Rating: 
Summary: A Stunning Examination
Review: "JFK" is one of those movies that I love, but somehow it irritates me. When I say irritate, I mean that it doesn't give me a clear-cut answer to the big question that encompasses this three hour film,"Who killed Kennedy?". What you're given are ideas and theories to who did the deed, but never a clear-cut answer. Even the ending doesn't appear to be that hopeful. But in the analysis, that's what makes the movie appealing. It gives you the ideas to work with, then leaves them for you to put together. Movies like this are generally never taken very well by mainstream audiences, but (as in the case with this film) "JFK" managed to renew interest in the assassination and bring some interesting facts to light. The commentary by director Oliver Stone on this Special Edition DVD is not just about the film, but about the conspiracy theories, his disgust at current events, and general facts about this period of time that has seem to affect a good deal of his movies. Also included are some interesting outtakes/deleted scenes and some features on events involving key players and the assassination itself. The movie itself is full of great performers such as Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Bacon, Joe Pesci, Gary Oldman, Donald Sutherland, Jack Lemmon, and many others. It's a film that strikes a nerve and is truly one of the best movies the 1990's has ever produced. Period.
Rating:
Summary: FACT OR FICTION: A SUPERB THRILLER
Review: Oliver Stone's films are being re-released in definitive DVD editions with commentary and extras. The masterpiece of the lot is his controversial take on the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy. This terrific two-disc set includes a riveting and highly detailed audio track by writer/director Stone as well as 17 added minutes to the now 223 minute feature. In Disc B, there's a collection of deleted and extended scenes with optional commentary by Stone and multimedia essays that update the assassination. I was in Dallas on the eve of that fateful day. I remember an eerie, blood-red moon hanging over the flower-strewn grassy knoll at midnight. Later, I spoke to a baffled policeman who was running beside the President's car. I heard many bizarre stories regarding the immediate aftermath of the events of that day including a witness, a local weatherman on WFAA, who claimed he saw Ruby and Oswald together at Dealy Plaza 24 hours before the death of JFK. Like Stone observes, "Once you enter the rabbit hole, there's no coming back." This gripping mystery-thriller stands on its own as a great piece of technical filmmaking whether fact or fiction (or both). Stone's incredible commentary raises the drama to a new level -- and is a valuable historical document. Cast includes Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pesci, Jack Lemmon, Donald Sutherland, Sissy Spacek, Kevin Bacon, and Gary Oldman as Lee Harvey Oswald. Oscar-winning cinematography and editing. Highly recommended. Rated R.
Rating:
Summary: Why is this so controversial?
Review: Ever since I was born I've heard the claim that America is the land of the free, with a strong belief in freedom of speech. Why, then, does a film that presents an opinion get dragged through the mud? Before seeing the film I'd read many books regarding the assassination. Going in, I had my own opinion that Oswald could not have killed Kennedy. There was definitely the possibility that he'd been involved, but he couldn't have done the shooting. This film presents the idea that the CIA had been invloved - something I agree with - but primarily it follows the case of Clay Shaw. Personally, I don't believe he had been involved. And if he was, it was unknowingly. Like Oswald, I think he was used. Like many people it would seem. The films most positive trait is its willingness to leave room for you to come to your own conclusions. It presents many well known, and some not so well known, facts. As an assistant to Jim Garrison [our main character] says, when referring to Oswald supposedly doing the shooting from the Book Depository, "that's the whole essence of the case to me. The guy couldn't do the shooting". Coupled with all the reports of witnesses to a man behind the fence on the knoll, and the clear evidence that more than three shots were fired, we know that many of the reports are a fabrication. The most important question it asks is not who killed Kennedy, but why he was killed. The idea of it having to do with Vietnam is a little far fetched, but worth considering. Garrison's meeting with Mr. X is especially revealing, when you discover how much basic Secret Service protocall was ignored that day. The special features are excellent. Oliver Stone's commentary is insightful, and the 50 minutes of cut scenes worth watching twice [with and without commentary]. Also impressive was the enourmous amount of chapter selections, coming in at over 80. The multimedia essays are a little dull, but it's to be expected. A lot of effort has gone in to this DVD and it shows. The film is, despite your opinion of what actually happened that day, excellent. The brilliant editing, along with John Williams' usual top notch score, cap off an already intriguing concept. Watch with an open mind and you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: gets you thinking about this whole mess...
