I purchased a dealer demo with 8000 miles. Paid $51K pre-tax, sticker of $63K, Invoice of $57K. Included $4500 eco credit. Dealer extended Warranty to 55,000 miles. I have driven 3000 miles so far and can find nothing to fault. Performance and handling is superb. There is no turbo lag if you use kick-down mode or shift to M1 for quick starts. Hiway accel is gutsy, mind the staties. I-Drive is easy to use, but it helps to practice when you are not driving. The Nav is DVD based but terrific. BMW Assist lets you download locations from Google Maps. Cool. I drive a lot in my job. Mileage averages 21mpg around New England and Boston. 27mpg on a long hiway trip at 75mph to 80mph.
I'm a tall guy (6'6") who was looking for lots of leg and head room along with good fuel economy, and without spending lots of money. The Fit really fits! The legroom is fine, and the headroom is amazing (over 2"). I've filled the tank twice now, and got over 37 MPG each time--excellent for a car that's not even broken in yet. Acceleration isn't bad for such a small engine, and I can climb most grades at 55 MPH without downshifting out of 5th. All the useful options (cruise, power, side airbags) come standard on the Sport Fit. I like to drive my cars into the ground (10+yrs typ) so I don't miss the expensive-to-fix Lexus-type stuff at all. My impression is the Fit will go the distance.
Interior is much better then the previouse BMW designs, very solid when driving, good HP and handling, it's something I recommend every family to put their kids in, safe from inside.
I researched every car trying to decided what to replace an '04 Pacifica with. For the money, there is no other car with this level of refinement, performance, handling and price. The V6 is absolutely unnecessary, as the 4 cyl engine is smooth and powerful, AND efficient for this nimble, well balanced auto.
This was my first real car, and I love it. It is a fast car for a base cheap car, and handles well. I love the look of it, especially with the wing spoiler. The comfort is great and the interior features are also great. Overall, this is a great first car for any person.
 Picked up a Yaris 3 door hatchback yesterday. It is one of the first ones on the road in NJ. I have owned two Toyota Echos and I can say that this is a much better car that sold for about the same price as the 2000 Echo. Quality paint, interior, ride and handling. This Yaris has a automatic trans. 
Bought a sorento last Sept. having this SUV for a year we like it a lot; never owned a kia or SUV before but we are very happy driving it. It rides nice and it is very comfortable. 
I loved this beast! Great performance, great handling, great ergonomics. I hauled my wife, two kids and a pop-up trailer all over. This is a great small- family. We sadly had to part ways as there is a third child coming soon, but if Scion would have built a stretched version (ala the Mazda5 we just traded for) we would have stayed in the Scion stable for a third run. 
Great aesthetic inside and out, super build quality, plenty of power. Without a doubt the quitest vehicle I have ever owned, virtually no highway or engine noise. Powerful engine. The 6-speed transmission sometimes cannot find the best gear between 20 and 45 mph, this may get better with more driving, currently have only 1800 miles. Gas mileage is averageing only about 17 mpg city/hwy combined. This is not anywhere near the advertised mileage. Poor gas mileage my only complaint. Interior has ample room and easy to get in and out of.
Very unhappy with interior layout. Car handles well. Mileage fair but interior design is an ergonomic nightmare,ie dashboard hard to read at night and also in bright sunlight. If it wasnt under lease it would be gone by now. 
I purchased a new saturn aura xe on April 30th. On Aug 6 vehicle had to be towed as to transmission problem. Vehicle returned as "repaired" on Aug 7 and had to towed again on the 7th. Saturn Corp over the next 32 days literally lied about what the problem was and when the repair would be completed. First they said the part was coming from Germany. Then they couldn't locate the part. After numerous calls, we learned that the Dealership that was to make the repairs had given up their Saturn line and switched to Mazda and couldn't repair our vehicle even if they received the "part". Saturn Corp lied from the start. Doing the right thing from day one, Ha Ha Ha 
My 07 Camry was delivered with every option for MSRP (dealer installed XM @ + $449). With a little effort most should get close to the EPA milage 41/38 per gal. This car replaces my 328i BMW and is equal in quality of workmanship and most features. Next week I'll test AZ mtn roads and uphill driving performance. The seating is very comfortable and ride quite. The synergy drive is smooth and many gauges are available to monitor energy useage. For those who just want to fit into the crowd this car doesn't scream HYBRID, like the Prius. The Navi-system is better than the Avolon and other 2006 Toyota models, many neat features. take delivery before 9/30/06 get Federal Tax credit of $2600.
Like the overall car for looks and roominess inside. A little disappointed how the vinyl doors inside scratch easily. Sporty and stylish.
The CR-V always impresses us with its practicality and ease of use. The cargo area will easily swallow 3 full size bikes or a lawn mower. It gets impressive gas mileage, without sacrificing power or size. The CR-V will hold five people in comfort. It is also nice to drive and gets the highest possible crash test ratings. The only complaint I have is that a V6 version or some other higher power version would be nice. I think the Subaru Forester is a better vehicle, but it isn't as roomy. 
I have owned many cars both foreign and domestic. Go look at this car before you buy a new one. This car has good handling, performance, space, quality and features. I have 18500 miles since April 2007 with no problems. The car has only had scheduled maintenaince. Go give a Ford a try. My mom bought a Hyundai and it has been in the shop for 4 days with 400 miles on it. Domestic quality has improved dramatically. This car is also very safe with dual and side airbags. It also has a real back seat. This is as nice of a car as my previous Cadillac and Mercedes were without the high repair bills. I haven't seen my dealer much but they do a very nice job taking care of me for regular service also.
Car stalls randomly when stopped. Dealer can find "nothing" wrong. Car occasionally drivings at 5000 RPM when doing only about 60 MPH. Again, dealer can find no cause, says there is "no code" so they can't help you. Offered me the option to turn it into the bank or use it as a trade (less than 1 year later for greatly less than I paid.) Would NEVER purchase form this dealer or this car EVER again.
I love it. The Reno is everything that I need and nothing that I don't. It is spacious for such a small vehicle. The base level is what I went with and with such an affordable price tag who could pass it up?
I purchased a 2007 Avalon after my 2006 was declared a total loss. My car was trouble free until 55,000 miles when the check engine light went on. The AC was broken, O2 sensor, gas tank and a list of other items brought the repair bill to $4500. If it were not for CA emissions warranty, I'd have to pay the entire thing. I'm still on the hook for $2,000. The dealer was fine but I'll never buy a Toyota again- my Chrysler was more reliable. 
I have owned a 2005 Maxima, which was totaled early this year and now a 2008 Maxima. This car is really a considerable car to purchase. The comfort and performance stands out in 2008 Maxima. There are too many car buyers down-playing the CVT engine. People have been use to the engine shifting over 50 years of cars. This Maxima with CVT has no shift shock. So it's nice and smooth driving. 0-60 in 6 seconds and I able to pull a track time of 14.8 1/4 mile in 75 degree weather. With my 05 Maxima, I put on 35K miles and had NO problems with the engine. Now with this new 2008 Maxima, I have 5K miles and still no problems. This 08 SL is worth what I spent and I highly recommend it.
This car really is an "underdog" when people first compare it to BMW, Lexus and other well known cars. But this car is fantastic! The Premium and Navigation Packages are a must when getting this car. The performace of this car is awesome. It's very fast and smooth at accelerating. I can get in and out of traffic when I need to. My favorite part of this car is the interior. It's very Modern but also has a luxury feel to it as well. The controls are very well laid out and look fantastic. I get so many looks in this car. I think it's much more sporty looking than the Lexus and also the BMW. All I can sy is make sure you test drive one when comparing to BMW? Lexus and you will see what I mean.
What an outstanding car. It's quick, quiet and very well equipped. Very fun to drive. I prefered the Civic over the Prius because it is not quasi-futuristic like the Prius. It has a regular key and regular displays. Conversely the Prius display is extremely busy. Plus going from a Jeep Wrangler to a HCH I went from 18 mpg to 43 mpg - quite a savings. BTW - That was my real world mpg after my first tank.
Still new but I love this truck. Looks great, runs great, performs great. Only complaint I have so far is the height of the hitch receiver.
I traded my 07 GX 470 Lexus in on this and have been very happy. I get 25 mpg, which is not bad for a large suv. With diesel at 4.50 a gal. it costs to fill the tank, but it is money well spent. The GL is a true pleasure to drive, comfort and ride of a lux car. I have pulled a large boat with out any problem. The little V6 offers plenty of power. It is not a corvett, but fast enough. 
What else is there to say, I went from a 2 series Volkswagen Cabrio to an MINI S with full perks. This car is a perfect 10.
Just got my 08 limited 5.7 hemi. Gave up my 95 Cherokee that I had nothing but luck with . At 80 mph I'm at 2000 rpm . This truck is very fast and has lots of power. Rides great. I'm loaded with every option available. Hopefully after many miles I'm still happy .
this is my first suv and i absolutely love it!! the first time i saw the new Santa Fe, i knew that i had to have it. It is very luxurious and confortable inside. Materials are very high quality. The exterior also has a sleek, sexy look to it. Overall i love this car.
This is our company car, and I drove about 5 times (total of about 100 miles) since last month, and this car is very good. The ride is really smooth and quiet. The car has Lexicon Nav, and the bluetooth handsfree sounded so good and clear. RWD feels really good. The seats are very comfy. It is really luxurious and good looking, but 2% lacking to be compared with BMW or MB.
I've had my Mazda6 for a week and I absolutely LOVE it! It handles well, it's quiet and my blended gas mileage for the first tank was 26 mpg. The heater works great, too!! I had an Acura Integra, but had to "grow up" a little bit. The Mazda6 was the right choice for me because I now have an automatic instead of a stick and can actually get more than 2 people in my car comfortably! It looks great, too!
Still has plenty of Zoom Zoom in it. Have had this as my primary vehical for two yrs and have not regretted one minute of it. Long trips (800+ miles one way) are a breeze. Hooked up a PS2 and the kids are happy. Head phones make Us happy, and the ride make everyone happy.
I drive my Vue for a living five days a week and love the high mpg and XM radio. It is a little under powered but that is a given with the mpg and once you drive it for a wile you become accustomed to it. 
Great handling and excellent merging of the 6 speed tranny with the turbo 4 engine. My only complaint - would like a memory power driver's seat that would allow for two different drivers by pushing one button. Manual shifting works well but I miss the paddle shifters on my RX-8.
Picked the Corolla for several reasons. Familiar with Toyota quality and reliability. Car looks awesome! Super White looks fantasic. The 2.4L performs well and is quiet, handles very well and is a blast to shift through the gears. Very smooth and easy to drive and all controls are placed well in the cabin. Build quality seems very good at this point. Time will tell.
After 4 months, I still love this vehicle. Pick up on acceleration is amazing. I have received many comments from people who think it is a $35,000 plus car and are amazed when I tell them it is a Saturn. I have learned to use all of the features and it just makes the experience better. I have seen Ford's Synch option in operation and OnStar has it beaten by a mile. What would I add? I am lazy, and I still like the idea of the combination keyless entry I used to have. But I would not give up the Saturn for it. Period.
Just finished the first 1000 miles on the 09 Pilot Touring with R&N 4wd. This vehicle is so comfortable and fun to drive. It is very quiet, roomy, and the features are never ending. I also have a 2004 Pilot that has also been great, but I must admit that the new body style is greatly improved. I have been pleasantly surprised at all the nice electronic features that have been added. Have not complaints at all at this point. Gas mileage is about 20, very similar to what the 2004 Pilot gets.
I researched for months before buying a Minivan and when I decided to, the VW Routan came out. Months prior, I have test-driven other minivans, but most have issues with either road noise/breaks or rattling. Then, I test- drove the Routan; I was impressed for it is very smooth, very quiet and does not produce road noise. The VW suspensions also absorb rough and uneven surfaces very well. I've been advised to go for the Japanese minivans, which are reliable. Well, they are, but I'd rather deal with thinking how long the Routan will last than dealing with road noise and rattling that will surely distract me every time I drive. With VW and Chrysler combined, it must be something?
I was initially skeptical of the hybrid vehicles because I thought I would have to sacrifice so much for the sake of better fuel mileage. I couldn't have been more wrong. Now that the car has "broken in," I not only enjoy my daily drive, but I enjoy a minimum 44 MPG (even at $4/gallon fill-ups are less that $40) with top fuel mileage topping out at over 49 MPG. As far as performance, the car handles great and I don't feel like I've sacrificed anything on the road - acceleration is better than adequate and the car rolls nicely at 80-85mph. Part of me wants to be selfish and steer people away because increased supply will only drive up prices, but ultimately we'll all be better off. Get one!
After owning 2 Toyota Tundra access cab pickups, I was ready for a true 4+ passenger SUV. I explored all of the competition. At this point, I am totally satisfied with the GMC. Great Ride. Quiet, smooth and exceptionally agile for such a large SUV. The flex engine works well. I am already getting better MPG than either Tundra. GM has hit a home run if reliabiliy and depreciation fare better than in he past. Lets keep GM going. They are listening. Go USA !!! 
I bought this car because my husband really liked it. I have to admit it I think it is a real cute vehicle. The only complaint I really have is I get extremely poor gas mileage. I have the LX four cylinder and get only about 12-15 mpg in the city and about 20-22 mpg on the highway. With the gas prices today I am going to have to sell it. 
Very nice car. I will buy another one. The ride is extremely smooth and the gas mileage was surprisingly better than advertised for highway driving. It took me a while to get used to the push button start, I have caught myself a few times just leaving the engine running while trying to exit the vehicle, the engine is that quiet. The memory seat and steering wheel settings don't set, every time I get in the car after my wife drives I have to move the seat back before I get in. Roofline should be higher, I often have to adjust my seat to avoid touching the interior ceiling.
This car beats the Matrix,Fit and Versa when it comes to stability, power and performance. Try all the above in Wisconsin weather and you would know what I am talking about. Try the Impreza AWD and you would know why the trucks rush past you without caring much about the snow. It is the AWD, baby! The only thing I care about is the mileage. It is low but the car can give you more than 20 mpg driven in city conditions. It is as powerful as my Camry and does groan as others do when you hit the gas. The pickup is instant. The steering does not vibrate when on highway. Compared to all the above wagons this one is the best, safest and the fastest.
I love this truck, my daughter calls it the goat. The gas mileage at 60 is 24 mpg and it rides very nice.I can't complain if anything its way over built. Power to spare and very roomy, great ergonomics.
Coming up on 7th month of ownership. I bought the TCH when fuel prices were above $4/gal. and expected EPA estimated mileage. Whole family big Toyota fans; second and third generation Camry owners. Gas mileage on my MID hovers between 26-28 MPG tank avg combined city/hwy. Had diagnostic today and am being told by Toyota Dealership and Toyota Customer Service that "there is nothing wrong with my vehicle". Have read every tip, trick and blog about "driving the hybrid" for best mileage. This is NOT user error :) Hybrid cost/benefit NOT worth it for this kind of mileage
I have had this since 07 August and this is my second accord and second review. After driving it for more than 40k miles I am noticing some defects. When it's cold it's harder to shift the 3rd gear since mine is a stick shift. Also I hear some rattling noise in the front and and some noise under the stereo. Breaks and the clutch is fine so far and regular oil changes are done at Honda Dealerships. It has a great pickup when shifting gears since its a stick shift. No matter what it is a great econobox even after 40k but wouldn't buy an accord again cos I'm getting bored with this car...By the way 2 months after I bought the car I had to take it back to replace noisy drivers seat.
This has been the most disappointing brand new vehicle in all my 52 years of ownership. The sunroof has been "fixed" 3 times and still leaks. A natural gas odor comes through the ventilation system. The driveline is noisy and when you make a tight turn is sounds like the wheels are falling off. The engine is sluggish and hesitates. Poor fuel economy and all over poor engineering. The worst part is poor customer service from the selling dealership. They won't do a thing. Just don't buy the Acadia. It might look nice, but it has a long way to go before it can become a low maintenance vehicle. Prepare to have it in the shop often. Just don't buy it.
We'd been thinking of getting a family-friendly sedan, and when our tiny convertible was totalled in an accident, we settled on the base 4-cyl 2008 Malibu. The pick-up in the Malibu is not that great (but keep in mind, we got the 4-cyl!), but the fuel economy more than makes up for it. We've been averaging over 30 mpg, combined highway and city (about 50/50), and we easily get 35 mpg on the highway. The car is fairly comfortable. It's not the sexiest car in the world, but for the money, it's a bargain. I would definitely buy another.
I originally picked up this Ranger FX4 Level ll because of price. All the foreign trucks were considerally more expensive. I have a feeling this is an American website, so I hope you can relate. It is completely loaded with leather, power everything, A/C, six-disk changer, a class three trailer hitch, bed liner and something Ford calls "Wear and Tear Package". Essentialy this truck can be returned with up to $3500 damage at the end of the lease for which I can walk away from having to pay. All for $361. a month taxes in for three years. Hell, they're giving these trucks away. And this truck looks absolutely awesome 
I have had my Lancer GTS for nearly a year and let's just say - it is going away. The power is not bad; but heaven forbid you have to use the A/C. It sucks SO much power from the engine. Mileage is as expected, but I can't get over the complete lack of power in this thing. Interior is not all bad; seats could be a bit more comfortable on longer trips. The NAV system is alright; but how about some updates for the maps? My house is over 2 yrs old and my street doesn't even show up. When I called Mitsubishi about updates; they told me this summer w/ a cost of $100 - are you serious? It will be a happy day when she is gone from my garage.
I looked at the Accord and test drove it and then looked at the Sonata and the choice was easy to me, Hyundai was a no brainer buy for me hands down, got the Platinum edition and you just can't beat the price.
The good: fun to drive, CVT great in auto and manual, more mpgs then epa states, 4 cyl plenty of power even on hill with a/c and cruise on! The bad: owners manual and dvd are vague on some operations, trip computer cumbersome to operate. Uses time to mileage rating that is grossly inaccurate unles reset each time you start moving! Psgr seat does not reset to preset back position when tipped forward, resets to an uncomfortable 90 degree position requiring manual reset. Initiate XM radio directions are non existent, user left on own to figure out. The ugly: power steering is over sensative, subject to wondering and oversteering at highway speeds but handles great otherwise. Smart key=big $
Obviously the Jeep is geared for power not for mileage so any aftermarket improvements you can make will help the mileage. Never use Goodyear tires as their rolling resistance is horrible. 20% of the Jeeps energy is wasted just on tire rolling resistance. We use Michelin tires and that helps greatly. A friend uses synthetic lubes throughout and a cold air intake by K&N. The new Liberties are way to boxy and just don't seem to have the heart of the earlier Liberties... Others may disagree but that is my take. With some aftermarket improved parts you will have a better performing vehicle with better gas mileage.
For the price, I hoped for more up to date features. The GPS is outdated, with less up to date info than my Garmin purchased a year prior. Car accelerates with hesitation at first, and then kicks in. Rear brake light was dislodged when first purchased, and needed to be put back in place. Stereo features are well integrated with iPod adapter, but no Bluetooth on this vehicle. 
From the test drive to the drive home to the drive way, this is the most exciting car in this price range I've ever driven. My drive to work is 30 min. and it's not long enough for me to enjoy my new TL. Sometimes I find myself driving the scenic route to work. All I can say is this is a true driver's car - drive it, you'll love it.
I have a 2007 Mazda 3 GS (which is second from the top of the line) this is a beautiful car. This car preforms at an extreme level and it has plenty hoursepower for a 4 cylinder automatic. When I needs to pass a car up hill or down the Mazda can pass it with no hesitation. I would definitely recommend a Mazda3 to anyone who was thinking of purchasing a fun car. The only problem I have with this car is that there is a squeak in the center console which Mazda says they can't fix. And after a night of the car being parked, the back brakes stick and then squeak for a few minutes, not a big deal but very loud. Besides these little problems that I found, this is an awesome and fun to drive car.
I leased this car for two years. It beat out two other models barely. I wanted a manual transmission but this one is real stiff and start offs are hard to mix gas with clutch. My Model A Ford is smoother. Once past 1st gear it's good. The car runs smooth and has plenty of power. The interior has good quality materials. I can manage for 2 years but will buy larger and domestic next time. Gas mileage is not too good right now but is over 30. I expect this will improve. This Sentra is a good solid car.
I have driven many cars in my 50 years; my Rabbit tops them all! Zip, zip, zippedy zip, in and out of parking spaces, in and out of traffic in a jiffy. Rabbit loves curves. One day I will get a traffic ticket for speeding, since Rabbit does not want to go slow or follow anyone and I just can't control it. Maybe Cesar Millan can help make it calm and assertive, not mildly aggressive :)
Purchase this since we needed something relatively large - but were very concerned about getting a gas guzzler SUV. So far, so good - this SUV is a great solution. Getting 24+ on the highway and plenty of room and comfort. No quality issues so far, but it hasn't been long - initial build quality seems outstanding.
For few years I asked myself when was Dodge going to change the minivan style 01-07, finally did in 08. So disappointed by Dodge by the design, power response, and gas mileage. As owner of 97 Grand Caravan Sport, I can say my 97 handles and get better gas mileage than the 08 model. The Stow-N- Go a plus. Having a handicap child with a wheel chair lots of room is a must. The 08 models lacks space. With my 97, I can place the wheelchair standing up without a problem. With the 08, I had to take it apart.
I live in Montana. Over 20 years, I have owned Audi A8, Audi A6, BMW 328xi,Yukon XL, Toyota Landcruiser. The Ridgeline is the best snow vehicle of the bunch. The combination of long wheelbase, traction control, front weighting and front-biased all wheel drive makes it very stable and very difficult to lose control of the vehicle. I run with Toyo Open Country A/T's summer and winter.
Before driving 2000 km . rear suspension began to rattles ,bang ,etc. Dealer said it was the high performance struts and the cold weather and all 2007's did the same thing.The banging is getting worse even over small bumps.They ordered new strut brackets;haven't arrived yet. Annoying squeak between windshield and dash. None of my other cars had this problem in our cold climate.Could never get the XM radio to work.
My wife and I are expecting our second child in a few weeks and we're happy to have found the Mazda5 just in time. It's perfect for our growing family and the price is right! It looks way better than other minivans and is surprisingly roomy inside. I usually don't like driving all that much but I find myself looking for reasons to drive the M5! Oh yeah - and our 2 year old loves it too! 
This little SUV is great fun to drive. It has tight handling, great turning radius, good ride, and the acceleration...whoa momma! Buy the V-6 and you will understand what I mean. We bought a Limited with all the bells and whistles, paid right at $1000 under MSRP, so we felt like we got a good deal. The interior roominess is close to that of much larger SUVs. Road noise is much quieter than the CR-V. I'll be curious to see if we get anything close to the mileage rating of 21/28. My only disappointment is that the Rav4 is my wife's vehicle, and I hardly ever get to drive it.
So after much consideration between all the lambda options, we kept coming back to the Buick Enclave CXL. The Saturn was nice but we kept thinking the resale was going to be the lowest of all three. The GMC was great, but no perferated seats (we live in NC and leather and sun don't mix well!)and no cocoa interior. So, we settled on the Enclave. And are very happy we did! Everywhere we go people want to look inside and are blown away at how large it is in interior volume. When I tell them it is the same as a Tahoe or Yukon, they are amazed. This really is a minivan inside and sport utility outside. 
I only have owned for 2 weeks, but this vehicle has surpassed my expectations. I researched and tested Acadia and Mazda CX9, however, based on the features and looks of the Highlander, this was my choice. I am hoping the maintenance and cost of ownership of the Toyota reputation is valid with this vehicle. I have received many "thumbs-up" gestures from older Highlander drivers. I chose the Sport with a lot of extras. Would have been easier to deside if a greater selection of Highlanders were on the lot, but I am thrilled with the color and vehicle I ordered.
I've only had my Fit Sport for a month but the word surprise keeps coming to mind. I'm a big, 6'-1" and,..eh, not dainty. This car is more comfortable than the Dakota P/U it replaces and gets twice the gas mileage. I drove from RI to NY and back with my two sisters in one day, they were both impressed with it's relative comfort over 400 miles. The Fit is fun and light on it's feet on curvy roads, like driving a go-cart. I'm a dog trainer, having space for a pet divider or dog crate is crucial; the seats fold flat in an instant to accommodate even XL crates and there's tie downs in the floor to secure them. Fit, finish, and ergonomics are all top notch at a lower cost than most hybrids.
This is my first new car purchase and so far I'm really loving this car. The exterior styling is gorgeous and the interior is in two words "simple elegance," not too overly done but eye catching none the less. The front seats are very comfy but the back seat is small with no leg room, but that doesn't bother me since I don't sit back there! :) It's got a peppy engine for a 4-cyl. but does get a little sluggish with the A/C on in my opinion. It takes turns like nothing and the the brakes are also wonderful, It it the best vehicle I've ever experienced. The Rockford Fosgate sterio is killer, a MUST have. All around I adore this car and it's a huge step up from my '01 Grand Am. Buy one, youu'll love it!
I love this car. You can hardly tell you hit a bump, and the gas mileage has been great. I drive 100 miles or more a day, and it has not been as bad as I thought it would be. Everything is designed with my family in mind. Well designed! 
Edmunds alludes, in its full test, to the potential for aftermarket chips to greatly improve the performance of this car. I can attest to this, having installed Dinan performance software about a week after delivery of the car. My car pulls extremely strong, especially north of 3000 rpm. Plus, Dinan matches BMW's 4/50 powertrain warranty. I love this car.
This SUV handles like truck and rides like truck in regular road. I took it to off road recently, I wish I could return it, it was worst riding than 18 wheelers. (1) In 2 months A/C motor had to be replace. (2) Back up light at night is so bad you can not see the curb (try it). (3) You need to continually give gas to go forward, or it will drastically slow down. (4) Now motor sit adjusting on the drive side makes noise. (5) So on, it is just bad SUV.
Before you take a trip, read all details in the manual. Lots of buttons to learn about before you push them. Do not rely on the Park Assist horn to warn you. Watch the amber lite and stop dead when three lights are lit!
I bought my first Escalade in April of 06. There have been so many problems and design flaws. First and foremost, why would you put the DVD player under the seat? You can't even stretch your legs without kicking it. The wireless headphones broke easily. The third row is pretty much for babies and toddlers only. The legroom is comical. Too much plastic too. Sometimes the DVD player won't turn off too. No fold flat seats or MP3 jack and the second row seats are really loud when you let them down. On the bright side, the performance is outstanding, the interior quality is great, and I love all of the features.
I feel super happy with my Tundra Limited 4wd 4 dr Crew cab 2007. Super quiet. Excellent suspension, very good movement, very strong when I need power, 381 hp is true. Fast acceleration. Excellent air conditioning. Excellent brake system. Interior fine and modern. Fuel economy is poor.
This is the first vehicle I have purchased in 24 years, and a lot of research was involved before I bought it. I am so happy - I think I made the right choice. Just got back from a 2000 mile round trip from Oklahoma to Michigan, and the CR-V handled like a dream. Gas mileage was around 27 mpg overall. It was plenty roomy for my two dogs (in the back seat) and I and all our cargo for a week fit nicely in the storage area behind the back seat. LOVE the cargo shelf - it was perfect for lightweight items. I felt very secure in the CR-V; it felt very stable. Plenty of get up and go for passing all the semis!! I imagine that I will have this vehicle for a very long time.
We bought this car after reviewing Mazda, Toyota, Nissan and Honda. We test drove the Elantra and the Civic and after careful consideration of interior size, safety features and performance, we chose the Elantra. We love the Elantra. We received better performace and interior space than the Civic and just as quiet a ride for much less money. Gas milage has been around 26 - 27 in all city driving. It is also very fun to drive with crisp handling and excellent breaks. I could not find a vehicle with all the features of the Elantra for $3000 to $4000 more than I paid. If you are looking for a car in the compact to mid- size sedan class, you must test drive an Elantra.
Just purchased it and I absolutely love it. I love the chilled compartment for your drinks and the gas mileage is great. I got the burnt orange color and I love it. Great car
Purchased car for 30,000 miles/yr. Have put 32,500 miles on car in first 12 months. Great gas mileage makes it fun to drive. Slight "re-connection" jerk when going from electric to gas motor at traffic light in Autostop mode. Two tier dashboard prevents gauges from being hidden behind steering wheel. For me, seats are not very comfortable for 3 or more continuous hours behind wheel. I purchased separate back/lumber and seat supports which helped considerably. Highly recommend set of 4 snows for winter. Gas mileage dropped from 44 to 36 during cold months in the northeast. You'll get 44 mpg at 75 mph all day long. Only problem yet was a driver window that did not close correctly.
Traded our 2002 Bean Outback. This one is a much better performer but the interior has been redesigned for the worse. Controls were moved around to accomodate the opt. Nav. screen (which should be mounted on the dash). Climate controls placed low behind gearshift, audio controls lowered. You used to be able to adjust with a glance, now you have to take your eyes off the road. No storage for cds or loose change. The ashtray barely holds a chapstick. Rear seats no longer fold truly flat. Parking brake lever intrudes on drivers right leg. Odometer/temp/etc multigauge is useless and annoying.
The Corolla has some giddie up'n go and handles well for a little car, because I like to move it through traffic, I like to shift from lane to lane, I like to find my openings, I like to time it , I like to make my move, I like to beat those yellow lights. This car can handle all of that!
Honestly, we bought our Fusion because it was priced significantly lower than the Camary and Accord. With just over 4K miles, it has exceded all of our expectations. We've averaged over 23 mpg city and 32 mpg highway, which is a bit better than EPA estimates. It drives quite well and handles very well in traffic and on turns. Our family of four just returned from a week long vacation and we were able to fit comfortably inside with all of our stuff! We've had no problems so far, although SYNC has had bad voice recognition.
I love my Altima. its a fun car to drive and very sporty looking. Even though its a 2.5 liter engine, its still has some heat. The gas mileage is great. I get compliments on the look of the car all the time. It's very well priced and it feels very luxurious. 
There is no position on the heater/AC controls that will shut off outside air from coming in through the vents, which is a problem if you live in a colder climate as I do. The wind noise overpowers conversation and the radio, the wipers make an irritating ?thunk/thunk? noise, and the outside temp/compass indicator is difficult enough to read due to a reflective glare. The seat bolsters are narrow and uncomfortable. Gas & brake pedals are too close. 
This car has been so fun to drive. Lots of reviews about the stiff ride, but that is one of the things I like about the car. Leather is very nice. Lots of fun gadgets, and voice command works very well. This car offers more for the money than any of its competitors, especially the overpriced BMW X3. If you have a family with a bunch of kids, get the GMC Acadia or Mazda CX-9 in this price-range. But for the young professional looking for an entry-level luxury SUV, this is the bomb. Even if I was willing to pay more for a car, I would still end up with the RDX, that's how much I've loved it. My wife drives a new audi, and has been jealous since I bought this. 
Got the black on black R/T with the 6 speed track pak.I love to start this car and hear the pipes rumble. I ease that clutch and she bites a chunk of pavement and begs for more road to eat up.Second day I had it we went for a 3 hour ride across the state. With 6 gears the motor breathes and sips the gasoline for 22 mpg. On the street people stare at this car like they are watching a magic trick.
I test drove just about every small car available. None drove like the Mazda 3 Grand Tourer. This vehicle is just snick, snick great. The interior especially is upscale for a small car. If you are looking for value and a not just another boring econobox check this baby out.
Lexus built IS-F to compete with BMW M3. This car is supposed to go fast and have good handling at high speed. If people want softer ride and slower car, that is what IS250 for. I say go fast or go home! :P My previous car was IS350 and I sold it to get IS-F. I love my IS350 and I love IS-F more. Faster car, very nice muscular/louder engine, 19" gunmetal wheels made by BBS and brakes by Brembos... this car hits the mark in my book. I was going to buy the new M3 but I bought this one instead. This car go so fast so quick you don't notice you are going fast until you look down on speedo. :x
Many of us have been waiting for an American car that is built with quality craftsmanship, superior performance, and smart styling. Be assured that the day has arrived- the Malibu is the real deal. I traded my '01 VW "New" Passat, and while I loved that car, it became very expenisve to maintain and was less than reliable. This car handles very similar (may even be better), has 60 more horsepower, and has similar quality feel and smart styling- all for +$2,000 less than I paid for my VW 7 years ago!! This car has lively acceleration, is very comfortable and quiet, and handles extremely well. Couple that with very smart, modern styling, an afordable price and you have a mid-size leader!
I bought this car w/ 16mi. on the odo. And put just under 2k to so far. I really like the front grille and tail lights for 09. I'm about 6'1" and it fits me perfectly. I had a 02 Eclipse and 00 Linc Continental. This Galant is perfectly wedged between those cars in terms of performance, ride quality, features, gas mileage and size. The Galant gets me from A to B with good sound from the 140w system, decent pep when passing hwys, great safety features.
The last time I had this much fun was driving my 1975 Opel Manta (imported by Buick), and the Astra (another Opel) handles even better. Previously I drove a VW Golf which my Astra with sports suspension beats hands down. It's no wonder the Astra sales have been neck and neck with Golfs in Europe for 5 years. The solid fit and finish, and classy interior rival my co-worker's BMW 5 series. It's quieter than any of the various midsize cars I've rented on trips (I can actually hear the nuances of a jazz CD at 70 mph). And what's more practical than a small hatchback? Once you read the quicky instructions, the computer controls are a snap. The best small car GM has sold.
Have had this car about a month with 1800 miles on it and I love it. It's the best of both worlds, you can just cruise or drive it hard and it responds flawlessly no matter what! The 7AT helps with the gas mileage and is fun to drive in the manual mode! Coming from a Maxima I expect the same reliability as well.
Really fun and peppy ride. The only problem I have is with the driver's seat. I'm 5'8" and find the seat extremely uncomfortable, digging into my leg underneath and my foot falls off the pedal to the right. To be expected for a compact car I guess. I wonder whether it's just me or if others are having similar experiences with the car seat? Also, there is no visibility in the front or back. Parking not easy.
My wife and I did a full research about this segment. It's true other cars, especially Japanese, have great "expert reviews", but how can you trust a website that its endorsed and have ads of this cars? After checking included accesories and of course prices, and asking real people about their experiences, we decide it for the Uplander, obviously the intention for this car it's to be used as a familiy car and to enjoy it on long trips. The day after we purchased the Uplander, (by the way Red its the best color), we made a 400 miles trip, 2 adults, 2 kids and a lot of luggage.Great ride not a problem, in general terms it's a great car, nice power a lot of safety features and full equipment.
I was hit head on by a drunk driver going about 50 mph. I just got my Subaru two months earlier, and if it weren't for that car and the grace of God, I'd be dead. I want another one just like it. The safety features worked very well, and kept all of us from being seriously injured. Consider this type of car as one of your top picks. And NO, I do not represent Subaru. This report is straight from the heart.
Jeep is an excellent value for the money, compared to similar offerings from European manufacturers. It is true that the Cherokee has less space than other off-road capable SUVs, but it has a sportier design. My former Commander offered more space, but added about 500 lbs. Fuel economy is GOOD, compared to SUVs with similar powered and performance. Seats are firm and comfortable. 
My first Subie - love it. Every morning I can't wait to get behind the wheel and slam the RPMs near red line. By the way mine is non-turbo. Took it off-roading today in the Marine Headlands and handled perfect in mud, wet grass, gravel, and pouring rain. I'm planning on putting winter Blizzacks for winter driving to Tahoe to fully appreciate the AWD. Added a bra, cargo box liner, Weathertech floor mats (a MUST), synthetic oil after 1K. This will not be my last Subie. Bring the Forester STI to the States!!
Great design with great handling. Turbo is quick with power to spare. Car has all the great options needed and a great sounding stereo. First time foreign car owner so hoping it's a good one!
A practical sports car if there ever was one. Pros: great power, great room and comfort, lots of features. Cons: Some rattles, could use nicer radio display.
So, I had to come back to Edmunds and write a review. We debated over the CC, and the somewhat comparably priced entry levels from Lexus, Infiniti, and Audi. Hard choice picking the VW over the "luxury" brands, but I have to tell you that it was definitely worth the name plate trade off. Extremely well built, solid car; very fun to drive, with a lot of pep for a 4-cylinder; like others have noted, unlike the entry level luxs, you will get plenty of looks. So many people have stopped my wife and me and asked what type of car it was, or just complimented the style and look. We bought a luxury model fully loaded (backup camera, bluetooth, nav, etc.) in the blue/gray. Would recommend to anyone. 
Was looking for something with a bit of snap. Drove the RX8/MS6 before getting into this car the torque and power. Have taken it to a track day and the stealth factor is awesome. No one knew what the car was. Taking off the MS3 badge afer this :). Highly recommended. Best car for the money.
Outstanding all around vehicle. A sheer preasure to drive. Great handling, plenty of power, good build quality, good looks inside and out. Beats the competition, hands down! I drove the others and came back and bought the MX-5 Miata! 30 mpg! The top is a work of art! Greatly enhances look of the car. Wheels may be too large in diameter - may distract from overall appearance due to size. At first sight, eyes are drawn to wheels instead of car! At second glance everything seems to mesh and look good - have mixed emotions - not sure if a 16 inch wheel might have been better aesthetically. 
I have owned my FJ for 6 months. It's ugly in a good way. The blind spot is absolutely a problem. By far the best built vehicle I?ve ever owned, the engine is smooth and flawless. I took the entire dash apart and I was entirely impressed with the fit and quality compared to other vehicles I?ve owned and worked (Jeep, GMC, Ford, SAAB and Volvo); none were as well thought out. The FJ rides like a car, cruises easily at highway speeds, has good torque and HP at low RPMs, and is a mule off-road. This is not a family car; the rear seat does not have easy access. The windshield is set far forward you have to lean forward to see the light change. Quality and finish are far beyond the competition.
This is a truely amazing vehicle. Being an avid Land Cruiser fan and not being able to afford one, when I saw it, I was instantly sold. I have read a lot about this SUV for the last 6-7 months and now I can say I don't believe most of the complaints that I read. I simply like everything about it. The rear door is an added safety feature cause I have a 5 year old and now she cannot open the door on her own and run away. She has to stay back there and wait until daddy gets out to assist her during dropping her and picking her back from school. If you are a good driver and actually 'watch' over your shoulders for blind spots, there is no problem with visibility. 
I've had my hatchback for a month now and I love it. This car is so much fun to drive. It's very roomy in the front seats for such a small car. So far I'm getting about 37 mpg which seems good to me. It's a little loud on the highway but feels very stable. I would have purchased the power package but it wasn't available in NH.
When the Z4 came out to replace the Z3, I thought they ruined the idea. It's a much different car and when you drive it, you can forget about the Z3. The lines on the car all seem to fit and have purpose, even though I'm not a fan of the Bangle designs. I bought the Z4 3.0si convertible which is a fast car and looks unbelievable with the sport package and 18" wheels. The sport package completely changes the look and driving of the car, it's a must. It's fast enough even with the auto trans which has the paddle shifters. The extended leather and premium M seats are a must too. All the options raise the price, but if you're seriously considering this car, cost is not a concern. 
The engine and transmission are fantastic. The power is smooth, ample and desceptive. The car is so quiet you don't realize how fast you are going untill you look at the speedo. The ride is smooth as silk but a bit detached. BMW550 handles way better but the interior was too plastic and cheap looking for $70K. You also have to deal with the idrive. This is luxury with muscle. 
I was going to buy a G35 but thanks to limited headroom and no help from Infiniti to improve headroom, I picked the 328i. What a machine... ordered from the factory with Prem, Sport, Xenon, Comfort Access about a month ago and I've been smiling ever since. Razor like handling, & ample power. The traction control works VERY well on wet or slushy WA roads -- no regrets for passing up the xi. 
Traded a 2005 altima. AWD needed in the hills of VT even if snow has been scarce this year it will come. First impression is vehicle feels very tightly built. Feels safe and secure. Mileage has been a resonable 25-26 mostly city with some highway during commute. Higher when just highway. Fit and Finish are excellent as usual with Honda. Down side is no storage to speak of in the main cabin area.
My Corolla drives great, I made a great choice in buying one. I plan to keep it as long as it will last, I have a feeling that will be a long time. Toyota does not play around when building their vehicles. Everything seems to be tuned to perfection.
Love this car. Owned two crv before and really love them too. But loved the exterior look of the altima, love the CVT, Boise system, quietness while driving. Traded in a Chrysler as a clunker, got a great new carLove this car. Owned two crv before and really love them too. But loved the exterior look of the altima, love the CVT, Boise system, quietness while driving. Traded in a Chrysler as a clunker, got a great new car
All i can say I love my Malibu. I did a lot of research on this car, and when I sat in it I knew it should be mine. I had also had been looking at the Ford Focus when I pulled in the Ford lot to tell them I decided on the Chevy. I received nothing but compliments.
Over the past five years I have had a total of six VW/Audi vehicles, including a 2001 GTI 1.8 Manual and a 2005 Audi A4 1.8 manual and this car blows them all away! I test drove the new A4 2.0T, as well as the Infiniti G35, and the new BMW 328xi which all are sweet, fun and capable cars however the GTI just came out even or ahead in most of the categories that are important. My decision came down to the GTI 4dr and the BMW 328xi and for the extra $17,000 for the Bimmer the decision was very easy, take the GTI and save a ton of money! The build quality is fantastic, the interior is high quality and comfortable, the car handles fantastically, the engine is extremely smooth. this car is very practical and fun!
I'm happier with this car in the one week that I've owned it than I was with my Beetle... the first car that I ever loved:) This car is much more practical for today's varied needs. The design puts safety first, and flexibility a close second. This car can be set up like a computer lounge or a comfortable ride for the dogs... I can't say enough good things about it! Also, I just went on a 400 mile trip and was comfortable the entire time listening to my Ipod through the 200 watt speakers... was never bothered with engine noise or felt like I needed to 'stand up and shake out my legs' from sitting too long. And I was smiling at the gas station!
The truck has over 30,000 miles on it and has not had any warranty repairs. No rattles, squeaks or wind noise. Nothing. This is the first time I have bought a new vehicle and not had a few problems.
I love my new RAV4. It is a kick to drive, has lots of room for my groceries, chicken feed and dogs. My only complaint is the gas mileage. I am not getting anywhere close to 27 mpg, and if anyone should, it's me. I live in a very rural area and do not do any "stop and go" driving." For a matter of fact, every tank so far has gotten worse. I started at almost 27 mpg and when I filled up today only got 22mpg. My first oil change is about 60 days away so I am hoping that the dealer can make some adjustments that will help. 
My RDX has many great technological features, however some important ones to me were left off. My TL had seat memory for the drivers seat. This was a great feature for me because people at the dealership move the seat all the time, and it takes me a week to get it perfect again. No power seat for the passenger is also missed by my wife. Drivers side mirror does not tilt down. Rear lift gate should be remote controlled both from the remote lock / unlock and the dash as the trunk was on the TL. 
What a score for Ford! The fuel economy and safety are great, but what really sold me was the interior space. I am a 6'8" 300 pound man, and this car gives me room to spare. Mix all that together with the European design and this is the best American sedan i've ever driven.
Love our 2007 Torrent! Great combination of MPG, HP, Weight, Styling and Handling. I think GM has really gotten their act together. This SUV has all the options and still is about $25,000 less than some of its competitors. Looks great and and handles great and its safe too...
After our third came around it was time to move up in terms of size with our vehicles. This is our second Honda product so no real surprises in build/material quality, which as been good so far. The van has been very functional and the power doors are great. The space within the van is excellent, as is the driving characteristics of the vehicle. Gas mileage is been in the middle 20's so far, but I will expect less during the winter. The children love the van and taking long trips has been a much more pleasant experience for the whole family.
I have only had this vehicle for about a week and I am loving it already. I had an Expedition and after filling it up for the second time that week at $85 a pop I decided to look at something smaller. I thought I would miss the space of the Expedition but I really do enjoy driving the Edge. 
I have been looking for a truck that can accommodate my family and my household items, and I did find it. My toyota Prerunner is the one. I trade my old Toyota 1995 to the one I have now. Now I own the most reliable and valuable truck. It is the smartest move I have made this year. It is the best buy if anyone consider a truck for a special needs.
This truck is absolutely gorgeous, so many compliments, rivals that of my Corvette. As far as mpg not bad for what you are driving. Drives nice but I encourage all buyers to purchase air ride! Makes your $40,000 vehicle ride like a $40K should. This is a big vehicle with lots of blind spots. Get back up camera for sure! Another problem, to lower the mid gate you have to move both front seats up a lot! Not even an option for long trips. Seats aren't as comfortable as I would like but maybe it's just me. Light in bed should be controlled by tailgate not courtesy lights. I have had a few things that seem like they need replaced but I bought mine used so might just be driven rough. I love it.
I've had this '07 G35S 6mt for just over a week and it's a just as much a thrill looking at it parked as it is to drive. I have all the available options (tech, premium, navigation packages, 4WAS, factory spoiler, splash guards, cargo net). Shifting out of 1st is getting easier and the low-end gear power is awesome - I wouldn't consider the 5 speed automatic for this beast even with the paddle shifters. My wife drives an automatic but enjoys this manual. It's very quiet on the interstate and the suspension is tight but not harsh - just what you need for a true sedan sports car. The quality is great from fit to finish - just hard to keep it under 4000 RPMs during break-in. 
I am sorry I ever bought this minivan. It was advertised by Chrysler to have power mirrors included as standard equipment, and it came without them. Chrysler will not install the mirrors at no cost to us, although it was advertised by Chrysler LLC.When I contacted Chrysler, (3 times) about no power mirrors, they told me it is the dealerships problem, however, the dealership and I agree, and we know it is Chrysler that is at fault. Chrysler will do nothing to remedy this problem, and I filed a BBB on the Chrysler LLC CO. and Chrysler would not even respond to this complaint. The body has an annoying rattle, and when you slow down to make a stop, it is audible. Also fluttering sound occurs.
The Bridgestone tires wore out at 18000 miles. The dealer said that they were out of round. They also got very noisy before they were replaced. This appears to be a HUGE problem for Honda. Their solution is keep putting tires on every 18000 miles and put up with the howling tires until they are replaced. I have talked to 2 of our friends that have the same problem. I asked the service manager if they have fixed this problem since it has been a problem since 2006 and he said "They think they have". I disagree, I KNOW THEY HAVE NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
I am a 20-year loyal Honda/Acura buyer, so I bought this car with some trepidation as I have high expectations from my cars. I am NOT sorry I bought this car four months and 4500 miles ago, trading up from my beloved Acura RL. It lives up to EVERY bit of hype heaped upon it in the auto media. It is FAST, it is QUIET inside, the interior is high-quality, and the car is STEALTHY in that cops won't notice this car AT ALL. The torque is everywhere you want it to be. There are few buttons and they are large and intuitive. I didn't buy the car for gas mileage but it sure could use another gallon in the tank. Range is 240 miles in mixed 50-50 city/freeway driving, less when fooling around.
Hello, The C30 is a marvelous little car. Those who currently own a Honda Civic and are interested in moving to the Accord would do good to test drive a C30. I have always preferred smaller cars and traded in my 1997 Civic EX Coupe with 197k on the odometer. Unfortunately Honda hasn't made any youth oriented (and purchased by youth) cars in over 10 years. Instead of waiting for the CRZ I purchased C30 instead. The build quality is far superior to the Honda Civic. You feel very safe as soon as you shut the door. The engine has great torque. You can drive around town in 4th gear from 15-50 mph without a problem. If the price is too high buy a used one and you will not regret it!
A blast to drive but a really long waiting list to buy. Interior is uncomfortable, cheap hard plastic. No trunk (you already know). This car is a toy, not a road-warrior for commuting. Don't drive it in rain or snow unless you want to spin into a ditch or tree. Make sure you have a garage to park it in!
This is my first time buying a non-GM car. Have only driven 300 miles. No problems yet. Love the way this car handles. Great acceleration and smooth ride. Was perfect to drive during a recent snowfall. Looking forward to taking this car on next backwoods camping trip. So far no regrets I didn't buy GM.
And I am really glad that I did not! I was looking for a small, light, nimble and quick roadster with a little emphasis on comfort. Lotus had the performance and the size, but was a little too severe for the street. Corvette was luxurious and fast, but a bit on the heavy side, and do you really need 425HP? Besides, the seats were dreadful for a $60K automobile. Came down to the Audi TT roadster and the Porsche Boxster? almost pulled the pin on the Porsche until I decided to drive the MX-5. What a revelation! Don?t be fooled by the engine size ? light weight combined with a willing engine and an utterly fabulous 6-speed manual box make for an incredible driving experience. No regrets!
Just got the car yesterday. I had a leased IS 250 to trade in and was looking to spend less but not downgrade too much. No buyers remorse here! (Except for my backup camera- that was nice.) I got the S model to save some cash and I don't miss the Lexus at all. The Maxima is a blast to drive and looks sleek- I got a compliment after owning it less than 24 hours. It has WAY more room than the IS but drives just as good. It has good pick-up on the highway and really turns heads. I test drove a loaded Camry SE and it just felt boring after owning the IS 250. The Maxima is a great car- I am very satisfied and can't wait to show it off. I got a great deal since it was an 09'. Go get one!
Had this car for a few weeks now. It is a wonderful car. The quality really shows. As I have trouble getting around, the electric lift gate makes loading the groceries that much easier.
I drive a lot. Have an E350 van, F250 diesel, Tribeca and this combines all of those vehicles abilities into one - and that was the point. In 3 months I have traveled 11,500 miles inc'l east to west coast r/t via Dallas. Total av gas is 16.2. Rides great on ALL surfaces. Have just towed a loaded 5 x 8 trailer and a full bed (appx 5000 lbs total) that trip alone was 1300 miles avg gas was 15.6 - bottom line this vehicle has loads of room, features, and therefore offers me 4 vehicles in one, van like space & hauling, SUV like passenger room, great gas and truck like towing. With the 4.7 V8 and an 8 ft bed I can still hit 60 in about 7.5 seconds if I need to. Best vehicle I have ever owned!!
I made the jump from the Infiniti G35 coupe to the EX35 and as some others have said, the performance and fun-to-drive factors are the same but now I've got a backseat and a trunk. The backseat is a little small for passengers but the front seating area is roomy (I'm 6 ft. 2). The technology features like the push button fold down of rear seats and push button start are enjoyable. Wind noise is a little loud both with the sunroof open or driver/passenger windows down. All in all, I'm happy I purchased this vehicle.
I traded in my Expedition on the Hemi as my teenagers are working their way out of the house (the third seat in the Ford was no longer really needed) and I wanted a smaller vehicle. I still needed a high tow capacity truck and the "if you need it, it is there" third seat. In short, the vehicle was a great buy with the rebate and had quite a few features that my Expedition did not have. Lots complain about gas mileage: I get 17.2 hwy (better than the Ford). The ride and comfort are better than the Expedition. It is also quieter. The interior needs some refinement - fit & finish is good but style could be improved to give it a higher end feel (it is slightly tacky IMO).
I really enjoy driving my Accent. For a small car it is very quiet inside. The manual 5 speed is fun to drive and provides adequate pickup.
A pleasant surprise i have an automatic XR handles better ont he corners that my 2003 mitsubishi eclipse gt --- what? i know i could not beleive it either
An excellent car. We rented the Azera for a trip around the Northwest. I was initially skeptical about having a Hyundai (even with only 7 miles on it), but that wore off immediately. We could fit 5 suitcases, a full size stroller (folded) in the trunk and two kids in the back seat comfortably. Our round trip was from Portland, around the Olympic Peninsula, to Seattle and back to Portland. Whether cruising on 101 or climbing mountain roads to over 5000 feet, the Azera gave a smooth, comfortable, and powerful ride. MPG was quite reasonable for a full size car.
Have just purchased my first Hyundai and am I immpressed with the Veracruze!! Test drove the Mercedes M class, Lexus RX, Honda Pilot, and VW before visiting the local Hyundai dealer...I felt like I was in a 40k+ SUV during the test drive, gorgeous leather, smooth (and extremely quiet) engine, phenomenal handling, and above average interior materials. With all the std safety features, warranty, third row seat,and added little features I feel like I purchased a great SUV, but also a great value. 
I have leased this Jeep since mid December of 2007 and overall I am very satisfied with it. Most impressive are the generous incentives for this vehicle and the performance of the 4.7 V8.
07 Passat sedan recently purchased (20K), looks great, handles well, but is the creekiest car I have ever owned. The dealer tried twice to fix the unacceptable noises in and around the dash/glove box/console to no avail.Is this typical for the 2007 passat? The service department said I was "very particular" even though they acknowledged that there are "minor squeaks, which, by the way, are noticeable on even the smoothest of roads.
I bought my 08 Impala Lt 3.5 V6 used with nearly 26,000 miles on it. It was in pristine shape. It runs good ONLY execpt for my excessive tire alignment problems that the factory warranty wont cover. Yea the bumper to bumper the covers "almost" everything. Other than those minor problems and the lagging power of the V6 i think it was a great buy.
We bought a 2007 Mazda5, then a 2009 Mazda5 for my wife. Now I wanted to spoil myself, and in addition to a big Ford 3/4 ton diesel pickup to tow our trailer, I wanted something nice, yet not as common and plain vanilla boring like a Honda or Toyota! The '09 Mazda6 is all new and a spectacular car, miles ahead of the competition on style, warranty and features...big value too. The Grand Touring S is near luxury, handles and performs with the class leaders, the fit and finish is world class, the pain job is layers deep and perfect. Incredible long non-copayment warranty is transferable includes a loan car when in for service. The interior is finished like an expensive business class car! 
I just got my new mitsu outlander and it is really good, the ride very smooth. my 2.4 lacks some power but that expected and is good for low mileage. CVT is my first and it is very smooth. Turning is like a sedan, information panel is quite accessible.Lots of cup holders and power outlets. Competes with CR-V and RAV4, with a good deal it is much better than both. 
Looking for an SUV with a little bit of everything; handling, fun to drive, tough, reliable, smart and gorgeous? Look no further.
This my third Suzuki in 4 years. I had the Aerio SX and the Chevy Tracker. My new Grand Vitara is like riding in a Lincoln. Fit and finish were first rate. This vehicle can "fly". I normally drive 64 mph on the interstate, but had to "kick it in" when a semi was on my tail. Before I knew it I was doing 97 mph. Sign me as "Happy in Huntsville".
I've wanted one of these since I first saw in 2005. Finally bought it as a b-day present to myself--absolutely everything I dreamed it would be! Comfortable and fun. I am a Chevrolet-gal. It's black, chrome package, chrome wheels/roof rack/running boards, gray leather, heated seats, iPod PAL, remote start, premium mats, sunroof, etc. Was going to order 2008 blue HHR, but this was too loaded to pass up and a great deal. I have had so much fun driving it and love having folks ask me about it--and I've only had it a week! Highly recommend and look forward to many fun years of driving!
Took advantage of the low lease rates offered by Toyota in December, leasing a Base AWD with just a few options including rear air. Did not need anything fancy, but wanted something for my wife that would seat seven without the size of a minivan. The ride is smooth, quiet, and comfortable. The engine/transmission is powerful and well matched. Initial quality appears high, though I have owned the vehicle for only two weeks - time will tell. Although amenities on the base model are fairly minimal, it has the basics including cruise, tilt, decent radio, and some great features. The layout of the dashboard and instrumentation is very attractive. 
Rented for the Thanksgiving week, drove about 1200 miles round trip. Before driving: A very executive, commanding looking SUV. Smart and simply elegant interior design, most everything intuitive. Driver position very nice and adjustable. Lots of nice controls on the wheel. Driving: Be easy on the gas because despite its size, this SUV will put you in the back of your seat and keep you there through the smooth shifts. Tires and shocks smooth away most jars yet you maintain a nice feel for the road. Road is nicely illuminated with the foglight combo. Aspen makes the long haul trip easy, in town driving very manageable but keep your gas card at the ready and plenty of braking room.
This is my 2nd review for this car. Its been great, the engine is smooth and responsive. The car remains a blast to drive. The 2.3 liter is responsive and economical. I am averaging around 25 mpg in mixed city and highway driving and 29.5 mpg on an 800 mile trip. You will not win any races at the stoplight against a Mustang GT, but on the highway is where this car really shines. I find myself looking for roads with alot of curves. This car takes corners like its on rails. I have also found myself, many times driving on triple digits, without realizing it. Comfort, speed, fun, economy and pure adrenalin, all rolled up into one.
PLEASE be careful when purchasing this vehicle. I am a long-time Hyundai owner, previously owning a Sonata. I recently purchase a brand new 2007 Elantra. I have had nothing but problems with it since I bought it. A week after the purchase the transmission was acting up, jerking and stalling. The service department said it was a manufacturing defect in the seal. A week later now, STILL having major transmission problems, and still stalling. Also, the left turn signal won't cancel and the service department said it worked find. I am truly disappointed in this vehicle and regret buying another Hyundai. 
The 08 Xterra Off Road is almost the perfect SUV for those of us who use it like a sport utility vehicle. It will go almost anywhere you want it to. It does ride more like a truck than other SUVs, but it also looks less like a minivan than other SUVs. You also feel like you're in a truck. The ground clearance is nice (no sharp corners anymore) and the seats make you feel like you need to duck when going into the garage. The horse power is more than you ever need on a daily basis. This is truly a rough and rugged truck. My biggest disappointment with the Xterra has been the estimated gas mileage. Sticker says 16/20, but it's more like 12/16. I get 15-16 at best on the highway.
Personally I purchased the SV Premium Package less than a week ago, and I am very pleased with the car. This car rides smooth, is great on corners, good power, body styling. I really like the CVT. Great buy!!
Great car, sound system is great, great acceleration. I'm glad the Premium package I for 2009 has bluetooth since I live in CA. Great improvement.
I've been a die hard Chevy pick-up guy and I still am, but I wanted a vehicle that was plush, comfortable, all the bells and whistles,but I wanted it as an Off road capable, as I spend alot of time afield, hunting, and I go into some very rough situations. This Jeep has out performed anything I've ever had and went everywhere the wranglers go except over huge rock, that I won't do as I want to keep this for awhile. But steep hills no matter the terrain, deep mud or snow this vehicle goes thru like it wasn't there, even places my P/U could never get thru. And I get there in comfort and quiet. By the way mine is the limited but I have the HEMI and all the bells and whistles. When we it is great
This is the second Chrysler Pacifica I've owned. I was happy with my 05 but wanted to upgrade to the 08 with 4.0L engine and 6 spd transmission. The difference with the extra power and smoother shifting is incredible. Too bad they didn't get it right initially but they have it right now, just in time to discontinue the line. What a shame, this is one of the best vehicles Chrysler has ever made. I bought one of the last of the 08 model year and hopefully it'll last a long time. The lifetime powertrain warranty should ensure that it does.
I needed an economical, dependable, third car with a rack for my longboards. It has exceded all of my expectations. I have put 5,300 miles on it in 3 months. I modified a set of INNO racks and they work great. The Focus carries a ton of stuff, 2 9 foot plus boards on top, is very fun to drive, and gets decent gas mileage (25 to 30 mpg with the PZEV). I did not expect such a versatile vehicle. Ford should consider making an "Outback" style car based on the Focus. Unfortunately, this model is discontinued. Great cheap surf car for solo trips! Excellent commuter and general purpose vehicle. Amazingly quick and agile. Highly recommend.
This car is amazing for what it is. The key part however, is "what it is". It is everything I expected. I purchased this for my wife, and If you are looking for a good gas mileage true 4x4 (and not those pesky AWD only things running around), there's nothing better. I have been so impressed that I sold my 2005 Ford and bought a patriot myself. I'm 6'9", and even with me driving a 6'6" person can fit comfortably behind me. This isn't true of most Cadillacs, more or less a compact SUV? The ESP and other features work wonders, and I honestly believe this may be the most versatile drive train on any vehicle. Not sure why they may a 2WD version though. jeep has turned it around big time! 
Having owned a 65 GT350 that was $4906 OTD it was obvious that value was not a concern as that was astronomical then. Fast forward 44 yrs. and being able to get this car for $40k is simply amazing for what it is. There is nothing made on 4 wheels that can compare for the $. Others may nit pick, build quality, mileage, or a miriad of other little things, but it all comes back to bang for the buck. I have an 07 Porsche Turbo that may, or may not be a tick quicker, handles better, and better build but is 3 of these. This car is definitely better and faster than my 65 was, but seeing restored 65's going for $300k it's not in the cards. The economy has brought these cars down to $40k new, get 1.
In my last post I mentioned that a Magnaflow exhaust system would be delivered the next day. Well, it was and it made my G8 even more fun. The exhaust made the car sound great, with out making everyday driving to noisy like other systems I have had. Another upside is that gas mileage has gone up from a average of 16.4 to 17.1 in every day commute.
The Focus ST is more than the sum of its parts. The good; 0-60 in under 8 seconds. Effortless commuting & cruising. Superb handling with a Progress 22MM rear bar and Goodyear F1 GS-D3 tires to replace the mediocre Pirellis. Rich, communicative feedback from the tight, responsive steering. Very responsive, torquey 2.3L engine. Comfortable on 6+ hour trips. Seats 4 full size adults comfortably. Slick shifting 5 speed manual with a light, smooth clutch. Huge trunk that gets bigger by folding seats. Comfortable, upright seating position. The bad; interior rattles & squeaks. Indifferent fit & finish, huge panel gaps. Below average fuel economy for the performance. 26 MPG w/73% hwy.
The Yaris was like driving a bubble, the Fit was nice but cost too much, my Versa is bigger has more power and better MPG. The only thing I would change would have been my color selection (2) which did not not make my head turn.
I have owned my Santa Fe for 3 weeks. I have always been a Ford owner, but this car made me say WOW! Solid Build, quiet ride, fuel economy exactly was the sticker claims, extremely fun to drive. I thought I would never buy a foreign vehicle, but I am sold!
I leased my E350 because of a deal that I could not pass up. My previous car was a 2000 BMW 528 w/ sport package. My E350 includes the Nav system, Sirius radio, and rear shade screen, but no sport suspension. Overall, I like the car. I never thought I would own a Mercedes. The car rides very nice on the road, but you get a floating feeling if you try to push the handling through turns. Power is more than ample and it gets relatively good gas mileage. I have got a supension squeak that occurs every time I get in the car when the car is cold. The dealer cannot seem to find, but I will give them another try. When this lease is up I will go back to a 530 BMW for better handling.
This is my second BMW, and remains the ultimate driving machine. The vehicle is response, tight, fun to drive. 
I had my first Honda Civic for 14 yrs then replaced it with another Civic several years ago. With two kids, we wanted something safer. Given the heavier weight, side curtain air bags and great crash test results, we bought the Element SC and absolutely love it. Its a lot fun to drive, handles very well, sounds solid when you close the doors, ride is quiet, looks great, safer than the previous Civic and is very functional. It has more room from the passenger seats forward than our Mazda MPV. Another very satisfied Honda customer. When will US car makers get on the ball?
Having owned all of the big three trucks and an older Toyota Tundra, I will say that the new 08 Tundra is the best truck I have ever owned. It can do it all and combined with Toyota quality and great service it's a winner. Great brakes, power, towing and lots of room. This truck is great to drive, tow and is fun off road in 4x4.
So far, so good. Owned for a week and a half and have put on a whopping 200 miles. It appears gas mileage will be a big plus, along with the hoot that we get driving this cute little booger
The Matrix has been a fun car to drive and I have enjoyed it greatly over the 2006 Corolla I traded in. I don't enjoy the 35 MPG that I did with the Corolla, but I have been averaging about 27. The car has pep as I easily find myself doing 80 in a 45 without noticing. I have been experiencing a vibration on the light console above the gear selector (Map Console?). The vibrations occur only when the sun is low or set, but will start even on a smooth road. I am chalking it up to thermal expansion of the roof when it is in the sun. Has anyone else experienced this? I can not get Toyota to fix because alas, the service department is not open when it is dark out.
We've only had our Sonata (with automatic) about one month, but we are impressed. We took it on the road for over 1,300 miles and averaged from 38-42 mpg. It rides quietly and comfortably with excellent handling in both dry and very wet weather----no brake problems. The engine seems fully competent and responds well. All systems perform as advertised. Trunk space is wonderful and the fold-down rear seat backs provide a most spacious cargo area----big enough for us to carry an antique rocker----without sacrificing cabin quietness. Of course, we had limited time with the Sonata, but so far so very good! 
Read all the car tests and test drove15 different cars. The Outback 2.5xt with manual shift just made the most sense. Very classy functional exterior design. Instrumentation better than my Audi. I'm 61 - this wagon was designed for adults but with the turbo its fun to drive-easily better than a Honda CRV. 
I was a happy owner of the 04 outlander and fell in love with the look of the 07. Got a good deal on a sun and sound package demo... I thought, until I noticed the paint chipping and rust on the bottom of the back doors. Went rounds with mitsu only to find that since this is exterior damage that occurred after the vehicle left the lot, it is considered wear and tear. I figured the person driving the demo was abusive, but have learned this is a common problem with the design. This chipping paint is going to look terrible in a year or so. The finishes on the 07 are of a much lower quality than the 04 I previously owned, which has left me with a negative impression of Mitsubishi. 
Just got a CPO with 28K miles. Drives like a dream. I opted for the sport pkg with no regrets. The only glaring disappointment was the Logic 7 Sound system which leaves a lot to be desired. My Civic SI factory upgrade system was better! For a lux car that retails for 60k new the Logics 7 system should rival Acura but falls far short on fidelity plus a boomy bass. Too bad for such a quiet car. 
Our RDX is as solid as can be. It has no problems handling grades. Matter of fact, it is tough to keep it from racing off. The car has plenty of power, is very comfortable and has excellent ergonomic design. It does eat up fuel, but I'll take its appetite over my old Maxima. It truly is amazing, Acura is in a whole different class.
We recently had to buy a new car for my wife to drive to work - about 50 miles per day, round trip. Due to Ford incentives I saved $2500 off sticker I paid $13,733 for an S version with automatic, ABS with traction control and, if you can believe this, a spare tire ($60.00). The sticker was $16,255. One savings was a $1000 "Conquest Rebate". That's given to people who own cars from competing brands. We own an 06 Corolla so we got it. Toyota had basically no incentives and a comparably equipped Corolla was going to cost me more like $15,900. A comparably equipped Civic was going to cost more than the Corolla. 
Not much experience yet but this gives insight into why we chose the VUE and our early impressions. My wife and I test drove the Outlander, Rav4, XL7, Vitara, Tuscon, Santa Fe, CR-V, CX-7, and two Kia models before choosing the VUE. The VUE felt more powerful and tracked and handled better. It felt more subtantial. The car simply feels different from the others which might be the European engineering (this is an Opel with a GM motor and rebadged as a Saturn). The interior materials and details are superior to others at this price. Acceleration is quick and effortless,the 6 speed trans is smooth,the ride quiet and smooth. Too soon to rate reliability but no problems to date.
My last car was an Infinti G35 coupe, and I traded it for a Blue CXL FWD two weeks ago and love it. They should have called it a Roadmaster: Quiet comfortable cabin, great styling, tons of room, plenty of pep, very smooth over bumps even with 19" rims (if you keep the tire pressure at 32 fr/30 rr). Excellent handling for a big SUV, much better than the Trailblazer I rented last year. So far gas mileage is not bad, 19-20 in mostly city driving, 24 on a short hwy run. Only rarely noticed trans downshift issue reported in mag reviews, but the terrain is pretty flat here. 
I purchsed this vehicle from a dealer with 20,000 miles on it. Great driving car and got it at a bargain price. I can't believe I'm actually getting over 31 MPG hiway on several trips at 65mph with cruise. Sweet! I had leather interior installed and chrome wheels. Not your average fleet. The engine is strong and tranny shifts flawlessly. Very happy with this car! Quiet, strong, smooth. I traded in a 2005 Suzuki Reno 2.0 that got worse gas mileage than this Vulcan 3.0. Go figure! 
We purchased the vw passat in candy apple white, sport package w/18" wheels, what a great looking car! The ride is exceptional, tight and confident. This feeling rises in proportion with the speedometer reading. Personal taste is subjective, but I truly believe that the lines of the passat are best accentuated when presented in candy apple white with 18" wheels. A real head turner. Odometer is approaching 10,000mi and no issues. Go for it !
I bought this truck on March 22, 2007. On May 27, 2007, I was involved in a head-on collision with my family. We were driving about 45 mph and the guy coming to me was driving a Ford Expedition (prob. driving 45 mph also). We ALL walked away from it--my wife, 7 yr old son, 5 yr old daughter, and me. I am in the process of buying another. SAFE SAFE SAFE... Features that I will get this time are a little different. I am getting LTZ, side-curtain safety package, Z71, 18" wheels. I had 17" wheels, but they seem a bit small in the wheel well. I do not like the way the 20" wheels look.
Traded in a 03 xterra, for the rogue. Thought I could save on gas. xterra was getting 16 - 18 mpg. rogue looked like a good choice, but after three fills mpg was 17 at best with 50/50 city/highway driving. long story short, I love my new 08 xterra and someone else will be getting a good deal on a USED rogue. 
I really searched and researched before I bought this car. I wanted a car that would do everything and I got it! It carries people and cargo like a champ. (Even my mountain bike without having to take off the front wheel!) It handles great and I love the CVT - really great on hills, stop and go traffic whatever you hand it. Plenty of Power. I love the cargo well in the back and the way I can flip and realign everything in a flash, on the go, no matter whatever, or whomever, comes up. The versatility is the best I have seen. This car replaces a full sized van and a Taurus and does it with style. We still have the Explorer, but more and more, we keep taking the Freebie. I love this car!
I have never owned a Toyota, so this is my first experience. The quality of this car is very impressive more than any other car I have owned. You can feel the paint on the car and can tell it has many layers of paint. The quality inside is very good. The air conditioning cools quickly and the sound system is robust. The tire pressure gauge system really works. One of my tires lost four pounds and the light on the dash came on, checked the tires and sure enought one tire was leaking so it was caught before it went flat. The keyless entry system is great, just push a button. Has controllable rear air for the back seat passengers. Car is the most quiet car I have ever owned.
Our 2009 Vibe now has 8000 miles. It has been perfect in every way. For a small engine, it scoots right along. At 75 mph on the highway it's as smooth as glass. The car gets great gas mileage. 32 mpg in mixed driving and 35 mpg on the highway. I definitely bought the right car.
I am at 9000 miles at just 6 months. so you know I am driving this car. I drive 42 miles round trip to work and take trips when I can. I love this car. It is 90 degrees now and I am comfortable with the air. I have only driven it on setting three once or twice. I usually drive with it on the first setting after letting the hot air out. I have moved an office in it so I know it has plenty of space. It is very comfortable for anyone sitting in the back. I drove 211 miles at 85 miles without stopping and got good gas mileage and made really great time. This will get you where you want to go. It might not be the fanciest car out there but for the price. It is hard to beat. Artic Blue my fav!
What a mistake. The fob hasn't worked correctly since we purchased it ? seats move, windshield washer operates un- expectantly, lift-gate opens when the remote start key is pushed... Worst yet, the engine ?seized? at 15K miles. GM replaced the engine under warranty but has done nothing to assured us that we haven?t got a lemon. In fact they have just about convinced us we do! Now we have a lag between when the accelerator is pushed and the vehicle moves, which we?ve been told is ?normal? or ?within tolerance?. Going Japanese for our next vehicle.
This vehicle is fun! The lack of features excluded at purchase can be dishearting but can be made up in the overall performance of the vehicle. In my first year of ownership, regular oil changes have maintained a smooth running vechile. The only real problems I have experienced is with the steering radius and electronic drop top. Small cosmetic pieces popping off were an issue. Thus far, the eclipse is a realiable vehicle. 
Great truck! The other makers do not compare. If you're looking for great gas mileage this is not your truck. If you're looking for reliability, resale value, power and looks this is your truck. With only 1000 miles im getting 15 mpg hwy and city.
My first MB and I now understand all the hype surrounding German engineering. The attention to details, the technology, brute performance, and respectable handling and braking for a luxury sports sedan. It will take a top of the line S600 or E65 to pass you and cost a whole lot less. I really enjoy all the conveniences and I am quickly getting a handle on the voice activated Command System. Keyless Go really is a nice feature. The AMG sport package really adds a nice touch. Operating the 7 speed auto via FI style paddle shifters really makes it feel like a performance vehicle. The safety features are not to be ignored. A fun car to drive!
I bought this car for my son, who is turning 16 in a few months. I'm considering buying one for me because it is so much fun to drive. The quality of the car is unbelievable. Test drive a Honda and Toyota then a Mazda, you will definitely be sold on the Mazda.
I currently own a 2004 Outlander, so I'm familiar with the quality of the brand. My wife traded her 2005 Subaru Outback for the 2007 XLS 4WD. We absolutely love this car. The ride is great and the vehicle is fun. I tried to talk her out of the navigation system, but we got it and it is awesome. The wheels, stereo, and of course the engine are all quite an improvement over the 2004 model. We compared it to the CR-V, Saturn, Toyota and Subaru (Outback and Tribeca) and nothing comes close to matching the engineering marvel of this vehicle. Note: there is no new car leather smell to this vehicle. The odor absorbing headliner keeps the car smelling, well, clean. Which is nice, since we have dogs. Give this car a look
I recently purchased a VW Eos with nearly a thousand miles clocked. The car has outporfomed beyond my expectation. I have owned over 30 cars in my life. The excitment can only be compared when you first got your license and your father let you driwe. The Eos has personality. It is low key, not flashy. It has quality that you see touch. It is eager to please with its smooth ride. It saves you thousands of dollars over other cars. It has the spacious comfort of a four passanger car. 
Perfect in every way. Love the headlights, tail lights, interior, exterior, and 10 spoke bicolor rims that stand out.
The is the first car I've ever truly loved. I had six requirements in buying a car, all of which were satisfied by this car: 1)buy new at less than 12 K, 2)increase in value rather than depreciate, 3)five star safety rating (and I saw the video of them smashing a smartcar into a brick wall at 70mph with virtually no damage to passenger compartment, 4)plenty of room on inside, especially head toom, 5) lots of pep, 6)good in snow, 7) good at high speed, 8)incredibly fun to drive. 9) I have averageed 41 mpg since purchase. Now, why can't we build a car like this in the U.S. so I can buy American? 
We are new to the minivan thing so i can only say moving from the 2005 Nissan Altima I am very pleased with the Quest so far. Drivability has been great, it handles very well for a minivan and has plenty of room to boot. Looking at the 06 model versus the 07, I have to say they are moving the design in the right direction on the styling.
This truck has been fantastic! I test drove many different vehicles before deciding on the Chevy. My wife and I do lots of research before even going to look at vehicles and really can't believe someone would purchase anything but a Chevy(GMC). The engine (5.3L) is really good on gas and provides loads of horsepower. The ride feels very firm and the truck's standard features are great! My buddy's Ridgeline (that he bought a week before my purchase) is a lesser truck in all areas. He regrets his purchase after riding in mine. I haven't used to roadside assistance but am happy to have it. My advice... Before buying anything else- go drive a Chevy and you will buy it. Best truck ever! This truck is perfect in all areas. Make sure you buy the 5.3 L so you can get great gas mileage and still smoke the tires. Buy the level of truck that you want. The LT1 package was good for me. Rails are a good investment.
A really good ride for an SUV. Great MPG, average about 25-26, and plenty of power for a 4 cylinder. Lots of room in front and back seats. Lots of cargo space and storage areas. Great value for all you get with base model. 
I traded in my 1995 Dodge Dakota truck for my 2007 Honda CR-V. It's been over a year since the purchase and I'm still very happy. I've owned a 1980 Honda Accord and an 1982 Civic. The CR-V reminds me of the Civic except with all the cool technology, safety equipment, and design upgrades. The handling is very smooth. I can park this thing ANYWHERE! (Unlike my old truck.) I get between 27 and 32 mpg in a mixed highway/city commute 36 miles, 5 days a week(Florida). The mpg meter really lets you see how you are driving. There was obviously a lot of thought put into the interior design of the CR-V. There is storage everywhere. Doors open wider than on other cars. Power plugs everywhere. Buy one!
First time BMW owner and I think I am spoiled already. I've had this car now for 3 days and just looking at it make me excited. Everything from how the car handles to the style is amazing!!
The review is actually for a Canadian version of Pontiac G6 SE with Performance Package (3.5L 224-hp V6, hydraulic steering, fog lights; ABS, curtain-side airbags come standard). Purchased just a month ago, and I still can't get over a very competent sporty ride, solid build, just the right suspension, firm cornering, and loads of torque for sudden acceleration. Very roomy too, and all controls are nicely placed. The car is a pleasure to look at and a joy to drive!
I was of the opinion that I would never buy another American automobile again, because of repairs, when I purchased my 2008 Toyota Corolla. The Corolla has changed my mind back to buying American. The Corolla gives a rough ride and, within 24,000 miles, has given me several problems. The problems are: poor handling in the ice and snow, loose steering, front brake assembly recall, constant rear brake adjustments, wipers that don't cycle properly, power windows that cycle properly, tires that need constant filling, squeaky frame when under load, and loose gasoline filler tube.
Nice SUV. Lots of room and very comfortable. AC blows very cold. Good exterior design. Rear seats should recline and fold down easier without removing head rests. Grab handles should not have been left out. Exterior temp would have been nice. Stereo sounds very good. Gauge cluster doesn't look Mazda at all, very Ford. Sportier steerig wheel with audio controls. Lots of standard safety features for the money. Rear brakes should have been disc not drum. Having noises from rear breaks that has been looked at by the dealer twice. Carpet in front foot wells pulling away from the door frame plastic. Very nice Mazda that feels like a Ford. Excellent value for what you get.
I will say that I looked at the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla. The Sentra was levels above on both. The Sentra with the CVT made the deal even better. Overall the Sentra had a great feel and value as well as great fuel economy.
I bought this car a few days ago and am very happy. It's fun to drive, comfortable and looks great. I love that the CD player can play MP3s. I can put several hundred MP3s on one disc and be set for a while. Although the sound quality of the stereo is not the greatest, especially when listening to AM, very muffled sounding. I also like the maintenance minder system that tells you when service is due, and what service is needed. I am definitely happy I got the EX, I love the moon roof, alloy wheels and steering wheel mounted audio controls. 
I bought a GTI with a sunroof, 18" hufeisen alloy wheels, ground effects, DSG automatic, cloth seats. I have received numerous compliments on it. Even a month later, I turn and look at it as I walk away. I love the flexibility of a hatchback. It has more back seat comfort room than my Mustang GT. It has a smoother ride than my Mustang. It has plenty of ability to maneuver in Atlanta traffic. The gas mileage is very acceptable. I am very pleased with my purchase.
This is my 10th new Ford truck since 1986 and may be the best one yet!. My last was a loaded 2005 supercrew. I had no complaints with it but just went looking to see what deals were out there and drove away with a new 09. Great gas mileage 19mpg, even here in WV. The extra 6" of cab room are very noticeable and appreciated (6'5" 350). 1100 miles no problems. Great truck 
I downgraded from a 2005 BMW 5-Series sedan because I needed a cheaper ride at this point in my life. This car is handsome, well built, and chock full of extras that cost at least $10K in the BMW 328xi that I was considering.
 I've only had this car for 2 weeks. It's so much fun to drive, and handles like a much more expensive vehicle. The ride is quiet and smooth, and the 2.4 engine provides more than enough power. The interior seems spacious and all the controls are in easy access. The interior uses alot of plastic, however it does not look or appear cheap. The seats are very comfortable in the front and rear, and the cargo space is incredible when the rear seats are folded down. The A/C blows nice and cold which is a plus, since I live in Florida. I wanted the upgraded radio, but mine has the base radio, however it sounds great. I've driven in some very heavy rain, and this car was terrific! GREAT CAR!!!
Bought the car new after test driving Honda Fit, Scion XD, 08 Matrix. Was looking for best combination of gas mileage and space. This one has it. Now have 2800 miles on the car and the worst mpg was 32, best was 34. This is daily commute into Washington DC, combination of half highway, half parking lot. 
Most professional reviews of the Dodge Caliber complain it is underpowered, has mediocre handling, and has a cheap interior. My wife and I could not disagree more. Our car is a joy to drive! The CVT and 2.0L engine rapidly accelerate the car with turbine-like smoothness. The steering is quick and responsive. The ride is firm (though was stiff when new). The car handles very well; I can't detect any body lean going around corners. The controls are quite intuitive and well thought-out. The fit'n'finish is flawless. The interior is tasteful, restrained, very comfortable, and very high quality. We haven't yet found one manufacturing defect. 27 mpg in mostly city driving. We love our Caliber!
I have had the car since 12-21-08 and am very pleased with the fit and finish. The performance is very good and I like all the standard features that are extra on many other models. The heated seats are appreciated in the winter weather. Great car for a road trip. Very good value for the money.
It is a decent little SUV, flexible enough to haul some medium packages and still fun to drive. Acceleration onto Interstates is a little noisy but adequate. Cruising is a breeze and MPG was OK at 27 for a 2000 mile trip right off the lot. Coming out of a Lexus, the ride was a little "stiff" but vehicle tracked well and cruises along at 80 or so with no problem. I would expect more from Honda - compared to the larger Hyundai Sante Fe Limited, it didn't come close to the standard features, but definitely did in price. The sticker is pretty much what they want/get. Why did I get it, because my wife liked it - enough said. Given the competition would I do it again - probably not.
Timing couldn't be more perfect. In the small cars category, Toyota brought a Europe-proven model to the US market and beats the rest in the category for value and reliability with fuel efficiency, kick in the drive and my 4-door sedan Yaris is the biggest small car at this price! Even driving at my high speed average of 82 mph on highway commute, fuel efficiency is still at good 37 mpg.
Complete "rattle box" - and as my wife notes, style is already very outdated. We drove the C350, 335 and GS350 over the weekend, all I can say is that all of these are nicer, have much better interiors. Don't let the "reliability" sales pitch sway you - we had more problems with a new TL than we did with our two other MBs. In hindsight, interior is very bland. Handling is average - feels like a box on wheels, and corners poorly (never expected so much squealing). This car is meant for 40- 50 yr olds.
I purchased the truck on Jan 5th, 09. Last day of the Red tag price. It has the heavy duty chrome grille with chrome mesh, chrome mirror caps, wheels, door and tailgate handles, carpet with all weather floor mat, cargo management system, window and bug deflector, plus deep tinted glasses and a color matched OEM hard Tonneau cover which made by fiberglass. All the chrome makes the truck looks really sharp. The manager accepted my $15000 offer, then I used $1500 GM cash to bring the price down to $13500. The MSRP was over $26000 included Tonneau cover. The truck is nice, but it would nicer if it has a V8. My co-workers didn't believe the price until they see the receipt. Overall, I am satisfied
I find the Focus wagon to be just about the right size for all my needs. It can carry 5 passengers, though the back seat might be a little cramped for large people. With the back seat folded down, it can carry a surprisely big load. It handles nicely in all traffic situations. It has plenty of get-up and go. Merging into expressway traffic is no problem at all. At highway speeds (I tend to have a heavy foot) I average about 32mpg.
Just too many issues to list here. The main ones are the suspension defects for both front and rear of vehicle. The front lower control arms busted twice on mine just from every day normal city/high-way driving - no offroad use at all! No aggressive driving either. The rear suspension sounds as something is going to break off - Also "repaired" twice... so they say. Problems still exist. This vehicle has a lot of problems and Acura refuses to work with the customer.
First Audi and after 1500 miles, I'm sold! Couldn't be happier with the drive and feel of the A4. Handles amazing, great gas mileage and an appealing look - both interior and exterior. Test drove the 325xi and not much difference - actually the interior styling and price are superior with the A4. The interior controls take a little getting used to (climate controls, audio, lights, and sunroof control).
Fantastic vehicle with a comfortable and quiet ride. This Jeep also handles great and so far I've been getting 15 mpg in town and 21 mpg on the highway
Rarely in life do I find something that actually exceeds my expectations, which were quite lofty to begin with as this was my mid life, post divorce crisis car I waited for my whole life. I have had problems with the electronics already, namely the speedo which reads WAY too high, some tire monitor and other sensors that mysteriously appear and disappear and an overwhelming heat coming from the foot area. (I had been driving it incredibly hard on some world renowned roads and had to have the air on full on the floor in 50 degree temps to NOT sweat!) BUT.. this car is fantastic. EVERY TIME I get in it I feel great. It is the best driving, quickest car I have ever been in. Period.
We just bought our 2007 Honda Accord in June of '07, and honestly it is the best vehicle we have owned yet. We had never owned a Honda before, but became interested in their reliability when the 2007 Indy Car series chose to use Honda engines, and have yet to experience a single problem with them. It is amazing. The Accord itself is very sporty on the outside, yet very luxurious on the inside for such an inexpensive base priced luxury vehicle. We owned a Chevrolet Tahoe before the Accord, but do not feel squished or that we have lowered our expectations for a sedan. If anything they have been raised by our Accord! The fuel efficiency is quite close to what Honda estimates. Very Impressive.
I purchased one or the special edition Bullitt Mustangs. What a fantastic car. Lack of emblems, no spoiler, black wheels, but the big pipes coming out of the back tells it all. Wanted a green metallic car and this is the only Mustang made in that color. Price is extremeley low for what you get and mileage much higher then expected (not great but higher then exected for this type of car). Anyone looking for a low price sports cars, check this one out. Hurry they are limited editions. 
I carefully considered the Forrester, the RDX, and the Jetta TDI wagon. I came to my senses and committed to the CRV and I'm loving it. The reviews mention a slow 0-60. I haven't noticed much lag in city traffic. The 0-35 I have to do almost every other block around town is zippy. I love the look of the redesigned CRV. They borrowed from the best. The sculpted hood, the curves and points of the headlights...very appealing. Tail-lights were transitioned from an earlier model which evoke the design of certain Volvos. Mileage is around 23 mixed. Hint: go with good gas. I noticed a remarkable drop in engine noise when I didn't skimp and that V-Tec 4 went butter soft, in a good way.
I bought the car for price and MPG, also because I haven't seen many around. It was a must to get the S package and a must to get the manual transmission for it's performance. I got the tan (bisque) interior which I think steps it up a notch from the dark alternative. I feel like I'm driving a mini Camry which is my next car in a few years.
Had a 2002 ford Explorer 6 cylinder. I feel this is a far better SUV. Getting better gas mileage with a much roomier car. And it has far better interior layout. The 3rd row seat is a dream to get into compared to other SUVs. I test drove I believe every car in this catagory. And found this to have the most practical layout inside.
After only 3 weeks and 300 km of winter grid road travel, all 4 wheelwells and all 4 mudguards are damaged. 1 mudguard has a 4" diameter hole clear through it. I am fortunate enough that my dealer is replacing all 4+4 free of charge in addition to coating them with a rubber compound calling it a "Goodwill" repair. For your information, the temperature has been ~-30C. My maximum grid road speed was always less than 100 km/hr. The odd thing is, there is basically NO gravel left on the road since it's not graded in the winter... currently the maximum particle size is only ~5mm.
I have owned this car 6 months now and absolutely love it. It is quiet, comfortable, and very fun to drive. I love the classic Mercedes exterior styling, and always am admiring the looks of the car. I also really like the fact I can run E85 in this car. I have run E85 for over half of the 13K miles I have on the car already. Yes, my mileage suffers about 30% over premium, but the cost is less, to the point of breaking even. Throttle response and power are improved on E85, so in the end it is worth it to me. The Bi-Xenon lights are incredible. Excellent on road manners, and excellent brakes. All the AMG extras you get on the 07, really make this car an excellent value.
The Impala LTZ is a solid value with good performance with the 3.9 V6, which comes from it's older brother the rock solid 3.8. Styling is nice inside and out, but I would think for the price Chevy would offer climate control, a coin holder and better outside mirrors. I opted for the LTZ over the SS, due in part to the tires are cheaper to replace, the V6 runs good enough for any need I will ever have.
America makes the best car on the road. I love it. My kids love it. Guests love it. It just plain has every feature and true luxury. And all the features work well. This car is a pleasure. Much better than my old Lexus and Mercedes.
I went to the dealership originally to replace my 07 Pontiac G6 but I saw this car and I knew that was my new baby! It drives great, looks even better, has a ton of room and on top of that it gets great gas mileage. I get about 22 in town and 33 on the interstate. I love the power of the v6 too. The only flaw with it is that I have had to get my rotors turned twice already and the grey cloth seats stain very easily. Other than that, I really can't say enough about how much I love this car!
This is the most fun car I have ever owned. My last car was a BMW 335 and the power and acceleration of the A5 is just as good. I read some reviews saying this car lacked acceleration power, so I drove test drove both the manual and the automatic. The difference was night and day. For anyone who wants a serious sports car with amazing handling, I would recommend the manual version of the A5- -while the automatic is nice, the manual drives and feels much more like the S5, but about 10K less expensive. I was considering the BMW X6, but the A5 was more fun to drive with much better gas mileage. Seriously, forget the tiptronic--only about $1200 more for auto, but a downgrade in my opinion.
Before we started shopping, we had our choice narrowed down to the Rav or the Honda CR-v. After driving each of them, the choice was simple. The Rav was quieter on the highway, less road and wind noise. Takes bumps great, and we hit 70 mph in no time. This is for our daughter in college, so we chose the base model, figuring her friends would probably borrow it, and it would be parked in lots where nicks would be inevitable. If you don't need a moonroof and auto climate control, the base model is fine. She uses the iPod hookup most of the time, so didn't need the 6 disc changer. The radio on the base is plenty good, and still has 6 speakers. 4 cylinder seems to be peppy and very responsive.
I have been eyeing the G series ever since the first one came out. My 1998 Accord finally gave me fits, so it was a chance to hop into a G35. I had a great deal on the 2008 vs. a 2009 so I decided to pull the trigger. I love the interior, and the color scheme. The Premium package is a must. I like the G35S but at $2200 more, I decided to go without. I love the way it looks, and the manu-shifting is great. Not as instantaneous as a 6MT, but I rarely race, if ever. All in all, would definitely do it again. Didn't care much for the navigation (already have an awesome $200 Garmin) and the CF slot. With an iPod and an MP3 CD player, who needs CF?
This is the first time I buy a Mazda Tribute. Was pretty impressed with the design and the interior. Has plenty of room for driver and passengers. Has some good features that are very accessible from the drivers seat. Very good on mileage and economy. 
I have had this truck for a year and a half now and it's falling apart. None of the lights work inside, I can not turn up or down the volume on the radio, the steering has gotten so loose and I could swear the tie rods are broke. I had high hopes for this truck but no go. 
My Tacoma was getting to be about 8 years old and my commute was averaging around a hundred miles a day. I needed to do something about rising gas prices so i bought this litte car. The MPG is absolutely awesome averaging about 41 mpg. I was concerned about the size of the vehicle but it is surprising how much room is really inside. I even have room for all my tools and equipment after I fold down the back seat. Simply awesome!
This is the perfect car for my needs - gas mileage plus interior space and flexibility. Very fun to drive
This 2009 Honda Pilot has been a real disappointment. With approx. 5200 miles since new in August 2008 we are not pleased with the over all quality. At less than 1000 miles the rear windshield wiper assembly flew off when I turned it on. The battery has died twice while parked with everything off. This happened at approx 3200 miles and just this week with 5000 miles. The side trim panel on the drivers side door next to the window fell off. The entire vehicle rattles and squeaks as if there were 105,000 miles on it (Our 02 SAAB & 03 VW are quiet!) The right front passenger seat is jerky when you use the forward-back adjustment. The shift lever make operating or tuning the radio uncomfortable.
Looked at Corollas for 2 yrs and could not pay the price for them because of engine noise, sloppy handling and boring looks. The 2009 S that I just bought exceeds all of my expectations. It looks great, out handles my '08 Xb with 18" wheels and TRD springs, gets outstanding city mpg (29-30), the engine is quiet and there is little cabin noise when driving, ride is exceptional for a car in this class. Love the bluetooth.
I just bought this Hemi Limited a week ago and have put 1,700 miles on it so far. It is so much more comfortable than my '06 Tacoma Double Cab, I can't believe it. The interior is outstanding, with fit and finish very good, and very quiet. The power seats are extremely comfortable, and the Sirius radio with Boston Acoustics is great. I am taking it in to see if the dealership can take care of a rattle in the dash and wind noise around the driver's side back door. The hemi has unbeleivable response, gets reasonable mileage (17.5 mpg overall)and is a blast to drive. The quadra-trac II with limited slip front and rear is truly amazing. I'm happy now, we'll see if I am a year from now.
I own a Toyota minivan. I have tried Lexus Rx and GX 470, BMW X5, Toyota 4-RUnnner and Highlander hybrids before I settle down to this ML 320 CDI. All the Toyotas and Lexuss have the similar driving trait and characteristic, includ quiet, comfort but boring. BMW is impressive for its road handling and driving capability but it is louder and coarse. Its electronics is too complicated with a lots of trouble. The Mercedes combined all those goodness plus the advantage for fuel economy. So far I got 22-24 MPG combine local and highway in the break in period. The truck is more comfort and quieter than Lexuss and Toyotas. The road handling and drivability is definitely better than Lexus and Toyota
Love this car overall. Drives really well. Gets about 24 mpg. Have had no problems with it. Hyundai dealership has been exceptionally nice to deal with. 
The FJ is a very roomy vehicle and is good for hauling around all kinds of things. The seats fold down very easy. I am part of a car pool and drive close to 100 miles a day and the FJ is very comfortable car for the three adults.
It's really a good car and all of a driving experience. I work home-office so do not use the car a lot - only 7,500 miles per year average, however, it is quite enjoyable to drive it every time I go the airport and go to pick up the kids at school.
I started out looking for a used mid size suv. Looked at due to 4,000 rebate which helped my upside down on trade in. Loved this car more than any I have owned. At first thought I made a mistake. Read alot of reviews on CX7 and other cross overs and know I made the correct choice. 
I recently went car shopping for two cars. My first one was a Nissan Versa hatchback, and the second was the '08 Yaris S type. I got a little carried away with adding things on to it like cruise, a sun roof, tinted windows, etc., and my total came out almost $4,000 more than my brand new Versa. I found that very disheartening, especially since the Versa came stock with cruise and the features I had to add. I was even told that the Yaris S type can not have power doors and locks added on. I find that very hard to believe, but that's what I ended up with. Other than the price being more and the non auto lock/window it's perfect for going around town and a little interstate.
I purchased the 2008 Cobalt because fuel at the time of purchase was at the all time high. So far I do like the vehicle, but it is terrible in snow and ice but most vehicles this size probably are. I have experienced premature wear on the drivers seat at 5000 miles and 6 months service. 
For the price you really can't get a better car. It drives like a 3 series. Has everything but nav, you get everything pretty much standard even on base trim. You cannot even compare the CR-V to this car, but if you are keeping a car 10+ years maybe the honda is the better choice. Only complaint I have is that it's now on its 7th recall, but Mazda has been great and always puts me in a CX-7 loaner.
I had very high expectations for the new Maxima that were not met. The ride is much too rough and the back seat room is absolutely terrible. I jumped the gun way too quick on this one. A little bit too sporty. It may as well have been a coupe. I'm not knocking Nissan but I am knocking the Maxima. If I could make one recommendation to anyone, lease don't purchase.
I love the way my Honda looks drives. The ride is firm, but gentle and the braking is superb! The radio in the Ex-L sounds great. I am still trying to get used to the headlight flicker that occurs at night. Not sure what is causing that, but it is not that big of an issue. The one big issue that I am experiencing has to do with the driver's seat. The seatback has a pronounced lumbar support that "forces" your back into an S. For me, this becomes painful after a few minutes of driving. So much so that I may have to trade it in for a different car if I can't get used to it.
I traded my 3 series BMW for the 08 S-GT Hatchback . Got it loaded with the Bose Audio, front Spoiler and the base accessories are mind boggling , Xenons, Leather , Roof , Power all around , heated seats . It was an outstanding value and now that they changed the body in 2009 I realize what a masterpiece of beauty this body style is. Designed By the Jaguar designer and he did a top notch job I must say. It launches with ease cruises at 90 not even breathing and has the suspension to match.After I hit 30K had the fuel injectors clean'd and the throttle body and after that the car was like new and started giving me an extra 3 mpg on the fwy with more power. Dealer said stop using 91 it worked!
Love my HHR and I won't give it up, but I hate that it has been in the shop so much. It is a blast to drive - especially since mine has the 2.2 with a 5-speed transmission. Great fuel mileage - average 27 mpg daily driving and 33 mpg on highway. Items replaced thus far, upper and lower steering shafts, front brake rotors and brake pads, radio (three times), front sway bar bushings, and body control module (related to radio issues). Running boards and Splash guards are a must if you experience winter driving conditions (protects paint on rear doors). Changed tires to Goodyear TripleTreads (Original Firestone Affinity tires were junk) and I now have better control, handling, and traction.
Just got the loaded up model, just an awesome vehicle, the lazy transmission is the only drawback to this vehicle. Learning to live with it in light of getting better gas mileage than the old pig Yukon I drove. Really nice fit and finish, GM really got this one right. Bought the carbon black and can't stop opening the door to the garage to look at it. Also found myself taking rides for no reason. Love the dash at night, looks european (audi like). Cool ride and glad I got one as that was a chore in itself. 
Wife and I love the looks. In comparison, I wanted the Acura TL which has more ponies, better leather and interior creature features. Wife loved it more than me. Imagine a $38K car without full power passenger seats. The seat/mirror/steering wheel memory is poorly designed. Instead of just pressing a button, you have to hold it in to change from one setting to another. Also, it's not activated from the remote key. No compass. The steering wheel controls for the radio and readouts are confusing and not user friendly at all. I'm in a 2yr lease and can't wait for it to expire. Better choices Lexus I250 or Acura TL or yet BMW330I 
1 of only a few manual Calibers. Had to return to dealer many times 5+ for check engine light. Bad software which was a big topic in Detroit as #2 o2 sensor was slow to respond. Finally have that fixed and brake rotors are severely warped. Sorry, warranty only good to 12000 miles. Hope some aftermarket co. soon makes good rotors!
My wife was tired of the cost of fueling up her Escalade. So after some research, we bought the Prius. We bought the upgraded level because it was closest to the features we normally get in a vehicle. We live in a rural area, so most of our driving is at speeds of 55 or higher. Great economy--average of 44-46 after 13,000miles. Comfortable, surprising cabin size. OK, it is not as comfortable as the Escalade. Nor is it a roadster like my Z4. But, it is typically the car the family takes when we go somewhere. Plenty of room, low cost of operation and maintenance. When you own this car, the price of fuel does not bother you. If you are thinking of buying a Prius - why wouldn't you???
This is a great looking truck, the best I think. That is the main reason I bought the FX4. The interior is great, has so much room in there I compare it to an SUV. Fuel economy cold be much better, and it is costly to drive these days, but as a owner of a single cab 02 V6 F150, then upgrading to this 5.4 V8, I can see that Ford did get better in its fuel economy, but hey, if you drive such a big truck, you better expect the gas to be high. I have noticed some things that i dont like about it, but all Fords at all dealerships had the problems, one being they roll back on a slope, the other being the steering wheel shakes a bit too much for my liking at speeds of about 70mph. 
 Purchased the '08 Highlander FWD on Thursday. Very solid and well built vehicle, with a powerful V-6 engine and well matched 5 speed automatic. The interior is upscale and flawless. I also have a leased '05 Sienna van, and the ride is very similar. I noticed the power steering is slightly overboosted, and could give a little more effort and road feel, but that is the nature of the electrically assisted steering, as opposed to the older hydraulic power steering. As noted by others, the liftgate is on the heavy side, and requires some effort to close. My Sienna has never been back to the dealer, I do my own oil changes and brake pads (very easy), and I expect this Toyota to be as reliable. 
After having this car for 6 months, I still am glad I bought it. I truly think with the warranty, quality, comfort etc - for a 4 door midsize sedan it is definitely a smart buy! 
Bought this car for the wife. She absolutely loves everything about it. This car is a third car for us and it is perfect for running errands and making trips to the supermarket. The build quality of this car is amazing. No quite enough power for my taste.
I have had my GXP for few months now. I had an 04 GTP and I must say that having the GXP is a big difference. The rumble from the exhaust is much greater and once you step on the gas you go. The tires are summer tires though which is a concern living in Chicago. Overall it's a blast to drive.
I have owned this car for a month now and it was definitely worth the hassle and wait. Four doors are a must. It has awesome power and handling!
I love my titan! I have owned it for a year now, and it's still running like new! It has tons of power, and will eat most American trucks off the line. Traveled from MS to OK to TX and back and wasn't fatigued at all, very comfortable ride. I have eased off the gas pedal alittle and usually get around 15-16 city, and 18-19 hwy. I have towed boats, trailers with no problems what so ever. All in all the only thing I would've changed would be to get the 4x4 model for when I go up to MN in the snowy winters that's all. Great Truck at a better price than you'll find at the competitors! 
I purchased my Sport Trac a month ago and I've been nothing but impressed with the truck. The bed is awesome, I can put groceries in it and use it as a trunk or load items in it like a bed, as I have done both. The ride is very quite and smooth, you have to get the V8, which is powerful and quiet. The gas mileage, so far, is about what I expected and I anticipate about 13- 15 mpg in town and 18-20 on the hwy. These trucks can be a car, truck and SUV, all in one. Best vehicle purchase I've ever made and I've had Toyota, Nissan, Ford and others. 
Have had Civic Hybrid for 5 weeks. Avg mpg is 22!!! ? hwy up to 44 mpg but gen'ly 39. City and overall avg ends up at 20-22. I drove a Honda Insight hybrid on same roads for the last five and a half years. Hwy was 69-70 mpg with max of 83. City was more like 39 mpg. The point is, I am a hybrid driver. Insight was stick. Civic automatic. Can't imagine I'm doing something so wrong to get less mpg than most small cars, much less what hybrid should get. Any thoughts from anyone? Brought it into dealer twice. They said they got 35 city/44 hwy in 10 mile test drive. I have driven 1000 miles now, with a continuous avg of 20-22 city. With heat on or off. looking for answers
Just bought a Yaris as a commuter car and just love it. Comfortable, even for those with long legs, and really zippy. Handling a long, hilly commute at highway speeds without any trouble. Already enjoying the great gas mileage and my reduced expenses!
This is not a SUV as they claim, it is a car with more headroom. Make sure you check the A/C. Very weak - a 4 cylinder engine is too weak for this car.
My wife and I originally searched for a new Jeep to replace the lease we had. We did our research and looked at the Tribeca and loved the interior among many other things. We ended up buying the 5 passenger SE. It definitely has more interior room than our 06 Jeep Commander. You can't find a comparable vehicle for the price, quality and reliability. The vehicle has great pick-up and drives very smooth. Save your time and go look at the Tribeca. You won't be disappointed.
After trading in my 2005 Scion xA, I took my new 2007 tC out for a test drive on Bartlett Dam Rd. outside Phoenix, AZ. It handled the twisting, hilly roads with no problems. The cornering was almost flawless, due to sand on the road, but it handled wonderfully. The tC accelerates quickly and definitely shows it has power to spare. Fair warning, It's easy to spin the tires when power shifting into 2nd gear.
This is the best vehicle I have ever owned. It just fits. Has everything you need. Easy to drive and move about. Love the way it feels as you tool around town. It is well appointed. Get one!
I'm 48. After many years of sports cars and pick-ups, including my last Chevy S-10,which literally fell apart at 70,000 miles, I bought a new Sonata. I am a family man, with daughters 11 and 8. My wife drives a van. So, I decided to be practical -- buy a family sedan with good ratings and few frills. It came down to a Sonata or Honda Accord. I liked the Sonata better after test drives (the base Accord had a weird dash with giant radio call numbers) -- and it was $3,600 less. So far I like it, though there may be a 'thump' underneath. I liked the S-10 new too for a while, but quickly problems arose and I was profoundly disappointed overall. No more union- made cars for me.
I bought this after looking at Audi Q7, Infiniti FX, Lexus. This has more bang for the buck and is just plain fun to drive. This interior is awesome, great leather. For those of you who are complaining that you can't listen to the radio unless the car is running - if you push the Start button twice without putting your foot on the brake, all your accessories will work. (this from a 60 year old grandmother). I love the heated seats - kept them on low on a 560 mile drive and my back felt great when I arrived. I make excuses to drive it! Gas mileage is right wt EPS est. so far (4000+miles).
No problems until now, poor air conditioning, good acceleration, poor dashboard gauges, to evaluate reliability I will wait to put more miles on it but we drive 2000 miles to Texas and no problems
Wrote my first review 11/08 when Flex was first purchased. Flex (Ford) has made a believer of me. I am a retired automobile sales representative and sold and drove imports.(Honda,Toyota, Nissan). Without hesitation, I would put the quality, reliability and ride of Flex against any of them. I keep looking to find some small flaw, but so far-nothing have shown. I couldn't see any way the Flex could have been improved, but Ford managed to do it with the 2010 Flex. I have never in my life been so impressed with any one car. P.S. I sold and drove the imports for almost 30 years. 
A very impressive auto. Have driven over a week, 550 miles on one tank, 36-37 MPG, mostly highway. All the fuel saving feedback really has an effect on how you drive, which is a positive for me--I was something of a leadfoot. Leather seats are quite comfortable. Plenty of room, even with sunroof, for tall driver. Quiet on freeway, and particularly at lower speeds; it starts nearly silently. Good sound system adjusts to what road noise there is. Just as much pickup as my 2000 Accord SE 4 cyl.; no problem keeping up on highway. Bluetooth is cool; so is nav, but still learning how to use it. Really a technologically impressive vehicle for $30K. At least as cool as my relative's Lexus.
I have owned a 2001 330i for 4 years and have loved the car. During my research for a replacement I felt I should look at Infiniti as well as BMW (335 vs. G37). Both are great cars and if you go by just the professional drivers reviews from the magazines you might lean toward the more expensive BMW (I was). I drove them both and at the end of the day I felt the ride quality, interior layout, technology, unique exterior, and "grin factor" of the G37 to be superior to the 335. These are the things that matter to me. In addition, in the real world you will never notice or take advantage of any perceived performance advantages either vehicle might have. So, more vehicle for for 8k less..YES!
I've owned Toyotas for 20 years and love my Prius, but Toyota blew it with the Highlander Hybrid. It's too big and the mileage just isn't good enough. In college I swore I'd never own another American car, but the Escape Hybrid turned me around. It's brilliant. With the 4WD it goes anywhere I want including rough dirt roads and deep snow.... and it gets 50% better mileage than my old 4- runner. I've tried to break it. I took it fast and fully loaded up a steep mountain highway to see if I could run the battery down.... no way. It just works. I get an honest 28-30 MPG average with the 4WD. Avoid the factory Nav system. Buy a Garmin instead.
My third VW, I've gone from Jetta to Passat and now to CC. In the transitions I was a bit disappointed in the Passat (like most 90's VWs, it had its electrical problems). The CC restores my faith in VW. My wife is a BMW gal and she loves this car. The ride (in stop-and-go, on country roads or highway) is a lot tighter than her 535. The standard features are incredible (could use a better sunroof though) for a car in this price range and the tires and rims that come standard need absolutely no upgrade. Within the first two months every single person who rides with me in this car or even sees the car in a parking lot asks about it. I would definitely recommend this, just negotiate a good price
This really is a fantastic car. The cargo hold is massive for a mid-size vehicle and interior passenger space is impressive plus it is really quite easy to get a child seat attached in the rear seat with little issue and it fits very firmly. The car is a blast to drive when you push it (no wagon should be this fast or corner this well). The build quality is also fantastic with super-soft leather and fantastic fit and finish. Gas mileage is also remarkably decent for a 507-hp V8. 
I purchased the 2WD LTZ approx 2 weeks ago. This is the first Tahoe I have ever owned. I frequently trade cars and have had several SUV's. In the past 6yrs I have had a Yukon, Yukon XL, and a Denali. This vehicle is light years ahead of any I have ever owned. It makes the inside of a Denali look like it came out of the 70's. The interior is roomy, seats are very comfortable. Handling is great for such a large vehicle, and the ride is very smooth. The fuel management feature of shutting down half the engine is an excellent idea. Cant even feel when it happens. I wish I could drive it more, but I can't seem to get my wife out of it. Won't be trading this one anytime soon, it's a keeper.
I got my SC in Galaxy Gray. I love it. It has style, and safety. Great handling. I wish it was a bit FASTER!, but for a 4 Cylinder it has pretty good kick off the line. The lower suspension than the other models is cool. but you feel the bumps more than you would like. Buttons are all easy to understand and perfectly placed. Glove box too small, but you get plenty of nooks and crannies to put your stuff at.
Vehicle drives and handles great overall. Car had tendency to pull to right while driving. Dealer re-balanced tires and realigned front end on several occasions,but vehicle still had slight pull to right. Around 15,000 miles, car started making a roaring sound while driving (sound like excessive road noise). When I took the car in for the 15,000 mile checkup, dealer informed me that tires needed changing. Dealer said Lexus cars come equipped with low quality tires (Goodyear). Replaced the Goodyear tires with Michelin tires which were recommended by the dealer. By the way, I had to pay for two of the new Michelin tires. Never had a tire wear out in 15,000 miles (40 year driver).
I had a hard time finding the special edition here in SoCal. When I found one for sale, I went to see it, and it was beautiful. The light blue doesn't seem too feminine for me. I love the contrast of the brown leather against the blue exterior. The car handles beautifully, and is always a blast to drive. It has rained 4 days since I bought it, and those days are the only time that the top has been up. The manual top is just perfect, easy up and easy down from a seating position. Throttle response is great especially when merging onto a highway. But the real treat this car delivers is the steering. Near perfect! Lotus Elise is the only car with better steering than Miata.
Hyundai had a fire sale and I purchased the Sonata Limited with the I4 and no sunroof for $17,465.00. Wonderful car much to like. Great comfort, great price, great warranty, and you owe it to yourself to take advantage of the sale.
So I bought this car in April and just got it back the other day after it being fixed for a month. At the end of May I was on the Interstate and hit a deer in the left lane...Airbags went off and I spun into the middle lane because the deer hit me from the side/quarterpanel. The airbags didn't hurt me. I was fine, and I was lucky, but I think this car kept me safe because it pretty much crunched in to absorb all the impact. I was sad to see my brand new car smashed up but I was OK, and now it's fixed so it doesn't matter. I had a Jetta when I was 17 and got into an accident with that too. They are built to keep you safe. 
Honestly, I just bought the car for an UNBELIEVABLE price. My out the door price was almost $2000 UNDER invoice! This included tax, tags, title....everything! I wanted to get an '08 4-cyl. because of the $3000 rebate they were offering, but no one had any left, so I "settled" for an '09 for a few hundred dollars more. I'm really glad I did. I love the new interior compared to the '08's, and the extra horsepower and better fuel economy are just added bonuses. I'm used to the old days of smaller cars with better fuel mileage, but the Sonata doesn't do bad for a mid-size car. If it's anywhere near as reliable as C******** R****** says it is, we should be enjoying this car for many years.
I bought a brand new 2007 model in Nov 2006 paying a high premium. In a year, I have come across these problems: (1) One day, the computer broke (went out of order) by itself and the car totally stopped. I had to get it towed to the dealer who fixed the necessary hardware & codes taking 3-4 days. But if this would have happened during one of my journeys to Canada, what would have been my fate? (2) The driver and front passenger seats are horribly uncomfortable. We feel as if we are sitting on a wooden bench without any cushion. In a drive of 30 minutes, you would like to get off the seat because of the pain it gives. Also, arm-rests are not provided. I am not at all happy with Toyota.
This is a great car for the money. It is a sporty hatchback that is quite roomy inside and big enough to haul all my "stuff". Didn't want an SUV but did want the convenience of a hatchback. I test drove all cars in this class and this one won hands down. I averaged 32 on the highway recently and in the city around 28. The Touring also has great safety features.
The X5 with the V8 has nice acceleration and a throaty growl. The ride is noticeably harsher than our MB GL450 and neither really exhibits excessive body roll. On worn highways I often try to drive to the side to get a smoother ride. I really regret getting the side aluminum running boards, they make it much more difficult to get in and out. While many reviews say the iDrive is easy to learn, I sure wish BMW would add more dedicated buttons. The GL450 is much easier to use to access the map, radio, etc.
While the size and design were hurdles in choosing it, the Yaris has proved me wrong. Quick, capable, and incredibly fuel efficient, the car has won me over. Even my tall (6'8") friend was able to fit comfortably in the front seat on a long drive. The back seat is roomier than one might expect, and there are plenty of compartments to hold things. Definitely a good car to consider, if you don't carry a lot of people/goods on a general basis. Excellent commuter car.
I traded in my 1999 Mazda Protg? for this 2007 Honda Civic LX and it?s a vast improvement over my old Protg which was a car that I really liked. The Civic has a much more sophisticated feel, handles extremely well, and has a sporty space ship-like interior. The gas mileage seems to be about the same as the Protg, but it?s a slightly roomier car, so that not an issue. I?m glad they put the speedometer out so far on the dash, because I find myself going faster than I think I?m going and it?s easy to see my speed and slow down before I get pulled over. I do find that the long dash causes a reflection on the long windshield, it helps to use polarized sun glasses during the day.
After being disappointed by the arrival of a few new "super cars", my wife steered me toward Mazda. Not since I drove my first sports car at 18 - a long time ago - have I taken so much to a car. The drive position, steering feel, throttle/steering coordination and world class brakes were all something from the "Sorceror's Apprentice". And the glove box is more the size of a small suitcase; you can actually store stuff. In short, although I was considering Japanese and German sports sedans at almost twice the price, this car put an end to that insanity. Why not spend half the money for same dose of fun - plus the bonus of made in Japan build quality. I did - not so stupid after all.
No question that the Xterra is fun to drive; it is rugged and has presence. Keep in mind that this SUV is built for an active lifestyle and all of its features and capabilities are on target. Vehicle handles well, sport-like in how responsive it is when weaving in and out of traffic. Smooth ride, even on uneven pavement. Truck-like in that the engine is more than enough output, very quick acceleration, powerful V6. Interior space is a bit tight, comfortable for 4. Cloth seats are comfortable and make sense for those X-treme adventures. You are seated high in the cabin, but rear seats are too upright. Lots of plastic used in the interior, but it's the best (real) SUV bargain. 
I am a large individual. and i was driving an F-150, but my new job forced me to get a new car because of the mileage. I drive 140 miles roundtrip to and from work. I was looking for something roomy yet good on gas. I almost got a Ford Escape but the driver seat is set too high for the driver view. So I found myself looking at the Saturn VUE, and i must say it is a blast to drive. If you step on it it goes. It helps with that Honda 3.5v6. Very nice. I love it. No regrets.
I replaced a 2002 DTS with this Avalon Limited. It is light years ahead of the caddy. Ride,detail, handling. I have everything except nav because I use a portable GPS. The laser cruise control is awesome once you get use to it. I will have the body side molding installed once Toyota finds a new vendor. We also own a 2002 Highlander and Toyota quality and service cannot be matched. This is the best value on the road for a quality full size vehicle. I have driven the lexus and aside from expensive options this car is as good as if not better than the Lexus. I also love the fact I don't have to carry my keys only the fob to open and start the car.
I purchased my pilot 3 weeks ago. It is so fun to drive and very comfortable. You can't beat a Honda. The turn radius is exceptional. Love the back up camera.
Just picked it up today in liquid platinum. Wasn't looking into all the different packages. The journey comes with everything a person can need and despite not having moonroof, a 6-disc in dash changer with mp3 capability along with a roaring 306hp was all I needed and wanted. Fell in love with back in april and finally made a great deal on it. Hoping for it to be a great car for a while to come!
This car is very smooth and quiet and has nice power. The styling is smooth inside and out, very rakish looking from the rear. I have not put a lot of miles on it yet, but I am impressed by it. It has pretty well met my expectations, it's a Lexus all the way.
The new Sequoia is a great SUV. I used to be a GM truck guy, but had so many reliability and customer service problems that I finally conducted a fair assessment of the large SUVs available and the Sequoia came out on top. It handles great (not like the 5,900 pound SUV that it is), looks great, and the time is right to buy.
This is my 3rd Chevy truck and I can't believe the upgrades. My last was an 04 Crew Z71 4x4. A nice truck, but it is no comparison to this truck. Fit and finish is superb, ergonomics are awesome. Ride is phenomenal. Enough adjectives. Early on, it's a really nice upgrade to the previous generation "workmanlike" truck. I'll have to wait and see on reliability, my 04 had it share of issues in the early going, but I'm loyal to Chevy. 
This purchase was a no brainer. I previously owned a Hyundai Santa Fe and although happy with it I was ready to move up and experience the best. A peasure to drive, handles well in town and just cruises along at 65/75 on the interstates. Fuel mileage is very good, over 26 MPG on the open roads. Around town it can muster up 16/17. 
After over a year of researching, test driving and contemplating, finally chose a CPO MB to replace my older '98 MB E320. Compared Lexus ES350, GS350, A6, Acura TL, RL, Infiniti M35, G35 None of those vehicles came close to matching the REFINEMENT of even my old E320! Love the balance of luxury and sport, plus beautiful lines. Sound system is fantastic, Command is intuitive. 4-wheel has come in handy already.
Great car until I would shift gears on the interstate (5 speed manual)and the clutch would just lay on the floor- flat! I loved everything else about the car so I traded it for a 2009 Sonata automatic. No problems now with the car. Of course, I took a beating on my trade-in.
This car is amazing! I have a 1999 tiburon - which I love. That was the best car I have ever had - so I knew I wanted another Hyundai. I was looking at the sonata - then I spotted Azzy. There was no going back! The price - for all the features was terrific. I did look at the Genesis - just for fun - but to tell the Truth - I still preferred the azera. I have had no problem with the suspension. Best of all-this is a car that "fits" me. The controls for the seats - with a memory is amazing - and the pedals move too! I don't have to try to get my seat perfect time and time again after "he" drives it. "He" insists he loves his ugly Chevy truck - but he jumps in my car every chance he gets!
Researched fully, then bought. On the 30-mile ride home felt sure it was a mistake. Weird feeling, strange steering and braking, odd visibility, felt every bump in road. Gloom. Other cars in family are Expedition, Explorer, Focus, all recent models. Two days later I can't stand to drive them anymore! Point is, the Prius takes a bit of adjustment, like a new style of clothing you are not sure is you. V8 love is replaced with unexpected delight in the hybrid system. Controls, shifter, keyless entry are take 48 hours to get to know. I am really surprised how much fun this thing is to drive. I wish I knew whether the Touring suspension tweaks are worth it - drive the standard too.
I absolutely love this vehicle! After shopping around, we decided on a Journey for its combination of basic features and price. Our red V6 R/T cruises effortlessly, noiselessly and comfortably. It sits 7 and the layout is ingenious. Elegant, less nerd than a mini van. Fun and well designed. Wholeheartedly recommend.
This is my second day with this "CUV" and can tell already (as long as no problems come up) that it will be in the family for at least the next 5-6 years. It's comfortable, rides smooth, and it has all the space in the world as far as cargo. We test drove the comp. (rav4, santa fe, equinox, forester) and this was it - the Outlander took the prize.
I've been a driver of a Ford Ranger for the last 18 years (2 different trucks). My driving needs changed in the last 6 months and I needed a car. I looked at many different vehicles, Mini Cooper, VW, BMW, GM, and Dodge. For the price, features, and performance to my needs the Focus was the best choice for me. I was very pleased upon getting in and out of the vehicle that it was at a comfortable level. Coming from a truck I didn't want the vehicle to be to low to the ground. The gas mileage has been great. I drive about 90 miles round trip to work now and it's a combination of highway and city driving. I've been getting over 34 mpg. The ability to use my iPod with the sync system is great.
We mulled it over for a while, to buy or not to buy just for a sometime driver. So I bought first Ford in many years (1990 was last). Loved the body style so bought just for body style, not as a daily driver. It has become my daily driver, parking my 02 V8 Tundra. Just made a 600 mile trip and averaged 30 MPG hwy at 70 MPH. Impressed with V6 power. It is plenty for me. Comfort is not great, cabin is not quite (primarily engine noise), but it is what it is, not a luxury car, not a speed burner, but good dependable transportation with style. 
There are some things I would change, such as the manual seat adjusters and manual steering wheel adjuster (I was spoiled in my last car). My boyfriend likes when we take my car out some evenings (he has a large SUV), because we can park more easily and in smaller "parking spaces". You can hear the traveling noise at higher speeds, but that doesn't matter much to myself. Knowing that I get really good gas mileage makes up for that.
We love the roominess of the interior plus the storage is great. It has more cupholders than all of my previous cars combined (6 cars). I love the high seating that doesn't require me to climb up into it. We did have the check engine light come on after the first fill-up due to not tightening the cap correctly, but no problems since. I do mostly city driving and have gotten between 19 and 21 mpg. I like having the multiple 12v ports, espcially having one in the back that we can use for our electic cooler or a car vac. No complaints about wind noise. We had a very thorough test drive with this vechicle before buying it so we could dectedt any obvious flaws or even not so obvious. Great car.
Favorite car I have ever owned. Considered and test drove many other high end cars, but wisely chose the FX. It's an eye catcher on the main roads, and a performing BEAST on the back roads!
I love this SUV. I had a jeep and traded for this for fuel economy. I averaged over 26 mph on a 1000 mile trip. I don't like the excess engine noise when cold. Seats are hard but for a smaller person comfortable. Performance is better than Pontiac gt with 3.8. Some wind noise but have a Lexus also and it's quiet. Great steering response in the mountains where I live. Corners not a problem. I got a lifetime drivetrain warranty from the dealer for free as long as he does the service. 
My husband and i are military, so we have a lot of traveling! we needed something big enough for a growing family. my dad has a 06' and he LOVES it so we bought one and this car is the ANSWER! I get about 22/31 which is great for this size of car! we love it
This car is a complete joy to drive. This is my first true sports sedan and I love it. So far I have received multiple unsolicited compliments driving this car around town. Fun and practical. The back seat and trunk are bigger than my last vehicle, 2006 Buick LaCrosse CXS. 
I've had my 2008 Hybrid for about 2 months. I avg'ed 33.5 mpg for first few tanks; last tank 35.6 mpg. I drive pretty quick. Mix of city/suburban/freeway driving. I'm 6'3" and I am very comfortable driving. It is quiet, surprisingly quick and really a nice car. 
During the test drive, I was somewhat skeptical. But after 20 minutes on the road, I realized this is a really nice car. Maybe not as quick as some, but the looks are super. The vehicle handles extremely well. The mileage is good as long as you don't get heavy on the gas pedal. The interior is a little stark but functional. I must admit for the money the vehicle is road worthy and I am happy with my choice.
The Rondo is roomy, excellent for elderly parents to get in and out of, okay on gas, looks great and handles well. However, I am taking it back for repairs for the third time for the gear shift locking, the ESC light coming on and off, the brake does not disengage the cruise control (very scary) and now the cover on the steering wheel that covers the air bag has come loose and rattles. But, still would recommend the car for other features. Hopefully the dealership can fix these problems for good this time. Did I get the only lemon? After having the 2004 Optima, I was very impressed with Kia and its warranty program.
I've had my 3.5 SE coupe for 6 months now and really love it! My favorite feature is the CVT in the shift mode - lots of fun to drive out here in the country. Haven't had any mechanical problems but only has 5,000 miles on it. Drove it all winter and had no problems with the snow (live in Toledo Ohio so we've had our share). Everyone in work loves the way it looks - precision gray with black leather. Car is a little nosier on the highway than my Monte Carlo SS was but this is my first foreign car so I guess I need to get used to it. Salesman didn't tell me the car needs to run on high test gas - gets about 21 mpg city/hw 
Oh what fun it is to ride... knowing you're surrounded by all those safety features! Had the C30 for a month and love it. The seats are unbelievably comfy and the front legroom is spacious (if no one is in the back seat). If you have a dog check to see if he can get climb up the hatch because is quite high off the ground. Power and handling are super. Engine and transmission feel responsive yet flexible; can shift from 2nd straight to 6th gear on freeway, no problem. Clutch is easy to push, won't fatigue leg. Stock stereo is powerful and has aux input for any mp3 player. Cabin storage a little tight but helps with clutter. Altogether a nice car, I'm very happy with my purchase. 
This vehicle is great! The build quality and rigidity are excellent and it is more comfortable than my old Cadillac Escalade! The reliability has been excellent as well, though that is to be expected from a VW. I have had no problems whatsoever. I already have almost 7,000 miles on it and it runs very well. The gas mileage isn't perfect, but considering the fact that the vehicle is built better than a tank and tows 7,700 lbs, I don't mind. The V6 is not the most athletic of engines, but the V8 is too much for me and I couldn't justify paying almost $70,000 (with options) for the V10 TDI, but it has plenty of power and is very smooth, as is the tranny. Buy one! They don't fail to satisfy!
I am very pleased with the Acadia. I have owned two minivans, four japanese imports, and one German, and the Acadia is the best. I took it on a trip and put 2500 miles on it in one week and rode like a luxury vehicle. The options are comparable with luxury brands without the cost. The mileage is respectable, giving me 14.7 per gallon in mostly city driving. I love the XM and comfort of the seating, as I am 6 feet and over 300 pounds. 
I have loved this car since it was introduced in 2006 and when I got the chance to get a new car, I immediately looked for a Fusion. It's a great car, fun to drive and very reliable It packs a large punch that you might not expect from a V4.
Just got this truck. Had to order to get it the way I wanted it, and it was worth the wait. Smooth ride, comfortable to drive in bumper to bumper traffic. Almost loaded up. No nav or DVD but the kids aren't in long enough to watch movies anyway. Silver Birch Metallic, black leather perfect!
 The gas consumption is terrible. 14 mph not driving over 55. The tire monitoring system we can do without it. The split seats are uncomfortable, what was wrong with the bench seat. With the new design there is no room behind the seat for any items. The jack cannot be replaced to its position behind the passenger seat without being a contortionist. The jack is totally inadequate I used it once and was fearful the truck would fall. I found a scissor jack at a thrift to replace the factory jack. The controls for the ac are way to exotic. Don't need auto head lights, I know when it dark, the truck and controls are just too complicated. I am one sorry dude for buying this. I want my 94 GMC back 
Wow! So much to say, so little space. I have been looking and researching this segment for nearly five years. I really wanted a Tacoma, but even with the low car sales plaguing the industry, Toyota didn't want to play. Honda immediately offered me an incredible deal on this 08 RTS that I didn't need any more incentive- I snatched it up. This is an incredibly smart truck- all space is usable; seats are comfortable, even in the back where I was concerned most because this often overlooked space is easiest to get cheapest attention (Chevy Colorado). Absolutely the smartest design in this category (if you're looking for heavy hauling, look to full size trucks); fits me like a glove. LUV IT!
I have owned the 2008 Kia Optima for a few weeks now. I understand it may take a while to break in a new car and improve gas mileage. So far I am averaging between 26 and 30 mpg. Highway of course is outstanding. I am overall happy with my purchase. Its somewhat of an adjustment coming down from a Toyota Avalon. However, I am very happy with the balance between luxury and economy in the Kia. The interior and exterior appearance are definitely luxury. The ride and price is definitely economy. So keep that in mind. The experience buying the car was excellent. The best way to work is to put a small deposit on your car, and write up the Purchase and sale, then shop 2-3 dealers. Happy days!
I just traded in a 1999 Corolla CE for a new 2009 LE. I feel the handling, acceleration, etc is about the same as the old car. On the plus side, the new car is a little larger, has less road noise and seats are a lot more comfortable. On the negative side is the new steering system. The car does seem to drift when your driving on the highway. I don't seem to notice it as much when I'm driving locally on side roads, etc. Other then that it seems like a decent car for the $$.
We just bought this van and all I have to saw is that we are surprised. This van substituted my wife's 2005 VW Passat Wagon (which we loved), but we needed more space for the kids. I must admit that I was concerned about buying american, but after seeing the price and the initial reviews we decided to give it a try. All I can say is, wow. I was impressed by the looks, quality and overall feel of the vehicel. It does not corner like a sporty sedan, but it is comfortable on the roads. The traction control and brake assist are Awsome. My wife has driven through a few rain storms and she reporetd that she felt the car's braking and handling in the rain we just like her old passat :).
The R32 is quick and fun to drive, but I expected more improvements over my 2004 R32. I think the 04 had a better exaust and certainly got better mileage. The seats seem cheap compared to the 04 which had stitching on the R. It just seems VW did less than was expected after having an 04. Maybe the GTI has gotten far better and the R32 needed to excell even more. I also had an 20T GTI with DSG. Compared to other cars the R32 is above the crowd.
I have had my CRV for about a week and have put on about 600 miles. The fuel economy stinks for a 4 cylinder! I am averaging just around 20 MPG. The average meter moves up very slowly on the freeways and I seemed to max out at 21 MPG. However, it plummets rapidly when driving in the city getting around 15MPG. This is a lot worse than the 2008 Equinox that I was driving and it was a V6 with a lot more power and interior room. The other reviews are correct about the limited storage option in the CRV. Honda really needs to put in a coin holder. The three slots that are at knee level are small and difficult to access. Actually, they are kind of useless. 
Have had my v6 FWD for a few weeks now and I'm very impressed. I love the look with the 20' wheels, and the overall exterior look is similar to cars much more expensive. The interior is sharp, well-thought out and attractive. I'm 6'3'' and fit very nicely in the car. Back seat space is fantastic and helped by reclining seats. I couldn't be happier with this car. 
This is really a great car - it is fun to drive, has a very smooth ride, and handles turns and corners very well. It picks up speed very fast and the Tiptronic transmission is great for people who like to drive. I am very impressed that Volkswagen has taken the initiative to make so many safety features standard and my insurance went DOWN after purchasing a brand new car. It is great - I love the styling and it's just a lot of fun.
Had owned a 2002 Mazda Protege ES. That car was such a well controlled handler, but was starting to get too punishing on midwestern roads hammered by a hard winter. The 08 Mazda6 is almost as fun to whip around as the Protege, but a much easier car to live with - better balance between fun and comfort. But of course handling still beats the pants off an Accord or (yawn) Camry! Size was just-right for me, and comfy enough in back that I don't feel guilty putting passengers back there like I used to.
This little car is fun to drive, even when trying to maximize gas mileage. You can easily get 40 MPG if you drive with a little skill and control. If you drive the way the government does when testing gas mileage (50 miles per hour on a flat road with no wind) you can get 50 MPG.
Ventured back to Mazda after reading all the reviews on SUV/CV market and love the CX-9. Purchased Touring AWD on 1/11/08, and have about 5500 miles on it. Smoothest and quietest ride ever, great stereo, a real joy. Makes my wife's Camry XLE seem awfully loud and rough riding in comparison. Only drawbacks... avg about 16-17 mpg in town, and 18-20 on highway. With a 20 gal tank range is nothing more than 350 miles. Only needs reg gas though so some savings here. But no trip computer. Overall, I would buy again... a real joy to drive. Not a single issue in the 4 months and 5k miles, just an oil change. Enjoy the drive.
Love everything except ride when going slow. This is smooth driving on highway but rough in city going under 30. The comfort of 4-5 adults and a large dog in back is amazing.
Recently purchased two 2008 xBs, one for me and one for my daugther. We are both very pleased with our new babies. Mine has the optional navigation in it. Hers has the deluxe Pioneer radio with XM. They are both white with automatic transmissions. Cannot believe the amount of stares we are getting from people as we drive. Overall I have only good things to say about the xB, but if there were any negatives, thus far for me it would be that the gas and brake pedals are a little to close together.
I bought this car recently and absolutely love it. The ride is smoother than any car I have ever been in and the steering reacts very well. 
I bought this car to replace my troublesome BMW M3 and to be able to give the family more room. Well I can honestly say its done this and more! The car is great, and seriously CAN NOT BE BEAT for the price! $65,000 for a comprable 5 series BMW or $29,000 for one that can spank it and has more room. This is what I call a "no brainer" Keep up the great work GM!
Turned in my 2006 Ford Explorer, a great riding vehicle with many features that fell short on interior comfort and visibility. The Highlander is spacious and comfortable with excellent visibility in most areas.
When replacing a Ford Ranger I looked into the Colorado, Dakota and Tacoma. Thought the Ridgeline was out of my price range. After not getting what I wanted in the above three, I went to the Honda dealership. Boy am I glad I did. The purchase price (cash, no trade- in) was a grand less than the Tacoma. I've had it for 8 months now and am completely satisfied. It's still fun to drive. I take it to out-of town ASA tourneys all the time. It has plenty of interior room for the passengers and plenty of storage for the softball equipment. The ride is amazing. It's smoother than the wifes Accord. I'd recommend the Ridgeline to anyone.
This unit runs like a dream. Everything not only works, things work well. The rain sensing wipers were set to auto when new, and I haven't touched them since - they come on when needed, and go off when not. The AC was set to auto, 72 degrees, and I haven't touched it since. The unit has understated elegance, very subtle. I couldn't be more satisfied.
I get 35mpg on the highway (manual trans) and about 24 in town. The styling is good and it is fun to drive for the money. I baby the vehicle and take extreme care of it, but question what I am up for long term regarding quality (based on experience so far). Month 1 headliner rattle getting worse fast, Month 2 Engine squeal needs repaired through service bulletin, Month 3 gold chevy emblem on back has water in it, Month 4 noticed knock in front suspension when cold, Month 5 brakes squeal at EVERY stop, Month 6 inside coat hook is stuck in up position, Month 7 Window grease in door is streaking driver window, Month 8 radio quits. Haven't had it 9 months yet. Wonder what is next??????
The turbo is peppy, but takes a second to kick in. The road noise is a bit more than I would like and it is a stiff ride, which some people don't like. 
This is a fun car to drive and easy on the gas. Since this is made in Europe the build quality and materials used is top notch. If you are looking for a great gas saver this is the car. Tall people need not to worry about head room, I'm 6'1" and have plenty of room. All around this car is a winner in the sport hatchback group.
I dumped my horribly unreliable Volkswagen Jetta to buy this car, and I couldn't have made a better choice. It has been totally reliable and fun to drive. Gas economy is great. It's also super cute. Last summer I drove it down the West Coast and had a blast. It is comfortable for long trips, but also really convenient in the city. With factory issued tires it is not great in the snow. I have to put on tire chains at Mt. Hood when it's snowing.
Excellent vehicle, plenty of power, tons of space, fun to drive, and it looks good too.
I've just traded my 2005 Silver Streak Mica Scion tC for a 2007 Black Sand Pearl Scion tC. The other "econobox" and "pocket rocket" cars, while trading styling for fuel economy are NOT as practical or good looking as the Scion tC. Pontiac's G5 and Chevrolet's Cobalt lag FAR behind the tC in standards (AND offered options to bring them up to tC standards) and the Honda Civic Si is BOTH over priced AND overrated (been there, did that, NEVER again). NONE are hatchbacks with anything NEAR the STANDARD features offered on the Scion tC! Also, ANY car maker that forces daytime running lights on me (I'm 52 years old and know WHEN to turn the lights on) is BUMPED from the list IMMEDIATELY!
I bought my Commander yesterday and I absolutely love it!! I have the 4.7L flex-fuel V8 Sport package. The cloth interior is very comfortable and the layout and ergonomics are awesome! So far, I've averaged about 15.7 mpg in mostly city driving. Pretty good for a big SUV. This is one sweet ride!!
This is the nicest car I've owned. It's beautiful, comfortable and easy to drive. Gas mileage is better than advertised. Nav, bluetooth are easy to use and self-explanatory.
In my purchase decision I compared the C300 Luxery model to the Lexus IS 250/350, BMW 135/335 and Saab 9-3. For all I was looking at '08 models. In my opinion, the Mercedes C300 offered the greatest driving performance and luxury experience along with the best value. Certainly the fun factor is greater in the BMW's, the Lexus is slightly quieter and the Saab most offordable. The C300 is, however, very fun to drive and the engineering allows you to push the 3.0L V6 to its limits. A very fun ride but with comfort for every day driving.
We picked up our all new 2007 Outlook over the holidays in December. We have purchased or leased 17 vehicles over the past 18 years. So far it is one of the best vehicles we have ever owned. The engine is strong (same 3.6 litre that is standard in the Cadillac STS. The 6-speed automatic shifts smooth. The ride is firm and confident. Our XE model is front wheel drive (better fuel mileage...so far we are averaging almost 20 mpg). We just had a snow storm and the stability control system worked very well. 
I traded in a 03 Silverado on this truck I loved the silverado but this truck is wonderful, it's smooth as glass.I tow a boat and a camper with no problems.The interior is finally where it should be.
This car has been great for the short time I have owned it. I plan on owning it, until it falls apart. The first day I drove the car home, I hit a huge rabbit and it broke my fog light bulb. It scared the heck out of me, my first new car and I already killed an animal. I hope I never hit another animal for as long as I own the car. 
I was very impressed with the Nissan Sentra. I was looking for an economical compact sedan that is reliable and safe. I was very pleasantly surprised about how much interior space and passenger room the Sentra has and how smooth, refined and responsive the CVT and engine were, particularly its power and acceleration for a car of this class even when carrying 4 full-sized adults and a trunk full of stuff. The Sentra has the most incentives at this time compared to the competition, and you can get bluetooth and keyless remote entry for not much more. I saved at least $2,000 by choosing this car over the Honda Civic LX. Great value, very versatile and fuel efficient daily commuter vehicle.
We love this truck, its the best truck we have ever owned... Bought it with 2 miles on it and have loved every mile we have put on it.. With the exception of when it was in every ford dealer in the state of Arkansas for the a/c squeal... The one that we were told was "Normal" by all the ford people.. I dont see an a/c screaming when its on to be normal.. and a body plug fell out Odd I think but overall its been a great truck! Especially when you spray liquid wrench on the compressor to make it stop squealing!!!
I have a 2007 Titan LE. Good looking truck and that is about all the good I have to say about it. 13 MPG, uncomfortable, and a vibration I cannot get rid of. I even traded the Goodyear SR-A tires with less then 1000 miles to Michelins in hope that would fix the problem. Another $990.00 spent on a vehicle that I wish I had never purchased. I have driven trucks all of my life, this is the eigth pick-up I have owned, the only new one and by far the most disappointing.
For the money, this car was a great purchase. I added a spoiler and tinted the windows, and I have a nice little sports car for less than 19k. It's attractive, fun, roomy, and very practical. I only wish the gas mileage would be a little higher, but I guess Mazda didn't want to compromise the horsepower. I'm surprised they didn't add a remote trunk opener to the keyless entry, a minor annoyance, but the other positives like 17" alloys, steering wheel radio controls, outside temp, moonroof, and fog lamps more than make up for anything it's lacking. Mazda did a VERY good job designing this car, and it's an unbeatable buy. I'd highly recommend this car to anyone!
The Acadia will put American car critics to shame. Exterior/interior styling is fantastic. It feels like an SUV but rides like a car which is perfect. Spacious and comfy. Great quality. Lots of technology.
Nothing but total satisfaction. For the life of me, I cannot see why this car has not sold better (other than lack of advertising) and why it is now being discontinued. I guess the good news for current owners is that the car will likely become a classic.
This is my second Murano. I love it. I just drove 900 miles form S.C to Long Island, NY and got just about 25 mpg. I always get about 22/23 around home on our flat roads. I can get two fullsize bikes in the back of my Murano with the seats folded. No rack needed. I just use mover's blankets for protection.
I have had five sports cars over my 40 plus years of driving and this S2K is by far the best overall driving machine I have ever had the pleasure of operating.
I have owned several Rangers and this is by far my favorite. It is an XLT w/foglamps. The four cylinder performed just fine on a trip to Corpus Christi. Averaged 25 mpg for the trip. Around town I always see 19-20 mpg.
There is not enough leg room to stretch out. No excuse that it's a 'small car'. Even older GM designs, like the Saturn ION and Chevy Cobalt have enough leg room for a 6'2" tall guy to totally stretch out his legs. Maybe people overseas are vertically challenged. 
You sit a little higher in the XB than you do in normal sedans. Not as high as an SUV, (back in the day I drove a Jeep Cherokee) but high enough to provide better sight lines on the road. The interior feels very roomy, and the seats are the most comfortable of all the cars I tried before purchasing the XB. The automatic transmission works well for downshifting when roads are snowy / ice covered. Could not ask for more at this price. 
Everything works with precision! Great riding, handling, sounding, and looking car. Test drove many cars, and kept coming back to the FX. Thanks Infiniti for nailing it!! 
I was on my 2nd Suburban, which I loved, but not the gas mileage. Or the cost to fill it up. I was looking for something with a lot of room and comfort inside with better gas mileage. This is the car. We debated between this and the Acadia. We drove both, but in the end we liked the Saturn better. The ride in this car is it's best feature. It also has adjustable middle captains chairs which helps when you have someone tall riding in the middle seats. The back seat is comfortable for kids or short people but no less room than the suburbans 3rd seat. Overall I would say they did a great job combining comfort, room for 7, with economy.
The car drives like a dream and is very comfortable. The V6 provides tons of zip - very peppy. Bluetooth works very well. I like the side-opening rear gate. Test drove the car and it rode rough. I found the tires over-inflated - lowering pressure fixed the problem. The car is quiet and handles better than our '05 Highlander. After 1000 mi., I'm quite happy with this car. 
When buying the Scion xB I wondered if it might be a mistake on my part because let's face it the Scion name hasn't been around as long as its parent company Toyota. However much like the ugly duckling story, I found that once I got used to the boxy looks (nowhere near as bad as last year's design) I found that I love this little car! I traded in a gas loving 2004 Ford Explorer that I had named slurpy and when I filled the Scion up for the first time I found that my gas cost were going to be cut in half and still getting about the same total mileage out of my tank as I did with my Explorer. My opinion, if you can get over the odd looks of the car I highly recommend it!
There is no 4x4 sold today or in yesteryear that beats this machine! Even stock it will school most other 4x4s. Add a 3" lift, some larger tires (e.g., 33"), rock rails, an onboard 4x4 equipment, and you're ready to rock the big trails, e.g., Fordyce Creek, Rubicon, Moab. This is THE offroading vehicle of the century! I've owned many vehicles, driven jeeps, etc., and this is the finest and funnest vehicle I've ever owned! You can miss with this one!
The Liberty is by far the best vehicle that I have ever owned. It has a great new look that that turns a lot of heads at intersections. The interior is simple, but nice. There is a lot of plastic but it is not nearly as bad as the cheap plastic of the patriot and compass. The suspension is very firm but does not throw you around. It makes the whole driving experience fun that you can only find in a jeep. The turning radius is amazing. Gas mileage is okay, I'm averaging about 18.6 right now, and hope for it to get better after the engine is broken in.
Got the '07 Caliber R/T back in June. I am absolutely in love with it, except it needs more "oomph" when I touch the gas. I mostly use the "autostick" which does give me a more power on take off. Overall, though, I love it. I get questions from people all the time - get stared at a lot when sitting at traffic lights!!! The optional Boston 9 speaker system is awesome - the chiller could be a bit cooler, but who cares about that - no biggie. Can't wait for the SRT Turbo version to come out!! I bought the "inferno red" R/T with the upgraded chrome wheels, sunroof, red seat inserts/dash panel - it's gorgeous! 
Ever since buying this brand new vehicle, we have had nothing but problems. Two weeks after purchase it was misfiring on 1 & 4 sparkplugs. Then the stability traction control comes on when you don't expect it. You'll be driving on dry pavement and then all of a sudden the abs comes on. Had the ebcm changed twice, the yaw censor changed but the problem keeps happening. Its really scary when your driving down the road at 70 km/h and the abs start applying for no reason. At first the code c0196 came up and now nothing comes up, it doesn't even store it in the computer. The dealer doesn't know what to do and GM isn't too concerned. I drive this with my 3 kids and I'm scared to death. Beware!
I got this car after 5 years in a Dodge Caravan, so I had to get used to driving so low to the ground. I liked the look of the 2 door, but I didn't like the blind spots, so I went with a 4 door. Overall, I am very satisfied with the car. I get between 33-38 MPG, and after one trip across the state and back, I got almost 40 MPG. I got into the Honda for the reliability factor, but I love the look, especially the color (dark blue) and the digital speedometer. It was a little uncomfortable during the long trip; I had to shift around to stay comfortable, but some of that may have been because I was still adjusting from my Caravan (where my legs went down, instead of out.)
I just bought the 550i after looking around for a few months. I wanted the performance but I was concerned about the fuel economy. If you can believe the gauge on the car, I am getting 28.6 MPG on the highway. It is only rated at 25, so that is excellent. When I fill it up again I will verify that number. This car is a pleasure to drive. It's quick, quiet, and comfortable. Sport package not necessary. Automatic is best for most. There is a 1300 dollar gas guzzler tax on the stick shift. 
I've been four wheeling in Chevy pickups since 1967. Well, time for a change, went to a Jeep Liberty 6 speed. It is much easier to drive. Where the Chevy used brute strength - torque and ground clerance to clear obstacles, the Jeep does it by finesse - the coil spring suspension conforms to the terrain providing traction. I love the 6 speed - nice and tight and a good feel. It is very European - snick, snick, snick as I run through the gears. The Liberty is set up for off-road - good articultion and little front or rear overhang. It is not a cross-over car-based SUV like the Honda CRV or Toyota RAV4 - it should not be compared to them in terms of fuel economy and ride.
Just recently purchased the 2007 S2000 after nearly 6 months of car shopping. Reviewed all other cars in class, Z4, TT etc... Kept on coming back to the S2000. It's speed, handling and beautiful lines had me at Rev Rev.. It is truly a pleasure to drive. One drive and you will be hooked.
The car has 2300 miles on it and needs a transmission repair. Many rattles and other strange noises. Hyundai quality maybe better. The car is not as quite as many reviews have stated. It is actually very noisy. This car at over $40k compares to a Chevy or Buick,not a real luxury car. Overpriced, and poorly built.
3 years ago my wife traded in her Mecedez for a HG350. It was the best deal for the money we've ever had. It is roomier than the Merc, drives as well (and better in the snow), has more options and quality perfect. 8 months ago, I had to find a replacement for my Jaq. Never thought we could get over the mental hurdle of having two Korean cars in the driveway when for years we had driven nothing but the expensive European makes. After much research, we were on the way to buy a BMW 5. We gave Azera a test drive for the sake of it and ended up with a deal we couldn't refuse. Other than the nameplate, Azera is as good as a Merc E or a BMW 5, at less than half the price. 
Even after 8 months I still can't really find anything that I don't love about this car. It's fast, and fun to drive while being economical and roomy. It's almost like being in a small suv size wise, but with the heart of a racer. All of my friends and family are impressed with it, and people in parking lots have stopped to ask me questions about it. My brother actually purchased his 2008 pearl white one yesterday. We now have a family of Mazda Speed3s. 
I was recently in a car accident do to steering wheel locking up and being unable to steer car. Front axle broke and A arm broke GM sent out an inspector which they determined the reason this happened was that I had hit a curb and that is why it happened. I refuse to believe that and am very unhappy with there answer. I can't believe that such a reputable company has let me down. I also can't believe that they told me that this problem had never been reported when in fact I have found many complaints on the internet about the same thing I really do not feel comfortable in this car anymore and will never purchase any vehicle from GM. I really think they need to look into this and recall cars
Great fun car to drive. Handles well for a small car. Very roomy inside and lots of cargo space with rear seats folded. Averaging 40-42 mpg highway. Looks are deceiving from the outside, handles like a mid size from the inside. Lots of head room. 
This vehicle has performed beyond our expectations. The interior/exterior is well designed and build quality is supreme. No performance issues while passing or cruising up the mountain passes here in the Pacific Northwest. The 3 rows of seats pampers 6 full sized adults or 4 adults and 3 kids. Gas mileage has been as expected (17-19 mpg) in a vehicle with 263 hp and 249 ft-lbs of torque. Test drive one of the AWD Touring models on a road with some curves... you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Pros: acceleration, brakes, heat/air;radio, seats, turn circle,fun to drive. Cons: ride; very poor seal around doors..way too much noise, mileage (15- 16), too light on rear..spins wheels & looses traction too easy, no trip odometer, a/c switches; overall poor fit in areas of body & interior.
Purchased this car used with 31,000 miles on it. Have had it for 3 months now and am really happy with the car. Great styling inside and out. Rides very smooth and no wind noise. I stand 6 foot and I am very comfortable in this car, my knees are not pressed into the dash. The only complaint I have is the stereo, the sound quality is awful. I assume it's the base stereo option. I'm thinking about upgrading the whole stereo system because of the sound quality.
I love this car - from the large digital speedometer that is easily in view, to the voice-activated navigation system, to the PC card input that allows me to play MP3s saved to the card on my computer... it is just awesome. I get excellent gas mileage, which I track very specifically (because I drive the car for work and am reimbursed for gas). I frequently get better MPG than advertised (29 hwy). 
My second Hyundai. Traded a 2006 Elantra for the 2009 Sonata. Feels like moving up from a VW bug to a Greyhound Bus, this car is large! Love the quietness, Michelin tires and great fuel economy.
I had for it 4 months and put 5000 miles on it. Roomy, handling is good. Rear seats can be fold down so you will have plenty of cargo room. No cargo cover though, not even a design let you put one so no after market cargo cover either. I knew the 4 cyl one will have less power so I got the manual one to better control it. Still powerless. I push for 4k~5k rpm on 1st gear but it is still slow. Mileage is OK, better than other SUVs. I get 21.3 local and 23~24 on highway. If you stay around 65 mph on hiway you will get better mileage but that is too slow for me. About 3.7K rpm at 80mph. Gear ratio at 5th gear need to be adjusted.
Drives well but sometimes your head bounces on the headrest. Interior layout is well thought out. Check gas cap light came on once but I could not find anything wrong. Glob of sealant on rear door rubbed the finish off the hinge. Averaging 24.5 mpg. 
I have been driving this vehicle for about six weeks and absolutely love it. Was deciding between the Nissan Rogue and Outlander and glad I made this choice. For all of the features and options, the price point could not be beat. The exterior is extremely stylish! The interior is decent as well. The dash materials are so-so, but I use protectant cloths to keep them clean and scuff free. Having two glove boxes is great for storage. All of the cup holders and extra storage places are a bonus! I have the third row seat which is small, but convenient. When the seat is folded, you can't beat the cargo space. I made the right decision on the 2009 Outlander and highly recommend it!
Most fun I've ever had behind the wheel of a vehicle! This car is tight, quiet, and does whatever I ask of it and asks for more. Turns like it's on rails. My wife called me when driving it for the first time, and asked how to turn on the cruise control, because she was doing 90 MPH and didn't realize it. I'm outstandingly pleased with my purchase.
I have only had this car a few weeks and it has exceeded my expectations, Fun to drive, love the hard top convertible. It won't mess your hair. I upgraded the sound to the dyna system and I was literally blown away, I have owned BMWs, Audi and Acura. This is the most fun I have had. I hope I am as thrilled a year from now. Only complaint is not enough accessory outlets, one for my gps and one for my cell. They have to share!
I was looking for an all around vehicle for hauling stuff, commuting, and occasional 4wd needed when camping, but didn?t want a truck and this car fits perfect. Always loved the ?funky? looking unique design on the outside, but was surprised how big this small SUV is on the inside. More headroom and driver space than my wife?s Suburban. Great for moving furniture, trips to Home Depot, Costco, etc. Consistently get about 22 mpg (not bad for an AWD box), although I drive fairly conservative lately due to gas prices. Thought the rear moon roof was weird at first, but nice to see out of when using seats as a bed. AWD makes this a real blast to drive on dirt roads! 6 months and very pleased.
I bought my Patriot brand new in April 08 and I love it. Forget what professional reviewers say about it compared to the Escape, Rav4, etc., this is comfortable and handles great. Kentucky got hit with a terrible ice storm in early '09, and the Patriot acted like it barely noticed it! The biggest knock on it is the cheap interior materials, but seriously - how often do you touch your dashboard?
I live in the No Nevada area where there are a lot of mountains and long distance driving. I average between 39 - 41 MPG! Plenty of power, fun to drive, excellent vehicle!
I test drove other Mazda 3 competitors models (Rabbit, Civic, Cobalt, Focus). None matched the comfort, performance, style or price value of the 3. The cars looks great, has many added features and its not as common as a Civic or Focus. The Mazda provides the best all around package of reliability, easy to find parts, reasonable price, performance and sense of exclusivity. You still don't see that many around. 
Don't let the anti-hybrid talk fool you... these cars more than pay for themselves. Between the state and federal tax credits and the improved mileage you can't go wrong with this car. 
I had given lots of thought as to what car I really wanted and this was one of the main options, with the others being 1.BMW M3, 2.Mitsub. Evo IX, and the IS300.. I can in all honesty say I would not trade my car for none of those (well, maybe the m3 :-). It simply has the best of all worlds: Interior/exterior design, FUEL MILEAGE (I'm getting 30+MPG consistently), features, reliability, cost of Aft.Market parts, love the stock rims so don't have to buy aftermarket ones (Will paint them black with red lip though). Everything about it excites me and that transmission.. OMG awesome! cant get enough of it.. If you are thinking about buying one, don't hesitate and DO IT!
I bought this car expecting much better gas mileage than my 2004 Ford Expedition with a 540 horse V-8 engine. Sad to say, my Ford had better gas mileage in town than this Acadia. I only get around 10 miles per gallon in town. I do quite a bit of stop / start traffic, but it shouldn't be this bad. When I drive, I try to excercize all the gas efficient ways to drive, ie. don't drive with a heavy foot, don't stop quickly say at a light, slow exceleration from a stop, no gunning it up a hill, etc. The transmission is a bit sluggish. It tends to be delayed when trying to go up a hill. I really like the car and it's quite stylish, too! 
This is my first Ford and I could not have made a better choice. I traded in my '02 Jeep Liberty Renegade for the Fusion. Great gas mileage, roomy and comfortable interior and sporty exterior. I have had it 2 weeks and absolutely love it. Almost bought a Pontiac G6, but called my brother before driving it off the lot - he told me to check out the Fusion before I signed any papers - thank goodness I called him! Found out later that the G6 ranked #20 out of 23 cars and Fusion ranked #4. So many great features at such a low cost - couldn't believe all the standard equipment. Excellent safety rating. I can't stay out of it! I absolutely love it!
I never rate anything a 10! Only had this car for 7 weeks - 1600 miles but so far am well pleased. Fully loaded. Imperial blue/gray interior. 20 - 22 mpg with very little highway driving. Leased 3yr/36000mi. Selected for style and features to replace a 99 300M. Great trunk space for 4 golf bags. Quiet riding. Suspension seems a little rough on minor road bumps and seems to hesitate a bit when going from 3cyl to 6 cyl mode in city driving but overall driving is a pleasure. I'm a large sedan type of a guy and this was a good choice especially with the lease incentive and rate and my GM Mastercard rebate.
After owning a dozen new cars I finally found, in my dotage, a car that is comfortable, powerful and smooth-simply a pleasure. it lacks some of the new gadgets as back-up TV and geographic locator but look at what you get for the price of a Camry? So far, fingers crossed, it's a winner.
My wife & I love this 500 which we ordered. The Alloy paint with the 18 inch chrome wheels & saddle leather interior really set this 500 off & make it an eye catching car. She especially likes the great view of the road when driving & the spacious rear seating area. What a huge trunk. This replaced a 2002 Taurus.
This car is lightning fast, stable, and comfortable on long drives. The best of both worlds in terms of a sports car with coupe lines that you can live with and bring along friends. Great stereo, phenomenal seats - this car fits me better than anything else I have ever driven.
This was The Right Choice for several reasons. I had it down between a Volvo V50 and the Accord and picked the Honda for mileage and interior room reasons. I have a long commute, so interior comfort and mileage were top priorities. Skip Honda's link for iPod. I had it installed and wrote the dealer that very night to arrange a time to bring the car back and have it removed. Got an aftermarket unit that's half the price and mixes the ease of an iPod with the direct-link sound quality. Great car. Comfortable, practical and keeps its value at trade-in time!
This is my first Lexus and it's awesome. I owned a BMW 325 and planned to get another one. After test driving the Lexus IS250, I was hooked. The comfort and smooth ride beats won me over!
Would be nice if gas mileage would increase. I am not getting 28mpg. Car handles very well. One mistake I made was to add the rain guards, they create too much of a blind spot. Overall I am very happy with it.
I recently leased a silver E350 4- matic with the Premium pkg 1 and AMG sport appearance package and boy was it a great all rounder.It has great looks(courtesy AMG package), adequate performance(0 -60 in ~6 secs), and mileage(17-18MPG City), Advanced Tech features such as Voice activated Navigation, IPOD interface, Rain sensing wipers. Also the multi information display is right in front of you on the speedo which is a nice feature since you don't have to take your eyes off the road. I live in Colorado and wanted the 4-matic and i think that was a good decision. We had a couple of snow (spring)storms here and AWD worked just fine.The trick is to use the "C" setting for the transmission.
While I only have 1400 miles on my '07 leather limited V6, overall it is a nice car on par with Camry & Accord but choose it because of better features for the buck than either. Minor, but nice styling changes since 06. A personal choice: I had them change out the 17" wheels for 16's for better ride with taller sidewalls since this is not a Corvette I plan to be pulling 6G corners with. The engine design is old school and the fuel mileage shows it. Hyundai needs to follow Honda's edge here in engine tech. Also, Hyundai needs to get into the hybrid market with a peppy Sonata hybrid in the 30-40 mpg range. 
Shortly after taking possesion of our Lucerne, we noticed that the headliner in the front right section was sagging. Dealer inspected the problem and said the headliner had to be replaced since the warp in the headliner could not be repaired. It was also noticed that the headliner felt had "raw",or frayed, and exposed edges both in the front and rear. Certainly, not a very finished look. To replace the headliner the dealership had to remove and replace the front windshield to enable them to get the new headliner into to car.
this car would basically be perfect just shrink the trunk like two inches and add like two more inches too the rear seat and you have the perfect car
I've never bought a Chrysler before, I've gone from an Alfa Romeo to a Mercedes to a Volvo. I needed a big, comfortable car that was still stylish and this is it! I absolutely love this car. It rides smoothly, the interior is luxurious and reminds me of a European car. There are so many cool features that it's hard to name them all. Suffice it to say that I'm very happy with my purchase and I'd recommend a Pacifica to anyone.
We looked at the 2008 sneak-peek pics and the LA auto show write-ups & pics, but we decided we liked the 2007 interior/exterior design best because it looks less truck-like than the new designs. My wife's the primary driver, and she loves this vehicle. In the first 500 miles, neither of us have any buyer's remorse. 
I live in New Hampshire. We just experienced the snowiest winter in 135 years of record keeping! I got this car on 12/31/07, what perfect timing!! I cannot say enough about how impressive this car is. The Xdrive system was engineered for exactly what weather we experienced this winter. I felt so confident every trip I took in absolutely terrible weather conditions. Aside from the obvious top notch winter weather performance, this car with all the bells and whistles (nav, iPod, prem. pkg, cold pkg, steptronic) is so much fun to drive! It's scary fast! The 328xi is nice, but this car is awesome! I highly recommend getting all the options I did. You will not be disappointed.
I was looking to lease a 4Runner thinking that Toyota quality and interior polish is a winning combination in this SUV segment. It all changed once I drove the Pathfinder and experienced the striking fun factor behind driving this machine. This big and heavy SUV seems to perfectly contour and weather any road irregularity while comforting all occupants. It looks aggressive and beautiful in black, interior design is very comfortable. My Pathfinder rocks!
I usually suffer from some buyer's remorse when I buy a car, but not this time. I just bought this car to replace an Infiniti I30T and I couldn't be happier. I had test driven the Lexus ES, BMW 3 series, Maxima and a few other cars and chose the CC for its styling, peppy engine (the 4-cylinder 2.0T is much quicker than the 6 cylinder I had on the I30), and price in comparison to other cars that were less sexy, had fewer features and were $5k to $10k more. I get more compliments on this car than others I have owned and people often wonder what type of car it is. I would definitely recommend (and have recommended) this car to others. 
this car is totally amazing... we just bought it and it is amazing, it responds so quickly when you accelerate (compared to the 06 Isuzu Ascender i traded in, which is a GMC ENVOY LOOK-A-LIKE) the armada's style is amazing... the visibility and for me a 6'4ft guy... it makes me feel small which never happens. also the chrome detail are amazing even though i got the base model, the chrome makes it look so expensive, which it was but it is worth every penny. nissan did an amazing job on it.. everyone always stares at it.. it makes me feel good. and the Bose sound system is amazing 
CR-V is the best Small-SUV assuming you have the right expectations. CRV provides excellent AWD capability, convenience and reliability. I have read a lot of people complain about lack of horsepower or small interior. Personally I think it has adequate horsepower for all your day to day needs. Keeping in mind this cars is not intended for serious off- road or towing. The interior is comfortable and well designed.
This is the all-round best car I found in this category. There are faster ones, but with terrible ride quality. There are fancier ones, but without any soul. There are edgier designs, but I'll leave those for the kids. This is just a friendly, highly competent, extremely comfortable, and great looking car that will age gracefully, like a Benz should.
I just purchased my Caliber a week ago and I just love it! I wanted a mid size SUV and decided to go with the Caliber instead. It's just like a SUV. I have received so many compliments about my car everyone that see it loves it. It is so comfortable and rides very well. I have the red one and the color is just beautiful. I highly recommend this car, you will love it!
My C350 Sport is almost perfect. Its ride is so smooth yet this cars sporty suspension has very quick reflexes. It also gets 30 MPG cruising over 80 mph! The styling is unbeatable, the car is drop dead gorgeous and the rims are so sporty I didn't even have to upgrade to the AMGs. However where this car falls short is performance. I test drove a Lexus IS350 and BMW 335i both had the same size engine, and same MPGs yet they were much quicker and more powerful. About a full second faster 0-60. Also the interior styling is bland and not as impressive as the exterior. However the fact the this car has Mercedes craftmenship and rock solid engineering made me pick the C350 over the Bimmer and Lexus
I rented a 07 3.6 for two weeks in March. The ride is much smoother, handling not as stiff, brakes not as touchy compared to the 07 I rented. The standard front sensors and rear parking camera are incredible. The slight front bucket seats are very comfortable. The standard 20 inch wheels are a great touch at medium and high speeds but a little rigid at speeds below 45mph. Better off with these 20s than the 19s or 18s when it comes to handling.The acceleration, S turn capability, ride are perfect. Stereo system doesn't get any better. For driving around town, I suggest getting the 3.6. Second row leg room would better for a SUV of this size. A Plus grade over all.
Very peppy. Fun to drive. Excellent in the city or the highway. Does better gas mileage than is advertised. Can't mistake this car with anything else. Exterior design stands out from the crowd and you don?t have to break the bank for it. 
I am loving this car, and so do all the heads that keep turning when I ride by. I have the 2008 C300 Sport w/automatic & panoramic roof, black on black w/the aluminum interior trim. I always frowned upon black interiors but this car is stunning. I always owned front wheel drive cars in the past, Nissan Maxima & Murano, the feel of the acceleration is phenomenal, a nice mix of luxury and sport. I was amazed at how solid & sure the car drives in the rain, makes you want to push the envelope. I was leery transitioning to a car from a SUV but I don't miss it one bit. I thought the interior would feel cramped, but it feels quite comfortable & spacious, and I'm a healthy kinda guy
We traded in a Honda Pilot for the features offered by the Acadia, the primary one being the dual climate control. The particular model we purchased has basically everything, so we are very pleased with that. However, the engine performance is less than desirable and the constant shifting of the transmission, based on changes in the road, etc., especially with the cruise control on, is very annoying. It's as if the transmission and/or engine can't decide how to power the vehicle down the road. Pushing the accelerator slowly doesn't get you much. The gas mileage is high teens, averaging around 18 - not the greatest. Certainly has all the bells and whistles. A very stylish vehicle.
This truck replaced a 2008 Volvo XC90. I never thought I would love a truck as much as the Volvo. I was very wrong. The Pilot has a very smooth ride and great pickup for its size. The interior is roomy enough for several kids and all of their gear. Road noise seems less than in older models. Gas mileage is not great - 16 mpg on average, but it's mostly city driving. I have black interior/exterior and it's really classy looking. Was mistaken for the big Mercedes SUV the other day! 
I have to say that going from a Mercedes to a VW I was a little skeptical but when I saw the car and test drove it I was in awe. I have to say that it drove faster and handled better than the $50,000 predecessor I traded in for this vehicle. I have to say this is a bargain and the best bang for the buck. You surely will not be disappointed. Trust me!
This car should win the Bang for the Buck contest. It is a performer that is easy on the gas. 0-60mph under 7 seconds and gets 30 mpg city/highway. There is no other car that can match the performance and the fuel efficiency of the new MINI Cooper S. But the engine makes loud noises like a diesel truck. On some occasions, it is worse as if it is grinding on some internal metal parts. Dealer has not found the solution yet. I have my fingers crossed that the MINI company will find a permanent cure for this problem. The car rattles sometimes. Handling is second to none.
I looked hard at BMW, Audi and Infiniti when I was looking for a new car. Each had similar driving characteristics, but I ended up with the G35 because of the value of the content for the price. Living in Minnesota, the AWD feature was important, and the addition of the Premium, Navigation and Sport packages the price just couldn't be beat. Great linear acceleration with the right sounds. Sticky in the corners with the granny system on, but easy hang the rear out when you turn it off. Beautiful looks outside, nice inside. AWD is great in the winter with the all-seasons. The nav system is restricted from most functions when the car is in motion thanks to the lawyers - really annoying.
I have had many 4x4's, but none of them ever compared to my new unlimited. I now know what the word fun to drive means. It performs in all types of situations, so far I have had it on ice, in deep snow, mud and to a wedding. It recieved more attention then the bride. Thank You Jeep. 
This is hard for me to do because I traded in my 2004 AUDI S4. So imagine the performance & refinement that I'm giving up. Having said that, if it was too much of a gap I wouldn't have gotten the GTI. The GTI is nothing short of incredible. I had a GTI in 1995, when it was equipped with the VR6. I missed that car when I traded it in & am glad to be back in the GTI fold. I have owned other VWs and have always liked them. This GTI is a cut above the rest, what a great car. Not only is it quick and fun to drive, but it's well behaved too. You can cruise, you can relax, and then simply by pressing down the accelerator - the attitude changes to evil. 
Car is very Nice love the comfort and design and very sporty not very good in snow and paint starting to chip near wheel Wells tires not good in rain or slush or very little snow steering wheel wood grain finish coming off like is chipping 
We have now owned our 2008 EVO for four months now. At first, I will say that we were very excited about our purchase. That was until we waxed the vehicle for the fourth time 1 1/2 weeks ago. My husband noticed a massive amount of paint chips above the rear tires on both sides of the car and also on the hood. I searched the web, and found we are not alone! Tons of people have this affliction, and Mitsubishi has done nothing for most of them. Do not buy this vehicle unless you want your paint to chip off, or your windshield to chip with 3000 miles on the car. Very poorly made and will not last. Worst purchase we have ever made as far as quality. Huge regrets.
Looked at a bunch of different SUVs. Kia really has the market on more bang for your buck, friends told me to buy a Honda CR-V but I bought a KIA Sportage and I'm laughing all the way to the bank with the money I saved, the standard up grades on the Sportage you pay for on other SUVs, would highly recomend this to everyone.
BTW.. Love the car. Feels heavy car to drive. Kind of like a cadillac. Kids love it. Averaged 42 MPG on the 45 mile trip back from the dealership. It is really cool that the engine shuts off. 
This is a vehicle on par with any Lexus, Infinity, BMW, or Mercedes. The price makes it a better option than any of the latter. It is extremely impressive from both a technology and performance perspective.I purchased an SV with the technology package and I now have a vehicle with better integrated technology than cars which cost up to $20,000 more. Why lease for prestige when you can own the real thing. This car could be the next Nissan classic along with the Z cars. Test drive one and you will get rid of your current so called "Luxury" car. Smooth acceleration, which blows the doors off of sports cars, while riding in the lap of luxury and technology is a winning combination. 
I've had my FJ for a little over a week and over 500 miles. All Black TRD handles like a sporty little truck on the backroads and highway but takes speedbumps and curbs without hardly much of a shaking! Sounds great with the TRD exhaust too! I have had two 4-runners prior to this ('89 and '98) and they were so reliable and tough off road, the FJ had the be the only choice. I tell all my friends who don't already have one or plan on getting one that this should be their next car!
The little lady always wanted a Wrangler, but it just wasn't practical with the old design. With the 4 doors and 3 seats across the back it now works for a family of 5 (small kids 12 and under). The middle seat has a shoulder harness as well. I was amazed at the cargo area in the rear... almost as much as a minivan.
The Outback handles great in every day driving around town or on the highway. Steering is light and responsive. The Outback's 3.0R engine delivers plenty of refined power with a hint of growl. The transmission delivers that power unobtrusively. I normally leave SI drive in Intelligent mode but when necessary "sport sharp" mode (S#) provides that extra punch. The Outback's raised ride height means more suspension travel (take that speed bumps!) and it has a smooth ride over rough surfaces. I think the Outback looks the part of a luxury wagon. The interior is upscale and comparable to my 2004 Passat. The materials feel substantial and fit and finish are excellent. Braking is very sure.
Great car overall our 5th Toyota. Fuel consumption is good about 5.5 litres/100km on long runs & 6.8 around town. Very sensitive steering. This is not a problem but does require more attention while driving or the car can be in the wrong lane very quickly. Have experienced a rumble/knock in front region of car plus rattles in sun roof. Dealer changed windshield thinking it was flexing body.This didn't solve problem. Dealer has just replaced a front strut & housing which has solved problem. Now we only have minor rattles. 
I have owned 2 Lexus's since 1998 a GS 300 and clocked 187000 miles on it an excellent car which performed in all aspects wonderfully. I then bought a Lexus IS250 I enjoyed the all wheel drive but when reading about the Genesis I was very intrigued and once I drove the 4.6 I was ready to buy. The car has all the features of both my Lexus's except the doors don't unlock when in proximity to the car. The brakes are tremendous the steering perfect, fuel economy very good considering the V8 power,super ride, great acceleration, very fine interior materials comfortable seats and with Technology Package all the toys. I love the size of the car lots of comfort in the back seat best car I've owned.
First of all, let's get past the looks! I was put off for over a year before buying solely because I wasn't thrilled about the exterior looks. You get over that as soon as you drive it. The interior is very roomy and comfortable. Just close the door and you can feel the Toyota quality. I was surprised at the actual acceleration, as much as I will ever need. The technology is very different and takes some getting used to. After 2 months I still find myself reaching for a gear shift lever to put it in park! The glare on the front window can be eliminated by simply turning down the dashboard dimmer switch a little. Practice backing with an empty trash can behind you. Stop waiting! Buy it!
This car is awesome as far as driving goes. Would have been better with XM radio and navigation unit. Also upgrade of camshafts to higher lope cam would have set it apart from other 350Z. 
I bought my Escape Hybrid AWD in March 2007, shortly after they came out. I have averaged 31 MPG with this vehicle, driving 80% city, 20% highway. I couldn't be happier with this SUV. I am impressed by the improvements in ride and road noise (I own a 2001 Escape as well). The fit and finish have been great and it just right for both my 4' 11" wife and my 6'2" self. I live in Colorado, it has done very well in the mountains and the power of the 133 HP 4 cylinder backed up by the electric motor is equivalent to the V6 gas Escape I have. I think this vehicle is well worth looking at if you are considering a hybrid SUV and you have a small family (2 kids) like my self. Ford has done a nice job.
Here is the review after 3 months of ownership and 3000 miles. The review is based on the maxed out SLT2 AWD (w/Nav & DVD). Overall the car is great. Nice ride, great seating, and seems sure footed on the road. Two complaints: Fuel economy - Don't believe the hype! We do City/Hwy driving. Avg mpg is 12 city, 16 hwy. To me, that's terrible for a V6 and compared to what GMC boasts of 20/22. The other complaint is the nav & backup camera has failed on a few separate occasions. Went back to the dealer and they will replace it. To sum it up, the Acadia is a nice car, good overall build and quality, layout. But misleading on the gas mileage. 
Traded my 2001 4Runner for a 2008 Lexus GX. What a great upgrade from the Toyota model to their luxury brand. This vehicle rides amazingly smooth. It is a little thirsty on the tank, but hope this improves over time. The seats are extremely comfortable and all the features in it are just wonderful to use. We love the looks we get riding around town in this. You see why Lexus is at the top of their game.
Excellent car for that money. Easy on the pedal. Always have feeling that you have control over the car. It's a big car but you will control it like a smaller car. The inside is roomy. Overall, the car is great.
The quality is superb, the interior comfy, back seats a bit tight. This thing is super. I highly recommend that anyone looking for a convertible test drive this car last. Fully decked out, it was still $8000 less than the EOS, and the convertible top is flawless. You might like the looks of the Vette, as we have, from the outside, but here the looks are inside too, great seating, and be careful for that accelerator pedal!
The normally aspirated Mini Cooper is a great deal of fun. While it lacks the punch of the Cooper S, it still has quite acceptable acceleration if you are in the appropriate RPM range. I happened to acquire one with the 6-speed auto transmission. If you include the sport mode, there are six different operational settings for the tranny, and there is a learning curve to figure them all out. I usually drive in manumatic/steptronic mode with the heavier steering of the sport mode enabled. The paddles on the steering wheel are especially convenient, and I do not miss a clutch pedal in heavy stop and go traffic. The wheels are on the corners, which makes for wickedly fun cornering!
I bought my Yaris Liftback after selling a new 2007 VW Rabbit which was not a good fit for me. The Yaris is everything the Rabbit is not: fun, light, thrifty, nimble, and solidly built. I'm 50, and I grew up driving basic cars so the simple nature of the Yaris really appeals to me. Great visibility, light and intuitive controls, roomy (I'm 6'5" & 175 lbs), practical, and very frugal with fuel. So far, I'm a very happy new owner.
Had car for about 3 months. Great affordable car with good mileage. I get 32 town and 35 highway driving 60 MPH. Lots of road noise, having transmission concerns. Visually appealing design inside and out. Much better quality and ride than other comparable vehicles in its class. Would recommend if you are looking for a really affordable new car that gets decent mileage. 
This is our 3rd Liberty Limited ('01, '04, '08), and it is by far the best. Virtually everything has been improved to address any shortcomings. No longer the "poor sibling" compared to the Grand Cherokee or the Commander. 
I've had several Accords, so I know how reliable Hondas are. I have had my Si for a year now, and it's the S2000 I didn't buy for reasons of practicality. I was 60 when I bought this sports car with a trunk and a (roomy) back seat. I love the styling, the performance, and most of all... the seats! These are the best seats I have ever had in any car; great back support, and with the red stitching and Si logo, they look way cool. I average about 25 miles per gallon in mixed driving (best was 28), not bad considering its hard to resist putting your foot down to experience the i-VTEC rush that kicks in at 6k rpm. I wish it was quieter, though. Engine noise is cool, but lots of road noise, too.
I test drove an HL in 06 and liked it but decided to wait. When I saw the pics for the 08 I knew it was time. What an improvement! I have had my HL for 3mo now. I wanted luxury with utility and the Limited fits the bill perfectly. The EPA ratings seem to be accurate. I'm getting 22 mixed and 27 hwy @<65mph and 25 hwy @>70mph. The seats are very comfortable at first, but start to feel hard after a couple of hours on long trips. People have complained about the head rest, I find their position to be perfect and comfortable. 
What a great Car! Hot, comfortable, fun and compared to other vehicles with similar features, it's relatively inexpensive.
I bought the RAV4 for the deal. It's a very solidly built, peppy little SUV with decent (not great) mpg, easy handling and pretty good looks. The drivetrain and ride lack refinement. Toyota's been building these 4cyls and 4 speeds for years and they should be a lot smoother.
Purchased this vehicle about one week ago and couldn't be more pleased. The voice activated navigation and bluetooth with the technology package is awesome. The fit and finish on this vehicle is some of the bese I have ever seen having owned Audi's and Mercedes in the past.
I purchased my 2007 Sonata in August of 2006 and it has been to Canada twice (I live in New Jersey) Tennessee, and around New York City on numerous occasions. The gas mileage has been outstanding, usually averaging 34 MPG on the long trips and around 25 MPG locally and in the city. The trunk is ENORMOUS, and the rear seat has plenty of room for adults, including those over 6 feet tall. It's reasonably comfortable and probably the best "bang for your buck" mid-sized sedan on the market.
Traded in my 07 Yukon Toy hauler and gas guzzler for this surprisingly fuel efficient roomy toy hauler. I have been very happy so far with the performance, handling and towing capacity. It is almost as roomy as the Yukon was inside from a driving and cargo perspective. All this with a 5-6 mile per gallon improvement. I am a big person,so I needed the leg room and seat support and the traverse has met this demand rather easily. So far, big thumbs up.
Wanted to replace our compact care with something more practical. Was impressed by the low base price. You get a lot of car for the money. Lots of extras and safety is standard (ABS, ESP, Airbags). Good car for driving around town. Car handles and drives well. 
My wife and I each have one, and they are toys for weekend use. Yes, the guy who placed the switches should be shot, but, in spite of al the complaints from magazine types, we can, with thought, place enough luggage for 2 for a 1 week trip. Just no big bags. There are plenty of storage slots if you look at it, even with the top down. Mileage is way better than EPA says. We get 25 mpg in town on both cars. The top can be a pain, but once you get a system, it's pretty easy. It is a fun car, and handling is great. Took mine to Phx In'tl Raceway's roadcourse and had a blast. yes, the interior design team must have had a party the night before, but the fun factor outweighs the negatives.
We traded in a 1997 Rav 4. It was my wife's dream to own a new one. She didn't like the looks of the CR-V but I convinced her to take a test drive. She loved it - then we drove the Rav. Within a block she said no to the Rav and yes to the CR-V. We found the CR-V had more room but also had a more comfortable ride. The way this vehicle drives won us over.
A month and 1800 miles + and we love our new Highlander. The wide luxury ride took a little getting used to after a 95 GMC Jimmy and an 89 Pathfinder but it is a pleasure to drive especially on longer trips. I do not find any discomfort in the seats. Controls are well placed, interior design is good. Features seem to be well thought out and well placed. This is the first "luxury" vehicle I have ever owned and I think I have spoiled myself. Not an off road vehicle but I expect it to be good in bad weather. Love the nav, rear dvd for the kids, and aux input on the stereo for the ipod. The visibility seems excellent and I am expecting same Toyota quality I had in my Fav 84 Celica. Very happy!
My husband and I just bought the 2007 Hyundai Veracuz yestterday from Somerworth Hyundai. Despike the fact that there is no incentive for this new model from Hyundai, we are able to get an excellent deal from this car dealer shop. Highly recommended to other protential hyundai buyer in New England areas. In terms of the performance and functions of this car, it does drives like a mini van without the "grand father looked of the car". The gas mileages is better then other mid-size SUV with AWD. Based on the mileage rating sheet of the Veracuz (3.6L) has better mileage than our 2003 model Hyundai Santa Fe with 4WD with 1.8L. This is a great buy for the money for different look. 
I am a car enthusiast so I had a closed mind to Hybrids, but after knowing a few people who really liked them I decided to test drive one. I've now owned mine for over 3 months and I really am impressed with Toyota and this car. Concern for the environment was my original incentive but the gas mileage is really impressive with commensurate power and handling. It's great filling the tank up for $30 (it's a 10 gal tank) twice a month. At stop and go speeds the electric motor is working with no emissions or usage of gas. Gridlock and drive-thrus or waiting for someone with the a/c or heat on is no longer a concern. 
I have had this vehicle for about a month now and can't find a single thing wrong yet. I have it in orange which is a spectacular color. I don't know why people complain about the fuel it just have a small tank costs me less then $40 to fill up who can ask for anything more! The hatchback is perfect for everything I put in. The fold up seats expand the trunk to immense amounts. This car is fabulous perfect, and it fits me like a glove. Might not be for you but it was for me! 
Overall, this car is satisfactory. I had an '06 Toyota Solara and traded it in for this car since it had a hard top. The sunroof, when open, is deafening even with the wind shield. Also, my car has an air leak in the window on the driver's side, but Volkswagen won't address it since it is a convertible.
We have driven a Ford, Chevy, Dodge, GMC and Toyota truck. I have to say that after driving this truck, we will never turn back. This truck rides so smooth and has a lot of room in it. The gas mileage isn't the greatest but we can live with that. I feel the dash board is made for dummies. It's easy to see and operate. 
Best midsize value on the market. I wanted stability control as an extra safety measure but was kind of annoyed that this requires a whole host of non-safety oriented upgrades like leather seats and a moonroof (which is actually very nice). The other wagons in the lineup require premium fuel!? Yeah, I wanna spend an extra 20 cents per gallon for the life of the car. Anyway, it is a very nice driving car, very tight for a wagon, and can carry anything when considering the interior and the roofrack. One more thing about the roofrack, take off your crossbars when not in use. That little effort will take 5 minutes and can save you on mileage. 
I went from a huge van to the Cube a couple weeks ago. I was getting 14 MPG and my first tank was 22 MPG..all city driving. I am hoping this increases in time. I am 6' tall and large and the fit is good..plenty of leg room in the front. Not sure how tall people would do in the back. LOTS of looks from others and comments. It is a real novelty at this point. I also looked at Kia Soul and Scion. I am hot natured and both of those interiors came only in black. I like the white exterior and light grey interior I got. Plus, I feel Nissan is a better quality product. ( I sure hope so!)
I am a used car dealer and just replaced my wifes Dodge Caravan with this used Entourage Limited with 13,000 miles. Let's just say that she is much happier with this than with the Dodge. It's not that I had problems with the Dodge, it's just the package as a whole she likes better. With all the amenities that this van has, it's perfect. It's a much better value than the Toyota or Honda. Your dollar definitely goes further. 
We have owned our black Fit (automatic) for 2 months and love to drive it. However, our gas milage (mostly around town) is only 26.5-28.6 MPG, much lower than we expected. The a/c is anemic as well. We were in a limited time frame to buy and ended up paying $1000 over the sticker price for the only Fit in our area. I'd love to see this in a hybrid, minus the dealer bribe and that would be much closer to perfect!
All my life I drove large luxury cars for business and pleasure. Now retired and gas over $4 gal, sold my Jaguar and love this tiny car. High quality, 38-40 mpg, well built! Slight adjustment getting used to. Very economical and fun to drive. 
Why do "reviewers" think everything on wheels has to be an McClaren? This is a luxury car that is extremely comfortable, reasonably nimble for a 2- ton vehicle, easy to enter and exit, gets me 18+ mpg around town, well made, gives me a back massage, decent appearance. It does what I want it to do in terrific fashion! I'm not sure why a luxury automobile needs 55-series tires, 17 inch wheels, and nearly 300 horsepower, but it does. I've owned a 800 hp street-legal '57 Chevy, I've driven my Dad's Chrysler Hemi for several thousand miles--and they were both great, but I'll take my Caddy for everyday driving. It's solid American iron and I don't think it needs to apologize for anything!
It has been about 7 months and 7000 miles since I got my G8 GT. I learned one thing this weekend, the G8 is not all about going fast. Going home from work yesterday on freeway was doing 50 came around a blind corner and traffic was stopped. With the braking performance of my 96 Monte Carlo (I traded in on the G8) in my mind I was hoping that would be just a light crash. Three things happened. I hit the brakes, I saw someting fly on the pasengers side and I was stopped 5 car lengths behind the car ahead of me. The flying things were cargo straps that were on the floor in the back seat area. They bounced off front and ended up in middle of front passenger floor
I have owned my civic for 2 weeks. I did not test drive the car. I wish I did. I don't like the braking takes too long to stop. The wind takes the car. I had a 2002 civic, I loved it. I just turned in my accord. I am so sorry I didn't get another one. I am stuck with it for 3 yrs. lease. 
I'm very unhappy with this car, and sorry I bought it. It wasn't my first or even second choice. The car is 3 mos old, and has over 4500 miles. The driving is sluggish, even for a 4 cylinder. The driver's seat is very uncomfortable, and hurts my back. The wiper's don't work well, and make that horrible scraping sound. The rear wiper button is located below the stereo and you have to take your eyes off the road to find it. My major complaint is that the sticker said it would get 26 mpg. I'm only getting 21 mpg. I drive mostly highway. If I could return this car, I would.
Since I purchased my GV I've gotten married, got a dog, bought a house and recently became a father. All along the way the GV has never let me down. We've gone on several road trips and the GV has always been a true pleasure to drive. It now hauls my entire family including the dog with no problem. Reliability has never been an issue and the build quality is top nothch. The only issue I've had since purchasing it in 2007 has been a burned out headlight which was covered under the warranty and took a half an hour to repair at the dealership. I would recommend this car to anyone.
Really a great vehicle. Beyond my expectations. GM is finally getting it right. Should have no problem getting market share back from Toyota!
I just purchased the Lucerne and it is a great car. I test drove all the different models and the CXS is not even comparible to the others. Its drive far surpasses the lower models and drives like a dream. The V-8 is not going to beat up the muscle cars, but it's not supposted to either. It is very smooth and runs great. 
My wife and I test drove nearly every vehicle in this class and the Veracruz wasn't even on the list until recommended by a friend. It soon became the benchmark for all others in its class. OUTSTANDING interior room, TONS of bells and whistles and safety features STANDARD (on the Limited with the Ultimate package). Peppy engine with a smooth transmission and extremely comfortable ride (on Michelin tires, no less) make this the perfect family vehicle. And, for $34K (for the FWD Limited LOADED) that included the warranty upgrade to 10-year BUMPER-TO- BUMPER coverage...aside from normal maintenance, this vehicle is stress- free to own. Thanks, Hyundai, for building such a classy vehicle.
Bought this van before the 'Clunker Program', but got a great deal anyways. Wanted a 4.0, but could not find one in the color wife wanted. The 3.8L does fine, it's what I had in my other 4 minivans (2 97's, 98, 2000). Finally getting used to the no key and in-dash shifter. The van has plenty of power, the 3.8 is more than sufficient with the 6 speed. Thought I'd get a little better gas mileage with the 4.0L, but getting 16 with the 3.8L (1100 miles)in mixed driving, but city has lots of stop and go. We're in Texas, so the A/C has never been off yet, maybe in Dec we'll see the MPG go up some. First time I've had to actually read the manual to find out how a lot of the features work!
I looked at the Fit, Yaris, Scion and the Versa. As a huge Honda fan, I was leaning toward the Fit. That was, until the Versa was released! After one drive it was no question which car I wanted! Very high quality textured plastics and fabrics, excellent fit and finish, and a more upscale look than the others made the Versa purchase and easy decision! Even the power of the engine and the CVT make it so that I don't miss the V6 of my Accord!
This car is ok if you just want a puddle jumper to get back and forth. I bought this car as a left over 2008 b/c the price was right, but I should have spent more for a better car. The sheet metal body panels ding very easy. This car rattles with every bump, maybe due to the sport suspension. The interior plastic scratches easy, very easy. Plus I am only getting around 20-21 mpg in the city. 25-27 mpg on the highway. I do better with my old awd Subaru. The car is good for parking around town in tight spaces and can hold a large amount of groceries with the rear seats folded down. 
I have not seen other reviews for the 2009 3.0R, so here it is. The car is great to drive and both the stereo and nav are fun to use once you get past the complexity of the user interface. Mileage is as advertised; should not expect better with this power and AWD. Now the down side. After 5 days and 500km, the check engine light came on with flashing cruise and shift control lights. The dealer had difficulty trouble shooting, but claimed to find the root cause after 2 days in the shop, replacing a solenoid that is used for control of one of the cams. One day after I got the car back I am staring at the same failure. This is not the reliability that I expected from a Subaru! 
Had my TX for a month now, 1500 miles on it. Very happy with purchase, did lots of research on crossovers and test drives ( tested Acadia,Outlook,Suzuki XL7, Mazda CX9 ) and TX was the best handling and most fun car to drive. Plus price and fuel economy is the best as well. Don't understad how some drivers are driving if they geting lower MPG than advertised? Hello, whats about using cruise control and other fuel saving tips? I am getting 24mpg average, althought I must admit I drive 70-80% on highway. But even in city never got less then 18.5MPG. But of course if you like to push gas pedal to the floor and strain that new 3.5 lt engine all the time, than thats what you get;)
I work in outside sales and drive 30-35,000 miles per year. I have 73,000 miles on my 2007 Camry Hybrid. This is my third Toyota car and in over 350,000 miles of driving them, the only non-regular maintenance replacement was a water pump on my 2000 Camry at 142,000 miles. My son still has that car with 176,000 miles on it. I love my Camry Hybrid. I don't know about other reports about tires. Mine came with lifetime free tires and oil change. They just put on new tires at 72,000 miles. The old ones had just hit the wear markers. My only complaint would be that the ride is a little mushy. At this point I prefer comfort to racing performance, and this car is very comfortable.
I just got my car on Aug 6th 2009 (Manufactured date: July 7th 2009). In general, I love this car lots. Only thing that ruins this car is its suspension. It is fun to drive but it is NOT COMFORTABLE with its crappy suspension design. The 7-speaker system is good. And trunk, glove box and handrest box are big but no partition at all. There is no way to organize the items, quite a mess. Many people starred the car while driving. And it brings some talks with friends and strangers while parking. Water came into trunk when open. Please and Please fix the suspension in all effort for the pioneer (who bought the first year Genesis) as the compensation.
I've had this car for almost a year and have enjoyed it very much. It is very comfortable and stylish and is a pleasure to drive. For being a naturally aspirated 4-banger, it also performs pretty well. It is a great daily driver that I am very proud to own.
I love my new Highlander. I loved my Dodge Durango V8, but gas was getting expensive. This is my first Toyota and so far, so good. Very comfortable to drive, I'm 5'2 and he's 5'11, perfect for both. Nice amount of shopping space and visibility. My 7 yr old love all the cup holders. Only suggestion would be if the SUV came with window guards to protect more from the rain when opening the doors. I wish I had gotten the gray interior instead of the tan, just more vacuuming will be required. Over all very happy with my new car.
This car has been the family car for a while (including a back and forth trip NJ-FLA). So far the car is good, but not great. Maybe its the first year blues after the redesign, but already problems have arisen. The a/c went once already. The dealers story was that the condenser apparently got hit by a rock, and had to be replaced. There have also been windshield wiper problems which are difficult to explain but require fixing. Other nit picks include the exaggerated turning radius, the car easily bottoming out on speed bumps and such, crappy standard radio, and amplified road noise. Don't misunderstand me, this is a good car, I just wonder if there are better small sedans out there.
This is my first SUV and I have test driven plenty of them. The design of this vehicle is awesome. Although the mileage is not that great it does very well on the highway. If you haven't purchased one yet get out and get one.
Bought this car because of Toyota reliability reputation and mileage. Use it mostly for running kids around town. It seems a little cheap inside for the cost but I'm used to nicer cars (Volvo/BMW).
I am writing a re-review because this car is just super.Our Prius is with packages and option #2. Option #2 makes it one great car. We have driven it for a week and have over 300 miles on it and are getting 49.6 MPG, without trying, just driving. The no key system is great. Stereo sounds great. Like the back-up camera (but car is not that hard to see out of) really like the energy useage screen. The Prius is so high tech all on touch screen and also on steering wheel. Very easy to operate, only takes a couple of times driving and you are set. Just wish I could get my wife out of the prius so I can drive it. HaHa
The 535xi is my 5th BMW and I got all the bells and whistles. The previous 4 were great, but pre-iDrive; this one is remarkable in comparison. A few post-purchase minutes with the salesman and using the iDrive was easy, don't know what the iDrive fuss is about. Great handling, acceleration and braking. The first 2k miles have been trouble free and a pleasure. Gas mileage was better than expected, 22-26 mpg so far and the turbos do make a difference when you want to pass or merge. I drove MB E350, Lexus GS 350, and Infiniti M45 and the Bimmer was my hands down choice.
I picked up my CX-9 GT Tuesday, 2/14/07. Some observations: * I drive with my left thumb & forefinger at 7:00 o'clock on the wheel. I feel no significant torque steer during WOT start. * Door-closing sound of all doors is that of a mega-buck limo. * Brake "Pinch-out" control, something I don't remember reading in a review was way above average. Pinchout control is the ability to control deceleration during the last revolution of the wheel prior to stop. As a driver, we're rarely aware of it, but if we look at our passenger's head as we come to a complete stop, we see it. * SST is OK ... much better than PRNDL, but I don't like it as much as the Lincoln LS version. 
xD provides better gas mileage than EPA guidance. 34 MPG first tank, 38 MPG the next tank of gas. Car handles and performs well. Bought the manual trans to gain better performance and have not been disappointed. Would recommend the xD as a first car or for those wanting a mix of good performance and mpg.
I test drove Volvo, Saturn, BMW, Mercedes, Audi and Lexus. None of these other cars are so much fun to drive with such great technology features as the Infiniti. My M45 is fast, easy to drive, comfortable with more leg and head space than Audi, BMW or Mercedes has. What a smooth ride.
I absolutely love my new Aveo. It handles great, and feels bigger inside than it looks from the outside. Tons of trunk space. Plenty of leg room in the front. The adjustments on the driver seat are wonderful, I can drive long distances without feeling fatigued and sore when I arrive.
Great car for the money. Honest! We've got the manual loaded with the sunroof/moonroof. Not the most fun car I've ever bought but a great one. I needed a cheap car that got good gas mileage. I wanted a hybrid but figured that extra $8-13 grand would buy a lot of gas at $4 a gallon. I've owned this for 10 months (took in once for a sensor, fixed that day) and only have 7,500 miles. If you drive it gently (Yeh, not my style either) you'll get the estimated mileage or slightly better. I'll never call this a "fun" ride, but I'll always call it a smart ride. Need more fun, room, or "style", then spend the money. Need around 200 or-less miles a week and real economy, give an Aveo a look.
The style, speed, handling, AWD aspects are great. The fuel economy could be better but is improving as the miles drive increases. Dealer did have to replace the left front brake caliper due to a rattle noise but dealer assured me it was a new, factory replacement part not rebuilt. Would be nice if it had auto on/off headlights and if the air conditioning "auto" function would always work with the recirculating button engaged -- living in the city you have to pretty much keep the recir button on all the time. 
Was very excited about initial purchase and like most buyers, noticed areas that can be improved upon. I expected fuel economy to be higher than 21 -still better than 17/18 with my 2005 Explorer. I'm having issues with slack in the drivers pwr seat and all 4 of the function buttons on the mid dash suffer from intermittent operation. The sound system is worst than my 2003 Focus - I suspect the speakers are sub-standard. Overall I love the styling and comfort -especially the dual exhaust tips. Forgot to mention the service on the transmission after 2 months- leaking fluid due to a defective gasket.
We're thrilled with our Fit sport. It has delivered great gas mileage, 30MPG around town, 33-38 MPG highway. It's interior is well thought out and comfortable. For an entry level car, the interior materials and quality are superb. The exterior design is excellent. The Sport trim gives the car a better look versus the standard model. While it's not a rocket, the engine has some pep and good torque. The hills in our area are no problem for motor. When the A/C is on, the small displacement of the engine robs some of the power. The handling is great for this little car. It's a firm ride, the lower profile tires don't help, but the trade off is you get crisp handling and grip. I like the steering too
Very fun car to drive and very comfortable for those who like a sporty ride. CVT is not one for enthusiasts but the engine and suspension make up for it. Excellent brakes and handles well enough to be fun yet not beat you up on bad roads. Base sound system is impressive. Navi adds lots of custom settings base needs dealer to change. Leather seats are very nice and soft. Lumbar is so so. Pretty quiet inside but it's not a Mercedes. Getting about 20 mpg with 15 mile commute mostly city driving. 25 hwy but you must drive it lightly. Too fun to keep your foot out of it.
I went from a 05'Silverado C.Cab to something more economical and easier to drive. Tired of American vehicle unreliabiliy. Finally a foriegn car that is affordable! The car has everything I could ask for at$18K. I seem to feel a little rough shift from first to second gear but otherwise no problems.My husband is 6'4" and my kids are also tall, so we needed a car that would fit us all with the seat all the way back. Very comfortable,quiet and smooth ride. highly recommend this vehicle, it is impressive.
Got base model for $21995 after rebate, incl destination fee. If the price hadn't been so low, the fuel benefit wouldn't have outweighed the added cost. LOVE it. The accel. is as good as my old accord, & better than my wife's civic. Poor Braking distance is non- issue; it feels like it can stop on a dime, even at 3500 lbs. The eCVT is ideal; I have never driven a continuous transmission. Has abundant safety features for my family, and I was even surprised that alloy wheels are standard (although I don't know the added benefit of alloys, just that they cost more). A small thing I love is the key. Just have it in your pocket, & you can open the trunk, unlock doors, & start the car!
This is my first Toyota and I bought it without a test drive. I think overall it is a nice truck with a good set of extras. However, given Toyota's track record of excellent and dependable vehicles, I expected a bit more for the $$. For a new truck, there is already an annoying rattle/vibration at low RPM and it is especially noticeable when it's cold. The transmission seems to hunt when it downshifts, giving the sensation that you are are driving on ice at times. 
This vehicle handles well and is a joy to drive. However, the road noise is greater than what I expected and the radio reception is unacceptable with constant static on local FM stations. The radio is fine as long as the car is not in motion. It immediately begins to crackle when in motion. The car has plenty of power for it's size and the gas mileage is wonderful. The head rests are set at a severe angle for short people and can't be adjusted unless a person removes them and reinstalls them backwards, with the angle toward the back seat.
This truck is by far the best I have owned, I researched and test drove Chevy, Ford and Toyota prior to this purchase and for base items I got more for the money 5.6 V8, 18In rims, 33" tires etc. In all other trucks these were options that cost way more. Everyday I drive the truck I love it more. I just placed a true Dual Exhaust Flowmaster on it and it sounds and runs great.
I had my Forester XT limited for about 4 months and had driven it about 6,000 miles. I really liked the car, but the engine died on a family vacation. It now needs to be replaced. It is all under warranty, but it still is an inconvenience It also makes me feel uneasy about the engine from now on, even if it is brand new. I had heard and read so many positive things about the Subaru boxer engine that this shocks me.
We hit a deer at 70MPH with our 2009 Murano. Both airbags went off. If I would not have had my foot on the dash (bad habit of mine) we would not have had any injuries. However the airbag broke my ankle in two places, leg and toe. We feel safe in our Murano - will never put feet on dash again. We love all our features, nav system, heated seats, Bose radio, etc but when it comes right down to the basics - buy this car for the safety rating. We are glad we did.
I purchased my 2007 Vibe after testing and researching the usual segment competition and the car has been everything I expected. City/combined mileage has averaged 27+ and more on the freeway in short trips. I really only wanted the base model with an automatic trans and power group added for convenience- so had to search local dealer inventories instead of taking the more expensive models with options I didn't want or need. I found just what I was looking for and after 5 months of ownership the car has been great with no problems. Quality seems good.
I bought this car because it was fast, agile and sleek. The exterior has aggressive styling that recieves many compliments, the interior is not very functional and hard to find a place to get comfortable. This car has so much plastic in it I am afraid it may melt if I leave it out too long. Even though I know the car is well built, I dont feel a sense of quality to it. The car has a rather potent engine but it does not grip the road well enough for having AWD.
This is the greatest vehicle I've ever purchased. Fun to drive, and rides like a dream. We test drove 14 other SUVs before our purchase of the Lexus. We are thinking about purchasing another GX 470 and replacing our 2004 Jaguar XJ8.
When I started to research this car, I had no idea how awesome this car was. It looks like a very, very expensive car a la Lexus or BMW. I get wows all the time, and when my friends and family looked at the interior they where all impressed. This car really zooms, and looks great doing it. If you want a car that looks and feels very luxurious, than this is the car!
Replaced our 2003 Honda CRV with the Highlander Sport AWD to gain the third seat for hauling grandkids. Has been fun to drive, although it seems large in restricted parking areas. Interior comfortable & well appointed. Once the third seat is up there is no storage space. We did have to have one of the tires replaced when it picked up a screw in the sidewall. Because of its unusual size there were limited sources and it cost us $225 to replace it.
A family member bought the Tundra in Oct.'07-Toyota is making a big deal out of their 5.7L engine etc...the Tundra is a nice truck--but I decided to go with the Sierra for several reasons: Better road manners--especially on the freeway--very tight steering. Much more luxurious, refined and thought-ought interior. Everything inside is beautiful and solid--not an easy feat to accomplish. Classic looks--yet modern. GM really hit a home run with this design. I get more looks and questions than when I had a Porche. Perfect size Crew-cab. This is the biggest downer with Tundra--you either get the smaller ex-cab or the huge double--bigger than Dodge's. Bad combo. GM hands down!
This 1/2 ton is awsome. 403 HP All wheel drive makes this a blast to drive. very comfortable. pulls my 24ft enclosed trailer and 26ft camp trailer pretty decent. 15-17 mpg not too bad for 400 hp. stabillatrack and speed sensitive steering make this truck handle very well. I had a 400+hp 2005 Duramax crewcab that I loved and traded it for this. I realy love this truck!
I bought the new 2008 Malibu off the showroom and was pleased with all the extras. Heated seats, elect driver's seat, OnStar for the year. It works. A cell phone built in. I've never had so many options that I really like. Very comfortable ride. Something bad, the whole steering column and its motor had to be replaced. Very odd. Doesn't give me a good feeling. 
Traded a 2003 Maxima which I was sad to trade in... solid, fast, dependable and the last Japanese built. The 2008 SE however is also powerful and an excellent freeway cruiser. Quiet, solid, and quick. Around town however it can feel over weight and lumbering. CVT took some getting accustomed to but now love it. No downshift lag when passing... just hit the gas and ZOOM! Now driving a typical "automatic" feels old school with all that engine revving up then down with each shift. Some interior materials feel a bit cheap which was a disappointment. Overall satisfied and will probably keep for 4 years then trade for 2012 Maxima. As my title states, once a Maxima owner, always a Maxima owner. 
CVT, leather seats, Bose system, keyless start. What else can you ask for at this price point. Fun to drive, very good pickup, excellent looks, nice fuel economy (23 city, 29 highway).
Having been a former owner of a Mini Cooper, I can tell you that this car is a much better car. While it may not corner quite as well as the Mini (that can be fixed with the addition of the TRD lowering springs, a dealer installed option) It is none the less equally fun to drive. It has more HP stock then a Mini Cooper (not S of course). The styling is unique, just the right amount of funkyness to get you noticed. The cabin is more spacious, and their is definitely more storage then a Mini. Plus, the standard factory installed Pioneer ipod control rocks (an expensive Mini option). The rear seats fit two adults comfortably, and I'm averaging over 35 mpg! Bottom line, best value for the money!
Overall not bad, quiet ride. like the limited accents Seat belt reminder chimes every 8 seconds. CVT can be noisy at times. Should be undercoated from factory, rust after 1 PA winter
Leave it to MB. They hit the nail on the head with this car. I wanted the CDI, but it is not yet available in California. After having owned a Range Rover, a 4Runner and a Cayenne, I can say this is the best SUV out there. If not for the 911 Porsche, probably the best car out there.
Just purchased this vehicle a week ago using the clunker incentive. I purchased the Altima 2.5S with all the options except for the Navi. So far I have driven it ~900 miles. Ride, handling, acceleration, etc are all excellent. I couldn't be happier.
I got this for the family and work. Got it with all the bells and whistles. Love the Red Rock leather. Comfortable ride. Not bad gas usage for a V8. Very comfortable ride with a vehicle height adjustment for when stopped and loading/unloading. Acceleration a little slow but manual option allows for better acceleration control. Looked at Escalade, Yukon, Mercedes Benz and decided this was best bang for the buck. Also, handling/steering seems better and quality is good. Interior better looking than the GM cars. Also, back seats automatic and fold flat, unlike the GM cars. Storage minimal when using all 7/8 passengers but most SUV's like that. Perfect for 4 person family. 
I narrowed my choices to the 2008 Vue and Rav4 months before they hit the lots, test-driving them both the same day. I'd also narrowed my choices between Toyota & Saturn 10 yrs earlier when I bought a Saturn SC2, and for pretty much the same reasons the Vue was an easy choice. Saturn makes good-looking vehicles w/superior color choices, that come well-equipped with lots of luxuries that make them especially fun to drive. I was impressed with its nimble handling, tight steering and solid stability at cornering. The 4000-pound 6cyl can haul 3500 lbs. Between OnStar and standard alarm, it's safer from theft. I upgraded to the premium package, and now own one stellar car. 
This is a car for a person who wants a bit of everything in a car: sporty performance, practicality with 4-seat capacity, acceptable trunk space, comfort, interior and exterior style, and of course, a convertible. If you feel the urge to splurge on any particular feature, then you might want to get dedicated sports car or comfort sedan. But if you want a bit of everything, the Eos works well. I've had my Eos for about 4 months in various weather, and it has held up great and has been fun to drive. So far no reliability problems. 
I always wanted this car. I feels very solid, fast, and sporty. This car gets tons of attention no matter where you go. It is much more solid then the Honda I traded in for it. I love it.
I was debating between a Honda Civic and a Camry and decided on the Camry since we are expecting a child and roominess and the quiet ride of the Camry sold me on it. The gas mileage is great, the first tank gave me 29.75/gallon (491 on 16.5), and this included a lot of traffic driving. Filled up again and it was a surprising 36/gallon (208.3 on 5.6). Although I admit I was careful accelerating and not going beyond 70mph, but drove upto 80mph. Definitely has the power when you need it. Impressed with the quiet engine. The VVT-i is solid, smooth transmission not too jerky when switching gears on an uphill.
Great value,Fun to drive. Very comfortable, feels like a sports car Great pick up for a 4 cylinder. 
We bought the vehicle to replace an older Sienna. We have driven it more than 17,000 miles and have had no issues with the van. Good acceleration, comfortable on long trips and great mileage (as much as 26+ on a 1800 mile trip). We like the bluetooth and navigation system, backup camera and automatic side doors and rear gate. Smooth and comfortable ride with great turning radius. 
I was looking at the 2008 Tribeca for some time. We finally bought the vehicle two weeks ago. A great car to drive. The ride is very smooth and very quiet. The car handles well. Enough cargo space (more than in a Murano). Easy controls, great sound system. Very comfortable overall.
Originally, I was not even considering the Vue since I get a Dodge discount because of family members working there. I was going to get a Nitro. But I decided to go try out the Saturn and boy am I glad I did. As soon as I saw them up close and the great interior I was hooked. It has great lines and very fun to drive. I tried the 4 and the 6. I went with the 4 for the increased fuel economy and for me its fine. I am no speed demon. But the 6 would have been nice but not worth the increased cost to me personally. 
I love my car. I have had my car for a month tomorrow. It is perfect for teenagers and young adults. It comes fully loaded. There are two moonroofs, and more than any one could need. The fuel economy is great. It takes me about $30 to fill it up. My car drives really smoothly, and I have not had a problem yet. It has a clean look. They are sporty and fun. I love my car! 
We were coming up on the lease of our Sienna. We looked at several crossovers: Acadia, Edge, Murano, Pilot, CX9, Highlander. My wife had a Subie when we first met, and she asked to look at the new one. We drove all the others, and we drove this and said, "Yes." This a fun car to drive, room for kids and cargo, AWD, and we like the design. We got the gold color with tan leather. Even in the sun all day, it doesn't get that hot inside. Got it on a 42 mo lease, and we are very happy. Getting 17mpg mixed driving, but the engine only has 600 miles. Better mileage to come when fully broken in.
I bought my 2008 Corolla to replace my 1995 Geo Prizm which I recently retired having driven it more than 338,000 miles with its original engine, transmission and clutch still intact and never having been rebuilt! Since the Geo Prizm was a Toyota Corolla clone and having experienced first hand how reliable and economical the Prizm had been, I was naturally drawn to the Corolla, although I did consider the Honda Fit and Mazda 3 as well. I chose the Corolla for the legendary reliability and build quality, the excellent fuel economy, a comfortable, quiet ride and an excellent value overall. So far, I have been very pleased with my Corolla, but the Prizm will be a tough act to follow!
All I can say is that I feel sorry for those that paid over the sticker. I didn't, and I am glad. The power is there, but you better get used to the first gear shudder that the dealership will tell you is a "normal" thing. Yea, sure. Just like the rear end rusting out is, as they say, normal, and will not affect the integrity or performance. Listen, when you pay $50K for a vehicle, you just don't expect these kinds of things, and, to make it worse, the dealer telling you that it is normal. I should of went with the GT. My bad.
I have a 2005 MDX and recently we needed a second car. After test driving three different Acura models, I chose the TL. The car was far superior to the TSX (in quality as well), and also had a more sleek and mature personality than the RDX. Since we have an MDX, I opted for a nicer, smoother and more sophisticated TL. I chose the S-series to get the manual transmission - lots of fun. The car is subtlely aggressive, yet practical too. My kids fit easily and safely, and the gas mileage is AOK (25 mpg mixed (city/hwy)). Love my Acura(s)!
i had an acadia since 2/2009 it has been in the dealer shop for one month total on and off the battery keeps draining my truck such beutiful not to be countent to be used...
Quiet ride. Has much more overall room inside than my previous vehicle (Camry.) More horsepower and I have no initial complaints.
The RDX is a great small SUV. I've had mine almost a year and I love the ride, handling, and sleek interior. The interior and cargo space are much larger than the exterior of the car would indicate. The biggest drawback is the poor gas mileage. I drive 80% in the city and 20% on the highway and I've only averaged 15 MPG. That's pretty bad for a small SUV. Other small annoyances -- the seat belts don't fit snug and rattle; the front seats should slide back further to increase front leg room. Cheaper than the BMW X3 and more luxurious and sportier than the RAV4 or CRV.
We've only had it a week but have put it through its paces in everything from city traffic jams to winding mountain roads and got 38 mpg on the first tank. Contrary to the EPA figures, it does better on the open road (at least with the lower speed limits around here) than in city driving. Extremely quiet and smooth operation. You can tell when the gas engine starts, but it is smoother than an auto transmission shift. 
My dad owned a 03 frontier and has had zero problems in about 4 years with 60ish thousand miles so I figured I'll go with a Nissan. Bought the truck used and use it to read meters in central florida and the truck rides pretty darn good. Had to put a small lift kit on it for ground clearance but the truck can take a beating and keep on going. Dislikes are horrible blindspot on the kingcab and not so great turning radius which everyone else has stated. Tows my 18' flats boat pretty good, can't complain for a 4 banger. But overall great truck with great style. 
Makes driving fun. Fuel is not bad, but could be better - 21-27. Had an oil leak when I first got it, but they fixed it, and it has been good. I did have a problem with the rubber filler along the fenders discoloring. That was replaced, but will need done again. I park in the same sunny place every day. Good visibility over cars in the same class.
Had the car a couple of weeks and put 600 miles on it. It's a very comfortable car, even the 3.5 has more than adequate power, I've never felt like I had to have more. I've only used regular gas so far and gotten 28 MPG. Controls are all logical. I got the leather package and seats are comfortable but could use more side support. Great room up front, but lacking a bit in rear leg room for as big as the car is. My only beef is the paint finish - the hood has 2 big "blotches" - dealer noted it and offered to repaint under warranty, but something as bad as that should have never made it out of the factory.
This car looks very classy and sporty. It is fun to drive and holds the road well. However, every door panel has had to come off at the dealer because of all but one window being off track. Also my outside door handle was rattling very loud when my music was turned up. Nothing mechanically wrong with car, but I question the build quality of these other flaws.
I would suggest to every man, that is a true man, get the 5.7L Hemi! Awesome power. With a cold air intake, throttle body spacer, true dual exhaust with Flowmaster muffler and a power chip the truck is hard to handle. Pushing around 440hp. Ford and Chevy haven't got anything on that hemi.
The all "new" 2008 Corvette is exactly that! From a new Jetstream Blue exterior, a revamped upscale interior, 36HP increase, and a new exhast system the new feature enhancements are extraordinary. The new Jetstream Blue exterior really stands out in the crowd. The 4LT interior (Linen & Ebony) finally puts Corvette in the luxury realm. The 436 HP puts the Vette way above any other car in the price range. The optional Z06 style butterfly exhaust makes the car really sound like a Vette should right from the start. I added an optional remote that lets me control the exhaust butterfly. I owned a 2004 C5 prior to this C6 and was completely blown away at how much better this car is over my C5.
My wife and I were heading towards a Yaris, but by the time we had all the features picked out, the price was to high for our budget. We looked at the Versa and got a lot more car with the needed features. I use this little car for work, and kept my truck for the big stuff like hauling trash and getting gravel. I am disappointed with the highway mpg and steering wheel. Plus, no right arm rest! I hope Nissan has one for 2009, and some form of a retro-fit for my 2008.
Car is stunningly beautiful. Power of the 3.0 liter rivals a V-8. Fuel economy surprised me, 25 in town and 32 on the highway. No negatives after a year of driving. It handles so great on the road. No body sway at all on sharp turns. Handling is a dream.
Just purchased the 2007 Mazda6i sports value edition. Love the look of the car inside and out. Great looking 17" wheels and love the feel behind the wheel. I purchased the Smokestone exterior color with black fabic interior. Love the way the dashboard lights up at night in red. Good gas mileage and I like the 2.3L 4cyl automatic. Good value for the money spent.
It's a very comfortable and fun vehicle to drive. We love this car! This car is equipped with lots of leg room. Three large adults can ride comfortably in the Avalon.
Took a long look at many small SUV's. Honda CRV too sluggish, Forrester (used to own one) lacked wow factor, RAV4 V6 4WD was solid but cost $2000+ more with less features. Worried about American made being around much longer. Wanted to stay under $30k fully loaded. Walked out at $27,255 with 0% financing for 60 months (rather than another $2000 off) - approx. $1,500 below invoice. Sticker on car was over $31,000 MSRP. Fun to drive, looks good, great sound system, Fast key awesome - hope to have for a long time.
I've had mine for 1,800 miles so far. I'm getting a combined avg. of 35+ mpg and over 40mpg on the highway already. I don't mind the clock like some others on here have complained about. I'm not a fan of electric steering boxes in any car, and it took me about a week to get used to this one, but I don't have any problems with it now. I'm 6'4", and although head and shoulder room are great I wouldn't mind an extra 1-2" or legroom up front. The dead pedal is nicely placed and angled well though. This isn't the most exciting car I've ever owned, but acceleration is adequate and fuel economy is great. This is a really good and practical commuter car.
Ok, I just got the little beast yesterday. I had a ball on the test drive and then had even more fun on my 48 mile commute. This transmission is smooth as glass and my roommate loved the exhaust tone when I rolled up to get something from him. I'm considering actually teaching my girlfriend to drive stick with this car. The easy clutch and short throw of the shifter will make her life easier.
I bought my '07 a month ago at just about half sticker price. The wheels needed alignment, but the dealer was happy to fix it on the first try. The engine is so quiet and revs so high, the jet engine air intake seems right. Fuel consumption is what you would expect for a peppy big-midsize, not what you would be led to expect by the window sticker. I get 22 mpg mixed. This car has a solid feel of quality that makes me think the guys on the assembly line know they were participating in history. My only disappointment is that silly dash which won't accept an aftermarket stereo gracefully. The enthusiastic A/C more than makes up for it, though, as it's a neccessity here in Florida.
The vehicle was purchased in February of 2008. I like the looks of the all black, with the cherry wood dash. My transportation has been predominately in the city, which gives me about 24-24 mpg. I have taken the car on one trip across the state of Wisconsin from Milwaukee to LaCrosse. The ride was good, and the vehicle got up to 32 mpg on the trip. It may have gotten better, but we had it fully loaded with 3 people and about 450 lbs worth of 'stuff'. That is what I find neat about this car, it's full size and the ability to get mileage that competes with the small compact foreign cars. The other thing I like is the oil life indicator, I get about 5,000 miles between oil changes.
My wife in on her second Audi (first an A4, now an A6). I'm the "designated SUV driver" in the family. I had a 5 year old Nissan Murano, which performed well and was a good value, but I've always been jealous of my wife's Audi(s). I looked at several mid-sized SUV's as a replacement, but none compared with the Q5. It drives like a sport sedan, with all of the comfort and convenience of a SUV. The size is perfect for getting around downtown and parking spaces, but it feels very large inside. 
I drive 40K/yr for business and pleasure. I need cargo room to haul large dogs and show equipment, and reliability. This car is roomy, comfortable, and fun to drive. It's quieter than any car I've owned, and feels like a luxury car, not an SUV. The gas mileage isn't great, but what do you expect from an AWD SUV? The onboard navigation, OnStar phone capability, and great sound system all add to the enjoyment of driving it. Quite simply, I love this vehicle!
We first saw the CX-7 at the Chicago auto show this past winter and my wife and I decided it was the vehicle for us. Since we took delivery (6/03/2006) we've been very impressed with the performance and styling of the car. The utility features of the CX-7 were in keeping with why SUVs are purchased in the first place. It only has slightly less room than that of our previous Mazda Tribute. I am sure its reliability will be just as solid as any other Mazda - this being our 6th Mazda. The only negative is the ease of scratching the plastic on the dash, glove box and the door panels. It looks rather cheap and it is very easily scratched. 
This van has been nothing but problems since the day we bought it. We have kept it 8 short months and are trading it in today. The sensors continue to fail, the air leak in the front window, poor braking system, lack of interior style and comfort. I am a Chevy/GM guy but it's time to switch to a Town and Country. GM was smart by dropping this van. Trading it in while it's still under warranty so whoever gets it can get all the problems fixed under the bumper to bumper warranty.
Because it is made by Toyota, I can trust and depend on their products. With my FJ, I love it and cherish it because it was built with style and performance in mind. I love to drive it, it is so quiet and smooth to speed on the road. I only get 18 miles in the city but terrific mileage in the long drive of 22 miles per gallon using premium gasoline which I have no doubt adds benefit. I added a bug deflector to save my windshield in the long run and wind side windows deflector to deflect the wind during driving to lessen the wind noise when the windows are open on the open road. I will score this car a perfect 10 as to what it can do for me and what I expect on it. Its simply the best!!
The power steering pump went bad after two months of using that car. Now have jumping RPM problem. 
Just drove my new GX 470 off the lot yesterday. So far, I am loving it! It has plenty of room. Very commanding on the road with the height of the vehicle. Quality fittings. Buy the ones with Nav. Very high quality. This is something I am going to keep for a while, a new one is worth the money.
I was looking for a new car for a good while. I was about to get the new Lexus ISF but then I came across the C63. Daammmmmm. First of all it has a very clean look. The exterior has a good blend of sporty and luxurious. The interior is also very nice. A very clean and luxurious look. However I'm not too sure about the bucket seats. Though the leather is absolutely gorgeous, I feel the seats could have been more comfortable. There ok though, some people really like them. The best part is the engine. It has superpowers. 
Purchased a 2002 Mustang GT for the wife and wound up driving it myself as our family grew. Just replaced the 2002 at 96K miles with only changing tires, oil.. etc. New Mustang goes beyond the '02 quality. Styling is excellent, and you can tell the engineers put a lot of time into this vehicle. Expecting to have the same success with the '07 as with the '02
I am a previous lease owner of the Mazda 6 2005 for 42 month. Enjoyed that car except 4 cyl was not enough for summer driving because of AC system takes power from engine. Mazda got it right this time. Driving new 09 model for a week now, already see a lot of improvements. Torque is much better even with AC on. Transmission is much smoother when shifting. Interior design improved dramatically. More roomy. Dash board has few new fitures but again I have basic package cant help you there. I do have auxiliary input that allows me to connect my iPod, very cool. Sound system is awesome, 8 speakers and subwoofer standard. Trunk is very big, could fit my golf bag in the old model, this one is fine.
I custom ordered a Mars Red C300 Sport edition with a manual transmission. I love this car. Every single day, heads turn to look at this vehicle and I've owned BMW and Lexus and never had so much fun. I purchased it with all the options and love the Sirius radio, navigation, Harmon Kardon speakers, I-Pod connector, no-hands Bluetooth, and 18in AMG wheels. It doesn't get great mileage, especially with the cost of premium gas, but then again, it is a sports car. I prefer the C300 manual vs. the 7-Matic because I can really drive it like it's meant to be driven. 
I was looking at the fit and did not feel like waiting a month or longer plus paying a nine hundred dollar premium .Iam glad I bought Yaris drives like a big car 38 mpg first fill up mixed driving
first 2 wheel drive truck ! no regrets so far ! and this pa winter of 09 isnt pretty. no snow tires or weight in back and goes good with locking rearend !getting 17 mixed driving and 21 on highway !
Haven't had this van for 48 hours, so base your interpretation upon that...so far, through test driving and rec driving, it is perfect. The 3.3 L V6 is more than enough for normal driving conditions. We got the base model with an upgrade, so we dont have the navigation, dvd, etc. and the van still seems to provide for the family with normal needs. Build, appearance, and performance have all seemed to be adequate. If you want supperior options, buy a chrysler aspen or an escalade. But how it seems to me so far, for the reasonable family with a budget, this is the best you can get.
First Vette, hated previous generations. The C6 made me a believer. The C6 is awesome from a thank god six cogger tranny to a really nice interior. It is no Porsche but it no longer a fancy or more powerful mustang or camaro either. Try it you will love it. I sold my E500 for this I am am thrilled with it the new 6.2 is breathtaking and the optional exhaust can't be described must be heard. Also windows crack open when door opens a la BMW for an airtight seal. Way to go GM.
2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C300 Sport Sedan has met all of my expectations for a sport sedan. The performance and look of this car is terrific. I have a C300 Sport with the 6 speed manual transmission, Premium 1 & Multimedia packages, IPod Integration Kit, and the 18? AMG wheels. I have driven many cars of different make, model and price range. The C300 Sport Sedan easily wins in value and prestige for the money. 
After having researched and reading reviews on the new Civic Si, I finally made the purchase. From the moment I took it off the lot, I had a beaming grin. This car loves to be driven. I couldn't wait to pass the 500 mile mark to really see what it was made out of. Honda really keeps the driver in mind when they made this car, from the adjustable leather steering wheel, short shifter, seat ergonomics, headrests, and high quality plastics and interior. I was also considering getting the mustang GT, Infiniti G35, and nissan 350Z, obviously sheer torque and horsepower surpass the Si, but as far as performance, reliability, and the joy of driving, the Si is hard to beat
I think Ford got this car right. I find it quiet, responsive, and peppy (for what it is). The manual transmission is easy to shift and it holds speed well on downgrades. I get 37 mpg on the highway and around 28 mpg in town. I recommend this car! Get the SES and the fancy radio system.
I bought my Pilot last winter to replace a Chevy diesel work truck and an aging Chrysler family van. The Pilot does double duty as a business vehicle that regularly tows a 5,000 pound utility trailer and a weekend family cruiser. Very impressed with how well it does both, and I'm very surprised to see the engine occasionally described as underpowered as I've experience nothing of the kind and am very impressed with both the towing ability and quickness from a stop, as well as the highway climbing torque. I'd suggest others try locking out the overdrive for most local driving/climbing if they want to see brisker performance. I have 13K trouble free miles to date and am averaging 18-19 mpg.
This Jeep's top leaked since day 1. It has been in to be repaired 6 times and out of service more than 30 days. I have filed under lemon law /and was given a mediator /with no resolution. 5 months later I was forced into buying a foreign used car so I could get to work. I do not recommend this Jeep to any! Chrysler does not back product, they sure can sell you a car, but service is not there anymore. Stay away 
Is quite a beauty, drive it. Is elegant, sexy & sport. Is the type of SUV that is not monster big like a Ford F150 or small like a Jeep, the size is perfect. The price is nice for the good vehicle you get.
I have owned my 2007 buick Rendezvous for over 2 years and have not had one problem. I got an incredible value when i bought the car as the Rendezvous was at the end of it's run. The styling hadn't changed much in the last few years but we liked the way it looked and the interior was very nice. What surprises me is that I consistently get 23 mpg on the highway. This is better than i get with my Nissan Murano which is much smaller??? In local driving i get around 16 which is painful when gas is $4+ a gallon but reasonable when you consider the size and 7 passenger capacity. I have 31,000 miles and am still going strong! 
I loved the look of the Journey when it came out. I leased mine in July when I turned in my much hated town & country. I don't have all the great available options in mine, but I have what I need. Love the 19" wheels, storage compartments, exterior styling, comfort seats, etc. 
I purchased the 2008 Platinum Sequoia for family and weekend road trips. I test drove the Escalade ESV, Suburban, and Expedition XL. I chose the Sequoia with very little deliberation. The ride is smooth and the options are top rate. I love the interior space, the only two complaints I have are the lack of chrome accents for a model labeled platinum and the navigation and radio system. The resolution on the nav system is poor and the text limitation on the radio is just ridiculous for a product from Toyota. I know the profit margins had to be huge, because they did not invest a lot of money to impress customers or be competitive with $150 Nav systems from Best Buy.
I needed a solid 4 wheel drive small SUV. I did an extensive comparison with Rav 4 / CR-V / and all the others in this class. no one could touch it for price vs. features. Plus it still has a little German influence, i.e. Pwr assist brakes and anti-roll mitigation. Very solid, quiet and I think, with the leather seats (Ltd) a luxurious interior. I covered the Grey dash surfaces with fake burl wood and it just popped. A very surprising value for the money. Very pleased. I would only like to see the milage improve, and after 1st oil change and a few thou miles, I'm sure it will. You cannot beat this buy anywhere at any price! This is a home run! Toyota and Honda - better go run and hide.
Bought my coupe in AZ and drove it home to Kansas the next day. It is a very comfortable ride. The CVT keeps the engine at its peak power range. The manual mode was great during mountain driving. Averaged 30 miles per gallon. Love the sound system in this car. 
Great car was gonna purchase a 2010 Camaro but when I went to the nissan dealership to test drive fell in love with this car. Soon as I test drove I was overwhelmed at how comfortable this car really is. The speed and comfort this car gives is truly a masterpiece . Just bought a car cover for it today so it wont get dirty. Will ONLY be taken out nice days. 
With gas prices ever rising, my van was just too expensive to run. The Matrix was the perfect vehicle to downsize to; it still holds my gear, but gets 40% better mileage than my old MPV and it's fun to drive to boot! I wish Toyota would come out with a Hybrid Matrix, but until then, this one is great!
I bought my Jeep Compass new in October 2006. A month later we had a major ice storm and the AWD and anti- lock brakes worked great! I was disappointed from the start about the highway mileage I was getting, the highest ever was 27 MPG. I visit my parents who live in another state regularly. This is the first vehicle I have had in the last 17 years that could not make the trip on a tank of gas. I have had both tie-rod ends replaced under warranty and the front brakes which I had to pay for. Items that you normally don't have problems with under 30,000 miles. The CD player lacks a compression mode to even the volume out. The dash board is very clunky looking. The YES seat fabric does not work.
Purchaed this a few days ago. It was a dealership loaner vehicle and had 6,000 miles on it. It was still in perfect shape. Traded in a Hyundai Elantra and wanted a 6 Cylinder. Drives good. 
For the person who needs a 'Luxury Car' but WANTS A TRUCK- I would suggest looking into the Tundra X-SP Package. The leather seats and carbon fiber accents throughout the dashboard and arm rests make this truck luxurious and sporty. The BBS wheels and 305/50R 20 Michellins give this truck the perfect look, stance, and a ride that rivals any luxury car I have ever ridden in. The backseat of the double cab is roomy enough for someone who is 6'2" to sit comfortably behind someone 6'2" in the driver's seat. And the truck handles like a DREAM! I have driven F150s, RAMs, and Titans and this truck out accelerates and handles all of them. I LOVE MY TRUCK!
Purchased this car used w/27,000 miles on it. CPO Infiniti. I'm a Lexus guy and still own one but this car really opened my eyes. The ride quality is great, no issues with sport suspension. Interior is quiet as any luxury car I have ever driven. This car takes no backseat to any German luxo sedan out there.
I love my Smart Car. I have had mine for 3 months now and my husband just picked up his Smart Car 3 weeks ago. We love them ! 
The car feels like it was designed to impress car testers rather than real world driving. I traded from a 10 year old BMW 540i and would take the old car back in a minute. The V8 BMW got 20% better gas mileage and rode better. The M handles better than the BMW but at the cost of a very harsh ride, loud tire noise and VERY twitchy steering. The car has no "on center" feel and you have to constantly apply steering input to keep it going straight which is very tiring after an hour of driving. Considering the price, I can live with everything but the steering. Make sure you take a long drive on the freeway before buying. Otherwise a great car $10000 cheaper than the competition.
My 6 speed 335i ZSP sedan was purchased used as a CPO. The power's nice, the fairly sharp handling is rewarding (nice to be back in RWD) and the is quite cocooned. Large trunk, decent gas mileage and large backseat make it a good family car (wife and infant son). I look forward to curves. Sadly, the vehicle is extremely heavy, the RFTs are lousy and the interior trim appears to be peeling away on the door handle and steering wheel. It's a fun enough car but I look forward to the day I won't need something so large; I'm anxious for BMW to produce a light RWD coupe/sedan. For the next few years the 335i will suffice.
I have owned a Chevy Cobalt for 4 months now. I have 2500 miles on it. I really enjoy driving this car. It handles well. It has good pick-up and is easy to drive. My daughter also likes to drive my new Cobalt. Everyone whos sees it likes the way it looks. It ia laser blue metalic. It is comfortable in the front and back. The features are great. You can program up to 36 staions on the radio. The driver information center is cool. Lots of good info available on it, miles per gal, oil life percentage, 2 trip odomoters, fuel range, outside temp and a couple of other things too. Highway driving I get 32-34 MPG. The rear seats fold down so you can get larger things in the trunk.
I did a lot of research before this purchase knowing I would keep this car many years. My family (husband and 2 kids)are all over 6',so I needed a car with legroom. This suv has plenty of room in the front and back. I also have all the cargo space I need. The Santa Fe has more cargo space but I liked the interior design of the Tuscon better. Just a personal choice.
I can't believe that you can purchase a vehicle with all of these features for such a low price. Electronics are outstanding.
All I can say is don't ever buy a dodge journey. I have had the worst experience with this car. It's been in the shop four times and I'm still having problems. Check engine light has come on three times. The wire harness in my engine has been repaired. I've had three O2 sensors replaced and I've had continuous transmission problems that Chrysler engineers are supposedly working on. I got a lemon. I hate my vehicle. Don't buy dodge!
Use this car as my sales office. Had a 2005 Lacross CXS, wanted a bit more room. Ride is very quiet and comfortable. Handling is what you would expect from a luxury cruiser of this size and price. The V6 is suprisingly quick and have never felt underpowered merging on the Freeway, once at cruising speed you have to watch your speed because 90 sounds and feels like 70. Memory seats, heated steering wheel and seats and very comfortable and supportive seats makes long distance drives easy. Get it with the premium sound system, worth the money. 
I live in Toronto, Canada. Canadian market has SE Plus model, same 4.0 L engine except for $1,000 more you get more features (remote keyless entry, sunscreen glass, speed control, roof rack, security alarm). I had additional upgrades like Premium seats (same as SXT) for $375 and auto dim rear view mirror plus bluetooth for $300. Engine is noisy at high rams and lacks power. Otherwise quiet on highway.
It's a little bit big for a compact/midsize. Despite what some people are saying, it's noisy (clutch fan and mechanical noises) compared to a lot of cars and SUVs. No alloy wheel option for the base model at all. Sits a little high for a street truck (2x4). It handles like a truck with no rear sway bar. ATRAC is a waste of money to me. ABS is OK though (expected now). Mileage could be much better with a little effort from Toyota. The body looks good for a little truck. I had a TPMS and radio problems, but the dealer fixed them. Toyota knows very well about the radio problems. I'm betting they have to replace about 75-100% after the sale.
I've owned other models of MBZ, several BMW's and some Jaguars. They have all been beautiful, but only one or two of the MBZs have had been as close to perfect as this car. It has the quality of a new Lexus and the stylishness of an old Jaguar. And I'm not easy to please. 
I have to admit, I cried when my husband traded in our 02 VW Beetle for this car. This is my first Nissan and I am VERY impressed by the quality of this car. The ride is smooth and quiet, plenty of head and leg room for everyone to fit comfortably, and amenities galore you would not expect to find on such a well priced car ($18,400)! We have close to 8K miles on our SL Versa. The gas mileage went from OK (27 mpg) to GREAT (32) as it becomes more broken in. We have every option imaginable, sunroof, bluetooth, remote keyless entry/ignition, cruise, CVT, stero upgrade with AUX port, steering controls, power everything, sporty body kit upgrade and no problem with any of it.
A month ago my cherished 323Ci had a meltdown. Living in L.A., I loved taking it through the mountain twisties on the weekend. With this economy, I decided to be prudent with replacement car. My ratings are based on expectations of the class, and not comparisons to my previous luxury car. I'm quite pleased with the handling of this compact. Though somewhat under-tired, it can stand up to a road like decker canyon blvd (23). The clutch is light in feel, but gives you a good sense of it's action through your foot, gearbox is excellent. Had the opportunity to test the brakes in a panic stop in my first week of driving, and they're probably in the top 10 of any car under $100k.
Purchased the white CR-V in October. Exterior: 1. Much better looking than the truck-like 2nd generation. The deletion of the spare tire from the back was a good idea. 2. 17-inch tires good choice. 3. "Underbite" cladding in front a little jarring. Interior: 1. Classy and refined. 2. Driver display showing oil life, mileage, and fuel consumption a great tool. 3. Plenty of room, both front and rear. 4. No power driver's seat. 5. XM radio is nice. Sirius would have been better. 6. Seats fold easily. 
Last vehicle I had was a 1991 Mazda Navajo. What a difference 16 years makes. Did 4 months of research (Edmunds, Cars.com, Vehix, CR) all rated the car well despite new design. Choice between Pilot & Highlander. Pilot was a little too utilitarian and mpg ratings fr: blogs dissuaded me. I made the right choice. Have only had it a month and filled it twice, but highway: got 25 mpg, mixed, got 20.5 mpg despite 6 cylinder, limited, AWD, tow package, backup navi & bluetooth. All user friendly. Highly recommend this vehicle.
I test drove all the compact SUVs on the market and finally decided on the Tucson. I never would have considered a Hyundai, didn't know anything about them as they are not widely driven in my area, but was suggested by a friend in another state because of the warranty. I read every review out there and liked what I read. I loved the car when I drove it, and it had all the options I wanted standard that I would pay thousands extra for in my other choices (Subaru Forester and Jeep Patriot were my top 2). I prefered the gas mileage and styling of the Patriot and reliabilty of the Forester, but when it came down to it the Tucson won out overall. It is a very stylish car and fun to drive.
This is my 2nd Sentra. Enjoyed my 06 so much, I traded it on the 07 Showroom model, when I went in for a oil change. New exterior and the CVT out of this world. I have more power & pickup than some vehicles with V6. The Bluetooth, is the best. I don't have to operate my cell phone...I let my car do it, by a push the button on the steering wheel. I have all the bells & whistles and feel like I drive & own a luxury car with all the economy and pep too. The tire sensor is touchy, but if you adjust the pressure for the weather and drive 40mph for a mile, it will go off. The battery went dead at 16 mths and dealership couldn't find the reason. Cost me $55 to replace it.(warranty)
I love this car. It barely uses gas and saves me so much money. It looks and feels great on the highway. Very little noise. 
Bought first Infiniti after driving all comparable entry level luxury sedans. Expected to purchase new Lexus ES350,IS350,BMW 3-series or Accura TL. The new G35 addressed former interior design flaws with clean, upscale, functional controls. Seats comfortable and leather and trim match any car in class. The car stands out, however, in exterior styling and performance. It is truly a head- turner and I've actually grown tired of telling strangers what type of car it is...most believe it would cost $40- $50K. 306 hp rear-wheel drive in Journey model is responsive with a throaty sound better than competitors. Only the BMW 3 models compare in class and are not worth the extra $5-8K. Safe buy.
I let past reviews guide me, and I'm not sorry I did. I wanted a well-made sports sedan at a reasonable price that was fun to drive and that I wasn't having repaired every six months. And that is exactly what I got. I couldn't be happier. Every time I drive this car I feel I made the right decision. Having had German and American cars in the past, I was tired of the German repairs and the lack of American build-quality. While the exterior styling doesn't compare to BMW or Audi, I spend most of the time inside the car - not standing on the street looking at it, and when you're inside driving the car, you're thoroughly impressed. By far the best value for the money in this segment.
The navigation unit pales in comparison to that of Honda/Acura. The X5 is nimble, unmatched in its ability to handle quick turns. The acceleration is very good, considering the low gear takeoff. I found the steptronic transmission feature allows for smooth quick acceleration in M3 to M6. The transmission seems to work a little harder in M6 than in D6. I have 5100 miles on mine in 3 months. I really enjoy driving this SAV. The third row seat is only for kids under 5ft and under 120 ibs.
After 5 days the rear end started making noise on turns, i took it back to the dealer on the seventh day. They replaced the rear end differential pump and clutch pack kit. I should have bought an American made car.
I have had my Rogue for a little over a week now and what can I say. This vehicle is awesome! I drove all the other smaller sport utes that you can think of, the Rav 4, CRV, and Endeavor, and this one beats them all hands down. I have not noticed the issues with the blind spots when backing up but I was driving a quad cab Dodge Dakota before I got my Rogue. I just filled the tank up for the first time and although the onboard computer said I was getting 23.5 mpg, I actually got 25.2 mpg when you do the calculations. I did have about 60% of the miles on the highway. This is a fun vehicle to drive. It is very comfortable and quite on the highway with very little wind noise. 
I was shocked when i drove my element. It drives exceedingly well, it's fun to drive, and it does have a quiet ride. I was used to range rovers, (the high end ones), and this is so much fun. You have developed a great car.
I really like to drive this car. It handles the road exceptionally well. The gas mileage is very good.
My wife and I have a newborn. We needed a second car besides our Corolla and agreed that the main requirement of a new car was the fun factor. This car is a lot of fun from playing musical chairs between cargo, people, and space, it's cool. The ride is pretty cool too! I agree with most that a few more horses under the hood would be nice, but I'm OK because I like my gas mileage low. Handles well & looks great! No one ever knows what a Mazda5 is when you tell them but once they see it and ride in it, they become fans! We are young parents and knew this was a great car for our family but it's also a hit with friends parents night off. Who said you have to drive a Scion or Mini to be cool these days.
Overall, I am pleased with the fuel efficiency, but little else. I started having trouble when the drivers side door broke off completely. I got online to do some research and have found that I am not the only one with this issue. I decided to repair the handle myself just to find out that it will take more than just removing the interior door panel. I switched from Ford to Chevy in hopes of easy repair work, but I miss my Ford already. 
Two weeks after purchasing this SUV, it went back to the dealer for various discrepancies. Problems started with brakes, roof rack, and electrical. Recently had rear brake jobs and returned the following day with ABS warning system and noisy when brake pedal is activated.
I purchased my Acura TSX 5 days ago and I love it. At first I would kind of skeptical about buying a 4 cylinder vehicle, never even drove one before, but I can't even tell it's a 4 cylinder. If you are looking for an entry level luxury car, go and test drive one today! I bought mine from Smail Acura in Greensburg, PA and they showed me top of the line service.
Had my convertible now since May. My 2 year old loves going for a top down ride! The wife even likes it. I love the car but it is nowhere near perfect and is about to get some serious competition.
I just traded in my '02 Civic EX for something a little 'nicer'. It's not that the Civic was a bad car, but if you do a LOT of highway driving then you understand how much of a nuisance excessive road noise becomes. The Accord EXL offers an excellent, smooth ride with adequate power even in the 4cyl version. The body is well insulated and provides much less road noise than my previous Honda without feeling overly "heavy" as some sedans do. The interior feels every bit as nice as our '01 3-Series and offers many of the same amenities, but at a much lower price tag. The transmission is very smooth and the dashboard is a work of art in and of itself. I highly recommend this car to anyone.
Can't argue with gobs of V6 power and 27 mpg. I've driven from FL to CO and back 2 times - no problems pulling 16-20 hours at a time in the saddle. JBL sound w/ subwoofer is awesome. Back seat is cavernous and comfortable. Love the reclining seats. The full size spare allowed me to get off a mountain pass after ruining a tire on a rock hidden in the snow. Try doing that with a donut spare. Downhill assist is a lifesaver on snowy, steep grades. I don't like the lousy 4WD system. Above 25 mph you have 2WD. If you lose traction you are on your own, even though there is a 4WD system that could help you out. I also hate the Sport's ridiculous harsh ride. Get the Limited for the softer suspension
The Azera has a vibration issue related to the 17" Michelin MXV4 tires. Michelin dealers won't replace the tires even after 2 dealers found problems with them, because they didn't sell them. Hyundai won't replace them (300 miles on the second set. Two sets vibrate!)and customer support won't discuss it beyond saying it's Michelin's problem. 17" low profile tires require nylon that remembers the flat after parking especially in cold temps. Shipping from Korea really puts a flat spot in them that won't come out with driving. Tech bulletins reveal the problem, but Hyundai will not resolve it. Very poor customer relations from Michelin and Hyundai. Demand non-factory tires before buying.
Love this truck extremely. Had an 04 tacoma with trd package, kinda rough. Traded that in for an 06 tundra 4dr. with the TSS package. When I read about the new tundras with the 5.7, went to test drive one. Loved the power. So in feb. 08, went in and came out with an 08 Limited with the TSS package. Had to get used to the auto tilt, and telescopic steering wheel.
The Cobalt ss/sc was a great idea but GM blew the execution. With less than 20,000 miles on the odometer the car is on its third clutch, had an injector fail, the radio replaced, exhaust rattle repaired, dash cluster replaced, rear seat hinge fixed, rear package tray reattached and the best part is GM won't back there product. The clutches were "reworked" due to a manufacturing issue. GM claims they have addressed the wear issues but wants consumers to pay around $1600.00 to replace the part with the new one. I know that there is the real possibility I have bought a lemon but GM hasn't stood by there product. I would love to know the power of this car but can't I'm afraid it will fall apart.
The vehicle has a unique look that sets it apart from other vehicles. It has a great pickup for a 4 cyl 2.0 engine and with the optional paddle shift, it provides even greater excitement. The on-board LCD display with GPS navigation and high end sound system just adds to greater enjoyment. 
Considered 09' Acura TSX but it was smaller, more expensive, cost more in insurance and only had a few more luxury stuffs. Considered and test-drove '09 Mazda 6. The interior was almost as big but the materials used seem inferior; dashboard design not as elegant and the side mirrors were 1/3 smaller. 6's Bose stereo also didn't sound any better. After 3 months the Accord is exactly what I expected. I thought real hard about V6 but the 4-cylinder can handle everyday driving without much problem. Every now and then when hard acceleration is called, flash of regret of not buying V6 came across my mind but mostly this version does the job just fine. Bottom line: best family sedan today.
Looking for a SUV and were considering the Toyota Highlander, and the Saturn Outlook. Rather hard choice, until we saw that 100 % of the Toyota was made in Japan. Sorry Toyota. We saw each vehicle about equal in performance even thought the Outlook was new. Te ride was outstanding--Our last 3 vehicles were Ford Conversion Vans, and this Saturn topped them in confort, and cabin space. Could actually stretch out my feet instead of being scrunched up. Some options we did not want at first, but after taking them on the vehicle we wanted, I would not be without XM radio, onstar, and phone service ever again. I have been driving for over 55 years, and this SUV knocks my socks off. Excellent.
Bought this van with 6800 miles on it. Had it about 8 days and the check engine light came on. Dealer said that I had water in my gas so put in a gas treatment and a spark plug. The check engine light came on before I got home so took it back and dealer said the injector was bad so changed it. Drove 2 days and the check engine light came back on so dealer kept it for 2 days and said that the injector wasn't seating properly because of deposit builup. They now want to "pull the head and see what's going on in side". So, runs bad, poor mileage, check engine light on, starter doesn't engage on cold mornings and now heater randomly blows ice cold air.
Midsized car seating is comfortable , visibility to front and sides is good to the rear it is poor . the interior layout is good as are the basic cd and A/C . Steering and handling are responsive and with a small turning circle as you would expect. Corners well . Winds of 50 mph will nudge the car but you still have control. Engine is minimally audible from inside even at high rpm . The transmission I would compare to a motorcycle being shifted without the clutch but in an excellently smooth manner . so that eventually you basically shift with the accelerator . actually fun and smooth no complaints. Power delivery depends on the drivers ability to master shifting. Can be driven on highways .
Couldn't help but notice the earlier review about a new engine failure. I brought my 2007 3.2 Cabriolet in for it's 5000 mile service, and when a new engine noise appeared immediately thereafter on the passenger side, Audi replaced the engine, seemingly knowing what the problem was right away. One of the cylinders had an obvious machining defect that the service department kindly showed me. Audi should not saddle the consumer with this enormous market devaluation when an obvious quality control issue like this arises. If you're buying an Audi like I did, thinking I was smarter than all the other people who have nightmare stories to tell, perhaps think again. 
Have owned the '07 Patriot since April. Was the last one on the lot for '07s. Got good deal. Did a lot of reading before test driving. Was looking for a more economical vehicle- still have Dodge Dakota Quad V8 but it sits in the driveway most of the time. Kept it to haul trailer & boat. Got the fully loaded version. Seats are very comfortable-both my husband and I have bad backs and have yet experienced any problems. Drive city & highway-have just got to 3000 miles and am getting 22-26 mpg. CVT took some time getting use to-really like the fact that you can't feel the gears change. 
The Nissan Versa gives near-SUV interior room along w/ subcompact fuel economy. The engine has good power. Trunk space is excellent. The hatchback version of the car has a very attractive exterior styling. Many of my friends give wanting glances to my beautiful little car. I've had the auto for sixteen months now. With 28000 miles, it's giving me 28 mpg. Considering this car is one of the three cheapest on the market, I'm an enormously satisfied customer.
After 1700 miles I can say this is a solid, safe, smooth package. The V6 turbo diesel, 7 speed transmission and AWD are a remarkable combination. The engine stays between 1,200 and 2,200 rpm most of the time, and with barely noticeable shifts or sound. The transmission provides engine braking automatically. Air suspension is adaptable and smooth. I drove up and down snowy, unplowed hilly roads all day yesterday without slips or slides, mostly in the Airmatic raised position. Surprisingly tight turning radius. Mileage 22-25 mixed Seating is very comfortable and interior appointments (brushed aluminum/ ultrasuede) are striking. Nice cargo management system. No defects at 1750 miles.
I have never owned a truck before, but I will be moving my son to college and am planning some large home renovations. I bought this truck because dealers are making incredible deals on full-size trucks. A 2.5 ton vehicle with a 315hp engine that gets 15mpg around town is not bad in my opinion. Mine is a 4x2 because I am always on asphalt and it rarely snows in SE Virginia. One tip: Stabilitrak comes with traction control. So consider this option with a 2WD if you want a lower sticker and really don't want/need the extra maintenance and fuel comsumption of a 4WD. This vehicle handles well and is smooth and quiet. It reminds me of a 1977 Lincoln Town Car, only it handles much better.
Having been a Ford Pickup owner for several years, I was not sure how a Saturn would fit into the equation. When I first saw this car, I was hooked. I test drove other cars, but my mind always went back to the Aura. I did not think I would really fall for this car, but was I wrong. Everything about it is great! The ride is smooth and quiet and the steering wheel controls are a plus. Driving this car is a highlight of my day!
After 16 months I would have said almost a perfect 10 on this car. Bringing it in for 20K service has turned into a nightmare. Replacement of recall item has turned into now a replacement of transmission, turbo etc.. So in fairness, I loved my car before this.
We have the 2008 Signature Series and Love it!! Smooth Ride, Stow n Go, Dual DVD, Leather, Great Fuel Economy. What more could you want?
I went back and forth for a month and a half between a Denali and Escalade, decided after figuring the personal prop tax in VA, payment & DP diff., and cost to insure...I saved $180 a month...and the Escalade didnt have the NAV or rear camera or I-pod jack built in, only xenon and airconditioned seats were not. I came out of an Escalade so the step back was hard, but it was a great decision. I bought a black on black, every option for a great lease price. I get all kinds of compliments, the build quality is head and toes above previous models, and the technology is great. Performance is crazy for a 3 ton truck, ride and handling are car like, and visibility is much improved. A+ and its American!
Great small SUV, very quick and agile, fun to drive, quiet and fast. Great on gas and warranty.
08 350 Lariat Supercrew Deisel 4x4 exceeds expectations.... ride, performance, and luxury in a mean looking package.... and friendly emmisions too. Fuel economy so, so but a lot better then the H2. Had the Ford Bluetooth Mobilease installed and it works well, ($625.00cdn). This unit will do almost anything, and I enjoy doing eveything with it. Kids love it and my wife enjoys the beautiful cabin. 
Test drove Honda Civic, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima. The horsepower (175 HP) for the 4 cyl was a welcome surprise! It takes a little getting used to a car that doesn't shift when driving. The CVT is great! The car also includes a lot of interior room. We have had four passengers fit comfortably in the car (front and rear seats). The Convenience Plus Package is a nice configuration. Interior includes a lot of storage places. The layout of the dash and the console controls is easy to use and well though out. 
First of all, how can anyone complain about the mileage when you know exactly what you're getting? Always amazes me. And for the size, weight, and acceleration of this vehicle, what were you expecting? This car continues to amaze me. Excellent fit and finish. Extremely thoughtful design all over. Reserved finesse. 
 My Camry LE 4 cyl 5 speed auto has about 3,800 miles now. In suburban driving (avg 35 mph, few stops) and highway (avg 78 mph mostly cruise control), my day in, day out suburban/highway combined mileage is 28 mpg. The car is comfortable and attractive, but has mushy handling and a constantly shifting auto trans. The car is unstable driving in gusty winds. The ergonomics aren't as good as my 2000 Honda Accord. I bought the Camry because I just couldn't stand the looks of the 2008/9 Accord. Interesting that my Camry requires oil changes at 5,000, while the Accord was listed as 7,500. My Camry stereo has intermittent failure, but other than that, car's delivered quality was good. 
Love this SUV/Car. Technology packed in the car for the price is outstanding. Stereo is best I've ever heard in a car. Incredible handling in the snow. 4000+ miles now, and each mile makes me happier I purchased the RDX. Drives like a sports car, without the cramped seats and crappy ride.
Owned/driven my car for 15 months. Fun, but not reliable or well designed. Factory options only (no mods). Since owning, in for repairs SIX times (2x for turbo, 1x for audio amp, 1x for sunroof, 1x for tailpipe recall AND 1 week for replacing a factory built too-small transmission motor mount). My windshield has 3 stone chips and 2 big cracks due to stone hits & the high windshield angle. Engine has cold idle issue where it sounds like a diesel truck for 1-3 minutes. If you want a fun around-town car, are willing to overlook flaws/ major issues, can deal with repair trips to out-of-town dealerships (6 in 15 months), then buy this car. As for me, I'll be selling at the end of the warranty.
It's no RR Sport. Not as fun- but 27.4mpg hwy and between 20-22 overall. The gas mileage is great and less carbon emissions. Diesel engine noise is annoying. Porsche will win if they can combine sport and "green" in the new Cayenne!
Searched and test drove many small SUVs, Acura RDX, Toyota RAV, Subaru Outback and Ford Edge. Honda as always provides the best overall value for the money. Yes, it is not a powerhouse but it does have enough power for most situations. The benefit is good gas mileage and the power issue is only evident in some situations. The fact is that if you know the car you can easily manipulate the power to suit your needs in those situations with the gas pedal. Hill climbing is impressive and the grade- logic design does eliminate gear hunting so I think the Edmund reviewer was a little harsh with the comment in their review. Car is put together well and quality material is used everywhere. 
This is the greatest car I have ever had. It is good-looking and stands out from all the rest. I get a lot of looks and questions from bystanders. It is a great family car, with a whole lot of room. It drives and handles absolutely fantastic. I love this car.
Traded in my Mazda6s for a 2007 Altima with the SL package. Have not regretted at all. The car drives very nicely. Unfortunately all my trips are very short. I would love to spend more time in this car. Gas mileage is good, seats are comfortable, Bose stereo is incredible. I am so happy to be back with a Nissan. The Mazda was nice but too many little problems. I used to own before that a Nissan Altima 99. What a difference. The car has finally matured into an affordable luxury car.
Not sure how anyone here is getting these crazy gas mileage numbers. I haven't even hit 40 MPG. I have even given up my lead foot and try to keep it at or below 70 on the freeway which is about 15-20 mph less than I'm used to driving. The ride is adequate for a small car, but that rear window split design is not getting easier to accept even with time. I just don't see how I can possibly increase the mileage to justify the cost of a car like this. At least in my case, I should have bought a cheap car like a Corolla or Civic getting 32 mpg or just go back to my much better performing and useful Pathfinder and just suck it up... literally. Maybe I'll sell both and buy the Lexus GS450h!!!
I have now owned the 2007 Mazda3 S Touring for 3 months and am extremely satisfied with my decision. First the 2.3L engine gives great power without any noise. The car is very smooth to ride and handle. The 17" alloy wheels that come with S Touring provide an added coolness to the car. The interiors are extremely good and can rival that of any luxury car. The fuel efficiency is also good for a 2.3L engine. This is a great car if you are looking for an alternative for Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. Looks better than its competitors, is more powerful and provides nearly the same fuel efficiency.
Bigger, faster, smoother, and quieter than my 2004 Comprressor Sports Sedan. Appears to be improved in all areas. Classic Mercedes exterior styling, but the company should swallow half the cost & put real leather in all models to elevate itself above the BMW 3 Series entry sedan. Received a great deal with year end factory rebates & convenient home delivery! 
I just traded my Honda 2004 CRV for the Civic Ex 2007, very happy, the car is fun to drive, mileage is so much better than CRV. This is my 4th Honda vehicle. Can't beat a honda for performance. I love this car!!
This car is used for commuting and social functions with family/friends. Great utility, economy and purpose in design, sporty appearance and very "fun" to drive. Many owners of more expensive "crossover" vehicles are shocked at the reasonable price. The Pontiac Vibe is a definite winner and it has been pleasurable to drive and completely trouble-free for the 13,000 miles I have owned it so far. Ideal as a commuter, work or family car, it has something for everyone.
I also tested an 07 V6 6MT altima but decided to purchase an 07 Accord sedan v6 6MT 2 weeks ago so I haven't opened it up yet but, coming from someone who's owned 2 5.0 Mustangs, Taurus SVO, and a Grand Prix GTP, the 6speed manual definitely holds its own. I wish others would discuss prices and help future buyers determine a decent deal -- with destination charge i paid 24899, plus 6/100,000 warranty (no ded.) and wheel/tire protection both for 1130. I dealt directly with the sales manager and this was his first offer -- and I always heard Honda wouldn't negotiate. Only modification is K&N drop-in air filter which seems to help some. I'm very pleased thus far.
Love our new Murano. My wife has wanted one since we saw one at the autoshow couple of years ago. It was time for us to buy a new car and we looked at a bunch of different cars and suvs, but this is what we really wanted. After we test drove it we knew that it was the right car for us.
After a lot of research on many cars of this size we decided to spend the extra money to buy the civic mainly for the gas mileage. We were way wrong in this purchase, the car gets only 19 to 23 miles per gallon, 85 percent highway miles, 15 percent stop and go traffic, the dealer says thats normal and will get better when the car gets 20,000 miles or more on it. That will take us almost 2 yrs to get decent mileage! If we knew we were going to be getting this poor of mileage we would have bought an SUV. The automatic transmission makes weird sounds, when you are slowing down then speed up the car almost dies, the dealer says nothing wrong with it. 
I have driven my 09 Traverse for 1 month and the first thing I notice everytime I drive it is the great stable ride and the level of quietness. I have the XM satelite radio ( in the 2LT with the 10 speaker Bose sound system. Also a great feature. Acceleration is terrific, the electric T gate with this model is something I got used to immediately. Front and rear a/s and heat, cools it down fast.Tilt and telescoping steering wheel, electric lumbar, pan and seat back,customizes the sitting experience. Glass is free of distortions, reverse sensers and camera monitoring have come to good use many times. A great vehicle, and it looks great in dark blue met. 
The first time I saw this Barcelona Red Scion I loved it and it has proven to be a good purchase. I needed a reliable car to bomb about town and for short range (<500 miles) highway trips, although took did a 2000 mile trip and car preformed great. I also needed good cargo capacity and excellent gas mileage. It has proven itself on all counts. The red color is very easy to spot among all the silver cars in big parking lots. I also keep the rear seat down for hauling cargo; mostly golf clubs and groceries.
Bought the car on military sales overseas, nice price with a 3k rebate (just under 53K fully optioned, no HUD/auto cruise but NVD, etc). No glitches, drives wonderfully. 
Since I purchased this vehicle I have averaged a consistant 37MPG over 13000 miles driven but I drive mostly highway. It is an automatic transmission and the ride for a compact is excellent. I can say that it is not a Honda Civic but it costs 6K less. I would say for the money there is no better buy on the market.
I've owned Hondas in the past and found them reliable, so I blindly chose the Odyssey when it was time for a minivan. Big mistake. This huge "mini" van drove like a bus, was difficult to park, and had problems the dealer was not able to fix. At 20K miles, the rotors warped, the front tires had to be replaced, and the front wheels were constantly out of balance. At 25K miles, the engine mounts failed, followed by the torque converter and the A/C. It vibrated all the time while driving and the dealer could do no more. Reading the reviews on this model year, I found I'm not the only one with these problems. I just traded it in on a Sienna and have never been happier.
Great truck, excellent ride, comfortable, good looking. Love those who complain about acceleration and gas mileage. It's a truck - a big truck!!! If you want acceleration get a Porsche. If you want gas mileage get a Honda Civic. You have an 1,800 lb payload, 10,000 lb towing capacity vehicle. Yep, you're right, not going to win the drag race
Overall, excellent car. However, there is a tight fit for the driver's hand around the ignition and little space between the gear shifter and console. Interior design could be better, it's a little disappointing from a VW.
This is the worst car I have ever owned. The fuel mileage has been terrible, barely 24-25 mpg overall. The transmission performs poorly in first gear, providing a jerk whenever the accelerator is touched or released. Customer service from the dealer and Honda is non-existent. They refuse to answer my letters in writing - I guess they don't want any evidence! The digital speedometer is a pain.
I drive, a lot! I spend about an hour a day if not more in my car so I really wanted something I could rely on and like. I LOVE my nitro!! It's super cute and just what I needed. I chose between this, the Pontiac G6, and the Ford Mustang. Yeah, a wide variety. I got this because of all the room!! I can take my 2 Labs everywhere with me and they ride comfortably. There are a couple things I would change but for the most part I absolutely LOVE it! It hasn't given me any problems yet (knock on wood) and I've put almost 17K miles on it in 7 months! If you get one, give in and get the sound system. I didn't and wish I would have!
I had never driven a VW two weeks ago. After the test drive, I was sold. Build quality is amazing. Driving it is a joy. The 2.5 PZEV 5M is no slouch. Much more than "acceptable," well beyond "competent." Not a racecar, but great torque, and amazing responsiveness in all the conditions its been through so far. For the price, I would say that my Rabbit is an amazing blend of performance, comfort, and quality. I can't even describe the feeling one gets while driving it. During the test drive, I just wanted to laugh maniacally. On paper, it doesn't look like much of an edge over the Versa, Yaris, Fit, or tC, other than performance. In person, it feels like a whole new class of vehicle.
Everything about this car is beautiful inside and out, as well as the way it drives. Just a masterpiece. Very classy design and performance that is more than what most people could want. Makes point A to point B a fun experience every time.
I love this car. I'll admit at first I was not excited about it because I don't think it's the most attractive of vehicles on the outside, but once I stepped inside I fell in love. I got used to the outside, and the only thing Also, I don't know what everyone's talking about with their car being in the shop. I travel everywhere with this car, almost had it for a year and driven over 10000 miles and it's still going strong with no problems. Though, I did get in one accident and my car had the slightest dent/scratch on it while the other was nearly totaled. So it's a pretty tough car. 
I have been reading reviews and have been driving BMWs for years now but despite how good everyone said this car would be it doesn't sink in until you pull it off the lot. I traded in an E46 M3 so there was a lot this car had to live up to. I couldn't believe that this car feels just as fast as my old M3 but is much easier to drive. The feel of the car is just as good but it handles the rough stuff way better. I need to mention something that has been a sore point for many reviewers but if you are at all computer literate, the iDrive will be a MUST have. There will be a learning curve but the technology integration is way better than many reviewers give it credit for. 
I bought this car to tow behind my motor home. I'm a full timer and tow it a lot. Great all around gas milage, great ride, looks real nice. So far my only complaint is the key fob failed to function properly and had to be replaced by dealer. If Saturn continues to around ,I will buy another and I hope it does 
It feels like a small swift SUV, but it has plenty of room for everyone to sit comfortable. We traded in a Lincoln Navigator and we are glad we did. Nothing against the Lincoln, but it was getting old 15mpg. we are definitely getting around 21-22mpg. So far very happy
Fun car! Took to the dealer for a minor adjustment. (2400 miles) They did a recall on the remote control. Today, the ABS warning light, the traction control warning light, and the tire pressure monitor warning light came on and stayed on. Now, we will see if the dealer can undo the miscue. Slightly less "get-up-and-go" of my LeSabre. Otherwise I am pleased with the overall performance and looks of the car.
