Michelle Pfeiffer

Average customer rating:

Al Pacino Proves Why He is a Legend
ONE OF THE TOP 5 MOST VIOLENT FILMS EVER MADE.
Nice
SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!!!!!!!!
A Classic

Scarface (Platinum Edition)
Starring: Al Pacino , Steven Bauer , Michelle Pfeiffer , Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , and Robert Loggia
Director: Brian De Palma
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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GoodFellas (Two-Disc Special Edition)
The Godfather DVD Collection
Donnie Brasco (Special Edition) [Region 99]
Casino (Widescreen 10th Anniversary Edition)
Pulp Fiction (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

ASIN: B000GGSMB2
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Amazon.com essential video

This sprawling epic of bloodshed and excess, Brian De Palma's update of the classic 1932 crime drama by Howard Hawks, sparked controversy over its outrageous violence when released in 1983. Scarface is a wretched, fascinating car wreck of a movie, starring Al Pacino as a Cuban refugee who rises to the top of Miami's cocaine-driven underworld, only to fall hard into his own deadly trap of addiction and inevitable assassination. Scripted by Oliver Stone and running nearly three hours, it's the kind of film that can simultaneously disgust and amaze you (critic Pauline Kael wrote "this may be the only action picture that turns into an allegory of impotence"), with vivid supporting roles for Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Robert Loggia. Universal's special edition digital video disc includes a documentary about the making of the film that features numerous interviews and several deleted scenes. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Al Pacino Proves Why He is a Legend.......2007-06-07

Al Pacino's charisma is incredible in this movie. Despite the anti-hero he plays, you can't help but to cheer for him to go further and further, become larger than life. Tony Montana is a cinematic icon as well as the American Dream gone dark.

ONE OF THE TOP 5 MOST VIOLENT FILMS EVER MADE........2007-05-26

I will be writing a review on the legendary DVD film "SCARFACE" starring one of Hollywood's all-time greatest actor's ever. I give you Mr. Al Pacino.

This legendary film would also be responsible for creating acting careers for other actors and actresses such as Steven Bauer (From Que Pasa USA), Michelle Pfeiffer (Hollywood Knights) and newcomer Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.

It was the 1980's and Hollywood was still making violent films that were equivalent to the most violent films made in its hey day. 1971's Dirty Harry would be a violent film that would take violent films to another level resulting in other Dirty Harry sequels being made and open the doors for many other violent films that were yet to come.

In 1983, the whole world would get their answer as to which is the most violent film ever made. SCARFACE dared to take us all on a wild journey into the gothic tales and stories of Cocaine binging and drug lord killings unimaginable. SCARFACE also dared to take violence on film to another level and dimension so thrilling, that it built our adrenaline and kept us glued to the film from beginning to the end. Before SCARFACE was even released, there was already a controversy as to this film receiving an R rating or an X rating. SCARFACE would also dare to abuse the "F" word when most violent movies wouldn't even dare to mention it. SCARFACE to this very day, is definitely far ahead of its time. When SCARFACE was released, it singlehandedly shocked the world. I can see this film over and over and NEVER get tired of it. SCARFACE can EASILY stand up to any of the most violent films ever made today.

Al Pacino has delivered many great performances and given us some great movies through the years. In my opinion, SCARFACE stands as Pacino's best work and greatest achievement ever. I hope all of you will buy this legendary film and enjoy it for many years as I have. You won't be sorry.

Nice.......2007-05-12

I am a huge fan of Scarface (the older and the newer version). It's worth the purchase.

SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!!!!!!!!.......2007-05-06

All I have to say is that this film is a MASTERPIECE!

A Classic.......2007-04-15

Still awesome after what, 100 plus times viewing? This film was panned by virtually all of the critics and has yet remained a classic for nearly 25 years! Pacino is simply brilliant, the casting is superb and even the tawdry photography and music (at times) is delicious. The critics never could quite get over the controversial chainsaw scene and the 160 some odd uses of the "F word" and therefore slammed the movie as a whole. But in doing so, they missed what millions of others haven't: a great film with great acting and pacing. If you haven't already, see for yourself whether the violence and language is obscene and over-the-top, or whether it fits the movie nearly perfectly in its context. Oh, and Michelle Pfeiffer is hot..

Average customer rating:

Great Movie
a must have for family video library
wonderful
A timeless Hit!
Great movie

Ladyhawke
Starring: Matthew Broderick , Rutger Hauer , Michelle Pfeiffer , Leo McKern , and John Wood
Director: Richard Donner
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Willow (Special Edition)
Dragonslayer
Legend (Ultimate Edition)
Labyrinth
The Princess Bride (Special Edition)

ASIN: 630469654X
Release Date: 1997-10-29

Amazon.com

This lushly produced fantasy has gained a loyal following since its release in 1985, and it gave a welcomed boost to the careers of Matthew Broderick, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Rutger Hauer. You have to ignore the overly aggressive music score (critic Pauline Kael aptly dubbed it "disco-medieval") and director Richard Donner's reckless allowance of anachronistic dialogue and uninspired storytelling, but there's a certain charm to the movie's combination of romance and heroism. Broderick plays a young thief who comes to the aid of tragic lovers Isabeau (Pfeiffer), who is cursed to become a hawk every day at sunrise and Navarre (Hauer) who turns into a wolf at sunset. The curse was cast by an evil sorcerer-bishop (John Wood), and as Broderick eludes the bishop's henchmen, Navarre struggles to conquer the villain, lift the curse, and be reunited with his love in human form. The tragedy of this lovers' dilemma keeps the movie going, and Broderick is well cast as a young, medieval variation of Woody Allen. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie.......2007-05-21

This was a great movie, it has romance, action/adventure, betrayal and love, and of course, Matthew Broderick's smart mouth. The scenes with Rutger and Michelle were tear jerkers. I think they did a great job with the casting.

a must have for family video library.......2007-05-15

Humor, romance, drama, fantasy...this movie has it all. A family ready story of love denied. Matthew Brodrick at his best, using sly wit to counter the seriousness with which the others actors played their roles.

wonderful.......2007-05-07

What a great romance. I watched it when I was younger and I think I enjoy it even more now. It was such a moving story that your heart just goes out to the characters.

A timeless Hit!.......2007-03-26

Our family never gets tired of watching this classic love story, it's got it all. We love this movie!

Great movie.......2007-03-10

I stumbled across this movie a while back on VHS, and have been trying to find it on DVD as my other copy was fried from overuse. Yes, it's an older film, but in the way of a medieval romance film, it's very good. Lots of twists and turns, the actors are very good, and the work with the animals is great as well. I knew Matthey Broderick from Ferris Beuler's Day Off, and this younger actor is great to see! If you're up for a good 80's action romance set with knights and a romantic curse, this would be the movie!

