Martin-Sheen Movie Reviews

William Devane, Martin Sheen and Howard Da Silva head an excellent cast portraying President John Kennedy, his brother Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in a vividly gripping reenactment of The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Anyone old enough to remember the apprehension bordering on terror that swept accross the nation...and the world...during the thirteen days where nuclear holocaust threatened civilization will have these feelings awakened by docudrama that conveys a frightening ambience of reality as rare as the reality it imitates. The prologue states much of the story is based on letters and historical documents...as well as journalistic reportage and photo montages of the period. Watching film clips of a massive naval blockade, mobilization of thousands of soldiers and the enabling of the Strategic Air Command to Airborne Alert status is chilling. This is no adventure story. Nor...like the far less disturbing "parable" THE DAY AFTER...a so-called cautionary tale...did it seem like political/science-fiction (PLAYHOUSE 90 produced Pat Frank's ALAS BABYLON for TV circa 1960; again it "played" more like sci-fi). THE MISSILES OF OCTOBER is effective because it neither glorifies the outcome as some kind of American triumph nor glosses over the the fact that one miscalculation on the part of Kennedy or Khruschev could have destroyed the United States, Russia and much of the "onlooking", defenseless world. The politics that lead to the confrontation is essentially ignored. The day-by-day events that seem to lead to the abyss are dramatically rendered. Devane's JFK is an excellent portrait of a leader...perhaps being backed into a corner...whose resolve may push him to release Armageddon. Da Silva's Khrushchev undergoes an incredible transformation from a buoyant, confident leader who believes he has accomplished a great COLD WAR victory, and tilt in the balance of power/terror to the Soviet side, who slowly realizes that he has underestimated his opponent's determination. Both leaders are presented as men...familiar to the reality of War...desperately seeking to untie the knots that policies of mutual distrust and massive nuclear armament programs (with bizzare theories of DETERRENCE) have finally tied around the necks of their respective homelands. Younger viewers...bred on gratuitous violence and often lacking a historical perspective...may ironically find MISSILES OF OCTOBER "boring". But...if you were "there"... this docudrama presents a tense, scary, race with ultimate fear......

The Missiles Of October is the superbly written, produced, and acted movie based on the thirteen days in October, 1962, when the world poised on the brink of an international nuclear conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union over the Russian attempt to base missiles with nuclear warheads on the island of Cuba, fifty miles of the coast of America. A brilliantly docudrama, The Missiles Of October takes the viewer behind the scenes in the Oval Office John Kennedy and his advisors struggled with the political and military decisions that they were compelled to make. This is a very highly recommended addition to any high-school or community library DVD/Video collection.

There is very little to criticize about this dramatization of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The film mainly focuses on the deliberations on the American side, i.e. President John F. Kennedy and his Ex-Comm group ("Executive Committee of the National Security Council") as they try to force the Soviets to remove the missiles from Cuba while avoiding a nuclear conflict. The film successfully conveys the fears and difficulties faced by JFK and his team, their thoughts and deliberations. The script is fairly close to the actual facts as they are understood today. This is a wonderfully educational production that any parent would do well to watch with his or her children.

Devane is pretty good as JFK. I thought that Martin Sheen absolutely nailed Bobby Kennedy. The supporting actors were uniformly excellent. Good casting throughout.

One of the excellent things about the production is the occasional interjection of period news bulletins of nuclear tests, the escalating conflict, etc. These added a wonderful sense of authenticity even as they entertained.

A few quibbles, all minor. I thought that the movie somewhat (not excessively) idolized the Kennedys. It was a bit much when one member of Ex Comm commented that "Bobby [Kennedy] I confess your moral arguments [against invading Cuba] never occurred to me..." Come on, of course they did. The record shows that Ex Comm debated these issues extensively. Nor was Bobby Kennedy against invading Cuba--the record is pretty clear that both Kennedys had been pushing for removing Castro by various means before the crisis began. Bobby Kennedy's comment that bombing the missiles out of Cuba would be like a "reverse Pearl Harbor" was disdained as amateurish by most of Ex Comm. The movie barely acknowledges that. [Dean Acheson characterizes that analogy to JFK at one point as "false and pejorative..."]. The movie portrays the US Navy as lusting after conflict in a manner I thought was unseemly--this was my only major criticism of the film. ["Thirteen Days" shares this flaw.] Hollywood often cannot pass up a chance to take a swipe at the military.

