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Disney loved to mix live action with animation (Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks), but this 1977 effort falls on its face. The turn-of-the-century story concerns an orphaned boy whose only friend is a cartoon monster. While the latter is entertainingly rendered, the rest of the film strains to be enchanting and the cast overreaches in a big way. Not for anybody over the age of ten. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Reddy, Rooney and a dragon named Elliott
The seventies were rough on the family entertainment market. Disney, once untouchable in this respect, found itself in a bit of a quandry, the likes of which the theatrical release of "Pete's Dragon" didn't help. Most critics found it hammy and, with the exception of Elliott, the dragon, discarded the movie as just a trite piece of fluff. Well, it was and it is - but why does anything so light-hearted, gay and original have to be anything but? In the intervening decades "Pete's Dragon has gone on to become a much loved Disney classic and for good reasons. Helen Reddy, Mickey Rooney, Red Buttons and Jim Dale are inspired casting choices, giving a depth to their characters that greatly enhances the film. True, the film's score doesn't match the staying power of Mary Poppins but 'Candle on the Water' is a great romantic ballad, 'Brazzle Dazzle Day' is a fun-loving feel good song and 'Passamaquadi' is ultra camp played in the best sense. Not much to complain about with Disney's transfer of the film. It's anamorphic, near pristine and remixed to 5.1 stereo. One note - 'Candle On The Water', for some inexplicable reason, may suddenly freeze frame in the middle of the song on some players the first run through. If you are worried about this, play the song first to see if it does this and if so, simply still frame advance to the next track, then go back and replay the song. This solves the problem for all subsequent times you choose to play the song. As I say, I'm at a loss to explain why this problem sometimes occurs. Over all, this is a wonder film experience no matter your age. One only regrets that there is no making-of documentary included.

Pure Disney Musical Magic
There's something about live-action, animation Disney films that just seem to fascinate me. For one, Disney can go beyond two hours of a movie, and still keep it G-rated. Now that's pretty impressive to me. Most companies would probably have rated it PG, but not Disney. They try and it keep for the whole auidience. Which is what everyone needs to see in a film. And the special effects isn't bad either.

This film also includes the legendary Mickey Rooney. The story of Pete's Drangon is pretty simple. Pete is a young orphan, who is running away from his abopted parents, and end up in Maine, a fishing town with his best friend, Elliott. Sometimes you can see him, and other times, you can't. A kind lighthouse keeper, Nora played by (Helen Rebby), and her father (Mickey Rooney), Elliott's pranks gets them into a whole lot of trouble.

The music in this film is Ocar-nominated beautiful. Like "The Happist Home in These Hills," "It's Not Easy," "Candle on the Water," & "Brazzle Dazzle Day." A simply marvoulous soundtrack for the whole family.

Now you must know, that Pete's Dragon was made in the late 70s, which was long before computer technology was invented. You know, like CGI grahpics and so forth. Which is another thing that impressive me, how Disney can create these images and actually make them work. Pete's Dragon is a wonderful story, that will be treasured for the next generation to come.

Good movie for a Disney musical
I remember this movie from my childhood, so I bought it for my toddler. He loves it. My son points at the DVD case and grunts. He watches it everyday (for 2 weeks now). It must be the music and singing because the storyline is lackluster. Everytime he sees the dragon or hears a song he starts chattering away with his gibberish pre-talk. My preferred character is Doc Terminus - the con man / man of science. I give it 4 stars because I have watched it so many times the melodies are stuck in my head. I hope he gets a new "favorite" movie soon :)

One of Disney's Best Live Action Films!
This is one of those films that you never forget. I saw this movie when i was little and I am still a fan of it. Pete's Dragon is one of the first Disney films to use live action and animation together in a film. The story follows a boy who is on the run from his terrible adoptive family the Gogans (Shelley Winters, Rob Conaway)and his friend Elliot the dragon (voiced by Charlie Callas) who is sometimes invisible. Together, they are the best of friends until they come upon a quaint fishing town where they soon start to get into mischief.
Eventually Pete is taken in by Nora(Helen Reddy) a lighthouse keeper and her father(Mickey Rooney) where he soon becomes part of the family. But soon, the Gogans discover where he is living and are determined to get him back. There are many delightful performances in this film including Jim Dale who plays the terrible Dr. Terminus and his obnoxious side-kick Hoagie(played by red Buttons). The funny thing about this movie is that Mickey Rooney and Red Buttons are drunk through most of it. Lastly, I recommend this movie because of the music. This film has some of the best Disney songs. Most notably Helen Reddy's "Candle on the Water" and "There's Room For Everyone". Along with the singing and dancing, this is one great Disney film and it is not to be missed. If you've seen it, watch it again and if you haven't ,DO!

Woo-hoo! My kid likes it as much as I did!
Yes, the animation is dated. Yes, the plot is kind of corny BUT my daughter is just as enchanted as I was (and still am). You can't miss with this one! Pete's Dragon shows you what it means to be a kid with an unbelievable (only to the grown-ups) best friend who helps you out when you think that there's no one else left to care. The songs are still catchy and the baddies are still scary. The DVD is sooooo much better than VHS; and unlike my VHS copy there is no fear of it wearing out from over-playing. ... Read more

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It's easy to assume this is just another dumb redneck comedy from Burt Reynolds's years of underachievement. But it's not bad as a dumb redneck comedy at all. Directed by career stuntman Hal Needham, Smokey and the Bandit is just a goofy chase starring a bunch of Reynolds's Hollywood cronies. New to the job as film boss, Needham brings a silly but energized sensibility to the production and an action man's need to see things moving. But he also has a distinctive feeling for relationships, and he's good with a joke. Put all that together, and Smokey is, at the very least (and unlike its sequels), a simple and original pleasure.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (66)

For the money, the glory, and the fun...but mostly the money
Take a simple bet to go from Georgia to Texarkana and back in 28 hours with an 18-wheeler. Add in 400 cases of illegal Corrs beer being transported across multiple state lines. Enter Burt Reynolds driving a black T-top to run blocker giving law enforcement from Texas to Georgia the chase of a lifetime. Let Jackie Gleason (Sheriff Buford T. Justice) give chase to Renyolds while giving everyone else lip. Mix with Jerry Reed's singing and you've got a smash hit movie.

It may surprise some to learn that the only movie to beat Smokey and the Bandit at the box office in the year of its release was Star Wars. There's a reason the movie was successful and that is simply because it's such a fun ride.

If you like car chases that always result in destruction, trucking, CB radios, outrageous sheriffs, sarcasm, country music, bar fights, or any combination of the above, then you will likely enjoy this movie.

Jackie Gleason steals the show on this one. Eager to work in movies again at the time, he worked for a lower salary so the director/producers would give him more lattitude with his character. The result was a lawman no one in their right mind would ever want to run into and you have to see the movie to really appreciate it.

The movie was made in a different era, so don't expect it to be exactly PC. There are one or two moments of racist/sexist/whatever overtones, but they are mostly the rantings of the out-of-his-mind sheriff engaged in a nine-hundred mile hot pursuit, and it's strictly for comedic effect. I don't believe that most people (other than actual law enforcement) would find this movie offensive.

Smokin'!
Hal Needham's free-wheeling comedy SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT is a silly yet entertaining car chase movie in an era when all movies were car chase movies (Until a certain Sci Fi film directed by George Lucas came along). It works suprisingly well however, especially since the whole movie is essentially a 2-hour cop chasing bandit story, although it does sometimes succumb to the standard cop car pile up ( Which would be replicated in films like The Blues Brothers). The teaming of the then-cool Burt Reynolds and Sally Field makes for a great comedic duo and Jackie Gleason hams it up as Sherrif Bufford T. Justice. Jerry Reed's southern title song sums up the entire production ("West outta town, 18 wheels a'rollin', we gonna do what they say can't be done..."). And no other movie has quite reached the laid-back but still exciting tone to Bandit that puts it above the rest. Reynold's laconic, charming bandit is one of the great "bad guy heroes" that pervaded the genre's top-selling action flicks. The terrible sequels have unfortunatly tarnished the original's effect. Smokey 2 sees Dom DeLuise and an elephant (!) along for the (very slow) ride. Lacklustre sequels aside, the first one will remian a classic that fans of the genre will enjoy.