Batman Returns (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

A total failure except for production design and score.
I loved it
Beautifully Made
Question rather than an actual review
For the Kids. . .But Still Pretty Amusing

Batman Returns (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Michael Keaton , Danny DeVito , Michelle Pfeiffer , Christopher Walken , and Michael Gough
Director: Tim Burton
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Two-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Batman (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Batman Forever (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Batman & Robin
Batman Begins [HD DVD]
BEETLEJUICE (DVD)

ASIN: B000B5XOSO
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Amazon.com essential video

The first Batman sequel takes a wicked turn with the villainous exploits of the freakish and mean-spirited Penguin (Danny DeVito), whose criminal collaboration with evil tycoon Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) threatens to drain Gotham City of its energy supply. As if that weren't enough, Batman (Michael Keaton) has his hands full with the vengeful Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer), who turns out to be a lot more dangerous than a kitten with a whip. As with the first Batman feature, director Tim Burton brings his distinct visual style to the frantic action, but this time there's a darker malevolence lurking beneath all that extraordinary production design. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Gotham City faces two monstrous criminal menaces: the bizarre, sinister Penguin (Danny DeVito) and the slinky, mysterious Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer). Can Batman (Michael Keaton) battle two formidable foes at once? Especially when one wants to be mayor and the other is romantically attracted to Bruce Wayne! Like the groundbreaking 1989 original, Batman Returns is directed by the wizardly Tim Burton. And like the first blockbuster, it's a dazzling adventure that leaves you breathless. DVD Features:
Documentaries:The Cinematic Saga of Batman, Shadows of the Bat Pt. 4 Beyond Batman Documentary Gallery
Featurette:The Heroes and Villains Profile Galleries
Interviews:The Bat, The Cat, and the Penguin
Music Video:Face to Face by Souixsie and the Bashees

Customer Reviews:

A total failure except for production design and score........2007-06-19

Batman Returns followed the amazing Edward Scissorhands. And it showed that Tim Burton could not translate his personal vision to megabudget Hollywood fare. It is a grating, unfunny, depressingly awful film that virtually no one in their right mind would recommend. Audiences knew it, critics knew it.

The positives: The cat suit looks amazing, and Michelle Pfeiffer was a good choice. This was one of the first films that featured Dolby Digital encoding and it sounds to this day, 15 years later, incredible -- particualarly with Danny Elfman's Ed Scissorhands rip-off score. Bo Welch has ideas to spare, some of them great (Selina's apartment, The Penguin's political hideout) some of them not so great (the ridiculously overdesigned Gotham City, Joe Versus the Volcano air-conditioning units). But onto the really bad:

The Penguin is a disaster of Tim Burton's doing, where we see him attempt to expand one of his little pen and ink cariciatures into something capable of empathy amd humor. Yet he's patently ridiculous; pathetic, juvenile, and mean-spirited, Burton's character fails by every measure and is a complete bore. Trying to kill all of Gotham's babies? Really a lame criminal plot, out of place in this kind of movie and a new low. He is not a character that illicits much more than disgust. No matter how you slice it, that's not what you want for your arch-villain.

Catwoman gets the only great scene in the movie, her transformation. The campy sense of humor, music, and acting all gel for about five minutes. Otherwise, the Gloria Steinam in latex bit is just plain silly. Daniel Waters: nice try. Michelle Pfeiffer manages to make it just tolerable enough. But if you are going to go the dominatrix route, let's see her really mess with Batman's head and ego.

The plot is beyond convoluted and simply nonsensical. There's really not much to say other than Daniel Waters simply has no idea what he is doing in this three-ring circus. That empty-calorie feeling you get after watching Batman Returns? Look no further. I don't think Burton knows or cares. Listening to his commentary is not encouraging.

I loved it.......2007-06-06

I've been a superhero fan since the 1950's. I just have to buy just about every superhero movie on DVD.

My tastes are pretty basic. I go by the way the movie makes me feel. Do I get a good sense of the character? Are the effects decent? Is the whole thing "believable," in the sense of superhero comics?

I didn't like some of the later Batman movies. This is the first Batman movie I've bought so far.

I love this one... it's more along the spirit of the Dark Knight.

If they release another one similar to this "Feel," I'll buy it.

Beautifully Made.......2007-05-09

this is a real classic. tim burton did an amazing job like he allwayz does. i also reccomend beetle juice.

Question rather than an actual review.......2007-05-02

That's why only the 4 stars cause I believe this movie is great. However, why is there no grey lettering and outline? It looks like this is the same movie from the "Legacy" collection, rather than the Special Editions. I wouldn't want to order this and get the single disk edition. So my question is, which version is this?

For the Kids. . .But Still Pretty Amusing.......2007-04-08

I never really got Tim Burton. To me he is not much more than a populistic Fellini, a man child with an over active imagination along with the vision and skill to make it look appealing on screen. However, he is the favorite director of some of my closest friends so to say that he doesn't know how to connect with people would be off base. Here he tackles Gotham for a second time and his vision of it a quite festive. The criminals walk on stilts while juggling fire and wearing gaudy skeleton masks. The streets are filled with giant statues that invoke Ayn Rand. And the roofs are incredibly weak, which is convenient because people love crashing through them in this town. It all looks great and I did like this movie but, and forgive me for saying this, it was more of the same from Burton, too much surface.

Here Batman battles Catwoman and The Penguin, two villains who really despise him although we are never really given a firm reason why. The other main player is Shreck (no relation to the ogre, played here by Christopher Walken) a Donald Trump type who has risen to the top by breaking laws and breaking necks. When he first meets up with Penguin he is called out for his corporate malfeasance so he does what any other self-respecting tycoon would do, he buys him off. From there they hatch a plan, similar to Bush's 9-11 plan, where together they screw up the city in a bid to get Penguin elected puppet Mayor of Gotham. And hey, in a world of McConnell and Lott he would hardly be the worst publicly elected official out there. This leads to some funny scenes where they try to incorporate Penguin into the world of politics, but the best he can muster is to lustfully leer at any female that walks by and to eat the nose off of his image consultant. To defeat Batman is the ultimate plan and for a while he is bested by the shapely Penguin, and when I say shapely I mean round. Time and again Batman is humiliated, his pride being a major liability, and soon it appears as though it is Batman alone who is sending the city down the tubes. So while I sat through the Wrong Man plot for the 150th time ("Batman pushed her off the roof!!"), I also had to sit through some serious fat chewing sessions between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle (Catwoman) as they discuss the pros and cons of duality. Of course when she isn't trying to pick Bruce up she is unleashing a litany of back flips and bad double entendres ("Be gentle it's my first time") on his alter ego. I understand bad one liners are the name of the game because the average fan is 8 years old (in mind and/or body) but this script really went for the gold with them.

