Reviews (9)

Bridget Fonda rocks
one of Bridget Fonda's best movies. After being spared from death row Bridget Fonda (Maggie) Becomes a Hit woman for a secret government agency. After passing her first few hit tests she is set free into sociaty but must always be on call for more jobs. I like the part were she had to steal the identity of a rich guys girlfriend to get to him. After to job went wrong she has to call in a cleaner (Harvey Kietel) Victor. Victor has Maggie and her friend throw the beautifull young girl in an empty hot tub. With her bare feet hanging out over the side victor (not knowing the poor girl is still alive and just unconcious) procedes to poor acid on her face to clean up any finger prints of Maggie. As he is pooring the acid on her face she starts to gag and her feet start going crazy. Now that victor sees the girl is not dead he torchers her to death by spilling the whole rest of the bottle of acid on her face. When she is finally dead all you see is steam from the acid comming out of the hot tub with the poor girls pretty young toes in the bottom left sceen while Maggie watches. What sad is she was just an innocent young girl who was going out with the wrong person. This movie is a must see for all action film fans.

You have never lived until you have almost died
This is Hollywood's answer to French Director's "La Femme Nikita". The storyline is almost identical. Bridget Fonda plays the part of a drug addict junvenile delinquent who wakes up thinking she is in heaven or hell (she doesn't know which). Actually she has become an unwilling recruit to the government's super secret covert action spook agency. The Agency is never named. Presumbably it is the notorious Company. She is thoroughly trained in all the necessary spy skills like foreign languages, Karate, small arms and weapons skills, computers, etc and promptly unleashed to fight for freedom and democracy. "Mrs. Robinson" from The Graduate has a cameo role as one of her trainers. She soon learns that her missions as a covert assassin involves terminating lots of people the government deem undesirable. A hell of a way to fight for democracy. Her controller falls in love with her but she has the hots for another guy. The scene where she controls her panic after seeing her fellow operative shot before her eyes is very well done. Bridget codenamed "Nina" after the famous Jazz singer Nina Simone says softly, "I never did mind about the little things.." That saves her life to fight another day. Early on in the show, there is a glaring mistake when her controller remarks, "Rule Number One: never chamber the first round". In real life you always chamber the first round because when the action starts you have no time to lock and load. A bullet in the chamber ready to rock and roll may be the difference between life and death. Obviously, the Director and Screenwriter have never fought in any wars and don't know much about guns. Nevertheless, very entertaining and exciting. Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet

A quest for sanctuary
Maggie (Bridget Fonda) is a drug-addicted street punk who is hurting. Maggie and her friends try to solve their problems by robbing a pharmacy. Maggie commits murder during the robbery -- she is convicted, imprisoned and executed by lethal injection. Maggie awakens in an obscure Federal facility, learns that her father attended her burial, and learns that she has a choice -- Maggie can become a (disposable) Federal agent/assassin, or die. Maggie submits and is trained in weaponry, hand-to-hand combat and table manners. Maggie survives her training and becomes a Federal agent/assassin, but Maggie's missions tear her life apart ... Maggie again seeks sanctuary.

"Point Of No Return" is an American version (almost a copy) of French director Luc Besson's film "La Femme Nikita". Bridget Fonda is the best aspect of "Point Of No Return" -- post-transformation Maggie is a very elegant young American woman and Bridget Fonda plays the part well. But French director Luc Besson's film "La Femme Nikita" is superior to "Point Of No Return" -- director John Badham did *not* effectively utilize the Venice California setting. "Point Of No Return", in turn, is superior to the television series "La Femme Nikita", whose entire cast became increasingly mechanical (demoralized?) as the television series progressed.

The Armed Forces labor to instill esprit de corps and comradeship among their members -- 'We are strongest as a team and nobody gets left behind.' The two films and the television series discussed here share ***a common weakness***: Can a threatening organization expect quality performance from its agents? Continuous internal threats weaken agents' morale. And when trouble strikes, threatened agents cannot run to the threatening organization -- why should they fight, and where should they seek sanctuary?

Loaded With Action
Point of No Return is full of action and shoot-em-up scenes. Bridget Fonda stars as Maggie/Claudia, a troubled woman who has a serious drug problem. She and a group of thugs rob a local convenience store, and shoot everything and everyone up in the process. The police come, arrest Maggie, and sentence her to die by lethal injection. Unknown to her, a man named Bobby, from an elite covert operations bureau, has been watching Maggie. Maggie's execution and funeral are staged, and she joins the agency as a highly trained hit woman. She's given the fake name of Claudia, a fake birth certificate and passport, and sent ot California. There, she carries out her task of hunting down and disposing of undesireables. While she succeeds reasonably well, Maggie is realizing that she no longer cares for this part of her life, but she is powerless to escape, because the bureau would have her killed. To make matters worse, she has fallen in love and cannot tell her boyfriend about her past. Finally, she makes a deal with Bob to do one more job in exchange for his help of getting out of the bureau.

Overall, I did enjoy this movie, but the plot was a little hard to believe, and I felt some of the acting performances were only average. I'm a big Bridget Fonda fan, but this is probably not her best movie. The action scenes make the movie worth watching, though.

Don't waste your money!
I hate this movie. Bridget Fonda is not a good choice as Nikita. Go with Peta Wilson. She gives the best peformance as Nikita. There are so many things that happen that you can't believe. For instance she buys groceries, and doesn't know what to buy. Who is so stupid? Not a person that is supposed to become a covert agent for a secret agency. I just don't buy that. And the fact that she can walk away in the end is even worse. If an organisation has recruited her and given her a long training to become an operative, they will not let her go in the end. They can kill her, but never let her go!
I can't figure what is the worst, the script, the casting or Bridget Fonda as Nikita. It all sucks!