That's a big 10-4 Good Buddy!
There was a time when Coors Beer was not available east of the Mississippi. Any attempt at carrying the beer across that big ole river was considered Bootlegging! And who better to take on the challenge than the Bandit. But things get out of hand when he picks up a wandering bride who just walked out on her fiancé, the son of Sheriff Buford T. Justice. It turns into a game of chess as Ole Buford is in Hot Pursuit.

Got it? Well, it doesn't matter. This film is not about story. It's about fast cars, notably a black Trans Am and the destruction of as many police vehicles as can be done in and hour and a half, the more humiliation the better. The film was helmed appropriately enough by longtime stuntman Hal Needham who keeps the action rolling. But it is the charismatic performers that make this film such a success. Burt Reynolds is at his confident best as the Bandit. He easily catches the eye of the adorable Sally Field. ("You Like me, you really, really like me") And even country singer Jerry Reed gives us some good comic relief when the romance begins to boil.

But, if truth be told, it is the late, great Jackie Gleason's turn as the vulgar, grammatically challenged Justice that makes the film work and work well. He commits totally to bringing ole Buford alive and even makes logically challenged material work. Like the occasional car flying off the ground and landing atop a truck for no apparent reason.

This simple story, Smokey and the Bandit, was one of the first films to topple the financial record held by GONE WITH THE WIND. Now, its numbers are nowhere to be found on that listing, but still it was an excellent feat. From its initial run, I'm sure Universal Pictures was ready to cash in with a sequel or two!

The way movies should be made today
I'll never forget the first time I watched the tail end of the movie and I actually quite liked it, then a couple of months later I taped it on the KSTW channel (cable station is located in Tacoma, WA) and they got rid of that channel sometime around 1994 or 95 which was kind of unfortunate cause I grew up on that channel and that channel will always take me back to the golden days of my childhood.

The movie begins as the Bandit (Burt Reynolds) takes a $80,000 bet to see whether he can haul off about 600 cases of beer from Texarkana, Texas to somewhere in Georgia within' 18 hours and he brings his buddy Cledus (Jerry Reed) to drive the semi truck so he can haul off the beer while the cops (better known as the Smokey's) can concentrate on just the Bandit and the Bandit buys a brand new Trans Am, then he meets up with a runaway bride (Sally Field) and Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason) is on their tail cause she ditch Buford's dimwitted son Junior and boy wouldn't it be funny if every cop was as dumb as Junior?

There are some other great moments throughout the film like Buford driving through a pole and the top of the car comes on, or when the police cars collided into each other and a trucker crashes into the open door of Buford's car and he gets all angry, if you like high speed chase movies or fast cars then you'll like Smokey and the Bandit, I wouldn't recommend watching the sequels unless if you really enjoyed watching this movie and they don't come close to how good this movie is although I do kind of like watching Smokey and the Bandit 3, if you're on a budget then I would get the Smokey and the Bandit pursuit pack which generally costs around $17-$20 and it's less expensive than buying Smokey and the Bandit 1 and 2 separately.

Honk if you think Sally Field is cute
This is a movie the whole family can watch and enjoy. I always thought Sally Field was cute, back in her gidget days, and she does not dissapoint in this movie. Burt Reynolds is overflowing with machoness. And the firebird trans-am still looks good to me. Jackie Gleason plays the sherrif who is set on catching Burt Reynolds, and chases him through multiple states.

This is one of those throwback movies where the excitement does not rely on four letter words(...).

The DVD picture quality gets 4 stars. It is a clear picture, but the colors are not as vibrant as newer movies. Considering it was filmed in the 1980's, perhaps this is the best we can get. If we avarage the movie at 5 stars, and the DVD at 4 stars, that leaves us with 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. A few special features on the DVD would have been appreciated. ... Read more

Reviews (87)

'Yo Adrian!
I LOVE THE ROCKY MOVIES!!! my god my god my god. they are totally awesome. the first is amazing because it details the beginning of Rocky Balboa's(Stallone) career & relationship w/Adrian(Talia Shire)..that fight against Apollo is one of the best boxing matches & is widely recognized. Follow your love for this movie onto Rocky II where Apollo Creed has a rematch w/the hero Rocky. in Rocky III, Mr. T fights Rocky.. Rocky & Apollo are best friends now & Rocky is really rising(hits the big bucks) meanwhile Adrian & he are still together. she's a very loyal wife. in part IV, Rocky heads off to Russia to fight Ivan Drago(Dolph Lundgren)..this is another gr8 fight..totally & completely nail-biting. & in Rocky V, well Rocky's had many downs in his life/career right now.. audiences find Rocky managing an ambitious youngster & having father-son issues..i suppose what makes these movies one of my faves & one of those well-loved movies is: it demonstrates how a common guy can have a dream,fulfill it, rise up in his career & life, then suddenly fall because of a stupid mistake..the important thing is to realize who is w/him throughout all this time. Rocky's a very courageous, down-to-earth type character. combined w/gr8 fighting sequences & renowned music themes, the ROCKY movies are immediate take-home Blockbuster material. Why are you wasting time reading this?? Buy the movies!!! the DVD is gr8! complete w/awesome features. well hope ya like it!

ROCK-Y! ROCK-Y! ROCK-Y! ROCK-Y! ROCK-Y! ROCK-Y!
So many people have written about the things that make the Rocky movies so successful, and I have no doubt that I'll be repeating some of them in my review. But I have to throw my hat in the ring anyway, so to speak.

Rocky Balboa certainly qualifies as one of the most unique and determined heroes in cinema. His story is truly an inspiraton to us all. In the first movie, of course, he starts out with basically nothing, gets a chance to fight Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), and loses. In the second movie, he wins the heavyweight title from Creed in a rematch. By the third movie, Rocky is basking in the glow of his success; he and Adrienne now have a son. But Clubber Lang (Mr. T) has been making his way to the top as well, and he challenges Rocky to a match. Rocky trains hard and tries his best, but his concerns about his manager Mickey's (Burgess Meredith) health make it difficult to concentrate, giving Lang the advantage...and Rocky's title. With encouragement from Adrienne and his former rival Apollo Creed, who takes over as manager after Mickey's death, Rocky rediscovers his Eye of the Tiger in the rematch and puts Lang in his place.

In the fourth movie, Apollo is killed in battle by Russian champion Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). In one of the most intense boxing matches of the entire series, Rocky finds the "chink" in the Russian's seemingly impenetrable armor. It's worth getting the fourth movie just for that match.

But, by the time of the fifth and final movie, things are quite a bit different. (As I'm writing this, I've just finished watching the fifth one for the very first time.) Not only do Rocky and his family find out that they're broke, but Rocky seems to be suffering from brain damage as a result of his fight with Drago. He becomes a manager for a new young fighter, Tommy Gunn (upsetting his son quite a bit), who allows his ego to cloud his judgement, thus luring himself into the sleazy side of the boxing business. When Tommy gets a shot at the heavyweight title, the audience is already in a bad mood because Rocky isn't there on stage with him. But when Tommy takes the title in just over three rounds, the audience is REALLY in a bad mood; at least Rocky had class.

Rocky and Tommy end up resolving their differences in a street fight, and for several agonizing minutes it looks like it could be the end...but Rocky has the spirit of Mickey with him, and for the fourth time, the Italian Stallion wins, proving that he's still a champion and always will be, even after fifteen years.

Whenever I watch these movies I can still feel the excitement of seeing them for the first time. When the odds are stacked against him, even in the face of several brushes with death (Tommy Gunn makes Ivan Drago and Clubber Lang look like pussycats somtimes), he still manages to triumph.

