The all-time favorite movie of a lifelong movieholic!
924469
This adaptation of the Deirdre Purcell novel runs approximately 200 minutes and is worth every second. In the beginning of the film, Elizabeth Sullivan has her first romance with an actor in a traveling show and finds  herself pregnant and the actor long gone. Her parents, wanting to avoid  embarrassment, consult their priest for advise and he comes up with a  recently widowed older man with young children who needs a wife. Left with  few options, Elizabeth, played beautifully by newcomer Elisabeth  Dermot-Walsh, marries this stranger and endures a life much harder than the  privileged one she left. Her husband, Neeley, treats her like property he's  paranoid of losing, but not especially cherished property.
Watching from  the hill above is Neeley's cousin, Mossie Sheenan (Liam Cunningham). Neeley  inherited his farm from Mossie's father, who died when Mossie was very  young and probably before he could change his will to leave the place to  his son - a situation that has caused bad blood between them. This has  Elizabeth misinterpreting just about everything Mossie does as being  motivated by a desire to either cause Neeley trouble or to regain his  land.
There isn't much more we can tell without giving away too much, but  this movie has everything you can hope for . . .a great story, beautiful  scenery, haunting music, and WONDERFUL ACTING.
4721850
Being a thirty-something woman, I thought, how could I possibly find a movie about two grumpy old men funny?  Turns out, VERY EASILY!  If I could give this movie TEN STARS, I would!  This has to be my all-time, favorite  comedy.  Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are at it again; creating that  perfect "odd-couple" chemistry.  This time, the story is set in  snowy Minnesota, with Lemmon and Matthau, (two old-time rivals), competing  for the attentions of the refreshingly eccentric, yet extremely attractive  widow, who has just moved into their neighborhood. The writing in this film  is excellent; the actor's comedic timing is pure genius, and the zingers  never seem to stop!  This movie is a classic!  Don't be a putz - buy it  today!
1715044
I was in high school (outside the USA) when I first saw this movie on the big screen. I loved it. Christopher is so handsome and Jane is stunning. The movie is so romantic and the music is beautiful. This weekend I saw it first time on DVD and it is just as beautiful as ever! Many years have passed, I still dream of making it to Mackinac Island one of these days. A timeless movie for all ages. Have a hanky ready!
4935291
For many, many years this was my all-time favorite movie!  As time went by, so many other great action movies came out that this one moved done my list a bit, but it's STILL near the top...and I own over 2000 movies, and see about three new ones per week....so that's saying quite a bit.  This is directed by Roy Boulting (who was Hayley Mills' first husband), but like many of Alfred Hitchcock's movies, this film tells the story of one man facing the odds alone!  It's the story of a famous award winning writer, who after the war (WWII) decides he wants to get away from the rat race and goes to central Mexico to get away from all the hub-bub of the business world.  A woman journalist is sent by her famous magazine employer to try and track him down and get his 'story' on why he disappeared like he did. She finds him and he is allusive as ever and won't cooperate with her wishes for his story.  They're attracted to each other, but she finally gives up on her story and he agrees to fly her to Mexico City in his old Piper Cub plane, so she can go back to New York City.  But her magnetic note pad in her purse fouls the plane's compass and then all hell breaks loose!  I won't go into details, but what follows is a FABULOUS story and the details are amazing.  She learns more about his war past and their adventure together is incredibly exciting!

