American Psycho (Uncut Killer Collector's Edition)

Product Description

Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) a Wall Street yuppie obsessed with success, status and style is also a serial killer who murders, rapes and mutilates both strangers and acquaintances without reason. A Police detective is on his trail as Bateman s mask of studied, distant cool begins to fall apart.

System Requirements:

Running Time 102 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

The Bret Easton Ellis novel American Psycho, a dark, violent satire of the "me" culture of Ronald Reagan's 1980s, is certainly one of the most controversial books of the '90s, and that notoriety fueled its bestseller status. This smart, savvy adaptation by Mary Harron (I Shot Andy Warhol) may be able to ride the crest of the notoriety; prior to the film's release, Harron fought a ratings battle (ironically, for depictions of sex rather than violence), but at the time the director stated, "We're rescuing [the book] from its own bad reputation." Harron and co-screenwriter Guinevere Turner (Go Fish) overcome many of the objections of Ellis's novel by keeping the most extreme violence offscreen (sometimes just barely), suggesting the reign of terror of yuppie killer Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) with splashes of blood and personal souvenirs. Bale is razor sharp as the blank corporate drone, a preening tiger in designer suits whose speaking voice is part salesman, part self-help guru, and completely artificial. Carrying himself with the poised confidence of a male model, he spends his days in a numbing world of status-symbol one-upmanship and soul-sapping small talk, but breaks out at night with smirking explosions of homicide, accomplished with the fastidious care of a hopeless obsessive. The film's approach to this mayhem is simultaneously shocking and discreet; even Bateman's outrageous naked charge with a chainsaw is most notable for the impossibly polished and gleaming instrument of death. Harron's film is a hilarious, cheerfully insidious hall of mirrors all pointed inward, slowly cracking as the portrait becomes increasingly grotesque and insane. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

It's hip to be square and insane.......2007-09-17

I've watched it a few times here and there on tv and finally decided to get the DVD. Based on the book by the same name,....this is one of those tongue in cheek / dark comedy films that meets a Norman Bates from Psycho. Well....Norman Bates as a well-to-do New York business exectutive with a high-income salary and a three-piece designer suit...but you get the idea. Christian Bale is perfect in this film....taking the audience on a never-ending downward spiral into the darkest recesses of his soul only to murder those he envies and an occasional hooker or two only to realize that in the end where he questions himself if he actually committed these murders or not.

It's a great thril-ride.....filled with the typical 80's excesses and references, the overall dark fantasy that lurks in some of us to do away with those who just push our buttons, the comedic moments of his narrations and actions as he Bale's character plunges further into madness.

Naked Bloody Psycho.......2007-09-03

Christian Bale is a typical American Rich Snob in the 80s whose only focus is himself. He is the predecessor of the metro sexual, with 4 kinds of body cleanser, perfectly pressed business clothing and a male physique to die-for. He has everthing and begins to lose his mind.

The pinnacle of the movie is Christian Bale, absolutley naked as a jay-bird, muscles throbbing, covered in his victim's blood, wielding a chain-saw, screaming in some psycho-sexual rage as his victim gets away down a stair-well. He screams and throws the running chainsaw over the balcony to finish his victim off.

You don't know whether you are turned on or terrifed.

Everything begins to fall apart as his mind betrays him. By the end, he doesnt know if he really did these things or if it was his sick fantasy.

Another highlight is watching the intolerable character played by Jared Leto being butchered with an ax.

Probably a great movie for its time but definitely has some sick themes, but just seeing Bale naked is worth it. Batman buns....Yummy.

Christian Bale scared me..........2007-08-31

But I guess that was the point. Man, he really gives his all to a character! Love him! Always will!

BALE IS PSYCHO!!.......2007-08-31

this movie gave me the creeps. goes to show you can't judge a book by it's cover. bale is brilliant in this movie. he knows how to get into character, and he can only stay under control for so long. killing is his high. and it just shows you never really know someone.

Great film.......2007-08-27

Christian Bale is perfect for this role. He is genius in this. It couldn't have been better. I cant quite put a genre to this, its one of those 'multi-genre' type of movies, but it can appeal to so many tastes. Its kinda twisted and naughty but great at the same time. A must-see.

Average customer rating:

like a set of chinese finger cuffs!
Kevin Smith's best film...
An almost mature film from Kevin Smith...
A must own DVD
Kevin Smith in a nutshell.