The only one that isn't miscast is Anne Bancroft as Amanda. She does a really good job. Too bad the other actors doesn't follow in her footsteps.
I would not recommend this film to anyone. Don't waste your money. If you want to see a believable story of an secret agent, watch La Femme Nikita on television, starring Peta Wilson. That's a much better choice. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

American Flyer...
O.K. I'm biased. I grew up in Colorado and was very involved with the cycling world during the late 70's and early 80's. Watching this movie takes me right back to those times and I enjoy it. Many of the scenes, including the hotel scene with the TV broadcast of the Star Spangle Banner and blatant display of the KBPI banner at the beginning of the first leg of the race, tap right into things I remember only too well from my youth. (Not to mention the girl with the streak in her hair ... I had a similar one at that time myself ...) I'm also a Costner fan and feel that any Costner collection cannot be complete without this movie. That said ...

Yes, the movie is dated. Yes the movie is predictable. Yes, some of the acting is cheesey. And yes, it's an inspirational movie despite all that. I really enjoy this movie and manage to toss it into the VCR twice a year or so if for no other reason that I love to see the Colorado scenery go by during the race scenes and to hear the Star Spangled Banner .... Hey, they are playing our song!

A great bicycle movie. Too bad the music CD isn't available
I've seen this movie so many times, I know this film word for word. As a movie, I would rate this film as average, or 3 stars. As a bicycle movie, I rate this film at 4 stars.

The story and the acting are not so great. It appears that in a lot of scenes that the actors were doing a screen test instead of making a movie. The typical screenwriting cliches are all there, and are what holds the movie together. A lot of the movie's logic doesn't hold up either. Why would Marcus, the doctor in the family test his younger brother David on an extremely strenuous treadmill marathon, knowing full well that he might die, and THEN run a CAT scan on him?

What is best about this movie is the music, and the beautiful Colorado scenery, before Colorado became one giant sprawl of a suburb. If you can enjoy this, then you can enjoy this movie.

Inspirational
American Flyers is truly an inspirational film. Finally a movie that addresses the plight of gay male couples in American society. Kevin Costner and David Grant are excellent as two homosexual males trapped in hetero relationships. Their glances to each other were beautiful. I admire Kevin Costner for his courage and spirit.

GREAT movie
This movie will inspire those who have competed with and against their brother. The fights and the competition between the brothers brings back good memories of how competitive my brother and I were. The dedication and effort put forth by the competitors also brings back memories of a better time and place. The scenery great -- how can Colorado not have great scenery ?

Don't look for this movie to have great meaning or fantastic acting - look for it to be just what it was meant to be, an inspirational movie.

real trash even for a cyclist
How can people like this piece of trash?What a stinker!I think the dad died from boredom after listening to his two idiot sons.And all that endless talk about "the Institute" which looked like it was setup in someone's garage.I can understand why some bikers would find this flick motivational.It motivated me to turn off the t.v. and go for a ride.I really believe this movie was produced by Satan. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Skydiving
If you're a skydiver, you'll love this movie. For everybody else, it's boring. It's not a typical action-packed Wesley Snipes movie. This one focuses on skydiving, and that's about it. Lots of skydiving, and then some more skydiving. They just threw in some token fight scenes at random to help tone it down, but it doesn't work. I gave it ** because Snipes is in it. Without him, it would get *.

Great Movie!
I loved this movie. The skydiving stunts are great, and it actually has a plot! Seems most action movies don't even bother with a plot anymore. Wesley Snipes and Yancy Butler did a great job. Their characters are believable, you feel like you're right there. I can't wait to try skydiving myself.

Not Very Real, But Good Fun
Let's face it, this was a fun movie and I liked it. I enjoy most flicks with Wesley Snipes in 'em. And, although a novice, I love skydiving. That was the fun part. From Yancy dumping Snipes from the Porter sans parachute to their makeshift tandem nighttime landing on a rooftop, it was ridiculously fun in a silly way. Imagine becoming skilled enough to jump in a major big-way in what, two weeks' time? Great. And the absurdity of the skydivers being anything but friendly and open to a "whuffo" (a ground-grabbing outsider) made for a top-order, unimagineable fight scene. Great stuff. I just hope that when my main canopy snivels and I can't break away, I make out as well as their jumping buddy... i.e., live through the experience. Blue Skies and Fair Winds! Watch the movie, then jump from a perfectly good airplane from 2 & 1/2 miles up.

People actually LIKE this movie?
Well for a weak plot, and inferior effects, I guess it's ok. Who am I kidding!? This movie was not good at all! Snipes has done much, MUCH better than this, although it wasn't all his fault. I believe the most entertaining part was with the photocopier, and if I had to pick one outstanding pathetic part, it would be the chick saving Snipes' rear end, without safety gear. (By the way, physics determines that little flying upwards stunt utterly impossible) Why one star? Because I had to put something! Anyway, if you liked this movie, all the power to you, but I did not find it that great.

A skydiving movie that really flies high
I haven't ever skydived before, but I do like watching movies about skydiving. I also liked "Terminal Velocity," but "Drop Zone" is a lot better. Wesley Snipes stars as a U.S. Marshal who tries to catch some terrorists that hijacked a plane that he was on and their actions resulted in the death of his brother. Snipes believes that it was a set up, but he's the only one that thinks that, so it's up to him to figure it out by himself. To do this, Wesley Snipes learns a new hobby and starts skydiving himself while trying to figure out and catch the terrorists in action.

"Drop Zone" is a good movie. Its plot might be choppy in parts, but that's about the only thing wrong with the movie. The skydiving sequences are the best and most exciting I've ever seen in any movie, and Wesley Snipes is hilarious in some parts such as when he skydives for the first time and screams the whole way down. The movie's soundtrack is another good thing about the movie.

