Michael-Jeter Movie Reviews

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VHS movie reviews for "Michael-Jeter" sorted by average review score:
Air Bud
Released in VHS Tape by Buena Vista (14 January, 2003)
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Charles Martin Smith
Starring: Michael Jeter, Kevin Zegers, and Wendy Makkena
Moviegoers and more than a few critics found much to enjoy in this Disney film about a lost dog named Buddy. The canine is befriended by a lonely boy and proceeds to become the star of the kid's junior high school basketball team. Demonstrating an abundance of on- and off-court agility, Buddy can dribble like a pro (no, not the wet kind of dribble), and he never misses a shot. Michael Jeter plays Buddy's original owner who returns to get his dog back (don't worry, he's an unworthy weasel), and director Charles Martin Smith brings a refreshing flair to the climactic basketball scenes. Air Bud was a modest hit for Disney, and the film's entertaining vitality gets a touch of poignancy from the fact that Lucky, the canine actor in the title role, died of cancer not long after the film was released. --Jeff Shannon
Average review score:

a beauyiful dog movie
Anyone who is an animal lover should see this movie. And anyone who is not an animal lover has got to love Buddy the dog. Because he is one of the most beautiful dogs I've ever seen. The movie also has great values and it is a fine christian movie. Anyone who does not agree with me that Buddy is adorable should get there head examined. I love goldens! especially Buddy and this movie is awesome!

a Three point jump shot that nothing but net
THIS MOVIE IS A HEART WARMING MOVIE ABOUT A STRAY DOG NAMED BUDDY WHO BEFREINDS A LONELY BOY WHO JUST MOVED IN TO A NEW TOWN HE TO SHY TO MAKE ANY FREINDS SO HE GETS ON THE TEAM AS THE MANAGER BUT WHAT HE REALLYS WANT IS TO BE ON THE TEAM SO LATER HE FINDS OUT THE DOG BUDDY CAN SHOT BASKETS SO AFTER SEEING THE DOG SHOOTING BASKETS HE DECIDE TO JION THE TEAM SO THE COACH RELUCKENTLY LETS KEVIN TRY OUT FOR THE TEAM HE MAKES THE TEAM THE TEAM GO TO THE STATECHAMPIONSHIP AFTER SEEING THE DOG ON THE NEWS BUDDY FORMER ONWER WANTS THE DOG BACK SO THEY GO TO COURT AND THE BOY WINS THE CASE AND HE GETS TO KEEP THE DOG NAMED BUDDY IT A GREAT MOVIE TO SEE THE REASON WHY I ;M SAYING THIS IS BECAUSE I BROUGHT THE VIDEO I LOVE TO WATCH IT OVER AND OVER

still great
what happenned to this series. this movie was great but the sequels were horrible. i saw this in theatres and have loved it every since.

Air Bud
Released in VHS Tape by Buena Vista (29 September, 1998)
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Charles Martin Smith
Starring: Michael Jeter, Kevin Zegers, and Wendy Makkena
Moviegoers and more than a few critics found much to enjoy in this Disney film about a lost dog named Buddy. The canine is befriended by a lonely boy and proceeds to become the star of the kid's junior high school basketball team. Demonstrating an abundance of on- and off-court agility, Buddy can dribble like a pro (no, not the wet kind of dribble), and he never misses a shot. Michael Jeter plays Buddy's original owner who returns to get his dog back (don't worry, he's an unworthy weasel), and director Charles Martin Smith brings a refreshing flair to the climactic basketball scenes. Air Bud was a modest hit for Disney, and the film's entertaining vitality gets a touch of poignancy from the fact that Lucky, the canine actor in the title role, died of cancer not long after the film was released. --Jeff Shannon
Average review score:

a beauyiful dog movie
Anyone who is an animal lover should see this movie. And anyone who is not an animal lover has got to love Buddy the dog. Because he is one of the most beautiful dogs I've ever seen. The movie also has great values and it is a fine christian movie. Anyone who does not agree with me that Buddy is adorable should get there head examined. I love goldens! especially Buddy and this movie is awesome!