I love you, Rock...you the man!

Awsome Series
I luv all 5 Rocky movies. It was by far one of the best series I have ever seen; along with all Star Track, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings!!! I just finished watching them all this 4th of July weekend when and most of them I watched twice!!! It was an all day Rocky Fest on AMC. I watched them with my girls and they loved it just as much as I did. The movies had a moral to every storyline althrough sometimes repeating itself...It was still good. It was just like I saw it for the first time. I luved it!!

WOW!
I-5 stars-an underdog story
II-5 stars-the rematch
III-5 stars-he gets soft then he gets mad
IV-5 stars-do you believe in miracles?stupid soviets
V-3 stars-it wasnt that good
it teaches you to beileve and never give up-its about heart
once i saw them i got some boxing gloves and started beating up
my best friends.
and i dont get what u yankees and people dont like about #IV,
its better than #V and just as good as the other ones.
dont like my review? say it to my face!

His Entire Life Was A Million To One Shot
American classics only come along once in awhile. Films like Star Wars, The Godfather, and The Terminator are among many. Sometimes you say to yourself, "If that movie never existed, it would have a real effect on culture today." And you're quite right. Star Wars brought us immortal lines like "Luke, I AM your father." and "May the force be with you." The Godfather brought the American fascination with the mafia to life. Just think, No Godfather, No Sopranos. And The Terminator established Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron's careers as well as the "technology gone wrong" and "I'm from the future" genres. Yes, films like these have believe it or not had an effect on everyone. And who can forget the world's sporting people. Everyone who participates in sports has to train hard and balance their personal lives with their professional lives. When I played basketball in high school, I had to. And we all need something to motivate us. To drive us. And being a film fanatic, I got my inspiration from a movie. That movie Was Rocky. Sylvester Stallone's masterwork series that showed us the stages of a man's life through his sport of boxing. From his one shot that put him on the map (Part 1), to his rematch that won him a world title (Part 2), to a rise and settlement, loss, and redemption (Part 3), to a burning vengeance (Part 4), to a retirement, betrayal, and final fight(Part 5). This series shows us that you can be the poorest, dumbest guy in the country, and become a legend just by taking your one chance. Now these movies are on DVD in a beautifully crafted boxed set. Now you can enjoy one man's journey from zero to hero anytime with a great DVD transfer and good special features on the first disc only (didn't understand that one.). This movie can change your life. Now, I recommend the first Rocky over them all because it's very realistic and humanistic. I recommend Rocky 2 as a good sequel with a shocking conclusion. Rocky 3 was the best sequel not only because of the performances of Hulk Hogan and the talented Mr. T, but because it shows how fame can cloud your mind and how putting bitter rivalries and materials behind to regain your drive can help you overcome. Rocky 4 was my least favorite not only for a far fetched storyline and that damned robot, but because it lost it's humanism to go for the revenge plot.Plus it was Stallone's blatant "let's end the Cold War" peace offering. It was saved by good performances, a great fight sequence, a cool villianous contender, and good 80's music. It also screws up the timeline of the story a bit. Rocky 5 regained the humanism and returned Rocky and Adrian back to their roots and it was good because it was different. Rocky had one fight, and it was one hell a fight- on the street. Plus it showed how quick trusting someone else in the fighting game can destroy you. These movies are all good but if you have to see any of them I rank them 1,3,2,5,4. ... Read more

Reviews (98)

Peter Pan
I'm still a fan of the Disney Classics but I have to say that Peter Pan isn't one of my favorites and for the same reason that a lot of people don't like this one and that is the scenes with the Indians (hence 4 stars unstead of 5).

PETER PAN is about the boy who could never grow up and after chasing his shadow in the bedroom of Wendy, John and Michael, he invites the 3 to fly with him to Neverland. It's a wonderful story of adventure, fun and flying. All children will enjoy this one.

Now again, my reason for taking a star off is obviously for the derogatory and stereotypical depiction of Native Americans in this movie. Regardless that this movie was made in 1953 still doens't make it right. As parents, it really should be the responsibilty of the parents to explain and to teach children the right way. I will say that every child should enjoy PETER PAN, but afterwards every parent should take the time to explain to the children that making fun of another culture is wrong.

Either way it goes, if you're looking for other great Disney classics look for BEAUTY AND THE BEAST SPECIAL EDITION, THE FOX AND THE HOUND, ROBIN HOOD, SLEEPING BEAUTY and CINDERELLA. Also check out some of the new Disney's like MONSTERS INC and TOY STORY and TOY STORY 2.

You'll (almost) believe you can fly
Of all Walt Disney's animated films, "Peter Pan" is my personal favorite. This classic tale of the little boy who never grew up has Disney stamped all over it. It also varies refreshingly from the versions that preceded it. In previous plays acted on the stage, Peter Pan was always played by a young woman, but in the Disney version he is all boy. He's brash, mischievous, more than a little cocksure of himself, able to fight and defeat a grown pirate captain, and on top of all this, he can fly. What else is needed for a children's hero? Tinker Bell is one of Disney's best inventions. On the stage she is a blob of light flitting here and there; only in animation could she be realized as a real pixie, vain, conceited, totally devoted to Peter and madly jealous of Wendy. The three children, Wendy, John and Michael, are very well done in the movie, and the opening family scenes are priceless. When Peter and Tinkerbell sneak through the children's window, and zoom back out again with the children in tow, we want to sprinkle on some pixie dust and fly right out there with them. Second star to the right, here we come. The scenes at Neverland are funny and original, and the pirates are a riot. One of Disney's most hilarious, and underrated, characters in all his films, is the crocodile, Hook's nemesis, who can't wait to get another chomp out of him. (Poor Hook is reduced to a bundle of shattered nerves every time he hears that tick-tock, tick-tock coming towards his ship.) The only negative in this film is the scene in the Indian village; the stereotypes that were accepted without question in the 1950s are almost embarrassing now. However, it can't and doesn't detract from the fun. The songs are okay, nut nothing special; it's the action and animation that make this movie. Of all Disney's animated films, "Peter Pan" was the one I used to wish was real when I was a child. Maybe there is a little of Peter Pan in all of us.

Poor adaptation of Barrie's play misses the point.
"The Disney version" of "Peter Pan" clearly demonstrates what is so wrong with "The Disney version" of too many classic stories. It turns Barrie's play into a simple adventure tale, in which the dramatic and (dare I say it?) psycho-sexual elements at the center of Barrie's fantasy are discarded wholesale.

There are defensible reasons for this, I suppose. Drama requires talking, but characters who stand around gabbing bring an animated film to a dead stop. I also suspect that Disney simply didn't understand the story in the first place. It wasn't until the Ashman/Menken era that Disney films finally developed any dramatic focus.

It's unfortunate, because "Peter Pan" starts off well enough. The late Sammy Fain's "Second Star from the Right," played over the title cards, has one of the most-ravishing melodies in the history of American popular music. (Look for the albums "Bibbidi Bobbidi Bach" and "Heigh-Ho! Mozart" for superb "classical" arrangements of Disney tunes.) The "You Can Fly" sequence is inspired (and can you name any other pop song with an accelerando passage?). But everything quickly bogs down thereafter, with Captain Hook's machinations providing the only fun.

There just aren't enough good things in the Disney "Peter Pan" to make up for its failure to treat the source material in an honest and serious fashion.

A great cartoon classic, one of Disney's best
This wonderful Disney production offers flights of fancy that appeal directly to children's fertile imaginations. The ability to fly, to be a devil-may-care youngster and never grow up, to engage in derring-do with pirates, never having to bother with school, and exploring fantasy worlds of islands, mermaids, Indians and mysterious caves is a powerful magnetic pull for young dreamers. The lush color lensing of this animated adventure is superb, and the characters and catchy tunes add to the pleasure of watching this film, for young and old alike.

