Richie Rich

Starring:Macaulay Culkin, John Larroquette, Edward Herrmann, Christine Ebersole, Jonathan Hyde, Michael McShane, Chelcie Ross, Mariangela Pino, Stephi Lineburg, Michael Maccarone, Joel Robinson (II), Jonathan Hilario, Reggie Jackson, Claudia Schiffer, Wanda Christine, Stacy Logan, Eddie Bo Smith Jr., Kent Logsdon, Sean A. Tate, David Fawcett
Director: Donald Petrie
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

A fairly good job at telling the Cherokee story
At last!
Thought provoking
Best film of the betrayal of the Cherokees by US Gov't
An excellent overview of Cherokee history and the Trail of Tears

The Trail of Tears: Cherokee Legacy
Starring: James Earl Jones
Director: Chip Richie
Manufacturer: RICH-HEAPE FILMS, INC.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

500 Nations
The Last of His Tribe
I Will Fight No More Forever
Dreamkeeper
Skins

ASIN: B000ELJ3E4
Release Date: 2006-02-01

Customer Reviews:

A fairly good job at telling the Cherokee story.......2007-04-11

This DVD gives a general overview of the story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears. It is a documentary and uses actors to portray some historical characters and you can hear comments from some people who could be termed 'experts' in this area. I liked being able to hear from an ancestor of John Ross and the past leader of the Cherokee nation, Wilma Mankiller, as well as the present principal chief, Chad Smith. Atleast he was the chief at the time of the film.
There were also other university people and Cherokee tribal members who gave some thoughts and anecdotes. The program was hosted by Wes Studi, one of my favorite actors, who did a part of the narration, speaking in his own native tongue, Cherokee! I liked that part. James Earl Jones, who is part Cherokee, does the general narration.
The DVD wasn't quite what I expected, some of it seemed a little low-budget to me, but it's a good overview of an American story that should be told. So I recommend it for that.

At last!.......2007-02-20

At last a really good resource for all of those interested in The Trail of Tears and related issues. This is a must for anyone who wishes to understand more about what the trail really means and the injustice and suffering that it represents. An excellent product that successfully raises awareness about this important period of time - highly recommended. I am not Cherokee or even from the United States but I think that this is a story that we could all learn from.

Thought provoking.......2006-12-13

This was a good movie/documentary. I liked the usage of the Cherokee language because I am studying it and it's nice to hear it spoken in fluency. The mixture of history, scholars, and family oral stories is done well.

Best film of the betrayal of the Cherokees by US Gov't.......2006-12-11

Iam sending all of my relatives a copy. Iam a registered Cherokee (Western-Tahlequah)tribal member. This film is the best I have ever seen. I'am still shocked at how the US Gov't knowingly betrayed us for our land and gold, and put small-pox in our blankets to kill us off. US gov't has never changed. Hearing the Cherokee language spoken was a wonder to me, as I had never really heard it before. This is a best-gold star film.

An excellent overview of Cherokee history and the Trail of Tears .......2006-10-27

This is an excellent film for anyone interested in learning about the history of the tribes that were removed from their ancestral lands.

It is comprenhensive and has some excellent scholars and credible historians providing great detail as to what led to the historical atrocity known as the Trail of Tears.

Many people died during the summer of 1838 and it seemed few cared about this. No one attempted to really stop it which is the sad part about it.

It is believed that at least 4,000 Cherokee Indian people died during the removals to the west. This is a historical fact that few people seem to be aware of.

It is a sad reality that must be faced and restituion is most certainly due to those involved in this genocidal aspect of American history.

I find it almost amazing to know that this occurred less than 200 years ago and that so very few people seem to know or care about what happened. Genocide is ugly but is has a face that will never go away.

