Michael-Douglas Movie Reviews

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VHS movie reviews for "Michael-Douglas" sorted by average review score:
The Rapture
Released in VHS Tape by New Line Studios (16 January, 1996)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Michael Tolkin
Starring: Mimi Rogers and David Duchovny
Once upon a time, in the 1980s and early 1990s, American independent movies did not seek to merely ape Hollywood formulas. They were more than just feature-length resumes for shrewd, enterprising filmmakers who had nothing to say, but dreamed of saying it with a big-studio budget. Back then, independent films provided a different kind of movie experience; they challenged and provoked audiences--and none more so than 1991's The Rapture, written and directed by Michael Tolkin, the man who wrote the screenplay for The Player, Robert Altman's scathing anti-Hollywood comedy. Mimi Rogers plays Sharon, a lost soul who gives up her hedonistic life of sex and drugs when she finds God and becomes a fundamentalist Christian fanatic. Her pilgrim's progress, presented in a deadpan, nonjudgmental style, culminates quite literally in the title event--the Second Coming, the Apocalypse, the end of the world, or whatever you want to call it. Rogers's fearless performance becomes all the more provocative when you recall that the actress is a lifelong member of the Church of Scientology. The Rapture is a mind-boggling, wildly ambitious movie that's open to myriad interpretations. But no matter what you make of it, it's sure to leave you engaged and shaken. --Jim Emerson
Average review score:

Original, Daring Work.
"The Rapture" is one of those few films that dares to go where most movies are afraid to go to. Michael Tolkin here displays a brilliance for screenwriting. He explores a topic that many believe in and others don't. I am so tired of some directors afraid to touch subjects like religion. Here, Tolkin creates an intriguing, interesting, deeply powerful film about the belief in the second coming of Christ. This movie appreciates Biblical scripture more than Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation Of Christ." This is also the closest film that I think, shows what it would really be like if the book of Revelation is indeed, the truth. There are powerful and stunning moments. The cinematography is well-done as well the writing and acting. This is a thinking person's film. Those who appreciate creativity and intelligence in a film should see it. Sure, it gets a little slow at times, but it's still a good, original, and daring piece of film.

"10" Commandments or "X" Files?
With the benefit of hindsight, this is one of the most compelling (albeit oddball)"millennium paranoia" films of the 1990's. Mimi Rogers' Mona Lisa demeanor is perfectly cast portraying a woman who lives by the "If it feels good, do it" philiosophy, yet agonizes over her spiritual emptiness. While that is not an original idea for a movie protaganist,("Looking For Mr. Goodbar", anyone?)what ensues following her "conversion" has little or no precedence in film history.It is nearly impossible to discuss this aspect without turning it into a "spoiler". Suffice it to say that, if you're famililar with the "controversial" ending to 1999's "Magnolia", the final scenes in "Rapture" appear to have the same polarizing effect on viewers. At turns disturbing, thought-provoking,ambitiously Kubrickian, even maddening,but never boring. Not recommended for "popcorn movie" fans!

There is a limit of five stars, so that is all.
This is a low budget movie, and still it is a phenomenal.
It is a great story, an important messagge, and an incredible and unexpectedly fast-paced movie.
I would rent it for sure, I bought it, and I wish they will do it in DVD, if they do I will buy it for sure.

The Rapture (Widescreen Edition)
Released in VHS Tape by Warner Home Video (09 September, 1997)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Michael Tolkin
Starring: Mimi Rogers and David Duchovny
Once upon a time, in the 1980s and early 1990s, American independent movies did not seek to merely ape Hollywood formulas. They were more than just feature-length resumes for shrewd, enterprising filmmakers who had nothing to say, but dreamed of saying it with a big-studio budget. Back then, independent films provided a different kind of movie experience; they challenged and provoked audiences--and none more so than 1991's The Rapture, written and directed by Michael Tolkin, the man who wrote the screenplay for The Player, Robert Altman's scathing anti-Hollywood comedy. Mimi Rogers plays Sharon, a lost soul who gives up her hedonistic life of sex and drugs when she finds God and becomes a fundamentalist Christian fanatic. Her pilgrim's progress, presented in a deadpan, nonjudgmental style, culminates quite literally in the title event--the Second Coming, the Apocalypse, the end of the world, or whatever you want to call it. Rogers's fearless performance becomes all the more provocative when you recall that the actress is a lifelong member of the Church of Scientology. The Rapture is a mind-boggling, wildly ambitious movie that's open to myriad interpretations. But no matter what you make of it, it's sure to leave you engaged and shaken. --Jim Emerson
Average review score:

