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Nora Ephron wrote the brisk screenplay for this 1989 romantic comedy, director Rob Reiner made a nicely glossy New York story (very much in a Woody Allen vein) out of it, and Billy Crystal's unstoppable charm made it something really special. Crystal and Meg Ryan play longtime platonic friends who keep dancing around their deeper feelings for one another, and Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher are their respective pals who fall in love and get married. Ryan doesn't get a lot of funny material, but her performance is typically alive and intuitive, and she more than holds her own with Crystal's comic motor mouth and sweet sentimentality. Reiner is on comfortable ground, liberated from the burden of making serious statements in the lead-footed manner of subsequent features.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (184)

This movie is a classic
For me, this movie rates number one among romantic comedies. I have watched it dozens of times and each time I laugh and cry as if it is my first time watching it. The story is so endearing.. How a man and woman meet and dislike each other, mature and "find" each other again only to end a great friendship and finally realize they love each other and marry. I don't feel that Billy Crystal or Meg Ryan have been able to equal their performances in this movie with any other film. They have great chemistry and through the entire film, you hope that someday they will realize how they feel for one another. Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher are equally entertaining. Whenever someone asked me what my favorite Romantic Comedy is, my answer is always When Harry Met Sally.... If there were a "Hall of Fame" for movie genres, this movie would be it. If you want a good laugh (and cry) this movie is it.

It Had to Be You
This movie has been a favorite of mine back in highschool when I first saw the film either on HBO or Television. It also has personal meaning as well, not in the romantic way as some might have the film in their lives but just in a fun eventful personal way.
The movie is about the single life, dating, and the age old question "Can woman and men just be friends?" The movie stars my personal favorites Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal who are perfectly paired up together in this film. Meg plays Sally who's I guess the more positive, healthier (speaking from the film of course) of the two where as Billy is completely different he's deep and depressed. They meet each other on the trip to New York City where they want their lives to start after college. Then ironically keep meeting a couple years later...the final time they meet he's seperated and she and her boyfriend break up. The movie continues to go into the question, in a way its a hopeful movie for the romantics and other words it could give relationships like this a false impression as Nora Ephron explains in the Documentary of the Film. But nonetheless its a hopeful and very cute romantic comedy. It also stars the wonderful Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby. Who are great as Sally and Harry's best friends in the movie. Its fun romantic and witty. And great for both men and woman I believe. It'll be up to you to decide if woman and men can be just friends :)
The soundtrack is great. It's all performed by Harry Connic Jr. to give it the classic touch. With the hit tune "It Had to be You." And many more classic songs.
The DVD has tons of goodies. I'll ignore the fact that it doesn't have a full screen selection as well. But let's move on it's got a great behind the scene's documentary fully on how the idea was scripted, when people came on board such as Nora Ephron, Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal and so on. It goes through who had the idea for what, and how each of them relates to the characters they play. To even how the music was picked for the film and so on. They also have the movie trailer and trailers for other movies by Rob R. as well as the music video to "It Had to be You" With Harry Connic Jr., Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. There's also commentary by Rob R., Billy Crystal, Carrie Fisher and cast and crew which I still have yet to view and go through but I can't wait. This will always be my first classic romantic comedy and how I came to adore Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. I'm sure both men and woman will love this movie :)

My favorite movie of all time!
This movie is the perfect movie to make you laugh. I watch it every year somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love the scene where they pick out a Christmas tree. It draws you into New York the way Sex and the City does. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan were perfect for their roles--I've never liked either of them more than in this movie. Many great quotes came from this movie.

A unforgettable romantic comedy . The best of eighties!
Billy Cristal and Meg Ryan are in their peak craft. They made a punch comedy with the challenging question: May two friends of different sex to be great friends without falling in love?
This is a the premise who will allow to Reiner and this cast to make a delightful and sugestive film.
Obviously you will find traces of some films of Woody Allen , but this picture in particular breathes in the purest sense of the world. This is a love story with many laughable and smart situations that (jokes apart), will let you thinking.
Believe me if I say that since Two for the road (Stanley Donen) and Forty carats (Milton Katselas) I'd never seen a film so original and so well made. The orgasm sequence is now a classic!.A film that blends the charisma and the beauty of Meg and the hyper fast mind of Cristal, never can fail. Don't you?
Acquire this one. It's a cult movie.

Funny.
Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally starred in this crowd-pleasing romantic comedy.

I was really surprised that I enjoyed this one, usually I don't like Billy Crystal but there was some excellent dialogue in this film that helped him out, Meg Ryan looked great (when she didn't have an awful '80's perm - note to ladies on here - it looks really dumb as do ugg boots and jeans that show off your butt cleavage or fat rolls).

I really wish the whole "I'm having what she's having" statement was not said as I've had to endure countless cheesy commercials based on this scene but all in all had some fun with this one.

That said, too many f words, about 8, and too much of the fornicating already, try getting to know someone properly first then marrying them as a lifelong commitment before sleeping with them

Also, you can have platonic friends of the opposite sex, and unless you've got a lust problem you won't be thinking about bedding them all the time.

Thanks for reading, and come out of them you lustful demon!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Robert Redford's underrated directorial follow-up to his Academy Award-winning Ordinary People, The Milagro Beanfield War is a loose and whimsical fable about community pride and social activism in the face of modern progress. Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman) plays a local mechanic in a small New Mexico town who takes up the challenge of rallying support for a local farmer who uses water owned by a real estate developer to grow beans in his field. Everything escalates to a showdown between the townspeople and the developers, with unexpected results. The strongest aspect of the film is the way it doesn't take itself too seriously, with Redford adopting a leisurely tone and allowing his fine cast (including Ruben Blades as the pragmatic town sheriff and Christopher Walken as a nasty state police officer) to deliver finely nuanced performances that touch on themes of faith and perseverance without seeming heavy-handed. The Milagro Beanfield War is an overlooked gem. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (29)

UNHERALDED BUT WELL WORTH A WATCH
After his well-known, Academy Award-winning success with ORDINARY PEOPLE, Robert Redford directed the unheralded MILAGRO BEANFIELD WAR, a tale that speaks of the importance of the basics of life versus the onset of supposed progress, materialism and pride.

A small farmer makes the mistake of using water that isn't his to use in order to cultivate a parched and unproductive beanfield. Sonia Braga (STREETS OF LAREDO) stars as a mechanic in the farmer's New Mexico pueblo who supports the farmer and joins the "war" against the real estate developer who cares about nothing but himself and his profits. Ultimately the townspeople and the developers square off. You'll love the "hombre angel" that keeps popping up.

Enchantingly written THE MILAGRO BEANFIELD WAR is a wonderful film. Frankly, I'm surprised that it doesn't have a stronger following. A great cast includes Ruben Blades as the sheriff and Christopher Walken as a corrupt state police officer.

It's high time for this one to be released on DVD.

THE HORSEMAN

An ode to New Mexico, and a sweet fable
Only the townspeople, in tune with the land and the spirit of New Mexico, can hear the coyote angel's playing music. Because you can hear it too, you feel special.
This is a superb feel-good movie (although having seen the movie dozens of times, I still am not quite sure-- in the end, does he die or doesn't he?? he does walk off with the angel who says in Spanish "Let's take a shortcut to where they are playing the music!")
The soundtrack, the scenery, the actors' portrayal of New Mexicans transport you there. Drive through Espanola and Truchas the next time you are in the Santa Fe area, and you will see, it feels in person just as it appears on the movie. You can stay very quiet and almost, but not quite--(we are not native townsfolk!)--hear the magical accordion.
Note: the Migration CD by Dave Grusin has, along with other selections, VERSIONS of the music on the soundtrack, beautiful, but not exactly the same. I want the exact renditions! and I want a DVD too!

best movie not on dvd
come on redford, please release Milagro to dvd. this is the finest movie most folks have never seen. it surely deserves a wider audience. i would advise all to see the movie, even if you have to buy it on vhs. funny, smart, honest, compelling, good performances from a fine cast and kudoos to redford for this fine effort.

