Description

Chicago.Another town, another innocent scam for vagabond Bill Dancer (Jim Belushi of K-9 and Red Heat) and the curly-topped orphan he's cared for since infancy.But this time, bill hits the jackpot:his newest con whisks them both from the poorhouse to the penthouse with lots of laughs along the way.

Nine-year-old Alisan Porter (Parenthood, Stella) teams with Belushi, taking the title role in John Hughes' comedy that charmed moviegoers from coast to coast.Kelly Lynch (Road House, Drugstore Cowboy) joins the heartwarming fun as a yupwardly mobile attorney who falls for their scheme and takes them home.It's a situation that seems too good to be true.And it turns topsy-turvy when Lynch's jealous boyfriend intervenes.

Reviewer Pat Collins of WWOR-TV pronounced Curly Sue "the feel-good comedy of the season."But with Hughes' wisecracking wit and tender touch, it's really a prize entertainment for any season. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Sweet "Orphan Annie-ish" Formula Comedy/Tear Jerker
Writer/Director John Hughes covered all bases (as usual) with this bitter-sweet "Sunday Afternoon" family movie. "Curly Sue" is a sweet, precocious orphan, cared for from infancy by "Bill". The pair live off their witts as they travel the great US of A. Fate matches them with a "very pretty" yuppie lawyer, and the rest is predictable.

Kids will love this film, as they can relate to the heroine, played by 9 year old Alisan Poter (who went on to be the "you go girl!" of Pepsi commercials). The character is supposed to be about 6 or 7, as she is urged to think about going to school. Some of her vocabulary suggests that she is every day of 9 or older.

Similar to "Home Alone", there is plenty of slap-stick and little fists punching big fat chins. Again, this is "formula" film making, aimed at a young audience. Entertaining and heartwarming. Don't look for any surprises, but be prepared to shed a tear or two.****

Sweet!
I love Jim Belushi and this is one of my favorite movies of his, it's a cute and sweet comedy about a con artist and an adorable little girl with curly hair. Jim Belushi is great and so is adorable Alisan Porter as Curly Sue.

I wish this sweet movie was on DVD and in widescreen!

Great!
This is a really good film! James Belushi stars as a con-man stuck with a cute little girl with curly hair. In another one of their typical cons, they hit the jackpot. They get taken in by Kelly Lynch, who plays a tough, no nonsense attorney. She lets them stay the night after she hits Belushi with her car and eventually they make their way into her heart as well. Of course, this is a John Hughes film, and they always have an underlying dark theme to them (this film is no exception), but all in all it is a great movie. Little Curly Sue will steal your heart. Want a feel good movie with a happy ending? Voila!

This could have been a great Hughes film!
This is John Hughes's last film (to date) as a director and marks a change in focus from his previous work where he had focussed more on teenagers than small children. The expert view of teenage life given in Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club gives way to a rather Hollywood view of cutesy tots. Stage school moppet Alisan Porter is only a short step away from singing 'Tomorrow, Tomorrow' or 'Animal Crackers In My Soup' and both the performance and writing jar somewhat in an otherwise well-made film. Belushi is an amiable anti-hero as the tramp that gets helped out by the mega-rich lawyer, but Kelly Lynch's character is somewhat clichéd. Do lawyers really get paid as much in America as film and television would have you believe? If so, no wonder people dislike them so much. There is a pretty good musical score here finishing with a great little song from Ringo Starr as the credits roll. It's a sweet film, but would have been better with a different central character.

Good I suppose
This movie is more than predictable but otherwise it is very sweet. The cast is great and the storyline is sweet. The little girl Alisan Porter is also adorable... okay enough cutesy language. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Liked it a lot
Walking Tall is a remake. I've never seen the original, but I sure do like the new one.

The Rock plays Chirs Vaughn. He's a former special service soldier in the army who is returning home to settle down. He comes home to a different town. The town in now run by the crooked law and the casino owner Jay Hamilton(Neal McDonough) who was a friend of Chris. After a couple of incidents where people are hurt Chris decides to run for sheriff. After becoming sheriff he apoints his friend Ray(Knoxville) to help him restore justice to the town.

(...)I liked Johnny Knoxville in the movie. When this guy isn't killing himself on Jackass he seems to be a real cool guy. He does a great job playing the side kick of the rock. He has a future in acting if he wants it. His fans will like him a lot in this. He's funny and so are his fight scenes.

One of the big knocks on this film is whether a small town in North Carolina could be that corrupt. I honestly don't know. I live around some small towns and some of them have crooks for cops and bad poloticians. I looked past in the movie because I didn't care about it. It was a fun story.

I liked Ashley Scott who plays Deni in the movie who is love interest. It's great to see Ashley on screen again. I liked her in Birds of Prey it was just a bad show. She is hot in the movie.

I liked this movie a lot. It's more of a guy film. Lots of great action that isn't likely possible to ever happen. Lots of gun fire and explosions. There's also a piece of cedar you like to see get used. It's a fun film and if you can look past the whole town thing it really is a fun movie.

A guilty pleasure
It should be said right off, I'm not a fan of wrestling or the Rock. I do, however, enjoy a good action movie and was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable the Rundown was, so I caught a preview screening of Walking Tall.
Loosely based on a true story, the movie is about a Chris Vaughn who returns home to find that the mill has been shutdown, his old friend has started a casino, and a drug trade has moved in. The cops are ineffective, so Vaughn runs for sheriff and, wielding a 4x4, decides to clean up the town.
There's absolutely nothing new here, but all the pieces are thoroughly enjoyable anyway. The Rock is convincing and charismatic. Johnny Knoxville is hilarious and perfect for his role as the dopey sidekick. The villain, whose name escapes me, is very sinister.
The action is fun and intense, the supporting actors are strong, heck even the soundtrack was good.
So if you're looking for a light, fun way to spend an hour and forty minutes, this is the movie for you, whether you like The Rock or Johnny Knoxville or not.