Original, Daring Work.
"The Rapture" is one of those few films that dares to go where most movies are afraid to go to. Michael Tolkin here displays a brilliance for screenwriting. He explores a topic that many believe in and others don't. I am so tired of some directors afraid to touch subjects like religion. Here, Tolkin creates an intriguing, interesting, deeply powerful film about the belief in the second coming of Christ. This movie appreciates Biblical scripture more than Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation Of Christ." This is also the closest film that I think, shows what it would really be like if the book of Revelation is indeed, the truth. There are powerful and stunning moments. The cinematography is well-done as well the writing and acting. This is a thinking person's film. Those who appreciate creativity and intelligence in a film should see it. Sure, it gets a little slow at times, but it's still a good, original, and daring piece of film.

"10" Commandments or "X" Files?
With the benefit of hindsight, this is one of the most compelling (albeit oddball)"millennium paranoia" films of the 1990's. Mimi Rogers' Mona Lisa demeanor is perfectly cast portraying a woman who lives by the "If it feels good, do it" philiosophy, yet agonizes over her spiritual emptiness. While that is not an original idea for a movie protaganist,("Looking For Mr. Goodbar", anyone?)what ensues following her "conversion" has little or no precedence in film history.It is nearly impossible to discuss this aspect without turning it into a "spoiler". Suffice it to say that, if you're famililar with the "controversial" ending to 1999's "Magnolia", the final scenes in "Rapture" appear to have the same polarizing effect on viewers. At turns disturbing, thought-provoking,ambitiously Kubrickian, even maddening,but never boring. Not recommended for "popcorn movie" fans!

There is a limit of five stars, so that is all.
This is a low budget movie, and still it is a phenomenal.
It is a great story, an important messagge, and an incredible and unexpectedly fast-paced movie.
I would rent it for sure, I bought it, and I wish they will do it in DVD, if they do I will buy it for sure.

Return of the Living Dead 3
Released in VHS Tape by Vidmark/Trimark (12 September, 2000)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Brian Yuzna
Average review score:

The movie that takes the bold step of punishing the audience
This is the story of a military officer's son who discovers his dad is working on reviving the dead and tries to revive his girlfriend after a motorcycle accident.

She doesn't like that because she just wants to be dead. You will too before this movie is done.

Solid 3rd outing is the best of the series.
After an auto accident, a distraught young man revives his dead girlfriend (Melinda Clarke) with those same chemicals used in the previous movies, to horrific results. Easily the most gruesome and grim of the series, ROTLD 3 is also surprisingly touching and affecting. Melinda Clarke delivers a knockout dramatic performance as the sexy (and sympathetic) undead girlfriend.

Great sequel!
This is the second sequel to the 1985 cult horror spoof "Return of the Living Dead", part II was ok but seemed like a rehash of the original but this one is totally original.

It's about a couple of young adults who are lovers, the boy's girlfriend gets hurt in a motorcycle accident and dies, the boy has a father who works in the military with a experimental corporation that brings the dead back to life. The Boy decides to take his girlfriend to a lab using an experimental gas to bring her back to life but it works, unfortunately she is a kinky Zombie that eats brains and turns people into brain-munching ghoul.

Very entertaining and extremely gory sequel with great make-up effects, a very sexy undead girl, and original story that makes this a must see for fans of Zombie flicks. Watch this movie in the unrated uncut version with extra gore, not for the squeamish!

Also recommended: Resident Evil, Ghosts of Mars, Return of the Living Dead, Day of the Dead, Dead Alive, From Dusk Till Dawn, Re-Animator, Aliens, Lucio Fulci's Zombie, Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Phantasm, Bride of Re-Animator, Scanners, Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, City of the Living Dead, Nightmare City, Hellraiser, Toxic Avenger, Bad Taste, An American Werewolf in London, Idle Hands, Total Recall and The Beyond.

Return of the Living Dead 3
Released in VHS Tape by Vidmark/Trimark (12 September, 2000)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Brian Yuzna
Average review score:

The movie that takes the bold step of punishing the audience
This is the story of a military officer's son who discovers his dad is working on reviving the dead and tries to revive his girlfriend after a motorcycle accident.

She doesn't like that because she just wants to be dead. You will too before this movie is done.

Solid 3rd outing is the best of the series.
After an auto accident, a distraught young man revives his dead girlfriend (Melinda Clarke) with those same chemicals used in the previous movies, to horrific results. Easily the most gruesome and grim of the series, ROTLD 3 is also surprisingly touching and affecting. Melinda Clarke delivers a knockout dramatic performance as the sexy (and sympathetic) undead girlfriend.

