Michael-Douglas Movie Reviews

Okay, so maybe most people don't think of it as a Thanksgiving classic, but my family watches it every single year. I will agree with most people that it is a funny movie, but not hilarious. Now maybe it's because I practically know it inside and out. My absolute favorite part is when John Candy and Steve Martin are so desperate to keep traveling that they actually get in the charred remains of the rental car and head down the road. Then when they get pulled over and the officer asks them, "Do you think this is safe?" and John Candy looks straight at him and replies, "Yes, yes I do" with a completely serious face. That gets me every time. The sheer audacity of it is hilarious.

If you've ever had to spend time on the road for business, you know how it feels to just want to get back home, especially for a holiday like Thanksgiving; the family's waiting for you, there'll be a fire in the fireplace and a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. All you have to do is get from here to there. But that's when Murphy's Law concerning best laid plans often comes into play, and the simplest things become obstacles of monumental proportions, which is exactly what happens in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," a comedy of monumental proportions, written and directed by John Hughes. Neal Page (Steve Martin) is in New York on business; it's two days before Thanksgiving and he has a plane waiting to take him back home to Chicago. He has his reservation, and it's not that far to go; but it's a holiday and the weather is chancy, and beginning with the trouble Neal has just getting a cab to take him to the airport, he's about to become mired in frustration as one thing after another thwarts his attempts to get home. Not to worry, however, once on the plane he meets a guy named Del Griffith (John Candy), a showercurtain-ring salesman with all the answers and connections in seemingly every city in the country. Which comes in handy-- or maybe not-- for Neal, when the weather in Chicago forces a closure at the airport and his flight gets diverted to Wichita, Kansas. But that's only the beginning of Neal's problems, because Del Griffith is on the job, and he's the guy to know in a situation like this. Or not. And the next couple of days become a comedy of errors that takes Neal to the edge of sanity and the audience to the edge of hilarity.

An astute student of human nature, John Hughes takes his observations and insights and translates them in this film into a story with which just about anyone is going to be able to identify. We've all been in Neal's situation at one time or another, in one way or another, and if you've lived more than a day on the planet you certainly know a Del Griffith. And Hughes has a way of bringing you into Neal and Del's world so that you are able to share their experience, while at the same time affording you the luxury of being able to observe it all at arm's length, which enables you to see the "big picture" and appreciate the inherent humor of it all. And the bottom line is, this movie is a riot. There's something of the spirit of Jack Lemmon's "The Out-of-Towners" about it, the whole idea of nature seemingly conspiring against the little guy, that keeps the laughs coming; and Hughes couldn't have had anyone better than Martin and Candy to put it across more successfully.

Martin has an inspired way with physical comedy-- he can make walking down the street funny-- and he infuses it with a subtle, underlying sense that something is always going on inside him that's just as funny as what he's showing you. It creates an air of anticipation, and he never fails to deliver on that promise. Like Lemmon, he has the ability to play the ordinary guy in an extraordinary situation in a very real way, and then take it to the limit without going over the top. And when the reserved, inner turmoil finally erupts, it has you laughing until your sides ache. It's Lemmon standing in the middle of the street railing at the city of New York, and Martin confronting a rental car clerk and spelling it out for her in no uncertain terms what he thinks of her, her cars and life in general at that particular moment in time. It's pure humor, and it works so well because there's absolutely nothing mean-spirited in the way it's delivered, which is something for which Martin-- and Lemmon before him-- deserves a nod of appreciation and acknowledgement; it's a fine art that few comic actors are, in fact, able to master.

John Candy, meanwhile, puts his own natural abilities to the test in creating a character in Del that is the antithesis of Neal. And he passes with flying colors. Del is the big, lovable goof who wears his heart on his sleeve and holds nothing back. With Del, what you see is what you get, and there's not a thought that goes through his mind, apparently, that he doesn't feel obliged to share with anyone and everyone who will listen. Everything about Del is externalized to the point of being overwhelming, and yet Candy manages to convey the feeling that even he has something locked away that is for himself alone, and it's that which makes Del a well rounded character and makes him real. Like Martin's, Candy's is a performance that is rich in detail and humanity, which makes Del believable, and a memorable character. Candy was perfect for this part, one that he was seemingly born to play. And he makes the most of it.

