Rating: 
Summary: What did you expect? "Paradise Lost?"
Review: It's about as necessary to say that Adam Sandler films are stupid as it is to say that Shakespeare is the most popular playwright in history. It's pretty much a given. Having said that, it's important to judge a film on criteria relevant to its genre (you can't judge "Apocalypse Now" and "Killer Klowns From Outer Space" on the same things), and the hide-tanning that Sandler's latest, "Little Nicky," is receiving is improper, although expected. Being that randomness is a virtue in Sandler films, and using that as one of the standards (set by Sandler's "Billy Madison"), a Sandler film can only fail by not being as random as expected. Thus, "Big Daddy," in my estimation, was a failure, due to its being rooted in as close to reality as any of his films have gotten. And "Little Nicky," the story of one of Satan's sons on a mission in New York to find his AWOL older brothers and save dear old Dad, is a tremendous success.As a longtime Sandler fan, I can say that, while it is not my favorite of his films, "Little Nicky" is, more than likely, going to be his most crowd-pleasing film. Easily, it is the most skillfully directed. Director/co-writer Steven Brill (writer of the original "Mighty Ducks") handles a mid-level special effects/elaborate set design film with a relatively sure hand. He's no Tim Burton (though one wonders what if...) but he has more up his sleeve than the standard "point-and-shoot" technique that Sandler comedies usually employ. Sandler himself, while never really giving himself a chance to expand as an actor (bless his heart), has managed to imbue Little Nicky (the character and the movie) with a heart but not the syrupy-sweet sappiness that could go along with that, as it did in "Big Daddy." The rest of the cast varies in effectiveness: Harvey Keitel, as Satan, has, pretty much, a big cameo (like Dame Judi Dench in "Shakespeare in Love") but it's amusing just to see him as the prince of darkness; Patricia Arquette, as Nicky's love interest, could have been played by anyone, but she's just so darned cute that it's okay; Rhys Ifans (best known as the roommate in "Notting Hill") steals the show, acting-wise, as Nicky's older brother Adrian, bent on overtaking the throne of hell at all costs; Rodney Dangerfield as Satan's father... what more needs to be said; and Quentin Tarantino (yes, acting) as the blind preacher who can sense Nicky... well, at least his acting skills haven't changed at all. "Little Nicky" is rated PG-13, which is appropriate for various reasons: first, there's the countless sexual jokes (not that there's anything wrong with it) but a gag about torutring Hitler with a pineapple suppository may not be the best for the young'uns (I'm sorry if I spoiled that for anyone). Also, a rather unique punishment for Kevin Nealon (yes, he and a couple of other SNL alumni are in this) is a little risque, but as Stuart Smalley used to say, that's... okay. But another reason that the film's rating is appropriate is because of the pop culture jokes; Sandler, quite fond of classic rock, manages to come up with the funniest conflict resolution in recent cinema history by bringing in one of the many rockers that is associated with Nicky's home, if you catch my drift. I don't want to say anymore; rest assured it's brilliant... and random. Thus, it is very Sandlerian, to coin a phrase that probably has been coined already. So, if you are one of the few who will actually read this review in its entirety and can appreciate randomness, Sandler-style, check out "Little Nicky." You won't be disappointed. All others might want to pay heed to the words above the entrance to the Inferno: "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here."
Rating:
Summary: Goo Goo GA Ga
Review: OOH GA GA GOO
Rating: 
Summary: I really didn't know they made movies that were this awful
Review: I thought Sandler's "Mr. Deeds" and "Happy Gilmore" were awfully stupid movies, but then I had the misfortune to sit through "Little Nicky." I realize now that "Mr. Deeds" & "Happy Gilmore," by comparison, were absolute artistic masterpieces. My God, how does a movie as uniformly awful manage to get past even the executives that approve a script for production? It just boggles the mind how bad this was, on every level. How respectable actors such as Harvey Keitel could associate themselves with this cinematic vomit is also mind-boggling. This was a truly painful movie to sit through, and is angling for a spot on my hallowed list of 10 All-Time Worst Movies (alongside Mannequin & Baby Geniuses). I still feel the nausea induced by this garbage.
Rating:
Summary: Oh my, this movie is terrible
Review: Adam Sandler's acting in this movie is absolutely the worst I've ever seen. He plays one of three sons of Satan. The one who's shy, a half-wit, too nice, and has a speech impediment because he was hit in the face by a shovel. It's that last bit, the shovel to the face, that's hard to watch. Sandler can't act much under normal conditions. Add in the fact he's got to contort his face to talk out of one side of his mouth so he sounds like a hoarse Peter Falk is absolutely hopeless. No, it's plain painful!
The budget for the film must have been exhausted by the star-studded cast because hell looks like an off-Broadway set and the rest is shot on location often on sidewalks with a hand-held camera. Oh, I forgot the talking dog who blows the FX budget. Though, I shouldn't complain. The dog's the funniest actor in the movie. No, the dog's the ONLY funny actor in the movie. Sad, that.
The plot? Nikki's brothers are miffed daddy wants to rule in hell another 10,000 years rather than pass the honor to them. So they leave hell to corrupt Earth. In doing this, they shut down the gates of hell and body pieces start falling off of Harvey Kietel, Satan, as he dies. So hopeless son Nicky (Sandler) must bring back this brothers to reopen the gates. Actually, the plot might have potential. Unfortunately, the script, to be charitable, sucks eggs. What were the people who put this ugly mess together thinking?