Walking Tall was the shiz!!
Walking Tall was a grrreat movie!!! I'd recommend it to anyone that's into exciting action movies complete w/ comedy,drama, and a dash of irony! Just in case u didn't notice The Rock is so muscular (fine & sexy)giving u all the more reason to watch it!! Playing The Rock's nephew ,Pete, Khleo Thomas is also a great reason to see this intreging movie, he's doubtlessly the cutest guy in the history of the universe (also played Zero in the movie Holes). (...) c ya!!!I luv Khleo!!LOL

Walking Tall '' The Rock's Best MOVIE!!!!!
I saw this movie in April And I loved it!! There are 3 Original Walking Tall movies and they better make sequals too this one!! It has great action in it,and the THE ROCK is one bad mudder!!!! Shut your mouth I'm talking bout THE ROCK!!!

Why can't Hollywood let 'The Rock' be 'The Rock'?
There is a particularly disturbing scene in Barry Blaustein's brilliant wrestling documentary "Beyond the Mat", which haunted me ever since I saw the film. No, it's not the messed up personal life of Jake 'the Snake' nor is it the sight of Mick Foley's children screaming in terror as he receives repeated chair shots to the head. It was Vince McMahon expressing his interest in "making movies........." which put the chill down my spine.

Traditionally 'wrestling movies', that is wrestling themed films, have being unsuccessful at the box office and pretty terrible, the only exception being "The One and Only" which is a great film (possibly due to the fact that it's star isn't a wrestler). I'm a long time wrestling fan and can admit that 'sports entertainment' will never ever work as well in the cinema as it does in the tv soap opera format. The obvious logic therefore is to make films starring wrestlers, but not strictly on the subject of wrestling. Rowdy Roddy Piper scored the starring role in John Carpenter's "They Live", a solid cult classic by any standard, why couldn't this formula work?

Enter The Rock! The most electrifying man in sports entertainment! If any wrestler had the look and charisma to carry a feature film, it is the great one. At least in theory..............

"The Scorpion King"? That was so bad, it made "Conan the Destroyer" look like "Conan the Barbarian"! "The Rundown"? The brilliant script for that film manages some near impossible tasks, it makes Seann "Stiffler" William Scott painfully unfunny, Christopher Walken pathetic (Tooth Fairy speech!?), presents The Rock as the cliched 'hero with tragic past' type character without provide a shred of backstory (why won't he use guns?) and to top it all off in a moronic attempt to inject depth and a social conscience into the shallow garbage, it rips off a scene straight out of "Powaqqatsi"! The action scenes are rather bad (HollyWood will never EVER come close to Asian films in action, no matter how many sellout choreographers they bribe in from Hong Kong!!!) and the film runs 15 minutes too long.

So what about "Walking Tall"? Unfortunately it's just another over-hyped horrible Hollywood remake. Is that all they do? put out terrible remakes of great films, "Dawn of the Dead", "The Ring", "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "Planet of the Apes" etc, etc. Haven't they already used the original "Walking Tall"? 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan? In a recent episode of Raw, The Rock was doing Mick Foley's 'This Is Your Life' during which a "critic" told Rocky "if you'd shown this much vitality, maybe 'Walking Tall' wouldn't be a walking piece of crap!", I'm not sure why that line of dialogue was scripted, simply because it is a dead right observation! Of course this won't stop J.R.'s endless plugging, how many wrestlers have being "walking tall" on their way to the squared circle lately?

I want The Rock to succeed, sincerely want his films to be good, he's one of my favorite wrestlers along with Mysterio and Flair. The Rock on the mike is brilliant, in fact better than brilliant, he's electrifying! The Rock on talk shows is charming, funny and totally entertaining. So why is the magic missing from every film he's in?

The answer is simple, The Rock has a ton of charisma and personality, but sadly is not a highly skilled actor. Sure his promos are some of the tightest in sports entertainment, but outside The Rock persona, he doesn't have much of a range. This is in no way a mean spirited insult, just the honest truth. But many of the most respected actors play only one character repeatedly, Robert DeNiro for example. So what is wrong with letting The Rock play the Rock? Why force him into stiff uncomfortable cliched hero roles? Why not make a movie, or better yet a series of movies, in the James Bond style with The Rock as a secret agent putting the smackdown of the bad guys and getting a Bond sized share of pie along the way? A series of "Shaft" style films with The Rock jive talking the jabroni's and swinging with allot of groovy pie in the process? There is no reason why The Rock 'as is' cannot be placed in any number of films. That would be giving fans what they want, lets face it, most of the audience who went to see the films so far didn't go because the plot interested them, they went to see The Rock, I went to see The Rock.

Real wrestling fans should avoid these movies, don't give them your money because if they are successful The Rock will continue to be cast in pure crap like "Walking Tall", rather than either being forced to return to wrestling, which would not be a bad thing at all, or force producers/directors/writers to drastically increase the quality of the films, like that will ever happen. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Heartwarming but Realistic Christmas Favorite
Although I admit part of the fun in watching Christmas movies is that they are so corny, this realistic tale rounds out a Christmas collection nicely.

It is about a newly divorced single mom from the midwest trying to make a new start in San Francisco. The multi-ethnic city is the perfect setting for this made-for-tv movie with a very diverse set of characters in who share a love of music. These characters are people with real problems and weaknesses. They are played by a terrific cast of theatrical worthy actors such as John Houseman, James Chromwell, Micheal Learned and Valerie Curtin.

It is nice to be able watch a Christmas movie that is heartwarming and life affirming while being true to life.

