who have seen this film also saw movies that Estevez's brother Charlie Sheen starred in.

Funny !
I first saw this movie was I was ~ 14 .
Now I'm 20 and I still love it - mostly because of Samuel Jackson and that guy with fantastic german (?) "aññent" .
"Where is the micGrofilm , mr. Colt ?" ....
If you like comedies and parodies - that's a great choice !

Great Comedy
John in his reveiw here has just said exactly what i was going to say! So I dont need to review this myself, he's already done it for me, word for word!

I will add however, if you happen to own this great comedy spoof/parody movie, you might be intrested to know there is a couple of eggs hidden on the DVD! If you go to the biographys and choose Samula L.Jacksons, as you flick through the pages, you will notice some of his movies have gold bars around them? You can select those bars, and click ok and watch the trailers to some of S.L.J's movies!

My words on this movie that John didnt add. If your into comedy spoofs like "naked gun" "airplane" "kentucky freid movie" "spy hard" "hot shots" "silence of the hams" and movies of that type of goofy parodying, then you will love this movie! See Johns reveiw for what movies get parodied ... Read more

Reviews (127)

Worth Your Contemplation
This movie will make you think. What exactly are "rules of engagement" in battle? Can rules even apply to conflict?

Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson are both excellent as veteran Marine soldiers fighting the battle of their reputations. Incidents occur in Yemen that unfortunately result in civilian deaths. So who takes the blame? Soldiers. This film brings to light the willingness of civilian judgement against someone volunteering to fight for his country. I don't think a bunch of desk jockies should have that right considering they have never faced a loaded gun and a moment to make the decision of their lives. This film will make you think about your own judgement and about the information you receive.

William Friedkin directs this film with an easy hand, allowing the actors to carry the movie rather than a bunch of guts and glory. Although it was released in 2000 the events are very much related to today. Consider the court marshalls currently taking place against our soldiers in Iraq. Who is to say what rules exist for a young man or woman prepared to die. We know scapegoats exist if only politicians would take their share of the blame. Is it even possible to have rules when some people are immune to following them? Soldiers aren't playing a game that can be replayed for fairness, if they were none of them would ever die would they?

Stellar Performances Spark Thought-Provoking Drama
"Rules of Engagement" is a terse and tough drama that opens in the Vietnamese war and moves to the Yemen of today in a story that could easily have been ripped from today's news stories. Samuel L. Jackson is accused of ordering his Marine troops to open fire on a group of men, women and children who were allegedly peacefully protesting at the American Embassy, and murdering eighty-three of them. He enlists his Vietnam buddy, Tommy Lee Jones, to come out of retirement to defend him and save his career and reputation. The story moves along at a rapid pace, sparked by outstanding performances by Jones and Jackson. The many close-ups of their endlessly subtle reactions create a powerful effect and draw you into the drama. The story itself is thought-provoking and challenging in that it asks the viewer to draw his or her own conclusions regarding right and wrong in the Middle East. Blair Underwood is on deck to deliver an excellent two scene tour-de-force; he is well on his way to becoming one of our finest younger actors. Ben Kingsley and, especially, a notably de-glamorized Anne Archer, also provide high points. Director William Friedkin keeps things moving right along with his hand on the pulse of the story throughout. Well worth the time.

Engaging
The framework in which this story is centered around is quite compelling: an American embassy in a 3rd world country is being besieged by an angry and volatile anti-American mob. A security detail from a Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) is called in to defuse the situation. From that point onward, utter chaos breaks out.

In this day & age the scene of the mob is sure to be quite gripping to any American viewer. This is especially the case given the fact that we've had several embassies overseas bombed in the past 10-20 years. Ever since 9/11 it has been exceedingly difficult to have a whole lot of sympathy for anti-American mobs, regardless of where they are.

While the film examines nicely some of the ethical intricacies of combat, the major flaw is that there is a rather large hole in the plot that even the least clever moviegoers will be able to point out. As the rest of the movie is pretty good, the best thing to do is to try and overlook this unfortunate inconsistency.

Another facet that strikes close to home is the cover-up attempts of the State Department. Not only is this plausible, but it is downright realistic. Few people with morals work for the State Department and the history of the department is filled with cloak-and-daggar silliness.

In all, this is an entertaining movie that compels one to think. It would have been a great movie, if not for the hole in the plot. It is a story that reminds us that the rules that govern war according to the Geneva Convention were written by lawyers who sat in the comfort of debate tables and not battle-hardened soldiers on the front-lines who get shot at on a daily basis.