The supporting cast includes Laila Robins (Susan), Michael McKean (State Trooper), Dylan Baker (Owen), Edie McClurg (Car Rental Agent) and Charles Tyner (Gus), with cameos by Kevin Bacon and William Windom. More than just a funny movie, but one which exemplifies the "human comedy," "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" is a triumph for Hughes, but more especially for his stars, Martin and Candy, who demonstrate a refined understanding of human nature and behavior through their respective characters that makes this film so endearing, memorable and entertaining. This is one to watch again and again, whenever you're in need of a good laugh or just something to put a smile on your face. This is one that will definitely fill the bill. It's the magic of the movies.

A stellar performance from Steve Martin and the late, great John Candy.

I don't know where that guys doing the Editorial Reviews are coming from, this movie is great!

Steve Martin is stuffy ad executive Neil "I can take anything" Page and John Candy is the bungling but warm-hearted shower-curtain-ring guy (I know what you mean), Del "Extra set of fingers" Griffith. We follow this mismatched pair half way across the States and back again as they encounter one crisis after another. As the title says, our heros travel whatever way they can to get to Chicago- from planes to trains to cars.

One of the funniest scenes is when after Del gets his coat caught behind the driver's seat, panics and sends the car on a tailspin causing him to go the wrong way down the Interstate. We see their car get caught between two semis. During the squeeze, Neil looks and sees Del as the Devil, complete with pitchfork and horns.

In all, this movie is great! You will not be disappointed, that I can promise you because it's "filled with helium, which makes it 10% lighter."

If you haven't seen Goldeneye yet and you like 007 you should get it. Don't read too many of the reviews here because many of them contain spoilers that give away the villain's identity--it was a nice plot twist that came halfway through the movie and, to me, was unexpected.

The digital transfer of the movie is very crisp, if maybe a little bit bluish. I didn't see the theatrical release, so maybe that's how it's supposed to look. The sound is great with understandable dialog and sound effects that aren't artificially bass-heavy. I think this is a good demonstration DVD that merits repeated viewings.

In his first outing as James Bond,Pierce Brosnan does a great job.(he actually looked like he'd been playing Bond for years)As for the movie itself,it is very good.Even though the cold war is over,Bond still finds himself up against the Russians,who have a satellite called Goldeneye that can destroy anything with an electronic circuit.The main villain is former MI6 agent Alec Trevelyn,whom Bond thought had been killed.(in the excellent pre-title sequence)There's a beautiful Bond girl named Natalya Simonova,(she acts a little more independent than past Bond girls)and bad(but beautiful)Bond girl Xenia Onatopp.The title song,sung by Tina Turner was pretty good,and the musical score by Eric Serra was good.There's plenty of action and stunts,(I loved the beginning when Bond bungee jumps off an enormous dam)and lots of gadgets.Overall,it's a great Bond film,and Brosnan does great.

my favortie Bond movie of Brosnan's, though I also liked The World Is Not Enough also, but this one is my fav. with kicking fights between Brosnan and Bean and the ever so [.....] crushing Famke Janssen(man id love to dip her in chocolate). Alan Cumming as Boris is a hoot. Joe Don Baker is in this one but he has a differnt role other then his badguy role in The Living Daylights with Timothy Dalton. Judi Dench as M, Demond Llwellyn as Q, Thcky Karyo as Mishkin, Robbie Coltrane as Valentino and Izabella Scruopo as Natayla also star. look close for Minnie Driver in a cameo as Valentino's singing mistress Mina. this one has great bond moments also, like the train scene, where Bond drops Alec Trevelyn, the beginning when Bean gets shot and the chase scene in the city. hang on to your socks friends. Tina Turner does the song to the main title and its catchy too, got that song stuck in my head for awhile

If you haven't seen Goldeneye yet and you like 007 you should get it. Don't read too many of the reviews here because many of them contain spoilers that give away the villain's identity--it was a nice plot twist that came halfway through the movie and, to me, was unexpected.

The digital transfer of the movie is very crisp, if maybe a little bit bluish. I didn't see the theatrical release, so maybe that's how it's supposed to look. The sound is great with understandable dialog and sound effects that aren't artificially bass-heavy. I think this is a good demonstration DVD that merits repeated viewings.