a Three point jump shot that nothing but net
THIS MOVIE IS A HEART WARMING MOVIE ABOUT A STRAY DOG NAMED BUDDY WHO BEFREINDS A LONELY BOY WHO JUST MOVED IN TO A NEW TOWN HE TO SHY TO MAKE ANY FREINDS SO HE GETS ON THE TEAM AS THE MANAGER BUT WHAT HE REALLYS WANT IS TO BE ON THE TEAM SO LATER HE FINDS OUT THE DOG BUDDY CAN SHOT BASKETS SO AFTER SEEING THE DOG SHOOTING BASKETS HE DECIDE TO JION THE TEAM SO THE COACH RELUCKENTLY LETS KEVIN TRY OUT FOR THE TEAM HE MAKES THE TEAM THE TEAM GO TO THE STATECHAMPIONSHIP AFTER SEEING THE DOG ON THE NEWS BUDDY FORMER ONWER WANTS THE DOG BACK SO THEY GO TO COURT AND THE BOY WINS THE CASE AND HE GETS TO KEEP THE DOG NAMED BUDDY IT A GREAT MOVIE TO SEE THE REASON WHY I ;M SAYING THIS IS BECAUSE I BROUGHT THE VIDEO I LOVE TO WATCH IT OVER AND OVER

still great
what happenned to this series. this movie was great but the sequels were horrible. i saw this in theatres and have loved it every since.

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
Released in VHS Tape by Touchstone Video (08 July, 1997)
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Bill Duke
Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Najimy, and Maggie Smith
Whoopi Goldberg returns in a gratuitous, poorly written sequel that contrives a reason to get her character back into Maggie Smith's convent. The "socially conscious" plot finds Goldberg being asked to relate to a bunch of street kids and pull them together into a choir. Since a bad guy is needed, the script grabs that old chestnut about a rich guy (James Coburn) preparing to close down the convent's school, and runs with it. The film is slow and unconvincing from start to finish, although costars Mary Wickes and Kathy Najimy get some good laughs, and the music is pretty spirited. --Tom Keogh
Average review score:

This is my favorite movie!!!
I've seen it so many times I could almost play each part. In fact, it comes on this afternoon on Showtime. It's a continuing story of Delores Van Cartier aka Sister Mary Clarence (Whoopi Goldberg) who uses her gifts of music and determination to keep a school open as well as change the lives of all those her life touches. Great music, great humor and drama. Lauren Hill (pre-Fugees) is in this as well as Jennifer Love Hewitt and Monica Calhoun if you look really, really carefully. Buy it, enjoy it.
Hey, maybe you'll catch it on Showtime during one of it's airings. I'm positive when it's over, when you can finally stop yourself from humming one of the great tunes, and possibly put down your tissue (I cry EVERY TIME I see it)( and baby, I've seen seen it so many times that I've got ot turn it off when my husband comes home because he says "Are you watching that again?) You will say "I wish I had that movie!" So get it so you'll have no regrets!

So much fun!
FANTASTIC sequel! Just as enjoyable, if not more, than the first! All of the musical numbers are glorious!! A successful sequel all the way!

Loved it
I've read all of the reviews on SA2 and it is quite obvious this movie is not for everyone, however, if you enjoy "feel good " movies , this is for you. The storyline iis quite predictable, the acting is good , but the music is a delightful bonus,just wish there was more of it. I know that if I'm feeling a little down, I can pop in this movie and feel better.

Patch Adams
Released in VHS Tape by Universal Studios (26 December, 2001)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Tom Shadyac
Starring: Robin Williams
Patch Adams raises two schools of thought: There are those who are inspired by the true story of a troubled man who finds happiness in helping others--a man set on changing the world and who may well accomplish the task. And then there are those who feel manipulated by this feel-good story, who want to smack the young medical student every time he begins his silly antics.

Staving off suicidal thoughts, Hunter Adams commits himself into a psychiatric ward, where he not only garners the nickname "Patch," but learns the joy in helping others. To this end, he decides to go to medical school, where he clashes with the staid conventions of the establishment as he attempts to inject humor and humanity into his treatment of the patients ("We need to start treating the patient as well as the disease," he declares throughout the film). Robin Williams, in the title role, is as charming as ever, although someone should tell him to broaden his range--the ever-cheerful do-gooder à la Good Will Hunting and Dead Poets Society is getting a little old. His sidekick Truman (Daniel London) steals the show with his gawky allure and eyebrows that threaten to overtake his lean face--he seems more real, which is odd considering that Patch Adams does exist and this film is based on his life. Monica Potter is the coolly reluctant love interest, and she makes the most of her one-dimensional part. While moments of true heartfelt emotion do come through, the major flaw of this film is that the good guys are just so gosh-darn good and the bad ones are just big meanies with no character development. Patch Adams, though, does provide the tears, the giggles, and the kooky folks who will keep you smiling at the end. --Jenny Brown

Average review score:

A sad, sad commentary on public taste
This movie is intended to be a charming, witty, uplifting tale of a doctor who sees the whole person in his patients. What it ends up being is a marathon session of a guy being a dumb jerk to the professionals around him. I thought the part where his cult-like views get his girlfriend killed was especially charming. It was a nice touch that he feels sorry for himself and glosses over the fact that it was his ... world-view that got her killed.

