Michael-J.-Fox Movie Reviews

I can overlook the fact that Barbara Streisand is 20 years too young for the role of Dolly Levi; after all, Striesand works wonders with the show's songs and plays her scenes with enjoyable comic flair. What I cannot overlook is the fact that the script could have been rewritten to accomodate the age change and it wasn't--and that's only the beginning in this movie that has a bigger budget than good sense.

The stage version of HELLO, DOLLY was actually a mid-size musical--but when the property went Hollywood a ton of money was poured into the film, and the result is a movie so determined to be BIG and FLASHY and LOUD that it cramed extras, chorus boys, period furniture, and every other expensive and unnecessary thing you can imagine into every square inch it could find. As a result the whole thing feels about as light and airy and fun as Hoover Dam, and neither Gene Kelly's direction nor his skilled cast can hold it up.

The overall cast is pretty good and they all play rather well together. As previously noted, Streisand gives a truly wonderful turn as Dolly Levi; Matthau is quite funny in an appropriately grumpy way; and all the supporting actors are well cast. Although the choreography leaves a lot to be desired, the musical numbers are very entertaining, and Barbara and company occasionally manage to create one or two memorable moments--Louis Armstrong's cameo appearance among them. But the film itself is awkward, clumsy and over-done. I can't help but think that it would have been a much better film if they had hired a good writer to resolve the age issue--and then cut the budget by about half and relied more upon imagination and creativity than upon bucks.

--GFT (Amazon.com Reviewer)--

"Hello Dolly!" is the elphantine musical film based on the long running stage play that in 1969 failed miserably to find its audience at the the box office. Directed by legendary song and dance man, Gene Kelly and featuring the meticulous choreography of Gower Champion, this is a big, brassy, spectacular production, the likes of which we aren't likely to ever see again. Barbra Streisand plays Dolly Levi, a matchmaker whose heart is set on landing stuffy hay and feed owner, Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau). The off camera bickering between the two co-stars may have been legendary, but none of it shows up on the screen. Streisand and Matthau are ably assisted by Marianne McAndrews, Michael Crawford, Tommy Tune and the incomparable, Louis Armstrong. Removed from all the angst, hype and negative publicity that branded musicals box office poison from about 1959 onward, "Hello Dolly!" emerges as one of the best of the genre, an outstanding, tune filled epic production that never fails to entertain!
FOX VIDEO has given us a handsome looking DVD. Colors are rich, bold, vibrant and extremely well balanced. Black and contrast levels are only slightly on the weak side but adjusting one's television contrast and brightness fixes this right up. There is NO EDGE ENHANCEMENT, ALIASING or PIXELIZATION or FILM GRAIN or AGE RELATED ARTIFACTS for a visual presentation that is as smooth as the plot. The soundtrack has been remixed to 5.1 surround but suffers slightly from a muffled characteristic, perhaps because of noise reduction equipment used in the remastering effort. Still, most of the film has a crisp, clean and not overly bright sound to it that, while dated, nevertheless is easy on the ears.
EXTRAS: A Theatrical Trailer. That's it.
BOTTOM LINE: I should fault Fox for given us no extras but with the film looking as though it were shot last week I have to stop myself and just proclaim, "Well done!" An absolute must for your DVD library!

I put the dvd in and said to myself.they did a lousy job here...usually the graphics are high tech etc............the movie started to play and the colors vibrantly bought back the memories of the Christmas day I sat in the movie theater and was mesmorized by Streisand's voice , the costumes intricately designed.but no sing along subtitles.well i know the words anywho!!!

BUY this DVD.the widescreen picture is phenomenal

Here is a film that has some of the most wonderous sights I have seen in any film. TOYS creates a world of a toy factory that is so wonderful, so imaginative, that you wonder how this movie could possibly have gone wrong. Barry Levinson had this film in mind since before he did DINER, and he found his main star in Robin Williams after they worked on GOOD MORNING VIETNAM. It is obvious what he wants to accomplish. To show us a fantasy world that couldn't exist but that you would love it if it did, that only innocence should prevail in the world of toys. He accomplishes the first half with exuberance. He is aided by three absolutely wonderful performances: Robin Williams, Joan Cusack, and Robin Wright Penn. But he comes to a conclusion that is not only confusing but really bizarre.

Robin Williams is Leslie Zevo. His father is Kenneth Zevo, founder of Zevo Toys, a factory that doesn't so much exist in a town but in the middle of its own world. Zevo is old and dying and played by the legendary Donald O'Connor. (His funeral scene creates a nice little laugh until I remembered that O'Connor himself passed away a few months ago.) Kenneth Zevo must hand over control of his factory, but feels that his son Leslie isn't ready for this job. And his daughter Al-Sashia (Joan Cusack) isn't, well you find out at the end of the film. So he turns the factory over to his brother General Zevo (Michael Gambon) of the U.S. Army.

