Reviews (74)

All about the Bolger sisters (and Samantha Morton)
'In America' is a quasi-autobiographical work penned by director Jim Sheridan and daughters Naomi and Kirsten (herself a director). I added "quasi" because a little research turns up that Jim Sheridan had a brother Frankie who passed away in tragic circumstances (I'm not giving anything away by telling you that). That character woven into the 'In America' story in conjunction with the story that is obviously the current Sheridan family's own: Irish mother and father with two young girls in tow trying to make it as immigrants in a hardscrabble NYC neighborhood in the early eighties.

Real-life sisters Sarah and Emma Bolger play what are obviously the on-screen portrayals of Sheridan siblings Kirsten and Naomi. Emma - playing younger sister Ariel - is adorable right from the get go. Older sister Sarah is the mature, world-weary (but still sweet) Christy. When she tells her father "I've been carrying this family on my back for over a year," believe it. And don't miss her stark, beautiful rendering of 'Desperado.' Perfect.

In case you can't tell, I was enchanted by these two girls. But Samantha Morton is a treat, too. She was wonderful but obscured as the pre-cog in the fine Cruise/Spielberg film 'Minority Report.' Here, she's front and center and luminous.

Fanciful but Poignant Story of Recovery. And a Great Cast.
An Irish family, grief-stricken after the death of their young son, moves to New York City to start their lives afresh. With little to their names besides the clothes on their backs, Sarah (Samantha Morton), Johnny (Paddy Constantine), and their two daughters, Christy (Sarah Bolger) and Ariel (Emma Bolger), move into a run-down tenement occupied mostly by drug addicts and misfits. The girls make the acquaintance of a reclusive African artist (Djimon Hounsou) who lives downstairs from them, and that unusual friendship helps see the family through their grief and recover their hope for the future and for each other.

"In America" was inspired by two events in the life of its writer and director, Jim Sheridan. Sheridan's brother died when he was a child, and, as an adult, he illegally immigrated with his family to New York in the 1980s. Sheridan has combined these two seminal events into one generation with the help of his two daughters, Naomi and Kirsten Sheridan, who contributed their childhood memories to the screenplay. "In America" is the story of a family that deals with great loss by uprooting itself and making a new life in an entirely different environment. Already emotionally estranged from one another, they become strangers in a new world. Once a working class family in Ireland, they now struggle with poverty in New York. And this somehow cures their ills. While I was watching this film, I was captivated by its dreamlike quality and impressed with the terrific cast. The story is narrated by Christy, a precocious 10-year-old who documents her world and her feelings with her ever-present camcorder. The actresses who play Christy and her younger sister Ariel really are sisters, and they give some of the most charming and impressive performances by child actors that I have ever seen. Samantha Morton is also particularly good as their broken-hearted mother, Sarah. The character that serves as a catalyst for emotional change, Mateo, the artist downstairs, is little more than a cliché, although Djimon Hounsou plays him well. After I had thought about the film for a few hours, I began to realize that the story is more contrived than I had originally noticed. Mateo is far from being the only cliché, and living in destitution doesn't provide opportunities for emotional epiphanies. It is, in fact, very dangerous, exhausting, and depressing. But as I counted "In America"'s contrivances and preposterous elements, I was also struck by the fact that I wasn't inclined to think about them as I was watching the movie. That's because "In America"'s dreamlike quality and its engaging performances overcome its lapses in credibility. I don't know that this film is supposed to be literally believable. The family's emotional journey is poignant and rings of truth. The details are a little fantastic. But it is told through the memories of a child, which may partly explain its uneven realism. Memory is highly subjective, in any case; its only what one person noticed and clung to. I recommend "In America" for its fine performances and its unique and slightly fanciful perspective.

sweet film about family, loss and new beginnings
This story, about an Irish family that immigrates to Manhattan after the death of a son, is a sweet film about family, loss and new beginnings.

What I liked best about the movie were the very strong performances by the two young girls and the neighbor, Mateo.

On the down side, I sometimes found the Irish accents hard to understand and details were sometimes unrealistic.

The story wasn't strong enough for me to consider it outstanding, but it's an interesting watch, a nice change of pace from Hollywood and a good family film.

Thoughtful...Emotional...Powerful
This is a film that will haunt for some time. The acting is superb; the script well-written. It is a true gem, quite different from Hollywood fare.

American Dreams
In America is a caring movie about an American dream that comes true. It's a sweet movie, with great acting from everyone. A true joy. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Neil Simon's terribly funny play about roommates Oscar the slob and Felix the neurotic was first committed to film in this 1968 production, directed by Gene Saks (Barefoot in the Park). Perfectly timed, ingeniously rendered, not a hair out of place in the history-making performances of Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon (or the great support cast), The Odd Couple is a movie that one just has to see every two or three years to stay happy. The poker-game sequence in which Oscar's cronies seem to be falling under the sway of fussy Felix's talent for making sandwiches is priceless. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (26)

The Original And Still The Best, With An Exception or Two
The story is a classic. Poor neat Felix is going through a divorce, and old, sloppy friend Oscar takes him in. Both go through mid-life crises, and we get to meet some great character actors along the way.. besides Matthau and Lemmon, of course! John Fielder is magnificent. We all know the film by its countless viewings on TV ... and of course the TV series. It's FINALLY nice, through the magic of wide-screen, to see the ENTIRE poker game. To see the ENTIRE messy apartment ... and those classic New York street scenes. What's not so nice are the color and sound. Neither has held up that well, though Paramount must have made their best efforts to put together something out of bad '60's negatives and/or prints. The color is so muted, and so is a lot of the sound for whatever reason. Still, the DVD version is much better than the pan-and-scan VHS version currently offered. Can't do too much about that '60's color.

Odd Men Out Are Still In Style
Perhaps prolific playwright Neil Simon's best known work, the 1968 film adaptation of The Odd Couple, helped to give birth to one of cinema's best comedy teams. It is clear from the begining that Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon were a match made in heaven.

Recently divorced fussbudget and neatfreak Felix Unger (Lemmon) is down on his luck. With nowhere else to turn, he finds himself, reluctantly, on the doorstep of pal Oscar Madison (Matthau), who is himself divorced. Oscar is a total slob and proud of it. The film is all about how these total opposites, can live with each other, without losing their sanity.

While I never saw the play, (save for a High School produced short version) the filmmakers didn't mess with the formula. Adapting stage plays on film, can at times, seem quite limiting . Not here though. Director Gene Saks has great sense of what works. The chemistry between Lemmon and Matthau is undeniable. The performances are pitch perfect--even from the supporting players. Simon's story and script is timeless and holds up very well...The movie may have been made over 30 years ago and yet...I always liked watching the TV series, still, nothing beats the film version.

It's great to finally be able to see the movie in the widescreen format, though, a cleaner print is called for. The only bonus material on the DVD is the film's theatrical trailer. Both of these great actors are sadly no longer with us, but thankfully their work will live on, in the films they left behind. Recommended with a **** and 1 quarter rating.

