Bill Murray does warmth in Groundhog Day, a romantic fantasy about a wacky weatherman forced to relive one strange day over and over again, until he gets it right. Snowed in during a road-trip expedition to watch the famous groundhog encounter his shadow, Murray falls into a time warp that is never explained but pays off so richly that it doesn't need to be. Director Harold Ramis (who co-starred with Murray in Ghostbusters) takes an absurd situation and explores its every imaginable comic possibility. The elaborate loop-the-loop plot structure cooked up by screenwriter Danny Rubin is crystal-clear every step of the way, but it is Murray's world-class reactive timing that makes the jokes explode, and we end up looking forward to each new variation. Because none of the other characters are aware that Groundhog Day is continually repeating itself, Murray goes through a repertoire of responses, from conniving lust for Rita (Andie MacDowell) to gleeful nihilism to a Zen resignation worthy of Buster Keaton. Groundhog Day manages the rare feat of producing belly laughs in abundance and also being genuinely wise about the human condition. --David Chute, Amazon.com On the DVD: the disc presents the movie in a 1.85:1 ratio and with Dolby surround sound. There are trailers for Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters and Multiplicity, along with filmographies for Harold Ramis, Bill Murray, Andie McDowell and Chris Elliot. This remastered edition also comes with an extended documentary "The Weight of Time", which offers insights into the "European"-style script and production difficulties, but is a little over-lavish in its praise of the actors on set. Thought-provokingly, the documentary also touches upon the spiritual nature of the movie and what it has meant to an audience beyond being a simple comedy. Also included here is a directorÂ’s commentary by Ramis which, although informative, has too many long breaks and would surely have benefited from the addition of Bill Murray to the conversation. --Nikki Disney
Dying Young: A vivacious young woman begins work as a carer for a wealthy young man only to fall in love with him as his terminal condition worsens... Sleeping With The Enemy: A put-upon wife wakes up the fact that the beatings she receives from her husband are not likely to end and may very well take her life. Faking her own death she sets up home in a new town with a new name but her husband is none too keen to let her go...
You might not get a thrill from the sight of Faye Dunaway and Marlon Brando throwing popcorn into each other's mouths, but that didn't stop this movie from gaining a new lease on life thanks to cable television and home video. It's a quirky romantic comedy about a mental patient (Johnny Depp) who claims to be Don Juan, the world's greatest lover, and he gets quite a few women to believe it's true. Brando plays the psychiatrist who tries to analyze his patient's apparent delusion, and Dunaway plays Brando's wife, who wants to inject some Don Juan-ish romance into their marital routine. Walking a fine line between precious comedy, wistful drama, and delicate fantasy, the movie gets a big dose of charm from its esteemed cast, with Depp delivering dialogue that would have sounded ludicrous from a lesser actor. Don Juan DeMarco may not be a great movie, but it is guaranteed to put you in an amorous mood. --Jeff Shannon
Decent, lighthearted and fully amusing slapstick is hard to come by these days, and 1993's Groundhog Day manages to also be genuinely wise about the human condition. All this and belly laughs too! Bill Murray stars as Phil, a bored, petulant news reporter, who is ordered to give his annual live report from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on February 2. Though desperate to get out of the one-horse town and the appallingly sentimental assignment, Phil finds himself reliving the same day over and over again until he finally mends his ways. The film takes an absurd situation and explores its every imaginable comic possibility. Because none of the other characters are aware that Groundhog Day is continually repeating itself, Phil goes through a repertoire of responses, from conniving lust for Rita (Andie MacDowell) to gleeful nihilism to a Zen resignation worthy of Buster Keaton. Murray is reliably good, and this flick gives him a chance to be warm (though never fuzzy).
The story line of No Mercy may seem familiar: to avenge his partner's murder and uncover the killer, a tough Chicago cop comes to Louisiana and finds himself embroiled with a beautiful and enigmatic blonde and a creepy crime lord. But the way this film executes a seemingly standard plot is unique, entertaining and effective. Richard Gere as the cop Eddie Jillette is an appropriate fish-out-of-water, uncovering a complex and frightening underworld. Under Richard Pearce's skilful direction both he and Kim Basinger (as Michel Duvall) are credibly drawn to each other as they're accidentally handcuffed and running through the eerie bayou. But also credit James Carabatsos's script which appropriately captures Jillette's grief and obsession, his anger and confusion, his growing understanding and affection for Michel. There's a particularly well-done love scene, borne out of passion and desperation and the chemistry between Gere and Basinger is very evident. Good support comes from William Atherton as the fey attorney Allan Deveneux, Jeroen Krabbé as the evil Losado, George Dzundza as Captain Stemkowski, Bruce McGill as Lieutenant Hall and the late Ray Sharkey as Angles Ryan. No Mercy, like Angel Heart before it, uses its mystical, magical Louisiana setting to its best advantage; it's beautiful, yet frightening; mysterious, yet compelling--like Michel and like the movie itself. --N F Mendoza, Amazon.com
Love doesn't have to last a lifetime. A Cincinnati college student breaks off his engagement to his wealthy fiance after he falls in love with a backwoods Kentucky girl he meets at a party. She claims to be 20 years old but he learns that she's actually just 16 and already married. Available for the first time on DVD!
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