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I thought it was terrible how the witch was able to give her the apple and then she had went into a deep sleep!!!

Terror comes in many forms, but so does action, and "Predator" successfully combines both. We already know the fate of our hero, but that does not matter, simply because we enjoy the ride. This is a smart action/horror/thriller that doesn't fall back on cliches, but pushes forward, aware that it may be following such films as "Alien" (1979) but yet only improving upon the presented material. The Predator is a work of genius--originally fitted for Jean-Claude Van Damme and shaped like a giant bug, it was later reworked by creature effects artist Stan Winston (with the help of James Cameron) after Van Damme was fired due to complaining too much about how hot and stuffy his suit was. The villain helps make this movie, and if there were ever a terrifying creature it is the Predator, which is not only visually haunting but an emphasis of how advanced life forms could hunt us like we hunt animal prey.

Kevin Peter Hall hadn't gotten much work then; a few stage performances but nothing serious. He was picked up by John McTiernan because he was taller than Arnold Schwarzenegger and, when placed in the alien suit, he not only looked fierce but he also looked like he could be the one and only true opponent to Arnold, a man who looks like he eats babies for breakfasts. (And perhaps grown humans for lunch.)

Not only is he the perfect opponent, he helps make the movie. A lot of the film's positive elements come from the lush Cambodian jungles, the haunting direction by McTiernan, the ultimate macho combat role by Arnold, the paranoia and startlingly effective idea of the remote settings. Much of it also comes from the fact that the alien, when finally revealed, looks real. It looks real, all right, and also pretty darn horrifying. (Who can forget when it drops its face mask and reveals its true self?)

Major Dutch Schaefer and his elite team of US Commandos are sent deep into the swampy depths of a Columbian jungle, trying to locate a downed chopper carrying a Cabinet Member. "Do your Cabinet Members always fly on the wrong side of the border?" Dutch quips before he and his men are loaded into their means of transportation.

They arrive in the jungle and soon find that a camouflaged creature is ritualistically stalking and murdering them. But this isn't just random slasher style--it picks off its prey on a whimsy, and only attacks fair game (e.g. those with weapons). Soon Dutch and his team realize that getting out of the jungle isn't going to be as easy as they thought.

For me, "Predator" is one of the best action films of all time. It has everything. It isn't messy and over-paced; it takes its time getting where it's going, building up the tension for the audience, and then unleashes a bombardment of action set pieces and visual effects. Another great thing is that it is sort of Hitchcockian in a way; it doesn't show us the killer, at least not at first. It again takes its time, building up the tension, getting us primed. When it finally does show us the creature, we're shocked.

Arnold Schwarzenegger fits the role like a glove; criticize him all you want, Dutch was made for him. Can you imagine Sly or Willis playing Dutch? Not me, either. This is his time to shine. Shine he does.

The series is getting a jumpstarted revival next year with "Alien vs. Predator" (2004). There are doubts as to whether or not it will live up to long-growing expectations, especially with Paul W.S. "Resident Evil" Anderson at the helm, but I remain the optimist as far as I can. The idea of the two species joining together for a feature film was hinted at in "Predator 2" (1990), then hinted at even further with a line of comic books, fan fiction, and great videogames. I, personally, cannot wait.

Terror comes in many forms, but so does action, and "Predator" successfully combines both. We already know the fate of our hero, but that does not matter, simply because we enjoy the ride. This is a smart action/horror/thriller that doesn't fall back on cliches, but pushes forward, aware that it may be following such films as "Alien" (1979) but yet only improving upon the presented material. The Predator is a work of genius--originally fitted for Jean-Claude Van Damme and shaped like a giant bug, it was later reworked by creature effects artist Stan Winston (with the help of James Cameron) after Van Damme was fired due to complaining too much about how hot and stuffy his suit was. The villain helps make this movie, and if there were ever a terrifying creature it is the Predator, which is not only visually haunting but an emphasis of how advanced life forms could hunt us like we hunt animal prey.

Kevin Peter Hall hadn't gotten much work then; a few stage performances but nothing serious. He was picked up by John McTiernan because he was taller than Arnold Schwarzenegger and, when placed in the alien suit, he not only looked fierce but he also looked like he could be the one and only true opponent to Arnold, a man who looks like he eats babies for breakfasts. (And perhaps grown humans for lunch.)

