Cage

Starring:Cage
Studio: Trinity Home Ent
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Once intended as a feature for Johnny Depp, the long-germinating feature film adaptation of Marvel Comics' cult title Ghost Rider stars Nicolas Cage as motorcyclist Johnny Blaze, who transforms into a skull-faced angel of vengeance to battle the forces of evil. Though perhaps a bit too mature for the role, Cage brings a degree of humor to the outrageous proceedings; he's well matched by the Easy Rider himself Peter Fonda, amusingly cast as Mephistopheles, the demon with whom Blaze strikes a bargain to save his father, and in turn, causes his transformation into Ghost Rider. Wes Bentley is also fine as Blackheart, the rebellious offspring of Mephistopheles, and Blazes' chief opponent in the film. They're joined by a solid supporting cast which includes Donal Logue, Eva Mendes, and Sam Elliott, but their participation and a relentless barrage of CGI effects can't hide the fact that the story itself, though largely faithful to its comic origins, is rife with clichéd characterizations and glum B-movie dialogue. Fans of the venerable title may cry foul over this adaptation (as they did over helmer Mark Steven Johnson's previous comic-to-movie feature, Daredevil), but less stringent viewers may enjoy the fiery visuals and Cage's typically quirky performance. --Paul Gaita

Extras from Ghost Rider

Visit our Exclusive Ghost Rider Microsite
Visit the Site

Beyond Ghost Rider at Amazon.com

On Blu-ray
CD Soundtrack
Ghost Rider: Road To Damnation

Stills from Ghost Rider (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

I loved it.......2007-07-04

I'm a comics fan. I started reading comics in the 1950s.

I wondered how they could pull off this one... The more I thought about it, the more Nicholas Cage seemed perfect for the part. (He's a comics fan.)

I loved the story & special effects.

This was a good portrayal of a man who finally discovered the consequences of his deal with the devil. Nicholas did a good job of a man slowly discovering his abilities, coming to terms with them, and doing his best to make his own relationship with the devil.

It's not easy to make such a movie. You must deal with "old fans" like myself, and with new ones who are not familiar with the character.

I loved the movie.

Its a Sleeper.......2007-07-04

I really enjoyed this movie. I was surprised and pleased that I had bought it. I didn't hear much buzz on it when it came out. It has a good back love story and I enjoyed the build up to the ending.

Mediocre to the Max!.......2007-07-04

Ghost Rider certainly isn't the worst movie I've ever seen, but it is just about the most disappointing. I have to commend the advertising team, though, because they really sold me on the movie, and I went to see it despite the horrid reviews.

The movie ended up making $$$M in the US alone (according to Yahoo! Movies), so I'm obviously not the only person who went into the theatre expecting the movie to live up to its previews.

The movie started of strong; gripping opening credits and score. From there on out, it went straight to average. And I mean AVERAGE. It's almost as though they made an extraordinary effort to make sure that this movie would be as un-memorable as possible. Every time there's a scene that excites you about what's to come (the arrival of the three elemental bad guys was quite sweet), there's a reciprocating let down (I won't give away what happens, but let's just say that their encounters with Ghost Rider were less than impressive).

But there's great special effects, right? Hhhmmmm, yes and no. What was in the previews was pretty awesome, and all that stuff is in the movie, but most of the CGI looks half done, as though they ran out money half-way through post production.

I don't think anyone was really expecting a great plot, and I certainly wasn't, so the predictability of the film isn't one of my complaints, but the dialogue did suffer from a certain amount of cliche-itis.

So the bottom line: For what it is, it's not bad. There's no nudity and very little bad language or innuendo, so I'd say that this would be most appreciated by a younger audience looking for a neat action flick (under 16).

Ugggh Nicolas another bomb?.......2007-07-03

Cage -- you either love his movies OR hate them. I hated this. Typical comic book turned into movie. Read the comic and save your money on this one.

Ghost Rider.......2007-07-03

great movie and the etras and nice. i watched in the movie theather but it was better at home.

Average customer rating:

I loved it
Its a Sleeper
Mediocre to the Max!
Ugggh Nicolas another bomb?
Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Matt Long (II) , Raquel Alessi , Brett Cullen , Peter Fonda , and Nicolas Cage
Director: Mark Steven Johnson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000OVLBF8
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Amazon.com

Stills from Ghost Rider (click for larger image)

Beyond Ghost Rider on Amazon.com

On Blu-ray
CD Soundtrack
Ghost Rider: Road To Damnation

Graphic Novels

Customer Reviews:

I loved it.......2007-07-04

Its a Sleeper.......2007-07-04

I really enjoyed this movie. I was surprised and pleased that I had bought it. I didn't hear much buzz on it when it came out. It has a good back love story and I enjoyed the build up to the ending.

Mediocre to the Max!.......2007-07-04

Ugggh Nicolas another bomb?.......2007-07-03

Cage -- you either love his movies OR hate them. I hated this. Typical comic book turned into movie. Read the comic and save your money on this one.

Ghost Rider.......2007-07-03

great movie and the etras and nice. i watched in the movie theather but it was better at home.