Beautiful, Magical Film
Beautiful film from (then very fresh) director Robert Redford. This film depicts the epic struggle between good and evil with some very nice twists. Excellent roles that were handled well by Ruben Blades, Sonia Braga, James Gammon, and a host of many other great characters that were depicted quite well. Chris Walken presents to us the governmental enforcer to a sheer tee. Richard Bradford (joined by Melanie Griffith) also gives us the perfect "fat cat" & (his) band of bad guys that are trying to hoard an already conspicuous pipeline of water through a dry valley near the Mexican border when one of the (near povertied) residents of Milagro makes a grave, yet somehow worthy mistake.
Milagro is a community inhabited by crazy townfolk, idealistic views, & even a familiar face (Freddy Fender) as town mayor. Get ready for ghosts, legends, and an inspiring story and cast that will keep you smiling, thinking, and loving this film for many years to come!
*A grammy won that year for the haunting soundtrack was also quite well deserved.

Waiting for DVD
A great movie. I am waiting for the DVD to come out with some interesting extras. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Let's have some ORDER AROUND HERE!!!
First off...I am an avid,,,and extremely critical... suspense/thriller movie buff who revels in being viscerally scared out-of-his wits...without the director using buckets of blood or idiotic/sophmoric situations to accomplish this feat. The Stepfather (fiendishly and poignantly portrayed by Terry O'Quinn) will send your nerves a-jangle.

The plot here is simplistic...a very, very disturbed man is in search of the perfect family (ala ) The Brady Bunch or Father Knows Best...the problem is...is TRY telling Jerry that life isn't a idealistic cornball sitcom...see what the results are...

Brilliantly directed by Joseph Rubens (Sleeping with the Enemy/The Good Son)... the Stepfather will take you on a haunting psychological rollercoaster ride filled with jumps, jolts, heart thumping and unconscious nail biting.

The opening sequence...devoid of any dialogue and visually unnerving ...was so disturbing to one of my friends...that he wanted to take a 'raincheck' on watching the rest!

Shelley Hack ...and especially Jill Schoelen...as the respective newly found wife and daughter...turn in engaging performances. Not to mention Hans Zimmer's creep-o-rama score...filled with violinists and cellists on mesculine and caffeine...

If your genre is suspense...good suspense...if you liked Brian DePalma's Dressed to Kill & Body Double...if you liked Hitchcock's Psycho & The Birds...if you enjoyed Robert Harmon's The Hitcher or Curtis Hanson's The Hand that Rocks the Cradle...not to mention Carpenter's Halloween...then sit back and enjoy...!

Oh...by the way...do you really want to know what happens to the family's puppy...or what happens when daddy goes down to the cellar to retrieve some ice cream...or what your stepfather's reaction may be when he matter-of-factly retrieves your mail...or what a simple phone receiver can also be used for...and...just out of curiosity... do you have to hide the cutlery in your house? Do you, pumpkin?

Father Knows Death
This creepy and wonderfully put together chiller from 1987, never got the credit or recognition it deserved. Thankfully, it found new life on video and cable. Great character actor Terry 'O' Quinn, plays a psychotic madman who is determined to have the perfect, all american family. When that family disappoints him in some way, well, they pay with their lives. Then he's on to a new family and identity. He meets Shelly Hack, and her daughter, played by Jill Schoelen. The daughter knows that her new stepfather is not who he seems to be, and she sets out to prove herself right. 'O' Quinn is scary. His stepfather is just as creepy when he's nice as he is when he's stark raving mad. A teriffic, and underrated performance. The movie is not your typical horror/slasher film. It's more mature and intelligent. There is very little blood here, and that makes it a better film. The intelligence of this film was scarred by two horrible sequels that went down the typical 80's slasher road. Skip those and see this. One of the most underrated suspense/horror films. Make room for daddy!.

Shame on you M.G.M
Ok this movie is beggin for a release on dvd well whut's the wait. This is one the best psyhco gone nuts movie there is.Well Mr. o quinn moves wit an all american perfect family but the daugther knows he has a screw loose. Moms falls in love so she thinks he's perfect for her. Well i'm not ging to give away the spoilers i'll let see what happens. For a good time on a saturday nite this is perfect. I also know for us with 5.1 audio we can't get that lucky to have a dvd mix of the stepfather we'll be lucky if 2 channel surround. Well m.g.m i also know you have rights to flicks too this movie is so bad i'm bout to say it release crackhouse on dvd and the perfect funniest movie ever made the fearless vampire killers and the great year of the dragon thank you.

3.5 Stars
Fairly decent. It's a psychological horror/thriller type film. Just see it. It's better if I don't just tell you the plot, and besides previous reviewers already have, so I say see it.

Who are you? How did you get on to me?!
This 80s horror/thriller has it all: an engrossing plot that's scary and funny, amazing acting (I don't know who won the Best Actor Oscar in 1987 but it should have been Terry O'Quinn), classic lines like: "Wait a minute...who am I here?", and to top it all off, corny yet eerie music which sets the mood perfectly. Easily one of my all-time favourite psycho-flicks. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A bleak, but powerful 1960 British film that ranks as one of the most important United Kingdom imports of the decade. Director Tony Richardson (Tom Jones) tells the story of a rebellious social misfit and petty thief played by Tom Courtenay (The Dresser) who is picked to run on the track team at a reform school for boys. He finds he must balance his spirit and desire to win with his anger and frustration at the life he has led. At times a wrenching character study with no easy answers, Courtenay's performance is a touching portrait of a young man and the journey he takes as he tries to run not only for an unclear future, but from a past he cannot forget. A film indicative of the working class expressionism that came out of England in the early 1960s, Richardson's films stands alone as a downbeat, but insightful story of one man's struggle to determine who he is. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The British version of The Longest Yard
This was the story later used in the American film with Burt Reynolds, The Longest Yard. British actor, Tom Courtenay, in his first major film role plays the downcast, but likeable youth from the seedy side of town.

Courtenay's character is saturated with events in his life for which he has no control. He lives in poverty, his father dies, his mother's waiting in the wings-boyfriend is a jerk, and he has no job skills or future. He is ultimately placed in a youth detention facility where he finds, to his warden's joy, that he has athletic ability. He is ambivalent about this skill, but he can obtain privileges and possible early freedom if only he wins the running trophy for the warden.

The Burt Reynolds film, centered on his character developing an interest in his fellow prisoners to decide on how to respond to the warden's promised rewards and punishments. The British version focuses almost completely on the character's internal conflict. Ultimately, his decision is based on how he could best gain an aspect of control in his life. His decision is based not for his peers, and not for the authorities, but for his own sense of self. Aspects of the youth prison may seem funny by today's standard, but the story remains fresh and interesting. I highly recommend it.

I cant believe its still not on DVD!
This is one of the great classics that I watch every couple of years. It has no Hollywood cosmetics. The people look and feel very real and there is truth to their emotions. It's such a great movie I can't believe its not on DVD yet!
You certainly get the feeling you've ran a mile in his shoes and that it was worth the ride.