Disgraceful!
This is a piece of disgraceful American jingoism, implying that all Arabs are evil, and that only the US can save the world. And the inference is that it's a true story - IT'S NOT! It's Stars and Stripes fiction of the most racist kind. And to cap it all, it's a huge waste of talented actors. It's the responsibilty of reasonable people to make sure that the young and naive never see this tripe. They could end up believing it's true.

William Friedkin is a Man of Honor
Within the sanguine moral abyss of combat, lies the grey zone. William Friedkin peels back the souls of men like a savage karmic banana, embedded with the shrapnel of moral ambiguity, the kind that fuels the war machine. And caught in the middle are the Marines, elegantly exemplified by the firebrand conviction of Samuel L. Jackson and the decency incarnate Americana personified by Tommy Lee Jones. Under the hands of maestro William Friedkin, "Rules of Engagement" proves that only honor survives amongst the ashes of men. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Taut and Provocative
In this powerful, suspenseful thriller of life on death row, Ben (ruben Blades) is awaiting execution for the brutal murder of four innocent people. But the pressure of life on Death Row has driven Ben mad, and this creates a problem for the State. An insane man cannot be executed, even if he was sane at the time of the crime.

Starring: Danny Glover . Ruben Blades ... Read more

Reviews (167)

Dynamite Cast + Good Fun = Excellent Film
First off: "Jackie Brown" is not a disappointment. After the surprise success of Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" in 1994, everyone was looking for him to fail on his next attempt. Sorry, friends, but this just isn't the case. In many ways, "Jackie Brown" is a more enjoyable ride. After repeated viewings of "Pulp Fiction" and "Reservoir Dogs," one can easily pinpoint the weaknesses in Tarantino's style. He uses similar references to '70s action and blaxploitation films, he uses relic music hits from the same era, and he even uses similar character names (Marvin with no ear, meet Marvin with no head). The violence is always there, and the incessant use of profanity is always there. But "Jackie Brown" is different from these previous efforts. There's no appearances by either Harvey Keitel or Tim Roth; instead, the film is headlined by the queen of the '70s blaxploitation flicks, the eternally sexy Pam Grier. The supporting cast includes Robert Forster, a staple of cheesy B-movies, Samuel L. Jackson in a return to the world of Tarantino, and the very interesting threesome of Michael Keaton, Bridget Fonda, and the ever-versatile De Niro to round out the cast. So what, besides the cast, makes the film such a knockout? While the profanity level has been toned down, Tarantino's script loses no edge and maintains a constant freshness and sense of humor. Grier has never been much of an actress, but she's always had a certain charm, and she uses this charm effectively in "Jackie Brown." Forster gives his most memorable performance here, playing the role of Max Cherry with complete control and positive cool. Fonda is great as Melanie, and Keaton has a blast playing ATF agent Ray Nicolet, but De Niro steals the show as Louis Gara. De Niro has one of his better supporting roles here, and he makes the most of it. Louis is something of a dimwit, but only De Niro could inject the character with as much humor as he has here. The film, at 154m, is probably too long and overindulgent, but Tarantino presents us with an interesting plot, and some equally interesting subplots to boot. The most effective of these is the relationship that builds between Grier and Forster; there is an attraction there, but the insecurities of each character prevents this from ever reaching a climax. The film is colorful, has solid (but not brilliant) direction, and, aside from some serious lapses in logic, the script flows seamlessly. And guess what? There's no guest appearance by the man himself, who must have realized after "From Dusk Till Dawn" that, while he may be a writer and a director, and actor he is not. "Jackie Brown" reveals the limitations of Quentin Tarantino, but the film is still a riot, and one of the most entertaining of 1997. That's more than I can say for James Cameron's "Titanic," which fails on all levels for me, despite what the critics say. "Jackie Brown" delivers a knockout punch. It's great to see that some Elmore Leonard novels are finally getting the big-screen treatments that they deserve.