Peter Pan, the title character, is a spry, charming lad who loves his carefree existence. He is, however, upstaged by his companion, the delightfully naughty Tinker Bell, a temperamental pixie who literally sees red when Wendy accompanies Peter Pan to Never Land. Captain Hook and his shadow, the crocodile, the sniveling Smee, the beautiful mermaids, and the stoic Tiger Lily are the characters who stand out in this movie. Wendy and her brothers, John and Michael are okay and basically come along for the ride. The sprightly song "You Can Fly!-You Can Fly!-You Can Fly!" is just one of the memorable tunes for which Peter Pan is fondly remembered.

A quick, enjoyable Disney viewing.
This movie animates one of the most imaginative plays ever written, albeit with a little 'Disneyfication.' It's by far my favorite; there is an enjoyably long spectrum of characters. Every time I watch this movie, it takes me back to those times I wish I was in Never-Never-Land.

P.S. The claim that this movie is an allegory to the JFK years is easily refutable, since this movie was made in 1953, while the play is over a century old. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Fun Popcorn Pirates Flick
There are some movies that are meant only to be both hightly enjoyable escapist watching and great to eat popcorn while watching it. Nate and Hayes is one of those movies.

Nate and Hayes is about pirates in the South Pacific. Tommy Lee Jones plays Captain Nate "Bully" Hayes while Michael O'Keefe plays the starchy minister, Jenny Seagrove plays O'Keefe's wife and Australian actor Max Phipps is the evil Captain Ben Pease.

The action starts when Captain Pease raids the island right after the marriage ceremony for the minister and his wife. The minister is struck unconscious and his wife is taken prisoner by the evil Pease. The minister then joins forces with Captain Hayes who has his own score to settle with Pease and that's when the fun begins!

Nate and Hayes is a much underappreciated family film classic. Thrills and chills abound in this wild and wacky fun fest. This is a great film for all ages and for families in general.

Heartily recommended.

Pirates Pilfer Plenty
I had this on Beta years and years ago. Why this isn't out on DVD by now is beyond me. Any fan of Tommy Lee Jones should love it. Fans of adventure and pirate movies will enjoy it as well. Jones and Michael O'Keefe are a good team in this lighthearted action movie. The story, acting, music, and directing are borderline great. Unfortunatly it didn't catch on at the time of it's release and most of the following is people that lucked upon it on TV or at a rental store.

Any fan of movies like "The Three Musketeers" or "The Mask of Zorro" will probably enjoy it. A great adventure movie with a mix of Indiana Jones and Pirates. We can only hope with the release of movies like "Cutthroat Island" on DVD this won't be overlooked since it is a notch above several all ready available.It may not measure up to "Pirates of the Caribbean" but it still has a good deal of fun and action. There are no great special effects, just a good story and some decent acting.

Absolutely GREAT Movie
This is a fun, no-think movie. Campy action and style. When is it coming out on DVD?!?!

"It's hard to love a ship : they rot."
This movie is a GOOD time waiting to happen. It's simply fun. Lots and lots of fun. More fun than a sack of badgers. Tons of action, great fight scenes, excellent humor, and fantastic cinematography. I'm surprised we don't get more movies set in the South Pacific (except, of course, for the deadly sharks, destructive typhoons, remoteness, lack of modern medicine, headhunters and posoinous everything; some people are just more easily deterred than I am, I suppose.)

If you're looking for a good, entertaining romp with great catch phrases and plenty of action, this is it. The music's pretty good, too, by the way. WHEN IS THIS COMING OUT ON DVD!?!?!?!?!? I must have it! Oblige me, Ben!

Suprisingly Fun!!
Fun! Is the word to describe this film. This film wasn't well known nor was it a big blockbuster, but it is fun to watch. Seeing Tommy Lee Jones younger and with a beard is different. This film was made in 1983 so don't expect big and flashy special effects. Even without big special effects this movie is still a fun adventure story.
Tommy Lee Jones plays American Pirate "Bully" Hayes. Nate is played by Michael O'Keefe, and he is studying to become a missionary. The story starts out in the South Pacific where we see Captain Hayes running guns to the natives. He is captured when the deal goes bad and is set to be hung shortly thereafter. The rest of the story is of Hayes telling a writer how he came to be imprisoned, sort of a Quentin Tarantino style before it became popular. The main story revolves around Hayes' adventure with the missionary man Nate and his Fiancée Sophie. Hayes' Nemesis, another pirate and former business partner Ben Pease, captures Sophie. The adventure consist of the usual story of this type, Nate and Hayes teaming up to get her back. This film is a complete adventure story filled with pirates, South Pacific natives, shrunken heads, early modern war ships, stuffy German sailors, swashbuckling sword fights, and other off the wall elements. I recommend this film to you if you are looking for something fun and a little different than the usual big flashy movies of today. ... Read more

Reviews (98)

Excellent Animated Martial Arts Action!
If you are a fan of Japanese animation and Hong Kong kung fu movies, this movie will be a pleasure to watch. It stays true to the original video game, it shows the awesome skills of Ryu as he teams up with his long lost fellow student Ken Masters, who almost is the equal to Ryu, to fight the evil Bison with his collection of fighters. The animation is very well done and the movie has a cool soundtrack, if you like rock and alternative. I'm a big Bruce Lee fan, so I wanted Fei Long, the mirror image of Lee, to have had a bigger part in the movie. The fight between Ryu and Fei Long had to be one of the best, it's one of my favorite scenes in the movie. I hope, if it's not out already, they will have a sequel to this anime. So if you haven't seen it yet and you like the video games that it is based on, I would highly recommend it.

Only for less-picky Street Fighter Fans
There are three reasons to view this anime (and possibly own it): 1) you are an avid fan of the Street Fighter videogames and want to see some well-animated anime versions of the fighting 2) you enjoy only anime that has lots of action but is limp in story, plot, and everything else that should be expected of a good feature 3) you unfortunately feel the need to see Chun Li in her oft-exposed animated underwear

I bought this movie because I'm a bit of a Street Fighter fan (keeping and often playing the Dreamcast Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Street Fighter 3 series in my videogame collection; played then-new Street Fighter II arcade when in college); but I must fairly criticize it because I'm not a prejudiced fan.

This American version DVD is like a big old American muscle car, a simply silly, nonsensical machine by current standards but one which packs a serious punch when the loud pedal is pressed. This movie has a disorganized, sub-amateur storyline; excessively forced and lengthy dramatic character exposition; and even in some areas subpar animation. But it does excel when the fighting happens (unfortunately between stretches of awful, token character development).

Highlights are few but notable, such as Ryu v. Sagat, Chun-Li v. Vega, Fei Long v. Ryu. It is for occassional views of these sequences that I keep this movie on hand. But when I look at my DVD collection (Bugsy, LA Confidential, Perfect Blue, Ghost in the Shell, errr Street Fighter II), this one is always close to a trade.

Not too bad at all
Being a big fan of the Street Fighter video game series, I naturally had to check out this anime that was released way back in 1995. The story revolves around M.Bison, leader of Shadaloo (along with his henchmen: Sagat, Vega, and Balrog), and his search for the ultimate warrior: Ryu. Unfortunately, Ryu is a hard man to find, so Bison kidnaps Ryu's childhood friend Ken Masters in an attempt to lure Ryu over to the dark side. Other Street Fighter favorites like Guile, Chun-Li, and E.Honda have some big roles to play, while we get to see cameos from Zangief, Blanka, Cammy, T-Hawk, Fei Long, Dhalsim, and Dee Jay. The animation itself is very nicely done (action and fighting scenes are great), and the voice acting is surprisingly well done as well. All in all, while Street Fighter 2: The Animated Movie isn't the best anime I've seen, it is pretty good, and fans of the video game should be pleased. And by the way, it is a lot, LOT, better than the live action Jean-Claude Van Damme debacle.

