Traffic

Starring:Benicio Del Toro, Don Cheadle
Studio: Polygram USA Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com essential video
Featuring a huge cast of characters, the ambitious and breathtaking Traffic is a tapestry of three separate stories woven together by a common theme: the war on drugs. In Ohio, there's the newly appointed government drug czar (Michael Douglas) who realizes after he's accepted the job that he may have gotten into a no-win situation. Not only that, his teenage daughter (Erika Christensen) is herself quietly developing a nasty addiction problem. In San Diego, a drug kingpin (Steven Bauer) is arrested on information provided by an informant (Miguel Ferrer) who was nabbed by two undercover detectives (Don Cheadle and Luis Guzmán). The kingpin's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones), heretofore ignorant of where her husband's wealth comes from, gets a crash course in the drug business and its nasty side effects. And south of the border, a Mexican cop (Benicio Del Toro) finds himself caught between both his home country and the U.S., as corrupt government officials duke it out with the drug cartel for control of trafficking various drugs back and forth across the border.

Customer Reviews:

Would you like fish or meat?.......2007-05-29

Zero Hour! was the basis for the comedy favorite Airplane!, which is the reason why it is considered a cult classic. In fact, many of the lines and scenerios from Airplane! are lifted straight from this movie. Zero Hour! is the story of an ex-fighter pilot Ted Stryker (Dana Andrews) who finds himself chasing his discontented wife (Linda Darnell) and child Joey (Raymond Ferrell) onto a commercial airplane. Once on the plane, he discovers that there are worse problems than just his failing marriage. There is a problem with the fish (thankfully, he chose meat) and the passengers are falling ill rather rapidly. It soon becomes a matter of seriousness when both pilots take ill and Ted is the only one with any flying experience.

The problem with this movie is the fact that it is supposed to be serious. There are so many ludicrous things in it that it is impossible to take seriously, but since it was not supposed to be funny, there are many long stretches where an audience can find itself bored. One of the best examples of this is the long "suspenseful" ending. Still, it is worth watching at least once for fans of Airplane!, just don't expect it to become your favorite.

If you liked "Airplane!" you must own this film!.......2007-05-19

I caught some of this movie on Turner Classic Movies one evening, during a day of tributes to movies and their remakes. This film was the inspiration (and the source for many lines) for the 1980 comedy spoof "Airplane!". Just like "Airplane!" "Zero Hour" is about a former war pilot who is forced to take over an airliner when half the passengers get sick from eating bad fish! (Yes, the choice for dinner was 'chicken or fish' just like "Airplane!"). My wife and I were practically in tears, because so many classic lines from "Airplane!" were lifted directly from this film, only the punchlines never came, which somehow made it funnier.

I'll be pre-ordering this one for purchase when it comes out!

Average customer rating:

Remarkable
At times gripping, at times kind of slow
Knowing all about drugs and feeling superior in our knowledge: is the method educators and entertainers use to keep us off them
Great film - wrong HD image to show-off
Very real drug life

Traffic
Starring: Benicio Del Toro , Jacob Vargas , Andrew Chavez , Michael Saucedo , and Tomas Milian
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000067IZ3
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Amazon.com essential video

Featuring a huge cast of characters, the ambitious and breathtaking Traffic is a tapestry of three separate stories woven together by a common theme: the war on drugs. In Ohio, there's the newly appointed government drug czar (Michael Douglas) who realizes after he's accepted the job that he may have gotten into a no-win situation. Not only that, his teenage daughter (Erika Christensen) is herself quietly developing a nasty addiction problem. In San Diego, a drug kingpin (Steven Bauer) is arrested on information provided by an informant (Miguel Ferrer) who was nabbed by two undercover detectives (Don Cheadle and Luis Guzmán). The kingpin's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones), heretofore ignorant of where her husband's wealth comes from, gets a crash course in the drug business and its nasty side effects. And south of the border, a Mexican cop (Benicio Del Toro) finds himself caught between both his home country and the U.S., as corrupt government officials duke it out with the drug cartel for control of trafficking various drugs back and forth across the border.

Bold in scope, Traffic showcases Steven Soderbergh at the top of his game, directing a peerless ensemble cast in a gritty, multifaceted tale that will captivate you from beginning to end. Utilizing the no-frills techniques of the Dogme 95 school, Soderbergh enhances his hand-held filming with imaginative editing and film-stock manipulation that eerily captures the atmosphere of each location: a washed-out, grainy Mexico; a blue and chilly Ohio; and a sleek, sun-dappled San Diego. But Traffic is more than a film-school exercise. Soderbergh and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan (adapting the British TV miniseries Traffik to the U.S.) seamlessly weave the threads of each separate plotline into one solid tale, with the actions of one plot having quiet repercussions on the other two. And if you needed more proof that Soderbergh takes unparalleled care with his actors, practically all the members of this cast turn in their best work ever, the standout being an Oscar-worthy Del Toro as the conflicted moral conscience of the film. While no story is fully resolved in the film, you'll be haunted by these characters days after you've seen the film. By far one of the best movies of 2000. --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews:

Remarkable.......2007-05-23

Thought provoking, suspenseful, illuminating and candid. Actors love working for Steven Soderbergh and it shows. Each role was well developed and fully realized on screen. This movie is powerful!

At times gripping, at times kind of slow.......2007-02-19

I still don't understand the love for Crash, the recent film centering on the racism issue. It seemed like a film that had a couple good ideas but they were featured in a bad movie which makes its win for Best Picture all the more confusing. That film for some reason reminded me of Traffic which centers on another important issue; this one being about the drug war and its effects on addicts and non-addicts. While you can obviously tell Traffic is an important film and it is indeed a good one, it's also slightly marred by erratic pacing and a bit of uninteresting characters.

The film, unlike let's say, Magnolia or Short Cuts, is 3 separate storylines with one thing in common: the drug trade. In one story set in Ohio, Robert Wakefield is the newly-appointed "drug czar" crusading against decreasing the amount of drugs in the country. However, he has a daughter that's quickly starting to get addicted. In San Diego, Helena sees her husband arrested while she's unaware he's a key player in the drug trade with another captured by DEA agents who is going to testify. And finally in Mexico, a highway patrol cop gets involved in the corruption between drug cartels and the want for control of the drugs going in and out of Mexico and the US.

