Ben-Stiller Movie Reviews

Those fears vanished as soon as Mojo's rugged and familiar face greeted me again. "Elvis Stories" is in fact better than I remembered it. The writing and acting is all really good and really funny, and it's great to recognize so many people in the video, especially because I had no idea who any of them were when I first saw it. But the lasting appeal of "Elvis Stories" comes from the way it is presented, as a documentary in which an interviewer and cameraman we never see roam America to preserve these stories like Smithsonian people travel to the backwoods of Appalachia to preserve songs and folktales. This totally deadpan style of delivery lets the lunacy of the characters really come through, and Stiller works it really well. Sometimes I laughed harder at the way the camera went from character to character than I did at what they were saying. John Cusack's performance is absolutely brilliant and shouldn't be missed by any fan; Jeremy Piven shows why he's graduated from stand-up to full-time employment; Mike Myers shows up in one of his funniest bits ever; and Stiller's and Dick's skit is absolutely fabulous, and features a wonderful psychiatrist who, if I remember the credits correctly, may be John Cusack's brother. But as we scoot from story to story and watch a protean Elvis change from supermarket shopper to semi-gaseous state, in this shlockumentary we also see the quirkier and funnier side of American culture that strengthens the comedy and my conviction that belief in Elvis-after-death is a phenomenon worthy of celebration, and I'm ecstatic that Stiller decided to preserve it when and how he did.

As you probably know, "Empire Of The Sun" is about a young British boy who becomes separated from his parents during WWII and ends up in an internment camp. Being a Spielberg film, the direction and cinematography are, of course, stunning. Great effort was put into making this film appear realistic and it works wonderfully. In fact, this was the first major American film shot in China.

Another strong point of this movie is that it is shown through the eyes of a child. Often, war movies are all too harsh, violent and depressing. "Empire Of The Sun" successfully shows us glimpses of the brutalness of war but it also allows us to keep a constant feeling of hope and determination. That is in no small part due to the talent of Bale. He makes the viewer feel what he feels. There is an amazing amount of passion in his performance.

It's a shame that this is one of Spielberg's least respected efforts. I put off seeing "Empire Of The Sun" for a long time because of the tepid reviews it received. Instead of mediocrity, however, I found a movie filled with inspiration. Please do yourself a favor and see it as well!

When I heard the beautiful John Williams' score play on my TV and a boy watching a lone fighter plane soar across the runway, I was immediately captivated and sat in awe as this boy cheered on the fighter plane. I immediately rewound the tape and read the title of this clip: Empire of the Sun.

I quickly ran to my local Blockbuster and rented the movie not even knowing what the film was about and was witnessed to the most amazing film I had ever seen!

The performances were top notch and the performance from the young Christian Bale, who plays the young boy, Jim, forced in a Japanese Intern Camp, is the greatest performance by a child I have ever seen, exceeding that of such names as Henry Thomas (E.T.) and young oscar nominee Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense).

The movie itself is a visual masterpiece with never a dull moment. This movie contains some of the most memorable and beuatiful scenes I have ever seen anywhere. The story itself is full of drama, action, and suspence that captures your heart and never lets go even after the end credits are rolling!

As usual, John Williams delivers with one of his greatest scores ever. The visual effects are astounding and perfectly executed to enhance the storytelling of the movie.

I disagree with some of the negative reviews that plague this underrated epic. Many people before its release expected it to be this huge blockbuster stemming off as an adaptation of a book by the same name. How can anyone expect a movie about a boy torn from his parents and forced to live in a Japanese Prison Camp, get cursed and beaten at and forced to eat bugs and potatoes for years to be a huge blockbuster. Many people attacked it for its lack of commercial success.

While this may not be the most historically accurate film in the case of how horrific the conditions of the prison camps really were, this would only destract the audiance from what the film should be and is, a film that begins tragically but ends up being a coming of age heartwarming epic drama about a boy forced to live and grow up fast under the harshest of conditions and yet triumphs against all obstacles.