A Perfect Comedy Team in the Perfect Comedy
Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy? This movie proves that the answer is no. Oscar is a sloppy New York sports writer. Felix is a fussy neat freak who writes the news for television. Both are divorced and share an apartment together. Felix complains about a pickle on the floor, and Oscar complains about Felix washing Oscar's poker cards. Yes, they get on each other's nerves endlessly, that is, until Oscar throws Felix out. This movie is one of my all-time favorites, and unlike other movies I've seen, it doesn't get stale with repeated viewings. All in all, a classic comedy by Neil Simon.

Enjoyable comedy
This is a very funny movie with two excellent comic performances from Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Lemmon makes Felix a sympathetic and three-dimensional character, melancholy and depressive as well as fussy and compulsively neat. What's frustrating for me is that I love Lemmon's Felix, while for Oscar I prefer Jack Klugman, who played the role in the TV show THE ODD COUPLE. My ideal pairing would be Lemmon and Klugman, with the rest of the supporting cast (including the wonderful John Fiedler). Oh, well...

For me, the best part of this movie is the SUPERB theme music by Neal Hefti, which I think should have won an award. In the theme we hear a musical "portrait" of Oscar and Felix, before we even hear either of them speak. Enjoy it!

THE ODD COUPLE: The Movie
Neil Simon's THE ODD COUPLE has been a hit in three different incarnations. First, in 1965, there was the Broadway production starring Art Carney and Walter Matthau as Felix Unger and Oscar Madison. The play was filmed in 1968 with Matthau and Jack Lemmon, then turned into the TV series featuring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman. Though the movie opens up the one-set original to include scenes in restaurants, streets, a motel, a ballpark, and a bowling alley, the sequences set in Oscar's Riverside Drive apartment form the heart of the play; director Gene Saks keeps these intact for the movie. Matthau's deadpan Oscar is the perfect foil for Lemmon's melancholy yet funny Felix. The scenes involving the two are alternately riotous - as when Oscar becomes fed up with Felix's constant fussing - and touching - as when Felix cries in front of the Pigeon sisters, his and Oscar's dinner dates. John Fiedler shines as one of Oscar's four poker-playing buddies. THE ODD COUPLE, in whatever version, is ultimately a comedy about friendship enduring despite differences, and this theme is communicated superbly by the team of Lemmon, Matthau, and Saks. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Entertaining, Romantic and Interesting Historically
This story of the Manion family, led by Rory Manion(formerly O'Manion), is an interesting and pretty accurate depiction of the trials and triumphs of the Irish immigrants driven out of Ireland by the Great Famine of the mid-1840's and "washed up" on the shores of America. This was the first time I ever saw Pierce Brosnan (who plays Rory O'Manion)and it seemed very likely that he was going on to bigger and better things because he was the perfect romantic Irish rebel. The saga of how he meets and falls in love with the daughter of the local British landlord (Kate Mulgrew) brings into play a great deal of the history of the Irish struggle for independence from the time of the Young Irelanders through the years of immigration, the American Civil War (and the Irish Brigade) and the discrimination against the Irish when they first came to America. The subplot involving Rory's sister (Linda Perl) and her suitors is less involving but overall the movie captures a great deal of the turbulence of that era and introduces us to the young, and very sexy, Brosnan. My biggest complaint is with the darkness of the tape--I've seen it on video and on TV and it is always quite dark--apparently not just a defective individual tape.

Trying Too Hard
Pierce Brosnan and Kate Mulgrew lead an otherwise lifeless cast in this tale about an immigrant Irishman coming to America. "The Manions of America" is sometimes educational, depicting the hardships of Ireland during the potato famine, but history quickly submits to romance between Brosnan and Mulgrew, turning the film into an oveblown melodrama. However, it is a must see for romance viewers and for Brosnan fans who are tired of seeing him as James Bond.

Manions of American.....a Classic!
Came upon this series on the Romance Channel quite by accident. Missed about 1 hour of the first part of the series. I was completely caught up in it within minutes. I've always admired the work of Kate Mulgrew. In spite of most of the scenes being very dark....could have been the quality of the cable transmission...the production was absolutely spell-binding.

By in large, it was a marvelous treatment of a part of history not often covered....the reason the Irish left Ireland and their struggles in America.

The cast was stupendous. Lina Purl is a delight.

I would recommend this video to any American History buffs.

My review of Manions of America
Grab your tissue you'll need the whole box. Kate did a great job on this movie. So did Pierce Branson. It was a movie that I will continue to watch for a long time. If you love drama this is your movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Steven Spielberg's most simplistic, sanitized history lesson, Amistad, explores the symbolic 1840s trials of 53 West Africans following their bloody rebellion aboard a slave ship. For most of Schindler's List (and, later, Saving Private Ryan) Spielberg restrains himself from the sweeping narrative and technical flourishes that make him one of our most entertaining and manipulative directors. Here, he doesn't even bother trying, succumbing to his driving need to entertain with beautiful images and contrived emotion. He cheapens his grandiose motives and simplifies slavery, treating it as cut-and-dry genre piece. Characters are easy Hollywood stereotypes--"villains" like the Spanish sailors or zealous abolitionists are drawn one-dimensionally and sneered upon. And Spielberg can't suppress his gifted eye, undercutting normally ugly sequences, such as the terrifying slave passage, which is shot as a gorgeous, well-lit composition. At its core, Amistad is a traditional courtroom drama, centered by a tired, clichéd narrative: a struggling, idealistic young lawyer (Matthew McConaughey) fighting the crooked political system and saving helpless victims. Worse yet, Spielberg actually takes the underlying premise of his childhood fantasy, E.T. and repackages it for slavery. Cinque (Djimon Hounsou), the leader of the West African rebellion, is presented much like the adorable alien: lost, lacking a common language, and trying to find his way home. McConaughey is a grown-up Elliot who tries communicating complicated ideas such as geography by drawing pictures in the sand or language by having Cinque mimic his facial expressions. Such stuff was effective for a sci-fi fantasy about the communication barriers between a boy and a lost alien; here, it seems like a naive view of real, complex history. --Dave McCoy ... Read more

Reviews (99)

So what if history is made more entertaining?
Have the critics of this film's historical "accuracy" never heard of "dramatic license"? If they had, then they would understand that Spielberg, like most of his profession, slightly alters history to make for greater theatrical effect or even heighten the events of the story. "Amistad" achieves both with scenes of horror combined with those of great poignancy that make for a total movie experience.

While there are times when the film drags, the performances and the engrossing story itself make up for the few inadequacies. Though stars Morgan Freeman (especially riveting in the inspection of the Amistad scene), Anthony Hopkins, and Matthew McConaughey perform well in their respective roles, the best acting belongs to Djimon Hounsou, Razaag Adoti, and Abu Bakarr Fofanah as three of the Africans, and the underrated Pete Postlethwaite as prosecutor Holabird. Nigel Hawthorne, as the inept President Van Buren, and Peter Firth as a conscious-ridden British ship captain are also memorable.

Spielberg skillfully balances a movie that is a courtroom drama mixed with an indictment against the slave system of America's past. The scenes of the events of the cursed "Middle Passage" are as graphic as is possible within the confines of Hollywood filmmaking.

John Williams contributes a beautiful and understated score, just below the surface of the on-screen events, providing just enough to carry the story along.

McCoguhney's Best!
Steven Spielberg's debut film for DreamWorks Pictures, Amistad, stars a distinguished cast led by Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou and Matthew McConaughey.