One of the best martial Arts anime.!
Unlike the live-action movie of street fighter with jean claude van damme this one had a better storyline and it sticked with the real main charcter "Ryu" rather then guile. If you are a street fighter fan I highly recommend this one and Street Fighter Alpha.This movie starts out with Ryu fighting against Sagat or someone that looks like him anyway, it's a great scene by the way.Also a great fighting scene to is ryu and ken fighting against the boss of all street fighter games.DVD or videocasste it doesn't matter it will turn out great in the end besides the DVD version really does not have many extras just some stuff. Anyway I hope you buy because I did.

This Kicks The Van Damne Film's Butt!
This animated version more than made up for that terrible live action version that was put out about a few years before this! The artwork and animation is incredible! All the fights are great but Chung Li Vs. Vega is easily the show stealer on this DVD! Get this DVD but be warned! It does contain some language and lots of violence!

By the way, for those that have kids that like anime but don't want them to see all that, there is an edited version of this same film available but I think its only on VHS. ... Read more

Reviews (203)

A Powerful Film By Master Of Disaster Emmerich
Roland Emmerich directed the 1996 blockbuster hitIndependece Day which many still consider his best work. Later, he directed Godzilla, which according to some was not well-crafted. But 2004's "Day After Tomorrow" is quite powerful and moving and Roland Emmerich brings back the magic and dynamics of his old masterpiece Independence Day. This time the threat is not alien, it's our own earth. Global warming has caused the polar ice caps to melt and erratic weather to errupt. Hail begins to attack Tokyo, Japan and it snows in the usually hot New Delhi, India. Star Dennis Quaid gets a hold of the fatal news that the world is going to end as it experiences a new Ice Age. His son Sam (Jake Gallynhaal) is away in New York City on an Academic Decathelon which he joined to be with the girl he loves. Sela Ward plays Sam's mother and Dennis Quaid's wife, a doctor who is caring for a cancer-struck little boy. The President of the U.S. and the Vice President (who looks a bit like Dick Chaney)completely ignore the warnings and it's not long before Los Angeles is destroyed by a tornado. The Hollywood sign gets blown away. New York City is flooded. The special effects are top-notch and the characters and plot stunningly engaging. Only a small group who has listened to Sam, who in turn was going by his father's directions, remain in the New York City Public Library even after it freezes entirely. Dennis Quaid searches for his son in the extreme weather. This is a movie about survival, as is expected about humans when confronted with great disaster. It is about courage and human compassion. To contrast the epic disaster with its serious drama is touches of humor such as the bum and his dog who survive the disaster and the fac that the tables are turned and it is desperate survivor Americans who are crossing the border illegally into Mexico, which was not effected by the disaster. All the performances are credible and though one can easily criticize for its typical disaster movie routine, it does'nt matter. The success of this film proves that we love to see this kind of genre. Humankind surviving all sort of disasters and the will to live. Five stars. An incredibl experience at the movies and hopefully it will make a wonderful DVD loaded with interesting features.

Disaster movie
We don't need to get too intellectual on this movie, nor make any pretense of why you should see it - there is one reason and one reason only to view The Day After Tomorrow, the special effects. We all know this. So I really don't want to spend a page writing about the dialog that is worse than a soap opera, the science that made Lord of the Rings look reality based, or the believability factor that made Cliffhanger look like CNN. C'mon, you kind of expect that from a movie like this don't you?

All of that nonsense aside, there are several scenes which are truly spectacular, some of the best special effects that I've seen. True, a great deal of those scenes were shown in the previews, but there are still many staggering effects that are saved for the film.

Yes it's melodramatic. Yes it's preachy (Al Gore and Al Franken actually used this movie to promote their environment agenda). But if you would enjoy seeing LA destroyed by what would be the largest tornado in recorded history, or New York getting swallowed by a wall of water, it's worth the price of the movie ticket. And here's another idea - go with some friends and keep notes of the best (i.e. worst) lines, and then afterwards you can argue about which was the worst line of dialogue. Mine was probably, "Jake...tell her how you feel," with "I think I will go close my eyes for a while," coming in at a close second.

One final note to the dude at Amazon who filters these reviews: Here's a little inside tip - *stop posting reviews written by people who haven't even seen the film - and even ADMIT this in their reviews!* And certainly don't make them the spotlight review. Maybe you could have a special "trailer review forum" for these idiots and stop wasting our time.

Best new movie
The Day after Tomorrow is a outstanding movie. The special effects are awesome. I was not sure about the movie at first but after I rented it from blockbuster and viewed it, I definitely will buy it on dvd fullscreen. There have been a few movies made involving natural diasters but this one is the best. If you have not seen it yet, definitely watch it. The director did a fantastic job, the cast members put a outstanding job. It's one of those movies you'll want to watch again and again.

Great Thrill Ride Movie
When you watch this movie it will feel like you are in the movie. Trust me I have seen it 4 times in the theaters. You will have to watch it again and again and each time you will find something new. Enjoy the movie.

"Independence Day" minus the aliens, plus eco-propaganda.
If you've seen the 1997 sci-fi hit "Independence Day", then for all practical purposes you've seen this movie too. The only real difference is that instead of a bunch of ticked-off aliens, the threat of human extinction comes from a ticked-off "Mother Nature". In the former, however, it was all about "us versus them" and the triumph of the human will to survive. In "Day After Tomorrow", the message is: "We have met the enemy, and they are the Republicans."

Yeah, the movie is about the epic struggle to survive in the face of an overwhelming natural catastrophe, but it's pretty obvious that the producers were less interested in telling a story and more concerned about sending an election-year political message. From the early scenes of the movie, the "hero" character (a very forgettable paleoclimatologist played by Dennis Quaid) serves as the "voice crying in the wilderness" against the environmentally unsound excesses of corporate America. He warns of the doomsday scenario which does in fact unfold throughout the movie, but the heavily stereotyped conservative politicians (who are, no doubt, in the pockets of the polluters) shrug off his warnings. Maybe it's just me, but I thought the "vice president" character looked uncannily like Dick Cheney. Coincidence? I don't think so, but feel free to decide for yourself.

The main story is about a dysfunctional family whose members find themselves separated by the unpredictable (yet somehow predicted) chain of natural events. Of course, the events aren't really natural -- they're caused by foolish and greedy men who fail to pay attention to the needs of Mother Earth. Somehow, against incredible odds, the family manages to reunite, save the human race, and resolve their own domestic issues all at the same time. And of course, the tale is duly concluded with the humiliation of America and its (implied Republican) leaders, as well as some cheap jabs at American immigration policy.

In short, this is enviro-hysteria at its cheesy best, but election year political propaganda at its worst. There isn't even a mild attempt to veil the message -- it's right there in your face. If you're a Bush-hater, you'll cheer. If you're a little more honest with yourself, you'll see this film for the cheap trash that it is. The ONLY reason I gave it a second star was because it was chock full of stunning visual effects from beginning to end. Beyond that, your enjoyment of this movie will stand in direct relation to your political affiliation. That's no way to make a movie. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Indy plays Ned Nickerson
I would have given this 5 stars, because I really did enjoy it very much. But I can't quite get over the fact that for much of the first half Indy whines and follows his girlfriend around reluctantly, as she initiates all the adventure. I can understand that, at 16, Indy isn't going to be exactly the same as when he's older, but really, when he was played by River Phoenix, during the "Last Crusade" prologue that took place in 1912 (four years before this one) he had much more initiative.

That said, I think Sean Patrick Flanery saves it by being so cute and appealing as Nancy's sidekick, especially toward the end as the Indy in him finally wakes up. I can date it to the moment he takes his fedora out of the closet, and then all of a sudden he's the hero again. One of my favorite parts was when he punched in the glass case after Nancy failed to get it open by picking the lock. But even before then, it's fun to watch, reagardless of the liberties it takes with Indy's character. Nancy is a worthy "Indy girl", being as plucky as Marion Ravenwood (though more innocent).