This movie was bad, not for the style or the directing. It is bad because of the terrible dogmatic hippiness of its message. This "fight the establishment" [material] wasn't useful in the 60's and it is equally trite and puerile now.

Great movie
Robin Williams gives an outstanding performance. It's touching, funny, and a whole lot cleaner than most movies today. Someone said that this movie showed people being murdered, blaspheming God, and showed you how to have sex. None of this is true. A girl *is* murdered, but you don't see anything at all and don't even know that until way after it happens. She is murdered by a severely insecure man who then kills himself, but you don't see this or even see their bodies afterwards. God is not really blasphemed, but there is one part where Patch sits on a cliff and talks to God about why things had to happen that way, and he considers commiting suicide. But this doesn't happen. And for the life of me I have no idea where they showed or even mentioned sex! The absolute closest thing to that would be at the end when he graduates from medical school... I don't want to give it away because it is hilarious, but don't worry, it's not dirty or nasty. I wouldn't recommend you watch it in front of very very sensitive children, because naturally since it is set in hospital life, there are a couple deaths and serious moments. But there's nothing really bad about this movie. Anyway, after setting that straight: This is one of the greatest movies of all time. It's not one you can watch over and over and over again, as I like to do with most movies, but set viewings several months apart and you will enjoy this movie a lot. ;) It is a life-changing experience.

Great story telling! Great film!
Robin Williams does antoher fantastic job. With a blend of comedy and drama, he brings this TRUE STORY to life with integrity and dignity. Not only does this film provide tons of laughs, it's very educational in that we learn more about the human spirit than we ever have.

It's definitely worth watching!

Patch Adams
Released in VHS Tape by Universal Studios (26 December, 2001)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Tom Shadyac
Starring: Robin Williams
Patch Adams raises two schools of thought: There are those who are inspired by the true story of a troubled man who finds happiness in helping others--a man set on changing the world and who may well accomplish the task. And then there are those who feel manipulated by this feel-good story, who want to smack the young medical student every time he begins his silly antics.

Staving off suicidal thoughts, Hunter Adams commits himself into a psychiatric ward, where he not only garners the nickname "Patch," but learns the joy in helping others. To this end, he decides to go to medical school, where he clashes with the staid conventions of the establishment as he attempts to inject humor and humanity into his treatment of the patients ("We need to start treating the patient as well as the disease," he declares throughout the film). Robin Williams, in the title role, is as charming as ever, although someone should tell him to broaden his range--the ever-cheerful do-gooder à la Good Will Hunting and Dead Poets Society is getting a little old. His sidekick Truman (Daniel London) steals the show with his gawky allure and eyebrows that threaten to overtake his lean face--he seems more real, which is odd considering that Patch Adams does exist and this film is based on his life. Monica Potter is the coolly reluctant love interest, and she makes the most of her one-dimensional part. While moments of true heartfelt emotion do come through, the major flaw of this film is that the good guys are just so gosh-darn good and the bad ones are just big meanies with no character development. Patch Adams, though, does provide the tears, the giggles, and the kooky folks who will keep you smiling at the end. --Jenny Brown

Average review score:

A sad, sad commentary on public taste
This movie is intended to be a charming, witty, uplifting tale of a doctor who sees the whole person in his patients. What it ends up being is a marathon session of a guy being a dumb jerk to the professionals around him. I thought the part where his cult-like views get his girlfriend killed was especially charming. It was a nice touch that he feels sorry for himself and glosses over the fact that it was his ... world-view that got her killed.

This movie was bad, not for the style or the directing. It is bad because of the terrible dogmatic hippiness of its message. This "fight the establishment" [material] wasn't useful in the 60's and it is equally trite and puerile now.

Great movie
Robin Williams gives an outstanding performance. It's touching, funny, and a whole lot cleaner than most movies today. Someone said that this movie showed people being murdered, blaspheming God, and showed you how to have sex. None of this is true. A girl *is* murdered, but you don't see anything at all and don't even know that until way after it happens. She is murdered by a severely insecure man who then kills himself, but you don't see this or even see their bodies afterwards. God is not really blasphemed, but there is one part where Patch sits on a cliff and talks to God about why things had to happen that way, and he considers commiting suicide. But this doesn't happen. And for the life of me I have no idea where they showed or even mentioned sex! The absolute closest thing to that would be at the end when he graduates from medical school... I don't want to give it away because it is hilarious, but don't worry, it's not dirty or nasty. I wouldn't recommend you watch it in front of very very sensitive children, because naturally since it is set in hospital life, there are a couple deaths and serious moments. But there's nothing really bad about this movie. Anyway, after setting that straight: This is one of the greatest movies of all time. It's not one you can watch over and over and over again, as I like to do with most movies, but set viewings several months apart and you will enjoy this movie a lot. ;) It is a life-changing experience.