Average customer rating:

Good Family Fun
Macaulay Culkin's last movie for 9 years
Funny as your friend getting kicked in the stones!
A Fine Film, If Not 100% True to the Cartoon
Even for a Kid's Movie, This Film is Lame

Richie Rich
Starring: Macaulay Culkin , John Larroquette , Edward Herrmann , Christine Ebersole , and Jonathan Hyde
Director: Donald Petrie
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Richie Rich's Christmas Wish
Blank Check
First Kid
Camp Nowhere
Dennis the Menace (Special Edition)

ASIN: B0006J28MI
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Customer Reviews:

Good Family Fun.......2007-01-21

Great movie for the family. Positive message about it not being what you have, but what you have inside you. Also the proverbial good guy wins theme

Macaulay Culkin's last movie for 9 years .......2006-09-03

This is what you might call as Macaulay Culkin's farewell to childhood, or his life as a child actor, by making this movie, and then not appearing in another movie for 9 long years, and even in that period of time, there might have been plenty of fans that forgotten him until he made and released Party Monster in 2003, but that movie really doesn't have much to do this movie, and I bet even at the end of 1994, that people where saying and thinking that this would be Macaulay Culkin's last ever movie or even as a child actor, even through he reached the age of 14 on August 26th, 1994. The movie is Richie Rich, where you might also see two cent signs in place of the two c's in the title. At the beginning of the movie Ritchie Rich is born to Richard (Edward Herrmann) and Regina Rich (Christine Ebersole) , and then 12 years later it looks like he has everything, he has his own butler Herbert Cadbury (Jonathan Hyde), and is the richiest kid in the world, but where are his friends? Oh yeah, he doesn't have any, not like he is mean, his father saved a company from going out of busines, but can't be at the grand re-openning so he sends Richie who even spends time playing baseball, and spots local kids playing baseball, but because of his busy schedule he is not allowed to even join in the game. So he decicees that this is the missing part of his life. And along being the heir to his family riches, he even has a cool satellite-driven Dadlink, that is acomputer system, that tracks down Richard from wherever he is, so Richie can chat with him as he wishes too, when his Dad is out on the road. And there is family inventor Professor Keenbean (Michael McShane), who is apart of Richie's life, and is his teacher in chemistory class. But then his whole family including Richie is invited to tea and crimpits with the queen of England, and his Dad's own presonal advisor (John Larroquette), has had enough of his employer's philanthropic investments and charitable contributions, and he wants to get to thier hidden vault, so he decides to kill the family by placing a gift in thier airplane with a bomb, but when Richie looks upset, about his lastest go round trying to make friends, Cadbury asks his Mom's premisson to keep him home from the trip, so he can keep his busy with a schedule and she agrees, and then they take off, unaware of wait is waitng for them on the plane. Cadbury even manges to convince a kids that they saw play basbeall, and tried to make friends, but they turned him down the day before, to play with Richie, and well you should get where the movie is going from here, but please if oyu want to watch the movie, watch it to find out what happens next, and if you like any of the cast member,s that is good enough reason to watch this film.

Funny as your friend getting kicked in the stones!.......2006-01-04

This movie moved me. It moved me to tears. The story of Richard Rich is a tragic one. A child and raised without knowing a mother's embrace or a father's guidance. This young lad had his father's love replaced with diamonds and his mother's care replaced with duckets.
While it is true that the movie almost makes light of these facts, I was able to see past the pseudo front act that this movie puts out to see what the producer was really saying.
This movie is dramatic, painful, and at times, depressing. Between this and Shindler's List, I am not sure how we got out of the 90's!

A Fine Film, If Not 100% True to the Cartoon.......2005-12-03

Richie Rich is the world's poor little rich boy. He's the richest kid on Earth, but all he really wants are friends (well, he's got everything else). He spends his days living by a meticulous schedule that sometimes even includes filling in for his father at public appearances. His wealthy schoolmates are just as busy as he is and not quite as desperate to do "regular kid things" as Richie. While filling in for his father at a public event, however, Richie takes notice of some inner-city, street-wise kids playing baseball in a vacant lot nearby and makes an attempt to join in. They soon make it clear that he does not belong, and poor Richie goes home in despair. Seeing his disappointment, Richie's protective and caring butler, Cadbury, makes arrangements for the kids to come to the Rich family mansion and spend a day with the boy, much to Richie's joy and surprise! The gang of kids have a ball riding Richie's rollercoaster, trying out his kid-a-pult, and eating in his own, personal McDonald's. At the end of the day, Richie's new friends have accepted him as being just another regular kid, though they more than appreciate the benefits that come with his friendship. Still, feisty redhead Gloria, self-appointed leader of the bunch, makes it clear that they like Richie more for who he is than for all the neat stuff he has. Richie doesn't have much time to be happy about that, though. Word soon arrives that Richie's parents, benign but sometimes clueless Richard and Regina Rich, were victims of an assassination attempt and are now lost at sea and assumed dead. As the Riches survive in a life raft on Perrier and champagne, Richie is forced to take over the family company and keep it safe from malicious top executive Lawrence Van Dough, who planned the attack on Richie's parents in the first place. Luckily, with his new friends' help, Richie turns out to be a business whiz! Richie has to become even more assertive when Cadburry is framed and locked up for the murder of Richie's parents though. Some help from in-house inventor Professor Keenbean allows Richie to break Cadburry out, but matters become even more complicated when the Rich parents finally are rescued by the villainous Van Dough and his cronies themselves, purely so they can open the voice-activated lock on the family vault in Mt. Richmore. Now, Richie and his crew must prove their mettle and save Richie's parents and fortune from a criminal desperate to do anything to have it all!

