5 comments about Casper (.

1. i watched this movie so many times, i still enjoy watching it, i love the characters! great!



2. That one reviewer who complained about using the "B" word failed to explain it was in reference to a dog, which even Jim Carrey used in comic style refer to woman in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, when he claimed he was refering to her dog instead. Very funny how the word is family friendly in that context.
   I like this movie, and yes, I am partial since I once dressed as Casper for halloween when Collegeville costumes were all the rage. This movie adaption did not disappoint. The effects of the ghosts are better than average for the comical angle, and the movie tone never lets up. Glad so many other people are interested in it also. Happy Halloween!



3. Yet another dopey kiddie movie with almost nothing to offer the parents who have to sit in the theater because their little munchkins wanted to see this stuff. Honestly, why don't family movies aim a little higher? Pixar has proven over and over again that it's possible to make a smart, funny movie that people of all ages can enjoy. Anyway..
   
   I do not own Casper on DVD; I saw it in the theater. I don't even remember why I went to see this; it was probably a family outing, but I might have gone because I'm a fan of animation. Bleh. The ghosts looked lame, the story was full of holes, the characters were shallow & two-dimensional, the acting was mediocre. The only reason I'm even reviewing this turkey is because of the set design.
   
   That's right, I said set design. I was way more excited by the Casper _house_ than by the foolery that was taking place in it. The sets were heavily inspired by the work of late-1800s Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi (the organic, spirally ceiling in the girl's bedroom is a direct quote from an apartment building in Barcelona.) I thought initially the Gaudi references were just a fluke, that they accidentally used his style as a single piece in what was going to be an incoherent Art Nouveau collage ... but every interior shot, every new area of the house looked like a fanciful (but faithful) interpretation of Gaudi's style (except the basement, which didn't match at all.) I was amazed that somebody took the effort to reference a particular architect and maintain a plausible pastiche of his style throughout. I had never really paid a lot of attention to movie set design before, but this show was so forgettable that I found it easy to look at the backdrops instead. Also helps that I knew about Gaudi and was an admirer of his idiosyncratic work long before seeing the movie.
   
   Casper's set designer gets five stars, but this lame movie only deserves two. Highly recommended as a visual reference for eccentric Art Nouveau interior design.



4. Casper
   Many people have asked me when I was going to kick off the Halloween Season recently, and now I have. Casper is a child-friendly ghost story that is based off an old cartoon series. Considering this film was made in 1995, Casper has held up very well. If you are looking for a fun movie for your children to watch, you might want to check out Casper. If you are an adult, avoid this at all costs.
   
   The story is very light hearted. Carrigan, a greedy woman, has just inherited a haunted Manor. There are three threatening ghosts: Stretch, Stinkie, and Fatso. There is also a friendly ghost, Casper. Carrigan knows of a treasure somewhere in the manor, but needs to get the ghosts out of way to get to it. After many other choices, she settles with Dr. Harvey. Harvey and his daughter, Kat, move into the home in hopes to drive the ghosts out.
   
   The CG used for the ghosts is phenomenal. Even in today's world, this CG stands up well to the rest. You can see through the ghosts, but at the same time they have a thickness to them. You will never complain about having a dated movie.
   
   The relationship between Kat and Casper is the most interesting part in this movie. As an adult, the corny story telling will not keep the amused for long. Kat and Casper have a couple deep altercations. Casper asks Kat "Can I keep you," and Kat agrees. However, Casper tries to kiss Kat, but Kat only feels a chill. It is tragic.
   
   If you are an adult Casper is worthless. If you are looking for a fun Halloween flick for your children, this is for you. There are a few derogatory words, but nothing a mature child cannot handle. Then again, Casper usually comes on television each Halloween. You might want to avoid this one on that note.



5. Within the first 5 mins. you hear "h*ll" and "d@mn" from one of the characters. Not a problem unless you were hoping to show this to a 5yr old. To be fair, it is a PG film but the it would have played just fine without the language. If families were Spielberg's target audience (who else would watch this), he had to know that the language would keep younger viewers out and that older teens might not be interested in Casper. It was just strange language to hear in a film strongly promoted as "family." If you read the other reviews, you will see others noting this.
   
   Got to go now to watch Bambi's mother get wacked in a G-rated film (got to love the rating system). :-)

5 comments about Batman (1989).

1. This review focuses on Burton's Batman (Batman89, Batman Returns), Nolan's Batman (Batman Begins, the Dark Knight), and 1992 original Batman: The Animated Series. I'm excluding Schumacher's Batman (Batman Forever, Batman and Robin), the 1960's Batman series, and "The Batman", simply because I believe they are the weakest representations.
   
   To be perfectly honest, I love Burton, Nolan, and BTAS equally. All three interpretations are so different, that they cannot be compared. And it is really annoying that I find people on YouTube trying to see which one is better (most opinions are biased). So here it goes with MY opinions:
   
   BATMAN: Michael Keaton, Kevin Conroy, and Christian Bale have given us excellent performances. Conroy (from BTAS) has the perfect voice for Batman, though the physical depiction seems a bit too much. Bale really acts well as Bruce Wayne, but his voice for Batman is too deep and goofy. To me, Keaton is the ultimate "Bruce". He has the awkwardness and the eccentricity of the character, and plus his hoarse voice for the Bat is far superior to Bale's. It's too bad that he doesn't get that much screen time in both of Burton's films.
   
   VILLAINS: Mr. Freeze, Riddler, Clayface, Mad Hatter, Scarface, Killer Croc, Bane, Baby Doll, Penguin, Clock King, Harley Quinn, Professor Milo, Poison Ivy, and Rupert Thorne appear only on BTAS, and they are marvelous in their own right.
   
