Adams Movie Reviews

Normally, I have to be tied to a chair to watch this sort of movie. But my girlfriend at the time made me watch it and it really got to me.

Unlike the sappy drivel you find Sandra Bullock or Julia Roberts starring in, this movie is very depressing (in a good way) and painfully realistic. There is no hunky guy to sweep the heroine off her feet at the end. These girls and their mother have a hard time throughout and the bleak landscape of New Mexico only adds to the sadness. Bergman would have a hard time making such a melancholy film. The best man AVAILABLE (at the end, you'll know why I emphasized that word) in the movie is a nerdy satellite TV installer. The others are deadbeats, drunks, lechers. When Shade finds a boyfriend from the other side of the tracks, you can't blame her since the boys and men from her part of town are such lowlifes.

The language and emotions in this movie are VERY raw and no punches are pulled.

A few scenes stand out from all the sadness. When Shade (Fairuza Balk) is with her new boyfriend, it seems so sweet and innocent. First love is usually the cruelest, but this time it's the one really good thing to happen. The mother's courtship by the satellite guy is also a break from the bleak scenery.

Most of all, it's two scenes with Trudi (Ione Skye) that stand out. In one there is no dialogue, just the sound of a guitar being strummed. Trudi is waiting and longing for her boyfriend to come back for her. She is holding a fluorescent rock he gave her. Her face is lit by the afternoon sun as a train passes by in the background. This scene is a reflection of love and anticipation, since she is obviously thinking of him. However, it is also sad because you get the feeling he may never come back.

The other scene takes place in a cave lined with fluorescent rocks. Trudi and her geologist boyfriend drive out to look for some sort of rare rock. In the cave the two grow closer and in an almost psychedelic sequence, Trudi bares her breasts in a way that "offers" them to her lover. He seems hesitant at first but then makes love to her. The scene is primeval, almost Adam and Eve-like, as though they are the first man and woman on Earth. It is also very erotic! Ione Skye never looked more beautiful and the weird bluish light reflected in her face and on her breasts from the cave wall is hauntingly beautiful and dreamlike. Afterward, she tells him a painful personal secret. It's amazing how many emotions are conveyed in such a short scene.

So much of the movie reflects sorrow, regret, longing and anger that these scenes stand out all the more.

Allison Anders is a true artist.

There is quite a bit of artistry here for such a low-budget film. Both the widescreen and pan-and-scan versions have their faults as well as their good points.

The widescreen version shows much more of the brilliant cinematography. The dreary desert, the railroad station, even the trailer park really come alive here. On the other hand, during the famous sex scene in the acid-trip cavern, the picture is cropped right above Ione Skye's breasts, whereas in the pan-and-scan, there is a full view.

This has led me to wonder if this is a "false" widescreen -i.e., the film was shot with standard, @16:9 cameras and cropped to make it look widescreen even if it never was, as Disney did with Peter Pan. It would be nice if standardized and accurate information about aspect ratio was printed clearly on all DVDs.

By the way, the MOVIE is one of the best tearjerkers I've ever seen. The performances are perfect, as is the script. The picture is beautiful. Of course if I actually had to live in a desert trailer park, I don't think I'd be so impressed with the scenery.

I am so excited this is coming on DVD!!This has been one of my fav movies for years. I have seen it like a 100 times. I remember stumbling on this video when I was 17 and thought independent movies were the best. This movie dealt with real life teenage issues, unlike the new teenage wave of movies. Ione Skye is so good in this film, as well as Faruza Bulk. They face the hidden pain, of not having a father, in their own ways. One acts out for attention of boys, and the other searches for a mate for their mother while on the sly looking for their real father.
Allison Anders is such a unique filmaker, I thank her for making this film. People think its a little depressing but I think it's the opposite. The mother may always look bleak but she is a struggling single mother, how is she suppose to look? I think its refreshing and very familiar to many young people with dreams. Like Shade she loves Spanish movies and dreams of so many things. I think most people can relate to her when they were that age.

Dont miss it! Superbly cast and sensitively directed, this moving adaptation of the Booth Tarkington novel of the same name is splendid. It is unfortunate that the director and star were forced by studio heads to tack on the "happy ending" in the film. We don't quite know what happens to our heroine at the end of the book, which is in keeping with how she needfully undergoes change and realizes her character flaws. Surely, Miss Hepburn must have loved making this one. It is a human odyssey that is heart-breaking and honest. Hats off to Mr. Tarkington for a marvelous story. Do not miss it. It is early film-making at its best.

