Reviews

I rented because I always enjoy Coen movies, and now i realize part of their secret. Great casting. Frances McDormand and Dan Hedaya are very good. M. Emmett Walsh is great. Very cool flick. Look at their history. Imagine Raising Arizona without Nic Cage. Or Fargo without William H. Macy. Or even O'Brother Where Art THou without George Clooney. All were great casting decisions in my opinion. Well done Brothers Coen. Well done indeed! I also am a big fan of John Turturro and he seem to be well cast and always does a good job in their films. Another thing you can count on in any Coen Brothers film is memorable characters. I believe that their ability to not only create these great characters but to find the perfect actor to play that character is the secret to their success. Look close at their casting, I think you'll agree.

Everyone I have talked to who has seen this movie says the same thing; "That was a really good movie!". It is much more. Entertainment value= 4 stars. ( No slow parts) Acting= 4 stars. (Fishburne, Cuba, Ice Cube, are truly excellent) Story= 4 stars (Its like a great tragic play) Direction= 4 stars (Singleton I'm sure is proud of this great film) I will always laugh hysterically at the Academy of Motion Pictures lack of integrity for not even nominating this movie for Best Picture. If this story was adapted to Victorian England, it would have swept Best Film, Best Director, and possibly an Oscar for Fish or Cuba. Oh well. I'm betting if you see this movie once, you'll want to see it again.

I was drawn to this movie because I love any movie about African safaris because of the beauty of the land, sounds of the animals, and african music, and beautiful colors. I wasn't disappointed. Moving on, the reason I an writing this review is to recommend it to anyone who is unfamiliar with Ava Gardner. Yes, I knew she was a big star back then, but I never had seen her act. She blew me away! I have watched movies made from 1930's to the present, and never actually felt the way I felt when this movie was over. As silly as this sounds, I absolutely fell in love with her. Great actress.Check.Beautiful.Check.Sexy.Strong.Vulnerable.Funny.Witty.Warm.Independent.Adventurous.Confident.Intelligent.Gentle. I could go on. I know I fell in love with her character, not her, but man she is one special lady! Monroe,Harlowe, Hepburn,or Basinger, Stone, or whoever, can't top this lady. Yes, its time to search IMBD. I WILL see every movie she made! Oh Yeah, Gable fans and John Ford fans (I love Ford movies) should like this.

I enjoyed this movie for many reasons. I always enjoy films that capture a place, time, or world in which many of us are not familiar. I found it interesting to see life through the eyes of these soldiers', which was so different from other films. Robert Young was very good as the homicide detective, as his character too was different than the usual tough film-noir cop. Very refreshing. Throw in great performances from Ryan and Mitchum, and mix well!

If you love old movies, here's another good one. Kay Francis is great as both Vera's. The happy, charming, wife-to-be, and the broken, sad woman destroyed by Basil's character. Considering all the bad movies made today, this movie inspires me to continue to look for old Hollywood treasures such as "Confession". I think the rest of the cast was good too!

Everyone watches movies for different reasons. Some are simply looking to be entertained, which usually means their idea of a good movie is a movie that only contains enough of the bad part of life in order for the characters to overcome in the end. Many good films have been made that deal with a character overcoming problems to triumph in the end. For us that want something deeper, this is a great movie. I have read reviews of this film that claim it is overrated because it is simply a story about weak people or losers reaping what they sowed. That is not the point. What makes this movie great, one of many things, is that it describes very effectively how people go down the wrong path. This movie is maybe the best film i have ever seen in terms of portraying real human beings. It is pure hell, and that is exactly what the characters were experiencing. I can understand why many did not enjoy the movie, but it is a shame how many people, according to their commments, did not have sympathy for the characters. This is not one of my favorite movies, but i recognize great art when i see it. It not only is a four-star film, but one of the truly groundbreaking movies of its kind. I only wish everyone understood it. Why then is it not one of my favorite movies? Because all of my favorite films make me feel happy, joyful, and inspired. However, this movie touched me in a different way, but touched me in a way that is equally positive, in that we should never underestimate our vulnerability. That is something no one wants to truly face. This movie is not for those who, as Jack Nicholson said, "can't handle the truth!! "

This movie is so good that it should be studied by anyone interested in writing or filmmaking as a career. Like most great art, it must be watched more than once and discussed with others to fully appreciate its genius, and allow you to not only understand the characters, but the complex relationships of the characters. This movie is far superior to many of the top grossing films of all time. If you did not like it, you also probably thought Forrest Gump deserved the Best Film Oscar over Shawshank Redemption. I guess some critize the Mona Lisa and say "She'd be pretty if she'd only smile..."

Sometimes we judge movies as a critic might, overanalyzing, comparing to very complex theater. This movie is a classic example that a film should primarily be judged on whether it was enjoyable to watch. I don't care how anyone rate's this film, but those who did not like this movie probably don't like sex, pizza, or rock n' roll either. Rent it soon!

This movie is basically a good movie made very good by James Stewart. Most impressive is that it was made in 1939. The movie has a cast of characters that are very believable in their roles. The humor is ahead of its time. I am not quite sure why I loved this movie so much, but if you want to know why everyone seems to love Stewart's films, just watch this one! Western movie buffs must-see this movie ]

This movie should not be missed by anyone who watches more than a few movies a year. This is a "movie fan's" movie. I have seen few movies that were better cast or with more memorable characters. A great movie allows you to escape into the world of the characters in the film and feel what they are feeling.If you watch this movie DO NOT hit the pause button or watch half at a time; you will lose the pulse of the characters. Some really good movies like this one are best enjoyed when you cover the clock and just relax.I don't expect this to be the greatest movie you've ever seen, but I bet you won't soon forget these characters.So many times the idea is to get as many big-name stars as you can so that people will be drawn to see the movie. These actors and actresses were cast because they have awesome talent.You may not love the script or the movie may be a bit dark for some, but rarely will you see a movie with this many good performances by this many talented actors and actresses.