Review: if you're reading this or any of the other reviews of this film then i don't need 2 go in2 details about this movie or the details and circumstances surrounding the events in dallas on nov. 22, 1963. what i did notice was that the facts in this movie come fast and furious, especially when donald sutherland, an informant who goes by the name of 'mr. x', starts running off details about a military cover-up. there seem to be some dramatic license used, like the hopped-up-on-cigs-and-coffee portrayal of david ferrie by joe pesci (he's always manic, isn't he?), the swishiness of clay shaw(bertrand) played by tommy lee jones, and kevin bacon's prison character. the effect i got of the film was that it got me thinking about what went on behind the scenes of the assassination and who was behind what. every review i've read seems to state the fact that oliver stone is giving us an answer to the whole thing, which i think is not true. because if u read between the lines of all the details in the film, some speculation and some fact, u will c that there are many sides to this complex and unnerving story . plus, yeah, it is hollywood, and it is not a documentary, so someone has to ride off in2 the sunset. my favorite performance in the movie is gary oldman as lee harvey oswald. he seems to capture the essence of this "patsy" to the letter; i don't know if there is anything out on LHO for oldman to be able to capture mannerisms, tics, etc., or if it was the work of oldman himself, plain and simple. there is so much detail to be seen, some details that are left out (or we'd be siiting there 4 5-6 hrs. at least, to cover all teh angles), and not a minute to be missed. hopefully it gets u thinking about this whole thing and it leads u 2 believe what u will. fantastic casting all around; walter matthau (as sen. huey long? i'm not sure),for me, gets this whole ball rolling, and it's his 5 minutes at the beginning that are critical to the film.
Rating:
Summary: Collectors Edition is Top Notch
Review: This is a cinematic masterpiece by Oliver Stone. I think that this film along with the Doors and Platoon rank among his best works. Stone certainly does capture the essence of the 1960s America. I bet that he could easily remake Easy Rider and it might top the original! Film is based on the late Jim Garrison's memoirs and Jim Marr's "Crossfire". There is a cast of a thousands in this one(COSTNER, JONES, PESCI, SPACEK, LEMMON, MATTHAU, CANDY, BACON, SUTHERLAND) and includes excellent music by John Williams. JFK won a well deserved OSCAR for editing and it shows. There is a unique and quite riveting mix of actual footage with re-created footage of assassination in Dallas. The collector's edition includes several plusses. The theatrical trailer is just as riveting as film itself. The B- disk includes several deleted scenes. I felt that Stone should have left in the scene involving the Colorado businessman offering Garrison a bribe if he would stop the investigation. There is a sequence involving man-X that was the original ending(Stone felt, initially, that the Man-X and Costner exchange needed an intermission in order for audiences to absorb all of that intense information connecting the military-Pentagon involvment) of the film, and there was a great deal of ending credits that were cut explaining how Garrison was indicted for bribery following the Shaw Trial, de Mohrenschildt's suicide, divorce of Jim and Liz Garrison in 1978, etc. There is a director commentary option as well that is interesting. The collector's edition sound is good quality, but use of rear channels does seem limited. I have the VHS and there is more of a surround effect on it! Picture quality is excellent, and highlights the use of the light coloring at the beginning and color increases as we are taken to 3 years after assassination(notice how the color changes during the beginning of scene with Senator Long(Matthau) and Garrison), and Stone explains why this was done on the commentary disk. The b-Disk includes an interview with Col. Fletcher Prouty.