   The Scarecrow was better portrayed in BTAS (voice by Henry Polic II) than he was in Begins. Cillian Murphy looked too young as Doctor Crane, and the actual villain was much underused in the film. Two-Face had the scariest appearance in TDK; Aaron Eckhardt was flawless. However, Two-Face in BTAS (Richard Moll) had a much better origin. Years of suppressing anger can do that, you know. Ra's al Ghul is much more interesting in BTAS (David Warner); Liam Neeson's performance in BB was just above average as he wasn't very believable to me. The Penguin, one of my favorite Batman villains, has been blessed with both BReturns and BTAS. Danny Devito and Paul Williams have done superb jobs with this antagonist. Same goes with Catwoman: Michelle Pfeiffer had the better dialogue and better catsuit, while Adrienne Barbeau was a better Selina Kyle, and her chemistry with Batman is deeper.
   
   Finally, for the Joker we have Jack Nicholson (B89), Mark Hamill (BTAS), and Heath Ledger (TDK). All three of them are perfect. Nicholson has the best dialogue, Hamill has the best laugh and look, and Ledger has the best sadism. Three different worlds, three different performances. People on YouTube should understand that.
   
   SUPPORTING CHARACTERS: I couldn't see Michael Caine as Alfred, so it's thumbs down from me. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Michael Gough are the ideal Alfred's. Aaron Eckhardt is truly a one-of-a-kind Harvey Dent. I Believe in Harvey Dent! Billy Dee Williams was great in B89, also, and he had the tough and virtuous personality, as did Richard Moll in BTAS. Gary Oldman and Bob Hastings are the definitive Commissioner Gordon's; Pat Hingle is the weakest, but certainly not at all terrible. He's just a bit too short. Morgan Freeman is the one and only Lucius Fox; Brock Peters of BTAS had the better persona, but Freeman had the better chemistry with Batman.
   
   GOTHAM CITY: Burton captured the dark and gothic feel of the hellish city perfectly. It looks as if "Hell came sprouting out of the concrete and kept right on growing. You gotta give credit to Anton Furst, the film's art director, for creating this atmospheric universe. Gotham in BTAS also has its advantages. The towering skyline, the dangerous alleys, and the red sky make it all more mesmerizing. Nolan's Gotham looks hellish, too, but it looks too much like Chicago (filming location for both BB and TDK). But other than that, it succeeds in creating a Faustian nightmare.
   
   EVERYTHING ELSE: The gadgets in BTAS were the most realistic, while the Batmobile for B89 was better-looking. Keaton's Batsuit is classic, while Conroy's cape and cowl is ultimately frightening. The heroines (Basinger, Holmes, and Gyllenhaal) are lovely additions, although I wish Basinger would stop screaming throughout B89. And let's not forget the music: let's give it up for Danny Elfman, Shirley Walker, James Newton Howard, and Hans Zimmer. These are the composers who gave us those catchy Batman themes. We will never forget them or their work.
   
   CONCLUSION: Burton's universe, Nolan's universe, and Timm's universe are near ideal. I love them equally, really. I can't wait for the next film.



2. Bought this to get the Prince videos and watched in horror as I discovered that they put a poorly edited version of the Partyman video and not the full version. If they ever do another special edition of Batman, they MUST include the real versions of the Prince videos and not crappy edits.



3. Works good..I love this film always have. Trying to get most if not all of them.



4. The Best Batman movie. Val Kilmer was the 2nd best. Michael Keaton has a nice black Batman costumeBatman (Two-Disc Special Edition)



5. It's a tough thing growing old!......and this film hasn't grown old gracefully. Tim Burton tried so hard to make the film the fans wanted to see, but the 1966 TV show is still present to a degree in this "not so dark" romp through Gotham City! I do enjoy this film despite it's flaws, but you have to remember at the time this was fairly new territory. I went to see this opening night and it was a grand experience for the most part although I was not completely happy with the film!
   
   Keaton who fans and critics scoffed at for being picked to play the caped crusader is actually pretty good and way better than Kilmer or the abysmal Clooney! Jack Nicholson's Joker is a slightly more deranged Caesar Romero, his perfomance is sometimes genius, but ultimately it's not that memorable because of the uneven tone of the film. A tone that switches from dark to camp to Hollywood and back again. If there is one consistent critique that remained the same in the last 20 years, it's that the Prince music is horrible and inappropriate in this film! Making the art gallery scene one of my least favorite parts of the movie!
   
   OK enough already, the film is still pretty entertaining earning a 3 1/2 star rating from me and this two disc edition is awesome! Great DVD transfer and lots of Batman goodies to look at!

5 comments about Hocus Pocus.