By the way, I've looked for this movie for literally DECADES on VHS and I've NEVER been able to find a commercial copy anywhere!  My only copy was a homemade VHS I taped off of TBS Atlanta.  Crappy copy, with commercials still in it!  I FINALLY saw this Spanish/Mexican DVD on Amazon, which is totally all in English and great quality!  It plays on all my DVD players and is wide screen.  Make sure you're getting a copy that will play on U.S. machines!
1930922
I absolutely fell in love with this movie from the very first song! Guenivere (Redgrave) is very convincing, as are Arthur (Harris) and Lancelot. Harris is amazing as Athur. One feels all of his pain, his hopes,  his confusion. King Pellinore, Arthers good friend, is a welcome comady  relief. My favorite line? "How can you get a fair decision from people  so impartial?" from Pellinore. The songs are generally very lively,  although there are a few beautiful love songs. The costumes and scenery  were amazing! (Keep an eye out for the guys with lots of dark eyeshadow,  and remember, everyone in the movie has blue eyes.) The first time I saw  this movie it climbed the list to one of my favorites. Camelot is a true  classic, a must-have for broadway lovers, a must-see for anyone who has  ever dreamed an impossible dream!
118837
North by Northwest and Vertigo are tied as my all time favorite movies.  Vertigo is more emotionally moving, while NxNW is simply more fun.  This is the perfect film to show certain members of the younger generation who think the art of movie making began with Star Wars or The Matrix.  Those who have seen it know this film  reaches as close to the pinnacle of perfection as any film ever has - or  probably ever will.  Screenplay, acting, cinematography, score,  editing--they cannot be improved upon.  (The only exception to this is some  of the optical effects during the Mount Rushmore sequence.  Astonishing for 1959, they look rather dated today.)

Warner Brothers, which owns the  rights to this MGM film, is to be commended for the excellent care they have taken with the restoration.  Colors - especially flesh tones - are  deeper and richer without looking "colorized."  The image is crisp, the print clean and dazzlingly free of artifacts.  The sound (the  original release was in mono) has been rechanneled for Dolby 5.1, but the  restoration team has shown enough restraint not to create extraneous aural effects for their own sake.

As for the extras, the documentary hosted by the timeless Eva Maria Saint is an insightful and entertaining look at the making of the film.  There are two audio supplements:  a running commentary by Ernest Lehman which occasionally sags (one wonders why Saint and Martin Landau did not participate); the music only audio track  featuring Bernard Herrmann's superb score is a dazzling demonstration of  the importance of film scoring - you can watch this track and understand the film just as well as with the dialogue.  There is also an assortment of trailers, including an amusing one with Hitchcock, and a production still gallery.

This is a must for every DVD collection!

UPDATE, June, 2010:

The above review is for the DVD.  In the years since it was written, my admiration for North by Northwest has only increased, and I have since acquired NxNW on Blu-ray.  I recommend the Blu-ray version for several reasons.

The image quality has been further improved, to the extent that occasional blemishes can be seen on Cary Grant's face.  (Grant had a perpetually tan skin color - which may be why some have claimed the DVD was badly "color corrected" - but was in fact caused by spending many hours outdoors.)  Surprisingly, the increased clarity of Blu-ray actually improves the visual effects experience - they look better at high definition.

The sound mix is similar to the DVD: improved over the original film's mono track, but not overdone.  More alternate languages are provided than in the DVD, including Italian and German.

In addition to the screenwriter commentary, isolated score, trailers, and Destination: Hitchcock featurette from the original DVD, the Blu-ray offers The Master's Touch, a one hour retrospective on Hitchcock, a 90 minute bio of Gary Grant, and a 25 minute North by Northwest piece featuring several modern filmmakers' thoughts on the film.

Not least, the Blu-ray comes in a mini-book presentation.
2968272
I have watched this movie over and over. It's light enough to where you don't get tired out watching it, but it's so full of everything I look for in a movie! The acting is great, the characters are real, the writing and humor is "superb." I especially loved (like everyone else) the interactions between portman and hutton, because it is realistic and you don't look at them as something disgusting... things like that could happen and they do.
Michael Rappaport was hilarious with his obsession with supermodels and St. Bernard named "Elle." ... "they're all sisters, Will.... leave it alone."
This is not only a "girl" movie, or a "date" movie, its an everyone movie because its true to life full of guys that can't commit, girls with low self esteem trying to hold onto their men, and guys that just want "something beautiful" and will go to the ends of the earth to get it.
One of my faaaaaaaaaaavoritees! see it!
2956166
This old school romantic comedy is hilarious! So many (literal) LOL moments in here! From the coke bottle, to the Rhino stamping out fire, to the "tight" engine, no parking brake on a hill, etc, you'll laugh out loud so many times!

The narration is spot on, and the dry way in which it's narrated only adds to the movie.