For those of us who yearned to be part of the "in crowd" in high school but never were, "Alice Adams" is a vivid reminder of that experience (1930's style). Katherine Hepburn is the perfect example of the nobody who desperately tries to enter into a world where she clearly doesn't belong. The popular guy played by a very young and handsome Fred MacMurray falls in love with her, but by then Alice is so caught up in her own web of lies about her non-existent wealth that she loses her sense of identity and can't be honest with herself let alone with MacMurray. The story is sweet and romantic, but the main plot surrounds Alice Adams and her experiences as a nobody trying to make it in. You don't need to read the book (by Booth Tarkington) to understand and sympathize with Alice Adams's character, but I highly recommend reading the book first if you really want to appreciate Katherine Hepburn's superb performance. The Alice Adams I envisioned while reading the book was flawlessly brought to life by the very talented Ms. Hepburn.

This film touched my heart. You'll laugh and cry and laugh some more. It is an open and honest look at growing up lower middle-class, desperately yearning for what you just can't seem to reach. The happy ending makes for dreams come true - maybe it could happen to you!

I'm huge fan of the Get Smart TV show, I became a fan of this show when a local station started showing reruns and I thought it was one of the funniest classic TV comedies I had ever watched and I was disappointed when that station changed formats and stopped showing Get Smart so I was happy when Nick at Nite and TV Land began showing the episodes but diappointed when they stopped showing them too. I saw this reunion TV movie and though not as funny as the show I liked it and thought it was the best reunion TV movie I have ever seen and it didn't suck like most of the other reunion movies for classic TV shows which were dreadful! I like that this movie is on DVD but I think that the TV show should also be on DVD in complete season boxsets with some great extra features including commentary by Don Adams, Barbara Feldon, Bernie Koppell, Dick Gautier etc.

This should be the standard for which all made for TV reunion movies should follow! "Get Smart, Again" aired on ABC in the early 90's to very high ratings with good reason, It's good! Would you believe, Great! Yes, Great!
CONTROL is back in business to fight the evil forces of KAOS!
The old gang is back Agent 86 (Don Adams), Agent 99 (Barbara Feldon), Hymie (Dick Gautier) to stop the sinister Sigfried (Bernie Kopell) Besides most of the original cast returning many of the series original creative team has returned. Leonard B. Stern, Mark Curtiss & Rod Ash wrote the script and Gary Nelson directed. The movie preserves all of the flavor of the comedy of the Get Smart series yet makes it contempoary enough for today's audiences something the makers of the dreadful 1980 feature film "The Nude Bomb" also starring Don Adams did not do!
The reason my rating is not 5 stars is because of the DVD itself!
The picture quality is very poor. The color is washed out, there is no sharpness or brightness every scene looks as if it were filmed through gauze! The DVD package says "Digitally Mastered" but mastered from what, a VHS tape? Don't let the poor quality of the DVD discourage you. The excellent quality of the movie, the script and all the performances are worth the price! A must have for all "Get Smart" fans! Until we get the complete orginal series on DVD or even a better print of "Get Smart, Again" this will have to do!

i'm 23 and my 3 favorite tv series' of all time are, the honeymooners, the twilight zone, and get smart. i own the entire twilight zone on dvd, and i just ordered the entire honeymooners, now get smart episodes need to be released to make me a happy man who will never leave the house! nothing beats classic tv!

I loved the movie but I especially liked the song at the end of the movie. Could someone tell me what the name of the song at the end of the movie was?

I'm 15....and some people might think this movie is for little kids...but I first saw it on the Disney Channel when I as 12 and I fell in love with it..they kept showing it for a while but then they stoped after about a year...they have showed about 2 times since,but they havent showed it in over a year...about and hour ago I remembered the movie and I decided to check online if I could find it...and here it is.It's a great movie for the whole family which will make everyone,no matter how old...or young ;) laugh.Definitely I give it two thumbs up!

The song in the movie is by JJ Jackson and it is called, But it's allright...I hope this helps some people as I was emailed by one, unfortunately I lost the address and feel really bad. It took us sometime, but are very happy we found the name. Have a great day.

