Reviews

To read through many comments on this movie, you wouldn't know that this is actually one of the funniest movies made in a long time. Many have said you have to work in an office to enjoy this movie, but I don't think so. I happen to work in an office, and I understand how accurate a portrayal of life in a cubicle this movie gives, but even if I didn't, the humor is still so overwhelming you can't help but laugh. It is a true satire all the way, and it is brilliant.

Where to begin? Ron Livingston doesn't get much credit for a truly great performance, so here's one vote for him. He plays the burned out slacker role well, and you have to admire his character for putting himself first for once and doing what makes him happy. Samir is a software engineer who is increasingly frustrated with a malfunctioning fax machine and annoyed that nobody in this country can pronounce his last name, "Naga... Naga... Naganna work here anymore." Then you have everybody's favorite character, Milton,a mumbling half-wit who tries to stand up for himself but can't mumble loud enough to get anyone to pay attention to him. Stephen Root gives an absolutely hysterical performance here, and it is impossible not to laugh at some of the threats Milton mumbles under his breath "ok but that's the last straw. I'm going to light the building on fire." As funny as all these characters are, the real star here is Michael Bolton "Is that your real name?" From the opening scene, where we see Michael stuck in traffic, lip-synching to a hard core rap song, only to turn the radio down in fear as a black man peddling flowers or some such item walks by his car, we know this character is going to be hilarious. We then see a large poster of Snoop Dogg taped to his cubicle, and it is impossible not to laugh. Some have said the rap soundtrack does not fit with the movie, but that is the point. Your first image of a guy like Michael is not that of a foul-mouthed gangsta, and that is what makes it so funny. And I don't know if I've ever heard anything funnier than when he calls his bosses "c**kgobblers.

Nothing about this movie is lacking in the least. I can watch it over and over and still laugh. That is the sign of a great comedy. And for those who didn't like it, oh well, we all have our opinions. Hopefully Notting Hill kept you in stitches.

Let's start out by saying this is NOT the worst movie of all time. Not even close. It seems the more money a movie makes, the worse it becomes in people's mind if they didn't like it to begin with. That's narrow minded, and it is apparent that Armageddon suffers from this narrow-mindedness. I am not a sci-fi fan at all, and mindless action movies are not usually my type of thing either, but I liked Armageddon. You wanna see a big-budget, money making, thin plot piece of crap, go see Independence Day or Men in Black. Not even Will Smith, who is pretty funny, could save those.

I can't even remember all the stupid comments I've seen regarding this movie, but all I can say is, they're entitled to their opinion. And I do recognize the plot holes in Armageddon, and the cheesy storylines, but so what? All action movies are like that, and it's laughable that the same people who "f**king crush" this movie will come right back and praise the likes of Star Wars and Independence Day. The same guys who will sit out in front of a theater for 3 weeks to have the "honor" of being the first to witness a bunch of muppets and monotone wooden actors fly around in a space pod or whatever are the ones ripping Armageddon for similar story lines. The only difference is, Armageddon is funny as hell. I understand that lots of people just go to movies looking to redeem their soul and cry their eyes out, but me, I appreciate a little humor once in awhile.

Like always, Steve Buscemi is hilarious here. Some of his lines are great, such as when a federal agent tells him he has a national security problem he must discuss with him, he turns and asks the girl he is with "How old are you?" Most of the other characters have some humor, even occasionally Bruce Willis, in his deadpan sort of way. Liv Tyler doesn't do a whole lot here, but she's pretty hot. Billy Bob Thornton is great, and there is a funny line from the guy who discovers the asteroid in regards to his wife.

Last but not least, it seems it would not be an Armageddon comment without commenting on the "animal cracker love scene". Stupidest scene in the history of movies? Please, you haven't seen enough movies. It is a silly little episode between two people in love, and if you tell me you've never done the same type of thing with your woman (or man), then you've never had one. Maybe not quite as corny, but everyone acts like that once in awhile, and to show it as a kind of final moment between two people in love, I can tolerate that. So, all I have to say is, lighten up, and stop taking yourselves so seriously.

I remember waiting for this movie for months before it actually came out to rent. I worked at a video store, and I had seen previews for it long in advance (It's previewed before Swingers on the video version), and though most movies I build up in my mind waiting to see disappoint (see Eyes Wide Shut), this movie did not.Simply put, this is a really good movie that few people have seen.