It's funny, it's sarcastic, it challenges the social mores of the time, it makes you laugh unexpectedly - what more could you want? One of my all time favorite movies!
728944
More than a quarter of a century since it first played, absolutely NO movie in this genre compares to Superman!
This DVD version is just icing on the cake.
For exquisitely lush cinematography, to an incomparable score, to special effects that sturdily hold up 26 years later, one of the original slogans of this movie holds true to this day: "You will believe a man can FLY!"
You don't have to be a Superman junkie to adore this movie (although I guarantee you'll become one if you watch the restored DVD version.) Richard Donner's loving and respectful take on Superman is absolutely incomparable from the first scenes - showing a child turning the pages of an Action comic (the first venue of Superman), filmed in black and white.
Superman's humble beginnings on the pages of a Depression-era comic book, to this amazing movie, is just perfection the way Donner films it.
The early days as Superman grows up are a golden tribute to the American heartland (make no mistake about it; Donner's vision of Superman isn't just about a comicbook hero, but where and how that hero fits into the American vision of this country.)
I fell in love with Glenn Ford all over again as Pa Kent (and yes, the great, handsome actor is still alive and kicking!) Marlon Brando as Jor-El, Superman's Kryptonian birth father, is worth every penny of the more than $3 million he was paid for two weeks' work (you gotta love the SERIOUSNESS with which Brando portrays Jor-El; it just enhances the Superman mythology.)
The original Daily News building in Manhattan plays home to the Daily Planet. Lots of shots of 1978 New York in this flick, including the World Trade Center merrily blinking in the background as Superman takes Lois Lane for a nighttime spin through the Manhattan skyline.
Margot Kidder is phenomenal as Lois, transformed here as a go-getter reporter who can't spell for beans but who loves a good tabloid story full of murder and mayhem. Jackie Cooper does a great turn as Perry White, urging his reporters to nab an inteview with the Man of Steel as the greatest thing "since God talked to Moses."
Next to Glenn Ford, I have to say that Gene Hackman's portrayal of Lex Luther - the self-described "greatest criminal mind of our time!" - is just amazingly funny. Ned Beatty as the doofy Otis, following around "Mister Lootor," is a superb second banana. Valerie Perrine does one of her best jobs as Hackman's moll, Miss Tessmocker.
Then we come to Chris Reeve. All I can say is that most actors would give their eyeteeth and right arm to be able to have a role like this in their resume. Reeve is simply superb - he was BORN to be Superman. He approaches the role with seriousness and a bit of wry humor. It's safe to say that this is HIS role; no other actor will ever come close to approaching the job he does.
I can't watch this movie without being a kid again, seeing it in a theatre with my parents, screaming and applauding and cheering, and being absolutely blown away by the entire way it was done.
Add this DVD to your collection. If you're like me, you will want to introduce your own kids to the movie that truly made you believe "a man can fly."
Twenty-six years later, he still does, and not one iota of the film's original magnificence has dimmed.
Thank you, everyone involved in the 1978 version of Superman! It's as amazing now as it was when it was releassed!
2269858
This is a classic. I've never met a single person who doesn't love this movie; and that isn't just stale hyperboleI mean that!
915725
This movie has been an obsession of mine since I was a kid. I have literally watched the film over 300 times (once I hit that epic milestone I stopped counting...). I wrote a song about Goonies/friendship, and did a persuasive speech on Goonies and how everyone can relate to one of them in the movie (I got an A).

This movie is a fun, adventure filled movie that has given me timeless memories. Anytime it rains or is dreary out, I pop it on if I am not busy. Maybe it's because of it being based in rainy Oregon, my love for overcast weather or both. All I know is this movie is a major part of my childhood, teenage years, college, and adult years. It has brought me so many joyous moments. I still laugh at it, especially Chunk's delivery of his line after Mikey's mom sees the broken statue. It brings me to tears.

(and for anyone curious, I was a combination of Mouth, Mikey and Chunk wrapped up into one. Today, I lost the weight but still talk alot and dream big).

