John-Sayles Movie Reviews

This is one of John Sayles's earliest works that slipped by
most people. It is set in the late 60's in New Jersey and
depicts a high school romance between an upper class brainy
beauty , Jill Rosen ( Roseanna Arquette ) and a lower class
greaser, the Sheik (Vincent Spano). It documents an unlikely
but plausible courtship and breakup. The performances are uniformly perceptive and it even has several Bruce
Springsteen tunes from before he became an American icon.
What struck me the most was the transition from the 1960's high school preppy scene to the college hippie scene. It
is the best depiction of the late 1960's college life I have
ever seen.
After their breakup, Jill attends an elite northeastern
private woman's college and the Shiek travels to Miami to follow his show business dream and also wash dishes in a nightclub. Their attempted reunion at Jill's college is
sweet but poignant ; there is no future for them together. I would really
like to see their characters 20 years later. I would suspect
Jill was an unhappy, divorced attorney and the Sheik was
an unhappy union official with a fat Italian wife and five
kids. Sayles really captured that moment in young adult
life where you are totally unsure about everything. To me , the
film is the closest thing to Splendor in the Grass. Grab
it now on VHS as it is not available on DVD.

The great film director John Sayles delivers with this magnificent film. Its release date is 1983 while the setting is essentially 1960s Trenton, New Jersey. Arquette tosses in one of the best acting performances you'll ever see and Spano more than holds his own in what is probably the best love story of the last twenty years. What makes this one work is the incredibly real dialogue along with the progression of time and setting. Unlike other similar films this one is special because it charts the relatively typical high school romance into the post high school work and college world. The smallest lines in the script are truly brilliant and filled with realism. The scene where Arquette meets an old classmate in a working class bar is priceless ("We used to be in gym class together"). Later her portrayal of drunken and stoned college reminiscing is also sensational.

Sayles sprinkles some timely 60s Motown and rock n roll into the scenes and also adds in some 70s Springsteen fare that help to give the film an authentic texture. He absolutely nails the scene in which they take a weekday trip to the deserted boardwalk. Also the argument in the dorm stairwell is brilliant in its simplicity and reality.

Baby It's You has sort of an independent film feel to it, which of course isn't unusual given that Sayles made his bones with excellent stuff like the Return of the Secaucus Seven and Matewan. Do not miss this one, it's definitely one of the best love stories ever.

I have watched this movie several times over the years. It is a sleeper hit in my opinion-- a story of ending high school and heading for college, at least for the female lead, whereas her boyfriend is not college material and tries to make it as a club singer. They try to have a romance, though they have differences, but because they are both scared of their new lives they keep trying to hold on to one another. I can not put my finger on it, but I really like this movie. The soundtrack is great too, with songs of the 60's. This is not a movie with high drama or special effects-- but the script is great in my opinion, for anyone who remembers the struggles and romance of high school, and the fears and struggles of starting out in college or elsewhere after graduation.

In this current era of moviemaking, it's rare than an idea as soft, as pure as Passion Fish, will be given an opportunity to be made. Thankfully John Sayles has the ability to circumvent the 'by-committee' filmmaking which would have ultimately turned this wonderful little film into God know's what.

Mary McDonnell will never be better-she is brilliant, than in her portrayal of May-Alice Culhane (for which she was Oscar-nominated), the once-on-top Soap Opera star to whom tragedy has taken the use of her legs, and forced a re-evaluation of her life.

Alfre Woodard, as the hired home-care worker/nurse Chantelle provides the perfect complement as both these women find more of themselves through each other, then they might ever have found otherwise. Again, Ms. Woodard has rarely disappointed.

The early montage of health-care applicants is clever and funny. And John Sayles always is able to find brilliance in his supporting cast: notably Vondie Curtis-Hall, Leo Burmester, and David Strathairn, as well as a small role early in the career of Angela Bassett.

Sayles' script was also nominated for an Academy Award.

Films like Passion Fish remind me that film can be art. With intelligent writing and direction by John Sayles, Passion Fish explores the friendship and bond between an unlikely and reluctant duo: a soap opera actress paralyzed in a car accident (brilliantly performed by Oscar nominated MARY McDONNELL) and her hired nurse with demons of her own (the wonderful, and shamlessly Oscar overlooked ALFRE WOODARD). This movie beautifully explores how two very independent women deal with their dependence on each other. With a strong supporting cast headed by DAVID STRAITHARN, Passion Fish is an absolute gem. The "anal probe" monologue is worth the price of admission alone!

An almost perfect drama, by turns funny and heartbreaking. Sayles avoids his usual tendency to try and tell too many stories at once, instead keeping the action focused on the female leads (whose performances I cannot praise enough.) Sayles uses a technique of unfolding the narrative in a series of vignettes (most shorter than one minute) keeps the movie solidly on track, and maintains the interest of the viewer throughout.