After the wonderful holiday films "Home Alone" and "Home Alone 2" turned child-actor Macaulay Culkin into an instant superstar, he sadly seemed incapable of having another success. 1994's "Richie Rich" was just one example of several films the young actor made after his big Christmas hits that failed to strike a chord with movie going audiences or critics. Sadly, "Richie Rich" is really a great film. While not a perfect adaptation of the comic and cartoon (the villainous Van Dough is an adult exec here rather than a rotten cousin, Gloria is unfortunately a cute but street-sassy tomboy with a last-name change rather than Richie's sweet and femininely dressed girlfriend, and Irona the robot maid/bodyguard is nowhere to be seen until the direct to video "sequel"), the performances, particularly the adult ones, are fantastic, fun, well developed and well fleshed-out considering their cartoon origins, and easily carry the very basic cartoon plot. The humor and emotion is well-written, even if it's an age-old story of the rich kid who just wants friends. And, of course, the sights are the icing on the cake, from the kooky inventions of Professor Keenbean to the glorious Rich Family Estate (actually the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina), not to mention the world's only Dollarmation, Richie's dog, Dollar! The DVD is in widescreen and includes one Bonus Feature, which is the theatrical trailer. Hey, "Richie Rich" isn't rocket science, but it's a feast for the eyes and a fun family fantasy from beginning to end that brings back childhood memories of Saturday morning cartoons and Harvey comics, and with actors like Edward Herrmann, John Larroquette, and Jonathan Hyde in a live-action cartoon, you know you're in for a treat!

Even for a Kid's Movie, This Film is Lame.......2005-10-11

Ouch! We can add another batch of compost to the trash heap that is Macaulay Culkin's career. While he may have been somewhat entertaining in HOME ALONE, by the time RICHIE RICH was made, Culkin's lack of real depth is on full display. While I won't say that this is the worst kid's movie I have ever seen, it is definitely up there.

I agree with other reviewers that speak about the film's mixed messages. For example, we are supposed to believe that a man who has singlehandedly built an empire that could topple other nations is completely disinterested in money & wealth, choosing instead to lock up his memories in his secret vault and spend all of his time canoodling with his wife. Moreover, there is a problem surrounding Richie's dilemma. It is an old one: the rich kid with no friends. Richie just wants to play baseball like everyone else. The movie is, to a large extent, a resolution of that problem. What's the solution? Have your father build a baseball diamond in your backyard, furnish your friends with uniforms, and allow you all to have a ball (complete with an in-house umpire). The message: money can't buy you love. But, oh boy, does it help!

I remember really enjoying the cartoon while I was a kid, but this film fails to recreate the "feeling" of those comics. Instead, it exploits the few talents Culkin has and goes for the classic, boring family movie. Don't bother with RICHIE RICH. You're better off sticking to other gems in Culkin's trash-pile, such as HOME ALONE or HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK.

Average customer rating:

Weird and wild
Well made documentary of a world of mistakes
A Waste of Money
michael alig dvds
Vey Cool

Party Monster - The Shockumentary
Starring: Michael Alig , James St. James , Gitsie , Keoki , and Eric Bernat
Director: Fenton Bailey , and Randy Barbato
Manufacturer: Picture This
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Party Monster
Party Monster: A Fabulous But True Tale of Murder in Clubland
Clubland: The Fabulous Rise and Murderous Fall of Club Culture
Party Monster
Freak Show

ASIN: B0000C23GA
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Description

The original documentary about NY club impresario Michael Alig that inspired the upcoming motion picture of the same name starring Macauley Culkin and Seth Green.

