Miguel-Ferrer Movie Reviews

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VHS movie reviews for "Miguel-Ferrer" sorted by average review score:
Sunshine State
Released in VHS Tape by Columbia Tristar Hom (19 November, 2002)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: John Sayles
Starring: Angela Bassett and Edie Falco
Writer-director John Sayles weaves together the beauty, grime, and history of Florida in Sunshine State. The rumbling approach of real estate developers on a sleepy island sets the leisurely paced plot in motion. Sayles takes his time introducing his characters, gradually revealing how their lives intertwine, and, as always, teases magnificent performances out of his actors. Edie Falco is quietly brilliant as Marly, running an old-guard motel as progress marches on, and regarding the men in her life with a wry practicality. Mary Steenburgen gifts a small role with marvelous, spoiled humanity in a deft comic turn, and Angela Bassett slowly unfurls her character's depth with the elegance of a true pro. Sunshine State is a simple story, but never clichéd, possessing a glow worth basking in. --Ali Davis
Average review score:

Sayles produces another winner
John Sayles, who wrote, directed, and edited Sunshine State, is one of the finest directors working today. He is able to take seemingly unrelated stories and create a wonderful film. His work, including Limbo, Eight Men Out, Lone Star, and Matewan are all movies that make you think. I would have liked more extras on this DVD, but Sayles commentary is interesting and does provide some insight into the movie making process. The movie, about developers moving into a little town in Florida and the effect on the town, looks at class and race differences and provides a different look at Florida, much like Limbo did for Alaska. The cast is really good, led by Edie Falco, who provides a Oscar worthy performance as a "motelier" who wants more out of life but doesn't seem to want it enough to leave, and by Angela Bassett, who did leave and maybe is wondering what she got of life by leaving. Bill Cobbs and TYimothy Hutton also provide solid performances in this movie. As I indictaed, the lack of extras is disappointing, but the movie itself is a gem. John Sayles, whose body of work stands with any director working today, has produced another film that will leave you thinking about it long after you view it.

BRIGHT AS DAY
Land developers preying on naive and worldly-wise landowners in Florida isn't the most original idea, indeed it sounds dated, but this ensemble comedy-drama from Writer-Director John Sayles is as engaging as a warm ocean breeze on your favorite Floridian beach. All the interlocking stories of the potentially wealthy residents are entertaining and amusing but the film really belongs to Angela Bassett and James McDaniel as a woman returning to her home town with her husband, half-heartedly willing to confront unresolved family affairs and relationships. They provide a strong backbone to this gentle and funny film.

Another wonderful Sayles creation
Author/screenwriter/director/editor--John Sayles is unique in the film industry. After a slew of odd jobs, he became a novelist, then a screenwriter and, ultimately, the winner of a MacArthur "genius" grant to finance his own films. His Return of the Secaucus Seven was the beginning of a series of highly individual films that include Brother From Another Planet, the wonderful Eight Men Out, Lone Star and now this bittersweet film about Florida. The cast--particularly Edie Falco and Angela Bassett, who both give shining performances--is wonderful, with a winning turn by Ralph Waite (remember The Waltons?) as Falco's blind father.

This is a film about history, about pride, about mother-daughter turmoil, about land development (and greedy, conniving developers) about the human condition. It is funny and touching, irreverent and fundamentally true; it is also well-conceived and sometimes hilarious. Mary Steenburgen (with one of those amazing facelifts that leaves her expressionless) nevertheless is great as what amounts to a middle-aged cheerleader, trying to pump civic pride into a place that has precious little of it. There are a number of small, golden moments: a scene between Waite and young Alex Lewis as Terrell is understated and lovely.

A fine, fine film with a splendid cast, and some messages that are delivered without a single heavy-handed moment.

Don't miss this one!

Blank Check
Released in VHS Tape by Disney Studios (04 March, 2003)
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Director: Rupert Wainwright
Starring: Brian Bonsall and Karen Duffy
Average review score:

Cute and Charming!
I didn't want to like this movie but wound up liking it anyway! I watched Blank Check with my nephews while I was baby sitting them when my sister and her husband went out and I thought I was not going to like it and think it was just a movie that only a kid could like but I actually liked it and thought it was a pretty cute movie that has a good cast that includes Brian Bonsall, Miguel Ferrer and Karen Duffy and this is a charming entertaining movie that I could definitely watch again.

A good movie
I don't have this movie, but I have seen it on the Disney Channel. This wasn't the greatest movie I have ever seen, but it was pretty good. I think the only reason I watch this movie is because I think Preston Waters (Brian Bonsall) is hot.

Awesome!
This movie was Awesome! I watched it and loved it within the first ten minutes (of course, that was contributed partly by the fact that within the first ten minutes, there were already 2 Macintosh computers)! Having a kid accedentally get a million dollars from a crook is an excellent idea for a movie. Of course it's excellent, this is a Disney movie! Then the kid who gets a blank check and fills it out for a million dollars says the millionaire is "Mr. Macintosh" and he's working for him! This movie was GREAT!

