James-Remar Movie Reviews


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VHS movie reviews for "James-Remar" sorted by average review score:

Rites of Passage
Released in VHS Tape by Bell Canyon Entertai (02 May, 2000)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Victor Salva
Average review score:

DIRECTOR IS SEX CRIMINAL ... HE TOUCHES YOUNG BOYS
Before I knew about Salva's past I liked it. He plead guilty to 5 felony counts of child sex abuse in 1988. Police confiscated videos of him forcing a young boy (Nathan Winters- star of ClownHouse) to perform oral sex on him. They also found videos of boys taking showers and pictures he took of naked boys. DON'T BUY THIS OR JEEPERS CREEPERS 1 OR 2, CLOWNHOUSE, OR POWDER WHICH HE ALSO WROTE AND DIRECTED. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS MONSTER!!!

One of the best human dramas of recent years!
"Rites of Passage" is a finely tuned psychological thriller that does more than just keep our stomachs tightened for an hour and a half. This story of a father and his two sons being held at the whim of a convict is more than that, digging deep into its characters to give the story a much richer complexity and intrigue. As far as thrillers go, I was breathless; as far as human dramas go, I was hooked.

The film introduces us to Del Farraday (Dean Stockwell) and his son D.J. (Robert Keith), who run into one another in a San Francisco hotel. In hopes that he might quiet any objections his son may have about seeing his father with another woman, the two venture to the family lakeside cabin for a weekend of bonding. That is, until they arrive and realize that Campbell (Jason Behr), the youngest son, is also there, and immediately we get the feeling that there is bad blood between father and son.

As it turns out, it goes back years ago, when Del caught Campbell giving his heart to another boy by the name of Billy, and lost himself in rage. The two have had no contact for months at a time, so it comes as no surprise that when Del reveals his affair with another woman, an argument ensues. But any and all arguments are cast aside when two strangers arrive, who turn out to be escaped felons, one of whom has a connection to Campbell's lost Billy, and with whom Campbell has an agenda.

To reveal any more will ruin the plot's many twists and turns, though not so much the thriller ones as the emotional ones. This is one well-crafted film from Victor Salva, the director of "Powder." His work on that project and his work here prove his worth as a filmmaker in that he can do so much with a large budget film, and take material such as this and turn it into solid entertainment with a minimal budget.

Salva's most winning aspect of this film is his attention to the emotions of his characters, particularly Campbell, whose homosexuality fuels most of what's going on in the plot. Campbell is given the typical emotions of someone who feels empty and lonesome, but under the powerful performance of Jason Behr, these emotions are so impacting and believable that they add so much to the overall effect of the film. Salva is also careful not to turn the film into a coming-out story, but more of a story about coming to terms.

The father/son examination this film partakes is simply stunning. This human drama unfolds very effectively as Campbell and his father, played in a winning performance from Dean Stockwell, must come to terms with one another, what has happened in the past, and what is going on as they find themselves in danger. There is always some measure of loyalty that each holds for the other, and the film portrays that loyalty in such a light that nothing could ever shake it.

Another good aspect is the way in which Salva allows the psychological drama to play on those emotions. One of the escaped felons, Frank (James Remar), plays on Campbell's childhood memories of his father's disdain for him, using it as a tool to win him over and keep him loyal. Remar pushes the envelope with his witty and chilling performance, and to watch the interaction between he and Behr in the most intense moments will keep you on the edge of your seat.

While it is most definitely an unknown film, "Rites of Passage" will be remembered by those who see it. It not only winds the chord of suspense until the knot in your stomach is unbearable, but it gives us characters whose emotions we can identify with and understand. These emotions come out through some very strong performances, and some very provocative directing. I got so much more from this film than I expected, and hold it up as one of the best human dramas of recent years.

Excellent!
A beautiful and sensitive movie! I got into the emotional aspect of it more than the suspense, but it was great. I've watched it many times. Jason Behr's portrayal of Campbell was heartwrenching. Mr. Behr can express so much with just body language and facial expression - they could not have cast the main character better! It's sad that there are so few outlets for the purchase or rental of this wonderful story. I know many who want to see it, but few have found it outside of Amazon.com. I highly recommend this DVD!


