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Blackmail, Murder & Mayhem

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Natural Born Killers

Natural Born Killers

List Price: $19.98
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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Worst Film of the 90's...It Deserves 0 Stars!
Review: I've puzzled over "Natural Born Killers" for a longtime trying to make sense of it. Is it a satire on violence? Is it acomment on the social attitudes toward violence? Who knows? Who cares?

I can hardly believe that Quentin Tarantino wrote such an awful screeenplay, considering that I generally like his work. Perhaps it's the fault of Oliver Stone, fresh from having scored a huge miss with the bloated, incredibly poor "JFK".

This movie is simply unwatchable, a God-awful mess. It is unclever and takes itself too seriously to be satire, so it must be social commentary. Unfortunately, there are other movies which do a better job of making the point that this film tries to deliver, so it really doesn't break any new ground. "Natural Born Killers" falls flat as either a satire or a message film.

The plot is thin, the premise is stupid, and the acting is marginal. Fortunately, Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis should be able rise above what has to be one of the worst career choices they've ever made. Kinda makes you wonder whether this is the movie that put Robert Downey Jr. over the edge.

The bottom line is that "Natural Born Killers" is a motion picture without a mission other than the glorification of gratuitous violence which has been done, and done better, by other films. I originally had my review entitled "Second Worst Film of the 90's", but after careful reflection I have to say that my initial choice for worst film of the 90's, the overhyped and hackneyed "Titanic", is better by comparison.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Strong... Very strong.....
Review: This is, in my opinion, one of the most remarkable movies of the 90s. This movie is hard to define... It's very pure, very strong, and, what can i say, very good. This movie worked for me from the very beginning to the very end. It thrills.. See it...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A film you really DO have to see.....
Review: This is a film that demands the lights be turned down and the volume turned right up. From start to finish it is an absolute assault on the senses. Stone's direction may, at first, seem too intense, too chaotic, too insane. But watch the film again, and again, and the true genius shines through. Terrific performances from everyone (although a manic Downey Jr and lunatic Tommy Lee Jones really shine), a pounding soundtrack, fantastic script and Stone's obvious anger at the subject he is tackling makes NBK one in a million. Stone's style has always been one of no compromise, and NBK takes it to an outer extreme. In terms of gore and violence it isn't particularly out of the ordinary, but the sense of chaos and mayhem that runs through the film is powerful and deeply disturbing. A telling social commentary on the modern world's obsession with violence and criminal celebrities NBK is sometimes too close to the truth for comfort, those who called for the film to be banned would be better served by taking a look at the putrid c**p filling up prime time schedules, magazine racks and newspapers that NBK so comprehensively condemns.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Natural Born Killers - A fantastic, not so subtle epic.
Review: Natural Born Killers, A Clockwork Orange, and most recently, Fight Club. All movies that have been deemed 'ultra violent' and are smothered by a smoke of controversy. In my opinion, that isn't the only thing these films have in common. All of them, are extremely socially aware, and give a social commentary about the state of culture. People will argue all day that these films are gratuitously violent, pointless, encouraging our children to be violent people. I don't really entertain any of those arguments. The only real argument that I would really empathize with is the questions "do we need such an intense commentary of the degradation of American Culture?" I think in some ways we do.

Natural Born Killers is the story of Mickey and Mallory Knox, who are played brilliantly by Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis. Depending on how you watch this movie, there can be many interpretations. It is easy to say that Mickey and Mallory go out and start on a mass murder spree at random for no reason. That is the side of the story that media gives us nine out of ten times. However, if you look deeper in the minds of Mickey and Mallory, not so subtle flashes of symbolism show that their murder spree is influenced by the tormented childhood that they had. Being sexually abused, beaten, ridiculed by parents as they grow up can leave one with a since of anger. Don't get me wrong, your past is never an excuse for your actions of the present, but it is an interesting angle. There are times when you feel some compassion for them, because you get the feeling they were never given a fair chance. Also the love story of their relationship tends to be very tender. There is a wonderful line in the film where Mickey says that "only love can make the demons go away."

The story takes a second socially aware twist when the media, a sleazy tabloid show like Hard Copy, turns them into superstars. All for ratings, this tabloid show creates a "serial killers are cool" image that immediately gets into the heads of youth across the nation.

In the recent outbreak of situations in America like that Columbine incident, these movie shows how it isn't just the people doing the shooting that are ultimately responsible. Some of it falls on the shoulders of parents, teachers, media, and even the movies. My overall opinion of this film is that it is a wonderful film with incredible technique and visions that only Oliver Stone could have given. I saw it when I was 15 and it didn't make me want to go kill people, but it does have a dangerous bit of adrenaline for people who are a tiny bit unstable. I suggest that you see it if you are open minded and willing to be shocked for the sake of a little enlightenment.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Hilarious morality play
Review: Two things people never tell you about Natural Born Killers. First, it's one of the funniest movies of the past decade. Sure, it's a sick sense of humor, but those who get it will never forget performances like Rodney Dangerfield's (should have gotten an Oscar nomination for his brief role) or Tommy Lee Jones's psycho prison warden. The second is that it's a deeply moral movie -- even self-righteous at times. Stone's outrage is palpable, if not always coherent. The central performances are terrific, and the soundtrack, dominated by a couple of great Leonard Cohen songs, adds to the sense of doom.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: a chaotic revolution
Review: Oliver stones's Natural Born Killers was a turning point in modern cinema, he stood as an iconoclast for a new breed of shock, violence and social commentary people had seen before...but never like this. The film, at first, is a chaotic mess, a rambling discourse into the mind of attention deficient madness. In retrospect, it becomes clear, the film is a commentary of the times, and while in a few years (or now for that matter) it may seem dated or trivial, it will always stand as a sign of the times, the turn of the tabloid revolution, the consumation of nationally broadcasted trials, the lack of morality. The film is out of control and, in turn, cathartic. Those who found it to be a glorification of senseless violence missed the point and the irony depicted in the film, a film that keeps your eyes wide open, unblinking, untill the final credit has passed