It's All True
Released in VHS Tape by Paramount Studio (20 June, 1995)
MPAA Rating: G (General Audience)
Directors: Myron Meisel, Richard Wilson, Norman Foster, Bill Krohn, and Orson Welles
In 1942, Orson Welles was at the top of his game in Hollywood and had, as far as he was concerned, a great future ahead of him. Then Nelson Rockefeller asked him to go to Rio to film the annual carnival as part of a goodwill mission to South America. Long story short, what was meant to be a side project destroyed Welles's promising career. He lost control of what might have been his greatest film, The Magnificent Ambersons, became saddled with an unfair reputation as a money squanderer, and had to beg for B-picture projects (which he turned into superb films) in Hollywood for the rest of the decade (after which he scrambled for years to make movies in Europe, except for a brief return to make, and again lose control over, Touch of Evil). Adding insult to injury, the South American footage--both from the carnival and a couple of narrative episodes Welles wanted to put together in a film called It's All True--disappeared for almost 50 years. Then, as these things happen, much of that footage turned up in a vault and eventually was assembled, long after Welles's death, by several people, among them director Richard Wilson (a Welles producer and ally going back to Mercury Theatre days, and who was present with him in Rio when things went from bad to worse). The film now known as It's All True is a combination of Welles's startling material--including the doomstruck episode called "Four Men on a Raft" (during production of which one of the men drowned)--and interviews with Wilson and other principals who witnessed the situation or can comment on it insightfully. Welles fanatics understand the powerful mystique that surrounds It's All True, and others who have enjoyed his work will certainly find this a gripping and ghostly experience. --Tom Keogh
Average review score:

Well.....
Orson Welles is, was and will always be one of the greatest of all filmakers. You can't really argue with that.

The chance to see lost footage from any of his unfinished projects is always welcome, but this is something of a missed opportunity I'm afraid.

Richly illustrated with interviews and unique footage, the effort and research cannot be faulted, but frequently beautiful images flick by without any explanation whilst pointless facts are dealt in detail.

The cardinal sin here are the "recuts" of the virtually complete sections of It's All True. The "new" musical scores are obstrusive and syrupy - very "hollywood". They sit uncomfortably with the footage, and are NOT Welles style.

It's not the actual scores but the orchestration which seems so out of place. Instead of drawing you into the sequences it dilutes the impact.

It's a real shame, as you can see the influence such sequences had on later Welles pictures, "The Lady From Shanghai" - one of my favourite films - for example. After such a well researched build up it's real let down to see the work damaged in this way. Why the filmakers couldn't have used original recordings from the time film was made - and by the artists featured - is a mystery.

It's still well worth seeing - but, as I've already said, is a missed opportunity.

Excellent for Welles Fans
"It's All True" often receives minor attention in most histories of Orson Welles, probably because nobody had ever seen it. While Welles was in South America filming this documentary, RKO Pictures was busy destroying The Magnificant Ambersons, which had the signs of becoming greater than even Citizen Kane. This video (a documentary about the documentary) reminded me that "It's All True" had the possiblity of being greater still. Welles established a true contection with the people of South America, and to hear their love and admiration for this foriegn filmmaker only reinforces the tragedy of Welles' career. The film would probably have become a national treasure in Brazil, had Welles been allowed to finish it.

Aside from various clips of no particular order, there exists an entire sequence from the original, telling the story of an epic journey of 4 fisherman traveling half-way around the continent in a simple boat. The sequence lacks a soundtrack, and thus is missing the punch of other good Welles material. Orson always used audio with equal mastery as his visual style, and in this sequence you can see just how rough one was without the other. Still worth of a purchase.

Extraordinary
A little known documentary that is both entertaining and informative. Touching first hand accounts and rare footage that give an extraordinary look at both Mr. Welles and the Brazilian culture. If there is one reason to own this tape it would be to see over and over again the last part of the film. A piece called "Four Men on a Raft" It is the most beautiful black and white short film I have ever seen. The love Mr. Welles had for these poor fishermen is so wonderfully apparent.

Scam
Released in VHS Tape by Twentieth Century Fox (15 June, 1994)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: John Flynn
Average review score:

first impressions can be deceiving
For about 3/4's of it's running time, this drama remains interesting because of the acting of Christopher Walken and Lorraine Bracco. Walken can be a supreme mannerist but here he is simple and direct, whilst this performance made me re-evaluate my previous dismissive attitude towards Bracco. In spite of a tendency to use a Melanie Griffith slow vocal style, and photographed unflatteringly, she displays considerable technique, and now I'm keen to explore her back catalogue. There is a natural exhaustion factor in stories about the con game, since it builds on one-upmanship, and a succession of betrayals and plot twists eventually overturn the good feeling created by screenwriter Craig Smith, adapting his own novel Ladystinger. Apart from his control of the actors, director John Flynn doesn't go for any stylistic choices, though a decapitation seems appropriate for the Jamaican locale. Even with a subplot about crossing the mob, the film's tone doesn't qualify it as a thriller, since the leads never feel genuinely at risk, and it's not violent enough to be called an action pic either. And as with the spiralling stings, it has about 2 endings too many, which ultimately is unsatisfying. Martin Donovan is feaured in a supporting role as a computer geek though has little material to work with.

{Great}
One of the best movie I've seen this year//The plot is great and the movie keeps your interest the whole time watching//Surprise ending A+++++++++++

Cruel Doubt
Released in VHS Tape by Anchor Bay Entertainment (26 August, 1996)
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Director: Yves Simoneau
Average review score:

Good movie.
I saw this when it first aired, and then again as a repeat on Lifetime or something. It's really quite good I thought. The actors for Chris Pritchard and James Upchurch were very intense I thought and did really well. Ed Asner is always fun to watch too... anyway its a great movie. And for some clarification because none of the other reviews mentioned it... yes this is the one where the kids get all whacked out on drugs, alcohol, and D&D to go off one of the kids parents. It's portrayed well in this film... its just sad that its true.