Chasing Amy - Criterion Collection
Starring: Joey Lauren Adams , Ben Affleck , Casey Affleck , Matt Damon , and Dwight Ewell
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003CX9D
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Amazon.com

Writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks) makes a huge leap in sophistication with this strong story about a comic-book artist (Ben Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Joey Lauren Adams) and actually gets his wish that she love him, too. Their relationship is attacked, however, by his business partner (Jason Lee), who pulls a very unsubtle Iago act to cast doubt over the whole affair. The film has the same sense of insiderness as Clerks--this time, Smith takes us within the arcane, funny world of comic-book cultism--but the themes of jealousy, deceit, and the high price of growing up enough to truly care for someone make this a very satisfying movie. --Tom Keogh

Description

Chasing Amy is the third installment in the "New Jersey Trilogy" from award-winning writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma). Cult comic-book artist Holden (Ben Affleck) falls in love with fellow artist Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams), only to be thwarted by her sexuality, the disdain of his best friend Banky (Jason Lee), and his own misgivings about himself. Filled with Smith's unique ear for dialogue and insight into relationships, Chasing Amy offers a thoughtful, funny look at how perceptions alter lives, and how obsession and self-doubt skew reality.

Customer Reviews:

like a set of chinese finger cuffs!.......2007-09-12

Chasing Amy, Kevin Smiths 3rd film, has much more dramatic tones than any of his other films in the "jersey chronicles." that doesnt take away from the greatness of Kevin Smith's Filmmaking though. to be honest the first time i saw Chasing Amy i didnt like it at all. i went into it with a closed mind because at the time all i interpreted from Kevin Smith movies was some weed content and sex jokes. over the years of seeing all his films countless times ive learned about so much more beyond all the F--ks and s--ts. dont get me wrong, thats all good stuff, but he addresses a lot of facets of sexuality and religion.

Chasing Amy is no stereotypical, fake love story. to me, its a look at love from different points of view, how we all interpret it, and how it affects different people. in most films the protagonist is perceived as he/she can do no wrong. Chasing Amy is full of so many variables and emotions. i dont think Kevin Smith was saying Ben Afflecs character was truly in love with Joey Lauren Adams character. He thought he was, and that was enough for him. that small glimpse of satisfaction and light was enough for his character to think it was real. sometimes the illusion of love is amazing in itself. however fleeting it may be.

Kevin Smith's best film..........2007-05-18

Chasing Amy, the third film in Kevin Smith's classic New Jersey trilogy (along with Clerks and Mallrats), just might be the best of the bunch. It packs Smith's usual envelope-pushing dialogue about sex, relationships, etc. and showcases some great comic performances. If you're feeling tired of boring Hollywood fare, Chasing Amy provides a refreshing slap in the face.

Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Bounce) plays Holden McNeil, a comic book artist who's still looking for the right woman. While attending a comic-book convention with his roommate and Bluntman & Chronic co-creator Banky (Jason Lee, Almost Famous), he meets Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams), and they quickly hit it off. Holden is convinced that he's met future girlfriend material. However, there is one minor problem: She's lesbian, a fact that's conveyed in a hilarious bar scene.

After he gets over his initial shock concerning her lesbian preferences, Holden enters into a fast frienship with Alyssa. Their close bond is a source of tension between Holden and Banky, who believes that she's bad news (and perhaps is a bit jealous). As Holden and Alyssa's relationship becomes more intimate, he must also come to grips with her wild past. Whether or not you buy into the film's surprising resolution, there's no denying that it's a ballsy one.

Smith's writing is so sharp that almost any actor (or non-actor) can come off looking good. That said, Jason Lee gives a classic comic performance, spouting off numerous un-PC lines, whether introducing a young toddler to his collection of porn magazines or asking Alyssa about her lesbian habits: "Since you like chicks, do you just look at yourself naked in the mirror all the time?" Affleck delivers solid work in a gutsy role. How much you like or hate Joey Lauren Adams will depend heavily on how you cope with her nasal, high-pitched voice.

Of course, a Kevin Smith film wouldn't be complete without the presence of Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith himself), and their scene is a keeper. While dining with Holden at a restaurant, the two offer relationship advice that's alternately poignant and hilarious.