Not only is he the perfect opponent, he helps make the movie. A lot of the film's positive elements come from the lush Cambodian jungles, the haunting direction by McTiernan, the ultimate macho combat role by Arnold, the paranoia and startlingly effective idea of the remote settings. Much of it also comes from the fact that the alien, when finally revealed, looks real. It looks real, all right, and also pretty darn horrifying. (Who can forget when it drops its face mask and reveals its true self?)

Major Dutch Schaefer and his elite team of US Commandos are sent deep into the swampy depths of a Columbian jungle, trying to locate a downed chopper carrying a Cabinet Member. "Do your Cabinet Members always fly on the wrong side of the border?" Dutch quips before he and his men are loaded into their means of transportation.

They arrive in the jungle and soon find that a camouflaged creature is ritualistically stalking and murdering them. But this isn't just random slasher style--it picks off its prey on a whimsy, and only attacks fair game (e.g. those with weapons). Soon Dutch and his team realize that getting out of the jungle isn't going to be as easy as they thought.

For me, "Predator" is one of the best action films of all time. It has everything. It isn't messy and over-paced; it takes its time getting where it's going, building up the tension for the audience, and then unleashes a bombardment of action set pieces and visual effects. Another great thing is that it is sort of Hitchcockian in a way; it doesn't show us the killer, at least not at first. It again takes its time, building up the tension, getting us primed. When it finally does show us the creature, we're shocked.

Arnold Schwarzenegger fits the role like a glove; criticize him all you want, Dutch was made for him. Can you imagine Sly or Willis playing Dutch? Not me, either. This is his time to shine. Shine he does.

The series is getting a jumpstarted revival next year with "Alien vs. Predator" (2004). There are doubts as to whether or not it will live up to long-growing expectations, especially with Paul W.S. "Resident Evil" Anderson at the helm, but I remain the optimist as far as I can. The idea of the two species joining together for a feature film was hinted at in "Predator 2" (1990), then hinted at even further with a line of comic books, fan fiction, and great videogames. I, personally, cannot wait.

Featuring Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage and Ed Harris,this is a fast-paced action thriller that is, of course, very well acted and full of energy.

The cinematography is topflight, as is the direction, and it will keep you interested until the end, as a good yarn should.

I would rate it as an easy five stars except for the message the story-line pushes: that the government has stiffed our combat soldiers and treated them with anonimity, and when they are killed refused to treat their survivors fairly. This is simply not even remotely true, and for me it almost ruined an otherwise good story. It was the supposed motivation for the heavy, very well played by Ed Harris (who played John Glenn in The Right Stuff), to lead a terror attack on his own country--a man whom, in the story had won the Congressional Medal of Honor (In my years in the service I met only one such man). In the story the other military men simpathized with him. So unlikely an event that it almost made me vomit. I know of what I speak. I was retired for service-connected disability, and have been very will treated by my grateful nation.

The writer also took the usual jabs at J. Edgar Hoover, one of the Hollywood left's favorite targets, and finally insinuated in the conspiracy theory of JFK's death with the clear implication that the government was involved, as well as an allusion to the Roswell 'flying saucer' secrecy conspiracy wherein the U.S. Air Force was supposed to have captured alien spacemen and kept it secret--another kook favorite.

This is a fine film, well acted and produced. Forgive me if I dwell overmuch on the leftist propaganda aspects which are, after all, typical fodder from Hollywood. But I get very tired of story lines that always, always make our government the bad guy, all in the name of entertainment, and contribute to that image among people who know no better.

It WAS good entertainment. I'm probably just too politically inclined to give an objective view.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre, USN (Ret.)

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

If you weren't impress with the previous release then upgrade to "The Rock - Criterion Collection". The movie is presented in enhanced widescreen format. The DVD contains a stunning and flawless picture quality with vibrant color and sharpness. The Dolby Digital sound is certainly impressive and offers more aggresive surround effects than the DTS audio track. This 2-Disc Criterion Edition features audio commentaries by cast and crew, FX and action scenes featurettes, outtakes, trailers and the movie's premiere on Alcatraz. "The Rock" is non-stop fun and this Criterion Collection DVD earns an "A".

Willow tells the story of the the midget Willow who must help save the world. He has a princess baby that is being hunted and must die according to the evil queen. Willow gets help along the way from Mad Mardigan(Val Kilmer) as they must keep the baby alive and stop the evil queen.

That's the basis of the story in short and sweet detail. It was written by George Lucas, and is basicly Lord of the Rings meets Star Wars. It's fun for the whole family. Lucas is yet to do a movie the whole family can enjoy.

Warwick Davis is amazing in the movie. He plays the lead character Willow. He is a great actor. He has depth and isn't one sided. It's hard to believe after seeing him in this that he later became the Leprachaun in that series of horror movies.