1. Hocus Pocus: This is a great movie at halloween. The cast really looks the part. It is alot of fun to watch.



2. Along with "Clue," this is what I consider one of the greatest Halloween movies ever made. It starts with the death of 3 witches (Winifred, Sarah, and Mary). Also, Zachary gets turned into a black cat by them after he unsuccessfully tries to save his sister Emily. We then move to a present day classroom in Salem where a class has heard about what happened. Did what we see really happen, or was it just an acted out story the teacher was telling? GREAT AMBIGUITY! Max doesn't believe the story, which makes him somewhat of an outcast. He seems interested in Allison; she is not exactly rude to him, but she doesn't seem overly interested in forming a relationship with him either. We also see that Max has some problems with his younger sister Danielle. (He doesn't want to take her trick or treating.) But they patch things up, and they run into Allison. They decide to visit where the 3 witches they learned about in class died. In a dramatic, but also hilarious fashion, the 3 witches are resurrected, and they plan their revenge on Salem. This movie is great that while the 3 witches are unquestionably evil, they carry a charm that makes them hilarious and lovable despite. Basically, they want to kill enough people so that they can make a potion that will enable them to live forever. (Another thing that is so funny is that they are trying to take over a world they don't know. They don't know what a bus is; they think fire men are witch hunters; they think the trick or treaters are real monsters, etc.) In an especially hilarious moment, Winifred walks into a kitchen and says: "Behold! A torture chamber!" Allison, Max, and Danielle, along with the black cat Zachary are sometimes uneasy allies, but they are determined to stop the witches from taking over Salem. Overall, there is a phenomenal combination of horror, suspense, and comedy. Even characters with small parts like Danielle's parents make the most of their roles. (Danielle's mother is humiliated when she tries to explain an R rated costume she wore to an adult party. Of course, she didn't expect Danielle to find her there!) There is also a great climax with a touch of tragedy. Probably one of the best things about this movie is that often we are not sure as to whether we are watching a horror movie or a comedy. But it's all Halloween! And of course with Bette Midler as the head witch, there is a great song in the middle (which in this case turns out to be a spell). If you love Halloween, this movie is a MUST!



3. For my family no holiday is complete without a long list of holiday movies to watch and enjoy. This movie is absolutely on our list, and it has long been a favorite.
   Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy deliver hilarious performances as the wicked and witchy Sanderson sisters; back after a long awaited rest they are ready to wreak havoc on the town of Salem and regain their youth. Funny, sweet and good for the entire family, it's one of Disney's best. (Despite some critcism from uptight people who have issue with the word "virgin".) I think there are far worse words being used on TV these days, but hey to each their own. I love this movie and so do my kids, for us Halloween is not complete without it!



4. This is a great movie but it is not in 1:85 widescreen format. It is in a 4:3 aspect. I called Disney and they tried to explain that it is their only release of the movie. They admitted it wasn't in a true 1:85 widescreen and will not fill a 16x9 hi-def T.V. (looks great on a 4:3 T.V.) After playing mind checkers with the Disney operator for a few minutes, they could'nt give a reason why it is advertised as a widescree movie.



5. I love this movie and I watch it often. I bought the video when it came out in the 90's and now I have trouble watching it on our new HD TV, so
   now I purchased it in the DVD form. The actors were great in this movie. I can't get enough of the movie.

5 comments about The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm.

1. This is a Wonderful Movie. It is excellent story telling. It is a treasure, showing a persons courage to hold on to a dream, and the struggle that he, his brother and his family go thru to keep that dream.unfortunately there is no swearing or sex or drugs, no nudity either, just a Good Story! What a concept!!! It was one of 7 movies made in PanaVision, this is where 3 cameras are side by side filming a movie.



2. I saw this movie when it first came out. I was seven years old at the time. I remember that I thought it was great movie. Of course, at that age, I had total suspension of disbelief. I wanted to have one of those capes that turns you invisible. I was also terrified by the dragon in "The Singing Bone." I was in real distress for the Buddy Hackett and Terry Thomas characters as they tried to avoid the dragon. The ending of that story made me sad.
   
   I did see this movie once again on television as an adult. I laughed at how I had been totally affected by it as a seven-year-old.
   
   I've signed up to be notified if and when this is released to DVD. I hope they do it justice when they do release it.



3. One for the collection and the grandchildren, so I'm waiting for that perverbial studio to do their thing; DVD please!



4. I have loved this movie since I saw it in the 1960s. A few years ago, I was flipping through the dial and came across a wide screen version that had introductory material about the Prussian War. It was shown on Turner Classic Movies. I would love to have a DVD copy of this version. Anyone know where I can find it?



5. Recently TCM showed Bros. Grimm in a widescreen transfer that had alll 3 camera angles visible. It was great! Write them and request a rebroadcast and then get your DVD Recorders ready!
   Don
   Atlanta

5 comments about World Without End.

1. I had not seen WWE for more than 25 years. I remember it as a SF movie that shook me to my core. Even then, most movies did not begin with a framing sequence, but this one had the audacity to place the upcoming action in centuries-jumping sequence that quickly and convincingly landed the actors in the far future of an earth ruined by atomic war. As a child, I had just read, Wells' 'The Time Machine' and I connected the similarities: the handsome travelers (one of whom,by the way, was Rod Taylor, star of the 1960 'The Time Machine);the division of humanity into the intelligent but weak humans who are threatened by the savage Morlocks; the abundance of tall, sexy women who could appreciate Rod Taylor's beefcake (Yvette Mimeux in 'The Time Machine' and Nancy Gates in 'WWE'; and the struggle between the two races of a divided humanity. Still, WWE was more than just 'The Time Machine' reborn. Despite the hokey special effects, it became clear that WWE was not a movie of special effects. The focus was on people adjusting to a colossal change in their lives. The time travelers had to learn to adjust to the loss of their known civilization. The weakened humans had to learn to adjust to a savage reminder of their past in the pistol packing personas of the time travelers. And even the mutated beasts had to learn that with the death of their fearsome leader Naga, a new dawn of human reconciliation had begun. The closing scenes of the unity of pre-war man, post-war man, and mutated man still resonate with me. I could sense that humanity might yet survive the horror of atomic war. WWE was one of the first intelligent post-apocalyptic films to suggest that our civilization need not take the detour that the Mad Max films would later travel.