With a writer/director as daring as Kevin Smith, odds are there will be some scenes in his films that you won't like. However, that's a small price to pay for the many hilarious scenes you do get, and it's also part of the reason that Chasing Amy rewards repeat viewings.

An almost mature film from Kevin Smith..........2007-04-04

This is Kevin Smith's best film. It isn't perfect, but it has a lot of real emotion in it, even though Smith nearly ruins it with his usual oversexed, Generation X schtick. I think the reason this film works well for the most part is that it's really quite sincere in its best moments. Kevin Smith was dating Joey Lauren Adams (the lead actress here) at the time, and had problems dealing with her past. So he made this film as a cathartic experience, and maybe that was good for him to do so (even though him and Joey broke up, so it kind of all was for naught...oops). Anyway, you really believe Ben Affleck falls in love with Joey here, and his scene where he declares his love feels very real and sincere (something Gen X types like Smith are NOT known for). But when Joey just gives up being a lesbian right away for Affleck, it doesn't really feel authentic. Her character was a bit of a whore when she was young, she found lesbianism, now Affleck brings her back to straightdom? It's not entirely believable, but Affleck (in probably his only decent performance before he became a celebrity) is rather believable in this scene. And in the scenes immediately following it, Joey's character seems to be really in love with Affleck. Unfortunately, Smith throws in too many over the top sexual references (the scene where Joey Adams and Jason Lee talk about oral sex injuries is ridiculous and just there to be "in your face"), and the scene where Ben Affleck proposes a menage a trois between Jason Lee and Joey is ridiculous. Affleck somehow gets the idea in his head that Jason Lee has been in love with him his whole life (despite Lee talking about his oral sex injuries with women earlier on), which is completely out of place with his character. Affleck proposes this in front of a TV playing "video aquarium" for some reason. But I really like the ending of this film. It's left totally open, and Smith should be commended for ending the film like that. The film is a bit of a mess, with some questionable character motivations, but it has its good moments, and it's Smith's best film in my opinion.

A must own DVD.......2007-03-16

This is one of my all time favorite movies; I have probably seen it over 10 times and I still don't get bored with it. Great dialouge and very believable and beautifully flawed characters. Joey Lauren Adams shines in this and it's the only movie I like Ben Affleck in. But be warned, this movie might break your heart.

Kevin Smith in a nutshell........2007-02-27

It perfectly blends his potty mouth with sensitivity and good dialogue.This one and Jersey Girl is widely hated by the typical fans,but they're missing out.It's an unpopular formula that turns many away.You get the ones who like dick and fart jokes who don't appreciate the romance,and you get the other half who like the romance but hate the off-color jokes.For those of you with a taste for both,I reccomend this.

Average customer rating:

Amazing Performance
An awesome movie to begin with, and Blu-ray makes it so much better
Hey Paul!!!
My Favorite Movie ~~~ * * * * * 5 Stars!
Great film, so-so Blu-ray

American Psycho [Blu-ray]
Starring: Christian Bale , Willem Dafoe , Samantha Mathis , Bill Sage , and Reese Witherspoon
Director: Mary Harron
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000H5TVJY
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Description

Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) is a Wall Street yuppie, obsessed with success, status and style, with a stunning fiancee (Reese Witherspoon). He is also a psychotic killer who rapes, murders and dismembers both strangers and acquaintances without provocation or purpose. Based on the controversial novel, the film offers a sharp satire to the dark side of yuppie culture in the '80s, while setting forth a vision that is both terrifying and chilling.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing Performance.......2007-08-31

This is one of the best commentaries on the 80's and best performances by Christian Bale

An awesome movie to begin with, and Blu-ray makes it so much better.......2007-06-12

This is a great film, but I'm not going to go into the writing, acting, or directing, here - I like to rate the quality of the video, audio and extras when it comes to Blu-ray, because I think that's what people want to know - they can get all that other info off of a movie rating site.

So how is the quality - in a word: FANTASTIC! The video quality is awesome, as only Blu-ray can provide, and the sound is captivating. I've heard people complaining about the transfer of this film and I disagree. The "washed out" or "grainy" look people are complaining about has nothing to do with the transfer - it's just how the movie is supposed to look. The washed out affect is there to reflect the mind of the killer, and how he sees things.

Another great bd to add to your collection. I highly recommend it.