This is a nice, solid production of "Le Nozze di Figaro," but I do agree with Lawrence that the sound is not as good as it should be. Where is the clear, soaring majesty of Mozart? I found that adjusting my receiver to Dolby mode does help, though.
Somehow, the minimal staging--which can of course work very well, especially for a live audience--is a bit too minimal for this production. I just feel that "something" is missing--perhaps because the costumes are so traditional that there needs to be an elaborate Rococo set to go along with them--or maybe the stage just seems spare because this is a DVD recording. I'm not sure.
(A little warning for parents--I played this in front of my children when I first got it and felt unprepared when my six-year-old encountered scenes that would normally give the film a PG-13 rating. It helps to be forewarned, anyway.)
I am still looking for a production of this opera that I absolutely fell in love with about ten years ago. I caught it on TV while on a business trip, and I don't remember who was in it, but it was especially clever and charming. The action takes place in Trump Tower and I specifically remember Barbarina's wearing Batman earrings. Does anyone by chance know about that delightful production?

This is generally a sparkling, enjoyable production. The principal singers do a wonderful job both musically and dramatically, and it's a treat to see people in these roles who are young enough to "fit" the characters properly. Bernard Haitink and the London Philharmonic are an absolute delight.

However, two caveats. The sets are a slightly uneasy mix of flats in Ellsworth-Kelly-esque primary colors and dabs of period furniture; also, the lights dim for "serious" moments, an annoying, superficial touch. Much more problematic is the DVD sound mix. The orchestra comes off superbly, but voices are sometimes lost and muffled-sounding. I actually checked my center channel to see if it was active! Balance-wise, the stereo version is no better. This is just a word of caution to those who like to hear the SINGERS in an opera.

One of my favorite operas, done so well. I love Mozart Operas and Glyndebourne knows how to do their operas! You will enjoy it from start to finish (all 4 hrs!)

Okay, you have Baryshnikov tossing off incredible solos, that's always worth it. But sometimes he seems a bit cutsey,hammy and glib onstage. Cynthia Harvey, a good but not great dancer, is okay in the "white" classical act, but just doesn't cut in the first act or the pas de deux. She has no attack, flair or character to her dancing, and it falls flat. Look at a dancer like Maya Plisetskaya perform the same material, and this looks like an amateur production. I do give cudos to Chery Yeager's Amour, which she dances with a great deal of charm. Santo Loquasto's sets and costumes lack the earthiness and moodiness that the ballet needs. As a result, his color ballet makes it look like a bon bon. Harvey's costumes make her get lost in the crowds. Furthermore, the orchestrations in this version sometimes sound like John Phillip Souza and give the production a cheezy sound. This production isn't bad, it just doesn't understand the core of Petipa and Gorsky's choreography. I totally disagree that Don Quixote is second rate ballet... the choreography is superb, but it has to be done with flair and flawlessly.

This is my favorite ballet tape, and I look forward to having it on DVD. I don't even know where to start in my praise, so I'll begin with the smaller parts. Susan Jaffe and Cheryl Yeager as the dream Mercedes and Amor absolutely shine. It is no wonder Jaffe has become a superstar. Johan Renvall is adorable in the small part of the innkeeper's son and has a few incredible leaps. Frank Smith has become an excellent character dancer as the innkeeper, who is Kitri's father. It was good to see Robert LaFosse in a small role as well, as he had subsequently left American Ballet Theatre for the New York City Ballet. Unfortunately I do not remember the names of the soloists who dance Kitri's friends, but they are also quite lively. On a sad note, the late Peter Fonseca, who died too young, sparkles in the corps and in the gypsy camp scene. He would have been a major international star if he had lived, and I was fortunate to have seen him, Jaffe, Yeager, and Julie Kent with the Maryland Youth Ballet when they were in their teens. Patrick Bissell, also, is a very attractive Espada. He, too, died too young and is much missed.

In my opinion, Cynthia Harvey was a wonderful Kitri. Not only was her dancing outstanding, but her personality shone through the role of the kittenish innkeeper's daughter who was determined to win the man she loved, even though he was merely a poor barber, and also to keep the upper hand in their marriage. Baryshnikov exudes charm and demonstrates that he was, at that time, the world's greatest dancer.