"Rebel with a Pause"
This British film is a stark masterful portrayal of a young working class man, and the urban world he is trapped inside. The black and white photography lends a honest depiction of his tough bare existence. Colin watches his foolish widowed mother fritter away her meagre inheritance, and he seems to be as incarcerated in this world, as in the reform school he ends up in, after a bungled robbery. His stolen cash, stashed away in a drain pipe at the front door, floats out during a rainy day at the very feet of a detective making inquiries at his house. So it goes for Colin, a man trapped at every turn. His life gets a lift when he joins the cross country team at the reform school. The scenes of him running freely through the woods during meets are poetry on film. Colin lashes out against his fate and lot with one bold pause at the end. His expression as he stands there is priceless. This film's images will last with the viewer for a life time. This is great art.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Tony Richardon's grim evocation of the experience of one bottom feeder at the low base of Britain's crumbling class pyramid features editing as harsh - and cinematically effective, especially in the film's well-placed flahsbacks - as this story of hard-bitten young Colin Smith (grittily portrayed by Tom Courtenay). For a petty theft Smith is sentenced to borstal (reform school) where his speed in the long distance run elevates him, in the eyes of his inmate brethren, to become the "guvnor's blue-eyed boy", because the warden's goal is to win the special long distance running cup in the borstal's trial athletic competition against an upper-class public school. Smith finds himself trapped between the guvnor's self-serving, manipulative solicitude and the class-based peer pressure of his borstal mates. Courtenay plays out Smith's repsonse to his dilemma with breathless, bristling, teeth-clenched defiance that the film, grippingly, doesn't reveal until its withering dénouement.

Avis Bunnage lends a biting performance as Smith's mother: a woman hardened by her straitened life circumstance as the working class widow of a resentful factory worker, struggling on welfare to raise her children in a grimy, shabbily built, claustrophobic low-income dwelling. Alec McCowen, as the borstal's pyschologist, deftly adds depth to the story as a well-meaning advocate of fresh approaches to rehabilitating inmates, whose efforts are trumped by the warden's timeworn methods. As the warden Michael Redgrave communicates all that's right - and wrong - about the upper reaches of the class pyramid.

Developed from a short story by Alan Sillitoe (author of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, and screenwriter of that eponymous 1961 film), rooted in industrial Nottigham, filmed in sooty, bleak black & white, 1962's The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner may, in 2002, feel a bit dated, yet its theme of the bottom-of-the-food-chain working class individual clamped in the maws of animals and powers beyond his influence remains trenchant, timeless and thought-provoking.

There is more than one way to win the race
I saw this British film when it first came out in 1962 and never forgot it. I even remember an argument I had with my aunt about its controversial theme - that of an alienated angry young man who defiantly refuses to conform to the system. Shot in black and white, the video stars Tom Courtenay as a working class Nottingham youth who is sent to a reformatory because of a robbery. Michael Redgrave is cast as the warden, referred to as the "governor" as this is a British film. It is a modern reformatory, and plans are being made to for it to compete in sports with a private school. The long distance run is considered the biggest prize and Courtenay is granted special privileges as he stands out as someone who could actually win. He's allowed to take long runs outside of the reformatory gates each day, and the cinematography here is outstanding. During these runs, Courtenay experiences flashbacks of his life and we see a picture of its grimness. We see his anger at the system and admire him for belief in his ideals. And yet we also want him to win the race and move into a more privileged life. Finally the day of the run arrives. And young Courtenay makes his decision. It is startling and yet something we can understand. No wonder it's haunted me all these years.

Now, watching the video all these years later, I found it a little slow for my taste, especially since I already knew the ending. And, also, as with many British films on video, I sometimes wish there were subtitles. But this is a film that makes me think. I think about choices I've made in my own life. I think about how they turned out. And I think about the message of the film - still fresh after all this time. Recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bill Murray does warmth in his most consistently effective post-Stripes comedy, a romantic fantasy about a wacky weatherman forced to relive one strange day over and over again, until he gets it right. Snowed in during a road-trip expedition to watch the famous groundhog encounter his shadow, Murray falls into a time warp that is never explained but pays off so richly that it doesn't need to be. The elaborate loop-the-loop plot structure cooked up by screenwriter Danny Rubin is crystal-clear every step of the way, but it's Murray's world-class reactive timing that makes the jokes explode, and we end up looking forward to each new variation. He squeezes all the available juice out of every scene. Without forcing the issue, he makes us understand why this fly-away personality responds so intensely to the radiant sanity of the TV producer played by Andie MacDowell. The blissfully clueless Chris Elliott (Cabin Boy) is Murray's nudnik cameraman. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (239)

it's going to last you the rest of your life!
Groundhog Day is the funniest movie of the 90's. Brilliant performance by Bill Murray who plays a cocky weatherman Phil Connors who covers Groundhog day every year in the small town of Punxatawnee that he hates. The day end with him being stuck there because of a blizzard that he didn't predict...and what more, he relives groundhog day over and over again...taking advantage of it, taking his own life, making a move on his producer Andie Macdowell which turns out to be his first lesson in reviewing his inner cruelty and becoming a better person, and a local hero!

This movie is straight out funny...it will make you crack up with every viewing. Watch out for Stephen Tobolowski in his bizarre role as Ned Ryerson, and a cameo appearance by the film's director (and Murray's costar in Ghostbusters) Harold Ramis.

The features are well worth the money too.

A tale of love, hope, and redemption
This is a terrific movie - hilarious, uplifting, and deeply romantic and heartwarming.

Bill Murray and Andie McDowell are perfect in this film, Murray as the cynical, infinitely self-centered TV weather newscaster, and Andie McDowell as his radiant and relentlessly uplifting TV producer and love interest. The plot has been rehashed many times by others, so I won't repeat it again.

The thing that makes this movie so memorable, and makes it stand out from all others is not the comedy, which is enjoyable, but the deeper themes behind it.

What are these themes? In reading the other 226 reviews, people have mentioned everything from Buddhist karma and reincarnation, Nietzsche and existentialism, Kubler Ross, the Seven Sins, and Gurdjieff -Ouspensky and the Fourth Way. Comparisons have been made to themes from the Twilight Zone, and Frank Capra movies like "It's a Wonderful Life".

Yes, I suppose all of these themes are present, and people will interpret this movie in the religious or philosophical context with which they are most familiar. Which is why it's a bit surprising that so far nobody has mentioned the main theme that stood out immediately for me in this movie.

Above all the existentialism and New Age themes that might be found in this movie is a very old fashioned one - at its core, this movie is a moral tale of love, hope, and redemption.

Bill Murray's character is stuck in time, stuck in purgatory, stuck in a perpetual rut of endless reincarnation and immortality, whatever you want to call it. His character, Phil Connors asks, "What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?"

Connors first uses his recursive immortality to dive even deeper into the Seven Sins, and then sinks into despair, hopelessness, and attempted suicide. But gradually, he awakens to the possibility that his choices of action do matter, and discovers that through caring for the other people in this town, he is able to regain hope in his own life again. It is this genuine turn in becoming a better person that wins the heart of Andie McDowell's character and earns him redemption from this purgatory.

Another reviewer had mentioned a link to the theme of making hard choices in the "Lord of the Rings". Thanks to "Groundhog Day", I came to understand one question from LOTR that had always bothered me - why would any immortal being (i.e., elves like Arwen and Haldir in LOTR) ever give up their immortality? The answer: maybe immortality becomes tiresome and meaningless if one cannot make a difference in this world, maybe leaving immortality to gain the love of another is truly more worthwhile.

There was just one other aspect of this idea that came to mind - what if whoever or whatever had kept Phil Connors stuck in time had continued to keep him there even after his transformation? We like to think that love and hope always leads to redemption. What if it doesn't? That's one real-life possibility which is not explored in this movie, but nevertheless, it is still a terrific movie.

Renaissance Man Extraordinaire - Carpe Diem
There are so many messages behind this great movie with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. He is head over heals for MacDowell from the start, but as an arrogant weatherman, he seems to just tick her off from the start as well.

Imagine waking up every morning and it is the same day over and over again? Well, Murray has this happen to him. Every time he does his day becomes one disaster after another until he finally gives in and figures out he can use each day to improve himself and his life a little at a time.

The message here is clear. We all have a life that is made up of the same day everyday, what we choose to do with that day is really up to us. Do we want to improve our lot in life or just go along with being ourselves in a boring unfulfilled endless life that is a cycle of recurring themes?

This movie shows anyone, even though it is a comedy, that each day we have a choice to make the day what it can be. Murray plays Phil Connors, on Ground Hog Day when the ground hog's name is also Phil...go figure. Connors is as arrogant as they come and he just keeps trying so hard to impress people.

