Amazon.com

Director Dan Ireland shows a talent for authenticity with this heartbreaking love story based on Novalyne Price's 1988 account of her prickly romance with 1930s pulp-fiction writer Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan the Barbarian. She was a schoolteacher in a small Texas town; he was the odd-ball writer who lived at home and created comic-book characters that were sexier and more violent than was considered decent by the locals. Renée Zellweger's performance is a gem of sweet unconventionality matched by Vincent D'Onofrio's powerful show of eccentricity and increasing mental illness. Though smart and feisty, this leaves us wishing the filmmakers had dug deeper into Howard's unusual relationship with his manipulative mother. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (76)

DVD version is missing 12 minutes of the film
I first saw this film on Showtime(cable TV)and was immediately struck by the chemistry between Vincent D'Onofrio and Renee Zellweger. There is never a slow or dull moment in the movie. You are transported back in time to the 1930s not only by the props, clothes and settings but also by the actions of the actors. They truly capture the era in their portrayals of Robert E. Howard and Novalyne Price, two star-crossed people who wanted to love one another but just couldn't make it happen. This movie has what I would consider to be the MOST PASSIONATE KISS in film history. My spine tingles every time I watch it.
The DVD however, is a disappointment. I don't know who is responsible for re-mixing the film for DVD release but they have OMITTED 12 minutes of the film that really help to tell the story with much more clarity. They have also rearranged some of the scenes to try to camouflage their butcher job. Interestingly enough in the special feature commentary Dan Ireland, Vincent D'Onofrio and a few others begin to comment on an upcoming scene when they realize it is no longer in the picture. They quickly change the subject but not without the viewer picking up on their obvious embarrassment.
The jacket for the DVD shows one of the omitted scenes on the back cover. Personally, I feel that any film that has been remixed, especially when scenes have been deleted for a DVD release, should be labeled as such so the buyer is aware that they are NOT GETTING the same film they may have viewed at the theatre or on TV.
With that said....I would still buy the DVD just for the kissing scene. It is THE BEST!

THE VAGARIES OF GENIUS
Stumbled on this heartwarming gem of a movie by accident and was pleasantly surprised. A simple yet moving tale of true love.

Based on the memoirs of Novalyn Price, veers around her relationship with the creator of "Conan The Barbarian" and "Kull The COnqueror", Bob Howard, who committed suicide. The period is 1930s, location: small-town Texas. Novalyne is a school teacher who wishes to be a published writer, and Howard is already established as a pulp fiction maverick. Both are in their late 20's.

As such, you'd think that's a weak scaffolding to lay a spectacular movie on, but the story tiptoes at a very good pace. The script is honest and addictive, and the chemistry between the two protags has that elusive, seductive charm of lovers without being overly somatic.

If you think you have seen Zellweger's true class as an actress from Bridget Jones or One True Thing, you haven't seen nothin' yet! The lady is marvellous. D'Onofrio does a fabulous job of being the creative mess of a story writer.

What I relished most, apart from the beautiful potrayal of love, was an unspoken grief of being an outlier in society -- the kind of palpable but overt ostracism that "geniuses" face simply by virtue of being extraordinary.

Required viewing for the romantics, and some delectable worthy escapism for others.

Where's the rest of this film? 18 Minutes are missing!
According to the Internet Movie database, the film that this DVD purports to show is 111 minutes long. According to the "technical information" on the left, however, this DVD is only 93 minutes long. What happened to the remaining 18 minutes of this film? This kind of truncation of a good film is as annoying as the dropping of the key final scene in the DVD of "The Big Easy." Columbia Tristar should know better than to offer only about 7/8ths of a film -- particularly a film as good as this one -- and try to pass it off as the whole thing. Because this film is otherwise excellent, it should be shown complete, and I will refrain from buying this truncated version until Columbia Tristar issues it complete.

Real Acting, True Gem for Discriminating Viewers
I cannot imagine imagine how "Shakespeare in Love", Titanic (lousy script, great computers) and even worse, "American Beauty" got Oscars for actors and films etc. while a film like this which requires true acting is overlooked. While pleasing, many could have performed well in the Shakespeare film both drunk and asleep and I would not have bothered with either of the latter. The "Whole Wide World" had next to nothing by way of props or settings, it was essentially a dialogue between two actors who have to carry us the entire time and do so beautifully. My husband said it best, the Academy Awards are political brown nosing nothing more. I guess it must remain a treasure for those capable of seeing the difference.

