Reviews (2)

Very stereotypical but believable
The young man starring in the movie is a very good actor and the story was good. It depicts some harsh realities facing some urban children and serves as a look at how some people actually live. It also could serve to help those concerned who are outside of the loop ie, social workers, police officers, etc...

Wow
No, I don't own this video, but I was flipping thru the upper channels and come upon this movie. First let me tell you I am a white middle aged suburban women, not the type of person this movie was made for. But I have to say it blew me away. It was visually assaultive in it's realism (as I can only assume growing up in the "hood" to be) The main character is both a likeable intelligent young man and at the same time a manipulative scheemer. As a result of his manipulation many lived are ruined or ended. And all this is done with a minimal of emotion until the final scene. It is hard to "like" anyone in this movie, but the movie itself is very likeable. Very very unusual film, and well worth the time to view it. I am not sure I need to own it, but I am glad I watched it. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

The King of Cool Returns! (In A Kilt!)
I have a few hard-and-fast movie viewing rules, and one that's NEVER let me down is this: Any movie with Samuel L. Jackson is worth seeing. Formula 51 is no exception.

Mr. Jackson (The coolest cat in movies today) plays Elmo McElroy, a Pharmacological genius who has been trapped in a state of indentured servitude for 30 years, toiling away making designer drugs for sleazebag drug-kingpin The Lizard (Played by the extra-crispy Meat Loaf). He's created a perfectly legal drug, (Made from ordinary household objects) which he calls POS-51, supposedly 51 times more potent than Heroin and Cocaine. After breaking loose from The Lizard, Elmo makes his way to Liverpool to sell the formula on his own, and finally start living the good life. Unfortunately, The Lizard has sent assassin Dawn/Dakota (The adorable Emily Mortimer) after him; First to kill him, later to keep him safe until he can coerce him into giving up the formula. THEN kill him....

The film plays like a hybrid of Quentin Tarentino, Monty Python, and Hong Kong action flicks, with a distinctly British flavor injected into it by actors Ricky Tomlinson, Robert Carlysle, and Rhys Ifans, all of whom are excellent. Director Ronny Yu is comfortable mixing genres, as shown by the fast-paced action scenes and the laugh-out-loud comedy. I'll never forget the scene in the lab with the skinheads.....Jackson, is, of course, excellent. I haven't had this much fun at the movies in a LONG time; Can't wait for the DVD!

Formulaic 51
A movie that never lives up to its potential, FORMULA 51 seems more like an exercise in filmaking or B-Movie than a major release. People might be looking for a PULP FICTION or a SNATCH here, but it is not quite on the same level. It's more on the level of Mark Wahlberg's 1998 cult action film THE BIG HIT and to no surprise, both films are by directors from the Hong Kong film industry (Ronny Yu and Kirk Wong respectively). What saves the film is the casting of international stars with the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Meatloaf, and Robert Carlyle with their outrageous characters. They are in a story about an American (Jackson) who has invented the ultimate drug in hopes to sell the formula to make a final score. He travels to Liverpool, England to meet with mobsters in hopes it will become the next fashion drug at 'party raves'. The dialogue is fast and crisp, the action and gunplay are graphic and bloody, and there is the right amount of comedy mixed in with the violence with some plot twists and turns to keep the film moving. There are some plot holes and predictable plot devices and if the film went beyond the right amount of 92 minutes, the audience would have had enough of all the gratuitousness. Overall, entertaining, but only for the fact of the cast and slight comedic moments.

Formula 51
A qiute good offbeat film that unfortunately misses the mark.
For a start a large number of Americans will not get the irony of the film. Looking at the film in retrospect now, you have to be English to understand some of the humour . Also to our transatlantic cousins, there are other cities in The UK after London!
The superb Samuel L Jackson is playing a toned down caricuture of Samuel L Jackson for us tamer brits; ha ha.
However I do enjoy this film and seeing Jackson trading insults with assorted British tv actors who ( lets be honest )are not going to set Hollywood alight. With the exeption of Robert Carlyle plays a great comical/cynical sidekick who always delivers in his peformances.
It is also refreshing having a British action film, not wussy period dramas or crappy romantic comedies starring the antichrist Hugh Grant!

Formula Movie
Join two cool, hip stars like Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Carlyle, add a bland and oh-so-edgy direction, a couple of jokes and visual effects. Then, put a stylish, intrusive soundtrack, lots of f-words, and naturally some sex and drugs. Oh, and a guy who uses a kilt, just to make it a bit more witty. That should make for the absence of an interesting plot, who cares anyway? This is a "Snatch" wannabe (and even that movie wasn`t terrific by any means) that doesn`t quite work. Disposable.

Not a waste of time at least
This movie was good to start out, muddled in the middle, and a small recovery at the end. Samuel Jackson does well, Robert Carlyle is awesome, and Emily Mortimer is great. Where this movie fails is in the complete lack of backup characters. Meatloaf is terrible, but not nearly as bad as others that go unmentioned here. The file has some great visual scenes, a good musical score, and decent dialogue. The movie succeeds at balancing humor and action. One just wishes a little more effort was put forth by all participants. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great!
For everyone out there who is from the caribbean or just loves the caribbean, this video is for you. It has soul and the characters are portrayed with taste. My son loves it and your child will too. ***** Five Stars ... Read more

Amazon.com

This installment in HBO's Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child series shifts the familiar Grimm story to Latin America. Instead of asking, "Nibble, nibble like a mouse, who's been nibbling at my house?" the Witch says, "Qué pasa, qué pasa, someone's nibbling on my casa!" The half-hour show boasts simple, appealing character designs with dark skin and black hair, and bright watercolor backgrounds. Voice actors Christopher Montoya and Chrissy Padilla make Hanselito and Gretelita appealing, resourceful children: When they're caught by the Witch, Hanselito offers to work to pay for what they've eaten off her house. Rosie Perez clearly enjoys herself as the Witch, "Susannah from Havana," half-speaking, half-singing a mixture of English and Spanish. Her mini-production number with Tito Larriva is the high point of the story. The filmmakers don't shy away from the ending: Gretelita shoves the Witch into the oven. But it's done in a comic way that removes any feeling of violence. The animation and Liz Torres's vocal performance are so over the top, the Stepmother feels nastier than the Witch. But small children are more likely to focus on the bright colors and upbeat song than on nuances of character. (Ages 5 and older) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Product Description