Fond-a Weapons
Jackie Brown: rated R, 2 hours and 40 minutes

Jackie Brown is an incredibly well played movie about guns, drugs, and money. Half a million in cash is up for grabs, and the only way to obtain it is by figuring out who is playing whom.
When Jackie (a stunning Pam Grier) is caught at an airport carrying a veritably large sum of money and a bag of crack, the outline of the story is formed. Jackie is held in custody facing possible time in prison, when the deceptive Ordell, played by black talking Samuel L. Jackson steps into the picture. Ordell hires an honest bailbondsman, Max Cherry, to release Ms. Brown. While Ordell takes care of business, we see behind-the-scenes conversations between the spaced out Robert De Niro, as Lewis, and the dim-witted Bridget Fonda, as Melanie, two of Ordell's main connections. Jackie becomes caught between two sides, both with equal objectives. Ray (Michael Keaton), the cop that apprehended Jackie earlier is after small time arms dealer, Ordell, and Ordell is pulling Jackie into his scheme of acquiring the cash. Meanwhile, Lewis and Melanie have their own plans of taking the money. Jackie can't afford to get into any more legal trouble, and if she doesn't cooperate with the man she owes her freedom to, she will be killed, which sets the stage for the perfect swindle.
Quentin Tarantino, creator of Jackie Brown, is master of 'film noir', and adds an interesting perspective to one scene in particular. Jackie is forced by the feds to frame Ordell, and according to Ordell, she is supposed to double-cross them. Caught in the middle, Jackie must fake an exchange of marked bills, in order to seem loyal to both. The switch is shown through three different viewpoints, adding greatly to the effect. The first time, Jackie is shown leaving the bag of money in a dressing room. Next, Lewis and Melanie are shown actually making the exchange, with the real bag of money left behind in the dressing room, and a suspicious Max Cherry watching. Lastly, Max Cherry watches as Lewis and Melanie swap bags, and the actual bag of cash left for him to pick up. By doing this, the big picture is seen through bits and pieces. Tarantino deserves much credit for its ingenious execution, and Jackie Brown in its entirety is recognized as a success, with phenomenal acting by the whole cast, primarily Pam Grier.

Great! Awesome! Fantastic!
Nobody and I mean nobody makes movies like Quentin Tarantino. JACKIE BROWN is one of the greatest movies of all time. Personally, This is my favorite of Quentin Tarantino's films. So get your copy of JACKIE BROWN today!

Not bad, De Niro is fun
Jackie Brown is certainly not Tarantino's best but it is amusing. As in pretty much every movie Samuel L Jackson plays a pretty important part as a gunrunner. He lives in a LA house with the very hot Bridget Fonda. A friend who just came out of jail lives with him and helps him. This is absolutely the funniest character in the movie, played by De Niro. He is a little dumb, lazy and slow but funnily played.

Key to the movie is Pam Grier as Jackie Brown, the smartest person in the movie because she can play both sides, the feds and the criminals and ends up with a lot of dough.

Not a super movie and with 150 minutes definitely too long, but still fun.

Not quite PULP FICTION, but certainly worthy Tarantino
I love Quentin Tarantino. You watch him speak about his art in interviews, and while I realize what I'm responding to might simply be a cleverly-wrought public persona, his energy and enthusiasm for his craft is just so infectious that one cannot help but be energized too. That energy certainly carries over into his movies, and while he may not be the most thrillingly visual director, his undeniable gift for dialogue more than compensates in his films.

PULP FICTION, as of now, is my favorite movie; the dialogue sparkles with wit, and I could hear those lines over and over again without ever getting tired of them. JACKIE BROWN, his follow-up to PF, is just as good as PF, if not quite its superior. Many complained upon its release that this movie was too sluggish and slow-moving (the above Editorial Review calls it "decaffeinated"). Sure, the plot of this movie certainly could become a taut, exciting thriller under another director's hands. But clearly writer-director Tarantino isn't aiming merely for action-movie thrills. He is also focused on his characters, particularly with the two older characters, Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) and Max Cherry (Robert Forster), two characters who have an unspoken attraction to each other that brings an intriguing undertone to a majority of the crime story. If Tarantino takes his time developing his characters and laying out the plot...well, the characters' dialogue is consistently full of life; the characters are interesting (and the performances terrific across the board, particuarly Forster's); and the convoluted plot, when it kicks into high gear, is a source of fascination as well. Watching it, I hardly ever felt that it was too slow for its own good: I was too fascinated by what I was seeing and hearing to notice any possible deficiencies in pacing. (Another Elmore Leonard adaptation, Steven Soderbergh's OUT OF SIGHT, took a similarly leisurely approach to its crime plot, and it worked just as well in that film, too.)

In short, JACKIE BROWN is an underrated Tarantino masterpiece. It may not be quite the film PULP FICTION is (since it had a more palpably energetic feel to it, despite both films' running 154 minutes), but it is certainly a worthy follow-up. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fathers & Sons
Finally, a film that shows how hard it really is to be a single parent. And how hard it is to be an adolescent in this day and age. This film also shows us how dangerous and cruel the world can be, but at the same time shows us the key to survival, family. And through all of my searching, [this] is the only place I have found that carries this film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It was directed with energetic skill by Top Gun Tony Scott, but this breathtaking 1993 thriller (think of it as an adolescent crime fantasy on steroids) has Quentin Tarantino written all over it. True Romance is really part of a loose trilogy that includes Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, with a crackling Tarantino screenplay that rides a fine line between raucous comedy and violent excess. Christian Slater plays Clarence, the comic-book lover who meets a beguiling prostitute named Alabama (Patricia Arquette), confronts her vicious pimp (Gary Oldman), and embarks on a cross-country odyssey with $5 million worth of Mafia cocaine. Mayhem ensues, culminating in a favorite Tarantino climax--the "Mexican standoff"--in which a roomful of guys are pointing guns at each other, waiting to see who shoots first. Brutal, profane, and totally outrageous, True Romance is not for everyone, but with a supporting cast that includes Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Brad Pitt, and Val Kilmer (as the ghost of Elvis!), you can be sure this movie will never be boring. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (173)