General Zevo clearly doesn't want the job, but the Army isn't the way he remembers it. He is the kind of soldier who would shoot a fly with his .45 sidearm instead of using a fly swatter. That creates a nice laugh, but in a really funny scene he goes to visit his father, who never tires of humiliating hiis son by showing how he outranks him. What to do? He tours the factory in a sequence that demonstrates again and again the visual wonder of this world. But this isn't his world. He begins to think that there may be a market in the world of war toys, but Willaims and everyone else at the company feels that it isn't the company's style.

General Zevo comes up with an idea. The only reason I can reveal this idea is to explain how the film goes off the rails. The company will manufacture miniature toys armed with real bullets, missiles, and bombs. They will be controlled by children who think they are playing videogames and scoring points. When his scheme is discovered by Williams and Cusack they find themselves running through the factory pursued by the miniature war toys. Bullets are soon flying, explosions are going off, and everything leads to a battle between the evil war toys and the old innocent wind-up toys. It is here when my heart started to really sink. Why couldn't Barry Levinson come up with a more imaginative solution to stop the General than having innocent toys attack (and be blown to pieces) by war toys? Surely a movie with such imaginative setting could give us a payoff just as imaginative, couldn't it?

Robin Williams was born to play this character. He is so convincing as a man who never seemed to grow up. Again and again he uses his gift for verbal improvisation that for once doesn't stop a film dead in its tracks. Joan Cusack displays a charming innocence that many times I don't always see. At the end the secret of who her character really is doesn't come across as a surprise. And there's a nice sweet romance between Williams and Robin Wright Penn as a new employee. And all during the opening, first act, and middle, is that wonderful look. The production designer Ferdinand Scafforeili was nominated for an Academy Award, and perhaps should have received a special achievement for it.

So, TOYS has a magnificent extravagant look, terrific performances, and even some really sweet and delightful music (especially the opening song). But it doesn't have an imaginative conclusion or a good third act. I guess I will recommend this film. Its good qualities really are the price of admission. But ask yourself, what was that ending all about?

Robin Williams adds charm to any movie hes in. TOYS is no exception. The sets are surreal, the music is hip and original, and the cast is well selected. Joan Cusack, LL Cool J doing what he should be instead of signing, and others. The movie is rather deep in theme as it tells the story of good against evil. However, knee-slapping humor is impecably weaved through every potentially boring scene. A lover of poetic justice and plain old fun movies will enjoy TOYS.

I was quite surprised to see 48 reviews for this obscure movie. I know it is a "love it or hate it" film, but I have to admit I am in the former group. I first saw this movie while spending the night in a hotel in Garmisch, Germany; and I was so drawn into it I put off dinner (hard for me to do with the excellent food in Germany) until it was over. I can understand why a lot of people are disappointed with this movie, it isn't the normal Robin Williams performance. If you are expecting 'Mork and Mindy' then go rent 'Mrs Doubtfire.' I am sure some are appalled over the fact that there is a message in this movie as well, we want to see robin act like the clown prince, not tell us that violent toys are bad! However, if you can get past those two points, you are in for one of the best abstract movies of the past decade. I am glad a majority of the reviews are in favor of this movie, it may not have made a lot of money at the box office but it is cinematic art.

Fun yet serious romantic comedy. . . Douglas is great. Benning is cunning, captivating, and beautiful. Martin Sheen is great in his supporting role. Michael J. Fox is always a plus in a movie.

The movie is about president who lost his wife, who falls for a environmental lobbyist. The struggle comes from Richard Dryfus's character "Bob Rumpsfeld" (bad nomanclature). He finds out that this woman is an extreme left lobbyist. He uses this to throw stones at the president, who he is trying to defeat in the coming election. The presidential staff characters are wonderfully acted and fun to watch. The interaction in the staff is Golden.

People should look at this movie as a movie, not a political statement. Of course the movie has liberal themes. When a filmmaker makes a movie, the audience is what he/she is working to please. It is hard to romanticize a conservative agenda. This movie's target audience is women(Even thought I love it). Do you think a woman is going to want a watch a romantic dramedy with a central theme of business, welfare reform, or maybe even limiting awards in malpractice suits? NO, of course not. I am a conservative, and I don't want to watch a romanitic comedy about my agenda. Two things that are heart felt issues on both sides of the isle are the environment and gun control. They use these issues because they are common and good plot points, and are easily dramatized. They are not the central theme of the movie.

Overall, the movie is quality. It is a movie that I never get tired of watching.

This is an all time favorite of mine and absolutely guaranteed to lift my spirits each time I watch it.

Michael Douglas plays somewhat against his usual type as a likeable, widowed, well-meaning single father who is also the President of the United States, Andrew Shepherd. He becomes romantically interested in an environmental lobbyist, Sidney Ellen Wade (Annette Benning) which turns out to cause a lot of problems for both of them.

These two high-powered actors manage to humanize their characters into ordinary, likable people who are just trying to fall in love despite unbelievable opulence of surroundings, ugly political maneuvering and living inside a media fishbowl of publicity. Along the way, there are plenty of funny, heartwarming moments including a couple of very funny telephone calls. (Imagine what YOU would do if you suddenly received a call from someone who claimed to be the President of the United States)

David Paymer, Michael J. Fox and Martin Sheen are excellent in their supporting roles as advisors to the President and Shawna Waldron is wonderful as the 1st daughter.

