Rating: 
Summary: One of my favorite movies
Review: If you aren't turned off by the movies length or you you don't mind that the movie doesn't have gratuitous violence, Jackie Chan like stunts, or nude scenes for no apparant reason, you'll more than likely enjoy this movie. It has a great story that is based on an older movie called Death Takes a Vacation. Anthony Hopkins is one of the greatest actors of all time and his role as Bill Parish in this movie only solidifies his reputation. Brad Pitt does a great job of portraying Death. You can actually picture Death (if there was such a person) behaving the way Brad Pitt did in this movie. Claire Forlani did an excellent job of portraying Susan (Bill Parish's daughter and Death's love interest). You could almost feel the love between death and her.
One grip that I do have is that the DVD doesn't contain many extras. It does have an outakes section and Bios on the cast and filmmakers but no commentary or deleted scenes (although with the length of this movie maybe there were no deleted scenes). The movie itself more than makes up for this though. So if you don't mind buying a DVD that does have many extras this movie is definitely worth it.
Rating: 
Summary: A movie to get lost in
Review: Yes, this movie is long, but it's a very delicious long. Like settling in with a good long book, this movie wraps around you as it explores thought-provoking ideas. Besides, what's wrong with long movies? I've read a number of reviews disparaging this film's length. "The Lord of the Rings" and "Ben Hur" are long, too, but both are well worth their three hours length. (Maybe what hurt this movie at the box office was its title, which, in my view, is nondescript.)
Nevertheless, in "Joe Black," I was fascinated by the premise of Death wanting to try out a corporeal existence. And what a great person to check it out with--the wealthy and successful Bill Parrish (Hopkins). He's smart, influential, upstanding, and, wow! He has some beautiful homes to just drool over and vicariously enjoy. (The indoor penthouse pool overlooking Manhattan! I want it!)
Yes, the plot may be contrived, but the acting is stunning. I was pleasantly surprised by Brad Pitt. Certainly, he first captivated the world as the cocky young outlaw in "Thelma and Louise," but in this film he shows he has some acting chops. Especially in the gorgeous sex scene where Death has his first taste of carnal knowledge. Pitt's expression of astonished ecstacy is exquisite. One quibble I have with his performance is the Jamaican accent he affects when encoutering a dying Jamaican woman. Why wasn't Joe Black's quiet, studied voice adequate for these scenes?
Anyway, Claire Forlani, as the love interest, is wonderful, too. And where is she now? We should see more of this beautiful actress in American cinema.
As for Anthony Hopkins, I would watch any of his films just because he's in them: if he's in it, it must be good. In "Joe Black," his performance is as moving as his performance in the also wonderful "Shadowlands."
The ending party scene in "Joe Black" will have your eyes welling as you long for the opposite of what is inevitable.
The powerful, stirring musical score throughout just adds to the emotional punch. See this movie!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing movie!
Review: The movie was a little long but I enjoyed every part of it. Great chemistry between Joe Black and Susan. I enjoyed the ending alot too. Totally worth watching.
Rating: 
Summary: Worst Movie Ever
Review: I can't believe I wasted 2 1/2 hours of my life on this movie. It has as much excitement as Fat Free Bread. I'm afraid to watch the orignial version called Death Takes a Vacation.
Aside from the drawn out, extremeley uneventful plot was the obvious hidden meaning. Wealthy people are more special than the rest of us, and when they die it is tragic but when normal people die, it is no big deal. You'll understand what I mean if you don't listen to me and watch this movie anyways. Brad Pitt gets hit by a car in the beginning of the film. No big deal...life moves on, but when old rich man dies, there is drama and tragedy. I don't know about everyone else but I hate rich snobs and I if I knew this movie was dedicated to about how much better they are than me I would have never watched it to begin with.
Oh, don't forget the part about how death has been around since the beginning of time and knows english and table manners but has no clue about peanut butter and other simple things. Whatever.....
Rating:
Summary: EMOTIONAL POT BOILER WITH A GREAT FINISH
Review: "Meet Joe Black" is a film of contradictions. After starting out with a genuinely thought-provoking premise (what would happen if death took a human form and came to earth to learn about life from his next victim) the plot comes to a grinding halt when Death - in the embodiment of Brad Pitt - falls for his victim's daughter. Anthony Hopkins is Bill Perish, Death's next intended victim and, as usual, gives us a performance of quiet, poignant introspection that is masterfully crafted and beautiful to behold.
After some laborious inner conflict and some totally extemporanious scenes that have nothing to do with the central plot, "Meet Joe Black" concludes with a knock out birthday celebration sequence that has such an emotional swell built into it, I found myself getting weepy before the final fade out.
This is the "Ultimate Edition" of a DVD already made available, which really translates to the fact that all Universal Studios has done is to slap the same transfer into some snazzy new packaging while adding some real throw away extras on a second disc that one could easily live without if one already owns the first DVD incarnation.
