Tobey-Maguire Movie Reviews

Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Barkin, and Robert De Niro star in the drama "This Boy's Life" about the true life of Tobias Woolf. This highly dramatic movie contains many shocking scenes that may become eye openers to some. Such intensity keeps the audience closely watching every second. The extreme of it forces the audience to feel what every character feels. More than just the excellent screenplay writing acts out this task. The cast and crew brilliantly perform their roles.

Every actor assists with the audience impacts with their wonderful performances. No one holds back a drop of emotion from their characters. Robert De Niro wonderfully plays a child abuser. Though few will like the character, he'll be remembered by many. Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Barkin brilliantly play the victims. This is more noticable in DiCaprio because the cruelty hits him the hardest. His closely-breaking-down parts are performed realisticly.

"This Boy's Life" is the movie for those who are looking for a power drama. Its impact will never be forgotten by anyone. Anyone who watches this movie will be entertained.

I have always liked Leonardo DiCaprio. I think that his portrayal in the television show 'Growing Pains' was very heartfelt and brought a lot of depth to the show. Since the time that he first started there, I began to fall more and more deeply in love with his acting ability and his talent. There are, however, few of his movies until recently (Gangs of New York) that I could say I really enjoyed. This was one of those few. I tend to carry a copy of this movie around with me now in the hopes that I'll find a video player, that is how intense my feelings are for this particular movie. I have also read Tobias Wolff's autobiography on which this movie was based, and I have got to say that the movie outshines even the book! A rare thing indeed!

Never have I seen better acting than that which is performed by DiCaprio and De Niro in this particular movie. They are a stunning team, work brilliantly together, and truly bring the effect of the relationship between Jack (Tobias) and his step-father home to the audience. If this movie doesn't make you cry, nothing will! The film industry needs to put out more movies like this more regularly. Nothing can compare to a great movie with a lot of heart that shows, ultimately *reality*. "This Boy's Life" does just that where many, many others have failed. Brilliant acting by DiCaprio, De Niro and Barkin and outstanding directing make this one to own and to treasure.

I have watched this movie many times on VHS. After I write this, I am going to order it on DVD. The issues it touches are single mothers, abusive fathers, and homosexuality. I have read all the reviews that other people wrote and didn't see this last topic touched upon. It also is intertwined with the issue of bullying. Two other boys look upon the gay boy as being weak just because he was gay. They convince Dwight (Leonardo) to pick a fight with this boy. The gay boy wins the fight and he and Leonardo become friends due to a mutual interest in playing the piano. Dwight, going to a new school at high school age, which is always a difficult adjustment, is desperately in need of friends. This was very moving to me.
In addition, there is a wonderful conclusion to Dwight's problems with his abusive father (Robert Deniro). I disagree with the reviewer who disliked the ending. Watch this movie. It is so overlooked. Yet it is one of my favorites-a very moving experience.

I've been a comics fan for most of my life, so when I heard that there was going to be a Spider-Man movie, I was happy. But I remembered how dreadful the past 2 Batman films had been, and hoped against hope that Spider-Man would be better.
Was it ever.
Before I go further, I'll go over the plot. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is your average high school dork. On a field trip to Columbia University's science lab, he gets bit by a genetically engineered spider. The bite gives Peter exceptional agility, stamina, and strength, as well as the unique ability to spin webs from his wrists. Originally using his powers for self-gain, he decides to change his ways when his Uncle Ben is killed by a gunman in a carjacking that he could have prevented. Living by Uncle Ben's motto, "With great power comes great responsibility," Peter becomes Spider-Man. His powers come to the ultimate test when New York is terrorized by the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe).
The acting was solid on all counts. Maguire was good both as the nerdy Peter Parker and the wisecracking Spider-Man. Kirsten Dunst, who plays love interest and high school student Mary Jane Watson, wasn't spectacular but had great chemistry with Maguire. Dafoe was over-the-top at times as Green Goblin, but there was one scene in particular involving a mirror that was maybe the finest scene in the movie. Supporting actor J.K. Simmons stoke the show as J. Jonah Jameson, publisher of a newspaper trying to make Spider-Man come out looking like a criminal.
This DVD is loaded with tons of special features and easter eggs (special features not listed on the menu that you have to 'hunt' for). Included is a gallery of Spider-Man artists, the HBO Special "Making of Spider-Man," and various character files. One of my favorite easter eggs was a CGI gag reel. Good luck finding it, though.
Overall, director Sam Raimi has created a comic book movie that's not just for comics fans. Smart, witty, dramatic...Spider-Man has it all, and special feautures that you'll actually watch. I can't recommend it enough.

As I grew up I was a fan of Super Man and Spider Man comic books, but I never really got into them, but when I heard this movie was coming out I knew I had to see it. This movie portrays the great works of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko who made Spider-Man into an ever-popular comic book while making Marvel Comics famous.

A bite by a rare breed of spiders at the Columbia University science lab gives Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) great vision and a perfect body. He also is also given great agility to jump form large skyscrapers and spin webs from his wrist. Then he assumes the identity of Spider Man to fight off the evil Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), that terrorizes the city with a glider that drops several bombs at a time. Spider-Man nearly loses his life while saving the life of his girlfriend, people who are being threatened to be killed by the Green Goblin, and many innocent people who he doesn't even know.