To help the audience differentiate the different places, a color code has been given to each segment. The Wakefield story looks so unbelievably blue that you wouldn't be surprised if character blood looked blue too. San Diego looks more traditional but a bit overexposed making it more brighter while Mexico looks like an indie movie with a very gritty and raw feel and a jittery looking camera. It helps keep track of where you are but like I said, you've never seen skin tones look so blue before; they really overdid it in some cases.

The best storyline is most likely Mexico since it's anchored by Benicio Del Toro who certainly deserved his Oscar. It's also got a more interesting story and a better look to it despite its intentional amateurishness. The one that isn't that great is probably the Wakefield story since it never gripped me all that much. San Diego was alright but nothing to special. Ultimately the problem with the film was that the film just felt slow. Ever watch one of those movies where it feels like you've been watching for longer than the movie is? Not to mention that sometimes one storyline is starting to get interesting then whoosh! off to somewhere else. A similar problem plagued Babel since the Chieko story was ultimately more emotional and gripping than the others. Some will probably disagree and say all stories in Traffic were good but I always groaned slightly when we moved away from Mexico.

It's certainly an ambitious film so not going to argue there and it's a great film at times but I wouldn't say it was my favorite film of 2000.

Knowing all about drugs and feeling superior in our knowledge: is the method educators and entertainers use to keep us off them.......2007-02-03

A bunch of people lie to and kill each other. Everyone in the movie is either corrupt or incompetent, with the exception of a Mexican police official/crime lord and a black American DEA agent. The crime boss is a good-guy because, no matter the body count, he has a playground built for kids. The drug agent is a good-guy because, he keeps plugging along trying to get drugs off his streets. Oh, and it's a good idea not to get your girlfriend high in the hopes of having fun, because, not only will a bunch of people lie to and kill each other, your girlfriend may end up the property of a drug dealer/pimp.

It's an interesting menagerie.

It may all sound pleasant (if yer some kind of masochist I suppose). Regardless, plus considering the movies lack of humor or drama, I didn't find it pleasant. Actually, even with humor and drama, I usually don't find these crime shows pleasant. There was only one scene I found pleasant. The humor I found in this scene is probably due to the fact Drug Czar Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas) reacted to the scene, in the movie, almost exactly the way I was reacting in my seat.

This is a movie for those who feel the need to know about the illegal drug industry. I'm sure there was a huge audience for this movie, in that this (knowing all about drugs and feeling superior in our knowledge) is the method educators and entertainers use to keep us off them in our 'tolerant' world. Not to mention the potential audience of criminals and former players.

Great film - wrong HD image to show-off.......2007-01-17

Traffic is difficult for me to review since I really enjoyed the film but before you purchase be aware that the intent of the Director is to deliver a grainy, washed-out picture throughout the film. In the places where Traffic is intended to deliver an oustanding picture without washed-out images it certainly does.

Images of the early bust, courtroom and 'life at home' are rich and detailed - via projector in 1080i.

If you appreciate the story and have a nice system, Traffic in HD is a good investment; it is NOT the movie to show-off your new High Definition home Theater system; for that I would recommend The Searchers, Seabiscuit, King Kong or Casino in HD-DVD.

Very real drug life.......2006-12-06

I just watched this movie and was very moved by the story. The story is very close to real life of the "drug cartel" as well as the user and drug enforcerment. What I really liked about this movie is the honesty that is protrayed in all aspects of drugs itself. What the drug does for a person, how it comes in to this country and other countries, also how it is acquired by the user. The honesty includes those that are from the underprivilaged comunities to the "silver spoon" communities as well. Bravo to the writer and the director of this movie!!! I recommend this movie HIGHLY!!!

Average customer rating:

SOFT PUSH
simply put - male ego
Entertaining glimpse into lives of Air Traffic Controllers!
Pushing Tin
Third Time Around...Lost It's Charm

Pushing Tin
Starring: John Cusack , Billy Bob Thornton , Cate Blanchett , Angelina Jolie , and Jake Weber
Director: Mike Newell
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00000K3CI
Release Date: 1999-10-05

Amazon.com

Blessed by a fantastic cast and slick direction by Mike Newell, Pushing Tin is one of those invigorating movies (like Wall Street or All the President's Men) that takes you behind the scenes of a dramatic profession--in this case, the high-stress world of air-traffic controllers--and throws in a source of conflict to ramp up the tension. For ace "tin-pusher" Nick Falzone (John Cusack), that conflict arrives in the form of Russell Bell (Billy Bob Thornton), an Irish/Choctaw half-breed whose Zen-like control of air traffic immediately puts Nick on the defensive. Add an incident of infidelity and Nick's subsequent self-loathing and guilt, and Pushing Tin turns into a macho pissing match, with Nick's and Russell's spouses (Cate Blanchett and Angelina Jolie, respectively) stuck in the middle.

At that point, this otherwise splendid comedy-drama turns almost fatally silly, and it hits additional turbulence by lapsing into a predictable series of pat resolutions. Fortunately, the jazzy cast avoids a nosedive into the tarmac, and if you recall Blanchett's Oscar-nominated performance in Elizabeth, you'll be amazed by her flawless transformation into a smart and sweetly devoted New Jersey housewife. Dialogue is a major asset here, and the script (by TV veterans Glen and Les Charles) gives Cusack & Co. plenty to chew on. That makes Pushing Tin a breezy good time, and its flaws are easily forgiven. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Nick Falzone (John Cusack) is the busiest, and the best, air traffic controller on Long Island - until Russell Bell (Billy Bob Thornton) roars into town like a motorcycle-riding cowboy. Fueled by caffeine and machismo, the two men embark upon an uproarious contest of wit and wills that can ultimately only have one winner.

Customer Reviews:

SOFT PUSH.......2007-02-28

John Cusack. Angelina Jolie. Billy Bob Thornton. Cate Blanchett. Jake Weber. How did such good actors get in such a lifeless, pointless movie? Basically nothing more than a testosterone competition between Thornton and Cusack, the movie isn't funny and its dramatic attempts fail because the characters are so shallow and unlikeable. Director Mike Newell blew this one, folks.

simply put - male ego.......2006-11-13

i love the runway scene with billy bob and john cusack !!
i named my team after the line: "...she's a bit of a saucemonster..."
i liked this movie.
unlike a previous viewer, this movie is funny every time i watch it.
it is simply entertaining and what else do you watch a movie for??

