Return to Me

Amazon.com

Bob Rueland (David Duchovny) and Grace Briggs (Minnie Driver) have very little in common. Granted, they both live in Chicago and they're both a bit lovelorn, but that's about it. Still, fate has something in mind for these two somewhat-depressed souls (a construction worker and budding artist, respectively), who've both recently had brushes with death--he's a recent widower, she's just recovered from a heart transplant--and are a little more serious than their friends and relatives. After a series of misbegotten blind dates and almost-meetings, though, these two finally get together, and find that they fit seamlessly with each other. Despite their differences, they have a lot in common--in fact, quite a lot. It seems that the heart that now beats inside Grace's chest once belonged to Bob's wife (Joely Richardson), who died in a car crash. Coincidence? We think not.

A gentle, pleasing romantic comedy, Return to Me marks the directorial debut of Bonnie Hunt, an acclaimed actress known most famously for her role as Renee Zellweger's sister in Jerry Maguire. A shining, happy bright spot in whatever role she's in, Hunt has also invested the film with her trademark brand of humor: dry but sincere, sarcastic but not caustic, and with a deep current of humanity and romance. In the midst of all the permutations that fate surrounds them with, Driver and Duchovny make a pleasantly low-key couple; the triumph of the film is that despite all the contrived angst, the romance is never overly saccharine. They provide a quiet center in a film that has a fair amount of chaos in it, particularly due to Driver's extended family of Irish and Italian relatives (which occasionally tips the film into cutesy territory) and most hilariously to Driver's best friend, played by director Hunt . As a harried mother with innumerable kids and a likable oaf of a husband (James Belushi), Hunt again steals scenes effortlessly; Belushi is a comic revelation, better than he's been in years. You'll have the pleasant memories of both of these couples--one falling in love, one together for years--with you a long while after seeing this film. --Mark Englehart

Description

Who knew that when he ordered the special, he d get the dish of his life? David Duchovny ('the X-Files ) and Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) ignite sparks in this warm-hearted winner (JeffCraig, 'sixty Second Preview ) about a widower and a waitress who meet and fall in love. Featuring an incredible all-star cast, this hilarious romantic comedy delivers a lot of laughs, tears and joysthat will make your spirits soar. It took a lot of cajoling to get Bob (Duchovny), a recently widowed architect, to go on a blind date at a quirky Irish-Italian eatery. Once there, he's smitten instantly not with his date but with the sharp-witted waitress, Grace (Driver). With unsolicitedhelp from Grace's matchmaking grandfather (Carroll O Connor), Bob asks her out. And as their relationship blossoms, everything seems to be going great, until an unbelievable truth is revealed one that could easily break both of their hearts for good.

Customer Reviews:

For those who love romance and animals.......2007-08-29

This movie is wonderfully acted (the "supporting" cast are headliners themselves) and it is a gentle love story...after the first 15 minutes. The first part of the movie is an emotional roller-coaster that grabs your attention. Too, this is a great film for animal lovers (who can tolerate zoos). - Is this a deep movie? No. Is it a movie that will put you and your significant other in a good mood? Absolutely.

Refreshing Sweet Comedy Romance.......2007-08-14

This is a refreshingly sweet comedy romance that is reminiscent of the comedy romances of the past. The performances are endearing and believable. Makes one want to fall in love all over again.

Finally, A Refreshing Movie for Everyone.......2007-05-25

I thought this movie was a delight even though it was one of those "that'll never happen" movies. The whole family can watch and enjoy it, so it was worth every penny. I plan to share it with friends.

Nice couple-in-love or family flick.......2007-05-19

Enjoyable. Bought only because girlfriend likes to re-watch favorite movies regularly (and VHS copy finally broke). Otherwise, would have rented and been fine.

Very romantic... Interestingly modern moral dilemma.......2007-05-12

I admit it I am a fan of both (actually several) stars of this movie. After Minnie Driver's new show on FX the Riches, reminded me how much I liked her, I got to remembering this film, then coincidentally it was showing on broadcast TV the other day when I came home from work and my wife was watching it and told me to order it, so I did, and we watched it with our youngest who also enjoyed it very much.

But this is a very sweet and touching tale with an interesting twist that is strong on a not too subtle metaphor.
Watch this with your sweetheart for a romantic night at home.

Average customer rating:

Someone give me a match
Bug Is In Your Future
A Visceral Experience where Madness is the True Horror
Its hard to rate this movie
creepy and crawly

Bug (Special Edition)
Starring: Michael Shannon , Ashley Judd , and Jr. Harry Connick
Manufacturer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment
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ASIN: B000T5O48K
Release Date: 2007-09-25

Description

A lonely waitress with a tragic past, Agnes (Judd) rooms in a run-down motel, living in fear of her abusive, recently paroled ex-husband (Connick Jr.). But when Agnes begins a tentative romance with Peter (Shannon), an eccentric, nervous drifter, she starts to feel hopeful again - until the first bugs arrive...