Hey Paul!!!.......2007-04-11

This has to be one of the best movies ever made. Christian Bale put on one of the greastest performances by actor that i have ever seen. He really deserved an oscar for the role. As far as the picture quality of the movie for blu-ray, I would have to say it is outstanding. One part in particular stands out, when Patrick Bateman Peels his facial mask off his face I think the picture jumps thru the screen. Its as though your looking right at him. Go Buy this movie and you won't be disapointed.

My Favorite Movie ~~~ * * * * * 5 Stars!.......2007-03-19

This movie has a wonderful soundtrack. Christian Bale is magnificent! His character is one that is inside everyone, and the ending has a great twist that I have found to leave some confused. I watched it twice before really understanding the ending. This is a movie you can watch over and over because of Christian Bale's character, Patrick, having such a weird sence of being, and very misunderstood sence of humor! I can not recommend this movie enough! The color is very brillant as well.

Great film, so-so Blu-ray.......2007-02-18

I'm a little ticked at LionsGate, I thought the shaky picture quality of the first wave of Blu-ray's was a thing of the past, now this. There is "ringing" and dirt in this transfer and I think given the limited number of Bluray titles out there, they ought to make a more concerted effort at keeping the quality higher than this. I guess I was expecting more, and reading the faint praise of the other two reviews, I see it's not just me.

Average customer rating:

It's hip to be square and insane
Naked Bloody Psycho
Christian Bale scared me...
BALE IS PSYCHO!!
Great film

American Psycho (Unrated Version)
Starring: Christian Bale , Justin Theroux , Josh Lucas , Bill Sage , and Chloë Sevigny
Director: Mary Harron
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00004U8H4
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

It's hip to be square and insane.......2007-09-17

Naked Bloody Psycho.......2007-09-03

Christian Bale scared me..........2007-08-31

But I guess that was the point. Man, he really gives his all to a character! Love him! Always will!

BALE IS PSYCHO!!.......2007-08-31

Great film.......2007-08-27

Average customer rating:

A Must See If Crushing On Sarah Polley
Heart-breakingly Real
A film for the artists
A gem ...
Given the cast I am shocked there is no awe in this one

Guinevere
Starring: Sarah Polley , Stephen Rea , Jean Smart , Gina Gershon , and Paul Dooley
Director: Audrey Wells
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 630574453X
Release Date: 2000-03-14

Amazon.com

Sarah Polley has built a reputation on her eerie calm--most of her performances seem dominated by an icy, implacable stare. That's why her performance in Guinevere is such a revelation. Polley plays Harper, a young woman from a wealthy but troubled family who's on the verge of a nervous breakdown. At her older sister's wedding, she meets Connie (Stephen Rea), a photographer as old as her parents, with whom she begins an affair. Their relationship--partly an education in the arts, partly an escape from the repression of her family--takes a variety of twists and turns, none of them predictable, all of them questionable, all of them genuine. The movie is clear-eyed about the situation: Connie isn't idealized, and is in many ways a creepy older man, neurotic and self-aggrandizing, but he also offers a kind of emotional support that Harper has never had. Whenever the movie seems to be turning into some bohemian fantasy, something happens that returns it to earth, sometimes with an uncomfortable jolt. It's unsettling, insightful, charming, scary, absurd, and all too real. All the performances are excellent--Jean Smart, as Harper's mother, is smart and cuttingly bitter; Rea is by turns sweet and manipulative, honest and self-deluded. But above all, Polley displays a combination of vulnerability and steely determination that makes Guinevere utterly compelling. The ending is curious--I still haven't made up my mind about it. But for a movie as committed to the contradictions of human relationships as this one, there's nothing wrong with that. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Screen favorite Stephen Rea (MICHAEL COLLINS, THE CRYING GAME) stars in this sexy, humorous story about a young woman's discovery of life and love in the arms of an older man! Born into an affluent family of overachievers, awkward young Harper Sloane (Sarah Polley -- eXistenZ, Go!) was always the odd one out ... until a brilliant photographer, Connie Fitzpatrick (Rea), focuses his attention on her! Now he's about to show her a world of possibilities she'd never imagined! But even as Connie begins to guide Harper out of her shell, it's ultimately up to Harper alone to show her disapproving mother ... and the whole world ... her true potential! Also featuring Gina Gershon (THE INSIDER, FACE/OFF) -- you'll be charmed by the acclaimed performances in this warm, award-winning motion picture!