Tobey Maguire, with the emotional lead role overcomes the tragic death of his beloved Uncle Ben, growth trauma's, doubts, sorrows, and fear, to save lives and become the city icon. Willem Dafoe's hystericals and split-personality suffered after a lab-experiment gone wrong make him be a friend one minute and the evil Green Goblin the next. Kirsten Dunst fits the role nicely as Peter's love Mary Jane. Even characters with smaller parts like Peter's Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson), and his friend Harry (James Franco) are amazing. Sam Raimi's big-screen version of the Marvel Comic's good-vs-evil Spider-Man comics is portrayed by outstanding acting, eye-popping special effects, great sound and much more. If you are a Spider-Man comic book fan this is a movie you have to see.

Honestly, I didn't expect to like this film. I'm from the original Spider-Man generation. My roommate in college was a comic geek, and I was inundated by the life and times of... Spidey wasn't my favorite (I was more a Dr. Strange type), but he was a regular visitor. As such, I have an entire set of preconceptions about what he would sound like and how he would act.

So my first reaction when Tobey Maquire showed up on the screen was that this was going to be a very tiresome film. While I changed my mind about the film as it went on, I'm still not happy with Maguire's presentation. It feels overplayed to me, and stiffer than even Peter Parker's early shyness would justify. Its not so much bad acting as it is that this Spider-Man doesn't match up to the voice in my head when I was reading the comics.

In contrast, most of the other characters are dead on. Especially the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and J. Jonah Jameson (J. K. Simmons - who was perfect). At some point, though, the quality of the film overwhelms any quibbles about an individual acting flaw, and the viewer simply forgets that this modern Spidey isn't a perfect reflection of the past. It captures the spirit, and some of the wow factor of becoming and being a superhero while maintaining a near-perfect, comic book atmosphere.

Spidey has always been one of the most human and accessible of the pulp do-gooders. He has problems, makes mistakes, and learns as he goes along. The film emphasizes this in a way that gives Peter Parker and his alter ego a vivid reality the Batman or Superman never quite achieved in their own films. Maguire captures this struggle well, even if he isn't my perfect Spider-Man.

This two DVD package has enough extra stuff to keep you busy for a day or two. Lots of history, outtakes, and interviews at an attractive price. I was very pleased with it, and I'm sure you will be too.

I've been a comics fan for most of my life, so when I heard that there was going to be a Spider-Man movie, I was happy. But I remembered how dreadful the past 2 Batman films had been, and hoped against hope that Spider-Man would be better.
Was it ever.
Before I go further, I'll go over the plot. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is your average high school dork. On a field trip to Columbia University's science lab, he gets bit by a genetically engineered spider. The bite gives Peter exceptional agility, stamina, and strength, as well as the unique ability to spin webs from his wrists. Originally using his powers for self-gain, he decides to change his ways when his Uncle Ben is killed by a gunman in a carjacking that he could have prevented. Living by Uncle Ben's motto, "With great power comes great responsibility," Peter becomes Spider-Man. His powers come to the ultimate test when New York is terrorized by the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe).
The acting was solid on all counts. Maguire was good both as the nerdy Peter Parker and the wisecracking Spider-Man. Kirsten Dunst, who plays love interest and high school student Mary Jane Watson, wasn't spectacular but had great chemistry with Maguire. Dafoe was over-the-top at times as Green Goblin, but there was one scene in particular involving a mirror that was maybe the finest scene in the movie. Supporting actor J.K. Simmons stoke the show as J. Jonah Jameson, publisher of a newspaper trying to make Spider-Man come out looking like a criminal.
This DVD is loaded with tons of special features and easter eggs (special features not listed on the menu that you have to 'hunt' for). Included is a gallery of Spider-Man artists, the HBO Special "Making of Spider-Man," and various character files. One of my favorite easter eggs was a CGI gag reel. Good luck finding it, though.
Overall, director Sam Raimi has created a comic book movie that's not just for comics fans. Smart, witty, dramatic...Spider-Man has it all, and special feautures that you'll actually watch. I can't recommend it enough.

As I grew up I was a fan of Super Man and Spider Man comic books, but I never really got into them, but when I heard this movie was coming out I knew I had to see it. This movie portrays the great works of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko who made Spider-Man into an ever-popular comic book while making Marvel Comics famous.

A bite by a rare breed of spiders at the Columbia University science lab gives Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) great vision and a perfect body. He also is also given great agility to jump form large skyscrapers and spin webs from his wrist. Then he assumes the identity of Spider Man to fight off the evil Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), that terrorizes the city with a glider that drops several bombs at a time. Spider-Man nearly loses his life while saving the life of his girlfriend, people who are being threatened to be killed by the Green Goblin, and many innocent people who he doesn't even know.

Tobey Maguire, with the emotional lead role overcomes the tragic death of his beloved Uncle Ben, growth trauma's, doubts, sorrows, and fear, to save lives and become the city icon. Willem Dafoe's hystericals and split-personality suffered after a lab-experiment gone wrong make him be a friend one minute and the evil Green Goblin the next. Kirsten Dunst fits the role nicely as Peter's love Mary Jane. Even characters with smaller parts like Peter's Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson), and his friend Harry (James Franco) are amazing. Sam Raimi's big-screen version of the Marvel Comic's good-vs-evil Spider-Man comics is portrayed by outstanding acting, eye-popping special effects, great sound and much more. If you are a Spider-Man comic book fan this is a movie you have to see.