More than anything I am recommending this film for the Penguin and all his disgusting, creepy glory. This film had you believe that he truly believed that he was a ladies man and possible mayoral candidate. The fighting is more of the bang zoom variety as opposed to the more realistic, violent kind that Christopher Nolan rolled with in "Batman Begins." So while this one is nothing special it is worth a look for its creative set design and guilty pleasure appeal. Burton never took the franchise to the heights that Nolan did, but he never sank it like Joel Schumacher did either. So while you watch be sure to count your blessings that rubber lips are nowhere to be found. ***1/4

Average customer rating:

Great Movie!
A Most Worthwhile Story!
Awesome animation with an inspirational storyline!
The prince is king
Timeless Story for a New Audience

The Prince of Egypt
Starring: Val Kilmer , Ralph Fiennes , Michelle Pfeiffer , Sandra Bullock , and Jeff Goldblum
Director: Simon Wells , Brenda Chapman , and Steve Hickner
Manufacturer: DreamWorks
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Joseph - King of Dreams
The Prince Of Egypt: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
The Miracle Maker - The Story of Jesus
Hercules (Disney Gold Classic Collection)
Sinbad - Legend of the Seven Seas (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B00000JGOQ
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Amazon.com

Nearly every biblical film is ambitious, creating pictures to go with some of the most famous and sacred stories in the Western world. DreamWorks' first animated film was the vision of executive producer Jeffrey Katzenberg after his ugly split from Disney, where he had been acknowledged as a key architect in that studio's rebirth (The Little Mermaid, etc.). His first film for the company he helped create was a huge, challenging project without a single toy or merchandising tie-in, the backbone du jour of family entertainment in the 1990s.

Three directors and 16 writers succeed in carrying out much of Katzenberg's vision. The linear story of Moses is crisply told, and the look of the film is stunning; indeed, no animated film has looked so ready to be placed in the Louvre since Fantasia. Here is an Egypt alive with energetic bustle and pristine buildings. Born a slave and set adrift in the river, Moses (voiced by Val Kilmer) is raised as the son of Pharaoh Seti (Patrick Stewart) and is a fitting rival for his stepbrother Rameses (Ralph Fiennes). When he learns of his roots--in a knockout sequence in which hieroglyphics come alive--he flees to the desert, where he finds his roots and heeds God's calling to free the slaves from Egypt.

Katzenberg and his artists are careful to tread lightly on religious boundaries. The film stops at the parting of the Red Sea, only showing the Ten Commandments--without commentary--as the film's coda. Music is a big part (there were three CDs released) and Hans Zimmer's score and Stephen Schwartz's songs work well--in fact the pop-ready, Oscar-winning "When You Believe" is one of the weakest songs. Kids ages 5 and up should be able to handle the referenced violence; the film doesn't shy away from what Egyptians did to their slaves. Perhaps Katzenberg could have aimed lower and made a more successful animated film, but then again, what's a heaven for? --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie!.......2007-06-21

I've always liked this movie. We had it on VHS, but my daughter wore it out. So, we got the DVD. I'm so happy we did - the quality is great, and we can watch widescreen, which is quite important to me. We're very happy!

A Most Worthwhile Story!.......2007-05-26

Although it is an animated-feature movie, the script is good and the story is very moving. So much of the historical accuracy has been maintained in this story. My family and I feel that it is time and money well-spent! I heartily recommend it to viewers of any age...

Awesome animation with an inspirational storyline!.......2007-05-18

I absolutely love this movie. It has the same effect on me as it did 8 years ago when I first watched it. The songs are great, animation is beautiful, and the storyline is heartwarming and true to it's essence. I recommend this for any age! It will send tingles down your spine

The prince is king.......2007-05-13

This is a great movie well worth the viewing time beuatifully animated and reasonably true to the story as told through contemporary eyes.

Timeless Story for a New Audience.......2007-05-10

I am tremendous fan of good-quality animation but a movie is only worthwhile as long as it is accompanied by good-quality storytelling. "The Prince of Egypt" tasks some risks in altering the text of the story of Exodus but it manages to deliver both on its big-budgeted epic scale. No one can replicate Charles Heston's 1956 performance yet I found this film to be a respectable homage to DeMille's "The Ten Commandments". Plus the kids will learn a thing or two.

In the past 10 years we've seen far too many computer-animated slapstick films spurted out like candy bars from a vending machine. Disney took us "to infinity and beyond" with Toy Story and "Antz" was a good laugh. But honestly, it's sad to see how many companies are cutting corners and neglecting the beauty that traditional animation can capture.

"The Prince of Egypt" does neither. It maximizes the potential of its time by using hand-drawn animation to capture the beauty and details of the Egyptians' tunics and the woven tents of Midian. At the same time computer effects bring an intricate nightmare of hieroglyphics to life. It looks more than neat. It looks damn good. And the other factor is the degree of brutality that this film can push into a PG rating without overdoing it. (They come pretty close, though.) The slaves are beaten and we see the weariness in their sagging eyes. Moses' face shows utter horror when he kills a man. The Egyptians scream with fear when plagues manifest their lives. We're not in Disneyland anymore, kids. (And even the first Disney films were creepy: "Snow White", "Pinnochio", and even "Dumbo" just to name a few.)

I was more nitpicky about the character alterations, especially Aaron, who is depicted as the skeptic one. No doubt it is intended to contrast Miriam's rock-like belief in Moses but I found it offensive. At least Dreamworks stayed clear of annoying sidekicks and had two oily scheming magicians-Steve Martin and Martin Short need no introduction-with a few tricks up their sleeves. Ramses' transformation into Pharaoh consumes him with pride until his empire is destroyed. As for Moses, his journey is an extraordinary tale and yet relatable to anyone who embarks on a new challenge be it personal, social, moral, or spiritual.

I found the music heart wrenching and unforgettable. Many of the songs are a blend of prayers asking for help and the lyrics only amplify what they are saying, especially when the children sing "Song of the Sea" in Hebrew in gratitude as they leave Egypt. The splitting of the sea IS the impression that DeMille would've done if he could've done it in his time. I was overall impressed with this film adaptation of Exodus. The catchphrase "family film" doesn't do it justice. It is a work of art in itself and a respectable piece of faith and effort in its time.