If you love humorous dialog, beautiful, nearly fairy-tale settings and happy endings, be sure to see this movie. You won't be disappointed.

Rob Reiner's 1995 film, "The American President", is one of my favorite movies.

Michael Douglas' realistic portrayal of the title character [President Andrew Shepherd] is a refreshingly-different change for Mr. Douglas, from his earlier rather--shall we say--steamy roles in "Fatal Attraction" (1987), "Basic Instinct" (1992), and "Disclosure" (1994).

Annette Bening also shines brightly here--as Douglas' love interest.

Written by "The West Wing's" Aaron Sorkin, it's nearly impossible to watch this movie today and not notice the similarities between Sorkin's work on the film and the excellent NBC-TV program it spawned.

Several of the actors in the film went on to star in the TV series as well, including Martin Sheen, Joshua Malina, and Anna Deavere Smith.

Mr. Sorkin is one heck of a writer. And he wrote an impressive movie in "The American President".

Unfortunately, there's no "Making Of" type of materials included on the DVD. We get a trailer for the film, plus some production and bio (text) notes, but nothing more in the way of bonuses. (Perhaps a "Special Edition" DVD Edition will some day surface. That'd be sweet indeed.)

While it's certainly true that the picture quality on this non-anamorphic Warner Brothers DVD-Video is far from being perfect....I still think it's in a highly-watchable condition. Sure, we get the usual amount of "jaggies" and blurred images of stuff in the background inherent to an image that's not been enhanced for 16x9 televisions. But I don't really think it's the worst DVD transfer ever to come along either. Of course, mileage will vary. Everyone has their own definition of "bad".

The soundtrack, on the other hand, seems quite robust and nice. There's a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track on this disc.

"The American President" is presented here in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. I've seen information elsewhere that claims this DVD presents the movie in a 1.85:1 ratio, which is inaccurate. So don't be fooled, it's definitely shown here in its full w-i-d-e "scope" ratio of 2.35:1.

This is a fresh, funny, smart, sassy, intelligent film, no matter if it's your first time seeing it, or your hundreth. Despite a less-than-stellar video transfer, I'd still recommend every DVD collector pick this baby up right now!

"You think there's an assassin waiting in the flower shop just in the off-chance I might be stopping by?" -- President Shepherd

LOL! *wink*

Fun yet serious romantic comedy. . . Douglas is great. Benning is cunning, captivating, and beautiful. Martin Sheen is great in his supporting role. Michael J. Fox is always a plus in a movie.

The movie is about president who lost his wife, who falls for a environmental lobbyist. The struggle comes from Richard Dryfus's character "Bob Rumpsfeld" (bad nomanclature). He finds out that this woman is an extreme left lobbyist. He uses this to throw stones at the president, who he is trying to defeat in the coming election. The presidential staff characters are wonderfully acted and fun to watch. The interaction in the staff is Golden.

People should look at this movie as a movie, not a political statement. Of course the movie has liberal themes. When a filmmaker makes a movie, the audience is what he/she is working to please. It is hard to romanticize a conservative agenda. This movie's target audience is women(Even thought I love it). Do you think a woman is going to want a watch a romantic dramedy with a central theme of business, welfare reform, or maybe even limiting awards in malpractice suits? NO, of course not. I am a conservative, and I don't want to watch a romanitic comedy about my agenda. Two things that are heart felt issues on both sides of the isle are the environment and gun control. They use these issues because they are common and good plot points, and are easily dramatized. They are not the central theme of the movie.

Overall, the movie is quality. It is a movie that I never get tired of watching.

This is an all time favorite of mine and absolutely guaranteed to lift my spirits each time I watch it.

Michael Douglas plays somewhat against his usual type as a likeable, widowed, well-meaning single father who is also the President of the United States, Andrew Shepherd. He becomes romantically interested in an environmental lobbyist, Sidney Ellen Wade (Annette Benning) which turns out to cause a lot of problems for both of them.

These two high-powered actors manage to humanize their characters into ordinary, likable people who are just trying to fall in love despite unbelievable opulence of surroundings, ugly political maneuvering and living inside a media fishbowl of publicity. Along the way, there are plenty of funny, heartwarming moments including a couple of very funny telephone calls. (Imagine what YOU would do if you suddenly received a call from someone who claimed to be the President of the United States)

David Paymer, Michael J. Fox and Martin Sheen are excellent in their supporting roles as advisors to the President and Shawna Waldron is wonderful as the 1st daughter.

If you love humorous dialog, beautiful, nearly fairy-tale settings and happy endings, be sure to see this movie. You won't be disappointed.

Rob Reiner's 1995 film, "The American President", is one of my favorite movies.