Customer Reviews:

Weird and wild.......2007-06-09

If you are interested in 1990s New York club life, the "club kids", or sordid tales of drugs and murder, this is the DVD to check out.

Well made documentary of a world of mistakes.......2007-05-21

There is a Monty Python skit where a young felon is being arrested by the police. Someone remarks, "Society is to blame." "Well, we'll be arresting him, too." I kept thinking of that skit while watching this movie. Why, I wondered, was it possible for any of the people in this documentary to become famous? Ultimately Michael Alig had to take responsibility for murdering fellow Club Kid and drug dealer Angel Melendez, but for some unfathomable reason Alig was a celebrity murderer. My bafflement wasn't merely because neither he nor any of the other people in this film deserved in any way to be famous. They had not, after all, achieved anything, done anything of importance, made the world a better or more wondrous place, or shown themselves to be in any real way to be interesting people. Their only apparent talent was for engaging in more and more extreme behavior. But my concern is not just that none of them deserved any kind of fame; my concern is why our society enabled them to become famous in the first place.

Perhaps there are ideas in Debord's THE SOCIETY OF THE SPECTACLE that would explain this. Perhaps he and his colleagues could explain why people could become famous and notorious simply for being over the top. It is a baffling form of fame. There are parallels with Dandyism in the 19th century, but I doubt of these people have heard of Huysmans let alone À REBOURS. The documentary was fascinating if only for presenting an endless string of inconceivably unimpressive bores addicted to surpassing limits. The idea that kept passing through my brain was how dull they all must be, how empty they all must have felt, to be possessed with the need to surpass all boundaries just to make themselves feel special. To do these things to make some sort of personal statement seemed tantamount to shouting, "I have no other statement to make than this!" Their activities seemed acts of nihilism.

In short, this is an interesting movie about some dramatically dull and uninteresting people, who were willing to go to almost any extreme to make themselves envied by people who didn't know any better. The filmmakers tell the story well and you get a real sense of what transpired. To their credit they do not make the Party Kids seem interesting or enviable. I can't imagine anyone watching this movie and saying, "Dang, I wish I'd been a part of that!" And nothing makes Michael Alig an especially likable person.

A Waste of Money.......2006-07-02

Since this story has been told a hundred times before, I expected something more from the documentary. Perhaps a more perceptive analysis, or something that would explain the mind of the sociopath that is Michael Alig. It is worthy only for the ability to see a group of shallow individuals devoid of empathy. These are a group of "jumped up nothings" as the British would say, and it appears that the ones who aren't dead haven't learned much. The most frightening parts of the DVD are the current interviews of a delusional Alig who still envisions himself as somewhat of a star. He laughs, while hystrionically recounting horrific events in his life, and gloats over how many drugs he could consume. Yet brushes aside the murder of Angel with the pitiful confession that he has "bad dreams." Listening to his Baby Jane-esque mother who also wallowed in the club kid scene, might help explain why the bad seed, knew no boundaries. I would have liked to have learned what exactly happened besides the drugs to make Alig devoid of humaness. But at the end of the documentary all you wonder is why Alig wasn't given the death penalty. Even clean and sober, there seems to be nothing salvageable about this man. With his degree of narcissism, I have no doubt that he could kill again. Watch the story on Biography and save your money.

michael alig dvds .......2006-01-11

http://brianmills.com/michaelalig.htm

Vey Cool.......2005-11-13

This is a great documentary. After you've seen it the first time, be sure to watch it again with James St. James's super-catty comentary. For example, when Angel's brother Johnny starts to weep for Angel, James comments,"Johnny, what is that HAIR?!". Mee-OOOOOOOW!!!!