Rites of Passage
Released in VHS Tape by Wolfe Video (11 June, 2002)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Victor Salva
Average review score:

DIRECTOR IS SEX CRIMINAL ... HE TOUCHES YOUNG BOYS
Before I knew about Salva's past I liked it. He plead guilty to 5 felony counts of child sex abuse in 1988. Police confiscated videos of him forcing a young boy (Nathan Winters- star of ClownHouse) to perform oral sex on him. They also found videos of boys taking showers and pictures he took of naked boys. DON'T BUY THIS OR JEEPERS CREEPERS 1 OR 2, CLOWNHOUSE, OR POWDER WHICH HE ALSO WROTE AND DIRECTED. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS MONSTER!!!

One of the best human dramas of recent years!
"Rites of Passage" is a finely tuned psychological thriller that does more than just keep our stomachs tightened for an hour and a half. This story of a father and his two sons being held at the whim of a convict is more than that, digging deep into its characters to give the story a much richer complexity and intrigue. As far as thrillers go, I was breathless; as far as human dramas go, I was hooked.

The film introduces us to Del Farraday (Dean Stockwell) and his son D.J. (Robert Keith), who run into one another in a San Francisco hotel. In hopes that he might quiet any objections his son may have about seeing his father with another woman, the two venture to the family lakeside cabin for a weekend of bonding. That is, until they arrive and realize that Campbell (Jason Behr), the youngest son, is also there, and immediately we get the feeling that there is bad blood between father and son.

As it turns out, it goes back years ago, when Del caught Campbell giving his heart to another boy by the name of Billy, and lost himself in rage. The two have had no contact for months at a time, so it comes as no surprise that when Del reveals his affair with another woman, an argument ensues. But any and all arguments are cast aside when two strangers arrive, who turn out to be escaped felons, one of whom has a connection to Campbell's lost Billy, and with whom Campbell has an agenda.

To reveal any more will ruin the plot's many twists and turns, though not so much the thriller ones as the emotional ones. This is one well-crafted film from Victor Salva, the director of "Powder." His work on that project and his work here prove his worth as a filmmaker in that he can do so much with a large budget film, and take material such as this and turn it into solid entertainment with a minimal budget.

Salva's most winning aspect of this film is his attention to the emotions of his characters, particularly Campbell, whose homosexuality fuels most of what's going on in the plot. Campbell is given the typical emotions of someone who feels empty and lonesome, but under the powerful performance of Jason Behr, these emotions are so impacting and believable that they add so much to the overall effect of the film. Salva is also careful not to turn the film into a coming-out story, but more of a story about coming to terms.

The father/son examination this film partakes is simply stunning. This human drama unfolds very effectively as Campbell and his father, played in a winning performance from Dean Stockwell, must come to terms with one another, what has happened in the past, and what is going on as they find themselves in danger. There is always some measure of loyalty that each holds for the other, and the film portrays that loyalty in such a light that nothing could ever shake it.

Another good aspect is the way in which Salva allows the psychological drama to play on those emotions. One of the escaped felons, Frank (James Remar), plays on Campbell's childhood memories of his father's disdain for him, using it as a tool to win him over and keep him loyal. Remar pushes the envelope with his witty and chilling performance, and to watch the interaction between he and Behr in the most intense moments will keep you on the edge of your seat.

While it is most definitely an unknown film, "Rites of Passage" will be remembered by those who see it. It not only winds the chord of suspense until the knot in your stomach is unbearable, but it gives us characters whose emotions we can identify with and understand. These emotions come out through some very strong performances, and some very provocative directing. I got so much more from this film than I expected, and hold it up as one of the best human dramas of recent years.

Excellent!
A beautiful and sensitive movie! I got into the emotional aspect of it more than the suspense, but it was great. I've watched it many times. Jason Behr's portrayal of Campbell was heartwrenching. Mr. Behr can express so much with just body language and facial expression - they could not have cast the main character better! It's sad that there are so few outlets for the purchase or rental of this wonderful story. I know many who want to see it, but few have found it outside of Amazon.com. I highly recommend this DVD!


Duplex
Released in Theatrical Release by (26 September, 2003)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Danny DeVito
Starring: Ben Stiller, Drew Barrymore, and Eileen Essel
Anyone who's lived in an apartment will understand the mounting frustration of Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore as they grapple with the upstairs neighbor of their worst nightmares in Duplex, directed by Danny DeVito. Stiller and Barrymore play a young couple who think they've found the home of their dreams when they buy an astonishingly spacious Brooklyn duplex. Unfortunately, the second floor comes with a tenant, a seemingly sweet little old lady (Eileen Essell). Her petty demands and manipulative ways drive Stiller and Barrymore to desperate attempts to oust her--and when she breezily resists their worst efforts, the hapless pair begin to consider more serious (and final) measures. Duplex might be called a comedy of anxiety; it constantly pricks at your expectations of disaster, sending you into a nervous state that demands laughter as a release. Also featuring Wallace Shawn, Harvey Fierstein, and Swoosie Kurtz. --Bret Fetzer
Average review score:

