Stand by Me

Rating:
Summary: Lovely, just lovely
Review: I have not found a movie based on a book as spectacular as Stand By Me. Reading the book makes the experience of watching the movie better and vice versa. There are slight differences, but like Stephen King says in the featurette, "Movies and books are two different things. They're like apples and oranges."(that may not be the exact quote) The acting is wonderful, as is the plot. The whole cast is superb, but Kiefer Sutherland is really great as Ace Merrill. The best part, I think, is that Stand By Me evokes emotions. I find myself getting wrapped up in this movie every time I watch it and that's really what movies are about--escapism. It's one of my favorite movies, and I would definitely recommend reading The Body, which is the novella that the movie is based on.

Rating:
Summary: "Hey guys wait for me."
Review: Stand By Me is one of my favorite films. I have seen it so many times I know every line. And yet every time I watch it I still enjoy it. There is something about it I can't quite put my finger on. Perhaps it reminds me of a time when life was more simple. The film is about boys, boys at that age when they are discovering the world, and discovering the world with their friends. Maybe it's the innocence of Stand By Me I love, maybe it's the fact they swear a lot, or maybe it's the adventure, maybe it's that they all cry, or maybe it's that Vern can't remember the secret knock, whatever it is, it's masterful. I love this movie.

The story is beautifully simple. It's 1950's small town USA (but it could be anywhere) and four boys discover they know the location of a missing kid their age. They all lie to their parents so they can go find him. The following day they set off down the railroad tracks to find him. They think they will be heros, and they will, but not for the reasons they think.

Perhaps I'm not really doing the plot justice by oversimplifying like that, but trust me, this is a great film. It may be the best film made about boys at this age. To me it is the best. The cast is superb. When I watch this film I don't see performances, I see people. Wil Wheaton is Gordie. River Phoenix is Chris. Corey Feldman is Teddy. In fact, even today when I see Jerry O'Connell in films I yell Vern. You get the picture. Also, I have to mention Keifer Sutherland, who is simply amazing as Ace, the teenage villian. I am still afraid of him. Richard Dreyfuss, despite few scenes, delivers a strong, subtle performance. The film would be lost without his haunting narration.

Rob Reiner is one of the best dierctors of the 80's. I really believe it. Between This is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, and this film, he made three classics. I think Stand By Me is his best work. The performances he was able to elicit out of his young cast is phenomenal. This is what a true director can do. The scenic backdrop of Oregon also gives the picture a sort of harmony with nature that captures the tone perfectly.

Stand By Me is a personal film. Reiner and King have combined their boyhood expieriences to create a true vision of young men on the brink of manhood. One classic scene after the next, it is one of my favorite pictures.

Rating:
Summary: Scifi audiences will recognize some of these kids
Review: When 4 freinds hear of a dead body being found they go off to take a look for themselves. In the process they discover things about themselves, and each other. This movie also has some very god acting(regrdless of the age of the participent).

Scifi fans might recognize several of the child actors Will Weaston and Jerry O' Conell.

Also in an interesting tidbit the leaches during the leach scean were real.

So all I can say is....

Wanna go see a dead body?

Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Movie!!!
Review: Listen, you have to see this movie. In my opinion, it's the best movie ever made! "Stand By Me" stars Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, and Kiefer Sutherland. These guys put on the performance of a lifetime. This movie deals with one of the most important things in life... friendship. This movie was directed by Rob Reiner, and was based on the novella "The Body" by Stephen King. Everytime I watch this movie I get a lump in my thoat. This movie will make you laugh, but it could very well make you cry. If you love drama, get "Stand By Me"...

Rating:
Summary: Classic Coming of Age Film
Review: I can't say enough wonderful things about Stand By Me. It's superbly acted by everyone and has so much more meaning than just another "kids" flick. The Goonies this is not, it says so much in such a short time. It's FUNNY as hell sometimes and deeply moving other times. Wil Wheaton is great as Gordy, the sad doy eyed kid with a father who is about as sensitive as a brick wall and an imagination that could sell about as many stories as Stephen King. River Phoenix was stupendous as always, showing warmth and charm and such great talent. Corey was funny and disturbing, classic Feldman acting. Jerry O'Connell was priceless as the lovable Vern-o! "I brought the comb!" Plus we get the devishly wonderful Keifer Sutherland as the bully from hell. How could someone so hot be such an a-hole in every 80s movie?! But I love that guy, he adds the flavor to this movie. As an even added bonus we get two scenes with the always favorite John Cusask, as Gordy's deceased brother Denny. This movie has it all and I never tire of watching it. The DVD was quite awesome! I was pleasantly surprised with the wonderful features, including the really cool behind the scenes featurette, featuring of course the entire cast looking so much older. Listening to their stories was about as entertaning as the film. Great job on the dvd, we even get the Stand By Me video! :)