"Kingsfield" in season
John Houseman is NOT Professor Kingsfield, in this seasonal film about a choir rehearsing "The Messiah", but all the signs are there. Houseman's award-winning role as the sharp, brutish law school professor in "The Paper Chase" is revived in a modified format, this time as a retired conductor trying to inject professionalism into an amateur choir group.

The familiar rumble, the stern withering look as his pupils stumble with unfamiliar concepts might have been transposed directly from the "Paper Chase"s larger than life character. In the end however Ephraim/Kingsfield has the desired effect as his charges rally to his aid and perform Handel's oratorio with gusto.

As befitting a seasonal film "A Christmas Without Snow" gets an annual airing, at least on Australian television, and is one of the rare seasonal films to project its characters as three dimensional. Michael Learned is particularly adept in her role of Zoe, an ex-schoolteacher who leaves her Nebraska home and small son, to try her luck in San Francisco. There she meets an eclectic bunch of characters, from the spinster with a penchant for collecting glory-box items at parish functions, to a Minister's son who vandalises the church's pipe organ in frustration at his sequestered life.

Each character is brought sharply into focus as the climactic performance approaches. Calvin Levels is excellent as a youth ensnared by bigotry, and who must confront his own anger at being reliant on his grandmother for financial and moral support. "Babe"'s James Crawford is well cast as the Minister trying to tie all the various personalities together to work for their common goal.

The interplay of characters, with their all too human foibles, but with determination and resolve to overcome their own personal shortcomings, is the lifeblood of this unsentimental tale. A definite viewing must for those who are tired of contrived goodwill.

Memorable movie.
There was something about this movie that entralled me and stayed in my mind over the last 24 years since I first saw it and I decided to order a copy. The other reviews concerning the product quality alarmed me, I was prepared for the worst but ordered the DVD anyway, I was surprised that it was not nearly as bad as I had expected, I had no trouble viewing the picture or hearing words. I think what appeals to me so much about this story is the sense of Christian community it portrays, a story of several different people struggling with everyday problems, yet coming together and finding fellowship while striving together as the body of Christ to produce a magnificent offering of adoration to the Lord. It inspires me to want to do the same.

Horrifying Quality . . .
I tried several times to watch it all the way through but i just couldn't make it. Some good acting, some bad acting . . . heartwarming, kinda cheesy storyline . . . BUT . . . the video quality is horrendous and the audio is terribly muffled. NOT WORTH THE MONEY UNTIL THIS FILM GETS THE QUALITY IT DESERVES!

Okay Drama Badly copied on DVD
Watching a Christmas Without Snow can be an enjoyable afternoon especially watching Michael Learned (Mama Walton) and John Houseman (Professor Kingfield) give their stock performances. The main plot line is okay, except that there are far too many subplots, many of which are totally forgotten by the end. There are also logistical problems in the story (Her son sends her Kindergarten level paintings, when he is a smart 10-year old.)

However, the portrayal of the amateur choir, especially the technicalities of singing are well done.

My biggest problem is the quality of the DVD - it is obviously just a cheap copy of the tape. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

No. 5 is the coolest robot ever
A company called Nova has just made five military robots who can do some serious damage to bad people or anything that they need to get out of their way. However, something happens to No. 5 and he literally becomes intelligent and believe it or not, alive. No. 5 accidentally ends up at the home of a charismatic animal lover, Stephanie (Ally Sheedy). Luckily for No. 5, Stephanie grows attached to the unbelievably smart robot, and her friendship will come in handy after No. 5 finds out that a group of people want to 'disassemble' him.

"Short Circuit" is without a doubt one of the best movies of its type from the 80's, if not of all time. It's a great comedy movie and even a better family movie. "Short Circuit" is a GREAT movie for kids to watch, but anybody of any age can enjoy it.

"Short Circuit" is VERY original, parts of it such as when No. 5 (remember that he's a robot) watches "Saturday Night Fever" on TV and tries to dance, and several other parts, are funny. But best of all, No. 5 makes the movie more than interesting enough to watch over and over again.

If you like comedy movies and especially if you need a great family movie that the whole family can sit down, watch, and enjoy, I recommend getting "Short Circuit." If you like this movie, I also recommend getting the sequel that is humbly named "Short Circuit 2."

A childhood favorite now in widescreen
Beautiful widescreen, better see! As a child I loved Short Circuit, and it's not so successful sequel. The expolits of the robot # 5 who thought that he was a living breathing thinking individual with feelings was a rather entertaining movie with a lot of the stuff that kids find cool in it. A crazy funny robot with some classic tag lines, lazers, and explosions, and a movie that's in general silly.
Until this DVD was released I never got to see this movie in widescreen, and now that I have I am shocked as to how much of the picture was actually missing. The more widescreen movies that I watch the less I can stand Pan & Scam. Short Circuit was a movie that really suffered when it was transfered to pan & Scam. The movie has a decent transfer, not the best, but this is certainly the best presentation of the movie I have ever seen, and it also features decent sound. It's a little lacking in the special features, but would be a good buy for those wanting to relive a childhood memory from the 80s. Unlike Bill & Ted, this movie actually holds up against the test of time, not as well as other 80s classics, but from a decade of [bad] movies, this one's still pretty funny.

Number 5 Should Be Dead
I almost did not finish the film because Fisher Stevens' East Indian character Ben Jabituya was very annoying (It brings to mind such annoyances as Chris Tucker in THE FIFTH ELEMENT...and Jar Jar Binks doesn't seem so bad after all!). SHORT CIRCUIT is another attempt of filmakers in the 80's trying to do Disney type family films due to the success of E.T. An experimental robot is struck by lightning at an electronics lab dealing in artificial intelligence/robotics. It then takes on a life and personality of its own taking on the name "Number 5" (it's actual numerical name from a bunch of experimental robots of its class). Then (surprise!) the military gets wind of it and wants to destroy it (how many movies have we seen this plot device!). Then the race is on to save it..him. If Steven's/Jabituya character is annoying, the Robot is even more annoying once it starts talking and sprouting pop culture quips fed to it by humans thinking he's an alien. Overall, a film that has a couple of laughs with a fish-out-of-water theme along with some pathos to make the audience take out their hankerchiefs. However, in the end we really don't care about anyone in this film.