Stiller and Barrymore are better than this.
Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore star as a newly married couple looking for a new home. They find the perfect place, except for the fact that it is a duplex with the upstairs being occupied by an elderly woman. She becomes so much of a problem that they try whatever they can to get rid of her. I knew the ending three minutes into the movie. But I was still mildly amused--except for a few unnecessary characters. Stiller and Barrymore are better than this. But I am not so sure about director Danny Devito. He seems to be repeating himself....
PG-13: Mild language, some crude humor, and violence.

HILARIOUS!
Danny DeVito is one of the best directors when it comes to black comedies. "Duplex" is another one of those great movies. It was everything I expected, and the performances were great! The little old lady in this movie is a great actress. I heard she hadn't been in much until this movie came along. I wonder how they found her. She's great! Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore are also perfect in their roles. I mean, this movies isn't anything you've never seen before -"Throw Mama From the Train" is similar- but go see this one, anyways. You won't be disappointed!

Highly recommended!

I thought it was hysterical!!
My husband and I saw this movie on opening night and we both thought that it was hysterical. A must-buy on DVD when it comes out. Ben and Drew had good chemistry as a married couple trying to rid themselves of an annoying tenant. And the old lady was absolutely great!!! At times you wanted to kill her yourself and at other times she could actually tug at your heartstrings. But I have to say, the theater did not take well to this movie. See, I love movies like Theres Something about Mary and Dumb and Dumber. That is what this movie reminded me of. Ben Stiller is one of the great comic geniuses of our time. And we also had a great Fandango experience at the theater. We will use that again definitely!!


Fatal Instinct
Released in VHS Tape by Mgm/Ua Studios (19 October, 1994)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Carl Reiner
Starring: Armand Assante and Sherilyn Fenn
Carl Reiner tried to give the Mel Brooks treatment to the Fatal Attraction/Basic Instinct genre of films about vicious, conniving women and the not-so-bright men who get involved with them. In this case, it's Armand Assante, an actor not particularly known for his comedic chops. He plays a guy who is both a police detective and a defense attorney, so he can defend the people he arrests. He becomes the target of a female stalker (Sean Young, in a bit of typecasting), as well as the dupe in a murder plot involving his wife (Kate Nelligan). Reiner takes a scattershot approach to comedy, hoping to play in the same ballpark as the Zucker brothers or Brooks. While he hits a few singles and the occasional double, he never knocks a joke out of the park and so the movie winds up with an awful lot of pop fouls. --Marshall Fine
Average review score:

Bad Reviews? I Don't Know Why...
This movie was slammed by critics. The most common review of this said that there was 'just too many jokes' in it. I watched it with a critical eye, and thought it was a really fun movie.

I didn't laugh out loud with tears running down my face, but did spend the entire run time giggling at the antics of all the characters. The cast consists of several Serious Actors (Kate Nelligan, Armand Assante) who play their parts as though they were in a drama. To me, those are excellent comedic acting skills. It's when actors play for laughs that they are not funny.

You might not be tickled by this one if you aren't familiar with the 'film noir' and detective film genre. If you are a fan of those, you will laugh as you recognize all the devices in those films over-used to good effect in this one.

I had a good time watching it...give it a try!

Trust your "Instinct"
I first caught this movie on cable a few years ago and laughed so much my side started hurting! After that, I would watch it whenever I caught it on, sometimes missing half the movie but enjoying it just the same. If you like "Body Heat" "Fatal Attraction" and other movies of that ilk (which I do) you don't want to miss this spoof. It's all of those movies, rolled into one; the actors play it straight, which is more funny than if they had winked at the camera in each scene. The drama keeps rising with every scene, until it gets so ridiculous TWO people have to die in the end, simultaneously, and by the same hand.

Carl Reiner's finest work
First of all, in order to truly appreciate this movie, you've got to see "Fatal Attraction", "Body Heat", "Chinatown", and "Basic Instinct", which all came out within a few years of each other. They are great films which have a modern take of the "noir" period of filmmaking from the 1940's. (For Reiner's other great parody of that period, see "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid"). Here, Reiner has taken all of the cliched moments and turned them into great parodies of those films.