Entertaining glimpse into lives of Air Traffic Controllers!.......2006-11-12

This was a well made movie about co-worker rivalry, spousal infidelity, and the high energy stress and pace of Air Traffic Controllers all wrapped into one. The all star cast consists of John Cusack, Cate Blanchett, Billy Bob Thornton, and Angelina Jolie, and they all shine! Dialogue is often fast and direct, which reflects the attributes of an Air Traffic Controller's life, and helps to keep the movie moving along at an interesting pace.

Pushing Tin.......2006-07-03

Having seen this film in a theater, I bought it for a friend who is an airline executive. It can be wonderful -- if a little scary -- for the frequent flyer.

Third Time Around...Lost It's Charm.......2006-03-16

The first time I saw "Pushing Tin", I remember smiling and laughing and commenting about what a good movie it was. A couple of years later, I found it in the bargain bin of my local video store and remembered how much I liked it, and bought it on VHS. During this second viewing, my mind wandered and I think I was doing my grocery list in my head. But..I still held onto it for some reason. Maybe my mood just wasn't right for it at that time. So here it is, another couple of years since my last view, enough time past so that it should play fresh to me. It was the big moment, do I want to upgrade this film to DVD now? Alas, I didn't even make it through the entire film. By this third time, it had definitely lost the appeal it had years ago.

A great ensemble cast, including John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton,Angelina Jolie and Cate Blanchett(no lack of talent there),and a fun story, it just lacked that "take me somewhere else for a while" quality that makes a film stand up to repeated viewings time and again.

Here's the story. The setting is a building on Long Island, New York. Air Traffic Controllers work the busiest skies in the world. Three busy airports have planes coming and going. It's a job that requires great skill and a level head. Millions of lives are dependent on the expertise of this group. And they are a tight knit group. They even hang together with their families outside of the "office". Nick Falzone(Cusack), is obviously, the leader of the pack. He's the guy with everything. The coolest head at work, brings in the flights perfectly("I got em lined up lock Rockettes"), the prettiest wife, a great house and car, can sink the most free throws, etc etc....

Enter a new Controller. One Russell Bell(Billy Bob). He's strange and quiet, but soon proves to be the best of the best..at everything!...Well, the you know what contest begins. Falzone can't take someone else being better then him. He's supposed to be the star of the show. Pretty soon, they are going head to head on everything. Including, messing in each other's personal lives and each other's wives.The obsession and tension of the games they play effects the quality of their work(putting human lives in danger), and home life as well.

A fun view the first time around with these mucho macho guys, and also a little lesson in what a great but stressful job the Air Traffic Controllers have.I was impressed with the way this cast worked together as well.I would recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it yet, as a rental. Also Billy Bob and Angelina fans will enjoy their performance(and a little more from Angelina!) Just didn't make my upgrade to DVD or hang on to it for another viewing list.

You may even think twice, before flying again!...enjoy...Laurie

Average customer rating:

80's pop culture at 100%
"Why is my back all wet?"
Excellent
"Are you going to be a good boy? Yes mommy, yes!"
"How about a little strip search and we'll call it even."

Moving Violations
Starring: Josef Alfasa , Elizabeth Arlen , Brian Backer , Billy Beck , and Charles Bergansky
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0007WQGUY
Release Date: 2005-07-12

Description

Their licenses suspended, their vehicles impounded, a hapless band of misfits, malcontents and dreamers meet in traffic school. As it turns out, this isn't your ordinary run of the mill traffic school. The crew find themselves in the clutches of two over zealous police officers lead by the Judge to running the school so that the students are forever without licenses and cars. What ensues is a side splitting, tire screeching battle of wits. Who will be king of the road?

Customer Reviews:

80's pop culture at 100%.......2007-05-13

This is a classic 80's film. Excellent! John Murray rocks! A very enjoyable movie.

"Why is my back all wet?".......2007-04-11

This movie is worth the money just for the scene with the line above alone. I hadn't seen this movie in years and I could not believe how well it has held up over time. I think I laughed almost as hard as the first time around (1985) when I saw this film. My mother thinks they should remake it into a modern day version. She found it hilarious but a little dated. But some of the 80's stuff is what makes the film so funny. There is one line regarding Michael Jackson and the Victory tour that is absolutely priceless.

Excellent.......2006-02-06

Best movie ever made! I love this movie all time favorite I looked every where for this movie thanks! Amazon.

"Are you going to be a good boy? Yes mommy, yes!".......2005-10-21

I have been waiting years for this movie to come out on DVD and it is finally here! This movie may not be as well known as "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" or "Better Off Dead", but don't let that stop you from buying it - this movie is a freakin' RIOT! 'Moving Violations' is by far one of the best movies of the 80s, 90s, or any period for that matter. The cast is perfect and captures the great witty but goofy comedy we all love. Fred Willard is as funny as ever in this film - a must see! Buy it now before I have the judge spank you! :)

"How about a little strip search and we'll call it even.".......2005-08-12

In "Moving Violations", after committing various traffic violations, a motley group of drivers are suddenly on the wrong side of the law and on the bad side of a couple of highway patrol officers. The film begins with several scenes showing exactly why these drivers end up attending traffic school. Landscaper Dana Cannon (John Murray), for example, is no respecter of persons--especially if there's a uniform involved. His wild careening all over the road in a dilapidated old vehicle loaded with plants lands him several tickets, and offering his communist party card instead of his license doesn't help. Puppeteer Scott Greeber (Brian Backer) is the victim of a run-away puppet theatre. Rocket scientist Amy Hopkins (Jennifer Tilly) is also condemned to traffic school along with hypochondriac Joan Pudillo (Wendie Jo Sperber).

Dana Cannon quickly gets on the wrong side of uptight Deputy Halik (James Keach) and his partner/girlfriend Deputy Virginia Morris (Lisa Hart Carroll). But Cannon doesn't stop there; he also annoys luscious Judge Nedra Henderson (Sally Kellerman).

