Rating: 
Summary: John Lurie at his best
Review: From the improvised scenes to the incredible shots of foreign lands, this is the most entertaining DVD I have watched in a long time. John Lurie teams up with such strange bedfellows as Dennis Hopper to catch the "elusive giant squid" in Thailand and Willem Defoe in Maine with whom he went ice fishing. John is able to coax the most sincere moods from his guests while forcing them to act out his often child-like adventures. The DVD includes the commentary with John Lurie which fills out the experience with the tales of how he came up with such interesting shots, the locals that helped (and sometimes didn't) and most of all the not-so-behind the scenes look at what his guests are really like. It was also surprising to see how well John is at editing the film to make a specific impression of time or mood.
Everyone should watch! Always will be a DVD I come back to on a rainy day.
Rating:
Summary: But what about fishing with John 2: Peanut Butter on Cheese
Review: I can't believe that it's been ten years since John Lurie made this series and it still holds up. Great comedy fishing show that isn't over-the-top. Its more crack a smile humor most of the time but certain episodes are clearly made just to make us laugh - the episode with John and Jarmusch comes to mind (every time they show a school of fish they use the sound effect of a bunch of children playing) - and other episodes - such as the one with Tom Waits - are more thought provoking. The locations that are used - Montauk, Vietnam, Canada - are all gorgeous and are far and above any run of the mill fishing show. Even if you aren't into fishing at all - this is the show for you. Its a fishing show that isn't about fishing at all - just a guy hanging out with his celebrity friends and occasionally catching some fish. That is, until he and Willem Dafoe find themselves snowed in and unable to catch anything and they go insane and die. There aren't any fish in that episode.
Rating:
Summary: AS ENLIGHTENING AS FISHING GETS
Review: I have got to say that I first saw these episodes on the Independant Film Channel and was instantly dumbfounded as to why it was so brilliant. Upon viewing the DVD, I now understand how fishing can be enlightening. It's the fact that John Lurie knows how to subliminaly trick your mind into thinking one thing(that these guys don't know how to fish) while he and his cohorts are in fact doing another thing(succeeding in being "inept at best" anglers.) There's a fine line between fishing and doing nothing...John and his buddies do nothing and they do it with great aplomb. I highly recommend watching all of the episodes first and then watching them with John's commentary. You'll be amazed at what you missed the first time!
Rating:
Summary: What an odd choice for Criterion
Review: I have often resisted Criterion DVDs because of their stratospheric recommended retail prices; while they do endeavor to put some very good films into circulation and the prices may be justified by the obvious care taken with their packaging and the relatively small target office, many times their choices have been on the safe or conventional side -- like the stuff you would find in the encyclopedia under "landmark cinema." If there were such an entry, which I'm sure there isn't. But they really stepped off that path with "Fishing with John," the totally off-the-wall series from IFC some years back. This is like that roadtrip with your college roommates 10 or 15 years after graduation -- aimless wandering around, good companionship, with most of the wild and crazy stuff a thing of the past. There's a wonderful home movie sweetness about these encounters. They are so ordinary they could almost be your own home movies. Lurie's masterstroke was the idea of the narration -- with a voice that's straight out of every nature documentary you've ever seen on PBS, the narrator will say portentious things like "The eyes of a fisherman" as the camera gives us a closeup of Lurie's gaze. This is one Husker Du DVD!
Rating: 
Summary: Just Didn't Like It....
Review: I just didn't like this. It seemed like "John" went on vacations, and to expense these vacations as a business expense, decided to make a movie out of it. Appararently someone with money decided to fund these boondoggles, but that doesn't make it a good movie, or even a movie at all. The scenery is beautiful, that much I give. But the dialogue is about as engaging as the Budweiser "WASSUP" commercials....just inane conversation among friends. But actors without scripts or a plot is nothing. Not to be a hypocrite, my own conversation or vacations wouldn't be that interesting to others. But save your money, don't waste it on this movie. Save it for your own vacation. And if you have an intersting vacation, maybe you can make a film it and it will compete with this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Are you kidding me?
Review: I just have to say that this DVD may be the funniest thing I have ever seen in my entire life! If you aren't into creative humor, or you are looking for a real fishing documentary then forget it. If you appreciate the unusual however, go for it. Just make sure you have a couple of hours to devote to floor-rolling laughter. When you are done watching it, invite some friends over and watch it again! It's even better the second time around.
Rating: 
Summary: I'd love a bite of your sandwich.
Review: I'm not even watching this. But it's there. Oogity boogity. I cried when Willem and John died. Do you think Tom Waits? Fly fly fly.
Rating:
Summary: How much fun is that?
Review: I've never giggled so much in my life. What a weird series. It's like hanging out fishing with your friends, only your friends are not Bob and Jane, but John Lurie, Dennis Hopper, Tom Waits, and what Tom Waits has in his pants. What? Just watch it. Everyone needs a little weirdness in their lives.
Rating:
Summary: A Nature Show Unlike Any Other
Review: If you are a fan of indie cinema, you'll recognize John Lurie from a few films, in particular from Jim Jarmusch's legendary "Stranger Than Paradise." Lurie also happens to be a well respected Jazz musician. In his series "Fishing with John" he does neither act nor play jazz, he fishes. John takes notable actors, directors and musicians out to exotic places and interesting, funny and sometimes downright weird things are said and done. The great part of this show is the guests, and how relaxed they seem to be, almost as if the camera isn't there. It's as if two guys, friends, for year and years, are going on a fishing trip. This is most apparent with Jim Jarmusch and Tom Waits, which are two great episodes. My favorite happens to be with Dennis Hopper. Hopper tells stories like nobody else, and I can't help but be interested in what this guy has to say.
Rating:
Summary: A Nature Show Unlike Any Other
Review: If you are a fan of indie cinema, you'll recognize John Lurie from a few films, in particular from Jim Jarmusch's legendary "Stranger Than Paradise." Lurie also happens to be a well respected Jazz musician. In his series "Fishing with John" he does neither act nor play jazz, he fishes. John takes notable actors, directors and musicians out to exotic places and interesting, funny and sometimes downright weird things are said and done. The great part of this show is the guests, and how relaxed they seem to be, almost as if the camera isn't there. It's as if two guys, friends, for year and years, are going on a fishing trip. This is most apparent with Jim Jarmusch and Tom Waits, which are two great episodes. My favorite happens to be with Dennis Hopper. Hopper tells stories like nobody else, and I can't help but be interested in what this guy has to say.
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