Assante as Ned Revine is hysterical with his incredible dead pan (I only wish Reiner had put out takes on the DVD). Reiner puts in non-stop jokes from start to finish. (I like the ceiling fan in the car, for example). Some of you may have to go back and forth to catch them all. To me this film is right up there with Mel Brooks, "Airplane", "Police Squad", and "Pink Panther" series for great modern (late 20th Century) comedy. Reiner who was a writer, director, actor and producer of television comedy for years (Your Show of Shows, Dick Van Dyke, etc), had highly developed comedic skills prior to his stint as movie director. Consequently, he brings a great sense of comic timing to this and all of his pictures. This is my personal favorite of his work.


The Phantom
Released in VHS Tape by Paramount Studio (21 May, 2002)
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Simon Wincer
Starring: Billy Zane, Kristy Swanson, and Treat Williams
This plain-vanilla version of the old Lee Falk comic strip stars Billy Zane as a 1930s incarnation of the Phantom, an African-based, masked hero whose forefathers have all donned the costume at one time or another. Sworn to crush evil, the Phantom leaves his jungle lair to venture to New York, where he takes on a charming but criminal mastermind (Treat Williams). There's no oomph to this film at all. The very capable director Simon Wincer (Phar Lap) seems to be working with a leaden production and an inferior talent pool behind the camera. The talent in front of the camera do their best, but it isn't enough. --Tom Keogh
Average review score:

Not perfect, but an enjoyable comicbook movie
I have seen The Phantom many times since its release in 96 and have to say that I enjoyed it very much. I have never read the comicbook or comicstrip but from what I have read in the other reviews on this page, it is not 100% accurate to the feeling of the source material. Nevertheless, it is a great, campy, fun filled movie.
Catherine Zeta Jones and Kristy Swanson are very sexy as their supporting characters, and in fact give the best performances of the whole movie. Treat Williams comes off as the campiest character of all in his portrayal of Xander Drax. His one-liners could have been done without. They were, however, not going for a very serious movie so you get what you get. Billy Zane was enjoyable to watch as the title hero, and his alter ego Kit Walker but the script needed a little work.
The plot of the movie revolved around the 21st in a long line of "Phantoms" and his quest to stop an archvillian from attaining three priceless skulls. If Drax were to get his hands on all three skulls, he would become very powerful. So, Kit (aka: The Phantom) sets out with his horse and wolf to capture Drax and reclaim the skulls.
With a mix of 1930s scenery and 1990s special effects, this movie was a definite family film, but may not be what you would expect if you read the old comics.

The Phantom is an enjoyable movie, and true to the comics.
The Phantom is an enjoyable movie and true to the comics. The film's setting being in the 1930s really captures that time period, from the costumes to the vehicles. Billy Zane was just excellent in the role of the title character (with real muscles not fake rubber muscle suits like the Batman movies). He brought this classic comic book character to life with great personality, from humour to the serious, making a great superhero. Kristy Swanson (the original "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") plays the Phantom's love interest, Diana Palmer. She was just great in this movie as well, reminding me how underrated this actress is. This movie also stars Catherine Zeta Jones (the sexy lady in 1998's "The Mask of Zorro" film). She didn't have much to do here unfortunately. Treat Williams is the bad guy in this film, who, for some odd reason, portrayed it campy. This movie has some great stunts and action scenes but fails to be an Indiana Jones movie wannabe (ironically written by "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" writer Jeffrey Boam, who's also written "Lethal Weapon 2" and "Lethal Weapon 3"). The film's story could have been much better. Overall though, its still enjoyable to watch. Film director Joe Dante served as one of the executive producers on this movie.

(IN)DIANA AND THE PHANTOM
This picture was ignored by most critics and few people saw it on the theaters here in Brazil. But it is a very good action movie. It has the spirit of Indiana Jones films, as it takes places in distant places, in a deep forest, it has a lot of mystic in the air and it happens during the II WW. The scenes of fight and action are very exciting and the famous super-hero seems to move very fast. Billy Zane is perfectly cast in the title role. Kristy Swanson was very beautiful and charming in her first movies, but seems to be loosing her attraction. The role of Diana here should have been played by gorgeous and athletic villain Catherine Zeta Jones, whose hair is even similar to the comics character (later she would appear in another comics character, "Zorro"). One of the reasons for the good production is the presence of Joe Dante as Executive Producer. He now could film the story of the honeymoon of the Phantom, which would be a great hit.