Michael Douglas' realistic portrayal of the title character [President Andrew Shepherd] is a refreshingly-different change for Mr. Douglas, from his earlier rather--shall we say--steamy roles in "Fatal Attraction" (1987), "Basic Instinct" (1992), and "Disclosure" (1994).

Annette Bening also shines brightly here--as Douglas' love interest.

Written by "The West Wing's" Aaron Sorkin, it's nearly impossible to watch this movie today and not notice the similarities between Sorkin's work on the film and the excellent NBC-TV program it spawned.

Several of the actors in the film went on to star in the TV series as well, including Martin Sheen, Joshua Malina, and Anna Deavere Smith.

Mr. Sorkin is one heck of a writer. And he wrote an impressive movie in "The American President".

Unfortunately, there's no "Making Of" type of materials included on the DVD. We get a trailer for the film, plus some production and bio (text) notes, but nothing more in the way of bonuses. (Perhaps a "Special Edition" DVD Edition will some day surface. That'd be sweet indeed.)

While it's certainly true that the picture quality on this non-anamorphic Warner Brothers DVD-Video is far from being perfect....I still think it's in a highly-watchable condition. Sure, we get the usual amount of "jaggies" and blurred images of stuff in the background inherent to an image that's not been enhanced for 16x9 televisions. But I don't really think it's the worst DVD transfer ever to come along either. Of course, mileage will vary. Everyone has their own definition of "bad".

The soundtrack, on the other hand, seems quite robust and nice. There's a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track on this disc.

"The American President" is presented here in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. I've seen information elsewhere that claims this DVD presents the movie in a 1.85:1 ratio, which is inaccurate. So don't be fooled, it's definitely shown here in its full w-i-d-e "scope" ratio of 2.35:1.

This is a fresh, funny, smart, sassy, intelligent film, no matter if it's your first time seeing it, or your hundreth. Despite a less-than-stellar video transfer, I'd still recommend every DVD collector pick this baby up right now!

"You think there's an assassin waiting in the flower shop just in the off-chance I might be stopping by?" -- President Shepherd

LOL! *wink*

Fun yet serious romantic comedy. . . Douglas is great. Benning is cunning, captivating, and beautiful. Martin Sheen is great in his supporting role. Michael J. Fox is always a plus in a movie.

The movie is about president who lost his wife, who falls for a environmental lobbyist. The struggle comes from Richard Dryfus's character "Bob Rumpsfeld" (bad nomanclature). He finds out that this woman is an extreme left lobbyist. He uses this to throw stones at the president, who he is trying to defeat in the coming election. The presidential staff characters are wonderfully acted and fun to watch. The interaction in the staff is Golden.

People should look at this movie as a movie, not a political statement. Of course the movie has liberal themes. When a filmmaker makes a movie, the audience is what he/she is working to please. It is hard to romanticize a conservative agenda. This movie's target audience is women(Even thought I love it). Do you think a woman is going to want a watch a romantic dramedy with a central theme of business, welfare reform, or maybe even limiting awards in malpractice suits? NO, of course not. I am a conservative, and I don't want to watch a romanitic comedy about my agenda. Two things that are heart felt issues on both sides of the isle are the environment and gun control. They use these issues because they are common and good plot points, and are easily dramatized. They are not the central theme of the movie.

Overall, the movie is quality. It is a movie that I never get tired of watching.

This is an all time favorite of mine and absolutely guaranteed to lift my spirits each time I watch it.

Michael Douglas plays somewhat against his usual type as a likeable, widowed, well-meaning single father who is also the President of the United States, Andrew Shepherd. He becomes romantically interested in an environmental lobbyist, Sidney Ellen Wade (Annette Benning) which turns out to cause a lot of problems for both of them.

These two high-powered actors manage to humanize their characters into ordinary, likable people who are just trying to fall in love despite unbelievable opulence of surroundings, ugly political maneuvering and living inside a media fishbowl of publicity. Along the way, there are plenty of funny, heartwarming moments including a couple of very funny telephone calls. (Imagine what YOU would do if you suddenly received a call from someone who claimed to be the President of the United States)

David Paymer, Michael J. Fox and Martin Sheen are excellent in their supporting roles as advisors to the President and Shawna Waldron is wonderful as the 1st daughter.

If you love humorous dialog, beautiful, nearly fairy-tale settings and happy endings, be sure to see this movie. You won't be disappointed.

Rob Reiner's 1995 film, "The American President", is one of my favorite movies.

Michael Douglas' realistic portrayal of the title character [President Andrew Shepherd] is a refreshingly-different change for Mr. Douglas, from his earlier rather--shall we say--steamy roles in "Fatal Attraction" (1987), "Basic Instinct" (1992), and "Disclosure" (1994).

Annette Bening also shines brightly here--as Douglas' love interest.

Written by "The West Wing's" Aaron Sorkin, it's nearly impossible to watch this movie today and not notice the similarities between Sorkin's work on the film and the excellent NBC-TV program it spawned.

Several of the actors in the film went on to star in the TV series as well, including Martin Sheen, Joshua Malina, and Anna Deavere Smith.