He goes from egotisical and self serving to seeing himself to get the girl of his dreams, Rita. It would be nice to know how many days of Ground Hog Days he spent there. You can see him go from this to a renaissance man who really cares about people, loves life and takes each day and uses it to improve himself.

Rita, although the same person and not being influenced or affected by being in Ground Hog day, comes to really like Phil. This movie makes us laugh at ourselves and our humanity. And by the end of the movie, he shows that he can have a positive effect on everyone he comes in contact with.

So when you hear the song, "I've Got You Babe," and the announcers saying, "It's Ground Hog Day....." remember to use the day to its fullest.

Perfect
G.D really is nearly perfect. I never tire of it. At the same time I think most people miss the point. (By the way, I've NOT seen the Special Edition.)

I'm facinated each time watching the totally self centered Bill Murray caught in this marvelous time paradox, living the same day over and over. He goes through differing stages: fear and confusion; euphoria, when he realizes he can do ANYTHING without consequence; despair, when he realizes that life is meaningless if one pursues selfish pleasures without goals; and finally a peaceful self actualization when he dedicates himself toward self improvement and the humanitarian goals his situation gives him the opportunity to pursue.

It gives one pause to consider what each of US would do in a similar circumstance.

Oh, it's really funny, too.

Groundhog Day a classic
In 1993 , director Harold Ramis genius of dark comedies like ''Analyze This'' casted Bill Murray as Phil Connors in this dark but mostly enjoyable movie named GroundHog Day.

Bill Murray plays Phil Connors a weatherman, who covers everything from weather to Ground Day. Phil isn't happy with his life, in fact he realizes that he is repeating the same routine over and over again. From work in the morning,to
talking to the annoying Ned Ryanser( Stephen Tobolowsky), while listening to Sonny and Cher in the morning to covering the stupid GroundHog Day, Phil is repeating the same day over and over again. Of course the irony here as done by the plot, is that he is the only that knows it. It's like an episode the ''Twilight Zone'' (which I reviewed too on other sites). Eventually Phil has a mental breakdown in which he plans to do whatever he wants. He comes completely unglued when realizing how wasted his life had become, and thus wants to change it.

I use the term breakdown because well Phil isn't exactly a nice guy, he's arrogant and obnoxious. We hardly sympathize with this guy, much less that he is miserable.
However, the point the movie makes is the guy realizes he has been wasting his life away and wants to change it, although Phil's change doesn't go ahead smoothly.

He drives reckless around the train tracks, gets arrested, steals a bagfull of money from a couple of dumb cops, charms his way into sleeping with a beautiful young girl and yet finds out that he still isn't happy. Until he puts the moves on Rita (Andy McDowell), his producer. McDowell is the few actresses that I know that has limited acting potential but her beautiful presence can convey some emotions making her sympathetic.

However, in order to get close to Rita, Phil has to get info on her likes and dislikes from her friends. This angle in the movie, really made me a little sick, because even we are suppose to sympathize with Phil, he hasn't really changed all that much. Rita, eventually finds out Phil's motives and slaps him in the face, and telling him to get lost. LOL No surprise there, in fact Rita's action sums up my argument that Phil hasn't really changed all that much despite his aim to not repeat the same day, he is still repeating his same behavioral patterns.

Phil though in order to impress her and to change himself, starts doing bizarre, yet unreal things that get him attention and he does start to become nicer. This is where the movie gets ridiculous, because even though this is a comedy, I found the rest of the movie to be predictable, superficial, yet enjoyable
Phil becomes a gifted ice sculpter (who knows where he learned this) as one scene, where his cutting a sculpture of an ice angel is shown. Then Phil saves a guy from choking to death, a kid from a falling tree and a host of other surprises. LOL

Yes Harold Ramis does go a bit over the top with this Phil guy, obviously a lot of the stuff he pulls of is almost impossible giving Phil's background, but Ramis is again trying to show the point (although laughingly bad) that Phil is changing. He now has a heart and will do anything to be with this nice woman and of course by Phil doing this he has filled that empty void that he had when he was repeating the same unfulling routine of covering that stupid Groundhog Day in Pennsylvania.

Ramis is actually a buddy of Murray going back to the old days of their ''SCTV'' days, and ''Ghostbusters'' days, so these two talented comedian can pull the hijinks in the film with some realism.

Still though Ramis does do a good job of making us think about the movie and Phil itself and gives us that scary thought that we perhaps might end up like Phil, a shriveled, ugly man who has been repeating the same stupid routine yet doesn't have the capacity to see that this misery is at his own doing.

LOL ... Read more

Reviews (10)

"Home is the nicest word there is."
I grew up watching the reruns of Little House on the Prairie every day when I got home from kindergarten. My mom taped them, so my family owns 170 of the 200 episodes, from Episode 1, "Harvest of Friends," to the final episode, "Hello and Goodbye." Somehow, however, we missed taping "Premiere," so when I bought this DVD, I had never seen it. Well, I was a bit disappointed that in two hours the Ingalls family never reaches Walnut Grove (I was looking forward to seeing introductions of our favorite characters!), but I'm still very glad to own this gem. I know from experience that VHS tapes degrade with time and many viewings, but DVD will last forever. The pilot introduces Mr. Edwards (with a much thinner beard!) as well as the Ingalls family and includes some memorable moments between Pa and Laura. Probably the best scene of all is the classic "Errand for Santa," featuring a snow-caked Victor French who braves a blizzard to get his Christmas gifts to their recipients on time. Overall, a beautiful beginning to an endearing show.

"Caroline...We're Home....."
This review refers to "Little House On The Prairie...The Premiere Movie"(Goodtimes Video DVD)

Get ready to go from a good cry, to a big grin and back again on this very enjoyable and heartwarming family TV program. It's the beginning of a classic series that stands the test of time, and should be shared with a new generation.

"The Premiere Movie"..a double length feature that will introduce you to the Ingalls family and their harrowing journey to make a better life for themselves. You'll also meet Jack the dog and Mr. Edwards(Victor French) for the first time. When Charles says "Caroline..were home...".have the kleenex ready! It stars Michael Landon(who also directed many of the episodes), Karen Grassle, Melissa Gilbert and Melissa Sue Anderson.

Goodtimes DVD has done a nice job of transfering these 70's TV classsics. They look great. Nice color and sound. There is some occasional flickering but a very enjoyable view overall. It's nice to be able to enjoy them whenever the mood hits and without all the commercials!.If you really love these stories, you may want to consider buying the 4 pack. It includes this one,a double length feature "The Lord Is My Sheperd"(Little Laura runs away to be closer to God),"The Collection"(guest starring Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash), and "Laura Ingalls Wilder"(Laura and Almanzo finally tie the knot), another double length feature.

You'll laugh, you'll cry!...enjoy...Laurie

The Beginning of "Little House"
The Pilot film of "Little House on the Prairie" was what made Little House as it is today. It was first aired in 1974 on NBC-TV. Millions of fans gathered around the TV to watch it and now years later it is still a hit. Watch this great movie and enjoy it on DVD with your family for years to come! I have seen it several times and each time I see it I see somthing new that I have forgotten or that I have'nt seen before.

Goodtimes Video Tape Version!
I'm reviewing the video tape put out by Goodtimes Home Video, it contains the pilot movie that started the television show. Little House on The Prairie was one of my favorite shows as a child. I was Nine years old when this TV movie aired for he first time and I liked it and grew up watching the show. This Goodtimes tape is okay but kind of grainy. Complete seasons of Little House on the Prairie have been put on DVD, I think there is about 4 seasons that are available right now and I'm hoping to someday buy complete seasons on DVD! This is a terrific show!

Classic Tv Show
In this Dvd are the pilot episode of Little House of the Praire not a double lenght movie as the package says.

The transfer quality is good as well the sound.