It is true what everyone says about The Kiss
Incredible movie and it really IS the best screen kiss I have EVER seen. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Predictable but pleasing
I recently saw this movie on my flight back from Paris. "Passionada" is set in the small port town of New Bedford, MA with a charming Portugese community. Sofia Milos plays Sally Amonte: a widowed mother who's a textile worker by day, and a diva by night. Years ago, she lost her fisherman husband at sea and is still remorseful of his death. Jason Isaacs plays a motel-dwelling gambler named Charlie who's trying to lie and cheat into her heart. Emmy Rossum (who plays Jake Gyllenhall's crush in "The Day After Tomorrow") is Vicky: Sally's sexy, rebellious daughter who tries to learn the art of gambling from Charlie and set him up at the same time.
It's a short and simple romantic film. My advice: rent it.

Suspend disbelief and just enjoy it
Yeah, yeah, it's a highly unlikely situation, and it's not believable in lots of parts. But still. Just get over it and sit back to enjoy this lovely and entertaining movie. Set in New Bedford, a Portuguese fishing town, it tells the story of a drop deal gorgeous widow (Sofia Milos) who spurns all potential suitors, is living adjacent (duplex) to her mother-in-law (the mama from Real Women Have Curves), and is raising her teenage daughter very strictly. The only place she releases the soul of her passion is in restaurants where she sings fado music, passionate Portuguese ballads of intense drama.
Of course the daughter is no dummy and finds ways to sneak off to casinos; for inexplicable reasons, she yearns to be a card shark. She finds a guy who just might be willing to teach her a thing or two. Happens the guy also has heard Mama singing her fado gig and has fallen ace over deuces for her.
Some great scenes, some great music, some poignant scenes, lots of touching humor. A satisfying way to spend an evening.

Sweet and Simple
Being a Jason Isaacs affectionado, I could not pass it up. I'm glad I didn't. It's a sweet little romance about a Portuages women who vows never to love again after loosing her husband at see. Then in comes Jason,aka Charlie Beck who is a gambler and falls in love with the lady after hearing her sing. I'm quite curtain this is Jason's first Romantic-Comedy leading role and he pulled it off without a hitch. The other actors were just as wonderful, which is important to make a movie memorable.

Sofia Milos Shines in Otherwise Bland Romance.
In the Portuguese community in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Celia Amonte (Sofia Milos) lost her fisherman husband to the sea. Seven years later, Celia works in a factory by day, sings passionate ballads by night, and still grieves for her husband. One evening, a professional gambler named Charlie Beck (Jason Isaacs) hears Celia sing and falls head over heels for her on the spot. But Celia is married to widowhood and distrustful of gamblers. Celia's brash teenaged daughter, Vicki (Emmy Rossum), proposes to help Charlie hide his lifestyle and woo her mother in exchange for lessons in card-counting.

"Passionada" was directed by Dan Ireland and written by Jim and Steve Jermanok. Setting this romance in Portuguese community of New Bedford gives the film a nice texture and sense of place. The cast is impressive. But somehow the story is just flat and not quite credible. Sofia Milos gives a charismatic and emotionally astute performance. She commands the audience's attention in every scene that she's in, and she is "Passionada"s greatest asset. The rest of the film's cast is convincing enough, but not able to overcome the story's clichés and general blandness. Lupe Ontiveros delivers another of many apt matriarch performances as Celia's mother-in-law. Emmy Rossum, whom you might recognize as "the daughter" in Clint Eastwood's melodramatic noir "Mystic River", plays another daughter of a different disposition here. Rossum is a real up-and-comer whose talent and screen presence shows through the weaker spots in this script. Theresa Russell gives a strong supporting performance as Lois, a friend of Charlie's, which made me wonder why I don't see more of her in movies these days. "Passionada" has some talent behind it, and Sofia Milos really impresses as Celia Amonte. But this film lacks spark in spite of its capable cast.

The DVD: Bonus features include a deleted scene, an alternate ending, and two audio commentaries. The alternate ending is from an earlier version of the film and played poorly with test audiences. It's mismatched and ill-conceived by the director's own admission, so it's not worth your time. The deleted scene and alternate ending are accompanied by optional commentary from director Dan Ireland, Jason Isaacs, and Sofia Milos. The first audio commentary by director Dan Ireland and cast members Jason Isaacs and Sofia Milos is pretty good. The second commentary is by the film's writers, brothers Jim and Steve Jermanok. This commentary is very low-key and discusses the writing process from the screenplay's conception to fine-tuning the script. It's slow, but if that's your area of interest, it will give you insight into how people go about writing a film.