Great story telling! Great film!
Robin Williams does antoher fantastic job. With a blend of comedy and drama, he brings this TRUE STORY to life with integrity and dignity. Not only does this film provide tons of laughs, it's very educational in that we learn more about the human spirit than we ever have.

It's definitely worth watching!

Patch Adams
Released in VHS Tape by Universal Studios (22 June, 1999)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Tom Shadyac
Starring: Robin Williams
Patch Adams raises two schools of thought: There are those who are inspired by the true story of a troubled man who finds happiness in helping others--a man set on changing the world and who may well accomplish the task. And then there are those who feel manipulated by this feel-good story, who want to smack the young medical student every time he begins his silly antics.

Staving off suicidal thoughts, Hunter Adams commits himself into a psychiatric ward, where he not only garners the nickname "Patch," but learns the joy in helping others. To this end, he decides to go to medical school, where he clashes with the staid conventions of the establishment as he attempts to inject humor and humanity into his treatment of the patients ("We need to start treating the patient as well as the disease," he declares throughout the film). Robin Williams, in the title role, is as charming as ever, although someone should tell him to broaden his range--the ever-cheerful do-gooder à la Good Will Hunting and Dead Poets Society is getting a little old. His sidekick Truman (Daniel London) steals the show with his gawky allure and eyebrows that threaten to overtake his lean face--he seems more real, which is odd considering that Patch Adams does exist and this film is based on his life. Monica Potter is the coolly reluctant love interest, and she makes the most of her one-dimensional part. While moments of true heartfelt emotion do come through, the major flaw of this film is that the good guys are just so gosh-darn good and the bad ones are just big meanies with no character development. Patch Adams, though, does provide the tears, the giggles, and the kooky folks who will keep you smiling at the end. --Jenny Brown

Average review score:

A sad, sad commentary on public taste
This movie is intended to be a charming, witty, uplifting tale of a doctor who sees the whole person in his patients. What it ends up being is a marathon session of a guy being a dumb jerk to the professionals around him. I thought the part where his cult-like views get his girlfriend killed was especially charming. It was a nice touch that he feels sorry for himself and glosses over the fact that it was his ... world-view that got her killed.

This movie was bad, not for the style or the directing. It is bad because of the terrible dogmatic hippiness of its message. This "fight the establishment" [material] wasn't useful in the 60's and it is equally trite and puerile now.

Great movie
Robin Williams gives an outstanding performance. It's touching, funny, and a whole lot cleaner than most movies today. Someone said that this movie showed people being murdered, blaspheming God, and showed you how to have sex. None of this is true. A girl *is* murdered, but you don't see anything at all and don't even know that until way after it happens. She is murdered by a severely insecure man who then kills himself, but you don't see this or even see their bodies afterwards. God is not really blasphemed, but there is one part where Patch sits on a cliff and talks to God about why things had to happen that way, and he considers commiting suicide. But this doesn't happen. And for the life of me I have no idea where they showed or even mentioned sex! The absolute closest thing to that would be at the end when he graduates from medical school... I don't want to give it away because it is hilarious, but don't worry, it's not dirty or nasty. I wouldn't recommend you watch it in front of very very sensitive children, because naturally since it is set in hospital life, there are a couple deaths and serious moments. But there's nothing really bad about this movie. Anyway, after setting that straight: This is one of the greatest movies of all time. It's not one you can watch over and over and over again, as I like to do with most movies, but set viewings several months apart and you will enjoy this movie a lot. ;) It is a life-changing experience.

Great story telling! Great film!
Robin Williams does antoher fantastic job. With a blend of comedy and drama, he brings this TRUE STORY to life with integrity and dignity. Not only does this film provide tons of laughs, it's very educational in that we learn more about the human spirit than we ever have.

It's definitely worth watching!

The Gift
Released in VHS Tape by Paramount Studio (08 January, 2002)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Keanu Reeves, and Katie Holmes
Take a pinch of psychic phenomenon, add a dash of Southern gothic, stir in a sharp cast of talented actors, and you'll come up with The Gift, director Sam Raimi's ingenious gumbo of a thriller. It doesn't hold together as well as Raimi's earlier A Simple Plan, but the two films are stylistically connected--The Gift was cowritten (with Tom Epperson) by A Simple Plan's costar, Billy Bob Thornton, who in turn draws from the Deep South milieu that informed his own Sling Blade and his earlier collaboration with Epperson, One False Move. A similar sense of mystery permeates The Gift, in which a small-town Georgia psychic (perfectly played by Cate Blanchett) is tormented by tragic loss and visions connected to the murder of a local vamp (Katie Holmes) whose schoolteacher fiancé (Greg Kinnear) is a prime suspect.