The only thing is the absence of any subtitles or captions necesary for international customers like me.

I want to see also a good show featuring M Landon and Victor French Highway to Heaven released soon on Dvd.

Meanwhile I will collect most of the LHOTP Dvds. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Director Martin Ritt (Norma Rae) helmed this offbeat romance that earned costar James Garner an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of a widowed druggist who befriends a confused divorcee (Sally Field) and her son, who move to a small rural town to start over. The laid-back performance of Garner as a man finding love "for the last time in his life" contrasts wonderfully with Field's portrayal of a woman scared and unsure of what the future may hold for her, and the two of them together exhibit great comic timing. As well written and as deftly performed as any movie of its type, Murphy's Romance will rope you in with its winning style. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (21)

A true sleeper!!
This movie is a bit on the slow side but the pace increases later in the movie. Tremendous acting by James Garner & Sally Field. Even the supporting cast is fabulous. You won't regret owning this film.

sweet, sappy, unadulterated fun!!
though a sleeper at the box office, this movie is one of my all time favorite films! with a superb cast, headed by sally fields and james garner, and a great soundtrack by carole king, "murphy's romance" is fun for everybody.

sally fields plays a single mom trying to start a new life for herself and her pre-teen son. simultaneously, she's falling in love with james garner's murphy, a warm, charismatic, much older man.

Murphy is a character to look up to in a great film.
James Garner as Murphy is smart, confident, capable, wise and one class act. He is truly one of the greatest characters of all-time. This film is very romantic and the ending is brilliant. I have shown it to four friends and they all fell in love with the movie.

This is a subtle movie and if you like things obvious and over the top then you might miss the point of this one.

Open your eyes to an exquisite film
I cannot add much more praise than what has been said about this film, but I would advise film students, film instructors, and screenplay writers and teachers to study this film and add a proviso to their pedagogy that great filmmaking cannot BE TAUGHT. Imagine how many film schools, film students, and books on filmmaking and screenplays have been churned out since the nearly two decades that this film was produced, and ask yourself the question, why don't films today measure up the quiet brilliance of this fabulous work. The answer is plain. Inspired filmmaking, directing, acting, and genuine love for the medium and the audience cannot be taught or bought. Take my simple test: read and study Robert Mckee, Syd Field, etc., go get your M.F.A. in filmmaking and go out and make your film. If it's even close to the quality of this film, I'll eat my DVD player. Like a rock music addict's ears that have been damaged by loud music and can't distinguish the nuances of sound, our post-millenium sensibilities have numbed us to the nature of cinematic, albiet commercial art. To paraphrase Alan Paton, "Cry the Beloved Medium."

Charming and relaxed
This is one of my favorite movies. James Garner and Sally Field are just great, the writing is very good (Garner's lines are just great), the pacing is relaxed but not slow, and the theme music by Carole King is as good as you'd expect (see if you can spot King in a cameo). What makes it all work wonderfully, however, is the excellent supporting cast. Everyone is a fully realized individual, the town feels like a real community, and there's not a bad actor in the bunch. If you want a love story that's about love and not hormones, buy this DVD. You'll be glad you did. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Fox and the Hound marked the last collaboration betweenDisney's older artists, including three of the "Nine Old Men" (FrankThomas, Ollie Johnston, and Woolie Reitherman), and the young animators whowould make the record-breaking films of the '90s. Based on a book by Daniel P. Mannix, the film tells the story of a bloodhound puppy and a fox kit who begin as friends but are forced to become enemies. Tod and Copper barely establish their friendship before Copper begins histraining as hunting dog. Unfortunately, neither character develops much of apersonality, which makesit difficult to care about them. The screen comes alive near end of the film, when Tod and Copper have to joinforces to fight off an enormous bear. It had been years since Disney produceda sequence with this kind of feral power--and years would pass before theysurpassed it. The Fox and the Hound ranks as one of the studio's lesser efforts, butit suggests that better films were soon to follow. (Ages 5 and older) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Reviews (85)

There couldn't be a better Disney movie to own on DVD.
For me, the Fox and the Hound cannot be matched by any other Disney film. Unlike the stiffer, older films and the newer, hokier ones, the atmosphere in TFATH is just perfect, truly a revolutionary point in Disney's timeline. The animation is very fluid and the characters have great design and movement. Most of the songs are more like talking than singing, but they're few and far between and manage to get the point across. A nice change from usual Disney fare in the surprisingly sad ending. Considering I'm pretty desensitized to on-screen emotion, it's unusual that I cry every time I watch this one. It's the ONLY Disney movie that can make me. Even so, there's a number of comedic moments to get rid of the tension. I'm not sure where the Amazon review got the idea that the characters lack depth. Believe me, by the time this one is over, you'll be wanting to see much more of all of them. It's an excellent feature that carries an important message all wrapped up inside a lovable, heartwarming, and poignant story. You owe it to yourself and your children to see this one.

An All-Time Favourite!
"The Fox and the Hound" was of the last films to be apart of the "Black Diamond Collection" before the "Masterpiecee Collection" came to the markets in 1994. The film was released into theaters in 1981 & 1988 and came to video in 1994! This movie is a really great and colorful movie to add too any Disney collector's collection!

The story is about a kind woman who takes in an abandoned baby fox after his mother is killed in a hunting trip. She names him Tod and considers him as part of her family. Tod then meets a bloodhound dog named Copper (Who lives right next door to the kind woman) and they eventually become good friends. They have no clue that they are supposed to be enemies (Since hounds hunt foxs and other forest creatures)

After returning on a hunting trip during the winter with his master (To learn how to hunt), Copper realizes how he shouldn't hang around Tod to prevent Tod from getting killed by his master. By this time, they are both grown up and all the fun times that they had together suddenly don't seem to matter anymore. Eventually, Tod and Copper become enemies and it is Copper's mission to hunt down Tod. You'll be surprised on what happens when Copper and Tod to come face to face!

The film also includes some great songs like "The Best Of Friends" and "Goodbye May Seem Forever" (Which I still cry at when I hear that song!) This movie will also make you cry, so make sure to have a tissue in your hand when approaching the middle part of the movie! All in all, it is a really great movie and people young and old will enjoy watching it! 83 minutes.

A Good Movie for people of all ages
I am sixteen years old and when I saw this movie, it really brought tears to my eyes. It reminds me of how me and my best friend was. I really enjoyed this movie. Everyone should watch it on Family Nights.

Friends to the end.
This is one of my favorite Disney movies. When Widow Tweed takes in a baby fox, whose mother had been shot by hunters, she names it Tod and raises it. About the same time she takes Tod in, her neighbor, Amos Slade brings home a hound dog puppy named Copper.

One day in the woods, Copper and Tod meet and instantly become the best of friends. When fall comes and Amos takes an unwilling Copper along for his winterlong hunting trip, Tod tries to convince his friends, Big Mama, Dinky and Boomer that even though Copper will come back a trained hunting dog, that they will still stay the best of friends. Big Mama tells Tod that a fox and a hound are natural enemies and that, surprise, you ARE a fox.

When the two are finally reunited in the spring, Copper tells Tod that they can't be friends anymore. After a tragic accident involving Amos's other dog Chief, Copper swears that Tod will pay. Widow Tweed, realizing that she can't keep Tod locked up forever, takes Tod to the game preserve and lets him go. Amos resolves to kill the fox, and with Copper's help, goes to track him down. But when Copper has a run in with a bear, Tod comes to his rescue and, ultimately, Copper gets Tod spared from death.

A touching story about friendship that never fails to bring a tear to my eye.