"Cruel Doubt" engrossing for true crime buffs
The novel by Joe McGinness kept me up all night, and the miniseries kept me just as involved. A North Carolina woman is attacked in her sleep and her second husband is fatally wounded by an unknown assailant. She recovers and is released from the hospital, but her nineteen year old son is acting awfully strange. Gripping and intense, and sure to put a lump in your throat. Another book about this case is "Blood Games" by Jerry Bledsoe. Look for a young David Arquette, and real life mother and daughter Blythe Danner and Gwyneth Paltrow play mother and daughter here.

great
I saw the movie first, then read the book, they were both good.
The acting by Blythe Danner was fantastic as Bonnie Von Stein.

The other reviewer who said it was disappointing, learn how to spell before you submit a review.

Traffic
Released in VHS Tape by Usa Films (29 May, 2001)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Benicio Del Toro and Michael Douglas
Featuring a huge cast of characters, the ambitious and breathtaking Traffic is a tapestry of three separate stories woven together by a common theme: the war on drugs. In Ohio, there's the newly appointed government drug czar (Michael Douglas) who realizes after he's accepted the job that he may have gotten into a no-win situation. Not only that, his teenage daughter (Erika Christensen) is herself quietly developing a nasty addiction problem. In San Diego, a drug kingpin (Steven Bauer) is arrested on information provided by an informant (Miguel Ferrer) who was nabbed by two undercover detectives (Don Cheadle and Luis Guzmán). The kingpin's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones), heretofore ignorant of where her husband's wealth comes from, gets a crash course in the drug business and its nasty side effects. And south of the border, a Mexican cop (Benicio Del Toro) finds himself caught between both his home country and the U.S., as corrupt government officials duke it out with the drug cartel for control of trafficking various drugs back and forth across the border.

Bold in scope, Traffic showcases Steven Soderbergh at the top of his game, directing a peerless ensemble cast in a gritty, multifaceted tale that will captivate you from beginning to end. Utilizing the no-frills techniques of the Dogme 95 school, Soderbergh enhances his hand-held filming with imaginative editing and film-stock manipulation that eerily captures the atmosphere of each location: a washed-out, grainy Mexico; a blue and chilly Ohio; and a sleek, sun-dappled San Diego. But Traffic is more than a film-school exercise. Soderbergh and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan (adapting the British TV miniseries Traffik to the U.S.) seamlessly weave the threads of each separate plotline into one solid tale, with the actions of one plot having quiet repercussions on the other two. And if you needed more proof that Soderbergh takes unparalleled care with his actors, practically all the members of this cast turn in their best work ever, the standout being an Oscar-worthy Del Toro as the conflicted moral conscience of the film. While no story is fully resolved in the film, you'll be haunted by these characters days after you've seen the film. By far one of the best movies of 2000. --Mark Englehart

Average review score:

Great film
With its frank depiction of drug use and its gritty down to earth feel, I enjoyed Traffic and expect to see director Steven Soderbergh walk away with an Oscar come Academy Award time.

There were 5 or 6 different story lines, a few of which came together at different points. One involved Michael Douglas as Robert Wakefield, an Ohio State Supreme Court Justice turned United States Drug Czar having to deal with not only the national and international drug problem, but with the fact that his 16 year old daughter was a drug addict. Another story line involved Benecio Del Toro as Tijuana police officer Javier Rodriguez caught between the corrupt Mexican police system, and his moral obligation to make Mexico drug free for future generations. Another story line had Catherine Zeta-Jones as Helena, an unsuspecting wife of a suspected drug dealer named Carlos Ayala (Steven Bauer), having to cope with her husband being carted off to jail, and having her child threatened unless she pays off her husband's debts. Mixed into that story line were undercover DEA agents Montel Gordon (Don Cheadle) and Ray Castro (Luis Guzman) who are trying to protect the chief witness again Carlos, while trying to get information against Helena.

What I really loved about Traffic was the documentary-style feel it had. Every location was shot differently, from the blown out yellow grittyness of Mexico, to the rich upper class color of Cincinnati. Along with the graphic depictions of drug use and the corruption of the Mexican military and police, it all had the feel of a real life drama, and not just a movie. All the acting performances were wonderful. Usually a great director can bring out great performances from his/her cast. It's no surprise that Julia Roberts from the Soderbergh-directed Erin Brockovich is a front runner in the Best Actress Oscar race, and Benecio Del Toro is a front runner in the Supporting Actor race. Standouts from this movie in my view include Zeta-Jones as a woman who is slowly transformed into the complete opposite of what she was by circumstances beyond her control. Don Cheadle, who is one of the best hidden talents in Hollywood, and is just one big role away from breaking through to mainstream. And the girl I thought had the toughest role in the movie, Erika Christensen as Caroline, the 16 year old drug addicted daughter of the new drug Czar. I think her performance deserves more recognition than it's gotten.

The feel of the movie is really what makes this film a cut above others. It doesn't pull any punches in its portrayal of what life is like for some people. We get to see the inner workings of a corrupt Mexican military, abusing its police power to steal the lucrative drug trade for itself. We see how even if a police officer is on the moral straight and narrow, he has to bend to the facts of life to survive on the streets. Back in America we see that even the drug Czar of the United States can have problems in his own life that are bigger than the country. And we see how a woman will go anywhere and do anything to protect her children and her family. Director Soderbergh has taken us inside the lives of these people without glossing it up Hollywood style.

Traffic is a hard hitting film that may be too much for some people. The scenes of drug use are hard to deal with at times. Seeing what a 16 year old girl will do just to get a fix is troubling. The only part of the film I guess I didn't believe(?) was watching the drug Czar comb the streets looking for his daughter, instead of calling out the National Guard or something to track her down. I understand he had his reasons, wanting to keep the whole situation quiet and away from the press, but it still seemed odd that a person in his position would be willing to wander the streets looking for her. The other problem I had was that some of the story lines and people got confusing to me, and made parts of the movie hard to follow. Luckily most of it all came together near the end.