In his first outing as James Bond,Pierce Brosnan does a great job.(he actually looked like he'd been playing Bond for years)As for the movie itself,it is very good.Even though the cold war is over,Bond still finds himself up against the Russians,who have a satellite called Goldeneye that can destroy anything with an electronic circuit.The main villain is former MI6 agent Alec Trevelyn,whom Bond thought had been killed.(in the excellent pre-title sequence)There's a beautiful Bond girl named Natalya Simonova,(she acts a little more independent than past Bond girls)and bad(but beautiful)Bond girl Xenia Onatopp.The title song,sung by Tina Turner was pretty good,and the musical score by Eric Serra was good.There's plenty of action and stunts,(I loved the beginning when Bond bungee jumps off an enormous dam)and lots of gadgets.Overall,it's a great Bond film,and Brosnan does great.

my favortie Bond movie of Brosnan's, though I also liked The World Is Not Enough also, but this one is my fav. with kicking fights between Brosnan and Bean and the ever so [.....] crushing Famke Janssen(man id love to dip her in chocolate). Alan Cumming as Boris is a hoot. Joe Don Baker is in this one but he has a differnt role other then his badguy role in The Living Daylights with Timothy Dalton. Judi Dench as M, Demond Llwellyn as Q, Thcky Karyo as Mishkin, Robbie Coltrane as Valentino and Izabella Scruopo as Natayla also star. look close for Minnie Driver in a cameo as Valentino's singing mistress Mina. this one has great bond moments also, like the train scene, where Bond drops Alec Trevelyn, the beginning when Bean gets shot and the chase scene in the city. hang on to your socks friends. Tina Turner does the song to the main title and its catchy too, got that song stuck in my head for awhile

If you haven't seen Goldeneye yet and you like 007 you should get it. Don't read too many of the reviews here because many of them contain spoilers that give away the villain's identity--it was a nice plot twist that came halfway through the movie and, to me, was unexpected.

The digital transfer of the movie is very crisp, if maybe a little bit bluish. I didn't see the theatrical release, so maybe that's how it's supposed to look. The sound is great with understandable dialog and sound effects that aren't artificially bass-heavy. I think this is a good demonstration DVD that merits repeated viewings.

In his first outing as James Bond,Pierce Brosnan does a great job.(he actually looked like he'd been playing Bond for years)As for the movie itself,it is very good.Even though the cold war is over,Bond still finds himself up against the Russians,who have a satellite called Goldeneye that can destroy anything with an electronic circuit.The main villain is former MI6 agent Alec Trevelyn,whom Bond thought had been killed.(in the excellent pre-title sequence)There's a beautiful Bond girl named Natalya Simonova,(she acts a little more independent than past Bond girls)and bad(but beautiful)Bond girl Xenia Onatopp.The title song,sung by Tina Turner was pretty good,and the musical score by Eric Serra was good.There's plenty of action and stunts,(I loved the beginning when Bond bungee jumps off an enormous dam)and lots of gadgets.Overall,it's a great Bond film,and Brosnan does great.

my favortie Bond movie of Brosnan's, though I also liked The World Is Not Enough also, but this one is my fav. with kicking fights between Brosnan and Bean and the ever so [.....] crushing Famke Janssen(man id love to dip her in chocolate). Alan Cumming as Boris is a hoot. Joe Don Baker is in this one but he has a differnt role other then his badguy role in The Living Daylights with Timothy Dalton. Judi Dench as M, Demond Llwellyn as Q, Thcky Karyo as Mishkin, Robbie Coltrane as Valentino and Izabella Scruopo as Natayla also star. look close for Minnie Driver in a cameo as Valentino's singing mistress Mina. this one has great bond moments also, like the train scene, where Bond drops Alec Trevelyn, the beginning when Bean gets shot and the chase scene in the city. hang on to your socks friends. Tina Turner does the song to the main title and its catchy too, got that song stuck in my head for awhile

To adapt a four hour play to the screen without cutting a word is an ambitious undertaking. The material that is so often cut actually paints a different portrait of the characters. Polonius is often played as a funny little bufoon, but the material restored for this version shows him to be a vindictive fellah. Still, much of the restored stuff almost seems out of place. Branagh's direction is very theatrical and he again does a good job working with non-Shakespearian actors. It's a star studded cast with a lot to offer. Most notably the wonderful performances of Derek Jacobi as Claudius and Michael Mahoney as Laertes. Kate Winslet is sufficient as Ophelia but I longed for the Helena Bonham Carter portrayal from Mel Gibson's take on the dane. The cast is speckled with superstars like: Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Judi Dench, John Gielgud, Charlton Heston, Brian Blessed and Jack Lemmon. Kenneth Branagh the director uses aggresive and often strange editing as he brings the story to life with amazing production value and his placement of the story in time is pure genius. Patrick Doyle papers the film with regal music scoring, once again adding a musical voice to Branagh's direction. But, the true star of this film is Kenneth Branagh the actor. His portrayal of Hamlet is the most startling to date. His knowledge of the language makes every line 'work', even on a first listen. One of his greatest contributions to the story is his 'youthful' portrayal of the young Hamlet (so often portrayed as a brooding, old man). Branagh, plays up the youth which adds to his characters arc when he finishes a much learned man. HAMLET is a great film, but, if you don't want to sit through a four hour version, check out Laurence Olivier or even Mel Gibson. But, if you have the patience, this is as close to what Will Shakespeare intended (at least through dialogue...) "Good Night, Sweet Prince."