Great sequel!
This is the second sequel to the 1985 cult horror spoof "Return of the Living Dead", part II was ok but seemed like a rehash of the original but this one is totally original.

It's about a couple of young adults who are lovers, the boy's girlfriend gets hurt in a motorcycle accident and dies, the boy has a father who works in the military with a experimental corporation that brings the dead back to life. The Boy decides to take his girlfriend to a lab using an experimental gas to bring her back to life but it works, unfortunately she is a kinky Zombie that eats brains and turns people into brain-munching ghoul.

Very entertaining and extremely gory sequel with great make-up effects, a very sexy undead girl, and original story that makes this a must see for fans of Zombie flicks. Watch this movie in the unrated uncut version with extra gore, not for the squeamish!

Also recommended: Resident Evil, Ghosts of Mars, Return of the Living Dead, Day of the Dead, Dead Alive, From Dusk Till Dawn, Re-Animator, Aliens, Lucio Fulci's Zombie, Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Phantasm, Bride of Re-Animator, Scanners, Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, City of the Living Dead, Nightmare City, Hellraiser, Toxic Avenger, Bad Taste, An American Werewolf in London, Idle Hands, Total Recall and The Beyond.

Return of the Living Dead 3
Released in VHS Tape by Vidmark/Trimark (12 September, 2000)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Brian Yuzna
Average review score:

The movie that takes the bold step of punishing the audience
This is the story of a military officer's son who discovers his dad is working on reviving the dead and tries to revive his girlfriend after a motorcycle accident.

She doesn't like that because she just wants to be dead. You will too before this movie is done.

Solid 3rd outing is the best of the series.
After an auto accident, a distraught young man revives his dead girlfriend (Melinda Clarke) with those same chemicals used in the previous movies, to horrific results. Easily the most gruesome and grim of the series, ROTLD 3 is also surprisingly touching and affecting. Melinda Clarke delivers a knockout dramatic performance as the sexy (and sympathetic) undead girlfriend.

Great sequel!
This is the second sequel to the 1985 cult horror spoof "Return of the Living Dead", part II was ok but seemed like a rehash of the original but this one is totally original.

It's about a couple of young adults who are lovers, the boy's girlfriend gets hurt in a motorcycle accident and dies, the boy has a father who works in the military with a experimental corporation that brings the dead back to life. The Boy decides to take his girlfriend to a lab using an experimental gas to bring her back to life but it works, unfortunately she is a kinky Zombie that eats brains and turns people into brain-munching ghoul.

Very entertaining and extremely gory sequel with great make-up effects, a very sexy undead girl, and original story that makes this a must see for fans of Zombie flicks. Watch this movie in the unrated uncut version with extra gore, not for the squeamish!

Also recommended: Resident Evil, Ghosts of Mars, Return of the Living Dead, Day of the Dead, Dead Alive, From Dusk Till Dawn, Re-Animator, Aliens, Lucio Fulci's Zombie, Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Phantasm, Bride of Re-Animator, Scanners, Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, City of the Living Dead, Nightmare City, Hellraiser, Toxic Avenger, Bad Taste, An American Werewolf in London, Idle Hands, Total Recall and The Beyond.

Perfect Murder
Released in VHS Tape by Warner Home Video (06 October, 1998)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Andrew Davis
Starring: Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Viggo Mortensen
The husband (Michael Douglas) is a currency trader whose portfolio value is going right down the drain. The wife (Gwyneth Paltrow) is the heiress to a $100 million fortune. The marriage is not a happy one, but the promise of long-term affluence keeps them together. The wife pursues an affair with an artist (Viggo Mortenson) who gives her all the passion she doesn't get at home, and when the husband finds out, well ... someone's going to pay with their life. Who will the unlucky one be? We wouldn't dare spoil the elegant plot twists of this devious thriller, but it's well known that Douglas excels at portraying greedy characters with ice in their veins. Here, it's easy to assume that Douglas has pulled off, as the title implies, a killing that nobody will ever pin on him. But this is the kind of glossy thriller (loosely inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder) that delights in disrupting your expectations, so it grabs your attention right up to the final scene. It's a bit too cold to really draw you in (hey, these are not very nice people we're dealing with here!), but with its able cast and stylish direction by Andrew Davis, this less-than-perfect murder thriller is still definitely worth a look. The widescreen Special Edition DVD includes audio commentary by Michael Douglas, Andrew Davis, and producer Peter McGregor Scott, an alternate ending deleted from the finished film, and sketches by the film's costume designer. --Jeff Shannon
Average review score:

Hateful as a remake, uninteresting as a modern thriller.
Of course, every cinema lover must compare this film with "Dial M for Murder", by Hitckcock. Both are based in a play by Frederick Knott. I don't mind what Hitchcock said -he seemed not particularly happy with that movie of his-: "Dial M for Murder" was excellent as a suspense thriller and a model for theater on the big screen. A very clever plot. Grace Kelly was the victim of her husband, Ray Milland.