Customer Reviews:

Someone give me a match.......2007-09-13

This movie blows in ways I didn't think possible as far as horror movies go it has the essentials it's just a terrible movie. By the time I got to the end of this film I had wished someone had drowned me in gasoline and lit the match.
It started out with alot of promise but strayed and went to some far away land where nothing makes sense.
I just wish I could get the time I wasted watching this turd back.
I'm not sure but it wouldn't surprise me if Linos Gate isn't behind this horrible excuse for entertainment over the last couple of years Lions Gate has been flooding the market with more garbage than a landfill.
I didn't and can't remember seeing a single bug, I get the whole it was all in his mind but how did it get in her mind I just wish I could get the memory of this lame excuse of a film out of my mind.
None of it made sense were they independantly wealthy? how did they pay the rent? where did they get all the tin foil? and what kind of doctor toots away on a crack pipe? DUMB!!! DUMB!!!
I'm Done...

Bug Is In Your Future.......2007-08-27

This is a classic film. Anyone who says otherwise, just didn't get it. What this film depicts is the decent of two individuals, both with troubled pasts, into madness - and a fairly accurate portryal of madness at that (the two main characters could easily be diagnosed with Shared Psychotic Disorder). Ashly Judd does an amazing job of buying into her mysterious new man's delusional world of bug infestation, and it only gets better as the film progresses. And the ending is classic - right up there with Requium For A Dream, in my opinion. Run, don't walk to rent or buy this film the day it comes out!

A Visceral Experience where Madness is the True Horror.......2007-08-15

**No Spoilers**
I read nothing but negative things before watching the new psychological thriller Bug--as a critic, it's hard to go see a film with neutrality and an open-mind. Bug works because of its exploration of paranoia, brainwashing and psychosis. Yes, it does start slow with long explanations and dialogue. But like small drops of rain before a thunderstorm, it becomes a visceral experience where madness--neither gore, nor CGI--is the true horror. Think of it as a Twilight Zone episode on steroids.

Story:
Agnes White (Ashley Judd) is a divorced woman who lives in a remote motel. She is lonely, depressed and always afraid of her ex Jerry (Harry Connick Jr.) who just got out of jail--he harasses her all the time. She also works as a waitress at a local bar, where she hangs out with her lesbian friend R.C (Lynn Collins). One night, they decide to hang out in her motel room and R.C brings a new friend called Peter (Michael Shannon). Agnes is attracted to him right away--his unusual personality and view of the world is something new to her. They become romantically involved--despite her ex--and share deep and painful secrets about themselves. She doesn't know that Peter is the new man who will change her views of the US government and the world.

Review:
The movie is based on play by Tracy Letts and directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist). Bug is not about little roaches or a giant praying mantis. The movie has a deeper meaning than that. It deals with the human psyche, conspiracy theories and power to persuade people. This is where the horror comes from. The beginning might be slow for some fans of the genre--there are long conversations and some character development--but then the action begins once the paranoia penetrates their minds. The small motel room becomes a self-contain universe where madness reigns.

Other good attributes of the film is the acting. Judd and Shannon did an excellent job, especially towards the end of the film, where they commit strange and terrible things to each other and others. Some scenes are very disturbing.

Despite its excellent highlights, Bug has some silly moments. The love scene is probably one of the worst I have ever seen--it's not sexy at all and has this weird "bug" view. Some of the nudity is unnecessary. Also the logic is not the best thing here. I couldn't understand why Agnes was so easily convinced by Peter. Why did she follow him so blindly? Perhaps his personality and strange philosophy are the ingredients.

The Verdict:
Bug is one of the best horror movies we've reviewed this year. It has great moments of psychosis, paranoia and crude violence. It drags for the first act, but it picks up to an explosive finale that will please most of the fans of the genre.

Its hard to rate this movie.......2007-08-08

My girlfriend said that it was a mess of a movie, not much making sense and basically a car crash with some interesting moments. Myself, i liked the movie more because i enjoy strange, weird , and not your average summer blockbuster(which are for the most part disappointing). Its up to yourself to give this movie a try, for nothing else its a different ride.

creepy and crawly.......2007-08-06

Great eerie terror flick, that will have you glued.Ignore bad reviews,these people trash bodycount movies for unoriginality and then trash a good original movie like this when they finally get it!

Waiting... (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

If you LOVE Dane Cook - avoid this.
Great Film (with the exception of Ryan Reynolds)
Another underated comedy from Ryan Reynolds
WAY FUNNIER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE!
this movie is hilarious

Waiting... (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Ryan Reynolds , Anna Faris , Justin Long , David Koechner , and Luis Guzmán
Director: Rob McKittrick
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
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ASIN: B000CPH9PM
Release Date: 2006-02-07

