Rating: 
Summary: I usually love De Niro, but...
Review: This movie was awful. De Niro is a media savy cop, who, with the help of an arson investigator (played by Ed Burns), is hunting down a couple of Eastern European criminals. The criminals decide they can get away with anything if they can appeal to the media. If the intention of this movie was to poke fun of the media, then it seemed to take itself too seriously. If it was a serious movie, it was just too over the top to be enjoyable. I kept trying to find something to enjoy, but just couldn't. If you want to watch a better movie with De Niro, try "City by the Sea".
Rating: 
Summary: INTERESTING PREMISE, BUT HOLLYWOOD-ESQE. GREAT SOUNDTRACK.
Review: While the premise of '15 Minutes' sounds interesting, that is all the inspiration the film makers could muster for this ultimately predictable cop (melo)drama. Some films get extra points from me for ambition. Even in failure, they go for something special. This film aims at a highfalutin purpose, and doesn't deliver.What it has going for it though is a very clever self-referential notion: a film about films, but one that directly indicts its own audience. It also has two excellent bad guys. Plus we have De Niro in a role that is more apt than any of his recent ones. He plays someone who lives to be seen by a camera. He uses a different set of moves than the visitors, and which are natural to the man, and are already common enough to be self-parodied. But watching an actor act like an actor is a treat, especially when we have two guys who turn into actors and a slew of TV folks who are in front of cameras, but who don't know the moves. The beginning is somewhat gory, the middle picks up a little and sets up an intriguing theme, but then all of this by turns formulaic and unbelievable spin progressively drags things into the mediocre, until the banal ending where our protagonist walks away with his predictable revenge. The movie is worth a watch though. If nothing else, for the marvellous soundtrack: God Lives Underwater "Fame"
Maxim "Carmen Queasy"
Breakbeat Era "Ultra Obscene"
Rinocerose "La Guitaristic House"
Moby "Porcelain (Rob D. Remix)"
Prodigy "3 Kilos"
David Holmes "Out Run"
Gus Gus "Gun"
Ballistic Mystic "52 Pick Up"
Johann Langlie "Exedrene"
Rating:
Summary: The Price of Fame
Review: 15 MINUTES is a disturbing look at the delicate balancing act that the media has to face in deciding how much to show of disgusting and psychopathic behavior in its pursuit of high ratings. From the first few minutes, director John Herzfeld presents a media that will stop at nothing to score big time with the audience. It is this quest for gonzo ratings that drives the film so energetically that the audience cannot be sure that what it is watching is caricature or literal truth. Director Herzfeld wastes the talents of its twin stars (Robert DeNiro and Edward Burns) while surprisingly enough showcases the screen presence of Kelsey Grammer as a tabloid reporter who will whore himself for a hit and the over the top performances of Karel Roden and Oleg Taktarov as two Russian criminals who take to heart the American dream that anyone with a vision can make a fortune, even if in so doing he manipulates the media shamelessly. Roden and Taktarov are thrill killers who carefully video tape their victims' last gasps, hoping that they can cash in big time by having the tabloids show these tapes. Their rationale is that only crazy people could kill on film, thus guaranteeing a short stay in a mental asylum and riches afterward. Since most killers would not film their killings, either they are truly insane as they claim in public, or as they admit in private, they are pulling a scam on the American system of avoiding responsibility of crime due to a deprived childhood. It is not entirely clear which is the case. In any event, what comes across is a morally blighted America that seems a cross between NATURAL BORN KILLERS and TAXI DRIVER. DeNiro is a homicide detective who has no trouble playing a role that he has often done, that of the wordly-wise policeman who has seen too often up close the incestuous relationship between crime and the media coverage of crime. He plays it straight, a note that stands out as jarringly different from everyone else who acts either bizzarely or out of character. DeNiro's partner is a fire marshall (Burns), who inexplicably tags along on a homicide investigation, and promptly shows why he is a fire marshall rather than a cop. Burns makes mistake after mistake, including a whopper at the end that surely should result in his own arrest for the mistreatment of a suspect in custody. The real stars are the Russian killers, who somehow manage to escape capture so often that their real names might have been Richard Kimble and the One-Armed Man. Roden and Taktarov are beasts, but their bestiality merely highlights their maniacal drive to manipulate a television media that has less journalistic integrity than Jerry Springer. They kill, they laugh, and generally whoop it up on camera, with Taktarov seeing himself as a perverted Frank Capra capturing the essence of an America that is probably closer to his own warped vision than we might like to admit. Except for DeNiro, everyone else in this film had their own 15 minutes of fame. Whether 15 MINUTES continues to resonate with future audiences will likely depend on whether we see ourselves as taking responsibility for our own actions, as Frank Capra clearly sought in his imaginative comedies, or whether Americans continue to flock to the tabloids to further expose the putresence that passes for tabloid journalism. 15 MINUTES forces the viewer to make that choice now.