I was skeptical of the mileage, but I was getting approximately 40 mpg in the coldest part of the winter and 42 mpg when the temps were in the 40s. Recently the temps were in the 50s - 70s, and I've been getting 49 mpg. The Civic is my commuter vehicle and I drive 42 miles to work and back each day on country (45 mph) and highway (65 mph). I'm in Ohio so it's generally flat. I also do not accelerate rapidly. 
Really a very pleasant car. Very easy to drive, well made, quiet at cruising, nice touches throughout the car despite its very reasonable price. Good on gas at averaging 28-33mpg. Decent sound system with Mp3 capability. Acceleration a bit course but not unbearable. Steering is very light and took some getting used to. Would recommend to anyone who wants a problem free car thats very relaxing to drive. Certainly feels as if its made to last in the way it's screwed together and performs.
I have owned a 2001 Liberty and leased a 2005 Grand Cherokee prior to this. The 08 Liberty is my favorite! I'm getting about 19mpg, which isn't bad for a trail rated Jeep!! 
My wife and I were looking for a vehicle with room for 3 kids and storage behind 3rd row seat. We had a 03' Pontiac Montana Van so we were used to having room. Nothing would fill our needs not Tahoe nor Suburban (to big). We tried to find an GMC Acadia no dealer had them. So, we looked at an Saturn Outlook XR. It was what we were looking for,better color choices than the GMC and nicer interior. I have 05' Lexus Rx330. The Outlook rides smoother and is quieter than my Lexus and has more gadgets for less money. I would rather drive the Outlook but my wife will not trade!! We have 19' hybrid travel trailer and the Outlook pulls it with ease. Gas mileage 17 in town 22-25 on highway (w/o trailer)
As an owner of a 1998 Nissan Maxima, I eagerly awaited the release of the re-designed 2009 Maxima. I purchased the SV with Premium & Technology packages. The car handles very well and rides comfortably in spite of the 18" tires. The interior is inviting but has a mix of quality and inferior looking items. The plastic wood trim is somewhat of an eyesore and seems to detract from the numerous plush features. However, all of the other interior details make up for this shortcoming. The engine is very responsive and the CVT is seamless. You can't even feel the car shift!
For the money this is hands down the best car I could have chose. Everyone I have drove in this car has been impressed with its get up and go as well as its handling. No one can believe that it is a Civic. I wanted something that was economical but sporty. Originally I was going to purchase the coupe but after seeing the sedan I had to choose it. The sedan does not lose any performance to the coupe yet makes it easier to get things in and out of the back seat. I am more than pleased with my choice.
I am a car hauler. my max weight is 20,000 lb. I have 19,000 (5 months ) miles on the truck with 3 week in the shop for repairs on the cooling system. It has been hard to do business with kind of preformance.
Not only does it have the look of a sports car, but it handles like one. Yet, it is very spacious interior and large trunk. Unfortunately, I can say it does great with rear accidents, only scratches to the bumper with 40 mph impact. Monsoon radio sounds great! Leather seats are incredible comfortable.
This is not the typical Saturn. The handling is superb, the ride is a little bumpy with the sports package suspension. Wind and road noise is at a minimum. The four way stability track with four wheel anti-lock disc brakes makes a difference on slippery roads. With the adjustable pedals and 8-way adjustable power seats makes for finding the comfortable position easy. Just wish it had a memory setting on the drivers seat for multiple drivers. For fun you can put the car into manual and shift thru the six gears via the paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel. If you are looking for a midsized 4-door sedan, do yourself a favor and test drive this car. Good to have choices!
Overall the Maxima is a good car. I came out of a BMW 550 so it was a little getting use too. The payment doesn't hurt as much! The CVT is strange in the beginning but is unnoticeable now. The car is deceiving, with the CVT you get the feeling that you are not going as fast as you actually are. Very roomy. Decent highway fuel mileage. 
I have had the car for about 9 months now and am pretty happy. Car is quick and handles very well. At 15k miles check engine light came on though. Purge valve already went bad? It has a little too much lag for my taste compared to my Audi 225tt that I had with an apr ecu upgrade making less hp. Engine seems more like a v6 than a 4 cyl turbo. It doesn't seem to throw me back as much, as the power band is more consistent. Great car overall though. Just need some winter tires! 
My third A6 offers loads of improvements over its earlier siblings. Ride is significantly more solid. Handling is so precise it's like a vacuum sucking the backtop. Engine performance is powerful and at least 10% more economical than the 3.0 in my previous 2003 A6. Views are stimulating from approaching the vehicle to behind the wheel. Several minor cost cutting steps should be noted: more narrow seats and thinner cushions than the previous models, door pockets are "cheaper," manual fuel filler door replaces and automatic release, head restrants no- longer swivel. I also miss oil temp. and volt gauges. 
Traded in a Yukon SLT for this vehicle. Very happen with the driveability of the Acadia. Mileage is not as advertised nor all that much better than a Yukon. Drives more like a car than a truck. Have had mini vans, this has almost the same amount of storage space. Have had seals replaced on transfer case already for leaking. Also had a time on freeway where I had to kick it down to passing gear and absolutely nothing happened - could have been a potential hazard. Update to vehicle electronics afterward may have rectified problem.
I have only had this car about a month so I can't say it is broken in by any means and the temperature has been below freezing most of the time. This car meets all my expectations and then some. I was concerned about reading about the "shudder" transition from electric to gas but I found that only noticable at a full stop and not a problem. While driving it is smooth and responsive. I can't wait for warmer weather. On my first tank I hit about 34 mpg which is about the current EPA. I expect in warmer weather that it will improve. Got the tech package and I am glad I did. Seats are a big improvement over the standard cloth. Even now this baby gets me about 15 more per gallon than my previous
I bought this car with 19,000 miles, trading in a BMWX3. If you drive it conservatively, it's comfortable, economical, the hatch makes it versatile and it provides a lot of amenities that you get with more expensive cars. When you want it, the power and handling are terrific. The ride is a bit rough on rough roads but that was expected with low profile tires. I have had owned several sports sedans but always thought the power came at the expense of handling. This car makes a lot of sense and I could not be happier. Finally, one unexpected benefit is the cloth seats which are cooler than leather in the summer sun. The car cools quickly after a stint in a parking lot. 
This car cannot be beat for comfort. It is a big improvement over the Camry. Great highway ride and economical, too. We looked at many brands but could find no equal anywhere near the price. It qualifies for the biggest clunker rebate making it a steal. 
I talked my wife into getting a 4 door Civic for convenience, as she is hauling two grand children. (She was driving an 01 Sunfire GT). We went to the dealer to test drive it. But then, she spotted the 2 door. It was all over. Convenience no longer mattered. She loves it! "It is hugging me" she feels. The salesman also pointed out that it has the big 350W stereo (4 door EX models only have 140W). That was it! Final!
After searching for a low priced second car I couldn't have been more pleased with my selection. The Rabbit is a powerful, well equipped, and fun to drive vehicle. The commute to work is somewhat enjoyable while zipping through traffic in my sporty new VW. After driving a Hyundai Accent, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, and a Scion xA, I drove the Rabbit. Needless to say this car outperformed them all and had all the safety and convenience features included in the price. The Civic and the Hyundai had a/c available for an extra $900, what a deal! I'm happy with my purchase and I feel safe driving my two young children in this car.
I love this car! Had it for over 2 years with no troubles. Routine oil changes are only required every 5000 miles instead of the usual 3000. My tires will need replacing soon (currently have 37000 miles on them.) I love that it's a small car, yet the seats feel more like that of a van in that you sit straight up instead of the laid back/stretched out position of many cars. And I haven't found anything that doesn't fit in the back when the seat is folded down. The back seat is very roomy for a two-door car. You don't hit your head on the ceiling and enough leg room for an average person. Great gas mileage, although I've never gotten what other people have reported (I get 33-36 mpg).
I reluctantly purchased a 6 cylinder 2008 Ram Quad with an automatic trans. I have been pleasantly surprised. Even on long trips through the mountains, it did fairly well. Fuel economy has averaged 21 MPG, much better than my Fords (16.5) and competitive with my Chevys (22). However this powertrain is not meant for aggressive drivers. It is not terribly slow, but patience is required.
I purchased my tC in October of '07, so almost 2 years ago. I traded in my '00 Ford Focus for this and let's just say it was a huge upgrade! I feel so confident when I drive my tC, especially when it's perfect weather to open the sunroof and go cruising with the iPOD on shuffle. It's always fun to play around a little bit and floor it when the light turns green...great acceleration! You get so much for the reasonable, no-haggle price. Love it!
I purchased this vehicle to replace my Toyota Echo. I wanted a competent vehicle that gets good mileage. My Echo got well over 40 mpg. This car is slow in acceleration. The battery makes it heavy, so handling is diappointing. People and cargo room is lacking. I knew the styling was ugly. But, this is not a fun vehicle to drive. Interior is typical Toyota cheap. On the highway, mileage suffers. I don't know if I can recoup the higher sales price in fuel savings. What was I thinking?
We are absolutely thrilled with our GT CX 9 . We compared to several others-- Lexus, Acura, Toyota, Honda ect and this is by far the best value for the money! The Navigation, Bluetooth are easy to use. The interior finishes are classy and comfortable. All in all a real headturner! It is our first Mazda and definitely would purchase all over again! Best car I've ever owned---from a former Lexus, Honda and Toyota owner. I am converted to Mazda s . Fun to drive and a smooth ride! 
The Is My Seventh Volvo, Most of My Volvo' were Used , But always got Good Resale and Trade In. I bought My First One as a College Student on Easter Break in Fla. 122S Cream White with Red and White Interior 4 Sp ,144 , 244 , 245, 242 GL 4 sp-elec. OD - New ,Big Brakes 2001 V40 New , K&N , Cool Stat ,Drilled Rotor's Speical Pads, NGK Iridium's 2007 V50 New, K&N, Still Breakin In Motor ! Seems Like It is Rally Sport Set Up ! The Aero-Dynmaic's Could be a little Better - Didn't - get that Opt. Package 6 Spd is a Blast,Makes Smiles per Mile ! I Wish Volvo Would do Better Aero under Trunk Rear Aera , allowing a Spot Spoiler Lower Air Exit. All in all The Volvo is Great. Danny
I just bought this CX-7 this month. I am very excited about this SUV. Drives and handles great. Has a turbo 4 cylinder that feels like a V-8. Awesome power, especially when you need that extra boost to get on the freeway, or just changing lanes. The interior feels like a glove. Fully loaded was the way it came. Even have seat warmers and power seats. Has excellent sound system stock with mp3 and media connections. I Drove all the competions SUV's that were in it's class, however, this was the best by far for money, performance and style and comfort. Excellent SUV. I am very happy and I got a great deal below invoice!
I test drove a previous model year Tacoma and the difference is night and day. I always wanted one and finally broke down after my last vehicle died. The thing that surprised me the most is the outstanding turning radius. I have put about 13k on it since I got it in December last year and have had no issues. All around this is a reliable, comfortable, sleek, and fun drive. Great acceleration. Great handling. Could not be more happy with any other truck. My friends envy me! :)
I picked up my 2007 STS with 5K miles about 3 weeks ago. After owning a Lexus, Infiniti, Mercedes and BMW, I think the STS presented the most value for the car. This was my first American car in over 20 years. What an improvement in design and quality!! I love the technolgy and comfort. Finally nice job
We've only had our Highlander for a week, but so far, it's great. We traded in our Honda Odyssey, because the kids are getting their own licenses now and we wanted something for mostly us. However, we were reluctant to give up the roominess of the Odyssey. Our Highlander still maintains the feeling of spaciousness, fits the kids comfortably, when needed and just feels good to drive.
To and from work, to and from work. This is what I bought this vehicle for. I wanted comfort, convenience, advanced tech (MP3, iPod port, etc), better mileage. I got them all in this car. I had a Lexus ES. I prefer this vehicle. This will be our touring car as well. I've gotten over 40 MPG on flat freeways and 35-37 MPG on my daily route because there are a lot of hills. I consider this excellent! I've had it for about a month and I think it's well worth every penny.
This car is priced reasonably, so you can't put too high of expectations on it. Its engine power is adequate, though not impressive. Road noise is quite high. So is the engine noise. It seems to be well-built, though we had a plastic engine compartment cover fall off of the bottom of the vehicle a few months after we got it. The snow level was fairly high, and since the car sits low, the snow probably pulled it off. I'd consider it a design flaw. The Toyota technician said it was a common problem, but refused to replace it under warranty. The MPG isn't what it was originally rated. We have managed to get 40 mpg, but usually get about 30 (some highway, some city) 
This is a great car. Although I do have some cons but overall experience has been great. My cons are the option package by Nissan, poorly put together. When changing lanes I do experience some blind spots. At last the interior design could be a bit better. Other then those, I would recommend this car to anyone.
Difficult entry and exit. Doors swing closed when trying to exit. Owner options on computer difficult to do. I liked the LaSabre 2005 much better.
I never would have bought anything but a Honda or a Toyota. I was so biased against Kia that I wouldn't even look at their features. Then I was driving past the Kia dealership, and a car caught my eye - the redesigned 2009 Optima EX V6 in Metal Bronze! I stopped, took a test drive, and was completely AMAZED! Kia made the redesigned Optima look like a real competitor, and my car turns heads! I am shocked at the power from the small V6, better gas mileage than my Honda, better warranty, and it was surprisingly inexpensive for the features. I can't wait till the dealership installs my OEM navigation system! For being a Kia hater, I now wouldn't drive anything else. Kia's slogan definitely true!
This was my first convertible, and I couldn't have been happier. Before purchasing this car, we looked into and/or test drove the Lexus IS (convertible coming soon), Audi A4, and Volkswagen Eos. Nothing was as attractive as the BMW. We test-drove both the 135i and 128i convertibles and decided on the 128i because it was cheaper, had a softer suspension, and was more than fast enough. The handling is fantastic, and the car feels very responsive, nimble, surefooted, fast, and comfortable. It looks beautiful in jet black, sporty but elegant, classy but youthful. It is absolutely worth it. It is hard to find faults with this car. 
Best bang for the buck, looked at much smaller suv's with zero room behind the supposed 3rd row that's built for a dog or cat, oh and if your kids are in the third row and your hit from behind, good luck! Anyway needed something that the kids or an adult could could actually sit comfortably and with room behind the third row for luggage, groceries, etc. This was it! With the rebates and incentives they took 8k off sticker! You cannot buy anything like this at that price!
Since I got the truck there has been constant rattles from the dash.. My rims are peeling. Piston slap. Vibration in steering shaft. More rattles. I like the trucks interior but I think I got a lemon 
We took delivery of our 07 Odyssey only to be greeted by a dead battery the next day. The battery was found to be defective and the battery was replaced. The van is currently back at the dealership for replacement of the rear brake discs with 300 miles on the vehicle. THe service advisor defined this situation as "lot rot." I will presume that these are just issues that need to be worked out with delivery but so far this is the least reliable initial quality for any vegicle I have ever experienced. This is our first Honda but we have previously purchased new 3 Fords, 1 Saturn, 1 Chevrolet and 1 Saab and have never had any delivery issues like we have experienced with this vehicle. 
Needed a 4 door wagon due to the new addition to my family. So I test drove an Audi A4 Avant (2.0T and 3.2 versions) and the Subaru Outback 3.0R was on par with the Audi Avant 3.2. Went with Subaru and saved $14K over the Audi. Also, plan to do a lot of outdoor family stuff (biking, camping, etc) so the additional ride height with the Outback made sense. I still have yet to open it up cause it's still in the break-in period, but this an excellent overall value. This car feels like I'm still driving my BMW. Subaru got this Outback right. Can't go wrong with Japanese build quality and a German driving feel at a Japanese price tag. 
First off, I am a 43 year old fun car junkie with a family. The Corvette has to wait till the kids leave. This is one cool car in the meantime. Looks different, lots of fun to drive. Not as fast as an EVO or STI, but so much more upscale and solid, still plenty fast enough though. My first AWD car, I have had both FWD and RWD, don't like FWD, like RWD, and now I also really like AWD. I have always owned a standard manual transmission so the DSG was an experiment, very very cool, I may never go back. Extremely linear power delivery, sounds cool while doing it to. Only have a few tanks on it so far, gas mileage is about 19 in mixed driving and no abuse since it's still not broken in.
After extensive research, we opted with VW 2009 Routan SEL/w RSE because of the interior design, engine, reputation of German vehicles, offered discounts and largely for the 0% (zero percent) financing for 72 months. Although we like the Van, the Chrysler/Dodge engineering prevails over the VW quality and reliability. We owned the vehicle for a little over a month and we already have few problems. Within a week of purchase, the Van starts making a huge cloud of smoke and oily mixture comes out of the exhaust pipe whenever the engine is turned on. The dealer said that the PVC-valve has to be replaced in addition to few other things. Then when it rains, water gets into the headlight assem
Just bought this car a several days ago and am loving every minute of it. The engine and ride are silky smooth. Interior is well-designed. Mine is the tungsten pearl (silver) with light silver interior. Exterior much improved over the old ES 330. This car is built for a younger audience unlike its predecessor. One more thing, the acceleration is superb. This ES 350 beat out the BMW 325i by .1 second from 0-60.
We love our 2008 Grand Touring PHRT. It is fun to drive, comfortable, feels very solid in build and design. We love having tilt steering and being able to increase the height of the drivers seat. Has much more power than our '97. Love the color of our Copper Red Mica but the seats (tan) don't seem to go with the outside color. Also love the option of using automatic or shifting through the paddles on the steering wheel.
I bought the car new in Sept 2008 and it has been a delight. Very quiet while running, fun to drive, very tidy controls and interior, and more leg room in back seat than most small sedans. I can take my wife and two boys (13 and 15) and we don't feel cramped. Bought in Ft. Worth and drove to Topeka and it got 37 MPG. This was with no air and careful driving. Currently averages 32 MPG with a lot of stop and go driving. Now has 9,000 miles on it and I have not had any problems at all. Thanks to Consumer Reports for pointing out this Diamond in the Rough. You can not go wrong with this car.
This is the fourth BMW 7 series I've had and it is better than the others. Subtle changes from the 2006 and all make the car a bit more fun to drive. Great deals available as it is the last of this model. It is considerably less than a comparable Audi, Mercedes, or Jaguar, and definitely better to drive. 
Purchased with 6400 miles, turbo model with all upgrades, interior should have full leather, road noise from tires is horrible, tires wear very prematurely, poor in snow, wind noise with 1 window open, dash is chintzy, front window needs tint, gas mileage is not as advertised, traction control is useless. Trade value poor also, this is my third Mazda, (my past Miata and Mazda 6 are much better cars).
I've only had this truck for a month and all I want to do is drive it. It rides and drives much better than my 05 did. (though I was happy with that truck as well) The controls are well laid out and easy to reach. There is planty of interrior storage. As for all you cry babies about gas mileage, what do you expect from a 5000lb truck with a 315hp V8? I am pretty much getting what the sticker claims. (14/19) If you are that concerned about gas mileage I recomend the Malibu. If you want a great truck then buy a Sierra.
Great vehicle, perfect blend of sport and utility, just over 2k miles it seems very well put together, transmission is wonderful, on "s" it really makes good use of all 200 horsepower. Very simple but elegant styling. Handles like a much sportier car.12 way driver power seat standard. Loads of standard features, auto hatch, auto one touch windows all 4, drl, heated side view mirrors, rear pull up window shades lol. Unheard of on an entry level car. Getting 22 mpg mixed driving but steady climbing, figure will get 25 mpg when broken in.
My previous car was a VW Jetta (w/ Turbo). I was looking at 3 series BMWs, Lexus IS 250 and the TSX. I ended up with the TSX and could not be happier. After reading reviews I was worried that the car would not have the pick-up I desired. I envisioned it being like my brother's civic. Not the case and in fact I don't notice much of a differnce outside of not have the turbo kick-in at 6000 rpms. I also thought the body was somewhat plain at first, but have since grown to love it. This is a great car for anyone in the entry level luxury sedan market.
After putting on over 20000 miles since purchase, I wanted to state that this vehicle is still enjoyable to operate. The vehicle still "feels" new and has not given us any problems. We use it to travel extensively around the country attending basketball tournaments that my granddaughter plays in. Always comfortable for the occupants and plenty of room for the gear.
Overall an excellent vehicle. Very fun to drive. I expected a little bit better gas mileage given the 5 cyl. only getting 19 MPG, same as my full size truck got! interior comfortable front seat, wish the passager side seat had the lumbar support like the driver. The interior could have used some courtesy lighting for at night, can't find anything in the dark without having to turn on the dome light. Given the size of the competitors small trucks GM could have given the crew cab a longer bed than the 5 feet. I wish the rear seats had just a little more angle to the backs of the seats just a few degrees too vertical. Overall nice quiet ride. i would reccomend to others
Had my sedan for a year. It's my second BMW. The first was a 2002 325i. There is no comparison. I am not sure why I bought a second BMW, since my 325 was below average in reliability. My 2008 has been a pleasant surprise. Not one problem and it really does handle and drive light years better than the 325i. I tested the Audis and G35s but there really was no comparison. And now that gas prices are falling it's even better! No thanks to the hybrids.
The most powerful vehicle ever produced by Toyota/Lexus and it has hit its targets dead on. It is 2nd to the Mercedes C63 on a straight away. It is 2nd to the BMW M3 on a full track. It beats the Audi RS4 on both straight away and full track. It has the best rating on gas consumption (as well as no gas guzzler tax). More importantly, it is the most reliable and has the highest build quality out of all its competitors. The 2008 Lexus IS-F is the overall best performer in its class. I myself own a Starfire Pearl IS-F down in Houston, TX. I am a 100% satisfied customer. :)
Have only put 500 miles on our new black with cashmere interior. Initial observataions: build quality excellent, power dramatic. Interior very comfortable for two in the front seats; I think the back seats are for children only. The placement of the driver's power window buttons is odd and uncomfortable to access, otherwise interior layout is good. Despite the large engine, I have so far averaged 26 mpg for mostly highway driving. That is outstanding! Test drove one with the sport suspension; the wife thought it was much too harsh - there really is quite a difference so you should try both.
Drove 4000 miles to Florida and back to home. Comfort and drivability was great. GPS system was excellent. Carried luggage with room to spare for 2 month stay which included golf clubs and coolers. Service at Scotia Motors has been excellent. This is 3rd new dodge vehicle that we have purchased from this dealership. 
Excellent car. Impressive engineering, e. G., abs, electronic stability control, corner braking control, tridion safety cell, etc. Outstanding ergonomics, e. G., comfortable seats w/adjustments, excellent visibility, very fun to drive. Handles very well, and power is sufficient to easily keep up with highway traffic. A manual transmission w/o a clutch, the smart shifts best when you do it yourself, either with paddle shifters or the floor mounted shift lever. In d, the shift points seek the most economical shift point v. More torque, etc. Thus, the engine can lug, e. G., too low rpm. Amazing amount of passenger room, and cargo room in the rear is fine.
I traded from a 2001 Audi A4 1.8T with Quattro. This Passat beats the Audi out in every way. Tornado red with tan leather! This car is great in the snow with 4 snow tires...as good as quattro..yet it is FWD. The car drives amazing. Since I've owned it over 1 year and 21,000 miles, ive had to replace the low note horn and an oxygen sensor. The dealership is not the greatest, but there are plenty of places to go for service. I love this car, I get many compliments everywhere I go from people who are 18 to 70! It's a real head turner. I did the APR chip upgrade which boosts the HP to 257hp and the torque to 303lbs of torque.WOW! a Porsche in disguise! Go buy a Passat..you wont regret!
Reason to buy, was looking to purchase cars from 3-Series BMW, Audi A4, Lincoln MKZ ( German or American). I don't believe in the Asian luxury line of cars - Acura and Lexus, they are just expensive Hondas and Toyotas. Another reason to the buy a German car was that, I have driven MB and BMW ( parents and sibling owned). This car is a very improved C-Class, The 2008 C class was introduced around the time I was looking to buy and hence I test drove the previous C classes ( all different models). This car is a winner in a lot of areas compared to its predecessor.
I only added one option to the vehicle, the 16 inch alloy wheels. You can't get a car with more standard features and safety features than the xB for the price. The style has improved 10-fold from the original model. It's longer, a little wider, and about the same height. Fuel economy could be a squeeze better, but I love the torque. The base radio is quite adequate, and the sound is great. The one thing I am most impressed with is how quiet the car is, road noise is almost non existent. All this and it is so much fun to drive, and to be the first one in town with a new toy!
After doing much research on the CR-V, RAV4, and other small SUVs, I finally chose the 07 Outlander and after a few thousand miles of driving I feel I definitely made the right choice. Love the sporty exterior and interior styling as well as features such as the Rockford system (best system in the class by far) and the great fold down tailgate design that I have used a lot. Also you get the best leather in the class plus all the tech gadgets that make me happy. Sporty handling, well weighted steering, and a joy to drive. Decent fuel economy compared with RAV4 and CR-V, but the benefits definitely outweigh! Test drive it and you will be surprised!
I have traded-in my 2004 Honda S2000 because I needed more space. This car gives up very little in terms of handling and performance. I love the way the car looks and the exclusivity of owning one. I guess I am a little too old (31) for the Fast and Furious look, but everything thing added to the car has a purpose and has been engineered as such. I imagine that this car is marketed to a select few, but I hope Honda keeps the Mugen cars coming stateside. I also love the color. This is the first car I have owned that is not white, silver or black.
Can?t emphasize enough how quiet this car is at all speeds and on all road surfaces. Responsive V-6 engine with smooth 7 speed auto transmission. Steering wheel paddle switches for manual shifting. 2007 fuel specs are 17/21! Good visibility front and sides. Sirius satellite, Harmon?Kardon sound and Nav systems are top notch. GPS/Nav entry not limited while driving. Glove box f-jack for connecting iPod or other systems. Roomy front seat driver and passenger room including foot floor width---no front wheel fender to contend with. Comfortably fix 3 adults in rear seat. Wide opening doors for easy access. Auto-rear lift gate operates from fob and driver?s door switch. Great SUV!
So far no problems at all, I really can not fault my Superb Mazda RX-8. Fuel economy rate for performance is very acceptable, what do people expect, it is not a Civic, it is a Sports Car. Handling is Superb, #3 in America. Braking is Excellent # 10 rated against all Exotics. Performance is Fantastic for a 1.3 Litre Rotary, 0-60 in under 6.8 Sec is fast for ANY car. Great Value, nothing comes close. This car is Unique. Not a day goes by without a look or comment....is that the new Porsche..one guy asked. Would I recommend this car...Hell Yes..
Purchased the 4WD EC Limited TRD 1 week ago. Only +/- 120 miles but so far very impressed. Researched all comparable trucks for 6 months before making purchase. Engine is a beast! Not as impressed with the 6 speed tranny as I expected. The 5 speed in our '05 Sequoia is smoother. However, truck is brand new so I may be overly sensitive given some reports of tranny issues I have read. Ride is a bit choppy with the TRD package but I think it will soften over time and the price ($105) with the Limited makes it a no-brainer. Topped off after 1st 1/2 tank of gas and calculated at 12.4 MPG with all driving in town. 
I purchased this truck after my F-150 proved untrustworthy. The Tundra rides very well, very quiet and the engine and transmission are incredibly smooth. It tows our 6500 lb trailer with ease. Not something I could say about our 5.4 L F-150. The brakes are outstanding. The acceleration and handling are fantastic. I haven't experinced the fabled 'bed bounce' even though I have tried to induce it on some washboard gravel roads. I have had it off pavement and the ride is still great. 
Salesman told me I would do better than the Toyota Sienna I traded in which was a lie. Toyota Sienna got 19 combined city/highway and 28 highway; Honda Odyssey gets 16 1/2 combined city highway and 21 highway which is a big disappointment.
This 09 Murano has all the creature comforts of the Infiniti EX35 at a fraction of the price. We love the redesigned interior and exteriors. They did their homework on this one! 
After 6 months, I'm writing a review. I still believe this was the best purchase I've ever made. I still love this car, the interior, the CVT, the comfort, the stereo... well everything! I believe this is a must have vehicle!
Uses a modified version of the platform in the 350Z and the G35 and shares some of their sporty and rough-around-the- edges "muscle-car" characteristics, while also overlapping some with German premium brands -- but without matching their finesse, quiet smoothness, and "aristocratic" style. You only get a five (not 6) speed manually shift-able automatic transmission, so highway mileage suffers; but, this car is all about fast acceleration, not about finesse or keeping mpg over 20. Inside, it has many of the upscale electronics you'd expect from Japan, yet includes a lot of the old-fashioned buttons too which I found tedious but some might like as familiar.
I have owned my Volvo XC 70 for one year. In this time, I have come to really appreciate its engineering and design. It gives me excellent service and performance without any compromise. It handles beautifully in town and on the freeway. Its 5 cylinder motor with turbo gives me plenty of power when I need it. It has plenty of cargo space and its leather upholstery gives me the comfort I seek. I find it extremely comfortable to drive and its solid construction gives me a sense of security even when driving with heavy truck, and SUV traffic.
My ION has been awesome from day one. Never a bit of trouble and it has been a delight to drive and own. I was rearended in Sep 07 by a SUV, and was hit hard and the ION took it well and thank God it was fixed. I drove a Mazda 6 as a rental and it was fun but I was jonesing for my ION the whole time. Will go with another Saturn again!
 Been driving this for less than a month now, it has 1200 miles on it. So far it absolutely amazing. It's really fun to drive, Great care for a good deal. You can always buy more comfortable seat add-ons. Blind spot can be easily fixed. Just adjust mirror to see more of the next lane, so all you have to do is turn head once and look at in mirror. Parking is not an issue, can always reverse and re-park. Kinda huge, but its fine.
Picked up my new Patriot Limited a week ago, and put on 500 miles (800 km) since. My first impression was very positive. The vehicle performed well on the highway. It's no speed demon, but it can easily pass the slowpokes. It was comfortable and quiet. Found a few things I didn't like, such you can't plug your iPod into the deluxe radio, and the armrests are so hard, they hurt your elbows. Some of the controls were different than on cars I've owned before, and took some getting used to, such as the cruise control. One of my first jobs was to pick up some lumber, and with the seats folded flat (and a tarp protecting the floor, I was easily able to bring home twenty 2x6s. So far I like it.
Although we had some reservations about buying a Smart car, now that we have owned it for 3 months there are no regrets. It is fun to drive, comfortable for two large people, and provides a reason for all of those who see it on the road a reason to smile. We can fit groceries for a week for two in the back compartment, as long as it isn't a Costco trip with large bundles of paper and cleaning supplies. The gas mileage is OK, 33-38 mpg with mostly in town driving, but it is so much fun to drive and pass the big land yachts that are so prevalent in Naples Florida.
It is a good little car. It has good acceleration even with a 4 cyl. It is good looking and stylish. It does not get the gas mileage that the tags said, but I had already known that none of Nissan's vehicles get what the tags say. The paint chips easily and it rusts easily when the paint is chipped (keep a bottle of touch-up paint on hand). Plastic cowling on bottom of car makes it a pain to change the oil by yourself. The intelligent key and push button starting are great features (I have to keep my friends from playing with the door locks though). All in all, it is a good little car that will work well for you as long as you pay attention to it once in a while.
Bought it because we need a big minivan, had side airbags and stability control. Like the van, hate the mileage. Absolute best we can get is 15.5 city, 25.5 hwy. Expected better city. Has a rattle in dash, otherwise pretty happy so far.
I downgraded to this car from a big luxury car, thinking it was time for something more economical and greener. I'm very happy, the car has all of the features as my other car and more, it drives very smoothly and handles very good. I'm amazed with the fuel economy, I haven't average less than 27 mpg, of course I drive mostly highway miles. A part from being smaller than my trade, its very comfortable inside with supportive seats and plenty of room for a car this size, the back seat is comfortable enough, assuming the front seats are not all the way back. So I can safely say I don't miss my old car, I do occasionally miss the power, but that's the compromise you have to make.
I decided to wait 6 mos before writing a review of this car. Let's say that it's just ok for a daily driver. The v6 is advertised as having 270 hp, somehow I think that's not entirely true. The AC is lacking punch, The steering is ultra light, the handling even with SE trim is floaty, build quality is better than last gen but not by much, the brakes are pretty much dead if one must make a sudden stop from say 50 mph, lots of fade, the gas mileage is horrible even when taking it easy on the engine.
I have the Limited version of the vehicle with every option except, the navigation sytem and auto-lift back. Vehicle is very fun to drive, responsive and gets far better gas milage then on the sticker. I am currently getting 30 mpg. This is for the most part highway driving at 70 MPH. So happy with the vehicle my wife bought one 2 weeks latter. Of course her has the navigation and lift-back. I truly believe Ford has a winner here. 
Purchased a 2009 BMW 335i hardtop convertible eight days and 600 miles ago. So far I love everything about this car. It's as fast as any car I've ever driven, and I owned two Corvettes. Traveling to NC from NJ I averaged 26.4 MPG. So far so good no problems at all and I hope it stays that way. A very elegant piece of German engineering loaded with the latest technology.
Recently bought my first pick-up ever. I took a lot of test drives in all kind of pick-ups, including the Tacoma but when I jumped into my 07 Tundra it was love at first site. I'm 6,4'' and was impressed by the legroom and the overall ride. This truck handles the steep hills and mountains of Puerto Rico very well. And with its bold, sleek look it's kinda fun to drive. The wide hood takes awhile to get used to, though. Overall, it handles pretty well. I'll give you a better rating in about 10 yrs. Thats how long I plan on keeping it. I'm glad I got this, instead of the F150. I'm happy.
Overall a good truck, better on gas than most SUVs. Downfalls are it floats on the highway, a lot of blind spots, especially the 3rd window and the wide panel between the 2nd and 3rd. The roof is very low or the seats are high, if you have a kid in car seat, expect to hit there head a few times. The trunk is so heavy and they need to add extra assistance to close it, not at the end when you actually get it down. I'd love to see a dual sunroof. 
I am a previous LX470 owner and I have to say there really is no SUV that compares to this car for comfort and the ride and the third row seating. I can't wait to get in my car every day and drive it! Although the nav doesn't compare to Lexus ease of use and the DVD is in a weird location for usage. I also did not realize that the non-leather seats are a bit sticky in the heat due to the fact of no ac in them. The ac works great and the stereo is better than my Lexus. The windshield wiper controls are hidden and hard to see. I kept hitting the cruise control for the first month, now I am used to it. I have never had a Mercedes so all the controls take some getting used to. 
I was starting a job, and I knew I would be driving a lot of miles, so I went with the Tacoma. I live in Northern California, and like to go camping, and snowboarding. I went with the TRD Sport 4x4, and it drives like a car. No body roll, or jarring bounces like other trucks. Very smooth ride. I used to drive a Volvo, which is notorious for having the most comfortable seats, and the comfort factor is very similar in the Tacoma. It has tons of interior storage space, and is very well laid out. I also installed a new exhaust system, and it gave me an almost 20% increase in MPG. 17 to around 19 city, and 19 to 23~24 hwy. Overall, incredibly pleased, and would buy again.
We live in a very rural area on dirt roads. We were amazed at how this vehicle allows the dust to come in. The rattles in the car are very irritating. The bluetooth does NOT work. The person on the other end says that it sounds like you are in a tunnel and cannot hear. Toyota cannot fix the problems! The towing is amazing which is the only reason I am keeping the car. You pay 52000 for a car, you expect a little more - not dust and rattles.
I went from a Honda civic (very comparable purchase price!) to the 3i Touring.. and most of all I can't beleive the improvement in handling! It's a way nicer riding car- just seems more solid. It also handles quite a bit better in the snow. I get about 8 mpg less, but it is worth it. I feel more safe/secure in it, the stereo sounds much better, and it's fun to drive! Many people have said how cute/nice it looks.
Just wondering if anyone else bought the extended warranty on this vehicle-- after receiving the hard copy of this document it seems to not match what I was told it would cover--also the efforts on my part to meet the qualifications seem to be a second job on my part. I would like to hear from other Honda owners. Thanks.
This car is really good to show off how big it is inside. People I know can't believe how big it is and feels when it drives. The only thing I would change or add is Cruise control. I had it added, that makes it complete for me. I have nothing but fun when I drive it.
I just purchased a Genesis 4.6 and although it is a high performance beautiful vehicle I am very concerned about the bumpy jittery ride. I actually had a headache from the bumpy ride. I test drove 3 different vehicles in Houston and Phoenix and did not experience the rough ride. But the vehicle I purchased was located for me to meet my color preference and the ride is rough. Are there adjustments that can be made to smooth out the ride? Is it tires, shocks? I am very concerned as I was thrilled with my purchase my now am worried I made a huge mistake.
Compared this and being a loyal Honda fan (we have 3) I defected. The crash test rating, mileage, and this car will be my work car until I retire had a huge impact on my decision. This car rides better than the reviews and the room is the same as my first Accord ('86). Great sound system and hindsight tells me to add the alloy wheels. But this is a commuter car. I will say the review from the person rolling the vehicle was very huge in my decision. Great value! 
All doors unlock when placed in park! Thieves and gangs will love this feature that puts all occupants at risk as soon as they park. Evidently the makers of this lovely car felt it was too much trouble to hit the button to unlock the doors when ready to get out of the car. The only thought of your safety when moving the car not when you stop it. This car was purchased for my elderly mother whom I now amy worried about going anywhere alone because of this new feature that puts her at risk. My 06 does not have this safety risk and when dealer tried to disconect it they could only stop it from locking not stop it from unlocking. Never again will I recomend this car to anyone who values life.
3 weeks & 1500 miles of ownership so far & totally satisfied! Looks great on the outside & inside (ivory White) (camel interior)! Nice "stock" sound system & very nice ergonomic & (comfort) features makes this car fun to drive, pleasure to own, can't wait to drive it every day ! Refined powertrain is peppy too! Handling & other features are better than consumer reports "says" they are, (. By the way !). One has to drive this automobile to appreciate it (thank you gm!)
We just purchased our Outback Sport hatchback in silver last week. We already have 640 miles from taking rides while being amazed at the gas mileage. Sticker indicates 20/27 city/hwy. We are getting 24-25 city and 33 on the highway. I am 6'4" and feel very comfortable in this car. We bought this car to replace our Mini Cooper and couldn't be happier. It is extremely sporty, rides very nice, handles excellent, has plenty of power, plenty of cargo and passenger capacity, and did I say sporty? This car is the only small car to receive the rigid IIHS (Insurance Institute of Highway Safety) top 2008 pick safety rating. The Subaru Outback Sport is truly the "hidden gem" of small cars.
The Vibe, by far, is the roomiest and best-riding car in its class and it is very fun to drive. Having previously driven a Suburban, surprisingly, I do NOT feel like my bottom is dragging on the ground. This car was purchased primarily for driving around town with kids in tow. There is plenty of room in the back for them being in car seats. My dog even enjoys riding in the "trunk"! For those of you who think the Vibe is comparable to the Dodge Caliber, you're thinking WRONG! I drove the Caliber and the Vibe in the same day and there is NO comparison. The fuel economy is also great. I just filled up my tank in the Vibe and calculated 26 mpg city driving in 3rd gear! (see improvements)
A Nice ride, good mileage for a big truck, 18+ around town, 22+ highway @75 mph. Have been on two long trips with no problems. But they left out a lot of little things that made my'96 more fun to drive with 165,000on it.
I got the 4dr Cobalt LT and am pleased with the car so far. The MPG is 24-25 in mixed driving. I have out about 600 miles on it. It took a while to find one that had AntiLock brakes and cruise but I finally did. I was able to get a GM card rebate of 2000 and a GM owner loyalty rebate of 1000 and the standard rebate of 1000 so I walked out of the dealership paying 11200 cash. MSRP Sticker was 16650 with transportation. I am pleased that side airbags were made standard for 2008 (antilock brakes should be too IMHO) The car is quiet compared with a Dodge Caliber I recently rented. Also the Cobalt shifts smoothly. The light grey interior will get dirty fast I think. Back seat is real tight. 
The 650 has what BMW calls an "inherent characteristic." If you drive in "manual" shift mode the vehicle is prone to stuttering when coming to a stop. Imagine your head bobbing back and forth like a doll on the dashboard. The vehicle is also prone to severe lunges when driving in m1 (such as you might in a parking garage looking for a spot or while moving forward in a metered freeway on ramp) and to a lesser extent in automatic. The lunges are dangerous and you must drive defensively at 4 miles per hour. BMW states the problem is with the software-it thinks the engine is stalling and the computer gives the engine throttle. BMW won't fix the problem. Stay away from this vehicle. 
Wife and I test drove corolla, yaris, civic, fit, suzuki. The xD had the best driver's seat for my 210 lbs. The interior did not feel cheap like the other cars did. Did not even look at the scion brand, untill salesman pointed out the new xD, at first I did not like it. It looked tiny from the outside, however after riding in the back and then driving the xD my opinion completely changed. Wife and I bought the black xD. First tank of gas mpg 41, we live in a rural area 50 mph highway, pacific northwest area.
I've had the vehicle for 4 months and these are the things I've found: The vehicle gets no where near the mpg advertised, I'm averaging 22 mpg. I was also told that the back seat folds flat and it does fold down but leaves a hump so large that most of the useful storage space in the rear is taken up with it. I've also found that the vehicle is underpowered, but then it is a 1.8 L engine so I can accept that. I'm hoping that my choice of a Nissan will turn out that I've purchased a reliable car. We bought this vehicle to keep for the 3 years in the hope that in that time the fuel saving technology will have improved
Sold my '03 BMW X5 and purchased my ML 320CDI in Jan '08. I was torn between the Mercedes and the new BMW X5 but chose the ML based on good looks, power and fun to drive. I find I just want to get in the car and drive. The SUV is smooth, quiet, luxurious and most of all great fun to drive. Terrific sound system. Average 22 mpg combined city/highway. No problems since I purchased it. Would highly recommend.
Just replaced my old 06 XB with a 09 and I love my new one way more. I'm getting 25 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway. It is more stable on the highway and feels much more substantial of a car. I get almost as much MPG out of the new one and way more power.
This is simply the best car I have ever owned. The DSG transmission is awesome. Forget about it, I use the automatic mode when I am tired/lazy or stuck in traffic and the manual mode when I want to play. The shifts are lightning fast and the ride is outstanding. This car's fit and finish matches the excellent design both inside and out. 
Just found this car when I was about to turn in my 530xi, and by every measure, it is MUCH more refined and luxurious than that car, at about 35% less cost. Styling inside and out is superb, and just about every time I get out of the car someone is asking what it is -- no one can believe it is a VW. Absolutely stellar for the price, or even several thousand more. Anyone considering any of the German/Japan luxury marks should take a look at this, you will be utterly amazed.
At 6k the LF wheel bearings, front axle and roter needed to be replaced. (never off-road or accident)Cruise control is useless-jumps gears constantly. Mileage OK at consistant 16.5-18 with a canopy. Blows occasional smoke on startup which got a little better with synthetic oil. Watch for sludge build-up on these motors. Check warranty carefully -Toyota will not look at this problem unless you are losing a quart of oil every 1k miles. Fingers crossed mine is not one of these problems. Thank god I had not installed the lift kit and voided the warranty!
I two weeks ago I traded in my 2006 E350 for the 2008 E350. The handling and engine sound are much improved and there is more aviable options and combinations. I got my E350 with dvd navigation, premium 2 pkg, ipod integration, electronic trunk closer,voice control, and keyless go. The color is Sienna Black metallic which reflects red but appears to be black and the sahara/beige interior ( very nice combination). It had a MSRP or 60,500 and had a sticker price lower than a E550. I am delighted.
My truck has a 6.7 liter Diesel, which is very thirsty. I get 11.5 - 13 mpg, even with the tailgate down. I hate to say it, but my '06 Hummer H2 does better than this! I did have a '99 Dodge 5.9 Cummins which averaged 18 mpg on each tank, long trips 21 - 24 mpg were normal. Besides economy, this thing has immense power, I have 35 inch tires on it and the torque abounds. I hope this tranny can handle the power better than the '99s. I will definitely upgrade to leather seats, the copilot complains there is no heat and limited adjustments on the right side. All the storage compartments are great & make good use of unused voids. Style beats Chevy & Ford. No problems with vibrations.
Ok, so I traded in a small SUV for this Milano Red Honda Fit Sport Automatic. Honestly, my SUV got better gas mileage, I have to fill up at 200 miles in city. I only live 2 miles from work. so the best mileage I've gotten is 24 mpg. But the majority is coming 20-21 mpg. I have not put it on the highway yet to test, but most of my driving is in the city, granted I live in Baton Rouge and we have terrible traffic, but i live 2 miles from work and don't go outside that realm during the week. I absolutely love everything about this car except the gas mileage. I just had the windows tinted, installed a sunroof and an armrest. Looks really sporty.
Best car that I have had. And believe me, I've had every make out there. It's very fun to drive!! It's impossible to learn all the features it has. They just pop out and you think "There's onother feature I did't know!!" Its a great car, it's an SUV sports car.
Used to own an Infiniti G35, This car is an excellent & fun car to drive, and has many options.
I test drove all 4 of the reasonably- priced hard-top convertibles. Mazda was too small, Chrysler was not good, the Eos is worth a look but to get one with all the great features the G6 has would require spending about 3K more. I loved the G6 during the test drive but some of the negative comments I read in professional reviews were discouraging. After buying the car, I know those comments are unnecessarily over-critical. Comments on the lack of trunk space when the top is down are silly. It?s a ?hard-top?. Where else does one expect the roof to go? Many people have commented on the ?poor quality of interior material?. I don?t get it. The interior is just fine. I highly recommend this car
My fiance got the car in April of 07. Bought it off the showroom floor with 43 miles on it. Started off getting 24 mpg, and slowly dropped off to about 16-18 mpg. The car has 23k on it now, and we have replaced both headlight assembly's twice due to moisture. The rotors got warped for no apparent reason last month, with hardly any wear at all on the pads. Everything inside the car started vibrating at around 5k miles, and at the same time around 5k miles, the transmission was acting up. Theres a constant knocking noise coming from the fuel pump, like we have a person locked in the trunk. And the cheap hankook tires were dry rotted before 12k hit. To be a brand new car, it sure has had a lot of issues!
We just purchased this about two weeks ago, but it has already met all our expectations and exceeded some. Cannot say much about MPG, because we only have 475 miles on the vehicle. Only two areas needed repair/adjustment. Left side doors off a little in alignment, and seal for driver's window crimped. Doors have been aligned and window seal is on order. It is very roomy, rides very well and the Nav system is greatly improved over our 2007 GM vehicle, although screen size is a little smaller. Very stable on rural roads and interstates. Turns very well at local speeds and turning radius is excellent.
I bought an '07 Fit which I loved. After visiting the dealership for an oil change I saw the '09 and had to drive it. I don't know how, but Honda, once again has proven it can make the best even better. I bought the '09 with navigation and love it. Now I own two Fits. After years of being a Chevy driver and switching to these Hondas I will say I don't miss having my car in the shop every other month; and to top it off, Honda actually honors their product warranties unlike Chevy. I guess that's why some are making it in this economy and others aren't.
I've had the Audi for 2,500km so far. It is amazing. Fuel efficiency is great for a car with this much power. The 2.0 is more powerful than the 3.2 for the first 100km (60mph). I have the navi and tech pkg. Everything is voice activated. Back up camera is very handy. Proximity sensor locks and engine start are very convenient. EPS is nicely engineered. Audi side assist is handy. Seats are very comfortable. Breaks are high performance. I tested the Lexus IS250 and the BMW 328xi also. I have heard "Hey man nice car!" from over 10 people in 3 weeks. So that covers the exterior design. Red Bull must be more popular in Germany than North America (one of the cup holders is small). 
We were just minutes away from buying a 2007 Toyota Corolla S and we walked onto the Hyundai lot; everything changed. What caught my eye was a sporty little blue car that we thought looked like a Jetta, only nicer. We found the courage to walk into Hyundai territory, only to find the best small car on the market today, the 2007 Hyundai Elantra. When you add up the list of standard features with the SULEV rating, MPG, XM radio and outright fun of ride and drive; it was no contest. The Corolla was off the table and staying off the road. We bought a small car because gas prices continue to rise; the excitment of it all ended right there. To our supprise, this car Rocks!!!Yes a Hyundai
Very good, solid car overall. Fun to drive, reasonably priced compared to the competition, and easy on gas. I've put about 5000 miles on the car and have had no problems. I've been getting 25-26 mpg around town, 31 mpg on longer trips, and I do have a habit of standing on the gas!
Believe it or not I purchased a 2009 Corolla S one month earlier and hated it. Traded it in for this cute little Yaris and even with the loss I took am so much happier with this car. Feels tight and sturdy. Easy and such fun to drive. 
Overall I'm very satisfied with the vehicle. I originally wanted to buy a full hybrid instead of this mild hybrid but it was the only US made hybrid that was available. I'm now glad I got this because for the money its a better deal. I'm all for the environment but if you need a vehicle now this is the SUV with the highest highway mileage available period. When the next generation comes out and gets 70 mpg I'll be all over it. But that will be a couple of years. 
With 1000 miles under my new Nissan Versa SL I have to say I am very happy with the car. Rides like a big car. SL includes 6 CD changer and aux input for iPod or MP3, a must have. Plenty of room for my wife and 3 of the kids, along with a trunk full of groceries. Rides smooth and quiet, can hardly hear the engine run. So far I am averaging 30 mpg with 70/30 highway/city driving. Seems to be improving with each tank full, but I am a little disappointed it's not better. New 08 mpg estimates list the Versa at 26/33 for the CVT. Lower then the sticker 30/36. Guess I will have to slow down to 55 on the highway.
I got lucky and got this Nitro for a real deal ( last years model ) I found it to have more than enough power for all uses. Very nice looking handles well and goes great in the deep snow. It seems to be ok off road for the most part gut could use a little more clearance but still good. Love the folding seats, very sweet for visibility when driving alone or storage space. All around happy except it drinks gas like it owns the oil co. And mpg is not true, I get only 14 city miles to the gal. And if you like to be performance man it is a lot worse. Over all well built and a real eye catcher with the bright blue I have with all the chrome. 
The car drives like a dream. I cant think of anything that I don't like about this car - very sporty looking starting with the grill to the tail lights they look like the Lexus tail lights. As far as the engine - lots more power than the previous 4cyl plenty of power. I can't think of anything out there that can compare. Overall a very nice car for your money...
This is my first Honda and I have had it a little over a month. It has plenty of pep for a 4-cylinder, doesn't lag too much when accelerating I am looking forward to years of trouble free maintenance and reliability, both major factors in deciding to purchase the Accord. Estimated mileage is OK, currently I do 60% city 40% highway and I average 24- 25 MPG. I know the car has to be broke in, so hopefully I will see closer to 30 in the coming months. 
Excellent vehicle for the price! Great commuter car! MPG is in the mid 30s in Dallas traffic. The center instrument cluster is easy to get used to, and easy to read. The steering handles very well, and the car reacts quickly when needed, but initially takes getting used to. Braking is good, but clutch can be a little stiff in stop-go traffic. It rides very well, if somewhat noisy. Lots of room for such a small car, including great head clearance both front and back, and good trunk space. Sits high, which makes entry and exit easy, and gives the feel of a larger car. This car was an excellent buy; thank you Toyota!
My 2007 Toyota RAV4 (6 cyl) continues to amaze me. This my third Japanese vehicle and will probably exceed my expectations in terms of reliability. Toyotas do not break - no expensive repair bills, no frustration. The 2007 RAV4 is destined to be a favorite for decades to come.
After two weeks of reading automobile reviews and visiting showrooms I came to the conclusion that the vehicle that had the most to offer for a very reasonable price was the Hyundai Azera. This sedan has everything that I was looking for, style both inside and out, performance and price. We bought our Azera Limited in early August and already have driven it over 4,000 comfortable and enjoyable miles. It is, in my opinion, one of the best values available to anyone in the market to buy a new car today. 
Between my husband and I we've owned a BMW product since 1986. The Mini is truly a BMW and comes with all the benefits and the drawbacks. BMW is all about what's under the hood - great engine, handling and braking. BMW really doesn't care if your drink fits in the cupholder of if the interior uses materials that makes it look worse than an econo box. After all, you're having too much fun driving to notice! If it's anything like our other BMWs, expect that each visit to the mechanic will be about $1,000 - it will happen enough to be painful but not enough to hate the car. Go to a Mini car club dinner (yes, you women too) to meet other owners and find out the best mechanics, body shop etc
I saw the ad online, did my research and knew this was the car for me. I got all the benefits of the SUV I was driving with handling and fuel economy of a car. Selection is still hard to come by at the dealerships
I have owned 3 Cadillacs, 3 mini vans, a 1988 Jeep Commanche (ordered from the factory while I was stationed in Germany), a 1997 Grand Am. Sorento has the minivan's room, the comfort of Cadillac, the fun to drive sporty handling of the Grand Am, and a bigger foot print and smoother ride than the Jeep. Kia has an obvious comittment to safety. They have more standard safety features than the big three at a better price. Michelin P24570R16 tires on stylish machined aluminum wheels, even the spare. I am very happy with my fuel economy, 400 miles per tank, running the AC constantly. Some people balk at the speakers, that's why God made Polk audio.
I picked up the FWD drive version of this great car after looking at the Saturn VUE and Toyota RAV4. For all the standard features the other two couldn't compare. The VUE didn't have most of the saftety features available, and while the RAV4 did the price was substantially more. Even though we live in a snow-belt area, we've always been happy with our FWD sedan so we stuck with the FWD for our CUV mostly to save on fuel. The snow has fallen and, despite my best efforts, I can't get the FWD to do any sliding or slippping - and that's with the stock All-Seasons! Overall - this car is an excellent value for the money!
I bought this for fuel mileage. I got 28.6 MPG on my first tank but I did a lot of coasting and slow acceleration The vast majority of my driving is in town. I haven't done any highway driving yet. It is my first ford and it is very comfortable to drive with a lot of pep for a 4 cylinder. I would leave a lot of room for passing though - Especially on a hill. I love the sync system. It has a volume control so I can hear well on the phone and others say they can hear me very well also. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone that does alot of driving. 
Just purchased the 2008 MDX with Tech Package. It's a great solid SUV with AWD std. This SUV is very good compared to other luxury SUV (the lexus RX350 is too small inside, the BMW 5 series is too expensive, the Cadillac SRX is too much of a station wagon, and the Escalade is too big). We love the backup camera and the navigation, worth every penny. I would say Acura has done a wonderful job outside and inside, although there are some cost cutting methods implemented like the door handles. I really wish the tech package had the automatic trunk (hatch) release where is opens up completely. You have to buy the Ent. Pack to get that. Overall it's a great SUV at this price point.
My wife and I are repeat offenders! Just traded in our 04' for this new 09. Its a great buy, new body style, sporty shifter. The engine is more quiet. 
This is my 3rd Nissan I really love them all. I still have my 2nd Nissan which is a truck. I would get another if and when they come out with another body style. The only thing I don't like is that it doesn't have some of the features that was install or come standard with the car is signal light in the side mirror, and the on star. Overall the car is a wonderful car. Drives very well on the highway and city. For a 4 cycle is has a lot of power. 
6000 Miles down and we love this vehicle. We moved from a minivan to this and what a difference. We have the White Diamond color with the Brick interior. It is really an eye catcher. We have had repeated compliments on the car. It is very nice looking. Ride quality is good, fuel economy fine, and we have found this car to be the most comfortable we've ever had. We took it on a 2000 mile road trip and I have never felt as relaxed driving long distance nor did I feel over tired after 8-10 hours of driving. The car has great handling and feels smaller than it is. Highly recommended. The only thing we haven't tested is snow performance. I'm curious how it will handle. 
We found a Titan with 3600 miles on it & traded in a 2000 Chevy Tahoe. The Titan has been such a nice surprise for us. We tow a 6000lb RV and it blows our old Tahoe away with its towing capability. Smooth transmission and even better fuel mileage while towing vs. the Tahoe. As far as fuel economy goes, that too has been a pleasant surprise. We're getting about 15 to 15.5mpg in town driving. You have to keep your foot out of it for sure. Its actually a little better on fuel mileage than the Tahoe. I love the interior design & feel its definitely an improvement over the Tahoe workmanship. Smooth ride. Only downside is it is loud! I had the dealer switch out exhaust systems. All around we love this truck!
Hi. I recently purchased my Escalade and prior to that I owned a 2004 GMC Yukon Denali. Let me tell you there is no comparison between the two. The new Escalade is just built so much more solidly. I am so glad that I choose this truck. I recommened it to any one looking for a real head turner.
The Sky is a blast to drive. The acceleration is good, if you need a bit more downshift and you get what you need. I have not had any problem passing when I needed too, or getting into traffic when required. I imagine that the 260 hp Redline would just get me a lot of tickets from the law enforcement folks around here. While you may want more power, I don?t know how you can improve on the handling. It sticks like glue to the road. That line from Pretty Women, ?tell your friend it drives like it handles like it is on rails? fully applies to this car. Go around a 90 degree turn, drop it to second and floor it and it sends you down the road like it is suppose to. 
Pros - power, handling, ride comfort, overall appearance, decent gas mileage considering its 306 HP output, quiet and smooth. Cons - poor instrument panel on the center console. HORRIBLE FUZZY LED panel (not a defect, all ISs are like that), Gas mileage could be better, lack of remote start (even by a third party).
The Honda Fit has been a great car so far. Not only do I average 32-33 miles per gallon (less on E10, unfortunately), the tight steering and quick shifter makes every drive enjoyable. With only 109 horsepower it's not a stoplight racer, but the 1.5 L mill is more than adequate for driving in the city and pulling the Fit's ~2600 lbs up to highway speeds. While it's no plush luxury car, the Fit's interior space belies its diminutive size, as four people can fit in the Fit in relative comfort. Then with a few clicks of the "magic seats" you can fill the car with furniture, boxes, etc.
This truck was well worth the wait. Everything about it blows me away, as fast as my 3000GT and just as fun to drive!
I am so glad I took the time to compare. I've been an Infinity owner for the past 6 years but decided to test drive the VW CC bfore my next purchase; and "Thank God" I did. I've only had my new CC for 2 months but I feel like it's a test drive each morning just going to work. I love my VW and the solid feel it gives me. I just feel safer and sportier in it.
We've had this van for about 6 months now and are very satisfied with our purchase. Just got back from a 3000 mile road-trip to Florida and averaged the EPA stated 23 mpg with a full load. At purchase time, we got almost $6000 off of MSRP (when deals were good prior to cash for clunkers) which certainly influenced our decision and I still think it is a great value. No mechanical problems to date. I read through some other reviews and folks mention the road noise and the way the transmission shifts. Nothing that bothers our family, but do take a long test drive with a mix of city and highway roads before purchasing any vehicle - don't assume you'll love it just because it's a Honda...
I owned a loaded 2003 Maxima SE and liked the car very much. When it hit 100k, I decided it was time to replace it (that is normally my practice). I drove the Hyundai Genesis, but found it more of a luxury car, rather than sport sedan. I also drove the Infiniti G35 and loved the way it drove but found the back seat a little smallish compared to the Maxima and had trouble getting past the $35k price ($40k sticker). The new Maxima rides and drives very nicely, but front wheel drive definitely removes it from a true sports car driving experience. I am also very disappointed that the SV does not include satelite radio in the Bose system.
I have a 2008 Sonata, the brakes are gone after less than 18K miles of very light driving; the dealer said that they are not part of the so much advertised hyundai warranty; too bad they said. Hey, brakes that do not even last 18K, is this hyundai's quality? It seems so; I wonder what else will be braking soon. I will never, ever buy a hyundai again, and I advise against buying one. Yes, they are a little cheaper than the Japanese cars, but so much worse! My wife has a Japanese car for over 6 years, over 60K, not a single problem with it! Keep away from hyundai. And, yes, their service, at least here in Henrietta, NY is terrible.
Mine's grey metallic with Sunroof and Premium Pkg options; 3 mos. old and approaching 3K mi. Here briefly (because it will repeat what many have already stated)are the pluses: great car for the $$s; excellent warranties; great straight-line or twisty roads'performance; '87' grade gas with good mileage (hey! It's a V8!) if you properly manage your right foot; nice seating front & back; couple strangers saying 'Nice looking car'. My great deal included dealer adding the Sport Pkg's bright pedals,swapping the GT's dull 18" wheels w/summer only tires with the bright, best looking ones w/all season tires off a base G8 and a compact spare. 
I never considered a Subaru until looking at all the others and not finding what I wanted. As soon as I sat in my LL Bean Forester I was hooked. Everything felt right. I love the AWD, the sunroof is amazing especially at night on our country roads with stars twinkling overhead, the heated seats are great, the wood accents on steering wheel and shifter make it look rich, and it handles like a dream. You'd never think this car is a 4 cyl as it has lots of power. Getting 26-28 MPG with just over 3500 miles on her. I'll never own anything else. My last car was a Jeep Grand Cherokee I had for fourteen years and I hope to have this one as long. 
We have had the C-300 since Nov. 2007. Excellent performance, no problems other than the tire pressure monitor decides when it wants to activiate. And does not tell you which tire is low. Otherwise just a super car!
I fell in love with the Element when the very first one came out, with the exception of the panel on the vehicle. In '07 when I saw the SC I fell in love all over again. This car may look like a toaster, but from the inside out it is an exceptional vehicle. I love the room it provides on the inside to how there's no panel on the outside. I've had my SC since Nov. '06 and still have it today with over 37,000 miles on it and I haven't had to this day any problems with my SC, except taking it in for regular maintenance. I feel it's one of the best investments u'll ever make and u wont regret it one bit. For everyone else who's had problems I think it's the driver not the car!
Even though I have had my Caliber one week I love the pick up and the smooth and quiet ride. The car certainly turns heads on the road. I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a car with spunk!
In terms of looks, driving and performance for the 4-cylinder segment, this is a great car. Haven't been able to compare to the new 2008 Accord yet, which looks to be nice but not as sporty as the Altima. This car is very responsive in acceleration, braking and steering. Really fun to drive. Controls are all easy to reach and understand. Good selection of features/packages. Nice redesign in both exterior and interior. I have an S Conv package, with added leather, sunroof, fogs, spoiler, ABS, alum kickplates, splash guards and floor mats. Couldn't be happier.
I have the car now for 3 months, fuel economy exceeds the sticker rating. On the down side you have to be careful when stopping, at low speeds it surges and I would find it difficult to park in a tight spot. I finally got to go on a trip, I- 84 with its ups and downs, the gas engine strains trying to do 65 up some of the hills, it's no power house. And my back was sore after a 300 mile trip, gosh when I go to FL in fall I will need dr to work on my back, I guess it's a car for the younger set, I am 63 and went from a CRV to this. On the plus side it uses half the gas the CRV did. It's too bad Honda can't find a better place for the batteries, I miss the fold down back seats. 
The tundra is a blast to drive and always a eye catcher. I have only had one problem and that was the recall on the drive shaft. I get a 17.5 mpg on the average and 13 when I haul the 8900lb trailer. Still beats my dodge I would recommend this truck to anyone.
I got my 2009 Tig in may of 2008 before better deals were to be had. Oh well... I love the car itself. It has been great and I get complements on it all the time. People stop me to ask about it. I sometimes wish I would've splurged and gotten the one with the sunroof. The car is great in city and hwy and I'm amazed at how well it insulates outside noise. Feels very solid throughout. I agree with some comments about the black upholstery, it is a hair magnet. I had an issue with a faulty fuel pump which was quickly replaced under warranty. That's been the only issue I currently have 11K miles in the Tig.
Have been driving Suburbans, Yukons, Jimmy's, Envoys and now the Acadia for over 20 years. Without a doubt, GM finally got it right with this Acadia. Nice and confortable to drive and plenty of gadgets to keep me busy.
Coming from two BMW's (most recent being a newer model 7 series), I was going back and forth between the X5 and ML. I decided to go with the ML since the value was much greater and I like the ML design better. Also, the standard seats on the X5 were uncomfortable. Although I am accustomed to a smooth ride, I found the ML to drive very well especially considering it's an SUV. I also like how the transmission shifs so smooth. I bought the ML 350 with premium 2 pkg, parktronic, Ipod and running boards. Unlike the review from spicoli on 3/17/2008, I do have Xenon headlights, rain sensing, power tailgate, driver/passenger memory seats and rear climate control and many other cool features. 
I purchased my brand new 2008 Convertible Beetle and love it ! (so far )I just traded my 07 Sebring in for it (never get a Sebring) I live @ the beach so its great to take the top down and just cruise in, very comfortable, great stereo Love the SRadio that it comes with, leather heated seats this car has it all my fav car out of all the cars i have had , I would def recommend it to anyone my husband didn't like the beetles @ 1st he said it was to much of a girl car but after he drove it he loves it too , gas is av. 
Very happy overall, but just a couple (minor) strange things about the car. 1.) The center console latch arrangement is a loser. I routinely open the compartment by accident. 2.) The garage door opener is not lighted - after a month still difficult to locate at night. Also difficult to navigate the 4 switches for trunk, shade, gas, in the dark. 3.) I also, very occasionally, feel unexpected acceleration. Fit and finish are great. Unlike other reviewers, I like the look of the car. Don't feel it is stodgy at all. Very smooth riding and quiet, which along with reliability were the main reasons for my purchase. Love the back up camera and parking assist.
I owned a 2005 S200 for about a year before it was stolen. The car is awesome, but have now learned that the S2000 is a hot target for parts. My car was stolen and found a few days later completely stripped (wheels, headlights, taillights, seats, steering wheel, airbags, door panels, stereo, etc.). This was my second theft incident with the same car and have heard plenty of similar stories. I would absolutely recommend the car, but only if you can keep it safe in a garage.
While very excited about my initial purchase based upon reviews, it was only a week later that creaks, squeaks and clunks began to appear. After three trips to the dealer the problems only seem to be growing, and are the kind of problems I do not expect adequate resolution to be forthcoming despite very good involvment from corporate. I suggest staying with Honda or Toyota. They cost more for a reason.
Some of my friends hinted at the fact that I should test drive a Subaru while I was looking at new vehicles. I was actually really impressed with the handling & ride. Of course, I'm very biased coming from a '97 Ford Ranger with manual everything in the truck. I'm pleased with the interior layout and comfortable seating. Also, I purchased the Forester with auto dim mirror w/ compass, aero cross bars, cargo net vertical, and all weather mats, and body side molding kit (and a few other options I'm probably forgetting). I haven't broken in the engine yet and I am getting 28 - 31 mpg on the highway and 25 - 21 mpg city. Very happy with my purchase! 
The minute the car was driven into my garage by the dealership I was blown away. Next to the 2008 black M6 and even the cl550, the E63 is absolutely beautiful. Interior styling beautiful, simple, functional and elegant. Idrive is outdated and difficult to figure out, especially when you have different models of BMW. I Love the analog clock next to the speedo, even more so than the faux television screen display on the cl. AMG rocks over the M, just listen to the exhaust.
Reliable. Comfortable to ride and drive. Handles exceptionally well, a real surpise and pleasure. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys driving and likes to get out of town.
I am the type of person who researches everything going into purchasing a car. After 2 months of researching cars my buddy and I came across the Honda CIVIC SI Sedan. This Car is amazing!! I will never not own a Honda after this car and this car is fast for being a four door sedan. The car shifts great, when it RPMS passed 6000 VTEC kicks in and its amazing. For the price, I paid $19300 but I had to include extended warranties over 7 years 150,000 miles, that alone was 4500 dollars and with taxes, all in all, paid $25000. This is a great car, gas I am getting 32 highway and 27 city, comfortable seats, and once you drive it you will never want to drive anything else. GREAT CAR!! 
Lots of features for the price. Very roomy, ride is smooth for such a large vehicle. Third row seat management was overlooked, seats should food flat out of the way. Fuel economy no better than other large SUV's, 8 to 4 cylinders just a marketing ploy it seems like. If you want a large SUV, this one is very nice. However, don't be fooled by the fuel economy estimates!
Bought this R32 used with 12k miles. It is everything that I thought it would be. Solid build, handling, acceleration. DSG is surprisingly quick and responsive. 23 MPG mixed so far but am surprised at the amount of revs in top gear. This engine could easily handle a taller gear and would probably get better gas mileage. Unlike others, I think this vehicle is exactly what it was made to be and should be. "FUN" The only thing I'm disappointed in is the IPOD adapter. $75 Harmon Kardon add on unit does a far better job.
Only had the car a couple months and so far so good. Already put 1200 miles on it. Fun to drive, makes you feel like a kid again, just watch your speed. It's easy to overdo it and not even know it. My wife and I both love it. Great buy for the money.
I looked at every truck on the market. This was by far the best. 2 Complaints BED SIZE on crew cab 5'7". The Truck sits high <-- Not the complaint. It is very difficult to see a compact car hovering off the front passenger side of the vehicle. Those little Prius, and mini coopers completely disappear. The ride is a little stiffer than the other manufactures, but softer than a typical dodge. Acceleration is fantastic for a truck. Turning radius seems to be better than my silverado. The 5 speed transmission and 3.55 final is matched well with the torque range of the engine. Positive stopping power. Very easily lights up the rear tires :). The bucket seats are very comfortable. 
This car is awesome. I have had this car for exactly one day. I don't need more to write this review. I know something about cars; have owned and driven mercedes, audi, bmw, infinity, and most of the rest. They do not touch this car. It is beautiful, inside and out (subjective of course). Feels like a tank but drives like (or better than) the 330 I traded up from for about 1/2 the price. All the bells and whistles. Looks and feels great. I don't even care if gas mileage is not great. Please don't buy this car. I want exclusivity on the roads.
Just got the truck 4 days ago, 250 miles on it. Breaking it in easy, but you can tell it has the power to do any job required. Rides like a car, quiet and smooth. Fits in the barn (9' garage door) but just fits. Looking forward to a long relationship with this truck.
I had to get rid of my 2004 Tacoma to get a baby seat in. I was sad to see it go but this new one made me forget pretty quick, it has the power when I need it though it comes at a price with the mileage sometimes, and the back-up camera is extremely useful. I would like to see the 4wd selector lit up but other than that Toyota hit a home run when designing this truck. 
There is nothing not to like. I have owned Honda and Toyota for years and thought it was time to 'buy American." This car has needed nothing other than one oil change. Reliability is excellent, despite the reviews. This car is a well kept secret. 
I've had this car for a week now and am pretty amazed at how great it is. MyGIG is fantastic. Fuel Econ. is good. Interior is very nice. Driver seat sits a bit too high for 6'2" person even at its lowest position. Drives extremely smooth. Plenty of room in rear seat. After reading some of the other reviews I was surprised that the 4cyl. had pretty good acceleration, the trans. shifted fine and the engine noise was normal. Be wary of some reviews. Try it out for yourself before taking other peoples word. A lot of people have pretty crazy expectations which nothing will meet.
Neat car, but stupendously bad gas mileage. We got 11MPG on the first tank, 13MPG on the second tank and have not hit more than 13MPG since. This is computing MPG the old fashioned way. Our local dealer (PA) has more than 20 of these on the lot unsold, they said that they "had deposits" on them, but they don't. I see why now. Like the car, but this gas mileage is just really, really, really bad.
We looked at all minivans before looking at the quest, it was our final stop. I test drove it and loved it! It does drive like a car and is very comfortable. I love the room inside. The seats are very comfortable. I am getting the average minivan gas mileage so i cant complain about that. I would recommend this van to anyone, and for what you get for the price compared to odyssey and sienna its a great deal. I also love that all the seats can fold flat without having to be taken out of the vehicle.
Excellent... upgraded from a a early (March 2005) M35 Sport.
Bought it for work use. Love the rubber interior features and space. Unfortunately was delivered with defective right rear hub, but was replaced quickly. More horsepower needed. Extremely disappointed with shift points of auto trans.. Can't seem to get 4th and 5th gear to shift in order to lower RPMs and maybe improve mediocre gas mileage - currently have 5300 miles on it and can't get better than 20 highway. Windshield size and angle makes it very difficult to see traffic lights. If I had realized transmission problem I might have considered the manual trans.
Purchase the 2007 CRV because of the new styling. The vehicle has not disappointed me. There are a few things that I wish it include. Automatic head lights, Rear seats that folded flat. Overall a great car. We were driving a full size SUV that was fully equipped. There are some bells and whistles we miss.
Overall, I love the car. The gas mileage is good, the adjustable seat height on the driver's seat is a plus, I love the look of the car. The headrests seem to limit visibility when I'm looking over my shoulder to go in reverse. The car is fun to drive though!
It was definitely worth the wait. This is the best performing car for the money out of the box. Great road trip car and when you get tired of cruising, grip the wheel and mash the pedal. If you can latch on to one you won't be disappointed. An aftermarket exhaust really wakes the beast and gives it a much more respectable tone.
 So far I've given my goth grey a good work out. It handled unimproved dirt roads like a champ, across boulder strewn creeks in the high desert foothills of Arizona to ten inch deep sand beaches in Mexico. The awd worked effortlessly. If you don't look at the rpm gauge it acts no differently than any other car in cruise or passing at highway speeds. I'll try it out next at the 6-7000 foot elevations in the northern part of the state this summer. My first fuel check with mixed driving conditions yieled 26.7 mph.
I bought this car to replace my 1999 SC1 Saturn. I was looking at the Toyota Matrix but the Vibe is the same car and I got a better deal. The ride is real smooth and is very easy to park in tight places. The only real gripe is you can not turn off the headlights, even in park. Most cars come with a off switch for the automatic lights but this car does not have the capability.
I was in the market for a larger AWD car to replace my wife's current BMW 528i. We test drove Honda, Toyota, Ford, BMW, Suzuki, Volvo and all were either poor performers or overpriced. The CX-7 combined the performance and value we were looking for in a car which is fun to drive. The Sport version comes with quite a few standard options though we added the driver electric seat and remote start. The car's only negative in my opinion is the turbo-lag which doesn't kick in until 2000 RPM. In terms of value, the CX-7 is $3k-$15k cheaper than its competition (Pilot, Murano, X3).
Have had the Patriot for two weeks now, and I am so far very pleased with this vehicle. The five-speed transmission is forgiving and responsive. The ride is quiet (in fact, the first time I came to a stop sign, I thought the engine had killed). The suspension is perfect- firm but not brittle-feeling. Vinyl seats have been nice, firm and comfortable. The vehicle rolls very freely in neutral, and the resultant glide is nice if you like to coast in to stop signs for better gas mileage. My first tank of gas gave me 33 mpg in mixed suburban driving, no freeway. There is good visibility around the car. I love driving it.
What can I say that has not already been said. The bottom line, it's great. For years I have owned GM muscle in LS1 powered Camaros. I guess I was naive to accept a turbo 4. Not that I don't like the LS1, but I feel like I have one again, just way more refined. The suspension is great, the clutch and shift pattern are very smooth and the torque curve is great for my wife to pull out in traffic. I am a born again Speed3 fan, it's great to go to the store and actually have a place to put food, and even luggage on vacations. And the best part, well I am still waiting to pull up beside a Mustang GT and have a little fun.
Bought my nitro r/t June of 07 had only 2 months before I started having problems first the suspension was making noises the dealership acted like it was no big deal tried several things to fix didn't get it right until the third visit they said it was a body mass dampener as soon as I got the car back from the dealer a multitude of things started to act up plastic wheel coverings creaked when turning power steering pump making whistling noise had it back to the dealer twice on that they told me it was inherent to the vehicle and to contact Chrysler customer service instead I contacted lemon law atty. This vehicle has other problems as well drivers side window, a/c, time without my car 36 days
This car is such a pleasure to drive! Granted I bought this after driving a toyota tercel for the past 10 years so anything is better. But it's definitely THIS car. It's beautiful (inside and out)& drives well. I have the smokey granite mica exterior with black leather interior (ultra luxury package).
I am very happy with this Arcadia. It has a great ride, nice looks and is fun to drive. It gets decent gas mileage for its size. The interior seem to be of high quality. I have had it for two weeks and every day I like it more and more . 
We enjoy driving this car and both want to drive when we go. Handles fantastic and could not be quieter. The direct injected six is more powerful than my old Seville V8, has more horsepower. The mileage is better than the 2001 Seville as well. Interior finish is tops, the programing features took some time to master for the memory feature. Very happy with this car and no bag of money had to go to Japan!
The styling of this car sets it apart from all others in its class. This is our second BMW and I'm a hard sell for import cars. BMW gets greedy with there options they are priced to high and there is no such thing as a base model on the lot. 
I was so hesitant to look at the RDX after I read all of the reviews about it being too bumpy of a ride with lots of wind noise. Coming from a truck based sport utility, this car screams luxury and comfort. The console is amazing and offers every amenity you can think of plus all of the gee-whiz gadgetry that appeal to the 30-something market. The stereo system is the best out there as well as the navigation package. The car handles the road like a sports car and fields the bumps just fine with minimal wind noise. If you are looking for a pillowy ride to tote your kids around this isn?t it. You just need to drive it for yourself to find out if it is a fit for you and your family.
I was extremely pleased the first 12 months. However, for the past 4 months, a a sharp clicking rattle-like noise started to occur and became increasingly persistent as time went by. It took literally 8 visits to the dealer before the problem - faulty sunroof construction - was detected by me from researching tC noise rattles on the web. Upon hearing that there was a Toyota Service Bulletin (TSB) on the earlier models at a tC Owners Blog, I showed the article to the dealer. He then advised that there was a second TSB that I qualified for, and after I left the car with the dealer for 2.5 days, I got a completely new sunroof - all new glass and rails. Now, I'm in "heaven" again.
We have had this car for about a year and a half. It rides well, drives well and has been reliable. Only two complaints. Windshield is very poor quality and breaks with the slightest touch of a pebble. Leather interior is mostly vinyl. After a small tear, I found that the only part of the seat that is leather is the small section in the middle of the seat surface. The entire rest of the seats including the bolsters on the seat surface are made of vinyl. No happy about paying for leather and not even getting full leather seating surfaces! Contacted Subaru and they told me that customers like vinyl better. Sounds like a way for Subaru to save money!
I like it so far. I've only had it for a few weeks. It doesn't get the gas mileage stated but I was also told that it would take a few thousand miles for the engine to break in and then I would get the good gas mileage. It's getting about 23-24 mpg and I drive mostly around town. I noted some of my dislikes below but for the most part VW really did it right and most of it is all standard. That is what I love most is that all the "extra" features are already standard on this vehicle!! I show mine off to friends and they all ask how much this or that cost me extra and I say "Nothing!"
I absolutely love my Mini! It's great fun to drive and I get noticed by people who are obviously jealous because they don't have one. I am 6' 2" tall and I have more headroom in my Mini than many vehicles I have driven. The fuel economy is great! I average 35 - 40 MPG around town. My Mini only has three options (speed control, bonnet stripes and checkerboard mirrors) and it was well worth the $20,000 price tag.
After paying almost $200 for a tank of gas in my Suburban, I decided it was time to make a change! I wanted a "no frills" car, didn't even know if they made such a thing! When I saw the Aveo5, it was exactly what I was looking for! After the initial shock of switching from a Suburban to this car, I was in love! Drove 2,000 miles the first month just because it is so fun to drive! My monthly payment is less than the cost of one tank of gas in my Suburban! I did have a stereo installed. Couldn't deal with AM/FM...but other than that, I'm as thrilled as can be with my car. Her name is "No Frill Lil"....very basic, but an awesome drive!
My dad got this car as a loan while his CLK was in the shop and I felt the need to write a review for it. First, this car is very fun to drive and has great handling and performance. The rear seats are another story. The way the back doors are shaped makes you trip almost every time you get out of the back. They contour around the wheel inserts. Making for a very uncomfortable entry/exit. Just look at a side view of the car and you'll see how the back doors are shaped. It has a very well made interior and exterior. The navigation system is pretty confusing, though. It's a pretty good car overall.
Poor quality returns to GM. My 40k car is in and out of the shop every 90 days with recalls, electrical issues, and power steering and other problems. They have covered everything but not my time. Service says the first 9 months they had build issues....I wanted to buy domestic to support the cause and what I got was a UAW Union American Waste of money. I feel bad GM is going under but bad products deserve to fail. Go buy an american built mercedes and avoid the hassle.
I got this car on Oct. 07 and now I am looking for another brand to trade. Gas mileage is main reason that disappointed me. I got only 15/mpg. Monthly gas payment is same as car payment. Also ride is bumpy, very bumpy.
I've had my car since October of '06 and it has not had one problem. Amazing. Power is unbelievable, ride likewise. 
Other than my disgust with GM's fabricated guesstimate of gas mileage - says the Tahoe should get 21 mpg..what a joke. I like the ride and the look of this truck/car. My '04 Tahoe got much better mileage, but upgraded to an LT and like the interior/dash/leather seats. 3rd row seats are useless. Probably won't go with GM again - too bad for the blue collars.
This SUV is an eye opener for what it delivers to it's driver. I've purchased driven a number of GM products over the past 18 years, and love how the quality and features that GM provides has grown continueally during that time. Yes, they used to be bad 20 years ago. But today, wow! Do not miss out on trying a Traverse before you buy anything. Even the dealership experience was the best I've ever had too. I'm moving from a full size pickup to this mid-sized SUV. Originally planned to buy a Tahoe, but the economy has downsized my buying ability slightly. Thank goodness GM made this SUV, it fits perfectly!
I haven't even had the vehicle a week and this is our first BMW. I wouldn't have considered BMW but my wife really wanted to check them out. After taking it around the block I was hooked, I was impressed by the attention to detail and the feel of the vehicle. I am sure there will be more Bimmers in the garage. 
This is my 4th Accord and I won't be turning my back on Honda anytime soon. I love everything about but the touchy brakes and the speakers could have better sound quality. (for factory it's pretty good though) I love the mileage, averaging 30 mpg city/highway. The engine has plenty of power for a 4 cylinder and it's very quiet as well. No nasty noises coming from under the hood. Interior build/materials is great too. 
This is the third Mazda I've owned (my trade in was a 1992 B2600, original owner, with 176,000 and still running strong). This 6 has been a blast to drive. First tank of gas got 28mpg. Good leg room in the back. We've have 5 people in the car and didn't feel cramped. A 5 speed is the way to go if you drive a manual.
I traded in 2007 Toyota Prius with 24,000 miles and purchased new 2008 Base Highlander with max out options. We got great gas mileage on Prius avg on 24,000 miles was 45 MPG. Great car just not the car I wanted to drive in the winter in CO. We have driven the Highlander only 3,279 miles 80% city 20% highway. Average 19.9 MPG. High of 25.6 in the mountains and highway and low of 17.7 in city. This a average 16 tanks of gas. That is 165 gal of gas on 3,279 miles driven or 19.9 MPG. I'm happy having much more extensive comfort and control on snow covered roads in the winter. (No Buyers Remorse.) 
I just sold my 7 year old 2002 Legacy Wagon L,with 215,000 miles. It was very hard to part with,since it never let me down and will give the new owner many more thousands of miles. I upgraded to the Special Edition 5 speed Outback on 11/01/08. The test drive sold me. I drive extensively in both city and highway. This is a non-pretentious car that is as good looking at the campground as it is pulling up to a top Manhattan restaurant. I expect the same reliability and longevity. I also expect greater mpg than listed, since I did experience the same on my prior Subaru Wagon. Also,annual maintenance is relatively inexpensive and resale value is high.
I bought this vehicle and it only has about 3,000 miles on it right now. This is an awesome vehicle for offroading! I bought this vehicle stock with power sunroof and the skid plate group. I will have to say that I am a proud Jeep owner, and I probably will never buy anything except Jeep in the future. I have been on several jeep trails already and the vehicle has handled awesome on all of them. If your looking for something a little more convenient and comfortable, but has the true off road capability this is definitely the vehicle! Also, the 4x4 selec drive is pretty awesome. I have never drove a better 4 wheel drive system ever!! 
Have owned 04, 05, 06, 08, 09 Prius. No other car is even close. Very quiet, tracks perfectly, extremely fast. CVT is only transmission to have. Shift by wire is magnificent. Trunk space is incredible. Comfortable. If gas was 20 cents a gallon I would still buy Prius. Will get 2010 next. We have an 08 and 09 at present. Excellent brakes and build quality.
I've had my Jetta a week and I'm so happy with it. Driving it is fun and it handles really well. I feel like i am driving a sports car! I love the Sirius radio and the back seat air conditioning vents. The leatherette upholstery is a very nice added elegance.
I got it to save fuel. It gets 24 to 29.5. Most of the time I get over 26.5. Runs out good,rides good and handles great. Only holds 4 quarts of oil. Saves money going and coming. 
What a vehicle. The complete package, from styling and performance to comfort and luxury. I have only had the black-on-black beauty for several days now, but I can state with certitude that there is no other full-size SUV that comes close to competing. I considered and test drove the 2007 Tahoe, the Armada and the Durango. I am glad that I did not settle for anything short of the GL 450.
It drives like a jeep (hard and stiff) and is slow to accelerate. The brake pedal is uncomfortable. I use it to go to work where parking is an issue. This is the only reason I bought the car. In this respect it's great. I now compete with motorcycles. But in all other respects it is disappointing. Transmission is slow to shift, a/c not cold enough. Would I buy it again? Yes. Because of the parking issue I have no choice. If I didn't have to go to work and park I would not buy this car. 
This is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned. The handling is superb in all weather, with outstanding styling, visibility and comfort it is a true joy to drive. I went from a 4wd Super Crew pickup from another manufacturer, that I truly loved, to the Acadia and have never regreted my decision. What an awesome vehicle. I am constantly getting comments on it and everyone who has ridden in it is impressed with it's options and ride. Thanks GMC for coming up with a true winner.
I came out of a 2003 Outback LL Bean Edition. I thought the B9 would be too big and clunky - that is, until I drove it. It took a few minutes to decide but I chose the B9 because it was a pleasure to drive.
Just bought my new G6 with the 1-SV package. The price was GOOD (under $15K) and it's fun to drive. I like the gas mileage (30), size (not too big, not too small), look (SHARP), and handling (smooth and responsive). I don't like the driver's seat (too narrow) and the missing features (no cruise control or remote locks). Also the sun visor mirror has plastic covers where the lights should be (looks cheap).
Great car for your dollars! Not only does it look good but it is fun and easy to drive. Has most everything you'll need and the automatic transmission is a nice change from having to shift in traffic. Corners easily, good performance all the way around. Plenty of room front and back. Controls easy to reach and operate. I cannot find anything that I don't like about this vehicle! I compared two other vehicles in the same class and in the end the Accent won out. The GS 2 door hatch back with the auto trans/ac package is a great buy. Compare it and you'll see! Had a very minor issue with a 'rattle', and the dealer took care of it quickly.
I test drove other regular-sized minivans, and none compared to this. I felt like I was driving a box while driving the other ones. Not fun at all. Once I got into the Mazda5, it was truly ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM! The third rear seat is crampy though, so we only use it for emergencies when we need to haul around 6 people! Otherwise, our doggie fits perfectly with the seats flattend! I would recommend this car to any parent who wants to have enough room to fit everyone and everything, yet still feel young!
I really feel this is one gem of a car. It does so many things well that one wouldn't expect in a family car of this type. It's refined and performs well, yet it's still economical and affordable. It handles like a much smaller sports car (Miata/MX-5 and 3 DNA immediately apparent), has good pick up, a nice ride, a quiet interior, many luxury features, safety, comfort, convenience, good fuel economy AND loads of style/good looks. Can you get any better? I drive my 5 with pride and sing "Zoom Zoom Zoom" in my head while doing so.
This is a great car. I researched MBZ first, having driven 240Ds for 20 years. This car is powerful, handy, and responsive. Mercedes lost out with half the fuel economy and much higher prices for diesel models. 
I walked into a local dealership intent on purchasing an '08 Dodge Nitro. However, after the test drive, I found it very cheap feeling, loud, and didn't feel the price matched the product. So on the way home, we swung into the Jeep dealership and I got a look at the new Liberty. I hadn't even considered it based on previous models looking like something only a teenage girl or soccer mom could love. But looking at the '09 I couldn't believe how similar it and the Nitro seemed. And after driving it, I fell in love. It feels solid on the road, the interior is much more refined, and you get a sense of quality and reliability not found in the Nitro. And uConnect is GREAT. Test drive one.
I just passed 25K miles and 20 months of ownership with my 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid. I still love the car. My tank average mpg has never been less than 36 and has been as high as 41.5 on a long haul trip. I've had absolutely no technology issues with the car. I did have to have an alignment done twice already and it seems out again, but nothing has gone wrong with the complex hybrid drive. The car looks and drives great. I don't know how I found my way without GPS!! I would buy this again in a minute. The Edmunds TMV estimate is still within 3K of that price today!!! AAA+++
I expected much better gas mileage, the best gas mileage I have ever gotten is 28 and that is on highway. It's noisy and bouncy, not a very good ride. I had an Aveo that I enjoyed a lot more and paid $10000 less for. Did I ever goof! This car doesnt have much storage space in the back/trunk and the seat does not fold flat
This car is so quiet that I sometimes wonder if it's running. Much more front legroom than my Ford Escape, even if your 6 foot 3. The transmission is smooth and pickup is quick. Great horsepower at 260 so I have no trouble passing on the highway. 
First off, I get 30+mpg at 55mph! Got the 6 speed manual with rwd and limited slip. With the traction control and abs it's certainly all you need in the South. 
So far, so good. We were in the market for a SUV. Test drove the Acura MDX, BMW X5 4.8i, and the GL. We were impressed by all three vehicles but ultimately the GL was the way to go--truly appreciate the usable third row seats.
Bought this as a left-over. Second day the battery was dead in the garage. The electronics on the car are overwhelming and I took an extended warranty. 1st GM car I've owned in 30 years.
I traded in my TRUSTWORTHY Ford Escape for this....and coughed up a good amount of cash. They asked for 34,000 Dollars, for a Toyota....but, this is with the V6 and highest Luxury trims....Well, it was not better build quality than by Ford Escape.....which was on 05. It drove like a Camry......boring, and looks horrible. Also, I noticed, it took much of its styling from the Ford Edge, which I would recommend over this vehicle. The car rattles on paved roads. Navigation is sluggish, like Windows XP, and the entire car is lackluster. Thank god for the high resale, I am getting a FORD!
This car looks quite nice from the outside. It also comes standard with air conditioning, a CD player, and heated mirrors. However I have had multiple starting problems with this car even though my Suzuki dealer claims this problem is limited to the '06 models. It also gets bad gas mileage when compared to other compact cars. I was driving a SUV so I did not notice it at first, but 21 mpg for a compact is bad. Also, the automatic transmission sucks too much power away from the already small inefficient engine. When I am going up a hill on the interstate I have to keep my foot on the floor and still lose speed. The engine is also quite noisy and does not like to go above 60 mph. Do not buy this car.
I have a 2007 Yaris Liftback automatic in Blazing Blue. I have only had the car about a week, but I am very pleased. It has great pick up and lots of "zoom". There is so much storage I don't know what to put in it. From what I can tell the back seat is pretty roomy too. (I think the doors have shrink-rays in them). The outside looks so small, but the interior is extremely spacious. Each day I am discovering more things - like the sun visor extenstions! The cd player can play mp3 cds and I still have to try out the auxillary audio jack.
Great car that fits my needs exactly. Sporty spitfire with built in economy and relatively comfortable environment. I don't see many SE's on the road but I get a lot of compliments on it.
This Pilot (AWD with NAV) replaces my 2003 Infinti FX35. The FX was a great vehicle with three exceptions. Very poor seating, driver seat power buttons under your right leg, Extremely rough ride in rear seat when driving on anything other than a very smooth road, and very poor visibility due to rounded design. Honda, on the other hand has excellent visibility, plenty of glass area, plus third row seating,and runs on regular gas plus most of the options I had on the Infiniti for $14,000.less at sticker.After looking at big sister Acura, decided to stay with little sister, Honda Pilot. Plenty of Bang for the Buck!
I like the power of my Hemi. Turning is great compared to my old F250. Has 100 more horsepower and weighs 1000lbs less than the ford. The tire pressure light stay on unless you run 80LBS of air in the tires. Tows my 5th wheel with ease and with the long bed I have room for my across the bed tool box and still have room for my hitch. Plenty of room for turning the trailer when parking. With the HD option you have trouble lowering the rear end to the overloads. I haven't enjoyed driving a pickup as much in a long time. If you need a work truck for a decent price and fuel mileage it is a hard truck to beat. The only thing would change is go with upgraded interior and better paint.
Truly is the best car I've ever had. Love the new body style, love everything about it.
From day one this has been a great SUV fun to drive on and off road (more fun off road). Controls all have great locations, but AC light ( don't know if it is on or off during the day with that little green light.) I have always had V8's so this was my first 4 cyc. At first it seemed a little slow to start, but what I soon came to realize is that I almost always had a jack rabbit starts with the V8's. Now I feel real comfortable with the 4 cyc, but what is the best is that I get 25 miles per gal arround town. This is much better than Hyundia's claim of 23 MPG. If your looking for a new car or SUV test drive a Tucson, you will not regret it. 
I got this car for my dog, but I fell in love with it after the first month. I get so many compliments in parking lots. It really drives like a car. Before purchasing this car I test drove a Suzuki, a CR-V, and a BMW X3. I decided to go with this car because it does not drive like a truck, it's very smooth and quiet, and because has good fuel efficiency. 
I bought this car because I was getting killed at the pump by my Nissan Titan. I love being able to drive by the gas stations instead of stopping to fill up. the car looks great, runs great, and am getting over 28 mpg. I plan to have this car in my stable till it craps out, which by the quality of it; I may crap out first. Its one peppy 4 banger!!
Purchased my Vue 2.2Liter L4, in April 2007. Though the Vue lives up to its fuel economy, the comfort of this auto is poor. The seats are like sitting on rocks. Saturn's fix for this issue is to buy a pillow. If you are a person with long legs or a person of size please take this into consideration when you make your purchase. There is no leg support.
I love my FJ. I've had it a few months and the car is great. I love the way it handles, accelerates and the feel of the drive. It is very roomy and comfortable.
Why pay more? This is a great car. It has a terrific sound and communications package, rides quiet and smooth and is fun to drive. I've had cars that cost twice as much that couldn't hold a candle to this car. Well done GM! A great value.
Beyond a doubt this is the nicest vehicle I have ever owned.I drove it from Rochester NY to Florida and enjoyed it very much. It has met all my expectations
Just bought and received an 09 Fit Sport. Feels very tight, and the first hundred miles are amazing. It's getting substantially better mileage than the EPA ratings. The car tracks very true and feels like a more expensive vehicle. The interior is finished very well and the changes from the 08 model are the perfect improvements. The wheels have a very sporty look to them and it sticks to the ground nicely. Radio is fantastic and the interaction with the iphone is perfect. Overall I would rate this vehicle as as close to 10 as you can get The price and quality are second to none.
Nissan Versa was not my first choice but when I saw it on the lot I thought it was cute. When I test drove it I fell in love. I also tried the Honda Fit which I felt was made cheaply and could be blown over by 5 mph winds. I get exceptional mileage but have only one complaint. I needed new brakes after only having the car for 6 months, plus there was a re-call with the air bag for the passenger seat. Very roomy in the backseat. Could fit a bike in the trunk with one of the back seats folded. Great gas mileage, comfy seats. There are more positives than negatives :) Great hatchback for a great price.
My wife and I bought the G35 as a "retirement" car in anticipation of taking long road trips. We have been extremely satisfied with the comfort and convenience of this car. We particularly like the navigation system and other technology features, such as the color back-up camera and CD changer. This is our first "luxury" vehicle and we enjoy the feeling when we hand the car over to the parking attendant at our favorite upscale restaurants in Atlanta.
The comfort of the car is outstanding, but it does not get close to the 26 mpg on the highway as advertised and it is extremely slugglish going up any type of hill or passing a vehicle. We did take it to the dealership, but they couldn't find anything wrong. Also the radio system, a Bose, is good but you can't distinguish the back speakers from the front. The folding down of the 3rd seat is really easy.
We were so excited about getting the Forester - great headroom, legroom. We purchased it yesterday and went for our first day trip today. THE SEATS ARE SO SO SO UNCOMFORTABLE. I stopped at one point to lay out on a picnic table at a park along the road. Zero lumbar support...goofy headrest pointed the wrong way, and knees higher than your rump - all the pressure goes to your low back. I am absolutely so so sad I'm stuck with such miserable seats in what seems to be a nice (otherwise) car. I'm young, not overweight, and in good health - and these seats are absolutely awful.
Great handling, feels like the vehicle is glued to the road due to the SH-AWD. Requires high test although gas mileage is reasonable. Excellent acceleration for a 4000 pound vehicle. Roomy, high tech voice command system, fabulous 5.1 surround sound and backup camera which I wanted. Also has manual shift via paddles on the steering wheel, and Acura reliability. Everything works as intended. Drive one, you'll buy it.
I love my Focus. I have always purchased Ford products, but this car is awesome. The car handles great and it drives like a little tank in bad weather, better than my Escort! It has excellent fuel economy at 34.8 miles to a gallon city driving and over 35 highway-with the price of gas at $4 a gallon and rising the Focus really helps me out financially. The interior is sweet with visible gauges. It's comfortable too! Everyone who rides in it loves it and say they will make it their next car. Ford has really improved an already good vehicle. I love driving my car, it looks, feels and rides great! It's small but has roomy interior, as well as excellent safety features!
The first thousand miles have been positive. Drives well, about 40 mpg, quiet, adequate power for any situation, engineering is a marvel, and the most important feature, it is a small contribution to solving our global warming problems. Only the ideologically moribund can deny it is happening, and it seems to me that each of us must do what we can to reduce our carbon use and carbon dioxide residues.
One thing that is overlooked is that the Hyundai actually has a stiffer frame than Toyota or Honda, and you can feel it. The quality is just there. Absolutely superb. Very smooth on freeway, tight suspension rides nice although it's body roll in corners could be less. It's been said before that it looks like a baby Lexus or something, and in my silver color with tinted windows it does. I actually get a few looks. Rims are sharp looking. Absolutely perfect size car. Far from big, easy to drive yet amazing interior room. Transmission is a little on the "grandma" end of the performance scale but shifts and transitions smoothly. Trunk has releases to fold rear seats right near the trunk opening.
on february 14 i was in a head on collision. this vehicle did exactly what it was supposed to do. I felt like I was surrounded by a safety cage. I walked away with simply bruises. Although I can not say the same thing for my vehicle, unfortunately it looks as though the frame was bent. I will definitely buy another one! thank you
We purchased the van at the end of December and have put a little over 3000 miles on it. I had a 2005 Toyota Sienna which I traded in that was probably the most annoying car I've ever owned with its transmission problems and clunks, clanks, squeaks, groans, etc. So far the van has done very well with the following exceptions: 1. It has a chirping, scraping, hissing noise that isn't real loud but it is annoying especially at 30 mph and 1500 RPM-louder when you first start out. 2. Gas mileage is poor-17 combined city and highway and 19 on the highway. 3. It misses when idling and jumps a bit when the AC compressor goes on & off.
I researched all the brands and always came back to the Mazda3. I chose the speed3 after driving both and simply enjoyed the fun factor and economy of a sporty car that has all the details I hold dear. The interior is excellent, design outstanding. The firm ride makes for confident handling, the engine a superb powerhouse or a fuel sipper depending on how you drive it. I can trundle along at normal speed and save the gas, but if I need some passing power, it amazes with its pickup that never ends. The torque will pull strongly in any gear and turbo lag is minimal and predicable. I cannot find any other vehicle for the money that gives so much. Get one while you can. $$ will only go up.
This is my fourth 4Runner by my first one with a V8. Traded my 2001 4Runner in for this one because I purchased a new camper. Love the V8, a lot of power, very smooth and comfy. Pulled my 5500 lb camper in the mountains with no problems, went up some steep mountain passes. That V8 is a beast. :)
Although I just bought this truck a few weeks ago, I had researched it for quite a while. So far it has lived up to my expectations and more. I was considering a 2006 leftover until I test drove the new style. The ride is quiet and smooth, soaking up bumps like they were'nt there. The cab is beautifully laid out and features all kinds of comfort features. The sound system is great with the Bose Speakers and XM radio. I'm a construction manager ,so the truck is also my office. I keep my files in the rear seating area which is easily accessable. I love how this trucks looks too . It has just the right combination of ruggedness and good looks.
This is basically my wife's car. The extra .5 was just for me. I am blown away by the performance and handling of this small sedan. With traction control off, it will smoke the rear tires, and run to higth speed in short order. In fact, I'm taking to our local drag strip when it's broken in and the weather cools down to see what it'll turn. I know, I sound like a redneck, but who cares? I must mention that a bought this car with the 320 Multimedia Package, metallic paint, and I-Pod integration kit for 36K. 
I love my Jeep! This is the first one I have owned, but when I was little mom had one. It deff takes me back 20 years and I love it as much now as I did then! Door off, top down is the best! Not a lot of power in this little Jeep but I didn't buy it for that. Handling is really good and ride quality is surprisingly great!
Fun little car. Suits the wife and I fine. Over 40 but wanted something different and fun and this little quad cab gives it. Don't want speeding tickets, but it is fun to jump off the line. Go old man go.
this is the best van i have ever owned. i had a mazda and this honda is ten times better it is quieter, smoother, more powerful, better made, and fun to drive I have five kids and they love it and fit very comfortably
I have owned 6 VWs and was sure that I wanted to get something different and wanted a Civic SI. I then drove the SI and the GTI back to back and had no doubt that I wanted the WV. The SI was nice but from the second I sat in the GTI I could see the materials were of higher quality and it has more features, all the switches light up for the windows etc. And when you step on the gas in the GTI you get a rush that the SI does not provide. This car is simply a blast to drive, on the highway it is great, but the twisties is where it excels it is sure- footed and stable even when pushed hard. On the practical side the hatch will work better for me (2 kids,skis,snowboards etc). 
I ve had my Tuscon for several months now. I love the design and layout - both inside and out. Very impressed with the quiet, smoothness of the ride. Handles corners very well. But lacks power on hills. You would expect better from a 6 cyl SUV that only gets 23 MPG. Just things to consider. However, for me the pros outweigh the cons. I am very happy with the purchase. 
I was looking for a small car with good gas mileage that could seat 2 adults and three small children. I researched and test drove numerous cars in the same category, Honda Fit, Civic, etc. Nothing else even compared. The new xB is great! I thought the first one was interesting but there was no way I was going to drive a go-cart on the freeway. The 2008 is a huge improvement. 
I have never owned a Ford, a hybrid, or a kiwi green vehicle before. I am very impressed. I love this SUV! We are going to get a $3000 rebate from the government so getting this vehicle was a no brainer. We also looked at a Toyota Highlander and for $10,000 less, the Escape was the best bang for the buck. The interior is roomy, SUV has good handling, and I love the kiwi green color. The hybrid is so quiet that the SUV sounds like the engine is off. I am getting 32 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. It has a very smooth ride and so far, I would recommend this SUV to anyone. Be prepared to wait 8 to 12 weeks if you order one; but it is worth the wait.
This is my first SL and I love it. The car moves like it's connected directly to my brain. Steering is smooth and responsive. The engine and tranmission deliver loads of power, and braking is firm but well controlled. When you add in the superb fit and finish of the car, the amazing hardtop convertible, some of the sweetest exterior looks on the road, and this car is just fun to drive. Sure, there are a couple of things that could have been designed better, but they really aren't bad they way they are now. 
The Cobalt SS supercharged is a truly great car. It's fast, reliable, and perfectly built. The features it comes with make it fun, and its good mileage makes it cheap to fill up. Since the car is so light and it has 205 horses it can accelerate extremely fast.
I've always been a jeep owner for 12 years. This is my first Honda and I love it. I can't believe how roomy it is! We didn't sacrifice space with this smaller SUV! 
I am 6"3 and loved my Mazda 6 until I started getting lower back pains. I decided to purchase a CUV (need some kind of handling) and well when I saw the new Edge I was hooked! Great exterior design (by far best in class). The drive is not like a sport sedan but for a large vehicle, 4000+ pounds, I was impressed. I purchased full load with Nav which improves the interior look, still not very impressed with interior design and materials. The biggest + is how comfortable and quite this Ford is! Rides like a much more expensive vehicle. The new Duratec is a gem, smooth, quite and powerful. Mated to the 6 speed tranny this Ford is quick! Conclusion: Great value! Great comfort!
My wife and I purchased out 2007 Taurus a few weeks ago and are very happy with the purchase.Its a great looking car for a great price. Ours has almost every option, SEL, moonroof , leather, ABS, trip computer, 6cd changer, home link, climate control, spolier, auto lights, and key pad entry. We looked at a Fusion , a great car , but bought this one with 17,000 miles on it for about 10k less. It drives great, smooth and quiet. I am sad that Ford discontinued the Taurus as they are a nice size car, not too big, or too small. I would highly recommend the 2007 fleet Taurus to any one looking for a quality car at a great price.
I bought my Escape in June and have 17000 miles on it already. I love the style and all the features outside and in. But.... the brakes make this awful popping noise every time they get hot. I have taken it to the shop 5 times for repairs. The shop had replaced every bit of the back end, yet they still pop. We brought it to the attention of the manufacturer and the engineers said this "was a normal variation of the vehicle and it does not affect braking performance". Funny thing, they can't identify what is making the noise so how they know it's not affecting brake performance? .your guess is as good as mine. This is my first and last Ford. It's cute and roomy but I can't trust it will last.
I am completely satisfied with my choice of the VW auto. This car feels and rides just as awesome as it looks. Great passing power, even at 70 mph. Handles the local twisties with pleasant agility. I bought mine with the ground effects and it is worth the money, looks really cool and sporty. I also upgraded to 16" wheels for better ride. Just remember this changes the speedometer accuracy. I can't figure out how to sit inside with the interior dash lights on, without the driving lights blinding away at the same time (kind of irritating). Also it seems there is no glovebox light. Cruise control on the blinkers is less than desirable. The seat adjustments are poorly designed. I recommend this car. 
Driving this truck is like driving a Cadillac, it handles the curves of the road smoothly. I used to own a Ford Ranger. With the 1500/LTZ-6.0 Liter V- Max/Z71 I still get the same miles per gallon as the V-6 Vortex Ranger, but I have the advantage of a full sized truck with more towing capacity. 
This car drives and performs well; the fuel economy is good and getting better. I previously owned a Nissan 350Z with a manual transmission and it was an outstanding performer. The GTI's performance is not as sharp and it does not have quite as much power as the Z, but is a better daily driver especially in the heavy traffic that I must deal with on a daily basis. The GTI is a very comfortable car, fun to drive, has plenty of power with very little turbo lag, exceptional build quality and easily accommodates my 6'1 250 pound frame. The 2 door has surprising room in the back for passengers, the stereo is surprisingly good, and I don?t miss my Z.
I have had my Cobalt for just less than a year now and I have to say I am very pleased over all. First off I got a great deal. The car is definitely more than I had expected. I find it fun to drive and very comfortable even on long trips. The car is gorgeous from the outside and the interior is very nice for a car in this price range. It has just enough power to make me happy. If I wanted a race car I would not have bought this. The handling should be more that adequate for most drivers. The ride is much softer and more forgiving than most cars in it's class. Overall I think it is a vast improvement over the Cavalier it replaced and a great value for all that you get.
I loved this car for the first two months. Since then I have had nothing but problems. So many rattles and clicking noises. I hate this car now. I have had it in the shop so many times I have lost count. I am sick and tired of the dealership telling me the car is fixed and then driving it home, the same noise occurs. I am ready to shoot it and put it and me out of misery.
4000 miles. Truck runs great. Noises coming from rear bed or axle when turning left. Gas mileage is less than competition. Smooth and quiet ride. Verdict is still out!
I have only had my new '08 VW Eos for 3 weeks now but it has been a blast!! The 200 hp turbo is powerful, the 6 sp auto trans is smooth, can not feel the shifts, and of course, the top. What fun it is to open or close the top and watch everyone around the car just stare.
This is the first SUV I have ever owned and never understood the attraction until now. I have been a continuous Ford owner since I was a teenager and I own a number of Fords including a 1964 T-Bird, 1995 Lincoln Mark 8, 2002 Lincoln LS V8, 2002 T-Bird and now the Edge AWD LTD. This vehicle is comfortable, quiet, solid and well equipped. The exterior and interior styling is beautiful with the leather interior and it rides like my Lincolns.
Steering wheel feels great to grip. Does not feel like a front wheel drive car. Manual shifter is not only slick but has good insulation, almost no noise or vibration! 2.3L engine is smooth and powerful but gas mileage is not good, about 24 mpg (combined driving). Pretty roomy inside for a small car. Not much room for driver's feet, gas pedal and brake pedal are too close together. (This is with manual trans.) Standard single disc CD stereo sounds great, better than that in my '06 Lexus GS 300! Horn is too weak, a safety concern! Most unexpected: I still CRAVE to drive it, although I have been driving for 35 years and have sampled over 10,000 cars as a mechanic!
This is just my 3rd vehicle I've owned since I began driving. My previous two cars were Acuras ('04 RSX & '07 RDX), so I was looking for something sporty, yet luxurious. When I originally began looking, I went to the dealer and test drove the all-new 2010 Mazda3, but I noticed that Mazda had great incentives on the 6. Later that day, I test drove a Mazda6 and instantly fell for it. I decided on the Brillant Silver w/ Moonroof & Bose package. I didn't get Navi because I have my own unit already.
The mileage is way below what is advertised (17/24). I drive almost exclusively highway and am averaging about 16mpg. Geez, I got that in my 4WD Avalanche driving the same routes and speed. 6 speed transmission shifts out of overdrive on the mildest incline even at 70+mph on the highway. When going very slow the low gear pitches you around on wavey surfaces such as in a parking lot. It has that annoying accelerator lag, and it has a very pronounced shift lag when it's cold out. It's free wheeled the engine (like missing the gear when trying to quick shift a stick?) when it lags and you take your foot off the gas. Gas gauge erratic, drops 1/8 in 20 mi or says on fumes with 1/4 left.
Picked up my C30 after my 2007 S40 was totaled by a drunk driver (luckily I wasn't). The cars styling is so unique and the T5 engine smooth as can be (much smoother and more responsive than the 2.4i in the S40). It's a shame that the fuel efficiency isn't as good as what one might hope, but it is still acceptable considering the performance and overall package. Another negative for some might be the small and rather high opening of the hatch. The C30 is more of a looker hatch than one you would want to haul stuff around in. Just keep that in mind and you won't be disappointed. 
This car gets great mileage and lots of room for the price. Much more stylish than the Yaris or Aveo and much lower sticker price. Not much power, but I was looking for mileage, not power. 6 advanced airbags make me feel safer in such a small car. Brake rotors shimmy but could have been from rough braking in the past. Otherwise, love the car. For the price it seems like the best deal out there. 
I just had a BMW x5 and I just hated not having a third row seat and had 3 kids and had a lot of play dates! When my lease was up I could not wait to get a new car. I was looking at the Highlander and didn't like it as much as the Sequoia. I got just a couple of weeks ago and now I love to get out of the house! I love the second row captain chairs and removable center console. I think I should never get a new car again because I bought mine! 
Great little car. Handles well, and that 4 star crash rating. Check most other cars, they are far less. Fun to drive. My other car is a Mini Cooper S. I like performance. For the best performance use manual mode. Shift up and immediately after let up on the accelerator and re-apply. Remember....The transmission is actually a manual.....
At first we thought the vehicle was great but as time goes on I noticed that the ride was alot harder than my previous Jeeps. I know everybody raves about the smooth ride but I can't get used to the hard ride in this vehicle. Also there is a rattle coming from the steering wheel when going over bumps, I think it is the horn button. Overall it is a good car and except for the hard ride and the rattle.
I have had this car now for almost a month. I have driven 2,675 miles. I It handles like a charm. There is no excess lean in corners. In rain or shine it sticks to the road like it is on rails. I am waiting for the winter and snow. My fuel mileage so far has been 22 mpg - city, 31.5 mpg - highway, avg. 27.2. I am using the Triptronic when I first start the car and drive in that mode it gives me better gas mileage. After the car has warmed up, I switch to standard auto. I also use Tiptronic in the city for the same reason.
I have owned Mercedes for more than 30 year and have always enjoyed the ultimate driving experience. I thought I had reached the pinnacle in 2001 when I purchased my new S55. I imagined keeping the car for at least 10 years. Then along came the S550 and changed my driving world. I took delivery on Feb. 14 and have enjoyed driving all of the 600 miles that I've racked up on the odometer. Comfort, performance, grace, style and a luxury experience that I have not experienced in any other car. I am probably the first in my area to take delivery of this extraordinary vehicle. The comments I've been getting are extraordinary from old and young alike. My love affair with Mercedes is reconfirmmed
Love it. Shopped all mini vans and SUVs decided on Sienna for comfort and reliability great gas mileage on trips. Not a minivan person but I really like it.
I recently bought the Scion xD for my wife and all she does is talk about her car. The ride, performance, and safety features exceed my expectations. If I had an opportunity to change anything about this car, it would be to lower the road noise some. Its a little noisy on rougher roads. My wife and I are both impressed with everything else. Very happy.
Our first acura after having 3 maximas. Maximas were all good cars but cannot compare to the TL. It just seems so much more refined, interior comfort is great and the ride is less harsh than our maxima se. Only have it for a month but so far, we're very pleased. 
I was first impressed, but quickly disappointed. After owning the vehicle for 2 weeks, the rear right tail light had built up condensation. Then the check engine light came on and found out that the Catalytic converter was bad....how can that be? I do not even have 8 thousand miles on the vehicle and I am dumping it. Oh yeah...one more thing...the stupid visor on the passengers side fell completely off...just hanging by a few wires.
Traded in my old 1995 Nissan 4X4 king cab for the 2009 Versa 1.6 L sedan with ABS and AC (cash for clunkers) The Versa is very comfortable, quiet, and very peppy on the road. Happy to have the AC and the ABS, no radio though. I got 400 miles on the 13.2 gallon fuel tank, not too shabby and that is with the AC on and in a lot of stop and go traffic. Looked at the Yaris but it was more expensive and not as comfortable or quiet and considerably less roomy. The Honda Fit was also less comfortable and less roomy plus more expensive. The Versa may not be flashy looking but it covers all the bases and then some. 
What can I say? It's a great car that GM has finally put some real effort into. For me, its been 1 month since I took delivery, and there hasn't been a day I didn't look forward to driving it. Moreover driving it daily has been a great experience. The fuel economy when not heavy footed (hardly ever, due to the rewarding power of the Eaton M62 Supercharger) is comparable to that of the ultra-compact econo-gas misers; Yaris, Aveo, etc The factory performence packages being offered by GM's Performence Parts division are the best to be found in the aftermarket. So you get more power out of your beast, while retaining full factory warranty (when installed c/o GM Service depts) hard to argue!
I love this car. Really fun to drive, sticks like glue to curves, great visibility, sporty but comfortable driving experience. I test drove a lot of small cars before deciding on this one, and preferred it to the A4.
Had this car just under a year and approaching 10,000 on the odometer. Couldn't be happier with the car: I average slightly over 30 mpg on the highway, it's quiet as a cemetery and I haven't experienced any of the minor gripes that I've seen other owners contend with. Recent road trips of 500+ round trip miles didn't fatigue me at all. And call it luck or diligence, but I don't have a single ding on any part of the body. This is the first vehicle that I've owned that I take to a hand car wash, and it looks as good as the day I drove it off the dealer's lot. Wouldn't hesitate to get another Sonata, but I'm going to wait til any kinks are worked out of the Genesis and get a 2012+ model.
Not being a full hybrid getting good milage out of this car really depends on the driver and how much they drive. If your making infrequent short trips your looking at an average of 20-22MPG. The killer is not running 100% off electricity at lower speeds. This was a used 2008 I got for a steal (18,990 for hybrid with only 9000 miles and leather, sunroof, etc). The previous reading had 20.7MPG for the average. Probably why they sold it so quick. I cleared this and was at 30.1MPG myself by the time I got home (60 miles). That took work, my guess is 26-28MPG with my usual driving style. Thats definately not bad for a SUV and better than my 4cyl Altima which was around 24.8.
My wife and I chose the Santa Fe for many reasons vs. the competition. The over-all value we felt we received with this vehicle meets our expectations. The 3rd row seating with the DVD player entertainment system is a BIG plus! The vehicle handles well, and has decent pick-up. I am slightly disappointed with the 1st of 5 gears; It feels like it hesitates a little from a stand-still. The "Range" feature of the trip computer is misleading- When I think I am about to run out of gas, and when I fill-up, I only put in 16.8 gal, not the 19.8 it holds! Overall, the vehicle is very quiet, has a great Infinity sound system, fun blue dash lighting (and cup holder), and user-friendly controls.
As soon as I test drove it I decided to buy it. For the price it is one nice ride. And whoever drives it also likes it. The only problem I have with it now is that my wife will not give it up.
I really enjoy this vehicle. It's roomy, handles nicely and is unique and stylish. I feel like I bought a luxury car without the luxury price. Mine is the base model and does not have the 3rd row of seats, so I have loads of cargo room which is great for groceries, and the kid's sports gear or whatever else I need to haul. It rides very nice, getting in and out is easy because it's not that high off the ground, but it's not too low either. But when you're driving it, you feel like it's up a little higher than a car mostly because of the adjustable seat. I'm short, so I have it the whole way up. All in all, the more I drive it, the more I love it.
I traded in a 2004 Acura TSX for this car. The TSX was almost perfect except for mpg. This one has great styling, better mpg, more bells and whistles like remote start etc. The interior finish, though acceptable, is not good. The edges around flaps, knobs etc have some gaps. Already some severe rattles coming from closed sunroof. The trip computer needs an improved interface. No complains about performance or handling for this size car in its category. Cycling through information display in the console is tedious. Should do better for model with navi. The music system is good but not stellar. The tweeter was a notch above in the TSX. 20 gallon tank means 700 mile range so 1 fillup/month.
I traded a 1998 Buick Century with well over 100,000 miles for this new Versa, and to date, am very happy I purchased it. My Buick was like a member of the family. For ten years, I got in each morning, turned the key, and she started. Never a problem. So far, my new Nissan is proving to be a worthy replacement. I average 35 MPG with a 6- speed transmission and the car is very comfortable. For the price ($10,000 + my trade), I cannot complain. The car even included power everything, ABS, keyless entry, cruise control and splash guards.
I have had this for a few weeks and I can say it is a very fun car to drive. I was a bit disappointed that there was no bluetooth. Everything feels very solid and I can say the seats are very comfortable. I would opt for the 6 manual, but I have heard from other owners that the DSG was a blast. I am not a big fan of the plaid...so I opted for the leather...more power options for the seats would be nice and I dont like the roll switch for the heated seats (but they do work good). I had one major issue I got the 18in wheels and sunroof package and with such low profile tires 250 miles I hit a pot hole and had to replace the tire. 
I cannot believe how excited I am every time I drive my new Elantra. All of my friends absolutely love this car (as do I). I spent 4 months researching and test driving new cars, and for only 17 grand, I have never, and I mean NEVER encountered a car that looks as classy and has so much value. I have the optima white with beige interior and I have to say I like the design of the dash in the Elantra even more than the one in my partner's Audi A3 (though I have not a single complaint about the A3). Overall, a wonderful vehicle. Fun to drive, classy, and a great bang for the buck!
This vehicle is great. I love having all the room. Gas mileage is not great, but If I cared about that I wouldn't have bought the truck. Also the 2007 Expedition is very quiet. It's not that loud v8 sound you would expect.
It's a performance car only for people who have never owned a performance car. Everything is an option and you feel like you're getting nickled and dimed. Mercedes quality has been below average for a long time (hence no purchase) but maybe now it's getting better. Got this car at a good price so I bought it. Hope I don't regret it. 
We just had our 5000 mile maintenance check in out 2009 Prius. We test drove a couple cars before buying the Prius. We love our car. It is comfy and of course the gas mileage is great. When we were looking we had 2 cars in mind to compare (one being the Prius) and the other being a Honda Civic hybrid. We thought we would lean towards the Honda as we owned one before, there is no comparison between the 2, the Pruis won hands down.
Traded in a 2004 dakota quad cab loaded (fuel reasons). Love the suzuki. Wish it had a bigger gas tank. No problem doing over 100 mph. Back seat is not really ideal for a baby seat, very tight. Goes anywhere (so far) in the Pittsburgh area winter. Purchased in oct 07. suspension is not too good with the potholes in sw PA. Handles very well. Cup holders questionable. 
The good - I consistently get 35 to 36 mpg in a mix of city and highway driving. The car is as tight as a car can be. No squeaks, no rattles and a nice kerthunk when you close the doors. When you own an Astra, you are driving a very exclusive car. Not too many on the road as of yet. This car handles like a sports car. Positive comments from everyone who sees it. I like the utility the hatchback provides. The onboard computer is excellent. The rain sensing wipers are great. The leather seats are very comfortable and supportive. The upgraded stereo 
I've currently put 7000 miles in less than 5 months of driving, and every mile has been a pleasure. My last vehicle was a 2000 Xterra, and the Rav4 annihilates it in every aspect. Thoroughly researched this purchase-- Considered Highlander, CRV, FJCruiser, Volks GTI, RAV4 Base and Sport models as well. Limited was most efficient choice for me.
I have had this car just about a month now and have put 400 miles on it. The ride is great and the gas mileage is very good - about 23 mpg
When I bought I never thought I had to see a mechanic again for a long time . Wrong. I had minor and major problems. Although I still love my Civic. Maybe it happens 1 in 1000 I don't know. Hope it's not a lemon. First had to go back to replace split sun visor. Then battery. ( some times when starting engines makes a zzzzzzzrrrrrr sound. And engines does not start.) dealer adviser told me battery was changed. It won't happen again. Wrong still same . But I gave up on that. Second I had to have my Civic towed to dealer with tensioner belt, tensioner bolt, water pump and don't know what else. That day I wondered myself if I had bought a lemon car.
This car handles better than my last car (1999 Passat). It holds the road well and has good power across the RPM range. I would like more cargo space, but knew I was making a compromise for reasons of cost. Car looks sharp in the Outback trim and is well equipped. I wish the driver's seat had adjustable lumbar support and the ability to angle the headrest back. Could also benefit from a telescoping wheel. Overall happy with my purchase 1000 miles into ownership.
I absolutely love this car. It's everything you would want - drives like a muscle car and rides like a luxury car. I looked at it for a year and just couldn't shake the desire. So glad I bought it. I have a 15 year old son and a 3 year old daughter and both think it's so cool. My daughter has named it "The Big Red Car" after the Wiggles song (it's TorRed) and constantly tells people how fast it is. All my girlfriends refer to it as my "guy magnet." When out cruising, no doubt I will get several "Woo-hoos." Anyone considering this car should go for it. The only thing I don't like is the gas mileage because I drive city miles and it's getting 13 mpg. Great fuel economy on the highway though.
Outstanding Car. Exceeded my expectations. True Muscle Car with great creature comforts. Great performance for the money. Every time I look at it in the garage I am thankful I was able to get it. I would have to spend 2 the price to get my '69 Chevelle in the same league. Dodge did a very nice job.
Excellent acceleration - achieved 50.4 MPG from Philly to NYC. Average in first year combined 44 mpg. Quiet comfortable in passenger seat. Technology state of the art with keyless start, mpg, back up camera. 
Bought this truck to replace my 2008 6.4L diesel,which was nice,but did not fit my current needs as a daily driver. Current truck is KR F-150, fully-optioned. I have been impressed. Runs well, a little short on power, but really smooth and still torquey 5.4L engine. Frame and overall build integrity is very strong. Have tested and/or driven most of the competition and still,to me,Ford has the top overall offering for reliability and "truck performance." Still looks good; has stayed fresh in styling. Some minor assembly issues which are being remedied at dealer; nothing major here. Not a diesel when towing but a great daily driver. Mileage acceptable at 16.5 combined--better than expected.
Still a nice little car after 20,000 miles. Still averaging 30mpg mixed driving. Got as high as 37mpg on along road trip. Still no squeks, no rattles and still a hoot to drive. No service except for oil changes and tire rotations. Maybe the lite truck guys did have something to do with this baby Ford. Looks good, goes great. 180,000 miles more and I'll know if it's been built Ford tough like my Ford trucks.
I recently picked up my 328i Sedan with Sport and Cold Weather Packages and as with the other BMWs in my family am supremely impressed. BMW still is able to capture that essential quality that makes a car the Ultimate Driving Machine. From the good gas mileage to the silky smooth 6-spd manual, the 328i with sport package captures BMW's excellent handling characteristics at a relatively affordable price. All in all I am hugely impressed with the 328i and would in fact take the weight savings and naturally aspirated engine over the turbo motor (having only owned naturally aspirated BMWs in the past and having a very bad experience with a 1986 745i Turbo).
When I decided on a Sonata it was after many hours of research and test drives. I've had the Sonata for a couple of months now and have been more than happy. My gas mileage has been better than the EPA (about 26/34) and it has had plenty of power when I've needed it. I'm not going to win many races but it gets the job done in every day traffic. I'm 6'4", and 250lbs. and the Sonata has been plenty big and very comfortable to drive in the city and long trips (I've taken two). The interior is well designed and well laid out and the 2009 Sonata has a seat that's about and inch longer than the previous year, and that has made a massive difference in overall comfort.
i purchased my pacifica from carmax in raleigh and it has been nothing but trouble. i purchased it on 16 aug 09 and it has been in the shop 4 times and this last time they still don't know what's wrong with it. each time i took it to be repaired the techs kept telling me the noises were normal. it took the sup of service to ride with me to tell them the noises weren't normal. the car has been with them more than with me. maybe they should be making the payment. 
I love driving my MDX. The base model has everything you really need, it includes a lot of upgrades that you pay for in other cars. The negatives: Low quality leather, it wears bad. The black plastic trim would be better replaced with wood trim, for a $40,000 vehicle that shouldn't even be a question. I notice a lot of road noise in the cabin. Also, I have the worst time getting my hands free link to recognize certain numbers. Sometimes I will have to say the number 4 like 5 times before it will actually dial the correct number. That is VERY frustrating. Also, for a $40,000 vehicle, it should have an automatic liftgate. This car does have excellent road handling, overall I am happy!
This is the first new car I have ever bought. Fun to drive and looks very stylish. I definitely get looks from other drivers. The fuel economy is marginal at best.
I first saw the flex online and was intrigued by the look. My wife and I do not have a family, however we do have a big dog and are going to get at least one more. We also go on drives to the wine country with our friends and need room. I have driven a lot of Fords including my last car (Explorer) which I hated--really bad MPG, sluggish, and cheap interior. The Flex is the opposite. They are finally putting some emphasis on quality and luxury feel in this car-especially the interior. The Sync system is great, the interior (ours is black leather) is sharp and very comfortable. Many people have made comments about the car and how impressed they are
Currently own 7 vehicles and decided it was time to update my people hauler a '97 Park Avenue. Picked the car up in Texas and followed my brother (a current Lexus and Volvo and prior Mercedes owner) and his quote "I love it, the most awesome car I have ever driven". A good friend who is a SCCA licensed instructor drove and quote Man this is a Vette with a back seat. My impression: The V8 fumbles just enough without being intrusive,interior is spacious and eye appealing and I have yet to find the body roll or the brake fade the "reviewer" mentions. Comparing to another friends Bimmer 5 series it is quicker, quiter, and handles as well. CXS a luxo-cruiser that can gallop. 
I get great gas mileage if I keep my foot out of the turbo. But get real, who wants to do that, I bought this for the fun and the reliability of the mazda name. My CX-7 is the best car-suv ever. Thanks Mazda!!
I am disappointed with the 2008 Rav4. I turned a corner last night, pressed on the gas and the car jerked and three major malfunction indicator lights came on (4WD, VSC and a lamp). Toyota does not know what the codes are and needs to contact Toyota engineering. 3-weeks old and malfunctions. Should have stuck with the Camry
Solid build quality, roomy, no blind spots, great Boston Acoustics stereo, solid as a tank, very fast, drivers seat moves back when key is removed, nav system easy to operate, rear camera, parking sensors, remote start, great vehicle with many features for the price. 
This car is very nice, however, The interior is very cramped, the reason being the car was built very narrow, the same issue with the GS, although the GS has more head room than the IS. If you're driving alone the car's feel is a little better, but for the most part it's very cramped inside, the interior is built very solid, but there was rattling in the dash that was eventually fixed by the dealer. The front rims are always extremely dirty faulty break pad design? Not sure. Handling around tight corners is OK but not great.
We had a Mecedes wagon with a rear seat but were looking for a vehicle with a larger interior. We also waited for the 2008 that created a 3 person seat in the second row. This vehicle has been everything my wife has wanted and she can handle its size even in tight locations. She loves to drive it. I happen to like to drive it as well. With all the SUVs on the road and having two younger children, we feel much safer in this vehicle, even over the MB wagon. The long wheel base makes for a very smooth drive and ride (even in the 3rd seat that two adults can sit comfortably in). This is definitely a vehicle worth test driving! It will make you strongly consider it as a purchase option.
My 07 Entourage is a squeaker in the back end. Nothing the dealer does fixes it. It has actually gotten worse since their last fix job. I think it is a design flaw. 
The reason we stayed here is because of the rate. We had a great time. The room very clean. The customer service was just pure de awesome. The thing that we did not like was that it was 4 of us and the room was very small. The noise did not bother us not one bit. Plenty of transportation service all around the area. No complaints what so ever and will stay there when we all go back to NEW YORK again. Thank You Hotel 91 for all your help. I wanted to take the bed home with me, it was so comfortable.
We have just arrived back in the UK after a five day break in Dubai staying at the Sheraton desire and what a disappointment this hotel was. The Hotel facilities are OK but very basic the staff in the services area such as the coffee shop and restaurant area are very professional and friendly however we found the reception staff very rude and unprofessional. We had a confirmed room for two adults with a child cot/bed in the room. when we got there the reception staff told us that room only had a king size bed and our two year old son should share our bed when we asked for a cot a member of staff asked for an extra 100 dirams per night. I can't help but think this was the first of many scams to try and get extra money out of us.We did get a cot after arguing but when it arrived it was so dirty with hair and stains all over we decided not to use it. The reception also charged my credit card 1000 dirams per room on checkin . I travel alot for business and I have never had to pay a deposit such as this before. I was travelling with nine other people and they were all so disappointed with this hotel.Sheraton should be ashamed to put their name against this property.
Great hotel, could not recommend it more for business and young travelers. Lots of geat touches, including: comfortable bed, very similar to its sister chain - Sheraton; Cardio machines in the gym actually play your ipod videos on a large screen built into each machine;Very friendly staff and nice lounge/bar area. The staff sometimes looked bewildered with some of the technology, in particular when I asked for help printing something from the mac-inspired mini business center, but I imagine these minor hiccups will work themselves out quickly. Overall, a terrific experience.
Firstly the reception staff are the slowest I've ever known. They also advised that I should have booked directly through the hotel to get the best rate and room. I explained that I would have, however, the hotel's website said there was no availability and when I tried to phone the hotel directly, no one answered the phone (on 2 occasions), so I was forced to book through a travel company.The best bit was the bar, which was lively and excellent cocktails.Rooms were quirky, although ours was very hot and all the windows were painted shut!The shower was a non existing dribble and was seldom ever hot!For the money we shelled out for a duluxe room however, I would have much rather stayed somewhere else. I will not be returning and certainly wouldn't recommend!
Stayes here last week for 3 nights. Best hotel I have ever stayed in. Staff is very friendly, very clean rooms, great views. Reception, Door and Bell staff were friendliest I have ever met. Will go back
The path leading up to Hotel Tara Palace looked shady; I was totally doubting this place, but since it was late at night I thought its better to have a room to stay in as opposed to looking for one in the dead of night. This smart decision proved to be one of many during my trip. Another smart decision was consulting the in-house travel agent  Rameez who tailor made a tour for me. One of the places he sent me to was the controversial un-safe for tourists KASHMIR. It turned out to be a smart decision. Kashmir reminded me of the valleys I had seen during my travel through Europe. Its fresh mountain air, green open spaces, and abundance of water was a great find. Overall this trip was full of smart decisions!
Stayed here over Labor Day weekend. This hotel is phenomenal! Everything was perfect here! My girlfriend and I went for a girls weekend and stayed in a beautiful room overlooking 57th street- spacious and very simple. Bed was extremely comfortable and the bathroom was huge! The hotel was booked ( US OPEN) but you would never know it because you never saw anyone in the elevators or the lobby. The concierge service is the best in the world. Misty Shores, the concierge is incredible. They got us in every single restaurant every time. Darrell the doorman sent us to the theatre in the hotel Rolls. Truly VIP service! I would stay here every time if I could
I went to this hotel with my fiancee after reading the reviews on Travelocity. The reviews were very helpful. Here is my personal experience, which was neither terrible but neither was it worth repeating.Baglione is well-located for people who like to walk alot and be near a big park surrounded by very expensive homes. We did and were awed by the beauty and wealth in this part of London. I was not so keen on the fact that the opulent decor was so dark as was our room. It felt a bit like being in a dark bar - making it feel not very cozy and difficult to settle in with a good book because the lighting was so poor. That being said, it was otherwise just fine in terms of the accommodation. We were comfortable and the added touch of the espresso machine, the bidet and the wood floors was nice. I just found it all a bit dark. In terms of the service, the doormen were all over us when we entered as well as when we left. Whether that is a good thing depends on your personality, I think. I don't think we will be going back to the Baglioni. I will try to find a brighter, more cheerful place for next time.
Stayed here for four nights from 4/9. Good location for tube. Russell Square on the Picadilly Line direct from Heathrow is approx 10 minutes walk. Euston is only 5 minutes walk. St Pancras for the Eurostar is approx 10 minutes. Room was small but we were only there to sleep. Staff were very helpful. Our room was on second floor right opposite lift &amp; overlooking the road. Didn't hear any noise inside or out, except for a police siren once.The only downside was my room rate apprently included breakfast but that was not mentioned on the booking confirmation nor mentioned by the check in staff. Only found out on last morning when i opened the express checkout envelope put under the door. Would have saved eating at the dodgy cafe at Euston.Would definitely stay here again.
I just returned from a short trip to London to take my daughter to college, and had reserved a room at the Hoxton because it is close to her residence hall. The entire experience was wonderful! The room was immaculate, bed comfortable,shower great. The restaurant has great food, in the dining room and room service. I recommend the sweet corn and basil soup. I did not travel with my laptop, but there are computers in the lobby for guests. It was a great place to stay...... I was comfortable, well cared for......... beautiful hotel, wonderful service.
I have stayed at Marriott Maida Vale on several occasions for business travel. It is located in the quiet Maida Vale area northwest of Paddington station. It is not centrally located but has convenient access to Bakerloo line on the tube. The rooms are large by London standards and appointed to typical Marriott tastes (there's no doubt you're at a Marriott not a trendy boutique hotel or comfy bed and breakfast). The staff have been friendly and helpful on my trips there including allowing early check in from overnight flights and moving me from a room with a little too much noise (there was a film being made during one of my visits).
The hotel is in an excellent location on the Magnificent Mile and across the street from the John Hancock Building. Maid service and cleaning was great and room service as well. I was there for a conference and all went well with that too.They had a tiny &quot;fitness center&quot; with basically no equipment. I use a treadmill.Only one comment about the service: As I was leaving, I dropped my money clip down a drain! I could see it but not reach it. Since I had to get to the airport, I reported it to the person at the reception desk--explained exactly where it was and asked him to report it to maintenance and then send it to me at the address that they have on file.When following up on it, I was told it had never been reported and sorry.Sorry, indeed. I work in the hotel and travel industry and that is not acceptable. Truthfully the money clip is not that valuable except as a sentimental reminder of a great vacation. I have contacted both the Rooms Division Manager and the Director of Security of the hotel. I hope they will be able to help me out. If they do, I will post a happy ending.
Made the error of booking before reading reviews on TripAdvisor. Believe the majority - this is not a place you want to stay. Extremely cramped, bathroom was dirty with hair stuck on the tiles (not either of ours!) No sugar with compliment tray, no bottled water, nothing at all even available to buy in fridge. Dangerous-looking nails sticking out randomly from side of (door-less) wardrobe, tv and kettle cables hanging down wall, breakfast (which I didn't eat) insufficient and consisting of cheese slices, 2 pieces of leftover toast, small amount of cereal and they had run out of milk. Big shame, area was quite nice so would recommend one of the other hotels with better reviews (which can't be hard to find). Avoid like the black death.
We all have concerns about booking hotels 'sight unseen' from information that we find on the internet. Upon arrival at the Halcyon we found the room to be unacceptable in terms of cleanliness, size and most of all security. This area of the city borders on less than safe &quot;tenderloin&quot; district&quot; &amp; there was plenty of indication of unsafe street activity. Although we had reservation for several days, we made a decision to seek accomodation elsewhere, and in the end DID NOT STAY ONE NIGHT. The short time we spent in the hotel was VERY noisy, sound travels from room to room. The attitude of management was the worst i have ever experienced. I would definately not recommend this hotel to anyone.
Was not sure whether or not to stay at the Hotel Dauphin as their website does not really promote a professional image of the hotel. However, I can say that this hotel was quite a great find!Rooms are very new and well equipped - comfortable king bed, large refrigerator, LCD TV, a computer (yes!) with free internet, and a nicely finished bathroom.View from the room was not great, actually the only thing I could see was the wall of another building, and breakfast which is included in the rate is quite basic. However, the location and quality of the hotel are fantastic for the price. Would recommend.
This was our second visit to the Oasis Beach in 10 months but this time we stayed at the Oasis Beach Tower. It was a special occasion - our 25th Wedding Anniversary, which we shared with friends and family. We booked a 3-bedroom Premium apartment but on arrival this was changed to 2 x 2-bedroom apartments. The apartment type meant we had the Marhaba meet &amp; greet at Dubai airport - driven around and fast tracked through immigration and baggage (the same going home). This facility was absolutely brilliant and we will be talking about it for years to come.The apartments themselves were stunning, spacious and luxurious with lots of goodies in the welcome food pack. After a week, we still had not used all the contents. The views from the apartment were breath-taking, especially as the balcony barrier only came to waist-height - seriously not recommended if you have children.Also included with the accommodation came complimentary breakfasts, which we took over in the Oasis Beach Hotel restaurant; mid-day snacks; afternoon tea; evening nibbles all taken in the Premier Lounge. The only meals we purchased were in the evening and mainly used the hotel's restaurant. Singapura was lovely.The staff greeted you with a warm smile whatever time of day or night and couldn't do enough for you. We made good use of the hotel's free shuttle to Dubai most days but on one occasion decided to take a taxi and ended stuck in traffic for over 3 hours, but it was at 5pm. It was a nightmare. Take a tip and use the free shuttle buses. They leave at various times including 3pm which misses out all the traffic and catches the shops opening for the evening.We had the most fantastic time and hope to return to Dubai in a few years and will undoubtedly stay again at the Oasis Beach Tower. I can't recommend it strongly enough.
Hotel ABRI made our anniversary in San Francisco, excellent, excellent and excellent! We spent a week at the hotel for our 5th year anniversary in September 2009. And found it a very nice 4 star, modern and contemporary hotel to stay at with a great staffs. The rooms were completely re-modeled, clean and quite, (I had an inside room that faced the inner courtyard, an outside street room may have more noise). I had a comfortable Suite room. The best part is the staff, location and price, the ABRI is 1/2 block from Powell Street Cable car line (Direct to fisherman's wharf) and 1 block from BART. It is truly in Union Square with tons of places to eat and shop and all kinds of things to do around. The shopping is literally around the corner and is in walking distance of China town and the piers.
My wife and I stayed in room 455 (superior water view room) at the Vitale for five nights in August of 2006. This was our first trip to SF. We are both 48 years young and live in Denver. Overall we had a very good experience at the Vitale.Plusses -The hotel was very quiet. There were rare execeptions, such as the reving of a motorcycle on the Embarcadero at midnight, or a room service cart being tipped-over, but these exceptions were very few and far between. The rooms on either side of us were occupied during our stay, and we never heard any noise from our neighbors. We never heard any &quot;normal&quot; traffic from the Embarcadero (or Market or Mission streets).Being new, the hotel was also very clean.As most reviewers have noted, the beds are extremely comfortable.The room thermostat worked efficiently.The computer room on the second floor had three computers, all of which were connected to a printer. VERY fast internet connection. I visited the computer room several times and there was always at least one available machine.Maid service seemed to visit the room twice per day.LOCATION! We loved the location on the Embarcadero. The Ferry Building is right across the street, and many restaurants are also within a block or two. TIP: for those wanting a cheap but good breakfast, there is a food court in the office building directly south of the hotel, across Steuart Street. We ate breakfast at Yes Burger and Malts (yes (no pun), they serve breakfast until 10:30am). However, this food court is closed on the weekend. Another Tip: some of the restaurants in this area, and in the Financial District, are closed on Sunday. Plan accordingly.The hotel staff were all very friendly and helpful.The hotel offers a limo service to SFO for $45. Our taxi ride from SFO was $42. Question: do they offer this limo service from SFO to the hotel? This might be a good question to ask before arriving, as the limo was obviously much more comfortable than the taxi, for about the same price.The view from our room was as advertised: the Bay Bridge, the bay, and the Ferry Building were all right there. The Bay Bridge, lit at night, was quite nice. I did not want to close the drapes at night. That being said, the drapes when closed do block out all light.There are plenty of electical outlets just above the desk. Very handy for cell phone chargers and laptops.Minuses - As previous reviewers have noted, there are no dressers or other drawers in the room. Only a closet (approx 3-feet wide), but with plenty of hangers. (There is a small drawer below the closet.) One must definitely live out of one's suitcase.Other comments - The roof-top areas at this hotel are amazing. I did not see too many guests using it, and we under-utilized it. Besides tables and chairs, they have propane heating devices on the roof areas to keep one warm and, as above, the views are quite nice. I suspect a hotel employee would be best to start one of the propane heaters. I wish we had taken advantage and used the roof more, and the heaters at least once.The windows in the rooms cannot be opened.The mini-bar and sale of toiletries have been comment on by other reviewers. While silly and overpriced, this was a non-issue to us. We never opened the mini-bar.The plasma TV was quite nice. Besides the usual local channels, ESPN, CNN, Fox, USA, TBS, TNT, etc, there were pay-per-view movies available, including first-run and adult themes....&quot;Free&quot; tolitries included the standard shampoo, lotion, etc. There was a hair dryer in the bathroom (located in a bag underneath the sink).Check-out time is noon. We asked for and received a 1:00 check out.We did not visit the Americano Restaurant. On weekday evenings it seemed to be very crowded. I have read and heard they do good business from the fincancial district crowd after work days. This seems to be true.The chimes on the Ferry Building clock tower begin ringing at 8:00am, and every thirty minutes thereafter.I understand there is complimentary coffee in the lobby at certain times, but I did not even bother. Each morning I walked across the street to the Ferry Building and went to Peet's Coffee. This short walk was also very enjoyable; seeing the city come to life. The aforementioned food court also has several places to buy coffee.This is a pricey hotel, but the plusses, especially the location, make it worth the price, in our opinion. We noted hordes of tourists in the Union Square and Wharf areas. To not have to deal constantly with these crowds seems to be worth any premium.We enjoyed out stay and would gladly return to the Vitale.
This hotel is excellent.it is conveniently situated for getting around looking at stuff.Comfortable room with good facilities and en suite.Everything very clean.not run down like some London hotels.the staf are lovely and very helpful.I will definitely be using this place next time I travel to london.they even let you use a free PC!
Great Location, right on the train line. Walk to Ground Zero, Wall St, Little Italy and Chinatown. Train at the door.Rooms a bit small and lift very slow but otherwise good.
I stayed here with my elderly and disabled mother and received graet service from really kind and friendly staff. They were helpful with mum, held doors open, always had a smile and made the stay an absolute pleasure.
The room was very nice...the bed was like a cloud with luxurious linens and LOTS of pillows. The toiletries were Bath &amp; Body Works. The in-room coffee was Starbucks. The tub, while not jetted, was rather deep. There was a hair dryer, iron, iPod docking station, internet ports, etc., etc. Anything you could have asked for in a perfect location to the Wharf and various bus/cable lines. The staff was very helpful and cheery. VERY well appointed and CLEAN for the extreme value we got through Priceline. Couldn't have been happier.
I priced this hotel on their own website, 12 months before the trip, to get ideas for my holiday budget. This year, when booking, the price had come down a lot. We got the spacious 2-bedded room, with full kitchen for $142 a night. An absolute bargain for New York and such a wonderful hotel. I loved the location. It was clean which is a priority for me. The guest laundry was a bonus for us. The staff were friendly, the doorman even remembered our names! I'd definitely stay here again. It was fantastic. We were happy with the restaurant attached as well. Breakfast was a great start the day. The pancakes and fruit was to die for.
Great choice of Hotel. Excellent location, friendly staff and great Concierge. Was able to check in on arrival early am, and the reception staff went out of there way to offer an alternative lower floor, but we held out for our booked room type on the 35th floor. Smallish size room with two double beds and excellent views of Times Square and the Empire State Building. Hardly any noise. Beds were bliss. Travelling with a 2 year old, I liked the kids pack (including night light, socket covers and plasters etc.,. Would recommend that bed guards for Children are pre booked as none available during our stay. Toiletries in bathroom a little limited,(no shower caps, earbuds) but powerful hairdryer. Hotel services a little pricey but typical of a 5 star. Good deli right next to hotel for cheaper food and supermarket across the road. Overall brilliant stay. Would recommend and would revisit.
My husband and I stayed at Le Royal Meridien in May in our first real holiday since our honeymoon and it was long overdue. Our friends are regular visitors to the hotel and had recommended it to us and reading the reviews on here we thought we couldn't go wrong. Just before we travelled, I read some more recent reviews and there were a few negative reports which worried me slightly. However I had absolutely nothing to worry about. The service at this hotel is absolutely second to none. We arrived about 8:30am and were quite prepared to wait for a few hours until our room was ready, check in not being until the afternoon. We were greeted with fresh cold towels (very welcome after a long overnight flight), and smoothies. They offered us an upgrade on our room to a club room, which we declined as it was not a sea view ( a definate definate must in our opinion), but after half an hour they came back to us and offered a further upgrade to a tower room! We were amazed and it was so so fab! The rooms are gorgeous, so much space and so comfortable. With the tower room, you get a free bottle of wine, the fresh pastry of the day, fruit and water each day which was excellent after a hard day's sunbathing, and a big surprise as we thought we wouldn't be drinking much, but ended up enjoying an evening drink on the balcony before dinner every day- lovely! We met quite a few people in the hotel who had been upgraded so I think they will upgrade you wherever possible. Every evening the staff came in with a chocolate each, a bookmark with a different arab proverb, and a card telling you what the weather will be like the following day (hot and sunny in short!!). And they put a fresh mat down by your bed to lay your slippers on- such a fab touch.The staff at this hotel really do excel themselves. They cannot do enough to help you and that was our overall impression throughout our whole stay. There were staff everywhere which made us feel very safe and everyone had a friendly smile and were so professional, but they don't crowd you or make you feel uncomfortable. In fact, every time you walk into the hotel they welcome you like they've known you for ages and it's just these small things that make this hotel stand out from the rest. The food in the hotel was beautiful- we did not have a bad meal and the spa is out of this world. There really is not a bad word to say about this hotel, we were continually made to feel so special and really did have a luxury holiday, returning to sunny England feeling relaxed and totally pampered. Anyone who has a negative review of this hotel has either unbelievably high standards or is just hard to please. We thought Le Royal Meridien was excellent value for money- perhaps the only thing we could comment on was the fact that drinks were not particularly cheap, nor the lunches, but then we didn't go to Dubai expecting cheap drinks so I think if you have reasonable expectations and do your homework, you don't go to Dubai expecting to get good deals on drink- at the end of the day it's a Muslim country so what would you expect!?Some of the more 'flashy' hotels may look nice but are very touristy and commercialised, and Le Royal Meridien is, in our opinion, quietly understated, elegant, and absolutely fab- if you're going, or planning to go, you'll love it.
Me and my wife stayed here from the 6th - 10th July 2009. Mr and Mrs Heath. We found our stay here very enjoyable. The room was very nice and the breakfast excellent. The staff were brilliant and very polite and helpfull. Who ever makes a bad report about this Hotel must be very shallow.We will go there again.
I stayed there for a conference. The staff was very friendly and attentive but overall the hotel &quot;nickel and dimes&quot; you for everything. $20 for a continental breakfast, $5 for an orange juice, $15 internet access, etc. For the conference, the hotel charged $100+ as a set-up fee in the conference room for internet access then an additional charge per day. We live in an age where it really doesn't cost much for a company to offer internet access and certainly not $100 set-up fee for 30 seconds of work.Fortunately, our room was on the Radisson side so for personal internet access I was able to connect to their wifi. Kudos to the Radission for being in the 21st century. The Sheraton TV channel said that complimentary internet access was coming shortly to this particular Sheraton but shouldn't a Sheraton in the heart of 'technology central' be the first to offer complimentary internet access ? Overall, its a nice hotel but for $200+ a night, I would expect less &quot;nickel and dime-ing.&quot; Consider the Radisson . . . I think it even less expensive.
The hotel is old but has been preserved well and retains much of its original character. It is not one of those large hotels that make you feel like just another faceless guest and it is built in such way that there is a more homely, personable aspect.The hotel is nowhere near the Tenderloin so you don't have to worry about panhandlers harassing your family for change. It's located near Chinatown and we enjoyed the walk there. I can't comment on public transport because we drove to the other locations but if you drive a compact car with side mirrors that can be folded in, you can park in their garage for free. If you have a bigger vehicle, you have to park it at a nearby garage for a fee. I did a thorough search on tripadvisor for hotels as we were travelling with a 10 month old and I needed a microwave and a refrigerator and this was only one of two hotels in downtown San Francisco listed on tripadvisor that provided both. They also provide plates and utensils and cups.An earlier review commented on the bathroom tiles but I didn't notice anything wrong with their bathrooms. Because the room and bathroom are very, very clean, I was fine with letting my baby crawl all over the carpet and bathing her in the bath tub. We requested for a room on the quiet side and it was really quiet.The service was also impeccable. I had informed them earlier about needing a crib and Esther had both a pack and play and a toddler bed ready for me to choose from. The next morning, when we entered the dining hall for breakfast, the high chair (a very nice one!) was already there ready for us to use. What I like most about this hotel is that the staff clearly take pride in what they do and pay attention to details to the extent of providing sweets at the front desk for their guests which is just what you need after a long day of sightseeing.
Don't be fooled by the 3-star AAA rating for this hotel. We stayed there for one night the last week of June 2007 and it did not measure up to that rating. The room was quite shabby and the rugs were very worn. The windows were covered with a thin piece of fabric (not a curtain) which was frayed and hung down from a bar. Also, it was chilly in the room and the heater in the room did not work. The 2 windows in the room were pushed open to the side and were not even on the track, letting cold air in the room. The windows were stuck and I could barely close them. Since we were only there for one night, we didn't demand a change but would not stay there again. I should mention that, there is a decent breakfast included with the room, and it is served in what looks like an old ballroom with a stunning stained glass ceiling on the first floor behind the front desk. However, this wasn't enough to make up for the deficiencies in the room.
This is a budget hotel. We stayed for 1 night and it cost about GBP65 (double room, two ocupants). The hotel is clean and modern. Staff were freindly and accomodating. The room, with en-suite facilities, was compact but clean and perfectly functional. The room has TV, Air conditioning and tea &amp; coffee making facilites. The only issue that I had with the room was that the air con control was beside the wardrobe so it wasn't possible to see what the buttons were for. One other fault I would pick with this hotel is that the breakfast was a bit rubbish, it says continental breakfast but all you get is some toast (if you can call it that, it was more like slightly warm bread), some cheese slices and jam/marmalade. Tea, coffee and squash. If you want a decent breakfast go find a cafe nearby. There are still building works going on at the hotel but this isn't an issue as they only carry out the work during normal working hours. All in all I was very satisfied with this hotel and would go back there again. The hotel offers excellent value for money. If you want some fancy luxury hotel book into the Hilton (or similar), if you want mega cheap accomodation go to a hostel. If you want a good value hotel go to the London House Hotel.
Good location although recommend having a car for this area. Staff was polite and helpful, valet was good little expensive .The rooms were dated and not as clean as other hotels but acceptable the washrooms were very tiny and need of a upgrading badly. Internet wi-fi service was troublesome at times and not reliable. Received a deal on Priceline and would pay that price again but would not pay rack rate for this hotel.
I stayed at Encore on 6/13-6/15. I had stayed once a few years ago at Wynn and was favorably impressed, and Encore is also lovely. I will say, maybe my expectations were too high, but I can still recommend the hotel for those who are not budget minded and appreciate great service in a classy, dignified hotel that isn't megasized.My first two nights of my four night trip were spent at THEHotel at Mandalay Bay, so I got an opportunity to directly compare. Of the two, I prefer the airier Encore decor, both in the common areas and the standard guestroom suites. THEHotel room is a &quot;true suite&quot; in that the bedroom is separated from the living area with a full wall and door, and it has an extra bathroom (one sans tub or shower). The Encore is similar in style to the Venetian/Palazzo &quot;suites&quot; in that there is no door or full wall separating the bed chamber from the living area. Unlike the Palazzo though, the living and bedroom areas at Encore share one television. Thus, if you desire true privacy, you might be better served at &quot;THEHotel.&quot; But the effect in a room of similar size to the Encore suite makes the living area at THEHotel feel a little more cramped and dark. Since I was traveling alone, I preferred the feeling of spaciousness offered by the Encore and the floor to ceiling window overlooking the strip and the golf course (as well as some roof equipment) offered much more natural light than its counterpart.The room: I was not in love with the black and beige color scheme, but it worked well in the room visually. It just isn't my taste as much as the more colorful and rich looking Wynn Tower rooms. The sofa placement wasn't particularly convenient for watching TV with a drink and snack. There is a side table but it is inches from the TV, so to use it you have to sit too close for comfort to the 46 inch screen. The chaise side of the sofa had no side table. There is a leather ottoman in place of a coffee table, but it is white and I didn't feel comfortable placing food and drink items on it. Tdesigner just wasn't being real practical with the layout of that space. Otherwise the room is well-equipped with nice generous sized toiletries, beautiful quality rock and wine glasses and corkscrew, plenty of towels and wash cloths two clocks--one on each night table, three phones, sufficient outlets for computers, phone charges etc., separate tub and shower, comfy robes, and slippers I didn't use. The closet is small but it has a chest of drawers and an ironing board inside and more hangers than anyone should need. (Weirdly, moments after the bellman left, a housekeeper arrived to give me another hanger, for what reason I do not know. I guess she thought 9 wasn't enough for one guest...) As per usual for the strip hotels there is no coffee maker in the room but there is a bar steps from the elevator that serves as a coffee bar and pastry shop in the morning.Service: This hotel offered the best service across the board of any of the luxury strip hotels I have recently frequented including THEHotel, Mandalay Bay, Palazzo and Bellagio. Everyone was courteous and unfailingly prompt. I was checked into my room quickly about an hour before posted check-in time on a Saturday afternoon. My room service orders arrived within a half an hour of being placed. Valet service was immediate, and the bellman arrived at my door with my bags within 10 minutes of my call. Saturday probably isn't the busiest day at the bell desk, but still, that is a record by a long stretch. He showed me all of the features in the room (lots of automated lights, drapes, etc.) and fetched ice. Likewise on checkout both the bell desk and valet, as well as the front desk who I called in order to complete checkout were fast and courteous. The only service gripe I had was at the &quot;Red Card&quot; desk where there appeared to be 8 people working, but only 2 helping customers waiting in a very long line. Cocktail waitresses in the casino were plentiful. Restaurants and casino: I had dinner at the bar at &quot;Sinatra&quot; and the meal I ordered arrived too fast! I had planned on savoring a martini and having a glass of wine with my entree, but the entree got there before I'd taken two sips of my drink. Faster than McDonalds, I swear! (Actually had a similar experience at SW a few years ago.) Other than Sinatra and the coffee bar I utilized room service for meals. The food was good and served beautifully. I enjoyed the natural light in parts of the casino and restaurant and shopping areas. The casino itself is pretty small, but the Wynn is connected by a short corridor if you have exhausted the possibilities on the Encore side. I didn't use the pool but it was very pretty.I had a wonderful massage at the spa. I must say this is the nicest of the spas I've tried at Venetian, THEHotel, Mandalay Bay, and Bellagio. It is just breathtakingly beautiful, well laid out, with plenty of amenities. It is also located on the second floor just steps from the elevator, so you needn't traipse through the casino to get from room to spa/gym/salon and back to your room. My biggest complaint about both Wynn and Encore are the prices of everything. There are very few options for an inexpensive bite to eat. Room service eggs bacon and coffee is $28 and it isn't much better in the cafe. The only 24 hour cafe is the &quot;Drugstore&quot; at the Wynn which has a very limited selection in the wee hours. But room service is 24 hours at least. A minor nit was the music in the casino. I guess some people would love it, but it was a little too lite/new agey and repetitive for me. They ought to play jazz or Sinatra type standards if they want mellow, or something a little more contemporary if they want lively. But at least it wasn't intolerable like at Mandalay's casino, where you are assaulted by dance music from two clubs, pop music over the loudspeaker and some live performer playing all at the same time. The Encore has its loud customers at the craps tables and so on, but it is mostly on the quieter side, ala Bellagio, Wynn and Palazzo. I appreciated that the slots were spaced out so you never feel crowded. The flowers and other decorating touches are just lovely, although I think the Wynn side is perhaps more beautiful to my eyes.I used a casino promotion for my stay which made the room rate very inexpensive. I'd stay at the Encore again if I was able to get a rate of a few hundred or less. Because the prices of everything else are so high, I wouldn't want to spend much more than that for the room itself, although it is luxurious and worthy of being on the higher end of strip hotels. At this point, Palazzo still reins as my favorite strip hotel for the rooms, the location on the strip and the restaurant selections available there and at the connected Venetian. But I would rate Encore/Wynn a close second.
I stayed here on business for 3 weeks July-August 2007, with a room on the 18th floor (Horizon Club floor, for which you get Internet access and breakfast included in the price).I arrived at the hotel in the morning after a long flight from the UK and received a warm personal welcome. The lobby immediately strikes you with its great opulence. I have to say I didn't tire of it after three weeks.The room was very spacious, with effective air conditioning. The carpet was clearly not new but it didn't really look worn in any way. All the fittings in the room and the beautiful marble bathroom were really well maintained and showed no signs of use at all. I also particularly enjoyed the large window overlooking Beijing; this was particularly effective during the handful of thunderstorms we had during my stay, for watching the lightning!I really only ate breakfast at the hotel, and that was wonderful. There is surely something to suit all tastes. The only slight criticism I have is that, being myself a hardened tea-drinker, it was sometimes difficult to get a top-up of tea in the morning. Also one Sunday morning I got to breaksfast at around 9am and it was completely full, which meant I had to wait a few minutes for a table. They appeared to be running out of a couple of items as well. But this experience was not repeated any other morning.I used room service a couple of times, and while this seemed rather expensive, it was excellently presented and warm. I only used one of the hotel restaurants on one occasion (the Summer Palace Chinese restaurant) and I wasn't all that impressed with the food, especially given the price compared with what's available outside the hotel, which can be really good quality. So I can't really recommend this hotel restaurant.I made good use of the extensive gym. There is a lot of equipment which guests can use free of charge. If you want to burn off some pounds from too much Chinese food this is the place to go. Free towels and bottled water are available. I didn't use the swimming pool despite my best intentions.I particularly liked the free shoe shine service, which I used several times.If you are on one of the Horizon Club floors you have free use of the Horizon Lounge. I used this a few times; on my first couple of visits the staff in there were very attentive, however, this seemed to change overnight, and I made a couple of visits where they completely ignored me. This is not the level of service I would have expected.There are all the usual luxury western shops in the shopping mall below the hotel but I didn't use any of these; the prices seem no different from home so I couldn't see the point. Instead I recommend you polish your bargaining skills at the nearby silk market!
My mother and I stayed there for one night only, - good for us, since we absolutely horrified! We booked a twin room, and got a room for four people, - nice. We had a fridge, - nice. The window wouldn't close, the room was damp and the wallpaper was coming off, - not nice. The bathroom, which we paid extra to get, was mostly a dirty cupboard in the corner and the toiletseat was loose, - not nice. But whatever, we thought, this is London, it is cheap and you get what you pay for right?? So we were happy and spent a lovely day in London and had a nice walk and saw Big Ben, Westminister Abbey and the parliament in a couple of hours and didn't even have to take the tube at all, since the hotel has a great location. (We're Danish, we like to walk.) Back at the hotel, we realised, that someone wanted us to have a chilly night, since the heating was turned of and we couldn't turn it back on and the window still wouldn't close. Again we thought, - you get what you pay for. But in the morning my mother found a nasty bug in her bed and you could see it was all fat with my poor old mothers blood inside. EEEW! I know it was cheap, I know it's England(I've lived there myself and worked at another hotel) but that was just too disgusting. What you see in the pictures at this website, is what you get. Great location, but wrong hotel. Do yourself a favour, do not stay there. I surely won't.
staff friendly, they note our requests when booked, bell man Richard very helpful, rooms clean and good size. Good location metro on the corner. just down the road is a deli which services great breakfast and accross the road is chinese which is good price and nice food. We did a tour of Washington through city signtseeing which was ok but a very long day 14hours of which 9 hours were on the bus. They took us to the wax works which was a waste they should give the option to look around further an meet the bus later.
Okay, I am an avid traveller for business and pleasure, Never have i been so ANNOYED with a hotel. First, the 3 days i stayed there, two of the days there was a fire alarm...Second, no joke,it took about 10 minutes to get hot water running through the taps. I would have to let the shower run for at least 10 minutes before it actually got hot.Lastly, the most frustrating was when i checked, luckily i checked the bill, there was a $50 dollar charge for the minibar which i did not use. they reversed it.However, about two weeks after i checked out i recieved another bill stating that expenses were incurred after i checked out and charged my credit card $580.00 dollars again for mini bar charges........ the whole mini bar would not even equate to the amount. secondly when i called to complain and get the charges reversed, on hold forever, and when i left messages no one called back.it's a nice hotel but don't believe the HYPE.... there are way better hotels in Montreal and in wayyyyy better locations.
The Grand Hyatt was an amazing respite from the hectic pace of Beijing. We stayed on the Club Level, and the room was very well done- all custom millwork, and the bathroom was limestone floor-to-ceiling with separate tub and shower. As an architect I appreciate that the design was minimal and tasteful. Our room was very small, however, and they were fully booked. Next time I'll make sure to ask about the size beforehand.The pool was truly amazing. Three stories underground, the &quot;Oasis Spa&quot; has thirty-foot ceilings and takes up probably a third of the hotel footprint. The walls are blurred with palm trees, boulders, and waterfalls to create the feeling of a tropical island. May sound cheesy, but they really pull it off- right down to the periodic frog chirps heard from invisible speakers. Adjacent to this is a well appointed gym with trainers available.The service is 5-star, but the wait staff lingers too much. It's one of those places where you take a sip and someone is right there to fill your glass. I definitely felt like we were always being watched, but this is China...Overall, highly recommend this hotel!
I have stayed at W - The Court on a number of occassions, and have always found the staff to be very friendly, helpful, and accommodating. The rooms are very comfortable, and the suites are wonderful. I sent Sofia, the General Manager, a note prior to my stay requesting a specific room, and she was very quick to write me back with a confirmation of my request -- she also followed up with me personally after my stay, which I can't say that I've experienced at many other places. I was so pleased with my experience, that I stayed at the W - The Tuscany (the sister property next door) the next night. Again, I was warmly greeted by the staff, and given a lovely room. I highly recommend either of these hotels.
I have been going to Vegas for fourteen years and I have never been treated so badly when it came to getting my comps at the end of the week. We ran about twenty thousand dollars through the machines during our five day stay, and they refused to comp. a $97.00 dollar food bill. I went from the player's club, to a host, to a customer service specialist and got nothing but a runaround. They actually felt they gave me a deal because they comped our five night stay. They should have, because that was the smallest room I have ever been in. Our cash back total at the end of the week was $23.00 for the two of us. What a joke. We earned more than that in comps when we went over to Binion's and played for four hours.
On arrival we were allocated a room on top floor, be careful all we could here was the air conditioning units on the the roof, which could keep you awake if a light sleeper.We asked to be moved and was given a corner room on the 36th floor,WOW, what a view, over the river and beyond. The best sunset and sunrise I have ever seen. The room was quite big, flat screen TV, lovely bathroom, beware don't eat the snacks on offer, they are not complimentary, not even the bottled water. Traffic noise is minimal being so high up. Only disappointing thing about the hotel, there are no tea or coffee facilities, which is not unsual for New York but would be a nice touch. Just up the road from the hotel there is a small coffee shop called Johns, lovely breakfasts and do take away food and drinks which can be taken back the to hotel. Not to far to walk to main attractions, Grand Central etc.. Nice Hotel if you are looking for quiet location, but not to far from the centre of Manhattan.
We stayed here in November 04. Overall it's a nice place with a good location in safe area-about 4 blocks to Union Square. We stayed in a suite with a king bed so the room was plenty adequate in size. It was little noisy and expect to hear a lot of fire trucks. It's not new or fancy but it's homey, comfortable and little unique. They have a bathroom and a radiator in the bedroom. The free wine, tea, and breakfast was good. Oscar the concierge was very knowledgeable and helpful. All in all I would recommend the Andrews for the combination of price, location, and amenities.
Stayed 3 nights at Tower in July 2009.Overall impression is good hotel with great location and friendly staff but a bit too many minor problems which drag the standard to just a medium 4 star.The locatino right nex to Tower brigde and St. Katharines Dock is great. The nearest tube is Tower Hill which is served by the District og the Circle line. It is about 8-12 minutes walk from the station. Behind the hotel in the area of St. Katharines Dock you'll find some restaurants/bars and they were perfect for us after a long day in London.The room was fine and no more if you think of it as a 4-star hotel. The bed was great and the room was plenty spacious for us but water dripping, lights not working and stuff like that makes the hotel seem a bit old. Very clean - no problems there at all.Staff was very friendly but they showed a couple of times that they were not that professional. We waited about 20 minutes upon arrival because they had difficulties sorting out our pretty simple booking made directly in their website. For that they gave us an upgrade (which was nice but not that effective when the room os a bit old;)). The night before we left we asked for a late check-out which they said was ok without making a note of it. And sure enough our room key (card) was not working anymore as we returned to leave the hotel around 1 pm. Two restaurants serves the guests breakfast. The breakfast is just fine with a wide selection. For the price we paid for the stay we were not happy to wait in line to be seated though. We had a wonderful time in London but if we come back to the Tower it will be because of the location and if we get a good deal.
good location, smiling hotel porter Miguel nice recptionist, Gemma
When we checked-in in the hotel the first thing that suprised us was the staff. No friendly at all. Only a young man was courteous but the other members (a receptionist and an housekeeper) were quite rude and certainly do not know what smiling means. We didn't feel welcome!The room was disappointing. We paid more than 100 a night for this 3 star hotel but we should have stay in a 1 star as the standard would not have been THAT different! We have stayed at few 1 star hotels and wanted to treat ourself for this stay but it wasn't that special. The room was small. Very difficult to open our suitcases (we had to put them on the bed to do so!). There was some stains on the blanket. The screen TV was quite big but so close to the bed that it was painful to watch the TV.The ceiling is pretty low, you feel like in a cage. The bathroom is fine, nothing exceptional but clean and clear.I don't recommand this hotel. Staff is rude, rooms are small. Spend your money somewhere else if you can. The area is nice thought, close to central London, shops, restaurants.
We stayed in Atlantis last September together with our kids.There are really many attractions for the kids and guests. We all enjoyed especially the Aquaventure, attached to the resort.A huge aquarium, full with plenty of fish inside at the corridor of the Hotel was very interesting. Hotel rooms are large and comfortable.Our rate was without breakfast and if you wish to eat in the hotel, resaturants are really expensive(Breakfast around 40 USD)and as the hotel is located on the Palm there isnt anything around the hotel on the walking distance, so you have to take a taxi for any of your needs.
Probably you just heard about caesars palace as a box arena, but it was the best hotel creation around greek and rome culture... each place in the hotel remembers this... statues, colosseum, mall, all of them are stunning...In addition, you will be correctly placed in the vegas strip! near to all!
I was originally booked into the Regent Palace for my 7-night vacation in May 2006, but reading all the negative reviews on TripAdvisor (especially about bedbugs and mice) sent me scurrying for another place to stay. Frommer's recommended the Rhodes, so I checked out the TripAdvisor reviews and was amazed to see so many glowing reviews. And they were RIGHT!This is an excellent hotel. From the convenient location, close to Paddington for tubes and the Heathrow Connect (cheaper than the Heathrow Express) and a few blocks walk from Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens; to the clean and comfortably furnished room (there was a hairdryer AND outlet in front of a mirror, if you can imagine that in an older London hotel, plus a real medicine cabinet in the bathroom with a lighted mirror - none of those tiresome glass shelves above a tiny sink so that you splash water all over the floor trying to wash your face); to the small amenities that you'd never find for free at any other hotel, large or small: free internet on a computer outside the breakfast room, or free transatlantic phone calls!And Chris and Maria themselves are wonderful hosts, full of information and kindly courtesies. Chris cooked us up breakfast several times (without charge), just things he made up on a whim.My only fear is that so many people will discover how wonderful the Rhodes Hotel is, that Chris won't have a place for me the next time I'm in London!
Hyatt feels. Great location and value for money. Ask for the room near the corner, great sea views and bridge views over the large window.
I had the misfortune to be booked into this hotel twice last year. The first visit was adequate, the second applalling. This hotel used to be part of the Meridian group but no moreOn getting to the hotel ( good location near tube etc) you enter the very grand entrance with reception on your leftThe staff on duty had a limited command of English and had no record of my reservation despite me providing them with a copy of the booking reference. They eventually found it booked in for another night and tried to convince me that I was there on the wrong day!After 20 mins they allocated me a room and provided the key card. The room was a tiny room in the attic of the hotel and I would suspect is used for staff. It was reached via a lift and then a small staircase ( no fun with a heavy bag). Unfortunately the key did not work so it required another trip to get a replacment which was provided with very bad graceThe room itself was small with a tiny window high in the wall. It did not look as if it had been cleaned for a while and did not have any leaflets, menus, hotel guides, room service information etc. The bathroom likewise had not been cleaned for a while and had no toiletries.As I had arrived in the evening I required a meal and rather than eat in the cavernous dining room I decided on room service. The meal that arrived ( eventually- after over 30 minutes) was luke warm, poor quality and very over pricedThe following morning I had requested a wake up call (which did not happen) and went down for breakfast where we had to queue for ages to be seated despite the resaturant being only 1/3 full. The breakfast was a buffet self service style and offered a wide range on optionsThere is a small bar adjacent to the restaurant selling a limited range of drinks at typical London Hotel prices. In near proxinity to the hotel are a number of bars and restaurants and i would advise any guest to venture out to enjoy a drink or a mealI am afraid the service in this hotel is all that is bad about some of the English hospitality scene and I get the impression that the hotel does not care as it takes its guests from foreign tourists &quot; who dont know any better&quot; and business travelers like myself whose bill is picked up by the companyThe hotel rates are very high for what you get and if I had been paying I would certainly have been asking for a reduction/ refundI have recomended that my own company ceases use of this hotel and I would ask any visitors from abroad not to judge English hotels &amp; hospitality ( which are excellent) on this hotel
I have stayed here on a few occasions now, and every single time we have had a fantastic time. The staff are very helpful, the hotel is very relaxing throughout, from the swimming pool and steam rooms to the restaurants and bars. Everytime I visit London I now book the Grange, and would not thing of going elsewhere.
So many staff people...so little time. Doorman, lots of bouncer types surveying the potential bar goers but not paying any attention to paying guests; we struggled out of a taxi at 10:30 on a Friday night and literally had to grab a bouncer/doorman type who went off in search of a bellman. For $400.00 a night we got a second floor room the size of a closet overlooking the line of noisy revelers desperately seeking entrance to the bar. No dressers or shelves to speak of and absolutely no space to fit our luggage! Something about three types of bottled water cluttering the tiny bedside table with their price tags dangling is cheesy at best.We learned to call to have our room made up each morning after going out at 9am and returning at 3pm to find our room exactly as we left it. Reception made excuses instead of apologizing and getting the job done; they did send us a bottle of wine the second time housekeeping &quot;missed us&quot;. Never again.
The Renaissance was a great place to stay off-strip, and the best hotel experience I've had this year, on 3 continents with about 30 nights of hotel stays this year. My husband and I went here for a conference. We don't gamble, and didn't mind not having slot machines every 20 feet.It is a quiet hotel with adult ambience - not the chaotic, smoky, loud and jingling atmosphere of the Strip resorts. We were greeted by a very pleasant front-desk receptionist who had all of our reservations perfect - we requested a high level room with non-smoking king bed and extra pillows. Our Romance Package champagne gift certificate was immediately available as well as our free daily breakfast. Breakfast was served in the lovely Envy restaurant off the menu and averaged $40 a day for two to eat well (good thing it was free). Top-notch exercise area with adjacent large bathroom and shower area. We were permitted to use this area a few hours after checking out to get cleaned up before heading to the airport for a red eye flight back to the East Coast. The concierge was one of the most helpful I've ever encountered - she got us 3rd row seats last minute to the Penn and Teller show and got us orchestra tickets to Avenue Q for the price of balcony tickets, saving us enough money to pay for a great dinner at the Palms. I don't think she even charged us anything extra, and she clearly put in a lot of time calling around on our behalf. We were very impressed with the quality of the service at the Renaissance.Our room was large and very clean, with the sheets and duvet cover changed daily. There was no turndown service, which was fine with us since we napped in the afternoon and wouldn't have wanted the intrusion. The bathroom was large and well thought-out.Room service was prompt and cheerful. The delivery person didn't seem to expect a tip but seemed genuinely grateful for it.The pool area is small and dark after noon, but was romantic and warm in the evening for a warm dip in the pool and hot tub. Much better than the resort hotels, most of which close their pools at 4 or 5 at this time of year.Parking - free in the garage. A big plus for us, after blowing $50 US for 9 hours in the lot at a hotel in London...I highly recommend a stay at the Renaissance Las Vegas and will actively seek out other Renaissance properties when I travel in 2006!
Me and my friend (both 21) stayed at the MGM from the 1st to the 4th Sept, we got there and the que was quite long and waited a while but we were too excited about being in Vegas that we didnt mind but other people might? Check in was good the woman was very polite and helpful.Its such a huge hotel that u easily get lost but we spent an hour or so looking around seeing what there was and there is so much you would need a mini map hehe.Our room was lovely great views we were on the 17th floor so we did quite well for views! Beds were so comfortable we didnt want to get up! Bathroom was cleaned everyday fresh towels, beds made everyday aswell.Its located at the south end so if you want to walk to the other end and see everything spend a day doing so, people say you cant walk from one end to the other but we did quite a few times but as i say we are both 21 so didnt find it a problem in the heat etc. I would stay again but i think the next time i go i may stay on the north/central end just so i can experience the otherside more.All in all the mgm is a good place to stay, it depends on how much walking you want to do as we did A LOT! :)
I stayed at the Hyatt Regency for 3 nights October 10th - 13th, 2007. I was there for a conference that was being hosted by the Hyatt. The conference was held in the &quot;basement&quot; of the hotel, and the exhibitors were another escalator ride down to the &quot;sub-basement&quot;. We were also served breakfast and lunch in the sub-basement, which was an unacceptable set-up. But... back to the hotel - I think that the hotel has housekeeping issues. The entire hotel stinks of cigarette smoke, and looks dated. The carpeting in my room had stains, and the draperies looked like they hadn't been cleaned in a very long time. The room didn't convey a luxurious feeling at all, and at $276 (conference discount!), I would expect a lot more. The front desk and concierge staff were very helpful, but I tried to spend as little time as possible in the room. The location was convenient, however I would not recommend staying here again.
We spend four nights at the Quality Crown Hotel and were VERY disappointed. We have been to London several times and this was they very worst room we have ever been in. Our room was at the top of the building, probably an 8x7' space. There was only room for one person at a time. The full bed completely filled the room. You could sit on the bed and reach the desk, had to step back to get into the wardrobe. We arrived from the US around noon and left our bags (so they obviously knew we would be staying). On our return to check in we were told this was the only room available and that it was their standard room. We were finally moved to a larger room on the 3rd night of a 4 night stay. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone. We have never had a room so ridiculously small, and the lack of concern made it even worse. I complained to the hotel in October and have never even received a reply. Generally my husband and I go with the flow, we get that rooms are smaller in the UK, but this tiny excuse for a room, compounded by a total lack of concern guarantees that we won't make that mistake again.
This modern, new hotel has a nice look and feel. Large enough rooms, broadband access for a fee, room safe and large bathroom. Physically it is great, however the service is poor. It took the clerk a while to check in at 12:00 a.m. when I was the only customer at the front desk. He clerk had to swipe my credit card twice because he thought it did not work the first time. It did work both times so I had double the reserve placed against the card.I only stayed two nights and my room was never serviced. I left for the day at 9:15 a.m. so there was plenty of time to service the room. When I called at 9:00 p.m. on a Saturday evening to inform the hotel my room had not been serviced I did not get a sympatric response. The &quot;at your service&quot; desk informed me that housekeeping was gone for the night. I had to ask for extra towels and washcloth. When they brought the towels up they brought three face cloths and a bath robe. The bellmen did return promptly with two bath towels.When I was leaving in the morning a fellow guest talked about how the hotel did not seem to understand how run things smoothly. I concur with his conclusion.The location is okay if you are not planning to spend much time in Central London. Allow 40 minutes on the Tube to get to Central London. The tube stop (Canary Wharf) is a 10 minute walk from the hotel.
The booking process wasn't easy, and confirmation email was slow. We chose the hotel for it's close proximity to Shepherd's Bush Empire, where we went to see a concert, the hotel is only 100 yards from the venue.On arrival, they took our money, and then told my partner and I that had we not booked, we would not have been offered a room because of the way we were dressed. What were we wearing? Jeans, jacket and converse trainers... typical post grad student attire (and if you're wondering, no we don't have tatoos or facial piercings). I have stayed at one of the Hilton hotels, wearing the same thing to travel in, with no problems. We were told that it would scare people, and this was a family hotel. We were told REPEATEDLY at check-in that we were not allowed to smoke in the room or let other people stay, which we found extremely patronising.The room was clean, and there was no mould in the bathroom. However, the bed was narrow and the room and shower was cold during the day, the heating and hot water didn't come on until early evening.I've travelled a lot and stayed at a range of hotels around the globe, everything from the beach shack to the 5* spa resort. I've never been so insulted or patonised. If you're a young couple, I would definitely go somewhere else!
This was a great hotel. I took my daughter with me for a 4 night stay. Very cozy and quiet. Its out of the hussle of Times Square but near the subway, good restaurants, and central park.the staff was outstanding.Cellinis Restaurant across the street was awesome too and was arranged by the hotel. Some of the best service I've ever received but it is pricey.This hotel was a bit pricey but seems like all NYC hotels have gotten that way due to many hotels shifting to a condo format. There appears to be a supply/demand imbalance!But, very reasonable pricing relative to other options and outstanding service. Room was large and roomy
Five members of our family recently spent six nights at the Montague on the Gardens Hotel and were very pleased with this hotel. Our granddaughters, ages 11 and 15 were with us and they thoroughly enjoyed the British touch. Full English breakfast was wonderful! The location in Bloomsbury was so convenient. There are many ethnic restaurants nearby; the British Museum was directly across the street; and there were three Underground stations within easy walking distance. The staff is friendly and extremely helpful! Dr. and Mrs. J. W. Smith, Waco, TX USA
This hotel has a great location! Right on N. Michigan Ave., you are within walking distance to everything. Our room was very nice, the bed was one of the most comfortable I've ever slept in. We ordered room service one night and it was only average, not really worth the price. And if you're planning on taking the train from O'Hare be prepared for a little bit of a walk, about 6-8 blocks. Other than that, great hotel, would definately stay here again.
My first visit to the Met on a business trip and I was left distinctly under whelmed - I booked a Deluxe City room but think I actually received a Std City room due to the lack of banquette seating as mentioned in the room description. The bathroom was tiny and very average with a shower over the bath, which is hardly 5 Star when most hotels in this bracket are pushing high-tech bathrooms. The shower head is fixed very low on the wall, so anyone like myself who is over 6ft has to almost kneel in the bath to take a shower. Rust had started to appear around the handle on the bath and around the mastic, which just looked very poor. The room itself was a decent size but the decor/furniture reminded me of a Premier Lodge and totally lacked character with not a contemporary picture or ornament in sight. Instead of the banquette seating, my room had two chairs with very scruffy, worn and loose fitting covers, which just looked plain tatty. The staff were very efficient but the entire experience left me completely under whelmed and feeling slightly cheated by the cost and the experience. The Dorchester is available from 205 if booked early enough and there really is no comparison - it might not be contemporary in style but it's a true 5 Star experience in every sense, unlike the Metropolitan!
Stayed at Wynn for one night during May. Picked up great deal on hotwire for $109.00US.Everything is expensive in the hotel, including the mini bar (water at $8). Just get supplies from the Pharmacy below the Palazzo across the road!We had a room overlooking the strip, about halfway up. Very nice rooms, clean and huge bathroom - all 5star standards! Only negative was we could hear the disco playing at 3am in the morning some 25 floors below!!! Also the pool area closes at around 6pm or so... no idea why??? Maybe they want you to spend more time in the casino!!!! Join the players club and get free credit! Overall a good experience but if management is reading this... please keep the pool area open longer... we promise to gamble just the same!!!!!!
After reading very negative comments on Trip Advisor we were expecting the worse. However the bed linen, towels and new ensuite was clean. Bedroom was very small and basic with hardly any storage space. As we were at the back of the hotel it was very quiet. We requested extra pillows which were provided immediately. Staff very polite. Breakfast also basic and a bit manic when crowded, as it's self-service. Extra charge for storing luggage but only minutes from Paddington. Good gastro pub 2 mins away.
My two week holiday staying in le meridien Dubai was fabulous! From the moment we arrived we were well looked after. Hotel was beautifuland the room had huge comfortable beds, plasma TV and DVD player. At breakfast you were totally pampered and anything you wanted you got. The choice of restaurants is really good and the ones we tried were brilliant. I would definately recommend this hotel!!
Tucked away just off the strip, the Hilton Grand Vacation was a welcome change from the &quot;cheap but charge for everything&quot; Casinos that makes up much of Las Vegas's accomodation.We had stayed in a Grand Vacations hotel in Orlando in 2006 and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves so our expectations where high for the Las Vegas Grand Vacation.... We booked a king suite and weren't dissapointed.. For a start it was well appointed with a kitchen, laundry and spa bath as well as TVs in the lounge and bedroom. Features aside, the suite nicely decorated, comfy, tidy and above all else, roomy. Compared to our previous Las vegas accomodation who wanted to charge us an outragious amount of money for basics such as internet access, wireless was part of the service at the Grand vacation and the staff were also really nice.Given it's close proximity to the strip and it's amenities I'd strongly reccomend the Grand Vacation over Casino's in a flash.
Had pretty neutral expectation sof this hotel, mainly as we were taking the kids with us this time, so were unsure of how they'd adapt (even tho they're seasoned travellers!) Our suite was just perfect a real home form home. The business set up and facilities within the room were the best we'd ever seen-not that we used them. We were comfy, warm, safe and there was plenty of floor space for the kids to play about on. The kitchenette proved quite useful too. The front desk and bell staff were v helpful and always very upbeat. The restaurant attached to the hotel 'The Barking Dog' served up superb quality home made food at very reasonable prices.
We stayed at this Hotel for 5 nights and it was great. The beds were extremely comfortable and the staff was wonderful! We did tons of sight seeing in the city and loved coming back to the quiet location of this hotel and the cozy beds. It is central to everything and right by the subway which we used quite often. It has a refrigerator so we enjoyed bringing back our snacks from places such as Dean &amp; DeLuca. the Chelsea Market etc. and having them for late night treats. My only complaint about the hotel is that the doors slam very loudly (including the bathroom doors) but once we figured that out we were careful when getting up in the middle of the night. This hotel truly was a place to look forward to getting back to after a long day in the city!
Stayed here for a week in october 09 with my girlfriend. Was going to be arriving in NYC late at night so emailed the hotel and asked if we could have a quiet room with good views. When we checked in the front desk confirmed this email and put us in a room away from the lifts, on the 38th floor with views down to times square, (stunning)The location is on 7th and 53rd, 10 mins walk to times square in one direction and central park in the other. With the slower pace of life another 10 mins walk into Hells kitchen.Our flights back to JFK were at 6:30pm and the hotel sugested a late checkout of 2pm at no extra cost.The doorman even hailed us a black town car to take us to the airport. Much better than a yellow cab as huge inside and the same price, although you can only pay cash $50 plus tip.Would stay in this hotel again. Some people have said that the rooms are a little small. We had a queen bed, desk and wardrobe in ours and it was plenty big enough. Dont know what people are moaning about.Dont forget to leave a tip for the house keeping each day and you will have all the towels and toiletries you could need.
Stayed at the Millennium 10-25-05. Report card is as follows: Lobby: B+ (Historic, small, old charm and there is no offensive, smokey smell as others have noted)Staff: B (Friendly but not super attentive)Check-in: A (room was ready early) Cost: D (too much for what you get)Rooms: C- (SMALL room, uncomfortable beds and pillows, decore just ok, mostly clean) Bathroom: D (so small it's hard to get ready in, toilet not bolted down, tile is not real clean)Privacy: F (can hear everything, don't plan on sleeping in, other guests can be heard as well as street noises, there is no &quot;white&quot; noise to drown out the other noises) Location: A (close to everything on the Mag Mile as well as Rush St. plus we did have a nice view of the lake) Note: Hotel charges $ for internet and printing of airline boarding pass cost was $8 to get 3 boarding passes. Overall: Choose another hotel. This is not a 4 star hotel. The only thing this hotel has to offer is the location but there are plenty of others that offer the same.
We are a family of five and our expectations were high after the ranking at Tripadvisor. Our booking over Internet included breakfast but when we checked in we were informed that the breakfast only was valid for four people. As we had a booking confirmation from Holiday Inn that clearly said, breakfast is included for five people we were not impressed. First we were offered an upgrade to an executive floor for 430 RMB per room with some benefits that we felt more like a rip off. After some heavy arguments the hotel agreed that breakfast was included for five! As a good gesture we were all offered a drink for free in the bar which we accepted. The next morning Storm showed up and suddenly things started to happen, we were given free cards for buses and subway and also a lot of good advice that enhanced our stay. We were also given a mobile to enable us to contact Storm at any time for free. Storm walked us to the bus and showed us how to use the tickets. Fantastic! Both buses and subway are very easy and comfortable to use. When we arrived back to the hotel rather late we were contacted by the hotel manager apologizing for the check-in that went wrong and now we were offered a suit with no charge, apology accepted. Storm helped us to organize a visit to the Ming Tombs and The Great Wall which was great accept for the driver missing the Ming Tombs so we were not impressed but as compensation we did not have to pay and we were offered a new trip for free to the Ming Tombs but we declined the offer and it was instead replaced with a free trip to the airport the day we left. Storm has an exceptional feeling for taking care of the hotel guests, he organized two wonderful local Chinese meals and followed us to the restaurants, and this was very much appreciated. Generally the hotel reception and breakfast was 4-5 stars, but the rooms they need a slight refurbishment so 3-4 stars are more appropriate. The swimming pool area is only 2-3 star as well as the changing facilities. The fun part is the location which gives you the opportunity to explore an area which you never would do as a tourist, but you are really dependent to use taxis to and from the subway, one way is 10 RMB and takes 5-10 minutes. Generally the hotel is good value for the money paid and Storm really made our stay unforgettable so we can highly recommend it.
First and foremost-- excellent service. In fact, I've not stayed at a hotel with such attentive staff in a while. The room was nice- clean and stylish. Could have used a closet. Overall, the service made up for any issues with the room. Also, the food was excellent. In fact, I would have preferred only eating at the hotel. Highly recommend and great location.
My wife and I have stayed at Claridges now on a number of occasions, in main to celebrate a birthday/anniversary etc.It is always a great treat to go there albeit only for a night.Gordon Ramseys is always as excellent as ever and the staff courteous and polite, and the lunch menu still represents very good value for money. We in fact took a friend of ours there for lunch quite recently for his 60th and everyone did their very best to make our day one to remember.Sue and Richard
Most out of town tourists stay in one of the concrete masses in Time Square for its proximity to everything touristy. But if you want a true sense of NYC and are interested in staying in a brand new, 5 star hotel....I recommend the Cooper SquareThe service here is impecible. The ambiance is first class, and you feel like you are staying with people who have &quot;been to NYC before&quot;, versus cattle call hotels full of tourists and kids.You are a 10 minute walk to Greenwhich village, 5 minute cab ride to Little Italy restaurants, and there is a subway stop less than 200 yards away.Overall..a. great stay and I'd do it again if had the opportunity
I read the reviews of this hotel after I got back and I think the disconnect is expectations. The hotel has a great location, friendly staff, nice bar, free coffee in the morning, and big rooms, but it also has a slow elevator, uncomfortable bed, fuzzy television reception, thin walls, and minimal decor. The upside is hard to ignore, but so is the downside. If you are paying more than $200 per night (even in New York City), then can probably stay in a nicer room with a similar location. If you pay in the $100-$150 range, however, the positives outweigh the negatives. In any event, just don't expect frills because there really aren't any. One more thing: ignore the photos on the various travel websites and in the magazines. My wife and I had a good laugh over pointing out the many differences between the advertised hotel decoration and the decorations we actually got (one large mirror in the hallway).
Between the time, I booked (6/2007) and stayed (12/2007) a few negative reviews popped up on Trip Advisor and I was a more than a little worried. Those worries were wasted energy because the East Side Marriott is a FABULOUS hotel.My husband and I stayed at the New York Marriott East Side December 20  22, 2007. Upon checking-in, we were delighted to learn that we had been upgraded to a suite of rooms including an enormous patio complete with a view of the Chrysler Bldg., sunroom, two wide screen televisions and a gas fireplace. The living room was tastefully decorated including floor to ceiling windows and a dining room table that seated six people. The bathroom was marble with double sinks, a separate shower and an array of Bath and Body Works toiletries. The bedroom was large, very clean, and up-to-date with a king-size bed and the linens spectacular. The service from guest services, front desk, and concierge lounge to bar staff was exemplary. The management even had a bottle of champagne and a large platter of cheese and crackers sent up to the room.Due to the nature of my work, I spend in excess of 100 nights per year in hotels in the US and abroad and this hotel ranks right up with the top hotels in London and Monaco. I highly recommend the New York Marriott East Side for anyone who wants a fantastic Manhattan experience.
My stepmother and I stayed here during the incredible heat wave of early August 2006 to see JK Rowling speak at Radio City. The hotel is in a great location, down the street from Times Square and is a really easy walk to the Music Hall. The food at the adjoining restaraunt was fantastic and offers an early &quot;theater&quot; dinner if you have to eat early. The hotel room itself was just gorgeous, and the decor was really beautiful. We only had one little snag that was mostly our fault: We misread the time that our train departed and had to really hurry out. The hotel employee was unable to get a taxi for us, and after 10 minutes said it would probably faster to walk. Not sure if you've ever run from Times Square to Penn Station in 105 degree humidity, but I wouldn't recommend it and it surely was not faster than a cab. And we missed the train. Oh well. Otherwise, a great stay and I'd definitely go back!
From the time that their car picked us at Ohare to our delivery back to the airport, the stay was a delight. We were upgraded to a suite that had had previously been two rooms. It was a real treat to have two bathrooms in a hotel. Also it was a comfortable livingroom and a terrific bed.We were late for breakfast one morning, so they kindly served us in the bar and applied our credit. I found this a step beyond what they had to do.Finally, the service was warm, friendly and and available when we needed it!
We stayed at Terribles hotel during the last weekend in October 2006. We can indeed confirm that Terribles isn't terrible. However it wasn't much more than simply adequate. Our experience at the hotel clearly defies in many ways the positive reviews on TripAdvisor. Pros:Affordable budget hotel in a good location. Plentiful parking. Safe and convenient. On-site convenience store and gambling. Lots of restaurants and retail establishments around. Staff was generally professional and polite.Cons:Our room was old and tired. Tight vanity area with super-small unappealing bathroom. Malfunctioning shower head and smeared gnats on ceiling. Smelled of old smoke. Few TV channels with snowy pictures. Cafe was hit or miss. Buffet was absolutely awful for breakfast and dinner. No internet service (no wireless and we were told hotel does not provide computer access).Advice:Call hotel in advance before booking room to ensure that you can lock up a non-smoking room. Request newer part of hotel. Inspect room on arrival. Smell smoke? See dead/live bugs? Bathroom clean and functioning? Avoid the buffet and temper expectations with cafe. Book this hotel at a rate you love, follow our advice, and you will make a good choice by choosing Terribles.Our story:We called the hotel in advance to confirm our reservation and to notify them that we would be arriving late due to our flight. The Terrible's employee verified our info and made note that we would be checking in late. We also wished to verify that we had a non-smoking room. The employee informed us that they hand out rooms at the time of check-in so no guarantees could be made. This was disappointing to hear as we had booked our room online as a non-smoking room. We used a travel website, so perhaps Terribles isn't as much to blame for the confusion. Ultimately, they indeed had a non-smoking room available for us even in arriving just before midnight. This was useful info though as we would be hesitant to book a stay at a hotel where we weren't guaranteed a non-smoking room.After check-in the elevator whipped us up to the third floor where we found our room with no problem. Ours was adequate in size outside of a very tiny bathroom (which had other issues though besides being cramped.) The bathroom didn't appear to be very clean, but that may have had more to do with it's age than any fault of the maid. The shower head was also malfunctioning, but we dealt with it. We did find a live ant or two in the bathroom as well. But the greatest wonder were the dozen crushed gnats on our ceiling. Since we didn't notice this until the near the end of our stay we decided not to mention it. (Perhaps we failed our civic duty to report such issues, but we didn't feel like having that conversation with management.) The vanity area was also pretty tight which made storage of toiletries a little bit of a challenge. The plus side to our room came when (much to our surprise) we noticed that we had a nice big flat panel TV on our wall. However there were few channels to watch and half of those were snowy. The beds were decent though nothing more. Our room faced the parking lot, but there wasn't much of a noise issue as we kept the fan/AC running. Although we received a non-smoking room, my wife noticed the smell of old smoke and we both had respiratory issues which we wonder if our room played a role in. In retrospect we should have complained about our room, but we didn't notice all of these issues at once. They built up over time and we were resigned to dealing with the hand we were dealt. We appeared to be in an older portion of the hotel, so this might explain many of our issues. Perhaps it would behoove you to ensure that you don't wind up where we did. On our first morning, we tried the cafe for breakfast. The pancakes with blueberries were good. The fruit cup was also fine. The meal was a decent value and we felt it was the healthiest thing on the menu. The service was good that morning. We tried their rotisserie chicken for dinner the next night. What a laugher...especially if you happen to catch the ad for it in the elevator or on the hotel's TV channel. Of course it looked great in the ads. And for $4.99 who wouldn't at least give it a shot? We found the chicken to be extremely bland and boring. It also came with tasteless corn, rice, &amp; refried beans. Complimentary stale bread rounded out our meal. Not a very good dining experience. But it certainly retaught me the lesson about getting what one pays for. When considering that fact, I don't hold the meal against them. It was big enough for two and it was cheap. The service was very slow and unattentive, but it was 10:00 at night and they were busy.We tried their buffet for breakfast and dinner on separate days. Like other reviewers say 2-1 coupons are a plenty. If you end up paying full price then you are getting a bum deal. In fact, we found the buffet to be a ripoff even with the discount. Overall the food was more disgusting than delicious. Though we are not big fans of buffets we found theirs to be one of the worst the two times that we tried it. Like the chicken, it's a great value (w/ coupon) but you risk sacrificing all quality and taste. There were positives to our stay at Terribles. There was plenty of parking. The hotel is in a nice location. Traffic can be a nightmare during peak times, but we found it to be a breeze otherwise. Road construction is going on south of the hotel so you may wish to add another 5 minutes to your travel time estimates when going to &amp; fro. The strip is a good walk away so we decided to drive to a free parking lot (I believe it is a convention center next to the Tropicana). That lot is at the very south end of the strip so it may not be a good idea to park there if your business or pleasure is to be had further noth. The hotel has a nice little convenience store inside and we found the prices to be reasonable. There are also grocery stores, drug stores, restaurants, and retail establishments nearby in case you have additional needs. We were in Vegas for the Vegoose concert at Sam Boyd stadium. It took us about 20-25 minutes to get to the stadium during the weekend.Before we book another stay with Terribles hotel we would likely exhaust other suitable options. If we ended up coming back it wouldn't strike fear in us, but we would certainly keep our expectations low. It is a decent budget hotel, but during our stay we found it to be nothing more.
For the low price, the hotel wasn't a bad deal, but that also means one couldn't expect too much. The stuff were friendly and generally did their best to be helpful. The rooms were average and had free Internet. The location was not bad, within 5-minute walk to the Wangfujing pedestrian street, but there was some sort of construction behind the hotel that went on all night long every night the entire time we stayed at the hotel, making it very noisy even at night.Our biggest problem was with the other guests at the hotel, many of which were loud, rude, and generally behaved badly. We encountered incidents such as: (1) children pushing waste paper into our room from under the door; (2) adult guests from other rooms following us to our door and trying to look inside our room; (3) guests smoking in non-smoking areas (e.g., in the elevator or hotel lobby); (4) guests cutting in lines; (5) guests shouting loudly in the hallway; (6) guests getting dead drink in the middle of the night and having to be carried out into the taxis.So, if you can stand the noise and the bad behaviors from the other guests, then the hotel isn't a bad deal.
This hotel is in a great location for anything you wish to do in London. Very plush reception area with nice seating. Staff at reception were fine. I had a junior suite which was very comfortable. Bathroom was ok for size but expected a bit more in a suite. Sound control did not work in bathroom for tv. The living room was fine with a good TV, mini bar, sofa and armchair.Main room had three beds which were comfortable, though I only slept in one but they were all singles. My only issue with room was the lighting. Switching off lights from panel beside bed was impossible.Now for the restaurant. Price was ok for a london hotel but the food was just ok. I had off the main menu but my colleagues had the carvery. Go for the carvery. Better value. The service was terrible. Not very courteous to anyone. They were not attentive and we felt we were being hurried so they could go home as this was 10pm.I would stay here again but eat elsewhere.If the service had been better, then I would say this was a good hotel but it wasn't.
I booked this hotel primarily because of the price compared to others in the same area and secondary reason was some of the reviews I read on this site. I was a bit skeptical after reading some reviews but also read some good reviews. I'm glad we stayed there, the service was great, the room spacious, clean and modern. The King sized bed was extremely comfortable. The location was around the corner from the play (Wicked) we went to see. Checking in was a breeze even showing up at exactly 3pm (check-in time). There's a parking garage next to the hotel it's $30.00 per day after the hotel validates your receipt (saves you about $8 per day). Other garages in the area are priced about the same. There's is a complimentary breakfast in the hotel, pretty basic nothing fancy. The hotel was conveniently located within walking distance of the theaters and Central Park. The only thing I would have done different if I had known was request a room facing the front as opposed to a view of the parking lot, not a big deal. We had a great time and would definitely stay there the next time we go down to the city.
I stayed here becuase I had been a guest at this hotel back in 2000 and really liked it. The lobby was the same, and the staff were reasonbly nice (though not always good at their jobs). That was it. The room I had this time was tiny - it was called an 'executive king&quot; and it made me fearful of what the normal rooms were like. I later learned that they had in fact sold out of the room type I had booked and given me a smaller one instead - when I complained, they put me in a room of similiar size with a jacuzzi. This practice is really irritating - I would have appreciated the room I booked or a discount for taking something smaller. The staff were at least up front in explaining the problem. Since the hotel was full, this was in fact a way of raising their rates. I'm sure they charged the guy in my room more than I was paying.The rooms, though tiny, were okay, but it took two calls to engineering to get things working. The television was not connected to the wall and the high speed internet was not working. The hotel claims it has wireless and may in fact have it on some floors, but not on the 16th floor or in the restaurant. The engineer explained to me that this was because the building was old and the signals don't go through the walls. I didn't laugh at him, but my computer was receiving signals from two other wireless networks from offices nearby. He must be new to his job.Housekeeping was okay, but they had the most annoying desire to restock the minibar at 10 am on weekends, even with the &quot;do not disturb&quot; sign. Maybe they're new to hotels, but I'm not sure 10 AM is a good time to restock minibars. The drinks downstairs are okay, the food is only mediocre though. No big deal since you can walk or take the subway to eat anywhere in Manhattan very easily. I didn't encounter any surly staff - they were all pretty uniformly nice and attempted to be helpful. One front desk staff didn't quite know how to book a car service to go to Kennedy - he said that a taxi was the only way other than the bus. He must be new to his job too.
The Hotel is in a great location, the staff are very friendly and helpful. The rooms are clean it met all my requirements.
We stayed at the Hotel Burnham for three nights in September. The pluses: friendly staff, good location, beautiful elevator lobby, Aveda bath products. The minuses: very small room, not very good food in the surprisingly busy restaurant and a bellman who never arrived to help us with our luggage, despite two requests.
I've probably stayed at Mandalay Bay a dozen times but this was my first time at THEhotel. It was only $20/night more than Mandalay Bay, couldn't pass it up. In many ways I preferred the location, closer to the parking garage and bulk of the restaurants such as rumjungle vs the Mandalay Bay tower.I've stayed at Platinum and Signature in the last 18 mos and thought the suite compared well. No kitchenette or balcony but everything else top notch. I requested a pool view room and was assigned 36810. My sense was the distance was further than at the main tower but I could still judge if the chairs were getting scarce, etc.I really liked the living room area when you entered the room, it feels like you're entering someone's apartment. Large bedroom with comfortable king bed. Large bath with tub for two and large glass shower stall. And a separate 1/2 bath to boot. A lot more storage space than a typical suite or hotel room. The robe and slippers were a nice touch.It's just a personal preference but I didn't care for the dark/black wood tones. As some have mentioned it's starting to show some wear spots and I prefer a lighter tone. I've also found the hotel lobby a little dim for my taste.Checkin and checkout personnel were very polite and professional. I used the in-house coffee counter a few times but not the restaurant. My friend and I went to Mix on the top floor one evening for a drink, a great view up the strip. It is amazing how much the CityCenter skyline obscures the view now though.Pool was great as always. Using the side entrance you are close to the Lazy River, which I got a lot of enjoyment out of.Definitely will consider this property again in the future.
My boyfriend and I stayed at the QT from 1-6th November. We were allocated room 1401 which was a decent enough size, very clean with no frills. We had read previous reviews about the QT on Trip Advisor and being budget conscious, we decided this was the one for us. After almost a whole day of travelling, the huge rain-like shower and a very comfortable though unconventional bed, were just what we needed. The staff were very very friendly and nothing was too much trouble for them. We understood the pool was being renovated and due to this, the normal dining area was shut off and breakfast was served in room 604 which was quite cramped but adequate. The food was good and a there was a good variety to choose from.The very hip and trendy hotel could perhaps have changed the layout of the beds. In our room one of us had to literally climb over the other to get out to use the bathroom in the night. Not a very well thought out aspect of the room. Though the cubby holes under the bed were perfect to store our bags. The safe, though rather bizarrely located in the bathroom was very useful to store our valuables and we were very glad of the air-con system which was extremely efficient.The QT is in an excellent location, has very friendly staff and is priced well for those on a budget. I'd definitely come back to this hotel on my next trip to NYC!
Five wonderful days 5/25/05-5/30/05 at the Place D'Armes, superior room with a view of the Noter Dame Catheral across the street. Service in all respects perfect, staff was just super friendly and nice to my wife and I. Rooms were just as described on their website, zero disappointments. Kept spotless by the housekeeping ladies. Loved the evening free wine and cheese as well as the breakfast in the morning. Roof top, great place for a glass of wine, plate of cheese, sit and view the Old City. Hotel located in the Old City just a short stroll to the port. Many many wonderful large, small, quaint place to eat all price ranges. Metro stop one block down the hill from the hotel in case you wanted to explore the other delights of Montreal. Flew in, $31CAN cab ride from the airport, no car rental necessary. I planned the trip as a romantic getaway for my wife and I who reside in Destin, FL. It was all that and more thanks to the Place D'Armes and its superb staff. I will stay there again..the hotel is expanding to include additional rooms and suites, Bristo in the lobby and new Bar as well as a top of the line SPA..all of which will be fully operational by mid June 05.
I stay at the Cow Hollow every time I go to San Francisco. Clean, cute rooms and friendly staff. Excellent location for restaurants, bars, and a bit of shopping. The suites are like a home away from home and excellent for a group of friends or a family! I'm going back soon....
This is a &quot;boutique&quot; type hotel that my husband and I booked quite randomly. It was an unexpected delightful surprise. If you like everything about beautiful hotels except their assembly-line size than this place is for you. It's just the right size for more personal service and the location is unbelieveable. It's a nice walk through Green Park to Buckingham Palace and Mayfair is the Beverly Hills of London. Full English breakfast was included in our room rate and it was excellent. There are high end shops on Bond Street (a couple of blocks away) and cute small cafes all around. Bus and tube stops are a few blocks away. I cannot recommend this hotel more highly!
Hotel is Excellenat, Cost wise is high, for business purpose it is nice hotel
Hard to beat for location. Simply great.Service very impersonal, checking out is pretty much automated. No-one readily available to talk to if a problem.Room is adequate, but poorly cleaned (found previous guests' keycard behind cabinet). Electrics dodgy - cartoon sparks from socket when I plugged in. No view whatsoever from window.I booked business class so that I could treat my 10 yr old to breakfast each morning. This was a disappointment because they give you vouchers at check-in which you redeem on paying the breakfast bill. So far so good, but then I found my $45 per breakfast (me and 10yr old) only covered coffee and a Danish! Had to upgrade again to get hot food (another $26 each morning)! Naughty not to be advised up front when I booked especially as I seemed to pay tax twice - once when booking and again when paying the breakfast bill. Big mistake.Upgrading to Business class didnt even get me a free TV channel - all TV was at extra cost. Not really a problem as this wasn't a priority for us, but if you want to unwind with some local telly, open your wallet. Also had to fork out extra $10 to access internet in the room which turned out to be so limited as to be useless to me.Foyer is an extravagant aircraft hangar of a space. I loved it, but others might find it too impersonal.Fantastic city to have a holiday in, but I'll look for another hotel next time.
The location of this place is wonderful - right in the middle of NYC - makes it convenient to go anywhere you'd like. Grand Central was walking distance, or even 2 bus stops down the street if you're too lazy to walk. The service and staff were exceptional! They were courteous, very prompt, and made much efforts to make sure our stay was nice.Definitely a GO-BACK! :)
The atrium is the centerpiece in this hotel. Several years old now, it's still beautiful architecture. The rooms are OK - nothing fancy for this class of hotel. And the facitity feels a bit dated (some of the concrete walls don't do much for me). But the sliding doors on the room added a wonderful openness to the room and the view was pretty good. The location is good, and the F trolly line, BART and MUNI right at the hotel will get you everywhere. It's a good hotel but I wouldn't pay a premium.
Hello to all,We are just back from London. We were staying at theMitre House Hotel near Paddington Station;My girlfriend and I stayed there for 9 nights;my comments are generally positive in the sense thatthe room was clean and it had some good space as we had one of the largest one in the building (room the persons serving us could barely understand English !!!One advice; go near the hotel on Praed St (same street as the Paddington Hilton) you will find some coffee shops and bagel # 310)so we would recommend it as it was very quiet at night.And the staff really went out of their way to help us.As for the breakfast, not only was it disgusting but even shops for your breakfast; it will be a better way to start off your day.But even though, we would still go back there no matter what...........except for the breakfasts!!!!
It's been awhile since we have stayed at this HGVC at the LV Hilton and there have been some nice upgrades to the property. There have been new bedspreads, and reupholstered furniture put in the suites, making them more colorful. It also has the new Hilton Suite Dreams bed by Serta, which is very nice, plus the new Crabtree &amp; Evelyn bath amenities and the new Hilton Clock radio. The rooms are spacious, clean and comfortable. Great location to travel about Vegas by car. If you travel here and expect to be in the center of the action you will be disappointed, for that you will need to stay at the HGVC at the Flamingo. But if you are in Vegas to relax, visit family or on business it is a very convenient location.
We had a great time in Chicago and a great stay at the Westin. The hotel was within walking distance from everything. The only time I took a cab was when I went to the Museum of Science. Our room was large and clean. We had a view of the river which was gorgeous.They don't serve breakfast which is disappointing since many 3-star hotels include it for free. There is an Einstein's about a block a way. Also, in-room internet is expensive (another amenity that many 3-star hotels include for free) but you can get free wi-fi in the lobby. The only disappointment was the elevator lobby on the 7th floor where our room was located. I think someone may have vomited on the carpets in that area. The smell was absolutely terrible. I was lucky not to have a room nearby the lobby - I can't imagine how the people near the lobby dealt with it! I could tell that the maids worked every morning to clear the smell by using some sort of citrus cleaner. It only masked the smell and the citrus scent dissipated within 2 hours.
this is just the best place to stay. bang in the middle of west one, london. uber cool design, big quiet (in contrast to the jumping and pumping bars and lobby) bedrooms, 12 hour beds, take- a- friend showers....you get the picture.they have a pretty happening bar scene at this place. resident dj, lots of pretty boys and even prettier girls. and mean cocktails, all served by attitude free bar staff.the lobby here is also great to mill about in and people watch - in fact it was celeb central when we were there. this meant check out took a while but hey - who cares !
My friends and I took a &quot;girls weekend&quot; trip over Labor Day Weekend. We had read all the bad reviews and were a little nervous about what we would find. As soon as the taxi pulled up we had a bellman helping us with our bags. We checked in around 6:30 p.m. and there were 2 or 3 people in front of us and 4 or 5 desk clerks. We went up with a positive attitde and received the same in turn. Darrell was very very nice. He upgraded us to a mini suite and even offered us a rollaway bed since there was 4 of us. We were on the 15th floor in the older section. Our room was really nice and clean. It wasn't the upgraded Go room but it was still very nice. We saw the maids in the hall every morning cleaning the rooms and they always said hello and were very friendly. We called and requested and extra blanket and it was delivered quickly and with a smile. The pool was clean and beautiful. It was crowded on the weekend but the pool crew were monitoring chairs to make sure the ones with towels were actually being used. If someone was saving their place for longer than half an hour the towels were removed and the chairs were freed up for others. I didn't see any rowdy young people as I saw in other reviews. Everyone was having a good time in a dignified manner. The restaurants had good food and the waitstaff was friendly.If you want a good priced hotel with nice amenities than the Flamingo is perfect for you. We had absolutely no problems and were very pleased with our stay. I'm not sure what everyone else is expecting but we had a great time and would definately go back!
The hotel and staff were all great, lots of sexy beautiful women. Room really nice. A little noisy from some ignorant guests one of the three nights, they need some signs up asking for guests to be quite at certain hours. Everywhere on the first floor stunk of cigarettes, even inside of restaurant. If hotel was non-smoking would go back in a second but no where in Vegas is, will never go back to Vegas because of this reason, couldn't enjoy ourselves(still choking a week later). Paid a high rate for first 2 nights due to Nascar but on the return got an incredible deal.
I stayed at Le Westin Montreal 2-6 July for the Montreal Jazz Fest. My boyfriend is a Starwood employee and got us a special rate (which I won't disclose) but it was far less than the $230 +/night they were asking that weekend, which in my opinion is not worth it for this hotel. For starters, the hotel is still under construction (which the website doesn't tell you, although they advertise amenities that are not yet available). The touted lap-pool is not completed (although you can use the pools of the nearby sister properties), nor is the spa (although there is info in the room about it). Only one of the three elevators are operational at any given time, and painfully slow. There are several incomplete areas of the hotel covered in sheets or tarps, and that &quot;new carpet smell&quot; filled the air. We were the first guests to occupy our room, which still had a little construction dust in the bathtub, and some dust on the furniture. The room contained a flat panel TV, a clock radio that supports the iPod/iPhone, cordless phone, several lamps, and a Heavenly Bed. The room is spacious with a full-size sofa bed and a large desk, but no stationery or note pads for writing. The AC worked well, and we had good wifi reception. There is a very green theme to the hotel, evidenced by the soap, toiletries, recycling bins, etc.The bathroom was not as spacious as the rest of the room, but it wasn't a tight fit. The bathtub has dual shower heads and curved shower curtain. The bathroom fan is very quiet and the towels are wonderfully soft and thick. The vanity however, has false drawers, so you don't have any storage in the bathroom. Overall, the room was OK, but on the basic side for what is supposed to be a 4-Star hotel -- we were not impressed and very glad we were not paying the rack rate. We visited two bars/restaurants in the hotel. Gazette on the first floor, and the Reporter Lounge on the 3rd floor. Of course the prices were typical for a hotel. Tuesday-Saturday a reception is offered at the Reporter bar, from 5-7. However, you must get there early, as the free sampling of food and beverages go quickly. Valet parking is $26CAD/day, in/out, but here is a parking lot across the street that offers parking for a few dollars less. The hotel is in a very convenient location to the Old Port, and adjacent to a Metro station. Given that Montreal is very walkable, you don't need to take your car out, unless you're leaving the city. I found most of the hotel staff to be warm and friendly, with the exception of the day-time front desk staff. The bar, restaurant, and room service staff were quite congenial. The bell staff, valet, and housekeeping were good (but there was no turndown service). Everyone was always smiling and eager to help, although the front desk day staff could seem a bit more motivated. All I can guess is that their lack of enthusiasm stems from dealing with the complaints and comments from disappointed clients who expected the hotel to have the quality of a 4-star Starwood Group property, and the advertised features available. As one reviewer mentioned, it seems as if Starwood wanted to get this place open by peak tourist season, even though there are still building permits on the windows. They should indeed be ashamed for delivering a product in this condition. I don't think that we'll stay here again, even with the employee discount. There are several properties in the Starwood Group and other hotel chains in the immediate vicinity that would give you better quality for the same price or less than what you'd pay at Le Westin.
When we booked this hotel it was ranked much higher on TA, around 20-30 in NYC (now down to 66th). And to be honest, I can see why it has fallen down the rankings slightly.Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed our stay here. The lobby area is impressive, and our room was spacious complete with a small kitchen. The restaurant was not cheap but equally not overly expensive by NY standards, and the breakfast was very good as was the service. Location was also good (near MSG and Penn Station) in that we could walk pretty much everywhere in Manhattan, the only time we got a bus was when visiting Liberty Island.However, it was very noisy. There were constant sirens outside our room and at times it was difficult to sleep (the night we arrived, a bomb went off in Times Square!). One of the concierge staff also seemed rather haughty, we booked tickets to a Broadway show there but he gave the impression that he was almost doing us a favour, and was quite pushy in getting us to spend money. It made us feel slightly uncomfortable so after that we only approached the Concierge desk when he wasn't on duty.While I would stay here again if required as the price was not unreasonable (around 600 for 5 nights), I think if we ever visit NYC again I will look for something better.
We had booked a prepay two day stayed at the hotel on May 3 and 4. when we arrived, we needed an additional day May 5. so we added that separately. However, when we got to the room, it had only one bed so we went backt to receptionist and ask to be moved to a room with two beds. They did moved us and redid some paper work. When we got back to the US and receivced our credit card bill, we were charge for the room that we stayed with two beds and was additionally charge for the original room (one bed) that we did not stayed in. I have called and told them the situation that I should get a charge back but they refuse and said that it was a no show charge which is obviously wrong since we were there and were charged. I'm currently disputing the charges with my credit card company. Regarding the hotel, it is in a terrible area and not safe. The service is terrible. The window cannot be closed and we had call for service to fix it but it never came.T. chung
I am a lady in my 60's traveling alone. I thought a Howard Johnson should be okay. Not so! I was sent to a room way on the other side of the motel from the lobby. It was dirty, no towels except for a used one on the back of the bathroom door. The door was flimsy and had just the chain and regular lock. No deadbolt. I went to a show on the Strip and when I returned, the lighting was almost non-existent. I decided after getting to the room to take a shower, but all I could get was scalding hot water. No amount of adjusting would work. (I had finally received clean towels). I piled all my luggage and a chair in front of the door and tried to sleep! They charged me for the room and I had already paid Priceline. That is being straightened out now.I had planned on staying there on my return from CA, but contacted Priceline and cancelled. I was too apprehensive to ever stay there again.
Have stayed at this hotel many times over the past five years or so, this is my first trip back since they remodeled. Apparently they missed me, since they put me in a HUGE suite. If you have ever stayed here, you know many of the rooms are tiny, well this suite was larger than some of my friends apartments! I am glad to see the weird pink/orange color gone, it's been replaced with a blue/brown scheme - much more restful. Bathroom design was pretty bad, poor lighting, huge jacuzzi tub but counter space was unbelievably small, I mean there was NO room to even leave a glass with my toothbrush in it, had to repack all costmetics and put them on the shelf underneath. There was plenty of room in the bathroom to put a larger vanity or even a shelf, not sure why it was set up this way.Bed was comfortable, great linens as usual, plenty of pillows and I loved the new plasma tvs in the room. The living area was really big but not all that functional, had a small sofa, a desk and a dining table but the layout was kind of strange. It was hard to see the tv from the couch, much easier to hang out on the bed and watch.The service was wonderful as usual, I have no complaints other than the room service guy wouldn't stop talking to me and leave and I was hungry. Club sandwich was just ok, roasted chicken was wonderful and I would highly recommend it.I will be staying here again next month, so hopefully will see what the regular rooms are like...
Fabulous little hotel in Chelsea,less than a 5 min walk from the Sloane Square Tube Station. Only 35 rooms, with unsurpassed, personalized service. Charming little breakfast room, with only 5 tables. Hotel has a cute theater theme, so rooms are named for famous actors, vs. having numbers. Concierge got us great theater seats. Free tea and champagne in the afternoons in the lounge were an extra treat. Rooms luxurious and finely appointed. Pricey, but worth every penny.
Apparently, everyone needed to be in New York City mid-October, and bargains were few and far between. My daughter and I wound up with a room at the Carlton after a series of miscommunications left us with a pressing need for reservations, and no luck on Priceline. The Carlton is close to two subway lines - a quick walk to either one, and we could get to either Grand Central or points south (Union Square, Financial District) very quickly. Our well-priced (by NY standards) standard room was cozy - okay, it was small - but very clean, comfortable and quiet. The bathroom was almost as large as the room itself; you could do calisthenics in there. Why, then, was the shower essentially a glass tube that forced one to stand perfectly straight and still in one spot? Heaven help you if you wanted to bend down to wash your feet. You'd have had to yell for a maid armed with the jaws of life to extricate you. The hotel staff was competent and pleasant, but...how should I say this...a little distant? It's a good thing that (a) I wasn't feeling lost and in need of friendly conversation and (b) that my suitcase has wheels. It's a long, lonely walk from the front desk to the elevator. Everyone in restaurant/bar on the first floor was very warm and accommodating, though. And no in-room coffee maker.....is that even legal? Yes? Well, it shouldn't be. The internet access was priced on a per-minute basis, and I'd have needed a court reporter to type fast enough to make an email reasonable. We went next door to a convenient little store/deli and paid $1 to check our email and look up some addresses - and drink coffee. It's a pleasant place to stay (the Carlton, I mean, not the deli), but somewhat lacking in the charm that we've grown to love at the Blakely. I would be happy to return to the Carlton, but heck...it's New York City, and I'd be willing to sleep in the ladies' room at Penn Station if that's what I had to do. Unfortunately, we couldn't get bargain rates there in October, either.
We stayed June 24-July1st. At 3am on our first night, we had a couple burst into our room, having used an electronic key card to unlock the exterior foyer door, and our room door lock. They were standing next to my son sleeping on the fold out couch. They scared us to death. We had rented 2 one bedroom units to accomodate my elderly dad and our family, so I had not locked the deadbolts. This was really unacceptable, and the front desk only said --oh so sorry when I confronted them. Customer service??? The grand view is 5 miles or so south of the action on the strip, you need a car. It's quiet- other than the casino construction next door, and pretty new still. There are 2 pools- one is ice cold the other heavily used by kids- and good for kids, shallow. Bring sun screen there isn't much shade. There are very few resort activities.Warning: when you check in they will send you to the &quot;concierge&quot; who is only a timeshare sales person. Don't go. We signed up then cancelled after our unwelcome visitors. Other guests told me they were very hard sell, and even insulted them when they said no to buying a timeshare. We got a steal of a deal through the military to stay there, otherwise I would not do it again.The walls are very very thin. Good luck.
this is our favourite hotel of all and having stayed in a number of other in Dubai we keep going back. The staff are so so willing to help but dont be put off as they really are genuine. The poolarea and beach are fantastic so much so we rarely leave the hotel. Prices are what you would expect from a hotel like this so be prepared. I feel so lucky to stay at such a fantastic hotel and have met so many nice people both staff and guests.
We reserved a room a week in advance and we confirmed the day of our arrival, specifying our late arrival in the night. They assured us everything was ok, but when there we discovered that our room was not available. In addiction they didn't help us on finding another place and they ask for money to keep our baggage.
This hotel felt very trendy/funky without being pretentious. The rooms were really big, and the beds were so comfortable, it was hard to get up in the morning. The turn down service left green tea chocolates...pretty cool.Definitely felt like you were part of the action; the restaurant downstairs always seemed to be busy, and became a late-night hot spot for locals.
we stayed at the Andrews Hotel in September 2005 and had a nice stay. Since we paid only 370 euro for 4 nights, I was a little curious what the hotel would be like, but it turned out to be just fine. Room was a little crampy and if you are over 6 ft tall the shower is a bit on the short side, but the pastries for breakfast were fresh and an absolut delight combined with the lovely coffee and tea. The hotel is near Union Square and a 10 minute walk from Powell BART station and near the cable car turn. The perfect hotel if sleeping is the most important thing to do at your hotel!!
My daughter and I (from Denmark) just enjoyed a 5 night stay at this lovely bed and breakfast. We had a room on the 4th floor with a modern bathroom, 2 single beds and a 20-inch flatscreen tv. The hotel rooms were cleaned expertly, the staff was very helpful, the hotel was lovely and charming, and the breakfasts were adequate - cheese, yoghurt, cornflakes and musli, toast, fruit, coffee and tea. the location was excellent just a few minutes walk from 2 underground stations - Bayswater and Queensway, and just a couple of minutes from Hyde park and Portobello Road. Whiteleys shopping center is just around the corner, where there are stores, a cinema and an excellent Marks and Spencers supermarket. All in all a wonderful place.
We stayed at the Swissotel after finding an excellent fall rate on TravelZoo, and we're glad we did. The location is central to Millenium Park, Magnificent Mile, and the Loop, and has excellent views of the lake and Navy Pier. This is an excellent place to stay for travelers wishing to spend a lot of time walking around downtown Chicago and visiting the city. (You will need to walk a number of blocks to get to a subway station, but nothing unusual. Taxis also wait outside the hotel.)Our two double beds were very comfortable. Roomy bathroom with no cleanliness issues. Hotel staff were excellent in providing us assistance when needed. We were two young people visiting as tourists, and didn't get the snooty vibe that a few other reviewers say they experienced.I would definitely return -- in particular if we were offered the promotion again. Use caution when attempting to email the hotel -- the web form didn't work and when I emailed the manager after the stay to let him know, I never heard back. The constant threat of additional fees (the minibar, which use automatic sensors to charge when something's been removed; Internet; health club; parking; $24 for continental breakfast; etc.) could also be improved, but we didn't find any undue charges on our bill. Check-in and check-out was a breeze. We also appreciated the relatively late check-out time (noon).
I stayed there during August 2004, the neighbourhood was ackward, a lot of homeless people right in front of the hotel... The room we had was very small, a horrible bathroom, we couldnt even move in the shower, and the room was not that clean !the staff was friendly, but we were surprised by the excessive price of the hotel parking ! Thought it wasnt worth the price we payed for.Would not go there again, and certainly not in that nieghbourhood !
Nice lobby and bar (although the drinks are pricey) . The rooms are average. The pool area is nice enough.
a few points:1) this is NOT 'Jukaso Inn', it is 'Hotel Jukaso Inn' - these are 2 different hotels - yes it is confusing!!2) i gave this hotel 4/5 (&quot;above average&quot;) as for delhi it is above average. i would probably give it 3.5/5 if i couldok, basically delhi is really hard to get a decent hotel that isn't ridiculously expensive. well this is an exception. it is a decent hotel in a very handy place, connaught place. it isn't beautiful but it is decent and clean with a good size room, bed, tv and shower/bathroom. the A/C was so-so as you couldn't choose a personal setting, it was basically a grill in the wall with cool air coming in. but the room was nice and cool so i didn't mind. there was a fan that could be controlled too.the breakfast was pretty good i thought though my girlfriend didn't like her eggs (no problem, i ate hers too!). it had 1 computer for internet use and at 68Rs (why 68?!!) per hour wasn't very cheap. other than that this hotel was grand. they were helpful with storing our bags all day as we had a late flight. and they helped organise a taxi for us.so in short, booking hotels in delhi is a nightmare cos all the reviews seem to be so bad, or else they are ridiculously expensive. well if i was ever staying in delhi again i'd stay here, and i would recommend it to a friend.
The location is fantastic, the staff are great, but it was a thoroughly 'fawlty towers' experience. The first room I was sent to was not made up at all - it appeared to be an occupied room I had been given access to. They then sent me to the 8th floor to a different room, to find that the bathroom hadn't been cleaned at all - towels on the floor, as if someone had just checked out. The 3rd room had a broken TV with no remote - I phoned guest services to send someone twice - who did not turn up either time. The 4th room was okay, but the old sash windows were chattering and banging all night. I would expect better from a Travelodge, never mind a supposed 5 star hotel. It was an awful experience.
I visited Montreal for five days for business and stayed in one of the lofts on Rue St Paul. It was a fantastic location, above a nice bar/restaurant on a picturesque street. The hotel staff were friendly and helped in every possible way, including getting my colleague and I tickets to the sold out ice hockey match. The breakfast, while an additional charge, was incredibly reasonably priced ($10) and plentiful (which helps when nothing is open before 11am!!). As part of my stay I used the gym facilities at one of the nearby sister hotels which is one of the great benefits of the lofts; it feels like an apartment but you can use all of the facilities at any of their hotels. I got a great deal; had a great time and would stay there again for business or pleasure.
Check in was alittle confusing because you had to pick a line... I think it would be smoother if they used ropes. Erica checked me in and was very nice. I asked about the construction and the noisy pool and was told the construction was almost done and shouldnt bother me, and she felt my room was high enough that I wouldnt hear the pool music. She was correct. My room was nice, the bed was very comfortable. The casino was just average, but it was nice to have the food court so close by. The pool didnt have enough sun, and the chairs were so close together you needed to almost step on someone to lay down. Overall it was a good experience.
Boy, it's going to be tough to write this review. I am not sure I can gush enough about this fine hotel.When you drive up, the hotel is not overdone, it's simple. The hotel sent a car to the airport for us and the car alerted the hotel we were coming. The manager and a assistant greeted us on the sidewalk.Our check in was done in the room, we never had to stop by the front desk. Then hot tea arrived the room with Asian cookies. The kids had stuffed animals and baseball caps on their beds!We had two rooms, the larger room had a stunning bay view. Our bathroom had a tub that overlooked the bay. I can't tell you how relaxing it was to soak in a hot tub and have the whole city of San Francisco below you!This is one hotel I could just sit in the hotel room and never leave.The service is top rate. You don't have to ask for anything, some how the staff seems to understand what you need and they do cartwheels to make you happy. The staff in my view is one of the best group of hotel employees in the world.The concierge staff is the best in the world. They suggested restaurants and treated the kids like family. We were offered the hotel car for dinner and never had to get a cab to go anywhere.This is exactly what a dream hotel stay should be. Perfect rooms, wonderful views, attentive staff and San Francisco. I can't describe how perfect our stay at this hotel was....I can't wait to go back!
My husband and I stayed at this hotel for three nights and i have to say that everything that has been said about this hotel on this website is very TRUE. I will definitively not recommend for someone to stay at this hotel if the purpose of the trip is to spend time in the room and visit sites. It is purely for the traveler looking for a place to sleep and shower. additionally, three nights should be the max..the wall paper, carpet and the bed are not worth seeing more than three nights!! ... and oh yes, the bath is so small that i could sit down on the toilet and fully brush my teeth at the same!I give this dump two stars because of the great location with easy access to the Bayswater (circle line) tube station and vibrant neighborhood...
Our package included free continental breakfast. This breakfast included toast, fresh tea, ready-made side dishes, however this &quot;free breakfast&quot; did not include any hot meal (i.e., omlette, french toast, pancake, like that). Decoration of the room was very romantic. Check the photo!The location of the hotel is fantastic for the London sight seeing. Walking distance (one of the closest) to the Buckingham palace, Victoria Station (I think), and the famous double deck bus stops.Although this is rather high end hotel (meaning bit expensive), I recommend this hotel to anyone who loves nice&amp;chic hotel and also who is tight on a visiting schedule in London, so that you can save so much time trying to get to the public transportation.
Like others have reiterated, the location can't be beaten as the entrance to the subway is just steps away. Perfect place as a base for sightseeing or business. Rooms are spacious (had 2 queen beds to fit 2 adults &amp; 2 kids very comfortably), clean &amp; well maintained. If you need a fridge, you can ask for a complimentary one at check-in. There's a 24 hour Duane Reed pharmacy to pick up necessities or simple breakfast stuff (like bread/cereals/water/milk/etc) just next door. Or a proper supermarket (Food Empire) abt 1 block away. A more expensive specialty grocery store is just round the corner. Lots of restaurants in the area (even McD's - for those with kids). Totally recommend the hotel.
Hi ,came home from new york yesterday stayed in the Novotel Hotel in Times Square. I was a bit concerned regarding staying at the novotel due to the wide difference of reviews. Its simple. The Location is fantastic, the hotel is of very good standards, the view from our room was of Times square absolutely fantastic, Room 2301. We did not eat at the restaurant, but did eat at applebe's (very good). The reception staff where very helpfull and very polite. In the other reviews it mentioned about the lift on the main street that you need to us to get to reception, yes its abit slow but not important.We had a very good enjoyable time and would definately stay at the novotel again.One thing that I would recommend is that you plan a New York greater before you leave for New York (opt for greater choice). A greater is someone that take's you around the sights of NYC for free of charge. the only thing that you have to pay is their lunch. My husband was very weary about this at first. But we met up with Ellen on Saturday and had a fun filled time.
We have just got back from this great hotel after celebrating your silver wedding anniversary there. we stayed in the Palm Tree Court Hotel which was absolutely great. The rooms were good and very large and the staff were very attentive, nothing was too much trouble. The bath robes and slippers were useful and they came in every night to turn down the beds and leave more water for you, which in that heat was very gratefully accepted. The shuttle bus was very good but it only cost 70 dirhams if you missed the bus or as happened to us the bus broke down coming back from the mall. went on a city tour which was excellent to see all the sites, the souks, the mosques and the markets but the weather was very hot and sticky (we had the hottest day of the year when we were there) but everybody was so nice. The price of drinks is very dear, at least 20 for a bottle of wine but in that heat water is the better option. Even though we booked the holiday with a travel agent we upgraded the room with the hotel by email which was far cheaper than by the travel agent and we had some nice touches, a lovely floral display for the anniversary, a bottle of wine, arabic sweets and fruit which was very nice. The spa was very good and very relaxing. my husband played golf once in that heat but the facilities were great and they come to collect you from your room with the clubs on a golf cart and bring you back. The shopping malls are good, the Ibn Batutta Mall seemed to have the best prices but the Mall of the Emirates is a must if only to see Ski Dubai. we had a lovely meal in the Lebanese resturant overlooking the ski slopes and on that occassion the wine was dearer than the food. The beach was so clean and the loungers were really great but with 65% himidity it was hard to sit out. so next time we return it will have to be in cooler times, February or November seem good and then we can perhaps eat out in the lovely resturants that are outside. Don't miss the buffet breakfat in the hotel it is really good it serves everything you can wish for to eat for breakfast.
A very good location if you want to stroll around the Wharf and area. A bus stop opposite the hotel will take you through the Italian district, china town and union square. After reading reviews we decided to e-mail the hotel direct a week before we went to request we stayed in the main building on Columbus Ave, this was honoured and im glad we did this. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The hotel restaurant not worth the money just go down the road to the Italian, Cioppinos's, the conceirge did not recommend this restaurant but we ate there twice, very good. The lady serving at the bar in the hotel was pleasent and I heard her often helping tourists with were to go and what to see. Alcatraz is a must to see and also to go and eat in china town.
Although the location of this hotel is excellent, the quality of the rooms is really 2 star at best. The carpets were torn and grubby, the furniture was chipped and worn, the wallpaper was dirty and torn, the skirting was broken in the corners, the latch on the door had been pulled from it's mounting at some point, and the broken wood was left splintered when repaired. The bathroom was very old and dated. The seals around the bath and sinks were dirty and discoloured, as was the ceiling. The taps were dull and old looking. The worst was the shower curtain, which we were afraid to touch as it was so dirty and mouldy. The general quality of the room was 1 star. But the towels and bedsheets were clean, although the bed was poor quality. Upon arrival we were greeted by a porter with 'Are you waiting for someone?' despite the fact that we had a case each in-hand.Breakfast was a battle to get tea or coffee - one morning I asked three people for coffee, and it still didn't arrive until we had both finished our breakfast a good 10 minutes.Steer well clear unless you are happy with an old tatty room in a good location.
The hotel room itself is spacious, especially for San Francisco. The furnishings in the room were old and tattered but looked clean. However, everyone in my party woke up with numerous bed bug bites. We spend the next few days itching like crazy.On each day of my four day stay, the hallway was littered with half-eaten room service plates. The cleaning service cleaned them once a day. Spend your money elsewhere.
Stayed here 1 night in July 2009 to attend an event at Earls Court.Travelodges can be very hit or miss but I found this one to be a hit. Everything was spotlessly clean and the lady at reception was very polite and welcoming.Yes there is a bit of pub noise during the night as this Travelodge is located on a busy street but thier website does inform you of this before you book. Plus, it's common sense that a hotel on a street full of pubs will have noise so there's no point in compaining.If you need a quick brekkie then McDonalds is 1 door away and there are numerous grocery shops if you need some food or other items.Earls Court and West Brompton tube stations are just a few minutes walk away.
Nice little hotel, just the basics, which was fine with me, as that is all I look for, when traveling (frequent business traveler).However, I was disturbed by one aspect, only one, but so much so, that I will never again go to this hotel or reccomend it to any work collegue or friend: the rudeness, and very unprofessional attitude, of the night clerks there !I stayed there for a little over a week or so and EACH TIME that I came back to my room lateat night (after my meetings) the man who was at the counter went out of his way to make me feel not at all welcomed there ! ** Probably the full-time night clerk... as I had the misfortune of crossing paths with him on four or five nights in a row (though their week-end night clerk was not exactly &quot;Mr. Guest Service&quot; either, but still much better than the one I came across (most often) during my last two previous stays there.The young man (Nick ?) greeted me very coldly (when he DID great me at all) each time that I passed through the lobby and the few times that I asked him for directions (ect) he made it a point to let me know that I was &quot;bothering him&quot; by sighing, and rolling his eyes, and answering me in a very exasperated tone of voice... and, on one of those occasions, if he was not drunk on the job, then he did a very good imitation of someone who was !At first, I thought that it (somehow) might be me. But, after one on my encounters with him, I got to talking with a couple (who had walked in while I was trying to deal with him), as we went up the elevator, and they told me that he had been equally as rude to them the previous night ! ** I do wish to stress that the day and evening people were much more curteous than he is but with my work schedule (when I am out on business) as it is, I mainly had that night guy to deal with, as opposed to Such a pity, I have been going to the St-Denis for a little over two years now and though this is the only bad aspect here, and only recently at that (like I have said, I have been coming here for two years now, and I had never had this kind of trouble before, with any of the staff, be it night or day).
The CP Marlow is a tricky one to some up. On the positive side, this is one of most impressive bargains available in the UK - we got our room using the 2-4-1 promotion highlighted on the hotels own website (crowneplazamarlowcouk). The hotel is in a lovely spot just 60 seconds walk from the River Thames and the Thames Path, and is set around an artificial lake with an impressive Lake Geneva-style jet deau. For a four star, the food is surprisingly accomplished  nothing flash, but the basics are done extremely well. They have a nice collection of childrens toys which are placed around the lawn in front of the lake and will keep your little one amused.Now the downsides. This is a hotel staffed by idiots which will make you question your sanity. When we checked in, we were given the key to a suite which was already occupied (and physically occupied at that!). When we told reception, we got another set of keys without an apology. They coded the club access wrong THREE times, and only on the fourth recut did the key open the club lounge door. When we ordered room service on day 1, our organic salmon salad arrived as salmon risotto  a dish not even on the room service menu. On Day 2, we got the right food but only 1 fork  so I had to eat my meal with a spoon and knife instead of a fork and knife. Our two attempts on consecutive nights to watch a pay TV film were ruined when the system crashed 45 minutes in and could not be reset by the staff. Our room was not cleaned when we returned at 5.15pm on the first day and was only done after we complained. Three separate members of staff told us that is was impossible to walk along the river into Marlow town itself, which is complete nonsense  you cannot walk it 100% on the river bank (more like 90%) but you can certainly do it.So, a disaster or not? Overall, we were happy. The promotional rates are excellent. The pool complex is not bad at all and the childrens pool is kept nicely warmer than the adjacent adult one. The lawn in front of the lake is as pretty as the photos on the website show it. At the end of the day, though, this is a conference hotel which plays to families at weekends to fill what would otherwise be empty rooms. This has led to some awkward compromises, such as the fact that the suites overlook the car park instead of the lake because the lake side is taken up with meeting rooms. That said, if you want a break from London and want to see Marlow, Henley, Cliveden, Windsor etc then this is a good place to base yourself - the rooms are modern and clean (the hotel only opened in 2003), the food is good and the weekend prices are good. Next time, though, well be bringing our own DVDs and cutlery .
You cannot beat the location of this property if you are looking for shopping and restaurants within walking distance. The free trolley can shuttle you around town as well. The rooms were small but clean and updated. During our visit the hotel was very busy so the elevators were a bit slow. Do not take a room by the elevator- they are loud! Pool and fitness center were good. This is an older hotel but book it if you get a good rate.
We stayed at the Sutton Place for 2 nights over Easter weekend. We had a great weekend in Chicago, and the Sutton Place was a big part of making our visit special, despite record low temps for April! The location is excellant, at the corner of Bellevue Place and Rush, steps from many of the best restaurants on the Gold Coast, and only about 3 blocks from Water Tower Place shopping on Michigan Avenue. Barney's Midwest outpost is only a block away. Despite lots of night time activity on Rush and State streets, this was one of the quietest hotels I have ever stayed in. No outside noise in our 11th floor room which faced the street, nor was there any interior noise from the corridors. The fact that the hotel only has about 250 rooms makes it very private, and the staff was always very courteous, and genuinely friendly. The concierge and front desk staff made great suggestions for places to eat, and really knew their stuff.  The rooms are generously sized, with great bathrooms. Though the furnishings are showing a bit of age, everything was in good working order. I very much enjoyed having the CD/DVD player in the room. They even have a small library of CD's to listen to in each room! Overall, a great property, and will return here again!
We stayed at the Residence Inn on our first trip to New York in '07 &amp; it really was the cherry on top! The service was great, along with the location &amp; breakfast is just perfect.We stayed in a corner suite. The rooms have everything you need (including a full kitchen) and are a good size. I would recommend this place to anyone, it's amazing just like NYC!
This hotel sucks. I sent them an e-mail to cancel but the claim they never got the e-mail. I never got a response from them so I assumed everything was okay. Then afterward I notice a charge on my card, I e-mail them and THEN they respond. Seems fishy that they respond after it's already too late to cancel, doesn't it??? What a scam.
I just spent an incredible weekend in Montreal and stayed three nights at the Hotel Gault. The staff, the room, the food, attention to detail was beyond expectations. I really was sad when we checked out, although they even did a great job on that as well by bringing the car to the front and loading our baggage while we ate a delicious breakfast. The room was spacious, beautifully decorated, lots of light and the heated bathroom floor was a treat. The bed was super comfortable and everything was very clean. They had prepared flowers for my fiancee prior to our arrival. There was a minor detail however. there was a noise from the vent overhead that sounded like dripping water in the duct. It wasn't often and I tuned it out after a bit but was a little annoying. I never bothered to say anything so I won't fault them for it and might have been specific to the room.After a long day of walking the streets of montreal one evening, we rented movies and they made popcorn and tea for us to enjoy. They quickly brought it to our room and set the tv and brought in the munchies.The staff, by the way, were the most helpful, nicest people. They always, genuinely, smiled and wished us a good evening/day when we passed by or asked how things were. It prompted me to send them a thank you note upon my return.I'll be back next time I'm in Montreal on vacation.Thanks hotel gault for a memorable weekend.
Stayed at fusion for 4 nights and would reccomend this hotel to anyone for the following reasons: The price is affordable based on what you can pay in San Fran.Excellent location right in the heart of union square - you can take a quick cab ride, trolly, or even walk to the pier if you have some time and want to see the City. (It was bit of a walk, but there are great sights, and plenty of pubs/cafe's on the way to stop in for a little rest and a drink).Close to great shopping.Spotlessly clean and modern decor in the rooms. Flat screen TVs, treat baskets, mini fridges, comfy beds and pillows. Very friendly and helpfull sfaff.There is a lot to spend your money on in San Fran, but this hotel is very affordable and is so amazing, that you don't feel like you are missing out on anything at all! Very nice experience!
I stayed there for 3 nights on business and was pleasantly surprised. The hotel looks great from the outside, and has charm on the inside. The staff at the front desk made me feel welcome after a long trip and the room was nicely decorated. While there wasn't much of a view, everything else was outstanding, plus it is near the cable cars on Powell Street and Union Square. I would definitely stay there again. The rooms were bigger than the Sir Francis Drake and Galleria Park.
We stayed in the pyramid. Apparently the towers were refurbished in 2006, but the pyramid felt like it was stil in the 80s. The decor was a bit tired. The room was big, but no coffee making facilities. Going into the other newer casino hotels made us realise how outdated the Luxor seemed. Could have been better generally. Had to pay to use gym which seemed ridiculous.
Location is OK - we walked there from the VIA rail train station. Service is really great, very nice staff. The room is average - bordering on small. There is no bar fridge and the ice machine on our floor was broken. I didnt find the bathroom shower that nice - the tub was stained. There were only half rolls of toilet tissue - I had to call down to housekeeping for more. For 189.00 for 1 night, I didn't think it was a great value.
Pros:Perfectly Clean, and they seem to clean your room everyday (a plus in India it seems)Great Location - 5 minute walk to Red Fort, subway station, McDonalds, and ATMsVery helpful front deskQuiet insideNice construction for the price (white marble floors, etc.)Good free breakfast included (proper breakfast, not muffins and juice boxes)Cons:Neighborhood is very, very dirty, and very, very poor. It's really a bit horrible your first time. Much of Delhi is that way though. Conclusion:Our favorite of 4 hotels we used in India, and ironically the cheapest. Aside from the disgusting neighborhood, everything about it is great.
We stayed for a 3-night city break, having visited many London hotels / apartments over the last couple of decades. The hotel was clean, staff friendly and the simple room had all basic requirements. I did miss a bath, I only have a shower at home and love to have a good soak when in a hotel. Guess that my loss is the planets gain.Minutes from the Southbank there's plenty to do nearby; you can spend at least a day without venturing onto the nearby tube network. Make it a day when the Borough Market is on. Avoid the first Indian Restaurant you come to on the Cut ... re-heats &quot;R&quot; us.
A lovely modern, clean hotel with good room size and friendly helpful staff. We booked on their website and got a room only rate of 135 incl taxes. It is on the picadilly line great for heathrow and moments from the underground door. I will certainly return.
What a superb experience we had this past weekend (9/19/09) celebrating my daughter's Sweet 16 in NYC! The entire staff gave us their undivided attention at all times, especially Hector. When we arrived we received an upgrade in our room and even an early check in. Recommendation for dinner and hot spots were right on. WOW! We were blown away! We have stayed at many NYC hotels before and our usual #1 choice was booked beause they were booked solid! Thank goodness, we just found our NEW #1 choice of hotels in NYC. Good pricing and good location! Thank you Omni Berkshire for making our New York weekend a perfect 10! ...please don't listen to those naysayers on reviews previous to this one because this hotel is a class act!
This is a large pub with bedrooms. My single bedroom was a little small, but it was comfortable enough. There are coffee making facilities, a desk, small wardrobe and a bathroom with a power shower. However, the toilet was unflushed when I arrived with excretia festering it it, which was not good. The tiny wash basin has a glass shelf above it, just in the right place to bash your head when you bend down to wash your face.The cooked breakfast was OK but my poached eggs were rock solid which is not to my taste.The biggest drawback to staying, at least in the first floor room I was in, is the street noise which goes on all day and night. The hotel even provides ear plugs, so they do recognise the problem. However, I didn't use them for fear of not hearing my morning alarm.For a one night stay in Waterloo this was OK and reasonably priced at just under 100.
this was the worst place i ever stayed in, the website made it look so chic while in reality its shabby, dirty and overpriced. Breakfast was a joke, stale muffins, and sour milk for a box of cereal. the bed was lumpy and not very clean, the bathroom was like something from the dark ages, no shower, if you wanted a shower you had to stand in the bath and hold the hose, which because my husband is tall, was almost impossible, there is no air conditioning so i can only imagine that the place would be murder in the summer,i was there in november and still found the room stuffy and hot. I would rather sleep in a bus shelter than go back to this place. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
The rooms were large, the bed very comfortable with what I think are 1000 thread count linens, the staff friendly and helpful, and the experience fantastic. I can't wait to go back. If you end up on the club floor, you can pretty much eat dinner from the hors d'oeurves they put out at night, and the continental breakfast is nice if not a hot breakfast. The staff in the club room are quite friendly and always offer to help with anything.The baths are the lovely deep ones which you can really sink into and the bath toiletries are (or were when I was there) from Penhaligon's--think the British equivalent of L'occitaine if you don't know the name.When I arrived my room was not ready, but they directed me to the gym, which had a very nice, large bathrooom for taking a shower. I had only one complaint with the experience. While the rooms and hallways are extremely quiet, the doors are very heavy, and the springs on the doors don't stop them from being loud as they close. So if you are a person who likes to sleep in, you may hear some noise from doors closing as people go off to work in the morning. It quiets down again after the rush, the housekeeping staff are quite quiet. I travel constantly for work and because I'm a travel freak, and of all the hotels I've stayed in, including quite a few 5 stars, this was the nicest. It was also the only one that ever got my special request right without having to be asked twice. I always request foam pillows because I am allergic to down. What this means in most hotels is that I put it on my requests on the reservation, and then phone again when I get to the room, then wait 1/2 an hour and have to phone again, then hear about how they can't find any, then 1/2 an hour later they show up with either pillows or towels for me to make into pillows. Then I almost have to beg them to take the down stuff out of the room. At this hotel when I checked into the room everything down in the room had already been replaced with really nice down free pillows. Even the duvet had been switched out. For that alone, I would go back.
We were hoping for more from this hotel, but it wasn't a bad choice that we regret. We've had a dreadful experience in the past at the Regent Palace, which makes this place feel like Buckingham Palace. The room was clean and acceptable. We had no problems with linens not getting changed as another review mentions. However, the bed was poor quality. I think that mattress has been pushed about a decade beyond it's intended lifetime. The full english breakfast was good, but 3 pounds extra. The location is excellent, close to Hyde Park, subway, Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Palace. Overall, we enjoyed it.
This hotel was great! My family came with me when I was having LASIK surgery. The LASIKMD office was an easy 15 minute walk away. The location was also great for public transportation, shopping and restaurants.Our hotel room was large and included a complete kitchen. The bed was comfortable and even the pull out sofa was comfortable for the kids. The pool was small but perfect for my two kids to swim in for hours. The staff were friendly and helpful. I would definitely stay at this hotel if I were to go to Montreal again.
My family and I stayed at Emerald Suites and loved it! The pool was great for the kids and the staff was very helpful.The kitchens were wonderful and the rooms are large and clean. We will be returning to las vegas and when we do this is where we will stay.
I would not recommend this hotel to anyone. Period!The rooms were so small (like smaller than the average in London), it was like sleeping in a box!! The hotel was run-down, grungy and in need of repairs. The breakfast was sub-standard and of really low quality. The bacon I was served was basically a piece of white fat with no meat... yuck!Although the staff were friendly enough, I did not enjoy my stay. The only thing that it had going for it was its central location.Oh, and the website is completely misleading. I have no idea what hotel was featured in their pics, but it was definitely not like any room I stayed in! so, go look somewhere else-- fast!!
Hi. Spent a February weekend in a three BR here. First, it is now run by Woogoo, not YourStay. Secondly, they do not know basic hospitality. We had to ask for towels, and you get one per person, no handtowels, no washcloths. There were not very many lights in the apartment and a third were burned out. The bedside lights are so small and weak, you can not use them for reading. There are no top sheets on the beds, only mattress sheets and I bet the quilts are not washed after every guest. There is room for 8 people in this apartment, but only one couch for sitting and only three kitchen chairs. There are no tables or lamps in the sitting room. The remote for the TV did not work . . shall I go on?beware, seduced by the website, but not againbill
I live in Beijing, but I stayed at the Hotel G for a romantic weekend with my fiancee. The hotel staff prepared everything for us ahead of our visit so that there were rose petals at the entry to our room and a chilled bottle of Champagne waiting for us when we arrived.The service, attention to detail and character here are among Beijing's best. We stayed in one of the &quot;Greater&quot; rooms, where the furniture is elegant and sublimely comfortable and the bath fantastic. The bed with feather comforter and mattress cover was unparalleled, and though we didn't take advantage of this, the room had a full menu of pillow options.Hotel G is on a small street just off the main entertainment strip in Beijing, but the G's restaurants are also delectable for those who don't want to go out. 25 Degrees on the first floor serves Beijing's best burgers and hosts DJ parties in the late evenings on weekends as well.When my friends and family come to visit Beijing next time, there is little doubt that I will recommend that they stay here.
Honestly, my overall impression of Las Vegas was one of horror -- it was just too fake for me (and my daughter as well). The Venetian was the only bright spot of our stay in Las Vegas. We had adjoining Venezia Bella View Suites, and they were spectacular. The beds were sooo comfortable, the a/c was great, the sitting area was spacious and comfortable, the bathroom was huge and luxurious. It was convenient to have shows and nice stores/restaurants right downstairs, as well as a couple of pools. But here's the big Thank You Venetian: after we checked out, my daughter discovered that she left her ring in the bathroom in our suite. Given the size of the hotel and the number of guests coming and going each day, I didn't think we'd ever see the ring again. But I emailed the Venetian when we got home, and the next day I got a phone call from the Venetian telling me that they located this little ring, in all the hundreds (thousands?) of rooms. My daughter had the ring back on her finger within a week. Thank you, Venetian Hotel, for wonderful customer service! I'm recommending the Venetian to everybody I know who's going to Las Vegas!
Many of the recent reviews of this hotel noted the ongoing renovations. Those now seem to be done and the hotel seems to be put back together.We were given an upgrade a check in and found the room we were given to be spacious and nicely appointed.My wife and I found the hotel to be very luxourious and in an excellent location to explore either the shopping district or the old port area of Montreal.My beef however is with the parking arrangements for the hotel. Firstly, hotel guests can only park on level 9 and lower so getting in and out of the garage is time consuming. Next getting from the parking to the hotel requires an evelator change and a bit of a walk to the front desk. If all that was not probelm enough, the hotel has no arrangement with the garage to allow for in and out priviledges. This means that trips to dinner etc. rack up significant parking charges.All in all its a very nice hotel but with a poor parking setup.
We spent a weekend there in October...and I was very pleased!! The hotel staff was very kind...the hotel was clean and had a professional appearance. The location was excellent...and fairly quiet at night. We will definitely stay there again.
We are Canadians who stayed at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel this September and were really disappointed. This is an old hotel badly needing an update. Our room was so small it had only one small computer chair. We asked for another chair and received a metal meeting room chair. I think our view was fabulous but the windows were so dirty we couldn't see the view. The bathtub was slippery and had peeling paint. There were smokers in the adjoining room and smoke poured through the large opening under the door. We blocked the opening with towels. The hotel offered free coffee in the lobby- but only at 6:30a.m.! We paid $421.00 for a tiny room. Luckily we moved to the Sheraton at Fisherman's Wharf for a beautiful room at about half the price. The doorman in the beefeater outfit doesn't justify the outrageous prices charged by this hotel.
This is old english luxury. Not the usual hotel I go for but this was abolutely fantastic. The best service ever and very clean.
This hotel was in a great location. A half a block to a major transit stop. About 2 blocks to the cable car end of the line station. About 3 blocks to Chinatown or Union square. We had 3 days in San Fran and had no problem getting around the city on transit. Definitely get a transit pass your first day. It is so worth it. This hotel is on the edge of the financial district as well. So if you are there for business this is a great hotel. The majority of the clientele is business travelers. So the restaurant is pretty much empty by 9 am so it worked well for us. We only ate breakfast at the hotel and it was always really good. The concierge was really helpful. Talk to them first about things to see and tours to go on. They will also have a transit map that you can get. This is very helpful! If you want an amazing meal down on Fisherman's Wharf go to Scoma's. This was our favorite meal by far. It is down a back alley off of Fisherman's Wharf at the end of a pier. Go early or make a reservation. We had to wait 15 minutes to get a table. When we were leaving the wait was up to an hour and a half. The wait is well worth it though. The chowder was really really good. Plus it's about a 15minute walk to Ghirardelli Square and an awesome chocolate sundae. All in all, I loved this hotel and city. I would definately recommend it to my friends and i would go back in a heart beat.
This property is absolutely gorgeous and first rate. The bathrooms are VERY large and very nicely furnished, down to a soft robe. We asked for a canyon view which is worth paying a little more. The bed was so comfortable and snuggly. The only snag we hit coming in was having a delayed flight and not getting to the airport before the hotel shuttle stopped so we had to take a cab, which was expensive since the Red Rock is about 30 minutes from the airport/strip. Check-in was a breeze and we immediately went to the casino to check it out. Since the Red Rock isn't on the strip the casino is much more enjoyable and you don't ever have to wait on that slot machine you want. All of the restaurants we ate in had delicious food and friendly staff. The weather didn't cooperate at all and they had to close the pool our entire stay due to high winds, and we got snowed on one day. I'd definitely go back but only in guaranteed good weather months and only after they get all of the construction completely finished so I don't have to listen to it.
The Ritz! San Francisco's finest. Life can't get any better.A stately exterior--a beautiful and elegant interior--an ambiance that shouts &quot;exclusive luxury.&quot; That's The Ritz. Guests are warmly greeted upon arrival by a well-trained, attentive staff and offered a glass of champagne, my favorite beverage--how thoughtful.Everything was perfect from beginning to end. Ambiance and service met every expectation. We can't wait to return.
My friend and I, 2 middleaged mums, went to London for some serious shopping. I chose the hotel because it was rated #1 in Tripadvisor and i couldnot find any bad evieuws about it really. We made the best choice we could. Its perfectly located for shopping yet not on a busy road. We both had our own single rooms but unlike other hotels we did not get tucked away in the smalles room of the hotel at gthe end of a dark hallway..no, we got very nice rooms. I could write a book about all the nice things in it, but thats been done before i noticed, so i will just settle for Excellent Rooms!Roomservice is fast and good, beautifull bathroom and nice beds. We didnot have a nice vieuw from the windows but i dont think many rooms have that anyways in big citys. And we didnot come for the vieuws anyways.What for us makes the difference in this hotel is the atmosphere. Its laid back. Its 5 star service and luxury but not with the stiffness and posh it usually comes with. It was friendly, amical almost and we like that. The concierge said..OH MY GOD...when we came back from shopping with at least 25 bags....the doorman gave us complimentary umbrellas wehen we left for a second shopping spreee, because it had started to rain a bit, the waitress in the restaurant in the evening (who we didnot see before) gave us the same table as we had at breakfast, because we told teh breakfast waitress we liked the little cosy corner. Now THATS what i call service. Service with a smile. Everybody actully seemed to like working there.So, I found MY hotel in London and will not every try another again. Its The Soho for me all the way.I can only suggest you do the same! You will not regret it.
We stayed at the Sofitel City Centre Hotel for 4 nights. After much consideration and choice of so many deluxe hotels, we choose this one due to the fact that it was close to the airport and also was attached to a shopping centre for convenience.This forum had some fairly poor report about this hotel so, I didn't have my hopes too high. I am happy to say that I was so glad with my choice. It was infact 5 minutes away from the airport which is great for early flights out. Also the best part was that being attached directly to the Deira City Centre Shopping Centre, after a long day sightseeing, we didn't have to catch another taxi out for dinner or for shopping. The shopping centre has a huge range of shops, restaurants, cafes, fast food outlets, a jewellery court, supermarket, cinemas, a play area called Magic planet for children. etc etc.... endless.The Hotel lobby was very classy, the buffet breakfast was great. The clientelle were business people and tourists. Flight crews etc. The rooms were spacious and to correct a previous post - they did have coffee and tea making facilities. They also supplied a bottle of water daily for teeth brushing. The room service was good and efficient. The rooms were fine , 4+ star. You are not paying for a resort on the beach , so don't expect it.The receptionists were very helpful and courteous and they had a money exchange desk that was comparable to the exchange on the ground floor of the shopping centre.Taxis from the Hotel to the Burj Al Arab were $ 22 Aus. Taxi from the Gold Souq was about $ 11 Aus.We did the Arabian Adventures City of Merchants tour and their Sundowner Dune Safari which were both great. Also Afternoon Tea at the Bur Al Arab was an experience....we had no time for the beach!We enjoyed our stay here immesnsely and would definitely stay here again on a short stopover. If you are staying longer and the beach is your scene, book a resort type Hotel.
I've stayed at a lot of Las Vegas hotels in recent years, making it a point to always break up a stay in Sin City with multiple nights at different hotels.Caesar's is an expensive, big, glitzy Vegas hotel. If you want to be in the middle of the Strip, this is your hotel. If you're coming to Vegas for a convention, Cher or a specific event at Caesar's then by all means stay here. Pool is definitely a scene filled with plenty of young hotties, male and female.The architecture is as Vegas as it gets. People everywhere are shooting pictures. The shops are legendary, the restaurants are top notch and priced accordingly.Even if you don't stay at this hotel, you'll have to vist the shops and casino during your visit to Vegas. It's definitely a desination.We had a weird thing happen. We were initially assigned to a bedroom in the Roman tower that had NO bathroom door. Not because it was taken off the hinges, but because that was the way it was designed. Now I suppose if you're getting a king room you're probably going to be pretty intimate with your bedmate. But call me quaint. I like MY privacy in the bathroom and I know my wife well enough to know that she likes HER privacy in the bathroom too. We asked to be moved to a different room and they accomodated us to a room on the same floor with a bathroom door. Might be worth asking before you check in if this is important to you or if you're staying with someone you're not that close too.We paid about $130 a night, a rate that included a $50 dining credit in the hotel restaurants.I'm not going to choose to stay here again based on the sheer size of the place. Way, way too overwhelming for me. But again, I had absolutely no complaints other than tight slots and I stress my wife really liked the place.One big tip. You can access the parking garage from Frank Sinatra Way which runs parallel to the Las Vegas Strip. It's a huge timesaver coming in or out of the hotel.Enjoy your stay... and just ask about the bathroom door thing!
We had a 1 night stay here with a fountain view room. The room was clean and well presented with a walk in shower and bath but it wasn't breath taking. It was the view made it extra special though !This Hotel is huge so expect a few que in places ie. check in, dinning etc.For me it didn't have that 5 star intimate feel due to the scale of the place...but you don't go to Vegas for intimacy right...Like all Vegas Hotels it is the novelty factor that attracts people to the Hotel and the Bellagio has its fountain.FREE parking was a bonus.