However, for me the highlight of the ballet was Victor Barbee as the rejected suitor Gamache. There is no better actor in all of ballet and, although he wasn't the strongest dancer in the corps, he carries the role with panache and aplomb. He receives the last curtain call, and rightly so.

Although Minkus is not the greatest ballet composer, the score is easy to listen to. The costumes and settings are colorful and enjoyable. There are some unanswered questions, including where Kitri changed her clothes between act 1, when she runs off with Basil, and act 2, when they arrive at the gypsy camp, as she took nothing with her! And doesn't she notice that there is no blood on the knife Basil pretends to stab himself with? But they can be easily overlooked.

This is a really enjoyable ballet. I strongly advise buying it!

This is my absolute favorite version of this ballet. It is delightfully funny, beautifully costumed, and well cheorgraphed. Baryshnikov, Cynthia Harvey, Patrick Bissell, who could ask for anything more. I am completely sucked in by the beauty of such talented dancers.

This is a movie which is a very rare type of movie. This is a funny, but very sad story about a woman named Shawn, who thinks she is leading a life which is horrible. She thinks suicide is the only solution, until she meets a guy who is robbing a bank!! The robber takes her hostage and teaches her the meaning of life and how she should enjoy it. This is a love story which is very fast paced and funny at the same time. This is a movie in which I think should be recognized. This is a must see.

Selma Blair & Max Beesley make an excellent duo for this dark comedy/romance. I laughed, I cried, I hoped they'd get together... Joking, but it is good. Selma Blair's acting talent shines through as this is a side of her I've never seen before. I never thought she was that good of an actress as she always played idiots or some other character that had nothing going for them, but she proved me wrong with this movie. I've never seen Max Beesley before and he was pretty darn good. Not to mention his fabulous English accent! :)

Shawn (Blair) & Charlie (Beesley) come together under odd circumstances in a suicide-robbery gone bad. Charlie takes Shawn hostage after his robbery of her firm goes bad and she promises she'll help him get away as long as he'll kill her when the whole ordeal is over. Things only get stranger from there on. Will they die or won't they? With cops after both now and the prospect of death on both their doors. Both begin to learn things about one another which shows the better days of both and makes you realize how the characters are both generally good people in a really bad point in their lives. By chance they become dependent of one another without knowing it, missing each other when they're apart and willing to give it all up for love.

This movie is great. I saw it by chance and after one viewing it became my favorite movie. If you like dark comedy, romantic lipbiters or movies that catch you by surprise, you have to see this. SEE IT, YOU'LL LOVE IT!

I really liked this film. It is definately a different off beat movie but it is worth seeing! Does anybody know if there is a soundtrack or at least the songs that go to the movie?

CRIMES OF THE HEART is a movie that is successfully adapted from the play by the same name. The film revolves around a couple days in the lives of the three Magrath sisters: Lenny, Meg, and Babe. Babe is just released from jail after having shot her husband because she "didn't like his looks". Meg returns home to Hazelhurst, Missiissippi upon learning that Babe's in trouble, and Lenny is a basketcase who holds the family together.

The movie has a great cast with some very fine serio-comic acting. The direction is superb and the writing full of wit.

Overall a charming film. However, this is a chick flick and if you're a guy, you may only want to watch this on a date.

Not only was this movie very true to the play, it was very well acted by three wonderful Oscar winning actresses. Diane Keaton plays Lenny, the oldest of the three, who seems to be the most sane sister of the three. Jessica Lange can't seem to keep a man. She just sort of jumps from one relationship to another and Sissy Spacek plays Babe, the youngest of the three, and she has just shot her husband, so she has a few problems there. Yet it is that that brings the three together again for a bittersweet reunion. Sam Shepard also shines as Doc Porter, a long time friend of the family. I would classify this movie as being a 'chick flick', but a very well done one at that! So if you like these actresses, I would highly recommend this movie to add to your collection.

This movie, to me, was truly wonderful. It pulls you in and makes you want to keep watching. The comedy is wonderful, as is the drama. Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange, and Sissy Spacek are wonderful as three sisters who are reunited because of something that happens. Sam Shepard has a wonderful supporting role as 'Doc'. All of the actors were terrific in this movie. If you like dramas and comedies mixed into one, then definitely rent or buy this movie. You won't regret it! Three Oscar winning actresses in the leading roles, a wonderful storyline, and a wonderful play-turned-into-a-movie.