Goonies Never Say Die!
812955
Favorite movie of all time!  Watch it over and over again.. FIVE STARS!!!
1023919
Classic! still such a great film to watch, from 1995 to infinity!
891090
of all the films coppola ever created, here's one that really got the short end of the stick & for no apparent reasons. don't get me wrong, i've never seen a coppola masterpiece that i didn't like but this is my all-time favorite. sorry, godather & apocalypse. :( initially, i'd seen this film on hbo or showtime in the early eighties. i remember watching with my mom at the age of 10 & how much she loved the film. i, too, loved the visuals & the whole romantic concept here so i looked for the film on vhs many years later but never found any much to my dismay. either one from the heart went out of print or extremely hard to find as no one seemed to remember the film or could find any listings. after reading online that one from the heart was hitting dvd this past year & being re-released to theatres, i knew i would have to own this film but wasn't sure how it would look after all these years. that's nearly 18-19 years folks!! well, i watched it this afternoon (with my mom)& it looks as good as it did back in the eighties if not better perhaps & i had the same emotions while watching as i did way back then. that's amazing!! i haven't had time to look at the complete package of extras which encompasses the two dvds but i will definately take the time soon. hey, this film is great even without the long list of special features & i would be a proud owner even if i didn't get a single trailer, deleted scene, or any chapters just so i could own this film. ok, you've heard my sentimental little story so now let me give you the skinny on the film. it's hard to compare one from the heart to anything else made around the same time but the film is almost like a fairytale & there is something quite magical about the experience. from the opening music by tom waits(he sounded quite good back then compared to now)& the very talented crystal gayle to the oh-so heartfelt ending, you are glued to the screen. the story unfold with a couple who've been together for nearly 5 years in vegas & are about to celebrate their anniversary. needless to say, they love each other but the marriage isn't very exciting. he doesn't spend much money on her & they never step foot out of the house. what's a girl like frannie to do? it's time to step out to search for romance, adventure, or to find out what she's been missing. will this couple ever get back together again? will frannie fulfill her dream of going to bora-bora? watch this beautiful, magnificent film for yourself & find out. although i didn't see this film in the theatres sad to say, i am so glad i fianlly own it on dvd & will watch this for years to come. thank you fantoma & coppola for bringing the magic back into my life once again. you've made me a happy gent. frederic forrest & teri garr, i love you both!!!
776831
I've always been a huge fan of SUNSET BOULEVARD.  From that outstanding opening shot of William Holden floating face down in that "pool he always wanted" to Norma Desmond's descent down the stairs into triumphant insanity, this film will always be one of the all-time greats.
Sam Staggs has written an exhaustively-researched book about the whole SUNSET BOULEVARD experience.  It goes into everyone and everything connected with the production, from biographical sketches of the guys playing the piano during a party scene to Jack Webb from "Dragent" (And does Mamie Van Doren have a memory of Sgt. Joe Friday that'll blow you away!).
I would've given the book five stars but I felt my interest waning after the book left the movie behind to discuss the Broadway shows (as well as every instance where someone quoted the movie over the years).  I've never seen the Broadway shows but I'm sure those chapters would've been more interesting if I had (I have more respect for Glenn Close after reading about her).
Definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of SUNSET BOULEVARD.
What blew me away the most?
That they weren't really sure what they were doing and where they going when they were shooting the movie.  That it all fell together into one of the great Hollywood classics is a miracle.
3763389
One of the 100 best movies ever made! This movie is near perfection -- from the music to the lyrics to the script, set and art decoration, the miracle of technically melding live action with animation, to the heaven-inspired casting and magical costume design -- this film is for everyman, woman and child of all races, creeds and ethnicities from every corner of the globe.  Don't miss it! If you haven't seen it -- or -- even if you've already seen it -- it's worth seeing again and again and again and again!
3916792
This DVD gets better every time I watch it.  The special effects, stunning visual artistry, immortal soundtrack (thank God for blessing this earth with Jerry Goldsmith!), fantastic story and career-topping acting by the  entire cast all work together to form one cohesive, totally immersive  entertaining ride.  In my mind this film ranks first and foremost of the  movie series.  Jonathan Frakes has proved himself to be a natural-born  talent as a director.  The transfer to DVD is fantastic.  Even in my humble  home theater setup it looks better than any showing I ever saw in the  theater.  Unbelievable!  Unforgettable!