Average customer rating:

Disliked it five years ago, still don't like it today!
The Director Turned A Simple Play Into Something Amazing!!!
Amazing version, Great for Classroom
A Midsummer Night's Entertainment
Bewitching&Dreamy

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Starring: Kevin Kline , Michelle Pfeiffer , Stanley Tucci , Rupert Everett , and Calista Flockhart
Director: Michael Hoffman
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Much Ado About Nothing
Twelfth Night
Hamlet
Romeo & Juliet
William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice [Region 99]

ASIN: 6305622876
Release Date: 2003-04-15

Amazon.com

Imagine a work by Shakespeare reduced to one of those pretty, glossy coffee-table picture books that have only a dollop of text alongside its sumptuous photographs, and you might have Michael Hoffman's adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. This all-star version of Shakespeare's comedy is gorgeously shot in Tuscany, complete with a magical forest, breathtaking landscapes, beautiful villas, picturesque villages, stunning period costumes--oh wait, there's supposed to be a story here, too! Hoffman hijacks Shakespeare's basic premise but doesn't instill it with much more than surface shine and transplants it to turn-of-the-century Italy. Ergo, it's left up to the actors to find the heart and soul of this classic play, in which the fairies of the forest play mix and match with four young lovers, courtesy of a magical love potion. Hoffman couldn't ask for better (or better looking) actors to play Shakespeare's dreamlike love games--Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart, Christian Bale, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Kline, Anna Friel, Dominic West, the list goes on and on--but he sure as heck doesn't know what to do with them, aside from putting them in various states of undress. Only Flockhart (as the lovestruck Helena), Tucci (a sprightly Puck), Pfeiffer (dazzling and funny as the queen of the fairies), and especially the sublime Kline (as weaver-turned-donkey Bottom) seem to connect with their characters in ways that make this adaptation occasionally soar; the rest are inexplicably left to flounder. Hoffman does seem to set himself right with the film's climax, when Bottom's amateur acting troupe hilariously enacts the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe (it helps that the troupe includes Roger Rees, Sam Rockwell, and Bill Irwin). Those searching for a more in-depth exploration of Shakespeare's farce might do better to look elsewhere, but if it's gorgeous actors and scenery you're in the mood for (along with an evocative opera soundtrack), and an all's-well-that-ends-well ending, this Midsummer Night will give you pleasant if weightless dreams. --Mark Englehart

Description

A stellar cast, headed by Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline, bring Shakespeare's romantic comedy to life. When two pairs of star-crossed lovers, a feuding pair of supernatural sprites and a love potion gone awry all come together in an enchanted moonlit forest, the result is a delightful mix of merriment and magic. Also starring Calista Flockhart, Stanley Tucci and Rupert Everett.

Customer Reviews:

Disliked it five years ago, still don't like it today!.......2007-06-13

Saw this when it first came out and hated it; watching it again, in hopes of using it in a class, and again I find it tedious and uninspired. It has all the right parts, in terms of actors (though I must confess to disliking Stanley Tucci's Puck), but the conception is busy, pretentious, and sadly missing the spirit of the play! As another reviewer said, if you haven't read much Shakespeare or seen much on stage, you may like this film. If you have read Shakes, and seen good stagings of this and other plays, you'll find it to be two very tedious hours. I still think I"ll use part of it in class, though, in comparison with at least one other filmed stage performance (the Royal Shakespeare Company's), just to spur discussion about updating and interpreting Shakespeare!

The Director Turned A Simple Play Into Something Amazing!!!.......2007-05-31

We first began to read Midsummer Night's Dream in school a few days ago. Then we watched the beginning of the movie (this one). I found the play extremely bland to read. The actors brought it to life! The director was best though, using modern items while keeping all the original text from Shakespeare, nothing has been orally changed. This movie is PG-13 but only idiots would hold it from anyone over 10.

Amazing version, Great for Classroom.......2007-05-09

This is a great supplement for anyone teaching Shakespeare Comedies. The acting is supperb and the sets bring the story to life. It is great seeing American actors trying their hand with the Bard's craft and doing it well.

A Midsummer Night's Entertainment.......2007-05-06

This film adaptation of William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a star-studded and workable translation of the original play. It has a movie's freedom of action with respect to sets. The story moves easily from a Duke's luxurious Italian villa being prepared for a wedding, to a forest where two sets of lovers undergo a comedy of mistaken emotions thanks to feuding among groups of ethereal spirits, to the small town outside the villa where a group of workers is preparing a play to present at the wedding. The sets are sumptious, attractive to the eye, and suitable to the story.

The cast is truly star-studded, all with very solid movie credentials, although few with real chops for a Shakespeare play. Kevin Kline easily steals the show as the hapless Bottom, an over-the-top actor who is bewitched by the spirit Puck (played with mischevious good humor by Stanley Tucci) into a love affair with the Queen of the Fairies (played by Michelle Pfeiffer). Rupert Everett is solid as a spirit who while in search of revenge on the Queen unleashes much of the magical mayhem in the forest. Calista Flockheart seems least up to par as an hysterical Helena, one of the star-crossed lovers in the forest,

Perhaps the best portion of the movie is the play within a play, as Kevin Kline and his ham-handed fellow troupers struggle to put together their play. The audience cannot help but feel sympathy as they wrestle with lack of talent, uncooperative sets, and the unintended consequences of improvisation. Their determination is rewarded by an unorthodox but ultimately successful presentation that earns them the sincere compliments of the Duke.

This movie is recommended to fans of Shakespeare who are prepared to forgive the uneven efforts of a large troup of actors for an ultimately entertaining story.

Bewitching&Dreamy.......2007-05-04

What a lovely adaptation. And they did mostly stick verbatim to the play... Ok, so they may have taken some liberties, ie the setting (though the landscape is very like it should have been) the bicycles (though they are charming!), &the 'mud wrestling scene, which was truly ridiculous, but was obviously added for the benefit of the many boyfriends and husbands who were dragged to the flick by their wives or girlfriends! I love this film, and watch it over & over. Pair it with the delightful 'Much Ado About Nothing' and '12th Night', and you'll find yourself doing the same & memorizing the books so easily!

Average customer rating:

Wuhl is a GAS!
1965 revisited
CLASSIC! ONE OF MY FAVORITE COMEDY FILMS
Hollywood Knights
Hilarious breakout film for many now-famous stars

The Hollywood Knights
Starring: Robert Wuhl , Tony Danza , Fran Drescher , Leigh French , and Randy Gornel
Director: Floyd Mutrux
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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American Graffiti / More American Graffitti (Drive-In Double Feature)
American Graffiti (Collector's Edition)
Used Cars [Region 99]
Dirty Mary Crazy Larry (Supercharger Edition)
Vanishing Point