Overall I enjoyed Traffic and I would recommend it to people looking to get out of the Hollywood-style movie scene we're all used to seeing.

Its In MY Top 10 List! Absolutely Flawless!
I had went to theaters to see this movie. (Mainly because the previews said it was a knockout, brilliant, and in every critics top 10 list). I was a little skeptical at first, but once it starts it pulls you in. From begining to end, this film lacks nothing.

Whether you like it for the acting, (Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Torro, or Michael Douglas all do superb, along with most others), whether you like it for the cinematography, (I'm not sure who did it, but watch for the color difference between Washington, DC (Michael Douglas' scenes), Mexico (Benicio Del Torro's scenes), or San Diego (where a bunch of rich kids live), you will be amazed.

Another thing is the rock solid story line with snappy dialouge. And not to mention the allstar cast of Benicio Del Torro, (The "Good" Cop), Michael Douglas (Head of the DEA), Catherine Zeta-Jones (A Rich, Pampered, Housewife), Dennis Quaid (The Crooked Lawyer), Don Cheadle (Undercover Cop), along with numerous cameos from Selma Hayek, ect.

This film can not be beat. With A+ acting, story, and without a doubt the BEST cinematography ever! You cant afford to miss TRAFFIC.

Not this film is a 2 1/2 hr long drama, which needs to be viewed in FULL. I know of quite a few people who quit watching it half-way through. You will ruin one of the greatest movie experiences ever if you do this. No Joke!

Winner of 5 Academy Awards including: Best Supporting Actor (Del Torro), Best Director (Steven Soderbergh), Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Cinematography!

Two consistent mistakes troughout the movie
This is a movie with starpower and sustance, but it commits the same mistakes with consistency troughout the movie. If you can look beyond them, great, some of us can't.
mistake 1: the only cast member that does not produce the spanish language with a thick american accent was Salma Hayek. Everyone else, From Del Toro to the little characters is a Culprit of mangling the language into an East L.A. version of it.
mistake 2: All scenes in cars in the Mexico side have all the actors "buckled up" when in Mexico there is no bucke up law, In fact buckling up is considered for sissies by the macho military/policial culture.
Thoper Grace's performance was a surprise, the kid did break out of his tv personna.

Traffic
Released in VHS Tape by Usa Films (30 October, 2001)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Benicio Del Toro and Michael Douglas
Featuring a huge cast of characters, the ambitious and breathtaking Traffic is a tapestry of three separate stories woven together by a common theme: the war on drugs. In Ohio, there's the newly appointed government drug czar (Michael Douglas) who realizes after he's accepted the job that he may have gotten into a no-win situation. Not only that, his teenage daughter (Erika Christensen) is herself quietly developing a nasty addiction problem. In San Diego, a drug kingpin (Steven Bauer) is arrested on information provided by an informant (Miguel Ferrer) who was nabbed by two undercover detectives (Don Cheadle and Luis Guzmán). The kingpin's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones), heretofore ignorant of where her husband's wealth comes from, gets a crash course in the drug business and its nasty side effects. And south of the border, a Mexican cop (Benicio Del Toro) finds himself caught between both his home country and the U.S., as corrupt government officials duke it out with the drug cartel for control of trafficking various drugs back and forth across the border.

Bold in scope, Traffic showcases Steven Soderbergh at the top of his game, directing a peerless ensemble cast in a gritty, multifaceted tale that will captivate you from beginning to end. Utilizing the no-frills techniques of the Dogme 95 school, Soderbergh enhances his hand-held filming with imaginative editing and film-stock manipulation that eerily captures the atmosphere of each location: a washed-out, grainy Mexico; a blue and chilly Ohio; and a sleek, sun-dappled San Diego. But Traffic is more than a film-school exercise. Soderbergh and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan (adapting the British TV miniseries Traffik to the U.S.) seamlessly weave the threads of each separate plotline into one solid tale, with the actions of one plot having quiet repercussions on the other two. And if you needed more proof that Soderbergh takes unparalleled care with his actors, practically all the members of this cast turn in their best work ever, the standout being an Oscar-worthy Del Toro as the conflicted moral conscience of the film. While no story is fully resolved in the film, you'll be haunted by these characters days after you've seen the film. By far one of the best movies of 2000. --Mark Englehart

Average review score:

Great film
With its frank depiction of drug use and its gritty down to earth feel, I enjoyed Traffic and expect to see director Steven Soderbergh walk away with an Oscar come Academy Award time.

There were 5 or 6 different story lines, a few of which came together at different points. One involved Michael Douglas as Robert Wakefield, an Ohio State Supreme Court Justice turned United States Drug Czar having to deal with not only the national and international drug problem, but with the fact that his 16 year old daughter was a drug addict. Another story line involved Benecio Del Toro as Tijuana police officer Javier Rodriguez caught between the corrupt Mexican police system, and his moral obligation to make Mexico drug free for future generations. Another story line had Catherine Zeta-Jones as Helena, an unsuspecting wife of a suspected drug dealer named Carlos Ayala (Steven Bauer), having to cope with her husband being carted off to jail, and having her child threatened unless she pays off her husband's debts. Mixed into that story line were undercover DEA agents Montel Gordon (Don Cheadle) and Ray Castro (Luis Guzman) who are trying to protect the chief witness again Carlos, while trying to get information against Helena.