The Phantom
Released in VHS Tape by Paramount Studio (21 May, 2002)
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Simon Wincer
Starring: Billy Zane, Kristy Swanson, and Treat Williams
This plain-vanilla version of the old Lee Falk comic strip stars Billy Zane as a 1930s incarnation of the Phantom, an African-based, masked hero whose forefathers have all donned the costume at one time or another. Sworn to crush evil, the Phantom leaves his jungle lair to venture to New York, where he takes on a charming but criminal mastermind (Treat Williams). There's no oomph to this film at all. The very capable director Simon Wincer (Phar Lap) seems to be working with a leaden production and an inferior talent pool behind the camera. The talent in front of the camera do their best, but it isn't enough. --Tom Keogh
Average review score:

Not perfect, but an enjoyable comicbook movie
I have seen The Phantom many times since its release in 96 and have to say that I enjoyed it very much. I have never read the comicbook or comicstrip but from what I have read in the other reviews on this page, it is not 100% accurate to the feeling of the source material. Nevertheless, it is a great, campy, fun filled movie.
Catherine Zeta Jones and Kristy Swanson are very sexy as their supporting characters, and in fact give the best performances of the whole movie. Treat Williams comes off as the campiest character of all in his portrayal of Xander Drax. His one-liners could have been done without. They were, however, not going for a very serious movie so you get what you get. Billy Zane was enjoyable to watch as the title hero, and his alter ego Kit Walker but the script needed a little work.
The plot of the movie revolved around the 21st in a long line of "Phantoms" and his quest to stop an archvillian from attaining three priceless skulls. If Drax were to get his hands on all three skulls, he would become very powerful. So, Kit (aka: The Phantom) sets out with his horse and wolf to capture Drax and reclaim the skulls.
With a mix of 1930s scenery and 1990s special effects, this movie was a definite family film, but may not be what you would expect if you read the old comics.

The Phantom is an enjoyable movie, and true to the comics.
The Phantom is an enjoyable movie and true to the comics. The film's setting being in the 1930s really captures that time period, from the costumes to the vehicles. Billy Zane was just excellent in the role of the title character (with real muscles not fake rubber muscle suits like the Batman movies). He brought this classic comic book character to life with great personality, from humour to the serious, making a great superhero. Kristy Swanson (the original "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") plays the Phantom's love interest, Diana Palmer. She was just great in this movie as well, reminding me how underrated this actress is. This movie also stars Catherine Zeta Jones (the sexy lady in 1998's "The Mask of Zorro" film). She didn't have much to do here unfortunately. Treat Williams is the bad guy in this film, who, for some odd reason, portrayed it campy. This movie has some great stunts and action scenes but fails to be an Indiana Jones movie wannabe (ironically written by "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" writer Jeffrey Boam, who's also written "Lethal Weapon 2" and "Lethal Weapon 3"). The film's story could have been much better. Overall though, its still enjoyable to watch. Film director Joe Dante served as one of the executive producers on this movie.

(IN)DIANA AND THE PHANTOM
This picture was ignored by most critics and few people saw it on the theaters here in Brazil. But it is a very good action movie. It has the spirit of Indiana Jones films, as it takes places in distant places, in a deep forest, it has a lot of mystic in the air and it happens during the II WW. The scenes of fight and action are very exciting and the famous super-hero seems to move very fast. Billy Zane is perfectly cast in the title role. Kristy Swanson was very beautiful and charming in her first movies, but seems to be loosing her attraction. The role of Diana here should have been played by gorgeous and athletic villain Catherine Zeta Jones, whose hair is even similar to the comics character (later she would appear in another comics character, "Zorro"). One of the reasons for the good production is the presence of Joe Dante as Executive Producer. He now could film the story of the honeymoon of the Phantom, which would be a great hit.


What Lies Beneath
Released in VHS Tape by Dreamworks Skg (13 August, 2002)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer
A good old-fashioned thriller that wears its Alfred Hitchcock pedigree proudly on its sleeve, What Lies Beneath stars Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer as picture-perfect married couple Norman and Claire Spencer, who seem happy and content with a fabulous house, college-age daughter and still-active libidos. When said daughter heads off to college, Claire starts obsessing about her new neighbors, and becomes convinced that the moody husband killed the neurotic wife, and that the wife's ghost has a desperately important message for her. Yes, it's true, there is a ghost, and there is a message, but it has decidedly more personal--and life-threatening--implications for Claire and Norman. Suddenly, that car crash last year that Claire can barely remember and the circumstances surrounding it start falling into place, and Claire begins to realize Norman may have a secret.

