Icehouse Movie Reviews

An exciting film of Robin Cook's novel which works due to the tremendous performances of the two leads, Doug Savant and Nia Peeples.

you'll find me at the Krispy Creme -- a steady stream of fresh, hot sweeties in one hand & a diet pepsi (I choose diet pepsi over regular, ok) in the other! No more carb worries, hooray!

It's really a shame more people didn't see this charming film -- terrific writing & acting! I saw it by accident when it first came out in theatres, always stop to watch it when I come across it on cable, finally have it on DVD and continue to refer to years later, unfortunately few people get the cinematic reference. In the meantime I continue to recommend it to all!

I really like Albert Brooks. His comedy films are so inventive and funny that it makes other comic fantsies pale in comparison. Having not seen Defending Your Life yet, I went out and rented it.

I loved this movie! It's about a man who dies and goes to "Judgement City", and has to defend the actions he took in his life. Some of the lines are so funny too! It gets richer and richer through each viewing. Plus, you'll probably end up watching this a few times, because you'll want to show it to your friends.

Albert Brooks is great as always, but it was a joy to see Meryl Streep. She adds so much to her role and creates some nice scenes with Brooks. However, I LOVED the ending. It was one of the most satisfying I'd seen in a while, and it made me feel great inside.

I still can't believe Albert Brooks writes, directs, and stars in most of his works. I hope he continues his creative stretch for many more films to come.

Albert Brooks can be a prickly entertainer for some folks. The general consensus seems to be that he's like Woody Allen with less neuroses but more anger. But *Defending Your Life* can be a Brooks film for people who don't care much for Albert Brooks. This is his most accessible movie. Having said that, it should also be said, however, that Brooks' conception of the Afterlife is probably the toughest-minded ever conceived for cinema. The idea is you're basically put on trial after you've died: you get a defender, but there's also a prosecutor. Your entire life has been "put on tape", and the "lawyers" for and against you use this tape as evidence to support their respective cases. What's at stake? The reward of moving on to the "next level". (Heaven, presumably.) If you lived your life BRAVELY, you get to move on. If not? Back to Earth you go: you have to start all over again. Albert Brooks apparently doesn't go along with the most current dogma whose Heaven seems to allow any mediocrity to crash the party. To be surfeited on mothers'-milk pop psychology won't cut it. No! You have to EARN your eternal reward! (Though Brooks IS easy on the children: they get a free pass.) The movie's premise is pretty brilliant, and is equaled by the execution: this fantasy stays true to its logic throughout, and there are many comic touches along the way. While Brooks and his thousands of fellow-recently-deceased await the outcome of their "trials", they pass the time in "Judgment City", which rather resembles Orlando, Florida. (They all arrive by trams, as if they're getting a lift from their parking space to the ticket-windows at Disney World.) In Judgment City, the defendants stay in hotels of varied luxury. Brooks' new Afterlife girlfriend, Meryl Streep, is lodged in a five-star affair . . . while he's stuck in the "Continental" (somewhere between a Best Western and Holiday Inn). Other fun details include an ability to eat all you wish without worrying about weight gain; a "Past-Lives Pavilion" hosted by (well, I won't spoil it); miniature golf courses where it's always a hole-in-one, etc. The set design for *Defending Your Life* deserves special mention. Utilizing real locations and brilliant matte paintings, the sets manage to convey a real sense of place, despite the fantastical nature of the story. Performances? Brooks doesn't have to work hard -- the premise does that for him. As noted in another review here, Streep in unusually sweet in this film, thereby adding Very-Nice-Person to her dramatis personae. (And she doesn't cry once!) Rip Torn almost steals the movie as Brooks' bluff defender. And look for a very funny Buck Henry in a cameo part.

Normally when I read a book AND see a movie taken from it, I prefer the book to the movie (if I liked either one) In the case of One True Thing-- I preferred the movie because the book text was constantly reminding you what an acheiver Ellen Gulden was which I thought to be a tad uneccessary. I found myself thinking "I GET the point already, come on!" In the movie version, Ellen is also smart and successful, but this is shown to us without hitting us over the head with it.

One True Thing based on the bestselling novel tells the story of a hard working & determined mother who has fallen ill with cancer (Meryl Streep). The plot is based around the discoveries her daughter makes (Renee Zellweger) about her family, and realizes that the world her family lived in so many years ago was not as happy as it seemed. The daughter has clearly favored her father over her mother for as long as she could remember, and never treated her mother fairly or appriciated anything she did for her. Zellweger's character discovers the dark secrets of her fathers sexual affairs and his massive drinking problems, and at the end of her mother's life realizes just how badly her father had treated her. The movie is very well done (unfortunatley it was greatly overlooked). The movie is ultimatley depressing, but tells an extreamly powerful story and effective in its delivery.

this is a great movie, i thought that the actig was oscar worthy esspecially Meryl Streeps performace, she receaved a well deserved oscar nomination for her role i this film. renee Zellweger also does a good job, playing a cold daughter. William Hurt is also equally wonderful as a distant and remote father, Husand. One of my favorite films.