2. WWE has been one of my favorites since I first saw it at the age of 12. When I saw it for the first time in a movie theater in 1956, it seemed awesome. Time has reduced this time-travel sci-fi movie to something a little less than awesome, but it's still a wonderful flick. Granted, the special effects and makeup are only average or somewhat less so and the acting sometimes falls short of credibility (as, for example, in the scene where Morees strikes Timic's daughter). But the magic is in the music. Somehow, the score, which ranges from the deeply eerie to heights of almost cosmic beauty, conveys a mood throughout that's a mixture of overwhelming tragedy and soaring hope--the very elements that make up this story about the fate of a nuked humanity. If you're a sci-fan, you owe it to yourself to buy this one. The cold war may be over, but the threat of nuclear holocaust is still very real.



3. WWE has several things going for it -
   (1) It's in color
   (2) The actors are a notch above the usual refugees from Central Casting
   (3) The model effects and general production values are good.

   HOWEVER,...
   The story of a spaceship hurled 500 years into the future to land on a bombed-out Earth was old-hat when the movie was made almost 50 years ago. Why the normal humans in the underground city dress in outfits straight out of the Middle Ages while their environment is all straight-line futurism is beyond me. And however decrepit the men from the future are, whatever made them that way apparently didn't affect the women who all seem to be runners-up in the "Miss I-Survived-The-Apocalypse" beauty contest. Add to that a hefty dose of 1950's male superiority and a lot of old feathers about atomic mutation and this movie stinks faster than a Mob snitch in the East River.
   For crying old loud people, the leader of the mutants is a one-eyed cretin who has all of the agility of a dancing bear. SNEAK UP BEHIND HIM!




4. A group of dorky-macho scientists winds up 500 years or so in the future, where it encounters all kinds of "Star Trek"-style nonsense. I refer to: skinny, carefully-spoken, pacifist leaders in goofy, uni-sex suits. Voluptuous women in cocktail outfits. D.W.-Griffith-style cavemen with twenty-word vocabularies (verbs and nouns only). Arty but cut-price sets. Multiple grave dangers that yield to redundant dialogue exchanges (followed by short bursts of contrived action). The world needs to be saved, and these intrepid nerds have an extra 15 minutes or so in which to accomplish same, so... why not? After all, they're hundreds of years away from home. They've got nothing else to do, besides future-girl-watch.
   
   Luckily, the film is saved from total lame hilarity by competent, fast-paced direction (Ed Bernds, who also gave us "Return of the Fly" and "Queen of Outer Space"), unusually good acting for something like this, and neat special effects--especially the rocket, as it blasts through space, wriggles about in a time-whatever (a warp? Can't remember), and then crashes into the snowy surface of the future-Earth. No more sexist, macho, or Eisenhower-era-esque than the average "Star Trek" episode (was this one of Gene Roddenberry's favorite films?), "World Without End" is an entertaining time-travel capsule of its day. The fun outweighs the inanity, so I give it two and a half stars. (Three, by default.)



5. Those looking for some sort of deep meaning underlying the film will likely be disappointed but if you are looking for a great evening of 1950's popcorn fare this is it. In fact despite some of its drawbacks it still has something that leaves one with the feeling that the whole film is a whole lot better than the sum of the parts - one of those that you can't quite place your finger on why you like it so much. Unfortunately, people tend to keep reviewing these films through the lens of today's high budgets and often over the top special effects.
   
   Folks when this flick was made computers were the size of large offices, gasoline was around 30 cents a gallon and jet airline service had been around for only four years - get some perspective. This movie gets points just for nostalgia value alone.
   
   Oh, and please don't go by what the fellow below with the 'sickening' review said - he obviously has some greater issues to deal with and is likely the type ready to trample all over your fun because it doesn't fit into some perverse Politically Correct mold.
   
   Enjoy the Movie!

5 comments about Return to Oz (1985).

1. As a fan of Baum's original works, this has always been my most favorite film version of his world.
   
   And as a child of the 1980s, this film has always had nostalgic appeal. Yes, the film scared me as a child. But that very darkness, mixed with the light fairy tale images, the violence and the childish sense of logic and imagination, is also much closer to Baum's wonderful Oz.
   
   The film comes from the Golden Age of Fantasy Films, the 1980s. The time when they knew how to make clever, visually-imaginative, and often dark fantasy films for children. Return to Oz is absolutely beautiful and perfect. The special effects and production design is better than most films today that are overly CGIed without the same heart and spirit as the Jim Henson company instilled in every film.
   
   I know that the 1939 musical is considered an unparalleled classic, but it has a very plastic and staged feel. It lacks the spirit of Baum's works. Although Return to Oz is often criticsized (and, I believe it bombed at the box office at the time), it has a special place in the hearts of children who grew up with it, as well as fans of the original works.
   
   First of all, the film much more accurately portrays Oz and is much more loyal to the books. Dorothy (perfectly portrayed) is the right age, for starters. Not only do many things more closely resemble the illustrations of the books (especially the characters and the Emerald City), but the world looks much more real and occupied than the 1938 version. The mood of the film is also much closer to Baum's works, mixing silly childish logic and imagination (building the Gump) with darkness and danger of a child in a strange world (the fear of turning into an ornament or to stone or having your head cut off). The film is just as magical and mystical as Baum's books.
   
   Second, I love seeing Oz as "fallen". The Yellow Brick Road reclaimed by nature. The Emerald City crumbling and the people all turned to stone. The Gnome King's palace where people are turned into ornaments. The theme, ironically, of the story is trying to return home doesn't always meet your high expectations and desires. Fits for a film constantly compared to the 1938 musical. Even in a fairyworld, things change and fall away.
   
   This DVD is in widescreen, which is the only way to ever see any movie. There are some cool special features, including a recent interview with the star, Balk. But, best of all, is the film itself, and being able to revisit a childhood favorite for all of us that grew up in the 80s.