Other suspects include a hot-tempered bully (Keanu Reeves) whose battered wife (Hilary Swank) is one of the psychic's regular clients, and a traumatized local (Giovanni Ribisi) who is tenuously stabilized by therapy and antidepressants. While this trio of potential killers keeps the mystery alive, the requisite red herrings don't add much to the film's low-level suspense. Instead, Raimi is far more effective in creating an atmosphere of anxious dread that wells up from each of these finely drawn characters, starting with the widow psychic's extended mourning for her lost husband, the agonized terror of a beaten wife, and the percolating anger of a cuckolded spouse. All of this makes The Gift a worthy showcase for its esteemed cast, even as its plot twists grow increasingly familiar. --Jeff Shannon

Average review score:

Great film ruined by trite, predictable ending.
This could have been, should have been, a terrific thriller. The acting by all is definitely first rate, the direction tight, the setting perfect and creepy. The problem is, it's ultimately formulaic and you can predict the murderer - and ending - from a very, very long way off. The main problem is a tiny cast, so too small a pool of potential killers to choose from. I don't know why, but I expected a more original story from writer Billy Bob Thornton. Really a shame and just too bad, because it's otherwise a great film with captivating performances, especially from the marvelous Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi, and surprisingly enough, Keanu Reeves is believably menacing as the wife beating redneck.

I recommend this as a rental only, because one viewing is enough.

The Sixth Sense meets To Kill a Mockingbird
Cate Blanchett gives a strong, nuanced performance as Annie Wilson, an impoverished widow with three children trying to make a living reading the tarot in a lush, southern town of secrets, mysteries and rednecks. The cast of hot young actors is strong. Giovanni Ribisi plays a very damaged and rage filled, but sensitive, garage mechanic. His scene with his father is almost unwatchable in it's intensity. Hilary Swank is perfect as an abused co-dependant wife who can't leave her awful, violent husband played by Keanu Reeves. Greg Kinnear does his usual sweet guy character that he does so well.
The direction of Sam Raimi is very stylized and dream like. This film has the same brooding intensity of his previous effort A Perfect Plan.
The story by Billy Bob Thornton has a few predictable twists and plot turns, but the message of the film feels new and is ultimately very uplifting. It's a dark, Gothic journey to redemption similiar to the one that is explored in the movie Magnolia.

Creepy Gothic murder mystery
"The Gift"'s biggest gift is Cate Blanchett, who expertly carries the entire plotline as a tarot-card reader in the deep South. This film suffers from one or two problematic actors and some cheesy visuals, but it's otherwise very creepy.

Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett) lost her husband in an explosion, and now supports her three sons on her tarot-card readings, which use her psychic "gift." Among the people who seek her help are Buddy (Giovanni Ribisi), a young man scarred by childhood molestation, and Valerie (Hilary Swank), a weak young woman who lives in terror of her violent redneck husband Donnie (Keanu Reeves). Worse, Donnie is threatening both Annie and her children, claiming that she's a Satan-worshipper and a witch because of her tarot readings.

When Jessica (Katie Holmes), the seductive fiancee of a friend vanishes, Annie begins to have visions of what may have happened. The visions of white flowers, fences, and pondwater lead Annie and the skeptical police chief to Donnie's land, where the girl's body is found in the pond. Though at first Annie is convinced that Donnie is the one who murdered Jessica, her gift leads her to believe otherwise.

This movie just brims over with "Southernness," with lots of moss, mist, bigoted rednecks, swampy forests and dirty little secrets. It's not an amazing movie, despite the good actors and good direction, partly because many parts of it are a bit cliched. But it's haunting and creepy, and those who enjoyed "The Sixth Sense" may also enjoy "The Gift." (Annie sees dead people too!)

Cate Blanchett is, as always, stunning in whatever role she plays. This time it's a sort of tarot-reading madonna, and her expressive eyes and face can instantly flip from one emotion to another. Greg Kinnear plays Jessica's haunted fiancee, who has an eye for Annie; Hilary Swank is also very good as Valerie, as are the three boys who play Annie's children. Keanu Reeves was a problem, though. He's supposed to be a violent, cheating, raging redneck, but he wasn't very convincing.

Probably to call this a horror film isn't quite accurate. Though it's very creepy and horrific, it isn't gory or truly horrific. (The most horrifying scene doesn't involve dead people or visions, but the sexually-abused Buddy crying, shrieking and attacking his father) Actually, it sags when we get things like visions of Jessica, or rolling stormclouds -- these are a little too obvious for the otherwise eerie movie. And I was able to guess quite quickly who the murderer was, simply by considering who it would be too easy to think it was.