Cute
While demonstrating the latest in automated warriors, one of them (number 5), gets arbitrarily struck by lightning, hence "Short Circuit." It (he) escapes the compound and is befriended by a ditzy mobile caterer (Ally Sheedy.)
Here is how it goes:
She mistakes the robot for an alien.
He learns what it is to be alive.
Security wants it dismantled before it takes their place.
However we know "it just runs programs" (yah right)

Will Ally discover her mistake?
Will the robot escape.
Can they recover it before it blows something up?

Careful you may find yourself rooting for Johnny Five.

Image should be ashamed of this edition
Not including extras is one thing but releasing this edition without the close captioning just shows contempt for the hard of hearing. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Steve Barnett's Scanners: The Showdown
This sequel, also known as "Scanner Cop II," marks the end of the series...or does it?

The rookie cop Staziak is now a plain clothes detective (he must have had one good year). He uses his scanning capabilities to rout criminals and foil evildoers. We also meet an evil scanner (yes, another one) who has escaped from a mental ward and is trying to kill Staziak. It seems he can also suck the "lifeforce" out of other scanners. You see the finale coming as scanner cop and evil scanner do scanner battle.

In the beginning of the film, the scanner cop fools a kidnapper into thinking he is an accomplice, not the cop. He does this by "scanning." The problem is the director uses the exact same special effect from "Scanner Cop," but in a completely different context. Did FX guru John Carl Buechler get lazy this time around?

One complaint I have had about the entire series, and I have now seen all five entries, is that the Scanner power is never really explained. We see scanners command others to do their will, we see scanners getting scanned, but what specifically does "scanning" entail? Reading minds? This question has never been adequately explained, especially when you throw in the fact that machines can be scanned as well.

The good scanner vs. evil scanner plot has been done to death, yet it is still trotted out for this video. This came out a few years ago, without a sequel, but after witnessing the rebirth of movie series like James Bond, Halloween, Friday the 13th, etc., I am not holding my breath. In a complete pageant of unoriginality, every single episode of this film series has had an exploding head, but none of them ever matched the gore of the first film. This showdown is underwhelming, and I cannot recommend it.

This is rated (R) for strong physical violence, strong gun violence, mild sexual violence, strong gore, and profanity.

A Sad Ending to an overall well done series
Scanners: The Showdown (Otherwise known as "Scanner Cop 2:Vlrokins Revenge and "Scanners 5: The Showdown") is a sadimpression of a movie. I'm not sure, but I think that this was made for Canadian Cable TV. While there are some good special effects, the story is almost an exact copy of every Scanners film made. The performances are dull, dreary, and unoriginal. If yo're interested in special effects, or are a fan of the series, see this film. All others, stay away. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Netherwoods (Keith Carradine and Daryl Hannah) are bad parents. They break into people's homes and steal food, leaving their daughter Janie (Julia Devin) in the car to occupy herself. So the state takes Janie away from them and puts her up for adoption. Unfortunately for Janie's new parents, the Cliftons (Moira Kelly and Vincent Spano), the state didn't catch the Netherwoods, and the bad parents want their daughter back. This summary, though accurate, isn't fair to The Tie That Binds; despite the broad strokes of the plot, the movie is surprisingly successful at creating suspense. The violent scenes are both effectively brutal and effectively restrained--what we see looks like it hurts, but the most gruesome violence happens offscreen. The performances aren't subtle, but like the movie itself, they're grounded enough in reality to sustain the suspense. The gorgeous cinematography lends itself to some beautiful images (a sheet blown away by the wind, fireflies flickering in front of an unfinished house) that create a unusually graceful sense of impending danger. This may not have played as well on the big screen, but in the intimacy of your own home The Tie That Binds has an accumulating creepiness that will last longer than the jagged shocks and jolts of most recent thrillers. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not Entirely Bad
"The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" was a little better than
"The Tie That Binds" but this movie is a good movie.After a couple break into a house to steal some food for their daughter and the cops show up their little daughter Janie is taken to an orphanage by the Cliftons,a decent couple who don't have any children.Problem is the Cliftons don't know that Janie's parents are outlaws and are trying to find her and will stop at nothing to do so.Even if they have to kill everyone they know to do it.
The movie has pretty good performances by Daryl Hannah and Keith Carradine.Don't listen to the other reviews on the internet,this is a pretty good movie.B for the movie,B for the acting.Enjoy!!!

Rip Off!
This movie was horrible and was just a rip off of The superior Hand that Rocks the Cradle which is like 100 times better! Keith Carradine, Vincent Spano, Moira Kelly and Daryl Hannah were wasted in this mess of a movie!

Disappointing
I watched it coz it wasfrom the same maker(s) of "The hand that rocks the cradle" & I had high expectations. All I can say is it's no near to that movie & this film is such a disappointment.

Extremely Disturbing!!
This was the most disturbing movie I have ever seen! It was way too violent and what the psychotic lady did to Vincent Spano's character's friend's baby was totally unnecessary and obviouly only for shock value! If you want to see this movie because you Liked The Hand That Rocks The Cradle that movie wasn't anywhere near as disturbing as this movie!