Average customer rating:

I loved it
Its a Sleeper
Mediocre to the Max!
Ugggh Nicolas another bomb?
Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Matt Long (II) , Raquel Alessi , Brett Cullen , Peter Fonda , and Nicolas Cage
Director: Mark Steven Johnson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)
Shooter (Widescreen Edition)
Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)
Deja Vu
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000OVLBEY
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Amazon.com

Extras from Ghost Rider

Visit our Exclusive Ghost Rider Microsite
Visit the Site

Beyond Ghost Rider at Amazon.com

On Blu-ray
CD Soundtrack
Ghost Rider: Road To Damnation

Stills from Ghost Rider (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

I loved it.......2007-07-04

Its a Sleeper.......2007-07-04

I really enjoyed this movie. I was surprised and pleased that I had bought it. I didn't hear much buzz on it when it came out. It has a good back love story and I enjoyed the build up to the ending.

Mediocre to the Max!.......2007-07-04

Ugggh Nicolas another bomb?.......2007-07-03

Cage -- you either love his movies OR hate them. I hated this. Typical comic book turned into movie. Read the comic and save your money on this one.

Ghost Rider.......2007-07-03

great movie and the etras and nice. i watched in the movie theather but it was better at home.

Average customer rating:

A horribly boring movie
Is it a history lesson? Perhaps not. An enjoyable film...definitely!
An Action Packed Adventure
National Treasure
An Amusement Park Ride

National Treasure (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Nicolas Cage , Diane Kruger , Justin Bartha , Sean Bean , and Jon Voight
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JN5E
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Amazon.com

Like a Hardy Boys mystery on steroids, National Treasure offers popcorn thrills and enough boyish charm to overcome its rampant silliness. Although it was roundly criticized as a poor man's rip-off of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Da Vinci Code, it's entertaining on its own ludicrous terms, and Nicolas Cage proves once again that one actor's infectious enthusiasm can compensate for a multitude of movie sins. The contrived plot involves Cage's present-day quest for the ancient treasure of the Knights Templar, kept secret through the ages by Freemasons past and present. Finding the treasure requires the theft of the Declaration of Independence (there are crucial treasure clues on the back, of course!), so you can add "caper comedy" to this Jerry Bruckheimer production's multi-genre appeal. Nobody will ever accuse director Jon Turtletaub of artistic ambition, but you've got to admit he serves up an enjoyable dose of PG-rated entertainment, full of musty clues, skeletons, deep tunnels, and harmless adventure in the old-school tradition. It's a load of hokum, but it's fun hokum, and that makes all the difference. --Jeff Shannon

Description

From Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, and Jon Turteltaub, director of PHENOMENON, comes NATIONAL TREASURE. It's the thrilling, edge-of-your-seat adventure starring Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage (1995 Best Actor, LEAVING LAS VEGAS) as Benjamin Franklin Gates. Ever since he was a boy, Gates has been obsessed with finding the legendary Knights Templar Treasure, the greatest fortune known to man. As Gates tries to find and decipher ancient riddles that will lead him to it, he's dogged by a ruthless enemy (Sean Bean, THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy) who wants the riches for himself. Now in a race against time, Gates must steal one of America's most sacred and guarded documents -- the Declaration of Independence -- or let it, and a key clue to the mystery, fall into dangerous hands. Heart-pounding chases, close calls, and the FBI turn Gates's quest into a high-stakes crime caper and the most exciting treasure hunt you've ever experienced.

Customer Reviews:

A horribly boring movie.......2007-06-30

"National Treasure" is a horrible movie. I knew within the first 60 seconds of watching that it was hokey and cliche, but I was willing to sit through it if it was at least entertaining. It wasn't. The one redeeming quality the movie could have had was the clues to the treasure. Give the audience something to guess at. But the clues turned out to be so obscure and hidden in meaning that they might as well been written in a foreign language.

There are alot of good reviews for this movie for some reason. But when you watch "National Treasure", as I know you will, remember my words. You will at first feel disgusted by the awful acting, then betrayed by the cliche action scenes that you have seen a hundred times before. A strange sensation will creep through your body, like you are slowly dying. But don't worry, this is only extreme boredom. You'll hope that the movie will redeem itself and begin to be entertaining, but it won't. After what seems like an enternity, 2 hours and 11 minutes will roll by, and then you can think "Boy, that one reviewer sure was right. This move was awful!".

Don't say you weren't warned.

Is it a history lesson? Perhaps not. An enjoyable film...definitely!.......2007-06-17

I just wrote a review for the horrendous "Ghost Rider," in which I mentioned "National Treasure" as an example of a recent Cage film that didn't deserve the negative criticism it received (in contrast to the deservedly-dogged "Ghost Rider"), and was thus inspired to write a review in defense of "National Treasure." As I have read from other reviews here, most people agree that while the film isn't a history lesson, it's a darn good time at the movies, and it should have been rated by critics by such. It's a popcorn flick, pure and simple, and in that context, it works flawlessly. It's tremendously entertaining, and it accomplishes that goal while being family-friendly (PG). The thing that always makes me laugh regarding most "critics" of film is that their reviews are essentially little more than a paragraph attempting to display the wit, knowledge, and general intelligence they believe they possess; they're in such constant defense of these self-inflated traits that they destroy any picture with a smidgeon of disregard for historical accuracy, while forgetting that movies are created, above all else, to entertain (unless they're labeled "documentaries"). Do we care whether or not the founding fathers and the freemasons could have feasibly put an invisible map on the back of the Declaration of Independence? Should we be more concerned with whether or not the idea is even logistically fathomable or if the picture is entertaining? For my money, I want to see the entertaining picture (and so does 99% of the population)...and this is what the majority of critics fail to admit, in my opinion, in vigorously defending their "intelligence" in their "reviews." If I wanted to get out of work on a Friday to go and watch a depressing, miserable film with zero entertainment value simply because it happens to be historically accurate (hence, lacking sex appeal), I'd be on the watch for the sequel to "The Fog of War." However, I pay to see movies to be taken out of reality, and to have fun...just like everybody else, ultimately. I'm not ashamed to admit that I love this film, nor should the critics that publicly slandered it while probably watching it on a weekly basis in the privacy of their homes. Thus, I highly recommend it to any fan of, well, enjoying themselves via the watching of film, and I'd state that proof of the points I've made in this review will be made evident via the box office receipts of the upcoming sequel. I'll be first in line, and so will the critics!