3:10 to Yuma is an excellent pyschological western with a similar story to High Noon. The leader of a gang is captured by a posse after a robbery and must be transported to another town so he can be moved on the train. One of the local farmers, who is in desperate need of money, agrees to travel with him and watch him until he can be put on the train, the 3:10 to Yuma. All along the way, the outlaw plays mind games with the farmer trying to manipulate him into letting him go. There is plenty here for western fans. The dialogue between Glenn Ford and Van Heflin is the best part of the movie as they go back and forth between them while Ford plays his mindgames on the unwilling hero, Heflin.

Glenn Ford gives one of his best performances ever as Wade, the smooth-talking, calm, but ruthless gang leader. His character is perfect for this role, and could not have been done any better. Van Heflin is just as good as the poor farmer watching over Wade. It is easy to see the anger inside of him as Wade continues to push his buttons as they wait for the train. The rest of the cast includes many western actors, most notably Richard Jaeckel as Charlie, the right hand man of Wade who plays the slimy gunfighter throughout. It is great to see this movie on DVD, which includes the widescreen presentation. Western fans will love this great movie with an even better cast!

Well, this is how you handle women guys. (spoiler alert) First he has Felicia Farr drooling all over herself, and then while in handcuffs takes a run at Van Heflins wife. That is machismo at its best. Oh yeah, the rest of story. Well, Ford is quite simply the most charming, ruthless, manipulative, and mercurial bad guy in the history of the Western. Required viewing for Psych majors and fledgling seduction artists.

The DVD transfer is excellent in widescreen and the sound is terrific...if you fast forward past one of Hollywood's worst theme songs "...I hear a ruma, when you take the 3:10 to Yuma, you can see the ghosts of outlaws riding by, way up high, in the skyyyyyyyyyy..." Have a pie, in your eye! Jeez, pretty funny though. Great movie, I don't want to talk about the ending...I mean I really don't want to talk about it. Didn't they have a jail in that town? Otis Campbell must have already checked in or something.

I have been a fan of "3:10" since I was a kid. Every time it is on I have to watch it. It is compelling, beautiful and fascinating. This is a very powerful film for its time and stands up to today's standards. Glenn Ford is wonderful against type, a truly bad man, but able to charm the pants off the girls (literally) and becomes likable yet despicable. Van Heflin is excellent as well, both men play well off each other and we see without corniness the contrast between the two characters. The supporting cast includes some excellent talent, too, including Richard Jaeckle, Ford Rainey and others. This is a must see and a must own film, especially now that its on DVD, my VHS copy is all worn out...gee, I wonder why.

It's no James Bond, but it's no Top Secret either. Gotcha has some real humor, but not at the expense of a storyline or real suspense either. It's a fun movie to get caught up in and while it's not a classic mystery or spy thriller, there is a decent amount of guess work you have to do to figure it out.

If you enjoy an entertaining film with a bit of wit and some nostalgia from the Cold War days, you'll like this movie.

Ronald Reagan was making "Evil Empire" speeches, the Berlin Wall was up, and Anthony Edwards had hair when he made this Cold War spoof about a naive American college student visiting Europe for the first time, who loses his virginity to an older film student -- or is she a spy? There are some clever plot twists, some nice shots of Paris, Berlin, and the UCLA campus, and a tiny bit of buddy-bonding, but the main reason to buy this video is to gawk at Mr. Edwards as he displays an astonishing natural physique in several regrettably brief scenes. Jsu Garcia, who plays his sleazoid roommate, is also hot. You'd better get two copies, in case you wear one out.

Gotcha stars Anthony Edward of ER and Jsu Garcia of Wildcats and Nightmare of Elm Street as two high school kids who go to Europe for vacation.

Garcia, thinking he's a player, leaves Edwards to himself where he meets with up Sasha, played by Linda Forientino, who comes off as a very mysterious person with an awsome accent who takes interest in virgins.

she seduces and uses Johnathan (anthony edwards) into going with her to the commuinst East Berlin for some business that she has to tend to. Edwards, being blinded by love, doesn't know what's going on, but soon will, in a hard way.

Gotcha is an awsome movie with rich cinemetography as the film was shot in Europe.

excellent movie!! i recommend it.