Amazon.com

The bitter, vengeful world of waiting tables gets the Clerks treatment in Waiting.... A new employee (John Francis Daley, Freaks and Geeks) gets trained at Shenanigan's, a banal theme restaurant where the bored employees play a game of flaunting their genitals. The staff includes a snarky waiter (Ryan Reynolds, Van Wilder, The Amityville Horror) who lusts after the underage hostess; a waiter suffering from crippling pee-shyness (Robert Patrick Benedict, Threshold); an oracular dishwasher (Chi McBride, Roll Bounce); and a conflicted waiter named Dean (Justin Long, Dodgeball), who's just been offered a promotion to assistant manager--a job that offers more money, but threatens to trap him at Shenanigan's for the rest of his life. Waiting... is a loose shamble of a movie--the only thing resembling a story is Dean's life crisis--but that's part of its charm. It's a tricky thing to depict tedium without being tedious, but Waiting... pulls it off; some jokes smack of forced sitcom writing, but most of the humor feels genuine, as if it came from writer/director Rob McKittrick's personal experience. A future cult film. Also featuring Anna Faris (Lost in Translation), Luis Guzman (The Limey), and rabidly adored stand-up comic Dane Cook as..a cook. --Bret Fetzer

Description

A hilarious comedy about frustrated waiters, stingy tippers and dicey food, Lions Gate Films' WAITING... stars Ryan Reynolds, Anna Faris and Justin Long as young employees battling boredom at Shenanigan's, a generic chain restaurant. A waiter for four years since high school, Dean (Justin Long) has never questioned his job at Shenanigan's. But when he learns that Chett, a high school classmate, now has a lucrative career in electrical engineering, he's thrown into turmoil about his dead-end life. Dean's friend Monty (Ryan Reynolds) is in exactly the same boat, but he couldn't care less. More concerned with partying and getting laid, Monty is put in charge of training Mitch (John Francis Daley), a shy new employee. Over the course of one chaotic shift, Mitch gets to know the rest of Shenanigan's quirky staff: Monty's tough-talking ex-girlfriend, Serena (Anna Faris), Shenanigan's over-zealous manager, Dan (David Koechner), and head cook Raddimus (Luis Guzman), who's obsessed with a senseless staff-wide competition known only as "The Game"... Featuring crazy busboys, unsanitary kitchen antics, and lots of talk about sex, WAITING... is a hysterical, behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant industry, and an affectionate ode to those lost, and thoroughly unproductive, days of youth.

Customer Reviews:

If you LOVE Dane Cook - avoid this........2007-08-31

I LOVE DANE COOK and I'd like to keep it that way. Unfortunately I watched this movie and it kinda ruined it a little bit for me but he's redeemed himself many times over!!! Not a great flick. See Employee of the Month, Vicious Circle or Tourgasm instead!

Great Film (with the exception of Ryan Reynolds).......2007-07-16

You really have to be in the Restaurant Business to truly appreciate this film.

BTW Ryan Reynolds is a terrible actor and stinks up every movie set he walks onto.

Another underated comedy from Ryan Reynolds.......2007-06-28

This movie is to restaurant workers as Super Troopers was to cops. A very funny movie. Much love to the goat!

WAY FUNNIER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE! .......2007-06-13

It is always a good feeling to watch a movie that you think is not going to be that good and getting more than you bargained for! This movie is pretty damn funny and I laughed out loud many times watching it. Not much plot,just low brow humor at it's best! The DVD has a great transfer and some funny extras.

this movie is hilarious.......2007-04-20

this is a really funny movie. although the guy from the mac commercials is a tool, but he is the lame dude in all the funny movies lately, he sucks, but the rest of the movie sucks. oh yeah and dane cook blows too, i wouldnt of known he was the cook if my brother didnt tell me. but besides those two cakes, the movie is really funny worth buying a cheap copy of on amazon fo shizzle

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Movie
some fine actors in a script written by hacks
Close, but no cigar
Human Trafficking
Donald looks better now than he did when he was younger,

Human Trafficking
Starring: Mira Sorvino , Donald Sutherland , Rémy Girard , Isabelle Blais , and Laurence Leboeuf
Director: Christian Duguay
Manufacturer: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
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ASIN: B000ETR9VU
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Amazon.com

The Lifetime cable channel made TV history with this ambitious, acclaimed original miniseries on the horrifying phenomenon of human trafficking, or sexual slavery. It follows the fictional cases of young women around the world, lured or abducted, sometimes right off the street, into a world of unspeakable brutality--which the filmmakers show in almost overwhelming detail at times. Mira Sorvino and Donald Sutherland star as American government officials bent on exposing and stopping the phenomenon, and both are more than serviceable in their roles. But the revelation is Robert Carlyle, the Scottish star of The Full Monty and Trainspotting, who here is transformed into a ruthless criminal mastermind behind his own trafficking network. Even his Eastern European accent is spot-on and blood-chilling. The supporting cast of women and girls is strong, and in some cases, truly heartbreaking. And while sometimes almost unbearably harsh, the film serves as a reminder this terrible situation still exists and thrives; and told through the characters, is also a well-paced thriller. --A.T. Hurley

Product Description

Nominated for Two Golden Globes® - Best Actress and Best Actor in a TV Miniseries; Lifetime Television's most-watched miniseries of 2005. Featuring Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award winner Donald Sutherland (The Italian Job), Academy Award® and Golden Globe® Award winner Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite) and Trainspotting's Robert Carlyle, Human Trafficking is at once a gripping thriller, a cautionary tale, and one of the most fundamentally important stories of our time. DVD Features include: Interviews with Mira Sorvino and Robert Carlyle, Behind the Scenes with the cast and crew, and A "Take Action" Guide to shop human trafficking now!