What I really loved about Traffic was the documentary-style feel it had. Every location was shot differently, from the blown out yellow grittyness of Mexico, to the rich upper class color of Cincinnati. Along with the graphic depictions of drug use and the corruption of the Mexican military and police, it all had the feel of a real life drama, and not just a movie. All the acting performances were wonderful. Usually a great director can bring out great performances from his/her cast. It's no surprise that Julia Roberts from the Soderbergh-directed Erin Brockovich is a front runner in the Best Actress Oscar race, and Benecio Del Toro is a front runner in the Supporting Actor race. Standouts from this movie in my view include Zeta-Jones as a woman who is slowly transformed into the complete opposite of what she was by circumstances beyond her control. Don Cheadle, who is one of the best hidden talents in Hollywood, and is just one big role away from breaking through to mainstream. And the girl I thought had the toughest role in the movie, Erika Christensen as Caroline, the 16 year old drug addicted daughter of the new drug Czar. I think her performance deserves more recognition than it's gotten.

The feel of the movie is really what makes this film a cut above others. It doesn't pull any punches in its portrayal of what life is like for some people. We get to see the inner workings of a corrupt Mexican military, abusing its police power to steal the lucrative drug trade for itself. We see how even if a police officer is on the moral straight and narrow, he has to bend to the facts of life to survive on the streets. Back in America we see that even the drug Czar of the United States can have problems in his own life that are bigger than the country. And we see how a woman will go anywhere and do anything to protect her children and her family. Director Soderbergh has taken us inside the lives of these people without glossing it up Hollywood style.

Traffic is a hard hitting film that may be too much for some people. The scenes of drug use are hard to deal with at times. Seeing what a 16 year old girl will do just to get a fix is troubling. The only part of the film I guess I didn't believe(?) was watching the drug Czar comb the streets looking for his daughter, instead of calling out the National Guard or something to track her down. I understand he had his reasons, wanting to keep the whole situation quiet and away from the press, but it still seemed odd that a person in his position would be willing to wander the streets looking for her. The other problem I had was that some of the story lines and people got confusing to me, and made parts of the movie hard to follow. Luckily most of it all came together near the end.

Overall I enjoyed Traffic and I would recommend it to people looking to get out of the Hollywood-style movie scene we're all used to seeing.

Its In MY Top 10 List! Absolutely Flawless!
I had went to theaters to see this movie. (Mainly because the previews said it was a knockout, brilliant, and in every critics top 10 list). I was a little skeptical at first, but once it starts it pulls you in. From begining to end, this film lacks nothing.

Whether you like it for the acting, (Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Torro, or Michael Douglas all do superb, along with most others), whether you like it for the cinematography, (I'm not sure who did it, but watch for the color difference between Washington, DC (Michael Douglas' scenes), Mexico (Benicio Del Torro's scenes), or San Diego (where a bunch of rich kids live), you will be amazed.

Another thing is the rock solid story line with snappy dialouge. And not to mention the allstar cast of Benicio Del Torro, (The "Good" Cop), Michael Douglas (Head of the DEA), Catherine Zeta-Jones (A Rich, Pampered, Housewife), Dennis Quaid (The Crooked Lawyer), Don Cheadle (Undercover Cop), along with numerous cameos from Selma Hayek, ect.

This film can not be beat. With A+ acting, story, and without a doubt the BEST cinematography ever! You cant afford to miss TRAFFIC.

Not this film is a 2 1/2 hr long drama, which needs to be viewed in FULL. I know of quite a few people who quit watching it half-way through. You will ruin one of the greatest movie experiences ever if you do this. No Joke!

Winner of 5 Academy Awards including: Best Supporting Actor (Del Torro), Best Director (Steven Soderbergh), Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Cinematography!

Two consistent mistakes troughout the movie
This is a movie with starpower and sustance, but it commits the same mistakes with consistency troughout the movie. If you can look beyond them, great, some of us can't.
mistake 1: the only cast member that does not produce the spanish language with a thick american accent was Salma Hayek. Everyone else, From Del Toro to the little characters is a Culprit of mangling the language into an East L.A. version of it.
mistake 2: All scenes in cars in the Mexico side have all the actors "buckled up" when in Mexico there is no bucke up law, In fact buckling up is considered for sissies by the macho military/policial culture.
Thoper Grace's performance was a surprise, the kid did break out of his tv personna.

Traffic
Released in Theatrical Release by (27 December, 2000)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Benicio Del Toro and Michael Douglas
Featuring a huge cast of characters, the ambitious and breathtaking Traffic is a tapestry of three separate stories woven together by a common theme: the war on drugs. In Ohio, there's the newly appointed government drug czar (Michael Douglas) who realizes after he's accepted the job that he may have gotten into a no-win situation. Not only that, his teenage daughter (Erika Christensen) is herself quietly developing a nasty addiction problem. In San Diego, a drug kingpin (Steven Bauer) is arrested on information provided by an informant (Miguel Ferrer) who was nabbed by two undercover detectives (Don Cheadle and Luis Guzmán). The kingpin's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones), heretofore ignorant of where her husband's wealth comes from, gets a crash course in the drug business and its nasty side effects. And south of the border, a Mexican cop (Benicio Del Toro) finds himself caught between both his home country and the U.S., as corrupt government officials duke it out with the drug cartel for control of trafficking various drugs back and forth across the border.