One of the biggest criticisms of this film is that John Murray, who plays main character Dana Cannon, acts too much like his famous brother, Bill Murray. Who cares? Murray delivers a great deadpan comic performance, and it's unfortunate he never really launched a film career worthy of his talents. "Moving Violations" is another of those great 80s comedies, and it contains one of the best chase scenes ever made in comedy film. Special note goes to James Keach who was brave enough to run around Los Angeles in bondage gear. The Anchor Bay DVD is excellent quality and the picture is a considerable improvement when compared to my old, but much-loved, VHS tape--displacedhuman

Average customer rating:

Mean Spirited
so bad it's.... well, it's pretty bad.
Need to See
Love me or hate me - a rare '80's classic - I love it!
Hilarious

Modern Problems
Starring: Chevy Chase , Patti D'Arbanville , Dabney Coleman , Mary Kay Place , and Nell Carter
Director: Ken Shapiro
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
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ASIN: B0006SSPEO
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Customer Reviews:

Mean Spirited.......2007-06-20

There are some laughs in this one (I must have seen it dozens of times when it seemed like it was on cable infinite repeat in the 80s) but it does seem unnecessarily mean-spirited in restrospect.

so bad it's.... well, it's pretty bad........2007-06-04

I have a sort of fondness for this ultra weird flick. I haven't seen it in ages, but I still recall Nell Carter as the voodoo priestess, and Chevy Chase doing the lines of cocaine floating in mid-air... It's just ODD! Chevy Chase is manic, and somewhat funny in this, and there are alot of talented actors slumming it here.

I don't recall the visible booms and camera equipment (maybe because I saw it formated to pan-and-scan for cable, whereas the dvd is wide-screen), but, the film is definitely not being shown as an example in film schools. It does fit in the 'so bad it's entertaining' category, though. It's like watching a drug-fueled train wreck.

If you like bad, oddball time-capsule films, or if you just happen to be very high in the middle of the night, and catch this film, it is pretty entertaining... but I can't really recommend it for the casual viewer or 'Chevy Chase fans' (do they exist?).

For the record, this film was made by the same creator of 'The Groove Tube,'a 'cult' sketch comedy movie from the 70's also starring Chase, which is actually worth a look. I suggest renting that if you want to see a dated, druggy comedy, over this one.

Need to See.......2007-03-08

Chevy Chase is great. This movie is a wonderful movie and full of fun and laughter.

Love me or hate me - a rare '80's classic - I love it!.......2006-05-14

This is an awesomely funny movie, with a twist. It is one of the few rare movies I consider a personal favourite. Warning, though, it is clever adult entertainment, and some of you will simply not get it. It is spew-your-popcorn-over-the-chump-in-front-of-you funny, but also subtly deep, real, dark and very, very clever. I tip my hat to Mr. Sinister's concise summary, "A little slice of Regan-era fatalism". If you crave funny, clever and repeatable viewing that genuinely thoughful, this is a rare gem. A comedy onion!

Hilarious.......2005-11-18

Well Chevy Chase has made some horrendous movies over the years....this is not one of them. He plays an air traffic controller who is splashed with toxic waste and gains powers which enable him to move objects.

The scenes in which he uses his powers are outrageous....the restaurant, the opera house, etc.

So for a really good comedy, one of Chevys best, this is it. Its hilarious!!

Average customer rating:

The sets are a mess and act as a metaphor for the rest of the movie
The Sorry, Sad and Ugly Yet Perversely Addictive Head-Shaker
HERE'S A FILM YOU WILL EITHER LOVE OR HATE
Nothing But Boredom and Shallowness...
Nothing But Trouble

Nothing But Trouble
Starring: Danielle Aykroyd , P.H. Aykroyd , Peter Aykroyd , Daniel Baldwin , and Raymond J. Barry
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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Who's Harry Crumb?
The Great Outdoors
Spies Like Us
Summer Rental
Armed & Dangerous (Ws)

ASIN: 6305162018
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Description

Get spooked silly when Chevy Chase and Demi Moore take a wrong turnpike exit and find "hanging judge" Dan Aykroyd and "constable" John Candy in a bizarre New Jersey burg. Year: 1990 Director: Dan Aykroyd Starring: Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Demi Moore, John Candy

Customer Reviews:

The sets are a mess and act as a metaphor for the rest of the movie.......2007-03-16

Dan Ackroyd has sure had a wide ranging movie career. He has done the brilliant roles in "Trading Places", "Ghostbusters", and several others. However, he has also laid some eggs such as "Dr. Detroit" and this very strange work. On the whole, I think he has done more good work than bad. I know he has his detractors, but I like him and enjoy his work even when it is as odd as this thing. While this movie only did $8.5 million in box office in 1991, it has become a staple on cable TV and is all but unavoidable.

This thing, however, is hard to fathom. The story makes little sense. Chevy Chase and some friends get stopped for a very minor traffic violation and face imprisonment, death, and a forced marriage to a crazy old man's mute and huge (John Candy) granddaughter.

The sets are all a mess. I know it is supposed to be a kind of junkyard from hell, but still, everything is a mess. And wouldn't someone begin to question all the human bones lying about in piles?

Still, the movie has its moments. The very image of Ackroyd as the impossibly disgusting Judge Valkenheiser is unforgettable. The scene with the Digital Underground and the Judge's playing a fake little organ riff is pretty memorable. I never understood the fake nose and glasses of the lead rapper of that group (Humpty Hump?). Note: Tupac Shakur is in that group and a second or two of screen time.

John Candy makes what he can of the dual roles he is given, but they aren't that good. Chevy Chase is, well, Chevy Chase as Christ Thorne - the what passes for a hero in the movie. Demi Moore looks cute as the love interest Diane.

Watch it for the curiosities, but make sure you don't have anything near you that you could throw at your TV screen or this could end up being expensive.

The Sorry, Sad and Ugly Yet Perversely Addictive Head-Shaker.......2007-02-16

It's always: how to come down on this one? Is this film an unbelievably schlocky, poorly acted, horribly scripted, under-budgeted, lamely produced film striving for transcendent comedy? Or is it the blackest of black humor, the wacky, loopy side of mass murder and extra-judicial killing a la "Eating Raoul?" I just dunno, but every time this thing pops on cable I'm there for the duration. Before I know it the end titles roll and I'm confused and conflicted, and giddy that it's over.

First, Chevy Chase as the headlining straight man? After his best in "Caddyshack" and "Fletch?" It's like director Aykroyd is setting him up for failure, and Chase appears to bristle at it through the entire film.

For historical novelty we've got the pre-"Deh-Mee" Moore, back when she was normal, even attractive, despite that horrible pasty-white makeup they've piled on her, somehow missing her neck, shoulders and chest. Her off-white outfit is just as nonsensical, with those so stupid post-80s half-heeled pumps, the lame semi-formal dress shorts, and the faux country club halter.

And then there's John Candy as a self-loathing deputy somehow turned hero, as well as mute drag-queen. His incarnation as Eldona is the only interesting character in the whole film. His Dennis character finds escape with the tacky Latins to Brazil, but what of redemption? What of his direct and knowing complicity in the hundreds of extra-judicial murders over the years? Does the fact that he leaves Aykroyd and Demi to their fates compromise his redemption?