Director Robert Zemeckis loads the first half of What Lies Beneath with humorous cheap thrills (the suddenly ringing phone, etc.) that poke fun at Claire's dilemma while simultaneously making you tense beyond belief. Between each goofy thrill, though, is one true one that will make you jump out of your seat, including a bathtub that keeps filling itself. And all the while, Zemeckis subtly telegraphs the fissures in the Spencers' marriage, slowly revealing that all is not well between these two. Yes, it's a blatant Hitchcock homage to movies such as Rear Window and Suspicion, but it's sleekly made, entertaining and engrossing. Ford does his stoic thing well (and looks great doing it), and Diana Scarwid provides a refreshingly lighthearted turn as Claire's best pal, but it's pretty much Pfeiffer's movie all the way, and she carries the film on her not-so-fragile shoulders. And the third act is a suspense tour de force, complete with a breathtaking sequence featuring Pfeiffer and that menacing bathtub. In a time of obvious horror films, What Lies Beneath is an intelligent, fun thrill ride that will leave you breathless. --Mark Englehart

Average review score:

A nice change of pace for Pfeiffer
After 'Scream' rehashed the horror genre, 'Lake Placid' tried to do the same for the horror genre. The ghost genre inevitably came next, but fared somewhat better. Take 'The Sixth Sense' and 'House On Haunted Hill' for example, both well above your average scary movie. Now this film sold itself on the basis that it was an 'adult' horror movie. By that it simply meant old-fashioned, for supposed teen flicks such as 'Scream' were actually far more intelligent. This is just sophisticated.

Still, it's nice to see a movie where Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer manage to move away from type-casting and prove that they can both act. Also impressive is the fact that director Zemeckis filmed this whilst on a hiatus from his other film 'Castaway'. Unfortunately though, it drags a lot at the start. After things hot up a little you'll be at the edge of your seat but for a long while it's a little dull. Of course, this was passed off as being adult and a great tension-builder and no-one dared say anything. It was just kep quiet about whilst everyone raved about the ending.

If you're not accustomed to the genre then this is probably a really good start to ghost movies. But there are far better ones out there and this is little more than ordinary. In fact, it is only really a fantastic turn by Pfeiffer that makes it anything special. Watch out throughout the movie for key points that are heavily earmarked as future plot elements - what's with the mysterious (and conveniently misty) lake? the old photos? and the seemingly insignificant fact that you can't get mobile phone reception on the deserted bridge?

Highly entertaining in parts, very dull in others.

Actually Deserves 3.5 Stars ... Up To A Certain Point.
I won't spoil this film for you by feeding you the plot ... What Lies Beneath contains some nice surprises and you're better off enjoying them as such. Alas, if you have watched the trailer or read the wrong reviews here at Amazon, you probably have a fairly decent summary of WLB in your head.

To tell the truth, I was enjoying all the scares for the largest part of this film. Still, the 'finale' came across as the usual Hollywood stuff, and it all ended too nicely, too convenient (my opinion). And it moved along at a somewhat slow pace (no big gripe), and there are scenes that could have used some polishing. I even thought there was the odd ??? (huh effect) here and there, where only the soundtrack goes 'scary' while on the screen nothing creepy occurs.

But casting all these complaints aside, there's still plenty of reasons why to invest your time in this. Ford and Pfeiffer are quite good as, respectively, husband and wife (Pfeiffer was the better of the two, IMO). Supporting cast is fine too. The real kicker is the bathtub, though. And also the mysterious neighbors. And the seance ... and the etc. etc.

Conclusion: I haven't wasted time. Good but not a classic.

A Triumph! One Of The Most Terrorfying Films Ever Made!
What Lies Beneath is by far the scariest movie I've ever seen. Movies like the Scream trilogy and The Haunting just don't hold the candle to What Lies Beneath. This movie actually scared me, unlike most scary movies do.

In the film, Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford play Claire and Norman Spencer, a typical American couple who are grieving over their daughter who has just left for college. Claire soon discovers that her house is being haunted by the ghost of a young woman. She suspects it is the ghost of the woman who lives next door, and that her husband had murderer her. But she is soon proven wrong, and when she discovers the terrorfying truth, things take a turn for the worst.

Robert Zemeckis is brilliant. When I discovered that he was the same director that did Forest Gump, I was shocked. The sets, the acting, and the story were just great. Everything about this movie was great. Take the house,for instense. In the daylight, it looks like the perfect dreamhouse, but give the right lighting and shoot it from the right angle and you can make it look monsterous, scary even. This was an odd role for Harrison Ford. I always thought of Harrison Ford as the more heroic type, not the bad guy. But he's god at it nonetheless.