Average customer rating:

Its excellent but I cant give it 5 stars!
Great Movie
A modern take on "Its a Wonderfull Life"...
Don't Make Time For This.
Not As Good As The Last, but good

Richie Rich's Christmas Wish
Starring: David Gallagher , Eugene Levy , Keene Curtis , Jake Richardson , and Martin Mull
Director: John Murlowski
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Richie Rich
Dennis the Menace Strikes Again
First Kid
Blank Check
All I Want for Christmas

ASIN: B00006G8K2
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Amazon.com

Richie Rich may be the richest kid in the world, yet it's Christmas and the kind-hearted lad wants to share his wealth with a group of orphan boys. Until, that is, his greedy cousin Reggie Van Dough sabotages his gift-giving plans by running Richie's sleigh into a ravine. Unaware of Reggie's evil deed, the town turns against Richie, who soon wishes that he'd never been born. Unfortunately, his wish is granted and, like George Bailey, Richie gets a taste of what life is like without himself in the picture. It's a world turned upside-down with egomaniacal Reggie calling the shots, bullying the police and renaming the town Reggieville. Only Professor Keenbean's wishing machine could set things right, but time is running out--the machine loses all its wishing power at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve. This madcap misadventure, with a nod to film classics It's a Wonderful Life and Back to the Future (note the time-space continuum), never pretends to achieve the greatness of such predecessors. Instead, the spirited family romp dishes up enough slapstick gaffes, action-packed chases, and over-the-top gizmos to leave audiences sufficiently charmed. The cast seems to relish the script's fast-moving silliness as well. David Gallagher (Seventh Heaven) as Richie is more colorful and unrestrained than Macaulay Culkin in the 1994 prequel. And although Jake Richardson's role as mean-spirited Reggie is so forced as to become tiresome, Keene Curtis is sensational as Richie's personal valet, Cadbury. This is one of (executive producer) Haim Saban's finer moments; the film abounds with Christmas cheer. --Lynn Gibson

Description

When Richie foolishly wishes he'd never been born, Professor Keanbean's wishing machine actually grants Richie's wish!

DVD Features:
DVD ROM Features:Two happy holiday interactive movie adventures: "The Hunt for Richville's Scrooge" and "Richie's Christmas Extravaganza"
Interactive Menus
Scene Access

Customer Reviews:

Its excellent but I cant give it 5 stars!.......2004-12-02

Richie Rich's Christmas Wish is a great movie. I really enjoyed it as it kept me entertained while I had the flu. I was laughing in alot of parts and it has a very interesting plot. It is true as one reviewer said, this movie in a way symbolizes Its a Wonderful Life but I enjoyed this one more because I cant stand sitting down to watch a Black and White film that was made in like the prehistoric years! I like this 7th Heaven dude better than the Home Alone dude because he fits the role of Richie Rich better. I recommend you to watch it. I watched it the other day on national television. It rocks!

Great Movie.......2003-10-12

My family and i have enjoyed Richie rich's x-mas wish since it came out. It is a great holiday experience for the whole entire family. And David Gallagher and Michelle Tractenberg couldnt have been better. I enjoyed this movie and hope other have or will enjoy it too!!

A modern take on "Its a Wonderfull Life"..........2001-12-17

Though not anywhere near as good or as affective.

The story is a little different, but much the same. Richie Rich wishes that he was never born and it comes true, not by an angel though, but by a wish machine. And then realizes how wonderfull life reall is... Also things that make this movie not so good is the fact that it has cheezy dialogue(even for a G rating, they could have got better dialogue),bad effects,and a mediocre take on "Its a Wonderfull Life" chances are children will like this playfull romp. If they can't sit through and appreciate "Its a wonderfull Life" maybe they'll appreciate this, even if you can't.

God Bless ~Amy

Don't Make Time For This........2001-01-13

In December, I am a pushover for movies that have something to do with Christmas. I am sad to say that this was almost a complete waste of time. The plot is to old, and the story is quite thin. The ending does not even carry much weight. The only thing that saves this from being a complete disaster is that there are some comical moments, as well as some interesting interaction amongst the characters. Don't cut into your Christmas Preperation time for this one.

Not As Good As The Last, but good.......2000-11-12

The last Richie Rich topped this one, but this one is pretty good. David Gallagher was probably as good as a replacement you could have gotten for Macullay Culkin. This movie has great actors that added major points like David, Jake Richardson and Michelle Tractenberg. Its a good kids holiday movie.