Who other than me notices early in the film, after that excruciatingly lame, low-budge, non-high-speed chase that beautiful southeastern California landscape through which they tour? Note the dry creek beds, the eucalyptus trees, the barren brown mountains in the distant sunset background--this is New Jersey? And on they travel, through the desert scrub, the pinon pines, down the dry washes and through the beautifully wooded vales that I remember so well as the bucolic Hazzard County of yore. Awful.

Okay, a forgotten "shire" in "rural" New Jersey, just off the interstate between NYC and Atlantic City, where a coal fire has been burning for decades? Who thought up this garbage, and what producers swallowed it? Check the facts; NJ doesn't produce coal.

And what's with the Rube Goldberg house, the slides the go and go but still end up in the house? Who loads the traps and maintains them? What are the piles of bones doing in the house? Why are they all femurs? Where are the humerusses, the ulnas, the scapulae?

Note the young and thankfully dialog-less Tupac, and the so unfairly busted Digital Underground homies. It's clear in this overly long vignette that the DU's label coughed up plenty so the band could badly lip-sync their hit. And just like in "Doctor Detroit" and "Blues Brothers," Aykroyd can't pass up the opportunity to show us how terribly down he is with black music culture by having his feeble and shaky-handed JP suddenly belt out a wicked-cool organ solo as the video bimbos paw him like he was wearing a suit made of cocaine and cash. Puh-leeze.

And then there're the two mutant diaper-babies, Li'l Debbull and Bobo (one of them is Aykroyd), so obviously latex bodysuits, utterly unlikable and truly grotesque. Are they supposed to be cute, the lovably disgusting successors to Sloth in "The Goonies?" Are we to feel some kind of deep moral dilemma of whether we should like them or not? They're filthy, neglected, with full, sagging diapers. They're both clearly clinical morons, and have been left to fend for themselves in the junkyard, which says a great deal about the overall Valkenvania approach to child-rearing.

And finally, Aykroyd. This was his first and only directing effort, and you can tell why. There have been many interviews in which he's laid blame on the script, upon the unwillingness of the producers to give him what he wanted, the subtle shots at the actors and their performances (he's top-billed), and even the fact that the working title of "Valkenvania" was not used as the release title. Yeah, like these were reasons this film tanked.

And, please, someone, what is with the JP's nose? Just what in the name of St. Alfonso's pancake breakfast is that thing all about? Is it just a really, really bad sight gag, or is thee some kind of deeply mystical significance that is escaping me?

And at the end we are caught in the big joke, that all of New Jersey law enforcement knows about Valkenvania and have been in on the grand conspiracy for years, apparently fully aware of the JP's extra-judicial killings. As they swarm the building, it's sadly right out of "Blues Brothers," the only thing missing is the troopers yelling "Hut, hut, hut, hut!" as they advance clumsily all over the compound.

There is one thing I like, though: the shot where fleeing Demi is in the forest of scrapped Mr. Muffler signs. Their sheer size, grinning faces, outstretched arms devoid of their beloved oversized car parts is some very nice composition, surreal, eerie and menacing, highly reminiscent of Tim Burton's nod in "Mars Attacks" to the unplugged glamour and glory of the old Glitter Gulch in Vegas when he has Danny DeVito, Tom Jones, Jim Brown, and Annette Benning flee through the marquee graveyard.

Bottom line: this film seems to be an interesting black comedy concept which somehow took on a life of its own. It's a last-gasp 80s kind of thing, with Aykroyd going so obviously back to wells which have been emptied already, by him and prior co-stars. Overall, it's a serious stinker, but it's still got enough wacky train-wreck mojo to pull me in, every single flippin' time.

HERE'S A FILM YOU WILL EITHER LOVE OR HATE.......2006-10-26

FIRST OFF: WHY LOVE OR HATE THIS FILM?

Even in our household the opinions are divided on this one. I'm giving it a 4 [instead of a 5] in recognition of everyone else in our family who can't stand to see this film.

IN A NUTSHELL: 'NOTHING BUT TROUBLE' IS NOTHING BUT RIDICULOUS

'Nothing But Trouble' features John Candy, Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, and Demi Moore, with Aykroyd and Candy actually playing two roles each. Candy plays a strange female mute, Eldona, in addition to Sheriff Dennis and Aykroyd plays 'J.P.' the hanging judge and 'Bobo', a huge outdoor only frankenstein-esque relative. This is a film that is obviously a bit too over-the-top for many viewers and also a bit on the gross side for many others. Nevertheless, it strikes me as a very goofy film that features three of my favorite comedians [Akyroyd, Chase & Candy], so obviously I am going to like the film. Nevertheless, I liked 'Nothing But Trouble' enough to add a DVD to my collection where I already had several video copies of the film.

WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT: [could be plot spoilers below]

Chris Thorne [Chevy Chase] takes a detour off the N.J. Turnpike to see some of the scenery and accidentally goes through a stop sign in the Village of Valkenvania and right into the twilight zone.

After a rather absurd chase scene Thorne is apprehended by Dennis [Candy], and along with his eclectic party, is escorted to the Village Reeve, 'J.P.' and into custody for an indefinite stay. Their stay in custody is punctuated by strange people behaving rather strangely while Thorne tries to wise crack his way to freedom, never really taking the gravity of the situation seriously. In fact, they are all in danger of being executed, because that is the usual punishment for bankers, which Thorne has been labeled, as well as for other undesirables.

By the time Thorne realizes that he and his party may never leave the judge's custody, it may be too late to do anything to save Diane Lightston [Demi Moore] and himself from being executed. To escape this plight is what this film is all about. It is silly, perhaps too silly to be taken seriously.

WHY SOME IN OUR HOUSEHOLD DON'T SHARE MY FONDNESS FOR THIS FILM:

I do enjoy this film, but many others in our household do not share my opinion. They feel that there are scenes that are gross for the no good reason and that the film is silly in a way that seems unmotivated. Also, Demi Moore seems to have been included for window dressing rather than as a serious female lead, which she is quite capable of delivering.

ABOUT THE DVD: NO SPECIAL FEATURES BUT IT PLAYS BETTER THAN THE VHS EDITION

This DVD plays quite well and is in Full-Screen Format. With the exception of 'Scene Selections' there are NO Special Features whatsoever, which was a big disappointment for me, since I was hoping at least to have a commentary track by the Director and Star, Dan Aykroyd.