ASIN: 0767849981
Release Date: 2000-05-09

Amazon.com

You've got to give credit to the Hollywood Knights. They may be crass, juvenile, sex-mad pranksters, but they have an open-door policy: nerds and jocks alike are welcome, as long as they show proper disrespect for authority. The Hollywood Knights, a minor 1980 cult comedy poised somewhere between the innocent nostalgia of American Graffiti and the raunchy humor of Animal House, chronicles the antics of a practical-joking high school gang on Halloween night, 1965. In tribute to the last night of their favorite hangout, a Beverly Hills drive-in marked for destruction by the snooty Chamber of Commerce, the gang's court jester Newbomb Turk (Robert Wuhl in his film debut) leads the Knights in an all-out assault on the forces of law and order, conformity, and good taste. Nestled in the parade of toilet humor, fart jokes, mooning rebels, and topless co-eds, however, are the ruminations of the end of an era: the times they are a changin'. The doo-wop and surf soundtrack gives way to Motown, the Mamas and the Papas, and the Byrds as high school sweethearts Tony Danza and Michelle Pfeiffer weather the transition from puppy love to adult romance and Vietnam looms on the horizon. It's a schizophrenic film, bopping from juvenile anarchy to thoughtful drama and back again with a sloppy but energetic drive and a rowdy rebelliousness that will never be accused of sensitivity, decency, or dignity. Fran Drescher, Gary Graham, and a hilarious Stuart Pankin also star. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Wuhl is a GAS!.......2007-06-11

Robert Wuhl is the BEST in this funny, funny film (his first film role)! It's Halloween 1965 and the local teen hangout is about to be shut down and demolished by the town council, who can't wait to get rid of the kids (mainly the Hollywood Knights gang) who loiter there. There's lots of great tunes from the era by the Beach Boys, Byrds, Sam the Sham, Motown artists and more.

The scene where Wuhl farts the song "Volare'" in the gym is maybe only 30 seconds long but it's so funny, I had to rewind to see it over and over again! What else does he (as Newbomb Turk) do? Oh, not much...he and some Knights pee in the party punch, tapes some girls in the bathroom, causes a cop's toilet to overflow and "attempts" a sexcapade with Fran Drescher in the back seat.

By the way, Drescher is so incredibly sexy in this film (maybe accidently?), you'll forget all the other stuff she was in (her voice isn't as annoying as it would be in "The Nanny"). She's young and gorgeous with a taut, toned body that you'll be dreamin' about!

My other favorite scenes are with Gailard Sartain as the cop/archenemy of the Knights and Stuart Pankin as the nerdly bandmember/magician/honor student, Dudley. These two character actors add a HUGE part to this movie!

The only disappointing factor in this film is the inclusion of the relationship between Tony Danza and Michelle Pfeiffer. Yeah, Michelle's very pretty and Tony may cause a few female hearts to flutter but their scenes drag the film down...WAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY down! Just as you're on an incredible high from Wuhl's hilarious antics, they cut to the completely unfunny seriousness of Tony and Michelle's fragile relationship. What a drag! It's s'posed to be a funny film but their scenes veer sharply into soap opera territory...blech! Funny thing is, Tony NEVER, EVER appears with Wuhl or any of the other mischief makers in the film - he's not even listed in the closing credits, which leads me to believe his inclusion in the movie was an afterthought, maybe for some star-power thanks to his co-starring stint on "Taxi."

Aside from those EXTREMELY unfunny scenes, I gave it five stars anyway, because there are many, many funny vignettes with Sartain, Pankin, Leigh French, Dick Schaal and many of the others. This is Robert Wuhl at his best! DON'T MISS IT!!!

1965 revisited.......2007-05-18

This movie is a "hoot". I graduated in 1965 and Viet Nam was just in its first stages, the drive in, dance, teacher was all like revisiting my high school graduation. Our class had each one of these characters. When we get down we will definately put in this DVD and have a couple hours of pure laughs.

CLASSIC! ONE OF MY FAVORITE COMEDY FILMS.......2007-04-11

This is a very funny movie. Robert Wuhl is hilarious as Newbomb Turk a rather mischievous horn dog. "Tubby's Drive-in" is where the film centers itself,so there are some mighty fine cars to ogle in this forgotten classic. The DVD transfer id good, I did check this out on a HD channel and it looked incredible.

Hollywood Knights.......2007-04-11

Step One -- Put it in your DVD player. Step Two -- Turn off your brain.
Step Three -- Just enjoy yourself.

Hilarious breakout film for many now-famous stars.......2007-03-17

Great coming-of-age movie that came out in 1980. Although it has a similar format and was probably inspired by American Graffiti, it has an irreverance and comedy charm all it's own, especially for gearheads, lovers of 1960's music, and for people that like to see basically good kids "Stickin' it to the Man". Tony Danza was somewhat established by this point but Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Wuhl, Fran Drescher and even Stuart Pankin were pretty much getting their big-screen starts with this movie, at least with roles that anyone can remember. The musclecars and soundtrack are phenomenal, and the story line is pretty entertaining too. If you've never seen it, put this movie on your must-see list. If you have but it's been a while, pop it in and take another trip back to 1965...you'll be glad you did.

Average customer rating:

There aren't enough stars for the most powerful film I've ever seen
Gorgeous flawed film
nicely history teller
Potentially interesting story...but why can't anyone act??
a gilded age covered up an empty era; a gilded film covers up an empty movie

The Age of Innocence [Region 99]
Starring: Domenica Cameron-Scorsese , Geraldine Chaplin , Daniel Day-Lewis , Tracey Ellis , and Carolyn Farina
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Howards End - The Merchant Ivory Collection
The House of Mirth [Region 99]
The Remains of the Day (Special Edition) [Region 99]
The Buccaneers
A Room with a View (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B00003CX8S
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Amazon.com essential video

Martin Scorsese does not sound like the logical choice to direct an adaptation of Edith Wharton's novel about manners and morals in New York society in the 1870s. But these are mean streets, too, and the psychological violence inflicted between characters is at least as damaging as the physical violence perpetrated by Scorsese's usual gangsters. At the center of the tale is Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis), a somewhat diffident young man engaged to marry the very respectable May Welland (Winona Ryder). But Archer is distracted by May's cousin, the Countess Olenska (a radiant Michelle Pfeiffer), recently returned from Europe. As a married woman seeking a divorce, the countess is an embarrassment to all of New York society. But Archer is fascinated by her quick intelligence and worldly ways. Scorsese closely observes the tiny details of this world and this impossible situation; this is a movie in which the shift of someone's eyes can be as significant as the firing of a gun. The director's sense of color has never been keener, and his work with the actors is subtle. That's Joanne Woodward narrating, telling us only as much as we need to know--which is one reason why the climax comes as such a surprise.--Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

There aren't enough stars for the most powerful film I've ever seen.......2007-05-15

I firmly believe that this is the greatest film ever made; it is surely the greatest I have ever seen, and over several decades I've seen many. It's one of the most powerful works of art I've experienced in any form.

I can still recall vividly the first time that I saw it. It was at a matinee viewing at a theater in downtown Philadelphia. The audience was me, my then-wife, and about a gazillion sweet little old ladies, median age of about 73. The audience observed stone silence throughout the showing; not a whisper, not a popcorn-rustle. I (and I suspect several other people) left the theater with new appreciation of the emotional power of film.