I was so disappointed. The songs are sooooooooooo boring, and the graphic are not so good... It's nothing comparing The Prince of Egypt. I won't buy it... that's for sure.

This film has gorgeous animations, great voice acting, and the music is awesome. It is a musical, so steer clear if you don't like that sort of thing. This movie brings up sibling rivalry and how to forgive someone who has really hurt you. It is about the Joseph in the book of Genesis (in the bible). Rachel, Joseph's mother, was thought to be barren, so Joseph was a miracle child. Leigh was the mother of the other eleven brothers, so Jacob let them do all of the work while Joseph studied scrolls inside. The brothers began to envy Joseph with a passion because Jacob gave Joseph a magnificent coat that only the wealthy would wear, showing that Joseph was better than the rest of them. Joseph wants to fit in with his brothers, but they end up only getting angry at him. Jacob realizes that Joseph has prophetic dreams, and it angers Joseph's brothers when Joseph tells them of a dream in which all of his brothers' stalks of wheat bow down to him. They decide to sell Joseph as a slave to Egypt. Joseph has hard feelings for his brothers, but in the end all is resolved. It is an excellent movie and I highly recommend it.

Joseph- king of dreams" is surprisingly an exceptional movie, rank up there with other top-notch cartoons like Beauty & the beast, Prince of Egypt, Mulan , Pocahontas, etc. This movie is released surprisingly, only via direct-to-video and not theatrically shown.

Joseph- king of dreams works on a variety of levels. The story itself, naturally a heartwarming, moving, personal story extracted from the bible. The animation apparently, has a high production value, with decent amount of budget allocation. The music or songs, are in my opinion are one of the highlights and high points of the film such as "Better than I", which I think is beautifully made & the song itself has an appropriately christian tune with excellent lyrics memorably written. Also the other songs are all top quality (Ive forgotten their titles)like the first or opening song and the other one is also commendable. Not even Disney has churn out a group of excellent songs for a movie that are all exceptionally memorable.

The film itself, like the songs is a high point. It is very well-crafted , memorable to watch & the film itself is inspiring and emotional. A great movie to own & should belong on the top of your shelf. Highly recommended.

I really liked both of these movies. Although some historical/scriptural liberties are taken, in general the films are fairly accurate. The morals of the scripture stories they are portraying are evident and understandable even for young children with some parental explanation. The songs in the Prince of Egypt are very engaging. My daughter likes to sing along to them. Joseph--King of Dreams isn't quite the same caliber as the Prince of Egypt, but it is still a good film with an interesting story line. My children like to watch both of these movies over and over. They are great for parents who want to teach the values of faith and patience to their children.

I really liked both of these movies. Although some historical/scriptural liberties are taken, in general the films are fairly accurate. The morals of the scripture stories they are portraying are evident and understandable even for young children with some parental explanation. The songs in the Prince of Egypt are very engaging. My daughter likes to sing along to them. Joseph--King of Dreams isn't quite the same caliber as the Prince of Egypt, but it is still a good film with an interesting story line. My children like to watch both of these movies over and over. They are great for parents who want to teach the values of faith and patience to their children.

The acting is good, however it does leave one guessing.

The actors are a delight and they do maintain the viewers interest. HOWEVER; The ending of this picture leaves one suspended above the play.
To me, this film is a fill in the blanks movie that leaves the viewer wondering if this is all there is. Still I found it a delight to watch and a very wholesome picture.

This short drama was satisfying to watch even though there wasn't much action. It was almost like a two-person play. It tells how an apparently strong person copes with the dramatic change in his life caused by the death of his dear spouse. Christmas traditions are not the same, so the widower adapts by renting a companion. Jason Robards and Julie Harris are delightful to watch, so professional.

This is a surprisingly good drama for a lazy, frosty, Christmas-season evening. It's well-acted, well-written, and well-crafted -- definitely sentimental, but without being fluffy or soppy. The cast is led by veteran acting greats Jason Robards and Julie Harris, which in itself should make the movie worth a consideration.