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Movie.......2007-09-15

This movie opened my eyes even more about human trafficing. Not only is it a excellent movie, the indephtness of the information is so insightful. I recommend this movie not only to college students doing research but also to any adult that have children and love to travel.

Jay

some fine actors in a script written by hacks.......2007-07-01

Mira Sorvino, Donald Sutherland, Robert Carlyle--solid actors with a history of excellent work to prove it.

My probelm here is with the jerky camera (like watching a car commercial), weak direction and weaker writing.
Is it necessary to show someone shedding tears every ten, fifteen minutes or going on some hysterical jag to keep reminding us how dire the situation is?

(Overacting is no fun to watch. Director's fault, that one.)

Yes, something should be done about the problem of human trafficking, and I hope governments of all nations have had their eyes opened up a bit, but the way things are presented here literally make you cringe.

Flick is abundant with cliches and implausabilities. Good stories are character-driver, as opposed to plot-driven.
So much here is idiotic and lacks credibility. Sorvino's background is absolutely sloppy writing (not to mention lazy) and not needed. Her bickering with her (husband? boyfriend? Not sure) was not only ridiculous, but annoying as hell.

Here she is this U.S. government-trained I.C.E agent, right?--but the (primary) reason she is able to relate to one of the females (who had been abducted in the Check Republic and smuggled into the U.S. and forced into prostitution) is because she, herself, had been molested by her (FAVORITE) uncle years before at age 12.

Come on. (I say by merely Sorvino's agent being a decent human being, with a need to do the right thing, would have taken care of that, without the writers resorting to this contrived background tale that stuck out as such like a sore thumb.)

Not only that, she ALSO happens to be Russian as well (by birth), who was raised in the U.S. (therefore giving her EVEN MORE CREDIBILITY with all these females who had been abducted in various countries overseas).
Also, later on in the film, she passes herself off as a Russian mail-order bride wannabe. Wait a minute. Are you kidding me? ARE YOU SERIOUS? (she does this to go undercover.)

REALLY? Don't you realize you're insulting the viewer?
HOW MUCH RESEARCH DID THESE WRITERS ACTUALLY DO--IS WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW.

SPOILER AHEAD:

At some point in the film, one of the victims, having been freed and given protective custody, is being shown her hotel room where she will be staying for a certain duration. While her "protector" Agent Sorvino is chatting on her cell phone, the said female (in protective custody) steps out on the balcony to take in the view below.
Guess what happens next? Said "PROTECTED" female is chilled by a sniper --- to Agent Sorvino's horror and dismay.

Sure. You call this writing? Tell me another fairytale. Better yet, learn your movie cliches (so that you might avoid them when you write your next HBO special, folks.)

This is what I mean by hack writing. And there are so many other situations that reek of cliche and/or WAY TOO FAR-FETCHED and/or SEEN IT BEFORE WAY TOO MANY TIMES in other weak flicks.

I'll end this rant by saying this is not the definitive take on the topic. I hope a real writer with some serious talent writes a screenplay about trafficking in humans, and that a genuinely talented film director handles the reins.

Close, but no cigar.......2007-05-24

This is a good docudrama, but it could have been so much better. First of all, I'm amazed at the reviewers who label this a "brutal" depiction of the slave trade. It's very, very tame. I guess it had to be that way to be shown on TV, but if I can easily imagine more brutal and effective means to this sickening end, I'm sure the professionals involved day in and day out are far worse. Apparantly, these reviewers have never even glimpsed the underbelly of society. (Lucky for them.)

This is a real problem. It was real a thousand years ago, and it will still be real a thousand years hence. If TV producers were as concerned with the reality as they were about staying several yards behind the PC line, "Human Trafficking" might actually have had a modest impact.

There was no problem at all with Sorvino's performance. The acting in general, was very fine. What was needed to propel this movie to greater heights was better music, tighter editing, and a "vision" to coordinate the story-line. I'd love to see Scorsese cut his teeth on a subject like this. So many of his films seem to glorify violence; this could be his chance to turn his mastery of that style to a more noble purpose.

Human Trafficking.......2007-05-16

The story of a world wide human trafficking ring that sucks vunerable girls into its grasp and the struggle of one FBI agent to battle against it.

Donald looks better now than he did when he was younger,.......2007-05-14

this movie is way too long. Not nearly brutal enough, to show how horrific it really is for those children sold into the sex slave business. The lucky ones die fast. Too many excuses are made by all governments that "deal" with this problem. The real problems is the goverments don't care and these children aren't important, because they're not connected or related to some big politician or movie star. Very sad.

Average customer rating:

It's me...ELOISE!
totally enjoyable
SWEET MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Should become a family tradition
Wonderful Experience!