Kenneth Branagh's version of Hamlet combines lush and breathtaking visuals with the complete, unabridged text of Shakespeare's masterpiece. In other versions of Hamlet, such as the ill-cast Mel Gibson film, the play is mistakenly cut down to a "more reasonable" two-hours-or-less atrocity. The unexpurgated method allows for the inclusion of important scenes that, if removed, take away from the overall effect of the drama. Despite its length of more than four hours, the film keeps the viewer entertained until the startling last scene. The stunning visuals can be attributed to the rarely used 70mm film on which the play was captured and the exceptional set design involved. The play is actually done in a 19th century motif, a unique departure from other versions of Hamlet. Impressive costume design add to the remarkable images in the film. The star-studded cast includes Derek Jacobi as Claudius, Kate Winslet as Ophelia, and Branagh, himself, as Hamlet, all parts delivered with brilliant authenticity. Other well known actors such as Robin Williams, Charlton Heston, and Billy Crystal also appear in small, but equally well-implemented roles. Some argue that Branagh's execution of the part was overdone, but it fits perfectly within the film and is, therefore, quite believable. The acting is overall a big plus to the end effect of the film. Beautifully executed in an outstandingly well-calculated manner, Branagh's film made Hamlet more accessible to modern viewers and will certainly remain popular for a long time to come.

I love Kenneth Branagh, and was especially hooked after watching Henry V. Here, with Hamlet, he doesn't succeed in creating the "definitive movie version" (as he did with Henry), but nevertheless creates a solid (and complete!) version that is easily the best out there thus far.

(...)

Anyways, as mentioned above, the movie has distinct flaws that may simply be quibbling. The death scene with Claudius is simply painful - Branagh throws a rapier like a dart and pegs Claudius in the back with it. Admittedly, the film is approached with an opera-like feel (suspension of disbelief is required), but dart-throwing rapier death is probably a bit much. Along the same lines, there is a bizarre blue screen moment that needed to be cut (Hamlet's decision to return to the castle). Also, the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia is made explicit through flashbacks, which while hot, is odd in relation to the play itself, which is filled with innuendo and ambiguity. Much more fun that way, I feel.

Okay, so they're quibbles. However, these are quibbles about key areas of the movie (such as the climax), so I think it merits pointing out. That aside, the acting is (mostly) brilliant, particularly on the part of Derek Jacobi. His Claudius is probably the best I've ever seen; almost outshines Hamlet.

This is a great movie. It's not everything I would have hoped for, but it's by far the best we have right now.

To adapt a four hour play to the screen without cutting a word is an ambitious undertaking. The material that is so often cut actually paints a different portrait of the characters. Polonius is often played as a funny little bufoon, but the material restored for this version shows him to be a vindictive fellah. Still, much of the restored stuff almost seems out of place. Branagh's direction is very theatrical and he again does a good job working with non-Shakespearian actors. It's a star studded cast with a lot to offer. Most notably the wonderful performances of Derek Jacobi as Claudius and Michael Mahoney as Laertes. Kate Winslet is sufficient as Ophelia but I longed for the Helena Bonham Carter portrayal from Mel Gibson's take on the dane. The cast is speckled with superstars like: Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Judi Dench, John Gielgud, Charlton Heston, Brian Blessed and Jack Lemmon. Kenneth Branagh the director uses aggresive and often strange editing as he brings the story to life with amazing production value and his placement of the story in time is pure genius. Patrick Doyle papers the film with regal music scoring, once again adding a musical voice to Branagh's direction. But, the true star of this film is Kenneth Branagh the actor. His portrayal of Hamlet is the most startling to date. His knowledge of the language makes every line 'work', even on a first listen. One of his greatest contributions to the story is his 'youthful' portrayal of the young Hamlet (so often portrayed as a brooding, old man). Branagh, plays up the youth which adds to his characters arc when he finishes a much learned man. HAMLET is a great film, but, if you don't want to sit through a four hour version, check out Laurence Olivier or even Mel Gibson. But, if you have the patience, this is as close to what Will Shakespeare intended (at least through dialogue...) "Good Night, Sweet Prince."