Kevin Spacey is my favorite actor, and his directing here is excellent for a debut effort. The plot may be a bit far-fetched, especially the ending, but we don't need exact realism for every movie. That's why it's a movie. Matt Dillon has a good role, Sinise is great as always, and Joe Mantegna steals the show, most notably during his interview scene with a local reporter. I loved the the camera-work, it made for some interesting visual effects and added to the suspense of the movie. The movie may have tried a little too hard to accent the drama, but it does not undermine the story at all. Many people may find Albino Alligator boring, as it is not an action movie at all, but I did not feel the story was slow at all. I thought it had many well-thought out ideas, especially when the captors are looking for a way out of the bar. I was engrossed throughout, and the best I can compare it to is Dog Day Afternoon (not quite as good, but that is not a bad thing) Recommended to any fans of Usual Suspect-Seven type movies, and movie fans in general. 8/10

Tango & Cash is not exactly a great film, but as far as pure enjoyment goes, it is a pretty good movie. The plot may be weak, and Stallone isn't much of an actor (although I may be the only living person who liked Over the Top), but the writing was great for the dialogue if nothing else. There were cheesy lines, sure, but some of the interaction between Stallone and Russell were great. "We're gonna jump to those wires, slide down the other side and we're home free" "That's your plan?" "yeah" "we're gonna fry" I hate movies like this, but I gotta say, there were enough funny lines to make it pretty entertaining. Kurt Russell is by far the funniest and most entertaining member of the cast. "How come I get the little gun?" "Genetics, pee-wee"

It's a shame that so few people have seen or even heard of this movie, because it is one of the best of its kind. The only thing that drives me crazy about this movie is the cover box. Whoever thought up that misguided box should be fired, and I believe it is the reason nobody has seen this movie. We are led to believe this is a straight comedy with no meaning or plot. Just a screwed-over assistant on the war path. It is such a misrepresentation, it makes me laugh.

Having said that, let me say that this is a hilarious movie. But so what, so was Pulp Fiction, neither belong in the comedy section of your video store, though. Kevin Spacey is a genius, and this is yet another stand-out role in what is becoming one of the greatest string of performances any actor has ever accomplished. He is so over the top here, you can't help but laugh. I don't want to give away too much, but the scene where he is walking to the elevator from his car, wondering why it is such a problem for Guy (Frank Whaley) to get ahold of one of the executives of the company who is white-water rafting in a place with no phones "so, they have helicopters, don't they?" is just hilarious. Especially when he gets into the elevator, and a feeble assistant tries to make it in before the doors close "OUT, OUT, WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?!?!?!" It is too funny, and scenes like that just keep coming.

But to call this movie a comedy does not do it enough justice. It works on many different levels, exploring how far we can be pushed before we are sent over the edge, how far someone with power can take it before he goes too far, etc. While not usually much of a sentimentalist, I thought the scene where Spacey breaks down while discussing the murder of his wife was touching and insightful. I liked that it showed that even the most heartless b*****d has his own story to tell, and it makes for a more two-dimensional character. Basically, this movie is great in every way, and I can't say enough about Frank Whaley's performance. He is sort of overshadowed by Spacey's character, but that's the point. He plays the cowering lap-dog perfectly, and to see how the abuse pushes him into a completely different character is fascinating. If you're on this site, you've probably seen the movie, so please, go recommend this to everyone. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor. 9/10

Though not as popular as the rest of Kevin Smith's movies, Mallrats is every bit as funny. The dialogue is so harsh and witty, every scene contains something to laugh at. Sure, it has a Hollywood ending, but it is still done with Smith's own unique style, and it is damn funny. It seems it's unanimous here that Jason Lee is the star of this show, as he is in Chasing Amy. He has the funniest dialogue I've seen in a long time, and he takes the movie from an already funny level and elevates it to the ranks of Clerks, Dumb and Dumber, and other comedy classics. The game show scene, while maybe a tad unbelievable (who cares) is the funniest scene in the movie. "If you were making whoopee, what noise would you make?" "what's whoopee?, you mean like f**k?" It may not sound hilarious, but watch the movie, and you'll see that it is. Jay and Silent Bob are funny as ever, and the re-appearance of Dante (as a different character) as the third contestant on the game show is a nice touch. Overall, just as good as Chasing Amy, and on par with Clerks (maybe slightly behind), and should get more credit than it does. 9/10

It seems to be the trend now to equate this movie to Silence of the Lambs, but to me, this movie far surpasses that one. Not to say that Silence of the Lambs wasn't good, it was actually one of the best of its kind, and Hannibal Lecter might be the best serial killer ever. However, Seven blows that movie away and if not for The Usual Suspects, it would be the best detective-thriller of the 90's.

There are so many aspects to this movie worth mentioning, I couldn't fit it into 1000 words. Yes, this movie may be considered too slow for the action junkies of the world. Sorry, Arnie and Sly Stallone do not make an appearance here. But for those who place a higher importance on acting, directing, and storyline, this is the movie for you. Fincher deserves top mention. This guy continues to amaze me with top notch films. Never saw Alien3, as I don't like horror movies and don't care about the Alien trilogy. But The Game is a very underrated thriller, you can't go wrong with Sean Penn and Michael Douglas. And as far as Fight Club goes, well, words cannot express how good that movie was, so I won't even try. But with those 2 movies alone, as well as this one, Fincher proves he is one of the best up and coming directors in the business.