But what was really peculiar was precisely the character of Milland, who didn't show any single moment anything but a devilish cold and designing mind. He was a smiling practitioner of murder understood as a fine art, as an intellectual challenge. Instead Douglas in this film is a silly jealous killer with his habitual sour face. We see him even kill with a knife. A bore.

And if we forget the hitchcockian referece? Well, then, an undistinguised film, not very exiting on any account.

Dark and Brooding, This Film Stands Well on its Own
Having never seen the Alfred Hitchcock classic DIAL M FOR MURDER, I have absolutely nothing with which to compare this film, except the slick mystery/suspense thrillers of the 1980's and '90's. In this category, A PERFECT MURDER (1998) ranks among the better ones.

With Michael Douglas at his sordid best, Gwyneth Paltrow in the middle of her breakout year (doing films such as GREAT EXPECTATIONS--another re-make, SLIDING DOORS, HUSH and finally, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, which resulted in a well-deserved Oscar statue for her) and still-rising Viggo Mortensen, the screenplay by Patrick Smith Kelly fits each of these actors' personas so neatly that you would swear the words were written with these actors fully in mind. Add in the lush photograghy, which successfully captures the deep, brooding tone of the film and you've got a real winner here.

Indoor shots in the townhouse where Douglas and Paltrow's characters live reveal tall ceilings and lots of sharp, sinister brown and orange colors. Shots in Mortensen's artist's loft display soft blue-gray hues and wide spaces filled with work (as opposed to the townhouse which is filled solely with material "things"). The dialogue fits each character and remains true. Even with all the twists and turns in the plot (expected in films like this, anyway), the story remains interesting and does not feel contrived.

It's amazing that Warner Bros. waited a full 5 years after this film's initial release to put it out on DVD. I think the wait was well worth it--both the sound and picture quality on this disc are excellent.

If you have noticed that I have only commented on the technical merits of A PERFECT MURDER and not the story, this is intentional, as the story itself is neatly summed up in one sentence--Douglas is a rich financial wiz who's married to an unhappy Paltrow who is happily cheating on him with Mortensen, uses his street smarts to figure out what's going on and then blackmails Mortensen to off wifey for him. The point in this film is not the story itself; rather, it is about style and the way in which it is presented. A PERFECT MURDER scores big on all counts. Michael Douglas is the main soldifying force in this film--it is impossible to think of an actor better suited for the erotic thriller sub-genre than he is; after all, he starred in the film that defined the erotic thriller, FATAL ATTRACTION. Add A PERFECT MURDER to the list.

Andrew Davis, you directed a very competent film with this outing. Viggo Mortensen, with your determination, hard work and those now-famous cheekbones, you've finally left your Leatherface days behind for good. Gwyneth Paltrow, we can't stop watching you. Michael Douglas, well, we love to hate ya!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Another Great Michael Douglas flick
Michael Douglas does it again this time as money hungry buisnessman whos buisness is going down the drain. Gwyneth Paltrow plays his two timing wife who has 100 million dollars at stake and is having an affair with Viggo Mortenson. Douglas finds out and decides to Paltrow killed by Mortenson. After a bad attempt that emotionally scars Paltrow, Douglas kills Mortenson and decides to take matters into his own hands. This powerful thriller is sure to leave you breathless.

A Perfect Murder
Released in VHS Tape by Warner Studios (02 April, 2002)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Andrew Davis
Starring: Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Viggo Mortensen
The husband (Michael Douglas) is a currency trader whose portfolio value is going right down the drain. The wife (Gwyneth Paltrow) is the heiress to a $100 million fortune. The marriage is not a happy one, but the promise of long-term affluence keeps them together. The wife pursues an affair with an artist (Viggo Mortenson) who gives her all the passion she doesn't get at home, and when the husband finds out, well ... someone's going to pay with their life. Who will the unlucky one be? We wouldn't dare spoil the elegant plot twists of this devious thriller, but it's well known that Douglas excels at portraying greedy characters with ice in their veins. Here, it's easy to assume that Douglas has pulled off, as the title implies, a killing that nobody will ever pin on him. But this is the kind of glossy thriller (loosely inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder) that delights in disrupting your expectations, so it grabs your attention right up to the final scene. It's a bit too cold to really draw you in (hey, these are not very nice people we're dealing with here!), but with its able cast and stylish direction by Andrew Davis, this less-than-perfect murder thriller is still definitely worth a look. The widescreen Special Edition DVD includes audio commentary by Michael Douglas, Andrew Davis, and producer Peter McGregor Scott, an alternate ending deleted from the finished film, and sketches by the film's costume designer. --Jeff Shannon
Average review score:

Hateful as a remake, uninteresting as a modern thriller.
Of course, every cinema lover must compare this film with "Dial M for Murder", by Hitckcock. Both are based in a play by Frederick Knott. I don't mind what Hitchcock said -he seemed not particularly happy with that movie of his-: "Dial M for Murder" was excellent as a suspense thriller and a model for theater on the big screen. A very clever plot. Grace Kelly was the victim of her husband, Ray Milland.

But what was really peculiar was precisely the character of Milland, who didn't show any single moment anything but a devilish cold and designing mind. He was a smiling practitioner of murder understood as a fine art, as an intellectual challenge. Instead Douglas in this film is a silly jealous killer with his habitual sour face. We see him even kill with a knife. A bore.

And if we forget the hitchcockian referece? Well, then, an undistinguised film, not very exiting on any account.

Dark and Brooding, This Film Stands Well on its Own
Having never seen the Alfred Hitchcock classic DIAL M FOR MURDER, I have absolutely nothing with which to compare this film, except the slick mystery/suspense thrillers of the 1980's and '90's. In this category, A PERFECT MURDER (1998) ranks among the better ones.

With Michael Douglas at his sordid best, Gwyneth Paltrow in the middle of her breakout year (doing films such as GREAT EXPECTATIONS--another re-make, SLIDING DOORS, HUSH and finally, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, which resulted in a well-deserved Oscar statue for her) and still-rising Viggo Mortensen, the screenplay by Patrick Smith Kelly fits each of these actors' personas so neatly that you would swear the words were written with these actors fully in mind. Add in the lush photograghy, which successfully captures the deep, brooding tone of the film and you've got a real winner here.

Indoor shots in the townhouse where Douglas and Paltrow's characters live reveal tall ceilings and lots of sharp, sinister brown and orange colors. Shots in Mortensen's artist's loft display soft blue-gray hues and wide spaces filled with work (as opposed to the townhouse which is filled solely with material "things"). The dialogue fits each character and remains true. Even with all the twists and turns in the plot (expected in films like this, anyway), the story remains interesting and does not feel contrived.

It's amazing that Warner Bros. waited a full 5 years after this film's initial release to put it out on DVD. I think the wait was well worth it--both the sound and picture quality on this disc are excellent.

If you have noticed that I have only commented on the technical merits of A PERFECT MURDER and not the story, this is intentional, as the story itself is neatly summed up in one sentence--Douglas is a rich financial wiz who's married to an unhappy Paltrow who is happily cheating on him with Mortensen, uses his street smarts to figure out what's going on and then blackmails Mortensen to off wifey for him. The point in this film is not the story itself; rather, it is about style and the way in which it is presented. A PERFECT MURDER scores big on all counts. Michael Douglas is the main soldifying force in this film--it is impossible to think of an actor better suited for the erotic thriller sub-genre than he is; after all, he starred in the film that defined the erotic thriller, FATAL ATTRACTION. Add A PERFECT MURDER to the list.

Andrew Davis, you directed a very competent film with this outing. Viggo Mortensen, with your determination, hard work and those now-famous cheekbones, you've finally left your Leatherface days behind for good. Gwyneth Paltrow, we can't stop watching you. Michael Douglas, well, we love to hate ya!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Another Great Michael Douglas flick
Michael Douglas does it again this time as money hungry buisnessman whos buisness is going down the drain. Gwyneth Paltrow plays his two timing wife who has 100 million dollars at stake and is having an affair with Viggo Mortenson. Douglas finds out and decides to Paltrow killed by Mortenson. After a bad attempt that emotionally scars Paltrow, Douglas kills Mortenson and decides to take matters into his own hands. This powerful thriller is sure to leave you breathless.