Rating: 
Summary: This writer/director is an unsung genius
Review: I just recently saw this on DVD and I have to say I think "15 Minutes," is the most underrated, and deliberately ignored movie I've seen in a number of years. The filmmaker forcefully illustrates the ambivalent feelings the American public has about violence, media, and fame. We sit in front of the television and turn criminals into celebrities, we are fascinated by the most sordid details of crime, and we watch, enthralled, as murder is served up as entertainment. It's the train wreck mentality: we're horrified and repulsed; yet we can't look away. A lot of people have been confused and angered by this collective consciousness and I've noticed in the past ten years many filmmakers, writers, artists--myself included--have tried to mesh all of these themes in various stories, plays and movies. But John Herzfeld manages to get it right. He gets the message across while putting together a compelling plot, without being contrived or preachy. This extraordinary film forces (we) viewers to take a good hard look at ourselves and face the things hidden in our nature--qualities that we don't want to see. But it stays entertaining. It builds and builds. Herzfeld skillfully weaves plots that display our obsessive fascination with violence, sex, and degradation in the media and he accurately conveys our intricate, complicated feelings of hating it while at the same time being inexplicably drawn to it. I was so happy to be amazed by Robert DeNiro again. After seeing him in a string of lame comedies, it was exciting to see him give a complex performance as a tough, smart, cocksure, but ultimately likable hero. We like our brilliant actors to be brilliant. This is heavy stuff and I feel that the reason so many people have been fiercely negative about this movie is because they don't want to confront their own dark feelings or admit the collapse of morality in the USA which has made our tolerance for horrible behavior way too high. But what do we do about it? There are no answers, but this movie explores the mindset. The negative reviews I read also rather obviously demonstrates a portion of the American public's outright refusal to admit that evil exists--and that there are some people (many in this day in age) who are so inherently evil that they become expert in their ability to exploit the humanity in other's in order to get away with the most unspeakable acts. Many people prefer to believe the outdated "abuse excuse" a defense this movie satirizes. Other reasons I've read in the negative reviews for disliking this movie claim that the story is improbable and even unbelievable. I wish these people would tell me how to arrive at the Utopia they are living in. In a society where, at any given moment, we can turn on the news and see stories about teenage girls giving birth in a bathroom stall, murdering the child and then, minutes later dancing at her prom, where guilty celebrity-killers walk free, and where brutal murderers get marriage proposals in their prison cell (or market their artwork online, or start a ministry) I don't see what's so difficult to believe in this movie's storyline. Gruesome things happen every day, jostling for attention, and we watch, while the corpses are paraded in front of a popcorn-munching public. One final thing: the last 15 minutes of "15 Minutes" had my heart racing and my blood boiling.
Rating: 
Summary: ENTERTAINING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING
Review: The movie starts off as an average 'action' movie, with 'classy' cops like Robert De Niro doing the bad guys in, in style: Boring concept, seen it, in a whole lot of flicks. However, this is far off from a prosaic action movie. As a matter of fact, it is a very intelligent and thought provoking movie. It has an unusual concept, too. Two illegal immigrants take the advantage of the American culture and legal loopholes by planning to murder a 'popular' figure, videotape it, sell the videotape for a huge price to some television network, and then, get away with it on top of that, by admitting mentally deranged before the law. Do they succeed in their motive? Well, that is basically what the movie is, about. Any guesses, as to the nationality of the immigrants? Why, one is a Russian and the other one, Czech, of course! And the cold war goes on! Dark, yet commercial, 15 MINUTES, is a movie, well made. The visual effects are quite admirable. It also, has an element of 'suspense' in it, and throughout its runtime, there is always a feeling of 'what will happen next?', which keeps the viewer glued till the 120th minute. The acting is great. The 'East European' villains put up a convincing performance. Robert De Niro, a classic actor he is, always out -does the rest of the cast in every movie he acts. In this one, however, his part is not justified. In fact, I feel, his talent is wasted, for the role he plays in this flick. As a result, he is overshadowed, alas! One thing, I would like to highlight, is the performance of Kelsey Grammer. A known comedian, for his roles in the TV. Programs, FRASIER and CHEERS, his role is drastically different from his comic roles. He plays, a sort of a baddie, in this movie, and let me tell you, he can act, and he can act, well. Anyway, 15 MINUTES is fantastic, entertaining, and it makes you think, too.
Rating:
Summary: Great movie!
Review: Why did this movie do so poorly in the box office? The plot is brilliant!! Great performances, gripping action scenes, a fair dosage of dark humor, and just a generally very creative plot leads to a very entertaining, thought provoking movie. This is perhaps one of the most under-rated movies ever made.