Honestly, I didn't expect to like this film. I'm from the original Spider-Man generation. My roommate in college was a comic geek, and I was inundated by the life and times of... Spidey wasn't my favorite (I was more a Dr. Strange type), but he was a regular visitor. As such, I have an entire set of preconceptions about what he would sound like and how he would act.

So my first reaction when Tobey Maquire showed up on the screen was that this was going to be a very tiresome film. While I changed my mind about the film as it went on, I'm still not happy with Maguire's presentation. It feels overplayed to me, and stiffer than even Peter Parker's early shyness would justify. Its not so much bad acting as it is that this Spider-Man doesn't match up to the voice in my head when I was reading the comics.

In contrast, most of the other characters are dead on. Especially the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and J. Jonah Jameson (J. K. Simmons - who was perfect). At some point, though, the quality of the film overwhelms any quibbles about an individual acting flaw, and the viewer simply forgets that this modern Spidey isn't a perfect reflection of the past. It captures the spirit, and some of the wow factor of becoming and being a superhero while maintaining a near-perfect, comic book atmosphere.

Spidey has always been one of the most human and accessible of the pulp do-gooders. He has problems, makes mistakes, and learns as he goes along. The film emphasizes this in a way that gives Peter Parker and his alter ego a vivid reality the Batman or Superman never quite achieved in their own films. Maguire captures this struggle well, even if he isn't my perfect Spider-Man.

This two DVD package has enough extra stuff to keep you busy for a day or two. Lots of history, outtakes, and interviews at an attractive price. I was very pleased with it, and I'm sure you will be too.

Here's something for Brandon DiSabatino (reviewer): I have read Joyce, Nietzsche, Sartre AND Burroughs.
I have never considered "Ulysses" to be a reason not to make exciting art just for the heck of it. Jim's whole story is just a ramble. A beautiful sprawling wonder of a ramble, but a ramble nonetheless. Do you accuse Joyce's work of being empty?
I have never considered "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" to be a bible for the supression of fast paced fiction (remembering here that Thompson has repeatedly hinted that this 'autobiographical' piece is far more a novel than anything else).
I did not find anything that denounced good cinema in "Existentialism"; exactly the opposite, to be frank.
And as for Burroughs (consider "The Naked Lunch"): Do you REALLY think that Old Bull Lee would be at odds with Hunter S.?...REALLY??? It was part of this old heroine addict's dream for the world to see people like Thompson running around a tarnished America without a leash.
I realise that in this instance, what I am about to say could be seen as something of a "pot-calling-the-kettle-black" statement, but did you honestly think that your review would be helpful to anyone that wasn't a so-called 'intellectual'?
I loved this film. I loved it BECAUSE it wasn't about anything; BECAUSE it was different, and although all the classic reading of past years is of course still applicable to modern living, it just isn't, in fact couldn't be, anything like "Fear and Loathing."
Bloom's exploits in "Ulysses" are indeed interesting and frequently bizarre, but to the general public today, it simply won't mean as much as it did when it was written. The vocabulary used by Dublin's bohemian residants of bygone days was indeed got down pat by Mr. Joyce, but when it comes to recounting hallucinatory experiances in a desert, surrounded by some of the world's most venal and destructive ideals, Leopold Bloom and his kidney breakfasts just do not--cannot--pass muster!
On more than one occasion, I have actually mentioned Ulysses as a valid latter day comparison to Fear and Loathing and other films of it's ilk, but I've never tried to set the two up as competitors. Kerouac's "On the Road" also strikes a similar chord.
This is a film that you need to relax into from the writer's point of view (this being, after all,the whole point of reading((and watching movies)). The writing flows, if only you let it. People who seek to debunk Thompson in the way that DiSabatino does in his review are invariably anal people without any sense of creative fun; the kind of creative fun that all the best writers of bygone eras expounded until their voices were horse with the shouting.
You need to chill. I mean, "Erasehead" for crying out loud! Get a grip.
If you're not stunted in all the ways that Thompson hates, then you have to see this film. Totally brilliant, and at times, totally misunderstood.
(Mr. DiSabatino has since replied in another review on this page and made clearer his original review's intent. We understand eachother better than I first thought. Well met, sir.)

This DVD finally gives one of Terry Gilliam's lesser-loved (but brilliant!) films the red carpet treatment. The commentary from Gilliam is crazed and passionate; Depp and Del Toro really show off their wit, charm, and intelligence along with producer Laila Nabulsi's back-stage insight, and the last commentary is a rather odd and screwball one from Thompson himself. I won't tell you a thing about the last commentary. You've got to buy this and check it out on your own. (Here's a hint: 'Screeee-ahhhh! Raaaaaaaagh!' *other assorted sounds*)

The second disc is crammed with some great goodies as well - Depp reads letters written to/from Thompson. There's a great BBC documentary showing HST and Ralph Steadman undertaking a trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Another gem is a snippet from an audio-book recording of Fear & Loathing with Jim Jarmusch as Raoul Duke! All definitely worth it.

Fear and Loathing isn't just a drug movie (as all the extras on the DVD will reiterate over and over again) - it's a truthful, imaginative, twisted, and subversive take on the death of the most idealistic decade and generation. We get to see it all through the eyes of two renegade professionals, one a journalist and the other a lawyer, both fighting the good fight against scum and villainy.