A Perfect Murder
Released in VHS Tape by Warner Studios (02 April, 2002)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Andrew Davis
Starring: Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Viggo Mortensen
The husband (Michael Douglas) is a currency trader whose portfolio value is going right down the drain. The wife (Gwyneth Paltrow) is the heiress to a $100 million fortune. The marriage is not a happy one, but the promise of long-term affluence keeps them together. The wife pursues an affair with an artist (Viggo Mortenson) who gives her all the passion she doesn't get at home, and when the husband finds out, well ... someone's going to pay with their life. Who will the unlucky one be? We wouldn't dare spoil the elegant plot twists of this devious thriller, but it's well known that Douglas excels at portraying greedy characters with ice in their veins. Here, it's easy to assume that Douglas has pulled off, as the title implies, a killing that nobody will ever pin on him. But this is the kind of glossy thriller (loosely inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder) that delights in disrupting your expectations, so it grabs your attention right up to the final scene. It's a bit too cold to really draw you in (hey, these are not very nice people we're dealing with here!), but with its able cast and stylish direction by Andrew Davis, this less-than-perfect murder thriller is still definitely worth a look. The widescreen Special Edition DVD includes audio commentary by Michael Douglas, Andrew Davis, and producer Peter McGregor Scott, an alternate ending deleted from the finished film, and sketches by the film's costume designer. --Jeff Shannon
Average review score:

Hateful as a remake, uninteresting as a modern thriller.
Of course, every cinema lover must compare this film with "Dial M for Murder", by Hitckcock. Both are based in a play by Frederick Knott. I don't mind what Hitchcock said -he seemed not particularly happy with that movie of his-: "Dial M for Murder" was excellent as a suspense thriller and a model for theater on the big screen. A very clever plot. Grace Kelly was the victim of her husband, Ray Milland.

But what was really peculiar was precisely the character of Milland, who didn't show any single moment anything but a devilish cold and designing mind. He was a smiling practitioner of murder understood as a fine art, as an intellectual challenge. Instead Douglas in this film is a silly jealous killer with his habitual sour face. We see him even kill with a knife. A bore.

And if we forget the hitchcockian referece? Well, then, an undistinguised film, not very exiting on any account.

Dark and Brooding, This Film Stands Well on its Own
Having never seen the Alfred Hitchcock classic DIAL M FOR MURDER, I have absolutely nothing with which to compare this film, except the slick mystery/suspense thrillers of the 1980's and '90's. In this category, A PERFECT MURDER (1998) ranks among the better ones.

With Michael Douglas at his sordid best, Gwyneth Paltrow in the middle of her breakout year (doing films such as GREAT EXPECTATIONS--another re-make, SLIDING DOORS, HUSH and finally, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, which resulted in a well-deserved Oscar statue for her) and still-rising Viggo Mortensen, the screenplay by Patrick Smith Kelly fits each of these actors' personas so neatly that you would swear the words were written with these actors fully in mind. Add in the lush photograghy, which successfully captures the deep, brooding tone of the film and you've got a real winner here.

Indoor shots in the townhouse where Douglas and Paltrow's characters live reveal tall ceilings and lots of sharp, sinister brown and orange colors. Shots in Mortensen's artist's loft display soft blue-gray hues and wide spaces filled with work (as opposed to the townhouse which is filled solely with material "things"). The dialogue fits each character and remains true. Even with all the twists and turns in the plot (expected in films like this, anyway), the story remains interesting and does not feel contrived.

It's amazing that Warner Bros. waited a full 5 years after this film's initial release to put it out on DVD. I think the wait was well worth it--both the sound and picture quality on this disc are excellent.

If you have noticed that I have only commented on the technical merits of A PERFECT MURDER and not the story, this is intentional, as the story itself is neatly summed up in one sentence--Douglas is a rich financial wiz who's married to an unhappy Paltrow who is happily cheating on him with Mortensen, uses his street smarts to figure out what's going on and then blackmails Mortensen to off wifey for him. The point in this film is not the story itself; rather, it is about style and the way in which it is presented. A PERFECT MURDER scores big on all counts. Michael Douglas is the main soldifying force in this film--it is impossible to think of an actor better suited for the erotic thriller sub-genre than he is; after all, he starred in the film that defined the erotic thriller, FATAL ATTRACTION. Add A PERFECT MURDER to the list.

Andrew Davis, you directed a very competent film with this outing. Viggo Mortensen, with your determination, hard work and those now-famous cheekbones, you've finally left your Leatherface days behind for good. Gwyneth Paltrow, we can't stop watching you. Michael Douglas, well, we love to hate ya!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Another Great Michael Douglas flick
Michael Douglas does it again this time as money hungry buisnessman whos buisness is going down the drain. Gwyneth Paltrow plays his two timing wife who has 100 million dollars at stake and is having an affair with Viggo Mortenson. Douglas finds out and decides to Paltrow killed by Mortenson. After a bad attempt that emotionally scars Paltrow, Douglas kills Mortenson and decides to take matters into his own hands. This powerful thriller is sure to leave you breathless.