Empire of the Sun in my eyes is one of Spielberg's best films ever. It is based on the real life experiences of J.G. Ballard and really illustrates what he had to go through. The script follows his book so closely, that Ballard himself complimented Spielberg on how accurate the film was. The set designs and shot locations are incredibly realistic to the time period that the film took place in. You feel like you are witnessing a P.O.W. camp first hand as well as WWII itself. "Empire of the Sun" was also the first major Hollywood studio production ever to shoot in the People's Republic of China.

The friendship that builds between Jim and the rest of the Americans is great. Christian Bale was just flat out amazing as Jim Grahm. It was the first role of his career and in my opinion it was his best performance. The most incredible thing about it, was the fact that he was just a boy. The role was very demanding, and he did a great job with it. Christian Bale also does a nice job singing along with the musical score in this film. John Malkovich turns in a solid performance as Basie. Basie is the leader of the American soldiers within the camp, and befriends Jim taking him under his wing. Other great performances are given by Joe Pantoliano as Frank Demarest, Miranda Richardson as Mrs Victor, and Nigel Havers as Dr. Rawlins.

The DVD is definately worth the money because it offers an incredible 47 minute documentary on the making of the film entitled "The China Odyssey : Empire of the Sun". You hear facts about the war, and comments on the making of the film from Spielberg, the different actors, and the man who the film was based on - J.G. Ballard.

As you probably know, "Empire Of The Sun" is about a young British boy who becomes separated from his parents during WWII and ends up in an internment camp. Being a Spielberg film, the direction and cinematography are, of course, stunning. Great effort was put into making this film appear realistic and it works wonderfully. In fact, this was the first major American film shot in China.

Another strong point of this movie is that it is shown through the eyes of a child. Often, war movies are all too harsh, violent and depressing. "Empire Of The Sun" successfully shows us glimpses of the brutalness of war but it also allows us to keep a constant feeling of hope and determination. That is in no small part due to the talent of Bale. He makes the viewer feel what he feels. There is an amazing amount of passion in his performance.

It's a shame that this is one of Spielberg's least respected efforts. I put off seeing "Empire Of The Sun" for a long time because of the tepid reviews it received. Instead of mediocrity, however, I found a movie filled with inspiration. Please do yourself a favor and see it as well!

When I heard the beautiful John Williams' score play on my TV and a boy watching a lone fighter plane soar across the runway, I was immediately captivated and sat in awe as this boy cheered on the fighter plane. I immediately rewound the tape and read the title of this clip: Empire of the Sun.

I quickly ran to my local Blockbuster and rented the movie not even knowing what the film was about and was witnessed to the most amazing film I had ever seen!

The performances were top notch and the performance from the young Christian Bale, who plays the young boy, Jim, forced in a Japanese Intern Camp, is the greatest performance by a child I have ever seen, exceeding that of such names as Henry Thomas (E.T.) and young oscar nominee Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense).

The movie itself is a visual masterpiece with never a dull moment. This movie contains some of the most memorable and beuatiful scenes I have ever seen anywhere. The story itself is full of drama, action, and suspence that captures your heart and never lets go even after the end credits are rolling!

As usual, John Williams delivers with one of his greatest scores ever. The visual effects are astounding and perfectly executed to enhance the storytelling of the movie.

I disagree with some of the negative reviews that plague this underrated epic. Many people before its release expected it to be this huge blockbuster stemming off as an adaptation of a book by the same name. How can anyone expect a movie about a boy torn from his parents and forced to live in a Japanese Prison Camp, get cursed and beaten at and forced to eat bugs and potatoes for years to be a huge blockbuster. Many people attacked it for its lack of commercial success.

While this may not be the most historically accurate film in the case of how horrific the conditions of the prison camps really were, this would only destract the audiance from what the film should be and is, a film that begins tragically but ends up being a coming of age heartwarming epic drama about a boy forced to live and grow up fast under the harshest of conditions and yet triumphs against all obstacles.

Empire of the Sun in my eyes is one of Spielberg's best films ever. It is based on the real life experiences of J.G. Ballard and really illustrates what he had to go through. The script follows his book so closely, that Ballard himself complimented Spielberg on how accurate the film was. The set designs and shot locations are incredibly realistic to the time period that the film took place in. You feel like you are witnessing a P.O.W. camp first hand as well as WWII itself. "Empire of the Sun" was also the first major Hollywood studio production ever to shoot in the People's Republic of China.