Nothing But Boredom and Shallowness..........2006-10-09

How could two such great talents as John Candy and Dan Ackroyd and the beautiful Demi Moore (I expect garbage out of Chevy Chase, so 'that' was no suprised) agree to do such an unfunny, stupidly written, shallow pile of crap is beyond me..
If you are suffering from insomina, watch it..You'll be cured in five minutes...Jack Schlatter

Nothing But Trouble.......2006-07-22

An all-star cast really pulls all the plugs on comedy and light drama. John Candy plays a very controlled straight man while Dan Ackroyd keeps the laughter at its max, in his multi role performance. You will want to view this comedy-fantasy more than once.

Average customer rating:

Super Funny.
The official start to your evening
Reach for the lasers...
Amazon's Brett Fetzer Is A JERK-OFF!!!
PURE EXTACY.......PARTY ON!!

Human Traffic
Starring: Jo Brand , Richard Coyle , Dean Davies , Danny Dyer , and Bradley Freegard
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004Z4WS
Release Date: 2000-12-12

Amazon.com

Human Traffic wants to be a Trainspotting for the rave set, and so it has thick British accents, hip snotty attitudes, slick visuals, a propulsive electronic soundtrack, and unfortunately some very weak writing and drab characters. A band of friends, with the cute names of Jip, Koop, Nina, Lulu, and Moff, are sex-obsessed clubgoers having some sort of premature midlife crisis. Jip and Lulu are best friends, only their friendship is about to be threatened by sexual tension. Koop gets ravingly jealous about his girlfriend, Nina. Moff masturbates a lot and has a repressive dad. Jip's mother is a prostitute. Koop's father is a paranoid schizophrenic. What little plot there is revolves around whether or not they'll get into a particularly hip club. Critics usually complain that movies are too much like music videos, but Human Traffic could stand to be more of one. All the best moments are when the tepid dialogue stops and the driving beats and quickly edited images take over. A brief break dancing sequence is a moment of genuine dazzle. The actors aren't completely without charm, but the movie is just trying too hard to achieve the effervescent buzz it seeks. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Here's the hip, adrenaline-pumped comedy about one wild weekend in the lives of five young friends ... and how their latest raved-up adventure just might change their outlook before the next weekend arrives! For Jip, Lulu, Koop, Nina, and Moff, workdays are merely the dreary downtime between frenetic 48-hour binges of clubbing, pubbing, and partying without rules or limits! But when these friends spend a wild weekend in search of some meaning and real connections, they'll see things in ways they've never imagined! Fast, funny, and excitingly original -- discover for yourself this widely acclaimed hit!

Customer Reviews:

Super Funny........2007-01-03

It is a great to see life of young adults from Cardiff, Wales who love clubing.....and how they spend their entire week planing their weekend. It's a crazy bizarre club life you will experience in this movie.
Good buy.

The official start to your evening.......2006-03-30

All I have to say is that this film used to be a seminal part of the build up to my nights on the town. Re-discovered it again recently and still love it! It isnt a complex film but you feel part of the build up, part of the craziness and the slow comedown at the end. It even takes the odd pot shot at the drug culture that makes up the core of this film. The whole soundtrack is fantastic and seems to pick up on the moods so well. Finally it manages to pull out all those great and pointless thoughts and conversations you have on a night out that make that always seem spot on! A film that for better or worse will always have pride of place in my collection.

Reach for the lasers..........2006-03-23

Great movie.. Fabulous soundtrack.. Highly recommend the movie to everybody. SOundtrack featuring classic dance hits like "energy 52" and "Come together"...
Get the dvd and the soundtrack from amazon.com! real great and prompt service too..

Amazon's Brett Fetzer Is A JERK-OFF!!!.......2006-01-17

Brett Fetzer needs to get a clue, you don't understand something, generally you shouldn't be doing reviews for it. Amazon's review is so off the mark you have to wonder if he actually watched the film. "Human Traffic" is so on the mark you'd have to be an idiot not to enjoy it. "HT" and "Trainspotting" have absolutely nothing in common, and in no way should they be compared. Just because they're both European films doesn't mean they're trying to be the same movie. That's like saying "Saving Private Ryan" wasn't funny compared to "Stop Or My Mom Will Shoot" becasue they're both American movies(Although "SOMMWS" was lame to begin with). Check out this movie, even if you're not familiar wtih the culture you should laugh your buns off. Also if you like this movie check out the directors new movie "It's All Gone Pete Tong" just as god of a movie, not as scary as "28 Days Later" though, cause that was british too.

PURE EXTACY.......PARTY ON!!.......2006-01-12

This movie is one of a kind its hilarous has great music and any ravers or people that have taken extacy or clubbers can relate to this movie its a fun ride of a movie i'd give it nothing less than 5 stars

Traffic - The Last Great Traffic Jam (with Bonus CD)

Average customer rating:

The real last exit
Great music, HORRIBLE STUPID effects/editing/etc
Traffic Jams!
Best Traffic Jam I've Experienced
Oh, for MORE "TRAFFIC JAMS!" - This Deserves 10 Stars!

Traffic - The Last Great Traffic Jam (with Bonus CD)
Starring: Traffic
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000BGFBF2
Release Date: 2005-09-20

Amazon.com

"Eclectic" is a description that's been overused to the point of cliché, but it certainly applies to Traffic, whose 1994 U.S. Tour is documented in The Last Great Traffic Jam. Here was a band, formed in the late '60s, who played psychedelic rock, melodic pop, and traditional folk, with occasional dashes of jazz and world music added to the mix, fronted by Steve Winwood, a preternaturally gifted musician whose inspired soul and R&B vocals earned him comparisons with Ray Charles. Co-founder Chris Wood died in 1983, but in his absence, Winwood and fellow original member Jim Capaldi (drums, vocals) put together a fine touring band, with Randall Bramblett (woodwinds, keyboards) a capable replacement for Wood and Rosko Gee (bass), Walfredo Reyes Jr. (drums, percussion), and Jim McEvoy (keyboards, guitar) filling out the lineup. Traffic lovers may be disappointed that the likes of "Paper Sun" and "Feelin' Alright" aren't on the set list, but the band's inspired versions of other classics, especially "40,000 Headmen," "John Barleycorn," "Glad," "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys," and "Gimme Some Lovin'" (Winwood's hit with the Spencer Davis Group), reveal just how good this band was. The DVD (which included a bonus CD with three informal studio recordings) isn't perfect; there are too many distracting film effects for this reviewer's taste, and Jerry Garcia's guest appearance on "Dear Mr. Fantasy" is painful, as the Grateful Dead guitarist plays tentatively and looks generally lost and Brian Wilson-esque onstage (Garcia died the following year). Still, despite Winwood's various other incarnations (with Davis, with Blind Faith, and as a solo artist), his stint with Traffic yielded the best music of his career, and The Last Great Traffic Jam--which really is "the last," as Capaldi is now dead as well--is a must-have for the group's fans. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