All in all, What Lies Beneath is a fantastic film. The balance of the twists and surprises are what make it so great. What Lies Beneath is just one of those classic films that proves that you don't need to over do it with big special effects, blood, and gore to make a good horror film.


What Lies Beneath
Released in VHS Tape by Universal Studios (13 August, 2002)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer
A good old-fashioned thriller that wears its Alfred Hitchcock pedigree proudly on its sleeve, What Lies Beneath stars Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer as picture-perfect married couple Norman and Claire Spencer, who seem happy and content with a fabulous house, college-age daughter and still-active libidos. When said daughter heads off to college, Claire starts obsessing about her new neighbors, and becomes convinced that the moody husband killed the neurotic wife, and that the wife's ghost has a desperately important message for her. Yes, it's true, there is a ghost, and there is a message, but it has decidedly more personal--and life-threatening--implications for Claire and Norman. Suddenly, that car crash last year that Claire can barely remember and the circumstances surrounding it start falling into place, and Claire begins to realize Norman may have a secret.

Director Robert Zemeckis loads the first half of What Lies Beneath with humorous cheap thrills (the suddenly ringing phone, etc.) that poke fun at Claire's dilemma while simultaneously making you tense beyond belief. Between each goofy thrill, though, is one true one that will make you jump out of your seat, including a bathtub that keeps filling itself. And all the while, Zemeckis subtly telegraphs the fissures in the Spencers' marriage, slowly revealing that all is not well between these two. Yes, it's a blatant Hitchcock homage to movies such as Rear Window and Suspicion, but it's sleekly made, entertaining and engrossing. Ford does his stoic thing well (and looks great doing it), and Diana Scarwid provides a refreshingly lighthearted turn as Claire's best pal, but it's pretty much Pfeiffer's movie all the way, and she carries the film on her not-so-fragile shoulders. And the third act is a suspense tour de force, complete with a breathtaking sequence featuring Pfeiffer and that menacing bathtub. In a time of obvious horror films, What Lies Beneath is an intelligent, fun thrill ride that will leave you breathless. --Mark Englehart

Average review score:

A nice change of pace for Pfeiffer
After 'Scream' rehashed the horror genre, 'Lake Placid' tried to do the same for the horror genre. The ghost genre inevitably came next, but fared somewhat better. Take 'The Sixth Sense' and 'House On Haunted Hill' for example, both well above your average scary movie. Now this film sold itself on the basis that it was an 'adult' horror movie. By that it simply meant old-fashioned, for supposed teen flicks such as 'Scream' were actually far more intelligent. This is just sophisticated.

Still, it's nice to see a movie where Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer manage to move away from type-casting and prove that they can both act. Also impressive is the fact that director Zemeckis filmed this whilst on a hiatus from his other film 'Castaway'. Unfortunately though, it drags a lot at the start. After things hot up a little you'll be at the edge of your seat but for a long while it's a little dull. Of course, this was passed off as being adult and a great tension-builder and no-one dared say anything. It was just kep quiet about whilst everyone raved about the ending.

If you're not accustomed to the genre then this is probably a really good start to ghost movies. But there are far better ones out there and this is little more than ordinary. In fact, it is only really a fantastic turn by Pfeiffer that makes it anything special. Watch out throughout the movie for key points that are heavily earmarked as future plot elements - what's with the mysterious (and conveniently misty) lake? the old photos? and the seemingly insignificant fact that you can't get mobile phone reception on the deserted bridge?

Highly entertaining in parts, very dull in others.

Actually Deserves 3.5 Stars ... Up To A Certain Point.
I won't spoil this film for you by feeding you the plot ... What Lies Beneath contains some nice surprises and you're better off enjoying them as such. Alas, if you have watched the trailer or read the wrong reviews here at Amazon, you probably have a fairly decent summary of WLB in your head.

To tell the truth, I was enjoying all the scares for the largest part of this film. Still, the 'finale' came across as the usual Hollywood stuff, and it all ended too nicely, too convenient (my opinion). And it moved along at a somewhat slow pace (no big gripe), and there are scenes that could have used some polishing. I even thought there was the odd ??? (huh effect) here and there, where only the soundtrack goes 'scary' while on the screen nothing creepy occurs.

But casting all these complaints aside, there's still plenty of reasons why to invest your time in this. Ford and Pfeiffer are quite good as, respectively, husband and wife (Pfeiffer was the better of the two, IMO). Supporting cast is fine too. The real kicker is the bathtub, though. And also the mysterious neighbors. And the seance ... and the etc. etc.