The Donatello is a great hotel right in the middle of things in San Francisco. You can walk to shopping, restaurants, etc. The hotel staff was wonderful!! From the valets, to the maids, to the Front Desk staff, we found them to be quite helpful and knowledgeable.The room was quite large and comfortable. There is a great Club Room upstairs with a large fireplace where you can sit and watch TV if you want to get out of your hotel room for a while, but we spent most of our time seeing all the sites around San Francisco. Lots to see there.
After LOTS of research, stayed at the Signature for a week for our Vegas wedding &amp; honeymoon as a result of the reviews on this site. As promised, the hotel really is an oasis of calm and tranquillity compared to the rest of Las Vegas and we felt really special staying here. We had a 1 bedroom suite on the 16th floor of Tower 3. Main points as follows:1) HOTEL - The hotel lobbies are beautifully decorated with each tower having a different theme &amp; scent. All towers are connected so it doesn't really matter which tower you're in -just feels like one intimate hotel. Staff in reception at each tower are very friendly and helpful, as are concierge and bell desk staff. 2) CHECK IN - Check in was quick - completely different to all the large lines we saw at most other hotels. Suitcases taken from us and were offered a bottle of iced water immediately. Had requested via email a strip view and penthouse in Tower 1 or 2 but were offered only a floor 8 in tower 2 or floor 16 in tower 3 so took the latter. As standard, a credit card swipe is taken when you check in. We were told that we had $24 worth of credit in the Lounge bar and $20 resort activity credit which was a nice surprise. Also got us 40% discount on KA tickets.3) ROOMS - Our 1 bedroom suite was stunning - much better than in looks on the photos and feels really classy. Large lounge with full dining table, full kitchen, large bedroom, HUGE bathroom with separate WC plus another bathroom with shower! Was also amazed at how much storage space there was. We were really swayed by the kitchen facilities when booking the Signature; in particular the coffee maker. However, this was slightly disappointing as only made 2 cups of coffee and you were only given 1 sachet of coffee and 1 decaff per day plus 3 creamers... Ah well. Had oven, fridge freezer, hob etc plus gorgeous dinnerware and appliances but we never used these. The balcony is a nice plus, but we were never in the room long enough to use it; ditto for the 3 TVs you get (the one which automatically rises out of the bureau is cool though). The best things about the room were the lovely, large comfortable bed, iPod dock and the bathrooms. Loved the main bathroom - the jacuzzi, make up mirror and vanity sink plus all the nice toiletries that get replenished daily.4) HOUSEKEEPING - You switch a light on your door each day to let housekeeping know they can come in. This was done daily, with coffee replenished and 2 bottles of water. Had one problem that the oven had burnt on food on it - complained about this twice but never cleaned off. However, came back to the room one day to find a chilled bottle of Veuve Cliquot champagne &quot;with compliments from housekeeping&quot;. Not sure if this was on account of our wedding or the complaint but we were very grateful!5) FACILITIES - Starbucks in Tower 1 is handy and the Delights cafe in Tower 2 serves a beautiful breakfast (although poor coffee). Didn't use the gym in Tower 3 but it looked well equiped. Had our free drinks in the Lounge Bar in tower 1, which is small but nice enough - drinks were expensive ($12 each) but complimentary bar snacks were gorgeous! Used the pool &amp; spa at Tower 3 once only and it is nice with very comfy sunloungers, free towels and iced water. All pools looked similar and all are very private.6) GETTING AROUND - There are loads of comments on this site about the walk to the MGM. This was not an issue - in fact we liked the fact it was away from the casino and main hotel. It took us about 5-10 minutes to walk from our room in tower 3 to the Signature entrance in the MGM and it is mainly on moving walkways anyway. Don't let the walk put you off at all. To get onto the Strip we had a monorail 3 day pass so usually went straight to the monorail which is 2 mins walk away from the Signature entrance in the MGM. Thought Monorail was good form of transport and used it loads - much quicker than the Deuce bus as comes every 7 mins and takes you to several points along the strip. Alternatively we walked through the casino, having a few dollars in the slots on the way of course...We tried to find the entrance mentioned on this site from the tower 3 pool but couldn't - asked a staff member who told us there was no such entrance so maybe they don't like people to use it??7) OTHER Non-smoking hotel so it is refreshing that it doesn't smell like the casinos - I do smoke and even I found it nice. You can smoke outside the hotel on the many seats, benches and areas where there are ashtrays.My only gripe is of course with the $20 resort fee. As we didn't use the gym, wi-fi or see a newspaper, you can't help but feeling slightly cheated by 2 small bottles of water &amp; 2 sachets of coffee costing $20 per day! As the Signature is relatively good value compared to other places, they should just add it onto the price and you wouldn't care!OVERALL we had a fantastic time at the Signature and it made our wedding/honeymoon very special. Thanks once again to TripAdvisor for the recommendations!
we were very pleased with the location of this hotel. We got a great deal with Top Secret and so cannot fault this for value. The interior is beautiful and is very well maintained
To start off with, I'm not a big Vegas guy. I consider gambling to be a tax on people that are bad at math. And I have relatives in Laughlin; so I can stay there free. So I'm not a big expert on Las Vegas and I don't have a lot to compare the Southpoint to.But my wife wanted to see Las Vegas, so off we went.We chose the Southpoint because of the good reviews we saw here. The Southpoint is, like the name implies, at the far southern end of the Strip. You need a car (or a lot of money for a taxi or a lot of patience for a bus) to get back to &quot;where the action is&quot;.But the Southpoint is so nice; you may never want to leave. It has shows, a great spa, bowling, a movie theater and of course, a casino.If you're from the eastern part of the US, Europe or Asia; you should check out a rodeo or other equestrian event in their horse arena. That's something you may not be able to see where you live.The room was nice, clean and big. The only thing I can find to complain about is that there was only 1 coffee packet for the coffee maker. But I left a tip &amp; asked for more &amp; the cleaning staff left us more.Our first day there was a Saturday, and we ate at the buffet. It was a bit underwhelming. But the food was much better when we returned on Monday. I suspect that they improve the quality of the food to attract locals. One night, we ate at the Coronado Cafe off the &quot;Graveyard Special&quot; menu. The food was pretty good. But maybe the low price gave me a higher opinion of this place than it deserves? Who can tell?The Couples Spa might be worth a trip by itself. It's a bit pricy. But it's very relaxing and romantic.To sum up, if you have a car; go to the Southpoint. Or a horse. Hey; those trendy, overpriced places on the strip should provide hitching posts if you want to ride in.........
We stay at this hotel every time we visit Chicago. It is close to everything we want to see in the city, but the price feels more like what we would pay to stay in a far-away suburb. Parking at the hotel is free, and that cuts the price even more. We have never had a negative experience at the Ramada Inn Lakeshore Drive, and we don't even bother shopping around anymore.
My wife and I just returned from a weekend in New York and we were very pleased with the excellent customer service. We were blocks away from Times Square and Rockefeller Center for the location the price cannot be beat. Our check in was quick and easy without all the hassle unlike the other hotels we have stayed where there are long lines. I would recommend this hotel and can't wait to try out your other locations in New York next year.
OK, so the room was tiny, parking is expensive (~30 a day for valet parking)... but LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!Parking is expensive anywhere downtown San Fran.... so if you stay in this hotel, you dont need a car. Bonus, there is a cable car stop right outside.. really easy to get to Pier 39, Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf, The Cannery, etc.There is a nice restaurant in the hotel as well as nearby.The hotel is situated very close to union sq... an almost perfect location... without paying the big bucks... it is in fact a better location than many of the big names.. but you wont be paying as much.However, we did get a VERY small room... and a tiny bathroom.. Overall, very happy campers!
Looking for a great way to capture some of the Christmas season spirit and a way to surprise my girlfriend, I took advantage of low cost shuttle tickets from DCA-LGA to hit the City for some shopping and Nutcracker tickets. From TripAdvisor- I selected Hotel Giraffe.Location: 27th and Park is a great location. Not on the main path, but really is a good walking location for the major attractions. Cabs were always available when we looked for them, and if you needed the staff- the doorman easily tracks a cab down for one.First impression: Newer construction. Extremely nice art decco look when you walk in. No major signs of wear and tear. Doorman was more than eager to assist. Front desk was able to check us in early due to room availability. Staff was very friendly and consistent. Room: Having worked in the city previously- and staying in the boutique or unique hotels, the room (minisuite) was very spacious, superb high ceilings- and over all way bigger than most NYC properties. The bed was comfortable. Pillows--if you don't like the down pillows and need a bit more substance to a pillow...ask to see what they have. We did not know until too late. Linens were great. Towels- nice! I personally like the small architectural details in the rooms- hospital track for the shower curtain, the wave glass pocket doors...It is fair to say- our room looked like the website and met all of our expectations.Staff: Cleaning/Maintenance people were super efficient and omnipresent. Never in the forefront- they were none the less out and about performing. Front Desk-super friendly. Concierge like questions handled efficiently without too many recommendations that were really tied into marketing relations! That is a nice thing. The staff does read their email if you have a special need or comment. Use that- for they are really responsive. They took note of my comment about the pending engagement and made sure to ask how all went that night. Thank you!Club: The club had a long line of patrons after 11:00 pm- looked like it was just starting to crank when we returned. Did not use, but looked like a nice dressed crowd.Breakfast: Couple of comments from others I agree with- we were running late, had about 15-20 minutes before hours were done. I came down to grab a bite for us to take up. The morning crew was busy already beginning their break-down so pickings were slim, and it was a bit of an inquisition to get some silverware and cream cheese to take upstairs to everyone getting ready for check-out and the Nutcracker. Concierge Service recommendation for dinner: Many thanks to the crew for recommending Primehouse. Part of the BRGuest chain, the steakhouse is located on 26th...it was one of the best steaks that we've had in some time.And yes- Hotel Giraffe was part of our engagement...after shopping all day, we came back cleaned up (and I slipped the ring into my coat). We took a leisurely 5 minute walk over to the Empire State Building- shot up to the 102d floor...and with just my son, my &quot;fiancee&quot; and the guard- I used the sights and night to propose.Lasting impressions: Hotel Giraffe- great place. Will always think back fondly- and shall return. Look for the right price and your value far exceeds the nightly fee. It is a welcome change to the usual big chains that us corporate road warriors have to stay in.
This hotel mainly caters for business people but it is a nice enough hotel and not too expensive. It doesn't have the best views of the city, but it is in a nice part of town, within walking distance of all the designer malls and close to a metro stop and a temple and near some good bars. The staff all speak good English, the rooms were clean and a good size, there is a pool and breakfast runs quite late and is a decent buffet (consists of Chinese dumplings, eggs any way you like, fruit, yogurts, cereals, croissants, bacon...). We enjoyed our stay here and found it easy to get around the city from this hotel.
My favorite hotel in Vegas! All suite hotel. The rooms are beautiful, luxurious, rich and warm. Bathrooms are quite large with shower and tub plus TV. Three over all TVs in room. The hotel, casino and restaurants are wonderful. Staff will take care of you. My second time staying at the Palazzo and will definitely go back. A bit pricey but you can find deals. Spa was great but busy. Has several pools but very croweded so get there early.
This hotel is a class act, from the moment you sit in your private transfer from the airport to when you arrive in your room. The staff are all pleasant and helpful, and treat their guests like royalty. The food is excellent, and the Rotisserie restaurant is a must ! The rooms are large and well appointed, with all small details catered for and remembered. The hotel is close to the access road for one of the Palm developments, however, this did not disturb our holiday, and the 'noise' was minimal. From our room we had a view of the gardens, which are immaculate, and the Burj Al Arab was in the distance. You can see lots of construction sites and cranes, but if you are going to Dubai, this is only to be expected. I would recommend this hotel for anyone visiting Dubai.
Stayed here for the 2nd time for the London marathon. Rooms are standard Travel Inn fare, ie comfortable and clean. Bathrooom spotless with high pressure shower and bath.Now a charge for parking 12 per day. Machine was faulty when I was there causing much hassle. Long waits to be seated in the restuarant in the evening and morning. I seated myself both morning after getting bored waiting.Buffet dinner and breakfast food is sometimes slow to appear.Overall though worth 60 per night.
Great Place, very swish, Good location, staff great.Expensive to eat or drink in hotel but apart from that no problems.Large rooms, comfy beds, would stay again!
My partner and I stayed 6 nights at the Rubens at the end of April and had a wonderful experience at the hotel. Everyone on the staff from phone reservations, check in, wait staff was so professional and accommodating - among the best I've encountered at any price. This was my first trip to London and I wanted to experience a British atmosphere and not a typical, chain type hotel. I was not disappointed as all common areas and rooms looked great and were very clean and comfortable. The location was great - we walked everywhere we wanted to go except for the Tower of London where we needed the water taxi. The breakfest was large enough that we didn't need lunch and the quality and variety of food was excellent as was the service and atmosphere in the dining room. We missed having a gym but did enough walking to make up for it. I would recommend the Rubens to anyone.
I was a late addition to a multi-party trip to NYC, and the private hotel where everyone else was staying was booked. So I went on google and searched for hotels nearby and then hit TripAdvisor for the reviews. Comfort Inn Midtown was the only hotel I could not find a single bad review for. Even among the $600+ per night hotels, they all had at least one or two recent bad reviews. Not Comfort Inn Midtown. So I rolled the dice. This was my first trip to NYC, and I was more than a little nervous. I could not have been more pleased. The room was fantastic. Had PLENTY OF SPACE! Hot water for every shower. Almost no noise from the street. No sounds from other rooms. The continental b'fast in the morning is great. Free business center where I was able to make copies of a white paper for meetings and print my boarding passses for return trip home (all FREE). The front desk arranged a $25 shuttle to return to the airport (It cost me $60 to get into town from the airport (Laguardia) WITHOUT the asst. of the hotel.) The hotel is at 6th Ave. and 46th. This is 2 quick blocks from Times Square and a half block from the (summer) Saturday street vendor fair on 6th Ave. It was just a few walking blocks from 30 Rockefeller Plaza (think NBC). Great little English pub across the street. Walking distance to MOMA and Bryant Park and so much more!Very safe, very clean, professional courteous staff. I can't say enough, except I will definitely go back to this hotel. If I had to reach for a negative, I would say that from around 8:30 a.m. to noon, the FREE wireless internet in the room had spotty reception. Other than that, I can't think of a single complaint. Book this hotel! You won't regret it.
I did not stay a the Palms, but I did party there. CLUB RAIN is the best night club in Vegas. Let me tell you it was the best party scene I have been around since Cancun when I was in college. I will let you in on some helpful advice show up early or plan on waiting in line for a long time to get in. We had a hook up on VIP and just walked in but there were about 150-200 people waiting in both VIP and general public line to get in so that was nice. Like anywhere else in Vegas Money talks and it also helps you to get in faster or a VIP suite upstairs, so do a couple hot females to flert with the bouncers. The whole scene was hot, hot women every where! The dance floor is unreal water cannal around the dance floor, huge smoke mechines comedown from celling and even fireballs shoot across over the dance room. Don't be surprised to see a few famous people when you are there. The night I went Donte Hall from the Kansas City Cheifs was there also the UFC CHAMP was there, Sirius form the Realworld and even Tyrice from 2 FAST 2 FERIOUS, POLO model was a guest DJ. All and all the best Vegas party ever.
Normally I find that Hilton properties tend to be overrated. Understandably, during a UFC weekend in Montreal the prices were inflated but the price of this Hilton was surprisingly competetive compared to other hotels in the area but on a non-event weekend even in the summer it's cheap at $120/night. The location is excellent walking distance to both St. Laurent and St. Catherine's so for nightlife and eating purposes it's great. The service was amazing. I made the mistake of booking a 1king bd instead of the 2-queen I intended. This is one of the few that actually has 2 queens in the room by the way. After realizing the mishap, we went back to the front desk and they were able to find a room to accommodate us with no extra charge. Room was simple but really clean with great comfy sheets and an amazingly comfortable bed. Us girls had a great sleep. I work for public health in Toronto so I'm very cautious about hotels and its cleanliness. This location was very well kept. Security was amazing as well as you need to swipe your room card in order to access the elevators, the parking garage and pretty much virtually every part of the hotel. The staff really make everything easy for their patrons. I highly recommend it.
I booked this hotel because I had an early morning flight the next day and it was a short walk from the Heathrow Express at Paddington Station. Upon arrival, I was told that there was a problem with the room, that they had made accommodations at another hotel. I said fine, as long was it was accessible by Tube. The hotel they booked me was all they way in Harrow! I was incredulous. First of all, I would have to pay $16 for a round trip on the Tube all the way out there. Secondly, it was incredibly far away. Reception didn't seem to care. I asked for someplace closer. They said they couldn't find anything. I told them to cancel my reservation, but unfortunately, they couldn't do that either, I had to call Travelocity to cancel it. After incurring 30 minutes of long distance charges on my US based phone and handing it back and forth between reception and Travelocity, I was finally able to cancel my room. Meanwhile, other guests were checking in next to me. I arrived at noon, you would think it would be first come first serve. I am on the road 90% of the time for work, and have never experienced such horrible customer service before. DON'T STAY HERE! I booked a room at the Hilton Olympia instead.
This was my first trip to the Berkeley and I would go back on a personal trip if cost were not a consideration. As one of the staple business hotels in west London, the Berkeley offers predictable room quality, service, and amenities. The Knightsbridge location is among the most convenient in the city for a variety of purposes: meetings, shopping, visiting friends, even getting back to Heathrow.What I liked the most was breakfast: tasty and served promptly and politely without fuss. What I liked least was the frightening decor in my colleague's room that, thankfully, bore no resemblance to my own: heavy plaid upholstery and curtains, green wallpaper with a horse motif, and heavy green carpeting. To each his own, I guess.
Hotel has a superb location but at 165 a night leaves a lot to be desired.The staff are unfriendly and most are unable to string a decent sentence together in English. Upon our return to the hotel after an evening out the receptionist first finished the text (sms) he was busy with before attending to us.I dont think I saw a staff member smile during my stay.We were double-charged for the room with a struggle to obtain a refund, again with somebody with less than a basic grasp of English.In addition we were also charged for the breakfast despite this being explicitly included when booked and the hotel manager &quot;was unable to see this on his system&quot;.The room was nice, the breakfast was nice, the hotel bar and lobby were nice but again, at 165 a night, I would expect as much.I wouldnt stay here again for love or money.
We began our honeymoon at the Palace hotel.........wonderful tradition, very tastfully decorated, a world class hotel overall.The rooms are a bit small which is to be expected in a major city - but the wonderful high ceilings with crown molding make the room seem larger which is great.........the bed was heaven!The hotel staff were some of the most friendly helpful people i have ever encountered.one drawback of staying here, if you are going to be there during business work week, there is a large population of homeless people in san francisco - we found out they begin their early, and i do mean early morning banging on drums to resemble some type of music to raise money from passerby businessmen/women on their way to work - we thought it was a parade at first it was that loud! very distracting and annoying!
La Quinta in Korea town in New York City - a really great budge hotel. First and foremost, the location is just 1/2 a block from the 34st subway line which feeds tons of trains. Only one stop down from the Time Square station that feeds every other train you would ever need to catch. Our room was on the 5th floor and was very clean, non-smoking (didnt have any smell at all), and the bed was a foam-top king.. extremely comfortable. Rooms are small.. but I fully expected this. Plenty of room for the two of us.. and we spent most of our time outside of the hotel.. for our type of travel it was perfect. If you plan on spending a lot of time in your room you might be better off somewhere else.Being in a very busy area of town I was pretty nervous about noise. The room was dead silent.. could not hear a peep from the streets below (we overlooked 32nd Street). The counter staff were very nice and got me setup quickly w/o issue. The cleaning woman who I saw everyday was super friendly and helpful. (we left in kinda a rush and forgot to leave a tip.. I feel very bad for that)The rooftop bar is small and pretty packed.. if you enjoy the nightlife, its really only an elevator trip away...which leads me to my only real complaint of the whole place: The elevators are horrible. In the evenings when people are going up to the rooftop bar, you will typically be stuck waiting for a long time to get an elevator. I found myself taking the stairs more often that I would prefer, but it was not a huge issue.Overall, for the price, I could not ask for more. Quiet, clean, great location and friendly staff. Would highly recommend.
I just returned from a trip to London, and I have stayed at the Wardonia Hotel for 3 nights. I am a single female traveler, and booked a single room for 40GBP a night. The location is execllent and very close to the tube. I had no trouble finding the place. The room is small, but the hotel put the dimension on their website, so I give them credit for it. [--]The bathroom is compact, but at least it was ensuite and very clean. If you don't try to do anything fancy in the bathroom (like trying to shave), and just take a shower you should be fine. Bring a pair of flip flop if you don't like standing in wet floor. For the amount that I paid, and the amount of time that I actually spent in the room, this is well worth it. There are restaurants in the area so breakfast shouldn't be a problem.A side notes regarding this area. It has definitely cleaned up, and I felt safe going back to the hotel at night. Also, the tube station is pretty easy to navigate around. Only one flight of stairs so that's a plus. Take the Piccadilly line from the airport. Once you get to the King's Cross station, use the Way Out that's leading to King's Cross, the railway station. Once you exit the gate for the tube, look for the exit for Euston Street (South). At the end of the tunnel way, take the right staircase and get on the street. You'll be on Euston Street, and the first block should be Argyle St. Make a left, and Wardonia hotel is at the end of the block.
Very good location for this hotel with nice room with good size. The bathrooms are also nice although the water was not very hot and you had to wait for 5 minutes before the water would get hot. Also there is no mini bar in the rooms.
when we arrived the staff were very helpful , me and my mum went to see hairspray and they told us how to get there and were very friendly. the room when we got back was very hot so we opened the window and it was very noisy so we both didnt get a good night sleep , i went for a shower in the morning and one of the clean towels had a brown stain on it , it was disgusting. We then went for breakfast it was ok but nothing special the bacon didnt even looked cooked. i would stay here again as its good value for money
I just got back from a 5 night stay at this hotel and at first I was scared after reading reviews on here. This place was pretty good for me. I had no problems and I booked my room on Priceline and not once did they treat me differently. I had a quiet room and never heard any noise. The housekeeping staff is a little chintzy with the toiletries, they need a soap dish in the shower, and new pillows, but for the price I paid it was well worth it. I never had issues with either elevator (to get to rooms and the ones to the underground). This hotel is a great value if you can get a decent rate. The staff was friendly and the hotel is in a good location. I would recommend this hotel to anyone.
What can I say that hasn't already been said, on the positive side, that is. I had to be in Las Vegas on business and chose the Gold Coast based on the favorable reviews and a mid-week special on their website ($38/standard room; the rate jumped to over $150 the next day!). I wasn't expecting much but hoped for basic cleanliness; otherwise, checking out the next day would be no problem. Self-parking and check-in was quick and courteous. Two choices were given ~ a room with a view of the Strip but down the hall from the elevator', or 'no view but close to the elevator'. A-room-with-a-view was chosen and it was as advertised; however, it was about 120 steps from the elevator. You don't want to have left something in the room after you've reached the elevator, nor do you want to wait too long to head to the room for a bathroom break. The long trek down the hall allows one to see that the carpet is kept impeccably vacuumed, and in fact, the room was also immaculate. It was on the small size but quite adequate with a flatscreen TV, coffeemaker, etc. The strong water pressure in the shower was reminescent of the old days, and there is a small window which allows direct ventilation to the outside ~ excellent.  Unfortunately, the internet connection in the room didn't work, and the house electrician said that it does not work in many of the rooms. Uh huh, maybe they wanted us downstairs in the Casino.  The Ping Pang Pong Chinese restaurant was always very busy. The food portions were large, looked delicious and authentic but what we had lacked flavor and tasted bland. It could have been the choices, but patrons seemed to be packing up more than they were eating, and I suspect it was to doctor it up at home. The Monterey Room, with a coffee shop atmosphere, was pricier than warranted. Definitely the best bet was the Ports o' Call Buffet. It had the best offerings, flavor, variety and value, and breakfast, lunch and dinner did not disappoint.When we returned two weeks later, it was basically the same experience ~ excellent room rate and accommodations, courteous check-in, hotel cleanliness, etc. However, this time we chose a room with no view, near the elevator!
We stayed for one night in July for our wedding anniversary. We had recently been for a week at the sister hotel in Antigua, Carlisle Bay so had high expectations. We booked an executive room on their package for 209 ex VAT ( watch out for the VAT on top- irritating- why not include it in the rate like everyone else..) but on arrival we were upgraded to suite 500. I have read the most recent reviewer who seemed to have been upgraded to the same suite so perhaps they struggle to shift it while the area which it overlooks is a noisy building site! ( btw it looks like there is still a lot of work to do on that site so be warned) It had a small balcony with table and chairs and to be fair we were there on a Sunday night in a heatwave and so it was pleasant to sit there and have a few drinks. What impressed us?Excellent service- ok, we were not there for too long but every member of staff who dealt with us was very helpful/ pleasant courteous. nice lobby bar- peaked at being quite busy when we headed out around 7.30. you walk thru it to get to hotel reception which is neatly tucked into a corner so you don't feel like you are sitting in a lobbyRoom service breakfast-good- and fairly prompt. try the ricotta and spinach home made sausagesWe didn't eat in their restaurants Location is excellent- central for walking everywhere though not right next to a tube if that's important to youLess impressed by......the suite itself. Reading other comments I guess I am glad that we had a lot more space than the regular rooms. There was a big lobby which led off to anonther loo, a kitchenette ( with microwave?!), the living room, the bedroom and........a private gym. This is well located as a business hotel so if you were stuck in London for a week or so for work ( and had a big expense budget) then this would be ideal. You could work out at 2am when the hotel gym is closed, while microwaving a ready meal! The bedroom part of the suite was a really nice bedroom, average size, comfy bed, minimalist decor. All secondary glazed so no real noise despite the hotel being situated at a busy junction. Good bathroom but funny layout with a pillar getting in your way but very good Living Nature productsThe general impression from the suite that it was not very homely. The defence to that would be I guess that it is meant to be minimalist but you should check out the room pics for Carlisle Bay and you will see how minimalist can be done in a way that works. This suite felt kind of cheap- cheap looking sofa, rather understyled room I suppose. Maybe that is ok for the business market and, well, we didn't pay full rate for it- but I think it is important that people are aware. I felt that a hotel of this standard would have a suite which would impress in all respects and I suppose I felt that it was a bit of a half baked effort.Pool- basement pool, looks good. would be fine for thrashing up and down doing lengths but something about the room was a bit echoey and noisy so if you are someone who likes a gentle swim to chill out, I'm not sure this is your place. There was a guy in having swimming lessons when we were there. Would we stay there again?- for decent rate of around 200 a night and for a short break then yes I would- simply because for a very stylish place and great location it is an ok deal ( we recently spent a week in the Radisson Edwardian at South Kensington for around 160 a night and it is truly awful for that price so in London I guess it is all relative).It was not a patch on Carlisle Bay- I know we are talking very different locations but the design of the rooms- which is partly what you pay for- didn't measure up.
Old London Townhomes that were strung together to create a &quot;hotel&quot;. First let me say that I know room sizes are smaller than US, but this was over the top. We stayed in what was advertised as a triple. It had three beds and that was the only thing that remotely resembled anything &quot;triple&quot;. Beds were old and you could feel springs through the mattress. On our last day, Rude pushy maids entered the room early, checkout was 11:00 am, they were barging into room at 9:00 AM. And they wouldn't take a hint.The closet was tiny, barely enough space for one persons clothing, let alone three.The bathroom was tiny. Clearly the owner of the place renovated and remodeled with the intent of getting or should I say.. Wringing every buck out of the building. You basically are put in to a room that is a single, with three beds. If the room had 300 sq. ft., that was a lot. We booked this place via internet, and all I can say is: check the space before you commit. Overpriced. That said, the front desk staff, and concierge were pleasant, professional, and accomodatiing. In no way should the negatives reflect on these good people. English breakfast was good. Regarding coffee, there's a Starbucks about two blocks away across from the Gloucester Street Tube Entrance, and another one(closer) in the Sainsbury's Grocery Store up the street.
Single room was very small but clean and well decorated. Good location right by the station and near to Baker Street. Would recommend.
I stayed at the London Guards Hotel in Nov. '06. This hotel is a decent budget hotel, emphasis on the budget. The room was clean and maintained and the staff was very friendly, although seemingly unaware of the neighborhood around them. Their directions got me lost on more than occasion. London is an expensive place so if youre running out of options, dont freak out this place isnt so bad once you get over the fact that its very quaint (but clean). When you pay $12 for a sandwich in London, you'll be happy you were able to save some money on your hotel.
Just returned from this fantastic hotel. I travelled with my husband and two children, we booked a land view and sea view room, both rooms of very high standard.The service from the staff was excellent couldn't help you enough, we took part in all the water sports, food was buffett style but of very high quality.There is a pool at this hotel, which we found cold, so we used the pool at the Westin their sister hotel. There are about two life guards to each pool. The gym was very well equipped, we played tennis.The children, 13 and 10. Loved every bit of this hotel and were never bored.
If it's good value, quiet, 15-20min to Leicester Square, ample continental breakfast &amp; friendly staff you're looking for, you just found it. If it's chic or modern you are after, move on! The room was a bit dated but comfortable and the bathroom was perfectly clean. We were pleasantly surprised with this little find and will definitely see if they have rooms spare next time we're in London.
Being a frequent traveller to london on business tends to be throughly depressing, checking into inpersonal chained hotels e.g. hilton, travel lodge...e.t.c. I find the Lodge Hotel to be a delightful alternative to such places. The welcoming and atentive staff made a trip to london not such a chore, even though the hotel was clearly busy, while i relaxed at the bar the staff were friendly and effcient. The area itself is quieter than central london although there was still a number of great places to eat and at the end of the road was the tube. My room was clean and spacious with a compfy bed and all the ameinties i required for my nights stay. I would highly recommend a stay.
Somehow I found myself on a bus trip to NY with a group of older ladies (I'm 36). We had several in the group with diabetes and other ailments. The staff accomodated every request they could possibly have had, and did so with a smile. They brought refrigerators to the rooms that needed them, provided extra ice buckets, extra blankets, etc. I left a post-it on our bathroom mirror requesting 8 towels each day (4 of us, 2 showers daily), and they were there every day thereafter.Every staff member was smiling and helpful at every encounter. They could not seem to do enough to please you! Our large group (42, I think) took a bit of time to get all checked-in and room keys issued. So, they opened the breakfast area and provided us with cold water, cereal bars, muffins, etc. A wonderful welcome to NY after a 13 hour bus ride! The room we had was a standard double. Plenty of room for 4 adults, an oxygen concentrator, 4 suitcases, 4 carry-ons, and by the end of the trip, half the retail items available in NY!The rooms were spotless. White duvets without a single stain. Carpets, again, spotless. Bathroom sparkled! The beds were doubles, very comfortable mattresses. Iron &amp; ironing board, hair dryer and coffee maker in each room. Wi-fi available for all the rooms and the lobby area, which was fast and easy to access.The location of the hotel is marvelous. Many theaters are within a few blocks, including the one featuring Wicked! Also it is a couple blocks from Central Park, about 4 blocks from Rockefeller Square (and the Top of the Rock, which I highly recommend). There is a Rite-Aid practically next door, which was fantastic for the last minute stuff (toothbrush). The restaurants directly in front of the hotel, include Famous Amadeus Pizza (try the chicken roll), a Mexican place and the Cosmic Diner (open 24 hours, reasonably priced, super delicious). The hotel includes breakfast, which was never so crowded we could not find a table, even on Saturday and Sunday! The selection was wonderful, everything from fruit, yogurt, cereal and pastry to eggs, biscuits and gravy. The lobby is huge and has 2 comfortable sitting areas, which made waiting for our group a pleasure! Taxis cruise by frequently, so it never took more than a moment to hail a cab. There is also a parking garage next door, that gives discounts to hotel guests. The subway is on the other side of the block (50th, if I remember correctly).I'm planning my next trip and can honestly say, there is nowhere else I'd stay. This location has it all!
Based on the size of the room alone, I would stay at the Embassy Suites again, but only for a reasonable price. This hotel offers straight forward no frills accommodations in a city with a wide variety of options. If you're traveling with more than 2 people, this hotel is perfect, the suite with two rooms will be a saving grace amongst the small rooms typically offered in the city. The hotel itself is outdated and could certainly use a refresher, but I enjoyed the location, especially being so close to Battery Park. A short walk down the river will offer some amazing views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty! however, if you want to be in the middle of all the action, this isn't the place, the only action you're in the middle of is a bunch of construction.The free cocktail hour and breakfast were not appealing to me, they were both crowded and offered bottom of the barrel food/beverage (but it's &quot;free&quot; so I guess I shouldn't complain.In short, if you are traveling with more than 2 people and can get a room here for less than $150, go for it! I myself, wouldn't pay much more.
We arrived at the Novotel after a 14hr flight, we were checked into our room very quickly and the front desk clerk was friendly and efficent. Room was of average size, this is New York after all, the room was clean and well maintained. The lobby is located on the 7th floor, which we found a bit inconvenient, after riding a lift down from the 33rd floor and then having to get another lift down to ground floor, which was often very crowded and a wait for these lifts was common. Hotel bar staff were quite friendly and made us feel very welcome. Overall i believe this is a good hotel in this price range for a wonderful location. Beware the dinner next to hotel on ground level, food is of average quality and staff are rude and particularly unfriendly.
the service here is excellent from the doorman to the barman and everyone in between. no stuffiness that you may expect in knightsbridge but the rooms were definately in need of refurbishment and they were doing this.
We made the Palmer House Hilton our home base while traveling to Chicago in early August. I was able to obtain a very low online rate ($79), and given it's location, it wasn't going to take much to meet my expectations paying that kind of weekend rate in the Loop. I had read many of the posts on this site, so thankfully I went in with eyes wide open and knew some of the things others had complained about. All in all, the rooms were small and there certainly weren't any extras. The small rooms made it difficult with young children. There were two double beds and no other space in the room to spread out. The beds became our game tables, snack tables, chairs, and sleeping areas all-in-one. Thankfully we didn't travel to Chicago to spend a lot of time in our room. The location of the hotel was great. We were within a couple blocks of the Art Institute, Millennium Park, Grant Park, and plenty of dining options. The nearby CVS and Walgreens are also nice to have when you need those essentials. We picked up a local bus route right outside the hotel, and the L station is a mere block away. Traveling with young children, I was certainly disappointed with the pool facilities - very small and not a very bright, welcoming setting. We didn't have many needs for service, but the staff at the front desk were very welcoming and friendly when we checked in - even after dealing with some rude people in front of us. For the price we paid, I was thrilled with the hotel. Paying full price, I might check other nearby options on a future trip.
We stayed here as we going to a concert at the O2 arena and this would be the most convenient hotel. It was also my 25th Birthday so we booked the 'Honeymoon' package which included Champagne, breakfast in the Quadrato restaurant, two Four Seasons bathrobes and a guaranteed late check out of 3:00pm. We arrived before the 3pm check in time, at 1:30pm, and were told that our room was ready. We were then asked what time we would like our champagne delivered to our room.We were met from our taxi and our bags were carried over to reception we were then escorted upto our room. Upon arrival we were told where our morning newspaper would be (hung to the left of our door) and where the hair dryer was but if I need a more powerful one to call down and one would be delivered to the room. The view from our room was amazing, we could see the 'Gherkin' building, the top of the London Eye and various other sights. Our champagne arrived slightly after our requested time, but I was not too bothered about this. Chocolate covered strawberries also arrived, very summery! Upon our return from the concert we had some drinks in the bar and we were in shock as we saw the man who we had just seen in the concert having a bite to eat and some drinks! When we went upto our bedroom we were surprised to find our bed covered in rose petals and our bath and sink surrounded by the same. On the bed was also a card advising of the following days weather forecast, which was very handy as our weather has been very unpredictable!My husband used the gym in the morning and he wasn't bowled over by the gym equipment, but he does work for Life Fitness so he could be a bit biased! Upon leaving the gym he was given a new towel and was given some more water without asking, this is the little things that leave a big impression.The following morning we had a wonderful cooked breakfast in the morning and the staff were very attentive, with more drinks. All in all we had a wonderful stay and would love to stay here again, as the Four Seasons is a major chain but we never felt like we were just a number like we have felt at other &quot;5&quot; star hotels in London.
We have stayed at Le Parker Meridien for the last three years and this was our most disappointing stay by far. What was once a crisp recently modernised property is now seriously fading around the edges and well overdue for refurbishment. Of more concern was the lack of good housekeeping, not general cleaning, but deep cleaning. Our room had very old cobwebs on the light above the bar, a build up of ingrained grease and dirt on the light switches and mould in the bathrooms. Also, the heating/ AC was smelly, erratic and very warm. The staff were as pleasant and helpful as always, but as the hotel was fully booked for the duration of our stay we could not change rooms. We will look for a new hotel next year.
We are a family of 5. We stayed for 2 weeks. The location in downtown is typical. The friendly and well informed reception staff were amazing.We found the complimentary snack in the afternoon very usefull as we cam back from a long day out.
This hotel has a really good location as it is 2 blocks from Union Square and only 4 blocks from the Moscone Center. We stayed here while we were attending a conference in San Francisco for the week and it was adequate. It is a very small hotel and the amenities are limited (the &quot;breakfast room&quot; is pretty much a closet but it is fine to grab a quick bagel and coffee to go in the morning).The good:Cheap valet parking - $25/night with unlimited in and outGreat locationNightclub attached to the hotel with AWESOME food (make sure you try to stay on a high floor so you don't get the noise from the club in the evenings.Great rates! (we got it for $89/night during the week of a major conference in SF)The not-so-good:Small hotel with small roomsNo wireless internet (but free wired internet. in my case this means I had a huge cable running from the telephone jack behind the bed to the desk at the other end of the room.Overall it is fine as a centrally located hotel to grab some rest after meetings and conferences while staying in San Francisco.
We stayed here for five nights and couldn't be happier. For us it was worth paying for an executive room for the free wireless internet, lovely breakfast (they actually know how to keep scrambled eggs moist!), free drinks at Happy Hour and a very attractively appointed lounge. Our room was delightful and overlooked the Museum. The staff are very efficient and friendly - a call to have a toilet fixed was responded to within 5 minutes! The bathroom is small but well maintained and the toiletries are generous. The only disappointment was that we would have liked more Arabic food such as hummous, kebabs and so on - the restaurants pride themselves on serving excellent international cuisine but we would have liked more traditional food. Be aware that this a Muslim country and you will not find bacon, ham or other pork products among the breakfast offerings. We agree with the comments from another reviewer about the tour desk advisor. The Big Bus tour is excellent value and includes admission to the museum and a dhow cruise, and it leaves from just across the road from the hotel. The abra station is a short walk away. We would certainly stay here again.
We stayed at this hotel for 5 nights at the end of June. We are two parents and 2 teenagers so we booked a room with a suite (seperate door to a hide-a-bed). Checking in was simple. At first we thought we were on Candid Camera. We opened the hotel room door and walked into the hallway where there was a couch and tv...oh this must be a den...nope! This was what they called the junior suite part of the room. As a matter of fact - we had to totally move around the furniture in order for the pull out bed to pull out and still allow us access to the door!! Okay - so we had to move the furniture and it wasn't as big as we are used to......the shower was another episode of Candid Camera!! Everytime I turned on the shower the water barely came out. Each time a maintenance man came - of course the shower sprayed! Well it is a good thing I had a sense of humour cuz I was ready to go to the Salvation Army just to have a shower!! I finallyinsisted that the maintenance man take apart the shower and low and behold there was some plastic something that got into the pipes somehow at sometime during the renovations....blah blah blah...and they finally got it working. It still wasn't a great shower - but it was wet and warm.We bought the breakfast included option - but slept through it all but one day. There is a supermarket literally at the end of the block. There is a delicious creperie just at the corner too. The parking actually filled up one night and we had to beg and plead for them to help us find another option. They gave us the manager's spot. Oh we ordered room service one evening - the food came very quickly hot and yummy.The location is very good...Sherbrooke is a great street for easy access to Downtown, old Montreal, Six Flags, restaurants and shopping.We ate at Gibby's one night in Old Montreal with some friends who live in Montreal....Very expensive - but great service and super delicious!!!My parents and my sister's family stayed at Hotel du Fort in a suite and they were really happy.Hope this helps.Anyways, the staff, who are all really polite and friendly,
the hotel is in the best location in all of london, you wont find a more perfect hotel than this! its worth the money! It has a nice long boardwalk with the london eye just a few feet away! The westminister stop is the closest to the hotel and the easiest way to get around. The view from the hotel was breathtaking bigben and thames river right out your window! The rooms are in perfect condition, however i wish they had more tv channels but your out and about all day you forget all about the tv! The only reason i gave the serivce four stars was because we had trouble checking in, we booked through expedia and apparently expedia &quot;requested&quot; our room, not confirmed. however, we were very lucky in the end and got our room. the best pick to stay in london!
With all hotels it's a question of what you're looking for.I travel to London on business regularly and stay overnight about a third of the time. I need somewhere comfortable but above all else quiet. This hotel delivers on those criteria.As other reviewers have noticed there's a refurbishment programme underway. It looks like the rooms at the front have been completed whilst further back they are a bit dingy and in need of brightening up. But the rooms away from the square are likely to be quieter.It's also worth bearing in mind that this is a 4.5 star hotel located in the middle of some of the most expensive real estate in the world. On this basis, some of the internet rates offered on the hotel website are very good value (anything under 200 a night in Mayfair is a bargain at busy times!). But don't be too shocked if you end up in an unrefurbished room. It will be interesting to see what happens to the rates when the refurb is complete.Rooms apart, this is a medium sized, quiet hotel with excellent staff in a great location. If you like a place with a buzz and lively bars this is not for you. If you want something which offers good value just one step down from 5 star then give it a try.
We enjoyed a good week-end at the Hilton London Canary Wharf and it is still a good bet! The rooms are spacious and modern, the Executive Lounge is good with free internet, free drinks and canapes in the evening and there is a modern feel throughout with a good bar area which serves appetising food. It is a little way out from the centre but nothing that should put you off. The staff are unfailingly pleasant and overall, this is great value for London and I am looking forward to returning in November for a week-end stay. It is easier to use the Jubilee Line into London than the DLR trains and a day travel pass gets you everywhere. Overall, a great hotel that is consistently praised by Tripadvisor posters, justifiably so.
Having read the previous reviews and booking the London Guards we were left wondering who had actually written some of the extremely positive comments?! That is not to say it was bad just not as good as we had hoped. The good points were the location (2 mins walk from Lancaster Gate tube), the size of the room (huge with 5 beds (!) - 2 doubles and a single), it was in a quiet location and was clean. However the hotel was somewhat dated and in need of a bit of an update. The desk in the room was made from a leftover bit of kitchen worktop (rather out of keeping in what was once a lovely old building I'm sure), the lift was out of order (despite being directed towards it by the reception staff), and the breakfast was extremely poor. The price we paid was good for London though I suppose and we didn't spend that long actually in it to be honest. Might stay again if I couldn't find anything else reasonable.
I booked a quad room for three people. We got two double beds that were not huge, but we had no trouble sleeping. Our room was on the second floor, but the area is very quiet (yes, there are plenty of students and tourists around but we they were never screaming in front of the hotel!). The room was cleaned and our towels were replaced every day. We had a tv and tea and coffee facilities. The bathroom was alright, clean and spacious enough.The breakfast was great: full English, tea and coffee and a lot of other things, from cereals to yougurth. The young ladies serving at tables were kind and friendly. On the ground floor there is a common room with a big tv and some sofas. You can leave your big luggage at the reception on your departure day if you need to.It's true that the rooms are not big and the building has no lift, but this is not a problem if you are out almost all day. And the location is excellent: plenty of buses, two underground stops close by, a railway station (St Pancras) and you can walk to the British Museum or the British Library if you want to!I'll certainly book again at the Mentone Hotel when I come back to London.
I spent 3 nights there for a conference at the hotel. I wouldn't bother to go back. We were upgraded to a huge suite. Really, this was a large suite even by Vegas standards. One of their fancy $20,000 a night suites was down the hall. I saw the kids spill out in the morning - wow. The rooms are nice. It is absolutely quiet. The only knock on the rooms is that they are very dark. That must be a cool California thing. If you stay here bring a light for the bathroom. The casino is a little quiet and sad during the weekdays - lots of older folks. On the weekends the young LA crowd arrives. The problem is that I'm not a senior citizen and I'm not a 20-something California kid. This just isn't the place for me.
considering that there is a breakfast &quot;on the house&quot;, the personnel is very friendly and helpful, and the perfect location between 6th and 7th Ave. - there is only one flaw: we did not have a room &quot;with a view&quot;, but with a view onto a dump and a building site, I guess that problem will be solved in a few months .....
Staying on a limited budget in New York was made easy by booking a room here, we went to New York twice and stayed there twice. It's just off Time Square which made most of the places we were going to within walking distance, lots of great restaurants around including John's Pizza just across the road. Didn't see much of the staff but when we did they were always pleasant and helpful. There's a guy stationed in front of the lifts at all times to ensure only people with room keys are allowed access to the residents floors which was great for peace of mind.Would definitely go back!
My husband and I stayed at NY NY from November 26th thru Novemebr 29th. Check-In was a breeze....our plane landed us a bit before 11:00am and we were at the hotel by 12:00. They did have a room ready for us...standard/king. I asked for a strip view and they wanted to charge me $15 per day. I told the clerk that the mountains are just fine for me to look at...who goes to LV for a view, anyways. The room was nice...nothing too special. The bed was comfortable and the room was clean. The only problem, there was no happy medium to the temperature...it was either cold or hot. One morning, we could hear our neighbors very clearly, I thought they were in our room, but we were leaving to go onto the strip, so it was not too bothersome...but be advised, walls are thin. I was a bit disappointed with the casino itself. The table games were great...friendly dealers, good minimums, etc. However, I enjoy playing the slots as well and their slots were not special. No fun games...I like Elvis, Wheel of Fortune, Top Dollar, etc. It all seemed the same and nothing to WOW me. Other casinos, however, had the same table games and better slots, so I went elsewhere the majority of the time...Monte Carlo had $5 table limits and better slots.As for the little restaurants in NY NY, nothing to write home about. The pizza shop was disgusting...the bottom of my supreme slice was so greasy that my pizza was actually soggy. Left a bad taste in my mouth to say the least. Nathans was much better for that quick bite to eat. DO NOT eat at the pretzel shop upstairs for a snack unless you have a taste for cardboard. We were disappointed on Thanksgiving...no buffet or good specials at NY NY. We walked over to MC and ate at CAFE for a great turkey dinner. I cashed in some points for a free dinner. The food there was yummy!!!! When are stay was over, check-out was simple. I requested a later check-out and they granted me a noon check-out instead of 11:00am. All in all, NY NY was okay...I have stayed better, I have stayed worse. I think that NY NY is losing their pizazz from the very beginning of their opening...they are going downhill. I hope they can pick it back up because I used to enjoy it!
I can't wait to get a chance to stay at the Shelburne again. It met my family's needs and then some. I was a bit nervous when I first booked because I wasn't sure if we would like the neighborhood and that it would be too far of a hike to some of the attractions we had planned out. I ended up loving the location. It's in a very nice residential neighborhood with many local markets and shops. Because the area seemed to cater to residents the prices for water, beer and wine etc. were very good. We loved Daniel's Bagels for breakfast. Also it is very quiet at night. We were on the 9th floor and never heard any street noise.Murray Hill was a good walk to Times Square and Central Park, but I actually lost 2 lbs. so all the walking was a good thing! We booked a 2 bed Deluxe Suite with the kitchenette and it was fine for my husband, teenage daughter and myself. I was hoping for an upgrade to 1 bedroom suite but we had plenty of room. I think our room was a little larger than most of the one room suites though. The bathroom was huge! We had a view of the Empire State Building which was nice. We could of used more drawer space for our clothes, but it really wasn't a big deal. The beds are a bit dangerous though...They are so comfortable that it was hard to get up in the morning, which meant we missed a couple things we had planned. Oh well...there's always next time. Our tub was clogged and fixed right away, but they never were able to fix our ice maker in our fridge, which was too bad. They were prompt at bringing up ice to the room when needed though.I also give high marks to the in house restaurant Rare. We ate there our first night because we got in late and it was very good.
This hotel is ideal for families, the rooms are huge for NYC standards. We had a great view of the river and got a great AAA rate. The location is in the middle of everything. You can get almost any subway line within walking distance. However, if you are looking for service or romance, then don't stay here.
i had my engagement on 30th of oct. and the arrangements were made by regent continental in their hall. this is just to thank the hotel on a whole on this public wall... most of our guests(relatives) arrived from punjab and canada, so we all booked this hotel for 2 nights and their banquet for the functn. . they made excellent arrangements for everything at the function. we even changed the colour theme of the decoration a night before to match it with my dress and expected the staff to show reluctance, but they all took it very sportingly. we enjoyed alot a night before and all thanks to these people, they made sitting arrangement for all of our extended family and us to play games in the night in their banquet hall and that too complimentary !! whole night we all kept odering snacks , tea and all and the service throughout was excellent.thanks to all!!!
After staying four nights at the Holiday Inn Oxford Circus we moved to the Novotel - London West. No help was available to take our luggage to the lobby which had been moved up to the first floor due to renovations. But then things got better from there. The rooms were big and spacious and comfortable. Even the toilet/bath was large. The surrounding area has some nice reataurants and a pub or two. The tube is a five minute walk away.
Check in was okay - stroppy guy made us come and check in one room at a time when we had booked three together - but no major issue. The rooms were large and very nice - I think there was a recent refurb and this shows. The views varied massively - one room in our party was looking onto the Sirens show and another onto the freeway! The swimming pool is small and gets busy so if it's a pool holiday you're after, this isn't the hotel for you.It has a great casino and good shops / restaurants / coffee shops.Location is pretty good, although it is the last one on the busy part of the strip before you travel some distance onto Circus Circus.
Youll have to watch them. I had a stay 2 nights, get a 3rd night free deal but even with paperwork and names of the people I talked to and even though it had been an e-mail offer sent directly from them to me, it took me an hour to get them to honor it. However the hour I was there, every single person that checked in had some kind of deal for something, drinks, whatever and every single person had to fight hard to get them to honor their own specials. I travel for a living, go to Vegas at least couple times a year for work. Really great place, 35th floor Strip view with Jacuzzi and kitchen. Can get a private cabana at pool, might as well, youre paying that resort fee. The fight ruined it though. They were just going to leave me high and dry but I finally prevailed upon them to do the right thing and they did. Never saw anything like these people, even in Newark (my personal standard for a hassle when traveling). Plus they try to make you feel cheap to honor their own deals. Give me a break.
Perhaps Im just used to a little more luxury. Im 6&quot;3 and the room that my wife and i had was very very tiny. It was like one of those Tiny Batchalor Appts you see in Manhattan on TV and you wonder how people actually live in it. The shower is very very small and the soap they provide dries out your skin so you should bring your own. The views ( what views? Its a view of a wall off of some buildings looking at china town). Hey does any website tell you you are in the heart of the red light district when you stay at the Travelodge Montreal ( XXX ). You get to walk out of your hotel and see bums just down the street and all the hookers your heart can desire. The free breakfast is a joke. Its cold cerial and some stale crosionts. I remember them giving me a hard time when i asked for some HOT WATER!. I will be honest that its within walking distance to downtown shopping but you get to walk past lots of homeless people, dirty poor teenagers and lots of XXX. I also had a spider crawling up my wall and i called the Hotel Manager so view the bugs for himself and when he saw it He did NOTHING!!!! Trust me People, Do your homework and stay elsewhere. Its worth the extra 20-30 bucks a night to stay somewhere CLEAN.'
The hotel is located in the heart of Old Montreal, within walking distance of Notre Dame. There are many great restaurants and shops nearby as well. The hotel itself is quite nice and very clean. The breakfast in the morning was a great way to start the day. The front desk is very helpful in mapping out places to see, etc.
January 4, 2008...the Bay Area's worst storm in several decades. The wind outside was ripping trees down, knocking over trucks, and carrying small children and dieters down the streets like runaway cable cars. The rain was coming down in horizontal torrents! Stepping-out of the hotel was risky. Obviously, the Parc 55 had no control over the weather. However, I didn't see them do a single thing to ease the burden of their challenged guests. Could they have offered free hot coffee and tea? No, Parc 55 decided to continue charging for this basic service. Could they have offered free WiFi to guests who were stranded in their rooms for two days? No, they charge $12.95 for internet. Could they have opened a couple of cheap bottles of wine and offered a social hour in their lounge (many hotels in SF do this)? No, their crews with ladders and other equipment commandeered the lounge to take down Christmas decorations forcing all to retire to their rooms. I spoke with the front desk suggesting that perhaps the WiFi charge could be waived concerning the circumstances, the answer was, We have no control over the weather.Don't get me wrong...Parc 55 is a beautiful property with a splendid location. I am sure that the staff was as stressed as the guests. I am disappointed, however, with the Parc 55. This was an opportunity for them to step up and make a difficult time for their guests a little better...even memorable. Too bad, huh! The whole time I was sitting in my room looking out the window, I kept wondering what the other hotels were doing for their guests.
I had done quite a bit of checking on the internet about this hotel before booking and the one thing that stood out from people was small rooms, so I went expecting exactly that. I stayed at a Heathrow airport hotel the night before flying out and my room in the Cartwright was bigger. They are not massive but not tiny either, to be honest if you are going to San Francisco then you shouldn't be spending that much time in your room as it is a fantastic city. I had a room which was at the back of the hotel and we found it very quiet. We had a coffee machine in the room but to be honest it was easier to nip downstairs to the 24 hr free tea and coffee.The closet was massive and had an iron and ironing board inside, if you want a fridge they will provide one for you. Not very many coat hangers though to hang your clothes up with.Soap, shampoo and conditioner provided and replaced when running low.Alarm clock radio with a CD player built in provided.The hotel was very clean and the maid came every day and it was up to you if you wanted the bedding changed every single day or not as well as the towels. You just had to leave a card out if you didn't want the bedding changed, they still made it for you and if you wanted the towels changed you just left them on the floor or in the bath. They always waited until we put the please service sign on the door so sleeping in was not a problem. The breakfast was more than enough each day and included things like cereal, juice, fruit, bagels, toast, yogurt, muffins (giant muffins if your from the UK) breakfast rolls which were sausage and egg and even a waffle machine which you poured the provided batter in and made yourself a hot fresh waffle. You had a choice of around 8 different teas and 4 coffees which was also free 24hrs. You could go back as many times as you wanted so you could stuff yourself if you wanted. The only thing was breakfast was between 7am and 9am in the week and 7am to 10am at the weekend. There are not enough tables most days for all the guests but you can take it into the library or back to your room, we didn't find this to be a problem at all.They always had fresh applest in the lobby and cookies in the library which you could help yourself to at any time. We had a safe deposit box at reception which was free as long as you didn't loose the key. The free wine tasting every evening was basically 2 or 3 free glasses of wine and a chance to meet other guests. This was a great chance to find out about trips and restaurants in the area 1st hand. The staff are very proud of the hotel and it shows, they will go out of there way to help you. The location is fantastic, the cable cars runs up powell street which is less than 10 seconds away, 24hr wallmart shop opposite which sells just about everything. There is also a Lori's diner on the corner open early to 11:30pm which we used for both a breakfast (had a sleep in) and evening meal both were value and tasted good. I can not wait to go back and speaking to others while sipping the wine many have stayed several times before and the fact that they keep coming back says it all. If your going to use the local transport get a city passport which gives you unlimited travel on everything except the BART, the hotel can arrange a shuttle to the airport for about $13 per person and of course Alcatraz is a must, I did the day tour but was told later that you get to see much more on the night tour.
On the plus side, the hotel was clean, the staff friendly and helpful-especially the breakfast staff. We looked forward to breakfast every morning in the sunny room with the limited cook- to-order menu-they were our best breakfasts all over Europe! The bathtub was nice and very deep and relaxing after a day of sightseeing. The location was good- it took 15 minutes to get to Paddington tube station on the Heathrow Express. Paddington tube was a 10 minute walk to the hotel. Paddington had too many stairs for my 70 year old mother to negotiate, so we were relieved that Lancaster Gate tube station was only a 10 minute walk and had only 1 set of stairs. On the negative side the room was cold-regardless of what temperature the thermostat was set at, the towel warmer wasn't working, the safe wouldn't accept any of my 3 American credit cards to lock it up, and we had a twin room (2 twin beds) but the bed had no top sheet and the blanket could be too warm at times. The room faced a noisy street and I had to use earplugs. You have to leave your room key in a slot just inside the door to work the electricity. The carpeting and bedding appeared shabby. We did enjoy the hot tea and biscuits in our room every afternoon.
This hotel certainly rates higher than for instance the Milford Plaza Downtown which we stayed at on our last visit (very basic small rooms) The rooms were nicely decorated clean and a good size for two adults and two teenagers (17&amp; 13) beware though two queen size beds meant brother and sister had to share.It was February &amp; cold outside, but as the room had its own air conditioning unit it was not hard to keep the room cosy. One thing missing was a kettle for a first thing morning cuppa, so we bought a cheap kettle $10 and that was sorted !We liked the district in which the Excelsior was located more peaceful than downtown ensuring a good nights sleep. The subway is at the end of the block and very easy to walk to for all destinations.A good supply of eateries in the area a stroll away - try EJs diner for a great breakfast in traditional diner surroundings.The only downside of the hotel was the staff at the desk are not that friendly and the porters and concierge have always got their hands out for a tip. But as interaction with these people is very limited on a day to day basis dont let this put you off, the maids are very pleasant who service the rooms really well every day.
Our family of six stayed in three rooms at the Bund for 6 nights. Our room had two TV sets and toiled for visitors. The two young people in the family had a business suite with computer and internet. The staff were very helpful especiall Patrick and Leo who got us a taxi and wrote our destination in Chinese. We were very pleased with the Bund.
Decor was great, complimentary wine hour was very fun, games were everywhere, neat decor in room. The room was on the small side, but had everything you needed - plus it was clean and very nicely decorated. The only problem we had was that our reservation through orbitz wasn't on file with the hotel. But that was not a problem b/c they had availability.
We arrived at the hotel about 7pm at night, the lobby was full, but check-in only took about 5 mins. Check-in staff were welcoming and friendly.We then went to the lifts.....and waited 10mins for one of the 3 lifts that went to floors 17+ to appear. There were another 15+ people waiting for these lifts.This occured throughtout the 4 night stay. The lifts are a joke! (it must be noted that the whole hotel is being renovated - including the lifts, scheduled completion date &quot;Spring&quot;).Maybe the lifts will improve once this is completed. Be warned until then!!!We arrived at our room on 31st floor, which was looking out to Liberty Island. FANTASTIC!The room was one of the recently re-modelled ones, great decor, think it had a 37&quot; LCD TV, nice bathroom, and extremely comfy beds.Never ate in the restaurants on site, but they seemed to be pretty busy every evening. Starbucks on site is convenient, but the staff are far from being happy in their jobs, in fact, it seemed like I was doing something wrong just by asking for a drink!!! NUFF SAIDHotel is located 5 mins walk from the World Trade Centre subway station which has links uptown. Other stations to Brooklyn etc are within a comfortable 10 mins.Took a taxi from La Guardia to the hotel and were ripped off well and truly. $45!! Traffic was not that bad, he just took us the long way around for the fun it. Try a limo - 7777 limo's charge $30 from the airport, $35 to the airport. (The hotel wanted $65 for the same journey!!!!!).All in all, it was great to stay downtown for a change, with the subway taking 10mins max to get to all the popular attractions aound midtown. The hotel met expectations.
This October was my second stay at this special hotel. I have found that just by being myself with the front desk got me that wonderful feeling of welcome that no amount of money can buy. The women behind the front desk worked hard to get me everything I even slightly mentioned...(i.e., iron, ironing board, direct view of Fremont, and beyond that even managed to get me a comp room for a non-smoker which made that guest ecstatic). Every (and I'm not exaggerating) employee we had contact with seemed truly to be happy. This reflects highly on managment of this property. The Plaza has the American Bandstand slot machine, which weighed heavily on my decision to originally stay there. This trip the one I chose to play was uncomfortably loud, but just a mention to a floor worker and that was corrected within 10 minutes...excellent response time in anyone's book&quot;. The food is great and is so affordable. I splurged with a $300 hit on the ABS machine and ate at The Center Stage restaurant with a direct line view of the The Experience, salmon was superb, piano musician devine, waiter was awesome ans genuinely funny and entertaining. I can recommend the Plaza entertainment especially the lounge. I love to be entertained while playing my slots. Reportcard on this special place...A++.
We have chosen the hotel due to its location. I do know that hotel rooms in major European cities are generally small but this was literally tiny, there was only place for a double bed. There was not even place to put our two-cabin size bags. Before making the reservation I phoned to the hotel and I was adviced to pay for a deluxe room if I need more space. I can not imagine what a standard room would look like, or maybe I was fooled and be allocated a standard room after paying for a deluxe one. When I complained that my room doesn't look like the one published in the Internet they say they will check it and the following day instead of offering some kind of compensation they simply said I was right and ensured me that they were going to change the photos, as if this was my problem. The hotel has been recently reopened after undergoing a major refurbishment. This is probably why nothing works properly and the tecnical staff keeps making noise in the corridor outside my room at 3pm when I was trying to rest after a long bussiness meeting. I must admit that the public areas are quite impresive, if this is what you look for.
We arrived late and were expected and shown to our room within minutes - a suite overlooking the front garden in Building 1 - at a bargain price. Spacious and well furnished with hard wire internet connection. Walking distance to great shops and easy walk to Metro - anyway a taxi to the Bund is only a couple of US dollars. Good choice of restaurants in easy walking distance and the streets felt very safe...but watch out for bicycles coming from every direction!Really pleased with this hotel, but can understand other comments form people in some of the other buildings which front on to the street as far as we can see.Staff were efficient and friendly.
I got very good deal for this hotel from Expedia. This hotel was exellent place to stay. Breakfast was delicious, all the staff was friendly, decoration was really nice. Orchideas, modern art books and big tv in livind room. Our room was clean, bed was amazing and we could see the empire state building from our room.
A girlfriend and I stayed here for a girlfriend getaway trip during The MAve's opening weekend. We were quite impressed with hotel. The lobby is quite tastefully decorated and helps to create an atmosphere of a luxury hotel. We stayed in a room with 2 double beds. It was on the small side which is to be expected in New York. The best way to describe the room was simple luxury. The beds were comfortable with a nice clean bathroom. One nice feature in the room are hardwood floors. The location of the hotel is quite conviently located in a nice non-touristy neighborhood. It is a $5 cab ride to many neighborhoods for shopping and nice restaurants.The best part of our stay was the staff at The MAve. We arrived quite late in the evening exhausted after numerous delays in getting there. The staff helped us find a fantastic French-American restaurant nearby that was open late and delicious! Over our stay, the staff helped us with everything from getting us reservations at one of the more trendy restaurants in town to providing a Blackberry charger. The staff made us feel as though we were staying at the best hotel in town.
Stayed there for 3 nights feb20-23 as part of tour group. Very old hotel. Every room is different. Some rooms are reasonable, some not. Most room has Safe. No iron, small bathroom, old system with complicated light switches. Not as clean. Cannot move twin bed together. Can open windows.Internet at business center, limited hours. Cost 6 Yuan for 5 minutes. (7.6 Yuan per 1 US dollar)Breakfast on second floor, okay but not great..some food are cold. some fruit, french toast, eggs to order, limited supply.Good location. Only about 10 minutes walk to Nanjing Road where all the shoppings and activities are. 5 minutes to Bund.
I chose this hotel as a base for my husband and I whilst we visited our familys in the UK. It was conveniently siutated in the Docklands which makes it easy to travel between East London, South London, Hertfordshire and Essex.I booked a Suite. The suite was smaller than I had expected. It had 1 bedroom, a lounge with limited kitchen facilities and a bathroom. The bed was fine if not a little small. We were staying 8 nights and were provided with 5 hangers ? I requested more (twice) and ended up with a total of 10 hangers - I eventually got more from my Mum.The lounge had a 2 seater sofa and 2 armchairs. They were hard and uncomfortable. The telly was fine but didnt have access to Sky (foxtel). Their in house video library was poor, offering 18 old films and expected to charge 7.50 GBP per film ! The kitchenette had a small fridge and provided limited crockery and cutlery. They did not provide washing up liquid, tea towels, paper-towels or a sponge to wash up with, we had to buy that...They also did not provide a corkscrew and when we asked to use one from the restaurant they said we would have to bring it back quickly as it was the only one !We used the tea-bags provided and once gone were never replenished (same goes for the shower cap?). The suite did not have a washing machine so I enquired about a laundry service. Firstly due to the majority of the staff being from eastern europe trying to communicate effectivley was frustrating to say the least. I am from London and found it really annoying when a member of staff did not understand the word &quot;knickers&quot; ( I was asking how much it was to launder underwear ) she had to ask a collegure to take my call. When we finally broke through the language barrier I discovered they charged 3.30 GBP ( around 8 AUD) for each piece of underwear....Suffice to say I did not use this service.The staff were friendly enough but to be honest their understanding of the english language wasnt great and so their spoken english was poor. Not what you expect in the heart of London. Location is good. Hotel is clean, but thats it. An average experience.
This hotel is based in the Chelsea district, not one of the nicest streets in New York, but conveniently located between sixth and seventh avenue, just a 5 minutes walk away from the Madison Square Garden and 10 Minutes from Times Square.The hotel lobby is quite small but cosy with a nice (sometimes overwhelming) cinnamon smell in the air.Hotel staff at the front desk are not too friendly or enthusiastic except for one lady (you will soon know who is meant) but they do an alright job.The hotel rooms are quite small, but you get an awesome view from one of the upper floors. The rooms have all the amenities you could wish for, including a big tv and a big shower and the beds are just divine. I have never slept in such a comfortable bed than this one. The cleaning lady does a very accurate job with the bed sheets.Some people here have complained about the small size of the room but it is sufficient to store all your clothes, your luggage etc. and besides you're in New York City, you're not going to stay in your room all day long.Breakfast in the hotel restaurant was ok, nothing spectaculare, you get free internet in the bar, and the happy hour is just great. Go say hi to Jenna! :-)A great great Whole Foods Supermarket is just around the block, it is worth a peak. Starbucks just around the corner as well.Concerning the picketing, one barely notices it, I don't see the big deal...and besides according to the hotel management it is not even Four Points workers who are demonstrating.Overall, it is a good choice as an hotel if you are in NYC as a tourist. I can't say much about the room price though as I stayed there on Starwood points.
My wife and I stayed here for 5 nights in March. For a three star hotel it is brilliant. The staff are so helpful and friendly. The hotel overall is extremely clean and tidy. The room was very good, apart from the shower which lacked a bit of pressure. The breakfast was okey. It did get a little boring, but for the price we paid for the hotel, we couldn't complain. The gym is good and the pool-side is fairly relaxing. Both of which are on the top floor. This hotel has been refurbished in recent years which made the staying that little bit better overall.The supermarket across the road was an extremely good source for bottled water. 1.50 AED for 2 litre. Compared to the 9 AED for a small bottle in the room mini bar.WOULD NOT HESITATE TO STAY HERE AGAIN.
This hotel is REALLY cute and unique. The location is great - even for a group of girls that included one on crutches. We never had an issue getting a cab and it was close to pretty much everything we wanted to see. Definitely take the train in from the airport (especially Midway). It was easy and only $2.Downfalls - I ordered a rollaway bed when I booked the room months in advance of our stay. I also called a month before we arrived to confirm it AND called the day of to confirm it would be in our room. No such luck. After making a pretty big deal out of it, they delivered one the next day. Thanks to a great staff - it wasn't their fault and they handled my frustration really well.ALSO - we ordered a few snacks from room service. We ordered the &quot;warm bleu cheese dip and salsa&quot; only to get warm Tostitas cheese dip. It was seriously like they just opened the jar and microwaved it - delicious...but worth $9? Nope. Just a little bizarre that they OBVIOUSLY brought us the wrong thing and acted like nothing happened.BUT, all in all, it was a great trip. We had a 2 Queen room and it was big and clean with comfy beds and plenty of space for all of our stuff...which was a lot. I would definitely recommend staying here!
We spent 3 nights at Le Meridien in San Francisco in October 2006. It is a beautiful hotel with great service, huge rooms, and in a very good location. Our room was very spacious with a king bed, 2 upholstered chairs, a side table, large desk and desk chair, and large armoire with minibar, drawer space, and a large TV. The closet was huge and out of the way. The bathroom was VERY large, newly refinished with a marble tile and vanity, lots of mirrors, and a great shower with massage and hand-held options. The toiletries were luxurious and the towels and robe were a soft, fluffy treat!The service was excellent, and everyone was very pleasant. Two staff at the concierge desk all weekend, just there to cater to our needs. They knew everything, had great advice, lots of maps and brochures. Very knowledgable and pleasant. We paid about $120/night through Hotwire, which was an incredible deal. The staff never made us feel funny or unwelcome despite our low internet rate (I've heard people report this about other hotels in the past). The concierge didn't look down on us when we asked about cheap, touristy things like bus routes, and treated us like any other customer there.Restaurant and room service are incredibly expensive - $65 for breakfast for two, which was delicious, but nothing extravagent. Starbucks is across the street, and the bar across the street also sells a good breakfast at a much more reasonable price.The hotel is across the street from the Embarcadero Center, a business district with lots of shops, fast food, cafes, etc. Two Walgreens are blocks away. Chinatown is about 5 blocks up the street, the Ferry Building is a few blocks the other way. North Beach begins a few blocks away, too. A wonderful location!My only criticism of this hotel is the odd bathroom door - on a runner, like a closet door, so it doesn't close tightly. The bathroom door always has a gap open. Not a good thing if you want some true privacy in the bathroom!
After reading the rewievs, I was really scared of coming to the hotel. BUT fortunately it wasnt that bad. The staff was nice, the room - a standard single - was small but had everything I needed, location perfect and the breakfast was ok. The floors ARE very squeaky, but it's an old building, so what can you expect...All in all I'm very happy that I took the chance with this hotel. I didnt pay much, and I got what I paid for. So fair trade!
I am not picky about budget hotels. I stayed in a comparably poor hostel in London two weeks prior for much less money. You will be deceived by the cleanliness and facade of the lobby as they are the cleanest aspects of this hotel.  My wife and I stayed at the An-Nur hotel July 27 through July 31, the last 4 nights of a two week trip to England and I felt suckered for booking this DUMP after reading the dishonest reviews on another website. We paid $108 a night, which I realize is nothing for London in July. If I hadn't already paid, I'd never have stayed here. Pay more and sleep well. The staff are nice, but the hotel is a dump. I wish I could have seen the rooms people who have written positive reviews on this website are referring to, because I don't understand how anyone can say anything positive about the facilities themselves. The hotel is disgusting. Stains everywhere but the lobby. It's the kind of place that makes you feel dirty the moment the elevator doors open onto your floor. We stayed in a room on the first floor. It was DISGUSTING! The sheets, towels, and bathroom counter were the only things clean about the hotel. You won't want to sit on the bed or walk without shoes on the floor. There is a telephone in the room, BUT it doesn't work. Not Safe.  There is a drain in the middle of the bathroom floor because the whole bathroom serves as the shower. You can LITERALLY sit on the toilet and take a shower at the same time. The shower sprays all over the toilet and would fill it up if you left the lid up while showering. The shower &quot;curtain&quot; is so close to the shower head you have to practically wrap yourself in it like a cape if you want to prevent it from soaking the disgusting, worn, moldy, bathroom floor, (which incidently floods when you take a shower.) If I haven't persuaded you NOT to stay here, then I don't think anything will. Bring flip-flops for the shower. Better yet.... Just stay in a hostel and save yourself some money. This is one sad hotel.  Never ate the breakfast after reading the reviews, but sure heard everyone else eating in the atrium below our window at 6:30 am.  Believe the reports about loud garbage collection at the An-Nur Hotel. The Thisleton Kennsington Gardens Hotel around the corner (probably a &quot;real&quot; hotel) has a dumpster just outside the windows on the back of the An-Nur Hotel that its staff throw bags of empty wine bottles into at late and early hours 1:00 am and 4:30 am during our stay. Garbage was collected and woke us up at 6:00. Hotels comparable to this one line the street , Queensburough Terrace, look at them before you stay here. Pay more if you have to, but please DON'T STAY HERE. Please. I feel bad for the staff because they work in such a dodgy establishment. ----Josh, California
Because it was a last-minute trip, we booked with the Omni instead of our usual stop (The Ritz). Price was excellent compared to the Ritz and most of the employees were very friendly, especially the front desk and the doormen. But since this is a review to help us all travelers, here's our experience. When we first arrived there was no bellman or doorman. Only one valet person (we arrived at 6pm), who was &quot;forced&quot; to handle our bags. He didn't look too happy to have had to take care of our luggage when nobody answered his call (into his sleeve) for a bellman. We thought he could have at least hidden his displeasure of doing this. Location was right smack dab in the middle of downtown/financial district and they didn't have their own driveway. Since they are located in the corner, if there were a lot of cars in front of the hotel, you would be basically blocking traffic with your car. One last thing are the valet guys who would get our cars. Although there were great ones, there were also the occasional valet who would peel out of their garage (which was across the street) with our vehicle and make a very sharp and FAST u-turn with it in order to get to the front door of the hotel. Did not think that was professional and maybe management can have a reminder meeting with the valet about this. Mind you, we were right in front watching them drive our car recklessly.
Well after looking at reviews for the last three months it was time to finally go and put it all to the test . We were in the west tower which from th 38th floor gave us a view of the empire state as well as the river. I had asked for a city view but this was not possible or we could move at a later date.The bathroom still had the hairs from the previous occupant on the floor but apart from that the room was spacious and in a pretty good condition. As i was sharing with my 16 year old daughter we needed twin beds and this limited our choice of room , apparently .The staff were ok rather than over efficient or friendly and you always thought the bell boys had an ulterior motive for showing their enthusiasm but all in all the hotel was above average and ideal for a 5 day stay, who wants to stay in your room in N. Y. ?What made the holiday was the whole NY experience, the noise, heat, people , taxis , cars, buildings, lights, shops you name it round the corner was another experience !!!!A couple of my favourites were times sq at night, the jersey boys broadway show, the water taxis, staten island ferry, Sean john shop on 5th, i could go on the memories keep coming back.So to finish the hotel does its job but your trip will be made by the rest of the things you do, so dont worry about the hotel enjoy the rest of what you do. Plan a bit but not too much the excitement is the spontaity of the place i would sleep in a box to go back again!ps . dont be shy about using the concierge a few dollars invested in a tip with them can make things a lot easier the older guy was better than the younger one but a few dollars to them was a very good investment.And remember dont let a few hairs spoil your trip !!!!!!!!!!!WE DIDN't AND ENJOY YOURSELVES KEVIN X
Our trip was great. We really enjoyed our stay!Overall, its fun and authentic place to stay.Will definitely book St Chr again, if I ever come back to Beijing.
Upon entering this hotel my heart sank, as the reception was very dark and decorated in what could only be described as old fasioned english pub style. I feared for the state of the rooms. However thankfully, check in was polite and friendly, which helped relax me somewhat. Our room was small but well laid out, the bathroom was even smaller, so small i marvelled it as a small feat in engineering, that they had managed to fit a bath, toilet and washbasin in it. Thankfully aside from the horrible swirly carpet, the room fittings were tasteful and the bathroom bright and nicely appointed. We slept well which must say something for the quality of the bed and in the morning we enjoyed a mouthwatering breakfast in the restaurant. All in all, considering the price we paid and location, i feel this hotel offered excellent value for money.
We chose Base2stay for our London trip based on Trip Advisor recommendations and were not disappointed. The location was excellent, it felt residential but was only a 3 minute walk to Earl's Court Tube and close walking to High St. Kensington and local shopping. Our room was very clean and the beds were extremely comfortable. The room noise was minimal and the temperature was perfect. The staff went above the call of duty to meet our requests and needs. We felt the the price was reasonable and were pleased with the quality that we received! We will plan to stay here again on our next trip, we really can't recommend it enough!
We've stayed at the Vicarage twice now on our travels through London. Located on a quiet square just off Kensington High Street (and its tube station). Its close enough to be where you want to be to get quickly to the sights of London, and far enough away from the traffic to be back in Victorian England. I would imagine that Freddy Eynsford-Hill (from &quot;My Fair Lady&quot;) was singing &quot;On the Street Where You Live&quot; down Vicarage Court.The triple room is large and inviting looking over the street court with high ceilings and tall windows. The bath is just outside the door (never saw anyone else use it). The next time we stayed in a double, located in back. It was small and no view. We were there for a week in DecemberRemember, no elevator, just stairs. A full English breakfast on the bottom floor. No TV in the room, just one in the lounge downstairs.
Jury's Inn Chelsea is a new hotel and although very clean, the room was fairly tiny. When checking in, I asked for an upper floor (for the view) but when I added that it had to be a smoking room, was told that smokers were relegated to the 2nd floor only. For this reason alone, I would not stay here again. Other than that, as soon as the neighborhood development catches up, it will be a very nice place, however, as of right now (Sept. 2005), one has to walk at least 15 minutes to the nearest pub! The Thames is very close by (although, as I mentioned, from the 2nd floor, I could not see it from my bedroom window!) Don't bother hanging the &quot;Do Not Disturb&quot; sign on your doorknob, by the way, as housekeeping will indeed disturb you, no matter what. Although I only paid 49 pounds per night at Jury's, I still wasn't happy with it because it didn't even feel like I was in London, due to the remote location. Access to civilization was obtainable via bus or tube but to me, one of the charms of London (like New York) is that everything is (usually) right outside your door with no need for public transportation. I would not stay here again, due (mainly) to the poor treatment of smokers, tiny rooms and its out-of-the-way location.
Here are some bullet points on The Palms1) This place is exclusively geared towards the under 30 party crowd. If you are over thirty stay someplace else otherwise you will feel out of place.2) There is loud music blaring everywhere in this hotel including the elevators.3) Want to relax at the pool? Forget it. Unless you are in the mood to get blotto drunk and dance around like an idiot this place will annoy you. My wife and I went down for all of ten minutes to the pool and were driven out by the partiers. 4) The rooms in the Palms tower are about as nice as the ones at the Newark Airport Ramada. They really need to be upgraded and if I only had one word to describe them it would be &quot;dingy&quot;.5) Like sleeping? Well if you have a lower pool facing room this will most likely not be on the agenda.LOUD...Little things:A)The staff at the center bar in the casino are very nice, affable and professional.B) When prompted to decided between a &quot;small&quot; or &quot;large&quot; Margarita at the Mexican joint just off of the casino, chose the small one. We chose the large one thinking it was max 24 ozs. What we were served was at least a 60oz glass of sugar water that cost $26. I had to order 3 Cuervo shots on the side to dump into the glass to have any tequila taste at all. C) some of the front desk staff act like they have better things to do than deal with customers. D) Alize is one the best French joints I have ever been to.While my above review may sound negative, the Palms serves its targeted demographic and psychographic well. If you have any desire for class, elegance and solitude, go stay somewhere else. If you want to carouse with the silk shirted, leased car crowd than you hit pay dirt with the Palms.
The Desert Rose Resort pays attention to the details. We were in town for a conference and we needed a quiet place to work and relax. The Desert Rose delivered. Our suite was completely equipped with everthing we needed; the free internet was a huge bonus, the fully equipped kitchen (with dishwasher, oven, plates, silverware, and even a toaster), and the spacious suites allowed us to live and work comfortably while we were in town. It's not the Ritz, but it's one of the strongest values we know of in LV. The staff was friendly and efficient, making sure every detail was taken care of. We travel for a living and this resort stands out.
When I arrived, my room smelled like a teenage boy's locker room. I contacted guest services and was moved and upgraded to a king size room. When I arrived in the new room, the bathroom smelled like mold and urine, the chest of drawers had been pulled away from the wall and a large pile of trash was behind it, the carpet was dirty with crumbs, the shower curtain had visible mold on it. The smell was overpowering. This is all in a room that had been cleaned and was &quot;guest-ready&quot;. I paid the $14.95 for the 24-hour wireless internet access. Worked periodically. Not good for a business trip. I contacted the front desk and a nice man, said no problem, if it happens again we'll refund your money. Next morning, it continued to happen. I contacted the front desk again, the man who answered was very rude and informed me they DO NOT give refunds for internet. He checked my account and apparently the man the night before HAD given me a refund. So they DO give refunds on the internet. The bar is tiny. The lobby is constantly filled with teenagers sitting around using the internet. It smells like smoke with people standing one foot from the front door at the smokers &quot;pole&quot;. Get the Guest Relations Manager's name-Believe me you'll need it.
Although I was not sure what to expect for the price, we found the TravelLodge a nice place to stay. Yes, it is older but it was clean and served our needs. The staff was friendly and well informed on the easy way to get to the sites. We did have to ask for a hair dryer and toothpaste at the desk and they gladly provided it. The 2 resturants connected to the lobby were good. One was Thai I believe and the other was a breakfast to dinner joint. It had a lot of choices to pick from on the menu. The hotel is close to a lot of major sites. The L that runs by is quite noisy but we didn't notice after we fell asleep. We would leave by 9:00am and not return untill 9-10PM, so as much time as we spent in the room, the price was right. We stayed 3 days, 2 nights and they held our baggage for us until our rooms were ready and until our train left which gave us extra time to roam the city without draging our bags around. The next time I am in Chicago, this will be the first place I would check out. The price is right.
My mother and I take a trip to NYC every December, and this was our first stay at the Avalon Hotel. We only wish we had stayed here sooner! As you may see in other reviews, this hotel is wonderful, and the staff is very accomodating and friendly. This hotel was in excellent condition, smelled good, and the marble bathrooms were an extra added touch! The bellstaff was courteous and helpful, flagged down taxi's for us, receommended places to eat, kept our shopping bags for us even after check-out. Also, when we arrived check-in took only about 5 minutes, and they allowed us to check in 3 hrs early!! The free continental breakfast had a great selection, and they even had staff there to seat you and pour you coffee, etc. I have read other reviews which state that the Avalon is off the beaten path, but I have to disagree. I had a lovely view of the Empire State Building from my window, it was only a few very short blocks away. And Macy's is also about a 5 minute walk. If you like to shop like we do, this is an excellent place to be! I can't say enough good things about this hotel, don't be afraid to stay here, book right away!!
i was in nyc for 4 days last week on personal business and found the location very convenient for me. it was within walking distance to the clients i met with on park and madison aves as well as grand central terminal. i found the staff helpful and also enjoyed the atmosphere of meeting other travelers in the downstairs bar. definitely will recommend.
First time in London. Had a fab time. Absolutely loved everything about it especially this hotel. It had everything onecould ask for - fantastic location, lovely staff, spotless roomand a great breakfast to set one up for the day. The Marquis of Westminster public house a short stroll away was the perfect place to end a perfect day. Would definitely stay at this hotel again.Mary &amp; Carmel, Dublin.
Ended up staying here by default as their sister hotel, the New Linden was overbooked. Was a little annoyed at first as we arrived at 10pm to be told we were being transferred and knew nothing about the Mayflower. However, we were very pleasantly surprised, very clean, wooden floors, lovely shower/wc, , nice staff. Just round the corner from Earls Court tube station - slight drawback as we had a room at the back and you can hear the trains quite clearly but not a big problem. Small room but I think this is par for the course for London hotels in this price range and breakfast wasn't luxurious but perfectly adequate. Would definitely stay here again.
Having researched extensively on the net for a good hotel, I went on the recommendations of Tripadviser and went with the Bedford - and we weren't disappointed. We called the hotel in person and asked for a renovated room and got room 1106 - a suite as there were 3 of us and it suited us perfectly. There was ample room, the beds were comfy, the bathroom was immaculate and it was toasty - too hot at times! The room was serviced every day although they slacked off on leaving shower gel etc after a few days! The porters were lovely but I found the reception staff gruff enough at times. There were a few delis, diners and a Starbucks in the neighbourhood, but we had to treck farther afield to find dining spots. That said, the location was great - a stone's throw from Grand Central and a few blocks from Times Square. Altogether, it was very comfortable, good value and in a fab location!Aine, Ireland
My wife and I stayed in room 3303 ('Metro Room - 1 Queen') for four nights in the middle of our honeymoon. The New Yorker is still undergoing renovation and the reception wasn't finished but our room and everything else on our floor was.The room was tiny, there was barely enough room to put two suitcases down, but then this is New York. Everything worked. the air con was good, there was a flat screen TV on the wall (which wasn't straight!) and it was as clean as anywhere else I've been.There is a launderette in the basement but don't rely on it! There were 10 washing machines, 8 worked. There were 5 dryers, 1 worked! There was one laudry powder machine and it didn't work!The diner downstairs (the tick tock) is excellent, especially for breakfast, and the location of this hotel is spot on: the subway entrance is on the side of the building and Penn Station is the next block along.On the whole I would stay there again, but only if I got a cheap room.
This hotel is simply brilliant in my opinion, from check in to check out everything was perfect. I was given one of the top floor rooms overlooking the road which was lovely, like other people have said the rooms are a bit small but perfectly formed and the bathroom was bigger than I expected. The breakfast was also a very good part of the stay, plently of selection and availability. The hotels additional features such as the computer terminals are very useful, they do get busy. The bar area is very fresh and appealing and gives a very nice atmosphere from the minute you set foot in the hotel. As other people have said about leaving the key at reception, in my opinion it is not only practical but acceptable from the hotel. The key is a fairly large rectangle with your room number on and a green circle, this is the bit that unlocks the door. The keys are not like other hotels which are simple credit card style cards. Also I never had to wait to collect my key so having peace of mind that I wasnt going to loose it was an added bonus!If you are looking for a hotel in this budget area and in London go for it, I certainly will be returning in the near future!!
We stayed at the Affinia Dumont for six nights in November. After reading the reviews on this website, we were very excited to stay at this hotel considering the price was average with other hotels in NYC.The front desk staff were very friendly and helpful when we checked in. We didnt have a room with a stellar view, but they offered to put us in another room on a higher floor the following morning. We didnt want to move rooms after our first night, but their willingness to accommodate our request was refreshing.Our suite came with two queen sized beds, a large desk and kitchen. The kitchen is a huge BONUS! There is a small market store just steps away from the hotel and we picked up cereal, milk, yogurt, fruit, etc. and kept all of this in the fridge. We managed to save a bit of money by eating breakfast in the hotel before we ventured out each day. The kitchen comes with a full sized fridge, microwave, dishes, small oven/stove and full sized sink. We even brought back leftovers from dinner one night at the nearby Lemongrass restaurant (great Thai food) and ate it the following evening, again saving a bit of money after a long day of sightseeing.The hotel has a very large gym and spa &amp; even offers fitness packages which are free for guests to use. We also had a pillow menu in our room which gave approx six options of pillows that could be requested through housekeeping. They even had a pillow that had speakers built into it to be plugged in to an ipod. We ordered the Swedish massage pillow and a buckwheat pillow  great fun &amp; great perk at this hotel.A couple of negative items  The Barking Dog restaurant is not good at all. We went there because we had read on this site that it was pretty good and affiliated with the hotel (they provide the room service) but after eating there were very disappointed. There are a number of restaurants, pubs, etc. at the end of the block to the east of the hotel. Just take a few more steps down the block past the Barking Dog to other restaurants  or even head a few steps to the west to the Lemongrass restaurant.Internet at this hotel is also not free  we paid $42 for five days which is very pricey. Also, bottled water in the room is $7 per bottle. You are best off going to the market next door or even the drug store at the end of the block and getting a few litres of water for a couple of dollars.All in all, our stay was great. The Affinia Dumont is in a wonderful location and is a very comfortable hotel. We would stay there again and recommend this hotel to friends and family.
This is a very good hotel, located centrally in Manhattan. The perfect starting point to discover Manhattan. Very cheap for what you get.Whenever we are back in NYC, we will definitely stat at this hotel.
True to the Four Seasons brand, this is an excellent hotel to stay at on the Puxi side, very centrally located and not too far from anything. The rooms are very nice, the bathrooms have L'Occitane products.
I stayed in a single room on the ground floor of this hotel for 2 nights. I paid approx 45 per night. This didnt include breakfast so I cant comment on their restaurant.I found both the room and its ensuite to be on the small and cramped side but for the price for this hotel in Central London , I cant complain. However what disappointed me and what I found to be inexcusable for a 3 star was the fact that the carpet in the room looked very old and dirty (i.e rotten!) and the wall that the side of the bed was against was gruby. It much needed a coat of white paint, instead i had a gruby off white wall with black marks and stains on it.The general standard of the furnishing and lighting in the room was above average and it came with the standard colour tv with remote. coffee/tea kettle and telephone. Also a trouser press, hair dryer, alarm clock and Internet point (which I didnt use).The small ensuite bathroom was furnished well but the shower hose and head was a toy. Room cleaned and new towels punctual during my stay.The quiet-ish area that the hotel is in has wide roads around it and I wouldnt bet on &quot;dead silence&quot; not untill after midnight. Also Im fairly certain I heard the rumblings of the underground trains directly below! personally thou this didnt bother me and I found the general noise levels at night to be acceptable, also my room was on the ground floor which I would beleive to be the least quiet.Hotel staff seemed very ready to help and friendly. Also they were well presented and smart in appearance. The highly polished floors and corridors of the ground floors look great, its a shame that things like blankets on the floor (just outside my door) and dirty plates on a dining tray seemed to be left around the corridor all day, presumably awaiting the next shift.The reason why I chose this hotel is beacuse Ive had reason to stay in the area before and having walked passed I noticed its very impressive looking entrance and reception area.I now believe this to be a &quot;honey trap&quot; of sorts as the standard of the room I stayed in did not reflect the standard of the reception and entrance area.I would possibly stay in this hotel again because of its cheap rates and convenient location, especially for Paddington Station which is about 8 minutes walk away. Id also like to point out at this stage that some older people may find the walk to Lancaster Gate tube a bit of a drag, especially if they are doing it twice plus daily.I am giving this hotel 3 stars out of 5. 2 stars is a little harsh, but I beleive i am being generous!
My wife, daughter and myself stayed at the Trafalgar over Thanksgiving week. While people have complained about being able to find the hotel - it is right on the square, across the street from Canada House. Look for the clock over the doorway and you are there. Why others could not find the reception area, I don;t know, as the lobby is realtively small and there is someone at the corner door to direct to the left and the funky reception.We arrived from our overnight flight at 9:00am - the room was not ready - but they checked us in and upgraded us to larger room with a king bed. They took care of our luggage while we went off on a quick tour. Upon our return at 12:30 we were given our room keys and shown to our room. All the luggage had already been brought up - which was great.The room for London was very spacious. Minimalist - no pictures on the wall - big deal. Very clean and well stocked with towels etc. The bed - could be better but not horrible - the roll away bed for my daughter was more than adequate.Being Hilton Diamond, they gave all three of us breakfast each morning in the lower level. The english breakfast is more than adequate with excellent variety of breads, chees, smoked fish, fresh fruit and on and on.the location as can be imagined was excellent. Easy walks to many of the sights and a block from the Underground. We took the Underground to the hotel. You do need to make a change from the Piccadily to either the Bakerloo or Northern Line. I recommend the Bakerloo transfer at Piccadily as you will deal with fewer steps with your luggage. I wouldn;t take the fast express train from the airport - which is expensive and takes you to Paddington - which frankly is a pain in the butt to get to Trafalgar - so you might as well save money and take the underground.Other recommendations - purchase the London Pass - a good value if you are going to atl east 6 sites and with it but the Travel Pass. I know we got our moenys worth for the three day passes - one less money thing to worry about as well.Bottom line - nice hotel, very nice staff, clean rooms a very good experience!!
This hotel is fine if you don't mind the terrible noise 24/7... even on the 12th floor. It's like sleeping outside. We even checked to see if the windows were left open or something! There is a firestation near the hotel so be prepared to hear sirens often. On our first night, we were awakened 7 times by fire trucks!!! There isn't much they can do about it besides changing all the windows...We had a one bedroom suite (1 king bed). We were told they had to change our one bedroom two beds reservation because of unexpected renovations. They did however provide a complementary roll-away bed to accomodate us. Upon arrival, we realized that they had bricklayers drilling from 9 to 5... Fortunatly for us, we planned to be out most of the time.Also, we had called in advance to make sure the kitchen would have pots and pans and everything else. They assured us that it was the case. Well, after 3 messages and two days we just got tired of asking... and ended up having to wash a plate after one of us was done since we were five in the room and we only had four plates. The room was large and well decorated. The sofabed was uncomfortable, even for small kids but the roll-away and the king size bed were fine. The bathroom was tiny and had some mildew near the window and around the bath and there were also black spots on the ceilling over the light fixture, plus there were some crumbles between the nightstands and the bed and a candy wrapper beside the sofa. The kitchen has seen better days and there was a bottle of orange juice that expired exactly a year ago in the minibar. I didn't even bother to look at the other stuff. They did give us a bottle of jellybeans and a bottle of water as a welcome gift. The jellybeans expired three months ago but the kids liked them anyway. Needless to say, we will not be back.
This was our third stay at The Hotel Rex. We gravitate back to this hotel because of the location, hospitality and atmosphere. The rooms are impeccably clean, the response of the staff is never strained and they put us first no matter how small the inquiry. We do like the location for walking almost anywhere in the city and will return again for pleasure or, if we must, business. Nice one!
Our family of 4 (2 kids, 2 adults) stayed at the Belvedere for 3 nights. We were only pleased about 2 things - the conceirge service and the location. Other than that... were were not impressed! The room was VERY small. The air conditioner was a window unit that was covered by the curtains. So, if you wanted the windows covered by the curtains at night, the air conditioner was covered. The beds were as hard as rocks! We were charged an in room internet fee even though it never worked. We were on the phone for over an hour with the wireless internet help line, and still did not get service but were still charged.. We asked for additional toiletry items which were promised right away: the items never came! My husband was expecting a fax. They told us 2 days in a row that they had not received it, but it was there the entire time. They did not even bother to look for it. We will not stay there again... we did stay at Sklyine hotel for 1 night and were much more impressed with the rooms and service there! and it was cheaper!
We spent one week at Fairfield Grand Desert Resort in Las Vegas between July 22 and 29 of 2004. It was a wonderful time! It felt like you were at home, not a typical hotel. The suite we slept in was spacious and relaxing and I loved the kitchen. We bought food at a local grocery store on Tropicana Ave. in Vegas to fill up the refrigerator. It had the accomodations of home in that suite. This hotel gives the more flashier $600/700 a night hotels on the Strip on Las Vegas Boulevard a run for their money! For about $200 a night, this is a great deal and one of the best in Vegas to go to! I liked the computer room and game room on one of the upper floors, though we had a 30-minute limit to use them. I liked the McGregor restaurant on one other floor, that served a nice breakfast. I liked the gift shop, where I bought over 100 Las Vegas postcards, most of them different from the other. But I didn't like the pricy shirts at that shop. The swimming pools looked nice, though I didn't swim in it. This is another one of the high-class hotels in Vegas and I was fortunate to have spent a week in it! The staff was nice too. I recommend anyone to get reservations at this hotel!
Nearly everything here was fantastic - the price, the location, the staff and the room. I booked through Travelocity and got a great weeknight deal. They're located right between Central Park and Times Square, and are surrounded by great restaurants. The staff was very polite and helpful, not only when we checked in and during our stay (one night before a cruise) but 10 days later (returning from the cruise) when they allowed us to leave our bags in their lobby for the day before our flight departed. The room was small but quite sufficient, with a comfortable bed and pillows, decent water pressure in a beautiful marble tiled bathroom. The computers with internet access for guest use are a brilliant amenity as well. The one small item that wasn't fantastic was the continental breakfast, but that's very easy to overlook when the rest of the experience was fabulous. I will always return to this hotel when in the city, and will recommend the same to my friends.
It was either pay $90 for Best Western or $89 for Sahara so I picked Sahara of its location. It was towards the end of the strip, closer to old town. [Tower past the Sahara shop - 427]The rooms were old and small. The AC was on blast the whole time, but it still felt like 85 degrees. The TV is a small old 12 inch that you only see in old cooking shows. The ice machine on our floor was The pool was big, but filled with people and kinda musty...I do not recomment this hotel to anyone unless you are on a restricted budget and maybe only staying for business.
We stayed here for 4 nights due to my husband attending a training course locally and paid a special January 2 night stay rate. It has to be said that to pay the full price listed of 170 a night would have been to my mind, excessive but for 89 per night including breakfast it was a bargain. We had a disabled room, as I needed to have a 'walk in' shower, and it was huge. However in spite of being very careful to keep the doors closed the shower shed water everywhere.. which made the floor very, very slippery. Not great for someone with walking problems. Also, why dont hotels realise that people dont use rooms purely for sleeping? It would have made a great difference to our stay to have a small sofa in the room where we could relax in front of the TV for a couple of hours instead of trying use the 2 rather uncomfortable chairs. Having said that.. the breakfast (Full English or continental) was very good, most of London attractions are easily accessible and the concierge (all of them) were VERY helpful indeed. Our room was cleaned each day to a high standard, the bed linen changed daily and the bed was comfortable! Also the pub across the road, Mables Tavern has the best beer in London (so hubby says!) By the way, if anyone wants info on using a disabled buggy in London do contact me.
Thanks to the advice of other trip advisor clients, I stayed at this hotel and loved it. My room was lovely, stayed on a high floor and it was quite. L'Occitaine products in the bathroom, along with all other amenities that create comfort while on the road. Had a nice meal at the restaurant, which made a late arrival easier. The staff was plentiful and willing to help on all levels. I have already recommended this hotel to others and will definitely stay here again the next time I'm in Chicago.
We stayed in this hotel for a week and liked it very much. Its clean, peaceful and friendly. If its your first time in London, then you must go there. Staff would help you a lot in getting your way around, plus WiFi and maps are free. Hyde park and Oxford Street are near by and there is very nice cafe to eat called Lena's Cafe. Hotel does provide tea/coffee facilities and Biscuits inside the room. Breakfast was not included in our room rent and we did not take it, but there are plenty of places to eat near by. Walk to Notting Hill is highly recommended among the neo-classical buildings and London sightseeing buses are five minutes from the hotel.
I would definitely recommend this hotel. Great location which is quiet, yet close to the action.Our suite was very comfortable and little touches, like the apples and mineral water, made the stay extra special.Breakfast the following day was very impressive too. Full English brekkie or tempting array of fruits, berries, pastries and cereals - what a lovely dilemma :-)
I stayed here for one night last weekend and got a corporate rate for the room, which made it affordable; I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it. The location is excellent, right outside the BART station and close to the Ferry Building (awesome bars, restaurants, and fabulous farmer's market on Saturday mornings) as well as part of the Embarcadero shopping complex. The hotel is massive, with one of those cheezy big-hotel atriums in the centre, although since it was Christmas it was decorated for the holidays and quite beautiful. I arrived late on Friday night after missing a flight; the front desk staff was efficient, but not friendly. I decided to work out, and the gym was quite good - it's open 24 hours with your key and I was the only one there. The room itself was fine, although the bathroom was TINY, and the walls were paper-thin (I could hear the women in the next room chatting as soon as they woke up, which was EARLY!) Not what you expect from an expensive hotel. Average furnishings &amp; decor, but a nice big bed with soft sheets and lots of pillows, and a sliding door that opened to the outside, which was nice. Overall, a good but not great experience; I expected more considering what they normally charge for a room.
Very nice hotel. The rooms are lovely. Excellent location within the theatre district and walking distance of Trafulgar, Leicester Square and Covent Garden.Would recommend to anyone. The only draw back was the check in lady messed up our check in and spoke at 1000mph!!
They are currently doing construction outside the hotel and to be honest, the entrance a bit obscure. When looking for it, I turned the corner from Madison to Wabash and drove right by the valet, which is RIGHT around the corner. Had to go around again. Couldn't even see the hotel because of the construction fences but the valet pointed us to the hotel, thankfully.Doormen were very friendly, though they didn't seem very informed. We asked them where we could buy a day pass for the El and the first doorman told us a place to try. Then he said, &quot;Well, they might not be open,&quot; and then he asked the other doorman. That man gave conflicting information entirely, and finally they decided to call the front desk. No one answered so we went up to find out ourselves. Again, we got different information than either of the doormen gave. In the end we opted to pay the $2.00 fare for a one way ticket.Positives: Rooms were clean. We opted for a suite, which was only a few dollars more than a standard room. We were happy with the choice and happy to have a little extra room. Big bathrooms. Warm blankets. Peggy at the front desk is very helpful and accomodating. Previous reviews say that the El is noisy but we had a room on the inside and it was generally quiet. The whoosh of the El was still heard but it wasn't clanging like other people claimed. I'd ask for a room on the inside and you'll be fine. Location is great! El is right outside. There is a bakery one block down, a pizza place one block up, and Millenium Park is practically across the street. Walk about 5 blocks and you get into Michigan Avenue shopping. How can you complain about that for the price?A few of the negatives: a phone in the room didn't work, a light in the room didn't work. When I called Housekeeping using the &quot;Housekeeping&quot; button on the phone, they said they would bring me two more towels as I requested. 25 minutes later, no towels. I called Housekeeping. No answer. I called the front desk and repeated my request. Towels were brought to me immeadiately. If you're in Chicago for Business or to see a show, this hotel is right in the heart of it. If you want to shop, you might try to get a little closer. If you don't mind walking a little, you can't beat the price.
I have spent more than 500 nights in hotels in China and at least 50 nights in the best of Shangai including the Pudong Shangri-la, Portman Ritz Carlton, Renaissance and Westin. The Crown Plaza is almost equal to the best and at much less than half the price. I checked in to the Club Floor at 7:30 PM and was very pleased to find their happy hour went till 8:00 PM. Most hotels close their club happy hours at 7:00 PM. The club lounge is one of the nicest and has top shelf liquors and several hot hors doerves. Unlike many of the hotel club floors, it was surprisingly empty and the service very good. The location is not convenient but is worth the savings. One of my taxi drivers from Pudong airport had trouble finding it so download the map or directions from the web site before you go.
My mother, who is 73, and I go to New York to see shows and walk Central Park. Traditionally, we have stayed at hotels closer to Times Square i.e., Omni Berkshire and Warwick Hotel. If this were my first visit to New York, and I wanted to enjoy the night life, lights, and action......I would choose hotels closer to the theater district. I would select for economical reasons, perhaps, Milford Plaza or Hotel Edison. Friends of mine have stayed there and enjoyed themselves. HOTEL BELLECLAIRE: The hotel is small and currently being renovated on some floors. My senior mother and I could have cared less about the elevators. We were on the third floor and used the stairwell. In my opinion, this is not a place for children or teens. The hotel rooms are small, the televisions barely work, but that being said, it was fine for us. Honestly, I think it depends on what you are looking for. We did reject one of the bigger rooms on the 7th floor because the carpet was badly stained. The front desk is friendly and accomodating and changed our room immediately. My mother's room and mine were both clean (315 and 318). The view was nonexistent and the air conditioners rather loud. The bathrooms were spotless; no problem with hot water and I think the tile was new. The bed was comfortable and I smelled no unpleasant odors. I have a nose for mold, mildew, and other unpleasantries.....every thing was fine. I also have trouble sleeping at night, but found no problem here. It is an older place, however, the paint is fresh, a brownish-yellow, and the carpet looks somewhat newish. The halls are narrow, if you are on the big side, hmm.....find a bigger place. I noticed that there were a lot of airline staff who stayed here as well. The location, for me, was excellent. I wanted to stay in a residental area, to see more of the REAL New York, and so I did. The subway is two blocks away and you can get to Times Square in five minutes if you have two dollars. Not a bad deal! The area is safe, too. Just around the corner is a grocery store, with a huge selection of cheeses, chocolates, deli items, and imported beers. There is a great &quot;trendy&quot; breakfast place on Amsterdam called Sara Beth's. It is a local favorite and if you want a good Jewish breakfast, somewhere on Broadway (that's your street) and hmmm......86 or 87, you can find incredibly fresh lox, herring, etc. If you ask, once you get to that area, people would know the name. You can walk to Times Square from the hotel. It takes about 30/45 minutes.
I thnik some people are being overly critical. This is the real deal. 1st the checkin - I arrived at about 1:30 and my two rooms were not quite ready but he gave us the waterpark passes and upgraded one room to a king suite. Other people who checked in around me rooms were ready and were able to check in right away, but we wanted adjoining rooms. We did not get the adjoining rooms but they were close by and the upgrade to a suite was nice because all of 7 of us could relax in our living room.2nd the rooms- The room with the two double beds was O.K. nothing spectacular but not horible either. The king room was really nice. There were 2 televisions and a sofa sleeper. The only problem with the room was the doors, you really had to slam it the close it all the way.3rd and best of all the waterpark- My kids ages, 14, 9, 6, and 4 all loved the water park. We must have spent two hours on the lazy river itself. Then my 4 year old liked the dip in theater(no movie though- both days we were there) because of the slides that were just right for her. My 6 year old like that they had basketball nets in the smaller pool, so he didn't have to wrestle with the older kids in the bigger pool. my nine year old loved the tipping bucket in the middle. That area also had 3 slides that did not end in a pool so that was cool. My oldest like the big water slides, the two body slides and the two tube slides, he even convinced me to go on the tube slides with him. We all eventually went on the tube slides except for my 4 year old, a little too short and too scared(smile). We all enjoyed the whirlpool that went outside too. They even had a little splash pad outside too. Overall the waterpark was a big hit and it's nice to have something close to Chicago and not have to go all the way to the Dells. I would say it is a nice little get away for your family, my kids can't wait to go back during Christmas Break.
First, what Castle Inn is not...Castle Inn is not the Ritz. Do not expect to be pampered or receive room service. However, if you want a decent hotel at a very reasonable price, then Castle Inn is the place. It's closer to a Red Roof Inn/Motel 6 but is WELL WORTH the price. I'd stay there again in a heartbeat and suggest it to anyone wanting to stay in SF.Pros: Great location in the interesting and safe neighborhood of Russian Hill, about 2 blocks from different 3 bus lines (get used to taking the bus...they're safe and convenient), about 1-2 blocks from restaurants and boutiques, not a lot of hills in this area, free parking (HUGE benefit), microwave and fridge in the room, clean, excellent service via internet liason (Varsa), helpful front office (Marshall), and the City tour we booked through Varsa and Tower Tours was well worth the price.Cons: Parking (although free) is a little tight...but so is the rest of San Francisco, our king bed was pretty uncomfortable...my shoulder hurt and my wife's back hurt after a couple of nights, we had some noisy neighbors above us one night around midnight and it took the front office a little while to respond to it. All in all, no major problems with Castle Inn. One negative thing to keep in mind about San Francisco: it is very expensive. Expect to pay $40-$50 for a tasty, but otherwise average meal. (I don't care what Zagat or other restaurant guides say...expect to pay more)Gas was $3.70/gallon. It won't be a cheap trip...but it is totally worth it.We had a great experience at Castle Inn. I shopped around quite a bit before booking my room and I honestly feel that this is the best value in the City. Other discount hotels charge anywhere from $10-30 a day for parking, so factor that in before choosing. Also other discount hotels that I looked at booking a room are in semi-rough neighborhoods. Castle Inn is in a very residential area (which I really enjoyed) but is just a 5 or 10 minute bus ride to almost anywhere in the city. Also, I really can't say enough nice things about Varsa (internet liason). She was very helpful and answered even the most mundane questions I had about the city. She's a real San Francisco ambassador. I give Castle Inn a 4 out of 5 and a hearty recommendation.
I stayed here on a business trip. First impressions were not great as the doorman was nowhere in sight when my cab arrived so i lugged my bag in myself. While some people might like the fact that the reception person comes with you to your room to get the forms signed etc (I presume this is usual?) i didn't. A nice touch though was that a complimentary tray of coffee and biscuits was sent to the room after my arrival (which had been early morning following an overnight flight).I found the room somewhat stuffy - i usually like a classical theme but it somehow didn't work for me. I had no view of anything except concrete, and I didn't like the fact that I didn't have a separate shower. There was also a lot of noise from the passage. On the other hand, the amenities were good, i liked the complimentary bottles of water and apple juice, toiletry/vanity stuff of expected quality etc.All in all I had a pleasant enough stay here, but felt it didn't quite live up to what I would have expected - the Mandarin in NYC was much nicer I thought.
Dont have your expectations too high and you wont be dissapointed. The hotal has the usual mid range hotel facilities, I used the spacious gym and visited the Karoke bar( frequented by Japanese businessmen!!). The decor is relatively basic in the rooms and definitely needs a makeover. The Admirals bar was closed during my visit, for reasons unknown.The hotel is near the Bur Dubai area and is in the middle of a shopping district, so a good location for shoppers, I had some shirts made and were a good buy. Restaurants are plentyful nearby and as taxis are cheap here its not a problem to get around.
My husband and I stayed at this hotel for two nights during November this is my second visit I personally would not stay anywhere else in london since staying here Yes the rooms are small we were on the 5th floor yes there is a lift that works.Rooms are clean beds are comfortable I asked for extra pillows and within ten minuites they were at the door with them.Shower cubicle is small shower works perfectly plenty of hot water. Tea coffee and milk plenty off provided. Perfectly good breakfast set us up nicely for the day. Staff are friendly and helpful if they don't know they find out the two ladies at breakfast can not be faulted.Good location near to coach, tube and bus station. If you don't want to walk to the tube get the no 24 bus it stops right outside the hotel drops you off near enough on the train.A perfect hotel for using as a base to explore london and surrondings .Rooms are cleaned everyday with fresh towels. have already booked again for early next year.
I stayed here recently with my niece who is in college. My expectations were through the roof as the rating is very high in Trip Advisor. The experience was just okay, however. The rooms were clean. The hotel is bright. But the stay was not at all memorable.
Best location in New York for shopping and dining in a fun hip atmosphere but the attitude of the staff is tough to tolerate. Loved the lunch after shopping in the low key lobby restaurant and the rooms are well appointed and comfortable. A little zttitude adjustment would make this a great spot.
WORST HOTEL STAY EVER!!!! We are currently undergoing a dispute with a hotel by the name of Artisan Hotel &amp; Spa. They placed an unauthorized charge on our DEBIT card at the amount of $250.00. They claim that the charge is for smoke damages to the room, which were present before our stay. Upon checking-in, we notified the hotel of the strong smell of cigarettes, and they noted our complaint. The place is filthy and the strong smell of cigarettes left me nauseous the whole trip! According to the hotel cleaning service, they claim they found one cigarette on the floor after we checked out. I explained to them that when we left the room, there were no cigarettes, seeing as how neither of us smoke, never have. They accused us of lying and are doing everything in their power to avoid this situation. We have tried many times to contact management and we have been given false information. When we finally got to speak with who we were told was the manager who was responsible for making these decisions, he claimed that there were tons of cigarettes on the floor. When I told him that his cleaning ladies said only one cigarette was found, he began to stumble on his words and seemed no longer interested in talking with me. He then told me that he was not in charge of handling these decisions and that I would have to contact a man named, David Poire, who he claims also to be the manager. We have tried for several days to contact David but he is avoiding us at all costs. We know that these accusations are completely false and we also have discovered that this is not the first time this hotel has done this. We found reviews of their service on hotels.com of people explaining similar situations and claiming that the room service does not clean thoroughly. We are currently seeking legal advice in this matter. Every staff member is rude and the food is horrible!!!! And another thing, the hotel is surrounded by strip clubs.
We stayed at Treasure Island for our honeymoon from May 18th to 21st 2009. They gave us a room on the 7th floor with a view of a wall, we went back to the front desk and asked for a different room and they gave us a room on the top floor at the end of the hall overlooking the pirate ships with views of the North strip and the Venetian and the Palazzo, much better room. The hotel was very clean and comfortable and nicely decorated, the casino was a little smoky. It's obviously not the fanciest place on the strip compared to the Bellagio, Paris, Venetian, Palazzo, Wynn... But it's a lot nicer than the Sahara, Riviera, Circus Circus, Bally's, Harra's, Excalibur... It's probably a better deal than the Mirage, MGM, NY NY, Mandalay Bay, Flamingo... The TI location is great, right at the north end of the nice part of the strip, you don't have to go any farther north that the Fashion Show Mall, nothing worth seeing up there except for Speed at the Sahara. Mystere (Cirque) at TI is an amazing show, we had seats in the second row, it was the highlight of our trip. They offered us 2 for 1 tickets on Wednesday, but we already had tickets to Jubilee at Bally's, not a good show. The sinking of the Titanic set to music section was bizarre. As for Las Vegas, I don't think we'll go back. Many things about Las Vegas are awesome and amazing, like the fountains at the Bellagio, the Eiffel tower, the canals at the Venetian... but most things about Las Vegas are just unpleasant, creepy, annoying, dirty, loud, smoky, expensive and weird. For some reason, pedestrians refuse to wait for the walk signal when crossing the strip and almost get hit by taxi's, constantly. And you'll see people standing in front of something getting their picture taken, then get back on their rented scooter to carry on down the strip, able bodied people who just don't feel like walking. I know it's a long walk between casinos and it's hot, but that's just strange. The guys handing out porn cards on the strip are creepy, they are easily ignored, but the street is littered with discarded porn cards, and then families with children and grandparents walk over them. Creepy. If you think that Las Vegas might not be for you, you are probably right, don't go. If you like smoking, gambling, and paying way to much for things that you can get way cheaper anywhere else on earth, then you'll enjoy Vegas.
When I saw the hotel, i was surprised by the beautiful old style facade but when i was discovering the room, my hapiness stopped : they are very tall and dirty . The A/C doesn't work ; I needed to change twice to have a correct room ;;
Simply the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in. The building, staff, beds and bathroom are all exquisite.We don't normally spend this much on a room, but it was worth it.Well worth the price...
When we arrived, the owner was very kind and helpful. The room was above average, with a flat screen tv, ultra comfortable double bed, lovely view over the park, large enough for both suitcases and a clean up-to-date bathroom with a wonderful powerful shower!Breakfast was nice, with a selection of cereal, fruit, toasted bread which was lovely, and pastries. Coffee, tea, orange juice, milk or multifruit juice were available. All in all, this breakfast was filling and varied.The rooms and the hotel were always clean, the staff friendly and the area is close to the centre. Along the same road is the bus-stop and the underground station, which is only a few stops away from the sites and shopping area. The area is well catered with shops and there is a shopping mall close by.All in all, the hotel was great, friendly, clean and comfortable. It was a very enjoyable stay and hopefully we will visit Her Majesty hotel again in the near future!!! This hotel is very recommended to all...
Forget the other reviews of this hotel unless you care if you drink from a polystyrene cup or the room wasn't decorated to your taste.Good, safe location. Within walking distance of Times Square, Central Park, Fifth Avenue &amp; Rockeffeler Centre. Less than 5 minute walk to subway and two stops from 34th Street.Didn't eat in the hotel but plenty of good places around, especially the Flame diner on 8th Ave for breakfast.Hotel staff were polite and no problems with the lifts being slow.Only bad points are the plumbing on the 12th floor of tower A was a bit noisy and the room could do with being updated to make it more welcoming. However, it was very clean and safe.Would definitely stay here again.
We arrived at The Essex Inn at about 10:30 in the morning. We were not able to check in right away but they did hold our bags for us. We went to the Cards/Cubs game and returned to check in. Everything went smooth and fine. Yes, I will admit the decor is a bit outdated but we had a clean room and a pretty good view of the Lake and the area Museums. If you like to walk, it is in walking distance to the Museums and the parks are right across the street. Easy access to all bus stops and &quot;L&quot; trains. They even have a shuttle to the Navy Pier. The Bellman was of great help in recommending places to eat and how to get to alot of the attractions. If you like to live in Luxury then don't stay here. If you like a clean place to lay your head and is close to everything then this is the place for you!
I am early 30s, a little old to consider myself hip or cool, but I have stayed here twice, both times during the week, and it has always been fine. It is not a place for serious gamblers or people who generally like the traditional vegas scene, but I prefer it because it is less crowded and overwhelming than some of the larger strip hotels. The pool is great, sandy lagoon, water slide, cocktail service, etc. I ate at Nobu and it was ok - Pink Taco good for drinks and a quick bite. All that being said, I would never try to stay here on a weekend. The rates are outrageous and I am sure it is extremely crowded at that time. Also check their concert calendar - you might want to coordinate according to who is (or isn't) playing during your visit!
I travel to Chicago frequently for both business and personal. I always stay at the Omni. Their location is perfect, thier suites are terrific and their staff makes me feel like a VIP. The Omni is a can't miss homerun
We stayed at the Wynn in August by booking an incredible rate on Hotwire. Our room was a good size, with a huge, luxurious bathroom. We had a view of the Strip and were able to see the TI pirate show every evening while getting ready to go out. Although the Wynn is located a little farther from center strip, we still loved the location because it is right across the street from Fashion Show Mall and there are plenty of great restaurant options there. Try Strip Burger, it's delicious!We loved everything about the Wynn! They must have some special ventilation there because it was not smoky in the casino at all and there is an awesome smell throughout. The pool is so gorgeous, we had no problem finding loungers and we did not go down to the pool that early every day.We did not try any of the restaurants except the buffet as they were all pretty pricey, but I have to say, the buffet is fabulous and worth a trip.We had an excellent stay at the Wynn for our wedding anniversary and can't wait to go back!
Why do IHG continue to allow the Crowne Plaza brand to be de-valued by poor properties. I have recently stayed at Crowne Plaza properties in Birmingham, London and Leeds, and all have been poor.The Crowne Plaza St James, as other reviews have said, looks great. Reception is lovely, as is the general front of house area. However once you get past reception you are left in little doubt that the hotel needs a fair amount of money spending on it.Like the Crowne Plaza in Birmingham this hotel is stuck in the 70's. The rooms are poorly furnished by modern standards, and the bathrooms are very dated. Our room was very cold due to poor in-room heating (a thermostat with do indication of what was hot or cold did not help this), and single glazed windows. The bedding had some interesting stains, and generally looked very old.Overall, it did the job of being a bed for the night, but I would not class this property any better than 3 star. Invest some money and it has great potential, but at the moment it is just another old London hotel - over-priced and in need of refurbishment.
We did not want to stay on Times Square during our Christmas visit, December 15-19, 2005. This location was great. The lobby enticing! Check-in was very easy---------until we got to our room. We were with another couple. Both of us had requested king beds. They needed this. We can sleep in a double. Each room had two double beds!! We were across the hall from each othe, which was nice. When we inquired about changing rooms, there was none available!!! Our friends pushed the two beds together.The room was a very good size for a New York Historic Hotel. But the furniture was worn and raveling in some places. Nice view of 6th Avenue.There are three elevators. The middle one never worked while we were there.Never ate in the restaurant, but did go down to pick up some coffee, juice, and a bread basket----$22.Martini's in the bar are $15. Wine is $11.
I stayed here for about 3 nights in May 2009, as part of a tour I took with China Spree. We stayed here unexpectantly, China Spree arranged it at the last minute for whatever reason and I am sooo happy they did. The hotel was not only the best one I stayed on the tour, but probably will be the best I'll ever stay in my lifetime! The hotel seems to cater to traveling professionals/executives, with conference/meeting rooms on the 2nd floor. The lobby is fantastic and impressive, with a huge color-changing chandelier thing on the ceiling and a large fish tank behind reception/concierge.The service at the hotel was also excellent. I was really impressed that they treated everyone so well (and I was far from dressed as a professional, I dressed pretty backpacker-ish in cargo pants and t-shirts). From the bell boys to the restaurant staff, I've never been so well-received as a guest. The rooms were great! I had a single and the bed was deliciously comfortable, which is rare in China, where most beds are pretty stiff. This one was just perfect--not too stiff, not too soft. Room for me was quite large too. Showers were really nice too, and good English/Chinese selection on TV. For the most part, I really thought my room was super clean, the only bad thing was on my last night while lying around watching TV, I found a clipped toe nail in my sheets. :( Definitely not mine, but that was the single bad thing I found with the hotel...The breakfast buffet is pretty good, and better yet it's up on the 49th floor! Or 50th...somewhere high on top so you can get a great view of the city. Don't bother getting goods at the bakery on the first floor, you can get them at the breakfast buffet! Food was a mix of Chinese and American continental.Pool was indoor, I didn't go in but checked it out and looked nice. There are also gym/spa facilities.Internet is quite expensive. I forget the price, but whatever they charged for 15 min. was the same of what Guilin/Xian charged for like an hour or so! Location--can't really comment since we had a shuttle bus to take us around the city. But taxis are everywhere and cheap.I would highly recommend the Pullman Shanghai Skyway Hotel! It was a nice 'luxurious' stay to the end of my 2 week trip around China!
I have stayed at other Sofitels and I would rank the chain in Montreal at the bottom. Sofitel as a chain prides in service and making sure that the customers are content. Montreal does not seem to with the program. They definitely did not deliver what they have advertised.First, we had to wait in the lobby for an indefinite time till the front desk got their act together to let us into our room a little earlier than the 3 o'clock check in. We were then given a room on a non-smoking floor which smells like a smoking room...to add injury to the matter, the room had little drops of blood on the carpet and wall which the cleaning people have missed. My children found them.It went on like this all weekend, with lots of apologies from the management when you talk to them but very slow in action. I would also advise you to take the advise from the consierge with a bit of caution.When I asked him for a route to Old Montreal so that I could walk with my two children, one in elementary school, I was given a route with a street laden with obscene/--- industry. You start to wonder about this management.4 of us have eaten two meals in their restaurant, lunch and dinne, and rented two rooms for three nights. I was billed close to $2000. I think you can do better else where.
I have stayed at the Peninsula Beijing several times, and it is ALWAYS good!From the moment they pick you up at the airport with their swanky Rolls Royce it sets the standard for the perfect stay. Ok, the lobby is a little 90s with the tacky marble horses and staircase, but it is the people that works here that makes the stay memorable! The rooms are very comfortable with all the equipment you can desire. The towels are the thickest you can get anywhere. The spa is a part of the ESPA chain, that you can experience on other top hotels as well. Great treatments everytime, but expensive.....Pool and fitness area are top notch!You have to try the crispy duck in the restaurant in the basement, worlds best! The interior of the restaurant is also worth an extra glance, spotless and cool! In a city where service still is &quot;a new kid in town&quot;, the Peninsula is the place to be!
This is not a bad hotel and there is nothing really wrong with it. However there is nothing really spot on about it nor anything that makes it above average or more than a decent hotel experience. On the plus side the location is decent, on Lake Shore Drive, the beds were very comfortable and I found the staff friendly and eager to please. The color scheme in the room is nice however that doesnt mask the fact that it is cheap furniture and crummy stuff done in a way to try to give it an ultra cool vibe that doesnt hide its cheapness. ..for instance the lights at the side of the bed are bulbs with a cheap wire frame and white sheet like material around them as was the stand up light delivered to the room that we had to call down for so that we could read. There was an armless chair with no ottoman making it fairly uncomfortable but they did deliver an ottoman after we called.You pay for internet access.15.00 per day. Room service was decent except that morning coffee was awful..you can taste the coffee filter. Other room service meals.one lunch and one dinner were perhaps a bit more than fine....nothing great but nothing awful. The restaurant was adequate. The service could be improved.they were very slow but at least friendly. I did eat at the bar one day as I was hungry around 3:00 PM. I was surprised to see a woman at the bar who looked like a hooker. I honestly did think she was a hooker. She turned out to be the bar waitress. Her outfit would have been appropriate in the evening but honestly at 3PM it was way too over the top for me and looked a little seedy.As other reviewers have noted the bathroom set up is not very good. There are two shutters with slats in them that form a window which can be opened into the sleeping area. I have no idea what the design idea was behind this other than someone elevated form over function or was trying to be uber cool and was instead uber talentless. The bathroom door is a slider made out of the same material and was off its track. We had to lift it to open and close it but that wasnt a big deal. I just would not rush back to a hotel where you can hear everything in the bedroom that is going on in the bathroom and the bathroom has no ventilation.I was told by friends who live in Chicago that this hotel used to be a Holiday Inn and that makes sense to me..the ceilings in the rooms were not quite cottage cheese but also not really nice smooth ceilings and looked out of place for a W Hotel. There were also one or two stains/spots on the comforter that I was too tired to complain about. and they were quite small. The comforter did otherwise appear clean as did the room in general.In sum there was nothing overly offensive about this hotel although there were some issues. However there was also nothing impressive or that made it anything more than a decent hotel experience. If you want a great hotel or a great hotel for the money I advise you to keep looking.
The Cosmopolitan is in a great neighborhood for walking in any direction: WTC,Little Italy,Chinatown, Wall Street and Battery Park etc. The two beds and sofa rooms are great, includes a flat panel TV ,no view but the space is comfortable and quiet. The staff is knowledgable and were attentive to the needs of the group. The blue and red subways (north and south) stop within feet of the hotel. Easy access to the green, yellow and brown lines make this a good spot. Coffee shop, SB ,a cafe, and convienence store on the first level. Outside rooms facing west broadway were a bit noisy though during the A.M. subway construction. 4 plus stars
We only stayed there one night. We booked two rooms as we have a rather large family. One of the rooms must have had bed bugs or something because those who slept in that bedroom had bug bites all over their faces and necks. To be honest and fair - we didn't actually see any bugs.The room with the bed bugs had a good shower. The other room the shower was damaged because the water dripped out slowly. So we all took showers in the room of with bed bugs. The hotel is being remodelled. In order to get to the main lobby, we had to walk through a hall way with tools and materials placed along the wall. Local phone calls are not free. Location is horrible. It was far from all of the major attractions that we visited. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.
This hotel was fabulous.I stayed here during a long weekend in April for leisure with some friends. We originally had planned to stay in Jersey, but decided last minute to stay in Manhattan because of the convenience of being in the city.We got the recomendation from a friend to stay here very last minute and booked without hesistation. (and very glad we did!)-- Staff --The hotel staff were great. Friendly, polite, socialable, yet professional. We had absolutely no trouble checking in our checking out. Hotel staff wasy very helpful with directions and accomodating certain requests.-- Rooms --Rooms to a New York standard were spectacular. As my first time to NYC, i was expecting a room the size of a sardine can, but was pleasantly suprised with the spacious quarters with more than enough space to walk and store our luggage. Beds were very comfortable, linens were fresh and always clean. The bathroom was spacious with a very large counter top and a full tub with shower. And the room was decorated with quite the modern touch.-- Location --The BEST part of this hotel was the location. It was a short walk to Times Square, Empire state and other must-see NYC attractions. Lots of cute little places to eat (and the BEST brownie place just a few steps away). Everything is within walking proximety, but if you do require transit, the subway is right outside the door. SO convenient. The hotel itself doesnt have parking of its own, but has an agreement with a parking garage literally right across the street. The side of the hotel also has a cute little patio area where you can enjoy your morning coffee or a late night drink. Patio leads into the cute bar situated in the lobby.Overall the hotel was MUCH more than i could have asked for. We didnt opt for breakfast because we prefered to eat out in the city, but it was always fairly full in the mornings. We did however, take advantage of the free coffee which wasnt half bad. The hotel offers free internet available 24 hours a day with free printing as well and a 24 hour snack bar which was a plus to the whole experience.I would recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a great stay and i wouldnt hesistate to stay here again. In fact, i would prefer to stay here after reading all the reviews for other hotels in town.
I stayed at The Marcel at Gramercy for 5 nights and overall I was very happy with the stay. The bed was great, it was a King and was extremely comfortable (pillow top). The room and hotel are very trendy looking. The bathroom was very nice - the shower has two nozzels and the pressure was great. The location is excellent with lots of reasturants within walking distance. The negatives I found were that I could hear the traffic below (I was on the 9th floor) but I guess that is NY for you. I called and asked for a recommendation of a Chinese Restarant and they said they would bring up some menus. After 45 minutes they finally brought them up (after two calls from me) and they gave me 5 copies of the same menu. The food was fine though. I called on my last night because I could not find the remote to the TV and they said they would send someone up and no one ever came. Other than that, I definitly plan on staying here again because you can not beat the price and the comfort level.
Very good rooms, clean and confortable! Great location and helpfull staff.
After checking out hotel ratings in Mesquite, we decided to stay at the Falcon Ridge Hotel, a relatively new property, because it was rated #1 by tripadvisor members. We have always stayed at the Oasis Hotel and Casino in the past, but we wanted to try something different, and hopefully, better. The differences are huge, between the two hotels. The biggest difference being that the Falcon Ridge is NOT a casino hotel. In fact, there was not a slot machine in sight. This was perfect, as far as we were concerned. When we want to gamble, we have no problem getting in the car and driving 5 minutes. Being that the Falcon Ridge is not attached to a casino, there was no &quot;smokey&quot; smell lingering in the hotel, or in the room we stayed in. The atomosphere is quieter and very low key. Perfect for relaxing. Big difference number 2 - The Oasis has a huge pool scene. Several pools and usually a lot of people hanging out by them. The Falcon Ridge pool area is small, but it was refreshing and clean and beautiful. The hotel does have a hot tub, as well. My husband and I had a great time hanging out in the pool on Sunday, there were only 2-3 other adults out there with us at any given time. It was very quiet and pleasant. Big difference #3 - Continental Breakfast. The Falcon Ridge steps up to the plate with this one. I have never gotten a Continental Breakfast like this at any other hotel I have stayed at. They had many selections, I can't even remember everything. Fruit and cookies and muffins, omelets with salsa, belgian waffles, cereals, milk and juices, coffee, sausage... I know I'm forgetting several things. There was about 7-8 large tables in the eating area, and they served breakfast until 10am.We chose one of the larger rooms, or a &quot;King Petite Suite&quot;, as the staff called it, which was located on the first floor. We needed the extra room to accomodate our 3 children and our dog (which was also welcome on the property for a nominal fee). The room was nicely decorated and had plenty of storage in drawers, closet and cupboards. The room was quite cold when we first entered, we had to turn the air conditioner down, which by no means is a complaint! The bathroom was clean and was nicely done with lots of marble/granite. It is not a large bathroom, by any means, but did have a few nice touches to it. For instance, female guests are given a free Venus razor (which smells like peaches, no kidding!) and a free sample of oil of olay regenerist face cream, both of which I am still using 2 weeks later! The shampoo and conditioner was standard stuff - I brought my own. There is a nice full length mirror on the back of the bathroom door, and of course, a blow dryer in the wall by the sink.Kitchenette included a small refridgerator, coffee maker and coffee, disposable cups, a sink, and plenty of cupboard space.We had a king-sized bed, which was comfortable and had several thick pillows on it, with a TV in the bedroom. The room had a decent sized fold-out couch, and a second TV in that sitting area. There was a desk, a dresser and several other nightstands or tables with drawers. Like I said, plenty of storage space for those who like to completely unpack (like myself).Our room had a walk out with a small sitting area. 2 iron chairs and a small table. It was nice, but almost too hot to ever sit outside and enjoy it. I did sit outside for a while one night, and watched a lightning storm was miles away to the east. The sun was setting at the time and the sky was a dark pink, with clouds looming in the distance. The Falcon Ridge is located, yes, on a ridge - so it does have a nice view.Some facts - The Falcon Ridge is situated on the west side of the freeway, near Walmart. The hotel has ample parking.There is a soda vending machine and ice machine located on the first floor, there is a snack vending machine located on the second floor. Staff gave us change whenever we needed it.There are two washing machines and two dryers available for guest useage, as well as small containers of laundry soap and dryer sheets for sale.Complaints -The floor under the air conditioner was damp. Maybe a small leak? We placed a towel over the area during our stay. The couch seats on our fold out smelled faintly of urine. The staff took care of the problem immediately.***Overall - Great experience, we will definitely stay here again!***
Stayed here for 3 nights with family. Hotel had no problem honoring our request for adjoining rooms. The Hotel is beautiful and in a perfect mid -town location. Rooms were spotless and beautifully furnished. Loved the late checkout, NY Times delivered to room and nice toiletries in bathroom. Wished they had wi -fi or else free internet in room. Only free internet was near front desk and there was always a wait. Concierge was very accomodating, (thanks James). Very, very nice hotel and look forward to returning.
Overall, it is a very swank hotel with very cool bar scene that guests have immediate access too.It is a little bit on the pricey side but that is expected with most W hotels.The showers are surrounded by glass that look out onto the bedroom which is fine if you are with your spouse but if with your buddies on a bachelor party trip it is very awkward
I initially stayed at this hotel on account of the price, and was prepared to forgive the less-than-modern decor and services. However, I was eventually charged three times for my rooms, and am still having a hard time trying to recover the extra money charged to my credit card. CA$75 is a lot to charge for this kind of room already; CA$225 is outrageous.
Well.... We went to NYC for a fun weekend adventure and we got a little bit more than we bargained for. Aside from my wife being convinced a camera crew would pop up to tell us we were on &quot;Reality Hell&quot; (google it), we sure had much of the adventure we were looking for. We checked in and dropped off our bags earlier in the day and when we returned around 11pm to pick up the keys, everything was fine. The girl at the front desk was the sweetest thing, Ana, was her name (same as my daughter), she engaged into a delightful conversation while she handled our questions about the city and made us keys. She assured us if there was anything we needed to better our stay, do not hesitate to contact her directly. That made my wife happy, which is all that matters. We decided to retire early and get ready for a busy saturday of sightseeing and our &quot;Big City Adventure&quot; that my wife prepared a scheduled itinerary, covering everything from time to sleep and shower to bathroom breaks and meals. Upon entering our Guest Room, my wife began unpacking her things. I, on the other hand, was scheduled to shower. After retrieving my pajamas, and headed into the beautiful shower, with minimal water pressure (not by choice), the fire alarm ruptured both of my eardrums with the echo in that bathroom. Of course, my wife calls the lady at the front desk to see &quot;What's Wrong?&quot; to find out they are not certain, but to be cautious we should come downstairs until further notice. She informed us the elevators were not working, to take the closest stairwell to the 1st floor. We found the closest stairwell and began to walk calmly down the stairs. Once we got to the lobby, there were about 3 fire trucks outside and about more fireman than you can imagine. The poor girl that gave us the keys was playing the role of SuperWoman. Making phone calls to management, calming down scared guests and handling all the requests of the firemen. She was real trooper, no joke, to the point that in the midst of all this chaos, one guest asked her from a room change. Surprisingly, her response to the guest was very calm and she informed her once things settled down, she would be more than happy to fulfill that request. If I was her, I would be singing a totally different tune. Turned out there was no fire in the hotel. We were not on any Fear Factor or Reality TV Show, which I think disappointed my wife. But we definately had the Big City Adventure, just not the one that was planned. We want to give alot of credit to the Front Desk Agent, who handled this event with the utmost professionalism and courtesy. She was the only person there and was able to multi-task without any guidance. She is truly an assest to this property. It was a scary situation for my wife and I, worrying if all of our things would be okay as we took nothing but a cell phone downstairs. I was wearing nothing but boxer shorts outside of the Duane Street Hotel. Other than that, I now see why New York City is the City that never sleeps, or was it Sin City? Either Way. The one thing that does worry me, although the Front Desk Agent handled everthing well, was if this was a real emergency. Duane Street Hotel is a Death Trap waiting to happen.
The Westin was a great hotel. It was very clean and a good location to walk everywhere.There was 6 of us 3 Moms 3 teenage girls and it worked out very well. The best night was Saturday when Steve Carell and Tina Fey were filming outside our hotel that was fun to see and the kids thought that was great!
I live around the corner from this hotel but a family member who was coming to town had to cancel so I decided to use the room instead of waste it. My partner and I stayed for Saturday and Sunday night. I know of the hotel and had been in it a few times and had always wondered what it was like, having heard so many good reviews.Overall: It is a very modern, stylish, contemporary hotel which has been very well-designed. I think it is aimed at a younger crowd, but I think it is suitable for all ages. More hotels should be like this and I think they will become so.Cost: The room was 79 per night. I was expecting them to sacrifice quality somehow but they didn't. I really don't know how, or rather why it is such good value. It is by far the best value hotel in London I've ever come across. The cost/quality ratio is all off - a place like this should cost so much more. Room: The room was pretty good. The design is good and I loved the colour scheme. It was small, but no smaller than you can expect in London. TV channel selection was a bit boring, but you really shouldn't be watching too much of it if you're visiting London!Bed: The bed was so comfortable. The linen is as good as they say it is. I wanted to swap it with the one we have at home.Bathroom: The rain shower was great. They provide Aveda toiletries which was a nice touch (although we didn't seem to have any shower gel - just shampoo). Staff: The staff were all great. They were casual but totally professional. The fuse in our room went one evening and I told reception. They guy I told ran up and sorted it out himself. Fantastic. Food: We didn't eat or drink at the hotel (other than breakfast) but the in-house restaurant is pretty well-known in the area and is supposed to be great. Breakfast: They provide a free Pret-a-Manger breakfast in a bag - hung on your door whenever you like. It is pretty amazing - why don't other cost-conscious hotels offer this? What more do people need?! I kind of wished there was some kind of pastry in it though (you get OJ, yoghurt and a banana). Location: People shouldn't moan about the location. If you want to stay in the middle of a tourist trap then do so - but you'll stay in a dingy, miserable hotel and pay a fortune for it. Take my advice as a Londoner, and stay here. The whole Old Street/Hoxton/Shoreditch area is great - especially if you want to see real London. There's everything in the area - and you're so close to the tube and buses which take you right downtown.
This is the third time I have stayed at this hotel over the last 4 years. Thought I would point out the pros and cons of Dubai and this hotel.ProsWeather is almost guaranteed in Dubai during the winter. Mid Feb was a little chilly in the evening and defintiely take a sweater or pashmina. No upset tummiesThe Ritz Carlton is one of the most comfortable hotels in Dubai. The staff are its greatest assets.The Ritz Carlton has a Kids Club which is complimentary. Although it would only really be suitable if your children were under the age of 8.The Club Lounge (free champagne and premimum brand drinks served almost 24 hours a day). You do have to have the drinks in the Club Lounge. No taking them to your sunbed.....The hotel has a complimentary mini bus to the shopping malls, gold souks etc a couple of times a day.Taxis are cheap and can take you to say the Royal Mirage Hotel(where all the best restaurants are in my opinion!) for approx 1.50.The Ritz Carlton gardens and pool area are delightful. Although they were nearly full the hotel always seemed to be quiet.They always seem to give me an early check in. Do send them a nice email beforehand if you want this. They will always try and do what they canThe private beach is lovelyConsThere are approx 15 high rise office type blocks behind the hotel completely dwarfing the hotel which is only 6 storeys high!The restaurants are quite formal and La Baie is very expensiveThe price of alcohol and non alcoholic cocktails are verging on the outrageous. Evian water nearly 7 a bottle and no alternative offered. A small beer 6.50.......The Spa is again too highly priced. A 25 min massage was over 40.
My husband and i stayed here for 2 nights in march, I was concermed by the number of comments regarding the size of the rooms - yes they are a little on the small size but as there was only 2 of us plus my toddler daughter we found them to be more than adequate and very family friendly (particularly liked the lock on the mini bar/fridge door which housed a seemlessly endless supply of candy!) the beds were VERY comfortable and we had a great room which overlooked the street below with the bay in the distance (NOT overly noisy at all considering the location) the valet and the porters all very friendly and nothing seemed to be too much trouble for any of the staff! overall we had a fantastic stay and i would not hesitate to book here again, being a travel agent i am very picky by the nature of work i am in, and i would DEFINATELY reccomend this hotel as a first option to any of my clients who wanted to stay in San Fran. i would also urge other vistors to prebook Alacatraz with Blue and Gold Fleet direct on there website before they arrive in San Fran as you can pick up your tickets at the self service machine without the miles of queues!
We booked the Affinia for a 2 night stay during Memorial Day Weekend. We couldn't have been happier with the perfect location...just 1 block from the magnificent mile and endless shopping possibilities. Renovations are still going on outside, so we missed the valet parking when we arrived due to trucks outside; however, there is a quite new parking garage right across the street which costs the same as valet parking. The room was beautifully decorated in contemporary design. The bathroom was super clean and new. The bed was delightfully comfortable the bed lights were convenient. My only 3 concerns about the Affinia were the following:1. We went to a concert at United Center on Friday night and left the window in the room cracked for air. Upon returning, the room was filled with mosquitos due to no screens on the windows. I went the front desk who assigned us another room (quite nice, but got slightly mouthy with me even though it was the hotel problem not to have any screens.) When we arrived in the second room, there were mosquitos all along the window and on the ceiling also. The window was closed. Due to being in the early morning hours and frustrated we just spent 10 minutes killing them. I'm assuming this is an ongoing problem in the rooms and not necessarily because of me leaving the window open. We had no problems after that with the mosquitos...but the hotel definitely needs to invest in pest control of some sort of in purchasing screens so the guests can open up the windows especially in the warmer months. 2. The bar area/restaurant was not ready yet. The hotel on Expedia posted they have free cocktails everynight; however, there was no food or drinks anywhere in the lobby. Alot of other hotels have adjacent places to eat/drink, but with Affinia we had to go out to other places. Not that it is horrible, but not as convenient as listed.3. The flatscreen tv was wonderful, especially how it swiveled. The tv is set up so you cannot change to any aux channels. If you bring a video game system or dvd player, you will not be able to hook up to the tv. Overall, the staff was great with directions, suggestions, and advice. Rooms were comfortable with chic/modern. Location definitely makes this hotel one I will return to without looking at other hotels. Once the renovation is complete, it will definitely appear like a 4.5 star hotel. Would definitely recommend for young couples; you will be so close to shopping, food, and bars. And the lake is only about 3 blocks on the other side!Other recommendations for Chicago:Garretts popcorn and Niketown-2 blocks down from Superior.Ethels Chocolate Lounge-inside Nordstrom mall, great $20 chocolate fondue for 2!!!!Chicago Pizza Grinder-you'll have to drive down clark st to get there, but pest pizza and mediterranean bread ever, worth the long wait
Spent three nights at this hotel over the 2006 Labour Day weekend at a great rate from Priceline. Hotel was well appointed, clean and equipped with all the modern conveniences. The bathroom was especially nice, with a separate shower stall and bathtub. King size bed sported a a very nice duvet but was somewhat lumpy and uncomfortable to sleep in. Interesting location in Montreal's recently redeveloped financial district. However, the hotel is not particularly convenient to Montreal's attractions unless you have business at the convention centre or will be spending your entire visit in Old Montreal. Staff was very friendly and attentive. The hotel sits adjoined with some older buildings, connected by a spectacular glass atrium within which stands a peice of the Berlin Wall. A good find if you can get a good price. I find Montreal lacks quality hotels in the mid-range, as most of the city's choices are either very high end, or old and somewhat run down, so this was a refreshing change.
It isn't the Golden Nugget but we didn't pay that price either. Room was clean, bathroom had plenty of hot water and the bed was comfortable. The walk to the Fremont Experience wasn't but 2 blocks away and we never once were uncomfortable with the walk. And we were back and forth at many different times, day and night. If your just looking for a comfortable bed when your not doing the Vegas thing, Its got my vote. El Cortez is a nice old casino that books the rooms for Ogden House. It was neat playing poker there with the owner of the casino.
Stayed 3 nights at the end of October. Arrived at 3 am and check in was therefore completely hassle free, although I had asked for a non-smoking room but none was available. They promised to tell me if a non-smoking room would become free during my stay, but it seems it never did. Room was decent size and very big bathroom. Upon check-out, it turned out that this was a club room and I had been upgraded, however I was never told this during check-in. The room was more or less as I expected it, so then I'm not sure what the standard room would have looked like - probably disappointing for its price. Pool and gym are quite small, but I suppose people prefer to use the beach facilities of the partner hotels instead. The Indego restaurant serves excellent quality Indian food, but with a surprisingly slim choice in the menu. The chef explicitly made an exception for me by making me some Peshwari naans, otherwise the only naans on the menu is a set basked with three kinds (incl. blue cheese nan!?). The breakfast is huge and so is the buffet dinner, however if you go late in the evening your conscience gets hit by seeing how much has been prepared but will be left uneaten. I hope they give the mountains of leftovers to staff or charity. Buddha Bar next door seems to serve pricey food in a very noisy environment. Yes, the surrounding looks very nice, but I'd rather eat somewhere else and then go to BB for drinks. The bar is a busy meat market, after three nights in a row at the Buddah Bar you start recognizing who are &quot;in the business&quot; and guests begin chatting with you about how rates fluctuate from one night to another... My stay ended in a disappointing way, namely at checkout. I had had breakfast every morning and the first morning I was charged, while the other two mornings I wasn't. I said I had probably escaped payment twice (and was then willing to pay now) or I had been wrongly charged the first morning. This is when I was told that my room was an upgrade (noone told me at check in, remember?) and that therefore they charged me for breakfast the first morning (breakfast wasn't included in my original room rate) and then waived it the following mornings. I said Thank You, but the check-out girl looked annoyed that I had asked the question. Then I discovered that I had a room service minibar bill of AED 500, without having touched it. As noone could prove the opposite, it was waived from the bill after swearing twice I hadn't had anything. Next, they wanted to bill me a &quot;Lost Interface&quot; charge for when I had closed the room door, but left the key in the card holder on the inside, so they had to give me another card to open the door again!? I said that was a ridiculous charge and then it was waived. Unfortunately, after these three &quot;difficult&quot; enquiries, eye contact was lost for ever with the clerk, who printed the invoice, gave it to me without a look or a smile, no thank you, no good bye. I wished her a good evening, but she preferred to concentrate on some presumably more important paperwork. Maybe guests spending AED 8000 in the hotel shouldn't ask questions about small charges, incorrect charges and details? But I did and apparently that's not appreciated. Silly me... Overall, decent rooms but not at all worth the rates charged and not any better than the neigboring hotels. Buddah Bar is a nice feature, as is the open buffet (AM and PM), while Indego is good but not spectacular. The service and attitude of staff, however, makes me go back to other alternatives rather than staying at Grosvenor again next time. I recommend that the Grosvenor team goes to the Jumeirah group hotel properties to study soft skills.
We went to New York City on Labour Day weekend to celebrate our 20th anniversary. We expected great dining experiences at every price level. We knew there would be fantastic shopping venues. We expected excellent theatre on Broadway. We knew that the city never slept. And we were braced for New York's fabled rudeness, aloof, if not downright surly service and &quot;I don't have time for you&quot; attitude. Man, were we shocked. We got the dining, the shopping, the theatre and the amazing pace and all exceded our already high expectations. What we got, in spades, that we did not expect was a great hotel at a decent price in a prime location. Excellent service at every turn (with a smile). Helpful advice and assistance from everyone we encountered including hotel staff, restaurant staff, shop keepers, passersby and police on the street. New York may have been the friendliest damn city to which I have ever been. What the heck is going on here? I almost feel cheated that I was not &quot;ruded in&quot;. I did not hear, &quot;Hey, I'm walkin' here!&quot; even once. Kudos to the Renaissance Times Sqaure for helping make our stay wonderful. Thanks also to the River Cafe in Brooklyn for the best Steak and best view I have had in a restaurant in a long time. Thank you New York and sorry for ever thinking you were rude.-An enlighteded and humbled Canadian.
Having read the reviews on tripadvisor I was a bit concerned about staying here but there were some great reviews so I thought it can't be all that bad!! I'm afraid the bad reviews were right - there were delays with the room being ready, the heating didn't work, the shower didn't work and the overall standard of the fixtures and fittings were in no way 4 star. Having said that the reception area was cosy and the breakfast was the usual hotel fare. However the price we paid did not match the service/standard we expected. The saving grace is the location and if you do stay here make sure you go down the little walkway down the side of the hotel and walk down to the square where there are some great restaurants and pubs - away from the busy-ness of the West End! Would I recommend this place - yes and no. Yes if you have no expectations and just want a basic base to explore London and no - if you want a high standard and quality hotel!
I was very disappointed by this hotelThe room was extremely small - not much room beyond a double bed. Fixtures and fitting were very old and tired. Bathroom was very drab and needed modernising.The room was also very noisy - a lot of noise from the road and also from other rooms.The hotel appeared to have zero facilities - nearest bar was in the Sheraton across the road. No office facilities, WiFi etc. No concierge on the desk and no doormanIt was not terrible - it was clean and the front desk staff were Ok, but given the Radisson name and also the nightly rate relative to other hotels in the area, I would have expected 100 times more
We stayed at the Hotel Elysee in New York City on a Saturday night. Our room was on the concierge floor and we had a balcony. The breakfast on Sunday morning was very similiar to an upscale European hotel's. The service was beyond excellent - every step of the way - from arriving to departing - the service staff could not have been better. We wanted a cup of tea at 12:30 a.m. when we came in for the night and we got it immediately. And the room - beautifully furnished with the most comfortable bed. I truly look forward to staying at the Hotel Elysee again.
We stayed at the Beekman Tower Suites for 5 ngihts at the beginning of November.When booking with the agent I requested a non-smoking room on a non-smoking floor, I also emailed the hotel direct with this request after we booked.When we arrived, we were checked into a smoking room on a smoking floor - stank as soon as the lift doors opened onto our floor!The room was very well aired and as it was the middle of the night and we were exhausted we just collapsed there for the night and then requested it was changed in the morning.The next Day the man on reception said they would find us another room and to ask him about it when we returned after our day out.When I did ask about it on our return at lunch time I was told they had given our room away as we were not packed and ready to move (everything in our rooms was packed up apart from tooth brushes).I was told there were no more rooms so we would have to stay in the one we were in.After I refused to accept that then they found us a non smoking room on a non smoking floor.The rooms were clean and comfortable but there was lots of niggly things that needed fixing in both rooms, they were just old and run down.Loose tiles on kitchen floor, curtains that don't close, broken toilet fixtures etc.The walls were very thin, could hear our neighbours coming in every morning at about 5am and continuing their partying.The coffee machine in the room was great but getting a Kettle to make Tea was a bit of a trauma as well, but we did get there in the end.We had 1 meal in the Top of the Tower restaurant, the view was great and the food was all nice although I did not get what I ordered. There was meant to be a piano player in there all night every night as well (proudly told this by reception when we checked in) but there was not a note of music in there all night.I chose the Beekman because of reviews on here but having stayed there I would not want to recommend it to anyone as there are pleanty of better places to stay in the city.It just felt that to get anything done there was a fight and that is not a holiday.
This was our second stay. The place is just terrific. The rooms are nicely decorated and I love the giant closet with all the shelves, easy to pack and unpack. The bathrooms are great (though the glass shower doors do leak) The only problem we encountered was with housekeeping. They came fairly late, around 3-4 PM and returned at 6PM to do turndown. We asked them to come back later and that was done. Still annoying if you like an afternoon nap. The rates we got this year were through some montreal website, that listed all the specials in the city, then had you book through the hotel itself. We got a deal where the second night was 50% off and included a full American breakfast. The food at Renoir is on the expensive side so this was a terrific feature of the package. There was no booking fees and cancellation was same day. Better deal than anything on the hotel's website.
I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at this hotel. Check in is at 3, and we were allowed to check in early to a freshly cleaned room. The room is up to date. We never used them, but there is a gym and a business center in the hotel as well. The air conditioner worked extremely well on the scorching weekend we stayed there. It seemed loud, but didnt prevent me or my bf from sleeping. There was complimentary water, and a fridge and microwave in our room, and you are a few blocks from Times Sq, Madison Sq Garden, Penn Station, and Manhattan mall, and the subway stop is at the corner of the street.The problems I had were very small. First, the view was awful, then the bed and pillows were very firm and uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, as far as I was concerned, the Allegro didn't have that. It's several blocks west of Michigan Avenue and , several blocks south of Wacker.What is did have was great service, huge room, big bathroom. But I thought it was a bit pricey for this location. It was over $300 a night with taxes and no breakfast.We have now stayed in three Kimpton hotels this year. All of them are quite nice.
I loved this place - It was our first trip to New York, and we heard alot of mixed reviews about some of the hotels in New York.Found the Chelsea Pines inn on tripAdvisor, and I am happy to say it's a Great place to stay. We stayed in the &quot;Jeff Chandler&quot; room. Room was quite compact but really cool and well laid out and had everthing we needed, definitely added to the enjoyment of our trip. Staff are really friendly and Helpful, place is really clean... And the free buffet Breakfast is delish and a nice little perk.Really nice location, Quiet and quite central - Subway on the corner..... For when you get lazy. Love the cookies and coffee all day, another nice little perk..... Definitely will be staying here again when we are going back to New York this October.
I stayed here for two nights in Jan 08 on the way home from a business trip. The reception was excellent, rooms and bahrooms are very good indeed and all the staff set out to please. Its a bit away from the main tourist areas (Union Square and the Wharf) but thats no bad thing. Its a 10 min walk to Union Square, and approx a 30 minute walk to Fishermans Wharf through North Beach. Its also about 10 mins walk to the Ferry Builiding where you can pick up the F Line tram. The California line cable car stops outside the door so transport is not a problem if you don't want to walk. I booked through the hotel web site directly as this offered the best deal ($169 per night) I also ate at Bobs Steak and Chop House (the hotel restaurant) on the first night. Very good but not a cheap option (approx $70-$80 a head for two courses and a couple of drinks). San Francisco is a great city and I would certainly stay here again.
We reviewed a lot of hotels in London for our 4-day stay and selected the Rubens due to the TripAdivsor reviews. Great choice. It has a fantastic location. Within walking distance of both Buckingham Palace, Victoria Station, and many other attactions. The proximity to Victoria Station was important. Took the Underground and train everywhere we needed to go. Including the airport.We booked a package deal with them that included their breakfast buffet and a picnic lunch. Took the lunch to Hyde Park. The package also included free internet access.Did not eat dinner at their restaurants so we can not comment on them but their menus looked good.The room was very quiet with no noise from ajoining rooms or the outside. Unfortunately it was not very sound-proof to the hallway, and the people near us stomped back and forth between their party's rooms numerous times.Due to the uncommon heatwave in London the end of June, the room air conditioning kept us comfortable.The staff was very friendly and helpful. Quickly bringing us bottled water and ice upon our return each day.All in all a great choice in London.
Following our hotel reservation in Japan for our journey to Shanghai (China) from 15 to 18 February 2009. I have check in at the Shanghai Jin Jiang Hotel on 15 February 2009 and found it not informative and interesting as I expected of five star hotel standards. Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the event was spoiled by a number of management and organizational problems that seriously concern about a being in the risk of life threatening issues, suffered, accident and illness whilst on holiday that was on hotel fault with poor quality, poor management at Shanghai Jian jiang hotel.I explain each of the problems below.1- My godfather having accident at hotel lobby entrance due to door side glass with no propel caution lable that hardly possible to view at night or by elderly peoples as well no assistance by two door man who was standing at the door at the time of accident to instruct the guest even after accident do not give any help to injured guest who was down on the floor and injured by the head that cause serious bleeding and wounded eyebrows and blouses at behind of the head.2- Hotel was not offer any first aid emergency services as according to the hotel guest manager; this is a minor injury and is very common in this hotel. They do not receive any first aid medical care and thought have to wait and queue for taxi over 20 minutes at hotel lobby. They said they do not offer any transport for this kind of accident, they do not take any responsibility about guest who shelter in this hotel. After being arrive to hospital, hotel staff planning to leave the guest alone, even instructed them you have to pay by your insurance. However after being waited for 1 hour and complaint to the hotel management by phone and anger of guest about hotel services, he was treated by doctor in bill of hotel and hotels staff have instructed by his manager to pay for hospital bill. 3- After being treated by hospital, they leave them unattended and they have no knowledge about Chinese language, however they have managed to arrange the transport and back to hotel. After being arrived at hotel, they have received the simple apologies from the Hotel Cost Controller and he have offered them that they can received the free compensation for one night stay included compliment for dinner. But unfortunately the hotel management changes their mind by day after accident. They ask for full payment for dinner was offered by hotel management.4- Jin Jiang hotel is listed under five star hotel. I have paid the fee for being stay at five star hotel and being treated as five star hotel guest. But unfortunately, they have not given the services for what we have paid. Hotel should prepare for this kind of injury or simply call the ambulance. There is not hospitality in this hotel that being waited for taxi for injured guest. According to the hotel guest service manager; any way the guest; hes alive and not dead yet. Thought the hotel general manager avoid to seeing us. What kind of management considers them?Benjamin
Imagine our distaste when we arrived at this hotel from the East Coast shortly after midnight local time only to find that the hotel had given away our room. Never mind that the room had not only been guaranteed with a credit card, but that card had already been charged for the entire stay. They did have a room we could stay in - with a roll-away bed. After much deliberation with the unaccommodating front desk person, a double room was finally found to put us up in for the evening.A king room was supposed to be found for us and our luggage automatically moved the next day. When we returned to the hotel around 1:00 p.m., this had not yet happened. Another less than pleasant exchange at the front desk yielded another double room! They were finally able to locate an available king room so we returned to our original room to retrieve our own bags and relocate to the king room. Overall, the hotel is average. There is nothing that stands out about this hotel to make it recommendable. Rooms were clean (minus the coffee pot which still had a half pot of coffee in it when we arrived.) Location was great for access to China Town, the Ferry Building and some excellent restaurants. A night-cap in the Grand View bar on the 36th floor was enjoyable. No bell-staff were available upon our arrival to assist with our bags, the door or direct us to check in. (Hopefully this was due to the arrival time but was still a surprise.) Linens and glass-ware in the rooms were kept to the bare minimum  a surprise for a room set up to accommodate two people. We travel a lot and are realistic about hotels and our expectations. We are comfortable in Wingate Inn as well as 5-star hotels. If youre looking for service (friendly or otherwise), avoid this property. Id say find a Sheraton or Marriott brand nearby. If youre looking for a clean hotel where youll be left alone, this is the place. Based on this stay we will not return to this hotel and will not consider Hyatt as a top choice brand in other cities when choosing hotels in the future.
I was born and raised in Chicago and though out my life I was told The Drake was the best. I had the opportunity to stay there a few weeks ago. I was some what disappointed. The hotel services were great, but the rundown nature of the rooms (Soiled carpets, chipped furniture, and a general dismal appearance) left me wondering why anyone would stay there. I took into consideration the age of the building. It really needs a remodeling, not to change the character, but just to clean it up. Its a shame this grand hotel isn't so grand anymore.
I visited this hotel with my family a few years ago. My father had planned the vacation, so I don't know rate details. However, as a family of 6, the hotel was very accomodating. The location was great, because we arrived by train. It was very easy to find, considering it's right above the train station. The room was very spacious and clean, just like the rest of Montreal. The staff were very friendly. My siblings and I very much enjoyed the pool. Also, the restaurant that was attached had very good food, and I enjoyed my authentic crepes. I would recommend this hotel to anyone.
We have just had a fantastic stay at this Hotel; we got a complimentary room upgrade (thank you Mark on reception !!!) to the top (18th) floor which gave us stunning views over Hyde Park and London. We chose this Hotel because it was the cheapest of 4 or 5 hotels in the area and we therefore expected it to be slighty shabby and outdated, but how wrong we were !! We could not fault this hotel whatsoever, the staff were wonderful, very helpful, friendly and always had a smile on their face, the room was very spacious, and the bed was one of the best we have slept in. Our stay did not include breakfast but we found a wonderful Deli in Bathurst Street (Bathurst Deli) adjacent to the hotel where we had a delicious full English breakfast for 5.95 each which for London we found to be amazing value !!. Thank you to all the staff at The Lancaster for a wonderful stay and we can't wait to return !! Mark and Kelly, Hertfordshire, U.K
Just got back from vacation yesterday and thought while things were fresh in my mind I would give my impression of the hotel (7 June-13 June). The hotel is in a great convenient location that is just a 5-minute walk from the Victoria Train/Tube station. Just out the side door and down the street.The front desk staff was very helpful and polite. My only complaint would be that when checking out they ask if I would like the bill in US dollars but failed to tell me that there was a 3.5% charge to change it. The room was clean but showed wear. I had to ask for a washcloth each day, they would leave clean towels but never wash cloths. We had an executive room that included breakfast and access to the lounge but they changed the lock code every day so I had to swap the key card each day. The only refreshments in the lounge most days were coffee and bottled water. The breakfast bar was very plentiful. A good hot breakfast of toast/rolls, bacon and sausage, scrambled and sunny side up eggs or order omelets, potatoes, tomatoes, beans and mushrooms. They also had a cold bar of cereals, juice, and fruit with bread and cold meats. Some of the wait staff could have been more efficient, they would stand and talk, but most were very helpful. The last morning I had to get up and leave without finishing my breakfast when I watched one of the waitresses pick her nose and rub it on her shirt I am glad it was the last day.
I stayed at the hotel for a week in Jan 05. When i got there they told me they cancelled my reservation, and were booked but had a small room if i wanted it and could change rooms the next day. first i have to tell you about this room. it's smaller than rooms in europe, absolutely tiny and shaped like a rectangle so it was slightly uncomfortable. luckily i was by myself, i don't think i could have shared it with anyone. if they offer you room 1009, just say no. the bathroom was just funny. it was so narrow that i could really walk straight inside. however, i did get moved the next day to a larger room. the beds are very firm. i like that so i had a wonderful sleep, but if you need a soft bed, this may not be a place for you. the bathrooms used a shower curtain and it may have been me, but i kept getting water all over the ground, plus the water didn't drain as quickly as i would have liked and i thought i saw some places that could have been cleaned better. The location is great. was safe and quiet. i saw the dancing at night and tai chi in the morning. very serene and different from the hustle and bustle of the city. every taxi driver i met knew the hotel and where it was so no problems there. the staff speaks very little if any english though i saw a lot of non-asians at the hotel. i'm not sure how they got their questions answered. if you want to brush up on your chinese, or like learning how to communicate in different languages you would enjoy this. but let me say that the staff is very nice and helpful and went more out of their way then some 4 or 5 star hotels i've stayed at. but the hotel did have these cards with english and chinese translations of major tourist spots and the hotel address. bring that with you and you'll have all the major stuff covered. the one annoying thing was that the maids would come by at 8:30 in the morning which i think is a little too early for cleaning. the hotel is a nice walk to shopping and restaurants. for the price, this was better than i expected in an expensive city.
The service here was excellent, particularly in the restaurant. The rooms are very modern and the bathroom had a good shower. Rooms are a bit small with no view, but are kept very clean, with clean linen every day. Complimentary fruit, water and snacks are provided It was relatively expensive compared to the rest of India, but worth it for Delhi. Breakfast is included with the rate and has a good choice and a decent buffet. The food in the restaurant was one of the best Indian restaurants we visited and very good value
I stayed here with my spouse at an ocean deluxe suite for 1 night complementary to having booked their ballroom for our wedding.Positive points:-The hotel itself is very nicely decorated in Arabic style (one of the best in Dubai) and has a great location in the Madinat Jumeirah resort which has a good selection of restaurants and scenic shopping area for a romantic stroll or boat ride.-Room service is good and the menu has an interesting selection.-Great views.Negative points:-The suite was very small, it was almost a room with a door separating a small sitting area from the bedroom and bathroom.-The TV was not a flatscreen plasma as you would expect from a 5 star hotel suite in Dubai.-It is very expensive for what you get and the price is not justified. I would never stay there if it wasn't complementary.
this is a friendly, clean and charming place to stay. It's rather simple, don't expect fancy extra's. The people working there are willing to help you and explain you where you need to go. It's on the edge of a not so good area, if you keep in mind where to go, it's no problem at all and close to union square where you can easily walk too.
The location is good, close to pier 39 and to the cable cars stop. The room was ok with comfortable beds. The car parking is very expensive 49$ per night . We felt that it was a rip off and they should have reduced the rate for hotels guests. There is a public car park near by that charges 25$ per night. Not sure that we would stay there again.
One of the travel agents booked this hotel for us (myself, wife and two children) for two nights. The lobby itself gave notice of what was in store for us. We were booked into a deluxe room, which when shown brought my wife to tears. I managed to talk the receptionist (man) to upgrade us to a &quot;superior deluxe&quot; room which was slightly bigger. No hot water, unclean (I am being polite) linen and floors. One has to bend down to walk the corridors of the hotel. Luckily we were out shopping most of the day and were dead tired to notice anything upon return.The hotel is a text book definition of a &quot;seedy hotel&quot;. THEIR CLAIM OF FOUR STARS IS A SHAM....STAY AWAY FROM THIS HOTEL.Did not even dare try the complimentary breakfast....had breakfast at the adjacent Saravana Bhavan (most recommended). We checked out as fast as we could on our last day to check into the Intercontinental Grand. Could not stop my wife and kids grinning ear to ear just entering into the Intercontinental's lobby.
My husband and I stayed on the 22nd floor in a junior suite of this fabulous hotel. We have been to New York on two other occasions and both the hotels were dingy and dirty (and one of those was The Plaza). However, the Bryant Park Hotel was fantastically clean, it was bright, comforatable and ultra modern. It was also very spacious which is a real luxury in NY. We loved the deep bath, the huge shower and the bath products were a luxurious treat. The location was fantastic. A five minute walk to Fifth Avenue and a ten minute walk to Times Square. The hotel staff were always polite and courteous and very efficient. This is a hotel that we will definitely be visiting again and again.
This was a great find in New York, given the cost of most other forms of accommodation in the city. As has been said often in the reviews here, its in an excellent location only a few blocks away from places like the Empire State Building and Madison Square Garden  and around a 15 minute walk or so from Grand Central Station. Theres also a subway station nearby. The room was clean and perfectly adequate with a nice, comfortable bed; well-sized flatscreen TV and a newish shower/bath. They also provided a free breakfast while I was staying there. I didnt encounter too many problems with noise from outside the room, either. The only thing that bothered me was the customer service (or lack of it). Some of the staff seriously need to do a customer service course and/or to go to hotels in other parts of the world to learn about how to interact with (and even give an occasional smile to or indulge in a friendly conversation with) their guests. But, the further I travelled across the USA, the more a lack of customer service seemed to be standard practice in a lot of different parts of the country these days.
Lets face it, all Ibis' are pretty much the same throughout the world, and this is no exception. Rooms are small, basic, but clean and tidy with good use of space. The location of this hotel is great for exploring Greenwich and the Cutty Sark area, and it's proximity to Greenwich train station means it serves as a useful base for going further afield in the City. There are plenty of places to eat nearby, and the hotel is connected to a Cafe Rouge. Breakfast in Cafe Rouge wa s nice but grossly overpriced. The foreign receptionists at the hotel were clearly a little overworked and stressed, but they were polite and did everything they could to help us. I would stay here again, although I wouldnt bother with the Cafe Rouge breakfasts.
I stayed two nights in June 2009 as I was attending a seminar in the same hotel.Location good for top of Oxford St/Marble Arch and foyer incredible: vast open perfumed space with artwork/sculptures. Looked like a modern art gallery and very good first impression.Booked online and requested non-smoking and quiet end-of-corridor room. Was asked for smoking or non-smoking room at reception, which may have been for confirmation rather than not reading the booking form but then discovered my room was beside the lifts and I loudly heard the BING of every lift arriving.First room (5106) singleRoom well-appointed but smaller than expected and but in need of a refurbish as shabby in places. Shower design ridiculous: you had to turn on the shower from in front of it (and in range), having no idea what temperature water you would be soaked with. Bathroom floods until shower door closed.TV quality poor, no WiFi reception (though advertised), internet lead did not work. Told somebody would fix internet lead immediately, but didn't happen.Complained that I needed an internet connection and wasn't happy with room beside lifts and immediately 'upgraded' to double room in Executive suits which were in an adjacent but connected building. That sounded good.Second room (508) double The double room appeared even small than my previous single, but it was at teh end of the corridor and the bathroom looked a bit bigger, though with the same stupid shower. WiFi reception was good - though had to be re-logged at least very hour- but the TV quality was still mediocre. I came away not feeling like I got value for money.
Absolutely beautiful Hotel! Ordered Breakfast in the room and it was wonderful! Breakfast cost $120, but hey, that's the way it is in a top notch hotel in NYC, right. So then we come back to the suite after shopping and the room is cleaned very nicely, except, our breakfast dishes, coffe cups, etc. are still right there on the table where we left them. I called the front desk and they suggested i put all the dishes, etc. in the hallway. i said Ok at first and then called back and asked if maybe they could send someone to get them. She thought that was a good idea and did just that.That evening the concierge suggested a restaurant on a barge in the East River. I called a car service that a friend had recommended to take us to dinner. The car service said that they had a contract with the hotel so i must go through the hotel. So i did. It cost $108 for the 15 minute ride to the Restaurant. That's fine, except when we got to this restaurant, there was literally trash blowing against the front door and the place was deserted. I called our car back 5 minutes after he left us and was told by the driver that i would have to call the hotel and pay them again if i wanted him to come get us and take us somewhere else. I got a cab instead who took us to a great place in Little Italy.I related these problems to the Concierge on duty when we returned. He said that he &quot;was sorry we had a bad experience&quot; and that he would &quot;take care of it&quot;. When checking out the young lady asked how was our stay and i said not too good. I then explained it to her and she said that she &quot;was sorry that i had a bad experience&quot;. If we had paid $99 a night, it wouldn't be a big deal, but at their prices they should do a better job of the small things. They certainly should have some procedures in place for a guest that is less than happy.
Looks like this place was nice at some point but no longer is.I stayed on the 11th floor of Tower B. I think the Tower A rooms are the nicer ones. First thing was I had requested one bed and there were two. Secondly the room was VERY hot. When I called down to the desk and they sent someone from housekeeping up to the room he just opened the windows. He said the air conditioning system was shut down for the season and no matter what I set the thermostat at, the air would blow hot. With the windows open the room never got comfortable but did get bearable. However, the room was now very noisy. All the street noise filtered in and that made it tough to sleep. Also, every day room service shut the windows and the rooom was hot when I got back from my day out.The bed was uncomfortable, the T.V. was small and fuzzy and the water temperature never got hot enough for a comfortable shower or shave.All of the hotel restaurants are very expensive and the food is fair at best. I stayed at some really nice places in China. This was the only bad experience.I would not stay there again!
This is a lovely hotel in downtown San Francisco and a nice departure from large chain hotels. We were lucky to get an extremely attractive rate through a hotel promotion. - Comfy beds- Exceptionally clean- Friendly staff- Well-appointed rooms including DVD/CD player, iPod doc, flat screen TV (even a CD to help you get to sleep), pod coffee/tea maker and mini-bar if you want more- Excellent location - walk to North Beach for Italian, Chinatown for Asian restaurants and downtown for shopping- Free wi-fi- Excellent bath amenities- Green hotel - you insert your key after entering the room to engage the electricity and move it to turn everything off when you leave the room - similar to what I've seen in Europe and a very good ideaWe did not eat at the attached restaurant, &quot;Roots&quot;, but the menu looks good. The decor of the guest room is soothing and pretty. There was a very large mirror on the wall near the bed. We did not get a room with a view so can't speak to that and did not have a car to worry about parking. But overall a very pleasant stay and I highly recommend this hotel to visitors to the city.
This is a perfect hotel if you don't mind traveling by subway to and from other parts of the city. It's right next to one line and 1 block from another. The room I was given was ready even though I arrived before check in time. Since the hotel just opened, I'm not sure it was full. Kiehl products in the space age bathroom. Floor to ceiling windows that look out on busy street, noisy but vibrant during the day, quiet at night. Comfy bed, very cool lighting, everything you need. No body lotion, I called and it was there in seconds. Beautiful, helpful staff, the doorman carried my case down the steps to the subway. The price? An average of $140 per night on Quikbook. My only quibble is the $10 internet charge, but with my rate, I had no right to complain. I hope the price doesn't go up too high as I'd love to stay there again.
Condition of my room on the 18th floor was in bad shape. Linens were old as well as the mattress. Shower head did not spray water, but rather drizzled water out. I would say this hotel experience is equal to staying at a medium to low end Best Western. The hotel staff made me wait for 10 minutes to checkin and had a &quot;who cares?&quot; attitude. Checking out wasn't any better. I used the electronic checkout from my room and when I asked for a copy of the receipt from the front desk clerk, he rolled his eyes and made a big sigh before completing the task of printing my receipt. I've stayed at several Manhattan hotels and this by far was the worst. The Times Square Marriott Marquis is my most favorite.
Like a lot of other reviewers, we stayed here courtesy of the airline when we missed out transatlantic connection.The location of this hotel for transit travellers just cant be beat, right in the middle of O'Hare, its a 5 minute walk from baggage claim. Being this close obviously means a degree of aircraft noise but not to the extent that it kept us awakeThe check in line for the hotel was long. Not good when you have been delayed, and will be home 24 hours later than planned, and since we had vouchers from the airline for check in, I dont think we could use the automated systemOnce we got to the room however, it was very modern, looked newly decorated and had a huge flat screen tv.We ordered room service and the food was great, prices not so great though - $60 for chicken wings, pizza and a chocolate cake !!! Still, we were hungry....We didnt use any of the other hotel facilities, so cant comment
I have stayed here many times and have noticed standards have slipped.This time despite the hotel advertising in room internet access - yet again it would not work. I arrived back from a meeting at 10 pm with 2 hours work to do - and no way of doing it. The suggestion that i went down and used my laptop in the bar to access wireless was not a solution i wanted!In addition just like the last time i stayed - room service got the order wrong - bad news at 10 pm when you are starving!The room service staff were polite and helpful - but still that does not compensate for the wrong food.
Spacious lounge, comfortable beds. A slightly larger kitchen amd more seats for the dining table would have been a bonus.Easy access to bus and cable cars; both stop right outside. Easy walk to Fisherman's Wharf. Staff; very helpful.
We stayed at the Fairmont for only one night (Feb. 2nd) while on our way to Sonoma wine country. The hotel, the staff, the views, the Tonga room and everything about it was spectacular. We would definitely go back!!!
No frills place, with small, but clean rooms. They only have wireless in the rooms, so you'll need to go to the lobby if you don't have that. Unlimited free bottled water is nice.
My wife and I stayed here for two nights in May. We originally booked the Loews Hotel Vogue but the travel agents moved us to the Ritz Carlton at the last minute, which we were very disapointed about as we had reserched the Hotels in depth.The Ritz Carlton has a grand entrance and reception with friendly staff, but we did only speak to them when we checked in and out. When we got to our room we were quite pleasently suprised with the size of the bed and the room was ok but when we looked at the bathroom it looked like something out of the 60's!! For a five star hotel I would have thought the bathrooms would have been updated and modernised. We were also disappointed as the air con did not work. The hallways also looked a bit dated and tired.Don't have the buffet breakfast. It is $35 (Canadian dollars) each and it is not that special. For that price I expected far much more. I would not be at all suprised if you could get a far better breakfast for half the price if you looked. Still can't get over how the canadians/americans force everything on the one plate, you can come back you know!!!To conclude I think you could get a nicer hotel for your money, a bit like the breakfast!!
Stayed for 5 nights. Hotel is no-frills, staff is very friendly, but hotel does not offer anything except some rooms to sleep in that are in fact very small and a bit on the noisy side. But: Beds are comfortable, rooms are clean, location is unbeatable with 1min to the Empire State, 3min to Subway, and lots of restaurants in the area. If you can get a good deal, I'd especially recommend it to young people that are looking for a centrally located budget accommodation without the budget feel.
My wife and I stayed at the Castle Inn for three nights in mid-January. The Inn was easy to find and in SF free parking is a huge plus. The rooms were clean and the coffee, refrige, microwave, and WiFi was a nice bonus. Marshall and Arlene were very helpful in pointing out how to get around the city. The location is perfect, as you can walk most places and if not the bus or cablecars are very close. The resaurants on Polk are numerous and resonably priced (&quot;Little Thai&quot; was especially good!). All in all a very nice place to stay in a beautiful city. We will tell all our friends and will definitely return.
Simply nothing bad can be posted regarding my experiences of this hotel. From check in to check out evrything was handled with the utmost professionalism and reserved, but informative, decorum you would expect of such an establishment. The rooms are superb (we were given a free upgrade to a park view room), the furnishings being immaculately clean and very comfortable, and the various amenities on offer are excellent. The burger joint provides simply delectable burgers, the pool and gym are superb, and the rooftop viewing area affords beautiful vistas of the park and uptown manhattan. Any problems we did have (extra pillows, T.V movie poorly received) were dealt with quickly and efficiently and the general level of staff, of which there were a lot, was informed and courteous. I would recommend highly a stay in this hotel if our expereince of it is anything to go by; a wonderful choice!!
My husband had a conference here and I came along for some sightseeing. First off I have to comment on Shanghai. If you expect a typical Chinese city this place is not for you. You could place Shanghai in any major city around the world. It is modern and very business oriented. The Pudong section is where all the business hotels are located. Across the river is a more touristy and local area.I loved everything about this hotel except the difficuly traveling across the river but I will get to that later.The rooms in this hotel are, by far, the largest of any I have stayed in. We happened to be staying in a suite with seperate bedroom in order for my husbandd to conduct meetings in private. The views are spectacular especially on clear mornings. I did visit some other rooms of collegues and customers and they also were very large. The bedding is to die for and extremely comfortable. The bathrooms are sparkling clean and well maintained.The staff is very accomodating in every way from check in to check out. All of the rooms our group reserved were supposed to be non-smoaking. One happened to be smoking but when we brought this to management attention no other rooms were available due to the convention. They immediatly apologized and sent in a cleaning crew to shampoo carpets, drapes and replace the entire bedding. Afterwards there was no trace of smoke in the room. All this was done quickly, quietly and in a most professional manner.Since this was for business, we ate most dinners in the hotel. The best place was the Yi Cafe. It is a buffet but on a scale not seen before. It is pricy if you are having breakfast there but if on a club floor (as we were) your breakfast is included in the club. For dinner the cafe has multiple stations of international and local food. Top notch all around.The only disadvantage is the location across from all the tourist sites. You can take a taxi for practically no money but be prepared to sit in traffic. The best way to cross the river is by tourist tram - a very Disney type ride in a tram car that goes through the tunnel with flahing lights and out of body music. Fun for kids and adults and about $4 roundtrip. The most efficient and cheapest is taking the Metro. Very easy to navigate and ticket machines have info in English. The station is just across the street and only a stop or 2 for the main tourist spots.All in all the best 5 star hotel I have stayed in.
After arriving later than we wanted, due to being caught up in football traffice, we received a most pleasant welcome and speedy registration at Jurys Inn, Chelsea.As this was a last minute booking I did not know what to expect but we got a lovely room on the first floor overlooking the front entrance of the hotel. The room was very bright and spotlessly clean, as was the rest of the hotel. My only criticism of the room was that the hairdryer was secured in a drawer with no access to a mirror, so you couldn't see what your were doing, but we got by.We found all the staff we encountered to be very pleasant and cheerful. One member of staff even came over to help me when I couldn't get the coffee to pour properly from the coffee pot. We chose this hotel because we had to attend a function at Battersea Park and feel it was the right choice, we hailed a taxi directly outside of the hotel very easily.Although woken at 7 a.m. (on sunday morning) by someone who thought we had booked a taxi and then again by noisey cleaning staff outside our room, collecting their supplies from their cleaning cupboard, we would choose this hotel again if staying in London.
Rubens does it for me every time - from the warm welcome at the steps to the reception - the porters - the bar and restaurant staff - they all sing from the same hymm book as it were sure, some of the rooms are quirky but that to me is all part of the charm - better than many of the faceless large company places aroundlong may rubens continue to thrive i say nicola overton
We had a wonderful stay at the Nelligan last week! The staff are all very helpful, especially Lisa! The restaurant is superb! The wine andcheese cocktails are fun. The breakfast is great! Great location...just steps from the Cathedral, Old Montreal restaurants. A very charming 'boutique' hotel, a real gem! Check out the special packages...we went to the Disney exhibit at the Musuem of Fine Art-fantastic!We will be back!
This hotel more than lived up to the great reviews. Fantastic location within walking distance to the BART at Union Square. We arrived around noon after an overseas flight and an early check-in was not a problem. Room was beautifully decorated and beds v. comfortable; no noise issues on the 5th floor. Pleasantly surprised with the wine at happy hour and the coffee/tea in the lounge in the morning. Staff at front desk v. friendly and helpful. Internet access a bit rich at $6/15 minutes,( but we found a cheaper place just down Market St.) Would highly recommend to anyone.
Won a three night stay at this hotel with a bid of $80 USD. The best thing about this hotel is its proximity to Old Montreal. It's a very short walk to the heart of OM. The rooms are what you would expect from a 4* hotel. On my next visit I will avoid the valet parking as there is plenty of parking nearby for much less than the valet rate.All in all it's a great hotel and the PL rate provided a steal of a deal! I would stay here again.
My husband and I stayed two nights at the Hoxton, one before going to Paris and one on our return. The room was spotlessly clean, the most comfy bed, and the shower to die for. The room was larger than we had been expecting for London, it had a lovely bed, side tables, a desk and chair, lounge chair, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate makings with a lovely kettle. There were two bottles of water and a container of milk in the small fridge every day. There was a flat screen TV as well as a small safe. We were able to get in on a promotion so got more than our money's worth for 29GBP. The staff were more than helpful, we arrived at 9:30am and were met with &quot;you've just come in off an overnight flight, of course we will check you in&quot;. When they saw my wheelchair they offered us a larger room, but ours was adequate so we stayed put. They helped with taxis, maps and directions each time we asked. Breakfast was a pot of yogurt, banana and orange juice., left on a little post outside the door. The restaurant in the hotel was of excellent value and each meal very tasty. When we went on to our next hotel my hubby realized he left his suit in their closet, when we called, they were quite willing to mail it back to us in Canada, but we were close enough that we went back and got it. All in all, I would certainly recommend this hotel. It is a few steps from the Old St. tube and bus stops, maybe not central London, but we enjoyed the bus as we got to see and speak to locals going back and forth to work and shopping, all part of my London experience.
I loved the Silversmith! The location was convienient. It is just a few doors down from the Palmer House. The whole hotel is decorated beautifully. The celings are at least 9 ft tall. There are floor to celing velvet drapes in the guest rooms. I loved all the light fixtures in the hotel. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The bed was VERY comfortable and had lots of pillows. The bathroom was very spacious and clean. The entire hotel was immaculately clean. Even the ice machine, vending room was spotless. There was a desk area in the room and the hotel offers free wireless internet access. The street outside is under construction and the EL train is located right outside the front of the hotel. Neither of those bothered me during my stay. We had a total of 3 people staying in the room. The sleeping part of the room was not really large, but adequate. The comfortable feeling made up for the less than large space.
We stayed just one night in a double for a reasonable price close to the centre of London. We went to watch Arsenal at the Emirates stadium and it was easy to get there and back. The hotel from the outside looks pretty poor, not at all like the pictures you see on the net....BUT once inside it does improve. The reception is nice, tidy and clean and the staff were polite and helpful. The breakfast area and bar looked nice although we did not use it. After finding our room it was fine for the one night stay. I am aware Travelodge is not about luxury, I have stayed in many across the country but this one lacked..it was old fashioned not dirty but not clean to the standards I'd expect. No hairdryer, extra pillows, or spare towels.. there were usual tea/coffee supplies. There was a little leaflet explaining why all these things were not available, basically..that it saved us paying more for a nights stay which I could live with. The bed was comfortable, and room quiet. It had a TV. For one night OK sums it up, no more no less. There is a nice Italian restaurant just around the corner and a lovely pub called the 'Golden Lion' aswell.
I visit San Francisco at least 10 times a year for business and I always stay at the Hotel Palomar which is under the hotel group, Kimpton. The Kimpton Group usually meets my standards when it came to Hotel Palomar or their restuarants. I decided that I would stay with the Hotel Triton because I saw all the great reviews coming from this site and when I checked their website I was impressed with their theme and their style. I was automatically greeted at the door. It was early morning and my eyes were focused on their breakfast set up (coffee, tea). No one was at the frontdesk. I waited for a couple of minutes so I got some coffee first. Once someone got there they were ready to get me out. Alright, I understand that it's fairly early and &quot;we&quot; have yet to wake up, but come on! The lady was too quick and I'm sure she wanted me out of there as fast as possible. I go up on one of their two elevators and go to the room. I had a great room with the most comfortable bed. The room was very simple with a splash of pizazz. I was satisfied with the rooms. Thoe housekeepers were very attentive and helpful with additional ammenities I requested. When I called downstairs for a wake-up call they didn't answer till I called the 3rd time. When I checked out a few days later in the morning I had the same young lady help me. She seemed to continue the same attitude as she did when I checked-in. A lot of blank stares and I felt as if I was pushed out. Throughout the day I the staff was perfect. If I decide to stay there again (not likely) I would come in the afternoon. I enjoyed the cookie!
I am truly' in love' witn Number 16! Since leaving Chelsea 7 years ago for the Mediterranean blue skies of the Cte d'Azur, this will always remain my chosen 'spoiling' hotel overnight stop-off point in London. On my most recent stay, immediately after Christmas 2007, I felt that I was a very special guest in someone's private home, The welcome and efficiency of the staff are second to none - courteous, slick, and very professional. The rooms are divine, with very 'cool' marble bathrooms, fluffy white bath robes, and my favourite Miller Harris toiletries (the terre de bois body lotion is unforgettable), If you are at Number 16 for just one night, ask for Room 12, have a leisurely warm bath/shower, head off into Chelsea for a cosy dinner (PJ'S would be my own personal recommendation), and then return to the comfort of your hotel 'oasis' for a pre-sleep drink from the honesty bar ........... and, in the morning, you can wake up to the most wonderful room-service breakfast, (Pink grapefruit juice to die for!). For me South Kensington is like a small corner of France, and I cannot wait for my next visit to Number 16.  la prochaine!
This was every bit a professional and impressive as expected. (But they do charge you for it!)Took my mother as a treat for her 60th last November and didn't regret paying the extra - great location and staff fantastic.If I win the lottery I'll definitely return!
We just returned from 5 nights at the JW. We stayed there because of the reviews on TA and have to tell you we were not disappointed-by anything. It is a beautiful property and a great place to go to relax. We laid around the pool, drank daquiris, slept, ate and, on two occasions, drove to the strip for shows (Menopause, the Musical is hilarious). My wife does not really like Vegas because of the crowds, the noise and the smoke. With the JW, we may have found the perfect compromise. Also, I highly recommed the Italian restaraunt, Spiendi (I think). Great service, great food and we sat out on the patio with the Koi and ducks.One caution, if this is your first trip to Vegas, stay on the strip. The JW is not the typical Vegas experience. Everyone should have that experience-at least once. It will make you appreciate the JW all the more.
The Rhodes Hotel is a great homebase for busy visitors of London. It is located right between two tube stations: Paddington (Circle/District lines) and Lancaster Gate (Central Line). It's also very clean and the staff were friendly. I am a woman traveling alone and felt very safe there and walking in the area. I also had access to a computer w/ Internet (there is also a connection in every room). However, my single room was extremely tiny - which is to be expected in London for such a low rate (I paid 55/night). My biggest complaint was the lack of a lift. I was on the top floor and am in pretty good shape, but walking up all those stairs was a hassle! Luckily someone helped me with my suitcase coming in, but no men were around the morning I left so I carried it downstairs on my own. Nevertheless, I would recommend the hotel to anyone looking for a safe, convenient, and very clean place to stay while sightseeing in beautiful London.
I stay in San Francisco at least 4 - 5 times every year. Although I normally stay at the Majestic Hotel they were sold out. So I ended up staying at this beautiful hotel that is right next door. I can honestly say that I will never stay anywhere else in the city again. We had a room with a fireplace that was absolutely top notch. The front desk staff went out of their way to take care of all our needs including booking a tour, arranging transportation, and recommending where we should spend our day. If you want to go somewhere where they'll treat you like royalty this is the place to stay.
Disgusting place to stay , smelly , unclean , the manager was just sleezy ,I was looking for a good value place to stay in San Francisco the Taylor Hotel advertised itself on the internet as a cheap alternative to hostels and I booked a private room there , when I got there I immediately realized what a mistake I had made , it was filthy and smelly, I figured I would stay the first night and cancel the remainining nights, but the manager tells me I have to pay for all 5 nights even if I leave and he did try to charge but I stopped the payment by calling by credit card company.I sugest that if you want cheap decent accomodation try one of the real hostels in San Francisco, I ended up going to a real hostel and it was great.
We spent three nights in the Radisson. This was our first contact with Chinese hotels and made an excellent impression. We had booked a special offer for a Suite on the 35th floor, which included pick-up service at the airport (a relief after 12 hours of flight), fresh fruits daily in the room, english newspaper, free internet, etc. Everything was perfectly organized!I can only confirm the positive comments of other fellow travelers regarding convenient location, friendliness and competence of the staff and cleanliness of the rooms. I would add that the suite we got - although not overlooking Renmin Square, but the less appealing backside, heavily under construction - was very pleasant, quiet and spacious. The beds were very comfortable and the bathroom functional.While the buffet breakfast was rich and of excellent quality, the buffet dinner was less exciting. However this did not alter our general very positive impression. Anyway, if you are in Shanghai, you should not have dinner in a hotel but go out and look for genuine Chinese cuisine!!!
We spent a long weekend at the Serrano before flying home from a trip through Wine Country. Everyone on the staff was courteous and helpful and the hotel itself was charming and well-cared-for.The complimentary wine reception was a great opportunity to relax and socialize between a day of walking and exploring and an evening of great dining.The location was perfect, we dropped off our rental car the first day and walked everywhere. At no time did we feel uncomfortable in the area surrounding the hotel, even walking to and from local restaurants each evening.We would highly recommend the Serrano as a great place to stay while visiting San Francisco.
This hotel is clean and is well located beside the tube. It is fairly new so the rooms are quite modern and airy which is something you struggle to find in london. I will probably be back as its a safe bet.
while the beds are nice and it is clean....the staff are terrible. I was stuck in an elevator for three hours at this hotel. the alarm and the phone were broken. it took over an hour for a staff member to hear us. she assured us she was going to go and get help. 45 minutes later a second person discovered us (we had resumed yelling at this point because the first person hadnt come back) He said that she had left her shift and hadnt reported the incident. he said he would go get help. we asked that he kindly check in every 10 or so minutes because we were kinda scared and wanted to know what was going on. this man did go get help, but it took over an hour and he never checked back in. infact we didnt even know that the mechanic was there. all of a sudden the elevator lurched and we fell over 8 stories, stopping abruptly on the second floor. we all thought that we were going to die (there were 3 in the elevator). No one ever appoligised to us. we tried to talk to the staff to tell them about the broken phone and alarm but they kept ignoring us and talking to the manager in french instead. it was a terrible experiance. I realize that elevators are faulty, but the way they delt with the situation was unforgivable.If you have any other questions about the hotel feel free to email me wesley_614@hotmail.com
Usually you would find two bedside tables in a double room, but in our room in there was only one, which made me think that this was a single room! The bed was rather small for a double, infact it was smaller than the beds you get in UK hotel rooms! We were only in New York for three nights, but any longer and we would have had to move rooms because it was so uncomfortable! Truth be told this was a single room, see attached photos!
This was a great value for very last minute travel plans to London. Easy access to Euston Station and Euston Square Tube stations. You can add breakfast to your room for a reasonable price and it is excellent food.
I stayed at the Park two nights as part of a tour. The rooms vary; my room on the fifth floor was quite nice but those in our group with rooms on the third floor went sleepless because of the noise and reverberation from the disco. The included buffet breakfasts were acceptable. If you dare to leave the hotel you will be surrounded by taxi drivers, rickshaw drivers, kids, vendors, etc. This is the worst city I have ever visited. (I didn't go to Kolkata). Delhi is a 24 hour traffic jam
Myself, my daughter and our friend stayed at the K &amp; K George in London for 10 days. We were more than pleased with the courteous staff and the clean triple room which was assigned to us. The staff were always accomodating and most helpful. Wonderful location to the tube as well as many great eating establishments within walking distance. Our stay was from Oct 12th to October 22nd, 2006. Without hesitation we would return to stay. Joan CooperLantzville, British Columbia, Canada
My partner and I stayed at the Hilton Shanghai in early November 2006 and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.We had come to Shanghai from Hong Kong where we stayed in the Conrad, which was awesome, so the Hilton had a lot to live up to, which it did. As it was our anniversary, I had arranged a bouquet of flowers to be in the room upon our arrival. When we checked in, a lady came rushing over to us from guest relations explaining that the flowers were in the room and we were presented with complimentary breakfast vouchers and ones for the spa, too.The room we had was very spacious, had a lovely corner window which looked out over the rooftops of the local neighborhood. The bouquet of the sweetest smelling flowers was in the room and they had even thrown some petals over the bedspread which was very lovely. The bathroom was clean and very spacious, too. The best bit about the hotel however is the spa. Located on the 4th floor, you have to go there when you are there. There's quite a good gym with lots of modern equipment, a very good pool and a fantastic sauna/jacuzzi/steam room set up, which we seemed to use quite a bit; having walked the streets of Shanghai most days, we were in need of a good foot soak. We also booked in for a spa special massage which involved quite a hefty massage and facial. Lovely.The exec floor lounge was good too. Every evening from 5-8 we were invited to go for drinks and snacks and nothing was too much trouble for the staff. The only comment I would have to make is that it is a small lounge and therefore does get full quickly, mostly by American business guys, some of whom can get quite loud. ;o)Every morning we had breakfast in the lobby area, which was kind of weird to begin with but quaint nonetheless. Service was impeccable, so that counted for a lot.In all, a great hotel if you are visiting Shanghai. We were there on vacation, as always, we did local things, such as walked to the subway (Jiang Temple - around 5 mins walk) and got a taxi and Maglev back to Pudong airport. It all added to the experience, which was a fantastic one all in all.
Firstly, we enjoyed our stay at the Serrano. The evening wine reception is a nice break in the day. The rooms and main area are pleasantly furnished and finished. But... The rooms are very small. Our's was a corner room and we really had no extra place to put a thing other than on the bed. Our closet was only slightly larger than the door and not quite as deep as a hanger. We each had 1 small drawer in the cabinet under the TV. Also, O'Farrell Street is on the edge of the Tenderloin which can lead to a large flow of street people. More than that, the garbage trucks use that area for clean up at 7 am on Fri. and Mon., making it even louder than usual. This is not a cookie-cutter hotel, but it has some detractions from ultimate comfort. 5/17/05
I know it's not the first place you think of when you are going to Vegas. But you should give it a try. I really like the location. Your not on the strip but you are really close and you don't have to pay strip prices. Lots of fun . Clean room. Great Price Lots of freebies.
Very uncomfortable beds, the base of the beds were dirty, unfriendly staff, lights that hang so low in the rooms you bang your head on them, leaky bath, ill fitting carpet, plates and cutlery left on corridors all day, base of bed was stained, condenstaion on windows all day. Poor breakfast, the whole place felt like it was stuck in the 1970s. A word of warning - this hotel is a sister of the Scarborough Grand which is renound for it's outbreaks for food poisoning.
I stayed at this hotel for one night on a business trip to London; this is the second time I have stayed at the hotel, I find the hotel a nice change from the ubiquitous modern chains. The exterior is wonderfully unique and is situated on Russell Square only 200 yards around the corner from Russell Sq Tube Station. The room rates are quite expensive, each time Ive stayed the room I have been allocated has been rather small; however they are well fitted with good quality modern wardrobe units and have adequate storage. There is a built in safe within the units.I found the front desk staff professional and friendly, service with a smile.The foyer gives a feeling of quality, quiet and cool in the surroundings of marble flooring, panels and grand staircase.I only ate breakfast and was impressed with the quality of the food and the service from the staff. When I stayed last August the hotel was extremely busy and we had to queue to be seated in the restaurant and due to the number of diners the service was affected and the noise of chatter within the room was horrendous. The price of drinks in the hotel bar were as expected, high even for London prices, but the surroundings were pleasant, as you would expect from a building of this age and quality. There are numerous bars and restaurant around the area, both towards Holborn and Covent Garden and up towards Kings Cross.As this hotel is set within a busy urban area, there are the usual night noises. I was woken up by the Holiday Inn garbage collection at 5 am, but I imagine so were most sleepers in the neighbourhood!I would certainly stay here again.
Love the Clift very stylish hotel. Service is always great from every aspect... doormen, cleaning people, front desk are always friendly, rooms are always clean, etc. It's not a typical touristy hotel... it has a specific clientle. Although you can find a good room rate, dont expect to get away cheaply. Two appetizers and four glasses of wine will run around $120 (plus tip) at the Redwood Room or dinner for two at Asia de Cuba can easily cost over $250. If you have trouble sleeping or like to sleep in forget it... the walls are very thin. Unfortunately, our room was on the 4th floor right next to the service elevator (rm 431) and you could hear the ding of the elevator bell every time it stopped (day and night) on nearby floors. On the other side of us were kids (surprisingly). I sleep with ear plugs so that wasn't an issue for me. We opted to stay in the room since it wasn't too bad. Other than the room location and thin wall everything else was great.
What was good: Location (especially for shopping and for Marylebone-area).Room size was ok.It was quite silent; I slept well (but the walls are very thin).Climatization worked.There was plenty of towels in the bathroom and it was clean (but a bit old).There is a free electronical safe in the room.Lobby and a litte bar in it was ok.The breakfast was decent.What was not so good:The stuff was not friendly (actually unfriendly, with some exceptions though). The front desk made a mistake in the room number, tryed to bill another persons bill, and then was angry on me, asking why I told them a wrong number at first place...In the evening the lobby and the corridors had a strong food smell.The rooms are worn down.The first room I had, had the carpet shampoed, so it smelled awful, and when I took my shoes of, the carpet was totally wet. The next room was dry, but one of the three sliding doors to the closet was missing.
We enjoyed an excellent 5 night get away trip to Las Vegas using southwest vacations.com. Our hotel, The Mirage, was exceptional and our flights were on time and comfortable. We had a bus tour to the casino town of Laughlin which is located on the Colorado River. This side trip was a nice trip to escape the hustle and bustle of Vegas for a day. Included also was a stop at Hoover Dam. The price we paid for this package was amazingly low for all that it included. I would recommend this trip to anyone who needs a get-a-way.
We enjoyed an excellent 5 night get away trip to Las Vegas using southwest vacations.com. Our hotel, The Mirage, was exceptional and our flights were on time and comfortable. We had a bus tour to the casino town of Laughlin which is located on the Colorado River. This side trip was a nice trip to escape the hustle and bustle of Vegas for a day. Included also was a stop at Hoover Dam. The price we paid for this package was amazingly low for all that it included. I would recommend this trip to anyone who needs a get-a-way.
We just returned from a trip to Chicago and stayed 3 nights at this hotel. It was difficult to find the hotel at first because the sign was hidden by other much larger signs in the area.Overall, it was very nice, clean and it was within walking distance to Michigan Ave, the Art institute and a number of great restaurants. We had no problems with the size of the room or the breakfast. For the price, it was great.What left us with a sour note was the parking issues. The front desk gave us a transponder to use with in/out priveleges at a daily discount rate. I thought this was great until I tried getting in. The transponder didn't work so I grabbed a ticket and told the front desk of the problem. They said I wasn't using it properly and they weren't very helpful(ie. they weren't willing to change the transponder). The next time I tried, I couldn't get the car out but someone was there to help open the gate. I also had problems getting the car back in so I talked to the front desk again(same two people). Once again, they weren't willing to exchange the transponder with another one. After some frustrating moments, we left the car in the garage until we checked out. This time, the garage security pulled me aside(because the gate wouldn't open) and I had to wait until they checked their computer records. After about 5-10 minutes and explaining that I wasn't a &quot;negligent&quot; monthly holder but was a visitor, I was allowed to go.Anyhow, if you don't drive, you will not have a problem with your stay.
I stayed at the Park South Hotel for one night, and was put in a room right next to the elevator. The noise level was rather high, so I called the front desk and asked whether I could be moved to another room. The answer was &quot;NO&quot;, and the recommendation for dealing with the situation was to &quot;walk to the corner pharmacy and get yourself earplugs&quot;. I would not recommend staying here.
This hotel is everything previous reviews say. The high-ceilinged rooms are enormous, and so are the windows. If you get a 2 bedroom, you'll have a better view and more windows. The hotel was spotlessly clean during our 4-day visit, and the staff could not have been more accommodating, whether fetching the car, making dinner reservations or loaning umbrellas. The location, a half block off Rue St. Catherine, makes it easy to shop, eat or just people watch. If you like to walk, many attractions are within easy reach. Combining all that helps make a visit to this vibrant city seem like a return to a familiar place. I can't imagine a better big-city hotel experience for the price. (Or maybe any price.)
I have stayed at this hotel 4 to 5 times a year for the past 18 years or so. Recently it changed from a Conrad to a Wyndham property.If you are looking for a good central London location this hotel does not meet that criteria. Its located in the Chelsea Harbor area and a cab ride to Knightsbridge is UKP 10 and Piccadilly Circus UKP 14, more if there is heavy traffic as there usually is. At one time the rack rates, given the standard of the hotel, made sense with its suite accommodations and services but the rates have recently increased dramatically so that it is possible to find a 5 star hotel with a more central location, if one also takes the cab fares into consideration, at a lower rate.I can only recommend the Marina view rooms with balconies which have odd numbered rooms and definitely not the non Marina view rooms that back onto rail tracks. The hotel is also located under the Heathrow flight path where an aircraft passes overhead every 90 seconds from 5am to 11pm if the winds are blowing from the west as they normally are.Services within the hotel are expensive, room service $10 for a pot of tea, $20 for a laundered shirt. Very few places to dine in the area, a pub and a couple of expensive restaurants, otherwise its a cab ride. The Concierge team are excellent and go out of their way to help, good contacts for show ticketsHousekeeping has recently improved, some renovations are needed however, phone system, new TVs.All that said I like the hotel, the views of the Marina and the River Thames are calming in busy London, the air conditioning is excellent so for business trips it worked for me for many years but it seems they are pricing themselves out of the market.
This is one of the most overpriced hotels I have stayed in and it doesn't even include breakfast! The walls are paper thin, You can actually hear people urinating in the next room! It was disgusting. Every morning the maids woke us up shouting to one another in the hall. The standard of cleanliness was non existent. For our entire stay there were two used plasters stuck to the shelf in front of the mirrors and half a cardboard anti slip mat stuck in the bath. The one positive was that the bed was fairly comfortable however that was pointless when it was so noisy-even with ear plugs. Basically you are paying for the location if you're young and don't mind using public transport I'd advise staying about five minutes further out and paying around half the money.
I had to write a review for this hotel because of how happy I was w/ our stay. My 16 year old daughter and I were staying in London for a week. Prices for hotels were expensive and I was concerned what we were going to find at this hotel. We booked this hotel w/ a British Airways package. We read the reviews in Oct. about this hotel and they were mixed. However, we found the hotel to be great. The staff could not have been more helpful. The room was w/ two twin beds - comfortable and clean. The breakfast every morning was good. The location was ideal and safe. Just a two block walk and you were at the Tube. We walked to Kennsington Palace. Truly a great place.
each visit to the herald square increases my appreciation for it. i travel alot and whenever i go to ny, i get to stay in another newly remodel room at the herald square. these new rooms compare with most 4 and 5 star hotels in manhatten for 1/3 of the price. i love thehotel's central location and appreciate the free wifi. the staff is very nice and the beds are first class. the flat sreen tvs are a welcome bonus and the decor and history of the hotel, make my stay there a wonderful treat. i highly recommend the herald square, if you want great quality at very affordable prices. don from newort beach ca
Our family of 4 with 2 children ages 5 and 8 stayed at the Lucerne in August for 2 nights. We usually go to NYC every 1-2 years for vacation and we have always stayed at this hotel. This was our 4th visit. The room had been recently renovated. Service was excellent. The location is great for our itinerary since we walked to everything - the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park and Central Park Zoo, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Children's Musuem of Manhattan, and Times Square. We go to H and H Bagels, Zabar's, Patsy's, and Celeste all of which are within a 5 to 10 minutes walk. We almost didn't book the hotel due to the cost but we were able to get a reasonable rate since it was August. We are now spoiled and my husband doesn't want to stay anywhere else! PS For those of you with kids there is a Wild West themed playground for kids about 2-3 blocks south on Amsterdam.
My daughter and myself wanted a fairly reasonable hotel close to a tube station and theatreland as we were travelling down to see two shows. Location was right, but reasonable hotel?? I think not! Wish I had read the reviews on here before I booked, as everything they say is spot on! From the never ending tour buses dropping off hordes of young people (their behaviour was never an issue during our stay, I have to say), the hour long queue to check in, the small, old fashioned overheated room (At least it was clean), the thin uncomfortable plastic mattress on the bed.... Good job we were only staying one night! And as for the breakfast!! Queued up like a school dinner hall so that a school dinner lady could lump some greasy breakfast on your plate. No choice for veggies, so I was given 3 hard fried eggs and 2 large spoonfuls of beans..... yummy!! Found the staff to be indifferent, poor souls, probably stressed to bits!!Only plus side was its proximity to the tube station so we could make a quick getaway!!!
you could tell this was a very nice hotel from the moment you walked in, very cool water fountain in the lobby.rooms - the room was very modern and nice, loved the furniture and decor. it had a very comfy bed (with 4+ pillows), nice lcd tv, and chaise chair. the bathroom was also very nice with a modern shower and sink. the room was also quiet and i was next to the elevator, didn't hear anything or anyone (except for those rude LOUD talkers in the hallway)location - great location. nice and quiet but also close to the action. 2 blocks up and you are at fisherman's wharf (just a quick walk). if you want to be close to fisherman's wharf but not have the craziness, this is a good spot.service - only dealt with staff once for checkin and that was about it. they didn't really go out of their way to do much for you.i would stay again if the price was right, just for the location and great looking room. I paid $169/night for a king room on the 5th floor.
My husband and I stayed here in the beginning of April. We had read the other user reviews and they are right, the rooms are small and the location can be a bit sparse after normal business hours BUT for $80 a night in SF we were psyched. I would NOT have been happy if I had to pay the &quot;listed&quot; room rates. The room was definately small, but it was very clean and we did not plan to be in the room much anyway. No hotel bar but there is one at the place next door that is very nice. Service was super, we were allowed an early check in and a late check out to accomodate our travel plans. Everything was very clean everywhere, very nice lobby as well. The real complaint is that none of the staff knew anything about the outside world, like where was the closest subway was, how to take a bus to the museum, etc. We asked if there was a laundrymat and was told that the nearest one was miles away, of course they reminded us that they had laundry service at the hotel (and that is always expensive) so we gave up. On Monday we saw that there was a new dry cleaner in the plaza RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET that had wash, dry and fold service. Had they told us that on Friday it would have made our life much easier. No one knew how to take a bus to a museum or anything. But the area is fine, there are some great places including the Ferry Terminal, a great specialty deli about 2 blocks away and a German Restaurant called Schroeder's that is very good. I would definately stay here again for the price
We stayed with our extended family of seven at The New York Palace Hotel over the Thanksgiving holiday, for five nights. We enjoyed the towers portion of the hotel, rooms 4701 and 4702, looking east with a view of the river. The suite was decorated art deco style with a large dining table, living room, full bare catering kitchen (no place settings, flatware, pans, toaster, etc), and half bath in addition to each bedrooms' full bath. Free internet was provided by the hotel, I don't think it's free in the non-tower rooms of the hotel, but is in the lobby.The beds were extremely comfortable, towels large and fluffy and services offered were abundant.This is a beautiful hotel, close to Times Sq., Rockefeller Plaza and the Theatre district. I highly recommend the Palace for a wonderful NYC experience.
My husband and I chose this hotel after reading the reviews on this website and we were not disappointed. It's very,very basic but the rooms are clean and the showers hot. We stayed for 10 days and because of this, we took one of the larger rooms at $89 per night (ask for a room at the back on a high floor if you want a bit more light and peace &amp; quite) This was worth doing as these rooms have a fridge and quite a bit more floor space and a very large, comfortable bed. We took our own towels as advised by other people and were glad we did. The sheets were very thin and the pillows very flat and uncomfortable so as we were staying so long, we walked round the corner to Marshalls and bought a duvet, sheets &amp; two pillows for $100 - sorted! We could easily have spent another $100 per night to get this location so this was a worthwhile investment. I noticed quite a few other guests arriving with pillows tucked under their arms, so we were not alone.The hotel's location is unbeatable - round the corner from loads of good restaurants and the magnificent mile and a 15 minute walk or $5 taxi ride from the Merchandise Mart, where we were working.We will definitely be returning next year.
First, I'll say that I booked this hotel on a Travelzoo special &amp; got the room at pretty much 50% of the hotel's normal rate. There is no way that I would have paid the normal rate. That said, by NYC standards, this was a great room! I couldn't believe how big the room was! We stayed in a &quot;spectacular room&quot; with 2 queen beds, on the 10th floor facing Lexington Ave. Nice flat screen TV with DVD player, ipod dock, super comfy beds, unbelievably large walk in closet, nicely decorated. The bathroom was big enough for 2 girls to get ready &amp; well stocked with yummy smelling bliss products. The bathrooms did feel a little old. Definitely felt like a boutique hotel. The restaurant wasn't quite our taste, but there were some great options right across the street -- Deli, Japanese, Thai, Chinese &amp; Italian within 30 paces. Also, only a 5 min walk to Grand Central terminal &amp; all the food joints there.There is broadband in the rooms &amp; free WIFI in the &quot;livingroom&quot; AKA the lobby. You can also ask to borrow a laptop from the front desk for use in the lobby -- thought that was a great little service.The bar in the lobby was quite a happening little spot on Fri &amp; Sat nights. Drinks were pricey, but, hey, it is NYC. The bar's high energy dance pop was pumped through the lobby and elevators all day making every trip feel like a mini dance party. If there were cameras in the elevator, I'm sure the watchers got a good laugh out of our silly elevator booty shaking.Few areas for improvement: the bathrooms, as previously mentioned, and the elevators sometimes took 5-10 minutes to get. Frustrating when you're on the 10th floor. Lexington Ave is also quite noisy with taxi horns and sirens. If you're a light sleeper, I'd recommend some earplugs.Overall, I'd definitely recommend this to a friend and/or stay here again without hesitation.
This place was terrible. Not only were the rooms dark and musty smelling, they also had bed bugs in the bed and and bathroom. We saw at least 2 or 3 crawling across our pillows when we settled down to watch TV and in the few hours that we had been there, two of them had found their way into our bags. We had only been there for 2 hours and decided to leave promptly after that. Unfortunately, we could not get our deposit back and they were not even going to refund us the money we had put down for the second night, but we brought front desk attendant up to the room and showed the boy all the bugs. Despite the fact we had to dish out another $100 for another room, we were very lucky that we did not bring a critter home with us. I would highly recommend AVOIDING this place. It's definitely not worth staying here to save a couple of dollars.
As you enter this amazing hotel, you will be impressed by the beautiful chandeliers. Reception staff a bit arrogant but courteous enough. My room was just stunning, very roomy and the bed amazing! so comfortable...Ipod system, great sound ! internet is free but i keep getting messages that server was down. A great espresso machine, and it made the best espresso ever... yummy.The bathroom, just incredible, very spacious and with a beautiful large bath, including delicious bath salts for the body and great shampoo and conditioner.Negative/s: in the morning I was waking up by trucks, not sure what they were, maybe rubbish collectors or street cleaning cars...Breakfast, was okay but we thought it was expensive, and quality it was not that great.
My husband and I stayed here when we were in SF for a vacation. We were NOT disappointed! Our room was very spacious and clean. The price was great, especially considering the free parking garage under the hotel. We loved also that there was a great breakfast restaurant next door, a quick breakfast donut shop on the corner behind it, a Walgreens within a block (in case we forgot something), and a Wells Fargo around the corner for ATM. There are also a couple of bus pick ups near if you choose to take the bus. The rooms aren't fancy, but large, CLEAN, and a great deal if you just plan to sleep there and not spend all day. If you're a light sleeper, I would suggest asking for a room away from Lombard Street as that street is pretty busy and can be noisy at night.
Stayed at this hotel whilst at a business conference at the London EXCEL centre. The only positive aspect of this hotel is that it's close to the Exhibition Centre, otherwise it's a low grade hotel with bedrooms that are fitting of a youth hostel.The breakfast was very poor to the point that we didn't bother eating breakfast - dirty and grubby - just like a motorway service station.Avoid staying unless you want to be close the the EXCEL centre.
Yes, The Peninsula offers a very personal touch to staying at a hotel but we were not &quot;wowed&quot; by our overall experience.After checking in, we arrived in our room and were greeted by mood lighting and soft music, about 30 minutes later, we received a complimentary plate of fruit for our first time staying here.Our Superior King Guestroom was nice and inviting but nothing we haven't had before at other hotels.We did not use the spa, but we did use their workout room. It offers a great view (from the treadmills) looking out towards Lake Michigan or Michigan Avenue and a small assortment of weight machines. Headsets and bottled water are also available. The rooftop lounge area only has enough chairs for about 10 people so get your seat early if you want to soak up the sun.The chocolate buffet on Saturday night offers a large table full of chocolate treats, but we found most of them dry and bland. Hardly worth the $30+ per person.We booked this hotel for a weekend getaway and enjoyed the location, but we will not be returning next year.
My husband and I just returned from a trip to Montreal. We stayed at the Queen Elizabeth on September 6 and 7. We found the hotel to be very nice. We did not find the lobby dark as one review stated. It was fascinating to walk from the hotel to the underground tunnel to explore the many shops and restaurants without ever going outside. Also, a very short walk to St Catherine Street where there are many outside cafes and shops. We had a room on the top floor with a king size bed, a couch, and a spectacular view of the city. The room was quite spacious, although, if I have one negative, it would be the small bathroom, but, the room and view made up for it. One night we ate at the Beaver Club and it was an awesome dining experience, one, I do not believe I will have again for a long time. The lounge was very nice as well, with a piano player and very nice ambiance to sit and have a nightcap. Most of the hotel staff was very helpful and friendly, especially the concierge, except for one bad apple the day we left. The bellhop that came to get our bags was very rude. He brought our bags down to the lobby (so he told us he would do) and we went for breakfast. After breakfast, when we asked about our luggage the lobby staff told us the bellman must have taken our bags down to the parking garage because they were not left in the lobby. However, when asked,the parking garage attendant did not have our bags and had to find out where they were. The rude bellhop eventually arrived with our bags. When my husband gave him a $2.00 tip (one toonie) he just stood there with his hand out looking for more, and, when we did not oblige, and he observed me handing the parking attendant a $5.00 bill for his help, the bellman made several faces and comments in french. After arriving at our new destination, Quebec, I realized that a souvenir that I had purchased in Montreal (a $50 hat I bought for my mother) was missing. We called the Queen Elizabeth, and, they did return our call, but, told us that they had checked with lost and found and the maid staff and the hat was not found(My husband thinks the bellman took it). The other criticism I would make is, (and as other reviews have noted), there is a fire alarm that goes off every night with a recording that tells you they are checking an internal alarm, there is no need to leave your room and please stand by. Minutes later the alarm goes off again and they tell you everything is clear. This happened at 12:30 a.m. the first night and 3:00 a.m. the second night. It was very annoying to say the least. However, all in all it was a great stay, and, I would stay there again.
I completed my second stay at the Victor this spring. We had a nice room in the front with a balcony. You will get 1. a nice view 2. street noise. Stay in back room if you want quiet. The beds are FIRM, but OK. The room is very clean, and so is the bathroom.The wireless was great. It is fast and free! I did not need an intenet cafe at all. i don't think they had a wired connection though. The hotel is on a bus route, and an easy walk to the tube, train, coach station at Victoria. You can also use the Pimlico station. We were able to walk easily to Buckingham Palace, and in the other direction to the Tate Britan Museum. They have a fairly good breakfast available, but I skipped it. I went three blocks over and hung out at Cafe Nero. Starbucks is across the street if you require it. There are many small restaraunts nearby. Read Rick Steve's London Westminster review of the area for details on food and drink.
We just returned from three nights at Wynn Las Vegas. It is no doubt a beautiful property. However, based on all the Wynn hype I had higher expectations of the actual guest room  I was not wowed by it. It was nice and clean, but it was just a room. Nothing over the top. TheHotel @ Mandalay Bay, the Signature @ MGM, and the newer Palms tower rooms are still my favorites for overall style and comfort. We did have a great view of the strip from the 39th floor. That alone was worth the price of the average Resort King room.The Wynn pools are to die for  very beautiful with plenty of seating and shade. I loved that they have an adult only pool with no additional cover charge  no screaming, splashing kids. Yea!We had dinner at SW (for Steve Wynn) Steakhouse and we are pretty sure its the best dining experience we have ever had in Vegas. The food and service were over the top.Plus I absolutely love the funky night time shows that occur every 30 min on the big white wall on the lake of dreams. Even if you dont stay or dine at Wynn  have a $16 cocktail on the lake of dreams patio and enjoy the show. I love the giant singing frog and the floating fornicating balls the best. Funny, weird, and very imaginative.We went to see Peep Show at Planet Hollywood and really enjoyed it. If you are looking for a relevant and modern Las Vegas girly show this one works. Very entertaining and well done production. We definitely enjoyed our stay at Wynn and would return if the price is right. Although I would not pay top dollar  if another deal comes around I would jump on it.Have fun. Viva Las Vegas baby!
hotel rooms spacious &amp; clean,staff probably the most friendly &amp; helpful i have met.only one negative &amp; that was the mini bus shuttle to canada water tube was on the small side .but there again it was complimentry so who am i to complain!
After missing our connecting flight at O'Hare, we were given a 'courtesy&quot; night here by American Airlines. The shuttle was prompt and arrived shortly after I called. The driver was full of information about the hotel and the surrounding area, and obviously loved his job! The front desk staff was friendly and efficient when we checked in. The &quot;5 mile&quot; rule is great, which means the shuttle will take you free of charge, anywhere, including restaurants, within a 5 mile radius of the hotel. After a long flight from Honduras, and a missed connection O'Hare, it was a welcome surprise. The room was HUGE and extremely clean. It had a nice mini-kitchen, living room and the most comfortable bed and pillows I have ever seen! The ultimate continental breakfast was superb, and the fact that we were able to stay in our room until 1pm made it a little nicer to relax before we had to leave to catch our flight. This will definitely be our #1 hotel at the airport in Chicago from now on, and for $89 on most websites, you can't beat the price for the service. You shouldn't be disappointed staying here. Oh, and there's an Outback Steakhouse adjoining the hotel!
The W Lakeshore is beautiful. Yes the hallways are dark as is the lobby, but if you are looking for a contemporary style this is the place. The scent of vanilla candles in the lobby is inviting. The bartenders in the lobby are very nice. In the evenings you don't have to go further than the lobby bar downstairs for a good time. There are always a fair amount of people in the lobby having a good time. The rooms are beautiful with a very comfortable bed. The lakeview is awesome. We had a lovely time at the W. I completely recommend it. The only downfalls are the pool and the fitness center. They are not very nice.
The hotel brochure has to explain, presumably for the sake of Americans, that a flat is what we Europeans (well the English) call an apartment; which is true.We stayed on the 42nd floor of the hotel in a 1 bedroom flat. Good big rooms, nice kitchen - good for coffee and cookies but not for cooking - I suspect all visitors use the deli or eat out; good bed. Daughter slept on sofabed which was fine. One problem - even though we were booked in from the start as 3 people the maids persistently removed and did not replace the bed linen for the sofabed. They very willingly brought more on request, but it was irritating.Insufficient lifts too (elevators!)Good views, and on 42nd floor at least quiet. Good location.We greatly enjoyed our visit.
When I am in San Francisco I only stay at the Mosser hotel. The location is very convenient, the rooms are clean / quiet, the dcor is elegant and the front desk employees are helpful and nice. Why would I go anywhere else!Eugenie
We stayed in Chicago for a short break end Nov/Dec 08.Hotel was great. Lovely rooms with little luxuries. Friendly atmosphere, attentive staff. Most amazing breakfasts in the French restaurant. Room service prompt and delicious though expensive. We didn't eat in the hotel restaurant for lunch or dinner.Situated on a quiet street just off Michigan Ave. Fantastic location for shopping and sightseeing. Main sights (John Hancock Tower, lake, pier, river, shops) within walking distance. Chicago is a fantastic city with lots to see and do - we wanted to move there after we had visited!!Knowledgable concierge, arranged an architectural river cruise for us which was fantastic. Would recommend this hotel, and Chiacgo for a fantastic break. Would stay there again should we return to Chicago (hope to soon).
Stayed at The Park Lane Sheraton Hotel from June 20 - 26. Booked the accommodation using Starwood points. First, I agree with other contributors who reviewed this hotel that the location of this hotel is the major selling point. It's about 2 - 3 blocks away from the Green Park Tube underground station. It's a 10 minute stroll across Green Park to Buckingham Palace. There is a PRET and Starbucks about 3 - 4 blocks away from the hotel for basic breakfast and lunch, and a cafe called Henry's (http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/clubs_bars/review-515.php) also about 3 - 4 blocks away that serves a delicious breakfast at a pretty reasonable price. The hotel also has a few restaurants that serve breakfast. I tried the Citrus (http://citrusrestaurant.co.uk/). The food was good, but a bit more pricey. There's also a Marks &amp; Spencer's Simple Food (http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1160/21715.php) about 4 -5 blocks away also. It's above the Green Park Tube underground station. Finally, it's also about a 20 minute walk along Piccadilly to Piccadilly Circus where you can catch a play in the neighborhood theater. Room decor / size could be better. My friend and I were originally placed in a Classic room with two single beds on the fourth floor (436). The room was very small, with very little room to maneuver. For the very first time, I ended up calling the front desk within minutes to see if we can get a larger room. The Executive rooms were not available, but the front desk asked that I inquire the next morning to see if there are any larger room. The next morning, I was able to secure a larger room on the 6th Floor (one of the Starwood Preferred Guests floor). The room was still small compared to rooms in the U.S.A., but definitely more room than the Classic room. One thing we noticed is that there are no coffee makers in the rooms (Classic and this larger one). The bathrooms in both these rooms are also very narrow. The decor of the rooms definitely need an update. Room service was also not as satisfactory compared to other hotels I've stayed at. One of the evenings, I ordered two scoops of strawberry and one scoop of vanilla ice-cream. What came was two scoops of vanilla and one scoop of strawberry ice-cream. i also ordered a bottle of Evian water. Instead, at first the room service staff forgot my bottle of water and had to go back to get it. He then brought back a bottle of water from Scotland. When I questioned about the Evian water (which was what was listed in the room service menu), he just said they didn't have it. Also, we had another situation where we couldn't figure out how come there was no air conditioning in the larger room on the 6th floor. This was the same night as the room service The Guest Service department said they would send an engineer over to check. Well, we waited and no one showed up. We decided not to press any further since the room got less warm / stuffy after we opened the windows. Well, the next day was much warmer and we had to call the engineer again. This time someone did show up and explained that the air conditioning for the entire hotel was shut off on the prior days because there were complaints from some guests about it being cold. Maybe my friend and I misunderstood him, but we found the explanation quite strange. While the room service was not as acceptable, the staff at the front desk were pretty nice and helpful. Similarly for the restaurant staff at the Citrus and the Palm Court.
We had a terrific three night stay at the Maritime. A professional staff and a wonderful location in Manhattan which was close to everything. Loved those port holes in the rooms and the business center conveniently located on our floor. I'd recommend renting a bike to get around. Plenty of safe bike lanes. We'll be back !!
I stayed here on a business trip for a total of 7 days (4 days, left for 3, then returned for 3 more). The hotel is very quiet and well kept given the dusty area and closeness to the airport. Every morning there were several workers sweeping the floors and watering the plants. The gardens and pool area was beautiful, though not very enjoyable in the extreme heat. The few difficulties I experienced were:The first room I stayed in would only play the sound from the tv through the speakers in the bathroom. When I asked the hotel staff, they said there was nothing they could do. Also, the internet access was extremely difficult to access (though I found it was similar at every hotel in India) as it took several phone calls to the front desk and 2 employees visiting my room to get met connected.
I agree with many of the comments on Tripadvisor. Overall, I had a good experience and found the staff very helpful and pleasant. The bed was supremely comfortable and the room was very quiet and could be made totally dark at night--something important to me. I did not use the pool facilities or visit the casino. The food was of reasonable quality. The view from my room was magnificent. The long hallways were good for my health!One or two things I didn't like, although these tend to be matters of personal taste:--The walls in the room were painted dark brown. Even with multiple incandescent lights I couldn't get it light enough at night; indeed I was hard pressed to find stuff in my suitcase. I found this color quite depressing, although I believe it is currently fashionable.--The carpets in the common areas are designed to mimic waves or sand dunes. They are too realistic! People in our group complained of feeling seasick or drunk!--There are no coffee pots in the room. This maybe because there is a Starbucks in the hotel or because they feel that at these prices you can afford to pay $13.00 for a 3-cup room -service pot. I called to request a coffee pot. I was told that they were all in use by other guests, but that when one was available it would be delivered to my room. I never got one. This alone would deter me from staying there again, as I love my early morning coffee.--It is quite hard to find the hotel bus at the airport--the directions they give you are not explicit enough. The bus is not all that frequent, and I was told by others that a taxi cost around $60.00.I hope the hotel will find way to address these issues, as it is really a very nice place, if a bit far out.
My first trip to India. May not be my last, but my last to Delhi and Northern India. Stayed two nights. This hotel is ok. Friends made reservations. Had I known about upgrade rooms I would have insisted on one. Should have checked with them on what hotel they made reservations for. In the future in India - will insist on 4 star hotels. Have stayed in 3 stars in Europe and in Russia - but not the same. Would recommmend with explanation to get upgrade room. A friend did leave clothes in the room. When we came back a week later they had her clothes for her. So that was a plus.
My husband had to be at Red Rock for meetings, so my 12-year old daughter and I accompanied him. We were very pleased with each aspect of the stay from the variety of restaurants, price range of the restaurants, the beautiful pool and surrounding areas. The staff was quite friendly and helpful as well as very effecient. The views from either side of the hotel were amazing and the beds were extremely comfortable. The bathroom was to die for with the large soaker tub and flat screen tv as well. Needless to say, we will choose Red Rock again.
Second part to a 2 centre Kuoni package. Local representative dreadful ( worst Kuoni rep ever met!). Promised to fax to hotel our departure pickup times and didnt! We ended up having to pay to ring him to retrieve these details. The Atlantis Palm checkin service was a mess, no proper queues, the receptionist had poor English and despite the number of rooms and holiday markers, there was a small wholely inadequate checkin area. It took us 1.5 hours wait to get to the desk. Had booked a twin room but none available!!!. We were told that we would have to wait for another couple of hours. In the end settled for a double room and they ended up putting in another &quot;fold up&quot; bed. Five Star Hotel - NO WAY!.The hotel on the outside looked OK, but the rooms decor fell short of a 5 star establishment. The toilet was dark with no light. Painted walls with no style. The Saffron Restaurant had the best spread for Breakfast Buffet. Free access to the water park, however the water flow on many sections of the waterpark was not strong enough to push the inflatables through and you would have to get off your &quot;inflatable ring&quot; and walk, pushing the ring along. Not as much variety of rides as Wild Wadi at Jumeriah Beach. Next time I'm staying in Jumeriah Beach which has a better environment and service. The hotel is also too far away from other attractions in Dubai, taking 20minutes just to drive out of the man made palm Island.
Just got back from vegas, they had a $49.00 special, so we thought we'd try it. rooms are large with sofa, chair with table and chairs, the tv rotates for views from anywhere is the room. The bathroom has 2 sinks, one inside the bathroom and one in the dressing area with granite countertops and marble floors, the frig and safe in the closet in an added bonus. Only complaint i had was stains on the carpet, otherwises a great room with mountain views and starbucks downstairs.
Just returned from a 2-night stay. First, I agree about the great location, tiny bathroom and small rooms. Our room were clean and comfortable.Regarding customer service, it is abysmal. I called the hotel a month before our stay and asked for accomodations for my wife and I and our two adult children. She suggested two adjoining queen bed rooms. I agreed, and they confirmed the reservation.When we checked in, we were assigned two rooms, but they were not adjoining. The desk clerk told me that the reservation clerk had &quot;misinformed&quot; me, that their hotel had no adjoining rooms. She also said the desk &quot;doesn't get&quot; the reservation information from the reservation clerks, so she was unaware of any promises the reservation clerk had made. (I had my copy printed out)When we got to our rooms, we noticed that one of them had a door into the next room (locked from the other side, of course). I went back to the desk and asked to see the manager. He apologized to me that the desk clerk had told me there were no adjoining rooms. I asked him to assign a set to me, but he said none of them were queens. I asked why they didn't have 2 queens reserved for me. He told me that my reservation was just a &quot;request&quot;, that they try to honor them but can't always. I pointed our that I had made my reservations a month ago. He countered with some nonsense about &quot;unpredictable occupancy rates&quot;. These people made no apology for this gaffe, and made no attempt to make it right (even Red Roof will do that!) When I checked out I made a point to do so in person. The clerk on duty told me I &quot;didn't need to&quot;, didn't thank me and didn't ask how my stay was.My impression of the Inn of Chicago's customer service is incompetence, miscommunication and they couldn't care less.
We had an event at the Penthouse of the Morgans Hotel and slept over.It was as if we were in a dream. From the check in to the check out, everything was a step beyond perfection!! The food from Asia De Cuba was amazing. The waiter could not have been more attentive at the party for 20 that we held in the penthouse. The accommodations were totally amazing and the amenities were top notch! Breakfast was included from Asia De Cuba. Our guests loved it and are still raving 2 weeks after the event. I would come back anytime to stay at Morgans. Best hotel stay we ever had in NYC!!!!
We stayed at this hotel from 28/1 to 4/2 and this was my first trip to New York. I read the reviews here beforehand and was in two minds, but have to say that I was more than happy with this little place!The rooms were clean, stylish and well presented, with nice beds and a good shower. The hotel consists of two buidlings and we were in the rear, so had virtually no noise from traffic or activity in the streets. The hotel is excellent for getting to broadway, times square and getting around the city (fantastic for getting to intrepid if you are an anarac like me!). The breakfast was good each morning. The staff were all very friendly and helpful (yes even the one who appeared surly!!), Mike and Andrew were great, and I feel we had excellent customer service whilst there. I thoroughly recommed this hotel and would stay there again!
I stayed two nights at this hotel and would stay there again - definitely. I had a room on the 5th floor (6th was smoking) and faced the street. Room #503 was large (10-12 foot ceilings), had a separate sink and vanity, window in the bathroom (shower/tub), and two large queen beds. There was plently of room. The only downside was the noise. The cable cars are directly below your window and the trash is removed several times in the night. I didn't sleep that well the first night but had no problems the second night. The inner courtyard rooms, while quieter, are smaller and darker and face a set of windows across a very narrow space. Definitely the rooms facing hte street are the best. The staff is knowledgeable and very helpful and friendly - one of the highlights of my stay.The location is perfect - just a few blocks to Union Square and all the attractions nearby. It's an easy walk to Chinatown and even to North Beach (the Italian section). It's just a few miles walk to Fisherman's Wharf.The hotel is clean, safe, and comfortable. I paid $119US for the large double queen room - a real bargain...
A fab location if you want to be in the buzz zone of San Francisco. Staff very friendly + helped play along with a 'surprise' visit. Room fine for our 3 nights + suited us fine - may be small for a longer stay. Walk everywhere - shops, restaurants, BART, taxis at the door if you want. We were on the 14th floor + you can hear city noise at night if window is open but did bot bother us. Would stay again on future visit.
My wife and I just returned from a 2 night stay at the Courtyard Mag Mile, July 31 through August 2. I booked on-line with the Courtyard's web site after searching all of the common travel web sites and getting the best deal on Courtyard's own site. I booked a corner queen room and requested an upper floor, non-smoking. We got exactly what I asked for.Check in was as quick as the express check out. We asked for tips on dining and were given many choices by the friendly staff. We did not try the food in the hotel restaurant. The room was clean. It was not huge, but it was adequate for the two of us. We did not spend much time in the room anyway. The location could not be better. You are within walking distance of clubs, shopping, dining and Lake Michigan. The museums are a short cab ride away. If you are looking for a large lavish room, valet parking, porters, servants and the like, this hotel is not for you. We self-parked in the adjacent lot and carried our two small bags into our own room. If you want a clean, modern, comfortable reasonably priced place to stay in the heart of all there is to do in downtown Chicago, the Courtyard is worth a look.
i stayed at the parkcity in london for 3 nights from october 7 -10 october 2009.check in was professional, elegant and courteous. a young woman by the name of tunde was the epitome of understated cool.the hotel was clean, contemporary as were the rooms.a young gentleman by the name of giovanni made everything exceptionally easy right from the get go when i called him from australia right till i checked out.eddie jaber the manager i think too made it quite clear he was happy to have looked after me at the hotel and the place can simply not be faulted.it was close to what i wanted, breakfast was ample and the clientele in general was conducive to the hotel itself.understated but cool and efficient.the rooms were more than big enough by london standards and i had room 12 overlooking the courtyard.i was not bothered continuously by overzealous staff trying to cater to my every whim.more than affordable and well worth a try as i will be doing again when i am in london nextwell done giovanni,tunde,eddie and elena i think !bravo
When I made my reservation I messed up and asked for a twin room rather than one with a single double bed. I emailed them to correct this and received confirmation that they will move me. Nevertheless when I arrived I was still given the twin room, with no option to move to another room (they were full that day). I was given the option to move to another room for the following night, or have the staff combine the beds somehow. Wanting to avoid the hassle of moving I chose the latter option.Imagine my shock when we came back to our room on the second day and found all our luggage missing! Turns out the overzealous staff moved us (without my permission!) to another room. Sure it was convenient, but it would have been nice to have been warned beforehand so we could pack our unmentionables and secure any valuables. And this was the second time they messed up a request...Upon check-in they will pre-authorize the total room charge on your credit card, plus 50 per day as a deposit, so make sure you have enough credit for both the room and shopping. Not being a credit card expert I was a confused about the difference between a pre-authorization and an actual charge, and a bit put-open by the deposit. So inquired about it at the front desk twice. The second time the explanation was sprinkled with &quot;like I told you yesterday&quot;s, which combined with the expression on her face made me feel like I was trying their patience and/or being talked down to. Not very friendly.The room is stylish but is on the small side -- hardly any space to lay down 3 pieces of luggage and still be able to comfortably walk around. The twin room had no closet, and just one half-sized drawer. The bathroom has soap and shampoo, but no toothbrush/toothpaste, so bring your own. It had the requisite tiny cooler, but no closet, iron/ironing board, or safe. The twin room was missing the iPod dock (not that I really cared). The in-room free wi-fi was unreliable -- downloading a 500kB PDF can be instantaneous one time, or take minutes the next. About a third to half of the web pages I load time out. I didn't even bother with VOIP.The restaurant downstairs has a medicore breakfast buffet. Dinner was better but expensive -- expect typical hotel restaurant prices -- and the quality varied. I ordered the same dish on two separate occasions and though the basic ingredient was still there the style of preparation was different enough that it looked like another dish. Lastly, they automatically add a %12.5 service charge, and their wi-fi didn't work. Overall I wouldn't eat there unless (like us) you're too tired to go restaurant-hunting elsewhere, which leads us to...Location: Besides a grocery the surrounding area is devoid of anything interesting. No nearby restaurants, shops, or bars, just rows of dreary tenements. There is an antique market on Friday mornings that is practically on the hotel doorstep, which is worth maybe a 15 minute look.As for distance from the tourist spots: I knew I was in trouble when the airport shuttle driver asked me why I chose a hotel that was so far away (which also meant he dropped me off last). The web site and other reviews made it sound like it wasn't that far, but the nearest Tube stations are a 15+ minute walk away, which is a big deal when you're coming home tired and hungry and it's cold and raining. With some exceptions -- notably the Tower of London -- most tourist spots are over an hour away, and that's with a lot of walking.Like me you can take the bus if you don't like hoofing it, but if youre not a London or UK native figuring out the bus system takes effort that you don't want to spend on your vacation, especially if you need to research routes on the unreliable in-room wi-fi. Taking the bus is also a little nerve-wracking since routes and bus stop locations can change (we encountered both of these cases). Also the bus is sloooow. Not just because of traffic, but also the endless series of traffic lights that are on seemingly every intersection.Overall Bermondsey Square is a decent hotel, especially if you never need to interact with the front desk. But I still wouldnt recommend it because of its inconvenient location.One final note: since our flight was leaving late we asked the front desk to hold our bags so we can check out then shop around. They ended storing our bags (along with a bunch of others) in a rest room! So my final impression of the hotel was an image of a toilet bowl surrounded with luggage...
Horrible! First off its not Minutes from the strip... more like 25 minutes from the strip. Very deceiving! When we got there the front clerk was very nice. Props to that guy. Rooms were ok... not bad for the price. But room service was horrible. We tried getting extra towels in the room. They rudely told us to come up to the office to get it. Never have I had such horrible room service. Would never ever stay there again.
I recently had a 6 night stay at the Mayfair with my 18 year old niece and we were very impressed from start to finish with the hotel and its staff. Check-in was fast and smooth which was greatly appreciated after a long night flight from the US. I enjoyed the spacious room with the ultra modern bathroom. The beds were very comfortable and we made good use of the extra pillows provided in the closet. I especially enjoyed the terrycloth robe and slippers after a shower.My niece loved the free wireless internet service since she brought along her laptop which she used extensively. We also used the hotel business center for printing services.Our room rate included breakfast and we enjoyed the buffet and the hot entrees offered. We also had lunch a couple of times in the bar and although it was always full, the service was impeccable. I was very impressed with the concierge staff, especially Jeremy. They helped us with directions, tour information, and great tickets to Wicked with 90 minutes notice.The hotel location was the best since we were close to the Green Park tube station where the Double Decker Tour Bus also has a stop.The only minor problem we had was with the Mini Bar in our room. Its touch sensitive, so if you pick up or remove any item, youre charged for it. I asked the staff to remove all items from the fridge so I could store personal snacks and I was charged for every item. However upon pointing this out to the staff at checkout, they apologized and the charges were quickly removed. All in all, it's hard to impress a teenager these days, but the May Fair succeeded and we can't wait to return to this awesome, elegant and friendly hotel on our next trip to London.
Great location near regents park and two different tube lines. Walking distance to oxford street + main shops. We arrived on a Saturday at about 12pm hoping to leave our bags for the day but they let us check in to our room at that time - great!All staff were efficient and friendly. Room had good facilities and was nicely decorated.Would stay there again.
My college girlfriends and I planned to meet in the city for a little reunion and a lot of fun. The Iroquois was responsible for most of the fun. First of all, the staff was so unbelievably friendly and accommodating, from the bellmen, to the receptionists, to the bartender to housekeeping, everyone helped make our stay so wonderful, we felt like a group of queens from the moment we walked in the door, until we left the next day. The rooms were immaculate, the mattresses were like sleeping on clouds and the Frette sheets and bathrobes and Molten Brown bath products were a perfect touch.We had the most delicious drinks and appetizers at the bar before heading off to dinner. The pan seared scallops with porcini mushroom and foie gras butter was TO DIE FOR! The bartender even came over to our table and re-shook my martini when I was just halfway through - talk about attentive!!! We all had such a great time and felt so welcomed, instead of going out after dinner, we returned to the Iroquios bar to finish off the night, where we were able to enjoy each other's company as well as the service of first-class boutique hotel. I've traveled a great deal and stayed in many hotels and this one certainly stands out among the rest. It's a small hotel, but they skimp on nothing! Thanks for a truly fabulous weekend Iroquois, we'll be back!!!
My husband, 2 teenage kids and myself just returned from 5 days in SF. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza Union Square and had a large beautiful room with a wonderful view, generous breakfasts(Only $10 more than the regular room rate for 2 breakfasts). The hotel was in a great locaton (Sutter and Powell) so just 1 block off Union Square. The room was quiet, had air conditioning, (which was needed due to a heat wave) and can't think of anything wrong with the hotel, staff, etc. We checked in a few hours early without problems. We would definately stay there again!
We have stayed in this hotel for three nights. It is located at Michigan Avenue. Near to the Buckinham Fountain. The Sears Tower, Millennium Park, Magnificent Mile, State Street and the El ar at walking distance of the hotel. When walking is to far, public transportation can be found near to the hotel.The hotel was excellent. A very friendly staf. The room was clean, the beds were okay and the bathroom was perfect. The pool was great. The view from the jacuzzi was unforgetable. We saw the Sears Towers from the jacuzzi.!!We liked the atmosphere and the grandeur of the hotel.We had the perfect stay in Chicago.
We did have a view of the bay and the Golden Gate bridge as promised. The location of the hotel is excellent - right on the corner of Van Ness and Lombard. Staff was friendly and helpful. The continental breakfast offered quite a few choices with plenty to go around. Parking was tight, but darn convenient. If you're expecting luxury, you won't find it here, but for a reasonable rate we had a clean room, beds were comfortable and we enjoyed our 2 night stay.
Best Western Seaport Inn is a nice smaller hotel right in South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan. It is right near the Brooklyn Bridge (visible from our windows) and walking distance from the Financial District/Wall street area. It is a bit of a hike to the nearest subways so if you have trouble walking or are planning on doing things in other neighborhoods or boroughs and don't have a car this may not be for you. If you want to explore lower Manhattan it is probably the perfect place.We had a large room with two queen beds and 5 bright windows overlooking the seaport and Brooklyn Bridge. The hotel was very clean, beds were comfy with lots of pillows, and the reasonable (for NY) price included a continental breakfast and fresh-baked cookies in the afternoon. More like a B&amp;B than a large impersonal hotel! The one glitch, which was resolved pleasantly, was that although we had a confirmed reservation for 3 nights, on the second morning the maid assumed we were checking out that day. When we asked at the front desk they at first said that we were only there for two nights, then (finally) checked the reservation and agreed that indeed we had reserved for three. Then they asked us to change rooms as they &quot;needed the room with two beds and we had originally booked for a king bed.&quot; True, but they gave us the double when we checked in with no request that we change later. At 11 a.m. on the second day after we had unpacked and when we were on our way out for the whole day it was NOT convenient to have to pack up and move. When we protested they backed down and let us stay in our (very nice) room without any further trouble. The rest of the stay was very pleasant and comfortable. I would recommend this place but do recheck your reservation when you check in!
I had a great package deal at Travelocity (I booked about 6 week advance) for this hotel.Upon check-in, I asked the very friendly desk clerk if I can get any complimentary upgrades, and she upgraded us to a Forum Tower, which is one of newly innovated tower - everything in the room were cleannnnn!! If you don't ask, you will not get it. Don't ever touch anything in the fridge in your room, eventhough you don't open, they scan things that removed and charge you for it.We did not try the restaurents in this hotel (very expensive, but I am sure they are good), but we tried at Beijing Noodle 9. If you like a chiness food, you got to try! Handmade noodle and dumpling are just perfact! Average entry costs for 12-18 dollors. *** Try at &quot;KOKOMOS&quot; at Mirage Hotel - they have Pre Fixed Menu (you have to ask) for 29.99, and it was amazing!!! 3 course meal, nice atmosphere, good food.***Sushi Roku at Forum Shop - the best fresh sushi I never had. Try live sweet shrimp, the best!!!You will not see any $5 table game in this hotel. The lowest table I saw was $15. Most of them are $25 min.Shopperholic? Forum Shop got everything (all expensive designer handbags and cloth...you know the deal) I will recomand the Prime Outlet Mall - great deals on nice brand names.Overall, we just had stay at Caesars Palace and we will definately go back!
Spent 3 days in London with my son in the fall of 2007. This was an excellent value and great location. Bathroom was very small and if a guest is above a size 2XL for men or women, they will not be able to close bathroom door! I will stay again!
We only had one day to stay in Montreal after our cruise with Holland America. We stayed here due to the proximity to Chinatown, Notre Dame Catherdral, and Rue St. Pierre. The room was decent (two queen beds), and we were fortunate to get early check in (arrived around 10 and the room was still being cleaned up, but the maid was nice enough to let us drop off our stuff). Chinatown is relatively small compared to other metro cities, but they have some pretty good bakeries. The T-stop (subway) is right across the street, so really handy to get to the RESO (underground mall). And Notre Dame and Rue St. Pierre is a five minute walk.If you're looking for a clean, decent room, this will suffice. It wasn't fancy or luxurious, but for our purposes, it was fine. We took the Gray Line tour recommended by the concierge, and it was worth it (they picked &amp; dropped off to our hotel). The price for the room was decent, too. Free internet was a plus.
Crystal chandeliers, polished marble floors, and heavy draperies do not exist here. If you want these, choose the St. Regis. The W is simple, sleek, and refreshing from the potted grass near the entrance to the cascading sheet of water in the elevator lobby. Black, white, silver, and grey furnishings would be admittedly dull if not for multicolored mood lighting everywhere in the lobby and large windows that frame the NY skyline. Modest-sized rooms, typical of New York, feel more spacious at this hotel thanks to a mirrored wall behind the bed in each room. As for the &quot;open&quot; shower, mine was actually enclosed by thick glass doors. What sets this hotel apart from many are the youthful amenities in the rooms. My room had a DVD player AND a VHS as well as a cd player with jazz collection. Silver pencils, compact pens, and sticky notes with a &quot;W&quot; punched out could be found on the glass and steel desk. Besides the typical minibar, a full drawer was stocked with everything from a W umbrella and camera to W thongs and a variety of munchies. Perhaps the best thing about this hotel was its &quot;newness&quot; with none of that typical stuffy odor so frequently found at hotels. If you're young, hip, and adventuresome, you'll fall in love with the W. More traditional types will find plenty of other alternatives in NY.
We had a very nice clean room in mid-town Manhattan. Yes the view from the room was not great but I didn't visit Manhattan to view the New York Skycrapers from my room. I would highly recommend it to others. Great experience.
I got the hotel at a good price from the novotel website. Nice and modern like many other Novotels. Good size rooms for London. Spent the day working in my room, which was nice with the view over london from the 11th floor. I will stay there again next time I go to London.
Just returned from a 4 night stay at the hotel. This hotel is all about the location. Only 5 mins walk from the Park and about 10 mins from Times Square and the Theatre District. One downside to the hotel was that our room was badly in need of re decoration. There chips out of doors, scratches on the inside of the bathroom door (looked like someone had tried to claw their way out from the inside!). Our floor was very hot. 11th Floor. Air con constantly on, but very noisy! We were on the front of the hotel and yes it is noisy, but what do you expect this is NYC after all! The beds were very comfy and a lovely flat screen TV in the room, and 2 big walk in wardrobes. Had breakfast twice. Great value for $4. Had breakfast at the Health Bar and the Stage Deli other days. Both very nice. Rue 57 is a nice place to eat which is just on the corner of W57th and 6th Ave. Staff in the hotel very pleasent - in particular the porters. They called us a car to take us the airport. I think they used Dial 7 - would highly recommend. Overall a fab stay in NYC, and when I come back - which I hope to one day - i would stay at the Salisbury purely for the location. Hopefully it will have been redecorated by then!
This place had character I'll give it that. But it wasn't really my style.Arrived late in the evening. The first room they gave me the TV didn't work. Maintenance took a look at it, and couldn't figure it out. Told me I'd have to wait until the morning for the electrician. He then passed some gas and left. Real professional. I phoned the front desk on account of the tv, and was able to get another roomThe second room was much like the first. Horrible striped wall paper, dingy, and old worn carpet. Bathroom was incredibly small. Hard to use the toliet without banging into the door, or the sink. Very cramped. The beds weren't very comfortable either. Room temp hard to regulate and the AC somewhat noisy.Location seem very convenient. I was there for a training session about 8 blocks away. But all of the theatres seemed to be near by, if thats what you were there for this place may be tolerable for a night or two.And don't make a long distance phone call from your room without a calling card. It was about $2/minute. I knew it would be expensive but wasn't expecting that type of rate.
great hotel, rooms small but recently renovated, if you don't like noise ask for a room at the back on the -1 floor - we stayed here and it was very quiet. staff very helpful and friendly, breakfast good but overpriced (we had it as part of package deal) - italian cafe round the corner opposite tube which does a good breakfast or waitrose over the road if you need a nibble!!. great stay, would definately use again next time in london.
My husband and I stayed at Hotel Tomo for our anniversary. When I bought our tickets, I used their website and also became a member (for free) of their hotel's membership club. That meant that we received a complimentary bottle of wine in our room upon arrival. I also included in the notes to the hotel that it was our second wedding anniversary. They left a bottle of champagne in our room and a Hotel Tomo t-shirt with a card saying that the second anniversary is the cotton anniversary. It was thoughtful of them.There were robes in the room for us, and Jimmy, who showed us the room when we arrived was very friendly. We got a call about ten minutes after getting into our room from the front desk asking if everything was satisfactory. Apparently that's what they do at Joie de Vivre hotels, because we stayed at a different one the day before, and they also called after check-in.The hotel room was adorable, and the bed, which was like a futon, was firm but comfortable. The room had a lot of character, was clean, and new. I would absolutely stay there again. I liked being in Japantown. It was a different way to see San Francisco, outside of the business of downtown.
Both my husband and I had a brilliant time at the Waldorf Towers. All the staff were so helpful and after the intial hiccup of our room not being what we thought it would be, they upgraded us to a suite and I also received a bottle of bubbly and choc strawberries! We also ate there and that too was lovely.The free breakfast was very good and views fantastic. New York itself was the best place in the world! After reading reviews we did go on the Stanten Island Ferry, which was really great, free and quick. I wish I had taken notice of comments of the Central Park carriage ride, as this is true - not worth the money, go on the bikes they look alot better!For a shopping bargin - Century 21 across the road from the world trade site. Times Square, really busy but very exciting.Most important thing to remember in New York......look up!
I stayed at this hotel with my mother last month. I have bad experiences with hotels in London, and this hotel is an exception to this. the staff is friendly; the hotel has a nice family-atmosphere. it is especially nice to wake up an experience the friendly service during breakfast, which is good by the way. The rooms are not big, but tidy and it has a clean, good shower. The friendliness of the staff at the reception varies, but on the overall we were satisfied. We were recommended a good Indian restaurant around the corner (Ganges) and were offered other information about the city. I rated this hotel 'above average', but I did this in comparison to other hotels of this budget. It is a little run down and it can be a little noisy when your neighbours are watching television at a high volume, but I despite that I would definitely recommend this hotel! I forgot to say that the location is excellent!!!! 1 minute walk to Paddington station, which is on some of the main lines of the underground. And if you like walking, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are very near and if you want, you can walk a little further to Notting Hill and Oxford Street.
If you're looking for a chic hotel with high-class furniture and an elegant Concierge, then you're in the wrong place. But if you are looking for a friendly, modern and very good price/quality ratio, then don't hesitate to book the Encore.(bad) low quality air-con (yes the room was a bit too hot even in winter!).(sufficient) breakfast area it's nice, but you'll miss always something (spoon, marmalade, cup .....)(good) 5 min walk to North Acton Tube Station (Central Line to Oxford Circus, ca.20min.)(excellent) the staff are not 5star, but very warm and ready to find a solution for everything you need.
My partner and I stayed at this hotel for 9 nights at the end of July and beginning of August of 2006. This was a great room with lots of extra space on the 24th floor and a small sofa, good sized desk , tall ceilings and comfy lounging chair. One of the best sized rooms I've stayed in Montreal. The decor was nice, not as stylish as say a W or the Le St Germain, but consistent. We were on a club room floor and the breakfast, though just continental, was a nice treat given the high exchange rate and saved us prob $20/ day for breakfast. The afternoon snack was also a nice touch. The towels are big and soft and the bed though a tad soft was very comfy. The location is excellent, you can get to all parts of the city and Old Montreal is right out the back door - it might take a 5minute walk to get to the area by the Basillca, and ten to the plaza but it is quick. The Victoria metro stop is right attached tot he hotel via the enclosed atrium or just a short walk outside. Popressa one block away is a quick little healthy/inexpensive make your own pasta dish place. Major complaints were an odd odor in the Lobby, like someone had used a drity mop to clean the floor, odors in the hallways near our room(not enough to deter another stay), and the snacks at the afternoon snack time went very quickly and it took one guest to get the manager up here to keep it replenished with cheeses and crackers until 7:30pm..All in all I would have been nice if the club room was open all day cosidering how much of an upcharge the do for the room. But considering that at the time, other hotels I had stayed at were charging anywhere from $60-100/more per night. We thought it was a great choice.
I was excited by the thought of finally getting the chance to stay in a Taj Palace hotel. First thought -- there's nothing Palace-like about it. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice looking hotel, just not sure why they're calling a very businessy looking hotel a &quot;Palace&quot;. Also, the address of this place is somewhat of a mystery. The closest you can find on the Taj website is a P.O. Box address. I'd already made the reservation, and was preparing for my trip when I realised this. Had to call the hotel just to ask their actual address. And it is listed here on tripadvisor, but not on the hotel's official website. Strange. We were a group of 7 people. So we booked a 3 br apartment and an executive room (the most standard in the hotel). I have to say that the apartment is nowhere near as nice as the executive room. The executive room is very opulently decorated, but the apartment (while I know apartments are supposed to be more modest looking than a hotel room) is not quite worthy of being in a Taj Palace hotel which is known for the highest level of opulence. The apartment, while very very spacious and served its purpose of hosting a big family, actually looked a bit cheap. Very plain looking old shower curtains and a bathtub that looks like one from a cheap hotel. It was nothing compared to the executive room that had a much nicer bed and covers, gorgeous well appointed bathrooms, and much better bedroom decor. Nothing went wrong during our stay, in fact we had a very nice stay here. But I think the one person who got the executive room really lucked out compared to the 6 of us who chose the apartment. Service overall was very very good but the best part of this hotel has to be Handi, the Indian restaurant. I will always remember my meal at Handi as the best Indian food I have ever had in my life (and I eat a lot of Indian food)! This is Indian cuisine at its finest and if anyone stays here or anywhere else in Dubai I would highly recommend a visit. We still talk about that one meal every time Indian food comes up in our conversation about how incredible it was. It is now on my must do list for my next visit to Dubai, even if I am going to stay in another hotel.
See the long March 30 review for lots of details that I won't try to duplicate. If you're a Hilton Honors member (no charge to sign up), check the website occasionally for rate changes. We were upgraded to a suite, probably because bookings were down for those days. The front desk took pains to locate us in a quiet spot. We heard few sirens and no hallway noise. The room decor isn't exciting, but everything worked and was clean! For my taste, the tea bags at breakfast are better than the ones in the room. The sofa cushion tends to slide around when you sit on it. There are delicious cookies in the lobby at 7 pm and they go fast! But fruit is always available, too. There are restaurants for every taste in this neighborhood, and the hotel is easy to access by car.
We booked this hotel, known as a four star hotel, so we could have a weekend getaway. We brought our three year old. I so wish we had stayed at the Delta or the Intercontinental. This is a place for business travelers. It really is one, massive conference center. The room was totally ordinary. The pool was small and ordinary. Two things that irritated me most were, upon arrival, there was no valet service for US. We watched others have their cars driven to parking, but for some reason two people told my husband that he could park himself, which he did. (We drive a gorgeous, new car and we were casually dressed...) Its not that I need valet parking, but with bags and a kid in a stroller, it would have been nice if I wasn't left to struggle in a dirty alleyway.We had room service bring breakfast, which we asked for the night before. We are vegetarians, so I was clear that there was to be no meat. What I ordered came, but with sausage on three of the plates, and no cereal for my child. A dissapointment.There are so many fabulous hotels in Montreal. Stay elsewhere.
Newest addition to Mesquite, this hotel far surpasses the other truck stop motels/casino dumps.Yes, Falcon Ridge has growing pains to overcome, but the rooms are very nicely decorated, new everything, granite countertops &amp; shower walls, marble floors. Hot breakfast included. And free internet in your room if you bring your laptop. There's also a public use computer next to the front desk in a small room, but it was not in service when we were there.Pool still was not done, but they let you use the Casablanca's pool. No prob for us as it's much nicer than the small walled in courtyard location at the FR.Location is fine, just across I-15 from Oasis &amp; Casablanca (3 min. drive). New WalMart opening next door to hotel, plus lots of growth in Mesquite. Falcon Ridge Golf Course is across the street. It's VERY challenging, especially back 9. Plays uphill into the wind with lots of blind tee shots (can't see the green). It's only been open for a year, so still needs a little bit of time to grow in. If budget allows, definitely play Wolf Creek...best in town.
I was so happy with the overall value of this hotel. The service was incredible - the location was awesome - and the rooms were comfy!!! I loved the breakfast in the mornings - great coffee!! The free internet service was extremely helpful.... There was a complimentary bottle of Perseco and chocolates in the room.... Wine at night.. awh....The room was pretty good size - for NY, especially. They offered passes to the gym, but who wants to do that on vacation? I found NO complaints at all with this hotel. We could walk to 30 Rock and to Central Park. Subways are only a few blocks away... and 5th Avenue is only 1 block away! It doesn't get better than that.
I reserved via the hotel website about 2 months prior to my check-in where I indicated my expected arrival time (11 am). I arrived promptly at 11 am and although I knew that check-in was officially at 3 pm, I thought that I could already get a room. I was informed that there was no room available at that time, especially since the hotel was busy with guests the day before. So they had me stow my luggage in the meantime while I explored the city. By 8 pm, I was ready to turn in and I was given an 8th floor queen room at &quot;the back side&quot; so it would be away from the street noise.It was a different room layout than the last time that I was there (6th floor). The sink with mirror and light was near the the bed, not in the bathroom. There was a small closet next to the sink with hangers, iron, and ironing board. The bathroom had a shower stall with curtain (vs. glass door) , storage space, and the toilet. A flat screen TV was on the desk drawer. There were two window panes (wouldn't open) that made the room feel a little spacious with light from outside when the curtains were drawn. I also had a kitty-corner view of Powell Street below.There was a ceiling fan and light and a desk lamp next to the bed, along with a clock radio. I really liked the bed - it was very comfortable and helped me sleep soundly.I could still hear some of the street sounds from below but nothing disruptive or annoying.I appreciate the room's cleanliness when I arrived after check-in and whenever I returned after 12-hr days of outdoor exploration.I didn't really go to the Tea Room for breakfast but I did in the my last visit (November 2008), where granola cereal with milk and orange juice got me started my day.I enjoyed my stay and will return again whenever I have the chance to visit SF. The accommodations were adequate for my needs.SUMMARY: Location, price, clean and cozy room, comfortable bed, helpful staff.
The Cumberland is a break from Travel Lodge, Travel Inn, Travel Tavern monotony for anyone staying away from home with their job. Not the most homely place in the world due to the art gallery lobby area and harshly lit corridors BUT the beds are extremely comfy, rooms are spotlessly clean and well sound proofed from city noise and service is ok.Breakfast offers good choice but again, a homely feel is replaced by a refectory style dining that encourages you to eat up and ship out.I didn't mind it at all having experienced what other hotels have to offer in London.p.s. The creaking noise in the room when you turn off the lights to go to sleep is the lights cooling down. It stops after a few minutes so don't fret.
An incredible hotel in London that exceed all expectations beyond my wilest imagination. Below a description of some of wonderful experiences my wife and I encountered. My wife and I are seasoned international travelers for the past 13 years. Never before have we witnessed such excellent services abroad while on a budget when recently visiting London. We were very conscience that London hotels in Central London are either very expensive and/or somewhat difficult to have everything you need in terms of economy pricing along with clean rooms with quality service that go beyond a smile and a handshake. In booking our rooms in Central London, we read the reviews in TripAdvisor.Com with much interest. Over 1150 hotels were given to me in my price range. The reviews for each hotel were very contrasting from terrible service/accommodations to awkward location to expensive rates and lacking in quality service. The Amsterdam Hotel not only was rated at about 110 out of 1150+ reviews. But clearly exceeded all positive reviews published on-line in every category! What a convenience to be located on the Piccadilly underground line directly between Heathrow Airport and Central London when arriving at night with only a simple 2 minute walk to the hotel from the train station at Earl's Court. London taxi's are very expensive and at no point did we ever have to use a taxi regardless of where it was in London with no more than one subway transfer. At midnight after just checking in, the night clerk could not figure out how to attend the London Temple the next morning in Surrey, a rather complicated trip of over 40 miles without subway connections. A taxi would have cost us 75 Sterling Pounds just one-way! But the general manager was notified at midnight of our difficulty and immediately joined us in figuring out how to combine the London subway system with The British National Railway system at a rather modest cost and even outlined our first day's sight-seeing excursion in a rather coherent manner for Central London. Every time we had a problem, she is the supreme problem-solver that every hotel should have. For example, the latest Harry Potter had just come out and we wanted to see it. She figured out where the theatres were (only three in London) and recommended we see it in Wimbledon where there was a iMax theatre for more spectacular video and audio showing. And with the subway system, we could get there in less than 20 minutes at no cost because we had a unlimited three-day underground pass.Rooms are modest in size but exceptionally well kept. Clean linens are given daily. Continental breakfast is far more than one serving. You get multiple servings of fruit, juices, choice of cereals, toast, coffee/tea and pastry plus you have the option of a hot breakfast for only 2 pounds more. My wife and I ordered eggs and pancakes prepared to our preferences and ate like royalty for 4 pounds each along with our generous continental breakfast. When we had to leave at 5:15 a.m. for Heathrow Airport, they even packed a super breakfast with sandwiches, juice, yogurt and more the night before so we would have something to eat in absence of our missed continental breakfast. Their service desk is staffed 24/7 which is great when you need advise, wakeup calls. etc. after hours. Having free wireless Internet service in our room was a complete surprise when I checked-in and used well by me. There are even computers in the basement that connect to their wireless Internet service and one of them prints out for you at no charge. And all with no charges for these valuable services, it is amazing and very convenient in a city that is the most expensive city in Europe to stay in and get such repeated excellent services free is an amazement to me, an experienced international traveler.Thank you for the opportunity to share my positive experiences at London's Amsterdam Hotel at Earl's Court.Till next time,John Kuzmich, JrGolden, ColoradoP.S. Location is perfect for modest restaurants and only two minutes from a good underground subway station for the District and Piccadilly Lines.
