Rating: 
Summary: give the director the hard eight
Review: this movie is awful. Anyone who wants any action or good gambling scenes is in for a surprise when they realize how horrid, and slow-moving this movie is. The actors show no intensity and do an overall terrible job. I would rate it 0 stars if that was an option.
Rating: 
Summary: Very tight movie
Review: Hard Eight is excellent. It is at the same time very similar to and very different than Boogie Nights. The plot overall is much tighter and not as sprawling (not to say it's better though).All the performances are excellent. The movie doesn't move as fast as Boogie Nights, it has a kind of slower pace. It is not very violent, although there are a couple of violent scenes. The plot is very tight and self-contained, as I said before. Overall, Hard Eight is a great movie, just not as good as Boogie Nights I guess. It also moves kind of slow in parts. Oh, and one more thing: Go see Magnolia. Now. It is unbelievable.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Film!
Review: This is the debut film of what will one day be the greatest living director of our time. I grew up in L.A. during the 80's and trust me, this guy gets it. I hope he always gives the movie studios the finger!
Rating:
Summary: Hard Eight - Hard to watch
Review: This movie gets one star simply because a lesser value wasn't available. The plot, if one can really be found, along with the script is certainly not up to the standards of the actors in this movie. This movie looks more like a film project for a student than a Hollywood produced drama. Sorry folks, but this one has no redeeming quality and is certainly not one that most sane people would repeatedly watch. Trust me, rent it before you buy it.
Rating:
Summary: A Great DVD
Review: Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the most talented writer/directors working these days. And he surrounds himself with some of the most talented filmmakers working these days. This movie is a great example of the results he achieves. Of course, "Boogie Nights" was another. I'm sure that "Magnolia" to be released soon will live up to its predecessors. The DVD of "Hard Eight" (formerly called "Sydney") is a treasure. Not only will you get a fascinating story filled with interesting characters, but also the extras are enough to keep you busy for a long, long time. There are two commentaries. The first, by Anderson and Hall is great. They really understand what a commentary track should be about and one time through is just not enough. The second commentary contains a lot of info on how films are worked on at the Sundance Institute. I had heard about it for years, but never really understood the process. I feel I have a good idea of how it works now. Also, most of the crew that have worked on all Anderson's movies get a chance to talk a little about their contribution during the second commentary. The only drawback was it sounds like Anderson was walking around with a mike on the set of "Magnolia" and you get a lot of street sounds that make it difficult to hear at times. Of course, none of this would matter if the story weren't so interesting. It's a film that will stay with you for a long time. My criteria for a good film is always whether or not I think about it the day after seeing it. Most movies are gone from my thoughts by the time I get to my car. This one stayed with me for a long time. In addition, I feel this movie contains the best performance by Gywneth Paltrow so far (sorry, but that includes Shakespeare in Love). I highly recommend this DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Paul Thomas Anderson, Greatest Director of My Generation
Review: Paul Thomas Anderson's character study of a man (JOhn C. Reilly) searching for enough cash to bury his dead mother is helped and guided by Sydney (Philip Baker Hall, and, formerly the title of this film "Sydney") to get him back into the swing of things; taking him to Vegas where they meet up with a hooker (Gwyneth Paltrow) and a dark secret is revealed about Sydney, who might not be the saviour he appears to be...Paul Thomas Anderson's first feature length film after the sucess of his short film "Cigarettes and Coffee" which was entered into the Short Program II in Sundance in 1997, it is filled with crisp, superb dialogue and is an inspiration to all up coming film makers. Rent Boogie Nights first, o get a sense of his style and if you like that, then I'd suggest this, as it is a little slower paced, but equally great. Check out his newest film coming out this December called "Magnolia" with a cameo of Tom Cruise and John C. Reilly, William H. Macy and Philip Baker Hall make their second and third appearances with PTA.
Rating:
Summary: superb
Review: this movie was a surprise... it is an outstanding film, not only because the plot is different but the acting was superb as well. I am not a mavin but i must say this is one of the best films i had seen in a long time, but there is another dimmension here...the author seemed to know a lot about gambling and didn't exaggerate as hollywood so often does.... Sid m........
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent arthouse film
Review: When I think of Paul Thomas Anderson, writer and director of Hard Eight, I think of Boogie Nights. This is a not a good thing for me, since I'm no fan of that piece of work. I viewed Boogie Nights before I saw Hard Eight and at the time thought Mr. Anderson pretty talentless. That is, until I saw this wonderful film. It is the sparse story of a not-so-bright kid and the older and accomplished gambler that takes him under his wing. It begins in a Nevada coffeehouse where Sydney (played memorably by Philip Baker Hall) meets John (John C. Reilly) and offers him a cup of coffee. During the conversation Sydney learns that John is trying to gather some money up to bury his mother with and is down on his luck. Sydney offers to take him to Vegas, show him a few tricks, and teach him how to make some money gambling. After John scoffs at him and acts generally like a wise acre Sydney replies "Never ignore a man's courtesy." After double-checking that Sydney is on the level and not a homosexual looking for a hustle John takes him up on the Vegas proposition. The audience is left to wonder what Sydney 'really' wants with John for most of the rest of the film. The movie meanders through the friendship/mentorship of the men and is punctuated with the arrival of the waitress/hooker Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow). She works at a casino on the Strip and Sydney shows interest in her well-being, but again his motives are not clear, though they are transparent enough not to show dark purposes. John soon falls for her and the familial relationship between Sydney and John becomes more pronounced. He watches out for him like a son and gently teaches him along the way. When Sydney is called in the middle of the night by a frantic John and told that he needs to hurry over to a motel he quickly reacts. What he finds there and the ensuing scenes are too crucial to the film to let you be privy too but suffice it to say it is one of the most memorable scenes from any picture in 1996. Look for Samuel L. Jackson (Jimmy) as well, a true Vegas hustler who ushers in the sporadic violence of the picture and provides the final answers to the questions about Sydney. It is an unconventional and quirky love story on a scale with Leaving Las Vegas but much more successful in scope and execution than that stinker. Remarkable dialogue, acting and characters. Check it out.
Rating:
Summary: This wasn't even in Vegas, it was in RENO!
Review: Great movie, I watched it 5 times. The above reviewer obviously has never seen it at all. Very somber, very intriguing, it's about a professional gambler who takes a newbie under his wing. Crap hits the fan, and he has to revert to his old mob days and "Take care" of business.
Rating:
Summary: SLICK
Review: Move over Tarantino and Mamet we got a new writer director in town.Paul Thomas Anderson.Boogie Nights and this one Hard Eight
make him an easy competitor in the world of indie film-making
this movie is great.Philip Baker Hall finally scores a lead role
and does an outstanding job as Sydney,the kind,nice,and all to
calm and slick pro gambler who helps John(John C. Reilly)a down
on his luck chum.Then they become good freinds and we skip a head
2 years and we meet Clementine Johns new love played good as usual by Gweneth Paltrow and slick casino pro Jimmy played by
Samuel L.Jackson who is the standout.This movie crackles with
dialogue and your never bored because you never know whats gonna
happen next and we find out secrets about our nice freind Sydney
and from their it gets interesting.SEE IT NOWWWW
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