2. Return to Oz is a film I watched when I was a child and even this fantasy gave me the willies, but I couldn't help but enjoy this bizarre child-like adventure. So much darker than the Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland, Return to Oz stars Fairuza Balk who in some ways is more connivincing as Dorothy Gale. The good and evil characters are pretty scary, so probably this film should not be viewed by children under the age of 8. There is this one scene that still sticks out for me, where all the mannequin heads come to life, creepy as can be!!! Gotta give this '80s classic a viewing, it will trip you out, enjoy!



3. I watched this movie as a kids and taped it off television when it was playing on the network, now that I have a clean copy where my brother hasn't taped over chunks of the film, I watch it more then ever. I am suprised how many of my friends have actually heard and/or seen the film too!



4. Return to Oz is pretty good, but it can NEVER beat the original! Dorothy recieves a key from the scarecrow and tries to get back to Oz. No one believes her, so Auntie Em takes her to an asylum to help her. During a lightning storm, 'someone' helps Dorothy escape, and she gets transported back to Oz. With the help of totally new friends, Dorothy flies to the Nome King's mountain to figure out what happened to the Scarecrow. Soon, the Nome King challenges Dorothy and her new friends to a little game; Scarecrow has been turned into an ornament, and if they pick the right one, the Scarecrow will come back, but if they guess wrong, they will turn into ornaments as well. The problems I have with this movie is The Emerald City isn't the same, the yellow-brick road is silly. If you love the original classic, you might like RETURN TO OZ!!!
   
   
   p.s. When I was about 5 or 6, my cousin, aunt, and I would act out a scene from this movie. It's when Dorothy takes the powder of life from Momby!



5. This movie is the real deal! Check out "Ozma of Oz" and "The Land of Oz," which take place after the events in the "Wizard of Oz" to see how L. Frank Baum envisioned Oz and then compare them to this movie. Walter Murch, not only got the look and feel of Oz right, but he also got the personalities of these new characters correct. Watch this movie to learn what Oz was really like. Jack Pumpkinhead deserves our love as much as the Scarecrow! Bettina the chicken is more Dorothy's pet than Toto. Enjoy the diversity of L. Frank Baum's imagination! You won't be disappointed. This is a GREAT film!!!
   
   I, too, had been brainwashed by the MGM-version of OZ, so much so that I wouldn't even read the OZ book series. It was in my 20's, while recovering from surgery that I started to read the L. Frank Baum books. I found them to be much richer, interesting, darker and with deeper personal relationships than the MGM Wizard OZ-lite version. I was hooked.
   
   When this movie came out, I was enthralled and amazed. There were other people who loved the original stories as much as me! Fairuza Balk is an age-appropriate Dorothy; Dorothy did have a pet chicken named Bettina that is featured in many of the "Oz" books who talked and eventually decided to remain in Oz; the importance of Jack Pumpkinhead cannot be overstated for the rest of the "Oz" books and is an interesting statement on certain stereotypes (which I won't mention because it would be a spoiler); the storyline of how Oz had changed while Dorothy was gone can be seen as commentary of how Kansas had changed after the twister and on how much Dorothy had changed as a result of her visiting Oz; etc. While many people have commented on how scary the movie is, there are also girl-positive, funny and very magical parts to this movie. While it is not appropriate for the very young (and neither is the "Wizard of Oz" for that matter), it is perfect for ages around ten and older. They read, see and hear of more frightening events daily. My suggestion to you is: Go ahead! Give it a try! :) I don't think you'll be sorry!
   
   FOOTNOTE: Prior to Return to Oz's opening, Disney released a "Making Of" documentary that showed how they filmed the claymation of the Gnome King (this was a very novel technique then), how the witch transferred the different heads, how the heads had different expressions while in the closet, the workings of Tic-Toc (who I fell in love with), the animation of the Gump (another lovable creature), how the costumes of the Wheelies were made and the how the actors moved in the costumes and more details. The documentary also presented some amazing-but-true urban myths about the two Oz movies, such as: Fairuza Balk, Walter Murch and Ray Bolger believed that the land of Oz truly existed. Another story was that the coat worn by Frank Morgan, when he played the traveling salesman in "The Wizard of Oz," was bought as a thrift store so that it had that look of wear and dirt. In order to fit Frank Morgan, a seamstress inverted a sleeve and found the name "L. Frank Baum" embroidered inside! This had the effect of totally freaking out the set of the MGM studio, while others felt like they now had L. Frank's blessing. I remember that Frank Morgan himself relayed this story in the documentary. Ray Bolger was very old and possibly, one of the last main characters to be alive at the time of this documentary. He was propped up by pillows and it looked like it took some effort for him to talk. However, he told the story of how, when he auditioned, he pleaded to be considered for the role of the Scarecrow. When asked why, Ray answered something like, to have more time with Do-ro-thy, of course. (You remember the way he said the name "Dorothy," right?) There were other very cool remembrances that I'm sure I've forgotten. But this documentary really helped bridge the MGM-Oz with the Disney-Oz. If anyone knows where to get this documentary, please, please contact me.

5 comments about Groundhog Day.

1. Groundhog Day - 15th Anniversary Edition is the perfect film to watch when you are in a funk. Hopefullly this hit film will put a smile on your face afterwords, Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell are heavenly together. They have great chemistry and you believe their love/hate relationship. This is director's Harold Ramis second best film after National Lampoon's Vacation, I just love his movies. I highly recommend purchasing this classic, enjoy!



2. I first watched this movie as a kid, when I was home sick from school one day. I didn't like it then but since that time I've heard many people praise it, and figured maybe I didn't quite understand it back then.
   
   Well apparently my pint-sized brain had some powers of discrimination even in those days. I just watched the movie again, and even though I realized it wasn't going to get good halfway through, I kept watching anyway, just to fully appreciate why I hate this film.
   