What makes this film so uniquely powerful is that it so perfectly depicts that most powerful of emotions: love. I tend to be an impatient critic of most romantic films, which I find manipulative and unbelievable. I can't believe in a film romance simply because violins well up when two attractive people look at each other. But this film, unlike any other I know of, vividly documents the experience of falling in love: the way that the mind seizes upon the words and the gestures of one woman alone, finding something unique, intriguing, soul-piercing in them, and filtering out everyone else.

The basic story is that of Newland Archer (Daniel Day Lewis), a young pillar of upper-crust 1870s New York society. He has a non-conformist's mind, but is outwardly respectful of the culture in which he lives. About the time that he becomes engaged to May (Wynona Ryder), there arrives in his world the Countess Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer.) The Countess is fleeing a marriage and maltreatment from Count Olenski, from whom she wants that then-scandalous thing: divorce. The Countess herself is the subject of rumors of improprieties with her husband's secretary.

Thus, as Newland and the Countess find something unique in one another and fall in love, it presents Newland with an agonizing dilemma: is there any honorable way to be with the potential love of his life, given his engagement to May, and Olenska's marriage to the Count? But it would be a crime against art to spoil that mystery for you, so enough said.

One remarkable aspect of this film is that the characters' society not only constrains the conduct of everyone involved, but also the expressions of their feelings. Daniel Day Lewis in particular carries a burden of conveying the most powerful emotions without being able to voice them. He does this in one of the most magnificent performances ever on film, often acting wordlessly through means as subtle as trembling fingers or a clenched jaw.

You are shown quite clearly how he falls in love with the Countess. She gives voice to the irreverent thoughts that never occur to May, and which Newland feels but would never speak. The looks of shocked amusement on Daniel Day Lewis's face in many of these early conversations are a vital part of the gradual, but irresistible, warming of their early relationship.

What unfolds is a story of love, and heartbreak, of choices made, of responsibilities met, and of opportunities missed and gone forever. It's a tale that will affect anyone who ever wonders about the path not taken in their own life. And it's also a tale of the clash between societal norms and individual desires, especially limiting the options of an unlucky woman.

Upon first viewing, the visual genius of the film is very striking. Stills of the film rival the great paintings of art history (and in at least one instance, nearly parodying a famous Seurat.) There's tremendous visual splendor and opulence.

I found that on repeat viewings, however, I was equally amazed by the film's dynamic qualities - the way that one scene draws you into the next, often with the beautiful orchestral score as an ineluctable link between scenes. The sequence in which the yellow roses are ordered and delivered is a gorgeous montage of a few seconds, driven by the backing music.

Oh, and that music - Elmer Bernstein composed one of the most emotive scores ever for a film, and several of the scenes draw their power from it. Though the score is very reminiscent of the third movement of the Brahms third symphony, it may actually exceed the Brahms in several places for emotional power.

It's a film that one watches and repeatedly has the feeling, "This is one of the great scenes in all of film." But those fantastic scenes just keep coming, one after the other. I have particular favorites: the scene where the Countess whispers to Newland in the opera box, the scene where he approaches her as she looks out at the lighthouse, and of course, the incredibly moving final scene.

I don't know what else to say about the final scene other than that watching it for the first time was a more powerful experience than I'd had at the cinema at any time prior.

Strangely, this is one of the lesser-known Scorsese films. I'm a great fan of Scorsese's other works, but he certainly never made a gangster film as great as this. I suspect that this one just didn't find its natural audience. Perhaps people expected it to be a lighter romantic costume drama. Instead it is an intense story of romantic agony, told from the viewpoint of a conflicted male. Perhaps it reflects that male perspective too much to be a chick flick, whereas not enough men were interested in watching this story. Perhaps it was just too subtle. Whatever the cause, the lack of appreciation is unfortunate, because it's a story that should have great power for everyone who has ever been deeply and truly in love, especially if that love might slip away forever.

I saw this film repeatedly after it was first released, but several years had passed before I saw it again this past weekend with my wife. It's like Daniel Day Lewis says to Michelle Pfeiffer late in the film: "Every time I see you, you happen to me all over again." And so it is with this masterpiece.

Gorgeous flawed film.......2007-05-13

With stunning period costumes, lavish interiors and lush outdoor scenes Scorsese's THE AGE OF INNOCENCE has to be one of the most beautiful movies ever filmed. The movie stays remarkably faithful to Edith Wharton's 1920 novel in part because Joanne Woodward provides convincing voice over narration often using Wharton's exact words. The narration also clues the viewers in to the customs and hypocrisies of old New York which play such an important part in the plot. The major flaw in the film is the grand love between "The Countess" Ellen (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) seemed unconvincing to this viewer. Although Pfeiffer is very beautiful in the film she does not seem particularly intelligent, free thinking or independent which are the qualities that supposedly attract Day-Lewis's character. Day-Lewis is adequate in his part though I really could not see him as the great love of Pfeiffer's Ellen's life either. It is Winona Ryder as the sweet seeming but astute and determined May who really takes the acting prize. The rest of the film is very well cast and this is an excellent film for those who love historical dramas and faithful film adaptations of great books.

nicely history teller.......2007-05-08

I love this film, i saw it right after dangerous liasions, and even though everybody used to talk about DL, i think this one is much better.

Potentially interesting story...but why can't anyone act??.......2007-04-06

The set design and costumes were lovely, but the actors were just horrible. Daniel Day-Lewis is usually outstanding but even he can't bring life to this role. Of course, you can't blame him for not loving the always annoying Wynonna Ryder...but how could he choose the histrionic and insipid Michelle Pfeiffer, who doesn't begin to do justice to Countess Olenska? Her red eyes and her heaving bosom have gotten tiresome (here as in Dangerous Liasons)...Not to mention the narration...thanks Joanne...you're the best...but why not just do the audio instead of this annoying voice over.

a gilded age covered up an empty era; a gilded film covers up an empty movie.......2007-03-25

god bless martin scorsese for giving it a shot, but short of the exquisite look of the movie, nothing else works. one is prepared for an immature performance from winona ryder (could she give any other type?) but when the likes of michelle pfeiffer and even daniel day lewis [!] appear stilted, something is just plain wrong. i get the impression that scorsese made this movie anticipating it would gain him respect; instead its just one of those occasional blips in his grand career.