The real last exit.......2007-05-19

This only gets a four star because of the fact that each format has it's own drawbacks and because of the songs played on this tour that didn't make the cut. I saw them a few times on this tour. At only a hundred minutes it would have been easy to throw in a couple of more songs from Far From Home as well as older tunes like Dream Gerrald and the cut off Freedom Rider. Also, I remember them playing a couple of songs from Fantasy Factory on this tour but not here. As far as Jerry Garcia, he wasn't in good shape on this tour so that's why his performance is below par. Aside from that, the DVD is great but I do wish there was more. By the way, I like the way behind the scenes footage was used as well as the crowd scenes and effects.

Great music, HORRIBLE STUPID effects/editing/etc.......2007-01-27

As much as I love Traffic's tunes, the IDIOTIC cutaway's, graphics, 60's psychedelic graphics, etc., etc., etc., almost completely detracts from concert footage. I totally agree with the other reviews that echo the same sentiment.

Geeeeeeez, I bought this DVD spur-of-the-moment and hoped to see a great band performing (heck Gerry Garcia on Low Spark was a nice touch !). I prefer to see a concert straight-up, not dumb crowd shots and other crud, who cares about that ? Arrrrrggghhhh.

Traffic Jams!.......2007-01-04

Like the tour I witnessed the year of this show, the boys still had it. A product worthy of inclusion in any serious rocker's library.

Best Traffic Jam I've Experienced.......2006-08-14

Had I read all the reviews before buying this DVD, I might have had pause for thought. Luckily Traffic has long been one of my favourite bands and I ordered it after reading only one or two reviews. And I have to agree with most of those comments - the visuals serve only to detract from what is the best Traffic music I own - and I have everything by Traffic.

However, I don't find it affects my enjoyment at all, except for the occasional thought it could be so much better. This remains one of my most-listened to and most-enjoyed DVDs. I do watch it with my finger constantly poised on the forward button on the remote for when the dialogue starts, but most times its so short and my reaction time so slow that its over before I can FF.

I also find myself asking, when I see only Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi, what makes this really Traffic? Steve Winwood is clearly the major vision within the band, and I guess as long as he decides to call himself Traffic, its Traffic, because Jim Capaldi's influence seems negligible. Oddly, Steve's solo music is so bland.

I also find myself comparing this DVD most favourably to the like of Pink Floyd's recent offering, Pulse. There, I find the light show and cinemagraphics most disturbing, and in comparison what's happening in Traffic is at least contributing to the vitality of the music.

It's a pity there's actually so little Traffic music out there. I hear comments about another Video, and I hope that comes out in DVD one of these days.

The only low point for me is Dear Mr Fantasy. Although my first introduction to Traffic was Low Spark back in 1974, it was Dear Mr Fantasy that really grabbed me, and remains one of my favourite songs by them to this day. This version doesn't do it justice, which I really think only shines as a studio track. I've often wondered if I should make a greater effort to get familiar with Grateful Dead - I've tried a couple of times without success - but Jerry Garcia's lacklustre performance is enough to stop that particular impulse.

Oh, for MORE "TRAFFIC JAMS!" - This Deserves 10 Stars! .......2006-07-02

In '94, Steve Winwood evidentally felt the need (thank The Lord) to leave his synthesizers alone for awhile, and he hooked up with one other original Traffic member, drummer Jim Capaldi ("where was Dave Mason," one wonders, but I guess that's quibbling...). And I DO seem to remember an album, whoops, "CD," but no Winwood/Traffic/even Procol Harum enthusiasts I knew had or even heard it. No matter, Winwood and Capaldi subsequently decided to take the retro trip, and they recruited "When The Eagle Flies" bassist/extraordinare, Rosko Gee, a couple of (then) unknowns, Percussionist Walfredo Reyes Jr (...oh, man...Rebop must've looked down from On High and smiled, this Cat could WELL have been "channelling" Keith Moon or BJ Wilson - or MY favorite drummer, Alice DeBuhr of Fanny! - for all the grinning intensity he displayed!), and a brilliant Keyboardist/Guitarist, Mike McEvoy, who quite handily played any and all "Winwood" Guitar/Keyboard parts-to-the-note-perfectly when Stevie played "Lead." And I just can not wait to say this: the sound was - and IS, on the CD - PHENOMINAL! Tight as a tick, and the sheer joy they felt in performing was CONTAGIOUS! This time out though, Winwood used a Strat (except, of course, for "John Barleycorn"), but in truth, I much prefer the sound he got out of that wonderful old green Firebird on the "Traffic/Santa Monica" VHS-thing...but, yeah, that's another place and another time... And, no: I haven't forgotten: for the Sax/Flute/aux-Keyboard place left vacant by Chris Wood, Randall Bramblett, late of Sea Level (and incidentally, the..."close relative" of a creep that fired me from a gig sometime late "last century"), performed quite, QUITE admirably. Indeed, like the liner notes to the CD say, "Bramblett's work...pays homage to Wood but yet retains its own identity and special flavor." Couldn't've said it better myself. The material, though, is the JOY: "Pearly Queen," "Glad"(w/o "Freedom Rider" this time out, though), Capaldi's "Light Up Or Leave Me Alone," where he introduces all the band members - and where, for ONCE, all individual band members' little...solo spots are - well, TRANSCENDENT - not "masturbatory" as is usually the correct adjective applied to a "solo spots." Yes, they even do "Low Spark" quite wonderfully, too, and it's really kind of interesting to see/hear them switch off with Reyes playing the Jim Gordon/"Kit"-Drum part and Capaldi, the Rebop/Conga part. And the closing number, Winwood's "Gimme Some Lovin'," that he originally performed with the Spencer Davis Group is a sheer joy too...almost makes you forget that Belushi absolutely truncated it for "the Blues Brothers." However, in the interest of "sheer journalistic honesty" (dig THAT, Cameron Crowe!), I have to add a sad..."caveat," though: when Traffic tries to perform their signature "Dear Mr. Fantasy," for some inexplicable reason, they trot out some obese hippie that untimately turns out to be...Jerry Garcia. And Garcia tries, pathetically, to play a bottleneck-slide guitar part, but it's almost sad, knowing that he'd be taking a dirt bath within a year. Regardless: I honestly have not enjoyed a music DVD this much since I got my DVD copy of "Gimme Shelter." And until a DVD resurfaces of the original Duane/Gregg/Dicky/Berry/Jaimoe/Butch Allman Brothers, I DARE anyone to do better than THAT...