We can't stop here! THIS IS BAT COUNTRY.

I believe the quote at the begining of the movie and a quote HST used quite a bit throughout his career pretty much sums up the crux of the movie and it goes something like..."He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." I would also recommend that if you are going to watch the movie, that you also read the book as well. To me the movie is totally insane, funny and whether you like it or not will make you deal with certain issues that you may find disturbing to your sensibilities, don't panic, this is normal. If you are a true red blooded american who likes to follow the rules( at least when people are looking which incidentaly is the american way) then there is a possibility that you may find this movie offensive. But this should not stop you from watching the movie and finding a way to deal with it as did Mr. Duke and Dr Gonzo. Now it is also imperative for me to bring out at this time that what is also overlooked by the "critics" and casual observers as well is the tremendous work done by both Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro which in itself is worth watching this movie. Next, do not try to make sense of this movie, that would be a mistake, simply experience it as did the good Doctor and his Attourney and then decide for yourself how it effects you or affects you for that matter, but whatever you do, do not dismiss it, the decision must be made. Really there is no reason for judgement or maybe there is, but that is up to the viewer to deal with and deal with it you should. The bottom line is this, You should take two things away from this movie: 1. It is important, no matter what the circumstances are to always get the "story". And 2. If you buy the ticket then you must take the ride. If the viewer can keep these things in mind before, during and after this movie then I think you will be doing just fine and dare I say have a new found appreciation of what the good Dr. and the movie are trying to achieve.

Here's something for Brandon DiSabatino (reviewer): I have read Joyce, Nietzsche, Sartre AND Burroughs.
I have never considered "Ulysses" to be a reason not to make exciting art just for the heck of it. Jim's whole story is just a ramble. A beautiful sprawling wonder of a ramble, but a ramble nonetheless. Do you accuse Joyce's work of being empty?
I have never considered "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" to be a bible for the supression of fast paced fiction (remembering here that Thompson has repeatedly hinted that this 'autobiographical' piece is far more a novel than anything else).
I did not find anything that denounced good cinema in "Existentialism"; exactly the opposite, to be frank.
And as for Burroughs (consider "The Naked Lunch"): Do you REALLY think that Old Bull Lee would be at odds with Hunter S.?...REALLY??? It was part of this old heroine addict's dream for the world to see people like Thompson running around a tarnished America without a leash.
I realise that in this instance, what I am about to say could be seen as something of a "pot-calling-the-kettle-black" statement, but did you honestly think that your review would be helpful to anyone that wasn't a so-called 'intellectual'?
I loved this film. I loved it BECAUSE it wasn't about anything; BECAUSE it was different, and although all the classic reading of past years is of course still applicable to modern living, it just isn't, in fact couldn't be, anything like "Fear and Loathing."
Bloom's exploits in "Ulysses" are indeed interesting and frequently bizarre, but to the general public today, it simply won't mean as much as it did when it was written. The vocabulary used by Dublin's bohemian residants of bygone days was indeed got down pat by Mr. Joyce, but when it comes to recounting hallucinatory experiances in a desert, surrounded by some of the world's most venal and destructive ideals, Leopold Bloom and his kidney breakfasts just do not--cannot--pass muster!
On more than one occasion, I have actually mentioned Ulysses as a valid latter day comparison to Fear and Loathing and other films of it's ilk, but I've never tried to set the two up as competitors. Kerouac's "On the Road" also strikes a similar chord.
This is a film that you need to relax into from the writer's point of view (this being, after all,the whole point of reading((and watching movies)). The writing flows, if only you let it. People who seek to debunk Thompson in the way that DiSabatino does in his review are invariably anal people without any sense of creative fun; the kind of creative fun that all the best writers of bygone eras expounded until their voices were horse with the shouting.
You need to chill. I mean, "Erasehead" for crying out loud! Get a grip.
If you're not stunted in all the ways that Thompson hates, then you have to see this film. Totally brilliant, and at times, totally misunderstood.
(Mr. DiSabatino has since replied in another review on this page and made clearer his original review's intent. We understand eachother better than I first thought. Well met, sir.)

This DVD finally gives one of Terry Gilliam's lesser-loved (but brilliant!) films the red carpet treatment. The commentary from Gilliam is crazed and passionate; Depp and Del Toro really show off their wit, charm, and intelligence along with producer Laila Nabulsi's back-stage insight, and the last commentary is a rather odd and screwball one from Thompson himself. I won't tell you a thing about the last commentary. You've got to buy this and check it out on your own. (Here's a hint: 'Screeee-ahhhh! Raaaaaaaagh!' *other assorted sounds*)

The second disc is crammed with some great goodies as well - Depp reads letters written to/from Thompson. There's a great BBC documentary showing HST and Ralph Steadman undertaking a trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Another gem is a snippet from an audio-book recording of Fear & Loathing with Jim Jarmusch as Raoul Duke! All definitely worth it.

Fear and Loathing isn't just a drug movie (as all the extras on the DVD will reiterate over and over again) - it's a truthful, imaginative, twisted, and subversive take on the death of the most idealistic decade and generation. We get to see it all through the eyes of two renegade professionals, one a journalist and the other a lawyer, both fighting the good fight against scum and villainy.