An Action Packed Adventure.......2007-05-21

National Treasure is one of the premier movies ever. Beautifully produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Junction Entertainment, and Saturn Films this movie, which was released on November 19, 2004, brought in 338 million dollars in the worldwide box office. The movie was rated PG because of action violence and some scary images. Filming for the movie was spectacularly completed on location at many of the historical sites where the story took place, the acting was superb, and the running time of 131 minutes provides plenty of entertainment. Why not watch it today?

When Benjamin Franklin Gates was young his grandfather told him a story that would change his life. Intently Ben listened as his Grandfather told him of a massive, ancient mysterious treasure, which had been fought over for centuries. The treasure had vanished. Feeling that because the treasure was too valuable, it was too great for one man to have, a group called the Freemasons hid the treasure leaving behind a series of clues to its location. In 1832 the last remaining signer of the Declaration of Independence was about to die, and with him the last clue would die, but just before he died he told the clue to his stable boy Tom Gates. The clue that said, "The secret lies with Charlotte," was passed down from generation to generation in the Gates family and each had spent years of their lives searching for the treasure without success until, finally Ben began searching. The treasure was like a needle in a haystack but Ben devoted his life to finding it.

Quickly Ben found a ship, which was named Charlotte, trapped north of the Arctic Circle. Although the treasure was not aboard the ship Ben easily discovered the next clue. After he understood the clue Ben realized that his treasure hunting was over because the map he would need was hidden on the back of the Declaration of Independence in invisible ink. Knowing that it was not possible to get his hands on the Declaration, Ben was ready to give up. His colleague did not agree. Ian Howe who had come along to help Ben decided that he would steal the Declaration, but when Ben would not go through with it he trapped Ben and his friend Riley Poole in the ship which was full of burning gunpowder. After Ben and Riley survived the exploding ship they went to the government to warn them that the Declaration was going to be stolen, but they were assured that the priceless document was safe.

When Ben was unable to convince the government that the Declaration was in danger he realized that the only way to keep the document safe was to steal it himself. He knew it was wrong. He knew it was impossible. He knew it was insane. Stealing the Declaration was not going to be easy so Ben and Riley carefully planned out each step as they prepared for their impossible mission. Unlike Ben, who was planning a stealth mission to steal the document, Ian and his disreputable friends were planning to use force to reach the Declaration. Quickly Ben made his way to the Declaration of Independence but because of Ian's seemingly endless resources he was right behind him. Who would claim the treasure and who would be left behind? One thing is sure, reaching the Declaration was only the beginning of Ben's dangerous journey to the treasure.

Acting in National Treasure is brilliantly done by many great actors including Nicholas Cage who played the part of Ben. The director of the extraordinary film was Jon Turtletaub. National Treasure is a must see movie that will be enjoyed again and again.

National Treasure.......2007-05-07

National Treasure (Full Screen Edition)An Awesome movie for those who enjoy treasure hunting movies as well action/ suspense movies. Nicolas Cage does an excellent job as Benjamin Franklin Gates, a descendant of a family obssessed with finding a lost treasure connected with history. Sean Bean does an excellent job of playing the man obssessed with finding and keeping the treasure, while Nicolas Cage , predictably, plays the one who lives up to the mandate and turns the treasure over the entire world.

Well worth watching with all of the twists and suspense involved in the plot.

An Amusement Park Ride.......2007-05-07

"National Treasure" isn't a bad movie. It's just one of those productions calculated to hit every predictable result in its target audience, as polished and hermetically sealed as the fabled treasure its characters seek. Nicholas Cage, who long ago entertained me somehow in "Valley Girl" and "Raising Arizona," turns in his requisite blank performance as Benjamin Franklin Gates, the last, we're told, of a family of well-to-do, toupeed kooks obsessed with finding the treasure of colonial Free Masons. Perhaps disturbingly, the women of the family are long gone, leaving first Christopher Plummer and then Jon Voight to impart wisdom in their off-kilter ways, though the love interest played by the Keira Knightly-ish (herself rather Winona Ryder-ish) Diana Kruger does her chilly best to keep the boys honest. When Gates is double-crossed by Bond wannabe Sean Bean, things get tense, first as the ex-partners each devise a robbery of the Declaration of Independence and later, when the film gets inspiration from the Indiana Jones series in what looks like the next attraction at Disney World. Director Jon Turteltaub keeps things moving at a brisk pace, helped by a percussive, familiar electronic score, which is good considering the story mostly consists of standard chases and a rundown of clues that seems right out of "Scooby Doo." The mystery itself is as convoluted as they come - you'll give up trying to keep track of things -- though the location shooting, especially in Philadelphia, manages to capture the majesty of America's wonderful historical locations. Supporting efforts from Harvey Keitel, as a tired FBI agent, are largely wasted, though a lot less of Justin Bartha, as the annoying computer nerd, would have been welcome. It really deserves three and a half stars, but four just wouldn't be accurate.