Kenneth Branagh's version of Hamlet combines lush and breathtaking visuals with the complete, unabridged text of Shakespeare's masterpiece. In other versions of Hamlet, such as the ill-cast Mel Gibson film, the play is mistakenly cut down to a "more reasonable" two-hours-or-less atrocity. The unexpurgated method allows for the inclusion of important scenes that, if removed, take away from the overall effect of the drama. Despite its length of more than four hours, the film keeps the viewer entertained until the startling last scene. The stunning visuals can be attributed to the rarely used 70mm film on which the play was captured and the exceptional set design involved. The play is actually done in a 19th century motif, a unique departure from other versions of Hamlet. Impressive costume design add to the remarkable images in the film. The star-studded cast includes Derek Jacobi as Claudius, Kate Winslet as Ophelia, and Branagh, himself, as Hamlet, all parts delivered with brilliant authenticity. Other well known actors such as Robin Williams, Charlton Heston, and Billy Crystal also appear in small, but equally well-implemented roles. Some argue that Branagh's execution of the part was overdone, but it fits perfectly within the film and is, therefore, quite believable. The acting is overall a big plus to the end effect of the film. Beautifully executed in an outstandingly well-calculated manner, Branagh's film made Hamlet more accessible to modern viewers and will certainly remain popular for a long time to come.

I love Kenneth Branagh, and was especially hooked after watching Henry V. Here, with Hamlet, he doesn't succeed in creating the "definitive movie version" (as he did with Henry), but nevertheless creates a solid (and complete!) version that is easily the best out there thus far.

(...)

Anyways, as mentioned above, the movie has distinct flaws that may simply be quibbling. The death scene with Claudius is simply painful - Branagh throws a rapier like a dart and pegs Claudius in the back with it. Admittedly, the film is approached with an opera-like feel (suspension of disbelief is required), but dart-throwing rapier death is probably a bit much. Along the same lines, there is a bizarre blue screen moment that needed to be cut (Hamlet's decision to return to the castle). Also, the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia is made explicit through flashbacks, which while hot, is odd in relation to the play itself, which is filled with innuendo and ambiguity. Much more fun that way, I feel.

Okay, so they're quibbles. However, these are quibbles about key areas of the movie (such as the climax), so I think it merits pointing out. That aside, the acting is (mostly) brilliant, particularly on the part of Derek Jacobi. His Claudius is probably the best I've ever seen; almost outshines Hamlet.

This is a great movie. It's not everything I would have hoped for, but it's by far the best we have right now.

To adapt a four hour play to the screen without cutting a word is an ambitious undertaking. The material that is so often cut actually paints a different portrait of the characters. Polonius is often played as a funny little bufoon, but the material restored for this version shows him to be a vindictive fellah. Still, much of the restored stuff almost seems out of place. Branagh's direction is very theatrical and he again does a good job working with non-Shakespearian actors. It's a star studded cast with a lot to offer. Most notably the wonderful performances of Derek Jacobi as Claudius and Michael Mahoney as Laertes. Kate Winslet is sufficient as Ophelia but I longed for the Helena Bonham Carter portrayal from Mel Gibson's take on the dane. The cast is speckled with superstars like: Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Judi Dench, John Gielgud, Charlton Heston, Brian Blessed and Jack Lemmon. Kenneth Branagh the director uses aggresive and often strange editing as he brings the story to life with amazing production value and his placement of the story in time is pure genius. Patrick Doyle papers the film with regal music scoring, once again adding a musical voice to Branagh's direction. But, the true star of this film is Kenneth Branagh the actor. His portrayal of Hamlet is the most startling to date. His knowledge of the language makes every line 'work', even on a first listen. One of his greatest contributions to the story is his 'youthful' portrayal of the young Hamlet (so often portrayed as a brooding, old man). Branagh, plays up the youth which adds to his characters arc when he finishes a much learned man. HAMLET is a great film, but, if you don't want to sit through a four hour version, check out Laurence Olivier or even Mel Gibson. But, if you have the patience, this is as close to what Will Shakespeare intended (at least through dialogue...) "Good Night, Sweet Prince."