Rating:
Summary: TOTALLY ACE MOVIE
Review: Some major spoilers perhaps. This action movie is so fresh and new and exciting. John Herzfield will make a great writer/director in the future if all of his output is this cool. I cannot believe that this is the same guy who wrote Turbulence (equally as over the top) and starred Stallone's dismal 1986 movie Cobra. I thought that Edward Burns and Robert DeNiro had excellent chemistry together and made a great team as the 2 good guys working for different factions. Their teaming up to catch the evil bad guys is very enjoyable. And the bad guys themselves are REALLY evil. The actors that played them were so good at oozing menace and greasy creepiness. A movie like this is made even better when you want the bad guys to get what they really deserve. Almost all scenes totally rock, especially when Edward Burns flicks the lightswitch in the hooker's apartment and then the whole place bursts into flames. THAT is cool! And when we see a graphic close-up of one of the bad guy's shot-up ankle...ew! The theme of the film is very satirical in how it deals with the media influencing law-enforcement and how almost everyone, be it for glamour or ghastliness, gets their Fifteen minutes of fame. The crude and ironic references to Frank Capra appeal to my morbid sense of humor. This film wasn't afraid to try anything new and daring. I mean what kind of film is brave enough to kill it's main character in the second act, especially when that character is played by Robert DeNiro. Kelsey Grammer's character was my fave tho. It's a shame he isn't in it much during the second act but it's hard not to like him. There is no convention or cliche here and I highly recommend this film. It seriously is so cool. The DVD is way cool too. I really like New Line's 'Infinifilm' line despite some critism. The features on this DVD are very innovative and engaging. Tho it's a shame there is no DTS (found on all other Infinifilm releases) to go along with the flawless 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer and the dynamic Dolby 5.1 soundtrack.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Hollywood trash, only its not in a good way
Review: What seems like a good idea from the start, a satire of the way the media controls the public's perspective and influences our everyday lives, is made a routine shoot 'em up film devoid of any social commentary, no matter how hard it tries. 15 Minutes tries to be shocking and original, and I'll admit it has its' moments of brilliance, but fails in the long run to deliver anything substancial. Robert De Niro plays a celebrity cop in New York who is teamed up with an arson investigator played by Edward Burns. Both are on the trail of two foreign criminals who record their murder spree on a handheld video camera. There are some decent action scenes throughout, and De Niro and Burns try they're best to take they're roles with a grain of salt, but in the end 15 Minutes offers nothing special in anything and everything. The idea is intriguing, and I was genuinely shocked at some parts (anyone else who has seen the film knows the only part I am talking about that is truly shocking), but isn't delivered properly leading to an unrealistic climax and dumbed down ending. Kelsey Grammer also stars as a journalist who will do anything for a story, and look for David Allan Grier, Kim Catrall, and Charlize Theron in throwaway roles.
Rating: 
Summary: Robert DeNiro's worst movie, by far.
Review: It always saddens me to see great actors take misteps like this one... Bobby, did you read the script all the way to the end? ...or at least, did you make it to the part where you are killed off? This film tries hard to present itself as a criticism of the U.S. media and legal system, but fails miserably. The problem is that... it tries to hard and gives us nothing but stereotyped cartoon characters void of real emotion, actions, or thoughts. It might have worked as a straight out farce with a better script and better acting... but instead we get bundled up mess that can't decide if it wants to be an action thriller or a black comedy.
Now, is the premise that implausible? I mean... could a pair of Eurotrash hoods come to the U.S., commit a murder, tape it, sell it to the media for 1 million dollars, and make plans to take an insanity plea and make even more off of movie rights? Whether it could happen or not is not really the question here. The problem is that even if it was pausible, this movie makes it seem impausible without a doubt. It is never for a second believable. A cop in NY gets shot, the whole event gets caught on tape, and the lawyer decides to go for the insanity plea (a plea seldom taken, btw, because it is so difficult to prove)?. And, when the guilty parties are caught, viewing the tape at a Planet Hollywood mind you, the first person to arrive is a fire marshall? give us a break! So, if the film makers goal was to direct our attention to the dangers of the media, the lousy execution of the film goes counterproductive to that very goal. I finished the film by going, "yeah, right". At least with "Natural Born Killers" (yes... I know... you hated it) we knew where we stood. I got the message, and it made me think. This film only made me consider marching down to the local movie rental place for my money back (and the 2 hours of my life I wasted).
Every movie cliche you can think of is here... the wily reporter, the unlikely cop duo, the unlikely romance, the cardboard villans, the sneaky lawyers, etc. etc. etc. Geez, and how about Ed Burns' character punching the reporter in the face! Didn't see THAT coming. It is an insult to anyone watching. I won't give away the ending, just because I respect your right to disregard my stern warnings and make up your mind. But, I will add that it is about a lousy and improbable an ending as I've ever seen. Rent it... but don't say you weren't warned.
Rating:
Summary: I Enjoyed Over the Top Euro Trash Villains
Review: Hubby had some big problems with this movie, his chief one being that he thought Robert DeNiro was just added into this film to make it more bankable, that there was no other need for his character in the film. I think he's probably right on that. This was meant to be the story of NYC arson investigator Jordy Warsaw (Edward Burns) who after the first fire-homicide comes up against a pair of Eastern European criminals who are behind a series of arson-murders. One of them is Czech and the other is Russian, with the Russian capturing everything they do on video so he can realize the American dream of becoming a Hollywood director. The Czech's father was a fireman so that is why he is so good at setting fires. It is this aspect, the Russian capturing everything on video and keeping his movie rolling despite anything else that might happen, that made this action adventure film (not my favorite genre by a long shot) work for me. I thoroughly enjoyed that part and found it very funny. My standards aren't as high as hubby's in this genre so if you are a true devotee of this genre, be warned that it may fall short for you too. Any action adventure movie that keeps me laughing, by contrast, gets positive marks for doing so.
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