The second half, the Mexico/Pancho Villa adventure, is a little too contrived for my tastes...I mean, even for "Young Indy", where you have to take all the historical figures popping up with a grain of salt, this doesn't quite make sense. Why is Indy risking his life to retrieve a bunch of dresses? Just buy the lady some new ones, for Pete's sake. It does bring up another thing that irks me; the fact that none of the Correy Carrier (young young Indy) episodes are on video. I watched the whole series when it was on TV, but I can barely remember them. Here we have Indy writing letters to T.E. Lawerence, whom he met in an earlier episode, and he encounters Demetrius, the bad guy from that episode. All this harkening back seems rather cruel when it's not on video, especially when they tout these as "The Complete Adventure of Indiana Jones."

Lloyd Owen, as Henry Jones Sr., does a very good job of sounding just like Sean Connery. I enjoyed the few scenes with him in, since "Last Crusade" is my favorite "old" Indy, due to the repartee between Ford and Connery. Here you get a glimpse of the things they were talking about. Remy never ceases to annoy me, however. But it's worth tolerating Coutteure to watch Flanery. He may not try to evoke Ford as much as River Phoenix did, but he's a great Indy throughout the series.

One of the Best
While Mystery of the Blues is the Best Young Indy video, this is probably second. The Nancy Drew mystery of the first half is really fun, really young, and really Indy. It was great to see Indy with his dad, and to see the suburbia of the time period. I really enjoyed the first half. Great chemistry between Indy and his girl, and his clumsiness came out, along with other hints to the Harrison Ford Indy. The second half was good too, though more serious and educational.

Good movie!
This film is exciting! Indy and his girlfriend, Nancy Stratenmeyer whose father wrote the Nancy Drew mysteries, solve a mystery in the first half involving a traitorous employee and theft of important submarine plans. Lucasfilm hints that Nancy's father based the fictional Nancy Drew on his daughter. I also liked that Indy helps Mr. Stratenmeyer with his stories. The Pancho Villa part is thrilling and fast-paced, Indy's impulsiveness and gallantry getting him more than he bargains for. Eventually, he catches up with his old enemy Demetrius (from "My First Adventure," not currently available on video) and retrieves the fabled Jackal headpiece, originally stolen from the tomb of an Ancient Egyptian architect. All in all, this is a great film of excitement and intrigue, worthy of the name Indiana Jones.

young indy
This was a good video, and I've waited seven years for the series to be released. I was disappointed to find out that Old Indy is not even featured. Perhaps the worst thing they done was to put two episodes together with new footage. This didn't even look right because all of the actors are noticeably older, and Sean Patrick Flanery's hair is obviously longer in the back. They should have thought about these things beforehand, and perhaps filmed them this way in the first place, not try and finish them now as Star Wars Special Edition so tragically looked.

Three and a half stars (couldn't figure out how to do 1/2*)!
The first half is cute and very fun to watch (with a feeling very similar to that of one of the other films by this director: The Rocketeer). I enjoyed the young comedic romance and Hardy Boys/Nancy Drewish mystery. The second half is good, but stretches credibility a tad having Young Indy getting involved with Pancho Villa. There is a good confrontation with an old foe and old score. Staggering production values for a small screen effort (rivals much of the big screen). ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The Blue Bird
As a small child I remember seeing this lesser-known movie, and it so impressed me that I wanted our small grandchildren to see it. I hadn't seen it since then, so I watched it again to make sure it was as I remembered. I know that when our "grands" come soon, they will enjoy it as much as I did years ago. Shirley Temple was magical little child, and the story line is unusual for a Shirley Temple movie in that it is a fantasy tale. I heartily recommend it for small children!

"The Blue Bird means Hapiness"says Berri Lou
This is my favorite Shirley Temple movie and I being a lover of "The Wizard of Oz," I fell in love with "The Blue Bird" also. I love stories that have fantasy plots and adventures of young children seeking love and/or happiness. The characters in the story are very creative and loveable-except for the mean Tylette and the greedy Luxuries. The setting is beautiful for being an early 1940's picture. I'm a big fan of Shirley Temple and love anything she does, but this is my favorite all time movie of hers. If you have children or are a child of the heart, rent or buy the movie from the trustworthy Amazon.com. If you miss out on this movie, you are missing out on a classic picture.

Sub-par attempt at Wizard of Oz
I previewed this movie for my 5 year old after all the great reviews I saw on Amazon... This movie has poor production. The shifting from black and white to color was not explained but just happens.
Then it is down right scary!
Walking across the grave yard at midnight comes out ok but I'm curious Why can't light go with them? No real reason is given.
the script is poor and pathetic. The lines these children were made to say makes me shutter...
Someone raved about the grandma scene.. It teaches your child to think Grandma is only "alive" when you think about her. Yuck! Why lay that burden on a childs' shoulders.
Oh and BTW all babies are pretty and caucasion before being born.
The big fire scene is really frighting.
Not to mention the script writer must have hated cats!
This is not a movie for Cat lovers.
I can understand why I had never heard of this movie.
The production writing and acting leave a whole bunch to be desired.

Grandmas house
when i was younger and i would visit my grandmas house, before bed i got to choose a movie to fall alseep to "The Blue Bird" was always my choice. the movie was filled with imagination and wonder. i fell in love with it the first time i saw it. now that my grandma has past away i want my own copy. not only because its my favorite movie, but because there will always be great memories with it.

A Remarkable film
"The Blue Bird" Has to be one of the most beautiful and underrated films ever made. I am also a big fan of "The Wizard of Oz" But Iv always felt that The Wizard of oz was not a childrens due to it's scary scenes and I for one used to be very afraid of it. I could never just sit and watch it because I would always be worried about one Scary Scene after another. With The Blue Bird you can sit back and relax while your chiled gets a good clear useful message from the film. I advise any parent to show there children "The Blue Bird" before showing the Wizard of oz. ... Read more

Reviews (231)

The Greatest Vietnam Movie, In my opinon.
Oliver Stone's "Platoon" is one of the best and most powerful of all war pictures. It is the best movie ever made about the Vietnam war. Stone's film is gritty, frighteningly realistic and incredibly powerful. Stone doesn't just show us the Vietnam war, he takes into the Vietnam war. The screenplay is brilliant and doesn't fall into the trap that other war films fall into, where the violence turns into a fun experience and fighting seems "cool." This is a movie that truly shows the horrors of war realistically and with great effect. The cinematography by Robert Richardson (JFK, Natural Born Killers) is rich and gritty, giving more feeling to already great material. The characters are believable and convincing. It's great work because Stone himself went to Vietnam, so he has a better idea of what happened than Francis Ford Coppola when he made "Apocalypse Now" (which is also a great movie). "Platoon" is mesmerizing, powerful, effective, disturbing and even philosophical. It is one of Stone's greatest works. He ignites the screen with passion. The music is incredibly moving. No other director has made better films about Vietnam than Stone, who's "Born On The Fourth Of July" and "Heaven And Earth" followed "Platoon," and opened our eyes to greater clarity. I was never less than spellbound by this work. "Platoon" vibrates with realism and energy. A very special motion picture

The Nam
Oliver Stone's Vietnam War film, PLATOON, remains a very intense film, even some 15 years after its theatrical release.
As seen through the eyes of Private Chris Taylor, (Charlie Sheen), the film focuses on the experiences of this naive young man and the other soldiers in his unit. As tensions mount and fears of the enemy threaten to overtake the men, a sick rivalry develops between Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Sgt. Elias (Willem DaFoe) that sets soldier against soldier. The entire film takes you inside the minds of these 3 men for different views on the war and what it was like for the men that were there. Of course some of it seems tamer now, especially after, more recent war films. But PLATOON still is an intense look at the war, that, even today, no one really understands. Stone puts his real life experiences as a "Nam" vet, to direct to perfection. The performances by the cast are superb...

