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8MM

8MM

List Price: $14.94
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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Pornography of the UNDERWORLD!
Review: !!! This is an unpleasant thriller and definitely not for all viewers !!!

Nicolas Cage is a private detective hired by a millionaire's shocked widow. After she discovers a 8mm film of a girl being sexually abused and killed afterwards, she wants to know the truth, but sometimes the truth is better left uncovered... It becomes a horrifying experience and full of unpleasant surprises.

The movie is very Disturbing, Gruesome and Shocking even for the fans of such types of movies... Which proves that the director Joel Schumacher succeeded in his movie as well as Nicolas Cage.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THE REAL LOS ANGELES
Review: "8mm" is the most honest film about young girls' strange infatuations with moving to Los Angeles to become movie stars. Although the film plays like a typical detective film superficially, the film is actually about the ill-fated death of a naive young girl who ran away to L.A. to become a star and ended up mixed up in porno and snuff films. Nick Cage plays Tom Welles, a surveillance specialist hired by a rich widow to track down the source of a disturbing sex/torture 8mm reel she found in her dead husband's vault. In the film, a teenage girl is raped and murdered on camera. Welles is hired to prove if the film is real or fake. His search leads him to Los Angeles, where he must search for the identity of the young girl killed in the film. Throughout his search he learns of her desperation to become a star and her growing distaste for her small-town roots. Although many people dislike this film, Cage and director Joel Schumacher, it's because they don't understand the message of the film and how close it is to Los Angeles' dirty, manipulative sex underground, where girls are promised they will be stars and end up exploited in pornos. Most filmgoers today are uneducated and don't know how to judge art properly or on multiple levels. "8mm" is a film that deserves to be seen and thought about. The film's highlights include Cage dumping boxes of porno videos and mags on a pornographer's body before setting him on fire, and great location shots of how Hollywood really looks today; disgusting and dangerous.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THE REAL LOS ANGELES
Review: "8mm" is the most honest film about young girls' strange infatuations with moving to Los Angeles to become movie stars. Although the film plays like a typical detective film superficially, the film is actually about the ill-fated death of a naive young girl who ran away to L.A. to become a star and ended up mixed up in porno and snuff films. Nick Cage plays Tom Welles, a surveillance specialist hired by a rich widow to track down the source of a disturbing sex/torture 8mm reel she found in her dead husband's vault. In the film, a teenage girl is raped and murdered on camera. Welles is hired to prove if the film is real or fake. His search leads him to Los Angeles, where he must search for the identity of the young girl killed in the film. Throughout his search he learns of her desperation to become a star and her growing distaste for her small-town roots. Although many people dislike this film, Cage and director Joel Schumacher, it's because they don't understand the message of the film and how close it is to Los Angeles' dirty, manipulative sex underground, where girls are promised they will be stars and end up exploited in pornos. Most filmgoers today are uneducated and don't know how to judge art properly or on multiple levels. "8mm" is a film that deserves to be seen and thought about. The film's highlights include Cage dumping boxes of porno videos and mags on a pornographer's body before setting him on fire, and great location shots of how Hollywood really looks today; disgusting and dangerous.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Geniunely Disturbing
Review: 8mm is a breakthrough move in many aspects. The cinematography is excellent, and the tone of the entire movie remains dark and grim. The plot is very original, and although it won't appeal to many people, it must be respected that filmmakers would actually venture out this far and make a movie which aims to disturb everyone.

I am a fan of Nicolas Cage, but I was rather dissapointed with his performance. He had some good one liners and displayed his anger well, but overall he came out more like a 2 dimensional character. The real star of the film was Joaqiun Phoenix, the porn shop owner hired by Cage, who delivered a realistic and exceptional performance.

I do reccoment watching the film. It's something that needs to be experienced by everyone. Some people won't be able to sleep at night, other's will watch it without any problems, and some might even be fascinated by the idea of watching someone's death on film. All in all, this is a movie that made a huge impact on the way I define the word "disturbing", and it will too for everyone else that chooses to watch it. Reccomended.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Nick Cage walks on the wild side... Again.
Review: 8mm is a dour and depressing outing, but that doesn't stop it from being a good, well made, enjoyable thriller. (dour, depressing and enjoyable... Yes, as strange as that sounds) You might never crack a smile, but you should enjoy seeing Nick deal out his own brand of harsh justice.

James Gandolfini plays a his Vicious Brute role once again, and very well. Peter Stormare seems to have the only on-screen fun as a bizarre director and Joaquin Pheonix is Sympathetic and Likeable as a Adult Bookshop Clerk who Introduces Nick to Hollywoods Grittier Side. Catherine Keener is a little Underused as Nicks Neglected wife and The man himself, Big Nicky, gets by with alot of Wrinkle-brow looks and Teary-eyed Expressions, but in the third act, he losses his grip (mentally, not performance wise) and his real acting skills shine.

