Rating: 
Summary: Get A Piece of The Rock
Review: An asteroid the size of Texas is hurtiling towards the Earth...As the U.S. government scrambles to find a solution, time begins to fade away, and the Feds get desperate. The feds enlist the help of a group oil drillers, called the Roughnecks, to go into space and intercept the "global killer" and drill a bomb into it, making it blow apart. Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) leads the team. While his protégé A.J. Frost (Ben Affleck) and Stamper's daughter Gracie (LIv Tyler) try to hide their love for each other from Harry. The star studded cast also includes Billy Bob Thorton, Steve Buscemi, Will Patton, Michael Clarke Dunncan and Kieth David. Director Bay keeps this disaster epic lively and that allows the film to zoom past its fellow meteor hits the Earth film DEEP IMPACT. I think DEEP was too talkie and that bogged it down to the point of boredom. ARMAGEDDON is a loud yet rousing excercise. Its your typical Summer flick. Short on plot but who cares kind of thing It's still a lot of fun and worth a look. The DVD comes in two different versions, a studio edition, and a 2 disc set from the Criterion Collection. I vote for the latter when making a purchase decision. The set contains some niffty extras. The highlight for me though is the cool commentary from Willis, Affleck, Bay, and Producer Jerry Bruckheimer on disc one. Disc 2 has a ratther raunchy but hilarious gag reel, deleted scenes, making of featurettes, trailers/t.v. spots, and other neat stuff. Sure it's a mindless movie but at least it's mindless AND entertaining. This DVD set from Criterion is highly recommended
Rating: 
Summary: DVD Lacks The Special Features
Review: Oh, come on! 1998's second best film (behind SAVING PRIVATE RYAN) needs more to it for the theatrical version's DVD release other than a music video and promo and two theatrical trailers. Get the CRITERION COLLECTION DVD, and skip over this one!
MOVIE: Grade: A+
THEATRICAL RELEASE DVD: C-
CRITERION COLLECTION DVD: A+
Rating: 
Summary: Happily psychotic space opera
Review: I surprised myself by liking this film on the whole. It does have some weak points, which I am only too happy to point out, but this is not only the most spectacular film since "Titanic", it is also an example of how digital special effects can succeed in the hands of a top notch professional crew. Before I surprise myself too much, let me point out that "Armageddon" is scientifically sophomoric. Time and again, the story defies the laws of physics. As in "Independence Day" and "Deep Impact", we are expected to believe that an object in outer space the size of Texas could get to within a few days of Earth before we detected it. This is especially silly in "Armageddon" because the killer asteroid is depicted as a very bright one. Any child could spot it without binoculars. This time the United States government turns to a bunch of lovable roughnecks, whose occupation is drilling for oil. I suppose the capitalist in us can buy the idea that the planet would be saved from a natural catastrophe by people who spend their days plundering it. In the last several years, America has been increasingly portrayed in movies as the unofficial ruler of the world. Other nations are cast as either obedient or unruly children. When disaster strikes, we call all the shots. I have no political stance on this point of view, but it seems to me that, if this is the best team we can find to save the world, the kids are in a heap of trouble. What puts "Armageddon" head and shoulders above its competition is that its makers created an escapist entertainment with wild abandon. I don't think they expected it to be anything more than a comic book emotionally. The emphasis is not on intellect, it is on craftsmanship. First they created state of the art special effects. Then, instead of dwelling on their accomplishments, they edited these scenes into numerous very fast cuts. They were so confident that some scenes are shaky and out of focus. The result is a feeling of being on a thrill ride. There are four great actors in "Armageddon" - Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Taylor and Ben Affleck. They have a large presence in the film and are allowed to ham it up as much as they want to. This works. On the surface, they give their usual great performance. Underneath, they convey to us that this movie has nothing to do with the end of the world and everything to do with entertainment. It is getting tiresome, by the way, to find so many people connecting pictures like "Armageddon" with the Millennium Doomsday Machine. In truth, this flick is a direct descendant of the Granddaddy of all disaster films. This was a 1961 film called "The Last Voyage". It set the tone for all future works on the subject. The current crop of end of the world movies actually reverse themselves. Mankind is now seen as able to avert anything that comes its way. We were annihilated way back in 1959 in the excellent "On the Beach". In 1983 we became extinct twice, first in "The Day After" and then in "Testament". The last time we faded into the sunset was in "The Rapture" in 1991. "Armageddon" is about as good as its type of movie gets. There is no need to put your thinking cap on or to analyze anything. Just enjoy the ride. If you have a home theater system, the audio is amazing.