Earning acclaim for its filmmaking and power, Amistad was honored with four Academy Award nominations; Best Supporting Actor (Hopkins), Best Music, Best Costume Design and Best Cinematography.

Based on a true story, the movie chronicles the incredible journey of a group of enslaved Africans who overtake their captor's ship and attempt to return to their beloved homeland. When the ship, La Amistad, is seized, these captives are brought to the United States where they are charged with murder and await their fate in prison. An enthralling battle ensues that captures the attention of the entire nation, confronting the very foundation of the American justice system. But for the men and women on trial, it is simply a fight for the basic right of all mankind... freedom.

Badley scripted and direction
This was Spielberg's first Dreamworks picture and it was really awful. Mostly in poor script and lack of direction. The subject material was not for a director with his style of film making, and the poor performance of this movie has pretty much been the case for every picture this joke of a studio has continued to do since.

Powerful and Shameful
The word "powerful" has become a cliche when describing movies, which is unfortunate. However this film contains material that really moved me to strong emotion- something rare in today's bland entertainment market. Amistad does not simplify slavery as the above reviewer stated- rather it shows the audience the reality of slavery, and that we as a nation were guilty of supporting a terrible injustice. America embraced slavery for many years after most of our European friends had abolished it- a fact clearly demonstrated in this film by the presence of a british naval officer tasked with finding and destroying a carribean slave base.

This movie does revolve around the courtroom, but does so in a way that is both entertaining and educational. It shows how even the best courts can be warped or crippled by political influence and red tape. The characters are simple yet believable. In particular the roles of Cinque and John Q. Adams are played masterfully.

The speech given by Adams at the conclusion is a word-for-word transcript of his actual speech given to the Supreme Court. This speech is one of the more bold and patriotic speeches given in American history, and gives me goose bumps every time I read/see it. Amistad is an exceptional movie that forces the viewer to look back on our past with an unflinching eye and embrace both our courage and our shame as a nation.

MORE THAN A MOVIE ABOUT LA AMISTAD
AMISTAD tells the story of 1839 events involving a shipload of slaves who, having freed themselves from their captors aboard the cruel slaver La Amistad, try to sail back home. Instead they are tricked into sailing north and are captured in New England. The trial that resulted began in insignificance but escalated until it drew in some of the most powerful individuals of the time, especially former President John Quincy Adams.

The fact-based thriller transcends itself in Spielberg's epic. Yes, the story is one of heroism on the part of men trying to secure their freedom. But the real importance of AMISTAD is its gritty, nauseating portrayal of slavery and of those who fought it and of those who espoused it. It tells of how many of the ridiculous politicians of the time continued to bury their heads in the sand rather than take the hard steps that would require America and Americans to live up to the creeds and beliefs that had made them what they were.

Djimon Honsou (GLADIATOR) is wonderful in his portrayal of Cinque, the reluctant leader of the band of Africans. Matthew McConaughey portrays Lawyer Roger Sherman Baldwin, Morgan Freeman is Mr. Joadson and Anthony Hopkins is absolutely striking in the role of John Quincy Adams. John Williams provides one of his most soaring and original soundtracks ever.

THE HORSEMAN ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Pleasant Surprise
This is what I called a buried treasure. I recall seeing it during my middle school days. I found it hyysterially funny, and outright enjoyable.
This all-star cast fights for the estate of the deceased Mr. Parker (played by Vincent Price). The goal is to win the scavenger hunt. They must fetch items like toilets, cash registers, microscopes, and ... ostriches--just to name a few.
The cast incluces Richard Masur, Dirk Benedict, Willie Aames, Richard Mulligan, Cloris Leachman, Cleavon Little, Roddy McDowell, Tony Randall, Scatman Carouthers, Richard Benjamin ... and even a few great cameos by Meat Loaf and Arnold Schwarzeneggar before the Termiantor days.
One of the best things about this movie is the ending. The way it plays out makes it both unpredicatble, and enjoyable.

One of my all-time favorites !
The first time I saw this movie I ended up laughing so hard mystomach hurt. The part where the chauffeur, the butler and the cooktry to steal a cash register from a convenience store (as one of the items needed for their scavenger hunt) and James Coco puts a pair of panty hose over his face with the legs hanging down in front(so he wouldn't be recognizable) was absolutely hysterical. Georgie (Richard Masur) is another winner as the spoiled and malicious son of Cloris Leachman. This entire movie was fun from beginning to end and it's loaded with great movie stars. This movie reminded me a little of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, World" (my absolute favorite movie of all time ) Do yourself a favor and buy this movie. It will have you laughing until you cry !

Scavenger Hunt
Very funny movie!! I didn't get to see it in the theaters but I have watched it on TV many times and laughed all the way through it!! I especially couldn't get enough of Avery Schreiber's character (the zookeeper)!!

Scavenger Hunt
I love this movie. It is by far one of my favorites. I can't watch it enought. No matter how many times I see it, it never loses the humor. I really wish they would put this on DVD. I can't believe they haven't yet. I have had 3 copies of it and I have worn out all 3, and am trying to get a 4th. I can't even think of a movie that can come close to Scavenger Hunt. The actors are great.

A true overlooked classic
This has got to be one of my all time favorites movies. I remember watching it as a kid on TV and recently found it at a used book store on VHS. I have watched it several more times and hope my tape holds out until the decide to put this on DVD. It really is a shame that it has not been put on DVD yet. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

More atmosphere than shocks
"Hey, ya wanna see something REALLY scary?" Well, watch another movie. However, Twilight Zone: the Movie was one of my favorite movies of my college years. I enjoyed the original series, but was never a fanatic. What captivated me about this movie, in particular the 3rd and 4th segments, was the atmosphere established by the filmmakers. The first segment with Vic Morrow is undoubtedly the weakest...there were obviously some script changes necessary due to his tragic death, and what we're left with is a predictable, trite, and even cruel story of a bigot who spouts a few angry words at the beginning then pays for it a thousand-fold. It's like watching someone being slowly tortured to learn a lesson then executed at the end just to make SURE he learned his lesson. The second segment is syrupy, but has the wonderful Scatman Crothers and some amusing moments with the old folks turning into kids. The third segment was my favorite. I always thought some of those old cartoons from the thirties were very creepy in their surreal quality, and watching this segment is like watching someone's nightmare of those old cartoons gone berserk. Of interest is the doomed sister, Ethel, who later on became the voice of Bart Simpson...she really DID get stuck in Cartoonland! And the fourth segment is pretty wonderful too, due to a comic twist on the horror provided by the script and John Lithgow's performance. Towering above the entire movie, though, is Jerry Goldsmith's score...one of his best and one of my three favorite film scores of all time. It truly adds to the eerieness of the first, third and fourth segments and while the second section pours on the schmaltzy strings, on its own it makes a GREAT listen with a memorable theme.

Tribute Classic
OK, there are some flaws in this movie but overall it can only be considered a modern classic. From the aged nursing home to the racial biggot sequence suspense reigns giving pure entertainment. Why this has not been transferred to DVD is beyond comprehension. As a cinema movie it is one i have never forgotten, the type of movie that remains embedded for twilight zone lovers. You can imagine my disappointment when continually searching for it on DVD. My fingers remain crossed !