The Special Edition DVD has an excellent retrospective documentary on the film that is quite comprehensive. Of equal interest, were the 2 audio commentaries The first by Stone, the second by millitary advisor Dale Dye---both men put the actors through their paces. The photo gallery, theatrical trailer, t.v. spots and "collectible" booklet round out the disc's extras. This edition is vastly improved over the movie only edition and comes highly recommended

not God as some people praise it at but pretty damn good
very very enjoyable flick, mainly because it reminded me of FMJ(full metal jacket) and the humor was pretty good too. i might have preferred this film a little better if charlie s. wasnt in it but he actualy didnt do that bad of a job one part i found hysterical was that johnny depp has a part in it. with short blonde hair and he just is walking by then gets blown up. this film should deffinalty be in a war collects colection.

way too isolated and without emotions
Oliver Stone's was a veteran of Vietnam himself and he appears late in this movie, which is unfortunate for his own sake, because if I were him, I'd want to be hiding from this movie, pretending to have nothing to do with it. The three main soldiers (Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger) hate each other from the very beginning and everyone knows before it begins that it is about the loss of innocence because war is hell, so the things that happen to the three of them are pretty predictable. In some of his better work, mainly The Doors and Natural Born Killers, Oliver Stone uses a lot of effort to show the effect that the plot is having on the rest of the world. In The Doors, we see footage of Vietnam because it was transpiring at the same time. Likewise for Nixon. However, in this movie, we just see the war itself without seeing the outside world reacting to it as it unfolds. Oliver Stone does better work in the 90's.

Favorite Vietnam Piece
This is my personal favorite vietnam film. It blew away the others for me (ie..Hamburger Hill, Full metal jacket etc) The story, acting and gritty take of the war made this film VERY important. It asks some pointed questions and is a breathtaking film. Not to be missed! This should be in EVERY war film fan's library. plain and simple. ... Read more

Description

A troubleshooting special agent is assigned to the investigation of a worldwide terror ring headquartered in Hawaii. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Great for the opposite reasons
My name is Jim McLain, spelled the same way as in the movie. This said I'm here to tell you that this is a five star rating because I LOVE terrible movies! Sometimes I wish John Wayne hadn't used the rare spelling I do in my name. The Duke was running, yes RUNNING from the House of Unamerican Activities. James Arnes Gets bested by two little oriental guys who combined don't match his weight and beat him down hand to hand! More sermons than an Amish Convention. Great drunk late night viewing!

For Patriots Only
OK, I know the ultradicallibrocrats of our society disaprove of any attempt to recognize the evils and sins of communism. When commies are portrayed as evil, or if there is an attempt to defeat them, the libs will howl and bellow all kinds of leftist rhetoric. And they certainly make a big stink about this movie, which goes to show how good it really is. Why is it that the libs always are critical of anti-communist sentiments, but never seem to have any objection to anti-fascist movie? Hmmm.... I wonder.
If you're patriotic and want to see one of the few films that puts a white hat on the good guys, this is a show for you.
Forget the whining of the pink brigade and enjoy the show.

Relax and enjoy
In some ways this movie can be seen as political [persuasion] from the 50's, but so what. All I can say is relax and enjoy. Enjoy the Hawaiian scenery and ignore the attempts to turn you into a blue blooded right wing capitalist. It's still a pretty well made movie from my standpoint. It's slow pace is due to the sort of documentary feel of it. It's pacing is more like All the President's Men. Not to say it's as good as that movie, and it's definatly coming from the "right" side of the fence.
...
Forget the politics and get the popcorn.

Underrated
This excellent movie about two detectives (6'4 (76) Wayne and 6'7 Arness) who search for Communism in the Honolulu area. The plot is realistic in the sense that the movie is about something that was happening in 1952. Many people don't like this, even though I don't know why. It has everything: comedy, action, scenery, adventure, remorse, etc. It is a switch for Wayne (who would make Hondo in '53 and The Searchers in '56.), but it shows how great an actor John Wayne is. This is a must-see movie for any fan of Wayne, big or small.

A neat movie!
This is a good movie! I see that a lot of people don't like it. I'll admit it's slow, but it has a good lesson. I mean, it's totally patriotic and wonderful! You can really see how patriotic the Duke was. James Arness costars and is cool. I enjoy watching it every so often, and I think it's a good movie. That's my humble opinion! ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Will Smith is a Great Star
As a typical Summer popcorn flick, I Robot should be familiar to any regular moviegoer. It plays like a highlight reel of many android/smart computer movier of the past 25 years. The actual short story collection serves as little more than a vaguely familiar name to hang the whole enterprise on to lend it an air of legitimacy. I'm pretty sure Asimov would have been appalled by this movie just as Homer would have been appalled by Brad Pitt's Troy. In I Robot, little tiny bits of the short stories are mixed with The Matrix, The Animatrix, the 1st 2 Terminator movies, the 2 MIBs, Minority Report, Blade Runner, the original Star wars trilogy, 2001 and A.I, among others. Will Smith proves that he is just about the most charming, likable and talented actor working today by his ability to hold this movie stew together. He's great, the CGI is great and the action is fun. Worth the ticket price if you don't expect arthouse cinema.

Isaac Asimov's "I, Robot"
First of all, anyone who thinks this a prequel or rip-off of The Matrix is painfully mistaken. This is based on the book that actually inspired practically every robot story since the 1950's including Terminator, Blade Runner and yes, The Matrix trilogy. The original book consisted of several short stories telling of the evolution of robots and mankind over the timespan of several hundred years. This film has taken all the elements from all of these stories, mashed them together, and created a single story set in the not too distant future. Under the direction of brilliant director Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City) I have high confidence that this will be a visually stunning film. Casting Will Smith in the lead role wasnt my first choice but I'll give him a chance. Its sad to think that most viewers wont go into the effort of learning that this story is actually 50 years old and will just call it a rip-off robot movie. For anyone whose seen the trailer, who know it looks awesome, for those of you who havent, go to quicktime.com and watch it now!!!

WOW!
I loved this movie. I thought the special effects were outstanding, and Will Smith was great in this movie. But Not everyone is going to appreciate it ( Roger Ebert you moron!) But me and my friends all loved it! See it cause it is one heck of a ride.

Still engaging despite its schizophrenic tendencies
I haven't read the short stories by Isaac Assimov upon which I, Robot (the movie) is based, although I'm peripherally familiar with them in their relation to modern science fiction robots and androids. I am familiar with The Fresh Prince - errr, Will Smith. And I'm a big fan of Alex Proyas' previous films, including The Crow and Dark City. A thinking man's movie teamed with a lovable action hero. You can't go wrong...can you?

I, Robot takes place in the near future, a future that looks lot like Minority Report and A.I. Everything is automated to such a degree that travel has become more dangerous than before. For example, cars travel so fast, it's unsafe for a human (instead of an artificial intelligence) to drive one. Permeated throughout this society is one brand of robot-a mobilized servant workforce. They only mimic people in their humanoid shape; expressionless round eyeholes, a slit for a mouth, and a smooth body.

Enter Will Smith's character, Detective Spooner. Calling him Spooner is pointless, because Smith's personality is indelibly printed on the movie. He is urban, hip, and in incredibly good shape. He also has a dark secret that makes him prejudiced against robots. No one brings up the irony of a black American being prejudiced against a robot - Proyas probably considered it too crass.

The next generation of robots, the NS5, is about to be launched. It's a smoother, friendlier robot with facial features that look a lot like people. The effect is startling, as they are clearly made of plastic - it's like watching an iMac come to life. Enter Sonny, a robot present at the supposed suicide of his creator, Dr. Alfred Lanning. Spooner is called by Lanning's communicator, which leads him on a trail of breadcrumbs to find the truth behind Dr. Lanning's death and the new robots.