Julius Caesar MacGruder (Anthony Michael Hall), the outrageous lead singer of Hail Caesar, a rock 'n' roll band, wants it all -- fame, fortune, beautiful girls, and a recording contract from Easy Street Records (Robert Downey, Jr.). One problem, he's late for his job at the eraser factory. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Is there anything that Anthony Michael Hall *can't* do?!
I am speechless! Wait no I'm not! I love this movie! It is hysterical! I loved everything about it! AMH is brilliant! You have to love the story and the man can actually sing. If you love some of the songs in the film like "What U Feel" (the song you hear over and over again in the film) and "Crazy World" then look around to find AMH's album, (Oh yes, he has an album out) It's called Hall of Mirrors: Welcome to the Hall of Mirrors, and it features those tracks as well as others that just rock! I love the little things in this film! Like the jail scene! When Julius is in the jail cell with Judd Nelson and the two others, take a look behind them to see what is written on the wall. It says " A.M.H. + BUBBA " I almost fell off my seat when I saw that! It's just the little things tossed into each scene that makes this film a classic for me! Watch the little smirks AMH tosses around, or those blues bug out every once in a while. Robert Downey Jr. gives a very funny performance. You have to love seeing Downey Jr. and AMH back together again. They had such great chemistry in Johnny Be Good, it's great to see them together. They work so well off of each other, ever watch the two on SNL in the 80's?! Okay, I am done rambling! Buy this film! Find AMH's album, kick it to track one, "What U Feel", crank it to maximum volume and shake the neighborhood! If you are looking for a ridiculous film to watch, a movie to just make you laugh..this is the movie for you! From: bethy_the_amh_fan

Hail Caesar.... Hail Anthony Michael Hall!!!!!!!
Okay, so this isn't 16 Candles or the Breakfast Club... BUT it is still very entertaining for your die hard AMH fan.... I thought it had an interesting story and some good and tame humor... ****NUTS... sure.... Plus believe it or not, I really thought he did a good job at singing and his catchy little tunes... OH ,YO, OH , YO... WEE YO, WEE YO.... etc... I was humming the songs for hours afterwards... Let's face it, if you dig AMH, then you will enjoy this and SHAFT is in this, too!!!! It is worth a look-see!!!! He has a shot a singing regurlarly...

Mindless Comedy- Nothing More
This is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Very intelligent humor. Some silliness. It is not the kind of movie that stands up to serious scrutiny and over analyzation. It is a mindless comedy that has a "cute" story burried underneath. Anthony Michael Hall is a great comedic actor and this is a great adult role for him. The cameos by Judd Nelson, Robert Downey jr., and Samuel L. Jackson are very funny. This movie is definitely worth watching twice.

A similarly funny movie is Overnight Delivery.

some very funny scenes although not a very good plot.
Anthony Michael Hall's acting seemed a bit on the choppy side, yet made the movie more hilarious. I couldn't tell if the acting was intentional or not so I can't say that it was bad, because, in a way, I thought was very funny. I couldn't have thought of a story like it if I tried, so it's very unique. I watched it several times and laughed through a lot of it. I'd like to see it again. I'd definitely recommend at least a one time viewing for anyone who hasn't seen it. ... Read more

Reviews (121)

Here's To Successful Negotiations!
The Negotiator is an action flick starring Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey. Samuel L. Jackson plays Chicago Police Department Hostage Negotiator, Lt. Danny Roman. Roman is an expert at dissolving critical hostage situations, keeping a level head and making quick on-the-spot decisions. When Roman's partner approaches him with information about money embezzlement within the department, cool methodical Roman decides to investigate. But before he can begin, Roman's partner is killed, and Roman is framed for murder. With no where to go except jail and his back against the wall, Roman does the only thing he can do - He takes the one man he believes responsible for the murder as his hostage. In to talk with Roman about releasing his hostage is Lt. Chris Sabian, played by Kevin Spacey. As the plot thickens, we learn that everyone is suspect, including Roman's friends within the hostage negotiations unit.
Expertly played by Samuel L. Jackson. It seems he can do nothing wrong. Kevin Spacey is excellent as Lt. Sabian. Fast-paced, action-packed, and unpredictable at times, this movie is great for anyone who loves action and suspense.

Negotiator negotiates with an negotiator
Intense, packed of 140 minutes of action. Witty and demand the audience as a certain intelligensia, the Negotiator delivers a good, quality entertainment.

Focal upon the corruption and misuse of welfare fund in the Chicago Police Department, the Negotiator Danny Roman (played by Samuel Jackson)found his friend dead and himself in this web of dirty little tricks. He was convicted of murdering his friend with his own gun and accused of making up a fictitious informer.

Asking for justice, he became a hostage-taker of his own colleagues and several innocent citizens, he locked himself and others in the internal investigation office. He called for Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey), a cool and cerebral negotiator from another precinct, to begin a negotiation process of finding the truth. The bad and corrupt guys within the Police, however, determined to thawrt Danny's plan.

Director F. Gary Gray successfully tells of a very realistic story with, on occassions, powerful images. You hold your breath tight, waiting for the next step both negotiators might take. The result is a constantly engaging experience, interlocking story and a complete satisfaction.

The Negotiator (1998)
Director: F. Gary Gray
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, Ron Rifkin, John Spencer, J.T. Walsh.
Running Time: 135 minutes.
Rated R for violence and language.