Average customer rating:

Don't know what to make of it
Cage is even worse than in THE WICKER MAN!
good concept, not bad screenplay, but...
whats not to like?
NEXT~another PKD masterpiece manque

Next
Starring: Nicolas Cage , Julianne Moore , Nicolas Pajon , Paul Rae (II) , and José Zúñiga
Director: Lee Tamahori
ProductGroup: Theatrical Release
Binding: Theatrical Release

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ASIN: B00005JPPL

Amazon.com

The weirdness of actor Nicolas Cage and the weirdness of science-fiction author Philip K. Dick seem like a natural fit. The premise, taken from a short story by Dick, is a good one: A mediocre Las Vegas magician named Chris Johnson (Cage) can see into the future--but only about two minutes at the most. Just enough to pull off his act and to make some money at the gambling tables, so long as he's discreet. Unfortunately, he hasn't been discreet enough; a government agent (Julianne Moore) has sussed out his precognitive talent and wants to use him to track down terrorists. But all Johnson cares about is a beautiful young woman (Jessica Biel, The Illusionist) that he can see in his future--much further in his future than he's ever seen before. Next has flashes that point to a much, much better movie than it turned out to be. A sequence in which Johnson, clairvoyantly explores all the different permutations of how he might approach his mystery woman is both funny and thought-provoking, and when Johnson avoids pursuers by knowing just the right moment to turn a corner or duck his head, it's smart and suspenseful. Unfortunately, the terrorist part of the plot is utterly perfunctory and precognition is reduced to an action movie gimmick. Somewhere in there is the kernel of a romantic comedy about precognition that's just waiting to be made. Cage gives a solid if unsurprising performance, Moore is basically earning a paycheck, but Biel is unexpectedly good (and her part is considerably better-written than your usual romantic interest); her performance suggests a better future than anyone might have predicted. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Don't know what to make of it.......2007-06-26

The story premise is simple enough, a small-time magician is born with a gift to see into the future albeit two minutes of it to change his life. By accident, his gift is spotted by the Government Agency, which intends to use that as an avenue to track down the whereabouts of the nuclear bombs planted in LA before it's too late. Furthermore, the terrorists also hunts for him because they want Nicholas' character to be shot before their whereabout is revealed. As the saying goes, I would be buggered if I do & I would be buggered if I don't. Thus, Nicholas needs to be a step ahead of them until he comes across Jessica's character that he's enamoured to. Then, everything become personal. There are odd light hearted moments such as Nicholas considering his chances of breaking ice with Jesicca's character. This is an okay movie rather than great because even after the movie concludes, it's actually suggesting more permutations of the future. The special effects is so-so where we could see what's real and what's not. Commendable watching for watching's sake.

Cage is even worse than in THE WICKER MAN!.......2007-06-15

The basic concept of the film, that Nicholas Cage was born with the ability to see 2 minutes into his own future...and can thus affect the outcome of the future...is kinda fun. That he has become a cheesy Vegas lounge-entertainer / mind-reader in order to elude the notice of the government is just unusual and plausible enough to amuse. It's funny to see Cage on a chintzy stage, performing really bad mind-reading tricks.

But we see these things in the first five minutes of the film...and it is straight downhill from there. It's hard to say enough bad things.

Let's start with Cage himself. He can be a superb screen actor...over the years I've loved him in RAISING ARIZONA, MOONSTRUCK, LEAVING LAS VEGAS and especially ADAPTATION. He was charming in PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED. He brought solid quirkiness to THE ROCK and even the underwhelming NATIONAL SECURITY. But he is on a huge loosing streak right now...GHOST RIDER was pretty bad, but WICKER MAN was laughable, and now NEXT allows him to reach absolute rock bottom. It's hard to imagine an actor looking less interested or engaged in his work. His hang-dog demeanor and droopy eyes now just simply make him look asleep. He also has really bad hair...it makes Tom Hanks in DAVINCI CODE look positively stylish. It is long and black...like bad spray-paint black...the type of hair-dye that community theaters buy at Walgreens. And his skin has a thick layer of the most unconvincing "tan" foundation I've seen in a movie since the days of STAR TREK TOS. He looks, frankly, like a man who is dying of a wasting disease and is trying to cover it. I mostly worried for Nicholas Cage's health watching NEXT. He's just hard to watch.

Julianne Moore is just wasted. She's been making some pretty poor choices lately...I guess the good roles she had been getting for awhile have run out. I think back a few months to CHILDREN OF MEN...a movie I LOVED...and I remember even then thinking the tough, action-minded thing was not her strong suit. Now I'm convinced of it. She is a tough woman, but needs to play it with an edge of fragility. That's what has always made her interesting. She flounders a bit in underwritten, generic roles. Jessica Biel, who helped her case as an actress with THE ILLUSIONIST, fails to convince in her silly role as a sensitive, unassuming young woman who teaches in the Native American villages around the Grand Canyon. There are also ZERO sparks between her and Cage...but that's more the fault of bad writing and bad Cage.