Conclusion: I haven't wasted time. Good but not a classic.

A Triumph! One Of The Most Terrorfying Films Ever Made!
What Lies Beneath is by far the scariest movie I've ever seen. Movies like the Scream trilogy and The Haunting just don't hold the candle to What Lies Beneath. This movie actually scared me, unlike most scary movies do.

In the film, Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford play Claire and Norman Spencer, a typical American couple who are grieving over their daughter who has just left for college. Claire soon discovers that her house is being haunted by the ghost of a young woman. She suspects it is the ghost of the woman who lives next door, and that her husband had murderer her. But she is soon proven wrong, and when she discovers the terrorfying truth, things take a turn for the worst.

Robert Zemeckis is brilliant. When I discovered that he was the same director that did Forest Gump, I was shocked. The sets, the acting, and the story were just great. Everything about this movie was great. Take the house,for instense. In the daylight, it looks like the perfect dreamhouse, but give the right lighting and shoot it from the right angle and you can make it look monsterous, scary even. This was an odd role for Harrison Ford. I always thought of Harrison Ford as the more heroic type, not the bad guy. But he's god at it nonetheless.

All in all, What Lies Beneath is a fantastic film. The balance of the twists and surprises are what make it so great. What Lies Beneath is just one of those classic films that proves that you don't need to over do it with big special effects, blood, and gore to make a good horror film.


Colmillo Blanco (White Fang)
Released in VHS Tape by Buena Vista Home Vid (08 November, 1994)
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Randal Kleiser
Starring: Klaus Maria Brandauer and Ethan Hawke
Average review score:

This isn't Right
The movie White Fang is no where as good as the book and it doesn't follow the book at all. It doesn't say anything about White Fangs rival Lip-Lip who is a pure domesticated dog with the Mackenzie Tribe. And also it doesn't tell you about his whole life, his family his mom, etc. Born To Death.

White Fang - A realistic film about the Canadian wilderness
I think this is a very dramatic film.

It is about the friendship between a wolf and a human being. It shows that wolves are not as bad as people think.

Ethan Hawke is an excellent actor. The scenery shows how hard it was to survive in the wilderness of Canada. This film also gives you a little impression about the goldrush and the cruelty and carelessness of some gold diggers.

I like this film because it isn't just a story that Jack London has made up in his mind. It is a story that could really have happened some time ago. It shows the problems that people had to manage during the goldrush.

White Fang- One of the best animal-film ever?
The story tells us about a battered wolf, who becomes the best friend of a young gold digger called Jack (Ethan Hawke).

The scenery of the wilderness and of the snowy Alaska is incredible. The dog-fight between White Fang and a bulldog is dramatic. If you like animal-storys, White Fang is the best film for you.

The actors are convincing and the score is good. The film is so good because it's based on a partly true story. We think that the film includes fun, action and adventure. We liked the scene in which the wolf saves Jacks life by chasing away a grizzly bear best.

It's a must to watch this film!


White Fang
Released in VHS Tape by Disney Studios (23 April, 2002)
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Randal Kleiser
Starring: Klaus Maria Brandauer and Ethan Hawke
Average review score:

This isn't Right
The movie White Fang is no where as good as the book and it doesn't follow the book at all. It doesn't say anything about White Fangs rival Lip-Lip who is a pure domesticated dog with the Mackenzie Tribe. And also it doesn't tell you about his whole life, his family his mom, etc. Born To Death.

White Fang - A realistic film about the Canadian wilderness
I think this is a very dramatic film.

It is about the friendship between a wolf and a human being. It shows that wolves are not as bad as people think.

Ethan Hawke is an excellent actor. The scenery shows how hard it was to survive in the wilderness of Canada. This film also gives you a little impression about the goldrush and the cruelty and carelessness of some gold diggers.

I like this film because it isn't just a story that Jack London has made up in his mind. It is a story that could really have happened some time ago. It shows the problems that people had to manage during the goldrush.

White Fang- One of the best animal-film ever?
The story tells us about a battered wolf, who becomes the best friend of a young gold digger called Jack (Ethan Hawke).

The scenery of the wilderness and of the snowy Alaska is incredible. The dog-fight between White Fang and a bulldog is dramatic. If you like animal-storys, White Fang is the best film for you.

The actors are convincing and the score is good. The film is so good because it's based on a partly true story. We think that the film includes fun, action and adventure. We liked the scene in which the wolf saves Jacks life by chasing away a grizzly bear best.

It's a must to watch this film!


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