I Love Creedence (ClearWater Revival)
After 20 plus years, TWILIGHT ZONE:THE MOVIE has attained somewhat of a cult following and has maintained a level that it is not too outdated, but did not do the original tv series justice. The movie will be remembered mostly because actor Vic Morrow (tv's COMBAT) was killed during filming along with two children. The first segment KKK is an original entry, directed by John Landis and starring Vic Morrow. It is not too inventive and very predictable. Morrow has made a career of playing baddies from BLACKBOARD JUNGLE to THE BAD NEWS BEARS so he was perfectly cast as the bigot who gets caught in a time warp to experience the suffering of the two groups he hates the most (blacks and jews). There is a segment where he is supposedly in Vietnam which doesn't go anywhere (because the scenes that were to be part of this sequence is where he got killed) but the producers stuck it in anyway. The next segment KICK THE CAN is directed by Spielberg who was continuing his period of working with children carried over from his film E.T. (and would culminate to his work on HOOK). This is a typical Spielberg directed sequence with a standout performance of Scatman Crothers as the instigator who entices the residences of an old folks home to think young again. The third segment ITS A GOOD LIFE is probably the most bizarre taking the original story to a more light-hearted approach. A boy who has the power to make anything he wishes come true while holding his family and townspeople at bay (in terror) was much more scarier and serious in the original tv episode. Director Joe Dante's take on it is more of a cartoon with a surprisingly upbeat and happy ending compared to the original's very downbeat ending. Bill Mumy (tv's LOST IN SPACE fame)who played the boy in the original tv episode makes a cameo appearance in the beginning of the sequence, but the cast (Kevin McCarthy,William Schallert,Lonna Schwab,Nancy Cartwright{voice of tv's Bart Simpson}) who plays the boy's terrorized family is the best part of the sequence along with lead Kathleen Quinlan. Finally, the last (and probably the best) segment, NIGHTMARE AT 20,000 FEET is pretty close to the original tv episode compared to the other two segments. John Lithgow's performance as the frightened passenger who sees a gremlin on the wing of a plane which disappears when he tries to get others to look out the window is equal to that of William Shatner's performance from the original tv episode. The prologue with Dan Aykroyd and Albert Brooks is amusing if not prdictable and the movie as stated still holds up despite its faults. Note: Look for a young John Larroquette in a brief appearance in the first segmnet (KKK).

I wonder why this has been forgotten?
It really is a sad thing how critics and those who have viewed this find this film a lost cause or a pathetic outdated mess. Now the film is about 20 years old but it is still very good and fun to watch. People just constantly knock the film saying it's bits are weak and don't compare to the original series now that may be true but the film that it turned out to be it is worth laughing at and enjoying. You are not supposed to get scared by this film you are really supposed to laugh your butt off I find that kick the can story hilarious a little touching but come on "Fresh Young Minds" you just don't take words like that seriously. How about the story with Anthony O.K the special effects are a bit dated but who cares? that bit is so hysterical because the plot is trying to be serious but it just does not work instead you just end up laughing at how the people who Anthony has taken to his home are forced to sit around and watch Cartoons all day! The last story is probably the most thrilling of the four (That's probably why they saved it for last) because watching John Lithgow hysterical on that airplane with those people is just classic cinema in my opinion. You of course have your first story with Vic Morrow where the disaster happened O.K that bit is a little dark and distrurbing but the whole film is one big laugh after another what about when Dan Aykroyd and Albert Brooks are just driving down a road and singing dumb songs are bored out of there minds because there song "Let the Midnight Special" tape broke. If you want to see something really scary as Dan Aykroyd puts it in the film or just want to laugh your butt off at crazy cinema you'll like Twilght Zone The Movie.

lpcb
I think that this was a cleaver movie because it had 4 differendt shows in it, I espeacally liked the last 2 shows....
-Casey ... Read more

Reviews (155)

A New Killer. A New Beginning.
Although most fans of this series say that this is the worst of the series, I whole-heartedly disagree. There are much worse installments of the franchise. The reason why people dislike this movie is mainly because of the fact that Jason Voorhees is not the killer of the movie. That's the beauty of it. It shows the fact that an average joe (or Roy in this case) can mentally snap and go off on a horrific killing spree. Let us not forget that this how Mrs. Pam Voorhees started.

The acting by the cast is horrible and the script wasn't thought out all that well. There are however some hilarious comedic moments now and then in the movie. It's one reedeming quality is the acting portrayed by John Shepherd as Tommy Jarvis. The portrayal of Tommy as a seriously disturbed young man after his encounter w/Jason is very realistic for it shows the constant fear, anger, sadness and paranoia of surviving that horrific night from F13thIV.

This movie had a lot of potential but fell short in what could have been the best in the series since the original.

Don't take my word for it: see it for yourself...if you dare.

NOT AS BAD AS PEOPLE SAY IT IS
YEAH I ADMIT THAT I WAS DISSAPOINTED THAT THE KILLER WAS NOT JASON BUT FOR ALMOST ALL OF THE MOVIE HE ACTED LIKE JASON,MOVED LIKE JASON AND KILLED LIKE JASON SO I THOUGHT IT WAS JASON FOR MOST OF THE MOVIE,THIS ISNT MY FAV IN THE SERIES,MY FAVS ARE PARTS 3,4 AND 6,PART 7 WAS WATCHABLE AND SOMETIMES ENJOYABLE BUT JASON TAKES MANHATTAN AND JASON GOES TO HELL WERE JOKES,EVEN THOUGH I AM A BIG FRIDAY THE 13TH FAN THIS IS NOT MY FAV SERIES OF HORROR MOVIES,MY FAVS ARE THE EVIL DEAD SERIES,A COUPLE OF THE HALLOWEEN SERIES AND A COUPLE OF THE NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET SERIES,BUT THIS INSTALLMENT IN THE FRIDAY THE 13TH SERIES ISNT THAT BAD AT ALL,ITS ACTUALLY QUITE ENTERTAINING AND HAS A COUPLE OF REAL INTERESTING CHARACTERS LIKE VIOLET,SHES SO HOTT,REGGIE THE RECKLESS,TOMMY AND THE HILARIOUS HICK MOTHER AND SON,I AM TRYING TO FIND THE SONG THAT THE GIRL VIOLET IS DOING THE ROBOT DANCE TOO,THE NAME OF THE SONG IS "HIS EYES" BY PSEUDO ECHO AND SHE DOES A PRETTY COOL VERSION OF THE ROBOT DANCE IN THE MOVIE,SHE REMINDS ME OF A YOUNGER MADONNA,ALTHOUGH THIS MOVIE ISNT THE BEST IN THE SERIES ITS STILL WORTH A LOOK

No Jason? No problem.
This is routinely cited as one of, if not the, worst film in the Friday series, and that's saying something.

First off, you won't be watching this flick by accident. Either you're a fan of the series, or not really. It's no secret that the films follow the same formula. It's a real statement about the 80s and about Hollywood in general that the ultra-cynical filmmakers would churn out the same product every year, to diminishing returns, until they ran it into the ground (witness the appalling Part VIII, Jason Takes Manhattan). Strangely enough, the last two installments of this indefatigable series were two of the best: Jason X, and Freddy vs Jason. You have to wreck the series to rebuild it.