The plot goes from a trifling amusement to just plain ridiculous. There are one or two good ideas...such as late in the film when Cage sends himself in many directions at once to see where the bad guys are hiding. It's a rare moment of marginal originality. The action sequences are few and far between. The special effects are also fairly lame. If you saw the previews for the movie and saw the huge explosion...that's it! It made the film look almost like a disaster movie, with some expectation that the little snippet of film we saw was just a clip from more ambitious scenes of destruction. Nope...you saw it ALL.

Anyway, I've spent too much time on such a forgettable movie. Do not see NEXT. Simple as that.

good concept, not bad screenplay, but..........2007-06-11

typical hollywood junk movie. loud sound track, mucho cgi special
effects, stunts. cage, as usual, did his typical good job, but he's getting older now. moore, as usual, too tiny, too out of place as an fbi agent. biel, big bone, fair features, not bad as a younger actress. the story is too far-fetched; to say it closer, more cliched. hollywood still tried so hard to bash france, made all the terrorists french; another pathetic cliche. when you watched it, lot of scenes and storyline thread just looked too familiar, you've got the impression that some of them you've already seen before in other movie. the tempo of this movie is not bad, it kept you focused to the end.
one thing very funny: cage got into lot of movies with some las vegas background. he's tried 'leaving las vegas' but never really left it.

whats not to like?.......2007-06-10

He can see the immediate future and adjust his actions until the desired consequence is achieved. From that premise we visit Vegas and the Grand Canyon. With plenty of action and convincing performances, Next should have been a blockbuster. The abrupt conclusion leaves one wanting more but makes perfect sense as it is.

NEXT~another PKD masterpiece manque.......2007-06-05

If you've never read any Philip K.Dick[nor know that BLADE RUNNER...the non-Director's/Harrison Ford voice-over narrative original...IS one of cinema's rare & unique sci-fi masterpieces]you may find NEXT narratively and thematically lacking.In a sense,this is like non-chess players saying the game's boring(unintelligible).Anything Philip K. Dick has touched--in my estimate--is,ipso facto,fascinating.NEXT is no cinematic MAN in the HIGH CASTLE but it deals well with some of the author's unending preoccupation with the nature of TIME/REALITY and what it means to be human.

Nicolas Cage is excellent as Cris,man with 2 minute-X-ray eyes into the future.Moore and Biel are fine.The MI of the story...not-so subtly posing the challenge of Responsibility to one's BROTHER in our PM-Yuppie culture of Death(symbolized by terrorists plotting to nuke a city for the "revolution is the final refuge of the criminal-hell of it" nihilism)seems to have escaped purview of reviewers who suffer from a PAST-trap of illiterati-osity whether they know it or not. NEXT,is not movie equivalent of CHECKERS:You have to"know a bit"to see a lot.The movie lacks neither plot/action nor character-thematic gravitas.It's a solid piece of PKD that could've been a masterpiece but nonetheless succeeds in being thought-
provoking and exciting.The Nending is PERFECT.Don't let negative reviews put you off:NEXT(while not in epic category of FORBIDDEN PLANET or 2001)is classic PKD(now acknowledged American literary genius)and is destined for cult status(as unwarped MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH)and superbly suitable for re-viewing(PAWN to KING'S ROOK 4 & 1/2 stars).

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Widescreen Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

One of the seminal teen films of the 80's
Remember the Time...
CLASSIC TEEN COMEDY! THE BEST OF IT'S KIND
The Ultimate High School Movie For ANY Generation
Party On Dude!

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Widescreen Special Edition)
Starring: Sean Penn , Jennifer Jason Leigh , Judge Reinhold , Robert Romanus , and Brian Backer
Director: Amy Heckerling
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00029RTCG
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Amazon.com essential video

Before he became an overrated filmmaker, Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire) was a reporter for Rolling Stone who was so youthful looking that he could go undercover for a year at a California high school and write a book about it. He wrote the script for this film, based on that book, and it launched the careers of several young actors, including Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, and, above all, Sean Penn. The story line is episodic, dealing with the lives of iconic teen types: one of the school's cool kids, a nerd, a teen queen, and, most enjoyably, the class stoner (Penn), who finds himself at odds with a strict history teacher (a wonderfully spiky Ray Walston). This is not a great movie but very entertaining and, for a certain age group, a seminal movie experience. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

One of the seminal teen films of the 80's.......2007-04-13

With teen romps like American Pie and so on and so forth, there are a handful of films to which they owe themselves to. Fast Times at Ridgemont High is one of them, and is notable for the fact alone that it helped launch the careers of many future stars and even Oscar winners. The story follows a group of various teen types; most notably being Jennifer Jason Leigh as a shy, would-be vixen and Sean Penn as the class stoner. Watching the film nowadays sees that it really hasn't aged all that well, but it's still enjoyable thanks mainly to Cameron Crowe's scathing screenplay and Clueless director Amy Heckerling's (in her directorial debut) energetic direction. Also featuring Phoebe Cates, Judge Reinhold, Robert Romanus, and Brian Backer in larger roles, but be on the lookout for small roles and brief appearances from Nicolas Cage, Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, and Anthony Edwards as well.