Federico Luppi, the fine actor from Argentina, takes the lead role as Dr. Fuentes. He sets out to find his former students on the road to places he's never been. The shift in his life is caused by the death of his wife. He sets out in spite of his family not wanting him to leave. The aging doctor first encounters one his former students, now a drug dealer, using the same drugs he taught him to cure others, he is now using them for ill purposes. His journey has only begun and he finds many more dissapointments along the way. This is a beautiful film that is allegorical, historical, contemporary and packed with messages for the viewer to interpret. In his quest to find his students he finds his country to be quite different from the view he had of it prior to his leaving the city. He encounters missing people and tales of abductions from men with guns. The villagers call them white men with guns but are quick to say that the Indios are also now white men. Although the story takes place in an unnamed country, the parallels to Guatemala are clear. Having witnessed a corpse on the roadside while travelling in a bus (everyone gawked with little concern, as though it were a common sight) in Guatemala and seeing the treatment first hand of the military I am pretty sure this is where it is. However, this is unimportant as these occurences of hit squads and paramilitary goons, in cahoots with the military, are a frequent sight in many Latin American countries. Anyway, Dr. Fuentes picks up several people along the way to expand the tale. He picks up a "liberation priest" who abandons his collar and those who believed in him, a former military thug turned thief, an indigenous young woman who doesn't speak since she was raped by soldiers and a street-savy kid who is an orphan and Dr. Fuentes's guide. All represent the society Dr. Fuentes is unaware of and as they tell their sordid stories, amidst flashbacks and surreal dreams, a country whose people live in brutal chaos is revealed . This is a powerful movie, one to be seen more than once in order to fully enjoy. Although the story evolves around Dr. Fuentes and his crew, there are several encounters with a funny couple who are "informed" tourists with bad Spanish accents and worse pronunciation. A completly enthralling film, in spite of its length, that hits close to the harsh reality of life in Latin America. A beautiful film that is set to the backdrops of the jungle and it's relics from the past, as well as present day village life , it is a movie that is visually breathtaking and mentally stimulating. Recommended for those that like movies that carry a political and social commentary. Great stuff, see it before your next vacation to the tropics, so that as the guy from the radio says"and now you know the rest of the story" before you get there.

this movie not only tells a dramatic story, but it is a lesson in the continuing saga of american history in the central americas, particularly of the 1980's and the guerilla vs. government warfare which continues even as i write this reveiw. the movie provides a voice for the majority of people who continue to live, as described in the movie, in poverty and ignorance, because they are afraid to ask for anything more lest they be punished through torture and death. throughout the movie, i was trying to guess which country this was (now i know it was mexico), but it could have been el salvador, honduras, costa rica, panama, or nicaragua. this movie has a lot of heart and soul. this is not a story about yesterday, it is about today and what's been happening and what's been going on for a long time to a people who need the kind of help that means food, medicine, education and does not mean guns. i was definitely left with the message that guns are not the answer and that all human beings are precious. i hope you do too.

This movie grapples with some serious issues. What, exactly is going on politically in South America? Where does individual responsibility lie? What does helping people really mean? What kind of legacy is it possible to leave? The setting of this movie is an unnamed country in South America. The writer/director, John Sayles, did this on purpose. This is to show that the kind of thing depicted in the movie could happen anywhere. However, it was shot in Mexico, in Spanish, with English subtitles.

The movie starts Federico Luppi as Dr. Humberto Fuentes, a wealthy doctor who is approaching retirement and has never paid close attention to the realities of his country. His greatest achievement, the "legacy" he is leaving, is his participation in an international health program in which he trained young doctors to work in the poorest of villages.

I watched this movie with horror and then, finally, resignation, as Dr. Fuentes travels in the mountains and makes startling discoveries. I made a few startling discoveries myself -- the abject poverty of the people, the disregard for human life, the acceptance by the people of this as a way of life. He finds that the people have no food. He finds that both the army and the guerillas are equally brutal. The movie takes us all on a journey with Dr. Fuentes. Along the way we meet a homeless child, a priest who lives with his own private demons, and a deserter from the army with a history of participating in the carnage. The movie goes deeper and deeper into the despair and devastation.

This is not a comfortable video to watch as it brings the viewer not only into the realities of the political systems in South America, but to the basic question of individual responsibility. I recommend it for those who are willing to take a fresh look at these things. You will not be smilling after viewing this video. But you will be thinking.

The Secret of Roan Inish is an awesome movie for that movie watcher who loves a good story, without having to watch somebody's guts being blown out or high speed car chases. This movie is not for the perverbial "shoot 'em up" type of fan. This story is truely brought to life by the wonderful actors and actresses in it. Jeni Courtney is quite convincing as the lead role of Fiona, the newly motherless girl who goes to live with her grandparents (Mick Lally and Eileen Colgan)and becomes tangled up with a mystery when she finds out from her cousin Eammon (Richard Sheridan) that Jamie, her long lost brother who was said to have drowned years ago, has actually been seen floating about with seals! The story part told by her grandfatherss cousin, Tadgh is quite good. This is a wonderfully well paced movie, and a great film for people of all ages. Buy or rent today!

John Sayles hit one out of the park with his The Secret of Roan Inish. This one is clearly for the child in all of us, whether we're 8, 18, or 80. This magical story reunites a family on a small Irish island with little more than a young girl's dream and some hard work by she and her cousin.

The lure of Ireland is hardly new, but the beauty of this sometimes difficult land shines through the foggy mist that permeates the film. It is the financial hardships the Irish have often faced that create the backdrop for this movie. Some may say Sayles has romanticized penury, when in reality he has simply shown what is most important to the human spirit - that hard work can sometimes make dreams come true, and that faith and magic are as important as tangible things. The delightful acting and strong characterizations bring the moody and mystical Irish coast to life.

Whether you are a fan of the selkie myth, Ireland, or are looking for a film that you, your children, and your parents can watch together, I heartily recommend this one.