Whether you like skydiving or not, if you like good action movies I recommend getting "Drop Zone." ... Read more

Reviews (34)

This Jack's great, that's no Bull
Wow. I've not seen very many westerns, truth be told. I can count the one's I've enjoyed on one hand. Tombstone, Unforgiven, and to a lesser extent, Silverado. But the Jack Bull tops them all (sorry, Clint). John Cusack plays a horse trader who is forced to leave two prized steeds with a spiteful land Baron because he can't afford the Baron's toll. When he returns to pick his horses back up, he finds them badly beaten and swaybacked, and the Indian worker he left with them was beaten and driven off. He wants amends and gives the Baron two weeks to have his horses returned to their former glory and his Indian cohort payed for his damages. The Baron refuses, and with no help from the local or federal law agencies, he takes matters into his own hands. In my opinion, this is how the Wild, Wild West really was, as every bit of this movie rings authentic. Cusack is amazingly good in one of his best rolls ever (among Say Anything and Grosse Point Blank), and John Goodman is equally as good as a no-nonsense judge. This is a good example of the price of taking the law into your own hands, and I think this one will become a staple in any film fan's, western or no, permanent video collection. I give this one five stars, and that's saying something seein' as how I ain't none too keen on westerns and all. Watch this movie. Buy it. You won't regret it.

Cusack for President? I completely agree...
"The Jack Bull" is another movie that displays the amazing acting talent of John Cusack. There are times that I am disappointed that Cusack doesn't seem to parallel in accolades with actors such as Cruise, Crowe, and Hanks. But then I think about that and I have decided that Cusack is far above and a much better talent than the aforementioned. "The Jack Bull" is a perfect example of why. A movie written by his father, "The Jack Bull" is an excellent display of good vs. evil. Beautifully written, the story becomes three-dimensional with some of the best performances I have seen from Cusack and John Goodman. A definite emotional film, the displays of ethos, pathos, and logos are just right...not too Hollywood and not at all dull. As a person who is not a fan of the traditional Western genre, "The Jack Bull" proves that one should not decide from films in the vacuum of a particular genre. I will admit, I have been quite smitten with Lloyd Dobbler for many years. Yet I have seen that Cusack's acting talents are so malleable, that he, too, does not act within the vacuum of a genre. Forget the fact that I have adored Cusack's movies for many years, this movie is definitely worth owning...not just watching once.

Good but Lacking
If your looking for a realistic western than this is the best you can do. No epic bloodshed(as with spaghetti westerns)and no overly macho heroes(typical american westerns). This film is about and is based on a true story and its one of the only movies I know of that doesnt take its "artistic license" too far. This movie keeps its realistic edge while still managing to entertain. That being said, its also a sad movie that leaves you with an empty used feeling at the end. Watching a movie and feeling worse than you did when starting it is in my opinion the mark of a film that has too much of a downward slope. Anyways do not highly reccomend to anybody unless they want a realistic movie that will make you feel sad and used.

Honor, Pride, Power & the Law
In pre-Statehood Wyoming one local cattle and land baron is pretty free to do as he pleases, the closest local authority is a judge who is in his pocket. John Cusack plays a fairly successful horse raiser/trader who stumbles into the Statehood debate on the pro side, fairly irking LQ Jones, the landowning bigwig who knows Statehood will bring authorities who will reign in his ambitions. Jones gets his revenge by installing a toll gate charging exorbinent tolls to those he dislikes. Cusack finds himself on the list. Without the cash he leaves two prize horses while en route to a critical horse auction. On the return he finds his collateral purposely mistreated by Jones' thugs and his Native American hired man beat half to death. Without legal recourse thanks to local judicial corruption Cusack raises an army of revenge, paid for by the sale of his horse farm. They ride with the fury of a Mongol army and the ferocity of Sherman's March to the Sea to get payment back from Jones. As Statehood consideration nears, the Territorial Gov't wants this real life wild west show shut down. Through compromise and threat the case is finally hearded into a higher court where John Goodman, born for the role, sits as the Judge. The film could fall into numerous traps - good guy, bad guy, court and government vs. little guy, but it never stoops to cookie cutter devices and everything is a little more complicated then it first appears with personal morality and motivation falling into grey area. Entertaining and interesting throughout, the final scene, with appropriate soundtrack, is simply great American film-making. You hardly need to be a "Westerns" fan to enjoy this movie. I can't vouch for the accuracy of the history (it based on a true story we're told) but I can vouch for the greatness of the film.

Excellent film, but Cusack's character is no hero.
I take issue with many of the reviewers of this movie who claim that John Cusack's character was heroic in this movie. What he did was foolish, not heroic (and Cusack's character even admits this). Instead of pursuing legal recourse to its full extent, he gets tired of pursuing it, gives it up, and instead seeks his own recourse, which amounts to revenge for his wife's death. As a result many people are killed (I counted at least 10), and it seems all this happens simply to feed his ego. Sure, he stuck to his principles stubbornly, but a better result would have come from a stubborn reliance on the law.

However, that's not to say that I disliked this movie. People do indeed do stupid things, and that's where most movie plots arise from. It is a great movie, well acted, and with a good quality script that's lacking in most movies these days. But the moral of the tale is surely not that principles matter more than anything (as some here seem to believe). The moral is that pride goeth before a fall, and that corrupt justice (and vigilante justice) is far worse than no justice.

What the main character should have done was take back the horses, recondition them, and take the lawsuit as far as it would go, and keep lobbying for justice until justice was done. To give up on the law so quickly was idiocy. To then take the law into his own hands was the actions of a nutcase. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This series needs to be on DVD
With similar genre shows like Barretta out on DVD, and with 70's chic back in style, it only makes sense. The Street of San Francisco deserves to be in the world again.