A great movie.
A young man by the name of Clerence (Christian Slater) gets to meet a bright wide-eyed Prostitute named Alabama (Patricia Arquette) falls in love at first sight and then they get married. But the Couple takes a wrong turn, when Clerence told the wrong suitcase from a Pimp (Gary Oldman), which Clerence did kill him. Then Clerence & Alabama finds out that the suitcase is full of cocaine and than they decide go to L.A. to sell it and cash it in, while the Mafioso (Lead by Oscar-Winner:Christopher Walken) are searching for the Drugs and the Couple.

Directed by Tony Scott (The Hunger, Top Gun, Enemy of the Gates) made an excellent, clever thriller with romance. Excellent Performances from the Cast, including:Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Micheal Rapaport, Bronson Pinchot, Brad Pitt, Saul Rubinek, Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore, Samuel L. Jackson, James Gandolfini & Conchata Ferrell. This wasn't a huge success at the Box Office but it did recieve great reviews by Critics and it become a Cult Classic. DVD's has an terrific anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an digitally remastered-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (Also on DTS). DVD's has three separate feature-length Audio Commentaries by Stars:Slater & Arquette, Director:Scott & Writer:Quentin Tarantino. DVD has nearly 30 mintues of Deleted Scenes (also an Alternate Ending) with/without commentary by the director & writer. This DVD has great extras. Tarantino wrote a terrific written script, which he's best known for Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction & Jackie Brown. This DVD is a great 2-Disc Set. Do not miss this great film. Panavision. Grade:A.

Stay True To Yourself
Directed with a slick style by Tony Scott (Top Gun, Spy Game), True Romance, boasts an all star cast, a cool soudtrack, and a great script from Quentin Tarantino. He would of course, go on to write and direct Resevior Dogs, and Pulp Fiction. I happen to think though, however, that the script for this film is Tarantino's best work in anything he's ever done. Period I know I'm probably in the minority with that opinion, but most of the the other films he's written/directed himself, have a samenees to them.

Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) likes comic books, Kung Fu Films, and Elvis. He leads a fairly normal life, that is, until he meets call girl Alabama (Patricia Arquette). After a spending a passionate night together, they declare their love for each other, and they decide to get hitched. Clarence is visited by the ghost of Elvis (Val Kilmer) who tells him that he should kill Alabama's pimp Drexel (Gary Oldman)... Dennis Hopper Michael Rappaport Christopher Walken and Brad Pitt also star in this quirky, sometimes dark, love story.

The 2 disc DVD director's cut is a must for fans of the film, over the movie only disc version, that still available.

Disc One has the unrated director's cut of the film. There are 3 audio commentary tracks. Each one offers a unique perspective on the same film and it's kind of fun to have these different takes on the same film. All of the tracks are decent and never lag (especialy Tarantino's who barely misses a beat) The director's storyboard track allows for a side by side comparison between the final film and how Scott laid everything out beforehand. DVD-ROM stuff includes the original script, production notes, and a web site archive with a few links

Disc Two has interviews with both cast and crew, some interesting on the set footage. Cast members offer audio reactions to specific scenes that they appear in as they watch them--this is really cool. Comments are from Hopper Kilmer Pitt and others There are a number of deleted scenes that can be viewed optional commentary from Scott. The best extra is the alternate ending. Rounding out the extras are the ususal trailers and photo galleries and such.

This 2 disc set comes highly recommended

excellent
I loved this movie. Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper we're absolutely fantastic. I was really dissapointed that we didn't see more of Walken throughout the film. The thing that impressed me the most about it though was how each role no matter how small was executed to perfection. Bradd Pitt, Chris Penn, James Gandolfini, Vincent Donofrio? There are two many roles to mention. Scott did an excellent job with the script although it may have a sunnier disposition than Tarantino's other films.

Tarentino's Frist - Possibly His Best...
I recently read Tarantino's original screenplay to "True Romance". Apart from the change in narrative structure (non-chronological), it hints to a bleaker, grittier urban drama, with a tragic ending. It would have been very interesting to see the final film in Tarantino's vision.