When the director has the lucky chance to work with not just one, but TWO of the most exceptional modern actions of the past decade, he should have been licking his chops in anticipation. Director F. Gary Gray (whose previous work was with Ice Cube and Chris Tucker in "Friday") uses the likes of Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey to his advantage, creating a fast-paced action-drama that uses both actors as chess pieces that are intertwined in a suspenseful race against time.

Jackson stars as an extremely successful hostage negotiatior who loses his partner in an accident. When he is framed for the accident as murder, he takes matters into his own hands by taking hostages himself. Kevin Spacey is the top-of-the-line officer assigned to assist the police department with consultations with Jackson, only to find himself in the most unique hostate situation he has ever encountered. Both must learn to trust each other, with Jackson attempting to find the true answers about his partner's death and Spacey trying to keep his incredible reputation in tact.

Gray does a fine job using the intense script (which unfortunately does have a few logical lapses), producing a motion picture that possesses all the essential ingredients to be a successful and enteraining flick. Jackson is very good in the lead role, while Spacey is as his usual best. Although F. Gary Gray was lucky enough to have excellent people for support, he does a fine job pulling off one of the better action thrillers of the year.

An Smart Action/Thriller.
One of the finest Police Hostage Negotiator:Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is framed for murdering his best friend (Paul Guilfoyle) and for embezzling money from his union`s pension fund. When nobody doesn`t want to believe him for not killing his partner & embezzling money. He decides to takes Hostages & try to clear his name. The only person, who could help him in this Situation is another Top Negotiator (Two Time Oscar-Winner:Kevin Spacey).

Directed by F. Gary Gray (Friday, A Man Apart, Set It Off) made a entertaining, suspenseful, action-thriller made surprisingly believable, thanks to Jackson & Spacey terrific performances and especially the Supporting Cast are Strong. The film wasn`t a Hit, when it was release in the Summer of 1998, despite Good Reviews by Critics & Audiences, who seen the film. This film did much better on Video. The Script might have some logic lapses but it`s a gripping & well-made taut thriller. Gray`s Best Film to Date. Written by James DeMonaco & Kevin Fox. Super 35. Grade:A-.

Action Jackson.
Samuel L. Jackson has become quite adept at portraying intense characters who are both likeable and bothersome. His cop in "The Negotiator" is a desperate man, who although perhaps innocent of the charges against him is certainly capable of having done them. By taking hostages, he automatically guarantees himself prison time even if he is exonerated of the murder charges against him, and yet this character cannot help but be likeable and sympathetic in Jackson's hands. Kevin Spacey's negotiator is both arrogant and clever, and the climax of the film shows his expertise at both negotiation and deception. A good suspenseful action film, with Jackson at times over the top but always in charge. ... Read more

Description

By Daniel Stein. The Trial of the Moke is based on the real life story of the humiliation and anguish suffered by Lt. Henry Ossian Flipper, the first black graduate of West Point. Assigned to serve at Fort Davis, Texas in 1881, Flipper became the object of a conspiracy to rid the base of its only black graduate. Flipper, portrayed by Franklyn Seales, was framed by white officers who accused him of embezzling government funds. Ninety-four years later, Flipper was vindicated only a week after "The Trial of the Moke" ended its world premiere run at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater in 1976. A military reburial with honors followed in 1978. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Perhaps the most underrated film ever?
This is quite possibly the greatest overall movie I've ever seen, and yet I don't remember a big hype even when it first came out. "Fluke" will make anyone cry...it is an unusual story about a man who is reincarnated as a dog and tries to prove to his family who he really is. The scene in which he shows his wife his grave in the cemetary gets you the worst. Break out the Kleenex; Fluke decides it's better to leave his family to themselves and goes off into the world alone. Reincarantion: I certainly belive in it. That arrogant reviewer who got so angry at this movie about it cannot prove that it does not exist. And who cares anyway? Aliens can't be proven either, but lots of good movies have been made about aliens. "Fluke" has a cute dog, good acting, a deeply moving story, and a breakout of animals from cats to monkeys from a laboratory. What more do you want? It is excellent. There's nothing not to like. I recommend "Fluke" with more energy than I've recommended any movie in the past.

Magical, yet convincing at times, Tear jerker,
When I first saw Fluke I was living overseas in Rome, Italy, so I had to watch the movie in Italian (now even though I was born there, I was like 5 so I had no idea what they were saying, wasn't fluent in the language yet). I remember only paying attention to the animals, especially the dogs, and the things he was doing. A couple years later (once back in america), I was browsing through a rack in a video store and I came across Fluke. I rented it again with no hesitation to see what the story line was really about. It was the saddest, but most wonderful movie I had ever seen...again. The story line was great and well put together. It was also very creative and not like every other movie one might see. I reccommend this movie to anyone and everyone! Dog lovers, squirrel lovers, monkey lovers, or just anyone who likes a good movie!

NOT for little children
This movie is definitely not for little kids. I bought the Fluke/Napoleon set for my 2 year old daughter because she loves puppies. Napoleon was PERFECT! But Fluke was an awful movie. It had 2 people dying and a dog getting shot with a gun in it (I don't want to introduce her to violence). I threw the movie away-what a waste of money.

Life, Death and a Ginger coloured puppy
I recently watch this movie on Television, and I thought it was superb. The puppyhood of Fluke, particulary with Bella was espicially touching.

I thought that the conclusion to the film summed it up very well, but I found his overall violent behavior sort of disturbing.

My favourite scene was When Rumbo the dog returns as a squirrel and throws acorns at Fluke.