Eloise at Christmastime
Starring: Julie Andrews , Sofia Vassilieva , Kenneth Welsh , Debra Monk , and Gavin Creel
Director: Kevin Lima
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
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ASIN: B0002VEWY2
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Amazon.com

It's tinsel and holly and "fa la la lolly" when Eloise lends her unique brand of holiday spirit to this made-for-television movie inspired by Kay Thompson's book of the same name. Sofia Vassilieva shines as ruckus-raising Eloise, who can simultaneously exasperate and exhilarate the genteel staff of New York's Plaza hotel. In the days before Christmas, Eloise learns that Rachel (Sara Topham), the daughter of Plaza owner Mr. Peabody, is returning after a long absence to marry mystery man Brooks Oliver. Eloise insists on helping with the Yuletide nuptials while plotting a matchmaking scheme of her own--to find true love for her best pal Bill (Gavin Creel), a free-spirited hotel waiter. Meanwhile, Eloise keeps busy sprinkling holiday mirth on everyone, including her beloved Nanny, played "rawther" marvelously by Julie Andrews. Whereas Eloise at the Plaza portrays the precocious 6-year-old as mostly mischievous, this film showcases her compassionate side which, together with the strong ensemble cast, offers plenty of Christmas cheer. Watch for the sizzling chemistry and musical talents of Topham and Creel. (Ages 5 and older) --Lynn Gibson

Description

The Plaza's most famous six-year-old girl returns for Christmas in this heartwarming family film based on the best-selling children's classic ELOISE AT CHRISTMASTIME. "I absolutely love Christmas!" exclaims Eloise (Sofia Vassilieva). So, with her "mostly companion" Nanny (Julie Andrews), Eloise sets off celebrating the season in her own irrepressible style. Whether it's helping coordinate a Christmas Eve wedding because "Getting married on Christmas Eve is the most romantic thing," shopping for the entire staff of the hotel, or helping a neighbor save her home, Eloise has a "to do" list as long as her Christmas list. With an all-star cast and an ending that will warm your heart, ELOISE AT CHRISTMASTIME is bound to become an instant holiday classic.

Customer Reviews:

It's me...ELOISE!.......2007-06-16

I grew up with Eloise and they did a great job creating her. She jumps out of the books and into this movie. Well done...Bravo!!

totally enjoyable.......2007-05-08

This is a very enjoyable and feel good movie. Elosie is great and Julie Andrews was as great as ever and I thought most every one was great especially Rachel ( the owners daughter) and the waiter she loved.

SWEET MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-04-14

I am 11 years old and I really like this film!I'm really giving it four-and-a-half stars.A delightful,charming film like this can't be missed.Eloise,a little six-year-old and her Nanny are at the Plaza Hotel.[Elosie's home]Nanny stays with Elosie because her mother often travels.A sweet love story takes place.Elosie meets the owner of the Plaza Hotel's daughter.The beautiful red-haired Rachel Peabody,returning with her husband-to-be.Then,she gets reunited with Bill,[waiter in the Plaza,also Eloise's best friend]who she was in love with before she went away.I'll let yoy find out the rest for yourself.Buy it,rent it,its SOOOOO WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Should become a family tradition.......2007-03-18

This is such a fun, feel-good type of holiday movie. You can't go wrong with Julie Andrews, of course, and everyone else does a great job. I highly recommend it become a family holiday tradition.

Wonderful Experience!.......2006-12-04

This is by far one of the best Christmas programs I have seen in some time. Eloise's Christmas has real heart and did a wonderful job of teaching my daughter the spirit of giving and connecting to people that is difficult to get across in today's consumer driven culture. It is funny and fast moving too boot. My family and I really enjoyed watching it together.

Average customer rating:

For the ballet fan
Altman does ballet - "I hate pretty!"
The Company is a Beautiful Film to Watch
What happened?
The Company

The Company
Starring: Neve Campbell , Malcolm McDowell , James Franco , Barbara E. Robertson , and William Dick
Director: Robert Altman
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B0001XAOPM
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

An elegant portrait of artists in the act of creation, The Company is also a ballet lover's dream come true. While this intimate study of the onstage and backstage world of dance may appeal to a limited audience with its casually plotless structure, it's still a unique, accomplished film by one of the greatest American directors. As critic Roger Ebert observed, Robert Altman's film is also an autobiographical reflection of Altman's working methods, in which an ensemble (in this case, Neve Campbell and the dancers of Chicago's celebrated Joffrey Ballet Company) is casually choreographed in an atmosphere of spontaneity that's both dramatically charged and effortlessly authentic. A classically trained dancer, Campbell also coproduced the film, and stars with James Franco (as her easygoing boyfriend) and Malcolm McDowell as the Joffrey's delightfully diva-like artistic director. Featuring stellar performances of the Joffrey's best-known dances, this soothing, hypnotic film is devoid of conventional dialogue, and yet Barbara Turner's screenplay provides a precise roadmap for Altman's masterful choreography of dance, music, and human interaction. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

For the ballet fan.......2007-06-09

This movie is an entertaining look behind the scenes of a renowned dance company. It's quite realistic but stops short of documentary. The characters are interesting, but the focus of the movie is the ballet. Several lengthy performance sequences are a true delight to any fan of ballet, however non-fans will find them boooooring.