Jason was killed at the end of Part IV. It seems that it only took a little bit more abuse than he had endured in Parts 2 and 3 to kill him, even though he was stabbed, hung, axed in the head, etc. But apparently, Tom Savini's machete-to-the-head finale to The Final Chapter was the necessary fix.

Tommy Jarvis, the hero of Part IV, finds himself in a halfway house, years after the events of the previous film. Of course, he is still completely haunted by Jason, the masked maniac invading his daily thoughts. (In Hollywood, you can never recover from trauma, ever, and it will always return to destroy you and your life.)

One day at the half-way house, populated with troubled 80s kids, someone gets butchered, and the cops haul off one of the youths. Then, one-by-one, people start getting offed by a hockey-masked psycho, and Tommy is convinced Jason is back from the dead. It's up to him to ultimately square off against the villain, again, after the requisite amount of bodies pile up.

No secret, but it's not Jason doing the killing in this one, which is the main reason the movie is not well regarded. Also, it happens to be ineptly directed and acted on many fronts, and the gore and violence has been cut to ribbons, yet again, courtesy of the hypocrits at the MPAA who gave an R rating to WAY more violent action films of the same period. Remember folks, if someone gets shot in the movies, it's an action movie, and that's okay. If they get stabbed, it's a horror movie, and the gore needs to be limited.

I would separate the Friday flicks into about three categories, the first four sequels comprising one, then VI, VII, and VIII comprising another, and the later era with Jason Goes to Hell, Jason X, and Freddy vs Jason the last. The original film was going to be a one-off murder mystery, till they decided to have Jason inexplicably rise from Crystal Lake. Then they had a new franchise on their hands. The early films still tried to be horror films, but they weren't scary, just very cynical and violent, and cheaply done. They're fun for fans in the obvious ways, but the series certainly changed with Part VI, becoming more self-reflexive.

The DVD, of course, is a lousy, bare-bones job, yet another by Paramount. We get...a trailer! Wow. The picture is good, the sound is fine, but these are real fan films, best enjoyed by horror film fans and geeks, who have fun with the whole thing, but of course we get zero in the appreciation department from Paramount. Compare these to some of the excellent Anchor Bay DVD releases, most of which reverently collect bonus material for added value.

Recommended for series fanatics, this film will have you rooting for the killer to bump off the annoying cast with demented glee. It does have some appropriately sick and demented touches, including the flare, the decapitated-on-motorbike death of an inbred cretin, a chainsaw, Dudley from Different Strokes, and a cameo by Corey Feldman, whose career would only go downhill after this masterpiece. Oh, and one of the more ineptly directed whodunit plots in a long time.

Not The Peak of the Series
Arguably the worst movie of the Friday the 13th series, "A New Beginning" is exactly that: a restart of the series. The shame in the movie is simply that (SPOILER ALERT!!!) Jason is not the killer. Rather, the culprit is the Ambulance driver posing as Jason to commit murders - - quite the dissapointment. For this the movie instantly loses alot of credit, seeing how Jason is the staple of the Friday the 13th series. Now, I don't want to bash the movie too hard here, there are still pleanty of thrills, scares and deaths. The formula for the film is exactly the same as that of its brothers, its just without the real Jason, and you don't even really know that until the end of the film (although you strongly suspect it about midway through). The film has the usual lot of dimwitted teenagers, including some of the "hardest" nudity in the series, but without Jason at the helm, this film is a sinking ship. Good for a watch, but definatley not my favorite.

My descent into cinematic self-torture
After watching and enjoying the 'Freddy Versus Jason' flick, I made it my duty to watch every 'Nightmare on Elm Street' and 'Friday the 13th' flick so's I could catch up on the back story of both combatants. And after viewing the first five 'Friday' flicks, I'm beginning to regret my decision. I mean, really-- what's the point?! Each new one's pretty much the same as the previous one! Well, except that this movie's setting is some hostel for wacko teenagers rather than a camp or house near Crystal Lake. Then there are the hilariously overdone 'squishy' sound effects that pop up every time an edged weapon rips into some poor slob's flesh. And there's one rather gruesome killin' that Jason DOESN'T perform here, which is kinda new. And the Jason-kills here are even more over-the-top than ever before (A road flare?! Gimme a freakin' break!). Then there's the whole mystery over whether or not the guy doin' almost all of the killin's is the real Jason!

Otherwise, there's the usual 'Friday' staples such as the intro that refers to the previous installment (featuring a brief appearance by 'Friday 4' star Corey Feldman). And of course there's the group of teens (& a few adults) that get picked off one by one. Speakin' And let's not forget the tried-and-true boink scene and pot use, both of which automatically mark for death the partakers in such debauchery. Then there're the attempts at acting by most of the cast that are so bad, you'd swear Ed Wood did the casting! And we can't forget the ending that gives ya a hint that it ain't over yet. Topping things off: just like the previous flicks, I didn't find myself all that scared by the goings-on here. It's probably due to the fact that, after having watched the first four installments, I've become jaded by it all. Well, that and I can see someone's doom comin' from a mile away.

Well, that's pretty much all I hafta say 'bout this entry in the 'Friday the 13th' canon. I'm halfway through now, yay! Now it's on the Part VI, yay! I just can't WAIT to see what new twists they've got in store for me there, heh. Um, yay...

'Late ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tracey Ullman can make absolutely anything funny, and when she works with material straight out of show biz, she can't lose.Tracey Takes on... Movies, Vanity, Fame, three episodes (plus outtakes) from her Emmy-winning HBO series, traces her interconnected cast of characters' relationships with the Dream Factory and all its trappings.Faded star Linda Granger gets a taste of the bitter side of fame, stuntwoman Rayleen Gibson saves the day (again), and legal hotshot Sydney Kross gets a head-to-toe courtroom makeover; all of these mix Ullman's barely contained mania with a refined, mature sense of humor that lets the viewers find their own laugh lines amidst the all-too-real vignettes and conversations.Her characterizations are as detailed and biting as ever, mocking Yanks, Brits, and practically everyone else with studied ease and showing us all our most embarrassing moments writ large.Whether you've watched her avidly or have yet to experience her crazed genius, Tracey Takes On... Movies, Vanity, Fame will keep you coming back to the TV time and again. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I thought it was hilarious!
this movie was really one of the best comedy acts that i have ever seen. i think that everyone should see this - tracy ullman is so funny! ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Fantastic film. Very poor DVD transfer.
This is an amazingly good movie, and film performances don't get any more compelling than those delivered here by Daniel Day-Lewis and Brenda Fricker. Day-Lewis's portrayal of Christy Brown and his handicap is so convincing that it is difficult to believe that Day-Lewis is not actually stricken with Cerebral Palsy. But his portrayal, like the Irish writer and artist he portrays, gets far beyond the physical challenges of the disease. He conveys a warmth, humor, and human intensity that avoids cloying sentimentality. In terms of the movie content, I can only echo the superlatives of the previous reviewers. The film itself deserves 5+ stars.