Mr. Sorkin is one heck of a writer. And he wrote an impressive movie in "The American President".

Unfortunately, there's no "Making Of" type of materials included on the DVD. We get a trailer for the film, plus some production and bio (text) notes, but nothing more in the way of bonuses. (Perhaps a "Special Edition" DVD Edition will some day surface. That'd be sweet indeed.)

While it's certainly true that the picture quality on this non-anamorphic Warner Brothers DVD-Video is far from being perfect....I still think it's in a highly-watchable condition. Sure, we get the usual amount of "jaggies" and blurred images of stuff in the background inherent to an image that's not been enhanced for 16x9 televisions. But I don't really think it's the worst DVD transfer ever to come along either. Of course, mileage will vary. Everyone has their own definition of "bad".

The soundtrack, on the other hand, seems quite robust and nice. There's a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track on this disc.

"The American President" is presented here in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. I've seen information elsewhere that claims this DVD presents the movie in a 1.85:1 ratio, which is inaccurate. So don't be fooled, it's definitely shown here in its full w-i-d-e "scope" ratio of 2.35:1.

This is a fresh, funny, smart, sassy, intelligent film, no matter if it's your first time seeing it, or your hundreth. Despite a less-than-stellar video transfer, I'd still recommend every DVD collector pick this baby up right now!

"You think there's an assassin waiting in the flower shop just in the off-chance I might be stopping by?" -- President Shepherd

LOL! *wink*

This 1989 sequel follows up immediatley where the 1985 original left off. The team of Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas Wilson, and Robert Zemeckis return. In this dizzying, and visually brilliant and stunning follow up, Marty McFly(Fox) and Doc Brown(Lloyd)travel into the future(complete with flying cars) to save Marty's out of control son from going to jail. They head back to 1985 after they are done, and something has gone terribly wrong. 1985 wasn't the same 1985 they had left. Everything is different. Marty's dad is dead and his mom is married to Biff, who's a big casino owner. Marty and Doc realize what the problem is, and what caused it, and set out to right the wrong to make everything right again in the past. Am I making sense?. I'm starting to confuse myself. Lol. The effects are dazzling and total eye candy. The flying hoverboard sequence is great. The set design and clothes are all well done for the future scenes. Some people complain that this movie had too much going on, and it gave them a headache. Well, I'll let you be the judge on that one. The script is exceptionally written and crafted together. It's incredibly structured and thought out. You have to sit and watch all three films together to really get the full impact of the brilliant storyline the writers have concocted. The best part is Michael J. Fox playing 4 different roles. He plays the Marty we all know and love, plus he plays himself in the future, his son, and his daughter. Yes, I said his daughter. That wasn't a typo. It's a real fun segment and Fox pulled it off. No, this film isn't as monumental as the classic original. What sequel is?. It's very well done and is just one hell of a great ride!!!!.

If you've seen the original, then you need to see this one. If you haven't, don't see this one until you've seen the original. Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox are back with the sequel that will not disappoint. Good family entertainment. The future that is shown in this film is just as exciting as when the film was released in the mid 1980's. The end of the film forces you to have to see Part III (unlike the ending of the first film which just teased you about a sequel), which was the least memorable of the 3 films.

I thought this sequel was way too cool! When I first saw this movie in the theater and when they were traveling to 2015 in the time machine I was wondering if that's what the future is going to be like with the flying cars, hoverboards, and a Jaws 19 which I think that won't happen. Because there are only four Jaws movies and they hadn't made another sequel since 1987. Today is 2003 and there hasn't been in any change yet but it could happen with all those flying cars and hoverboards. It would be really cool if there was a future like that. But they used it for special effects and it kind of sucks that it won't happen. It also happens in Minority Report too with those flying cars. That was a cool movie too. I also think the DVD set is way too cool! It has 10 hours of features throughout all 3 films which is like the oriignal trailers, making, deleted scenes, and hilarious outtakes. There's only one mistake in this film it made me mad it also made me not like the first Back to the Future for some reason because he was going back to 1955 and it showed some segments from the first flim which completely ruined the whole movie I thought. I also think that if you watch this film and hadn't seen the others and just watch it because you really want to you will not understand it. Go see the first one first then the other two and you will get the picture. I also don't like the way that they put in different actress for Elizabeth Shue as Jennifer. I mean if that other actress had to leave they should have just stopped at one then making other sequels. But I'm glad they completed the whole trilogy and there really is a Deolorean that's just like the car in the movie except you can't go back in time because time travel is possible. That was just used for special effects also. I didn't really like the 3rd one that much because it was a western spoof. I am not much of a big western fan. It was also kind of dumb too. The only cool thing in that movie was the train at the end and that was awesome it made me think that they were going to make a Back to the Future IV which I think there not because Steven Speilberg is probably too tired of making a fourth one. There is not really a hoverboard either just used for special effects unless if someone's really smart to make one they could be a famous inventor. Get the DVD set it's way too cool you will like it!