This is an incredibly worthwhile production that I make a point of watching every year or so. A must for the thoughtful viewer's DVD collection.

...This movie has some weird confusing twists, and turns although it's an interesting movie, which keeps the viewer on their edge of their seat, though-out the film. The script was written well, with many strange camera angles, which added extra suspense to it. It makes you wonder how, when, why and if the crime was committed.

Bret Michaels - MICHAEL RAINE did an excellent job in the lead up to the climax in an interesting and believable way by playing his character - RAINE.

The first time you watch this you would need to pay close attention to the plot development as not to miss the whole point of the story. You will also find that this movie is a suspenseful thriller film. Which will take you though the eyes and mind of an convicted murderer.

I'm sure we'll see more movies by this incredibly skilful artist. Bret Michaels has the ability to act at the same time as write, direct and produced all at the same time.

This movie has an all-star cast consisting of Charlie and Martin Sheen and Poison's front man.

...For those of you who are Poison fans (like me), will understand what I mean when I say - 'A Letter from Death Row' it is a truly strange film, sinister... maybe but perfectly timed and executed. There is also a really cool CD soundtrack consisting of all Bret Michales songs that is in the movie.

But watch out 'olds' this film is not recommended for any youngsters. 18 + or over.

I hope that you will like this fun-entertaining movie as much as I did, but it has a weird ending.

Is the truth all what it appears to be, or is the conspiracy more then just a simple lie?

THINK!

This script was written well. The story line has a unique and fun twist. Weird camera angles add to the suspense of this movie and keep the viewer on the edge of their seat. Some of the acting is a little dry by the supporting actors, but can be overlooked because of the intensity of the story. Bret Michaels shocks the world with his incredible acting skills as well as his ability to write and direct at the same time. The movie should be watched if only for that. In any case, this is a definite movie for anyone who loves thrill rides.

I haven't seen this actual DVD, but a DVD I special ordered from Hong Kong a while back. It took me forever to find it, but I had to because I rented it when it was out and thought it was great.

Just to warn you, there is some terrible acting in this movie. However, the story is so intruiging that it makes up for it. It's too bad that most mainstream movies out there today follow the same "Hollywood" template and don't make movies like this.

Check it out if you can!

Made in 1973, Badlands is the first film of Terrence Mallick,director of The Thin Red Line.

Badlands retraces the bloody odyssey of a lost young couple in the heart of America's Midwest. Remind you of anything? We'll get to that part later. The two young actors with the title roles have since proved themselves. Martin Sheen, recognized for Apocalypse Now here interprets a young garbage collector without a future, an average guy for whom the notions of good and evilare blurred. His 15 year old companion, introverted and unfeeling, is played by Sissy Spacek (Carrie, the one and only). Though the film contains some violent scenes, it's principally centered on the relationship between the two protagonists and their wandering between good and bad. But, as Mallick has us accustomed with The Thin Red Line, the allegories, the natural elements and the poetry replace the overly chattydialogues by instead scattering clues that each one must find.Instead of using war as he did in his last film, this time it's boredom and life without a future that are the catalysts pushing man to confront his destiny.

The cinematography is colorful, a sort of Fauvist landscape losing itself in the infinity of the desert lands, the Badlands of the Midwest. The cinematography (the same team that also collaborated on The Thin Red Line) is very artistic, reinforcing the impact of silence and large strecht of land where man becomes solely responsible for his acts. He then possesses a total liberty, which he acquires, by creating a new society (as in the Robinson Crusoe sequence in the forest). This way he can commit acts acceptable in the world he creates, but not in ours, the "real one".

Returning for a moment to this strange ressemblance with Natural Born Killers. Though the film by Oliver Stone has several scenes identical to Terrence Mallick's film, one could argue that both are taken from the same news story. But the trouble is that Natural Born Killers awkwardly tries to use allegories (in the form of cartoons), just like Badlands, which forces us to question the honesty of Oliver Stone's movie.

A simple carbon copy? You be the judge..

Let yourself be guided for this trip to the heart of the"badlands" and the limits of man.

The film opens up and ends in diary fashion - the voice of Sissy Spacek narrates here and there, telling the tale her bleak existence in 50s rural midwest America. Holly (Spacek) lives alone with her father, dog and pet catfish. Her catfish gets sick, so she tosses him in the yard as he flounders for a gasp of air before he suffocates to death... and this is just the appetizer. She disobeys her father, so he shoots and kills her dog - and then you start to see a set of characters full of rules, but no true love... just self-imposed morality as it fits their need for control of every situation.

