Rating: 
Summary: Val Kilmer shines (for a change)
Review: Val Kilmer has a reputation for being a difficult-to-work-with jerk with debatable (in my opinion) acting ability. But he is outstanding in "Wonderland", giving us what is easily the best performance of his career. He excellently handles a couple of very difficult scenes. Maybe he's a self-obsessed creep, and is only "playing himself" in this movie, but nevertheless, I was impressed.
John Holmes was indeed a self-obsessed cretin, as proven by the in-depth documentary included on the DVD. But he makes for a fascinating character. The movie wisely does not focus on his porn career, dismissing it with a very revealing (no, not THAT kind of "revealing") scene which shows how Holmes's once legendary anatomy has been reduced to a pathetic novelty item. Instead, the movie plumbs the mysterious depths of the Wonderland Avenue drug-related murders and what role Holmes may have played in it. It's a gruesomely fascinating case.
The movie is capably directed, tightly scripted, and excellently acted with a strong supporting cast which includes Lisa Kudrow, Tim Blake Nelson, Christina Applegate and Jeneane Garofalo, to name a few.
My only real complaint is that we're never really sure how we're supposed to feel about Holmes' character. Does the movie want us to have sympathy for him? This is not only unclear, but unlikely as well, since he was a pathetic drug addict who pimped out his underage girlfriend for drug money and certainly played SOME kind of role in a brutal robbery and/or multiple homicide. The movie's last scene is the one that bothered me: Holmes and his girl gleefully driving off into the sunset to escape prosecution. Is that commendable? Are we supposed to think of him as some kind of hero? Anti-hero? Loser? Jerk? Wrong guy at the wrong place at the wrong time? We're left to wonder. But I blame the script, not the actor. Kilmer acts the hell out of the role, and viewers who are interested in a morbidly fascinating true story could do far worse than check out this movie, which is all in all pretty darn good.
Rating: 
Summary: NOT Boogienights...don't be fooled...
Review: This film tries way too hard to be cool but ends up luke-warm.It truly does not succeed on any level. John Holmes is the "star" of the film, but he is the least interesting and most two-dimensional character here. I did not find myself engaged in the story or caring about any of these characters. An attempt at tension or dramatic suspense just fizzled for me. What is of interest here are the extras on the DVD, including an unbelievably graphic and grisly crime scene video. Now that was engaging... There is also an interview with Dawn Schiller, Holmes' then teenage girlfriend. Even though she seems to be cashing in on her connection to the story, it is always interesting to hear from the real people. Forgettable as a film -- somewhat intriguing as true crime.
Rating:
Summary: there's no Alice in this Wonderland
Review: Val Kilmer (Spartan, The Salton Sea) plays legendary porn king John C. Holmes during the time of the grizzly Wonderland murders in 1981. This centers around Holmes and the people around him, the fame, the drugs and the sex. Kilmer plays Holmes to the spark of the match. It's not like Boogie Nights because if you compare them together, then your dumb. I don't think the bludgened any one in Boogie Nights with a steel pipe. Plus Boogie Nights had a massive amount of nudity and this didnt. It had like one little scene where Val Kilmer and Kate Bosworth (Blue Crush, The Rules OF Attraction) are banging each other in Carrie Fisher's (Princess Leia) bathroom. The supporting cast include Josh Lucas (The Deep End, who delivers a mean role), a nice turn for Dylan McDermott (Tv's The Grid and The Practice), Ted Levine (buffalo bill in The Silence Of The Lambs) as another cop, hmm, Franky G. ( The Italian Job2003) in like his 3rd movie. an excellent Lisa Kudrow (Tv's Friends) as Kilmer's ex-wife Sharon Holmes. Tim Blake Nelson(Cherish), Eric Bogosian (Under Siege 2) as Eddie Nash, Janeane Garofalo (wet Hot American summer) in a small role, Natasha Gregson Wagner (stranger Than Fiction) in a small role as well.
Faison Love(Made)and Christina Applegate( Tv's Jesse) are also in a small role and a short cameo by the one and the only Paris Hilton (the classic paris hilton sex tape, which I havent seen yet). All in all I..ME....thought this movie was good. Blah to the rest of your snippy people. I have my own taste
Rating: 
Summary: A peice of history
Review: I feel that the Wonderland Murders helped magnified the drug scene during the early 80's. The footage about John Hohmes is completely true according to what is known about due to public record, and the murders were very sadistic to say the least. I bought the tape because it is a piece of history of the era that some of us wish to forget. The characters( Josh Lucas, Dylan McDermont, Lisa Kudrow,Val Kilmer,etc.) played in a difficult roles to let us see what happen in real life. Unfortunately, it is my firm believe that anyone who would watch this tape remember that the Wonderland gang was just as vicious as Eddie Nash was!
Rating:
Summary: Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll. Also Violence.
Review: Though unfamiliar with the life and work of John Holmes, I found Wonderland thoroughly entertaining, not because it was a well informed biography, necessarily, but because it was a well acted, well scripted, well shot movie. I have seen few movies do a better job at setting the mood via lighting, camera work, and film grain. Kilmer's performance is surprisingly stellar.