In the end, great movie. Loved it! ^-^

THE ULTIMATE DOG SHOW
FLUKE is a great movie, and it's because of Comet, the wonderfully talented canine who plays the title role. Never has an animal performed with such emotion as Comet does in this tear-jerker, yet satisfying movie. The human stars take back seats to both Fluke and Rombo (wonderfully voiced by the ubiquitous Samuel L. Jackson). Nancy Travis had the glowing warmth and beauty needed to convey the hopelessness Fluke must feel in realizing he can't have his life back. Based on a novel by spook writer James Herbert, the script pulls a real doozy on you at the end, and it's finale in the cemetery is poignantly touching. Without using the techniques in BABE (Which were fine for that movie), FLUKE captures your heart by showing you the love a dog can bring into a life, especially when it's been reincarnated. A wonderful film, let your kids watch it, and discuss it with them. It's life to have loss. But the gain is always around the corner. Well done, guys! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Actor Robert Guillaume (Benson) narrates this classic tale about an Emperor so obsessed with his clothing that he fails to perceive the problems facing his empire. When a pair of swindlers in a nearby town learn of the Emperor's fixation on fashion, the pair tricks the Emperor into giving them his country's fortune in return for the promise of a very special birthday suit made from the "fabric of dreams." Meanwhile, the Emperor's brother, Akira, struggles to keep the empire functioning in the face of great flooding and famine with virtually no monetary resources. When Akira is banished from the Empire for declaring his brother a fool for squandering funds on clothing, the Empire's future looks grim. The Emperor's birthday suit turns out to be much, much less than he had hoped for, but the truthful words of one young boy provide the town with the gift of laughter and the promise of better days ahead. This 26-minute video is nicely animated and features the voice talents of George Takei (Star Trek) and Gedde Watanabe (Mulan). (Ages 3 and older) --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Perfect!
The entire series of "Fairy Tales For Every Child" is a wonderful addition to our video library. The videos are magical and entertaining for the children and for the adults it's fun to figure which of the Hollywood stars is portraying a particular character. I am buying them all. And I hope more will come.

This video had my three children dancing!
My children really enjoyed this movie. It was a blessing for them to see other nationalities that reflects her environment she can relate to in fairytales, instead of the traditional fairytales with only white faces. My daughter is 8yrs old and when her friends come over she shows them this and many other videos from Fairytales for Every Child! They are wonderfull! ... Read more

Reviews (87)

The best movie since Citizen Kane!!!
This is by far, the greatest movie I have ever seen. I don't know who this Leonard guy thinks he is, but he oughta be fired. 3.5?!? He probably fell asleep while watching, if it's even possible considering the movie's supreme greatness. Anyhoo, Geena Davis starts out as an innocent, kind-hearted school teacher, suffering from amnesia. Then one night she is attacked in her home by a man, and she kills him by her own hands. From this point on she begins to learn more about her past. As it turns out, she was a assassin for the CIA! How cool is that!? She teams up with Samuel L. Jackson, a private investigator, in search of discovering her past. A perfect blend of humor and action, along with some of the best action scenes I've ever seen.

An Excellent Actioner.
A Woman in her Mid-Thirty by the name of Samantha Cain (Oscar-Winner:Geena Davis) doesn't know, who she really is, because of her Amnesia and not knowing, who the father of her child (Yvonne Zima). Samantha is now in her life as a School-Teacher, living with a caring boyfriend (Tom Amandes), who loves Samantha and her Child. Then Samantha is slowly finding out about her Past with Pieces of her Memories. But her mysterious former employers want her dead, she pursued by Hi-Tech Assassins from a Corrupted Goverment Renegades. Samantha is helped by a low-rent, wise-cracking Private Detective (Samuel L. Jackson), who help her uncover her past before they turn up dead.

Directed by Renny Harlin (A Nightmare on Elm Street 4:The Dream Master, Cliffhanger, Cutthroat Island) made a Extremely Entertaining Action film that knows how to thrill the audiences. The Plot might seems Hokey and Fat-Fetched for some but Shane Black (Lethal Weapon), who wrote this film does actually works. This has some of the most spectacular action scenes, ever filmed. Davis looks great in this. The film ended up being a Box Office Disappointment in Theatres. This has an terrific score by Alan Silverstri (Predator) and Dazzling Visual Effects. This is a Action-Charged Flick. Don't miss it. Larry King plays himself in a Cameo near the Closing Credits. Super 35. Grade:A-.

politically correct Hollywood garbage
I don't hold spy thrillers to high standards of plausibility, but there are limits beyond which politically correct Hollywood impulses make these productions painful to watch. Apparently Arabs are simply unacceptable villains as terrorists--who could imagine Arabs indulging in terror? The CIA (or its nameless intelligence agency stand-in) is at the top of the Hollywood list, however (followed by neo-Nazis and businessmen). Except it's the CIA from an alternate universe: all-knowing, all-competent. This movie manages to up the P.C. a notch beyond the others, however. Not only is the CIA going to kill thousands in Niagara Falls in a poison gas attack to help it lobby for a budget increase, it's going to leave the body of an innocent Arab at the scene for a scapegoat. You would think that they would be too embarrassed to keep this in circulation after 9/11, but being P.C. means never having to say you're sorry.

Wow Humm Baby! Jerry Mouse! Cute!
Genna Davis gives a good performance as a woman trying to remember her past as a secret agent. Unlike her previous Oscar winning gem in The Accidental Tourist, she does a 180 degree turn in this role as a character smooth as silk & cold as ice. Samuel L. Jackson is once again one of the most diverse actors in Hollywood with this supporting role. Overall, this is a surprisingly good action drama with lots of suspense. It works!

will keep you sitting on the edge of your seat!
This movie is stupendous from the beginning to the end! Geena Davis plays the part of a woman who has had amnesia for eight years and bore a daughter and doesn't know who the father is. She is the average good mother with no idea that her past was filled with just the opposite of that tranquil representation.

She has hired Samuel Jackson, a second-rate gumshoe, to try and trace her background. By chance he stumbles upon a clue, but before he can get to her, she is attacked in her home by a madman out to kill her. She discovers she has amazing skills in defense.