Bold in scope, Traffic showcases Steven Soderbergh at the top of his game, directing a peerless ensemble cast in a gritty, multifaceted tale that will captivate you from beginning to end. Utilizing the no-frills techniques of the Dogme 95 school, Soderbergh enhances his hand-held filming with imaginative editing and film-stock manipulation that eerily captures the atmosphere of each location: a washed-out, grainy Mexico; a blue and chilly Ohio; and a sleek, sun-dappled San Diego. But Traffic is more than a film-school exercise. Soderbergh and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan (adapting the British TV miniseries Traffik to the U.S.) seamlessly weave the threads of each separate plotline into one solid tale, with the actions of one plot having quiet repercussions on the other two. And if you needed more proof that Soderbergh takes unparalleled care with his actors, practically all the members of this cast turn in their best work ever, the standout being an Oscar-worthy Del Toro as the conflicted moral conscience of the film. While no story is fully resolved in the film, you'll be haunted by these characters days after you've seen the film. By far one of the best movies of 2000. --Mark Englehart

Average review score:

Great film
With its frank depiction of drug use and its gritty down to earth feel, I enjoyed Traffic and expect to see director Steven Soderbergh walk away with an Oscar come Academy Award time.

There were 5 or 6 different story lines, a few of which came together at different points. One involved Michael Douglas as Robert Wakefield, an Ohio State Supreme Court Justice turned United States Drug Czar having to deal with not only the national and international drug problem, but with the fact that his 16 year old daughter was a drug addict. Another story line involved Benecio Del Toro as Tijuana police officer Javier Rodriguez caught between the corrupt Mexican police system, and his moral obligation to make Mexico drug free for future generations. Another story line had Catherine Zeta-Jones as Helena, an unsuspecting wife of a suspected drug dealer named Carlos Ayala (Steven Bauer), having to cope with her husband being carted off to jail, and having her child threatened unless she pays off her husband's debts. Mixed into that story line were undercover DEA agents Montel Gordon (Don Cheadle) and Ray Castro (Luis Guzman) who are trying to protect the chief witness again Carlos, while trying to get information against Helena.

What I really loved about Traffic was the documentary-style feel it had. Every location was shot differently, from the blown out yellow grittyness of Mexico, to the rich upper class color of Cincinnati. Along with the graphic depictions of drug use and the corruption of the Mexican military and police, it all had the feel of a real life drama, and not just a movie. All the acting performances were wonderful. Usually a great director can bring out great performances from his/her cast. It's no surprise that Julia Roberts from the Soderbergh-directed Erin Brockovich is a front runner in the Best Actress Oscar race, and Benecio Del Toro is a front runner in the Supporting Actor race. Standouts from this movie in my view include Zeta-Jones as a woman who is slowly transformed into the complete opposite of what she was by circumstances beyond her control. Don Cheadle, who is one of the best hidden talents in Hollywood, and is just one big role away from breaking through to mainstream. And the girl I thought had the toughest role in the movie, Erika Christensen as Caroline, the 16 year old drug addicted daughter of the new drug Czar. I think her performance deserves more recognition than it's gotten.

The feel of the movie is really what makes this film a cut above others. It doesn't pull any punches in its portrayal of what life is like for some people. We get to see the inner workings of a corrupt Mexican military, abusing its police power to steal the lucrative drug trade for itself. We see how even if a police officer is on the moral straight and narrow, he has to bend to the facts of life to survive on the streets. Back in America we see that even the drug Czar of the United States can have problems in his own life that are bigger than the country. And we see how a woman will go anywhere and do anything to protect her children and her family. Director Soderbergh has taken us inside the lives of these people without glossing it up Hollywood style.

Traffic is a hard hitting film that may be too much for some people. The scenes of drug use are hard to deal with at times. Seeing what a 16 year old girl will do just to get a fix is troubling. The only part of the film I guess I didn't believe(?) was watching the drug Czar comb the streets looking for his daughter, instead of calling out the National Guard or something to track her down. I understand he had his reasons, wanting to keep the whole situation quiet and away from the press, but it still seemed odd that a person in his position would be willing to wander the streets looking for her. The other problem I had was that some of the story lines and people got confusing to me, and made parts of the movie hard to follow. Luckily most of it all came together near the end.

Overall I enjoyed Traffic and I would recommend it to people looking to get out of the Hollywood-style movie scene we're all used to seeing.

Its In MY Top 10 List! Absolutely Flawless!
I had went to theaters to see this movie. (Mainly because the previews said it was a knockout, brilliant, and in every critics top 10 list). I was a little skeptical at first, but once it starts it pulls you in. From begining to end, this film lacks nothing.

Whether you like it for the acting, (Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Torro, or Michael Douglas all do superb, along with most others), whether you like it for the cinematography, (I'm not sure who did it, but watch for the color difference between Washington, DC (Michael Douglas' scenes), Mexico (Benicio Del Torro's scenes), or San Diego (where a bunch of rich kids live), you will be amazed.

Another thing is the rock solid story line with snappy dialouge. And not to mention the allstar cast of Benicio Del Torro, (The "Good" Cop), Michael Douglas (Head of the DEA), Catherine Zeta-Jones (A Rich, Pampered, Housewife), Dennis Quaid (The Crooked Lawyer), Don Cheadle (Undercover Cop), along with numerous cameos from Selma Hayek, ect.

This film can not be beat. With A+ acting, story, and without a doubt the BEST cinematography ever! You cant afford to miss TRAFFIC.

Not this film is a 2 1/2 hr long drama, which needs to be viewed in FULL. I know of quite a few people who quit watching it half-way through. You will ruin one of the greatest movie experiences ever if you do this. No Joke!

Winner of 5 Academy Awards including: Best Supporting Actor (Del Torro), Best Director (Steven Soderbergh), Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Cinematography!