Terry McMillan's followup to "Waiting to Exhale," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," was dismissed by some critics as a fluffy beach romance novel. It definitely had its spunk, but suffered from an overall blah-ness that weighed it down. The movie version has similar problems. Our heroine, played by the fierce talent that is Angela Bassett, is a broker trying to balance her career and being a single mom. She, along with her best friend (Whoopi Goldberg), takes a vacation to Jamaica, where she falls for the striking Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs, whose Jamaican accent fades in and out throughout his otherwise solid performance). The problem? She's 40. And he's 20. You can pretty much imagine the issues these two have to face, as they decide whether or not to start a "serious" relationship. "How Stella..." is a pleasant movie, despite the often sappy touches that almost mar the film. The love story itself is fairly predictable, although the supporting roles from Suzzane Douglas and the always-dependable Regina King are pretty good. Don't go looking to get blown away by this movie. Like the novel on which it's based, it will pass your time nicely without requiring any deep thought.

I just saw this movie again this past weekend. Each time I do, I want to hop on the next plane to Jamaica. The shots of the island and Stella's room were wonderful! Angela Bassett's performance as Stella was refreshing. There aren't too many movies which showcase successful, intelligent, and independent African American women. And, of course, Stella's beauty and physique makes 40 worth looking forward to. I didn't think that the chemistry between Winston (Taye Diggs) and Stella was very magical, at least not like in the book, but I thought they made a nice pairing thanks to Bassett's performance. And Diggs' performance in the shower made him a worthwhile addition. The best chemistry was between Bassett and Goldberg. They remind me so much of me and my best friend! And the bickering between the sisters was hilarious. The women, in general, just stand out in this film. A great movie to watch especially when hanging out with the girls.

pI couldn't help but enjoy How Stella Got Her Groove Back, though it deals only in surface emotions. Many people prefer not to deal with issues anyway, and this is a perfect romantic comedy/drama for them. It is far superior to 1998's other tropical island movie, the clunky Six Days, Seven Nights.

It is always fun to see Angela Basset and Whoppi Goldberg, two of our greatest actresses, on the screen. Their careers are somewhat similar. Both have had difficulty in obtaining consistently good roles. Both have been nominated for Best Actress Oscars. Goldberg won for Best Supporting Actress in Ghost.

Stella [Bassett] is the forty year old working mother of a ten year old boy. A successful financial executive, she's become a workaholic. Her friends see that her life is unbalanced, and they urge her to liven it up. She resists, but, finally, reality hits home. On a whim, she calls her oldest friend, Delilah [Whoppi Goldberg], and suggests a week in Jamaica. She's due a vacation, and the son is going off to see his Dad. The two pals hop on a plane. Stella has no clue as to just how lively her life is about to become.

She meets a sexy, intelligent man named Winston [Taye Davis]. There is instant mutual attraction. The catch it that Winston is half her age. Encouraged by the spunky, outrageous Delilah, Stella decides to have a short affair. Catch number two arises when this odd couple realizes the relationship is much deeper than a casual island fling. Stella tries to force an arbitrary end to it and returns home.

This is the basis for the plot. Where will the relationship end? How can something so socially unacceptable ever work? I think many people enjoy stories about eccentric or unusual people and situations. A lot of us live conventionally out of fear or necessity, rather than out of a lifestyle preference. It pleases us to watch fictional characters who go beyond our relatively limited boundaries. Stella, Delilah and Winston are three of those characters.

As I said, the movie is short on substance. We never really know what motivates Stella or Winston. Issues come up, but are either quickly dropped or are given a simple solution, much like a TV sitcom. We enjoy the story, but at the conclusion, we realize we hardly know either Stella or Winston.

Jamaica is photographed at its very best. I was tempted to call my travel agent. Bassett and Davis do a fine job, considering the script limitations. Bassett, a Yale graduate, is a fish out of water in some of the scenes with Stella's down home family and friends. Goldberg fares better. Her role is smaller but more fleshed out. I hope some juicy roles come her way. She needs something more compelling than playing center square on TV's Hollywood Squares game.

Terry McMillan's followup to "Waiting to Exhale," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," was dismissed by some critics as a fluffy beach romance novel. It definitely had its spunk, but suffered from an overall blah-ness that weighed it down. The movie version has similar problems. Our heroine, played by the fierce talent that is Angela Bassett, is a broker trying to balance her career and being a single mom. She, along with her best friend (Whoopi Goldberg), takes a vacation to Jamaica, where she falls for the striking Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs, whose Jamaican accent fades in and out throughout his otherwise solid performance). The problem? She's 40. And he's 20. You can pretty much imagine the issues these two have to face, as they decide whether or not to start a "serious" relationship. "How Stella..." is a pleasant movie, despite the often sappy touches that almost mar the film. The love story itself is fairly predictable, although the supporting roles from Suzzane Douglas and the always-dependable Regina King are pretty good. Don't go looking to get blown away by this movie. Like the novel on which it's based, it will pass your time nicely without requiring any deep thought.

pI couldn't help but enjoy How Stella Got Her Groove Back, though it deals only in surface emotions. Many people prefer not to deal with issues anyway, and this is a perfect romantic comedy/drama for them. It is far superior to 1998's other tropical island movie, the clunky Six Days, Seven Nights.