Watch it for Vincent Spano
Thrills, suspense, violence...All this with a sweet undertone of an innocent child. Carradine and Hannah played two psychotic killers...a great stretch for their normal roles. They were both convincingly scary, and I wouldn't want to come across them in the middle of the night. Sour story of spree killing. Not recommended for young children. If you love Vincent Spano, he does an excellent job in this movie. I watched this movie because he was in it. He gets 100 stars from me. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Steve Barnett's Scanners: The Showdown
This sequel, also known as "Scanner Cop II," marks the end of the series...or does it?

The rookie cop Staziak is now a plain clothes detective (he must have had one good year). He uses his scanning capabilities to rout criminals and foil evildoers. We also meet an evil scanner (yes, another one) who has escaped from a mental ward and is trying to kill Staziak. It seems he can also suck the "lifeforce" out of other scanners. You see the finale coming as scanner cop and evil scanner do scanner battle.

In the beginning of the film, the scanner cop fools a kidnapper into thinking he is an accomplice, not the cop. He does this by "scanning." The problem is the director uses the exact same special effect from "Scanner Cop," but in a completely different context. Did FX guru John Carl Buechler get lazy this time around?

One complaint I have had about the entire series, and I have now seen all five entries, is that the Scanner power is never really explained. We see scanners command others to do their will, we see scanners getting scanned, but what specifically does "scanning" entail? Reading minds? This question has never been adequately explained, especially when you throw in the fact that machines can be scanned as well.

The good scanner vs. evil scanner plot has been done to death, yet it is still trotted out for this video. This came out a few years ago, without a sequel, but after witnessing the rebirth of movie series like James Bond, Halloween, Friday the 13th, etc., I am not holding my breath. In a complete pageant of unoriginality, every single episode of this film series has had an exploding head, but none of them ever matched the gore of the first film. This showdown is underwhelming, and I cannot recommend it.

This is rated (R) for strong physical violence, strong gun violence, mild sexual violence, strong gore, and profanity.

A Sad Ending to an overall well done series
Scanners: The Showdown (Otherwise known as "Scanner Cop 2:Vlrokins Revenge and "Scanners 5: The Showdown") is a sadimpression of a movie. I'm not sure, but I think that this was made for Canadian Cable TV. While there are some good special effects, the story is almost an exact copy of every Scanners film made. The performances are dull, dreary, and unoriginal. If yo're interested in special effects, or are a fan of the series, see this film. All others, stay away. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Heartwarming but Realistic Christmas Favorite
Although I admit part of the fun in watching Christmas movies is that they are so corny, this realistic tale rounds out a Christmas collection nicely.

It is about a newly divorced single mom from the midwest trying to make a new start in San Francisco. The multi-ethnic city is the perfect setting for this made-for-tv movie with a very diverse set of characters in who share a love of music. These characters are people with real problems and weaknesses. They are played by a terrific cast of theatrical worthy actors such as John Houseman, James Chromwell, Micheal Learned and Valerie Curtin.

It is nice to be able watch a Christmas movie that is heartwarming and life affirming while being true to life.

"Kingsfield" in season
John Houseman is NOT Professor Kingsfield, in this seasonal film about a choir rehearsing "The Messiah", but all the signs are there. Houseman's award-winning role as the sharp, brutish law school professor in "The Paper Chase" is revived in a modified format, this time as a retired conductor trying to inject professionalism into an amateur choir group.

The familiar rumble, the stern withering look as his pupils stumble with unfamiliar concepts might have been transposed directly from the "Paper Chase"s larger than life character. In the end however Ephraim/Kingsfield has the desired effect as his charges rally to his aid and perform Handel's oratorio with gusto.

As befitting a seasonal film "A Christmas Without Snow" gets an annual airing, at least on Australian television, and is one of the rare seasonal films to project its characters as three dimensional. Michael Learned is particularly adept in her role of Zoe, an ex-schoolteacher who leaves her Nebraska home and small son, to try her luck in San Francisco. There she meets an eclectic bunch of characters, from the spinster with a penchant for collecting glory-box items at parish functions, to a Minister's son who vandalises the church's pipe organ in frustration at his sequestered life.

Each character is brought sharply into focus as the climactic performance approaches. Calvin Levels is excellent as a youth ensnared by bigotry, and who must confront his own anger at being reliant on his grandmother for financial and moral support. "Babe"'s James Crawford is well cast as the Minister trying to tie all the various personalities together to work for their common goal.

The interplay of characters, with their all too human foibles, but with determination and resolve to overcome their own personal shortcomings, is the lifeblood of this unsentimental tale. A definite viewing must for those who are tired of contrived goodwill.

Memorable movie.
There was something about this movie that entralled me and stayed in my mind over the last 24 years since I first saw it and I decided to order a copy. The other reviews concerning the product quality alarmed me, I was prepared for the worst but ordered the DVD anyway, I was surprised that it was not nearly as bad as I had expected, I had no trouble viewing the picture or hearing words. I think what appeals to me so much about this story is the sense of Christian community it portrays, a story of several different people struggling with everyday problems, yet coming together and finding fellowship while striving together as the body of Christ to produce a magnificent offering of adoration to the Lord. It inspires me to want to do the same.

Horrifying Quality . . .
I tried several times to watch it all the way through but i just couldn't make it. Some good acting, some bad acting . . . heartwarming, kinda cheesy storyline . . . BUT . . . the video quality is horrendous and the audio is terribly muffled. NOT WORTH THE MONEY UNTIL THIS FILM GETS THE QUALITY IT DESERVES!

Okay Drama Badly copied on DVD
Watching a Christmas Without Snow can be an enjoyable afternoon especially watching Michael Learned (Mama Walton) and John Houseman (Professor Kingfield) give their stock performances. The main plot line is okay, except that there are far too many subplots, many of which are totally forgotten by the end. There are also logistical problems in the story (Her son sends her Kindergarten level paintings, when he is a smart 10-year old.)