Unfortunately, the DVD transfer is not what I had hoped for. The picture is not noticeably better than on VHS. It is not particularly clear or vivid, and the red hues bleed a bit (like on an aging VHS tape). Perhaps most distracting, there are specks of dirt visible on the image (particularly in light areas, like sky), and there are dust and lint artifacts throughout the transfer. I don't know if all of these flaws were part of the original, master copy, but it looks like they just made a quick transfer from a film copy they had handy. It's a shame that such a fine movie, which won 2 Academy Awards, did not merit more care in the transfer to DVD.

In short, this a triumphant movie that merits seeing (and owning). But if you have a VHS copy in working order, you won't get much added value from buying the DVD.

This is not a Movie..this is a LIFE !!
...First , i have to admitt that i've never ever heared about this movie bofore one night i was just watching the T.v and there it was..and i guess i was lucky...i didn't feel like watching a movie i felt like beeing a witness of that man's life...as if i was a member of his family or even as if i was him....Daniel day lewis' great performance makes you feel all the non-spoken feelings...personally, daniel day lewis became my favourite actor since i've seen that beautifull movie....the movie is about life so it's full of joy as it's full of sadness, you'll smile as you'll tear. very senstive and heart catching....the movie is divided ito chapters..which are the chapters of the autobiography of the writer ..in each a portrait by painting and by words for every one who did impact the writer...the tender mother, the furious father who held unshowed tenderness and more..........if you are browsing to buy it...do it with out thinking.. :))

This Will Warm Your Heart!!
This movie will warm your heart. Daniel Day Lewis is extraordinary in this role of Christy Brown. In a day and age when those with special needs were thrown aside as rejects of society, this film is a very sensitive portrayal of the immense courage needed to forge one's way. Lewis deserved the Oscar for this film. What a marvelous actor! I wish he were more commercially palatable.

Thank you to my friend Kate in Minneapolis for recommending the picture, I'm sorry I took 15 years to act on her advice.

This is a very smart movie. :)

Jeffrey McAndrew
author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"

My Left Foot = Stunning
I will admit, I am one of the most picky film reviewers that has ever lived, and I have only ever given three films in my life a straight five out of five stars, however this film comes out as a four and a half out of five. Defiantly one of the most powerful films I have ever witnessed, and is on my top ten greatest films of all time list. Daniel Day-Lewis, who I have to admit I did not really cared for until I saw this film, gives a powerful tour de force of a performance, that shifts you from tears to joy and back again in only a few short minutes. However Day-Lewis is not the one who shines out above the rest, that is done by Brenda Fricker, in a stunningly beautiful performance, one of the greatest I have ever seen done by a female actor, both Fricker and Day-Lewis did above and beyond in their roles, and most defiantly deserved their Oscars. The direction is also dead on, along with the script, overall the entire film is an experience of a life time, by far the best movies of 1989, and one of the greatest achievement in film of all time.

Day-Lewis is Incredible in this Inspiring True Story...
Admittedly, when I first saw this movie many years ago, I thought that the director had hired an actor with cerebral palsy to play Christy Brown! That's how good Daniel Day-Lewis is in this film. Taking absolutely nothing from the rest of the movie's cast, but I became a fan of this great actor almost from the opening scene. (I read somewhere that during filming, Day-Lewis spent the entire three-month shoot confined to his weelchair - even off camera! Talk about focus, concentration and dedication.)

To say that this film did justice to the life and times of Christy Brown would be an understatement. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like its predecessor Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve is a piffle of a caper, a preposterous plot given juice and vitality by a combination of movie star glamour and the exuberant filmmaking skill of director Steven Soderbergh (Out of Sight, The Limey). The heist hijinks of the first film come to roost for a team of eleven thieves (including the glossy mugs of Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bernie Mac, and Don Cheadle), who find themselves pursued not only by the guy they robbed (silky Andy Garcia), but also by a top-notch detective (plush Catherine Zeta-Jones) and a jealous master thief (well-oiled Vincent Cassel) who wants to prove that team leader Danny Ocean (dapper George Clooney) isn't the best in the field. As if all that star power weren't enough--and the eternally coltish Julia Roberts also returns as Ocean's wife--one movie star cameo raises the movie's combined wattage to absurd proportions. But all these handsome faces are matched by Soderbergh's visual flash, cunning editing, and excellent use of Amsterdam, Paris, and Rome, among other highly decorative locations. The whole affair should collapse under the weight of its own silliness, but somehow it doesn't--the movie's raffish spirit and offhand wit soar along, providing lightweight but undeniable entertainment. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (198)

How Many Stars Does It Take To Make A Movie?
Despite my misgivings over the acting "skills" of George Clooney, there are a few films that he has done that I have really enjoyed. When I saw 2001's remake of Ocean's 11, I quickly added it to that very short list, which also includes Out Of Sight (also directed by Soderbergh) and Three Kings. Since Ocean's 12 marked yet another Clooney/Soderbergh collaboration, I was eager to have a look, despite some negative buzz.

It's been three years since Danny Ocean (Clooney) and his crew -fronted by detail man Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), up-and-coming pickpocket Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon), explosives expert Basher Tarr (Don Cheadle) and safecracker Frank Catton (Bernie Mac) - pulled off a bold and very lucrative heist, robbing ruthless entrepreneur Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) of every dime stored in his impenetrable Las Vegas vault. After splitting the $160 million take, each ofOcean's crew have tried to go straight, lay low and live a normal life... but that's proven to be a challenge, much to the dismay of Danny's wife Tess (Julia Roberts). When someone breaks Rule Number One and rats them out to Benedict, going straight is no longer an option. He wants his $160 million back - with interest - or else. And, as the gang quickly discovers, Benedict isn't the only powerful person in the world looking for Ocean's Eleven...

Ted Griffin, who wrote the 2001 remake, made sure the heist was the plot while the star power was just icing on the cake under Soderbergh. For the sequel, it's the exact opposite. The plot really doesn't matter. Last time, everyone had their part in the heist, now, even though the gang's all here, some just "show their face" and that's it. Soderbergh would have probably faired better without a script. There are some fun moments, like when Linus and Rusty are having a discussion about Tess, but not enough. It's almost as if someone said let's take a vacation and pretend we're making a film. Now I know you are supposed to just have fun but even the first film had SOME structure. Cameos are fun too--but in an already crowded film not all that special and come across as gimicky.

The only extra on the DVD is the theatrical trailer. This was somewhat of a surprise, given that the disc for the first flick was loaded. I suspect the film's box office had something to do with the lack of bonus material. Having said that though, I still smell a Special Edition at some point down the road.

A disappointing sequel all the way around. For this star studded film of their vacation in Europe--just ** stars.

Please spare us Ocean's Thirteen
Genre: Comedy, Mystery

Genre Grade: A-

Final Grade: B-

This was a good follow-up to the first movie, although it did not even get close to matching the thrill of it. The story was MUCH weaker in this one, most of it contrived so confusingly that when you find out the outcome you are mad at how they took such an easy way out. You either like the tricks they do in this movie or you feel cheated. Or you feel a little of both, as I did.

I can't say much about the plot because there are so many spoilers, but I will say there is a big surprise with one of the characters from the first movie that is quite funny. Some people hated it (one of the "cheap" moments) but I thought it was great. There are many plot holes but director Soderbourgh keeps you so interested in the characters and flashy style of the movie that you might not even notice them. No other director could get away with it, that's for sure.