Tony Scott's sugar-coated adaptation works wonders though. It was made very clear in the script that the relationship between the two leads was very strong. Scott took this unison and gave the film a fairy-tale tone. The villains in the film are very colourful, contributing to the feel that Scott has established. Hans Zimmer's score does nothing better, than to enforce this vision.

The cast is one of the most impressive line-ups I've ever seen. Much of the film rests on the shoulders of Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette, both characters come off very likable with clear, clean, simple motives. These are career performances. Dennis Hopper gives good in his limited screen-time as Christian's ex-cop, ex-alcoholic father. It is in his time shared with Christopher Walken (being a one-scene wonder, like in "Pulp Fiction"), that he comes off at his best. The Sicilian scene is Walken's most intense since "Deer Hunter". Gary Oldman also gives another deliciously evil and memorable performance, the man is a chameleon, he is yet to unimpress me.

But one of my favourite things about the cast is seeing then-relative-unknowns Samuel L. Jackson, Brad Pitt and James Gandolfini in small, but memorable roles. A real shame that Jackson's performance was cut down heavily from the script, some of the dialogue in his one scene was very amusing, if maybe a little offensive to some.

"True Romance" is a brilliant crime drama, and a perfect (if phased) introduction to Tarantino's work, it is probably the most accessible film he's penned. People will always ponder over whether or not Tarantino's directorial version would have been better, but they can always rest-assure that Scott has given a wonderful adaptation, supported by a very strong cast. It could have been much, much worse.

great scott
what the hell is tony scott doing??? quentin tarantino really knows how to ruin something potentially good. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Pretty good, Mr. Cage
This movie may just be under 3 stars; it may be around 2 3/4 stars, but that's neither here nor there. I love Nicolas Cage's movies and I like Samuel L. Jackson as well. I'm sorry to say that I did not see the original "Amos And Andy" film; so I have no comparison there, but in comparing it with other Cage movies, it's pretty funny.

Cage and Jackson play almost reverse roles as to how blacks and whites are viewed in modern society. Nicolas Cage plays the part of Amos Odell, a dirty convict. And on the other side we have Jackson playing Andrew Sterling, a famous black man who thinks that because he lived in a majority-white town that all whites hate him. So as Andrew (I don't know why they changed the name from Andy to Andrew--maybe to make it more 'professional' or something) moves into a new town, his neighbors spy a black man (Jackson) in what they didn't know was his house, standing by a stereo. And of course, being the simplistic white peoples they are, they call the police; assuming he was stealing his neighbor's stereo. Funny, in itself...

I'll stop there, I don't want to give away the story or the ending here. You'll have to watch it for yourself and decide whether you like it or not. If you enjoy either Nicolas Cage or Samuel L. Jackson movies, you may enjoy this one.

This isn't a remake of the old Amos n' Andy TV show!
Once you understand that, it makes for a very good comedy or sattire with a title that is reminiscent to the old classic television show.

Samuel L. Jackson plays the role of Andrew Sterling, a rich African-American producer,author, and entreprenuer. He buys a home and moves to a small suburban community that isn't use to seeing people of color. A couple is out walking their dog one night and is suprised to see a black man in the home of their neighbors (they don't know that the house has been sold to Sterling) so of course they call the police. They also think that Sterling must be holding their neighbors hostage. Dabney Coleman (9 to 5, War Games) is the opportunistic police chief who looks at this as a chance to plug his campaign for County Commissioner. After the chief figures out that they've been shooting at Andrew Sterling - in front of his own house - and not a burglar they hatch a crazy scheme to cover up their blunder.

Enters Amos Odell (Nicolas Cage), a petty theif. The chief sends him into the house with a shotgun to tie up Sterling and pretend to hold him hostage. Unfortuneatly the media catches wind of the hostage situation and rushes to the scene. Hilarity ensues. It get's wilder and funnier from there. Definetly worth a watch.

A Very Entertaining Movie!!!!
I first viewed this movie when it first came out and loved it.I had forgotten all about it untill 2 weeks ago, when while looking on amazon, saw its listing. I ordered it straight away, and would have to say that this is a very entertaining movie. It has a very original story line, and is realy funny. This movie is a must see, rent or buy, you cant go wrong.

Underrated Gem
I first watched this movie in the mid-90's at the suggestion of a video store clerk. My one thought when I was done was "Why hadn't I heard of this before?" I recently rented it again to show my highly sceptical wife. She loved it and forced her parents to watch it. We're now 4 for 4 in our family!

This movie sets up a great situation a