Average customer rating:

Meh.
Lacks Consistency.
Exquisitely crafted and heartwarming surprise
Dig Deep
i've seen this four times

One Last Thing...
Starring: Michael Angarano , Cynthia Nixon , Sunny Mabrey , Matt Bush (II) , and Gideon Glick
Director: Alex Steyermark
Manufacturer: Magnolia
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Brick
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The Sentinel (Widescreen Edition)
Match Point
Failure to Launch (Special Collector's Edition)

ASIN: B000F4RHAM
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Product Description

When he gets a chance to make a wish on national television, the terminally ill Dylan (Michael Angarano, WILL AND GRACE) surprises everyone when he requests a weekend with his favorite swimsuit model (Sunny Mabrey). As Dylan prepares for his big weekend, his mother Carol (Cynthia Nixon, SEX AND THE CITY) tries to deal with losing her son.

System Requirements:

Running Time 93 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

The premise sounds like the most crass 1980s teen sex comedy imaginable: A teenage boy dying of cancer makes a last wish to spend a weekend alone with a supermodel. Yet One Last Thing... is neither crass nor a sex comedy, but rather a surprisingly touching exploration of taking chances, mortality, spirituality, and the price of love. Dylan (Michael Angarano, Sky High) has been granted a conventional dying wish by a foundation, but at the televised press conference he changes his mind and asks for a weekend with blond sex symbol Nikki Sinclair (Sunny Mabrey, Snakes on a Plane). The consequences unfold realistically: The supermodel (who has her own problems) and her agent (Gina Gershon, Bound) show up for a brief photo opportunity, then split--but Dylan, with the help of his friends, goes to New York to follow up on her promise to go out with him if he visits. The core of One Last Thing... is Dylan's relationship with his mother (Cynthia Nixon, Sex and the City), one of the most real and affecting mother-son relationships on film. The actors--including an uncredited Ethan Hawke (Before Sunset)--are uniformly excellent, giving this potentially absurd set-up a remarkable emotional integrity. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Meh........2007-04-10

There was promise at the beginning that this could be a good non-sentimental movie about a young boy coming to terms with his imminent death. So, we have to suspend our disbelief when he takes off for New York to woo a supermodel. Alright, I can do that. But then we have to add in a bit of a subplot with the old mom going for evening strolls with the good-looking football player. It was really one too many impossible relationships for me to buy into. The movie went all over the place, and not in a good way. Felt like they were BSing their way through to the end of the movie. And all the flashback/hallucinations got tiresome fast. It's not that there weren't any redeeming qualities to the movie, but that those qualities were diluted and squandered by the end.

Lacks Consistency........2007-01-23

In ONE LAST THING, Dylan (Michael Angarano) is a teenager who is dying of terminal brain illness. At a Make-A-Wish-type organization, Dylan is expected to ask to spend a day fishing with a professional football player he has idolized for years. Prompted by a conversation with his two best friends earlier, Dylan instead wishes that he would like to spend one evening alone with supermodel Nikki Sinclaire (Sunny Mabrey). The foundation people are shocked as is Dylan's mother, Carol (Cynthia Nixon). However, the announcement quickly makes Dylan a mini-celebrity for having the balls to ask for something that apparently every guy on the planet would want. Eventually, Carol goes along with her son's wish and does everything she can to help him see it become a reality. Meanwhile, Nikki's life is in major turmoil. She's gained the reputation of being a diva and no amount of booze, drugs, or sex with her current boy toy seem to help. She's dropped from a major gig. Her publicist, after hearing of Dylan's request, sees it as the perfect PR opportunity for Nikki to revamp her career. They meet and greet and take a photo and leave. Everyone's happy, right? Not quite. Dylan's determined to spend an evening with Nikki and leaves for a trip with his two friends to New York City to convince her to spend one evening with him. Of course, all the while Dylan's headaches are getting worse and he keeps seeing images of his dead father.

I'll give ONE LAST THING credit for trying to be a resonant film full of dark comedy that doesn't treat its subject matter lightly. Dylan is going to die and the film goes into detail exploring how the boy faces death.

However, despite this attempt ONE LAST THING really doesn't work and I did not enjoy it very much. It got better half-way through, but it never did grab my attention. One might wonder why because the cast is excellent, the writing is decent, and there is both witty comedy and serious drama involved. The pacing feels right and the look of the film doesn't seem out of the place.
Nevertheless, the movie never really gels; it never finds a consistent tone. If the film were a novel one would say that the authors fail to show any sign of an original style. The filmmakers behind ONE LAST THING are relatively new, so style isn't an issue, yet, but tone is. The movie deals with some important issues and has some black humorous moments, but the two never mesh. One moment the movie feels like a serious drama, the next it seems like it longs to be a dark comedy. Back and forth. Up and down. There is no consistency.