a limpy but still watchable movie
the actor was not a best choice and actually a very bad choice. the female actor, a top-notched choice and performance. the storyline, very limpy, loose and snail paced. the songs, fantastic and moving, even you don't know what the details and the meaning, because she sang from the heart and showed her soul. but one thing you have to ask yourself: are these sad songs good for your appetite? should these sad songs been sang in a restaurant that would enhance the appetite of the diners? these songs should be only performed in a concert or a funeral instead of in an eatery. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Life in New York City, apparently, ain't what it used to be. In director Dan Ireland's "slice of life," Vincent D'Onofrio is a former porn star named Valentino (how's that for subtle metaphor?) who is slowly dying of AIDS. That's the least of your worries. He's also one third of a symbiotic ménage à trois that includes waitress girlfriend Mary Carmen (an obnoxious Salma Hayek) and fetishistic gigolo boyfriend Gary (Thomas Jane, strutting like Madonna on valium). The movie comes across like some Midwestern housewife's salacious idea of what life is like "on the edge"--teeming with drugs, wild dancing, and drag queens. There's even a deaf, transgendered, Patsy Cline-wannabe who, no kidding, gets hit by a car while trying to call for an ambulance. Ireland and screenwriter James Still make such an embarrassing show of being outrageous that it's almost offensive; everybody is so busy being dangerously fabulous that nobody is even remotely human. --Steve Wiecking ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A mesmerizing and brilliant film!
I had been reading mixed reviews on this film so I was pleasantly surprised after I watched it. This is now one of my favorite movies of all time! The characters and story drew me in so deeply that I re-watched it a couple of days later. The story of the charismatic, dying Valentino and his two lovers really moved me. These were people who loved each other in their own way. Even though Gary and Mary Carmen fought all the time, their love for Valentino was enough to keep them together. I found the story to be touching, the dialogue interesting and the actors perfect in their roles.

This is a film that is more understandable if you have known a lot of people who live alternative lifestyles. I've been friends with people in relationships like this and its a very complicated situation. I also enjoyed the strange characters like Kid Joey, the drag queen obsessed with Patsy Cline and Gary. He was so desperate and sad and I wish his character would have been in the movie longer. All these people were different and bizarre yet they all seemed to care about each other. Not to mention there is a really hot kiss between two gorgeous men! The ending was moving to me in that it gave you a sense of optimism for their future. It doesn't necessarily have a happy ending but its a real ending with heart.

Obviously this is a movie that is not for everyone but for those with an open mind, you can become absorbed in this story. This is a rare and beautiful film that will make you stop and think long after its over. I would give it more than five stars if I could!

The one that got away
It's a travesty that this film is not available on DVD. Travesty.

This is the kind of movie that is not what it seems. From the cover jacket, you expect it to be about the harshness of city living, full of darkness and anger and seedy characters, but it's not. It's about three people and a world that most of us (thankfully) haven't experienced in our lives. The three lead characters are: Valentino, a bisexual ex-porn star dying of HIV; Gary* (not his real name), a gay hustler who falls hard for Valentino; and Mary Carmen, Valentino's spitfire girlfriend who is jealous of her lover's relationship with Gary but who has no choice but to share him. The world they inhabit is the underbelly of NYC, but director Dan Ireland never looks down on the characters, nor does he put them on a pedestal. It's a fine balance, but one that is achieved. The result is that it is impossible to watch this film and not feel the affection that Ireland has for the characters and their world, and that transfers to the viewer. It's reminiscent of Boogie Nights, another film set in the world of porn,drugs and hustlers, and a film that also makes you care for its characters and the alternative family they create.

The three leads did amazing work. Vincent D'Onofrio is mesmerizing as the center of the love triangle, a character so full of life even as he's dying that he can't be contained. This was a brave role for the respected character actor, and it deserves to be seen. Salma Hayek turns in another great performance, and one scene in particular, breaks your heart. Valentino is dancing in a club with Gary and Mary Carmen, and when he turns his back on Mary Carmen for a second to bump and grind with Gary, the slow-motion shot of the pain, longing and jealousy in Hayek's eyes will rip your heart out. And Thomas Jane has never been better. For anyone who's only seen his work in Deep Blue Sea and that raunchy Cameron Diaz "comedy", brace yourself for an actor whose potential hasn't been tapped in his subsequent projects.

This film has more than enough heart to spare, and that is what is truly so great about it. It defies expectations and cliches, yet it leaves you feeling renewed and hopeful. I only saw this film this past week, and I can't believe it escaped me before. Don't make the same mistake I did. See Velocity of Gary. It will haunt you, but in a good way.

D'Onofrio also produced the picture with Ireland, along with a previous collaboration called The Whole Wide World, and these two should continue their work together. They've created two wonderfully different films about passion and love and the human condition. And that's something that's sorely lacking in today's cinema.

SLIGHTLY ODD & THAT MAKES IT GREAT
It's not your run of the mill movie with tons of special effects and no story line. This movie has a story, and if you can get past the oddness of it a very touching one. Good performances, cheers to Vincent D-Onofrio. This man is not afraid of any movie role that comes his way, and if you watch this movie you'll see what I mean. He tackled this role all the way!