One lazy day Holly meets Kit (Martin Sheen), a handsome James Dean-esque character who is cocky, handsome, intelligent and shows interest in Holly. Kit is far from a father's dream of a catch for his daughter - kit is at least 10 years older and works as a garbage collector. While that profession pays better today, in the 1950s, it was hardly something worth writing home to mother about.

Holly's father forbids her to see Kit, but Kit is persistent and finally decides to kill the man who is in the way of their romance. The killing is less passionate or spontaneous than it is cold, emotionless and calculating. Similar to the way one swats a fly without remorse, killing it simply because it became too annoying, and life goes on. Holly just watches in a daze, not truly horrified at her wounded, dying father, and not surprised or mad at her beau.

Kit feels compelled to burn down the family home to cover up his crime, but then takes a record player outside so it won't burn - then goes to a self-recording record-making booth to make a confession record that plays outside the burning house as his morbid confession.

They live out in the wilderness, like animals, building primitive forts and look-out posts. When sheriff's deputies close in on them, the true killing spree begins. While a fairly unassuming garbage collector with no former criminal record, Kit has the skills of Rambo - he sets up camoflauged hiding areas and manages to kill all 3 deputies single-handed. They continue on a cross-country escape from justice, killing those who get in their way and sparing a few on a whim.

While Holly never truly pulls a trigger herself, she is the hapless participant and enabler - not threatened, but just tagging along like a faithful German Shepherd.

The movie is truly bizarre - but in a way, true to life in a chilling way. The young couple achieves a dark celebrity-like status - everyone knows who they are and are scared by them, yet fascinated at the same time.

The film is not overtly bloody and violent like the shoot-em-ups of today, but somehow very violent in an intimate way... there are many scenes without music or much background noise - just the eerie silence of the last breath of a dying gun-shot victim - things get so quiet, you can almost hear Holly's eyelids click when she blinks.

This is not a movie for kids and not a film to watch when you're tired - there are slow, silent scenes, but the film is far from boring. Aspiring actors and directors can learn a lot from this film's cinematography, direction and incredible acting. Despite it's almost flawless quality in filmmaking, it is a dark, depressing tale with no social redeeming values - other than a testimony to the results of raising children in a loveless environment. When children are not loved at home, they will attach themselves to the first person who shows interest in them - and find the near worship of their own pleasure as the pinnacle of existence.

Being a movie buff, "Badlands" has been a long kept secret from me until someone recently recommended it to me. From the first few minutes of the movie, I was drawn into the story and cared about the characters. As the film unfolded, I became mesmerized by the beautiful and interesting cinematography. Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek gave brilliant and realistic performances. Even, the music was great. It is hard to imagine it was Terrence Malick's first film. I won't go into the plot because you could read that on any of the other reviews on this page but will say that it is a story of two alienated lovers who go on an unexpected killing spree. While most films show killers as "evil" and "bad," "Badlands" focuses on the human qualities and emotions of the characters, showing them neither as good or bad but as who they really are. "Badlands" is a great film in every aspect and essential viewing to anyone who likes good movies.

Made in 1973, Badlands is the first film of Terrence Mallick,director of The Thin Red Line.

Badlands retraces the bloody odyssey of a lost young couple in the heart of America's Midwest. Remind you of anything? We'll get to that part later. The two young actors with the title roles have since proved themselves. Martin Sheen, recognized for Apocalypse Now here interprets a young garbage collector without a future, an average guy for whom the notions of good and evilare blurred. His 15 year old companion, introverted and unfeeling, is played by Sissy Spacek (Carrie, the one and only). Though the film contains some violent scenes, it's principally centered on the relationship between the two protagonists and their wandering between good and bad. But, as Mallick has us accustomed with The Thin Red Line, the allegories, the natural elements and the poetry replace the overly chattydialogues by instead scattering clues that each one must find.Instead of using war as he did in his last film, this time it's boredom and life without a future that are the catalysts pushing man to confront his destiny.

The cinematography is colorful, a sort of Fauvist landscape losing itself in the infinity of the desert lands, the Badlands of the Midwest. The cinematography (the same team that also collaborated on The Thin Red Line) is very artistic, reinforcing the impact of silence and large strecht of land where man becomes solely responsible for his acts. He then possesses a total liberty, which he acquires, by creating a new society (as in the Robinson Crusoe sequence in the forest). This way he can commit acts acceptable in the world he creates, but not in ours, the "real one".