She and Samuel team up to chase down the clues he has found and end up in a dangerous game of espionage, murder and more!

The movie was thrilling, with just enough touches of humor and wit to give it a humanistic touch. The movie is smooth, connected and thrilling from the beginning to end. Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (109)

Travolta Dominates the Screen
"Basic" is a relatively entertaining mystery movie that delights in pulling the rug out from under its audience at regular intervals. This is one of those military thrillers in which a sadistic, hotheaded sergeant (Samuel L. Jackson), who is uniformly despised by the men in his squadron, dies under mysterious circumstances while leading a basic training exercise in Panama. A DEA officer (John Travolta), whose own moral code seems to be in question what with rumors of drug dealings lurking in his background, is called in to investigate.

For long stretches of its running time, "Basic" feels like a puzzle in search of a key to its solution. The attempt at a "Roshomon"-like flashback structure - in which the same event is viewed through the conflicting testimonies of multiple eyewitnesses - often leads to more confusion than clarity, resulting in the audience scratching its head wondering just what is actually going on here. One of the primary reasons for this air of incomprehensibility is the fact that the filmmakers don't do a sufficient job differentiating the minor characters from one another so that we can't always understand who is doing what to whom and why any of what we are seeing on screen really matters. However, the trick turnabout ending goes a long way towards clearing things up - or making them even more confusing, depending on how you look at it. For that's just the kind of film "Basic" is; it exists entirely to deceive and trick the audience and make us thank it for the privilege of being bamboozled - and that it does reasonably well. Actually, the key to enjoying a film like "Basic" is to go with the flow and not worry overmuch if every plot detail makes perfect sense when seen in the grand scheme of things.

"Basic" is noteworthy mainly for the terrific, slightly over-the-top performance of Travolta, who seems to be having the time of his movie acting life playing this highly charismatic, no-nonsense, slightly seedy rogue investigator. Travolta commands the screen in a way that few members of his acting generation are able to do these days. He alone is reason enough to check out "Basic."

Very intriguing and suspenseful
Besides Identity, Basic is probably one of the best, well-made drama/suspense films I've seen. Roles were well casted; Samuel L. Jackson always makes a good, hardened army soldier, and John Travolta makes a good investigator who is very quick, nimble, if not full of mystery. I will admit it has taken a few times to watch to fully understand everything this rich plot had to offer. I would say my only reason for a 4 was the language... I usually don't mind language, but please take note this film as language-ridden like none other before it. For me it was a bit too much than what the film really called for.

However, weighing everything, this is a good film worth it's money.

Highly underrated- a real brain-twister
If you don't like to think while you're watching a movie then stop reading this and go rent some overblown blockbuster. Basic is an incredible movie with more viable twists than I've seen in any other movie. It's fun to watch it multiple times simply to try to figure out how it all fits together (which, I assure you, it does). I can't help but like Travolta in this movie, and Jackson is always great. Critics panned the movie in theaters- more proof that critics actually don't think themselves- but everyone I've shown it to has enjoyed it. If you like suspense/mystery, then don't miss this one.

Trick or Treat?
One's enjoyment of this movie probably will be determined by one's tolerance for being somewhat "cheated" by the screenwriter and director. If you don't mind a certain degree of dishonesty in the service of plot and surprise (and don't mind John Travolta), you'll probably rate this higher than I did. On the other hand, if you believe that a well done thriller by definition has to play fair with its audience, you'll likely feel manipulated and, yes, cheated.

This is one of those films that are difficult to discuss without spoiling the plot. Suffice it to say that I found the production values first rate, and the sound and action sequences generally well done. I don't mind Travolta, like Connie Nielsen, and wasn't too put off by a fairly cliched performance by Samuel Jackson as the (usual) hard-bitten Sergeant.

However, the movie cannot stand up to close analysis of the plot and its various devices. Sins against the viewer are committed by the screenwiter and director--the principle one being that characters who are shown to have certain knowledge at the end do not act consistently with that knowledge throughout.

That's all I'm going to say except that having the DVD will enable you to replay some of the scenes sufficiently to see the extent to which the viewer has been manipulated. There is honest and clever manipulation that always takes place in good thrillers, but this movie, while clever in spots, isn't very honest.

Suspenseful Military Mystery
This film is interesting and suspenseful the entire way through. Both clever and well written it tells the story of a military training mission gone wrong from the perspective of several different officers. The cast of characters are great with the best performances by John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Giovanni Ribisi and Harry Connick Jr.

If you are looking for a military movie this will satisfy you but it takes more credit as a murder mystery. It is gripping, intriguing and a great whodunit with a twist that is unpredictable at the end. Highly entertaining and well worth the ride. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In this animated version of the classic fairy tale, narrated by Robert Guillaume, Rapunzel has the misfortune of being born to a humble couple living next door to an evil "hoodoo diva" (Whoopi Goldberg) in New Orleans. When Dad (Meshach Taylor) gets caught sneaking some rapunzel herb from the wicked Zenobia's garden for his pregnant wife's jambalaya, he makes a deal with the diva that forfeits their right to the baby if it's a girl. So Rapunzel--named after the herb that announced her fate--goes to live next door, only to be imprisoned in a tower and forced to answer the command "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, girl." That is, until she is romanced and eventually rescued by a prince, making for the kind of ending that gives the HBO multicultural series its title of "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child." Embellished by song and humor, this series will entertain ages 3 and older as well as adults. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Happily Ever After's Rapunzel
I Saw It On HBO I Love It!!!!! I Give IT Two Thumps Up!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This biography of the woman The New Yorker called "the sex goddess of the '70s" is also an examination of modern black history. Grier was known as the queen of blaxploitation film, the term Variety coined for the violent B movies that cast blacks in stereotypical roles. Quentin Tarantino, a big fan, provides excellent commentary on her career and helps give an education in the subgenre, as scenes from Coffy, which made her a star in 1973, Foxy Brown, and other disturbingly violent films are shown.Eventually, she crosses over to the mainstream, playing a drugged-out hooker--a role she won acclaim for--inFort Apache, the Bronx (1981) with Paul Newman. Grier comes off as smart and well spoken, someone who could star in cheap exploitation films and somehow be seen as a heroine for doing so. --Valerie J. Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Pam be da bomb!!!!!
Not only is Pam a perfect example of what women should look like, she reeks of class. This fine thing is every man's dream come true. If all women aged this well, then every grandmother would look like Pam Grier or Raquel Welsch. Rock on Pam. ... Read more