A Perfect Murder (Widescreen Edition)
Released in VHS Tape by Warner Studios (04 September, 2001)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Andrew Davis
Starring: Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Viggo Mortensen
The husband (Michael Douglas) is a currency trader whose portfolio value is going right down the drain. The wife (Gwyneth Paltrow) is the heiress to a $100 million fortune. The marriage is not a happy one, but the promise of long-term affluence keeps them together. The wife pursues an affair with an artist (Viggo Mortenson) who gives her all the passion she doesn't get at home, and when the husband finds out, well ... someone's going to pay with their life. Who will the unlucky one be? We wouldn't dare spoil the elegant plot twists of this devious thriller, but it's well known that Douglas excels at portraying greedy characters with ice in their veins. Here, it's easy to assume that Douglas has pulled off, as the title implies, a killing that nobody will ever pin on him. But this is the kind of glossy thriller (loosely inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder) that delights in disrupting your expectations, so it grabs your attention right up to the final scene. It's a bit too cold to really draw you in (hey, these are not very nice people we're dealing with here!), but with its able cast and stylish direction by Andrew Davis, this less-than-perfect murder thriller is still definitely worth a look. The widescreen Special Edition DVD includes audio commentary by Michael Douglas, Andrew Davis, and producer Peter McGregor Scott, an alternate ending deleted from the finished film, and sketches by the film's costume designer. --Jeff Shannon
Average review score:

Hateful as a remake, uninteresting as a modern thriller.
Of course, every cinema lover must compare this film with "Dial M for Murder", by Hitckcock. Both are based in a play by Frederick Knott. I don't mind what Hitchcock said -he seemed not particularly happy with that movie of his-: "Dial M for Murder" was excellent as a suspense thriller and a model for theater on the big screen. A very clever plot. Grace Kelly was the victim of her husband, Ray Milland.

But what was really peculiar was precisely the character of Milland, who didn't show any single moment anything but a devilish cold and designing mind. He was a smiling practitioner of murder understood as a fine art, as an intellectual challenge. Instead Douglas in this film is a silly jealous killer with his habitual sour face. We see him even kill with a knife. A bore.

And if we forget the hitchcockian referece? Well, then, an undistinguised film, not very exiting on any account.

Dark and Brooding, This Film Stands Well on its Own
Having never seen the Alfred Hitchcock classic DIAL M FOR MURDER, I have absolutely nothing with which to compare this film, except the slick mystery/suspense thrillers of the 1980's and '90's. In this category, A PERFECT MURDER (1998) ranks among the better ones.

With Michael Douglas at his sordid best, Gwyneth Paltrow in the middle of her breakout year (doing films such as GREAT EXPECTATIONS--another re-make, SLIDING DOORS, HUSH and finally, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, which resulted in a well-deserved Oscar statue for her) and still-rising Viggo Mortensen, the screenplay by Patrick Smith Kelly fits each of these actors' personas so neatly that you would swear the words were written with these actors fully in mind. Add in the lush photograghy, which successfully captures the deep, brooding tone of the film and you've got a real winner here.

Indoor shots in the townhouse where Douglas and Paltrow's characters live reveal tall ceilings and lots of sharp, sinister brown and orange colors. Shots in Mortensen's artist's loft display soft blue-gray hues and wide spaces filled with work (as opposed to the townhouse which is filled solely with material "things"). The dialogue fits each character and remains true. Even with all the twists and turns in the plot (expected in films like this, anyway), the story remains interesting and does not feel contrived.

It's amazing that Warner Bros. waited a full 5 years after this film's initial release to put it out on DVD. I think the wait was well worth it--both the sound and picture quality on this disc are excellent.

If you have noticed that I have only commented on the technical merits of A PERFECT MURDER and not the story, this is intentional, as the story itself is neatly summed up in one sentence--Douglas is a rich financial wiz who's married to an unhappy Paltrow who is happily cheating on him with Mortensen, uses his street smarts to figure out what's going on and then blackmails Mortensen to off wifey for him. The point in this film is not the story itself; rather, it is about style and the way in which it is presented. A PERFECT MURDER scores big on all counts. Michael Douglas is the main soldifying force in this film--it is impossible to think of an actor better suited for the erotic thriller sub-genre than he is; after all, he starred in the film that defined the erotic thriller, FATAL ATTRACTION. Add A PERFECT MURDER to the list.