Average customer rating:

A little bit o' personal history...
Brutal, sad, depressing, violent, happy....just like life...
Get out of your Ghetto
Highest Quality Surrealistic Piece
Not your average cartoon!

Heavy Traffic
Starring: Lillian Adams , Beverly Hope Atkinson , Michael Brandon , Candy Candido , and Frank DeKova
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0792846818
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Amazon.com

Heavy Traffic is writer-director Ralph Bakshi's follow-up to Fritz the Cat, so if you're looking for a little something to watch with the kids, you might want to search elsewhere. It's an odd little movie, one that seems to both condemn and celebrate depravity at the same time. The hero is Michael, an artist who still lives with his battling parents. Michael is far too sensitive for the cruel city, though he sure seems to draw an awful lot of pictures of it. Michael hooks up with cool bartender Carole and the two of them set off to... well, they plan to do something. More engaging than the story are Bakshi's visual techniques, which include blending animated and live-action sequences and layering old film clips into cartoon backgrounds. Though interesting as a piece of animation, Heavy Traffic is difficult to recommend. There is a running thread of misogyny that makes the film off-putting, to say the least. Yes, all of the characters are unpleasant and yes, most of the violence is over-the-top enough to make a case for it being comic. It is the constant, casual misogyny that's unsettling--at one point Michael backhands Carole across the face and everyone, including Carole, seems to be fine with that. Keep an ear out for Jamie Farr and watch it for the animation, not the plot. --Ali Davis

Description

"Heavy images, crazy violence, insanity verging on insecurity and brilliance" (Films & Filming)! Heavy Traffic, the second feature from writer/director Ralph Bakshi (Fritz the Cat), combines a quick-edit pace, a frenetic story line and an array of eye-popping animation and live-action styles. "Powerful, raw and valid" (Los Angeles Times), this "remarkable blend" of filmic styles is a "hypnotic, life-giving experience" (The Hollywood Reporter)! Michael, a young artist who lives with his neurotic mother and two-timing father, escapes the absurd and often ugly side of life on New York's tough streets by satirizing its rich yet wacky characters in wildly entertaining cartoons. From the gruff homeless and wisecracking prostitutes to gun-toting gangsters and corrupt cops, Michael's world becomes an outlandish kaleidoscope of shocking images and horrifying events that are either a testament of his wild imagination or a reminder of the strangeness of reality.

Customer Reviews:

A little bit o' personal history..........2006-11-07

Heavy Traffic will likely never receive the attention or respect it deserves as a piece of honest to goodness Americana. Like most of Ralph Bakshi's most personal work, it is rough hewn, obscene (though never pornogaphic) outrageous and damn honest. Along with Coonskin and Fritz the Cat, Heavy Traffic is about life in the 60's (in fact, taken together these three films form a kind of animated triptych). All three films are about revolution of one kind or another, personal or social, contain plenty of poetry, both visual and narrative and are more about life as we know it then the fantasy of life as we might wish it to be, which seems to be the standard for most animation today. Let's hope that eventually Ralph will get his due as a pioneer of animation.

Brutal, sad, depressing, violent, happy....just like life..........2006-09-13

This is another great film by Mr. Ralph Bakshi, one of the most unheralded filmmakers of his era. I don't think he's ever gotten the respect he deserves as an artist, because all of his film were animated or were animated with some live material. This is his darkest film, a surreal, sad, brutally funny, politically incorrect film about the loner Michael (who may be based on Bakshi himself) and his world. His world is bleak and scary, yet, he somehow finds meaning through his art. Some have called the film racist, misogynistic, vulgar, and trash. It isn't any of those things. Bakshi's work has always brought on controversy, especially this film, and the ones that preceded it and followed it, Fritz the Cat and Coonskin. This is a companion piece to those films, almost an unofficial trilogy. This film was also X rated when it came out, so that naturally gave it notoriety (it was later re-rated R). It's a shame they don't make films like this anymore. Bakshi is a genius. He is not only a great animator, but a great filmmaker/director.

Get out of your Ghetto.......2005-09-13

Breathtaking. Get past your own discomfort with relating to racial sterotypes and realize that this film is genius. A love story at heart, and perhaps one of the most profoundly honest and insightful films to date, Heavy Traffic broke the barriers of 'political correctness' before the people who coined that term were even born. If nothing else consider what is being said about settling for the familiar and not venturing outside of your personal neighborhood. Awe inspiring, Ralph Bakshi should be canonized.

Highest Quality Surrealistic Piece.......2005-07-08

What is to be highlighted: The highest quality of this truly classic surrealistic piece. I take it as a qualifying American answer to such European surrealistic classics as Luis Bunuel's "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie." Each absurd of our life, pictured there, is blown-up to a quite visible and sensible proportion. It is my opinion, that "Heavy Traffic" even surpasses "Fritz the Cat," regarding such qualities as range and depth of depicted ugliness of the "dark side" of human nature.

Also important is than not everybody appreciates surrealism. Therefore, this item is not for everyone, and especially is unsuitable for not mature audience (because of quite credible quality of certain graphic scenes).

I find as no surprise that some of the most notorious faces from "Heavy Traffic" can be spotted in recent times in many places, take "The Simpsons" as example.

Not your average cartoon!.......2005-01-13

This movie is strange. I love the animation especially from the 1970s ERA. This movie is hillarious. Don't expect to know what's going on. This isnt about the life of some celebrity. The Writer had just drew something up off his mind and posted on the big screen. And Yes, it's funny.

Average customer rating:

Remarkable
At times gripping, at times kind of slow
Knowing all about drugs and feeling superior in our knowledge: is the method educators and entertainers use to keep us off them
Great film - wrong HD image to show-off
Very real drug life

Traffic (HD DVD)
Starring: Michael Douglas , and Catharine Zeta Jones
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000GFLEB8
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Amazon.com essential video