There is mild controversy over who, exactly, is Ocean's twelfth member. I honestly can't say 100% for sure because there are three people who could be considered as such. But there is one person who seems a little more likely to be that person because of a certain...event?

In conclusion, I hope that if Soderbourgh decides to give us another helping of this franchise that he gets a much more clever story for Ocean's Thirteen...

The real theft;steal your money with a bad sequel!
Hollywood returns to "independent" type cuts, erroneously assuming that it is the latest cash crop craze.So they hire youngsters to waste film and money shooting scenes that distract from quality dialogue, acting, and storyline.This is an excellent example of how NOT to make a movie.Don't waste your time unless you are a film student wishing to learn from others' mistakes.Not worth the price of popcorn!

Don't Waste Your Money
This movie should never have been made. It was dull and unispiring. The acting seemed forced and rather then everyone playing a part, a few characters were seen through out and nothing more. If you truly liked Ocean's 11 then leave it at that. My personal recommendation is that you do not watch this movie and rather just stick with the first film. You will be better off by far.

Save your money
Wow - what a bad movie. The all-star cast needs to exercice better judgment before accepting parts like these. The favorite side characters you'll remember from the first movie and played by solid/enjoyable actors (Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, etc...) are left with meaningless lines and no part to play. Brad Pitt's on camera eating habits in the first movie were something to smile at, in this one, it's simply annoying. Julia Roberts pretending to be Julia Roberts - what a stretch for the writers! The camera action is exhausting and attempts to add pace to a movie that does not have any. The plot is so twisted, it's unbelievable and ... without any interest. Soderbegh has done some excellent movies - this is probably his worst. Save your money, don't fall for the marketing hype. If you want Clooney at his clever and charming best, get "Out of Sight". If you want some good Soderbergh (nice camera work, interesting cinematography), get "Traffic". And I can't come up with something decent to suggest for Pitt since "Seven" or "Fight Club". ... Read more

Reviews (8)

In Spanish too
I feel happy that tv series that I watched many years ago . Now I can get them in DVD, but these serios were no popular just in USA in other countries of Latin America was popular too. It should be make in Spanish too or with subtitles in several languages. Thanks

When's the DVD coming out????
I see all of these other old school TV shows coming out on DVD. Mission: Impossible was a great show and deserves its spot for a DVD release for each season.

Impossible to Match
I saw many of the Mission Impossible series as a teenager. I also read the original paperback book when it came out which was made as Vol. #7. Steven Hill playing Daniell Briggs (the first season)and Peter Graves ( all subsequent seasons) as Jim Phelps both play excellent as the genius mastermind Team leader of the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) a top American government group virtually unknown to the rest of the top secret agencies. During his college days Dan or Jim majored in psychology at a top west coast university and was a chess champion. The rest of the IMF is composed of the beautiful model and Fem Fatale, Cinnamon Carter played by Barbara Bain is excellent. The academy award winner, Martin Landau who eventually married Barbara plays Rollin Hand, the magician and master of disguise. Black actor, Greg Morris does a superb job as Barney Collier, electronics genius with a prestigious background. The strong man or weight lifting world record holder, William (Willie) Armitage played by Peter Lupus is the brawn on the Team. he certainly looked the part also. Together the IMF carries out missions against impossible odds to rescue people, con enemy states, and change the courses of governments for the betterment of the free world especially without causing wars. This first volume is excellent in introducing this Team of specialists with exciting and intruiging plots and ways the IMF thwarts and bamboozles the opponent in the pilot and also in the second story called the Photographer which Anthony Zerbe stars. All of the Mission Impossible series are excellent and demonstrates how things can be accomplished through nonviolent methods also. The CIA actually did accomplish some similiar things which are now becoming declassified. This show was one of my favorite TV shows in the sixties and early seventies. You will enjoy them as well!!

Introducing you to the Cold War and the IMF Team
"Mission Impossible" originally ran from 1966 and 1973, telling tales of the Impossible Mission Force, a group of highly specialized government agents who were usually involved in disrupting the activities of small foreign powers trying to mess with the United States and the Free World. The group leader, Daniel Briggs (Steven Hill) in the first season and Jim Phelps (Peter Graves) for the rest of the show's run, put together the team and developed the complex plan to pull off the impossible mission; Cinnamon Carter (Barbara Bain) was the the beautiful female member of the team, Rollin Hand (Martin Landau) the master of disguise, Barney Collier (Greg Morris) was the electronics expert, and William Armitage (Peter Lupus) the muscle.

This first tape in the "Mission Impossible" series has the pilot and a choice episode from the show's second season. In the pilot episode (9/17/66), Wally Cox plays a safecracker who has to sneak into the vault of a hotel to steal a couple of nuclear warheads from a military dictator. This was the only episode of the show written by series creator Bruce Geller. This is not a classic episode per se, but it clearly sets the template for the entire series. "The Photographer" (12/17/67), written by two of the show's most productive writers, William Read Woodfield and Allan Balter, deals with biological warfare. Enemy agents intend to spread pneumonic plague and a top photographer (Anthony Zerbe) is the key contact. The IMF fakes a nuclear attack on New York to get the key to the code. Yes, there is a large degree of irony in watching this particular episode today, but remember what things were like in the Sixties. "The Photographer" is a classic MI episode and along with the pilot makes this an excellent tape to have for fans of the series.

Final Note: For my money the title sequence for this show is definitely one of the ten best ever, not just because of Lalo Schifrin's memorable theme music but because of the way shots from the episode were mixed in with the burning fuse and shots of the cast. You always saw enough to get interested in what was to happen, but they never let the cat out of the bag enough to ruin the episode.

Mission: Impossible, Vol. 1
I Thought that these two episodes were two of the best. One the first episode had Steven Hill starring who I think in some cases is better at the part than Peter Graves is. Two the second episode had a clever set up. But I won't explain it to you I want you to see it for youself. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Ma & Pa Kettle become grandparents and visit the old farm.
The Kettle story began with the film THE EGG AND I (1947). They had a small part in the film, but was asked to star in their own film series, MA AND PA KETTLE (1949) and then MA AND PA KETTLE GO TO TOWN (1950). In this fourth film, Pa goes into town with his two Indian friends to get on the nerves of Mr. Reed, the gemeral store owner. What Pa doesn't know is, is that he is about to become a grandfather. Pa gets confused and thinks his wife is about to have another child. Like they have 15 already. Actually, it's Richard Long that is the new daddy. The Kettles are finally settled in their new modern house they had won in that contest, but upon the sudden visit of the new grandson's other grandparents, the Parkers, who are well-to-do, the whole house is re-arranged by the new guests. But soon the Parkers are about to see how the Kettles really live. Since the house is too big or should I say too crowded for the daughter-in-law and her parents, the Kettles decide to go back to the old farm. If the man who plays "Steve" looks familar, it is Jerry Hausner who went on to play "Jerry--the Agent" in the "I Love Lucy" pilot. Then Jerry/Joe and did "Baby Crying" in the CBS "I Love Lucy" tv series.

Wonderful Family Movie
I think this movie is one of their best. It brings tears of laughter to your eyes. Movies that make you smile and feel good are the best and this one is on top of the list of great family films. I think you will enjoy this movie and feel good for the rest of the day after watching Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm.