Altman does ballet - "I hate pretty!".......2007-03-11

This movie is not a documentary, neither does it have a story / narrative driving events. It is an undisputably Altman-esque view of life in a successful ballet company, in this case the Joffrey Ballet Company.
This means that events simply unfold in a matter of fact and realistic way, with characters stumbling over phrases and talking over each other in a way that gradually convinces you this is a peek into real life rather than a `movie'. If ballet, in particular modern ballet, fascinates you, and you like Altman's style of direction, then this is the movie for you.
Having said that, if ballet does NOT fascinate, you may well be left cold by a movie which has no story to tell, but rather purports to show real life instead.
The performances are fantastic, as you would expect from Robert Altman. Malcolm McDowell is a treat as the ballet director.. a role that Roger Ebert astutely observed is very like Altman himself, overseeing the creative process with one eye always on the budget, and those around him subject to his acerbic put downs, or throwaway praises. More than once he shouts out `You're a genius!' while simultaneously walking out of the room and already thinking about something or someone else. During the ballet training, you can feel the dancers groan as he interrupts shouting out `What are you doing! You made it pretty! I HATE pretty!'.
Neve Campbell was the driving force behind getting the movie made. She trained in Canada as a ballet dancer, and put in 4 months of training to get in shape for this role. It was she who persuaded Altman to make the movie, after his initial disinterest. This makes it all the more remarkable how un star-like a vehicle this is for her. Her character is just one character within the company and never overshadows the pace and style of the movie.
What we get then, is snippets of real lives and loves of all the players of a ballet company, interspersed with occasionally lengthy scenes of the ballets themselves. The performances certainly are convincing, but the end result is an oddly dispassionate but intimate view into the world of ballet.
This is not Altman at his best. I find he works best when there IS a plot and story, which distracts you from the fact that the movie is really about the people not the story. Such was the case in his previous movie, Gosford Park. Here, what you see is what you get and there are no layers to unwrap. Therefore, whether you enjoy the movie or not will depend greatly on your interest in the creative process on display, and in modern ballet itself.

The Company is a Beautiful Film to Watch.......2006-11-29

I hardly paid attention to the weak story line of The Company. Only Malcolm McDowell's character as the ballet director is adequately developed. Neve Campbell is always nice to look at. Still, I learned little about the actual dancers. But forget about all of that. The Company is gorgeous. I immensely enjoyed the dancing and training scenes. This alone justifies watching the film from beginning to end. And yes, even with its obvious weaknesses---Robert Altman's production deserves five stars.

David Thomson
Flares into Darkness

What happened?.......2006-11-26

With a very artistic cast, I was expecting this movie to be great. After watching Center Stage........I feel horribly disgusted with this film. It has no plot, no appropriate character development, and overall SUCKED. Nobody should watch this.

The Company.......2006-09-26

Why did I listen to all of you who said this was such a great movie? The dancing, I do have to say, was wonderful. But the rest of this movie was horrible. Long, horrible and incredibly boring. The story has little continuity and the ending, just ends. "That's it, we're done". If you love ballet and especially a "Cirque du Soleil" style, then this movie is for you. If you want to watch classical ballet and have a story to follow, watch something else.

Average customer rating:

Original but not great
IT'S THE STORY OF A YOUNG WRITER WHO WRITES ABOUT A YOUNG WRITER WHO...
Salma Hayek is delicious. The rest of the movie... not so much.
good movie, worth a watch
Wonderful movie!

Ask the Dust
Starring: Colin Farrell , Salma Hayek , Donald Sutherland , Eileen Atkins , and Idina Menzel
Director: Robert Towne
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FIHN5M
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Amazon.com

Adapted from the acclaimed 1939 novel by John Fante, Ask the Dust represents a 30-year labor of love for Robert Towne, the Oscar®-winning screenwriter of Chinatown. It's easy to see why Towne was drawn to Fante's classic tale of ill-fated romance in Depression-era Los Angeles: It's a tenacious, hard-scrabble valentine to Towne's beloved city, to the lonely craft of writing, and to the elusive whims of love. Towne must have been inspired by the challenge of capturing the inner life and outer environs of Fante's literary hero, struggling writer Aturo Bandini (played by Colin Farrell), as he arrives in L.A. circa 1932, sells occasional stories to legendary American Mercury editor H.L. Mencken (heard only in voice-overs provided by film critic Richard Schickel), lives in the seedy Alta Loma hotel in the dusty neighborhood of Bunker Hill (where a fellow resident is played by Donald Sutherland), and falls into a stormy relationship with Camilla (Salma Hayek), a Mexican waitress who shares Bandini's immigrant dreams for a better life in sunny California. There are good times and bad in this passionately combative romance (and Hayek has never been more sensuously appealing onscreen), and Towne has done a perfect job of capturing an arid combination of hope, depression, and artistic ambition, working in fruitful collaboration with celebrated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (The Black Stallion) on meticulously authentic Depression-era sets built on location (of all places) in South Africa. Ask the Dust never fully succeeds as an emotionally involving drama (the lives of writers are notoriously difficult to translate to film), but there's something undeniably seductive about this curious and great-looking film... and we're not just talking about Farrell and Hayek cavorting naked in the ocean. Even that memorable scene is infused with the threat of broken dreams, as if Towne were reminding us (and himself) that nothing good comes without sacrifice.--Jeff Shannon