Remember the Time..........2007-04-07

Finally the high school classic falls under my judgmental eyes. This film, like "The Outsiders," is known mainly for its incredible casting, creating a collection of actors who would go on to win Oscars (Sean Penn, Forest Whitaker) and box office glory (Nicolas Cage and Jennifer Jason Leigh). More a mosaic of high school as opposed to a plot driven production the heart of the story is Stacy (Leigh) who is on a quest for sexual enlightenment and a little bit of romance. Of course it doesn't go well at all and that is the fun of this film. We also get to hang with her sexual guru/clueless know-it-all Linda (a very good Phoebe Cates), party animal Jeff (Penn), her brother and case study in what goes around comes around Brad (Judge Reinhold), and crazed football dude who has a nice car Charles (Whitaker). Stacy bounces from one lover to the next, getting lucky and extremely unlucky at the same time. First she gets decherrified by a significantly older guy in a dugout (like you haven't). Then she moves on to the nice guy who is too sweet to seal the deal. And then to the town shyster who finishes in three seconds flat and leaves her with a bun in the oven. The script by Cameron Crowe is knowing and jaded. Since I am out of high school I see all this as one big joke, a snapshot of a lot of people caring about crap that doesn't even matter. All you're doing with those years is working in fast food, pretending to learn something, and having play relationships with people you couldn't care less about. It is all a joke and it is being played on anybody stupid enough to take it seriously. That is not to say that I think these characters are stupid, they aren't, but they are young and naive and a product of their environment. Jeff does seem to be the only one who sees through the ruse. Not that he is taking a stand against the charade; he just wants to eat his pizza in class and doesn't see the harm in doing so.

This film, like most of Heckerling's work, is breezy and a ball. You don't learn anything but you also don't lose any brain cells in the process either. Also, despite the fact that the main themes are sex, drugs and abortion it maintains that 80's cheesy, wholesome charm. It is about people taking things seriously that should not be taken seriously. It was refreshing to see Sean Penn play a role that wasn't so gosh darn heavy, he plays Jeff and his stoner ways up to the hills and I appreciated it. These kids may represent wasted youth, but youth is only idealized because it is wasted. No respectable adult would get busy in a dugout, and that is the beauty of being young. In a few years these kids will have real problems, but for now their foibles can be laughed at by those of us, at the advanced age of 25, can laugh with an understanding smile. No, this wasn't my high school experience but I can still grasp what they are going through. This film is no masterpiece but is deserves the staying power it has generated. I had fun being nostalgic and thinking back to the good ole days when flipping burgers equated into being a success in life. ***1/2

CLASSIC TEEN COMEDY! THE BEST OF IT'S KIND.......2007-04-06

A classic teen comedy! A very well written film with a great cast. If you haven't seen this one yet, it's long over due!

The Ultimate High School Movie For ANY Generation.......2007-04-02

Before American Pie, before Mean Girls, heck--even before Heathers (or any other teen high school romp movie (except maybe Porky's). This is the penultimate movie that after 25 years (!) is still as fresh as what's in Spicoli's bong! If you've never seen this movie...get on the bus (or get in the van).

Party On Dude!.......2007-03-13

May I say Fast Times at Ridgemont High is an important film? Here we observe American 1980's teenagers in their habitat as they actually are in a Hollywood way I mean. If you don't believe me: check out Shirley Temple in some of her 1940's bobby soxer teenage roles. America had changed in the post-modern world. Party on Sean Penn, dude!

Amy Heckerling has a way with teen actors as we discovered again, later with Clueless. They are innocent and way too mature at the same time. Judge Reinhold is making payments on his boss Buick, working the fast food, and dreaming about greener pastures as his girl is getting same same. Sean Penn battles the strictest teacher at Ridgemont, Our Favorite Martian, Ray Walston. You're a dick dude!

But special mention goes out to an 18 year-old playing a 15 year-old, Jennifer Jason Leigh. She's in a hurry to taste forbidden fruit, first with a slick 26 year-old and then with Robert Romanus, the loud mouth school weasel. In between all the action she falls for a complete nerd, Brian Backer. Full frontal: no problem, but in a teen film in the R rated 1982, that was shocking. You won't see that on the TV version. Oh, Jennifer, you were so like every young thing I ever unzipped. There should be an award just for teen vixen.

Average customer rating:

5 stars for one line
Lotsa action, but that's about it.
Why The Rock deserves to be Criterion
Stupid but slick
Watched it OVER AND OVER!!!!

The Rock
Starring: Sean Connery , Nicolas Cage , Ed Harris , John Spencer , and David Morse
Director: Michael Bay
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6304711891
Release Date: 1997-12-03