   Firstly, every single character, aside from Murray's, is a two-dimensional moron whose sole purpose is to advance the increasingly rickety storyline. Even Murray's character at times seems as if he's being treated as a puppet by the writers, periodically engaging in some histrionics to add some 'entertainment' to this mind-numbing film.
   
   Secondly, and probably more importantly as a comedy, the film is not funny.
   
   My least relevant criticism, but one that probably elevates my contempt for this movie to another level, is the imbecility of the allegory. What is this film trying to say? Everyone is essentially good-natured and live every day to the fullest? Great. Not only is it poorly written and acted, the movie's cliched theme is saccharine to the point of being nauseating.
   
   One star for taking a good concept and bludgeoning it into an airheaded piece of hollywood sludge.



3. 
   This movie starts out as any normal movie, but become quite monotonous throughout most of the movie, (which I'm sure was the director's intent) then has an awesome ending. "Well worth the wait" Be patient.



4. "Groundhog Day" is one of Bill Murray's best efforts. To think that a movie could repeat the same day over and over and over again and still be interesting is amazing and a credit to Murray's ability to draw viewers in. It turns out to be a sweet film of romance and I highly recommend it!
   Damon Medic



5. Phil Connors (Bill Murray) is a self-absorbed weatherman in Pittsburg who is obsessed with moving to a larger market. As part of his job, he goes every year to Pitsatony to cover the groundhog festivities on February 2nd. This year, he is going with his producer Rita (Andie MacDowell) and camera guy Larry (Chris Elliot). He can't wait to get home, but a blinding snowstorm makes it impossible for them to leave.
   
   The next morning, Phil wakes up to discover that it isn't the next morning. And no matter what he does, every morning he wakes up to find it is February 2nd. Slowly, he begins to learn from his mistakes and do thing differently. But will he ever get out of this repetitive repetition?
   
   After hearing this movie praised for years, I finally got a chance to see it. And I enjoyed it. There are lots of very funny moments as Phil deals with his predicament. His reactions near the beginning are priceless. And there is a very heartwarming message underneath it all.
   
   However, I did find it got old before the movie was over. And there are some very dark scenes that felt out of place for the comedy it was supposed to be.
   
   Those are minor issues, however. So if you've missed this movie, get it today and enjoy it over and over and over and over again.

5 comments about The Last Starfighter.

1. It's funny how people will love one thing, and then turn on something which is almost exactly the same on a fundamental level. In a small community a boy grows up dreaming of a life of adventure. A mysterious old man and some new friends help him to save the galaxy from an evil Empire. It could be a description of the plot from Star Wars but it's also the plot from the Last Starfighter (with the addition of one cool-looking arcade game that serves a sword-in-the-stone for the protagonist and a trailer park on plain-old-Earth instead of a desert world on the outer rim). So why is it that Star Wars is universally loved while people put down this classic just because its a little old (and not Star Wars)? Personally, I think it just gets better with age.
   
   To Defend the Frontier...
   
   Part tale of a small trailer park, part sci-fi intergalactic struggle, the Last Starfighter just might be the best bridge between the fantastic and the ordinary, a triumphant homage to the spirit of sci-fi fans everywhere who dream of becoming something more. For everyone who has ever wished that video game skills were actually useful in the real world, this movie has got to absolutely be the end-all-be-all of wish fulfillment. As a long time gamer, geek, and guy who never seems to attain anything tangible in this world, I must admit I absolutely love this movie. What makes this movie different from Star Wars is the strong hometown America feel, as everyone in the trailer park has a lot of personality, and seems like they could be from just about any small trailer-park town. So when you toss the craziness of the robot clone, alien assassins, and a Gunstar (man I love that word for the battleships) landing right in the parking lot, it just gives everything a great epic feel and drives home just how huge it is that Alex is suddenly the last hope for freedom for countless star systems. Gotta love it.
   
   Young Alex Rogan dreams of escaping from his boring small-town trailer park life and building a life of importance for himself somewhere. Early on in the film his hopes get dashed to pieces when he's rejected for a college scholarship, but when he breaks the record on the only arcade game at a local diner, it turns out to be much more important than he could ever have imagined. The arcade game is a galactic sword-in-the-stone, and soon a galactic recruiter for the Star League's Starfighters grabs Alex and takes him to the base on Rylos to help save the universe!
   Lance Guest's performance in the dual role of the main character and the robot sent to replace him while he's away fighting save the universe is really endearing, as is the actress who plays his small town sweetheart. Actually most of the characters in the movie are charming in this roles, including a one-time music man in his last film role. My personal favorite is of course the alien who pilots the ship Alex is the gunner for, and he says a lot of really great gung-ho lines "I always wanted to fight a desperate battle against incredible odds!". Great stuff.
   
   "He could be the greatest Starfighter ever!"
   
   The Last Starfighter has everything you could want in a movie. There's comedy, romance, dreams of heroism, space battles, and an absolutely fantastic musical score. It still amazes me after all these years of listening to musical scores how much they can improve a film. The score to this movie enhances it quite a bit, giving it a huge dramatic and idealistic boost (kind of like how the score to Star Wars changed it from a cheesy indy flick to a triumph of cinematic genius in the world's opinion). When this film came out the special effects were revolutionary (it was the first film to ever use computer-generated graphics depending on who you ask), and if you love old-school blue screen special effects it's definitely on par with Star Wars and the Neverending Story. The space battles are small-scale compared to Star Wars, but it's still a whole lot of fun because of the namesake battle of one pilot and gunner (Starfighter) against an entire Armada and the Capital ship. The icing on the cake for me when I watch this film is that when the kid finally does decide to take up the fight against the bad guys (he's quite reluctant for a large part of the movie and tries to run away home instead of fighting in the war), it's exactly like the Arcade game he played back home, from the target drones for training to the last boss. If you love video games like I do, you can't help but love the moments when all the time wasted playing a video game makes a kid into an intergalactic hero.
   