Description

Colin Farrell is Arturo Bandini, a young would-be writer who comes to Depression-era Los Angeles to make a name for himself. While there, he meets beautiful barmaid Camilla (Salma Hayek), a Mexican immigrant who hopes for a better life by marrying a wealthy American. Both are trying to escape the stigma of their ethnicity in blue-blood California. The passion that arises between them is palpable - if they could only set aside their ambitions and submit to it. Oscar-winning screenwriter Robert Towne (Chinatown) directs this outcasts' tale of desire in the desert, co-starring Donald Sutherland (Pride and Prejudice).

Customer Reviews:

Original but not great.......2007-08-06

Set during the depression, Ask the Dust examines what happens when two immigrants expectations of what they want to get out of life changes drastically when they meet each other.

Arutro Bandito (Colin Ferrell) is an Italian American, first generation who moves to LA to write a great novel, a love story. But his experience in life is limited and he finds himself stumped on what he should write about. Flat broke and desperate, he spends his last nickel on a cup of coffee at a diner. There he meets Camilla (Selma Hayek), a beautiful and feisty Mexican woman who is trying to get her citizenship. The two of them spark immediately. They have chemistry, but not always in a good way. Arturo is infatuated with her but wants to meet a blue eyed California girl that are so abundant in LA. Camilla is enamored as well but she is looking for a rich man to marry and bring her up to high society.

As Arturo starts to have success in his writing, Camilla warms up to him and the possibility of loving him. Arturo finds, with the help of a woman who is physically disfigured, that his anger toward Camilla is based on the fact that he has great passion for her but can't imagine diverting from his dream.

The movie is unsympathetic in it's display of racism and character differences. Things are rough, and the life of these two young people is not envied on many levels. Farrell and Hayek give spectacular performances for what they have. Hayek is especially striking and powerful, embracing the role with no fear, especially with the nude scenes. If the movie were better I would say she should get an Oscar.

But alas, the movie is not great. It is good. It's character study is original and the love story is not like anything we have seen on screen before. The ending is not neat and tidy. Director Robert Towne seemed to want it that way. He didn't want a polished version of the novel this movie is based on, he wanted something that spoke in the same manner, which is not always welcomed with wide audiences. So you'll have to make your own opinion, watch it and decide for yourself.

IT'S THE STORY OF A YOUNG WRITER WHO WRITES ABOUT A YOUNG WRITER WHO..........2007-06-08

Writer-director Robert Towne is responsible for a few first-class screenplays of the last thirty years. For example, he wrote or co-wrote Roman Polanski's Chinatown, Sydney Pollack's The Yakuza and Jack Nicholson's The Two Jakes. Not bad, isn't it ?

I had read the novels of John Fante a few years ago and liked them a lot. Arturo Bandini, John Fante's literary double, is a character one doesn't forget easily and the description of the post WWI Los Angeles was particularly shabby. Now, in my opinion, Robert Towne's movie perfectly describes the mood of that period and the difficulties met by the Americans of the first generation to obtain the right and the opportunity to enjoy the American dream. ASK THE DUST is not a masterpiece but provides for the movie buff a kind of pleasure that starts to become more and more uncommon nowadays: the feeling to have been considered as an adult by the director.

A DVD it would be a shame to look down upon.

Salma Hayek is delicious. The rest of the movie... not so much........2007-05-27

Ask the Dust (Robert Towne, 2006)

While Ask the Dust is not the travesty I was expecting it to be, I can't say I was overly impressed with it, either. Colin Farrell's take on Arturo Bandini just never really clicked for me (more than once I wondered what Robert Downey, Jr., would've made of the role), though Salma Hayek does a fine job reminding me why I was so excited whenever a movie she was in showed up on the screen a decade or so ago. Donald Sutherland, on the other hand, is almost thoroughly wasted here; one wonders how many of his scenes ended up left on the cutting room floor, because I can't imagine an actor of his caliber taking a role so small and so incidental to the story. Other small oddities surface (why is it that the landlady, so dead set against Bandini having women in his room, never comes pounding on the door during his 4AM screaming fights with them?). One gets the feeling this should have been a much longer movie with a great deal more detail, but it's unlikely we'll ever get a chance to find out. ** ½