Returning for a moment to this strange ressemblance with Natural Born Killers. Though the film by Oliver Stone has several scenes identical to Terrence Mallick's film, one could argue that both are taken from the same news story. But the trouble is that Natural Born Killers awkwardly tries to use allegories (in the form of cartoons), just like Badlands, which forces us to question the honesty of Oliver Stone's movie.

A simple carbon copy? You be the judge..

Let yourself be guided for this trip to the heart of the"badlands" and the limits of man.

The film opens up and ends in diary fashion - the voice of Sissy Spacek narrates here and there, telling the tale her bleak existence in 50s rural midwest America. Holly (Spacek) lives alone with her father, dog and pet catfish. Her catfish gets sick, so she tosses him in the yard as he flounders for a gasp of air before he suffocates to death... and this is just the appetizer. She disobeys her father, so he shoots and kills her dog - and then you start to see a set of characters full of rules, but no true love... just self-imposed morality as it fits their need for control of every situation.

One lazy day Holly meets Kit (Martin Sheen), a handsome James Dean-esque character who is cocky, handsome, intelligent and shows interest in Holly. Kit is far from a father's dream of a catch for his daughter - kit is at least 10 years older and works as a garbage collector. While that profession pays better today, in the 1950s, it was hardly something worth writing home to mother about.

Holly's father forbids her to see Kit, but Kit is persistent and finally decides to kill the man who is in the way of their romance. The killing is less passionate or spontaneous than it is cold, emotionless and calculating. Similar to the way one swats a fly without remorse, killing it simply because it became too annoying, and life goes on. Holly just watches in a daze, not truly horrified at her wounded, dying father, and not surprised or mad at her beau.

Kit feels compelled to burn down the family home to cover up his crime, but then takes a record player outside so it won't burn - then goes to a self-recording record-making booth to make a confession record that plays outside the burning house as his morbid confession.

They live out in the wilderness, like animals, building primitive forts and look-out posts. When sheriff's deputies close in on them, the true killing spree begins. While a fairly unassuming garbage collector with no former criminal record, Kit has the skills of Rambo - he sets up camoflauged hiding areas and manages to kill all 3 deputies single-handed. They continue on a cross-country escape from justice, killing those who get in their way and sparing a few on a whim.

While Holly never truly pulls a trigger herself, she is the hapless participant and enabler - not threatened, but just tagging along like a faithful German Shepherd.

The movie is truly bizarre - but in a way, true to life in a chilling way. The young couple achieves a dark celebrity-like status - everyone knows who they are and are scared by them, yet fascinated at the same time.

The film is not overtly bloody and violent like the shoot-em-ups of today, but somehow very violent in an intimate way... there are many scenes without music or much background noise - just the eerie silence of the last breath of a dying gun-shot victim - things get so quiet, you can almost hear Holly's eyelids click when she blinks.

This is not a movie for kids and not a film to watch when you're tired - there are slow, silent scenes, but the film is far from boring. Aspiring actors and directors can learn a lot from this film's cinematography, direction and incredible acting. Despite it's almost flawless quality in filmmaking, it is a dark, depressing tale with no social redeeming values - other than a testimony to the results of raising children in a loveless environment. When children are not loved at home, they will attach themselves to the first person who shows interest in them - and find the near worship of their own pleasure as the pinnacle of existence.

Being a movie buff, "Badlands" has been a long kept secret from me until someone recently recommended it to me. From the first few minutes of the movie, I was drawn into the story and cared about the characters. As the film unfolded, I became mesmerized by the beautiful and interesting cinematography. Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek gave brilliant and realistic performances. Even, the music was great. It is hard to imagine it was Terrence Malick's first film. I won't go into the plot because you could read that on any of the other reviews on this page but will say that it is a story of two alienated lovers who go on an unexpected killing spree. While most films show killers as "evil" and "bad," "Badlands" focuses on the human qualities and emotions of the characters, showing them neither as good or bad but as who they really are. "Badlands" is a great film in every aspect and essential viewing to anyone who likes good movies.

Made in 1973, Badlands is the first film of Terrence Mallick,director of The Thin Red Line.