We can't stop here! THIS IS BAT COUNTRY.

I believe the quote at the begining of the movie and a quote HST used quite a bit throughout his career pretty much sums up the crux of the movie and it goes something like..."He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." I would also recommend that if you are going to watch the movie, that you also read the book as well. To me the movie is totally insane, funny and whether you like it or not will make you deal with certain issues that you may find disturbing to your sensibilities, don't panic, this is normal. If you are a true red blooded american who likes to follow the rules( at least when people are looking which incidentaly is the american way) then there is a possibility that you may find this movie offensive. But this should not stop you from watching the movie and finding a way to deal with it as did Mr. Duke and Dr Gonzo. Now it is also imperative for me to bring out at this time that what is also overlooked by the "critics" and casual observers as well is the tremendous work done by both Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro which in itself is worth watching this movie. Next, do not try to make sense of this movie, that would be a mistake, simply experience it as did the good Doctor and his Attourney and then decide for yourself how it effects you or affects you for that matter, but whatever you do, do not dismiss it, the decision must be made. Really there is no reason for judgement or maybe there is, but that is up to the viewer to deal with and deal with it you should. The bottom line is this, You should take two things away from this movie: 1. It is important, no matter what the circumstances are to always get the "story". And 2. If you buy the ticket then you must take the ride. If the viewer can keep these things in mind before, during and after this movie then I think you will be doing just fine and dare I say have a new found appreciation of what the good Dr. and the movie are trying to achieve.

Here's something for Brandon DiSabatino (reviewer): I have read Joyce, Nietzsche, Sartre AND Burroughs.
I have never considered "Ulysses" to be a reason not to make exciting art just for the heck of it. Jim's whole story is just a ramble. A beautiful sprawling wonder of a ramble, but a ramble nonetheless. Do you accuse Joyce's work of being empty?
I have never considered "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" to be a bible for the supression of fast paced fiction (remembering here that Thompson has repeatedly hinted that this 'autobiographical' piece is far more a novel than anything else).
I did not find anything that denounced good cinema in "Existentialism"; exactly the opposite, to be frank.
And as for Burroughs (consider "The Naked Lunch"): Do you REALLY think that Old Bull Lee would be at odds with Hunter S.?...REALLY??? It was part of this old heroine addict's dream for the world to see people like Thompson running around a tarnished America without a leash.
I realise that in this instance, what I am about to say could be seen as something of a "pot-calling-the-kettle-black" statement, but did you honestly think that your review would be helpful to anyone that wasn't a so-called 'intellectual'?
I loved this film. I loved it BECAUSE it wasn't about anything; BECAUSE it was different, and although all the classic reading of past years is of course still applicable to modern living, it just isn't, in fact couldn't be, anything like "Fear and Loathing."
Bloom's exploits in "Ulysses" are indeed interesting and frequently bizarre, but to the general public today, it simply won't mean as much as it did when it was written. The vocabulary used by Dublin's bohemian residants of bygone days was indeed got down pat by Mr. Joyce, but when it comes to recounting hallucinatory experiances in a desert, surrounded by some of the world's most venal and destructive ideals, Leopold Bloom and his kidney breakfasts just do not--cannot--pass muster!
On more than one occasion, I have actually mentioned Ulysses as a valid latter day comparison to Fear and Loathing and other films of it's ilk, but I've never tried to set the two up as competitors. Kerouac's "On the Road" also strikes a similar chord.
This is a film that you need to relax into from the writer's point of view (this being, after all,the whole point of reading((and watching movies)). The writing flows, if only you let it. People who seek to debunk Thompson in the way that DiSabatino does in his review are invariably anal people without any sense of creative fun; the kind of creative fun that all the best writers of bygone eras expounded until their voices were horse with the shouting.
You need to chill. I mean, "Erasehead" for crying out loud! Get a grip.
If you're not stunted in all the ways that Thompson hates, then you have to see this film. Totally brilliant, and at times, totally misunderstood.
(Mr. DiSabatino has since replied in another review on this page and made clearer his original review's intent. We understand eachother better than I first thought. Well met, sir.)

This DVD finally gives one of Terry Gilliam's lesser-loved (but brilliant!) films the red carpet treatment. The commentary from Gilliam is crazed and passionate; Depp and Del Toro really show off their wit, charm, and intelligence along with producer Laila Nabulsi's back-stage insight, and the last commentary is a rather odd and screwball one from Thompson himself. I won't tell you a thing about the last commentary. You've got to buy this and check it out on your own. (Here's a hint: 'Screeee-ahhhh! Raaaaaaaagh!' *other assorted sounds*)

The second disc is crammed with some great goodies as well - Depp reads letters written to/from Thompson. There's a great BBC documentary showing HST and Ralph Steadman undertaking a trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Another gem is a snippet from an audio-book recording of Fear & Loathing with Jim Jarmusch as Raoul Duke! All definitely worth it.

Fear and Loathing isn't just a drug movie (as all the extras on the DVD will reiterate over and over again) - it's a truthful, imaginative, twisted, and subversive take on the death of the most idealistic decade and generation. We get to see it all through the eyes of two renegade professionals, one a journalist and the other a lawyer, both fighting the good fight against scum and villainy.

We can't stop here! THIS IS BAT COUNTRY.