Finally a DVD Version of this Awsome movie
I love this movie a lot it has great music like "Best Of Friends"
"Goodbye may seem Forever" and "Thats what Friends Are For" are all great songs on this DVD. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A phenomenal hit when it was released in 1989, Field of Dreams has become a modern classic and a uniquely American slice of cinema. It functions effectively as a moving drama about the power of dreams, a fantasy ode to our national pastime, and a brilliant adaptation of W.P.Kinsella's exquisite baseball novel Shoeless Joe. Kinsella himself found the film a delightful surprise, differing greatly from his novel but benefiting from its own creative variations. It is the film that cemented Kevin Costner's status as an all-American screen star, but the story resonates far beyond Costner's handsome appeal. As just about everyone knows by now, Costner stars as Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella, who hears the mysterious words "If you build it, he will come," and is compelled to build a baseball diamond in the middle of his cornfield. His wife (Amy Madigan) supports the wild idea, but a reclusive novelist (modeled after J.D. Salinger and played by James Earl Jones) is not so easily persuaded. The idealistic farmer is either a visionary or a deluded fool, but his persistence is rewarded when spirits from baseball's past begin appearing on the ball field. Past and present intermingle in the person of "Moonlight Graham" (superbly played by Burt Lancaster), an unknown player who sacrificed his dreams of baseball glory for a dignified life as a small-town physician ... but what all of this means is unclear until the film's memorably heartfelt conclusion. A meditation on family, memory, and faith, the film balances humor and magic to strike just the right chord of thoughtful emotion, affecting audiences so deeply that the baseball field created for the production has now become a mecca of sorts for dreamers around the world. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (149)

One of Costner's Best Movies
This ranks as one of my favorite movies of all time. You don't have to be a baseball fan to appreciate the nostalgia and warm heartedness this movie brings to the big screen - well little screen in the case of the DVD. It's part ghost story, part fantasy, part nostalgia. It's also about redemption and the fulfillment of dreams.

The story begins when Ray Kinsella, a reluctant Iowa farmer, although he won't admit he's reluctant, starts hearing a voice telling him "build it and he will come." Ray dreams, ponders and finally plows under many acres of his crop to build a baseball field on his farm, against all rational logic. And the magic begins. This magic takes Ray on a strange quest in search of a '60s radical holed up in a New York City apartment writing children's books played by James Earl Jones - to tell why would spoil the movie. But suffice it to say Jones ends up with one of the most memorable "speeches" in the movie about the nostalgia of baseball.

It's hard to really do justice to the plot without spoiling the movie but it will at times give you chills and in the end is very uplifting.

Grand Slam
On the surface, Field Of Dreams, seems like it belongs as an epidsode of The Twilight Zone. The cynic in me takes it one step further, and says, "there's no way I can buy into this sentimental hockum". As I watched the film for the first time, all of those concerns melted away, leaving me with a sense of wonder...normally reserved for children

Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) is inspired by a voice he can't ignore that will take him on a journey that will change his life forever. Supported by his wife Annie (Amy Madigan), Ray begins his special quest by turning a portion of his cornfields into a baseball diamond. Along the way he meets reclusive activist Terence Mann (James Earl Jones), the mysterious 'Doc' Graham (Burt Lancaster) and even the legendary 'Shoeless Joe' Jackson (Ray Liotta).

Adapted from W.P. Kinsella's novel "Shoeless Joe", director Phil Alden Robinson, has created a fine tribute to the sport of Baseball, the fans who love the game, and more importantly, it's a metaphor about father's and sons everywhere. Aside from a handfull of films, I don't really think of Kevin Costner, as a good actor. As Ray though, he gives one of the best perfomances of his career, ideally capturing the sense of wonder I talked about earlier. Of course it doesn't hurt that James Earl Jones and Burt Lancaster are there to back you up. Both men add so much to the film, giving a sense of realism and warmth, that may have seemed artificial had lesser actors been cast. As Joe Jackson, Liotta is very effective and I had forgotten just how good he can be in a non gangster/bad guy role. For more on the life of Joe Jackson and the World Series scandal that rocked the sport, be sure to watch Eight Men Out, another winner. Field Of Dreams also boasts one of composer James Hornor's best scores.

I don't really know why I never picked up the Collector's Edition of the DVD. But after watching the Anniversary Edition 2 disc set, all I can say is, I'm glad I waited. The remastered picture and 5.1 sound very clean transfers and work well on either my TV, or, my speaker enhanced PC. The audio commentary with Robinson and the film's director of photography John Lindley is very good. Both men are well spoken, never dull, and clearly respected the source material In keeping with the father/son themes I spoke of, I especially enjoyed "...Passing Along the Pastime" - memories of father and son baseball as recounted by the director, star, and major league baseball players. The newly discovered deleted scenes are mostly throwaway stuff that was wisely cut. I was surprised to learn while watching "The Diamond in the Husks", that the baseball set made for the film still exists, and attracts tourists every year. We also get to visit the Minnesota home town of Moonlight Doc Graham. "A Look Inside Field of Dreams is a new 90-minute documentary on the film and its lasting appeal. Also included is a 48 minute segment of the Bravo channel series "From Page to Screen" on the movie. The "Field of Dreams Roundtable", with Costner and former baseball players, including Bret Saberhagen talk about the state of the game and the film. Trivia buffs will really like the topper to the set, fun facts about America's stadiums.

Field Of Dreams is not your typical "sports" movie. Indeed, it's much more than that...Even though, I never had the chance as kid to pitch baseballs with my dad, the movie allows me to dream that I can...

Sentimental nonsense
Sports fans tend to be both nostalgiac and sentimental and sports movies tend to fall into the same trap. This movie is a perfect example of why sports, and especially baseball, rarely makes for great cinematic subject matter. Corny, predictable and manipulative- perhaps baseball fans might enjoy it, but I can't imagine anyone else sitting through it.

It was you. -- No, it was YOU.
When I attended the Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa, we were given one rule: "Never write about Christmas, the circus or baseball." The reasoning was that these three topics were just too ingrained in the American psyche, they were too iconic, and that they had been used too often. Well, I'm glad that Ray Kinsella (author of the book "Field of Dreams") and screenwriter Phil Alden Robinson didn't attend the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

FIELD OF DREAMS is a marvelous examination of America's infatuation with baseball and a moving exploration of family loyalties. Ray (as sensitively played by Kevin Costner) has a loving wife (Amy Madigan, making it look so easy) and a doting daughter, but something is missing. A voice tells him that he must build a baseball field in his corn crop (in Iowa!). When he does, the apparition of Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) shows up to play. What follows is a series of baseball adventures on and off Ray's baseball diamond, as well as in and out of the present day. Eventually, it becomes apparent that what was missing in Ray's life can only be addressed through baseball, and through a cultural icon from his past, played by the ubiquitous James Earl Jones.

When everything is resolved, there's a bit of throwaway dialogue that, in reality, is very moving. "It was you," Ray tells Shoeless Joe Jackson in reference to the voice he'd heard early in the film. "No, it was YOU," Jackson replies, indicating that
Ray's conscience prompted the entire adventure. Don't let anyone tell you that FIELD OF DREAMS is just a baseball movie. That would be like someone telling you that baseball is just a game.