It should also be noted that even though the movie has sometimes been promoted as having a "spiritual" message, it does not. Several times in the movie Dylan is given an opportunity to explore spirituality, but he rejects each attempt. He makes it very clear that he doesn't believe in God. Yet, when he dies he appears to go to Heaven where his earthly father is waiting. To some it might appear that this is a spiritual moment, but in reality it is not. It is a blatant promotion of universalism.

Exquisitely crafted and heartwarming surprise.......2006-12-14

Since the earliest days of theater, tragedy and comedy often go hand-in-hand, and it's at the heart of this story. As they say, "you'll laugh, you'll cry." The power of this film comes from the script by Barry Stringfellow and a brilliant cast, led by Michael Angarano. Arguably the most sought-after teenage actor in America, Angarano is finally beginning to tackle some powerful leading roles. As Sky High's Will and Lords of Dogtown's Sid we saw just a hint of the powerful range of Angarano's abilities, and in One Last Thing he uses both his comedic talents as well as dramatic ones in a way that we haven't really seen before. If you liked Sid, you'll love Dylan.

Angarano has an uncanny ability to make us laugh when we want to cry and to make us cry when we want to laugh. It's a real gift, and one which is evident in films like Dear Wendy and Lords of Dogtown. But here is able to use that gift from opening to closing credits. Anyone who has seen his films will not be surprised at how elegantly he slips into this character, but no doubt others who are not as familiar with his body of work will discover what many already know.

To say that this is a film about a boy's carnal desires in his last days is to miss the point. Even more than that, One Last Thing is about coping with loss - a son's loss of his father and a mother's loss of her son. It's also about the search for love. "Carpe diem," if you will. The mother here is Cynthia Nixon, who is absolutely heartbreaking in a performance that can only come from deep within. This is a role that lesser actors would find daunting. Who among us hasn't experienced a similar loss? On the other hand, nothing can compare to seeing your child go before you do.

The "love object" (of Dylan - there are others here) is played by Sunny Mabrey. She is the image that has been but a poster on his wall, and his quest to fulfill his dream is only as powerful in its resolution as Mabrey is in her ability to make a petulant supermodel a sympathetic character. But she pulls it off effortlessly. Dylan's partners in crime are his two best buds, Slap and Ricky (Gideon Glick and Matt Bush), who provide much of the comic relief in what would otherwise have threatened to be a heavy-handed statement on death and spiritual belief. Their lines elicit the most laughs and the fact that these were two "real" teenagers, both acting in their first film, gives their performances a ring of truth which more jaded veterans might actually have had to fight to find.

But what struck me more than anything was just how incredibly economical Steyermark and editor Michael Berenbaum are in their work. This is one of the most efficiently constructed films I've ever seen. The tendency lately seems to be to build slowly, sometimes spending up to a third of the film on character development before you begin to see the story unfold. Not here. The basic plot is presented in the very first scene, literally in the opening minutes of the film. From that point on not a moment is wasted - not a shot, not a line, not a frame. Every second here is valuable to the story and yet nothing feels rushed. What a breath of fresh air this was in a season of pretentious, "look-at-me-I'm-an-indie-filmmaker" projects.

Don't let the "teen sex comedy" cover fool you. This is a dark comedy in the true sense of the word, packed with the kind of gallows humor that is made especially poignant when the subject is a high school kid. I was moved by One Last Thing, and it will leave you thinking - in my book, the definition of a film that has hit its mark.

Dig Deep.......2006-06-16

I can understand how at first glance the premise and trailer for this movie may be dismissed as a light hearted teen comedy. But to simply watch the trailer and move on would be a big mistake. This movie simply has much more depth than that. The film deals with death and relationships from a number of perspectives and the story nicely resolves like a well-crafted piece of music. The writing, casting and directing all combine to give well thought-out characters. The characters Dylan, Slap and Ricky realistically portray typical teenager's light-hearted views on life and keep the movie grounded. Cynthia Nixon gives an unselfish performance as a single mother juggling her sons disease and his quest for life. Sunny Mabrey plays the complex supermodel that is her own worst enemy. Ethan Hawke gives an excellent cameo as Dylan's father, a character that for me was central to the entire story. Some of the best characters are the bit parts, Caoti Mundi as the Bellhop in New York, Wyclef as the cab driver and especially Michael Rispoli brilliantly cast as the non-krishna spiritual advisor.
Oh, and speaking of well crafted music, the final song from Wyclef is the perfect finishing song that was obviously inspired from a beautiful script.