Amazon.com

Between his high-octane debut, Bad Boys, and 1998's wannabe blockbuster Armageddon, hotshot director Michael Bay forged his dubious reputation with this crowd-pleasing action extravaganza. In it a psychotically disgruntled war hero (Ed Harris) seizes the island prison of Alcatraz and threatens to wage chemical warfare against nearby San Francisco unless the government publicly recognizes the men who were killed under Harris's top-secret command. Nicolas Cage plays the biochemist who teams up with the only man ever to have escaped from Alcatraz (Sean Connery) in an attempt to foil Harris's terrorist scheme. As one might expect, what follows is an action-packed barrage of bullets, bodies, and climactic confrontations, replete with enough plot contrivances to give even the most jaded action fan cause for alarm. It's a load of hooey, but the cast is obviously having a grand old time, and there's enough wit to make the recycled action sequences tolerable. If you're ordering this movie on DVD, be careful with the volume knobs on your home-theater sound systems, because The Rock could cause partial hearing loss and structural damage to your home. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Hollywood superstar Sean Connery (FINDING FORRESTER) joins Academy Award(R)-winner Nicolas Cage (1995 Best Actor -- LEAVING LAS VEGAS) in the action-packed thriller of the year, THE ROCK! All of San Francisco is taken hostage when a vengeful general (Ed Harris -- A BEAUTIFUL MIND) seizes control of Alcatraz Island, threatening to launch missiles loaded with deadly poison gas! With time running out, only a young FBI chemical weapons expert (Cage) and a notorious federal prisoner (Connery) have the skills to penetrate the island fortress and defuse the lethal situation! Edge-of-your-seat suspense and unstoppable action explode off the screen in this must-see motion picture event!

Customer Reviews:

5 stars for one line.......2007-07-02

I don't like Nicholas cage at all. He is one of the most annoying obnoxious people of all time. I cannot stand his voice or anything else. so I am not talking about the follow up line to the coolest line in this movie or in many other movies.

Do you remember when the man Sean Connery said the following line : "Losers complain Winners Go %&$# the prom queen." That was the best line I have heard in a while. That was great. As far as cage's follow up line who cares. Sean Connery is the man.

I know that wasn't much of a reveiw but that was great.

Lotsa action, but that's about it........2007-05-08

Soldiers dropping like flys, an improbable ending, and restrained acting are the unfortunate highlights of this film. To me at least, the storyline was too weak, or at least the location. Just didn't work for me.

Why The Rock deserves to be Criterion.......2007-04-24

It is the age old question. The first time I ever saw this on a friend's DVD shelf, I though that it must be some old 1930s noir movie titled "The Rock", but no, it was Michael Bay's action movie.

And I love me some Criterion collection, though I have to wonder why they put out The Rock and yet have long neglected Orson Welles' films.

In any case, the reason this movie deserves Criterion status is that it's probably one of the best action movies ever made. If you are looking for slam-bang, hammy acting, bullets everywhere, bad puns, buddy-cop drama, pseudo-governmental double-crossing, well, this is about as good as it gets. Whether or not it's you cup of tea is a different issue. But you just have to read Ebert's review to see why this movie is so damn good.

So buy it, put on your best surround, get an HDTV and watch the flashy explosions.

Stupid but slick.......2007-01-15

This is probably Michael Bay's second best film, behind the original 'Bad Boys' (the sequel to which is surely one of the very worst pieces of "cinema" I've ever had the displeasure of seeing). The reason 'The Rock' falls behind his debut is obvious: Bay can't, to my mind, produce any sort of convincing dramatic effect; what little emotion the movie does evoke comes courtesy of the outstanding cast -- primarily Cage, Connery, and (by far the most of the bunch) Ed Harris. 'Bad Boys', on the other hand, was much more suited to Bay's ludicrous, a.d.h.d mentality; it was bogus, but never strove to be anything more -- and it was fun, and funny.

The concept of 'The Rock' is intriguing and unique, but the problem that reveals itself fairly quickly is that Bay uses it as a catalyst to throw in action scenes around every corner. I personally don't have a problem so much with the sequences themselves being ridiculous. The car chase scene, for example, in which Cage just happens to handle a ferarri (or lamborghini -- not really sure) like a professional driver of whatever sort, making his way through a circus-esque obstacle course of insane proportions, is beyond unrealistic. But hey, Bay's sense of speed and excitement, alongside Hans Zimmers' adrenalized score, provide for good, stupid fun. It's that, following this scene, the action just does not stop, and it's usually far less creative and ambitious. It's just quarrel after quarrel, gun fight after gun fight, and though Bay employs neat tricks here and there that make him a unique director, most of it ends up becoming monotonous and stale.

I don't even know if the film deserves three stars, because it's so hokey and implausible, but, it must be said, 'The Rock' was one of my very favorite movies back in high-school. Bay was also one of my favorite directors at that point, in contrast to my general spite towards the man at the current place in time -- times have changed; it doesn't help that every film proceeding 'The Rock' has been fairly atrocious, either. But the fact remains the man has incredible talent at establishing a particular visual mood and is able to conduct a sequence of shots that provide a rousing, flashy response. The final standoff in the film, as well as the climactic scene of Cage injecting the holy needle into his heart as jets prepare to blow-up the island, is, in its own way, exhillirating and awesomely impressive. But you know what? 'Armageddon' has sequences as such laced with brilliance too, but in the end it doesn't matter much when the overall film is such a turd. 'The Rock' isn't a turd, but it's not one of the greater action flicks out there -- not by a long shot. To my 14 year old self it might be, but to my more evolved, rational brain, it ain't I'm afraid.

Watched it OVER AND OVER!!!!.......2006-11-10

This is a great movie. You sense a lot of sarcasm and cockiness throughout the movie which makes it even more enjoyable. Moments like when Sean Connery comes strolling out saying he's always the one left to the enemy. I watched this movie 5 nights in a row and I laughed and tensed up at the same places every time. This is just an overall good movie. It can get a little gory at times, but nonetheless, a great movie to add to your collection.