1989 Classic And Kevin Costner's Best Film
On DVD, the movie is loaded with extra features including commentary, interviews, trailer, etc. This was on Channel 7 last week. Kevin Costner stars as a suburban family man who is hearing voices. "If you built it they will come". The voices keep changing their messages and lead him in pursuit of the gathering of baseball legends who have passed away. The goal is to establish a "field of dreams" a baseball park with old pros playing and a magic working on its audience. And it did for many people when this movie was released in 1989. Too many, it was a movie about hope, following your dreams and persistence. Kevin Costner is doing a terrific performance and is perhaps doing his greatest role. He was merely a romantic lead in the early 90's "The Bodyguard" with Whitney Houston and he was not as committed in "Dances With Wolves" which though the right kind of movie for him was not as interesting enough a character as he is in this movie. Other than this movie, his only fine role was in J.F.K. In this film, he plays a dedicated and persistent dreamer who discovers that indeed dreams come true if you hold fast. A great job by all the actors, including James Earl Jones (the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars) as the hermit and elusive author Terrence Mann, who wrote books in the 60's advocating love and peace. He is supposedly modeled after J.D. Salinger. The chemistry between James Earl Jones and Kevin Costner, especially in the scene in which Costner attempts to pursuade him to join him to a baseball game is exceptional. Magical and unexpected things start to happen as the voices carry him onward through his mission, including a trip back in time to 1972. Bring the magic home in this remarkable DVD. It's as much an adult's movie as it is for the whole family. It's almost a Disney film. Five stars. ... Read more

Description

Nowhere-man Ronny Miller is secretly in love with Cindy Mancini, the prettiest, most popular girl on campus. When Cindy finds herself in a desperate predicament, Ronny steps in to save the day ... for a price! Cindy must pose as Ronny's girl so that her popularity might rub off on him. But the road to popularity takes an unexpected twist when Ronny becomes so "cool" that his former friends feel the chill, Cindy is left toally out in the cold, and Ronny himself discovers that money might buy you popularity, but it can't buy you love! ... Read more

Reviews (69)

You Can't Buy Love, But You Can Buy This Movie
Amusing story of a nerdy high school student Ronald Miller (Patrick Dempsey) who discovers that becoming popular isn't the greatest thing in the world. After she accidentally ruins her mother's suede dress with some wine, Cyndi, the most popular girl at school (played wonderfully by Amanda Petersen) will do anything to replace it before her mother gets back from her trip.

Enter Ronald. After seeing her desperate attempt to replace the dress at the mall, Ronald makes a deal with Amanda. He'll use the money that he has earned all summer by mowing lawns to buy a new dress, in return for Amanda's help in turning him to Mr. popularity.

Along the way, Ronnie learns lessons about the true value of having real friends, and towards the end of the movie Ronald discovers that he is still himself.

This film, which is no longer produced by Touchstone Video (a division of the Disney Corporation) features many couple of stars before they hit it big. Gerardo, the Latin-singing star who scored a one-hit wonder with "Rico Suave," plays one of the football jocks in the film. However, the real scene-stealer in this film is Seth Green ("Austin Powers"; "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" "Can't Hardly Wait") who plays Ronald's annoying, yet hysterical little brother, Chuckie. By taking a look at Seth in this past role you can understand why he is such a big star today. He is always a trip when it comes to comedic performances.

I loved this film for many reasons, but I think the most memorable scene in this film probably has to be Ronald learning an African dance he saw on television (he thought he was watching "American Bandstand"). After learning it, Ronald performs it at the big dance, not knowing that it would become a huge hit.

This film ranks among the 10 best teenage comedies produced in the 1980's. Let's only hope that it will be re-released on video and DVD in the near future.

Great 80's teen comedy
Viewed as a genre of its own, the 80's Teen Comedy produced some fun, enjoyable movies. One that holds up quite well is Can't Buy Me Love. Starring Patrick Dempsey in what was probably his best role of the era, it's the story of a geeky kid who pays the captain of the cheerleading team to pretend to be his girlfriend for a month. While not entirely realistic, it has a good ending. The humor holds up well after 16 years, as does the movie overall.

The DVD was hugely disappointing, and my 4 stars are based on the movie itself. Unless you consider chapter stops a special feature, the disc is devoid of any extras. The greatest offense is that it's presented only in fullscreen. I'd normally pass on a non-widescreen release, but my wife insisted on having it. If you have to have this movie, this is probably the best release it will see for quite some time.

ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVS***
If you love the corny but terrific 1980's, you'll love this movie. In my opinion, the TEEN MOVIE OF ALL TEEN MOVIES... tHE CLOTHES ARE A RIOT, but ther than that this movie has a terrific point, Cools, Nerds...who cares! Ronald Miller rides into the most popular girl in school's heart on a lawnmower. From there its all sorts of fun for the move watcher! I love this move and was soooo pleased it was released on DVD. No special features, bummer. Terrific film though. Be sure to get it!

1980s classic!!!
Patrick Dempsey plays nerdy Ronnie Miller, who is so on the outside of society at his high school that he is known simply as "Lawn Boy" because he mows everyone's lawn for his part-time job. He wants to be popular for his upcoming senior year, and he sees his chance when cheerleader Cindy Mancini is in a jam, having ruined her mother's suede outfit at a party and needing $1000 to replace it.

Ronnie happens to be at the mall at the same time, purchasing a new telescope with his lawn-mowing money when he sees Cindy's dilemma. He offers to pay for the new outfit if she will pretend to be his girlfriend for a month and introduce him to the popular circle.

Although this seems completely crazy to Cindy, she does it (after a great little makeover -- quite the staple of 1980s teen movies!) She even starts to like Ronnie as a person, until popularity goes to his head.

People are lemmings and will believe whatever they are told, particularly in the classic scene where Ronnie starts doing the "African Anteater Dance" which he saw on a show he mistook for 'American Bandstand'. Everyone at the school dance follows him instantly.

Don't miss a very young Seth Green as Ronnie's annoying brother! He is great as a smarmy kid!

NERDS, COOLS, MY SIDE, YOUR SIDE, ITS BS !!
THIS MOVIE IS ONE OF THE GREATEST TEEN MOVIE'S EVER MADE. I just saw a preview the other day for a movie thats about to be released.. i think its called "Love Dont Cost A Thing" - and its a total rip off !!!! of Can't Buy me Love, just shows how their is no originality these days, they sample the hell out of music, now movies !! ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Quintessential punk rebel
This is a great movie. James Dean plays the quintessential teenage punk rebel. He is the sensitive soul misunderstood by parents and the society that surrounds him. His efforts to fit in with other students fail and this leads to problems. Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo turn in realistic portrayals of teenagers without a cause. This film shows a darker side of the '50s than the vision espoused by the Happy Days sitcom. These kids are feeling a lot of alienation and angst. This is Seattle grunge 40 years before Eddie Vedder and Kurt Cobain. The pain they feel is very real. The screenplay by Stewart Stern reveals great sympathy towards these kids. They are good kids who have gone bad because they don't fit in. People always tell you that the high school years are the best years of your life. That isn't true for all kids, however, as this film poignantly illustrates. It is heartbreaking but powerful. It is vintage James Dean and becomes more wrenching due to Dean's early death. One can only guess how good his career would have been if he hadn't died so soon.

1950s Utopia?
This will always remain one of my favorite films of all time. After seeing it I can finally understand the reasons why James Dean has such a following. He is what everyone either envisions himself as or wishes to be. In my mind, you can't quite label him an anti-hero in this movie. You have to show his character respect. In my mind, what makes this film great is what you might find fault with in other films. At times it seems overly melodramatic and so emotional it seems painful to watch. But this ain't no "Titanic." Somehow, all this intense emotion is what gives the film its power. When you are in high school everything seems as though it is a life or death situation. Who can honestly say that they weren't utterly self-absorbed at that age and even in the present? All the typical themes are included such as unrequited love, fitting in, complex family relations, and violence(today kids might have guns but name another scene as riveting and dangerous as the switchblade fight). The additions to the widescreen version are very worthwhile and offer some extra insight. Is it just me or does Natalie Wood seem on edge during her interview? The Dean "safe driving" interview is also rather interesting if not kind of sick.

True Classic.
This movie is one of the best however one reviewer had a lot of negativity about this movie do not listen to him this movie is not crap. For one James dean is not wearing a Leather Jacket on the Cover is happens to be his Red... Jacket in black and white.Anyhow the story line was very authentic Natalie Wood is just great in this Movie Sal Mineo Is Great and James Dean As always Is Exceptional.I recommend this movie trust me you will not be Disapointed.

These Rebels DID have a cause
For all that the title is such a classic one, it is rather inaccurate. And possibly, it was meant to be. Maybe a catchy title to draw in the crowds or a deliberate lie to show later that their cause, seeming meaningless, was a valid one. And in the end, this film is so poignant! Not a "dated" film at all, but a lesson to the generations of teenagers before and afterwards. Teenage angst has not changed in the last 50 years, and the reasons have not become any less meaningful. "Rebel Without a Cause" offers a very truthful look into the lives of teenagers, the reasons they rebel and gives a reason to why rebeliousness should not be taken so lightly.