Watching Little Nicky is... uhhh... hell. I mean, how do the producers of this movie get away with it? Torture like this is long banned by international law. Bad humor might be forgiven but repeating it over and over again is just mean. Repeatedly he gets hit by a car or train and ends back in hell asking the demons to pretend they didn't see it. Repeatedly he jokes he's "from the South, the deep South".
My advice? Don't buy it. Don't rent it. Don't even waste precious time out of your life to watch it for free on cable. You'll wish you had those minutes back.
Rating:
Summary: HILARIOUS!!!
Review: The demonic costumes are splendid, the plot is most intriguing, which had something to do about The Devil falling to pieces, & his only hope to re-establish Himself & return to The Infernal Throne depends on the efforts of His son "Nicky" {Nicodemus}, a mentally-deficient, character with a touch of retardation, & a touch of cerebral palsey. Nicky subsequently discovers that his mother is an angel, a real floppy-headed bunny-type, the vapid blonde stereotype, who somehow eventually grants Nicky a second chance to defeat a hellish aspirant to The Infernal Throne, who foils Nicky's attempts at every turn, & redundantly proves to be stronger & craftier than he.
Nicky learns to "release the Evil within" at the council of his Hell Hound, a transmogrified familiar with a persistent libido, who along with Nicky, impresses a couple of Metalheads who become his lackeys, who are consistently awed by Nicky's inherent sinister attributes.
In the end, the irony lays in the manner in which he must defeat the antagonist / interloper, with the aid of his mother the angel to benefit his Father.
Interestingly, a distinction is made between "Lucifer" {played by Rodney Dangerfield} who is Satan's father & is seen as "the Founder of Hell", & whose uproarious & classic sense of humour keeps the demons in fits of laughter.
So Nicky evokes his dualistic nature by learning to conversely evoke "The Good Inside", which manifests as a "rainbow ray" transforming the immediate environment into a flowery, foo-foo laden bright & shiny lightmare.
Towards the end, during the final battle sequence, none other that Ozzy Osbourne makes an appearance to demon-strate one of his most infamous exploits, & as an aside, Hitler also gets his in the end.
Highly recommended for many maniacal laughs.
Rating: 
Summary: Funny....let stupid.
Review: In Little Nicky, Adam Sandler plays the kindhearted, shy favorite son of Satan. Nicky's two older brothers are mean cusses who are furious when Satan announces he is not yet ready to retire from the throne of Hell. Unable to rule Hell, the brothers escape to make a living hell on Manhattan. Satan begins to deteriorate, and to save his father, Nicky ventures to Earth to capture his brothers.
The setting of New York is perfect for this movie. Nicky fits right in with all the other weird denizens of the city. He makes friends, including a roommate, a talking bulldog, a shy girl (Patricia Arquette), and two headbanging Satan followers. All scheme to stop the brothers' successful campaign to bring New Yorkers to Hell.
The movie is so funny from start to finish. My husband and I laughed non-stop. Crudeness is minimal; it is more slapstick than anything. There are so many cameos, including John Lovitz, Rodney Dangerfield, Reese Witherspoon, Regis, Ozzie, Dana Carvey, Kevin Nealon, Quentin Tarantino, Rob Schneider, Henry Winkler, and the Harlem Globetrotters.
Any one who does not have a good sense of humor and did not appreciate this film can get a pineapple shoved . . . ahem!
Oh, Yes, it's Ladies Night!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: so you tell it.
Review: "Little Nicky" is often harshly criticized because its fairly good humor touches upon some highly sensitive issues no longer appreciated during the Human Rights era, one of which is the Medieval notion that mentally retarded, deformed, and brain damaged people are of the devil and not to be trusted. While being inherently evil is probably not the real reason for their being delegated to the lowest on the totem pole, such individuals tend to be tempermental, easily duped, and full of hidden resentment over being taken advantage of and abused. Thus they were the most likely to be approached to betray their leader and let the enemy into the stronghold. They are perhaps represented by the imbecilic-looking gargoyles climbing the walls of Gothic churches.
Rating:
Summary: Crude, yet so funny.
Review: All right, I admit that this movie does have some very crude humor, but I think that's why it's so funny. Despite what some other reviews have stated, I think Nicky's speech impediment fits the role of being the youngest of Satan's three sons and getting bullied by Adrian and Cassius all the time. He got hit in the face with a shovel, how can he not have a speech impediment? I personally thought that his brother Adrian was awesome, and I was a bit sad at his fate in the end of the movie. But this is still one of Adam Sandler's funniest films yet.
Rating:
Summary: I really didn't know they made movies that were this awful
Review: I thought Sandler's "Mr. Deeds" and "Happy Gilmore" were awfully stupid movies, but then I had the misfortune to sit through "Little Nicky." I realize now that "Mr. Deeds" & "Happy Gilmore," by comparison, were absolute artistic masterpieces. My God, how does a movie as uniformly awful manage to get past even the executives that approve a script for production? It just boggles the mind how bad this was, on every level. How respectable actors such as Harvey Keitel could associate themselves with this cinematic vomit is also mind-boggling. This was a truly painful movie to sit through, and is angling for a spot on my hallowed list of 10 All-Time Worst Movies (alongside Mannequin & Baby Geniuses). I still feel the nausea induced by this garbage.
|