I believe the quote at the begining of the movie and a quote HST used quite a bit throughout his career pretty much sums up the crux of the movie and it goes something like..."He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." I would also recommend that if you are going to watch the movie, that you also read the book as well. To me the movie is totally insane, funny and whether you like it or not will make you deal with certain issues that you may find disturbing to your sensibilities, don't panic, this is normal. If you are a true red blooded american who likes to follow the rules( at least when people are looking which incidentaly is the american way) then there is a possibility that you may find this movie offensive. But this should not stop you from watching the movie and finding a way to deal with it as did Mr. Duke and Dr Gonzo. Now it is also imperative for me to bring out at this time that what is also overlooked by the "critics" and casual observers as well is the tremendous work done by both Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro which in itself is worth watching this movie. Next, do not try to make sense of this movie, that would be a mistake, simply experience it as did the good Doctor and his Attourney and then decide for yourself how it effects you or affects you for that matter, but whatever you do, do not dismiss it, the decision must be made. Really there is no reason for judgement or maybe there is, but that is up to the viewer to deal with and deal with it you should. The bottom line is this, You should take two things away from this movie: 1. It is important, no matter what the circumstances are to always get the "story". And 2. If you buy the ticket then you must take the ride. If the viewer can keep these things in mind before, during and after this movie then I think you will be doing just fine and dare I say have a new found appreciation of what the good Dr. and the movie are trying to achieve.

David Wagner (Tobey Maguire) is an high school kid obsessed with the 50's TV series "Pleasantville", which seems an ideal place, far from his girlless, nerdlike life with feuding divorced parents. He is mysteriously transported, with his sister Jennifer (Reece Witherspoon) into the black and white world of Pleasantville. At first David eagerly adopts the mode of life there, but he and Jennifer soon bring change--and color--to Pleasantville--both good and bad changes.

Well cast, with William H. Macy doing wonders as the kids' "father" in Pleasantville, Joan Allen as their "mother", and Jeff Daniels as the owner of the malt shop who, as things change in Pleasantville, develops a long-suppressed interest in Allen. Jane Kaczmarek does a nice small part as the kids' real mother, one quite different from "Malcolm".

In some ways nicely thought out ("Bud" is gone an hour, the time of two weekly episodes in Pleasantville (and it is pretty clear what the episodes would have been about, until the kids change things)) but it seems like two weeks in Pleasantville, in others not so well thought out (How could Bud and Bill paint a mural in the dark? If the Pleasantville basketball team is undefeated, and there is no other school, who do they play?). Still, quite thought provoking.

Well shot, with scenes in a bowling alley evoking "Patton" and at Lovers Lane evoking "The Shawshank Redemption".

I withhold a fifth star due to the heavyhandedness of the messages that Gary Ross gives us in the second half of the movie. It could have been done better, more subtly. Also, Maguire's acting isn't directed quite as well as it could be by Ross. Maguire is made to come out with these profound statements ("Maybe it isn't just the sex" "There is no right house. There is no right car") in the same offhand, almost squeaky manner. It becomes a bit tiresome.

The DVD features are quite good, including the trailer, audio commentary, and being able to watch the movie with just the music, by Randy Newman and very nice.

Recommended.

"And every one of those things is in you all the time, if you just have the guts to look for them." -David/Bud Parker (Tobey MacGuire)

I got this movie because I am a fan of a majority of Reese Witherspoon's work. I was presently surprised with this movie.

The movie opens with statistics about the bleak future (AIDS, famine, over population, etc.). It come to what appears to be (with line eye match) David (Tobey MacGuire) asking a girl out. Only when the camera pulls back you see he wasn't really talking to her.

After a sibling spat over who gets to watch TV downstairs, Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon) and David are transported into the black and white TV world of "Pleasantville". Jennifer is now Mary Sue and David is Bud Parker.

Mary Sue is up to her act being the 'bad girl' on her date with Skip (Paul Walker). The rose is the first thing in Pleasantville to be in color. After Skip tells his friends about hit date with Mary Sue, more colors start to appear.

I don't want to give away the whole movie, but it is a good movie.

Fiona Apple's rendition of the Beatles' song "Across the Universe" is a great way to end the movie.

The 1998 film "Pleasantville", written and directed by Gary Ross (who also directed, & wrote the screenplay, for the 2003 film "Seabiscuit"), is an exploration of conformity versus individuality. Two teenagers, David Wagner (Tobey Macguire, who played the lead role in the 2002 film "Spider-Man") and Jennifer Wagner (Reese Witherspoon, who played "Elle Woods" in the 2001 film "Legally Blonde" and its 2003 sequel), are catapulted into the world of a fictitious 1950's television sitcom called "Pleasantville" following a visit from a very odd television repairman (played by the very well known Don Knotts). Upon entering the world of "Pleasantville", David and Jennifer (who have taken on the roles of the show's characters Bud & Mary Sue Parker) become black and white like the rest of the characters and the show itself. However, as time passes, David and Jennifer's modern ways begin to transform the people and town of Pleasantville: things and people begin to acquire color, books that have always been blank contain printed words, high school teams that always won begin to loose, etc. Some people are very excited by the changes, but others aren't.