Badlands retraces the bloody odyssey of a lost young couple in the heart of America's Midwest. Remind you of anything? We'll get to that part later. The two young actors with the title roles have since proved themselves. Martin Sheen, recognized for Apocalypse Now here interprets a young garbage collector without a future, an average guy for whom the notions of good and evilare blurred. His 15 year old companion, introverted and unfeeling, is played by Sissy Spacek (Carrie, the one and only). Though the film contains some violent scenes, it's principally centered on the relationship between the two protagonists and their wandering between good and bad. But, as Mallick has us accustomed with The Thin Red Line, the allegories, the natural elements and the poetry replace the overly chattydialogues by instead scattering clues that each one must find.Instead of using war as he did in his last film, this time it's boredom and life without a future that are the catalysts pushing man to confront his destiny.

The cinematography is colorful, a sort of Fauvist landscape losing itself in the infinity of the desert lands, the Badlands of the Midwest. The cinematography (the same team that also collaborated on The Thin Red Line) is very artistic, reinforcing the impact of silence and large strecht of land where man becomes solely responsible for his acts. He then possesses a total liberty, which he acquires, by creating a new society (as in the Robinson Crusoe sequence in the forest). This way he can commit acts acceptable in the world he creates, but not in ours, the "real one".

Returning for a moment to this strange ressemblance with Natural Born Killers. Though the film by Oliver Stone has several scenes identical to Terrence Mallick's film, one could argue that both are taken from the same news story. But the trouble is that Natural Born Killers awkwardly tries to use allegories (in the form of cartoons), just like Badlands, which forces us to question the honesty of Oliver Stone's movie.

A simple carbon copy? You be the judge..

Let yourself be guided for this trip to the heart of the"badlands" and the limits of man.

The film opens up and ends in diary fashion - the voice of Sissy Spacek narrates here and there, telling the tale her bleak existence in 50s rural midwest America. Holly (Spacek) lives alone with her father, dog and pet catfish. Her catfish gets sick, so she tosses him in the yard as he flounders for a gasp of air before he suffocates to death... and this is just the appetizer. She disobeys her father, so he shoots and kills her dog - and then you start to see a set of characters full of rules, but no true love... just self-imposed morality as it fits their need for control of every situation.

One lazy day Holly meets Kit (Martin Sheen), a handsome James Dean-esque character who is cocky, handsome, intelligent and shows interest in Holly. Kit is far from a father's dream of a catch for his daughter - kit is at least 10 years older and works as a garbage collector. While that profession pays better today, in the 1950s, it was hardly something worth writing home to mother about.

Holly's father forbids her to see Kit, but Kit is persistent and finally decides to kill the man who is in the way of their romance. The killing is less passionate or spontaneous than it is cold, emotionless and calculating. Similar to the way one swats a fly without remorse, killing it simply because it became too annoying, and life goes on. Holly just watches in a daze, not truly horrified at her wounded, dying father, and not surprised or mad at her beau.

Kit feels compelled to burn down the family home to cover up his crime, but then takes a record player outside so it won't burn - then goes to a self-recording record-making booth to make a confession record that plays outside the burning house as his morbid confession.

They live out in the wilderness, like animals, building primitive forts and look-out posts. When sheriff's deputies close in on them, the true killing spree begins. While a fairly unassuming garbage collector with no former criminal record, Kit has the skills of Rambo - he sets up camoflauged hiding areas and manages to kill all 3 deputies single-handed. They continue on a cross-country escape from justice, killing those who get in their way and sparing a few on a whim.

While Holly never truly pulls a trigger herself, she is the hapless participant and enabler - not threatened, but just tagging along like a faithful German Shepherd.

The movie is truly bizarre - but in a way, true to life in a chilling way. The young couple achieves a dark celebrity-like status - everyone knows who they are and are scared by them, yet fascinated at the same time.

The film is not overtly bloody and violent like the shoot-em-ups of today, but somehow very violent in an intimate way... there are many scenes without music or much background noise - just the eerie silence of the last breath of a dying gun-shot victim - things get so quiet, you can almost hear Holly's eyelids click when she blinks.

This is not a movie for kids and not a film to watch when you're tired - there are slow, silent scenes, but the film is far from boring. Aspiring actors and directors can learn a lot from this film's cinematography, direction and incredible acting. Despite it's almost flawless quality in filmmaking, it is a dark, depressing tale with no social redeeming values - other than a testimony to the results of raising children in a loveless environment. When children are not loved at home, they will attach themselves to the first person who shows interest in them - and find the near worship of their own pleasure as the pinnacle of existence.