Val Kilmer has one of his all time best performances as Mad Mardigan. He's basicly a fantasy Han Solo. He is the greatest sword fighter to ever live and probaly the greatest womanizer. Val portrays all the great qualties a hero needs. He's charming, helps the weak, funny, sarcastic and he just delivers. It's a must see for Val Kilmer fans.

The action is great in Willow. It's not the blown up special effects you see in Lord of the Rings, but it is great for it's time. The castle sieges are done well and it's great seeing all those guys in armor and on horses. The choeragraphy on the sword play is fantastic and is underrated in Hollywood history.

Willow is a must see for all fantasy movie fans. It's a charming well made movie that is fun for the whole family.

After being knocked out cold and tossed on the back of an ox cart, Kuzco wakes up in the very mountain village he intends to raze so that he can build Kuzcotopia, a recreational wonderland dedicated to himself. He must rely on the kindness of Pacha, the peasant he'd recently evicted, in order to navigate the dangerous mountainous jungles and get back home. They get off to a rocky start. During the journey, the pair slowly develop a trusting friendship and in the end manage to retake control from the power-hungry Yzma.

This movie promises to be a lot of fun for school-aged children and adults. Shrewd casting and some inspired humor (with Aladdin-esque cultural references) make it an above-average morality tale. The message is clear: Treat others with kindness and respect, and don't think too highly of yourself. Top it all off with a warm family relationship and families can feel comfortable with The Emperor's New Groove.

This movie has a subtle zaniness that entertains and an intelligent humor quotient that is sure to grab just about everyone.

The plot is well... plotted. The cinematography adds superbly to the whole package. The voice actors are all absolutely perfect in their roles. My favorite is probably Patrick Warburton (from Fox's short-lived "The Tick") as Kronk. Absolutely hilarious.

Smart, fast, and funny.

Plus, any movie that has Tom Jones singing a song written by Sting... I mean, come one! :) If you're looking for traditional Disney fare, this isn't it. But if you put aside your preconceptions about what Disney normally produces, sit back and just soak it in, I believe you WILL enjoy this movie.

I enjoy the humor which is not slapstick and not the Simpsons, but somewhere in between. The story line revolves around the arrogant, spoiled emperor and ends with a friendship that is unlikely but enjoyable by all.

Val Kilmer is wonderful in the role of Doc Holliday, and in addition the actor that played Virgil Earp really gave a great performance. Kurt Russell did not make a convincing Wyatt Earp though.

If you are a big time fan of Western movies, you might like this film. Its entertaining, and has its good moments. If you're NOT a western film fan, rent it before buying. This film is average to at best slightly above average overall.

Before I saw "Tombstone", I was never really a huge fan of Westerns. However, "Tombstone" was so great that it managed to turn me into a huge fan of the western genre. The shoot out scenes and overall non stop action is amazing in this film. Tombstone also gives an extremely acurate portrayal of events as well. Kurt Russell gave the best performance possible as Wyatt Earp. He nailed the fierce determination and sense of justice. Val Kilmer gave the best performance in the film as Doc Holliday. Perfect portrayal of Holliday's lifestyle consisting of: drinking, smoking, gambling, women, and a quick trigger finger. Bill Paxton and Sam Elliot make nice additions as the Earp brothers. Dana Delaney gave a nice supporting role as the actress Josephine Marcus. Unbelieveable chemistry between her and Kurt Russell!! Other well known actors include Powers Boothe, Michael Biehn, Jason Priestley, Stephen Lang, and Thomas Hayden Church. Billy Bob Thorton makes a hilarious cameo in the film as well.

When Tombstone first came out on DVD, I unfortunately ended up buying it. The movie was great, but the DVD was just plain awful. However, I was overjoyed when Tombstone became a member of the Vista Series. This automatically puts the film on a whole new level. Vista Series DVD's always provide for the best quality possible, and tons of outstanding extras. You get a making of featurette in three parts, commentary from director George P Cosmatos, and more. I have seen many Westerns since "Tombstone", but it is still the greatest Western ever made in my opinion.

Anybody who has seen Chinese Connection (A.K.A. Fist of Fury) knows the main premise of this film. I for one am glad Jet didn't try and rip off Bruce's every mannerism and movement. There is only one Bruce Lee. Instead, Jet is honestly expressing himself while showing respect for a man that clearly inspires him to be his very best, and that's as good a tribute as one could ask for. Jet plays Chun Zhen, a Chinese student who returns home to Shanghai only to find that his master has been killed by a Japanese master, and the wheels of revenge have been set in motion.