The movie is told essentially by two characters, first by Lind, also impressively acted by Dylan McDermott, and then by Holmes. The two-sides-of-the-story plot, while by no means an original idea, is executed well, both enhancing the sense of mystery around the murders and causing multiple sways in the sympathies of the viewer towards Holmes: from arrogant bastard to compulsive liar to strung-out junkie to wrong guy at the wrong place in the wrong time.
The movie ends with true biographical information regarding nearly every single character in the film. While informative, this is unfortunately anticlimactic, and a rather lousy finish to an otherwise stylish (if not somewhat gruesome) film.
Rating: 
Summary: EXCELLENT Movie
Review: I've seen this film many times and each time I find it more and more interesting. This true crime story and partial bio of John Holmes is intense, shocking and fascinating. Val Kilmer is excellent as John Holmes, he's very good at portraying true characters including Jim Morrison in the film 'The Doors' and Doc Holliday in 'Tombstone'. The rest of the cast were all true to their characters, awesome performances.
The extra features included in this DVD could stand on their own and only makes this Wonderland DVD package all the more worthwhile. The extra features on the DVD include a documentary on John Holmes, there's interviews with Holmes as well as his ex-wife and Dawn Schiller, who was his teenaged girlfriend during the time of the murders. There's a short segment about the murders, CourtTV type of clip, there's a shocking crime scene video and interviews with two of the investigators involved in the Wonderland case. They discuss a book they've written about it that's titled, 'Four on the Floor', which I've been unable to find so it must not have gone to publication yet. Dawn Schiller has also written a book that I'm anxious to read.
The film is great, all the extras are great, and to be honest, I am quite surprised to find any negative reviews.
A FIVE STAR Recommendation!
Rating: 
Summary: Johnny, we hardly knew ye...
Review: Anything with Eric Bogosian is a red flag to avoid it.
This high-schoolish production is a 30 minute movie stretched into almost two hours. Don't waste your time; visit your local library and dig up the original story in Rolling Stone; the well-written article is rock-solid reading and worth the work to find it; the movie, however, is so bad that it isn't laughable. We wondered, "when the heck will this thing end?!?" Well, not soon enough.
The film drags through a boring Rasomonian loop of murder scene takes while cutting, slicing and shaking around camera angles as if they just HAD to use every snippet of stuff that was shot.
Dylan McDemott is good but unintentionally funny as a long-haired killer with a badly glued-on Fu Manchu; the fake hair doesn't bland with his real locks.
Somebody mixed in a Donnas tune over this 80's story; time warp gaff, eh?
Carrie Fisher's bit part is embarrassing.
Lisa Kudrow plays Mrs. Johnny Holmes; not bad, but all I could see was Phoebe.
Val Kilmer pulls off his portrayal of Johnny Holmes, the perennially unlikable and self-proclaimed king of porn.
The DVD includes real crime scene video shot by the police. Cool, but not worth the cost of the disc or the time lost watching it.
Rating:
Summary: Make sure you get the 2-disc set!!!!
Review: There are two different releases of this out there. One is the movie (with, I think, a few extras) on one disc; the other is a two-disc set which includes the documentary "Wadd: The Life & Times of John C. Holmes". Watch the documentary FIRST, as "Wonderland" will make a lot more sense and be ten times more enjoyable if you do. That said, "Wonderland" is a fantastic, gritty film that I can count as one of my all-time favorites! Val Kilmer is so good as porn star John Holmes, you won't believe it. Lisa Kudrow, Kate Bosworth, Dylan McDermott, and EVERYONE in the cast is outstanding! Watch for a cameo by Paris Hilton as well. Everyone chews the scenery in this realistic film that went unnoticed in theatres but is becoming a cult classic thanks to the magic of DVD! I can't recommend it any more highly!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderland Ain't so Wonderful...
Review: Wonderland was a pretty good film, based on the true story of one of the biggest Porn Kings, John Holms. This story was a bit too much for me, mainly cause it has(mostly)exessive amount of drugs being used and it got annoying but that isn't the point. This film was pretty good. It was cool to see Both sides of the two mens story. Which is true?...Honestly they both had there pros and there cons. Lets put it this way...THEY BOTH LIED at some point of the story.
The cast in this film was superb. Especially Dawn played by that girl from the movie Blue Crush. Lis Kudrow did an awesome job too, very convincing character. Besides this raw, real Story on Crime and Drugs lets not forget this still happends in the world, but this time it happend to happen to John Holms. Val Kilmer did a great job as the Porn King, acctually all the characters did a superb job.
NOTE:Now just because this is based on some porn start don't expect some graphic scenes of sexual behaviour and nudity because you ain't gettin' none in this except for one lil' sex scene which is nothing.
Besides the good acting the film was just plain good, and yeah it didn't have a wrap up ending BUT WHAT WERE YOU EXPECTING. Now if you wanna' know the real story behind the WONDERLAND murders you can GOOGLE it up on your net and find some good articles about it....The only thing I know that's true for sure is that Nash(the arabian)is YES still out there...some were in LA..Creepy isn't it..And if you don't think so, I think you should RE-watch this film.
Besides the a good crime story, porn stars, good acting, LISA KUDROW, This film was pretty good....I give it a
4.0 out of 5 stars....$3.50 Well spent....
Lates
Rating:
Summary: A Wooden movie.
Review: I've heard of wooden acting but this was the worst movie that Val Kilmer has ever done. No script and the director's audio commentery sounds like he was smoking something he should not have,
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