The two most interesting regular Pleasantville characters are Bud & Mary Sue's mother, Betty Parker (Joan Allen, who has received three separate Oscar nominations for her roles in the films "Nixon" in 1995, "The Crucible" in 1996 and "The Contender" in 2000) and Bud's boss: soda-shop owner Bill Johnson (Jeff Daniels in probably one of his best roles). Bill finds the ability to express himself through art, and Betty discovers many new things about herself. Other memorable characters in the film include Bud & Mary Sue's father George Parker (William H. Macy), David and Jennifer's Mom (Jane Kaczmarek, of "Malcolm in the Middle" TV-series fame), Bud's friend Skip Martin (Paul Walker) and Big Bob (J.T. Walsh, 1943-1998, who played John Ehrlichman in the 1995 film "Nixon").

Overall, I rate "Pleasantville" with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars. It's superb cinematography, special effects, plot, dialog and acting make the film completely engaging; and its underlying message is beautifully illustrated throughout.

Tobey Maguire(Spider-man, SeaBisucuit) and Reese Witherspoon(Freeway, Twilight) are zapped into a black and white television show...living the life of the characters on the show...seeing that the show is in black and white..the two make the town colorful...making some of the town made and some of the town happy. other actors include Don Knotts(wonderful), Joan Allen(The Contender, Face/Off), J.T. Walsh(Breakdown, Executive Decision), Paul Walker(JoyRide, TimeLine), Jeff Daniels(Dumb and Dumber, Speed), William H. Macy(Magnolia, Focus), Jane Kaczmarek(Tv's Malcolm In The Middle), J. Patrick Lawlor(tv's Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Marc Blucas(Tv's Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Wes Craven Presents:THEY), Nancy Lenehan(The Way Of The Gun) and Danny Strong(Tv's Buffy The Vampire Slayer). a good time.

Question: What happens when two typically jaded 90's kids meet up with the hot-breakfast-loving cast of "Leave It To Beaver"? Answer: You get, PLEASANTVILLE! In order to truly enjoy this unique, one of a kind film, you must first suspend all reality and just allow yourself to "go with the flow." Once you accomplish this, however,you are in for a treat! In the movie, two contemporary teenagers are "sucked" into a 1950's black and white sitcom that takes place in (where else?)totally bland suburbia! While there, the kids, with their sophisticated ideas and refusal to adhere to their assigned "scripts" manage to turn this two-road town upside down, (in addition to turning black and white into living color)! As the teens help the repressed citizens of Pleasantville "discover" their real potential,they also end up coming away with some valuable insight into themselves! An extrememly engaging film, bursting with satirical humor and funny peeks into the world of TV sitcoms! Definitely worth seeing!

Wow! I watched this video last night and realised I'd forgotten how great it was after seeing it at the cinema. 'Pleasantville' is based on an entertaining concept (modern disaffected youths are sucked into idyllic black-and-white 50's US TV-show world), the story is played out by great actors (Joan Allen, William H. Macy, Reese Witherspoon [pre-Election] and Tobey Maguire [pre-Cider-House]), and the movie as a whole puts across some altruistic messages without coming across as cheesy.

It's tempting to compare 'Pleasantville' with 'The Truman Show' since both stories follow protagonists living their lives in a golden-age white-picket-fenced American smalltown utopia, and who are effectively playing out parts in a TV show. But the premises of the two films are wildly different. Truman Burbank is a real man living in a massive industry-constructed TV studio, all those around him played by actors. It's close to the real world, though set slightly forward in time. The brother-sister heroes of Pleasantville, by contrast, are real people supernaturally transplanted into the TV universe of a regular old show. The Truman Show examines the plight of the individual attempting to make a stand against an oppressive society and those who control it; Pleasantville's perspective is far more socially-based, showing a community blossoming into self-awareness.

The effects (well, the one drawn-out effect of Pleasantville slowly transforming from monochrome to Technicolor as the town's inhabitants each experience their individual epiphanies of realness) serve the story wonderfully - the scenes when the black-and-white of Lover's Lane is interrupted by a red rose and a shower of pink petals are gorgeous - rivaling any of the images in 'American Beauty'.

I could go on for a dozen paragraphs about my favourite parts of the film, but I'll restrain myself to encouraging you to watch this video, if you think you can stomach the movie's essentially moral message and its occasionally sledgehammer-sensitive symbolism (girl tempts monochrome boy with juicy red apple, etc). 'Pleasantville' gamely tackles a slew of issues - rejection of traditionally monotonous work routines, liberation of women from an age-old homemaker role, etc, but really falls down only when it alludes to racial prejudice (OK, having a 'No Coloreds' sign is a knowing reference to America's troubled civil rights history, but the arrival of a few non-white characters would have been a better way to examine racism in US society).

Tobey Maguire(Spider-man, SeaBisucuit) and Reese Witherspoon(Freeway, Twilight) are zapped into a black and white television show...living the life of the characters on the show...seeing that the show is in black and white..the two make the town colorful...making some of the town made and some of the town happy. other actors include Don Knotts(wonderful), Joan Allen(The Contender, Face/Off), J.T. Walsh(Breakdown, Executive Decision), Paul Walker(JoyRide, TimeLine), Jeff Daniels(Dumb and Dumber, Speed), William H. Macy(Magnolia, Focus), Jane Kaczmarek(Tv's Malcolm In The Middle), J. Patrick Lawlor(tv's Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Marc Blucas(Tv's Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Wes Craven Presents:THEY), Nancy Lenehan(The Way Of The Gun) and Danny Strong(Tv's Buffy The Vampire Slayer). a good time.