We all know Brad Pitt is usually placed in movies merely for eye candy for the female audience, but obviously Fincher has a knack for bringing the best out of Pitt. He's really not a terrible actor, and he was actually pretty good in 12 Monkeys, but it is here and Fight Club where he does his best work. He's no Morgan Freeman, and he is certainly eclipsed here by Freeman, but Pitt manages to hold his own effectively. Paltrow is, well, Paltrow here, pretty boring and monotone, just like most parts she plays. But she is as important to the story as any of the others, and based on that she fits in well.

As good as everyone was in this movie, Kevin Spacey dominates the screen, as he does with every movie he has ever been in. He is far and away the best actor going today, and his role in Seven may be his best so far. Giving away any details of his part would take away from the effect of the movie, but let's just say it is chilling how good he is. Every scene is important, and the scenery and music help develop the mood of the story, which is definitely grim. Not sure why so many people have revolted at the "gore and violence" of this movie, as most of it is implied and never really shown. People don't seem to have a problem reading about it in the newspapers, in books, or even the Bible, but I guess it's different when it's presented in your face on the big screen. Doesn't make sense to me, but whatever. If you can look past that, you're looking at one of the top 10 movies of the 90's, and one of the best ever. 10/10, 100/100, 1000/1000, an all-time classic.

The first Nightmare on Elm Street is a classic and will always be the best. 2 sucked, 3 was great, 4 was cool, 5 wasn't too good, and even though most will not agree, 6 was pretty good. A true horror fan probably will hate this movie, which is evident by the majority of the comments on here. But horror movies are pretty much of a joke anyways, so at least this movie doesn't try to hide the fact it's a joke. I like Freddy much more as a comedian, though I liked him how he was in the first movie too. But the scene with the chalkboard and when he is sneaking up on the guy after he lost his hearing aid were funny in my book. I thought the whole movie had a stupid dream feel to it, which I thought was cool. It's all about Freddy, and funny or serious, he's still cool. Avoid part 7, though. Still don't know what everyone saw in that one. I give this a 7/10 as far as horror movies go, 4/10 as far as real movies go.

There are few comedies ever made that surpass Vacation. Chevy Chase may not be the funniest comedian of all time, but you'd never know it watching him in this movie. His performance as an exasperated dad taking the fam on a cross country trip to Wally World is hilarious. And once they finally get there, the best part of the movie is still to come. John Candy playing the Wally World security guard is classic, especially when he starts rambling on to the owner of the park about how he loves his ride and didn't even get sick on any of the rides this time. Anthony Michael Hall is great as Chase's son, and there are really no poorly played roles in the entire film. Although each of the sequels had their funny moments, with Christmas Vacation nearly living up to the original, none could quite match the constant humor of Vacation. There are very few people who did not like this movie, and for good reason. 8/10

Not exactly in the majority here, but I thought this installment was pretty cool. The acting was better, the characters were funnier, and best of all, the series took a much needed change of direction. After all, they could not go on making the same type of movie over and over again, so the change of pace was a nice touch. Horror movies suck by rule, but if they have a little imagination, mixed in with some humor and suspense, they can be very good (see Scream and the Shining). True, this movie was not all that scary or suspenseful, but I thought it was funny and creative. I especially liked the introduction of the running on a loop scene where the characters find themselves replaying the same scene over and over while their friend is being murdered (also done in part 6). Overall, not a historical landmark as was the first Nightmare, but at least better than the second and very, very last one (New Nightmare). I give it a 7/10

Not a whole lot to say that everyone else hasn't already said, but I definitely liked this movie. Part 2 was awful, and it was nice to see the series restored to the splendor of the original. I happen to be in the extreme minority in the fact that I liked 4-6, and hated the last one, New Nightmare or whatever it's called. They may have something to do with the fact I am not a big horror fan, so the smart-aleck remarks made by Freddy in the sequels were pretty funny to me. All I know is, there are alot worse horror movies than any of these movies (Pet Semetary 2, anyone?)

Seems some people are a bit uptight around here. You don't like the movie? Fine. But to correlate this films success to the downfall of society and the state of American comedy? Please. I can understand that some people are very morally upright and have been raised to think that people should not be made fun of and everyone is created equal, blah, blah, blah. But to say that there was not one funny scene in the whole movie is ridiculous. I happened to love the movie, thought it was hilarious, and yes, I am an intelligent person. But movies are sometimes used as an escape from everyday life, and for those who are versatile enough to laugh at a funny scene without taking it seriously, this is one movie you should not miss.Extremely funny, and I give it a 9.