However, the portrayal of the amateur choir, especially the technicalities of singing are well done.

My biggest problem is the quality of the DVD - it is obviously just a cheap copy of the tape. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A good conclusion of the Hulk's adventures
This movie is more serious than the 2 first (incredible Hulk returns; Trial of the Incredible Hulk) It retrieves all the series atmosphere we used to know in the late '70'S and early '80'S: the Drama. In this final(? ) adventure David Banner tries to find a cure of his transformations in Hulk and enlists the help of a old collegue to help him, but a group of spies is interrested about the researchs of Banner's collegue.There is going to be repercussions in David,s cure but which one ? After this movie, there was supposed to be a sequel called"the rebirth of the Incredible Hulk" but unfortunately, Bill Bixby died and the project was stopped. Then, the Tv-Hulk his dead for good. There is another project for a Big screen movie where the Hulk will be made by computer. this movies will follow the comics book adventures instead of the TV-adventures.

Why I like "Death of the Incredible Hulk"
I liked this video very much. It was an excellent final installment to the "Incredible Hulk" series starring the late Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno. Although, the title gives away the ending, the movie has interesting twists and a very good storyline. Great for any action and comic book fan. END

A Good Ending In Retrospect
At the time this movie aired, I was upset at the way it ended and was hoping for more movies but now looking back, it was a great ending. The only thing missing here is no Jack McGee! I always felt that Jack Colvin should've been in this one but otherwise, it was a great ending. While I would've loved to see "Rebirth", it may have been best that it was never made since Bill Bixby is no longer with us (RIP). Get it if you are a Hulk fan.

It was well done!
I was a big fan of the Incredible Hulk TV series as a kid more than 20 years ago. When 'The Death of' came out, I was delighted to watch it on video. The plot is quite excellent and Bill Bixby, as always, was able to play out the gloomy mood of the story and of David Banner. The ending of the movie is truly touching. Honestly, David Banner's last words made me cry. It could not have been a better ending to the movie. And I agree with one of the movie reviewers that, it was probably better that 'The Rebirth of' was never made and the ending to the Hulk story was left where it was at the end of 'The Death of'. It is an excellent DVD for anyone's Hulk DVD and related collection. The only down side to the DVD is the quality of the picture. At times, 'old spots' appear on the picture but this minor imperfection does not taint the quality of the movie as a whole.

An ending.
Well, this is it. The final epsiode to one of the most famus prime time TV series and the best epsiode(Movie) sence the first.
These was not supose to be the end. They were writting a script for something called the rebrirth of the increadble hulk. Sadly,
Bill Bixby died before that could happen. The cartoon and movie imataters never lived up to this. It's about David Banner(Bill Bixby) still looking for a cure and final finding one while visting his old friend. A great final epsiode. Well worth it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The last film directed by John Cassavetes, Big Trouble reteamed some of the creators of the much funnier The In-Laws. But despite another script by Andrew Bergman, and a cast that reunited Alan Arkin and Peter Falk, this comedy doesn't live up to its predecessor. A spoof of Double Indemnity, the film casts Arkin as a nervous insurance agent faced with huge college tuition bills for a trio of sons headed for Yale. To make extra money, he gets involved in a scheme with a woman (Beverly D'Angelo) trying to kill her husband (Falk). That the whole thing turns out to be an adventure in insurance fraud shouldn't come as a surprise. Despite an inconsistent script, the chemistry between Arkin and Falk can still produce the occasional laugh. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Falk and Arkin Can't Miss. Be Prepared to Laugh
The In-Laws is the standard, but there are scenes in this one that I still can't get through without choking laughter 15 years later. This movie goes beyond off the wall in some spots, and the cast gets it done. It's all about Arkin, Falk, and of course, Richard Libertini in an "In-Laws" like wacky role. No cerebral stuff going on here, but you'll laugh throughout. Find this movie somehow. You won't be sorry

Cassavetes fans, don't bother.
This film, as far as I know, is the "real" last film Cassavetes directed -- not LOVE STREAMS, alas, though that makes a much more fitting final movie. Cassavetes was probably trying to generate funding for a film biography of Django Rheinhardt he was preparing to make (which, of course, he never did get to); either that or he was doing a favor for his friend Peter Falk. In any case, the film has NO bearing on Cassavetes other work. You'll see no sign of his touch at any point, and little sign that he particularly cared about the project. It plays through as a mediocre commercial comedy, poorly written and not very funny. It's professionally done -- but that's about it. Don't even be curious.

hilarious...on the order of "The In-Laws". Falk/Arkin great!
A follow up (but not a sequel) to the comedy "The In-Laws", Peter Falk and Alan Arkin pick up where they left off. A lighthearted comedy about an insurance salesman (Arkin) who unwittingly gets caught up in a scheme by Falk and his wife, played by Beverly D'Angelo. Many twists and turns in this classic! You will long remember the highway scene, the nose reconstruction, the drink, the kidnapping, the drugstore, the train, the homeless man, the adjuster. 4.9 stars ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Sweet "Orphan Annie-ish" Formula Comedy/Tear Jerker
Writer/Director John Hughes covered all bases (as usual) with this bitter-sweet "Sunday Afternoon" family movie. "Curly Sue" is a sweet, precocious orphan, cared for from infancy by "Bill". The pair live off their witts as they travel the great US of A. Fate matches them with a "very pretty" yuppie lawyer, and the rest is predictable.

Kids will love this film, as they can relate to the heroine, played by 9 year old Alisan Poter (who went on to be the "you go girl!" of Pepsi commercials). The character is supposed to be about 6 or 7, as she is urged to think about going to school. Some of her vocabulary suggests that she is every day of 9 or older.