Average customer rating:

DVD Packaging?
Mystery Training, or "I'll see your `Other Sister' and raise you a `Flowers for Algernon'"
The Greatest Film I've Ever Seen
One of the best dvd's i've ever watched.
I am Sean Penn

I am Sam (New Line Platinum Series)
Starring: Sean Penn , Michelle Pfeiffer , Dakota Fanning , Dianne Wiest , and Loretta Devine
Director: Jessie Nelson
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Other Sister
Rain Man (Special Edition)
Radio
Simon Birch
Pay It Forward

ASIN: B000066HAS
Release Date: 2002-06-18

Amazon.com

I Am Sam makes you laugh, cry, and recoil all at the same time. Perhaps no other film of recent memory has epitomized the shameless sentimentality of Hollywood as succinctly as director and screenwriter Jessie Nelson's story of a mentally challenged man fighting to retain custody of his 7-year-old daughter. Sam (Sean Penn), who has the mental age of 7, wipes down tables at a Los Angeles Starbucks and takes good care of his daughter Lucy, who was left with him shortly after birth by a homeless woman. Sam has gotten by just fine with a little help from his friends, including his eccentric neighbor (Diane Wiest) and a lovable group of similarly challenged friends, but a series of misunderstandings leaves Sam fighting to get Lucy back from the state. Sam's lawyer, Rita Harrison (Michelle Pfeiffer), is an overly ambitious woman whose life is soon transformed by proximity to Sam's brimming humanity. Sean Penn is, as usual, wholeheartedly committed to his role and turns in an admirable, if overtly affected performance. However, I Am Sam, with all its earnest charm, reaches an emblematic low when Sam, a character apparently devoid of any authentic sentiment, delivers a courtroom speech memorized from Kramer vs. Kramer as the film's finale. --Fionn Meade

Description

Michelle Pfeiffer and Sean Penn give career-defining performances in this humorous and heart-warming film about a mentally-challenged father who enlists the aid of a high-powered attorney to help him regain custody of his daughter. An all-star supporting cast and a spectacular soundtrack complete this unforgettable story of life, love and laughter.DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Filmmaker Commentary - With Director / Co-screenwriter Jessie Nelson
DVD ROM Features:Script-to-Screen Link to Original Website Hot Spot
Deleted Scenes:Deleted and Alternate Scenes with optional Director commentary
Documentary:Original Documentary: Becoming Sam
Other:Theatrical Press Kit DTS sound
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

DVD Packaging?.......2007-03-29

I have a question for anybody who has purchased this item from Amazon recently.

Does the DVD come in a cardboard "snapper" case or a plastic keep case?

I've seen both at retail with the same UPC and was not sure what Amazon had...called customer service but they couldn't give me a straight answer.

Help would be appreciated.

Mystery Training, or "I'll see your `Other Sister' and raise you a `Flowers for Algernon'".......2007-03-24

"I am Sam" is both repellent and fascinating. It took me an entire day to finish the film. I'd watch a few minutes 'til Sam did something so cringe-worthy I'd shut off the TV out of reflex, then be drawn back an hour later because I had to see what happened next, even though I was well aware I was watching dishonest, manipulative garbage. I guess I was fascinated by how pretty they were able to package it.

Sean Penn is often able to extract and convey the humanity in misunderstood, unpopular people, helping balance out the generally insensitive status quo; other times he's empathetic to a fault.

Unlike Dustin Hoffman's detached but strangely engaged portrayal of autistic Raymond in "Rain Man," I was always aware of Penn steering Sam (who is described as retarded with autistic tendencies), manipulating him to match the film's theme of "All you need is love." The theme is a nice sentiment, but pragmatically irresponsible given the subject matter.

Penn's Sam Dawson isn't as irresponsible as Penn's Sam Bicke in the semi-true, "The Assassination of Richard Nixon," which had Penn as a humiliated, desperate everyman, leaving out important history about the real Bicke (Byck) that drove him to the assassination attempt. (Without knowing this it's a far more compelling performance.)

"I am Sam" does a big disservice omitting important information about the circumstances that led to Sam Dawson making a baby.

The film starts with close-ups of Sam obsessively organizing sweeteners and cups at Starbucks, complimenting people on their coffee choices. His boss George tells him it's time for him to go. Sam gets excited and runs over to the hospital where a woman is giving birth. A nurse asks him, "You the one responsible for this?" And Sam says he's sorry.

Afterward, the mother abandons Sam and the newborn, saying "I just needed a place to sleep." I guess you could infer it was the mother's idea to make the baby, which could be supported by a scene later in the film where Sam is in a food court conversing with a woman, oblivious he's being propositioned -- but this wasn't enough to ease my concern.

For seven years, Sam is able to take care of his daughter Lucy (Dakota Fanning, "Hounddog") without too many problems. He named her after the Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" because he's a big Beatles fan. Their music plays a prominent part in the film, with the soundtrack primarily comprised of contemporary artists (Eddie Vedder, Sheryl Crow, The Black Crowes to name a few) covering their songs.

Sam has a few fellow mentally challenged friends who help him with Lucy. He also has Annie (Diane Wiest) as Lucy's godmother, an agoraphobic neighbor who helps answer Sam's many child rearing questions, which include giving him a feeding schedule based on Nikelodeon's TV schedule:

Starting with "'Hogan's Heroes' Then again, wait until "I Dream of Jeanie,' and then `I Love Lucy.'"

His friends' main activities are going to IHOP and "Video Night." One of them is obsessed with Victor Flemming, another guy is paranoid, and another one really wants to see "Kramer vs. Kramer."

One night, Lucy wants to go to Big Boy instead of IHOP. Sam throws a fit when the waitress tells him they don't have French pancakes. "Ask Bob! Bob's Big Boy! Because the customer is always right! The customer is always right! The customer is always right!" Lucy is embarrassed.

Cut to a scene of Sam dressed up as a young Beatle, flailing his arms to the Wallflowers cover of "I'm Looking Through You" with an embarrassed Lucy and her schoolmates during a Halloween party.

Lucy (Dakota Fanning, "Hounddog") is taken from Sam during a birthday party by a social worker (Loretta Devine from TV's "Boston Public") after Sam is determined to have the IQ of a seven year old. The social workers are concerned Sam won't have the ability to take care of Lucy when she gets older.

Sam finds a fancy lawyer named Rita (Michelle Pfeifer, who is still quite the Ladyhawke) and stalks her and manages to quote both "Lovely Rita" and "Michelle" to her. Rita ignores him until some of her colleagues mock her when she says she has considered doing pro bono work before.

The concern about Sam's baby-making is brought up once: while questioning neighbor Annie, the prosecution asks her about Sam's competency when puberty comes. Annie says he would have as much difficulty as any other father - she's lived a long life and has observed all kinds of fathers. The prosecution then asks her: What about your father? The camera does one of those dolly/zooms like when the boy on the raft got eaten in "Jaws," and Annie quietly leaves the room.

Then Sam defends himself by quoting a courtroom scene from "Kramer vs Kramer" and loses the case.

But Rita convinces him to keep going.

As you've probably already noticed, the film has a strong supporting cast, which also includes Mary Steenburgen and Brent Spiner (Data from TV's "Star Trek: Next Generation" and cruise director Godwyn in "Out to Sea") in a brief appearance as a shoe salesman.