Two consistent mistakes troughout the movie
This is a movie with starpower and sustance, but it commits the same mistakes with consistency troughout the movie. If you can look beyond them, great, some of us can't.
mistake 1: the only cast member that does not produce the spanish language with a thick american accent was Salma Hayek. Everyone else, From Del Toro to the little characters is a Culprit of mangling the language into an East L.A. version of it.
mistake 2: All scenes in cars in the Mexico side have all the actors "buckled up" when in Mexico there is no bucke up law, In fact buckling up is considered for sissies by the macho military/policial culture.
Thoper Grace's performance was a surprise, the kid did break out of his tv personna.

Traffic
Released in VHS Tape by Umvd (04 February, 2003)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Benicio Del Toro and Michael Douglas
Featuring a huge cast of characters, the ambitious and breathtaking Traffic is a tapestry of three separate stories woven together by a common theme: the war on drugs. In Ohio, there's the newly appointed government drug czar (Michael Douglas) who realizes after he's accepted the job that he may have gotten into a no-win situation. Not only that, his teenage daughter (Erika Christensen) is herself quietly developing a nasty addiction problem. In San Diego, a drug kingpin (Steven Bauer) is arrested on information provided by an informant (Miguel Ferrer) who was nabbed by two undercover detectives (Don Cheadle and Luis Guzmán). The kingpin's wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones), heretofore ignorant of where her husband's wealth comes from, gets a crash course in the drug business and its nasty side effects. And south of the border, a Mexican cop (Benicio Del Toro) finds himself caught between both his home country and the U.S., as corrupt government officials duke it out with the drug cartel for control of trafficking various drugs back and forth across the border.

Bold in scope, Traffic showcases Steven Soderbergh at the top of his game, directing a peerless ensemble cast in a gritty, multifaceted tale that will captivate you from beginning to end. Utilizing the no-frills techniques of the Dogme 95 school, Soderbergh enhances his hand-held filming with imaginative editing and film-stock manipulation that eerily captures the atmosphere of each location: a washed-out, grainy Mexico; a blue and chilly Ohio; and a sleek, sun-dappled San Diego. But Traffic is more than a film-school exercise. Soderbergh and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan (adapting the British TV miniseries Traffik to the U.S.) seamlessly weave the threads of each separate plotline into one solid tale, with the actions of one plot having quiet repercussions on the other two. And if you needed more proof that Soderbergh takes unparalleled care with his actors, practically all the members of this cast turn in their best work ever, the standout being an Oscar-worthy Del Toro as the conflicted moral conscience of the film. While no story is fully resolved in the film, you'll be haunted by these characters days after you've seen the film. By far one of the best movies of 2000. --Mark Englehart

Average review score:

Great film
With its frank depiction of drug use and its gritty down to earth feel, I enjoyed Traffic and expect to see director Steven Soderbergh walk away with an Oscar come Academy Award time.

There were 5 or 6 different story lines, a few of which came together at different points. One involved Michael Douglas as Robert Wakefield, an Ohio State Supreme Court Justice turned United States Drug Czar having to deal with not only the national and international drug problem, but with the fact that his 16 year old daughter was a drug addict. Another story line involved Benecio Del Toro as Tijuana police officer Javier Rodriguez caught between the corrupt Mexican police system, and his moral obligation to make Mexico drug free for future generations. Another story line had Catherine Zeta-Jones as Helena, an unsuspecting wife of a suspected drug dealer named Carlos Ayala (Steven Bauer), having to cope with her husband being carted off to jail, and having her child threatened unless she pays off her husband's debts. Mixed into that story line were undercover DEA agents Montel Gordon (Don Cheadle) and Ray Castro (Luis Guzman) who are trying to protect the chief witness again Carlos, while trying to get information against Helena.

What I really loved about Traffic was the documentary-style feel it had. Every location was shot differently, from the blown out yellow grittyness of Mexico, to the rich upper class color of Cincinnati. Along with the graphic depictions of drug use and the corruption of the Mexican military and police, it all had the feel of a real life drama, and not just a movie. All the acting performances were wonderful. Usually a great director can bring out great performances from his/her cast. It's no surprise that Julia Roberts from the Soderbergh-directed Erin Brockovich is a front runner in the Best Actress Oscar race, and Benecio Del Toro is a front runner in the Supporting Actor race. Standouts from this movie in my view include Zeta-Jones as a woman who is slowly transformed into the complete opposite of what she was by circumstances beyond her control. Don Cheadle, who is one of the best hidden talents in Hollywood, and is just one big role away from breaking through to mainstream. And the girl I thought had the toughest role in the movie, Erika Christensen as Caroline, the 16 year old drug addicted daughter of the new drug Czar. I think her performance deserves more recognition than it's gotten.

The feel of the movie is really what makes this film a cut above others. It doesn't pull any punches in its portrayal of what life is like for some people. We get to see the inner workings of a corrupt Mexican military, abusing its police power to steal the lucrative drug trade for itself. We see how even if a police officer is on the moral straight and narrow, he has to bend to the facts of life to survive on the streets. Back in America we see that even the drug Czar of the United States can have problems in his own life that are bigger than the country. And we see how a woman will go anywhere and do anything to protect her children and her family. Director Soderbergh has taken us inside the lives of these people without glossing it up Hollywood style.

Traffic is a hard hitting film that may be too much for some people. The scenes of drug use are hard to deal with at times. Seeing what a 16 year old girl will do just to get a fix is troubling. The only part of the film I guess I didn't believe(?) was watching the drug Czar comb the streets looking for his daughter, instead of calling out the National Guard or something to track her down. I understand he had his reasons, wanting to keep the whole situation quiet and away from the press, but it still seemed odd that a person in his position would be willing to wander the streets looking for her. The other problem I had was that some of the story lines and people got confusing to me, and made parts of the movie hard to follow. Luckily most of it all came together near the end.