A solid beginning
After a rather exotic "movie of the week" debut, the Streets of San Francisco" settled down to relating plainer stories of police drama, as in the case of Mike Stone's former partner, who still patrols a beat, suddenly getting shot. It's an interesting reversal of roles; Stone, the experienced cop, goes impulsive with concern and a desire for revenge. It's up to his young partner, who is still learning the ropes, to watch out for him. We see a cop and an acting team evolving in this episode; Michael Douglas, still the new kid on the block, never tries to outdo his older, more experienced acting partner. By underplaying he lets Malden reveal what won him a supporting actor Oscar, and in turn reveals himself as a team player. Douglas went on in this series to play more vivid scenes, and I enjoy see him evolve as an actor. But part of me always enjoys him supporting Malden and Malden in turn supporting him--particularly in a difficult scene in the end. Mike Stone is reopening communication by casually offering to spring for lunch, and Steve Keller says none is needed in his quiet reply "I got my own bread."

get this series on DVD!
i watch THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO everyday on WGTW channel 48. what i wish for more than anything else is for this TV series to come out on DVD. i see BARETTA out on DVD, SWAT is in the process of DVD release as well as CHARLIE'S ANGELS. THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO is among the cop shows that's a must for fans of the show just like me that is a must for DVD.

please do whatever is necessary to get this TV show on DVD, i love it! ... Read more

Reviews (34)

This Jack's great, that's no Bull
Wow. I've not seen very many westerns, truth be told. I can count the one's I've enjoyed on one hand. Tombstone, Unforgiven, and to a lesser extent, Silverado. But the Jack Bull tops them all (sorry, Clint). John Cusack plays a horse trader who is forced to leave two prized steeds with a spiteful land Baron because he can't afford the Baron's toll. When he returns to pick his horses back up, he finds them badly beaten and swaybacked, and the Indian worker he left with them was beaten and driven off. He wants amends and gives the Baron two weeks to have his horses returned to their former glory and his Indian cohort payed for his damages. The Baron refuses, and with no help from the local or federal law agencies, he takes matters into his own hands. In my opinion, this is how the Wild, Wild West really was, as every bit of this movie rings authentic. Cusack is amazingly good in one of his best rolls ever (among Say Anything and Grosse Point Blank), and John Goodman is equally as good as a no-nonsense judge. This is a good example of the price of taking the law into your own hands, and I think this one will become a staple in any film fan's, western or no, permanent video collection. I give this one five stars, and that's saying something seein' as how I ain't none too keen on westerns and all. Watch this movie. Buy it. You won't regret it.

Cusack for President? I completely agree...
"The Jack Bull" is another movie that displays the amazing acting talent of John Cusack. There are times that I am disappointed that Cusack doesn't seem to parallel in accolades with actors such as Cruise, Crowe, and Hanks. But then I think about that and I have decided that Cusack is far above and a much better talent than the aforementioned. "The Jack Bull" is a perfect example of why. A movie written by his father, "The Jack Bull" is an excellent display of good vs. evil. Beautifully written, the story becomes three-dimensional with some of the best performances I have seen from Cusack and John Goodman. A definite emotional film, the displays of ethos, pathos, and logos are just right...not too Hollywood and not at all dull. As a person who is not a fan of the traditional Western genre, "The Jack Bull" proves that one should not decide from films in the vacuum of a particular genre. I will admit, I have been quite smitten with Lloyd Dobbler for many years. Yet I have seen that Cusack's acting talents are so malleable, that he, too, does not act within the vacuum of a genre. Forget the fact that I have adored Cusack's movies for many years, this movie is definitely worth owning...not just watching once.

Good but Lacking
If your looking for a realistic western than this is the best you can do. No epic bloodshed(as with spaghetti westerns)and no overly macho heroes(typical american westerns). This film is about and is based on a true story and its one of the only movies I know of that doesnt take its "artistic license" too far. This movie keeps its realistic edge while still managing to entertain. That being said, its also a sad movie that leaves you with an empty used feeling at the end. Watching a movie and feeling worse than you did when starting it is in my opinion the mark of a film that has too much of a downward slope. Anyways do not highly reccomend to anybody unless they want a realistic movie that will make you feel sad and used.

Honor, Pride, Power & the Law
In pre-Statehood Wyoming one local cattle and land baron is pretty free to do as he pleases, the closest local authority is a judge who is in his pocket. John Cusack plays a fairly successful horse raiser/trader who stumbles into the Statehood debate on the pro side, fairly irking LQ Jones, the landowning bigwig who knows Statehood will bring authorities who will reign in his ambitions. Jones gets his revenge by installing a toll gate charging exorbinent tolls to those he dislikes. Cusack finds himself on the list. Without the cash he leaves two prize horses while en route to a critical horse auction. On the return he finds his collateral purposely mistreated by Jones' thugs and his Native American hired man beat half to death. Without legal recourse thanks to local judicial corruption Cusack raises an army of revenge, paid for by the sale of his horse farm. They ride with the fury of a Mongol army and the ferocity of Sherman's March to the Sea to get payment back from Jones. As Statehood consideration nears, the Territorial Gov't wants this real life wild west show shut down. Through compromise and threat the case is finally hearded into a higher court where John Goodman, born for the role, sits as the Judge. The film could fall into numerous traps - good guy, bad guy, court and government vs. little guy, but it never stoops to cookie cutter devices and everything is a little more complicated then it first appears with personal morality and motivation falling into grey area. Entertaining and interesting throughout, the final scene, with appropriate soundtrack, is simply great American film-making. You hardly need to be a "Westerns" fan to enjoy this movie. I can't vouch for the accuracy of the history (it based on a true story we're told) but I can vouch for the greatness of the film.