   I hear they are making a Last Starfighter sequel and I can't wait. As a big fan of sci-fi and movies from the 80's (and especially space-fantasy movies from the 80's) I'm always looking for more great movies from that endless treasure trove. But in my mind there are some movies that trascend even my love for the genre and are just classics in every way. This is one of those movies. A must-own for any fan of space-fantasy movies or 80's sci-fi.



2. Great daydream film, small town young man leaves earth becomes a hero and saves the universe from the bad guy. I have had that dream starting at the age of 10, just as any other space cadet when they started read sci-fi. Special effect still good even in this day in time.



3. I used to have this on vhs as a kid and loved it!! (I used to walk around quoting the live from the video game - 'you have been recruited...' etc)
   
   Yeah so the fx are a little dated, and it's a little corny, but I loved this movie, and still do.
   
   Great for any cult sci-fi buff.



4. The Music Man and his video game - but it's more, just a test ! Pre Star Trek spinoffs are stale this is the beginning, straight " country boy does good" plot extended to the stars. Yeah - I've done time in "Trailer Parks " ( Caravan Parks in Aussie ) and I wanted out and up too ! I lost my video game edge when I got specs, but watching this flick is 'living a dream' - escapism. Just enough woman trouble to fill in the touchy feely side of the universe too ! I must admit they stole the mask for the Friendly alien Grigg - and reused it as the Grinch ! OK for fun, escapism, and lots of wishful dreaming - watch it !



5. I'm glad to have grown up with this great fantasy movie. I loved the story that you could actually be called up into the reality that the game is just hinting at. This even has a liking to Ender's Game in that regard. A fun video.

5 comments about Jetsons: The Movie.

1. Jetsons: The Movie is like a long episode of the show - but with music. It's a fun enough ride, but it never takes on the feel of an actual movie. With its diverse set of characters and intergalactic creatures, it's an interesting enough story. Judged solely as a movie, though, it comes up short (and not only in terms of its running time of 82 minutes, 7 of which are the end credits). The film just never really managed to distinguish itself from old episodes of the show, making you wonder why they bothered to make a movie in the first place.
   
   After all these years, George Jetson's button-pushing prowess has finally been recognized. Mr. Spaceley makes George a vice president and ships him off to run an orbiting sprocket production facility. Mr. Spaceley really wants this facility up and running because cheap production costs mean higher profits, and the automated plant requires only two employees - a robot to keep everything up and working, and a vice president to push the start button every morning. What George doesn't know is that four vice presidents have already come and gone, as the plant has continually run into major problems. The kids aren't too wild about moving (Elroy has his basketball tournament coming up and Judy has fallen in love with a rock star), but the Jetsons soon settle in among their multi-species neighbors on the asteroid. As they learn to adjust and make new friends, George finds his dream job cursed with major glitches. Someone or something is sabotaging the machinery, and it's up to George to figure out what is really going on.
   
   I don't expect to see a lot of musical numbers when I watch The Jetsons, but this movie has more than its fair share of just that very thing, including what can only be called an abstract music video at one point. I think a lot of viewers will not embrace the music very much at all. There are actually two rap songs in here, and I just have to say there's no reason in the world George Jetson needs to start rapping about anything. You also have three songs by Tiffany - now, I've always been a Tiffany fan, but I daresay that puts me in a definite minority. Tiffany not only sings, though; she also serves as the voice of young Judy Jetson. She's not half bad, but of course most of her dialogue consists mainly of futuristic teen slang.
   
   Basically, I'm going right down the middle on this one and labeling the movie perfectly average. Kids will enjoy it, but I fear many a parent over the ensuing years has cringed every time one of their brood popped this thing back into the VCR for another viewing.



2. When they made this movie, they recorded the voices with the original cast. Before release they thought that it would help marketing to replace Janet Waldo's voice with Tiffany's. If this were a new creation that would have been fine, but everyone knows what Judy Jetson is supposed to sound like, and it isn't Tiffany. I don't think enough people knew or cared about this to affect ticket sales anyways. Since they did record the whole movie initially with Janet Waldo as Judy, if that recording still exists, when this makes it to DVD it should have an alternate track with the original vocals. It wouldn't be hard to do, but movies like this rarely get much love on DVD. Hanna-barbera has given a lot of love to their series sets though, but since Universal and MCA are mixed up in this one, I'd be surprised to get more than a bare-bones movie disc.



3. I was so excited when I found this old movie on my shelf. I remember liking it a lot back in the day when I was a kid. This time when I watched it though, I was surprised to see it drag in several places. George goes through the same comic routine of getting caught in the sprocket machine several times, and it takes forever for someone to come up with an idea of staying in the plant after working hours to figure out what's causing all the trouble.
   
   Then again, the film has some definite highlights. It's fun seeing the wonders of the Jetsons' new home, and most of the songs are surprisingly good, except for the one or two awful rap songs. Rap was EVERYWHERE at this time. Most embarassing thing of the 90's if you ask me.
   
   The movie starts getting a little environmentally preachy near the end, without much comic relief to lighten it up and make it easy to swallow.
   
   Good for a rental if you have kids I guess, but the TV show had to be a lot better.



4. I love this film. First of all it has a more modern look than the cartoons. Look that movie was made in 1989 almost 12 years till the year 2001, the new millieum. I know many will disagree but the reason why it was released in 1990 is because they won't want to make competition with Disney's The Little Mermaid. Now back to the review. Also Tiffany does an excellent job by playing Judy. She sounded more real with her character plus she sings. This movie should be in DVD so for those who have wide screen TV's or 17 in screens on their laptops then it will defiantly look even better.