Rating: 
Summary: Whatever...
Review: Man, oh MAN! What a BAD MOVIE! Why does the movie business keep letting Michael Bay and Bad Ol' Jerry make movies? Why are they so bad? Because they make it for MONEY, they are very smart. They know what will rank in the millions. The key is to appeal to the average movie-go-er: the ignorant, stupid teenager. The common public is stupid. Terrible dialog and things blowing up. Actions of no reality in such a case fill the screen. Not only is the script and dialog stupid, but the camera shakes and moves and edits every second. You can't count to FIVE in this film without there being an EDIT. This isn't COOL, it's painful. I enjoy certain films just as entertainment, but I find this movie insulting. Shame on you MICHAEL!
Rating: 
Summary: Bruce Willis saves the earth
Review: When a meteor the size of Texas heads directly for earth, guaranteeing global destruction all that can be said is: "Cool." ARMAGEDDON through advertising was couched as an important film. If you fell for that, this will be one of the most annoying films you've ever sat through. But, if you approach the film as a mindless adventure, you'll have a umm... Blast. The only hope for civilization is to blow-up the meteor before it pummels the planet. So, they quickly train oil rig "drillers" to be astronauts and send them on up. Why they didn't train astronauts to be drillers is beyond reason. At times, the sun shines all around the globe. Within minutes of a Space Shuttle explosion, people are reading about the explosion in a newspaper. In fact, much of the story is void of logic and it won't stand up for scrutiny. But, that doesn't need to impede on the fun. This requires an extreme suspension of disbelief. So, we go along with the Dirty Dozen make-up as Bruce Willis handpicks Ben Affleck, Owen Wilson, Steve Buscemi and Michael Clarke Duncan to help save the world. Their characters are broad and fun. Add in Billy Bob Thornton who adds respectability as the head of NASA. This is an action film with 1 dimensional characterization. Loud music and quick cut editing wallpaper the film, almost to the point of annoyance. That is the intention. ARMAGEDDON came out the same year as another meteor flick, DEEP IMPACT. While that one is slightly more plausible, it was rather boring with an extremely shallow and uninteresting female lead. This is the lesser of two evils. The Criterion DVD offers great sound and video and an energetic audio commentary featuring Director Michael Bay, and stars Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck. There is also a making of documentary as well as a priceless but vulgar gag reel. Within you can see SLING BLADE's Karl as the leader of NASA.
Rating:
Summary: Teeters on the edge of mediocrity but emerges triumphant
Review: I enjoyed 'Armageddon'. I generally back off from mainstream Hollywood stuff, since it tends to be inane and cliched. 'Armageddon' treads a very thin line, for it borders on becoming just another annoying populist flick, but it manages to avoid such a calamity for the most part. That is not to deny that there are a few cliches here and there, and one or two cringeworthy moments of the type that made 'Independence Day' such a travesty. But such moments are commendably brief, and are easily forgiven in the light of some of the film's delights, as are some of the more commercial, mainstream elements which never quite manage to override the finer qualities of the film. Visually, it is stunning and original. The cast are simply fine, and are given a decent script to work with. Amongst the supporting actors, Billy Bob Thornton, Steve Buscemi and Owen Wilson shine. The film moves between witty comedic moments and tense drama with no noticeable awkwardness or disjunction. You will enjoy this apocalyptic tale, though after the events of September 11th, its undertones may seem darker and more real than we might otherwise have thought.
Rating:
Summary: In the world of blockbusters, hit or miss?