Kenneth Branagh's version of Hamlet combines lush and breathtaking visuals with the complete, unabridged text of Shakespeare's masterpiece. In other versions of Hamlet, such as the ill-cast Mel Gibson film, the play is mistakenly cut down to a "more reasonable" two-hours-or-less atrocity. The unexpurgated method allows for the inclusion of important scenes that, if removed, take away from the overall effect of the drama. Despite its length of more than four hours, the film keeps the viewer entertained until the startling last scene. The stunning visuals can be attributed to the rarely used 70mm film on which the play was captured and the exceptional set design involved. The play is actually done in a 19th century motif, a unique departure from other versions of Hamlet. Impressive costume design add to the remarkable images in the film. The star-studded cast includes Derek Jacobi as Claudius, Kate Winslet as Ophelia, and Branagh, himself, as Hamlet, all parts delivered with brilliant authenticity. Other well known actors such as Robin Williams, Charlton Heston, and Billy Crystal also appear in small, but equally well-implemented roles. Some argue that Branagh's execution of the part was overdone, but it fits perfectly within the film and is, therefore, quite believable. The acting is overall a big plus to the end effect of the film. Beautifully executed in an outstandingly well-calculated manner, Branagh's film made Hamlet more accessible to modern viewers and will certainly remain popular for a long time to come.

I love Kenneth Branagh, and was especially hooked after watching Henry V. Here, with Hamlet, he doesn't succeed in creating the "definitive movie version" (as he did with Henry), but nevertheless creates a solid (and complete!) version that is easily the best out there thus far.

(...)

Anyways, as mentioned above, the movie has distinct flaws that may simply be quibbling. The death scene with Claudius is simply painful - Branagh throws a rapier like a dart and pegs Claudius in the back with it. Admittedly, the film is approached with an opera-like feel (suspension of disbelief is required), but dart-throwing rapier death is probably a bit much. Along the same lines, there is a bizarre blue screen moment that needed to be cut (Hamlet's decision to return to the castle). Also, the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia is made explicit through flashbacks, which while hot, is odd in relation to the play itself, which is filled with innuendo and ambiguity. Much more fun that way, I feel.

Okay, so they're quibbles. However, these are quibbles about key areas of the movie (such as the climax), so I think it merits pointing out. That aside, the acting is (mostly) brilliant, particularly on the part of Derek Jacobi. His Claudius is probably the best I've ever seen; almost outshines Hamlet.

This is a great movie. It's not everything I would have hoped for, but it's by far the best we have right now.

THE GAME is definitely a director's movie. David Fincher (Seven, Panic Room, Fight Club) propels us into the nightmarish world of Michael Douglas' Scroogish investment banker. Nicholas is cold; lonely; bearing a lot of anguish over the suicide of his father, the seeming failure of his brother (Sean Penn in a rather small role, almost overacting, but tolerable). What in this movie is real and what is a game? The use of news commentator Daniel Schorr to set the rules for Douglas is very good, and unique. Deborah Kara Unger fills the role of Christine nicely, although sometimes she seems in a vague fog. Peter Donat as Douglas' lawyer is sturdy; James Rebhorn as the smarmy employee of CRS is also good.
The movie rests on Douglas' shoulders and thought it may be a combination of his other roles, he still does a commendable job in carrying the movie. It is bizarre, nightmarish, ominous and a director's triumph. Some of the things that go on toward the end of the movie and stretch the credibility factor, but I can't divulge those without spoiling the ending.
A good film, inventive and well done.

Sadly Sean Penn is in this one and it's the type of movie that you can only see once cause the ending ruins it for everyone.
There's a rich old bastard who has no friends and he must play "the game" in order to figure out his life. If it was only this easy.

I knew this movie had to be great before I even watched it because it is made by an excellent director and it is played by at least two wonderful actors.Michael Douglas and Sean Penn are brothers (lol) and Douglas plays the role of an unhappy businessman, anyways the movie starts with Douglas's birthday and it's then when he receives a mysterious present from his brother - so what he gets is a enrollement in CRS (Consumer Recreation Services) - a company which creates real life games for each individual.But as the game starts Douglas has every reason to get concerned about his wealth and his life as well.
A nail-bitting movie.

Please watch it or own it so you can play "The Game" to your guests. It's a great movie.