Customer Reviews:

A Must See If Crushing On Sarah Polley.......2007-08-30

Sarah Polley fans, especially ones going all the way back to "Ramona", are generally big-time "Guinevere" (1999) fans simply because it is the film in which she peaked physically. And Director Audrey Wells picked up on this during casting, seeing in Polley (at that time of her life) someone physically perfect to play her heroine Harper Sloane. Wells needed a young woman who simply glowed in front of the camera, whose face looked better "without" make-up, and who projected both innocence and restlessness. With Polley she also got a bonus, one of the most talented actresses of her generation.

In this sense Wells resembles Alfred Hitchcock, a director with an uncanny ability to identify actresses at the one moment of their lives when they are physically perfect for a particular role. Sylvia Sidney in "Sabotage", Nova Pilbeam in "Young and Innocent", and Joan Fontaine in "Rebecca" come to mind.

Wells, who also wrote ''The Truth About Cats and Dogs'', captures that moment in some young women's lives (yes, the film could be considered a feminist statement) when they are able to break free of expectations and programming. The Harper Sloane character seems so authentic and the portrayal so lacking in glib cynicism that it most likely has a lot of autobiographical elements.

Harper is tracking along toward Harvard Law School when she meets Cornelius Fitzpatrick (Stephen Rea), a middle-aged Irish artist who has been hired to photograph her sister's wedding. His well-practiced seduction technique and irreverent world-view causes a major attitude adjustment and she abandons her career track to become his protégé and lover.

The story is told from Harper's point of view and the viewer soon learns along with her that this is not the traditional "Pygmalion" scenario. While not exactly a rogue and a roué, "Connie" is a compulsive Henry Higgins who has repeatedly played this game with repressed young women. He goes into these relationships with a five-year time limit.

Consistent with the POV factor, Harper's story is told with intelligence and compassion, with a lot of emphasis on the fragility of a first love and the pain of a trust betrayed. The film's feminist slant is revealed not so much by what is explicitly shown but by its failure to bring any dimensionality to Connie's character. No clues are provided to explain his aversion to a long-term commitment, Harper discovers that his promises are empty ones but she never learns the roots of his insecurities.

Although Polley's best scenes are those with Carrie Preston, who plays her best friend and confidante; the most entertaining scenes are those with her mother (Jean Smart), an unstated version of Susan's mother on "Seinfeld". The dysfunctional nature of Harper's family and her mother's unfulfilled life are slowly and somewhat comically revealed, but the bottom line is that her mother is sincerely trying to shield her daughter from mistakes.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Heart-breakingly Real.......2005-07-13

I'd highly recommend this film to anyone, but especially to any
female artist, musician, actor who has come of age. This isn't
so much about a May-December romance: it is about the student/mentor bond which can be incredibly strong and intense,
and an aging artist who through Harper, is trying to hold onto
his past youth and the artistic potential he once had.

This could have been such a sappy movie, but the acting and writing kept that from happening. I agree with another reviewer - it was NOT predictable, and the acting was so real.

Sarah Polley is great, but Stephen Rea absolutely broke my heart.
These characters were not romanticized: they were multi-dimentional, human. There was good and not so good about them.
Connie Fitzgerald did manipulate and seduce Harper, but it was also clear that he really loved her. It was clear as well, that Harper knew what she was getting herself into and it was her choice ultimately.

My only reservation was that some of the family members (father,
sister) were one-dimensional to the point where it was hard to
believe. Perhaps that was how Harper saw them, or perhaps that
was done to set-off the volatile emotional intensity of the mother (Jean Smart, who was also good), and the repressed/about-to-emerge artistic intensity of Harper.

I am a die-hard Stephen Rea fan after seeing this film.

A film for the artists.......2005-07-12

At first glance this film seems like a bad American TV movie, it is certainly shot like one. However 10 mins in you start to realise that this film has a little bit more going for it than that. The film follows the story of a girl in her early 20s and her journey into adulthood. On the way she falls for an older man, battles her parents and gets more than a glimce into the life of an artist. This film is perfect for anyone struggling with artistic asperations, think "American Beauty" meets "Lost in Translation." That's all you need to know, now go buy it!