It is always fun to see Angela Basset and Whoppi Goldberg, two of our greatest actresses, on the screen. Their careers are somewhat similar. Both have had difficulty in obtaining consistently good roles. Both have been nominated for Best Actress Oscars. Goldberg won for Best Supporting Actress in Ghost.

Stella [Bassett] is the forty year old working mother of a ten year old boy. A successful financial executive, she's become a workaholic. Her friends see that her life is unbalanced, and they urge her to liven it up. She resists, but, finally, reality hits home. On a whim, she calls her oldest friend, Delilah [Whoppi Goldberg], and suggests a week in Jamaica. She's due a vacation, and the son is going off to see his Dad. The two pals hop on a plane. Stella has no clue as to just how lively her life is about to become.

She meets a sexy, intelligent man named Winston [Taye Davis]. There is instant mutual attraction. The catch it that Winston is half her age. Encouraged by the spunky, outrageous Delilah, Stella decides to have a short affair. Catch number two arises when this odd couple realizes the relationship is much deeper than a casual island fling. Stella tries to force an arbitrary end to it and returns home.

This is the basis for the plot. Where will the relationship end? How can something so socially unacceptable ever work? I think many people enjoy stories about eccentric or unusual people and situations. A lot of us live conventionally out of fear or necessity, rather than out of a lifestyle preference. It pleases us to watch fictional characters who go beyond our relatively limited boundaries. Stella, Delilah and Winston are three of those characters.

As I said, the movie is short on substance. We never really know what motivates Stella or Winston. Issues come up, but are either quickly dropped or are given a simple solution, much like a TV sitcom. We enjoy the story, but at the conclusion, we realize we hardly know either Stella or Winston.

Jamaica is photographed at its very best. I was tempted to call my travel agent. Bassett and Davis do a fine job, considering the script limitations. Bassett, a Yale graduate, is a fish out of water in some of the scenes with Stella's down home family and friends. Goldberg fares better. Her role is smaller but more fleshed out. I hope some juicy roles come her way. She needs something more compelling than playing center square on TV's Hollywood Squares game.

How Stella Got Her Groove back is funny,sad,romantic,and a little goofy. That is everything you would want from a movie. And it has a great cast. If You haven't seen it you should. I saw it on UPN38 on cable. I will buy it.

Terry McMillan's followup to "Waiting to Exhale," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," was dismissed by some critics as a fluffy beach romance novel. It definitely had its spunk, but suffered from an overall blah-ness that weighed it down. The movie version has similar problems. Our heroine, played by the fierce talent that is Angela Bassett, is a broker trying to balance her career and being a single mom. She, along with her best friend (Whoopi Goldberg), takes a vacation to Jamaica, where she falls for the striking Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs, whose Jamaican accent fades in and out throughout his otherwise solid performance). The problem? She's 40. And he's 20. You can pretty much imagine the issues these two have to face, as they decide whether or not to start a "serious" relationship. "How Stella..." is a pleasant movie, despite the often sappy touches that almost mar the film. The love story itself is fairly predictable, although the supporting roles from Suzzane Douglas and the always-dependable Regina King are pretty good. Don't go looking to get blown away by this movie. Like the novel on which it's based, it will pass your time nicely without requiring any deep thought.

I just saw this movie again this past weekend. Each time I do, I want to hop on the next plane to Jamaica. The shots of the island and Stella's room were wonderful! Angela Bassett's performance as Stella was refreshing. There aren't too many movies which showcase successful, intelligent, and independent African American women. And, of course, Stella's beauty and physique makes 40 worth looking forward to. I didn't think that the chemistry between Winston (Taye Diggs) and Stella was very magical, at least not like in the book, but I thought they made a nice pairing thanks to Bassett's performance. And Diggs' performance in the shower made him a worthwhile addition. The best chemistry was between Bassett and Goldberg. They remind me so much of me and my best friend! And the bickering between the sisters was hilarious. The women, in general, just stand out in this film. A great movie to watch especially when hanging out with the girls.

pI couldn't help but enjoy How Stella Got Her Groove Back, though it deals only in surface emotions. Many people prefer not to deal with issues anyway, and this is a perfect romantic comedy/drama for them. It is far superior to 1998's other tropical island movie, the clunky Six Days, Seven Nights.

It is always fun to see Angela Basset and Whoppi Goldberg, two of our greatest actresses, on the screen. Their careers are somewhat similar. Both have had difficulty in obtaining consistently good roles. Both have been nominated for Best Actress Oscars. Goldberg won for Best Supporting Actress in Ghost.

Stella [Bassett] is the forty year old working mother of a ten year old boy. A successful financial executive, she's become a workaholic. Her friends see that her life is unbalanced, and they urge her to liven it up. She resists, but, finally, reality hits home. On a whim, she calls her oldest friend, Delilah [Whoppi Goldberg], and suggests a week in Jamaica. She's due a vacation, and the son is going off to see his Dad. The two pals hop on a plane. Stella has no clue as to just how lively her life is about to become.