TTFN, Laurie Likes Books

Publisher, All About Romance

I really enjoyed this movie. This is a real movie by painting the characters in vivid colors and depth. The movie is sometimes haunting in it's dramatic look and feel. The scenery is beautiful and the accents are warm and wonderful. I am half Irish and really enjoyed looking at all the details and the history of Ireland. The beach is something that was really unusual for me to see, usually the stories I see in Ireland are centered around the cities.

The Secret of Roan Inish is an awesome movie for that movie watcher who loves a good story, without having to watch somebody's guts being blown out or high speed car chases. This movie is not for the perverbial "shoot 'em up" type of fan. This story is truely brought to life by the wonderful actors and actresses in it. Jeni Courtney is quite convincing as the lead role of Fiona, the newly motherless girl who goes to live with her grandparents (Mick Lally and Eileen Colgan)and becomes tangled up with a mystery when she finds out from her cousin Eammon (Richard Sheridan) that Jamie, her long lost brother who was said to have drowned years ago, has actually been seen floating about with seals! The story part told by her grandfatherss cousin, Tadgh is quite good. This is a wonderfully well paced movie, and a great film for people of all ages. Buy or rent today!

John Sayles hit one out of the park with his The Secret of Roan Inish. This one is clearly for the child in all of us, whether we're 8, 18, or 80. This magical story reunites a family on a small Irish island with little more than a young girl's dream and some hard work by she and her cousin.

The lure of Ireland is hardly new, but the beauty of this sometimes difficult land shines through the foggy mist that permeates the film. It is the financial hardships the Irish have often faced that create the backdrop for this movie. Some may say Sayles has romanticized penury, when in reality he has simply shown what is most important to the human spirit - that hard work can sometimes make dreams come true, and that faith and magic are as important as tangible things. The delightful acting and strong characterizations bring the moody and mystical Irish coast to life.

Whether you are a fan of the selkie myth, Ireland, or are looking for a film that you, your children, and your parents can watch together, I heartily recommend this one.

TTFN, Laurie Likes Books

Publisher, All About Romance

I really enjoyed this movie. This is a real movie by painting the characters in vivid colors and depth. The movie is sometimes haunting in it's dramatic look and feel. The scenery is beautiful and the accents are warm and wonderful. I am half Irish and really enjoyed looking at all the details and the history of Ireland. The beach is something that was really unusual for me to see, usually the stories I see in Ireland are centered around the cities.

The movie Lone Star was released in 1996 and tells the story of cultural conflicts experienced by a few different social groups in Rio County, Texas from 1957 to present day. The story involves Mexican, Anglo, African-American and Indian cultures and the problems these groups have while living near the Mexican Border. In a culture where 19 out of 20 residents are Mexican, the Anglos are in the minority but still rule the powerful positions in the community namely politics, law enforcement, and business. The African-American population is smaller than the Anglo population and this group faces discrimination and prejudice from the Mexicans and Anglos both.

The movie focuses on three stories with characters from each ethnic group and the issues that they are confronted with both within their cultures and also as their culture relates to the other cultures. The characters experience prejudice and acceptance, love (sometimes forbidden) and hate, democracy and dictatorship, tragedy and triumph, and success and failure. The relationships touch on family dynamics, romance, social and political aspects of the individuals in this film. In addition to the movie's entertainment value, the hidden educational content was a pleasant addition. I found it difficult to stay emotionally detached from the characters in this film and I was surprised to learn how their lives intertwined.
I think this movie was extremely well done and I think it has something to offer just about everyone. Although I was disappointed in the way the movie ended, I truly enjoyed Lone Star and I would give it a four out of five star rating. This is an excellent movie that I would recommend to anyone.

John Sayles is first and foremost, a writter and his screenplays are why his films are so compelling. Prior to his career as a director, actor, producer and screenwritter, John Sayles was a novelist and I became aqauinted with Sayles in 1977 when I read "Union Dues". Even then, Sayles possessed an uncanny ear for writting simple and elegant dialogue. Like Anton Chekhov, Sayles proves that a good writter is also a good listener. Sayle's dialogue has the ring of an everyday conversation, and is refreshingly free of the pretensions and historonics that many screenwritters fall prey to. Folks in Texas don't sit around diners chatting about the existential nature of reality. In "Lone Star" we are treated to John Sayle's best writting and an ensemble of accomplished actors who appear to delighted to be working on a rare project of artistic substance.

Chris Cooper's potrayal Sheriff Sam Deeds is compelling evidence of what a masterful actor can accomplish with a well written screenplay . A lesser screenwritter would have resorted to dialogue that fit Sam Deeds into the mold of a stereotypical screen cop. In Hollywood, the Sheriff Deeds role gets written as either a facist, a buffon, a flawed anti-hero, or the Sgt. Friday perfect role model. Chris Cooper's tender and heartbreaking conversations with Elizabeth Pena's character should be studied by students of film, as a rare moment when accomplished acting is supported by a well written screen play. Chris Cooper's triumph is that he authenticates his character by playing against the prevailing "wisdom" of who cops are. Over the years, Cooper has revelled in the challenge of playing roles which shatter stereotypes, like the closeted gay Ex-Marine father in "American Beauty", or the seriously demented but often charming orchid pirate, John LaRoche in "Adaption". I pray that Chris Cooper's new found success doesn't lead him away from his frequent collaborations with Sayles. Sayle's dialogue and Cooper's acting fit like a glove. Chris Cooper is an actor of astounding range and should be included among the great screen actors of this era.