This is one interesting, thrilling film. It's definitley one of those films that you'll think about afterwards. Michael Douglas stars as a rich man(again?!), who is having his birthday. He's now at the age his father was when he comitted suicide. Sean Penn pops up as his brother, who offers him an interesting birthday present that needs him to play 'the game'. Before Michael knows it, the game is on and he doesn't know what's going on, what to do, or where to go. Along the way he hooks up with a waitress(Deborah Unger)who gets involved with him and this serious 'game'. There are twists and turns in this movie that are set up and executed very, very well. There are things that the audience won't expect. Douglas is very good when he gets to play icy millionaires. You can thank "Wall Street" for that. He is at his best here. Sean Penn does what he can with a pretty small role. Director David Fincher brings a moody, captivating presence to the film. This is a very good movie that will grab hold of your attention and not let it go until the very end.

Less than a full year before A PERFECT MURDER (1998) was released, Michael Douglas starred in THE GAME (1997), which is not simply a Michael Douglas movie, it's a David Fincher film-and you know what that means! From a screenplay by John D. Brancato & Michael Ferris, THE GAME is classic Fincher: dark, mysterious and with a constant sense of brooding danger in which lets you know that somehow, somewhere, something is not quite kosher.

In THE GAME, Douglas is Nicholas Van Orton; a man of great wealth and power and totally devoid of any human compassion (as evidenced by the cold and callous way in which he fires a longtime employee). If this sounds like Gordon Gekko to you, it's because Michael Douglas, at this stage in his career, plays cold callousness like no one else. Call it typecasting; I call it brilliant acting ability and being smart enough to stick with what works. However, Gordon Gekko in the legendary Oliver Stone-directed WALL STREET (1987) didn't have a younger brother; Nicholas Van Orton does. On Nick's 48th birthday (the same age at which his father died, hint hint), his black-sheep-of-the-family brother Conrad, as brilliantly played by Sean Penn, visits him in his sprawling, cherry-wood office and hands his older sibling his birthday present: a business card with the name Consumer Recreation Services (CRS) on it. "What is this," Nicholas cynically asks. The sly answer given by Penn is one of my favorite lines in the film, and one that tells us that his elder bro's life will never be the same, once he begins to play THE GAME.

Along the way, Nicholas Van Orton encounters CRS and its primary spokesman (or so he thinks) Jim Feingold (played with disarming confidence by character actor James Rebhorn), a mouthy cocktail waitress (Deborah Kara Unger) who seems to hold the secret to THE GAME, and a spooky-looking full-size inanimate clown who appears to watch everything he does. Also along the way are near-brushes with death that culminate with Conrad Van Orton's tearful admission that he "didn't know what the $#@! he had gotten them into" when he had signed his brother up for THE GAME. But that's still just the beginning...

Everyone is superbly cast in this film, including BABY DOLL (1956) herself, Carroll Baker, and the always-watchable Armin Mueller-Stahl. But the real star here is David Fincher; he is so adept at guiding us down a labyrinthic path of which only he knows the end, that all we can do is hang on and enjoy the rollercoaster ride on which he breathlessly takes us. He primarily relies on small, subtle signs of foreboding to generate suspense, as opposed to full-blown violence and gore. Although this is one of those films that relies on first-time viewers' lack of knowledge of what to expect, and thusly loses something on repeated viewings, it is still a very good film to re-visit on occasion, if only to experience Fincher's unique style (this film and A PERFECT MURDER are miles apart in this respect, believe me), Douglas and Penn's acting and the production values, which are first-rate.

See and experience THE GAME for yourself.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

THE GAME is definitely a director's movie. David Fincher (Seven, Panic Room, Fight Club) propels us into the nightmarish world of Michael Douglas' Scroogish investment banker. Nicholas is cold; lonely; bearing a lot of anguish over the suicide of his father, the seeming failure of his brother (Sean Penn in a rather small role, almost overacting, but tolerable). What in this movie is real and what is a game? The use of news commentator Daniel Schorr to set the rules for Douglas is very good, and unique. Deborah Kara Unger fills the role of Christine nicely, although sometimes she seems in a vague fog. Peter Donat as Douglas' lawyer is sturdy; James Rebhorn as the smarmy employee of CRS is also good.
The movie rests on Douglas' shoulders and thought it may be a combination of his other roles, he still does a commendable job in carrying the movie. It is bizarre, nightmarish, ominous and a director's triumph. Some of the things that go on toward the end of the movie and stretch the credibility factor, but I can't divulge those without spoiling the ending.
A good film, inventive and well done.