MÁS DE LO MISMO, PERO DISTINTO
Realmente, esta película trata un viejo tema: el triángulo amoroso. Pero lo hace con una altura, con una calidad y con esa novedad que sólo una buena lectura puede otorgarle a un tema ya gastado una nueva oportunidad. Recomendable. Para ver abrazado a tu pareja.

As bad as it gets.
This movie missed the theaters and went straight to video, and even this fate is too good for it. The acting is terrible, the characterizations are not credible, and the plot developments--the few that there are--- are dull. Selma Hayek plays an absurdly stereotypical "NYC foul-mouthed Latin Chick," the sort of role that used to be pushed on Rosie Perez.

This picture pretends to treat homo and hetero relationships evenhandedly, but the homo component is really a bit of "spice" put in to underscore how far out of the mainstream these characters are. The hetero relationship is the only one that is explored in any depth, and that depth is minimal. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Based on the Short Story by George RR Martin
...and I bought it for just that reason. I hadn't watched Outer Limits before, and this episode was rather well made, featuring Beau Bridges, and his father Lloyd -A Twilight Zone type of show.

But as I said, the sole reason I bought this video was because it was based on the 1979 Hugo AND Nebula award-winning novelette, "Sandkings" by George RR Martin- My favorite author to date. DO NOT expect as I did, for this to be a movie version of that amazing story.

While it was well scripted and decently made, it had VERY little in common with Martin's 25-page short story. Outer Limits used a different plot, setting AND cast of characters all together, and the only similarity was the Sandkings themselves... but even *they* were vastly different!

Bottom line- Many Outer Limits fans consider Sandkings to be one of the best episodes, so if you like the show, give it a shot. But if you are a fan of Martin, you should find the short story ANY way you can. Unfortunately this may prove difficult.

Terrifying...
SANDKINGS is one of the scariest pieces of sci-fi I've ever seen.
I rank it with original INVASION of the BODY SNATCHERS because it's literal,cut-no-slack, NIGHTMARE. Beau Bridges acting as Madder Max/March Hare scientist,Dr.Simon Kress is superb.The theme drips Freudian anti-myth,as Kress in defiance of God, Nature and the most ordinary paramters of human love and responsibility "cultivates" an alien race of INSECTS. [The Insects were initially brought to Earth in soil samples garnered on Mars by a Rover-like space vehicle.] Kress nurtures this anti-race in untrammeled will-to-Power when he realizes the BREED worships him. [Sand castles are made with ICON portraits of him worked into altar-like minnaret towers. When Kress/Bridges...in exultant hubris...strides into the midst of the DisneySand experimental environment he has fashioned into Alien Eden,thousdands of the insects divide/ bow in obeisance doing him homage as GOD.] Ritual war; sacrifice and finally cannibalistic murder follows as Kress renounces attachment to family,friends and humanity.

Suspense builds into sheer terror. If the climax is a bit "predictable", the tale of terror getting there isn't.
The(revived)OUTER LIMITS used "Sandkings" as premier offering. Director Stuart Gillard, and sriptwriter Melinda Snodgrass have done magnificent jobs rendering George Martin's PM sci-fi shocker.Forget what the movie may lack compared with its literary progenitor.THE SANDKINGS'TV-movie stepchild is masterpiece of blood; cold sweat; and FEAR...

Ant-Farm From Hell
This brilliant contemporized adaptation of George R. R. Martin's award-winning sci-fi novella was the ideal choice for debuting the new Outer Limits T.V. series, since it hearkens back to original OL episodes "The Zanti Misfits," "The Invisible Enemy" and "Wolf 359."

Beau Bridges is the senior scientist on a Department of Defense project studying insects discovered by NASA probes in the Martian soil. The little beasties nearly break free into our biosphere, and the project is terminated - but Bridges, not about to see his potential Pulitzer Prize taken away, smuggles some of their embryos home to start up his own little alien insect ant-farm in a specially built terrarium in the barn out back. Bridges' power over the intelligent little creatures unhinges him - he becomes addicted to being their God, encouraging them to territoriality and war, and eventually even using them to murder colleagues who cotton-on to what he's doing.

This is a great OL creepy-crawlie, in every sense of the word. It's too bad the rest of the series wasn't up to the level of this especially good entry.

Pretty Good Episode
Well written exciting episode. One of the best of the new series.

If All Subsequent Episodes Had Been This Good....
The premiere episode of the most recent incarnation of the sci-fi classic was the show's finest hour. It features a great performance from star Beau Bridges and magnificent support from father Lloyd. The state-of-the art special effects enhance this tale of a scientist so obsessed with his work that all else matters not. This show was so good that the following episodes paled in comparison. ... Read more