Being a movie buff, "Badlands" has been a long kept secret from me until someone recently recommended it to me. From the first few minutes of the movie, I was drawn into the story and cared about the characters. As the film unfolded, I became mesmerized by the beautiful and interesting cinematography. Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek gave brilliant and realistic performances. Even, the music was great. It is hard to imagine it was Terrence Malick's first film. I won't go into the plot because you could read that on any of the other reviews on this page but will say that it is a story of two alienated lovers who go on an unexpected killing spree. While most films show killers as "evil" and "bad," "Badlands" focuses on the human qualities and emotions of the characters, showing them neither as good or bad but as who they really are. "Badlands" is a great film in every aspect and essential viewing to anyone who likes good movies.

Emilio Estevez does a fine job as both star and director of this overlooked film. His real father Martin Sheen plays his father, and watching the two together is remarkable. This movie really makes you think about what it must have been like for Vietnam vets coming home profoundly changed, to a world that didn't change along with them, and no one really understood post-traumatic stress syndrome at that time in history. And that is the legacy of Vietnam - making it home alive was not the end of the war for those who fought. If you're a vet, you'll want to see this, and you'll want your kids and parents to see it too.

I just watched The War At Home. This story is very well written, acted & directed. It makes you care for all the characters, and understand what each one is feeling and going through. Not just with what is said, but more importantly, what is not said. The movie gives us a small glimpse of what the Heroic and Brave men went through after returning from the Vietnam War. I myself do not care for war movies, but I could not stop watching. I gave this review five stars because it truly deserves it! I also love that the story is character driven, and does not for one minute rely on special effects. There are a few scenes that were VERY tastefully done, and I did not need to look away once. I highly recommend it. Rarely do I cry during movies, but this really touched my heart, as it will yours. Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Kathy Bates & Kimberly Williams really give great performances. Directed by Emilio Estevez.

This movie blows me away! Martin Sheen and Kathy Bates, (my favorite actress,) both play roles totally unexpected and suprising as husband and wife.

The acting was believable of all characters, and it really makes you stop and think about the horrors that our soldiers had to endure in Vietnam, God bless them! This is a wake up call addressing our need to honor our vetrans and their families.

I highly reccommend this flick!!!

Every once in a while this world produces an exceptional human being whose presence makes it a much better place to live in. Such a person was Mahatma Gandhi; the Indian 'radical' whose teachings about non-violent resistance lead to the eventual independence of India from British colonial rule. His teachings have inspired other such movements in the world and his life has been looked up to as a standard which others have tried to emulate.

Every once in a while those responsible for the academy awards have chosen deserving films. This is one of them. Ben Kingsley gives a grand performance as Gandhi, from his youth to his death. The impersonation is spot on; everything from the accent to the gait is so convincing that one could swear Kingsley was Gandhi.

If you are looking for a biography of this man on film, this movie is an excellent source. Condensing Gandhi's life into a few hours is such a great feat, especially when there is so much of this man that could be explored. The movie was filmed in India, with 300,000 extras, so if you like epic films you will definitely enjoy this one. The scenery is authentic and the characters have a reality about them so often lacking in 'hollywood' films. No 'eye-candy' version of a historical event, this is a real movie about a real person.

The DVD extras were ok for a film this old. There is some original newsreel footage which is quite short but still worth watching to see the real Gandhi as he was. Kingsley also gives a talk about how it was being Gandhi, there is also some of the sayings of Gandhi; great candidates for those memorable sayings we all try to memorize to motivate ourselves. All in all a great DVD, the movie is a timeless classic about a great man of the modern world.

Ben Kingsley was an excellent choice to portray one of history's most celebrated martyrs. As with all other films of this type, a familiarity with the history of the nation and life of the central character is necessary to fully appreciate the quality of the picture. Viewing this film is like watching history come alive; everything presented here so vividly accounts for the life of the man who vigorously sought non-violent ways to obtain the independence of his country and people. Watch it, and see why it was the Motion Picture Academy's choice for Best Picture.

I'd like to say, this film is probably one of my top 10 favorites. Very well scripted, and very well directed, same goes for the soundtrack to it as well. Though that's the only problem I have, why can't these greedy record companies re-release the soundtrack on cd for myself to spend 15-25 dollars on, instead of having to buy a used LP at some record shop and have to buy a record player for myself to be able to listen to it.