After reading some of the previous comments made by viewers on this site, I get the impression some people believe a group of 21 year old guys who go to bars and drink and fight is not realistic. I would suggest they try spending a night in bar and come back to reality. Even beyond realism, this is just a flat-out great movie.

Robin Williams, normally not the best actor in the world, does an outstanding job with this role. He was at the same time funny and insightful and deserved the Academy Award. Damon was convincing as a "lazy genius" and this was definitely his best role so far. The script was excellent, and Van Sant got every bit of emotion possible out of his cast. It is so rare to see a dramatic movie like this that combines humor and drama so effectively. Even if, like me, you are not interested in run-of-the-mill drama-tearjerker type movies, I highly recommend this one, because it is fantastic. The only dim spot in the movie is Minnie Driver's character. I've never really liked her, and I found her character to be more than slighlty annoying. Despite this one flaw, Good Will Hunting is one of the top movies of '97, and other than L.A. Confidential, maybe THE top movie if the year.

Being a huge Al Pacino fan, it is hard for me to choose only one of his movies as being my all-time favorite. Scarface would have to be near the top of the list, the Godfather movies were good (not as great as most people think, but pretty good nonetheless), Heat was underrated,and Sea of Love was solid. But if I had to choose one, this movie is it. Pacino is awesome throughout the entire movie, and his two monologues directed at Keanu are as gripping as any others in movie history, no other actor could have pulled it off. He seemed born to play this role. I could go on all day about Pacino in this movie, but others deserve mention as well.

I'm still trying to figure out if I like Keanu Reeves. I try as hard as I can to dislike him, because I really don't think he is a very good actor. However, he seems to choose his roles carefully, because he manages to find himself in terrific movies every once in awhile. He will forever be Ted searching for an excellent adventure in my mind, but Point Break was as entertaining as most action movies get, Speed (yes I know, it was completely ridiculous and stupid) was still pretty cool, and there's always Bill & Ted. But he has really outdone himself here. While overwhelmed by Pacino's performance, Keanu still quietly gives a pretty good performance as the lawyer who sells his soul for the big bucks and glory associated with a big New York law firm, at the head of which is Pacino. I won't give away any more of the story, because it is too good to hear it from me. But anybody who has not seen it, do yourself a favor and rent it. Even if you don't enjoy any other part of the movie, Pacino's monologues and every scene he's in, for that matter, make it well worth the money. Pacino's best, and one of the best of all time. 10/10

I can't begin to express how bored I was with this movie. It's not that it was a poorly made movie. I understand the movies appeal to the romantics at heart, but that still does not validate it as the best movie of all time. It was boring, far too long, and completely uninteresting. I've always thought the movie could have stood on it's own as a much more fascinating film if the first half had never been made. Cameron did a tremendous job of showing the horror and hopelessness the members of the ship felt while the ship was sinking. But it took so long to finally arrive at this point in the movie, it was almost impossible to get back into it by that time. This movie was thoroughly uninteresting, and the only redeeming factor that comforts me is that there will never be a sequel. 1/10

I think a few of the readers who have commented on this film seem to be missing the point. While it can be said that this movie has no plot to speak of and no central point to it, my response is: so what? Not every movie is made to teach you how to live your life. Some of us can watch a movie simply for the pure enjoyment of listening to characters interact. Swingers does a better job of achieving this than the majority of movies ever made. Anybody can make Godzilla or Independence Day, but it takes a truly special movie to become a "cult hit" with nothing more at it's disposal than no-name actors (at the time) and catchy dialogue. This movie was the springboard for virtually every actor in it, with each going on to more well known parts.

Ok, enough preaching, pure and simple this movie is great. Vince Vaughn's character is one of the most likable characters you'll see in a movie. Even if you have nothing in common with someone like him, you can't help but like him. He's hilarious, smooth, and a loyal friend, and he has some of the most quotable lines in the movie. Everyone else on this site has quoted it time and again, so no need for me to, but let's just say it's funny stuff. John Favreau's character, Mikey, makes you laugh while at the same time wanting to slap him for being so stupid. There's so many funny scenes in this movie, I can't even begin to describe them. But the best by far always involve Vaughn, and the part where he's in the trailer describing his experience auditioning for a pilot is classic. You know he's feeding the girls a line the whole time, but it's so convincing and everyone is so in awe of him, it's hysterical. And when Mikey tries to act cool in front of the waitresses they meet, and fails to do so, only to see Trent tell them he's a producer and watch them swoon, I can't see how people don't find that funny.

Anyways, if you haven't seen this movie yet, do yourself a favor and go rent it. The buildup offered on this site is only a fraction of what you'll actually get out of watching it. 10+/10