Meet Joe Black (Ultimate Edition)

Rating:
Summary: One of the best of all times
Review: Meet Joe Black is one of my favourite movie of all times, I think it is also one of the best movie of all times. I remember the first time I saw it in the theatre; I was taking a break in the middle of my projects with hardly any sleep for days. I did not realise that is was a 3 hr movie and I did not fall asleep. The opening scene with Anthony Hopkin just captivated me within the first 5 mins of the movie. Since then, I have watched it over 5 times, each time with new discovery in the wonderfully written script about love, death, and life; how a perfect gentle, who I think has everything, still cannot escape mortality, and how this fear has been transformed into courage. The movie had many wonderful moments, one of which when Hopkin with Forlani in the helicopter talking about love like "when lightning strike", also a moving scene when Bill's (Hopkins charactor) less favourite daughter told the father that it is alright as everyone is allowed to have a favourite, it is OK as long as she feels loved. I strongly recommend anyone to watch the movie for yourself and not listening to the negative reviews from the "critics" as most of the time, they are wrong.

Rating:
Summary: 5 Star Magic
Review: I can't tell you how much this film moves me. Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins are pure magic together. I also loved them together in "Legends of the Fall". This has the most beautiful sound track with it - in fact I am using much of the track for a school play we are doing of "Our Town". I could watch this over and over. Many funny parts, like, "death and taxes? did you say, Death and taxes? You have to watch this to see the irony in this line. There is a love scene, so not suitable for kids.

Rating:
Summary: An inexplicable box office failure
Review: It really is a great pity this film didn't do better at the box office. It honestly is a great movie - and I say that as a man not usually fond of films that might be considered "chick flicks". Yes, it is long, but that just means it's not a movie for people with short attention spans. The length of the movie really doesn't hurt, and in fact, is necessary to flesh out the characters properly. The acting is superb; the characters seem like real people. Any film with Anthony Hopkins is worth watching, just to see one of the most gifted actors since Olivier perform. Brad Pitt manages to hold his own in such exalted company. And Claire Forlani is simply radiant as the leading actress.

Perhaps what I liked best about this movie though, is that despite its length, it evoked the films of the 1930s, which I love. It's a beautifully filmed movie about high class, wealthy, elegant people of sophisticated tastes and sensibilities (and which shows them as decent people nonetheless, and with problems and issues most people can relate to) - the kind of film that was very popular fare during the years of the Great Depression, but unfortunately the kind of film that hasn't been made for decades. For me, it was a nostalgic and wonderful throwback to an era of much greater elegance and refinement than today, when people liked to aspire to greater things, rather than being content to reduce things to the lowest common denominator. I loved it.

Rating:
Summary: Death takes a Holiday remake very fresh
Review: Communications tycoon, Bill Parrish (Anthony Hopkins) has everything. He's got a business he's built from scratch with his own hands and ideas, two daughters he loves, and many friends.

He's also got angina and a voice talking inside his head. When that voice finally manifests, it's Death alias Joe Black (Brad Pitt). Mr. Black is ready to make a deal. Parrish gets a little extra time if he'll be Death's guide to life.

Parrish accepts the offer. Death discovers he has far more to learn than he thought.

This is a wonderful thought provoking drama that leaves you with a good feeling and tears in your eyes. Brad Pitt, who I didn't think could act until this movie, even holds his own against Sir Anthony Hopkins, which is no mean feat. "Meet Joe Black" is a film you'd want to buy and occasionally view again. Every time I do, I get some new insights.

Rating:
Summary: It gets worse every hour...
Review: Hopkins and Pitt are great...in fact, their chemistry merits a better movie altogether. The original was/is beautiful...this updated version is convoluted, misdirected, overlong and lost in some Yuppie-Vigalante premise. Yuk!

Everything is overdone...the editing, the production design, the (groan!) dialogue, direction and even the hairstyles. Poor Continuity couldn't keep up with Brad's ever changing bleached bangs.

Love the casting and the costumes...every suit is fabulous. Everything else...blecch. The most memorable moment (which should tell you A LOT) is Hopkins being led off to the hereafter with the witticism, "Don't blow smoke up my as*...it will ruin my autopsy." Egad! MEET JOE BLACK...the series!???

Rating:
Summary: Definately a Keeper
Review: I absolutely adore this movie. Some have complained that it is too long, but it certainly is not. The movie is beautifully paced, allowing the viewer to feel every nuance of the characters. Anthony Hopkins is brilliant, as always, and Brad Pitt's portrayal of Death was excellent. The supporting parts were perfectly cast; the soundtrack by Thomas Newman is haunting, yet beautiful.

Don't let the length of this movie scare you off. It's a very nice way to spend 3 hours.

Rating:
Summary: Only the best
Review: I've read quite a few of the reviews here and found I just had to reply to those stating that this movie was to long. In my opinion this movie would have lost so much if it had been shorter. There isn't any part in it that I could even imagine taking out. I would suggest that if you don't like long movies don't watch it. Everyone else, I can't even express the enjoyment I got from see it. Brad Pitt's acting in this film is the best I have seen from him ever. And his wasn't the only one. If there is one thing this movie will do for you, it will make you feel. The subject is one that touches us all whether we want it to or not. Death is a part of life. This film makes you think. And that is the mark of a story that will last.

Rating:
Summary: no regrets
Review: If there is one movie to see in your lifetime, this is it. Meet Joe Black is amazing. One of the final scenes, with the father daughter, was extremely touching. The one word to discribe this film is outstanding. Watch it, it will change your outlook on life, it did for me.

Rating:
Summary: Unneccessarily long film that tries to say too much
Review: Meet Joe Black was a highly anticipated film remake of the 1940's film: Death Takes a Holiday. The similarities should end there. The 1940's film was no great film to begin with, but it is leaps and bounds a better film than this one.

The first reel provides us with a shocking scene that caused me to continue watching this exceedingly long movie for some additional excitement. It doesn't ever come to fruition.

Brad Pitt plays a wonderful young man who meets an untimely and grisley death in a hit and run accident. In comes the plot device that should make the film engaging and interesting: Death - the actual entity - takes over his body and challenges (more or less) Anthony Hopkins to show me why human life is worth living and why death is so tragic.

This should be able to be done in two hours of less. But, Oh no, intrepid viewers, the producers felt that they had to string us along for three hours to tell this story. (Frankly, the whole thing could have been told in 30 minutes with the same feeling and emotion).

Brad Pitt is playing a romantic lead and he doesn't appear to be comfortable doing it. Anthony Hopkins proves that his talent is hit or miss at best. Claire Forlani - well she just proves that she's just another pretty face who can act reasonably well.

This is a big budget chick flick that really doesn't merit the good reviews it received here. It was widely panned at the theaters (and rightly so). It's a Lifetime movie if I ever saw one.

As someone who would watch Brad Pitt read the newspaper, I was sorely disappointed.

Sorry, I can't rate it any better.

Rating:
Summary: Long but very well done
Review: If you aren't fond of drama or romance this won't be the movie for you. If you aren't fond of long movies with a lot of dialogue this won't be the movie for you. If you like quality acting, a great score and an interesting storyline you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Don't rely on the critics or "professional" reviews. Watch this movie and find out for yourself.