A gem ..........2005-05-06

This isn't your typical "Hollywood/male fantasy fulfillment" version of a May-December romance, but neither is it one which sits in bitterly moralistic, harsh judgment of such relationships, or of the people who get themselves into them. Just when you think the film is about to veer off into either "mainstream, happy ending" territory OR "heavy-handed cautionary tale" territory ala the Lifestyle network (where every single movie shows women as victims and men as amoral, abusive monsters), it fools you by taking a different, more complicated, and utterly compelling path.

Except for one character (Sarah Polley's mother), the film stays away from one dimensional, oversimplified caricature. Speaking of the mother (played with surprising venom by Jean Smart), the character gets accolades from several reviewers of the movie for a scene in which she dissects the relationship between her daughter and the older man. Her so-called "insights" have been hailed as "brutally accurate, right on," etc.

I disagree. I think some people missed the point of that scene, in that the mother -- who is obviously seething with bitterness and resentment -- tosses off careworn cliches about certain men and certain relationships which, while they have some measure of truth, are far from being wise or wholly accurate. What the character says reveals just as much about her insecurities and issues as it does about those of her daughter and her daughter's lover.

It's really one of those subtle, thought-provoking treasures that almost demands discussion after you see it, especially if you're in a relationship with someone significantly younger or older than yourself. Trust me when I tell you, this surprisingly sweet and uncompromisingly tough movie does not end up where you think it will, though it doesn't try and "shock" you with a contrived, surprise ending, either. It's at once both beautiful and difficult to watch, romantic and pragmatic, confusing and contradictory, neither wholly perfect or wholly flawed, much like real life "May-December" romances and the people in them.

Given the cast I am shocked there is no awe in this one.......2005-05-06

The best scene in "Guinevere" belongs to Jean Smart and it is also the scene that exposes the fatal flaw in this 1999 drama from writer-director Audrey Wells ("Under the Tuscan Sun"). Smart plays Deborah Sloane, who has discovered that her 20-year-old daughter Harper (Sarah Polley) is shacked up with Connie Fitzpatrick (Stephen Rea), a photograph and drunk (not always in that order) who is older than Deborah. Harper is the latest in a series of young girls that Connie has taken under his wing as his "Guinevere," but Deborah does not know about all that. What she knows is that someone older than she is happens to be having sex with her daughter, and Deborah has a theory as to why this is happening and why Connie does not like women his own age. When she asks what Harper has that she does not, her answer is "awe." Harper can look at Connie with awe, whereas Deborah, who has been around, cannot. The problem is that neither can we.

You have to understand that Deborah is a rather unsympathetic figure in this film, destroying a dinner with her family by her insistence that they read the fortunes in their fortune cookies and add "in bed" to the end. But she is devastating right about Connie and that is why this film does not work for me. I have no problem with the idea that a story about an artist who goes through a series of young women who act as his muses and protégés. We meet most of the rest of these Guineveres during the course of the film and some of them are played by Gina Gershon, Sandra Oh and Jasmine Guy. But what we do not get to see is any evidence that Connie is any sort of artistic genius. There are some decent black & white photographs but basically you have to take the film's position that he is worth of emulation let alone awe. The most demonstrative talent Connie shows in the film is to (euphemism warning) make her extremely happy while she is still dressed (okay, not so much a euphemism as being extremely vague).

There is even less of an idea in the film that Harper would be a worthy protégé, or muse for that matter. This is rather odd because as an actress Sarah Polley usually makes her characters seem pretty smart (not Julia Stiles smart but certainly in the Jodie Foster range), and here she only comes across as clueless without a sense of direction. Connie must look better to Harper than her family or going to Harvard, but that is not really saying much, and when we see her at the end of the film and she is clearly a confident young woman, there is no real reason to give Connie the credit. So I cannot help but think that if Connie wants to do the Svengali routine, he could do better than Harper. If I am thinking that, then clearly "Guinevere" is not working despite the solid cast. The fault is not in the performances, but in the script.

Admittedly the problem can be that I am of the wrong gender to appreciate a film that is essentially a female coming of age story. Certainly that is an almost microscopic movie genre in comparison to male coming of age stories (which might actually cover most movies being made today now that I stop and think about it). I also have a problem with the idea that given a choice between Jean Smart and Sarah Polley (abstracted to the general level of a woman in her forties versus a woman in her twenties) the choice is obvious, and that would be because I know what the former has that the latter does not. But the main complaint remains that while I might be able to buy Harper and Connie are lovers I cannot accept them as student and teacher, and ultimately that is what is supposed to make "Guinevere" more than just another older man/younger woman movie, even if it is told from her perspective.