The friendship that builds between Jim and the rest of the Americans is great. Christian Bale was just flat out amazing as Jim Grahm. It was the first role of his career and in my opinion it was his best performance. The most incredible thing about it, was the fact that he was just a boy. The role was very demanding, and he did a great job with it. Christian Bale also does a nice job singing along with the musical score in this film. John Malkovich turns in a solid performance as Basie. Basie is the leader of the American soldiers within the camp, and befriends Jim taking him under his wing. Other great performances are given by Joe Pantoliano as Frank Demarest, Miranda Richardson as Mrs Victor, and Nigel Havers as Dr. Rawlins.

The DVD is definately worth the money because it offers an incredible 47 minute documentary on the making of the film entitled "The China Odyssey : Empire of the Sun". You hear facts about the war, and comments on the making of the film from Spielberg, the different actors, and the man who the film was based on - J.G. Ballard.

But this only the first ten or fifteen minutes of the film: there is much, much more to come, and all of it is over the top hilarious. Jack Weston, Jerry Stiller, and Kaye Ballard are perfectly cast in their roles, but would you believe F. Murray Abraham (Oscar winner for AMADEUS) as the screaming queen to end all screaming queens? How about Rita Moreno as a no-talent lounge singer who is busting a gut to become a bath-house star just like Bette Midler? Or Treat Williams as a P.I. with blonde hair and a squeaky voice? My own favorite of the bunch is Paolo Poeti as Claude, a "chubby chaser" who takes one look at Jack Weston and falls in love at first sight--and then proceeds to make his life absolute hell by chasing him all over the bath house. Before it's all over you'll find people hiding under beds, thrown into swimming pools, impersonating the Andrews Sisters, and being pursued by unwanted lovers of the wrong persuasion, all to absolutely hilarious, incredibly giddy effect.

Like most farces, THE RITZ deals in stereotypes--but it is never mean spirited in its portraits, and the cast carries off the eccentric characters (both straight and gay) with considerable aplomb. Filmed long before the AIDS crisis, THE RITZ offers a comic look at a New York gay bath house and a way of life that would soon come to a grinding halt--a fact that gives the film a certain unintended poignancy for gay viewers. Even so, you don't need any specialized background to enjoy this laugh-out-loud movie, which is as much (and really more) for a straight audience as it is for a gay one. Highly, highly recommended... call over some friends, turn up the steam heat, break out some bath towels, and get ready for a true laugh riot.

I watch this movie every time it's on TV, and I have it on tape. For about half a year this was my hands down favorite movie, and this was during 8th grade. I still enjoy it as much as I did then. Solid acting all around, good script, and whether you think so or not this may be Jim Carrey's best movie.

Face it, if Chris Nolan had directed this movie you would have loved it. Give Stiller credit for making arguably the best movie of 1996. And as a final note, lets pray that for now on all actors stay in their respective genres. So much easier to keep track of that way, right? Enjoy Ace Ventura, guys.

Friendship, love, spontaneity, spirituality and fun mix with religion, tradition, duty, and ritual. How Stiller, a rabbi, Norton, an Irish Catholic priest, and Elfman, an Irish Catholic gal struggle to balance these is a joy. The supporting cast is terrific also, especially Anne Bancroft as Stiller's mom.

It is brilliant how such serious issues can be dealt with in such a light hearted and comical way. The fine soundtrack also compliments the movie. One standout tune is "Heart of Mine," sung by Peter Salett at the end of the film.

Being set in Manhattan, the film has additional appeal to anyone who has ever lived there.

Friendship, love, spontaneity, spirituality and fun mix with religion, tradition, duty, and ritual. How Stiller, a rabbi, Norton, an Irish Catholic priest, and Elfman, an Irish Catholic gal struggle to balance these is a joy. The supporting cast is terrific also, especially Anne Bancroft as Stiller's mom.

It is brilliant how such serious issues can be dealt with in such a light hearted and comical way. The fine soundtrack also compliments the movie. One standout tune is "Heart of Mine," sung by Peter Salett at the end of the film.

Being set in Manhattan, the film has additional appeal to anyone who has ever lived there.