The supporting cast of Kris Kristofferson, Francis McDormand and several Latino actors in secondary roles is impressive. Two actors merit special mention for their performances: Joe Morton is a long-time member of Sayles periodical ensemble of actors. His small role as Col. Delmore Payne is a painful reminder of how his prodigious talents are woefully under utilized. Morton a Tony Award winning stage actor appears to have been relegated to a character actor in supporting roles, since his astounding performance in another Sayle's movie "Brother From Another Planet". One hopes that a shrewd casting agent will realize Morton's untapped potential as an actor. The other performance of note is Matthew McConaughey's portrayal Buddy Dees. McConaughey was once the toast of Hollywood; but currently appears to be deadlocked by his own indecision on whether he wants to be a movie star or an actor. McConaughey has made some bad career decisions and in "Lone Star" we learn that he is capable of great things, if he doesn't let his pretty face get in the way.

The byazantine plot line is complex and the fine details of it's twin story lines may be alternatively fascinating and frustrating, to the viewer. One line involves a cast of characters in present-day and the other involves a separate cast that involves events 30 years prior to the present. For an attentive viewer, the rewards are great as Sayles skillfully merges, weaves, blends and resolves the dual story lines by the final credits. Along the way the viewer is treated to more murder, treachery, corruption, greed and incest than a Greek tradgedy.

It's safe to say that John Sayles will remain an outsider and renegade in the eyes of Hollywood. Sayles emerged from the counter-culture and stays at the margins, by choice. Hollywood doesn't like left leaning directors like Sayles or Oliver Stone. The fact that Sayles doesn't even make dogmatic films doesn't seem to matter, Sayles is "one of them" and it's unlikey that things will change. Oliver Stone for all of his huffing and puffing about the Establishment, still won an Oscar or two. Sayles is the better filmaker because he doesn't hammer the viewer with, overblown rhetoric, cartoonish characters and self-indulgent auteurism to make a politcal point. "Lone Star" managed tweak the establishment by being a favorite of critics who took the Academy to task for ignoring "Lone Star." Sayle's amazing legacy will be recoginzed with the passage of time. Perhaps when John Sayles is 85 years old and in an extended care nursing home, the Academy will finally wheel him out bestow a Lifetime Acheivement Award and soothe their guilt for never recognizing his artistry. I think Sayles would be more flattered by a National Book Award, if and when, he decides to write the Great American Novel.

Not only does this film unfold with the richness and complexity of a very well written short story (think William Trevor in a border town), no one here seems to have mentioned that it also contains echoes of Greek tragedy (or even the biblical sins of the fathers being visited upon the children). It is so subtle and its many little subplots reflect back on each other in such surprising ways -- okay, I'll admit it: I never thought Sayles was capable of such greatness. This screenplay ranks up there with Chinatown and Sunset Boulevard. It's that great. Oh -- and once again, it is a little film graced with a terrific, throwaway cameo from the always-wonderful Frances McDormand. But it needs to be said: Chris Cooper is the calm, sure anchor of this film, playing a man who has had wisdom and insight thrust upon him perforce by things over which he had no control. A masterful performance from a great, heretofore underrated (but now Oscar-winning) actor.

First I would like to thank John Sayles for his unique style.

A somewhat sleepy Southwest Texas border town provides the backdrop for this most unusual film. There is nothing uncommon about the demographic mix here: Anglo, Hispanic, Mexican, Black, yet Sayles hand creates an unforgettable experience through the use of warts-and-all character development and beautiful insight.

I realize some may have issues with the regional nature of this film but make no mistake, having lived most of my life in the Southwest, I can name actual persons that closely match each character in this film.

Chris Cooper plays the part of Sam Deeds to perfection. Recently divorced, Chris returns to Rio County as its new Sheriff, following in his legendary fathers' footsteps. As Chris states in the film, 'I spent the first 15 years of my life trying to be just like my old man, and the next 15 trying to kill him'. For those who do not have larger-than-life fathers, Cooper's portrail is a direct hit. For those who do, I need not say anything.

Although the plot revolves around the discovery of the remains of long-dead Sheriff Charlie Wade, this film is about conviction and human frailty, not solving a murder. An example of the wisdom of Sayles is when Otis Payne, bar owner, explains to his black-and-white thinking Colonel son Chet Payne, poignantly played by Eddie Robinson that most blacks in Rio County patronize both his bar and the church. And Sayles holds true to these words. With the exception of Charlie Wade's character, each shares strengths and weaknesses, frailty and prejudice, practicality and remorse.

Sam Deeds and Elizabeth Pena as Pilar Cruz fit together wonderfully as high-school sweethearts who are reunited after Sam's divorce. Convictions play heavily into both characters: Sam's ambivalent feelings toward his fathers' graft and political gain, Pilar's fight against a canned school curriculum. Sayles wisely points out that people of conviction are not perfect but are special. And when two special meet and fall in love, it is for a lifetime. Circumstances are not on their side, which makes their love affair that much more poignant. The few moments they are able to share are full of deep emotion and affection, just as they should be.

LONE STAR is a multi-layered drama, that unlike many other films of today, is rich with characters that seem real Like the other films of director John Sayles, this movie doesn't dumb down its audience, and once it's all over, you come away feeling very satisfied The story has many plotlines running at the same time. At its center, the movie is about the sheriff of Rio County, Sam Deeds (Chris Cooper) trying to solve the 30 year old mystery of his father, Buddy's (Matthew McConaughey) death. There's also the relationship between Sam and his lover Pilar Cruz (Elizabeth Pena) that is anything but secondary in the film Kris Kristopherson, Joe Morton, and Frances McDormand round out this excellent cast. As the tale unmfolds, you will find yourself thinking that it will end up one way, when in fact, it travels somewhere different at every turn The screenplay, also from Sayles, so much deserved its Oscar nomination (it should have won). Anyone who hasn't seen the movie yet, get set for a true modern classic, that deserves your attention.