The staff was great and humorous, excluding the rude Russian(?) breakfast staff. Location is also excellent as there are two subway stations nearby, offering access to three metrolines. Breakfast was better than I expected as it wasn't just jam and toast style continental breakfast, however no sign of meat and fruits... Beds were nice to sleep and TV had some watchable channels. But then the bathroom - I guess the Brittish bathroom designers must still be living at some dark centuries in the past. Otherwise it cannot be explained, why the bathrooms are so tiny that there is no room to take shower and if one manages to do that, then the bathroom floor will be wet for the rest of your stay as not all of the water will go in the drain and there is nothing to dry it.
We could not fault this complex. Great location just off the Strip, all the amenities you could want and great value for money, highly recommended!!!!
spent long weekend in the linden its a very chic and modern with a lot of work gone into the detail our double was quite small particularly for wardrobe space but for what time we spent there it was fine.cool bathroom and great shower...its really peaceful but only a short walk to the busy queensway area with good bars and restaurants with a great buzz into the early hours(bars close usual time though)....loved the persian cafes ...two mins to tube and hyde park......reception very friendly and helpful...
Just returned from the Danubis Hotel after a 3 nights stay. The hotel is in a more subhurban area of London so you have to be prepared to walk or use public transport. There is little in the area except housing, offices, Lord's, a couple of small shops, Regents Park and the mosque. Nothing to do in the evenings and not really the sort of area you want to wander around at night.The hotel itself was fine. The breakfast buffet was good as there was plenty of choice. We also ate in the restuarant one evening - the food was ok but not brillant. We were kept waitng a short while for our meal but we were offered a complimentary drink! We didn't think that we had been kept waitng that long yet it was a nice gesture. Staff were always very pleasant.Our rooms were on the 5th floor and not renovated. They are still working on the 4th floor. They were clean however, and it didn't really matter if they were a little shabby as we were only in there during the evening/night. The rooms do get very hot during the night so it was dificult to sleep at times and quite noisy due to passing traffic including trains. The walls also seem quite thin as we could hear other guests talking in their rooms once the TV was off.Would I return to the Danubis? Probably not due to its location.
My sister and I spent May 29, 30 at this hotel as part of a promotion with British Airways. I wouldn't have chosen it but as it came free with the airfare, it was all right. The room was small, but that wasn't a problem. It was clean, and the concierge was very helpful. The toilet flushed intermitently, which was a bother. It caters to large touring companies; therefore, it usually has tons of tourists from everywhere standing checking in or out. It has a good location, however. It advertises computer access, but part of the time when we were there it was out of order. And be aware that the keyboard is different; so you can't touch type, and it is expensive to use. All in all, it did well enough for the first two days of our trip.
This is a large chain hotel just outside the centre of London, but within walking distance of Hyde Park Corner, and very conveniently situated for tube and bus connections.It is opposite Kensington Gardens, and you can walk through there to Kensington Palace, and Kensington High Street for shopping.The streets as you come out of Queensway tube station (and the station itself) can give a very negative and wrong impression of the area the hotel is situated in.The hotel is fairly modern (I'd say late 70's or early 80's) with moderate sized rooms - for a London hotel - here comes my first criticism - the double bed in our room was larger than the design specification - so that there was a chair wedged between the bed and the window wall. The window was huge - and joy of joys it actually opened!! (but the air conditioning didn't work - so that might have been essential!).The room was spotlessly clean, with TV, tea &amp; coffee making facilities and bottles of water. The public areas too were clean and spacious - the bar / restaurant seemed remarkably well priced (cheap) for a London hotel. Breakfast was a bit spartan (no toast - what's that about?) but adequate to set us up for the day.My biggest complaint was the check in - we arrived soon after the advertised check-in availability of 2pm - the room wasn't ready - no problem - we had a cup of tea in the bar - the receptionist promised to come and get us when the room was ready - did she heck!? My perception of the whole check-in check-out procedure was that the staff needed a bit of retraining ( as we call it).This hotel was very popular, when we were there, with older British travellers, with very few non-UK accents to be heard.
This is a very impressive hotel and my wife and I stayed here as part of our honeymoon. Having read the reviews here, we were happy enough that the comments were mostly positive. The location on 42nd St is ideal as a base for shopping/sightseeing/activities. We spent 4 nights here starting on St. Patricks day and during this time we shopped in Macy's, the Manhattan Mall and Jersey Gardens, We went to a game in the Garden and did a helicopter tour of Manhattan. With the exception of the helicopter trip, everything was within walking distance.The rooms were big for a New York Hotel. a HD flat screen LCD TV in our room and a comfortable bed. The room was on the 32nd floor and looked across the city skyline to the Chrysler building. Importantly the room was clean. The bar in the hotel was comfortable enough but to be fair, we were not in NY to see a hotel bar and only stopped off for a drink.We found the staff to be extremely helpful and courteous. I have seen some comments about the staff and I guess that it is just the luck of the draw. On Paddy's Day, the staff were all wering green flowers and I was chatting to the porter (Joe) about this and when we came back down to the lobby to go out, he was waiting with lapel flowers for my wife and I. A nice touch.The Pax deli is pretty nice but also walk down the street and opposite grand central, there is a lovely restaurant that serves great breakfast. They advertise it as the best in the world... I must say, it is pretty good!For a non-expensive activity, try Central Park. There is an Ice rink in the centre and some great views of the city. We walked back to the Helmsley from Central Park via 5th Avenue and visited St Patricks Cathedral. One regret was not going to the 'Top of the rock' but that is a must for next time. Locals tell us that the views are better than the Empire State Building.For nightime activities, there is no shortage but behind Grand Central station on 43rd btwn Madison &amp; Vanderbilt you will find Annie Moores Irish pub. We didn't try the food but the beer and service was pretty good. If you do go shopping, there is a shop in the Manhattan mall that I particularly enjoyed. It's called Brookstone and is full of gadgets and gizmos as well as having massage chairs. Great place to spend an hour while the wife goes shopping! Also, bring your passport to Macy's. There is an office upstairs where they will give you an 11% discount card for all purchases.The outlet stores are full of good deals and we opted for the Jersey Mall as it was 30mins on a bus from Port Authority and $10 return on the bus versus $38 and 90mins to woodbury Common. Again, bring the passport for a discount card. Great hotel, great city.
We have only praise for Hotel 71. Our room (1015) was huge and beautifully decorated with an amazing view of the Chicago River. The restaurant is not open yet, but there are hundreds of great restaurants within a short walk. (We picked up a few things at the corner store for breakfasts in our room -- has coffee maker, frig, microwave). The staff was friendly and helpful. We had read the mixed reviews, but our travel agent got us an unbelievable rate so we went for it. We loved the hotel and would definitely stay here again.
What's not to like? We've stayed at Casino Royale two to three times a year for the past 3 years. We've tried the bigger hotel/casinos and found Casino Royale to be a better value and more convenient. Its a small, fun casino, great service, friendly staff, comfortable rooms. We liked the card access security feature. If your ego demands a fancy resort, you should book elsewhere. If you are looking for fun at a reasonable price, then stay at Casino Royale.
Althought the hotel room where nice, the noice of fire engines going out all the time throught the night, kept me and fellow friends awake all night, If you want to be able to sleep at night don;t book here. where there 2 nights, slept about 4 hours in total.
The Doubletree Metropolitan is ideally located for sightseeing. We walked almost everywhere and we felt safe at all times. The cookies that we receieved on arrival were delicious! The hotel lobby and bar are both modern and there were lots of staff available to help if it was required. No complaints with the room or bathroom and no issues with noise. For a central hotel in Manhattan, it represents value for money.
I stayed at the Hesperia Victoria as I am not terribly familiar with London, but I know my way from Victoria station. After waiting for twenty minutes to book in, I checked into a suite which was pleasant; the jacuzzi needed sorting out as it continued to turn itself on through the evening. I was told when I arrived that we had a free minibar excluding the alcohol, which was fine as we don't drink. A few days after my stay I noticed they had charged me 22.50 for 4 small bottles of coke!After chasing them about why I had been charged, I still have no response from the hotel... The staff really don't want to know!
We stayed here one week in July , very clean hotel, we booked a standard room and they upgrade for free to a junior suite (corner room) , super views !!! Staff was very friedly and concierge help us to find best offer to diffrent attractions. It is possible to be a little bit noisy from the ground zero building site, depends of the floor you stay. I have one minus - parking is very expensive !!! But if you can wake up in the morning (at 7am) you can park on the street (between 9 pm-7am). Business center is expensive - but you can print online bording pass from the reception and save some money. Internet also is expensive on the hotel , but in the room you can find some free wireless newtork from outside building! I would definitely stay there again!
At USD $110 per night (hotwire), my three night July 4 weekend stay in Room 810 of the Omni Montreal was above-average. Overall, our stay was pleasant and the hotel clientele was mostly middle class Americans and the out of province crowd. The hotel was much nicer than the Delta or Holiday Inn. I would recommend the place, especially if obtained at a price of less than USD $100.  Room The room was mid-sized and included a King-sized bed and a television dating from the 90's. Standard cable package. Bathroom was clean and plenty of towels (3 large, 2 small, and two washcloths). Bathrobes were included for use during our stay. We had a view of Sherbrooke St. and some of the McGill campus.   Location The hotel is centrally located (on Peel &amp; Sherbrooke streets) and is opposite the Peel Metro station and McGill University campus. Shopping begins on St. Catherine and food and entertainment venues can be found two blocks west on Bishop and Crescent streets.   Gym &amp; Pool The gym was pretty extensive for a hotel gym. It is open 24 hours. Three modern treadmills and a host of older equipment. Lots of free weights and weight machines. The pool is open 12 hours a day and outdoors but has a connection to an indoor hot tub. The hot tub fits six comfortably.   Parking Parking is complicated. The hotel wants $26 for valet parking. Nearby garages want about $15-20. There are metered parking available on Sherbrooke (and more realistically, on the up-hill streets like Peel St. running perpendicular to Sherbrooke). The meter costs $6 for 2 hours; however, you can add more time using any meter-station, including the one right in front of your hotel. So, all you have to do is not forget about the car every two hours. We preferred meter parking because we could come and go the hotel area as we pleased.
We had a wonderful stay at this hotel. The staff were wonderfuly friendly and helpful. The location of the hotel is ideal for travellers only staying for a short stay and needing to be near the airport. A quick 10 minute taxi ride to the Hotel from the airport. One of the greatest activities to do in Dubai (If a short stay) is to book through the hotel, a driver to take you around Dubai and show you the sights. It cost us only $97aus /130 dhs for the 3 hr trip in an airconditioned Lexus sedan. A taxi is located outside the hotel at all times so don't worry about booking transfers.
What a magical place! Right in the heart of Times Square theater district, this place is outstanding, even if a bit pricey. It has a whimsical, yet classic decor and color scheme. The bed was the most comfortable I've ever encountered in my travels, and service throughout the hotel was first class. With a view of Broadway from high up, the best elevator system I've ever seen, staying at the Marquis was an unforgettable experience and worth the big splurge! I probably won't ever go back because it's expensive, but it's the perfect spot for a business trip or a romantic getaway!
An earlier reviewer mentioned his shabby room and questioned if other rooms had been renovated. I believe indeed they had. My wife and I stayed at the Rembrandt for three nights and booked an &quot;Executive&quot; room. After a long oversees flight, we were assigned to a first floor room, which was very cramped, dark, and dingy . Worst of all, it was a smoking room and smelled the part. We then requested another room and you'd think we stepped into another hotel. The new room on the 4th floor was was absolutely beautiful and spacious. In fact, another room on our floor was being renovated during our stay (not noisy). SO YES! Make sure you get a renovated room. Once we were settled, we loved this hotel. Very good staff. Excellent health club facility. Clean. Great breakfast buffet each morning. Guests include a lot of business travelers.But best of all, I think, is the location. Situated in a very nice ,leafy part of London, it's close to beautiful parks, shopping (Harrods!) , museums, and the tube for convenient travel anywhere in London. We will definitely stay at the Rembrandt next time in London.
Avoid The Leonard, just as you would any hotel that would not help an injured guest, other than to shuttle him, bleeding and in shock, out of the lobby, into his room, and never once came by to check on his condition, or alert family members or otherwise act humanely or professionally. Repeated asking the language-challenged staff for assistance brought a house doctor twenty hours later. His injury? 2 broken ribs and a smashed face resulting from tripping on the hotel's uneven front steps in broad daylight. Doctor's fee was twice the room rate, appeared without explanation on hotel bill, with no authenticity, so our medical insurance could not reimburse; charged us in us dollars, too, instead of pounds. Our credit card company, Capital One, tried to intervene, without success, which is why this review is appearing months after the fact. Wouldn't want anyone to suffer the way our family did. It's not worthy of being a Warwick hotel, it's so lacking in any star-level of service, and that's before you see its tattered condition. Lots of fine hotel choices in this neighborhood, so research carefully.
We booked the Donatello because our timeshare company has a portion of rooms there. The location just 2 blocks off Union Square is perfect to wander and sightsee in SF. The room was clean, spacious and well appointed. Some details could have been updated but they were minor. The small kitchenette was nice, frig/microwave/coffemaker and dishware to get us through leftovers or appetizers. The breakfast/lounge area was nice, though we didn't have anything but coffee there. Nice outdoor deck and fireplace, we were the only people using the area. Desk staff was friendly and helpful, the bar upstairs was nice. We didn't try the restaurant. The only downside was our view of the rooftops behind the Donatello. We wished we'd asked for a street view.
When I moved in, it appeared that the carpeting hadn't been cleaned in years! I also went through about 3 containers of disinfectant whipes to clean up everything that hadn't been cleaned (which was about everything)! Management did not seem too surprised when I complained how dirty it was, nor did they make any attempt to repair the bathroom sink (which was missing all the pieces necessary for the plumbing to actually work).  Also, the neighbors didn't really go out of their way to conceal drug deals. I actually had an argument outside of my apartment one day because someone felt they were cheated on the speed they were purchasing. Very scary! RENT AT YOUR OWN RISK! This was a $199.00 lesson learned. Don't live there.
we got a great deal on booking.com 200 for 2nights the hotel is centrally located on the circle line a couple of stops from Victoria, Liverpool and Paddington stations. nice area with a pret a manger, express tesco, regents park and a couple of pubs and restaurants the reception area is really nice and the staff were very friendly. our room was small enough but very comfortable and warm. we had lots of channels on the tv, good powerful shower, tea and coffee facilities, iron, trouser presser, safe and fluffy towels there is a nice leisure centre, a gym, coffee shop, bar and restaurant with an extensive menu, we tried it one of the nights and enjoyed our mealwe would stay here again, central, very comfortable and that little bit away from the noise so you can relax after a day on Oxford St
After seeing the mixed reviews the Sir Francis Drake had drawn, I decided to experience it myself and see if it met my high standards. It far exceeded even my high expectations. When I have the good fortune to return, I will hope stay at this property again. The exceptional quality of the hospitality wrapped up a perfect package for a five day stay. The service was obliging, efficient, and friendly. Staff sometimes added the personal touch of addressing me by name. From managers to the staff at the registration desk, from the bellstaff to the incredibly resilient crew of hardy and handsome gentlemen who form the ranks of the Beefeater costume-clad doormen, I was impressed with how everyone on the team exerted themselves to provide a top-notch experience for hotel guests. Rooms- (I had more than one, and loved both) were exquisite, beautifully appointed, great views, quiet, very comfortable beds, and during the warm days the air conditioning worked well. Remember that at the time this hotel was built, these WERE big rooms: houses and beds were all smaller then. I found the room generously proportioned.Lobby and lobby bar - The lobby is spectacular, lovingly restored, and the design of the bar in the lobby defines the space while paying homage to the existing interior design and decor, rather than intruding upon it. There is a vibrant atmosphere in this central space, and the service was wonderful. Restaurant : I visited the adjacent restaurant -- a separate business -- on several occasions for dinner and/or drinks. The service was superb (although the restaurant is popular so if you want a table you may wish to consider reservations at dinner) and the food was absolutely excellent every time.Night Club - There is also a night club on the top floor that has a great view and is very popular. I ventured up one evening and although I had just missed that evening's live music, the joint was packed until closing.In my view the address is the perfect one for a San Francisco hotel. Great atmosphere. Just out the front door many opportunities beckon for people who like to people watch, shop, and eat. Location is fabulous for walkers, cable car devotees and public transit, and taxi. Just a short slide of less than a block down Powell St. puts you at Union Square.I visited a friend at another Kimpton property not far away, the Sorrento, another lovingly restored historic property, and it was also lovely, the friend's room excellent, and the friend's report on the place was positive.
Initially the heating in my room did not work (this was a day when it snowed in London) so they moved me to another room without any fuss. The rooms were spacious by London standards and are completely modern, though the small TVs were disappointing. The hotel is located close to Lancaster Gate tube and Hyde Park, but is very secluded and I didn't hear any traffic noise. Breakfast was nice, but nothing exciting.
Great location, attentive staff, larger than expected rooms. Check the website for special rates - we received a free night after staying two. Wonderful cafe across the street for a quick and inexpensive breakfast. Provided us adjoining rooms to accommodate an aging parent. Would not stay anywhere else in NYC.
I checked in and was given keys to a room occupied by another guest; I am a frequent business traveller and stay in hotels at least 2 nights a week. In the last 10 years, I have never encountered such a situation. As a female business traveller, this concerned me both as the person given the keys and from the potential for keys in a room I might be occupying being given to a stranger. And that was just the start of the horror - I was given another two wrong rooms. Nearly an hour later, I was given the right room. The evening finally ended with me being thoroughly intimated by the aggression of the hotel manager and the threat he delivered that he could give me a hard time if he wanted. When I asked who he reported to, he said he answered to only God! His aggressive stance was so threatening that I was too scared to stay the night there and checked out went to another hotel.
What a deal. My husband and I wanted to stay overnight in the city since we were going to a concert and planned to make a night of it. We didn't want to spend a lot though. After reading MANY reviews of cheaper hotels in the MSG area, we chose the Red Roof Inn because of the many good reviews. From the outside, it doesn't look like much, but inside it looks recently renovated. Our room overlooked the city and was nicely updated and clean. The bathroom wasn't as updated as everything else, but it was still decent. When we decided to order a pizza at 1:30am, the front desk was helpful with telling us who to call. I believe we booked the room for $129! We were within easy walking distance to Madison Square Garden, and had we chosen to spend the day in the city to sightsee (we're from Jersey!) it was a wonderful location for that as well. Close to the Empire State and Chrysler building. I highly recommend this hotel if you're on a budget!
We were so pleasantly suprised! We checked in (no lines) Thursday night. We were randomly upgraded to an amazing suite overlooking the Bellagio fountains. We took advantage of the &quot;free comps&quot; they were offering (as long as you looked at their new rooms/time share pitch) and found it so painless and worth the money that we actually bought a time share. Never thought that would happen, but their new towers on the strip were amazing! Ended up winning $100 in slots the first day, all the food was amazing. Spices breakfast buffet was to die for. Yolos Mexican was great. AMAZING LOCATION! You will NOT be disappointed.
This hotel is so fabolus, i loved it! The hotel itself is very beautiful, the service is great, the rooms were big, the hotel has 6 retstaurants, spa, boutiques, large pools, casino and everything you can ask for. Our room had to large queenbeds, gardenview and a jacuzzi:) If you go to Las Vegas, you should defentely stay at this hotel. OK, it's expensive but its worth it! And the location is grest as well, 5-10 min from downtown.
Selected the hotel as it was mid way between down town and the residential district, the hotel is now fully open, with liquor licence and all restaurants, however, the roof top bar was still under construction.Check in was good and easy, a bit slow but thats the Middle East! The room I was upgraded to (Priority Platinum Member) was on the front with the big panoramic view, no real road noise.The service and helpfulness of the staff was very good and could find no fault, on the down side the bar was very expensive (so are all bars in Dubai), the restaurants are also expensive, but the portions are large.If you want the beach or nightlife, this is not the hotel for you, but what you want is only a taxi ride away (and they are cheap), but for me there on business, comfy bed, good and varied food it was fine.The hotel was only partly full when I was there, so the extent of service under high occupancy conditions was not experienced (I think they would struggle).Would stay there again  yes if the criteria for my stay were the same.
GREAT Hotel in downtown Manhattan. Small, but clean and has everything you need, and the price is cheap for NYC! 3 blocks from the Empire State Bldg, 2 blocks from the subway. We've been there twice now &amp; I would stay there again &amp; recommend it!
We picked the Whitehall because friends had raved how elegant it was. Unfortunately, that was some years ago and our experience suggests that the Whitehall is descending into shabbiness. Exiting the elevator on our floor, the wallpaper was beginning to peel from the walls and the carpet was deeply stained--downright grungy. Rooms tend to be small in this part of town, but there was no excuse for the dirty bedskirt. It was obvious that some prior guests had stained it with their shoes, there being little leg room if you sit in the chair to try to watch TV. The TV, by the way, was an old Zenith on its last legs, the picture alternating from red to purple.In the bathroom, the ceiling above the shower had numerous dark brown water stains. Rings upon rings of water stains. Disgusting! Forget about taking a bath. The stopper mechanism had been removed and there was no plug or stopper or any kind.Though the Whitehall touted its 24 hour room service on check-in, when we called at 8:30 pm, there was no answer.Though the bed ws comfortable, we left feeling that this hotel was definitely past its prime. We won't be back. There's plenty of competition within a few block radius.
I stayed at this hotel the first week of February 2009. I booked a standard room with a Queen size bed through the Holiday Inn website and got a rate for $89 USD per night. With tax and other fees, the total came out to about $105 USD.The hotel is a little old and the rooms are a little outdated but for the price and location, can't really get a better deal in Manhattan. The hotel is located only a few blocks away from Central Park. It's about a 5 minute walk. Subway access is only a few blocks away too. The bed was comfortable and the floors were clean. However, there was some dust here and there. I really didn't mind the dust. Everything was fine with this hotel except for one thing. Maybe this is not a big thing for some people but for me, it was a bit of a nuisance. I guess its due to the old pipes or something but the water coming out of the bathroom sink and bathtub was a bit white (kind of looked like salt water). It wasn't crystal clear like you would get in your home. That was my only complaint about my stay at this hotel.Staff were friendly and polite. If you're looking for a cheap yet acceptable hotel in Manhattan, this hotel is probably your best bet. For under $120 USD, you get an acceptable room and great location.
Loved it!! The unique concept and decor of the hotel made my stay truly memorable and interesting. The staff and manager were very amicable and helped me with my check in even though I had misplaced my travel documents and took a while to find them. They continued to be helpful and friendly throughout my stay as well, which made me very satisfied with their service and interaction. The room I stayed in was a painted room in a pleasant pastel yellow, orange and white, while the beddings were clean and tidy. This surprised me as I had been to the hotel's website and expected the hotel itself to not live up to the glossy photos they had put up...however it did, and I am very much impressed with the art in my room, and the general presentation of everything else within the hotel, which was simple yet unique. The location of the hotel was also very convenient for it was within walking distance to most everything I wanted to see while in San Francisco.
I was a little scared about the rooms after reading some of the reviews, however, upon arrival I was pleasantly surprised! I love the contrasting floral and geo wallpaper prints that reminded me of Grandma's house! The rooms and shared bathroom facilities were spotless- I never had to wait and as soon as I came out, it seemed a cleaner would be straight in.Unfortunately we didn't get a very good view from our window- just a brick wall. This made the room a little dark but we weren't planning on spending that long hanging around in our room.The hotel is in a great area- it's on a quiet street but a short walk to Madison, Broadway, 5th Ave etc and also the subway. A great place to get breakfast is the little Captain's Cafe at 34 32nd St- the portions are very generous and the service is very friendly.I would def stay at Hotel 31 again. It's a bargain for what you get and the staff are also very friendly- they called us a car back to the airport and posted our postcards for us!
I stay here whenever I can when in London for business as it is so convenient for Victoria Station and hence the Gatwick Express (1 minutes walk). The rooms are small but have everything you could need and the hotel staff are very professional and friendly. The concierge service is great and nothing too much trouble. Being opposite Buckingham Palace is also wonderful and all in all it is where I woulsd stay every time. I also always book via www.laterooms.com and get great rates.
On 2nd trip to New York had originally booked the New York Palace, but after the promotion from Fairmont I cancelled and changed to this iconic hotel and after arriving I realised the right choice had been made.Arriving at the hotel, the bellman walked us through to reception and &quot;handed&quot; us over to reception, rooms were ready and we had been upgraded- without even asking, the rooms themselves were magnificent, spacious with high ceilings and the bathrooms fantastic. As you can see from some other reviews there is a lot of gold in the bathrooms, but not Vegas or bland it's tasteful.Travelling party was myself, wife, son(14), MIL celebrating 70th birthday and my sister so we had 2 rooms.Beds were luxurious the king size was huge. Control panel was excellent.Like previous reviewers tickets were bought for a show ( TKTS at South Street Seaport) no queue unlike the office at Times Square, managed to get half price Mama Mia and they were able to get the hotel car(Rolls Royce) to take them- a nice touch.All in all a fantastic stay and if the offer is still on and you are looking for luxury in New York give The Plaza a go.
Just returned from a 4 night stay in the Rennaisance with 4 of my girl friends. What can I say, the hotel was fantastic. It's fabulously located and the services from all the staff, particularly Erick, the Concierge, was second to none. We were extremely pleased with our rooms on the 16th floor, the beds are so comfy, it's hard to get out of them in the morning. The rooms were serviced daily with loads of fresh towels. We had major problems with our luggage, or lack of it!!! but the hotel supplied us with bathrobes and toiletries to ensure we didn't suffer too much, they also sent champagne and strawberries to our room to cheer us up and to ensure we had a fantastic time in New York!!......I've never received that level of service from any other hotel and I've stayed in many. Unfortunately, we didn't eat in Foleys but we heard that the food was fantastic, we did sneak in there early one morning after returning from a night out just to see the view....well worth it! My friends and cannot recommend the Rennaisance highly enough, we've told everybody about it since our return and are already planning our next trip. if you're looking for a high quality, traditional and friendly place to stay in the middle of new york, you can't do better then this hotel, when you go, tell Erick that we said Hi!
I stayed three nights in Sandman-Longueuil. The rooms are nice and clean, there was a telephone and an RJ-45 plug for internet access in my room. The heater / air conditioner is a little bit too loud and starts and stops automatically. It is hard to adjust temperature, it does not maintain a set temperature very well, but otherwise the location is good and the price is very reasonable. Staff is friendly, corridors are clean, not too many people and it was pretty quiet. The best part about this hotel is that it is within 3 minutes walking distance to &quot;Longueuil&quot; Metro station. There isn't too many dining places within walking distance, though. There is free parking outside, which is nice, but no lunch was included in price. The bathroom is pretty clean, water is hot. It takes about 20 minutes to reach Downtown Montreal from this hotel, so I can say, it is conveniently located, even though it is on the other side of the river. It is pretty safe there, I believe, doors are good and are opened by magnetic swipe-cards. I definitely recommend this hotel, although it is not extremely romantic....
Excellent location, with a very pleasant and helpful staff. We felt comfortable from the moment we arrived and enjoyed our banter with all staff members. We appreciated their wonderful and insightful ideas and recommendations for things to do and places to eat.
My wife and I stayed at the Southpoint Hotel from October 22nd through the 24th on the advice of friends. This hotel is very similiar to The Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas where we have previously stayed. We wish we had gone back to the Orleans as the Southpoint Hotel and Casino had a VERY noticable smell of smoke from cigaretts throughout the facility. Many guests were smoking right in front of signs in the elevators and elsewhere that said &quot;No Smoking&quot;. One wonders if thier HVAC systems were working properly or if they even try to enforce the &quot;non-smoking&quot; areas. The room rate jumped from $70 per night during the week to $129 for the week-end which we found to be high for Vegas especially considering todays economy.The smell of smoke really affected our stay in a negative way. Other Casinos in Vegas are able to clense the air better than the Southpoint.
Outside appearance- modern city hotel. Once past reception, the decor is 1970's insitutional and the smell of disinfectant, permeating the corridors and and our room, reminds one of a Salvation Army hostel in Stepney. Stained carpets, dirty towels and noise of slamming doors for most of the night only add to this impression.Accepting that London hotesls are always expensive, this is still poor value even for our capital city.
This is no 3-star hotel - trust me on this. The single bedrooms are extremely cramped and the TV is practically in your face. They have about 17 rooms in a place that can't support more than 8 max! Plus, their service is terrible - they pulled a fast one on me by charging me extra days when I checked out early - never happened before!
Montreal is a beautiful city! It was our first time there and we were amazed at how gorgeous this city was, as well as how French it is. It such an interesting place and amazing at how it has developed such a bilingual character.Hotel Nelligan is a terrific location being in the heart of the old city (which retains a very French character). Our room was very spacious, had a spa, and felt very homely. The hotel served a great breakfast and has a nice rooftop terrace. All the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable.The climb up Mont Royal is well worth it as you get a fantastic view across the entire city. Also, a cafe near our hotel called Jardin Nelson has a live jazz band and is a great place to take break.
We just completed a 7 night stay at the Mariott, Fisherman's Wharf and couldn't be more pleased. From the enthusiastic &quot;Welcome to San Francisco&quot; by the Bell Man, front desk and Concierge, we were treated to a wonderful week of hotel professionalism and services on and beyond the call of duty. We quickly discovered that the &quot;WIT&quot; buttons worn by the staff meant (Whatever it Takes), and they do mean it. They provided free morning limo service to the financial district, and when the limo was late by ten minutes, the bell man hailed us a cab to take us with no charges. Our initial room was on Columbus Ave, and previously I had read on this advisory to ask for rooms facing the Courtyard or Jones St. We were quickly accomodated and very glad we made the change. The Breakfast Buffet is bountiful, and the Concierge service is superior. The gym is one of the best, with the fresh fruit and added plus. Thank you for all the advisory's that pointed out that taking a rental car in the city is expensive. The hotel parking rate similiar to others was $38 nightly and we were glad to get a 7 day muni pass for $20 each, good for the cable cars and all other transportation except the Bart. We took tours to which tour companies will pick you up directly from your hotel. If you are a family this is a great facility, although we could of stayed at other hotels closer to the financial district, this hotel was a great hub to attend all venues of interest, like Fisherman's Wharf, Beach Blanket Baylon, Alcratraz (take the night cruise) etc etc... Toughest part of journey was leaving the great soft beds and wonderful San Francisco hospitality we received from this Mariott.
Went to Montreal this past weekend with a girlfriend! we loved the Godin. Room 240 was gorgeous, the bathroom unbelievable! As other reviews mentioned, lighting was a bit of an issue. If you don't mind noise, then the hotel location wont bother you. Street noise is really load. Not the hotels fault just the location. If you want to be in the action, this is perfect. Service was fair, depending on who you get I suppose. i called for a saftey pin, and the girl I spoke to was wonderful! Then I went to Front desk to let them now our A/C wasn't turning on , and she didn't really care at all. Everything in Montreal is extremely laid back anyways. We found service to be slow everywhere we went. Overall I would stay at this hotel again.
Nice place to stay...very clean with a very nice breakfast. It was only a five minute walk from the Kilburn Park station, so it was easy to get around on the Underground to see the sites in London. It was more reasonably priced than other hotels because of its distance from downtown. We were worried that it would be too far from the main attractions, but this turned out to not be the case because of its accessibility to the Underground.
We booked a one night stay at the Garden View Hotel through direct-hotels.com and got our room for 40 GBP (Was 75 GBP on the hotel's website). While we booked a double, we were given a triple in the basement (is this where they put the people who booked a cheap room?). We thought the room was huge for a London hotel room (granted, we were in a triple), but the room was very clean, relatively quiet, and seemed to be recently refurbished. The hotel is in a great location just 2 short blocks from the tube, yet on a square off the main road, so traffic noice was almost non-existant. The matress was a bit lumpy, and the common areas of the hotel were pretty worn and run-down looking, but compared to other hotels in this price range, this place is a gem. I would definetely stay there again.
Earlier reviews of this hotel on trip advisor indicated serious problems regarding service but my father's recent visit in July 2005 to the Grand Hyatt Dubai did not confirm any of these common concerns. Hence we decided to visit in mid Oct 2005 for a 3 night stay; reserving a non-smoking creek view room for a family of 4.The type of service we could expect was obvious right from the start of the holiday, when the airport transfer limousine that we booked and confirmed by email in advance was delayed by over 30 mins and we were made to wait in the heat with 2 young children. The incompetence of the concierge was even more apparent when a 7 series BMW came to pick-up a family of four - the boot was only able to take one large suitcase and not the three we bought along. Finally a Landcruiser was sent to handle the additional luggage. Daniela in concierge apologised with some reservations for the mix-up and offered to waive the airport transfer fees worthy of a measly 24 pounds sterling - hardly befitting the trouble caused and certainly not the best way to make a good impression on new customers. Inside the hotel, the main foyer is quite spectacular with a pineapple &amp; palm tree chandelier hanging over the Al Nakeel lounge and sea boats appearing in the backdrop. A comprehensive selection of restaurants is centred on a rain forest theme with a stream of exotic fish.Following check-in with a confused member of the front desk, we were left to search for our own room while the bellboys followed after, a lost opportunity in my opinion to welcome the guests to Dubai and sell the fabulous restaurants and facilities of the hotel. After discovering that our dedicated room was actually a designated smoking room, we rang the customer services manager, Girish. Luckily he spoke English very well and could understand our concerns to swiftly move us to a 9th floor non-smoking room.The creek view room itself was very elegantly furnished and a very good size even by Dubai standards with spectacular views over the creek and resort pools. Air-conditioning system was very effective and although the fridge was one of those &quot;Touch anything and youre charged&quot;, you had the option of getting this emptied by house keeping. The room featured a day lounger and a comfortable king sized bed with good quality pillows and linen. Just a small reminder for UK guests to bring your own tea bags, theirs certainly dont come close to PG tips. The large bathrooms at the hotel are very impressively finished a contemporary mosaic finish, you have twin washbasins, a designer bathtub, a power shower cubicle and segregated w/c &amp; bidet. Just needed Molten Brown products to finish off the overall experience expected at a top 5* hotel in Dubai.As we were visiting during the Ramadan period certain restrictions were in place at this hotel, drinking and eating was limited to certain confined areas. Quite bizarre as the Dubai beach hotels are a lot more liberal on these restrictions and only ban serving alcohol until 7pm. When visiting the dedicated enclosure at the pool resort, service to take our order and bring out the drinks and snacks was embarrassingly slow. When you look at the prices they charge against the service and products delivered, the feeling of day-light robbery certainly comes to mind. We were expecting the room service menu to be extended for the Ramadan period as so many of the restaurants are closed, but yet again another lucrative opportunity was missed. Room service was very inflexible and often bordering on rude, certainly not proactive to guiding customer selection or to recommend the availability of foods at the market caf. Service in the restaurants is much the same, they all are well trained and happy to say no and look the other way.We did find some hidden gems at this hotel, the ice-creams in the Italian Caf, Panini and the hot stone massage at the Grand Spa. I suspect the root cause of the service failures at this hotel, starts with the management. I do not believe they value, appreciate or even appropriately reward the hotel staffs, who are in turn disenfranchised by this negative culture. The management are very happy to listen to customer complaints but taking corrective action is not something they are empowered to do. Would we ever stay at this hotel ever again?  certainly not while we have the choice of our favourites in Dubai, Le Royal Meridien and Grosvenor House, which continue to raise the royal service standards in Dubai.
My boyfriend and I stayed here over New Years this year and the hotel was great. It is a very new hotel, the staff was friendly, location was perfect, not too loud. Overall excellent experience.
Stayed 4 nights (arrived Saturday) at New York-New York, Las Vegas, with my husband, also had 2 friends staying at same hotel (all under 30). Good sized rooms, nice bathrooms, comfortable bed but noisy air-conditioner. The casino was really cool, lots of places to eat &amp; drink. Nothing fabulous about view from our room on the 32nd floor. Will stay at Treasure Island next time if the price is similar, looked really fun &amp; centrally located. However, will stay at New York's again if cheaper than TI. Don't waste your money on the train to get around the strip, the buses are much quicker, cheaper &amp; you won't be walking as much. Suggest you plan your trip to be here on the weekend no matter what the cost, this town can get pretty quiet on weekdays out of peak season.
I would never stay here again. We booked online, but the prices don't tell you that you are in the bowels of the hotel, far in the back looking at the end of the garage.The room was never made up, no towels to replace the used ones, no soaps, shampoos or anything.. left over dirty finger nails left on counter when we arrived. Very difficult to find your way around that place and staff is not very friendly..it's not expensive but would rather stay at the Venetian than in the pits. I actually like the old strip better and the rooms are easy to access...nope wouldn't recommend this place to anything....oh yest, if you weigh over 190 lbs, you won't fit in the bathroom.
I stayed in the hotel in a standard double room in the beginning of December.In general all was good, no real problems.The hotel and the room looked clean and freshly renovated.There is still something that do not let me give an excellent mark.Payment:- When I arrived, I tried to pay with a credit card as usual, but the transaction was failing. Finally I gave up and paid with cash. When I was back home, I found that however the money had been blocked on my account. Now I need to visit my bank to unblock it. Wow, what a fun! :)Room:- The room was rather small. Acceptable, but still small.- The window was half a normal size. It lead to some not pretty inner yard, with no greenery, but with a small tractor :)- No mini bar - not handy.- No central heating  only conditioner. After you use it to warm the room the air becomes very dry.Other:- IMHO, the location is boring as compared with West End. The eastern part of City (which is very close to the hotel) looks like one big construction site :)I paid 110 pounds per night per room in average, and I think its a bit too much, especially off-season.So the hotel seems a bit overpriced, and may be not least because of all this good ratings here :))P.S. If you worry about possible noise from the railroad, do not worry, its not heard at all.
wonderful experiance stayin in this hotel, wonderful helpful staff, very near to best of the places, neat, good big rooms, good food, kind hearted staff, had wonderful staying in this hotel i think its priced decently had tight budget this time thought wud stay in some local cheap hotel but when travel agent booked this hotel thought it will be not be good but when reached there we got warm welcome and when we saw suites i was amazed and thanking god again and as it was vry clean and beautiful room with clean hygenic bathrooms which is imp thing and with all the facilities and vry vry helpful staff. i think best time we had in delhi and in our hotel room.
We've stayed at the Langland three times in the last three years. We like the hotel a lot, The accomodations are simple and sometimes don't come with a private bathroom. The bathroom is often in the hall and shared, but the rooms are adequate and clear. However, several rooms come with their own bathroom - they cost a little more money but are nicer since it is more convenient. I generally had a triple and would share a room with two of my kids - we often used a hall bathroom which was okay,I loved the location on Gower street - it was near the Museum, the theatre, and walking distance to so many things.Plus, it is a safe area.The people at the hotel have generally been very helpful.But it's definitely a budget hotel in that the furnishings are simple - clean but plain. It felt a little more like a nice student dorm room which was okay with me since I was travelling with my teenagers. And I appreciated that it was clean.We would come back again, as we have for the past three summers!!
Checked in Friday, stayed 3 nights. Room 602Room was extremely clean and comfortable. This hotel is tucked away on 35th street just 1/2 block off 7th avenue. We walked here from Penn Station with our luggage no problem. The total experience was a great one. Mind you this was at a rate of $399.00 per night, which I think is outrageous but other hotels of this type were at $459 and above. We took subway throughout all of Manhattan easily from this location. We walked till very late at night and felt very safe. The hotel is fairly new, no restaurant on site so no room service, this was not a problem as there are many restaurants near by. The rate included a breakfast every morning, eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, fruit, yogurt, bagels, cereals, juice, etc. Rooms had flat screen TV, on wall, also came with microwave and mini fridge, coffee maker, no mini bar stocked with overpriced items. Staff all friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend and stay here again. By the way if looking for inexpensive place to eat, try the department store Macy's just around the corner. In the lower level they have a &quot;Marketplace&quot;, salads, sandwiches, hot foods, pasta, etc all at a good price. Wish we would have found this sooner. All too often we ended up paying high prices for rude service and bad meals at other restaurants in Manhattan.
We stayed there a while ago but absolutely loved it. Jeff, the concierge was extremely helpful and spoke good English. I can't wait to go back there especially now the subway is finished.If anyone is there or about to go there check out the fabulously decorated toilets on the floor where you have breakfast. Would love to have a photo of how they were decorated. Had one but lost it.
We were out in Las Vegas for the weekend for our son's basketball tournament and we stayed at this hotel. The hotel was located just by the tournament, the rooms were clean and spacious, and the staff was very helpful with anything we needed.
we (3 people) stayed in one of their duplex suites. the suites were gorgeous....2 floors, with a living room and 1/2 bath downstairs, and a bedroom/loft with a great big full bathroom on the 2nd floor. the only problem: temperature control. on the lower level of the duplex, the temperature was fine, and that's where the thermostat was. upstairs, though, it was sweltering hot, like a sauna, even though the balcony window was open and the 40 degree outside air was blowing in. the upstairs doesn't have its own temperature control, so the bathroom and the bedroom was just unbearably hot. for $1000 a night (with tax, etc.), i'd like at least the temperature in the room to be bearable. the minibar was well stocked, and the toiletries were nice, but the temperature control wasn't. and, we were a bit loud, and had complaints from the neighboring rooms....but, we could hear them too and we didn't complain. the walls are a bit thin (or, at least, not thick enough...you'd think there'd be better sound proofing). the room service was adequate, though over-priced. staff was friendly and helpful. don't think i'd stay again. for the price, i'd rather get two big rooms across the street at the royalton.
Me and my friend stayed at this hotel in may 2003.The room was small and the blinds was dirty and wouldnt come up. One day when i was standing bare foot on the carpet i noticed that it was wet from the leaking shower... I guess that the mold sponges are huge.The tv barely worked. My friend spotted a cockroach big as a hand one day in the hallway.Our room was adjacent to the next room only separated by a thin plywood door. Next door neighbour tried to get in to our room probably thinking it was a wardrobe door.Towels were a bit dirty and humid.The only good is the location, pretty close to 79th street station 1-9 trains.Wont come back!
Spent an AMAZING 7 nights at the Westin in April-09 on Easter holiday. Firstly, before I start can I say that the hotel is absolutely worth every one of its 5 stars. I totally disagree with previous reviews that say the hotel is not quite there - BELIEVE me it is!!!We are reasonably well travelled and have stayed in some of the 'leading hotels of the world' (the One and Only Reethi Rah Maldives and the Banyon Tree in Bangkok to name but two) and the Westin experience is certainly up there! We also stayed at the Jumeriah Beach 3 years ago (in an executive room) and in our opinion the Westin was superior on almost every level!We booked our Westin executive room on Expedia (receiving 40% discount) and certainly were not disappointed. The merc limo transfer (inc cold towels and water) that picked us up at the airport set the tone and standard for the week.Check in at the executive lounge was extremely efficient as was the service we received throughout our stay. We enjoyed the complimentary afternoon tea most days and certainly made the most of happy hour (6-8) every evening! The bar staff made sure the cocktails were free flowing and were quick to ask if another drink was required. Rooms are very large, well appointed and spotlessly clean. We enjoyed a seaview room with balcony that overlooked the Palm. Only minor gripe was no ipod dock facility to play ipod in room.I concur with the previous reviews about a QUALITY breakfast - so will not repeat how good this was - but will add this was the most extensive breakfast menu we have ever experienced.We ate in the Westin at Bussola and the Hunter's grill - quality of food and service was excellent (if a little expensive) but certainly no different in price to other 5* establishments we visited.We also ate at Pai Thai (Madinat Jumeriah) Timeout Dubai's 2009 most romantic? - overrated in our view but did enjoy the abra boat ride to the restaurant.We did enjoy an excellent meal at Frankies (Frankie Dettori / Marco Pierre White establishment) at the Marina. It is true that a couple of courses and a glass of wine will set you back c.100 in each of the above - but there was no doubting the quality at Hunter's grill, Frankies or Bussola.The wine bar and cocktail bar attracted a young &amp; hip crowd on Wednesday and Thursdays with the godess promotion night and 2 for 1 offers. Clearly the Westin is one of the places to be seen for the discerning locals!Most days were spent at the pool (adult only area) and there was no issue with the availability of beds either by the pool or on the beach - space is not an issue at the Westin resort and it never felt overcrowded, even at full occupancy. Pool staff were polite and courteous and were eager to move beds and umbrellas when required. Would I recommend this hotel to others? - DEFINITELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!If / when I return to Dubai would I stay at the Westin again? ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had a lovely stay here at this hotel. Easy check in, kind staff. Beautiful room as well. room was a bit small, but most are in nyc. It was nice and tastfully decorated. It was also very very quiet. Couldnt hear street sounds, couldnt hear anyone open close doors, couldnt hear anyone turn their water or showers on..nothing......dead silence ! perfect place to stay for a beautiful experience and restful nite. They also have a lovely lounge with great selections and a beautiful area to relax in the lobby.
This is a true 5 star hotel. I've stayed in many so called &quot;5-star&quot; hotels which fail to reach the mark. This however is terrific; service is impeccable from the check-in and all throughout our stay. We were there for 4 nights and celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary there. They even put out champagne and strawberries and covered the bed in rose petals much to our suprise. It's great that it's connected to Festival City shopping mall, where easy access to shops, cinemas, food hall etc is very convenient.I can strongly recommend this hotel for short-long term stays, you get much MORE than what you pay for.
i stayed here for india art summit in pragati maidaan. pick up was on time, room was spacious and well cleaned. location was something i dint like much. venue was easily approachable from the hotel via metro.wi-fi in room was a great relief.
Flew to Las Vegas from Northern Ca for a party at the Red Rock Casino; checked-in after 8pm only to find out that my stay was not on list even though she stated that there were rooms booked for this event in the family member's name. I stated that I was a family member, and I was the only member arriving on Thursday night. This event was planned approximately 2 months in advance. Common-in sense should have played a role in this conversation, i.e., I was part of the event. Needless to say I/we had no choice but to stay for the night and was assured that they would adjust my room charges to the group rate the following day (Friday). Following directions I went to the Hotel desk the next morning only to find out that the Clerk/Reservationist could not make the adjustment, it could only be handled by the person who reserved/booked the rooms (Mara). The Clerk/Reservationist stated that she would email her to phone our party who reserved the rooms. The phone call never came. We had to call her. Sunday, finally we tried again and was told that she spoke to the hotel manager and he said &quot;No&quot; this was not going happen, I would not be receiving the group rate, even though that was not what I was told. But, they would adjust/remove the &quot;resort&quot; fee. By this time I'm not sure I believe anything this hotel is saying or doing. I go down stairs so that I can speak to Mara directly. Wouldn't you know she would not come out to talk to me, I had just spoke to her, and it was obvious to me by the expression on the gentlemen's face who had went in to call her to the desk that she was there. Unfortunately for our group we had spent collectively over $4000.00 in this casino, meals, gambling, shopping, etc. during our entire stay. Oh, I don't want to forget the meal we had at the Grille Cafe after checking-in on Thursday night. Upon entering I noticed a man sitting on a bar stool on the back wall, but paid it no mine at the time. We were seated right away. We waited, and waited, and waited. Thirty minutes had passed, no water, only in passing &quot;some one will be right with you&quot;. My daughter saw the waiter pass our area again and summoned him to our table and asked was someone going to wait on the two of us? He responded in haste that he was sorry (mind you every one around us was being waited on) that he was getting off work now and that they were trying to find someone to help us! Trying to find someone, are you kidding me? He did not seem embarassed that we stopped him but it appeared that he did not want to wait on our table. About 5 - 10 minutes later another waiter comes to the table to take our order. Now by this time (45 minutes later) I am frustrated with a loss of appetite. He takes our order. While waiting again I noticed a group of five people walking in to be seated three tables ahead of my table by the man I saw sitting on stool when we entered the restaurant. He seated them right away. I said to my daughter I wonder how long they're going to have to wait to eat. No sooner than I said this (less than 2 minutes) a waiter was at their table with his pad and pencil writing. Amazing. Meanwhile, we've been sitting close to an hour now and the waiter that was leaving to go home was still serving food. Imagine that! Wow! Unfortunately, I could not get the word to our group to not patronize this restaurant until after the fact and they experienced the same thing. I'am a working professional. I 've owned 2 small businesses, and 1 restaurant. I treat all customers the same regardless of race, gender, creed, or color. If you are only serving a certain race/group of people then you should post a sign outside your restaurant stating that fact. That way guest arriving will know not to stop. If your staffing per customer ratio is low then you can relay this to your customer upon their arrival, i.e., the wait time may exceed 5 or 10 minutes, etc. Never again! You can keep your &quot;rock&quot;. The shopping I did in your casino, especially the shirts we purchased with your insignia engraved on them, will be donated to the Goodwill Stores. I believe in the power of the consumer, and the rule of 10. Which means I will not book another stay at your hotel, and tell ten people about my experience there.
Free breakfast buffet and free light dinner, great location, capable friendly staff, cheapest rates.
The fact that the Soho ranks as London's best is one of the many reasons why I love Tripadvisor. I've stayed at the lion's share of upmarket London properties on business; time and again when I am asked what my favorite hotel in London would be, I immediately exclaim: The Soho! There's nothing that comes close to approximating the combination of nice design, warm service and buzzy atmosphere. I have even tried other Firmdale Hotels addresses thinking I might come close. The Covent Garden and Haymarket almost do the trick, but in the end, it's not just about the hotel - the cul-de-sac location is equally fab, almost like a cocoon, but at the heart of the West End, deep inside Soho, my favorite place to stay in Central London for about a million reasons. The restaurant isn't particularly noteworthy - not worth the price if you're an American in London with limited $$ to spend - but drinks and apps at the bar would be a fine idea at least one evening. Also make sure to take advantage of the guest lounges, both of them marvelous.
Arrival is a little bizarre because there are no visible signs to lead you to the reception but a number of entrances to chose from. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful as you would expect in any Taj property. Our suite was spacious although the bedroom was small in comparison to the living area. In addition good sized bathroom and kitchen with every utensil you could possibly require. This is the quietest hotel I have ever stayed in and we were not woken by any of the usual early morning noises one expects from a city or other guests. The only criticism I could have is that there was a draft in the bathroom and the breakfast room / bar is far too small. If you want a quiet stay in a very central part of London then this is an ideal place to stay.
The Renaissance Hotel in Las Vegas is a welcome oasis for those who are tired of the Casino scene! As the other reviewer noted the bedding, bathroom and furniture is very modern, clean and top quality. I ordered room service (corn/scallop soup + Maryland Crab Cake) and it was delicious.
I stayed at the Palace for 2 nights. Was very impressed when upon arrival at 11 AM, I was given a room. The lobby is breathtaking. Upon getting to my room, I noted that my view was of other windows. Understandable. When I started to look around the room, I noticed a thin layer of dust on just about everything and rings from glasses on a wood and glass table top. When I went into the bathroom, the floor did not look clean to me. After taking a shower, I took the hairdryer off the wall only to see it had lipstick on it. This was the last straw. I complained to the front desk and was told I could change rooms. I declined as I had already unpacked some things and was on my way out to a meeting. I was told that my room would be re-cleaned and that a member of management would inspect it. I said this was fine. When I returned after 8 pm it looked like nothing had been done to the room save removing my used towel. The dust, water marks, lipstick, and floor grime remained. My used towel was not even replaced. I called down to the front desk and was told nothing could be done but that management would contact me. They never did. Additionally, water pipes in the bathroom alternately ran and dripped through the night. No newspaper in the morning. I have never had an issue with a Westin property before and was dismayed at the poor service quality at this property. Let me emphasize it was not the age of the property that was an issue for me. I would only stay here again if I got a great deal.
I stayed at this hotel for a conference, and was impressed by this hotel. As others have said, this is a large hotel with every convenience you would expect... as long as you are willing to pay handsomely for it. The location is very convenient from the airport, and I did meet some airline personnel who were staying there between flights.The check in went very well. I had only large bills for my taxi, so when I went into the hotel with the door man to get change, he took the change out and paid the taxi for me. Check in was quick and efficient - even got a minor upgrade on my room by asking nicely. The price was expensive, but this hotel was where the conference was hosted, so I didn't even consider staying anywhere else - I expect that most hotels were similarly priced.The room was very large and nice. The view was nice, overlooking the pool area, as well as one small window with a view of the Burj Dubai. Comfortable bed, good work desk, and a walk in closet. There were several different firmness pillows available, and did not have any problems with that.The bathroom was very large, and well appointed with a lot of natural stone. There is a separate tub and shower, dual sinks, and there is a frosted glass door to separate the toilet and bidet from the rest of the room.The room does include a minibar, but, like everything else, the prices are very expensive. The only free things were water bottles and ice, brought by the housekeeping staff every evening.The conference went very well, and the staff was very attentive to everything we needed there. The quality and variety of food and drinks was very good. I would highly recommend this hotel for anyone hosting a conference in Dubai.I used the business center a couple of times, and, not unexpectedly, found the prices to be very high. Similarly, the charges for internet use in the room were high.There are apparently 14 restaurants (seems like more!), and all looked very good - didn't have enough time to try them all. The breakfast buffet (Market Cafe) is very expensive (&gt;$40), but was good on the one morning I ate there. Likewise, the steak house (Manhattan Grill) was very good, but a full dinner topped out at $120 for one. The Singapore seafood restaurant (Peppercrab) was also very good, and the prices seemed expensive ($300 lobster), but I didn't see the final bill. Cooz was a nice jazz club - we had some scotch and Cuban cigars, and enjoyed nice jazz singing with a piano accompaniment.I did have a little time to go out to the pool. It was not tourist season, so it was kinda quiet, but was still well kept, and I didn't have to wait very long for service. There is also an indoor pool that looked very nice, but was empty except for one lonely lifeguard. The spa and exercise room looked very well staffed and stocked, but I did not use them.The only complaints about the hotel revolve around price and culture. One female co-worker complained about the service at the front desk. When she was in the middle of checking out, an Arab man walked up, and the front desk clerk stopped helping her and instead helped the man. That's probably a cultural thing, tho.I would not recommend this hotel if you are looking for some place to travel on a nice budget holiday, but if you need to go to Dubai - particularly on a company expense account - I can recommend it.
This is a great place to stay if you have high hopes of seeing the police arrest someone in your hotel parking lot.
v trendy and v dark! met lots of fellow brits groping their way round the walls. particularly amused to be in the library - too dark to read! good location near the columbus circle so from that point of view it works but wouldn't rush back.
Every room on our side of the hotel was over their night club, which had events both Saturday and Sunday night that lasted until after 3 a.m. in the morning. The ear plugs next to the bed did nothing to help with the fact that the room was vibrating. It was truly horrendous. The hotel itself is very nice, but for the price I'd expect to be able to get some sleep. Never again.
The Chelsea Tower provides such excellent accommodation, I cant belive it is rated as the 70th best hotel in Dubai!The apartments are very nicely furnished, the modern fixtures and fittings made it feel like a home from home. Views from each side of the Tower are fantastic, particularly as you get up to the higher floors. From the front of the building you have clear views of the Burj Al Arab (the 7 star sail hotel), the Jumeriah Beach Hotel, &quot;The World&quot; and the new Burj Dubai (currently under construction.The pool area is very good. There is always a life guard on duty, who will move towels from sunbeds that dont appear to be used. The pool side is immaculate, very clean. Even the towels match the blue and white theme of the hotels decor. Both the ladies and gents changing rooms have a sauna and steam room which can be used at no extra cost. The gym is very good with up to date equipment and instructors on hand.Other reviews state that the hotel does not have a fancy lobby. This is correct when compared with large chain hotels. However there is a seating area, reception desk and concierge as you would expect on the ground floor. Also, whilst there are no restaurants located within the hotel, there are a number of bars and restaurants located below the hotel and on the street which runs out front. The &quot;Limelite&quot; bar below will even deliver your food and drinks to you at the poolside!I would stongly recommend the use of this hotel for business or pleasure.
Upon check in the front staff was very nice and willing to help in anyway they could. We had problems with the air but with a quick response from the the maintenance staff we were told they would have it fixed or we would have a new room.. My husband and I were on our way for the day. When we arrived back that afternoon the air was still messed up but had a message on the phone for us to call Joan Torres, stating the air was unable to be fixed and they were giving us a different room. We moved and sure enough that air was messed up. No panic as we spoke to the Manager Jorge Guerrero he made sure we were placed in a room that the air was working. He had a maintance guy to go check the air before we moved and then he met us in the room to verify the air was working. Mr. Guerrero was very kind and went out of his way to make sure our stay was comfortable from then out. He even left a message letting us know his schedule incase we needed anything. The morning of our departure I asked to see him just to let him know how much we appreciated everything he did to make our accomdations comfortable. If more managers were like him with handling situations then it would be a better place for travelers. I look forward to coming back to New York and staying at the Sheraton New York City and towers and most of all seeing Mr. Guerrero. The location is within walking distance to Time Square subway. Be prepared to walk and ride the subway, that was the coolest.
We stayed for a week in a suite and it was perfect. Great hotel service... good decor.. personal touches..big rooms... room service good, not great...on site restaurant nothing that memorable.. friendly and helpful concierge.. great two marble bathrooms... would definitely recommend..downside: internet access can be reached at the two computers in the lobby but if not you have to pay $14.95 for WiFi a day..
I stayed@ the york house hotelit has finally been taken ove by a group that also owns more apart hotels and takes care of their customers, the customer service is fantastic always helpful ive been told since the hotel changed hands on oct 15th that it will be having many upgrades, right now u can cook in the rooms this is amazing u truely feel u are in a place from home to home!! this place has been truely undersold in every aspect before these people took over , I recommend this place for anyone to stay for 1weeks or even months, The new managment cannot do enough for you and I feel that if trip advisor readers read this these guys should be recommended for an award in customer service!!! They tell me that the breakfast shall be improoved greatly and that the fact that they shall introduce a limo service for and during peoples stay, if you feel that u do not wish to cook then they will arrange a chef for an extra price to cook for you!!! I have never seen this in even the most luxury of hotels, I give these new guys 10/10! Steve B
We were booked at the Hilton for a conference, but there was a mixup and my secretary was able to get me in here on short notice. Location is perfect as noted by others. Rooms are TINY as are the bathrooms. I mean barely room to bring your suitcase into the room tiny. The website and lobby belie the age of this hotel which becomes visible when you get in the elevator or approach your room. Many layers of paint obviously, with cracks. Only room door closed (bathroom and closet didn't). They added new windows inside the old which likely helps block out some noise, but this is in the city and there were frequent sirens throughout the night. Still we slept ok. Beds were comfortable. Everything was clean. Felt safe. Staff was friendly and helpful.Not so crazy about Little Joe's, but perhaps just not our taste in tomato sauce.TV got only about 7 channels. We weren't there much so not a big deal for us. No internet access near as I could tell.Fine place, esp for the price, and location is tough to beat!
we are currently travelling across the usa and booked hotel des arts as our san francisco home for 6 days. The decoration is pretty amazing in the rooms and the rest of the hotel is nice too. We saved some cash and opted for a room with shared bathroom, which turned out great as it seemed everyone else had gone for en suite rooms so the shower and loo were always fresh, clean and available. The self service breakfast of muffins, bagels, yoghurt, tea, coffee and juice was a great start to the day and there is no problem taking a tray full up to your room for breakfast in bed. Our room was very clean with a tv, microwave and fride and even had a window that opened (rare on the 5th floor in the US we have found!!).Staff were helpful and booked our airport shuttle and made phonecalls for us to book other things too.overall we would stay here if we pass through SF again and would reccommend it to anyone looking for a good location (between chinatown, union square and the financial district) which is walking distance to the sights and good value for money.
As others have said, the rooms and beds in this hotel are quite nice. However, for a supposedly four-star hotel they really squeeze you on the little things. We were shocked to find that:- local phone calls cost $1.50 each- requesting a corkscrew costs $5- making your own coffee in the room costs $2- internet access in the room costs $16 _per day_- the ATM in their lobby charged $3.25 to take out moneyAny complaints about these charges were met with &quot;that's just how much it costs.&quot; Overall I would recommend the Crowne Plaza as a better high-end hotel experience, we had a wonderful stay with them that was much more pleasant in every feature. Everything mentioned above was included in the cost of the room, except for the ATM which was more affordable.
We debated between Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf area. The Hilton at Union Square was a great choice. We walked to Fisherman's Wharf one night - About 40 minutes (my Husband was ready to kill me!! - With the hills it was quite the workout) We took a cab back for $10.00. The Hilton is right in the centre of everything, so it was easy to connect to transportation to take you where you wanted to go. We took the BART from the airport to Powell station and wheeled our suitcases a few blocks to the hotel. SUPER easy. The room was standard - Ours overlooked the pool and was next to the elevators. I am a light sleeper and could hear the elevators all night so she(AUDREY at the front desk -AWESOME!) moved us no problem. We did have some other minor concerns that we brought up with the people at the front desk but the rest of them are young and don't really care. That was our only complaint. Oh, and the pool area was looking like it needed a makeover. We were very impressed that the hotel was checking people in 24 hours a day. Whether you arrived at 8 a.m. or 8 p.m., they had a room ready, so noone had to wait unitl 3 p.m.. All in all what you would expect from a Hilton.
New hotel with smart rooms (not small) in a good location. Nice touch - large fridges in reception with a selection of food / drink items to buy; great for us as we arrived late at night starving! Only complaint - lifts are small and get very busy; when one was out of order it caused delays in getting up to room so walked up the stairs (only 16 floors!). Overall - very pleased with our stay and would recommend. Top tip - hotel is very close to Penn Station so you can use the Penn Station to Jamaica (LIRR express train) for access to / from JFK - quicker than subway.
Stayed there for one night in Sep-05 ... and that was one night too many. Carpeting on main floor is old, stained and smells like mold and mildew. We had a room on the 11th floor, and room also smelled mildewy, the water barely made it out of the taps and was also discolored. And I guess we were not far enough away from the smoking rooms, and the hallway in our area also smelled like cigarette smoke.The employees were picketing outside to join a union. We were told they have been trying for 3 years to join a union, but management is obviously non-supportive.On a positive note, ALL of the employees that we spoke to were extremely pleasant, knowledgable and helpful.
Days Inn Westminster is a good base for central London, especially those visiting fot the firs time and wanting to be in close proximity to most sights. The hotel itself gets the job done, with standard European style small rooms, but with most modcons, including wifi at a cost. As I was staying on a pricline bid, I didn;t use the restaurant or other conveniences, bur was satisfied enough with a comfortable bed, ensuite bath, small desk, and small tv. As mentioned the hotel is between Vistoria and Pimlico tube stations. There's a Cafe Nerro around the corner thats opewn until 10pm, and a pub up the street.
there is absolutely no atmosphere in the hotel.alcohol is also not served and the people prefer to just stare at you than serve you!!i booked a twin room and was given a tiny double, eventually was moved to a twin which was extremely tiny.your arms out stretched reached 3/4 of the way across the room.the bathroom was even smaller and was nearly impossible to shut the door when inside! there was ripped carpet and the mattress' were broken! there was no a/c either and the rooms were boiling, it was too noisey to even open a window.when leaving the hotel a man asked what room we were in and that he was on that floor the week before and had a similar problem.The hotel is not deserving of a 3star and it is far from it.
I was in town for business and booked a room last minute (and late at night.) I was happy to see no issues with the online booking and when I arrived, the hostess was friendly and inviting. The rate I booked was very good considering the other hotels in the area. I was a bit shocked at the size of the room, but from what I hear, is common in NYC. Just be aware, (for all you NYC rookies) that hotel rooms are not your typical sized hotel rooms. If you are staying at STAY with a loved one then you are in luck (at least in my case) the bed was tiny, so you'll be snuggling. However, if you are with a family, you will need to ask for a bigger room (if they have them) because I am 6'2&quot; and I swear, if my legs were 2 feet longer, they would be pressed against the opposing wall, hah! The room was trendy and sexy. The bose radio/clock was nice and the flat screen TV is nice as well. The bathroom was small as well but just as equally sexy and modern. Bonus: the toilet was contoured and very comfortable. Terry cloth robe was a nice touch.I will stay again at this hotel. I want to bring my wife to the city. I recommend the STAY hotel for a romantic night in the big city.
We booked this motel online and upon arrival was overcharged upwards of $455. I brought this to the attention of the manager and was told that they could charge me anything they wanted to charge me. After 6 days the money was returned to my account. IT TOOK 6 DAYS! I was offered nothing but two complimentary meals. 6 days, 2 meals, you can do the math. We had come on a fixed budget and this ruined our whole vacation. I understand mistakes happen, but the motel did nothing to rectify it. While we were there we overheard at least 7 other customers complaining about the same thing. Apparently they place a hold on your card literally for whatever they feel like charging you. (managers exact words) They do not disclose this and when you bring it to their attention they still do not admit to it. The motel is in the ghetto too. The entire area smells like pee. I wouldn't say it's dangerous, but certainly not for the faint of heart. The motel itself was clean, but the whole neighborhood is just a cesspool. It's dirty and smells bad. The staff are complete morons, they lie to your face and don't make any effort to turn you into a repeat customer. They also charge you several &quot;donations&quot; upon checkout that you have can not refuse to pay. The motel is cheap, but you get what you pay for. I booked it because it was cheap, but in hindsight I wish I had not gone on vacation at all. This motel, and all of the Joi De Vivre motels are a joke. The neighborhoods are absolutely reprehensible. The staff, managers, and owners are cowards that would prefer to hide in their offices than address a complaint.I guess that's what I get for staying in a Best Western and trying to save a few bucks.
I spent three nights in July 2007 in a superior 1 bedroom suite for 1539rmb, including service and internet access. Superb location and rooms for the price. The decor is a bit shabby and the bed is very firm but not uncomfortable. No cooking facilities in the one bedroomed apartment but a nice sitting room.Breakfast was a hit or miss affair, some days excellent other days a waste of 60rmb. A bit expensive considering you can get an all you can eat lunchtime bbq in Xiantiandi for 68.The gym is typical for a hotel but the pool and sauna area are very nice.I would definitely stay here again.
The Orchard Hotel is a great place to stay, just 2-3 blocks from the action in Union Square. The perfect comfortable hotel, good staff. Excellent cocktails in the lovely bar/restaurant by DJ
Stayed there for 6 nights in August. We were initially given a corner hotel room on the 4th floor facing the bus depot. For 3 nights we could not sleep well because of the noise of the buses pulling in and out of the depot in throughout the night despite the very comfy bed. Finally, we asked for another room on the inside which the front desk gladly accommodated. He upgraded us to a preferred spg member room which came with complimentary water, a bathrobe and additional toiletries. The room was of a good size, with modernized decor and furnishings, as per all the inside of the hotel. The outside of the hotel looked so much older than the inside. It was too cold to use the outdoor pool. We were able to use the fitness room which was equipped with several ellipticals and threadmills etc. The elliptical was great, and we enjoyed watching olympics on the machine while working out. I recall internet was $14.95 per day but if you sat in the lobby with your laptop there was a free wireless hotspot. There was a business centre with computers and printer by the lobby, but there was a charge to use it. Also, at times, I was able to tap on free wireless hotspot from a nearby hotel if I stayed closed to the window but the signal was shaky.All the hotel staff we met during our stay were very friendly. We returned our rental car when we got to the hotel, so did not have to pay the daily parking fee at the hotel.Thumbs up overall !
My wife and I have just spent 3 nights at the Villa Florence and it really is a cut above most hotels, and great value - we paid $95 + tax. It is very individual with lots of nice touches - nothing like a big chain hotel. The location is excellent, near Union Square and the cable car runs by outside the door! We asked for and got a room at the back which was very quiet - just a view of a wall but that's fine for the lack of noise. Many restaurants nearby and the area is safe.
The price seemed good, and the location was close to friends. Where it went wrong, well, when we walked into our nonsmoking room, it reeked of smoke. No problem, get a new room. The new room featured the world's noisiest bathroom fan, which was attached to the light switch. No noise meant no light. The next day, the fan blade flew off the fan, and shot into my shaving kit. I pushed the bed against the headboard, only to find a pile of sunflower seeds on the floor. And finally, on the last day, we noticed a bunch of red stains on the lamp shade by the tv. We're hoping it was fruit juice.Apparently Arizona Charlie's bought the property a year and a half ago. Too bad they haven't put much money into the joint.
Stayed in Shatan Hotel during a 4 month backpacking holiday and felt very spoilt. The hotel is lovely with 24hr concierge and in a great secluded location behind the forbidden city. The street that the hotel is on seems very rustic but the hotel itself is very nice. The enterance to the beautiful jinshang park is only meters away and here you can get incredible photos of the whole of the forbidden city. Would definately recommend this hotel.
I decided to spring for the extra cost of staying at the Le Meridien. Wow, was I disappointed. So, disappointed that this is my first TripAdvisor review ever.My room was small and smokey--despite my request for a non-smoking room. The staff then showed me other rooms that had tiny windows that looked at other windows 10-15 feet away--they were like maids rooms. They let me move hotels and didn't charge me.Anyway, their website is beautiful, their hotel is not. It's worth about 100-125 pounds a night--then maybe stay. The health club and pool were very nice.The staff, however, is incredibly pleasant and helpful.
The location is brilliant. You're right next to The EL (The Red Line) which takes you anywhere (Downtown or North) fast. If you are looking for a hotel close to the gay area of town, this is just blocks away. Also, there is great shopping and restaurants RIGHT outside your door.The staff is VERY nice and our double room was great. Clean, good size, a/c, roomy bathroom. NOTHING was wrong with the room. We were on the side of the building away from the train and we heard absolutely nothing that I have read in other reviews. However, it was St. Patrick's Day weekend and the people in rooms throughout our floor were making SO much noise (even around 3 and 4 am) that it was very disappointing the hotel staff did NOTHING to silence them.Other than that I would stay here over and over again... just not on a 'let's get drunk' holiday weekend...
Not the worst place we've stayed. Enough issues that we'd look elsewhere the next time we visit Beijing. The shower water was the most remarkable- from scalding hot to ice cold for the entire shower- and it stopped flowing not one, not two, but three times for my wife's shower- weird.The breakfast is fine, the security is good (key to operate elevator) and the staff seems fine. This is the only hotel in China I've stayed in that had service staff with a Western attitude (complaining to coworkers and frowning). Finally, we do not like the location, in the midst of the most expensive everything! We'll choose a place like the Bamboo Garden Hotel again if they have space.
This is probably a known party hotel. The rooms are large and inexpensive and the hotel itself is huge. To its credit, there was a concert in town, but reading some of the other reviews, it seems like this happens often. We were woken up several times during the night by the rooms around us. Upon check-in, there was an issue with my room rate which was never resolved but it wasn't a huge issue for me. The front desk staff was less than friendly including the supervisor. She seemed to become a bit nicer later on and the next morning. The staff did not seem very confident and probably needed some more training. The room was clean and the hotel was fairly close to some decent attractions. The free internet was appreciated. This is why I gave it an average rating (and not less). I would not stay here again if I were going to spend time exploring Montreal. For one night, it served its purpose.
We arrived at 5pm on a Saturday afternoon hoping to relax and have a bath after a busy day's shopping and before goin to the theatre. Upon arrival we were greeted by the manager who informed us that our room had been given to a regular guest who had extended their stay. We were then ferried away to a dump in Bloomsbury where they tried to force us to accept 2 single rooms. Obviously we balked at this and were taken back to the St Georges for &quot;a complimentary soft drink&quot; whilst they arranged something else.Upon complaining to the manager I was told,in a quite aggressive tone, &quot;it's not my problem...take it up with lastminute&quot;. By this point I was absoutely fuming.In the end we arrived at the theatre late and hungry with nowhere to stay. We then got a call saying that they had found somewhere, a B&amp;B attached to a pub in Clapham. For this they paid 80, I had paid 150 for the room.Be careful before stayinmg with this unprofessional hotel. I can reccomend much better hotels in London at half the price.
We were very pleased with this hotel. We had a suite, which worked out perfectly since we were travelling with our three children. The room was clean and new (great) but there was a lot of street noise (not so great). The location is good, within easy walking distance to Rockefeller Plaza and Central Park.
Very nice hotel. Would definitely come back if the price is good. Stayed here for a conference nearby. No casino and there is a security guy filtering out people who are not staying there at times. Full kitchen - pity had no time to use. This is a bit out of the way if you want the location to be central strip. Bad thing is the $15 resort fee. :-(
I just returned from a long weekend in Montreal at the St. James. This hotel is quite beautiful and located in the old section of Montreal. Quite convenient to the airport - about a 20 minute ride with no traffic. Upon arriving at the hotel when you enter the hotel you get the feel of yesteryear as this was once a bank - very grand. I must admit that they do pay attention here to the little things regarding their guests. When I arrived from the airport via cab the doorman proceeded to remove my bag from the trunk of the cab - in doing so he made note from my luggage tag of my name and was quick to address me by my name - a little thing - but it definitely shows you something about this hotel. When I was brought to the reception desk for my check-in it was handled efficiently - though I had to wait a few minutes to make sure that my room was ready (which was odd to me as it was 5pm). My room which was a deluxe king was lovely - large and tastefully decorated. My only qualm was that I was given a room that was right near the elevator (I had made my reservation through Leading Hotels of the World where I am a member - my profile and reservation state to be placed away from elevators - reception needs to pay attention to this - though I will be honest as it did not become a problem because it was extremely quiet and I never heard any noise in relation to the elevator). In detailing my room which was large, there was a large king bed with delicious linens (very European), a desk, a small sitting area with two chairs and a large closet. The bathroom again very large with soaking tub and spa shower stall (with the rain shower fixture) with wonderful products for use. My room was extremely clean - and one very odd thing is that there were no do not disturb signs for ones door - but that did not matter because housekeeping never interrupted you while you were in your room (this usually happens in most hotels at around 7pm as they will come around for turn down service) - but when you went out in the morning as well as in the evening for dinner - you came back to a room that had been attended to. The hotels dining room &quot;XO&quot; is breathtaking (I believe some refer to this as the Grand Salon). Very stately for all meals as well as a formal afternoon tea or for drinks (there is also the Library for drinks as well). Please note - if you plan on having breakfast a the hotel do not bother with their continental breakfast (which consists of juice, coffee, and pastries) as their breakfast menu is superb! From presentation to taste - I never had such a fantastic breakfast. I did not dine in the restaurant for dinner but can only imagine how wonderful it must be and next time will try it. The concierge staff is tops. Prior to my arrival I had phoned with some dinner reservation requests which were taken care of perfectly - even a reservation in the top restaurant in Montreal Toques'. The location of the hotel is really quite convenient and just a ten minute walk to the historic area which is filled with shops, galleries and restaurants with a very Eurpoean feel. In summarizing, the hotel is lovely, very European, perfectly situtated and well worth the expense.
First, let me explain that I am not employed by Marriott, I am completely independent and stayed there with my wife and daughter on vacation.It is very obvious that not just money, but a lot of time, care and attention has been put into the detail of this hotel. Fixtures &amp; fittings and build quality are superb.The hotel has a fantastic landscaped garden with streams and fish ponds, a large swimming pool, hot tub, loungers and relaxing piped background music. It's hard to imagine this was built in a desert.We had a huge room with two queen beds, a large bathroom with 'his and hers' wash basins, double sized jacusi bath, walk in glass fronted marble clad shower with rain effect shower head as well as a normal power shower. Beware, there are full height wall mirrors in the bath area.The bedroom also boasted a balcony overlooking the mountains and desert, a walk in cloak room, large screen TV, coffee making facilities and mini bar.Breakfast consisted of a self service hot and cold food buffet, fresh fruit, danish pastries etc, etc, etc all washed down with far too much coffee and orange juice. A chef was there to cook eggs in the way of our choice. The catering staff go the extra mile, even so far as hand carving mellon decorations. Don't go to breakfast if on a diet!There is a small business suite located in the Consierge area, containing PCs, a printer and a photo copier.The hotel operates a regular shuttle bus service to the strip which takes about 20 minutes.We wondered why the hotel was to quiet, that was until we explored the long corridors and came across the casino. That's where everyone was hiding.Apparently some people enjoy sitting in a windowless, smoke filled room, pumping money into money grabbing machines. The casino area is a mini village in its own right, containing food outlets, bars and small shops. All I can say is it was considerate of them to allow us to use the superb hotel facilities in peace.The staff complimented the magnificence of the hotel perfectly. All staff were friendly from check in clerk to groundsman. No stuffiness or snootines.Let's hope these high standards are maintained.
I would never book this hotel for a romantic trip or a family trip. There were many young people in big groups, looks like class-trips. the room was very noisy, you can hear everything, even the smallest step in the corridor. the breakfast was bad! continental breakfast included was only toast and jam. For english breakfast, you have to pay 4.50. There were no shampo, only soap. It took 15 min to go to Oxford Street, so the location wasn't all that!
Have stayed here twice now on 'flying visits' to the metropolis.It's own description as an 'urban lodge' is spot on! Walking through the sliding glass door entrance which is flanked by two statues of greyhounds into a large, open foyer/bar/reception with all the acroutements of a modern take of a conventional lodge (such as the lights above, a papier eagle in flight and the wall mounted impressions of antlers - really great detailing!).This tremendous attention to detail is echoed throughout making it fantastic value (especially if you get the 1 room deal from the hotel when it runs them!). Friendly, helpful reception staff decked in a laid back staff uniform of t-shirts and baggy trousers. Free copies of 'The Guardian' and 'Evening Standard'. Free internet access in the foyer. Even the housekeeping staff looked chic! Several very attractive and well appointed meeting rooms. Ground floor loos marked 'im and 'er (nightmare if you're not familiar with London accent I imagine!). Gorgeous 'Coffee table' books on a long table in the foyer. Lots of urban materials used such as concrete and aluminium.The rooms are small but very sexy and a nice touch to have fresh milk in the fridge and free bottled water. Great shower with hand attachment and spacious enough for two! One of the breakfast options is a paper bag that you mark how many guests and time, and hang outside the door and in the morning, the Pret a Manger breakfast fairy returns your bag laden with a banana (or apple/orange), yoghurt and OJ. My other half couldn't wait to get at his!! Plasma screen occasionally tempermental but could also be used for radio.I however, preferred to take breakfast in the Hoxton Grille with 'watch as we cook&quot; chefs. I had Greek yoghurt with fresh berries and berry jus followed by creamy porridge sprinkled with sunflower seeds, raisins and drizzled honey, and copious quantities of great coffee whilst my other half went for the full Hoxton grill (I know what you're thinking! Yes - on top of the Pret goody bag too!). Great breakfast but service a tad dispairing.Had dinner in the Grille several times. Food was well above average though sometimes luke warm, service helpful but sometimes slow. Great cocktails and depending who's on the bar, they know how to serve a G&amp;T properly (sans snake fed tonic!).Eclectic area with really interesting eateries all round even though the walk from the dowdy Tube station (Old Street - one line, the Northern) gives the impression that you've walked into sleazeville central. Very easy to get to main transport junctures like Kings Cross, Euston, London Bridge. We did heaps of theatre and it's a doddle getting into the centre of town.Overall, and unusually for me, this will be a regular pitstop for me. Unbeatable value and so incredibly gorgeous! The one big downside (there has to be one I'm afraid) is that the entire hotel is built round a central courtyard - great idea. But totally useless when you're trying to get to sleep and the gorgeously interesting 'youfs' are merry-making in the courtyard below.
We used a &quot;blind booking&quot; site for the first time and were a little nervous to see where we'd end up. We were pleasently surprised. On check-in we asked for and were immediately given a courtesy upgrade to a king room. The room was large and nicely furnished. The bathroom was also large and had a jacuzzi. There was no view. The room was clean. I have a feeling that those who were unhappy with this hotel were in older, smaller rooms. This is not a state-of-the-art chain hotel. It's a cozy hotel with lots of personality in a terrific neighborhood. Staff was very nice.
Stayed here at the end of June for a couple of nights. I found the Palms to be a fabulous hotel. The pool area is incredible and great fun for singles and couples, the new section they have added is awesome - service is a little slow around the pool but all in all we loved it.The bars and restaurants in The Palms were also top notch. Ghost Bar was amazing, very friendly staff and such an amazing view. The clientele was great as well and the music was perfect.N9ne steakhouse lived upto its reputation of the best Steak house in Vegas.The Casino floor and the food court was a little tacky. Bottom line if you want a great location, great room, great pool, bars and restaurants this is for you, but if you want to gamble - pop in a cab and take a 5 min ride to the strip.This place is very hip.
We stayed here for two nights after a tour of the west country. We visit London a couple of times a year and stay in a different hotel each time. Drove to hotel, car and luggage immediately taken care of. Checked in in executive lounge highly efficient and friendly. One room was ready by 1 p.m. the other by 3. Great location near covent garden which was buzzing.ate at Wagamammas the first night which is a hit with the children (situated just a couple of minutes walk away. The frosted glass (bathroom) was a bit disconcerting and for this reason we shall probably not stay again, which is a shame given the efficiency of the staff and the extremely comfy beds which guarantee a good nights sleep.
Needed an overnight in London and booked two rooms on hotel's own website. Chose this hotel after reading reviews on Tripadvisor. Really glad I did.Location is 10mins easy walk from Gloucester Road tube (&amp; a similar distance from Earls Court &amp; High Street Kensington). Easy to find; Lexham Garden's is just off the Cromwell Road.Slight concern at check-in (thought I'd only booked 1 room) but the result was two upgrades to deluxe rooms (bigger &amp; better furnished I guess). Everything spotlessly clean. Very new furnishings &amp; fittings in modern style. LCD TV, robes, slippers &amp; marble bathroom. Bed really comfortable. Time was limited so used room service for evening meal: not a great deal of choice but when it came (c. 15mins) it was excellent quality, with large portions, superbly presented. Very efficient, polite and friendly staff. Had to rush out in the morning so didn't try their breakfast. Will definately be using this hotel again, next time I'm in London. Excellent value for money.
I stayed for 3 nights Oct. 2nd-5th. After reading the reviews here I expected a much worse neighborhood. OK, I would be careful at night, but we had no problems walking around the area at daylight.The hotel is OK. Nice rooms. They didn't get the internet working in my first room so I got an upgrade to a business room the next day. We didn't have any meals in the hotel, so I can't comment on this one. Pool is very nice, clean and warm. Parking is free as is the shuttle to Union Square, which we used frequently. Friendly drivers, somewhat ragged busses.If I return next time, I'll give it another try.
Great place to stay close to the cable cars and transportation, easy to get to everything from the donatello, like union square fishermans wharf the castro and other sight seeing places. The staff were very friendly and helpfull and the rooms very spacious and clean. buffet breakfast that was a bonus as well as we wern't expecting that. you are given a welcome pack when you arrive which helps you decide on any tours or sight seeing trips you might like to plan
There is nothing wrong with the Four Seasons, but I would not return unless I had to be in Canary Wharf. At this price level, a clean, comfortable room and decent service is expected and was delivered. However, I found the Four Seasons to be cold and uninviting. I'd rather stay at the Savoy, for example, which is charming and which I found to be more welcoming.The hotel is obviously geared toward business travelers, and I felt unecessarily nickeled and dimed. You'd need to be on an expense account to pay the $30 per day, per computer charged for internet access (am amenity many hotels provide for free). A cup of coffee in the lounge set me back $8.00 (not including tip). My stay was fine, but at this price point I'd rather be elsewhere.As an aside, Canary Wharf has an underground shopping mall, plenty of cafes and upscale bars, and some nice restaurants. All are within a short walk from the hotel. The tube is also close by, and the trip to central London is fast and easy.
This hotel is in a lovely leafy street just off 8th Avenue, is is close to the 23rd Street Subway which is useful for the E line which connects direct to JFK plus all the other lines.The area feels safe day and night and has some good bars and resutrants nearby although some do close early compared to NYC standards. There is a supermarket on the corner and a couple of Starbucks nearby.The hotel is very nice although I did feel the rooms were a little small once you opened up the large suticase it was all a little tight, a light over the mirror by the sink would also be useful. However we did not spend much time in the hotel and the bed was comfy, a reminder to other guests that closing doors can be done quietly!It is within walking distance of several of the main attractions or areas.
We stayed three nights here and loved it. It was a beautiful hotel right in the heart of Dubai and close to everything we wanted to see. The room was beautiful and the view great from the 26th floor. There was construction next door but we couldn't hear much noise. I'm sure we could have moved if we wanted to. I had a facial at the spa and it was very nice. The staff there treat you well. The sunset pool had the nicest design on it and I loved the lighting and ambience at night. We had lunch in the exchange grill and it was superb. We experienced Spectrum on One with in room dining and it was great. Our best experience was with the bell staff. All we had to do is walk out the front door and a cab was there. The bell guy would tell the driver where to take us and give us a Fairmont Dubai card with the cab number written on it. The cab number was in case we had a problem or forgot something in a cab. I used the card to show cab drivers where to take me home. On the second morning, Phillip the bell guy suggested we cab it to the Museum and take a water taxi instead of going straight to the gold souk. It was a fabulous suggestion and we thoroughly enjoyed our 2 dirham water taxi ride across the creek. This is an excellent hotel to stay in and we hope to be back.
IN S.F. for Fringe Festival. Stayed 1 night. Perfect location for this. Excellent, helpful staff. Room was ready at 11am on crowded weekend. Upgraded free to 2-bed room from single queen since latter was unavailable, so room was larger than expected. 8th floor, view only of other buildings but room was in an odd corner so there was light and air in both main room and bathroom. Free safe in closet. Free high speed internet in room (ethernet cable provided). Free and enthusiastic storage of bags for several hours after checkout. Parking expensive-Not odd for S.F. but still, if you are driving into the city the $150 room becomes a $180 room.
From the perspective of a young woman and her eighteen year old brother travelling on their own, the hotel had lots to offer. In terms of ease of travel by tube, it was just a 5 minute walk from Paddington. The rooms they stayed in (a week apart) were both nice, not spacious but they were impressed with the cleanliness, especially the bathroom. Eateries in the area were good, especially Ask Pizza (raves!) The only complaint was about the breakfast, which they only sampled once before going elsewhere for coffee and pastries. Staff were helpful and friendly, both to the kids and to us when we called. Overall, good value for the money if you are looking for something pleasant, but reasonable.
I stayed at the Solita SoHo from May 15-21, 2005. The hotel is small (only 4 rooms per floor), but it was relatively new, and modern. I traveled with a large group, and may people complained about the room size, but these were also people who had never been to NYC, and didn't understand that in NYC, space comes at a premium ($$$$)!The beds were very comfortable; the rooms have plasma screens because the rooms are so small. The bathroom was also nice. The bed linens were all white, the carpet was black, and the window coverings were gold. Each room comes with a robe and complimentary bottled water (they also leave a bottle of $8 water if you want to buy it). The high-speed internet onnection was free. The only drawback was the ONE elevator. We were on the 11th floor, but we never had to use the stairs. If you have trouble walking, you may want to request a room on a lower floor in case of an emergency - or you get tired of waiting for the elevator. The hotel is close to lots of shopping on Broadway and Canal Streets and restaurants - the place across the street should be for emergencies only...it's not all that. The subway is also close. If you travel alone or are cozy with your travel partner, you're good to go in these close quarters. I was with my sister, and we shared a room as kids, so it was no big deal for us.
We booked this hotel as we needed somewhere to stay over after watching a football match at Wembley stadium. We thought the 60 price for our room was quite reasonable compared to prices of other hotels in the area and bearing in mind there was a major sporting event on.The staff were pleasant and helpful on our arrival and our room was well presented and very comfy. Yes its situated on a busy and noisy main road but this is stated quite clearly when booking on their website.I noticed a comment about no warning of car break ins, although we didnt go by car, on the entrance gate there is a warning sign about car crime being high in this area.Although breakfast is a little pricey at 7.50 it is an all you can eat buffet where you can go back and help yourself to as much as you want.My only complaint is that the Travelodge website states that Hanger Lane is the nearest tube station when in fact Stonebridge Park is the nearest, we got off the tube at Hanger Lane and the directions from the station to the hotel were awful, the streets in that area aren't clearly signed and we ended up walking round for an hour in overhead thunderstorms looking for the hotel before eventually flagging down a cab to take us there. If we'd have known Stonebridge Park was the nearest tube it would have made life so much easier.....yes its a 10-15 min walk but thats nothing!I think the hotel is very nice though and very well priced, I would definately stay there again.
We stayed here for a long weekend in June, and had a great time. The accommodations are first class, the location is stellar, and the staff is top-notch. You get exactly what you pay for. Our room was very large, the beds were very comfy, and the location is right off of Michigan Ave., so everything we did was walking distance away. We even caught the train to Wrigley &amp; the airport, so I think we only took one cab -- which was to the hotel.
I travel to SF monthly on business. The Rex is a great home away from home. The staff is friendly, the hotel centrally located to shopping and Bart, the restaurant is very good, and the wine hour very nice as well. I think it's a good value for the money in SF.
Stayed here from 3rd - 7th December. Room small but clean, noisy central heating pipes but cosy inside from the snow so we didn't mind the noise. Perfect location and friendly staff. Would definitely stay their again
My husband and I spent 2 days and 1 night in San Francisco (which is not nearly enough time to spend there) this June. The hotel is elegant and well maintained. The service was excellent (we are loyal Ritz Carlton guests when we travel) and we found the Mandarin staff to be very professional, well-trained, friendly, helpful, and unpretentious. We had a bridge-to-bridge room and the view in the hallway and in the room was spectacular. There were binoculars in the room, and what an awesome sight it was! The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was because as tourists, we spent very little time enjoying the hotel, yet payed almost $400 for the 1 night. We surely did not get our money's worth. I knew the hotel would be great, but had I realized that, other than sleeping, I would spend barely 2 hours in the room, I would have opted for a cheaper hotel, or at least a cheaper room. I would recommend a stay here if you will be able to enjoy the hotel and your room, not if you will be doing major sightseeing.
Over 1000 hotels in London and we had to choose this one, or is it a B&amp;B?Souless place in a noisy location, horrendously over priced in a class of it's own.We were as welcome as a fart in a space suit, one could hope that the staffs visa's were to soon run out, then they could be replaced by caring people with personality who are able to make decisions on their own.
We just returned from a 6 night stay in the Radisson. At fist I was a bit sceptic because of the mixed reviews on this site. However I could not find something negativ. Check-in was at 4 pm but they let us check-in at 2 pm so we did not have to wait until 4. The room was great. It was clean, spacious and there were good facilities e.g. big (empty) fridge and a big in-room safe and coffeemaker. The staff was very hepfull and friendly. The day before we left we arranged a towncar to the airport at the conciergedesk for a fixed price of 50 dollars. Also our room was done perfect by housekeeping everyday.The location is also perfect. You exit the hotel right on Fisherman's Wharf and all restaurants are on walking distance. Also fastfood like IHOP. Johnny Rocket, SubWay etc is 2 min of a walk. Another great benefit is a large supermarket 2 blocks away on powell street. We walked to most of the attractions even Union Square we did by foot. It took about 1 hour, but on the way there you will see a lot e.g China Town. We took a 2,5 hour tour in a tourbus made from a cable car. It stops at the golden gate also for 30 min. This car is also right outside of the hotel. Also right outside the hotel is the boat that will take you to Alcatraz on Pier 33.One thing that can be influenced is the weather, but this was also great this time of year. You could walk outside till late. We felt completely safe which it also was.I would certainly stay here again. Good location, good food and nice people.TIP: take a bayarea guide which can be found in yellow boxes on the sidewalks. All information and maps are in here.
Overall the hotel is good located and near to to the subway (Line 2, Jing' an temple station) and of course embedded in an nice area: very central but far away from the tourist masses at the Bund.As you can read in the other reviews the issue is that the hotel is currently not finished (May 2008): the pool is not open, unfortunately the whole staff is not enough trained for a five star hotel and with respect to the closed shops and restaurants the whole athmosphere is sometimes a little bit lifeless.Anyway, I've never worked for an hotel - maybe this could be &quot;normal&quot; for the first days of a new Hotel- life in Shanghai?! And of course, they offered us attractive low rates for a five star, so overall we had an attractive stay!
I just had to check before I wrote this that I had got the right hotel.We stayed for 3 nights with a tour and found the hotel to be really pleasant. The room was large and very clean.We ate in the restaurant one night when we got back late and that was good value and the breakfast buffet was lovely and fresh and plentiful.I used the business centre to send/check emails and that was free of charge with very little waiting time.The location was great just a short walk away from the main shopping street.The little shop was so handy and open quite long hoursI would recommend this hotel.
We booked a 3 night stay in the Kitano with no breakfast, while the rates were above average per night for a hotel in New York, we decided to treat ourselves. We were not disappointed. The location of the hotel is fantastic, just 4 blocks away from central station and 42nd street, 2 avenues away from 5th avenue and approximately a 15 minute walk (after some meandering in and out of shops) from central park. The room we had was a superior king size. We requested a non-smoking room and a non-smoking floor. The room was spotlessly clean, the sheets were turned down each night on return to the room, the bathroom products were replaced on a daily basis (shiseido products!) and the staff were really helpful. We had a view of the Empire State Building from our bedroom window which was spectacular at night. The bed was very comfortable, we had a plasma screen with plenty of choice for television stations. The hotel was quiet, we did not experience any noise from within or street noise. On a down side, room service was quite expensive as was the mini-bar, so we didn't use either service. All in all, a lovely stay in New York.
After reading the reviews here I was a bit disappointed at the Phillips Club. We spent two weeks there while apartment hunting and I found the reception staff almost uniformly unpleasant, verging on rude, to deal with. The doormen were pleasant and the location is good - Balducci's downstairs is a huge plus. The furnishings, kitchen and bathrooms were all acceptable, but everything is fitted to a budget, and there is considerable noise from the floor above (it is also a pretty noisy location, our corner apartment fronted Broadway and 66th St, both very busy). Nonetheless I still recommend the place as an excellent stopgap if travelling with children. The sheer size and pleasant neutrality of the rooms is the great appeal and for our family of four a 1br exec suite (with larger living space than the ordinary 1 br) was good value compared to two hotel rooms (as long as don't mind a sleeper sofa). It is certainly worth asking for a good deal if you phone, especially close to your arrival date. Just don't expect a warm welcome from the desk staff - even if you have been there for two weeks!
After reading reviews of this hotel on Tripadvisor i was looking forward to our stay and we were not dissapointed. We got a free upgrade (without asking !!!) The hotel is 2 mins walk from the tube station and is in a quiet street. The rooms were of good size with a lovely bathroom. Breakfast was included in our stay which was excellent also (note it is 18.50pp if you have to pay for it).To sum up the Melia hotel group as a whole we have found to be excellent and this one is no exception. Great stay and would go back tomorrow.
its really a gem in LA,one should must visit this property
We stayed at Bally's March 30th - April 3rd 2009. We got to the hotel around 1pm had no line up to check in and our rooms were available for us right away. They offered an upgrade for $20.00 a night we said no, but had wanted a fridge, it would have cost $15.00 a night so we said we would just stock up on ice. We travelled with friends, we were in the North Tower on the 18th floor they were on the 20th. There was no ice machine on our floor, but we just went up a floor and got it. On our way to the room there were some dirty dishes in the hallway, they didn't get picked up for a day and a half, but it wasn't anything to grumble over. Our room was in need of renovations, but it was clean and quite large. The bathroom was big with a tub/shower combination, water pressure was good, and it drained quickly. We had two queen beds, which were very comfortable. The dresser had lots of drawers and the closet was large with lots of hangers. It was quiet on our floor. We had extra pillows and lots of towels, the hairdyer worked pretty good also. Our view was really nice, could see down the strip and the Paris hotel next door, the &quot;Eiffel tower&quot; was directly out our window. The Bellagio water show was visible also. Maid service was great and any staff we dealt with were very friendly. We saw the show Jubilee that is playing at Bally's. Typical old school Vegas show, very entertaining. We did not eat at Bally's but did eat at several other sites. They have a nice little Keno lounge in the casino and a great assortment of slot machines, their tables were always busy. Over all our stay was very pleasant, we knew ahead of time that the rooms were older, but the upkeep of them was very good. We would stay there again, the location is also a plus. We have stayed at other hotels on the strip and downtown and would say that Bally's is a good place to stay for the price, may not be posh but at the end of a long day it served it's purpose.
90 degrees outside, 95 degrees inside! Even with the so-called air conditioner on! This room was apparently the only one available. we ended up with a room with two twin beds on wheels w/ dirty sheets. and they were both leaning inward and the head of the bed was much lower then the bottoms. We had no choice tho all other hotels were booked and it was late. We had planned a weekend stay but after one night stay we cancelled the rest of the weekend becauseI refused to stay another sleepless, excruciatingly hot night here. After the Third Cold shower to cool down I realized that We also were not supplied with any of the normal bathroom amentities (soap, shampoo, etc.)When i complained to the supposed manager about the heat of the room, he blatantly ordered an 80 something year old housekeeping woman to &quot;look into&quot; it, (........puhlease..........) and in response she looked at me and exclaimed ...... &quot; you should thank god you even have air conditioning in these rooms, some people cant afford air conditioning.&quot; I was so humiliated, I turned and just walked away in disgust.My advice...? Be afraid, be very afraid.
When we visited Montreal recently, we were looking for hotel with reasonable rates close to the Old City. TripAdvisor reviews of this hotel were consistently positive, and we decided to take a chance. We're very glad we did, and we would definitely stay at the Hotel de l'Elyse again.Not only is the location great - just a stone's throw from the fabulous restaurants of rue St-Denis and a mere 15-20 minute walk from the Old City - but the staff is outstanding. Many of the TripAdvisor reviews laud Sam at the front desk, and rightly so. Sam ROCKS! The moment we showed up, he was there to let us in and help us up the stairs with our bags. He was an invaluable source of information on everything from where to eat to where we could find a free parking spot for the whole weekend. The entire staff was friendly, and pleased to speak in both English and French (they were extremely tolerant of _mon franais mal_!)I was travelling with two other people, and we had a room with one queen and one double bed. The room was small, but clean and charming with a private bath, TV, and phone, and the rate was excellent. If you're not able or willing to climb stairs, you may wish to request a room on one of the lower floors; ours was on the top (fourth), and we didn't mind the exercise. Free parking was available (including overnight, all weekend) just a few steps away on both sides of rue St-Hubert. There is also a cute restaurant practically next door that serves early breakfast - we found Montreal does not rise early on the weekend.It rained to beat the band Saturday afternoon, but the location on St-Hubert is also a great starting point for an auto tour of the city's sights, not far from Sherbrooke if you want to see the Olympic Village, or from Mont Royal if you want to tour the swanky heights. And Ile St-Helene is just across the Jacques Cartier Bridge by car if you want to check out the Biosphere or Habitat '67.Hotel d L'Elyse is no-frills, great value, and perfect for the traveller who is on the go. We'd highly recommend it, and book ahead! We will be next time we visit Montreal.
My mum and I stay in lots of hotels and we stayed at this hotel and arrived home yesterday. This hotel has the perfect location, we walked to everywhere we needed to go. The sight seeing buses pick up from just outside so is great. All within walking distance.... 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Centre, Times Square, Magnolia Bakery (Check it out, esp if you are a SATC fan!), Central Park and loads and loads more, it's basically close to everywhere!The hotel is modern and clean and the staff are very helpful and friendly. I am already planning on going back to New York and I will definately stay at this hotel.
&quot;Oh, by the way we need the $30.00 security deposit in CASH, and the elevator is being repaird and the water will be off all day tomorrow&quot;...those words spoken by the desk clerk greeted me and my wife as we began our stay for the three day period of Dec. 20, 21, 22, 2004.The first person we encountered was a hobo sleeping in the chair next to the check-in window (which was behind what appeared to be bulletproof glass).That first night, as we trudged up to our small, old, noisy room we were yelled at by a hotel guest who thought her abusive boy friend was coming back to his room. I didn't get to sleep at all because a city garbage truck parked directly under our window with its diesel motor running all night long.The noise and fumes found their way into our stuffy room because we couldn't leave the window open.The second night we had cops in the hallway dragging someone out of the hotel for whatever!The third night we heard a rowdy bunch of drunks celebrating the closing of the near-by bars on Broadway and watched in horror as a pedistrian below was almost gunned down by a car that did not heed the cross walk. He was so angry that he almost dragged the old lady out of her car to beat her. We never missed any thing that went on three floors below us or in the rooms next to ours. The walls were so thin. The neighborhood so loud. The traffic so constant.The microwave oven worked sometimes...the refrigerator keep our italian liquor ice cold ...the shared bath rooms were adequate...the immediate neighborhood was marginal and for the $150.00 price for two people in a &quot;tourist double&quot; room, the St. Paul hotel was a real adventure and could certainly use some divine intervention from its namesake.
We stayed here in July 2009 for 5 nights. It is in a nice neighborhood and just steps from the Gloucester Road tube station with all the other conveniences noted below. There were nice walks in the area too, if you hadn't already walked your feet off. The room was quite spacious and had many useful amenities. The soaps and shampoos were lovely. One thing we were disappointed by was the lack of wireless internet. You could use the wired net for a steep price, but with an iPhone, that doesn't help. This was clearly a hotel frequented by business travelers so they should definitely upgrade and soon. Luckily there was a nice internet cafe around the corner, so we could catch up there. Another note - DO NOT use the laundry in the Gloucester Road tube station. They ruined several items and gave our clothes back in an appalling condition. They didn't smell clean yet were wrinkled beyond repair in some cases. We've had fluff &amp; fold service around the world and have never seen anything nearly this bad.
Me and my boyfriend went to London in Septembre 2006.  About Hotel 55:+: stylish lounge room, great breakfast in a beautiful room, comfortable bed, power shower, very friendly staff (they really do everything to help you), ...-: the trip to central London takes you about half an hour by underground, the hotel is situated very close to a station though.  If you go to London and you stay in Hotel 55, you won't be disappointed!
Have traveled extensively and have stayed at a wide variety of hotel properties, from Super 8 level to Ritz Carlton level. I have also stayed at other Millennium properties. This hotel was noticably not up to par compared to what I would expect from a hotel with this reputation and location. Nice lobby, but that hides the rooms, where the real issues are. My wife and I had a one double bed room. The room was no larger than perhaps 10 feet by 12 feet. There were obvious worn spots on the carpet, especially near the room entrance. The bathroom, not including the shower, was about 3 feet wide by 5 feet long. The temperature fluctuated drastically throughout the night (it was 20 degrees outside). We'd set the thermostat at 75 and it felt way too hot -- at least 80. Then we would reset it to 72 and I was shivering in 15 minutes. The bed was one of the cheapest beds I have ever slept in. It felt like a trampoline. The slightest movements by either of us would be transmitted throughout the bed, resulting in a difficult sleep for us both. Next time we'll choose a Radisson or Sheraton or something like that, where we're more likely to get more for our money.
My husband is a diamond Hilton Honors member so we get upgraded to a premium room but at this particular hotel in Las Vegas you must pay extra for what they call Club Resort, the room is the same, a premium room, the only difference is access to the Executive Lounge where they serve a continental breakfast, afternoon cookies/drinks, and wine and cheese at 4-6 p.m. The lounge does not accommodate people at busy times as it was designed with big heavy furniture so people have to stand, they have no trays to take food to your room. We stayed 4 nights, during our entire stay, our key never worked, even though I asked to have it changed (so that I could get into the Executive Lounge), by the front desk three times. It didn't work for many people so we had to knock on the door and wait for someone to open it, sometimes other guests would open it, occasionally they would just stare and turn away until a staff member happened by to open the door. The weekend was very busy, but this morning, Monday at 9:30 a.m. it was quiet. Unfortunately the 2% milk was sour, the other option is whole milk and 1/2 and 1/2, for some reason they do not have skim or 1%. I informed one of the staff who proceeded to bring out another silver jug, this one also sour! I decided to let it go and used the whole milk. As far as the room went, it is the same as a premium room, the pillows are not great, some better than others, also didn't get the USA Today every day as promised. Next time I go I will eat breakfast in the buffet using the Hilton Honors free breakfast as I refuse to pay extra for the Executive Lounge. I recommend this hotel but only for Hilton Honors and do not pay extra for the Club Resort as it is not worth it.
I was in NYC for a business trip, and decided on the Marriott East Side because of its location to work, restaurants, and city sights. I also wanted full service amenities. The room was a nice size for NYC standards, and it was clean and well kept. I requested a &quot;quiet&quot; room away from the street noise on Lexington Ave. While I was not bothered by street noise, the noise from the heater woke me up several times during the night on the last two nights of my stay. The temperature in the city had dropped dramatically, and I like to have a warm, toasty room. It was explained to me by the hotel engineer, that the pipes make that noise because the building is an old. There was nothing that he could do about the noise. The noise was not a problem for my co-worker, who was in a different room, because she does not like to be too warm. So, if your preference is for a toasty room, you may have issues with the heater noise. I went into the Shelton Grille for breakfast one morning, and they failed to deliver what I ordered. After waiting for 20 minutes, I had to leave for work. The waiter was very apologetic, and insisted on giving me my order to go. It was also complimentary.The entire hotel staff (except the gift shop cashier) was very helpful and polite. The Concierge had great restaurant and activity suggestions.
I stayed for 5 nights at the Westin as part of a business trip to Las Vegas in Apr 2008. I did not have much of a choice since I booked late and our company has very few negotiated properties in Las Vegas.First, my room was not very clean and the carpet was in desperate need of a long hot steam clean. The bathroom was also not very clean and room service was pretty averageOn top of this, the reception staff was not very knowledgeable. I asked 2 receptionists and 2 bellhops the direction to a street and did not get a single clear answer only to find the street right outside intersecting the hotel.Also, my company's negotiated rates indicated free wireless which apparently was not true according to the hotel and I ended up spending 14 dollars a night ( yes every night!!) for a pretty weak connection.On the plus side, the hotel is right on the strip with most casinos within walking distance and the staff were courteousI probably will not chose to stay here unless I have no choice.
We just got back from a three day visit on August 29th. The hotel was excellent. The rooms were large, nicely redone with plasma tv's. Just the right size of hotel as we did not get lost once. Not too noisey or smokey etiher. Great location as well, right by the Caesars mall, Wynn and Factory Mall right beside TI. GO to the Premium Outlets just north of TI for great buys. Also, Maggiano's in the mall right north of the hotel - 2nd level has exceptional italian food and very good prices. Waiter told us to have half order, that is what I just said and that was almost too much food. TI has an excellent pool area as well.TM
The problem with scanning the review pages is that it swings from quotes such as &quot;Nightmare&quot; to &quot;Superb&quot;.Personally we thought it was excellent. The staff were very polite and helpful and the location right next to the tube was a real bonus. I certainly would recommend this hotel to anyone wanting to spend a couple of nights in london.The twin room we had was excellent with all the necessary comforts to make your stay a happy one.
My daughter and I stayed in this hotel for one night on 19th Feb. I can not find fault. Room was excellent. Staff very good. No problems at all. Can't imagine how anyone could find fault.
We stayed 5 nights during the first week of March Madness. This place was not as busy as previous years but that could be do to the people having the $$ to travel to Vegas. Our room was great with a view of the strip. Service was great. Get a players card and make sure you check with the desk before checking out. We got one night free. Planning our next trip in March and we are going to stay here again. Pool was great!
The hotel was great! The room was really nice and spacious. The staff was friendly and efficient. This was my first time in England, and the conscierge helped me to find all the information that I needed. The location was great. ( in Covent Garden and near the subway station) It was the best hotel I stayed at in Europe.
After the scary reviews, my wife and I arrived with some trepidation, even though we can handle just about anything thrown at us. We were pleasantly surprised that things were nowhere near as bad as feared, and somewhat better.We arrived from our flight a few hours before check-in, but the friendly staff was very accommodating in stowing our bags and coats until 2 PM when our room would be ready. We took advantage of the time by crossing the street to Hyde Park and spent the few hours visiting Kensington Palace and the grounds.On returning, we found our room to be small but adequate, with a double bed, wall-mounted TV, hot-water pot (with tea/coffee/creamer), desk, open closet (with 11 hangers, more than we usually find in most hotels!). The carpet was clearly new (the pile was so high, the inner door would rub against it!), there was fresh paint, and new tiles in the bathroom. There was only the tiniest of mildew above the shower knobs, some rust on the shower curtain rod (which was set too high, so the curtain was at the top of the tub, rather than setting inside), some dust behind the desk and radiator, and the furniture was a bit beat up, the elevator shaft was on the other side of the bathroom wall (we just kept the bathroom door closed at night), but these are minor concerns that did not detract from the rest. Sheets were clean, an extra coverlet was provided when asked for. As there are no wash cloths or hand towels, we asked for two extra bath towels and a bath mat towel, which were provided fresh each day from then on. Soap only in one pump bottle, which had to be brought over to the tub from the sink, no little bottles of shampoo and stuff, which is what we assumed for a budget hotel. Left a $10 deposit for a hair drier, returned upon our leaving.We preferred that they keep the keys when you go out; one less thing to worry about. A small hotel is nice because the clerk even knew which room key to hand us without us reminding him of our number! The room safe is large, and, though it does say it's 2 pounds per day, we were never asked or charged. We never needed the room's phone, and there were more than enough AC outlets. We never needed the radiator to be on, and opening the window provided fresh air without it getting too cold.Most guests seemed German or Dutch, and there were some student groups who were noisy and some of whom didn't follow the elevator maximum limit, which led to it being out of operation for part of one day; fortunately we only had to climb four flights once.Breakfast was OK, though mostly carbs, but that's continental breakfasts for you. We picked up some bananas locally to top our cereal.As a base, we couldn't have wanted better; buses on the corner (though road work made going to central London a bother; after one attempt, we stuck to the underground, which is rapid and goes everywhere), and a metro station two blocks west ,and many restaurants and convenience stores on that street. And Hyde Park. There were several similar converted townhouses on either side (with a AYCE Indian buffet next-door), and this seems a good alternative to overpriced hotels that don't do much better at meeting your basic sleeping and bathing needs.
I stayed in this hotel with my girlfriend for 4 days and we had a great time. The hotel was very clean and the staff was very nice and helpful whenever we needed. The room was quite big and very comfortable, with high speed internet access, cable TV, air conditioning and even had a full kitchen which we ended up using to cook dinner one night.They also offer a delicious breakfest buffet and on some week days they have a sort of a &quot;happy hour&quot; with snacks in the late afternoon/early evening (everything included in the price).Another good thing is the hotel location, it's a 5 minute walk to the Atwater subway station.When we booked this hotel we thought the price was very good for the time (August) and for the services they provide, so I'd definitely recommend this hotel!
I just checked out of the Novotel Peace Beijing and was extremely pleased with my stay. I had booked the Executive Floor room which was well worth the additional US$20 in the price as it included free internet service, evening cocktails/appetizers and full hot breakfast in the 19th floor Club Room with expansive views of the Forbidden City looking west overy Beijing.The hotel is also extremely well situated in the heart of Beijing, 15-20 minutes walking distance to Tianamen Square and the entrance of the Forbidden City. It's also in very close proximity to the Wangfujing pedestrian shopping street. The subway is only a 5 minute walk away. Cab from the Beijing Capital Airport was only 100 RMB. Ask the information desk at the airport to write the name of the hotel in Chinese for you to give to the cab driver. It's located just outside the arrivals area.The guest rooms were amazingly well appointed and recently renovated, at least on the executive floor (17). It would have been easy to mistake this room for one at a W hotel in any other major city. Contemporary and upscale furnishings including a king bed, sofa and coffee table. As with most Asian hotels, the service was great with complimentary bathroom amenities galore, tea/coffee service, robes, slippers and turn down service. The staff even folded my clothes left on the bed when they came in for the turndown service! Cost of the rooms was very affordable for central Beijiing at only about 1100 RMB per night.The buffet restaurant does a great job at providing a nice selection of western and asian fare for about US$30 for dinner. They had a number of vegetarian options.Only a couple of minor downsides... the bed must have been one of the hardest I've ever slept on. The fitness center was not terribly large and had a limited amount of equipment for use. Smoking is permitted in the lobby area which can get a little overwhelming. Tour desk and front desk staff spoke adequate english.Look out for the very large groups of Air France crews that frequent this hotel. They move in large numbers.
I stayed at the k west hotel and spa for 5 nights last week for my five year wedding anniversary. I booked the room though a third party, so the rates were more than reasonable. The room we stayed in was a regular double, and it was a nice size with a bath tub and lots of natural light. The reception staff decorated our room with balloons and wrote a lovely card congratulatiing us on our anniversary. All staff reception, bar, restaurant, house keeping - were SO hepful and friendly. We will definately be staying here again and would recommend this hotel to anyone young/old, staying for business or for pleasure.
Had another excellent experience at the Salisbury - Was upgraded to a Suite (perhaps because I joined their Club). Anyway, very good value on Hotel.com at $251++. Their $4 breakfast, while mostly carbs, works fine. Desk and Bell Staff very helpful and pleasant.Great location to walk most places from Times Square to Central Park to high-end shopping on 5th Ave. Subway also close. Only downside can be the crosstown traffic if in a hurry (and sometimes Carnegie Hall traffic across the street blocks the street with busses)
I read a lot of reviews about the stratosphere hotel and was initially skeptical. However it is a great place to stay.Our stay was as cheap as chips. Our entire stay (3 weeks) averaged out at about $50 (US) per night which was great.The location to the strip is a little far but walkable. We walked it every day to burn off all the food we were eating. You could also catch the deuce for $3 each, catch a taxi to the strip for $15 or get the monorail. But do not be deterred by it's location.The casino itself looks like all other casinos inside with all the poker machines.The rooms were nice and serviced daily. They do not include a fridge, kettle or microwave which was a little dissapointing.The pool was ok but the food serviced was closed for winter which was a little bit annoying. We managed to get some food from the pool before the service shut and the food was great.Overall it is a nice basic hotel. If you want something fancy, go somewhere else but then you will end up paying $100 per night more for the added benefits. This place is great for a cheap getaway and leaves you with money to spend on the more fun things on holiday rather than wasting all your money on a hotel room.
After reading a few bad reports about the hotel I was worried about the sort of place we were staying at. I was very pleasantly suprised how good it was. We stayed in an Economy twin Room, No 1204, it was a bit like a compact travel lodge. It was very clean and had very good shower. We also had a great view of The Empire State Building. The rooms were cleaned every day ( don't forget to leave a tip for the cleaner). The staff were friendly and very helpful which helped as it was our first visit to New York. The breakfast in the restuarant in the hotel was very good but a bit pricey, so in the end we ate like native New Yorkers The deli on the corner of the block to the right of the hotel was very good and cheap, you,ve got to try their bacon and egg bagels. Get a 7 day subway pass as it's cheaper than paying for every trip which is $2 per person. If you go to the Statue of Liberty get there before 8.30am as the ticket que starts early and it guarantees a pass to get into the statue. We had a great time and will definately be going back and staying at Thirty Thirty again.
Having spent ages trawling the internet for a hotel in London whose description matched the reviews on this site, we had almost given up hope! Then we happened upon the Country Inns and Suites Hotel in Bloomsbury. We booked a 2 night break to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. The hotel did not disappoint. It is in a lovely area, fantastic tube links are nearby, and loads of bars, resturants and shop are easily accessable. The hotel is spotless and decorated very nicely. Our room wasn't big, but was more than adequate for our needs. Bathroom and shower were fantastic. Staff are friendly and very helpful. We arrived early in the hope of leaving our bags until check-in, but found we were able to check-in straight away. The breakfast room is lovely and food was to a very high standard. We will certainly stay at this hotel again and would recommend it to anyone!!
I stayed there after a surgery in a wheelchair access room, it was comfortable.
This is a copy of the letter i sent to the help i did not like the customer service1.I called the hotel and asked where the nearest tube station was. I was then told that it was high street Kensington which was wrong I then had to pay for yet another tube ticket to get me to shepherds bush. 2.I put some chocolate in the mini bar as it was melting. when I got back the mini bar was locked I was staying in room 4028 I reported this to the front desk at 9pm and was told that the system said that the minibar was unlocked but would not let me access it . I woke up and the mini bar was still not fixed. I went down to the front desk and was told that someone would come and look at it. .I is still waiting for the person to come and look at it. And I am Still waiting for that person to turn up . So off to the exec lounge to see what they can do. She call the maintenance department and they said that some one would come and look at it I waited 60min and they went back to my room. The minibar still was not fixed. Therefore, I went to the front desk again and spoken to Shailesh who said again that they will send someone up and will change my room to 7013. Jackson turns up and pushed a button on a remote that fixed it in 5 min why was this not done at 9pm on Friday.3. When staying at the hotel there was a comp breakfast with in the exe room well I was not able to user the exe lounge for breakfast Saturday and Sunday as it was full. I had to go and pay for breakfast some where else,4.I reported this to front desk on the check out and was told that they will get the duty manager to call me on my cell phone I am still awaiting that call.I was looking at becoming a shareholder with in the hotel and I am having second thoughts.I have stayed at the London metropol, the service was great, and I would think of the same service from all Hilton hotels
I've stayed at 18 hotels in Las Vegas, and I think this is the worst one I've stayed at.This is a very old hotel that was purchased by Hooters. They put a Hooters restaurant on the first floor, put some surfboards in the elevator lobbys, and that's pretty much it. When I stayed there, I got free breakfast every morning, free show tickets to see the Mentalist and Bobby Slayton (both of which are no longer performing there), all that for $29, and that made it tolerable.
Stayed at the Tump Tower over holiday weekend. I traveled with my husband and my 8 month old son. Absolutely loved the property - the rooms are spacious and the kitchenette is indispensable when traveling with a young child. Staff was extremely accommodating especially at the restaurant Sixteen. Whether in town for business or pleasure, I will stay here again given the property's perfect location, spacious rooms and excellent service.
Im no stranger to New York and have stayed in many hotels from luxury to budget and I have to be honest the Hampton Inn Chelsea was not my choice. However I cannot praise this hotel enough. OK.. its not luxury and if I had to have a bit of a moan the view from the hotel room was very dull but what made me like this hotel so much are the simple details. Firstly the room.. nothing special but clean, bright and spacious (by UK standards) and the beds were large and very comfortable with lots of pillows and a very cosy duvet. A rarity in the US; a breakfast buffet is actually included in the price and although its nothing amazing it does have cereal, fruit, croissants etc so it should please most European guests at least. Something I was very impressed with was the fact tea and coffee was available 24hrs free of charge so after a long day shopping or sightseeing it was nice to come back to the hotel and chill out with a nice cup of tea. The staff were also very helpful and friendly. I stupidly left my bag in the taxi from Newark airport but the reception staff were extremely helpful in making sure I got it back, even if it did mean a trip to Newark city hall which I would never recommend to any non American. Finally the location.. the hotel is within walking distance to Times Sq, Soho, Union Sq and the main shopping streets.. so overall.. no complaints! The immediate area is nothing special but seems safe enough.So why only 4 stars.. well I have already moaned about the view the other bad point was noise from the corridors which were very small.. you could hear every door open and (slam) shut as well as the cleaner violently vacuuming in the morning. But to be honest.. this did not spoil the stay and I would chose this hotel again.
I went with friends to stay at the Riviera Hotel and Casino Feb 26 - Mar 2 2009. I had booked the hotel through Expedia.com, after they recommended Riviera. What a mistake. The bad things: we are in our early 30s and there was a much older crowd staying at the Riviera. It was not a convenient location as I had hoped it would have been. The service of the front desk and others was not the best service. The rooms that were reserved for us happened to change upon arrival due to expedia reserving two rooms with king size beds and we needed two rooms with two beds in each. We went to the buffet and we all thought it was gross and refused to eat there anymore. The casino and hotel both need some drastic updating on everything from decor, customer service, attire, rooms, elevators, and the list goes on and on. I will not stay at the Riviera again and I will not recommend it to others. Good luck to you if you decide to stay here.
Having read reviews on this site, we chose to stay at the Hilton Wangfujing for 6 consecutive nights at its guaranteed lowest prepaid B&amp;B rate for a deluxe twin room. Upon check-in, we received a room upgrade to an enormous lifestyle suite featuring a walk-in closet, 42-inch LCD flatscreen TV and a balcony. Unfortunately, the balcony doors were locked I suppose for guest safety reasons due to on-going construction work of the Macau Center complex and a building opposite. You can see dust settement from these projects and will need a thorough cleaning anyway. The 45-minute taxi ride from Beijing Capital Airport to hotel was 120RMB during Friday afternoon rush hour traffic, tolls and tips included.Hotel is conveniently located behind a side entrance to the new multi-level APM mall which faces the pedestrian-only Wangfujung shopping street with an abundance of shops and restaurants. Starbucks and Ole supermarket are located in the basement of APM mall. Hotel neighbors include The Pennisula, Regent and Legendale which looks like it belongs in the center of Paris. Also within easy walking distance is the Wangfujing subway station and The Forbidden City is about another 10 minute walk away. Along the way on Chang On East Road, you will discover a modern and exquisitely maintained Chinese garden tucked behind the street wall that stretches for about two blocks in the Forbidden City direction. Perfect spot for photos and escape from the busy road traffic.Nice touches in room include power-drawn curtains, bright LED night lighting in the toilet stall, powerful dual shower heads that swivel with rainfall jets from ceiling. Both stalls are separate and behind smoked glass doors. There is also a stand alone soaking tub where you can indulge and watch shows from a smaller LCD TV integrated behind the bathroom wall, complete with its own remore control!Breakfast buffet-style begins from 6:30am at stylish and well-lit Vascos restaurant with lots of standard East/West selections. Our favorite is the freshly cut fruits, chilled juices, and flaky chocolate croissants. Oh, not to mention a cook-to-order omlette station. About 210RMB inclusive of 15% service charge per person. You are better off opting for a prepaid B&amp;B rate at time of booking.Hotel staff were very helpful and courteous at all times. Most spoke English well enough to understand and carry out your wishes. Can't wait to return once the Macau Center is completed. If you can forgive the minor room workmanship flaws, this is a fine choice for your Beijing stay.
We stayed here in May for two nights to attend a City Wedding. Glossy, grand public areas. Our party's accomodatoin experience was mixed - we had a roomy executive room - a bit like a Marriott - plenty of space, small bathroom. Others in our party had a similar room but with balcony, a grand penthouse suite, a small poky room described as a double but almost certainly a single, a twin room with extra bed added described as a family room . Those who used the swimming pool had a great time. We only tried one of the three restaurants - a brasserie which overlooked a nice little patio featuring a part of the London Wall. Our evening meal was punctuated by groups of walkers and a guide explaining all about Roman London. But the food was good and surprisingly good value. Sushi restaurant looked nice. Isis bar OK but full of relativley restrained stag and hen parties the nights we were there. Service was amazingly slow, tea and coffee in the rooms were not replenished and the advertised free paper was tucked away in the lobby. A good quality continental breakfast was served in the restaurant and brasserie - full English was 8 extra. The staff were universally helpful but universally struggling with English so their obvious good intentions were not always realised. Would I stay again for leisure- No but would be fine for a business trip.
I stay at the verona hote on april 2006. they have renovated put new carpets, beds and have painted the rooms. I think that this hotel is in a good condition no matter what other people say. I can say that front desk clerk is friendly and can help you with everything you need. the neighborgood is not that bad. I can say that it is a good hotel. I will saty again no matter what other people say.just because other people say is bad I thought that is better to see it for my self than believing other people.
We stayed in this &quot;hotel&quot; in June 2008 over the F1 race weekend at a cost of $350/night. We had 4 rooms booked with 3-4 people in each room. Upon arriving at the &quot;hotel&quot; and finding out our rooms had been conveniently located next to eachother (on the 2nd, 6th, 11th and 16th floors) we were shocked from the second we opened the door. The first thing you will notice is the stale smoke stench of each room. The furniture, walls, curtains and beds are all outdated and stunk. It took our goup about 3 minutes to go back to the front desk to inform them that there was no chance we would be staying there. The hotel manager graciously informed us they would cancel our reservation and only charge us for one nights accomadations. $350 x 4 rooms!!! What a joke. After a long argument with them, we realized we could not afford to do this as other hotels were charging much more also. The first night was horrible. 30 degree weather with no A/C is not my idea of a great vacation. After using all 3 towels in the room the first night we called the front desk the next morning to ask when the maid would be bringing more. We were told that they were out of towels and would have to call back later! Wonderful! We spent the whole day walking around the city without taking a shower in the morning. Aside from the blood stain on the couch, the pile of empty cans and garbage in the hallway (which sat there for 2 days), and the showerhead that shot off the wall every time we showered, this was a decent place to stay. I would hate to see the home of anyone who gave this &quot;hotel&quot; a decent rating.
I'd simply say 'ditto' to the other reviews here, but that wouldn't help much. But since I won't be covering new ground, I'll try to keep it brief; read more reviews for more details.It started with a great rate when I booked my room from the hotel web site. A week later, the rate had dropped, and when I emailed, they matched the new rate. By the time I checked in, the rate was up again, but I still paid the lower price I had locked in.Check-in was friendly, painless and fast. The elevators were across from the front desk; no extra walks on narrow paths between slot machines. The room was small but adequate; so was the bathroom. It was all clean, and the bed was soft and comfortable. Adjustable wooden shutters filtered most of the morning light from the window. The old-fashioned air conditioner cooled the room just right when running at full blast. The TV channel selection was very basic, but had the local networks, the Weather Channel, TBS and ESPN. Free shampoo, conditioner and lotion. There was a wall safe too small for most laptops, an iron and ironing board, a hair drier, but no coffee maker.There were several very well-priced dining options and a 24-hour Dunkin Donuts. It was an easy walk to the entertainment of Fremont Street, or to catch the 108 city bus going to the Convention Center or the airport.You'd never call this place a luxury hotel, so I can't rate it 5 of 5. But it's adequate in every way and a great value. If you don't need a pool, the Fremont should work well for you.
After spending some time at Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, my wife and I decided to spend an extra night in Vegas. After checking reviews, we decided to check out Red Rocks for its location away from the strip (we already had a night planned on the strip) and their dinner and a movie special.Check-in was prompt with a minimal wait. We did have to specifically ask about the dinner/movie package during check-in. The lobby has a very modern and refined feel, of course the giant chandelier definitely didn't hurt that image. The King room was very comfortable, and had a great view of the strip from a distance. The bathroom was nice, and had a shower and soaking tub. The Feast Buffet, which was part of the dinner and movie special, had a wide selection of food and great desserts.Overall, we would highly recommend this hotel and would come back if visiting Vegas again. Just be aware of the location away from the strip, and be sure to check their website for specials. If you travel during the off season, you can find pretty good deals on Hotels in the area.
My boyfriend and I stayed at this hotel over Labor Day weekend for 3 nights and had a absolutely wonderful stay. We stayed in one of the serene king rooms with all the windows and lucked out by getting a corner room! We had two full walls of windows with a fabulous view of downtown and Trump Tower. The bed and linens were super comfortable and we definitely were a little sluggish to get out of bed in the morning. There was complimentary breakfast downstairs in the morning, which from my research on Chicago hotels was a rareity. I really can't say enough good things. I wish the rooftop bar had been open, but it was still under construction and won't open for another 2 weeks.We had dinner at Aja one night which was not inexpensive but definitely delicious. Our server was fabulous, like every other staff person at the hotel. We just took our time while we sat on the patio and enjoyed the ambiance. I would definitely recommend this hotel and I am sure we will be staying there again on our next trip!
OK, first let me say that the rates at the MC right now are simply unbeatable. I got a deal through Travelzoo and I think one of the nites our rate was $42.00. In addition, they threw in some spa credits and other extras. Sorry, that cannot be beat. The rooms are still nice-ish. They need to be updated. The linens are terrible. They need to replace all the towels and sheets asap, but the main facilities are still good. Pools have a good crowd but are not too crowded, even on the weekend. It's not the Ritz, but for the price we paid it was an excellent value.Here's the biggest thing...you MUST call in advance and request a room that is NOT on the pool side. Seriously. The other reviewers were not kidding. The music there is very loud and runs from 12-7pm. (For those of you that sleep late and get up to party, that might be cool, but I like a little afternoon snappy on my vegas jaunts.) I thought I would just make the request upon check in, thinking that on a Thursday the hotel wouldn't be too full. Wrong. They didn't have anything on the other side. I got some ear plugs, but even with them it was too loud to nap. Sigh. The ear plugs did block ALL of the construction noise and even blocked out security kicking out the people in the room next to us at 6am. (My husband told me about it later.)Other things went wrong during our stay. The billing was messed up. The internet cable for the laptop had to be replaced. The F&amp;B dept is basically non-existent. Almost all the resto's are outside contractors who lease space. The hotel probably needs new/better training for a lot of their employees. Everyone was nice, but many seemed clueless. When things went wrong we would look at each other and shrug. None of it was too terrible...just not what it used to be in it's heyday.If you go there you MUST go and have 2 for 1 martini's at Andre's in the afternoon. Andre's is (another) restaurant that has leased space from the MC. It's the best deal going in vegas. Tell Dave &quot;hey&quot; at the door. He can set you up with the finest lemon drop you'll ever have. The food there is awesome too. We had a party of 9 and they gave us a private dining room and everything was absolutely flawless.
Very nice place. Super comfy bed, huge bathroom with a rainfall shower in the middle of the ceiling (which I missed on first glance!). Lots of stairs but it was good to work off all the food! The only thing I didn't like was the TV...everytime you changed the channel you had to unlock the volume control and you also had to turn on the satelite function if you stayed on on channel for too long....very irritating after awhile. Some mentioned that this is a B&amp;B...it IS NOT a B&amp;B...fyi. I would definetly stay here again!
I'd not stayed at the Sheraton Belgravia for about 2 years, but it still retains a calm business presence. I'd heard it had been closed for a year for a refurb, but it looked just as I'd last stayed. My room was upgraded to an executive it was smart , reasonably spacious for London but the bathroom was faded for a 5*....it was all spotless though. Check-in was frustratingly slow as I had to wait over 3 minutes as there isn't really a check-in desk....more a boutique table......this was bad on a hot day when I was in a hurry. Check-out was swift and excellent. I would stay here again though.
The hotel has a good localization in a beautiful street. There is a lot of steps but the bedroom is nice. We selected a bedroom for 4 people and it was big and confortable. The breakfast had a lot of good things and options. We really didn't like the guy's receipt. He was stupid and he couldn't help us at all. He complained when we made the check out because it was too early.
My wife and I stayed here from September 21-25 to celebrate our 5 year anniversary and our 1st time to Vegas. After reading some of the reviews I was a little skeptical....but seriously what the heck is the problem with these people????? We both loved the hotel. It is huge, but there are signs everywhere and always a smiling hotel face to point you in the right direction. Cleaning staff is constantly cleaning all day long. I even saw a guy vacuuming the damn ceiling at 6:00am. Pool area is amazing. Room was clean and everything worked nicely. We only did the buffet one day and it was a good value. I would recommend this hotel to anyone in a heartbeat. Kudos to all the staff for making our trip enjoyable, but I guess with a hotel this size you are going to get one or 2 bad apples that just like to complain.
To make sure our stay was pleasant. I had a friend of mine, who lived in the city, make the reservation for me but after reading some of the reviews I became quite concerned.I had planned a very pleasant romantic weekend with my wife, dinner and dancing, and wanted everything to be perfect.I spoke with Brandon about my concerns and he put me at ease with his excellent customer service.The hotel has an excellent location and our room was comfortable, clean and very modern. The staff was pleasant and responsive.You can stay one block closer to Union Square and paid double the price but I doubt if your room will be any nicer than at the Diva Hotel
My husband and I had never been to Las Vegas before and wasn't to sure about staying at a hotel that was not on the strip but let me tell you...after we got there and saw how nice the hotel was and that they had rides to and from the strip for free (well, without the tip) All was well. We spent most of the time at the hotel. They had wonderful resturants and lots of gambleing. Go and have fun like we did. We can't wait to go back. Thank you Palace Station for a wonderful experience.
Great hotel with good access to Battery Park and Statue of Liberty. Downside is it is a little far from midtown so could end up costing a fair bit in taxis. We paid $20 to get to times square out of rushhour.
We like to stay in the St James's / Mayfair area and we looked at thehotel website and thought we'd give it a go. The hotel has a great location just off Piccadilly but on approaching the hotel alarm bellsstarted ringing. The hotel is a small side street and adjacent properties are very run down for this upmarket area. On entering the hotel we were aware of the lack of staff around and on checking in we had difficulty making ourselves understood as the receptionist had a poor command of the English language, although he supervisor quickly took over and saved the day. We were shown to our room which was a very small, dark room on the ground floor next to the library. The room itself was ok but tired looking and not quite what we were expecting. There was however a comfortable lounge area in the hotel. The hotel lacked atmosphere, we were on a room only basis and so we didn't eat at the hotel. The hotel has great potential but if you're looking for something a bit special then you will be disappointed
My wife and I stayed here as part of our Californian tour, largely due to the great Trip Advisor reviews and low price (50GBP).All in all we enjoyed are stay here, the rooms are very large and reasonably well decorated and in a good state of repair. We had a room over the main entrance which was somehwat noisy. There was a bitt of traffic noise during the day and at night/early morning there were a surprising amount of cars zooming past the room, which did wake us both. The main disturbances however came from the recycling centre next door which seemed to be dropping bottles off at 5am - very noisy.Still, the location is great. Its a 15 minute walk from Lombard St and a further 5 to FIshermans Wharf which is were we spent most of our time. Its also not too far from Union square and China town if you are feeling energetic! There are lots of shops and restuarants nearby and the Pancakes at Polkers on Polk street are the best ever.The staff were very helpful and gave us a map with various items marked on telling us where to go and avoid.I would certainly recommend this motel for those on a budget who want to be right in the centre of SF.
The Mark is a very old hotel. I last stayed there 20 years ago and little has changed. The rooms, as expected, where small. The upper floor views can be sensational -- mine looked out on part of the bay and Alcatraz. The Top of the Mark is a great spot for a drink or dinner ($$$$$). Valet took forever --- 30 minutes to get my car.
1. The hotel is right under the flight plan of planes taking off from Las Vegas Airport and is very loud. 2. The hotel staff at check-in gave me my room card and did not explain the amenities of the hotel. (I've stayed at Hyatt Place before, so it wasn't a big deal for me. But it is unprofessional.)3. Checkout took 25 minutes in line. And I was the 1st person in line. Totally unacceptable for there to be one person at checkout desk at 9AM. Granted, the woman being helped when I got the to desk had problems, but it could have been handled a lot better. (like to call a co-worker to help, asking the woman to wait while simple check-outs can occur...) 4. The room had an iron, but no ironing board. Needless to say, I will not return.
The first room was really disappointing. It seemed as if nobody had used the room in years  and we soon realized why. When I turned the shower on it was so full of limescale that it was impossible to shower without water spraying everywhere, plus one of the handles came off! Luckily we were not flooded. The toilet paper holder also fell apart as soon as I pulled some paper off.I thought this was unacceptable in a 5 star hotel! Years ago I had a lovely stay, so I decided to inform the staff of the maintenance problems we encountered. I must say that they were really nice and they immediately found another room and told us to pack our bags and meet on another floor.The second room was much nicer: we had a larger bathroom but what struck me the most was the amazing view of the Big Ben and House of Parliament and a lit up London Eye! I can say that the hotel staff was extremely nice and polite, always keen to open a door for you and very helpful and very quick in finding another room for a disappointed customer.About the hotel.I would strongly recommend some refurbishment. The rooms seem as if they are not looked after, in the second bedroom we had a spiderweb in a corner and also the plaster on the ceiling definitely needed some maintenance. The hairdryers are really appalling and the showers not very powerfulThe staff, location and view made our stay a 5 star experiencethe hotel however really needs some works done because it is falling to pieces!
My wife and 9 yr old son were very happy with this hotel. Everything was very clean, with a modern aesthetic. The kitchenette was a plus - tucked away nicely. The hotel is well located. Short walk to Earl's Court tube (direct line to Heathrow), or Gloucester tube (District and City lines for the main sights). Good restaurants on Earl's Court, especially the Gourmet Burger place. Walking distance to the excellent Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, and Harrods/Harvey Nichols a bit further down. Staff were very helpful. Booking activities, recommending restaurants, keeping our luggage after checkout. Would definitely stay here again.
This hotel is new with spotlessly clean, spacious rooms and comfortable beds. The staff were exceptionally friendly, they bent over backwards to assist and the restaurant food was OK. Internet is available in rooms if you have a PC and the room and laundry service was good.There were insufficient blankets on the bed on arrival but more were secured from reception after a phone call. This seems to be common in India in that you are given one single top sheet and one single blanket for a queen sized bed. This happened several times in various places. The location was good and central as long as you didnt mind going down an alley (probably better for groups or couples than solos). The Red Fort and metro only a short walk away.A very good hotel for the price and a great find in Delhi where many of the hotels are a disgrace, even if you pay much more.We would definitely stay there again.
We arrived at midnight to Bills which is smack bang in the middle of the strip, and were greeted with a cloud of cigarette smoke as we walked in the side entrance near reception. We waited 10 minutes before someone came to the front desk to check us in. We went up to our room on the 2nd floor to find we had been allocated a room with 2 queen beds - not the one king bed that we had booked. Surprisingly it was quiet! The beds were old and fell down on the edges meaning you could only sleep in the middle - but the middle also sunk down - not comfortable at all, but the least of our worries. The room had a massive TV, old worn out decor, a strange bathroom/closet, and a small window with a grille on it. The carpet clearly had not been cleaned in years, and my socks ended up extremely dirty from just walking on it. The 'non-smoking' room was clearly a smoking room, as it stunk of stale cigarette smoke, and had a general old musty smell. In the morning we tried to shower, but instead of having a shower ended up being immersed in a bath half full of water. Clearly the bath did not drain. We complained about it at reception and were told it was unusual and assured they would get the engineer to have a look. The next morning when we went to have a shower, guess what? The bath fails to drain again and ends up filled with water. Again we went down to reception and complained, and were told that the maintenance log showed that the an attendant had been to our room and 'fixed' the draining issued. The receptionist also added that most of the bathrooms in the hotel had the same issue, and that we shouldn't expect any better from a 30 year old hotel! As the staff couldn't guarantee that this would not happen in another room, we decided to check out, absolutely fuming by this stage. We found another hotel nearby for a comparable price for the rest of our stay - the other hotel was fantastic and of course all the facilities worked! We enjoyed the rest of our stay, and think that staying at Bills Gambling Hall &amp; Casino was the worst decision we made in our entire trip to the USA. Never ever would I recommend it.Oh, and on one last thing, Bills charged a random sum of money of approx $300 to our credit card at some stage during our 2 night stay with them - they have still not refunded the money stating that they are unaware of the charge. The approx $300 neither reflects the initial deposit amount nor what should have been the total figure if we were to have stayed the full duration of our original booking. The charge was clearly identified as 'Bills Gamblin Hall' - exactly the same as the initial deposit. Of course it is being disputed.They are just slimy, please, please please stay away!
My friend and I stayed here from Nov. 15 to 19/04. The staff was very friendly and helpful booking our city tour and checking things for us on the internet (thank you Asam). Our room was small, but clean and more than adequate and comfortable. The continental breakfast was not much to speak of, but the coffee and orange juice were good and if you like blueberry muffins... that was all they served for the four days we were there. But we really enjoyed getting our coffee in the lobby and then having a bagel next door in the cafe. The location was perfect, 3 blocks from Union Square. There were a few homeless people around our hotel, but you will find them everywhere in this city. And they pretty much leave you alone. For the price we paid ($56) you can't beat the Adante.
Had to get a room in London with a central location, with a tight budget i booked this place online, on the journey to London i checked out trip advisor and thought what have i booked ????? a short walk from holburn tube and was welcomed by a smiley face that got me checked in no time at all, once in my room i checked out the bathroom that was clean and bright the bedroom was just what i needed so no complaints, then i headed down for dinner in the bar/rest great service and good food all served quickly. had a good nights sleep followed by a great shower that woke me up perfect for a busy day, breakfast was well presented and lots to choose from, having read the other reviews on here i can see the hotel has acted by doing up the accomodation so from my point of view i will be back ...............
My family stayed here for 2 nights last week; my daughters in one room and my husband &amp; me in another. We were on the 4th floor (no elevator). The person in the room next to ours was smoking and I could smell it through the thin walls. I was nervous that there were no fire escapes &amp; no deadbolt locks on the doors. My daughters' room had no toilet, just a shower and sink (they did not warn us of this when we booked the room). We had to ask for more towels (just one per room). To say the rooms were shabby is an understatement; You could see the coils from the mattress through the sheets, the pillows were wafer thin and our bedspread had cigarette burns in it. The whole place grossed us out!I would definitely NOT stay here ever again!
I booked this hotel as part of a weekend away for my girlfriend's Birthday.The fact she didn't know where we were staying made the suprise all the more exciting. I had been looking forward to our stay the this hotel immensley after reading other positive reviews and I can only echo those comments.This truly is a gem in the Hilton family and follows on from other 'new' hiltons with fantastic decor and ammenities.The hotel is only a minutes walk from London Bridge station and located in a safe, quiet and over all attractive part of London. Tower Bridge is literally on your door step. The attentative reception team checked us in with no fuss whilst we found our room easily. The room's are of large size for London and come with a fantastic Air Con system, Sattelite TV, Mini Bar and wonderful bathroom. Everything you would expect from a Hilton.Breakfast was quick and easy and despite the large amount of guests staying in the hotel we were seated and served quickly. We had come to go out on the saturday night but after a day sightseeing, we decided to stay in our pleasent room for the night.A fantastic stay over all and I can't wait to return.
We met ownhis hoter of Sunrise Hotel in Tokyo, Japan with friend of mine and he introduce his hotel us and show us broucher and picture's. and unfortunetly we got holidays vacation and we book this hotel through hotels.com and got very good price. Hotel people pick-up us up from airport because it was include in the price. Hotel was very nice and room was specious with hot shower, which we Japanese people like very much. We feel very comfortable becuase we got very personal service, because of we are kind of hotel owner' friend and he speak Japanese very very well. We realy thanks to Hotel Owner and other staff.Arigatou gozai masu.Mata iki masu.
Checked in at the Allerton having requested a non-smoking room. Went to the room only to find that it was a smoking room. It took 15-20 minutes to get a non-smoking room, with discourteous staff. Stayed at this hotel for a wedding anniversary celebration with many other friends and family. That is the only reason we stayed. The windows in our room were so filthy that you could not see out of them (spider webs and dirt). Hallways outside of the room were filthy as well. I have stayed at hundreds of other hotels for business, and found this one to be the worst one at which I have ever stayed. Food at the Hotel was, at best, mediocre. When I complained about the FILTHY conditions of the Allerton Hotel, I was told that I should expect that due to the age of the hotel. A major downer in a great city.
We stayed at the Crowne Plaza last weekend, booked two rooms in February. When we checked in - (two couples - me and my sister and our partners) there was quite a delay, in the end we were allocated our rooms, one in the hotel and one in the neighbouring building. Not acceptable we had booked together and wanted to stay together, after about 45 minutes we were offered an upgrade to a two bedroom suite after the receptionist admitted that they had overbooked, and this was common practice. The suite was not that good but we had little time to spare so just sort of accepted it. On our way out the doorman asked if we were OK, we said &quot;no not really&quot; and explained our situation, told him we had been upgraded and he said &quot;no&quot; this is not a luxury suite. We knew this because the carpets were worn and grubby, the throws were stained and the spare loo did not flush. He spoke to the hotel and they contacted me, an apology was given and we were told we would be given another room if we could come back and move our belongings, we were pushed for time so I agreed to see her at 8.00pm. Wow, we were given a new suite. Three double bedrooms, kitchen diner, and a massive lounge. It was lovely, two beds were en-suite and there was a third massive bathroom. Although it was a poor start we enjoyed our stay, some of the staff were amazing. We paid 350 per night but the suite we got was far more expensive than that. I would stay there again because the location is fantastic, but I would inspect the room before accepting it.
This was our second stay at the hotel and it didn't disappoint. We had been spending a couple of days with friends in Duabi and just wanted to spend some time in luxury. The rooms are so quiet and well-equipped we did not really want to leave - the bed was so crisp and comfortable we did not want to get up the next morning! Food was excellent too and we took a memorable trip in the hotel bus to the Arabian Court Rooftop bar where for what was a small drinks bill we felt as if were in heaven looking up at the sky and out over the Palm project. When you think of the prices that you pay in Europe and London, this cannot be beaten for value and the service is the best we have had.
The Chamberlain is a great hotel for a few days' stay in London. Situated just a few minutes from the Tower of London in a quiet area that practicalley &quot;dies&quot; in the weekends. Very quiet, but not far to go to experience more life. Quiet at night. The room was great, well-furnished, and the bathroom was wonderful. Nice touch with the TV in the tiles on the wall of the bath-tub. The beds were good, and the room had coffee- and tea-making-facilities, and a minibar. Cleaning was good. Pub and restaurant close to the reception. We ate in the restaurant one evening, and that was ok. The only down-side was the serving of breakfast. There was a total lack of logistic when serving the breakfast - up to five people serving a half full breakfast room, but still we had to wait for over 45 minutes to get egg and bacon. This seemed to be reality for the other guests as well. Everyone in the breakfast room seemed to be annoyed, and we saw several people leaving the room before they got served. Seemingly, the staff worked hard, but they didn't manage to organise the work. It was actually worth a study, which I recommend the hotel management to undertake. Other than that, the hotel was great, and next time we are in London, we will definitely consider to stay there again.
Crowne Plaza London St. James We stayed at the Crowne Plaza London St. James for a five nights in London. This trip was part of a 15 night trip to Europe. The booking at this location was on a Priority Club reward stay. We booked a single double bed non-smoking room, and due to my Priority Club Platinum status, they said we were upgraded to a King non-smoking room on the fifth floor.  We arrived in London via high speed train from Paris, and the taxi ride to the hotel was quick and easy, running about 18 pounds, but there was heavy traffic. We did not want to take the tube (and the associated stairs) with our luggage. The hotel has a comfortable lobby, restaurant, and bar. They have piano music in the lobby some evenings. Check in was quick, easy, though they did not have our room available till after 3:30pm. (No complaints there.check in was not till 4  we just visited Buckingham and got some lunch at Piccadilly area. Other than a free newspaper and the slight room upgrade there were no perks for Platinum members (Priority Club's highest) which was a bit of a disappointment, BUT the location of the hotel more than made up for that!  The hotel is approximately 5 minute walk to Buckingham and Victoria station. Trafalgar Square and Westminster Abbey, and Parliament is about 10 minutes, London Eye and Piccadilly were about a 15 minute walk. Other than going to Harrods and Covent Gardens, we had no reason to use the tube, bus or taxis, fortunately, as these are very expensive in London.  The room was rather large by Europe standards. The hotel itself is very old, and was formerly a hospital. The floors are a bit uneven and the hallways wind around in strange patterns, but overall that adds to the character. I believe parts of the structure date to the late 1800's / early 1900's. In my opinion this gives the hotel neat character of old London. The bed was very comfortable. It was not a true king, but rather two beds zippered together and made up as a king. I did not however find this to be any problem and. The blow-dryer on the wall in the bathroom is old and difficult to use but they brought us a portable one. The rooms had robes for guest use. The carpet was rather worn and in need of replacement as was the furniture in the room. (Designed to look old, but of particle board and it has seen its better days.) The TV was excellent with flat panel HD. Oddly enough, other than the TV, there is no clock or radio in the room. The air conditioning was excellent. The view from the room was of another apartment in the same complex, but did make for a very quiet stay which was greatly appreciated.  Housekeeping staff was spotty at best. On several occasions, soiled glasses were left in the room, tea bags not replaced, bed short sheeted, did not leave towels, etc. All of these were minor and easily rectified with a call to housekeeping, but it should not be necessary to call. (I tipped the housekeepers daily, which makes the spotty service worse.) Internet access is excessive at 30 pence per minute. Do yourself a favor and walk 5 minutes to the internet caf by Victoria station for 1 Pound per hour.  They have a gym that is available to all guests as well as a business center. We never actually went down to the gym as we were doing enough walking to stay fit.  The concierge staff and bell staff was acceptable but nothing special. We did not eat or drink at the hotel at all so can not comment on those services.  If the hotel got their housekeeping act together it would be phenomenal. The central location makes up for any lack of other amenities and I would highly recommend this hotel to others.
Stylish hotel with very modern rooms as was the trendy hotel bar.Don't be put off by it's west of the city location - it is 5 mins. walk to the river and Kew green ;5 mins. to Chiswick high street and it's myriad of tempting restaurants;2 stops on the tube from Richmond (Gunnersbury tube station is 50 yards) and about 20 mins. by tube straight into the city.Having stayed in some ropey hotels in the city in the past (and paid good money for them) this hotel was excellent and I can't sing it's praises highly enough.I'll be going back there each time I'm back in London - it's location is a virtue as there are no tourists in the area but just fashionable Chiswick/Kew locals.
The room we had was large enough and could have been really nice with some upgraded furnishings - and a new bed. The bed was not comfortable. Had a mattress that felt like a bad sofabed mattress. We also had trouble getting cold water in the sink. Both faucets ran hot, and you had to mess around with them to get any cold at all. The room had a pot for heating water so you could make instant coffee or tea, but it didn't work. The breakfast downstairs provided lots of choices but nothing much that tasted good. We decided the cold cereal and canned fruit was the best. Good enough for the budget traveler maybe, but not where I'd stay again.
We'd stayed at the Beacon before back in 98 and so chose it again for that reason. It's a nice hotel in a great location, we walked from Times Square every day. There's a market across the street, and the restaurant next door delivers free of charge and has good food at good prices.We had a one bedroom suite and the kitchenette was great. Also good having a tv in the bedroom and lounge room as it made it easier for everyone to watch what they wanted. Bathroom was tiny, but clean and extra towels etc provided quickly when we asked. The bedroom and lounge rooms were big and lots of closet space. The rooms are a bit dated though.The staff were friendly, although I agree with other reviews about the hotel staff refusing to get you a cab, although we didn't have any trouble hailing one when we needed it. There's internet available downstairs. The elevators were out of commission a few times during our stay due to new ones being installed. The only downside was the noise. I saw someone say they were on the 15th floor above Fairways (the market) and couldn't hear anything, well we were on the 20th floor above Fairways and the traffic noise was ridiculous. I had to resort to earplugs to get any sleep and seriously considered asking to be moved to a different room but couldn't be bothered. All in all though I'd stay there again if I was in NY.
Our stay at the Orchard Garden was wonderful. My husband an d I are from Northeast Ohio and booked the hotel after surfing the web and reading about it. We came in on a Friday evening and checked out Sunday morning. The hotel was exactly what we were looking for. The bed was great ...so comfortable and the room perfect. We did not have a view as we booked with AAA and that is generally an interior room. Others had mentioned small rooms in their reviews but the size of the room was not an issue for us. It was just fine for a couple spending a weekend in San Francisco. The colors were calm and soothing as was the DVD for a relaxing nights sleep. The staff was very accomodating, particularly a young man named Davis, who certainly went out of his way for us and the other couple we were traveling with. The location could not have been better just steps away from Chinatown , a two block walk to the cable cars and the trolleys and streetcars. also there were cabs at the hotel doorstep at any time .You are also just a few blocks from the italian North Beach neighborhood and the other way is Union Square.. There are several good restaurants just down the street. .Sunday morning my husband and I went to Mass and had our choice of where to attend as there are two beautiful Catholic churches within a two minute walkAs for dress - in the winter it is dressy casual...lots of layers , gloves scarf and jacket , maybe a dressier coat for evening. But on the whole S. F. and the Orchard Garden is pretty casual.We will definitely stay here again, there is so much to see and do.
Our first trip to New York could not have been better and Le Parker Meridien really made our stay first class. The position - our room overlooked Central Park - was terrific. Everything about the hotel was first class.
This hotel was very nice. I liked the theme and the room was ok although for the price very small. I expected alot more for what I payed for this hotel.
My boyfriend and I went to the W to celebrate Valentine's day as well as our one year anniversary. We had a nice Mega room with a bath and everything was clean. The room was quite big compared to the one I had at the W New York. For a portion of the price, you get something a lot bigger. We also had food delivered to our room from the Otto restaurant located at the bottom of the hotel. It was delicious and the service was nice and cozy. I agree that it's not well located if you are there for leisure since you are in the middle of many buildings but if you are looking to stay there for business, I think it would be a nice choice. If you don't want to be where all the tourists are, it would be nice too.
Well located hotel, between State and Michigan Ave in the Maginicent Mile. We had a corner suite. Very clean with a King size bed, a seating area with two armchairs.Plenty of space.Good size bathroom with plenty of towels, lotions, hair dryer and the use of a bath robe. All the staff were very pleasant and helpful. About the only complaint would be that the continental buffet runs until 11:00am, at 1 minute to 11:00 it disappears and even though you have arrived prior to 11, forget it.
Booked a 2 night midweek stay. Am a Priority Club Platinum Member, and booked a Club Room, but was upgraded to a Junior Suite, bonus!The check in staff were really friendly and helpful and answered all my questions and even remembered me by name when I returned the following day to ask a question.The room was located on the First Floor, so the views weren't great but from previous stays, views from the higher floors are nice. The room was exceptionally clean and tidy with a marble finished bathroom. Those booking Club Rooms or Suites are given access to the Club Lounge on the 6th floor. This is decent sized and didnt get too busy during the times I tried it. Free WiFi access is provided along with a wide selection of drinks and canapes. Complimentary continental breakfast was provided in the lounge for those in Club Rooms.Only downside, which is no fault of the Hotel's is London Blackfriars station across the road is undergoing major refurbishment as part of the Thameslink project. So this means the Tube Station is closed so need to arrive by National Rail services or by bus. However the Hotel is ideally situated for most tourist attractions and I was able to get across London with ease from the Hotel.Overall I was exceptionally pleased with my stay and would definately recommend it ahead of all the other Crowne Plaza Hotels in London.
If you go in expecting brand new top of the line furniture or a bellboy to carry your luggage, then you're in for a disapointment. But if you go in with an open mind and knowing what a 2 star hotel looks like or should look like then there will be no disapointments. The hotel has large rooms. The pool is pretty small but clean and you will have it to yourself most of the time. There's 2 security guards walking around the property 24 hours a day. There's a good size casino with 5 restaurant options including a daily breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet. The hotel is about a 10 minute drive to downtown and about a 15 minute drive to the strip. The room was clean everyday when we got back. My wife and I were impressed with the service and room for the price and we will definetely be staying here next time around. When my wife and I travel the only thing we use our room for is to sleep and store luggage the rest of the time we are out and exploring. If this sounds like you, this hotel will not disapoint you.
We booked this hotel as a last mintue break in Central London expecting to pay a lot but this hotel offers exceptional value. Our room cost just 59 on the hotels website - This price included a Pret-A-Manger lite breakfast for 2, 2 bottles of mineral water and fresh milk in our mini-fridge, all for free! Free WI-FI access in your room is also an excellent plus as we take our laptop everywhere with us. If you don't have a laptop the hotel also offers a free internet service in the reception area, there are 4 PC's so you are guaranteed that at least 1 will always be free.The rooms have the luxury you would expect to be paying 150+ for in Central London. Flat-screen T.V, comfy bed, sofa, desk, hairdryer, mini-fridge and safe. The best part for me, however was the bathroom, particularly the shower which was wonderfully spacious! The rooms and bathrooms are very clean and luxurious looking. As with all the others reviews below, we found the staff to be very helpful and polite and we had a quick and easy check-in and check-out. If I was to compare this hotel with another luxurious London hotel I would compare it with The Mayfair which we stayed at last December. The room and bathroom styling is very similar, the only difference being the amount of space available. Overall, I would be more than happy to choose the Hoxton over the Mayfair as with the Mayfair you are paying a lot extra just for a more spacious room. If you can do without the extra space the Hoxton is an excellent property for a brilliant value stay in Central London.
i visited during the PBR/ SEMA show week so the hotel was quite busy of a night, very good band on &amp; mechanical bull riding. Waitresses were very efficient in casino, mostly friendly all the time same with bar staff. Didn't try the buffet so won't comment but food in cafe was v.good esp breakfast &amp; the staff were very friendly, steakhouse &amp; mexican were good though only ate there once each, food was much better than at the Riviera. Special mention to girls in Grind Cafe who put up with a lot of pressure &amp; cranky guests every morning! Room was easily big enough for 2, though old it was kept extremely clean &amp; was cleaned quite early so could go out early, eat b'fast or do some shopping/sightseeing come back to clean room whenever. Same applies to casino, looking its age but clean.Checking in &amp; out was easy-both no queues, maybe people shouldn't leave checking out till 5 minutes before cutoff time then there won't be queues!Pool was nice just somewhere to chill out which is all it has to do. Didn't try spa or gym but heard others say they were okAll in all its a good clean friendly hotel thats not a 5*, but is worth the money, yes it does need a refurb but the staff &amp; location &amp; price make it worth a visit if you don't want to spend too much &amp; don't expect too much
Imagine the worst hotel you have ever stopped in....... this is 100 times worse!We arrived just as a tube train passed below. I think I can still feel the vibrations now. I know, that's not the hotels fault but it didn't help. Our room, was on the top floor, large in size with an infestation of flies, the wall paper was peeling off, there was damp on the ceiling and walls and a very peculiar smell, which to this day I have not been able to identify! There was also a mismatch of furniture scattered around the room.You could not put anything in the wardrobe as the bed and bedside cabinet was blocking it off.The bathroom on the otherhand seemed to have recently been renovated and was actually quite nice.Breakfast was included, so when we went down in the morning we found there to be no juice, no cereal, no milk, no tea or coffee and no space to sit. There appeared to be seating for about 10, people were scattered all over the floor! We did not stop, there was a handy Starbucks round the corner!! The hotel building itself is beautiful, On a lovely square of similar type buildings, all it needs is a bit of cash and care spent on it and it could be lovely.
I have been staying at the Soho Grand for about 5 years now - it is a great place to stay and the service is always phenomenal. I am in New York 5-6 times/year and in the past have tried other hotels (New York Palace, Plaza, etc . . .) and albeit they were all nice hotels, I would choose The Soho Grand over them any day!
Beautiful Hotel. And Joy at the front desk has excellent customer service. She went beyond her job to help us. This was our second visit to this Hotel we would highly recommend it. Location is great, staff is wonderful, very clean &amp; comfortable.
Good central hotel. Room was small but clean. The water pressure in the shower is amazing. Breakfast was fine with good selection and very attentive staff. Tip, go early as it gets very busy about 8.30. No air con, which would be hell on earth in the summer. Colleagues complained of traffic noise from street facing rooms ( what do you expect in Central London !)
The hotel is connected to a shopping mall and a subway exit. It is also opposite to the Beijing train station so it is very easy to locate. However I must say the service is below average. The concierge counter is always un-manned in the evening. The staff at the main counter is not always of help coz they are quite busy. One evening I was asking help from them to check an address in the area the guy pointed us to an empty concierge counter. I suggested he could check this from internet and he said his computer is not connected to Internet (!!!).
bad management.... i am not talking about the house maids they service was good but the high level management are mean....they try to charge for everything...
This hotel was ideally located for a group of us attending an event just across the Park &amp; handy for local restaurants on Columbus &amp; Amsterdam Avenues. Staff were OK &amp; the outside of the building appeared to be undergoing rennovation, but that wasn't causing any disturbance. the cost was about $275 a night. I've stayed nearer the centre of Manhattan in the past, but this place was far enough out to be relatively peaceful, eat in restaurants full of locals at night, but still be close enough to the action. The rooms were small &amp; there were no tea or coffee making facilities &amp; no free internet. But as all rooms I've stayed in in NY have been tiny &amp; there's a Starbucks or equivalent on every corner these aren't major hassles.
we have just returned from a 1 week stay in new york staying at the new york helmsley. a great hotel within walking distance of the empire state building, central park, great shops, chrysler builder, united nations, grand central station and times square. the room was excellent and the staff were always polite and helpful. although we only ate once in the restaurant the food was good we used the deli next door (pax) and the food area in grand central station. the only one problem we had was on our last day when we checked out and we put our luggage in a secure room the bell boy on duty that morning must have got out of bed on the wrong side because he had a serious attitude and was quite rude. we were going to tip him on our return, but he made it quite clear he wanted a tip there and then we have no problem tipping its all part of a visit to america, he even asked what time we would be returning for our cases is this because he wanted another tip, luckly he wasn't on duty when we got back and we we dealt with a much nicer bell boy. apart from this one problem we would stay again and would recommend this hotel to anyone visiting new york.
My husband and I spent 2 weeks at the Americana Inn in April/May 2006.We actually chose it because of its central location: near the main attractions, 5th avenue, Empire State Building and Time Square.We had a great stay there: even though the room was very small, it was very clean, and comfortable. We had a double room with a sink, a wardrobe, a chest and a large window. Obviously it's NYC and it's sometimes a bit noisy but it's ok.We had to share the bathrooms and they were very clean (even late at night) and always available.The staff was extremely helpful and nice to us! I do recommend it to anybody willing to spend a good time visiting NYC without spending all their budget in accomodation.
We recently spent a couple nights at the White Swan Inn and could not be more happy with our choice. The rooms were spacious, unique and quaint, with all the needs covered. The morning breakfast was fabulous - we'd come back for the breakfast alone! The wine and cheese spread could use a little upscaling - the wine was lacking given our proximity to the Napa and Sonoma Valleys and more time and thought could have been spent on the food. We loved that it felt more like a bed and breakfast than a typical hotel. All in all this hotel will not disappoint!
From reading the reviews on Ceasar's it seems it depends on where you stay in the hotel. My husband and I paid $200.00 a night to stay in the Roman tower and I was so disappointed when I opened the door. The first room had no bathroom door and I refused to stay in a room like that so we were given another room down the hall which was probably a little worse but had a BR door. Everything must have been there since the Romans. It was old with cracked paint and door casings in the hall the carpet was not very clean and you couldn't use a calling card from the room. I live in Nova Scotia which is big in tourism and you wpuld find a better roon at Comfort Inn. We made the best of it and had a great time but I would be more selective the next time.
The lobby was beautiful, as was the ballroom. Check in was very slow, although the staff was courteous and friendly. I had looked at the rooms on line and was greatly disappointed when I opened the door. It was small and crowded with furniture (although no easy chair in ours). When I opened the bathroom door, it hit the toilet. I've had bigger bathrooms in a Motel 6. The carpet could stand replacing and the bathroom tile grout could use some professional work. The bathrooms have been well-covered by others on here. We had a &quot;commanding view&quot; of the next tower of the Hilton, a few feet away. I had requested extra pillows, which were not there. There was no coffee or tea in our room. I couldn't get an answer from the front desk or housekeeping, so I called the hotel operator. She had someone bring more than enough up in just a few minutes. If you like the news, sports, and Hilton/ Chicago channels (and a few others) the television will be adequate. We couldn't find a telephone book or any other kind of directory (i.e.: churches; hospitals, etc). The air conditioning system was apparently right outside our window and ran constantly. I will say the air conditioning our room worked very well. As other people mentioned, the internet was too expensive. I found the bed too soft. The restaurants were overpriced, but we did eat at Kitty O'Shea's one night. I had potato leak soup($6.00) and my partner had Shepherd's Pie ($13.00). We've eaten both all over the UK and didn't recognize either dish. The Shepherd's Pie was especially bad and seemed more like a canned beef soup (light on the beef) with mashed potatoes on top. There was no discernable seasoning in either dish. The service was slow, but friendly. We had trouble several times with our room key not working (I heard other people expressing the same thing). The front desk assured us that it was because we had it near credit cards, cellphones or something else with a magnetic strip. What we found was the keys worked sometimes and not others. The cleaning staff was friendly and accommodating. Self-parking was $43 a night; valet parking $55 a night. Just down the street hotel valet parking was $32. The room service menu showed prices increased by $1.00-$2.00 per item, then an 18% tax, a 3%tax, and a $4.50 room service charge! So a bowl of oatmeal at $8 a bowl room service..... The one Concierge person I talked to was not friendly and I seemed to be bothering her. There just seems to be a lack of attention to detail in many areas. One upside is that Buddy Guy's Legends is only a block or so away.For my money, I would go back to the Fairmont.
I wish I or my friend who booked the hotel have read the review by &quot; WearyTravellerAgain&quot;, then we could have avoided the awful experience we have encountered. The review by &quot;WearyTravellerAgain&quot; has perfectly described the appearance of the Marne as we entered, non-functional flush in the toilet, one side of the taps is missing, filthy shower area that we even didn't want to stand our bared feet on. But all these are nothing compared with the extrodonary sences we later saw in the midnight. I was waken up feeling extremely itchy over my neck, face and even my hands. The moment when I switched on the light, it was an instant shock seeing more than 20 bed bugs running insides my bed!!! Some of them look extremely red as they have been well-fed by me. Similar situation in my friend's bed and we quickly packed our stuff and just wish we could run away from all the bugs. We went down to the reception and tried to ring the bell, it was 4am in the morning and no one answered. We tried to call the owner's mobile, again no success. However, we can clearly hear the woman working in the hotel talking with a man in their room (next to the reception), but they didn't come out despite we range the bell for half an hour. We drop the key in the keybox and left a message explaining the reason and requested a refund. The next day we tried several times to call the owner, but no feedback so far. Our weekend plan in London was ruined as we travelled back instantly that moring and had to wash all our clothes and cleaned all the belongings carefully ( as the bed bugs could transfer and spread anywhere). In the following few days, I had a cold and sore throat. Didn't relate it with the incident with the hotel but a week later since my stay in Marne, I had an outbreak of allergy. Lots of bite-like red spots appeared on my cheek, all over my neck and shoulder. I have got confirmed from my GP that it was very likely due to the bugs. I am very upset about my misfortune getting into this hotel, it was the most awful experience. I've stayed in many youth hostels (some are much cheaper than what we paid this time) before but I never got the luck to see the bed bugs, especially in such a quantity. I sincerely hope such misfortunate will not occur to any traveller. From my oponion, the status of this place is unbearable and they shouldn't be allowed to operate.
We stayed for just one night ,but the hotel staff was extremely friendly and polite. The rooms were clean and large. The decor had just been redone. The best perks were the complimentary continental breakfast on each floor in the morning and the free cocktail hour with premium drinks and great appetizers at night. We got a great rate and would go back. Great location for walking around.
After reading previous reviews, it was hard to believe we were staying at the same hotel. The room was incredibly small - even though we'd booked a double room, the bed was smaller than a standard double bed (i.e. less than 4'6&quot;) and pushed up against a wall - if I pay for a double room, I expect a double bed. The pillows felt like pillowcases filled with bricks. On the topic of noise...oh, dear. Avoid the front of the hotel, as it's on a busy junction, which doesn't provide a steady flow of traffic, but instead has the noise of rapidly accelerating traffic away from the traffic lights. (Having to jam windows shut with toiurist guides wasn't great either!) The walls are paper-thin, with you able to hear everything from the next rooms, both in this hotel and the one next door!!Beware being a minute late for breafast...the door to the breakfast room will be locked!On the plus side, the bathroom was small but was very clean, and the location is good, but that's about it.
I would like to know what kind of hotel usually visit the people who wrote here such a terrible reviews.One month ago I found this web after booking and I was about to cancell it. I did not do it. I agree the hotel has a lot of points to be improved but the price and the place are superb. The checking was fast, the room cleaned, only a little of sound from the bar (I was so tired of walking London I did not notice), the bed was good enough for sleeping three nights (of course, not my whole life) and the breakfast (even hot chocolate and milk, I need it every morning) was fair for the fee; if you need for services, fashion image and less kids in the halls, here you have a tip: pay more money for other hotel, and maybe you will have it (there is not guarantee to get it, as I know from other trips and hotels, sure you know too).Kind regards,
Stayed here for ten days at the end of June 2009. We were in the smoking bit so naturally there was the lingering smell of smoke in our room but a couple of cheapo air fresheners solved that wee problem. We were 14 floors up so had a fabby view of part of the skyline all lit up at night not forgetting the perfect view of the independence day fireworks which others paid $25-$50 dollars to see ahem. The room was cleaned daily. Only downside was sometimes there was a wee bit of a wait for the elevator but hey ho being 14 floors up and only 3 elevators to serve them, what does one expect?Couldn't fault the location, about 10-15 minutes walk to Times Square, how fab is that? Had our breakfast at a wee restaurant/diner on the corner of 57th Street and 9th Avenue called the Morning Star. A quaint wee eatery run by mainly family members - ace food with fast, friendly and efficient service, just perfect to set myself and my family up for a day sightseeing in this fab city. Other fancy restaurants served the same food minus the ambience and &quot;crack&quot; for three times the price, we ended up having our dinner there every night. Big hello to George and Harry and Ron. Miss them all already.I luv New York, it was my third visit. If I was to go back, wouldn't hesitate to book a room in the Holiday Inn
1- Strict check-in timing 3:00 pm and not a minute earlier - nowhere to freshen up meanwhile; staff was not accomodating at all, especially with our 3 year-old. 2- Our main suitcase was missing from the luggage brought to our room - had to convince them we were missing a suitcase and then wait for them to find it 3- staff instructed to knock insistently on suite door even if &quot;do not disturb&quot; sign is hanging on door knob, in order to check the mini-bar.... employee was litterally banging on the door until we opened it and was not about to apologize! 4- breakfast at Holiday Inn is better than what Opus served, even the bagels were old! 5- $30CDN/per day for valet parking is more than any other Montreal hotel. 6- weekend bar/lounge music made hallway frames shake - room was quiet though 7- cleaning was average, although we had asked for new towels, our old ones were put back on the rack and the staff did not provide coffee after the first day. We have traveled extensively throughout the world with and without children and this hotel is among the worst &quot;luxury&quot; hotels we have ever stayed at. Needless to say, Montreal has a lot more and better luxury hotels and we will be more than happy to explore them next time. We go there twice a year at least and will not soon forget this $400CDN+/night nightmare!
We (me &amp; three of my friends) recently stayed at the Thistle marble Arch. We are all in our early twenties &amp; absolutely loved the hotel! Not only were the rooms reasonably sized, clean &amp; with fantastic staff, but the location was amazing! We stayed for a long weekend; the clothes shops were a few footsteps away from the hotel, the tube stations around the corner &amp; Leicester square (where clubs, cinema &amp; bars are located) were only a 20mins walk away or a 10 mins cab drive. We came to London for a bit of shopping, a bit of sight seeing &amp; to experience London's night life. The hotel was a fantastic base to do all of them things. You could soak in London's atmosphere right of the door step of the hotel - great location &amp; equally good value hotel. We'll definitely be staying here again in the future!
Having read the good reviews about this hotel, went ahead and booked. As the reviews stated it would be quiet and we expected that. The hotel room was clean and quite big. No bath though. The check in was good and quick and we got our room at 10am. There is free coffee and tea downstairs in the lobby all the time which was a nice touch. The weatherspoon pub next door would have been ideal but they close at 7pm on the Saturday and not open at all on the Sunday. Not far from Monument underground at all and in fact, most buses on their way to Liverpool Street Station will come nearby or even up Gracechurch Street. We left our luggage at the hotel on the Sunday and had to pay 1 for each piece - this was quite a surprise as I have never paid for this service before. All in all a good comfortable hotel, but for 80 not exceptional and no breakfast included.
Within walking distance of most of the major attractions. Victoria Station with its central line and District line offer direct access to those you cant walk to.The staff is friendly and helpful. The beds and bath are very clean.The only drawback (its a tradeoff for the great location) is the traffic noise from the street  its a very busy area. If you are used to street noise a first floor room will be fine, if you prefer a bit more quiet ask for a room higher up or on the Warwick Way side.
everybody this hotel is fine,not that bad as some reviews, i already made my reservations for july. good breakfast,good location,nice staffs.i don't know what people expect from this budget.
We stayed at this hotel for 10 nights in May 09. The hotel was a bit hard to find for the taxi driver, but that wasn't a problem. The direct area does get very busy at peak times, as the hotel is literally round the corner from the Holland Tunnell. but that had no effect on us at all. We stayed in a 2 bed city view room on the 11th floor. No problem with noise at all. Room was lovely, bathroom was a good size. Beds were super comfy and lots and lots of storage space! Breakfast was good, plenty choice ranging from cereals, fruit, toast, bagels, pastries and 2 different hot options every day. We will definitely be staying here again next year, as we loved how close the hotel is to Soho and Little Italy. Great for people who dom't want Times Sq on their doorstep!
Prior Reviews are very accurate. We booked a suite for one-night for $300. We have a 6 and 8 year old and like to have 2 rooms when travelling, if possible. Also, since we were only going one night, it was nice to be able to park once (on the street for free!) while being able to walk to the Natural History and Metropolitan Museums plus have close access to Central Park. The hotel has a nice lobby, a sitting area, free computer access, and free hot apple cider, and a small exercise room. The elevators are slow. The rooms are spacious though the decor is circa 1970s. The rooms had 2 TVs, full cable, a VHS and a DVD player,a small kitchenette. The bathroom was large. A prior review mentioned a wobbly shower door. We also encountered the same thing. You would think this is something that the hotel could improve at a minor expense. In all, the hotel was clean and the staff were helpful, but it's clearly not the Ritz Carlton and so long as you don't enter with unreasonable expectations, you will be very satisfied. We also did not care about decor because we liked the large rooms and really liked the neighborhood. You actually feel like you are a resident of the city more than a tourist. There is a world of difference between the Upper West Side and being in Times square, which is where many of the tourist hotels are located. This area is quiet with lots of great restaurants, playgrounds, shopping all nearby. The museums were not too crowded and at least with our kids, I really try and plan ahead which sections to see. At the Met, we saw the Roman &amp; Greek sculptures, Egypt, and the Armor. At the Natural History, we stuck to the dinosaurs, evolution of man (my favorite) and gems. Otherwise, it is just too overwhelming. Some might feel that if you pay the suggested admission, you feel obligated to see everything. We chose to pay 1/2 the suggested amount, feeling justified given that we knew we were only going to be in the museums for 1-2 hours. Finally, we wanted to go the Central Park Zoo, but the kids complained that it was too cold so we passed. Finally, if I was just with my wife, I would have stayed more luxuriously than the Milburn and if we wanted to see/do things downtown with kids, I would have chosen the Embassy Suites. But for our needs, Milburn was the right choice.
Selected this hotel/apartment based on trip advisor recommendations. Not so lucky this time. In the past we have stayed at great places based on trip advsior. This is the exception. Pictures looked good, beds were solid (like granite) Disturbed that housekeeping had to bring and charge for all items beyond a teacup. Ahh... the smell! Raw sewage and mould. Still coughing! Gas shutoffs are worrisome. Consider another location, had to leave, just couldn't stay.
After reading several reviews and spending many hours on-line researching hotels, we chose Affinia 50 for a 4 night stay in March 2008. There were 4 adults and 2 older children on the trip. Our room was on the 18th floor and very nice. The beds and linens were deluxe---after seeing how many were in our party, they brought extra dishes, linens, robes and toiletries to our room. What impressed us the most was the service. When we returned from a day of sightseeing, we were greeted by name on the second night! The service is superior to many hotels that charge much more. I have stayed at the Doubletree in Times Square and Marriott Marquis in Times Square. I enjoyed the intimate feel and personal treatment we received while staying at Affinia 50 and would highly recommend this hotel. I also liked the quieter location, but still very accessible to the major sights and subways. It was nice to have the small kitchen to make breakfast every morning while we took turns in the bathroom. My husband used the club and took showers there every morning as well. We had a room with a balcony. If you choose this room, there is not room for a table and chairs too (except there was a table/chairs on the balcony that would be great in nice weather!)
A comfortable,very clean and large room with a kitchen attached.The staff were at all times courteous and helpful and made our stay in New York a very happy experience.We shall certainly be returning to this hotel and once again be able to enjoy the most comfortable beds we have ever slept in!.Howard &amp; Joy Smith
We stayed at this hotel in September. We had two rooms. Our room was actually not too bad; it was clean and not too noisy (facing inside, pool side). Only 2 light bulbs were out in bathroom, and it looked like cleaners did not bother to look next to night stand..as there were some candy wrappers on the floor..However, my mom's room was TOTALLY FILTHY and smelled like mold (there actually was green mold in bathroom ceiling, but maintenance came in to clean with bleach). First of all they had dirty sheets! Floor had not been vacuumed for ages, it looked pretty bad, TV could not be turned on by using remote (broken) and when you try to turn TV on by pressing buttons on TV...buttons would not work. We called it in, as well as asked cleaners to come and clean. maintenance engineer stopped by but did not have any better luck, he had to use some sort of wire to poke the button so that he could switch channels..so when he left, we could not watche TV. Cleaners came, but again they did not vacuum the floor. Oh, cleaners did help themselves on quarter piles that we had on night stand..I guess we should not have left money laying around, however they still should not have touched it.There was 1 great thing about this room; you can see Golden Gate Bridge..so it was a nice view.Breakfast was pretty sterile..bagels, cream chees, coffee, OJ and cereal. Breakfast room looked like some old office space..not much decorating there. Location is great, because you can walk easily in 15 minutes to Ghiradelli Square and cable car. But overall our impression of this hotel is POOR and we would not recommend it.
I went San Francisco with my family, and my uncles familiy book a 2 bedroom and I book a queen bed room, we had a great experience.First the Owners are very helpfull because they told us all of necesary to have a great stay at San _Francisco they recomend us where to go and where not to go, they use a map to explain me all the places we have to view, also where to eat near the hotel, etc.Thew rooms are very clean and comfortamble, this is a smaal hotel with two floors, and good location on the city, you can get a bus a walking distance.This hotel has free parking and free internet; the parking in the city is too expensive, because there are no much palces to park the car.I highly recommend this hotel.
Looking for a Financial District hotel, and stumbled upon this newly opened property. A wonderful experience, with extremely attentive staff and personal service. It is an obviously new (a renovated hotel, originally built in the 1990's). The first seven floors have quite high ceilings (original property had meeting and conference rooms here) and the decor is, well, a little strange, but the cleanliness is impeccable. I stayed during a holiday weekend, so the QUIET was VERY welcomed, and not a common experience in Manhattan. And they actually answer the telephone, another rare occurrence in today's era of connectedness.Connections to the subway lines is very close by, but thanks to MTA's never ending construction and thoughtless entrance closures make it ridiculously difficult to use. Trust me, take the taxi's, that is what MTA really wants you to do.For lower Manhattan business, this 127 unit hotel is an excellent choice, and seemingly willing to please.
The hotel was previously the London headquarters of Pearl Insurance Company. As a result throughout the hotel there are marble pillars, floors and decorations - very art deco. The rooms have high ceilings and are large by London standards. The staff are attentive and very helpful. Make sure you get a rate that ncludes full English Breakfast - it is served in the Pearl Restaurant and is superb. Swift and early check in, all staff knowledgeable and helpful. No problems with lights - simply slip a card in the box at the door of the room. Excellent maid service - the rooms were spotless. Pleasant art deco bar. No criticisms of this hotel - except maybe the lack of a pool. Beds up to usual high standards of Marriott, very comfortable, large and plenty of pillows. Ample supply of towels and usual dressing gowns and slippers provided. If you like space in your room and a very convenient location this is the hotel for you.
First of all I shoud say I have no idea of the cost so cant not make a call on its value for money. All I can say is that from the moment we stepped out of the cab and the bags were taken from our hands it was a lovely albeit short stay. Very calm and peaceful . Contemporary design with an Asian feel, slightly bland in places but not an issue obviously. Elisabeth on reception was quiet charming and (as it was our wedding anniversary) upgraded us to a Belgravia Suite which was a great size and the bathroom huge. (bigger that some of the travellers photos Ive seen posted). Lovely toiletries and some wonderful lavender scented bath salts! We were also given two complimentary glasses of champagne. I can not fault the room in anyway nor the service. We did not eat or drink there but did take breakfast and again the service was exemplary and menu broad as you would expect in this calibre of hotel.
I've stayed at this hotel many times (maybe 10 in the past 2 years) and have never had a stay without some significant problem, which is almost always compounded by the poor service. Something in the room is bound to be missing or out of order: the lights, the bedding, the ethernet connection or the television. On this stay, it was the ethernet connection and the cordless phone, which I could not answer, which the staff could not answer and which no one in the hotel could fix. I was traveling on business so imagine what it was like to have no phone or internet connection.I've had it with this place and would advise anyone traveling on business to avoid it. My office was nearby and that was enough to put up with the inexperienced, uncaring staff but no more. I'll stay somewhere else and take the tube before I stay here again.
My husband and I recently stayed at the W hotel for about 5 days. We were in SF for a wedding and to see family and friends for the holidays. We had an awesome time at this hotel, and no problems whatsoever with the staff! They were gracious and friendly, and went out of their way to help us out when asked.It IS a bit trendy and I think that it caters to a younger crowd..that is what we liked about it, though! Of course, like any hotel, you have to be careful about grabbing that bottled water next to your bed or anything from the minibar. We found that there were plenty of places in the area to grab a drink and lots of great places to eat nearby or a quick cab ride away. My girlfriend and I spent some time in the bliss spa located in the building, and although it is expensive, had a great experience there as well. We also had dinner and breakfast in the XYZ restaurant and the food was yummy, too. All in all, the hotel IS pricey, but I really don't think you'll find much for less in the city. We thought the quality was worth it.
I work for Radio Disney and we were huge sponsors of Mag Mile Lights Festival so I stayed at the Intercontinental Chicago for 2 nights. My family joined me on the 2nd night. My room had the most amazingly comfortable king bed that I truly appreciated as I wa onmy feet about 15 hrs each day. My daughter is a competitive swimmer and just loved the chance to swim in a pool with such rich history. On Sunday afternoon her and I had Tea at Zest where we overlooked Michigan Ave. and recounted all the fun things we had done over the weekend. Kingson Kok, the Restaurant and Bar manager was so lovely and answered all our questions about the history of the Intercontinental Chicago and suggested that we come back for the self guided tours that they offer for free. We fully intend to spend more time here. The next time we are going to make sure we have more time to shop especially since Nordstroms is directly across the street.
This was our first time in Montreal, and I was very much impressed by this hotel. We had a car to get around the city so the location was great for us, and you couldn't even hear the airport at all, my kids kept asking where the airport was, that's how quite it was. Great price, right off the highway, mall closeby, with East Side Mario's, Mike's Restaurant, and many others. Clean, clean, clean, and new (that was important to us). I didn't want to sleep in an old smokey hotel room, so this hotel was perfect!! Pool was great (salt water), and exercise room with modern and working equipent &amp; tv. It overall left a great impression on our family, and we would defintiely return.
Very well located close to the major attractions in Beijing. Had a suite in the top floor, well furnished, spacious, nice bathroom, two TVs, free high speed internet service.Service is generally good but knowledge of English is not widespread (not unusual for China).Highly recommended.
I was a little uncertain about the hotel, as, from the pictures, it seemed a little dated. But it was great. From the moment we checked in, until we left, the staff were friendly, extraordinarily helpful and very professional.I was impressed by how many staff are around the hotel, always ready to help and be of service.The room was great. It was large and comfortable (on the 12th floor with a view of 42 St. &amp; the Chrysler Bldg.) and very clean. The bathroom was large too, which is unusual in New York and a really nice feature was the large, plush bath sheet towels, not the tiny, thin, small towels that you often find in hotels.The room had complementary Wi-Fi which was very convenient and really helpful, as we searched the internet for bus schedules and NYC magazine website for dinning recommendations and theatre reviews.We found a great price on Orbitz, $207 for the first two nights and $187 for the other two. The location was excellent, as it was very close to the 4, 5, 6 subway lines (1.5 blocks to walk). There was a nice cafe downstairs (PAX), where you could get a good breakfast, sandwiches, baked goods to eat in or take away. I would absolutely stay at this hotel again, as it was a very positive experience.
I don't waste time writing reviews on hotels or anything else for that matter that I don't like. This Hotel just happens to be one of the best hotels in NYC. Why? The management &amp; staff are the best that you will find anywhere in the hospitality industry. I have never been treated better in any other hotel in the city. That includes The W, Tribeca Grand, City Club, Morgans &amp; many more. The room size was more than adequate &amp; exceptionally clean. The hospitality starts as soon as you go through the door &amp; are at the front desk. After checking in head to the lounge &amp; Benny, Rebecca or Jolene will make you the best martini in the city. The location is also hard to beat. Just a couple of short blocks to the subway on 23rd &amp; 7th. Will I go back? in a heartbeat!Thanks to Al, James , Parker &amp; Tamara &amp; all of their staff at Four Points Chelsea.
Inn of Chicago was alright but it needs some fixing up.I came here on a business trip and I wish I had gone to a different hotel.I will not be going back.
Loved this hotel; definitely the best all-round hotel we stayed at in our recent European trip. We booked a double Exec Suite, but we may have actually been upgraded to a four-poster room without being advised. From my first email contact, they were terrifically responsive. We stayed here for 3 nights in May. The location was fantastic - quiet, but just around the corner from the hustle of Paddington and its facilities with a taxi rank half a block away. The reception welcome was warm and professional, but be aware they don't offer to carry your luggage. Thankfully, there's an elevator. Lovely room(s) with a beautiful view onto the tree-lined street. Our 'Exec Suite' had a small bedroom, small loungeroom and a little bathroom. Bedroom: four poster bed, flat screen tv set into the wall, wardrobe, desk, chair, drawers, minibar and safe. How do you fit all that in to a small bedroom? With minimal walk space, that's for sure. However, it was lovely, from the decor to the crisp linens and comfy bed. I wished I could take the bed with us. It was quite high, and with the four posts and canopy, it had a cocoon-ish sort of feel to it. Everything was great quality, good-as-new and working well. Loungeroom: small room, but they managed to fit in a little couch, side table, dining table and chairs and another wall-set tv, backing onto the tv in the bedroom. I'd say the decor was sort of 'modernised antique' - clean, curving woods and classic damask uphostery. Bathroom: cute, everything you need except counter space. Fluffy towels, heated towel rack. Everything was clean, clean, clean. Room service: we had a disappointment on our first morning when breakfast repeatedly failed to appear. I ended up having to order it three times. They apologised sincerely, so it was easy to let it go as a minor anomaly. Room service on the next two mornings was great. Although a little pricey, the food was delicious and they served yummy biscuits whenever we ordered up tea and coffee. The hotel didn't have a restaurant, but there were plenty of eateries of all kinds close by, and I'm pretty sure you could order afternoon tea in the little communal lounge room. If I were going to London again, I wouldn't even look anywhere else. For the price, this was just a gem. It was pretty, clean, high-quality, well-located and reasonably priced, with friendly and professional service. It scored top marks in so many categories. I can't recommend it highly enough. I would suggest that anyone looking to stay here try for a room with a view onto the street, as the other views seemed a little drab.I've tried posting some of our photos, but my explorer keeps stalling, so I'll try doing that at a later date.
This is an understated hotel with extraordinary service. They even have a vegan menu in an excellent kitchen. I will always stay here when i'm in London. It's also a fav with the acting fraternity who visit the lux theatrette in the hotel for advance screenings.
For the location itself, you just can't beat this. Got this hotel through priceline and it is joined to grand central station. so if you're sightseeing by foot and subway, this is an ideal pick. the lobby/foyer is truly breathtaking and huge. you'll need to go up the stairs or escalators to get to the check in counter. they have self check-in machines as well (note: the self check-out took an excruciating long time for me). for self check-in, i got 1 queen but wanted 2 beds so i went to the counter and was lucky to change it to my request because they had an availability at the time. (i checked in ~1:30pm or so on a saturday). we got a room on the 21st floor near the end of one of the long corridors and well away from the elevators. that was nice so less noise and less people passing your room. the room is fairly large for a new york hotel. it's true the tv is not a flat screen, but that was no big deal to me. the sink in the bathroom is on the small side as other reviews state. very little counter space for toiletries. shower is okay. what i did notice is the stains - saw a stain on the carpet in the closet, a small stain on the outside bed cover (that didn't come off in the wash) and even a tiny one on 1 of the pillows. you can actually open the window and let some of the air in. there is an ipod docking station for the radio/alarm clock, but i didn't use it. there are like 8 or more elevators, but only half go to certain floors and the other half goes to the rest. we once took one of the right set of elevators and found it wouldn't stop at our floor. (p.s. I won the bid on priceline for $140/nt for 2 nights - great deal)
i used Marriott points to stay in this hotel for 2 nites in August. I think we may have been spoilt by all recent times in asia, because this Marriott hotel did not match up to any other Marriott i have ever stayed at . Even my 2 kids thought it was dark and dull.I was charged an extra 50 quid per nite for the room that my points allowed me to book - supposedly for the river view and EXECUTIVE CLUB benefits, incl breakfast. Knowing that the breakfast would have been expensive otherwise (and what kid doesn't love a hotel breakfast ?) I agreed to the supplement. As well as breakfast, the Exec. Lounge was supposed to offer canapes between 5-7pm and desserts from 7-9pm. This is where the hotel really lets its guests down. Our hotel room was ok - very comfy beds, a view of the thames (managed to headbutt the window a few times though as there is internal glazing as well as the original windows). the rest of the room is very dated but adequate. It certainly won't win any design awards. I popped up to have a look at the Executive Lounge. It was a small room, with a few tables and chairs, and it was dark and dingy with no natural light. I thought exec facilities were supposed to be BETTER than regular hotel ones. NOT WORSE. I told reception I didn't want to have to eat my breakfast in that horrible dark room. She said we could order continental breakfast from room service and just pay the extra 3 pounds tray charge. WE did this, but the order arrived with wrong items. The next day , rather than have a wrong breakfast again, we thought we'd brave the executive lounge. We walked in, and stood for a good 5 mins. Staff finally approached. the room had no space. There were even people eat from very low (coffee table style) tables. To our advantage, we were given a voucher to have breakfast at the proper restaurant downstairs with floods of natural light and a view of the london eye. This was more like it. In addition we could have whatever we wanted fro breakfast - not just cornflakes and toast. Credit to the Marriott for doing this, but my gut feeling was right. the exec lounge is not a nice place for hanging out in. WE checked out the DESSERT session one evening. I kid you not, there were 3 slices of fruit cake and that was it. this was probably left over from afternoon tea downstairs. We walked out again. The hotel was was ok , but kids cannot use the health club changing rooms - they have to use ones down by the pool. Which is fine, but no-one offered us any locker facilities to lock our belongings away. Towels were not obviously available neither and the drinks vending machine did not work So, the location is good, plus you can get 2 double beds in a room, which is great for families. My suggestion would be to DECLINE the offer of the exec facilities, stick with whatever room they give you (chances are it will be a river view anyway), and buy your breakfast elsewhere OR, pay the 50 quid if you want the guaranteed river view room. but try and insist on breakfast in the normal restaurant. Trust me, the exec lounge is not worth a penny.
I stayed here before and returned because we had a great view from our room. We did not have a great view from our room this time and we were not told of any extras. The rooms are small but they are nice. The location is outstanding but I can do without the W attitude. The staff really do believe they are doing you a favor by doing their job which is kind of disappointing. My second visit to this hotel was a substantial drop off in quality of service and attention to detail from my first visit. In the end it was nothing special which was kind of a letdown after such a positive first visit.
We loved the Rubens! The decor was lovely and the rooms were very comfortable. We too had a squeaky floor, which seems to be universal in the hotel, but the beds and service were superior. Our bathroom was quite large and spacious, and our bedroom was average size for London. The water was hot and the towels were big. You can not beat the location for tourists, and with the charm and attention to detail that they offer, we felt like this place was a real bargain. Check their website for rates, we got a great deal. If you want to experience a fully English hotel - this is the place for you! We opted for the room only rate that didn't include breakfast as I felt it was more pricey than just eating elsewhere.
Spent a week here in March 2008. Got a great deal. Had a wonderful stay here. The hotel was top class, the rooms were nice and comfortable. Service was great the staff couldnt do anymore for you. Its one block from the Empire State Building and close to all other attractions. I would definately go back to this hotel.
Stayed here for two nights on business in late may 2009. Hotel is well located in the Loop, 10min walk to State St and Grant Park. $35 in a cab from O'HareSmall, simple reception, all about getting you into your room fast. They do not offer much more there. Rome - decent sized, clean, simple and quiet. Bathrooms won't win awards for style, but were spacious and clean. No fridge, which is a let down if staying long and you would like to have water etc handy. TV in room with ESPN/News channels and the rest of the free view stuff. Comfortable bed too.Vending machines in corridors for snacks and free filtered water also!Elephant and Castle pub attached to hotel is busy at night time, with sport on screens and very good barmen. Reasonable priced for city centerBreakfast is served in the pub and was nothing special, but plenty of choice, If bringing my girlfriend, I would probably stay somewhere a bit better, like the W Hotel across the road, but for business, and if you are not spending much time in the Hotel, this is perfectly fine and I will stay here again.
Yes, the rooms need redecorating, but we had a comfortable stay nonetheless. The kids loved the rooftop pool, which also boasts stunning views. The staff was friendly and helpful. This isn't the Ritz (which in fact is just down the street), but the combination of low price, great location, and reasonable comfort adds up to good value.
Our round the world trip brought us to NYC and the Chelsea Pines Inn. We booked after seeing it in the gay listings. All the rooms are named after movie stars and there are film posters everywhere. Very individual. Helpful staff including very cute guy on reception! Our room was on the 5th floor, we had four heavy bags and with no lift we got super fit! Hotel has a slightly rough around the edges feel which makes it really quite charming, Rooms immaculately clean, comfortable bed, free wifi, aircon, nice complimentary bathroom products, breakfast rather sparse but fine. Don't expect to eat healthily - bagels, cream cheese, peanut butter, muffins, doughnuts, and they could invest in a good coffee machine really which would make a big difference, Something really good is their morning newsletter pushed under the door with ideas of things to do and what's ons. It alerted us to a fantastic evening of music at a jazz theatre overlooking Central Park. Hotel a great price for NYC and it's perfectly located - right on the border of Chelsea and West Village. Lots of lovely cafes and restaurants nearby and gay nightlife close by too. We had a lovely stay.
As reviewed, we found exactly what we expected...British charm, good service, good food, helpful staff. We will stay here again if we visit London, and we loved the location.
Great location. My husband and I travel frequently for pleasure and do not like having to pay more than about $150 a night. This place was a great bargain and if you check out their rates even without going 'Hotwire', they have some very fair prices. We stayed two years ago at a hotel nearby, it was $115 then, and that same hotel is now over $300 per night! Hotel Bijou was nicer, rooms were plenty big, extra pillows (sheets a little starchy, but clean and new), adequate closet space , extra pillows, and nice clean compact bathroom with quality toiletries and a great pleasant housekeeper to boot. Very accomodating - put us in a quiter room near the center of the building, when I asked for a room away from noise. (You don't want to be near the elevator by the way, it sounds way too noisy). Yes, of course there is street noise, sirens etc. this IS a major city after all and the up-side is that you are close to all the great restaurants, pubs, entertainments and transit to all over San Fran, including BART to the airport. The only suggestions I would make would be to add some fruit to the otherwise adequate breakfast and/or maybe some yoghurt. But it's FREE, and for those who just want juice, muffin, O.J and some flakes or instant oatmeal it's more than enough to hold you until lunchtime. Also, an extra shelf in the bathroom for personal stuff would be nice. We didn't need air conditioning because of the time of year, so outside noise was not much of a factor, besides they supply ear plugs. And yes like several other people suggested, stay away from the side street- the Eddy Street liquor store has some real chatty characters hanging around most of the day and evening, but they seem only interested in talking to each other....we never had a problem, as we always walked on Mason St towards Union Square and avoided that corner and that street in particular. Again, it's a major city and has it's fair share of street people and pan handlers like most others. Don't let it get in your way of having a great time, this is a wonderful city with lots of fun activities. If you like fun pubs, don't miss the piano bar at Lefty O'Douls just a short walk away. Lots of tourists but great fun.
I stayed at the Comfort Inn for 3 nights at the start of October 09 with my other half and 2 daughters.Firstly, remember that this is not a 5 star hotel, after reading previous reviews I was open minded.The hotel is well situated in the centre of Manhattan, only a stones throw from Broadway and a 5 - 10 minute walk to Times Square.Most of the staff were helpful, however there were some exceptions.We were given room 1011 which was adequate in size but situated at the rear of the hotel with a view of a wall 10 ft away. The room was dark, but the good thing was that it was quiet.We only stayed in the room to sleep, so this was no real problem.The room was well appointed and had been recently decorated, it wasnt the cleanest room I have stayed in, but the cleaner did come daily.The continental breakfast provided was good with bagels, waffles, toast, cereal, cakes, hot and cold drinks and others all provided. We usually went down about 09.30 in the morning, it was usually quite busy, getting a seat and table wasn't a real problem.We didn't eat in at Brendan's due to the number of other food outlets nearby.Out and about, we used the 48 hour hop on / off Grayline bus tour ticket to get about and see New York. We did the uptown, downtown and night tours which were all good, at worst some guides were mediocre, however some are very good, keeping the topics interesting. We never had a real problem getting on the top level of the bus.Times Square was good, always bustling with people and plenty shops and restaurants to choose from.The Empire States building is just around the corner from the hotel and Macys is only a block away.If you are travelling on a budget and planning a busy time in Manhattan for a few nights this hotel would do. If your expectations are high I would give it a miss. There is nothing greatly wrong with this hotel, however it didnt give me the feeling that I would use it again if returning to New York.
I love hotels. The Hotel Place D'Armes was maybe my favorite hotel room of all time. I paid only about $185/night for 3 nights, had a truly impressive room in the new building, got a free continental breakfast and cocktail hour, was in a great location in Vieux Montreal right near the Basilica, and was generally treated like a queen in all ways. When there was a little problem with my manicure at the spa (it was the first week they were open), they gave me a free pedicure. My room included a fabulous slate-tiled walk-in shower with one of those shower heads that feels like rain, and I adored the faux fireplace, leather club chair, and the nice touches like bottles of water and a weather report for the next day, which was left by my bedside. If you want to stay in Old Montreal and want comfy and pampering accommodations at a downright jaw-droppingly reasonable price, you can't do better than this.
Perfect in every imaginable way. We were upgraded to a junior suite with sensational views. The room was incredibly clean and comfortable. Everything that you might need was provided - including a small gift (teapot) to take home! What a wonderful room. In terms of the amenities, the pool was awesome as too was the restaurant. Breakfast included exemplary homemade sausages, espresso coffee and freshly squeezed juices. Superbly done - and everything was PIPING HOT! This is because they only offer the food in small quantities - thus ensuring it's freshness and hot temperature. WOW factor in every way at this hotel. The management and staff deserve nothing but praise. THANK YOU so much - and a special thanks for the upgrade to accommodate our 2 young children comfortably. Noted AND certainly appreciated. Would recommend this place without any doubt whatsoever.
My husband and I stayed at the Nova during a recent visit to Dubai. We needed a budget hotel--not easy in Dubai as another reviewer mentioned-- and decided to go with the Nova because we really wanted something downtown and we wanted something clean. We loved the location (although I think we were lucky to have a room not on the main street). The staff was very friendly and helpful. Internet was available at a good rate. There are different categories of rooms. Indeed, this is not a 5 star hotel. The rooms are very big and our room was not modern. However, it was very clean and was cleaned every day. We had everything we needed. Breakfast was simple, but as we were on a budget, toast and coffee or tea was enough. Remember that there are different kinds of guests and everyone's idea of what is a good breakfast is different. If you want to just hang out at a pool at a hotel, pay the extra money and go for a more luxury hotel. You can find good deals online. Because we wanted some time to do this, we decided to pass the second half of our stay in a nicer hotel. Unfortunately, in the nicer hotel we had to pay extra for things like breakfast and couldn't just pop out to get a bottle of water or a quick snack or even just a pleasant evening walk. Overall, we particularly liked the location, the fact that it was very clean and safe, and would recommend it for couples on a budget.
This hotel is fine if it is near somewhere you are going (it was near a club we were going to). We were suprised at the size of the room - very spacious! The room was also very clean and comfortable (apart from the bright orange walls!). Unfortunately the service was not very good - they had lost my booking and were very rude about it as though it were my fault! Then the room keys did not work but again they acted as though it were something I had done that had made her forget to activate them! Would stay here again though!
--Great location!!--Purchased through Hotwire--excellent value--Nice, clean rooms--Excellent housekeeping service--Front desk and concierge exceed expectations
Recenty spent four nights at QT with my daughter. Read all the reviews before booking but still went with heart in mouth as this was our first time in NY and booking on internet. Shouldn't have spent time worrying arrived tired from the flight to a warm friendly welcome. We stayed in room 710 and was impressed as soon as we walked through the door, clean, bright and the air conditioning was an added bonus to a travel weary 44 and 18 year old. The room size was more than adequate in actual fact I was quite impressed by the size we also had plenty of hanging space for clothes, storage for our cases and an adequate seating arrangment set up on the bed surround and talking of the bed if I could have packed it and brought it home I would have I've never slept in such a comfortable bed as this one. The only down side to the room from my point of view would be the climb up onto the platform that the bed is on. Although very modern looking it is a rather high step up to get onto the bed and although I'm not quite infirm yet after a days hard walking and weary muscles a small step up onto the platform would have been helpful so on that note only wouldn't recommend this hotel if you do have leg or back problems could prove a little uncomfortable getting on and off the platform. The walk in shower was a delight and although there was only the one sliding door which either closed in front of the shower or toilet this never posed a problem for us. The housekeeper came in every day to change the towels and bedding and breakfast was more than adequate. The added bonus of course to the hotel apart from price is that it is slap bang on top of Times Square and although near to two Irish pubs and the noise to Times Square being constant during the night it was never enough to stop a good nights sleep. If you're looking for an affordable near to everthing hotel then this will be the one for you I certainly would go back again (and take a little ladder with me).
I have just returned from a stay at the Belvedere, NYC and value for money wise am quite pleased. Let me start off with the good: it was under 500 for the 3 nights. It's pretty central, a 3-5 minute walk to Times Square, would be better if it was 1 block to the east but whatever, walking is the best form of seeing New York anyway. Service was good, Chris the concierge was very helpful with attraction ticket and general NYC advice. Room was spacious, bathroom was nice.The bad: there is no room service, the breakfast was $17.50 and bit of a rip-off, the room we stayed in was forward facing onto part of 48th street and im not even sure it was double glazed as you could hear every little noise. Bearing in mind the yellow cabs honk at each other well into the night, and the bin men come every morning prompty at 5am making a racket to wake anyone. Overall though value for money it is just what you expect, a reasonable hotel though there are definately better places to stay in New York, if you're on a budget however, the Belvedere is for you.
this is not a 5 star hotel, but probably one of the few ny 3 star hotels that actually deserves 3 stars. first i am writing the review from the hotel with its courtesy wireless internet which is nice. second, i arrived at 7:30am and they checked me in with no problem whatsover. third, the rooms are very big in ny standards (which means average size anywhere else). And finally the room felt very clean, which again is not something that should be taken for granted in ny. yes the room was a little noisy (my room was facing 57th street, which is a pretty busy street) but since i used to live in ny, it doesn't bother me that much.
My daughter left her expensive mobile 'phone in bed covers. When we returned to room...no where in sight. The hotel was not very interested. Depite frequent calls after I left hotel, I did not receive a call back from the hotel.I found very few members of staff ( if any) to have a good command of English.
Stayed at this hotel at the end of September for a week, having previously stayed at the Luxor, Circus Circus, the Flamingo and Ballys. We chose here for a change and got a good rate for the week and we were not disappointed. Many of the hotels in Las Vegas are great but the layout is so complicated you can get lost in them. Thats where this hotel was a pleasant change. The casino was basically all one long room, the places to eat, the sports book and the bars were easy to find. The elevators came out near to the Pool and the food court so you could never get lost. We upgraded to a high floor room with a strip view for $20 dollars a night. We were the very end room in the corridor (335)and the strip view was ok, but the windows were really dirty ( I think the end room gets all the dirt from the construction next door- the room our friends were in next door to us had much cleaner windows). I would not pay to upgrade again. Anyway, the room was clean and tidy but a bit dated, with some of the furniture a bit shabby around the edges and perhaps in need of a refurb. As we faced out onto the strip it was also a little noisy (even on the 30th floor), so if you dont sleep well choose a room at the back. However, for the amount of time you spend in a room in Vegas it was fine. There was a good system for the elevators, although were were on the 30th floor, the elevators were split into groups according to the floors they serviced. Our set of lifts only stopped from floor 24 upwards so it never took long to get to the room. Most of the food court was 24 hour as was the very good 'Cafe' in the hotel. While we were there the 'Cafe' also served Steak and Eggs from midnight till 6am for just $5.99. We all tried it the one evening and the steak was very good and came with hash browns and toast, the service was also very good in the cafe, although perhaps a little slow to get the bill at the end of the 'Steak and Eggs' meal. The hotel has a good lively bar and eatery called Diablo's which has a mexican theme and opens out onto the strip. They also have a happy hour there from 3-7. The pool area was great with a lazy river, a wave pool, a normal pool and a very hot jaccuzzi . The cocktails were an average of 10 or 11 dollars by the pool, which is a little expensive but they were good. you can hire inner tubes for the lazy river for 15 dollars a day, but you can buy them at the pool shop for just $10.81 which includes them re-inflating them if necesary. The only downside with the pool area was most of it was in the shade till about 11am (probably due to the new construction of the high rise 'City centre' next door and also the time of year we were there). We tried the Chines Noodle restaurant in the hotel also, the food and service was good but the wine was a little expensive.All in all, we had a great week at the Monte Carlo and would certainly stop there again.
After staying in vegas for two days last year we decided to come back for longer this year. Arrived at caesar's late afternoon and checked in within a few minutes. Did the $20 tip at reception, asked if any complimentary up grades were available and got a Palace Tower room over looking the pool area. Large room, huge bathroom and all spotless. We didn't eat here as we had heard it was expensive for what you got but did have a lovely english breakfast at Planet Hollywood in the forum shops with endless coffee and tea for two for less than $30, it set you up for the day. Ate at the grand cafe lux at the pallazo...massive portions, lots of choice and very reasonable. The pool area looked great but unfortunately the weather was against us. This is a great hotel conveniently place on the strip I would recomend it to any one.
We stayed at the Le Meridien for three days this past July (2008) and could not have been happier with our stay. I booked the hotel through Priceline at half the published rate. The room was spacious, the bedding very comfortable, and the room nicely furnished and very clean. Staff were polite and helpful. In fact, the front desk employee upgraded our room upon check-in to one that would be more spacious than the one originally assigned to us. Great location in the Financial District. I would definitely stay at this hotel again.
This Location is nicely appointed and comfortable. The staff are ever ready to assist you with whatever may be needed. I got a call from the manager who was offsite, regarding my connection to the internet in my room. The breakfast was very good. I have stayed at chain hotels that are more expensive and don't offer the ammenities that the IATO does. The Parking Package is a great deal. I will stay at the IATO whenever I am in SF.
We found this hotel to be a relatively small but nice for being such a reasonably priced hotel. When we went, it was one of the most inexpensive 3 star hotels that still looked like it had updated decor and was relatively decent sized. One of my favorite things about the hotel is its location on a side street off a main road about two blocks north of The Forbidden City wall. It's a great, central location for site-seeing, as you can catch a taxi half a block away, or walk less than a mile further north to the Back Lakes area for some good restaurants and shopping. This location made it easy for us to return to the room to rest several days, during the the hottest and most humid time in the afternoon. On the second to last day we realized that the subway wasn't all that far - the closest station was on the newer purple line (Line 5) about a mile or so away. I found it pleasant to open up the windows in the morning while getting ready to hear the locals sweeping outside their shops and getting ready for the day ahead. It was also nice picking up some pancake style breads for breakfast on our way out site-seeing. The rooms decor was updated and the rooms themselves were definitely small by American standards, but comfortable and enough room for two. The bathroom was relatively clean compared to others we saw throughout the trip. Our room had a &quot;regular&quot; toilet as opposed to a squater, which was very much appreciated. The front desk was helpful, letting us borrow a plug adapter at no charge. When we had questions about locations or the room, the staff tried very hard to help us. There was always at least one staff member at the front desk who spoke relatively good English. Our room size was decent by Beijing standards, and it was very helpful that our room had free Internet so we could send back daily updates to our friends and family back home. Yes, we had to pay for the tourist map in the desk drawer, but frankly it was a very helpful map during our week long stay and worth the few dollars. One major con was that the carpet was old and looked like it needed a good steam cleaning, but we just used the slippers provided by the hotel free of charge. Biggest con was that the air conditioning let in some of the smoke smell from other rooms. However, in our research we could not find budget friendly smoke-free hotels that were centrally located. Overall, the price and was right for this centrally-located and friendly hotel.
We just got back from our trip on the Remembrance/Veteran's Day long weekend. The hotel was one of the great highlights of New York. It was very close to all amenities. Across from Central Park and a 10 minute walk to times square. The room was very spacious and we had a great view of the city. The lobby was small but the people were very generous and helpful. The concierge would find out any information we needed about restaurants, tickets and attractions and even made reservations for us. The staff pretty much knew who you were after the first day! There were many celebrities that were staying at this hotel as well! That was a nice surprise. I would come back here again!!
Stay away from this hotel. We found it on the internet because we were looking for a hotel near Victoria Station. The actual hotel is nothing like that described on their deceptive website. The photo presented as representing the hotel is misleading: it is a photo of the whole block ...the hotel is really only one of the doorways...What a letdown after we arrived tired from a long journey. The room was like a bad college dorm room. Cheap furniture stuffed haphazardly into the tiny space...a view of a brick wall...no elevator access to the room...no air conditioning...a bathroom so tiny that you can sit on the toilet and brush your teeth in the miniscule sink at the same time. The management extracts an extra fee for any request: we asked for a map, and they wanted to charge us 2 pounds.
My wife and I had a four night stay in September - check in was very quick, within five minutes and although the hotel is very large and we had read that there may be a long walk to the room and it was easy top get lost we only had a five minute walk to our room and found it with no problem at all - all you have to do is read the easy to follow signs.The room was large and clean with a total of 3 TV's (including one in the bathroom) - the bed was extremely comfortable and the remote control blind and curtains was a cool touch. We had a strip and pool view which was only ok but we didnt go there to look out of a window. The Bathroom was also large and clean. Housekeeping in the room throughout was faultless.The hotel is impressive and really clean throughout - all of the staff are really freindly and helpful.There are several restaurants in the hotel together with a coffee bar near the elevators which was handy for a coffee and croissant in a morning, and there is a food court near the casino with a variety of snacks on offer.The canal and St Marks square area are impressive and worth visiting - there is a venetian style show hourly which is also worth a look.Overall we had a brilliant stay and it is really difficult to find any fault with the hotel.
My wife and I stayed here in July and enjoyed it very much. The air conditioning was helpful a few times during our four night stay. Couldn't find any other hotels in this price range that had air. The owners Chris and Maria Crias are most helpful with tours,the tube,where to eat etc. Very clean rooms,good continental breakfast,close to Paddington station and Hyde Park. Very good choice for seeing the sights and using this as a place to relax. Glad we chose this hotel. Thanks Chris and Maria.
We recently stayed at the Hyatt Regency Montreal and here is the feedback.The hotel is ok but I doubt if we would ever go back there, mainly because of the drab, depressing and horrendous decor. The corridors were a mixture of off grey and sludge brown. The rooms were the same awful colours but were at least modern - but the bathroom was hideous. A cramped room in the same dismal colours with one tiny, pathetic, dim lamp that barely lit the mirror!!! The rest of the bathroom was in the dark (and no, the lamps weren't broken...there was only one). Unfortunately our view was of a grafitti painted car park (can't blame the hotel for that, I suppose).Having been to Montreal, I know now that personally, I would have preferred to stay somewhere in the old quarter. A lot more going on, more restaurants, a more relaxed location.
Stayed for 3 nights as part of our honeymoon in June. There was nothing wrong with it, but really for the money we paid it was a bog standard hotel. The bed was very very comfortable and the bathroom lovely. The room wasn't particularly big. We had a big flat screen TV though which was nice. We were on 7th floor and had no views. It was booked as part of a honeymoon package and although we weren't looking for freebies, an acknowledgement would have been nice! I have read other reviews about upgrades or a bottle of wine as special occaision touch - but nothing.There was a big storm the night before we left and JFK had been closed - I called the concierge about 11.30 to see if they thought the morning flights would be okay and I was dismissed by them - they didn't seem interested.We had rather a strange experience on our last night where the phone range about 1am and it sounded like some sort of taxi booking place confiming something for our room. I hung up as I couldn't work out what was going on - half an hour later, room service appeared at our door. We had to get up at 5.30am for a flight in the morning. They only sort of shrugged when I complained in the morning.The doormen were great though - v easy to get a taxi and provided umbrellas when it was raining. They also recommdend a great pizza place - John's pizza on same street but just past broadway - would highly recommend it. The red flame diner just out the front door on the left was also good for breakfast. We spent a bit of time in an Irish Bar nearby - O'Briens which was great - food was fab and staff really friendly.
Just had a 2 night stay at the Park City. Had a couple of business meetings in town so needed a hotel for a couple of nights. I'm well used to London hotels, the good the bad and the ugly and the Park City is definitely one of the good. The rooms were very big (for London) and extremely well appointed - plasma screen TV, Bose Wave CD etc. Large bathroom with excellent shower, everything very clean. I always look for a place with a gym and they have a small gym in the basement with a couple of brand new treadmills and a concept 2 rowing machine. There's also a multi gym machine which is half decent.I didn't eat in the restaurant in fact on the 2nd night it was closed for a private function. However would recomment the buffet breakfast - at 14.50 its pretty good value bearing in mind this is the West End.Not a criticism of the hotel but if you don't know London well be aware that this place is out in Earls Court and not ideal if you want to be right in the middle of town although Gloucester Road Tube is 5 minutes walk away. Having said that you'll pay twice as much for a 4 star in Piccadilly/Park Lane and from my experience it won't be anywhere near as good.
Great atmosphere, friendly staff, many options for eating, good pool, helpful staff. Would recommend and stay again.
This hotel is in a great location, easy to get to from Paddington, we were impressed with rooms, service and attention to detail. Staff very efficient and friendly. Rooms very high standard, lots of nice extras like, robes, slippers, lovely toiletries, nibbles. Breakfast was included in room price and was great ,Continental, smoked salmon, cheeses, croissants, yoghurt etc. We were so tired after walking around London for 2 days we stayed in on last night and hired a DVD from an extensive range at hotel ( no charge for this ). We visited Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square ( to see Blood Brothers..Amazing! ), Covent Garden, Mayfair and on last morning lovely walk down to Tate Modern via Tower Bridge. Getting around was so easy from Location, bought a one day Zone 1 card ( can use on train and bus) cost approx 5.60 and used it over and over to hop on and off tube to various locations. Only wished we could stay longer, but will definitely return to hotel.
Pretty bad hotel --- even by London standards. Quite dirty throughout. Not well maintained (except the lobby). I had a rat trap in my bathroom.The neighborhood is okay for shopping --- but very bad for eating.Come shop on King's Road --- but stay elsewhere.
Great location next to Harvey Nichols and near Harrods. Convenient with direct tube line from Heathrow airport to Knightsbridge and a very short walk from the tube station to Sheraton Park Tower.I got an upgrade to an executive room. My room was nice. Room cleanliness could have been better. Friendly staff.
I was extremely nervous about staying at Hotel 3030. I am a young woman travelling by myself and some of the reviews I read of this hotel were just awful. I arrived at the hotel with no expectations at all and I was pleasently surprised. This hotel is a 3* and I think a lot of people forget this, 3* means it won't be the Marriot. I had requested a room on a higher floor-which I got. I had a single room, which was small but nice. The bathroom was very nice and had amazing granite (or a granite substitute on the floor and in the shower). There was a lock on the door and a safe. There were a few things that could have been replaced in the room -like the carpet and the grouting in the bathroom was a bit odd, the sheets were not matching, and the quilt had a sheet as a cover instead of a quilt cover but apart from that the place was perfect for a base in NY. The staff were not overly friendly and one in particular was unhelpful. There is a small resturant attached to the hotel-I had bfast there and there is a lovely irish pub across the way which does some very good food. The best description I can give this hotel is its like good student accommodation-its fine but not the Waldorf!
This place is OK. Thats about all I can write about it. Nothing was wrong but there also wasn't anything spectacular. I was only here for one night on business and booked the place since my first meeting on the second day was a couple doors down. I've been at many Crowne Plazas and this one is basically average. The only disappoint was the cost of Internet access but this is a problem in so many places. I found the location ok as well but I wouldn't stay here were my meeting not in the area. I prefer other parts of town in London. In summary, this is a good business hotel and you can expect what you are used to if you've been to other Crowne Plazas.
Room was a decent size, clean and fairly comfortable (air-con did not work) - I rate the room a 4. However, can only give a 2 for service and 3 for location. I have stayed at many hotels from zero star to 5 stars and I rate the bell staff, front desk staff (there was one exception) of this hotel at the lower end - very surprising given I certainly expected more from the Fairmont. Bellboy/girl dropped my suitcases from the rack (was not an accident - she just dragged it off) then just dragged it down the stairs to the taxi. Don't bother talking to the doormen - most unfriendly ones I have encountered.Located on top of Nob Hill - OK if you want to stare at the view all the time but there is little else nearby - I will stay at the bottom of the hill nearer to Union Square next time (Chancellor Hotel where I stayed last time was a better choice).
Really disappointed with this hotel. Whilst our room was generally clean and spacious the whole place, including corridors and public rooms, were 'shabby' and badly in need of refurbishment. Our shower nearly always seemed to run out of hot water in the evening and the hand basin never held water. A bit difficult when trying to shave. The curtains had come away from the curtain tracks. On the first night the whole room smelt strongly of disinfectant The reception staff were just not interested.The bar staff appeared to take no pride in their work. The glass topped tables were nearly always sticky and dirty, you certainly could not put anything down on them.
The Whitcomb is an old fashioned &quot;Grand Hotel&quot;. It would be necessary that they renovate the rooms, because ours had a smell reminding us of recent centuries. A great benefit is &quot;Starbucks&quot; locatet in the hotel, all public transport stoppin in front and &quot;Sam's Diner across the street, where we got breakfast. Unfortunately the &quot;Civic Center District&quot; is Home for the Homeless People, but, in fact, they do not disturb if you can ignore their demand for &quot;change&quot;. Due to the Public Transport Stop in front, you can reach every spot in SFO easily. We bought a 3 Day-Pass and had no need to move our car, which was securely parked at The Whitcomb. The price of 28$ is acceptable in this Town. Worth to mention was the small, but well equipped gym and the very friendly staff!
Arrival - I was on transit in NYC on 22nd Aug 2009 so only stayed a night. If it's any longer, I wld definitely have changed hotel. It was past 1am when I arrived at the hotel. When the taxi drove up at the hotel driveway, it was &quot;under&quot; the hotel. A little uncomfortable for me, a lady traveler as I need to take a &quot;dated&quot; elevator alone to the hotel lobby. The hotel lobby is probably the most impressive area.Check-in - A'lthou it was at such early hr, there's a queue of abt 5~6pax waiting for check-in. I was tired but was told that only smoking rooms are left although I have asked for a non-smoking one at reservations. I agreed wit the other advisors that some of the service staff is v rude. The statement to me put plainly was &quot;our hotel is full, if u dont want the room, fine, there are others waiting in queue.&quot; I left the queue to rest out my frustrations. I re-queued &amp; pleaded wit another staff that it's simply too much for me, a lady to wander the street at such hour to look for another hotel. After much hassle &amp; talking to his manager, he managed to get me a non-smoking room. By the time I checked in, OMG, it was 2.30am!Room - As expected, it's dated. The windows look into the air-well so there ain't much to see. It has a stale smell, the TV is a huge boxed-up type, &amp; u will be given a key to open the fridge. Theres no complimentary bottled water so if u think u will not be used to drinking tap water, make sure u buy a bottle fr the airport before heading to the hotel. Considering the room rate, bedroom slipper is not provided so rem to bring your own.Bathroom - Very small wit boxed-up mirror like those in see in the movies in the 60's. There is simply no space at the wash basin to put my personal items. After my late shower, I searched high &amp; low for the hairdryer in the bathroom &amp; the dresser table without much success &amp; decided to go to bed wit my semi-wet hair. The next morning, I found it hanging on the side wall of the walk-in closet. At least cotton wool/pad &amp; cotton bud is provided. My experience wit US hotels is that they dun provide tooth brush or tooth paste so do rem to bring your own. I hope someone is reading tis - wit the strict no water/gel rule on the air planes, it wld help if tooth brush n paste are provided.Food - After a long night, (or was that early morning?), I had brkf at the Oscars. It was terribly expensive. An American brkf - toast, two eggs cooked at your choice wit either ham OR bacon OR sausage, a cup of juice &amp; a cup of coffee OR tea cost US$28 without tax. And its not even buffet style. I know tis is NYC but must it be that expensive?? I had lunch at the Pier which is reasonably priced. I also found a Metro cafe very near to the hotel where u can have cheaper toast, cakes &amp; coffee. Beds - good enough for a night's rest.Check-out - again long queue. Either the hotel is badly under-staffed or is really really v busy.All said, tis hotel has definitely seen better days. It is also within walking distance to tourist attractions &amp; the sub-way. But for the $, I suggest u do more homework &amp; consult wit more advisors to check out other hotels nearby.
Absolutely fantastic location - within a pleasant 10 mins walk down Dong Changan Road to the Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City. Also, located within 5 mins walk to the huge Oriental Mall and Wangfujing shopping mall, both of which offer a great variety of food and shopping opportunities.Service at the hotel is first class. All of the hotel staff I interacted with could communicate quite well in English. Landmark Rooms are big and spacious with huge beds. Everything looked new and clean. There was even a &quot;Pillow Menu&quot; from which you can select the types of pillows to suit your liking.Great pool and jaccuzzi for a relaxing dip. Billiards, snooker and bowling were also available up to late in the night. I enjoyed the buffet breakfast at East 33. It had a good spread and quality and variety of food offered was splendid.Best hotel I ever stayed in.
To say that I was disappointed would be an understatement. Upon entering the room, we found that there were no towels, unless you count the dirty towel that was left in the tub. There was also some sort of unidentifiable sticky substance all over the bathroom floor and I don't even want to imagine what it was. To the credit of the staff, we were allowed to change rooms upon request. The new room had towels and a clean phone. Unfortunatlye, whenever the shower was used for the first day or two the ceiling leaked a wet substance that we thought might be water, but we could not be sure. The size of the room was misleading on the website. Our room was modestly sized with a cramped bathroom. There was an ironing board but no iron. When the iron was brought the next morning, my friend assumed that it was safe to use. Unfortunately, she found out the hard way that the iron was not in good shape, as it left a permanent stain on her outfit. After the first couple of days of our stay, there was an ungodly stench emanating from teh hallway. The source of the odor was apparently from trash/food that had been left in the hallway for an undetermined period of time. Upon removal of the trash, the stench remained for at least 12 hours. We were pleased that there was a restaurant in the hotel. Unfortunately, our dining experience was less than satisfactory. For breakfast, the eggs were bland and the bacon was undercooked. However, the orange juice was freshly squeezed, which I suppose made the $32 dollar tab worthwhile. The front desk service was reasonable, but it became apparent that they became increasingly frustrated with our apparently unreasonable requests for decent amenities and service. I suppose we were fortunate that we were only charged $158 per night, a result of the jacking up of rates because of an international conference. All in all, this was a hotel experience I will never forget. I would strongly recommend that you stay somewhere else.
I have booked the hotel from hotels.com for my family vacation. We paid for 220.00/night for two nights, plus 100 for an additional person. The room is so small, no space for the luggages.. We have to put the luggage on the top of the chair. There is train path close to the hotel, each night, we would be waked up few times by the passing train noises. For price over $300.00 for the condition in NYC, it is much over priced.Our terrible experience came to the day of check out. First of all, it was our mistake remembering wrong check out date. We thought the check out date was 28 but it actually was 27.We came back to hotel at around 8:00PM, and the room was locked out. We came to the front desk and were told that we already passed the check out time, and would be charged a full day rate for the day and let us leave immediately. I talked to the on site manager that it was a mistake we made, and If we charged the full day rate, we should have the room for the night. But the manager told me that all the rooms were sold out, I can not get any room. I thought that the person who booked our room had not checked in yet, if we move out at this time, we actually not cause any financial lose to the hotel, I asked for a discount/half day charge if we can not stay at the night. I get refused, too. I asked to speak to the senior manager, The on-site manager talked to the senior manager over the phone, and told me that the senior manager was angry and yelling at him, so the price increased from 299.00 to 375.00 due to my asking for talking to the senior manager. This is ridicules! The total charge is 428.65 include tax for the late check out and we even can not have the room for the night! We have tried to talked to the on site manager for the matter until 10:00PM, then we have to drive out to find the new hotel for us for the night, we get a room in Super 8 at around 1:30 AM, a night mere to us for the New York trip. I found a lot of negative reviews to this hotel after I back home, and very regret did not read the reviews before booking. My advise to travelers is that read the review, the negative review has its reason and verify the check out date very carefully. Best Western Convention Center Hotel got an extra $428.65 from me for my vacation (They have a good profit for the room, a total charge over $800.00 for both my penalty and the new book for a single day with a motel level room), but they will lose my business forever include all my relatives &amp; friends.Wish you have a nice trip!
The Athenaeum is one of the best hotels I have ever had the pleasure of staying in. We were staying in a suite on the 7th floor, overlooking Green Park and it was simply divine. Our suite had everything ready and in perfect working order to make our stay comfortable and the staff were very efficient and helpful, going out of their way to make sure we were happy and well looked after. The bed was luxuriously comfortable, with soft, freshly washed linen and our suite also featured a walk in double shower in the bathroom, including a bath with a huge mirrored wall, which gave a sense of spaciousness. All the rooms in the suite were very large in comparrison to other London hotels and this made us feel very at home and comfortable during our stay.The room service is very quick and efficient and the food is delicious. After returning from a show rather late at night I was incredibly hungry so ordered up some food, it arrived to my room promptly and the dining staff were very helpful and professional. I would definitely stay at The Athenaeum again and am also considering booking my parents a weekend stay for their anniversary. A delightful hotel that is both exceedingly beautiful and up market, but also comfortable and homely, a real gem!!.
My husband and I took our kids (11 and 13) for their first trip to San Fransico. We had a great experience with the Hilton. FIrst of all the location was very convenient - just a couple of blocks to Union Square - which also meant easy to find restaurants, easy to catch the cable cars along Powell. Pre-arrival we had requested a room on a higher floor so we could have a view. At first they were going to put us on the 14th floor - well, that was &quot;ok&quot;, but not really what we would call &quot;high&quot;. Then the desk clerk said she wanted to check on something - and offered us an upgrade to the 44th floor - the highest we could go! It was only $50 a nigt extra - AND they gave us 6 vouchers for breakfast at Starbucks (inthe lobby). These breakfasts were huge - any coffee drink, a pastry, a fruit cup, a cold beverage...we figured worth $80+. The room had a huge balcony - and the VIEW! Wonderful! So if you are offered an upgrade - TAKE IT! Well worth a few extra dollars. Beds were comfy - the rooms were quiet - everything was nice and clean. Oh - one more thing - there is a pool, which can be hard to find in a hotel in downtown San Fransisco, so that was a plus for the kids.Want a truly memorable SF experience? We rented bikes from Blazing Saddles on the Wharf and rode from there over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito - then took the ferry back. It's something our family will not forget - it was incredible biking ove the bridge! (We left the Wharf around 11:00 and returned around 6 pm, so plan for a good portion of your day.)
As you step into the Marriott Chateau Champlain you can feel the history of this once Gem of the Canadian Pacific Hotel. About 13 years ago Ocean Properties of Portsmouth NH purchased this property and added it to the Marriott International Chain. As a typical Marriott customer I was excited to see that Marriott was finally adding quality hotels in Canada to their portfolio.We 13 years have passed and this hotel has become old and tired. This &quot;Lady&quot; needs a facelift. Unfortunately it does not make the list of my top hotels. The wall paper is peeling in rooms, the rugs in the hall are fading, the wood in the elevator is chipped and the staff is not too happy about it. According to one of the employees, the ownership has recently opened up a brand new Westin in Montreal and is paying all their attention to that property.How sad that after so many years as a CP hotel and then one of the first Marriotts in Canada this property is being left to become run down and tired. Even the Sheraton across the way went thru a major renovation last year... I think it is time for this property to become competitive like it used to be.
My daughter and I just returned from a weekend in NYC where we stayed at the Hotel Chandler. I was unsure of what to expect from this hotel, but was truly pleasantly surprised. Our room was upgraded to a king and was very clean and well maintained. The location was excellent and the staff was very pleasant and helpful. We were able to walk to all of the attractions in midtown Manhattan from this hotel. We had a terrific weekend and would certainly return to and recommend the Hotel Chandler.
Service was very good but not exceptional with asian standards. Rooms are very clean and well mantained.The food is exceptionally good and will make your stay a pleasure. For one you should try the special noodle dishes prepared on display by a dedicated noodle chef. Meeting facilities exellent.
OK hotel, rooms nice, close to Wharf and other shops.
So it's not the Wynn, I still loved it and will stay at the Somerset again. The rooms were large and clean. I never expected to find a room with a built-in kitchen with stove and oven, or the incredible in-room details of vintage, yet simple, space-age light fixtures. Perhaps I'm too easily amused by old-Vegas detail, like the bottle opener installed beneath the bathroom doorknob, but I really enjoyed this place. It's a time warp and very well-maintained which is evident from the roadside and the motel's incredible, enormous, and impeccably-maintained neon signage. There is a bit of owner-pride at this establishment. Sure it's rough around the edges, but you can't beat the price or that old-Vegas style.
We travelled to Dubai for the weekend for my birthday. We stayed 3nts Fri-Monday.We had stayed a month ago at Al Qasr and in August at the Mina and also last year at Jumeirah beach club and had loved Dubai so much that my husband surprised me with a birthday getaway.We couldnt get into the Al Qasr again or the Mina so we settled for Babs as we thought it would be a different experience but offering the same luxury and friendliness of all Jumeirah propertiesWe prebooked the transfer through the hotel 200 dirhams each way well worth it whisked through immigration avoiding long queues. Pickup was in a 4wd served with towels and water a fantastic start.We arrived at Bab al shams early hours of the morning I had previously spoken to the hotel and specifically asked for a room as far away from the building work as possible. We were shown to our room it was about 3am all looked ok but to our complete horror we awoke to the sounds of drilling banging and hammering at 7am they had put us in a room directly facing the building work in fact the best view in the house of it.lolI raced down to reception and asked them what was going on but they didnt apologise for the misunderstanding perhaps they thought in my call and email that we had wanted a view of the building work However after some strong negotiating they swiftly moved us to a quieter room. My husband had also advised them beforehand that it was my birthday but the staff at this hotel didnt wish me a happy birthday or do anything at all not that it was expected but previous stays at Dubai hotels when celebrating an occasion have been truly marvellous but I really think that there seems to be a bit of a lack of communication at this property between certain members of the staff reception and the concierge staff were pretty brusk and didnt seem as friendly and as knowledgeable as other Jumeirah hotels The bab al shams is designed like a fort and feels very authentically arabian with lots of little hideaways to relax and read but I felt it was too small and ideal for just a short time so a weekend was perfect. The rooms are comfortable with a nice bathroom but quite dark . The first morning we got a morning paper 2nd and 3rd morning we didnt 1 evening they forgot turndown service and didnt clean the room so little touches that you can expect from the Jumeirah beach properties were missing sometimes here.At the time of our stay they were finishing off the new pool it looks very nice but work had just started on the new restaurant so still not a good time to visit till March until it is completely finished.We sat around the old pool which is lovely but the downside was that there was so many flies flying around you and they were so irritating we were not sure exactly why that was as we had never seen that many flies in Dubai but I think everyone was experiencing the same problem around the pool perhaps it is because of the building work nobody was sure the next day to avoid the flies we jumped in a taxi and headed to Jumeirah beach hotel where complimentary beach access was offered heaven and no flies this could be a plus point for people who want to be away from the hustle bustle of dubai but still would like access to a beach.The breakfast buffet at Bab al shams was very nice but the room was very small especially if the restaurant is crowded during our stay it was full of groups so a tip would be to get up very early to miss the rush but there is everything you could desire on offer an excellent friendly chef who will prepare omlettes and pancakes for you. The waiting staff were also very friendly and attentive.We also visited the restaurant in the desert Al-Haedera and it was well worth a visit belly dancing singing camel rides falcon display wonderful food cooked to order eat and drink to your hearts desire soaking up the wonderful ambiance. A visit to this restaurant is a must if you stay at the Babs.Overall we had a great weekend and some fine weather for Jan with some minor hiccups but it didnt ruin our stay. I would recommend the babs for a shorter stay as it could get a tad boring after a few days. Or as a combination stay with a beach hotel. I would like to try the Al Maha instead next time as I think the echo of being Al Mahas poor little nephew rings a little true in some aspects
My wife and I stayed at the Hilton Times Square over Presidents' Day Weekend. It was an excellent stay overall. The location is ideal, and the hotel itself was just what we were looking for. Because the main lobby and all of the rooms are on relatively high floors, the hotel is very quiet and relaxing--even in the midst of the energy of Times Square. Check-in and check-out were efficient--we really didn't make use of many other services. Our room was very spacious and comfortable, and it had a great view looking north over 42nd Street. We packed a lot of sightseeing into the weekend, so it was nice to have a quiet, comfortable place in a central location. We would go back without hesitation.
The room I had was to small as well as the bed and the room was a bit dark. The barthroom looked allright but you find better showers on east-european campings - the bit of wather what came out was freezing cold. Dont think about bringing a lot of lugage because there is no elevator so you have to carry youre stuff up tiny staircases. The location is excellent if you like the british museum.
Such a classy style was actually unexpected for me since i know the former situation of the facility. Now Pasha Hotel became a deluxe facility. I am excited to have its hamam and kazak restaurant to be open. Its modern and minimalist style is definitelly relaxing.
The rooms had all been redone. Good size and have all of the modern amenities now. Mini bar is touch sensitive, so be careful. Mandalay Bay has a great atmosphere. Wonderful night spots and restaurants are dispersed around the casino, with a great big bar in the middle for meeting up with others. The Beach adds a fun dimension to the pool experience. Everyone was friendly and paid attention to details. the sport book is a good size with plenty of TVs for watching all the games. Nothing is better then being there over a big sports weekend. I would highly recommend Mandalay Bay for anyone who wants to experience the higher end of Vegas. It is definately my favorite location.
Myself and 9 friends spent a Girly-weekend at the City Inn Westminster in May 2008. It was a very nice contemporary hotel, seemed posh for the great rate we got! Some of my friends had some trouble w/ the techi stuff in their room, but the staff solved the problems promptly. The breakfast buffet was outstanding! Quiet location. I will definitely recommend and return here!
We recently spent 3 nights (April 1-4) at the 414 Inn. I can;t say that it was the best or worst place that we ever stayed. On balance, it was average. There are many good points, and some concerns we had. It depends how much you weigh they items to determine how you will feel about this place.PROSLocation. A great location right across from Restaurant Row and many theaters. A quiet street for Manahattan.Price: We paid $189 a night which was much less than other places in the area. Other cheaper places looked more shabby.Room: Nice bed and plasma TV.Lobby: Free internet service.CONSRoom: Shower had little pressure and heat. Not great when you've done a lot walking. Floors were uneven and carpet was older. Notr much light.Common Areas: Stairways were dangerously dark. Lobby area was too small for more than a few guests to have breakfast at the same time.Breakfast: Could have a better selection. Mini-bagels weren't very fresh.Staff: Staff wasn't overly friendly Usually in a small place like this you would expect charm coming from the staff. I have gotten more charm from larger hotels than at this place.All in all not a bad place, but lacks the true amenities of a greatbed and breakfast.
My wife and I went to see Bloc Party at the Fillmore, and chose this hotel due to its proximity to the venue. Once we checked in, we fell in love. It has a Modern Hostel feel to it...sort of felt like we were europe...or japan. The hotel is located directly in the middle of Japan Town, and there are tons of great noodle restaurants within a stones throw. Not to mention all the Japanese and Korean markets. All-in-all, this was the perfect hotel for our tastes, and any show at the Fillmore.
As I seemed to be having trouble getting to Reception form the carpark into the hotel one of the friendly reception staff came down to the carpark to render assistance. The staff were consistently helpful and pleasant during our one night stay.I chose this hotel for its proximity to Heathrow. We had a 9:30 am flight and reached Hertz at Heathrow in around 20 minutes during London morning peak hour. The hotel is also conveniently located near buses and trains to Central London and the tariff is substantially less than hotels in Central London. Its proximity to The National Archives should appeal to genealogists using this facility.Our balcony room on the top floor was spacious and comfortable. From our huge balcony we had views over the Brentford Lock with its colourfully painted canal barges moored along the banks. I was thrilled that the hotel offered free wireless internet access although one had to use it in the lobby. While using the internet my husband and I ordered dinner from the modern smokefree bar. Our casual meal was well presented and tasty. The restaurant in this hotel has a good position on the edge of the canal.The hotel is in a formerly depressed area that appears to be undergoing redevelopment, next to the hotel are some rather smart new blocks of canalside flats. I imagine that in the future this area will become quite trendy.We have been visiting London regularly from Australia since 1983 staying in 3 and 4 star hotels This is by far the best in which we have stayed. Our loathing of London lodgings disappeared during our stay here.
I booked a room through Roomsnet.com in February,2009 , 5 months beofre arrival. Roomsnet confirmed my reservation and charged my credit card account in June, and emailed me a voucher for my stay for 5 days in this hotel. Two days before my scheduled arrival I got an email cancellation notice from Roomsnet telling me, due to a contract dispute they had to terminate my booking.I was face with a situation where I could not find an alternative hotel, in this area, and because all the hotels were already booked, I had no choice , but to stay with a friend. Although Roomsnet reimbursed me, they put me in a very difficult situation and I would highly recommend not to do buisness with Roomsnet.
The hotel is conveniently located in the City, therefore 108 GBP seemed to be a reasonable price for the room I booked. Or was it?When I arrived, I encountered a receptionist who barely spoke English, but after several attempts finally found my name in his PC. My room was on the first floor, close to the staircase and its creaking door that would be my constant entertainment during the night. Well, sometimes I was distracted by police sirens, or even the sound of heels on the street - after doublechecking the window I had to notice that it was indeed closed - unbelievable.There was one towel in the bathroom (although it was a double room), no shampoo or shower gel and the shower was a bit &quot;battered&quot;. In the room, it was slightly too &quot;windy&quot; (the window again) but I was able to offset it by turning the heating to full power. Only one of the two bedside lamps had a light bulb - unfortunately on the &quot;windy&quot; side - but changing it did not help either - for some reason it did not work on the other side at all.Let's turn to something more positive - in the next morning I finally checked out. I had an appointment and wanted to leave my bag in the hotel for several more hours. I was told that this would be impossible due to &quot;security reasons&quot;, but that I could opt for a late check out (at only 10 GBP) - my bag apparently is less dangerous when I pay an extra charge.....But enough is enough, my bag spent the morning in the left luggage room of Liverpool station and I did not have to come back to the hotel again!Consider very carefully how much you are willing to pay for this hotel, 29 GBP is a reasonable price due to the location, but otherwise - there are also &quot;real&quot; hotels for the price I paid -even in London!
Stayed at this hotel in Feb, in town for a hockey game. The location is perfect it is two blocks from the Bell Centre. Hotel is very active, but the rooms are very quiet. Staff was very accomodating. We travelled with our small dog and she was treated very well. Rooms were a fair size, bed was very comfortable with a duvet and lots of pillows. Would stay there again no problem.
We did find the Hotel in TripAdvisor, and we thought it could be an interesting deal, not exactly a bargain.We did manage to book cheaper through the Hotel website, than any other system, because they are offering special rates for a three day stay.At our arrival the booking was perfect, and we received a higher located room ( 703 ) as we had asked. Personnel was friendly and efficient, nothing to complain about.The room did seem ok for 2 adults and 2 kids in two queen size beds. There was enough space for living, but the bathroom was miserable and old fashion, but acceptably clean.Later we did notice,when entering after our daily trips, that the room, even when the window wasopen all the day( we tried everyting) had a bad smell, like after a rough session in the restrooms. Still the nose gets quickly used to it ( how strange!), and the night starts!!!Don't be surprised to have a short one, because you are in the middle of San Francisco, and the window insulation is miserable...the trash van comes around 5 a.m., and recycling I guess around 6....Police and Emergency have a lot to do between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m.....then comes rush hour....When you get tired of listening to that &quot;beautyful noise&quot; ( Neil Diamond) you should go to &quot;breakfast&quot;!!! We agree with a former client ( 2 comments further down the road...) : It is a shame that you &quot;only&quot; get muffins,kind of juice, lousy croissants, and terrible coffee, which you have to share with other clients, STANDING in the small &quot;lobby&quot;, where other people check in and out....We agree, there is certainly better for the price, but the Hotel has a very convenient location, car parking is not too far and for a short stay, you MAY accept the inconvenients.
My wife and I stayed here early Oct 08 for four nights. As has already been stated its in a good location if you want to be in a touristy location close to Times Square and Central Park and on top of a tube stop for connections to lower Manhattan. It was one of the more reasonably priced (in NY anyway!) hotels we found and for our money we got a good sized room, which was clean, quiet and comfortable. All the lifts worked and the only complaint I had was that there was no way of controlling the room temp. However, if this hotel is in your budget I would recommend it - trust me you wont see much of it!
We had a &quot;Nikko Floor&quot; room, which I believe was slightly larger than standard room. Was fine for 4 of us. Came with free wifi, a great breakfast buffet and access to the health club and pool. Service was fine and location was great. Tops for convenience, with a Starbucks and Enterprise car rental right in the hotel. Highly recommended.
We stayed at the Manhatten Club as part of a timeshare sales presentation. This was our second time so all we got was a room at the MC for $150 and free parking. The first time we got 2 show tickets a $25 gift card and a free night at the MC. We payed $200 for a fabulous room at the Millelium Hotel. The presentation was not hard sell and kind of fun. The MC is an old building refurbished nicly, but with not enough elevators, so the wait at 4pm and 10am can be quite long. The room was large, clean, attractive and everything worked. The only negative is that when every anybody took a shower or ran the water you hear it. It was not loud but annoying late at night. The location is the best feature. I would stay there again if the price was right.
We always try to stay at La Quinta Inn &amp; Suites. We find them to be very clean with the right price. The Chicago downtown location was no exception, plus it was modern, accommodating, and located close to the trains and attractions we were interested in. I know we will stay at this hotel again!
Stayed one night with two friends on a girls weekend to London and this hotel surpassed my expectations. The main reason for choosing it was for the location, and because they facilitated three in a room rather than making us pay for two rooms, and I did not expect much considering the price was so good.The location is excellent - a 2 minute walk from Victoria tube, and being London you can get anywhere easily via tube, making this hotel excellent value as a base for a short stay.The room was clean, modern and a good size, with en suite shower room which was also clean and modern. Towels were provided, as was breakfast, which was fairly simple (no hot food bar toast) but sufficient to set you up for the morning as you can eat as much as you like.My only slight niggle was that the third bed was a poor excuse for a sofa bed (little more than a board on legs!) with only a sheet and small blanket. Considering the main bed was huge and had a large duvet I felt slightly hard done by! However, the sheets were clean and the room had a very good remote controlled air con, so temperature wasnt a problem.Would definitely stay here again as the price was excellent for the standard of accomodation. It made an excellent base for a short stay.
We have just returned from 4 nights at the Westin and we are very pleased that we did not read these reviews prior to going as they might have negatively influenced our opinion prior to our arrival. We have only positive things to say about the hotel - our room was fantastic, the service was wonderfully courteous and nothing was too much trouble. We agree with the comments about other guests being incredibly rude to staff and over reacting to minor things...if we are being generous perhaps the heat got to them! One of the issues that has been raised was that children were restricted in the areas where they could swim. Perhaps when parents are not concerned as to their childrens behaviour and children are dive bombing in the pool, lighting matches at the poolside bar you cannot be surprised when the hotel management reacts by restricting their access. Children still have a very large area to swim and enjoy themselves so I am unsure as to why people are complaining; surely those on holiday without children should also be entitiled to their own quieter area.All in all we had a fantastic trip and we would certainly consider returning for a relaxing break in the sun in the future and would readily recommend to others.
We stayed at this hotel after scouring reviews on this site for a reasonable quality, sensibly priced hotel in London and we were happy with our choice. The rooms were of a good size for London and comfortable, our only complaint being that the room was very dark, with the view from the window being of the building next door. There was no breakfast included in the price, but that wasn't too much of an issue. The hotel was a short walk from the nearest tube station making the rest of London easily accessible. I'd recommend this hotel for a short stay.
I stayed Ballys last year. I booked a standard non smoking room. However all the non-smoking rooms are full when we arrived there. Without we complained, they put us in a great suite room. It has great location and walk distance into everywhere such as Paris, Bellagio, Ceasars, MGM, Rio, Planet Hollywood. Although it is a old hotel when I compared with the other hotels in Las Vegas, it is still in very good condition. I will be staying here again.
The LaQuinta Manhattan is an &quot;ok&quot; hotel. Location is &quot;ok&quot;, not the greatest area but there is a subway stop right at the corner of the block so that makes it really easy to get to where you want to be. The rooms are &quot;ok&quot;, pretty small but not terrible, however our non-smoking room really smelled like smoke. The breakfast is &quot;ok&quot;, although any free breaksfast in NY is a plus, this is very basic: cold cereal, bagels, fruit. All in all, for the price it's ok.
We arrived in Chicago at the unfortunate time of the hectic Lollapalooza festival. The Four Seasons was an oasis of calm in the midst of a storm. As with its sister sites, everyone knows your name from the minute you check in. The spa and pool are spacious and relaxed. Close to the Magnificent Mile shopping and walkable to the Lakeshore, it is a fine location in a top notch city.
We stayed in the hotel from the 30th June until the 2nd of July. We were given an automatic upgrade to a deluxe room. We were staying there on a B &amp; B bases. As we were attending Wimbeldon the next day we had to be up at 4am. Even at this early time they provided us with a full english breakfast to our room. The service we received from all the staff was of an extremely high standard and the room was clean and had a lovely view of the Tower of London. We enjoyed our stay and we will return in the future.
My wife and I stayed two nights at the Talbott at the end of February. This little hotel was the perfect place for us. The lobby is very small but also cozy, and with both fireplaces going it was a welcoming atmosphere coming in from the cold. The staff was very friendly and efficient. The room was pretty spacious, and the king bed was extremely comfortable. We had a seventh floor room facing delaware st, so there was really no view. The bathroom was a good size, including two sinks and a spacious tub/shower. There was also free wireless internet...a big plus for us.Perhaps the best thing about the Talbott is the location. We were only a few steps from State, Rush, and North Michigan. Tons of shopping, bars, and good food are easily within walking distance. This makes the Talbott a great place for tourists who want to walk around and take everything in.We highly recommend the Talbott, and will gladly stay again on return trips.
Fabulous hotel from the first contact with staff to the beautiful comfortable rooms. Upscale without being stuffy, the staff couldn't do enough to help us. Chic decor and the location is perfect.
The best thing about this hotel was the bed. The best night's sleep ever! Chancery Court is positioned in a great location right by the tube and within walking distance to many attractions. We were close to restaurants, groceries, the British Museum, and the theatre district. The hotel staff was pleasant and even gave me a free hour of internet ( I think the cost was outrageous).
This was a very nice hotel with excellent service and beautiful room. We were able to book a special and had a king suite on the top floor. Excellent with great city views. The service was perfect and everyone was very helpful.
My only downside...was...about me personally and not about the hotel. I have stayed in midtown so much...I really like being away from the touristy stuff at this point. But, the price was right and the hotel ser vices were great and in the end...there are ways to avoid the tourist and have a great time! Plus there is a subway line just outside the door of this hotel....and it proves to be convenient...if you want or need it! The room was clean, the mattresses...may need to be replaced...but not at the point that i found too uncomfortable. The noise from the street was present...but it is a city...and this should be expected. Check in and out was great...and overall friendly service all around.
What can I say! Stayed here 20th - 24th Feb for a long weekend break with my significant other and daughter (aged 4).100 yards away from Kings Cross and tube just over the road, this was an superbly located hotel for seeing all the sights!Ate in the resteraunt every night and the staff couldn't have been more polite and were so attentive to the bairn it was difficult to get her back upstairs!! Food was excellent - bit pricy though but it is London after all.Checked in and fron desk allocated us a top floor quiet room, which we requested. The receptionist even let us chose which room we wanted on a floor plan!!Room was spotless, beds were comfy, tea and coffee making facilities, large bathroom. Room was cleaned and towels changed daily.Walls are 3 foot thick so you don't hear other travellers coming and going - a good nights sleep had by all!Would definately stay here again!! 10/10 Premier by name Premier by nature! Never saw Lenny Henry though!!!:)
The price and location were great but the walls are paper thing. I am a travelling rep. and stay in a lot of hotels and this place is noisy, noisy, noisy. Light sleepers beware. Other than the noise, the place is clean and does have wireless.
We stayed 8 nights at Auberge du Vieux-Port in July 2007 and it was wonderful. Our room was very large and the bathroom was huge. The staff was very helpful. I will definietly stay here again.Just two small issues- our room was right next to the stairs that lead up to the terrace. The noise level was excessive at times. Also, I would have liked the bathroom lighting to be a little brighter.
Just returned from 3 nights at this hotel from 16th July whilst London was going through something of a heatwave Although its listed as a four star hotel, the room had no air conditioning and therefore a large noisy fan provided the only relief against the heat. There was no mini-bar in the room either, thus no way of chilling our bottles of water. The buffet was adequate and served in a nice conservatory dining room. Location is fantastic, less than 2 minutes walk from the tube and close to lots of shops and bars. I would stay here again but not in the summer.
The hotel was well located for our weekend trip to see a show at the Royal Albert Hall, but apart from the location I was not impressed. The hotel is tired, the staff were not that friendly, they were busy and we were treated like we were buying a train ticket rather than booking into a hotel for a weekend break. We were booked in but as the room was not ready, we were asked to wait...no problem, but after quite a long time we were dealt with in quite a hostile manner, had our room cards thrust in our hands, no directions of which room, or where it was. Room was okish. One side of the hotel is along side a busy rail track, which meant we could hear the trains, but the noise is not too bad and is nothing to the totally empty fridge which sounded like a generator, or the noise from the next room, or the maid waking us up at 8.00 am.
My family and I stayed here the week before Christmas in Dec 2004.We were so looking forward to seeing London. we were half way thru our 8 week time of England and Europe, so we had big suitcases and being winter they weren't lightOur arrival we were greeted by either indian or pakistani gentleman, and given keys to our room - 3 flights up, narrow stairs and hard work with heavy bags. I have to say we rarely saw any females and only assume this is the reason for the cleaniness of the place.Apon our arrival in the family room (my own bedroom is bigger), which is would be a big a normal 2 bedroom hotel room, we found one double and 2 single CRAMMED in, with the 4 suitcases and 4 adults basically it was really tight Sleeping was a night mare. Whilst it was freezing outside we were wearing summer PJ's because it was so hot, we kept our window open with an empty coke bottle to allow fresh air and had the joy of constant trains going past to keep us awake. The beds were terrible and springs stuck out in places, so needless to say we didnt get much sleep over the 5 days we stuck it out here. There was a TV which was a 68cm and at least it worked, and a the best thing was the microwave which allowed us to have a few heated dinners instead of going out. There wasnt a kettle (we asked and got one)or any tea making facitlies so we bought some ourselvesThe bathroom also was putrid, thongs were worn always, it looked like it had never been cleaned, and if wasnt for the fact we need to have a shower we probably we have avoided it all together. Breakfast was toast and coffee or tea. we had taken our own vegeimite (we are aussies of course) and my daughter left it on the table and they threw it out - a brand new jar and it was gone!I only wish I had known this site existed before going to stay at this place and had taken photos to show how bad this place was. I didnt take any to try and forget our stay here
We stayed here with 2 children in July 2004. The kids loved it and the staff was very friendly to them. We had a great experience. The Hotel is beautiful. It is very clean and new. The set up of the suites was super. The area around the hotel is great for walking around and exploring. The concierge was fabulous, he got us into restaurants at the last minute and was very helpful with a rental car return. We loved the gastro pub at the entrance to Chelsea Harbor. The only downside was the distance to the tube station. It was a 3-4 pound taxi ride or a 20-30 minute walk with kids. (You could also take a bus to get to within 5 minutes) We would definately stay here again!
The Gold Coast was a perfect place to stay. The shuttle service provided easy access to the strip. The room was perfect for us as we didn't need anything more than a place to sleep. It was clean and comfortable.The service on check in was kind and courteous. I would not hesitate to stay at the Gold Coast on my next trip to Las Vegas.
The room was very small for a deluxe room especially the bathroom. And since there wasn't any street parking available we had to pay $28.50 a night to park in their garage; therefore not saving any money by booking on line. The view from our window - the side of the next building. It was very clean and staff friendly but wouldn't stay again unless we fly down.
We loved this hotel in Old Montreal.Room was excellent,breakfast very good and very good service from all staff. Free Internet access.Valet parking a bit pricey but worth it as no parking is available near the hotel.Near to lots of excellent if touristy restaurants. Pity about the rain which spoiled our stay in Montreal.
This was our first trip to New York in many years. We were travelling with friends who selected this hotel due to the low cost and the location to Times Square and Restaurant Row. We found the hotel staff very professional and efficient. They really took great care of us and make us all feel very welcome. Mike especially was most helpful and really made our stay a memorable experience. He was even able to obtain reservations for us on Saturday night at a very popular restaurant on restaurant row. Really a nice feat and we had a wonderful time. The TV could use a few more channels, I had difficulty in picking up the local CBS station which was a little frustrating since it is only a few blocks away. However, we were not in NY to watch TV. We found the rooms to be efficient, clean and more than adequate for the time we spent there. The breakfast left a little to be desired as the pastries seemed to be a little old. However, the coffee and juice selection was good and there are plenty of places to eat within a couple of blocks. We will most likely stay there again for future visits. This place is small and does book up pretty quickly.
I stayed at the hotel for 3 nights and had a fantastic stay! When we arrived our room wasn't ready but they quickly found us another room so we didn't have to wait!The room its self was very nicely decorated however a little small. But as we were only really using the room as some where to sleep its didn't really matter! The only thing that was a little annoying was the fact the the bathroom was tiny! The toilet was crammed into a very tiny space next to the bath! But saying that the shower over the bath was fantastic!! One of the best showers I've used!!The room was quite warm at times but the air conditioning cooled it down fairly quickly!There was a tv which allowed you to watch channels 1-5, you could rent films on it and even go on the internet free of charge!!We didn't actually eat in the hotel as we were out a lot of the time so could not comment on that aspect! The staff were really friendly and allowed us to print out something that we needed!I would definately stay here again and it was a very good price. It is in a brilliant location only a 5 minute walk from Paddington Station and Tube!!
Was unsure about staying here after reading TripAdvisor reviews. have stayed at many US Ritz Carltons. (The Ritz never returned my inquiry to a negative posting I read in TripAdvisor.) However, in our opinion, this is best location for a city stay. We booked two rooms and stayed 5 nights in July. Very quiet and within walking distance to restaurants and galleries. We easily walked across town to Old Montreal from the Ritz. Very close to the park as well. Is obviously an older building and the lobby is notthing to rave about, but rooms are what I would expect from Ritz Carlton; Large and brightly decorated with first class fabrics and large lighted closets, huge windows, marble and crystal in the baths. The only sign of wear is the bathtub drain. The staff was OK, very French -- but friendly enough. One or two of the staff always went out of their way to be extremely helpful. (But not the level of quality you see at Ritz in the US.) The hotel also has a hidden garden which is a gem in summer! (For business, the public meeting rooms are beautiful.) Compared to the other cookie cutter, high priced large hotel options, (I explored almost all of them) this was a gem. There are other boutique hotels which are new, trendy, not unaffordalbe which I would recommend. And a few charming properties in Old Montreal. But for the price we paid at the Ritz, it was well worth it and very memorable. Would definately not hesitate to recommend this hotel!
This really is a nice place to stay. Rates were quite reasonable. I upgraded to the Continental Floor and very much enjoyed the breakfast and happy hour. A very comfortable 10 day stay. The glass wall between the bathroon and the bedroom took some getting used to. The location was a bit off the tourist track, but I like it that way. Several good neighborhood restaurants within a 5 minute walk. Subway was the way to go more than a few miles. Quick, but rarely a seat available.I would definitely stay there again unless I found another killer deal.
Why stay anywhere else? I found this little gem by chance back in Nov 2006 and I was immediately impressed. The Blue Moon hotel is like no other hotel in NYC from the location, dcor, history to the cleanliness and superb staff this is a must stay. Oh! Let me not forget to mention the great price for a room that is HUGE. This is not one of those places that only posts pictures of the biggest and nicest rooms on their website, all the rooms look like that. I just stayed there for the third time a few weeks ago. Coming from Washington DC I was greeted by Larry (and a glass of wine) who is not only a perfect gentleman put a great resource. He should write a book on customer service. He is truly and asset at the Hotel and I thank him for the great service and awesome dinner suggestions. The night I arrived I ran into Randy the owner. To my surprise he remembered me and welcomed me back. Then he said he was going to check on upgrading my room for the following night. The next day we got back from touring around to find they put us in the penthouse Eddie Cantor room. Words really cant describe this room and the view. I could write and write about this place but you will just have to stay there for yourself. Let me just say if you want to get a true sense for this great city this is the place to go. The nightlife is energetic, neighborhood like and very safe and the service makes me think of what it must have been like in and what my parents would refer to as the good ole days
It was a busy weekend that we stayed here so a lot of the casinos were sold out. I stayed with a single friend of mine for a weekend getaway from the kids and significant other so we wanted to be close to the strip and able to go out easily without hassling with shuttles. The location was great, right behind the Aladdin Desert Passage mall, within easy walking distance to Las Vegas Blvd (the strip). The room was large and comfortable and very clean, well stocked with towels of all sizes and shampoo/lotion etc. The pillows were great, very fluffy for hotel pillows and the beds were firm but comfortable. There was lots of closet space, an iron w/ ironing board and enough hangers for both of us and our multitude of outfits for going out. The shower was GREAT! Hot water and lots of water pressure, better than my shower at home. They even had a real bathmat in the bathroom, not just the towel ones. The kitchenette was nice for eating leftovers for breakfast (PF Changs in the Aladdin has take-out which is great for next day or late night munching). Overall I was very pleased and will most likely be staying there again when I go back to Vegas with my husband. I would highly suggest this place for families with kids. On another not so busy weekend I would probably have stayed in a casino resort simply because we were two gals wanting to go out and party, but for a longer stay or with family I'd recommend the Carriage House.
I traveled solo and booked the cheapest room in the house, so i didn't expect much. This is London and like the trends in other expensive cities, the rooms are going to be small. I got a very small room with a single bed, but I was impressed with the layout of the room. Very well laid out for such a small place, but the bed mattress could be updated. That is the least they can do - a little soft. The room faced the street but I barely heard anything and slept til 10 (it is Sunday by the way). I also showed up at 1:30 AM after having called to confirm my room was available and I had no problems. And i've got free internet access and it worked right away. It's no frills, but they had a free water bottle. If you're tall or large, this won't be comfortable, but if you're looking for value and like me don't want to waste you money on a hotel, this is not a bad alternative. Hyde Park is right down the street too.
This is the sister hotel of hotel 17, the room interior are quite similar to the original, it; very clean und extremely comfortable.The staff is nice and helpful.The neighborhood is not as stunning as of hotel 17,but it'very safe and right smack in the middle of everything.It's a great deal, so make reservations really early.
As with all Peninsula's Michael Kadoorie, the obsessive owner, has made this a first rate experience. I found it expensive, despite getting an excellent corporate rate, and the rooms rather small - akin to a london hotel really. I found the room a bit &quot;fussy&quot; also. Fantastic location and service as to be expected.If your budget stretches, streets ahead of most similarly priced competitors.