"The Gift" isn't an astounding movie, but quite a watchable one. Part Southern Gothic, part murder mystery, part horror/ghost flick, this is not something to watch with the lights off. Definitely nowhere near a pond.

The Gift
Released in VHS Tape by Paramount Studio (08 January, 2002)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Keanu Reeves, and Katie Holmes
Take a pinch of psychic phenomenon, add a dash of Southern gothic, stir in a sharp cast of talented actors, and you'll come up with The Gift, director Sam Raimi's ingenious gumbo of a thriller. It doesn't hold together as well as Raimi's earlier A Simple Plan, but the two films are stylistically connected--The Gift was cowritten (with Tom Epperson) by A Simple Plan's costar, Billy Bob Thornton, who in turn draws from the Deep South milieu that informed his own Sling Blade and his earlier collaboration with Epperson, One False Move. A similar sense of mystery permeates The Gift, in which a small-town Georgia psychic (perfectly played by Cate Blanchett) is tormented by tragic loss and visions connected to the murder of a local vamp (Katie Holmes) whose schoolteacher fiancé (Greg Kinnear) is a prime suspect.

Other suspects include a hot-tempered bully (Keanu Reeves) whose battered wife (Hilary Swank) is one of the psychic's regular clients, and a traumatized local (Giovanni Ribisi) who is tenuously stabilized by therapy and antidepressants. While this trio of potential killers keeps the mystery alive, the requisite red herrings don't add much to the film's low-level suspense. Instead, Raimi is far more effective in creating an atmosphere of anxious dread that wells up from each of these finely drawn characters, starting with the widow psychic's extended mourning for her lost husband, the agonized terror of a beaten wife, and the percolating anger of a cuckolded spouse. All of this makes The Gift a worthy showcase for its esteemed cast, even as its plot twists grow increasingly familiar. --Jeff Shannon

Average review score:

Great film ruined by trite, predictable ending.
This could have been, should have been, a terrific thriller. The acting by all is definitely first rate, the direction tight, the setting perfect and creepy. The problem is, it's ultimately formulaic and you can predict the murderer - and ending - from a very, very long way off. The main problem is a tiny cast, so too small a pool of potential killers to choose from. I don't know why, but I expected a more original story from writer Billy Bob Thornton. Really a shame and just too bad, because it's otherwise a great film with captivating performances, especially from the marvelous Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi, and surprisingly enough, Keanu Reeves is believably menacing as the wife beating redneck.

I recommend this as a rental only, because one viewing is enough.

The Sixth Sense meets To Kill a Mockingbird
Cate Blanchett gives a strong, nuanced performance as Annie Wilson, an impoverished widow with three children trying to make a living reading the tarot in a lush, southern town of secrets, mysteries and rednecks. The cast of hot young actors is strong. Giovanni Ribisi plays a very damaged and rage filled, but sensitive, garage mechanic. His scene with his father is almost unwatchable in it's intensity. Hilary Swank is perfect as an abused co-dependant wife who can't leave her awful, violent husband played by Keanu Reeves. Greg Kinnear does his usual sweet guy character that he does so well.
The direction of Sam Raimi is very stylized and dream like. This film has the same brooding intensity of his previous effort A Perfect Plan.
The story by Billy Bob Thornton has a few predictable twists and plot turns, but the message of the film feels new and is ultimately very uplifting. It's a dark, Gothic journey to redemption similiar to the one that is explored in the movie Magnolia.

Creepy Gothic murder mystery
"The Gift"'s biggest gift is Cate Blanchett, who expertly carries the entire plotline as a tarot-card reader in the deep South. This film suffers from one or two problematic actors and some cheesy visuals, but it's otherwise very creepy.

Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett) lost her husband in an explosion, and now supports her three sons on her tarot-card readings, which use her psychic "gift." Among the people who seek her help are Buddy (Giovanni Ribisi), a young man scarred by childhood molestation, and Valerie (Hilary Swank), a weak young woman who lives in terror of her violent redneck husband Donnie (Keanu Reeves). Worse, Donnie is threatening both Annie and her children, claiming that she's a Satan-worshipper and a witch because of her tarot readings.

When Jessica (Katie Holmes), the seductive fiancee of a friend vanishes, Annie begins to have visions of what may have happened. The visions of white flowers, fences, and pondwater lead Annie and the skeptical police chief to Donnie's land, where the girl's body is found in the pond. Though at first Annie is convinced that Donnie is the one who murdered Jessica, her gift leads her to believe otherwise.

This movie just brims over with "Southernness," with lots of moss, mist, bigoted rednecks, swampy forests and dirty little secrets. It's not an amazing movie, despite the good actors and good direction, partly because many parts of it are a bit cliched. But it's haunting and creepy, and those who enjoyed "The Sixth Sense" may also enjoy "The Gift." (Annie sees dead people too!)