good movie, worth a watch.......2007-04-22

I think "Ask the Dust" succeeds as a film in that it gets the viewer emtoionally involved and suspends disbelief. The movie was not bad, and it was in fact great. The filming and sets were very authentic. But it was the acting that made the movie good. Salma Hayek proved that she is an artist by displaying her skill as an actress. She was fiesty and at times mean, but also vulnerable and loving. Colin Farrell also proved he is a good actor as he captured the character so well: he displayed fears and hopes at the same time. Those people that think the relationship was just abuse are wrong. They were two strong willed people that hadn't opened up to the right person until they found eachother. It was great to see them thawing throughout the movie and change from hard of heart people to the end when they admit their fears and the love they have for eachother. Salma and Colin are underrated as actors. Watch this movie to provoke thoughts about human weakness and strength and to see a social commentary asking what it means to be an American in the melting-pot U.S.

*****/***** Beautifully filmed, acted, etc...

Wonderful movie!.......2007-01-18

This has to be one of Colin Farrell's best performaces! He plays a 1st generation Italian in 1933. The director of this film made everything so authentic! Even down to how they walked back then. You'll see. :)
Really great movie! I enjoyed it more than the book! I'm very glad that I added it to my DVD collection!

Average customer rating:

YOU CAN'T ALWAYS RUN!
It is about you
All About You
All About You
I Don't Deserve This Kind of Treatment

All About You
Starring: Renee Goldsberry , Terron Brooks , Debbie Allen , LisaRaye , and Lou Myers
Director: Christine Swanson
Manufacturer: Urban Works
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00014K5MS
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Description

Nicole Taylor (Renee Goldsberry) postpones law school to be with Robbie, the love of her life. Ambitious, intelligent, successful and irresistible… he was everything a woman wanted. Until one night at a party celebrating Robbie's success, she painfully discovers that she was just a pit stop on his roadmap through life. She leaves Los Angeles to start a new life in San Francisco, where she moves in with her best friend Lisa (LisaRaye) and gets a job waiting tables at Toomies, a jazz supper club. Nicole's caught by surprise when Lisa leaves for a month, subletting her room to Brian (Terron Brooks), Robbie's estranged younger brother. Brian has wandered the globe the past few years escaping the pressures of his family name and all that comes with it. Forced to share living and work spaces, Nicole and Brian can't avoid each other. As their attraction grows, they are also forced to deal with their painful pasts to open themselves to another chance at love…

Customer Reviews:

YOU CAN'T ALWAYS RUN!.......2007-06-27

I'M GOING TO KEEP IT SHORT AND SIMPLE. THE MOVIE WAS GREAT! THE CAST RENEE GOLDSBERRY AND TERRON BROOKS WAS THE PERFECT COUPLE. I JUST LOVED HIS VOICE ON EVERY SONG. AFTER EACH PERFORMANCE TERRON PERFORM I REPEAT THE DVD SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I GO ON TO FINISH THE FILM. ALSO THE SONG CALLED SUPRISE. IT MAKES ME CRY, I REWIND THAT PART OF THE MOVIE ABOUT 5X WHEN I WATCH IT.

AND SUPRISE AS WE RISE, AS WE LIGHT THE SKY AS WE'RE FALLING. THROUGH THE AIR WITH NO CARE AND GROUND BELOW, CAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW.
SUPRISE!!!

THE MOVIE IS A MUST SEE, IF YOU LOVE LOVE STORIES..

It is about you.......2007-03-12

Great love story. Truly enjoyed it, loved the singing. would recommend.

All About You.......2007-01-16

I loved this movie. I saw it once before visiting my cousin in Sacramento and that's why I purchased it.

All About You.......2006-08-08

I absolutely loved this movie!! I have watched it about twenty times. When I want to watch a good clean movie, a love story between a man and a woman, I pop in "All About You." I applaud Christine Swanson and the Actors who gave her masterpiece life.

I Don't Deserve This Kind of Treatment.......2006-07-03

This is a good movie. I have watched it over and over again. There is a very strong message in it. This girl was in a relationship with this guy for about a year; she cared very deeply for him but he didn't feel the same. At his birthday party, that she prepared for him, she found out that he only thought of himself as far as the future which was not with her. I don't want to tell the movie but for me, it was an excellent movie with a very strong storyline especially for young ladies who put their lives on hold waiting for someone who does not have them on the mind for a future in marriage. You are important, don't allow yourselves to be used by someone who does not think of you as a "wife". This guy was on the rebound from his previous girlfriend who decided not to marry him. So, while getting into a relationship with Nikki, he still had feelings for the other girl and was waiting to see if she would take him back. You really need to see this movie. "great".

Average customer rating:

Unrealistic
Exceptional in places, shaky in others
A Sweet but Tragic Story
great film but worst dvd transfer ever!
A Powerful Little Film That Examines Prejudice, Bigotry, and Color-blind Love

Parallel Sons
Starring: Lawrence Mason , Heather Gottlieb , Murphy Guyer , Josh Hopkins , and Graham Alex Johnson
Director: Wendy Jo Cohen , and John G. Young
Manufacturer: Strand Releasing
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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