This is one interesting, thrilling film. It's definitley one of those films that you'll think about afterwards. Michael Douglas stars as a rich man(again?!), who is having his birthday. He's now at the age his father was when he comitted suicide. Sean Penn pops up as his brother, who offers him an interesting birthday present that needs him to play 'the game'. Before Michael knows it, the game is on and he doesn't know what's going on, what to do, or where to go. Along the way he hooks up with a waitress(Deborah Unger)who gets involved with him and this serious 'game'. There are twists and turns in this movie that are set up and executed very, very well. There are things that the audience won't expect. Douglas is very good when he gets to play icy millionaires. You can thank "Wall Street" for that. He is at his best here. Sean Penn does what he can with a pretty small role. Director David Fincher brings a moody, captivating presence to the film. This is a very good movie that will grab hold of your attention and not let it go until the very end.

Less than a full year before A PERFECT MURDER (1998) was released, Michael Douglas starred in THE GAME (1997), which is not simply a Michael Douglas movie, it's a David Fincher film-and you know what that means! From a screenplay by John D. Brancato & Michael Ferris, THE GAME is classic Fincher: dark, mysterious and with a constant sense of brooding danger in which lets you know that somehow, somewhere, something is not quite kosher.

In THE GAME, Douglas is Nicholas Van Orton; a man of great wealth and power and totally devoid of any human compassion (as evidenced by the cold and callous way in which he fires a longtime employee). If this sounds like Gordon Gekko to you, it's because Michael Douglas, at this stage in his career, plays cold callousness like no one else. Call it typecasting; I call it brilliant acting ability and being smart enough to stick with what works. However, Gordon Gekko in the legendary Oliver Stone-directed WALL STREET (1987) didn't have a younger brother; Nicholas Van Orton does. On Nick's 48th birthday (the same age at which his father died, hint hint), his black-sheep-of-the-family brother Conrad, as brilliantly played by Sean Penn, visits him in his sprawling, cherry-wood office and hands his older sibling his birthday present: a business card with the name Consumer Recreation Services (CRS) on it. "What is this," Nicholas cynically asks. The sly answer given by Penn is one of my favorite lines in the film, and one that tells us that his elder bro's life will never be the same, once he begins to play THE GAME.

Along the way, Nicholas Van Orton encounters CRS and its primary spokesman (or so he thinks) Jim Feingold (played with disarming confidence by character actor James Rebhorn), a mouthy cocktail waitress (Deborah Kara Unger) who seems to hold the secret to THE GAME, and a spooky-looking full-size inanimate clown who appears to watch everything he does. Also along the way are near-brushes with death that culminate with Conrad Van Orton's tearful admission that he "didn't know what the $#@! he had gotten them into" when he had signed his brother up for THE GAME. But that's still just the beginning...

Everyone is superbly cast in this film, including BABY DOLL (1956) herself, Carroll Baker, and the always-watchable Armin Mueller-Stahl. But the real star here is David Fincher; he is so adept at guiding us down a labyrinthic path of which only he knows the end, that all we can do is hang on and enjoy the rollercoaster ride on which he breathlessly takes us. He primarily relies on small, subtle signs of foreboding to generate suspense, as opposed to full-blown violence and gore. Although this is one of those films that relies on first-time viewers' lack of knowledge of what to expect, and thusly loses something on repeated viewings, it is still a very good film to re-visit on occasion, if only to experience Fincher's unique style (this film and A PERFECT MURDER are miles apart in this respect, believe me), Douglas and Penn's acting and the production values, which are first-rate.

See and experience THE GAME for yourself.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

THE GAME is definitely a director's movie. David Fincher (Seven, Panic Room, Fight Club) propels us into the nightmarish world of Michael Douglas' Scroogish investment banker. Nicholas is cold; lonely; bearing a lot of anguish over the suicide of his father, the seeming failure of his brother (Sean Penn in a rather small role, almost overacting, but tolerable). What in this movie is real and what is a game? The use of news commentator Daniel Schorr to set the rules for Douglas is very good, and unique. Deborah Kara Unger fills the role of Christine nicely, although sometimes she seems in a vague fog. Peter Donat as Douglas' lawyer is sturdy; James Rebhorn as the smarmy employee of CRS is also good.
The movie rests on Douglas' shoulders and thought it may be a combination of his other roles, he still does a commendable job in carrying the movie. It is bizarre, nightmarish, ominous and a director's triumph. Some of the things that go on toward the end of the movie and stretch the credibility factor, but I can't divulge those without spoiling the ending.
A good film, inventive and well done.