We on our annual trip to the Hawaiian Islands and we always stop over in San Francisco on way back to DC.We enjoy 4 and 5 star hotels, we have stayed at the Fairmont, Huntington, Hyatt, and several Kimptons.This time we had our 33 year old son, who wanted his own bedroom and bathroom.Since this was a family trip over Thanksgiving, we wanted a 2 bedroom suite, with a living room, and possible kitchen.I found this brand new Fairmont Residence Hotel with fractional ownership, which also sells its units now nightly to the public. We could find NO reviews of any type,as it had really just opened this past August, but we decided to gamble and try it.Good points:Brand new, immaculate, 3 flat screen tv's, living room, and each bedroom. Lovely sheets and beds, great bathrooms, separate showers and bathtubs, modern furniture, table for 6 in the kitchen dining room, dream kitchen, washer and dryer, etc.Nice first floor breakfast room with free continental breakfast served from 7am to 10am, and nightly wine and cheese from 5pm to 6pm. Also 2 free computer rooms in lobby. Staff very pleasant and a Maserati sedan to drop you within a 2 mile radius to restaurants and shopping if you can get it.Two great terraces overlooking the Bay with fire pits and lots of chairs outside for guests to sit outside with their own wine (no bar in hotel, but wine shops below in plazaThis hotel does NOT have a restaurant but does have limited room service from some restaurants below in the plaza.The possible down sides:Not for people with walking problems. As you have 5 buildings connected by stairs, long halls, walkways, etc.For those who like to come back to the hotel and have a drink at the bar, or have a small cafe or restaurant, it has NONE.There seem to be a lot of different floor plans. Our unit had a terrace bay view all right, but the view was blocked by a gazebo with tables and chairs..Our unit ran from front to back, as many there do,, and the two bedrooms were on the street, bus, cab, truck, people noise.The units have a lot of huge windows 12 feet high and NOT double paned. You can hear everything outside from some lower units, ask for a high floor if possible.The place is built right into a new shopping and dining plaza, below you. Rooms with bay view hear all this below.Our building and terrace was over a Gary Danko Restaurant which is opening in Spring 2009. That could be noisy also.The staff is pleasant, but clearly finding its way still in this new property. Finding the front door first time is a challenge.Summary:The guests we met were intelligent, articulate, quiet, with pretty well behaved children and dogs. The hotel inside is quiet.When the summer tourist crowd is below in the plaza and all the shops and restaurants are open, the noise level will increase and how it will effect many suites, I do not know.Over all, we liked it for our needs, It is not for everyone, the location is not central, and the area across the street is still dicey with a garish liquor store across from the hotel entrance.However, it is up and coming area, and they did a nice job of redoing the old Ghiradelli chocolate factory buildings.The minor complaints most guests agreed on, noise through their windows from the street or plaza, wanted more good small dining choices in that area, wifi would work in all rooms (ours did not)and that the hotel had its breakfast cafe open till 11pm.The restaurants in the Plaza below are nice, but not many of them, the all seem to stop serving or close by 10pm except for one bar which is a bit rowdy.Since they have that lovely room for breakfast, that stays empty the rest of the day and night, they should sell soup, salad, and nice sandwiches for guests till midnight.And if you arrive there after 10:30pm, there is NO place nearby open to eat or order from room service, nothing. As we found out our first night when our flight arrived late.They only have &quot;room service&quot; from the few dining spots in the plaza&quot; and those were closing. I was not offered a menu.So, I would highly suggest to them that they use their &quot;breakfast room&quot; for all day and evening snacks. We would have eaten bagels, juice, tea, apples, bananas, sandwich, anything, when we finally arrived at 10:48pm. They did not suggest a thing. From a property touting 5 star service this is not acceptable.They have food in their mini kitchen, for breakfast and the wine and cheese hour, they could have offered at least apples, oranges, juice, cheese, something. They did not.We give this new place a low 4 star and when all the plaza construction is done and new hotel bugs get worked out, we want to return againPSA sandwich plate, cheese platter, cookies, juice, tea in our room, which we would have paid for, would have been welcome. Instead of &quot;everything in this area is not serving meals at this hour&quot;
My two sisters and I recently spent three pleasant nights at the Broadway Plaza between 25.03.04 and 28.03.04. We arrived before the 3pm check-in time and the people at the front desk, after trying to get us into our room but being unable to, our bags were safely stored away, to be taken up to our room on our return. On coming back from sightseeing, we checked in and were pleasantly surprised that the room was very similar to what was shown in the brochure. The differences being there wasn't a bucket of champagne on ice or flowers in the bathroom - we clearly weren't bothered about that.The room was clean, tidy, very spacious and had a lovely view of The Empire State Building. There was an ice bucket, glass tumblers, rails to hang your clothes up on and a (working) large TV with cable. The porters were charming and extremely helpful (you can book tours and airport cars through them). Okay, 27th Street is not the nicest, but you are only about 2 blocks from Macy's and the area was as crowded as some of the other reviews led me to believe.Breakfast in the morning was great - bagels, donuts, muffins, danish pastries, coffee, apple and orange juice available to drink as well in the dinky little breakfast room if you don't wish to go back to your room to eat.The staff were always helpful and courteous and all in all, we couldn't have wished for more for the price we paid. I'd recommend the Broadway Plaza to anyone, in fact, if all goes to plan and I return to New York in 6 months time, I'll definitely book back in to the Broadway Plaza.
Queensway Hotel is in a good location, near Paddington Station and Lanchaster Gate (get an Oyster Card if your there for a few days, you get the 3 refunded), very close to Hyde Park which is fantastic for a walk - to Buckingham Palace and Kensington.The hotel itself is fine, small rooms and very small en-suite, but it is sufficient. The Elevator isn't always working, I think they seem to turn it off at night, I guess this is good for the bedrooms next to it but not for those people that have to walk the stairs to the top floor! But we are still alive :)Rooms are clean and tidy, beds a little too soft for my liking! Breakfast was basic... tea/coffee, toast, ceral &amp; afew other bits!Staff - girl at reception desk very nice, everyone else ok but no one is rude, so thats good.
My stay in New york City was excellent however my stay at the casablance was very disrespectful. I was insulted by the General Manager on the night of New Years , he rudely told me to get out of his way. He was wasted and had no sense of what was going on. I felt very disrespected when raised his voice at me as if I was a threat. He seemed high and drunk therefore I kept my mouth shut to avoid getting beat down. I had a recent trip as well where the morning front desk agent responded to me with a dirty attitude as if I had committed an offensive act aganst her. It was a one night stay so I didnt mind. Overall the hotel location is excellent, however management lacks professionalism and discipline. I have stayed at the Library as well and the experience there was worth the money nor did I mind staying a bit further from Time Square
This is a fantastic hotel beautiful location, rooms pool .GO and enjoy.However- 1 point your travel agent may omitt .You can only check in from 2pm officially, we were not made aware of this and after an overnight flight we arrived at the hotel exhausted but excited and were made to wait for 2 and half hours for our room to be ready. Which was a bit of a pain when all you want to do is sleep. However the staff did seem to try to get the room ready ASAP and we were by no means the only people in this position
My daughter and I stayed here for our last night of a 6 day trip to Montreal &amp; Quebec City. (Earlier part of the trip stayed at the excellent Hotel XIX Siecle in Vieux Montreal, but decided to save money for our last night.) Chose this hotel based on good reviews for value and cleanliness. Place was a bit shabbier/plainer than we expected from the reviews but overall room cleanliness was very good for the price. Unfortunately construction going on across and up the street awakened us at 7AM with very loud digging equipment, saws, etc., but that's not the hotel's fault. The surly attitude by the morning front desk person makes me give this place a resounding negative. First, he knocked on our door to inform us that check out time was 11AM--as if we had overstayed, when in fact it was 10 minutes before 11 and we were preparing to leave. Then, he yelled at us for using an upstairs exit door and stairway to bring down a large suitcase. The desk person the day before had allowed us to use this more convenient and less narrow/twisty staircase when we checked in and we assumed it was ok to take the same route for our departure. (The indoor stairway is very narrow and winding and I feared that I'd scrape the walls with my suitcase if I had to bring it up &amp; down that way.) I apologized and tried to explain to him that we had been given permission by the gentleman working the desk the day before, but he just repeated that we were &quot;never&quot; to use that exit and that he didn't care what we'd been told. (Note that I am a woman traveling with my 18 year old daughter, and we did not ask for nor expect any assistance with the suitcase.) I would never stay here again due to his lack of courtesy and overall sour attitude.
If you were lucky enough to be in San Francisco from Wednesday, February 22nd through Friday, February 24th then you know the weather was awesome. But, what was just as good was to come back to the Tuscan Inn each day. The Best Western Tuscan Inn continues to review well on Tripadvisor because it continues to live up to its reputation in both price and value. This is not budget hoteling, but its not the Hyatt either. I continue to find BW's in unique places with good property locations. We stayed in the 330's on the Mason street side as opposed to the busier North Point side. We even had a veiw from our window of Coit Tower. Traffic noise was minimal, too, and surprisingly calm at night. Watch out, though, for the windows extending out especially with little kids in the room. Rooms are a bit tight especially if you get the two doubles. Decor looks nice (trying for the Tuscany feel) and let's just say the beds were soft, cozy, but firm so no issues with sleeping. Surprisingly quiet at night, too. Bathrooms, though, are plenty big. No room for rollaway so Grandma got her own room, but she did baby sit one night. Also, we got connecting rooms, but check first because there are only so many available. Nice to have when travelling with other relatives with kids. Yes, happy wine tasting hour is a bit crowded, but fun and a great way to get in the mood for nice night out on the town not to mention getting some ideas from other travellers. Besides wine, the hostess (I think she was the night manager) served Peroni beer which was unexpected and refreshing. In the mornings, of course, the coffee (very good) and biscoti's are available down in the lobby same as happy hour. Can't beat location, Mason and North Point. Minutes away from Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, etc. No. 9 Fisherman's Grotto is classic for dinner and cannot beat the view. We also did the Beach Chalet at teh end of Golden Gate Park one night with surfers and Sunset views to die for. Upon arriving into SF via 2 autos, it took us less than 10 minutes to get to the hotel from the Bay Bridge exit and onto Embarcadero until we came to North Point. You can walk to the Buena Vista (best breakfast and Irish Coffee), North Beach (Vesuvio's a must) and even Lombard street, but at night take cabs for sure. Despite not having a pool, the kids loved the Tuscan Inn, too. Lot's of great comfy space in the lobby. The Concierge at the Tuscan was excellent considering he was constantly busy. Front desk staff were always pleasant. Maid service was prompt, too. When we arrived we simply pulled up to the hotel and had the bellman help us. Parking is an issue in SF so either pay the $30.00 plus a day to park at the Tuscan or find something cheaper in the city. With MUNI (1.50 for adults, .50 kids and seniors) and cable cars ($5.00 one way or 10.00 all day anytime) you don't really need autos do you? Again, the Tuscan Inn lived up to its reputation.
With all the talk of fabulous deals available - we thought we would skip the travel and have a 'staycation' break in London. So much has been written about the Metropolitan since it opened, that we decided to check out what all the fuss was about. The hotel had some great packages and promotions, so was a lot better value than we thought it would be. Arriving after work on Friday, without the long commute home was only the start of the good times! The hotel is very stylish, in a simple, understated way. The staff are very chic in black Armani suits - but unlike many 'designer' experiences, are extremely friendly and helpful. We had chosen a Metropolitan Room, so had a wonderful view of Hyde Park. The room was spacious, clean and simply decorated. Stand out points were the amazing bed (fabulous bed linen), wide selection of entertainment, complimentary Wi-Fi and the COMO Shambhala amenities in the bathroom (one's worth stealing...). We treated ourselves to a spa treatment on Friday night. The spa is not very big, but they seem to have a large selection of treatments (the Spa Manager explained that they develop their resort treatments here - hence the selection). I had their signature massage and my partner had a facial - we both have been to many spas and agreed that the standard was superb. The next morning we spoke to the Concierge, who arranged a table that night in Nobu (we had called directly earlier in the week and were told they were fully booked - so they must have the 'special touch'). Again, it lived up to all the hype - a great crowd, fabulous service and amazing food. After dinner we went for a drink in the Met Bar - certainly with all the pictures of celebrities falling out its doors over the years, it was worth a peak. Like Nobu, the crowd were 'cool' and there was a great DJ playing. The bartenders were friendly and very knowledgeable, talking us through a fabulous selection of cocktails. We had a blast and stayed till 2am. Room service breakfast was very good and they also offer spa cuisine on the menu - which is nice to see in hotels. We tried some of the cupcakes from their afternoon tea menu - which were delicious (and the waitress told us that they were also healthy - so we did not feel as guilty as we should have). Another noteworthy feature of the hotel is the gym - very good quality and range of equipment. Going straight to work on Monday felt like we had experienced a week away - you really should try a holiday 'at home' and the Metropolitan is a fabulous hotel - it lives over and above the hype.
No doubt about it, this is a great hotel and casino. The rooms are clean, the beds comfortable, the staff very friendly, and the price is just right. HOWEVER, be careful not to accept a room facing the Golden Nugget. The Nugget is near the end of a major construction project and the workers are going at it 24/7. Jackhammers, bull dozers, dump trucks...you name it. Other than that, great place to stay. Especially love the music in the casino.
I booked this through Skyauction and it was a horrible experience. Yes, it is dark and the artwork is definitely not for children. Yes, they charge for valet, don't tell you until it is too late that there is no other parking, and yes, they advertise their address as on Sahara, when it is just off the Sahara freeway exit, down a side street alley, with a topless caberet theater across the street, surrounded by the power station, in a seedy industrial area...with access back to West Sahara a little difficult, and no signage. I would say the lobby/reception area is like an Italian cave. It is so dark, the candles set all around give a mysterious presence, but little to light the area. The artwork is great and everywhere. The pool is very small and there was no spa.The room looked great until one ventured into the bathroom. It was dirty, black mold on the ceiling, floor, and tub. The toilet took three attempts to flush properly, the tub nozzle had a continual drip, and the shower curtain was covered in mold. The vinyl was cracked right where one stands to use the sink. I did call to find out if we could switch rooms and was told all bathrooms were the same. We then opened the cabinet to the TV and the left door fell its hinges. Lucky it didn't hit my foot. They sent a repair man. He said it has been broken and he probably can't fix it, so if we want to watch TV, they will have to move us. I thought great - any room should be better than this. We moved from 304 to 316 and the bathroom was better...not great...but the toilet flushed properly and not as much mold. Sleeping was a nightmare. I understand I am in the desert and it is dry, but there was zero humidity in the room and between the coils sticking me from the awful mattress, to not being able to breathe, I didn't sleep at all...up every 45-60 mintues to get some water and move, from the numbness the bed caused. We decided not to torture ourselves with another night and checked out, knowing full well that using skyauction, my room was paid in full, in advance, with no refunds. I'd rather give up the money than spend another night there. I ended up just driving home. I would call this 2 star, at best. Vegas has way too many hotels to ever stay at this property. Just FORGETABOUT IT!
Le Square Phillips Hotel &amp; Suites is an excellet hotel and a great value in Montreal:* staff is very friendly and helpful* cab anywhere - they arrive at the hotel in a couple of minutes* best view I have seen from a hotel fitness center* Zia has the best Canolees anywhere* Bejing cafe in chinatown has the best eggrolls anywhere including NYC and China* Montreal is a shopper's paradise* easy tax refund at the airport* St. Patricks around the corner has a great Sunday mass* no crowds and friendly people * perfect blend of Europe and the US * we are definietly returning soon - less than an hour flight from Newark, NJ
Booked IP for a quick one-night stay at a very low rate. Wasn't expecting much, but still disappointed. Probably the most uncomfortable bed I've every experienced. The room, hallways, and casino were worn and dirty. Front desk staff and casino personnel all seemed fairly competent. But I would've been miserable here for an extended stay. Tip: If you stay here, request a room far away from the Rockhouse Bar, otherwise you'll be hearing thumping bass until early morning.
This was a 'top secret hotel' via lastminute.com for 69 for the room for the night breakfast not included. having read some of the reviews on this site, we were apprehensive of what we might encounter. The area between Kings cross Station and the hotel left a lot to be desired and was run down. However, by comparison this hotel was a beacon of modernity and was easily the newest property in the area. Situated next ot Mount Pleasant Sorting office, the hotel is well situated for catching a bus into and around central london . We were able to get to earls court on 2 buses taking in central london, hyde park lane,knightsbridge(including Harrods) in 1 hour. To catch the number 19 or 38 Bus, turn right on leaving the hotel and walk straight on to the traffic lights and these buses can be caught by crossing the road to the bus stops opposite. The check in at the hotel was smooth and efficient, despite the fact they had booked a room for 3 adults when we were 2 adults and 1 child, but this was swiftly changed without fuss.The room was of a good size and was in a quiet part of the hotel as we had requested. Our child had a double sofa bed to himself but this was not made up and there were insufficient pillows generally. However one call to reception and within 5 minutes all was put right-Excellent response!The bed was comfortable, the room had blackout curtains which ensured a good nights sleep. There were only 3 cups of tea/coffee abvaialble in the room which was not enough.We ate breakfast at the Euro cafe opposite and this was excellent and instead of costing 14.90 per head at the hotel, it cost 14.50 for all of us.There were long queues for breakfast at the hotel and we were glad we were not eating there.Overall, a very good hotel in an ok location at an excellent price.We would return again.
Wow, what a fantastic hotel! We were only here one night, - spent the rest of our San Francisco visit at the Omni to be closer to Union Square. From the check-in, everything was top notch. The lady at check-in was friendly, cheerful and very helpful. Our room was ready at around 1pm when we arrived. Our bags reached our room a couple of minutes after we did, and the friendly bellman apologised for the 'delay'. Did I say the staff was wonderful? The room has a whimsical nautical theme. The bathrobes had a wildlife theme, and it was wonderful to have a bathrobe that fitted. Usually hotels have them in a standard size, but the Argonaut supplies them in different sizes. Bed is very comfortable, L'Occitane toiletries, complimentary wi-fi., Starbucks coffee/tea, iPod dock. There are complimentary internet booths in the lobby. There is a complimentary wine hour at 5pm. I had the cider, which was very yummy. There is a complimentary Fisherman's Wharf tour on Saturdays at 10:30am. The concierge has menus for nearby restaurants, and recommended a restaurant in North Beach called Mangarosa (Italian/Brazillian cuisine), which was excellent. There are samba dancers on Thursdays for entertainment. Fisherman's Wharf is very touristy and I enjoyed my early morning stroll around the pier. Great location, wished we could have stayed longer. We came back a couple of nights later for an early dinner at the Argonaut's Blue Mermaid. It's a very reasonably priced family restaurant. Food was good, great service. We booked through Expedia.co.nz, and paid NZ$272 (including taxes) for the night.
We spent 3 excellent nights at the Sumner. The location is perfect - walking distance (10 or 15 mins - it's basically 1 km or 0.7 miles) to Paddington Station to catch the train to Heathrow, A few steps from the Marble Arch tube stop and Oxford Street for loads of shopping and restaurants. A tube day pass will get you to all major attractions in 15 mins or so from the Marble Arch stop, and some of them are even walking distance if you prefer walking as we do (British Museum is about 25 min walk for us, Buckingham Palace &amp; Piccadily Circus the same). We had a King room that faced the street, but the road is quiet and the soundproof glass works wonders. Breakfast was included which we hadn't expected (breads, some scrambled eggs &amp; beans, cereal) and was more than adequate. Room and hotel both had some character to them (nice high ceilings, crown mouldings, sitting room, etc). Great hotel, perfect location for us, and excellent value for London.
We stayed three nights at the Fitzgeralds with many other family members. It was a great place to stay. The downtown is so convenient to walk from place to place. The hotels are older, other than the Nugget, but still nice and safe to be at. The front desk people were very nice as well as the valet man letting us park there for us to unload our bags.We played a few slots but not good luck there. We had better luck at the Four Queens with the Bank Roll slots. Lots of fun! It's a penny machine but won $1,000 on them. Not bad.Then only downside to the Fitz is the bed comfort. Not too good. Like sleeping on boards. But overall, it was a really nice experience.
Ive worked as a bartender for the Soho house for 2 years. Our hotel is stunning, the staff is outrageously knowledgeable about things to do in town, our menu, liquors and wine. (Far more than most) The pool is very nice I mean for crying out loud its a pool in New York City...there arent many and by way of rooftop pools there are 5 in total. As for the comment that the staff was rude to you...one cant imagine how many times hotel guest drop the line &quot;dont you know who I am&quot; (this rarely comes from members) and always comes as a result of last call, a fully booked restaurant, or the dreaded alcohol cutoff. We try very hard to be accomadating but some people are impossible to please. Might I suggest traveling for pleasure rather than traveling to feel like your in-the-know, you may fair better in peoples response to you and your overall experience.
I live in the area and booked this hotel for family coming to visit. We like it because it's new, modern and clean. I recommend checking prices both on their website (which by the way has lots of photos) and calling the hotel directly, as in my case the price quoted by phone was lower than that on the internet. As others said, ask for a room at the back of the building. Also, for the same price some roomsare a bit more spacious than others. Another point to note are the low ceilings, but this wasn't a problem for us.My family had previously stayed at the Quality Hotel Hampstead, also in the area, and they found it ok but a bit old. If you can get them at the same price, the Holiday Inn has better rooms, however my guests preferred breakfast at Quality Hotel, as Holiday Inn has only a few dining tables and they didn't like having to sit on a sofa to eat their food.As others said, the O2 centre, just opposite the hotel, has a choice of restaurants, a supermarket, and a Starbucks. To get to the city centre, as a cheaper alternative to the underground, you can catch bus N.13 on Finchley Road, which goes to Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus.
I am currently staying in this Travelodge and will be until midsummer 2006 due to working reasons, I have been in this Hotel since Feb 06 almost every week night, I would say that the Hotel has a number of problems with Staff attitude at times and that it is slowly going down hill, the noise comes rooms facing towards the the North circular road way system, which is very busy highway, all ways request a room to the back the only view is a small industrial estate and view of Wembley Staduim.Also the Manager of this Motel/Hotel never seems to be around even though they say there is one? He has now taken to leaving a photo in each room advising customers to write in about their compliants, but I have not seen a reply back and I don't think I will see one either...
This was the second time I stayed with the Royal Garden and I only have positive things to say. The staff is unbelieveably helpful and polite. Patrick at reception was especially helpful and kind in giving us pointers where to go for a good night out. Staff really went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. Rooms were spacious, which is rare for such a centrally located hotel and everything was very clean as well. Breakfast was included with our rate and brought to our room every morning. It was very fresh and carefully prepared. I would absolutely recommend this hotel to anyone, as the hotel is centrally located and in a generally safe area of the city. We could see Kensington Palace and Gardens from our room. Starbucks is across the street and Topshop a few steps away! What more could you ask for! Be sure to inquire if Patrick or Jesus are working the desk, they will make the difference!
What a great hotel. Even although some of the staff were on strike outside the service inside was fantastic.Check in was very friendly, quick and easy. A room upgrade was much appreciated and we had 270 degree views over the city. At nightime as well the view was just incredible.The room was spotlessly clean and although there was no room service or minibar service all the other services were working as normal.The usual InterCon standards were all there - very comfortable bed with very nice, crisp, clean sheets. Mind you, I think they were rationing the towels in the bathroom as we had to ask for some more!We were given several drinks vouchers for the Top of the Mark and this is well worth a visit even if you are not staying at the hotel. Watching the city lights come up after a nice, clear, sunny day is fantastic.Would defintely stay here again. Well worth the money.
We were so pleased that we chose to stay at The Orchard Hotel. I accompanied my husband while he attended a meeting at the Marsconi Center. He was able to walk there daily and I was able to get around S.F. easily from the hotel's location. The bed was wonderful, the room quiet, the room clean, breakfast in the hotel reasonably priced and good. We felt fortunate that we had chosen the place in spite of being unfamiliar with it.
We just spent 2 nights at the Castle Inn with our two sons. It was the perfect place for our stay in San Francisco! The rooms were very nice, the location (and price) couldn't be better, and Versa made us feel right at home. We've only been back a couple of days, but have already recommeded it to some friends who are thinking of visiting San Francisco. The next time we head here on vacation, there's no question of where we're staying!
I stayed here with my sister for 3 nights and had an amazing time! The room was spacious, the bed was super comfortable, the staff was welcoming and knowledgeable, and we couldn't have asked for more. The bar/restaurant in the hotel had amazing food&amp;drinks and it's a great place to go after a long day of sight-seeing. The hotel is also located near Grand Central, shopping on 5th Avenue, and Times Square so it was easy to get around. I would definitely go back in a heartbeat!
Got a great deal on a 2 bedroom suite which included airport limo pick up and return and therefore decided to stay at the Bellagio for the first time rather than the Palazzo, Venetian or Skylofts.The room was massive (4 bathrooms, guest toilet, wetbar, dining room table etc) but overall I was a little disappointed. The &quot;Executive Suite Lounge&quot; is a small room off the lobby by the front doors where VIP check in takes place. Yes it has free wi fi but compared to the concierge lounge at the Palazzo it is very poor.Also, to find empty condom packets on the bedside table when you check in shows that cleaning standards are not great.There is no private pool unlike at the Venetian or some other hotels. We had a cabana one day for $200 which was very good (included soft drinks, plate of fruit, crisps/pretzels) but some get no sun virtually all day)The Bellagio is a beautiful hotel in a great position on the Strip but if I had not got the great deal on a magnificent room I would go for the Palazzo or somewhere else
Arrived in New York after a red-eye from LA, expecting the worst with 7 hours to check-in. To my surprise we were offered a choice of 3 rooms immediately. Stayed in the newer block which houses the pool on the tenth floor. The view of MANHATTAN at night from the rooms and pool are worth the money. The subway is one block away, buses pass straight by, and a taxi to Times Square was $5. The rooms were quite spacious and live up to the photographs. McDonalds and Starbucks close handy. No problems moving in Manhattan, and the subway was handy for lower Manhattan journeys. All in all, a great stay!!
Stayed here for 4 nights in May, 2008. I picked it because I was seeing 3 concerts at Hammersmith Apollo (great for that, as it's the closest hotel to the venue). I also liked that it's relatively close to the Hammersmith tube station (about 7-8 min. walk), which is fabulously situated inside a shopping center! I was able to pick up dinner there &amp; bring it back to the room (also used ATMs there and bought things I needed for the day like batteries &amp; bottled water before getting on the tube).I'm a bit of a spoiled brat, so I was pleased that the room amenities were modern and comfy. For London, the room size was *very* ample. Bed was soft (a bit too soft). Nice long desk and good TV. There's a light switch right beside the bed that turns all the lights on/off (very convenient). Bathroom &amp; shower were relatively nice. I especially loved the mini bar. Although I didn't consume anything from it ($5.00 per drink -- that's for one 12oz. can of Coke!), you can remove them and put your own stuff inside. I just sneakily replaced everything before I left for the day. :)Hotel has 630 rooms, so it's pretty massive. Biggest drawback: hallways are *extremely* long (I mean, it's unbelievable). My room was located at the farthest possible point from the elevator. Gift shop in lobby was convenient. ATM on-site wasn't working.A couple of problems: Although I had the A/C on, it was extremely hot in the room. I withstood it for 2.5 days before I complained. After I did, maintenance was there within 2 minutes (!!!) and it was fixed on the spot (switch in ceiling was set to heat instead of A/C). The next day, the toilet handle broke off from the wall completely. But again, maintenance was there within minutes and installed a new one. Desk staff was hard to communicate with (English is not their first language).Takes about 15 minutes by tube to reach central London -- not a big deal, but the walk back to the room was very tiring after walking around the city all day (and then having to walk a mile down those corridors). Once in the room, I really had no complaints; it was very nice. I would only stay here again, though, if I needed its close proximity to Hammersmith Apollo.
One of the best hotel experiences I ever had. We had the two-room suite plan on the 43 floor. Incredible view of CP and Hudson, Time Warner Ctr, side of Carnegie Hall. Room was very nicely appointed, bed incredible, plenty of room, flat screen TVs in both rooms, impeccable service at every turn. Location that can't be beat. And the food... even the &quot;bar food&quot; was superior to many, many restaurants' main menu offerings. Great place overall.
This hotel was one of the best I have stayed in and made our trip to Vegas even more outstanding.To set the scene - It was my buddy and I, both 27 year old English lads who were going to Vegas with the sole intention of partying extremely hard.We could not have chosen a better hotel, yes it was playing good music loudly and was full of young hot people who were only there to party...what a nightmare ;-)The casino was small but personal, we preferred it to the casinos in the strip hotels that went on for ever and ever, the bars were superb, everyone was friendly, restaurants cured some killer hangovers, the pool and Rehab were UNREAL (no queing either..woop) and Body English was a cool club. We can't have been the only fans since when we were in there we were partying next to Paris Hilton most of the night.We got updgraded to a room in the new Paradise tower with a pool and strip view..loved it. I would stay there again in an instant. Yep, taxis to the strip are $10..boo hoo, I was more concerned about the $500 I lost when gambling between 5am - 10am, still loving the free drinks, free smokes and the experience of it all.If you a group of friends who are going to Vegas to party, get messed up and have the time of your lives - then you need the Hard Rock in your life.
I didn't like this place. My room was in the basement. Getting to the room was a challenge. The halls are very small and narrow. The room itself was ok, but could be cleaner. It's 3 blocks away from the Tube station, which is in Zone 2. The staff wasn't very friendly. They were having some computer problems when I got there. I had to wait for them to take care of their problems. I didn't mind that. The staff just looked stressed out. I won't stay here again.
I booked a 3 night stay at the Fitzgerald Hotel for a much needed vacation. The dates were the 18-21st of August 2005. The front desk allowed us to check in and proceeded to give us room keys when we checked in at around 0930am. We were excited to get a room so earlier in the day. We then we found out the room they gave us was a two double bed room instead of the King I requested. I called the desk and was informed that if I wanted to wait till 3pm I could have a King room. I opted to keep my room. The room was very nice and well kept. I had no complaints about the room. We then checked out the casino. The casino is small in size but has alot of slot machines to choose from with all types of denominations. We rate the casino as excellent. The only restaurant we ate at in the hotel was Molly's Buffet. We had breakfast there and it was excellent. The price was also good. We also ate dinner but that came at a price. I will explain. We were riding the elevator from our room located at the 32nd floor. We were in the elevator with an other couple who we did not know at the time. The elavator was travelling down when it made a loud noise and suddely stopped and jerked us around in the elevator. A few seconds later the door opened and we all decided to get out. A unknown woman entered the elevator when we exited and she became stuck in the elevator. We noticed that she got in before we could stop her and the door shut. The floor counter did not move and we heard the clicking on the elevator. We could hear the alarm being pushed from inside by the woman. A long story in a short form is that we called for help and the woman was rescued but we had to walk down 26 floors and then were only componsated with a free dinner buffet. The worst part was we had to use the elevator for the rest of our stay. Well back to the buffet, avoid eating dinner at Molly's it was terrible. I would not even recommend it for the cost of walking down 26 flights of stairs. The hotel does have a single outdoor pool and whirpool. Both of these items are very basic and would compare to what you would expect to find in a residental backyard. The casino does have a nice balcony that is accessable from the second floor and looks over fremont street experience. The hotel also has a great location being on the fremont street. I will sum up this lengthy review as the hotel is a great stay and the price is right. We payed about 50 a night including friday and saturday night. Check out the hotel and see for yourself.
My two girl friends and I stayed here because of the location, and we were very happy with the quality of the hotel too. It was very clean and inviting. The continental breakfast (included) was the best I have had for selection. I had something different each morning. I liked the decor in our room, and the beds were quite comfortable. Conveniences outside the hotel include a drug store, bakery, small market, many Indian restaurants, McDonalds and the #6 green line subway a few steps down the street. It was great!
I saw the pictures from TripAdvisor and thought the rooms would look just as nice! There is No airconditiong, just the lobby. And at $270/night it was very reasonable for the time. I got there a day later (missed flight) and was introduced to my room. It was as small as a closet. Mind you, I already prepaid the $270 and now this night's stay was $540! My heart just sank. My first time in London and I stay here. The night I missed, I stayed at a Westin in Charlotte for $120 &amp; it was 5 times it's size! Although it was clean and modern in the inside, I was so disappointed. I guess the manager felt bad and he upgraded me to their suite. Much better, but no AC. Actually, it was one of the rooms in the pictures. The staff was friendly. The location is great. I walked everywhere--Even to Harrods at Knightsbridge! If you don't mind walking, stroll through Kensington gardens &amp; Hyde Park. I later stayed at the Corus on the other side of the park from Kensington House. Less expensive and just as nice. Last hotel I stayed at, Best Western by Corus was AWFUL--I wanted to stay an extra 2 days and Corus was booked. Read that experience!
We stayed here for 2 nights right before New Year's and we will definitely stay here again when we are in Montreal the next time. Definitely a good budget location for backpackers or. The location is great and there are a bunch or restaurants and pubs withing a walking distance. The room was a good size, beds were comfortable enough and the staff was very helpful. The bathroom was fairly small, but I have to say that it was clean. The same cannot be said about the carpets in the room, especially under the beds, as it looks like it has not been vacuumed for weeks. The parking situation was decent, as there were parking places on both sides of Sherbrooke as well as on Saint-Andre, next to the hotel.
The holiday inn mayfair is worth every penny, excellent service,location and the beds in the room are extremely comfortable! The room was very clean and the staff were very helpful. The tube station is only round the corner and leicester square is just a short walk away. I would definately reccommend this hotel excellent.
We booked our stay directly through the 800# at Kimpton Hotels. It was easy and fast. The hotel is in a very good location and is a good value for the money. The beds were very comfortable and the room we had (executive dbl dbl) was spacious but the bathrooms are small and can only allow one person at a time. The only negative I had was a standoffish staff member at the check in desk who confirmed my room type and saw that we were a family of four but never took the time to advise me that the extra sofa bed I was needing and expecting would not be in the room. So, we went to our room, found that it was missing, and had to call down to the front desk and inquire. We were offered two roll away beds, which I accepted. They filled our room completely but at least we all had a bed to ourselves. The hotel was a little bit dirty and certain things were left on the floor our entire stay! However, I still maintain that this is a good value given the prices of hotels in Union Square. Tip - park in the parking garage a block away for almost half the price of the hotel's valet service - $26 versus $45.
What a great place! Sure the paint's a little chipped here and there, but it's clean and the rooms are nicely decorated, and the breakfast room is lovely, and so is the staff. The location is perfect too. London is full of hotels that don't seem to care much, but this hotel obviously does, and it is a far cry from most you would find in this price range.
Have just stayed at this hotel.Was a bit concerned by other reviews but found our room to be very tasteful, comfortable &amp; clean. Staff very helpful.Good value for London. Will definately stay again.
We recently stayed at this hotel for 5 nights in late April and we had a fabulous view from our 40th floor room (Room 4032). We could see the Chrysler Building and Empire State Building from our window and the kids were very impressed with how tiny everything on the street was from way up there. I've also stayed at the Algonquin, Hilton on Ave of the Americas, and the Essex House, and for the money, I'd have to say the view and the large room were WELL worth the $169 we paid per night (travelzoo promo). It was very quiet, the pool was great, and we found the staff to be very helpful. The only cons: quite a walk to the attractions we were exploring - something closer to Times Square &amp; Central Park would have suited us better and saved a few cab fares. Room service was very expensive, and there were no in room coffee makers. But Dunkin Donuts is around the corner for that caffeine fix :) We also ate at a great little restaurant on our last night around the corner called Dean's. We had a great time and I don't think you can do much better in terms of room size and views (if you get the right floor/room) elsewhere.
Stayed here in 2006, very clean hotel. In the middle of al fahidi street. The food we ordered on room service was very very nice, plenty of choice and cheap. We spend about 10 per person per night, considering room service is usually expensive in other hotels here was really good value.
During our stay on July 4th and 5th 2008. We stayed at Cathedral Hill Hotel. We just thought we should write to let others know that we enjoyed our stay more than any time in recent memory thanks to the outstanding service we received.The professionalism that staff posed from the first day was beyond excellent customer service. The first contact was with the gentlemen that assisted with the luggage. These gentlemen were very helpful with maps and directions around the city throughout our stay. The lobby was clean and very receiving. The rooms were clean and housekeeping was very adaptable to our needs. The pool and Japan area was immaculate and inviting. We had the opportunity to enjoy your dining area of the Jack Tar Restaurant. We arrived 15 minutes prior to closing and ther staff treated us with the upmost courtesy. We did not feel rushed they were very courteous and professional. The food was excellent. We ordered the clam chowder which was the most delicious that we have ever tasted. We must recommend it to anyone who visits the area. The presentation of the soup was wonderful we really enjoyed the Laughlin soup bowl. As we write we would like to know where to purchase them. We have been searching on the internet since my arrival. The hotel was in walking distance of many of the cities attractions. There was a bus stop located in front of the Cathedral Hotel that would take you to the warf and North BeachOur stay was the most pleasant and we will let our friends and family know of how well we were treated while staying at your establishment. I would like to commend the management for choosing such a wonderful staff to employee. Thank you for providing us with a wonderful experience. Rest assured, we will be back again.
I reached Hilton Diamond VIP status last year, and have stayed in many HGI properties across North America. This is one of the nicest I've been to - unfortunately we had a very bad experience there...We were traveling with our baby, and just checked out of a different hotel because they had starting painting outside our door. When I called to make the reservation, I was assured that there would be no painting, renovation work or construction happening during our stay. We booked a 1br suite that was spacious and clean. The service was also terrific up to this point. However, the next day they started painting the hotel stairwell with extremely smelly and toxic paint. It was impossible to stay in our room for even a few minutes as the smell was burning our nostrils. The air conditioning system was also shut down for most of the day for service. We had to leave immediately. The hotel management ultimately did the right thing by us, but not without a lot of loud complaining.All this being said, I wold probably stay at this hotel again if I couldn't book into something better (Crystal!). The pool and fitness area are particularly nice.
My family and I stayed here for 6 nights and stayed in what must be the west tower as we had a fantastic view of the Empire State and Chrylser building. Our rooms were 3636 and 3637. They were identical to the ones shown in another review for a room on the 40th floor. The rooms were large and well appointed, The bathroom was a little old but still more than adequate and what you would expect for a 3 / 4 star hotel. The rooms were well cleaned and the staff never really bothered us. The room we had did not have wireless internet or coffee tea facilities. We mentioned this on their questionnaire - amazingly they e mailed in response. They have internet access but it still has some bugs and coffee and tea machines are available on request.The staff were very friendly and the security / sniffer dogs on the front door were very friendly.We didn't use the pool or the gym - but we did have a look and the views of the East River were amazing. The pool must have been on or around the 40th floor!We did not eat at the hotel. Instead we had breakfasts at John's diner that was very close 44th and 2nd. We had a good meal at a nearby Greek fish restaurant on 1st av, several blocks north of the hotel.Our best find was the Amish supermarket / deli 45th street between 2nd and 3rd av. After a hard days sight seeing we were often too tired to go out for a restaurant meal so we opted to get take out from there. Its a food lovers paradise and has great cakes, deli, and made to order pizzas. The hotel had no problem with us picnicing in our room.The nearest tube was grand central station. However, we mostly walked to the hotel. Its a 10 to 15 min walk to Times Square.I would not hestitate to stay at this hotel again.........unless you have a fear of heights. My mum was a bit scared of the view from the floor to ceiling window.
If you're looking for a romantic hotel in Old Montreal (the historic center of the city) with a bit of boutique hipness and Euro style to it, Hotel Nelligan is a great choice. There's a reason why Hotel Nelligan consistently scores the highest marks on Trip Advisor and gets rave reviews in travel magazines -- every aspect of our stay was fantastic, from the romantic rooms to the sky terrace to the service. Best of all, the hotel is located on a cobblestone, very European-feeling street, close by to some of the city's main tourist attractions. That being said, the hotel didn't feel &quot;touristy&quot; at all. The name of the hotel comes from Emile Nelligan, a famous Quebec poet, and there are constant reminders about Ms. Nelligan throughout the hotel. Three great restaurant locations are attached to the hotel as well - Verses, Sky Terrace and Mechant Boeuf Brasserie (order the poutine!).
I booked a &quot;last minute package&quot; through a travel site and stayed at the W City Center for 3 nights in May 2008. From the moment I walked in, I fell in love with this hotel and from the moment I left I knew I'd always look for a W hotel for future hotel stays. They have a &quot;whatever, whenever&quot; philosophy that is truly that. When checking in, I was given a free upgrade on my room without asking. The rooms were nicely decorated, and beds super comfortable. Bath products were from Bliss Spas. The hotel is nicely situated...walking distance to Milenium park, and the car service could take you to Mag Mile or Hancock Building. They have a free Acura car service that will drive you around town, and a concierge who is very knowledgeable. I asked which CD was playing in their car service, and not only did they tell me, but I received 2 free CDs (compilations by the W hotel). On my last day there I had lunch at the &quot;living room&quot; bar and asked the bartender if she knew where to find Voss water (outside of my room since it was $8 there)...she gave me a bottle for free. Every encounter I had with a staff member at this hotel was above and beyond and this stay made me fall in love with the W brand. Every time I travel, I look first to see if there is a W to stay at.
The last week of 2008 we stayed at the Giraffe to spend our 10th anniversary: we had a very happy stay. Though our room was not as beautiful as the pictures on the internet promised us, we had actually nothing to complain about. Our room was spacious, clean and equipped with an excellent bed. The hotel staff was friendly and helpfull. Breakfast was abundant. The hotel location perfect. A stay at the Giraffe is highly recommendable.
As with anything, there are positives and negatives to any stay. Will start with the positives:- comfortable bed, with lots of pillows- closely adjacent to Union Square and Muni/BART/Cable car lines- nearby multiple excellent restaurants (highly recommend New Delhi, Siam Thai, and the Westfield Mall food court - never spent $30 for two food court lunches, but we did here and it was well worth it)- really nice toiletries- comfortable meeting spaces on the third floor, which made for a pleasant conference- in the ground level, a very convenient Enterprise car rental - so we held off on renting a car for the three days of our conference and easily picked one up on the last day for our escape from the cityThe negatives:- really tired decor in the room and bath - our bathroom wall had the paper peeling off and a weird stain next to the toilet, which is not what one expects to see in a higher-end hotel- dinky, dinky room with minimal space for two adults to stretch out - and this was in a &quot;deluxe&quot; room upgrade- $40 a day to park - although down the street we found a $15 a day lot- no lack of mentally ill and/or intoxicated homeless people and frequent panhandling behavior (although on only one occasion did I see any interpersonal violence between folks - but this was on the corner right next to the hotel)- within 2-3 blocks - you're in the Tenderloin, be careful where you see the sightsAnd a neutral:- there were dirty fingerprints on the bathroom door when we got there, but we called to have the area cleaned they came and cleaned it. Overall, it's relative. I think $200 a night is a lot of money for a hotel room, but that's apparently the low end of the going rate for this area, according to a friend who lives in San Fran.
We checked into the Galleria Park on the night before New Year's Eve, 2006. The renovated lobby was imaculate and the fireplace was so inviting. Unfotunately, prior plans prevented us from enjoying the lobby this time. We set out into San Francisco and were immediately impressed with the hotel's location, just steps from the vibrant Union Square. After a night on the town, we found our stay quiet and restful. The rooms have been renovated and are quite stylish. The morning staff was pleasant and efficient. Having only 1 night at the Galleria Park, we can't wait to return.
I had made a change from the Omni to this hotel based purely on price. I was able to get a standard room for 169 a night for the 2 nights that I was going to be in town to see the Cal vs. USC Football game. I was very happy with our stay!First, it was also an anniversary, and when we checked in, there was a courtesy card with a half dozen chocolate dipped strawberries....which were very good! We enjoyed the pool, sauna, but the spa was currently being reparied.Service was amazing, and everyone was very helpful and friendly from the moment we arrived. We used room service several times, and each time the food was great.The room itself was smaller than some that I have stayed in, but it was more than enough for just the two of us. The bathroom had a great shower, and the soaps and shampoo were above average in quality. The bed was a king size that was comfortable, but the sheets and blankets could probably be updated a little.Overall a very nice stay in a great hotel, and much cheaper than many of the competitors.
This is one fabulous hotel. Believe ALL the reviews that say it is topshelf luxury. Rooms were lovely, bathrooms were huge, public areas and pool absolutely spectacular. The restaurants were just average. The drive time to The Strip is about 25 minutes. You will be REAL GLAD to have this oasis to return to.
A friend from work introduced me to Searcy's Roof Garden Rooms, which I never would have found on my own, and I was absolutely delighted with my recent stay. I arrived late morning after an extremely delayed flight, and was given an upgrade and a pot of coffee immediately. A block and a half from the Knightsbridge tube, it was perfectly located, and breakfast on the terrace every morning before work couldn't have been more relaxing. I will absolutely stay here the next time I'm in London and would recommend it to anyone.
We were lucky enough to get a room at this hotel through hotwire.com and got a great rate. We had a recently refurbished room and it was spacious and clean with great amenities. Huge bathroom. My only gripe is that there is so much going on here. A bar, a nightlclub, a restaurant and a hotel. It seems a bit confused about what it wants to be. So don't expect to feel special because you are a hotel guest. The check in and check out were ridiculously quick with barely a few words from staff. But the rooms (ask for a refurbished one) make up for all of that.
I am reading these reviews and wonder. We go to Vegas 5 times a year and almost always stay at the Riviera. Yes it is towards the end of the strip. But there is a double decker bus that you can get a 24 hour pass for $5 and you get picked up and dropped off right in front of the hotel. Why would anyone take a cab?The buffet is expensive, but Vegas does not have the cheap eats like they use to so the buffet price is about the same as some of the others although I do not like their buffet. Usually print the coupons off the website for Kaddys (the coffee shop) and that is where we eat. They have pretty good food.I am a travel agent and I do a lot of traveling and spend a lot of time in hotels especially checking them out.This is a more laid back crowd. The casinos are not as crowded as some of the bigger hotels but we have won a lot of money at the Riviera. Reading the reviews on the rooms people have had. I am not sure where they are staying, but our room has always been nice. They are pretty big, and we have always had a fridge in the room. Rooms have always been very clean. Could use update on the bathrooms, but they are decent.Last year I stayed at the Mandalay Bay Would never stay again. Talk about unfriendly. At Rivieria never have problem getting drink in the casino unless it is really early in morning or during shift change.Dealers. There are a lot of frindly dealers as well as unfriendly. I usually figure out who I like and that is where I sit.Easy to get comps here if you play slots, but need to make sure you get a card and use it. Only place we have ever been comped maybe that is why we go back. We have played at others hoping to maybe stay somewhere else, but at the bigger hotels it is hard to get Comp room. Hope this helps. I do spend a lot of time and money checking out hotels so I know where to send my clients. For someone who wants to be in the middle of everything that is going on this is not the place for you. For someone that needs a place to stay and dosent mind spending $5 to take the bus which goes everywhere including downtown this is the place to stay. It has always been clean and we have been staying here 7 years. Have also stayed at Excaliber, Monte Carlo and Mandalay Bay.
My husband and I wanted to spend the weekend in Chicago to celebrate our anniversary, and I had been looking at the James for awhile because it was attached to David Burke's Primehouse. From the moment I called to make my reservation, I knew this hotel understood what customer service means to a consumer and a picky one at that. From the pre-arrival dossier, to the special sweets from the staff to kick off our anniversary weekend and a hand written note thanking us for staying at the James, this staff is well versed in the long lost art of customer service. The rooms were well appointed and the beds comfy and warm on a cool weekend. The walking distance to Michigan Av is a huge plus. From the front desk to the cleaning staff, the staff here is top notch! And David Burke's Primehouse is not to be missed!
I wrote an email to the hotel long before arrival with the request of a non smoking room in one of the upper floors. I never got a response. However they were able to fill in my request at the time of check in. We had a nice room in the 27th floor. The room was big, the bathroom pretty tiny with no space to put your own staff. There were some stains at the bathroom floor and in the tub. They could have vacuumed the room a bit better but other than that it was clean. There was also a walk in closet. The bed was very comfortable and we had a good sleep, the room was very quiet.The view from room 2736 is a bit blocked from the building across the other side which is pretty close but since there was no street between the buidlings it was also very quiet.Internet was wireless for 9,99 extra a day.We had breakfast every morning in the restaurant Commodore Grill. It is a bit overpriced but good quality.The staff was always very nice, reponsive and helpful. The location is excellent. Next to Grand Central Station and withing walking distance to Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, The United Nation Headquarter, Time Square and other interesting points.I would stay here again!
Stayed for 5 nights in November, 2006. Room was comfortable, king bed, comfy pillows, internet access. Windows were a little dirty and bathroom was &quot;unusual&quot;, but I put that down to the fact that it is an old hotel. Keycard on door failed to work for us on several occassions and when reported to front desk, the person on duty was very obliging and offered us free coffee vouchers! The tour desk girl was unprofessional as she took several private phone calls while trying to arrange our tour. My major concern was security as there are several entrances to the hotel anybody can have access to the lifts and we found a &quot;homeless&quot; person trying doors on our floor. I was not comfortable in the lifts on my own. The location is great. The only reason I would not go back is because of lack of security.
Great location, just steps from theaters, restaurants and the subway. Very helpful staff, they found a place to park my full size truck that didn't require refinancing to pay for. Hotel is clean, modern, and while the room sizes were moderate, they weren't cramped by any definition. No problems with the elevator either. I've paid more for less in cities other than NY. I would stay here again without question.
I stayed at the Ritz in a superior queen room on Saturday the 29th November this year. I've previously stayed there in a junior suite (later js) with my family.I was happy with my stay, no problems at all. I arrived quite early in the morning (before 11 am), but my room was ready, so I was able to unload my luggage and go shopping straight away. The check-in and the check-out the next day were exremely efficient and friendly.The room was smallish (as compared to the js) but ok for one person. Also the bathroom was smaller and the shower was in the bath. But of course you get what you pay for (the js is about 50% more expensive). The Floris toiletries were nice, the bathrobe and all other textiles of an excellent quality.I had room service twice (the dinner and the breakfast), it was promptly delivered and good. The service was excellent, as it is allover the hotel. I especially liked the fact that you are addressed mostly by your name by the staff. The first time was when I arrived and put my foot out of the taxi! How do they do it?! The door men are really helpfull when you need a taxi etc.I didn't have any problems at all with the security staff as I was properly dressed. I think it's nice that there still are places where people dress up a little bit. Some afternoon tea tourists, however, slightly OD'd on the dressing thing, I noticed. (Of course it's none of my business.)All in all, if you like elegant and beautiful grand hotels with excellent service, the Ritz is a place for you. Not so much, if you are keen on latest technological gadgets, megasized tv's etc.As you probably know, the location is the best possible, you can walk almost anywhere. It's still one of my favourite hotels. Last, I'd like to recommend the Renaissance faces exhibition at the National gallery. It's great and at the same time very informative.
I have been there many times and found the accomidations to be excellent. The rooms were spacious and well furnished. I liked that all of the kitchen appliances, dishes, glasses and everything else was included in the room.
This hotel was perfect for us (2 adults &amp; 5 teenagers). We stayed in two rooms each containing one double bed &amp; one sofa bed. Therefore one room had 3 people and the other had 4 people. Since we were on a budget we purchased the rooms ahead of time for the cheapest rates. www.holiday-inn.com The Sofa bed was a double size that slept 2 and the other regular double bed fit two. We had to make two separate reservations for each of the rooms, one with 3 and one with 4 people. Otherwise, it kept saying 2 rooms weren't available for 7 people....hmmm. So, we made two separate reservations, which worked out with the outcome we wanted.The breakfast contained yogurts, pastries (baked there..yum!), cheese, coffee, tea, cereals, hot chocolate, etc... It was a good breakfast with enough variety for everyone. The way the American dollar is it was nice to have a free breakfast for the 7 of us!!!There's a grocery store across the street as well as a nearby chinese restaurant &amp; Subway sandwiches. The subway ( is also nearby so it was easy to go from the airport to the hotel (about an hour away for London Heathrow). We also took to the subway to London City airport for our flight out which was easy to do as well since the subway goes all the way to that airport now. I think it took us 45min. It only took less than 5 minutes from the subway station (Finchley road) to the hotel. You'll see the hotel to the left across the street as you exit the subway station. The Swiss Cottage stop is one too early so wait until you reach Finchley road so you don't have to lug your luggage an extra 1/4 mile like we did!The hotel has internet for about seven and half pounds per day. The decor looked new to me in a modern style. I loved it!! There was a gathering space for breakfast, TV, &amp; a little bar as well. Very comfortable.Our rooms were on the back side of the hotel so we had no trouble with street noise. Other reviewers said to ask for the rooms in the back due to street traffic noise in the rooms to the front. Anyway, we asked for rooms in the back and got them!!! We also arrived early (noon) due to our early flights and they had one of our 2 rooms ready which they let us in. We were very thankful for this because we were dead tired from our long flights from the USA West coast to London. If they didn't have a room ready they would have held our luggage for us (very nice). The rooms had showers, no tubs. Very creative design with the door to the restroom/toilet room. The rooms were very clean and were a great respite from a hectic schedule. Downtown is about 45min- walk away (the way teenagers walk). We did the double decker bus tour the 2nd day there and walked to the nearest stop to get it. Therefore, we didn't buy subway tickets &amp; got a lot of exercise!My son skateboards &amp; we were right in leaving his skateboard at home because we never saw one skateboarder in London.The staff was wonderful. They were very friendly and accommodating. We discovered that if you need to rekey a room key then all the others won't work anymore for that room. so you need to redo all of the keys for the room if you redo one. Since we had 4 keys per room they did get a bit tired rekeying them until we figure out what was happening. One person would rekey it, then the rest wouldn't work. Then another would rekey it, and then the others wouldn't work. Then we just rekeyed them all at the same time &amp; TADA!! they all worked &amp; the staff was happier!!!!!!!For the price, 85 pounds/room prepaid I thought it was a great hotel. because it...-fit 4 people/room-breakfast included-close to subway-new decor (either newly remodeled or new)-quiet rooms-holiday inn-nearby grocery store and food places-Reasonable price. (thanks!!!)
after reading about how much noise there was in Dubai, The Palm Tree Court at the Jebel Ali resort was recommended to us.It was beautiful, room was superb, lovely views and glad we were on the first floor, view is great looking over the gardens and beach.It was 45 degrees and the humidity was very high which is probably why it was very quiet, which suited us completely.The staff were very friendly,restuarants lovely with plenty of choice,Recommend the Bateuax Dubai evening dinner cruise which is 45 mins back into Dubai and then up the Dubai creek, superb evening lovely food and a real difference!The sea was hot, and i mean hot, very strange and the heat on the beach was incredible compared to being round the pool.You could see the building work going on across the sea, when the haze lifted,to Palm Tree island but the noise is no more than a gentle drone really that certainly couldn't taint your holiday whatsoever!! lovely drinks and fruit and freezing cold towels brought to you throughout the day, lovely! would go back and would definitely recommend it if you prefer to be out of the town.
Just back from a stay at the W Times Square, loved the floral scents, the hip decor, the fun cocktails in the Living Room, the wonderful toiletries, the location. All in all, nearly perfect for our business meeting, especially when it came to relaxing after the meeting! Only one suggestion, more lights in the room, please. It is nearly impossible to get any work done with the dim lights provided. I had to raise the shades, just to read the hotel guide in the room. Business travelers who want to look at documents in their rooms should consider bringing along their own lights.
I stayed here for a week while working at Canary Wharf. Unlike a lot of the other posters here I found it an enjoyable experience. My room was clean, modern and large and well set up. My room faced the water which was much better than the car park. At no time did I hear a plane arrive at the airport nearby. Breakfast in the hotel was very good although staff did get a bit confused a few times. My partner ate dinner in the restaurant with a friend and both said the food was disappointing.The other facilities in the hotel (gym, pool, spa, steam room, sauna) are simply excellent and better than most hotels I have previously stayed at. These facilities are 5 star and really add to the hotel.I would recommend this hotel for business travellers for Canary Wharf or Excel. Due to the location and the lack of entertainment after dark I would not suggest this to anyone visiting London.
I was responsible for organizing the transit of 13 passengers through Dubai (including a night) and the Millennium was very accomodating. From the first time I dealt with the sales team until I checked out the following day. What a great experience. The rooms are cheaper than many of the other hotels in the vicinity and for transit needs it was perfect. The pool is need of work but the manager explained that they are getting ready to open a new wing which will have all brand new sport and leisure facilities. My room was a Deluxe King and was very comfortable with a couch and small coffee table. The bathroom probably needed updating but it was clean and served its purpose.The amenities on the property are fantastic. Biggles English Pub is a perfect place for a drink or to watch your favorite sporting event. Da Vinci's Italian was where my entire group had dinner and even for Dubai - the price was very reasonable. Cactus Jack's is a SouthWest Grill and was packed the night I stayed.For the money and the amount of time I spent at this hotel - they could do no wrong. Its very convenient to Terminal 1 with free transport to and from. The Millennium is right across the street from one of the Rotana properties and is literally half the price.I have nothing bad to say about this place. If you are expecting 5-star luxury then you may want to search elsewhere but if you need a great location with everything you could want - this is the place for you.
My husband and I stayed here for a two day stopover at the start of March. We have both stayed in other hotels in Dubai (in that area) and both agreed that it was the best hotel we had stayed in.My husband got in very early in the morning, so they gave him a room to crash in, then once i arrived a few hours later, they moved him and I to a double room, which was very large and had every amenity that you could wish for, including robes and slippers! Mini bar was extensive, but we didn't use it,so can't comment on the prices. Also there is wirelss access in the room, and at a very reasonable price. The food in the buffet restaurant for breakfast, and dinner was the best buffet i have ever eaten in.The choice was great and there was also a chef cooking up fresh pasta/noodles with fresh fish and meat to your spec. The gym was very well fitted out and the pool very big.. All of the staff are very helpful and friendly, especially the 'giant' Kenyan doormen who assist you in getting out of your vehicle and also to get taxi's. I would not hesistate to recoment this hotel to anyone who wants a fairly resonable hotel in Dubai, well away from the massive building work by the beach.
I often wonder why American hotel chains in Europe are often better managed than those in the US - take the Hyatt London the Churchill for an example. I arrived last weekend for a one night stay, very early in the morning, definitely not expecting to be roomed immediately. Their computer system was being upgraded, and they got my reservation and rates all confused (I was informed that the entire Hyatt system in Europe was being upgraded that weekend). Everything had to be done by hand. Surprisingly, the room was available (although I am not sure whether it was the room originally intended for me - no bottled water [Hyatt Gold Passport], missing towels, etc).The TV was also not functioning (only local TV channels with radio). Two engineering representatives showed up at my doorstep within 3 minutes and were eventually told by the front desk that since the computer system was &quot;down&quot;, guests were not &quot;officially&quot; being checked-in, so the TV system would not be fully functional. As I was staying at a package rate (shopping voucher with a bottle of champagne), the voucher and champagne were eventually delivered by another hotel staff about 20 minutes of my arrival. So, all in all, no big deal, I will just go do some shopping.When I returned at 4pm, the computer system was still &quot;down&quot;. When I found out from the in-room directory that the hotel carries DVD players, I called the operator to request for one. First, I was told that the hotel doesn't carry one, then I was informed that the hotel does carry DVD players, but it would cost me another 25 GBP. Well, I had to request for a waiver since I couldn't help that their computer and TV system is down. A third phone call informed me that the manager has authorized a fee-waiver. Why such complication?When I checked out the following morning, the computer system was still &quot;down&quot;, and once again, I was charged the wrong rate. The front desk staff was unable to retrieve my &quot;handwritten&quot; check-in form, so they couldn't offer me the correct rate, even thought she had my printed confirmation (that reflects the correct rate) in front of her. At 6am, I didn't feel I have the energy to argue with her.When I returned to the US, I was informed by Hyatt central reservations to contact the accounting office back at the hotel in London. Although not expecting much to come out of the e-mail to the accounting office as I am already out of the country, I did get a response from the hotel, apologizing for their computer problems, and informing me of the refund. That was a surprise (or were we travelers conditioned not to expect too much if things don't turn out right?)Overall, the location of the London Hyatt was good - a couple blocks from Oxford Street, a 5 minute walk from Selfridge's and the tube station. The staff was pleasant, particularly the engineering folks who wouldn't rest until they figured out what was wrong with my TV, or the Regency Club concierge who was equally concerned about my missing shopping voucher and the bottle of champagne not being already in the room prior to me checking in. Prior to checking in into the Hyatt I had spent a week at the Dorchester. Although the food at Alain Ducasse was up-to-par, the overall atmosphere was slightly more stuffy, the hotel staff much more reserved, and the nightly papparazzi hanging outside the hotel made getting in and out of the hotel rather difficult. So, I will definitely consider revisiting the London Hyatt next time I am in town. Their rates are definitely reasonable, and although one can find lower rates within the same area of town, I think this hotel is worth considering.
My husband and I decided to check in for a romantic night away from the children having just moved to Dubai. We chose this hotel as we live on the Palm Jumeirah and wanted to be nearby to the kids. We are well seasoned travellers and have stayed at many of the 5* hotels in Dubai previously and had high expectations.It started with a long queue at the busy &amp; crowded reception, followed by Antonio at the reception who made the biggest fuss possible about copying our passports. I explained that as I had just arrived my passport was with the company getting my visa but I had a copy. He made it seem like a 'favour' that I had a 'colour' copy to allow me to stay in the hotel! He then proceeded to tell my husband the price of the room (somewhat spoiling my husband's treat to me) and discussing the price of breakfast! And this took an age with a lot surliness!We made our way to our room (with extremely vague directions) and when we got there our bags arrived and the bell boy gave us an envelope containing our invoice to check out! You can imagine our surprise as we had just left the check in and the hotel was telling us about checking out!The room was spacious, the bathroom large and all clean, but the decor was substantially below what is expected of a luxury hotel- odd colours, old furniture and strange patchy style. We did however have a good view of the Burj and it was quiet.We tried to book dinner through the reservation line for 15 minutes unsuccessfully, finally resorting to the Concierge to book it in the end. We had dinner in the Marina Restaurant supposedly 'stylish' and the dress code 'elegant'. Antonio at the reception had said that all the restaurants were busy and almost fully booked- when we arrived it was very far from full. The food was average given the prices, there was no view, the service poor and with such long gaps between the courses that we almost fell asleep, and no atmosphere. It was certainly not stylish or elegant.Breakfast was at the Latitiude Restaurant which catered for all cuisines well but again the service was very average and it was absolute chaos.We have read the previous reviews with amazement. This is not a luxury hotel as compared to the other big hotel groups in Dubai or Internationally. The service is dismal, the hotel busy and chaotic. For the price one expects good service, an air of luxury and good food. We could not recommend this hotel to anyone.
we upgraded to a venezia suite and it was so great, the hotel is huge you could spend a week at this hotel alone and not see all of it, well worth the extra money if staying in vegas, it is so stunning and you can't help but feel amazed at every corner, the staff are wonderfull and helpfull and come into your room twice a day once to clean and fill up bathroom bits and once at night to offer a turn down service. restaurants are great would recoment pinot brasserie had a private dinner there, the food oh my god so very very good. best location on the strip slap bang in the middle of everything believe me you don't want to be stuck down one end of the strip its a long walk
My girlfriend and I recently stayed at the carlton for 5 nights after a 4 week drive across the US and couldn't have picked anywhere better. The hotel is modern and clean, our room was large with a comfortable bed, excellent bathroom and a very large walk in closet (with safe). The staff couldn't have been more friendly and helpful. And, contrary to other reviews, we found nothing wrong with the neighborhood. We used a nearby store, laundrette, hairdresser and breakfast dinner. And we walked home several nights the couple of blocks from union square without any hassle. Would definitely recommend to any european travelling to San Francisco looking for a good hotel at a reasonable rate.
I stayed one night in this Hilton Garden Inn. The staff was very nice and attentive. The room was clean and nice with a great view of the Empire State Building. The Beds were very comfortable nice spacious room for 2 friends. Bathroom was great as well.Only issues, I was told that Hilton Garden Inn gave free breakfast and I almost inadvertently ate the 18.00 breakfast. This hotel I thought was on the same tier as Hampton Inn.Also.. VERY IMPORTANT...They say the offer parking, just make sure that you don't spend more than 24 hours in the lot across the street because they can try to make some ridiculous charges... After about 15 minutes of arguing everything was resolved, but it was with a big fightAll in all I would highly recommend this hotel.
I stayed here a few years ago and found the room to be OK but the bathroom mouldy, leading us to nickname it the Mildew Plaza. It was OK though and the location made up for a lot.This time, the room was appalling and the reception staff were rude and surly. The window faced a wall. The curtain tiebacks were stapled on to the wall. The sink was deeply cracked and the plug clearly hadn't fitted for ages so you had to race to wash your face before the water drained.I don't expect fine furnishings in a two star but I expect polite staff and fittings that do their job!
We stayed here for 4 nights as part of our trip away to get married. So you can imagine, I wanted everything to be just right for our special trip! I spent ages researching on Trip Advisor, to decide which hotel to stay in for our special time away. The hotel didn't dissapoint at all........Public areas: Clean, tidy &amp; spacious. Room: Clean, comfy bed, nice bathroom, big wardrobe &amp; never heard any noise from other guests. View was OK, nothing special but we never asked for any particular view. Location: I don't think it could have been better, excellent for the Cable Cars - (Powell/Mason, Powell/Hyde Cable cars stop right outside the hotel). You could walk down to the Pier 39/Fishermans Wharf area in 10 minutes - then get the Cable car back up. A good restaurant in that area for a lovely breakfast /lunch is the Eagle Cafe. We did try to get into Mamas on Washington Square twice, but the queue was too long and we were too hungry - we went twice to the Eagle Cafe as it was so nice, with little waiting time. Also, you can walk to Union Square too, again roughly 10 minutes. However, if you do want to be in the bustle of it all, it is located that bit further out of the tourist areas. We wanted to be a little bit away from the tourist areas, so we were very happy with its location. Staff: Friendly at all times, concierge very helpful with restaurant bookings and directions. Alfreds Steakhouse was very nice for our last night - what a steak! Overall, a well kept hotel, with good staff in a great location. If I was returning to San Francisco, I would stay in this hotel again without any hesitation. One thing I would recommend for you to do, and this isn't hotel related - if your heart is set on visiting Alcatraz, book it before you leave. We were lucky that we were there for 4 nights, we went down to the Alcatraz tour area on our first day, and it was booked up for two days, luckily we managed to go on our last day on the day tour. I couldn't believe how booked up it was when we got there, even the next available Night Tour was a week away! Also, allow enough time for the Alcatraz visit we were there for hours, and thought we would be in and out within the hour.
While my husband was in the hospital at UCSF, I stayed in this hotel for 10 days. What I appreciated most was the flexibility I was allowed for the amount of time I needed to stay. They understood that the length of a hospital stay can vary so they gave me the option to check out early or stay on longer as needed. It was one less thing to worry about!The room was very spacious, containing a queen size bed, large dresser with mirror, a table and chairs, additional drawer space in the tv stand, a refrig and microwave. The bathroom was also good size. The room was clean and the furniture was in good shape. The first room I was given was close to the stairs - I asked to move to a different room and was allowed to do so without any problems or hassle. Patients/Family of UCSF are given a rate discount and free shuttle service to/from the hospital is provided upon request. The only draw back was that the shuttle does not run on the weekends. There is a Muni Bus stop two blocks from the hotel, down a well lit street, that runs to the hospital. I drove to the hospital a few times on my own - it's easy to find from this hotel and is only a 15 minute drive.The hotel is close to the ocean and Golden Gate Park - both easily within walking distance. The hotel is in a good neighborhood. I would difinitely consider staying here again.
We have stayed in many Manhattan hotels, and we found this Kimpton property to be wonderful in many ways. I am a member of their InTouch loyalty program, which may explain why, although we'd paid what is for NYC the giveaway price of $189, we were upgraded to a HUGE penthouse suite with an enormous Jacuzzi tub, separate living room, 2 flat screen tv sets, a lovely view, and a balcony. This price was offered as a Kimpton internet promotion with a duration of a month or so. The hotel was understandably sold out.It being a birthday, a chilled bottle of Cava was there when we arrived. As is usual with Kimpton, the management sent an email in advance of our stay to see what the hotel could do to improve our stay. [InTouch members write personal profiles, so the hotel knew to have dark chocolate waiting for us, too.] The location, a two minute walk from Grand Central, was great. We arrived early and, while the room wasn't yet ready, we were offered facilities at which to &quot;freshen up.&quot; Granny Smith apples were offered near the registration desk. There was free internet in the lobby. Organic and delicious coffee and small label tea---unlimited---were offered gratis until 11 a.m. During our stay we had a minor plumbing problem which was rapidly resolved by the engineer in house. Everyone on the staff was friendly and courteous.I am very happy with Kimpton's social consciousness, e.g. their corporate sponsorship of Dress for Success, HIV/A.I.D.S. contributions, support of the Trust for Public Land. I like their plug that as a guest one does good while sleeping. All in all, I'd describe this as a wonderful Kimpton stay; as usual there were the very welcome personal touches which we have found characteristic of this smallish chain.
Booked in for 4 nights into what I thought would be a King Superior room. With hindsight having checked our reservation email carefully, it states a King Interior. This is something I would not have gone for, but it says it on the email and I missed that.On arrival, we were given a room on the 2nd floor right at the back of the hotel, the room was not very big but was nicely furnished and clean. The view was of a back courtyard only. I suppose this is what they call a King Interior!After some time that day, I did go and discuss my disappointment with the room, it's location, view or lack of it and in fairness to the Hotel, they did offer us alternatives, upgrades at no cost and even a room at their sister hotel up the road. I praise the Staff for that.Sadly, the initial contact/room at the Hotel had made its mark on us and we wanted out. We left the Hotel to consider a refund on our accomodation pre-paid bill and went for a walk.Lets consider the room they put us in.......no view, small, on the 2nd floor in the back corner of the HotelWe went into the Marriott, a couple of blocks nearer Union Square and for $70 cheaper than Orchard Garden for 2 nights and $2 cheaper for the other 2 nights, we were able to secure a room much larger, on the 19th floor with a wonderful view and even better furnished. They even threw in Exec Lounge facilities on a couple of days.Back at the Orchard Garden, they eventually agreed to refund the last 2 nights accomodation which I accepted and promptly moved to the Marriott.For what we initially paid for the room the Orchard Garden initially gave us, this was NOT value for money. Yes we did accomodate the room, no we didn't stay long enough to sleep there. If you read this review you need to take that into account alongside previous guest reviews.
I booked this this hotel through the internet, everything was fine until I checked in around 10:00 p.m..Service was good, staff were courtious, but the noise from the night club until 3:00 a.m. was unbearable.It sounded like it was a club with rooms rather than a hotel with a club. my room was on the fourth floor and the beat was resonating through out the hotel, ye ye yeah.
CleanGood Location for parade &amp; museum, local food 24x7Close enough to Subway linesGood mattressDesk helpful and responsiveToilet so close to walls on both sides, that &lt;censored&gt; (couldnt use)Wind loudly whistling through the closed/locked window one nightNo window screen to allow room to cool down w/o risking bird entryBed too short  need queen sizes, but room too smallNobody at desk for a time one morning
This hotel is certainly not what they advertised. Rooms are very small. The desk staff was not friendly, however the bellman did seem to have a personality. Their &quot;Business Center&quot; was a joke. A closet next to the front desk with a computer that was obsolete and did not work. It was on, but could not connect to the web. No free newspaper, no soda or ice machines in the building. Blew a fuse using the hair dryer when the A/C was on. If you are claustrophobic, the elevators will give you an anxiety attack. The voice mail on the phone did not work. Reception on the televisions was bad, only 2 stations came in clear, CSPAN and E. It wasn't my worst hotel experience and had they not advertised the things that I didn't get, it wasn't bad, just not what they say it is. The location is excellent and the beds are awesome. Very comfortable.
This hotel is in a prime location in Montreal within walking distance of alot of great tourist sites including Old Montreal ( which is a 20 min walk but much faster on the Metro). The customer service people at this hotel are excellent, we were there for a week and every time we had contact with the staff they were excellent.The room was clean and the bed was very comfortableThe one downside to this hotel is that the rooms are very small, our room was so small the door barely cleared the bed when opened, also our bathroom only had a small shower and no bathtub.
This hotel is perfect for your stay in San Francisco. Its clean, friendly and serves an excellent breakfast with lots of choice. Our room was very clean, bright and airy, we could actually open the windows and you cant often do so in San Fran hotels. We also had a window in the bathroom. The beds were very comfy and we had a large closet. Maid service was excellent too. Our only downfall was we couldnt use the bathtub as there was a problem with the plug. We had to use taps as our shower!!!Staff very friendly and helpful. Two minutes from Union Square and very nearby to all the sights. Tenderloin being directly opposite.Great place to stay anytime!!Would definately stay here again.
This hotel is in a great location. It is in a beautiful area with lots of restaurants and shopping, and within walking distance to the marina. If you're in shape, you can also walk to the Palace of Fine Arts and Golden Gate Bridge. The hotel offers free parking. The rooms are clean, but unless you get the right room they can be very noisy. If you want quiet, I recommend asking for an inside room on a higher floor. The rooms are large but beds are average quality. They also offer free wi-fi. Overall, it's a very good deal for the price.
I was really impressed with this property.Having stayed at Paris last time in Vegas, I decided to save my pennies for the shows and found a rate on the Hilton Website for $76/night for a standard room. Received 12% off macy's voucher for use at the Fashion Show Mall.I was initially disappointed as I thought I was staying at the HGV Club at the Hilton Flamingo, which has a much more central location. This HGV property is almost opposite Sahara, so a good distance north from the centre of the strip.A rental car would be a great option if staying here, but I walked to Luxor from here (25 minutes) and cabbed to Caesar's ($10) but also the municipal bus is regular from right outside the door at just $1.25 and the new monorail can be ridden from the Las Vegas Hilton for $3 so you have plenty of options for transport.The property is under a year old, and well presented throughout. My standard room boasted a DVD player, CD player well stocked kitchen and a great bathroom with stone flooring and plenty of towels.As a Hilton Gold Card holder, I received a $10 voucher for use in the deli on the ground floor, and special truffle chocolates with turndown service (which has to be requested).The outdoor pool was sizeable, gym had plenty of good quality cardio equipment, a pleasant recreation room adjacent. Washers and Dryers are free, with detergent (and most other essentials) available in the deli.If you want to hook up your laptop to the complimentary hi-speed internet system in your room you must remember to bring your data cable as this is not provided and is offered for purchase at the Vegas Price of $12.95 (!) in the deli. Otherwise free WiFi works well on floors 1 and 2.Note my requested wake up call did not happen, so it is not to be relied upon. The night before departure I requested a van service to the Airport which cost $4.95/person and was courteous and on time. The cab on arrival cost $22 from the airport.In summary, a great new non-casino property, slightly away from the action but not insurmountably so. Rooms rival some of the five star properties for facilities, and the larger studio rooms are on a par with suites at the best hotels on the strip, for a fraction of the cost. With kitchen and laundry facilities, this is particularly good for long term stays.
Booked this hotel for a Theatre weekend for myself and my partner and also for a ruby wedding anniversary present for my parents. We had previuosly stayed at the Apex City Hotel in Edinburgh and on the strength of that stay which was excellent decided to stay here. It didn't disappoint. Room was large and very comfortable and included a sofa in front of the tv which made a change from sitting on the bed to watch TV. Excellent large powerful showers and nice accessories. The Rubber duck is a nice touch, our Edinburgh duck has a little friend now.View out of the window wasn't great.... overlooked the office block at the back but i wasn't there to gawp out the window so it wasn't a big deal.One small criticism.........was looking forward to a couple of nice cold pints of lager after coming in from the theatre but they'd only gone and ran out!!!!All in all a great stay and thoroughly recommended.
This small hotel is in midtown Manhattan. We had a view of Rockefeller Skating Rink from our window. We stayed in a standard queen room which was small, but clean and comfortable. We requested extra pillows and washcloths and these were delivered within 5 minutes. No concierge, but front desk staff available for questions/recommendations 24/7. Hotel is within walking distance of SO many things-Broadway, Times Square, 5th Avenue, Central Park, etc. The location made all the difference in our long NYC weekend. There is a small deli/coffee shop next door and we picked up bagels and fruit for breakfast in the AMs. I would highly recommend this hotel on it's location alone. Saved us a lot in cab fares!
This was our third trip to NYC and our third different hotel and each time the hotel has topped the previous one.We arrived in New York at JFK airport and took a yellow taxi directly to the New Yorker. Air train does come into Penn Station close to this hotel but as there were 4 of us in total and l didnt want my parents to lug their cases about, taxi was the easiest and cheapest option-$45 plus tip and toll so $55 total.Check in was quick and easy and the lady gave us a few directions and told us about the diner and restaurant.Our rooms were located next to each other as requested and were on the 19th floor. No view which a little disappointing as you can see the Empire State building from some rooms but it wasnt the end of the world for us. The room was newly decorated and very clean. Having read reviews on the site regarding bugs l checked the room thoroughly just for peace of mind! I didnt find anything. Yes the room was small but it had everything we needed including flat screen tv, hairdryer, storage space and even a bath which we have never had in a NYC city hotel before!We ate breakfast in the Tick Tock diner every morning as it was very convienient and my parents needed breakfast. It was more expensive than other places but the food was good, portions large, staff friendly and VERY hard working and so much easier than leaving the hotel. Whilst the hotel is centrally located it is not close to any one land mark, whilst this was ok for us it did mean a bit of a walk but subway stations and taxis and close to hand. We had previously stayed at Hotel Pennsivania and Milford Plaza, the New Yorker is the best for quality of hotel but the location of Milford Plaza was more central to Times Square. I have read the reviews on here placed by people who stayed there at the same time as us and there are some very different stories!Overall l would say, you get what you pay for and never expect a cheap New York hotel room to be much bigger than room to walk around the bed! If you are going to New York to shop and sightsee then these hotels are great, if you are going to spend a lot of time in your room you need to pay more. We personally only use our rooms as a base and spend our time out and about. This hotel is a bargain!
Stayed at this Hotel for 2 nights in September. The location of the hotel is the best feature, Times Square is on your doorstep and the subway system to most other parts of NYC is about 5 mins walk. The hotel is ideal for leisure visitors to New York and if you have not visited NYC before this is a perfect hotel to explore the city from.The Hotel elevators are cool and we did not have to wait more than a couple of minutes at busy times. The Hotel also has a Starbucks, gift shop and Theatre ticket office (Theatre ticket discount booth is across the road from hotel in Times Square) .I would recommend spending a bit more money on this hotel due to the great location - especially for 1st visitors or leisure visitors with limited time in NYC.Hotel rooms were spacious and clean and large enough for 2/3 adults - I was staying in one room with 3 other adults and this was fine but space would have been an issue for longer than 2 nights.
All the employees of this hotel were very customer-focused and ensured each guest had their needs fulfilled. We encountered no issues/bad attitudes with any employee. Everyone was pleasant, friendly, and offered assistance even when not asked. The check-in/out desk persons were efficient, housekeeping thorough, bellmen/doormen helpful, concierge extremely knowledgeable and went out of their way to serve you, security present, and business center clerk attentive to our needs. I never had this good of service from any hotel I have ever stayed at before. We (party of 2) spent two nights at this hotel (Friday and Saturday, Nov 13-15). The hotel website stated check-in does not start until 4pm. We arrived at 12:00noon and did not have to wait more than 2 minutes for a hotel desk agent to start our check-in process. All our reservation information was correct and we finished the check-in process quickly and off to our room we went. To our surprise, we were assigned a corner room on the 28th floor with a great view. This room had three exterior windows (one facing north up Lexington Ave and two facing west down 50th street), a small refrigerator, couch, flat screen tv, desk area with extremely comfortable office chair (reclined), and coffee maker. The king-sized bed was one of the most comfortable beds I have ever slept on in any hotel. The room was not all that large, but roomy enough for all the furnishings and still able to walk around without any problems. Sleeping was not a problem at all on this bed. The bathroom was abit small and had a tub/shower combination. There are so many hotels in New York you can select. I have to say that the next time I travel to New York, I will select this hotel again. Besides the service, location was perfect. We were able to walk to many attractions located within a few blocks (Times Square, St. Patrick Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, shopping, restaurants, etc ). Plus Grand Central Station was within a few blocks and from there you can go anywhere you needed to travel. The time to walk to the subway station from the hotel and ride the train to the Statue of Liberty station was less than 30 minutes. The traffic noise (cab horns, sirens) was present, but did not bother me and I slept through the noise. We did not eat at the hotel restaurants, so I am not able to comment (but the concierges recommended awesome restaurants!!!).The only compliant I have is no free wi-fi service in the lobby. Luckily I have an i-phone with 3G coverage (no problems with reception) and able to access my email. Otherwise in-room internet charge not cheap ($16/day).
We stayed at the Cartwright this past Monday night and it was really very nice. the hotel is undergoing some renovations so I'm sure when they are completed it will be even better. I read a few other reviews and saw that some people commented on the rooms being small. We booked a King Deluxe room (it had to be big to fit a king bed!) and it was fine. the bathroom was tight but not too bad. The bed was comfortable and the room was very clean. The bathroom soaps are very cool - Lather products. Got to peer into a few rooms and I'd suggest either going for a king room or one 2 queen beds as they tended to be larger. Our room was at the back of the hotel so we didn't hear the trolley on Powell and it was quiet at night. We missed the breakfast and the wine reception and the cookies unfortunately. For the price and the extras this was a great place to stay. You can pick up the trolley at the corner of Powell and Sutter and buy your tickets on board (there is an $11 all day pass which is worth it if you are sightseeing). it's only about 15-20 minutes to Fishermans Wharf and the touristy spots.
It's hard to find fault with a brand new hotel that has all the amenities, including a wonderful continental breakfast. The atmosphere reminds me of a giant IKEA ... very modern in furnishings and architecture. We too were allowed into our room early (before 10:30 am) even though it wasn't ready for us when we arrived. We only had to wait in the lobby for about 20 minutes before we were given the keys. We didn't find the location bothersome at all, in fact it's very quiet around the hotel with very light traffic. We did walk to the Fulham Broadway tube station a few times, but found that hopping the C3 bus right outside the hotel got us to Earl's Court tube station in about 5 minutes (very handy at night). PS - We got 2 nights here as part of our British Airways air package also. Made the cost of the plane tickets well worth it.
We stayed at the WJ hotel May 31st - June 4. First of all, the staff is wonderful. Everyone was extremely helpful and friendly. We asked serveral times for recommendations, directions, etc., everyone was always willing to help. Our room was small, but adequate. The bathroom was fine. It was long and narrow, but there was plenty of space to get ready. Shower head was tall and the water pressure was great. The bed was a tad hard, but not terrible. Each room has it's own window air conditioner. Our room faced the street and there was a lot of street noise all night long. Some friends stayed on the opposite side of the hotel and had no problem with noise at all. I never heard any of the other guests. The location is wonderful. Very close to Times Square, right near a subway station, a lot of wonderful places to eat near-by. Overall, a very nice stay.
Our annual Christmas and New Years vacation was spent in London this year. I was unsure how easy transportation would be as my vacation package specified my hotel Holiday Inn Express was not city centered. The price was irresistible, so I went ahead and booked the trip. I travel with my daughters ages 12 and 16, which is a little scary going into a city for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised to find so many friendly people that were willing to show me the easiest ways to travel including taking the underground from the airport directly to the hotel. The underground stopped literally steps away from my hotel. I purchased a week pass and we were able to wander the city on our own time. Although this is a top city to visit, you wouldn't be able to tell by what little money I needed to spend. The hotel was very neat and clean. The staff was very friendly and breakfast was served daily. The most impressive was the location. Do not be afraid to be away from city center, transportation is right outside the lobby doors.
We spent 3 nights at the Helmsley Park Lane on Central Park South over Christmas, 2003. What a wonderful experience! The rooms (we had 2) were extra large and clean. The staff is very efficient and of course, the location is excellant! If you can get a good price here, and I did over the Internet, you should try to stay here!!!! If you want a drink, I do recommend you stay away from Harry's Bar. Their prices are inflated, but there is a liquor store around the corner if you want a bottle of wine in your room, or you could go to a neighborhood bar somewhere nearby. I highly recommend this hotel.
The rooms were nice and tidy. The breakfast had something for everyone. The staff was very polite and helpful with all of our tourist questions and always pointed us in the right direction. The nearest tube is just a few minutes away and there are several little cafes, a pub and convenience stores within a minutes walk from the tube. It was great to be able to get a filling lunch before we headed out for a day in London. The tube is the central line and runs straight through all the main stops in Central London. We purchased a week long tube and buss pass when we first got to London so that we could travel on all the buses and tubes for one flat and reasonable rate. I highly recommend picking one of those up. There are a few bus stops (bus 266) near the hotel that goes into the main area of Acton Town which has lots of restaurants, pubs and a Safe Way if you'd like a bigger variety of eateries and pubs to choose from near the hotel. Just ask the staff and they will tell you where the stops are. Next time I go to London I will most definitely stay at the Encore again.
If your like myself &amp; my husband the purpose of your visit to any holiday destination is not to sit in your hotel watching tv and scratching your behind! Its about getting out there, finding new things to see, new places to go, finding adventure! Its Las Vegas for goodness sake!Old?- yes! Granny wallpaper?- yes! Children around the place?- yes! what do you expect? this is a hotel stuck in the old day..... THE GOOD OLD DAYS! ok it may not have zoo animals at your beck and call, and marble, gold&amp; diamond encrusted floors but who really cares! It has bright lights, friendly down to earth people there spending what they want not what they feel they have to, nice friendly staff and clean comfortable rooms with a view- ok this view could possibly be of a car park or the front of the hotel or a nicer hotel but let me stress the point again! your not there to say in your room! You get top end three star standard everyday for half the price of a nightclub entry ticket in Vegas. Its on the strip, its oldskool and to top it all off you get free fantastic circuis acts while you play. The beer is cold, flowing &amp; free no matter what your bet! We have stayed in hotels all over Ireland and the rest of the world and i'll tell you now that its of a good standard and cheaper that a hostel on the Arran Islands! There are no $500 slots and no pretensas here, its just good cheap fun! if you have booked this hotel and are looking at other reviews with horror and depression then fear not! This hotel is a cut above the rest, and a great starting point for your Las Vegas holiday!The last thing I will say is that if you going to Vegas dont drink too much, bring sun cream, wear good walking shoes and relax! If your there worrying about the small things you will miss the big things! also slots or fun is the best!Well done the Irish rugby team- up the Irish!
Amazing views of the city from the restaurant of the executive floor. Impressive decoration on some of the halls and rooms. Very good breakfast buffet.
I just spend a weekend in Montreal -- at the Maritime. I've been to Montreal several tiems, but wanted to stay a new place. I based booking this hotel on some of the feedback I found on this site...as such...I felt the need to add my review...so that others will have a REAL sense of this hotel. Our room was comfortable, clean and very satisfactory. The bathroom was nice, but a bit small. It did have a big king bed which was great.Location was average at best. You are near St. Catherine Street, but you're at the far west end...so its a hike to get to the main shopping area. And you're on the boarder with the &quot;rougher side of town&quot;.Decor was much like any 2 or 3 star I might have stayed in as a college student roaming around Europe and Greece...meaning...forget the 4 star rating...its a 3 star at best. The bar area and lounge...looked like something out of a 70s slasher movie...seedy all the way.Value...look, I'll tell you straight...If you need a place to stay that is cheap and near downtown...its fine,basic...stay there. If you need a nice place for a romantic get-away or if you've been to the city before...spend $25 more a night and stay at a nicer place.
We stayed 2 days in a 2-bedroom apartment in June this year. Of the 5 hotels that we stayed in various cities in Western US during our US trip, this is by far the best value. I was looking for a hotel that is outside the Strip without a casino as I have young children, but preferably close enough to take a short trip to the Strip attractions and the airport. We were also looking for one that has coin-op laundryfacilities, and a kitchen or kitchenette in the room. Well, this hotelfit the bill perfectly. I was delighted to find out that the room ratewas the lowest of the 5 hotels that I have booked. And after staying for 2 days and many encounters with the staff, I can tell you that the service of the staff overall was very good, at least for those that we met. The check in and out were fast. When my wife has a request, they send their man down to fix it promptly. They have a hotel shuttle which we took to go to the Strip as well as the airport.The staff who contacted the driver for us, gave us an estimated waiting time, to see if we still want to take the service. And when the shuttle took a little longer than the estimated time, she called the driver again to check where he was, and was apologetic towards us. So even though we have to wait a while for the transport to the Strip, we didn't feel frustrated at any point of time both because of the responsible service of the staff as well as the fact that we were not rushing for time. The driver was very courteous and helpful too. For the trip to the airport, I told the staff in advance and stressed that I have to catch a flight at certain time. This time the shuttle was on time, and we arrive at the airport well in time. I guess booking the shuttle in advance helps them to fit us into their schedule. In fact, the receptionist always checked with the driver before committing to our request for the shuttle. In the small reception room, there were a restroom and a pantry (which I think is for staff use), but we were allowed to use them. Our apartment was reasonably spacious, and air-con. It was such a relief from the 40 degrees temperature outside. And the temperature was adjustable. There are a lot of storage space, we didn't use all of them. The small pool was always full of people trying to cool down. Two suggestions for improvement: there were only two dining chairs around the dining table in our 2 bedroom apartments which can house 4 persons. Shouldn't 4 chairs be given in a 2-bedroom apartment? The management may also want to consider building a covered link way from the reception area to the various blocks so that guests do not need to pull along their luggage and walk under the very hot sun. We were delighted to find out that the hotel is located near to a cheap Chinese restaurant, Panda Express too. Overall, I can comfortably recommend this hotel to families who are looking for a safe, quiet place that is conveniently located near the attractions and airport in Las Vegas.
Spent a night there before catching an early train to France. The service was exceptional, rooms clean, spacious and new. Loved the bathrooms. It is an oasis in the middle of Kings Cross.
We stayed here in September 2005 for 3 nights as part of Virgin's &quot;King to the Road&quot; tour. The location was pretty good, only 5 min walk to the seafront. The rooms were clean, fairly big with 2 double beds, tv, air con. The bathroom was tidy and sufficient for 2 people. The only bad thing about the room was the smell of cigarettes coming under the door from the corridor. We were on the ground floor, and all rooms were non-smoking however we were at the end next to a fire exit where people smoked all night!Our car parking pass never worked once to get in/out of the car park. We got a free t-shirt and some 2 for 1 drink vouchers when we checked in, was was quick and easy.
We just returned last night from our trip to Montreal. Hotel is unassuming from the outside. Very lovely once inside the doors. The young staff is very attentive, from the doormen to the maid service. James, the doorman, was always helpful, calling cabs, etc. Jeanne, at the front desk, was so informative. When my husband asked for directions on how to return to the hotel from the airport (cause he was picking up a car) Jeanne arranged for a car locally.When we asked about a particular Bistro for lunch, Jeanne made sure the other young woman actually called the Bistro for reservations-a good thing, they were closed! Dina was helpful when my husband needed to rent a bike.Wine and cheese in the lounge is a nice touch. We found the breakfasts fine-hard boiled eggs, bagels and other breads, muffins, fruit, yogurt and cereals.One of the best beds (and pillows) we have ever had, and we have stayed at the Four Seasons. Very comfortable. Room had an outside window, very quiet. Room and bathroom were spacious.Maid service was excellent-always tidying up and freshening the bed.Location was superb-we walked to most everything-great restaurants literally out the door, as was the architectual museum.We would return in a heartbeat. Outstanding.
the location is good. close to the tube station, and a quiet and not at all dangerous area. the room was very small, but at least it was very clean. the staff helpful. we stayed only for 2 nights. we booked this hotel from an internet hotel website, so we didn't pay the normal hotel rates. i advise you to do the same thing, since the normal price is too much for this hotel. no problems with noise.
Have just returned from a wonderful 7 nights spent at the Jebel Ali Hotel. This was my wife's first visit to Dubai, but as I had been previously on business I purposefully chose this hotel as I knew it was away from the main construction work. Although the hotel is away from the city we just wanted a week relaxing in the sun and the hotel provided us with everything we needed, 3 heated pools and a fabulous beach. As we arrived around 9.30 in the morning our room was not available but arrangements were made for us to shower and change and to enjoy complimentary refreshments. When the room was ready we were given an upgrade to a seaview room. We had pre-booked our evening meal, and although credit was given if dinner was taken in any restaurant other than the Coffee Shop, we found the food in the Coffee Shop excellent and varied so did not try any of the other restaurants, something for our next visit. We cannot praise the staff too highly for their friendliness and level of service. Special mention of Mohamed at the Captains Bar. We spent most evenings in the Plantation Bar and enjoyed the entertainment provided by the Blue Dream Band.One excursion we would recommend is the Dinner criuse on the Bateau Dubai which not only provides excellent food but also gives a wonderful view of the city from the water.My wife so enjoyed her first trip to Dubai that she has already decided that not only will we be returning to the Jebel Ali next year, but we intend to stay for 10 nights and maybe take the excursion to spend a night in the desert.
My brother booked this hotel months ago as we (there were eight members of my family) had to be sure that we had somewhere to stay the night before the London Marathon. When we arrived in the morning our first impressions were not good, very small and shabby, painted over peeling wallpaper, a strong musty smell which was almost overpowered by the smell of new paint. However, we were only staying for one night, it was just somewhere to sleep, it was relatively cheap so what did we expect! We told the receptionist who we were and she allowed us to leave our bags and off we went for the day. After a lovely day we went back to the hotel and it was then that things started to go wrong. The receptionist, the same one from earlier, explained that there was no hot water on the fourth floor and that people had been checking out all day and that she had arranged for us to stay in 2 family rooms in a hotel nearby for no extra charge! I told her this was unacceptable and that we could put up with not having hot water. She then said that the plumbers would need to be in and out of our rooms all night to fix the boilers which made no sense at all! We asked to see the rooms for ourselves to make up our minds to which she replied that the manager had told her not to show anyone the rooms. Obviously by this time we were getting very suspicious and on asking someone from the fourth floor discovered that there was nothing wrong with the hot water. She then told us it was only certain rooms, namely the four that we had booked, what a coincidence!! Then, as if by magic the &quot;plumber&quot; walked by, although he had been the painter when we saw him at work in the morning! We asked to see the manager and even though she told us that he had been there obviously he had somehow managed to sneak passed her! Eventually after several attempts she got through to him on the phone. He was extremely rude and unhelpful and told us that we would just have to put up with it, there would be no refund and there was nothing he could do. To be honest at this point we felt that he was right, there was nothing else to do but to put up with it and go to the other hotel, even though we knew that a hotel with rooms available on the Saturday night before the Marathon was going to be even worse that this one. How right we were! We were taken to the other hotel by another young woman, obviously the receptionist had had enough of us by this time and chickened out, actually I think she was very wise not to take us! When we arrived we were taken to the basement and were shown our room, yes one room with a double bed and a bunk bed, for eight of us!! The new receptionist told us she'd only been asked for one room. After much shouting and running around they emptied someones things out of another room and allowed us to have that one. At least it had a double and two singles. She later told us that the Ascot Hotel had double booked our rooms and she was often called upon to help them out and that the rooms we were in were only meant for workers and not usually let out! By this time we didn't really care, we just wanted somewhere to sleep and to forget the whole thing, unfortunately being in the basement at the front of the hotel where the windows did not shut properly and in a street where there were signs warning curb crawlers they would be prosecuted you can imagine that there was little sleep to be had! So much for my marathon preparation!So in summary, read the bad reviews on this hotel, believe them and never stay there!
Just returned from a Saturday night at this hotel. Hotel was great once we found it (the best way is from main entrance to London Bridge Train Station (it's just opposite) so make your way there even if you arrive by the Underground). Would have given an excellent rating - good room, london skyline view from window, flat screen TV with Sky Sports, tea and coffee facilities, clean white and chrome bathroom, comfy bed, good buffet breakfast, restaurants near-by and so on, but the stay was marred by a faulty fire system causing the alarm to go off four times between midnight an half past. Everyone in the hotel was very unhappy about this! We'll probably go back, because it as good value (search the usual hotel booking websites for the best offer going - we saved 50% booking through hotelsdirect), though we'll be hoping that the faulty fire alarm will be fixed by then!
This hotel has a good location, 10 minutes walk from Paddington Station. As with other reviewers i thought that the entrance lobby was nice and had high hopes for my room. However, the room itself was tiny and the bathroom was so small that the sink was actually in the bedroom! The walls are also paper thin so be prepared to be able to hear conversations (and bathroom business!) of people three rooms away or a floor above/ below you. The heat is also permananetly on so we had to leave our window open all night- great when the builders/ scaffolders working on the hotel redevelopment start work at the crack of dawn!I booked a reasonable package to stay at this hotel but beware of paying full price. A good location but defintiely needs some improving.
My first time ever on holiday and I decided to go to Vegas and to stay at the cheapest Hotel I could find, but I wasn't disapointed with the Wild Wild West. I read all of the reviews in Tripadvisor and got really worried that I may have made a mistake by booking this Hotel. But boy did some of you people make a big mistake by not seeing this Hotel for what it was. It was clean and safe and it had some of the cheapest and best food around.I will be back again next year.
Would recommend this hotel for a short stay in SF. The couple at the front desk were very friendly and helpful. They gave us some great detailed information about the city. The man doodles all over a map regarding areas to visit (and to avoid!). We found this very helpful. Booked a room that in fact had 1 large room for me and my husband with a connecting room within the same appartment for my twin boys aged 17. They loved this hotel!Include free parking which is a novelty in this citySome good eateries just round the corner....fabulous Chinese 'Tai Chi' - really authentic and cheap and 'Pokers' great burgers!
On arrival the hotel looked very nice, the reception area, bar etc. Slight delay in checking in but was given a complimentary upgrade (from a standard double to a deluxe double) so so far, so good.The journey to the room made a good impression, nice lift, hallways and once in the room i wasn't disappointed. Although it was a little small this is London after all.We had specifically asked for a quiet room (as my girlfriend had had an operation at the nearby Moorfields Eye Hospital) but there was constant banging and drilling going on somewhere in the hotel for the whole afternoon. This was only able to be drowned out by putting on the world's noisiest air conditioning unit. It was simpy impossible to sleep with this unit on and this created problems on the night as the room became quite hot indeed.We did eat in the hotel on the night, taking advantage of their carvery buffet. The food was pleasant however strangley there was no gravy for the carvery?Overall the hotel was ok, but we were unfortunately unable to have the peaceful and restful stay that we were hoping for. Although it must be said the hotel is very convenient for anyone visiting Moorfields Hospital as this is only a short walk away.If visiting the area again i think i would look into an alternative place to stay.
My boyfriend and I stayed at this hotel a couple of months ago. It's wonderful, cozy and elegant. For those reading other reviews be aware that it is very normal to pay for parking at hotel in a city. As it is also expected that the rooms will not be enormous by U.S. standards, however our room was a corner and generous in size. The hotel staff is kind and helpful, they just don't mush all over you like people in America expect.
I say &quot;appears to have cost cut&quot; despite not staying there before because I can only imagine that the combination of excellent past reviews and substandard service now mean that changes must have been made.Going through the 5 different categories above:Cleanliness: Good standard of clean each day;Location: Excellent. Right near Union Square (shopping area), the cable car lines and generally quite a cool area;Rooms: I think I was in the &quot;Deluxe with fireplace&quot;. The concierge said, as he waited for the lift to help with our things, &quot;oh I didn't look at your room, you're in a good one&quot; with a surprising tone. I thought the room was pretty average myself; quite small, not a comfortable bed and just generally felt quite tired. It is worth noting that the room is done in quite an antiquey style, so if you like that then you may well like it more than i did. I am pretty indifferent to an antiquey style. Slight problem with the squeaky floor boards in the room above, but nothing major.Value: paid 150/$240 a night. I expect a lot more than I got for thisand finally...Service: There were a series of incidents which lead me to give this only 1/5:1. Whenever we needed to speak to the concierge/front desk we were pretty disappointed that there isn't one most of the time. There is a sign up at the entrance of the petite auberge which simply states - &quot;please go to our sister hotel - the White Swan Inn&quot;. It is only next door, but given I didn't have a key to it and that I was under the impression that my hotel would have its own reception I wasn't massively impressed. 2. Checking out was quite annoying, mainly as a result of the above again. I rung the reception (which didn't answer within 10 rings each of the 5-6 times we rung during our stay) and asked for my car from the valet (see below) Trying to save time I took our stuff out of the room and walked down the corrindor to the entrance. However there was no car for a while, I tried to call reception again (only the white swans of course) and there was no answer. I walked around the reception and asked if he could just call reception in the Petite Auberge, which I was sitting next to, unmanned of course, waiting for my car with our stuff. I was told that he didn't know how to work the phones so that would be possible. 3. They ask that you give 20-30 minutes for the car to come from the valet. 20-30 minutes? Madness. I can only assume it is because they have so few staff working at any one time to actually serve the guests. (There is a lot of mention of the cost of the valet in other reviews. This, however, is a red herring in my opinion. $32 for valet parking a night is actually the cheapest I saw in central San Francisco, so not a big deal. It is just an expensive city to park in. Possibly it is cheaper than the other valet because they require such long notice...)4. Finally the non reception staff seem to have been hired cheaply. The woman providing the breakfast was struggling to understand me and the cleaner seemed positively fearful of a question.Sorry to have written such a long review, but I felt that giving 1/5 for service required a lengthy explanation
It was a pleasure staying at this beautiful hotel; it is fabulously located, the staff are warm, welcoming and helpful and the room was perfect for my needs. Whoever re-developed the building did a fabulous job. The coffee &amp; muffin set-up in the morning wasn't fabulous but served a purpose and all else made my stay more than worthwhile; great value - especially for Summer.I hope to visit the place again soon and have already been recommending it to all and sundry.
The Lobby was recently was given an update--very nice modern look. Our check-in process was pleasant. Actually all the staff we encountered were very friendly.We used HHonors points and we were given the top floor view room! Loved the clean, spacious new modern interior and bathrobes. The hotel is located on a very busy street, but we didn't hear it (fun to watch activity). Many pillows on the comfortable bed with a straight on view of the flat screen television. The Buffet: The selection was unremarkable and the eggs tasted industrial. Considering the large Asian group staying at the time, I had hoped to see Miso soup (no such luck). I am big on fruit for breakfast, which they did have, but it seemed limited. They did have small bottled waters available (nice touch). We had coupons for free meals, great considering, I believe it was $25.00 each otherwise.This was a thumbs up!
My girlfiend and I stayed here for four nights in early September and both of us were really pleased with the hotel. It's location is super - you literally fall down Chambers Street subway station when you exit the front door, and all of south Manhattan upto about Canal Street is easily walkable if you are fit enough! There are loads of decent bars and restaurants in the vicinity, and it is a really nice part of the city from which to make a base.The rooms are quite small - though I've seen plenty smaller - but for the price, are well, well, worth it. Front desk were friendly and knowledgeable, and most importantly for me, the shower in my room had some serious water pressure behind it. Essential after a day of sightseeing! Wouldn't hesitate to book here again, and was much better than all of the more expensive NYC hotels I have ever stayed in.
I stayed at this hotel over the weekend (9th-11th December). It is very central, close to the tube station and quiet at night. The room was clean. I would stay here again if going to London. I chose the hotel from the reviews on this site which are all spot on.
Myself and my husband from Ireland stayed in On the Ave. Hotel for 4 nights in May 2005 as a stop over on our way to Florida.The hotel was very average but it was sufficient for our needs.We check out on Saturday morning and arrived in Florida that afternoon.When I began to unpack I discovered I had left several items of new clothing in a bag on top of the wardrobe.We rang immediately and was told the staff were off but it would be checked out next day. All information of room number, exact clothing etc. were given. Got no phone call until we contacted them on Monday and were told they had got no message about this. Took all details again and said they would get back to us as soon as possible. Wednesday afternoon they rang to say no clothing were found. I was most disappointed at the 'could not care less attitude' and obviously no attempt was made to find these clothes as I could have got them collected.Thank youKathleen Phelan, Co. Leitrim, Ireland
I booked the Soho Hotel for my friends hen night as it has had so many excellent reviews.......we were not disappointed. On arrival, the staff were very friendly and professional and because it was a special occasion we were upgraded from the deluxe junior suite that we had booked to the penthouse suite......AMAZING and really made our one night stay very special.I would definitely book and stay at this hotel again as it had such a warm and cosy astmosphere but sophisitcated, modern and sleak at the same time! We all loved it!
I stayed there in december ,the room was fine and the location was spot on right next to time square .Would recommend and stay there again myself
I will start with the good things. The pool/deck on the roof is fun and clean. You get a very nice view from up there. The hotel rooms were clean for the most part, and the beds and pillows and all that was acceptable and comfy.The bad- When I was exploring this hotel and my room. The same question kept coming back to my mind.. &quot;why wouldnt they just fix that???&quot; Things like wall paper hanging down in the bathroom, rusty shower curtain rods, bent forks, scrapes and scratches everywhere. Its sort of like the hotel was donated to the salvation army. They want to sell it for the same price as retail but its all beat up! The balconies look nice, but they are locked! You cant go on them! The vallet parking closes at like 11, so you have to use this damned intercom system to be let into the dungeon with your car. I thought i was going to get the fabulous Delta off hotwire, but got stuck in this crap house instead.
I agree completely with other reviewers who have complained about the noise levels. It seems inconceivable that when the hotel was built no-one appreciated how noisy the fire engines that go past at least every half an hour are and soundproofed accordingly. All cities are loud, but this was the one thing that could really have improved our stay.Actually, I lie. Two things, the other being that in our room there was a huge shower stall but no bath. The bathroom was easily big enough to take a spacious tub (the toilet alone had enough space to do backflips in) yet they had decided to forego one. I find this mystifying in such a beautifully appointed hotel. I am aware that other rooms in the hotel have baths, but we were not told this at the time of arrival and I laboured under this misapprehension until I got home and checked their website. Had I known, I would have asked to be moved to a room with a tub. Also, putting the TV in the bathroom above the sink is a nice touch, but pretty useless, given that most of the time when you're using the sink you're doing something else. I can only hope that they had the foresight to put it above the bathtub ( in the rooms lucky enough to have one).But minor gripes aside, it is a lovely hotel. That it is fairly new shows in the furnishings, which are still sleek and polished looking. The beds were hugely comfortable with sumptous linens and piles of cushions, and the chaise is a nice touch for relaxing and reading on. So many hotel rooms offer only a desk chair for somewhere to sit and read, so this was very much appreciated. We found no problem with the location of the TV, though I was slightly peeved to find you still had to pay for movies. Some other St Regis properties, notably the Lanesborough in London, don't charge for this service, and given the price you pay for a noisy room, little luxuries like this are notable by their absence.The touch-screen panel by the bed is a nifty little device but awkward as hell to reach and use in the middle of the night without your glasses when all you want is a bedside light to read by. I really wouldn't have complained about a switch by the bed! It also gives off a powerful glow, and as one accustomed to sleeping in complete darkness, I ended up turning it face down, thus rendering its usefullness pretty redundant.The honor bar is nicely stocked and reasonably priced, and the room service was quick and efficient when we used it. The pool is beautiful, but more of a gesture than anything else, as it's impossible to imagine people toiling up and down it -more suitable for a relaxing dip than anything else.We didn't eat in the restaurant, but heard nothing but good things about it, and the cosy bar in the lobby seemed to be a big hit with the guests and regulars. The hotel itself is in a great location for seeing the city without being in the downtown crush.The staff were thoroughly polite and charming, and the maid service extremely efficient.So to recap, it's a wonderful hotel, but I wouldn't stay there again simply due to the invasive amounts of street noise.
We were bumped of our flight and given a voucher for the Springhill Suites OHare. We went to the courtesy shuttle pick up area and waited for thirty minutes while every other airport hotel shuttle passed us. I called on the courtesy phone and they said it would be there soon. Finally it arrived. The hotel looks like an office building and is right next to a highway and under the flight path.We went to our room and tried to turn the fan on the block out the plane noise and there was no sound. There was no difference between the high and low fan setting. We called maintenance and they took a look at it and said all rooms were like that. They offered to give us a box fan which we gratefully accepted. They must have shut off the system until heating season. I have stayed in hundreds of hotels and have never experienced this. This was totally unacceptable for a noisy airport hotel near a highway.The room was large and comfortable but I would never choose this hotel on my own due to the lack of heating and cooling.
Stayed in the Iroquois in mid August. The location is perfect! The rooms were nice, the beds were very comfortable, and the bathroom had a great shower. The room was small (normal for NYC) and when I asked for something high with a view the girl at the desk just looked at me. I was given a room on the second floor looking onto a fire escape. There isnt much of a lobby, so we spent all our spare time at the Algonquin lobby (fantastic) a couple of doors down. Having stayed at both the Algonquin and Iroquois, I will go back to the Algonquin.
I wanted a weekend in SF withOUT a car. The Chancellor is the perfect location for that. They even had a link on their website to Lorrie's Airport Shuttle making getting to the Chancellor a breeze and getting back to SFO equally comfortable. The room was comfy and quiet with a ceiling fan that kept the room perfectly fresh and cool. I was thrilled with the huge soaking tub. I asked for a room on a high floor on the quieter side of the building and they met my needs perfectly. The bed was wonderful. The closet was nice to have to hang out my things. The coffee, cookies, and bowl of fruit in the lobby were a nice touch. The breakfast spot NEXT DOOR called Sears is worth the short wait...perfect waffles, Swedish pancakes and international visitors: eat at the bar for conversation. The Cable Cars run right out front of the Chancellor and you can get the tourist transit pass at the activities desk in the Chancellor (3 days of Cable Cars, Buses, Trolleys--so fun. If I have any complaint it was that smoking was allowed in their bar that is out in the lobby making the short wait for the elevator stinky late at night. The Chancellor is so lovely and the staff is AMAZINGLY welcoming, helpful and courteously friendly. Thank you. I will be back!!
They say location is everything. In the case of the H.I Express at Fisherman's Wharf this is very true. My wife and I just returned from a four night stay there. Everything is within a short walking distance. The Wharf is a block away, the cable cars are another block away, the famous F line is also a block away. Our room was facing the street but we had no problem with noise. The staff was very nice and helpful, even in giving directions. If there was a down side, I would have to say, the room is bit on the small side and pricey. However, it is adaquate and clean. We would definately go back.
There is a fine line between hip and cheesy and the line is drawn right down the middle of this hotel. I felt like I was staying in a Saturday Night Live skit...Night at the Roxbury meets Deiter the uber hip German. They try so hard to be hip but if you have to try, it just isn't hip.
I've been to London several times. Each time I try to stay in a different area. It affords me greater visibility.This time I, along with family, selected this hotel an air and hotel combo from Priceline. For what it cost the three of us over the Thanksgiving holiday I couldn't have made a better selection. The location was perfect. The Gloucester Tube and the #74 bus were a block away. The tube supported access to three train lines and we came into London from Heathrow Airport using the Piccadilly Line.The hotel was easy to find , the Kensington ambiance delightful and the hotel check-in a joy. The room was small by American standards but comfortably furnished, all new infact, a pull out sofa the size of a love seat and two twin beds. The bathroom was also new and beautifully tiled. There were liquid soap dispensers attached to the wall in the shower and next to the sink. You had a choice of LUX or DOVE soap.However, I think when you state in an ad that the hotel has cable one would expect more than MTV and Cartoon Network. My other peeve is having the housekeeping staff knock on your door at 8:30 am wanting access. If you had not already planned to rise early their noisy work habits would inspire you.Having said that-- there is no doubt in my mind that I'd stay here again.Perhaps on my next trip the US dollar will yield a better rate of return than US $1.80 for 1 GBP.
On our first trip to NYC in September 2004 we stayed at the Herald Square the first few nights. I must say my first impression was not a good one. Granted we checked in on a Saturday night so it was probably full, but I heard the clerk whisper to her co-worker &quot;I wish we had a better room to give them.&quot; Once I saw it I wished they did too! The room was tiny, barely had enough room for our two suitcases and to get around the full size bed. I am not a picky person, Motel 6 is usually just fine for me! I had to have them change the sheets but the bathroom was clean and smelled strongly of bleach. The next day we awoke to loud construction next door, which we barely heard over the fan/AC unit which was loud itself! But the next day the staff was very happy to move us to a different room which was bigger and I was a lot happier there. Like everyone says the hotel's dark and old and not cozy, but after a long day of walking I always welcomed the bed and really it was fine. It's very convenient to the subway and on the same block as the empire state building. A few days into our stay we moved on to the second place we had reserved, the Belvedere Hotel which we had booked through priceline and gotten for the SAME PRICE. Ohhhh what a world of difference....the room was wonderful, great location right by Times Square. So my advice? Go Priceline! You can get a MUCH better hotel for the same price as the Herald Square!!!
Myself and my wife went to London during April'09 for 2 days and stayed in 51 Buckingham which is where we stay whenever we visit London.The service was as usual brilliant and personalised. the ambience and facilities available there are all what one needs to have a home away from home.We hope they will not ever allow the standard to be compromised.
The hotels location is very convenient, opposite the tube station, two mintue walk from the train station.We stayed here for two nights and could not fault a thing. The rooms were a nice size, the bed was comfortable, the lobby area was nice. Hotel room service and restaurants were good. All of the hotel staff were pleasant. A little bit expensive but I think it is worth it.
great location! walking distance to many of the chicago hotspots
I spent 3 nights at this hotel that I chose due to its excellent location, value and good reviews. LOCATION: is 5 minutes walk from Victoria Station and next to Buckingham Palace, so very central and with good communication with the rest of the city and airports or even to a half-day trip to Canterbury.ROOM: I chose a single room that costed 140 euros/night including breakfast. Is expensive and small, but being clean, elegant and comfy is not a bad price for London in this central location. Bathroom is big, just be careful with the bath which is a bit high and you can fall to the floor. Walls are thin enough to be able to listen what your neighbours are telling, fortunately, I could rest well at night.BREAKFAST: big selection of warm and cold food, fresh juices, some fruit, cakes. The breakfast room looks elegant and the service is kind and efficient.INTERNET: they have free wi-fi. It did not worked well with my cell phone as their internet provider asked to hava Java installed (they should fix this). It should not be an issue having a laptop. There is only one PC available in first floor, which is too few for a hotel of this size.Overall, an elegant hotel at a reasonable price in an excellent location. I would come back again.
After having stayed at the Club Quarters in Rockefeller Center, we decided to try our luck at the one in San Fran. We really enjoyed our time in the New York hotel, and thought that this experience would be similar. The hotel itself was not as impressive as their New York branch, but the stay itself was pleasant, no complaints about noise or the room.However, the main reason we booked a stay here was for the weekend 'deal' available to CQ Member company employees. The advertised rate was 69 dollars a night for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. We booked about 2 months in advance to ensure we would be able to get the special rate. My boyfriend spoke on the phone with their main booking agency and they were very helpful, but told us that there was a special event going on Saturday evening, so that we would not be able to recieve the discounted rate that night. We were OK with that, but the rate was expected to jump to around $130 for that one evening. However, upon checking out, serious flaws in their &quot;seamless check-in/check-out&quot; was made apparant. The most serious problem I see with the electronic check in check out that they have is that their staff is totally un-oriented with their own hotel policies when a problem arises!! We checked out electronically, and our reciept was for 450 dollars, and had quoted totally wrong prices for each night. The staff we discussed our problem with was friendly, but had no idea that they even OFFERED a special rate to corporate members on the weekends. He seemed to think that we should have been paying more on a weekend, and was totally confused with something that is clearly displayed all over their website. Frankly, I was extremly upset, since we had stayed in the financial district on a weekend -- obviously not the most exciting place to stay in the city, but we had done it for the special price. We could have stayed somewhere nicer, with close attractions, not payed a lot for cabs, if we had known earlier that we would not indeed, be recieving a special price. We even showed the clerk our confirmation that quoted the prices we would be paying. He said that prices were subject to change based on room availablility. That's pretty much BS, since you can't charge someone MORE for a service once they've booked it. The whole experience left a very bad taste in my mouth, and I found it insulting that if you went to the clerk for check-in/check-out, they directed you to their electronic machines for check in. The Motel 6 will personally check me in, but not a hotel room that I end up paying 160 dollars for?! Come on Club Quarters, have some class.
My teenage daughter and I make a yearly trip to NYC to shop and see Broadway shows and for the past 3 years we have stayed at the Comfort Inn Midtown! The location is wonderful, rooms are comfy and quiet and service is great! My only complaint is the frosted bathroom doors and we fix that problem by getting brochures from the lobby and taping them to the door for privacy!! A great hotel for a great price!
We arrived at the hotel at 4:00 PM, which is normally a primetime check-in time. We were checked in immediately, with no wait. We had a delightful young woman who fell all over herself trying to introduce us to New York City, and giving us pointers. She whispered, and told us she was giving us a complimentary upgrade that would normally be $50 more per night. We had confirmed a standard King room, and were upgraded to a Corner King Room with view of Times Square. We found the elevators simple and efficient, never waiting more than 60 seconds. We were delighted with the room. Large hotel room, with a well appointed bathroom. The floor to ceiling window view of Times Square was fantastic, but the star of the room was the bed. That bed was phenomenal. We didnt use facilities like the gym or any bars, but we did do the buffet at the VIew Lounge in the rotating restaraunt. It was very pricey and only ok. It wasnt bad. It was just ok. The service was horrible. This hotel was so well located to all 4 broadway shows we saw and if you stay here, you must try Junior's across the street. Such great food!!!!
Just returned from 2 nights at the Marriot Chateau Champlain and it was wonderful. Our room was on the 19th floor with a beautiful view of St Catherine's Basilica and downtown Montreal. The room was first class with super comfy king bed, a separate dressing area and lovely bathroom. Everything appeared fresh and new. All staff were very nice and helpful especially with restaurant recommendations, directions and valet parking. Many of the sites we were interested in were within walkiing distance, but if you don't like to walk or don't have access to a car, the Metro is right there. Montreal is a very clean and safe city and it was great to stroll in Old Montreal on a warm summer's night! Lovely hotel and we would definitely recommend!
I loved this hotel. I stayed here with my wife for 9 nights on our first trip to NY, and it was great.The room was really big, with a big screen LCD TV, refrigator, microwave, and a desk. There was free wifi and wired internet access.We stayed on the 5th floor, and we didn't have any problems with noise, of course there's the regular city noise.Location is great, a couple of blocks aways from Times Square, and pretty close to Central Park too. Lots of public transportation options around.I got a NY Super Sale rate, and it was a great value for the price.
My fiance and I stayed here from Jan 21-24th, 2005. We arrived on a red-eye flight at 8am, and the hotel allowed us to check in early without any complications. Our top floor room was small yet clean and well decorated. I read in other reviews that the advantage of the top floor is that it is quieter. My only complaint was that there was only a skylight in the room, which was a bit claustrophobic. True, we were paying one of lower rates, but the hotel was only 1/2 full. It was not a pressing issue. We were there to sightsee rather than spend all day at the hotel, so we didn't bother to change rooms nor mention it to the hotel staff. The lamps and recessed lighting (on dimmers) were really very nice in the room.The bathroom was huge relative to the bedroom. There was always hot water and great water pressure. The tub was deep tub/shower, except, the 1/3 stationary, glass partition was sort of odd rather than a shower curtain or sliding glass doors. The towel warmer was a nice touch.The hotel is right by Paddington Station, which made it an easy trip on the Heathrow Express. If you don't have a lot of luggage, you can easily walk to the hotel. Don't take a cab from Paddington, which we did. It was such a short ride; it was laughable. The Bayswater location has some restaurants and shops, and it is convenient to Notting Hill. You really have to hop in a taxi or on the tube to get to most places, though.The distnctive, standout quality of The Royal Park Hotel is the staff. They are very friendly, helpful, warm and accommodating. During our 4 nights there, we really felt very comfortable. The decor is traditional yet far from stuffy and the whole place has an unassuming grace. We missed the afternoon tea served in the parlors, but we did catch the champagne in the evening. The room service menu is limited but the food was very good and works for a late night bite. We ordered breakfast, as well, but realized it was far better and more economical to get our coffee/tea/croissant, etc. at the local shops. The fact that the hotel had a very decent rate (esp. with the dollar being so weak) was just an added bonus to this exceptionally wonderful, quaint hotel.
Enjoyed 3 nites at The W where my husband and I found the staff to be extremely accommodating and professional. Kudos to the concierge for some great restaurant recommendations. Centrally located and an easy walk to restaurants, the theatre, Central Park, Rockefeller Center and more. Comfortable room with stylish appointments. Would recommend it highly.
Very basic but clean accommodation 3 mins from Tube station.Friendly staff.Did not try breakfast - however it was included in price.
We stayed here for 3 nights in June and loved it! The beds are now referred to as 'the most comfortable beds in the world!' I think there were about 8 pillows or something, it makes our bed at home now seem a little inadequate!The hotel is in a great location, right on the magnificent mile and close to the Hancock tower, Water Tower Place and some excellent restaurants. The concierge could not have been more helpful and recommended these restaurants while we were there - Quartino ( a fantastic Italian close to the hotel, great atmosphere and excellent food) and Blue Water Grill ( which had an excellent sushi selection, we also received a complimentary glass of champagne on arrival because we were staying at The James, which was rather nice! ) This place also had a great atmosphere and was really busy... Also I would stongly recommend going up thr Hancock tower at night for the breathtaking views and delicious cocktails. The hotel bar and the J bar also served great drinks and seemed to attract a large crowd.I also used their spa while I was there - it was great. My partner also used the gym while he was there and said that it was brilliant. The bathroom was great, also liked the Kiehls products and the water pressure was excellent in the shower.Overall, there was nothing to dislike about The James, I would not consider staing anywhere else in Chicago, this place could not meet your needs more.
The room was tiny (really, really tiny), and the closet wasn't big enough to fit clothing without wrinkling it. Otherwise, we found no redeeming factors. The hotel staff, when politely emailed to ask about the accounts of bedbugs, told us the bedbugs were not their fault, they were the customer's fault, so they had not done anything about it. The alarm clock was also defunct, and when we asked for a wakeup call, they apparently entered the wrong time, and called us a half hour earlier than asked. It wasn't a horrible experience, but it certainly wasn't worth the money we spent.
Stayed at the Boulevard June 2004. Like everyone else has said, the rooms are very small - amazing they can cram 36 rooms into such a small bldg! Because we are a family of 4 we had two rooms - adults in basement and kids on second floor. Air conditioning was being worked on - so 2nd floor room was very hot during our stay. Hallways are tight so make sure your luggage is easy to manage. Not the cleanest place I've ever stayed. I would not suggest this hotel if you plan on staying in the rooms any length of time, but it is OK if you need a relatively cheap place to sleep. It is near tube and buses so it is easy to get around. Also, fish and chips place across the street was good.
This is a nice buidling, with a great lobby. The rooms are fine, but reflect they were built in a different era (which has both good and bad effects). However, the reason for the poor rating is the fact that the hotel gouges its guests (and, sorry, but there is no other way to put it). I travel often for both business and leisure and have gotten used to the piling on of fees (resort fees, internet fees, gym fees, etc...). But this place takes it to a new level. I arrived at noon. Normal check-in time is 3 pm. As I typically do, I asked if I there was an available room I could check into. They said there was, but that because it was prior to 1 pm there would be a $25 &quot;early check-in&quot; fee. I've never heard of such a fee and it doesn't make sense. If a room in the category I paid for is available whenever I check in, they ought to let me have it without requiring a fee. I used the gym (decent, but not equal to a full gym) and was surprised to be hit with an $18 fee. That is the highest I've had to pay. Not only is there no free internet, but the fee they charge is the highest I've ever seen. I do not recommend this hotel. Hilton ought to know better than to gouge guests like this.
After this experience, doubt I will ever use Priceline again - the 4-star Priceline rating borders on FRAUD. This is the WORST Hilton I have ever seen, I cannot imagine how even a 2-star could be worse than this dump.The location is not near to anything, except an underground stop that is poorly served.At checkin, the receptionist seemed embarrassed to be working there and sheepishly told me to contact her if there were any problems with the room.The room was TINY - hardly enough room to pass by the bed. Everything in the room looked old and tired. But, it wasn't until I tried getting into bed that I became truly outraged: the mattress on the bed was completely worn out and metal was sticking up to the point of making it extremely uncomfortable. Both mattresses (had a twin room) were the same - belonged in the trash. That's when I went down to complain --- the girl who checked me in was there, but stayed in the background as another tried to tell me that all the rooms were like that. It seemed incredible to me --- and then, she said they'd switch me to another &quot;updated&quot; room. A while later, the bellboy came with my new keys - but, I asked to see the room first: it was a bigger room, it certainly wasn't any more updated/modern than the original, and the mattresses were no better. I told him this was not satisfactory. He told me they'd try another room. After a while, he was back with the keys to yet another room, and yet 2 more totally worn out mattresses. At this point, I was totally disgusted and suggested that since they apparently didn't have a decent bed in the house, I'd make do if they would give me an extra duvet - there was enough padding in it to somewhat mask the worn mattress. I was told they would be sent up.Nothing was sent up - after an hour, I went down again and asked for the duty manager. Was shown yet another room with a somewhat better mattress (still not really good), which was a smoking room. He offered to move these mattresses into my room, and I suggested that the missing duvet might be easier as my partner was sleeping. After another hour and being delivered TOWELS, asking for duvet, then getting two BLANKETS, I went to manager again. It became painfully obvious that HOUSEKEEPING STAFF DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH and they have a serious communication problem among management/staff. Finally, I did get the duvet, and could not wait to leave this truly horrible hotel. Everything here is overpriced - from Interenet at $30+USD for noon-to-noon (if you need it for 2 hours from 11 to 1, it'll be $60USD, thank you). Make a phone call to the USA - that will be $8 a minute. Mini-bar that charges you if you touch anything. Amenities lacking: no body lotion/moisturizer (housekeeping supervisor tells me that it's &quot;on request&quot;). There is no in-room safe, and the safety deposit boxes in reception look older than most everything else in this worn-put dump: the locks are broken - there is no double-locking, and they don't look very safe.
The hotel is fine, but definitely NOT worth the price. The rooms are spacious, and clean enough, but the spacious bathrooms are dark (do hotel designers not think people need light in bathrooms? Absurd). Too dark to even apply makeup, so don't even bother trying.The beds are comfortable, but sleep might be difficult given how thin the walls are. You will have full audio to your neighbor's evening. Even though the hotel is relatively new, for some reasons the bathrooms and corners of the rooms are dingy and kind of gross. Not sure if it's just disregard but it's disappointing.If you need to be in the LES, stay here. If you can go a few blocks north, go stay at the Bowery Hotel.
Stayed here for a fortnight in July whilst working in Dubai and loved every minute! The Shangri-La is right at the end of the (what is currently at least) hotel row on Shk Zayed Road, but as others have said, taxis are cheap whether you're heading out to the malls or into the city.Rooms - Well I had a standard room on the 33rd floor with great views thru the floor to ceiling windows. It was immaculate and couldn't fault it at all - had a range of lighting options, good set of TV channels, the biggest bed I've ever slept in and loads of wardrobe space. The desk area was comfortable and had free broadband internet access - useful when working away. The bathroom was massive! With a huge tub, and seperate shower cubicle with multiple shower heads. Another plus point is the great toiletries that Shangri-La put in the bathroom - much better than the usual hotel basics.Dining - I only ate a couple of evening meals in the hotel, both in the Chinese restaurant and Dunes; the buffet restaurant (where you also have breakfast in a morning). Overall... well the quality was good - nothing hugely adventurous, and it is a little on the expensive side. I did fall in love with the chocolate fountain in the dessert section of Dunes however! The range at breakfast was huge, and the pancakes with maple syrup were to die for!Leisure - Used the gym and pool a few times. The gym has a large range of equipment, all well maintained, and also has squash courts for the more energetic. My only complaint was that the sauna and steam room (in the men's section at least) were fairly small. The pool is beautifully landscaped with a range of seating areas and really nice hardwood loungers and furniture - it was easy to forget that it's all built on top of the car park!Service - As with all Dubai hotels, service is of a high standard. The little touches were nice - my laundry coming back wrapped in tissue paper in a bamboo box, with an orchid inside was a surprise. Overall - A great hotel if on business - having a nice large, comfortably furnished room is great to come back to at the end of every day. If you want to spend time at the beach, go to one of the Jumeriah hotels. If you're happy with a pool and seeing the sights instead, then I can't imagine there's any other hotel in Dubai that offers such a good location and facilities.I had to go back a week later and sadly stayed in the Towers Rotana (a couple of doors down) - believe me, the contrast was not enjoyable.
Tripadvisor reviews steered us here and we were very pleased with this property. Great location for anything you want to do. Hotel was very clean, staff was great, and breakfast was very good. Rooms and beds were fine-everything is quite new. We would definitely go back.
I paid $29 US for the room so how can I complain? We stayed there for our last night in town, after a mid-trip trek to LA.The room was fine, bed was comfi, room was clean, decore was OK. Bathroom was tiny.The pool courtyard is nice and private. The staff were OK. The pit boss almost had a heart attack because we were winning, you could tell he wanted the house to win. Too bad for them, we took $500 off them!The casino itself is really crowded and SMOKEY. I can't stand smoke and it bothered me so much I had to leave.There was a coupon in our room for a free breakfast buffet which ended up being really good. The slot club has good comps &amp; coupon book too, even an ugly t-shirt for signing up. We ate dinner - a 1/2 rack of ribs, salad and 3 big sides. With a beer and tip it came to $9 each! I couldn't belive the cheap prices after spending days on the strip.Terrible's is the kind of place you can go and spend next to nothing. I would always take the strip over Terrible's, especially if it is your first time to Vegas or haven't been there in awhile. It's not great but it's not Terrible either.
We stayed at Bayswater Inn Hotel over Christmas 2007.We arrived at 4 a.m. (6 a.m. my own time!) so I am sure any room having a bed or a large flat surface to sleep on would have looked lovely. However, I was genuinely pleased with our twin room - in my opinion, the twin rooms are LARGE!It was also very pleasant that the windows faced the little garden in Princes Square and we could hear birds singing in the night.There was central heating that worked, too, except we turned it off for the whole time and kept a window or two open, as we are used to a colder climate.The shower was a bit tricky at first before I got how it worked. (When you turned the tap thing, you were changing the water pressure AND the temperature at the same time, so colder water = less water pressure, hot water = higher water pressure!)! I learned to turn the shower on from BEHIND the shower curtain and fix the temperature, only then did I step in! Must say, the water pressure was the best Ive ever experienced in Great Britain! Also there was no brist of hot water!Ok so there was only one towel each, and if you did not leave it on the floor, it was not changed. Yes and the paper &quot;bath mat&quot; was kind of funny as it did not absorb water - I know, I spilled some while on shower!I would have preferred a pump bottle of soap to the small bar soaps. Yes, they were 2 unpacked small bar soaps, and they were not changed the whole time. Oh and I noticed some really small insects in the bathroom. Very very small and thin, reddish I think. Like miniature, thin ants. But, they did ot bother us and we did not bother them. And, to tell the truth, I think complaining at the fron desk would not have helped. Just a couple of them I THINK, not like it was infested.The cleaners came in at 1 p.m. every day, it was nice to come back to a made-up room.The linens were not changed after our arrival, but we only stayed for 5 nights. Usually when I have stayed in hotels for a week, they have changed them in the middle of my stay once.The beds were large but weird - we were sleeping on the bed springs! In my country, beds consist of 2 or 3 mattresses, the top one(s) are there for the very purpose of insulating yourself from the springs.One thing I did not like was the floor to wall carpeting, which I find unhygienic as it can hide anything, and is certainly not washed as often as other floor materials (hopefully) would be.Also, the usual problems with staff in the breakfast room that spoke worse English than I did.BTW have a look at the &quot;Deals&quot; as there is a good permanent one for 4 nights incl. English Breakfast AND a visit for London Eye or Madam Tussauds. We used that one, but did not want the tickets. At the time I made my reservations, it made financial sense = saving me money to take the deal and one extra night.A couple of days before we went, I noticed they had GREAT deals, just 39  per night for a double or twin room! Incredible!We payed 76.5  per night per room, incl. English breakfast.The staff seemed tired / fed-up / depressed / who knows what. The attitude seemed to be &quot;We wont seeing you again anyway so who cares?&quot;. You know, sighing on your face etc, making us feel we were bothering them when we wanted our key etc. One was outright RUDE on Christmas day, but I did not complain, because 1) I am a big wussy 2) I doubt it would have helped.The most important thing for us was the closeness of the tube stations. (Hubby cannot walk very long, sadly.) Also Queensway has lots of stores and Whiteleys shopping centre nearby so you can buy groceries and snacks to your room. Also the wonderful Nandos restaurant is close! Queensway is very lively and feels very safe, bustling with tourists.BTW I stayed in this hotel back in the 90s and boy was it great then. I am not quite sure it still deserves the 3 stars it did, 2+ or 3- maybe?I think we got what we paid for. Still, next time I think Ill also ask for a couple of recommendations on this helpful forum before making my decision.
I was kinda worried when I read the reviews on here, after my company booked this hotel for me and my colleagues--as usual, I didn't really have a choice in the matter. But I got there and was pleasantly surprised, once I checked in (which took a minute, literally--though it WAS about 11PM) and got to my room--#766. It was clean all over (including the bathroom), the heater/air conditioner worked well.. really, no complaints at all.After reading the reviews here, I immediately called the hotel and asked for a room which doesn't face the tube station behind the hotel, and that's what I got. (Comment to people who complained about this: if you read the reviews here and were too cheap to make the call and request a specific room, even if it was long distance, then you're a dumbass and it's your own fault that you were waken up by the loudspeaker.) There were two things that irritated me though: the 11 breakfast and the 15/24hrs in-room internet!! I looked at the breakfast and it was nothing special (regular greasy English breakfast complete with the boiled tomatoes--why the HELL would ANYONE boil a tomato?!), so I opted to walk three minutes to the tube stop and get a pastry and coffee for a couple of bucks. The price for the in-room internet took the cake though... I would have paid the 15 if I could use it for my entire stay, but this price is extreme to say the least, especially with internet rates being what they are these days!One last thing I STILL don't get is the two separate taps on the sinks, but that's England for you, I guess. :) (Don't get me wrong, I fully understand the reasoning, and that's fine if that's what you guys prefer in your house 'cuz that's what you're used to, but to have that in hotels as well.... come on man, we're in the 21 century! :)Overall, I liked this place, and would stay here again if I needed to come back to London.
Before this visit, I last stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria in May 2007. On both visits, I was given a large, clean comfortable room. The staff was helpful and efficient. Room service was prompt, housekeeping was diligent, and the front desk and business center staff handled every request promptly and correctly. Everything was absolutely perfect and I have no complaints at all.Well, just one. Don't try to take the elevators between 11:30 and noon, when everyone's trying to check out. The location is perfect; just far enough away from 5th Avenue that it's not really noisy at night, but close enough to walk to a lot of major attractions. There's also a subway station right across the street.
I travelled with one friend and we shared a standard room it was small, however we fit fine and it was clean and had everything we needed- 3 of our other friends stayed in a double room with 2 double beds, it was quite large and they fit comfortably. The staff were great and always helpful. London the bellboy was always cheerful and helpful with suggesting places to go and giving directions. Ivan the Manager was excellent and lovely. I would recommend this to anyone and will stay again.
small hotel with nice poeple,reasonable price.that's why we would like to recommend it.
Just returned from a one night stay at the Algonquin. The history of the hotel makes it worth a visit, but don't expect much more. There is a hotel being built right behind it and the noise from the construction equipment digging all day long is enough to drive you crazy. The rooms are small, but sweetly decorated, The plumbing as you might imagine is very old and the fixtures are meant to give that &quot;old fashioned&quot; look, There is no luxury to the bathroom at all. The bed was super comfortable and the linens were great quality. The elevators were painfully slow and cramped. You must posess patience to stay here. The location however is excellent, close to all. If you catch a great deal and won't be in the room too too much, then try the Algonquin.
I set out to book a nice hotel for a romantic weekend with my BF. We've been travelling Europe and staying in many hostels and budget hotels and I thought this place sounded a bit nicer. First, the rooms are small. Smaller than some doubles in hostels I have stayed in. The bathroom had a sliding door, since the beds were almost wall to wall and no door could have opened out. There was no minibar in our room (as advertised) but I was so exhausted when I got there that I had no energy to complain. I was looking forward to taking a quick dip in the pool/hot tub, only to find out that they charge guests 5pounds (about $10) to use it. I thought this was pretty cheesy and it took the fun out of it for me. The hotel was listed as a three star on Hotels.com, but is only a two star on this site. I would go with two! It was clean, but not particularly attractive. Don't book this place if you want a special weekend! The best part was the great location and knowlegable concierge.
What a great little hotel! Coming from a previous stay at the horrid New Yorker Plaza it was such a relief to find this was so much better for a similar price and still very central (a short walk to Times Square). Whilst it is not especially impressive on the outside (in terms of 'wow - look at this') and had a fairly small but nicely presented lobby, the room we were given on the 17th floor was just fantastic. Good sized (but not large), bright, very clean, colourful, well decorated, very comfortable and a lovely bathroom. It also had a large fridge, microwave and ice bucket in a small kitchenette area which was very handy, and a safe in the room (free) plus a flat screen TV with a dvd player. Gym was small but good too, and you could also do your own laundry there in the basement which was really useful. A great find and highly recommended to anyone. Only one minor downside - too few lifts so waiting for them was often lengthy.
Hotel rooms nothing like web site suggests-booked 2x twin rooms en-suite but on arrival offred 1x twin which was damp and wall paper hanging off wall and 2x singles with toliets outside room on landing in a cupboard under the stairs !!Refused rooms as not as booked-they refused to refund my deposit and then without authorisation took a further payment from my credit card-police and tradings standards now investigating- keep away
Spent 4 nights here with my girlfriend and we were very impressed with the galleria. As many of the other reviewers have pointed out it is in a great location. The staff were very helpful and the complimentary business centre is really handy. Rooms were clean and spacious, hard to say anything negative; A+++
We stayed at the Doubletree for 3 nights with our teenage children. The bedroom had 2 double beds and the LR had a sofa bed. Modern, clean and location can't be beat if you want to be right in the middle of Times Square. Subway station on the corner. The room had great darkening curtains. We were on an upper floor and we could see the people walking up and down Times Square from the window, which was very cool. (we're country folks) Our only problem was that Columbia University Law graduates were doing massive interviews throughout the hotel and the &quot;blue suits&quot; were squeezed into every elevator during the day. Check in was VERY SLOW...we waited in line for about an hour to check in...at least they handed out bottled water to everyone in line!
We stayed here in early October for 3 nights because it was within our budget. The rooms were clean with basic, but contemporary appointments. Our room was very small and the air conditioning unit was VERY noisy. The &quot;New York Style&quot; breakfast was meager, with stale bagels and no fruit. The staff were helpful and polite. The location is really great if you want to be in the midtown/time square area. It is reasonable for the budget conscious, but next time I will increase my allotment to stay at another hotel.
We stayed at the Herald Square for seven nights till last week.The room, while small, was clean and the bed was comfy with nice bed linen. The room was serviced each day which was good. It's not a luxurious hotel by any means but suited us fine as we were out sightseeing most of the time.The only bad part of our trip was on the day we had checked out. We left our bags in the lockers after checking out and went to buy tickets for the Airport Shuttle. We were staying with friends that night but were coming back to the area the next day so it was convenenient for us to leave from the hotel or nearby. We were just about to purchase the tickets when the clerk advised that it was cash only and we did not have enough. No matter, he said we could get them later when we came to collect our luggage.We returned at 4pm to collect our bags and once again went to the front desk to purchase tickets for the shuttle bus for the next day. There was a different guy on the front desk this time. He seemed very harassed and was extremely rude. He informed my husband that he was too busy to sell us tickets right now and we'd have to come back in an hour. We explained that we were leaving and he basically shrugged. When we asked again he simply ignored us. It was the only flaw in an otherwise smooth stay but his rudeness left us with a bad impression of the hotel.
We stayed at the Arosfa for two nights in March 2006. Yes, rooms are small, but very clean. How much time do you spend in a hotel room when in London? The Arosfa ticks all my boxes, clean, excellent location and a hearty cooked breakfast, can't do better at the price.
We stayed at this hotel for 2 nights at the end of July, after reading the reviews I was a bit concerned as what to find but it was fine. I have been in nicer 4* hotels but I think you are paying for the location. The staff were helpful and let us have our room as soon as we arrived about 10.45 as we were having afternoon tea at the Ritz and needed to shower etc after a 3 hr train journey.The breakfast was good with plenty of choice of fruit, cerials etc. Our room was kept clean and the tea/coffee and toiletries replaced. It was walking distance to a lot of places but we bought a rail card which saved us a fortune on the underground. The Ritz experience was wonderful and Jersey Boys was a fantastic show. Will use this hotel again when we come in December again to see the Jersey Boys and get some retail therapy !
Stayed here on business.Located very near the offices of many American tech companies, this is very convenient. It is also attached to a very upscale, very boring (international) shopping mall.The hotel is very nice, with a nice lobby bar. I didn't eat in any of the restaurants. The room was very nice, clean, and completely meet all my expectations from a &quot;grand&quot; Hyatt.
We loved loved loved the Sofitel and Chicago. We had a five night stay to celebrate two 30th birthdays, both our rooms were fab with gorgeous views of the John Hancock building. We had strawberries dipped in chocolate on arrival waiting in our room. The cleaning staff were unreal, we never saw them but any time we left our room we came back to a cleaned room with fresh towels, also a small bottle of evian each every night. The reception, door and bar staff were extremely friendly - as was almost everyone we met in this wonderful city. The hotel is in the best location, everything was in walking distance, great restaurants, bars and shopping. As a frequent traveller to New York, I have to say that Chicago blew it out of the water for our group and we will certainly be back... and will definately stay at the Sofitel.
My wife and 18 month old stayed at the lakefront from April 8-13. It was our first stay in Chicago so I don't have other hotels in Chicago to use as a comparison but to me it was just average at best.The atrium is a really bad concept if you ask me because sound really travels through that hotel...we were on the tenth floor but it felt like our room was in the lobby bar it was so noisy. We should have requested a room on the roof. Not only is the lobby bar loud but if the people staying next to you are somewhat loud you can hear them too! I could hear the tv from next door from my room.The breakfast is great as long as you're up bright and early otherwise you'll be in line forever. Same goes for the free drinks from 5:30-7:30pm everynight...but it is free. Personally I'd rather pay $7 for a beer and get decent service.The rooms were nice and big but filthy! I picked up a piece of broken glass off the floor and about 1000 hairs came with it.Great location!Parking is a complete rip-off! $49 for 24 hr parking!
We have just returned to Australia from 7 nights spent at the Beijing International. As it was part of an organised tour and completely pre-paid, we had no idea what to expect. Having stayed in other Asian cities we thought it would be convenient and clean at best, cramped and with limited facilities at worst. We were very pleasantly surprised - Yes, it was convenient and clean, but it was also spacious and had great facilities. The service was efficient and polite, language only a minor barrier, most staff speaking quite good English. Bedding was comfortable, bathrooms clean and adequate with all the shampoo,etc you might need. Hairdryer also. Bottled water was supplied daily as the tap water is undrinkable. Also supplied was tea, coffee and whitener, as well as a kettle so that you can have that all important cuppa at the start and end of the day! The restaurants were good, coffee overpriced as it is all over BeiJing. Breakfast buffet includes all anyone could ever desire, no matter what part of the world you're from. We would definitely reccommend this hotel and will definitely stay again.
This hotel combines a lot of extremes: perhaps the coolest atmosphere for a hotel; the worst front desk service; the most insulting bar markup ($9 Corona beers); the smallest rooms (literally your queen size futon takes up all of the floor space); a wonderful patio and quiet private feeling interior; some of the cheapest rooms in NYC; some of the noisiest out-of-date steam heaters. Choose your poison. If you like design, I'd do it. If you like service and marble bathrooms absolutely stay away.
We stayed at the Metro for 3 nights at the end of November. We booked through Virgin, flew into JFK and had arranged transfers through Virgin to the hotel which took us right to the door. Check in was very effecient and didnt take long. We were allocated a room on the 7th floor opposite the lifts, which did cause us a bit of noise when the lift stopped on our floor late at night.The room was quite spacious. Bed was extremely comfy - particularly after walking round all day. Bathroom was an adequte size with an abundance of toiletries left to use. There was a large TV in a cabinet which offered a good channel choice. Plenty of storage space available for clothes etc plus ironing board and iron. Use of room safe was FREE, really good for keeping documents and money nice and safe while out and about. Use of the internet at the Metro is also FREE and can be booked at reception. No drinks making facilities in room itself but drinks machine available in dining area 24 hours a day and can take them up to rooms.Continental breakfast had a good choice on offer with cereals, fresh fruit, bagels, toast, croissants, jams and extra large size muffins ( which were gorgeous). The dining area is lovely and casual with some chairs and tables but also some armchairs and sofas for those who really like to chill out over breakfast. For those who wanted to, you can take breakfast up to your room. The best thing about the Metro is its location. Right between 5th &amp; 6th Avenues, a subway station on the corner of the street and literally a couple of minutes walk to Broadway, the Empire State and Macys. Getting around to anywhere from the Metro was easy!!A couple of recommendations - A traditional NY deli on 5th Avenue called the Green PeaAn American diner off Times Square called Brooklyns (have the cheesecake)An Irish bar off Times Square called O' Lunneys ( very friendly)A Korean bar called Red almost next to the Metro (cocktails $5 on Happy Hour)We are already talking about visiting New York again next December and will stay again at the Metro.
First time in Montreal and I did select this hotel based the positive reviews found in this web site. And I was absolutely happy for that. The service is really attentive , the location is perfect and within walking distance of the centre of the city. I had a deluxe suite , perfect and very comfortable. Nice additional tip the Nespresso Coffee machine for a nice espresso coffee. Excellent breakfast for quality of food and fantastic lunch at the Brasserie Restaurant. So I was really satisfied with my choice and next time I will be staying again at the Hotel Le Cyrstal.
This is a very nice 4star hotel. It doesn't pretend to be a 5star hotel and it's not. However, the service was generally very good and the room was better than I expected with one exception. The only thing that needs improvement are the beds. Ours was rather old and very soft and I woke up with a back ache in the morning. I would suspect that each room is quite different and getting a good bed could be quite hit or miss. For that reason, I would inspect the room carefully before settling in. The bathroom was quite large with a separate shower and it was quite modern and clean. The breakfast food was rather mediocre and I'm glad that it came with our room as I would not have paid for it on a regular basis. The concierge and front desk staff were all as helpful as possible. The hotel location is great. Easy walking to all of the major sights. I would stay here again but would need to be sure that I could see the room and inspect the bed AND know that I have a choice should it be unsatisfactory.
I really enjoyed my stay at this hotel , I was there during the easter weekend, the staff was great, the rooms were extremely clean, it was closed to my meetings. i will visit again with my family.
I was fortunate enough to spend several days in Chicago for work and pleasure. The Gold Coast area and Miracle Mile are wonderful places to vacation, as evidenced by throngs of tourists everywhere.I stayed at the Ritz but also visited the Four Seasons and the Peninsula. My review is based somewhat on comparisons of these three properties.The main issue with the Ritz is that the it is showing its age. We stayed in a deluxe room which rack rate is around $600 a night. And for this rate you do not really get very much. Small rooms, old furniture, tiny television and the view is dependent on the floor you are on. You can just have so much better at the price, especially abroad.In contrast, the rooms at the Peninsula are brand new as are the rooms at the FS. The lobby has a bright, open feel and the atrium is a great place for coffee or brunch. The spa area however is small and the pool is a tiny lap pool with really ugly jacuzzi. This was a disappointment as I love to swiim.In comparison, the spa at the peninsula is on the top floor. It is really lovely with a giant lap pool and a great bright feeling throughout the locker room and workout areas.On the other hand, service was impeccable and the food was very good. Brunch in the atrium was excellent.In the future, I would probably stay at the Peninsula. Pros:1. Great service. Concierge will do everything for you.2. Tasty Food. Do have brunch there.3. Comfy bed.Cons:1. Tired rooms and facilities2. Small spa, pool, and gym.3. Not a great value for your money.
We've stayed at this hotel before when it was the Park Hyatt &amp; loved it then. This past trip we had a junior suite - which was fabulous! It was a corner room facing the bay with a small balcony. The living room was separate from the bedroom, so we could entertain guests &amp; share the great view! The decor is very modern - we had black &amp; white marble/granite bathrooms, the doors are a cherry wood, and the carpet is dark. Robes were provided for us to use, as well as an umbrella just in case.... the bathroom amenities are great!We didn't dine in the hotel, but the concierge was excellent at making suggestions &amp; confirming reservations. Little Italy is just a short walk, and for the more active, the Wharf is manageable as well. We'll definitely be back ... great location, great hotel &amp; great prices if Travelzoo has a special.
If it s resort experience you seek, go elsewhere. if you want a clean room, that is Manhattan &amp; Hong Kong sized (tiny) with a lovely lobby /bar 2 blocks form Grand Central &amp; Times Square. They you will like it.NYC hotels are always small, sometimes very small by &quot;normal&quot; USA standards. Old elevators, even a mail drop, remember quaint means old, fun and interesitng, but not modern and posh.I hotwired the room, it was 4 starts and I would agree. Not if it was in Maui, but it certainly is in Manhattan. Would stay again in a minute.
Don't let the tiny lobby or miniscule elevators fool you, the rooms here are large and exquisite--especially for New York. Our room, 7E had just been renovated and featured a king size bed, kitchenette, terrace, seating area and large marble bathroom with a flat screen TV above the bath. I am not sure if this is technically considered a suite, but I had a hard time leaving the room to explore New York. I have stayed at several nice hotels in the city (The Pierre, The Palace) and The Lowell is by far my favorite. The best part is that you get to avoid the tourist crowds milling around the mouths of the bigger hotels and yet you are in the heart of the shopping district--a perfect place to stay during the Christmas holidays. The Lowell felt like a luxurious home away from home.
I usually stay at Campton Place but decided to give the Clift a try for a change of scenery. The service was not up to the level that it should be for a hotel that purports to be of such a high level. The rooms were decent. The food was bad. There wasn't an available porter to take my bags. The concierge gave me inaccurate information and I missed breakfast. I wouldn't go back. I'll return to Campton Place where the level of service is high and the food is great.
&quot;The Riv&quot; has been around a while, and in some places it shows. But the hotel part of the property is kept in very good shape for its age. I saw a few minor signs of wear in the room, but it was clean and well-kept during my three-day-weekend stay. The casino is medium-sized, with a decent selection of popular slots and table games. Staff seemed reasonably friendly, though I really didn't have as much of a chance to interact with them as I typically would in a casino. Some things are typical Vegas-cheesy, like &quot;Crazy Girls.&quot; Some are ripoffs, like the &quot;guaranteed winner&quot; slot come-on deal. Fun book is freely available, and has some match-play and discount value. Good food court and video arcade. If you play a reasonable amount (enough to get some cash back), you'll get good promo rate offers through the mail. It's a good value for those of us who can't afford the stuff at the other end of The Strip.
I was very surprised to find such a nice hotel after reading some of the reviews. I disagree that this has 3 star rooms in a 4 star hotel. I was disappointed that we couldn't get a free upgrade but they had four conferences going on so it was expected. We booked our room on priceline for $100/night during Thanksgiving. Our room was very spacious - king size bed, mini bar and a huge tub with marble. The front desk was very accomodating with providing extra pillows and blankets. The concierge was great- we loved every restaurant that he recommended. The French restaurant Lou Pescadou is a must. I couldn't beleive the great location either with the price in London! Across the street from the underground and many cafes around to catch breakfast. Do not get breakfast at the hotel, it will set you back and arm and leg and you can find the same for fraction of the price outside.
My wife and I had our first visit to NYC. Room was not big, but nice. My son said it was bigger than the Milford Plaza which he stayed at in January. Staff was very courteous. Restaurant was nice. Stay off the 5th, 16th, and 25th floors. That is where the ice machines are. Very noisy as soon as you get off the elevators and the halls were much warmer.
Yes, this film is all but unwatchable. The unsynched video and audio make for one of the most unsatisfying experiences ever. This is supposed to be a documentary, but what did I learn from this film? If there was a band I didn't recognize, I wasn't told who they were. I don't know when the performance was shot, or where, or who the musicians are, or what their influences were. We don't learn why this generation was called blank by the filmmakers. There are no shots of the audience, so we don't learn what effect the music was having on those who were actually there. This isn't a documentary, it's being trapped at someone's house who you don't like and they pull out their home movies of their kids.
The story can be good but the animation is so bad that makes watch anything but this show. Every character it's very ugly, there no beauty in a single episode. I hope some day Lucas think to make a real animation show with an art good as the greatest scifi animations like Galaxy Rangers (this a real piece of art, no this "Ugly Wars").
Wow! and I really mean WOW. That was my reaction when I first watched the gorgeous Sheeri Rappaport in this B-Witch movie. What a body! what a beautiful, angel face, and those legs; perfectly build... You know were I'm going.Let's be honest people. This movie is mediocre, dull, sometimes boring, but it has hot women. Sheeri steals the show as the hottest, sexiest of them all and delivers some steamy sexy scenes. For example, anytime she wears the college girl uniform (open shirt and skimpy mini mini skirt) she immediately gets naked like in the glorious scene at the confessional, and then while performing a striptease to tease the construction workers. Then she spends the whole movie naked or semi-naked. Thank you Sheeri!Clea Duvall also has her moments and so does the rest of the cast but believe me, Ms. Rappaport is the reason to spend 90 minutes of your life. ALso, the movie has some cheesy moments like when the devil monster "surprises" the naked chicks. That was just a lame excuse to show glorious frontal female nudity. So the rest of the scenes.If you are looking for cheap entertainment then look elsewhere! "Little Witches" it's all about sexiness, hot women, and sex. This is my kind of entertainment for 3:00 a.m.
I liked this romantic movie just fine. Demi Moore as Marina is in earnest even though she gets off to a wrong start by marrying a man she "thinks" is the right one, but her feelings aren't based on solid ground as it turns out. Jeff Daniels is less believable in his role as a psychiatrist and comes across as being more neurotic than his patients!Introverted Stella, played by Mary Steenburgen, is a charmer and her singing is almost the highlight of the film, at least to me. As well, a certain butcher named Leo is also captivated by Stella's modest ways and they are drawn to each other and soon fall in love. This only adds to the confusion in everyone's lives and doesn't help solve their problems.The movie isn't a first class romance but if accepted on its own terms it's very enjoyable with a message or two about life and understanding. I tune in to see it whenever it's on, might get the video too if funds permit.
Saw this one recently and found the subject matter quite interesting, namely a 28 year old boy who doesn't want to leave the comfort of his parents' home. However hard they try to get him to leave he just won't go ! The film is a bit long and the idea wears itself out a bit by the end but the film is guaranteed to make you laugh ........... unless of course you have a child like Tangu !I didn't see the relevance of the "Asia" element but presumably it was added in an effort to give "spice" to the film. Whatever the case, the acting is first rate and I think the film should in the coming months gain worldwide renown ( if indeed it is diffused in other countries than France ). If you've seen Tatie Danielle by the same cineast (Chatiliez) the caustic humour of this film is similar to that. Quite an original style and worth seeing !
Robot Chicken is simply hilarious.The show is written by Seth Green, who I didn't really find funny as an actor, but as a writer, he is simply hilarious.This show is almost as funny as family guy.Like family guy, it has plenty of pop culture references.It is much more raunchier and f-ed up than family guy was.The show is 15min long(two episodes a night play on Teletoon) and basically involves a series of short stop-motion skits.Some are simply hilarious, the others are just plain random.There have been very few bad ones.If you like shows in the vein of Family Guy, you will love Robot CHicken!10/10
As directed masterfully by Clint Eastwood, "Flags of Our Fathers" plays both as a war film and a sensitive human drama. It begs comparison with Orson Welles' screen masterpiece "Citizen Kane" in the film's scope and its structure.The "rosebud" of "Flags of Our Fathers" is one of the greatest icons of American history: the photograph of the raising of the flag on the tiny island of Iwo Jima and the strategic importance of the bloody combat for the acquisition of a landing strip to nearby Japan for American planes. The questions that the film carefully traces are (1) Who were the Marines pictured in the famous photograph? and (2) Was this famous tableau a "staged" scene, as opposed to a real event?To answer these questions, the film moves episodically among three time-frames--the horrifying battle for the hill at the western tip of Iwo Jima; the time in which three servicemen are identified as the heroes in the picture and paraded ceremonially around America to promote the sale of war bonds; and the time of the death of John "Doc" Bradley, one of the alleged Iwo Jima flag-raisers, as his son seeks to learn the hidden truth about his dad, much like the newspaper reporter on the trail of "rosebud" in "Citizen Kane."The outstanding pacing of the film by Eastwood is matched by the creative cinematography and the work of designers who accomplish these extraordinary tasks: the recreation of the Iwo Jima theater of war with location filming; a spectacular amphibious landing; grisly scenes of combat....plus detailed period scenes on the home-front. As a minor spoiler alert: please be sure to stay through the film's closing credits for a thoughtful montage of still photographs of the Battle of Iwo Jima, as well as the three protagonists, Bradley, Gagnon, and Hayes.Among the fine ensemble cast, it is impossible to forget Adam Beach's sensitive and heartbreaking performance as Ira Hayes, a Native American who is simultaneously made into a war hero and marginalized due to his race. Hayes never felt comfortable in claiming status as a hero for his involvement in the flag-raising. In an emotionally-wrenching scene in a hotel room before a military superior, Beach's character breaks down and poignantly expresses the camaraderie and love felt for the fallen members of his battalion. Indeed for all three of the purported flag-raisers, the true heroes were those veterans who sacrificed their lives so that the flag could be raised on Iwo Jima. For this moving and important message, "Flags of Our Fathers" deserves to be placed not only among the greatest war films of all time, but also alongside classics like "Citizen Kane."
This was definitely an excellent movie and kept my whole attention the whole time. But their were also some other interesting things that caught my eye. Geographical errors: Like for example on the segment Honey-Getter when the two guys Edward and Preshant get off the train, right before the lady Humera starts chasing them. If you notice the conductor says R train to Brooklyn when in fact it's the S train which is the shuttle that transports you back and forth between Grand Central Station and Times Square. Example#2 Right after the part I just described in Example #1 when the train takes off, it keeps proceeding forward. But anybody who's from New York knows that at the end of each of those stations are dead ends and the train can only go the other way. I just really found two things very interesting and those things did not make it a bad movie at all. I actually feel like that's one of the things that makes the movie interesting and I would highly recommend anybody to watch it.
One of the great animated films of all time Grave of Fireflies tells the story of a couple of kids as the try to survive in war time Japan. What happens to them should be seen by anyone thinking of starting a war since it tells very graphically what happens to those often forgotten, the children.Like its companion piece, Barefoot Gen, which tells the story of survivors of atomic bombing and the horrors that were experienced by those unlucky enough not to have been killed out right, this film proves that war is hell for everyone, especially the children.Its very hard to send anyone out to see this unhappy little film (The previously mentioned Barefoot Gen spawned sequels, this has not) but at the same time you owe it to yourself to experience, however distantly what sort of monster we unleash upon the world every time we go to war. It helps that however depressing this is, its also a damn good and incredibly compelling story.9 out of 10
This film has got to be one of the worst sequels ever produced. The plot line was poor, confusing and the ending was really unclear. Characters who were in it just disappeared without any fuss. No where near as good as number one. This sequel goes down in flop history with:Grease 2 & Dirty Dancing 2 Classics having their names ruined with producers who make one film to many!I just wondering if any of the people who have written reviews have actually seen the film??Total waste of money. I wouldn't recommend it at all!!!
ASTRO BOY is a full-length CGI animated American adaptation of the massively-popular Japanese manga (comic book) and television series fictional character of the same name ASTRO BOY, created by Ozamu Tezuka, who is considered as "the God of Manga". Its manga series was first published in 1952 and its television program first broadcast in Japan in 1963.Basically the storyline of Astro Boy is a sort of futuristic version of Pinocchio, but is extended by story lines of action, adventure, and pure sci-fi. Astro Boy is a robot boy, who initially has gone through an identity crisis, but later on, serves as more of a superhero who gets into various adventures and is consistently bent on promoting peace in his society wherein robots live side-by-side human beings.Arguably, Astro Boy is the quintessential children's action hero because he is an ideal mix of pure innocence, a loving heart, and an explosive little dynamite when the going gets tough. Although he shoots lasers, and has weapon turrets from his butt, he is always doing his best to resolve things with a more friendlier approach, and always has that cute optimism that even the darkest of villains may possibly be persuaded do good things instead.This recent Astro Boy movie is indeed, in my opinion, a good way of reintroducing Astro Boy to a younger generation. Spectacular and fun-filled, the movie is never a waste of time. The eye candy aspect is high; it almost reaches the level of Pixar quality. The action is moderately impressive, on the other hand, it has the best "I can fly" sequence (I'm talking about that sequence when the main character discovers he can fly or do superhuman things and goes out in a self-indulging fun trip) and is superior in comparison to those in movies like Spider-man, Superman and Iron Man. It may be just animation but when Astro Boy is having fun in the sky, his joy radiates unto the audience.Although this is not all comedy from start to finish, the humor was enough to make the movie enjoyable. There are only a few punchlines placed here and there, but no matter how few they are, they pack a punch of solid laughter. I was really amused at the three robots that referred to themselves as the Robot Liberation Front. They were probably my favorite characters in this entire movie. From their quirkily hilarious character designs up to the overall portrayal of these robots, they easily got me tickled pink.While voice actors Freddie Highmore as Astro Boy and the rest of the voice cast such as Kristen Bell, Bill Nighy, Donald Sutherland, Nathan Lane, and Eugene Levy were all generically good, it was Nicholas Cage, voicing Dr. Tenma, Astro boy's father, whose voice acting complemented excellently with the animation. It was as if it captured Cage in one of his best acting moments. It would not have been easy to bring the character of Tenma to a full-length movie version without altering it. In the original manga (Japanese comics) version and in the TV series, Tenma is portrayed as more brutal and has certainly a darker character, as he deliberately abandons and sells Astro boy, and in one other interpretation, he goes insane. The Tenma portrayed in this new movie version is a more positive version, as he is still bound by love for his creation, Astro Boy. Inevitably and obviously you expect this Tenma to do the morally upright thing.The storyline aspect was pretty solid. Simplistic to be family-friendly, yet it has some plot and characterization elements that appeal to adults as well. It ends up as a movie that is both young at heart yet mature in content. Enjoyable for kids, interesting for adults. The story does not treat its audiences like idiots, and manages to tell the story without applying unnecessary restraint that can hinder a writer's creativity. In addition, the writers and the rest of the crew have an enormous pressure to make this project become perfect. That is because Astro Boy is like a national figure in Japan, as much as how Mickey Mouse is towards Americans. And in my opinion, the Americans did deliver a good script for him.Inevitably, the movie keeps itself faithful with the source material on Astro Boy's origins but there are indeed many little alterations made in order to update this Astro Boy as being this generation's version. Rife with enough heart, humor, and spectacular explosive action, this movie has a storyline that easily pleases its audience. It is indeed worth your time & your money if you are looking for a family-friendly movie this week.
I had thought "Frogs" would be one of those campy movies that is enjoyable in its badness... But no. I won't say it's the worst movie I've ever seen (that "honor" goes to "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians"), but it's in the top 10 bad movies of all time. Or is that the "bottom 10?" The premise of nature rebelling against humanity's ecological indifference is a good start, but most of the characters are uninteresting, and idiots to boot. The dialogue is painfully bad, and the acting is worse than anything in a Roger Corman movie. At least in Corman's movies, you can tell the actors are having fun. In this fiasco, however, I get the feeling that the actors were blackmailed into doing this film, judging by the pained, or sometimes completely numb, expressions on their faces while they get themselves into moronic situations or deliver stilted, unrealistic lines.I forced myself to sit through about 2/3 of this movie, hoping it would get better (or at least funny). Ultimately, however, I had to shut the damn thing off; I mean, I could feel brain cells committing suicide while I watched this travesty. I had to stop it before I wound up as intelligent as the characters in the movie.I rated it "1" because there's no "0" or negative numbers available.
Malcolm Anderson (Kurt Russell) is a star reporter for a Miami newspaper who becomes the sole contact for a murderer (Richard Jordan) who is craving headlines. However, the murderer gets angry because, as his killings continue, Malcolm becomes the focal point of the stories; Malcolm's girlfriend (Mariel Hemingway), in fact, suggests that the two are practically collaborating.This is a satisfying, entertaining thriller that seems to have something to say about the way that the media sometimes conduct themselves. It doesn't call attention to itself with any flashy gimmicks; it just tells an interesting story in a simple, straightforward manner. Russell delivers a solid performance and is assisted well by a good supporting cast. All in all, I have to say that I liked this movie.Based on the novel "In the Heat of the Summer" by John Katzenbach (who also wrote "Just Cause").8/10
I love the show too,, And I was really made that they ended it right where they did, because we never get to figure out what happens like if Nicole really ran over Brooke or if she stopped just in time or if Brooke ran out of the way. I hate how they canceled the show right at that point, it drives me nuts thinking about it.I wish they had of even starting filming the 3 series with those actors now, even though most of them are in their thirties and a few of the older actors are dead, but it would still be interesting. And i definitely would watch it. I still do watch it every night, I'm addicted, i cant stop watching that show, i love it too much!
A long-standing blemish on my status as a film buff has been the fact that I had never seen a film directed by Akira Kurosawa, easily the most well-known and respected Japanese filmmaker. Finally, my drought has been broken, as I sat down last night to enjoy 'Nora inu / Stray Dog (1949).' A police procedural in the classic film-noir tradition, the film stars Kurosawa-regular Toshirô Mifune as a young homicide detective whose firearm is pick-pocketed while on a bus. When it becomes clear that the weapon has fallen into the hands of a desperate, murdering criminal, Det. Murakami becomes consumed with guilt and shame, and it is only through the experienced guidance of mentor Det. Sato (Takashi Shimura) that he can overcome his insecurities and track down the suspect. 'Stray Dog' was the director's tenth film, and the third in a wealth of collaborations with Mifune throughout an illustrious career. Though it is not quite the masterpiece I had {probably unreasonably} been anticipating, I can only promise that my first Kurosawa will certainly not be my last.Surprisingly, 'Stray Dog' is similar in many regards to Vittorio De Sica's neorealist masterpiece 'The Bicycle Thief (1948).' Both films concern a disillusioned man's seemingly-futile search for an essential stolen object, in a city of poor and pitiable individuals, where, in the aftermath of World War Two, widespread economic difficulties have forced many towards a life of crime. When Det. Murakami first begins searching for his stolen gun, there is a wonderful extended sequence in which he purposelessly wanders the poverty-stricken streets, experiencing the decadence of society for himself, for the first time understanding why a criminal might have been forced to tread a darkened path. A very important theme of the film is the obvious parallel between Det. Murakami and his suspect, Yusa (Isao Kimura). Both individuals fell on hard times when their knapsacks were stolen: while the former took the crucial step towards law enforcement, the latter chose the opposite path, eventually becoming a thief and a wanted murderer. In the story's climactic chase sequence, the two men tussle violently in the undergrowth, their faces becoming coated in a layer of mud; for a decisive few moments, detective and criminal are practically indistinguishable from each other.One component of film-making that Kurosawa had evidently mastered by 1949 was creating intensity, and, in many ways, 'Stray Dog' is simply discomforting to watch. The events of the film appear to take place during an extreme heatwave, and the perspiration clings to the skin of the actors as though they are practically roasting in their seats. When the story reaches a devastating climax, its arrival is heralded by the breaking of a storm, the passing of the sweltering drought perhaps symbolising that the dull, futile routine of police procedure has come to an end. I was also impressed by the frantic chase sequences at both the beginning and end of the film, which, aside from being exceptionally thrilling, were genuinely harrowing. Watching Murakami and Yusa grapple in the vegetation, before both collapsing to the ground in fatigue, I don't think I've ever seen film characters looking so utterly exhausted. Despite a masterful opening and closing, 'Stray Dogs' tended to drag a lot in the middle, with the two detectives moving from one possible witness to the other, very slowly gathering the information they require to track down their suspect. Nonetheless, I now have the massive undertaking of deciding which of Akira Kurosawa's films I will watch next.
For the Limited Edition DVD-R. This film was leagues more interesting that I expected it to be--my girlfriend REALLY wanted to see it, though.Lay back, sort of sleepy, watch the film. Some early on-screen direction annoyed me but it didn't last far into the film.I'm not familiar with the book, but this film is a helluva lot of fun and it brings about some great self-questioning about the perception of consensus reality.The creativity expressed in the various worlds was quite amusing. And it's mostly a family film but there's some language kids might repeat the next day at school (and get in trouble) and there's some very strange violence :)Well worth a shot, though.
Don't let Hollow Man 2 lure you in if you liked the first. This film was absolutely horrible with its one-dimensional characters, and also its boring storyline. What this film really needed was three things. It needed more gore because Hollow Man 2 was too watered down. It needed another actor to play the villain because, let's face it, Christian Slater is bad at acting. And also needed to at least try to make itself better than the average horror sequel. I mean really, the first film was pretty good because it actually tried and succeeded in being entertaining. Hollow Man 2 doesn't really try to entertain us, it's just another on of those Direct-to-Video-Cash-Ins that will try to make money off the original. So may I ask, "Has the world had enough of these re-hashed, stupidly stupefying horror sequels? Maybe so but guess what, Hollywood just keeps making them. When will they learn?" 0 out of 4.
'Nanny McPhee' is a good movie in its own right, not merely as a kid's movie, or an art movie. Emma Thompson keeps on amazing us all with her screen writing (she is an Oscar winner for that, after all!), and her acting (ditto on the awards). Nanny McPhee is weird, to be sure--- but not just weird for weird's sake, such as a Tim Burton movie. Rather, the weirdness seems to take real life issues, and issues relating to parenting, and turn them around artistically into genuine entertainment.The cast is stupendous. Colin Firth, great as always. The very pleasant surprise for me was Angela Lansbury. She must be 111 by now--- she was already a big Hollywood star back in 1941, after all. But here she played a classic old eccentric English character, SORT OF in the Margaret Rutherford vein, but unique, fresh, and amazing in its own right. It took me half an hour to place Lansbury, her character was so spot-on, and so wonderful. Her presence in the movie is a treat, in and of itself.Children's movies have their own criteria for judgement, of course. But sadly, often kid movies are judged favorably if they posses a certain type of 'fairy-tale-ness', even if the movie is otherwise a load of crap. Like the some Tim Burton movies, in my humble opinion, or to some extent, even the recent Willy Wonka effort--- 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'. That movie was 'ok', but was substantially dark and creepy, as is most of Roald Dahl's work. But he smacks of Kid Movie Heaven, so critics and parents seem to praise his stuff irrespective of its true quality. Anyway, that's my view.'Nanny McPhee' is light, airy, and very positive. As well as being a cracker of a movie. I would take my kids to it. I think the message for kids is overall positive, and something parents could be comfortable with exposing their children to.
I love this show!!! I love that it's a bit campy.Cast is great!!! I would love to see this show for more seasons.Eric Johnson as Flash is just perfect.Anna Van Hooft as Aura is very likable. She plays her part very well.John Ralston adds just enough "evil".It seems that every member is really getting into the characters that they play.I think it's way cool that they are spending so much time on developing the characters and adding new groups of people every week.The story is believable and has continuity.I'm not sure why we need 10 lines.GO FLASH!!!
This often startling account of a progressively S&M tinged love affair (and, yes, that is the right word for it) between an 18 year old schoolgirl and a married man twice her age remains currently banned in its native South Korea where it's considered pornographic. In a sense it is, considering how much of the film's running time is devoted to fairly explicit (at times clearly non-simulated) sexual encounters. What sets this film apart from other recent releases that have incorporated hardcore footage as part of their narrative (like the astonishing BAISE-MOI or Lars Von Trier's THE IDIOTS) is that here there is actual warmth and sensuality to the copulation sequences, even when the protagonists are beating the feces out of each other, making it much harder one presumes for moralists to condemn on grounds of lacking humanity or compassion. Not that they would allow themselves to be seduced by this deeply moving yet quietly disturbing film in the first place. I for one found it exquisitely erotic (and frequently sweetly funny with the lovers' DIY approach to S&M), even - or especially, perhaps - in its more extreme moments, all of which handled beautifully by the two non-professional leads. The pared-down visual style gives the movie an edge and intensity, as if you're watching real people in a documentary rather than a fiction film. The movie's English title is explained in the shattering last line. It would sound glib to call this a REALM OF THE SENSES for millennium's end but that's the comparison that comes to mind.
A divorced dad and son attempt to build on their newly resurrected relationship by heading back to pop's hometown named Salem in up-state Maine.When he gets there,he finds that all the townspeople have turned into 300-year-old vampires."A Return to Salem's Lot" by Larry Cohen is not as bad as it's reputed to be.In fact I used to watch it pretty often when I was a kid.Of course it's not as scary or suspenseful as Tobe Hooper's "Salem's Lot",but it still manages to entertain if you are in the right mood.The acting is terrible as is the make-up of the vampires,but there is enough amusing moments to make the viewer smile.Samuel Fuller is quite memorable as a Vampire slayer.Overall,"A Return to Salem's Lot" is a quirky,occasionally uneven horror film that is worth a look for fans of Larry Cohen's unusual horror movies.7 out of 10 and that's being kind.
It is set in some fictious Soviet country, terrorists take over a palace and the Scalia character has to come in to save the day. I liked the effect sequences of the Palace in the final scene. If you like typical action, you'll like this film.
This documentary shows you Bruce Lee's life, how he went to be as good in Martial Arts as he was. There are also a great look at the original version of the "Game of Death" fighting in the Tower scenes. These scenes are just great, very different from the 78 version. And they are never been showed before. So take a look here, and see how Bruce Lee takes his one inch punch and much more....
A lot of people have forgotten how to have a good time over the years. This movie brings it all back with its witty humour and an original plot.Before Mike Myers began completely embarrassing himself with the third instalment of Austin Powers, he played many a great character. This movie is not to be missed. A 9/10 in my books.
A classic in its genre. I remember seeing the "Emmanuelle" films (in the days before video or cable TV) at the infamous midnight movies. I just watched it from the DVD in French w/English subtitles. I recommend this format whenever possible on foreign-language films. You can at least hear the actors own voices and the inflections that are often lost with poor dubbing. The acting seemed pretty decent, much better than this sort of film today. Grade: B
This is actually my favorite of the four Wilder/Pryor team ups. In the second of these match ups, Wilder and Pryor play a struggling playwright and actor in New York City. The two finally decide that they are sick and tired of just sitting around with their lives and careers going nowhere(we have seen this plot probably 100 times). They decide to take off in an a rickety old van across country to try and find some work and eventually end up in California.On the way to California, the two men get framed for a bank robbery at one of the banks they took an odd job at and end up in prison. This is where the real fun starts. Gene Wilder is especially hilarious as the more naive of the two who gets duped into competing in the prison rodeos.If the film did not run out of steam in the final act, I would probably rate this a nine. Still, there are some hilarious scenes here, including one where Wilder and Pryor try to look "bad" when entering the prison.
Creepy and unsettling Italian slasher that without being pretentious pays homage to American slashers and at the same time capitalized the success of the American style back in the early 80's.The Uncut version has raised controversy mainly because of two gruesome sequences including the cannibal eating a woman's fetus and the later being his demise when he tries to eat his own guts after being slaughtered. Two magnificent scenes for lovers of gore.Still, the movie is not all about blood, gore, or brutal death sequences. "Antropophagus" is a suspenseful movie that creates a creepy atmosphere based on an eerie Greek ghost town, an easy to follow but interesting plot, and believable performances (specially by Tisa Farrow and George Eastman).The score is also perfect and creates the other half of the movie's atmosphere and dark vibe.By any means a let down, I'd say it's a worth Italian slasher with excellent gore, perfect creepy atmosphere, and terrific art direction.A must see for those who enjoy good gore and tension.
A group of young adults go to a Greek island, where things go from bad to worse when they find that everyone on the island -- with the exception of a blind girl -- has been killed. Clearly, they didn't see the exploitation film "Island of Death" to learn why Greek islands are bad. What they encounter is a man who is more beast than anything, with an insatiable thirst for human blood and flesh.This film has floated around under various names -- "Grim Repaer", "Man Eater" and the misspelled "Antropophagus" to name a few -- for quite some time, gaining notoriety for its banned status in England and two scenes which had to be cut when it was finally released (one involving a man eating his own intestines and the other with a baby being ripped from a womb and devoured). The hype is more than enough to get people to see the film, though it's tame by today's standards. (I hate to reference "Island of Death" yet again... but if you want to be shocked, the goat scene in that one easily outdoes anything shown here).I enjoyed this one. There's something about older horror films, even those with poor film quality, that have a value to them modern films lack. And the cannibal, played by George Eastman, is a disgusting creature in his own right. Even without the publicity or the previously cut scenes (now restored in many versions) Eastman is convincing and works well. (For what it's worth, the blind girl is also pretty cool -- on par with the blind girl in "Castle Freak" -- and I'm very glad they scripted her in to this one.) Decent plot, decent characters, decent blood and gore. Unless you're impatient with older films, this is one that is worth your time and I can see myself seeing it again and again if the opportunity presents itself. Make sure you get an uncut copy. You don't need those extra scenes to enjoy this film, but if you're going to view it, you may as well get the full effect and see what lead to the banning in the first place. You'd be surprised what gets people riled up.
The actress Phoebe Kane (Rachel Veltri) and her boyfriend Andy (Jayce Bartok), the architect Henry (Scott Lowell) and his wife Julia (Lara Harris), the former director Leo (John Saxon) and Nathalie (Michèle- Barbara Pelletier) receive an invitation for a VIP Tour in the Ultra Studios. When they see the spooky house where the missing director Desmond Hacker filmed "Hysteria", they ask their tour guide (Henry Gibson) to stop the car to visit the infamous house. In a moment, they find that they are trapped in a room without any exit and the guide suggests them to tell the scariest experience of each one like in "Hysteria". Each one tells a spooky tale until they finally discover the end of their stories. "Trapped Ashes" follows the structure of "Creepshow" with a lead story and four segments in the format of "Tales from the Crypt". The lead segment is directed by Joe Dante and the motive why the participants disclose their stories is silly and unreasonable. Ken Russell directs the funny and bizarre "The Girl with the Golden Breasts" with the artificial breasts implanted by the actress sucking human blood. Sean S. Cunningham directs "Jibaku" with the journey to hell of Julia in Japan. Monte Hellman directs the erotic "Stanley's Girlfriend" and with sexy Nina performed by the gorgeous unknown Amelia Cooke affecting the relationship of two best friends. John Gaeta directs the gruesome segment "My Twin, The Worm". In the end, "Trapped Ashes" is a good entertainment despite the unfair reviews in IMDb. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Armadilha do Terror" ("Trap of Terror")
The master of surrealistic cinema, Luis Buñuel, changed his approach to the bourgeoisie after "Tristana", and his last three films are all comic and prevail through a mixture of pure surrealism, extreme irony and the one consistent theme of Buñuel's auteurship- hatred of the ruling classes."Le Fantôme de la Liberté" is perhaps Buñuel's least accessible work since his first two films, "Un Chien Andalou" and "L' Age d' Or". It is a thematic continuation of "Le Charme Discret de la Bourgeoisie", where the seven protagonists just couldn't finish, or even start, a meal. This is a strong metaphor for Buñuel's view that the bourgeoisie is a dying class, and that not even a violent revolution is needed to remove the bourgeoisie from power and wealth. They are perfectly capable of doing so themselves, through their indulgence in pathetic etiquette and decaying sense of morality. "Le Fantôme" is not funnier than "Le Charme", but it is harder to understand, and this is exactly what Buñuel and Carrière wanted after the success of "Le Charme" at the previous Academy Awards. In "Le Fantôme", not even the characters are consistent throughout the film. This film is like a relay, where one member of the ruling class passes the stick to the next, and never comes back to the vision of the audience. They just leave, like Buñuel wanted them to, perhaps, but in this film is an important factor because it confirms Buñuel's non-human view of the people of this class. His was a collective hatred, and this film reflects his collective view of the bourgeoisie. The film contains absurd, surreal incidents, like priests playing cards while smoking and drinking, parents reacting to postcards of famous buildings given their daughter by a stranger as they were obscene and a writer killing tens of people from his sniping-position at the roof of a building. The writer is found not guilty, and the continuing mix-up of characters, two actors competing for one role makes for a very confusing narrative. Or maybe the "story" is just a mockery of traditional storytelling in film. Resnais and Robbe-Grillet made "Last Year in Marienbad" just to prove that telling stories is a bourgeois thing and not necessary for modernist or revolutionary cinema.This film is actually based on a painting by Francisco José de Goya called "El Tres de Mayo" (The three in Mayo), and "Le Fantôme" starts with a short episode of how Buñuel depicts the incidents during the Napoleon Wars. But it's the theme of Goya's painting that Buñuel is concerned with, and this film is more than a mockery of the bourgeoisie, it is also an attack on communist doctrine which all over the world only seems to take from the people what is was supposed to give to the people: Freedom, and also an attack on leftist defeatism. The glorification of the defeat is perhaps the modern Left's biggest problem, which only leads to a move away from power. "Down with freedom!", Buñuel's revolutionaries shout- and the firing squads start firing at the dying revolutionaries.
I ticked 'spoilers' but I think any depiction of a spoiler here would enhance this bomb. I kept waiting for a script to happen and wondered why I was so irritated ALL THE TIME. Diane Keaton ( I honestly can't believe she got a Golden Globe award for her performance) acts as if there is always a third party in the room. She keeps glancing sideways and laughing flirtatiously at NOTHING. Jack just phones his performance in, enough said.....and speaking of laughing, I, for one, hate those scenes where the main characters are on a beach, over dinner, in bed, and they are laughing, laughing, but you the viewer are not privy to the stream of jokes. And believe me there are so much of these giggling no-script scenes as to make you NAUSEOUS. You are on the outside, paying your decent money to be part of the movie/play but you are left guessing as to what is actually being said. RIP-OFF. Seems to me as if the writer just ran out of script. Speaking of which, there is NONE, no script, in this sodden wreck of a film. It is rocking with clichés (the sobbing, crying, has to be the very worst ever captured on film). And what was Keanu Reeves doing in it? Here's a young doctor madly in love with the older woman playwright, has seen all her plays and absolutely worships her, is kind, considerate and fresh (vs jarringly jaded), but the older woman just hankers after moronic old Jack who treats her incredibly badly. And in the end, unbelievably - Keanu, her new fiancé, gives her up without a fight or a word. He is just deleted from the script. I for one would have chosen Keanu any day. Gagometer soaring skywards I find it hard to believe that some of my friends LIKED this. The Hamptons looked lovely, so 2 out of 10 for that, but AVOID this trashcan bomb.
Sylvester and Tweety had only been co-starring for a few years by this point, but Granny appears to be the prototype for the current - if unrealistic - image of the senior citizen kicking booty. As a cat lover, I've always wondered why Sylvester has to suffer so much in these cartoons, even if he's a sinister predator. But in "Canary Row", he suffers at the hands of Tweety, Granny, and even the desk clerk. Will that feline ever get what he wants?! Anyway, it's a pretty funny cartoon. Tweety is sort of the epitome of a facade hiding something nasty.Watch for a sign advertising "Friz" (Freleng, that is).
 Praise is the only thing I can give this comedic gem of a film! Gibbon's characters come vividly to life in this perfect adaptation of her retro-Austin book. Kate Beckinsale give the best performance of her gifted career as "Robert Poste's Child",Flora who take up an invitation to Cold Comfort Farm with the motive of changing her extended family,the Starkadders, who reside there ("there have always been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm"),and find out what the "great wrong" was that they had done her father,a wrong that they are most repentant of. By film's end she has accomplished one of these goals. The cast is sheer perfection.Beckinsale is vivacious,perky,gutsy and completly charming,Sheila Burrell is a riot as family matriarch Ada Doom who keeps a tight leash on her family and hardly leaves her room since she "saw somthing nasty in the woodshed". Sir Ian McKellen is dynamic and utterly hysterical as Cousin Amo Starkadder who preaches fire and brimstone sermons warning all that in hell there is no butter to sooth the burns. Eileen Atkins as Amos wife,cousin Judith and Freddy Jones as their hired hand are also standouts,but with such a perfect cast there are no weak links,so take sit back and take a journey to the far regions of Sussex with Flora Poste and investigate the quirky Starkadder family, with secrets aplenty at Cold Comfort Farm..once there you will want to make many more visits
It's a harmless, little romantic comedy that entertains and delights me. I watch it every time it's on TV.Demi's character conveys mystery and innocence...and the blonde hair is most suitable to that end. Plus it foreshadows (spoiler) that Jeff Daniels (also blond) and she are meant for each other.The gay parts are subtle and sweet...I take no offense at all and am surprised that others do.I no longer expect perfection in any movie. Having said that, if you just want to be entertained and need a break from violence, cursing, and nudity....give this movie a try.
I wanted my husband to come to the Scottsdale Film festival to see this movie with me, thinking it was going to be a chick flick; hoping he'd see a few images of chauvinistic men seeing the light and then turning themselves around, (I love those gentle reminders). Instead my mother and I went and we rode an emotional roller-coaster during this "enlightening" movie. We Laughed, we cried, we loathed.... the movie was so unpredictable!! (It was a breath of fresh Hollywood air.)Mai Ling was an inspiration. Her performance was beautiful, as was she. It ended up being me who was reminded of compassion and kindness. Patrick Warburton was fantastic... I hated his character so much initially I wanted him to die, and by the end of the movie my heart did a 180!! Well done David Beaird!!! This was definitely one movie worth the price of admission.
A leak of radioactive gas is Resurecting a girl that´s been dead for some time. Getting up she starts to kill of everyone in her way, as she finds her way back to her lesbian lover in a remote castle.A dark erotic and tragic tale of love and lust by the legendary Jean Rollin is very sad and does really get to you in the ending scenes.I Can´t compare it to any other movie I´ve ever seen because it´s so damn good and unusual.Highly recommended!
It would be overestimating this movie to pretend it's the breath of fresh air that horror needed. However, in the saturated universe of slasher films, it is. It's not perfect like many enthusiastic fans claimed it was, but it sure doesn't suck and it's definitely worth a look for everyone who enjoyed the series involving Freddy, Jason and Michael. I personally thought it was a very clever, refreshing and surprisingly inventive slasher film. It makes fun of the genre like Scream did back in the 90s, with all due respect. Overall it's a very entertaining horror movie that can be viewed and appreciated more than once just for the fun of it. In my opinion, there are three underdeveloped aspects that made it fail to be a true masterpiece. First, I wish Robert Englund's character had a bigger part in the movie. Second I'd like to hear more about the mask and its symbolic. Finally the ''slasher act'' should have lasted at least 15 minutes more. Everything else is just perfect. I still strongly recommend Behind The Mask and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. If Scott Glosserman even plans to make a sequel, I'm ready to rock!!
Don't let this pass you by. Evocative, funny, poignant, and tragic by turns, it leaves you with a warm feeling and a sense of puzzlement: if they can make things as good as this, how come we have to put up with so much dross? Great ensemble playing, great music, stand-out miniature performances from Christine Lahti, Mercedes Ruehl, Rosie Perez, and Gregory Hines, but the icing on the cake is a chilling song from Taryl Hicks in "Sax Cantor Riff". The musical close under the credits was also a knock-out.Quote of the movie: "Only in New York..."
My goodness, where to begin. Lets just begin at the beginning. There are going to be some spoilers in this one as it is necessary to make a point.A friend of mine told me this was one of the most mind-blowing movies he had ever seen. He was correct. That someone freed $50,000,000 of cold hard cash to make this cut and paste drivel definitely blew my friggin' mind.I didn't have high expectations for this movie, hadn't even planned on seeing it, but I held out a little hope because I loved Dark City so much. Those meager hopes were dashed against the rocks.Lets start with the first contrivance of a distant introverted young girl, Lucinda, in 1959 who hears voices. Its her idea (we learn through awkward exposition, exposition that sadly never learns to walk) that her elementary school drop a time capsule into the ground to be excavated 50 years into the future. The children are assigned to draw what they think the future will look like, the art to be placed within the capsule. Lucinda furiously scribbles a series of numbers on her paper. It is put into the capsule.Fast forward 50 years.October 2009. Heat wave. Indian summer. Nicholas Cage is showing his son some cosmic formation in his telescope. Without warning his son admonishes him for never listening, forgetting school events, and generally being a neglectful father. While this is done through more awkward exposition, what is more maddening is that Cage spends the entire movie being an almost overbearingly doting father, rushing to events, forgoing outings with friends and potential blind dates that would replace is dead wife. One would think that perhaps he is turning over a new leaf after 5 minutes, but his best friend informs us this is not the case.Cage is an MIT professor, though we never learn what type we can only assume astrophysics. We only see him teach one class. And what would a professor, inhabiting an acclaimed technical college, in a classroom surrounded by equations on a chalkboard, images of celestial bodies, and a model of the solar system assign for his students at the end of the class? Write a paper on determinism vs randomness. Does life have meaning. In a physics class.Naturally, his son is singing at the event to open the time capsule. Naturally, he receives Lucinda's paper filled with indecipherable numbers. Naturally, he brings it home when he's not supposed to. Naturally, Cage sees it. He sends his son to bed and in a inexplicable drunken rage deciphers most of the numbers, starting with the first number, picked at random: 911012889. In two seconds he discovers that it means 9/11/01 and the number who perished. Baffled and enraged he spends all night finding the dates and casualties of major human tragedies and googling them for confirmation. We won't mention that casualty estimates often very by source and more so for natural disasters and large numbers. He verifies every major tragedy for 50 years on this paper, including the event where his wife died. Except there are 3 events that have yet to occur.What does an astrophysicist do with this info? Takes it to his friend who predictable tells him in copy and pasted dialogue how crazy this all sounds and he's taking his wife's death too hard. And what do the rest of the numbers mean? After half a glass of whisky he found the first date from the first set of numbers he looked at, after a whole bottle and a sleepless night he found the rest, but it took his trucks GPS product placement ad to find out the rest of the numbers are latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates. Naturally, he is at the location of the next accident just as he discovers this, a hideous plane crash complete with passengers running around covered in jet fuel and fire. This is where the audience laughter begins. It never stopped.The dialogue is maddeningly formulaic, awkward, and uninspired. The acting ranges from sub par to excruciating. The story is as predictable as Wednesday's meatloaf. When Cage's son, who can hear the voices, starts writing down more numbers, even after the final revelation, Cage dismisses it as his son's impetuousness. The whole event is a contrived plot device.One wonders why he is estranged from his father, a pastor, and family. One wonders why he doesn't take his discovery to the other MIT scientists. One wonders why he feels the pressing need to run headlong towards the disasters he knows will happen, only to be saved by dumb luck. One wonders whether anyone involved in the making of this film has ever been to MIT for longer than the time it takes to create B roll or has ever stood on a New York City subway platform.I won't even mention the sci-fi allusions to the Christian concept of rapture.In the end this movie is a spectacular disappointment. It is a fun concept amateurishly executed on every conceivable level.
Unknown Chaplin is a three part television series produced from outtakes and film clips edited from most of Charles Chaplin's well-known films. The first part focuses primarily on the Mutual period when Chaplin made twelve films in sixteen months. The film covers how Chaplin formed his own stock company to make films with much in the way John Ford would do a couple decades later. The film focuses on The Floorwalker, The Count, The Cure, and The Immigrant, while including clips of The Pawnbroker and The Adventurer. The film indicates how Chaplin rehearsed on film by viewing daily rushes and re-shooting scenes multiple times, how some gags worked by exploiting the variances in camera speed, and how Edna Purviance was not a trained actress and had to be shaped by Chaplin's direction.The second part of the film focuses on The Kid, The Gold Rush, and City Lights. It includes interviews with Jackie Coogan, Lita Grey, Georgia Hale, Robert Parrish, Virginia Cherrill, and Sydney Chaplin. A great deal of time is spent on the location shooting for The Gold Rush and the many highlights from that film. Most interesting is the initial introduction of the tramp and the flower girl scene in City Lights. Chaplin had to solve the dilemma of how to make it plain to the audience that the blind flower girl thought the tramp was a rich man. It took a year and a half of patience and countless retakes for Chaplin to solve it.The third part of the film focuses mostly on The Circus and the uncompleted film The Professor, but it also includes tidbits from City Lights, Modern Times, The Great Dictator, and Limelight. The third part showcases mostly scenes which were cut from Chaplin's final edit of his films influences some of his earlier silent pictures had on his later, more famous films. The film shows how Chaplin played an important role in the development of early cinema, combining his own artistic vision with the unbridled mayhem of his Mack Sennett days at the Keystone Company. Many of Chaplin's stock company get substantial screen time, including Edna Purviance, Eric Campbell, Albert Austin, Henry Bergman, John Rand, and Loyal Underwood. Major disappointments are the film's omissions of Chaplin's post-Limelight work, Monsieur Verdoux, and A Woman Of Paris, a box office failure upon its release now regarded as one of Chaplin's most important films and an adult film ahead of its time. James Mason narrates the film with appropriate earnestness. ***1/2 of 4 stars.
Screenwriter and director Noah Baumbach's tale of his incredibly dysfunctional family could easily have been re-named "The Addams Family - 1986". The film recounts his ugly childhood with his younger brother, his writer-father and aspiring writer-mother living in Park Slope, Brooklyn in 1986. His father Bernard, played revoltingly well by Jeff Daniels, has absolutely no concept of what's going on outside of his own world as he spews obscenities and dwells on his past as a respected writer; of course now no one wants anything to do with his writing so he teaches English instead (Gee, haven't we see that a few hundred times in films?)Bernard's wife Joan, played by a mousy Laury Linney, decide that after many years of marriage that divorce is the best option; which seems odd considering that they have nothing good to say about each other and that Joan has had affairs with at least four different men during their marriage. Why they don't continue with this nightmarish marriage isn't explained; there isn't a catalyst for this decision. Once the separation occurs and Bernard relocates several blocks away to a house of lesser amenities the film shifts focus to the effect the separation has on the two children; Walt and Frank Berkman. Walt, played by a brow-furrowed Jesse Eisenberg, idolizes his father and models his view of the world after Bernard's twisted vision. The majority of observations from Walt's mouth are direct quotes from his father, yet instead of revealing the depth of admiration Walt has for his father these comments simply show Walt as being shallow and pathetic. We wait for Walt to develop a mind of his own but sadly that never happens. Frank, played mincingly by Owen Kline, steals the film as the repulsive chronic masturbator who leaves his calling card on any non-human surface. At one point Joan and Bernard get their child custody duties mixed up and accidentally leave Frank alone for three days. Frank spends the time drinking Scotch, masturbating to his mom's underwear, and passing out on the bathroom floor. The next scene is Joan and Bernard being confronted by the school counselor. What happened for the rest of Frank's long weekend? A nine year old boy left alone with hard liquor and a Oedipal complex is a film in itself, but we aren't allowed to witness this, or a scene where the parents find Frank near death from alcohol poisoning (assuming that could have easily happened) lying in a pile of his mother's panties. The rest of the film is filled with Walt's blatant plagiarism, a non-stop stream of offensive cursing, arguments, premature ejaculation, Bernard allowing his dinner guests at restaurants to only order half-orders because he's so cheap, unbelievable therapy sessions, Bernard trying to force his female student and border to perform oral sex only to be interrupted by his son, and a medical emergency that is offered as redemption but fails. Contrary to reviews I've read, there is nothing charming, endearing, funny, or clever about this film. It truly boggles my mind that most critics enjoyed this film. The only reason I can conjure is that most of these critics were raised in a family as hellish as this one so it's like spending time with old, heavily medicated friends. If this film's final scene was of the four Berkman's going for a hot air balloon ride over the Catskills, and the balloon crashing in flames into the mountains with no survivors, then I just might have walked out of the theater with a smile on my face. As it is, this a slice of American ugliness that no one should have to endure.
Trying to conceive of a "Left Behind" style film happening to a specific race in a specific State is pretty out there. But director Sergio Arau does so admirably in A DAY WITHOUT A Mexican.Part comedy, part mockumentary, the film's liberal leanings are sure to turn some viewers off. Taking consistent jabs at prejudices (and hitting their target more often than not), the film takes on the premise that a strange, magical fog has surrounded California one fateful day, blocking all incoming and outgoing traffic, internet access, and all forms of communication. And this weird atmospheric disturbance has also taken away all of the Mexicans. The disruption to the Sunshine State is evident as fruit rots on trees, vegetable aisles in grocery stores go empty, and car wash patrons have to dry their own cars! Lilia Rod(riguez) played by Yareli Arizmendi (LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE) is a television news reporter who DOESN'T disappear. The supernatural phenomenon seems to have passed her by even though she's Mexican. Or is she? More unseen prejudices arise as we learn that most Anglos label anyone with a coppery-toned complexion as "Mexican." Lilia learns her true genetic heritage along the way but feels, in her heart, that she's Mexican and promptly vanishes in front of a television audience.John Getz (BLOOD SIMPLE) plays Senator Abercrombie who has to take on the position of California Governor Pro-Tem, as the current Governor and Lieutenant Governor were Mexican. Thrown into the spotlight, the new Gov has to deal with all of the chaos caused by the disappearances as well as the disruptions to his own household when their maid/nanny/cook vanishes.Other characters include two border patrol officers who are forced to deal with their prejudices when they learn that they no longer have a viable job. This is one particularly hilarious portion of the film that will really tickle audience's funny bones.As California tries to deal with the loss of an entire race, the remaining folks come up with some great reasons for the Mexicans' disappearance. Some say that the sombrero is shaped like a UFO for a reason {wink!} Others believe it's a form of the rapture, and the apocalypse is upon us. Still others believe that it is because the other races didn't appreciate the Mexicans and so they just up and left. Regardless of the reason (true or not) the effect is felt throughout the State. Anglos and other nationalities turn to looting and diving into black-market fruits and vegies in order to save their restaurants. Talk shows swing from one extreme to the other, some saying their glad that the Mexicans are gone while others struggle to stay on the air with a skeleton crew (many camera operators were Mexicans).The film's faults are that this probably won't be for those who live outside California. A Day Without a Mexican has a fairly specific target audience. But the great message, often funny and poignant at the same time, cannot be denied: we all need each other, regardless of race.Special mention of the film's musical soundtrack MUST be made, too. The mariachi version of California Dreamin' is outstanding, as is the theme song A Day Without A Mexican.
Julie Delpy, the talented actress of "2 Days in Paris" surprises with this tale of a pair of lovers at a crucial moment of their relationship. Ms. Delpy, who wrote and directed the film shows how well she has learned the lessons of being in front of the camera. The end result is a delightful film that owes a lot to previous films where she has appeared.Throughout the movie one felt the presence of Richard Linkletter, who directed her in two films that bear some resemblance to this one, and Woody Allen, in the way Ms. Delpy presents the character of Jack, her lover of two years. Jack, a New York neurotic, feels out of his usual turf. In a way, he is totally overwhelmed by the life Marion, his girlfriend, has left behind for a life in America.Julie Delpy plays Marion wearing thick black eyeglasses that hide her beautiful face in a way we are not used to see her in movies. She plays the straight part against the goofy Jack of Adam Goldberg. Mr. Goldberg has some good moments when he is at his nastiest, like with the group of tourists he misdirects in order to get ahead of them in the taxi queue. One hopes Ms. Delpy will come with another film in a not too distant future for she shows a natural ability to set a pleasant story in an enjoyable way.
Im actually watching the movie as I write this, I felt compelled to pick up my laptop and vent my frustration out on how CRAP this movie is. It tries to be funny and fails it tries to be Scary and cocks that up too. True 3 of the cast are very good looking women but the story is Bollox and the acting is awful.I saw Matt Damon and Ben Afleck's names associated with this flick? why? what did they do, walk past a guy who went to see this god awful sh~%t flick cos they never looked at the script thats for damn sure. I am now off to take a dump which I know will be more enjoyable with a better ending than Feast (a bag of W.a.n.k)
Just shy of seeming like a big time MGM musical. I'm happy to settle for this short black & white Gene Autry sagebrush saga. A very talented group assembled to appear in one of Autry's best. Gene comes home to Torpedo, Arizona and is declared honorary sheriff during a Frontier Days Celebration. He does have enough authority to clean up the town and rid Torpedo of some of the worst law breakers in the Old West. Gene gets to sing the title tune "Melody Ranch" as well as "Call of the Canyon" and a very likable "We Never Dream the Same Dream Twice".This round up of talent features: Ann Miller, Jimmy Durante, Horace McMahon and 'Gabby' Hayes as Pop Laramie and Barbara Jo Allen as 'Vera Vague'.
Darna Mana Hai turned out to be a movie you can watch once. It is a ghost movie having 6 stories in one story. 7 youngsters are travelling in a car through an empty road late at night. Suddenly the car has a puncture and leads to 6 of them spotting a lantern in the forest and a cozy place where sone one apparently resides( it is a an open courtyard basically). So they light a fire and start saying ghost stories. The first of the 6 stories was pretty horrific featuring Antramali. One by one the youngsters go to the car and are murdered mysteriously. The second and third horror stories were more of comedies and the movie got less horrific after the initial 20 minutes. There are big bollywood stars featuring in the stories like Vivek Oberoi, Nana Patekar, Shipa Shetty, Saif Khan and many others as well. I was startled atleast 4 times in the movie and scared my friend in the process too. It was a movie which was not as good as I had expected it to be. Yet it is interesting and atleast it is innovative which is what I like about movies.
The authors had to be under the influence of chemicals that are not normally present in the body (perhaps something from the 8th dimension). It's a rare style of movie in that while the characters take themselves seriously, the movie does not. This movie really makes no sense, but you don't want to watch it if it has to make sense. It's a series of moments. If you try to go linking them together to form a plot, you will fail miserably. So just enjoy.If you watch it, you'll understand the full context of "Laugh a-while-a you can, monkey-boy!"
Essentially an episode of 'The Fugitive' with cobwebs on, 'Nowhere to Run' sees escaped con Jean-Claude Van Damme getting comfy with widowed Rosanna Arquette's family and defending them from ruthless property developer Joss Ackland, who wants to tear down their farm and put up a huge development. While it's a competent movie, and doesn't suffer as much as you might think from Van Damme's complete lack of acting ability, it's weighed down by its hopelessly threadbare plot and a split personality screenplay that can't decide if it's a drama or a beat-em-up. The longer it goes on, the worse it gets, and Arquette's role is amazingly thankless.
This TV movie about King David may seem long,but it really shows in a vivid way David's transition from a mere shepherd boy to a great political figure and biblical icon.I liked the way the cast mentioned there faith in Yahweh.Keith Michell's portrayal of King David seemed realistic,especially in the scene where he was condemning Joab's murder of Abner.If we compare this film with the 1997 TV film of David by Lux Vide, both have great depictions of David's life. Anthony Quayle did a impressive performance as Saul.Too bad this film is only available on VHS. Let's hope that soon it can be restored or available on DVD.My hat goes of to Alex Segal and Lowell Rich for there project.
The idea of immortal vampire soldiers is fascinating, and the mystery is quite well-kept for a while ; but once the idea is exposed, there's nothing left. A bit better than Prior's usual fare, this one keeps the militarism and racism ideology rampant in his "works" - it seems normal that American soldiers would feed on poor South Americans.
Don't ruin this film for yourself by going in with expectations, limitations, rules, preconceptions, etc. of what you think it's supposed to be. Step inside the movie and let it tell you the story. It has the formula down for the typical old style western but it's done in a unique fashion. It's not supposed to be a carbon copy of an old American Spaghetti Western. Appreciate that, and you'll appreciate what this film has to offer. The Japanese-accented English only added to its charm, although I will admit that it was difficult to understand the dialogue at times. The film does include subtitles so no worries. The visuals/cinematography were wonderful, the story was interesting and overall it was a fun movie to watch. Purely entertaining.
I remember this movie as a young child.Pamela Ferdin and Ray Miland were great in it.It was actually kind of creepy and depressing about a young girl who had died.It actually upset me as a little kid that the characters daughter died so young.I never knew kids could die and this freaked me out as a kid.In some ways I guess it made me realize that anyone can die young and old,but the ending was hopeful and made me feel a bit less freaked out.The musical score was very well done and the acting was good also.TV movies in the late 60's and 70's,80's were SO much better than they are today.They actually had a STORY and Characters that were more realistic and original.Today,writers have no talent as they need to RE DO like every movie in a remake.Sad.I like the Originals.Wow,now that I think about it,I must have seen this in the 70's as I am still in my late 30's and this was made in 1969,the year I was born.I probably saw it at age 11 or 12 sometime in the mid to late 70's on a rerun.It really scared me.
Eytan Fox, the talented Israeli director of the extraordinary film "Walk on Water" is a man who clearly has his feet well planted on the ground. His lyrical "Yossi and Jagger" proves he is man who can deal with a lot of controversial subjects in a realistic and convincing way.This brief film packs a lot for a 65 minutes feature, but in spite of its short length, what comes out of the story feels real and we don't begrudge the brevity in which it was presented. The story of Yossi and Jagger is presented without phony touches, that in the hands of another director, of worse yet, a Hollywood studio, would have been meaningless.This is the story about two men who happened to be in love and the consequences of something that goes terribly wrong that ends their involvement. The two central characters stay with the viewer for a long time, which says a lot about Mr. Fox and the way he has presented his tale about how fate intervenes in the lives of these young men.Ohad Knoller and Yehuda Levi give good performances as Yossi and Jagger. These actors make their characters work on the movie because of the intensity of their contribution to the film.Mr. Fox is to be congratulated for his inspired direction.
I was taken to see this for the first time when I was too young to get most of the humor. It improved as I aged. It really is one of the best.Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis did a remake (called "Living It Up", though I somehow remember the title as "Homer Flagg") and I remember at the time thinking that that version was MUCH better, but what did I know? I was only nine.
This movie is a burlesque attempt to ridicule the slasher movies. Using a reporter (blond of course lol) who's trying to produce a documentary on slasher killers and manages to get the consent of one to film him ''working''.It was quite a good idea ruined by....everything else! It could be great but there's a total lack of substance on the whole picture, on the killer itself, on the way the story is told, on the dialogues which are totally plane, and i hated, it started with the concept of one ''crew, one camera'', and was suddenly changed in the middle. The script (that could have become a pretty deep,disconcerting and realistic view over the original idea the movie starts on), was totally dashed by a deficiency in keeping any fact believable or sustained on any grounds, in total gaps in the story that make absolute no sense like:(why the crew stayed to the killing night and didn't warned anybody?wouldn't that make them accomplices?...why would they think the killer would let them go away clean, if by his own statements on the documentary, the idea was: No witness?, etc, etc, etc.....). I think this movie was just a copy of ''scream'' but without the fun. Watchable for the, yet kind of predictable, twist in the end,and the idea it starts on but that's it.
This has all the entertainment value of having teeth pulled without anaesthetic. When I first saw it, I thought I'd tuned into an old war film by mistake, with Anne Robinson playing a Nazi interrogator. The lady was once a 'Daily Mirror' columnist and when Robert Maxwell fell off the 'Lady Ghislaine' in 1991 she penned a grovelling eulogy that ended with; "He enriched many lives. Mine was one of them.". Oh dear! Why do the contestants on the receiving end of her sharp tongue not remind her of this? Not to mention her obvious face lifts. If she has one more she'll float away. I fail to see why people waste their time watching this tripe. When you've seen one episode you've seen them all. The American people are with me on this. Where do they get the contestants from? A home for the terminally charmless? Many look and sound as though they've been doped. The main prize isn't worth the effort.With this, we're one step closer to the kind of 'torture game show' as depicted in the Schwartzenegger movie 'The Running Man'. As you may have gathered from the above, I'm Welsh and proud of it and have a big chip on my shoulder when it comes to Anne!
This is not a great film, and certainly not a worthy sequel to the hysterical first film.The lack of any other characters from the first is a killing blow to this film.Its worth a look for the dog "ballsack" and for Taj. But otherwise its little more than giggle-worthy. Also, there is an incredible lack of research into real English society, This is the weakest Lampoon film i have ever seen.But worth a look when you're freeNeeded Ryan Reynolds.
Impressive acting by the entire young bunch! Kudos to each one of them for uplifting the film to a classic height. Looking at their spontaneous acting, its hard to imagine a camera rolling before them. reminds me of those Latin American movies about life. awesome plot and superb direction from one of my favourite directors, Anjan Dutta. the humour is very Bong, very clever and superbly handled. never a moment felt dull or plastic. Reeks of immense homework on the psyche of the NRI Bongs out there.The film made me homesick for my beloved city. wish to go back. thank you for a great film, Mr Dutta. you made us prouder.
So what if it's pure Soviet propaganda...Salt of Svanetia is an amazing looking piece of work that chronicles the hardness of life in the post-Revolutionary expanses of the USSR. There are images in this film you will never see anywhere else...of birth, of work, and of death...all presented bluntly, yet with exquisite artistry .
This is a film that I remember fondly from the 70s. A great caper movie with several twists and turns. Betrayal and counter betrayal and a conclusion that makes you laugh out loud! Usually a serious actor in political or psychological films - Jean Louis T. tries some lighter than air 'hey-presto' and proves that he can do comedy as well. I wish more people would know this film so that the satirical line "Merci, Simca" would be a household word - to diffuse Regis' line "Is that your final answer".Of the several themes the film explores, none is more relevant than the theme of the popularization of greed. A 'kidnapage' is effectively carried out during a televised game show, whilst the parents are instructed to repeat the sponsors name, hence they repeat "Merci, Simca", the name of the car they hope to win.
I was surprised at how clever and darkly humorous this film actually was. It's wonderfully cast, beautifully acted, and totally different from most movies out there. A group of ederly people find that they will go to any extreme to keep their apartment building from being torn down. Led by a their motivated, stop at nothing, leader Maddie they take out any obstacle that gets in their way. It has a surprise ending that I was shocked to see. A really great movie. If you want a strange, witty, twisted and funny movie definitly rent this. Unless you can find a resonably priced used copy, then you should definitly buy it!
Daughter Of The Mind is a strange and a very compelling movie. This is one of the rare gems of the made for television movies back in the early seventies.I saw this movie for the first time when I was around eleven years old, and I never forgot it.I saw this recently, and I enjoyed it as much as I did when I was a child.The cast in this movie was very good. Ray Milland was excellent as the grieving father.I have seen so many of his movies, this is my favorite one.The cast also included Gene Tierney and she was wonderful in her part too.Don Murray was very effective in his role.I believe he is such an underrated actor.The music in the movie gives it a very nice quality. I cannot say that this story is scary, it is more of a mystery in my book.It is so nice to see a mystery film, that does not have all of the gore that is so prevalent in the film industry today.I give this film a very good rating, and I recommend to all who love mystery and suspense.
Apart from being low-brow from the start, this film is not even merely interesting. It's just a waste of time and money. What bothers me the most is the fact that the makers seem to have picked a the girl's country of origin at random - since they weren't going to check any facts out before shooting.I'm surprised they even got the car plates right. But it's downhill from there. The Volvo is clearly American, European cars arrange headlights differently. There are no catholic schools for girls in Stockholm, at least not of importance, since catholicism is a less important religion than Islam in Sweden.The differences between Sweden and the US are not that great. I mean, she messes up the dinner because she can't use the microwave? Give me a break.This film is not worth the 90-or-so minutes. Just fast forward through it and you'll do fine.
I purchased this movie because of Louise Beavers. I was impressed with her performance in Mr Blandings Build His Dream House where she does more than hold her own in her all too short appearances with stars like Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Melvyn Douglas. And I was not disappointed. She really is the solid center of this movie and its true star. She is like some sort of early method actress with a terrific screen presence, and her stile of acting differs remarkably from the more affected ones of her acting colleagues in this movie who come through as real airheads (or, shall we say designer products?) in their imitation of life.Basically I think this is less a movie about race but about Delilah's values – and in this aspect it is an entirely different movie than the remake of 1957. Although beset by a hard and difficult life, Delilah is a balanced person of principle. And she has knowledge, on philosophical as well as practical ways. She accepts her place in society (that is a personal choice, mind you) and aims to make the best out of it. The world of Big Dreams is not hers. Her meeting another women with the daring and the tenaciousness of a dye hard capitalist is, seen in that context, a sort of an accident. This other woman discovers and exploits Delilah's knowledge, first on a small then on a very large scale. Delilah's values lead to commercial success, Delilah's portrait becomes literally a brand (incidentally, a beautiful Art Deco design, not unlike Uncle Ben's). She takes success gracefully, although she does not really care about it. And she knows, there will always be things money can't buy and they most probably will determine your personal happiness. The daughters of the two single mothers seem to symbolize the mean truth, that there are issues that are simply beyond a mother's will and have to be left to godly powers. Delilah's daughter just wants to be an airhead too (that is a personal choice, mind you). She is most happy blending in with the anonymous general crowd of our modern times selling cigars in a store (Fredi Washington's best scene). There's nothing her mother can do about it.MINOR SPOILER AHEAD At the end of the movie, Delilah dies, probably of a broken heart. The world of airheads was too much for that archaic type of good, motherly woman. She leaves a vacuum behind, and people wistfully watch her stylized portrait eternally turning over flickering electric pancakes on the huge billboard on a rooftop. This will forever be a truly modern movie.
To me, I know what to expect when I see a video box that has a woman on the front cover wearing a bra and holding a machine gun, along with a 4-Star Rating from Joe Bob Briggs. It always amazes me that people rent this stuff, apparently expecting Bergman or something, and THEN decide they have to write negative reviews denouncing the overall silliness, bad acting, cheap production values and amount of nudity and/or violence. To me, HARD TO DIE delivered exactly what it promised on the box...action, blood, babes, machine guns, Corman references (this is, after all, a New Horizons video) and loads of cheesy fun.Five scantily-clad young women (Gail Harris, Karen Mayo-Chandler, Deborah Dutch, Melissa Moore and Bridget Carney) are hired to work a temp inventory job at "Acme Lingerie" in a closed down for the night high-rise. They all get naked in a touching group shower scene that alludes to the powers of female bonding (HA!), try on the new Fall lineup of underwear, then accidentally open a "soul box" containing the spirit of Hockstetter, the notorious "sorority house killer" (last seen in Wynorski's similar SORORITY HOUSE MASSACRE 2). Someone in the group becomes possessed by the evil spirit and starts killing the others with a hook. Thankfully there's an armory shop in the same building, so the surviving girls get to defend themselves with high-powered machine guns! Big Peter Spellos returns from SHM2 as hulking Orville Ketchum, who is mistaken for the killer and outlives a dozen or so knees to the crotch, stabbings and gunshots (not to mention a fall off the roof!).If you decide to take these zany proceedings seriously, that is your choice, but approached in the right state of mind, it's often hilarious. There's B-movie ingenuity at work here in this silly time-waster. It is action, nudity and in-joke packed and the ladies are all all pretty fun and energetic, so it's fine viewing for the audience intended. If you do not like these films, simply do yourself a favor and stop watching them.Score: 7 out of 10
Do you ever find yourself watching a TV show and thinking, "I wish that had been done differently."? Do you ever find that a show which has great characters tends to be a spine, a cover and several hundred pages short of a good story? Not Cowboy Bebop.Something like this is hard to come by in any medium; books, films, live-action, comics, nothing I've seen has mixed such cool, well-written characters with rich character development and an intricate and complete story. Harry Potter is the only thing I can really think of, but even that let me down a bit in the final book (Ron remembered that Parseltongue? Not likely, JK.).This show also has a vast variety of episode styles. Some episodes are childish and make you double up laughing while some are bleakly dark and adult, only the characters tell you it must be the same show. And this is the subtle way in which the story develops the characters: by putting them in completely different situations each time, you learn more about the way they feel and react to things. The character's emotions feel so real you sometimes forget it's animated.It's difficult to pinpoint a real demographic for Bebop because each episode is so different. While I'd say it's an +11 in some episodes, others can be +15. But it's not a kid's show, and it's not for mindless teenagers either. It's a show you need to have a bit of empathy to really understand.The dialogue is witty and fresh, none of the "Love? That's why you're weak! I'll kill you with one blow!" bull you usually get in an anime series, it's a million times more realistic than that. I personally prefer the English dub, the show seems (IMO) more American than Japanese so I think the American version works better, but both are good.In most things I find the finale can be slightly disappointing, it leaves you thinking "well, OK, BUT...". Part 1 of a two-parter is usually absolutely brilliant, building up and up and up to something, only to nosedive in part 2 because of some deus ex machina or untied plots or just not reaching the level you thought it would (think Heroes or Doctor Who; even Battlestar Galactica let me down a little). Cowboy Bebop, however, did not disappoint. The story finishes perfectly. It could not have been better.If you like anime, you have to watch this right now. I can't believe it was 6 years before I finally got around to trying it out. If you don't like anime, you have to watch this right up until episode 5, just so you can honestly say you don't like anime. If you value well-written characters + brilliant plot + intelligence + style and want a can of whoop ass thrown in, you should definitely give this a whirl.
I saw this movie on a Delta Airlines flight the other day. Even with my higher level of tolerance on an airplane, I couldn't even finish this one.There is practically no character development or plot development. The acting is not believable--no kid would scream like that so consistently or behave that way, and no parent would be so whatever about it.Don't waste your time with this. It's sad when a movie fails to entertain even an airplane audience. And unfortunately, the cute little girl didn't save the movie. I can't imagine any realistic ending could have been pulled off after the lame start. Sorry.
I have to say, whoever wrote the comment "Oh My God" made a very valid point, where is the title character?! That aside, it is a bit of a light chuckle, but I found myself screaming at the TV more than anything!! Most definitely filmed in England, with a largely British cast. But the home of the main character is most definitely NOT English, despite being in a very English location. The film is packed with things that the American creators obviously thought they were getting totally right, but have got COMPLETELY wrong!! Ridiculous British stereotypes, the types of people whom I have never come across in my 20 years of living; an Irish stereotype; the obvious Asian-American stereotype; American phrases; American cultural references; ridiculous British references that are.. well they're not really anything that anyone in Britain would actually make any form of reference to!! So on and so forth!! Overall, a laugh, but not worth the frustration of being an American made, British based film!!
Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontanne won Oscar nominations for their roles as bickering theater stars in this sly film. In their only starring film together, Lunt and Fontanne are superb. He masquerades as a Russian count and woos her to see if she is a faithful wife. Maybe show knows and maybe she does not. It's all part of the game. Fontanne (who was 44) coos and smiles as the Actress, while Lunt (39) plays the dolt who never knows if his wife his faithful. Great fun. Stylish. But maybe a tad stagy. Lunt lost the Oscar to a tie between Wallace Beery and Fredric March, while Fontanne lost to Helen Hayes (Marie Dressler was also nominated). Zasu Pitts is fun as the dim maid; Herman Bing is good as the creditor. Roland Young shines as the friend and Maude Eburne is super as "mama." Terrific acting and "chemistry" between the biggest theater stars of the early 20th century: Lunt and Fontanne. Both had done a few silent films, this one starring vehicle, and a a guest appearance in "Stage Door Canteen" in 1943. What a pity. They were greats stars and terrific actors. And "The Guardsman" is a must for any film buff.
I have yet to recommend this movie to a friend who didn't enjoy it. I guess it addresses "themes" that many of us dream about. It has several themes going on at once. There is "action/adventure", there is "wild west", there is "love story", and so on. Louis Gates, a modern-day bounty hunter, is seeking some sort of redemption (through self-destruction) for the death of his wife, for which he was really not at fault. Through the course of this movie, we see him find love and peace. I think we all want to believe that we could turn back time and maybe find a Shangri-La, even in the far reaches of the American west, and that is what happens to Louis Gates in this movie.Highly recommended for the good story and the beautiful scenery!
I liked this movie, despite the dis from the review by that other guy. I like all norm films, and i liked this one. i am angered that someone could write so poorly of this. Any way, I thought it was a funny movie(u want a movie to walk out on, guy? try keeping the faith. Any way, i liked this, and found it to be funny like the rest of mr. mcDonald's movies. but then, i liked Mystery Men. Bye now.
With Jean Arthur, Ruth Donnelly, and Lionel Stander in the cast, More Than A Secretary starts to look like a road company Mr. Deeds Goes To Town. Too bad it isn't quite up to the standard of that comedy classic.But this was more an example of the fluff that Jean Arthur was asked to carry in her career. Not every film could be a Mr. Deeds.Jean and Ruth Donnelly run a secretarial school from which they graduate women of all kinds including Dorothea Kent, a poor man's Marie Wilson. Dorothea's typing and shorthand leave much to be desired, but she does have other assets and his certainly decorative enough. Jean goes to work for health magazine editor George Brent who is maniacal on the subject of fitness, sexist in his views of women, and something of a puritan. But Jean proves pretty indispensable as his magazine circulation starts to boom.But then Reginald Denny who has a jealous wife dumps Dorothea back on George who with Jean has to put up with her incompetence. Something has to give.The whole thing was rather silly to me. Why they don't just fire this bimbo is beyond me. Maybe Denny's hormones are making the decision for him, but Brent's certainly aren't.Maybe I'm too harsh on the film though. I in fact worked for a woman who headed a state agency and she was so stupid she couldn't probably spell the word. I could have seen her like Kent, running Tina's Nail Salon on Cropsey Avenue in Brooklyn. But she also was in her job because somebody's hormones went into overdrive.George Brent was borrowed from Warner Brothers by Harry Cohn for this film. My only question is why did he use a favor from Jack Warner for this. Or was Brent being punished?
I found Ca Twiste to be very interesting. It's not that it was profound or prolific... It was just because I am an outsider looking in. These young-ones were Africans, as pure as can be, (given the fact that they've been colonized) and I'm a little all American "tom-boy;" "Jack and Dianne in the American heartland" rolled into one person. Do these people and I actually have something in common? I guess we do. We all have to live, learn, and grow, even if we are half-a-world-apart. But I digress, the movie is what is important, I supposed. It's sad really, or at least pathetic. For the first time in goodness knows how long… I crave an American Hollywood-style ending. But Hollywood can't do anything right in my opinion.I'm just going to get right to it. The ending was- upsetting. I wanted more. The film just ends with the two children under the table making a reference to Ivanhoe that was lost on me. (Perhaps, if I had ever read that book, I could have understood it.) Thankfully, someone was there to explain it to me. The fighting between the quarrelsome children was over not because anything had been settled, but because they were sick of fighting. The voice over during the credits tells you how the kids grew up to love, laugh, and live elsewhere. That's how it ends: nice, pure, and simple.The voice over was the most meaningful part to me; it served as a reminder that we are being given a glimpse into a real somebody's personal life, and it should be treated with a form of respect and reverence akin to what one would give someone else's diary. This is why I don't have the heart to pick it apart like a normal critique would.
Allan Quatermain and the lost city of gold is the sequel to King Solomon's mines that came out and flopped the year before.Richard Chamberlain is back as Adventurer Allan Quatermain, this time he along with lover Jesse (Sharon Stone) are back in the wilds of Africa searching for his long lost Brother after he disappears seeking a lost white race.But having seen this I can say there is NO lost city of gold - It's a building that looks like a Hospital and the 'race' consist of about 50 people in white dressing gowns, and there is no gold to be seen apart from a cauldron of sludge which is presumably Gold and the villain of the piece played by Henry Silva hamming it up in a pathetic Diana Ross wig.Many people on here has asked how Quatermain manages to melt the Gold at the end through a Mixture of Axe hitting the roof & some Lightning, I have NO idea and nothing is explained. How they managed to hire Oscar nominated James Earl Jones to appear in this I'll never know.'Lost city of gold is yet again made by the prolific masters of mindless action Golan/Globus and their B Movie studio Cannon Films.Most people seem to despise this and it's predecessor, because they seem to ask too much of a B-Movie - This, like the last is NOT supposed to be of Indiana Jones quality for Pete's sake - All a B-Movie has to do is Entertain, something which this does from start to finish.Yes you can argue It's got a low budget, poor acting, plot holes and cheap and cheerful visual effects, but give it a break, and I'll say it again - All that Golan/Globus films attempt to do is entertain.'Lost city of gold was another flop which put paid to this franchise, which if taken in the right frame of mind, is cheesy fun.** out of *****
This is one of the best films that i have ever watched. it has a very strong storyline, with scenes of action and plenty of drama throughout. A film that had such a wide variety of genre, action, drama, thriller, romance. although there is romantic reference, there is not too much of it, and only refers to it I feel to strengthen the plot itself. A must-see film!
Director Subhash Ghai is caught in a time warp. 'Dharam, karam,parampara, riti rivaaz' all sound out dated and boring. This would have been relevant perhaps 10-15 years back, but it's time to move on. The most redeeming factor is Ashok Mehta's photography - like wine, his DOP skills keep getting better with age. There are good individual performances but no chemistry at all between Viveck Oberoi and Antonia Bernath. Isha Sharvani performs well but has very little to do - with an ill-defined character. And she is made to dance at the drop of a hat - the dancing skills are great, but tend to look out of place with the repeated exposure. Perhaps Subhash Ghai should look at getting younger directors to make his films - like Abbas Mastan in Aitraaz
I love this movie. What's amazing is that I've never heard of any of these actors/actresses before and they're amazing at their jobs. The acting was fantastic. And they way they shot the film they made it look like they had a high budget. When most movies have low budgets, the screen is usually dark.. not much color. The music was great, too. My two favorite characters got killed :[. Dean and Denise. If you have not seen it, go rent it act Blockbuster. Better yet, buy it! It is a great movie. I can't wait for Death Valley 2: The Return of Bloody Bill to come out! Sure, it's a low budget film but it's worth.. the what? 12 dollars you would have to pay for it. Trust me, this movie kicks ass! The zombies are cool, too. Bloody Bill is one sexy son of a...
Loved the story line. Photography good for the era. This is one of the better silent films because it had many dialog cards. I would recommend this one to everybody. If you liked the first talky version of "Lost World" or the original "King Kong" you will like this.This is the story of a scientist who returns from an expedition from the Amazon with a wild story about finding living dinosaurs is meet with ridicule by both the scientific world and the press. Trying to raise people and money for another expedition to rescue a member who had been cut off and left behind, he finds himself with a very unlikely crew. After arriving they themselves become stranded. See the movie to find out if they get rescued or not.
For me, this was the most moving film of the decade. Samira Makhmalbaf shows pure bravery and vision in the making. She has an intelligence and gift for speaking to the people, regardless of their nationality or beliefs. I am inspired and touched by her humanity and can only hope that she has touched many people the same way. Her message in this film is strong, simple and pure. The human soul can survive the most unheard of cruelties and repression, yet still have the capability to hope and dream even the biggest dreams. Under the most incredible circumstances, the most unexpected people rise up to be heroes. This young girl who has recently regained her voice, yet is still afraid to use her new found freedom, is our hero. She daydreams of becoming president of war torn Afghanistan, the only vision of power that she can imagine that could truly change her current situation. We catch a glimpse of her spirit while witnessing her hardships. In the end, we are left with hope, hope that when her young voice does eventually speak out, it speaks loud and clear for all to hear- sounding a message that transcends borders, nationality and religion. The true epitome of the phoenix rising from the ashes. Hats off to the simple tale of the complex truth.
"Kisses And Caroms" is a quirky and highly entertaining debut feature film from Director Vince Rocca. It is a fun filled and (sometimes) raunchy romp through suburban LA and the lives of two central characters (Zack and Jen), and their nutty friends and neighbors. Much of it takes place in a billiard shop which is a very colorful and appropriate backdrop to the story. The pool hall is actually an allegory about life and relationships, of how men and women play mind games and try to control one another. But beneath the shtick and slapstick, beneath the flashy pomp and circumstance, there's a really sweet story of longing, love, lust, friendship, hope, and learning to appreciate what you have while you have it. The screenplay is smart and sassy. The ending has a twist that I didn't see coming. The mostly unknown cast and bootleg/homespun feel of K+C only enhances its authenticity, bringing to mind some of the earlier works of indie pioneers like Robert Rodriguez and John Waters. Very clever indeed.
I just finished watching this film and it brought back to me memories of my life in Albania. the film is very precise in it's description of life in our poor land after the riots and the exoduses that occurred in the early '90s. I was lucky myself not to have gone through what most people go through during this film but I can identify with some of it. even though the film focuses more on the italian businessman, the struggle for survival that most Albanians had to go and still have to is quite clear. this film should be watched by all interested in understanding why people have to abandon their homelands. this is a perfect example and should open eyes to many.
There are two kinds of b movies out there, the ones that are jammed together in the most cynical fashion to wrench out a few bucks and nothing more. then there's movies like 'Dead Heist' where you can just tell that people with little to no budget got together for love of making movies and had a great time in the process. The dialogue is foul and quite hilarious for it, and while the plot is meager at best, there is something infectious (truly no pun intended) about the way everyone involved gives it their all. The small town locations are put to good use, and the violence is never anything but comic book bloody. This movie is nothing but fun and that is all it was ever meant to be. By the way, Zach Hanner rocks.
Wow!!!Congratulations to entire project. This is a beautifully constructed film on a sensitive subject. This film viewer impressed with delicate treatment of subject, the fantastic directors, and superb actresses and the writing. Thanks to producers, directors, actresses for having the courage to make such a film. More need to be made. Thanks to HBO - your courage is evident and thanks again. To Anne Heche your future is bright keep going, encore, encore!!!!!!!
A few comments- First of all, I was student body president at Antelope Valley College when this movie filmed there-they got to film because they kicked $750 into the student government accounts and loaned us original prints of three films for an on-campus showing (they came back to re- shoot two scenes on a weekend, and snuck onto the football field by conning a security guard, btw)...I'm also a background extra in three different scenes in the first 10 minutes, and several of my friends are also in this movie. This movie was made by taking out-takes of chase scenes from other Corman movies, filming segues which basically consisted of Jimmy McNichol or one of the police officers jumping out of one car and into another so the car would match the outtake, and editing them together, then tacking on 5 to 10 minutes of exposition and denouement to the front and back of the chase scenes.The crazy jock football player was an actual Antelope Valley College football player named Francis Maikai, and the scene where he smashes the trash can over his head was not in the script, but just something he did as a joke, and the director liked it so much that he put it in the film.this movie cost virtually nothing to make...they didn't even feed the crew and/or cast, as I recall...
It's typical to stumble upon badly produced junk like this on late night TV. I just can't believe how bad it was produced. I don't know where the 3 million dollars went in making this film? Probably just for the main actors.
No question, it is the best film/musical ever!!! You can't beat a good Travolta film,!!!!
Published in 1921, Vicki Baum's German-language novel MENSCHEN IM HOTEL was an international bestseller. MGM purchased the rights and employed William A. Drake to adapt the novel to the stage. Titled GRAND HOTEL, it proved a great success on the Broadway stage, and with its fame as both novel and play the studio made the property the focus of its powerful array of contract talent. It was smash with both critics and audiences and won the Academy Award as Best Picture of 1932.Although the 1930s was notable for social dramas, audiences of the Great Depression wanted an escape from the hardship of their lives, and no expense was spared to create the glittering and very high-gloss image moviegoers craved. Designed by legendary art director Cedric Gibbons, who mixed Deco and Moderne styles to tremendous effect, each set was built specifically for the film and no detail was overlooked; Adrian's costumes were also meticulous in their combination of high-fashion and romance. No detail was overlooked, and in terms of production values alone few films before or after have bested GRAND HOTEL.But if GRAND HOTEL is distinctly of its era in terms of visual style, it is also distinctly of its era in terms of performance, and it is here that we run into a bit of trouble. Most actors of the silent era relied on a mannered performance style that compensated for the lack of sound. The arrival of sound forced them to invent a new performance style, and some proved more adaptable than others. In many respects, GRAND HOTEL is a study of the struggle to invent this new way of acting; some of the performers are excessively large, some are in transition between silent and sound modes, and some are distinctly modern in their approach.In terms of story, GRAND HOTEL presents several overlapping and interweaving plot lines. Celebrated ballerina Grusinskaya (Garbo) is performing in Berlin--and is a deep depression that threatens her career. Baron von Geigern (John Barrymore) is in desperate need of money--and has agreed to steal Grusinskaya's famous pearls. When Grusinskaya's suicide attempt collides with the Baron's intended theft, romance is result. At the same time, industrialist Preysing (Wallace Beery) has arrived at the hotel in an effort to conclude a important business deal and has hired a stenographer named Flaemmchen (Joan Crawford) to assist him--but Preysing is unaware that company accountant Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore) has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and has taken rooms at the hotel, determined to enjoy himself before he dies. These characters, along with Grusinskaya's maid (Rafaela Ottiano), the hotel doctor (Lewis Stone), and various hotel employees (including Jean Hersholt) collide repeatedly over the course of a few days--and none will emerge entirely unscathed from their encounters.John Barrymore was noted for his larger-than-life performances on the stage, and he brought that same quality to many silent films; less fortunately, he also carried into the sound era, and his performance reads as excessively large. Although Garbo was a great star in the silent era, she quickly adapted to the new demands of sound in such films as ANNA Christie--but when faced with Barrymore's over-the-top performance she responds in kind, and the result is visually beautifully but incredibly mannered, and their scenes are not greatly aided by their dialogue, which is itself very much in "the grand manner." Although they are indeed fascinating, their performances are distinctly out of synch with the rest of the film, where a more natural style of acting is the norm.While Wallace Beery and Lewis Stone are quite good, and while Lionel Barrymore is unexpectedly effective (and much less mannered than his brother John), it is really Joan Crawford that points the way toward the new acting style. Crawford herself had worked in silents, and scored notable successes in such films as OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS, but she has made an easy leap to the sound era and never overplays her hand; Flaemmchen is among the best of her early performances, and Crawford herself thought it among the best of her overall career. She wasn't wrong.With the acting styles all over the map, GRAND HOTEL requires a modern viewer to make constant mental shifts; consequently, the film sometimes feels more than a little uphill. Even so, there are plenty of compensations: Garbo at the height of her beauty; Lionel Barrymore's multi-layered performance; a Crawford classic; and always, always the lush look and feel of the movie. Although I think it will most appeal to film buffs, there is no denying the thing has power, even though that power has become somewhat obscured by the passing years.GFT, Amazon Reviewer
Debra Winger is seen in a Vital Role after a long time. She appeared little rusty and camera conscious and shown little signs of attention awareness. Except that, she did a fabulous job.It would have been nice if the movie is little lengthy that might have allowed the director to show the togetherness of the family by infusing some lighter moments. 2 hour movie format and having pressure of showing all the real life events, took little toll on movie and as a result movie appeared heavy.Except above drawbacks, Debra Winger has put up a very honest performance, which richly deserves all the kudos. Without doubt she is a great artist.
As an American of Norwegian ancestry I honestly approached this movie with an open mind. I was anxious to see how Norwegians lived in the 13th century. In a love story, it's vital to have actors who have chemistry on screen and make the audience feel their pain at not being able to be together. That did not happen in this movie. I simply could not get past the advanced age of all the actors. Talk about wrinkles! What made it worse was all those close up camera shots! Whoa! Back up the camera or use a filtered lens, please! The actor who played Kristen's love interest Erlend was 45 years old when the movie was made in 1995. Did people even live that long in the 13th century? Couldn't they find someone more visually appealing like Norwegian actor Dennis Storhoi (The 13th Warrior)? Even Simon, Kristen's betrothed who was cast by the wayside was younger and more appealing than Erlend. I was kind of turned off by the fact that a worn out, middle aged man was pursuing a much younger woman (although she looked about 10 years older than her character's age). I was unable to believe the passion between them because of their huge age difference. In contrast, the actress who played Erlend's former love interest Eline was a very beautiful actress closer in age to Erlend, and she had very little screen time, yet the actress who played Kristen was very, very plain and in virtually every scene. Once I saw Eline on the screen, I could not imagine that Erlend would leave such a beautiful woman for the plain, uninteresting farm girl Kristen. Another strange thing was the creepy grin that Erlend's sidekick Ulv always had on his face. He reminded me of a pervert. My next complaint is that the story moves along at a snail's pace at three hours. This story could have easily wrapped up in only one hour. It is claimed that at the time this movie was released in Norway, half the country went to see it. I wish I knew how many Norwegian were as disappointed as I after they paid money to see it. While I understand that there are Norwegians who loved this movie and are very proud of their hometown girl, director Liv Ullmann, they are surely a bit biased. They can't expect everyone else to share their passion for this waste of time. Liv claims to have spent one year preparing for this movie. It certainly doesn't show. Maybe she should have spend a bigger part of that year auditioning better actors instead of clearing out the local retirement home at the last minute before everyone died. This was a very disappointing film and watching grass grow may prove to be a faster and more rewarding endeavor if you have a lot of extra time on your hands.
Finally the 3 DVD set of Jodhaa Akbar came out and it is absolutely worth the agonising wait! And there's an added bonus of a set of 12 postcards with images from the film, included with the package. Onto the film....Primarily as the director says on the 3rd DVD, the film is about the love story between Jodhaa & Akbar, then it is about the historical reference & the battles. The film grips you from beginning to end and you become involved and consumed by the whole story. There is no doubt Ashwariya Rai Bachchan is beautiful and effortless in the role of Jodhaa and it is captivating to see how well Hrithik Roshan portrays Akbar falling in love with her; his subtle expressions are heart stopping & he manages to convey his blossoming love through his eyes so well, you can see what a genuinely talented actor he is.There are some deleted scenes on the 3rd DVD & my favourite, which I wished they'd kept in the film, is when Akbar says to Jodhaa whilst out on a hunting trip............well you will just have to buy the whole package to see the scene in question. I cannot recommend this film highly enough. This is just my opinion and people will have their own but for me Jodhaa Akbar has already become a classic.My final praise for the film is for the music by A A Rahman & the lyrics by Javed Aktar. The music fits into the film perfectly and vice versa, especially when Akbar goesinto a trance whilst listening to Khwaja Mere Khwaja. Amitbah has said this is the best scene in a film in this decade.
There is not a crease or seam in Judy Davis's performance in My Brilliant Career. She being one of the greatest of all actresses, or even actors, at the innate endowment of physically, mentally and emotionally residing in a character builds a rivetingly ambitious and combustible character that takes charge of herself and simply does not make a good follower at all and is whirled from early in her life by her independent attributes to have a career in the arts despite society doing all they can to tame her. Her character is so enrooted and actualized that the love story that serves as the flesh of the film between her and the dark and magnetic character of Sam Neill is like a diverging extension of her nature. She only idles away with what she feels could so easily be hers and is driven to single- minded desire of it when it comes to be a challenge. The romantic element of the film, especially in its outcome, fits as a large-scale model of who she is and why she is born to be anything but what her cavalier and domineering family of early twentieth century Australia strives to mold her into.The support of the story, which is Davis's struggle to be independent of society's taming and manipulation is what is ultimately compelling and infuriating, very effectively putting us in her mad, aggressive shoes. The framework involving the attraction between her and Neill is what is ultimately moving and hearty. That is what this film supplies a solvency of, a fiery emotional experience.
Take Kevin Smith's cult flick Clerks, change the convenience store to a billiard shop, and make the leading ladies really hot, and you'll end up with Kisses and Caroms. Oh yeah, make it in color too! Zack's problem comes almost right out of Chasing Amy. He doesn't feel experienced enough sexually to be in a committed relationship with his very hot ex-girlfriend, who for some reason adores him. Unlike Chasing Amy however she's willing to let him get 'experienced' with her a la menage a trois. Most of us can only wish to have his 'problem'. It's actually my only real beef with the movie, as I wanted to smack him around for being such a moron for breaking up with her in the first place! The movie is complete with its funny moments with annoying customers and such. My personal favorite is a 'small' joke when a midget comes in.Basically, if you love Clerks, you gotta check out this homage to it. If you don't, go rent a movie about pizza or something.
"Tucker, the Man and His Dream" offers the quintessential Jeff Bridges performance. While not as tricky as his skillful turn in "Starman," the role of Preston Tucker provided Bridges with a chance to use his innate optimism and unflagging energy to create an indelible character. Although nominated four times for an Oscar, Bridges was overlooked for this, arguably his finest performance. Perhaps the idealistic upbeat Tucker was too close to the real Bridges, and Academy members failed to notice that he was acting out the role of his career. The real Preston Tucker was a man of ideas that outpaced his time, which was the post-World War II era. Eager to produce a car that would embody all manner of advanced technology and safety measures from a rear engine to seat belts, Tucker's mind and spirit far outpaced the abilities of his engineers and backers to keep up with him. Unfortunately, he fell afoul of Detroit's Big Three automakers. The automotive giants felt threatened by the innovations that Tucker proposed and feared that the increased costs required to implement the new features would cut into profits. Fortunately, 46 of the Tucker automobiles that were produced are still road worthy and highly collectible.Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who is reportedly the owner of a Tucker or two, the film boasts a cast of professionals that appear to revel in their roles. Martin Landau as the financier with a criminal record, Joan Allen as the epitome of a supportive early 1950's wife, Christian Slater as the devoted son, and a crew of mechanics that includes Frederic Forrest, Mako, and Elias Koteas all provide excellent support to Bridges's central starring role. Jeff's father, Lloyd Bridges, shows up in the small, but tasty role of a corrupt senator. The film begins as a glossy promotional documentary for Tucker, a la "Citizen Kane," and the concept recurs throughout. Joe Jackson's music emphasizes the upbeat gung ho proceedings even in the face of adversity and captures the era effectively. Vittorio Storaro's superb cinematography and Dean and Alex Tavoularis's period art direction are as slick and shiny as the Tucker automobiles that come off the assembly line.While not in the same league as Coppola's "Godfather" films or "Apocalypse Now," the film is an obvious labor of love. Like Scorsese, Hitchcock, and Ford, Coppola's second-tier works are still head and shoulders above the films of less talented directors. Engaging from beginning to end, the story of Preston Tucker could only have taken place in America, where an idealistic man with a dream can come up a winner even when he loses. Jeff Bridges also comes up a winner as Tucker even though he does not have a golden statuette to prove it.
I don't think you could accuse this one of being a particularly good film, but it is fun for the genre. Slasher films have experimented with supernatural villainy with varying success and in this cheery and cheesy item, a ouija board unleashes an evil being, who proceeds to kill in reasonably bloody ways. Although this one is hard to take seriously, with a muddled script,nondescript performances and a general feeling of badness, it is enjoyable. Virgil makes for a pretty cool killer, the ending is unexpected and the gore, though cheap and occasionally of the squirt gun blood variety is fun to watch and ace in a couple of places. Basically, this is a good bad slasher that won't blow anyones mind, but is worth a look for slasher movie hounds, who are likely to be the only folk interested in this anyway.
I love this movie. Somewhere in the fantasy lies a lot of truth and realism. How would we act if we found out our kid have this magical power to predict the future? Exactly like Eddie did! Well, maybe not quite so exaggerated like him but you get my point.I also felt the kid's acting were great. She did act like a kid would be, with all the faults and insecurities. Dakota Fanning wasn't this good when she was her age.This is a great family movie. It really is. It teaches us some morals, but not in a conceited, fairy tale, only happen in movie ways. It shows us straight up that Eddie does in fact used his kid for his personal benefit. And we all have to make hard decisions at times.There are some fairy tale moments and some really good morals that both kids and adults will connect with and enjoy together.
I have seen this film but it was many years ago, when myself and a friend used to rent videos from the local store and there were certain ones we would rent again and again.This film (Along with "Trick or Treat" & "Killer Clowns from Outer Space") was one of the few that we could watch umpteen times without getting sick of it.It may have been the "implied" vampirism, as we were big horror fans, or just that at the time we were into war films ("Platoon", "Jacob's Ladder", "Full Metal Jacket", that sort of thing)I have been wondering if I could get a copy of it from somewhere. I loved it, and would love to know if it has ever been released on DVD.Would anyone with information about it being released on DVD please contact me. Thanks.
Relatively new cinematic team of director Ariel Vromen and writer Joshua Leibner pounce onto the scene with a surprisingly fine little film that has basically gone unnoticed. DANIKA is a story that demands the viewer's careful attention and rewards that attention with a finely wrought surprise ending. This is a tough movie to review: almost anything that is said about it diminishes the impact of a fresh look.Danika (the superb and grossly underused actress Marisa Tomei) is a beautiful, well-dressed successful professional woman, loved by her husband Randy (Craig Bierko) and her children Kurt (Kyle Gallner), Lauren (Nicki Prian) and Brian (Ridge Canipe). Yet even from the opening scenes we can tell something is amiss: Danika 'sees' disturbing things, terrifying events and people that alter her attention to her job and her family. She visits a young psychiatrist Evelyn (Regina Hall) who becomes her confidant - the only person who accepts that Danika is witnessing disturbing sights. A mixture of critical pieces of disastrous events flash before Danika's eyes as well as flashbacks to some years back when her children were young. Danika overcompensates for her fears by being an overprotective mother, an unfortunate trait that begins to fracture her family.The pace of the film changes to rapid fire events as the reasons for Danika's visions become clear: we finally see just what made this brilliant and strong woman the victim of a terrified and disturbed psyche and the manner in which each of the characters in the story impacts this discovery is well-illuminated. The surprise ending scene is a stunner and one that will haunt the viewer.Marisa Tomei makes this very difficult, well-written role completely believable. She is an actress of enormous gifts. Likewise the remainder of the cast offers such fine ensemble work that credit must be given director Ariel Vromen for being a young talent on the rise. Yes, there are some portions of the film that beg credibility but then that is what delusional thinking is about. This is a tight little film that deserves attention. Grady Harp
The movie was worth watching just to see Jerry Reed and Tom Selleck ham it up with such a great supporting cast of characters, many of whom are no longer with us. The plot was contrived, but who cares! Jerry Reed, as usual, stole the show! Now that he has passed on, Concrete Cowboys is a tribute to the fact Reed's appearance rescued the movie. The plot includes the usual car bomb, shoot-out, cop-car chase, and bad guy fight scenes that keeps the action moving, but just to see so many great artists in their prime is worth watching the film. Also interesting is the set decor, costumes, vintage cars, and those tame nightclub dance moves. Best of all: there was no filthy language, sleazy sex scenes, or female meat-market pandering! This is a good movie to watch with your kids and not have to censor the kind of disgusting garbage vomited out of Hollywood today. Although "Hollywood" has long been morally bankrupt, we can thank God we still have some old and timeless classics, and some B movies worth watching like this one.
I've heard all the "Western Classic" comments but I would call it a Seventies Classic view of the old west. Unlike some real Western classics like "The Searchers", "Rio Bravo", "Open Range" and others, this film left me with a bad taste in my mouth both because of characters and the so called realism. It seems like every character in this movie had either a major flaw that made them unbelievable in their role. A kid with a widow mom that regularly races the wagon and team? How long is that going to go on before he's got a wreaked wagon, a dead horse, and financial ruin? Taking off for Colorodo without even a slicker or a bedroll? A trail boss that lets his men get close to a shootout between themselves and lets a green kid take the night watch alone after just losing four men to rustlers? The settlers the men died for don't even have the decency to bury them and then the final straw was the kid throwing his gun away after the burial. Good Grief!!! He's out between home and Colorado, been thru several gun fights and he decides to throw his gun away and head home(?)!!! This is just going too far to make a peace statement for the end of a bloody movie. The wranglers have lost nearly all their guns, five men and horses, and $200; he could at least round up the horses, guns and money and take them back to the drivers.I could go on and on, but basically, everyone the drivers run into needs to be shot and some of the the drivers could use a good flesh wound themselves. Just because the cowboys are dirty and dusty instead of clean and in fancy shirts, doesn't make it realistic. I really felt lead on after sitting thru this movie.
Rockstar Games along with Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds present Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories. Yes, this was the setting for the classic GTA3. Now, there has been a lot of confusion that this is just like GTA3. Well, whoever says that, they're wrong. This game has a completely new storyline and characters. And new side missions, like going to Capital Autos in Harwood to sell cars or taking pictures of people at famous Liberty sites before their flights. A new addition is Muitiplayer! Yes, several multi-player games are now ready for those eager PSP owners, like The Wedding List and Liberty City Surviver. Overall, this game is a 10 out of 10. Everybody loves Liberty City. Congrats to Rockstar for such a great game.EDIT: Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories is now out for the Playstation 2.
I love this movie madly. . I saw it four days ago and it still hasn't let go of me. Floyd, Walter and Ricco have only one last night together to come to terms with the fact that Floyd will ship out on a freighter the next morning. They drift into that bleak Hamburg night like they would on any other, and the mundane becomes suddenly extraordinary as the reality of the impending farewell percolates through their celebration . What they leave behind in the night, is that total abandon you can only afford those few years between being a kid and suddenly being old.This is one from the heart. It's got everything, the riotous humor and fun of outrunning the crew of an Elvis stuntshow, the tempo and jumpcuts of a strobelight punkclub, a heart as big as the V 8 Walter puts in his Ford Granada and the thrill of a deathmatch...in foosball !!The film reminds us how intoxicating friendship can be and how good it can feel to be that drunk from a toast to a leaving friend. Like the perfect song: happy in its rhythm, sad in its melody. Floyd says early into the film something like" I wish everyone could have his own soundtrack, that there would always be music. So that if you're really down, there would still be the music...and when you're the happiest in your life the record would skip and the moment would never end..." After their last night, when Floyd looks up into the Hamburg sky one last time, the soundtrack to the film DOES skip and captures that perfect moment, the essence of parting, that loss that really isn't and that unbearable inevitability that tomorrow your best friends will be far away.I can only hope that this total charmer finds a distributor in the U.S.. I'm sure it would find an audience somewhere in the same aisles that loved that "Big Wednesday" coming of age urgency, the tempo and irreverence of "Go", the unpretentious humor of "It's a jungle out there" or " No more Mr. nice guy" and the unspoken loyalty in any of the "Winnetou" movies. As for Sebastian Schipper the Director, whose eloquence in talking about his film ( and cars ) at the German Filmfestival in Los Angeles rivals the ease with which this film speaks to you - In a way I'm already sorry to see him becoming famous. He'll soon join Tom Tykwer as the posterboy for the new german film and I'm afraid he'll lose his genius eye and savant heart much like he lost his enthusiasm for foosball........
If I had a dollar for every time I walked out of a movie theater griping about how Hollywood has run out of ideas, I'd be a rich man. Lately I have been on a spiritual search if you will, to find some truly unique movies and Indie films seem to be the grail. Flatland was an impulse buy for me and I must say that this was the most unique movie experience I ever had. Nothing I'm aware of is more thought provoking for people who like discussing UFO's and Inter-dimensional travel. I can't think of a genre this film fits into. This is a thinking person's film and since I've seen it, I've been trying to explain to my cat what a solid is. I've also named her "Pea Brain". You can bet this film will get some serious looks from the big movie houses.
When the movie started i thought that its gonna be just another one of those stupid ones where the most important thing is a car blowing up. That would be my guess but as the story developed after 15 minutes, the movie got better. A variety of good characters made it even better and a touch of humor even more. But this does not mean that things wont be blowing up. The story is also developing pretty good and it takes unexpected turns as the good guy turn bad and the bad ones turn good. The whole concept of a dude being in the wrong place at the wrong time is good and till the end you'll just be waiting for it to hit you with another new situation that you haven't seen before, nor later.
What a great film. Contradiction is the king and nothing is what it seems. Yet, if we analyze the reality of life The Phantom of Liberty does not seem so crazy. I will not describe what happens in the film because you need to see for yourself, but I would like to say why I like it. I love surrealism and Bunuel is the king of surrealism. He would put things together, twist them, run them through a wash machine and come out with elements that one might think would never work together, yet they make perfect sense. He would analyze ones desires, urges, thoughts, social behavior, and when we go deep to ourselves, we discover that, yes, we do have thoughts similar to what we see in his film but, most of us, we keep them to ourselves because we are afraid to voice them loud out. We are afraid that others will perceive us as crazy. Well, not Bunuel, he is not afraid of anything. He wants to go deep, and why not. Perhaps the world would be a better place if we followed Bunuel… or at list we can watch his film and forget our own life for the duration of his film.
I'd like to start with the fact that I hate movies about military and war. We had much too many of them and they are always hard to swallow because they always end in a catastrophe. That's why I didn't want to see "Yossi and Jagger" at first. But then I read that it's supposed to be a good movie with a tender love story; I swallowed and gave it a try. I'm glad I did this. I wouldn't go so far and call the whole movie good but it does have the most touching and beautiful love story I've seen in a long time.I think it's no secret what the movie is about: We are in a military base in Israel and ordinary young people cope with the daily horror each in their own way. They make jokes about it, try not to be serious and look for ways to not think about it the whole day. Some do it with reading, others with music, the commander with sex for we are in a mixed camp here with two girls being in it. And then there are Yossi and Jagger – close friends in the official version, closeted lovers in reality. Yossi is Jagger's boss and both are the stars in their base for in their very own way both young men are special. Yossi is the serious and more reserved one – he doesn't speak very much, always concentrates on his job and is scared to come out. Jagger (named after Mick Jagger cause he's a bit of a rock star himself) is the more flamboyant, vivid, playful and childish one – he's romantic, he is a dreamer, he makes plans for his future with Yossi and wants a love like in a Hollywood movie. It's stunning – you wouldn't guess they're a couple because they learned to hide it very well, but when they are alone you get a hint at how much they love each other. But, alas, we're in a war movie here and no matter how strong the love between the two young men is and how hopeful they are towards their future – the ugly reality will destroy it.You might have an idea of how the movie ends and I won't spoil it for you. Despite this fact I would really recommend this movie to everyone. Also because of the two great protagonists: Israeli TV star Yehuda Levi is terrific as Jagger and the charismatic Ohad Knoller is simply wonderful as Yossi (he was awarded for his performance). Hands down for an unusual love story that will break your heart but that you simply can't help falling in love with.
This famous black comedy was, sadly, the last film by early cinema pioneer, G.A. Smith. Like Dreyer, Bergman and Lang after him, he takes essentially theatrical material to create pure cinema. The setting seems stock Victoriana, as an inept scullery maid blows herself to smithereens (no pun intended!) with paraffin oil - the forbiddingly bare kitchen; the wink-to-the-audience broadness of the acting, from Smith's wife, star of so many of his films.But it does what theatre could never hope to do- it shatters the restricted theatrical space as Mary Jane flies through the chimney; and it brings the dead back to life, just as cinema preserves and makes immemorial the transient. The film is also considered important as one of the first to use a vertical wipe, in this case creating a cartoon-like effect, as Mary Jane nudges the audience as she holds a can with 'PARAFFIN' written in huge letters (a joke borrowed by Beckett over fifty years later in his 'Act Without Words').Perhaps even more intriguing than the film's formal originality is the ambiguity of the content. It seems to be a demonisation of women, of the new Woman or Suffragette, who was demanding the vote at this time in Britain, and victim of all kinds of establishment hatred and ridicule. This film seems to conflate two very real fears of the establishment - women and the working class - who, enfranchised, could have caused great damage to the status quo.Before her accident, Mary Jane is messing around the kitchen, and gets some soot above her lip, creating a moustache, to her delight, as she looks in a very Lacanian mirror. The message is clear - women just want to be men, and steal their power: the result is the destruction of the home, either deliberately or through non-masculine incompetence. Against a gorgeous, 'Caligari'-bleached backdrop, Mary Jane is buried, 'rest in pieces', her class and gender roles shattered, as conservatives wag their fingers at her grave, warning of the dangers of giving women any kind of responsibility.But Mary Jane has the last laugh, and rises from the dead to cause further havoc - Smith taking Freud's ideas about repression and applying them to the social context - the more you try to keep people down, the more they'll come back at you. The fact that the 'patriarchal' figure of the director uses his wife to tell this story is all the more remarkable.
It's only recently that I started watching "24" when a German TV station announced a rerun of the first season. I was amazed about the many soap-opera elements found in this series, the mostly boring plot, and the unbelievable technical goodies. Just to give you one example: The whole story about Palmer's son is completely uninteresting. In fact, characters in this series behave amazingly stupid (i.e. Jamie when interrogated by Nina and Tony), and Jack's wife after calling the CTU about Alan.It seems like that Robert Cochran took a soap-opera style family story and just mixed it up with technical terms (like "formatting files") and electronic equipment even the NSA would be proud of. Numerous times the story reaches a point where you can even feel that the story writers got stuck. Then they just invent a new technical device which Jack happens to have in his car/wallet/trousers/jacket/..., have somebdoy say something freaky, and afterwards the world has changed. Now that's an easy way of constructing stories!All this makes "24" definitely a show that is not worth viewing. However, it is strange that Robert Cochran produced such a bad thing after being very good at "The Commish". There we had believable characters, funny stories, and sometimes even a bit suspense. None of these can be found in "24".
This was a pleasant surprise, much better than I anticipated. I figured Emma Thompson would be good in the title role because you can usually count on her to be entertaining in form or another, cerebrally, emotionally or comically. What I didn't figure on was the fun, extremely colorful story, overall. This was like a banana split for your senses - all kinds of wild treats for the eyes and ears.....to taste, so to speak.This film features outrageous color schemes from the word "go," from the interior of the "Brown's" house, to everyone's apparel to the scenery outside. It almost reminded me "The Cat In The Hat" with its crazy colors. All the characters are as exaggerated as the colors, too. The kids may be brats but they aren't bad once they get some needed discipline and love from Nanny McPhee. They are still fun to watch, and all are quite different in appearance and mannerisms. Thompson is a howl as Mary Poppins-like McPhee and so are the supporting characters. There were no sappy songs, either. This is not a musical.The only character annoying to me was the kids' dad, played by Colin Firth. The actor was fine but his character was so wishy-washy, so wussy, he was barely tolerable for much of the film. By the way, you might not recognize the famous Angela Lansbury in here. Everyone, including her, must have had a great time filming this movie. Only the final wedding segment got carried away with juvenile silliness; the rest was fun for adults and well as the kids, who must have loved this all the way through.This is simply good entertainment and highly recommended.
A Southern hick, I love it when Vermonters are made fun of. Of course, they are only one of the many groups this movie pokes fun at. If you don't want to see physical abuse made funny, don't see this hilarious satire on everything politically correct. Of course, what really makes this hilarious is that in 1937, they didn't KNOW it was politically incorrect to show man hitting women, to show 'darkies', irascible and rude New Englanders, etc. Then there's the propeller-driven airplanes, the first of the airliners flying right past the head of the Statue of Liberty. And guess what? Jack Welch's fortress, Rockefeller Center, looked then just like it looks now. Some things don't change: newspaper chicanery, among others. The hoaxes they bring about, and the hoaxes they continue to abet all in the name of news, is not news anymore.....it's SOP. Right now, the current hoax is the nomenclature used to describe the appointing of the Cabinet, as though the election were a fait accomplis: "Andrew Card, the president's new appointee......" and other such insiduously assumptive language has been used before, as this movie wonderfully points out. In this case, it's a woman at death's door dying of radium poisoning.....who ain't!!! I'm giving nothing away, it's perfectly obvious from the beginning.  I suppose I should rail against the prejudice shown against all newspaper folks by the good people of Vermont, as they shut this guy out....with one toddler biting him on the leg as he walks down the street....but it just felt too good. (After all, some really do take their jobs as members of the 4th Estate and protectors of the common good seriously.)The color is pretty good for 1937, and you'll see the Wicked Witch of the East portraying her less wicked, but still spiteful self. What will give you chills is the pervading knowledge as you hear Carole Lombard's dialogue about death and dying...that she wasn't to ever grow old gracefully, but died in a plane crash not long after this film was made. She was a beautiful woman, and did quiet a good job of acting in this many-faceted satire of life and our attraction to dying, or the pretense of it.Well worth your time on many levels ...just to see film-making of the 30's and how good it could be, for one.
This movie is extremely underrated and deserves at least a 5.5/10 Steven Williams and Lou Diamond Phillips are the real stars of this film. The violence was short and the deaths were cheesy, but worthy.This film is about a group of agents who try to bring a witness to testify against a mob boss. But, when they take a shortcut called Route 666, they encounter killers and four zombies.I recommend this to anybody who likes a decent zombie film.MPAA: Rated R for strong violence and language MY MPAA RATING: Rated R for strong horror violence/gore, brief sexuality, and strong language ****out of*****
I don't usually like war films, but I've really got to hand it to Enzo G. Castellari for this one; what we have is a true balls to the wall, gritty and violent exploitation masterpiece from the time when a bastard was called a bastard (and not a 'basterd'). The film works principally because rather than focusing on the war itself, it focuses on a group of people thrown into the war; and their personal experiences, which principally consist of blowing German heads off German shoulders. The film begins with a convoy taking a group of American soldiers off to prison for their various crimes against the army. En route to the prison, they are attacked by the Germans; and a group of five men manages to escape. They plan to head for Switzerland; the only neutral land around. However, on their way there; they are again attacked by Germans and forced to find their way on foot through the woods. The film then follows the group as they negotiate their way to Switzerland, and end up becoming involved with a plan to steal a valuable weapon from a German train.The main reason this film works so well is simply down to the fact that it's such a blast! The film is entertaining from the first minute to the very end; and this is achieved by a bunch of interesting characters, some well worked humour; and best of all, a plethora of violence. I'd really love to know what the body count for this movie is as it must be astronomical! The film is Italian; but really you'd never guess unless you're familiar with Enzo G. Castellari's work (which includes crime films and Jaws rip-offs) as the main cast are all American and the film was shot in English. The film is often said to be a rip off of The Dirty Dozen (and indeed, the tagline nods to this) although having (unbelievably) not seen The Dirty Dozen myself, I can't really comment on that. The plot flows very well throughout and there's always plenty going on to keep the interest high. It's a surprisingly high quality film too; very well made and the special effects are good. Overall, this is an absolutely great war movie Quentin Tarantino is going to have to work hard if his "reimaging" is going to top it!