Reviews (98)

This Movie Iz Crazy
Im am a 14 year old and I want to talk about the Movie Menace II Society.Menace II Society is the tightest Movie I ever saw since "Boyz N The Hood" & "South Central".It all started out as a young boy name Caine (Tyrin Turner) telling a story about surviving the streets for good.My favorite Scence is When Caine & O-Dog(Larenz Tate) was in the liquor store when these two got evloved in a murder by O-Dog kill the korean grocer and also killed the korean lady while O-Dog threatens to get the video tape from her.In The Movie, They mention O-Dog as "The American's Worst Nightmare" and They also mention that O-Dog is Young, Black, And Don't Give A [care]. They also have a cool soundtrack with MC Eith(Streith Up Menace) and all other cool artists.I Recommend this movie to everyone.If U love hood movies and u have not seeen it yet, nows it the time to spend your money and buy this classic.On the internet, they also mention the "Director's Cut"(which is Unrated and the orignal verison is an R-Rated Movie).So if you Moviegooer and u have not seen that movie yet, now's the time to get that movie.One more thing,The Directors Allen & Albert Hugues(From Hell,Dead Presidents) did an good job on this movie.

True 2 Life
Okay, since im from London, i cant accuratly depict if this is, or is not the real situations encountered by members of the LA public. But upon watching this for the first time, it really hit me that the horrific things portraid in this movie could happen to anyone of us.

Caine, the main focus of the movie, was brought up in a drug filled home, his father was a drug dealer, and his mother a heroin addict. Caine first saw someone be shot when he was just a child, as shown in the films early scenes. Following this his father is murdered in a fixed drug deal, and his mother overdoses, and dies.

Caines best friend O-Dogg is a 16year old, who, as is said in the movie is 'Americas worst nightmare', hes young, Black, and he just dont giv'a F***.

I wont spoil the movie by saying anymore, but take it from me this is one of the the best movies you will see in a long time, especially if you like the whole gang thing, it also has historical content of the 'Watt's rights'. I say buy it as soon as you can.

Powerful movie
This movie is a veery powerful movie. It will give you some laughs and then youll be crying. It is very moving and it wshows you what the ghetto is really about. Growing up and surviving in the hood is very hard and this movvie shows just how hard it is.

Top 10
Menace II Society is one of my Top 10 movies of all time. I could watch it 5 times a day every day. Tyrin Turner should have become a big star after this movie. This movie had great actors, a good storyline, and production. Just wanted to say he was in Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation video as the kid walking around that place, whatever it was, for some strange reason.

After Boyz in da hood
came this, a raw powered movie, that brings to the real of the early 90's South Central LA. This movie is pretty violent and gory, but yet it has a pretty strong message in it. Do you care wether you live or die?

Tyrin Turner(Kaydee) did a excellent dabut about a man who gets cought up in a situation he wants to get out of. Larenz Tate(O-Dog) is more of a straight up gangsta, but did a real good job at acting. Movies with strong messages like this make up for a excellent drama.

If you loved boyz in the hood and don't have this, that's a real shame, even if you didn't watch bouz in da hood, you should get this, and boyz in da hood as well, because those 2 movies are wll-worth the money.

peace ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Perhaps the most underrated film ever?
This is quite possibly the greatest overall movie I've ever seen, and yet I don't remember a big hype even when it first came out. "Fluke" will make anyone cry...it is an unusual story about a man who is reincarnated as a dog and tries to prove to his family who he really is. The scene in which he shows his wife his grave in the cemetary gets you the worst. Break out the Kleenex; Fluke decides it's better to leave his family to themselves and goes off into the world alone. Reincarantion: I certainly belive in it. That arrogant reviewer who got so angry at this movie about it cannot prove that it does not exist. And who cares anyway? Aliens can't be proven either, but lots of good movies have been made about aliens. "Fluke" has a cute dog, good acting, a deeply moving story, and a breakout of animals from cats to monkeys from a laboratory. What more do you want? It is excellent. There's nothing not to like. I recommend "Fluke" with more energy than I've recommended any movie in the past.

Magical, yet convincing at times, Tear jerker,
When I first saw Fluke I was living overseas in Rome, Italy, so I had to watch the movie in Italian (now even though I was born there, I was like 5 so I had no idea what they were saying, wasn't fluent in the language yet). I remember only paying attention to the animals, especially the dogs, and the things he was doing. A couple years later (once back in america), I was browsing through a rack in a video store and I came across Fluke. I rented it again with no hesitation to see what the story line was really about. It was the saddest, but most wonderful movie I had ever seen...again. The story line was great and well put together. It was also very creative and not like every other movie one might see. I reccommend this movie to anyone and everyone! Dog lovers, squirrel lovers, monkey lovers, or just anyone who likes a good movie!

NOT for little children
This movie is definitely not for little kids. I bought the Fluke/Napoleon set for my 2 year old daughter because she loves puppies. Napoleon was PERFECT! But Fluke was an awful movie. It had 2 people dying and a dog getting shot with a gun in it (I don't want to introduce her to violence). I threw the movie away-what a waste of money.

Life, Death and a Ginger coloured puppy
I recently watch this movie on Television, and I thought it was superb. The puppyhood of Fluke, particulary with Bella was espicially touching.