Sadly, there are no extras on the DVD, save for the theatrical trailer. Even though a "special edition" of LONE STAR is nothing but a distant wish, I Highly Recommend the film as a must see/have, for anyone's film collection. ***** stars

John Sayles is first and foremost, a writter and his screenplays are why his films are so compelling. Prior to his career as a director, actor, producer and screenwritter, John Sayles was a novelist and I became aqauinted with Sayles in 1977 when I read "Union Dues". Even then, Sayles possessed an uncanny ear for writting simple and elegant dialogue. Like Anton Chekhov, Sayles proves that a good writter is also a good listener. Sayle's dialogue has the ring of an everyday conversation, and is refreshingly free of the pretensions and historonics that many screenwritters fall prey to. Folks in Texas don't sit around diners chatting about the existential nature of reality. In "Lone Star" we are treated to John Sayle's best writting and an ensemble of accomplished actors who appear to delighted to be working on a rare project of artistic substance.

Chris Cooper's potrayal Sheriff Sam Deeds is compelling evidence of what a masterful actor can accomplish with a well written screenplay . A lesser screenwritter would have resorted to dialogue that fit Sam Deeds into the mold of a stereotypical screen cop. In Hollywood, the Sheriff Deeds role gets written as either a facist, a buffon, a flawed anti-hero, or the Sgt. Friday perfect role model. Chris Cooper's tender and heartbreaking conversations with Elizabeth Pena's character should be studied by students of film, as a rare moment when accomplished acting is supported by a well written screen play. Chris Cooper's triumph is that he authenticates his character by playing against the prevailing "wisdom" of who cops are. Over the years, Cooper has revelled in the challenge of playing roles which shatter stereotypes, like the closeted gay Ex-Marine father in "American Beauty", or the seriously demented but often charming orchid pirate, John LaRoche in "Adaption". I pray that Chris Cooper's new found success doesn't lead him away from his frequent collaborations with Sayles. Sayle's dialogue and Cooper's acting fit like a glove. Chris Cooper is an actor of astounding range and should be included among the great screen actors of this era.

The supporting cast of Kris Kristofferson, Francis McDormand and several Latino actors in secondary roles is impressive. Two actors merit special mention for their performances: Joe Morton is a long-time member of Sayles periodical ensemble of actors. His small role as Col. Delmore Payne is a painful reminder of how his prodigious talents are woefully under utilized. Morton a Tony Award winning stage actor appears to have been relegated to a character actor in supporting roles, since his astounding performance in another Sayle's movie "Brother From Another Planet". One hopes that a shrewd casting agent will realize Morton's untapped potential as an actor. The other performance of note is Matthew McConaughey's portrayal Buddy Dees. McConaughey was once the toast of Hollywood; but currently appears to be deadlocked by his own indecision on whether he wants to be a movie star or an actor. McConaughey has made some bad career decisions and in "Lone Star" we learn that he is capable of great things, if he doesn't let his pretty face get in the way.

The byazantine plot line is complex and the fine details of it's twin story lines may be alternatively fascinating and frustrating, to the viewer. One line involves a cast of characters in present-day and the other involves a separate cast that involves events 30 years prior to the present. For an attentive viewer, the rewards are great as Sayles skillfully merges, weaves, blends and resolves the dual story lines by the final credits. Along the way the viewer is treated to more murder, treachery, corruption, greed and incest than a Greek tradgedy.

It's safe to say that John Sayles will remain an outsider and renegade in the eyes of Hollywood. Sayles emerged from the counter-culture and stays at the margins, by choice. Hollywood doesn't like left leaning directors like Sayles or Oliver Stone. The fact that Sayles doesn't even make dogmatic films doesn't seem to matter, Sayles is "one of them" and it's unlikey that things will change. Oliver Stone for all of his huffing and puffing about the Establishment, still won an Oscar or two. Sayles is the better filmaker because he doesn't hammer the viewer with, overblown rhetoric, cartoonish characters and self-indulgent auteurism to make a politcal point. "Lone Star" managed tweak the establishment by being a favorite of critics who took the Academy to task for ignoring "Lone Star." Sayle's amazing legacy will be recoginzed with the passage of time. Perhaps when John Sayles is 85 years old and in an extended care nursing home, the Academy will finally wheel him out bestow a Lifetime Acheivement Award and soothe their guilt for never recognizing his artistry. I think Sayles would be more flattered by a National Book Award, if and when, he decides to write the Great American Novel.

First I would like to thank John Sayles for his unique style.

A somewhat sleepy Southwest Texas border town provides the backdrop for this most unusual film. There is nothing uncommon about the demographic mix here: Anglo, Hispanic, Mexican, Black, yet Sayles hand creates an unforgettable experience through the use of warts-and-all character development and beautiful insight.

I realize some may have issues with the regional nature of this film but make no mistake, having lived most of my life in the Southwest, I can name actual persons that closely match each character in this film.