Review: As you may have noticed there are alot of movies produced now adays with huge budgets huge actors and huge plot holes. these movies include independence day, mib, the rock, armageddon, pearl harbor, wild wild west, godzilla. the list goes on forever. Notice alot of the same people directed, or starred in those movies. point is they were all made with a fast paced plot that makes it enjoyable (exclude WWWest) but when it is all said and done was it a good movie, for me, indepence day and mib were, the rock and godzilla were not, of course WWWest was awefull but nobody liked that flick so its not really worth mentioning. Sometimes because of the actors that are playing the roles make the movie funny enough, cause we know the action will be good the movie becomes good. I think armageddon was good. not very good, not great, but good, good+ maybe. and in the world of over the top blockbusters thats all you can really ask for. if you noticed the first half played like a comedy and the 2nd half like an action/suspence show. I liked both parts. (...) Oh yea i forgot to mention i thought pearl harbor was bad. I really really enjoyed it the first time i saw it, now i dont as much but i am going to drive an hour and a half to get the criterion collection of armageddon for a decent price, locally its 50.00 clams ouch,i can get it for 24.96 or some similiar price. Liv tyler is crossed eyed though i will agree to that, and not that pretty, and not a very good actress (no disrespect liv, keep truckin!!!!) Ben is not a good actor and i didnt really realize that until i watched some special features on jay and silent bob strike back. im still debateing on buying good will hunting, maybe maybe not. i do have to say i really notice and hate the time frame used in the last 30 minutes of the show, or last 13 minutes maybe where they keep saying can you dig this deep of a hole in some amount of time then after they do that, we got 38 minutes to get the bomb down there, then after than we got 18 minutes to lift off. seems a bit unrealistic but oh yea were talking about armageddon. oh yea one last complaint at one point billy bob thorton tells willis to tell the press he has never failed, willis says he has never quit and billy said that will have to do. but later willis say "i have never missed a depth i was aiming for" or paraphrase you have never failed, does anybody understand the neverending stream of (...) that flows from my fingers. ok i liked it goodnight
Rating:
Summary: Not bad for what it is
Review: And it is many things. It's a guy movie, with lots of cool explosions and electronic gadgets. It's a science fiction movie (emphasis on the word FICTION) with errors so enormous, I'm sure actual scientists found it pants-wettingly funny. It's a terrific showcase for American stereotypes not just of themselves, but of the world around them. Note how the entire world is hanging on the president of the United States' every word. Excuse me, but would the French be listening to Jacques Chirac, their President? Wouldn't the Iraqis be listening to Saddam Hussein? Wouldn't the Indians be listening to PM Vajpayee? Another stike against this movie is that it was done before in almost exactly the same way the year before...in the movie "Deep Impact," which was considerably better because it focused less on the comet hurtling towards Earth and more on the main characters' ways of coping with what seemed like certain death. Of course, despite some tense moments, the guys come through, just like the crew in Deep Impact, though their heroism is somewhat more poignant because they don't actually get to go home. Armageddon's cast isn't nearly as good, either, mostly due to Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler, who is cast more as scenery than as a serious character. I still don't understand why people think she's beautiful...she's cross-eyed and looks too much like her father, which brings me to my next complaint about the film...that damned Aerosmith song. Normal people stopped listening to Aerosmith years ago, and their descent into the white trash niche is pretty much complete in this film. In closing...good special effects, stupid plot, some good performances by the supporting characters, Willis Affleck & Tyler were all terrible, no research done on theoretical physics or space travel, and a destruction of New York that is probably too real still for some people to watch.
Rating:
Summary: Uninspired
Review: The Sticky actually liked the premise of this story. A huge ball of Sticky Rice is hurling towards the earth and a bunch of misfit hawker food operators are forced in the task of saving earth from this impending disaster. But unfortunately it kind of goes downhill from there. As everyone knows, the way to stop a ball of Sticky Rice from smashing earth to bits is to actually dress up the earth as a big trolley tray fill with all sorts of yum cha snacks. Then the ball will just scurry away in fright. But the americans do it in their typical way, blow the thing up and ask questions later. Ho hum. The most devilish thing about this movie though is Ben Affleck's sick laugh - the showing of the gums and teeth - truly frightening. It's right up there with Arnold Schwarzenegger's sick laugh.
Rating:
Summary: Yea right!!
Review: This movie is for the person who would buy beach front property in Nevada. The movie starts with the world at the brink of destruction. With a little less than 3 WEEKS before the comet/asteroid his the Earth they pull of a load of miracles. First they are able to round up several people in the US to drill holes on the incoming space object. Second they pull to never before seen redesigned space shuttles, and are able to put special rovers that were going to Mars. Three, able to launch dock with a space station refuel and land on the object in space. The fact is if the government saw this coming with less than
three week before it hit, the only thing they would be thinking
about is tiring to save as many people in the US as possible. Great story if you have a gullible imagination, other wise it is a insult to anybody that thinks. If you want a good movie watch Deep Impact!!
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