While for his time Bruce portrayed a lonesome Chinese hero who wouldn't allow others to oppress him and his people, Jet focuses more on the philosophical aspects of the martial arts and in the process does something which I found to be a very kind jesture - he proves that love knows no boundaries as his object of affection in the movie happens to be a Japanese girl (played by Nakayama Shinobu). It is significant as it contrasts with the psychological division between the two neighboring Asian cultures in Bruce's day and now. Had Bruce's sweetheart been a Japanese girl in place of Nora Miao, the Chinese crowd he was trying to appeal to would've probably been alot less hospitable of their hometown hero.

Of course, what's a martial arts film without great fight scenes? Fist of Legend delivers some intriguing choreography and all the action is directed in a glossy, stylistic manner without being too fancy for its own good, unlike the over-the-top stunts of Iron Monkey and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon which, in my opinion, suck. While Jet lacks the sheer intensity of Bruce's on-screen persona in CC, he makes up for it with his own formula of extremely agile techniques and tremendous physical abilities which truly showcase the lean, mean fighting machine that he is. Jet combines the rudiments of Western boxing with a solid foundation of extremely fluid Wu-Shu, a style which is a little too flowery to be taken seriously in my opinion, but it is art nevertheless. Jet synthesizes aspects of Bruce's Jeet Kune Do with his own abilities and it looks great on celluloid. I don't want to ruin anything, but i'll say that the fight for ownership of Ching Wu school is my favorite above the rest, surpassing even the end fight spectacle that is Jet Li vs Billy Chou which is a little too drawn out for my tastes.

I recommend this movie, as well as CC. Both are great works to own and it makes no sense to insult either man or film. Instead, play the part of the winner and own both man's films. Neither film has the sheer entertainment value of a film such as Young Master (starring Jackie Chan) but, hey, you can always own them all, right?

P.S. If you can, find the uncut original versions of both FoL and CC. You'll be glad you did.

-Also recommended-
Mr Vampire, Young Master, Fearless Hyena, Return of the Dragon, Prodigal Son (features a must-see Wing Chun battle between Lam Ching-Ying and Frankie Chan), and Once Upon a Time in China.

The heart of the story isn't dance, or kids' dreams, but the relationship between Derek and Sarah. Unlike many other black / white relationship movies (where the black character moves into a white environment, and we get the white environment's objections to the relationship), this movie shows us the black environment's point of view. Sarah has to adjust to a mostly black environment, for instance. We also get to hear why many black girls won't like seeing one of their 'best guys' dating a white girl. We do get to experience this movie from a completely unexpected point of view!

The movie itself (while still containing many cliches) has a very important social message besides being fun to watch.

The film is centered around the rise and fall of adult film star Dirk Diggler (played by Mark Wahlberg). Diggler starts out as a polite, bright-eyed kid but is slowly corrupted by life in the fast lane. Wahlberg gives a great performance as the dopey Diggler, whose words aren't necessarily meant to be funny yet often come off as hilarious.

The supporting cast also does an excellent job in this film. John C. Reilly plays Diggler pal and fellow adult film star Reed Rothchild to perfection. Reilly is funny throughout the movie, but stands out particularly in a scene where he is being interviewed about the impact of movie violence on viewers. Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, Don Cheadle, William H. Macy, and Philip Seymour Hoffman also deliver very strong supporting performances.

It's hard to explain what makes Boogie Nights such an entertaining movie. The humor in the dialogue is often quite subtle, but is nevertheless very effective. The characters are colorful and really seem believable despite their sometimes odd behavior and personalities.

Director/writer Paul Thomas Anderson did a great job with this film. Viewers are sure to feel empathetic towards the characters as they struggle and yet will likely find themselves laughing at just how bad and weird things get at times.

The scene that best sums up Boogie Nights as a whole occurs when Diggler, Rothchild, and friend Todd Parker find themselves in the home of an oddball drug addict trying to sell him some bad dope. The use of music and camerawork in this scene really creates a feeling of tension, yet viewers will probably be tempted to laugh at some of the various events of the scene. I won't say exactly what happens, but the entire sequence shows how Boogie Nights is a dichotomy of the laughable and the tragic.

In short, Boogie Nights is a very entertaining and memorable film. Wahlberg's portrayal of Dirk Diggler is top notch and the other actors also do excellent work in the film. Boogie Nights seems to get better with each subsequent viewing and I highly recommend the movie to fans of subtle and slightly dark humor.