Rating:
Summary: My Alltime favorite
Review: I suppose that I may be a tad obessive of this movie. I must have seen this movie an incredible number of times. Nearly once every two days or so for a year. I use to fall asleep beneath the light shining from "Stand by Me" on my television. Of course, this was all for the bright quality of the movie, and not a secretive nightlight. Every boy can relate to this movie. I mean, most of us have not been on a journey like that portrayed on the film, but Stephen King was merely looking for a way to fit all the boyhood experiences of an average american boy's life into a simple story. The humor came very familiar, and the movie as a whole shined as one of the greatest stories ever told.

Rating:
Summary: absolutely fantastic!
Review: one of the best movies ever,based on S.King's wonderful book.Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Oh River
Review: It's tragic how Phoenix wasted his talent and died so young. This movie shows us maybe the best how gifted he was. Well, what ought I to say about the movie? You have to see it if you like films like "My girl". But "Stand By Me" is really better. It's not sentimental, but nostalgic, sad, funny, and, most of all, MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WERE 12 AGAIN. And that's the money worth, isn't it??? A really lovely movie with great actors and an ending which makes you cry, without typical "Hollywood-Stuff" Love from Tati

Rating:
Summary: Rite Of Passage...
Review: Based on a novella by Stephen King entitled "The Body", STAND BY ME, is good film from director Rob Reiner. It tells the story of 4 friends who go deep into the woods of an Oregon town for a two day adventure in order to find the body of a missing teenager. While on this trip, Gordie (Wil Wheaton), Chris, (River Phoenix) Teddy (Corey Feldman), and Vern (Jerry O'Connell) discover much more about life and the true meaning of friendship, than they probably thought possible. The group is also being persued by a gang called the Cobras, led by "Ace" (Kiefer Sutherland), are also out to find the body.

The chemistry between the four young leads in the film is what makes this work. It is quite remarkable. Each one of the actors brings out the unique traits of their respective characters with ease and in a very realistic way. The film is filled with humor, suspense, drama, and takes one back to a simpler time. STAND BY ME is a film that examines loyalty, friendship, and self discovery in such a way that any viewer will be able to identify with the film and its depiction of adolescence.

The "Special Edition" has a solid retrospective documentary. There are interviews with cast, crew, and author Stephen King. The commentary track from Reiner is OK The DVD also includes a music video, trailers, isolated music track, talent files, and production notes. All of this makes for a fine DVD for a good coming of age motion picture. Recommended for rental or purchase

Rating:
Summary: A tight movie considering it was about the 50's
Review: This movie came out when I was in 4th grade. As soon as it came out on HBO, I taped it and I used to watch it at least once a week. Considering this movie was supposed to take place nearly 4 generations before my pre-teen years, this movie was very relatable. In fact I found myself and others around me carry themselves like the characters in this movie. Everyone is unique. There's thy shy-humble Gordon, the confident organized Chris Chammbers, the arrogant crazy Teddy, and the overweight but aloways positve Vern (or Verno). The adventures are non stop from burring treasure under a porch to bonding with leaches in a swamp. Each character had a character revealed about himself at some point in the movie and was forced to change. There are so many memorable scenes in the movie. The pie eating contest was memorable, as was the Chopper scene. The part that was most inspirational was when Gordon scared the teenagers off with a gun. Gordon was a kid who was bitter about his dead brother, a guy Gordon looked up to for all of his life.

Stand by me definitely reminds me of my pre-teen years, even though the plot was based 30-40 years before mine. But one thing stumps me. Who in there right mind would hike two days to find a rotted corpse? Nowadays, I think we can make more out of our time as pre-teens if we have two days to kill during the weekend.