Average customer rating:

Without Go Fish there'd be no L Word
A must have for your collection!
worst lesbian movie I've ever seen
Go Fish vs. The L Word
Surprisingly Good

Go Fish
Starring: Guinevere Turner , V.S. Brodie , T. Wendy McMillan , Anastasia Sharp , and Jamika Ajalon
Director: Rose Troche
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B00005BKZK
Release Date: 2001-07-24

Amazon.com

Go Fish won acclaim in its initial release in 1994, probably because of its irreverence in gazing at the lives of a group of young lesbians in Chicago. The film was directed and cowritten by Rose Troche, who went on to make Bedrooms and Hallways with the help of Guinevere Turner, her then-partner and star of this film. (Turner later appeared in several films and collaborated with director Mary Harron to bring the nearly unadaptable Bret Easton Ellis novel American Psycho to the big screen.)

Go Fish is an audience film in that it needs a crowd to make its in-joke mentality pulse. In fact, it's hard to believe the film transcended its target demographic despite the fact that in its heart of hearts it's an old-fashioned love story. It feels amateurish upon solo home viewing, though retaining an iota of charm for its low-budget clunkiness and funkiness. While it basically tells the story of a young lesbian (played by Turner) looking for Ms. Right, and conforms to a standard scenario in that love is always found where it's least expected, it benefits mostly from Troche's ability to wring some wit out of "dyke drama" and, with her insider's point of view, poke gentle fun at it with a relatively sharp stick. --Paula Nechak

Description

A film-festival favorite, this "groundbreaking picture" (The Hollywood Reporter) is a candidand honest look at women in love that is "visually audacious, full of surprising charm and highly entertaining" (Variety)! In her directorial debut, Rose Troche (Bedrooms & Hallways), along with her co-writer and lead actress Guinevere Turner, delivers a lively, warm-hearted romantic comedy about the quest for Ms. Right that is "original, witty and delightful" (Los AngelesTimes)! Feisty, beautiful Max (Turner) is an outgoing young woman looking for romance. Tired of hearing her whine about the missing "X" factor in her life, Max's roommate sets her up with bashful, olderbut homelyEly (V. S. Brodie). Needless to say, there's no sign of fireworks! But just as Max begins to think that she is destined to be alone forever, she discovers that some oflife's best surprises come in plain, brown paper packages.

Customer Reviews:

Without Go Fish there'd be no L Word.......2007-01-17

Crtiticze all you want, but without Go Fish breaking the ground that it did, we'd have no L Word. While the production values are low, hollywood was not shelling out millions of dollars tomade for, by and about lesbian films. This film is historical and paved the way for lesbian representation. Hate ot or Love it...we are here because of it.

A must have for your collection!.......2007-01-11

This is a good movie that is well written, acted and a good message as well. A must have for the lesbian collection! It was a low budget film that was creatively done. I highly recommend it.

worst lesbian movie I've ever seen.......2006-12-23

My and girlfriend watched this movie and we hated it. It was senseless and we had to stop it when it was around 35 min. I couldn't watch it no more. It was horrible. My girlfriend gave it to her best friend and she said it was the worst lesbian movie she had ever seen... I agree!

Go Fish vs. The L Word.......2006-11-05

Like many of the other viewers who reviewed "Go Fish," I was initially so repelled by this movie that I shut it off half way through. At the time I had just begun to date women and I was disturbed by the way that this movie represented the lesbian community. I found myself thinking "This is not me. This is not how I want to walk through life. This is not how I want to be seen by others." The experiences of the women portrayed in this film did not (and still do not) represent my experience as a lesbian. Ironically, this is one of the main arguments made by critics of the L-word.
In a way, "Go Fish" is a foil of the L-Word; comparing these two features may be more interesting and enlightening than watching either one alone. It has been argued that the L-word is normalizing or "mainstreaming" the queer community and thereby misrepresenting the actual experience of lesbians--but by only representing a specific subculture of the lesbian community, doesn't "Go Fish" ultimately do the same thing? Wealthy, conventionally beautiful lesbians do exist and have sex with other wealthy, conventionally beautiful lesbians (even if they are a minority).