5. I know this movie doesn't have exaclty the same feel as the original show did, but it was a fun flick just the same! I'm waiting on the edge of my seat for this to come out on DVD!!

5 comments about The X-Files (Movie).

1. You might want to pull up a chair, this is a long, self-interested review.
   
   Back in the autumn '07 I saw this p'ticular movie in a bargain bin, on sale for a dollar, and although I still remembered my loathing for the way its makers manipulated so many of us into flocking to our local multiplex, only to rip us off our ticket price, I still bought it on a "wonder if it was really that bad?" basis. And now that I've at last made time to see it, guess what...it's still THAT BAD.
   
   To think, back in the late-`90's I spent months looking forward to this film. There was once a time, after all, when The X-Files was a big deal, and when I was in college, it was the one TV show no one ever seemed to miss. Instead of a project equal to my and so many others' eager anticipation, we were "treated" to a movie that was terrible in every way. Filled with clichés (please, why must every on-screen bomb have those little red numbers on the front counting down the time till detonation?), this movie made an even greater muddle of already muddled conspiracy theories that by then were starting to drag down one of the most suspenseful, intelligent, and altogether cool series in broadcast history.
   
   Although Fight The Future (yes the "X-Files Movie" actually had a name) promised to reveal all or at least much that we'd been squirming to know, this stinko actually backfired and showed that not only was the truth not out there, but The X-Files was actually a ship plowing haphazardly through choppy waters, no one at the wheel.
   
   As we left the theater, my friend said to me, "They're just making this stuff up as they go, aren't they?"
   
   "Yep, Jackie," I replied, "they are." (There, I used your name in a review.)
   
   And for the first time, ladies and gentlemen, the light of Heaven shone down onto New England, and we saw the Emperor was stark naked.
   
   Okay, kidding aside, I truly think the release of this film was when The X Files jumped the sharks and the beginning of the end to this once ice-hot TV show can be traced to this one goshawful motion picture.
   
   Why after so long do I still feel so much antipathy for a banal movie? Because it was bad. Yes, truly bad as a stand-alone work, and much worse as a disgrace to the one-time great series. Just absolutely hideous!



2. Aliens, viruses, secret government entities, genetic engineering, assasinations and the rest of the staples of the X-files TV serial are all in this movie, tied together into a fairly cogent and actually quite believable storyline. And like a good movie based of a TV serial, multiple arcs are closed while none are opened. Specifically, this movie sees the deaths of two important characters from the serial (not Fox or Scully of course), and the existence of aliens on earth is confirmed once and for all in the movie's climatic ending. The style and substance of the movie mirrors the TV show; no sex, swearing or blood, and one short scene of near romance. Hence both movie and serial are appropriate for the same audiences. For those who need to know, the movie does not touch upon Mulder's sister.
   
   All in all, good sci-fi, good action and good storytelling.



3. For nearly all successful television dramas, there comes the conflict of when the show should end. For most of the X-Files' first few seasons, show creator Chris Carter imagined the show running five seasons, then spinning off into a series of motion pictures (much like the original series of Star Trek). However, with the Fifth Season of the X-Files garnering the best ratings in the show's history, it became obvious that the FOX network would do anything it could to bring its most successful hour back.
   
   Now, what does that above statement have to do with this movie? During the promotion of the movie, the creators touted it as giving "all the answers", essentially the be-all, end-all of the X-Files' many plotlines. Because of the show's tremendous popularity, however, the writers/producers could not put all their cards on the table quite yet. Despite clearing up many questions surrounding the Syndicate's involvement with the alien colonists (more specifically, how colonization will occur), this movie did not, by any means, provide ALL the answers, and was heavily criticized (even in these reviews) for it. In fact, just as many loose ends were brought up as were tied off.
   
   So, why does this movie still get a five-star rating from me? Because, despite its false-advertising, the movie still contains every aspect that made previous seasons of the X-Files so great: thrilling action, mind-bending plots, and witty, sardonic humor. Plus, as fans found out in the next two seasons, the X-Files still had many more great stories to tell. Ending the series with this movie would have cheated its loyal fans out of some more great drama. Though I will admit that the show drastically changed when it returned after the movie, many viewers (including myself) find the later seasons to be just as thrilling as the earlier fare.
   
   Overall, this is a great movie for any fan of science-fiction. As unbelievable as this may sound, this movie was the first X-Files fare of any kind I ever saw (imagine my confusion!), yet it still hooked me enough to become an avid follower, proving that you don't have to be an uber-fan to appreciate this film.



4. The story here is very involved, but it never gets too hard to follow. There's a lot here that comes from the TV series, but it's not crucial for you to have seen every episode to understand what's going on. Of course, you probably wouldn't be watching this movie if you hadn't seen at least a little of the series.
   
   The effects are well done. The tone is solid. The characterization is wonderful. This may not make you fall in love with the series, but it is a wonderfully made sci-fi adventure.
   
   I don't know about you, but I now get scared every time I go outside to stand in our oil pool.



5. My family has recently become huge fans of the X-files TV show (thanks to reruns on the Sci Fi channel), so we were excited to see that they had actually released a movie back in the late 90's. I read several of the bad reviews that this movie received, but we really liked it when we first watched it. True, it's a little different from the TV series in that it was hard for them to try & fit in all of the usual cast members, but overall, we were really surprised at just how much we liked this movie. It was very suspenseful & it kept us rivited to the very end. Can't wait to see the new 2008 movie version as well!