Excellent film, but Cusack's character is no hero.
I take issue with many of the reviewers of this movie who claim that John Cusack's character was heroic in this movie. What he did was foolish, not heroic (and Cusack's character even admits this). Instead of pursuing legal recourse to its full extent, he gets tired of pursuing it, gives it up, and instead seeks his own recourse, which amounts to revenge for his wife's death. As a result many people are killed (I counted at least 10), and it seems all this happens simply to feed his ego. Sure, he stuck to his principles stubbornly, but a better result would have come from a stubborn reliance on the law.

However, that's not to say that I disliked this movie. People do indeed do stupid things, and that's where most movie plots arise from. It is a great movie, well acted, and with a good quality script that's lacking in most movies these days. But the moral of the tale is surely not that principles matter more than anything (as some here seem to believe). The moral is that pride goeth before a fall, and that corrupt justice (and vigilante justice) is far worse than no justice.

What the main character should have done was take back the horses, recondition them, and take the lawsuit as far as it would go, and keep lobbying for justice until justice was done. To give up on the law so quickly was idiocy. To then take the law into his own hands was the actions of a nutcase. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Action Packed Movie!
This movie is quite exciting.You have Roy Scheider in the lead role as your hero. He is the lead pilot of an ultra modern helicopter called Blue Thunder, He soon discovers a conspiracy by the government with the usage of Blue Thunder.The villain in this movie is Roddy McDowell.He is the government agent in charge
of the conspiracy. They do battle in the skies. You have outstanding special effects. The skyscrapers in this movie add to
the special effects. The helicopter chases are breathtaking and exciting. This movie is action packed and the actors do a very good job. Watch this movie,you will enjoy it.

Why is this not on DVD?!!!
The 5 stars are right! This is an excellent movie! Roy Sheider plays a great protagonist who deals with post-traumatic stress who is assigned to test pilot the helicopter (Blue Thunder-which looks like the military Apache helicopter). While on mission, using the helicopter's stealth capabilties, he overhears a conversation that reveals a plot to cause civil uprising in order to give cause to impliment the Blue Thunder into service. Malcolm McDowell plays a great love-to-hate villian who is assigned to kill Roy Sheider's character in a daring showdown action sequence that involves two helicopters shooting at each other while flying between the buildings of downtown Los Angeles. At one point, a fighter jet gets involved! Overall, this movie has an interesting story, good pacing, editing, good character development...entertaining all the way through! It also has a good resolve/ending which for movies of this genre is saying alot!
If you have to buy it on VHS, it's a good buy. (Personally, I'm waiting for the DVD!)

Blue Thunder Bowl ...
An iron-plated Huey gunship with duel-mounted .50 caliber machine guns threatens to destroy the world. Only Roy Sheider can save the day by hanging off a flagpole on the side of a building and firing a rifle at Blue Thunder's gas tank, causing the shark to explode and then Sheriff Brody has to swim back to shore with a guy who has been "counting money all [his] life". Something like that. Blue Thunder had slightly less appeal than the hit tv series "Airwolf" (starring critically acclaimed alcoholic wife-beater, Jan Michael Vincent). As the film moves toward the end, you will look back and realize that the woman getting naked in the first 15 minutes of the movie was the best part ... and you will want to rewind it and watch that part again. If Popeye, Iron Eagle, and Red Dawn are in your movie collection, you may as well round it off and purchase Blue Thunder as well.

Silly at times, but Thunder-ously fun
Havin' been a big fan of the short-lived show this was based on, as well as Airwolf, it was a given that I'd eventually check this booger out. And I gotta admit that, for a mid-80s bit of super-chopper-action-conspiracy-busting fluff, this ain't all that bad. It's fun enough to watch that I can overlook the usual moments of silliness and plausibility-stretching that I've come to expect from such fare. You've got the exploding barbecue chicken factory incident, and primary villain Malcolm McDowell's (surprise!) troubles doing other expressions besides that glaring scowl he maintains for half the movie. The sabotaged chopper crashing into the contractor's shed at a construction site with our hero (Roy Scheider) and his ill-fated sidekick (Daniel Stern well before his 'Home Alone' glory days) somehow surviving was also good for a laugh. Then there's the nude yoga scene, which was filmed in such a way that if the camera caught anything just a smidge above or below what it eventually shot, a mere 'R' rating would've been right outta the question. Finally there's the end, where we see the way-too-easy disintegration of-- well, I think I'll let'cha see it for yourself. Throw in our hero's weird quirk involving his stopwatch, demonstrations of the super-chopper's high-tech tchochkes, and the sidekick trying to find out what J.A.F.O. stands for, and you've got... well, you've got somethin' to watch if you've nothin' better to do with yer time...

Also thrown in for fun is the obligatory theatrical trailer, and the option of viewing the flick in Pan-'N'-Scan or Widescreen-- the 'option' being flipping the disc over to the side that has the format ya wanna watch...

'Late

This is not an anamorphic widescreen release
Contrary to what the details reports, this dvd is full screen only and single sided. There is no anamorphic transfer (for widescreen tv's) included on this dvd even though other reviewers here have stated that one does exist. The widescreen review even stated "incorrectly" that the anamorphic transfer looked good.

If you want to purchase this for your widescreen tv, seek out alternate versions (british region 2) that include the actual widescreen (anamorphic) print. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Global Thermonuclear War
What happens when a computer hacker breaks into the defense department's computer system and starts playing what he thinks is a computer game? Would you believe World War III?

That is the premise of this movie in a nutshell. But don't let the simple plot line summary fool you. This is a great movie.