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Not satire or social commentary but a waste of time
Review: I am tempted not to give Oliver Stone's disaster of a movie an intelligent review, because he did not bother to give me an intelligent film. Instead, I will be brief, and try not to get upset at the fact that Oliver Stone puts pure drivel on the screen and gets away with it because he once directed a few pretty good films: Regardless of whether this is satire or social commentary, it's a failure. It suffers from exreme overkill and a hideous repetitiveness that renders it almost unwatchable. Stone's not saying anything that hasn't been said a hundred times before, and better--the media glamorizes outlaws, manipulates the public, etc. He's not funny, he's not entertaining, and he doesn't inspire thought on the part of the viewer. Too heavy-handed to be satire, too slow-witted to be true social commentary, this film is a waste of time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Masterpiece. Brilliantly Nightmarish And Thought-Provoking
Review: Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers" is not just a movie, it is an experience. It is a wild, dark ride that serves as a study of today's culture and it's fascination with violence. This movie is not so much about the killers, but about how the killers capture the public. The screenplay is masterfully structured with moments of vicious rage, deepness, dark comedy and powerful visual images. The film is hypnotically watchable due to the great mixing of different film formats, camera angles, colors and the breathtaking cinematography of Robert Richardson. "Natural Born Killers" is a great study of where our culture is going. Stone is a genius of cinema, one of the greatest directors there has ever been. This movie is effective, provocative, feverish and driven. It's electrifying. In fact, it's not as violent as you may think it is. It's the break neck speed it goes at and it's intense feeling. "Natural Born Killers" is both intense and brilliantly nightmarish. It's disturbing, as it should be. This serves as a slap on America's face, to wake it up. "Natural Born Killers" is a masterpiece, as Roger Ebert said: "Seeing this movie once is not enough."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Controversial Satirical Visual Masterpiece
Review: Browsing through the previous reviews it becomes very clear that Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers is a love or hate affair. I myself recently saw the movie for the first time and found myself siding with those who love it. Many of the compliments and (constructed) criticisms for this movie are true (yes, that does count out the 'hollywood take out your garbage one'). This movie is one incredible visual ride. It has oft been liked to a two hour music video, which I can quite sympathise with.

I feel I must try and clear something up: much of the criticism against NBK is that it encourages the current wave of high school shootings sweeping across America. I strongly disagree. NBK is rated R here in Australia. That means that no-one under 18 years of age is legally allowed to see it. Also, the violence in the movie is really not that bad. It is frequent and does come in viscious little spells, but I have seen far more graphic and profound violence in the likes of M (15 without adult) movies such as The Rock, Face/Off, Predator and Shindlers List, not to mention the violence seen in MA (15 with adult) movies such as the hyper-gorey Starship Troopers, Saving Private Ryan and the plethora of B-grade Stallone actions. Honestly, THE VIOLENCE ISN'T THAT BAD. It is not graphic and there is very little blood.

On the plus side, NBK is an extremely biting satire of media violence and the fast-food Western culture in general (such as the 'Drug Zone' scene). Stone, in my opinion, does hit the mark and hits it hard. Sound is fab, and the visuals are better.

Movie of the 1990's.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Make no mistake - this is no satire
Review: A number of the posted reviews on "Natural Born Killers" submit that it is a worthwhile film because of its satirical nature. This couldn't be farther from the truth. NBK is NOT satire. It's a social commentary. This film doesn't prompt us to recognize a truth about ourselves and our society and then laugh... but, rather to recoil in revulsion.

NBK isn't for everyone. It's an incredibly well-thought-out and provocative film... and, certainly, Oliver Stone's artistic eye and deft editing make it one of the most unforgettable movies of our time... but, I'm hesitant to recommend it to everyone. Not everyone needs a jarring piece of shock treatment to consider the nature of evil and the role that the media and our own obsession plays in the perversion of so many... but, for those that DO need just such a shock, Stone has created a masterpiece.

Stone challenges us with, in my mind, a few key notions: Evil exists. We all have a responsibility to our own nature. We can choose to be consumed by evil ...and, by the same token, we can, in turn, choose to be the consumers OF evil. In either case, the result is the same. However, there is a third alternative. A good alternative. We can recognize, "this is not only wrong, it's wrong for me to be entertained by it." Hats off to Oliver Stone for Natural Born Killers, a true call to action for the American consumer.


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