Similar to "Home Alone", there is plenty of slap-stick and little fists punching big fat chins. Again, this is "formula" film making, aimed at a young audience. Entertaining and heartwarming. Don't look for any surprises, but be prepared to shed a tear or two.****

Sweet!
I love Jim Belushi and this is one of my favorite movies of his, it's a cute and sweet comedy about a con artist and an adorable little girl with curly hair. Jim Belushi is great and so is adorable Alisan Porter as Curly Sue.

I wish this sweet movie was on DVD and in widescreen!

Great!
This is a really good film! James Belushi stars as a con-man stuck with a cute little girl with curly hair. In another one of their typical cons, they hit the jackpot. They get taken in by Kelly Lynch, who plays a tough, no nonsense attorney. She lets them stay the night after she hits Belushi with her car and eventually they make their way into her heart as well. Of course, this is a John Hughes film, and they always have an underlying dark theme to them (this film is no exception), but all in all it is a great movie. Little Curly Sue will steal your heart. Want a feel good movie with a happy ending? Voila!

This could have been a great Hughes film!
This is John Hughes's last film (to date) as a director and marks a change in focus from his previous work where he had focussed more on teenagers than small children. The expert view of teenage life given in Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club gives way to a rather Hollywood view of cutesy tots. Stage school moppet Alisan Porter is only a short step away from singing 'Tomorrow, Tomorrow' or 'Animal Crackers In My Soup' and both the performance and writing jar somewhat in an otherwise well-made film. Belushi is an amiable anti-hero as the tramp that gets helped out by the mega-rich lawyer, but Kelly Lynch's character is somewhat clichéd. Do lawyers really get paid as much in America as film and television would have you believe? If so, no wonder people dislike them so much. There is a pretty good musical score here finishing with a great little song from Ringo Starr as the credits roll. It's a sweet film, but would have been better with a different central character.

Good I suppose
This movie is more than predictable but otherwise it is very sweet. The cast is great and the storyline is sweet. The little girl Alisan Porter is also adorable... okay enough cutesy language. ... Read more

Description

Brenda (Virginia Madsen, Candyman, Dune) and Scott Kniffen (Jeffrey Nordling, TVs "Once and Again") are accused of child molestation and physical abuse. Without a shred of evidence, the authorities arrest them and take their two young sons into protective custody. The boys are lead to believe that if they give the "right" testimony, they will be returned to their parents. Through relentless badgering, the impressionable children are coerced into testifying against their parents. After an agonizing nine-month trial The Kniffin's are sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes they did not commit. While their sons are tormented by uncertain memories and obscure recollections, Brenda and Scott face many horrors in prison. Based on a True Story. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A good conclusion of the Hulk's adventures
This movie is more serious than the 2 first (incredible Hulk returns; Trial of the Incredible Hulk) It retrieves all the series atmosphere we used to know in the late '70'S and early '80'S: the Drama. In this final(? ) adventure David Banner tries to find a cure of his transformations in Hulk and enlists the help of a old collegue to help him, but a group of spies is interrested about the researchs of Banner's collegue.There is going to be repercussions in David,s cure but which one ? After this movie, there was supposed to be a sequel called"the rebirth of the Incredible Hulk" but unfortunately, Bill Bixby died and the project was stopped. Then, the Tv-Hulk his dead for good. There is another project for a Big screen movie where the Hulk will be made by computer. this movies will follow the comics book adventures instead of the TV-adventures.

Why I like "Death of the Incredible Hulk"
I liked this video very much. It was an excellent final installment to the "Incredible Hulk" series starring the late Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno. Although, the title gives away the ending, the movie has interesting twists and a very good storyline. Great for any action and comic book fan. END

A Good Ending In Retrospect
At the time this movie aired, I was upset at the way it ended and was hoping for more movies but now looking back, it was a great ending. The only thing missing here is no Jack McGee! I always felt that Jack Colvin should've been in this one but otherwise, it was a great ending. While I would've loved to see "Rebirth", it may have been best that it was never made since Bill Bixby is no longer with us (RIP). Get it if you are a Hulk fan.

It was well done!
I was a big fan of the Incredible Hulk TV series as a kid more than 20 years ago. When 'The Death of' came out, I was delighted to watch it on video. The plot is quite excellent and Bill Bixby, as always, was able to play out the gloomy mood of the story and of David Banner. The ending of the movie is truly touching. Honestly, David Banner's last words made me cry. It could not have been a better ending to the movie. And I agree with one of the movie reviewers that, it was probably better that 'The Rebirth of' was never made and the ending to the Hulk story was left where it was at the end of 'The Death of'. It is an excellent DVD for anyone's Hulk DVD and related collection. The only down side to the DVD is the quality of the picture. At times, 'old spots' appear on the picture but this minor imperfection does not taint the quality of the movie as a whole.

An ending.
Well, this is it. The final epsiode to one of the most famus prime time TV series and the best epsiode(Movie) sence the first.
These was not supose to be the end. They were writting a script for something called the rebrirth of the increadble hulk. Sadly,
Bill Bixby died before that could happen. The cartoon and movie imataters never lived up to this. It's about David Banner(Bill Bixby) still looking for a cure and final finding one while visting his old friend. A great final epsiode. Well worth it. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Heartwarming but Realistic Christmas Favorite
Although I admit part of the fun in watching Christmas movies is that they are so corny, this realistic tale rounds out a Christmas collection nicely.

It is about a newly divorced single mom from the midwest trying to make a new start in San Francisco. The multi-ethnic city is the perfect setting for this made-for-tv movie with a very diverse set of characters in who share a love of music. These characters are people with real problems and weaknesses. They are played by a terrific cast of theatrical worthy actors such as John Houseman, James Chromwell, Micheal Learned and Valerie Curtin.

It is nice to be able watch a Christmas movie that is heartwarming and life affirming while being true to life.