Half the fun of this movie is in watching David Lightman (played by Matthew Broderick) get himself in deep water when he accidentally gets the United States to believe that the Soviet Union is attacking. The other half of the fun is in watching David and his new girlfriend (played by Ally Sheedy) desperately try to find the only person on the face of the earth who can stop the computer (called Joshua) from starting World War III.

This is a fun, escapist movie that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Don't worry about the plot holes, or the lack of believability in some areas. Just watch the movie for the fun that it is meant to be.

The best hacker movie ever made!
"WarGames" is easily one of the best hacker movies ever made. Matthew Broderick did a very good job playing in this movie. Broderick is David Lightman, a young man, who breaks into the computer's defense system and almost starts World War III. Ally Sheedy is awesome, in her supporting role, as Jennifer Mack, David's girlfriend. Dabney Coleman is excellent as John McKittrick, a cocky computer expert, and John Wood is wonderful as Stephen Falken, a wizardly computer genius. I have this movie on DVD and I am glad to own it.

Dated but still worth watching.
When this movie was released it was very up to date with the technology it featured. In this day of laptop computers and Internet access to mobile phones it certainly looks dated but put that aside and you are still left with a really good movie with a plot idea that still works today.
The story revolves around an underachieving, bored teenager (played by a very young Matthew Broderick) whose main interest in life is his computer. From his bedroom he can alter his school grades, reserve flights, and download software, all by hacking into other computers. While searching for new games from a software company he comes across a set of titles he assumes are games and decides, with his girlfriend, to play Global Thermonuclear War. Unfortunately it isn't a software company he has hacked into but a military system and he is playing against NORAD's computer. When the realisation hits that the NORAD computer, when it's turn comes round, will launch atomic missiles for real, the race is on the stop the game.
This is still a gripping film that can well pump up the tension even after several viewings. Recommended

well be back in two and two
this movie is best seen in sequence after slingblade, american psycho, kids in the hall, wag the dog, and lawnmower man. Not to be rude or anything, but I find this movie slightly erotic when the computer asks mathew if he wants to play a game. after you watch this, you need to really get the totally erotic euphoria of Bob Roberts and you got a really good movie marathon. Seriously though, if you have a blind date, rent this one and shell do anything you ask, even if she doesnt like you, I swear by this DVD as a date movie, it sets the mood just right. The performances and Brodericks beedy eyes make it a two thumbs up thriller that few other movies will come close to.
enjoy

The original W.O.P.P.E.R.
This animal is a whopper in more ways than one. All you have to do is suspend any type of belief in reality and it is a lot of fun trying to outguess the next move. Even after you have seen it a million times you will find your self kibitzing "look look look it is still running." And what is Joshua doing at the back door?

A teenager, David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) that is too tech savvy for his own good is searching for the new game on the net. He stumbles into the NORAD mainframe evidently it was DARPA/net. For those with a short lifespan DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) was the precursor to the internet. We all know what happens when you do this. Yep, now David with the help if his teenage sweetie, Jennifer (Ally Sheedy) must worm his way into NORAD and stop the game or we are toast. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Top Gun meets the X-Files
"Blue Thunder" is an experimental helicopter designed to be prevent or otherwise deal with any terrorist situation. With its armor plating and rotary cannon, Blue Thunder (a converted Gazelle Helicopter) is no mere observer helicopter. Also equipped with an array of sensors and a computer that can hack into anyting, and an engine silencer and its pilot can sneak the chopper's awesome firepower right up to the enemy before being spotted.

Roy Scheider is Murphy, a police pilot and shell-shocked Viet Nam vet, is given the task of field-testing the new chopper in hopes of getting it in service for the LA Olympics (this movie is circa 1982). Never one to go by the book, and with the help of fellow flyer Lymangood (Dan Stern), Murphy takes the super-chopper on an unauthorized jaunt and discovers the dark secret of Blue Thunder's purpose, uncovering proof of a massive conspiracy to turn LA into a police state governed by a fleet of gunships. When the conspirators - who include a sinister pilot (Malcom McDowell) who was also Murphy's Commander in Vietnam - realize they face exposure, they kill Lyman and set their sites on Murphy. Driven to desperation, Murphy hijacks the machine, stalling for time until his girlfriend (Candy Clarke) can find the proof that Lyman left behind revealing the truth about Blue Thunder. The police and the military pull out every stop to bring Murphy down - missiles, fighters and other choppers. Murphy's solutions are pretty inventive, but you know that these are only previews for the big one - the major dogfight between Scheider and Macdowell over the streets of LA.

Blue Thunder is actually pretty smart, obscured though by how much fun it is. The first half, before we see the super-copter show its moves, is wonderfully paranoid, with an eerie electronic score and wonderfully spastic camera movements (now ruined in countless episodes of NYPD Blue). Schieder and Stern develope this great dialog (mostly ad-libbed) that keeps things flowing, Macdowell is great as the evil Colonel and Warren Oates - though underused - is also excellent as Scheider's boss. The flight-scenes are incredibly choreographed and have yet to be surpassed (after nearly 20 years!?!?).

All in all, a great flick. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Fast, action-packed, tongue-in-cheek, comedy-thriller
Try to forget about plot and characterisation, and simply sit back and enjoy a good old-fashioned mis-matched buddy movie with the emphasis on laughs. The ever watchable Woods steals the show as usual, but is given a close run for his money by Michael J Fox, who gleefully sends-up his goody-goody image. Woods himself described his character as 'The most easily annoyed man in the world', who gets stuck with 'The world's most annoying man'. And so the scene is set for a series of confrontations between the mis-matched pair, while on the trail of a serial killer- The Party Crasher. Annabella Sciorra provides the token female character, losing out on the charisma stakes to a young Christina Ricca, as Woods' girlfriend, but to be honest her scenes seem out of place in what is otherwise a vehicle for the comedic talents of the two male leads. And when needed, Woods can be relied on to provide his customary grit to the proceedings. True it may be a bit of a 'no-brainer', but the two leading men spark off each other so well, you will enjoy it anyway. 'A Room With a View' it certainly isn't, and once in a while thank the lord for that!