Chris Cooper plays the part of Sam Deeds to perfection. Recently divorced, Chris returns to Rio County as its new Sheriff, following in his legendary fathers' footsteps. As Chris states in the film, 'I spent the first 15 years of my life trying to be just like my old man, and the next 15 trying to kill him'. For those who do not have larger-than-life fathers, Cooper's portrail is a direct hit. For those who do, I need not say anything.

Although the plot revolves around the discovery of the remains of long-dead Sheriff Charlie Wade, this film is about conviction and human frailty, not solving a murder. An example of the wisdom of Sayles is when Otis Payne, bar owner, explains to his black-and-white thinking Colonel son Chet Payne, poignantly played by Eddie Robinson that most blacks in Rio County patronize both his bar and the church. And Sayles holds true to these words. With the exception of Charlie Wade's character, each shares strengths and weaknesses, frailty and prejudice, practicality and remorse.

Sam Deeds and Elizabeth Pena as Pilar Cruz fit together wonderfully as high-school sweethearts who are reunited after Sam's divorce. Convictions play heavily into both characters: Sam's ambivalent feelings toward his fathers' graft and political gain, Pilar's fight against a canned school curriculum. Sayles wisely points out that people of conviction are not perfect but are special. And when two special meet and fall in love, it is for a lifetime. Circumstances are not on their side, which makes their love affair that much more poignant. The few moments they are able to share are full of deep emotion and affection, just as they should be.

LONE STAR is a multi-layered drama, that unlike many other films of today, is rich with characters that seem real Like the other films of director John Sayles, this movie doesn't dumb down its audience, and once it's all over, you come away feeling very satisfied The story has many plotlines running at the same time. At its center, the movie is about the sheriff of Rio County, Sam Deeds (Chris Cooper) trying to solve the 30 year old mystery of his father, Buddy's (Matthew McConaughey) death. There's also the relationship between Sam and his lover Pilar Cruz (Elizabeth Pena) that is anything but secondary in the film Kris Kristopherson, Joe Morton, and Frances McDormand round out this excellent cast. As the tale unmfolds, you will find yourself thinking that it will end up one way, when in fact, it travels somewhere different at every turn The screenplay, also from Sayles, so much deserved its Oscar nomination (it should have won). Anyone who hasn't seen the movie yet, get set for a true modern classic, that deserves your attention.

Sadly, there are no extras on the DVD, save for the theatrical trailer. Even though a "special edition" of LONE STAR is nothing but a distant wish, I Highly Recommend the film as a must see/have, for anyone's film collection. ***** stars

John Sayles is first and foremost, a writter and his screenplays are why his films are so compelling. Prior to his career as a director, actor, producer and screenwritter, John Sayles was a novelist and I became aqauinted with Sayles in 1977 when I read "Union Dues". Even then, Sayles possessed an uncanny ear for writting simple and elegant dialogue. Like Anton Chekhov, Sayles proves that a good writter is also a good listener. Sayle's dialogue has the ring of an everyday conversation, and is refreshingly free of the pretensions and historonics that many screenwritters fall prey to. Folks in Texas don't sit around diners chatting about the existential nature of reality. In "Lone Star" we are treated to John Sayle's best writting and an ensemble of accomplished actors who appear to delighted to be working on a rare project of artistic substance.

Chris Cooper's potrayal Sheriff Sam Deeds is compelling evidence of what a masterful actor can accomplish with a well written screenplay . A lesser screenwritter would have resorted to dialogue that fit Sam Deeds into the mold of a stereotypical screen cop. In Hollywood, the Sheriff Deeds role gets written as either a facist, a buffon, a flawed anti-hero, or the Sgt. Friday perfect role model. Chris Cooper's tender and heartbreaking conversations with Elizabeth Pena's character should be studied by students of film, as a rare moment when accomplished acting is supported by a well written screen play. Chris Cooper's triumph is that he authenticates his character by playing against the prevailing "wisdom" of who cops are. Over the years, Cooper has revelled in the challenge of playing roles which shatter stereotypes, like the closeted gay Ex-Marine father in "American Beauty", or the seriously demented but often charming orchid pirate, John LaRoche in "Adaption". I pray that Chris Cooper's new found success doesn't lead him away from his frequent collaborations with Sayles. Sayle's dialogue and Cooper's acting fit like a glove. Chris Cooper is an actor of astounding range and should be included among the great screen actors of this era.

The supporting cast of Kris Kristofferson, Francis McDormand and several Latino actors in secondary roles is impressive. Two actors merit special mention for their performances: Joe Morton is a long-time member of Sayles periodical ensemble of actors. His small role as Col. Delmore Payne is a painful reminder of how his prodigious talents are woefully under utilized. Morton a Tony Award winning stage actor appears to have been relegated to a character actor in supporting roles, since his astounding performance in another Sayle's movie "Brother From Another Planet". One hopes that a shrewd casting agent will realize Morton's untapped potential as an actor. The other performance of note is Matthew McConaughey's portrayal Buddy Dees. McConaughey was once the toast of Hollywood; but currently appears to be deadlocked by his own indecision on whether he wants to be a movie star or an actor. McConaughey has made some bad career decisions and in "Lone Star" we learn that he is capable of great things, if he doesn't let his pretty face get in the way.

The byazantine plot line is complex and the fine details of it's twin story lines may be alternatively fascinating and frustrating, to the viewer. One line involves a cast of characters in present-day and the other involves a separate cast that involves events 30 years prior to the present. For an attentive viewer, the rewards are great as Sayles skillfully merges, weaves, blends and resolves the dual story lines by the final credits. Along the way the viewer is treated to more murder, treachery, corruption, greed and incest than a Greek tradgedy.