"Kingsfield" in season
John Houseman is NOT Professor Kingsfield, in this seasonal film about a choir rehearsing "The Messiah", but all the signs are there. Houseman's award-winning role as the sharp, brutish law school professor in "The Paper Chase" is revived in a modified format, this time as a retired conductor trying to inject professionalism into an amateur choir group.

The familiar rumble, the stern withering look as his pupils stumble with unfamiliar concepts might have been transposed directly from the "Paper Chase"s larger than life character. In the end however Ephraim/Kingsfield has the desired effect as his charges rally to his aid and perform Handel's oratorio with gusto.

As befitting a seasonal film "A Christmas Without Snow" gets an annual airing, at least on Australian television, and is one of the rare seasonal films to project its characters as three dimensional. Michael Learned is particularly adept in her role of Zoe, an ex-schoolteacher who leaves her Nebraska home and small son, to try her luck in San Francisco. There she meets an eclectic bunch of characters, from the spinster with a penchant for collecting glory-box items at parish functions, to a Minister's son who vandalises the church's pipe organ in frustration at his sequestered life.

Each character is brought sharply into focus as the climactic performance approaches. Calvin Levels is excellent as a youth ensnared by bigotry, and who must confront his own anger at being reliant on his grandmother for financial and moral support. "Babe"'s James Crawford is well cast as the Minister trying to tie all the various personalities together to work for their common goal.

The interplay of characters, with their all too human foibles, but with determination and resolve to overcome their own personal shortcomings, is the lifeblood of this unsentimental tale. A definite viewing must for those who are tired of contrived goodwill.

Memorable movie.
There was something about this movie that entralled me and stayed in my mind over the last 24 years since I first saw it and I decided to order a copy. The other reviews concerning the product quality alarmed me, I was prepared for the worst but ordered the DVD anyway, I was surprised that it was not nearly as bad as I had expected, I had no trouble viewing the picture or hearing words. I think what appeals to me so much about this story is the sense of Christian community it portrays, a story of several different people struggling with everyday problems, yet coming together and finding fellowship while striving together as the body of Christ to produce a magnificent offering of adoration to the Lord. It inspires me to want to do the same.

Horrifying Quality . . .
I tried several times to watch it all the way through but i just couldn't make it. Some good acting, some bad acting . . . heartwarming, kinda cheesy storyline . . . BUT . . . the video quality is horrendous and the audio is terribly muffled. NOT WORTH THE MONEY UNTIL THIS FILM GETS THE QUALITY IT DESERVES!

Okay Drama Badly copied on DVD
Watching a Christmas Without Snow can be an enjoyable afternoon especially watching Michael Learned (Mama Walton) and John Houseman (Professor Kingfield) give their stock performances. The main plot line is okay, except that there are far too many subplots, many of which are totally forgotten by the end. There are also logistical problems in the story (Her son sends her Kindergarten level paintings, when he is a smart 10-year old.)

However, the portrayal of the amateur choir, especially the technicalities of singing are well done.

My biggest problem is the quality of the DVD - it is obviously just a cheap copy of the tape. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Sweet "Orphan Annie-ish" Formula Comedy/Tear Jerker
Writer/Director John Hughes covered all bases (as usual) with this bitter-sweet "Sunday Afternoon" family movie. "Curly Sue" is a sweet, precocious orphan, cared for from infancy by "Bill". The pair live off their witts as they travel the great US of A. Fate matches them with a "very pretty" yuppie lawyer, and the rest is predictable.

Kids will love this film, as they can relate to the heroine, played by 9 year old Alisan Poter (who went on to be the "you go girl!" of Pepsi commercials). The character is supposed to be about 6 or 7, as she is urged to think about going to school. Some of her vocabulary suggests that she is every day of 9 or older.

Similar to "Home Alone", there is plenty of slap-stick and little fists punching big fat chins. Again, this is "formula" film making, aimed at a young audience. Entertaining and heartwarming. Don't look for any surprises, but be prepared to shed a tear or two.****

Sweet!
I love Jim Belushi and this is one of my favorite movies of his, it's a cute and sweet comedy about a con artist and an adorable little girl with curly hair. Jim Belushi is great and so is adorable Alisan Porter as Curly Sue.

I wish this sweet movie was on DVD and in widescreen!

Great!
This is a really good film! James Belushi stars as a con-man stuck with a cute little girl with curly hair. In another one of their typical cons, they hit the jackpot. They get taken in by Kelly Lynch, who plays a tough, no nonsense attorney. She lets them stay the night after she hits Belushi with her car and eventually they make their way into her heart as well. Of course, this is a John Hughes film, and they always have an underlying dark theme to them (this film is no exception), but all in all it is a great movie. Little Curly Sue will steal your heart. Want a feel good movie with a happy ending? Voila!

This could have been a great Hughes film!
This is John Hughes's last film (to date) as a director and marks a change in focus from his previous work where he had focussed more on teenagers than small children. The expert view of teenage life given in Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club gives way to a rather Hollywood view of cutesy tots. Stage school moppet Alisan Porter is only a short step away from singing 'Tomorrow, Tomorrow' or 'Animal Crackers In My Soup' and both the performance and writing jar somewhat in an otherwise well-made film. Belushi is an amiable anti-hero as the tramp that gets helped out by the mega-rich lawyer, but Kelly Lynch's character is somewhat clichéd. Do lawyers really get paid as much in America as film and television would have you believe? If so, no wonder people dislike them so much. There is a pretty good musical score here finishing with a great little song from Ringo Starr as the credits roll. It's a sweet film, but would have been better with a different central character.

Good I suppose
This movie is more than predictable but otherwise it is very sweet. The cast is great and the storyline is sweet. The little girl Alisan Porter is also adorable... okay enough cutesy language. ... Read more