The Hard Way is the bestest comedy action adventure movie!
The Hard Way is the amaze me with action and adventure also with comedy Michael J. Fox plays as the Hollywood actor, Nick Lang and James Woods as John Moss, the toughest cop in New York City to track down the serial killer, The Party Crasher(Stephen Lang)
and Nick Lang named as the new partner name is Ray Cassanov, also co-starring includes LL Cool J, Christina Ricci, Penny Marshall, and Delroy Lindo.

what a fun@crazy ride
One of my all time favorites.Its just a fun high.one of those movies that,no matter what mood Im in, makes me snap out of it.This dvd has some cool extras not listed above,so it was a nice suprise when I threw it in my player.A making of,an awsome ll cool j music video,theatrical trailer,videodrome trailer,casino trailer,frighteners trailer,secret of my success trailer.Why there not advertized i dont know,but I do know this movie rocks the boat baby.

They were fun to watch!
I am a james woods fan and a big MJF fan so i just made to enjoy this one. Rent it first to make sure you agree, cause I am the only one in the family that cares for this movie.

??????????
Still waiting for my stuff,since september 27th.
Havent received... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

name dropping
This movie has many well-known stars in it!

Larry Hagman - I Dream of Jeannie

Herschel Bernardi - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Stefanie Powers ... Read more

Description

An ex-cop discovers that her own brother is a serial killer that she failed to capture years earlier. Brother's Keeper will keep you guessing until the bitter end. A tense thriller mixing elements of Silence of The Lambs, Seven and "CSI". Jeanne Tripplehorn (Basic Instinct, The Firm, Mickey Blue Eyes, Waterworld) Evan Dexter Parke (Planet of the Apes, The Replacements, Cider House Rules) Leland Orser (Pearl Harbor, The Bone Collector, Saving Private Ryan) Corin Nemec (TV's "Parker Lewis", "Stargate SG-1") ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"a brother is born for adversity"
Stunningly bad drama that I suggest you do not bother to waste your time with.

Lucinda Pond had overcome an abusive childhood with her single parent father. She became a successful Police officer, and used no small amount of her time protecting her baby brother Ellis from the repercussions of his petty crime, a habit developed from her taking care of him during their childhood.

Lucinda's world came apart when she led a "ruby-ridge" style raid that leads to the death of an innocent man rather than the serial killer she was trying to capture. She leaves the force, takes up drinking, and abandons her husband and child.

Almost four years later some one is copycatting those murders and Lucinda is brought back onto the force against her will to help track down the killer. In no time it all she figures out that it is her wayward Brother, Ellis. She also realizes that this is another of the many games and puzzles that the two siblings shared growing up. He leaves her clues and she is to use their common history to decipher them and hunt him down. Ellis's goal is to "free" her from having to protect him by killing so very many people that Lucinda will be forced to kill him. A plan she does not intend to follow through on.

As the bodies and the clues mount, Lucida is forced into a confrontation with Ellis and a choice that only she can make.

Now, I like movies about siblings who are forced into murderous situations with each other as much as the next person, BUT this movie was just a waste of time.
There was NO suspense. There was no emotional involvement with any of the characters and honestly you could pretty much see exactly where everything was heading from about 15 minutes into the movie.

My only regret is that I didn't have enough sense to turn the VCR off at that moment and just take the tape back. My advice to you is to not even bother to get the tape in the first place.

Blame it on Dad...
Brother's Keeper is a made for cable TV production for the USA Network. Jeanne Tripplehorn is Lucinda Pond, a former member of the Portland Police, with a number of personal issues. An incident where an innocent man is killed by mistake, causes her leave the force. But she is drawn back to help in an investigation of a series of brutal murders, in which her brother is the prime suspect.

Tripplehorn is believable, as a ragged, close to burned out cop, forced back to reality by the need to bring her brother Ellis (Corin Nemec) to justice. The build up of Ellis, as a criminal mastermind, is a bit overdone, though there is no doubt that he is capable of some extremely gruesome acts. The violence is toned down for TV, and the mayhem is hardly shown, only the grim results. All this carnage, is the result of a troubled childhood, and an abusive father. Very convenient.

Using her insight, Detective Pond is convinced that her brother is "trying to tell her something" with his acts. She must operate with a FBI agent (Evan Dexter Parke) who is not quite convinced she belongs on the investigative team. He becomes her partner for a showdown in the woods with Ellis.

Veteran director, John Badham (Point of No Return) handles matters capably. Brother's Keeper does not have a lot of tension or suspense, and it saves what little action there is until the end. The cost may be a little steep, for a TV type thriller that does not rise very far above average. ... Read more

Description

An ex-cop discovers that her own brother is a serial killer that she failed to capture years earlier. Brother's Keeper will keep you guessing until the bitter end. A tense thriller mixing elements of Silence of The Lambs, Seven and "CSI". Jeanne Tripplehorn (Basic Instinct, The Firm, Mickey Blue Eyes, Waterworld) Evan Dexter Parke (Planet of the Apes, The Replacements, Cider House Rules) Leland Orser (Pearl Harbor, The Bone Collector, Saving Private Ryan) Corin Nemec (TV's "Parker Lewis", "Stargate SG-1") ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"a brother is born for adversity"
Stunningly bad drama that I suggest you do not bother to waste your time with.

Lucinda Pond had overcome an abusive childhood with her single parent father. She became a successful Police officer, and used no small amount of her time protecting her baby brother Ellis from the repercussions of his petty crime, a habit developed from her taking care of him during their childhood.