Robards portrays John Tanner, a recent widower who doesn't quite know what to do with the changes imposed upon his life. When the annual family trip to the cabin for Christmas is jeopardized, he attempts to rescue his traditions in a radical way: he finds a dating service and "hires" a woman to be his family and spend the Christmas weekend with him. Julie Harris is the sad, perceptive, and mysterious woman, Iris, who agrees to be his "Christmas wife" - but only if he will ask her no questions about herself.

This is a quality "G" movie (at least, the version shown on television). At the risk of sounding sexist, I would say this is a woman's movie, but some men may find it not objectionable. Children may not be interested in a character (as opposed to action) movie about middle-aged people, but if they are, their parents won't have to worry about what they're watching. Adults who have some experience with age or loneliness may discover a tale striking quite a responsive chord.

The acting is good, however it does leave one guessing.

The actors are a delight and they do maintain the viewers interest. HOWEVER; The ending of this picture leaves one suspended above the play.
To me, this film is a fill in the blanks movie that leaves the viewer wondering if this is all there is. Still I found it a delight to watch and a very wholesome picture.

This short drama was satisfying to watch even though there wasn't much action. It was almost like a two-person play. It tells how an apparently strong person copes with the dramatic change in his life caused by the death of his dear spouse. Christmas traditions are not the same, so the widower adapts by renting a companion. Jason Robards and Julie Harris are delightful to watch, so professional.

This is a surprisingly good drama for a lazy, frosty, Christmas-season evening. It's well-acted, well-written, and well-crafted -- definitely sentimental, but without being fluffy or soppy. The cast is led by veteran acting greats Jason Robards and Julie Harris, which in itself should make the movie worth a consideration.

Robards portrays John Tanner, a recent widower who doesn't quite know what to do with the changes imposed upon his life. When the annual family trip to the cabin for Christmas is jeopardized, he attempts to rescue his traditions in a radical way: he finds a dating service and "hires" a woman to be his family and spend the Christmas weekend with him. Julie Harris is the sad, perceptive, and mysterious woman, Iris, who agrees to be his "Christmas wife" - but only if he will ask her no questions about herself.

This is a quality "G" movie (at least, the version shown on television). At the risk of sounding sexist, I would say this is a woman's movie, but some men may find it not objectionable. Children may not be interested in a character (as opposed to action) movie about middle-aged people, but if they are, their parents won't have to worry about what they're watching. Adults who have some experience with age or loneliness may discover a tale striking quite a responsive chord.

I wasn't disappointed when watching this movie because it was just as I'd hoped it would be, cute, funny and fun to watch over and over. When I need a pick-me-up, this movie puts a smile on my face every time.

This is personally one of my favorite Arnie movies. It is funny, Arnie does a great acting job and it is very powerful in its message of the sanctity of life. I remember many scenes from this movie and really enjoyed the progression of Arnie's pregnancy both physically and emotionally. All cast members do a great job.
I highly recommend this movie. Even though its been several years since i have seen it i can recall so many scenes. I especially remember the scene when Arnie decides to continue the pregnancy after learning he was pregnant-very subtle but powerful.Check it out--- you'll be back

What a hoot! Arnold really captures the art of BEING pregnant. As a mother and a grandmother I can honestly say, 'he nailed it'. Never before have I seen anybody portray pregnancy with such a laugh a minute humor. It's a movie to watch over and over again.

I'm not sure why I decided to buy this flick - probably the low price and the positive reviews.

It turned out to be a mistake.

This movie is awful. Although I like "B" movies and direct-to-video titles that are fun to watch, either because of a good storyline or great actors, this movie has none of those things. The story is weak, the acting is uninspired, and the direction is atrocious.

Those reviews saying this movie is awesome have to be shills - no way. AVOID.

Stupid criminals hook up with stupid record exec who thinks he can use them to further his evil plans to create a mall'er 'entertainment center' by ousting a nice old guy from his variety store. Due to a bribe sting, some very stupid FBI agents instigate a shoot out in a crowed club, causing the death of untold innocent bystanders. I've learned one thing from all of this: The FBI REALLY HATES SHOPPING MALLS.

The true break out in this film is Vincent Ventresca. He has the ability to take any role make it fascinating. He's intelligent thought in motion. I'd watch this guy read the phone book. Five Stars for Ventresca!

I LOVED this film and found it thoroughly enjoyable. It drew me in and kept me watching. To see these characters go through the changes they go through was truly amazing to me. Monet Mazur was wonderful as well as geogeous and Carmine Giovinazzo did a great job along with Vincent Ventresca who plays his character to the edge. I thought the film was well cast, the acting was superb, the locations were amazing and the story original. Just sit back and enjoy the ride because this one is worth the trip. I give it thumbs up. If you can't enjoy this film you're looking waaay to deep. Relax and enjoy.