Average customer rating:

A horribly boring movie
Is it a history lesson? Perhaps not. An enjoyable film...definitely!
An Action Packed Adventure
National Treasure
An Amusement Park Ride

National Treasure (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Nicolas Cage , Diane Kruger , Justin Bartha , Sean Bean , and Jon Voight
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007L43D2
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

A horribly boring movie.......2007-06-30

Is it a history lesson? Perhaps not. An enjoyable film...definitely!.......2007-06-17

An Action Packed Adventure.......2007-05-21

National Treasure.......2007-05-07

An Amusement Park Ride.......2007-05-07

Average customer rating:

Funniest Movie of All Time
The desert flower of films
Cult classic
I and my wife love this movie.
This is a classically funny movie!

Raising Arizona
Starring: Nicolas Cage , Holly Hunter , Trey Wilson , John Goodman , and William Forsythe
Director: Joel Coen , and Ethan Coen
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comic Criminals | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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Fargo (Special Edition)
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ASIN: 6305499128
Release Date: 1999-08-03

Amazon.com essential video

Blood Simple made it clear that the cinematically precocious Coen brothers (writer-director Joel and writer-producer Ethan) were gifted filmmakers to watch out for. But it was the outrageously farcical Raising Arizona that announced the Coens' darkly comedic audacity to the world. It wasn't widely seen when released in 1987, but its modest audience was vocally supportive, and this hyperactive comedy has since developed a large and loyal following. It's the story of "Ed" (for Edwina, played by Holly Hunter), a policewoman who falls in love with "Hi" (for H.I. McDonnough, played by Nicolas Cage) while she's taking his mug shots. She's infertile and he's a habitual robber of convenience stores, and their folksy marital bliss depends on settling down with a rug rat. Unable to conceive, they kidnap one of the newsworthy quintuplets born to an unpainted-furniture huckster named Nathan Arizona (Trey Wilson), who quickly hires a Harley-riding mercenary (Randall "Tex" Cobb) to track the baby's whereabouts. What follows is a full-throttle comedy that defies description, fueled by the Coens' lyrical redneck dialogue, the manic camerawork of future director Barry Sonnenfeld, and some of the most inventively comedic chase scenes ever filmed. Some will dismiss the comedy for being recklessly over-the-top; others will love it for its clever mix of slapstick action, surreal fantasy, and homespun family values. One thing's for sure--this is a Coen movie from start to finish, and that makes it undeniably unique. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Vowing to go straight, a convenience store banditt (Nicolas Cage) proposes marriage to the police departments photographer (Holly Hunter). All is wedded bliss until they discover she's unable to get pregnant and are turned down by every adoption agency in town. It does not take long before they realize the only solution is to kidnap one of the town's celebrated quintuplets and hit the road!

Customer Reviews:

Funniest Movie of All Time.......2007-06-25

Seriously...even better than the classics...Caddyshack, etc.

This is one smart, funny movie that will stand the test of time.

The desert flower of films.......2007-04-04

Take it from me, I have seen ALOT of movies in my time and this has got to be my secret all time favorite. Its just so well made, from the score, the cast, the story, the cinematography, the pace, the mood... I honestly don't know if I have seen a better film. If you like this flick or any Coen film really, check out Magnolia by P.T. Anderson also. :)

A flawless accomplishment.

Cult classic.......2007-04-02

how can you not love this movie, makes me laugh everytime. Even though I've seen it a few times.

I and my wife love this movie........2007-03-25

Great movie and I believe one of Cage's classic proformances. I'm not into watching a movie over and over but this one I can take lots of.

This is a classically funny movie!.......2007-03-25

This movie will never go out of date!!! It is so good! A must see! I bought this movie for my 23 year old daughter, by request, for christmas.

Average customer rating:

I'm stuck on Moonstruck
DVD Quality
A different romance
One of my all-time favorites
Great Watch.

Moonstruck
Starring: Cher , Nicolas Cage , Vincent Gardenia , Olympia Dukakis , and Danny Aiello
Director: Norman Jewison
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: 0792838963
Release Date: 1998-06-30

Amazon.com essential video

Remember the outfit Cher wore to the Oscars when she won an Academy Award for her performance in this 1987 film? Ay-yi-yi. The actress' more retiring character in this infectious comedy leaps several psychological hurdles just giving her hair a permanent. But then the original screenplay by John Patrick Shanley (Joe Versus the Volcano) is a wonderful, gently satirical tale of an Italian-American family dealing with repression and dissatisfaction against a backdrop of cultural expectations. Cher is focused and funny as a widow who feels she should marry an older fellow (Danny Aiello), but then falls for his black-sheep brother (Nicolas Cage). Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia are perfect as her parents, and John Mahoney (of TV's Frasier) has a memorable, small role as a middle-aged man on the make who gets a lecture from Dukakis's character. Shanley's dialogue is comically stylized in a way that makes one appreciate how much words can inform an actor's performance. Taking its cues from him and director Norman Jewison (And Justice for All), the cast immerse themselves in a pool of hilariously operatic emotion. --Tom Keogh

Description

Fall under the delightful spell of Moonstruck, the mesmerizing romantic comedy from director Norman Jewison (Fiddler on the Roof) and OscarÂ(r) winner* John Patrick Shanley. Academy AwardÂ(r) winners** Cher, Nicolas Cage and Olympia Dukakis excel in this explosively funny tale which also features flawless performances by Danny Aiel