Overall, it's Definately not for all tastes. But for those with a high tolerence and a strong stomach, It's well worth a viewing.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great.
Review: 8mm is a great movie. I loved it, even though most critics thought it was trash. The film had some of the greatest villians ever to grace the screen. It was just a really good, really dark and really creepy movie. Fantastic.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: 8MM
Review: 8MM is a scary look at the world of illegal underground pornography. Nicolas Cage delivers a brilliant performance as the private investigator hired to discover the authenticity of the real of 8MM film on which a girl appears to be murdered. Supported by a brilliant cast, including Joaquin Phoenix and James Gandolfini. This movie puts across a strong message. "When killing monsters, make sure you don't become one".

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Movie the Gay Lobby Doesn't Want You to See
Review: 8MM is an excellent film that received negative reviews in the press not because of poor acting or poor story-telling, but because homosexual activists pulled strings in the media to discredit it. There is a strong push among activists to silence unsavory depictions of alternative sexuality, and although the movie deals more precisely with S&M bisexuality than with homosexuality per se, it found itself the victim of the politically charged climate of the times.

8MM is a harsh, disconcerting movie, and a powerful challenge to those who would dismiss the dangers of pornography and champion deviant sexuality as "morally neutral." Nick Cage puts in a workman-like performance, but he is more than compensated by the brilliant acting of Phoenix and the rest of the supporting cast. Anyone who thinks this movie is over the top should check out (website) for a dose of sobering, frightful reality.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Dark, intelligent, disturbing, truthful, and educational
Review: 8MM is an important movie. It needed to be made. It sheds light on a very dark subject that many people would rather avoid. When really a subject concerning snuff films, and illegal porn undergroud low lives is something everyone should be aware of.

Many people would be turned off by the subject matter. Understandable. This is a heavy movie. It will not be for everyone, or suit everyone's tastes. But I got it for the fact that it dealt with an interesting subject. I saw it mostly as an action movie. I wasn't sure how graphic it would be in terms of violence or sex. I was relieved to find that the movie stays pretty normal. With only the level of violence reaching boiling point during the second half of the movie. There is very little if any violence during many of the scenes before this. It is just dark and often disturbing because it is so real. So for a while I have been hesitant to buy it. I got this movie at a cheap price. Now, after watching it. I am so proud to add it to my DVD collection.

The director commentry by Joel Schumacher (The Client, Batman &Robin) is fantastic. I felt I had really learnt something about the movie, and it's controversial subject. I'd hughly recommend people listen to the commentry. The acting by Nicolas Cage and other talented and accomplished actors is impeccable.

I was really drawn into detective Tom Welles head. The viewer is taken for a long dark journey into his mind to battle demons in his life that have laid dormant for years. By the end of the movie I think he has found peace, but it is never known if the demons are really gone forever. Maybe there are more demons buried deep inside him. Waiting for another chance to come to the surface.

We all need to fight our own demons in our lives. And face our fears.

The characters are all believeable. It is chilling. Normal. How Anthony Hopkins wished Hannibal Lecter to be portrayed. Because he felt that a normal person in a cell was much more frightening for people, then someone who appeared to be mentally disturbed. I totally agree with him.

The script is flawless, and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. Who's other writer credits include 'Fight Club' and 'Seven'.

Please watch this movie. Even if you only see it once. Hopefully you will not regret it.

I think that sometimes the best lessons are learnt when people SEE how badly we treat other human beings. And the movie makes some excellent points on why people may kill others. Because they want to.

Doesn't that answer make you sick? It doesn't make me feel good. But then, an answer like that only makes me believe more how truthful the script seems. And how truthful this subject is. And how people must take responsability for their actions and no longer pretend that a seedy, gritty, snuff film world does not exist. Because it does exist. It is just no one will own up to knowing anyone in this deplorable, very secretive business.

Some of my favorite quotes from this movie are...

"Dance with the devil and the devil don't change; the devil changes you".

"There are some things that you see, and you can't unsee them. Know what I mean?"

8MM has also been hailed as "The darkest, most relentless thriller since 'The Scilence Of The Lambs'. - John Simon, Venice Magazine.

I tend to agree with his opinion. However I will go further and say that this movie is in a different class. I think it is better.

8MM examines many intriguing questions like: What is so entertaining about watching people die? Or watching them in extreame pain?

I strangly enjoyed 8MM. I hope anyone wishing to hire or buy this movie does too. But then, if you don't enjoy it. That is a good responce to have to this type of movie. It isn't meant to make you happy. It is meant to awaken you to the fact that we live in an increasingly dangerous world. And things can only get worse if we continue to live and treat people so appallingly.

I think this movie has only scratched the surface of an increasing problem with the availability of porn and other vile subjects with the internet.

But hopefully this movie will make people aware. If so, that is one of many messages it is trying to send to people.

Finally I hope you all can sleep after this movie.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great Film
Review: 8MM is great in that it holds your attention with suspence for the whole film, and has great emotional impact. It becomes a matter of good vs. evil, and Nicolas Cage realizes that fighting evil is the only way to stop it, while ignoring it lets it proliferate. There is much evil is our society, and the only flaw in this film is that it's example is too blatant. There are many far sutler forms of evil. Anyway the ending is an emotional climax that shouldn't be missed.


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