Laura Dern ("Rambling Rose") plays Randy Carpenter, Lucy's protective foster mother. She has a change of heart when Lucy won't stop sneaking out and visiting Sam. She agrees to be on Sam's side in court, and the film ends with the kids playing soccer and Sam giving Lucy (Dakota Fanning, "Hounddog") a big hug after she scores with Aimee Mann and Michael Penn's cover of "Two of Us" on the soundtrack.

I guess I just wanted more interaction between lawyer Rita and Turner, the prosecutor. As it is, "I am Sam" feels as if the filmmakers cheated the ending and tried to blind the audience with shmaltz.

Which brings me to the cinematography. Elliot Davis uses small zooms and jerks to emphasize every emotion, as if with every movement he's saying, "Feel this, because I know you can't without me!" Calm down, Elliot.

The DVD features audio commentary, a documentary "Becoming Sam," which wasn't as insightful as I'd hoped it would be, deleted/alternate scenes, which I didn't bother watching, and some cool folding/unfolding origami menus, which were probably my favorite thing about the whole disc.

The soundtrack is better than the movie. I suspect people will probably buy more of it than the "Hounddog" soundtrack. Personally, I'm waiting for the "Do the Right Thing" CD reissue, featuring Radio Raheem's "Fight the Power" m-m-m-mash-up with "Fairytale of New York" and "Close to You," topped with Bosco.

The Greatest Film I've Ever Seen.......2007-03-23

I Am Sam is one of, if not the best, motion picture of all time.

I Am Sam is about a retarded man named Sam (Sean Penn) who has a mental capacity of a 7-year old. He works as a server at Starbucks, is obsessed with The Beatles, and loves IHOP. After he accidentally has a daughter (Dakota Fanning) with a homeless woman who he names after the song Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. The woman leaves him, and Sam is left to care for Lucy by himself. However, when Lucy intentionally begins to hold back in school to prevent becoming smarter from her father, child protective services takes her away and Sam must fight to obtain custody. He befriends a lawyer, Rita (Michelle Pfeiffer) with a bad marriage and a son who she thinks hates her. Together, Sam and Rita fight for Lucy's custody in a heartwrenching roller coaster of tears, laughs, and the overwhelming power of human spirit.

This is all beside some of the most stunning performances I've ever seen in a film. Sean Penn is top of his game and gives an amazingly realistic performance as a disabled man without a single flaw. To this day it makes me furious he didn't win the Oscar. Dakota Fanning's premiere role is by far her greatest ever, and at only six years old opened the eyes of actresses who've been in the business for years and basically screamed into their faces "This is how acting is done." And Michelle Pfeiffer delivers a phenomenal, incredibly realistic performance that will absolutely take your breath away.

As the film progresses, you will find yourself laughing one minute, crying the next (you WILL cry no matter how mature or old you are, so make sure you have tissues), the next moment tapping your foot along to the familiar Beatles tunes found throughout the movie (even though they're covers) and the next moment simply staring at the screen not believing your eyes and ears at how emotionally powerful a film can be.

And after watching, you won't want to ever give the DVD back to Blockbuster. If you don't at least give this movie a chance, you will truly be missing out on one of the shiniest gems of modern cinema ever.

One of the best dvd's i've ever watched........2007-03-11

This dvd has been my favorite ever since it came out. I love the actors, the setting, the beginning and the ending - how many times can you say that about a movie you watch? This movie is captivating, keeps the "watcher" interested throughout the movie. This movie teaches a good lesson. One of the main things that I learned from this movie is to have more compassion for the environment that surrounds me. To engage yourself in your community more than just going to work everyday - miraculous movie.

5 stars / 5 thumbs way up!

I am Sean Penn.......2007-03-09

I never would have thought that Sean Penn would have the chops to play a role like this, but he carries it off with a seriousness, poignancy and truthfulness that transcends the screen. Dakota Fanning deserves props as playing the very smart child that she truly is in real life. I warn you - this is a two box of Kleenex sniffer, but well worth the wonderful ride, despite the pain we see inflicted on ourselves and others every day.

Average customer rating:

Great songs and fond memories of the movie
Predictable but nice.
Chick Flick
Kids are the best matchmakers
Don't Lose Hope!

One Fine Day
Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer , George Clooney , Mae Whitman , Alex D. Linz , and Charles Durning
Director: Michael Hoffman
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Up Close & Personal
While You Were Sleeping
You've Got Mail
My Best Friend's Wedding (Special Edition) [Region 99]
My Best Friend's Wedding: Music From The Motion Picture

ASIN: B00006ZXSN
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Amazon.com

This gentle comedy almost seems like something out of Hollywood's Golden Age, a movie that might have been made by a talented contract director, perhaps featuring Don Ameche and Claudette Colbert. But in fact it stars George Clooney as an investigative columnist for a New York newspaper and Michelle Pfeiffer as an architect. Both single parents, the two meet and bicker and develop a relationship over the course of a day while their young children play together. Michael Hoffman (Restoration) directs with a good sense of what's funny about harried caretakers and kids who do whatever they want to do. The story stretches out of shape a bit when Clooney's character has to rally to prove some point of corruption at City Hall; nobody involved seems quite up to making that subplot believable, but all that really matters about this very nice movie is the winning love story. --Tom Keogh

Description

In this charming romantic comedy, three-time Academy Award nominee Michelle Pfeiffer ("Dangerous Liaisons," "The Fabulous Baker Boys," "Love Field") and "ER" star George Clooney find that opposites attract whether they like it or not. Melanie Parker (Pfeiffer) is juggling single parenthood with a career as an architect. Jack Taylor (Clooney) is a commitment-shy newspaper cloumnist who only has his daughter every other weekend. When their kids miss a school field trip, Melanie and Jack agree to share babysitting for a day, resulting in twelve hours of hilarious misadventures with one unexpected twist.

Customer Reviews:

Great songs and fond memories of the movie.......2007-05-11

When I saw the movie- the first thing that hit me was the beauty of the intro song (One fine day) sang by Nathalie Merchant..wow! then "Hove I told you lately?" sang by Van morrison, which is a nice change form the Rod teward version.. and then tehre is Ella Fitzgerald singing "Isn't romantic?" just for this song the cd is priceless!! have u tried finding it in recollections? i tried and its almost hopeless.

Predictable but nice........2007-03-15

Nice soundtrack. Cuts are listenable and enjoyable. There are a couple of songs on it that I wanted. Since the price was VERY tempting, I gave in and purchased it.

Chick Flick.......2006-11-03

This is one of my most favorite chick flicks! I could watch this over and over again and never get tired of it!

Kids are the best matchmakers.......2006-10-07

Clooney and Pfieffer have great chemistry and energy in this romantic comedy of single parents who find love the second time around. It's like a potential step-siblings version of The Parent Trap when the little boy and girl scheme to get their respective parent a date. A positive message on how second chances can happen if you have the eyes and optimism of a child.