Cate Blanchett is, as always, stunning in whatever role she plays. This time it's a sort of tarot-reading madonna, and her expressive eyes and face can instantly flip from one emotion to another. Greg Kinnear plays Jessica's haunted fiancee, who has an eye for Annie; Hilary Swank is also very good as Valerie, as are the three boys who play Annie's children. Keanu Reeves was a problem, though. He's supposed to be a violent, cheating, raging redneck, but he wasn't very convincing.

Probably to call this a horror film isn't quite accurate. Though it's very creepy and horrific, it isn't gory or truly horrific. (The most horrifying scene doesn't involve dead people or visions, but the sexually-abused Buddy crying, shrieking and attacking his father) Actually, it sags when we get things like visions of Jessica, or rolling stormclouds -- these are a little too obvious for the otherwise eerie movie. And I was able to guess quite quickly who the murderer was, simply by considering who it would be too easy to think it was.

"The Gift" isn't an astounding movie, but quite a watchable one. Part Southern Gothic, part murder mystery, part horror/ghost flick, this is not something to watch with the lights off. Definitely nowhere near a pond.

The Gift
Released in Theatrical Release by (19 January, 2001)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Keanu Reeves, and Katie Holmes
Take a pinch of psychic phenomenon, add a dash of Southern gothic, stir in a sharp cast of talented actors, and you'll come up with The Gift, director Sam Raimi's ingenious gumbo of a thriller. It doesn't hold together as well as Raimi's earlier A Simple Plan, but the two films are stylistically connected--The Gift was cowritten (with Tom Epperson) by A Simple Plan's costar, Billy Bob Thornton, who in turn draws from the Deep South milieu that informed his own Sling Blade and his earlier collaboration with Epperson, One False Move. A similar sense of mystery permeates The Gift, in which a small-town Georgia psychic (perfectly played by Cate Blanchett) is tormented by tragic loss and visions connected to the murder of a local vamp (Katie Holmes) whose schoolteacher fiancé (Greg Kinnear) is a prime suspect.

Other suspects include a hot-tempered bully (Keanu Reeves) whose battered wife (Hilary Swank) is one of the psychic's regular clients, and a traumatized local (Giovanni Ribisi) who is tenuously stabilized by therapy and antidepressants. While this trio of potential killers keeps the mystery alive, the requisite red herrings don't add much to the film's low-level suspense. Instead, Raimi is far more effective in creating an atmosphere of anxious dread that wells up from each of these finely drawn characters, starting with the widow psychic's extended mourning for her lost husband, the agonized terror of a beaten wife, and the percolating anger of a cuckolded spouse. All of this makes The Gift a worthy showcase for its esteemed cast, even as its plot twists grow increasingly familiar. --Jeff Shannon

Average review score:

Great film ruined by trite, predictable ending.
This could have been, should have been, a terrific thriller. The acting by all is definitely first rate, the direction tight, the setting perfect and creepy. The problem is, it's ultimately formulaic and you can predict the murderer - and ending - from a very, very long way off. The main problem is a tiny cast, so too small a pool of potential killers to choose from. I don't know why, but I expected a more original story from writer Billy Bob Thornton. Really a shame and just too bad, because it's otherwise a great film with captivating performances, especially from the marvelous Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi, and surprisingly enough, Keanu Reeves is believably menacing as the wife beating redneck.

I recommend this as a rental only, because one viewing is enough.

The Sixth Sense meets To Kill a Mockingbird
Cate Blanchett gives a strong, nuanced performance as Annie Wilson, an impoverished widow with three children trying to make a living reading the tarot in a lush, southern town of secrets, mysteries and rednecks. The cast of hot young actors is strong. Giovanni Ribisi plays a very damaged and rage filled, but sensitive, garage mechanic. His scene with his father is almost unwatchable in it's intensity. Hilary Swank is perfect as an abused co-dependant wife who can't leave her awful, violent husband played by Keanu Reeves. Greg Kinnear does his usual sweet guy character that he does so well.
The direction of Sam Raimi is very stylized and dream like. This film has the same brooding intensity of his previous effort A Perfect Plan.
The story by Billy Bob Thornton has a few predictable twists and plot turns, but the message of the film feels new and is ultimately very uplifting. It's a dark, Gothic journey to redemption similiar to the one that is explored in the movie Magnolia.

Creepy Gothic murder mystery
"The Gift"'s biggest gift is Cate Blanchett, who expertly carries the entire plotline as a tarot-card reader in the deep South. This film suffers from one or two problematic actors and some cheesy visuals, but it's otherwise very creepy.

Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett) lost her husband in an explosion, and now supports her three sons on her tarot-card readings, which use her psychic "gift." Among the people who seek her help are Buddy (Giovanni Ribisi), a young man scarred by childhood molestation, and Valerie (Hilary Swank), a weak young woman who lives in terror of her violent redneck husband Donnie (Keanu Reeves). Worse, Donnie is threatening both Annie and her children, claiming that she's a Satan-worshipper and a witch because of her tarot readings.

When Jessica (Katie Holmes), the seductive fiancee of a friend vanishes, Annie begins to have visions of what may have happened. The visions of white flowers, fences, and pondwater lead Annie and the skeptical police chief to Donnie's land, where the girl's body is found in the pond. Though at first Annie is convinced that Donnie is the one who murdered Jessica, her gift leads her to believe otherwise.

This movie just brims over with "Southernness," with lots of moss, mist, bigoted rednecks, swampy forests and dirty little secrets. It's not an amazing movie, despite the good actors and good direction, partly because many parts of it are a bit cliched. But it's haunting and creepy, and those who enjoyed "The Sixth Sense" may also enjoy "The Gift." (Annie sees dead people too!)

Cate Blanchett is, as always, stunning in whatever role she plays. This time it's a sort of tarot-reading madonna, and her expressive eyes and face can instantly flip from one emotion to another. Greg Kinnear plays Jessica's haunted fiancee, who has an eye for Annie; Hilary Swank is also very good as Valerie, as are the three boys who play Annie's children. Keanu Reeves was a problem, though. He's supposed to be a violent, cheating, raging redneck, but he wasn't very convincing.

Probably to call this a horror film isn't quite accurate. Though it's very creepy and horrific, it isn't gory or truly horrific. (The most horrifying scene doesn't involve dead people or visions, but the sexually-abused Buddy crying, shrieking and attacking his father) Actually, it sags when we get things like visions of Jessica, or rolling stormclouds -- these are a little too obvious for the otherwise eerie movie. And I was able to guess quite quickly who the murderer was, simply by considering who it would be too easy to think it was.

"The Gift" isn't an astounding movie, but quite a watchable one. Part Southern Gothic, part murder mystery, part horror/ghost flick, this is not something to watch with the lights off. Definitely nowhere near a pond.

Sesame Street - Get Up and Dance
Released in VHS Tape by Sony Wonder (01 February, 1999)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Directors: Stan Lathan, Bob Schwarz, Jon Stone, and Randall Balsmeyer
Starring: Jim Henson and Frank Oz
Average review score:

If your kid loves other kids and to dance, this is for you!
My daughter (2.5 yrs) has had this video since 18 mos....she has always loved it but as she gets older and older, she likes it even more.....not only does she loves to dance along with the other kids but I have learned the songs and we dance them even when the video is not on...."The Birdhouse Jump", "the Jelly Song" and the first song on the tape (forgot name) all have movements a 2 yr old can make.....As a matter of fact That song was what I sung this year when we were on the beach and wanted to keep her from going in the water ( she had a cold)...little by little other kids gravitated over and before long I had 8 children on the beach doing the Birdland jump and other songs!!!!! And none of them except my daughter spoke ANY english ( we were in Spain) but they all learned the movements fast! It was a sight...especially me in a bathing suit - People must of thought "These crazy Amercians" : )

As for the teacher....It never occurred to me to think she is annoying...... she is obviously talking to the kids so she uses that tone...

People who gave thumbs down missed the point.....
.... If you have a motivated child who LOVES music and dancing this is perfect. Big Bird's teddy bear (Radar) is having a birthday party and YOU are invited. That's why the dance teacher keeps looking at the camera. To make your child a part of the party!!! ....

My daughter is 16 months and knows all the steps and songs. The first song is instructional, where you touch your toes, turn around, pull on your ears etc. After dancing with her, my daughter knows all her body parts!

Those songs have a way of getting in your head!
My 19 month old daughter LOVES this video. After racking up enough in late fees to buy the thing, we got it on DVD. The songs are all very catchy (and those of us who love unsung rock and roll heroes appreciate the inclusion of Jonathan Richman's I'm a Little Airplane), the dances are simple enough, and you'll find yourself humming along.

There is one big problem with the tape. Celina, the dance instructor, may have the most grating speaking voice ever recorded. The conceit of Celina needing rest gets a bit old after awhile, and her acting (as well as that of Big Bird) suggest that this was probably a very quick shoot done to make a quick buck.

Another problem you may have is that the Sesame Street puppets are only scene minimally. My daughter doesn't mind, but others might. THis was definitely worth every penny we paid for it just to hear her sing her first song, "The Birthday Song." She sings along every time.

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