Kevin Bacon and Christian Slater worked their way up in the Hollywood ranks at roughly the same time. Sort of like Jeff Daniels and Bill Pullman. Or Bill Pullman and Bill Paxton. But there's no excuse for having Slater stand in for Bacon in this dull sequel to HOLLOW MAN. A government killer is on the loose, and he's invisible. A detective and a scientist are trying to deal with the situation, but end up on the run from the mad killer. That's about all she wrote. This is a Canadian-lensed quickie, and unlike the original, the "invisible man" scenes are laughable instead of scary. Slater has appeared in some real dogs in his career, but this one takes top prize. It's actually a waste to have a guy like Slater, who can act when he wants to, attached to this in-name-only sequel, but Hollywood was thinking name value. If you can't get Bacon back, why not use Slater? Dumb logic. The dialog is atrocious, too. Skip it. I hate to think of how many millions of dollars were thrown away on this puppy.
The movie has a crazy touch. The cutting may sometimes be a little confusing, but it serves the purpose. I did not know what to expect when I started looking. Was this a dark, depressing thing or a comedy? It was something of both. It was very fun, but still it had a serious and solid base. Why is a bad guy bad? Can the tough guy never get a nervous breakdown?
It took me the first 10-15 minutes before I realised that this wasn't a documentary, but was in fact a mockumentary. In other words it's all fiction. I loved that fact that the comments by Sam Neill, Leonard Maltin etc made it all seem so real. What a hoot. Well thought out, and well acted. Just love it.
Duke Mitchell and Sammy Petrillo were a low rent Martin and Lewis. Mitchell had a some talent while, judging from this film, Petrillo had less then none. Petrillo is so bad, so annoying, so painful to watch, he takes Jerry Lewis' schtick to lows one would think were not possible. I had never watched this movie from start to finish until recently laid low by an illness, and all I can say is it made me sicker. Don't get me wrong I love bad movies but this is something else, or Sammy is, since if one could remove him from the film then you'd have something someone might want to watch. He doesn't speak he growls or whines in a way that I can only compare to a petulant child does moments before he's sent to his room until he's 40.(His parents should be held accountable for crimes against humanity for not eating their young)How many people saw this and asked for their money back?After seeing this I must take back anything I've ever said bad about Jerry Lewis, since as annoying as he can be, at least he is funny.The plot has something to do with Mitchell and Petrillo ending up on a jungle island where they meet Lugosi (Half an hour in and after bad Petrillo mugging and a well sung but badly written song) who wants to do experiments on the pair.Truth be told as long as Petrillo is silenced this is a good grade z movie, but he's as bad I have to put this with the lowest of the low.One out of ten, because I can't go lower.
Danny Dengzopa's directorial debut featuring the superstar Rajesh Khanna and Kim (whom he later married). This film is one of the best Hindi horror films. Apparently it has no haunted faces and fictitious haunted stuff but it provides an edge-of-the-seat entertainment to its viewers. The protagonist has been haunted by her aunt who killed her mother and was sent to mental asylum. Rajesh Khanna is a psychologist who treats her and eventually falls in love with her. I will not speak a word after this about its story. It is a must see for people whose favorite genre in movies is horror. It has an enthralling suspense and will make you more and more engrossed as the story will progress.Commenting on the technical points of the movie, it has no flaws. The director, cinematographer and art director has done complete justice to their work. Music by R.D. Burman is enchanting. Lata Mangeshkar's haunting melodies have made the songs memorable. Majrooh Sultanpuri's lyrics were fine.I would rate it as 9.8/10 because it has the ability to entertain young as well as middle-aged viewers in terms of horror story.
I'm not sure why I put off, or just didn't get around, to seeing the Right Stuff. I could take my pick, but really I was never made to sit down by my parents or in school or other to watch it, and... screw the excuses, I wasn't sure about a 193 minute movie about astronauts as a kid. But now having seen it it's quite clear I was missing something fairly excellent in the cannon of the "Bio-pic". It's one of those true compelling 20th century stories, and the filmmaker Philip Kaufman cares about all of these real guys so much that it moves right over into the cinematic treatment of the characters. And more impressively considering its ensemble there's almost a key character to the mix with Chuck Yeagher, the first man to break the sound barrier who never got into NASA with all the other go-for-broke test pilots, but did taste that rush up to the sky just once - and what a rush.This is film-making of a superlative caliber. It is such a story that is told extraordinarily because of how it takes itself seriously as a historical document, but never so much so as to get in a great joke - the kind of natural joking that people do, such as the few quips done by Yeagher in the cockpit to whoever was listening after breaking the sound barrier, which actually happened - or some sliver of satire to the mix. It pleases both as an emotional experience, one of those rousing and inspiring tales, and also at times intellectual. We see the lives of these guys, of Yeagher, Shepard, Glenn, Cooper, Grissom, and their wives too. The Right Stuff is a very human story, told with an approximate awe for the subject matter and an attitude that says "we can be epic, but we can also point out the flaws that come around in human nature." There were so many obstacles that could have come, and sometimes did, for the folks at NASA, the scientists as well as the handful that were picked to do missions up into space in direct competition with America's foe the Russians, that all the astronauts could sometimes do would be to joke or give a hard-lined measure. We see some expected things like a big press conference, but we also see things that ring so true that they feel so real as minor events, like when the scientists are showing the astronauts the pod without a window or proper escape hatch and they all band together to put pressure on them to do it right or else the press will hear all hell (the wording in this scene is very good). The veneer of pure heroism is shown for what it is, as something of not always a tricky thing; the film was criticized by some of the original astronauts for the depiction of Gus Grissom (if only because Grissom had passed on in tragedy and couldn't do it himself), but his story of going into space, and the aftermath with his wife, is important to show for the story the film's trying to tell.That's one of the remarkable things in the Right Stuff, which is giving as much equal time and depth as possible to these guys, and their wives at other times. We see Dennis Quaid's cocky pilot saying he's the best their is, and then another where he suddenly becomes like 12 years old in front of the female doctor as she speaks/laughs with his wife behind doors. We see Ed Harris' John Glenn as the supposed spokesperson of the group, the "Dudley Do-Right" as it were, but then the slightest bit of uncertainty - not to mention a really well told drama with his wife, who was a stutterer, and stood up against being pressured by Vice President Johnson. Little details all add up in the film, and even the ones that don't entirely work (i.e. the cut-aways to the aborigines during Glenn's flight up in space) still carry some worth as far as being filmed wonderfully or with a strange quality that makes it fun to watch - any other director might take out the crucial detail of Alan Shepard urinating in his suit before the very first successful launch of a US man into space, but it's left in, and stronger for it. And as far as just details with the characters go, all you need to see is the kind of simple but very strong representation of death in the man in the black suit and hat who has to pay call to those who've lost their husbands or fathers up in the sky. And, thankfully for such a long running time, we're given several moments in terms of the power of cinematic technique, of showing us the subjective perspective of what those who orbit the Earth see and the views outside the windows at so many countless miles up in the atmosphere. Basically any scene with Chuck Yeagher is one of these, especially early on but then also towards the end with his absolutely stunning bittersweet moment of going up to the sky and, well, nearly dying in a last-minute jump from the plane into flames. Kaufman takes the audience into these moments, and even just quiet or interesting ones with the actors, and imbues it all with just enough importance to level off the occasional goofiness he allows his character or in the choice of edits (watch as the chimps, being spin around in that big circular thing are cut with Glenn spinning around). That it's also one of those outstanding ensembles helps a great deal too.It's exciting and refreshingly bittersweet Hollywood cinema, and at the least of the must-see pictures of 1983.
Man, I was shell shocked. I actually saw this on AMC for the first time and was blown away by the in-depth interviews with Bruce, not to mention his spectacular demonstrations. John Little gets big credit for putting this masterpiece together.I got so much more information about Bruce from this one. You really get to see him as a person, how his beliefs shaped Jeet Kun Do and how he applied it to life in general. Hearing Bruce speak shows how intelligent and philosophical he was, humble, very down to earth....a very likeable guy. It's such a shame to think what potential he would have had if he hadn't died in 1973. Hearing everyone from Linda to Kareem and others speak about him show what an impact he had on others...and not just kung fu. I had known that he defied tradition by teaching "anyone" kung fu and this shows Bruce was a great man. His belief in the "way" and "no limitation as limitation" is really thought provoking as well.The creme de la creme was the hidden footage from Game of Death they discovered. Bruce's vision and his philosophy on what the different levels represented just made me respect him moreso. Plus, the outtakes of various fight scenes from his film shows his hard work ethic and determination in getting the scene down pat.Overall, I've been a big fan of Bruce Lee since I wore Osh Kosh an this made me admire him so much more. To anyone who wants to learn about Bruce, watch this one. To all his fans, I don't need to tell you what a gem "A Warrior's Journey" is.
Only the physical attractiveness of the players might cause a viewer to pause when scanning the channels with the remote control. But a charming girl with a pretty face alone does not create drama. Only shallow showbiz actors and directors would think it plausible to present the reunion of a long lost child with her mother and father as a casual and mundane event. Outpouring at the end of long suffering, raw emotion, deep feelings -- all completely missing from FOUND. The big reunion in FOUND is little more than an owner finding misplaced car keys after a five minute search.Only made-for-TV folk think it does not matter when the actors are clearly seen wearing underwear during "nude" love-making scenes. The technical production values are weak, even by low-end cable channel standards.FOUND is painful to watch, not because of story-telling power and emotion, but because the plot has problems and almost each and every scene lacks credibility.FOUND is missing drama. Please don't try to find FOUND.
The original film made in 1981, The Howling had so much going for it that it was a great film. This entry tried to repeat with almost the same plot, different names and professions and a different outcome but it had nothing that makes it worthwhile to watch again. No humor and no sense in having the lead woman playing a writer instead of a TV reporter being helped by a dead nun? The one cute character had a very small role, the family poodle that dead. This one must be real bad if I liked the dog better than the people!
An average courtroom drama that's made watchable by the always superb Stockard Channing. Who plays a chain-smoking, wheelchair using lawyer filled with angst. It's not often you see such a strong, disabled female character, Stockard Channing is a master stroke in casting, she plays the role with inteligence and a intuitive subtlety. Class stuff one one of the finest ever actresses.
When I saw this TV movie in 1986 I was coming out and it really helped me at a time when I needed help. Timothy Williams did a convincing job. I felt the drag scene was a bit much. But overall it was a concise drama about coming out in a middle class family. I didn't feel it was stereotypical as it was a lot to cram into 100 minutes on TV. I think of this film every once in a while, and wonder why it's not on VHS or DVD. A year before the slightly more superior TV movie about homosexuality (Consenting Adult) played on ABC, so even then in the 80's being gay was becoming a topic of the day. This was a good film, and like myself, I hope it helped other poor souls out there who were struggling with their own sexual identity.
Some far thinking person at our new state of the art Village Twin Cinema decided to run The Bed Sitting Room and 2001: A Space Oddyssey as a double bill here in the very early '70's. That's where I first saw both and they have been locked in my consciousness as equally great and poignant comments on the "future". In one we get to boldly explore space, the other has us desperately rummaging in our own refuse to survive.I ache to see "Bed Sitting Room" again. Arthur Lowe and Mona Washbourne were exemplary, as was Ralph Richardson (and all of the rest).With the torrents of abominable drivel that has made it to DVD release, it is hard to fathom why such a unique gem is not even available on VHS.If there is a God he will inspire a DVD mogul to master and release The Bed Sitting Room, for the good of humanity - if not for my sake alone.
I am a huge "Dallas"-fan, but this movie is just not good enough. Silly one-liners, the acting and direction seems rushed and contrived. And don't get me started on the story, or should I say lack of the same. The first reunion movie "JR Returns" at least had a decent script and some good and entertaining parts, but this time it just didn't work. The title is a misnomer as well, there are hardly any Ewings left on Southfork. JR, Bobby and Sue Ellen. One thing I DID like though was the updated opening titles. Classy! I liked the shot of J.R in the helicopter. If they had used the original "Dallas"-font i would have been perfect, but I guess you can't have it all.
Having witnessed the flop of his last few contemporary dramatic pictures, Cecil B. DeMille made a pledge to the public that from now on he would only make epics. True to his word, he strove to make each successive picture more stupendous than the last. He had made some very effective shoestring epics in the poverty-stricken early 30s, but by 1935 the worst of the depression was over and DeMille could at last be reunited with the big budget.While DeMille had proved on Sign of the Cross (1932) and Cleopatra (1934) that he could make a big picture without masses of extras or impressive sets, he certainly knows how to make the most of those assets when he does have them. It is in The Crusades that we see the development of the style of presentation that he employed for all his subsequent epics. Rather than bombard us with the colossal, he likes to gradually reveal the vastness of a place by slowly and smoothly pulling the camera back. During these moves he usually has an extra or two move horizontally across the frame at a similar pace to the camera, giving the manoeuvre extra grace and momentum. Then there are the battle scenes, tense and frenzied creations of Anne Bauchen's superb editing. These are similar to the ones in Cleopatra, but far more effective, not because of the higher production values, but because the shots are held for longer and their sequencing is better timed.And while DeMille clearly loves the massive crowd shot, he has enough sense to shrink the space and simplify the setting when it comes to key dialogue scenes. Compared to the busy outdoor locations many of the interiors are quite plain, which helps to focus us entirely on the actors, their expressions and their words. The transitions to these dramatic moments are often very smooth, with the drop of a tent flap or simply a change of angle to frame the actors against a bare wall. DeMille was an expert in turning the spectacle on and off, as it were, according to the demands of the narrative.Given the above, it's a pity that, like most DeMille pictures of this era, The Crusades is dramatically rather weak. The dialogue is bland, and most of the characters are lazily-written stereotypes. In the early scenes, there seems to have been this attempt to cram in as many "Olde Englande" accessories as possible, with a cheeky minstrel, a burly blacksmith, the king and his court all hanging out together. Mind you, there is at least a fairly decent character arc in that King Richard is portrayed as a kind of medieval cad who joins the crusade for ulterior motives, but is eventually humbled by his experiences. It's also a refreshingly mature approach to make Saladin an honourable foe, although there is of course still the obligatory moustachioed villain in the form of some anachronistic minor king (played by Joseph Schildkraut, naturally).After having suffered Henry Wilcoxon's wooden turn as Mark Anthony in Cleopatra, it's a major disappointment to see him again in a leading role. You might wonder why DeMille so persistently cast amateurs like Wilcoxon, until you realise he selected players primarily for their physicality, their talent being of secondary concern. In this light it makes sense for Wilcoxon, with his prominent brow and broad shoulders, to play a king. And although Joseph Schildkraut was, as it happens, a very good actor, DeMille repeatedly cast him as these Judas figures because of his thin face and piercing eyes.But this is DeMille. Script and cast will always play second fiddle to the director's showmanship. Despite all the baloney and anachronism, his visual style is on top form here. The Crusades is like a stained-glass window in a church. It will not reach us on an emotional, human level, but it is full of grace and majesty. Yes, DeMille is often called a Victorian moralist, but in his presentation and imagery he was practically medieval. And we should forgive him, because he did it so well.
The film is creative and really well-made. I can only imagine the difficulties that face children when their parents get divorced, but the film also includes the anxieties of teenagers something that most people can relate to in one way or another. Alcohol, sex, masturbation as well as the radical change in behaviour of some teenagers especially with expressing their hurt at school and with other relationships.An upsetting scene in the film was when the girlfriend of the older son says that her mum doesn't like her dating him because his parents are divorced, and that that bad relationship might reflect on their relationship.Great movie!
good movie, also very painful for anyone from that region of the world.i warmly recommend it to americans - try something other than hollywood - it doesn't hurt...
Ok first of all, Bette Midler is one good actress, and singer. The Rose is about a woman of the same name, Rose, who is brought down from her rock and roll stardom by drugs, sex, and obscene remarks from mean men calling her obscene names. But she can't help it. This film is loosely based upon Janis Joplin, a rock and roll star who came "down" from drugs. This movie is sad, at the end. It made me cry, and I am a man, so ladies you know you gotta see it!! And the song THE ROSE is my favorite song now!!! I love it and I loved the movie and I will watch it over and over.!! thank you , C. Patterson
Since I get unlimited rentals from Netflix, I often mix in some stupid movies, sometimes because I feel like watching a lighter movie that doesn't require any thinking, and sometimes just out of morbid curiosity. It was the latter that compelled me to rent "New York Minute" starring the Olsen twins."New York Minute" has gotten universally bad reviews from critics, but I considered that the mere fact that the movie starred Mary-Kate and Ashley invited ridicule from people who haven't even seen it. Despite a traumatic experience in my teenage years, when I was repeatedly forced to watch "It Takes Two" (an Olsen twins version of "The Parent Trap") by some kids I frequently babysat, I gave this one a chance. To my surprise, it was even stupider than it looked. Even stupider than the critics led me to believe. Even stupider than "It Takes Two." So stupid that I hardly know where to begin… The interchangeable Olsen twins play, you guessed it, twin sisters. Although they are identical in appearance, they have completely opposite personalities: Jane is the conservative, overachieving twin, while Roxy is a messy, truant punk. Eugene Levy plays a truancy officer who's obsessed with catching Roxy.Jane and Roxy are both taking a trip into the city -- Jane to deliver a speech for a scholarship contest, and Roxy to go to a concert -- and a predictable case of mistaken identity leads to both twins getting kicked off the train. While they're at the train station, FBI agents descend on a guy trying to hand off what turns out to be a computer chip with pirated music (leading one to wonder why they didn't just e-mail the files or something), causing him to slip said chip into Roxy's purse, resulting in a Chinese-wannabe limo driver chasing the twins through NYC to recover the chip.During the bizarre chase, Jane accepts a ride from the limo driver because she can't wait 3 hours for the next train, even though she has more than 6 hours to get to her speech. Then Roxy tosses the important chip onto a tray of food, which the dog proceeds to eat. At one point, the twins end up in a sewer, but the scary black people-turned-nice at House of Bling give them multiple free makeovers (despite Jane's tight schedule to get to her speech, she takes the time to try on half a dozen outfits and dance around in each one) and a cab to drive. Meanwhile, the truancy officer commandeers and subsequently wrecks a tourist couple's RV to chase down Roxy, but then gets promoted for busting the pirated music ring.It all comes together to create possibly the stupidest movie ever made. What's really sad about "New York Minute" is that it was supposed to be a vehicle to show that the Olsen Twins are serious actresses, but it ultimately just shows how undeserving they are of their fame and fortune. (1/10)
the protagonist of this movie is very much like his near-sexual obsession - the shark - as it is described: a "misunderstood predator". Added to this, as a vengeful crusader for shark equality he's not only a murderous psychopath, he's also an unfriendly, arrogant man with a big ugly medallion and no sense of humor. In this film humans and sharks both live in competitive worlds where hunting is both the business and the pleasure. Don't expect anything edifying. The dialogue is histrionic and combative with a few genuine gems like: "You are a SICKIE! Get out of here you SHARK-LOVER!"Indeed, it's implied that sharks replace women for our curiously masculine anti-hero - ("I wouldn't be surprised if them baby sharks come out lookin' just like him.") In the beginning, he sits at a bar and watches a sexy woman on stage, as the audience hoots and howls. Later, the girl is replaced by a shark...yes, It's a feeding frenzy of abysmal performances!I would recommend this film for one reason alone - the soundtrack. There are some nice ambient grooves in here, and more than one scene has music similar to Pink Floyd circa 1969, with keyboards from 'More' or 'Ummagumma'...only this is easy listening music for creatures with walnut-sized brains.
Lake Placid 2 is the sequel to the not so good Lake Placid. This movie stinks beyond undescribable words but I will try.The acting is terrible. It seems as though a page of script was written and shot at the same time. When the crocidile attacks, most of the characters seem so calm about it, even making jokes after one of their own has just been killed. I thought that maybe John Schneider might be the actor in the film but that honor goes to the dog in the film.Of course, the acting is only one flaw in this film. Another flaw is the script itself. The dialogue is incredibly bad and there are many scenes that just seem to make no sense.The most important part of the film is it's direction. David Flores who is not noted for anything major but I can't seen a great future for this guy. There are many continuity mistakes and the characters all seem stiff...The special effects are terrible. I am sure that in today's era that even a made for TV movie can have decent special effects. The Crocidile looks awful and the death scenes are just garbage. There is no fear in this film.Sometimes I enjoy watching these ridiculous movies for a nice laugh but I couldn't even enjoy it as a bad movie. If you want to see a good terrible movie, than watch other Made for Sci Fi movies like Crocidile and Crocidile 2...They are much better yet still terrible.
"X-Men" rules! As directed by "The Usual Suspects" helmer Bryan Singer, this top-drawer cinematic adaptation of the popular Marvel Comic series sets a whole new standard for filming superhero sagas. Unlike the gratuitously overblown, happily-ever-after, D.C. Comics inspired "Superman" and "Batman" franchises, "X-Men" differs because Marvel Comics forged superheroes with tragic flaws. Not only does Singer orchestrate an entertaining but intelligent yarn around titans of Good and Evil battling for supremacy with the fate of mankind at stake, but he also tackles important cultural issues integral to the plot that enhance its subtext about intolerance. Ultimately, "X-Men" qualifies as the best superhero comic book movie ever produced, thanks to a stellar cast led by Shakespearean heavyweights Patrick "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Stewart and Sir Ian "Richard III" McKellen, "Matrix" style special effects which compliment rather than eclipse the plot, and a literate script that parries childish pratfalls. Obviously, hardcore aficionados of either the animated TV series (1992-98) or the comic book itself may complain about the various liberties that Singer and scenarist David Hayter take with the subject matter.Over the opening credits, Patrick Stewart narrates that "in the not too distant future" genetic mutations will trigger the "next stage of evolution." As the next evolutionary stage of life, mutants—a.k.a. Homo superior—will suffer persecution because they are not only different but also potentially dangerous. The prejudice that mankind manifests toward these mutants serves as an allegory for our current climate of political, racial, and sexual bigotry as well as the uncertainty that older teenagers and younger twentysomethings encounter as they search for their niche in society. Some critics have compared the showdown between Professor X (Stewart) and Magneto (McKellen) with the rivalry between Martin Luther King and Malcolm X during the turbulent 1960s, while others have recognized mutants as symbols of any oppressed group forced to identify themselves, whether they be classified as homosexuals, communists, Jewish, or firearms owners. Like the famous "Star Wars" prologue, Stewart's voice-over neatly encapsulates the origins of the "X-Men" and the inherent conflicts confronting them.While "Superman" and "Batman" unfolded in linear fashion, starting from the beginning, Singer picks up "X-Men" somewhere in the middle. The setting is Poland in 1944, and the Nazis are parading helpless Jews into the gas chambers for extermination. When young Erik Lensherr (Brett Morris, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the older Ian McKellen) finds himself separated from his parents as the Nazis are about to gas them, he experiences such heretofore unknown terror that he emanates an invisible force field with his fingertips. He destroys the high, iron, barb-wired gates while several soldiers struggle to restrain him. Finally, smashing Lensherr in the face with his rifle butt, one Nazi sentry knocks him unconscious. Nevertheless, his supernatural powers stun the guards. This grim scene in Auschwitz hearkens back to "Schindler's List (1193), while the show of paranormal power recalls Brian De Palma's "Carrie." As introductions go, the concentration camp scene grips with its poignancy. Clearly, this horrific, downbeat scene is not the usual way to kick off a superficial movie about a comic book franchise.Flash-forwarding through time, Singer brings us to contemporary Washington, D.C. Dr. Jean Gray ("GoldenEye's statuesque Famke Janssen), a telepathic mutant with telekinetic powers, address Congress on the controversial subject of mutant registration. Senator Robert Kelly (Bruce Davidson of "Willard") believes mutants with their extraordinary physical and mental prowess endanger humanity. The fanatical Kelly demands all mutants be required to identify themselves. Moreover, he campaigns for registering them since they cannot be trusted to supervise their powers responsibly. Some mutants, he argues, can eavesdrop on your mind and read your thoughts. While Kelly drums up support for his proposed legislation, Dr. Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) watches quietly from the balcony. Although confined to a wheelchair, Xavier is a super-telepath that can do what Kelly fears the most. Not only can Xavier read your innermost thoughts, but he also can exert control of another person's body and speak through them with the ease of a ventriloquist.Unlike the cynical Erik Lensherr, a.k.a. Magneto, who insists war between humans and mutants is inevitable, Xavier contends that mutants and humans can co-exist in harmony. As far as Xavier is concerned, people like Kelly are well-meaning but misinformed. Xavier has established a School for Gifted Youth in Westchester, New York, where he teaches young mutants to curb their potentially destructive urges. Some of his long-time students, Cyclops (James Marsden of "27 Dresses") who sports special sunglasses to shield his lethal laser beam eyes; Storm (Halle Berry of "Die Another Day") who controls weather and deploys lightning bots; and Dr. Jean Grey serve as instructors when they aren't running errands for Xavier. Concisely, in a model of economy, Singer establishes the characters and creates the overall conflict between them while broaching questions about the enormity of segregation! Moreover, he inserts several amusing tidbits of humor that flesh out the characters without detracting from the storyline.The conflict in David Hayter's screenplay that prompts Magneto and Xavier to clash again concerns tow mutants thrown together by fate. A teenage girl in Meridian, Mississippi, Marie (Anna Paquin of "The Piano") discovers her touch can kill. Also known as 'Rogue,' she can drain the life out of people. Horrified by her inexplicable power, she hits the road and eventually meets Logan (Hugh Jackman), a rough-hewn cage fighter nicknamed 'Wolverine,' an anti-social amnesia-stricken loner searching for his past.Director Bryan Singer toils throughout "X-Men" to dispel any notions that it is just another disposable comic book epic. He triumphs in every department from superb casting to thoughtful plotting. Stewart and McKellen embellish "X-Men" and provide it with the kind of dignity that Alec Guinness brought to "Star Wars." When Magneto and Xavier speak, their conversations sound like the oral equivalent of a chess match. "X-Men" hits the mark because Singer and Hayter fuse superior dramatic elements in the best Aristotelian fashion; its heroes experience a tough time winning.
It seems that I am in the minority in thinking this isn't that great a film. Despite being directed by Fritz Lang and having some excellent actors, the plot seemed totally ridiculous and preachy. In many ways it reminded me of a poorer version of the film THEY LIVE BY NIGHT, except that realism and believability were completely ignored. The bottom line is that this seems to be a very poorly written film that's full of holes that only scores as high as it does because of the actors and director! Without these, I probably would have scored the movie a 2 or 3! Despite the good actors, there were still some problems with their performances. The biggest disappointment was Barton MacLane. In most of his films from the 1930s and 40s, he plays a "heavy"--often a gangster or villain in cowboy pictures. While his role here is a welcome change from this stereotyped role he usually played, he plays the most boring and wussy defense attorney I have ever seen. Seeing this tough character actor reduced to someone with the magnetism of a piece of lint was very frustrating, as his character was never really developed and could have been played by almost anyone. Also, while Henry Fonda was okay as the two-time loser accused of murder, his character was so unlikable in the last part of the movie that the impact of his being falsely accused of the crime was greatly diminished. In other words, if he hadn't resorted to KILLING PEOPLE to avoid the death penalty, we might have cared what happened to him! If only he could have escaped without murdering the priest, then I wouldn't have lost interest. Or, if it had somehow been an accident, then maybe I would have cared. But, as it was, he'd knowingly committed many crimes in the past and kills a man to escape, so WHAT exactly is the point of the film? If it's that the death penalty is bad or that people should give ex-cons a chance to succeed, then it is completely obscured by the time the movie is finished. Plus, although at first I liked Sylvia Sidney's character for believing in her man, after she knew he was a murderer and STILL followed him, she just seemed totally stupid. As a result, she seemed more like a plot device than a real person.With a re-write, this could have been a great film. As it is, it's very skipable and a film that Lang and the cast probably didn't want to remember.
The Strange And Deadly Occurrence is one of the best made for television thrillers that you will ever see!When I saw this as a young teenager, my heart was pounding so loud, I thought that I could hear it!I was truly scared, and I turned all of the lights on. I saw this movie recently, and I was just as scared as I was back then. I will not give away the plot. I will say that Robert Stack as the father was terrific. Vera Miles played the mother, and as usual she was wonderful. The sound effects were so good. The constant loud banging in the story scared me more than anything.This is a thriller that the whole family can sit down and watch with no gore or bad language.I highly recommend this movie to people who love to be scared.
Animation is often seen as a childish medium, and for good reason as kid's films often are animated. However, every now and then an animated film comes along that extends it's boundaries and manages to deliver a very adult story, and Grave of the Fireflies is one of those films. Through it's well observed and very real characters, Grave of the Fireflies portrays a story of loss, heartbreak and the effect of war on civilians in a manner that is more effective and more firmly based in reality than many live action films about the same subject are. We follow Seita and Setsuko, a brother and sister that have lost their parents in the war and are now forced to fend for themselves in the war torn country. How the two go about doing that and the boy's development from a child to a (somewhat) responsible adult due to the change in the surroundings makes up the spine of the movie.I'm not a big fan of animation, but there are some films that are so great that a person's personal preferences are irrelevant, and this is one of those films. The animation is beautiful and certain scenes, including the air raids and anything with the fireflies are amazing works of art. The way the music blends with the images on screen is haunting and beautiful, and helps add to the tragedy of the story. Because we are able to care for the characters, the tragedy is increased ten fold and the story on the whole is a sad one, but few movies have ever matched up to this film's ending in terms of pure despair. The conclusion is absolutely gut wrenching to an extent that few movies have ever matched, let alone animated pictures. The fact that it's so plain and blatant, with no attempt to console the audience takes the tragedy to a whole new level and I don't doubt that many audience members will be holding back tears upon the film's conclusion.This film is a must see.
OK, lets get the obvious out of the way, Zack Efron is in this movie. That said, there's really not much positive to say about this boy coming of age film. The acting is OK, the camera work is OK, the continuity leaves a lot to be desired as previously mentioned, the story is painfully predicable (spoiler alert, watch the opening menu long enough and you know he races)...Probably the most disappointing thing about the film is it's lack of justice. A good sense of justice and good prevailing completely is essential in a family movie. That does not happen in this film. The two "bad guys" (Michael Nardelli and Colton James) really tear it up and should have been arrested following the race (lets add a little drama), but we don't even see Nardelli when he loses, so there isn't even a chance to rub it in a bit. It's unfortunate, but I can't recommend this movie....unless you absolutely must see Zac Efron.
Though I did enjoy this movie especially how Judith Helfand went all out to find out information that worried her. However, the only problem I have is that the majority of the people she used for her scientific information were Green Peace scientist.Now, even though these are legitimate researchers, Green Peace has an agenda and they want complete protection of the environment. I feel that this actually hurts her attempt to prove her point. This just makes the movie extremely bias.By talking to these scientist the only thing she does is raise her own anxiety while making her movie a Green Peace Platform thats message will most likely be ignored.My tip, next time stay away from biased scientist all together. Other than that the movie was very good, very well thought out and shot.
In my opinion, one of the best movies of the last 20 years. Very well-made, entertaining, & educational as well. A must for anyone who enjoys a good, intelligent movie, whether you have an interest in space, politics, modern history, or whatever!! I have seen it several times (I teach American History & show in class every year), and am always entertained, never bored. I give it a 10!
Went in with an open mind, looking to watch an entertaining movie and it turned out to be just that... Entertaining. Story could have been stronger, but the idea was very good and kept me watching. The arty camera shaking was pointless but didn't ruin the film for me. Not sure in the direction they wanted to take this film, but its definitely not a horror, more of a road movie with a touch of every other genre.ALL in all, if your lost for what film to watch, definitely worth checking out Route 666, its not the greatest film, but go with an open mind, and don't pick at everything you see, and you'll enjoy the film, I could quite happily sit through it again
A safe betBrazilian cinema is getting stronger, indeed. And it has reached levels of quality that really surprise me. What we are seeing, mostly, is a tendence to leave the alternative and reach the popular and commercial. That is exactly what Carandiru passes.It is a great movie, without a doubt. Strong, heavy, and yet not as real as it could be, Carandiru will impress mostly the international public with the story of a place where "the only thing more important than freedom is survival". It is very well conducted and some scenes are close to genious, but it is not a masterpiece at all. Carandiru is a safe bet. A safe bet because it does not cause all the impact expected, probably because of external pressure, a safe bet because it is a easy movie to watch, and has a commercial background. It´s obviously NOT an attempt to get only profit and maybe even an Oscar nomination, but still, it is an easy movie to watch. A movie to many people.Again, it is a very good movie, Hector Babenco talent and the cast talent make the experience of watching it pretty good, and it is indeed one of the best movies of the last years. But - and I am trying to avoid this comparation - it is not as good as Cidade de Deus (City of God).If you are looking for a good movie to have fun while watching, not truncated and complex in its storyline or editing, you will enjoy - as I did - Carandiru. But it is, definetly, not as good as expected.8/10
I'm not sure where anyone could find merit enough to give a movie this bad more than 3 stars at the most. It is total camp and filled with horrible acting. The story line itself wasn't that bad but the acting was so bad that at times it seemed like they were reading their lines from Que cards. The person or persons that own the wrecking yard has a gold mine though. The old Harley "Knucklehead" at the beginning of the movie was the only prop that was worth any real money. I have heard of shoestring budgets for making movies, this one is beyond broke. Glad I didn't pay money to see this flick, ugh. It gets a generous 3 out of ten.
I first saw this movie on video around the time it was produced. I immediately liked it even though it was a bit bleak. But the late 80's were full of apocalyptic nuclear holocaust movies and this was the only one that stayed with me. Now, years later, I've just rewatched it (this time on DVD) and I still think it's a very good -- but not great -- movie.Admittedly, there's some over-the-top 80's haircuts and costumes, stuff that would be seriously 'retro' nowadays. And the acting, particularly in the beginning, is 'obvious' and a bit tiring. But when the hero receives that fateful phone call, it all changes. Suddenly, it's like watching a stage-performance of a play, a pressure-cooker where everyone suspects everyone else and no one knows what's really going on.In fact, one of the best parts of the screenplay is that we, the audience, also don't really know what to believe (until the very end). We watch the hero struggle with what to tell people who's help he needs: if he tells them the awful truth, they may not believe/help him; if he tells them a more believable lie, is he denying them the chance to survive or at least to die with their loved ones. Either way, both he and the people he meets turn to progressively more and more extreme behavior -- people die! . . . and what if it all turns-out to have been a hoax?In all, I think this movie ranks as a great sci-fi film, and in the truest sense of the genre: What If. It's not about aliens or galactic empires or anything else that's more fantasy than reality. Instead, it's a situation that any of us could easily imagine and I think this is why it stayed with me all these years, why it now forms a part of the framework for my imagination whenever I find myself catastrophizing about terrorism or natural disaster, anything that could separate me from the ones I love. What would I do?
I have just watched back to back these two movies and ranked both an 8. Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman Etal made me feel that their movie was closer to history and also brought pride in their perceived honor. The chronicle from childhood to the 20th Century felt complete. BUT Then came Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott and Powers Boothe (Deadwood 93) etal and left me entertained to the ninth degree. The sheer pace of this one leaves you breathless. These movies should be seen back to back and not compared as they tell two different stories occurring at the same time and place. Costner as Wyatt was more believable But Russell's Earp was more fun. Quaid was Doc Holiday but Kilmer had a holiday with the role. I will concede that Sam Elliott made Virgil his and nobody is going to take it away. Rent or buy both movies as it a worthwhile investment of your time.
On Starliner Island, you have luxury high-rise living with deluxe accommodations, including a delicatessen, a boutique, a doctor and a dentist, dry cleaning, and parasitic sexually transmitted slugs that are taking over the population. What more could you ask for? Now, I realize that this is made in 1974, but I don't exactly buy the "luxury" apartment living thing, for this high-rise is the epitome of tackiness, and most of it seems to be furnished in ultra-modern poor taste.But enough of that, on to the important stuff, as the film opens and an excited young couple come to view apartments. This is interspersed with scenes of an elderly man as he chases a woman in a school-girl uniform around one of these lovely dwellings, eventually captures her, and cuts her open on the dining table and pours acid inside of her. And then, he cuts his own throat. How's that for an opening scene? Well, it seems that this man is a doctor, and he was experimenting with a sort of parasite that was part aphrodisiac and part something else. And Anabelle Brown, she of the school-girl uniform, was his test subject. The problem is, that Annabelle was rather well known (and liked, apparently) by many men within this complex and had frequent visits from them, and therefore she has shared this little parasite with them.The resident doctor, Roger St. Luc, has visited with an old college professor of his, Rollo (played by Cronenberg regular, Joe Silver), and has found out more of the deceased man's background and what he was up to. And that gives him a bit of insight as to what's going on at Starliner Island, although, not quite enough to deal with the problem. Dr. St. Luc as a rather interesting hairstyle, too, kind of an extreme wind-blown look, perhaps achieved by applying spray after coming in out of a gale.At any rate, the parasites are moving from person to person & also can survive outside of the body, but are always looking for new bodies to host them, so they aren't outside for long. And pretty soon the whole complex is full of sex-crazed murderous lunatics. Our intrepid doctor is determined not to become one of them and it does seem he's one of the last holdouts, but unfortunately not for long.And then, after all the fun is over at home, why not take a drive to Montreal? It is, after all, only minutes away.This is an impressive debut and definitely different and original for the time in which it was made. Cronenberg is rather a master at incorporating the creepy and nasty into "everyday life" and this was just a taste of things to come.8 out of 10.
This is one of the movies I'd recommend to anyone in want of a good movie. It was very enjoyable and although there weren't unpredictable twists, it didn't fail to keep me attentive.Story-line: Lon (Daniel Wu) was born with an injured face. Him an his brother are hired killers until something happened, which prompts a turn in the story.Stephen Fung and Daniel Wu both gave awesome performances. Although, I haven't seen many HK films, it seems that they are taking a turn and for the better. Very enjoyable.
The visual wit and warm wrap-up that Blake Edwards' brings to one of the finest comedic series of film history (and, apart from the couple produced in the eighties, they were consistently original and inventive - and changed with each one) is sadly misunderstood and no longer appreciated by our audiences. The manner in which Edwards' uses the entire screen instead of just cutting for quick effects requires a little more patience, and can result in quite a payoff - witness the side-splitting scene with Dreyfus and colleague in hospital beds (but, of course, you need a widescreen version to see it). This movie made me laugh, and laugh, and laugh, but, as I said before, if Edwards' "The Pink Panther Strikes Again" (probably the best in the series) were released today, it wouldn't have gotten the time of day either. It's too bad, because this film, which displays a tenderness to these characters and Edwards' creation as a whole, was never allowed a chance to really be seen without generally jaded eyes.
This show is the most truthful portrayal of what men think about. I know men won't admit it to their significant others and women will never believe it, but this series very accurately portrays a man in a relationship. No matter how well a guy has it, the grass is always greener on the other side. That is the basis for this whole series. The internal everyday battle of men to stay faithful to the one they love when their natural animal instincts and testosterone are telling them to try and sleep with every fine piece of arse they see. I know it doesn't sound beautiful or poetic but its truth.Anyways, the show is hilarious, especially if you are more into darker, drier humour. Wish HBO never cancelled it.
I must say this is one of the best movies to have come out in 2008. I wouldn't want to compare it with Tare Zameen Par because it deserves to be a unique film in its own aspect."Jodhaa Akbar" was truly beyond my expectations !!!!. I saw the 3hrs 40mins film on Saturday but still its lovely characters and the setting has left me amazed !!!!. The film began on a very slow and rather boring note though Amitabh Bachchan's powerful role as the narrator was worth appreciating. The first half-an-hour had some war sequences which were shot wonderfully but got kind of stretching-too-long after a while. After the entry of Hrithik as Emperor Akbar, the true story was beginning to form. With his muscled look and the mustache, Hrithik looked every bit like a true hero. I was completely awestruck by his power-packed performance as the stern yet kind-hearted Akbar. An alliance between the Rajput King and Akbar took place, which said that Akbar would protect the Rajput kingdom and the King in return would give his daughter Jodhaa's hand in marriage to Akbar. This was the turning point in the film, after which it took off beautifully. Aishwarya was the best choice for the film and no one could have done as much justice to the role as much as her. She looked amazing and I was completely mesmerized by her beauty. She looked like a true defiant Rajput princess with the heavy jewellery laden look complete with long hair and lovely dialogues. The setting of the film was something-to-watch out for. The Agra Palace and the setting for the war sequences were shot at the Nitin Desay Studios At Karjat apart from some other fabulous locations. The setting is something that one HAS to go to a cinema hall and watch.....it is something you just can't capture or experience on your normal TV at home. Apart from the lead actors, Punam Sinha , Sonu Sood , Ila Arun and the child actor (Parth Dave) have delivered superb performances. I don't want to spoil your mood by telling you the whole story but I must say this movie deserves to be seen and appreciated. I don't know whether the movie might be a hit or a flop but one thing's for sure.....it will definitely be remembered as one of the finest films ever made in Bollywood. Like "Mumbai Mirror" (a newspaper) said...."this film is worth every rupee of your multiplex ticket".....LOVELY !!!!!! :) :) 3 cheers for the cast and crew of the film !!!!!!!!!
Very original format. Wasted no time in moving with the flow of real moving story. Not predictable at all. Got hooked watching TV and was surprised. Back to basics movie; touches the soul.I was surprised to not have heard of Irene Dunne. Beautiful actress who played this part with natural skill. Cary Grant was also very convincing.
Keane by Lodge H. Kerrigan leads from the first moment into the world of a mentally disturbed person. A man looking for his kidnapped daughter. He is nervous, he is insecure, he tries to think and the more the movie follows him, the less it is clear, how much this person can be trusted. Was the daughter really kidnapped? Does he have a daughter at all? Did he maybe kidnap a girl? William Keane appears to be a drug addict and a mad man – but is he really or is he just a person that needs help? The movie does not gives answers to this – it just leaves us with William, of whom one gets more and more afraid. When a woman, who lives next to him, starts trusting him and asks him to care for her daughter for a while, the audience just waits for the inevitable tragedy to happen. Every situation that Keane is confronted with offers a possible mistake to be made, a crime to be committed.Kerrigans movie offers a look into the instability of the mind without giving explanations. It shows a hopeless world and a short flickering of a light at the end of the tunnel – without being pathetic. It takes the audience from a different angle and leaves no other opportunity than to let us be guided by our feelings, as no reason is visible – truth and background are missing. Keane does not need to commit any crime; we do that for him in our fearful minds, while watching the movie.An extraordinary different movie.
Hey, I love this gem of an overlooked major motion picture. I just saw this 15 plus-year-old film for the first time today. All the big and little name actors were credible and believable. The story and relationships rang true.Sure, a lot of blood is spilled but really no more than any other gang film. And there is hot romance, partial nudity, deep betrayal, lethal weapons of all types and sizes, highly manic and inappropriate anti-social behavior, dark shadows, old rooftops, bad language, slow motion gun fights, fierce fist fights, yucky dead bodies, severed body parts, things blowing up, screeching tires, dingy subways, lots of alcohol, several funerals, a grand parade - what's not to like here?If you liked Mystic River, Reservoir Dogs, Goodfellas, Godfather I & II, and various cop & robber shows on TV over the past 50 plus years you'll love seeing this realistic portrayal of a little self-destructive crime family that could be operating in any ethnic neighborhood in any larger city at anytime in history.
First of all, I'd like to express how much I love The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Tolkien was a genius. Peter Jackson did a great job on the films, I think. But Rankin-Bass, however, did not.SPOILERS The thing that bothered me a lot in this movie was the music. It was annoying, and ends up getting stuck in your head. Right now I'm trying to get rid of the one about Frodo's Nine Fingers. The animation is awful. There were also several elements of the story that bothered me, in animation, and in plot. For example, why did Elrond have a beard? Elves don't have beards. They are clean-shaven, always. Why did Merry and Pippin meet on the Pelenor DURING the battle? Where are Legolas and Gimli? What's with Denethor? The orcs looked much too top-heavy to be able to walk. The Nazgul were terrible. (They were on flying horses.) Denethor was bad, as well, as he just looked like a crazy old man with a back problem. He didn't look strong at all, as he was portrayed in the books and the recent film by Peter Jackson. Gollum looked as if he were pregnant, and sounded like a guy clearing his throat. And Sam's frequent exclamations of, "Oh, my God!" and "Lord, help me!" were not true to the books. (Although Tolkien was a Christian and so am I, the phrases should not have been in the movie.) And the battering ram, Grond? The thing looked as if strangely colored drool was coming out of its mouth rather than fire.This was overall the worst adaptation of anything I have ever seen. It was, truly, painful to watch.No, really, I was writhing in agony. Good thing the library rents out tapes for free.
Cold Comfort Farm has been and remains one of my favorite movies of all time. Why? Simple: it is hilarious, has a star-studded and perfect ensemble cast, and is a beautiful adaptation of an equally, if not more hilarious, book. When one thinks about this movie, one always returns to the cast and how well-suited they were for their roles. Kate Beckinsale fits perfectly in the role of London débutante Flora Poste who, like Jane Austen, "could not endure a mess." Ian McKellen plays his role to fire and brimstone perfection. Rufus Sewell is remarkably well suited as the smoldering Seth with his brooding eyes and husky, outdoors-y sentiments. Eileen Atkins plays the extremely depressed, reverse-Oedipal mother of Seth in all her exceptional oddness. This is but naming a few of the fabulous cast members that fills this film. The film itself is beautifully filmed and beautifully acted. I would highly recommend it to anyone who 1)enjoys subtle British humor and 2)just enjoys an all-around excellent film.
This film is loosely based on the erotic art novel by Emmanuelle Arsan.The fact that it was directed by Just Jaeckin means that it is the best of the Emmanuelle series, and makes the others look like mere skin flicks, which I think they probably are anyway.Sadly, in Britain, the censors, in an effort to save the British public from themselves, have hacked a few scenes out of it, including a "smoking" scene in a nightclub and a rape scene towards the end of the film.Sylvia Kristel seems ideally cast as the protagoniste. Others have called her innocent, but this is not the case: she is not so innocent, but becomes even less so, as her adventures increase her learning and experience.Compared with the novel, the sam-lo scenes are not so well done, and the Mario character is a bit tacky, otherwise the film is well done. Emmanuelle's encounter with Bee is better than the book. Not so good are one or two of the simulated sex scenes; they look pretty phony.This film was exceedingly popular at the time it was released, and has lasted the test of time, even if some of the clothes have not.
This is one of those films that haunts you years after seeing it. I remember when I first saw it I was horrified. I watched it again and the violence, although horrific, was easier to get past. McDowell is creepy (as always). Quinn is great (as always). Lenz, well what can I say, acting not great, but nice to look at. The violence is extreme in a few scenes, so be warned. All in all, a pretty good movie. I give it a 7.
This was my favourite film I saw at the Calgary International Film Festival this year. It was amazing."Gloomy Sunday" delivers in all aspects of world cinema. The plot is intriguing and keeps your attention. It is an interesting story.That along with great performances from Joachim Król and Erika Marozsán make this film even more worth seeing. The location of Budapest is beautiful, the camera work is great; the film had comedy, action, suspense and thrills all wrapped up into one. Something for everyone. I am definitely looking foreword to Rolf Schübel upcoming film "Blueprint". I'm sure we'll see more of what we got in "Gloomy Sunday", which is exactly what cinema needs.Rolf Schübel's "Gloomy Sunday" 9/10
Here's one the lightest, most fun Italian war movies I've come across. It features a top notch cast and some great action scenes.Bo Svenson stars as an American officer who's thrown into a prison convoy with a murderer, Tony (Peter Hooten), Fred (Fred Williamson), a thief, Nick (Michael Pergolani), and a coward, Berle (Jackie Basehart). The convoy comes under attack by the Germans and the men escape across the French countryside. They enventually become wrapped up in an important Allied mission headed by Colonel Buckner (Ian Bannen).The movie features a top notch cast. Peter Hooten is especially memorable as the bigot, Tony and Fred Williamson turns in a great performance. Bo Svenson, himself a renegade, still tries to do the decent job as an officer and keep these boys in line. Michael Pergolani has little to do in his role as the hippie/thief; he does have one great motorcycle stunt scene, though, a la Steve McQueen in THE GREAT ESCAPE. Watch for Michel Constantin (THE DIRTY HEROES) as a partisan leader; Donald O'Brien as a German officer and Enzo Castellari himself as a German officer.The movie has some stunning action scenes; there are plenty of shootouts and explosions. The big gun battle amidst ruined German and American trucks and halftracks is especially impressive. The Partisan raid on the train near the end is well filmed, but features many repeated shots of the same action happening over and over again. The miniature work is not the greatest, but is much better than the later BATTLE OF THE EAGLES.The plot is basically a combination of THE DIRTY DOZEN and BATTLE OF THE COMMANDOS, but it's so fast-paced that you won't really care. Castellari lets only a few minutes go by before something important happens. He really develops his lead characters, which is another important feature we don't get to see much of in typical Italian war films.Despite all of the good stuff, this movie has a few rough spots. For one thing, it's got a very needless love story sub-plot that never goes anywhere and has nothing to do with the rest of the movie. Another complaint: there are some lengthy conversations between the German characters that weren't dubbed. It's impossible to understand what they're saying.The movie is not for young kids. It features graphic violence, plenty of profanity and even *full* female nudity in one scene.The version I saw was from Lightning Video, entitled DEADLY MISSION. The source print was of top quality, with fresh picture and good sound. The opening and closing titles, however, were apparently new material and feature some music that isn't heard anywhere else in the feature.Overall, this is a fun-to-watch Italian adventure piece. For the great cast, production values and action scenes, I'll give a 6/10.
This was simply a great show. I glanced through some of the many comments which savage this show, and frankly, I don't really get it. This program has a typical sci fi premise, with the twist of adding a slick, insidious dictator along the lines of a self righteous Ayn Rand villain. The special effects and action are a bit cheesy, but the show play it tongue in cheek ("laser whip, really?"). The plot and character interaction steadily improves throughout the show and Flash's allies on Mongo are portrayed as a lesser of two evils instead of being self righteous freedom fighters. Each of the individual cantons has a unique look and culture. The plot steadily builds and the final five episodes are amazing: inevitable, yet soundly executed. Man, I really have no ides why people did not love this show.
This movie suffers from terminal cuteness.. Even treating such a horrible subject, Gérard Jugnot does what he's been doing for over 20 years : playing and directing average french citizens facing not so ordinary situations(of unemployment in Une epoque formidable, of the sects in Fallait Pas, of being a father of a famous actress in Meilleur espoir Féminin...etc.,etc.). Treating in a comic way a serious subject.This flick is plain silly...a long road to clichéness with an ability to open doors that have already been opened 50 years ago. The germans are bad, sex-crazed people.Deportation is horrible. Every french citizen was pro-german during the war and pro-De Gaulle in 1945. Daaah? The best part is when he's taking the 3 jewish children nearby the swiss border. The french people living there are supposed to have a strong accent (as the kids). But all the adults don't. It is simply both stupid and hilarious (but unintentionally, of course).Because it wants to tell us about a tragic event and deliver a message of hope we're supposed to love the movie? Nah. It just falls flat on every level : ludicrous dialogues, comedy, drama, war, suspense (ooooohhhh, are the poor children going the get caught by the nasty nazi??? Nah.)...everything is over-demonstrative and SO predictable. This tearjerker is a huge success in France where most of the official critics just love that sense of cuteness. It is beyond redemption, really. This movie deserves a slap in the face to wake it up a bit...but no...terminal cuteness indeed.And not even an accurate use of the Scope A.R to higher the note a bit. Pfff.Superwonderscope says : 1
Jim Jarmusch does for movies as Tom Waits does for music, no wonder he uses his music in his films. I've seen this movie over and over, its truly wonderful. We glimpse A side of the world that is the same no matter where you go. The world is round so no matter where you go you are always in the center of it. Here we catch a Taxi in different cities around the globe and although the cultures are clearly different , there is something of the blues in each act. I can't make out which one is my favorite, they all have a certain magic to them that totally captures to mood of the country we are in although the mood itself is that of the night where not much seems to be going on really except in our taxis. Each scene in this film is a masterpiece, no matter which country Jarmusch takes us too. Of course Benigni needless I mention is that little bit more of a of a superstar but for that matter so is the blind girl in Paris. Great music, great photography, great acting, its all good. Its magic!
While the original EVIL DEAD was genuinely a horror film, this one went completely the opposite direction and decided to amp up the gore factor to make it basically a demented cartoon show. EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN is really a re-telling of the same events from the first story, but in this case, only Ash and Linda (Bruce Campbell and Denise Bexler) come to the cabin and less than 10 minutes into the movie he has played a recording from a professor who mouths the infamous lines from the Necronomicon and unwittingly brought his girlfriend to an untimely death, though she herself becomes re-animated and returns to torment him as a severed head and a body with a chainsaw in its hands who unwittingly slices itself in two.And this is only the beginning of a movie that will not let down the zaniness, as the professor's daughter makes an appearance with her partner and two locals and get sucked into the madness that ensues. Raimi uses a hyper-kinetic editing to make the essentially silly story even sillier -- the POV of an eyeball flying into the screaming mouth of a woman is a (pun intended) scream -- and distorting the dead into stop-motion figurines only adds to the lunacy. Looney Tunes gone berserk (even the furniture becomes possessed), not precisely frightening, but swiftly paced and with great use of Bruce Campbell's over-the-top acting and slapstick humor. Hilarious, entertaining stuff.
"Radio Days" is one of the only perfect representations of an era. Woody Allen's script and direction creates a near-perfect view into the "Golden Age" of radio. Several actors have played the "Woody" character as a child over the years, but I believe that Seth Green is the best. Several stories run throughout the film, including a particularly amusing one starring Mia Farrow, who goes through a "My Fair Lady"-esquire transformation."Radio Days" is basically the opposite of the highly underrated film "Radioland Murders", which shows radio from the broadcast side of things. Both show a more imaginative and idealistic world - a world nearly forgotten these days. This film is truly wonderful, and I'm grateful to Allen for making it.8.1 out of 10
I know many find that the sequels are disappointing and a real let down for the original film however i found this sequel fantastic! The animation is superb, and you can tell there was a huge amount of effort into making the scenery as great as the first one. It's a great in between story about from when Bambi's mother dies and he is reunited with his father the Great Prince. Bambi and his friends Thumper, Flower and Faline are all there and are wonderfully voiced. It was very funny yet it was also a strong story showing Bambi getting to know his father, very emotional at some points! I really really enjoyed it!! I hope that you give Bambi 2 the chance to prove its quality before discarding it as another disappointing sequel.
Claudette Colbert plays a widowed mother trying to run her husbands business after his death. She takes in a black woman (Louise Beavers) and her fair-skinned daughter to help. She loves Beavers' pancakes and gets her to start a successful business with her. The movie skips ahead years later when Beavers' daughter (Fredi Washington) is trying to pass herself off as white...and things go out of control.This is important as one of the first movies to deal honestly with racism and the self-hatred of fair-skinned black people. It is well done and Colbert and Beavers are excellent...BUT this is very dated. Colbert convinces Beavers to sell over her pancake recipe and has her doing all the cooking for the shop! Later, when Beavers is getting rich, she refuses to get her own house and insists on staying with Colbert--living in the basement no less! And Beavers is ridiculously nice, sweet and kind ALWAYS (credit Beavers to pulling it off). Also it hits you over the head with sentimentality. Nothing wrong with sentimental movies but really--this one over does it! Some scenes with Washington were so overdone I thought they were kidding.So this is historically important but just too dated and slow to really be enjoyable. The Lana Turner remake is much better.
This movie is an example of the kind of film that just can't be made anymore. At least not from a major studio. A compact, fast paced script that is based totally on character interaction. Ann Harding is cool as ice. Beautiful and smart, her character Joan Colby carry the film. William Powell doesn't have much to do except react to her, but he does it splendidly. He plays love interest John Fletcher with a world weary yet charming air, as only he could do.The relationship between the two is introduced to the audience as a thinly veiled roll in the hay, interrupted by a father figure. Pretty racy for 1933 standards. From there, marital relations under the strain of a worsening economy drive the story. All very relevant today 70 plus years later. Even the quaint idea of "tricking" someone into getting married seems to fly here.Well cast from top to bottom, each player does well to move the story along. The production value is somewhat above normal "B-movie" standards, with a few minor outdoor shots.Watching this movie was almost like watching a ballet dance, with Ann Harding moving between each scene with so much grace she fairly shimmers. The other characters swirl around her, each flying by barely grazing her, in a well choreographed, almost clock like, movement. William Powell stays out of her way, literally and figuratively, till the end of the film.If you love old movies this one is worth your 67 minutes.
"It's an ambiguous ending," Walt Berkman (Jesse Eisenberg) tells his slow-witted girlfriend Sophie, and while he's talking about Kafka's "Metamorphosis," he could easily be referencing "The Squid and the Whale." Writer-director Noah Baumbach has crafted a film that is equal parts uproarious humor and personal anguish. There isn't a hint of the shaky imbalance that plagues movies that attempt to cross comedy and drama as he tells the story of Joan and Bernard Berkman (Laura Linney and Jeff Daniels), a couple that has spent years in a downward spiral of unhappiness, affairs, and crushed hopes. Walt and his younger brother, Frank (Owen Kline) approach this transition with a blend of misplaced anger and (often hilarious) sexual awkwardness; Baumbach embeds traits of the parents in the sons, which truly makes us feel that there is something at stake with the outcome.Even if you didn't know that Baumbach and Wes Anderson ("Rushmore"; "The Life Aquatic") are close friends, you would notice from the overall design of "The Squid and the Whale": the use of music as a dramatic element (Pink Floyd's 'Hey You' plays a crucial role), costume design (Bernard and Walt wear the same kind of Nikes), and the titular exhibit, which bears more than a passing resemblance to the drawings that punctuate Anderson's films. And while the emphasis here--as in Anderson's "Royal Tenenbaums"--is a dysfunctional family, Baumbach wisely keeps us intimately invested in the small cast, thus tightening both the dramatic and comedic effect. Anderson's films all too often suffer audience detachment as a consequence of gigantic ensemble casts.And the actors are in fine form: Daniels' Bernard is the epitome of a once-successful author in flux, looking to an adventurous student (Anna Paquin) to kick-start his faded sex drive; Linney's Joan is a blend of loose morals and regret; Eisenberg fuses the clunky transition to adulthood with anxiety over his identity ("Don't be difficult," he says in lockstep with his father); and Kline's foul-mouthed, alcohol-drinking, semen-spreading Frank displays the type of growing-up experience that is seldom touched in mainstream cinema.But the key to "Squid" really is its ambiguity--it doesn't go down a predictable route, and by the end, our minds are bubbling over with questions (Did Joan remember watching "Robin Hood" with Walt? Did they retrieve the cat? Did Walt get back together with Sophie? What was the picture Frank carried around? What did Bernard have for breakfast?) that we don't fault it for not answering. As an intimate snapshot of a family in transition, not only do questions go unanswered, but the 'ending' really isn't an ending at all...yet this story really doesn't need one. "The Squid and the Whale" is a funny, beautiful, and painful experience...don't miss it.
This movie brings up several important issues about todays society. Does this movie make too much use of violence. When it first came it brought up a lot of debate. Some refused to show it because of it's violence. When I saw it, I wasn't shocked by it and I found that frightening. However, it made me start to think about the world we're living in and the power the media has to affect peoples meanings and opinions. This movie is one of the most anti-violent movies I have ever seen. Some say it is just violent, but I clearly see a anti-violent message in there along with criticism of the media making heroes without thinking about the consequences first. While some action movies got you all worked up with all the shooting and heroes this movie just makes you sit there and think: "What the...?". It may not rise as much debate today, as we are getting used to more violence, but it certainly opens you're eyes and it's criticism of the media is now probably even more topical then it's ever been.I think Oliver Stone did this Tarrantino story very good. On the other hand there was some elements I found confusing and effects I didn't quite get the meaning of. However, this is one of them movies you can watch several times and still see something new each time. This is probably not the last time I've seen it.The acting is great. There is really not much more to say. The casting did a good job finding the right actors for the roles and the actors deliver.The cinematography is also very nice done. There are no boring or unnecessary shots and the lightning is just magical. The change between color and black and white is also nice. You notice it at the beginning, but then the you don't notice if the color is changed from green to red. It all just seems natural and right at the moment. It's the same with the sound. You notice some songs, but mostly it's just there creating the atmosphere just as it should.This is a movie everyone should see. It's upsetting and raises a lot of topics that is worth discussing and bringing forward. I'm gonna watch it again because it is a little confusing, but never the less a good and recommendable movie!
This movie is a beautifully acted psychological thriller. The film describes some of the ways in which victims of pedophiles suffer. Another sad message is that victims of sexual abuse may be doomed to seek similar treatment over and over again for the rest of their lives.I've loved Joseph Gordon Levitt since he played "Tommy" on Third Rock From the Sun and he's grown into a powerful actor. I wasn't familiar with Brady Corbet's work but he is equally moving as the young man trying to remember the sexual trauma he experienced as an eight-year old boy.Elizabeth Shue and Elizabeth Long are both tragically perfect as the clueless mothers of these two boys.Obviously, this movie is truly an expression of love for the writers and directors - for everyone involved. This story and its message are so important, and a cautionary tale for parents everywhere.
"i received "nevermore" on tuesday January 20 and decided to wait until Friday night to watch it and it was a very long wait but so worth it. i've never reviewed a movie before, but i just wanted to try and share my feelings with all of you. it's a movie you really have to experience.i love scary, suspense and creepy movies, and i have to say "nevermore" did not disappoint. from the very first scene, i was hooked. it was suspense at it's best. not being partial, but judd was truly jonathan and fantastic and there is nobody else who could have played that role. it was so great to finally see him in a movie where he got more than 5 or 10 minutes. he carried the film beautifully. i also love his wicked sense of humor throughout. this was one of those cat & mouse thrillers, and it was hard to trust anyone. i will not give anything away, but the ending was shocking. i think that tom zambeck did a fantastic job, and i can't wait to see what other things he has in the works. i really enjoyed all of the acting, but outside of judd, i'd have to say that sidi henderson was fantastic as the sheriff. the one thing i hope is that people take the time to get this DVD and give it a chance. i wish that judd would get some kind of award for playing this tormented character but of course he won't. also, i forgot to mention that the music fit each scene, and i really wish there was a soundtrack. i also loved the creepiness of the house and how the scenes were mostly done in the dark. it gave it a very gloomy feel. the special features were also great, and hats off to the whole crew who did such a great job. i'm so happy to finally have this movie, and i'm going to watch it again tonight. i've also ordered a second copy just in case i wear this one out. also a little side note, judd looked adorable with his crazy hair & beard. i was in seventh heaven actually getting to see such close-ups of this amazing man. thanks again tom zambeck for a truly riveting movie!
This is a warning for everyone to stay away from this piece of garbage. The plot is simple. Jeff Wincott was once a hit-man, and after he died he was brought back to life to do killing for the government. This plot has lots of potential, but unfortunately it is totally wasted here. It just keeps getting worse and worse, and in the end I was supporting the bad guys, even though they weren't exactly the most charismatic bunch of people I've witnessed. Wincott delivered some great fighting and action in movies like "Martial Law 2", "Mission of Justice", "Deadly Bet" and even "Martial Outlaw", and that means that I got really disappointed when it turned out that this film sucked to the extreme on that level. Very bad fight scenes, nearly no action, and it sucks big time. I advise everyone to just pretend that this movie doesn't exist at all.
The film starts off with a disclaimer stating that a true Buddist would sacrifice to live their life in hell so that another would be spared the same fate. This is followed by an opening scene that could have been taken from COPS or a really bad porno flick. It quickly emerges that Maxwell is a profane, mentally unstable misogynist who makes his living hawking TV's on TV in Southern California. His collection of pitiful friends and his materialist lifestyle are even more pathetic than his abominable anger at everything and everyone. For the first two acts, it seems a black comedy that is heading down a clichéd path toward ignominy. Maxwell's behavior is so disturbing and contemptible, you may even be tempted to leave the theater, but a story of love and sacrifice emerges that you may never forget. Maxwell's life is ultimately changed when he is able to see life differently through the eyes of both his best friend and his wife, a Chinese woman who he has arranged to marry through a broker. This film will leave you with profound emotions and may even change your life.
This film is not bad visually. It breaks no new ground, but it pulls off some music-video style imagery in a way that fits nicely into the film. Christian Slater's acting is actually pretty good. But the plot stinks. It's the same tired 'this is all a hallucinatory dream sequence in the moment before death' crap that ruins so many films that almost make a statement, and then, at the last minute, confess to being delusions. If nothing past the first fifteen minutes of a film is 'real', and the main character dies at the end of a film with the realization that the things you just saw were all some literature professor's self-referential wet dream of metaphor and allegory, then what is this film worth? The whole thing is pointless. Would have made a fair enough five page short story for a freshman college English class. At a community college. On film, it's just disappointing.
This movie scared the crap out of me when I was a little boy of just 8 years. My mother had to come into my bedroom and check under the bed every night for at least a week. The plot was unique too. I mean, a gangster (where was Edward G. when they made this?) employing a crazed/mad scientist (I guess there were a lot of them left over from the Los Alamos days) to make nasty looking dead old men crawl through tunnels made of industrial plastic wrap and go kill people. The fact that the scientist could talk to the 'dead guys' and make them do his bidding was the thing that scared me most (Kinda like conglomerate broadcasting of today). These guys were real 'working stiffs' and walked like it too. Excellent blank stares, unsuspecting victims, the 50s-ish people... I guess looking at this movie now, it would seem kind of funny, but in those days, it was a horror movie!
There are lots of these films. Generally, these "Feel good/inspirational films" try so hard that they end up making you feel sick. Often they go above and beyond the reality and overplay something so insignificant, its hard to relate to it. Mask does neither. Mask is grounded in reality. Yes, some of the facts are skewered, but it lives in the real world. It feels realistic and it feels relatable. Another thing Mask does differently is how it spreads its "Inspirational" message. Many of these films just give the message straight up, with no spice or seasoning to make it interesting. Or they might just toss it in your face at the beginning and forget it, letting it sit in your face throughout the movie, often making it more uncomfortable than inspiring. Mask uses subtly and lets the story itself unfold its message. The direction is tight and conveys this beautifully. There is a scene that always touches me- when Rocky is looking in a fun house mirror. At first we do not see what he sees, but he goes to get his mother. She looks into the mirror, and the fun house mirror shows Rocky but without his facial disorder. It's a beautiful, somewhat haunting, scene.The film is the true life story of Roy "Rocky" Dennis, a boy born with a disease commonly known as "Lionitis" that deforms the cranial growth. His mother, played surprisingly well by Cher, is short tempered and morally questionable, but is ultimately determined to help Rocky live as good a life as normal.The ultimate message of the film is not to be shallow. It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside, it's what is inside, what is behind the "mask" if you will, that counts. The movie conveys its message well, and Rocky's character does a good job of delivering that message. Rocky was intelligent, nice, funny, and caring. Sure he has his faults, but once again thats the film actually staying in the realm of reality. Rocky is a likable- if not lovable character despite his originally off putting appearance.Mask is something we don't see in cinemas anymore: An "inspirational" true story that doesn't force it and ultimately, succeeds in making you feel good and even tugs your heart strings a bit. So many films try to do this but fail, but we should be thankful we have Mask. One of the most beautiful and touching films ever made.
This is an excellent film, and highly recommended. Its script is absolutely wonderful, showing the protagonist having a dark and ugly side, yet possessing the ability to express his sensitivity, as a classical pianist, through music, as he prepares for an audition with an agent. The juxtaposition of the two opposing sides of the protagonist lends the film an unexpected power and impact. It is a violent film, yet a humorous one at the same time, with great acting. De battre mon coeur is a remake of Fingers, which unfortunately I have not seen (yet). I can only hope that the French film will be released in The Netherlands as well, so I can see it again.
While I have of course heard the name Mizoguchi Kenji, the only films of his that I have watched are Ugetsu (1953) and The New Tale of the Heike (1955) and while I did enjoy both of them, mainly the former, for the most part I did not have a particularly strong interest in watching Mizoguchi's films because at the time I was embroiled within the filmic worlds of Kitano Takeshi, Iwai Shunji, Miike Takashi, etc. However, as time passed my interest in older Japanese films began to increase, so now I am trying to broaden my knowledge of classic Japanese films, especially those that were filmed before 1945 of which I have only seen a handful.Mizoguchi is well known in the world of Japanese film, because he was one of the first Japanese directors to put the role of women in Japanese society on the center stage. He is often criticized by later film viewers and critics because his women, while strong, only could find true security in the world of men by adaptation to the males around them. However, of course, it should be noted that for his time the films he created were quite different than the casual fare. Like Imamura Shohei, Mizoguchi Kenji tended to make films about those in the lower strata of society and the ways in which the rich can destroy these individuals' lives.Sisters of Gion tells the story of Umekichi and Omocha an older and younger geisha trying to make the best of their lives in a time in which the patronage of geisha is on the downswing. Gentle and kind, Umekichi takes in her lover Furusawa after his business goes bankrupt. She states that she only does so because she owes him for helping her become a full fledged geisha, but it is obvious that she loves the destitute ma. Omocha, young, better educated, and brash dislikes Furusawa because he is sponging off Umekichi and decides that she needs to be rid of him. However, her methods might lead to a bad conclusion.A wonderful film that clocks in at a little less than seventy minutes, Sisters of Gion has a dark theme. Both Umekichi and Omocha, while being of complete different personalities, are both victims of their positions in society. Without a rich patron to depend on, their lives are quite vicarious, and as in the case of Umekichi, as the women get older their positions become even more precarious.
Like the Valentine's Day episode of Charlie Brown, the Easter special is a lot of fluff regarding the members of the Peanuts Gang. It's not nearly as good as the Halloween episode (which is seems to mimic) or the Christmas episode.In this episode, the Peanuts are getting ready for Easter, and Snoppy becomes the equivalent of the Easter Bunny. The episode is very mundane with a lot less to offer when compared to some of the previous Charlie Brown films.Not terribly good. I would recommend that you see the Christmas episode or the Halloween one. Only watch this if you really are a fan.
Allan Moyle's 1980 teenage girl rock 'n roll adventure, Times Square, developed status as a lesbian cult film with showings at lesbian and gay film festivals in New York and San Francisco in the early and mid 1980s and continues to be a queer favorite today.Long-standing rumors about lesbian content removed from Times Square have provided ample fodder for lesbian readings of the teen girl buddy movie. Indeed, a look at Jacob Brackman's original unpublished script of May, 1979 (on file at the University of Southern California Script Library) reveals many erotically charged scenes between the protagonists, Nicky (Robin Johnson) and Pammy (Trini Alvarado). Some of these scenes were removed from the script prior to shooting, some of them were shot and then excised from the final cut of the film. A fragment of one such excised scene appears in the film's preview trailer-it is a one-second, barely perceivable, clip of Nicky and Pammy playing together in the river. The basic plot of the film is conveyed in its publicity blurb: "In the heart of Times Square, a poor girl becomes famous, a rich girl becomes courageous, and both become friends." Pammy is the quiet and sheltered daughter of a prominent politician, Nicky is a streetwise troublemaker. Admitted to a hospital for the same psychiatric tests, the girls share a room and get to know each other. They escape from the hospital, create a home for themselves in a dockside warehouse and live their lives together against the gritty urban backdrop of Times Square. There's tons of erotic tension between the girls, and, most importantly-they love each other and they're not interested in boys. As their romance begins, Pammy's first feelings for Nicky are expressed in a poem she writes in her journal (which Nicky steals): "your ribs are my ladder Nicky, I'm so amazed, I'm so amazed." In their poetry, music and other idiosyncratic forms of artistic self-expression, the girls perform for each other, and together, throughout the film. Each gives loving support to the other in their artistic pursuits as they encourage one another to grow and develop self-confidence. While there's no explicit lesbian content in the film, the romantic tone of Nicky and Pammy's interactions is undeniable. The original script had several scenes and plot elements that developed the sexual tension between Nicky and Pammy, including a scene of their first meeting in the hospital, in which they have to undress in front of each other; two scenes where they take off their shirts and play together in their underwear in the river (the clip of which remains in the film's trailer); a wrestling scene; a scene of the first night that they sleep (sleep, not f***) together and a scene of Pammy dancing topless at the Cleo Club. Most of the scenes removed from the script/film are scenes involving erotic tension or physical contact between the girls. Times Square is also one of the most remarkable rock 'n roll soundtrack movies ever made (artists include Patti Smith Group, Pretenders, Talking Heads and Roxy Music), and the soundtrack often provides romantic commentary on the developing relationship between the girls. "You Can't Hurry Love" accompanies their escape from the hospital, and when Johnny (Tim Curry) the disc jockey learns that "you two sweethearts have a favorite song" he plays it for them. The song is dike-rocker Suzi Quatro's "Rock Hard." In their own music, the girls range from the personal to the political. "Damn Dog" features Nicky's plea to Pammy, "I can lick your face/I can bite it too/My teeth got rabies/Gonna give 'em to you/I'm a damn dog." While their performance of "Sleaze Sister Voodoo," decries the hypocrisy and prejudice of the establishment as they proclaim some really great lines that are prohibited by this website.Although the removal of so much material from the original script gives the film a fragmented feel and sometimes sloppy continuity, the bond between the girls is always clear, and always has some lesbian resonance to it. As such, Times Square is a marvelous experience not only for lesbian youth, but for any girl who's ever had a crush on a girl or who's wanted to see girls on film without boys in the middle.
This is the first color film from the Fleischer Studio and it's in something called "Cinecolor"--which appears to be a variation on 2-color Technicolor. Unlike the older 2-color Technicolor, the film seems to have a lot of blues and a slightly greater color spectrum. It is easier on the eyes than the older process but it truly isn't full color--the full spectrum is missing. This cannot be confused with the rich and vibrant colors of true Technicolor--a more expensive process that was also being introduced around the same time. Not surprisingly, Technicolor became the dominant color process, as it simply looked nicer and wasn't mostly orange. Now despite these limitations, this Betty Boop cartoon is nice to look at because like many of the Fleischer cartoons, there were very lovely line drawings and a nice 3-D look to the backgrounds (something this studio specialized in). These help you overlook the orange hue on most everything.Clearly this in an innovative film, though I also think it suffers from two major problems. First, although it's a Betty Boop cartoon, it's an amazingly "by the book" rendition of the old story. There isn't much new or exciting to the tale. Second, if you are not a fan of Boop, you also might not be all that impressed--simply because she's a rather dull character compared to animated characters from the 40s and 50s (which had a lot more personality). However, compared to competing contemporary cartoons of the era, this is a fairly good short. While nowhere near the quality of most Disney cartoons, compared to Warner Brothers and the other studios, it is clearly technically superior. Worth a look if you are a film historian or want to see a better than average cartoon of the 1930s.By the way, I saw this film on the DVD entitled "Cartoon Crazys: And The Envelope Please". This is a rather poor compilation of supposedly award winning and nominated films. Poor because several of the films are very lame and are NOT award nominated, the prints are rather bad and parts of some of the cartoons are missing! This might account for the extreme redness of the cartoon, as it could use a good restoration. Cinecolor and Two-Color Technicolor films often get an even more orange look over time but clean up quite beautifully.
This movie was so bad that it was almost painful to watch. I have no idea why Sam Elliott would star in this bubbling half'gallon of foul swamp water. This film makes one actually wish for a snake bite; at least the Fade To Black would come mercifully sooner! The film involves a stupid family of rich, white, republican racists who do nothing but drink huge quantities of hard liquor while complaining about all the 'swamp noise'. Of course, if the refugees from the '700 Club' didn't like the sound of frogs and birds, they should have stayed in Houston or some other Red State conclave.The rich idiots in this film earn nature's wrath by dumping poison into the swamp in order to 'quiet things down'. Nature fights back by sending snakes, crocodiles, and strangling vines to kill the GOP interlopers. My only regret is that Nature doesn't behave like this in real life. we could do well with fewer stupid, rich white people who somehow get their money for free.The acting in this movie is terrible, as is the direction and the sound. The only redeeming factor is Sam Elliott as the Environmentalist. besides this, you'd get more enjoyment out of watching 'Swamp Thing'.As a footnote: Maybe the acting was actually dead'on. After all, they did portray rich republicans as oily, amoral, wastrels who would cheerfully destroy th'e environment in order to suit their immediate wants. that's par for the course.
Getting a veteran of movie videos and commercials to direct a feature film is invariably a risky proposition. The results can shine or literally suck, and the last thing any sophisticated audience needs these days is another jittery, two hour-long mishmashed affair that looks like a Taiwan pop music video from hell taken to an extreme.With Susie Au, a first-time movie helmswoman with a resume full of pop productions, that scenario was all too likely to become reality. In fact, her directorial debut Ming Ming seems to have reached a compromise in this respect. Its first twenty minutes are so painfully nonsensical and over stylized you can't help but cringe in anger, yet after those initial phases of ridiculous OTT poppiness blow over, the project reveals itself as quite enjoyable.Get past the obvious attempt to rekindle interest in Kill Bill's Hong Kong heritage through transparent "references", and beneath lurks a passably interesting escapade.On the upside, Ming Ming delivers characters that surprise with their ability to grow and evolve over the course of a relatively short, and frequently very vacuous, release. Heading the cast is Zhou Xun, who fittingly enough plays two separate and identical looking protagonists. Ms. Zhou has displayed a mixed bag of performances in the past, shining in Where Have All the Flowers Gone and Beijing Bicycle, but irritating with exaggerated acting in films like Suzhou River.In Ming Ming, she's both. As the titular character, Zhou does a vaguely Trinity-meets-The Bride, disaffected assassin that puts a whole new spin on beads and rosaries. Instead of guns, she launches marbles at her adversaries, cutting a swath of destruction through the henchmen of arch mobster Brother Cat (Jeff Chang). This happens after Ming Ming purloins a sum of money from the gangland boss, funds to be used in financing a new life for her with sulking hunk Ah D. The latter, a fist-fighting mob enforcer, is conveyed by Daniel Wu in a thoroughly disappointing part. We've gotten used to seeing quality and sincerity from Daniel, and in Ming Ming he just doesn't have those virtues on display.Back to the story. Oddball luck brings together wide-eyed triad lackey Ah Tu (Tony Yang) and Ming Ming twin Nana as the money gets misplaced, changing hands and ending up with these two apparently totally unrelated individuals.On the run, Nana and Ah Tu take over the movie and show it does have merit. Both Zhou Xun and Tony Yang proceed to deliver very respectable performances, showcased by way of dialog and mood-setting scenes on the way to and around Shanghai.Yang impresses as innocent, loyal and loving Ah Tu, certainly adding to the young actor's portfolio. Zhou Xun truly dazzles those in attendance as the genuine Nana, a character doing the actress far greater justice than the cardboard cutout silhouette that is Ming Ming. And who knew Ms. Zhou is so fluent in Cantonese? Yes, language plays an important part in Ming Ming, and for that we salute the production team. Cantonese, Putonghua and Shanghainese all find room herein, that last one to a large degree from the sensuous mouth of long gone but never forgotten lovely Kristy Yang, a Shanghai native herself. Yes, she has returned! Although a small cameo, it's still awesome to have her around again.Ming Ming further contains some highly enjoyable music, and is generally well-produced. Those frenzied opening sequences we could have easily dispensed with, but in the end an Armageddon-like debacle is averted just in time for a bona fide twist ending that, for a change, puts the various plot pieces together with grace rather than rushed clumsiness.This isn't the new benchmark for indie cinema, but it gets the job done and should be viewed by all appreciators and supporters of film-making in Asia and movies in general. It's also proof positive that first impressions can be deceiving, so please, don't despair, stick with it and you will be rewarded.Rating: * * * 1/2
Careful -- there could be a comment here that maybe a spoiler.I only mention the spoiler as I believe this film should carry the "buyer beware" label as I believe some scenes have been edited out so it could show in Chicago (where I saw this film). I am unsure of the print that showed as I think I never saw the entire film. Scenes appeared to be "blacked out" -- scenes that were probably important to the film ending. Yet let's press on (caution: spoiler comment in forth paragraph).This could have been a good film but the sound editing is terrible. The sound of water and breathing distracts you as it dominates in almost every scene. It becomes annoying; however, the music sound track is very good. The story does has movement and is helped along by the music score as it builds to the climax. Yet be prepared to be left..... hanging. (spoiler comment below)I can only guess what was edited out (my guess was a visual destruction that Chicago audiences may have found disturbing). The editing, in fact, ruined the film for me as the black outs came at the climax. If an American viewing (or Chicago) was going to be a problem for the film they should have inserted a stock shot or kept tight on Malli's face.It had potential as a good Indie but the poor sound recording and poor editing caused me to think "malo" instead of "Malli - si! - muy bueno".
My friend is a reporter and she got a preview episode sent to her. This is one of the best new shows I've seen in a long time. How something was so off the wall and so real at the same time was baffling to me. The girls are way hot and the whole cast was great. I worked in a supermarket for a long time and this stuff really happens. Even though I thought some of it was kind of exaggerated (sp?) so much of it is true to life, and maybe I'm biased, but I thought it was pee in your pants funny. I hope network idiots don't cancel it, like so many good shows don't get a chance to be on for a long time, but whatever you do don't miss this gem.
A crazed computer genius named Goad (Laura San Giacomo) sets a spaceship named the Agamemnon, loaded to the gills with an highly unstable substance, on a collision course with the Earth! The Agamemnon has been encoded by Goad to start on its preprogrammed destination once it is revived by a salvage team. J.T. Wayne (Sandra Bernhard) is the Captain of the Salbor, the salvage ship that undertakes said mission. Things go awry for the Captain however when a portion of her assembled crew lead by her former lover, a cutthroat type named Vendler, double-crosses her and looks to gain the valuable Solarium aboard the ship for himself. However he didn't count on Goad's reprogramming of the ship's systems. Yet even in the face of defeat, Vendler refuses to give up his hold on the ship or listen to reason or logic. Now as the clock ticks down to a collision with the Earth, Wayne and her new crewman, a former bartender named Lennon (Cameron Dye), must try and find a means of stopping the Agamemnon or millions on Earth will die! Well I have to admit this is competently made. They keep the action moving nicely along and the visuals often prove distracting and interesting. The whole concept with Goad shows some level of originality and I enjoyed Laura San Giacomo's performance as a crazed computer programming genius who has a God complex and an obsession with quoting Shakespeare. Where this falters is when our story changes its focus to J.T. Wayne, played by an horrifically miscast Sandra Bernhard who constantly uses the catchphrase "And Don't You Forget It!" and basically goes all out to put off any male in the movie, including the man who is supposed to be her love interest. The failed attempts at humor in the film are far more likely to make viewers shake their heads in disbelief than cause them to laugh. In fact, this film frequently has this effect on any viewer who can manage to sit through the whole thing. To me, it is this element of "I just cannot believe what I am watching" that makes this so bad it's almost good.
Three likable and spirited actresses are stuck with weak material here. The film sags in the first hour because there is too much exposition (and some attempts at social-drama undertones), and it doesn't much improve when the actual heist begins. There is not much fun to be had here. Don't bother watching this. (**)
The Pursuit of Happiness reviewed by Sam OsbornFor a feel-good movie, The Pursuit of Happiness sure does want its audience to feel crappy. I don't mean this as a criticism. Rather, I think it's a show of intense bravery for a film stuck in a genre already soaked in sappiness. But it's a long, downhill journey for most of the film's duration, watching as Mr. Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is repeatedly pummeled under the American economic system. I suppose it follows Nietzsche's oft-repeated quote "what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." And so, to ravage the saying entirely, if the lows of The Pursuit of Happiness doesn't kill the picture, they make its ending—you know, the feel-good part of the recipe—just that much sweeter. The grand scheme was to tell the story of the American dream from a new perspective. Such was the motivation in bringing European director Gabriele Muccino onto the project. Feeling that Americans have drawn too close to the concept to pull any focus on it, Muccino takes a step back and looks at our American dream from a fresh perspective. The result is indeed refreshing. The movie comes without any fat around its curves. It's a slim, distilled version of the American dream, where a man—a smart, good man in whom most Americans probably see themselves—tries to better his living conditions using the American system of capitalism promised in the Constitution. It doesn't come with a side dish of romance or tragic hors d'oeuvre; just a man trying to do right by his family. But Chris Gardner's family is quickly dispersing. Linda (Thandie Newton), his wife, leaves him early on, choosing to fend for herself rather than go down with Chris' sinking ship. She leaves him with their son Christopher (Jaden Smith), whose daycare costs $150 per month. Chris would have to sell two bone density scanners each month to pay rent, daycare and groceries. But he hasn't sold one of the wretched devices in a while and the overdue bills are piling up. Chris is good at numbers though, and can solve a Rubik Cube with astounding ease; so he applies for an internship at Dean Witter. The gig's an unpaid one, but if he gets the job at the end of the course, he's set for life. Problem is, only one in twenty interns is hired; and if you aren't hired, you can't apply for a job at any other stock brokerage firm for six months. The script is a product of Steven Conrad, the same writer who penned last year's The Weather Man. The films are deceivingly similar, each chronicling a series of unfortunate occurrences that slowly slice at the legs of an American man. In both films, Conrad manages to find a sweet and hilarious humanity in bad days, or bad weeks, or bad years. His heroes are good men and American men, who struggle to find themselves something worth having in our system. Much huzzah has been made over the familial pairing of Will Smith and his son in parallel father-son roles. The decision was a smart one, as their performances are as sincere as ever. Jaden may not have many lines, but it's not hard to see that he loves and believes in his father, whether he's playing Will Smith or Chris Gardner. And Mr. Smith—the older one, that is—hasn't been lying in his much-publicized interviews that this film is a turning point in his acting career. His Muhammad Ali was a force, but the role of Chris Gardner was built for him.Make no mistake though; for the feel-good genre, The Pursuit of Happiness is a brutal, sometimes cruel entry. But I suppose that's the point, and Chris says it somewhere in the first act: that when the founders of the Constitution wrote "the pursuit of happiness" into the text, they only promised the pursuit. The chase is a long, mean one; but when the end is found, it flings us higher than any feel-good film in a while. Samuel Osborn
I saw the trailer and the making of The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, I don't know, something about this film just captured me. It just seemed like a really creative story and looked like a great family film. So, I decided to go ahead and check it out today and I have to say that it really did live up to my expectations, it was a cute film for the whole family to enjoy. It's a different version of Free Willy I think, lol, sounds crazy, I know, but I think you'll agree when you see it. It's definitely a tear jerker, but one of the better films I've seen in a little while in the theater. It was made very well and I'm surprised it hasn't gotten more notice, but like I said, I think I just saw something special in the story. We haven't had a Lochness monster movie, all we know is the infamous picture that has never been prove to be fake or real, and The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep tells us the story behind that picture.Agnus is a young and lonely boy in Scotland, his father who he was very close with has just gone off into WWII to fight. His home has just been taken over by English soldiers to fight off the German's. His family has lost something too, life and laughter. But when Agnus comes across what looks like a strange rock, is actually an egg left by an Water Horse, the rarest of all creatures, there can only be one in the world at a time. But he takes care of the baby who is water bound, while protecting him from his mom and the soldiers. But when the water horse, he named Crusoe, has grown too big, he and a family friend put him in the Lochness Lake where he is spotted and is now known as the infamous Lochness Monster.The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep is truly and honestly a good film. It has such a magical touch like The Secret Garden, where it's a serious story, but it's for the family. I thought it was very well made, the visual effects are very good and not over done, which was great, because obviously the Lochness monster is going to be CGI, but they made it look so real, and so lovable, lol, like I said, I did cry, it's a tear jerker. The characters are terrific, they really found terrific actors for the roles. Alex Etel does a beautiful break out performance as Angus and was so charming. I would highly recommend The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, it's one of the best family films I have seen in a while.8/10
This movie is the best movie ever made. If I were to rate this movie... with 1 being not so extreme, and 10 being extremely extreme I would definitely give this movie a 10.The only other thing I can think of off the top of my head that is actually better than this extremely original story-driven movie is Armen and Bullik (quite possibly the best TV show ever).I mean seriously there is no movie better than this one. It has everything you could possibly ask for in a movie. Drama, Action, Suspense, Supreme Martial Arts tactics... I mean everything!This movie is a must see!
Considering the average of the movie evaluation was 6.5/10 at IMDb when I had watched knowing, I was highly disappointed eventually. I cannot believe how Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times could give this movie an "A" and call it one of the best SF he has seen". However, according to him "The plot involves the most fundamental of all philosophical debates: Is the universe deterministic or random". I admit, this is interesting. However, did I get something wrong? This is just a very small part of the movie and in case it should be the main aspect,it has been handled very badly. Better listen to the 90% of critics who gave "knowing" a "C" or "D".The main problem of the movie concerns the numerous holes in the plot!!! The longer I watched the movie, the more questions came to my mind. For example, the list of numbers show the worldwide disasters, but the next two big ones are only in New York?????? Why was Calen (Koestler's son) still writing "numbers" after the big crash was forecasted? And in the end, I was just loving. I am sorry, but the whole "alien warned you, but needs ages to contact you directly" part is ridiculous. All the hassle with the 50years old list, no better way of communication? Sorry, I no way I can buy this.
**WARNING: SPOILERS ABOUND!**I had a very strange reaction while watching 'Hellbent' last night: I was kind of excited to see a horror movie that was made by an openly gay director, and had played to some fanfare on the festival circuit. But that excitement deflated faster than the Hindenburg when I realized 'Hellbent' was no better than the average flick that arrives direct to the shelves of Blockbuster with alarming frequency. 'Hellbent' is not good horror and it is not good Queer Cinema (although I'm the first to argue that there is very little quality Queer Cinema). To make matters worse, the movie does absolutely nothing to dispel the myth that gay men are bed-hopping, pill-popping alcoholics who suffer from a deadly combination of low self-esteem, shame and guilt.Plot: Four gay friends attend the Carnival in West Hollywood on Halloween night. One of them, a would-be cop who lost an eye in an accident (how that tidbit plays in at the end is both perfunctory and a distraction), plays the "straight" role, while the others comprise the obligatory group of slaughter fodder: the stud, who needs to lay everything with two legs and a heartbeat; the shy kid who just wants to get the phone number from that one guy; and the model who's so tired of being judged by his looks that he decides to go out for the night in drag just to prove to everyone that he's not as shallow as he seems. They're pursued through the streets by a mad-dog killer dressed as a--well, I don't know exactly what he's dressed like, some kind of devil, which could carry its own social message about the ills of illicit drug use and sex. They die, and that's pretty much it. There's also an unnecessary subplot that involves a budding connection between the one-eyed nice guy and a "biker with a heart of gold," and writer-director Paul Etheredge-Ouzts does all he can to mine sympathy for the shy guy and the model before he kills them off.In reality, Ouzts has done nothing socially conscious, or even new by replacing a bevy of horny heterosexual teens with a bevy of horny twenty-something 'mos and putting them in the same old predictable situation where they can be picked off, one by one, by a masked killer. Haven't we seen this all before--and done far better? Ouzts' digital camera work is stilted and lazy, his cinematography dark and dank in all the wrong places. He uses unnecessary and extreme close-ups ad nauseum; most of the time they're so improperly framed that the top of the actors' heads are cut off. And Ouzts commits the cardinal sin of casting a leading man so bland that he's upstaged by his supporting cast. There's some nice work Bryan Kirkwood as the edgy biker, and Hank Harris as the self-conscious Joey, who meets a too-early end. But even they aren't enough to conceal the fact that this really isn't a very good film. (And please, spare me the gaggle of wrong-sighted support for the film simply because it was made by a gay man and involves gay characters. Social exposure, on its own and by its mere existence, doesn't automatically make for good cinema.) So what does this all add up to? Not much. There's very little suspense, and the decision Ouzts makes regarding the killer's identity borders on criminal, considering he's given us nothing to care about up to that point. Dodging a pay-off is all well and good so long as there's justification in the build-up.
An odd little film which anticipates "E.T." with its story of a friendly alien who is hunted by the local law enforcers but befriended by two children who help him repair his flying saucer. This slight story is bolstered by plenty of shots of people driving around on snowmobiles and shots of the snowy landscape which means the film often resembles a tourist travelogue. Still it is one of the only SF films made in the French Canadian region which gives it a slight curiosity value.The alien resembles a circus clown whose make up was devised by Andy Warhol. He indulges in some lame slapstick and low key alien behaviour which confuses the local adults and delights their children. This film has a warm fuzzy feel to it which stops me being particularly vitriolic about it, but I can't seriously recommend it to anyone either due to the rather slow pace and predictability of the whole affair.
When I first saw this on Spanish TV years ago, I didn't know it was fake. In fact I didn't find out for some time, even after I had taped it and rewatched over and over and marvelled at this amazing story and even retold it with childlike enthusiasm and wonder to my less cinephile friends. It was such an overwhelming tragedy, a story that just went upwards in emotion all the time and ended with an inimaginable bang. And I couldn't help myself but think "My God, why didn't Peter Jackson make a movie with this material, instead of just a documentary? There's a drama of epic proportions here just waiting to be filmed!"And then, months afterwards, I found out. It was too good a story to be true, of course. But I was still thankful to Jackson and Botes for making me believe it and making me feel that fascination. I'm sure Spinal Tap must be a lot funnier and Blair Witch a lot scarier if you watch them not knowing they are fake.I still treasure Forgotten Silver in my video collection as the best documentary I have ever seen. Even if what it tells is not true.
This highly under-rated film of the early 80's is not only a masterpiece but a film of immense cultural significance. One that really should be studied in any film course that is on offer at tertiary institutions around the world. It not only shows good versus evil it has such grand themes as science versus nature and a meditation on the religious right that is often over looked by the more carefree viewer.These grand precepts joined with a killer soundtrack just reinforce this film as a piece of cinematic wizardry.Furthermore the cast and the special effects contribute to these points and it is imperative that when one views this motion picture these underlying themes and points are taken on board to ensure a true appreciation of possibly the greatest film ever produced.A must see!
The last person that commented on this movie needs to LIGHTEN UP! The comments made about "women" are to be taken lightly and jokingly. First of all, they are all men playing the roles of women. There are no women in the cast...that's the joke behind the movie! Plus, the characters are making fun of themselves. It's a comedy, it's not reality...in fact, far from it. Jack Plotnick's character of Evie steals the show by far!! Her b*tchy, catty dialog had me rolling through the entire film. Maybe we can get the director to consider a Girls will be Girls 2???!!!!I found the movie HILARIOUS, not just because I'm gay, but because I know how to take a joke, and enjoy a good, funny movie!
While this movie isn't spectacular, it is a well told story that becomes increasingly intriguing as it unfolds. I initially identified with the Mexican culture portrayed, but foolishly so--the novel (Midaq Alley) is based in Cairo and written by an Egyptian author. The story is that of a neighbourhood, its residents, and how they progress. It is a depressing story of sorts, told from the perspective of the different characters. At first the characters don't seem to have the depth needed to sustain the movie, but as we watch we learn more about each and the decisions they make to "better" their circumstances and the repercussions of those decisions. This is perhaps the best role I have seen Salma Hayek portray. She is, for once, cast in a role that has more depth. For those who like movies, this story is worth the time spent.
My experience of films with a male gay theme is very limited having only seen Hollywood's most recent output before Les Temoins. It is a film that I found both refreshing and pleasantly surprising in the way in which it approaches and represents a physical gay relationship. Sex is shown to be sensitive and loving. It shows such a versatile tenderness from both parties and Sami Bouajila's performance as the character of Mehdi evokes such genuine feelings that I was moved to tears. In addition to this, I found Les Temoins an extremely beautiful film to watch visually, its very blue and yellow colour-scape providing a serene backdrop for the action. For someone looking for a much gentler yet highly gripping tale of gay love this is a film I would highly recommend.
With episode three of 'The Twilight Zone', Serling further confused those trying to get a handle on the series by presenting them with a fantasy Western. It was still a critical stage for the series and a quality episode was required after the disastrous 'One for the Angels'. Fortunately, Serling provided it. 'Mr Denton on Doomsday' is a play in two distinct acts; the first act finds the drunk and pathetic Denton suddenly regaining his unrivalled ability with a shooting iron and the second act sees him face the consequences of being a renowned gunman.'Mr Denton on Doomsday' is the first 'Twilight Zone' episode to feature a truly surprising and satisfying twist. But there is far more to the episode than just its pay-off. Denton is explored thoroughly as a character and Serling's writing is deeply touching, particularly as Denton reveals the reason he started drinking excessively in the first place. The cast is also extremely good. The always reliable Martin Landau has a ball as Denton's worst tormentor and Doug McClure also surfaces in a small but key role as a young gunman. Jeanne Cooper does what she can with an underwritten part as the sympathetic eye candy and Malcolm Atterbury has the perfect, character-filled face for the part of Fate. But it is undoubtedly Dan Duryea's show. His performance as Denton is multi-layered and convincing. As the drunken Denton he provides moments of real butt-clenching embarrassment as he reluctantly serenades his bullies for drink. As Denton after his powers have been restored, Duryea is hangdog and resigned to the inevitable. And finally, following the showdown, he is revitalised and full of wisdom, a man given a second chance (second chances being another recurring theme in 'The Twilight Zone').There are one or two little problems with the script; Denton overcomes his alcohol problem almost instantaneously and he is suddenly able to walk into a barber's shop and get a shave despite the fact he was so penniless that he had to sing for drink only moments before. Still, these are minor quibbles and the sort of thing that must be expected when you only have twenty minutes to tell your story. Serling packs plenty into those twenty minutes and tops it off with a very neat twist indeed.
The film opens with this hot chick stripping down completely nude and starting to take a bath. I thought, "Oh boy, here we go." A few seconds later she hears something outside. She says, "Who's there?" and runs outside the room (scantily clad, mind you) to see who it is.She's chased outside by a homicidal maniac and runs through the woods, her robe falling off and revealing more pointless nudity. Finally she lures the monster into a circle of gunfire from a SWAT team who finally manage to kill Jason (apparently repetitive gunshots make him implode on impact).Then this balding man pats the half-naked girl -- who is now revealed to be a brainy cop -- on the back and says something like, "Good work, Sergeant, we'll get a promotion for you!" Meanwhile she's standing around naked with only a robe.For a moment I thought to myself, "This is either going to be the worst movie ever made, or a clever parody of its predecessors." I mean, either the whole nudity part with the female cop was just there for the sake of nudity, or it was a parody of the fact that every "Friday the 13th" movie has at least one scene of gratuitous female flesh.Unfortunately my first assumption was correct. This is an awful movie. It only gets worse and worse as time goes on. It's entertaining, sure, in a so-bad-it's-hilarious kind of way. The characters are all clichéd to the point of nausea and the killing scenes are so standard it's like doing a paint-by-numbers, it's already mapped out for you ahead of time.This isn't the worst film ever but it's certainly a very bad, cheesy, poorly acted, amateurish title in the "Jason" series and the fact that it was indeed NOT the last "Friday the 13th" film is rather ironic in itself.
OK, sure the movie pretty much sucks, but it's definitely worth it to see some cool car chases if you are a car chase fan. After realizing how many precious classic Dodge Chargers were destroyed during the "Dukes of Hazzard" TV run, it's also kinda sad to see a hot '57 Chevy banged up in chases (watch the disappearing dents, they used more than one of course) but the highlight definitely is that great crash by the '57 through the roof (where of course, McNichol simply keeps driving after the car lands). This chase, with the '57 Chevy, just may be one of the greatest car chases ever put on film actually, it's just too bad it's in a comedy and not a 'serious' film. The comedy is definitely bad, with maybe the funniest scene probably being the truck driver who backs in McNichols' way in an alley, who says "nooo!" with a hilarious look on his face. So hey, pick this one up off ebay for the chases, and watch with the volume turned off when you can to avoid the painful dialogue.
The ability to acknowledge the absurd and question the norm is extremely important in societies. I don't think the point of this film is so much to learn something, but to unlearn a few things. I can't believe that Bunuel was able to create such vividly bizarre sequences that laugh in the face of conventions, and still manage to contain all those random sequences in one film that kept my interest for an hour and forty five minutes. What an incredible feat. I am certainly glad that there aren't too many Bunuels out there. I don't know how often I could watch films like "The Phantom of Liberty" before it got old and uninteresting, but I'm glad that there was someone out there to accomplish what Bunuel did. I would definitely say "The Phantom of Liberty" is very much a film worth watching at least once by everyone.
It's official. This is the worst movie I've seen this year. I find this rather unfortunate because I had been anticipating Shoot 'Em Up for quite some time and had heard many good things about it.The action was so redundant I was bored out of my mind. The dialogue was god awful and corny. It also failed as a comedy because I think there was only one (maybe two) parts where I laughed.I wasn't expecting a ton of plot or characterization going in but I was expecting an entertaining movie which this failed terribly at being. By all rights it feels like it was written by a high school student.So many plot holes are present and the director expects the audience to have way too many suspensions of disbelief. I understand something being over the top but when a filmmaker chooses to completely disregard reality, common sense, and psychics it's not only lazy but insulting.I was expecting something clever but instead got something dumb and trite. Rather than being a parody of the action genre it merely managed to sink lower than the worst case scenarios of bad movie making and become a prime example of a genre at its absolute worst. I'm honestly amazed at the amount of positive feedback this movie is receiving.
Swimming Pool is a wonderfully put together and cleverly executed little film that knows a Hell of a lot more than it initially lets on. It's a film all about perspective; about how we are presented with a text, how characters within the text see the world around them and how the world around them can be re-formed and manipulated in certain ways – it's a slow-burning, thrilling and quite sexy filtering of a reality through a protagonist's sub-conscience. The film is about authors, creative writers and creative minds and the place they go when in need of a new idea or story. In Swimming Pool, writer/director François Ozon creates a physical space for this lead in this predicament, but plays with us and this location to give us something quite special.The lead is Sarah Morton (Rampling), a successful author in the crime/detective genre who is having trouble coming up with an idea for her next novel. In order to clear her head and gain inspiration, she is transported to the South of France in the form of boss John Bosload's (Dance) large and secluded holiday home. But there's a hitch, and that is that John's young, fast and loose daughter named Julie (Sagnier) frequents it rather often thus causing friction, disagreement and general strife.When we first meet what we later find out to be a hugely successful author with many adoring fans and numerously successful books, there is a deliberately anti-climatic sense about the character. She inhabits a very public and very familiar setting in an underground tube train, but shuns attention and dismisses claims from one passenger she is the successful author she is accused of being. I suppose this inserts an opinion into the audience of a certain aura of loneliness or a 'want' to be cut off from most people in Rampling's character, and, given the film is about the want to be on one's own as they collect their thoughts; enables us to identify with Sarah before her trip to France. It also allows us to identify the changes she goes through when put up against her opposite in Julie, and how forced interaction with this 'type' of person forces a confrontation with typical feelings and emotions.Initially, London is shot in the manner you might expect from a Frenchman, what with shots of Big Ben, the London Eye and the Houses of Parliment but I think the inclusion of these things is more about getting across the sense of the familiar; of the everyday and, ultimately, of the mundane. This is clashed with the manner in which Ozon shoots France, as this wonderfully warm, calm and colourful rural patch of land in which Sarah will spend her time. But the jump, again, is substantial enough in the sense this new and strange place Sarah is inhabiting is not only her physical place of rest but acts as an enclave within her mind; a place in which ideas and fantasies are allowed to cook up and play out. The character of Julie acts as an interesting but ever so-vital piece to the text. The film feigns as if it is a battle of young vs. old; of tradition vs. 'new wave' or any other such contemporary term you might like to apply to Julie. One is a lot younger, more energetic and very much enjoys company, specifically of the male variety and specifically for the length of a single evening. Sarah can only look on in a very mixed, but very well put across via Rampling, sense of confusion, despair and disgust.Onto Sarah's 'look' in the film, something Ozon pays specific attention to when Julie is engaging in what makes her what she is. There is a point, early on, in which Julie swims naked but the film does not offer a reaction shot on Sarah's behalf thus defusing any gaze. Later on, when she makes love to one of a few random men she finds during her nights out, Sarah cannot hep but become interested and observes in the same composition before later still, there actually is a reaction shot from Sarah, during another sex act in the house's swimming pool from which the title derives. The events could have two implications, but going into specifics would spoil the piece. Needless to say, it may be a coming to terms with one's identity but additionally a sort of perverted escalation as Sarah lets loose her mind and envisages fantasies as her writer's block is lifted.The film progresses into a final act that genuinely caught me unawares, specifically due to the way in which it branched out into a murder plot, something that Sarah herself is used to writing so successfully, only this time we do not see things play out from a detective's point of view. Swimming Pool is very articulate in its approach, giving us this somewhat downbeat lead and having them undergo an odyssey that might not quite be reality as we know it but almost certainly plays out on some level, psychological or physical otherwise.
Mix fairy-tale with fantasy, legend with reality. This is a dark fairy-tale, beautiful and compelling right from the explosive start.Inu Yasha, a creature that is half man, half dog-demon, attempts to steal an enchanted jewel from a shrine, to change himself into a full-blooded demon. However, the priestess sworn to protect the jewel fires an arrow into his heart, and nails him to a tree. The priestess dies from her wounds, and Inu Yasha falls into an enchanted sleep. 50 years later, the soul of the priestess returns to the forest, reborn in the body of Kagome, a girl from modern-day Tokyo who has fallen through time into the era of myth and legend. Inside her, the jewel has been reborn along with the soul of the priestess. Her precense awaken the dog-demon from his long imprisonment, and along with him awaken his long-alseep desires for the jewel. However, by the power of Kagome's arrow, the jewel is broken and its shards scattered across the lands. Each shard holds the power to make evil hearts stronger, and bestow misery upon the land. Kagome and Inu Yasha reluctantly set out together, to collect the shards and make the jewel complete again. "Inu Yasha" is the story of that journey.What captured me about this series was Inu Yasha himself. His character is dark, evil, and mean, plus he behaves an animal. The makers have really managed to capture his animal side, and this (along with great, charismatic voice-acting), gives him a precense seldom seen in animated shows. In the beginning, he is betrayed, hostile and alone, but as the show moves on, he developes greatly, by slowly but surely warming up and gaining kindness in his demonic eyes. The reason for this is Kagome, a brave heroine that far exceeds your standard shrieky-maiden-anime-chick.There is some humor to this show too. It's nicely done, it doesn't steal time from the story, and it fits where it is placed. But don't expect this to be some light comedy-show like Ranma: Inu Yasha is a deep and dark fairy tale that deals seriously with questions like the want for strenght, the want for life, the want for revenge, and the slim line between love and hatred. All within one huge story-arc with many meaningful subplots.As for the enemies, they not only display great strenght and cruelty, but some of them are also allowed to develope as characters, which is extremely rare for bad-guys. The action is very cool, skillfully done and overall fantastic. Inu Yasha, the one who does most the fighting, fights to kill and doesn't hold back. A lot of blood and some really nasty scenes in some episodes.The animation is magnificent, as well as the soundtrack. I have only seen the subbed version, but I can highly recommend it about any dub. There is no way any translation could outdo the original cast.This is the best anime I have EVER seen. It's original and powerful with a lot of depth, in a world where fairy-tale has merged with fantasy. Plus, Inu Yasha's dog-ears are super-kawaii... ^_^Don't miss it!/Auryn
I don't know very much about French cinema. I know I like quite alot of the movies I see from there, but for all I know they make garbage (like everywhere and everyone else) and send only the good ones to the USA.I mention this only because it seems as though this movie made it here on star power alone. I love Binoche very much and since she doesn't exactly make six movies a year, I'm glad when I can see her at all. When the actors you really love make a movie, you see it. Daniel Day-Lewis falls into that category for me, too. Ever since "The English Patient" and her unexpected but deserved Oscar, I've been mildly obsessed w/her.So while I am glad I saw it, its far beneath her ability and talent, and ditto Jean Reno. It doesn't help that the settings are an airport lounge (at least in that other airport-lounge movie, "The V.I.P.'s", you had Margaret Rutherford and her pill-popping to enjoy) and a hotel room, and that's it. They just talk talk talk talk talk and none of it is even remotely interesting. 3/10.
In viewing TBS's newest attempt at infusing their comedic stature into an original series, "10 Items or Less" shows that perhaps Mr. Turner should stick with acquiring sitcoms and cartoons as the foundation for the network's motto of being 'Very Funny'. That is if the sting of "Daisy Does America" hasn't worn off...."10 Items or Less" establishes all the same clichés of being a grocery clerk that any common customer could see while wrangling this menagerie of failed auditions for Mad TV under the frayed control of manager Leslie, who assumes ownership of the family store after his father dies in a supposedly comedic fashion (a heart attack that knocks over a display stand, with the nearby employee fixing the stand first before helping the fallen owner). While actually showing this act of apathetic drudgery might've seemed more funny, instead the story is relayed by Leslie himself with less than dramatic results.This is just one of the many examples of failed attempts at achieving a punchline, and instead resorting to a fast quip... just not fast enough. What remains is an almost painful experience for every actor present, shown in their faces in almost every scene yet simultaneously used as "the pain" of working in a grocery store to give them character. Irony.As with any new show, 5 episodes have already been printed. Hopefully "10 Items or Less" will remain 10 episodes or less....
I saw Hellbent near the end of the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. I'm so glad I saw it when I did - it was a super finale to the film festival. Hellbent is great fun, probably the most fun I've had in years during a horror flick. It delivers on all counts - it's scary as hell (sorry, I couldn't resist!), gruesome in a couple of well placed scenes, and funny without weakening the tension. In fact, it's one of the scariest films I've seen in quite some time. In addition, the action revolves around five hunky gay men who are pursued by the psycho slasher - a refreshing and welcome change. Four gay men go out in West Hollywood on Halloween night to have a good time, unaware that the previously mentioned psycho slasher has his eye on them. The boys party like only gay men can, and one of them talks to another hunk that he's seen around who joins them. One by one the boys are picked off until the final confrontation. What makes this film differ from others in the horror/slasher genre is the concentration on and the respect for the characters of the film. Paul Etheredge-Ouzts develops well-fleshed characters for the film, giving the performers much to work with in the story. The cast is terrific, in addition to being great to look at. Matt Phillips is particularly effective, funny and even touching, showing the vulnerability of his character even through drag.I had the opportunity to meet Paul Etheredge-Ouzts and Matt Phillips at the film festival. I was fortunate to be able to compliment them on their great work for Hellbent. I hope to see Hellbent again soon when it's released on a national scale. It's great fun - and I'll be looking for Hellbent 2 soon!
I think nobody else could have played the role of Richard Gere so good as himself. Richard Gere delivered again a great performance as in THE FLOCK. My wife liked RED CORNER a lot because of the romantic touch and the nice music. But I warn you that there are some slow paced scenes keeping anyway high the importance of this message to the audience. Perhaps the running time is a little bit too long. The story opened my eyes again very wide and showed me how the human rights in other countries as in China aren't respected. I hope that this situation will change very soon!Then I am impressed how many details were integrated in the sceneries to create a real Chinese atmosphere. I saw in a french TV magazine a documentation of the making of RED CORNER. In reality it was filmed in the Californian film studios.Final vote: 7.5/10.If you liked it I recommend you to see TEARS OF THE SUN or HOTEL RWANDA.
I had a chance to catch a screening of "Feast" at the Chicago Film Festival. I hadn't caught the latest installment of Project Greenlight and hadn't even heard of the movie until a week ago, so I came in without any expectations. At the least, it's got cult classic written all over it: --campy, smart writing --quirky characters that are developed enough to give them dimension without plummeting the depths of their personalities (it is a horror flick) --a movie that doesn't take itself too seriously --outrageously funny (more than you can say of other cult classics that have somehow survived)...I haven't laughed out loud that much since Meet the Parents (the original!) --totally scared the crap out of me numerous times --a plot that defies predictability, but doesn't collapse as a result of itAnd for all those reasons, there's got to be a good chance it's at least going to be a sleeper hit...one that certainly appeals to the horror flick crowd, but is smart enough to draw others (like myself) that are just looking for a great, well-written, well-produced movie. Add the project greenlight junkies to that eclectic mix of audience draw...and, tell me again, why are the studios having trouble releasing it?
I thought this was one of the most thought-provoking and powerful films I've ever seen based on this subject. When I read about this story awhile back, I was galled by what happened to her. J.D. Pardo and Mercedes Ruehl certainly shine in their performances. This should have been made as a major motion picture, and not relegated to being a made-for-TV movie. That being said, however, I salute Lifetime for being brave enough to produce it! It reminds me of another brave film, called "Soldier's Girl" from 2003, also a made-for-TV movie, which was also extremely well-done. A standing ovation for everyone involved in both of these productions!
Hailes Sankofa is the first and best movie about slavery ever made. Forget Amistad go see this movie if you can find it. The director of this movie could not get funding for this movie as the content was considered 'too controversial'. He made the movie outside of Hollywood and this resulted in a honest view on the history of slavery. This movie had bad distribution and no advertisement but it sold out at the box offices in America. The movie is named after the bird Sankofa. This bird is always looking back to where it came from. This massage is important throughout the movie; for a better understanding of the present and the future you need to know where you came from and how history has treated you.
"This town is like a wild animal in chains, Molly," says Marshal Calem Ware to his landlady while she fries his bacon and eggs for breakfast. "It doesn't fight back right away. It just lies there and snarls, waiting for a chance to pounce on you." "Be careful, Calem," is Molly's helpful advice. A Lawless Street is the story of Calem Ware (Randolph Scott) and his determination to bring law and order to Medicine Bend. Unknown to Ware, there is a faction in town determined to run things wide open. Money -- big money -- is involved. This means Ware has to be taken care of. A hired killer with a draw as fast as Calem's might be the answer. Complicating matters for Ware is the arrival of Tally Dickerson (Angela Lansbury), a music hall singer engaged to play with her troupe at the town's new opera house. Nine years ago the two were man and wife, then Tally left him. They're still married. "I didn't know what it was like for a man to make his living with his gun," Tally tells Caleb when they meet again, "walking the streets a living target. I died a little more each day and I died more at night." Even Lansbury can't do much with lines like that. The movie is packed with such poor writing that we don't believe a minute of it. The script is full of characters who tell each who they are and what motivates them, instead of demonstrating this. At frequent intervals an out-of-breath minor character rushes up to Caleb to announce another crisis is at hand. Thank goodness we have Scott's steadfastness to believe in and the smiling sleaziness of John Emery, playing one of the bad guys, to enjoy. The writing is so poor it makes even a fine actress like Angela Lansbury sound like someone from a daytime soap opera. We have Lansbury singing and dancing once, but I'd swear her singing was dubbed, a strange decision. Although I thought the movie might be interesting with the odd duo of a 57-year-old Randolph Scott with the 30-year-old Angela Lansbury, the pairing seemed uncomfortable and unlikely. The film's modest pleasures come from a handful of long-time character actors, such as Wallace Ford, who died a memorable death in a steam room in Blood on the Sun, Ruth Donnelly, always good in many movies as the often irascible but good-hearted motherly type, and, of course, Emery. I always admired the way he tried to put the moves on Ingrid Bergman in Spellbound.
Ghosthouse (La Casa 3) is a decent, yet flawed haunted house chiller directed by Umberto Lenzi (under the painfully obvious pseudonym, Humphrey Humbert. The story concerns a young girl and her demonic clown haunting a house just outside Boston. 20 years earlier, her mother and father were brutally murdered by the evil clown, and the daughter died under mysterious circumstances. 20 years later, two college students hear a distress call coming from a short wave radio. The trace it to the now decrepit and dilapidated house and soon meet two brothers, their annoying sister, and one of the brother's girlfriend camping at the house. Soon, they all begin to die at the hands of the evil clown and the little girl.For the most part, Ghosthouse succeeds at being atmospheric and suspenseful, mostly due to the creepy nursery rhyme that either the little girl or the clown sings (it was hard to determine who it was). The house was played a major part in the film's dreadful, melancholic atmosphere. For trivia, it was the same house used in Lucio Fulci's less than desirable, HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY.Ghosthouse had it's fair share of gore, unfortunately not too much of it, and it was difficult to see it due to the poor lighting. The acting was also a bit uneven and the dubbing of the actors poor. But that's to be expected with any Italian horror film. The ending was a bit downbeat, but a neat way to close the film. Another issue I had with Ghosthouse was that the actors were extremely annoying, and they all deserved to bite the bullet. The ending also felt rushed. Perhaps, their budget ran low, and they had to come up with something less expensive at the last minute.Overall, Ghosthouse is worth seeing if you are a die-hard fan of Italian horror. Like most Italian horror films, it succeeds in being atmospheric and melancholic. Unfortunately, it ends up just becoming a run-of-the-mill haunted house slasher flick with uninspired performances and ludicrous situations. It is quite rare on video but it receive a DVD release in the UK. Seek it out only if you enjoy these kinds of films.
I saw "2 Days In Paris" today. It was like going to an AA meeting or any group therapy session to live more spiritually. It is all about relating, being honest and accepting others for what they really are and not what you want them to be.Actually it is not a movie about Paris.The entire film could have been done in locations other than Paris. I was surprised by the movie. I was expecting a lot of action and a complicated plot or story line taking place all over Paris. Instead, it was mainly two characters who are maybe in love with each other but need to open new doors to make their love possible or to be able to be fully realized.This unmarried couple discovered that, though they profess loving one another and enjoying lots of sex and love making, they actually did not know one another. True love comes about by knowing one another with honesty and acceptance.The film has a slice of life story line. There is actually no definite beginning or end. It was more a segment of living by two young people trying to relate to each other. Since it was a slice of life story line, I was not able to anticipate when the movie would end. However, I accepted the movie's ending when it did happen.I recommend this movie to anyone who wants insights on how to have a spiritual and non-judgemental relationship with another person. It is the kind of truth that one discovers in AA and other twelve-step programs."2 Days In Paris" is not dull or boring. The movie made me feel alive and realize that at my age of seventy-nine that I still have a lot spiritual growth ahead of me. Self-honesty and accepting life on God's term is a process of living that never ends.
It a fairly decent film,the script isn't that bad,and for being a TV film had some very atmospheric moments given the way it ends obviously they were aiming for a TV series but i really had to laugh when i read the trivia page "a pilot for a series never made" because whoever made this should be suing the makers of "Lost" big time.. There are so many comparisons between them that it list them all should take pages JJ Abrams Damon Lindelof and co should be shamed of themselves for so blatantly ripping off "Danger Island" without giving either the director Tommy Lee Wallace or the writer William Bleich any credit ...not even a little nod in their direction in any interviews.. Lost is the better show its written better and the cast is better but i just wish they had been a bit more honest about how they came up with the idea for Lost
It's a waste of talents for all the three leading actor/actresses involved. Yes, I know it is a Sci-Fi film, but there are still too many holes in the plot. The special effects are rip-off from Hollywood too. I saw the Chinese-dubbed version, and the dialog doesn't turn out too well either. Overall, a movie you can do without.
Maybe because I grew up watching SNL live during its first 5 or so years but I really got a laugh out of the Coneheads when they would do that skit on SNL. I admit I have not seen the movie in a while but I was just thinking about Laraine Newman from doing some reading about the group Devo (its a long story) and I just realized that she really got screwed not getting the role that she played on the TV show. I see pics of her on IMDb and she looks OK now, back in 93 she probably still looked cool, I mean why not use her as the kid? I mean there freakin aliens anyway so so what if a 35 year old plays a teenager. The teen in the movie Coneheads plays like the Marylin Munster type as the only semi normal one and her role is kinda lame except when she scarfs down the sub, that was funny, and Farleys reaction was about the best part of the movie. Well, I liked Coneheads but then again I liked Dragnet so I'm probably an Akyroid lover at heart that would watch anything he's in an enjoy it.
I have seen this film many times but each time i enjoy watching it, it's the best film I have ever seen, Antonio Banderas did his best , he's a Cuban man loving an American girl but there's a problem : She was such a lier girl and a thief as well .Simultaneously she was in love with another man so after a while she took all Banderas money and ran away, Banderas started to find her in order to kill her .He Employs a detective to do so but guess who the detective is : It's her lover missing her too and is searching for her.What would happen next? See the film.It's the beginning of one of the best films in the History. I recommend you if and only if ( I Like math) there's just ONE day left from your life(I'm sorry for you) GO SEE the film,don't miss it or you'll regret for it afterlife.
I don't know why other people think this movie isn't great, but I think it's amazing!!! I love Dave Chappelle and Norm Macdonald. I just laughed through this entire movie. I think everyone should give this movie a chance, but I still can't see how people don't love it. I wish I could go back and watch it again for the very first time.
Ist this really it? The one we've been waiting for? The worst movie of all times?Well, let's say it could be very well it! To be honest, even if I am usually more toward "good" movies, I very much enjoy a good comedy once in a while. Like American Pie or most of the Farrelly Movies.Being a guy - what can I say - I even more enjoy a comedy with pretty girls and even some nice b**bs in it. I'm only human ...But not even the bared breasts which are shown throughout the movie, without any reason I might add, can be reason enough to live through the torture of this brainless, heartless, meaningless piece of youknowwhat.My advice? Don't, Don't! DON'T !!!!!
In a way it would have been better if this film was terribly made, because then nobody would pay attention to its horrible message.To talk about the good, the cinematography was well done. Some of the shots of the landscape and sky were breathtaking. Though the lack of a decent budget shows, the talent of the film crew is able to overcome that.However, despite the talent that went into the production, I cannot give the movie a higher score, because of its intolerable message.This movie purports to show the mistreatment of African Americans at the hands of white men. In some aspects this is certainly helpful. It is good to remember the horrors we have inflicted on others, to guard us against doing so again.But the movie falls into propaganda with its heavy-handed treatment of its characters. The noble Nunu, an African who zealously follows the paganism of her ancestors, is presented as a saint without flaw. Meanwhile, her mulatto son, Joe, a faithful catholic, is unloving, murderous, and a traitor to his people.This is not a movie in which all people are shown as corrupted, fallen beings. This is a movie in which all African Pagans are savage heroes, and all whites are licentious hypocritical Christians. The white characters are never anything other than cardboard cutouts, two-dimensional scapegoats for all the ills of the Africans. I don't even want to get into the unspoken insinuation that it's Joe's white blood that has corrupted him.Now, you might say I'm being unfair. After all, were there not corrupt priests, slave owners who raped their slaves, and traitorous mulattoes? Undoubtedly. But this movie never gives us a hint that there is anything but those things. This movie gives us no reason to think not all priests aren't racists, that not all slave owners are rapists.Furthermore, the movie forces us to associate good Africans with paganism, and evil whites and traitorous African Americans with Christianity. Joe kills his mother because she throws away his necklace of Mary, and because the priest tells him his mother is the devil. Shola doesn't join the "good" side until she attends the pagan ritual in the caves.Not to mention the portrayal of Africa as paradise, where nothing bad ever happened to anyone. No, before whites enslaved them, there was certainly no murder or rape among the Africans. Not to say it was as bad as slavery, but the movie's equation of Africa with heaven is ridiculous.That the movie ends with the slaves slaughtering the slave owners shows the depravity of the movie. They have unfortunately agreed with the philosophy of Farakkhan and others who think that going back to Africa, and cutting off any connection with other races, is the correct path.In the end it is a movie that argues that outwardly choosing a religion makes you either an evil person or a good one, and that the correct way to respond to injustice is with revenge.
Nearing 15 years later and I CAN remember many of the skits and shorts. The movie shorts by Shawn Alex Thompson were brilliant, My Beautiful Cigarette(might be My Lovely Cigarette) and Patterns were my favorites! Sketches like the Sesame Street parodies, Oopsy Digit, The Association for Apathy, Hooked on Phonics, not to mention Tommy Blaze's rants, were sooo good. Wish I could find the complete series to purchase!! It was on at one o'clock in the morning on what was then The WB-channel 11. I didn't and don't understand why that time slot. I think that is why this show didn't make it, because The Newz was as good as Kids in the Hall and much better than Saturday Night Live.
Sol Svanetij (Salt for Svanetia) was made in 1929 about a remote Ukraine primitive Northern isolated area of the Ukraine where the people are poor, preyed upon and severely lack salt (animals lick blood, urine to find the precious commodity). Religion is one of the people's curses ... they donate their few coins to the Church that doesn't do much to relieve the populace suffering. Wonderful photography in the highly edited Russian style. Highly recommended
Jodhaa Akbar is a spectacular Indian epic drenched in colors and music.. The legendary Moghul emperor may not have been anything like Hrithik Roshan, but Hrithik is every inch a royal prince, all 6 feet of him. Both he and Ms. Rai look beautiful and do their best with the minimal script. Lovers of historical romance and adventure films should be pleased...if they don't expect accurate history any more than would be present in a King Arthur or Robin Hood tale. Besides the two stunning leads, the film offers the most glorious vision of a bygone era seen on the screen in quite a while. The action, war and dueling scenes are just as outstanding as the static opulent court and palace scenes. The film is visually rich, beautifully photographed and choreographed. Lavish sets and costumes equal and compliment the beauty of the players.
I watched the whole movie on YouTube and thought this is actually really entertaining. The critics complained about it being overblown. I disagree... The script is a bit patchy in places, same with the direction, but I've seen a lot worse, believe me. The soundtrack was what made this movie, it was fantastic. I prefer classical music, but this music was good because of the content and it was catchy.The performances were really good also. Tim Curry is really cool as Johnny LaGuardia, who sort of succumbs to a change of heart. One minute he is all wild, then he is comforting Pamela. The girl who played Pamela was also convincing, though not as good as her co-star Robin Johnson, who was easily the best actress in the movie. Their scenes while corny at times were on the most part touching When Nicki suffers a breakdown, I had tears in her eyes, because she was so convincing. Why is she no longer acting?One thing that gets me mad, Why is the rating so low? It isn't actually that bad. Sure it mayn't be to everyone's taste but it is definitely the most underrated of the 1980s movies.7/10 in respect to the players. Bethany Cox (I wish I could give it higher but I've only seen it once)
I'm a longtime fan of The Destroyer series. I started reading the books when they first came out and have collected most of them and re-read them often.The movie "The Adventure Begins" was a worthy effort considering that Hollywood can't leave any successful characters as they are and has to try and make everything P.C. and squeaky clean but this piece is entirely another matter.Roddy McDowall was an excellent choice for Chiun and did his usual excellent performance. Smith was also done very well. The rest of it makes me wonder if the writers ever even bothered to look at the covers, let alone read any of the series of books this is supposed to be based on. Granted someone did glance through "The Day Remo Died" for the story line.This is another example of the kind of lifeless writing and lack of imagination that is permeating most of television programming today. It's no wonder that "reality" shows are so common. They take no writing skill.
Female Yakuza Tale is my first foray into "Pinky Violence". The closest thing I have ever seen to this wild Japanese take on the sexploitation sub-genre was Lady Snowblood and I can say that in comparison it hardly counts. The tale involves Ocho, a female yakuza member, who is ensnared (or en-"snatched" perhaps) in a plot to smuggle heroin using the wonders of the female anatomy. Then there is this subplot about a guy who was sent to prison and it cost him his right to be boss of the Ogi family. It really doesn't matter so much. Most of the plot is inconsequential and is really a catalyst for more carnal pleasures... Characters have the usual undeveloped back story elements that one expects from a poorly written film that serve only to frustrate the audience. These elements are handled with little care and are jarring, obnoxious and clichéd interruptions. As a young male the only reason to sit through this flick is for the copious amounts of female flesh. One only has to go so far as the opening credits to be rewarded with the nude splendor of the star Reiko Ike. There is plenty more where that came from, rest assured that if you see an attractive woman on screen you will find out what she is hiding behind her clothing. This film makes a rule of this concept, in fact the finale has almost the entire female cast engaged in combat with only their shoes on. Blood, breasts and posterior... Too bad the camera work is static and boring and coupled with the editing makes the combat painfully staged and slow. Basically this is a film to watch if you crave a low brow cinematic fix. You watch FYT for the same reason you watch Cannibal Holocaust or a Troma flick, you crave the assault on good taste and art in favor of having primal desires satiated. While I got a kick out of this it is by no means a good film and a four star rating is all I can bear to give this.
Very funny. Completely captivating. The visual style was all 70's pastel kitsch: house, clothes, hair. Cheesy low-tech special effects don't seem to follow any particular style but simply add fun comedy touches. Strong language is often fresh and honest. The aging actress character always says exactly what's on her mind. Think of it as "Hairspray" meets "Valley of the Dolls".
I have seen The Biscuit Eater (1940) on television and it has been one of my favorite films. Have not seen it in a long time and would like to have a copy of this film. If you know how I can get a copy let me know (marthasjordan@aol.com) please. This is a picture for all ages to see...it has a wonderful lesson on life. What better story to tell about than a boy his good friend and their dog. I have seen the remake of this film the 1972 color version and it is just not the same as the original 1940 black and white version. The 1940 version takes you really back into the era of when the story is taking place and you can go there with the boys and their dog. This movie should really be one of the all time great CLASSIC movies.
Big surprise of a movie! Very well written, with excellent performances by Liam Neeson and Oliver Platt. Some very witty humor, combined with lots of suspense/tension made for a rivetting film. The downsides were a few holes in the plot, as well as a somewhat "Hollywood" type of ending; a little too-neatly wrapped up. But all in all, a pleasant surprise!
We know we're in the hands of a master director to be from the first moments of the film. Enough about its plot and content has already been said here by other commentors - it is certainly impressive. Novello is a perfect choice for the neurotic and odd lead, causing the audience as well as the cast members to suspect him of being THE AVENGER. Here the ending was changed to protect Novello's reputation as a romantic leading man (as was the first talkie sequel in which Novello also played the lead, albeit to a slightly altered script, character and motivation). Here the cinematography and editing match the direction in all being top notch and the exquisite tinting in the restored version adds a great deal to the overall atmosphere of the film. All the players are fine with no real standouts except for Novello, who had a very successful career in silents (16 films) but retired from talking films after only 6 to become one of England's most influential composers until his death in 1951. See this one - it's a classic.
When you know you're going to see another pointless action movie, and you know it will have little to no redeeming value minus the action, and it STILL sucks, the problem has to be the action.From start to finish, the movie was bland and boring. I wanted to leave after the first 5 minutes as it was, and after that it was like sitting through one of those bad documentaries at school for the other 2 hours. The action was predictable and just downright boring, generic, and pathetic. Add to that the utterly ridicules dialogue scenes that told you things you already know from the credits mixed with clichés from every single action movie ever freaking made, and it felt like I was watching a made-for-TV drama, not an action movie. You've seen this movie before. Hundreds of times.The acting, as well, was horrid. The chick they got to play the cliché "bad prison woman" reminded me of Martha Stewart . . . dumbed down and made even more cliché than the real woman. At one point when a "bad man" character came on screen I had to say:"Look, it's Mr. Evil!" as he cackled with his huge nose casting a cliché shadow. Everything that could have been menacing in this film was laughable.There is no more blood in this movie than PG-13 fares like Cloverfield, and it wasn't as violent as the PG-13 The Dark Knight. Every scene was a cut-off scene without anything graphic happening, and at some points even the fist fights were cut-off scenes. I cannot think of any movie with "violence" as utterly pathetic as this one. It barely earned its R-rating through a minimal amount of blood, and the rest was PG all the way.I do not know why anyone would find anything in this entertaining. There was maybe a couple action scenes, and the rest was your mother's cliché TV drama. Am I the only one who wishes action movies were, you know, action-packed anymore?
'Sukiyaki Western Django' has a pretty literal name, even if it looks goofy to those unfamiliar with the genre being referenced. The name is straightforward: "sukiyaki" being a traditional Japanese dish (standing in for "spaghetti"), "western" referring to the genre, and "Django" referring to the gimmicky B-movie series of westerns from the '70s which the film constantly references. So the name literally is saying it's a Japanese B-movie Spaghetti Western.Miike takes inspiration from, and references, almost everything here: classic Clint Eastwood westerns, the anime 'Cowboy Bebop', B-movie slashers (and obviously the terrible cult classic series, "Django"), Kurosawa's 'Yojimbo', the old Japanese story of 'The Tale of Heike' and so on. Quentin Tarantino has a small narrative role in the film as well.And it ends up being pretty entertaining. The film is entirely in English, or I should say "Engrish," done by Japanese actors. The results are goofy and funny and sometimes downright unintelligible. It's pretty original/charming in concept, though, and I wonder if Miike wouldn't also like to make a samurai film entirely with Americans speaking broken Japanese. And regardless of how deeply the characters can inflect based on their accents, some of their visual expressions are really wonderful (my favorite was when the guy in the paddy-wagon grabs the sticks of dynamite!). The film is actually quite nice to look at throughout.The sets and costumes are pretty nice for an independent film, though a lot of the interior decor often reminded me of the US interstate food chain, 'Cracker Barrel.' Haha! I just mean the saloons and everything were a little...clean. The action is a combination of really awesome and intentionally terrible, though the shootouts are pretty fun to watch and there are some pretty original moments featuring crossbows and computer-rendered effects. Furthermore, Miike likes to toy with audience expectations and anticipation, so prepare for some off-tempo action sequences which border on the bizarre.And all the typical Miike touches are here: over-the-top manga-style violence, a combination of awful and excellent acting, critical reflections on chivalry, a weird drawn-out dance number that has nothing to do with anything, aforementioned intentionally off-tempo pacing, gorgeous cinematography, and well-constructed sets.I would have really liked to see some deeper character development. The main characters all looked so similar and told such similar back stories it was hard to tell who was who until the end. And it didn't help that they all spoke in broken English, but then again I wasn't watching it with subtitles. Although it's not gripping for its story, narrative or traditional story-telling, film-making qualities, Sukiyaki Western Django is pretty cool for how unique it is and its goofy Japanese angles on the subject matter. At the very least, fans of classic "B-movie", "arthouse" cinema should find something to like here, as should fans of live-action manga or Miike's more light-hearted moments.
Wow, i know that this show is praised and considered to be one of the best shows of the 80's, but i certainly did not expect such a good first episode, in fact it's a double episode that's almost 100 minutes long. I didn't have chance to see this show earlier so i'm watching it now 25 years later and it still doesn't seem old at all, it's even greater now as you look back at the mid 80's.Great introduction of the two main characters of this show, Det. James 'Sonny' Crockett (Don Johnson) and Det. Ricardo 'Rico' Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) in this first episode. Ricardo Tubbs come to Miami by representing himself as his brother which died three weeks ago in undercover operation gone wrong and he was killed by a same man and his gang that Ricardo wants to catch and kill in Miami, that's the reason of his coming down south in the first place. On the other hand Sonny Crockett is a Miami detective who just watched his partner die in car explosion, Crockett is also known as the detective who doesn't always work "by the book". When these two meet they of course argue a lot at first and don't get along, but fate has different plans for them as they start working on their first case of catching drug dealer Calderon (the same one who killed Tubbs's brother)...I have to say that this first episode passed by so quickly that i thought it was a regular episode (which means 50 minutes long because that's the length of 'Miami Vice' episodes unlike some shows which have 40 minutes episode's length) and not a double one, it was exciting and entertaining in almost every scene, acting was very good, far better from what i have expected, since i heard that 80's detective shows aren't well known for their flawless actors, but Johnson and Thomas are dead on most of the time, specially in dramatic scenes and dialogs. Soundtrack is naturally amazing for this 80's TV series, i heard music themes from 'Miami Vice' long before today and the first episode of it that i watched, official 'Miami Vice' theme is very good and likable as well as the music from 80's that was used for this show, for example in this episode we hear well known hits such as 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' and 'In The Air Tonight'.10/10 - a perfect start of the show
The premise of the movie was okay (and I did enjoy fast-forwarding to see how they worked the Dickens parallels in) but the main character (Connor Mead, played by Matthew McConaughey) might as well have been on the Lucy Show for how many terrible, awful, irredeemable things he did. It made the entire movie SO annoying.I also didn't enjoy how vapid most of the female characters were, or the idea that anybody and everybody would fall into bed with such a sleazebucket. He just wasn't attractive, to be honest. Daniel Sunjata's character was 100 times more interesting.Jennifer Garner, Breckin Meyers and Michael Douglas were all fine, but not enough to salvage an otherwise really unpleasant movie.
This is the single worst movie, with the exception of "The People Under the Stairs" that I have ever seen. For many titles on IMDb, some comment on how intriguing a plot is. Well, that can be skipped for this film, because the plot is so ill-thought out that there might as well not be one. Why would a director waste time/money on: 1. Horrible "special" effects. EVERY single stunt was ludicrously cheesy and fake. Only a ten year old kid would enjoy them.2. Dialog. It has to be the worst for ANY movie that I can remember watching. I mean, it's embarrassing. The writer(s) should be shunned from film-making forever.3. Cast. Ridiculous does not do it justice. John Cena, WWE wrestler, is one of the worst "actors" of all time. First of all, no one cares about WWE. People did in the 90's, and only idiots who thought it was real enjoyed it. Secondly, his voice is so annoying and the dialog is so terrible that I wanted to see him die a horrible death every three minutes.4. Concept. Honestly. Diamond thieves. GIVE ME A BREAK. Number two: hostage situation. It's so bad that I had to laugh.5. The black guy. Not being racist, but he was the worst character of all of them. I mean come on, this movie is obviously projected to younger teens, but why do the stupid racist jokes have to come out of this guy's mouth? They aren't even funny! It all goes back to dialog. Second, the language. The foul language sounded so ridiculous because of horrible acting, and often didn't fit with the context. Again, this is why 13 year olds are stupid.6 (and last). Overall crap. This movie sucks. Period. It is absolutely terrible. Do not, even if you are stuck in a cabin from the snow, watch this movie. Burn it. Throw it away. Anything. If you get it for Christmas, never speak to the giver again.Bottom line: This movie sucked from opening propaganda to final stunt. If you want a good laugh, watch it. Because it seriously needs to be moved from "Action" to "Comedy"
Purple Plain is an obscure film in Peck's long list of movie credits. I don't know if this British production got much publicity or release stateside, despite Peck's movie star celebrity. Unfortunately, it's never been a TV regular, which is too bad because this tale of renewal and survival is an unusual and gripping one, in spite of the obscurity.The film opens in the Burmese jungle during WWII. Peck is a battle fatigued flyer on the ragged edge of breakdown. He's about to be relieved because of erratic behavior, all the while he's flashing back on his wife's death in a London air-raid. These are well-done scenes causing us to sympathize with his loss. Nonetheless, he's jeopardizing his comrades with reckless manuevers because the loss has undermined his will-to-live. Thus, we're torn between sympathy and concern, just like the flight station doctor (Bernard Lee).In an interesting move, Lee overcomes Peck's agonies by reconnecting him socially, in this case with a nearby missionary community. There Peck finds the vital human relationships so importantly missing from his death-dealing combat duties. As a result, his life takes on new meaning and purpose as a result of rejoining a human community where such life-giving affirmations can emerge. On the whole these are well-done scenes, especially the chaos from the Japanese air attack. In the midst of the carnage, Peck's combat flyer finds a new role in helping to bandage up survivors. Herein lies the movie's basic message and it's an important and humane one, conveyed in fairly subtle fashion, though the turn-around occurs more quickly than I would have liked.Nonetheless, it's interesting that the script avoids the usual officially sanctioned head-doctor therapies. Note that Peck is not sent to be counseled by an air force psychiatrist, nor to join a chest-baring therapy group, nor to have his past puzzled together Freudian style. Of course, the happy solution here remains a "movie" solution where-- as we all know-- anything can be made to magically happen. Still, for a war-movie setting, the simple affirmation that mental health lies through nurturing social relations and not through government sanctioned killing remains no less suggestive because of its movie origins.The remainder of the film amounts to a survival trek through the wilds of southeast Asia. It's a well-filmed and harrowing struggle against a forbidding landscape where the crash survivors must decide between staying put or hiking out against great odds. But most importantly, it's Peck's chance to regain his humanity by facing up to the odds, not just for his own survival, but for his two comrades as well. The movie's final scene could not have been better conceived. Indeed, no words are necessary. On the whole, this is a subtly and well thought out anti-war film, no less effective because it concerns the fate of one man rather than thousands.Too bad that its humane message remains so generally unseen.
Airwolf is quite simply the greatest television series/movie ever made. I have over 20 episodes of Airwolf and I still can't get enough of it...Airwolf is piloted by String-Fellow Hawke, an elite combat pilot, who would only return the awesome machine if the top-secret F.I.R.M can find his brother (MIA). Airwolf is full of incredible air-fights and has a good plot to go with it. But the amazing chopper is not the only factor that gave Airwolf it's popular title. String-Fellow Hawke is a lonely man who lives in a cabin, 40 miles from the nearest village. Along with his slick flying, he pilots Airwolf skillfully, taking out the opposition with nothing but class. Airwolf is portrayed as realistically as possible making the series a one-and-only, using advanced radar, weapon systems, and stealth capabililites along with superb footage with Airwolf flying below radar scan a few feet of the ground.An irreplacable television series.
Low-budget Porchlight Studios regulars Neil Kinsella and Peter Beckwith both worked on "Trapped: Buried Alive," in which a condo is buried by an avalanche caused by an evil corporate developer who attempts to stymie rescue efforts to cover up his wrongdoing.By replacing snow with dirt, they coughed up "Landslide," in which a condo is buried by a landslide caused by an evil corporate developer who attempts to stymie rescue efforts to cover up his wrongdoing.In both movies, a dysfunctional family is made whole again by the ordeal, a new life is brought into the world, dark secrets are revealed, blah blah bling bling blah. Some details change, but otherwise Porchlight's disaster movies might as well be rolled off an assembly line. (It's telling that "Landslide" is currently available on DVD under the title "Buried Alive." Why they didn't just call it "Trapped: Buried Alive 2" is beyond me.) The titular disaster strikes early in the picture; the effects are moderately snappy for a no-budget video, but never once achieve realism. In fact, watching what appears to be a mudflow and duststorm chase two bikers through the trees--trees that aren't knocked over by the slide--will be the comedy highlight of the picture.After that, it's stumbling around in dirt and wrecked sets. Some rattlesnakes slither around for twenty minutes without getting out of position, and a firefighter torches and blows up a car for...well, for SOME reason, but aside from that, everyone trapped waits to be rescued, engaging in long stretches of soap-opera dialog about life, and "funny" bits that will make you wince.Meanwhile, outside, the evil corporate developer does his best imitation of Robert Wagner from "The Concorde--Airport '79" doing HIS best imitation of Snidley Whiplash, preparing to set off another slide to bury everyone who knows his guilt....Well, except that's not true. Several people safe aboveground know what he's done, and he's VERY aware of this because they keep telling him that they know (*cough*). He ignores them but remains determined to go through with his evil plan, because, you know--he's eeeeeeeeeeevil.He gives a little speech near the "climax" about how he'll tell everyone he "did the best he could with the information he was given," and how he'll discredit one (of many) witness to his crimes by portraying her as "a grieving widow driven insane by her loss." When it hits you that this is supposed to represent George W. Bush and Cindy Sheehan, you may burst into laughter or vomit on the carpet, but you won't be admiring the writer's talent, regardless of your politics.And when everyone's standing around running their yaps while a character they supposedly all care about lies suffering from snakebite--EVEN WHEN AN AMBULANCE IS WAITING TO TAKE HIM AWAY FOR TREATMENT--well...shoot. I'm running out of ways to say this movie stinks.The two characters involved in the "pregnancy" subplot might as well be edited in from another movie. One of them (literally) runs into the hero at the beginning, and then they're isolated for the rest of the picture. Their rescue attempt is even left off-screen.MST3K fans might recognize Peter Beckwith's name from "Time Chasers." Since then, he has produced a string of derivative embarrassments including "Radical Jack," "Avalanche Run," "Lightning: Fire From The Sky," "Psyclops," "Frozen Impact," "Arachnia," "Killer Flood," "Ice Queen," the aforementioned "Trapped: Buried Alive," and this mess.Someone has to sit him down and tell him to stop.
i don't know how somebody got this film funded. this is by far one of the worst films ever made, and i like the other 9. if you do watch this, get the unrated version; it is significantly better for gore fans. i do still watch it for the blood and laughs. the premise is that only a vorhees can kill jason and she has to use a specific knife. so, jason has a living relative somehow...but that's not the complicated part of the story. jason is ambushed by the s.w.a.t. team (i'll never understand why a s.w.a.t. team member would pause for a shower when trying to draw a serial killer into a trap) and blown to bits. then, naturally, a mortician eats jason's heart (out)! now, the mortician has the power and mind of jason, but it wears on him, like in stephen king's "desperation" and "the regulators" (as richard bachman), so he has to pass on the heart when the body starts to wear, and then somebody else is jason. then the ending. i hate to give it away, so stop reading if it will bother you to find out this travesty of an ending. he gets stabbed, but isn't dying, so massive hands from hell burst through the ground and start to drag him into hell! you think it's over, but no! then the wind starts to blow the dust, and you see that his mask is still there...and freddy kruger's claw bursts through the ground and pulls away the mask while laughing. what an appropriate ending to that one. the good news is, i use this for an example in my class as a deaux ex machima each semester.
After watching such teen horror movies as Cherry Falls and I know what you did last summer, I expected this to be similar: Too gory, too boring and too badly acted.I was wrong.Long time dead, A film in which a group of friends decide to have a night out, making out, getting high and dancing in the process, release a djinn (arabian Fire demon) accidentally while using a Ouija board. Unfortunately for them The evil demon doesn't like the idea and pays them back by killing them one at a time......The film to me, seems much darker and more evil than "i Know what you did last summer" with scenes in places that would creep you out if you had your whole family with you, it doesn't help that they live in an old house with a "strange" landlord. This also brings a few faults into the film by more of them later.The plot is pretty good and the way the students get killed is impressive, while many parts of the film can be quite scary.Faults: Well the fact that they are always in scary places ruins the plot, I mean if someone's trying to kill you, would you go into dark rooms? Or go ANYWHERE alone? me nether....The other bad part of the film is that we quite often see the characters running away from the evil demon which does get a bit annoying after a while.All In all I think this film is very good, better than many I have seen.
Actually she was 15yrs old , She only made 1 porn movie at age 18 before FBI arrested her , so all her movies were made when she was underage , Some other pornstars investigated during the early 80's and possibly appeared in porn movies underage include Alexandria Quinn , Kristara Barrington and Ali Moore , These other girls didn't draw as much attention possibly due to the fact they weren't very popular or overly attractive , at least one of the pornstars appears alongside Traci Lords in more than one movie , There is one movie were possibly all of the actors appear making nearly the entire female cast underage at the time the movie was filmed. Does this still happen today ?To the guy from netherlands , first of all , she was arrested the day after her 18th birthday , would have been 8th may , thats late 87 is it ? and you say she coulndt have possibly made any movies before she turned 16 , yet she was penthouse pet in September 84 and the story read she had starred in dozens of porn movies , so she starred in dozens of porn movies prior to September yet her first movie according to you wasn't produced and released until late 84 ?
In case you're not aware, the original Lake Placid was a movie about giant crocodiles eating people in New York's very own Lake Placid.Here we have the sequel, Lake Placid 2, which takes place in Maine, in a lake that is not called Lake Placid... but let's not sweat the details.After the astonishing success of Lake Placid 1, I can't blame the director for sticking to the plan - 5 minutes into the movie, we find ourselves knee deep in 40 foot crocodiles that have been raised by none other than the sister of the woman who raised the original crocodiles - talk about a family affair!Honestly, I loved the movie - the acting was fantastic, and I couldn't help but feel that I was right there in the action, watching some fool get eaten by a crocodile. And when the small town sheriff shows us all that he is an expert with an MGL Grenade Launcher, well, let's just say I called up my local movie store and reserved ten copies.
On my first viewing, I wasn't particularly impressed with this movie but I liked it a lot more on the second and by the third - when it's magnificently transferred on DVD - I was fan, too. This is a good visual film, particularly when it shows the inside of this incredible mansion where a lot of the scenes take place.To those who have never seen it, you are warned that it is not an easy film to view, it being a portrait of a pathetic has-been silent movie star who still thinks she can come back after a long hiatus and be a star again. Gloria Swanson, who plays the role, overacts and certainly is not appealing, even bordering on grotesque at times, but she isn't supposed to look good. That's one of the points of the story. Anyway, a young William Holden, in his first starring role, is okay and also provides the narration.The most interesting figure in the film to me was the ex-husband-now butler, played by Eric von Stroheim. He's amazing in this film. In supporting roles, I also enjoyed the wholesome Nancy Olsen and the young Jack Webb of "Dragnet" fame.This combination of drama-soap opera-film noir is one of the professional critics all-time favorite films. Odd how they love movies and Hollywood stars so much, yet relish films that tear them down, as this does.
Although the film looks and sounds similar to a soap opera, the story line digs deep into the pockets of poverty and reveals life inside Midaq Alley through the perspective of three characters; Don Ru, Alma, and Susanita. Gender issues revolving around sexuality and the machismo are shown through Don Ru. In the beginning of the film, we see Don Ru scold his son, Chava, for seeming "too gay" with his friend Abel because Chava is spending too much time with Abel when he was supposed to be working at his father's bar. As the film progresses, Don Ru becomes intimate with a young sales boy while his machismo shifts to envelope his anger and resentment towards his wife and disapproving poet friend. Don Ru does not represent financial poverty but the lack of true sexual and self identity.Gender roles are made apparent through men's domino games at Don Ru's bar where women are portrayed as dull, boring, and bothersome. Alma is the gaze of men in the film because she is young and vibrant, however, that is all she is allowed to be; an object of men's desire. Being raised in poverty, she is drawn to money and a better life but this path takes her to prostitution, drugs, and the loss of her true love.Susanita represents poverty on many levels; class status, gender, and physical traits which prohibit her from finding a companion or being taken seriously by her society. Although Susanita is not wealthy, she does have the means to help characters along the way, including herself. When she conforms to societal physical standards and gets major dental work, she is finally able to obtain a companion and establish herself in the community, which of course eventually takes a dark turn.Midaq Alley is a dark comedy that intertwines the life of numerous characters; all connected to each other in some way, showing many levels of poverty and the loss of hope with a splash of bad luck in poor towns like Midaq Alley.
This show can best be described as the most innovative, ground-breaking television show of the past 50 years. The reason this show is so ground breaking is the fact that it has used split screen cameras, and a real time format to create the element of a quality made show.The show follows the worst days of likable, down-to-earth hero Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) and each episode chronicles every hour of the day, and is shot in real-time. What makes this show so unique are the character relationships, the shows writing and the attention to detail.Whether the shows themes are about kidnappings, bomb threats, personal vendettas, assassinations, or terrorist attacks the themes are handled in such a compelling way that the viewer is hooked at every jump and turn.The viewers really learn to care about Jack as we learn more about his life and his past. Kiefer Sutherland was perfect for the role as Jack Bauer, so much that many people describe him as "born for the role". Dennis Haysbert does a superb acting job as Sen David Palmer and the show has an excellent group of characters who make the support team of the show and these include Carols Bernard as Tony and Elisha Cuthbert as Kim Bauer. A big bonus of the show is that 24 is constantly surprising viewers in unexpected moments, and you never know what to expect on the show. Anything can and does happen.The scripts on this show are top class and they deserve a mention in their own right. The attention to detail as I mentioned earlier is prominent with the real time aspect of the show. There are very rarely any mistakes with the time aspect of the show, and this is a strength of the show. The show always uses multiple split screen camera shots and this is innovative work because it helps to make the show seem realistic and also in real time. You will also see most of the camera focused on Jacks point of view and this is to make the show from a humans point of view and it helps to bring the viewer more involved in the show.The story may change; new characters may arrive and leave but one thing always stays the same; the underlying story of the show is about one mans fight to do what is right. If there is a bad aspect to this show it may be that some of the action sequences are a bit too predictable, but this is rare and should not detach from the viewers viewing pleasure of the show. This show will make you feel every emotion under the sun but nevertheless it is gripping, thrilling storytelling of the highest calibre. Long may this show continue and the legacy of this show will be remembered for many years to come. Miss this at your peril 10/10
Every single film critic's review of this I could find - Leonard Maltin and Roger Ebert being two of these critics whom I particularly respect - have given it a pitifully low rating. I can't completely figure it out, but I think the reason this movie failed to garner better reviews might have had something to do with the timing of its release; one must remember that the Vietnam War was still an open scab for this country in the mid-'80s, and all the film treatments of the war up until then had been pointed tragedies - from "The Deer Hunter" to "Apocalypse Now", "Coming Home", and even director Sidney J. Furie's other 1978 Vietnam film "Boys in Company C." So, audiences and critics were probably not very open at that time to a film about a romantic relationship in the middle of the war with a semi-happy ending. However, in hindsight this movie deserves a second look, and seems to have received one, as indicated by the positive reviews I have read from virtually every amateur online reviewer, which would qualify this movie as a sleeper 20 years after its original release.Essentially, the movie has an old-fashioned storyline with 1980s sensibilities - the type of movie that would have been more at home in the post-WWII era along with such films as "From Here to Eternity" or "The Best Years of Our Lives." I disagree with Ebert's review, which said this was simply one of those ridiculous movies where "the whole world was a stage, and millions of people were fighting and dying so that these two goofballs could swap spit?" Ken Wahl and Cheryl Ladd play fairly likable, 3-dimenional characters - he a shallow Naval surgeon who volunteered for wartime duty for the experience, and she an altrusitic nurse with strong street-smarts. They meet at a Naval base hospital where Wahl has taken an injured soldier for emergency care, but complications ensure when he tries to carry on a relationship with her in the middle of wartime. I thought the film held the utmost respect for military personnel in the war - the attention to technical detail was superb, and the final credits list no less than six military technical advisors. In addition, I was most impressed by the convincing battle scenes, and believe that these scenes might be some of director Furie's best work, easily in the same league of "Boys in Company C" and even "Platoon." Make no mistake: this is a war movie with a romantic story angle, not a romance movie with a war story angle, and I believe director Furie makes this important distinction very clear.Furie was right to make a movie about Vietnam with a unique storyline: after all, I am sure there were romantic relationships that developed in that war, with such close contact among medical personnel in trying circumstances. Additionally, he deserves credit for making the first and only film I can think of to portray the service of women in the Vietnam War - the acclaimed TV series "China Beach" is the only other portrayal of similar subject matter. This movie was just released at the wrong time, when audiences were expecting only angry, hard-hitting social commentary. "Purple Hearts" is another example of why Furie is the Rodney Dangerfield of film directors, never receiving any respect when it is due. While no masterpiece, I still recommend this little-seen film.
Being an aviation enthusiast, but not a jumper - I was drawn to this movie. Burt Lancaster plays "Mike Rettig" in the sort of role he is best at, plenty of action, with an eye for a pretty face. The pretty face in this case being Deborah Kerr. Miss Kerr was approaching 50 years of age when this movie was made, but was able to been seen close-up and naked with Burt Lancaster in what what must be one of the few (if the only) scenes where Miss Kerr reveals all. A far cry from the many Nuns she has played in her career. Compare her in this with "Heaven knows, Mr Allison" with Robert Mitchum. Gene Hackman provides good support as the reckless carefree "Joe Browdy", seeking out the local haunts for loose women. William Windom brilliantly plays Kerr's isolated and betrayed husband. A good film that happily TCM repeats regularly - thank goodness!
Hey i had a hectic past month and then when i was free today, i thought I had earned the right to chill out with my friends, so I caught the noon show of Dhamaal.Well, how was it? From the word go, the director gets into the thick of the action. Short 'n sweet introduction of all the characters is done. And before you know it, you're on a hell of a roller-coaster fun ride. Some scenes left us all shaking with laughter, like the one in which Arshad 'calculates' the velocity of his car and the angle of projection and then throws a stone to check it, or when Riteish falls right into a luxury coach, which as luck would have it, was being hijacked, or the one in which Vijay Raaz talks about patience and going slow and later learns a lesson. All the actors, especially the trio of Javed Jaffery, Riteish and Arshad Warsi show impeccable timing. Maybe I enjoyed it more because I was with my friends, but believe me, it's good to see such a non-stop laugh riot once in a while, however non-sensical!(Deshmukh makes, rather, crafts a gun and frees himself without the carjackers noticing, Sanjay Dutt jumps off the cliff and grabs the two falling children. Simply preposterous!). I'd suggest you go for it, and you'll enjoy yourself thoroughly, it's the best bollywood comedy this year has produced. Then the talk about this being a rip-off of 'Its a MAD MAD MAD MAD World'and even having scenes from Mr.Bean(the washroom scene in the beginning) and Starsky&Hutch. But hey, as long as they've SUCCEEDED in this rip-off using our desi comic actors, and provided paisa-vasool entertainment,so as to say, then what's the harm?? Go watch it and you're guaranteed, it'll make you laugh!!
This is an excellent Jet Li film, that is really intense, with lots of great action, and fantastic performances!. This is a really intense film, that actually has quite a few shocking moments, and pulls no punches, plus Jet Li is simply amazing in this!. Theis film really has some fantastic fight scenes, in it and the plot and story was really cool, plus i found the ending very touching!. I was really rooting for the 2 main characters as Tchéky Karyo is actually frightening as the main villain, and wanted to see what was coming to him!, plus it also had some good dialog!. The character development isn't too bad, and the finale is great and full of action, plus, i was really surprised by all the violence!. This is an excellent Jet Li Film that is really intense, with lots of great action, and fantastic performances!. The Direction is great!. Chris Nahon does a great job here, with excellent camera work, great shots during the action scenes, and really keeping the film at a fast pace!. There is actually quite a bit of blood and violence!. We get harsh bloody beating, bloody gunshot wounds, bloody gunshot wound to the head with blood and brains splattering,bloody stabbings,decapitation, chopsticks in neck, and a very nasty death scene at the end which i won't spoil. The Acting is fantastic!. Jet Li is AMAZING as always, and is AMAZING here, he does not speak much, but he is very believable, likable, had very good chemistry with Bridget Fonda, kicked that ass, and was just amazing overall (Jet Rules!). Bridget Fonda is very beautiful and is excellent as the prostitute, she is very likable, had very good chemistry with jet and i was rooting for her all the way to get her daughter back!. Tchéky Karyo is extremely menacing as the main villain, and at times frightening he was awesome!. Rest of the cast are good. Overall a must see for everyone!. ****1/2 out of 5
This is was my first feature film where I portrayed Alex as Salma's husband.It was the greatest experience I ever had working on the set of "Bong Connection".It helped me a lot to understand the procedure of film-making and to gain more experience from other actors involved. I would like to thank Peeya and Samrat for giving me the chance to spend some time with them during their time in Houston.My special thanks to Anjan Dutt, the director and Joy, the producer for giving me the opportunity to be in their film. Thanks for casting me.
Can't tell anything worth any compliment in such an industrial product of HongKong Banal character, stereotyped script and humor. You can't see any performance in this movie. I was cheated by the rating at IMDb, otherwise I would have never watched this kind of "fast food" movie. The only thing I recognized is that this is another HongKong entertaining picture which was already old-fashioned by that time. Swordsmen film can be extremely touching or thought-provoking, but not in this way, adding some romantic plots as spice in a bowl of plain rice. However, it has a happy ending. The head of thieves decided to change their living all of a sudden. I just can't accept it especially the decision was made rightly after the lose of fight, and before which, they robbed a pretty girl. What a drama!
Yesterday, I just said I'm sick of stylish lonely film, but Wonderland forced me to reject my words. I love Wonderland in the same way with Lost in Translation. They may not a good film but their artistic styles touched my visibility and sensibility (accurately, I should write my SENSITIVITY). The cinematographic approaches (such as hi-speed, slow-motion and hand-held) were similar to Wong Kar-Wai's works. Many scenes in Wonderland can created a beautiful sight of London as well as an exotic look of Hong Kong in Wong's. (And also Tokyo's mysterious look in Stratosphere Girl.) The most fascinated element in this movie was its score composed by Michael Nyman. (He also wrote music for The Piano.) Every single piece of them can take my heart away. I like Nyman's bright idea to give each song as a theme song of one character. (Therefore, all track lists are character's names such as Debbie, Molly, etc.) Compare to Philip Glass (Who composed score in The Hours); I think both of them have something in common. They are clearly a minimalist musician, using few notes and play them in a loop. But their music are so powerful, I can listen to them repeatedly for a hundred times. Anyway, I have to give a big thank to my lovely sister, Vespertine, who introduced me to Wonderland's score.My favorite scenes in Wonderland 1. Eddie (John Simm) stood on the bridge; he spoke the words he wanted to tell his wife to the air. It's like a rehearsal of tragedy stage play. He mentioned all horrible circumstances which may happen to his marriage life in the future. He will be a drunken, a jobless person. And he will imprison his wife and kids in the house, shoot them with a gun, and finally kill himself. (A story like this just happens to my high school friend, she is the only survivor.) It's unbearable if you know the bad things will explode, you want to cease them, but you can't. The only thing waiting for you is an irreversible disaster. (Anyway, I may too pessimistic for this scene because in the end Eddie and Molly can get along well.) 2. The scene Nadia (Gina McKee) went back home after she had sex with Tim (Stuart Townsend). She was on the bus, leaned on the windows, made a face that I can't describe, and then her tears poured from those sad eyes. I like Gina Mckee's face in this movie very much. It's like she always smiles but there's an obscure sadness on her face in the same time.3. Jack (the boy) watched the firework alone and I think the music played in this scene was a climax for me.
Kisna is a very beautiful movie. I loved every part. I have watched it multiple times now and enjoy watching it. I will likely watch this movie many more times since my friend owns a DVD and I am buying one. This movie obviously may not appeal to everyone, but then again this movie is not for everyone. If you love a good love story that makes you cry... then Kisna is a beautiful love story that will do just that. I personally enjoy watching beautiful love stories and this movie left me feeling mushy and sentimental. I can really identify with this movie. I am in love with this movie. Kisna is absolutely hot and gorgeous too! I have fallen back in love again with the idea of being in love... even with all the sad times that make love so painful~ UGH! Hugs! <3Princess
I heard about this movie from Roger Ebert's list of great movies, so I decided to give it a try. Anime is a recent interest of mine, and I was impressed with "Spirited Away" and "Princess Mononoke", but only a faint warning from others about this movie was the only preparation I had for the ninety-some minutes of this film. This film was nothing like "Spirited Away" or "Princess Mononoke". For an animation film, "Grave of the Fireflies" surprised me in the style it was portrayed. The atmosphere of this movie was seemingly like the Italian neorealist films of the 1950s, like De Sica's "Umberto D.", but it also had the precision and care of what was portrayed on the screen like Yasujiro Ozu and his "Tokyo Story", "Floating Weeds", and his other masterpieces.Like De Sica and other Italian neorealist directors, "Grave of the Fireflies" simply portrays life as it truly is; in this movie it was the aftermath of the World War II bombings on a Japanese town. Nothing is held back, but nothing is shoved into your face and fabricated like some popular Vietnam War movies. Like Japanese directors like Ozu, there is a great care in how this story is portrayed. Pillow shots are utilized greatly in this movie; that means that a scene will be played out, and then there will be static shots of scenery (not necessarily have to be stunningly beautiful), but it gives the audience some time to contemplate on what happened. For only a ninety-minute film, "Greve of the Fireflies" is a very well-developed movie with only what is essential, with great and peaceful pillow shots for contemplation and meditation. Also like Ozu especially, this movie utilizes many still shots, especially in key scenes where the emotions are at its unprecedented peaks for an animation film. Rarely will the background frames move, except in displaying panoramic views. And also like Ozu, this movie keeps the focus on family struggles, always a favorite topic for Yasujiro Ozu. It is about a teenager boy and his younger sister trying to cope with the aftermath of a bombing on their town. That is all I will say about the plot of this film.The combination of this Italian neorealism and Yasujiro Ozu's camera-like ethics make this film a great film to watch. But because this film is an animated film, the influential combinations can take almost anybody by surprise. Animation can simplify matters in the mise-en-scene to amplify the essential and thus creating more emotion out of this film. But there is so much care in this film that it deserves its respect as probably one of the best movies (real or animated) ever. Since it is portrayed in an everyday-type feeling, the emotions running are powerful. This is definitely the best animation film ever, and can be on the list of the top twenty most powerful films.
after 15 years of painful waiting period for the new Real Rajko Grlic's movie, I saw Karaula last night and I was so sad and disappointed... The movie is not solid, it is to short and the energy and emotions are not distributed so well that we could feel and recognize that this is Grlic's movie... Story is nice, maybe even good, and out of this story he could not make a better movie... Sorry, either the time is changing all of us either there is something else... and also, some of the symbolic is so... well, political. with the clear political message, that was surely not expected from someone like Rajko Grlic... Anyway, I will always love his movies made before 1991.
This movie hinges on 3 things: 1} Wesley Snipes 2} Two really great car chases 3} the Bucharest backdrop.Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu bulldozed thousands of poor peoples houses in the centre of Bucharest to make room for his megalomaniac palaces and other bloodsoaked buildings. It's no surprise that he was the only Eastern European dictator to die a violent, publicly televised execution.But Bucharest serves very well now as a backdrop for movies, be it action or otherwise. Now that the buildings are there, they might as well be used as money-making tool for Romanian local business, and acting talent. Not that Ceauşescu's will benefit directly from this, but still ...The movie itself is very fast paced in the beginning, and for a non-Hollywood production, read: low budget, no experience, it sure looks good. The car chases are beyond violent, and surely one of the best in filmed in Europe. Only big budget productions like French Luc Bessons bastard child Taxi comes to mind and the in France shot Ronin.This is much harder in Europe, where there is not a abundant supply of cheap cars to be trashed, and really a lot of red tape about EU safety regulations and Landmark rules about all the monuments and stuff.So kudos to the production dudes.Yeah, so the acting was bad, especially the martial arts guy, but hey?! Who cares? Cool Jamaican-Romanian rap at the end.
James L. Brooks is a man with a gift for developing interesting characters but with a weakness for squeezing them into cliched and/or manipulative circumstances. When obsessive compulsive Jack Nicholson pays for Helen Hunt's seriously ill son's medical expenses just so she won't have to stop being his waitress, the movie flows along with a lot of invention and energy. But then the movie becomes another one of those dangerous romantic fantasies where an unlikable guy is "cured" of his xenophobia by the love of a good woman.At the beginning the racist, sexist, and homophobic jokes made by Nicholson are played for laughs, which is fine for the movie's purposes, but then Brooks expects us to feel threatened by the exact same type of comments and then warmhearted when he tries to change his ways. Who cares about a bigoted old man's happiness?The movie goes a lot into Hunt's devotion to her son but does she really think Nicholson would make a good father figure? Hunt and Nicholson falling in love is an easy out because then Brooks doesn't really have to deal with the more difficult (and more interesting) ideas brought up in the first half.So is the movie actually good? Well, sure. It's quirkier than most romantic comedies (if you want to call it that) but it's disappointing intellectually in the end. Soooooooo, *** out of ****
Guys and gals alike will like this one, just be patient. There is a real story here, clearly understandable and enjoyable by everyone, just give it a chance.Anyone who as a teen has wrestled with grown-up problems can understand clearly what is being told by this movie.Guys, shouldn't be too quick to dismiss this as "a chick flick" because you will be missing an inside to women that can be very informative.And the acting is well done, too. Kudos even to stiff-board Brolin for adding believability to his dumb runaway father character. Brooke Adams is believable as the low income mom trying to cope with her daughters' problems. Ione Skye puts a whole different view on the "easy girl" we remember for high school. And Fairuza Bulk puts a nice believable twist on her role as narrator learning about real love.
This movie must have been made off a bet that Van Damme couldn't have a successful movie without having helicopter kicks in it. And what does he do? He does no kicking at all!!! All he uses his legs for is kneeing some heads. This movie might have a story, but if I wanted that I wouldn't be watching a Van Damme movie. I love his movies and kicks. That's why I don't like this one. 1 out of 10.
So my brother found this video online and remembered it as one that we saw as kids on either TLC or the Discovery Channel. Scared the hell out of us, but what doesn't when you're 8 years old. So we started watching it online and we immediately recognized one of the "victims" from his role in several films and television shows. Thanks to this site I was able to verify that in a matter of seconds. So for the producers who put the disclaimer at the end of the film......I know the whereabouts of at least one of the people missing. His name is Aaron Pearl and he appears one year after the Incident in Lake County in a film entitled "Wrongfully Accused" starring Leslie Nielsen.
"Stage Fright" has become one of my favourite Hitchcock movies. Even though it's not in the same league as "Psycho" or "Rear Window", it's still an extremely delightful piece of film making.What makes it so enjoyable is the wonderful cast, which was mostly unknown to me before. Jane Wyman makes a lovely heroine for the audience to care about, and Marlene Dietrich is a riot as the stage diva, although I was a bit skeptical toward her at first. The scenes between Alastair Sim and Sybil Thorndike as Wyman's eccentric parents are hilarious. Richard Todd is perhaps a bit weak as the suspected murderer, but not distractingly so.All in all, I find this a far more preferable watching experience than some of his more acclaimed films like "Notorious" or "The Birds" which are kind of cold and sterile. See it if you have the chance.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised, SciFi Channel hasn't done science fiction since they took the 4th Season option to cancel Farscape. But I digress.First off, if you went into this expecting to hear shades of the 1980 movie's Queen soundtrack, you're going to be disappointed. The opening theme wasn't that bad (it actually has a lot of potential), but the rest of the soundtrack is a letdown. Typical canned music that one would expect if Hollywood ever made a porn movie. If SciFi Channel was going to remix the original Flash Gordon song for their trailers, you would think that it would show up somewhere in the series.The music isn't the major letdown, however. It's the completely soulless "re-imagination" of a science fiction classic that dumps just about everything that made Flash Gordon - from the original comics, serials, animated series, and movie - so great. About the only thing that carried over was character and planet names. I'm sorry, but it's going to take more than that to make an interesting series. If the comics could be "re-imagined" into the Buster Crabbe serials, and the serials into the animated series, and all of that into the 1980 movie while still keeping the whole Flash Gordon spirit, how hard would it be to make a TV series that can do the same?The characters lack any character. Between the bad acting and the poor writing, it is impossible to find a character that isn't boring, or even likable. The actors are 20/30 somethings and few of them are well known. Probably because SciFi Channel decided to save on money by hiring their usual low grade, pretty face talent Maybe if the writing hadn't been done by committee it would seem less like "Dawson's Creek in Space", but I doubt it. I can understand the whole "Sliders Rift Thing" as a convention for the characters getting to Mongo - interstellar flight isn't possible for Earth when this series is set and most viewers realize this - but overall there isn't much innovation. Perhaps SciFi Channel should learn to develop their imagination before trying to "re-imagine" any other series.Final thought: I thought that CBS' "re-imagination" of Kolchak the Nightstalker was the worst remake ever. SciFi Channel has proved me wrong once again.
This is the most inspiring and brilliantly made movie of all time. This ranks next to Jaws, Forest Gump, and Gone With the Wind. This first time director rivals the work of the legendary Stephen Spielberg. If you do not see this movie, a part of your soul is missing. The interpretive dance was a brilliant resource for artistic ability. The incestuous groping really authenticates the Greek lifestyle and times. The leaving of Anigone's blind father in the barren forest really pulls at your heartstrings. I absolutely loved the fight between the two Greek warriors. This scene shows the internal conflict and sexual confusion through the aggressive and passionate fight/dance motions. I loved this movie!!! The music was also absolutely astounding! Buy this soundtrack!!!!
This film was great. That's all there is to it. Sure a romantic-comedy, but there was something different about this one. Typically, with these types of movies, the comedy is overemphasized hit-you over the head silliness crap and the romance is just in your face jump in bed crap mushy crap. This one is different. The casting is perfect, these people aren't leading man/woman types, but are average looking people. And the thing that sticks out the most is how REAL the relationships are, sure a bit crazy at times, but not beyond what anyone in real life experiences. The film is altogether believable, fun and charming. Highly recommended if you want to see something freshly entertaining. (Rather than overdramatized hollywood foolishness). Congrats to the makers of this film!!!
This epic and beautifully shot western is one of Costner's best films.Following the life of legendary law man Wyatt Earp, this very underrated movie pictures the 'real' man with the 'legend' and gives viewers' a chance to decide for themselves what type of man Earp really was. Costner's performance as the law man is superb. Through the innocence of youth to a moody old man, he fits the role perfectly and proves he is better than Kurt Russell's Earp in 'Tombstone'. The shoot-outs are superb and there is fantastic support from Dennis Quaid as the ill Doc Holliday, as well as Michael Madsen, Tom Sizemore and Bill Pullman. Although a tad long and the the fact that there seems to be no dirt anywhere in this film, I urge you to check this out.8 out of 10
In 1946, Stalin invites Russian émigrés to return, in patriotic fervor, to help rebuild from WWII. Unbeknownst to them, all returnees are considered imperialists and spies, and are to be treated accordingly. "East-West" explores this nightmare scenario through the eyes of a family who returned; a Russian doctor, his French wife and their young son. Because of his doctoring skills he is spared the Gulag or execution, but his life in Kiev is certainly not what his wife is used to. The collision of cultures, the hardships, and the Stalinist tyranny all take a deep toll as they struggle to survive and escape.Dark, and claustrophobic, this is a gripping tale from beginning to end. And it is in the end a great love story, of devotion and sacrifice. At the showing I attended the tears flowed freely in the audience. I recommend it highly.
The problem with plot driven movies is that they are confined to the plot. Any and all plot driven movies (movies that rely on plot instead of character to tell the story) must stay within that plot. Jurassic Park must always involve dinosaurs. Bringing Out the Dead must involve ambulance drivers. Die-Hard must involve terrorists. This is not a bad thing. All of those movies I mentioned above are great movies, but they are plot driven. It is nice, however, from time to time to see a character driven movie. A movie with no gimmick, no real plot, only characters that tie it together. These movies usually have more than one main character, lots of dialog, and most importantly, they can go anywhere. The characters can jump in a plane and fly to Antarctica if the want to. It is this feeling of open-ness that makes such movies feel so good. As Good as it Gets is one of these movies. Because the movie is character driven, we feel anything can happen.As Good as it Gets has some of the best characters I have ever seen. There is no real plot. If I had to say what the plot was I would say it's about a crazy jerk who tries to change himself. But that doesn't even come close to describing this movie. One reason why I love this movie is that I can really identify with the main character, Melvin Udall, played with shear brilliance by Jack Nicholson. You see, I am a little obsessive-compulsive. Not enough to warrant medication, just enough to know I have it. As I have said before in other reviews, I love movies about crazy people. And Melvin is about as crazy as they come. I can really understand why he locks and unlocks his door ten times overtime he comes home. I can understand why he wants to have the same waitress serve him breakfast every day. Obsessive-compulsive people love routine and if anything gets in the way of their routine, they feel violated. They not only want everyday to be like the last, they need it that way.The acting in this movie is the best I have ever seen in one movie. The cast was perfect. No one plays a better lunatic than Jack Nicholson. The man is so good mer words can not express it. Helen Hunt is great as the cruel, stressful yet sensitive waitress. She deserves the Oscar for this and she has become one of my favorite actresses. Cuba Gooding Jr. has a small part, but he works it beautifully. Greg Kinnear is great as the sensitive and confused gay painter. Even Yeardly Smith (who some of you may know as Lisa from The Simpsons) is good. That just shows how good James L. Brooks is. He assembles on of the greatest casts ever and he directs them with grace and beauty.Speaking of James L. Brooks, he and Mark Andus have made on of the funniest scripts of all time. This movie has some of the best one-liners I have ever heard (most of which come from Melvin). The dialog is great. This is some of the funniest writing I have ever heard.Example: Melvin- Never, never, interrupt me, okay? Not if there's a fire, not even if you hear the sound of a thud from my home and one week later there's a smell coming from there that can only be a decaying human body and you have to hold a hanky to your face because the stench is so thick that you think you're going to faint. Even then, don't come knocking. Or, if it's election night, and you're excited and you wanna celebrate because some fudgepacker that you date has been elected the first queer president of the United States and he's going to have you down to Camp David, and you want someone to share the moment with. Even then, don't knock. Not on this door. Not for ANY reason. Do you get me, sweetheart?The movie even reminds me of The Simpsons. James L. Brooks is a producer for that show (which in my opinion is the greatest show of all time) and As Good as it Gets is filled with the same sudden, jab to the head type humor of The Simpsons. No, there is no other similarity, it's just that both seem to have the same comic timing.In conclusion, this is one of my favorite movies and is definitely a classic. I normally hate softy romantic movies. The only thing is As Good as it Gets is anything but a softy romantic movie. Sure the movie has romance. It is, mostly, a love story. But it is NOT soft. It is very hilarious. Melvin is a cranky, brutally honest, meticulous, eccentric man and it is hilarious to watch him. I recommend this to anyone. It's a sweet, intelligent, deep, fresh, funny, and original movie that will continue to entertain me for years to come. Normally, I believe that every one has an opinion. If I like a movie and you don't, so be it. But, if you don't like this movie, well, I can say with APSOLUTE accuracy that you have no taste. Sorry, you don't.9/10
As my husband and I watched the movie, the story was eerily similar. I'm also a secondary ed teacher, have had two brain surgeries (for Chiari Malformation not an AVM though), followed by re-hospitalization for severe infection, and had extensive rehabilitation to learn to speak and walk again. Debra Winger's performance was incredible and like looking in a mirror. She accurately portrayed the unending frustration and difficulty involved in the rehab process, and how it takes its toll on the family as well as the patient. The end was completely unexpected and I can't remember the last time I have felt so strongly for a family. To know this is real just breaks my heart, but Dawn Anna's strength keeps me going, as I'm facing a third brain surgery in the next couple weeks.
I rented this DVD four days ago and have watched it about 5 times since then. There is something that is particularly moving for me about his movie. The idea of hidden, secret love...and all the excitement and danger that involves. The idea of tenderness in the midst of so much rottenness (literally, in the first segment!). Naivety and violence so close together. And the sadness (for everyone...Yossi, Jagger, Yaeli, Lior's parents) of the inevitable societal assumption (even in the comparatively liberal atmosphere of the Israeli army) of straight-ness in a world of so much diversity and difference.The only other film that affected me so deeply was "Stand By Me" which, ironically, was mentioned offhandedly in "Yossi and Jagger". The themes of deep care and concern for others (friendship in SBM, erotic love in Y&J) and the deepening and transforming of that care in light of being witness to a death are shared by both films. Themes that hit me hard. I suspect they hit many people hard, as well.I've read several times on this discussion that a major weakness of "Yossi & Jagger" was its length...only a little over an hour. (Perhaps this is mostly seen as a weakness by those who had to pay full price it see it in a movie theater, instead of getting to watch it 5 times for $3.99! -joke-) Because the film was so short, it did not get as much plot and character development as it could have. Yes...perhaps...and yet...It seems to me that a large part of the power of the film lies in its length. It is a real testament to Eytan Fox that, in the space of just about 15-20 minutes from the beginning of the movie, he made me care so much about both main characters. And throughout the movie, they both kept their appeal....I sympathized with both to the end. To be honest, there's not many people whom I've met for only 15 minutes, if they died a few days later, I would weep for them. Fox did that.Furthermore, because there is so much about these characters that we do NOT know (like Lior's mother), we, like her, find the conclusion of the film to be particularly wrenching. I leave the film wanting...maybe even needing...to know more about Lior. Why was he wearing that damn rabbit costume to begin with?? What was his childhood and teen years like?? How did he and Yossi meet? fall in love? How long had they known each other? And what about Yossi? What will he do now? Yes....I would have liked the film to end with a shot of him sleeping alone in a queen sized bed in a hotel in Eilat...but that would have been too easy...too tidy. What does he do now? I don't know. So many questions...and no way of finding out.I leave the film realizing that time and love are precious...so damn precious.
A real feel good movie. The ending is the best, just like I would want this kind of movie to end. I saw this movie when it came out in 1984 and I have been looking for a copy, now that I can afford the price. I finally got one off of E-Bay. I enjoyed the action and the romance. It is really a good movie for the person who is tired of the movies coming out today. Cheryl Ladd is one of the most beautiful women in the business, and a terrific actress, Ken Wahl is also a very strong character and the combat scenes are fantastic. I also noticed that R. Lee Ermey is in this movie playing his best character a Marine Gunnery Sargent. If you get the chance find a copy and watch.
Airwolf is a classic, action adventure with a great story, good actors and of course good effects. This is what I believe could be one of the best movies ever made for television. The idea of a supersonic helicopter with 14 firepower options and bulletproof body, just seem to go straight into people's hearts. The movie keeps us watching from start to end and that with great style. Airwolf is probably a drama as much as it's an action/adventure. The main character falls in love with a female CIA-agent that was working with the same global problem - recovering Airwolf from Libyan forces. The movie is full of good humor, thanks to Ernest Borgnine and the characters are strong and well simulated. The helicopter really is something, and the opening scene where they are introducing the chopper, is fantastic. Donald P. Bellisario is known for his creativity and he has created a lot of very good TV-series/TV-movies, but Airwolf is the best one of them - in my opinion. A highly recommended movie.JAH
Daniele Thomson (gerard oury's daughter) is writing and directing a deja vu comedy, very very very slow and boring; you can guess what is going on from the start everything is so obvious! though two french stars(reno binoche) are trying to make their character genuine, their presence don't make a good story, you even wonder what sergi Lopez cameo's appearance is doing in this story?jean reno as a international business man is not very convincing and Juliette binoche plays as in a loreal commercial endorsement, after 20 minutes the intrigue is gone, and everything is just not believable if you like the plot you'd rather watch Philippe Lioret very good "airport" movie "Tombés du ciel" with jean rochefort
This version of the famous tearjerker La Traviata was just wonderful from beginning to end. The cinematography was stunning, and just as luscious were the costumes and locations, especially the villa outside Paris. The music by Verdi is just superb, no wonder it is one of the most performed operas today, from the prelude of Act 1, Brindisi(which I am sure everybody knows even if they're not into opera), Sempre Libra, to the heart-rending ending, it is just delightful, and is bound to bring tears to people's eyes like it did to me. The plot, based on the book by Alexandre Dumas Junior, is not too complicated and easy to follow. The performances are astonishing. Placido Domingo, not only looks the part of Alfredo, but sang and acted a dream, easily up there with Alfredo Krauss, as one of the best tenors playing that particular character. Teresa Stratus was perfection as Violetta. I did worry that her performance was going to leave me cold, but her beautiful voice and outstanding acting ability equalled a real tearjerker of a performance, that was poignant and understated. Cornell MacNeill is not a name I am familiar with, but he certainly shone as Germont, with a fine baritone voice, and good stage presence. Overall, a perfect opera film, that is a real tearjerker. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Man, I stayed up all night watching this movie. I don't know... but it might very well now be my favorite of the genre.Committing the plot to any review on paper would do the movie a great disservice. For the movie is instead thick on atmosphere: largely relating the sexual adventures - and misadventures - of a group of friends around their seaside neighborhood set to the delightful music of 50s rock 'n 'roll. This is a particularly comical coming of age farce that just runs from one outrageous skit to the other.Of course, the dubbing of this German/Israeli production makes the movie even more enjoyable. I'd like to personally thank the original producer for taking such a risk to film such a movie.Hot Bubblegum - as it was titled when I saw it - is in the line of "Porky's", "American Pie", "Revenge of the Nerds" ... but it just seems to beat all of them. It's probably a lot more raunchy also! I reckon you'll be just drawn in and if you don't - you bloody well should! It's fun, fun, fun!!!
With his penchant for incorporating "Western" ideas into his films, Kurosawa hits yet another home run with his take on the crime film. As ever, he manages to make scenes that would (in the hands of a lesser director) seem boring become absolutely riveting. Mifune's ride on the trolley, when he loses his gun, for instance; or the scene where he has to explain the situation to his superiors (and the subsequent search through police files for a suspect); or the long undercover sequence. We can almost feel his frustration. The tension mounts. And yet again we have the brilliant Shimura playing off of Mifune, speaking in carefully modulated tones as he dispenses advice to the hotheaded young detective. If ever there was a more perfect combination of performers in cinema history, I never saw them. 
I remember that particular episode. It was very scary. We spent a lot of time at school discussing who the body in the glider came back at that precise moment. My friend Pat always claimed she thought some mental person kept and let it go just at that precise time. I always thought it was the announcer that set the mood for the episode. I found a few DVD's with some of the episodes (not this one though) and although they are kind of "hokey" by todays standards they are still entertaining.My personal favorites was the episode about the family curse. In the middle ages a nobleman has a village woman burned at the stake because he believes the woman bewitched his son into killing himself over love for her. As she is led away she places a curse on his family that the eldest son will alway die before the father. This happens throughout the centuries until the present (1959) when the current lord is dying. The eldest son is scared to death because of the curse. His younger brother tells him the stay in the library until their father dies and then comes to get him. When they leave him alone with his father's body he goes to the window to contemplate. When he hears a noise he turns around to see his father sitting up in the bed. He screams and steps backwards and falls out the window to his death. His father see this and falls back on the bed dead. Just a coincidence.... maybe. The current lord swears the curse will die with him. He vows never to marry and never to have children. I couldn't sleep for a week.
This movie is every good thing that was written on this board and maybe more.First, when I saw that movie in the guide i had never heard of it before but being a fan of Lewis and Thurman I couldn't let this pass even if apriori the plot SEEMED a little less than original.Boy was I in for a surprise. Not all great first scene gives you a good film but all good film will give you a great intro scene, but this one gets its greatness in it's "nothingness". There is so "nothing" about it that as soon as you see Juliette and Uma come on the screen, your jawbone drops.Not only are they unrecognizable but from the moment you see them you KNOW and FEEL exactly where you are, who you are dealing with and that's exactly every director's dream...or nightmare...can I put my audience in the context of the next x minutes.This could have been an ordinary movie with an ordinary story..who wants to hear about screwed up bimbos stuck in no name city, no name job and a no name life, But somehow without ever falling into melodrama, pity or cliché, you just fall in love with every caracter.This is a very well directed movie as it is far from obvious and easy to move a story like this into such an enjoyable moment.As far as acting goes, well as someone else said, It's off the chart. I love Lewis (Natural born killers at her best...here too) and frankly I've seen alot of Uma but she literally blew me away in this. Both are so good that like I said from the first scene they appear, all you see are the caracters not the actresses.You can see what a truly beautiful women is when even with an "altered down" image of herself (to say the least) you just can't get your eyes off her (yeah I'm a man)I think the scene in the bar when she really goes loose is stunning and again it comes from a subtle chemistry between good directing and good acting, As a man I felt like the barman which the camera just give you a quick glimpse just to give you the hint. You look at her and you feel love and compassion even admiration for that woman while if it had been badly acted and/or directed she could have looked stupid and slutty so again masterfully crafted. In other scenes you feel her misery and you want it to end as bad and fast as her.I can't just say I enjoyed that movie, it feels more like you've met real people that were graceful enough to share their life for a monent, wide open. So real that iI felt as an everyday guy like me could ask Uma out for a drink...that's something :-)My hat to HBO for this one
First off, the opening we see a "news reporter," a woman who looks about 19 with bad teeth who wouldn't be able to get a job as a news reporter in Walla Walla, let alone anywhere else - and in the first ten minutes she actually compares herself to Diane Sawyer - now that was laugh out loud funny.It's supposed to be for "channel 12" yet the "cameramen" are holding Cannon xg1 consumer cameras. Pretty amateurish.So the idea is she's interviewing a serial killer in the vein of Michael Myers and Jason, he's kind of funny and has personality - for about ten minutes. Then after the joke is played out, it just drags on. More "set up" of stereotypical slasher film plot points - yeah, we get it. It's a five minute skit dragged on for a whole movie.By this time you're allowed to think too much about what's going on and any rational adult is going "why is she promoting this as he sets up killing a bunch of people." Then it turns into a real slasher film - bad acting, overdone music, not scary - unwatchable. I had read good reviews about this and now I'm just officially never trusting reviews anymore. That was the last straw. This movie sucked.
I really enjoyed watching this movie, as did my daughter. While she has not read the book, many kids there had. It was great watching a movie that had both been read and enjoyed by most of the children and parents alike. I overheard one kid telling their parents, I don't remember that part in the book, I think they added it for the movie. It was neat to hear both of the parents say, oh yes it was, I remember that. While the story line itself captured the attention of most of the children, I know that along with the story, the special effects captured that of the adults. They were excellent. At the end of the movie, the parents were saying, that was a cool movie. I will say that some of the younger children seemed to get a bit antsy during the movie, as it may have been a bit too much for them. But there were few. I personally, can't wait to buy it. Disney did the book great justice and then some. It is a must see for everyone.
Jim Jarmusch is a filmmaker that you can always rely on to deliver something offbeat and unlike most other films. My only taste of him before seeing this film was the slightly later 'Dead Man', and I found that to be a very worthwhile experience and one that set me up nicely for Night on Earth. Night on Earth isn't quite as trippy as Jarmusch's later film; but it still oozes that odd sense of cool and while you're watching it you're constantly reminded that what you are seeing isn't just any film. This film is split into five sections, all of which tell a story about a taxi in different parts of the world. Part of the reason why this film is so odd is that all of the stories take place at the same time, which creates a very strange feeling while you're watching it. One problem with films that work in this way is that there's always a weak link in the stories; but here there isn't. All of the stories are of high quality, and all are brilliant in different ways. Of course, everyone will have a favourite and mine has got to be the blackly comic one that takes place in Rome! An excellent ensemble cast, mostly made up of unknowns, helps night on Earth immensely. In fact, it's ironic because the only cast member that doesn't pull her weight is the only one that isn't unknown - Winona Ryder. I'm something of a fan of Ryder; but seeing her in this movie is an awful experience. How anyone could think that she could be cast as a taxi driver, complete with cocky swagger and cigarette in mouth, and get away with it is ludicrous. However, the rest of the cast is really good and all bring realism to their roles. Roberto Benigni is typically over the top, but his performance is very fun and he is an actor that has a great ability to draw you into his performance by the way he speaks. This was capitalised on brilliantly in the masterpiece 'Life is Beautiful', and it's shown here too. The stories in the film don't appear to have an absolute defining point (with the exception of the story in Paris); but it doesn't matter as the musings about life and such are always interesting and the obscure idea of following people in taxis is always amusing. On the whole - a very worthwhile film experience!
Viewers with an interest in British history might wish to note that since the first Hanoverian came to the British throne (George I in 1714) it has been occupied by dimwits. These dimwits have fallen into two classes – those like Victoria, George V, George VI and the present incumbent, who saw themselves as the slaves of duty and therefore as ceremonial heads of state did little or no harm, and those like George IV, Edward VII and Edward VIII who kicked over the traces, but did less damage than one might have expected. The 1936 abdication crisis was a crisis only for those who believe in monarchy, in this country a minority of about 25%, according to the 1999 Republic referendum. The story has been told several times before on TV – is there anything new about this 2005 ITV version, apart from the Baltic locations?.Well, the publicity says there's more of Wallis's side of the story here, but I can't say that's obvious, apart from there being a bit more of Wallis' Aunt Bessie (Miriam Margolyes). Edward is portrayed as the seducer (in a candlelight chalet in winter) but Wallis (nicely played by Joely Richardson) doesn't exactly play hard to get. She had rivals for the post of prince's mistress (Lady Furness and Mrs Ward) whom she easily defeats. At the end she was left with the baby, or at least the immature prince, a duchess without honour exiled to France. Stephen Campbell Moore is about 10 years too young for Edward but his puppy-like demeanour is appropriate. The triviality of the Windsors is shown by the fact that it wasn't the loss of the Crown that irked them so much as the establishment's refusal to give Wallis the title "Her Royal Highness". Diana, of course, had exactly the same beef, but then she was demoted on her divorce. Camilla (for the moment) is a mere duchess, but is also "HRH". Winston Churchill, robustly played here by David Calder, was a principal supporter of Edward just because he was a prince, but then Winston was a rather romantic old Tory.Nazi sympathies were not uncommon in the British upper classes prior to World War 2 ("those Nazi chappies certainly know how to make the trains run on time") but if an invasion of Britain by Germany had been successful (and it was a close–run thing), Edward, given his sympathies would have been the front-runner for puppet King. Edward was an undistinguished governor of the Bahamas between 1940 and 1945 but the main reason for that appointment was to keep him out of the reach of the Nazis. (Down under we got his younger brother, Prince Henry, who was even dumber than Edward, as GG (1942-1945), but a bit better behaved). After that he and Wallis spent the remaining 27 years of their marriage in very comfortable and well-deserved obscurity in Paris. One is left with the feeling we got lucky.This production has a nice sheen to it and the 30s' era is well evoked. There are some other good performances, particularly 80 year old veteran Richard Johnston as Wallis' nemesis, prime minister Baldwin, and Julian Wadham as Edward's not exactly loyal private secretary Fitzhardinge.
My sister and I went to rent a movie one day, and came upon this one. We both thought it was more sexual, but it wasn't. Despite that, both of us loved it. Personally, if i find it on sale, I'd buy this movie without hesitating. Makes you think about how much you actually need ALL your senses to live. Very thought provoking.
There's not much I can say about this work of art, but I admire the depth and complexity of the film. There's so much information and logic throughout, I almost felt as though I had gained knowledge by watching it.I'll put it simply.It's about a character, known simply as A Square, who lives in a 2 Dimensional world known only as Flatland. Why? Well, because it's flat of course. All the people are squares, circles, hexagons, etc... but all of them are equally as flat as the other. They have no idea of 3 Dimensional space. That is, until A Sphere appears from Spaceland and takes A Square on a whirlwind journey of discovery and intrigue where he learns all about the 3rd dimension and his own purpose in life.It's all rather confusing and irregular in it's general presentation, but it's also one of the best animated films I've seen in a long time. I'm left with a distinct feeling of wonder and deep thought that I've not experienced in years. It feels amazing. So overall, it's an excellent film that I highly recommend.
I have to admit I have NOT seen the movie but I want to comment on it. The last comment really trashed the movie. I have seen several of the songs on the smashing EROS International DVD Chart Toppers and they are fantastic. Really hard driving music and dancing. Even if the rest of the movie would turn out to be garbage, these hot songs would be the magic mushrooms on top of the dung hill. Iwould buy or see this movie for the songs alone. But then its the music and dance that I love about Bollywood movies. And while we are at it - check out Chart Toppers - forty five songs - four hours of Indian MTV with no commercials. Char Tppers from Yas Raj films is another excellent Bollywood musical compilation.
My observation listed at the end here, may be a spoiler, but not really sure about that as I could be imagining something that wasn't really there. How's that for a save? I found this film to be a variation on The Longest Yard as much as it is similar in plot to The Running Man. Then again, the respective story lines to those films are pretty much the same. It doesn't much matter though, as this really is fun visit to a theater. There are few action/adventure movies made these days with an original theme. It's a moot point being that this is a re-telling of the original film of which I also enjoyed. What no one here has mentioned is Frankenstein. I believe the voice of Frank (pre-opening crash) is that of the original Frankenstein - David Carradine. He's not listed in the credits, but then again...no one is listed. A fun little homage if I'm right about that voice.
This was a slow moving, predictable film full of attempts to evoke cheap emotional responses from the audience.The acting was beyond dull. As is typical for this type of film the script was probably five pages long with most of it consumed with "...then there was a long drawn out silence...". By the time of the main actress' tenth drawn out silence I was getting irate.Further to the point, this German film appears to have come from someone more worried about the soundtrack than the script. A love of "Moonlight Sonata" and "Road to Cairo" may be admirable, but not when the absence of such masterpieces would leave behind a film without the capability to evoke an emotion otherwise. I found myself slightly disgusted with the obvious attempt at using music as a kind of tear-jerker, something that only suggests an inability to do it through screen performance.There are other pretentious and annoying little snippets within this film, such as a repeating animal noise, and other "symbolic" imagery and sounds. These only serve to reinforce the aforementioned disgust, but they also play a dual role of destroying any mystery about the ending and making this one of the most predictable and uninteresting films ever made.The ending was so blatantly predictable that most people would probably guess what will happen from about thirty minutes in. Suffice to say, the ending was in the same chord as the rest of the film, pretentious twaddle that leaves you feeling cheated and used like Pavlov's Dog...
When I saw this pilot episode of what was supposed to be a TV series, I was quite excited about it. The story was daring and original, considering the usual high-tech kitsch that usually air on broadcast TV ("24", "CSI" and the likes). This show felt different - in a way it felt real, like it had meat on its bones. It was more than just stories of people and the outlandish things that happen to them - it dealt with ideas and got one thinking. War Stories talked about the grittiest, truest and maybe noblest side of journalism: war correspondents. This was a show that seemed to chose story lines mirroring reality, even if that reality felt a bit uncomfortable to acknowledge. Finally, I thought, a series that tries to be more than pointless thrills and suspense. The series was even mentioned by Newsweek magazine for its originality and provocative subject. Unfortunately, by next week the show was cancelled. I guess, since the show was too daring and didn't fit a regular "format", the sponsors threw their weight around, and instead of more episodes of War Stories we got more mind-numbing sitcoms, reality shows, and cheesy thrillers. God forbid we see something controversial that expresses a different point of view, or gets us thinking. Still, I am hoping the producers haven't given up on this one yet...
The dark and ominous music was the highlight of this exercise in predictability. In Poe's original Morella, the narrator's wife dies giving birth to her daughter. In this mediocre modernized telling, Morella is a genetic scientist who creates a clone of herself before dying. While Poe's text was full of eloquence (The days have never been when thou couldst love me- but her whom in life thou didst abhor, in death thou shalt adore), this script is driven by pretentious voice-overs. The movie tries too hard to be moody and creepy, and ends up being cheesy.
No, it does not have any of the social sarcasm of swift's book. And it is not animated in today's flawless though empty androidal style. Yes, it is GREAT FUN! The Fleischer style, in the long form, spins a bouncy Hollywood-ized yarn that is every kid's dream: To be bigger than all the adults and have them all in awe of you. Fun to the end.A gem.
First of all, has Daryl Hannah ever had a good hair day? Having her play the head of the president's secret service was a stroke of very poor casting. Her acting was good but she was not believable in the role. The other femme fatale, Brandy Ledford was not even good eye candy. Her acting was not passable. This is a TV movie relegated to the likes of runs on Saturday morning on TBS cable. Once you've seen this drivel you'll know why. The assassination plot is so cliché ridden it's a wonder anyone claimed writing credits. The action, what little there was, was poorly shot. This was obviously a low budget Canadian-based movie. How it ever got funded is beyond me.
I agree with some of these comments. By 1984 I thought we were more familiar with AIDS...maybe 82 is the year this should be set. My main gripe was the unconvincing make up Manu wears, and the way he doesn't lose weight. What was so shocking and devastating for those of us growing up with the onset of AIDS was running into people who were gorgeous, fit young and beautiful. Next time you saw them their faces were blemished, their bodies wasted, emaciated, skeletal like. I recall bareley recognising a young lad who'd once been a fixture on the scene. So the scenes where Manu is nursed through the terminal stages were less than convincing and left me somewhat unmoved. Otherwise its worth seeing and its sex positive, uplifting, life affirming attitude is a welcome riposte to Hollywoods schlocky treatment of the subject.
It may be useful to explain my frame of mind when I saw this movie.... I finished setting up my home theatre about two months ago... and watched over 60 top world movies... Masterpieces such as Amores Perros, Fargo, The Pianist, The Red Violin, Mullholand Dr. etc… you get the point. Then my wife says let's watch an Egyptian Comedy and we get this movie.... The difference is absolutely shocking. I did manage to complete 75% of the movie, and there were some funny parts which made me laugh, but overall it was horrible. No storyline, exaggerated acting, stereotyping of Egyptians and making fun of other cultures were just few of the points that made watching this thing unbearable... This is unfortunate, because I respect Adel Imam for some of his other cinema & theatre work. I also respect him as a person who stood firm on his political and social views.
Known by many different titles, among them "A Bay of Blood", "Carnage", "Twitch of the Death Nerve", and "Last House on the Left, Part II", this marvelously gory predecessor to slasher movies is a fine exercise in style by Italian master Mario Bava.A prime piece of bayside real estate is being coveted by some ruthless and sadistic individuals; one body after another drops, hence the title "Reazione a catena", translated as "chain reaction" in English. In addition to our major players, anyone else foolish enough to drop by (including a quartet of playful youngsters) is fair game. The film is packed with some memorably graphic mayhem; the sickle to the face will always be my personal favorite, although there's also a nifty decapitation, and a show-stopping, prime example of coitus interruptus that was ripped off later in "Friday the 13th, Part 2". Carlo Rambaldi, later a creator of creature effects in such films as "King Kong" (1976), "Alien", "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" and "Cat's Eye" is the man behind the gore here, and his work is outstanding.What will give this film the edge over the many North American imitators that it inspired is the elegance and flair that Bava (also serving as his own cinematographer here, and doing an excellent job) brings to the proceedings. The film is beautiful to look at; the setting is wonderful. I'll also find hard to forget the striking image of an octopus slithering over the face of one of the many victims. The film is also enhanced by the lovely music of Stelvio Cipriani, which at times involves lots of percussion and becomes heavily atmospheric.This film gets right down to business pretty quickly; in short order two of the characters get knocked off although the first nine or so minutes, rather effectively, play out without dialog.This is a genuinely great film that deserves a certain amount of respect, both for its entertainment value and its influence. I highly recommend it.9/10
A slow movie with no psychological depth. There are a few story lines and none of them really relate, except that they all take place in a small neighborhood of Mexico City. The acting is telenovela quality and so is the plot. None of the actors motivations are evenly remotely hinted at. Why is (Alma) Hayek intrigued by the pimp? Why does she go back to him after saying she won't? What's wrong with Abel that he's madly obsessed with her? How has Susanah managed to be single her whole life? How has Rutilio managed to be gay and be a married man for so long? Can we have some character development? What is the Rutilio's son's explanation for going into a murderous rage? An uninspiring bore that not even the beauty of Hayek can save.
As Floyd' s probation has expired he's going to leave Hamburg the next day to see the world. So there's only one night left for him to say farewell to his best friends Ricco and Walter. The movie depicts the funny and sad adventures of the trio during that last night involving an argument with some die-hard Elvis fans, the most nerve-racking table-football match in film history and way too much alcohol.The whole thing is so beautiful in a bittersweet way that you wish the film would go on forever. You want to see more about Ricco's family, about the barflies at Horst's and especially about Telsa, the girl next door (who is played incredibly cute and vulnerable by Julia Hummer in her film debut). But if a film is too short it's always a compliment, not a fault.Sebastian Schipper in *his* debut as a director really knew what he was doing, although (or because?) he sometimes doesn't play by the established rules. For example he uses refreshingly little dialogue for a german film and he even lets it go on for a few more minutes after the last words havebeen said, telling the end just with images. And those images are brilliant since the director of photography was Frank Griebe ("Lola rennt"). IMO the movie gets 9 out of 10.
I almost missed this one because I was turned off by the commercials and previews, with their emphasis on the silliest parts (the dancing donkey, etc.). What a mistake that would have been -- I'd have missed one of the driest, archest, loveliest scripts in years. Emma Thompson can do more with a slightly quirked eyebrow and a quiet "Hm" than most actresses can with an entire Shakespearean soliloquy. The whole cast, children and adults alike, is pretty near perfect, some of the best of the British theater even in the tiniest roles (Derek Jacobi, Imelda Staunton et al). The kids are tough and tart, without a simper in the lot, unlike most US child stars.Don't let the trailers keep you away -- this is well worth seeing, sort of what Lemony Snicket should have been but wasn't.
People, people, why does everyone judge this movie confection through the looking glasses of 2006?? There was probably some "imitation of life" to the movie when it was made, no matter how silly or stereotypical it might have been, even for its time. If anything, this movie at least attempted to show two women in business being rewarded for their efforts and hard work. Yes, the 20/80 split when the pan cake business went incorporated might seem unfair now, but it was better than the 1950's film where Annie just waits on Ms. Lora, dolling out wisdom with a spoon full of sugar. I was much more perplexed why Jessie would be interested in a fish scientist who said he was 37 but looked more like 57!
Still i am giving the film 4 out of 10 just because of the music and some what mediocre-ly cinematography! This might be a copy of The Mexican which i have seen and loved, but some how the director has managed to make the film look very illogical! Pointless melodramatic moments! Stupid wife just keeps talking about the flooring in their new house!!Movie is crap because of the makers! If this is an first time attempt which i think it is then it is a very good attempt. The narrative is quite unique for Indian film industry standards! This itself demands respect for the makers!John acted well!!! So did Priyanka!!!! But the music and the songs are original and just plain heavenly!!!!
In London, the British architect Will (Jude Law) lives with his Swedish mate Liv (Robin Wright Penn) a worn-out relationship, without the former passion, consumed by the dedication of Liv to her autistic daughter Bea (Poppy Rogers). The needy of love Will and his partner Sandy (Martin Freeman) have an ambitious architectural project to improve the dangerous neighborhood of King's Cross where their firm Green Effect is located. The practitioner of parkour and refugee from Serbia Mirsade a.k.a. Miro (Rafi Gavron) breaks in Green Effect in the night to deactivate the alarm system to burgle computers and others electronic devices with a gang of compatriots leaded by his uncle. Will decides to stake-out during the nights to find the culprit, and he witnesses Miro trying to break-in the firm again. Will pursues Miro and finds his address, where Miro lives with his seamstress mother Amira (Juliette Binoche). Will does not call the police, and on the next day, he visits Amira with the pretext of sewing a coat. Will gets closer to Amira, visiting her everyday, and more distant from Liv, When Miro finds that Will had been in his room, he tells the truth to his mother and she decides to give Will's laptop back to him. Will sexually desires Amira and she has an encounter with him to get pictures to compromise and blackmail him."Breaking and Entering" is another great movie of Anthony Minghella that explores the theme of second chance in life through a dramatic triangle of love of the needy lead character and the maternal love of two mothers. Jude Law performs a successful but needy of love architect that misses the passion and attention of his girlfriend; Robin Wright Penn neglects her mate and gives her total attention to her daughter; and Juliette Binoche is a Serbian refugee capable of any sacrifice to save her son from prison. Their daughter Bea and son Miro are the key elements that trigger the plot. The lead trio has magnificent and credible interpretations and the story concludes with a final non-commercial redemption. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Invasão de Domicílio" ("Invasion of Domicile")
When I review these very early films, I cut some of them a lot of slack because of when they were made. Really modern looking films with plots, decent acting and good camera-work were still just a couple years off when this film was made. The norm was a one to two minute film featuring a very mundane topic such as babies smiling, someone nailing a nail or a lady cooking. So, when this film features a prankster nailing two ladies' dresses to a fence, it is an absolute laugh riot FOR THAT TIME PERIOD. If made just a few years later, the film would have surely merited a 3 or 4. But it still is a mildly funny and watchable short.
I would most certainly recommend this film to anybody who has yet to see an episode of Airwolf, the best acting in the film is by Jan-Michael Vincent- who plays moody loner Stringfellow Hawke, and David Hemmings- The choppers insane creator Charles Moffat. The ending of the film includes a great battle scene, and i love the film that much that the tape is worn out. My favourite film of all time and made me a solid fan of the series. This was the pilot episode, and its a shame that Jan-Michael Vincent ended up the way he did. It would have been nice to see the Hawke brothers work together in the chopper, instead of how the 4th series turned out (a load of rubbish and a slap in the face to hardcore fans of the show). Thumbs way up for this one!
This is my favourite DVD among the three "work of director" series, which also include Spike Jonze and Chris Cunningham. Michel Gondry is truly a genius, as inventive a video artist can get. I always saw him as a child in an adult body, and that's a compliment because only children can come up with such vivid imagination while exploring their world. But somehow, when we grow up, we loose that instant creativity, the kind of naive curiosity that drives children to filter Reality. Life simply gets the best out of us with its endless routine and repetitive patterns. How many times do you get to see some old cartoons you adored when you were little, and somehow you get disappointed and tell yourself "It sucks!"Michel Gondry is one the most awarded music video and commercial directors, he is a gifted artist who's never afraid to try new things. He has such an avant-garde view and creativity, the kind of videos you just stare at in awe and wonder "How the hell did they do that" (e.g. the Fell in Love with a girl video.) Some of his techniques are truly brilliant, yet when you look closely, every bright child could have come up with the same ideas.This is a must-have for every Gondry fan, as well as those who are looking for many hours of creative inspiration & fun.
A preface: I will go out of my way to see a movie that takes me to a new part of the world. Thus I was excited to see "Mountain Patrol" as I'd never been to Tibet. The local reviewers (Chicago) gave it very high marks.The scenery and the background-story (destruction of the antelopes) makes this movie worth seeing.Yet, as I watched this movie, I found myself thinking: if this movie was about Mountain Goats in the Sierra Nevada (i.e. something less exotic than Tibet), Chicago reviewers would be more critical. The characters are flat ; the plot is somewhat thin. The mountain patrol are "searchers", but the movie doesn't have that edge of the John Ford western. The movie seemed formulaic for the first hour, but happily breaks out of that rut.A similar "high altitude" movie which I enjoyed more was "Himalaya." I recommend both "Mountain Patrol" and "Himalaya", especially for those interested in armchair/movie theater traveling to the "rooftop of the world".
I am a huge John Cena fan, so I'm not writing this just to pick on him. But "The Marine" is the worst film I've ever seen, and I've made a habit of seeing bad films.*May contain SPOILERS* The short version: See John shoot. Shoot, shoot, shoot. See John run. BOOM! Run, John, run. See John drive. See John swim. Swim, swim, Boom! Run, swim, hit, BOOM, hit, hit, kiss - The end.The long version: I'll skip the cheesy opening credits and the bizarre soundtrack (which at more than one point seems to be channeling Celine Dion). The movie was supposedly directed by one John Bonito; I wouldn't say that the movie was directed so much as it wandered along aimlessly, occasionally bumping into scenery. Even the scenery refused to "act" (Queensland, Australia is NOT South Carolina, Mr. Bonito). Mr. Cena ambles along through the famous jungles of "South Carolina," occasionally stopping to glance around, never conveying the slightest hint that he might actually be thinking something. Five minutes into the movie, I apologized to the friend I dragged along with me to see it. Ten minutes into it, I officially began imagining a completely different movie. By the end, I no longer cared who lived. I wouldn't have minded if the characters had simply begun shooting themselves, just so that we'd all be put out of our misery.I wanted this to be a fun movie - I like a fun, cheesy action film as much as the next person - but this movie didn't even try. I was so disappointed ... Mr. Cena, you owe me $9.50!
Sure the name Wesley Snipes is what made me grab the movie to rent. Then after it started, I walked off doing chores and taking care of things for the next day.I did chuckled with the different shots of the vehicle. At one point he scraped the wall enough to create a good bit of recognizable damage; however and aerial shot showed a beautiful undamaged vehicle - chuckle.The thing I liked the BEST, the song playing while the credits were rolling. If anyone knows that song, please post, I'd like to have a copy.I'd tell people to rent it using a coupon for a free rental, so you won't feel you were totally robbed.
I've seen this movie several times over the years. It's a real semi classic, great example of 50s sci-fi monster movies. You do get a good look at the actual mole monsters and see quite a bit of them. As good as the mole monsters are, they are only a small part of this film. It's also an adventure movie about exploring for a lost civilization. Most of the plot involves this civilization which also happens to include the Mole People. This is good stuff. The stuff that used to scare and entertain in the 50s. The thing is, if you've seen a decent amount of horror/sci-fi films from the 50s and early 60s and haven't found much that you liked, "The Mole People" is not for you. If you're a fan of 50s B movies, you'll love this one. It's a real must see.
This is one weird movie. I guess the best way to describe this would be sort of a Thai version of Robin Hood in which the hero (Dan Chupong) uses rockets instead of arrows. And boy does this guy have some rockets! He has a ton of little rockets that he shoots at the bad guys and then there's the bad boy that he can ride like a surfboard! I'm definitely going to Thailand for my fireworks this year. And apparently he has flint in his fingertips to light these rockets. That's probably good because you really don't want to be wasting time fumbling around with matches when you are single handedly taking out a large group of cattle rustlers. This is one really weird movie that also features a man who can change from a goofy guy with hair that resembles a tidal wave to an older warrior guy who can fight with the best of them. There is also a wizard, at least I think that's what he was supposed to be, a tractor, talk of menstrual blood, and guys who seem to be possessed by spirits of animals that run like monkeys and can jump about fifty feet. Did I mention the hero rides a rocket? As for the fight scenes, since this is really what it's all about, they are mostly average. Dan Chupong is good, check out the much better "Born To Fight", but he doesn't have very many moves. He can do some Tony Jaa-like kicks and flying knees but they don't have quite the same ring to them as Jaa's. And the director of this movie really loves to show guys getting hit and then spinning in the air about ten times before hitting the ground. That's all good once in awhile but it gets old after about the fifth time. There is a couple of good stunts in the movie as well but unlike Ong Bak, this movie uses CGI and wirework for a lot of stunts. If you think a guy riding a big rocket would look ridiculous, you are absolutely right. And judging by some of the extras I watched, this was apparently supposed to be a comedy as well as an action movie. You will definitely laugh but not at the intended humor which doesn't translate well to the American audience. So in conclusion, the fight scenes were nothing special and this was a very weird movie.
This film was published in Germany on DVD, now playing the full 87 minutes including audio comment by Jean Rollin. You can buy it relatively cheap at Video/DVD markets (5-10 Euro). It is worth seeing if you have a taste for atmosphere. Yet it is not as surrealistic as other Rollin films. As mentioned in other comments before, the Italian actress playing Helene is absolutely marvellous. Though scene footage and atmosphere range from nice to elegant and dreamlike, Rollin should have spent more attention to the unnerving dialogues. The German synchronization/translation s... big time. At first glance, I had inspected more, but if you focus on the beautiful images, this is a fair deal. BTW, there is an extended gore scene at the end which makes you feel like Rollin is going slightly over the top, overplaying. Though the end (which results from a twist in the storyline) seemed quite odd and ordinary to me after I finished watching, it is different now. Re-thinking the whole story, it adds a nice perspective to the usual image of the vampire ... a new shade, a new breed beyond tradition and clichée.7 out of 10 (due to the weak dialogues)
Early Hitchcock, in which he is exploring all fields of technique. Spectacular special effects, overwhelming use of lighting and memorable action scenes. Novello's acting may be slightly overdone, but it only makes him seem more mysterious. Still modern, still Hitchcock and certainly very interesting!
Critics didn't like this film. Roger Ebert, whose reviews I generally find insightful and on target, gave it just 2 stars and called it "seriously confused". On the IMDB hit parade, it only rates about 6 stars. Because of this, I didn't go and see it at the theatre, and have been ambivalent about renting the video, even though I like DiCaprio's work, and admired Danny Boyle's previous "Trainspotting". Then my teenage daughter came home from a party where she and her friends had watched it, and she said, "It's brilliant! You HAVE to see it, Mum!"So, we rented the video, and I'm glad we did. The Beach is an interesting and solid film that tells an intriguing, if somewhat episodic, story in a stylish way. DiCaprio is, indeed, excellent as a young man searching for life's ultimate experiences, and getting more than he bargained for. This is a loss-of-innocence story, a sort of cross between Lord of the Flies, Apocalypse Now, and the musical The Fantastics. Director Danny Boyle leads us on Richard's journey to the Heart of Darkness in an energetic, stylish way--filming is interesting and beautiful--and he gets excellent results from his actors. The use of Richard's voice-over as narrative--often a distraction in films--here offers a certain amount of adolescent profundity and acuteness of observation, and it works.I've been a traveller in Thailand. Although Richard's quest and Richard's scene wasn't mine, I've seen it...the beaches, the bars, the snake blood, the dope, the parties. I've also been a high school teacher, and have worked with adolescents hungry to discover "the real world", to bite into Eve's apple with gusto. Many from New Zealand head off in their late teens/early twenties on "The Great OE" (Overseas Experience). The same is undoubtedly true for many Australians and Brits, if not so commonly for American youth. So there's a strong element of "truth" in this story.Don't listen to the critics. This is a good, solid film with an interesting perceptive story, fine performances, and a stylish presentation. Four stars out of five.
As a non-Brit it is amazing and certainly amusing to see all the British behave in such a distinct way, only common to the islanders and I do not mean any of that slur which this politicised film tries to mobilise against. For example, scenes in which family is involved, are beautiful characterisations of more or less typical working class households, or rather any British folks.However, this film as well portrays fair business, the downside of capitalistic societies, in which free market only stops at borders, where nationality defines status and not your labour. Refreshingly, no easy answers are offer, no left-leaning ideologies or right-wing polemics penetrate the film. Thus, it is able to scratch a picture of phenomena without solutions; hence, not very entertaining.Anyway, it is worthwhile to watch It's a Free World,only if it were for the insightful studies into human behaviour.Enjoy it.
Like the name suggest, music is central to this show. Instead of an opening theme you are hit with "Tank!" and right away you know it's about cool. The scores supplied by Kanno are phenomenal. The man is to jazz and anime what John Williams is to classical movie scores.The series has a hint of a 70's, retro, kung-fu movie / "Shaft" feel, particularly early on, driving home the cool feeling. This is just an undertone to the Western feel in which Clint Eastwood would be at home.From all of this, the aspect that truly makes this series wonderful is the quiet desperation. The three principal character are utterly flawed though superlatives. They are all desperately searching for pieces missing from their lives with a pain and loneliness that drives them together and makes them sympathetic to the end. Broke bounty hunters, barely able to find enough money to eat yet unable to be anything but compassionate stoke this sympathy even farther. The two minor leads, Ed and Ein, are geniuses at what they do, but a child without a care in the world and a dog that cannot speak are wonderful comic relief and consequently very endearing.This series is a tour of histories coming back to torment the characters, and the interplay of relationships is magic almost never seen - there is no need for expositions and out of place statements. The science fiction is neither overbearing nor unbelievable. Space is a fringe wilderness, and the Western feel is totally appropriate. In fact, it is a mix rarely seen so well - only the "Firefly" series comes to mind.This is definitely a series for a more adult audience - subtle character interactions, and no fear of blood, vice, or lack of action. At the same time, young teens to adults will enjoy it if for no other reason than the cool factor.
A little black girl falls down a well. Police search for her to no avail. Soon it is discovered she was seen with an older white man that same day. All of this leads up to the man being arrested and racial tensions rising and eventually spinning out of control. Entirely believable for the time and era.This terrific films studies the make-up of a small town and displays both the town at its ugliest(when the town so easily and realistically descends into a mob) and at its finest(when they discover the little girl's real whereabouts and set out to try and rescue her). The actors/actresses in this film are well-chosen as they look and act like real townfolk.
The song was awesome. Bobbie Gentry song is classic. I'll give some credit to this movie. It's a much better adaptation of a song to a movie, than Harper Valley PTA. Also the movie has a good southern Gothic feel to it. The movie though was mediocre but watchable. Glynnis O'Connor and Robby Benson (excellent chemistry in this and Jeremy(a better movie) make this a worthwhile effort. I have something to say about the comments of the boy being raped in the movie. It was rape. Even if it was consensual (which the boy thought it was) the boy was under 18. That is statutory rape. Even if he had tendencies or was gay or bi, that older man was taking advantage of him, a minor.
This was about as bad as they come. Throughout the movie, you'll continue to wait for a coherent plot, then at the end, a surprise ending that will leave you feeling empty.Not unlike trying to stand an egg on it's end for two hours only to find out that it can't be done (unless it's the solstice).Don't watch this.
"The Lost World" is beautifully crafted and perfect! Just perfect! Lewis Stone is perfectly cast as the hero who goes to the island on a rescue mission, only to be attacked by legions of dinosaurs! The dinosaurs look beautiful, and the stop motion animation is simply marvellous! Lewis Stone is certainly in a different role to Judge Hardy, but he pulls it off well! The effects are to die for, and the script is perfect! The inter titles explain everything well, but the acting is just so great that they are not even necessary! It is just perfect! While it not be as grand as films like "Jurassic Park" once you see it in its full historical context, you see just how brilliant it really is!
Also known as Half Moon this film is a road movie in which a number of Kurdish musicians living in Iran plan to travel to Iraqi-Kurdistan to give a concert. It starts with gathering the players of the band in a small town in Iran and then travels on by bus through the battered lands.As expected from a road movie a number of things happens to the travelers and there is a nice balance between some mild comedy and some drama. Nothing of what happens is entirely out of touch and with that the film (or better said, the bus) rolls on with the gentle speed of a backwater river.All in all, a pleasant but slow way to spend an evening, watching the adventures of a band of elder musicians on their way through life.7 out of 10 faithful musicians
"White Boyz" has a good premise with the concept of white suburbans that are enticed by the ghetto lifestyle. The story and characters are under developed and loses pacing with the music videos and day dream fantasies. The acting of the lead is weak which makes the film fail. In addition to this the genre of it being a comedy is lost as it moves between bland serious drama with sprinkles of comedy. Almost all the scenarios in this film are serious and don't have any funny characters or light score music or songs to create a comedic tone of any kind. There has been better white boys acting black in movies like "Malibu's Most Wanted" or the character that Seth Green plays in "Can't Hardly Wait". Ultimately it was a good idea with very poor execution.
I did not read the book, I haven't read a Grisham novel since the nineties (when I was in High School)...That being said, I have enjoyed hiss film adaptations in the past--particularly Runaway Jury, The Rainmaker, and A Time to Kill.I just saw The Chamber last night on AMC and I have to admit it was incredibly weak. The acting was awful--Chris O'Donnell did not carry the lead well at all, and Faye Dunaway and Gene Hackman were also a great disappointment. In Dunaway and Hackamn's last scene together when Hackman starts crying I almost started laughing. This movie was completely unable to spur any sympathy in me for Cahall (Hackman).The screenplay was extremely cliché and boring. I have to agree with other posters on this site about the ridiculousness of the concept that the State of Mississippi sponsored murders in the 1960s. And Bo Jackson as the token black guy who sees the good in an old racist and proves that the old man can like black people is just stupid.This movie wouldn't have been cutting edge even if it came out in the seventies or maybe early eighties...sadly the clichés of racism and family dysfunction together with mediocre acting and writing makes this movie a snoozer.
Vet Hard, the debut of the 25 year old director Tim Oliehoek, is a definite thrill. Throughout the entire movie, you will be bombarded with nasty, but pretty effective jokes, loads of one liners and all sorts of other fun n weird stuff.The characters are also pretty wacky, ranging from a fat woman hating tough guy, to a necrophiliac serial killer. Even though we do not really get involved with these characters, its hardly an annoyance, as the movie is pretty much focused on the action scenes. These scenes have been done very well, especially for a dutch movie, some might even say that a certain chase in this movie, has the same sort of excitement level, as amsterdamned once had with the speedboat chase. Again, even though there is a lot more heavier stuff coming from Hollywood, for dutch standards, its pretty wild.The story isn't very original as well, yet its brought with such enthusiasm and you can see that the actors all had a great time. The little cameos of a lot of dutch celebs is fun as well, and are guaranteed some laughs.I definitely recommend this film, as it is one of the better dutch comedies and features some great and hilarious (action) scenes.Regarding the director Tim Oliehoek, i think we will be seeing a lot more from this guy!
The sequel to the gory, atmospheric horror flick The Evil Dead is really more of a (black) slapstick comedy... something there was a hint of in the first. Here, it's pushed all the way through... it's cartoony and provided you're into the humor, fun. I found it more cool than fun, honestly; never been into laughing at pain, no matter whose it is. But there's no doubt about it; this film is cool. It's also very much a 'guy' film... get 'the gang' together, call up all your guy friends and get a copy of this film, preferably an uncut one. You'll love it. So did I, no doubt about that. The better part of the film is basically a remake of the first... new characters and new plot points, but the progression and such is the same. The situations are the same, but the ways in which we get to them are different from the first film. It's a fine idea, and it works great, too, because the outcomes of the situations are different, as well... meaning, you see a scene and go "Oh, right, I remember this from the first... oh yeah, now he... what the ...!?" The plot is interesting, new and old parts alike. It's not Shakespeare, but it keeps your interest. The acting is the same fairly low standard as that of the first. The characters are equally ill-developed(though this time, I *could* tell them apart... they were easier to tell from each other, however, so maybe I wasn't the only one who couldn't tell those in the first apart?). The editing is excellent, just as the case was with the first. The special effects have improved... harder to figure out than those of the first, and that says quite a lot. The budget is higher(ten-fold, according to this very site), and it's most definitely noticeable. The emphasis throughout all of the film is mostly on humor and 'coolness' factor, very little on scares and horror. There's about the same amount of gore, at least as far as I could tell. The film is worth watching for just about any guy... regardless of maturity, really. There are things here that will make every guy watching it go "way cool!". One scene in particular had said effect on me... around the one hour mark, involving a chainsaw and a shotgun... anyone who has seen the film already know what I'm talking about, and I won't say anymore so as to not spoil it for anyone who hasn't. See it for yourself; you won't regret it. I recommend this film to any fan of Sam Raimi, gore, the first The Evil Dead, slapstick and/or Bruce Campbell. Of course, all guys should check it out. The film has such a thick 'guy' vibe, it should almost be mandatory for guys to watch it. Anyway, if you fit into one or more of the aforementioned groups, get a hold of this flick and watch it. Chances are high you'll love every second of it. 10/10
This must be one of the best movies ever made. Boorman shows with this movie what a great director he is, and I can't wait to see his new movie with Brendan Gleeson and Jon Voigt. Boorman has an excelent eye for how to make art-work of a movie and Excalibur is no exception. He has put together some not-so-famous actors, and yet he managed to make them more trustworthy than most of the more famous actors. It is just sad that it doesn't seem to be Boorman who will be making the saga "Lord of the Rings" into an epic movie. My recommendation to all is: watch this movie and forget about the newly shot mini-tele movie with Sam Neill.
"Imitation of Life", the 1934 version, reflected the attitude in the country toward blacks. This movie wouldn't have had a chance of being made in the present climate of political correctness. This movie shows how Hollywood dealt with the racial issues back in those years. John Stahl directed the film, which stands in stark contrast with the Douglas Sirk's take in 1959 which presents a glossier vision of the Fanny Hurst novel, in which it's based.Between the two versions, this one seems to make more sense, in spite of the incredible jump from rags to riches Bea Pullman experiences. Claudette Colbert makes Bea more accessible to us, in contrast with Lana Turner's blonde goddess looks. This Bea Pullman is easier to take because the way she makes her money by going into business, capitalizing on Delilah's idea about the marketing the perfect blend for pancakes.Warren William plays Steve Archer, the man who falls in love with Bea while not suspecting the effect he causes in young Jessie, Bea's daughter. Louise Beavers is Delilah; she is made to speak broken English to show her ignorance, which was the thing expected every time black characters were shown in movies of that period. Ms. Beavers' role was made bigger in the 1959 remake, but Juanita Moore, who played the part, was not subjected to her predecessor's fate. Rochelle Hudson, Ned Sparks and Fredi Washington round up the supporting cast.
The interpretation of Cary Grant is very great and appreciable. The story is very nice. This is another of the excellent films made by Cary Grant, who I consider the best actor in the cinema's history. By the way, I must say that watching "Penny Serenade" on TV I have discovered a very clever actress, too, who I haven't known before, Irene Dunne.
A compellingly told story of Russian emigres who return to the USSR at Stalin's invitation after WWII. As they sail to Odessa, the audience understands that they are making a very serious mistake.The story that ensues is about one couple's struggle against the oppressive brutality of the Soviet state. The story is personal -- of love, infidelity, friendship and loyalty. But the grim reality of Stalin's USSR lurks in every niche of the movie.How lucky we are that all that is gone.
This is a very loosely biographical based movie on Vlad Dracula, and it was a very refreshing change.Roger Daltrey is the weakest actor, and he is pretty good.Rudolf Martin was perfect for the role of Dracula, what a mix of passion, and vanity.The story is fact based and if you know your history you can see it weaved though-out this tale. The sets are amazing for a fairly low budget movie.The fight scenes are fair to slightly above average, but this movie is so strongly written you can forgive the weaker fight scenes.One of the Best Dracula movies I have seen, and by far the best low budget historical(ish) Vlad movie I have seen.
Luis Bunuel's final film from an original screenplay (by him and collaborator Jean-Claude Carriere), The Phantom of Liberty, befuddled me so much more than the other Bunuel films I've seen that I had to turn it off after twenty minutes, thinking I'd get back to it at some point. I finally did, and it turns out to be maybe not one of Bunuel's absolute best, but it has many memorable moments in his twilight years as a surrealist master. The strange thing is about this film, and I've come to realize it more after seeing Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie again recently (my favorite feature length film of his), is that there is such a line that is walked, like a tightrope walker holding an elephant in one hand and a thumbnail in the other, that one wonders whether this should be taken totally seriously or just with the general hysteria and (crucially) absurdism that laces much of Bunuel's work in his post Mexico period. Sometimes, much like with The Exterminating Angel, it's a little frustrating, even once one understands that having no structure to the film is the point. For example, in one of the segments that make up the film's loose structure, a woman is visiting a group of Priests out in a house on the outskirts. Much of this sequence is rather serious, dealing with a young man's lusting for an older woman, the rousings and thoughts of the old priests...and then it suddenly, finally, breaks up the tension with an S&M gag! This is very tricky ground that Bunuel covers in the film, and for the most part he ends up pulling it off. At times I wondered if a film like this would work in other hands. It wouldn't; there's a sense of pacing that makes the film seem rather serious, but (as it says on the back of the original video box) it owes as much to Monty Python as it does to the old-school 20's surrealism that got Bunuel up off his feet and into the cinema scene. Sometimes I laughed cause I felt terribly uncomfortable, other times because there was a real pay-off. But in reality, the Phantom of Liberty is the kind of film where many times you just stare and go 'huh, what'? And I mean that as a compliment.By the way, the film also has two other interesting factors to note, one about an "infamous" scene that did leave me laughing hard, and another more of historical note. The scene where the rich people sit around the table, toilets as their seats, pants down, doing their business, is true absurdism at a peak of intelligence. The other note is that if you wonder if this structure has ever been repeated or expounded upon, Richard Linklater's first film Slacker comes closest, though with a much different tone and style of comedy. Here, we get the upper class, religion, old-time armed forces (gotta love that statue slap the guard in the 19th century segment), and the struggle between keeping with dreams or reality, or both. This is the kind of film that almost puts me off with its irreverence, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't stunned and amazed by the audaciousness as well.
I had no expectations whatsoever of this movie when my family and I sat down to watch it.I was blown away. We thought it was brilliant, from start to finish. I also felt the animation was of a very high standard and it evoked memories of the original film.Everyone at Disney who were involved in creating this film should be very, very proud of themselves. They did a fine job. I could be wrong, of course, but I just felt that this was a labour of love for the creators and their care and artistry just oozes out of every frame of this movie.Easily the best of the direct-to-video sequels.
I believe that The Amazing Race is the greatest "reality" show. People get to race around the world and do things that they never thought they would do. Not only do the viewers get to see the beautiful and wonderful places that are visited, but we also get to learn about the cultures and customs of different countries. I feel as though I am actually visiting these places that I will probably never get to see in my life. Racers need to be both physically and mentally strong in order to complete the detours, road blocks, and other puzzles that need to be solved. Map skills are also an excellent thing to have on this show, as many of the teams get lost and need to stop and ask for directions. The racers never know where they are going to be next...there is no planning ahead of time and that's one of the things that makes this show absolutely exciting.
Why can't Carter live his own life instead of being barked at by his sister in-law about not being home to hold his brother's hand over the past years? That was an early annoyance on his hectic quest to find his brother's killer. Also: why can't a grown-up women (his niece) who chose to take drugs and have sex with a man and another woman settle for what she had done? Actually, she took that decision better than Carter; cause Carter, being a professional thug, and not being open minded on the matters that women are fickle, had to take the action she participated in as a rape; which he then took action against the man he considered a rapist. He took action against his colleagues from Las Vegas who had trailed him to Seattle because of his own intervention with adultery. (It's okay for Carter to involve himself in bad decisions but anyone else). Eventually he gets to the man who killed his brother, and has a vigorous fist fight to his hearts content. (Which was not too bad of a scene. Better than a shootout). Unfortunately, Hollywood being as it is nowadays, cast a geek as the billionaire who is indirectly involved with the brother's murder; but other than that particular miscast the other characters were in form. Not really too bad as a remake. My personal choice though would have been to have Mickey Rourke as Carter.
I've just seen "Absolute Giganten" aka Gigantics yesterday. And I was stoked. A beautiful portrait of Hamburg and its silent heroes. Thank god Schipper didn't use any St.Pauli-cliches to make this movie even more "Hamburgish". I especially like the mixture of melancholy and a certain "live your life"-attitude. Absolute Giganten is the story of a night that is so ordinary and because of that so honestly that you're going to enjoy every minute of it. The three main characters are doing a great job especially Florian Lukas as Ricco. The table soccer scene is awesome shot. But my favorite scene is the one at this Elvis' stunt show place when Ricco shouts "Da geht einiges!". You need more good reasons to watch Absolute Giganten? There you go: German rapper Marcnesium from "5 Sterne Deluxe" has a cameo as "Rastaman". After the film you should stay in your seats because right in the middle of the end credits "Das Bo" is announcing the title track of the film following his announcement: "Wer hätte das gedacht" from Falkadelic (Doppelkopf), Das Bo (5 Sterne) & Ferris MC aka Fertich MC aka Marilyn Mongo.
"Betty.. Judy... Josie and those hot Pussycats! They make me horny... Saturday morn'y! ....""Jane, get me off this crazy thing... called 'love.'"My God! May all seven rings of Dante's Inferno fall upon those heads which have clicked "6" as a rating! TO HELL I CAST THEE! What an amazing catharsis for Mike Meyers' true talent. "Wayne's World"? Sure, it was good... part 2 proved to be just as good if not better. (And, if you didn't laugh your ass off to the mere SOUND of: "weird naked Indian guy"... you have problems.) But, damn... What a great movie Axe Murderer is.The opening sequence just sets the tone. We follow what seems to be a TUB of cafe-whatever. Low and behold, it lands right into the hands of one Charlie MacKenzie, a 2nd generation Irishman turned wiseass. He delicately holds the robuste cup and says to us-- the waitress: "Um, excuse me, but I think I order the LARGE cappuccino... HELLO!... Jeez, look at this thing... It looks like Cambell's Cup-O-Cino...." And the facial expressions, body guestures... oh my! Comedic genius, flat out.Mike Meyers, if you are reading this, you are a great, great comedian/actor. You've done a HELLUVA job with "So I Married..." and your powerhouse movies, both "Austin Powers...." Good stuff, my friend. Keep it up, and tell Dana (Carvey) I said to get well. Hey, it's never too late to do a part 3-- of WAYNE'S WORLD! WAYNE'S WORLD! IT'S PARTY-TIME! EXCELLENT! WAYNE'S WORLD!.... Mike, you're a 10! Behave?! Oh, I shan't!....
Hesitantly I went to this movie after reading an interesting review on a local freebie. As I expected we were about 10 people watching this film at peak time (Friday night) in a major art-films theater. It didn't matter because this is perhaps one of the best films I have seen this year. This a fully realized piece with extraordinary performances, excellent photography, superb set design/atmosphere, music, certainly the work of a great director. The story of two people who get together in a dead end relationship becomes fascinating the longer one watches them walk the road towards its logical conclusion. I personally didn't care about their "motivations" or their "backgrounds" as I have ceased to expect any logic from life. I took each second the way it came, each surprising turn, each new wrinkle in an apparently plotless movie. The ending is absolutely perfect as anyone will interpret it the way he/she wants. For me it brought up the power of memories/dreams/fantasies that don't let go, where pale and boring reality can't compete, even if one is aware that a fantasy is a fantasy. This film is much better than anything that has come out of Sundance and could have had a good shot at Cannes.A must see if you like Bergman films: I was a thoroughly depressed individual when I walked out, and very happy to be one.
For all its B-gradeness "A Better Way To Die" is definitely entertaining. It rolls along at a great pace and has a few nice twists and turns. The section with "Flash", played by Joe Pantoliano (Cypher in "The Matrix"), has got a great Stephen King quirky feel to it that, unfortunately, ends all too soon.The action scenes are well thought out, with some very innovative variations on old themes. Considering various attributes that strike this film as a low budget number, the script is surprisingly good, aiming to examine the motivations of the characters a bit more than usual. The cast isn't exactly stellar, but does a convincing job all the same. Lou Diamond Phillips does a good job and there are a few other familiar faces in there like Andre Braugher (Striking Distance).If you like this movie you will probably like "Thursday" (Woods, 1998) which is one of the most under-rated films of its ilk. Don't expect too much from this one though, just suspend all belief and strap in for a good ride!
To me, there are two types of poor film. The first type are those that you fall asleep watching. Yet this is not one of those. This film is of the type that is supposed to be a horror and yet it makes you laugh and cringe at how bad it is. But here is the weird thing with poor horror's. You sit there, usually until the end laughing at how bad the "scary" bits are. And this film is the undisputed king of "tacky horror" - a genre that is supposed to be horror and yet turns out to be a comedy. Would I recommend this film? Not to a person who loves to be scared by a film. Not to those who would turn off a film because its so poor (and this film is by no means an exception) But to people who thought that The Exorcist was more of a comedy than a horror and who watch it because of this reason - this IS the ultimate movie for you.Terrible in one sense - Sensational in another!!!
After having seen this movies I was surprised because it was beyond my expectations.I was expecting a film with some poor jokes and little nice jokes but it was an interesting experience to see that the film has got good humorous parts.More than this the level of drama is perfect,in one scene it makes you laugh and in the coming scene you can cry so it's really hard to mix these so perfectly in a film.What made really excited is the level of quality of direction in this movie.I know the music clips and other films of this director (Ö.Faruk Sorak who also directed G.O.R.A.) and I always liked his style,maybe he doesn't bring a new kind of direction style to the world but I think he can make the best direction in Turkey.Although I live in Europe I don't like the European style movies and I always like to see good action sees with a good scenario and this goal is achieved perfectly by this director.Although the superiority of this film for a Turkish person I don't think it can make the same impact in Europe or United States because the film tells you a story which makes real deep wounds (I'm not joking,the wounds are really deep!) in Turkish young people.I think after the great Hababam Sinifi; movies (the old ones with Kemal Sunal,etc.) this is the only film that can take to high school ages' memories.And the last words...It's 9/10 and It's not 10/10 because of its ending...It gives real good advices to the life but when the film finishes you leave the theater with some questions in your mind but maybe there is coming a second film and I may change my mind to 10/10 after seeing the conclusion.Shortly If you are living in Turkey don't miss it!! If you are living out of Turkey if you can't see it in the theater take the DVD,you won't regret.P.S.: It's a good idea that Jean Claude Van Damme is playing in the movie to attract an interest but the poorest level of acting is from him in the whole acting squad I think.
Viewed this film early in the AM and never knew that Rock Hudson,(Michael 'Tiger' McDrew),"Embroyo",'76 starred in a picture as a coach and practically seduced every young girl in the high school. There is plenty of nudity, frontal and back along with wild scenes and Angie Dickinson,(Miss Betty Smith),"Dressed to Kill",'80, seducing a teenage boy. Telly Savalas,(Capt. Sam Surcher),"Backfire",'95 plays a police office who investigates a mysterious murder in a men's room at the high school. Roddy McDowall,(Mr. Proffer),"Lassie Come Home",'43, plays the school principal and looks too young to play this role. Even Keenan Wynn,"The Lucifer Complex",78 plays the role of a dumb police officer who manages to foul up the crime scene. This film has everything, Drama, Comedy, and plenty of Romance. Poor Rock Hudson must have been worn out trying to play this role, his performance sure surprised me and so did this film.
Even though I watched the film only for JTT, I found out the whole movie was great! The performances were realistic and I also like the fact that the characters were not casted by stereotype( gay people are feminine ( boys) or masculine ( girls). None of characters were stereotyped. Brittany Murphy played a discharged woman from the NAVY but she didn't act all masculine or had short boyish hair, JTT played a star swimmer who is going to Harvard ( the stereotype would be him playing a boy in the Drama society and the swimmers or the jocks would make fun of him, but he was a sports nut himself and the last one ( which I didn't see too much of). Being gay has nothing to do with how masculine or feminine people act. I liked JTT's segment more since the story hit close to home ( I am not gay but considering he is a senior in high school going of to college). I wish the director or the writers expanded more on the fact that he is going to Harvard. I truly loved Brittany and Jonathan's performances since they are much more younger and less experienced than the actors in the third segment. Their acting was well-done and very convincing. JTT's performance after he was beaten and raped was very sad and moving not to mention dramatic. I like Brittany from Clueless and in this movie, it showed off her dramatic skills. I like dramas and stuff.
I just watched this movie on a local TV channel tonight. I had never heard of it, but it is now officially my favorite film. I absolutely loved the story, the scenery, the acting - and Zip, the dog was marvelous. The movie has something for everyone. They should make a sequel with the same actors, but I would prefer one without the voice-over narrative.I don't recall seeing many movies with Tom Berenger in them, but this is one that I will never forget. I really could fall for that man.My advice: beg, borrow, buy, rent or steal this movie. It's definitely worth which ever route you choose to get it. I'm certain to look for "Last of the Dogmen" to add to my extensive collection of videos and DVDs. I only hope that I can find a captioned version.I am going to tell everyone I know about this wonderful film.
Indigo is a wonderful movie, that appeals to all ages as essentially it is a movie about "remembering" the wonderful love within each of us and the psychic abilities we all have, when we remember how to use our psychic muscle. Indigo young people and children been on earth since Atlantis and up until the 1970's ! its all about DNA .. they have been being born in huge numbers since 1975 and are here to herald in a new age of light, love & communication on earth.I hosted the movie in New Zealand and had totally amazing reviews! I am still receiving emails and phone calls a week later. I have seen the movie twice and look forward to seeing it again soon.Namaste, Jo Brothers
This was a great movie! Honestly, I didn't expect anything amazing when I went to see the film. After all, it was created by a couple of newbies to film, so I was expecting to see a marginal film and to say things like, "Oh, what a beautiful baby!" to the new mother. But I was impressed, instead.First, I thought the acting was genuine (I was surprised by how well Neale Donald Walsch pulled off his lead role). The cinematography was beautiful and the story was moving. What more can you want? In addition to being an all-around good movie, the message was powerful but subtle. In fact, days later it was still sinking in and affecting me. I think it was a great introduction to the concept of the Indigo children, for those folks who've never heard of them. And for those who have, I think it was great to see a movie about them! With regards to all the negative reviews, picking on the technical aspects of the film, I say, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, critique those who can." Lighten up! Stop being so negative! Did you learn nothing from this movie?
this film was the Golden Gate winner for 2004 Best Foreign Language Film. now comes on of my greatest pet peeves about the synopsis and reviews on the cover of a movie or book or whatever. it as if the people writing these reviews and synopsis' have either never even seen the film or are just blatantly obtuse or detached from the reality of human suffering. the New York Post described it as "powerful, beautiful, simply extraordinary". true it was "powerful",it went into great depth of the overwhelming fear of the oppressed, repressed , exploited people of a certain chaste of Afghanistan, generated through utilizing torture, every form of abuse, rape, humiliation, and intimidation. and there is nothing "simple" about this "extra ordinary" projection of life of the powerless people it portrayed. and it sure was out of the "ordinary" as far as standards go for the privileged goes, who on the whole do not experience the "extraordinary " atrocities and all forms of denigration these people experience in their daily lives. it was hardly "beautiful" as the women were subjugated to being summarily rounded up, imprisoned on a the slightest whim and then beaten, raped, buried alive, or as this one woman...stoned to death by a gleeful mob after being wrongfully accused of uttering obscenities. "Bold, Beautiful, Deeply Moving" (boxoffice (who in th e h*** are they)).i guess you could call it "bold" for them to interrogate, torture and execute by firing squad (at least they did not saw off his head in front of millions of eager observers, eh?) for filming a documentary on Afghanistan life. and we are all painfully aware that they absolutely do not appreciate satire...bombings, death follows? "Deeply Moving"...their sadistic militaristic manner in which they corralled and herded the woman and children that were at a gathering to beseech the government to allow them to work as they were starving to death. they were hosed down with torrents of water, fired routinely on by gunfire, thrown in cages, beaten, raped, and killed, woman and children alike. and i would say again, it was "bold" of them to raid the hospital, shooting and destroying everyone and everything inside as everyone that were able were fleeing in panic...patients and caretakers alike. there was an especially poignant shot of a severely crippled boy of about 5 years of age abandoned by the fleeing crowd as he desperately tries to hobble along in order to not be left behind. "Beautiful" (again) and so positively stated by the director.."filled with hope". "Hope"...Osama, the girl forced to be transformed into a role as boy so that she can go unescorted to work in order to bring home a watermelon and a few scraps of meet for the family, is just so filled with this "hope" as she "embarks on a terrifying and confusing journey" to avoid detection from the taliban (this is not the journey you or i may take after paying five to tens of thousands of dollars to some guru to become enlightened)...NOT!!! she is full of extreme anxiety, fear, terror (yes) and i would daresay she would have loved "confusing". this journey of hers took all of ten days from the time she worked for an old man (that dies because of this kindness),was "recruited" (forcibly ) into the talibans training camp for boys (10 yrs up, if not younger)where they teach you the qua ran's rituals such as how you wash your genitals in three different direction, (and allah help you if you didn't preform each ritual in the exact order and way in which they dictated1), to the time she is discovered. she is taunted, teased, hung from a rope suspended over a seemingly bottomless well (hysterically crying for her mother), after which she is jailed. at her trial she is sentenced to a marriage with the oldest, the most sadistic, most perverted man of the taliban who takes her home to be locked up along with the other woman and children he has abused to no end. her "journey" full of "hope" ends with her being all trussed up and presented to the creep who then asks her to choose which iron chastity belt she would like before brutalizing and raping her (at the age of 12yrs. remember) for the rest of her life. and that is just how the movie ends...just "beautiful" and full of "hope"! in all good conscious end here without mentioning the unfortunate husbands and sons who were forced to leave their families and homes, usually to never be seen again. it was certainly an eye opener for me in that these civilians would be abducted anytime day or night and anytime between, a rifle put in their hand, and sent off to some obscure place to fight the russians, Germans,Americans, whoever... all and all a "stunning" (Enteertaiment EWeekly), "Emotionally Charged" (Sceen International", and a "striking work of cinematic art"(Daily News). but i am sorry to say that i hardly found it "breathtaking" (Slant), but "extraordinarily" heartbreaking"!!! "NOTHING SHORT OF ASTONISHING" (N.Y. Times)...does that leave you with the impression it did me...that absolutely no one at the NY times watched this movie. i read this morning..."that the heart is an artist that paints over what profoundly disturbs you, leaving on the canvas, a less dark, less sharp version of the truth." i am an artist and i do not think so! this should be a required film to be seen be all those quo are either in denial or are immune to the many "inequities" that exist in the world since time immoral up into what is now the 21st century, submitted with the utmost respect and love... jamie jo Jesus i realize i would be hung, burned at the stake, tortured, crucified, stoned to death, and more if republished this in iraq..if not now? at least then. and if we don't once aging rally ourselves to do something about these injustices now...then when?
i think sense of humor is just SUCH an individual thing. perhaps the more subtle the comedic approach, the more difficult to identify and align with. I myself found this film totally engaging, amusing and lovely. i did not know, at the time of viewing, that the director had made 3 or 4 other of my favorite films, On Our Own and Italian for Beginners being the most recent. The story itself is small but it's the screenplay and that quirky funny pervading sense of humor, that IS the film. two handsome, intelligent,gentle, interesting brothers have a deep love for each other. one is the older and responsible one, who runs the inherited family used book shop. the younger one makes a career out of trying to kill himself. a sweet sad woman- with- daughter comes into their lives and the shag rug becomes a tapestry. all the acting is spot-on. the TERRIFIC screenwriters (the director being one of the two)had me caring about all of the characters. the silences, as much as the dialogue, are perfectly carried off and i really didn't feel there was a false out-of-place moment in the entire film. i saw the film last night (thank heavens for good public-library film-buyers)and the characters are in my mind today.i've a delighted smile on my face. a big 10 for me.
How do I start? I love this film! It has a great plot line and incredible music. It is a fun musical that makes you want to get up and dance.Grease is the story of Danny Zucko and Sandy Olsen (or Dumbruski) two high school seniors who fall in love over the summer. They have a wonderful summer together and are sad to see it end. The first day of school arrives and little does Danny know him and Sandy would soon be reunited. But Sandy is shocked to find the nice guy she meet at the beach is the leader of a greaser gang called 'The T'birds' Meanwhile Sandy is trying to fit in with her new "friends" the T'birds female counterparts The Pink Ladies. Will Sandy and Danny ever be together again? Along with this plot comes song that will be stuck in your head for centuries. Such songs include Summer Nights, Beauty School Dropout and the now famous song Greased Lightining. Grease is a timeless classic that will have you singing and dancing by the end of the movie.
The nature of totalitarian, ideologically driven regimes makes them good settings for drama and the presentation of the best and worst of human nature. This film makes clear how dreadful daily life was in Taliban ruled Afghanistan, particularly if you were a female (not that it's much fun in other Muslim countries) and we quickly sympathise with the central characters in their struggle for survival. That it was made only a year after the Taliban were ousted gives it an authentic documentary feel, but it would still be as effective if the events were years earlier. Part of the fascination is how the Taliban managed to be so primitive and backward (basically anything that didn't exist at the time the Koran was written was verboten, with the exception of weapons and vehicles for them to get around in) and the peculiarities of Islamic attitudes and practices that distinguished the Taliban from, for example, the Khymer Rouge in Cambodia or the Nazis in Germany, although there are also parallels.
Hello there,You're definitely interested in this movie if you've got this far on the IMDB...If you're, like me, a child of the 80's (teenager in the 80's) who saw this movie in the cinema's with that great soundtrack from "Tangerin Dream" in it(in the middle of the cold war),than you really are going to like this movie... I was able to track down this movie on PAL VHS-Tape on Ebay(you can buy it on DVD now,zone 1 only) and saw it last night on my own again. Ok,I'll have to admit that it's dated now (look at the clothes...)but that same sad feeling that creeps slowly into your head while watching this movie is still there! I really hope with the whole of my heart that we never,and I say NEVER,have to witness the day that our chosen leaders make the same stupid mistake of launching a nuclear attack on a country like they do in this movie... This is not your typical big budget,special effects loaded action-vehicle about a full-on nuclear strike but a modest little movie about what happens to a small bunch of people that finds out by accident that their country (USA) has launched a nuclear attack against another unspecified country and are getting back what they've started....If you have your heart at the right place,then this movie grabs you by the throat and won't let go...On the other handiIf you ONLY like comedy's and big budget action movies(which I also like very much)then you're probably going to despise this one...Go now and find this little gem of a movie,I know you want to...Cheers,Dirk
This documentary traces relations between Ottomans and Armenians from the 1800s to date. It provides background information needed and a clear chronology of all events related to the clash between Ottomans and Armenian revolutionaries.The documentary includes relevant and eye-opening discussions by the most preeminent expert Ottoman historians of our time. Contrary to one of the comments below, the documentary also contains interviews with at least two Armenian historians as well.This documentary white washes neither sides' responsibility for the massacres perpetrated by both sides during and after WWI. It also highlights the Entente Powers culpability and their exploitation of nationalist fervor to destroy an Empire in an effort to gain control over natural resources- oil.This documentary is especially relevant now as many of the areas that were in conflict during WWI are currently in conflict today, i.e., northern Iraq.An excellent and impartial presentation of the historical record free of the overwhelming emotions, biases, prejudices and exaggerations that the parties involved often bring to the table.
I laughed out loud through much of this movie. The way this movie captures the gender and cultural divides it portrays is right on target. I must say that it enhanced my appreciation of the movie to discover that Julie Delpy's parents played themselves (and, if I understand correctly, the apartment was genuine as well) and Julie Delpy and Adam Goldberg were also involved at one time, and per one interview with Julie Delpy- monogamy was not exactly her strong suit) Julie Delpy has a deft touch with all this and with numerous details (including the rabbit dish episode which I experienced in almost an identical fashion in Italy once, the tourists seeking to travel the path of the Da Vinci code) I love the ambiguous celebratory ending and I love the way the Da Vinci tourists reappear at the end. This movie is not for everyone. I love Paris but found the irreverent take on an "idyllic" trip to Paris to be great, wicked fun!
This is a really cool movie! I enjoyed it immensely, and watch it every time it is on TV.This movie, "Ghost Cat", deserves to be on DVD!It's the ultimate Halloween movie for the whole family.If you are an animal lover, "Ghost Cat" will be one of your favorite movies.Maybe if we all contact Animal Planet, or the Studio that made the movie, and ask them to put this movie on DVD, they will.Ghost Cat has a special charm to it, that is sorely lacking in many movies.It is a very special movie.Let's put it on DVD!
Kevin Smith made "Clerks" on low budget with a little help from his friends. That movie became a hit, and smith earn a cult reputation with it. Smith has to be a nice guy, because then he helped few Jersey friends with their projects. One of that friends was Brian Johnson, and his project was named "Vulgar".People are using words like original, shocking, vulgar, violent for this movie. And they are pretty right, but I add just one more – very bad.Brian O'Halloran who's not a great actor to begin with, plays Will – blunderer, who works as clown at children parties. He doesn't earn a lot of money, he drives old ramshackle car, and live in a hovel, when everyday he can be beaten by his neighbors. This movie starts like avenger comedy and goes from there in direction not many movies have a courage to go. It ends like pulp fiction drama.The problem is – this movie isn't comedy, this movie isn't drama, this movie doesn't know what it is, and most important the director doesn't know what moves makes a good movie, he doesn't even got the clue. At the end it taste like "bad acid-trip" that tries to be rip-off of "one of the pulp fiction rape story". Its not the idea is total rubbish, it had potential, but execution is so bad its almost depressing.The one shining thing in this mess is of course Kevin Smith, playing gay TV-producer, he is really funny, and maybe Lewkowitz playing pretty scary villain. But thats about it. All of the stuff here, cinematography, editing, story are BAD, a not M.Jackson kind of Bad.Just one conclusion at the end – responsible for this mess is no one else but Kevin Smith, because sometimes helping your friends can lead to creating a really smelly monster. So shame on you Smith, shame on you.
In Miami, four smalltime thieves leaded by Ski (Brandon Hardin) decide to rob a bank in the small town of Maysville. The lord Hustle (E-40) demands a 10% commission and sends his experienced bodyguard Ackson (D.J. Naylor) to help the gang in their plan. He goes to the target bank to check the security system, but Ski decides to anticipate the plan for that afternoon. They succeed in the heist, but Deputy Kate (T-Love) activates the alarm and one of the criminals shoots Deputy Duff. When the bank is under siege of the police force, they are attacked by weird creatures. The former government agent Hunter (Big Daddy Kane) comes to the bank and tells that the vampire zombies had been contaminated by an experimental virus developed by the government through the subjects that have escaped from the laboratory, attacking people in the New Moon to feed themselves. The group joins force to survive to the massive attack of the creatures.The trash and gore "Dead Heist" is watchable without anything special. The story about a deadly heist in a wrong night is not original and should be better developed; the acting is flat, and the dialogs do not help the cast; and the special effects are only reasonable. My vote is four.Title (Brazil): "Noite Infernal" ("Hell Night")
A pretty good crime drama of its time, on a par with PUBLIC ENEMY, LITTLE CEASAR, and others of the genre,good acting, too.Excellent acting by a very young Lew Ayres, an up-and-coming yet unknown James Cagney, here listed way down in the cast of players as a secondary, and I particularly enjoyed the fine characterization by pre-Dracula Dwight Frye. Much better than the common, cheesy melodramas of the period,this one holds the interest better due to its inferences and unseen sub-plots, an early gem by director Archie Mayo, ahead of its time for its imaginative storyline, and great scene shots, a captivating film as a whole simply for standing out among the rest! Watch this one, it's very good!!
First I like to say that this was the worst movie I've ever seen, even for an Austria film! So don't waste your time and watch it.As I mentioned above the story is nearly the as in "I know what you did last summer" only without tension.I can not understand the high user rating, here on IMDb, it seems that these people never have seen good movies. If you don't believe me watch this crappy movie yourself, if you can stand it till the end. Nearly half of the people left the cinema when I watched this film at a sneak preview in Germany!Honestly I have to admit that the cinematography was well done and has some nice pictures.
The Lost World is a wonderfully entertaining film which incorporates stop motion techniques to bring the dinosaurs of the movie to life in a manner that is really incredible for the time. This movie really is a showcase for special effects in the setting of a big monster adventure movie. With large outdoor sets and big monsters, this film feels more like King Kong or later films with effects by Ray Harryhausen than most of the contemporary silent films.The story revolves around a group of adventurer-scientists who go on a mission to rescue a fellow scientist and prove that there are still dinosaurs living in the Amazon long after they are thought to have been extinct. Once there, they capture one of the dinosaurs and return to London with it, with results that might remind one of a much later dinosaur film. A side story of a romance adds to the plot.But it is the dinosaurs that make this movie. The special effects are incredible and, in my view, hold up today as much as any computer generated imagery. This is a great adventure story, skillfully put on film and years ahead of its time.I highly recommend it for anyone who likes dinosaurs and monsters.
I caught this tonight on HBO and I'd like to express my gratitude to Oliver Stone for making this. I've been wanting someone to do this for quite some time. It wasn't until very recently that I made the discovery that this was actually available to us.The documentary does a very good job of illustrating Fidel Castro's role in Cuba and in the world. Opinions from parties both for and against his rule are expressed, and provide a fairly balanced outlook to this important situation. I haven't seen the first part of this series yet, and I'm looking forward to it.I would definitely recommend this to anybody, as it serves as a valuable learning tool. Anybody from an avid historian to a procrastinating student may find value in its substance.
Anna (Edwige Fenech) is a small town girl working as a cashier in a local coffee shop. When gangster Guido (Corrado Pani) blows into town and into her coffee shop, she is immediately smitten. Even though she knows little about him, Anna follows him to Milan. She is slowly introduced to a world that completely foreign. And before she knows what's happening, she does what Guido demands and joins his criminal organization as a call girl. But the birth of her son and a chance meeting with a nice doctor changes everything. Anna desperately wants to escape her former life and Guido, but at what price to her, her son, and the new man she loves? Regardless of the silly American title and the way Secrets of a Call Girl was marketed, it's not really either an exploitation movie or a gangster movie. Sure, there are elements of both, but deep down this is a tragic love story. This is not the kind of movie that I usually go for, but something about Secrets of a Call Girl worked for me. Maybe it was just the charismatic presence of Fenech or the brutal character played by Pani, but I couldn't take my eyes off the television. In the end, Secrets of a Call Girl is an incredibly sad, moving film. If the ending doesn't affect you and all but bring a tear to your eye, you might need to seek help.The new DVD represents another bang-up job from NoShame Films. Although their catalog is still quite small, NoShame easily gets my vote for the best DVD production company of 2005.
I know this TV movie as A Deadly Vision I remember it airing on ABC and I just watched it recently on Lifetime. "Sex and the City" star Kristin Davis stars as a waitress who has psychic visions of murders before they happen and as serial killings are developing she is asked by the police to help assist in the investigation. In the final 15 minutes the drama is high as Kristin is held captive by the serial killer, Kristin is taped to a chair you name it tape all the way around her arms, hands, legs, and yes the mouth to keep her quite. Never worry like many TV movies with happy endings she breaks free and puts a bullet to end the terror of the serial killer. Good movie to catch sometime on Lifetime especially if you like Kristin Davis it really does showcase her well.