Andrew Davis, you directed a very competent film with this outing. Viggo Mortensen, with your determination, hard work and those now-famous cheekbones, you've finally left your Leatherface days behind for good. Gwyneth Paltrow, we can't stop watching you. Michael Douglas, well, we love to hate ya!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Another Great Michael Douglas flick
Michael Douglas does it again this time as money hungry buisnessman whos buisness is going down the drain. Gwyneth Paltrow plays his two timing wife who has 100 million dollars at stake and is having an affair with Viggo Mortenson. Douglas finds out and decides to Paltrow killed by Mortenson. After a bad attempt that emotionally scars Paltrow, Douglas kills Mortenson and decides to take matters into his own hands. This powerful thriller is sure to leave you breathless.

One Night at McCool's
Released in Theatrical Release by (27 April, 2001)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Harald Zwart
Starring: Matt Dillon and Liv Tyler
A giddy attempt to combine a standard film noir plot and a contemporary sex farce about men who (to quote John Hiatt's song) let their little heads do the thinking, One Night at McCool's is a promising comedy that never hits full speed, coasting along amiably enough before spiraling into violence that clashes with its trashy sensibility. It's not as polished as Grosse Pointe Blank, but it's fun enough to recommend, especially for those who drool at the sight of Liv Tyler. The movie begins by suggesting that Liv is sexy, then proceeds to prove it, and then continually insists upon it until you're left with no choice but to wholeheartedly agree. It's an easy choice, but pity the movie's wretched guys for making it.

As bombshell Jewell Valentine, Tyler lures three guys into her criminal scheme of happy homemaking. Bartender Matt Dillon's the first to take the bait; as Dillon's lawyer cousin, Paul Reiser can't resist; and when murder complicates everything, detective John Goodman employs his own love-struck brand of chivalry. Sporting a tacky pompadour, Michael Douglas steals the show as a hit man hired to whack the scheming sexpot--and Andrew Dice Clay is surprisingly funny in a dangerous dual role--but of course Liv can hold her own. It's all quite amusing, but rarely is McCool's as funny as you hope it will be; the dialogue by Stan Seidel (who sadly died before filming completed) is zesty enough but lacks the Coenesque punch that would kick it over the top. It hardly matters, though; with a femme fatale like Liv in control, the movie's faults will be easily forgiven. --Jeff Shannon

Average review score:

An entetaining black comedy.
Mc Cool`s bar was just jumping that night. Randy (Matt Dillon) worked there. His cousin lawyer Carl (Paul Raiser) was there until past closing. Detective Dehling (John Goodman) got there once the bar become a crime scene. Was it the dead body (Andrew Dice Clay) that tied these man together? Not as tightly as the live were who was also there that night. An stunning young woman aptly named Jewel (Liv Tyler). Now Randy wants his life back, by hiring a Hit-Man (Two Time Oscar-Winner:Micheal Douglas).

DVD`s has an clear anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) transfer and an fine Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Included:An running commentary cast by the Director:Harold Zwart and Cast, Deleted Scenes, Different Ending and more. Good comic performances from the cast. An underrated comic gem. Grade:B+.

A night to remember
What happens when you mix together a con man, a con man's twin brother, a bartender,a shrink, a hit-man, a priest, a cop, 2 lawyers and a sultry siren? Well, the result will be something like ONE NIGHT AT McCOOL's. As with any mixed drink of this sort, you may not get what you expect, but you'll leave the bar happy.

If ever there were such a thing as a dark romantic comedy, this would be it. If you think you're getting another couples-friendly run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, you're wrong. Whether that is good or bad depends on the viewer.

The movie features an all-star cast that includes Matt Dillon, Michael Douglas, Paul Reiser and John Goodman. However, the performance that carries the film is that of Liv Tyler as the gorgeous femme fatal who is bad news for everyone. Not only does she possess the physical assets to pull off the part, but she is a bona-fide good actress on top of that. The car wash scene by itself is worth the modest price of the DVD.

The best reason to buy this flick is that it is utterly hilarious. The way it hits on every man's fantasy will be appealing to male viewers, while the fact that it at the same time mocks these fantasies will be something women will find amusing. The film finds humor in rather bizarre situations, but it will nonetheless leave you in stitches.

So, with this in mind, go out and spend a night at McCool's. Stick around awhile and enjoy your drink - it all goes down smooth. Then at the end of the night, click your feet three times and say "There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home." And, by the way, home is where the DVD is...

very funny, very good, made me laugh outsoloud!
this is a surprisingly good and fun movie. got all the elements of a good comedy. i really enjoyed it. i couldn't help but laughed so loud every time there was a joyable twist. i love this moive and love to be a low moral standard guy instead of a pretentious right wing conservative extremist when watching fun movie.

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