She meets a sexy, intelligent man named Winston [Taye Davis]. There is instant mutual attraction. The catch it that Winston is half her age. Encouraged by the spunky, outrageous Delilah, Stella decides to have a short affair. Catch number two arises when this odd couple realizes the relationship is much deeper than a casual island fling. Stella tries to force an arbitrary end to it and returns home.

This is the basis for the plot. Where will the relationship end? How can something so socially unacceptable ever work? I think many people enjoy stories about eccentric or unusual people and situations. A lot of us live conventionally out of fear or necessity, rather than out of a lifestyle preference. It pleases us to watch fictional characters who go beyond our relatively limited boundaries. Stella, Delilah and Winston are three of those characters.

As I said, the movie is short on substance. We never really know what motivates Stella or Winston. Issues come up, but are either quickly dropped or are given a simple solution, much like a TV sitcom. We enjoy the story, but at the conclusion, we realize we hardly know either Stella or Winston.

Jamaica is photographed at its very best. I was tempted to call my travel agent. Bassett and Davis do a fine job, considering the script limitations. Bassett, a Yale graduate, is a fish out of water in some of the scenes with Stella's down home family and friends. Goldberg fares better. Her role is smaller but more fleshed out. I hope some juicy roles come her way. She needs something more compelling than playing center square on TV's Hollywood Squares game.

Terry McMillan's followup to "Waiting to Exhale," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," was dismissed by some critics as a fluffy beach romance novel. It definitely had its spunk, but suffered from an overall blah-ness that weighed it down. The movie version has similar problems. Our heroine, played by the fierce talent that is Angela Bassett, is a broker trying to balance her career and being a single mom. She, along with her best friend (Whoopi Goldberg), takes a vacation to Jamaica, where she falls for the striking Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs, whose Jamaican accent fades in and out throughout his otherwise solid performance). The problem? She's 40. And he's 20. You can pretty much imagine the issues these two have to face, as they decide whether or not to start a "serious" relationship. "How Stella..." is a pleasant movie, despite the often sappy touches that almost mar the film. The love story itself is fairly predictable, although the supporting roles from Suzzane Douglas and the always-dependable Regina King are pretty good. Don't go looking to get blown away by this movie. Like the novel on which it's based, it will pass your time nicely without requiring any deep thought.

pI couldn't help but enjoy How Stella Got Her Groove Back, though it deals only in surface emotions. Many people prefer not to deal with issues anyway, and this is a perfect romantic comedy/drama for them. It is far superior to 1998's other tropical island movie, the clunky Six Days, Seven Nights.

It is always fun to see Angela Basset and Whoppi Goldberg, two of our greatest actresses, on the screen. Their careers are somewhat similar. Both have had difficulty in obtaining consistently good roles. Both have been nominated for Best Actress Oscars. Goldberg won for Best Supporting Actress in Ghost.

Stella [Bassett] is the forty year old working mother of a ten year old boy. A successful financial executive, she's become a workaholic. Her friends see that her life is unbalanced, and they urge her to liven it up. She resists, but, finally, reality hits home. On a whim, she calls her oldest friend, Delilah [Whoppi Goldberg], and suggests a week in Jamaica. She's due a vacation, and the son is going off to see his Dad. The two pals hop on a plane. Stella has no clue as to just how lively her life is about to become.

She meets a sexy, intelligent man named Winston [Taye Davis]. There is instant mutual attraction. The catch it that Winston is half her age. Encouraged by the spunky, outrageous Delilah, Stella decides to have a short affair. Catch number two arises when this odd couple realizes the relationship is much deeper than a casual island fling. Stella tries to force an arbitrary end to it and returns home.

This is the basis for the plot. Where will the relationship end? How can something so socially unacceptable ever work? I think many people enjoy stories about eccentric or unusual people and situations. A lot of us live conventionally out of fear or necessity, rather than out of a lifestyle preference. It pleases us to watch fictional characters who go beyond our relatively limited boundaries. Stella, Delilah and Winston are three of those characters.

As I said, the movie is short on substance. We never really know what motivates Stella or Winston. Issues come up, but are either quickly dropped or are given a simple solution, much like a TV sitcom. We enjoy the story, but at the conclusion, we realize we hardly know either Stella or Winston.

Jamaica is photographed at its very best. I was tempted to call my travel agent. Bassett and Davis do a fine job, considering the script limitations. Bassett, a Yale graduate, is a fish out of water in some of the scenes with Stella's down home family and friends. Goldberg fares better. Her role is smaller but more fleshed out. I hope some juicy roles come her way. She needs something more compelling than playing center square on TV's Hollywood Squares game.

How Stella Got Her Groove back is funny,sad,romantic,and a little goofy. That is everything you would want from a movie. And it has a great cast. If You haven't seen it you should. I saw it on UPN38 on cable. I will buy it.