COMBAT SHOCK is a gritty film about the disillusion and ultimate break down of Frankie, a Vietnam vet, living in New York with his wife and "child". Frankie is basically a complete loser with no money, job, or life in general, and the film pretty much just follows him around from one depressing experience to another, until the shocking finale. COMBAT SHOCK is far too bleak for the standard audience, and as a previous reviewer noted, most people either really like, or really loathe this film. Personally, I felt it was a realistic and somber portrayal of an individual who has absolutely nothing positive going on in his life, and no real hope of a better future. If you are clinically depressed or on any type of depression medication, you should probably leave this one alone. Those who prefer more thought-provoking cinema may want to give this one a shot...8/10
A radiant Claudette Colbert stars in this first version of "Imitation of Life" along with Louise Beavers. The movie seems more earthbound and realistic than its more well-known, glamorous Ross Hunter remake. The stories differ as well. In this version, Colbert is not an aspiring actress, but a saleswoman who enters into business with Beavers, who, though it's her pancake recipe, for some reason is entitled to only 20% of the profits. As a black friend of mine described this story, "Claudette Colbert steals Louise Beavers' pancake recipe but allows her to live in her home." Not actually true as the Beavers character refuses to take any money or establish herself in her own home, and Colbert must bank the money for her. Sadly, this seems to be because the Beavers character has accepted her downtrodden role in life.Some of the dialogue by today's standards is truly shocking and, let's face it, politically incorrect as well as downright insulting to Afro-Americans. For this reason, it is an interesting look at life for blacks in those days and makes a disturbing statement. However, the affection the women have for each other, the confidence-swapping friendship, the fact that they do go into business together, and their daughters' friendship speak of things that transcend race and make a wonderful, contrasting statement.There are excellent performances by Ned Sparks and Warren William. William is another interesting artifact of the time, the mustached, elegant leading man in the tradition of John Gilbert that went out of style eventually.In real life, the beautiful black actress, Fredi Washington, who played Peola, refused to "pass" and lost out on a huge career, as she was told by producers that, if she passed for white, her star would shine as bright as the biggest stars of the day. Because she did not play white characters, Fredi Washington had to darken her skin with makeup in films so that she could play blacks. Hallie Berry can thank Washington for her career along with Dorothy Dandridge.
Don't expect dandies donning top hats in this gritty working man's drama. This one grabs you early with good outdoor photography and develops nicely with solid characters and drama. The heavy handedness of the plot is typical, but what makes the movie is its frank, realistic dialogue. If you've seen many of these old movies, you know how stylized and fakey the acting usually is. Also, early 30's camera-work is often stiff and stagy. This film really impresses with its excellent acting and highly innovative photography. The scene with the blind man feeling his way around the rail yard in a rainstorm is especially well done. What a great surprise!
This is a short that's far more hilarious than most feature-length comedies. It's a fairly strait-forward concept: It takes place in the Council of Elrond and spoofs The Lord of the Rings. It's brilliantly executed (along with actual footage from the film). It might have gone a little bit far at the end, but that didn't much matter. Jack Black gives us a memorable side-splitting performance as a hapless addition to the council who doesn't seem to be taking his duties with the ring with all due seriousness.This is a must-see for all fans of Jack Black and The Lord of the Rings. But I'm sure that most everybody else will still find this funny enough (and short enough) for at least one viewing.
Watching "The Last Seduction' you will see that Bridget Gregory is one tough woman. Not one to cross! In "The Last Seduction 2" Joan Severance picks up where Linda Fiorantino left off. "The Last Seduction 2" is set in Europe and is not up to the tech standards of the original. You can tell which movie had the most money spent on production. But with the faults "The Last Seduction 2" pulls it off. Joan Severance is a delight in the evil persona of Bridget Gregory.Beth Goddard who plays Murphy is almost as tough as Bridget and out to get her. Beth does a great job and I hope to see more of her in the future. Overall "The Last Seduction 2" is not the same as the original but it is worth the watch. If there is a "The Last Seduction 3" keep Joan Severance as Bridget Gregory, Beth Goddard as Murphy and spend more money on the production. It will be a winner.
Very mannered, over-decorated and Egoyanesque. It feels like a film made by aliens who've been observing human emotions but have never experienced them first hand. Still, it has a good cast and a well structured story that doesn't tie all the loose ends up too tightly.
November 1983 marked the 20th anniversary of DOCTOR WHO and I remember the media coverage given to the event . Scotland's national newspaper had its centre pages dedicated to the history of the show and Britains best selling TV guide Radio Times had a front page cover and a multiple page feature on the show . There was even a special anniversary magazine from the Radio Times dedicated to the programme . But it was this one off special that really got the fans excited The plot centres around someone capturing the different incarnations of the Doctor and holding them hostage in the dark zone of Gallifrey . Okay it's hardly a mind blowing premise and just sets up the story whose main function is to reunite as many Doctors and companions as possible and maybe the story is too cluttered with companion cameos for the story to work successfully , but at least we get to see some old villains like a Dalek and a Yeti and the Cybermen take centre stage in this monster mash As entertainment for both fans and casual viewers it works very well and is one of the better stories from the early 1980s . There are one or two bits that don't work like Sarah falling down a " mountain " and Susan twisting her ankle but Patrick Troughton's performance alone makes this worth watching
This a superbly acted film about an undercover cop( Sean Pen) who infultrates a group of American/Irish gangsters who he used to be friends with. The storyline is not the best but it does not have to be when you are watching people like Gary Oldman act his socks off. The film is shot superbly too , especially the fantastic gun fight at the very end in the Irish bar. If there was one critisism i have to make of this film it would be that it is a little too long which can make it feel a little slow. Overall , if you like gangster movies you will like this. 8 out of 10.
This movie was very historically accurate, I was impressed. I'm not often impressed by movies...but this got me. The cast was marvelous, the acting was wonderful, and the scenery so beautiful. Maybe because it was shot in historically authentic locations of Romania.(the place where Dracula was born, died, etc. ) The acting was so dramatic and believable that I almost found myself in tears near the end... It also contained(or should I say didn't..) something that I wasn't very used to seeing in movies these days---it had no profanity, no suggestive actions....it was all real.
Films like these are in vogue - a well thought out plot involving an interesting cast of characters that are connected in some way. Some similar films include Pulp Fiction, The Ice Storm, Happiness and of course, the newly crowned American Beauty. While the style of each one is different, what keeps the viewer in check is the story. In 5 Senses, J. Podeswa manages to weave the representation of each function with a character and how this applies to their work, their friends and so on. There is no basic premise here and like most Art-house productions, there does not appear to be a clear indication of where the film is heading. There is the sub plot of a missing girl, which somehow seems to bind the main cast together. But the film is not really in need of anything like that and in no way does it fall short of maintaining viewer amusement.Well acted, well scripted and well shot. Obviously, Podeswa is a talent to watch.
There is really not much to be said about this incredibly awful TV show. The premise was dumb, the background music was annoying, Monica played more like a mean big sister than a host, the men in competition were obviously looking for two minutes of fame (or were really hard-lucked with meeting women), and the clueless woman at the center.....enough said. The one positive is that it survived just a few weeks. What is really sad is that the powers that be at FOX have managed to come up with shows (in my honest opinion) that are even worse than this mess since then. One episode of "The Moment of Truth" has pretty much left me with the sudden urge to projectile vomit all over my TV screen. To only be able to go back 20 to 30 years and be able to watch some of the shows we referred to as garbage back then....they seem pretty appealing right about now.If by chance "Mr. Personality" is released on DVD, pass it up and spend the money on bathroom deodorant.
Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor was a good comedy team of the 1970s, making several hit movies together, this being one of the more memorable. Viewing this movie recently after a 25-year absence, it was a shock to me to hear the language. I had remembered this strictly as a light-hearted comedy but I can see why it's rated "R." That is solely for the language, especially by Pryor, but he was known for his profane humor.If you can put up with that, the film is downright funny, even today. I found myself laughing out loud at a few scenes, all of which I remembered vividly from several viewings in the '70s. They are still just as funny.Who could forget that mammoth criminal with the long, long name - Erland van Lidth de Jeude? He was the guy that scared the hell out of everyone, just by his physical presence. In real life, that man was the opposite of his projected image on screen. He was a graduate of MIT, an accomplished opera singer, an Olympic wrestler, devoted husband and father, writer, etc. The poor man died at the age of 34.It also was interesting to see such a young looking Craig T Nelson and JoBeth Williams.This might have been the best of the Wilder-Pryor films. I was shocked to see that Sidney Poitier directed this movie. I didn't know that until seconds ago when I looked at this IMDb title page.
"X-men" is a well done sci-fi action film for all action fans: especially for those who as kids dreamed of having special powers themselves. Each of the main mutant characters has a special ability and during the film I sometimes found myself thinking about which of those abilities I would choose if I were given the chance. Of course all of those special abilities are visible in the film's spectacular special effects. But the special effects were not the only thing that made watching this film fun. There is also plenty of action and character interaction besides shooting and beating and using special powers. As each mutant character is given a past (to give him a motivation) and a weakness, the film's plot never got boring because I also wanted to know how things developed between the mutants themselves.And I won't even talk about the ending. It actually surprised me. But go see for yourself
is The Butcher a thriller? Yes. Is it a psychological drama? Yes. Is it an idyllic small town romance? Yes. Is it a horror film? Yes. Can all of these descriptions coexist? Yes. The Butcher is indeed all of those things. It's a film that deals with the greatest, most puzzling, and most disturbing mysteries of humanity, but it's also a small, simple film with a style so subtle it sometimes appears to be no style at all. Chabrol's French contemporaries are known for their flair- for their attention-grabbing camera work and editing. Hitchcock was known for his stylish set-pieces. But Chabrol has an amazing knack for convincing us that we're not watching a stylish film. The color scheme, the manipulation of light, and the stifling editing are as meticulous as in a Hitchcock film, or a Truffaut film, but are at the same time nearly invisible. His direction is heavily stylized but appears nearly accidental. Chabrol manages to transform picnics, schoolhouses and cobblestone streets into a landscape that is horrifying for its lack of apparent horror and for its incongruity with the horror being committed. The Butcher is also the story of two people who have adapted, in their own ways, to modern society. An uneducated, old-fashioned male war veteran adapts by becoming a killing machine, and an educated, stylish woman adapts by becoming a cold narcissist. Both were apparently functioning, normal human beings until they meet each other. But, when they meet each other, their neuroses come into the foreground: his animalistic passion and her ultra-civilized coolness nearly destroy each other. Some viewers say that the woman is the monster and some say it is the man. It is the man who commits truly monstrous acts, but it is the woman who, by way of her repressed attraction to such a monstrous man, sets his gears turning. The schoolteacher never could have foreseen the effect she would have on the butcher, but she is still responsible, and that is what is terrifying. The Butcher, however, is not a masterpiece because of its cynicism; it's a masterpiece because it manages to be cynical while having utmost respect for its characters. It's a great film because of the way it explores how hard its characters try and how pathetically they fail. It's a horror film about how impossible it can be for people to change.
It's 2038 the planet earth is out of national resources, but there's a whole asteroid belt of deserted, lifeless rocks from which all the world's resources can be drawn. But the planet earth has also split into various corporations instead of nations who are fighting for control of those asteroids. In fact one company is down to only one asteroid, the last stand will be made on Moon 44.You know if you're expecting a serious study on earth's dwindling resources and what I personally think will eventually happen, the strip mining of dead worlds for resources, Moon 44 ain't the film for you. What we did get in between the giggles and the video game special effects was one of the great homo-erotic science fiction films of all time.The defense craft are these helicopter type ships that only crazy people like prisoners will fly in exchange for commutation of sentence. They are navigated from the asteroid by these computer geek types. Pilot and navigator of necessity have to work together to fly these things. But the brawny prisoners and they are all brawny believe me have other ideas about bonding with these twinks from space.Michael Pare is an internal affairs agent for the company going in undercover as a prisoner. Dean Devlin is the head twink, you don't really think he would be teamed with a hardened lifer did you?Actors trained in the classics like Roscoe Lee Browne and Malcolm McDowell do the lines like they pearls from the Bard and they do it well. Might be some of the best acting these two gentlemen have ever done on screen. We never see these villains, all we know is that they're not aliens just greedier humans than who Pare is working for. Or who is exactly working for who?If you care to watch and get a few laughs, tune this monstrosity in.
I'm a huge horror film fan, so I picked this one. Thank GOD I didn't have to pay money for this crap (I have a summer job at a video store). It lost me the second one of the character's said "Hello? We're a bunch of high school kids, and our car is broke down..." I would think that this movie should have just a little bit of creativity, but it didn't... negative 10
I travelled across the country to the NY Independent Film Festival and caught this amazing little film there. Made on a shoe-string budget, this proves how a lot of imagination, talent and creativity can make a great film even without pie-in-the-sky Hollywood budgets and ultra CGI effects. The plot may seem familiar, with elements of THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (1932) and perhaps traces of EVIL DEAD (1981) woven into the story of a woman on the search for her kidnapped daughter; but director/lead actress Tiffany Sinclair takes what might seem rote and turns it into a compelling affair. Some might nitpick that it runs a little too long but whenever Sinclair is on the screen you will be riveted. I wish there was a complete cast list on the IMDb because I wanted to note the great supporting performance by the guy who plays Baker - the "john" who takes Sinclair's Sara on the ride of her life (or death). With a great performance by Sinclair and spectacular camera and editing work, PRAEY should be a film that will delight horror and suspense buffs for years to come either on DVD or late night television. Please try to find this film when it goes into distribution.
"Evil Dead II" is not nearly as good as the original in my opinion. Despite the more professional look and better pacing, I prefer the original for its lack of slapstick. The first worked so well because it was such an unrelenting and grueling experience and was the finest horror film since "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". It didn't take prisoners, and while its a bit dated it still has the power to terrify the audience. Not to mention it had some great if primitive stop motion effects. I really wish Sam Raimi would make another all out horror film again as thats what he does best.That being said, "Evil Dead II" is still quite enjoyable on its own merits. I usually hate films that attempt to combine horror with comedy (such as the reprehensible "Scream" series), as they're often neither scary nor funny. While "Evil Dead II" is never scary, its often hilarious. Imagine an off the wall combination of "Friday the 13th" with the Three Stooges, and you're coming close. The sight gags are often surreal and inspired, the sequence with the hand being the finest. Also, the film is very atmospheric and still maintains a sense of unnerving creepiness, which was completely jettisoned for "Army of Darkness". I'm not a fan of "Army of Darkness", as it had too much slapstick and seemed to be made to appeal to a wider audience. This one has plenty of gore to still appeal to fans of the original. The gore is so over-the-top its difficult to find it even remotely offensive.Special mention must go to Bruce Campbell. While he was a meek and unwilling hero in the first film, he is a completely over-the-top bad ass in this one! Its a very finely tuned parody performance of action stars. While this is the role that lead him to being typecast, it also made him a cult legend. Its a shame he didn't become a bigger star. While its not as successful as the first installment, "Evil Dead II" is still a lot of fun and one of the best combinations of horror and humor. (7/10)
Why didn't this movie get released properly, after watching all the extras on the DVD, this is exactly what you feel.But probably the greatest injustice is the Studio's cut. 16 mins cut out, and that is the version which is showed on HBO and stuff, not just the 16 mins, but the soundtrack is different. Listening to the excellent commentary on the disc and watching the extras, you really can feel for Steve Wang, as well as everyone else who worked on the picture.But for them it seems they had a lot of fun making it, and it shows on the screen, it was such a FUN film, but it wasn't just amazing martial arts action, it had good characters, and the 'talking' bits don't drag the film down, the opposite in fact. This film has virtually everything you'd want from an action comedy, plus the Hong Kong influences, one shot fight sequences, etc... and the fights are amazing. Jackie Chan fans will love this movie, seeing as the crew site him as a major influence in their lives.This is also a funny movie, Kareem Hardison, follows in the steps of Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor, a comedian/actor whose ad-libs are always fun to watch.This is definitely worth watching, i never got bored the whole way through, and if you like action comedies and love really good martial arts fighting, and if you are into DVDs then i urge you to buy the disc.AND PLEASE make sure you watch the Director's Cut, if at the start the main character is looking at a girl on a small video screen, then you are watching the right one. EXCELLENT
Like the previous reviewer I read about "Praise's" appearance in our local art theatre (may have been the same showing) and came down to check it out. Like great writing, great film-making successfully journals the trials of everyday human conditions, rather than stringing together cinematic cliches. "Praise" accomplishes this as we immediately believe there are no actors, only we the audience feeling rather voyueristic and nodding with every move Gordon & Cynthia make as if we would have done the same. Unlike many directors, John Curran leaves much to his audience's judgement. I knew I'd watched the great telling of a great story, but also had a sincere appreciation for Curran's respect of our integrity as viewers. I'm left wondering why it took two years for "Praise" to reach Hollywood. Did someone in Australia put it in a bottle and throw it in the ocean toward the United States, drifting toward North America while we were plagued with "Gone in 60 Seconds" and "Mission Impossible 2"? Thank you!
Director-star Orson Welles also adapted Isak Dinesen's rather pointless book about an aged millionaire recluse living in China who tells his employee of an incredible story he heard while in the service regarding a rich, dying man, his terrible wife and a sailor-stud. The employee explains that this tale is just a legend, but the millionaire aims to make it fact. The sexual implications in the narrative aren't ignored by Welles, though they are tip-toed around (probably due to the restrictions of 1968), and when Welles as the "old gentleman" finds himself the perfect boy to complete his plan, it's hard not to smirk when he calls the bottle-blonde "a fine looking sailor" and then offers him money. Who needs Jeanne Moreau when these two are hitting it off so well? ** from ****
Spoilers contained, but only in a general sense, not specific! I watched this movie expecting something about drag queens or someone who could be considered significant in some way, hence the "based on a true story" blurb in the description, yet I can't find any reason why anyone would have made a movie about the primary character. I found him to be unlikable, unsympathetic and not even a good drag queen! This man, if the story is indeed based on fact, was totally lacking in any redeeming characteristics; cruel to his "friends," unattractive physically, a thief, liar, con man, a criminal, violent, talentless and ignorant. Apparently he was notable for winning a costume contest after spending ten years in prison and that warrants a movie about him? The other characters were just sad; Lurita and Taboo. I could not get a clear sense of whether he was lovers with Lurita or Taboo or they coexisted as a "family" unit of unwanted people who found comfort in each other, yet even then the primary character was so cruel to Taboo that it sickened me. OK, I get that this time period, this neighborhood, these people were poor, ignorant and had miserable lives, but what in this movie, this story, was worthy of making a movie about? I sat through this whole movie waiting for something noteworthy to happen, to make me care about these people, to explain why their lives were being portrayed and that moment never came. It was a waste of time and money for me. No point to it at all.
This is a brilliant, charming film. To the poster wanting "Merci Simca" to become a common well-known phrase- I totally agree. This movie has it all- wit, charm, great acting, clever script, great use of flashbacks, inventive crimes, great car chase thru the 70's streets of Paris- an almost perfect film. This movie is easily the equal of other classic French crime films of the time- it's a shame it is so little known. You may be thrown a bit (as was I) when characters are doing things out of character, not realizing it's a flashback, but that only adds to the experience- I'd rather be confused for a few minutes than have some obvious corny announcement that a flashback is coming, like squiggly dream lines appearing on screen. I had heard nothing of this film and had no expectations, and was blown away. This film was 25 years ahead of its time, it's kind of a forerunner to comedy/crime films such as Pulp Fiction, True Lies, Go, etc., but superior to all those.
***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** I'm trying to remember a worse movie that I've seen....can't do it. Maybe it'll come to me before I finish this review. Let's see, how to begin: A rich, handsome, outgoing Cuban businessman(Banderas) intentionally decides to screw up his life. Why?? Blank-out. No answer. The Plan: he decides that a bad marriage will be his downfall. Okay, but how does one intentionally design a marriage to be so bad as to destroy oneself financially, emotionally, spiritually.**********MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD***********************Since the antihero is handsome, rich, and outgoing he could easily marry one of any number of women, most of whom would jump at the chance. Many of these theoretical matches might possibly work out. No, no...there's got to be a worse way. I know: the man must marry a complete stranger found via a newspaper ad placed in a foreign country. That's it. And to lessen the probability that she is compatible with the man, the woman must arrive in the man's country no more than 3 hours before the wedding takes place. The man and woman must know nothing about one another except the lies they've exchanged with each other in establishing contact via the mail.Okay, now here's the shocker. Are you ready for this. Hold on to your seat. Despite these elaborate plans to undermine the marriage from the start, the marriage does not in fact work out and the man is destroyed financially, emotionally and spiritually. What I have just related is the precise opening premise this movie expects you swallow in order to grab your attention for the movie's remainder. If it sounds implausible to the point of imbecility, well, that is not my fault.To be fair, although this movie in no way deserves it, the woman he marries is a con artist(Jolie) who has helped kill the actual intended bride and assumed her identity. But that absolutely doesn't matter, because it may just as well have been the con artist who answered the man's marriage ad as any other woman.I really can't discuss this movie much further...the level of irritation Original Sin caused me makes it out of the question. Let me just say that the account I've related so far is not the most implausible element in the movie. For example, let's assume for the sake of argument that you are a psychopath. Somebody tells you they love you a total of 999 times. But you are a psychopath and it has no effect. So you decide to poison the person who loves you. Hey, it's what psychopaths do. Somehow the person finds out you've poisoned their drink and they tell you. Right before the person drinks the poison they tell you for the 1000th time that they love you. They knowingly begin to drink the poison. Suddenly, the scales of psychopathology fall from your eyes and you see everything in a different light. You spring to your feet with all the good-hearted innocence that a recently cured criminally insane person can muster and try to knock the poisoned drink from their hands.Here are the crucial questions: Do you find this plausible? Possible? Psychologically realistic? If so, let me state in the strongest possible terms: This movie was made for you.Hey, I just had a revelation. I just remembered a worse movie I saw: Ed Wood's Love Feast, aka Pretty Models All In a Row. I knew I could do it!!
The Care Bears Movie is fun for many Children. You have to look for Theatrically released motion pictures for young people to find People living in harmony with no fear. To my real Daughter God Yahweh Apophis Julia Ar Morgan thank you for saving your Daddy and original form sister Julia and North America. Try not to feel too bad, the Israelis have a saying en brera that means something like no choice. There have been many paradoxes on Earth such as Soviet Premier Stalin enjoying learning Western Cowboy movie English, A resigned President Nixon traveling to China as an American representative, the faking of the death of Chinese Canadian Doctor Bethune. The many clones that live in America, Russia and China, Soviet Chess Grandmaster Kasparov liking sports cars. When you are famous and or powerful you can pretty well do what you like. I shall always miss not travelling to Europe. Julia I will try to write you at least once every month. You are a wonderful Young Lady and a real Windsor Royal Family Princess of England. Even if there were 998 people in England I would still call the nation England. Some people say that America has a Junta. As American Shadow Vice President we Americans did have to spread the leaders around geographically to protect ourselves from attack. I do love the American Russian and Chinese Children of the world and that is why I want Humanity to remain as dignified as possible. The real Russian Tsar has taught me about dignity and Human decency. The Chinese cities look very modern and I am interested in a peaceful way in their Television Satellites since I have never seen a diagram of one living here in North America and having given a lecture on Satellite Technology in Air Cadets. Princess Julia since you and I are eternal in the Moonfleet you will always be in the thoughts and prayers of my Deoxyribo nucleic Acid selves. May God bless Humanity. Thank you to IMDb for allowing the freedom of speech that President George W Bush and I and others support. Support IMDb.
I found this movie today for a whopping $3 Australian (About a dollar fifty American), and I must say, it was well worth it.Sure, the story sucks.. The acting sucks.. The dialoge sucks.. The blood and other effects suck.. And almost everything else sucks.. But my friend and I thoroughly enjoyed it, mostly due to the laughter at the movies expense.It is always good to go out with a quote, so I will quote the killer from this top-grade horror movie... "I'M NOT TRYING TO WIN AN OSCAR!!!" That's good; you've got no chance.-keeperman42
"Larceny, Inc." is a 1942 film starring Edward G. Robinson, Broderick Crawford, Jane Wyman, Anthony Quinn, Jack Carson, Ed Brophy, Jackie Gleason and Henry Davenport. The idea behind this film consciously or subconsciously may have inspired Woody Allen's "Small Time Crooks." Gangsters buy a luggage shop situated next to a bank in order to break through the wall into the bank vault; instead, they find themselves dragged kicking and screaming into legitimacy.Edward G. Robinson is "Pressure," an ex-con who at first tries to keep customers out of the store ("if a customer comes in, blow him off") - but when he tells the young woman like a daughter to him (Wyman) that he's sincere, she starts working with a luggage salesman (Carson) on big promotions. Soon the store is jumping with customers. The merchants on the street ask for Pressure's support - the street is being torn up, and it's right before Christmas; he becomes their hero. However, when an ex con comes into the store to borrow money, he realizes the store is a front for a bank robbery and goes back and tells a scary prisoner, Leo (Quinn) who escapes and decides to do the job himself.The funniest scene is the aggravated Robinson wrapping a suitcase when a customer asks for gift-wrapping. Robinson is hilarious - he could be doing Little Ceasar, he takes it so seriously, and he's all the funnier for it. Broderick Crawford did some comedy before "All the King's Men" - he's excellent as a dumb associate of Pressure's who's digging the hole to the bank. Jackie Gleason plays a soda jerk - and makes the most of it. Wyman and Carson don't have much to do, alas. The rest of the cast is uniformly delightful.This is a real gem - "Small Time Crooks" takes the basic plot and goes in another direction with it - both are wonderful films. Try and catch this one on TCM.
With it's completely surreal narrative and winning photography, The bed Sitting room hits me now for a number of reasons, the first of which, is that despite looking strangely contemporary, all it's main leads (Except the young uns) are dead. Marty Feldman, Micheal Horden, Arthur Lowe, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan and Sir Ralph, are all pushing up the daisies. There's something tragic about the cast in a comedy all being dead. For all intense and purposes, the film may as well be dead too as it was blind luck that I caught it. It is criminal that this bona fide classic never really made it past the main gates, while lesser films took the glory.Made by Richard lester (A hard Days Night, Superman 2 & 3) in 1969, just before Monty Python hit pay dirt, it tells the story of Brits after the bomb, working class through to upper, it encapsulates the British eccentricities perfectly. It's pomposity and its sheer blooded bloody optimism. These characters, you might see on the tube on the way to work and despite furniture mutation and hunger, they're just the same. It's a testament to all concerned, that a potentially silly premise, is performed with total conviction and a little tragedy. It's especially weird to see Sir Ralph Richardson and Sir Micheal Horden as leads. In such a bizarre film, it swings the whole experience into brain frying proportions. It'd be like having Sir Ben Kingsley play Ace Ventura, Pet detective.Another reason, this film is a triumph, is the superb set design and photography. While in Monty Python, it's surrealistic landscapes, while funny and inventive, never really touches the views on offer here, What was essentially a quarry, is now landmarks of Britain, with bits of it sticking out all over the place. stacks of shoes, dismembered traffic jams and indeed Bed sitting rooms clog up the toxic horizon, all glum and desolate, you half believe the story, as the landscape seems sort of real. I'll bet my mums dog that Python was influenced by the designs on display here. As the film was based on a play (By Spike Milligan and John Antrobus) I wonder how it looked in a theatre.There you have it, a classic film in every way if you like that sort of thing. If you catch it, you'll wonder if you saw it, then you'll be angry that you've never heard of it, after that you'll never forget it, it's just a shame you'll probably never get to see it...
I was very excited to see this TV film that employs the talents of Jeremy Northam and Sean Hayes. What a let down! The story is told in such a connect the dots TV movie sort of way that I felt like I had seen it before. Jeremy Northam has a hammy good time playing Dean Martin. And while I never believe that he IS Dean Martin, Northam does create a character that is interesting to watch for about 45 minutes. Hayes, unfortunately, shows that, while a gifted physical comedian, does not have the chops to create a complex dramatic characterization. And, although his courage to tackle this part must be acknowledged, some of his recreations of Lewis routines are painful to watch. His need to prove to us that he is more than Jack McFarland is so clear here and he doesn't look to be having an once of fun. While watching this movie, I kept thinking about the worried conversations that must have been going on in the editing room. Best to steer clear of this one.
People who like this film may feel smug for doing so and who could blame them. This is that rarest of rare things, an American romantic comedy about young people that could have been directed by Eric Rohmer. It's full of talk and it's all highly intelligent, at times almost unbearably so, but the young writer/director Whit Stillman has a wonderful ear for a bon mot and he doesn't take things seriously. He lampoons these smart young New Yorkers but he doesn't despise them; the comedy is gentle and affectionate.It's set among the well-heeled New York débutante set as they embark on a roundelay of parties over the Christmas period. It owes a considerable debt to Jane Austen and acknowledges this by referencing her as often as it can. Another reference point, of course, is Woody Allen when Allen was writing and directing genuinely smart New York comedies. It's even got a nerdy Woody Allen character in the form of Taylor Nichols' pseudo-intellectual.Indeed if it has a weakness it's that the boys are far better developed as characters than the girls and in a good, fine, unknown young cast the best performances come from Edward Clements as the hero from the wrong side of the tracks, or in this case, the wrong side of the city and from Chris Eigeman as the handsome, verbose rich boy who befriends him, (think "Emma" with the sexes changed). A little gem of a movie.
It was funny, insightful, versatile, with tons of parodies, but unfortunately also one of those short lived shows in the 90s.I relay liked it, even when I rewatched it. Yeah, there were none funny moments and jokes, but most of it worked out swell. Best thing was you never knew how it's going to end, because the show was chaotic, and some stupid endings were resolved with "Cut! Oh forget it, lets do something else." In a way the writers and studio represented themselves in this, and got away with it easy.It was sad when they canceled it after the second season, but it could have been worse. If they were to drag it for too long (or worse, remake it now), they would have came up against the Internets public new growing image of adult entertainment. Now there is so much horror in the Internet that I don't even want to know what kind of Freakazoid it could make. Still, one more season would not have ruined the show.All in all, a great short lived comedy show, worth watching anyway.
The first 3/4 of the movie is cute, but nothing to rave about: boy meets girl, they eventually falling love, marry, she becomes pregnant and everyone is happy. Then disaster strikes in the form of an earthquake causes her to miscarry and her injuries are such that she will never be able to have a child. They are sad but stick together through it, and they eventually put their lives back together again. They decide they still want a child so they adopt. When they get to the adoption agency, a kind adoption lady presents them with a baby girl and they fall in love with the child and decide to adopt her. You see the adoption process and how happy they are. It is cute to see them learn how to take care of a baby. Their financial situation changes when the child is about 2, and before the adoption is final, the adoption head honchos threaten to take her away, because now they are poor. A stirring speech by Grant (and the faith of the kind adoption lady) convinces said honchos that Grant and Dunne are still good parents and that their child will never starve. They are allowed to keep the child, who we next see as sweet a little girl as anyone could wish for. Now as I said, up to this point, everything has been fine, some downs, but they've worked out their problems and are a happy, functioning family unit. As a whole the movie up to this point has been as cute and sweet as their little girl.Then BAM, the next minute the kid is dead (no warning to the audience that the kid is sick, just BAM dead of something or other). They are too grief stricken to help each other, and instead tear themselves and each other a part. It's only been THREE DAYS since the little darling's death, and they are splitting up because they just can't handle the grief (this explains why Dunne is packing to leave Grant throughout the current time scenes in the film). Dunne wrote to the kind adoption lady telling her their tragedy as soon as the girl died, and before Dunne has a chance to leave Grant for good, the adoption lady informs the couple (who have yet to make up and are just as miserable as ever - remember it has only been three days since their little girl died) that the agency just got in a sweet little boy (two years old, golden curls, the sort of kid they thought they wanted to adopt before they saw their baby girl), and would they be interested in seeing him? Now suddenly, everything is a-okay, and they have plans to turn their daughter's room in to the perfect room for a little boy. Nothing, has been resolved in their marriage. Before they found out about the boy they were in the middle of deeply grieving for their daughter, in fact they were so grief stricken I thought for sure they were going to turn the little girl's room in to a shrine or something. Then they hear about this little boy, and it's like their little girl never existed. In short, the ending is unnecessarily tragic in the little girls death alone, more so when her death splits Dunne and Grant apart, and ruined both by the fact that the couples problems are not fixed at the end of the movie, just papered over, and the treatment of a loss of a child as something a kin to the loss of a goldfish. Oh you lost your child? that's sad, but not a real problem. Just never you mind that and buck-up mom and dad, here's another. It is as though the movie is almost a warning to parents, enjoy them now because the little ones you love maybe taken from you at any moment, except, just kidding, that does not really matter because you can always have another and poof your grief will be gone. Basically, if you stop the movie at the Christmas when the girl is six, it is not bad, it's a cute film, though not worth its rave reviews. The last twenty minutes or so ruin it, turning a tolerable film in to something that I just can't take.
Jim Varney, Brigitte Nielsen and Corey Haim star in this film...need I say more?! The only person in this film who could act was poor Joe Flaherty (his work in "SCTV" and "Freaks & Geeks" would testify to this)--and how he got stuck in this film is anyone's guess, though if you check his career, he has made some interesting decisions as far as the projects he took. I assume he desperately needed the money...period. In SNOWBOARD ACADEMY, he really isn't given anything to do.As far as the film goes, it's purported to be a comedy. With such 'hilarious' jokes as a guy with a giant frozen booger stuck on his face, a boss named "the head cheese" and phrases like "d!@$weed" and "buzz off d!@$head". This is very clever writing...if you are a 3rd grader.Flaherty plays the owner of a failing ski resort. In order to try to attract more people, his youngest son convinces him to open the runs up to snowboarders and teach snowboarding classes--and snowboarders had been previously banned from the hills. Up until this decision, the audience was treated to the hilarious antics(?) of the snowboarders who were breaking the rules by using the trails. The other son hates snowboarders and will do anything to get rid of them--even though this makes zero economic sense.Jim Varney is hired to be a combination comic for the lounge, safety engineer and god knows what else. No one knows that he can't ski (a prerequisite for the job) and his antics are very broad and very, very slapstick--with lots of pratfalls. It's not good, but frankly he's probably the best thing in the film because at least his character seems likable--something NOT shared with the other 'stars'. Plus at least kids will think this Varney is funny.As for the other characters, they are really caricatures--stereotypes with no dimension to their personalities. The snowboarders are mostly obnoxious idiots. The older son is sullen and grumpy. The younger one is...well...younger. The evil wife is evil--like every money-grubbing estranged wife you could imagine rolled up into one. The ex-security chief is...well..the most untalented, obnoxious and horrible person in the film. I'd rather have a migraine than watch the 'antics' of this amazingly unfunny guy---who is supposed to be there for comic relief!! None of them are worth putting in the film--yet they make up 80% of the movie!! Overall, this is an incredibly stupid and poorly written film. It's painfully unfunny and a waste of time. HOWEVER, I can't give it a 1 because the production values are not 100% bad and, believe it or not, I've seen a few shoddier and more awful films--but not many. I can see how it made the IMDb Bottom 100 list, but I would only place it in the Bottom 500 if such a list existed. Not a glowing endorsement, I know, but the film was only 97% horrible.For a good ski comedy, try the cult classic BETTER OFF DEAD. Unlike the sludge that is SNOWBOARD ACADEMY, the writing is great and the film fun for all ages.
It is beyond me why two million Danish people each week sit down to watch this terrible show. The dialogue is terrible and not realistic. The characters are hollow and simplistic. There's a tough man, a tough woman and a sensitive man. The writers actually say that they have modeled the characters after Greek mythology! Give me a break! All the characters are of course brilliant policemen. When I have watched this show I have longed for "District Hill Street" and "NYPD Blue". These are brilliant shows, and "Rejseholdet" is a lousy copy. This program is a symptom of the disease Danish television is currently suffering from.
I LOVED this movie for the quiet truthfulness of the characters, the authentic pictures of the countryside and primitive way of life, and the understated humor. Not just women suffered, but any feeling individual was hurt by the Taliban regime. Most will really enjoy the characters, especially the moving mother, who is a female doctor not allowed to practice her craft despite a desperate need for doctors throughout the country. The director avoids all sentimentality, yet the movie has moments of humor, pathos, cynicism, charity and quiet desperation. If you are a woman, you should see this movie. Contains humor, great characters, unbelievable look into the horrors of the Taliban in Afghanistan, all portrayed with a light touch and great insight.
This film really did make me laugh. The acting was terrible, the sound and special effects were nothing special. The only reason i watched this film is because it was free, and i still feel cheated. All the way through this film it tried to be like Predator that happens to be one of my best films of all time! The story line was exactly the same as predator, but thats where the comparisons end i'm afraid. Also finally, the aliens in this film are really stupid.1/10 - its that bad. This is a warning - not a review.
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn is a splashier, dare I say, more sophisticated re-make/sequel of the original Evil Dead. It is not a true sequel as it revisits basically much of what happened in the original but only changing things around. Things are changed around enough; however, to clearly make this a different film and not a true remake. At any rate, this aspect of the film was interesting to me. Now, confessedly I was not a huge fan of the original Evil Dead. I didn't think it was a bad movie nor a real good one either. I do understand why so many people love it, but I admitted then - and now - that this type of material is just not my cinematic cup of tea. Bruce Campbell(again playing Ash) and his girlfriend wend their way over the river and through the woods to some cabin in the remotest part of nowhere - where only weeks before an Archaeologist(something like that) and his wife were staying decoding the book of the dead(Necrominicon(?)). I did like the obvious homage to Lovecraft. Anyway, Campbell arrives, plays a tape revealing the words that wake the evil dead, and his girlfriend quickly dies, only to come back and lose her head, be chainsawed, and dance(through a type of clay-mation) naked in the woods with her headless torso and head in hand. All of this happens in the first ten minutes or so into the film. From there, Campbell begins his one man comedy/horror show. He is about as big a slice of ham you will find. Obviously, more people come - and die - and there is a neat ending to the film which opens for another sequel(Army of Darkness). Campbell breathes some life into this movie creating a frenetically eerie, over-the-top performance of Ash, a man having lost his hand by cutting it off himself still having a sense of humour and seeming to fear nothing(including in his performance). Director Sam Raimi shows us why he became a big league director. He has talent. He still is using a small budget in comparison to what an A-list film would take. You can't tell watching this. Raimi gets the most out of everything(and even more with Campbell). He also creates some innovative camera shots - uses a lot of the same shots from the first Evil Dead - and paces his film with a high energy that will make you jump a lot. That all notwithstanding, I like a little more meat to my story. I like a bit more logic - not just fun. That is why again I will say that Evil Dead 2 is not a bad film, not a great one, but just not my kind of film. I am ecstatic that so many people enjoy mindless violence in rural areas with chainsaws, cleavers, etc...but it's just not me. For me, I just didn't find Evil Dead 2...all that Groovy! I did prefer it though to the original. This one is a bit more fun and doesn't have nearly as much screaming. The best part - hands down - was when Campbell, after having taken his hand off, places a bucket over it to restrain it and then puts a bunch of books on top. The top book was Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms. Now that was clever!
an absolute dream-like beauty to this film. It possesses the best of say a Wim Wenders masterpiece, coupled with the narrative of a whacked-out indie great. Every moment is fully realized........never forcing the viewer to "feel" anything. heartbreaking and hilarious, with art direction that is a knock-out! The direction and the acting were gorgeous (especially the stunning Katharine Isabelle!). Both the narrative and pictorial silences in this film say so much more than most films do in the entirety. So much is left to the viewers politics and prejudices, it almost feels interactive (granted I grew up during this period, so that probably has a lot to do with it). If you're a child of the 60's / 70's (or a dysfunctional home.......and who isn't.........) this is a must see.
On paper, a comic fable about a randy, drunken, fading poet sounds like a recipe for disaster, but to the enormous credit of all involved, this film works very well indeed. Obviously a strong central performance is essential in films like this, and Tom Conti provides just that as the bedraggled Scottish writer charming his way into the beds of frustrated New England wives. Although the screenplay is consistently witty from start to finish, it is mainly in the second half of the film that it is also extremely moving. The romance between Conti and Kelly McGillis's young student is as obviously doomed as that of Romeo and Juliet, but just as heartbreaking too. The denouement is as sad and shocking as any in cinematic history, yet this film with its warmth and beauty and insight will surely light a fire in even the coldest of hearts.
Tough stuff, but good stuff; my friend who insisted I watch this was right to champion it. And it had more warmth in it than the movie I imagined after reading two or three reviews in New York papers when it was showing there at the IFC in autumn, 2005. I'm sorry the descriptions put me off seeing 'Keane' back then, because its painful nature made it hard to concentrate on it in my house.However there is a significant plus in home viewing due to a major extra on the DVD version of 'Keane': the alternate shorter edit made up by Steven Soderbergh. Though I didn't have the patience to review both versions in toto I'd say Soderbergh made a snappier version, and I can see why he would have done that because the original version's first 30 minutes seem interminable, I thought I'd watched an hour and it was half that. Soderbergh is wise to put the looking-for-work moment very early rather than after 38 minutes, because it is better to start out with that. Soderbergh also held back a lot of the talking-to-himself passages and the hunting-for-the-daughter bus station sequence -- which are so grueling and disturbing -- until later, so we aren't too heavily hit too soon with Keane's severe mental problems. This is important because Keane does want to appear normal and is capable of doing so -- otherwise the whole relationship with the mother of the little girl would not have developed.A fine performance by the actor who plays Keane, Damian Lewis.In fact a lot of the reviews were very favorable, if not ecstatic. And this is how it has to be: this movie is good, but it's not for everyone. In grim realism 'Keane' is comparable to Debra Granik's melancholy but convincing 'Down to the Bone' (also shown in NYC in late 2005). 'Keane'is different from the latter in containing elements of mystery and being at times almost unbearably suspenseful. And Kerrigan gets us so close to his troubled character that we're taken to a hard place.Because of Kerrigan's sympathy and actor Damian Lewis's restraint I found myself more than once indulging in the unnerving thought that in similar circumstances I might not behave a lot more sanely than this myself. Or maybe I'm not any more sane. This film as some have noted is not only a very specific account of a possibly schizophrenic man, but also a study of urban angst, a depiction of how crazy-making urban spaces can become for every person who approaches them without armor.Michael Atkinson's statement about this is perhaps a bit too sweeping –- "Keane" (he says) "is a painfully specific figure but at the same time a totem, lean and frightening, for a morass of modern anxieties" –- but the borderline between Keane and us does indeed at times become hauntingly blurred. Certainly students of film editing will gain something from comparing the two versions by Kerrigan and Soderbergh. The finale is devastating. And the same in both versions. I have not seen Kerrigan's other movies but he obviously has carved out a niche for himself in which he operates with some distinction.
You know, sometimes I just don't understand what the heck is going through Adam Sandler's head. He's a funny guy with natural charisma and, I would guess, a reasonable level of intelligence. So why does he feel compelled to write and produce films of such appallingly low quality? It worked with his initial efforts, Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore. Those two films defied any sense of logical criticism. They were sloppy, yet contained a maniacal sense of anarchic glee. He seemed thrilled at what he was getting away with. Yet, since the release of those films over a decade ago, he has continued to crank out by-the-numbers mediocrity that lacks any feeling of comic discovery.It is my unfortunate duty now to inform you that his latest, You Don't Mess With The Zohan, is by far his most wretchedly awful film to date. Sandler's character this time, a Mossad agent who dreams of being a hairdresser, would probably fill a lame Saturday Night Live skit, but stretched to over 100 minutes is akin to Chinese water torture.Zohan isn't any normal secret agent; he's a walking caricature of crass Middle Eastern stereotypes and snickering vulgarity. With a Wham!-inspired haircut and a penchant for shtupping elderly women, he finds employment at a small salon run by the sweet, yet blank, Dalia (Emmanuelle Chriqui), a Palestinian woman with no patience for Zohan's sexism. As can be predicted, despite their antagonistic relationship, they soon are yearning to "make the bam-boom". Their insipid love story intermingles with a laugh-free subplot featuring Zohan's nemesis the Phantom (John Turturro) and a hapless Arab cab-driver (Rob Schneider, ladies and gentlemen...) ineptly planning murder attempts.Now, racial stereotyping and crude humor can be used to great comic effect in the proper hands. The makers of Borat toed the line brilliantly, delivering great vulgar hilarity mixed with social commentary. You Don't Mess With The Zohan is not even in the same time zone, much less ballpark. The film is amazingly hostile and mean-spirited, mocking its targets with unfiltered scorn for the majority of the running time, yet tacking on a "we're all the same" message at the end. It's like the school-yard bully who beats the snot out of you all semester but wishes you a good summer at when vacation time rolls around. Why did no one involved in this debacle pull Sandler aside and gently suggest that this material was unfilmable? Also concerning is the amount of animal abuse presented for cheap laughs. There is a particularly soul-killing scene featuring Zohan and two friends playing hacky-sack with a cat. Now, a good writer would use this undeniably objectionable act as a springboard to a larger pay-off. That would redeem the bad taste and warrant the scene's inclusion. Not here however, where the only apparent joke is that a trio of grown men are kicking the stuffing out of a helpless animal.What is almost fascinating about Zohan is how little interest the screen-writers have in their own story. New story lines are launched at random to replace the ones running out of gas. I couldn't believe that the introduction of an evil land-developer to the film occurred near the end of the second act. It would seem that writers' Sandler, Judd Apatow, and Robert Smigel knew that their material was limited and hoped that by padding it liberally, no one would notice. Hence, the heavy helping of crotch close-ups, homophobia, hummus jokes, and dry humping present. As well, the endless cameos come off as desperate and pointless, although it is amusing that Mariah Carey has finally found a fitting companion piece for Glitter.To call You Don't Mess With The Zohan a misfire is a grand understatement. It's a dreary trudge through migraine-inducing territory that is all the more unforgivable considering the level of talent involved. There's an old adage that it takes true skill and artistry to create a truly horrific film, as hacks will only produce bland mediocrity. Well, Zohan is a colossal achievement, a film that will receive endless mentions on "Worst of 2008" lists, and the rants of legions of angry ticket-buyers. With that said though, Sandler may have inadvertently found a point of agreement for Israelis and Palestinians. I think that both sides would agree that You Don't Mess With The Zohan flat-out SUCKS!
Perfectionist Hitchcock did not like the opening flaw of this film story, where the initial flashback does not match the rest of the film. But this film is so much more than that once I viewed it. It might be the only film where Hitch does 2 Cameos - though one is so subtle that it is hard to catch while the other is very obvious. The film does continue most of the themes of his prior work. Stairways are a central theme within the plot. Camera angles are used with very great care.Mostly this is a great performance film. For whatever reason, the cast all have some of their best roles acting on film. Jane Wyman & Marlene Dietrich are both great. While Dietrich might have a better performance someplace, this is the best Wyman I have ever seen anywhere. The male cast is fantastic, every one of them. In this film Alstair Sim (who would play Scrooge the next year) has his best performance in any film of his I have seen in addition to the classic as Wymans father. The support in this film is so strong that by the end, the viewer does not care about the beginning not making complete sense because Hitch & the actors have overcome that with a well made movie.Hitchcocks next Warner film would be Dial M For Murder. While that one is more famous, this movie filmed in London with a strong British cast is worth while viewing.
This was not my favorite of the Wharton films (that would have to be The House of Mirth), but it certainly is the most lavish and dutiful adaption.Mr. Scorcese does masterful camera work and evokes loving performances from all the performers, and yet I felt something staid and almost too respectful. Michelle Pfieffer seems to be the only actress who didn't fully embrace the period in manner or behaviour, but the rest of the performers aquit themselves wonderfully.At times it almost felt a little 'modern', but one can't fault the film makers, they were only trying to update it a bit for their intended audience.Altogether a wonderful film and definitely worth seeing, but - as always- the book remains far superior.
The fact that this movie was remade, that is. There are only two simple facts for this: either this movie is one bad remake or the first one just sucked to start with. I won't know until I see the original will I, but, presuming the story is pretty much the same I have trouble getting why the later was so infamous. There were no real surprises, everything was obviously clear from the start. The only thing this movie has going for itself is Stallone's cool beard, some nice chicks(Rhona Mitra is breathtaking) and some cool music. The rest is a puzzle of mostly boring action, bad story pace and one liners Stallone's character has to use twice just to show how dumb and uninventive he is. Oh, also a really bad performance by Alan Cumming and some scenes which include Stallone's love interest that have no sense and point to them or the movie at all. 4/10
I already watched this movie some years ago today I watched it again and I really like this movie. The story tells about 3 friends living in hamburg the night before one of them will go to a ship to Africa and later singapore. It's their last evening they spend together and they have much trouble but fun too. A really nice scene is the kicker-scene where they play against the "snake", a really strange guy who plays kicker very well. This movie got so much emotion and is very funny too, so this proves that there are coming up some good talented directors, producers and actors. I hope to see more movies like this in the future, telling realistic stories from peoples lifes without spending so much money on movies to plaster bad stories. We have that movies from Hollywood all the time so I'm really glad to have movies like this one.9/10
I came into this title knowing absolutely nothing about it, besides the fact that Christian Slater was the lead. What I watched was nothing short of fantastic. We are first introduced to Bob (Slater), a man on the verge (or possibly in the thrall of) of a total breakdown. Sort of reminds you of Milton from Office Space, but taken so far over the edge, there's just no looking back. He's mistreated at work, he hates his job, and he wants it all to end. The thing that really got me attached to this film was the observations of the inner workings of Bob. He talks to his goldfish, and for crying out loud, the thing talks back. This is obviously an unstable man. His stabilizer though, found in the "victim", Vanessa (played amazingly well by Elisha Cuthbert), reminded me so much of Carrie-Ann Moss from Memento. She carries him, but teaches him to be a stronger man through essential "ball-busting". The script was perfect for each of the lead roles. Both Cuthbert and especially Slater shocked me to no end with their talent. This was Slater's ideal role. Director Frank A. Cappello regained some status with this. It was quite the achievement. It's unfortunate that it had such a small release (I would've never heard of it if it wasn't for the fact that I got an advance DVD). It's going to go overlooked for many. Look it up at your local video store, folks, this will be worth it!!!
This is the most brilliant idea for a reality show ever to come about. Basically, eleven or twelve teams of two people with a pre-existing relationship (married, dating, siblings, friends, etc.) participate in a race around the world for one million dollars. During each leg of the race, contestants must complete a certain number of tasks such as bungee jumping, sky diving, rock climbing, or hang-gliding. At the end of each leg of the race, teams have to check in to a pit stop, at which the last team to arrive is eliminated from the race.I love this show because it creates a lot of drama when people can get eliminated and because it's cool to see all these different places they get to go to.
Advertising has never really been accurately portrayed on TV or in the movies. "Suits" does the best job of any show/movie in giving viewers a closer look at agency life. Maybe real-life creatives aren't all having sex in their offices (or I'm working in the wrong places), but most of what you see is spot-on. Sure, they take some license with certain characters (not all account executives are back-stabbing clothes-horses). But it wouldn't have been as interesting without a bit of exaggeration. I didn't really think it was a 10, but I rated it as such because I felt all the other ratings were too low.
just secreted a copy of this from ebay (ka-ching) and the direction, heck, the everything, about this production of this american classic is (insert emphatic swear word here) divine...this is the only version i've seen that holds the humor, the madness, the horrifying irony involved in this story...it is just perfect!...Dennehy Rocks (duh!); Franz Rocks: the whole thing is just WOW!!! so good, man...beauty, art, life--showtime? believe it!!!
this is a exellent film to watch a rainy night with your friends.. their old Stockholm ghetto talk is really something! I really recomend this film too all the swedish IMDB members out there!ghetto talk: "kom igen vi shappar""biga pengar""vi slaggar här ikväll""va fan vill du??....fitta!
I Absolutely loved! This movie it was excellent,Michael Madsen was great the story was great,The sex was superb seeing her wonderful tits, If you see this movie anywhere you must buy it! Without a doubt the action is the best, The shootouts. Despite all the bad reviews this is the third best movie I have ever seen! If you love Michael Madsen watch this NOW! It should be at number 3 on the best movies ever made list! COME ON! how couldn't you love it Michael Madsen HUGE fan! The story is the best. Great sex,Great shootouts, Ed Anders directing is the best! Anyone who disagrees is Mentally insane! I payed $14.95 for it it's worth every penny.This movie is pure exellence and all my friends agree with me. I give it 10/10 the BEST!
Officer Johnson (Tommy "Tiny"Lister) is tracking down a string of murders in Las Vegas and his son-in-law just happens to attract the attention of the local vampire ring. When his partner is murdered and a vampire is caught, Will he finally believe? Or does it take a super sexy nun to show him the vampire fighting way? Well, it is obviously the second option.To start off, this is a great cast featuring "Tiny" (Friday), Richard Roundtree (Shaft), Daniel Baldwin (Vampires), Glenn Plummer (Saw II), and Kurupt (rap group, Tha Dogg Pound). There is also an appearance by K-ci & Jojo. And I did a bit of snooping around here and noticed an A. Demetrius Brown listed as Writer/ Executive Producer. Now that means he is either the guy serving time in prison or the kid from the band B2K that broke up.Combining hip hop, vampires, Las Vegas, cop melodrama, and blaxploitation, this could have easily have been a failure. But it wasn't. Surprising, the production values were very high with great locations, fantastic musical backdrops, and an amusing cast.There are some scenes and dialogue that are obviously corny. For instance, why would the vampires feed in public where they can, and do, get caught? And they break a rule that vampires cannot enter a residence unless invited. And that Black nun sure was sassy for a follower of the lord. But the silly scenes are overshadowed by some funny moments, like when a girl is running to her truck to get away and drops her keys right as she gets in. But before I could roll my eyes, she swung the door knocking the vampire over and took the keys from him. There is also a scene where Roundtree karate kicks a vampires head right off! There is a brief topless vampire orgy scene for anyone interested in that. Gore includes a decapitation, vampires burning in the sun, neck suckage, and bullet wounds. I just wished there was more of it and they focused less on the young kids. The "flying vampire" effects were simple, but effective too. Instead of hooking someone up on a wire and swinging them around, they added some effect afterwards to blur out the image and make it appear as though he is moving extremely fast.IMDb will have this listed as Vegas Vamps (2003), but the actual DVD release is Feb. 27th 2007 under Vegas Vampires by Code Black Entertainment and runs at 89 minutes. The film quality is good and if it was shot on video, I couldn't tell. The SFX was good when it occurred, which wasn't enough.DVD Extras: N/A. It was a screener and I cannot find any info from other sites.Favorite Quote: Girl accidentally runs over her boyfriend in truck and asks him, "Oh my god! Are you okay?" Boyfriend replies, "No, you just hit me with a truck dumbass." Bottom Line: Pretty tame blaxploitation vampire flick with some fun to be had though.Rating: 7/10 by Molly Celaschi
Although I do not doubt for a second that elements of The Squid And The Whale are entirely fictional, the lesson to be learned here is that one need not create elaborate scenarios or effects in order to create compelling viewing. The Squid And The Whale will shock, offend, maybe even revolt at times, but its steady pace and realism will create quite a memorable experience for those who are burned on hundred million dollar blockbusters that attempt to make the unreal seem everyday, and usually fail. This is old-school film-making, along the lines of Taxi Driver or The Verdict. Quite honestly, there ought to be more of it. Okay, it is not perfect, but it is quite an interesting story. The film may based on real experiences of writer/director Noah Baumbach, but it could be about any family alienated by a society that is at once trying to lead them in a direction while neglecting them on the process of coping with the journey. Put simply, anyone who has experienced anything like it will relate.Oddly enough, I keep reading comments about how this film is a story about how growing up in a "liberal" family can mess one's mind up. Sadly, there is no such thing in America, and no real statement is made about a family environment other than how fighting parents can rub off on the children. No, this is a story about more than just who brings up their offspring the right way or whose approach works. Social problems as demonstrated by the Berkman brothers are universal. Don't believe me? I grew up in a household where the combined gross income was in the six figure range, and the incidents described in this film pale in comparison to some of those I will likely never write into my memoirs. Such is the price of growing up in the 1980s with a distinct difference from all around you hard-wired into your brain. Having said that, do not confuse my disapproval of my own family for approval of this one. I laughed, I cried, I even swore, and all of these reactions were inspired by the same feeling: utter disbelief.Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney play parents divided by pressure and growing contempt in a manner that is, quite seriously, Oscar-worthy. Jesse Eisenberg and Owen Kline prove they have a future in the business as they act out the sons caught in the middle. Owen Kline is especially compelling as the younger, and the reactions he is called upon to portray at times are as well-acted as they are repulsive. But as so often happens in a film she is part of, Anna Paquin steals the entire show as Lili, a student part of one of Daniels' classes who eventually moves in with him, adding to the confusing situation the boys find themselves in. I have said this elsewhere, but it goes to show how bent the Hollywood system is that Paquin can win an Oscar for her part in a piece of pseudo-dramatic-feminist fluff like The Piano, but she acts rings around most of her costars in a genuinely good drama like The Squid And The Whale without getting noticed. Anyone who thinks her Oscar win was just an early fluke clearly has not seen this piece.As I said, The Squid And The Whale is slowly paced. Those expecting action or comedy will be disappointed, and its short running length is one of its graces. Like Ebert once said, editing can be both the soul and salvation of cinema. I would estimate that at least half a year's events are told in The Squid And The Whale's eighty minutes, taking time-compression to quite a dramatic level. This is also the first time I would place an American film on the same rung as one of the Dutch-language pieces that has elevated Paul Verhoeven to godhood in my viewpoint. Made for less than two million dollars according to estimates, The Squid And The Whale, while certainly not the best film I have invested my time in, is exactly the kind of production the American studio system needs to invest more in, not less. With budgets for the blockbusters rocketing to ridiculous levels, it is refreshing to see someone turn off the money hose and rely upon their storytelling skills. However, there are some complaints to be made, for certain.Perhaps an actual resident of Brooklyn in 1986 can be more specific about this, but I thought the period and culture were well-represented in this film. At no point did my disbelief scream "this film was shot in 2004", which means I missed the visible poster of a wrestling star who did not make his debut in 2001. Such was the quality of the photography, planning, and performances. Also amusing is that just nine years ago, Anna Paquin was playing Jeff Daniels' daughter. You know time has caught up with you when you start noticing little facts like that about an actor you'd happily watch reading the phone book. Unfortunately, while keeping the length of the film to a minimum and editing out all but the most important details keeps the film from being excruciating, it is still terribly slow. The film relies a lot on the absurdity of the situation to create humour that keeps the viewer tuned in, but the film never goes quite far enough to keep this consistent. As a result, a fraction of the running time is spent wondering if this film is going to go anywhere.That is why I gave The Squid And The Whale a seven out of ten despite its more impressive elements. Fans of the principal cast or European-style film will be enthralled. Others should tread carefully.
I am from Mississippi. I lived through these times. Secretly, I did things to help in the voter-registration of Black folks; things you could get killed for, in those days. I know whereof I speak.Therefore, let me say this: the events this film seeks to depict were bad enough without any inventions. But invent they did. Every local Black person in this movie is noble and a great singer. Their buildings, however, would lead you to believe they couldn't put tin on a roof straight. Why try to improve on facts? Every White person depicted in this film is an idiot. Out-houses in the sixties? KKK ruling the roost in an entire town?Where are the rich, educated, "landed gentry" who were behind all this violence, encouraging the rednecks with nods and winks? Not in this movie. But I know they exist, because I know some of them...a few who are still living. Mostly it is their children I know, who still feel the same way about Blacks, and still do the same encouraging of White trash.This film does not show how things really were. It seeks to make things look even worse, to people who don't know any better. It is a terrible story, with moments of good acting from many of the stars. It is the script and the direction that are awful.What you see in this movie is not true. The truth is far worse.
To wrap your head around Jason Goes to Hell, would be like trying to wrap your head around Paris Hilton actually releasing a CD. It doesn't make sense to you and it probably never will. If it came down to it, go with Jason Goes to Hell, because Paris Hilton, sucks, big time. But back to Jason. Jason Goes to Hell basically is the directors attempt to try and make Jason more than just a brute, slashing, zombie.However in the end it just goes even more so. Adding fuel to the fire for people who hate the Friday series. And with this installment, who can blame them? The premise itself is very ridiculous, Jason is blown into a million pieces, then comes back through the bodies of others. Wow, great plot right? Well maybe if you like trying to think about what the hell is going on.You start with a coroner, he eats Jason's heart. That makes sense... moving on. Jason goes around killing teens and adults again. And then eventually (For the last few minutes of the film.) Becomes himself again. Add in the mix of a Bounty Hunter who has a grudge (For an unexplained reason.) A family dagger which can somehow kill Jason, and Freddy Kreuger. And you have yourself a movie filled with more plot holes than teens murdered. This film does make up for it with more 'inventive' kills, but not even that can make this film great. It's OK for Friday Fans, if not, then steer clear.
I think everyone has shows they look back on with nostalgia, comparing them to what's on TV today and thinking, "Cartoons were so much better when I was a kid!" For me, that show was Darkwing Duck.I was only two years old when the show was released, but growing up I caught nearly all of the episodes in reruns on Disney. I'll admit that at one point in my life I wanted to marry Darkwing. (Along with Negaduck, Launchpad, the Liquidator, and Bushroot.) Ask me about my childhood, and if the first thing I mention isn't this show, you can bet I'll start humming the theme song as I think.Darkwing Duck was not only a clever series with great parodies of the more serious super hero shows, it was also funny without the bathroom humor or ADHD plots you get on kid's shows these days. Darkwing Duck always got a message across, without being loud and in your face about it. Now that I'm a teenager, I've seen some of the old episodes. Much to my delight, it wasn't just nostalgia making me thing Darkwing was great-it really is. It's just as funny to me at age seventeen as it was at age five. It's a shame Disney stopped making shows like these.
This modest, non-color film by Robert Glinski is one of the most important achievements of Polish cinema after the year 1989. Not just because it won many prestigious awards in the country as well as abroad. (That includes the most important Golden Lions at the Festival in Gdynia the Polish Eagle for the best picture of the year). That is because it is one of the deepest insides and observations of the modern Poland and the costs of changes going in it. The picture is more emotional due to the fact that Glinski turnes his camera on the weakest, nearly children.The action of the film takes place in a block neighborhood, where the camera only very rarely looked in. The main character's family is neither good nor bad. It is frighteningly normal. The father drinks more and more and occasionally loses his job, while the religiously fanatical mother focuses on the growing daughter. Tereska (Ola Gietner, given the American Young Artist Awards, a teenager form of Oscar) who dreamed about an Art School, gets o a Tailor School. Since she dreams about creating fashion clothes, it is a good direction. The false of that direction will be unnoticed in her environment.What Tereska has left is the playground filled with its subculture and materialism. Here, nothing except the feeling of being hopeless, is stable. Even friendship and whatsmore the thing that seems to be love. Tereska is however looking for some warm and she finds it thanks to a disabled porter. The relation between that seems at first odd, but later kind of charming. It probably would have turned into something beautiful. It would be a union of the weak against the cruel world. But it would be impossible because of the surrounding, this relations evolves in. Traited by her closest friend and left alone by her family, the girl will seek revenge...Non-color tape, documentary style, a collection of cast including breakthrough performances and professional actors (Zbigniew Zamachowski as Edzio) - all that seems that Glinski's movie is watched as a common thing that a normal person has contact every day with. The film was shot in one of the block neighborhoods of Warsaw's Prague, but this picture could have been set in many other places. Everywhere where there are no jobs or dreams and where the only thing left is a gray existence with social institutions like the administration or even church, feeling totally helpless. The picture is unwanted, but extremely real.
Bobbie Gentry's album ODE TO BILLY JOE knocked The Beatles' SGT. PEPPER off the top of the American music charts in the 1960s, and the title track became a musical touchstone for many of that generation. It was a ballad, and it offered the story of a rural Mississippi farm girl who learns through casual conversation over the kitchen table that Billy Joe McAllister has jumped off the Tallahatchie bridge. Simply written and performed, Gentry's song had an aura of mysterious tragedy, for clearly there was some unknown relationship between the singer and Billy Joe--and while Gentry implied a great deal, she did not specify the details, leaving her listeners to wonder and make interpretations of their own.One of the most popular ideas about the song was that Billy Joe was black, and that the "something" he and the singer had been seen throwing off the Tallahatchie bridge was their secretly born infant--and in many respects this interpretation fit the details of the lyrics Gentry wrote. But Gentry herself left the mystery intact, and although often pressed over the years, she wisely never specified exactly who Billy Joe was, what the relationship had been, what had been throw off the bridge--or even if the "something" thrown off the bridge was even relevant.Enter Hollywood.Presumably the powers that be rejected the idea of making Billy Joe black--and there is some justification there, for Gentry never said he was, and if indeed he was black the entire plot of the film would be obvious the instant the character appeared on the screen. So they came up with a different twist. In the mid-1970s, Hollywood considered homosexuality to be the dirty secret to end all dirty secrets, and films still generally presented gay characters as desperately unhappy at best.Now, the general idea that Hollywood came up with wasn't in and of itself bad--and if you consider what might have been done with it the possibilities are really intriguing. But what they did with it in fact was an entirely different matter. Not only is the plot and script bad, they are so bad that they are downright embarrassing, and whenever the film is mentioned I find myself unable to suppress a reflexive cringe.But there is a tremendous irony here. When Hollywood wants to a movie about Mississippi, it almost never actually goes to Mississippi; instead, the director goes to Florida, or South Carolina, or Georgia, or just shoots the film on a Los Angeles backlot. The result, of course, is that it looks like anywhere except Mississippi. But while Max Bear is no great shakes as a director, he actually did film the movie in Mississippi, and what's more he filmed it around the old Talliahatchie bridge, so for once they got at least that much right. And the cast is also quite good, particularly lead Glynnis O'Connor. So the elements were there: it looked right, the cast was strong, and they had an idea with potential. But in truth, that just makes the actual result that much more unfortunate.If you're a fan of the song, or if you grew up in Mississippi as I did, you might want to sit through this film once. But trust me: once will be enough. And if you don't care about the song and have no interest in seeing what rural Mississippi actually looks like as opposed to what Hollywood thinks it looks like, you need to avoid this one like the plague.Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer
Pairing permanently-loony Geraldine Page with feisty, spunky Ruth Gordon might've resulted in a darkly comic masterpiece of suspense--but "Alice" isn't it. Without giving too much away, I can only say that Gordon is given the shaft in such a way that I think the screenwriter was as crazy as Page. The film sets up a decent premise, but the tone seems off from the start: is this supposed to be a no-holds-barred thriller or is meant to be a little campy? I just found it ugly, and the desert locales aren't well captured (maybe it was the brackish color?). Page isn't really in character here (not that there's much of one), she's just relying on shtick. As for Gordon, she comes on loaded for bear, but the filmmakers have no idea what to do with her and the viewer's expectations are dashed. Any hopes of screen fireworks from these dueling divas fizzles out due to the weak, crude, basic writing. It's a star-pairing which proves to be a wasted affair. *1/2 from ****
Despite some dodgy camera-work (rapid zooms and shots thrown in and out of focus), a few plodding moments and some dated looking scenes involving 'groovy' teenagers, Mario Bava's A Bay of Blood is still an entertaining slasher/giallo movie, made even more notable by the fact that it heavily influenced Sean S. Cunningham's 80s classic, Friday the 13th, made almost a decade later. The waterside setting, randy teenagers, inventive bloody murders, vengeful son, and surprise ending were all elements borrowed from Bava's movie; all Cunningham had to do was dumb down the story a tad and he had one of the most successful horror movies of all time!In Bava's movie, a wealthy elderly woman is killed by her husband, who has been talked into committing the murder by his daughter and her greedy spouse, who wish to inherit and develop the titular bay. The murderous husband is then killed immediately after, by an unseen assailant. As the film progresses, more and more people are killed in gory fashion, until Bava reveals that there are several killers responsible and each has their own reason for committing the murders. The film ends with a ridiculous twist, which makes one wonder whether Bava was having a bit of a laugh at the audience's expense.Filling his movie with plenty of bloody mayhem and nudity, Bava establishes the slasher formula that would prove successful for so many imitators. The bloody death scenes include throat slashings, hangings, strangulation, and impalements to keep gore-hounds happy, whilst those who appreciate a bit of T&A with their horror will be more than happy with a gratuitous skinny dipping scene featuring a full frontal from Brigitte Skay.Since A Bay of Blood has so much going for it, it is a shame that it tends to drag in places and has many dark scenes in which it is hard to see what is happening. However, this is such an 'important' movie that I do urge any self-respecting horror fan to see it, if only to witness the film that initiated a whole sub-genre—the slasher.If IMDb allowed it, I would award A Bay of Blood a rating of six and a half out of ten—since I cannot do this, I will round my score up to a respectable seven.
An evil lethal bright orange yellow fireball comes to earth and goes on a rampage in a remote lakeside area; the flaming thing rolls over various hapless folks and reduces them to ashes. It's up to nerdy scientist Dr. Iane Thorne (blandly played by Marvin Howard) to figure out a way to stop it before it's too late. Writer/director Harry Essex, who also wrote the scripts for the classic 50's fright features "It Came from Outer Space" and "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," pukes forth a 50's style micro-budget clunker that boasts all the necessary bad movie vices to qualify as a real four-star stinker: the flat acting from a lame no-name cast (flash-in-the-pan 70's drive-in flick starlet Maria De Aragon in particular just takes up space as fetching love interest heroine Jeanne), sluggish pacing, ragged editing, rough, grainy cinematography by Robert Caramico, meandering narrative, a roaring, overwrought score by Robert Freeman, several ludicrous touches (the fireball stalks people before it kills them!), and a hackneyed "it ain't over yet!" ending all combine together to create one laughably lousy and leaden lump of a total stiff. Only Doug Deswick's surprisingly nifty special effects manage to impress. A shamefully unsung crud anti-classic.
A corrupt businessman. A ballerina bereft of passion. A common burglar posing as a baron. A pragmatic doctor. A dying man determined to live out his days in luxury. A porter worried about his wife. And a stenographer caught up in the mix. Combine these characters into a bowl, add a dash of star power, stir well, and you have "Grand Hotel", Oscar's 1932 winner for Best Picture.It has been said that the best baseball games are based on good pitching. Along those same lines, the best movies are based on good writing. Never mind that Grand Hotel came from MGM, the most powerful studio of its day. Never mind that the cast included not one, not two, but seven of the most legendary names in Hollywood history. Never mind that it was the second of the three Best Picture winners produced by Irving G. Thalberg in a six-year span, "The Broadway Melody" (1929) and "Mutiny On the Bounty" (1935) being the other two. At its core, "Grand Hotel" has one of the most intricately-written scripts ever created, filled with characters as diverse and as multi-dimensional as any found in film.Though nominated only for Best Picture (a very unique anomaly in Academy history), "Grand Hotel" offers not only a wonderful script, but fascinating performances from Wallace Beery (who did tie for Best Actor that year for "The Champ"), Greta Garbo, and an almost unrecognizable Joan Crawford, in her breakout performance. This film also has a pair of Barrymores, with Lionel as the ailing Mr. Kringelein, looking to spend his final days in the lap of luxury, and John as the dashing Baron von Geigern, a hotel thief with a soft touch."Grand Hotel" is a character-driven movie, filled with deception, intrigue, scandal, and corruption, with a murder thrown in for good measure. Of all the characters in the film, only Mr. Kringelein, who has a run of good fortune, Flaemmchen, who only wants a good opportunity, and the hotel porter Senf (Jean Hersholt), who frets throughout the film about his wife's labor, come away better at the end than in the beginning.I think the reason "Grand Hotel" was not nominated for a screenplay Oscar was simply that nobody was credited with adapting the script for the movie. It is quite possible that the script was already solid enough, so that only minimal adaptation was necessary. Otherwise, it holds its own on the screen quite well.I will not be deceptive here. "Grand Hotel" is a dated movie. But, on the other hand, I think it holds its own as a study of seven characters and as a successful experiment in early ensemble casting.
I believe that The Amazing Race is the greatest "reality" show. People get to race around the world and do things that they never thought they would do. Not only do the viewers get to see the beautiful and wonderful places that are visited, but we also get to learn about the cultures and customs of different countries. I feel as though I am actually visiting these places that I will probably never get to see in my life. Racers need to be both physically and mentally strong in order to complete the detours, road blocks, and other puzzles that need to be solved. Map skills are also an excellent thing to have on this show, as many of the teams get lost and need to stop and ask for directions. The racers never know where they are going to be next...there is no planning ahead of time and that's one of the things that makes this show absolutely exciting.
Never before has a modern film so perfectly succeeded in capturing the look, style and feel of the 70's Sexploitation classics. Anna Biller's "Viva" is an explosion of color, humor and schlock done to the nines, besting attempts made by far bigger-budgeted flicks like "Austin Powers" and "Grindhouse" in truly recreating a bygone era. It's a true skin-comedy epic that delivers everything the gorgeous promotional art promises, and will no doubt become a cult classic among those with a true affinity for well-done homage. I watched this with some friends and there were times when we had to actually stop the DVD because we were laughing so hard! The prostitution and nudist camp scenes are simply unbelievable. Highly recommended.
Heartfelt drama about a man coping with being shut out by his wife, and by extension his son. Very gritty, very real. Well acted by all, well executed by Andrew Currie, but like "Born on the 4th of July", not terribly uplifting.
I don't know why none of the reviewers remarked on the truly remarkable ensemble of actors in Gun Shy. What superb casting! And writing? Just the psychotherapy subplot is a masterpiece. The Latin lovers? Where have these guys been all my life? All the reviewers focussed on Liam N. Why? He and la Bullock are good, but they are like two good, big sunflowers surrounded by many rare and refined blossoms. True, that awful bit in her roof garden was almost enough to make one want to quit watching, and the enema episode... But everything else that involved the ensemble, whether the bad guys at HQs, the Mob, the group in therapy.... How could a decent reviewer miss the great writing and acting in the therapy sessions?I think one key reviewer's initial review may set the stage for the rest. It is said that one weekend the NYTimes book reviewer forgot to read "By Love Possessed," by James Cousins (sp?), so the last minute he grabbed a trade journal and just paraphrased it. The trade journal was very favorable, and, following the Times lead, the book became a best-seller and Book-of-the-Month selection and the author became famous. Yet most of the reviewers had never read it!Did this happen with Gun Shy? The scene at the urinal is an all time comic high. The only urinal scene as funny was the one at the start of "Buffalo 66." Sorry for those that saw it once AT MOST and failed to see its great humor, casting, writing, acting. I've almost lost trace of how many times I've watched the DVD. "We dethign clotheth!"
I actually enjoyed this a lot. It is not your average horror flick, and it does have some elements of surprise in it as well. The characters are nicely played and fits well into this movie. It has a lot of great gore scenes and some good humor too. The monsters are not too bad either. Even though there are no explanation to them, it still does not matter, as the movie just circles around the characters, and their battle to survive... which in fact never gets boring. All in all I can definitely recommend this for horror buffs, especially if you are looking for something more than just "Hi, I'm Candy, I'm a teenager, and I like to go down to basements and get naked before I get killed by the big scary serial killer" kindda movies.Well worth my time. I can only hope the followup will be as good as this.
This great film also deserves a Musical Review if that's all right with Tom Jones....Early one morning, Miss Bea labors bathing her daughter / Jessie the Baby must go off to day nursery / Bea was a widow / Peddling her syrup to purchase her daughter fine things.There at the door of the kitchen knocks a poor mother / Willing to work menial task to provide room and board / For her young daughter / Light like her father who took off to run his own way.Please, don't sigh, Delilah / Fry, fry, fry, Delilah / She would watch Jessie all day / Content to do much with slight pay / And cook up some pancakes to send Bea along on her way.Five years soon pass, and the bills are paid up at the restaurant / Rain on the boardwalk keeps customers staying away / Enter poor Elmer / For two stacks of pancakes, he'll gladly soon make it all pay.Meanwhile, Peola is passing for White in the third grade / Storm's coming down, and she'll soak without boots and her coat / Here comes Delilah / Claiming Peola, and giving her cover away.Cry, cry, cry, Peola / Why, why, why, Peola? / Your mother is not to blame / For there really is nothing to shame / She is your mother, but you hate her deeply the same.Ten more years pass, and Miss Bea throws an orchestra party / Money pours in, and they really receive their just fee / In walks Steven Archer / A promising suitor fantastically smitten with Bea.Peola is missing from school somewhere down in Virginia / Bea then tells Steven she must soon assist in the search / But there is Jessie / Who complicates matters and leaves Steven deep in the lurch.My, my, my, the turmoil! / Why, why, why, the turmoil? / Heartbreak, frustration and strife / Yield a true "Imitiation of Life" / Forgive them, Delilah; they just couldn't take anymore. / Forgive them, Miss Beatrice; they just couldn't take anymore.
Denzel is about the only thing that is right in this movie.Maybe once in an early stage this was a better movie. Someone decided to cut some action and plot points into the beginning of the movie, giving away most of the story line in about the first 5 minutes. That and ruining whatever build up in pace and rhythm the movie might have had before.So first it confuses you and then it puts you off. The dramatization pushes beyond suspension of disbelieve.Of course there is that feeling of great injustice and anger that movies like this potentially manage to instill in viewers. Granted, it does that so if you are looking for that ... knock yourself out.
I enjoyed this film a great deal. It raises points about American culture as relates to sexual identity in ways seldom handled. I saw the film as a fairly accurate portrayal of reality of being a possible-gay teenager (something about which I know first-hand).Possibly the best scene in the film is when Bobby comes to family dinner dressed in drag. Not because he likes drag, but because that is what seems to be expected. He gives his father a bit of justified hell.
"Dallas" fans must have enjoyed the inside joke at the beginning of this second reunion movie for the popular CBS primetime soap: Bobby is shown in his famous Dream Season shower scene, turning around and saying hello -- but it's Sue Ellen he's greeting! And this time, the shower scene is actually the dream, and it's J.R. who thankfully wakes up! J.R. is now the owner of Weststar Oil, the largest independent oil company in Texas, while Ewing Oil -- now owned by Bobby and Sue Ellen -- is right behind it. J.R. decides he'd like to get Ewing Oil back. Anita Smithfield is at his side again (returning from the first reunion movie). J.R. finds out that Ray's ranch might have oil under it, and he thinks this could get him the collateral he needs for a loan to do the Ewing Oil takeover.Carter McKay, meanwhile, has an offer for Sue Ellen that he says will make Ewing Oil even bigger than Weststar. J.R. spends part of the movie trying to feed conspiracy theories to Sue Ellen about Bobby to drive them apart. Jennifer Jansen of Jansen Oil seeks advice from J.R., and he's thinking she might be a nice distraction for Bobby. Cattle rustlers force some gunplay at Southfork, and various attempts are made on J.R.'s life.The movie does deliver on all usual fun stuff that "Dallas" fans look for (J.R.'s connivin' and dealin' and all that), though it's a bit painful to see our beloved stars aging.
I don't really know where to start. I am still deeply disturbed and have been for days after seeing this film. I don't think a film has ever affected me so much."The Girl Next Door" is based on the true (yes TRUE events) story of a young girl named Meg and her sister Susan who move in with a foster mom after their parents are killed in an accident. The foster mom begins to abuse the girls and then singles out Meg and gets her kids and numerous kids in the neighborhood to abuse her. She is starved, raped, beaten, burnt, and many other horrible things. She is abused like this for 3 months until ultimately, she dies.Meg is played by the sweet and innocent Blythe Auffarth. She is so charismatic and looks beautiful on screen. She plays Meg hauntingly well. Whether she's screaming, crying in despair, or just laying looking down right pathetic, she never loses the audience. You really want this girl to survive. You really want to kill the evil people doing this to her.Which brings me to our main villain. Ruth Chandler. She is played by Blanche Baker who I HATED in this film. No, I didn't hate her acting. Her acting was amazing, which is why I hated her. She is vile, disgusting, evil, alcoholic, and she is the ring leader of the torment. You will absolutely HATE her and want to kill her yourself. I know I did.The last person I want to point out is young David Morgan. He plays David Mache, who befriends Meg and even develops a crush on her. He starts to notice odd things about Ruth and the way she treats Meg. He begins to become uncomfortable with the situation, but he wasn't even ready for what was to come. When he first sees Meg tied up in the basement, he is horrified. Throughout the rest of the movie, he struggles with his own self, trying to distinguish wrong from right. He knows what is happening is so wrong but yet he can't seem to do anything about it. Well he tries to help Meg numerous times, but all are to no avail. You really want to grab him and shake him and say "JUST TELL SOMEONE!!" but of course you can't. And in the finale, he lays with Meg in one of the most heart-wrenching scenes I have ever seen. He lays with her and cries as she slowly dies after some words to hi. David Morgan really did a good job. I hope to see him in the future.The main thing that disturbs me about this movie is the kids. It's so disturbing to me that kids so young and even older could commit such horrible acts. It really is a disturbing film and if you are easily disturbed please do not bother with this film. And it is based on a true story once again, which to think about only will lower your faith in humanity. Trust me, this is a super powerful film.10 out of 10 stars
According to Dr. Otternschlag; People come, people go. Nothing ever happens. The good old doctor couldn't be more wrong. Lots of things are happening in Grand Hotel when several different persons with different motivations check into the hotel.The movie follows several different characters in the movie who all in a way get connected to each other. All of the characters are in the hotel for different reasons. It makes the characters very powerful and interesting to follow. The movie might not be as old fashioned as it might seem at first sight. The movie might be made in 1932 but the story and its characters sure don't feel old fashioned and the movie doesn't fall into some typical genre clichés. The movie is unique in many ways, which makes this movie a very enjoyable one to watch, even for those who normally don't watch early cinematic pictures.The movie has a wonderful cast. John Barrymore is good and convincing as the thief with a good heart, Baron Felix von Geigern. Greta Garbo shines as always and so does Joan Crawford, whose performance is perhaps a bit underrated. Lionel Barrymore goes over-the-top at times but at least I could stand him this time. I normally can't stand him in movies but I must admit that he entertained and perhaps somewhat surprised me this time.Yes, so its really the cast and diversity of characters that makes this movie a greatly interesting one to follow. At moments there is nothing much happening on screen but due to its characters the movie still remains interesting throughout its entire running time. You just never know what's going to happen next in the Grand Hotel. It's interesting to note that the movie won an Acedemy Award for best movie but it wasn't even nominated in any other different category.A surprising and entertaining movie that is great thanks to its characters and storytelling, which makes this movie a very good- and interesting one to watch.8/10
This is a Thai horror film that was simply fun to watch. A group of friends visit an old teacher of theirs who lives in the jungle. We see through flash backs that terrible things happened to them in the past at their school. Their beautiful teacher seems to have become a homicidal devil worshiping witch. Not only is she able to conjure the dead and cast spells that will make your stomach turn (think fish hooks and reptiles + soft human flesh); but she also seems to have a predilection for torture using a blow torch. Let the mayhem begin! If you can find it online, download the trailer of the movie and watch it...its one of the best horror trailers you will see. And the movie itself is just as fun. What else can I say about this movie? Interesting and unpredictable storyline. Beautiful jungle scenery. Hot (but evil) Thai babes. Gratuitous gore. What's not to like guys? Watch this one and have a blast!
In the updated reversed version of "Guess who's coming to dinner" Ashton Kutcher is the white man that his black girl brings home to her parents. Her father Percy Jones (Bernie Mac) is off put that she brought home this honky ass cracker, and precedes to goad Aston into telling off color jokes, go cart racing, and other things. This film was rather unfunny, didn't have anything profound to say like the previous version, in matter of fact, it doesn't do much of anything well at all. A better updated version of "Guess Who" would be to keep Ashton as the boyfriend, but replace the parents with Demi Moore & Bruce Willis (get rid of the girlfriend part). THAT I'd pay to see ( this I just caught on Encore). Yea i know, my hypothetical film as great as it would be would NEVER be made.. However with the success of "Brokedown Mountain" (critical NOT financial), I think I know what the next version of "Guess Who" is going to be and may god help us all. But I digress, back to this movie. This film is best summed up in two words: SUPREMELY forgettable.My Grade: D
The perfect tv show of the eighties. Here in Italy arrived some time later but it was recognized absolutely fantastic. It will be always in my memories, thanks a lot Don, Philip, Edward and all the guys !
As a big fan of David Cronenberg's later films, I was eager to see this one. Even though I knew it was his first--and therefore probably cheesy--I still hoped for something of value. I was mostly disappointed. The production values were so incredibly awful they made Roger Corman movies look like epics; the lapses in logic were big enough to drive elephants through; and the acting was so bad it actually became entertaining. (I've never seen anyone "act" walking across a room before!) There were two saving graces: if you're in the mood for a blast from the past, the ultra-hip 70's feel is totally groovy, man; and if you still happen to have a dusty bag of grass in a drawer somewhere, this is the movie for which to bring it out.
'Escape From New York'is a movie that never loses it's charm no matter how many times you see.The movie is another great result of Carpenter and Russell collaboration and even twenty five years after it's release many people(including me)consider this movie as a milestone both in action and science fiction genres and it definitely deserves it's reputation as a cult classic.The movie has a dynamic direction,a unique atmosphere,a very well written screenplay with great dialogues and characters,a fascinating score and a great cast led by Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken.Russell is outstanding as ex special forces officer turned criminal S.D.Plissken and with the help of some of the best written one liners,he makes the character unforgettable for the audience like nobody can.What a magnificent actor he is!Besides Russell,Carpenter built a top notch supporting cast including Lee Van Cleef,Ernest Borgnine,Isaac Hayes,Harry Dean Stanton,Adrienne Barbeau,Donald Pleasence with some Carpenter regulars like underrated Tom Atkins and Charles Cyphers.'Escape From New York'is a terrific movie from a master filmmaker.Once you see it,you'll never be the same!
MGM put together these three stories of passengers on board a ship remembering three recent romances that all ended rather differently for the protagonists. The three passengers are James Mason, Leslie Caron, and Kirk Douglas and each one had things turn out quite differently.The first story The Jealous Lover concerns ballet impresario James Mason and his protégé Moira Shearer. The story is a bit of condensed version of her film, The Red Shoes. Shearer is the greatest ballerina of her time, greater than even her aunt and teacher Agnes Moorehead, but she has a congenitally weak heart. As for Mason who is it he really loves, the woman or the ballerina?The second story, Mademoiselle, could have served as the inspiration for the Tom Hanks movie Big. Leslie Caron is the French governess of a rich American kid, Ricky Nelson, who's both spoiled and bored with his French lessons and eager to grow up. A visit to a neighbor Ethel Barrymore who's a witch in her spare time grants him a few hours until midnight as a grownup, in this case as Farley Granger. He's everything the love lost Caron could hope for.The last story is Equilibrium with former circus trapeze artist Kirk Douglas saving Pier Angeli from drowning herself in the Seine. He lost a partner in a circus accident years ago and despaired of ever finding someone and returning to the circus. Angeli may just have the right stuff to be that partner, but Douglas is also looking at her in more than a professional way.Equilibiium got the most acclaim, Kirk Douglas and Pier Angeli were given a film of their own, Act Of Love, later to do. I liked all three of the stories, they were stylishly written and performed. Vincente Minnelli did the second story, Gottfried Reinhardt directed the first and third.All three stories end rather differently so you can expect quite a roller-coaster for your emotions. But the ride is well worth it.
Although 'Le trou Normand' lives on as Brigitte Bardot's film-debut, I think this view an injustice to the great French actor Bourvil. It's him, in the principal role of Hyppolite, who greatly carries this rather enjoyable movie to its end.Seventeen year old Brigitte plays a role she admittedly does not like: a not-too-sincere girl with a conceited state of mind. In spite of all that, the shape of things to come is clearly visible.
I've only seen this in the 'edited' DVD form. If this is indeed cut to bits like I've read, the original must have been fantastic. I thought that the performances of David Morrissey and Timothy Dalton were riveting.
I rented this movie last night with friends and at first we were looking for a really bad movie with half naked men in it....actually looking for a homo-erotic horror by David DeCouteau.....what we found was Hellbent.....A really good horror movie....I got scared....it wasn't too campy it wasn't over the top gay....though as in most horror movies the characters sometimes do things...well quite often do things that make you say "why are you parking there?"...or .."Don't go near him."...it was just a group of gay guys ( very attractive gay guys) being stalked and I thought it was great. I'd recommend it to any horror fan looking for a good slasher flick....the acting is decent and the effects are very well done.
"I'm sick of Symmetry" a character says in this film, and here we have one of the last works of Luis Bunuel's surrealistic fantasies that brings a story after another with a never ending that mocks the ignorance in which societies live in; It's just amazing how Bunuel exposures the conventionalism to which we are so accustomed and makes of any place a more decadent and irrational angle of the world. Comedy is just the perfect condiment that guides you and distracts you through a series of events that never have sense for the first time. Bunuel's humor is always taken to the profane as many judge, but indeed is just another evidence of how reality often times makes us uncomfortable even in our own privacy. A must see film without a doubt, it mirrors your emotions, it drives you mad, drives you sad, and challenges your morality.
After looking at the 5.9 average rating for this movie I gave it a try. Good grief! After ten minutes, I told myself I'll give it another ten minutes or so. I couldn't take it after around 25 minutes. Believe me when I say I love movies and I like all sorts. I don't watch TV - I only watch movies on DVD. There have been very few movies that I simply could not justify wasting my time watching the rest of it. As a matter of fact, I couldn't name one now if you asked me. I admit that by not finishing the movie, I don't have much of a leg to stand on. But I wanted to warn those after me to not waste their time. The acting and story is simply horrible. At first I thought it might be a comedy - they were exaggerating the acting on purpose. My conclusion was that they were serious and that was when I took the DVD out.
I saw most of "The Rose" on TV a few years after it came out. I don't know quite how much I missed (just the beginning, I think), and I won't claim to remember the parts I saw very well. But as for what I did see, I remember very clearly what my reaction to it was, and other comments show me that I'm not the only one to feel this way. I saw a lot of things done by the characters -- things that were loud, emotional, rash and sudden; things that had to have some very strong motivations behind them. But at no point was I able to tell WHY any character was doing what they did. And when a movie is full of actions that require definite motivations, but don't have them, that movie ends up being tiring, pointless and unsatisfying -- which is what "The Rose" is.
This film, already four years old, (successfully I think) explores the toxic potentiality of only one everyday item. There are scores of other contaminants out there, with the growing problem of e-waste something that will impact on everyone sooner or later. There is even a black market in e-waste disposal that sends discarded high-tech components to the developing world for crude deconstruction. One commentator referred to "Blue Vinyl" as "lefty." Actually, he or she should take note: the filmmaker notes that adult toys might contain carcinogens. This could be a big boost for the right, who generally don't approve of such items: scores of vibrators having to be discarded or recalled.
Pointless, juvenile, absolutely worthless(..unless you just have an urge to see stars from the original returning to reprise their roles)sequel to the original Sleepaway Camp(..the second and third films featuring Pamela Springsteen in the "prominant" role of Angela are completely disregarded, which is probably a good thing, I guess)has a psycho-killer, in black hoody, targeting those who victimize and mistreat extremely repellent frog-devoted Allan(Michael Gibney), always the center of negative attention in regards to practically everyone, in constant disagreements, arguments, and skirmishes with the teenagers/adults in camp. He's either starting trouble or the recipient of it, but Allan is certainly a lightning rod towards the inner-workings of the plot..the film displays many embarrassing scenarios featuring the flabby whiner and people die because this. When the mean teenagers belittle and abuse him, Allan retreats into the woods to find refuge with his frogs. Allan has a crush on Karen(Erin Broderick)who assists her friends in playing a practical joke leaving him quite scorned resulting in quite the killing spree towards those who delighted in his misery. A penis is pulled from a counselor whose bound, by rope, to a tree. A female counselor gets her head and face twisted in barbwire while attempting to flee in a jeep. A black teen girl, often at heated odds with Allan, is squashed by a mattress of nails. The head counselor over the Camp has his head caught in a cage after awakening from a hammer blow to the head, tied, with rats to feed through his face, shown gnawing within his torso. One pot-smoking slacker is burned alive after being force-fed gasoline, with his stomach exploding. A real practical joker who often bullied Allan gets a wooden spike stabbed through his eye. And, a vulgar cook who ridiculed Allan endlessly, gets his face shoved into cooking grease. Lots of of-screen violence, but some gore should please those who found the original SC lacking in this department.Fans of the franchise(..which I'm not)might find this irresistible, because RETURN feels positively dated, attempting futilely(..in my opinion, at least)at sophomoric humor, failing miserably. Cast of really obnoxious teens and profane adults couldn't die fast enough as far as I was concerned. Perhaps many will feel this captures the wacky spirit of the original, RETURN is an aimless exercise highlighting the crude and unruly behavior/shenanigans of the camp's teenagers..the adults who are supposed to be in charge of supervising these brats are about as bad, if not worse. The film feels like it was written by 13 year olds and we are witnesses to wedgies, lighted farts, fat-jokes/gags, and other grating activities. As I pointed out already, I'm pretty sure a whole bawdy crowd will embrace this with open arms just for it featuring returning "stars", Paul DeAngelo as counselor Ronnie(..still in stunning athletic shape, but still lacking in the acting department), Jonathan Tiersten as Ricky(..blond this time, still needing his mouth washed out with soap)and special guest Felissa Rose as Angela in a cameo(..and in another secret role as well). WE have a sheriff often popping up after murders take place trying to keep everyone civil as a killer is on the loose. The identity of the killer will surprise no one unless you are REALLY that gullible and/or easily fooled. Sad and unfortunate, this was Isaac Hayes' last role, playing a very disgruntled cook. Vincent Pastore is the lead camp counselor with a special fondness for his pet bird he often embraces with a kiss.
Det. Frank Turner (Peter Facinelli) and his partner Lisa Martinez (Sarah Deakins) are sent to protect pretty scientist Dr. Maggie Dalton (Laura Regan), who holds the formula for 'The Buffer', the top secret serum psychopathic special-forces assassin Michael Griffin (Christian Slater) needs to stay alive. The only problem: Griffin is invisible!The makers of Hollow Man 2 clearly didn't have the budget of the original: bad guy Griffin (Christian Slater) is invisible from the outset, saving a bundle on 'gradually disappearing human' CGI effects. But despite being strapped for cash, there really is no excuse for such a lame sequel, which suffers from a lacklustre plot, dull performances, and most surprisingly, a lack of trashiness. If only director Claudio Fäh had taken a leaf or two out of executive producer Paul Verhoeven's book and ladled on the excess, HM2 would have been a hell of a lot more entertaining (blood, guts and boobies don't cost the earth, but are guaranteed crowd pleasers).As it stands, HM2 is predictable straight to DVD junk that offers very little to fans of the first film: what effects there are have a distinctly cheap look; Slater phones in the majority of his performance (he only actually appears in a brief flashback); the script and direction are bland; and the film ends rather abruptly with the highly trained Griffin being defeated all too easily by Turner.Worse still, the only scene that showed any potential for genuine sleaze—a pair of randy teenagers making a home made porn video discover that Griffin is in their room—is suddenly dropped without any kind of resolution. Did Griffin kill the kids? Did he join in for a kinky invisible man threesome? Who knows? One thing is for sure: Verhoeven wouldn't have let the opportunity to show us what happened slip through his fingers so readily.
Given that the first thematic film made was a western ("The Great Train Robbery"), it's startling how many NEW gun-play ideas this film contains.Less in-your-face nihilism than "Sin City" but just as dark, this film has style and a sense of humor without ever staring at you and winking or preening about just how clever it is. It just keeps going - as one bit of dialog suggests, like the Energizer Bunny.Owen does his usual suave-with-grease-on-his-face action, and Giamatti is wonderful - after he hits 10, he goes on to 11, 12 and 13, threatening to burst several blood vessels at any moment.See it on the big screen, while you can.Author is not a studio plant, a potted plant nor a steel plant.
I just watched Ode to Billy Joe today because my mother and aunt talked me into it, and I am 13 and I have the biggest crush on Robby Benson(in his younger years of course). I was so shocked at how the ending turned out, but of course I knew he would jump of the Tallahatchie Bridge from the song. I have to say, at the end I was crying a river and I really thought this movie was great. I really think that because Billie Joe was drunk, he may not have realized the reality of what was going on when that man raped him(in my opinion it was rape). I think he was just extremely ashamed because he knew that was totally unacceptable in that time and very scared and didn't know what to do. So, that is why I think he jumped off the bridge. If you ever get a chance to see this movie, go for it. You won't be disappointed, trust me.
TASTE OF EVIL is a wonderful suspense film from two horror masters. The director John Llewellyn Moxey, who directed such great horrors as: Desire the Vampire, Killjoy, No Place to Hide, Home For the Holidays, and the famous TV film The Night Stalker, all made-for-TV movies. The other horror master, writer Jimmy Sangster, who wrote excellent horror for: the TV film GOOD AGAINST EVIL, TV film SCREAM PRETTY PEGGY, many Hammer Horror films and the most famous and scariest KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER episode, HORROR IN THE HEIGHTS. I'm glad I have this film, it is fantastic!SUMMARY: At a young age, Susan Wilcox (Barbara Parkins), is traumatically raped and goes into shock. She is taken to a mental institution. Many years later, her mother Miriam Jennings (Barbara Stanwyck) takes her home to their gigantic mansion. While home, Susan sees her stepfather, Harold Jennings (William Windom), dead and his dead body floating around the house. However, Harold seems to be on a business trip and phones home everyday. Is Susan going crazy and why are there more dead bodies piling up? What is the secret of Susan's homecoming?I love the setting in the creepy old mansion. The dead bodies give me the creeps. I really love this movie. The acting is so-so, Barbara Parkins does the best. RECOMMENDATION: Scream, Pretty Peggy. *** 1/2 stars, 9/10. SEE THIS MOVIE IF THE CHANCE COMES UP!!!!!!
If you've seem either AIR BUD or AIR BUD 2: GOLDEN RECEIVER then you've seen AIR BUD 3: WORLD PUP. It has the same storyline as the first two. Josh discovers that his dog, Buddy is extremely talented at soccer so Josh and Buddy join the soccer team. The team goes on a winning streak. I liked AIR BUD and AIR BUD 2, but now the series is just getting tired. There have been way to many animal movies over the past few years. If studios stop making animal movies for a while maybe a fourth Air Bud movie will be refreshing. If there is an Air Bud 4 then it better be better than this!
This is a straightforward, almost documentary style look at the status of women in the Taliban days of Afghanistan. The beauty of the movie relies on the clever photography on not going too graphic, not over emphasizing on the oppressors and at the same time does not draw too much melodramatics in form of emotional music. Its also a short movie which makes good viewing.Osama is the story of a pre-teen girl who lives with her widowed mother (a doctor) and grandmother. She will eventually crop her hair short and go out into society disguised as a boy to earn for her family (Women were not allowed to work so they basically starved without any resources of income).The movie does not preach in any apparent direction but it highlights the plight of the women under this feudal system. Most is left to the viewer's rhetoric.It may be disturbing for people who were never aware of facts described in this movie but for others it will be a reminder of what once happened. Watch this movie, not to build up prejudices, but to open one's awareness .Cheers
I grew up during the '60s, when Fields was in vogue as a rebel along the lines of Bogart or Brando. Nevertheless, I didn't find myself laughing nearly as much at his feature films "The Bank Dick", "My Little Chickadee", or "You Can't Cheat an Honest Man" as at those of Keaton or the Marx Brothers. It wasn't until the '90s that I happened across this short, which finally convinced me that Fields was a comic genius.With its absurd juxtaposition of dulcimer, Mountie, Salvation Army girl, wayward son, snow, tambourine, dachshund, bonds, the Yukon, student quarrymen, and unfit nights, this short has more laughs in it than any of Fields's features.I'd say more, but I have to go milk the elk.
Mighty Joe Young (1949)As a movie it's pretty awful, but Harryhausen fans take noteWow, there sure are some silly moments and bad acting in this movie--and yet I watched it to the end! Why? For the story itself (I love the King Kong idea) and for the campy fun of it. It's actually pretty horrible, and the special effects are interesting if not exactly convincing, so I would recommend not seeing this, actually, unless you are especially into the genre. (Can I put this into somethings a serious as a genre?) The director, Ernest B. Schoedsack, is the very same Schoedsack who directed the original King Kong way back in 1933, but after a series of similar adventure films in the 1930s, he had been inactive for nearly a decade before getting involved here.The story we've seen before--big ape taken from the jungles of Africa to become a stage act for a impresario of dubious character. The acting is terrible terrible. Say no more there (Robert Armstrong isn't bad). The effects, for all their Ray Harryhausen fame, are pretty basic, though there are a lot of them (the ape, but also lions behind glass, and some mutilation to the lions, beware). Remember this isn't the early 1930s, when the effects for King Kong were pretty amazing in that context. This is post-war America. The fact that everything has to be created by hand and matte shot (double exposed in a selective way) does make it impressive, but even if you like Harryhausen's efforts, the rest of the movie might let you down.
Set in the late 1920s, this totally charming comedy alludes to many other films, sometimes subtly and sometimes obviously. A Gilbert and Sullivan mood is set up quickly and the film proceeds to a typical Gilbert and Sullivan ending. A young English lady, Flora Poste (Kate Beckinsale), was recently orphaned. Having an allowance of only £156 per year and no interest in work, she moves in with poor, depressed relatives. The family are convinced that there is a curse on them and their belief is self-fulfilling. The dwellers on the farm are similar to the Addams family without the humour. Flora's manipulations and positive thinking, change all of their lives for the better. This is a very charming and funny movie, with the fun being driven by exaggeration and positive change. It is good for many delightful viewings. PS: Look for allusions to Pollyanna, Gone with the Wind, Wuthering Heights, Great Expectations etc. Every time I see it I notice more.
A super sci-fi movie that doesn't take itself too seriously, but also doesn't get out of hand with being too ridiculous. The characters are extremely well played and the idea of the movie is unlike anything I had seen before. Men in Black and Matrix probably borrowed some of their ideas from this movie - it is fairly obvious. The credits are some of the most memorable and enjoyable I have seen. It also mentions a sequel, but apparently Buckaroo had better things to do, like become Robocop!
Maybe the animation is computerized now and maybe the DTV Sequels are not going to hold a candle to the original art from the hearts of incredibly talented artists under Walts guidance, But Bambi II is much better than many of Disney's other Classic sequel attempts to make money on nostalgic baby boomers.It may be blasphemy to say this but Bambi felt incomplete to me. Once I got over the misery of his mother being shot and watched it as an adult, I figured out why. The sequel answered the questions I didn't know to ask as a kid about the first movie. What happened after Bambi met his father in that heavy snowfall and before the spring he shook owls tree scratching his antlers? Why was the dancing on clouds moment after meeting Faline ruined by some buck challenging Bambi. Why did Thumper ask if Bambi remembered him, where had Bambi been, and for how long? He was teaching his dad how to loosen up. He was dealing with a big mouth bragger and unintentionally creating a rival that would later challenge him for Faline. Rondo, as far as I could tell was never named in Bambi, but the fight between him and Bambi makes more sense after the sequel.If you stop the DVD of Bambi just as Bambi goes looking for his mother and you start Bambi II the story picks itself up almost seamlessly. I am still a little confused by how many springs go by before the birth of the twin fawns.My only negative is a very minor one. Two new characters: The porcupine and the ground hog are funny and slapstick but I am not sure how essential they are to the plot and how much was an attempt to get a better running time.
It starta as an interesting movie, but then it turns into torture porn. You can stop watching after the first scene in the basement, I'm going to give you a quick summary: The main character doesn't say anything until it is too late. They and rape the girl. The old woman burns "F--k me" on the girl's skin, and burns her lady parts with a blow torch. The police arrives and the girl dies. The end.It is a well made movie, and the not-torture-porn parts are even enjoyable, but it could have been a lot better if it focused more on the psychological part of the torture rather than the cheap Hostel style crap it ends up with.And the whole "witness that doesn't report the crime" has been made over and over, so it is not even original.
After I saw "You Got Served," I felt like I had just witnessed the biggest train wreck that was ever committed in the art of film-making. But little did I know that there was a much worse movie lurking at the depths of the Walgreen's bargain bin. "Charcoal Black" was and is that movie.Standing at an excruciating 91 minutes, "Charcoal Black" might test anyone's patience, even if you love bad movies (like me). Even though Chris Robinson's story (if it could even be called that) might have some entertaining parts, the movie ends up making you want to get up and leave your nice Lay-z-boy recliner. And I can't forget to mention the bitter taste the movie leaves in your mouth afterward.The wonderfully written story (HA!) by Chris Robinson starts off with two slave brothers, one black (Levi, played by Anthony Scott) and, well, one white (Sunshine). But the movie insists that the white one is actually an albino negro, even though Sunshine, who is played by the amazing Chris Robinson, is so obviously a white man. Anyway, the two slave "brothers" find a treasure map with no directions or writing on it decide to embark on a quest to find the treasure. The two slaves easily escape the clutches of the evil taskmaster Striker (Ted Cassidy) in a riveting scene that keeps the audience (if there is one) on the edge of their seats.The rest of the sorry excuse for a story consists of the slaves meeting various people on their journey, such as racist white trash(redundant, I know) or even randomly placed Native Americans in Florida swamps. The story also follows Striker as he rounds up a gang to find and capture the slaves.The slaves end up at a shack on the swamp that belongs to a woman (Phyllis Robinson) and immediately the sparks between the woman and Sunshine start to fly! Eventually the woman's house, which has nothing flammable in it, explodes by a candle (or maybe it's those sparks!), and the three must abandon the house. The chemistry between the two Robinsons is unbearable, especially since Phyllis always seems to have such a pained expression on her face.The slaves ditch the woman and head to the treasure. Striker meets up with them with his gang of hit men hicks and they kill Sunshine. Striker's gang gets killed, but Striker remains alive and he befriends Levi randomly. Then the credits roll.We never find out what's in the treasure - well, like anyone cares anyway. I bet Chris Robinson just gave up on the script because that's how the movie looks. Chris probably gave up on directing and everything else. In one scene where the slaves are walking, with music in the background, the editor decided to cut in the middle of the scene. So the music stops and the slaves suddenly are face to face with some Native American. Then, they decide to kill the Native American, who has no weapons (oh, but he has a threatening loincloth on).This movie is just so stupid, you feel like your IQ has dropped 90 points. This movie is so bad, your feel like you have to take a shower or five after watching it. The story is ridiculous, the acting is horrid, the characters are flat, the writing bites, and so on and so forth.In short, "Charcoal Black" offers a one of a kind experience: after watching it, you'll feel like you have just committed a crime.
This was my first Asian Horror movie watch. I was leary about "reading movies" but this one was very cool. You can understand the movie by the movements, so the Subtitles aren't that important (for lack of a better term).Very good work with the cameras, using different angles, and bringing out the smallest details. Not too gory, much to my disliking, but just enough to keep one interested.Good movie all in all, a must see for any Asian Horror Fan.8/10
So it was funny, I guess. The point is that they're all stupid, and we get to kind of have fun letting them be stupid and run around the woods. I get it, I should say... fun! Yeah...I don't know, I think a few things in this were pretty creative, mostly the different type of stuff the killer did and the whole side-story involving the transvestite. I also like the references to Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Deliverance (at this point, can you even have a killer woodsman story without said references?). Also, the whole duct tape thing was a great motif.I actually think the funniest and most interesting part of the movie was the credits, though. Wardrobe provided by Wal-Mart. Yeah, good stuff.--PolarisDiB
I just saw this movie on lifetime tonight; before this week seeing all the commercial for it on lifetime I would have never of knew it was out there to be seen. May I say this is one of the few jewels Lifetime has shown in a long time. Not only was the story line interesting enough to keep you watching the acting was great. I though the male lead Ben was great and nice looking in that down to earth boy next door way and not the I'm a male super model worship t my feet way, which is very unique for male role now days that have to be the knight and shinning armer type. Nola she was so much different from many of the charters out there and I loved how her character development through out the story and how she actually learned something in the end.People creating movies think that if th guy is hot or the women is hot and a story is horrible the the movie will still do good and yes that is true but this one had all thing tied in it! PLus the whole Ideal of a ***** ( not to let any spoilers out) being clean was real nice. I like the movie and the music to the movie it is amazing to see am movie where the actor actually sings their own songs and sounds good doing it. I would love to see this movie another time and I hope you also pick up a copy of it. If you like lifetime movies you will love this one so much better, it wasn't even made by lifetime.
Amusing movie. No doubt. At the first time I see somebody shout Italians. Anyway Italian starts be boring in the crime movies.Movie is very balanced. Love be twin him and her is so real. Like you are inside. All actors are real. Usually actor are fake, more dump than fake. but in this movie I can't see any fakes. Producer know the job. Have a sense.The quote I like: If they go in Europe, that doesn't mean that they are good fellows!My ten points. Best.
London is terrorized by a "Jack the Ripper" copycat calling himself "The Avenger". In the opening scream, he claims a seventh victim. While the "Ripper" preferred prostitutes, the "Avenger" digs blondes. Each victim has been a fair-haired lass. Naturally, the sale of British peroxide plummets... Lead policeman on the case is Malcolm Keen (as Joe Chandler). He also likes blondes, especially golden-curled heroine, and Avenger-bait, June Tripp (as Daisy Bunting). Mr. Keen gets stiff competition from tall, dark, and handsome Ivor Novello (as Jonathan Drew), who arrives on the scene as "The Lodger" at the home of Marie Ault and Arthur Chesney (as Mr. and Mrs. Bunting). Suspicion begins to fall upon Mr. Novello, who also has a thing for blondes. Could he be "The Avenger"? "The Lodger" (subtitled "A Story of the London Fog") helped put director Alfred Hitchcock on the map, in Great Britain. It showcases Mr. Hitchcock's great visual storytelling style. The most commented-on example is the shot of "The Lodger" walking in his upstairs room, as seen from the point-of-view of the downstairs Buntings. Hitchcock had a glass ceiling constructed, for Novello to walk across. The director explained this was a way to show footsteps visually. Other filmmakers would have added the "Footsteps!" to a title card or sound effects track. The director issued some minor complaints about changing to film's ending to suit Novello's star status, but it gave him one of his most enduring film themes, the "wronged" man. "The Lodger" was a very influential film, especially on its own director.******** The Lodger (2/14/27) Alfred Hitchcock ~ Ivor Novello, June Tripp, Malcolm Keen, Marie Ault
This is an excellent film with an excellent story played by an excellent cast! Rocky, a teenager with a horribly disfigured skull tries to fit in. His mother, ably played by Cher, portrays a biker babe who loves her son but little else. Sam Eliot plays her biker boyfriend but also has a soft spot for Rocky. Rocky loves a blind girl, played wonderfully by Laura Dern. All in all, this is a touching, but not overly sappy film! This one is worth a watch.
I've not had much luck catching up on the John Ford films I haven't seen this year, and The Fugitive is yet another in this year's run of terrible disappointments.Visually the most strikingly beautiful of his career, it's also a horrible mawkish wail of unconvincing public piety that constantly feels like he's trying to buy his way into heaven. As if bowdlerizing the point out of Graham Greene's source material to make a plaster saint of his hero wasn't bad enough, Henry Fonda's mostly dreadful performance is the final nail in the coffin. Ford always managed to get the very least out of Fonda, and here Hank's clearly plain embarrassed by the part, proving woefully ineffective as he fails to make much of an impression for far too much of the running time. With all traces of character removed from the role, leaving him with nothing to work with, it's not until the last couple of reels that he actually becomes a remotely credible character instead of a poorly drawn walking religious icon – "Hey, look everybody, I'm suffering for your sins just like Christ!" Until then, it's up to Pedro Armendariz to hold the fort as the policeman who has replaced religion with a new faith, politics, although even his missionary faith in atheism is somewhat undermined here by Fonda's nameless priest being a sober believer rather than the drunken fallen angel of the novel. Along with Ward Bond's Gringo bank robber (bizarrely introduced with the theme from Stagecoach!), he's one of the few people Fonda encounters on his journey to martyrdom you can actually care about or believe in. Certainly Dolores Del Rio's Madonna/Whore figure is so horribly idealised that it feels like being beaten up by a posse of boxing nuns every time she appears in 'God-light.' There are a few good scenes and a strong ending, but the horrible overindulgence of much of the film – like the endless treacle of the opening baptisms – is almost enough to make the Pope convert to Judaism. Compared to this, The Passion looks subtle. Beautiful shots of horses riding, though.
This movie is good old-fashioned silly fun. I will gladly admit that this isn't one of the deeper or more sophisticated films Cary Grant ever made, but boy is it cute and enjoyable. In other words, if you're looking for a film with a message or something that will change your life, this isn't it.Cary plays his part very broadly--and is, at times, very immature and goofy. And, it is in these moments that the film is at it's best. Well, anyways, Cary is forced into helping Myrna Loy with her younger sister (Shirley Temple--who is way too young to be Loy's sister). And, although it's pretty easy to anticipate where the movie will end, the journey there is so funny and difficult to predict that it is clearly one of Grant's better comedies. Not as good as ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, but what is?
'The Champion' is a nice short film by Charlie Chaplin and of course with Charlie Chaplin. Watching him I always admire his skills. I don't know if you can call it acting but whatever you call it he is great with it. This short starts as a real story but soon it can come to the moment where Chaplin can show his skills. This time in a boxing contest and the preparation before it. There are some very funny moments and most of it was not that predictable. That is the case very often in the shorts of Charlie Chaplin but not so much in this one. I also liked the way the music played together with the performances, it made the whole thing funnier. Definitely worth a watch.
"24" is absolutely a one of a kind drama masterpiece. I am on a mad dash to catch up on all seasons before Season 6 debuts in January 2007. I have just completed season 4. I was hooked after a couple of episodes in Season 1. This show has more twists and turns than a roller coaster. You never know what you are going to see and nothing you assume can be for sure, even when a season ends. They have superb writers on staff and the character of Jack Bauer is a legend among big and small screen characters. He puts the well being of the U.S. security and people above his own and I mean to the most extreme sense. I am lost knowing I have to wait until December to buy Season 5, so I can find out what happens. I am not worried about catching up before January. I am anxious to know what happens next. It is that good. You really get to know these characters and they truly have a changing effect on your feelings for someone just like you would in true life.Great show! Please join in and watch. Great for a rainy day or any other.Update: 10/10 I was really anxious as I stated about Season 5. I found Amazon sold an unboxed version online. I am the middle of Season 5 and loving it.
Willem DaFoe is a by-the-book FBI investigator and is assisted by ex-Southern-sheriff Gene Hackman in the real-life inquiry into the deaths of three civil rights workers in Mississippi in 1964. The three kids disappeared. No one, black or white, is willing to cooperate with the "Hoover boys" that poke around in the small town's business. The blacks won't cooperate because they're afraid, the whites for more obvious reasons. And some less obvious ones. As the clued-in Hackman puts it, "They have to live here long after we're packed up and gone." Just about every character is a stereotype that's played out like a card in a hand of bridge. The head of the local Ku Klux Klan, who calls himself "a local businessman" is a balding nincompoop who hates not just blacks but Papists and Jews and probably Brobdignagians. He doesn't have a family. Not even a dog or a cat as far as we can tell. The other heavies, including the prototypical redneck Michael Rooker with his frozen sneer, don't have families either, except for Deputy Brad Dourif, who has a wife. But he only has a wife so that the movie can show us that not all Southern whites are murdering racists. Some are sweet and lovable and attractive, in the way that Carol Burnett is attractive, and, as just about sublimely played by Frances McDormand, are so haunted by distaste for these illegal caste-ridden shenanigans that she's able and willing to squeal to Gene Hackman's FBI agent about the murders. That indiscretion gets her clobbered.The performances are all good and some are splendid. Hackman could not be better. Every move he makes, every line of dialog, carries weight. DaFoe's character is less colorfully delineated. McDormand is outstanding, and so are Rooker, Dourif, and the guy who plays the KKK head. (What a trio of villains.) The tobacco-chewing Sheriff is great in a small supporting role.When the FBI is stretched to its official limits without results, Hackman is given license to use his own methods. Enter two unofficial FBI heavies. One is a balding red-head with bulging eyes who has since made a career out of playing serial murderers. The other is a huge black guy with an ominous and resonant baritone who threatens to castrate the Mayor unless he spills the beans, which the Mayor does, leading to almost all the desired convictions.The direction is tasteful. When the decomposing corpses are uncovered, it's in long shot. When Dourif beats hell out of McDormand, we only get a few introductory blows before the cut, just so we know what's going to happen next.Location shooting is evocative. It's a convincing small Southern town shimmering in the summer heat. Most "Southern" scene -- the silent guy on the Choctaw reservations who is carving up catfish. The characters, although they may as well carry sandwich boards advertising their function in the script, are pretty well drawn.If there's a problem with the film it's that it is laid out like a dramatic movie in the usual form of rising climaxes. The payoffs towards the end simply don't fit in with the otherwise realistic depiction of events. I did not for a moment believe that undercover FBI agents were brought in to kidnap the Mayor and threaten to cut off his family jewels. That belongs to a movie script, or to some black hole of a CIA prison in Bulgaria, not to a narrative that purports to be based on an historic event.The final impression the film leaves you with is how surprisingly easy it is for a deeply felt and thoroughly entrenched set of values to change so quickly. A generation has passed, only a generation, since the governor of Mississippi's neighboring state stood in the doorway of the university and proclaimed, "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever." The situation displayed here, in 1964, isn't perfect now. Nothing is perfect. But it's a hell of a lot better than it was then. This is actually a curiously mixed blessing. It leaves Southern white people with still another defeat that they must get over. And it leaves blacks with a great deal of anti-white resentment that has no place to go.
The wonderful William Powell one year before playing Nick Charles! Just found out via Robert Osborn on TCM why this film hasn't been seen in 50 years. This picture was not available when Ted Turner bought the RKO Pictures catalog. It was tied up in litigation which was finally resolved. At that point it became available to TCM for showing. Also, TCM found a print in France that had 2 1/2 minutes which had been cut from the version available here. So TCM restored the missing footage to the film.My mother was growing up when this film came out. She tells me that Ann Harding was a big star at the time. William Powell, according to Osborn was having difficulties in his personal life. His marriage to Carol Lombard was on the rocks.
This film shows the enormous struggle that the suffrage movement faced and the amazing dedication that women such as Alice Paul and Lucy Burns used to finally win women the right to vote.The movie features tremendous performances by Hillary Swank and Julia Ormond, as well as many others. A modern soundtrack and editing style make the film feel less like a far-removed historical piece and more like an inspirational story that mirrors the work of activists dedicated to their causes in any time period. As a volunteer with Rock the Vote I owe the women depicted in this film, as well as everyone involved in making the movie, a great debt.Highly recommended!
I saw this one when I was in high school. I had been warned ahead of time, but I liked classical music, including Grieg, and ignored the warnings. I remember several things about it that really sum the film up, in my opinion.1. The photography was stunning. Snow, fjords, and Norwegian towns and scenery were really pretty, as were the folk costumes. 2. Grieg's music was nice to listen to, though as in all films about composers, they only give samplings.Those are the good parts. The bad parts were what sank the boat. There wasn't much of a story. Greig's life wasn't as exciting as many other composers lives, and a lot was padded to keep the story going for 2 or 3 hours. I remember a lot of overacting as well. But the worst part of all was the directing. Forever emblazoned upon my memory is the hideously clichéd scene where Grieg, his wife, and someone else spread their arms and run across a green field, stop on a hillock, and spin around to face the audience. Then they do the same thing again - and again! If that's not enough to make you give up, then nothing is.
I have seen the movie and read reviews that were posted about the movie Indigo.I never even heard about the movie until a week or so before the showing.I personally know one of these children,most of the time he is just a normal little boy like any other child,he doesn't do a lot of the things that Gracie does,but I believe that her character was just a mix of their gifts to show what they can do.The main point of the movie that I feel is the most important is that they are here to bring out the truth,they can see behind what adults and others tell them.You will not pull the wool over their eyes,they CAN see right through you and read what is in your heart,your pain from the past wrongs in your life.And also the good things about you.They can and will heal the planet.The other thing I feel about them is that through the real truth, they will bring peace wherever they go.They came here with their switches turned on,in the past people have had to go through a life changing experience to be enlightened.Near death experience comes to mind.I pray that I meet more Indigo's,If you meet one you will never forget it,he sometimes looks at you suddenly from a break at playing and tells you something about what has been troubling you for some time,then he has that all knowing smile and off they go playing again. I pray that you you all will experience the knowing that they have.Please forgive me if my spelling is not that good,I don't do this normally.Get ready for the truth,it is here.
When oh when will I learn that the bargain priced movies in the bin at Walmart are there for one reason. They're shoddy junk. "Act Of War" for a buck fifty was no exception. James Bond without the class. John LeCarre without the intelligence. The acting is bad. The plot is simplistic and predictable. As usual in these bang bang epics, the bad guys are all lousy shots. I know nothing about guns but I'm sure I could kill more people banging off an automatic weapon than this bunch. But then, if they hit their targets, the movie could be a good forty minutes shorter. (Which might not be a bad thing.)This indeed is one of those films that is so bad it's almost good. One suggestion. If you must buy bargain movies at Walmart, go for VHS rather than DVD. At least that way you can re-use the tape. I haven't yet found a use for old DVD's.
This film has some interesting moments, especially at the beginning, but it is entirely too long and disjointed. Lynch likes to make the point again and again that our sense of narrative is socially constructed, and he thus takes great delight in subverting our expectations by breaking the narrative line repeatedly. Okay. Enough already. We get the point. On the other hand, we might argue that a film with a tightly woven narrative line is never a bad thing. What is bad are the tiresome shots of darkened hallways, the constant entering into darkened rooms while the crappy electronic score kicks in (I guess we're supposed to feel a troubling eeriness in the air) in the background, and subtexted stage acts (in this case humans with fake rabbit heads) that don't enrich the story line, even though they are meant to thematize the breakdown in marital relations by showing how the language of married couples ceases to be communicative (gee, didn't T. S. Eliot already do this?). David Lynch, it's time for you to reinvent yourself. Stop dishing out cinematic crap that looks like a remake of your last film. This is a film for die-hard Lynch fans only. To call it enriching and fresh is laughable. If it were tomorrow, then I probably wouldn't have seen this film today. Right? Sheesh.
this is a great hippie movie whose reputation is tarnished by the fact that everyone who hasn't seen it, and most dummies who have, think it's a dirty movie about prurient sex....great misconception. It's more simple belly laughs and uninhibited joie de vivre. Granted, there are some very weak sections, e.g. the Matthau, but I laughed even as this absurd chapter came to a close...it's a product of an era when not only sex, but laughter and freedom, were celebrated and must be seen in that mindset...this is a movie that people who write certain modern movie guidebooks will never, ever, ever understand...for the simple reason that, in this era, as prurience increases, thus does narrowmindedness, so that we come to forget completely the now remote atmosphere in which such a film could be made.
I saw this at the Tribeca Film Festival, which coincidentally just awarded one of the stars (Ohad Knoller) a best actor award for the film.I usually loath most gay films as there never seems to be any subject matter outside of the characters gayness.Yossi and Jagger however is a love story of two people caught in the middle of many forces - Careers, being out, military service, authority roles, and living day to day under international hostilities. Their homosexuality, though central to the story line, is portrayed as only one aspect of their incredibly complicated lives. In other words, they are portrayed as real people living their lives that is not consumed by their sexuality even as it overshadows everything they do.The film also firmly establishes the two leads enough that it is able to spend time developing the other characters as real people as well instead of as springboards to reflect gay jokes or innuendoes as most other gay films do.Perhaps because this film was made outside of the US it was able to portray its protagonists as people instead of story line characterisations.SPOILERS I also enjoyed the small joke in the film about how this was not a Hollywood movie. Even near the end when there is a "Hollywood" type moment between the two protagonists during a military ambush, the film returns to the truth with its ending that shows that not everything is about Hollywood happy endings. I particularly was touched by Yossi's nuanced statement of his relationship with Jagger to Jagger's family and the rest of his platoon by being able to answer the mother's questions of Jagger's personal favorites, and how certain characters were oblivious while others knew what was going on.
Winter, falling leaves, wind, and coldness- those are the main elements we can get from this film. Of course, they create the atmosphere so good, together with the story and the characters. we can see 5 different story's in the film, which connected by technical things (live in the same building, work together or for each other) and the fact that they're all telling us story's about- family relationships, love, and craving for warmness. With the winter, and the great classical music, they remind us the need of the proximity between people, and inside the family. Every character, represent a sense, in a directly way, or the opposite- the lack of the sense. In the main story- a little child got lost,and it's influencing everyone- The mother, the women whom her daughter left the little girl at the park by her self, the doctor who misses his little girl and ask by the police about the misses girl,and the single women and her friend who feel it's a bad sign. The movie start with allot of sadness, (beside the cynical single), but ends with a note of optimism- and again, beside the single women, who gets a big disappointment from her men. The message- everyone wants to be loved, and to have this safe feeling that there is someone who cares for you, and return you in the same way you give him.
Julie Adams is seen going through recordings as the story unfolds; each song she plays brings back memories, and it represents a chapter in her life. Julie who has decided to leave her husband, Roger, remembers aspects of an unfulfilled life. The thing she most wanted in the world is denied to her: being a mother. Not everything in Julie's life has been bad, as we get to know her. Julie was lucky in finding a man like Roger, who did everything possible for her, except give her the child she longed for.As Roger returns home from Japan, he establishes a small paper. He struggles to keep it going, but unfortunately, his business doesn't make it. It's at this juncture in their life when Roger and Julie decide to adopt. They are lucky in that the kind head of the agency, Miss Oliver, realizes they have all it takes to be good parents, even though their finances don't add up. When Trina, the infant girl, is offered to them, they decide to take the chance. Roger, who wanted a boy, has an emotional encounter with a judge that wants to take the girl away from him and Julie when his paper folds.As Trina, the infant girl, is brought home, Julie and Roger realize how ill prepared they are to take care of the baby. Applejack, who helps run the paper, saves them from their own awkwardness and shows the couple how babies are taken care of. Trina, who grows to be a sweet little girl, contracts a mysterious illness and dies. Her death, together with all the Adams' financial problems, breaks their marriage. We watch Julie preparing to do, but the providential call from Miss Oliver with the offer of a new orphan boy, serves to bring the Adams' together.George Stevens directed skilfully this melodrama. By emphasizing the financial problem of the Adams', and not dwelling in Trina's tragic loss, Mr. Stevens got away from the total tear jerker the material could have turned in the hands of another director. Irene Dunne and Cary Grant had appeared in two other comedies before. Without a doubt, Cary Grant steals the picture with his amazing take on Roger Adams, a man who is a reluctant adoptive father, only to have his heart stolen by Trina. Mr. Grant proved here he could have easily made a serious dramatic actor. Ms. Dunne is also effective as Julie, a woman who can't have children of her own. Edgar Buchanan is seen as the loyal Applejack, and Beulah Bondi appears as the kind Miss Oliver, the woman who brings happiness to the Adams. The film is worth seeing because of Cary Grant's invaluable contribution to the film.
Talk about your off-shoot movies for major actors, like these two. Demi Moore is superb in this tale of urban violence against women and family and drug use. Bruce plays a character that I haven't seen him tackle before. He does it in an outstanding manner. Glenne Headley as Demi's close friend and co-worker drops the accent and does new Jersey as it should be done. I really didn't like this story, I was very uncomfortable, but I realize, looking back that it was right on the money. The subject needs to be dissected. Moreover it needs to be taken seriously and not swept under the carpet, as it has in many cases. Stats' read out to be 1-3 women are being abused, or have been in an abusive relationship. Demi shows her mettle, she also shows what it's like to come to the end of a violent union. Glenne, her friend was supportive and a little shaky at times. I can't figure who wouldn't be, but she was also strength for her friend. This was a dark and intense brief, look into what some are living through. I am glad that this was made, it shows the grit that it takes to just make it through the day with someone of that lifestyle. Demi is the type that is really believable in this, there aren't a lot of other actresses that have the ability to reach the emotionally burned-out look and feel that Moore does in this. Willis, was and I can't say enough about his performance as he was just a 'natural' in 'MORTAL'.When you can be close and taste it even just a little it is hard to try and blame someone for using the extreme method to exit a relationship just that way. Although, they have to take responsibility in it, when it's them that started the life together in the first place. There are 'signs' that any person should be aware of before abandoning them self to a relationship commitment. Seek counseling first, or talk with close friends around you and don't ever simply base your longing on an emotional state of being...for sure you'll be sorry in the end. And you will in deed be looking for the fifty ways to leave your lover. Recommended...learn from this one too.(****)
This has the logical consistency of marshmallows filled with ketchup, and the overall aftertaste is just as disgusting. Will be used in the 9th circle of Hell at recreation time. Just plain torture.I would rather choose to watch 90 minutes of my computer going through 5400 blue screens of death than watch this appalling drivel again - ever. Horrible. Horrible. Horrible.You know, the good thing about Swiss Cheese is that along with the holes you get some cheese: here it's ONLY holes - and the excitement factor? Well that turns watching paint dry into an adrenalin rush and an Olympic speed sport.My brain hurts from trying to work out who OK'd this drivel, did they think about the premise? (I sincerely hope not, otherwise there is no redemption) the only consolation is they had the pleasure of sitting through the rushes. Made for TV should not be a synonym for: "Sure, let the horses bowels run loose across the living rooms! Our audience are idiots!"I was hooked just to know how it could get any worse. This is not a good sign, folks. Hallmark should be ashamed for releasing it.I should be ashamed for watching it.I am ashamed. I'm off for a long shower.
I first read the novels "I, Claudius" and "Claudius the God" when I was a sophomore in college. I instantly fell in love with them and it sparked my interest in Roman history. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to watch this mini series based on the books shortly thereafter. Eventually, I decided to buy it, and it still remains one of my favorite DVD box sets.In the mini series there are some minor anachronisms and some events are out of sequence, but it still captures the political intrigue of the imperial family in ancient Rome. I'm not going to go into the story more than this because it gets very complicated and it is very long.What really made this series stick out was the cast. Sir Derek Jacobi leads the cast as Claudius. Most of the story is told through his eyes as he writes a history of his experiences with the imperial family and some incidents that happened prior to Claudius' birth. Some other cast members include Brian Blessed as Augustus, Sian Phillips as Livia (Augustus' wife, and Claudius' grandmother), George Baker as Tiberius, John Hurt as Caligula, and Patrick Stewart as Sejanus to name a few. Fans of British cinema will be able to pick out even more familiar faces (I can't really go into all of the cast because there are so many excellent actors and actresses in this).What really makes the story work is the interplay between the characters and the almost constant intrigue that goes on around the Roman political scene. The best part of it is that what happens is for the most part true or at least based on the writings of historians of the time. I recommend this highly to anyone who is interested in learning about Roman history and wants to get their feet wet.On a somewhat amusing side note, Patrick Stewart (with hair) makes out with Magenta from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
I have seen most of Tom Berenger's movies, and I feel that this may, perhaps, be his best effort. I have seen this movie half a dozen times, and it continues not to bore me. The story was different and interesting. Admittedly, there are a few instances the when the acting isn't Academy Award caliber, but on the whole this was very good entertainment.After seeing this movie, I felt that Tom Berenger would definitely have a been a more preferable choice than Robert Redford in "The Horse Whisperer".
I saw this movie in Sri Lanka in 1997 and I loved it. But most of the scenes were censored and no body could not enjoy it that well in the cinema. Most of the sex scenes were cut for no reason. Does anyone know how to get the uncut version of this film on VCD/DVD. Please let me know.
The thing about D'Amato, is he can take the most straight-forward film and make it over-the-top and sleazy...and that's why he's one of my favorite directors. He always goes just a little "too far" and I commend him for that. In ANTHROPOPHAGOUS - ol' Joe is up to his old tricks - but this time, he saves his over-the-top elements til the end for maximum impact, and otherwise weaves a pretty atmospheric (yet admittedly slow-paced) horror film. Not the constant shock-fest of BUIO OMEGA, nor the all-out sleazy exploitation of EROTIC NIGHTS OF THE LIVING DEAD - ANTHROPOPHAGOUS is more of a serious horror film with some "shocking" scenes thrown in for good measure.This one starts with a group of vacationers who decide to head to a secluded island for some R&R. Turns out the island is nearly uninhabited, and when the vacationers get stranded there - they start to piece together what happened to the original inhabitants of the island. Turns out a cannibalistic weirdo still roams the island, just waiting to pick off anyone who crosses his path. And soon enough, the vacationers will get to meet him face-to-face...A lot of people down ANTHROPOPHAGOUS for it's slow pace - which I can't really argue - but overall, the film is handled competently. The story is drawn out slowly and the island sets and backdrops are simultaneously beautiful and yet still creepy and atmospheric at the same time. The "bad-guy" is also suitable creepy and bugged-out looking - and the gore scenes at the end make up for the slow pace as the last 20 minutes or so are pretty fast-paced. There are some decent throat-bitings with tons of blood - a decent intestines-eating, and of course, the notorious fetus-eating scene which is the reason that the un-cut version of this film is so sought after. That scene is pretty cool - but is very short and still appears to be cut down. Overall, not my favorite D'Amato film - I'll still stick with BUIO OMEGA or EMANNUELLE IN America - but ANTHROPOPHAGOUS is worth a look too, if you go into it knowing that you'll have to wait a while for the "pay-off"... 8/10
A Man Called Sarge may be the worst film ever made. It's playing on the local Fox affiliate's "Sunday Afternoon At The Movies" type- thing. I cannot make myself keep watching it. It stars Gary Kroeger and Marc Singer, and is ostensibly a Mel Brooks-esque/Zucker- Abrams-esque romp through WWII North Africa movies (e.g. The Desert Fox or The Desert Rats). The problem being that the formula was already a bit calcified by the time Airplane was made in 1980, and this steaming heap was sh...uh, made, in 1990, featuring a never-went-anywhere Saturday Night Live alum named Gary Kroeger from the brutally bad seasons 8-10. And Gary Singer is the Nazi nemesis? This movie makes Top Secret look like Young Frankenstein. The basic difficulty is this: Clichés are not in and of themselves funny. I suppose if you're drunk or stoned this might not be true, but in the cold light of a sober Sunday afternoon this truism applies, and how. Add to that the lack of Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman or even Leslie Nielsen and you get this punishing feature. This is not a "hey, this is so bad it's good" movie. This is just horrible, like a hundred paper-cuts or being surprised by bad milk.
What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice? was a very good thriller! I mean if you like thrillers. Geraldine Page and Ruth Gordon were excellent actresses in this film. Story about a woman who kills people who cross her....like her maids for instance. She started off liking her second housekeeper Mrs Dimmick, even thought she would make a good companion as well as a good housekeeper, but soon found out that Mrs Dimmick was crossing her by trying to find out information about the former maid. You see, the former maid, Mrs Tinsel, used to work for Mrs Dimmick and she was upset with her and left and moved and started working for Mrs Marable. Mrs Dimmick worried and wanted Mrs Tinsel to come back went to find her. Mrs Tinsel had written her a letter so she went there to Mrs Marable"s house and saw that her former housekeeper was no where to be found. Mrs Dimmick asked Mrs Marable about Mrs Tinsel and said "where is she"??? Made Mrs Marable hot!!! Until she did away with poor Mrs Dimmick. Smart as Mrs Marable was, she was caught! A real honest-to- goodness thriller!! An 9 indeed!
Well, it does have a plot, it does have nudity and it does have sex. It is some kind of vintage soft core pornography with many modern peculiarities-- like the masturbation scene.N/ABut, nonetheless, it is also a hard movie to watch until the end. That is the true problem with soft core. Along with hardcore-- but that's another problem... the plot is quite simple, understandable and sometimes stupid; the sex scenes are also simple, predictable and cut quickly.So, let's see. A classic, yes. It must be watched. It must be rated. It should be reviewed. Should it be watched in its entirety? Well, that is up to you-- it's not like it is some kind of "torture porn" but it isn't an Oscar winner. Just see what you want to see. And that's what I recommend.Culturally speaking, it marks an age. The seventies followed the peace and love lifestyle from the 1960s and this erotic masterpiece it's a proof of that. Engaging sex with maids, lesbianism and orgies are just a beginning of a world gone mad. And a peak for the pornography industry.
The use of Afghan culture as a medium for the commentary this film delivers shouldn't be misinterpreted. While it does serve to educate the viewer about the violent impact of religious fundamentalism and the raging inequality of conditions women have faced in Afghanistan, it also teaches the lesson of what happens when an individual defies the established rules of sexuality, a lesson that can be as relevant in Ohio as in Afghanistan. Osama is not just a girl, but a girl who masquerades as a boy in order to survive; the torment she endures in return is not just a demonstration of the cruelties of of fundamentalist Islam, but the cruelties of society as we know it.Barbarism is not confined to any people, any nation, or any religion, and it would be a grave mistake to misinterpret (whether accidentally or otherwise) the aim of such a poignant film. Osama is skillfully produced and acted, and serves as an artful and immersive vessel for its sentiments.
And, as such, it follows the basic guidelines of the arduous journey from misery to happiness. This type of formula is typically very thankful to translate to film, easy to make and ready to be milked for sentimentality for all its worth', which director Gabriele Muccino dutifully does. That is not to say 'The Pursuit of Happiness' does not deliver what it set out to do, for it wholeheartedly does and then some. Based on a true story, the pursuit of one man to reach the American Dream in San Francisco in 1981 tells the cloying story of Chris Gardner (Will Smith) and his son (Jaden Smith) living in shelters, spending nights on paper towels in run-down, seedy public bathrooms and generally suffering daily hardships by the bucketload. Chris is a good man, but his wife (Thandie Newton) cannot cope with his empty promises and economic struggles, so she splits and takes off to New York City. Now Chris is left with their five-year-old son and an unpaid internship at a prestigious stockbroker's firm. You will be pressed to find a more likable character in film this year, and Will Smith plays him until your heart really breaks for him.But in my opinion, this is no breakout "epiphany" role for Will Smith. The truth is that he has always been a strongly capable actor, although it is of course usually within the comedy field. In the comic moments of the film (and there are definitely quite a few), his funny bone translates excellently. In the drama side of the tapestry, he performs well enough – but it is a thankful, rewarding character to portray, much like 'The Pursuit' is a thankful, rewarding film to make owing to its underdog formula. It is, in this way, the type of film that safely elicits a few tears, chuckles and smiles but ultimately offers no revolutionary insight or social commentary in the way that The Great Gatsby aptly addressed the fickleness and simultaneous necessity of the American Dream.The real treat is possibly Jaden Smith as little Christopher, and it becomes apparent that either the Smiths have groomed this kid for low-key, understated acting from a young age or that he is a true natural talent – or both. Perhaps his performance is nothing mind-blowing, but it is so rare for child actors to perform this subtly. Usually they fall prey to desperately cutesy or annoying antics, but Jaden Smith does not. "Simpsons" staple Dan Castellaneta also chips in aptly as a mentor at work of sorts.If I have been too unclear or critical so far, let me say that I enjoyed this film immensely as a diversion. This does not change the fact that it is trafficking too heavily in stereotypes and Hallmark staples such as "Don't ever let anybody tell you that you can't do something" (yes, Will Smith actually says this at one point) or that it rigorously rubs Chris' misery in our faces in every step of the way, even though we clearly got the gist of his miserable conditions early on in the film. It's almost shamelessly cuing viewers in to feel by unpaid parking tickets, taxes, homelessness and a leaving wife to top it off. The fact is that the film expertly camouflages most of its shortcomings and the end result is even, solid and compelling.'The Pursuit of Happiness' emerges as a safe but inspirational tale that is undeniably readily-molded for both public praise and Oscar buzz. It is difficult NOT to like a film like this, and the pursuit is no exception at all.7 out of 10
This disgraceful presentation deserves a score far lower than the allowed minimum of 1 out of 10. Filmed on what seems to be a cut-price video camera, it was of a standard that a troop of baboons with a drink problem could comfortably have bettered. The splendid video jacket fooled this punter into forking out a couple of pounds that would have been far better spent on going to the dentist of having colonic irrigation. If the maker of this complete junk is reading this, I hope he blushes with shame at his involvement in this garbage.
Doom Generation is an intelligent satirical look at American youth culture and its relationship with the media. It's one hell of a journey into oblivion - pure teen angst on speed. With an excellent debut performance from Rose McGowan and nippy guest cameos including Perry Farrell and Parkey Posey, we are taken on a voyage into mayhem. The film has a collection of the best socially inept one liners ever-used on celluloid. It will have you repeating them in the most inappropriate of places... I was particularly blown away by the art direction - the settings are twistedly beautiful and the lighting evocative of a west end stage musical. Greg Araki's (dir) treatment of American culture and his comments on misguided but very normal youth are of astute importance. Check it and enjoy it.
The idea was interesting and the movie was OK at the beginning, then it goes downhill. I mean, it turns boring because it is the same we have seen a million times: A group of people where an unknown entity kills the others one by one.Also the characters are not particularly likable so you don't care if they are killed or not. Characters development is very important but the writer did not pay too much attention to this so each person means the same to you.The movie has some good chilling moments, but it is that kind of flick only enjoyable by teenagers. By the way, there are some cheap SFX at the end that makes you laugh.
"Praise" broadens my appreciation of Australian film and Australians. It is a fascinating departure from the well explored Australian themes of brusque humor and drinking gags. Australians have feelings too. Who knew? The realism of the film is gritty and smells genuine. The story's core is profoundly basic and human. The camera work is wonderful. Fenton and Horler have faces and bodies that are treated like landscapes, initially jarring for their distinctive and atypical attributes and eventually becoming familiar elements of the story itself. Brilliant realism. The supporting cast contributes wonderfully. It is a diverse collection of characters, some outstanding and others quite gray. I will have to see this film again. I know it will bring another enhanced experience. For now, however, it has left me full and still digesting.
This is a wonderful film and amazing to look at even today for its technical prowess. Unfortunately for this film, though, the remake starring Sabu was an even better film and was overshadowed a bit because of this.Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. plays the thief. He is a real scoundrel and not particularly likable,...that is, until he meets the woman of his dreams, the princess. He vows to straighten up his life after he introduces himself to her--beginning by telling her the awful truth about his life. Despite this, the princess is head-over-heels in love with him--thanks to his fulfilling a prophecy made earlier in the film about the identity of her beloved. However, daddy isn't pleased with the thief and has him beaten and thrown from the castle. Other, less wonderful REAL princes are left to vie for hand. However, she wants Douglas and comes up with a plan to send all of them on a chase to bring back the greatest treasure. Douglas decides to enter this contest as well--and due to his new-found goodness is able to make himself a prince and win her lovely hand. The film fades out as they take a very spectacular magic carpet ride away from the city of Baghdad.The film strongly excels artistically. The city appears huge and grand and generally very real. The special effects are also top notch. Fairbanks is also incredible with his athletic prowess as he effortlessly climbs ropes, battles silly looking monsters (the only minor drawback among the many special effects) and leaps about the scenery. About the only other minor negative is that occasionally, Fairbanks' performance is perhaps TOO Athletic--as he didn't do quite a convincing job with the love scenes and quieter moments in the film. Still, it's a silent masterpiece.
It was a great shock to me when I found that this film is given an average of 5.7 .I think it deserves to be in the top 50 movies.It is a great movie with great directing,story,crew and great performance by Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston.The songs also are incredible. I can`t see any reason for voters not to give this movie 9 at least!!
Few major films have conveyed imagery as frightening as the horror of Diane Keaton going through menopause on screen in Something's Gotta Give, a pathetic fantasy written by and for perimenopausal women. The use of a stellar cast misleads unsuspecting audiences into thinking that they will be entertained, challenged, or enlightened by this film. Unfortunately, the plodding and predictable script leads viewers deeper and deeper into despair, as implausible story lines are played out to their tedious conclusion.The film does raise some important questions, however. E.g., why would lovely Amanda Peet ever give nasty old Jack Nicholson the time of day? And more to the point, why would Keanu Reeves' character (the young, brilliant and charming doctor) desire carnal contact with moldy old Diane Keaton? Is this some veiled remake of Harold & Maude? Obviously there is an unresolved Oedipal complex in Keanu's character's life (or perhaps in the screenwriter's). For believability, if they wanted a "mature" female lead, go to Diane Lane. She's still got "it," in spades. Perhaps even Annette Benning. Or maybe even Meg Ryan (who should begin to accept the fact that she is beyond ingénue parts). But Diane Keaton frankly looks too old for Keanu Reeves, and the impression is conveyed to the viewer that some kind of Point is being made about women's rights. Why didn't they just use Meryl Streep? At least that would've sent a clear warning out to potential male viewers, fooled by the presence of Jack Nicholson into thinking there was a movie in there somewhere.At any rate, Keaton is not given much to work with, as the sexually insecure and frustrated donna of this soap opera. She is reduced to looking embarrassed or heart-broken most of the time. Keaton is capable of so much more complexity, going all the way back to Looking for Mr. Goodbar and The Godfather. Nicholson fares little better, and one is never sure whether his character is supposed to be smarmy, nasty, or smarmy and nasty. Amanda Peet's character is a unidimensional débutante, who (being young and attractive, and therefore threatening to the intended audience of menopausal middle-aged women) is reduced to the status of a well-intended know-nothing, the naive daughter who has not lived long enough to have developed a real personality. This is a sad waste of talent, and the interested viewer is encouraged to look at some of Peet's meatier roles, in such films as the obscure Digby Goes Down, or even the ludicrous Saving Silverman.If something's gotta give, it's this movie -- spend an evening watching something -- anything -- else.
As I was thinking about what to rate this movie, I tried to come up with flaws. I couldn't. This movie is a loving look at the golden age of television comedy. It shows the process of building a television show. But it is so much more than that. It is also a comedy that doesn't miss a beat. And it is a story of redemption. My advice is to see this film and when you do, just sit back and have some fun.
This one favorite Betty Boop cartoon and also "Cinderella" is one of my favorite fairy stories; I also would like to point out that this short was maded 16 years ago before Disney's theatrical version.Like I said I love animation from Fleischer Studios (also from Disney,Hanna/Barbera,Rankin/Bass and Studio Ghilbi from Japan) and Betty Boop is one of my favorite cartoon characters beside Bugs Bunny,Twetty,Pepe le Pew of Looney Tunes and Disney's Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. I love the ballroom scene, where Betty/Cinderella and The Prince dance (until midnight that is). And I also love the main title song :"I'm just a poor Cinderella Nobody loves me it seems And like a poor Cinderella I find my romance in dreams.For that's where I meet my Prince Charming When I'm with him, cares stay away I'm just a poor Cinderella But I'll be a princess someday!"
So far, with Norm McDonald movies you really cannot go wrong. There is of course the suspension of disbelief, but the laughs carry the movie beyond this. Screwed also has work by other good actors/actresses (like Danny Devito), who plays an auspiciously named mortician whom never ceases to find (and use) discusting things out of the bowls of his corpses. While the performance is a little discusting, the overall character is really funny. Through Grover Clever, the filmmakers manage to work in clipping of "Voyage into Space", "Glen or Glenda", and the very important "Hawaii Five-O". Now who can really argue with a movie that manages to work in Ed Wood without totally Screwing itself and while still being good?Unfortunately, there was a lack of publicity for this movie and the trailers don't look all that great. BUT--> I do Hope you take a voyage and enjoy "Screwed". Any Norm or Ed Wood fan would enjoy it.
Have seen this superb film twice no thanks to the poor distribution and availability on DVD.Beautifully made old style film with great plot, acting and characters. One of my favourite all time films. It is basically the story of a tragic love triangle set in Budapest during the war. The song "Gloomy Sunday" provides a constant atmospheric backdrop. Like others have commented it has a feel akin to Casablanca and if you enjoyed that classic film you should like this too.A pity that because it was made in German so few people in the UK and USA are likely to see it. Sad that whilst poor quality popcorn films with no plot or value are everywhere real quality like this is so hard to find.
This film is about a top robot scientist, who copes with his sons death by building a high tech robot to replace his son.I find "Astro Boy" very well made. It has got an engaging and exciting plot with plenty of action. There are also plenty of emotional elements to touch people's hearts. The leading character, Toby, is well portrayed. he is such a good boy with a sad background. It is easy to sympathise with his situation, making viewers connect with him and hence be engaged by the story. Visuals are great as the sets are vibrantly composed, making every scene a joy to watch. "Astro Boy" is a fun film to watch. Both kids and adults will all be entertained by it!
Michael Findlay and his wife Roberta were responsible for quite a few cult classics of sleaze in the 60s and 70s, and "The Touch Of Her Flesh" is one of the films that earned the couple their cult-status amongst lovers of sleazy Grindhouse cinema. This is a film that is recommendable to my fellow fans of cult-sleaze for a pioneering character. As probably many other Exploitation fans out there, however, I must say that my admiration of this film, and my acknowledgment of its pioneering cult character exceeds the actual fun that I had watching it. It is definitely entertaining to watch, but then again, the long scenes of women dancing seductively etc. may have been sleazy and exciting then, but they are quite dated and overlong for today's standards, especially due to the fact that these sequences are very tame compared to what was to come in the 70s. This is also what is to acknowledge about this film however as it is pioneering in its sleaze and weirdness. There is little talking, or, more precisely, dubbing, as people never look at the camera when they talk, which is quite annoying at times. I know this from a bunch of older films, but this is definitely the only film from the late 60s I've seen, that still uses this form of dubbing, which really needs getting used to. Nothing but the low budget can take the blame for that, however.After catching his catching his exotic dancer girlfriend with another man, a troubled arms dealer gets involved in an accident. Reciovering from his heavy injuries, the man has become a psychopath on the hunt for sexy women to murder...This is the first part in a trilogy of "Flesh" films. I have yet to see the sequels "The Kiss Of Her Flesh" and "The Curse Of Her Flesh", and Ia am exited to do so, as I have big respect for this little cult flick, and I highly recommend any lover of Exploitation cinema to see it. People who are not as familiar with exploitation cinema will probably find it crappy, since one has to perceive this film's pioneering character in order to acknowledge it adequately. The film has more than just a sentimental value of originality, however. Director Michael Findlay also stars in the role of psycho Richard Jennings, and the guy's craziness is very entertaining to watch. Female eye candy is also omnipresent throughout the film. It is interesting to see how beauty trends change, as "The Touch Of Her Flesh" concentrates on the display of big breasts and buxom curves. This is not a movie I'd recommend to everybody, but I strongly advise my fellow fans of sleazy Grindhouse cult not to miss it. This is pure cult cinema, and for Exploitation fans like myself it has a certain value as a pioneering classic of weird sleaze. Be warned though: it tends to bore.
This film tries to use "funky" camera angles & special effects to hide a terrible plot & rather uninteresting characters.Completely lacking in atmosphere, a must for a good horror, this was so tedious I switch off half way through. Luckily I didn't fork out good money for this drivel as it was on cable TV when i saw it.Avoid 2/10.
I've already watched this episode twice, and love it. It's great to see the creators still know how to have some fun with these characters...especially the interplay between Brass and Doc Robbins. My favorite, by far, has to be casting James Whitmore (see also The Shawshank Redemption, Them!, several episodes of The Twilight Zone, and the narration of Ken Burns' Lewis & Clark documentary, among many other credits) as the old man no-one takes seriously. I know it's not the exact line, but when, after completing the "I Shot an Arrow Into the Air" poem, Sara tells him to "Keep the Faith," I was almost hoping for her to call him Brooks - again see Shawshank.
Being a golfer and a fan of the sport for many years, I was very interested in seeing this, which I did when the VHS first came out. Later, I saw it again because of the same reason plus I usually find Glenn Ford's films entertaining.Well, the story moves well, it didn't bore me, but I did have problems with the accuracy of it and the general theme of the film, telling us that Hogan really was a nice guy who cared lot about what the public thought. From every account I have read, and from a couple of people who met him or knew him, that was not true. The fact is that he was a mean SOB and remained that way most of his life. This movie looks like it was made by his press agent. It's ridiculous and ruins what otherwise is an inspiring story.No one can deny Hogan's achievements on the links and his incredible desire to win against all odds. The fact he could come back and play after a near-fatal auto accident was amazing....but I would not watch this again because it was too subjective and just not the truth.
I had watched this movie years ago and for some reason I taped it. I watched it again recently and wondered why I taped it. I do love vampires but there are guidelines for vampires such as not walking around in daylight. These guys (and girl) do that.The main good vampire is Jonathan Hancock (I'm thinking Harker) and the villain vampire is Vladimir (I'm thinking Dracula) and they look and talk totally different. Vladimir has his Dracula accent (sort of). Anyway near the end of the movie you find out they are brothers. Brothers!! I didn't know Dracula had a brother!! Wow!! You find that out before Jonathan kills Vladimir. I do like it when Jonathan cries after having to kill his brother. That was touching.My favorite line in the whole movie is "You don't want to live forever, do you?"
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It had many hilarious, lighthearted moments that had my eyes watering from laughter. The flip side is that while it made me laugh, it was also exploring some real issues about relationships and commitment and man's difficulties doing either! I enjoyed the sexy scenes but was pleasantly surprised to find that there is a lot more to this film than the box art suggests. Add to that some great acting and a couple of amazingly beautiful, sexy, hot, talented, (did I mention sexy) ladies, and you have a sure fire winner! I watched this film with my wife, and I can honestly say that there is something in this film for men and women alike (specially when you watch it together)…enjoy!
Early on, I made the Woody Allen connection, thinking to myself, "This beautiful woman sees herself as a Woody-Allen-Nebbish-Type." Incredible! And, sex, sex, sex, everywhere there is sex, just like in real life. And also, just like in Woody Allen movies! Thought her take on seeing sex from the American (prudish) point of view and seeing it from the French (free and easy) point of view was interesting and funny. Weaving a smart plot and clever one-liners together was quite brilliant, too. (Ala Woody Allen!) I agree that Delpy did a great job on this movie and that it's something she and her family should be very proud of. She created a real work of art.
John Cena's movie debut and last i hope, Cena's acting is actually fine to be honest so what makes this movie terrible? The Score is absolutely dreadful and i'd say this is what kills the movie. Yup the background music in this film is what completely ruins this movie it is cheesy and the whole film in general feels like " Made for TV ". If anything the WWE should just leave the acting to The Rock and Steve Austin who have proved they can act. You might notice some T2 references including the ending fight scene which just seemed to look like a copy of T2'S fight scene. watch out for tons of movie errors including this:Continuity: At the gas station, after the cop's car gets shot, it shows the car having a flat tire. Triton proceeds to get in the car and take off, driving with all four tires fully filled.Its so bad its enjoyable to watch but it is a pile of crap
I am lucky where I am they air "Heres Lucy" on weekdays so I have seen many episodes. Here's Lucy isn't as good as "I Love Lucy" but it does have its laughs. I am a fan of Lucille Ball, and Gale Gordon, and I think they did a good show. The only thing which I dislike about the series is the singing and dancing acts. Also the show relies a lot on guest stars. There are episodes which will make you laugh and others which aren't as funny. It is nice seeing Lucy work with her kids though. I can't really compare this show though to "The Lucy Show" since I have only seen about thirty episodes most of being color. But overall this series is very well done. Not as good as "I Love Lucy" but its still worth watching.
I remember talking about this movie right after it played on t.v. with a "coming out" teen group that I'd been going to. I was the only one who hated it--I thought the drag scene was horrible and I was offended that the older man (and his buddies) would be portrayed as predators like they were. Creepy all around. The only thing that stood out as a positive was the scene where Bobby's teacher talks with him after school and writes "I am gay" on the board (I think it was the guy who played Tyne Daly's husband in "Cagney and Lacey") and tells him he'll be okay. This was one of the first times I'd seen a "normal", everyday guy as a homosexual. I wish they'd made the movie about him!
Through many episodes with some linking points since 1808 in Toledo (Spain) to the present days in France, Bunuel presents a delicious surrealistic satire to the moral and costumes of the hypocrite society, to the family values and to the church. I liked very much some parts, like, for example, the hypocrisy of the priests in a hotel, praying for the health of the father of a guest in a moment, and drinking and playing cards like gangsters in the next moment. The bourgeoisie family sat on toilets in the dining room and producing crap while having a conversation is fantastic, reflecting his opinion about the dominating class. The little girl that "vanished" for her parents is a great critics to the behavior of most families. The hypocrisy of the justice, reflected in the segment of the sniper. It is amazing the interpretations each segment offers to the viewer through the symbolism of Bunuel. However, this movie is recommend for very specific audiences. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "O Fantasma da Liberdade" ("The Phantom of the Liberty")
While you may think that this is a silly concept; Aliens crash land on earth, adapt to the culture, and eventually succeed and prosper, all the while averting capture and deportation by diligent and determined civil serpents of the renowned INS, only to be suddenly rescued by their own kind and returned to their home planet where Beldar is tried and convicted for losing his space ship. Alas, all is not for naught. Using his obviously over-sized brain, Beldar "successfully knarfles the Garthok", using the things he learned and the skills he picked up on earth. In this story there is a life lesson: no matter how difficult the project, how dark the hour, or how vocal one's detractors, one can overcome by putting the old noodle to work and meeting the challenge head-on, just as Beldar did.
Enjoyable French comedy with funny scenario and inspiring cast. In a way, it reminds me Danny De Vito's "The war of the roses": how a simple idea (there, a case of divorce; here, dad and mom wanting to get rid of his 28 year old son) can be handled with such a black sense of humor, mixing fun and fierce satire at the same time. Unfortunately (and without giving much away), "Tanguy" resents a little from his length and refuses to go further on his almost surreal developed premise taking a kind and conformist turn in the end. Nevertheless, it's much more than entertainment: you'll be amused and will think about its subject after leaving the cinema.
The Coneheads did not open to overly positive ratings, and it's not surprising it didn't. The plot is contrived...in fact there barely even is a plot. The whole point of the movie seems to be to make an old sketch funny and hip again, and bring together 18 years of Saturday Night Live members under one roof, and actually it succeeds at both. Beldar and Pyrmatt Conehead were funnier here than they ever were on the SNL sketches, and cast members from all the years appear including all the surviving original cast members (minus Chevy Chase).Beldar (Dan Aykroyd) and Pyrmatt (Jane Curtain) are coneheaded aliens accidentally stranded on Earth. This movie goes through their everyday lives, the birth of their daughter, Connie (Not played by Larraine Newman this time), and their trying to avoid being deported by the INS. Though this film is plot less, that's not actually a bad thing. Because of it's plot less-ness, every ex-SNL member that could be found seemed to have a role in this playing random characters. The jokes are coming at a rapid pace, so even if some don't work, a minute later another one will come to make up for it. Aykroyd and Curtain were actually great together and had quite a bit of chemistry.This is a fun movie, and for any Saturday Night Live fan, this will be great. For anyone else, this may be a mixed bag.My rating: *** out of ****. 88 mins. PG for language, nudity and sexual humor.
The answer to that question can be found in this movie with a resounding YES. Being a fan of X-Men comics and cartoons, I watched this movie with great skepticism. It was wonderful how the characters remained true to the comics.The special powers that our mutant heros and villains possess are displayed exceptionally. It made me wish that I could have a special power of my own.Enough can not be said of the phenomenal cast of actors that were selected for their roles. Not only did they fit their parts perfectly, but they made you believe. Bravo to Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen and a host of actors who were lucky enough to take part in this adventure.Bryan Singer does a fantastic job of bringing it all together. The special effects in this movie, only enhance the great script and acting. After seeing the DVD with the outtakes, the editing was quite effective.The true battle of good versus evil can always make for a great story but when a comic book is adapted to film and you feel that what you see is really possible, it is a true stroke of genius.
This movie is not only a waste money, it took away 60 minutes of what I could have used as extra sleep. I was at my girl's house and popped this in at 10 p.m., knowing that I had work the next day, I waited for the movie to pick up, while trying to hold myself from busting up from the ridiculous acting, poor script, and CGI that was probably generated by the Director's 6th grader son, hoping that in the next few minutes the movie would offer something interesting. But after seeing the Ahmad guy tell his boss that he's finish doing deeds for him and then minutes later he tries to save his life, I just couldn't sit there anymore, I turned the damn thing off before my exhaustion drive me to aggravation and might just break the damn DVD which I didn't want to end up paying for. Avoid this movie at all cost, if you ever did something for 84 minutes that you wished you'll never do again, you should consider that instead of watching this garbage.
I turned on the TV expecting to see a silly little MTV comedy, kind of like an extended SNL sketch...I didn't plan on watching the whole thing, and I didn't expect it to be more than mildly entertaining. I was shocked to find that the producers had actually made a really taut, interesting, claustrophobic thriller...much more interesting than most of what you see in the theatres. The initial 20 minutes introduce us to the seven members of "the Vancouver cast"...It's a dead-on imitation of the real show. Very believable, could have been funnier. After this initial set-up, the kids are soon kidnapped and held hostage by a rich, crazed lunatic (rejected for the show each and every year) who wants to have a Real World of his own. Cheezy premise, yes!! But what they did with it was really clever! He begins by killing the most boring housemate "There's only supposed to be SEVEN strangers...And you have no personality!!" and forcing the others to go through the usual Real World paces (confessionals, hot tubs, Truth or Dare. I was riveting to the screen, (except in the boring segments in between which feature former Real World alumni in a silly, annoying subplot). Add in a healthy dose of sex, nudity (blurred out for TV), homoeroticism and violence and you have a cool escapist thriller...Again, not at all what you would expect from a REAL WORLD movie... The Blair-Witch-esque chase at the end is cool, the camerawork excellent, and the acting and the writing is not HALF as bad as what other commenters are saying it is....They did a decent job. Very surprised to see the negative reviews. American viewers do not often seem to like genre-bending movies. I've heard complaints that the movie couldn't figure out whether or not it was a comedy, or a horror movie or a thriller or soap opera....Well, it was all of them! (although primarily a thriller). Ending is a TINY BIT of a copout, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. Very good work, MTV. Very impressed.
What another guilty pleasure this is! And a truly incredible one! COMBAT SHOCK is not what you'd expect from Troma, but it doesn't matter anyway. This is a strong and powerful account of Frankie, a former American P.O.W. in Saigon facing a harsh dilemma of society and family matters back home following the war. It's all based on true experiences with very disturbing levels of detail, and does become nerve-shattering. There possibly has never been a film that could deliver a high amount of intensifying power like this before, even outweighing its minimal plot and graphic violence. While some will find the infant looking like a stupid clone of E.T., others will worry about its povertic and dying state, but the character becomes a victim in its notorious shocking ending. This was the first "Tromatized" movie I've seen, and it sure ain't like the rest of 'em! A rock solid independent outing from Buddy G, whose brother plays the leading role as Frankie. Low budget, but delivers powerful meaning. Asks the all-important question of the hour: "Where will you be tomorrow?". Highly recommended!
This movie gets a very much undeserved amount of flack for being a lessor work of Hitchcock. I can see why it might not appeal to some people, being character driven rather than having children being chased by rampant birds or someone being attacked by a serial killer in an old lady's wig. The performances here are all excellent especially Jane Wyman and Marlene Dietrich as Charlotte Inwood, perhaps the laziest girl in town but also the most flamboyant. The secondary characters are also in fine form and make memorable impressions that adds to the enjoyment factor of this film. I don't know why some people feel tricked after watching the movie, seeing and believing are two different things, especially in an Alfred Hitchcock movie!
I would have liked to have given this film a 9.99, since there were two scenes which I felt were just a bit too long. Since it is closer to a perfect ten than a perfect 9, however, I had to give it a 10."Far Side of The Moon" is an absolute gem of a film. Robert Lepage is another one of those depressingly competent people who writes, directs and stars in his own films. It is so enchanting that its length (under an hour and three quarters) seems even shorter than it is."Far Side..." is chock full of the most carefully constructed sequences I have ever seen in the cinema. There is literally not one frame that has not been carefully nurtured and coaxed into place--like a piece of a brightly colored mosaic--to create what must be one of the most seamlessly engineered set of images in film history.There are no "stock" shots in this film. Not one shot is ever simply thrown in to get on with the plot. Each scene segues beautifully into the next, each is composed with the utmost care. This is what film making should be. While the movie relies servilely on (often complex)special effects for the realization of its vision, these techniques are not there just for the "wow" factor; rather they are all in the service of a unified directorial vision, full of resonant symbols and painterly motifs that seem always to reach toward each other as if in a dance.You would think that this obsessive attention to setting and color and detail would make the movie stiff and formal. But it does not. First of all, Lepage (and his character Philippe) are full of such self-deprecating irony that there are almost as many laughs as there are sighs of wonder in the movie. But moreover, the film is a supremely dramatic and melancholic tale, . Lepage has created in his character Philippe probably the greatest sad sack since Nabokov's Pnin. You can't help but feel for the poor helpless loser, tricked by his hyperactive and poetic imagination into a failed marriage, a failed university degree, and a failed relation with the only two family members he has.Funny, tragic, witty, and visually splendid. Why don't more moves like this get made?Numer of car chases: 0 Number of gun shots: 0 Number of psychopathic killers: 0 Number of action heroes: 0
I hadn't seen "The Six Million Dollar Man" for 30 years, and it was fun to watch this episode for awhile, hear the sound effects of Lee Majors doing his bionic stunts, etc., and letting my children have a good laugh at what passed for entertainment in my own teen years.However, this initial fun turned quickly to boredom once the inane plot began to develop about 15-20 minutes into the first hour of this two-parter. We sat through it, hoping it would get better, but nothing doing.How the IMDb fans rated this a 7.0 out of 10 is beyond comprehension to me, but obviously not everyone enjoys the same kinds of entertainment.I was pretty fascinated with the TV series back in the day, but watching this revealed to me just how cheesy it all was -- not just the wooden dialogue and acting, but the sets and script-writing as well.
I have seen many versions of Jane Eyre, and this version is at the top of my list. When I get the urge for some terrific acting and a bit of romance, I pop in the videotape and sit back to enjoy. Michael Jayston gives an incredible performance as Mr. Rochester, just amazing. Sorcha Cusack and the rest of the cast turn in equally good performances, but I felt that Jayston was the best Rochester I have ever seen! It is a lengthly production, but the length is needed to tell the story--other productions, 2 hour movies, have not been able to do nearly as good a job. But again, Michael Jayston's masterful performance is the best part of this already first-rate production!
This Idea has spawned many ideas. And it was Big Brother that started the Reality TV show craze that has taken over the UK. With "i'm a celebrity" and "X Factor" taking over the TV there is always some reality shows on. With "Friends" over and with the population turning away from the Soaps of Old. People are turning to the most AWFUL piece of Rubbish there ever has been. Who in the World would find watching someone throw up funny. Who would want to watch someone living there lives on CCTV. Watch people moan and cry in the diary room. The Series has gone Downhill since the Big-Brother the Experiment, when the Housemates slept with each other. Now they try to make the housemates sleep together by offering them money. The get the weirdest of the weird to come on the show. They don't have NORAML people anymore. This show is just saying how much Nosey the world is becoming why people who watch peoples lives are just admitting they have no life.
"The Visitor" was headed for greatness. It's unfortunate that it was only allowed to grace our television screens for 13 episodes. With such a high profile production team, established writers in the genre and an excellent cast, the show couldn't fail. All of the characters were quite likable, the plot believable (in an unbelievable kind of way), and the production value ranked right up there with any great sci-fi motion picture.The show unfolded with a mature spin on today's attitudes and mindsets. The long story arc approach was brilliant; it got better and better after each episode. It was this exemplary writing style that brought viewers back each week, not the typical "part 1", "part 2" gimmick of using a hair-raising scene at the end of an episode that some novice writers often employ.The actors were equally brilliant and entertaining as well. Their focus and enthusiasm toward the show and its message pervaded their performance so much that the viewer could relate and connect with their characters as if they were real people. I guess that's what it's all about, isn't it?Anyway, it would be nice to see more episodes produced someday. The fans all remain hopeful.
Luis Bunuel's "Le Phantôme de la liberté" is a movie whose episodes are only loosely connected, because the watcher is a part of the society whose liberty and freedom is a phantom. Moreover, it is man who watches this movie that also creates the story – not on the screen, of course, but in her or his mind. This is a movie that does never go out of your mind.The clue scene is in the episode where Margaret Mead's books are mentioned. And in fact, since this movie deals with liberty and with persons of very different cultural, religious and aesthetic backgrounds, it is a sociological movie. It was Mead who gave the direction to the late cybernetician Heinz von Foerster's (1911-2002) work: Second-order cybernetics. It is called "second order" because this theory has an environment in which subject and object have a space of liberty. Only in such an environment-based logic it is possible to reflect to oneself. And this is exactly what happened in Bunel's core-scene: The teacher speaks to his students that laws have exceptions because they are depending on man, and man is depending on evolution. Therefore, there can be no laws at all, because they also stay and fall with evolution. And if they are no laws at all, then they are no causal relations. And if there are no causal relations, then form and function vanish, exactly like in Bunuel's movie. But the most important point is that this conclusion is reflected in the movie itself. The teacher who makes this self-reflection moreover has much in common with Bunuel, so for example, when he criticizes the standard level of human life in Spain – as Bunuel did in an interview.Another interesting point is that the physician's name is Dr. Pasolini. Bunuel's movie was released in 1974, thus just at the time when Pier Paolo Pasolini started to film his last work "Salo", in which (amongst many other marvelous events) there is the famous or infamous scene where people are forced to eat faeces. But faeces play an important role in Bunuel's "Phantom of Liberty" (so the English title of this movie), too: The teacher explains his friends how many kilograms of faeces a human produces daily, and since there are so and so many billions of people on this world, this makes so and so many tons of faeces per year. Then, the teacher has lunch in the restroom (one of the most famous scenes of this movie). And finally, in his regular bar, the teacher explains the girl who resembles to his sister that this sister died because her intestines exploded. This three-times occurrence of faeces, the mentioning of Pasolini and the insight that form and function must abolish only because of human evolution leads the critical watcher to a conclusion about the sociology of human life that is not too far away form that of Pasolini: All mankind is able to produce is faeces.Although Bunuel made one more movie ("Cet obscur object du désir", in 1977), he considered the "Pantom of Libery" his testament. Pasolini's testament was the "Salo". Bunuel still lived nine more years after his "Phantom", Pasolini was killed shortly after the postproduction of "Salo". Pasolini was radical and consistent, Bunuel still had kept his sense of humor (the "Phantom" ranges under "comedy", at least officially). Perhaps in the end, it was the humor that let Bunuel alive, while its absence killed Pasolini. Or was Bunuel's humor gallows humor? He drank himself to death.
This short silent comedy starring Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle with Buster Keaton and Al St. John in support is a mixed bag as a spoof of westerns. In begins on a train where Arbuckle ingeniously steals some food from three men one of whom was Buster's father, Joseph. After being thrown off and getting chased by Indians (or in today's parlance, Native Americans), Roscoe stumbles into the town saloon where he foils robber St. John's holdup and takes his guns. This is when he and Buster meet and become teaming acquaintances. There are many very funny gags up to this point to where they tickle St. John victoriously but then there's a racist gag involving one Ernie Morrison Sr. (the father of original "Our Gang"s Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison who would also occasionally appear in Harold Lloyd shorts) that threatens to put things to a halt. Fortunately, there's still some decent laughs after that. Oh, and there's a woman involved as well. So on that note, I'd recommend Out West. P.S. The version I watched was on the Image Entertainment "The Best Arbuckle-Keaton Collection" DVD.
Join Guybrush Threepwood in a wonderful tale of fantasy, adventure, and mystery; the tale of "The Secret of Monkey Island".The humor in this game is simply awesome. It's a particular sense of humor that makes Guybrush one of the most symphatetic heroes ever. The story is always interesting and you can't say that it isn't entertaining. I really enjoy this game. I play it every year as a tradition and I don't regret spending my time on it.The ending always makes me feel nostalgic also. This is one of the games that will always stay with you. It makes you feel things that only a few games can.Now, this is probably one of the best games ever produced. It should rank in the top 10 of all time along with "Mario 64" , "Zelda", "Sonic", "Mortal Kombat", etc.
This episode of 'The Twilight Zone' had an opener I hadn't seen before, or if I did, I don't remember it. It has a closeup of an eyeball that dissolves into what ostensibly would be another world or dimension in the Twilight Zone. The series would eventually make forays into every conceivable genre, and this time it was the Western. I was particularly impressed by Rod Serling's voice over narration at the beginning of the story, a hallmark that lent gravitas to the tale that was about to unfold.I've seen many TV Western episodes on the subject of the 'fastest gun in the West', and the topic makes for a fascinating psychological look at gunslingers and what makes them tick. Among my favorites, I would recommend 'Yawkey' from the "Lawman" series, along with one of my favorite movie Westerns, 1950's "The Gunfighter" starring Gregory Peck. Each of those, including "Mr. Denton on Doomsday", explore the various ways that men of reputation seek to live with their notoriety in the face of constant challenge. For Denton (Al Duryea), it was refuge in a bottle over the senseless but obligatory slaying of a sixteen year old upstart who would claim the title of fastest gun. For his protagonist to regain a measure of self respect, Serling introduces a secondary player who holds out the promise of redemption, a peddler who traffics in, and goes by the name of Fate.The twist for this TZ episode isn't so much in the outcome as it is in the execution. Both Denton and and Grant (Doug McClure) waver when they realize that neither of them can win, OR lose. It's the kind of classic TZ ending that forces the viewer to re-examine one's preconceived notions of clear cut outcomes where we're rooting for the sympathetic character. In this case, it wouldn't be Denton, even if we wanted him to emerge the hero of the story. Fate steps in to help one man out of a pit, and keep another man from falling into one. What one might consider a draw, Serling brilliantly recasts as a win for both challenger and the challenged.*** Quick trivia note on a goof spotted - Right after Denton drinks from the broken liquor bottle at the beginning of the story, he's shown with a large scratch on the right side of his face. In the next scene with Liz, the scratch is gone.
The movie to me was basically teaching the viewer about the cultural distractions that the Wolof people in Senegal are beginning to be more influenced by other then there own. In the movie we see that the youth in the village of Popenguine dress in a European style of clothing while there parents stay true to there culture and dress in the traditional clothing. The youth also are very interested in music but not of there culture, but rather music from the United States and Europe.The director, Moussa Sene Absa's did a below average job directing, since there are scenes that are shot in the day then suddenly are in the night time. The actors were not impressive either, but one interesting note is that they were non-actors cast for there roles. This really does the movie some justice and gives you a very raw and authentic feel.
This was better than I had expected. Maybe not quite up there with Public Enemy and the original Scarface, but not that far behind.The acting is pretty good for an early talkie. Cagney is great as usual as the head gangster's top henchman. Lew Ayres acts well as the head guy, "the Napoleon of crime", although he's perhaps a little too cleancut looking for the role.The story is good, and rather dark. Mobster Louie Ricarno, after uniting all the gangs in Chicago under one organization, tries to quit crime. But things fall apart in his absence, and he's forced to return for purposes of revenge. The ending is nicely grim and while there might be enough of a "crime doesn't pay" moral to keep the censors happy it doesn't rub it in your face. There's some good gangster violence along the way.- a number of well-done hits, and an over- the-top scene that resembles a full-scale battle.Two other things struck me as memorable: The adulterous relationship between Cagney and his boss' wife. At one point, she takes off her wedding ring, and then they "go somewhere".The police captain, O'Grady, is a rather ruthless character. He blackmails Cagney into a false confession for a crime he didn't commit, by threatening to tell Ayres about his affair with Ayres's wife! Later, he lets Ayres's rivals bump him off, rather than prosecute him and risk an acquittal. It also is implied that O'Grady's rejection of bribes is more the exception than the rule among police officials.It pays to watch this movie closely, as there is a lot that is implied and innuendoed.
This movie is so great, Bigas shows you how this common woman falls in love with this kind of masochism. Love it...don't want to spoil it for you guys, but is a movie of love and eroticism, if you like Bigas you would like this. The photography is beautiful, and the acting of the Bambolina more. For me the scenery was very real, anyone can find themselves falling for the masochism. I also love the brother, sister relationship, and when she finally meets her love. Bigas makes the unerotic, erotic, you find yourself deep into the movie wanting to experience what the Bambolina is experimenting with, this movie just seduce you
Island of the Burning Doomed (as the version I have is titled) is a good example of late sixties science fiction, and one of the last good ones to come out of Britain.The movie is formulaic for those familiar with the genre: Deaths of unknown origin occurring all over a remote island...You'll find the same thing happening in Island of Terror, and a number of other films from the same era.The story is fairly fast-paced and most of the characters actually have personalities and interact with little of the stoicism and blandness that is often found in science fiction movies. The stars, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, partners in so many Hammer films, are somewhat relegated to secondary, but nonetheless enjoyable roles (especially Cushing).I really enjoyed the movie...the menace is novel enough and kept mysterious enough throughout the majority of the film to keep you guessing, and the performances by the headlining cast are excellent.
I seen the pilot back in 1988 when the World Series finished before the seven games. It was O.K., movies was better and it was not as good as the book series, but I always wanted a movies made so I was glad when it came out. Was excited about a series and another one never came. :( This would still work today if they would try it again. with the actor of today and the fact there are over 130 paperbacks in the series it could run along time if they would just try it. As far as this episode and the movie, neither Chuin's were as descibed in the series, this was very disappointing. The Remo character did not fit the picture you get from reading either.
SPOILERS THROUGHOUT: I knew I'd love Hysterical Blindness and recently had a chance to see it. I liked it even more then expected. A brilliant movie and a job well done from the whole cast.Pretty much everyone knows the plot but....I will say watching this movie, I was struck with how much was gotten so right. I love character studies and love independent films because their often not afraid to take chances as are many, more mainstream movies. They are often more accurate As well.Everyone in this movie exists-somewhere in this world. Movies that capture the humanness of everyday people and environments, deserve kudos because it is not often when that happens. Hysterical Blindness could function as a very long advertisement to someone about the negatives of the bar scene and the movie is almost emotionally brutal in the way it picks up the quiet weariness some of these people feel. The writing is just superb and I really wish This had been a big screen release and am sure a few Oscars would have been picked up along the way.All the performers were outstanding. Uma Thurman was BETTER then in the kill bill movies (yes, it's true) and Gena Rowlands and Juliette Lewis were outstanding. Oh how I adored the gentle dreamer Nick! (played brilliantly by Ben Gazzara). Thurman's playing down of her looks still did not disguise the fact that she is a beautiful woman but that did not, for me, lessen the believability one bit. As many know, the fact that one is extremely Goodlooking does not mean they cannot experience emotional pain in relationships. I found not one false note in this movie and I found Hysterical Blindness to be just incredible.This is probably one of the most honest movies about suburban single life I've ever seen and it actually makes the movie "Singles" look like a light Rom com. I'm always struck by movies that are like a little( or big) slice of life. In that regard, Hysterical Blindness is at the top of the heap. my rating is 9 of 10.
This is the basic western of man meets girl, looses girl.The cast is second to none. Mini Series on TV Sam Elliott plays Hugh Cardiff an ex-Buffalo hunter. With his shooting skills he starts the following the shooting competitions.At the shooting competitions he meets Ben Johnson and Timothy Scott, the 3 become good friends.The threesome get into trouble and help each other out. For a historical flare, the threesome even meet Wild Bill Hickok and go into business together. While long for a movie, if you like to just sit down and watch one for a couple/three nights this one is a great one.
You won't see many movies teaming with this much humanity, much less one that spends most of its time in the housing projects of East New York, Brooklyn. Filmmaker Rich Devaney isn't condescending or sentimental but even the most minor characters in his film are fleshed into real human beings. That's Devaney's first achievement in this movie. The second is that he tells the story of a conflicted criminal trafficking in some mean streets and he does it without ripping off Scorsese for one second. Devaney gets great performances from his cast, he tells a powerful story without showing off the superb technique he clearly has and he gives you memorable images without a huge art department framing them and lighting them and stuffing them into your skull. Brooklyn Bound is evidence of that rarest quality in a filmmaker- talent to spare, minus the ego. And the movie shines brighter for it.
It's a funny thing about watching silent movies in the 21st Century, even silent movies that have been well restored. Especially in the case of fantasy films like "The Thief of Baghdad" and others like it that require special effects, it is not just that the special effects look archaic compared to the CGI effects of today. There are a lot of things modern day audiences have to get used to, such as the fact that spoken dialogue doesn't appear in subtitles unless it absolutely has to. If two people are arguing and no words appear on the screen, you really have to make your best guess as to what they could be saying.There's also the case of timing. "The Thief of Baghdad" runs 2 hours and 19 minutes, and it's safe to say that if the film had sound (dialogue too), the running time would probably be cut down by at least 20 minutes. There are also the other hang-ups of silent movies, such as the movement of the characters being too quick, and how some of the actors and actresses look very strange and out of the ordinary. The lack of color added to the overall darkness of the film due to lack of lighting also is a deterrent to watching these very, very old films that were made when my grandparents were infants (literally).If you are not a fan of old movies, you really have to keep those things in mind when watching "The Thief of Baghdad" for the first time. The fact is that this film's audience was probably people who didn't go to the movies often, and were still amazed by the novelty of moving pictures.Keeping in mind all I said about why few silent films have not exactly stood the test of time, is "The Thief of Baghdad" a good movie? For many reasons, yes, and it should be watched by people who are fans of action and fantasy movies, because this really paved the way for what CGI and other special effects sciences only made better in the years to come.The movie tells a good story, although one that sputters and stalls a few times in the first 30 minutes. Douglas Fairbanks, the epitome of the ultra masculine hero, plays the thief here who goes by no other name. You see him steal to make a living in many clever ways. In fact, the first five minutes of the film are incredibly entertaining the way he manages to pickpocket wealthy patrons, and effortlessly fling his way up to a balcony with just a long rope and a donkey.The story really begins, though, when the thief disguises himself as a prince, and attempts to woo the princess. He does successfully, though he is filled with guilt about deceiving her. Long story short, he is put on a quest to obtain a rare gift for the princess, in competition with three other princes with whom the princess wants nothing to do with. Whereas the three actual princes rely on their servants to get them their gifts, the thief goes alone on a long journey. He has help along the way as to where to go, but he really does the grunt work himself.Of course, the filmmakers did nothing to make Fairbanks look Arabian or Iraqi, but that's just one of the ways you really have to suspend disbelief in this film. Fortunately, "The Thief of Baghdad" didn't make the same mistake that "Birth of a Nation" did in portraying racist stereotypes (whether or not that was a mistake really depends on the viewer). Instead of making white men and women into embarrassing stereotypes, this film used actual actors of Asian, African, and (I'm guessing) middle Eastern descent. They probably had the artistic liberty to make such politically incorrect assertions about those in the Middle East, but they thankfully avoided it in this film.Being a moviegoer who you could say has been spoiled by CGI special effects, I actually found myself wondering how some of the special effects in this movie were pulled off. There are scenes where a boy mysteriously reappears on a rope that is hanging in mid air, a giant scorpion attacks the thief as he searches for the lost treasure, and a magic carpet flies over the city of Baghdad. I was amazed to find myself saying, "Given what the filmmakers had to work with, how did they do that? How did they edit the film so that that particular effect worked?" If you have that sort of wonderment out of a moviegoer who just went to see "Avatar", you've got a good movie.The movie was also probably shot on a studio lot, but the set design is so detailed with its tall buildings and plants carefully placed in the makeshift Baghdad that there are few indications of such a location. The movie was probably a big hit at its time because so much artistic effort was put into bringing this Arabian Knights tale to life. These scenes within Baghdad made me wish more that the film was in color, but I would not settle for colorization. That process would have ruined the film.So "The Thief of Baghdad" is a bit slow at times, and some scenes require the point of view of someone who has never heard of television. Still, the movie told a good story, the special effects were awe-inspiring considering its time period, and the message of the film is something to take away: "Happiness Must Be Earned". These words are written in the sky as an old man is sitting in the Arabian desert presumably telling a young boy this story. This scene, identical in the beginning and end of the movie, go against the traditional rule of "Show, don't tell", but the scene is still a very artistic and beautiful way to bookmark such a film.
The awful screenplay of "7 Seconds", which looks like a Steven Seagal movie, is so absurd and full of clichés, and has many huge holes, beginning with the selection of Wesley Snipes for the lead role. I have never been in Romania, but I believe that there are not much Afro-Americans living and circulating in Bucharest. Therefore, it would not be difficult to find Jack Tuliver in the middle of the locals. Another interesting point is the attraction of beautiful white women for his character, probably with the intention to show that Romanian and British women are not racist. In the bus station, he fights with two guys and there is no policeman in the area. There are lots of characters coming and going without any previous development or later appearance. The stupid character of the dyed Kelly Anders is ridiculous, as well as most of the dialogs along the story. The predictable plot point is very weak. Last but not the least, when an action movie does not have much story to show, usually there are lots of cars chase in the script, for the pride and joy of the stunts (there are exceptions, of course, like "Ronin", "The Blues Brothers", "The Transporter " and others). My vote is four.Title (Brazil): "7 Segundos" ("7 Seconds")
Regardless of the politically-correct finish to this film and the predictable prison stereotypes, this was a fun film to watch simply because it entertained. It was a good diversion, filled with total nonsense mayhem and testosterone-gone-wild. In other words, this was a typical Jason Statham film. No matter how many of these ultra-macho men he plays, he gets away with it with charm and likability.In this story, Statham as "Jensen Ames" is like David battling Goliath but with no slingshot and Goliath having a flame thrower and AK-47, too. Yet, you just know "David" will a find to defy all odds! Here are some movie clichés of today. See if they sound familiar.Not only has our hero suffer with his beautiful and loving wife murdered, but he's framed for the kill. Sent a brutal prison, he finds the female warden is responsible, and the killer of his wife also is in the jail. Too add salt to the wounds, that guy taunts "Jensen." Filmmakers haven't made a nice-guy warden since the 1950. Here, the sadistic boss is a woman: "Hennessey," played by Joan Allen, who I thought had some class before I saw this film. Spewing the f-word, "coc-sucker" and a few other choice words, sort of ruined that image I had of her.Anyway, the mean old warden got our hero in prison there so he can be the new "Frankenstein" race driver. The races at her prison, it turns out, are filmed live and are big internet moneymakers for her. "Frankenstein" is the favorite driver of the computer-audience but he's too injured to go on, so "Hennessey" recruits Mr. Ames, whom she knows is a great driver.Mostly there are nothing but bad folks in here and a lot of ultra-violent scenes, one-after-the-other. You also have other cliché prison characters, the kind you see in all prison films since "The Longest Yard." Beware of jiggling hand-held camera scenes, if that kind of thing gives you a headache.Having said all that, I admit the film is interesting start-to-finish, the racing scenes terrific, the film effectively manipulative, and overall qualifies as a decent means of entertainment. Statham is the new Steve Seagal, Jean-Claude VanDamme, etc - but that's okay; some of their movies were fun to watch, too.
This film was absolute dross. The subject matter was not entirely irrelevant - I am sure that there are people out there like these people and I don't believe that cinema has to be representative of its country of origin. That said, dialogue was stodgy and stilted and it was full of unlikeable characters (save for the stuttering Michael Dorman, who was the only actor worth watching). Khan Crittenen, who was superb in Clubland, was as dull as dishwater (though I concede that it was more the script at fault than his actual performance). As far as entertainment .... well it's not at all.By all means go see it, if you want to waste your money. Better to wait till its DVD launch - it will lose nothing on the small screen, though it would be better to lose the show entirely.
This may have been the worse movie I've seen. I watched this movie on HBO today thinking that it was going to be an action movie. However, after watching it I'm not sure if it was meant to be an action-comedy like Rush Hour(which I truly think they weren't going for). Everything from the beginning to the end seemed forced in my opinion, including the horrible attempts for a laugh. The whole "rock candy" angle was odd, and didn't make much since and could have been left out. Or when the main villain was trying to get his cable upgraded with a sports package while trying to hide from the cops was just unnecessary. Every movie needs comedy, but these are all childish attempts that just didn't go with the flow of the movie.The "Bad Guys" also are incredibly dumb, reminding me a lot of Marv and Harry from Home Alone. They ended up blowing up everything they left, killing people who they really didn't need to, kidnapping Cenas wife for really no reason, and just doing things real/intelligent criminals wouldn't.If you want to see what I and many others agree to being a horrible film, or are a child 10 years or younger, than I suggest you pick this one up. However, if your looking for a good action flick, you clearly need to skip this one.
Like the title, everything in "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" is swiped or cribbed from another, greater source.In this monstrosity, Paul Schneider, plays the main character Owen, a weedy author of pot boiler murderer biographies who aspires to become a legitimate, serious author. Far from being a sympathetic schlep who we can sympathize with for falling short of his dreams, Owen comes off as a petty, whiny, vindictive loser who does more to sabotage his own efforts than the supposedly cynical, money-is-everything city that surrounds him.Given an opportunity to enter the world of legitimate literature by writing the biography of a scientist, Owen for some reason feels the need to leave the city in the rudest way possible. Ostensibly, this is so he will never be tempted to come back but it comes off as a contrived way to allow our hero to scandalize, verbally brutalize, and otherwise act in a horribly anti-social way to everyone that he has been associating with over the past few years. But then, just as he has burned every single bridge imaginable, he meets and falls madly in love with the girl of his dreams. Oh, the humanity...Aside from some highly derivative dialog (you'll notice some Albert Brooks-esquire lines and deliveries in there) there is a scene involving lime Jell-O that will have you screaming, "That's EXACTLY like the lobster scene in "Annie Hall!" None of Owen's pranks, and the situations that arise from them, are particularly original, clever, or compelling and so when you come to the highly predictable end you are almost relieved. That is, ALMOST. A likelier scenario is that you will be left feeling gypped of your time and money, with your intelligence thoroughly insulted.
This 1937 screwball comedy is perhaps the only Technicolour film of it's genre, and what a fun, exuberant ride it is! Reliable 30's leading man Fredric March stars as Walter Cook, a reporter at the New York newspaper 'The Morning Star' who will do anything for a good story. After a botched attempt to pass off a African-American commoner as the Sultan Of Brunei, Wally, desperate to redeem himself, travels to Vermont to cover the last remaining weeks of Hazel Flagg's (the wonderful Carole Lombard) radium-poisoning-interrupted life. The trouble is, Hazel's not really sick at all- she was initially misdiagnosed by her bumbling Vermont doctor. Still, Hazel jumps at Cook's offer for her to take a last-gasp trip to the Big City. She's a big hit with the City as the new 'bleeding heart' story. As the pair inevitably fall in love, Hazel's conscience starts to get the better of her and things start to unravel very fast.Lombard and March! What can I say...they are terrific together! Carole's bright and gorgeous, this is one of her best performances. She's slightly too glamorous to be a small-town Vermont gal, but she's very believable in the role otherwise. As one of the best comic actresses ever to grace the screen, she lights up and gives wit to every scene. March is likable, attractive and does comedy very well. The pair share numerous classic moments together, particularly in the mock 'fight' scene. They, IMO, rank up there with Hepburn-Grant and Gable-Colbert as one of the great screwball pairings.The colourful supporting players are a lark, too. Watch for the lady better known as The Wicked Witch Of The West, Margaret Hamilton, early in the film as one of the many seemingly 'backward' residents of Vermont. Yep, anyone? Walter Connolly is priceless as the stressed newspaper boss Oliver Stone. Applause must go to Billy Barty, as the young Vermont boy who bites March on the calf, for providing possibly the most spontaneous and funny moment in the entire film.Aside from the fun and games, this is a wonderful satire on both the values of modern society and the corruption of truth by the media. From the opening shots of busy New York night-life (watch for the very prominent Coca-Cola sign) and Big-city skyscrapers obviously inspired by King Vidor's silent 'The Crowd', we know that we are getting a screwball comedy with a message. Aside from certain racist and sexist elements that the modern viewer may find slightly off putting, this film holds up very well.The only problem with this film is the rather slow opening sequence. The laughs only really flow fast and freely when we arrive at Vermont and Lombard makes her entrance, 15 minutes into the film. The colour is slightly dodgy (or is it just my copy?), which is understandable as it is one of the early colour films.Another one of those 30's comedies that didn't have to rely on toilet humour or sex jokes in order to be entertaining.My rating: 8/10
Why does no one EVER talk about this movie? I'm not even that into mob movies but I feel like without a doubt this is one of the best mob films ever made. The more you watch you see all the bits you missed the first time. And what a cast! Gary Oldman, Sean Penn, Robin Wright, John C. Reilly, Nick Turturro, and of course Ed Harris. I think Oldman actually deserved an Oscar nod for this. He was outstanding in his role as Jackie. What other movie besides DAHMER would you find a guy who keeps body parts in his freezer who actually like! This movie was way underrated in the box office and on rental. . i can watch this movie over and over. Every scene is so intense and well played by the actors.
The Stroll is a new Russian adventure in the world of film-making- the adventure that recalls Battleship Potemkin, The Russian Ark and other magical and/or unrepeatable Russian films.The Stroll has simple plot though it is interesting and the details that frill it are very deep. It is not a typical road movie although 80 per cent of it was shot on streets; the real streets of contemporary St Petersburg. The story takes place in few hours of one day of Olga and her 2 fellows and we get the feeling that the whole film was shot in one day. It is for sure was shot in short time—which I reckon was main part of the entire experimental nature of the film. However, it was obvious that preparing to shoot the film and practicing shooting and acting took very long time before (real) production has started. The crazy use of mobile camera that followed those 3 guys crossing crowded and dangerous streets made me think how lucky was the cameraperson that he/she did not get killed in a car accident. Did he/she? Hope not.The film style is new. There is that unusual mix of applying new play-acting method to cinema. It is a result of Peter Fomenko's stage-acting method and workshops. Adapting stage-acting styles into films resulted historically in handful of amazing films including Marcel Carne's Children of Paradise and John Cassavetes' Opening Night. From this perspective The Stroll is amazing film.
One of the major problems with being a film fan, or a British film fan for that matter, is the deep sense of embarrassment whenever a new British film is released, because it's almost always bad. But alas, this is not the case with Michael Winterbottom's fascinating Wonderland. Here Winterbottom has gone back to the roots of the Ken Loach, Mike Leigh genre of kitchen-sink drama, crossing it with the narrative feel of Robert Altman, and the free-from style of Lars von Trier, creating in the process a new and deeply affecting tale of three south London sister over the course of one weekend (three days). The great thing about this is, briefly, for the course of the film anyway, British cinema has it's own identity. The BIG brit films of the last few years have all been tired American knock-offs, from Guy Ritchie's pathetic lock-stock and Snatch, to the empty romanticised views depicted in films like Four Wedding and Notting Hill. Wonderland gives an authentic view of London, without the glamour but with much more pathos, and fully developed characters. The ensemble cast of rising character actors are perfectly put together, they may not be familiar to some audiences even in the UK, but the work of the three female leads, McKee, Parker and Henderson are given fine support from the men, Ian Hart, John Simm and David Fahm. The cinema-verite style gives the film a strong realism, making some the more depressing scenes almost un-watchable, but Winterbottom and writer Laurence Coriat should be commended for trying something different within the confines of the ever-predictable British Film Industry (™). It sadness me that this film is so underrated, whilst average films like Billy Elliot gather a barrage of Oscar and Bafta nominations, I don't remember Wonderland getting a mention. This is by far the best British film I've seen in a long time, not a perfect film by any means, one flaw would be that some of the characters are pushed to the background, never getting a chance to fully shine, but a film this good is a rare thing. See it now you won't regret it. 9/10
I just want to say that i will be the first person to step up and defend Kevin Costner. With movies like The Untouchables, Dances With Wolves, and Field of Dreams, this guy has proven himself several times over. Just because someone in Hollywood has the guts to do movies that HE wants to do, regardless of their potential at the box office, we shouldn't slanderize this guy every chance we get. People say Costner has taken a big turn for the worse lately, but i liked Waterworld and most recently, Thirteen Days. I would also like to say that i dont' see any of you people who criticize this guy so much makin movies. With that said i would also like to say that i love Tombstone, and bought it right after i saw it the first time. With two movies coming out about the same true story back to back, and with the first release (Tombstone) being such a big success, comparisons are inevitable. But these movies aren't really based on the exact same events. Tombstone is about, just that, Tombstone and what the Earps did there and immediatly after. Wyatt Earp isn't about the Earps, it's about WYATT EARP, hence the tittle. Aside from that, the movies are totaly different. First of all Tombstone, good as it was, is almost a work of fiction. I loved Kurt Russel and Val Kilmer as the movie's center pieces, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday respectively. The fact is however, Russel plays a very emotionally open person. Costner plays him as a quiet, almost cold person. Now, alot of people who have made comments about this movie have criticized Costner for that.(Big surprise.) But, you can't blame Costner for this because Wyatt Earp is not a fictional character, he was a flesh and blood human like you, and most importantly, Costner plays Earp much more realisticly. Then there is the much debated arguement over who plays a better Doc Holliday, Val Kilmer in Tombstone, or Dennis Quaid in Wyatt Earp. Well, here's the thing, if you mean who played Doc closer to reality....then the undisputed winner is Quaid. But if you mean who is more enjoyable, well that's a matter of opinion. But before i move on i got a bone to pick with somebody who said Tombstone was much better because Russel played the kind of Earp that "we imagine". Look lady, you can have whatever ridiculous ideas about the way past events took place all you want....but don't ever bring me into your childish little dream world by generalizing your opinions by saying what "we imagine". When it comes to this i don't imagine anything, i actually got the facts. Now i don't want to sound like a know-it-all, because i hate those people, but, as i said in my summary, if your going to comment on this movie, research the topic, or at least now the facts. Then this same man or woman who tells me what i imagine poeple as goes on to say she imagines Doc Holliday as a "sly and witty sort of character the way Kilmer played him" Well that is fabulous, but the fact is that Doc, who was a witty person was witty in the way Dennis Quaid portrays him. For example in a conflict a drunk Ike Clanton tells Holliday that Holliday's day is comin. Doc responds by saying, "My mama always said never put off 'til tomorrow the people you can kill today." Then also in the list of comments for this movie is some total moron who said Quaid is at his worst on this movie. Anybody care what that guy thinks? I didn't think so. In closing Wyatt Earp is a realistic and enjoyable accounts of the life of one of the most compelling characters of the old west.8/10
I'm not a fan of silent movies - that said, the restored version I saw was decent. The dinosaurs were at least as realistic if not more than the Japanese monster movies of the 1950s and 60s. In fact, the close ups of the dino eyes in Lost World looked *exactly* like the eyes of Godzilla, Mothra, et al. I find the silent movie format tiresome but this was great to see as a curiosity piece. The audiences of 1925 must have been thrilled to see dinosaurs come alive on the screen like this.
I've seen the first four seasons and I must say it's one of the finest TV series I've ever seen. If you like thrilling action on the screen, you _must_ see this. Jack Bauer is a great character, but I was also very impressed by President Palmer, whose wisdom, calm and dedication to his country shall stay as an example for each people on this world who plays a leadership role. Besides that, the team spirit in the CTU, despite the high pressure and extreme situations they're facing is absolutely fantastic. I hope there will be a season 6, 7 and so on and I'm looking forward to watch them. Actors, crew, producers, a big THANK YOU for making this happen!
When I went to see this movie, part of me was expecting an hour and a half of Bush bashing. That can be fun every once and again but what surprised me about this movie was the fact that it looked at both sides of the election. The Kerry/Edwards campaign was represented and so was the Bush/Cheney campaign. No one side was made out to look like it was perfect. Faults were shown on both sides and high points were shown on both sides. As far as cinema goes, I thought this was a great film. When I left the theater, I was physically tired as a result of what I had just watched. The viewer gets so much information in this relatively short span of time. The film itself is well organized and well constructed, without too much bias (would it really be possible to have a film be completely without bias?). Whatever your political stance, this is a film that can be appreciated for the questions it raises: questions about political strategy, specifically. Because it does not take a pro-Bush or pro-Kerry stance, it can appeal to everyone.
Gina Chiarelli, as Grace McKinley, gives one of the most stunning performances you are likely to see. John Griffen, the critic from the Montreal Gazette, said that her performance was "the reason awards were invented". I wholeheartedly agree. It's an excellent film all around. Kudos to the first time director, Pete McCormack, and to the supporting cast. Although I understand the film was made on an extremely low budget, apparently around $100,000 Canadian, and was shot with a digital camera, it looks polished and well thought out. Even so, it all comes down to the script, which treats the terrible malady we call schizophrenia with an authenticity beyond what I have seen in other films ( I do include A Beautiful Mind in that assessment) and Gina Chiarelli's tour de force performance.
Joan Graham is the secretary for Stephen Witney, an honest and dedicated public defender, who succeeds in doing something he would almost rather not do: get Joan's sweetheart, Eddie Taylor, out of prison. Eddie is a good man, but Joan's sister, Bonnie, and Stephen both agree that he is no good for Joan. Eddie was born trouble. Joan and Eddie get married and set out to prove the naysayers wrong. Eddie gets a good, steady job as a truck driver; but a series of disasters sends his life spiraling out of control and the fiercely loyal Joan's along with it.Fritz Lang directs this hard-hitting melodrama and, as always, fills it with striking images. The shot of Eddie (Henry Fonda) in his cell, with the shadows of the bars reaching out to meet the bored and uninterested guard, stands out. The shots of a wide-eyed and desperate Fonda asking Joan (Sylvia Sidney) for a gun are a triumph for Lang, Fonda and Lang's cinematographer, Leon Shamroy. Lang also gets excellent work out of his editor, Daniel Mandell, who helps Lang to juxtapose images in a suggestive way, e.g. the shots of the frogs with shots of Joan and Eddie.Standing back from the film and looking at is as a whole makes it something of a marvel. We begin with light comedy, proceed to an adorable romance and then follow the characters as their lives - and the film itself - grows steadily darker.
My girlfriend has a thing going for the Olsen twins (no, not that kind of thing), and I decided to go along with it and watch New York minute with her. What I got? An easy to digest, easy to forget, silly and rather stupid little movie. Just what I expected.The twins are divided into the extremely original barbie-wild girl types who decide in the end they truly love each other. You know, after 90 minutes (oh, if it only lasted 1 minute!) of arguing and stuff.Everybody's happy in this one, so the girls meet some cute guys and even the bad guys have a certain charm (it's Andy everybody! Man, where have you been?). And when the girls get lost in Harlem they're just gonna get their hair cut. Uh-huh.Only watchable because of Levy and our main man, Mr. Andy Richter. Otherwise: ouch. 3/10.
Maybe I was too young and dreamy when I watched this movie, but my friends and I could not stop talking about this through high school years. It is unfortunate that Robin Johson did not pursue her career, I did recognize her in Miami Vice (she played a hooker former-hooker or something), though. On the other hand, I did not recognize Trini at all in Paulie. No offense, but I doubt that curly hair Pepsi kid would grow up to look like her.in retrospect, story may have not been that great over all, but sound track is awesome. I spent too long trying to find a used record.The movie magazines I used to read said that Robin Johson was found out by a talent agency when she was going to Brookly Vocational School or something, but it could be wrong like many other stories like how Natalie Portman was spotted at a Pizza place on Long Island.... Does anyone know for sure how Robin was scouted??? I'm too curious, now...
James Woods must've been desperate to pay the bills when he accepted the lead role in this seriously flawed suspense/action flick. For a man of such immense talent, this is a total waste.Scripters and director James B. Harris have done their very best to destroy what was probably a good plot, based upon the novel "Blood on the Moon" by James Ellroy, about an obsessive serial killer whose love for a prudish, feminist poet type drives him to commit horrid crimes while an uptight detective hunts him in the name of all the disillusioned young women...................................well, maybe the plot wasn't so good to begin with, but certainly Harris and company have done a great job in smothering what value there may have been. Any remnants of a storyline are washed out as the focus is pure vengeance. But it's a little hard to care about the way the characters feel when you don't care for the characters themselves.Charles Durning, Lesley Ann Warren and Raymond J. Barry also conspire to throw away their collective acting prowess along with Woods. Apart from all the short comings afore mentioned, there really can be nothing else to say about what is a definite failure.Saturday, February 15, 1997 - Video
A low-budget movie, and it shows... some pretty bad acting; though Ice T was very good. The movie was slow-moving for the most part, had poor audio and equally poor visuals: dark and grainy; the casting was pretty bad, and thus, the story -which is purported to be 'true'- seems unbelievable. As stated before, the casting of the particular actors and actresses in TRACKS to play 14-16 year olds makes no sense, and even worse, detracts from the film; they're just way too old to play the parts called for. But even if that's a forgivable faux pas, the truth is, at times, this film was just so plain boring that I considered not bothering to see it through to the finish... There's really not much good to say about TRACKS-- But I only paid $1.07 with NJ sales tax to rent it at Red Box, so for a buck/seven, I give it a 4.
Now i am a 15 year old and i just bought this movie a few days ago for a trip. I was think "Son of the Pink Panther," can't be all that good. But i was wrong! WAY WRONG! A BIG FAT WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!! This film is great i am not a fan of the first few films (The Pink Panther - Shot In The Dark) they arnt bad just not as funny. But the mid 70s ones are fantastic and now this! It was so funny i am still thinking of that line, "Hurry or they cut off my nipples!' it makes my laugh every time! Yes, Sellers is not in it. Yes it takes place ten years after the last one and yes it has a new guy. But it is good and worthy of a rental and even a buy! Not for the 40 year olds and up but for the teens and into the 20s.
this movie is just some scene taped together with no story line (at least i could find it) the leading male with a monologue that made no sense how you looked at it the comedy in the movie was one cliché after another stuff we seen over a million times like white guy teaching black history(SEEN IT IN 'HOW HIGH')not funny and what is with the badly dubbed music scenes this a perfect example of go home and do it over also why is the leading male living in a crack house if hes loaded its a low budget movie there's no lieing in that but that doesn't mean that the movie it selve needs to be crap everything is cheap in this move including the script
Wow, I'm at a loss for how bad this movie is. I love Full Moon and all of their early work, such as Puppet Master, Trancers, and Demonic Toys, and I have a great appreciation for a lot of their talent and independent films, but this?! This doesn't get any stars from me!There is not one character to care about, the plot is full of holes, the story, or lack there of, is atrocious to begin with...I can go on, but I think I'll stop. Bottom line, if you thought full moon movies they make today like Trancers 6, Stitches, and Shrieker suck, you haven't seen anything until you watch this! At least those movies had maybe one or two redeeming moments. This one has noneTake my word for it and listen to this warning. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME! I love horror, I love B-Films, but this movie fails to meet the expectations I have for both. 1 out of 10
This show's format is the reason why I keep watching each season. Imagine travelling around the world and your final target is US$1 million, it's for those who dare to do it.The recently concluded season is one great show. The ultimate winners were whom I wanted to win and it's a great ending to a show that has won the Emmys before.Overall, if you are the one who has always wanted to see how the world really is and interested to see how the various teams outdo each other to the finish line, this show is for you. Also, prepare for culture-shock abound because as they say - 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do'.Phil really does a good job of being the host and it's almost impossible to not linking the guy who hosts The Amazing Race.The show is just...amazing!
This is one of the few horror movies I truly enjoyed, because the film offers a great combination of horror and comedy. It adds up to a very entertaining 85 minutes.There's a lot to like in this kinda-goofy movie: nice visuals; good humor to counteract the scariness and gore of a horror story; a small amount of ridiculous theology compare to what usually is offered in this genre, and some totally outrageous scenes. They include a woman's head loose and then biting a man's hand with the rest of her body running around with a chainsaw; a hand with a mind of it's own, monster-type grandma and grandpa in the cellar, chase scenes through a forest with trees coming to life and attacking people, on and on....wild, wild stuff.My main complaint is not enough lulls. There is too much action, and it's so intense it's almost too much to watch in one continuous sitting even with its fairly short length. One needs a break once in a while!There is no credibility in here, but that's okay since I think most of this is played for laughs more than horror. Bruce Campell suffers physical damage that would have killed a person many times but within seconds, he's back to normal. Campell, by the way, must have set the all-time record for making rubber-faced wild faces in a movie, more than Jim Carrey. However, this movie certainly isn't one to be scrutinized for realism. You have to look at it, with all the gory scenes and shocking violence as not much more than just tongue-in-cheek satire on horror movies. It's great fun.
This movie is basically a action-movie at its finest. It severally lacks depth and story but compensates that with its action. It surprised me (even for a Paul WS Anderson movie) how mindnumbing it is, but it never leaves you bored and thats why this movie is better then the original Death Race 2000 in my humble opinion. Although that isn't really saying that much since this movie really doesn't have much in common with Death Race 2000 other then the title.Jason Statham is perfectly casted as the actionhero. The movie also lends a few nice video game-like aspects but Paul WS Anderson knows how to handle such things, and really sets himself apart with this movie from directing-failures like Uwe Boll.Overall there isn't really much else to say. The ending is great so I'm not going to spoil it, just see it for yourself. If you are a action-fan you will not be disappointed. Don't expect too much storyline though.
Another feeble attempt from an idea-bankrupt Hollywood to cash in on past classics (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner) and recent successes (Meet the Parents). It puts nothing new on the table. All the jokes are predictable and stale, and the subject itself is somewhat offensive since it seems to (yet again, as in "Taxi" or "Hitch") justify racially-tinged humor at white guys without taking the same swipes at the other races dishing it out. In other words, it's just Hollywood making another safe bet. But irrespective of that, it's just not a funny movie. Bernie Mac is not a chuckle-inducing actor. His entire repertoire consists of making funny faces and acting aghast when confronted with a sitcom-like situation, which in the real world most of us would brush off as a problem barely worthy of consideration. And Ashton Kutcher is a total dud. He's also a one-note actor, like Bernie Mac in a way because his acting range also consists solely of gulps and looks of surprise in response to stupid, artificial situations. Bad movie. Only for dummies with no discriminating palettes.
its a film that reflects the "bong" spirit. its like on one hand you see loads of beer-bellied people just drinking for the heck of it and then there's this guy who wants to find a meaning to his life. the film made me question my so-called love for my culture.i guess now i really appreciate the culture that has been handed down.and though i may hate the communist-minded people i like the spirit.i love shayan's character. because it takes a lot of guts to set out on a journey to discover yourself. most of us just remain stuck in the rigmarole of life.i like the director's conception of the idea.also victor banerjee's character provides an insight into the kind of people "available" in the world.the best is perhaps the songs.paagla hawa is the best as its been remixed to suit our needs-the needs of the young generation and yet that need to make us realize the richness of our culture remains.i don't know whether its a deliberate attempt or not.but it sure serves the purpose.the film has its share of laughs and is an interesting watch.
I don't believe people are giving this movie the benefit of the doubt, because it seems simplistic compared to the Peter Jackson extravaganzas. What people also have to remember is that, unlike the Jackson renditions, this and 'The Hobbit' were made especially for children. The characters designs and the story itself have to be toned down so that children (or stoners) can follow the story without becoming too freaked out by orcs.Roddy McDowall is pretty much the most hilarious sounding Samwise ever, and the character design fits him perfectly, and both elements create a character of great vulnerability. For a 'Rings' movie this short, we are still able to sympathize with Sam. This is not just because of the well-compressed storyline, but because the design for both Frodo and Sam is just so cute. They look like a cross between puppies and elves. And that's cute.I recommend this to anyone with an open mind about an alternate version to the final chapter. It won't really ruin the story for you, it'll just show how this story was made into a film before the use of CGI and before movie studios started puking money at Jackson.
We have all seen Mean Streets,Swingers,Entourage. This movie is on the same lines as that. Hanging With The Homeboys show's us what we look like on our Friday and Saturdays Nights. How we talk to woman. How we argue amongst ourselves. How we drink.Johnny,Fernando aka Vinny,Willie,and Tommy all resemble at least of our friends. Johnny is the profound insecure young man who is desperate for love. Fernanod aka Vinny is a ladies man who tricks woman to go out with him for there money only to go out and meet more women. Willie is a man who is always feeling discriminated against, he also the peasant one of gang. And finally Tommy. Tommy dreams big and super stardom. Somehow he will make it big.The description of the characters not only fit our friends but ourselves. Hanging With The Homeboys is almost The Guys Night Out Bible. When you feel lonely on a Friday Night pop in Hanging With The Homeboy either that or Porn.
Although this film was intended to be a modern-day and comedic version of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, IMHO, Guess Who played much more like an episode of "The Proud Family" cartoon. Bernie Mac's character, Percy Jones, seemed especially like the over-protective, nobody's-going-to-date-my-daughter cartoon father that Penny Proud contends with every Saturday morning on ABC.Unfortunately, Guess Who barely touched on the racial issues. The jokes about racial difference were old and predictable. The funniest portrayal of the racial difference was the music playing while the father and the fiancée were riding together in a car. And in true sit-com fashion, all the issues are ironed out for a nice happy comedy ending.If you don't mind paying a few dollars for a matinée show, it's not a bad way to spend a couple hours entertaining the children. Otherwise, I'd say skip it.
There are very few silent films that I enjoy as much as a modern film. In fact, the only silent film that I would rate as a 10 is Buster Keaton's The General. But Douglas Fairbanks is certainly worth watching, if you have any real interest in film. He has so much charm, and moves so fluidly, that he captivates even when the special effects are, well, very 1920s. Fairbanks does not so much act as he dances the role. The costumes and sets, by William Cameron Menzies, are also spectacular. I have watched this movie in the earlier DVD version, and frankly it put me to sleep. First, a great deal of it was missing, and so the story was choppy and hard to follow. Second, the print quality was poor. But the new Kino Fairbanks collection is a miracle of film restoration. There is one section on this DVD that is poor quality, compared to the others. But since this is a section that I have never seen before, to see it at all is wonderful.
I am a big fan of Gregg Araki's movies especially the trilogy this movie is a part of. My friends and I have even assembled our own little cult following for it. It is for sure a twisted and perverse movie but at the same time it has a message and funny all at the same time. I would only recommend this if you are into shocking, graphic commentary on our society and can stomach violence and sexual deviance. Now since the waring is out of the way I want to say i think this movie is genius and i love the WTF? feeling you get after watching this and the other two movie in this series (Nowhere and Totally F***ed Up). If you do watch this movie and don't like it the first time I suggest you watch it again, i promise after the initial shock you will see the art behind it all.
Having seen the Project Greenlight series about the making of this film, I had very low expectations for the final product. The director was portrayed as amateurish, and his stubborn attempts to cast his unproven actress girlfriend in the movie seemed to support that charge.In retrospect, it seems that the Weinsteins sacrificed any shot at successfully distributing this film theatrically in favor of exploiting it as TV fodder. A rare misfire from the usually brilliant media moguls. Had they been brave and supported this movie, they might have ended up with a mega-million dollar theatrical franchise like Nightmare on Elm Street, instead of a straight-to-vid release.A classic B horror film, FEAST serves up heaping helpings of cheap thrills in lieu of long-winded "back stories" which thrill development girls and story editors but leave horror fans snoring in their popcorn. The character development is clever and perfunctory, introducing a dozen characters with minimal fuss and maximum efficiency--colorful characters worthy of a (good) Tarantino flick.The script is fast-paced and the direction captures the tone of it perfectly. The real fun starts just a few minutes into the first act, and keeps on pumping throughout the film, with just enough lulls in the action to reset the audience for more.The cast is superb all around, with luscious ladies and hunky guys playing it for all its worth. Thankfully, whatever humor there is is not the insipid one-liner crap or tedious reflexive humor that's dragged the genre down for the past twenty years.The EFX are topnotch, and the cinematography is outstanding, giving the film a bigger budget feel and greatly enhancing the limited number of sets.Although some may disagree with the lack of a "back story" of the monsters, they were no more mysterious than the creatures in ALIEN, another film in which there was no way for the protagonists to learn more about their foes without contrived and boring exposition.I can't wait to check out John Gulager's other films, and hope he gets a chance to expand into bigger budgets which he deserves. I also hope he stays in horror and doesn't lose his edge, because there are far too few consistent directors in the genre.
Okay what do you expect. This isn't the best comedy ever made but it has its moments. The twin sister that can't get along with her sibling story has been seen before in several movies. But face it there are not that many `new' stories out there. Mary-Kate Olsen & Ashley Olsen have been in the business for just about all their lives. This is their first major movie as just about adults (nearly 18). They do a good job in this movie but sometimes it seems they try a little too hard. Eugene Levy is really funny as semi-cop. If you go into to this movie knowing you are going to a Mary-Kate Olsen & Ashley Olsen movie you will have a great time. The girls are really fun to watch and the look like they are having a good time making the film. So go and have a few laughs and watch Ashley trying to hold her skirt down throughout the movie.
Eugene Lourie did not make socially important film like his fellow 1950's directors like Stanley Kramer, or Elia Kazan. Instead, Lourie made three exciting films depicting a giant dinosaur attacking a major city. His first was 1953's THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS, with classic stop motion effects by Ray Harryhausen. The best of this trio was 1960's GORGO, where a highly annoyed off mommy dinosaur rips London into shreds rescuing it's captive baby. Available in this box set is his 1959 Dino-fest, THE GIANT BEHEMOTH, the weakest of Lourie's monster movies, but still, a fun time at the movies. Before, after and during making his own films, Lourie as a art director for Clint Eastwood, Sam Fuller, Jean Renoir, and Charles Chaplin. The behemoth problem with THE GIANT BEHEMOTH is that it is slow paced. 37 minutes in we get to see the monster's shoulder. It will take another eleven minutes to get to our first monster scene- where Behemoth raises out of the water, and attacks a Thames River ferryboat. One wonders how many animators worked on this film. One of the animators was pioneering stop-motion artist Willis O'Brien, who animated life into the silent THE LOST WORLD, the 1933 KING KONG, and many other exciting monster films. The stop motion animation varies from inventive,
The movie was well filmed, on a great location, with fantastic backdrops, and is Mel Gibson accurate on all accounts? No, but directors and cinematographers must make changes and put in their montages what they see as a visual story.A small tribe being abducted to be sacrificed did indeed happen in the time of the film 1517 & 1518 the Post Classical Maya period. Even though it was the Aztecs who were the strongest in the time portrayed by the film, "they 'the Mayas' were close allies of the Aztecs, they shared ideas and religion; and there were trade routes throughout Mesoamerica.' (Adams,1998)Were there all kinds of sacrifices going on? Yes, the Mesoamericans were going through all kinds of bad prophecies, such as the hundred year drought and there had been very little rain for the crops. People were starving, the moon ate the sun, and wild animals were attacking the villagers more and more. Since the Europeans had already landed in the Antilles and had already ventured into the Yucatan coast; there was an epidemic of measles and chicken pox that were heavily affecting the American Indigenous, who had no resistance for such diseases (the little girl in the movie). These were all signs that the gods were displeased.For the Aztecs, Mayas and Incas blood was life. It was the flow of life, the liquid that provided life for them, and for the gods as well; and if the gods did not get enough blood the gods were unhappy. So the Aztecs and Mayas were sacrificing at an alarming rate trying to please the gods. This was unfortunate for the villages and tribes in and around the Aztec and Mayan major cities. Since the sacrifices had depleted the population in the larger cities (they could only sacrifice so many of their city people without creating chaos within the city) and most of the citizens and families had already donated a child or an adult male or female to the gods. Worriers were ordered to go outside the larger cities and abduct by force several individuals (young, old, women, and children) from the surrounding villages and tribes. The Spaniards were very much astonished when they witnessed their first human sacrifice, talk about cultural clash.Most of the surrounding villagers did not want to partake in the sacrifices and several of the small villages had already donated a number of their kinfolks to the city leaders for sacrifices. Hence the bloody mess at the temples throughout Mexico in those times was horrendous, "approximately 40,000 individuals had been sacrificed in one year in Teotihuacan alone" (Adams, 1998). Imagine about 100 sacrifices per day.This is why Cortés had no problem recruiting 50,000 to 100,000 Indigenous fighters to help his 400 Spaniard eventually defeat the Aztecs.The thrill of seeing a young father and proud tribesmen going to save his wife and children is what movies are made of. The setting in the jungle, the animals, the danger, the trill of victory are all in this film, and even better because of the Mayan background.See it, let the true or untrue facts rest (were the Mayans savages or not?), and the movie is no more gory or graphic than the video games our children here in the USA play.
Rated R for Strong Graphic Violence,Language and Sexual Content.Natural Born Killers is a very violent and controversial film.The two Columbine school shooters were said to have have watched this film over and over again.Its a very violent film and not recommended for children who cannot handle this type of material.I am 15 now and I saw this film when I was 13.It didn't affect me in any way.I play plenty of violent video games and watch violent movies and they don't make me want to kill anybody.This is because I can separate fantasy from reality.Anyway that was my rant...now on to the film review.Natural Born Killers is an underrated and excellent movie.Im surprised its only 6.8, I think it should be in IMDb's Top 250.The performances in this film are great.Woody Harleson the actor who played Mickey Knox ironically had a father who was a hit-man.Anyway the story is great as it shows how the media portrays murderers.The film basically shows the life of Mickey and Malloryy knox.In a comedic "I Love Lucy" spoof, you see Mallory's life at home with her abusive father.Mickey is a butcher who delivers meat and delivers it one day to Mallory's home.The two both led disturbing lives and basically they kill Mallory's family and start going on killing spree's.After a while, they get caught and go to prison while a reporter wants to do an interview with Mickey.A prison riot breaks out and basically they are set free.A cool aspect about this film is sometimes during the violent scenes of the film, you see some trippy images.Natural Born Killers is a great film worth watching for anyone who can handle it.
This short demonstrates all of Harold Lloyd's irreverence, his charm and his comic ability. Unfortunately, compared to others of his films, it does downplay his physical agility and he never finds the opportunity to climb a skyscraper.The familiar setup is Harold's determination to meet the girl of his dreams and get married, coupled with the cliche of the heiress who must live up to the conditions of a will and visit a "haunted" mansion. Count on Lloyd to make the most of every opportunity for a laugh that comes his way.Having seen this with a modern audience, I know that people today are distressed by the portrayals of African Americans in the film. That's really too bad, because the little black kid in this film proves himself a comedian easily on a par with Lloyd himself.
By far better than the remake. Although I love the remake also, but this one is much better. Claudette Colbert is one of my favorite actresses. She is great in this one. Louise Beavers is wonderful as Delilah. It just makes you want to out and buy some pancakes. The story, although dated now, was great. As I said before, better than the remake.
To me "Frühling auf dem Eis" showing the Vienna Ice Revue that was world-famous once is not only a historical figure skating document. As the female main role is played by my mother, Eva Pawlik (who died in 1983), and as my father Rudi Seeliger (who also died in 1983) is also presented as a skater, the movie is from the personal point of view by far more valuable to me than to any other person in the world. For everyone interested in the my parents´ figure skating career (especially in my mother´s) I write the following words:As the 1948 Olympic Champion Barbara Ann Scott had turned pro Eva Pawlik was celebrated as the world´s highest ranking female amateur skater in the summer of 1948. Pawlik did a lot of exhibition skating in the US, where she was also asked to be the lead actress in a Hollywood movie by Gene Kelley who wanted to combine his dancing with her skating. She said no because turning pro would have exluded her from the following year´s championships. Pawlik was said to have the best chance to win the next European and World titles.Though suffering from acute appendicitis, Eva Pawlik beat her competitor Alena Vrzanová both in school figures and in free-skating in Milan and became the 1949 European Champion. In Paris where the World Championship was held, she was second after school figures, but the difference in score between her and Vrzanová was rather small, so she still had good chances to win. But then one of her heels broke while she and her competitors were warming up. Sabotage was supposed but it could not be proved. The judges did not allow her to try the skates of a companion, so Pawlik had to give up and Vrzanová was able to win the 1949 World Championship without any dangerous competitor. Some weeks later, my mother decided to turn pro, although double Olympic Champion Karl Schäfer implored her to go on skating for one more year.I don´t think that my mother´s decision to turn pro in 1949 was right. Being the star of the Vienna Ice Revue she showed a free programme that was compared to that of Vrzanová by European journalists and figure skating experts who said that my mother´s programme was both technically and artistically on a higher level. So Karl Schäfer had been right, of course, that she would have had the best chance to win the 1950 World title. But Pawlik wanted to give financial support to her parents whom she loved above all. That was the psychological reason why she turned pro in 1949.My mother´s strength had always lain in the free skating, though she had had a solid school-figures training. The later Olympic Champion Jeanette Altwegg was not an excellent free skater but an outstanding school-figures skater. An excellent free skater representing a more modern style was Jacqueline du Bief. But she was still too young to be dangerous to my mother if my mother had taken part in the 1950 or 1951 World´s.In 1947 when my mother probably already was the best European skater and at least the second best in the world, Austrian skaters were not admitted to the European and the World competitions. This exclusion (for political reasons arising out of World War II) prevented my mother from making a name for herself in 1947. Everyone who deals with figure skating knows that the judges are to some extent influenced by a skater´s international recognition. Therefore it is clear that she must have shown an outstanding program in 1948 to win three silver medals (at the European´s, the Olympics and the World´s) as a no-name skater. Although she was - at the first go - the best European skater, she did not win the European Gold in 1948 because non-Europeans were allowed to participate, again for political reasons.It is good also to remember the conditions in which Austrian skaters developed their skills and competed in the 1930s and '40s. In the 1930s, Eva Pawlik had been considered a child prodigy, able to jump a single axel and do a large number of spins at the age of four. In her teens she would get up at 4 am daily to run to the Vienna ice rink (Wiener Eislaufverein) to practice her school figures before school -- and this at a time when Austrian skaters could practice only in the cold season as there were no indoor skating halls as there were in the US and Canada.But Nazi Germany´s absorption of Austria in 1938 destroyed sportsmen´s careers and lives. Pawlik was ultimately unable to carry on the Austrian tradition of being world-famous both as a single and as a pairs skater. She should have participated at age 12 in the Olympic Winter Games scheduled to take place in Tokyo in 1940. My parents Eva Pawlik and Rudi Seeliger could take part only in German domestic competitions; they became German youth champions, each as a single skater and together as a couple (this was before Kekesy/Kiraly who went on to win the Olympic Silver Medal in 1948 and the 1949 World Championship). Drafted into the German army, my father was eventually captured and worked as a slave coal-miner in the Soviet Union, incommunicado, until he was allowed to go back to Austria in 1949.In the end, my parents were lucky -- although my father was unable to restart an amateur career (my mother was already a professional, starring in the Vienna Ice Revue), as they soon became one of the world´s best professional couples. My mother´s lead role in both the ice skating and the frame story of a film featuring the Revue, „Spring on the Ice` („Frühling auf dem Eis`, 1950), was what inspired the later Olympic double champion, Ludmilla Belousova, to take up skating. Morris Chalfen, the boss of the revue „Holiday On Ice`, considered Pawlik Europe´s best show-star on the ice since Sonja Henie.Some months before my birth in 1962, my mother ended her skating and became the first female sportscaster of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF). In 1973 she began her third profession as a German and English teacher at a Viennese secondary school (pupils from 10 to 18). In 1954, she had earned her doctorate in German and English at the University of Vienna. My father was the manager of a public relations enterprise where he started in 1962.In 1979 my mother became severely ill and died in 1983, four months after my father who had died from a sudden heart attack.
Crummy horror sequel that is barely connected to the original but manages to be just as bad. Anthropologist Michael Moriarty moves with his delinquent teenage son to his recently inherited house, only to discover that the town is overrun with vampires. Yikes! The only compensation here is that there are a few laughs scattered about, thanks in no small part to Samuel Fuller as an old Nazi killer. There's a bit of life to be found towards the end, but make no mistake, this is dire stuff. The script is almost as junky as Larry Cohen's direction, while the actors are so wooden they could be used as stakes with just a quick sharpening of the head. No good at all.
There are very few silent films that I enjoy as much as a modern film. In fact, the only silent film that I would rate as a 10 is Buster Keaton's The General. But Douglas Fairbanks is certainly worth watching, if you have any real interest in film. He has so much charm, and moves so fluidly, that he captivates even when the special effects are, well, very 1920s. Fairbanks does not so much act as he dances the role. The costumes and sets, by William Cameron Menzies, are also spectacular. I have watched this movie in the earlier DVD version, and frankly it put me to sleep. First, a great deal of it was missing, and so the story was choppy and hard to follow. Second, the print quality was poor. But the new Kino Fairbanks collection is a miracle of film restoration. There is one section on this DVD that is poor quality, compared to the others. But since this is a section that I have never seen before, to see it at all is wonderful.
Set in South Florida's world of models, pools, beaches, drugs, gangsters and nightclubs this is another stab at copying the success of Baywatch, but adding some sub-Miami Vice elements for that prime-time soap measure.It's also executive-produced by Jennifer Lopez, which explains why it looks like nothing more than one of her music videos. But despite virtually everyone on screen being stunningly good looking it's all fur coat and no knickers. Everyone is a hunk or a babe ready to flash the flesh, but nobody gets involved in anything remotely resembling a decent plot and the dialogue is flimsier than the thong bikinis some of the women wear. If that's all you need then tune in, but when it first aired in America, few did, and it ranked 152nd out of the 156 original series produced for network television in the 2005-06 season – and was then dropped after eight episodes.In LA last year I found myself on the beach where Baywatch was once filmed. It was 10am and few others were about so I ran along the sand in slow motion, just like 'The Hoff' used to do. Then I noticed that coming the other way was someone else doing exactly the same thing. We laughed, and (slowly) carried on our way. Baywatch might have been corny but it was a guilty pleasure loved by millions because it was light-hearted fun. South Beach will only have people running for the remote control, and almost certainly not in slow motion.
It is rare that a director so succinctly and unflinchingly manages to commit his ideas to the screen with such conviction. For that alone, Tom Kennedy and Alez Harz deserve much praise. It is a remarkable achievement. What makes "?" a distinctly unnerving viewing experience are those very ideas and perceptions of human existence. This film holds true for people of all ages and from all strata's of society. "?" opts for a deadpan humor, coaxing us to laugh at these pathetic people not out of affection or understanding, but rather simply as a response to life as they see it. On a first time viewing the sheer despondency of these characters seems to overwhelm the humor, but watching the film again, the humor seemed far more blatant. Obviously this is not a movie for everyone, since this bleak view on human life is clearly not shared by all. But still, this is a work which is undeniably a masterpiece of sorts.
In the village of Tremolat, Périgord, the lonely headmistress Helene (Stéphane Audran) befriends the local butcher Popaul (Jean Yanne), who has a trauma of war, in the wedding party of her colleague Leon Hamel (Mario Beccara). In spite of their friendship, they do not become lovers since Helene is still recovering from the disillusion of her last relationship. In Popaul's birthday, Helene gives a lighter to him as a gift. During the excursion with her class to a cave in the woods, Helene finds the last victim of a serial killer that is stabbing young women in the area. She realizes that the woman is Leon's wife and she finds Popaul's lighter in the crime scene but she hides the evidence from the police. When Popaul visits her, she discovers that he still has the lighter and she feels relieved. However, when Popaul paints the ceiling of her house, she makes a discovery that affects her sense of security.The unknown gem "Le Boucher" is a dark and intriguing love story where Claude Chabrol is certainly inspired in Alfred Hitchcock's style. The story is completely unusual and very simple, it is not tagged by an specific genre and can be resumed in the storyline; however, the screenplay, direction, performances and camera make the difference. The opening scene shows a beautiful area in the countryside of France where the plot takes place. Helene is a fascinating character with her contradictory and ambiguous behavior and relationship with Popaul. Their chemistry is also perfect. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): Not Applicable
Let me start out by saying, I like the I like the Olsen twins - smart, cute girls, but this movie blew. They should stick with the straight to video flicks that have made them so rich and famous.The bling scene was so unbelievably stupid, it was hard to comprehend that they weren't retching as they were filming it. Where are these merchants that give away free service, clothes etc.???The unnecessary wrap up at the end where the guys end up going to London...the butchering of David Bowie's song...the lame dancing...the list of reasons why this movie sucked is absolutely endless. Poor Reynaldo.
A Frenchman and his wife come to Old West America circa 1870 in search of new lives for themselves, but he is soon killed and she becomes acquainted with a shy, gentle American widower. Director Claude Lelouch whips up an appropriately dusty, windswept scenario, and the film's keenly-observed atmosphere is bracing and real. Unfortunately, the film, in both English and French, is woefully lumbering and overlong, and the promising casting of James Caan and Genevieve Bujold fails to set off sparks. Fascinatingly detailed, with beautiful camera-work and art direction, but the narrative might have stood some tightening. ** from ****
I'm a big Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing fan. I love to see them together in the same movie. However, this one happens to suck out loud. An island gets big heat. A married writer (Patrick Allen) has an affair with his young secretary in a totally pointless subplot. Lee goes around there with his trademark villainous face. He happens to be a good guy, but Lee acts his part as if he was playing Dracula or something like that (as opposite to e.g. 'The Devil Rides Out', a truly great movie, also by Terence Fisher, where Lee plays a good guy the way a good guy must be played. So he CAN do it). The cause of the big heat happens to be an alien invasion of giant fried eggs.Cushing is very little in the movie, crashing his car while in his way to defeat the aliens, and dying. Fortunate he is, as he won't see what seems to be the stupidest alien species ever: My dear extra-terrestrial fellows, if you want to invade the Earth but water destroys you, don't choose an island in England where it frequently rains. I'd suggest Sahara for you... but that way the movie would never end.
I love how I can relate to the main characters. They're all just screwed up enough in the head that I feel like I'm watching my own life on the screen(except my life isn't quite that exciting.) I don't know anybody who couldn't relate to this movie, or find it hilarious! They did a great job on this one. I wanna see more movies like this one. It makes me feel like I'm not as far off as I thought. The main characters put it all on the line. They're like open books. The producers of this one did a great job putting it all on the line for the audience to see. I haven't seen a movie like this since "Kids" and "Clerks". Great job guys!
Even though "Girl Fever" (other title "100 women") is a fantasy piece at best, the way it's done is so idiotic beyond even the most cliché rubbish ever done in cinema. In one aspect of the movie we see the politically correct, totally unrealistic fantasy set-up: an American art student has some hot looking trophy chyck fall out of the sky and be all over him. We are supposed to believe this could ever happen? Unless you're an art student who happens to be a rich and famous rock star or movie industry mogul, or coke dealer I suppose. Also, we see the main character treated like crap by a bunch of women to see if he is *worthy*. The kind of men-are-not-worthy-of-women for some reason goes unnoticed in America. With the exception of the various nemesis in the story, everyone is so nice and so genuine it's just too sickening. So unrealistic. This flick is for those who really want like to see men played for suckers by skanks.
Third episode of the legendary television series stars Dan Duryea as Al Denton. Al is a hopeless alcoholic in the Old West who was at one time a successful gunslinger. Now Al is ruthlessly made fun of by swaggering bully Dan Hotaling (Martin Landau). A mysterious peddler (Malcolm Atterbury) provides Al with two items - a gun and a potion - that just may affect his life for the better. And when Al's efficiency with a gun returns, a young hotshot named Pete Grant (Doug McClure) decides to challenge him.This episode worked so well for me because Duryea was a very (sym)pathetic figure. The actor makes the most of his role. As his story progresses, he's conscious of history repeating itself and what his ultimate destiny might be. (It's no accident that the peddler is named Mr. Fate.) The truth is that his redemption and second shot at life might come at a price. It's an emotional story that climaxes in an interesting and unexpected way. The ending is filled with hope which makes it all the more appealing.The actors on hand are quite entertaining. Jeanne Cooper of future 'The Young and the Restless' fame is the kindly Liz. Landau is a good deal of fun as the cruel Dan.Overall, a wonderful episode.8/10
First off this is NOT a factual biography of Billie Holiday...a lot of her dark side is ignored. That aside, this is a pretty good movie. It follows Holiday from a little girl all the way up to her debut at Carnegie Hall. Along the way she deals with drug addiction, rape, prostitution etc etc. That's the big problem with the movie--it's too depressing. Holiday is a victim again and again and again. It wears one down seeing this woman just torn apart over and over. Also, the movie is too long--2 1/2 hours. Still, it's worth seeing for Diana Ross performance (Oscar-nominated). She sings like Holiday and (sometimes) looks like her. She never strikes a wrong note is her acting--she's letter perfect in every scene. So watch it for her and the music. Otherwise, it's pretty depressing. Also, there's a good supporting performance by Richard Pryor.
There has never been a documentary like "Land of Look Behind". Relatively unknown due to poor distribution and New York Film Festival skullduggery, this breathtaking film presents a unique epic vision with quasi-dramatic elements and cinematographic wizardry. The non-reggae original soundtrack is outstanding, as is the reggae music of Bob Marley and Gregory Isaacs. The great documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog has called "Look Behind" the non-fiction film that has influenced him most over the last fifteen years. Indeed, this film's peers are the best of Herzog, Bunuel's "Land Without Bread", Flaherty's "Nanook" and Leacock-Pennebaker's "Louisiana Story". With thoughtful viewing, one will see this moving documentary actually end with a lovely little dream sequence. No American has come close to making a film this ingenious in the last thirty years.
"Mysterious Skin" is right on the mark. Araki explores ten years in the lives of two youths who were abused as children. Araki shows how each youth struggles to get a grip on some sort of normality in life. Importantly he also shows the abuser's self-justification process.We are given a hell of a lot of brain exercise during this film. It is by equal amounts compelling, moving, beautiful and shocking.We see that although the youths' parents were not directly to blame for the abuse, they certainly contributed through indifference or inaction. Hopefully viewers will be strongly inclined to take a proactive interest in the empowerment and protection of their children. Child abuse affects the victim for life.Mysterious Skin deserves to reach the widest possible audience, but I would caution that victims of sexual abuse may find this film to be very traumatic. They should go with a trusted friend, and have access to suitable counseling.
It's easy to point out that this story is based on actual events once the cameras start rolling. It is also backed up by excellent performances by Cher and Eric Stoltz. "Mask" is a tender, heart-warming story of a young teenager named Rocky Dennis who is very intelligent and emotionally sensitive as well. However, he is scarred badly due to a rare disease that has disfigured his face since he was born. As always people who pass him by or approach him a first glance feel slightly intimidated by his deformity. But by not letting these fears get to him, he becomes well over with his peers as they learn to accept him for who he is, not by what he looks like. Rocky also gets a boost of confidence from his mother, Rusty Dennis, played with sheer excellence by Cher. Rusty is a gorgeous, single mother with problems of her own too. She spends most of her time hanging around with biker gangs, she drinks, smokes, is addicted to drugs, but in spite of her problems, she continues to love her son and will bend over backwards to defend him from anyone who puts him to a lesser degree. For example, when the school principal who recommended that her deformed son be placed in a "special" school and how she told him off to his face that he will thrive with the normal students and threatened to sue him, shows that her love for her son will always be first before her. But with his progress and his strong academic showings, Rocky graduates as valedictorian of his class.Ever since he was born, Rusty delivered tough love towards her son, not to the point where he'll suffer a nervous breakdown, but just as way to keep him motivated and to blend in with people his own age like as though he was a normal child, without taking advantage of his deformity. And Rocky continued that legacy, from the morning he wakes up to face the world, inflate his self-confidence, keeping the glass half-full and just be happy with the world around him in what little time he has on this Earth. And eventually through tiring persuasion to get his mother to clean up her act, the audience finds more ways to love Rocky for what he really is. You love him because Rocky is a kid who loves people back which to this day is a precious commodity that you rarely see these days.I have seen "Mask" many times and every time I watch the movie, tissue paper is never behind. It is a coming-of-age story that deals with triumphs and failures of having an incurable disease and is handled in a believable and sensitive approach. But the great center in the story is not entirely centered on the kid's physical illness, but the bonding between a mother and her son.
1 night. 5 cab drivers, 5 fares, 5 different cities.5 stories pass between passenger and driver as one of the worlds best contemporary directors Jim Jarmusch takes us around the world and back, in stories about cultural adaptation, following your bliss, sex and death, and the depths of love and... pain, some in more detail than others. The last two with the priest and the "saddest story in the world" stand out the clearest in my mind.Alternately funny and reflective, but always entertaining, this is definitely Jarmusch' most accessible, and also one of his most compelling. Great film maker, and great moment for "world cinema".
Some films are very long. For instance Antonioni's "La Notte", again with Jeanne Moreau - sorry for being in love with her. Hardly anything happens in that movie. Though you can't keep your eyes out of the screen. Fascinating (to me, at least).The producers nowadays are afraid of "zapping". Films are stroboscopic. Add zoom and tracking. Mix the three together. You have TV's "CSI: Miami". Caruso is great fun, notably because of his caricatured acting (though he plays exactly what he is supposed to play, and he does it very well - his lines are so stupid... poor actor), but such obvious manipulation in filming is off-putting. And I get bored, so bored..."The Immortal Story" is quite a short film. But the most beautiful I have ever seen in my whole life. I could watch it again and again 'till death do us part'. People call this "movie" literary, because of (the great great) K. Blixen - I. Dinesen. It is. It is nonetheless a move of the soul, a story of tale, legend, fate, and (un)achievement. It tells us you cannot be a link of the immortal story - the chain - unless you give your life to it, and die. So always did Welles, the greatest director of all times (to me). It is all about creation: genesis, generation, transmission and... your life.
I enjoyed this film very much because in many ways it was a change of pace; it takes the unconventional, homosexual couple and then puts them in a military setting which provides for an interest backdrop to a very human story. I enjoyed it particularly because all of the characters from the cook to the main characters were very likable, and in spite of the brief nature of the film, I felt that they were still well developed. I did not feel as if the contents of the movie were lacking at all, and that the overall production was very professional. The film was quick-paced and very quickly got to the point and resolution. In no way was it a tiring or boring to watch this movie -- I found it to be a very easy, very fulfilling watch. This film is nothing over the top but with great jobs done by all of the actors and the uniqueness of the story I recommend it to anyone for a decent film to watch.
With a cast of Robert Shaw and Christopher Plummer, Peter Shaffer's powerful and touching stage drama of Pizarro and the Emperor/God Atahuallpa is grippingly brought to the stage. Pizarro, fighting his way from nothing leads an expedition to find gold for himself and the king of Spain. He finds and becomes intrigued with the Inca, living son of the Sun god and promises freedom in exchange for a large chamber filled with gold.When the deed is complete, the Spaniards refuse to accept Pizarro's promise and intend to put Atahuallpa to death. The Inca convinces Pizarro that if he is put to death he will be brought back to life at dawn of the next day by the Sun god. Pizarro, a man without much faith has come to respect this man and wants badly to believe him. Shaw's performance is, as usual, superb. Christopher Plummer is simply magnificent as the ruler of the Inca Empire.
A friend of mine was hesitant to see this movie, because she'd heard that it pushes the agenda that divorce is never a good option for dealing with marital problems. I don't really know who told her this, and I hope this same reason isn't keeping others from seeing it. This isn't at all what I took away from the film. It certainly communicates the idea that divorce isn't easy, on either the parents or the kids, but I don't feel that it pronounces judgement on those who turn to it as an option."The Squid and the Whale" is a sad--though at times very funny--look at what divorce does to one family in 1986 New York. Jeff Daniels plays the dad, a pompous, arrogant writer whose feelings of commercial failure (he teaches literature at a university) cause him to act intellectually superior to everyone he meets. Daniels is almost too good in this role; he reminded me way too much of people I actually know who are like this. He's the kind of guy who would be deadly at a dinner party, because there's no such thing as a casual or flippant remark in this guy's presence. He analyzes everything to death, and isn't content until everyone's opinion matches his own.Laura Linney plays the wayward mom, blamed for the break up of the marriage by the dad because of a string of affairs she carries on. Her guilt keeps her from being able to discipline her sons, especially the oldest, who treats her horribly. Linney's role is smaller but in some ways much more complex than Daniels'. Her character has to take responsibility for her infidelity but still make the audience sympathize with her.Caught in the middle of this mess are their two boys. The oldest quickly allies himself with his dad, and walks around regurgitating his father's opinions on every subject, rarely pausing to form any of his own. The younger son, more sensitive and tired of being intellectually brow beaten by his father and older brother, sticks closer to the mom. No one is totally to blame, yet no one is completely innocent either in this honest and frank film.Noah Baumbach has made no secret of the fact that it is based on his own adolescent life, and it has that confessional feeling that movies in this genre frequently do. There are awkward moments when this doesn't totally work. The ending for one is rather ham-fisted, and a scene between the oldest son and his school therapist seemed awfully pat to me. But the acting and the sharp writing make up for these weaknesses, and the movie manages to be poignant without ever becoming maudlin or overly sentimental.See it for the performances of Linney and especially Daniels, who has been proving his versatility as an actor over the last few years.Grade: A-
Anjan Dutta delivers a dud. (Bow Barracks Forever was better any day.)Totally clichéd and lacking subtlety, Bong Connection left me cold. Does Mr Dutt actually know what the usual Bong does when he/she goes to "phoren" lands these days? Parambrata, who fails miserably as an actor here, seems to get into all sorts of trouble the moment he lands there. The situations are unreal and ridiculous, and the De Niro-ish (hope the great actor doesn't ever get to watch this) over-the-top performance by the Bangladeshi taxi driver is laughable.Halfway through, I felt Shayan Munshi would salvage the film. I could see he was trying his best, and I give the two stars to the film for his role (and also for the gorgeous Raima Sen, who sadly doesn't have much to do), and a song that he sings in a club.You don't need much imagination to do a remix of Tagore's "paagla hawa" (and it is the "in" thing these days); yet, the director fails even in this. The song doesn't touch you, the visuals don't move you. It seemed forced, as if they were conscious they were doing something new, something great. Ha! In the end, I wished Mir had more footage: he could have tried to at least make me laugh; but laugh I did, at the immaturity of the production and the lack of intelligence of everyone involved in the making of Bong Connection.
This isn't a movie; it's propaganda. It uses natural empathy with the plight of the Jewish refugees as a tool to stir anti-American feelings. Seriously -- was it necessary to make nearly ALL of the Americans into unfeeling racists who were only marginally better than the Nazis?Every group appearing in this movie has a right to feel maltreated ... by the filmmakers.The leading lady is a farce, as well. More thought could and should have been given to her wardrobe ... I mean, beyond how well a given outfit highlights her ample breasts. Having her parade around like a show pony in one cutesy outfit after another is just laughable in light of the subject matter.
Luciana (Carla Borelli) is sent to a mental institution so she can be treated by the mysterious Dr. Spector (Charles Kissinger.) Specter is doing more than just run the hospital though: He also likes to sacrifice his subjects to Satan.William ("Grizzly", "The Manitou", "Three on a Meathook") Girdler's debut is something of a chore to sit through. With poor lighting (this is a low budget affair), amazingly overwrought acting, amateurish production values, a plot that's not too original-and that is dated even by the standards of the time, and a hilarious looking Satan in the film's climax (it's actually the Devil Suit from "Rosemary's Baby", only with a tacky mask added to it), there seems to be plenty for fans of camp to enjoy, but in reality it's just a bore.What's really amusing is that this movie was made in 1975. I say this because at this point, movies like this were largely considered old fashioned. Sure, the fact that Satan is involved is obviously due to the influence of "The Exorcist", but the tacky Monster, below sub par production values, and PG rating were old news in the post "Exorcist" and "Texas Chainsaw" world. The whole thing ends up feeling like it belongs more in 1971 then 1975, and I don't mean that in a good way.
Transgression is another look at a turbulent marriage during the slightly-naughty early 1930s in film. From the very beginning, we are given numerous examples of how absent minded and silly Elsie Maury (Kay Francis) is. Her husband Robert (Paul Cavanagh) is off to India without her, so she will go to Paris, which seems to be just asking for trouble in this pre-Hayes-Code flick. Paul Cavanagh had only been in movies a couple years, and would go on to do many early TV appearances and movies, including quite a few horror films. Kay Francis had her start in "Coconuts" with the Marx brothers, and was probably best known as the lead actress in Man Wanted, King of the Underworld, or Confession. While quite beautiful, Francis' sometime stares wide-eyed into the camera, trying to give the impression she is thinking quite hard. The sound quality in Transgression is pretty bad, but it was 1931. Ricardo Cortez (had a couple of leading roles in the 1920's and 1930's) plays Arturo, Elsie's Spanish lover. Also, in the opening scene, Elsie's mother is played by Nance O'Neil, who had played Mercedes in the first full length version of Count of Monte Cristo 1913 (and was a close friend of Lizzie Borden...) Interesting outdoor scenes of Spain, which probably are not authentic. There are surprises, suspense, and plot twisting within the movie that helps to keep it interesting. Starts slow and goofy, gets better as it goes along.
I knew I was in for a treat when I saw Preston Sturges was scriptwriter for this film, which was clever and energetic, but I didn't expect such wonderful performances from both Basil Rathbone (who received an Oscar nomination) and Ronald Colman. I always felt Colman didn't pick up his lines fast enough (at least in his later years), but he's perfect playing the poet François Villon. Colman sounds like a poet whenever he speaks in all his roles! You've never seen Rathbone in any role quite like that of Louis XI. He sounds at first almost childlike, but it is a mask - he's pretty wily and knows what he is doing all the time. The script, of course, is pure hokum. You can't imagine for one moment that a king would make Grand Constable a man who was caught stealing food from the royal storehouse. As Grand Constable, he runs France! The extended scene where he, while hidden, metes out sentences to his friends who were also caught stealing, is pure delight, and very worthy of Sturges. I found fault with Villon's earlier escape, as it was too easy, and with the casting of Ellen Drew in the role of one of the wenches at the Fir Cone tavern, and who loves Villon. There was too much to enjoy in the film so those were easy to forgive. His other love is Frances Dee, playing one of the nobles at court, and she is always stunningly dressed in Edith Head's costumes. The rest of the cast was all first rate, and the Oscar-nominated sets were excellent. Curiously, the film is set in 1463, the approximate year that Villon died at the age of 32. Also, William Farnum, who plays General Barbezier in this film, played Villon in the 1920 silent of the same name as this film.
Yay! I can still remember watching this movie on a Friday night on USA Network. After watching the opening credits I thought this is gonna be a crappy zombie flick... I was wrong.The plot is creative : A bunch of teens settle for a weekend in an old house where -accidentally- an old lady awakens from the dead. And that's when things start to get ugly, and I mean UGLY. One by one these dumb teens get killed by the old lady, and them become zombies... Sounds nice eh? Well you should see the ending then. I won't tell more, because you should see this movie if you are a horror fan that appreciates low budget.This movie is something you've seen, but it has some creative scenes and a primitive direction that will make you wonder "why movies like this are so underrated?"... Recommended for the horror genre fans.
I work at a video rental store, so I get to rent movies for free. I like horror movies, really any type of movie. As someone else stated the covers for these monstrosities are getting much better. I rented this one on a whim because it didn't look too bad, but I was way off point. The acting is terrible, the plot is terrible, the script is terrible, everything about this movie is terribad. How it even got picked up for production is a feat in itself.Don't waste your time on this piece of crap. It's an hour and a half of your life you will never get back. At least it didn't cost me any money.
Half Moon is a road movie with a difference. An elderly man Moma (portrayed with great range and nuance by Ismail Ghaffari), a celebrity singer in his native Iraqi Kurdistan, sets out by bus from Iran with an entourage of his musician sons to his homeland to perform in a large public concert. With seven months of rehearsals, official permits and visas carefully arranged, nothing could go wrong, right? Well, this is border country between bitter enemies Iran, Iraq and the highly marginalised Kurds who are basically a dispossessed people without a country and held in contempt by both countries as well as Turkey. This film illustrates what can go wrong.While beautifully filmed in some beautifully stark landscapes, the real richness of Half Moon - like most Iranian films screened here - is in the simplicity of the story and the attention to detail to the struggles of seemingly mundane activities. The cultural aspects are especially fascinating. The authority of Moma as the family patriarch is evident; his middle aged sons all hold him in high esteem and cower before him. Not unexpectedly,as Iran does not allow women to sing in public, there are specific issues with involving a woman in such a cultural endeavour.The family and social dynamics depicted breathe life into this little gem of a film. Music is a universal language that binds people, so when contempt is shown by the Iranian border guards, it has a powerful effect on the audience. My in-laws are similarly musicians of a dispossessed people (Pontians, Greek orthodox who once lived in Turkey), so I could relate well to the scenario in the film.It was interesting to see the advancement of technologies such as cell phones and wireless internet laptops creeping into these otherwise isolated communities. The film is full of beautifully understated performances and naturalistic humour and drama. I highly recommend it, and like most Iranian films I have seen, is something I would take my six year old son to see (were it to get a theatrical release).
The Inglorious Bastards - or "That Bloody Armored Train" or "Counterfeit Commandos" or "Deadly Mission" or "G.I. Bro" or "Hell's Heroes" or more, depending on what version of the film you are watching - has seen a rise in attention by the release of Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. Unlike the similarity between the two films' titles may suggest, outside of the fact that the central characters of both films are a group of misfit soldiers in a French World War II setting, there is little to compare this 1978 Italian-made The Inglorious Bastards from the 2009 Quentin Tarantino-made Inglourious Basterds.This B-movie spaghetti war film takes us to a still mostly NAZI-occupied France in World War II where a handful of American soldiers are on their way to the nearest military prison (or noose) for a variety of crimes via a truck convoy. In a glorious stroke of luck, five of these inglorious bastards survive a German air attack on the convoy and head for neutral Switzerland, only to end up participating in a French Resistance raid.The Inglorious Bastards is a pretty bad movie, though it does stand out as better than most B-movie spaghetti war films. It is a Dirty Dozen-style shoot'em'up action film that ends up not very spectacular at all (although there are some scenes on top of a moving train that is reminiscent of 1983's Octopussy) and tries to be poignant now and then, humorous failing with every attempt. Certainly not historically accurate, The Inglorious Bastards features a few elements that stand out as definitely not of the World War II era: side burns, long hair, and handlebar mustaches specifically did not often make it into the ranks of the United States Army in the 1940s.The cinematography and production values put the film a few steps ahead of much of the spaghetti war film genre but everything is still very cheap, looking and feeling like the film was made in 1968 as opposed to its actual 1978 release. But that's not all: the acting is also awful. Fred Williamson is easily the strongest member of the cast because of his extremely affable tough guy persona but the rest of the cast members seem to either overact, looking like clowns, or are about as animated as a shipwreck - Peter Hooten is especially bad, managing to both overplay and underplay his role from scene to scene.But The Inglorious Bastards does include a fairly high body count, a lot of unintentional B-movie humor, a monsoon of machinegun fire, and a river full of naked fräuleins. If all of that is enough to do it for you, then I suggest you have at The Inglorious Bastards.
Matthew Barney's highly symbolic film is done as bizarre musical, taking place simultaneously in two twin Goodyear blimps and on a football field below. If you don't have patience with art films, you wont like this, but if you do, it's a strange film about fertility and birth. It features 1930's style choreography on a football field filled with female models dressed up as whirling dervishes, there are overhead shots of them make formations of vaginas, eggs being fertilized, and the fertilized egg subdividing. On the blimps is "Goodyear" (played by actress "Marti Domination") who crawls around on both blimps simultaneously(?) taking grapes and choreographing the dancers below. Sounds bizarre? It is, but at 40 minutes it's just about the right length and I didn't look at my watch once. Worth seeing if you're into this kind of arty stuff. 8 out of 10.
-and I say that being a person whose hated musicals all his life with a fiery passion-The movie chronicles the events that takes place after the gang sneaks in to see an R rated movie. the movie is based on their favorite Canadian TV show "Terrence and Phillips: Asses of Fire." the movie contains lots of crude humor and vulgar language, and teaches them how to use the F word and other offensive language in a brand new way. pretty soon all the kids see the movie and start cussing like sailors, and this is where the problem comes from. all the parents lead by Kyle's mom decide to protest the movie and the protest soon turns into an all out war between Canada and USA. meanwhile Kenny dies and ends up in hell and whiles there he discovers that Satan and his boyfriend Saddam Hussein *LOL* are plotting to invade earth. and that's the f*cked up plot in a nutshell-The whole movie is told through a series of wonderful songs sang by the characters. from the Danny Elfmanesque "Blame Canada" to the laugh out loud "Kyle's Mom's A *female dog*" all the songs in the movie are just perfect and fits it like a glove. the humor is the same as that of the TV show, and by that i mean stereotypical racial jokes, fart jokes, gay jokes, pop culture jokes, and sexual jokes. the animation is also the same which must be great news for the studio because by doing that the movie was made very cheaply. Trey and Matt like always do the voices for about 70% of the characters in the movie, but this time they have some celebrity friends to help them out. I heard that Clooney did a voice for the movie but i couldn't recognize it. The best thing about this movie and also the TV show is of course Cartman. he's let loose in this movie and completely uncut so we get to hear him in his whole anti-semitic glory. Later on the movie his filthy mouth ends up saving the day. -I love this movie. it's exactly my type of humor, it doesn't hold anything back and is wonderfully filthy. all the jokes whether racial or homosexual jokes are simply meant as just JOKES and nothing more. conservative people who find that kind of humor to be crude can go listen to Bill O' Reilly BS them to death. -Don't blame Canada guys, that's where Sarah Polley lives :)
I tuned into this on late night TV a couple nights ago, without having a clue about what it was. I thought it might've been one of those documentaries about a family, or a really low budget soap opera, but I knew it was different once...well, once the aliens appeared. After a kind of average beginning, this movie only gets better. The performances are realistic, the action and thrills are intense, and, even though the budget is obviously very small, the director does a great job of keeping the aliens out of view. Along with all this, the story keeps twisting and turning, and although it's a movie about aliens abducting people, it could make the biggest skeptic believe some of this stuff. It's one of those movies that, after it ends, leaves you kinda (or very) shaken up. And it's not like I get freaked out easily by movies or don't watch enough of them--I watched The Shining the night before, and Alien Abduction at least equals it in suspense and intensity. Apart from being the most clichéd basic idea EVER (average American family is abducted by little green men), this is a surprisingly great movie. Low budget doesn't mean low quality.
I really liked this film (with the unusual title) due to a couple of things. First and foremost is the elegant sophistication of Anne Harding, a star in the early years of film but somewhat forgotten now. She is not your typical 1930s actress.......with her strangely attractive but outdated hair style and unusual beauty, she is very different from other screen icons of the time such as Greta Garbo or Jean Harlow. Playing a character who could have descended to hysteria and shrewishness, she underplays the part to perfection. I feel that she is sadly overlooked when the films of the 1930s are discussed.Secondly, of course, is William Powell. One of my favorites, he does not disappoint here as the jaded playboy who seems to have unlimited amounts of money (as do all the characters). Not quite reflective of the Depression gripping the country at the time this film was made! His character is not very attractive as he philanders his way through cafe society but he does it with such style that he can be forgiven. Plus, his apartment is a decorator's dream!!! The story revolves around Harding trapping Powell into marriage, which she considers only "business". Needless to say she falls in love with him along the way and complications arise. It all ends well albeit a little abruptly. This is a film that reflects the end of the pre-code period with its straightforward approach to sex outside (and inside) of marriage. Very enjoyable.
This is one of those movies that's not for everyone. But for those of you that enjoy a truly off-beat film this is it. The film stars some very big stars, in roles they probably would like to rethink taking. But having said that, it was worth the price of the film to see Marlon Brando as psychedelic guru whose temple is in the back of an 18 wheeler. And thats just one of the odd characters in this film. I really enjoyed this the first time I saw it in the theater in 1969, and again when I found the DVD in 2001. But it's definitely a niche' film. There's a lot of people who would hate this kind of film
First lets start with stating this is NOT real - it is a TV movie with Actors based on what was meant to of happened that night , go into the film with that in mind & you'll enjoy a little more.Weather or not you believe the story of the Lake Country Abduction should really be put aside to watch this - some parts are quiet scary & it does make a good horror movie for a late Friday night.The Acting is really mixed - some good , some great ! others very bad - lol.There are a lot of parts of the movie that are stupid (like most horror movies) , such as Tommy getting EVERY important scene on the camera no matter if his holding it or just sits it down wherever .. and there's always that question of why the aliens toyed with them for so long ? but in the end i did enjoy it & say anyone going into it with a open mind may so as well.lol - be kind , this is my first review.
I admit I am biased- I have always loved Ms. Adams since "The Dead Zone"...Stephen King at his earliest, and best.This film is quirky and interesting. It is one of the few actually worth buying on DVD. Not just for the performances, which are excellent, by the way.The visuals are noteworthy. New Mexico, the Southwest; a visual palette reminiscent of the artist Georgia O'Keefe. Beautiful photography, and a dysfunctional family trying to survive- two young girls living with their disillusioned mother.This film addresses a niche which is not mainstream, but real...disappointed Americans living and working , trying their best, yet opposed by the realities. This film deserves 10/10- a must see.
Excellent movie about the Cold war. It exposes, little by little, step by step, the inhumanity and constant terror/murder tactics the communist regime in Russia used to maintain itself in power.The same model was followed by the communist regimes in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states once these countries were occupied by the Soviet army after World War two.To people living in Western democracies many of the facts the movie shows may seem unbelievable, but they are completely true.Historians even today cannot agree on the total number of people who lost their lives in the Soviet Union in the '30s and '40s and '50s, but the minimum number everyone seems to accept is 10 million people. Not POW's, not foreigners, but Russians (both peasants and city dwellers) who happened to come to the attention of the KGB due to some comment made while talking to friends or, even better, due to some anonymous letter denouncing them as 'traitors to the communist state'. Their homes confiscated, most of them were sent to prisons or camps (Siberia) from where nobody ever returned.The same extermination measures were used by Stalin and the KGB against American citizens who had emigrated in the U.R.S.S. at the height of the Depression in the 1930's in search of jobs. There is a very good documentary on the subject which airs once in a while on the Canadian History channel.Given all these historical facts, it is grotesque to see today all the trouble the Russian state goes to in order to construct itself the image of an emerging democracy, when its population is just as terrorized and pauperized as it was 50 years ago.