While in the process of figuring out my own identity and role in the queer community, I found it difficult to stomach a depiction of lesbians who are so completely removed from mainstream society. One reviewer suggested that people who write negative reviews of "Go Fish" have internalized the ideas that this movie is trying to dispel. I can see their point--many people who are gueer struggle with internalized homophobia and may shun a film that depicts lesbians without all the airbrushing. Plainly, many viewers (including myself) do not WANT to see themselves in this movie because it is unconventional and "unattractive."

It's no coincidence that one word which repeatedly comes up in reviews of "Go Fish" is "ugly." The lesbians in the L-word are "hot." Shane is "hot"--people of all genders and orientations want to watch Shane and Carmen having sex. The popularity of this show speaks for itself--I believe that the beauty of the characters in the L-word has contributed to making lesbians (and lesbian sex) appealing to mainstream society, and maybe it's a means to an end (the end being equal rights). But just because people will tune in to watch Shane and Carmen having sex doesn't necessarily mean that they're going to change their minds about gay marriage... And where does this leave lesbians like Max, Ely and Moira (not surprisingly, the LEAST popular character on the L-word!) who don't fit the model?

The big question is... Are we only acceptable to society when we're young, attractive and having hot sex--but not when we want to adopt children, pay taxes together or be politically active? By purchasing and supporting a the L-word and being repelled by "Go Fish" am I just buying into a revised version of homophobia? Do I only watch the L-word because it helps me feel better about being who I am?

Surprisingly Good.......2006-07-15

It's funny that a lot of people are claiming they were "duped" by the cover of this movie, thinking it was going to be about two hot straight-looking girls getting it on. That's exactly what I thought when I saw the cover, which is why I never rented the movie after years of seeing it in the video store. Then after seeing almost every lesbian film there is, I decided, finally, to watch Go Fish, and was shocked when I realized the main characters weren't straight-looking at all (accept for Turner, who seems a little akward playing a butch but tries to pull it off the best she can). I was surprised that I actually ended up liking this movie a lot better than a lot of other lesbian films I've seen, even though the acting is stale. But you have to bare in mind that the movie was extremely low-budget, didn't have any big-name backing, and was basically homemade. I was also a little shocked to find that this movie was made in the early 90s, revolutionary for it's time. As for the comments people have made about the attractiveness of the actors, grow up. The whole point of the film is that looks aren't everything, and yes, in real life, we do sometimes fall in love with people who are, godforbid, unattractive. And you'd think that in the 21st Century people, especially within the lesbian community, wouldn't be as misogynistic as to say "we only want to see hot girls making out." As far as the "duping" cover of this film, I think it's sad the producers had to use it to trick people into buying it, since so many people are too shallow to see past the fact that the characters in this film, except for Turner, aren't beautiful, and that's the whole point, by the way. It's also ironic that so many people who posted hear are saying "Go Fish" sucks, rent the "L Word" instead, when the writers and directors of "Go Fish" are two of the "L Word's" creators (Troche and Turner). The story line is a bit immature but fun, and the film brings up a lot of important issues about gender and sexuality and includes people from all different races and backgrounds (another rarity, even in lesbian films). Anyway, this film is going to remain a lesbian classic inspite of its amateurishness and the bad reviews people have given it.

Average customer rating:

It's hip to be square and insane
Naked Bloody Psycho
Christian Bale scared me...
BALE IS PSYCHO!!
Great film

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ASIN: B00008RV1L
Release Date: 2003-05-20

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Customer Reviews:

It's hip to be square and insane.......2007-09-17

Naked Bloody Psycho.......2007-09-03

Christian Bale scared me..........2007-08-31

But I guess that was the point. Man, he really gives his all to a character! Love him! Always will!

BALE IS PSYCHO!!.......2007-08-31

Great film.......2007-08-27

Average customer rating:

you just don't want to part with this film..
Excellent portrayal of the artistic process...
Insightful Examination of Black Lesbian Indentity
A Trip Out Film!
This is a wonderfully creative film with a great storyline.

The Watermelon Woman
Starring: V.S. Brodie , Lisa Marie Bronson , Cheryl Clarke , Emmy Collins , and Irene Dunye
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