Question: What happens when two typically jaded 90's kids meet up with the hot-breakfast-loving cast of "Leave It To Beaver"? Answer: You get, PLEASANTVILLE! In order to truly enjoy this unique, one of a kind film, you must first suspend all reality and just allow yourself to "go with the flow." Once you accomplish this, however,you are in for a treat! In the movie, two contemporary teenagers are "sucked" into a 1950's black and white sitcom that takes place in (where else?)totally bland suburbia! While there, the kids, with their sophisticated ideas and refusal to adhere to their assigned "scripts" manage to turn this two-road town upside down, (in addition to turning black and white into living color)! As the teens help the repressed citizens of Pleasantville "discover" their real potential,they also end up coming away with some valuable insight into themselves! An extrememly engaging film, bursting with satirical humor and funny peeks into the world of TV sitcoms! Definitely worth seeing!

Wow! I watched this video last night and realised I'd forgotten how great it was after seeing it at the cinema. 'Pleasantville' is based on an entertaining concept (modern disaffected youths are sucked into idyllic black-and-white 50's US TV-show world), the story is played out by great actors (Joan Allen, William H. Macy, Reese Witherspoon [pre-Election] and Tobey Maguire [pre-Cider-House]), and the movie as a whole puts across some altruistic messages without coming across as cheesy.

It's tempting to compare 'Pleasantville' with 'The Truman Show' since both stories follow protagonists living their lives in a golden-age white-picket-fenced American smalltown utopia, and who are effectively playing out parts in a TV show. But the premises of the two films are wildly different. Truman Burbank is a real man living in a massive industry-constructed TV studio, all those around him played by actors. It's close to the real world, though set slightly forward in time. The brother-sister heroes of Pleasantville, by contrast, are real people supernaturally transplanted into the TV universe of a regular old show. The Truman Show examines the plight of the individual attempting to make a stand against an oppressive society and those who control it; Pleasantville's perspective is far more socially-based, showing a community blossoming into self-awareness.

The effects (well, the one drawn-out effect of Pleasantville slowly transforming from monochrome to Technicolor as the town's inhabitants each experience their individual epiphanies of realness) serve the story wonderfully - the scenes when the black-and-white of Lover's Lane is interrupted by a red rose and a shower of pink petals are gorgeous - rivaling any of the images in 'American Beauty'.

I could go on for a dozen paragraphs about my favourite parts of the film, but I'll restrain myself to encouraging you to watch this video, if you think you can stomach the movie's essentially moral message and its occasionally sledgehammer-sensitive symbolism (girl tempts monochrome boy with juicy red apple, etc). 'Pleasantville' gamely tackles a slew of issues - rejection of traditionally monotonous work routines, liberation of women from an age-old homemaker role, etc, but really falls down only when it alludes to racial prejudice (OK, having a 'No Coloreds' sign is a knowing reference to America's troubled civil rights history, but the arrival of a few non-white characters would have been a better way to examine racism in US society).

Just when thoughtful adults despair that Hollywood will never again make movies for them to enjoy, Cider House Rules comes along and gives everybody reason to hope. From its wide, opening shot to its literary ending, this film delivers to its audience an old-fashioned, satisfying, movie-going experience while at the same time focusing on quite a surprising topic: abortion. Framed with Dickensian sympathy for all its characters, Cider House weaves its way in and out of the lives of half a dozen startlingly original people, many of them quite unusual for mainstream cinema. Michael Caine picked up the Oscar (he's a great actor but he's become a kind of beloved pet for middle-aged movie fans) as a drug-addicted humanitarian, yet Delroy Lindo gives the most haunting and complex performance as the black foreman of an apple-picking crew who loves his daughter too much. Tobey Maguire and Charlize Theron make this long film continuously watchable and even warmly sunny despite its repeated turns into dark material, and a gaggle of adorable moppet orphans keep tugging at the heart strings, but not so much you feel abused. A rare modern day classic.

A sensitive and intelligent character-driven film, adapted from John Irving's novel by the author himself, which features truly breathtaking cinematography, a lush musical score, and uniformly excellent performances by a formidable cast which includes Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Delroy Lindo, Paul Rudd, Kathy Baker, Jane Alexander, and supporting Oscar-winner Michael Caine. The main plot line centers around a young man (Maguire), raised in an orphanage headed by a charismatic doctor (Caine), who decides to venture out into the world and learns the hard way that life is not merely black and white, but many subtle variations of gray. While this is hardly a unique theme, the characters in "Cider House Rules" are so exquisitely drawn, and the movie so masterfully produced, that everything which might in lesser hands seem overly familiar appears fresh, new, and distinctive.

The DVD offers a perfect sound and video transfer, and includes a nice selection of "extras", including a documentary on the making of the film, the original Theatrical Trailer, and highlights of the television ad campaign. Overall, the DVD is an exemplary presentation of a bona fide modern classic, and one that's well worth multiple viewings.

Toby McGuire first got my attention here... as did Charlize Theron. Excellent performances. The cast is tremendous. The plot is terrific. The themes and issues don't shy away from the heavy and yet, they don't force anything down your throat, ask you to agree or disagree--or even to come to a conclusion. Just a fine fine film. See it if you haven't.