I thought that the conclusion to the film summed it up very well, but I found his overall violent behavior sort of disturbing.

My favourite scene was When Rumbo the dog returns as a squirrel and throws acorns at Fluke.

In the end, great movie. Loved it! ^-^

THE ULTIMATE DOG SHOW
FLUKE is a great movie, and it's because of Comet, the wonderfully talented canine who plays the title role. Never has an animal performed with such emotion as Comet does in this tear-jerker, yet satisfying movie. The human stars take back seats to both Fluke and Rombo (wonderfully voiced by the ubiquitous Samuel L. Jackson). Nancy Travis had the glowing warmth and beauty needed to convey the hopelessness Fluke must feel in realizing he can't have his life back. Based on a novel by spook writer James Herbert, the script pulls a real doozy on you at the end, and it's finale in the cemetery is poignantly touching. Without using the techniques in BABE (Which were fine for that movie), FLUKE captures your heart by showing you the love a dog can bring into a life, especially when it's been reincarnated. A wonderful film, let your kids watch it, and discuss it with them. It's life to have loss. But the gain is always around the corner. Well done, guys! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

subject matter very important, approach to material mixed...
My school career at the University of Washington has been filled with fascinating and important courses in Ethnic relations and studies.My focus has been on Latinos, Asian, and Indigenous groups.I only wish I had had more time to spend looking at African and African-American studies. Since Professor Gates is a notable professor of African-American studies I thought the series was definitely worth checking out.I was prepared to be educated, or at least enlightened.
Professor Henry Lous Gates, Jr. (or "Skip"---the name he uses when introducing himself to his subjects) took the education he had about his own culture and brought it with him into the field, as he focused on race relations in the south, and the MidWest, the divide between wealthy and poor blacks, and Hollywood's view of African-American performers in a business run predominantly by wealthy, old white men.When I use the word "education" in the context of Professor Gates, I am referring to his priviliged prospective of life in the United States.This man had opportunities that some poor whites, and other groups did not have access to.When he encounters poor, Black youth who have had to struggle to rise above the dangerous circumstances of drug and gang-related violence, as well as wealthy African-American entrepeneurs, he approaches both groups of people the same way.He wonders how success is made possible, and how others could've been anything BUT successful.

Though, I think that education, building strong leaders for the future and young people growing into upstanding citizens in the community are all very important factors in this country, I kept feeling Gates lacked compassion for anyone who wasn't like him (i.e. Priviliged, upper-middle class, educated Blacks professionals).Though, I realize he wanted to understand how others "went wrong," for me his ignorance of the hardship others with less money and opportunity endure made the film rather biased and half-baked.However, this film is still worth viewing.In these times, I think that building awareness for the diversity of cultural, racial, and economic groups in the United States is vital in empowering the younger generations who will one day be running this country. ... Read more

Reviews (333)

65 Million Years is Well Worth the Wait!
Intense, supersonic-paced science fiction adventure finds paleontologist Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and company invited to a remote tropical island theme park inhabited by genetically engineered dinosaurs! The awe and wonder is abruptly replaced by terror and a fight for survival after the park's security system is sabotaged, granting the resurrected behemoths free run of the island!

Director Spielberg is at his creative best in this tour de force of suspense, acutely blending action, thrills, awe and humor. Equal to the challenge is composer John Williams with an appropriately rousing and kinetic score that sounds something like Stravinsky on melodic steroids!

Expert direction, superb performances (Richard Attenborough is particularly effective as the eccentric billionaire entrepreneur, John Hammond) and breathtaking, unprecedented visual effects (the ILM computer generated dinosaurs are completely convincing!) more than compensate for less than dimensional characters and rudimentary plot. Along with the action and fun, "Jurassic Park" also raises some serious questions about the ethics of advanced science and cloning.

Perhaps Steven Spielberg's best adventure film, "Jurassic Park" truly is a cinematic masterpiece and one of my five favorite films of all time!

Unbelievable
Jurassic Park has got to be one of the greatest movies of all time. The directing, animatronics, acting, graphics, and casting were perfect in this movie. The beginning was perfect, no sitting around waiting for action. It opens with a worker being attacked by a velociraptor and Muldoon(Bob Peck) trying to help him.

You meat a character named Nedry(Wayne Knight) who is working for a company that will pay him 1.5 million dollars if he steals the dinosaur embryos.

Then some other stuff happens, yaddah yaddah, anyway, Grant(Sam Neill), Ellie(Laura Dern), Gennaro(Martin Ferraro), Malcolm(Jeff Goldblum), and Hammond(Richard Attenborough), reach the island. The island is owned by Hammond the billionaire. It is a theme park with real dinosaurs. The main four go on a tour with Hammond's grandkids.

Needless to say, the tour goes bad. Nedry steals the embryos, pulls the power and runs off. The five remaining characters are stranded out by the tyrannosaur paddock. Ellie has already gone back to the visitor's center where she, Hammond, Muldoon, and Mr. Arnold(Samuel L. Jackson) try to figure out what Nedry has done.

The tyrannosaurus escapes, eats Gennaro and nearly kills everyone else. Moments later Ellie and Muldoon come to try and find everybody, but they have left. They find Malcolm lying in a pile of hay, and the two cars destroyed.

Now Grant, and the two grandchildren, Lex and Tim, must find their way back to the visitor's center while Ellie, Malcolm, Muldoon, Hammond, and Mr. Arnold try to get the power back.