It's safe to say that John Sayles will remain an outsider and renegade in the eyes of Hollywood. Sayles emerged from the counter-culture and stays at the margins, by choice. Hollywood doesn't like left leaning directors like Sayles or Oliver Stone. The fact that Sayles doesn't even make dogmatic films doesn't seem to matter, Sayles is "one of them" and it's unlikey that things will change. Oliver Stone for all of his huffing and puffing about the Establishment, still won an Oscar or two. Sayles is the better filmaker because he doesn't hammer the viewer with, overblown rhetoric, cartoonish characters and self-indulgent auteurism to make a politcal point. "Lone Star" managed tweak the establishment by being a favorite of critics who took the Academy to task for ignoring "Lone Star." Sayle's amazing legacy will be recoginzed with the passage of time. Perhaps when John Sayles is 85 years old and in an extended care nursing home, the Academy will finally wheel him out bestow a Lifetime Acheivement Award and soothe their guilt for never recognizing his artistry. I think Sayles would be more flattered by a National Book Award, if and when, he decides to write the Great American Novel.

First I would like to thank John Sayles for his unique style.

A somewhat sleepy Southwest Texas border town provides the backdrop for this most unusual film. There is nothing uncommon about the demographic mix here: Anglo, Hispanic, Mexican, Black, yet Sayles hand creates an unforgettable experience through the use of warts-and-all character development and beautiful insight.

I realize some may have issues with the regional nature of this film but make no mistake, having lived most of my life in the Southwest, I can name actual persons that closely match each character in this film.

Chris Cooper plays the part of Sam Deeds to perfection. Recently divorced, Chris returns to Rio County as its new Sheriff, following in his legendary fathers' footsteps. As Chris states in the film, 'I spent the first 15 years of my life trying to be just like my old man, and the next 15 trying to kill him'. For those who do not have larger-than-life fathers, Cooper's portrail is a direct hit. For those who do, I need not say anything.

Although the plot revolves around the discovery of the remains of long-dead Sheriff Charlie Wade, this film is about conviction and human frailty, not solving a murder. An example of the wisdom of Sayles is when Otis Payne, bar owner, explains to his black-and-white thinking Colonel son Chet Payne, poignantly played by Eddie Robinson that most blacks in Rio County patronize both his bar and the church. And Sayles holds true to these words. With the exception of Charlie Wade's character, each shares strengths and weaknesses, frailty and prejudice, practicality and remorse.

Sam Deeds and Elizabeth Pena as Pilar Cruz fit together wonderfully as high-school sweethearts who are reunited after Sam's divorce. Convictions play heavily into both characters: Sam's ambivalent feelings toward his fathers' graft and political gain, Pilar's fight against a canned school curriculum. Sayles wisely points out that people of conviction are not perfect but are special. And when two special meet and fall in love, it is for a lifetime. Circumstances are not on their side, which makes their love affair that much more poignant. The few moments they are able to share are full of deep emotion and affection, just as they should be.

LONE STAR is a multi-layered drama, that unlike many other films of today, is rich with characters that seem real Like the other films of director John Sayles, this movie doesn't dumb down its audience, and once it's all over, you come away feeling very satisfied The story has many plotlines running at the same time. At its center, the movie is about the sheriff of Rio County, Sam Deeds (Chris Cooper) trying to solve the 30 year old mystery of his father, Buddy's (Matthew McConaughey) death. There's also the relationship between Sam and his lover Pilar Cruz (Elizabeth Pena) that is anything but secondary in the film Kris Kristopherson, Joe Morton, and Frances McDormand round out this excellent cast. As the tale unmfolds, you will find yourself thinking that it will end up one way, when in fact, it travels somewhere different at every turn The screenplay, also from Sayles, so much deserved its Oscar nomination (it should have won). Anyone who hasn't seen the movie yet, get set for a true modern classic, that deserves your attention.

Sadly, there are no extras on the DVD, save for the theatrical trailer. Even though a "special edition" of LONE STAR is nothing but a distant wish, I Highly Recommend the film as a must see/have, for anyone's film collection. ***** stars

John Sayles is first and foremost, a writter and his screenplays are why his films are so compelling. Prior to his career as a director, actor, producer and screenwritter, John Sayles was a novelist and I became aqauinted with Sayles in 1977 when I read "Union Dues". Even then, Sayles possessed an uncanny ear for writting simple and elegant dialogue. Like Anton Chekhov, Sayles proves that a good writter is also a good listener. Sayle's dialogue has the ring of an everyday conversation, and is refreshingly free of the pretensions and historonics that many screenwritters fall prey to. Folks in Texas don't sit around diners chatting about the existential nature of reality. In "Lone Star" we are treated to John Sayle's best writting and an ensemble of accomplished actors who appear to delighted to be working on a rare project of artistic substance.

Chris Cooper's potrayal Sheriff Sam Deeds is compelling evidence of what a masterful actor can accomplish with a well written screenplay . A lesser screenwritter would have resorted to dialogue that fit Sam Deeds into the mold of a stereotypical screen cop. In Hollywood, the Sheriff Deeds role gets written as either a facist, a buffon, a flawed anti-hero, or the Sgt. Friday perfect role model. Chris Cooper's tender and heartbreaking conversations with Elizabeth Pena's character should be studied by students of film, as a rare moment when accomplished acting is supported by a well written screen play. Chris Cooper's triumph is that he authenticates his character by playing against the prevailing "wisdom" of who cops are. Over the years, Cooper has revelled in the challenge of playing roles which shatter stereotypes, like the closeted gay Ex-Marine father in "American Beauty", or the seriously demented but often charming orchid pirate, John LaRoche in "Adaption". I pray that Chris Cooper's new found success doesn't lead him away from his frequent collaborations with Sayles. Sayle's dialogue and Cooper's acting fit like a glove. Chris Cooper is an actor of astounding range and should be included among the great screen actors of this era.