Hey, I got a message for you RIAA, why don't you re-release this score and you'll score yourself some cash of mine, and we'll both be happy, agreed? While your at it, why don't you re-release the soundtrack to 'Mobsters' as well. Maybe if these cds were available to buy, people wouldn't feel the need to download them from the internet!

Later

In "Wall Street" everything moves around the money. The main motivation of Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) and Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) is getting as much money as they can, no limits, no boundaries. Director Oliver Stone managed to capture on-screen the '80s decade perfectly.

"Wall Street" is a very good movie thanks to the script, the direction, the dialogues, and above all the performances of the lead actors Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen and Martin Sheen, all of them gave an outstanding performance, specially Michael Douglas in the role that got him an Academy Award.

As usual, Oliver Stone created a very personal movie, he co-wrote the screenplay and dedicated the story to his father, a former stockholder. But Stone didn't exclude the audience because the movie presents the fascinating and complex world in Wall Street, and also the movie shows very human feelings such as the ambition, the greed, the envy, the revenge and the personal integrity.

The DVD doesn't include a lot of extra material, but the features that does include are quite good: an audio commentary by Oliver Stone, very valuable, of course, theatrical trailers and a very interesting "Making Of Wall Street" documentary, with interviews and commentaries by the cast and the production crew of the movie. "Wall Street" is a very interesting and entertaining movie, very recommendable.

Absolutely fantastic. All you folks in the finance industry out there - watch this movie three times a day, everyday, after meals. Adam Smith ("The Wealth of Nations", ISBN:0879757051, buy it here ! ) would've taken the trouble to rise from his grave to watch this one.

Douglas was excellent and deserved his Oscar, and Sheen (both dad and son) were terrific. I'm not a great fan of Oliver Stone's other movies, but this is one movie I treasure as much as my MSFT stock certificate !

The quotes from the dialogue should be printed in bold and stuck up on the wall of every investment bank's office:

"It's all about bucks kid. The rest is conversation".

"See this building over here ... it was my first real estate deal ...I made over $900,000. At the time I thought it was all the money in the world - now it's a day's pay".

Surprised it didn't win the Oscar for best screenplay as well.

Bud Fox ( Charlie Sheen)is a young broker who is intelligent, ambitious, and hard working. He has many ideas on how to make it big. The only problem is that he is stuck in a job that consists of cold calling investors over the phone. Wanting something more, he seeks out the highly successful financial wiz Gordon Gecko ( Michael Douglas). Gecko sees a younger version of himself with Bud, and takes him under his wing. However, the road to success, is not always paved with honesty. Bud is immediately lured by Gordon, into the world of corporate epsionage and insider trading. Bud starts to make more money than he ever dreamed was possible. But he soon learns that the pursuit of overnight riches comes at a price that is too high to pay.

Wall Street takes us into the world of the stock market and insider trading. It is definately Oliver Stone's best film, and one of the best that I have ever seen overall. No matter how many times you see this movie, it never gets boring, or seems any less amazing. Michael Douglas offers one of the most memorable lines of all time with "Greed is good". This is the driving force for the film. This perhaps, is the film's best feature because the story is so authentic. Stone manages to fully capture all of the glory that Wall Street can bring, and the misery that it can cause.

Of course, you need talented actors to make it convincing. Michael Douglas gives the best role of his career as Gordon Gecko. In fact, he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the role. It is that good. Gordon is a man that is ruled by greed, and is completely ruthless. That is why Charlie Sheen's portrayal of Bud Fox plays so well off of Douglas. Sheen is young, ambitious, and also extremely naive. He is the puppet, and Gecko is the puppeteer. Martin Sheen delivers an extremely solid role as Bud's father Carl. I loved the fact that Martin Sheen got the role, because only a real father could bring such a realistic portrayal of love. There are other great actors as well in this film, and they include Hal Halbrook, John C McGinley, Daryl Hannah, and Terrance Stamp.

Wall Street is a classic story dealing with ambition, greed, and betrayal. The story is extremely authentic, all of the acting is superb, and the suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat. The DVD extras are nice too. The making of documentary is great, and so is the commentary from Oliver Stone.

This video portrayed the life of Dorothy Day, a remarkable woman, who with her passion for Christ started the Catholic Worker movement.

A special movie... One that is not at all light-hearted, but one that will challenge you and make you think differently about the value of human dignity.

If you are in the mood for something different, a movie that will bring you closer to your own faith, I recommend this one. It made me reevaluate my priorities.