This was THE movie of my generation
As a college student now, I was 9 years old when Jurassic Park hit theaters and it couldn't have come at a better time. Watching it again, Jurassic Park holds up as great entertainment, even if the characters and storylines seem a bit flimsy at times. It's probably more worthy of 4 stars than 5, but hey, this is the movie of MY generation and I'm not going to apologize for its rating. Jurassic Park continually reminds its viewers that Steven Spielberg is the greatest entertainer since Walt Disney. Constantly filling the screen with visual treats, keeping the plot moving at a brisk pace (once the obligatory exposition is filled in), and allowing us to enjoy ourselves without stooping too low, nobody does blockbusters like this man. Since he was to direct Schindler's List that same year, this was more or less his kiss-off to the popcorn genre he helped invent (consisting of classics like Jaws, Raiders, and E.T.--some with more dramatic substance than others, but all damn entertaining). Like I said, I was nine when this movie premiered and I still remember watching in the dark theater as the whole show unfolded--perhaps taking it for granted that movies should be so thrilling and fun, and that every filmmaker was capable of such wonders. Wrong on both accounts, but it did spur me on to shoot my first movie on video camera that summer (admittedly, it was highly derivative). Now I'm a film student...thanks Steve
5/6

"This is a UNIX system. I know this"... And black leather?
Jurassic Park is good entertainment, but take most of the "science" it presents with a grain of salt.

All the characters seem to think the idea of cloning dinosaurs is a good idea except chaos theorist Goldblum who wonders if we should do what we apparently can do.

Innovative in its presentation of realistic looking dinosaurs, Jurassic Park is the name of a new dinosaur-based theme park that is sabotaged while a few scientists and kids are on a pre-opening tour. It becomes an adventure to see who will escape alive.

The movie is best when there are dinosaurs on screen.

Mostly good acting by Laura Dern and Sam Neill as dino experts, Jeff Goldblum as the chaos theory mathematician, and Richard Attenborough as the park designer. The kids, played competently by Ariana Richards and Joseph Mazzello had some of the best lines.

An entertaining adventure, but no big concept. Not quite the same level as Raiders of the Lost Ark, or Jaws.

The only nit-picks include wondering why Jeff Goldblum wears black leather to the tropics, and why a pre-teen girl can save the day on a complex computer (again - see S1m0ne) with her knowledge of UNIX.

DVD has wide-screen movie, a behind the scenes documentary, and a few other minimal goodies.

More Than Just A Movie...
Jurassic Park was more than just a movie. More than an event. It was a full blown phenomenon! Steven Spielberg is the unrivalled king of such films. Every few years he puts out another spectacular that sweeps the world and sets a new standard (like Jaws, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, E.T., Raiders Of The Lost Ark, etc.). This time out, we've got resurrected dinosaurs running amok! The basic plot has stranded people on dino-island trying to keep from becoming dino-chow. You've got your scientists (Sam Neil, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum), your crazy zillionaire (Richard Attenborough), a greedy, lecherous computer geek (Wayne Knight), a sleazy lawyer, and two cute kids to round out the cast. You even get Samuel L. Jackson as a chain-smoking computer tech guy! Throw in an approaching hurricane, and you've got the perfect monster movie! It's usually not the "deep" storyline (except in the cases of Spielberg epics like Schindler's List, Amistad, Saving Private Ryan, The Color Purple, etc.) that causes the phenomenon. It's his way of thrilling us and breaking new cinematic ground that we love. I knew when I first saw JP that I was in for a blast. At the same time, I also knew that I wasn't going to see Hamlet or Macbeth! Jurassic Park blew my mind with it's realistic T-rex, Raptors, Triceratops, and the rest. We saw dinosaurs that were not rubber, clay, or robots (well, at least not robots that looked like robots)! We got CGI that put flesh on 65 million year old bones! The team that made this movie are legendary, and have pushed special effects to stratospheric heights. JP is a true milestone that stands the test of time. Belongs in every DVD collection... ... Read more

Amazon.com

A Mother Goose classic is retold with a Polynesian theme. A cat isshipwrecked on a mice-infested island, but this is one talking feline with ataste for twisting the truth, not rodents. He talks his new owner into makinghim a pair of boots in return for fame and fortune. When the owner's fatherdies, he leaves the plantation to the older brother and the crop to the middlebrother, while the youngest brother gets Puss. Puss, ever the player, connives,manipulates, and flat-out lies to a neighboring island king and princess to gethis owner noticed. But when the owner finds out about all the untruths, he setsthe record straight, much to the dismay of Puss. The king and his daughterappreciate the owner's honesty, and the owner ends up engaged to the princess,proving that honesty is the best policy. Peppered with modern slang and humor,this version of Puss in Boots is very entertaining. Narrated by RobertGuillaume and starring David Hyde-Pierce as Puss, this HBO production is goodfor children 3 and older, but is one the whole family will enjoy. --PeggyMaltby-Etra ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Puss 'n Boots a loveable rendition
Puss 'n Boots is another winner from the Happily Ever After series. It was funny, entertaining ( as all in this series are), and thought provoking. The lesson of a good heart ( as well as hard work) are easy to learn and hard to forget. I have loved this series since I discovered it and just want them to keep up the good work! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A short film deserving of more attention
I must disagree with the previous reviewer. This version of the O'Connor story is beautifully produced as well as acted. It has a stateliness and sadness that approximate the themes of the story, that man cannot be saved by his reason and logic alone but in a world of inexplicable evil must submit to Christian salvation. Like it or not, politically correct or not, that's how O'Connor felt.

Irene Worth is magnificent as Mrs. McIntyre, too consumed with "practical" matters to recognize the lost state of her own soul. And she's matched by the likes of Shirley Stoler, Lane Smith (hiliarious), John Houseman, and a very young Samuel L. Jackson.

Lastly, plaudits go to the gentle, elegiac photography and Bill Conti's ravishingly beautiful music score.

Decent acting, terrible production
When I viewed this picture I enjoyed its interpretation of O'Connor's work quite thoroughly. However, I am saddened by the fact that the manner in which it was produced was so poor. It did not do justice to the profound themes of the story. On the other hand, I did admire the acting abilities of most involved in the film and wish that they could have had a better opportunity to display their skills. ... Read more