The supporting cast of Kris Kristofferson, Francis McDormand and several Latino actors in secondary roles is impressive. Two actors merit special mention for their performances: Joe Morton is a long-time member of Sayles periodical ensemble of actors. His small role as Col. Delmore Payne is a painful reminder of how his prodigious talents are woefully under utilized. Morton a Tony Award winning stage actor appears to have been relegated to a character actor in supporting roles, since his astounding performance in another Sayle's movie "Brother From Another Planet". One hopes that a shrewd casting agent will realize Morton's untapped potential as an actor. The other performance of note is Matthew McConaughey's portrayal Buddy Dees. McConaughey was once the toast of Hollywood; but currently appears to be deadlocked by his own indecision on whether he wants to be a movie star or an actor. McConaughey has made some bad career decisions and in "Lone Star" we learn that he is capable of great things, if he doesn't let his pretty face get in the way.

The byazantine plot line is complex and the fine details of it's twin story lines may be alternatively fascinating and frustrating, to the viewer. One line involves a cast of characters in present-day and the other involves a separate cast that involves events 30 years prior to the present. For an attentive viewer, the rewards are great as Sayles skillfully merges, weaves, blends and resolves the dual story lines by the final credits. Along the way the viewer is treated to more murder, treachery, corruption, greed and incest than a Greek tradgedy.

It's safe to say that John Sayles will remain an outsider and renegade in the eyes of Hollywood. Sayles emerged from the counter-culture and stays at the margins, by choice. Hollywood doesn't like left leaning directors like Sayles or Oliver Stone. The fact that Sayles doesn't even make dogmatic films doesn't seem to matter, Sayles is "one of them" and it's unlikey that things will change. Oliver Stone for all of his huffing and puffing about the Establishment, still won an Oscar or two. Sayles is the better filmaker because he doesn't hammer the viewer with, overblown rhetoric, cartoonish characters and self-indulgent auteurism to make a politcal point. "Lone Star" managed tweak the establishment by being a favorite of critics who took the Academy to task for ignoring "Lone Star." Sayle's amazing legacy will be recoginzed with the passage of time. Perhaps when John Sayles is 85 years old and in an extended care nursing home, the Academy will finally wheel him out bestow a Lifetime Acheivement Award and soothe their guilt for never recognizing his artistry. I think Sayles would be more flattered by a National Book Award, if and when, he decides to write the Great American Novel.

This chonological colection of Springsteen's work is great for any Springsteen fan. The 2 DVD set is essentially his greatest hits in video form. A lot of these videos are live performances and show how great Bruce Springsteen is as a live performer. Bruce Springsteen truly is The Boss, and this video collection adds to the legacy. Highlights of the DVD include a rivoting live performance of War, found on the bos set, and a rare version of Fire, a song he wrote for the Pointer Sisters. This also shows some of the later work, including Secret Garden from Jerry Maguire, and Murder Incorporated from his greatest hits album. 4 out of 5 because of Weak representation form the pre-BITUSA era.

Track rundown-Disc 1:Rosalita, The River, Thunder Road, Atlantic City, Dancing In The Dark, Born In The USA, I'm On Fire, Glory Days, My Hometown, War, Fire, Born To Run, Brilliant Disguise, Tunnel Of Love, One Step Up, Tougher Than the Rest, Spare Parts, Born To Run(acoustic) Disc 2:Human Touch, Better Days, 57 Channels (and Nothin' On), Leap Of Faith, Streets Of Philadelphia, Murder Incorporated, Secret Garden, Hungry Heart, Dead Man Walkin, The Ghost Of Tom Joad (video and from The Tonight Show), Highway Patrolman, If I Should Fall Behind, Born In The USA (from Charlie Rose Show), Secret Garden (Alternate version with strings). I love the music of THE BOSS and this should be a welcome addition to any collection. I've watched the original video 1978-1988 until it broke, so I was so happy to get this awesome DVD set!

I'll admit to being an avid Bruuuuce fan. I own every disc he's put out (and a few he hasn't), and seen him a number of times in concert (including his last, phenomenal tour). Though I've said that, I've never owned, nor have I ever watched the original VHS version of his Anthology. Well, now that it's on DVD, that has changed.

First things first... The track "If I Should Fall Behind" is worth the price of the two discs! It's not concert footage, but is the Jonathan Demme video recorded during a soundcheck (?) during the last tour. It's the version with Bruce sharing vocals with his band members, evoking his feelings of friendship for his long-time mates. It was a phenomenal moment during his encores, and it's an equally great moment on this anthology. It's fun to watch everyone's expression as their passing off the mike and singing.

Other highlights are the live versions of "Leap of Faith", "Spare Parts", "Fire", and "Thunder Road". All the videos are here, along with some alternate takes (these are tracks that you can pick up on a number of audio CD's), so everyone has the opportunity to find their own personal favorites.

All in all, a great set. Now let's all hope that a live disc from his last tour comes out!