The movie begins with all three of the main characters Jim (James Dean) Judy (Natalie Wood) and Plato (Sal Mineo) in a police station in the wee hours of the morning. All are dressed in obviously middle and upper-class clothes but have been picked up on the street for wandering, drunkeness and violence. The title of the movie immediately gives itself away, Judy is upset because her father was rough with her, Plato's father left him and his mother is never at home...
Then we meet Jim's parents. A submissive father, sharp-tongued mother and uptight grandmother. True, they may give him "many things" but the tension, strain and ignorance of Jim's needs are, as he says, "tearing me apart!"

We find out in the course of the movie, as Jim, Judy and Plato come together, that they are really good kids who are only looking for love and acceptance. We see how little their parents understand of them and how they are rebelling against the ignorance that has been starving them for years!

And truly, this is my FAVORITE James Dean movie, I think his portrayal of Jim is really a mirror of his own life with his biological Dad and some of the kids he grew up with. His acting is just so true, real, passionate and believable. This movie is my reasoning for why he is still such a legend. Truly, one of the greatest actors of all time. And a fantastic movie to boot!

Great 50's fun.
This film was first released in 1955 and stars James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo. It was directed by Nicholas Ray and is probably one of the best, and most remembered movies from the 1950's.

"Rebel Without a Cause" begins in the local police station, where Jim (James Dean) has been arrested for drunkeness, Judy (Natalie Wood) has been picked up for walking around before dawn after a fight with her father, and the disturbed Plato (Sal Mineo) has been brought in for killing a puppy. Jim is new to the place (his parents are always moving) and finds it hard to fit in at school. He gets in a fight, which later leads him to have a chicken race with one of the gang bullies. Jim, Judy and Plato are brought back together again at the chicken race, but it ends in trouble. While Jim gets away unharmed, his opponent is killed when he gets caught in the car and goes flying straight off of the cliff. While being chased by the dead boy's friends, Jim, Judy, and Plato end up at a deserted mansion, to hide out, away from their parents and the trouble looking for them out on the streets. But still, it does not end nicely.

The film may seem dated to some people, but it still remains a brilliant movie to a lot of others.

Now for the DVD:
The film is presented in widescreen format and the print is brilliant. The sound is in 5.1 Dolby Digital. The extras include Trailers, behind-the-scenes documentary, and a few segments from TV Documentaries with Gig Young, including the 'Drive Safely' interview. Along with a few other little things aswell.

Overall, I think this is an excellent presentation for a great movie and I highly recommend this DVD.

PLEASE NOTE: Refers to Region 2 release, which appears to be the same as this Region 1 release, by the same company. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For director Robert Redford the trick was directing himself. The Oscar-winning director (Ordinary People, Quiz Show) says that he is one kind of actor (in the moment) and a different kind of director (more controlling). Whatever the problems, Redford has worked it out beautifully in this leisurely paced adaptation of Nicholas Evans's bestseller. When the prized horse of New York magazine editor's (Kristen Scott Thomas) daughter suffers a horrible accident, she tracks down Tom Booker (Redford), a Montana horse healer who is known for working magic. Soon East Coast brashness meets Old West simplicity as the reluctant Annie takes her even more reluctant daughter (Scarlett Johansson) to Marlboro country. Booker's influence goes beyond the horse through healing the heart of daughter and mother. The 2-hour and 44-minute film is a beautiful travelogue of scene and sky (with a giant assist from Oliver Stone's usual cinematographer, Robert Richardson). Never complicated, the movie's rewards may be hidden in its length and Redford's tendency to introduce us to a way of life instead of focusing on a story. The major deviation from the end of Evans's novel is a welcomed change. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (167)

unwind in the Montana mountains
This is a unique movie from the millions of others out there. The plot starts with Grace(Scarlett Johansson) and her best friend meeting to go horse back riding and with Grace's mom Annie (Kristin Scott Thomas) working hard in her magazine office. When the girls are riding a tramatic and tragic accident happens causing the death of Grace's best friend and severe injuries to both Grace and her horse Pilgrim. Grace's right leg is severely hurt so they must amputate it. With her daughter becoming more distant from the family and Pilgrim becoming more afraid of humans, Annie is desperate to find relief or an answer somewhere. She reads an article about a horse whisperer named Tom Booker (Robert Redford) who heals horses. Anxious to give it a try, Annie, Grace, and Pilgrim travel from their home in New York to a cattle ranch in Montana and begin Pilgrim's healing process while Grace's father stays behind. What no one expected was the love situation that would come about when Tom and Annie met. Combined with a teriffic plot and the beautiful Montana scenery, this is definitely a movie not to be missed.

A beautiful, spiritual story of hope and despair...
"The Horse Whisperer" is unlike any other movie that I've seen. The story opens as a young girl, Grace, experiences a terrible accident while riding her horse, Pilgrim, on an icy road. Driven mad by shock and pain, Pilgrim is almost to the point of death. Grace is also in critical condition, for she has badly injured her right leg in the accident, and it must be amputated. Grace's mother Annie (Kristin Scott Thomas) reads about a man named Tom Booker (Robert Redford) who is known as a "horse whisperer," able to communicate and see into the troubled souls of these animals. A few days later, Annie, along with her hesitant daughter and Pilgrim in tow, sets out for Montana. There, at Mr. Booker's ranch, do you witness the amazing changes that occur as Tom begins to heal Pilgrim's spirit (along with Grace's). Soon after, Annie and Tom fall in love. The rest of the story unfolds in a symphonic display of love, hope, and miraculous recoveries. The film's ending is not your typical movie closing, but it is very good nonetheless. The beautiful Montana landscape adds to this special aura, and the characters are brilliant (both human and equine). I highly recommend this excellent movie to absolutely anyone. You'll fall in love with "The Horse Whisperer."

The Horse Whisperer
Okay, okay lets all agree on one thing here: the book is always better. that said, lets move on. "The horse whisperer" was a beautiful movie. It opens up with a young girl, Grace MacLaen. She lives in New York with her parents and her horse Pilgrim. One early morning her and a friend go out for a snow-filled trail ride. But where there is snow, there is ice and Grace's friend, Judith, slips (actually her horse, Gulliver, does)and they come crashing down into a fatal and life changing accident. After grace recovers enough to walk again, her mother realizes that something has changed within the young girl and forces her and pilgrim to take time out and seek help in montana. The "horse whisperer" tom booker (redford) sees that the threesome needs him in the worst way possible. Going against his belife in helping the horses, not the people, he sets out to help them. And so begins his long and demanding "healing" process. Pilgrim reaches a breakthrough and an old frienships is born again with the girl he once loved and trusted. But Grace's mother isnt ready to leave montana quite yet for she has fallen in love with the magical cowboy. All in all it was an excellent movie. but as i have said before the book is always better. watch the movie first and then "feel" (not see) what really happens when you read the book!

Read the book....
First off, I'm an avid reader. I read this book shortly before I heard about the movie coming out and I loved it. I couldn't put it down & cried through the last chapter. Now, to clarify...I'm not one of those weepy women who cries over hallmark comercials & other such drivel. It takes a lot to make me shed a tear. That said, I got so into the book that I couldn't help feel the pain the characters were going through.

When the movie came out, I went to the theatre to watch it...excited about seeing it all come to life before me. I know better than this b/c rarely are movies as good as the books, but still I hoped for the best. It was beautiful. I'll give it that...but it was slow. I felt every mile of the drive from NY to Montana. Besides being bored through most of the movie, I got more & more angry as I realized just how little respect was paid to the book with the screenplay. The characters weren't the ones that I had fallen in love with...or in the same r