Image quality on this DVD is the same as the previously released DVD. At times the picture is quite solid, with excellent color fidelity, shadow and contrast delineation and solid black levels. Unfortunately, quite often the picture gets bogged down with pixelization that really breaks apart background detail. There's also some minor edge enhancement and some slight shimmering of background and fine detail. Contrast levels can, in a few instances, be too low. The audio is 5.1 and well balanced, with explosive bass levels that will really give your rear speakers a work out.
The big, big, BIG extra that Universal throws us on disc two is "Death Takes A Holiday" a Paramount flick with Frederick March playing Death, come down to earth to study mankind before claiming one for his own. It's a dated movie with overly theatrical performances and a generally middle-of-the-road budget that really makes the whole thing pretty tacky. As for the quality of the transfer, the gray scale is adequately balanced but with chips and scratches on the original negative. Contrast levels are often too low. The audio is mono and strident.
BOTTOM LINE: If you don't already own this movie, I'd recommend it. Just keep in mind that it's a two hour premise stretched to a three hour running time. However, if you already own the previously issued DVD - this copy is not worth a repurchase!
Rating:
Summary: Hopkins/Pitt...a perfect match
Review: There is a reason this remake of `Death Takes A Holiday' works.
Simply, this, Hopkins is Hopkins, and Pitt actually ACTS. Death assumes the body of a man Hopkin's daughter has met. Death decides he/it wants to experience the human life that he is so used to taking. The thing is, Hopkins (Bill)is not your average man, and his daughter (Susan)is not the average woman. And it near destroys him. This film is not so much about Hopkins (absolutely incredible performance as always) trying to deal with Death (he is due to die within 24 hours), as Death trying to deal with human emotions and justify his/its own actions. Pitt/Death, learns from Hopkins that there can be a morality in the powerful, and that it must be meted properly. He learns to repect the man, and also learns what love means from Hopkins daughter, Susan, whom he falls hopelessly in love with. Discovering his feelings, Death decides to take Susan, along with Bill. Hopkins (Bill), shows Death that his actions are selfish, and argues that Susan should be allowed her true future. Death is supposed to be without feeling, without remorse, but because he has assumed the guise of a man, he is flooded with emotions and ultimately the desire to do right. Something Death is not supposed to consider. Most viewers will see this as a man dealing with his impending death, but it is really about Death (set as a real figure) dealing with newfound emotions and the struggle between right and wrong. While this film may have been slow at the box-office, it is so worth seeing. The cinematography is excellent, the soundtrack excellent, and the team of Hopkins and Pitt excels. Hopkins is always good, but Pitt as Death really acts in his role. He underplays nicely, and allows the story to supercede his stardom. The dvd is 2 1/2 hours long, but I was never bored, and felt every emotion the movie was supposed to convey. This is a great love story, with a nice twist.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Movie
Review: I did not see the movie when it came out since the name and explanation on the cover did not interest me. I rented it later on only because of anthony hopkins and brad pit. Was I pleasantly surprised. Excellent movie. Good acting, good plot and a nice ending. I highly recommend wathing this movie.
Rating:
Summary: "You're violating the laws of the universe"
Review: Meet Joe Black tries very hard to be a Significant Movie, but fails miserably. It certainly has many of the constituent parts of a classic film including a three-hour running time, a respected senior actor teamed with Hollywood heartthrobs, and an orchestral score. Unfortunately the music is also intrusive and overly sentimental, the film is at least an hour too long, and Claire Forlani irritatingly spends most of it in tears (although Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins are adequate in their roles). Hopkins plays Bill Parrish, a media mogul squillionaire whom everybody loves. We are expected to believe this without question, despite the fact that he is irritable, insensitive and patronisingly patriarchal towards his daughters. The hands of fate have decreed that it is Bill's time to die, but over the millennia Death has become curious about the ways of people and offers Bill a bargain. In return for a guided tour of the thing we know as life, Bill will be allowed to continue living for an unspecified length of time. Of course Bill has a beautiful daughter (so Death can fall in love), a Machiavellian business partner (so Death can prove that he is really a good guy), and assorted family crises which provide the fodder for seemingly endless poignant glances. Perhaps the only thing that the film gets right is the sensual undressing sequence, with Pitt and Forlani proving that incredibly slow is also incredibly sexy. That however, is the one bright point in a movie that waffles along towards its drawn out and saccharine conclusion. And as far as conclusions go, it's pretty lame. Don't watch this - you've got better things to do with your life.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLANT!
Review: I can't get enough of this movie. Eveyone was excellantly cast and just love Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins together. It's a monthly ritual for me!
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Performances
Review: I have watched this film many times. I am always amazed at how Anthony Hopkins and Brad Pitt capture my attention.
This film causes one to openly deal with Death.
A must see if you want to be entertained and end the movie on a positive note.
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