An Inspiring Movie about a woman (Dorothy Day), her personal discovery of God, and her Quest to be in Loving Unselfish Service to those in desperate need. Truly a shining example of Living Faith!

I watched this on telvesion recently and knew I had to have the video to share with others this most inspiring story of Dorothy Day, a political and social activist who practiced what she preached. This movie may only be superficial... but it nonetheless gives one a glimpse into the person who is rightly called the Mother Teresa of America. Moira Kelly does a great job portraying Dorothy Day. Martin Sheen is excellent in his portrayl of Peter Maurin who inspired her to set up a hospice to help the poor in her quest for political and social justice.

.... I have heard many Catholics complain that while Dorothy Day did great work like Saint Mother Frances Cabrini and Mother Teresa, she was too political for the Catholic Church. Perhaps. It is true the Catholic Church discourages political involvement by her priests, laybrothers, and nuns. However, as a lay woman not bound by constraints imposed by the religous life, Dorothy Day was free to be involved with politics. This movie shows actor Brian Keith as a Catholic Prelate telling Miss Day she is an embarassment to the Church with her socialist views, and thus so Dorothy Day must change or the Church governmment and clergy need to keep her at a distance, lest they too be considered Communists or Marxists. Dorothy Day did not change but continued her political protests and lobbying for the help of the poor.

Although not a life-to-death biography, I feel that Entertaining Angels portrays the spirit and the conscience of Dorothy Day. A convert to the Faith in her early adulthood, Dorothy Day proved why many converts make better Catholics than some of us who were born, baptized, and raised in the Catholic Church. In want of a better understanding of Dorothy Day I recommend the viewer of this movie also read her autobiography titled: The Long Loneliness. Although I have given up on politics I must say I find the life of Dorothy Day most encouraging. Like Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Dorothy Day saw people suffering and had the courage to help them to better lives - becoming perhaps - a martyr in her own right.

Having just her read her autobiography called the Long Loneliness I am very disappointed that the movie did not follow her version of the events. The movie does justice to the spirit of Dorothy Day, but not to the facts of her life. I advise the viewer to read both "the Long Loneliness" and the biography by Robert Coles for a much better understanding and appreciation of Dorothy Day.

This edgy, violent drama, reminiscent of the raw intensity of the works of "The Living Theatre", is an early precursor to the urban terrors of today.

Two young thugs, Artie (Martin Sheen) and Joe (Tony Musnate), terrorize the trapped passengers of New York City subway car one late summer night. Included in the usual collection of hapless stereotypical urbanites is Ken (Robert Fields), a nervous, lonely and pitiful homosexual. First seen earlier in a bar trying to pick up a straight man (Gary Merrill), Ken becomes the bullies' first victim. Artie immediately spots him as a gay man (possibly because Artie is a closet homosexual himself), and while he is tormented and humiliated the longest by both punks, the other passengers simply look on doing nothing with one remarking, "So what, so they found a queer." There is a subtle eroticism to the bashing as they gay man takes the beating and punishment unable to fight back. Another sad scene is when they train finally pulls into the station and the doors open and the police barg in and begin to arrest the black man (Brock Peters), thinking he did these crimes, when he was just an innocent passenger.

Terrific filmmaking by Larry Pierce, and a brilliant performance by Tony Musante, possibly his best work ever.

This film left me in a cold sweat and truly shaken. I don't think I've ever seen a movie that portrays human patheticness more potently. It is intense, sordid, and fascinating. The cast is uniformly excellent. Some of the scenes are among the most disturbing I've watched. I constantly yearned to jump into the movie and DO SOMETHING, yet, at the same time, couldn't help but question whether I would be any different from the victims in the film. The theme music is wonderfully odd and dark, and the climax is explosive. Not necessarily a pleasant experience, but certainly a stimulating one. One of the finest films of the sixties.

If this movie doesn't make you jump out of your skin, you're dead. A very young Martin Sheen ( a street punk)and his buddy (Tony Musante)terrorize a subway car full of passengers that represent a cross-section of human demographics. It's gritty (filmed in B&W) and as the punks (Musante is a forerunner to the junkies from the Basketball Diaries) move from rider to rider, the outrage moves to a horrifying climax.

Beau Bridges plays the only character with the courage of his convictions. There are other outstanding cameos by Brock Peters, Ruby Dee, Gary Merrill and Jack Guilford.

...This is a seminal indie flick. If you're into Sundance or IFC, buy this film!