Lucinda's world came apart when she led a "ruby-ridge" style raid that leads to the death of an innocent man rather than the serial killer she was trying to capture. She leaves the force, takes up drinking, and abandons her husband and child.

Almost four years later some one is copycatting those murders and Lucinda is brought back onto the force against her will to help track down the killer. In no time it all she figures out that it is her wayward Brother, Ellis. She also realizes that this is another of the many games and puzzles that the two siblings shared growing up. He leaves her clues and she is to use their common history to decipher them and hunt him down. Ellis's goal is to "free" her from having to protect him by killing so very many people that Lucinda will be forced to kill him. A plan she does not intend to follow through on.

As the bodies and the clues mount, Lucida is forced into a confrontation with Ellis and a choice that only she can make.

Now, I like movies about siblings who are forced into murderous situations with each other as much as the next person, BUT this movie was just a waste of time.
There was NO suspense. There was no emotional involvement with any of the characters and honestly you could pretty much see exactly where everything was heading from about 15 minutes into the movie.

My only regret is that I didn't have enough sense to turn the VCR off at that moment and just take the tape back. My advice to you is to not even bother to get the tape in the first place.

Blame it on Dad...
Brother's Keeper is a made for cable TV production for the USA Network. Jeanne Tripplehorn is Lucinda Pond, a former member of the Portland Police, with a number of personal issues. An incident where an innocent man is killed by mistake, causes her leave the force. But she is drawn back to help in an investigation of a series of brutal murders, in which her brother is the prime suspect.

Tripplehorn is believable, as a ragged, close to burned out cop, forced back to reality by the need to bring her brother Ellis (Corin Nemec) to justice. The build up of Ellis, as a criminal mastermind, is a bit overdone, though there is no doubt that he is capable of some extremely gruesome acts. The violence is toned down for TV, and the mayhem is hardly shown, only the grim results. All this carnage, is the result of a troubled childhood, and an abusive father. Very convenient.

Using her insight, Detective Pond is convinced that her brother is "trying to tell her something" with his acts. She must operate with a FBI agent (Evan Dexter Parke) who is not quite convinced she belongs on the investigative team. He becomes her partner for a showdown in the woods with Ellis.

Veteran director, John Badham (Point of No Return) handles matters capably. Brother's Keeper does not have a lot of tension or suspense, and it saves what little action there is until the end. The cost may be a little steep, for a TV type thriller that does not rise very far above average. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Nina over Nikita
European moveas are not alwasy better than American. The originals are not always better than the copies.
And this film is exactly the case than American copy beats the French original.

Here we have better main actress. Bridget plays her role with greater credibility and sex appeal than Anne Parillaud. As punk or glamour lady Bridget Fonda is just shining.

You should not forget Gabriel Byrne as Bob and Harvey K. as the cleaner. This film have good actors in it.

Oscar winner Hans Zimmer have composed wonderful soundtrack. Maybe one of the best in his career; melody which would stuck in your brain. Do not miss some of the best Nina Simone`s songs featuring in this film.

Luc Besson, the author of the original, actually liked this copy. Bridget Fonda was last year a co-star in his movie.

So just do not be such an arrogant pseudo critic and just watch the movie. You will enjoy it.

Good Action Pic But Lacks French Cynicism
I think the French really know how to make a crime movie. We seem to go for the thug angle, whereas they bring on the elan and panache.

I am a real Bridget Fonda fan, even though I hate her mother and every movie she made except when she played herself in "Klute." This is, a one reviewer stated, virtually a frame-by-frame remake of the original French. So are a lot of films from Hollywood, but that does not make it inferior.

This is movie is not inferior because the acting is not inferior. Gabriel Byrne isn't as good as in "Usual Suspects," but his portrayal is still excellent as Fonda's (Maggie's) tutor. The one to watch is Harvey Keitel as Victor the Cleaner. His version is much superior to that of Schwarzenegger's concept. Don't you just like how he gets rid of the irritating guy banging on the trunk of his car? Wouldn't it be great to do the same thing at a super market? And how about those glasses? It's all in the acting.

The minor irritant is Mulroney as the boyfriend. What a limp biscuit. It's like he knew the only way he could get Fonda in bed was by acting with her in a movie. I think I was available in 1992, but nobody called me, meaning they had to settle for him.

Completely pointless remake
Decently acted, this American remake of Luc Besson's classic "La Femme Nikita" is still pretty flat, which is odd, because it literally copies the original nearly frame by frame, and the original has a truly magical spark and energy to it. If you've seen the original and then viewed this version, "Point of No Return" becomes an appalling experience that highlights the very worst creativity-by-committee aspects of Hollywood.

Buy the original "La Femme Nikita", deal with the subtitles, and whatever you do, stay away from the dreary and over-dramatized TV series of the same name. "La Femme Nikita" is excellent, even if you don't like French movies (and to be honest the dubbed version on the most recent editions of that DVD is reasonably watchable), you'll like this one.

DIFFERENT
I LOVED this movie!

It is an unusual plot with excellent acting, cinematography, and sound.

If you want very realistic, non stop action with a different twist,
and emotions that span the gamut, TRY this one out. I can't imagine
how you could be disappointed.

This DVD will be one of my keepsakes. (Also, Bridget Fonda turns me on!)

Rating: 10/10 5/5

Bill Schaefer
Berwyn, PA.

ephraim@chesco.com

Why waste your time with a lousy remake?
I went to see this movie without realizing it was a remake of Nikita. Poor me! The original captured French cynicism, class and style, and was pretty gripping. Take away these elements, and nothing remains. The movie moves along in a tired, uninspired way, the actors are unconvincing at best. ... Read more