Ma and Pa become grandparents...and move back to the farm
In this installment of the Kettle series, Ma and Pa become grandparents when their son, Tom, and his wife, Kim, become parents themselves. Kim's parents arrive from Boston to help out with the baby, and tensions rise between the grandmothers. The end result--Ma and Pa leave the start of art modern home to return to the squalor of the squattors flat. Included is the standard screwball humor, and the introduction of Kim's parents is important as background for Ma and Pa Kettle On Vacation (an essential film). However, for Kettle films, this one falls squarely in the middle. It is a good film, not quite as good as the first 3 (including The Egg and I), better than At the Fair, In the Ozarks, or Old McDonalds Farm. ... Read more

Description

Travel to the land "down under" with Spin, National Geographic's animated globe-on-the-go, and learn why the animals of Australia are so darn weird!From leaping kangaroos to paddling platypuses to cuddly koalas, you won't believe the amazing variety of animals that make this island world their home.Here's a wonderful look at these creatures, brought to you by the world's finest filmmakers.Exciting music videos will get the whole family hopping!So, c'mon mate, and explore WONDERS DOWN UNDER -just one of the many Really Wild Animals adventures in this award-winning series. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very entertaining! Great for all ages.
National Geographic has done a fabulous job of presenting information in a very fun, lively way. This video is full of amusing commentary by the narrator (the kids may not understand all the jokes, but as an adult I appreciate the cleverness). The songs are upbeat and enjoyable. The up-close film footage of the animals is excellent, as you would expect from National Geographic. No matter what your age, you will enjoy this video -- my two-year-old laughs while watching it and I find myself joining the kids on the couch to watch the fascinating animals of Australia.

great fun and full of information
This video includes excellent footage of Australia's amazing animal life: creatures you don't find anywhere else on earth. The songs are fabulous! I taught the Marsupial Rap to my first grade class and they loved it. Kangaroos, Frilled Lizards, Tazmanian Devils, and others will fascinate both adults and children. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This savvy Disney hit from 1969 made a star of a Volkswagen precisely when the car was becoming more popular than ever. Dean Jones and Michele Lee head the cast in a story about a VW bug with a mind of its own. Disney point man Robert Stevenson, director of The Absent-Minded Professor, Mary Poppins, and lots of other Disney live-action hits, makes the slapstick work perfectly and keeps the laughs coming. Buddy Hackett is very funny in a supporting role. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A real family classic!
Jim Douglas (played by Dean Jones) is a broken-down, has been racecar driver. But, when he finds himself saddled with an innocuous little Volkswagen Beetle, he suddenly finds that he can get a lot more out of it than anyone thought possible. Jim's kooky friend Tennessee Steinmetz (Buddy Hackett) keeps trying to tell him that this car is special, it has a heart and feelings, but Jim knows that a car is a car, is a car, right? And now that he is winning races, his chief competitor, Richard Thorndyke (David Tomlinson), is out to get that inexplicable little car! [Color, released in 1968, with a running time of 1:47.]

This is a fantastic movie, and a real family classic! I loved this movie as a kid, and couldn't wait to introduce my children to it. As expected, they loved it, especially the scenes where Herbie seemed to swallow Thorndyke and when he "oiled" on his leg! The DVD set is excellent, containing a nice Disney cartoon short, and lots of other neat extras. My family and I all love this DVD set, and highly recommend it to you!

I Love This 2 Disc Special Edition DVD SET of The Love Bug.
When this DVD was put out I bought a copy of it and I have watched it a dozen times Already. I really loved the specail features that they had on this DVD.

Here Is A Brief Description:

Jim Douglas (Dean Jones), is a down on luck race car Driver who finds Herbie at Thorndike Motors Owned By Peter Thorndike ( David Tomlinson). Well when Jim Finds the car. Herbie falls for him like a ton of bricks. The next day Jim finds Herbie Parked in front of the Firehouse that he and Tennesse Stienmetz (Buddy Hackett) live in. Well Jim buys the car from Mr. Thorndike and gains back his pride as he wins race after race. And falls in love with the Beautiful Carol (Michelle Lee).

Great Movie 5 Star Rating.

Disney almost got this DVD right
For the most part, this is one of Disney's few successes when it comes to releasing a movie on DVD. However, even with this DVD, there are some issues. The scene in Chinatown is strangely out of focus, while the rest of the movie appears just fine. Did the engineer fall asleep while he was doing the transfer, or just what happened?

In spite of that, I will say that this is one Disney DVD you are PROBABLY safe in buying. Maybe it came out before they started cutting corners so severely.

Cute but should not be rated G
I recently rented this movie for my three year old son who loves cars. I did see this movie when I was going up (though I did not remember the exact details) but now that I have seen it as a parent, I have some concerns about it.

Though the moive is rated G, it has a few things about it that I don't find appropriate for young children.

The dialogue is riddled with words like "stupid" and "idiot,"-- words I prefer to keep out of my son's vocabulary, at least for now.

I also find the character, Mr. Thorndike, to have an anger management problem. In the majority of his scenes, he is yelling at the top of his lungs and calling his sidekick, Havershaw, a series of derogatory names-- definitely not a characteristic I want my son to emulate. Finally, while I appreciate the whole appeal of a car having human qualities, I find the scene where Herbie tries to commit suicide a bit much for a kid's movie. Having to explain what the car was doing was difficult.

Overall, though the movie has cute qualities, I wish that the attributes I mentioned were not included. Call me a protective parent but seems to me that today's kids are considered rude because they are exposed to media like this that are considered acceptable.

Sorry to the die-hard Herbie fans, but this movie is not all its cracked up to be.

my favorite disney movie
there is no disney movie that could top this one. the race scenes with cute music playing went excellent with this movie. the cross country race at the end of the movie was one of the best slapstick race scenes i ever saw. this is like smokey and the bandit type movie. A LOT OF FUN TO WATCH. ... Read more

Reviews (58)

DOES LOVE LIKE THIS REALLY EXIST!
all of the hallmark movies are awesome, but this is by far my most favorite. i saw it last fall and i think about it all the time. i am just waiting to see it again. reba did an awesome job. i love it when i hear her "forever love" song on the radio......all i can think about is the movie and i about cry all over again. i hope hallmark sees these reviews and sees how much we all loved it. please rerelease the movie. it's the best i've ever seen. a great love story and one that is worth being seen by everyone.

Forever Love Will Be "Forever Classic"
Forever Love is the story of a newly married couple in the 70's, played beautifully by Reba McEntire and Tim Matheson. A couple of years after having a baby, Reba's character slips in to a coma and wakes up 20 years later to find out that everything she had once known has changed. Her daughter is about to get married and her best friend has fallen in love with her husband. It's a great story about a love tested with the complications of the situation and is accompanied with beautiful songs by Ms. McEntire, including the title track,"Forever Love", which I can not say enough about. It is a breathtaking song and really shows off Reba's vocal talents. That song can be found, along with other great songs, on her new CD,"If You See Him". This movie really showcases Reba's acting ability like never before. She is AWESOME!!!!!!! I really recommend this movie to everyone !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dont forget Bess Armstrong's performance
Yes it is a wonderful movie and Reba is fabulous in it, but lets not forget her best fri