i've seen this four times.......2006-06-15

And it keeps getting better. I, too, thought the premise was an eye-roll. and the poster didn't help. but from the opening credits til the last, great closing credits song by wyclef jean, i found a sweet, smart, sad, and very funny movie. the writing is amazing. my teenage brothers were stunned, and thrilled, to find realistic teen dialogue and comraderie. and on top of that, they all admitted getting teary eyed, right along with me. as a mom, i was slayed by the scenes with cynthia nixon and michael angarano. there are so many lessons and wisdom to be heard here.cool, if you're into that. if, instead, you just want to watch a really entertaining movie with a great soundtrack and sublime acting, see "one last thing..."

Native American Healing in the 21st Century

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Native Healing Celebrated

Native American Healing in the 21st Century
Director: Dr. Ron J. Anderson , and Chip Richie
Manufacturer: Rich-Heape Films, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Fitness & Yoga | Genres | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Interests | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video
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Native American Medicine
Dreamkeeper
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ASIN: B0001ZJQ9A
Release Date: 2004-03-25

Customer Reviews:

Native Healing Celebrated.......2006-11-05

After centuries of colonialist suppression, more Americans are beginning to realize that Native health practices may be effective. This documentary never says one method is better than another; it celebrates having choices.

The documentary interviews Natives and whites, women and men. Still, most of the Native healers shown were female and I wonder if that is a part of tribal tradition, a bit like how midwifery was traditionally done by women in Euro-America. This film celebrates the ways of Asians, Africans, and the indigenous people of Latin America, thus it promote person-of-color unity. One man spoke in front of a herd of docile buffalo. If I were part of a species that was almost wiped out by humans, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near them. Why did they have to be hunted if they are as passive as they are in this work?

This documentary was a bit short. It would be great for New Age advocates or science classes with mostly Native students to see.

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Kangaroo Jack/Richie Rich
Starring: Jerry O'Connell , Anthony Anderson , Estella Warren , Christopher Walken , and Marton Csokas
Director: David McNally (II) , and Donald Petrie
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( K ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B0007VY4CC
Release Date: 2005-05-10

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Bon Jovi CMT Pick
Starring: Sugarland
Manufacturer: Country Music Television
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

Lost Highway

ASIN: B000S7OEF2

Product Description

Join the band in the rehearsal studio for an xclusive performance. Then sit down with Jon, Richie, David, and tico as they discuss everything from their new album to sustaining their career throughout the years. lastly, Bon Jovi and Sugarland team up to perform on the CMT Crossroads Special. (1) Who Says You Can't Go Home, (2) It's My Life, (3) Wanted Dead Or Alive, (4) Lost Highway, (5) You Want To Make A Memory, (6) Whole Lotta Leavin' (7) Band Interview, (8) Who Says You Can't Go Home (with Sugarland) - from "Crossroads"

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Richie Rich

Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Kids & Family | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000GAKBNK
Release Date: 2005-09-06

High Siden 2 Return of the Ryders Sideshow Dvd

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High Siden 2 Return of the Ryders Sideshow Dvd

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

Hyfie Train
Ryde by Myself
Hyfie Girls
Raider Night
Get stupid

ASIN: B000S15TMU

Product Description

HIGH SIDE'N 2 -RETURN OF THE RYDERS- THE INFAMOUS OAKLAND SIDESHOW. REALITY TV FOR THE HYPIE GENERATION. WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF THE INFAMOUS OAKLAND SIDESOW WHERE THE NEW BREED OF RYDERS CONTROL THE STREETS AT NIGHT. THIS IS MUST SEE EXTREME REALITY TV, WITH 8 ACTION PACKED SEGEMENTS FULL OF EXCITEMENT AROUND EVERY CORNER. HIGH SIDE'N 2 ALLOWS YOU TO TAKE A RYDE THROUGH THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL HIGH PERFORMANCE ACTIVITY SINCE STREET RACING. SO SIT BACK AND GET READY TO RYDE OAKLAND STYLE

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