Rating: 
Summary: Slander
Review: This movie is pure slander and libel against a man--Claw Shaw--who was found innocent in a court of law. Would those rating this movie highly care if, after they were dead, I made a movie claiming they had killed John Lennon or Tupac Shakur? That this movie ever got a budget from a major movie studio is highly highly disturbing. But, of course, ........ will probably think my pointing this out is too controversial for my review to be posted. More controversial than Oliver Stone accusing an innocent man of murder. I'm glad his and Kevin Costner's movie careers have slid into the abyss. It's what both men deserve for slandering Clay Shaw. If you want to read the true story of the Kennedy Assasination, read Gerald Posner's book CASE CLOSED. Oswald killed Kennedy, and he was a lone gunman.
Rating:
Summary: Riveting, Gripping, a must see!!!
Review: This movie is one of the most gripping and riveting movies I have ever seen. I know some people say it is hogwash due to the military coverup aspect. However, to think Oswald was the lone gunman in the Kennedy assassination is being very naïve. Not even the best marksman with far superior weapons could get off the number of shots Oswald supposedly did in that amount of time using a bolt action rifle, let alone score two head shots ( one in the throat and the other in the head). But I do not want to concentrate on that point but the movie. The acting was superb from all the actors which included: John Candy, Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pesci, Kevin Bacon, and of course Kevin Costner. This is a must see movie that will appeal to a broad audience. Even though it runs for approximately 3 ½ hours it keeps you fixated to the screen. The video transfer to DVD was superb and the 5.1 Dolby was quite good., I would have liked to see the rear channels utilized a bit more but the subwoofer, main speakers, and center channel were will utilized. Dialog is focused on the center channel and is easy to hear even at low volume settings. The supplementary DVD is excellent as well and contains deleted scenes as well as some very insightful documentaries. This DVD is worth ever penny!
Rating:
Summary: Fact? Fiction? it's riveting, mesmerizing, provoking
Review: The acting is superb. Great cast of actors. The dialogue keeps you on the edge of your seat. How true is it to the facts? Are the CIA and FBI this devious, I mean, assassinate the President of the United States? The Kennedys were a Greek tragedy. Their story is high art. This film captures their privledged world and the high stakes of the underworld as they collide into high drama. I've seen this film at least a dozen times. I feel stunned every time I see it. The assassination is one thing. The cover up, if true, implicates the whole government to some degree. If this film is only fifty percent accurate, that's more than you'll want to believe. You almost want to bury your head when this film is over, but you won't be able to. I strongly recommend this film to anyone who dares to think and be challenged.
Rating:
Summary: great extras
Review: great DVD, best I've seen. Deleted/extended scenes are pretty long, and also have director commentary. Check out the exclusive Gary Oldman "Oswald speaks from the grave" scene. Alternate ending, Colorado businessman scene, and more. If you like the Fletcher Prouty stuff, look for his website and CD-ROM.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent New DVD Edition Of A Masterpiece.
Review: Oliver Stone's "JFK" is one of the most important films in American cinema. It is a stunning masterwork that is both powerful and provocative. This great new DVD edition that contains extra material not in the original VHS or previous DVD edition shows even more that what Stone is trying to do here is educate the viewer. "JFK" is an eye-opener, it warns against trusting the official version of events when the evidence points to something differently. It paints a chilling picture of how governments and power really work in the world. There is so much information in this film, and yet it never seems confusing. We know exactly what Stone is saying here. Sure there is dramatic license, but look at how intelligent and plausible the speculation he uses in certain scenes is. And do your own research and you'll see that "JFK" is most likely correct in it's theories and insights into the assassination of John F. Kennedy. It is clear, and has been known by anyone with an open mind and who has read his/her stuff that Kennedy was killed as the result of a conspiracy. This is how the world works. Artistically the film is a visual triumph, it is hypnotic in the photography, editing, music, writing and acting. Stone also adds exuberance. Like Stone's "Platoon," "Born On The Fourth Of July" and "Heaven And Earth," and even "The Doors," "JFK" is not so much a documentation or visionary dramatic interpretation of an era, but also a look at us ourselves. At LIFE. This is an important film that should be shown in high schools, because students should see this. "JFK" forces you to think for yourself, to look at the facts, to use your mind. Stone is an artist who directs with a passion, he's driven by his subjects and presents stunning films that will endure and are already standing the test of time.
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