I, Robot talks a lot about the three laws and their application. It also has a lot in common with films that have paid their own particular tribute to Asimov's work, including the Matrix (the robot revolution started with a murder). VIKI, the artificial intelligence that runs much of the city's systems, harkens back to one of my favorite movies: Colossus: The Forbin Project. There's not much new in I, Robot.

But it doesn't matter. Spooner is a sane man in a world gone mad, a world that has willingly given itself over to automation. The timing of the movie is perfect; cries of outsourcing have given way to the uncomfortable realization that "optimization" (read: computers and robots) are the reason our manual workforce is suffering.

I, Robot resembles science fiction movies from the 1950s filled with marching robots and legions slavishly devoted to communal good with one important difference: fear of communism has been replaced by the fear of outsourcing. Indeed, the prejudice against the more mathematically precise robots echoes the prejudices against outsourced countries with better educations that are willing to work for much less. The NS4 robots are unfailingly polite and cheerfully perform the worst drudgery. What happens when we no longer know how to do the drudgery ourselves? Or to put it another way...what happens when a first world country becomes so dependent on the predatory labor force of others that it can no longer take care of itself?

Revolution, that's what. Now, we're no longer afraid of Big Brother...we ARE Big Brother, afraid of losing control of everyone else. I, Robot hits a perfect note in that regard.

And yet, nothing else is sacred. There is a love-fest over Smith's shoes, which actually get more screen time than some characters. Spooner drives a gas-powered motorcycle, a quaint anachronism...except that it feels like some suit shouted "let's put Smith on a motorcycle!" There are far, FAR too many unnecessary slow-motion action shots, including the aforementioned motorcycle.

The movie has all the right product placement and plot points: the cute furry animal survives, the good guys always get what they deserve, the bad guys gets their just desserts, and the wisecracking hero is rewarded for his outrageous antics. There are also gaping plot holes, like a service entrance that has no surveillance. In that regard, I, Robot tries too hard to please. Its action-hero concessions detract from its message.

Still, the special effects are fantastic. Sonny has more pathos than Smith on screen and is a wonder to watch as he displays child-like awe, anger, rage, sadness, and compassion. Conversely, we have the robotic pretty/ugly scientist (you know, the kind who wear glasses and their hair in a bun and are unappealing, but let down their hair and become gorgeous), Dr. Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan), assisting the investigation. She reminds me of Sandra Bullock, minus the charm.

Smith floats through the movie with ease. He's sullen, wisecracking, and refreshingly free of any adult responsibility. He's a big man-child who comes off more as a spoiled brat than a streetwise cop, clinging to his anachronistic ways as if he invented them. Smith didn't have to strain to act this movie out - it's like Bad Boys was dropped into Minority Report.

The robots themselves, when roused to combat, move like gangly monkeys imbued with catlike grace. Combat scenes between robots would be too fast to even see if it wasn't for those darned slo-mo scenes, the only time they really are appropriate.

Ultimately, I, Robot strives to be both a thinking man's science fiction, an action vehicle for Will Smith, and a social commentary about the state of the world. It ends up being somewhere in between all three, but it's a tribute to the director's skill that I, Robot is still engaging despite its schizophrenic tendencies.

WILL SMITH AT HIS ELECTRIFYING BEST!!!!
I got the chance to see this movie on opening day and I've got to admit that I wasn't disappointed at all. The action was simply incredibly fast paced, the special effects were fun and interesting to watch with their artistic style, and though the acting might've dragged at SOME points, this was a very original film with a very original storyline. (Though it kind of reminded me of "The Terminator" series. I wonder why???) I'd also have to say that this is possibly Will Smith's best performance to EVER be seen on the BIG SCREEN!

In a distant future of 2035, an incorporation is making and releasing robots who care and obey their masters. But one robot named "Sonny" has somehow discovered the secret to feeling emotion and tries to escape the facilities in hopes of discovering who (or what) he is, after his master Dr. Alfred Lanning mysteriously dies. Will Smith plays a Chicago cop named Del Spooner (Funny name) who finds a hating towards robots after experiencing a tragic accident involving one a long time ago.

After capturing Sonny and taking the cyborg in for questioning, an even greater conspiracy unfolds where the other robot copies begin going haywire and wreck havoc on the city. Now, it's up to agent Spooner with the help of Dr. Susan Calvin (with a so-so performance by Bridget Moynahan) to find the source to why the robots have gone bad. The climatic ending will leave you spellbound in its amazing glory that goes to show that even the machines we create sometimes need freedom as well.

My favorite part about this whole film especially was when agent Spooner is doing battle with the robots while driving his car through an underground tunnel. (it along with the last battle scene had the most action!) It was truly breathtaking and awesome!! However, every other part about the movie was just as good and though the plot can be a little slow moving at times, it definately picks up later with all the non-stop action and thrills! But strangely that Sonny claims that he can feel emotion in this movie, if I were the creators of the film I would've called it, "I, Android", because only androids can feel, eat, and sleep like humans compared to robots. (They are both very different creations) Of course, maybe Sonny was different amoung the rest. Still, this movie makes a gr8t treat and never ceases to disappoint! If you're looking for a grade-A sci-fi flick with plenty of action and eye-popping special effects, see one of the hottest movies of the summer, "I, Robot"! IT WILL BLOW YOU AWAY!!! ... Read more

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As one of the most respected American independent filmmakers, John Sayles has created a body of work as distinguished in its diversity as for its consistent quality and inspiring originality. He's never been one to march to the commercial beat, but chooses instead to follow his creative impulse wherever it leads him. The Secret of Roan Inish led Sayles to the beautiful and moody West Coast of Ireland; it is a tale of a girl who discovers that her family has been touched by myth and magic throughout the years. Following the death of her mother, young Fiona (Jeni Courtney) is sent to live with her grandparents on the Irish coast across from Roan Inish, the island where her family once lived. She's told stories about the selkies--seals that can turn into humans--who have been connected with Fiona's family over the ages. At first she's not sure if the selkies are real or mythological, but she later realizes that they hold the key to reclaiming her family heritage.

What's remarkable about this film (which Sayles adapted from Rosalie Fry's novel Secret of the Ron Mor Skerry) is that it's not told as a cute fantasy for children, but as a straightforward, unsentimental story of a young girl's family history. That gives the film--which was beautifully photographed by master cinematographer Haskell Wexler--an understated charm that is completely absorbing in its atmosphere and subtle tone. There's magic as well, to be sure--you could almost swear that the seals and seagulls in the film took direction from Sayles as well as any human actor! --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (70)

Magical Irish Tale
The Secret of Roan Innish is a movie unlike any other I have seen. Truly enchanting, haunting, moving, and inspiring, I recommend this movie to anyone who has not lost their sense of childlike wonder, and who remembers fairy tales read on a rainy day.

Roan Innish means Seal Island in Celtic. The story is of a young, orphaned Irish girl determined to uncover her family's secret. Her brother has been missing, and is never mentioned by her traditional and loving grandparents, who are raising her. The intrepid girl uses her detective skills, perseverance, hard work, and all the resources at hand to uncover a mystery greater than she or her grandparents ever imagined.

This is a movie for adults more than children, as the heavy Irish brouge is a bit difficult to translate at first, and the beautiful filmography may seem slow-moving to children. Amazing acting will transport you to a place you have never been and will never forget.

Fiona solves the mystery of the island of Roan Inish
The family of young Fiona (Jeni Courtney) has been touched by tragedy. Her mother has died and no one wants to talk about when her baby brother Jimmy drifted off to sea in his cradle. Fiona is sent to live with her grandfather (Mick Lally) and grandmother (Eileen Colgan) on the coast across from the family's former home on the island of Roan Inish. Everyone from her grandfather to the people she meets in towns have stories to tell young Fiona, about Roan Inish and the selkies, "ceils" who assume human form and can be captured if you but get their skins away from them. Bit by bit Fiona puts the stories of her family and the local legends together until she and her cousin Eamon (Richard Sheridan) finally learn the sec