Overall I enjoyed Traffic and I would recommend it to people looking to get out of the Hollywood-style movie scene we're all used to seeing.

Its In MY Top 10 List! Absolutely Flawless!
I had went to theaters to see this movie. (Mainly because the previews said it was a knockout, brilliant, and in every critics top 10 list). I was a little skeptical at first, but once it starts it pulls you in. From begining to end, this film lacks nothing.

Whether you like it for the acting, (Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Torro, or Michael Douglas all do superb, along with most others), whether you like it for the cinematography, (I'm not sure who did it, but watch for the color difference between Washington, DC (Michael Douglas' scenes), Mexico (Benicio Del Torro's scenes), or San Diego (where a bunch of rich kids live), you will be amazed.

Another thing is the rock solid story line with snappy dialouge. And not to mention the allstar cast of Benicio Del Torro, (The "Good" Cop), Michael Douglas (Head of the DEA), Catherine Zeta-Jones (A Rich, Pampered, Housewife), Dennis Quaid (The Crooked Lawyer), Don Cheadle (Undercover Cop), along with numerous cameos from Selma Hayek, ect.

This film can not be beat. With A+ acting, story, and without a doubt the BEST cinematography ever! You cant afford to miss TRAFFIC.

Not this film is a 2 1/2 hr long drama, which needs to be viewed in FULL. I know of quite a few people who quit watching it half-way through. You will ruin one of the greatest movie experiences ever if you do this. No Joke!

Winner of 5 Academy Awards including: Best Supporting Actor (Del Torro), Best Director (Steven Soderbergh), Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Cinematography!

Two consistent mistakes troughout the movie
This is a movie with starpower and sustance, but it commits the same mistakes with consistency troughout the movie. If you can look beyond them, great, some of us can't.
mistake 1: the only cast member that does not produce the spanish language with a thick american accent was Salma Hayek. Everyone else, From Del Toro to the little characters is a Culprit of mangling the language into an East L.A. version of it.
mistake 2: All scenes in cars in the Mexico side have all the actors "buckled up" when in Mexico there is no bucke up law, In fact buckling up is considered for sissies by the macho military/policial culture.
Thoper Grace's performance was a surprise, the kid did break out of his tv personna.

The Night Flier
Released in VHS Tape by Hbo Studios (29 August, 2000)
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Director: Mark Pavia
Starring: Miguel Ferrer and Julie Entwisle
Average review score:

Delusion
Plenty of expectations, party because of the rating, partly because of King's involvement, then it totally let me down...

Undervalued horror
I'm not sure why The Night Flier was demolished by critics. It's a straight up horror film that is true to the conventions of the genre. While the story itself may seem a little silly, it's no where near as bad as some make out to be. In fact, the film not only packs a punch, it can be creepy. The movie focuses around sleazy tabloid journalist Richard Dee's (Ferrer) who was once the "star" reporter for Inside View, a tabloid paper which makes The Weekly World News look like kiddie stories. At one point, Dee's stops to take pictures of the graphic aftermath of a traffic accident. Dee's wants to give his "established" career a jump start so he eventually takes a story given to him by his even sleazier boss. While the story is basically Stephen King's slam against tabloid reporting, King himself has made his millions exploiting the public's love of violence and horror. I smell a little hypocrisy. Anyway, a serial killer has been flying a black Cessna Skymaster 377 and starts landing at small airports along the Eastern seaboard. He leaves in his wake a lot of bloody corpses. Dee's smells the perfect front page story. The film is big on the gore factor, and is fairly stylish. Granted, the film adaptation's of King's books have been, for the most part, awful, but The Night Flier is not only one of the better one's, it's an honorable and worthy contribution to the horror genre.

A terrific vampire movie true to King's unique vision
The Night Flier is easily one of the best film adaptations of a Stephen King piece of fiction. One thing this movie does is prove that a movie can be very enjoyable without any likable characters. The protagonist, Dees, is a successful tabloid reporter who has not produced a front-page story in quite a while. Dees is selfish, chauvinistic, egotistical, and permanently ornery--a complete, all-around jerk. His editor is a younger man who really loves his job, especially when he can put the screws to Dees. The tabloid features stories of alien abduction, grisly deaths, misshapen babies, etc. Both Dees and the editor insult the "hicks" and weirdoes who both supply their stories and purchase their weekly rag. Dees initially turns down the request to do a story on a vampire-like stranger who flies into desolate little airports and kills whomever he finds there, but a subsequent murder convinces him the story is a big one that can get his name and photo back on the front page. To complicate matters, though, a new young reporter whom Dees despises is also assigned the story. The two eventually cross paths in pursuit of the newly-dubbed Night Flier. By that time, Dees is almost convinced that the murderer is actually a vampire. The ultimate and inevitable confrontation takes place in the Wilmington, North Carolina airport. The conclusion of the movie is quite original, perfectly fitting, and eminently satisfying. King's story provides an unusual twist to the often-overdone vampire theme and guarantees the film's great success.

I don't know if this story constitutes an attack on the tabloid news business, but clearly every member of the film's Inside View newspaper operates without morals (never mind journalistic integrity) and without any respect for readers. I should note that viewers are treated to a fair amount of blood and gore--while horror fans like myself love to see it, squeamish viewers may have a few rough moments before the closing credits. Overall, this is a high-quality, well-made horror movie that manages to retain the magic of King's original story. Many other horror films may be more familiar to viewers, but few are more satisfying.

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