A small, uplifting film that has a surprisingly full body. Very strong performances by Tom Berenger and Barbara Hershey. They just seem to fit together naturally. I suppose that their naturalness on-screen in this film can be credited largely to their considerable talents. But, bless whoever cast them together for seeing their possibilities.The film's premise was very engaging. The action was well paced. Most of the characters actions and reactions rang true. There was some good humor, particularly regarding the dog.The dab of history laid out in the storyline was tantalizing. I suspect that there is some grain of truth to Lillian's recounting of pertinent historical events.I think that Wilford Brimley contributed greatly to the success of the story. Having his narration start things off was a stoke of genius. He brings such gravitas and authenticity to everything he does that the viewer encounters absolutely no difficulty suspending disbelief as necessary to embrace fully the storyline.The locations were fantastic and the cinematography was inspiring. After first seeing the theatrical release, I rushed home and scoured my trusty atlas to locate the Oxbow Quadrangle in northwestern Montana. I just knew that it was a place that I would love to explore someday with my kids. When that search proved fruitless, I went online to the State of Montana's website, only to be frustrated once again. It was not until the movie first hit TV (HBO, I think) that I endured the credits to learn that it had been filmed in Alberta, Canada and Mexico.I also loved the theme music.I have seen this film about 15 times in the past 10 years. It never disappoints me.
Original Sin is a disappointing thriller starring Antonio Banderas, Angelina Jolie, and Thomas Jane. For those of you who haven't seen it I wont say anything else about the movie except for the solid acting by most of the cast the movie failed to entertain and left me disappointed. The director does an all right job of bringing this movie to the big screen but unfortunately the pacing is slow and the film could've been a lot better. The only reason I gave this movie four stars out of ten is because of the attempt by the actors and the very steamy sex scene between Banderas and Jolie that really pushes the R rating. If you're a fan of either of the stars than you might like this movie more than me. There are a few twists and surprises you might not see coming but then again you might expect it because I for one did. Despite the talent of Banderas and Jolie who try to bring life to the characters the same can go for Jane who does an okay job with the supporting role he does have the movie itself just isn't that great. The film does have strong sexual content, nudity, language, and some violence so this is no movie for parents to see with their kids at least not until their seventeen or over. Overall Original Sin isn't that good of a movie and you're better off watching something else. Unless your a kid who wants to see Jolie featured in a graphic sex scene and without her clothes on then this is the movie for you. Otherwise skip Original Sin and watch a better thriller that's worth watching more than once.
I rate this film as about average for the genre at the time of production, although its major failures are from its adherence to the premise of the 1950 Stewart Granger version of King Solomon's Mines. King Solomon's Mines is a 20th Century modernization of the H. Rider Haggard novels set in the 19th Century. As a VERY LOW BUDGET African project, the two movies maintain the consistency of an imaginary Africa that may have seemed reasonable to a 19th Century English audience.I especially enjoyed some of the quips that reference a not so hidden casting of Hollywood camp in serious roles. Elvira is cast as Sorais, and Richard Chamberlain as Allan Quatermain declares on meeting her, "I've seen some amazing things in my life, but never anything to compare with this!" The films are full of the cliché scenes that filled Tarzan and earlier jungle films, clichés that have since become attached to the Indiana Jones films by those unfamiliar with the earlier genre. Some of the earlier jungle films were produced under extraordinary duress, and attempts here to produce tongue in cheek replicas of the earlier works can certainly be missed by those whose only familiarity with film is through the post 70s media.
Armed Response is a movie that doesn't exceed one's expectations, never trying to be any more than a typical action film, but does what is expected of it in the best way possible. It's silly, not terribly original, but also entertaining through an trough, just as an action movie ought to be. The movie's terrific B-movie cast help to make this a thoroughly enjoyable experience for action fans. The plot focuses on the Roth family, Burt (Lee Van Cleef) and his sons Jim, Clay, and Tommy (David Carradine, David Goss, and Brent Huff), who become targets of mob boss, Akira Tenaka (Mako) after coming into possession of a stolen jade statue. The plot isn't hard to follow,and it is able to hold one's interest despite not being terribly complex or original. The plot is also filled with action it the form of shoot-outs, fist fights, and one terrific car chase. The plot moves along quickly thanks to a fair amount of action and the presence of some great B-movie stars. David Carradine makes a great leading man for this sort of movie; his performance is not technically "good" but he is nevertheless enormously appealing in his role. Mako is also good as the movie's villain, but the film's most stand-out cast member is without a doubt B-movie veteran Lee Van Cleef, who is a joy to watch as Carradine's tough, irritable dad who doesn't crap from anybody. His character is undeniably rather clichéd, but he plays the part better than anyone else could. Armed Response delivers exactly what it offers, and provides a fun hour and a half for fans of its genre. It doesn't offer anything new or special for those who aren't already fans of the genre, but those who are should find it consistently entertaining.
seriously out of all the t.v. that i watch, which seems to be a lot, ncis has to be my favorite. All the great actors including Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly (hottie!), Sasha Alexander as the main characters. I think what makes ncis rise above the rest of the crime shows, is the in-depth personalities that each main character has. Every episode is something completely different and offers a great hour of enjoyment. Humour though, i think is the key to ncis's success. For a crime show to be funny, but still uphold it's great plots is something the directors should be applauded for. Mark Harmon is an asset to the show offering a familiar (not to forget hot!) face, as does Michael Weatherly who plays the womanizing, yet cutie Tony DiNozzo, while his partner Caitin Todd played by Sasha Alexander offers good competition and a down to earth personality. Not to forget the goth forensic scientist Abby and Autopsy's Ducky who top off the wonderful cast. Ten out of Ten, watch it on channel ten, 9.30pm Wednesday night!please, if your a massive fan of ncis, visit my website www.ilovencis.com it has everything you want to know about the show and actors!
Wow, I must say: not anyone can watch this movie all the way to the end. I did, and it was one of my best deeds. So, I am a fan of Trash (if you check on other comments of mine you will see it). Alas, but this movie is not Trash: Trash has got style, for the ones who understand. This is just a real bad and boring movie, full of cliches, ridiculous stuff and so much sucked from Predator that, if I had the rights on Predator, I should sue this guys for this.Mark Dacascos usually acts on some B blockbuster-wannabe movies, but this is beyond him: not even he deserves this. I wonder if Steven Segall deserved to be on this flick.The scientist is real mean, and believes he created the perfect being, and nobody understands his creation. Huh-huh. I've heard this on practically ALL bio-accident movies I've watched.In the final showdown, the doctor goes back to his native roots (ugh!) and takes on the creature in a scene obscenely sucked from Predator.That spec-ops team is no match for the little kid. He saves the day.The monster and the helicopter crash are true special defects.Was this movie profitable? For the producers, I mean. For the audience it surely isn't.
The critics are out in full force and tearing this movie a new one. I can understand some of the criticism, it's a brainless comedy chop full of cliché jokes, stereotypes, crude toilet humor, so it's to be expected that it's going to receive a lot of negativity.With that said, that's exactly why I loved this movie so much. I'm a movie buff, have over 2,000 DVDs in my collection. I love virtually every movie genre there is. So, I knew full well what I was getting myself into before I paid my ten dollars and a Coke the size of Zohan's crotch.What I loved about this movie so much, was that the jokes never stopped coming. I've watched all of Sandlers movies, many of them have long breaks of nothing much to get in stitches about. Sandler is the type of actor that I look to for this sort of humor. When you're having a bad day and want to watch a brainless, popcorn flick that will most likely have you cracking up virtually the entire movie, then I suggest you see this movie as soon as possible.This is another reason why I love Sandler so much. He's not afraid to push the envelope to garner a laugh. He knows he's capable of doing a more serious role and have success. I know how good he was in Punch-Drunk Love and Reign Over Me, but he's very versatile and I can't complain about an actor with that quality.I gave this a 7 out of 10, I'm not afraid to admit that I liked the Zohan.., and I certainly wouldn't mess with him!
Radio Days (1987)- written, directed, and narrated by Allen:What a beautiful, kind, gentle, ironic, warm, sentimental (in a very good way and yes, I am talking about Woody Allen's movie, that's right) yet perfectly balanced delight. It is a series of sketches about young Joe (young Allen, of course, played by Seth Green - that was a surprise), an adolescent in Brooklyn, NY during 1930s-1940s who was passionately in love with radio which was a king. The film is a tribute to the magical radio days and the myths and legends about radio personalities, the memory of a grown man who never forgot where he came from, the love letter to his always fighting and arguing ("I mean, how many people argue over oceans?") but loving relatives and a very funny comedy (the way only Allen's comedy can be). It is the film where pretty like a doll and painfully naive Sally (Mia Farrow) asks who Pearl Harbor is? Where gorgeous Diane Keaton sings and Diane Wiest, his beloved Aunt Bea never gives up hope of one true love. He never told us if she found it..."I never forgot that New Year's Eve when Aunt Bea awakened me to watch 1944 come in. I've never forgotten any of those people or any of the voices we would hear on the radio. Though the truth is, with the passing of each New Year's Eve, those voices do seem to grow dimmer and dimmer."The Radio days are gone but thanks to Allen, the voices of the times passed are still clear and sound and they always will be.9/10
Three civil rights activists (2 blacks, 1 white) go missing & presumed murdered by white racists (the Klu Klux Klan) in some small town in the heart of Mississippi during the race protests of 1964 .Enter two FBI men from the North - Hackman (the bad cop, who used to be a town sherrif in the area many years ago but now hunts bigger fish whether it be within the law or otherwise ) and Willem Defoe (the good cop trying to set the world to rights with the belief that even racists can't be all that evil to want to kill).They investigate the case using the rules laid out by the pragmatic and by-the-book Defoe. But the townsfolk aren't quite so co-operative or helpful and the two agents seem to spend more time arguing with each other over tactics or visiting burnt out homes, farms & churches belonging to the oppressed blacks in the area than getting any nearer to solving the crime.Even with a hundred other FBI agents brought in to help out both Defoe & Hackman find it hard to get witnesses to speak up and offer any leads regarding the three young missing persons.Eventually Hackman befriends the wife of one of the town's police officers (and suspected KKK member), wonderfully played by the ever-dependable Frances McDormand (of Fargo and Blood Simple fame). Through her Hackman learns that most of the police officers and leading townsfolk are KKK members and that the 3 activists were murdered & buried in a nearby quarry pit.With the bodies exhumed all Hackman & Defoe need to close the case are the murderers, but to get what they want they have to play by Hackman's rules this time.....A highly controversial film for its day (1988). Initially it was a certainty to win a host of Academy Awards for its virtuous storytelling. But various black groups protested that the film was flawed,uneven and possibly even racist. They also argued that the film portrayed the black townsfolk as defenceless, ignorant & backward, having to rely on two white FBI agents from out of town to help them win them justice.It is fair to say that they have a point. It struck me that for most of the time the blacks portrayed in the film were blatantly stereotyped as either churchgoers, gospel singers, cotton-pickers or ignorant illiterates.This major complaint coupled with protests from white Southerners angry at being seeing as just a bunch of hick rednecks, ended any realistic chance the film had of winning any award at all.British director, Alan Parker took a very simplistic view of some true events the film is supposedly based on. It is true to say that the acting from both Defoe and especially Hackman is top notch, the photography and film score excellent coupled with the overall pace of the film makes for a very entertaining viewing. However, it is to the content of the film that counts most and this is where Parker's limited knowledge of the civil rights protests in the Deep South during the early 60s is painfully obvious.I would guess that if the film was remade today one of the leads would go to a black actor of the quality of Morgan Freeman (replacing Hackman's character) or Denzel Washington (replacing Defoe's preachy, peace-loving act). At least this would've added far more balance & realism to the film without making it too overtly politically correct. Afterall why should cynical black townsfolk ever want to co-operate with white FBI agents. In their eyes all whites are just the same and to be mistrusted in equal measure.This film could have been better perhaps from an American director rather than from an "outsider" looking in. Parker is very much like Ridley Scott at times: all style over content without really understanding what it is he is trying to portray, which is a great shame.If one can forgive these flaws Mississippi Burning is a very good drama. Special mention has to go to the ever-dependable Gene Hackman who returns to form as the no-nonsense former sherrif who knows how the locals tick and isn't about to be fobbed off in the same way as the rather naive & clean-cut Defoe.Overall then, Mississippi Burning, fails to get its message across but entertains us nonetheless. The acting is good, the screenplay stilted and the characterizations are pigeon-holed. But for all that this film is worth a look because even though it is very uneven the main theme of apartheid, oppression & racism between black & white Americans is a good lesson for us all to think about and realise that over the last 30 years nothing much has changed.***/*****
Jackson pull this one great! It is not so believeable as some other mockumentaries (like "Curse of the Blair Witch") but this one is so funny and soo well done !Some scenes are obviously fake but made me laugh well :) and some are so impressive especially fake silent movies that really looks like 90 years old copies (Jackson himself can be seen as extra in some scenes in "Saloma" oD )! They really did excelent job - I admire all efforts that was put to shoot it.Relly great and funny movie that just must be seen!10/10
The lives of peasants living in a remote Mexico village are examined in this marvelous film by director Francisco Vargas. The situation parallels, in a way, the conflict in that country that has been in the news for a few years.As the film opens one can see a prisoner being tortured by a soldier. The scene changes to a bucolic setting in which an old man, his son, and grandson are seen boarding a makeshift truck transporting them to a nearby town. The older man, Plutarco, is a violinist and his son, Genaro, plays the guitar. They play for patrons at a restaurant for tips which the grandson, Lucio collects. With their meager earnings they get to eat. One thing is established, Genaro is part of the rebels that are fighting in the mountains nearby.The story changes quite drastically as the men go back to their village. There are soldiers everywhere setting their town on fire. Genaro, who is involved with the rebels flees to a safer place, leaving the older man and his son to fend for themselves. Plutarco wants to help his son but because he must travel through the soldier's camp in order to go to his small piece of land, he becomes the object of curiosity as the fiddler who becomes a figure of amusement for the commander of the troop. Plutarco's violin will become key to the story, as is his relationship with the top army man will be put to a test. Plutarco and Genaro will be together at the end. These men, like most of their friends and neighbors seem doomed because the unfair way life dealt with them."El violin" is an unique film in which poverty and necessity have made the peasants take things into their own hands trying to get rid of the oppressing and ruthless soldiers that keep them down. It seems that the poor men one sees are part of people that are kept in poverty throughout different generations. The peasants get our admiration for being noble and having to put up with conditions no human being should have to face.The acting is excellent in general. Best of all, Angel Tavira, who is seen as the proud and stoic Plutarco. One can see in this man's eyes a distinct hatred for the men that keep him down, yet, he makes a fatal mistake that will prove fatal. Gerardo Taracena has some good moments as Genaro and Gilberto Palacios appears as the commander.One of the best achievements in the film is the crisp black and white cinematography of Martin Boege and Oscar Hijuelos. This is a major triumph for Francisco Vargas who has created a satisfying story about the oppressed people from Mexico.
Ferocious Female Freedom Fighters (1982) was a project that Charles Kaufman and the L.A. Connection worked on. Troma bought the rights to a real bad Indonesian action film (shot in Panavision) and re-dubbed it. They made a terrible movie watchable, but it's filled with very juvenile and dated material. But that doesn't mean it's not watchable.The plot is (F.F.F.F) is about a female wrestler (Bambi)who's sick brother needs an emergency operation. To get the money fast, she signs up with a shady wrestling organization (even though she was courted by a rival promoter). During her training she meets Barney (a man who talks and fights like Elvis) and tries to woo her throughout the movie. Like I said, the movie's humor is very juvenile and adult but if you're into Troma films then you'll dig this one big time. What will happen to Bambi? Will her little brother get that operation? Can Barney sweep her off of her feet? You'll have to find out for yourself!Highly recommended.
That is what everyone seems to say that I know. We even brought it up at my 30th class reunion! I remember watching it (10 yrs old) and being petrified! But it's all relative. What was scary back then might be cheesy now. But I sure would love to see it again! I found a site called movielead.com that claims to have it but you have to write a request and leave your email, and someone will get back to you. Anyone ever hear of that site and if they are legit? Thank you to all who critiqued it and gave it high ratings. I think the Baby Boomer crowd appreciates this kind of stuff far more than the younger ones. Made for TV movies are sometimes the best, but the hardest to get a copy of!
Recently I saw Anna May Wong in PICCADILLY, a stylish silent melodrama made in England in 1929, and while the film had its flaws I felt that it was quite interesting and unusual over all, and that its leading lady was fascinating. Anna May Wong was virtually the only Chinese-American Hollywood star of her era, gorgeous in an unconventional way, with a magnetism rivaling that of Louise Brooks. I was eager to see more of her work, and knew that she'd made several silent films in Hollywood during the '20s and a number of talkies there in the '30s, after she'd returned from Europe.One of Anna May's first vehicles upon her return to the U.S. was DAUGHTER OF THE DRAGON, which was also one of the first screen adaptations of a Fu Manchu story from Sax Rohmer's long-running series of books. Unfortunately, while PICCADILLY exhibited the best technical qualities of the late silent era, including first-rate cinematography, fluid camera movement, and smooth editing, this film exhibits some of the weakest traits of early talkies: the dialog is awkward, the editing rhythm is lethargic, and the acting (with a couple of exceptions) is theatrical in the worst sense of the word. There are sporadic attempts by the director to infuse the movie with interesting visuals, such as using silhouettes cast on screens or off-beat camera angles, but for the most part the presentation is as flat and dull as a school play. Aside from rare bursts of action we find ourselves staring at actors who strike attitudes and declaim purple prose against the harsh crackle of the soundtrack, with no background music to help smooth over the rough spots.Anna May Wong's charisma is intact, but the material she was given to deliver in DAUGHTER OF THE DRAGON puts her dignity to a severe test. I never expected Political Correctness from a Fu Manchu movie, but it was nonetheless disheartening to observe the Yellow Peril stereotypes on parade here. Sinister Orientals spy on enemies through panels in the wall, and gongs are struck at key moments as Dr. Fu Manchu intones such lines as: "My flower daughter, the knife would wither your petal fingers." Fans of the Charlie Chan series might be surprised to find Warner Oland playing Fu, very much the opposite of his more benign Asian portrayals. Legendary Japanese actor Sessue Hayakawa is on hand as a Chinese detective working for Scotland Yard, thus providing a positive Asian role model to balance the villainy of the others, but even in his case it's made clear in an early scene that he's a "special worker" who will never be made an official member of the force.Hayakawa manages to retain his dignity in the midst of this hokum, and so does Anna May Wong, but the waste of these two extraordinary actors is frustrating to witness. This movie is as silly as the toy dragon breathing fire under the opening credits, and perhaps it can be enjoyed as such, but if you care about these actors as human beings it leaves a depressing aftertaste. One last thought: what's the deal with sinister Asians spying on people through sliding panels in the wall? What's up with that? I mean, did you ever see an old movie where sinister Mexicans, Greeks or Eskimos spy on people through sliding panels? Oh well, I guess it's just one of those inscrutable mysteries of the Hollywood Orient . . .
My expectations are rather low when we're talking about sequels. Let alone, when the budget is evidently low and the story looks predictable to begin with. Regardless, I was very excited about 'Return to Sleepaway Camp' anyway. I am a big fan of the original film and I was actually eager to give this sequel a chance. Leaving aside the fact that sequels tend to be very inferior, the fact that three of the original actors were willing to reprise their roles, was a good sign. I assumed that the story and the script were decent enough for that reason alone. Another good reference, was the fact that Robert Hiltzik, who wrote and directed the original film, was also in charge of the same tasks for this sequel. Unfortunately, my guess is that these three cast members and the director, only returned because they needed the money. I honestly didn't think I would be this disappointed. I'm guessing I'm not the only fan of the original film who ended up being actually furious after seeing such a horror classic being disrespected. My main problem with this film, is not the fact that it is bad. My main problem is that they connected the story to the original 'Sleepaway Camp', which should have been left alone. I don't like to feel like I'm sabotaging a film, so I'll try to be a little bit more specific and enumerate the reasons why 'Return to Sleepaway Camp' is not exactly my cup of tea. The first thing that gave me a hint that this movie was going to be bad, was the fact that the so-called jokes and humorous situations, were completely unfunny. All slasher fans know very well that these movies usually have a modest share of humor. Fortunately, in most flicks, this 'humor' is at least tolerable. Well, in 'Sleepaway Camp', the desperate attempts to create any kind of humor, are simply terrible. All the jokes, situations and remarks seemed to have been written by someone who got stuck in the 80s or something like that. Everything sounds and looks exaggerated.Leaving aside the bad attempts to create humor, I was also annoyed by the fact that the interaction between the characters was overly violent and exaggerated. I know we're discussing a movie and not real life, but the fact that all the characters were so incredibly mean and cruel, was unrealistic to me. People are not that awful in real life. In the original 'Sleepaway Camp', there were obviously a lot of rivalries between the main character (Angela) and the rest of the kids, but this is just too much. And the rivalries were poorly portrayed anyway. Even though I do acknowledge the existence of nasty people in this world, it's not realistic to fill a movie with people swearing all the time, constantly using physical violence and insulting each other 24-7... I just don't buy it. And the main character, who is the one we're supposed to emphasize with, is not even likable to begin with. How can we empathize with a character that is no better than his detractors? Alan (that's the main character's name) is everyone's favorite target when it's time to pull pranks. However, Alan is also a disgusting bully who goes around yelling and being a pain to everyone. However, Alan is not even the worst character in the film. The award to the most ridiculous character would definitely have to go to "Sheriff Jerry", which turns out to be... Angela in disguise! That is correct, ladies and gentlemen. Felissa Rose, who originally played Angela in the first movie, came back reprising her role. Unfortunately, this time, Angela walks around the camp with the tackiest disguise ever, which is a policeman uniform, a beard, a fake rubber nose and a voice simulator. I know it sounds terrible, but in reality, is much worse than that. The idea of putting Angela back in the road was not bad at all, but why did they have to make it so far-fetched? It was perfectly clear from the very beginning, that 'Sheriff Jerry' was obviously someone in disguise. While we're at it, I was also very displeased with the ending. There were several things to do and many characters to butcher, but way before you know it, the movie suddenly ends and everything is left undone. I admit that I very much enjoyed seeing Felissa Rose's maniac face again, but that doesn't make up for the lack of action and a decent denouement. Now, I'm afraid I'm going to have to be fair and enumerate the few things I enjoyed about 'Return to Sleepaway Camp'. First of all, the killing scenes were pretty creative and gory to me. I enjoyed most of the murders and even though some of them were a little bit far-fetched, I still think they were good enough for the slasher sub-genre. I may be discontent with the film on the whole, but I can honestly say that the murders were a delight. On top of that, the image of the film resembles what the movies from the 80s used to look like. My wild guess is that this was intentional, which I highly appreciate. For moments, I felt like I was actually watching a flick from the 80s, which fills my heart with a strange horror nostalgia, if that's even a real feeling.My summarized advice would be: watch it if you're really curious about it and you're bored. The movie is entertaining and watchable, but that doesn't mean it is good. On the other hand, if you are sensitive, please refrain from watching 'Return to Sleepaway Camp', because it's a major disrespect to the first film and it hurts a lot to see a sequel that is so incredibly inferior in every single way.
I like the film, not because it is on love or it is funny, but because it tell a story of mutual dependence of the characters. Alice love all others in her family, though the feeling to everyone is different, but they are all deep and long lasting. the feelings are not thunder like, but like a spring rain. they just need each other, so Wilbur stop trying to kill himself and learn to take care of Alice and her daughter. but I don't know why it is described as a comedy, for it contains very few funny scenes, to some one, it is moving. so if it takes another genre, it would have different audience and they will have quite different opinion to the film.
Two Men in Town/Deux Hommes dans la Ville is a surprisingly good drama from Jose Giovanni, whose own prison experiences were the basis of Jacques Becker's Le Trou. The same sense of working from first-hand knowledge is omnipresent in this drama about Alain Delon's paroled convict trying to start a new life with the help of prison educator Jean Gabin and almost making a go of it until Michel Bouquet's local flic goes all Inspector Javert on him and does everything in his power to engineer his return to crime. Despite some hairspray style slo-mo montages and some awkward construction in the middle, the film manages to make it's potentially clichéd story both involving and convincing, not least because of Giovanni's great sense of place and motion, with his fluid camera-work particularly striking.Gabin is more engaged by the material than usual at this stage in his career and Delon is surprisingly good, especially in his all too convincing final scene, while a young Gerard Depardieu turns up in a couple of scenes offering three generations of iconic Gallic cinematic losers in one film. The crusading tone of the last third is a tad heavy, but the ending - both ritually stylised and yet realistically performed - makes its point far better than the courtroom speeches.
What can i say. This was a Great film that i really enjoyed. Very funny.When i first watched this film they said its a WELSH TRAINSPOTTING A Welsh Trainspotting - No. Its completely different from Trainspotting and in my opinion, better and funnier. Don't get me wrong though, Trainspotting is still a great film but i prefer this. I don't know why really, i guess its because i'm Welsh (and proud of it). And i'm happy to see they made a decent WELSH film. Trust me, if your into foreign films that speak English or if you like British comedy films, then watch this. 10/10. Best line ever was:'And this glue is for my submarines and not for sticking up your f****** noses. And don't think i don't notice because i do. Buy your own f****** glue!'
The aesthetic options this movie takes will make you immerse into the epoch. From the beginning, when they get down from the ship and the music and military marches don't sound as they should, but muffled and empty, you could see reality was going to take its toll on the couple's dreams.While quite implausible (Sasha's crossing, Aleksei Golovin getting scots-free from all he did) the villains are not as dumb and cartoonish as in other films of, say, Nazy Germany.Sandrine Bonnaire is fine. Unrecognizable from her half wit Sophie from La Cérémonie (1995) as well as the sleuth in Chabrol's Au coeur du mensonge, she's radiantly beautiful here. Only later, watching some scant pictures at IMDb, did I realize that her nose, for instance, isn't exactly "nice". Good for her, her smile erases our rationality :).I found the film surprising, specially since the couple of main characters don't perform according to expectations. Aleksei, while the honest bright physician, falls in the clutches of a believable Olga (as Tatiana Doguileva) without much ado. And Marie is not immune to Russian charm either, forgetting her son at her charge to boot.What I really didn't like is the heroic format of Catherine Deneuve's actress turned "freedom fighter" Gabrielle Develay. As if the director, writer etc. had to erase with one elbow what had been (well) written with the other one, this character comes out of the blue to be the only "hope of liberty at western capitalism". As one character says to her: "You hardly know this person you're risking your life for!". Besides the tricks for a Disney movie, the "last minute efforts", the stupidest guards on earth etc, I suspect the KGB didn't run the country or kill more than 20 million people and could have not realized that, for instance, once Marie first gave sure signs of "dissidence" and then did what she did (Sasha), she wasn't going to try more mischief. So Sasha's story, from his swimming talents (like a bad Hollywood movie), the state official realizing his family had all been traitors and him being let free to wander in the country, then his standing at the French Embassy like if somebody in his condition could really barter for anything (there were millions of people in the same condition).The dismal housing problems are accurately depicted, as well as the troubles of "too many people living under a single roof". Of course, like in all big productions, visuals are fine (like Sasha's training at a beautiful cold river), as the epoch (the buildings, cars, clothing, the already mentioned crowded flat, even the "expensive Bulgarian hotel" looks, well... Sovietic and fadish!). The opulent interiors shot in drab color as jotix100 from New York writes at IMDb. Ah, the petty thiefs who "find chicken around the corner" and jewellry from a relative are sympa, they add some naive contrast to the dire Soviet conditions. Which were probably many times worse than what the film dares to show.All in all, I liked the film. But I feel it lost gravitas and depth due to concession to the ticket office.
** out of ****I watched this knowing what it was going to be like. I knew it would be trashy, cheap, unassuming, and interesting. But unfortunately, this film is none of these things. I went in expecting these things and i had them all shoved back into my face. I wasn't expecting this film to be as good as KALIFORNIA, but i was taken agog when i discovered what it really was.The film is basically just about a couple who hook u with a young outlaw and basically go on a trip to nowhere. While on this trip, they have some encounters with several people who they end up murdering. They don't show any kind of guilt by doing this. Just regret.This film was too easy. It's concluding statement is that the youth of today have made their world there own personal hell. This is established from the beginning and then the film decides to show as many different ways of showing this as it can. For me it didn't work, but in a strange way, it did. I liked the way the film doesn't take or give any sort of apologies for the weird images it shows. I liked the way the film showed us a continuing spiral around repetition. I usually hate it when a film does these sorts of things, but here it fit perfect. Rose Mcgowen does a fine job in her role of what appears to be a girl with terrets syndrome.The major problem is that the film just doesn't show enough of... well... everything. The scenes are half heartedly done, the characters are half heartedly developed, and the set design just seems to keep repeating more and more strange set tone and color, but not enough variety. Take, for instance, a surreal scene in which the teenagers accidentally hit a dog on the road and put it out of its misery. What makes this scene funny is the fact that they have already murdered several people throughout the course of the film, and yet when they hit the dog, they show more genuine emotion for hitting this animal than for murdering another human being. And yet the viewer will still get the feeling that they didn't show enough emotion for the dog either. There must be something wrong with a film when the only scene in the film where the viewer can feel anything relative to the characters in a regular human being is in a particular scene right at the very end which involves hedge trimmers and Nazis. Obviously, it is scenes like the one with the dog that drive the message of the film home.Now, the main problem with the film is how director Greg Araki(Mysterious Skin, Totally F*ckd Up) has to add a little zing to the carnage scenes. He adds style, which should definitely not be used in a film like this. There is a scene where a store owner's head is blown off with a shotgun, right off the stump. Now this scene is pretty straight forwardly done. Two people struggle with the gun, it goes off, someone is killed in the process. The thing is, once the the head lands in the guacamole, it screams and lurches, as if still alive. Now there's nothing wrong with having something like this in a film of this texture. The problem arises when it is talked about on local news programs that begin the discussion of how the head was sworn to be talking at the scene of the crime, and how a necklace was found at the scene of the crime along wit several other dead bodies. This is the kind of stuff that isn't necessary and certainly doesn't make the film any more interesting. It makes the film slow paced. And for a film that is less than 90 minutes, that is something that a director, especially one like Greg Araki, who has made some amazing films, should definitely avoid doing. Just look at films like KIDS or BULLY. They don't fall into the trap of being stylized for the sake of being stylized.Homosexuality also is a frequent concept that is brought up several times in the film. Now i have absolutely nothing against homosexuality in films. I don't even care if it's just a casual occurrence in a film.But in this film, the concept of the boyfriend being gay, or the drifter being gay is simply something that isn't explored to any real extent. In fact, the aspect of Rose Mcgowen or her boyfriend being a straight couple is barely explored either. For a film that has so much gay sex, straight sex, and three ways, there really should be more of an attempt for sexual exploration of the characters and less of a chore. I know that it is just a thing that these characters do, and i know that they don't care who loves who or what they want to do with each other, but they could have at least had an orgy and not just a series of weird encounters.Having said that, i do find the film interesting in its own trashy way. And i do kind of think the film is worth seeing, but the whole awkwardness of what the film attempts and repeatedly succeeds to prove is dumbed down by its finishing touches.(the film is not rated but is intended to be viewed by adults only. it contains overdone violence and gory images, a substantial use of strong language, lots of graphic sex and nudity, and a fair share of drug use.)
Okay so maybe I'm a wimp or maybe I had legitimate medical reasons for fainting, but the fact is I do watch tons of horror films, volunteer regularly for a horror magazine, and this has never happened before. I should have fainted to Ichi the Killer, or Brain Dead, or f*ck, even the cockroach sequence in Creepshow- but no, the segment to knock me out was "The girl with the golden breasts" which was a story about this gorgeous chick who's boob implant goes horribly wrong. Following the episode I went to the doctor, got a blood test, EKG, had my blood pressure taken, a full out exam- and was told that I was probably dehydrated, my body type is lean and more susceptible. I was working crazy hours, attending midnight screenings, the theater was stuffy, and blah blah blah. I'm a guy who writes horror scripts! I've become jaded as a writer because I've found it increasingly hard to scare myself. I'd like to think I'm tougher than that, but damn. The feeling came on like dimensional twist- like I was fighting to stay in my body- my perspective was pulsing, disorientation followed, then the unfightable desire to go and splash some water on my face. I should have stayed in my seat. Instead, I went out to the lobby, came crashing down- busted open my eyebrow...and have no memory of the fall. To preserve my dignity- and see if it really was an epileptic thing, I attended the second screening, and am happy to say I survived- didn't faint or feel feverish throughout all the five stories, and enjoyed it quite a bit. I am totally into exploitation horror movies, and this one has plenty of it-- Though I would have liked to have seen more gore- the squeamish parts could have been expanded, made more sadistic, especially in the tape worm story-- the film as a whole reminded me of those old pulp EC horror comics I used to read as a kid. The lighting had echoes of Argento's Suspiria... The main score was effectively creepy, the director's styles were pretty varied adding some interesting textures to the whole, and I hope the people at Tales from the Crypt scoop up this team for another go at it- this time adding takashi miike to the roster to go full out into the lactating boob horror.
In the middle of the movie,some totally new characters show up and it's pretty obvious they're only there to get killed by the demons.But then again,what other purposes can characters in a horror movie have anyway?This second movie in the "Evil Dead"-series is kinda different actually,it gets more surreal here,mainly because Ash has really lost it here in the first half,and the demons appear to be even more over-the-top and more evil.However,they both grab themselves together near the end for their final showdown.Ash is accompanied by a bunch of idiots but as they're idiots,they don't help much and get killed in some rather original ways.I'm not sure when this movie is situated,but I'm guessing this movie acts like the first one never existed.Not that it completely retells the story,it merely summarises it.And as I took this walk on gross-out lane,I found myself very entertained,somehow shocked but I don't have a clue by what exactly and I did laugh along with Ash and the deer head I must say.That scene really puts a spell on you.Almost as great as the first one
This movie contains so much surralistic humor, so it stands for itself! The song about Chester is so funny, that there's almost no need to mention Fields' trembling voice when he's singing the song without any voice ("You know, we can't get any ipecac up in this part of the country."). The scenes where a "regiseur" throws corn-flakes into his face ("Tastes more like corn-flakes.") when he says the classic: "And it ain't a fit night out for man nor beast" and at the end of the movie don't throw any corn-flakes. It's so funny! For you fellas and girls: Don't let ya' temptations lead you to the big city, 'cause it surely will get you to "sell them bonds".
This is one of the quintessential films of the classic age of French cinema. One just has to look at the credits: directed by Duvivier, with Fernandel, Baur, Jouvet (one of his best roles), Marie Bell, Francoise Rosay... all of them at the peak of their form. And held together musically by Jaubert's haunting theme melody, which I can still hum in the nostalgia cupboard of my memory fifty years after I first heard it.The story is slight. Actually it is a series of vignettes, strung together by the bittersweet pilgrimage of a woman who sets out to find again the men who signed her first dance card. But that is just a pretext for a marvelous set of character sketches played by a marvelous cast of character actors served by a great character director. 
I might be one of the biggest horror fans you have ever seen. And I am just INLOVE with slaughter, slasher, frightening, great horror movies! Though, I state my self as a "Fan" so as any other horror fan, I hate the movies this year like, jennifers body, the haunting in Connecticut, Sorority Row. You know, the *beep* in movies, that are terrible. No, no, no I like REAL horror movies. Some of my favorites would be: Slither The Devils Rejects The Shining The Hills Have Eyes. Halloween(John Carpenter's) And the highly anticipated "Trick r' Treat, to be hopefully released straight to DVD this October.But out of all the great horror movies, there's only one thats my 1# Favorite. And of course that has to be Behind the Mask. The acting is refreshing, because the characters aren't unaware of the situations. And the under-rated actors + actresses, make the movie nice. The filming is what really lights the spark; most of the movie is filmed with the technique of a cameraman's point of view. But when it transists to the over-fantastic directing of Scott Glosserman, made it to my 1# horror movie. Scott is so ingeinus when it comes to his directing. Overall, I love the writing, acting, and overall production value of such a amazing under-rated film. This is truly a great horror movie.
Just as some kids can be so mean; some movies can just suck like this one does. Don't judge the whole franchise by this installment. Its time for summer camp again and Ronnie(Paul DeAngelo)returns as the junior partner of camp owner Frank(Vincent Pastore). Ronnie wants to keep everyone in line and it isn't easy. Alan(Michael Gibney)is a chubby pain in the ass and a major disturbance at Camp Manabe. He always leaves confrontations with nasty threats, but is he to be feared? When campers and staff members mysteriously become victims of frying, burning and skinning Ronnie can't help but think of the grisly murders two decades earlier at Camp Arawak.At times pretty gross, but not as bad as the horrible acting. No sympathy to be had for Gibney, his character Alan possesses nothing to care about. This part could have been given to Rosie O'Donnell...and that really isn't much of an improvement. Music icon Issac Hayes plays Charlie the Chef, his last full role in a movie. Others in the cast: Jackie Thon, Jonathan Tiersten, Brye Cooper and the buxom Erin Broderick. There are as many tormented and unhappy campers as there are reasons this went straight to video.
Don't Panic (a confusing title which means absolutely nothing by the way) starts by introducing us to Micheal Smith (Jon Micheal Bishof) who recently moved to Mexico with his alcoholic Mother (Helena Rojo). It's the night of Micheal's birthday & the last few guests are leaving his party, or so he thinks. Some of his friends have stayed behind including his best friend Tony (Juan Ignacio Aranda) & a girl from school whom he has the hots for named Alexandra (Gabriela Hassle). Tony, being an idiot, suggests that they hold a séance with a Ouija board he just happens to have, after some goading everyone agrees & the séance begins. Tony talks about a spirit named Virgil & asks him some stupid questions, everyone goes home & that's about that or so everyone thinks... The next day Micheal is late for class but everything is fine. However that night as Micheal is trying to sleep he has a vision, a vision of one of his friends named Debbie (Cecilia Tijerina) who was at the séance, being brutally stabbed to death by an unknown assailant. Oh, & for some unexplained reason Micheal's eye's turn red. At first Micheal thinks that it was just a hallucination but when he hears about Debbie's death & that of another one of his friends at the séance Peter (Mario Ivan Martinez) on the news he becomes convinced that his vision was real. While at school Micheal receives a warning in the shape of yet another vision, a warning which tells him Christy (Melinda McCallum) will be the next to die, Micheal must try & save Christy & his remaining friends who were present at the séance before this unknown source of evil kills all of them...This Mexican American co-production was written & directed by Ruben Galindo as Ruben Galindo Jr. & is one seriously bad film. The script tries to cross supernatural thriller with stalk 'n' slash horror & it predictably turned out to be a complete mess. Don't Panic is a painfully slow & tedious film to watch with only two murders for well over an hour of it's running time & lots of boring exposition & unnecessary character development for the rest of it. The dialogue is pretty bad, the acting is very bad & the character's are awful. The film tries to conceal the killer's identity & to be fair it might work, unfortunately the version I saw revealed the killer on the back of the video box so I knew who it was all along, I doubt it would be that much of a surprise though. No explanation is given to who Virgil is, what he want's, why he's killing these specific teenagers or how he is able to possess people's bodies. Virgil is just 'there' & we have to accept it. The character's are all stupid, the situations Don't Panic depicts are all stupid & as a whole the film lacks any sort of fore-thought or intelligence behind what's going on. The ending is awful as well, both how Virgil is defeated & that sickening & tacky 'this rose will never wilt as long as there is love between us' scene. Despite what you may have read there is actually very little on screen gore, two people are stabbed which Don't Panic depicts by having blood splash over the floor & on the victims clothes, there is a fairly decent slit throat even if I wouldn't just sit impassively in a car as someone stuck their hand in through the window & sliced my throat open with a knife & a scene in which a knife (it's the same knife in all the murder's actually) is stuck into someones chin & it protrudes from their mouth. All the kill scenes are dull with virtually no build up & director Galindo fails to inject any tension, scares or atmosphere into them just like the rest of the film in fact. There isn't even any nudity either, in fact when Micheal & Alexandra have sex it is squeaky clean stuff, Galindo merely shows them kissing each other on the lips while in bed. As mentioned already in other comments the sight of Micheal running around in his babyish pyjama's is both bizarre & very silly looking. Don't Panic is technically average, the cinematography is static & flat as are the production values in general & the horrible music seems very out of place. There are a couple of scenes where a face pokes out of the TV which is quite an impressive effect. Overall there is very little I can recommend Don't Panic by as it's a pretty terrible film all round really, maybe it's good for a few laughs & a decent slit throat but that's it. One to avoid unless it's VERY cheap & your VERY bored.
I first remembered seeing part of an episode of this TV mini series when I was very young. My dad was a fan and I remember one or two moments from a particular episode which had stayed with me. It was until nearly twenty years later that I saw the whole series in all its glory. I was absolutely blown away. The acting is of the finest caliber with all the major players executing their roles with such conviction that you actually believe that these people were the Roman aristocracy. The stellar cast really is first rate and that applies to the major actors right through to the supporting characters who are all superb. The script is completely gripping with every scene getting better and better with some vicious humour thrown in. Some people may be put off as this mini series goes back almost thirty years and is not filled with the spectacular computer generated effects that are all to often visible in todays programes and films. That said if you enjoy Roman history or if you enjoy political intrigue,scandal,murder,plots and treason then this really is a must see. **********10 stars.
you wont believe this...i was 16 when i saw so proudly we hail....thirty years later i resaw it and remembered everything about it...even the theme music of claudette and george. what a flawless film...the acting...paulette goddard sublime...lake..her first real good effort and colbert gracious and sonny tufts...really credible. the story so true so heartbreaking...the special effects...truly pure Spielberg and lukas. i spent 200hundred dollars.of my vacation money to buy an uniform worn by goddard in spwh and i have a whole living room wall filled with lobby cards and posters of so proudly....im that nutty. proud of paulette goddard...tag just a pretty pretty but...praised in the film. just sad to know that the whole cast has deceased...maybe lorna gray is still with us. anyways it feels good to give you my view...and thanks for understanding a spwh freak.
Straight to business... Movie is not bad... The movie looks very Rich, music is outstanding.. 3 songs nicely picturised... But at the end you wont carry anything with u other than the song 'Jashn Bahar'. The background voice by AB was repetitive and boring... War scenes were below average. When we can expect the War scenes like TROY or Gladiator in Indian cinema ? Many characters in the movie did not made any sense.. it was out-casted .. Rithik has improved a lot...but his voice modulation was poor. Aish as usual stunning but acts like a statue. I could not make out what went wrong in the movie ..may b it was poor editing / cinematography.. Not at all Ashutosh's masterpiece ...
 Grand Hotel glimmers with Art Deco oppulence. The performances are wonderful,The script sparkles and the story still enthralls. John Barrymore gives one of his greatest performances as the down on his luck Baron Von Giagern,charming wistful and melencoly.Brother Lionel gives his greatest performance as the dying,but zestful Otto Kringelien.Lewis Stone is appropietly flippant and cynical as the enigmatic Dr. Otternslag and Joan Crawford shows us just how pretty and endearing she was in her early career.And then there is Garbo,the mystique that followed her to her grave must have started with her ethereal performance in this film.She is a wonder. Murder,theft,love,hate and greed...with all of this going on,I wish I could take Otternshlag's advice and "stay one more day".
This is one of the most underrated, brilliant films of all time. If you've never seen it, do: but see it at a cinema if you can or on a good home theatre system, with a big screen and great sound. Shut down the lights, take the phone off the hook, give it the respect it deserves... and go on a journey.I first saw it in 70mm in a cinema re-release in 1995, and still remember that night as one of the most transcendental cinema experiences of my life. I hadn't even wanted to see it - my boyfriend dragged me along. I thought it was a boys + their toys movie, the subject matter didn't interest me at all. Yet I came out of the cinema speechless, barely able to walk. I felt like I'd just orbited the earth too, so closely did I identify with what was happening on screen. Wolfe's book, Kaufman's screenplay and direction, Caleb's cinematography, Bill Conti's music, the sfx, the design... all are at the top level of their craft. And every one of the actors... from Sam Shepherd through to the nurse... is beyond superb. If anyone who worked on this film is reading this, even if you made the tea, know that you helped create something incredible.The movie beautifully portrays and celebrates dual themes: technical endeavour vs the mystery of the natural universe, external recognition vs inner 'right stuff'. Like Chuck Yaeger, this film never achieved due recognition in its day, but will continue to inspire through time.
Great for this kind of movie - Stallone wasn't invincible & did some fine acting - His introspection choosing humanity did not come off as corny & I felt his character was very likable.Mickey Rourke keeps alive the question of whether he is crazier on screen or off - Will he grow up & become Christopher Walken later in life?Miranda & Rachel both get A's for acting outside the stereotype - I'd like to give the little French girl a bite at her spot of specification - The film's dialogue was better than usual as was all its writing.No gaffs, major or minor - I enjoyed this remake more than its original, which was also worth viewing in my opinion but just didn't get my involvement or support as much as this one - I'd stay up late to watch this one again.
1stly this entire film is based on a total misconception. British Universities have NO fraternity system what so ever. So the need for inter house cups and challenges doesn't actually exist.Take 1 character from the original Van Wilder and move him to England. Then put him amongst as many British stereotypes as possible.The British University system actually allows people from all over the country to attend Universities so all accents and classes are represented.The only actors most Brits are going to know are Taj's parents, One from Eastenders and one from The Kumars and Goodness Gracious Me.This is a very poor representation of Britain and the British University system which is nothing like this. Fencing? A rarely played sport. Most Black Tie University Balls are conducted at the end of a term too.As for the very racist notion that the Upper class don't welcome Asians to our country is total rubbish. Many areas of Britian have huge Asian Communities.This is a bad film with no basis in reality and very poor stereotypes, few of which actually exist in modern Britain.Oh, and doesn't EVERYONE know Earl of Grey is joke about Earl Grey, the type of Tea?
Nice movie. Billy Dee a heartthrob; no doubt about it. Richard Pryor a joy to see. Diana did a fine acting job. Even playing the teenage part in the beginning, she essayed it quite well. She brought forth the young-girl-skipping on the sidewalk, all the time the audience knowing that the would-be-rapist was looking for her. This was quite chilling, and only we knew or figured what was about to happen. The Mary Jane shoes, followed by the camera, would lead us to the dastardly deed that would soon take place.I do think Diana did a great job moving through the different age ranges. She also went from innocent looking young girl to well dressed cabaret singer. She went from shy beginning singer to confident entertainer. I think Diana's overall presentation was superlative.Scatman was a hoot. I had seen him in old codger parts, but as "Big Ben" he was quite a character. I realized that this was to shatter his stereotype of the nice old man. As "Big Ben", he was outrageously funny. Billie finally decided she had had enough of these 'tricks'.Scatman playing the john reminds me of Shirley Jones playing the prostitute in Elmer Gantry. Shattering the nice-character stereotypes is always good for the acting resume.I thought that Billie with her mother was good. Her mother really loved her, plus the fancy red hat, too. The mother was kind, and very sweet. She wanted Billie to have success as an entertainer.Best of all, Billie's beginning breakdown in the prison was quite believable and scary. This proves she is an actress who can act in a lot of different emotions. The straitjacket scene was heartbreaking.10/10.
I've been watching NCIS since it started and have been a regular viewer since the debut. The first reason I tuned in was simple - Mark Harmon. Second reason was, well, Michael Weatherly. David McCallum was just a really nice bonus. That being said ... I know that NCIS as it is shown on the screen is ludicrous, so is CSI and all its off shoots, but if you show what really happens in any investigation you'll chase off the audience with boredom.Mark Harmon has brought a sense of realism to the Leroy Jethro Gibbs character to the point that my former active duty Marine husband swears up and down that Harmon MUST have been a Gunny in real life. Either this one or a previous one, he's just too good playing a senior NCO Reservist Marine and a cop. Gibbs is also a top-notch "Training Officer" who clearly trains all of his people to be able to step up and take control and command of a team in a moment's notice.Michael Weatherly has matured as an actor - I first noticed him in Dark Angel - and he has wisely chosen to let his character on the show, Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo, to mature at a natural rate. Slowly. He's gone from an annoying frat-like not-quite-mature man to a deep thinker and a MUCH better investigator who can handle deep cover assignments if needed. Maybe not as well Gibbs could handle it, but that sort of skill takes time and multiple assignments to be fully qualified (and by then, the Feds tend to ship you off to their Academies so you can teach what you've learned).Cote de Pablo (Mossad Officer Ziva David) replaced Sasha Alexander (Caitlin "Kate" Todd) and I'm probably in the minority when I say "THANK YOU" to the casting department for that. I found Todd to be a rather flat, and annoying, character. Oh she had a few lines here and there that were light hearted and worth a giggle - usually at DiNozzo's expense - but for the most part she was played a little too 'boy next door, or trying to be' by Alexander. Cote, at least, has played Ziva as a very capable, and very female, Intelligence Officer. I think this is why most folks don't like Ziva, they expect a Law Enforcement officer type character but she's an Intelligence Agent. Think CIA and kick it up several notches - you don't mess with Mossad unless you have a death wish. Cote clearly realizes this and plays "Officer David" with that in mind.David McCallum, Doctor Donald "Ducky" Mallard, is always a joy to see on the screen and I love the 'quirks' David has given Ducky. I suspect there is a history behind Ducky's 'adventure stories' that could easily fill several books - and be considered too implausible to be anything but fiction. Ducky brings a human element to the position of Medical Examiner, a warmth that civilians don't think M.E.'s have but usually do. The ones I know also have wicked, if dry, senses of humor and McCallum has joyfully taken the humor route with Ducky and I, for one, appreciate it.Another quirky character is, of course, Pauley Perrett's Abby Scuitto, Goth Forensic Scientist. Her portrayal of Abby is spot on as Pauley is the only person I've heard of playing a Criminal Scientist who actually has the sheepskin in the discipline. Nothing like a touch of realism to bring a character to life! Of course, people complain that Scuitto shouldn't be permitted to work in a federal job with the obvious life style she has - to you I say, HorseFeathers. If Abby were less capable at her job, she wouldn't be there as long as she has been. Nor would any of her supervisors put up with her oddities.Now to speak of the other "Geek" on the team - Timothy McGee. Techno-geek. Keyboard Wizard. Sean Murray needs to do only one thing to make me totally happy with his character and his protrayl of McGee-cut his hair! I realize that the McGee character has a life outside of NCIS - as a published novelist no less - and probably keep his hair on the long side to emphasize his Authorial Air but... I hate the way it's flopped in his face this past season.The writing on this show, like others, is usually tight but like other shows there are episodes where the writing was clearly 'off' when the idea was dreamt up or the script approved. The fact that the cast can take a lousy script and still get a watchable show out of it, is nothing short of amazing. Is NCIS accurate? No. Is NCIS a good way to learn about the Marine Corps or the Navy? Uh, no. Better talk to a recruiter if you're thinking of joining the military. Is NCIS good fun? YEAP!
I taped Night Of The Big Heat when BBC1 screened it during the early hours a few years ago.The Northern island of Fara is experiencing very warm temperatures even though it is the middle of Winter while the rest of the UK is seeing the usual Winter weather. At the same time, people are being killed in mysterious circumstances, all being burned to death. It turns out these killings and heat are caused by aliens...This movie is shot well in colour and is atmospheric and creepy throughout.The excellent cast include horror regulars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing and are joined by Patrick Allen (When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth), Kenneth Cope (Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)), Jane Merrow, Sarah Lawson and Percy Herbert.Hight Of The Big Heat is certainly worth checking out. Excellent.Rating: 4 stars out of 5.
Sometimes there are movies that just don't deserve to be called movies and sometimes there are cameramen who just deserve to be shot. By some weird twist "Route 666" isn't a movie and it's shot by a cameraman who should aim at something else with a tool that looks nothing like a camera. I guess you already know the what I mean so I will start the review here if it's OK with you. OK? Good."Route 666" is an abomination that suffers from being a bit more abnormal than it's low budget flick companions. Why? Well, I guess it can have something to do with the retarded storyline, horrible actors, useless FX and the cameraman who makes the "action"-sequences look like something that's been filmed from a washing-machine during an earthquake. I could start picking at every little fault that "Route 666" suffers from but I don't have the time. Just don't watch this movie okay?
For some reason, Wile E. Coyote - aka Eatibus anythingus) never figures out that he just can't catch Road Runner - aka Hot rodicus supersonicus). In "Stop! Look! and Hasten!", he uses a Burmese tiger trap (guess what he catches!), a spring-up metal wall, and muscle-building pills, but absolutely nothing does what he wants. Is this cartoon mostly stuff that we've seen before? Maybe so, but how can you not like seeing him get hung by his own petard? All in all, the combination of director Chuck Jones and writer Michael Maltese, plus Mel Blanc as Road Runner, makes for another classic.How many cartoons would think to mention anything relating to Burma (or is it called Myanmar)?
Do not watch this movie expecting to see any monsters or vampires because all you'll get are some bats. Actually this film is more of an identity crisis drama and murder mystery rather than a horror movie. The best parts are the dream sequences which are reminiscent of surrealist experimental films (has David Lynch seen this?) and also LSD sequences from 60s films like HALLUCINATION GENERATION or BLONDE ON A BUM TRIP.
OK i just watched the pilot for FLASH GORDON. Oy. This was bad TV. Problems.... SPOILERS AHEAD not that I think anyone will care...OK so now Flash is Stephen Gordon aka "Flash" because he runs marathons and wins medals for it. Medals he hangs on his fathers grave, medals which are still there 2 years later (it was the 3rd annual marathon he won in a row)... Dumb on 2 counts, obviously the leaving the medals and having them stay there for years is dumb but it shows that even 13 years after his father died, Flash has yet to move on. Don't get me wrong its good to honor the memory of lost parents and all, but I think our hero needs some counseling.So then we get dimension rips or wormholes or whatever and out steps a heavily armored cyborg who is hunting the for something. He's able to understand our postal address system well enough to find the Gordon house using papa Gordon's drivers license and goes hunting for this Imex thing (which i kept thinking god why does it sound like I-Max). Hes got the ability to mind control Flash's mom but loses the fight to a reporter with a power cord and a big meat fork. At this point I figured out the missing thingamabob is in dad's old watch the one Flash has worn since his dad died, so much for secrecy.Our reporter turns out to be smart enough to use power cords to create a dandy electrocution kit without causing massive damage to the house electrical system but doesn't understand the simple premise of a tracking device that beeps when pointed the right direction. GAH.So now we track down goofy science guy living in the micro-Winnebago by looking up his college yearbook online..... WHAT? They just happened to have the address where he parks his van (down by the river?) and it's available online....OK so now creepy science guy explains that ripping holes in the fabric of space-time is bad... But makes to effort to stop Flash and Dale from doing just that.Boom! Hi there welcome to Mongo. A planet that should be a hotbed of tectonic activity with not just 2 moons but a whole other planet right next door in orbit. Mongo is a great place if you are the Emperor... You are the hero with the only source of clean water on the planet. Everyone else is just there to be serfs I guess.Ming is no longer a deviant Chinese man who destroys whole worlds for fun, now hes a Tyrant who worries about public opinion and has trouble tracking down a missing watch on another planet despite the fact that he has the address of where it is located.Cut to torture time with Flash, now they were going to map his brain to learn everything he knows.... But wait just then a woman bursts in and saves flash by shooting his torturer. Great she's obviously just a simple palace slave who wants to escape. A simple well dressed slave with excellent skin tone and makeup, forget that she has access to the torture room... oh and a gun... oh and she knows the layout and guard patrols.. oh and she knows all about the water purification area under the castle (which for something so massively important to planetary survival has no security or guards)... She also knows how the patrol craft operate and how to use a dimension ripper. FLASH YOU IDIOT!So back home, yay! Lets rip some more holes... Bounty hunter time, another rip and look the bounty hunter is a hottie too.. no armor... one gun... ummm yeah, oh and she can drive stick, she can also find people with her vast psychic powers too i guess.. the same psychic powers that let the princess find her way from Dale's place to Flash's mother's home on pure instinct. I mean bad enough everyone speaks perfect English but they can also find one house out of a city without a map or a learner's permit.Hey Flash the princess is here, shes got a gun and can recognize the I-mex immediately, even though its disguised and she doesn't know what a TV remote is or what the I-mex looks like. I mean she should have at least taken his cellphone too just in case IT was the I-mex.You know if I had lost the sum of all knowledge in the universe I wouldn't wait 13 years to reclaim it. I also wouldn't send 1 guy with dubious combat skills. But thats just me.Hey time to rip even MORE holes.. this was a bad thing right? Anyway the evil princess gets fooled into thinking the I-mex is destroyed, although your average street magician could have been more convincing, and we find out daddy is alive (DUH) and is hooked up to some computer... maybe the one that maps your brain and would have told the bad guys not only where to locate it but also which pizza places would have delivered to the house while you were there...You know some shows have plot holes, some have major ones (Professor stop making radios out of coconuts and fix the 2 foot hole in the boat) and some just say "We didn't actually care enough to hire writers, we just strung together a series of scenes and called it a pilot, we figure sci-fi viewer are dumb enough to watch anything"Sigh. I had hoped it would be good.
This movie is a must-rent and a sleeper phenom! The very best cast has come together to create a memorable romantic comedy with some of the best quotes in movie-dom! Of course, Mike Myers has that gift! His blurbs get repeated at the water cooler the next day... His portrayal as son AND Father is precious, and Brenda Fricker is a marvelous mum, giving the willies and the grins as she leers at Mike's buddy (Anthony LaPaglia)! My favorite scenes are LaPaglia with Alan Arkin as his Police Boss, doing the Serpico stuff! Wonderful!
Tonight I watched the premiere of "To Be Fat Like Me" in hopes that someone had finally gotten it right. With the idea that someone had at last made a film to empower the larger women of the world, I happily set my night aside in preparation of being touched by a film that would show the world how I feel. How disappointed I was when I learned what the movie was really about. This wasn't a movie for fat women at all, contrary to the commercials that were run for weeks before the premiere of this pathetic lesson in moral fiber for skinny women the world over. I had such hopes that someone had come to the slow conclusion that we aren't fat because we can't stop eating. At least, I'm not. I'm fat for many reasons. The first being, I don't believe that skinny is pretty. The second, and most important, is that I would rather live my life as happy and wonderful and comfortable with myself as I am and die at 50 than live until 108 always fighting to be someone I'm not. Never before in this world has there been such an obsession with fat. Never have our body standards been so small that I at 230lbs (and 5'6") could not go into any store and find clothes. Five years ago, I could walk into any store I passed by and buy jeans. Now I walk into every store I pass by simply to ask them what the biggest size of jeans they carry is. And the ever ecstatic response? "Oh, don't you worry ma'am! We have very big sizes here. We go all the way up to a 14! We definitely have clothes for you!" And I say in response, "Perhaps you haven't noticed, but I'm an 18." The idea that we are so morally inculpable that we allow the magazines and television shows and retail stores to govern our size is absolutely beyond me. I am my own woman. I am big, and I am beautiful. I am not unhealthy. There is a very big difference between big and unhealthy. I have known so many skinny women in my life that were absolutely revolting in a bikini for one simple fact. They may be a size two, but they have cellulite. We think that skinny equals pretty. But, let me tell you. It's your soul, your smile, and your eyes that make you beautiful. And this movie will never ever be a good movie to me. The moral of this film is that you skinny people should understand our fat plight and not make fun of us, but try your best to sympathize and gently push us to our thin potential. Well, that's a crock. I promise you that, no matter how sweet and gentle, the first person that befriends me to attempt to save me from my food will have a very rude awakening.
I had heard about this film and about how underrated it was,then last week i saw a copy of it on ebay on VHS PAL UK.I was really surprised as i didn't think it had ever been released in the UK.It must be one of the rarest videos in Britain as sadly not many people have heard of it.Luckily i won it for just over £3 not bad eh.So if any one else is interested in buying a copy,there must be others available in Britain,if you really look around.I couldn't wait to watch this film,and i must say i wasn't disappointed.Its starts off a mildly amusing story that suddenly gets sadder and sadder until it reaches a climax to a very tragic ending.I must admit the last 10 seconds of this film does bring tears to the eyes,i wont say why,but try and see this movie and you will see.The acting between Gary Cooper and Anna Sten is first rate,her character is very likable as she is totally unselfish,and is trying to please everyone,so she does deserve happiness.Garys character,well he is married and his wife is not a monster and she does love him,so you feel sorry for her as well,i think you have to decide for yourself in a triangle like this someone is always going to get hurt,but you don't know who.Also this is a very early film showing us cultural differences and the sort of conflicts that can arise when two people from very different back grounds want to be together.Can it work?he is from a literate sophisticated family,she is from a poor immigrant family that is still trying to learn new ways.The answer is if two people really love each other then they can over come their differences as true love conquers all,i think overall this was the strongest message that comes out of this film,to some people the married issue may be the point of the film.Any way this is a very haunting film and well worth watching if you get the chance.
First to say: This was one good movie, entertaining and interesting and somehow even exciting. Cast and the core of the story were really not bad....not bad..actually that's, what this movie was. But it could have been really great. It was not because the actors sometimes could not be convincing enough. Actually it was not an actor-problem, but more a screenplay- or director-problem. The adjustment of the original story with a standard hollywood-template simply was too obvious. The atmosphere was not bad, but it was not really continuous. The cuban flair and atmosphere of the setting also could have been brought to the screen in a more intense way. So it lacked the great excitement. But you always can do it better. In fact it was a really romantic, erotic, entertaining and thrilling lovestory (sorry...a story about love ;-)). Compared to the horrible standard crap-romances you could see at the cinemas the last years it was very refreshing. Watch it without great expectations and you will be surprised. 7 Stars!!
I can't believe I actually took the time to rent and watch this piece of crap movie! It's awful. National Lampoon has gone downhill since their "5 Deadly Sins" movie. *Shudders* The only good parts of this whole movie, if you want to call it that because it's an hour long, were "The Whore" and "The Amazing Racist, Part I" Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend this to my worst enemy. I've seen film on my teeth that was more entertaining than that. Look, if you're gonna parody reality shows, do something that's actually funny. Otherwise, don't bother wasting people's time. This goes for YOU, National Lampoon. Get back to me when you become funny again.
Usually movies so-called curveballs don't catch me off guard, I am after all one of the viewers who knew instantly that the guy was actually dead in "The Sixth Sense" - it was plainly obvious to me but seemed to surprise some people - so I was a little taken aback by the curveball in this wannabe DEAD CALM. The main reason is that whereas the best curveballs have clues peppered liberally throughout the movie, this one comes completely out of left field. The movie itself is somewhat diverting entertainment, and for fans of Elizabeth Hurley (who has as far as I can recall her only topless scene in this movie) and Patsy Kensit this movie is a must-see. I did find Kensit very annoying throughout most of the movie which was a shame because I generally enjoy her work, but she was not helped by a pretty terrible script. Overall, an interesting way to spend a couple of hours though better as a rental than a purchase.
Just came from the North American premiere, that happened at Cinequest in San Jose.Marina Sirtis, as well as Tucker Smallwood, Linda Park, the director (Phil Leirness) and script writer (Bud Robertson) were there, and we had a nice Q&A session with them at the end.The movie was very good - I'd say excellent if it weren't for one thing:The actors and director basically took the script in a completely different direction than the writer wanted initially. Which is a good thing, for the most part. However the end result is that the film cannot really define itself as a thriller/ghost story (like it originally was supposed to be) nor a like anything, really. It has ingredients of thriller, but it is mostly about a dysfunctional mother-daughter relationship with some details of paranormal but without taking itself too seriously.What makes it a very good movie is basically two things: wonderful performances by an ensemble cast that was hand picked (and will definitely attract lots of sci-fi fans, with well-known Trek alumni plus Alexis Cruz from Stargate/Stargate SG-1) and the fact that the underlying plot of the mother daughter relationship IS very interesting and very well played out.The ghost story basically comes out as a plot device. This no Six Sense, no X-Files. :-) The actors and the director didn't take the ghost story seriously and that shows. :-) But that's OK - honestly, it makes the movie more interesting and fun to see.Anyway, they said they've found an international distributor and a national one may be in the works - as soon as they figure out how to categorize this movie. If they do find a way - go see it. Even if you're not a fan of any of the actors, their work really deserves your 90 minutes (and $9).
A totally unscrupulous cad plots & schemes to finally become THE MATCH KING of the world, oblivious to the many lives he's destroyed. But with blackmail & murder part of his personal arsenal, how long can it be until avenging fate topples him from his throne?Warren William dominates this splendid, albeit neglected, crime drama. As in some of his other roles of the same period, William displays his talent for portraying characters simultaneously repulsive & appealing. With his sophisticated good looks & deep, interesting voice, Warren William was the perfect embodiment of the corporate climber, the crook, the conniver. It is a shame this fine actor is generally forgotten today.Although the plot is firmly centered around William, his co-stars all do a fine job. Brassy Glenda Farrell appears all too briefly as William's first betrayed lover; this was an actress who could really light up the screen, but she's only given two scenes here. Lili Damita is fetching as the movie actress who attracts William. Hardie Albright is a younger relative of William's who gets pulled into his orbit. Blink your eyes and you'll miss Alan Hale as a timber baron. Movie mavens will recognize Charles Sellon as an elderly Match Company executive.The film makes good use of an intriguing series of short opening scenes, showing various classes of people around the world using that indispensable enabler of civilization, the match.There was a real life Match King upon whom this drama was based. Ivar Kreuger (1880-1932) was a financial genius whose Swedish Match Company controlled more than half the world's output of matches by 1928. This was accomplished through amazingly speculative deals involving long-term loans to poor nations desiring US dollars, in exchange for match monopolies. As a result, Kreuger's empire grew immensely rich and diversified in many ways. The bubble was soon to burst. World wide depression hit in 1929 and economic pressures mounted steadily. Rather than wait for his holdings to collapse in bankruptcy, Kreuger shot himself in a Paris hotel room on March 12, 1932, aged 52. Subsequent investigations showed his companies to be riddled with fraud & forgery.
The wolf howled...and danced in the moonlight. The Raven watched...enraptured...by his grand display of gallantry.Many winters ago, a young Winomish Indian maiden was picking wildflowers in an open thicket near her village. Suddenly, out of the corners of her magnificent brown eyes, a sudden movement caused her heart to almost cease beating. She stood motionless, shaking violently with fear, as a huge wolf with steely green-gold eyes, slowly walked within a few feet of her basket. Catching her scent on the gentle breeze, the wolf edged closer and closer. The maiden's pounding heart suddenly skipped a beat, as the wolf was abruptly distracted by a sleek black raven, who flew teasingly close, then quickly retreated to a nearby tree branch. The raven glided toward the wolf once more. She was wild and unpredictable. The wolf curiously watched her with calculating eyes. The maiden held her breath, as the wolf stretched out his long gray body upon the soft mossy grasses...and cupped his large head between his paws. The raven, unwilling to go unnoticed, fluttered brazenly close to the wolf, then gently came to rest on his soft gray shoulder, and they would lie together...wolf and raven...drawing around themselves...the sleek blackness of the raven's mystery...and the unexpected gallantry of the lone wolf.Many winters passed, and the young maiden was now an old Indian squaw, playing in the open thicket with her only granddaughter. She would smile when she looked into the dark mysterious eyes of this half-breed child. The girl was unusually beautiful and as bewitching as the white man who had fathered her. The old woman had named her Hannah Raven, for the two cultures she espoused. Looking out onto the mossy grasses, the old woman told the girl of the Legend Of The Wolf And Raven. It was the child's favorite story. Each time she heard it, she would smile, and stare off into the forest. She knew...he would come for her...so she watched...and waited.Dane Corvin came to Raven's Mountain unexpectedly. He was tall and handsome, exuding the appealing strength of a rugged outdoors-man. His favorite uncle had raised him, and the magnificent beauty of the Puget Sound and its breathtaking mountains and forests, had always lured Dane's lonely heart back to the roots of his childhood. The Indians took to him immediately. He fit right in with their passions and pastimes. Hannah quietly observed this gallant stranger. She was particularly fascinated with his steely green-gold eyes. She was captivated by his strength, and unexpected gallantry. Her brother was wary, even suspicious of the new-comer to the Mountain; but Hannah had recognized him immediately. He was her wolf!The Winomish Indians had always fished the waters of The Sound. Federal laws had deemed their practices illegal, but for many moons it had been a tribal tradition. It had finally become necessary to send a Federal Game Agent to investigate the illegal poaching and selling of salmon. While Dane kept busy gathering evidence from the unsuspecting Indians, Hannah quietly observed. Dane had noticed the beautiful bohemian maiden, and was attracted to her earthy, sensual beauty, and artistic flare. Dane enjoyed being in her presence, and the mysterious, unpredictable Hannah took every opportunity to walk and talk with the handsome stranger. One night she led him to her "secret place" deep in the mountains. Away from the watchful eyes of the tribe, Dane and Hannah fell deeply in love, and began a secret and passionate love affair. When Dane's investigation suddenly turned dangerous, and Hannah's brother was arrested and sent to prison, Hannah learned that Dane was a Federal Agent. Feeling betrayed, she told him to leave, and never come back!The broken hearted wolf reacted to his pain by retreating from Raven's Mountain for twenty long winters. When he finally returned to be with his dying uncle, he is faced with the fall-out of his love, and the passionate moments he shared with the beautiful Hannah Raven. Dane now has to deal with...hidden revelations...of all that has happened during...All The Winters That Have Been.Richard Chamberlain and Karen Allen starred in this sensual and passionate love story. Karen Allen was brilliant as the bohemian artist, and his beautiful, earthy love interest. The character of Dane Corvin was a perfect fit for Richard Chamberlain. It was as if he slipped into a very real part of himself. I found this character to be unusually calm, centered, and most captivating. It was difficult to decipher where Richard Chamberlain the actor began, and Dane Corvin the character ended. I believe that is called...magnificent acting. He and Karen Allen had dazzling on-screen chemistry, and the sexual tension was electrifying! Martin Rabbett brilliantly directed this magnificent film, slowly and visually capturing his audience's attention and interest. After reading the novel, which I felt was somewhat trite, the film was even more impressive. It was amazing to see the depths, to which the director, and actors took this poignant love story. This was an extraordinary achievement for Martin Rabbett, and definitely one of Richard Chamberlain's finest performances ever!!
'Star Wars' Clone Wars is an animated film (or series) that takes place between 'Attack of the Clones' and 'Revenge of the Sith'. It takes a little while to get used to the style of animation of the series, and I am not sure that it really works; it looks like it was just cheap to make. For a science fiction film and the amount of interest that Star Wars has and the money that it makes, I would have expected a different style of animation. The sequences are okay with some decent battle scenes and new worlds. Overall, you can take it or leave it; you do not really need to see this in order to understand or get into 'Revenge of the Sith', but it probably would help understand some of the story line.
- A Mexican priest becomes a wrestler to save an orphanage or something -I went to see this movie because it was about non-WWF wrestling and so I thought it might be funny. It wasn't. It is excruciating to watch. Embarrassing. Any and every opportunity for comedy is mercilessly squandered. I admit I don't like Jack Black anyway. After this I have been racking my brain to think of one good role that he has performed. The only thing I can come up with where he was o.k. was as a necessary foil to the John Cusack character in 'High Fidelity'. Jack Black is one of those awful relentless flat-out ham-it-up knockabout guys (like the little fat one in Abbot & Costello or Jerry Lewis) who should be told that being overbearingly idiotic is not the same thing as being funny. It is not even slapstick. It's just irritating. It's not even stoopid, it's just stupid.I heard good things about Napoleon Dynamite too, but if this is anything to go by I wont be rushing out to find it on DVD.
I've been looking forward to this film for about 4 months after I saw the description. Though Clive Owen isn't one of my favorite actors, I was so blown away by Children of Men and his very good performance that I had to see his own little action movie. As you've probably read from other post, this is just an action movie and really nothing else. But that is OK because it was very fun and entertaining.In no more than 3 minutes, you see the first gun shot and quickly the movie turns into a violent gun fight. The coolest part about the beginning scene was Nirvana's Breed started playing. Not often do you see a guy deliver a baby while shooting people at the same time. Then you see Mr. Smith (Owen) run with the baby tucked between his arms like a football! It's hilarious! The plot is just plain stupid but who cares. If you love your action movies, this is the most action you'll see crammed in 80+ minutes in a long time. A lot of people argue that Owen should of been the next Bond (Craig was just too good). This movie is almost like the Bond that Owen never was able do. This movie was like this years Crank. You can't take it seriously but just enjoy the ride.
I had only seen this episode once when it first premiered, but it came on tonight and I saw it again. This was a very fun episode, too bad Duchovny wasn't involved. Burt Reynolds makes this one, no question. And the various musics & songs...great! It is a true X Files episode in that it's confusing and makes you think, but it is also extremely lighthearted and comical at the same time.One thing confusing is who Burt Reynolds' character truly is. It appears he has the advantage of knowing the patterns people make and can thus draw conclusions as to what they're going to do, but at the same time not to give the appearance of knowing this. I wouldn't say that he's just a man, but it could be argued that he's Fate or God. The discussion Scully & Reyes have about God playing checkers would be very ironic if his character somehow was God. Either way, a stand-alone episode not to miss!
I saw `Mile Zero' twice and it moved me to tears both times. Near the beginning of the film, the main character and his wife get divorced and the wife moves on and the husband gets stuck in the past. His incredible love for his son and his complete devastation over the loss of their family unit drives him to whisk his son away to the desolate but beautiful rocky mountains. The journey that ensues is subtle, stunning, moving and well-crafted. I highly recommend this film!
This has got to be one of the "screwiest" movies to appear in a long time. A chauffeur fed up with working for a mean and nasty old and rich businesswoman decides to kidnap her dog and hold him ransom for $1,000,000. From there the story moves - not always logically or comprehensibly, but - hey - this is a crazy comedy after all!It has a lot of flaws, though. First off is that the acting is not very good. The actors seem to put enough effort and energy into their parts, but it just doesn't come across in the end. I suppose this is to be expected in this type of movie, but they seemed more interested in wild exaggeration than in good acting. Second is that the humour just isn't that funny. There are a few good laughs, but it's very inconsistent. There's no attempt at all at realism. The scene in which the dog, trying to fight off the kidnappers, gets hold of Willard's hand and shreds it, spraying blood all over the room is just plain stupid. It looks like a long wig attached to Norm MacDonald's (Willard's) arm. And, given the amount of blood that appeared in the scene, it's hard to explain why there isn't even a mark on Willard's hand the next time we see him! A miracle cure for dog bites? I mean, I don't expect perfection from this kind of movie, but it would be nice if there were at least some effort put into continuity. How much would it have cost to put a bandage on Willard's hand?Most of the performances are sub-par. MacDonald seemed quite artificial most of the way through. Sherman Hemsley as Chip was a disaster. Elaine Stritch was certainly crotchety, but also not especially funny as Miss Crock. There was a decent performance from Daniel Benzali as Detective Dewey, who did exactly what this kind of movie demanded: he played it absolutely straight, and was quite funny as a result. The best performance was undoubtedly David Chappelle as Rusty Hayes, Willard's partner in crime. The biggest disappointment in my opinion was Danny DeVito. I usually enjoy him, and think he is a fine comedic actor, but his performance in Screwed was not good. He seemed too forced and didn't look as though he were enjoying himself playing Grover Cleaver.Hey, take it for what it's worth. It's not great, but it has a few laughs in it, and a totally crazy storyline. And, at 1:21, it doesn't take much commitment to see it through.I gave it 4/10.
While it is definitely true that there are characters that do not experience a 180 degree change by the end of the film, the characters don't stay the same, either. And since that isn't the plot point that the movie hinges on, it doesn't feel like it matters in the end. The majority of the characters come across as very real people, three-dimensional, and not movie-clichés.The actors are wonderful; there is no hesitation in any of the performances (even in the most revealing scenes). I bought the American DVD, which included a commentary with the director, and actors Pascal Greggory and Cyrille Thouvenin, and was especially delighted to find that they had done the commentary in English.
I have to wonder what goes through people's minds when they put up money to have drivel like this made. Adam Sandler has made some funny films - Anger Management to name one. But this... this appalling excuse for humour beggars belief. I can only imagine they thought they'd cash in on Borat's success but missed the plot completely. What's even more surprising is some of the people who are in it..! Did they read the script?? In short, I think you need to be on something (and something strong) to find this garbage even remotely funny. About as bad as it gets. I'll certainly be thinking twice before approaching another Sandler film. Avoid.
Behind the mask:the rise of Leslie Vernon had the potential to be great.The idea was right up there with the best of horror movie concepts (Elm Street,Friday The 13th,Scream,Etc.).A reporter and her camera crew follow a slasher around as he prepares and sets into motion his master plan so to speak.They are with him as he picks out his victims and prepares his traps.Along the way he explains the do's and don't's and the why's and what-for's of being a psycho killer.Sounds great right? But alas the execution of these ideas falls short.While the actors and actresses do a fine job portraying their characters, the story becomes rather predictable and a bit silly. especially near the end.All in all this is an unique film with some good ideas that just were not thought through enough.So much more could've been done with this.Maybe a remake with a bigger budget and some better writers could turn this into one of the all-time greats.
I did not enjoy this movie at all. It is one of the worst sequels ever made. All they did was alter the first movie slightly, take out some of the conflict, throw in some different actors...The fact that they found another actress to play the same character was already a huge disappointment. And this was before I even started the movie. Facts pop out randomly and characters that started out in the story just disappeared because of lame reasons.I did not find the 'big finale' very interesting, meaning I had to sit through an hour and a half of drama that I'd already seen in the first movie, just so I could see the poorly done finish.
When gangster kingpin Nate Girard gets off the hook at his trial for murder, his high-priced shyster lawyer throws a party to celebrate...and the guests are the reporters and news photographers who covered the trial. What a bunch...cigar chewers, bumbling shutter clickers and wise alecks. Yeah, and Kent Murdoch (Lew Ayres) was there, ace photographer always with an angle and a wise crack, fast with his words, especially "Now listen, baby..." when he's with a good-looking dame. He's a decent guy. There's I. B. McGoogin (Paul Stewart), fast- talking, wisecracking news reporter who always winds up one step behind Murdock. But one guest doesn't fit in...a beautiful raven-haired dame named Meg Archer (Gail Patrick). She comes across as so aristocratic that we can't be sure if it's ice water in her veins or just the slow syrup of delayed gratification. And wouldn't you know it, murder shows up, too. Right in the middle of the party, when the flashbulbs are popping, a guy also gets popped. Not Nate, but his lawyer. And who immediately disappears? Yep, Meg vanishes even faster than a pair of straight dice at a crap game. She winds up at Kent's apartment with a story and a plea for help. It's not long before someone realizes that a picture Kent took at the party just might show the murderer, that Kent's former girlfriend wants some money, that Nate Girard is willing to pay big for what he says he has to have, that the cops think Nate is in the middle, that Meg has some sort of side deal, that Kent will go all out to help Meg, that...a lot keeps moving around in this mystery played with a light touch. Murder with Pictures is just what it is, a 69-minute programmer with a few good points, a plot that gets too complicated for its own good, and a production that never received the studio love that might have made it better. Among those good points is seeing Lew Ayres, who played the naive, sincere gun fodder in All Quiet on the Western Front, turn in a wise guy performance by channeling Chester Morris. He handles the role with some style. Ayres was a reliable, likable lead actor whose strong suit was decency. He became a pacifist after making All Quiet. With the Doctor Kildare series that started in 1938, Lew Ayres found himself a matinée idol. When Pearl Harbor was attacked and Ayres was drafted, he declared himself a conscientious objector. He was crucified in the press and his career vanished. He finally was granted his earlier request to join the Army Medical Corps. He served under fire in the Pacific and in New Guinea. After the war, when it became known he had served as a combat medic, he gradually began to get film offers but for seldom more than character roles. Ayres received an Oscar nomination for best actor for the doctor in Johnny Belinda. Just like Dr. Kildare, Ayres was a decent guy with the backbone to stand firm for his beliefs.
This is about reclaiming one's life. The Western was the dominant dramatic form on television at the time this came out, so people had a regular diet of them. In this one, a town drunk is given a chance to regain his dignity by doing something positive. He is given a bottle that will allow him to be a great gunfighter for a short time. Unfortunately, Mr. Fate has other plans and he find himself neutralized. All is not lost, however, because he and his adversary are left to live normal lives because their gunfighting days are over. This is a cold war tale and a morality play. Serling had to take it to the next level, by injecting irony. The story plays pretty well and is enjoyable and, if we have not seen it before, it plays pretty well. If you are looking for a parallel to this, see "The Chaser."
Inuyasha is the best anime series I have seen and the one that Iam obsessed with right now. I love it! It has everything a series should have: well defined characters that make you fall in love with them, humor, suspense, the ability to grab your attention and hold it, excitement, great lines and dialog, characters that have a personality that no doubt everyone can find one to relate themselves and become a fan of, an engaging storyline that doesn't slow down, malicious villains and lovable heroes, great animation and voice actors that have voices that match there characters perfectly. When I was small mostly all my favorite shows were anime and when I grew up and my anime shows all came to an end I started watching shows with people and forgot about anime until Inuyahsa that is. I remember being on the computer and on yahoo's box of entertainment of what the world is searching for I saw that people were looking up anime and a list of the most popular and searched for anime of all time and Inuyahsa was number one. I read a summary for it and become interested so I asked my friend who loves anime about it and he told me it was his favorite anime series right now. I started watching it and immediately I got hooked. Now I watch it all the time. I got caught up on the first 50 or so episodes by the season box sets which are great. I bought them during my march break and watched all 54 episodes in a week, it was awesome. And now I never miss the new ones. I'm always there on Fridays at 9:00 watching it with my eyes glued on the screen and by behind glued on the couch. I recommend it to all anime lovers and to everyone who loves a great adventure with action, romance, lots of humor and unforgettable characters. But a warning it will make you fall in love with demons!
Two-thirds through last night's show--the first half of EARTHSEA--I muttered to my wife, "This is so bad." She said, "So tomorrow you'll be at the computer typing up your gripes to someone." I looked at her indignantly and said something like, "Ah, why waste my time?" Of course, she was right, so here I am. An Earthsea adaptation is long overdue; I'm just so sad that it was done so shabbily, with such an eye (apparently) toward anticipating what the unimaginative masses would like to see, as opposed to the rich, subtle, mystical world that Ursula Le Guin so beautifully created in her great Earthsea novels. I don't have the heart (or time) to break the mini-series down, bit by bit, to show what's wrong with it. Let's just say that the screenwriters, producers, and director insisted on reshaping a great work of popular art into a cookie cutter shape, substituting clichés for subtleties and an "epic" (read Lord of the Rings) war story for what should have been a personal struggle with good/evil. Worst, I suspect that in Part II, tonight, we're all gonna see Ged, whose little cheek scar only adds to his overall "hotness," smooching a princess (the SMALLVILLE babe). This thing is almost as bland as last month's elections. Mr and Ms. Producers, either do Le Guin justice and tell the story right or don't bother!
Robert McKimson's 'Hurdy-Gurdy Hare' suffers from a feeble premise which never offers much of an opportunity for laughs. Bugs Bunny, in an unusually money-grabbing, greedy incarnation, purchases a hurdy-gurdy complete with monkey in order to make some money. When the monkey attempts to swindle him, however, he fires the simian and takes on his role himself. The monkey informs his father (an unattractive reimagining of Gruesome the Gorilla from McKimson's previous 'Gorilla My Dreams'), who comes after Bugs in search of retribution. Set against the dull backdrop of an apartment building, 'Hurdy-Gurdy Hare' feels instantly laboured and unfunny. It never even threatens to come to life once throughout its seven minute runtime and, while it doesn't quite plumb the depths of the studio's very worst output, 'Hurdy-Gurdy Hare' is a cartoon that I could easily live without ever seeing again.
This was an 'Olsen Twins Movie.' It seems like all of their movies are the same. Twins with different personalities, a basic plot that was probably created by a 5 year old, and a mushy ending with the girls loving each other. Same old thing. They should have just called it "Yep, another movie by us with the same story, but we have different names!" Okay, enough on how they are total repeaters. My favourite part of the movie (besides the credits indicating to me it was over) was when Simple Plan was in it. Simple Plan are one of my favourite bands, but I was really disappointed that out of all of them, there was only one line and that was "Lomax?" said by Chuck. Come on! Really now, and did anyone notice that security was so tight, even though Levy's character had a police badge that he couldn't get it, but Jane got in no problem and the security lifted her right on to the stage? Come on. Once I found out the basic plot to the story I knew how it would end. And Roxy with the the whole Avril Lavigne speech. Lame. I would have given this movie a 1 out of 10, but I gave it a 2 because Simple Plan was there to take the spotlight off of MK and A. Seriously, anyone notice with the more movies they do, the less other characters they have in them? (Barfs in mouth) 2 out of 10
This film was crap. I agree that a film should be made regarding the columbine shootings, even one with a satirical bent would be appropriate but this piece of cow dung was a waste of time. The filmmakers have no talent to speak of, the acting was atrocious, and the writing was so boring I found myself sighing and screaming at the television to hurry up and finish. I can appreciate underground cinema as much as the next man, but I'm hocking my copy of Duck! and taking whatever I can get. I should mention I have not seen any other titles anybody involved in Duck! may have done but whatever... I'm not gonna try and track them down either.
How on earth did such a sublime film pass under my radar for so long? While visiting a friend the other night, he mentioned that he had just received this DVD in the post that day and was dying to watch it. I had never heard of it, but he recommended it so highly I agreed to watch it.Wow. What an amazing film.I had no clue what the plot was about, and I think it benefits from that. If you have not seen it yet, try to avoid spoilers and stop reading these reviews! Miracle Mile's unpredictable roller-coaster plot is probably its strongest aspect, and you would probably be well-served not even reading the video or DVD case. Unlike most other films, at any point, it is impossible to guess exactly what will happen in ten minutes time, and this makes it a delight to watch.The script is masterfully directed, and the cast are uniformly superb and perfect for their roles. Its low budget lets it down a little in its closing moments, but it is notoriously difficult to get funding for a script such as this, so the flawed effects are easily forgiveable.Miracle Mile is gloriously non-Hollywood, one of those weird American films that feels extremely European throughout, which only serves to add to its surreal and bewildering nature. It even has a beautiful and sad love story tying it all together.See Miracle Mile. You will love it.
Buckaroo Bonzai is not a movie for everyone. I thought it was great fun, myself. It is sort of a Doc Savage spoof. It doesn't even take itself too seriously, but the humor in many places is very subtle. If one was not familiar with Doc Savage or any of the other pulp heroes, then that person may just look at the movie and wonder what it was about. But for the thinking person who likes some subtlety in their shows, it is perfect.
This game really is worth the ridiculous prices out there.The graphics really are great for the SNES, though the magic spells don't look particularly great. However, the map looks spectacular. 7/10The combat system it fairly good, but it does get a bit repetitive after a while. This does take a while though, with many weapons and spells at hand. 9/10This game is dangerously addictive, once completing the game you'll find yourself wanting to play it again. The adventure lasts for a very long time, taking approximately forty to sixty hours to complete the first time. Completing the game fully (full stats) takes even longer. 10/10Single Player-The game is pretty fun alone, but the bad AI path-finding might get fairly annoying after a while. Luckily this doesn't happen too much and isn't much of a problem. Multiplayer-Sadly this game is only possible with two players and not three. However, it's great with two, as it makes the game easier and a lot more enjoyable. This is definitely a game I'd recommend. It really shows off the SNES's power and Square Soft/Enix's skill.
I realize the movie has a fine cast, that it was adapted from a play by Hart and Kaufman, and that the situation -- city family moves to ramshackle house in the country -- is pregnant with possibilities. I didn't find it too funny.William Keighley's pedestrian direction doesn't help much. There are long pauses following wisecracks and the editing waits for laughs that just aren't coming.Here's an example of the humor. Jack Benny is shaving in the bathroom of the New York apartment the family is being kicked out of. Franklin Pangborn is the owner and takes some potential renters on a tour of the place. They enter the bathroom and slowly rummage around in it while Benny stands there gaping, his cheeks covered with shaving cream. Plenty of time for a laugh there. A woman opens some drawers and makes a remark about the chest being roomy. Benny glances down at his undershirt. Silence while the audience cracks up. The chest business is so funny that it's resurrected a minute later. This time Keighley's camera moves in for a close up of Benny's indignant face. Hold for laughs.Maybe I was in a bad mood or hung over or something but it all fell flat for me -- the repetitive gags, no matter how weak to begin with, the pesky neighbor, the handyman who shuffles deliberately about, the seductive neighbor, the falling through the hole in the floor or down the deepest well in the county. "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" is better done. Even "The Money Pit" and "The Egg and I" are more inventive.Ann Sheridan mentions that they are on "the old York road". The really was an old York road, a two-day stagecoach trip between Philadelphia and New York City. The road still carries its original name in some places.
Keep in mind that it is the sequel to a movie just as "hollow". So it couldn't have been very good. The thing is that I like Christian Slater, I think he can be a damn good actor when motivated, so what happened to him? How can he play a character that is not on the screen? He appears in a flashback and once in the end. He used to play in good indie-like movies. It's a pity.Anyway, the movie is as straight forward as it can get. Hollow man = bad; cop = good; gorgeous, rich and smart scientist = trophy. Now, of course the government is behind it.As a parenthesis, it's the second US movie I'm seeing tonight and in which the idea of the government covertly doing bad things is tacitly accepted in both of them. I mean, OK, it is plausible that a great deal of power will corrupt a great deal, but to accept it as normal, let it slide? What do these people get in their water?Well, in the end, can you guess what happens? It's not rocket science, you know. In conclusion it is a completely average recipe movie.I would have loved an invisible man movie that takes into account not just the physics involved, but also character development, the possibility that the man is not bad and not good, just as normal people, true invisible fantasy scenes, I mean, naked women, violent acts, etc. After all, the original Invisible Man story was about power that corrupts, not a power struggle.
I wanted to like "The Royal Hunt of the Sun", but it begs comparison to a far superior film, and fails to entertain. Religious clap trap may have gone a long way towards sinking the movie. I have no problem with Robert Shaw or Christopher Plummer's acting. It is the lack of movement that drags the film down. There simply isn't enough meaningful dialog, unless you are into blasphemy, to maintain interest. Ultimately you will wish you had watched something else. "Aguirre the Wrath of God". had much the same theme, searching for gold, while spreading "God's word", and Aguirre is a far better film. I cannot recommend "The Royal Hunt of the Sun", but do recommend "Aguirre the Wrath of God". - MERK
After the release of Ridley Scott's KINGDOM OF HEAVEN and 70 years after the premiere of DeMille's CRUSADES, I found it interesting to see the film. Cecil B DeMille is usually associated with ancient or biblical epics like TEN COMMANDMENTS, CLEOPATRA, KING OF KINGS or THE SIGN OF THE CROSS. However, after the two great epics of the early 1930s, he made a movie about a different historical period, the infamous crusades that aimed at protecting the Holy Land from the Muslim "infidels". The problem with this film, however, is that it looks historical but contains serious historical inaccuracies. Therefore, it cannot be treated as a serious historical epic and it is not a history lesson whatsoever. Nevertheless, it is a very interesting movie being an authentic look at DeMille's talents and a real 1930s movie. Consequently, it can still touch some of the 21 century viewers, particularly classic movie fans.CHARACTERS: Most of the names that we hear in THE CRUSADES are historical. They are, however, showed in a different perspective and addressed to the audiences of that time. DeMille calls our attention foremost to Richard the Lionheart (Henry Wilcoxon) and his lovely wife princess Berengaria (Loretta Young). Richard is a man of courage, a king who, unlike other kings, is close to his people. But, he joins the crusade due to entirely different reasons than other kings. He does not have any faith in the cross he is to wear but wants to escape marriage with Alice (Katherine DeMille), the sister of Philip, king of France. On the way to the Holy Land, he meets the love of his life, Berengaria, a very noble and pure lady who, in the long run, changes Richard into a peacemaker and believer. These two characters are very well developed and their plot has much to say to today's viewer: the love between a man and a woman does not have to be based on sex only. Their love is mostly a spiritual love rather than sexual one (so appreciated by Medieval people). It is showed a bit humorously in the moment when Richard dares jump into his wife's bed, dedicated to John, Matthew, Luke and Mark... Another character that needs mentioning is the Hermit (C.Aubrey Smith). This is a man of great courage and faith whose sole aim in life is the cross. "Take the Cross to your hearts," as he says to the people in England gathered to join the crusade is a particularly powerful moment.CAST: Even though Henry Wilcoxon plays the main role, he is not that good in this movie. As a matter of fact, I far more liked his performance in CLEOPATRA (1934). His acting, behavior of a proud man suits Antony very well but does not suit Richard that well. Stars who deserve highest attention in this movie are C.Aubrey Smith as the Hermit, Ian Keith as Saladin, and Joseph Schildkraut as Conrad, Marquis of Montferrat. Smith memorably presents a stereotypical hermit (this face and this voice!), Keith stresses Saladin's wisdom and an indefatigable desire to defend his religion. He shines in the scene when visiting the royal assembly. Finally Schildkraut undeniably deserves careful attention in his magnificent portrayal of conspiring Conrad. It is true that his role is distorted historically, but he does, in this performance alone, a terrific job. Loretta Young's performance, however, is far from masterpiece. Sometimes, she is sweeter than chocolate with sugar.DIFFERENT DeMILLE: It is noticeable that THE CRUSADES, though an epic, concentrates more on message rather than lavish sets and costumes. As a result, DeMille is less noticeable than in lavish CLEOPATRA or THE SIGN OF THE CROSS. What we get here is the story, vivid characters, message of peace. That is very important to state since a lot of people associate DeMille ONLY with sets, visual effects, costumes and bathes. Here, he gives something more. It is true that there are monumental moments, like the siege of Acre or a touching scene of crusaders leaving their families for the Holy Land, but they are not in the main focus.This film is filled with one more thing that I consider significant to mention, SYMBOLISM. It is in other DeMille's movies too, but never that much as in THE CRUSADES. The most memorable moment is a scene of salvation. Simple crusaders die and just before their last breath, they desire to touch the Cross. They climb high steps enlightened by the light coming from above. It is similar to Christians going to arena in THE SIGH OF THE CROSS, but here, it really seems that DeMille wanted to show a vision of heaven.In the end, the film shows the victory of peace. It is a historical fairy tale but partly refers to the period of peace between Christians and Muslims termed by Saladin. This led another director to make a movie, 70 years later... THE CRUSADES, however, is still entertaining in some way. It is not for historians, but a must see for all DeMille's fans and all people interested in early talkies. 7/10!
I was a little hesitant to rent this movie after seeing "Trembling Before G-D", which was a real eye-opener to me. I guess we go around with our heads in the clouds, not thinking what other homosexuals have to go thru for their religion.... But , the two movies had nothing in common except they were made in Isreal. Yossi and Jagger is a bittersweet love affair between two Isreali soldiers, very well played by Yehuda Levi , and Ohad Knoller, you could feel the love they had for each other and the hurt Jagger was going thru because they had to be so careful as they were officers. Its hard to get a real grip on the characters as its only 67 min long and leaves you grasping for more. But Eytan Fox did a splendid job with the time he had. The song that Jagger sings is haunting in the extra video on the disc. I felt that these men brought back to Isreal some hope that you can have same sex love without the terrible angst they had in Trembling Before God . I give this great little flick 41/2 of 5 8/10 and will be looking forward to seeing Eytan Foxs' new movie "Walking On Water". By the way you can get the words in English of the song Your Soul on the message boards for Yossi and Jagger on IMDb.
I love this film. I remember seeing it years ago on a NYC PBS station on a rainy night and I was immediately drawn into it. A southern documentary filmmaker starts to make his film about Civil War General Sherman but he breaks up with his girlfriend and goes back home down south and starts filming everyone in his life (his parents, his siblings, his friends) and they are all giving him advice on his struggling film career and his love life and they all try and fix him up with all these "southern belles" and he just films it all. It is fascinating and funny and real. Well, as real as life can be when you know someone has a film camera on their shoulder and they are filming you. I also highly recommend the two follow-ups to this "Time Indefinite" and "The Six O'Clock News". Ross McElwee is an incredibly talented filmmaker and a sweet, neurotic human being who has no trouble baring his soul on film. Check this film out.
This film is a veritable treasure for those who appreciate small-town Americana at the turn of the century. Set in New England in 1906, we see the plethora of events typical of the era: the high school graduation with individual seniors singing, reciting poetry and the valedictorian speech; the Fourth of July celebration with fireworks and picnics; the careful relationships between the young boys and girls; the close-knit family life with a sister and brother of the parents living with them. I thoroughly enjoyed Clarence Brown's depiction of this lost innocent era, which produced a warm glow within me as I watched. There are very few belly laughs - one I remember was when the protagonist Eric Linden says to his not-so-clever girl (Cecilia Parker) "I was born 100 years before my time" and she responds "I was born 10 days before mine." But I found myself smiling often at the goings on. Eric Linden carries the film beautifully.The rest of the cast is superb: Lionel Barrymore and Spring Byington as Linden's parents; Mickey Rooney and Bonita Granville as his younger siblings; Aline MacMahon as Byinton's spinster sister and Wallace Beery as Barrymore's alcoholic brother. But I was particularly impressed with Helen Flint playing the vamp who Linden gets involved with when he was drowning his sorrows. The title, by the way, is a line from the poem "The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám."
For a lot of movies I don't gauge my appreciation by emotional impact. For many genres you do not want emotional impact--science fiction, action, adventure, etc. But when I see a drama and the story or events are so gripping that I get involved with the characters and cry for them and with them, then that is a really good movie.And if a movie can make me share a character's despondency and weep for a while, then that it is a GREAT movie. It is art.//Spoiler Grave of the Fireflies has made me weep for humanity. A child should never have to yell at an adult, "where the hell can I get food?" and get nothing but stares blank and empty. The image of this, followed by the malnourished girl smiling at her last taste of watermelon before driftng off into death sleep... Overpowering.
This has a kind of Japanese Sci Fi craziness to it and a wanna be Star Trek plot. Creative, silly, constantly surprising, if better known it would be a major cult movie perhaps it will be one now that it is getting a DVD release. This is a pretty large scale production with at least a thousand extras in one scene and some huge location work. The costumes are typically over colorful and practically pop off the screen. Add to all this a number of outlandish alien dance numbers, purple hair,live snakes, a splash of full frontal female nudity, and of course the evil Ronk--who looks like James Cameron did in 1985 and you have a must see. Almost every other scene has some totally crazy left turn moment or element you won't see coming. Also a bonus the strangeo music and goofy sound FX that go right along with the over the top acting and strange blocking. Actors will suddenly sit down on the floor in the middle of a scene while talking for no reason. Don't pass let this film pass you by.
Largely cited as the inspiration behind Carpenter's Halloween (1978), Cunningham's Friday the 13th (1980) and the hundreds of countless other gory slasher movies, this is an entertaining horror film from Mario Bava, who is probably the greatest of the Italian genre directors. He is also an incredibly talented cinematographer, as you can tell with many clever, artistic touches and how his camera looms for some time over the tranquil lake-front setting in between the very graphic murder sequences. This is an art concept; coupling savagery and the ills of man (greed, lust) with the beauty and serenity of nature, with loud shrieks occasionally piercing through the calm. It's a shame that the later copycats failed to realize the potential found here. There's a high enough body count and creative kills to entertain most fans of these type of movies. If you try to deeply analyze the plot, you will be somewhat disappointed. But if you can appreciate this as a colorful piece of the macabre, you will love it. There are several jump-out-of-your-seat moments (the best being a surprise awaiting a man who opens his front door) and a truly nasty neck slashing. There's also some brief nudity. The ending is a huge surprise, but definitely more than a little hard to swallow. Then again, this sense of playful parody helps to diffuse some of the gore. If you love horror films, I recommend this one!
There is a compelling need for redemption in Anthony Minghella's characters. The need itself is so blatantly human that sometimes, you have to look away. The plea of the characters is as diverse as it is identical. Don't ask me to explain, I may ruin the whole thought just by trying an intellectual explanation when in fact it only makes sense viscerally. Jude Law is back in top form and I for one want to cheer. He is extraordinary. Extraordinary! Juliette Binoche's Bosnian mom is another miracle of truth in her already magnificent gallery of truthful characters. Her son, played beautifully by Rafi Gavron doesn't allow us to take anything for granted. Robin Wright Penn's Liv is truly Bergmanesque and provides the perfect icy foil for Jude Law's longing. I came out of the theater drained and reinvigorated. That in itself is a huge recommendation.
*this comment may contain spoilers* Who wants to be a superhero is a reality show that seems to be far from reality. I saw a few ads for the show and was mildly interested but never actually got around to watch it. Then while being stuck and bored in my hotel I decided to give it a try. I loved it.I like superheroes so I was interested of course, but you don't have to to like the show. Stan challenges the type of person they are on the inside. Sometimes it can be very goofy and funny and other times you feel for the characters. It surprised me, and I couldn't stop talking about it. The eliminations are based off of what happens and not on appearance or popularity ,it's real, unlike many other reality shows. My mother watched one episode with me after I told her about it and now she can't wait for the new episode. It may look weird but it's a good show.
This movie had one or two funny parts but that's it. Most of the laughter was uncomfortable laughter. It was insulting to so many different groups of people that I can't believe it was even made. It is not acceptable for kids younger than 17. There are too many sexual jokes and innuendos and unacceptable sexual situations. It makes Isreali men look like they want to hump every woman they meet and disco every where they go. The first time in the movie it was a little funny but after it was in every scene, it became tedious. Most kids wouldn't enjoy the movie or think it was funny anyway. They just wouldn't understand most of the jokes. For example the inept Palestinians keep calling the Hezbollah hot-line and get a recording with options such as "to order terrorist supplies press", etc. Most kids don't really understand or appreciate the humor in this. My friend brought her 13 and 10 year-old and had to leave the movie. The only redeemable parts were when the Palestinians and Isrealis come together in the end but it wasn't enough to save the movie. My husband thought it inappropriate to be joking about terrorism at all. We demanded and got our money back.
I rarely write reviews but after just seeing this, I thought that I couldn't leave the experience behind without commenting...'Night On Earth' unleashed the whole array of emotions for me to experience. After watching so many movies (often one or two per day) I thought I had grown numb to feel that in any motion picture.. This piece of art proved otherwise, thankfully.Personally I loved the New York segment and thought that it was the best of them all. That said, one of the very few negative things was Sakari Kuosmanen's performance in the Helsinki segment (the talking drunk in the backseat). He is not a very good choice to act in such a tragic piece.All in all, I loved this movie. It is actually probably the best one I've seen in years. So watch it.
Okay, I'll admit that this film is as bad as the title would suggest, but really, it does manage to have a few good moments. But while I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's "so bad, it's good", I will have to confess that there were times when I laughed because of the overwhelming stupidity. Really, this film has it all: Bad acting, horrible editing, pathetic special effects...but what do you really expect from any film with a LOW budget, right? It's not good by any stretch of the imagination, but it does create enjoyment if you can laugh AT a movie. If you are a person who can enjoy BAD movies, then I think that you'll get a kick out of this...others beware.
Geez, reading all the negative comments on this board you would think that the old Flash Gordon TV shows weren't even more campy and far cheaper looking. In fact, has anybody here even SEEN the old shows? How anyone could say the new Flash Gordon. Flash Gordon has always been light and slightly goofy sci-fi fun. The special effects in the new show are decent and no one on the show seems to be taking it as seriously as the critics here seem to think it merits.Let's face it. We're talking about freakin' FLASH GORDON here. This isn't Blade Runner for crissakes. If more of you could just take it for what it is instead of comparing it with the Flash of their youth (with all the warm glowing nostalgia) you might even enjoy yourselves. This is light entertainment, not cutting-edge science fiction drama. Lighten up, kids.
Escape from New York is probably the first modern action movie, and still stands up pretty well. Not quite up to todays CGI effects, but the main character Snake Pliskin played by Kurt Russell is probably the coolest action hero (or anti-hero) ever. Up until this role Russell was probably best known for his Disney movies and it was a great casting job that totally changed Russells image. I can't say enough good about this film. If you like your action gritty and your hero's to be dripping with attitude you'll love Snake.
I got to tell you, when I saw this film last week. I thought it was a astonishing movie. I was left speechless. Miller's Crossing was one in a few Coen Brothers films that I haven't seen. Now I need to see tow more of their films: The Hudsucker Proxy and Blood Simple. When I first heard of this film and around the time I have heard of The Coen Brothers, I had no idea this film was directed by them. I thought it was directed by Martin Scorsese. Anyway, this is arguably the best film by the Coen Brothers. I mean, it was a good movie. This is my first time seeing this film so I need to see it again sometime. I hope someday it will be released on DVD. Because I have a Surround Sound so when the action sequences are on, the box will tremble. Excellent gangster movie. I recommend it.10 out of 10
This film is the first sound picture filmed entirely on location, with good plot, and great action by the dogs that actually DO their stuff the way they were bred to do. I saw this film over five years ago, and can't seem to find it anywhere, either playing or on tape. I Highly recommend it to all families with any breed of dog in their homes. It's "breed specific" but that is just what it's about. Hope you can find a copy and enjoy it as much as I did.
i just love this film, it's such a shame it isn't on DVD yet. and a copy on VHS recorded years ago (before i was born probably). films of this quality are a rare treat, i can only compare it to those of monty python and the 1980's hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy TV series (the recent film was good but felt a little short).---POSSIBLE SPOILER--- one of my favourite bits is the part where 'the bbc' turns up and announces the news ---SPOILER FINISHED---if this film was re-made i doubt it would be as funny as the original and i'm sure they'd be told to remove certain lines of the script for reasons of political correctness.just hope the DVD is out soon a must for anyone that likes monty python style jokes
I saw this movie many times as a child, my mom had recorded it on TV. It is about a family with 3 children, all boys with hemophilia. The oldest gets AIDS from the medicine he takes to help his blood clot. Back before 1985, the medicine was derived from pooled human blood, unscreened for diseases like HIV or HepC. Imagine my surprise to deliver my first child in 2002 and find him diagnosed with hemophilia, which wasn't inherited from my parents. This movie was all the information I had about hemophilia and it was so sad. Luckily, my son's life is nothing like that of the Ben in the movie. Yet, it is a good reminder of the pain the hemophilia community endured because of poor medical treatment. I'd like to find a way to get a copy of this movie.
I was introduced to the "X-Men" as a kid in the 1990s when I started seeing episodes of the cartoon show. Later, I started playing an X-Men video game, and during my comic book phase, I do recall reading some X-Men ones. Since then, the comic book series has been one of several to get the live action movie treatment at some point within the past ten years or so. I didn't see too many films on the big screen back in 2000, so I didn't see this this first "X-Men" movie adaptation. I finally watched this about a year and a half after going to see its sequel, "X2", but I have now seen it more than once, and it is good.In the near future, many mutated humans exist. They are born with a special X-Factor gene, which gives each of them a certain superpower. Unfortunately, these mutants are generally feared by the rest of humanity, even though many of them mean no harm. In the X-Mansion, where many good mutants live, Professor Charles Xavier runs a school for students with the special X-Factor gene, where they learn how to use their gifts wisely. Xavier dreams of a society where mutants can live with the rest of humanity in peace. However, another mutant named Eric Lensherr (a.k.a. Magneto), who was once Xavier's friend, has different plans. He has a machine that can convert non-mutated humans, and he plans to speed up the process of human evolution with it! For some reason, one unbeknownst to anyone in the X-Mansion, Magneto and his evil mutants are after either Logan or Rogue, two recent arrivals at the mansion! Comic book movies from recent years are generally not known to be flawless, so it's no surprise that "X-Men" has some fairly weak moments. After the first scene, which is set in 1944, and the story skips to the near future, where the rest of the movie takes place, the film gets pretty shaky, starting with Rogue in her room with her boyfriend, just before she discovers her powers. I would say the story really gets good around the part when Logan (a.k.a. Wolverine) first finds himself in the X-Mansion. After that, it doesn't stay completely steady for the rest of the film, but usually is pretty entertaining, with a decent amount of action and suspense, as well as good special effects, some intriguing futuristic sets, and occasional humour. I can't say TOO many of the cast performances here really stand out, but those of Patrick Stewart (as Xavier), Ian McKellen (as Magneto), and Hugh Jackman (as Wolverine) do. The script isn't perfect, but for the most part, it's better than the "Hulk" and "Catwoman" scripts (two very disappointing comic book movies), that's for sure. Here, there's a mixture of strong and weak dialogue and acting.So, overall, this first "X-Men" movie does have its cheesy moments, but that certainly doesn't mean it has no entertainment value. Now, some people strongly dislike these recent comic book movie blockbusters in general, and if you're one of them, I'm sure saying that this one has its cheesy moments is a gross understatement to you, if you've seen it. However, if you don't like this kind of movie, it's simple, don't watch it. For those whose interest is often captured by comic book movies like this, there may be some films of this kind which are best to avoid, most notably the more poorly received ones, but "X-Men" certainly isn't one of those, even if it's not the best adaptation of a comic book series ever made.
'The Right Stuff' is one of the most glorious adventure films ever made, a story of incredible heroism, poignant romance, gripping drama, and broad humor...and amazingly, it has actually happened within our lifetimes!This is a tale of test pilots, 'pushing the envelope', proving the sound barrier couldn't constrain mankind's reach for space. Leading the way is plain-speaking Chuck Yeager (portrayed by Sam Shepard with Gary Cooper-like charm), a Beeman's gum-chewing cowboy with a passion for his feisty wife (the beautiful Barbara Hershey), and hot planes. Not even a broken rib could hold him back when an opportunity to fly the X-1 was offered. His record-breaking flight could fill a movie by itself...and this is just the BEGINNING of the story!Jumping ahead a few years, Yeager is joined by a new breed of test pilots, whose total love of flight challenges their relationships, and is the true measure of how they define themselves. Among them are 'Gordo' Cooper (Dennis Quaid), a hot dog jet jockey with an unhappy wife (Pamela Reed, giving an exceptional performance); and Gus Grissom (Fred Ward, in his breakthrough role), coarse and direct, and anxious for his shot at the fastest jets.The entire world changes when the Russians launch Sputnik, in 1957. As the American space program struggles to 'catch up', the government realizes that American men will have to go into space, and President Eisenhower wants 'educated' test pilots to fill this role. Yeager is out (he never completed college), but Cooper and Grissom, and many others, compete for spots in the New Frontier.These pilots, from all services, are weeded down to seven men, dubbed 'Astronauts', and the Mercury Space Program is born! Along with Cooper and Grissom, the story focuses on Navy pilot Alan Shepard (Scott Glenn), laconic and prone to ethnic humor; and Marine John Glenn (perfectly cast Ed Harris), a 'boy scout' of unimpeachable morals, who loyally supports an impaired wife (sensitively portrayed by Mary Jo Deschanel). Working under the glare of the world press, the seven gradually come to respect one another, and embark on an epic adventure, full of triumph and tragedy!Meanwhile, Chuck Yeager, snubbed by NASA, continues to test new generations of jets, pushing the 'envelope', until, in a climactic scene, he achieves the threshold of space, himself. The flight is a near disaster, resulting in a horrendous crash, but the image of the burned but undefeated pilot, walking proudly away from the wreckage, is an unforgettable image of courage, and truly defines 'The Right Stuff'!This is a REMARKABLE film in every way, and is director Philip Kaufman's masterpiece. Lushly scored by Tom Conti (who won an Oscar for the Tchaikovsky-inspired music), the film soars, both on earth and in space!If you believe the Age of Heroes is past, watch 'The Right Stuff', and you might change your mind! This is a film to treasure! 
The only thing that keeps me from giving this show a ten is the fact that some of the contestants on the show are already actors. I think the chosen contestants should have been pure comic book geeks who really wanted to be a superhero and featured in a comic book, not just actors looking for a gig. I do love the show though, and it's great entertainment! The challenges are appropriate to the show's format, and I think it's cute how the "contestants" rarely break character. It also gives that superhero "feel" that Stan Lee never appears in person, just on a television screen. I also like the interesting plot twists and surprises I've seen so far!
Great surprise from Peter Jackson on the Fellowship of the Ring Extended DVD. Jack Black hands over the One Ring at the Council of Elrond. Problem? He got drunk with some mates the night before and got is...put somewhere personal.Spliced together with the scene from the film, this is a great little treat for people who hate -- or love -- The Lord of the Rings.
1986 was apparently the year that TV movies decided to handle homosexuality, as evidenced by "My Two Loves" and this offering. Given the subject matter, I so wanted to like this movie. Unfortunately, what I found after sitting through it was nothing but a bunch of clichés and stereotypes, and very little real understanding of the issues facing a gay teen.The story centers around the title character, Bobby (Timothy Williams), a computer whiz from a small town outside of Chicago, who ventures into the city for either a computer class, or a computer lab (my memories of the details of this part of the movie are a bit sketchy). He meets a handsome older man who pays him a lot of attention. Since Bobby's relationship with his father (Tony LoBianco) is somewhat strained, Bobby responds to the attention, and eventually he and the older man become lovers. When this is revealed in Bobby's hometown, he finds himself an outcast, with almost everyone, including his father, taking a dim view of his homosexuality. Unfortunately, Bobby isn't quite ready to take on the label "gay" and the negative reactions of those around him only reinforce his discomfort. He finds few friends and even less understanding during his search, and ultimately has to create his new reality for himself.While this film purports to be a sympathetic treatment of the coming out struggle, it fails miserably in that objective. The main problem is that Bobby himself is not drawn sympathetically. His confusion comes across well, as does his eventual defiance of his father, but the viewer sees little in him that would inspire the loyalty his few friends give him. It's unclear how he hooked up with, or why he hangs out with the man and woman who befriend him - he has little in common with them. And his girlfriend is an even bigger cypher. One would think she would be upset by his having slept with someone else, male or female. Instead, she wants to hear all about it. And her eventually reason for breaking up with him is that teachers in the school are lowering her grades because she's with him. The dialogue in the group therapy sessions is so full of gay clichés that it's harmful as well as painful, and even the conversations with the older lover are also full of clichés with no affection expressed between the two.Worse yet are the stereotypical reactions of his family. Dad wants to beat the stuffing out of him, and Mom is too ineffectual to offer any real comfort or support. The scene where he appears at the dinner table in drag to confront his father is so hackneyed that I lost all sympathy for Bobby in it.While the attempt to deal with such an issue was laudable, the film itself is a horrible mess of clichés and contradictions. If you're looking for an intelligent treatment of teen homosexuality, it's best to look elsewhere.
It's out on rent so, rent it. Man, is really good. It deals with a few stories that are connected if you think about it, mainly by a building. Love, lost, memories and discoveries are the main emotions that drive this movie. Again, another perfect film that's plot-less. This film even has an event, which has been done over and over in film but, just because you are not attached to a plot it seems like the most original event in the movie. Mothers, daughters, friends and fathers are all living their lives, like any of us, not noticing the small things in life. Our sense, specially sight and sound are over stimulated by this beautiful movie. The little simple things is what drives this movie and god that's filmmaking, that's art. Let me tell you how good it is, is so good, the movie was over and I stopped the DVD and started it again, I was it twice last night I think I'll see it tonight again.
Mira Nair, the talented director of this film keeps surprising us. She gets excellent acting from the different casts in all her movies. "Hysterical Blindness" is no exception. Ms. Nair working on the screen play by Laura Cahill, and based on Ms. Cahill's own stage play, takes us to a town in New Jersey, so close to Manhattan in geography, but far away in the way these people seem to be living in another planet.Debby Miller blames her mother for whatever is wrong with her life. Her father left her when she was quite young. Her mother, Virginia, makes ends meet by working as a waitress in a local diner. Both daughter and mother have been cheated out of happiness because of the loss they have experienced. While Debby dwells on her unhappiness, Virginia seems to have adjusted quite well.Debby is a woman that is desperate to find a man. Obviously, she is quite capable to give her best into any relationship. It's sad how she goes after the one man she should have avoided in the worst way. It will be too late before she realizes the mistake she has made.Throughout the film, Debby and Beth, share their hopes and aspirations. While Beth is grounded, Debby is flighty, hoping for things she can't have. On the other hand, Virginia meets a nice man, Nick, at the diner. They begin a friendship that unfortunately is cut short by tragedy. All in all, the film final scenes tells us that Debby realizing her mistakes goes back to her roots and to her friendship with Beth.The strength in the movie is the great performances Ms. Nair gets out of the four principals. Uma Thurman is good as the Debby. Gena Rowlands, as the mother, makes an appealing Virginia, who makes us care about her. Juliette Lewis, as Beth, is also endearing. Ben Gazzara makes a short, but effective contribution as Nick, the man who finds love with Virginia.This is a film that shows Ms. Nair's talents perfectly.
If you know what you are getting into, you'll enjoy this. Sick,perverted, twisted, cheesy and funny. One of the best independent horror flicks I've seen in a long time. Many recent "B-films" decide to show everything from the start, this film has the balls to develop the character, to take its time, I kind of liked that. Matt nelson is dead on balls perfect for the character, Kevin O'Neil is hysterical and newcomer Tara Cardinal brings some heart into this sick film. Even though the special effects are cheesy (as expected with this budget), the cinematography is great, good angles, a clear effort to create a "bigger"looking picture, with scenes that look so close to film that one forgets we are seeing a DV 24p project. Very good effort.
This movie was terrible. Who could believe that someone is so stupid. There is a great message in this movie about white kids who think they know the "ghetto" and try to act tough and hardcore but all they are doing is looking stupid. Its one thing to enjoy rap and the hip hop culture, buts its whole different thing to change your voice and accent to sound "cool". If you are a parent and your kids think they are "thugs", then make them watch this and they will understand how stupid they are acting. life is too short to waste time trying to act cool. I loved the Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh cameos and am still wondering how they got Snoop Dogg to agree to show up in this cameo.
It's interesting that the Best Picture of the year before Hitler came to power in Germany, set in Germany, made no mention of the political situation in the country at the time. There was mention of the Depression Germany and the rest of the world was in and all five of the principal players were affected by it, one way or another. John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore, Greta Garbo, Wallace Beery, and Joan Crawford all check into the Grand Hotel one day and their lives are never the same. Greta Garbo is the temperamental Russian ballerina Grusinskaya and her artistic tantrums are getting less and less tolerable in many ways because of the Depression. John Barrymore is the aristocrat now living in genteel poverty. His world ended with World War I, but the Depression reduced him to being a sneak thief. Lionel Barrymore is the terminally ill bookkeeper who now just wants to spend his last days living it up. He's just going to ignore the Depression. Wallace Beery is the Prussian industrialist who's used to high living having married the boss's daughter, but his firm as so many others is about to go under unless he can pull off a merger. Lionel Barrymore is one of hundreds who work for him and know what an extremely little man he is, that Beery is really lacking in any real ability for business. Finally there's Joan Crawford who's a working class girl, hired as a stenographer by Beery who has other things on his mind for Crawford.Whether in Germany or America Joan Crawford is the eternal shop girl. To her credit she does not attempt any kind of a Teutonic accent and her performance rings true. This is in complete contrast to Susan and God where she was consciously trying to imitate Gertrude Lawrence from the stage. This was the Depression in America too and many could identify with her.No one epitomized class and old world elegance like John Barrymore, he was not better on film than here in Grand Hotel. He hates the life that poverty has reduced him to. Using his old world charm as a facade for being a thief tears him inside. Meeting Greta Garbo gives him a last chance at redeeming his life.Garbo's performance is one of her best as well. I'm not sure any other actress could have made you sympathize with the temperamental ballerina. In the hands of anyone less skilled, the audience would have sympathized with the management of her ballet company who want to can her. When John Barrymore enters her life he's like the audience she entertained over the years rolled up in one person who still cares about her the individual. It's a last chance for happiness for her as well.Wallace Beery had a funny thing not happened to him in Grand Hotel which I won't reveal might have been quite comfortable with the regime to come in Germany. Beery is the only one in the film to attempt any kind of Germanic speech and he does succeed in his portrayal of the hateful industrialist Preysing.My favorite in Grand Hotel has always been Lionel Barrymore. Lionel may very well have been the most talented in the Barrymore family. Playing the gentle, terminally ill Kringelein is light years different from Mr. Potter in It's A Wonderful Life or Captain Disko Troup in Captains Courageous. Three very different roles yet Lionel Barrymore imprints his personality on every one. A meek little man, he's got courage enough now, courage that comes when you have absolutely nothing to lose.Grand Hotel is now 75 years old. The style of acting you see here is old fashioned indeed, no one could remake Grand Hotel today in the same style. It's melodramatic, but it works. It's a fascinating look into the last days of the Weimar Republic as seen from the balcony of a suite at the Grand Hotel in Berlin.
I say: See this movie at least twice. First time I saw it was at the Philadelphia Film Festival. I laughed quite a bit... I thought Wilbur's subtle words of wisdom were rather funny. Second time I saw it was about a week later once the Ritz Theater's had picked it up. I sat there and saw the movie as being much more sad. I still found certain parts of it to be funny... but I saw it as a much darker film than I'd initially thought. The little nuances of the actors and actresses in the movie make it into an absolutely down-to-earth film; they just seem like normal people... a bit nutty, but totally believable... you'll think you knew them by the end.I highly recommend seeing it if you get the chance... Make the effort. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll smile.Added: And now I've got it on DVD. Diagnosis... wow. It's just so sad and real.
Three slightly self-indulgent stories with a lesbian theme. The problem here is that lesbianism is not just a theme of these stories, it is the theme, and a single (and predictable) prevailing attitude provides each drama with both premise and conclusions. It is not that this attitude is wrong, rather that it robs the dramas of the qualities of breath and moral ambiguity that mark all truly powerful stories. Vanessa Redgrave is excellent in the first part, which thereby moves you although you never feel there is never any scope for anything other than the eventual ending; the other two tales pass without interest. Truly good film makes the viewer feel a little more uneasy and a little less certain about themselves; but the overall tone here is one of celebration, and its a weaker work for that.
LADY SINGS THE BLUES was the heavily fictionalized film biography of legendary cabaret chanteuse Billie Holliday, who rose to great stardom as one of the great blues impressionists of our time but, sadly, was never able to complete escape the multiple demons which haunted her for her entire life. Diana Ross made an impressive film debut in the role of Lady Day, which garnered her an Oscar nomination. Though her opening scenes playing Billie as a teenager are silly and unconvincing, Ross delivers a riveting performance for the most part, guided by her Svengali Berry Gordy, who makes a brief cameo appearance as a drug dealer. Billy Dee Williams officially became a star with his charismatic turn as Louis McKay, Billie's true love and Richard Pryor also received an Oscar nomination for his funny and caustic performance as "Piano Man", Billie's best friend and piano player, who was chasing demons of his own. The film is lavishly mounted with Ross draped in some stunning costumes that definitely merited Oscar attention. Ross gets plenty of opportunities to sing and though she really doesn't sound anything like Holliday did, she does capture the spirit of this tragic songbird. It's not a great guide as far as providing facts about Holliday's life. It seems to gloss over Holliday's alleged early days as a prostitute and her drug abuse, but it's a grand example of storytelling on screen with a riveting leading character who will capture your heart.
Crocodile Dundee 2 was not as good as Crocodile Dundee 1 etc, etc.... So we always hear, but so what? View this third offering with an open mind and you will enjoy it without comparison to the first two. I was very pleasantly surprised at the very funny one liners and situations, and came away from the cinema with a smile on my face. Do yourself a favor and rent this for a bit of occasionally hilarious escapism. As one of the other contributors stated, don't take it too seriously, it's a comedy!
I gotta give my props to Brian Singer. Man, what a fantastic job he did in bringing my favorite mutant superhero team to the big screen. The X-men comics have decades of established treasured mythology and this film does it justice almost perfectly. Some story elements have been altered here and there but it never undermined the finished product significantly as to throw off die-hard fans, although I was disappointed that Gambit wasn't included. But the film superbly makes up for that with action, special effects (and what MARVELOUS EFFECTS they are!!!) and a plot that's intellectually stimulating actually. It's a shame that most action films today don't have that kind of pizazz and gravitas to keep it from being mindlessly entertaining. Not so here as X-Men challenges its viewers to ponder the nature of acceptance , fear, and prejudice. My one main complaint is that the villains such as Sabertooth wasn't fleshed out more and similar to his vicious comic book counterpart. I will purchase the director's cut for any bells and whistles not in the theatrical cut but for the most part "X-Men" is an exciting and exhilarating experience with something more beneath the surface even more so than action films today and I can say with all authority it embodies the spirit of the comics nearly spot on.Great film.
The Band: Iron Maiden The Place: Dublin, IrelandThis Concert Was Filmed As Part Of the DANCE OF DEATH Tour Brought To Us By The Heavy Metal Gods IRON MAIDEN. This Concert Serves Up Many Of Iron Maiden's Hits Like Number Of The Beast, Run To The Hills, Fear Of The Dark, Hallowed Be Thy Name, and Iron Maiden. The Background Changes Matched In Contrast To Each Song Performed, or The Giant Eddie (Iron Maiden's Skull Character) That Makes A Few Appearances, This Concert Is Sure To Make A Fan Out Of You. These Classic Heavy Metal Icons Know How To Put On A GREAT Show, and This DVD Proves How GREAT An Iron Maiden Concert Is.10/10
When I saw this film, I honestly went in expecting to watch an awful film.The story is well written (although I now know it is based on previous films). And the acting is also well, not great but OK.One point I will get across though. Aside from the fact that this was so obviously a low budget film with bad editing and good enough story. I did notice an obvious and dare I say... pathetic message.This film seems to support the idea that the average Mexican feels inferior to the average American, thus the need to make a film to emphasize the idea, by creating a pretend-world where the American begs for the Mexican to return. Basically supporting the fact that Mexicans are no more than laborers.It was a good film until the end credits when we see the American farmer smoking weed. It is in very poor taste, and it is so obvious that the director wanted to film that and show it. Why? Because he does it himself? Who knows... but that basically destroyed much of the little credibility the film had going.The film is enjoyable, just forget about the actual social issues and cut the weed smoking scene.
THE STORY OF THE KELLY GANG is believed to be the world's first feature length film. Running at between 65 and 70 minutes, it was billed at the time as the longest film ever made. It toured Australia for nine years and was an enormous success.Today only fragments survive, and it is hard to judge the film's artistic merits. About nine minutes of footage exists - some found on a garbage dump in Melbourne. Some of this footage may be out-takes. The footage is held by ScreenSound Australia, the National Screen and Sound Archive, in Canberra.The sequences show some enthusiastic acting, although the camera-work is static (like most films of the period). The most remarkable shot is probably when a priest, carrying a wounded man over his shoulder, walks toward and just past the camera, creating a strong sense of drama and movement. The final shoot-out scene is also well filmed - with Ned Kelly moving, and shooting, toward the camera, as troopers flee to the sides.A remarkable film, of great historical importance, that all film students should see. Up until World War 1, when initially neutral America began to dominate the world of film distribution, Australia had one of the most thriving and innovative film industries in the world.
It gets off to a decent start. I thought the film would be good first 10 minutes in but after that it became more and more painfully obvious this one was going to blow. This was supposed to be a comedy and it just does not deliver enough laughs. The original Van Wilder was a much funnier movie. This movie relies on a lot of college film clichés but doesn't add anything new to the genre. Kal Penn manages to hold up the weak material for a little but eventually the movie just sinks. Kudos to Kal because he is always entertaining, but this one sucked. The only redeeming quality in this film are the two female leads, they both provide nice eye candy. I would not recommend this.
If, like me, you expect films to have a cohesive plot, intelligent writing and an imaginative ending then this is NOT the film for you. What is the point of giving an astrophysicist a list of predictions and telling him when the world is going to end if there's nothing he can do about it? For the first two thirds of the film I was waiting for some clever twist or original storyline that would bring together all the disjointed pieces of the film but instead it ended in the most anti-climactic and least original way - aliens! The second worst cop out in history - the first being 'he woke up and it was all a dream'. It's not even poignant enough to be thought provoking or depressing; it's simply utterly pointless!
Why can't TV make better movies? No wonder the the big 4 networks lose viewers to TBS, HBO, and A&E. Their movies entertain, have originality to them, and have fresher writing. Another leftwing the US government is bad conspiracy movie where the media is the only true hero. This makes me sick, because I wonder how many times the media has destroyed careers, caused riots, ruin investigations, and caused deaths by unethical reporters. We need a media, but some of these tv movies are like a commercial for the nightly news. Conspiracy movie of the big bad gov and CIA have been around for 30 years; they need a new angle. After some of these crazy government conspiracy theories, people have become leery of these stories. The same formula, an Alan Alda type hero, a sex interested for ratings, a stupid Frank Burns right wing guy who does something stupid and gets killed, and as always CIA plot, everyone has to be good looking, idealistic, and all the world's problems simply can be blamed on the US and the government they support etc etc etc... Nothing new here, they even try to do the Vietnam flashback imagery, with that same Stones song used in everyone of these movies. War dirty, and evil nothing new there, except they get a big name b actor,Goldblum, to make you waste your time watching this crap. I think the ending left little for the viewer. 3/10
The quality of the ice-revue depends above all upon Eva Pawlik, who was four times Austrian Champion, European Champion and runner-up both at the World´s and the Olympics. She was not only a world-famous sportswoman, but also an outstanding show star and a good actress as to be seen in "Frühling auf dem Eis". The old-fashioned choreography fits in the early fifties. Pawlik´s spins are faster than those of many a European or World Champion of today. Her most difficult jumps are the double salchow and the double toe. The film earns a maximum of 10 points because it is one of the very few movies in which a European figure skating Champion also plays a main role in the frame story of a revue film. No one interested in ice shows should miss it!
Communion is a wonderful film, and one of the scariest movies ever made. In order for some people to cover up their fears, they want to mock this movie, the idea of aliens, and anyone who claims to have had contact with them. Whitley Strieber brings this up in his book, so it doesn't surprise me that some people smirk at this film. The fact that Christopher Walken is in this movie only increases these immature people's drive to turn every role Walken does as a comedy. I feel bad for Walken. Too many people don't take him seriously anymore. He's one of the greatest actors in the world, yet a lot of fans want to turn every one of his performances as a joke, and make fun of him and/or just not take his work seriously.Then they wanna point out the "lack of the special effects. Now I personally thought the special effects were great, but compared to a modern day movie on HDTV/blu-ray, of course it's not going to be the same. It was the 80's. You people who are spoiled by CGI need to understand that. It's also worth mentoining that the 80's was also an era where movie makers didn't go and remake everything like so many people are doing today. and there are more to movies then special effects, like good acting, and a great story, and Communion has that, but some people's immature ways of thinking blinds them to that.People fear what they don't understand, and that fear soon grows to hate, and some people express their hate differently. Some people just wanna smirk, and make bad jokes, and mock what they fear.Aliens are the most realistic "monsters" in the horror world, and everyone knows that. Any one of us could be a victim to alien abduction. That is where the discomfort of it all comes in, and for anyone to think we humans are the only living creatures in this giant universe is just plan egotistic.I have seen a lot of movies in my life. Way too many in fact, but out of the hundred's and hundred's of films I've seen, I must say that Communion is truly the scariest motion picture that my eyes have watched. It scared me as a child, it scared me as a teenager and it scares me as man. I have never seen a movie that makes me feel more uneasy.I first remember when I was a little kid being in Mann's video store in Bridge City, Texas and seeing the VHS cover of Communion and seeing the alien face really scared me.Communion is the only horror film to ever make me revert back to being a child. I tried to watch it when I was 24, and as I was watching a very scary scene, my body began to experience the "fight or flight" system. My feet felt weird, my heart was pumping, I got goosebumps and I was sweating. No movie has EVER made me experience that and I don't think any other movie ever will. Even watching it during the day time, it scared me just as much. It scared me so much that I actually almost screamed in one part but gasped instead, and twice I had to turn it off and stop watching it because it scared me that much. The reason why it scares me is because since early childhood I've suspected that I may be a victim to alien abduction. I know that sounds crazy and it's most likely not true (at least I have to tell myself it's not in order to sleep at night) but there's always going to be a part of me that will always be scared of aliens.Communion is the only movie that takes me right into the film. I watch so many different scenes in this movie and I think...."I've been there." I know what it's like to wake up late at night and wonder if I'm alone in my room. I decided not to even finish it back then because it's way too intense.Perhaps one day I'll watch the movie again. I'm right in the middle of reading the book now for the first time, and it's pretty scary too.If you have a fear of aliens like I do and you have never seen Communion but thought about watching it....I highly recommend you avoid it. It WILL scare you.
its not scary, but a movie with no head and tail. It has weird stories in it. imagine people eating apples and becoming apples after that. how funny. i couldn't stop laughing at the whole idea. its not even a comedy. is scary at times, specially towards the end, but the end is meaningless.
One can never forget the desperate attempts at surviving the solitary confinement portrayed by the vastly talented Steve McQueen. Equally brilliant was the indomitable Dustin Hoffman as Luis Dega, the counterfeiter. The settings and location truly match the descriptions as described in the book written by the father-of-all-survivors Henri Charriere. The DVD version contains a short film of Henri revisiting the prison where he was living for most of his life seeking to escape, just to prove a point to his captors. Altogether, a film that is a must-watch for all lovers of classic cinema. Best watched at 2:00pm in the afternoon after a light lunch on a Sunday afternoon with your favorite brand of beer.
I didn't intend to write a comment on this movie, but when I looked at the comments that are here, I was totally shocked to find so many people saying the movie is "great." I had to post this comment in an effort to balance things out just a little. I can only hope that it's some huge and elaborate practical joke that all these positive comments have been posted. Now, I must admit that I missed the first few minutes of the movie. Perhaps that would've made a difference. But I really don't think it would! I came in at a point early on, where Anthony Edwards is about to get some sleep, after which the power goes out and he wakes up late. Whatever happened before that may have been the most terrific piece of filmmaking ever, and maybe by missing that I missed the true "greatness" of the movie. But I highly doubt it.Where I came in was, I believe, where the plot really starts. And I understood who was who quite well enough. The movie was a little odd, and quirky right from the start (where I came in,) but not SO odd that I couldn't stick with it. I stayed with the movie just because the concept of the movie was intriguing enough to keep me watching. But as the movie progressed it got weirder and weirder, and the writing got dumber and dumber!I finally reached the "point of no return," where you finish the movie not because you're enjoying it, but because you've already invested so much time in it that you figure you might as well finish it off. The movie got increasingly bad all the way to the end. The characters did some of the most infuriatingly stupid things that I think I've ever seen. And I do mean STUPID. I want to say the acting was bad, but looking back I don't know that that's true. I think the primary actors were putting a lot into it, but the characters were so ridiculous, it made it seem that the acting was bad. Plus there was not enough character development to make some of the situations seem as natural as they maybe could have. So if I had to point to one thing as the reason this movie stinks, it'd be the writing. It was totally moronic. The acting by the primary stars wasn't the worst I've ever seen, but it wasn't great. The acting by every one else...well, let's just say it wasn't GOOD. I don't know if the movie was cheap to make, but I really hope it was, because it really looked it.The movie was just all around bad. Battlefield Earth would be able to stand next to this one and hold its head up high. And Battlefield Earth was rotten. Again, I can only pray that all these positive comments about this movie are part of some huge prank. The only other way I can imagine that all the positive remarks got here is that the director of the movie is now unemployed and has all day to write and post new ones. Perhaps to trick people into buying the movie, so he can get some money for food. But let me end by WARNING all who have not seen the movie, but have read all the positive comments and are considering buying it: PLEASE, for your own sake, DO NOT buy Miracle Mile! If you feel you must see it, rent it first!! Or heck, wait for it to play on television; if you have to wait forever, you won't be missing anything! TRUST ME!
This film was excellently cast; the actors played their roles very convincingly. Everything about it was going great: the setting, mood; great acting. The play itself was a real downer; a man (Edmund O'Brien) is still living with his mother and sister although he's in his mid twenties. His mother is domineering; she succeeded in driving away her husband, who joined the merchant marine and left her and their two little kids. Her grown son is now moody and weak; the result of being raised by a bossy, delusional woman. His sister (Jane Wyman) suffers from a condition that causes her to limp noticeably. She was obviously sheltered by her mother and now she's introverted, lacks self-esteem, and lives in a lonely fantasy world. Kirk Douglas plays the gentleman caller who ultimately rejects the daughter during their blind date and makes up a story about being engaged to blow her off as gently as possible. After the date doesn't work out, the mother takes it out on her son, who leaves then forever and, like his dad, joins the merchant marine. This is a very sad play on many levels. It deals with a woman who lost her mind after her husband deserted her. She and her kids live in a cramped apartment in the midst of a squalid slum. Her daughter has to deal with the unfortunate fact that people like her, who limp, face rejection and ridicule in life. Her mother coddled her and she has regressed into a shy, pathetic young woman. Her son , who no doubt bore the brunt of his mother's frustrations has grown into an aimless, bitter young man. When he tries to set his sister up with a popular guy he works with, it blows up in his face. The way this movie ended changed the meaning. The play did not offer conclusive hope for the daughter. There wasn't another gentleman caller. One could only hope that she would soon come out of her shell and that she gained some self-esteem from being lectured on her good attributes by Kirk Douglas's character.Maybe now that the son is out of the picture, the family dynamics will change for the better. Or maybe things will get much worse. It made you think, and there are possible positive and negative outcomes; it's up to you.
I love all of the quirky parts in this movie! One of the best scenes is when Charlie (Meyers) is watching "A Current Affair" while using a theighmaster! Charlie's dad (also Meyers) is hilarious with his outrageous Scottish accent and rude personality. And Rose, Harriet's strange sister, is funny when she offers to make a wonderful breakfast for Charlie. The last 20 min aren't quite up to par with the rest of the film IMO, but over all I gave it 8/10 stars.
Although this was a good movie with a decent storyline, they made a large flaw, I could not overlook.Her boyfriend which is part of the Police Department, and working on the case, is trying to keep her from being arrested and accused of this crime. Half way through the movie, he takes her to the scene of the crime, because the evidence keeps mounting against her. While there he tells her how they believe things happened. According to him, they believe that her ex was tied and bleeding to death, while he laid there and witnessed his soon to be new wife's rape and murder. Read that last sentence carefully. Does the word RAPE stand out at all. This is a woman who RAPED and left semen behind, after she over came her ex, with the other woman present. Ties and left him bleeding to death, and then went to work raping the other woman, and then killing her.Something just a tad bid wrong with this whole picture, don't ya think?
Hi.. I'm quit surprised with all the negative reviews this movie is receiving, i mean did i watch the same movie as other reviewers watched, i mean i thought that this movie is a really good one. Im not a Linsday Lohan fan, the fact is this is the first movie i watched for her, i must admit that this was a really nice and cool thriller, very very enjoyable movie. the script and plot were engaging and intriguing, it never dragged or slowed down or felt boring, kept me intrigued. Yes it did have some over the top gory scenes, but isn't that a good thing for adult fans of the genre, i mean how come SAW became so popular and recommended, if you don't like gore then don't watch it, but don't give bad reviews of the film because you are too weak to stomach these scenes, i totally enjoyed it !!! Acting was very good from most of the cast, as i mentioned before this is my first Linsday Lohan's movie i saw and i thought she did a good job. In summary, i thought that this movie was very enjoyable and one of the good movies of this summer, keeps you guessing till the end and has a good plot, so if you haven't seen this, my advice is to go ahead and watch it, it is totally worth it, i really don't get why too many people hate it, it succeeded as a thriller movie, what more do u want !!?? this was more enjoyable to me than : Captivity, Pirates of the Caribbean 3,Evan almighty and I pronounce you Chuck and Larry. so please guys stop the winning and just go watch another PG 13 Disney movie and leave the R rated adult movies for the grown ups !!!! 9 out of 10
Quite possibly the best film ever - certainly the best space film ever. An all-star cast, good special effects and a brilliant story drive the film along. Like I say, the best film ever made?
A Day Without a Mexican contains, quite possibly, the most unique and effective employment of a fantasy element I've ever seen.While I'm not sure how much impact this film has on people who aren't from, or at least very familiar with, life in California, I think it speaks massive volumes all while maintaining a very witty and fun sense of humor about itself. While it gets over-dramatically silly, it is SPOT ON about the capability of Californian behavior (and I say that as a third generation Southern Californian who was raised, in part, by a German/Mexican stepmother).I've noticed complaints about bad acting and/or writing in this film. The writing itself is strong, the dialogue is funny, and the cultural jokes are bordering on perfection. The acting did leave room for improvement, but that's standard in independent films that boast such a major societal commentary.This is not the kind of film that's going to mean everything to everyone. It's geared toward a specific audience, which seems to include me, as I quite enjoyed this picture.If you want a movie that'll, at the very least, raise some discussion, check it out.
I must say that it's the best danish picture I've ever seen, even if Festen also was a very good and interesting film. This is a romantic comedy which is as good as the best american and english once, for instance When Harry Met Sally... and Four Weddings And A Funeral. If you like that kind of movies and can accept the danish language =) you will like this movie, Den eneste Ene, too.
I thank the heavens for MST3000, otherwise this movie would have been intolerable. It is a communal pain, distributed among the watchers. First of all, the protagonist is Dr. Neil Connery, played by Neil Connery (subtle). Neil is Sean Connery's brother. You would not guess that from the great acting displayed in this movie. This movie is simply an Italian knock-off of a James Bond movie, except you couldn't afford any of the trademarks. They also managed to get some people who actually stared in Bond movies, like Ms. Moneypenny (Lois Maxwell), M (Bernard Lee), and Emilio Largo (from Thunderball played by Adolfo Celi). Thats about where all the similarities to any Bond movie end. Where James Bond has a suave, debonair style and uses various gadgets, his brother Neil, user hypnosis and the Jerry Lewis approach. It's not that he is clumsy, he just seems to be uncomfortable with women. The plot is pretty bad and nonsensical. By far the best part of the movie is the end conflict, where Neil and friends fight "Largo's" minions, who dress like the aliens from V (red vinyl outfits) with the helmets from the fireman of Fahrenheit 451. Not only that, but they are all shooting underwater harpoons. Exciting isn't it ?? This all leads to the duel between "Largo" (aka Thair Beta) and Neil. Harpoons at 20 paces. This movie is bad. Please don't watch this movie, unless you are heavily medicated.
OK, wait, bad isn't what I was looking for........awful, there we go. The shaky camera stuff was annoying and the acting was horrible. As soon as I saw Lou Diamond Phillips' name in the info, I knew it was going to be bad. He hasn't been in a good film since.....oh yeah, he hasn't been in a good film EVER. The whole plot line of "Route 666" was dumb and the supporting cast for the "greatest actor in the world"(<-sarcastic remark) was almost worse than any supporting cast I have ever seen. If I were to pick the top 5 bad movies ever, this would definitely be at the top of my list of candidates. Do NOT watch this movie, because it will be a waste of your money and your time.
Dreary and flatly directed, 'The Philadelphia Experiment' is a disappointing lump based on a supposedly true story in which sailors Michael Pare and Bobby Di Cicco are transported from 1943 to 1984 during a radar test. Could be intriguing. Isn't. The plot unfolds so slowly, and is directed with so little style, that it's of practically no interest. As Pare gets closer to finding how he ended up in '84 things pick up a little but those developments are skipped over pretty quickly in favour of a conclusion filled with crummy visual effects. Pare injects a little charisma into an otherwise duff cast that includes Nancy Allen in full-on plank mode.
This movie is an unexpected delight. It has the love story aspect most women like, the mystery component that should please the watchers of thrillers and some action sequences that males are sure to enjoy. There was even a nudity scene so this has something for everybody.Mike Myers is at his talented best playing both Charlie and his father. In fact, it's his father's role that steals the show in both the Harriet meets Parents scene with his comments about his younger brother's "Heed" and also at the wedding with his shouting out "Lets get P*seed" at the end of the ceremony.Nancy Travis does a great job of looking slightly suspicious throughout the movie. I especially like her appearance in the scene where Charlie drives past whilst she is rolling out the awning wearing Dutch national costume.Anthony LaPaglia's portrayal of the frustrated undercover policeman is a real hoot. You can't help but love the part where his Captain comes into his office, kicks his feet off the desk and gets stuck into him for nosing into a case belonging to Homicide, particularly, since when he comes back into the office and tells him how much he loved that outburst.The other winner is Brenda Fricker who portray's Charlie's mother with the hots for his friend (LaPaglia). I loved the way she explained the story of Mrs X from her favorite paper "News of the World" totally ignoring Charlie's depiction of it as a sensationalist rag.Although there were some dead parts in the movie, they were easy to ignore and more than made up for with the pace of the script. This is a movie you can watch repeatedly, especially when you've seen everything else in your DVD library, it's fun, not meant to be taken serious, the hero gets the girl (somewhat) and nobody get's hurt except the drunken bagpiper at the wedding reception.
This is one of my favorite movies of all times. It's funny, moving, tragic, hilarious, just all in one. Tom Conti gives a memorable world-class performance and the stunning beauty of Kelly Mc Gillis is a feast for the eyes. I wish this one-of-a-kind masterpiece were available on DVD.
I saw this film tonight at the Image Out Film Festival in Rochester and what I saw is a powerful story about both love and hate reaching across ethnic and religious boundaries.The love is what Mario Drmec and Tarik Filipovic have for each other. Same sex couples have it bad enough there, but in this case Mario is a Moslem from Bosnia and Tarik is a Serb. The story is told to us in flashback by Mario being interviewed by a French journalist played by Jeanne Moreau. As Yugoslavia breaks apart the various ethnic groups resume all their ancient hatreds and start killing each other with vehemence as we all read in the Nineties. Mario in order to pass into the Christian Serbian area goes into drag. It seems as though the Christians check out the privates of all the males and if they're circumcised as Moslems have to do as well as Jews they're summarily shot. The ruse works, but the lovers have to continue the masquerade when they get to Tarik's village. Or at least until a helpful friend can obtain the necessary documents to go west to the other side of the Rhine in Europe. Of course when someone does discover the ruse there are unforeseen consequences.Yugoslavia itself was a creation of western European fatuity. Serbia was on the Allied side of World War I and they got a kind of hegemony over a whole lot of territory formerly belonging to both the Hapsburg and Ottoman Empires. At Versailles the Serb king was made monarch over the whole polyglot nation and after World War II, a very charismatic leader named Josip Broz Tito led an independent Marxist/Socialist government.When Marshal Tito died, the country itself died. Held together by an extraordinary man the one thing Tito did not do was solve any ancient hatreds. What happens here happened all over what was Yugoslavia, only this story has gay angle to it. Love, even same sex love can bridge all kinds of boundaries if we're open to it. The friend who is helping the lovers urges them to go west to western Europe where they can live free and prosper. All they have there is ethnic hatred.One other very valuable lesson here is that the film does focus on the atrocities of the Serbs and the Bosnians. Remember this is now a decade where admittedly Moslems are doing some horrible things in many parts of the globe. I am glad that the villain here is not one religion, but a fanatical fundamentalist interpretation of any religion with which people can justify all kinds of barbarism.Ahmed Imamovic the director has received death threats from all sides in the former Yugoslavia for even creating a story involving gay people there. The man has risked his life for this powerful story, buy a ticket and don't miss it.
If you're turned off by the backbiting and Macchiavellian manipulation on such shows as Survivor or Big Brother, but the idea of a group of people competing for a big prize appeals to you, then you really should try this program. Hosted by comic book legend Stan Lee, this show challenges people to behave like superheroes.Of course, there's much more to "behaving like superheroes" than dressing up in a colorful spandex costume and going into death-defying missions to save the day. That part just makes the contest fun. The tasks presented actually challenge the contestants, and in turn us in the audience, to be better people: courageous, kind, honest, helpful, attentive, friendly, cooperative, decisive, and willing to face our fears and become community leaders. Contestants actually score points (so to speak) for helping each other to perform better! Nearly every episode I've seen thus far has had some little lesson I could apply in my own life to make myself a better person.Whatever "cheese" the show has, whether you consider it fun or not, that is what good drama, whether scripted or true-life, really should be about.
Of all the Disney franchises my favorite has to be Duck Tales. Many people think that Duck Tales was merely an 80s TV show and never went further than Saturday morning but in reality it has a very rich history going back decades and if you think that it spoofs Indiana Jones you'd be wrong because it's actually the other way around.Darkwing Duck was a spin-off of Duck Tales, taking place in the same universe but transplanting the action from Duckburg to St. Canard. The only regular returning character was bumbling pilot Launchpad McQuack but he was my favorite, though Gizmoduck does make a couple of appearances.Darkwing himself, ordinary Drake Mallard by day, is a sort of cross between Batman, The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Shadow. He's a crime-fighter with absolutely no abilities other than his determination to beat the bad guys though his is utterly confident in himself and craves media attention. With Launchpad as his sidekick and the occasional help from his daughter Goslyn he tackles a variety of strange villains, winning usually by chance.I've often thought that a hero can only be measured by his nemesis and unfortunately none of the Darkwing Duck bad guys are up to much, but that's fine since Darkwing himself is sort of incompetent. Episodes set during the daytime contradict the noirish nature of the show and the best episodes are the ones set in the shadows and dark alleyways. I know that this is a kids show and is not necessarily in the same league as the Batman animated series but it does seem to be selling itself short in this regard. Duck Tales frequently had very dynamic and imaginative stories while Darkwing Duck is sort of hit-and-miss. That's my only complaint though.Darkwing Duck still has loads going for it, including a brilliant theme song and his memorable signature catchphrase 'Let's get dangerous' (or 'It's gonna get scary big-time' as they say in France). There still life in this bird yet and with the Scrooge McDuck universe still popular to this day then we might just see him return some time.
I was really disappointed with this movie. It just DOES NOT make sense. I cannot believe all the 5 star reviewers. Does basic storytelling matter to you people? OK, where to begin......Gosling's Danny Bolint is a militantly self-hating Jew. Why? Not sure really. Through use of some clumsily overdramatic flashbacks, we learn that Danny enraged his Hebrew School teachers by challenging long accepted laws of Judaism. OK, fine. So Danny learns some untraditional teachings from his father. How that evolves into violent hatred for his own religion is anyone's guess.Well, as another reviewer wrote with the title, "You better believe this movie deserves 5 stars" explains:"Soon thereafter we learn that Danny himself was a yeshiva student. He's a Jew who has become a Nazi skinhead."EXACTLY! Hey buddy, how do we go from point A to point B here? So his father teaches him some non-traditional interpretations of the Torah and suddenly he's some violent hard-core Jewish Nazi? Huh? I think we need A LITTLE more than that people! Another reviewer stated that "you could tear any movie apart if you wanted to." Perhaps that is true. BUT this is a FUNDAMENTAL part of this movie! Its a fascinating concept that deserves a reasonable explanation. This movie fails miserably on this crucial point, that alone should keep it from 5 stars, but of course, there is much more:OK, so after going into a synagogue, this violent Nazi who has no qualms about beating up Jewish kids, setting up bombs in synagogoes to kill dozens of Jews, has the uncontrollable urge to protect the Torah from his friends and other religous properties? Not just that, but he reveals his immense knowledge of Judaism in front all his fellow Nazis and gives them obvious hints that he's Jewish, for no apparent reason, throughout the film (ex. wearing a Hebrew cloth inside his shirt, keeping and protecting objects from the synagogue, goes to a Temple, says a Jewish prayer in his room and in front of fellow Nazis, teaching his bizarre girlfriend Hebrew. Why does she want to learn it? Don't ask me). Even though he says to the reporter that he would KILL HIMSELF if it was ever found out he was Jewish he gives these obvious clues throughout the film.When Danny was with his friend attempting to shoot at a Jewish couple, he finds he can't/won't do it, and then his Hebrew cloth is revealed to his friend who realizes he's Jewish. Danny then shoots at him and leaves the area........OK.....Soooo what happens to his friend? Is he dead? Is he injured? Does he survive to tell anyone? The character completely dissapears and we never hear what happened to him. Once again, thats amateurish storytelling at best, dissapearing characters is not a minor detail. Jeez, I would get upset if this happened at a local high school play, let alone an award-winner that I'm paying money for!Another unexplained event in the film is perhaps the best part: during the resensitivity seminar when Danny and his friends hear stories from Holocaust survivers. Danny offends the speakers and walks out prematurely even though the instructor warns him that he will be resentenced if he leaves. OK.......so what happens next? Does he go back to court? Is he sentenced to jail? Is he fined? Is he a fugitive? Better ask the 5 star reviewers, the fanatics in this website all these questions, because after watching the movie I can provide you with none.Keep in mind, I'm ignoring the emotionless and puzzling girlfriend played by Phoenix, Is she a Fascist? What are her politics? Why does she like Danny? Why does she like to get physically hit by Danny? Why Danny showed no anger/emotion at Phoenix or Zane when he saw them making love, the make out scene the day after , right when Danny just threw up, what exactly makes Danny so incredibly valuable to Zane and the fascists, Zane's laughable hairpiece, etc etc etc. Point is, I was willing to accept ALL that as being "minor", however I cannot accept the HUGE holes in the script. Basic points like why he's a Jewish Nazi, what turned this violent person around so dramatically, and the missing and unexplained characters/events throughout the film.Sorry for the long review, but I was truly disappointed with this film. Expected much better.
After having seen films like Bend It Like Beckham, Bollywood/Hollywood, American Desi seemed like familiar territory but nevertheless a very one. For those who think the film is cliched, they didn't get it. Because it is meant to give those cliches a humorous look. The humor in the film is very well done. Instead of having an offensive or critical view of anything in particular, the film takes more of a funny spin on things. There are oddities and stereotypes in every culture; the film tries to give the american and desi cultures a bit of a homage, with a chuckle of course. 8/10.
This is an unbelievably awful movie that doesn't "spoof" anything except, apparently, the intelligence of the witless producers who poured money into it. Completely unintelligible plot centering around a strangely Swedish-accented New Jersey teenager who literally bounces from one sexual compromise to another, somehow managing to elude good acting throughout. Ewa Aulin, making her debut in this steaming pile, manages to convey that her only talent is taking her clothes off at the drop of a hat. And, since this is a '60's movie, there's a lot of hat-dropping going on (if you know what I mean). Embarrassing performances by such "luminaries" as Richard Burton, Walter Matthau, James Coburn, and Marlon Brando were obviously turned in for scale- that is, the scale the director must've used to weigh out the dope that permeates this piece of tripe. Painful cameos by Walter Huston and Sugar Ray Robinson, both of whom look like they wanted to be somewhere else, also burn themselves into my battered brain pan. The only honest performance was turned in by Buck Henry, who plays a raving mental patient- of course, since he also wrote the screenplay for this abomination, it was probably only typecasting. This movie is the poster child for 1960s moviemaking- the absolute nadir of self-involved, drug-addled excess. Not worth the celluloid it slimed onto.
I loved Darkwing Duck when I was 5 years old and I still love it now! It's interesting how most cartoons from childhood seem lame when I watch them now but Darkwing Duck remains funny and entertaining. The witty dialog, action, diverse characters, and style made this show unique from most Disney cartoons. If they ever remade the series I would most definitely watch it!One thing I find interesting about this series --there is a large amount of violence including knives, heavy artillery, and explosives. Some of the villains are high-class sociopaths (Negaduck) and there is subtle adult humor. As a child, these depictions of violence never had an affect on me and as an adult I find the cartoon to be more interesting due to the use of classic weapons. The family life of Darkwing Duck is also quite interesting. Unlike most cartoons where the hero either has no children or a family of his own, Darkwing has a spunky, adopted daughter and a sidekick for his family, as well as a former criminal sorceress for a girlfriend. I found this family dynamic to be refreshing and interesting. Being raised by a single parent myself, I felt like the show was acknowledging children like me who don't come from "whole" families with a mother, father, and 2.5 children. Overall I think Darkwing Duck was one of the most original and interesting cartoons to emerge from the early 90's and when contrasted with today's cartoons it has a very different approach that makes it unique. I await the release of the next seasons on DVD.
While I agree with many of the comments regarding the first few episodes, what most people have missed was the amazing turnaround of this series.First of all, I'm surprised that so many film and sci-fi buffs failed to recognize that despite the show's early rushed production and acting problems, the sound editing and writing are surprisingly good. The show sounds amazing, and the music editing shows what an extremely editor/team can do on a low budget.Since most people stopped watching about the 2nd or 3rd episode, I have to say that the pilot and the wedding / joybug episode were the absolute worst of the lot. There is no hiding Gina Holden's bad acting in those episodes, and it seems like they rushed through the shows on the first take like a soap opera.However, as the season progresses, the show gets remarkably better. The first sign is the episode with the Hawkmen/Dactyls called ascension. Even though the cheese factor in this episode is through the roof you can see that the plot line is starting to come together and get very interesting.The comic-action mood of the series has also finally blossomed. The Baylin character is actually quite funny and Flash has found his place as a hero who is comfortable with his ignorance and makes up for it with a second helping of courage, kind of like the O'Neill character in Stargate SG1. In fact the whole show is starting to feel a lot like Stargate SG1, with the four person save the world team, excellent writing, great mythology, straight-and-narrow good heroes, and of course impossibly hopeless situations that the heroes always get out of unscathed at the last minute.The pinnacle of the season so far has been the "sorrow" episode, which basically tells the story of how Mongo got to be the crappy place it now is. The writing and music are fantastic, and Anna Van Hooft gives an almost tear-jerking performance as she deals with the complicated reality of her life. In fact, the show has started to focus a lot more on her now, and she steals almost every scene she is in. The dale character is also benefiting from Gina Holden's improving acting skills, and it is fun watching her want so badly to be an action hero and contribute to the team. I think it would be totally awesome if she somehow became an honorary Omodrian or took fighting lessons from Baylin. I also have to say I'm pleased with John Ralston's courageous interpretation of the Ming character. He is not afraid to try really risky over-the-top stuff and the cringe factor is off the charts (resulting in what I think is way too much unfair criticism.) I for one admire the enthusiasm the puts into this almost comically unstable character.If you haven't watched Flash Gordon lately, I encourage you to take a second look, the show has undergone a vast improvement!
I truly have been enjoying all the characters featured on Girlfriends. Their talent is so deep and rich that I have to remind myself they are actually actors and not real life characters. Having said that I know you will agree with me that it is because of their true talent which is so convincing, compelling and genuine to life that I can almost believe in the reality of the characters as true to life.I look forward to "many" more seasons of "my" Girlfriends! Congratulations "Girlfriends" for your success of the past and the future with "CW".Debbie
I understand that the book was episodic, but that does not mean it translates into a good film that way.Poorly directed and acted, not to mention produced. How tough would it have been for the actors to at least have gotten haircuts? Not the best film about WW1. Not even close. Perhaps having one person being the producer, writer and director is not the best idea? The actors were not in the least convincing.Someone should have said "Whoa" before this was put together. Oh, and I wrote this review using the same disjointed style the director of this movie used. Do you think it made for a better review this way? I did not think so.
Shakira's performance was by far the major highlight of the night. Nobody moves like her. She performed her hit song 'Objection Tango' and totally rocked out with the remixed version that we were treated to. Jimmy Fallon did a good job hosting the show, but once Shakira came out, you forgot all about him and just concentrated on her. Even the stars agreed, after the show, people like P-Diddy, 3LW and Carson Daly commented on Shakira's performance and how great it was, and it was talked about for days. The year is 2006 now as I am writing this review, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. This is Shakira's domain, LIVE performing! She rocked just like she did at the Latin Grammy awards in 2000 when she performed her best showing of 'Ojos Asi' to date.
Well just seen it for the 3rd time DVD format. I like this movie a lot, the plot is great, the weirdness admires me and i love the ending. The other seens cut for the movie for time reasons are great and should have been there, no problem if the movie was to be some 30 minutes long.
The team of David O. Selznick producer, William Wellman director, and Fredric March leading man, after having had a big hit the year before with A Star Is Born, teamed up again to create one of the great screwball comedies of the Thirties in Nothing Sacred. The inspiration for this film comes from the fertile imagination of Ben Hecht best known previously for co-authoring another newspaper classic, The Front Page. Hecht takes it a step further and while the Morning Post reports the news faster and better than its rivals, it doesn't create the news. Here the media is satirized for creating a celebrity.Poor Carole Lombard as Hazel Flagg, country girl from rural Vermont who is misdiagnosed by her country doctor Charles Winninger as having incurable radiation poisoning. It's a small news item over the wire services.But when hotshot reporter Fredric March gets a hold of it, he convinces his editor Walter Connolly to build up the story by bringing Lombard to New York and ballyhooing her into celebrity status. Lombard and Winninger by now know an error in diagnosis was made, but who can turn down an all expense paid trip to New York? The story just mushrooms until it gets away from any kind of control.The difference sometimes between comedy and drama is often so slight as to be imperceptible. There's not much difference between Fredric March's character in Nothing Sacred and Kirk Douglas's in Ace in the Hole. Both are down on their luck newspaper people looking for a comeback and both exploit a story to their own ends, March comically and Douglas tragically. But the plots are more similar than one realizes.Even today we still hunger for our celebrities some of whom are nothing but professional celebrities. The sad life of Anna Nicole Smith is proof of that.When you think about Anna Nicole Smith though Nothing Sacred appears dated it actually has a very timeless message about the power of media to create and destroy.
This man and his family endure, endure, endure and support, support, support through some of the most trying times a family could go through. He inspires the same sort of loyalty and hard work in his employees and friends.It is so refreshing to see a movie about good people not compromising their values under pressure, although it nearly never goes the way they plan.It's easy to believe that the man who pioneered all these safety features, Preston Tucker, would be a man of heart, and that is how he is portrayed here. In fact that is what this movie is; a film with heart.Watch this but be careful! If you get too close you may catch his dreams.
I saw Keane at the 42nd annual New York Film Festival and was quite pleasantly surprised. I'm really not an indy film buff, well, I wasn't until this trip into the city. I was absolutely captivated and completely engrossed in this film. This is one of those films that keeps you on the edge of your seat and easily wraps you into the story. You really feel like your are with William Keane, you can feel what he's thinking. Then the story will take an unexpected turn...see, I told you it keeps you on the edge of your seat. This film is definitely thought provoking and sensitive to all facets of the human being. It's one of those films that you can see repeatedly and get something new from it each time. I think the only thing I don't like about it is that I can't see it again easily or purchase it on DVD. I would LOVE to have this film in my personal movie collection.
This movie plays more like something Hitchcock would have directed in the thirties. It also have the misfortune of being released while he was in his prime, so it comes off archaic for the master. I rather enjoyed it though. I thought Jane Wyman had considerable charm and innocence to play her character and make us care for her. Marlene Dietrich plays her part well, and Alastair Sim gives nice comic relief as the father to Wyman's character. Its true that the movie cheats and gives us a surprise ending that really doesn't play with what we're given. This is a flaw and will forever keep this movie from being a masterpiece. However, it is lite viewing, and it has some excellent and charming scenes. The scene of Eve and the Inspector in the back of the taxi was rather nice, at least I thought so. Plus it has more humor than some of his other works. It certainly isn't rear window, but its worth watching for Wyman's fun and interesting performance. Its nice to see a heroine more so than a hero in something of Hitchcock's. Plus you can find out a hazard of the safety curtain that we hadn't thought of. 8 out of 10.
I'm always looking for good quality entertainment, whether it be books, movies, or TV series, for the young or the not-so-young, and "The Wayne Manifesto" is a rare gem that doesn't disappoint.Based on the books by David McRobbie, it follows the life of 12 year old Wayne Wilson, who moves to a new neighbourhood with his family, and is therefore the 'new kid', in almost every aspect of his life.Chronologically, I'm definitely not a 'kid' any more, and wasn't when I first watched this excellent series either, but I still couldn't resist its charms, and thankfully, had the foresight to record most of the episodes.Apart from hoping that more great Aussie shows like this could be made, my only other wish would be that it be released on DVD in the not-too-distant future.
You may agree or disagree with the vision this documentary exudes. I certainly thought the steps taken where a bit rash at some places. I do agree however, with the message which is given as a whole.Regardless of what your opinion is on current day socio/economic/political society. This documentary is of such outstanding cinematographic quality, that it just cannot be ignored. It looks like they went through all the pieces of film of the last 4 decades to make this! And the use of sound is simply astonishing.I usually loathe the 'leading' documentary, like Michael Moores cheap propaganda I just refuse to watch out of principle. However, 'What Happened to Our Dream of Freedom' is very direct and conscious about it guiding the viewer. To redeem itself it simply contains so much facts and correct historical reference, it doesn't become a 'mockumentary'.If you do not agree with the vision that we are all trapped in a system of numbers and targets, just see this film document as you would a riefenstahl. Commend it on it's graphical excellence supported with great sounds, a vicious style and sublime directing. See it anyway if you like (political) documentaries.If you are a person that does connect with the message this document conveys: Try to see it as soon as you can and be enthralled.
Suspect is a tremendously portrayed film chock full of suspense, thrills, and a tad of dry humor. Liam Neeson does an excellent job of playing a mute/deaf person, and is extremely believable. This movie is a thrill-ride and a splendid movie to watch when you feel like hunkering down on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and an icy cold coke and just relaxing. I give this movie 5 stars!
...but awfully close to it. you know what other "dark" and "controversial" movies have that this one didn't? a point....oh! and good acting. though i guess i wouldn't have minded the teleprompter-ish quality to the dialogue if what was on the teleprompters weren't so retarded.also it might have helped if the sound were actually synchronized to the image, but maybe that's just me being picky.wow, this movie was bad.-f
I had my qualms about seeing this, but finally took it out. The acting and direction are super. The story surprised me, and I really felt for these characters. Forest Whitaker is another one of our great underrated actors. I give this a 10, and I rarely do that with films I review.
I think anyone familiar with Angelopoulos knows what to expect with his films: long, drawn out, meticulously planned shots that slowly scan environments, with the image composed of not only the foreground but hundreds of yards into the background. I guess some are not impressed with the director's style, but that really astounds me. I definitely see the man as a master of his medium, and The Weeping Meadow is as good as any of his other films – every one I've seen so far is a masterpiece or close to it. This film has a lot in common with the director's first big success, The Traveling Players. It follows a little girl, Eleni, from 1919 to the time of the Greek Civil War, at the end of WWII. And, as the title implies, it's a great tragedy. There is a lot of weeping. It may be long and slow, but it's always gripping. Angelopoulos' imagery is second to none in modern cinema. There are just so many jaw-dropping sequences. My favorite was the one where the camera explored its way through a maze of bed sheets drying on clotheslines, discovering various musicians hidden within. It's not a complaint, per se, but if you're going to watch the film beware of its chronological ellipses. The film can skip ahead years in just a second, when the pace usually makes each second feel like years (in a good way!). I hope New Yorker video, or some other company, digs up the Angelopoulos films that have been unavailable so far, and puts The Traveling Players on DVD, as well.
I thought this film was very cleverly put together and had a nice feel and pace. The storyline, built around the New Years holiday, adds the right feel for the film. I felt it was a unique love story with just the right touch of humor and it gets better every time I see it. I liked the fact that the players were "normal" Black folk (ok there are a few rappers). Overall its just nice to see a film by Blacks where the focus is not on being Black, but just being human and telling a story.
Parents, don't subject your kids to this cheaply made, poorly written crap!This movie is just a commercial for Mystic, Connecticut in the guise of a GOONIES-type kids adventure movie. It will fail to entertain them. Why? How could a kids movie fail to entertain kids? By throwing in endless long shots of the town which try to make it appear beautiful (and fail).One of the major characters is a kid who works on a fishing boat with his dad and befriends a new kid (named Jonah of all things) whose father works for the Navy. They discover a German water-mine and wind up hot on the trail to buried treasure. There's an evil archaeologist who wants the treasure too.Kids have fun/adventure. Jonah must overcome a bully. There are light-weight family problems. It's all really lame and slow. Filmed in a Connecticut studio with obviously limited resources. The color quality is very poor (green is almost never shown). The story they tried to tell wasn't worth the pathetic effort put up to make it. I mean, the production quality is passable, but I've seen better stuff from bad TV-movies.My vacation video from my trip to Mystic was more entertaining than this, so just don't bother. Show the kids WIZARD OF OZ, or any other kids movie made by professionals. This attempt belongs in the scrap heap.
On the surface, Dev is about the continual struggle of Muslims and Hindus to co-exist with each other in post 911 India. It highlights how narcissistic politicians play on naive constituents to create chaos, mayhem and oppression. Looking beneath the surface we can see that Dev is also about friendship and it's boundaries. It shows how two friends drift apart as one spirals towards madness brought on by shear hatred while the other finds redemption through forgiveness and tolerance. All things considered, perhaps Dev is most about how a man matures in the most adverse conditions inspired by the the woman he loves and the courage she displays.Amitabh Bachchan gives a tour-de-force performance as Dev reminding us once again that he is in a class by himself. The rest of the cast including Fardeen Khan, Om Puri, Rati Agnihotri and Amrish Puri perform more than capably but special mention must be made of the performance turned in by Kareena Kapoor who continues to show great range. Simply put, she has IT! There are only a couple of songs, which are more background fodder than anything else. In the end, Dev is about what it means to be a human being against all odds.
Aliens hiding on Earth, all with the first name of "John". A deranged mad scientist named Dr. Emilio Lizardo. A band of sidekicks named the Hong Kong Cavaliers. And in the center of it, Buckaroo Bonzai -- the part-time particle physicist, part-time brain surgeon, part-time rock'n'roller. How could this not be fun?You're not watching this for the deep inner meaning. You're watching this because it's ridiculous and the actors know it is. John Lithgow is absolutely over the top as Lizardo. And Jeff Goldblum does a great comic turn as New Jersey.
Quel maledetto treno blindato (aka Inglorious Bastards) has risen from the ranks of the rest of the obscure Italian made, American acted cheapies first of all because of Quentin Tarantino's reverence for the film and the fact that he plans to a remake of sorts under the same title; second of all even though Tarantino's word is enough PR to get any obscure film to raise from the depths of the unknown into popular culture, it wouldn't work if the film wasn't any good. No problem there because this film is superb.A group of soldiers are rounded up in a truck to be court-martialled. On the way to their destination, a German fighter jet opens fire on the Americans. Five soldiers get out and make a run for it. Now as fugitives they are on the run from both the Americans and the Germans as they battle their way to the Swiss border to freedom.This film is a little known masterpiece that embodies the traits of a very pedestrian style war film. There is no technical war idioms which are common to the genre, the dialogue is cool and hip. This is basically the sort of war film that I would have made because unlike the typical other films in the genre, they are not really out to defend their country, only themselves. There is nothing to dislike about this film at all. Highly recommended.
I intended to watch only the first ten or fifteen minutes of this film, on a recommendation by a professor. I ended up watching the whole 2 hours 40 minutes, engrossed at every turn. I don't know why this film is so good; by all rationale, it probably ought to have turned out to be dull and pretentious. Instead, Sherman's March is an incredibly patient and passionate examination of oneself, the pain and frustration that come with mid-life depression, and the quasi-comic mystery surrounding Southern culture. I don't often find myself so enveloped in documentaries, particularly those that stop pursuing their apparent narrative ten minutes in and take on a totally new and divergent direction. But this film works. In filming his relationships with a number of different women over the course of a year, McElwee reveals himself to be a deeply frustrated individual, whose penchant for chasing life with a camera proves both constructive of an insightful film, as well as destructive to his own sense of balance and structure in his own life. The result is often funny, occasionally discomforting, and periodically profound. One sequence ends with McElwee's filmed conversation with a woman with whom he has tried to forge a romantic involvement out of an ancient friendship; the sharpness with which they speak to each other is jolting. McElwee manages to evoke an entire persona for himself - whether authentic or not - with scenes like these, at the same time drawing an insightful - if slightly overblown, though satirically so - comparison of himself to William Tecumseh Sherman and his devastating Civil War march through the South. This is a remarkable film for its willingness to examine the subtext of its maker's life.
'Shivers' was the first major horror movie from Canadian film maker David Cronenberg, future director of 'The Brood', 'Scanners', 'Rabid', 'Videodrome', and the remake of 'The Fly'. I saw it in 1979 when it played on a double-bill with 'Rabid'. Afterwards, I found I had missed the last bus, and had to walk home three miles along a dimly-lit country road. You have no idea how scared I was! ( film critic Barry Norman said he felt like throwing up in the gutter after watching it ). Shot in Montreal and on a low budget, 'Shivers' is set in a newly opened posh apartment block. One of the residents, a doctor, is struggling with a schoolgirl. He overpowers her, puts her under anaesthetic, and opens her stomach, before pouring acid into it. He then cuts his own throat with a scalpel.He has created a strain of parasites intended to replace malfunctioning internal organs but which are now out of control. Resembling big worms, these bugs are passed onto people via sexual intercourse. Annabelle, the schoolgirl, has slept with every man in the building. Once infected, the victims - male and female, young and old alike - spread the plague to others, who then vomit blood and bugs all over the place. A small group of people try to escape but the victims have sealed the exits and cut off the phone lines.This is 'Night Of The Living Dead' with an interesting, perverse twist. The zombies don't want to eat you, they want to make love to you! In common with many other '70's horror films, the lack of money proved advantageous as film makers had to rely on their imaginations to create terror, rather than fall back on the safety net of special effects. Romero, Carpenter, DePalma, and Cronenberg et al produced some of the finest horror pictures of all time in this period.The cast of 'Shivers' were mainly unknowns, except for Barbara Steele, star of numerous horror classics such as 'Black Sunday' and 'Pit & The Pendulum'. Again this works in the film's favour. You feel as though you are watching real people in danger.No special effects as such, except for Joe Blasco's 'creatures' and they are suitably disgusting. You won't eat a Hot Dog again after seeing this film! Despite the somber mood, there are a few touches of humour, such as a bug landing on someone's umbrella, and a man in a laundry room being ambushed by an obese, unattractive woman who wants his body: "I am hungry for love!". Yuck! One idea Cronenberg would not get away with today is the lift scene in which a mother and her young daughter are confronted by an infected man. The intimation is that he has sex with both of them. The leashed girls crawling around on all fours also probably would not be done now.It is a gripping and terrifying film, but not for everyone - at least one person walked out during the screening I attended in 1979 - and also manages to make a serious comment about the nature of human sexuality. The world the infected wish to create - where everybody makes love all the time - sounds attractive, but what would it means in terms of depersonalisation? ( I know what you are thinking. Who cares? )'Shivers' should not be remade. It was of its time. I would hate to see it redone with lashings of C.G.I. and all its intelligence removed.
I liked the comic book of 'X-Men'. So, when I heard that this movie was playing I immediately wanted to go. My favorite character is Wolverine. The Visual Effects in this are the one of the best (others include 'The Perfect Storm'). If you don't have anything else plan go see 'X-Men'.
I just watched this film. The story itself was explained in the others comments, so i wont focus on that. Let me just begin somewhere else. For starters, the lead actors are very beautiful, lots of sex scenes. The main actor reminds a bit on Tom Cruise from Top gun, and the lead actress a bit to Paz Vega. I predict those two, will star in Hollywood films very soon. It would probably be rated NC-17 in USA, or at least a very hard R. Especially because of the pubic hairs, lots of graphic sex scenes, penis shown etc, hard swearings...The story is good, nice and funny dialogs, great swearings. I have watched this movie on DVD, and just for the fun of it i watched it with English subtitles on, and i must say they were beautifully done. I laughed a lot there. I bet the Americans are not use to that kinda talk... Of course some of the swearing cant really be translated into English. Lets face it, we use some of the most juicy swearings in the whole world (probably). I watched the movie in the dark, lights off, and sound almost to the max. Cinematography was beautiful, DD.5.1 worked perfectly, maybe only a corny Hollywood ending would made me feel better, but if i think back on the movie, the one that is there, stands much better.
Some of you will be familiar with this film because it was very successful in Thailand and its buzz reached our shores. It is a name-only sequel to the solid yet way tamer Art of The Devil.Long Khong shows that American slasher films have made their mark on the world--feels a lot like a late '90s slasher entry...In other words, the film has a heavy Western influence in style and storytelling. It even has strong gory deaths like those in some contemporary Western movies such as Hostel, Aja's Hills, and Torched (not that it's a ripoff or anything, just pointing out a similarity). It also was interesting to see a film from Thailand with Thais as sorcerers as this is a common trait of '80s Hong Kong horror flicks that I enjoy--e.g., Seeding of a Ghost and The Devil. It also owes those films a nod for using their gimmicks--gory curses, animal body horror, eating of sick sh!t/puking, et al.The first forty minutes or so of this movie coulda gone by a lot quicker. The background story is that a teenage boy with a wicked stepmom tries to catch the beautiful bitch in the act of an affair. This backfires and leads to stepmamasan's extramarital lover terrorizing them--the kid and his snoopy friends--with a gun. They get away and then the brats decide to go to a sorcerer to cast a spell for revenge. Next thing ya know, lover boy has an attack of fish-hooks-erupting-through-the-skinitis and the ol' lady starts going off her nut and they see 'er stickin' 'erself in the leg and then she just sort of goes into the background for a li'l while.Later down the line (months, possibly years), the group of kids has a reunion at their friend-with-the-f'ed-up-stepmother's house and, conveniently, stepmom's still hanging around--though she seems pleasant enough. But guess what? She is way into black magic and wants some revenge for herself. Gory set-pieces include some cool torture scenes (boiling kettle of water poured into the agape mouth of a young man with drug-induced paralysis and the use of a blowtorch on his shins and their subsequent skinning) and some nice and gruesome body curses (the aforementioned fish hooks, lizard's burrowing out of a man's back, a girl who claws her eyes out and has her face boiled off). There is also an Asian ghost story spin to the whole thing to get it just a little more complicated.As a horror movie, Art of the Devil 2 is not very original and its pacing in the beginning could've been a lot faster. One of the things that made it hard to follow (especially being as there were no subtitles on this bitch) was the fact that too many times flashbacks were used as exposition--gimme a break, man, I'm an American...Just keep it simple, will ya? Also, even though this movie didn't exactly scream for nudity, it would've elevated my grading of it by a point.It was entertaining enough as a horror film though and the bloody-as-hell ultra-violence on display in the second half of the film makes up for the deficiencies of the rest of this thing, in my opinion. For fans of hard gore and torture, this is pretty much a must-see...if you weren't already aware of the hype. Give it a look--8/10.
This is a great movie, great action, great characters, I love it. It certainly resembles "Big Trouble In Little China" in several ways. Kurt Russell is awesome as Snake Plisken(in one of his best roles), who is the prisoner who is chosen to rescue the President when Air Force crashes in New York City in exchange for a full parole. The music is also very cool, it will stay with you a long time after you see the film. Overall "Escape From New York" is a very fun action movie. *** out of ****.
"This is one surreal mess!" says one character in the film and, yessir, how right she is as weird doesn't even begin to describe the highly experimental anime "Mind Game," Maasaki Yuasa's adaptation of Robin Nishi's manga. It's simultaneously an assault to the senses (Oh, what bright colors! Oh what loud drum rolls!) and an assault to logic (What the hell did they just do?) though it's not to say it's not a hilariously entertaining trip.The film's narrative -- if you can even call it that -- involves the struggling comic artist Nishi (voiced by Koji Imada) who has just met his childhood girlfriend Myon (Sayaka Maeda) and they catch things up in her father's yakitori pub where they come face to face with two Yakuza members. Nishi gets killed in the process but in a highly bizarre encounter with God in the afterlife, he is brought to life, manages to kill both gangsters, and makes a run for it with Myon and her sister Yan (Seiko Takuma) as they are pursued by other gang members. The three are then swallowed whole by a giant whale. Trapped inside with a man who has spent the last 30 years inside the whale's belly, Nishi, Myon and Yan finally get a chance what true happiness means for them.A Dali painting by way of a French New Wave film, the wildly unpredictable head trip of the aptly titled "Mind Game" beguiles all logical conventions, presented in dumbfounding temporal edits, inebriating close-up transitions, and varying degrees of crude yet proficient artworks. Unsuspecting viewers are likely to be thrown off by Yuasa's helter-skelter bombast (an outlook substantiated by not a few walkouts from the film's screening) but with exactly the right frame of mind, notwithstanding a sometimes bloated feeling courtesy of the film clocking at a little over 100 minutes, this heckuva kaleidoscopic joyride should delight as it tramples all cinematic formalities and shows, should you decide to break the rules, how to do it with style.
This is quite simply the worst movie I've ever seen, barring low-budge horror flicks. For a big-budget film, this is the bottom of the barrel. The acting is atrocious; the music is lousy even though it is Grieg. The attempts to put lyrics to Grieg's music is ludicrous. As pretty as a postcard and just as interesting!
In 1951, Rosa Parks had not yet declined to move to the back of the bus, the schools had yet to be desegregated, and pleas for racial equality were generally spurned as part of a `pinko' agenda. So It must have taken some measure of courage to make this movie, for one of its two themes is racism. Its second theme – and the one that ultimately trumps the first – involves the rescue of a little black girl (and parallels, minus the cynicism, Billy Wilder's Ace in the Hole/The Big Carnival of the same year).The trouble starts with the girl's disappearance. Rumors start to fly: A stranger was seen buying her a clump of posies. Is a child-killer on the loose? Will he get away with it because he's white? Soon fist-fights, beatings and acts of arson, all committed on racial grounds, tear the down apart. The drifter (Harry Morgan), when found, proves to be related to a town big-wheel who, when his construction company is set afire, becomes the chief rabble-rouser. The townsfolk of color, meanwhile, clamor for Morgan's hide. It falls to the sheriff (Richard Rober) first to locate the girl then to stem the violence before a lynch mob coalesces. Suddenly, by chance, the girl is discovered deep down an abandoned well....Probably, in 1951, there was no way out of the story than the one taken. But it's pure Hollywood – which is to say, a harp concerto played on the heart strings. The whole town, black and white, joins together in a tense, all-night rescue effort helmed by the construction magnate and Morgan, who luckily happens to be a mining engineer. (Here, something curious occurs. The digging of a parallel shaft, with monstrous drill-bits assaulting the earth to Dimitri Tiomkin's pounding score, becomes all but abstract – and primitively, uncomfortably sexual.)The minor but ever interesting Russell Rouse wrote and, in his first go, directed The Well (though he shares that credit with producer Leo Popkin). It features a large (and largely unknown) cast who bring authenticity and occasionally depth to their roles. The story holds attention – despite a glaring break in the middle, when the focus shifts from racism to rescue. And again, for its era, it was bold and topical (brutal race riots plagued post-war America). But from a modern perspective, it just ends too soon. The uplifting rescue will be the talk of the town for three days, while the ugliness that flared up will linger on. There's not a hint of that at the conclusion, with Tiomkin outdoing even John Williams in gaudy triumphalism.
While traveling in a van with their teacher for a contest, a group of college friends are abducted in a lonely road by the criminal Earl (Gregory Bastien), who forces them to go to the ghost town of Sunset Valley to meet his partner that was transporting drugs and money of their own. Once in the town, they realize that the dwellers are zombies and their leader is the evil Bloody Bill (Jeremy Bouvet), a Confederate soldier seeking revenge for the execution of his sister that was hanged by the population that was cursed by Bloody Bill for the eternity."Death Valley: The Revenge of Bloody Bill" could have funny lines and situations but it is too serious for a zombie movie. Further, the zombies move very fast, breaking the style originally adopted by George Romero in "Night of the Living Dead" and followed in other films of this genre. The story is predictable and the characters are forgettable, but the worst is the total lack of humor. My vote is four.Title (Brazil): "Vale da Morte: A Vingança de Bloody Bill" ("Death Valley: The Revenge of Bloody Bill")
this martial arts/comedy is packed with fun. mark dacascos is just an excellent fighter and he should do more films similar to this one!! good story line and great fight scenes. one of my favourite films to date. the acting may not be Oscar winning but it sure is entertaining. the special effects are noting special with the explosions for example. i would recommend this to anyone who likes action and a bit of humour. its a good film. it starts of with probably the best fight scene in the whole movie but don't worry there are plenty of fight scenes right the way through it. kadeem provides the comedy for this film as he is always moaning. i'm going on too much so just watch it. maz
Film Noir at its best and Bogy better than his best that I've ever seen. Certainly this vehicle gives him play to develop his moods and attitudes which served him so well when it came time for him to work as Captain Queeg in "The Caine Mutiny" (1954). A much more than cameo appearance by Basil Rathbone's Dr. Watson, meaning Nigel Bruce, adds to the country-bumpkin rural nature of the plot. Alexis Smith is elegant while Barbara Stanwyck exudes just the right combination of believability to carry off a difficult role brilliantly. One will readily recognize actress Isobel Elsom from her later, excellent roles in "My Fair Lady" and "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing". This is a Bogart masterpiece which, until after you've seen it, will leave you with a deficient attitude towards Bogart's greatness as one of the most versatile actors Hollywood ever produced.
It built steadily, kept the suspense increase well paced and kept you guessing. Too many people don't let themselves 'go' into the experience; it's been a long time since it's been 'squinting through fingers viewing'. Advice? Don't read up or have a clue about the film, drop yourself in and enjoy the fear. The premise should of been kept up and down to the wire; right to a finale, that would have seen a 9 or 10, once it hit the knowledge horizon it fell away fast and trickled into a fade. Why people are beating up on DeNiro for this is a puzzle, he did as was required by the part and as for thinking him god like and untouchable so, 'why did he do this': Analyze This??
An involving, clever, romantic, and sometimes very funny film featuring two of the era's most popular stars. Forget all the other silent starlets; Norma Shearer is the Queen of the silent movies! I'd never seen her in anything but dramas, and was delighted to see what a great comic actress she was. Ramon has some great moments, too. The end of the movie was a bit of a surprise, and is just one more reason to view this charming romantic comedy-drama.
Don't get me wrong, I liked Coyote Ugly, but this one was much better! The story was better, even the actors were better. Also, Emmy Rossum sang her own songs! She even has 2 tracks on the soundtrack. Plus, the screening that I went to was the Arizona premiere, so writer/director Alan Hruska and story consultant/assistant producer Patina Cole were there to do a Q&A after the screening. That was great because it gave more insight into the story and how the movie was made. In conclusion, this is definitely a movie that I would want to see again and again!!
This story demonstrates the intertwined and tragic minutia of common folks told in a dramatic and realistic format. The ensemble cast members are at ease with one another as they display acts of beauty and brutality. The theme of love unfolds from the neophyte, to the jaded, to the unabashed. The actors appear natural and believable (unlike some Latin "novelas"), developing their characters in a seamless and effortless fashion. The devotion to cultural stereotypes only lends credibility to the story's environment and development. The attention to detail (Susanita's teeth for example); make the characters as believable and endearing as any in recent memory. This movie is a brilliant look at human tragedy. Watching it with someone you love only makes it more moving and poignant. Excellent!!!
What can I say?!?!?! A great, amazing film! One of the films you must see, before you die! A touching story of a parent, left all alone, who struggles to find his place in this world and most important to stay alive. Will Smith deserves an Oscar for this role. Amazing movie! I red about the goofs, but I ignored them. I think that the whole picture is more important than some little mistakes made during the making of the picture. I'm surprised really, because in the past two years I haven't seen a movie that touched me so deep inside. After watching the film a feeling came to me. The feeling that I can do everything. The feeling that the happiness is not so far away. Outstanding movie!
Glass Trap is set in Los Angeles where Curtis (C. Thomas Howell) works as a cleaner in the posh upmarket Waldman Building where various offices are housed, it's a Saturday & the building is almost empty except for a few workers & security guards. A delivery of plants is made but it turns out that the plants are hiding an unexpected secret, they were exposed to plutonium & the Ants that were on the plants have grown to a huge size & their appetite for flesh has also increased. The Ants breed quickly & soon decide to turn the Waldman Building into their very own Ant hill, it's up to Curtis the Janitor to save the day...Directed by Fred Olen Ray under the pseudonym Ed Raymond this is the sort of rubbish that turns up on the Sci-Fi Channel regularly that features some sort of giant insect or animal, a few Hollywood has-beens & lots of bad CGI computer work. The plot is full of holes & character's you don't care about who make the most stupid decisions that they deserve to die. There's this odd sub-plot about some guy who has to copy a disk for some reason but we never find out why even though he knocks the cleaner out so he isn't seen & it seems to be quite important to him, the disk or it's contents are never followed up or even mentioned again. It's never explained how giant radioactive Ants manage to stay hidden in what are basically houseplants or how they breed so quickly. The whole film is full of ridiculous moments like survivors sliding across from one building to another on a telephone wire (one guy shoots a gun at an Ant while on the wire & guess what? He shoots the wire & falls to his death, that's how stupid this film is). At 90 odd minutes it goes on for ages & even a couple of embarrassing cameos can't save it.This being a PG rated film there's virtually no gore, there's a couple of bloody skeletons but nothing else. The whole thing has a pedestrian pace & it fails to generate any excitement or tension or scares. The Ants themselves look poor, the CGI work is terrible while the actual on-set models are so stiff & lifeless the poor actors have to jump around & roll around on the floor while holding a plastic Ant to try & create the illusion that it's attacking them, they don't & it doesn't.With a supposed budget of about $475,000 this was low budget & it shows with pretty bad production values. C. Thomas Howell & Martin Kove are better then this while Stella Stevens seems to be having fun & puts in a reasonable performance.Glass Trap is a really bad creature feature like the ones that turn up on the Sci-Fi Channel all the time but without any gore & an even lamer plot & killer giant creature than usual. There are much better creature features out there, you have been warned.
I just saw a sneak preview in a movie theater, and my heart is still pounding. I cannot find the proper words to express how...incredible? amazing? powerful? majestic? surreal? this film was. I know I viewed it at a particularly poignant time in my life, as a young, hopeful female student in our nation's capital, but I feel confident that this story can affect any and all people fighting (or hoping) for rights, freedoms, or dreams they've yet to achieve. That's the beauty of this story. These passions, this reason, this extreme intelligence and eloquence, and die-hard persistence...it simply cannot be written off as feminist, or irrelevant, or history. No one can ignore this, and EVERYONE can be changed by it.
I just watched Brooklyn Bound for the first time about half-hour ago and this film doesn't waste a minute of the film as every scene of this film are shot very well. The cinematography was great, it's meant for a film like this. the guy doing it clearly had the right idea and it works very well for low-budget. All of the acting was good - Jamie Hector(Paid In Full, HBO's The Wire) is VERY effective in his role as is the scarce Dean Winters(HBO's Oz) w/ some strong acting. After watching the Brooklynite Jamie Hector play out his part as the strong and silent Marlo opposite Wood Harris in The Wire, It was the straw that broke the camel's back in making me consider this movie even though I was pretty sold on the title itself. The film itself shows the hard times in Brooklyn and it shows the cultural diversity which makes the film so meticulous and the scenes in the projects can be compared to the likes of New Jersey Drive and Clockers only they used actual Brooklyn n!&&@s for the film. What I really loved about the movie was the fact that REAL NEW YORK STREET SLANG IS USED CORRECTLY!!! The film itself doesn't pull any punches and keeps it very real and for that I recommend this film to anyone who likes urban film - Brooklyn Bound is a gem under the radar....
Like a lot of reality shows that I intend to stay far away from, Who Wants to Be a Superhero sucked me in like a Hoover last season. At times, it was like watching a horrific scene, trying not to look. At others, it was genuinely sweet, and had an admittedly good message.After watching Feedback cry and hearing about Major Victory's history as a stripper in almost every episode last year, I didn't think I could stomach another season.And again, I was wrong.It's hard not to be drawn to this show, simply for the curiosity of watching grown people act serious in sparkly capes and tights. Add in the ridiculous challenges and Stan Lee's deep analysis of their every move, and you've got attention-grabbing TV.You got to get a load of Mr. Mitzvah and The Parthenon and...Well, all of them. It's kind of endearing to watch these guys so earnestly vie for first place while chasing imaginary bad guys and saving planted characters around the city.I can't think of what would make this show better, but if the finale is as sweet as last season's, it'll be worth following this one.
If one considers the love stories of all times, beside the undeniable classics by greatest playwrights, inevitably comes to mind the name of Alexandre Dumas (fils) who, in 1852, wrote a novel THE LADY OF THE CAMELLIAS. Since then, the endless love story set in the 19th century Paris has inspired both opera writers and movie directors. Consequently, the power of the tale embedded in the libretto by Francesco Maria Piave prompted opera maestro Giuseppe Verdi to write one of his most famous operas LA TRAVIATA basing his content entirely on the story about a deathly ill courtesan who, though does not have long to live due to tuberculosis, finds the true love of her life. What came out was a greatly successful work where only characters were renamed but where the audiences were provided with something special and timeless: glorious music.However, lots of modern viewers skip those classics easily reducing their knowledge to films only. More to say, the commercial nature of cinema hardly promotes any of this high rank entertainment. As a result, the question appears: is it possible to captivate, amaze and enthuse a pop corn generation's viewer with the staff of this sort? The Italian director Franco Zeffirelli managed to prove it possible through this production with some of his personal "additions" and, most importantly, with the magnificent leads: marvelous tenor Placido Domingo and astounding soprano Teresa Stratas. Though LA TRAVIATA has been staged and filmed several times so far, this version occurs to be the best one. Why? The first aspect that addresses the viewers, both opera buffs and modern genres' lovers, the aspect that highlights the very core of their emotions and experiences, are the visuals of the movie. From the very credits with the view of the Notre Dame Cathedral and the surroundings of the Seine River when the sounds of larks and pigeons mix with the sounds of crows, it all appears to be, as if, a moving work of art that you look at in perfect admiration and astonishment. The wardrobes together with sets and decorations of interiors are stunning to the very essence of visual feast. This effort taken in providing the viewer with vision's awe is magnificently executed throughout. There are plenty of moments one could enumerate praising their pearls and uniqueness but for me, personally, there are two sequences of greatest interest: the lavish party as a flashback of Violetta's delirious mind and her visit to the countryside where the nature seems to praise the sincere love as no one and nothing else. This goes with sublime music by Verdi, which is practically much more memorable for the viewers and their enthusiasm for the entire work of art. Opera is promoted by modern means. Therefore, some of the commentators are right saying "paradoxically" that this is an opera movie for people who hate opera.Besides, the whole cast fit very well to their roles. This refers both to the lead I have mentioned before as well as to the supporting cast. Placido Domingo as Alfredo Germont and Teresa Stratas as Violetta Valery were a perfect choice for the couple because of their attractiveness and the desirable chemistry. Cornell McNeil is excellent as Giorgio Germont the authoritative parent who, supposedly, cares for his son's future. The three memorably reach the "top notch" performances at the end when emotions are riding to the highest degrees... The supporting male and female roles, including a bunch of beautiful young maidens are easily recognizable and leave a personal impression in viewers.So to say, LA TRAVIATA is a true work of art, a mysteriously beautiful and subtly exquisite screen work that anyone should see. Referring to the words of Vincent Canby in New York Times who called this film "triumph" and found it "dazzling," I heartily recommend this masterpiece! Perhaps one of the greatest operas of all times and one of the very best productions by Franco Zeffirelli.
this movie was just violence for the sake of violence! it was boring,with an un original story line! Also.. don't bother trying to eat anything while watching this movie! u would think Hollywood would be getting tired of making movies like this! being a big movie buff myself!!...i can tell you i have seen them all. this one didn't do a thing for me and i have to wonder how it would for anyone. they could have done better if they had just thrown fake blood all over an old house and filmed it! One has to wonder if Hollywood is running out of imagination or just getting lazy! the money for this film would has served better going to a charity! there was nothing impressive with the acting,storyline,or even visual effects for me. So in all this movie gets a poor rating in my book.
Don't want to add to any spoilers for this film; I wish for anyone wanting to see it to be as surprised of its quality as I am. I saw the preliminary character sketches for this film and was horrified at what the costuming and overall appearance of the characters were. Now, I've done a complete 180. Nearly everything worked in this film. Only really lacking was a kick-butt score for it. I'm a firm believer that music accents the emotional value and can add a great deal of excitement to any given scene. Music was a bit weak, but the rest was a gem. First comic book to film adaptation I have ever seen that the characters actually had depth. This should be a benchmark for any future comic book projects. Anyway, go and see it and see it in a big DTS or SDDS sound screen. You'll be anxious for the sequel when you leave the theater. Great action mixed with explanatory and character building scenes and was actually very funny in spots.
This film is a comedy about how the writer Hrabal was born. The movie takesplace in a small town where Hrabal's father is in charge of a brewery.The blessing and at the same time the bane of his life is his wonderful wife.Blessing, because she is not only beautiful but she is resourceful andintelligent and lively, bane all other man in the little town man would like to getto know her better. The story is a kind of nostalgia, but is stillamusing tale, with not much tension and thriller, but still worth to watch…(If you have a good copy of it...) At a time – I think – in the eighties the film won a some prize in a Film Festival, in Europe
There is no better movie on that period in history. It shows the African spirit not only as passive and accepting or merely as a vehicle to be brutalised by an antagonist who is given all the lines but here the Africans are allowed to be people. We see a real portrayal of people with feelings, emotions and lives.It touches on some of the aspects of mental slavery that other movies avoid, such as the biracial son of the master and a slave being indoctrinated with the church to hate his black mother and her spirituality. The scenes with him gazing longingly at white Madonna and child imagery in a church being attended to by a white priest telling about his wicked heathen mother really ring home.From start to finish this is definitely the black perspective on slavery. Amistad is nothing to this. Amistad was about a court case, did nothing to the actualities of slavery or the deeper issues as Sankofa did with panache and feeling.
I sat in the cinema after the credits had rolled almost unable to bring myself to leave, get in my car and drive home. I was completely overwhelmed by this intense film and its in your face storyline. Whether the story the film was based on was true or not, I thought the performances of all the actors and actresses were exceptional, the photography was excellent and overall though not a film that could be called 'enjoyable' because it was so sad, I was intensely moved and gave it 9/10.
Rex Beach's Western tale was much filmed over the years – including twice during the Silent era, and an early Talkie version co-starring Gary Cooper; my brother had watched the 1955 color remake, which was O.K. but uninspired. This earlier adaptation, however, stands as a prime example of the genre from the more innocent pre-war era; in fact, starting from the year after – with William A. Wellman's THE OX-BOX INCIDENT (1943), to be exact – the Western achieved sudden maturity that would lead to any number of masterworks in various veins (noir, psychological, elegiac, revisionist) till it died out towards the late 1970s.Anyway, this is a quite splendid film with all three stars (Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott and John Wayne) in good form; incidentally, all of them had just come from impressive individual work in the genre – DESTRY RIDES AGAIN (1939), Fritz Lang's WESTERN UNION (1941), and STAGECOACH (1939) respectively. Having preceded the film by the trio's subsequent (though lesser) teaming, PITTSBURGH (1942), it was interesting to see Wayne and Scott take turns playing the unsympathetic role (in the case of the latter here, he emerges to be an out-and-out villain – if a charming one, and to which he would return for his swan-song two decades later in Sam Peckinpah's RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY [1962]). Incidentally, in both THE SPOILERS and PITTSBURGH, Scott is clearly depicted as being interested in Dietrich – but she seems to prefer Wayne (maybe because she did one other title with the latter, SEVEN SINNERS [1940], which is to follow).The supporting cast is also quite strong: Richard Barthelmess and Harry Carey (both of whom had been stars in the Silent era and had since settled in character roles) appear as Dietrich and Wayne's sidekicks respectively – the former is shady and the latter hot-headed, and each prefers to settle arguments with a weapon (Barthelmess a flick-knife and Carey the shotgun he calls "Betsy"). Scott's gang of crooked associates is made up of Charles Halton, Samuel S. Hinds and, the latter's niece, Margaret Lindsay (who was intended to seduce Wayne for the benefit of their scheme, but ends up falling for him – the actress had been a leading lady of Warner Bros. pictures during the previous decade, but her poignant Other Woman role here is surprisingly well-written).The compelling narrative extends to many an exciting (and, often, action-oriented) development – trial, bank robbery, jailbreak, train wreck, various instances where law officers face off or shoot it out with miners, and culminating in the famously brutal lengthy fistfight between the two male stars (though this is somewhat spoiled {sic} by the obvious use of doubles in longshots).
I get suspicious when movies push lessons about life, as if movie realities can substitute for, rather than amplify, actual experience.In this, you're seeing the Genesis story of Jacob and Esau...this includes the parents who 'played favorites', the 'elder brother serving the younger', and the behind the scenes double cross ("Is that why he is called Jacob, because he has deceived me these two times?"). When Sives fails to suicide, his description of the nothingness is the revocation of Jacob's dream of the glorious ladder to Heaven. He wrestles an angel (the water rescue), and thence receives his blessing.So that's *what* it is -- can one launch a dark comedy off this platform?I think this was a shameful missed opportunity to stick to just that -- notions of comedy. It is crushed by the self-important tone of the drama, and the utterly unimaginative camera work. Also, there was a chance to augment this with borrowings from Kipling -- who knew how to be darkly self-effacing -- but all we get are the collections of dead writers (the bookstore).
I was presented with this movie on the Chiller station. I was expecting Freddy Kruger-like horror. This was not that type of movie and I am upset that it was on this station even though it is one of the most horrifying movies out there. And it's based on true facts. Throughout this movie my thoughts kept going to the book "A Child Called It"--also true. I'm writing this at 4 a.m. because after watching this show, I can't sleep. Although I wouldn't have picked this show to watch, now that I have seen it I realize the importance of our world not EVER forgetting that this can and does happen. People know about it but don't want to admit it or "pry". Even though, in 2009, we'd like to believe the neighbors, CPS or the police would step in, I fear that is not the truth. This is an important movie and shouldn't be relegated to cable stations as a sensationalist movie.
Like a previous poster, I availed of this film in Woolworths in Blackpool while on a trip and pretty flush for cash. I still feel aggrieved. Truly, the worst film I have ever witnessed. The plot is ridiculous, in particular the killing of the prostitute. Why? It really is an embarrassment to film making. Unbelievably dire. What was Caine thinking? Indeed what was Leslie Grantham thinking. This was his worst decision prior to the web cam episode. The kid is only likable because he is fat and ugly, and you cant help but feel that he's the type to be bullied. The choir aspect is pointless, and I struggle to recall a worse film ever! Well maybe American Dreamz.
This film made me look at cinema in a whole new way. It was something I have never seen before, from the various scenes, to the scenes that made me say wow. Some of the ideas in this film were brilliant, such as when they all sit down at the dining room except they are all toilets instead of normal chairs. This is quite comical. The part where the naked women appears to be really old, then her naked body reveals a young beautiful women said a lot to me. Emotionally, it showed me that we can't all be biased towards older women, and that they too have genuine things about them. The sniper rifle scene was also very humorous to me and scary at the same time. It made me wonder what if something like this actually happened, then the court room scene really made me laugh. It is a great film, interesting at that.
I just cant believe how much I became fond of the characters and hows visually beautiful this film is. The score is gently leading you along as this touching tale unfolds. The different layers of the story adds much deserved humanity to the characters - which were well cast. Especially the crazy girl of the village (Hye-jeong Kang from the film Old Boy). The film brings together the South Korean/American Allies and the Communist North so that they saw eye to eye as human beings, due to the example of innocence radiating from the village. I'm looking forward to the director of Welcome to Dongmakgol's future work.Basically a really really good film! Korean cinema is really finding its way. Many Thanks, Ricky Thind
This is coming from a NZ'er, so I've seen a fair bit of films from this country in my time, saying that, most of them have completely bored me, or irritated me. However, I was so very pleasantly surprised with Hidden, I was impressed with how good they managed to make the film on as I would suspect a low budget, of course having the scenery is a bonus.Another thing as well, most of the actors I had never heard of before, I think it might have been only two people from shortland street (wow!). Which in my opinion was very surprising. Both people acted very superficial and professional. I was astounded at the storyline, the whole plot kept me captivated because I had absolutely NO idea what was going on, the characters were special in one way or another, you got to understand them well and sympathize if they got hurt or died. Some even gave me the creeps, the guy with the sore lip especially confused me, when I saw him do the whole act around the tree part I was thinking "oh no, he's going to end up an alien, just like that movie where the woman loses her son and everything's a mystery and suddenly there's people jumping through ceilings." But I soon realized it was nothing like that, and it had a much more appealing twist to it. One thing that worried me was there was barely no communication with the group of campers, but in the end it didn't bother me because just their actions, the close-up's of the girls faces, the expressions, it was incredibly masterful and artistic. It was like a new kind of interaction.I loved this movie, the odd feeling of confusion it gave me at the end, that almost uncomfortable sensation, it's wonderful when a film makes you feel so much.Whoever compared this to the Blair witch project must have been on crack, and I am bewildered to the fact it has such a low rating. This is one of the best movies NZ has ever made.
Omigod. I haven't seen a film that moved me as much as this for a long time. It tells the tale of two 30-something brothers who own a dilapidated second-hand bookshop in Glasgow, and their search for different things.The writing is effortless, but so natural and brilliant, the characters are beautifully crafted and it makes a refreshing change to see a film that is not about the location or the effects - but about the story and characters.As for the acting - not a bad word can be said about any of the actors. The three principals (henderson, sives and rawlings) are so utterly convincing and there is so much chemistry between them all. They are backed up by two brilliant turns from Julia Davis as Moira and Mads Mikkelsen as Horst.It may sound depressing from the title, and you may well shed a tear before the end of the movie, but I can guarantee that you will leave the cinema a wiser and more enriched person for having seen Wilbur...
Some of the recent comments are wholly unjust to this movie. The point of the film is to make fun of phony sentimentalism, sanctimonious posturing, and the general tendency of the media to put profit ahead of grace, dignity, and the simple truth. Carole Lombard is not only beautiful, but an exceedingly talented actress (in this and everything else she did). The writing cuts to the bone, exposing hypocrisy in all its forms. The film is as fresh today, and is as relevant to the culture, as it was when it was made. As for the notion that a movie made in 1937 offends someone's sense of what is politically correct in 2004, and therefore deserves criticism, give me a break.
First, I'd like to mention this in defence of the movie. I found the whole science-fiction idea of blue-blooded aliens interesting but the movie was let down by it's poor execution. It could've been much much much much better than this.Scriptwriting is horribly bad, and the fact that Western actors hired to represent government officials does not even help the movie a single bit. This movie flops like a fish out of the water despite its star-studded cast. If you would like to watch a quality flick that has a quirky storyline, I'd recommend the paranormal thriller Double Vision which was released in the same year.I'd still recommend this movie for its train wreck factor, just don't put your hopes up high before you watch it. The humour in the movie can be painful to listen, and the sci-fi effects hardly raised an eyebrow. Although one exception was the very short battle scene involving some alien monsters. I was hoping to see more of that.In short, there's no need for me to berate over the fact that The Wesley's Mysterious File (sic) is a lousy sci-fi movie. I'm still left scratching my head wondering why was there such a huge typo in the English movie title.
First let me start by saying I was a huge Van Wilder fan and enjoy all of Kal Penn's work, be it in Van Wilder, Harold & Kumar, and even American Desi. This film, however, was a disaster. The plot is unimaginative; Taj arrives in a British university and leads a misfit group of losers against a wealthy, socially elite house in an intra-fraternal competition. The object of Taj's affection unfortunately winds up being the girlfriend of his biggest antagonist, the head of the rival fraternity house (see the original Van Wilder for a blatantly similar romantic situation).This just wasn't funny at all. I crack up pretty easily and laughed less than 5 or 6 times during an hour an a half. And even then, I was forcing it just because I felt like I forked down $10, and if I didn't even laugh once, I'd have been bamboozled of my money. The only redeeming scenes are those featuring Taj's parents, who are in the film for less than 10 minutes and managed to pull my rating from a 1 to a 2. Every other joke was corny, unfunny, and otherwise dull. The writing and directing were so uninspired that it was actually painful to watch this movie. The problem with this film was half conceptual too, since Taj was only funny in Van Wilder in the limited doses we got. Goofy Indian accents aren't enough to carry an hour and a half long poorly written train wreck, and that's what we saw here.The thing that really bothered me was that I could feel Kal Penn's career dying before my eyes. I really don't know how anyone who read this script could agree to do it, especially him, because he was the only actor with a future in this movie. He had at least moderate buzz going for him after a string of decent performances, and then releases this nonsense. I can only hope that movie studios will forgive him, because it was difficult to watch this.
Going into Antropophagus aka Man-Eater (man i have a tough time, pronouncing that) I knew a couple things about it. I knew it was a classic of euro horror and I knew that it was supposed to be pretty gory. And I would say both are true. While watching the opening credits I also found out that it was directed by Joe D'Amato, big time sleaze/horror director. After seeing Buio Omega and this one really gets to know his style of directing.Antrophoghagahasus....Man-Eater is about a few wealthy people taking a vacation and visiting an island. What they don't know is that the island people have all vanished, thanks to one of the coolest villains in horror history. No joke. So obviously they arrive to the island, and bad things start to happen. Simple but fun.I hear people find this movie dull, and I can totally see where they're coming from. In the beginning especially there were a few instances I caught myself not even paying attention. But these day-dream episodes didn't happen again and I was pretty happy with the following results. The movie (uncut) isn't full of gore, but it has it's fair share, especially the ending which was funny as hell. It's one of those moments where you're telling yourself - He's not gonna...he's not...Awesome! - Actually there are two moments in this film that gage that type of reaction.If you're into euro horror, you've most likely already checked this out, but if you're just a horror fan looking for something different, this is one flick I would definitely recommend. It has D'Amato directing, pretty girls, cool gore, some nice suspense and a pretty badass villain. 8 outta 10
I just saw this film again and I must say, it is amazingly brilliant. This is a film which you can watch again and again. Very clever, sterotypical obviously but its all in good humour. I was looking through the other reviews here and people need to understand that this is a comedy and it should be treated as such.Great acting and great music - works so well. Pure entertainment. 10/10
One of the best Greek comedies ever, this film is a silent satire of the modern Greek reality; that of a forgotten political passion, eternal struggle for gaining and lack of self-criticism.True to their identity, the heroes of this film, men, relatives, passionate, are a microcosm of a whole nation, which always complains, always falls in love and always tries to make the most out of every situation. Moral when it serves them, ideologists when they are allowed to be, are "always right", always victims and always do what they want in the end.The dynamic confrontation of Panos and Antonis (played by an established artistic pair, with natural chemistry) takes this film away from the typical atmosphere of a Tsiolis work, making it more oral and approachable by the wider public. Yet, it functions perfectly as a representation of two typical characters of Greek life.Argiris Bakirtzis, the standard protagonist of the directors latest and best films, functions here as a balance factor, that only displays any personality "between the lines" covering the final third of the national character pool. Now the representation of the modern Greek man is complete! Women are almost absent in this film although men always appear under their influence. A superficial influence that even in the form of a marriage or mad love, play a second role in the eyes of these modern men. Women don't need to talk much here. Maybe because men don't listen anyway.Tsioli's direction is as always more optical than integral. What people say is of little importance anyway, since it only serves them as a mask of sound to cover what they really are, and you can always see it in their actions, that never lie. The characters here talk a lot more than in other of his films, mostly because they are by nature big mouths. But the story again really takes place in their movements. Movements sometimes picturesque and stylistic, that reaches the level of pantomime.Still, the comedy works really well, making it by far the funniest film of the director and one of the funniest Greek comedies ever. Yet, again a difficult one, for a non-Greek to appreciate, with all these inside jokes.
I don't have much of an opinion on this flick. Because what's there to analyze? Gratuitous violence. Gratuitous gore. Gross-out effects strictly for shock value. Gratuitous nudity and close-ups of big breasts. What we have here is a feminist's nightmare. What we also have is an absolute blast!!!I'm sure women won't enjoy this as much and will probably b*tch about the overdose of female nudity, but for all you guys who just don't give a damn and just want to kick back and have a good time: You will love this movie!! This is like a mix of Wes Craven and Howard Stern. A supreme guilty pleasure!I enjoy deep, artistically brilliant films like "American Beauty" and "Magnolia," but there's no reason I can't enjoy a campy, shallow, sleazy horror flick like this. I don't ONLY enjoy these types of flicks, but I can enjoy it as long as it's done in a fun, tongue-in-cheek, unpretentious manner. I just want to get that straight. OK, I'll go on. :)Dennis Miller provides great comic relief in his lead role. Those who are fans of his schtick should look forward to this movie. The horror sequences, though sometimes cheesy, are great fun to watch. There's a spectacular sequence at the end with excellent usage of the song "Ballroom Blitz." There are other great classics like "All Right Now" and "Jailbreak." That's why I bought the soundtrack. It's awesome!So this movie fits the "guy flick" stereotype like a glove. If you're not in the mood for excessive violence, gore and female nudity--don't watch this movie! Don't say I didn't warn you. My score: 7 (out of 10)
It's possibly the worst I've movie I've ever seen.Joan Severance (Bridget Gregory) is completely devoid of sex appeal - a quality fairly crucial to the role - and does little more than smoke throughout every scene. Con O'Neill (Troy Fenton) made me want to vomit for the duration; yes, he's supposed to be a repulsive character but it was a little too literal. Beth Goddard (Murphy) was weak, although she was the only character with any sort of sexual allure, and I'm not even going to bother commenting on the rest of the characters.The story lines are predictable, the portrayal of the British as being nothing more than common thugs is offensive, and the whole thing should come with a health-warning. Literally.
Inland Empire is the Man with a Movie Camera of the 21st Century. It is the most experimental, surreal, and technically brilliant film I may have ever seen. Lynch proves that all he needs is a simple DV camera to show the world the entire range of human emotions and the human experience from the happiest to the darkest moments we must go through to achieve salvation and cleansing of the soul. This film is not so much about a particular story or narrative as it is about analyzing, exploring, and creating a visual palette for ideas about traveling to and from the past, present, and future as it relates to our constant journey back and forth into our own psyches and our collective unconscious. Each of Lynch's films explores the mind in terms of Jungian philosophy, focusing particularly on The Shadow; however, Inland Empire goes further in this direction than any film previous to it. If Mulholland Drive was 25% a dark and surreal suspense thriller ghost story and journey into the nether regions of the mind and 75% classical, yet not necessarily structural or connected narrative, Inland Empire is 10% straight narrative and 90% raw psychological horror ghost story.The journey is long and hard but at the end you will be rewarded with the kind of peace and serenity that can only come from a meditation this long, deep, and powerful. I was filled with only inner bliss as I left the theatre and slept like a baby, completely at peace. This is David Lynch's most powerful film and speaks volumes on the many unexplored topics of how this medium can communicate, terrify, and heal in ways we have not yet even begun to understand.
I know that the movie isn't "realistic," but it's fiction after all. The concept is unique, and I don't know of any other movie that uses this plot. The whole idea of Indians still living in the U.S. as they did 130 years ago is fascinating. Some of the shots - especially the one where the Indians first "materialize" to Barbara Hershey and Tom Berenger - are really awesome. Also, I love Steve Reevis, so anything he EVER does is a draw to me. Also, I don't care that much that it's not shot where the movie is supposed to take place - they do that all the time now, although I've never been able to figure out why. Was there no place in Montana they could've filmed this? Is it cheaper to film in Canada? Look at the movie "The Edge' - it's supposed to take place in Alaska, but they used Canada also. That's the only thing that irks me, and, I'm sure, other viewers. Why can't we just film movies in the places they are supposed to take place in?
Costner's films continue without heart or soul. Each is an appendage to the only film he ever made. This episode is more properly judged in the genre of videos, as this film substitutes any plot or character development, and certainly any acting for bland cinematography and overdone music. Discard comments regarding sexism and ignore comparisons to Tombstone, I feel sorry for him and his costars, some of whom actually deliver strong, believable performances. Doc Holliday is always entertaining. I was particularly saddened that the writers chose to trivialize the friendship between Doc and Wyatt by basing it upon a few meaningful looks and friendly handshakes. Showing Doc save Wyatt's life would have made for better watching and historical accuracy. And may I say, I love this legend...
Actually, this flick, made in 1999, has pretty good production values. The actors are attractive, and reasonably talented. There aren't a bunch of clowns running around blasting away, expending hundreds of rounds, but never hitting flesh. Nor are there wild car chases/crashes where thousands of dollars worth of beautiful machines are uselessly trashed.The interiors look respectably modern, architecturally, and the equipment looks up to snuff. Well, there is that high tech computer room furnished with what look like leftovers from a '50s electronics lab. And the pancake make-up on the corpses cracked me up. Not pancake make-up in the conventional sense, but what looks like dried pancake batter slathered over their exposed skin. This is supposed to support the idea that the bodies have calcified -- though how the virus would accomplish this transmutation is an exercise left for the student (viewer).Ah yes, the virus. I would like to tell you that this is not the absolute worst premise for a sci-fi, horror flick I know of, but I can't. A computer virus that is transmitted via a television (or computer monitor) screen and becomes a lethal biological pathogen? Gimme a break. Warp drives a la "Star Trek" are one thing, but photons becoming viruses? This is so silly the desired "fright factor" just isn't realizable. The flick could have used one of those awful dream sequences where the dead come alive, or have a cat jump out of the closet, or something, because the viral thingamajig isn't doing it. One presumes Robert Wagner has the same excuse for playing in this inanity that Lord Oliver gave for some of his later, trashy venues. He needed the money. No other comparison between the two should be construed,however.
Without family or a home to shelter him, nine year old Amiro (played by Majid Niroomand) is an iconic character against the changing landscape of the Southern Iran, which has become new ground for military and foreign interest. Through Amiro's eyes , Naderi depicts scenes of the poverty in the junk yards as the poor fight over trash, the abuse of women being led like animals behind their husbands, or the demoralization of a man who steals from Amiro by not paying for a glass of ice water. The old Iran is crumbling, while Amiro, the child hero, rejects all of it as he "runs" metaphorically to survive. Naderi photographs Amiro like Tom Sawyer on his journey down The Mississippi, a child joining the changing society of the Persian Gulf. Amiro intuitively knows the oil ships, the planes and the trains are the new Iran and he shouts emphatically "take me along!". Naderi seemly stacks scenes of the boy feeding himself, washing his own clothes, and building a business as a shoeshine boy for the foreigners and navel officers. He gives the boy very little but his own guts, self-reliance and determination, which help him find a way to fit in among the foreigners. He wants to be included, he wants to go where the planes go, the boats go, the trains go. He cries into the waves his own language. He wants to prove that he is worthy of this new world. The final scene is a slow motion tribute to Amiro's determination and survival. He races in a competition against the other boys for the block of ice near the oil fields. The telephoto lens captures Amiro's joy against the violent flames of the fires burning off the gases of the oil wells. Through this lens, Amiro survives and shares his joy of winning the race with the other boys like him. The Runner is a symbolic and hopeful look at what Iran has become, a place where orphans like Amiro are able to make their own way to prove their worthiness, loyalty, intelligence, and strength.
This is the story of a neurotic anti-drug agent, who has to go on with his job, against his fear and his instincts. Good premises for a situation comedy, good actors - however the overall impression is one of disappointment. Not even the stars in the credits can save the movie from getting deep into incredibility and vulgarity. What a waste for talents like Bullock and Nelson.
Ruben Galindo is one of those sneaky Mexican exploitation directors who makes quickie-movies for the the American market. The cast is filled with fresh American faces and premise as well as atmosphere are typically US high school-like. Only... the production is entirely Mexican! This technique saves the makers a few extra bucks and the fans of this type of cinema mostly don't notice the difference anyway. However, what you can't but notice about "Don't Panic" is the amateurism. The screenplay makes no sense at all as it attempts to blend the mysteries of the occult (an Ouija-board) with an ordinary high school slasher plot. A group of brainless friends summon a demon (named Virgil...not exactly a petrifying name, if you ask me) and this demon soon after possesses one of the kids. How did this Virgil ended up inside the body of the kid?? Who knows... Why does he think it's necessary to butcher everyone who joined the Ouija game?? Not explained, neither... There's no tension and no sense of humor to detect anywhere in the script. Well...at least not intended humor, because the stupidity and incompetence definitely will make you chuckle more than once! Also, if you plan to watch this film, you're better not allergic to atrocious acting. No matter how hard these teen-actors try, they have no acting skills at all. The best part about "Don't Panic" is – as usual – the gore! Screaming Mad George went nuts again and literally stuffed this film with repulsive massacre and entire buckets of blood. I'm not an expert but I sincerely doubt that an average human body contains so much blood. Oh well, if it wasn't for these gory moments, "Don't Panic" would be completely worthless. In conclusion: this probably is one of the only films ever that feature the hero (supposedly 17 years old) battling evil whilst wearing a ridiculous and utterly childish pajamas. Respect!
I'm a big fan of post-apocalyptic movies; for some reason, the thought of civilization as we know it grinding to a halt on a backdrop of nuclear bombs falling intrigues me to no end.There are a host of movies that deal with Life After The Bomb, a whole lot more dealing with Life While Preventing The Bomb, but not very many that deal with Life Immediately Before The Bomb. This is one of the latter, and I think it pulls it off really well.This offbeat movie chronicles a few hours in the life of a character who has just found out that the missiles are on the way.This movie is rather offbeat; the acting is not bad, but just unlike normal hollywood acting, even despite a few familiar faces. The pacing is different, the sets are different, the colors are different. And in this case, the differences give it an edge that is quite intriguing.The main character (tom cruise's ill-fated co-pilot in top gun) displays such an acute, personal anxiety that really grabbed my attention and really made the movie hit home.While some of the other acting is less than stellar, in a movie like this it does not detract.This movie really did make me think about what I would do in a similar situation. Very thought-provoking.If you are as intriguied by nuclear war as I am, you should definitely watch this film.8 / 10
Ghosthouse (1988) is very good for a low budget horror, it's very creepy and has haunting music in places!!! It's about this bunch of young men and women who decide to explore this run down old house that has been boarded up for years.The house is still haunted by the young girl who used to live there and her spooky clown doll (the clown is great by the way).It's not long before bad things start to happen to the group as they begin to realise that evil lies within the house!!! Ghosthouse is a very good film, with lots of creepy moments and some gore, the music is great too.......... the same music is used in "Stage Fright" which is another creepy horror movie, both are well worth checking out. 8/10 for this one.
Alright, I've seen worse. The problem is this one had a 2.5 million dollar budget. What happened? Did the producers try to shoot it on a weekend?? Someone got so busy blowing smoke they thought they were reinventing the way a car rolls; we get it, we really do- stop spinning your wheels turbo. Screwed up people, killing and screwing stupid kids. let's deal with that and leave our twists and turns for the end. Twenty minutes could've been cut off this movie and possibly saved it; unfortunately, it can only afford to lose ten and still be considered a feature; however, that's ten viewers could have back so here's some suggestions for the DVD release. Opening sequence where we give everything away? Why?? Gratuitous sex scene with no Tn'A? Why?? Can we get stoned and listen to this song? Why?? I don't need to see two fools flirt, while ones girlfriend is havin' a snooze to understand what goes on when they "get wood." I get this from a nice job of acting by Vanessa Viola as Amy. Moreover, the sinister look as Ben and Brielle leave the motel, from Grandma? WHY!!!! Are you idiots? There's ten minutes gone in the first fifteen; furthermore, some of it was a SPOILER IN YOUR OWN MOVIE!!By the way I've seen far worse acting in better films. There were a few decent performances here, James Burns is fun as the sheriff with some nice campy one-liners, with the exception of, "let's equalize this." I also thought Trevor Torseth as Kane stumbling out from behind the tree exuded an intensity and malice not characteristic of bad acting. But if there is a sequel, put a bag over his head or a mask; I'd love to find out how much the producers saved on their make-up budget. Hope they had a nice luncheon in Beverly Hills. NEXT TIME SPEND YOUR MONEY SMARTER!!Overall this film suffered by not embracing the "stupid" convention of horror films. Too many people in this production took themselves far too seriously, from Actors all the way up to Producers.Oh wait! I almost forgot, " The Family tree." HA! PLEASE!!!!! Or did we have to have it so, "the family f*** fest" line would work. In retrospect I'm not sure if the INCEST HAMMER was sufficient.
Racial tensions are already at a fever pitch, when a tiny black girl disappears. A white traveler, passing thru is suspected. This is a grim, gripping tale of bigotry and redemption. Morgan is outstanding as the sympathetic white traveler who ultimately is the town's salvation. Without a doubt, Morgan should have received the Oscar for this one!
I'm a fan of the gut-wrenching. I like horror & suspense. I like to be shocked. Some of my all-time favorite films I wouldn't dare show my closest of friends out of fear that they would think I was mentally unstable. This film, 'The Girl Next Door', I would choose to not show them simply because it's a bad film. I'm not sure what Greg Wilson tried to accomplish here, and the screenplay was poorly adapted from Ketchum's novel. This is torture-porn, lightly cloaked by a terrible excuse for a love story.You've got two sisters, Meg & Susan Loughlin who are based on Sylvia & Jenny Likens, who were both horribly abused by one Gertrude Baniszewski - who is portrayed in the film as Ruth Chandler. In the true story of these crimes, the girls are abandoned by their circus traveling parents and left to live with Gertrude. In the film, the girls parents were killed and they end up with the same fate - to live with Ruth. Ruth is abusive and out of her mind and so are her accomplices who happen to also be her own children and some neighborhood kids. So as days pass, both girls are abused and tortured in terrible ways, with the older of the two getting the brunt of it. Ruth uses her basement as her chamber of horrors and calls what she does "games", for instance one "game" involves hanging & blindfolding Meg by her arms and stripping her nude. The boys take care of this for her, and Meg is left there over night. This type of thing makes up the majority if the second half of the film. Enter the ridiculous premise of one of the boys and Meg having feelings for each other. This is ridiculous because the boy continues to go over to the house time after time watching (and sometimes partaking) in said torturous activities. The police show up a few times. He tells his parents (in a round about way). Point is, the way the movie unfolds, these girls wouldve been saved, numerous times. It's almost laughable how we are supposed to believe none of these morons wouldve done something. What happened in real life is nowhere near what went down on film. The story has so many holes that you could throw it in a cave in France, take it out in a year, then slap a sticker on it "100% Grade A Swiss Cheese". It's terribly lame & incredibly unbelievable. I assume this side story of love was added to try and get some emotion from the audience so that the ending of the film could pull some tears out. The acting is plastic & any emotional investment, other than imaging that some form of this film actually happened, is completely impossible to reach. If you want to shock us, take what REALLY happened for once and just show that. Don't waste our time with preposterous side & back stories.The only reason I didn't give this a 1 is because the last 12 minutes or so were actually intense. The rest of the film, however, is tripe. Skip it.-iii
I saw this movie last year at The Toronto International Filmfestival. Unfortunately in Europe we don't get to see many Indy-movies, but this was a rare opportunity for me to see an excellent one. It's the kind of movie that leaves a lump in your throat after wards! I was constantly wondering if this child that he lost at the bus-terminal was real or just a fragment of his imagination. Also when he takes care of another child while it's mother is gone for a few days, you start wondering if Keane is not going to hurt or kidnap this child! Most of the movie you really feel for this guy. Especially because the camera is so close on him all the time. It feels as if you're actually following him wherever he goes.This movie looks very real; no special effects no beautiful make-up or costumes. The acting is what acting is all about; you don't see the actor but you see the character! It sometimes feels like your looking at a documentary. Real Oscar stuff! Keane is the kind of movie that touches you, even long after you have left the theater!
My grandmother introduced me to this movie when I was a child. I loved it then and I still love it today. Dunne and Grant were believable as a childless couple. This is a must see for anyone who needs an honest to goodness soul-wrenching cry.
This movie has a wonderful quality that would bring any distant family together. My children and I loved watching it together. It's nice to have a movie finally come out that everyone can enjoy. I highly recommend seeing it. Emma Thompson is so endearing. Colin Firth is such a lost soul trying to avoid everything and everyone around him. Angela Landsbury is so over the top, but very funny. Together they make such an interesting trio. The love, the comedy, the magic, and the unbelievable happy ending make it more than just a fairy tale, they make it a story that makes you wish that it was all happening to you. For children, it sets their minds imaginations into over-drive. It sends them to a place that lets their minds run free to believe in everything on the big screen in front of them. For just an adult, I would say, it would be less special, as apposed to an adult who has children to watch get engaged with this magical movie.
Since I didn't enjoy "La vie est un long fleuve tranquille", I didn't expect too much from "Tanguy" when I went to the cinema. Surprisingly enough, the movie was good. I mean really good. Monsieur Chatiliez, the director of "La vie..." and "Tanguy", shows that french comedies can actually be a thousand times better than some modern American comedies. Because Tanguy has it all: this movie has a soul, charming and believable actors, a good script and well thought gags. The movie tells the story of Tanguy, a 28-year old guy who still lives with his parents. One day, his mother Edith can't take this situation any longer, and together with her husband she tries to get Tanguy out their home. It's easy to see that this storyline is a good basis for some great gags and funny situations; and the movie eventually succeeds. I left the cinema with satisfaction, because I saw one of the few intelligent - and most importantly funny - modern comedies. I recommend this gem to anyone who's tired of stupid and underwhelming American comedy-flicks like "Dumb and Dumber".
I can't believe people liked this movie!!! And believe me I'm not ignorant, I watch A lot of exploitation movies and film in general. Although this movie was meant as an homage, it seriously missed the mark. I think that it is such a rare thing when the whole 'directed by, produced, written, costumed and starring..' gimmick works and it only works when that person can act AND write (in my opinion she couldn't do either). There's a big difference between doing a send-off and making fun of the genre. The whole movie seemed like a giant 'stroke-fest' (like someone masturbating on film: solely for their own enjoyment and ego) where it was no accident that anyone with acting talent (or a better figure) were given minimal parts. Anna Biller cannot act- she's doing a really bad job of pretending to be a bad actor. (you know what they say; it takes a smart person to play dumb) AND please tell me someone else noticed the ugly faces she was making the ENTIRE movie?! That girl needs to spend some time in front of a mirror, practicing not doing that ever again. I did enjoy the orgy scene and the animation. I think if the movie were starring Robbin Ryan and Bridget Brno, it would have made for much better cinema. I may be starving for cinematic magic lately but, I'm not desperate enough to settle for less than fantastic. The musical numbers were sad and skimpy with the exception of Bridget Brno song in the bathtub. The 'two little girls from the suburbs' bugged me in a major way considering Viva couldn't touch Gentleman Prefer Blondes with a 100ft pole. The sets were good for the most part though inconsistent, as were the style and overall appearance of the film (sometimes it was bright and technicolor and sometimes muted.) Overall, I was just disappointed at what appeared to be a fantastic new movie but, ended up looking like a school project at times. That's what comes of thinking exploitation films look easy to make.
This was such a wasted opportunity. The main character was so weak - what where these silly film makers thinking? Quite a wasted opportunity. Something else also bothered me - but I can't quite put my finger on it - the picture quality seemed off. Maybe I need to watch it again I am wondering what the budget was for this movie? Was it a low budget film or a student project? Something was definitely not right here. I could see the potential here but I think the boat was missed in a big way.I wanted to laugh in so many places but I was being told to laugh by the direction, but it just didn't hit the right note.
Skip Donahue (Gene Wilder) and Harry Monroe (Richard Pryor) are best friends living in New York City. Donahue is an amateur playwright, working a day job in department store security. Monroe is working as a catering assistant. When Donahue is canned for harassing a starlet and Monroe is fired because his marijuana ends up in the food at a society dinner on the same day, Donahue takes it as the perfect opportunity to finally leave the cold, unfriendly metropolis and head out West. Unfortunately, neither is very well adapted to life outside of New York, and they end up framed for a crime.I hadn't seen Stir Crazy since at least the early 1980s. Recently I had a chance to rewatch Gene Wilder's The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975), which I hadn't seen since the 1970s, and I was a bit disappointed. So I was nervous that Stir Crazy might also be a let down this far removed in time. That couldn't have been more wrong. I may have even thought it was funnier and more exciting this time around than when I first watched the film as a teen.I had forgotten that Stir Crazy isn't just a comedy. It's also fairly suspenseful and surprisingly serious at times in the last act. Director Sidney Poitier makes a smooth transition through many genres--buddy film, road movie, fish out of water story and prison film, aided of course by Wilder and Pryor. While both actors have had plenty of performances just as good as Stir Crazy, neither have had any that were better.In a way, this is really more Wilder's film than Pryor's. That's no slight on Pryor; Wilder just ends up getting more screen time. He presents a hilariously bizarre, complex character who is full of contradictions--kind of a channeling of a less loquacious Woody Allen through a more down to earth version of his Willy Wonka (Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, 1971). Wilder's Skip Donahue has an air of Mister Rogers-styled good-natured innocence, with the same kind of odd and maybe creepy homoerotic overtones, but he'll also turn on a dime into a neurotic, screaming loon. As I said, it's all very complex, but extremely funny and enjoyable to watch.Pryor's Harry Monroe is more of a streetwise perpetual victim who doesn't adjust to the social world of the criminal justice system as well as Donahue does. He has a much more typical reaction, with no misconceptions about their dire circumstances.The crux of the humor in the first section of the film is the naivety of Donahue's "grass is always greener on the other side" conception of the Western U.S. compared to New York City. Of course, things turn out to be not quite so simple, but it's funny and charming that Poitier and writer Bruce Jay Friedman have Donahue never quite wake up from his naïve misconception. It also turns out to have much more weight than just a comic device: Donahue survives in prison as well as he does, and it brings about the profound changes of character--Donahue becomes much more authentic, realizes his potential, gains material for his art and even gets the girl--because of his continued misprision (in the Bloom sense) about life outside of New York City, and in the end, it enables a "return to the market", as they say in Zen Buddhism.Watching Stir Crazy at this later point in time, some of the humor might seem a bit clichéd to younger viewers. It's important to remember that this is where a lot of those "clichés" came from. In 1980, everyone was mimicking scenes from this film (such "We bad . . .") and repeating dialogue and jokes. Some of the filmic (and by extension general cultural) folklore or urban legends about prisons contained in Stir Crazy had made appearances in films prior to this one, but not in the particular irreverent way that they're satirized here.This is an important film in the careers of a few of the greatest actors and comedians (Wilder, Pryor and Poitier), with an important place in the history of Hollywood comedy. The fact that it's also suspenseful and has philosophical things to say about human nature is a bonus that makes this a film you shouldn't miss.
This has to be my all-time favorite,it's just pure brilliance,i've watched it a countless number of times and it gets better and better every time, the dialogue is just hilarious and the slightly predictable ending is just heart-warming!!!Contains an excellent soundtrack and Adam Sandler does an excellent job as Robbie Hart, the singer. A great performance also came from Drew Barrymore as the waitress Julia Sullivan and cousin Holly Sullivan was portrayed well by Christine Taylor. The complete plot of the story is very original and hard to find in any other film which once again adds to the excellence of this classic. This film is definitely in my top five of favorites and in my opinion deserves more recognition and credit for its excellence.
This movie will really give you better understanding of such terms as "purposeless" and "pointless". It's simply a series of episodes, which never add up to anything. The only thing one can recommend about this familiar drama (which still doesn't make it worthwhile) is the solid acting: Barkin's performance stands out.
I had four main impressions of this film on leaving the theater:1) Jeff Daniels deserves an Oscar nomination, if not the trophy, for his performance as the manipulative and depressed divorcée. 2) The Director is well grounded in the Wes Anderson school of film-making. The New York in this film, while a little older, feels similar to that of The Royal Tenenmbaums. His characters, however, are more real than Anderson's. 3) This movie made me grateful that my parents stayed together, despite tough times. 4) The film ended too soon.This last point was a sticky one for me. Not that all tensions need to be resolved, but there were still a few open plot points at the end. You'd have thought that after leaving the 12 year old home for the weekend, by accident, and having him give himself alcohol poisoning, that they would have made some reference to it later. Great performances from everyone involved. Shout-out to Billy Baldwin for getting cast in this top-notch film.
Silly me! Here I was under the impression of owning a Tiger Shark horror movie, but instead there's just a copy of the X-rated Love Boat Chronicles in my DVD-collection! What the hell was this? I absolutely love low budget Jaws rip-off's – the trashier they are, the more I love them – but this has got to be one of the most incoherent and insufferably tedious exploitation movies ever made! "Tintorera" could be described as sex, tequila and sunny beaches. Oh, and a little bit of shark-action too, maybe. Now this may sound like crazy fun but NOT when you have to endure lousy acting performances and lamentable dialogs for 127 damn long minutes. Who the hell is interested in an extra long version of a crap film anyway, especially when the additional footage only serves more crap? This movie has no redeeming elements whatsoever, since even the sleazy scenes are uninspired and boring as hell. Hugo Stiglitz, who oddly resembles Daniel Stern from "Home Alone", plays a millionaire who parked his yacht in front of a tourist beach resort and stares at the girls in their colorful bikinis. He falls in love with a brunette, loses her again because their summer-love relationship is getting too serious and catches her cheating on him with playboy Miguel. The two guys become best friends and the girl gets devoured by a tiger shark without anybody realizing she's gone. Good riddance, I guess. Together, Steven and Miguel seduce a handful of other girls before the both fall for English beauty Gabriella. They then start the most implausible and retarded tree-way relationship ever filmed. Since Gabriella cannot or does not want to choose between her two lovers, "Tintorera" suddenly turns – for nearly 45 minutes! – into a romantic melodrama with few nudity (only male nudity, actually) and really pointless images of three uninteresting people talking. You honestly pray for the shark to pop up again and bring closure to this painfully soporific relationship. He/she does eventually, when the macho boys try to impress Gabrielle with their nasty shark-hunting games, and after killing Miguel this chapter ends suddenly, like it was just a tiny little sub plot. Steven returns to partying on the beach and taking random beauty-queens back to his boat for sex. When that annoying tiger shark kills yet another one of his girlfriends, Steven gets really upset goes after his nemesis. "Tintorera" stands for total boredom and irritation. The underwater footage of the titular animal scouting the bottom of the sea is nifty and professional, but I suspect most of these scenes were 'borrowed' from documentaries or something. It's rather infuriating how this movie contains truckloads of sequences in which fish and harmless smaller shark species are tortured and killed for no reason other than 'sport' and 'amusement'. I'm pretty sure it's real, as I don't see how you can fake impaling innocent little sea creatures. Perhaps it all was archive footage as well, but I don't think so judging by the diving suits the hunters wore, and even if it's all fake it still remains poor padding. I'm normally a great admirer of the gorgeous starlets Susan George, Fiona Lewis and Priscilla Barnes but honestly no one was capable of saving this disastrous production. My advise is to skip it, but if for some reason you do feel the urge of tracking it down, make sure it isn't the long version.
This was a great script in the way that it all fell together, it was very natural and generally unpredictable. There were lots of great characters and plenty of strange scenes. You HAVE to understand the lazy "welsh" accent in order to get a lot of the jokes. If you don't know nee 14 means nearly 14 then you might be confused in some parts. The more you understand of this movie's dialogue the more you will appreciate what a cool movie this is. It starts off one way and then becomes a completely different experience, and it's a fun ride the whole way through. I recommend it fully, this movie is unpredictable and weird, a real charmer if you kick back and let it unfold.
i thought the show was downright boring. i found the series premier lacked the outrages costumes and had way too many slow times that contained no substance. the set was way to earthy on mongo, in the movie you felt you were in a alien world, this ming seems much to soft and did not earn the term "the merciless". dale arderns relationship with her fiancé was almost non-existent and her desire to chase flash around showed a lack of moral character. also in the movie flash was a football hero, in the series he is a aging track athlete sponging off of his mom instead of being a man and earning his own living. i feel this show is much less a visual treat than the movie and the stars are plain than i was expecting.. i hoped for a lot more than this show delivered.
Natural Born Killers (1994) is by far one of the best films ever made. Written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Oliver Stone, this controversial film still to this day remains infamous for it's message and the extreme graphic violence. But that shouldn't stray you away from watching it. It actually has an interesting love story in the center of all the carnage. The story:The film opens at a dinner in the middle of nowhere. Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory (Juliette Lewis) Knox are relaxing there with six other people. Well, it doesn't take long before they kill everybody except one person, whose mission is to tell everybody that Mickey and Mallory Knox did it. Cue the opening credits. From here on out we are thrust into the Knox's world. They soon become notorious for their killings, with a body count of about 52. This catches the attention of an ultra-sleazy Wayne Gale (Robert Downey Jr.), a reporter for the show "American Maniacs". Finally, Mickey and Mallory are caught and sent to prison under the supervision of warden McClusky (Tommy Lee Jones) and psychotic Detective Scagnetti (Tom Sizemore). But the film doesn't end there. The ultimate climax includes an interview with Mickey gone horribly wrong and a massive prison riot.Natural Born Killers created a giant ripple throughout Hollywood for a lot of reasons, especially the film's violence. Now I must admit, even though the violence is brutal and gory, the filmmakers don't glamorize it. As a matter of fact, I give a standing ovation to Oliver Stone for showing violence in all of it's ugliness. I'm sick of seeing people in other films getting shot and showing very little, if any, blood. When you get shot or tortured, it not only hurts but it gets quite bloody. At least Natural Born Killers shows it unflinchingly.The story, amongst all of the mayhem, manages to tell a touching love story between Mickey and Mallory. These two are only killing because it's what they grew up with. They had very messed up childhoods and they lashed out in the only way they knew: violence. Amidst all of the pain and suffering, they found love with each other. And their love isn't just a one night stand type of "love". No, their love is the kind that lasts forever, where love can overcome anything. This is why the ending is gory yet touching at the same time.The acting is top notch. Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis both should have received awards for their performances. Only real actors do something out of the ordinary and take a risk with a role. That's why teeny-bopper movies are all pointless and stupid: because the audience has already seen the same actor(s) do the same performances. Harrelson and Lewis capture the essence of Mickey and Mallory expertly. It's great to see actors display such a wide range of emotions: fear, love, hate, violent, isolated, depressed, e.t.c... All the other actors perfectly play their characters with enough reality to turn in believable performances. You know, throughout the film I always thought that Mickey and Mallory were the only sane people. Everybody else around them were just psychos and nutcases. When I first saw Natural Born Killers, I thought there was something wrong with the movie because of the editing. But after I figured out it was all part of the movie, I became convinced that NBK is in fact, a masterpiece. The film changes narratives from black and white to documentary to animation to surrealistic. With each different narrative, the viewer sees the characters for who they really are or what they are really thinking. It's great.If you can, see Natural Born Killers in it's full entirety with the director's cut DVD. It will add more depth to the story and characters. Everybody should see this movie: it's a classic. I give Natural Born Killers a full 10 out of 10.
This is surely one of the Tyrone Power vehicles that's most shown on Italian TV (in fact, it was re-proposed just last week) – but I'd somehow never bothered to watch it. Having had a recording of the film for some time, I now opted to check it out as part of my brief tribute to the popular matinée idol on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his untimely demise. Well, I must say that I really enjoyed the film for reasons I'll get to later – which makes its absence on DVD more than a little baffling; incidentally, it was the tenth of Power's eleven collaborations with director King (the following effort, THE SUN ALSO RISES [1957], is perhaps the one I'd love to watch most of the star's remaining titles) as well as the second and last in which Power is co-starred with Susan Hayward (after the excellent suspense Western RAWHIDE [1951]).Anyway, the film is an interesting (and mainly successful) mishmash of genres: part offbeat Western (with a wagon train beset by Zulus rather than Indians!), part epic adventure (even if the widescreen aspect ratio in the edition I watched wasn't quite the full 2.55:1 format of its original presentation), and part 'woman's picture' (despite Power's top billing, he's off-screen for long stretches at a time, so that Hayward emerges as the real protagonist – given also that she's involved with three men and undergoes many a hardship during the course of the film). While the plot is thoroughly predictable (and, yet, therein lies part of its appeal), it's made with the customary professionalism one associates with the golden age of Hollywood; thus, we're treated to a handsomely-shot large-scale entertainment – complemented by a fine Franz Waxman score which goes from lush to emphatic or rousing, depending on the mood of any given scene.Among the undeniable highlights in the episodic narrative (which spans several years) are: the opening fox hunt in Ireland, which sees hero and heroine alternating between squabbling and loving; the afore-mentioned ambush of the 'pioneers' in which Hayward's staid husband John Justin is killed; Power (who neglects Hayward through his struggle for the Boers' independence) engaging in a whip-wielding duel with his romantic rival and former best friend Richard Egan (himself lusted after by a young Rita Moreno); Egan having his leg crushed by a tree he's trying to fell (symbolizing Hayward's affair with Power) during a thunderstorm; and the climactic clash between bitter, peg-legged Egan's outlaws and the natives led by the obviously virtuous and rugged Power. The finale, then, has the hero relinquishing (not without a certain remorse) his political career to make up to the long-suffering heroine – especially since their past dalliance had borne him a son (with whom he also shares his name) he was unaware of.
i have just re-watched this film, maybe the 5th time since its release. What a treat!Smart, sexy,dynamic and compelling, socially relevant, with a good moral backbone.All the actors are spot-on. Cher easily convinces us of her serious attorney's commitment to helping society's outcasts;Liam Neeson in his first film role as the silent hulking Viet-vet street person accused of murder; Dennis Quaid at his cocky best as a razor-sharp lobbyist/juror, and John Mahoney and Philip Bosco. The screenplay ,directing and editing are all first rate.And if you pay attention, you can learn a lot about the inner workings of our government's congressional/lobbyist bedfellows and the scary fallibility of our justice system and its judges and lawyers. Some may think this is a piece of romance disguised as a get-into-your subconscious morality play, but i think it's just the opposite. How many films have you seen that convincingly made you put yourself into a street person's shoes and think about your attitudes towards them? I usually am close to agreeing with the IMDb average vote on a film, but not this time. For me, this is a real 10.
Aided by saloon owner Marlene Dietrich, John Wayne and his cantankerous partner Harry Carey Sr. battle claim jumping of the legal variety, perpetrated by villainous bureaucrat Randolph Scott.A sometimes painfully slow first half, partially due to Dietrich's role being stretched out to fit her top-billed status, is redeemed by an engrossing and exciting second half, including a rousing climax at Wayne and Carey's mine and a helluva great fist-fight between the Duke and Scott.Harry Carey easily gives the best performance of the film. He and his rifle steal every scene they're in!
This movie is an incredibly hilarious movie, no matter how many times you watch it. It's true that it's profane, violent, and stupid, but in this film, that's what makes it so funny! The timing is just perfect. It's a great movie to watch with friends for the first time, especially for the fact that you will be quoting lines with them randomly for quite a while. I have seen it over 30 times, and I still laugh. This is Adam Sandler at his very best. Great random characters, such as the "Jackass" man, the homeless guy, and very best, Bob Barker! To tell you the truth,"It'll make you laugh until you hyperventilate". There's not only great vocal humor, but the visuals and especially the body language coming from the actors is classic. To me, there is not a better comedy.
Well, let's see. It felt like a rip off of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Only, its on tbs, so its less vulgar. I heard ads for the premiere all day today on the radio, so I figured I'd give it a chance. All the ads said "its so offensive, it has to be a late night show" or something like that. Maybe the future episodes will be different but the first one was TVPG. If it was a good rip off of It's Always Sunny, then I would have been cracking up the entire time, but alas, it was just a cheap knock off. The meat guy was pretty funny though. I could see this show catching on if it weren't on tbs, but either way, it's not my style.
While I appreciate the possibility of a zombie film from the zombies' perspective, this is not a skillful execution of that good idea. This is a remarkably anti-female movie. From the opening of a man shooting his girlfriend twice to the continued use of "faggot," "bitch," and other ridiculously disempowering words, this is a piece of garbage. The female characters are either weak (the woman who won't let go of the boyfriend who shot and killed her, then continues to hunt and hurt her after she's dead) or absurdly strong (the character that refers to men needing to grow a pair, prove their manliness by killing, etc). There is much to much gender normative and heterosexism in this movie for it to be any good. The main take aways from this movie are that 1.females are weak. 2. men can and should rule females. 3. women are universally cruel or weak.Terrible.
YOSSI & JAGGER (Yossi VeJager) Aspect ratio: 1.37:1Sound format: StereoOriginally produced for Israeli television but screened theatrically in Tel Aviv to great success before opening nationally to even greater commercial and critical acclaim, this engaging drama from director Eytan Fox has been hailed in some quarters as one of the best gay movies ever made. Running a mere 65 minutes, the film divides its time equally between a platoon of soldiers operating on the Israeli-Lebanese border, and the two men at the center of a clandestine relationship.Yossi (Ohad Knoller) is a brooding commander who feels constrained by his role as a macho authority figure to conceal his sexuality from the conscripts under his command, while Jagger (Yehuda Levi, a popular Israeli heartthrob whose career was kickstarted by an appearance in the TV soap opera "Cheers for Love" in 2001) is one of his subordinates, a carefree guy who wants them to declare their love publicly by retiring from the Army and setting up house together. There's a now-famous scene, early in the movie, when Yossi and Jagger make love in the snow (don't get excited - all you see are some lingering kisses and the aftermath, in which the two characters are entirely at ease with one another, free from the restraints imposed by Army discipline), but their romance takes up a surprisingly small amount of the movie's running time, which appears to have been curtailed for reasons of length (there's a number of images doing the rounds from scenes which were apparently shot but didn't make it to the final print). Based on a true story, the film is warm-hearted but inconsequential, with some annoyingly jerky hand-held camera movements, and the climactic scenes are a little too restrained to be entirely successful (though Knoller, in particular, gives a truly remarkable performance in the aftermath of a devastating plot development). There's still much to admire, and any reservations are dispelled by the central romance, depicted with disarming frankness and performed with relish by Knoller and Levi. Highly recommended.(Hebrew dialogue)
I didn't even know that Freakazoid existed until I looked at YouTube. I watched a couple episodes of it and I thought it was one of the funniest shows ever made. I couldn't stop laughing at the completely random humor and satire scattered throughout. It was a bit closer in tone to shows like The Simpsons or Rocky and Bullwinkle. Freakazoid acted less like a real superhero and more like, well a cartoon character. There were also other funny segments like Lord Bravery, Fatman and Boy Blubber, The Huntsman, etc., It was basically one of those shows where story didn't really matter and it was just there to make you laugh. It is such a shame that this brilliantly hilarious show only lasted two seasons. This is my fourth favorite cartoon, right after The Simpsons, Futurama, and Pinky & The Brain.
VIVA is so good that most will likely mistake it for an actual example of the stereotypical 70's genre sexploitation flick it so perfectly mimics. Nothing could be further from the truth. The real thing never looked so beautiful, or was so meticulously composed, or lovingly rendered. Daring, quirky, personal, utterly unique, the film transcends and surpasses the works it pretends to send up. Anna Biller's new and original voice, and incredible artistry make this an unforgettable feature length debut. If you can look past the blue eye shadow and filmy vintage negligees, you may discern a genuine aesthetic master. An amazing technical achievement, like watching a feminine Guy Madden photographing herself for a vintage centerfold pictorial. Neither period exploitation nor modern commercial multiplex filler, this film will no doubt baffle many, possibly most casual viewers.
This movie starts off quite interesting. A young woman (Demi Moore) starts to confess to the police, that she was a witness to a murder, which was committed by her best friend (Glenn Headly). So far, so good. But then it takes her about 95 percent of the playing time of the movie to explain what happened. All that time you keep on thinking to yourself: 'Why the hell did she do all the things, she's telling us she did ?'. And finally, because the film had to have an ending I guess, they give us the solution to the 'mysterie'. Most of us probably knew it would end like this 90 minutes earlier, but hoped the script would be more surprising. No, also the cast isn't very believable, except maybe for the policewoman, who knew all along how it would end, and wisely didn't talk.
This first movie about the X MEN is my favorite of all the trilogy, and the only one I was really excited to watch and I really liked of them all. There is not a better Wolverine then Hugh Jackman, and I cannot imagine Dougray Scott , who was the first choice to play Logan, in Hugh's place. Patrick Stewart and James Marsden have both a big resemblance with the characters they play as well.After watching all the X men movies, only now I noticed that Halle Berry was using an accent to play Storm in this first movie. It's a sad thing that so many famous mutants in the comics, like Jubilee, Shadowcat, Colossus; Iceman and Pyro only have a small participation in it. Another sad thing is to see Rogue as a frightened kid,instead of the sexy and strong woman she is in the comics. Instead of Gambit, Rogue's true romantic partner in the comics, in this movie she has a interest in Wolverine.The movie was directed by Bryan Singer and explores the ideas of prejudice and discrimination in the world, specially United States.
Marisa and Regina turn is great performances and the the writing itself makes this movie a winner. I was also impressed with Arials direction. This movie is more of a Psycho thriller then a Hooror movie and I cant wait to see what Blue Omega has lined up in the future.I would recommend this movie to anyone You will not be disappointed as it is a very good production and overall I give this Movie a 10 considering the budget was not that much and to pull off a masterpiece like this show you what good writing and directing can do for a film like this.I cant say enough about how wild and mind teasing it truly is. I have already bought copies for all my family and friends.
This is one of the craziest and most entertaining episodes ever on CSI.Sometimes the Las Vegas CSI show is bent more on humor than it is drama and crime-solving. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't. It dd here, big-time, in the case of an ex-boxer found dead in a pool at a brothel somewhere outside Las Vegas. Man, this guy was hard to kill! How he's killed turns out to be an outrageous series of events. I'll say one thing for the victim: he was one tough dude!Meanwhile, every time "Lt. Brass" thinks he's solved the case, "Doc Robbins" has bad news for him. "Doc" keeps finding out new ways the boxer became a corpse. The autopsy keeps changing and it gets very comical. Robert David Hall ("Doc") is always good as the medical examiner. I don't know how much "fame" he gets from this role, but it's not enough. He's really fascinating, every time he's on screen.Another guy is just tremendous in this particular show (and all of them are, for that matter) is Paul Guilfoyle as the above-mentioned "Brass." I'm telling you, Guilfoyle and Hall proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are great comedic actors, not just actors in general. These guys had me laughing out loud several times each during this episode.As for the guest stars, Peter Stormare, who has slowly blossomed into a film star after his role in "Fargo," is entertaining, as always. In this story, he's "Binky Babinkian." Wendy Makkena is equally entertaining as Binky's wife "Doris." It's hard to imagine she was once "Sister Mary Robert" in "Sister Act." She was cute then, and she's still a very pretty woman.....and a good actress. She and Stormare are hilarious in this episode.All the characters over-the-top and fun to watch. You can add Vince Lieluf as "Connor Foster," the goofy bartender, to that group. It also was great to see James Whitmore again. He plays "Milton." I can't believe the 87-year-old still is acting. Good for him. There is a wonderful scene with he and Jorja Fox ("Sara Sidle") reciting Longfellow. I see by his resume here that he hadn't acted for four years until this little part, and hasn't acted since. It was a pleasure to see him on screen again.
We waited five years for this?! It's kind of annoying that people are running around claiming that if you didn't like this fourth (discounting the unfinished SLEEPAWAY CAMP IV: THE SURVIVOR) installment in the series you're not a real fan of "Sleepaway Camp." Wrong! I really like the first three. Sure, they're just stupid/cheesy 80s slasher flicks, but there's something really fun and entertaining about them. I liked both the more straight-forward, gritty slasher feel of the original film, as well as the comic splatter of the second and third films. Both Felissa Rose (as the shy, confused teen) and Pamela Springsteen (as the one-liner-spouting 'moral' killer she'd eventually transform into) were both great fun in the Angela role and helped make the first three films very enjoyable. RETURN, however, is anything but fun. Well, unless you're a not-so-bright 10-year-old who snickers any time someone uses the "f" word.Also, series fans can't help but feel short-changed by the fact that Angela (who IS the series if you ask me) is on-screen for such a short amount of time. It's like going to watch a NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET movie where Freddy makes a 5-minute cameo at the very end. Even worse, the majority of Angela's scenes have her dressed in this incredibly lame and obvious cop disguise with a horrible-looking fake schnoz. Her voice is also electronically altered. It never really feels like Angela is a big part of the film. In fact, disguise or not, she's not a big part of the film at all. By the way, if you didn't know that was her in the policeman get-up, sorry but you're every bit as retarded as the characters who populate this film. Jonathan Tiersten (as Angela's brother Ricky) and Paul De Angelo (as head counselor Ronnie) get to reprise their roles from the original here, as well. Joining them are guest stars Vincent Pastore (of "The Sopranos") and the late Isaac Hayes. Unfortunately, none of these people are given much - if anything - of interest to do in this film. These kind of movies need some kind of reprieve from all the constant screeching, insulting and nastiness, or else they become shrill, dull and monotonous. This movie had absolutely no balance whatsoever because the one person we're supposed to feel sorry for ("Alan") is such an obnoxious and hateful tool himself. In fact, every single character with a decent amount of screen time was an irritating moron. In the original, the action centered around Angela, who was shy, sweet and seemingly innocent. In the second and third, we had Molly and Marcia as heroines, and they were both nice gals. Even the Angela of the sequels - psycho as she may be - was polite and mannered. Of course, many of the supporting characters in these films were jerks who got what they had coming to them, but the earlier movies were somewhat grounded by having at least a couple of normal and somewhat sympathetic people in lead roles. In this one the action is all centered around a repulsive, loud-mouthed, vulgar, completely annoying slob who is every bit as much a bully as the people we're supposed to want to die. In fact, I wanted him to die more than anyone else in the film! Sadly, my wishes were never realized. Instead I was subjected to an hour and a half of headache-inducing screaming and overacting, with humorless profanities spilling from the mouths of uninteresting people who didn't die soon enough for my tastes. I gave this movie 3 out of 10, and that's because a few of the murder scenes were somewhat creative. That's all this has going for it. I have no doubt that this will go down in history as one of the worst slasher sequels ever made. Now it's clear why it took five years to finally get this out on DVD.
Please understand that my score of 7 is based on when it was made. Had this film appeared just a few years later, I would not have been as charitable. It's just that for an early silent is IS pretty good.There were several reviews that complained about the sound, but actually compared to so many films from 1929, this was was excellent and the acting was actually pretty good. First, you could actually hear them talking without much straining--and this CAN'T be said of films like COQUETTE (also 1929). Second, while there isn't the incidental music, this is true of just about every film in 1929. Also, while a few of the actors were dreadful (particularly "the champ"), the film was far less static than most of the early sound era. The characters in some films made at that time stood almost wood-like and shouted up towards the microphones--this one never is that bad. Had you not known how bad most 1929 and even 1930 films were, then I could see you complaining about the sound. Believe me, though, the sound in this is excellent.As for the film itself, many will find themselves laughing at the plot--after all, just about every boxing film cliché is present. However, please understand that most of the films featuring these clichés borrowed them from NIGHT PARADE. When it appeared in 1929, the clichés weren't yet clichés and this style of sports film was the rage. Today, though, it will seem pretty old fashioned and predictable.If I would rate this film for historical purposes, it deserves an 8. If I write it for watchability today, then it probably deserves a 5. While predictable, there still was some charm and I liked the locker room fight scene with Pops. However, I will admit that as a true cinephile and lover of silents and early talkies, I am a bit biased and tend to overlook many of the problems with these transitional films. To see more technically competent films, you really won't see too many until 1931 or 1932. Heck, in Europe and Japan they were STILL making silents until the early to mid-30s.
In order to enjoy this movie, you must have a very "out of the box" viewpoint. You also need to know something of Mexico's culture, and be able to understand it. If you've never been further than 10 miles from your home and went to the same school for twelve years, you will not like or understand this movie. I have lived in Mexico for two years, and I understood and loved the movie. This movie is in no way prejudice, as it is a COMEDY, and it is for the use of entertaining more than persuading. I also think that one needs to be accepting of the movie, and wanting to give it a chance before they will like it. This is why I enjoyed this movie.
Creators Seth Green (Austin Powers, Family Guy, Idle Hands) and Matt Senreich bring you priceless comedy and social commentary in the form of stop-motion animation. Green uses his extensive knowledge of all things pop culture to create spoofs of everything from Star Wars to Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. The majority of characters are shown as familiar action figures (everything from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Transformers, and even Voltron). Fans of classic 80's shows such as G.I. Joe or He-Man will find their favourite characters once again return to life with new demented and funny attitudes. Those providing voices include: Seth MacFarline, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini, Breckin Meyer and more!
I rate this highly 'cos of the performances of Thurman and Lewis. They were absolutely outstanding. I take on board the comments about the dodgy accents, music, anachronistic details, but they don't matter to 99% of the people who watch. The characterisations were great! Even if they didn't leave you precisely where intended, they were consistent and you could buy into them.I really like the comment here to the effect that the film would have some merit if the characters achieved even a hint of self-awareness by the end of the film. This is an important point, and I would agree whole-heartedly if the film had a different title. The title is all that's needed to give this film perspective, to place it specifically and allow it to be what it is without reference to the frame that gives it meaning.
Apparently "Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday" was intended to be the last film of the series, which it is, if you don't count 2003's "Freddy Vs. Jason" as Friday film. This movie starts out with a beautiful young woman in a cabin in the middle of the woods one night (wow, original). She is chased through the woods (wrapped in a bath towel) by Jason, who is then blown up by a mob of FBI swat men into complete smithereens. After his remains are taken to a biology lab, the psycho maniac seems to live on through his heart... and he begins to take over other human's bodies. So, he begins his psychotic slaughter rampage through out the Crystal Lake area, in the body of the coroner who was in charge of his remains, slashing and hacking up teens and others who (unfortunately) happen to cross his path.I enjoyed this film alright, but the whole concept of it was a little far-fetched for me. The whole idea of Jason's 'soul' living on in another body completely threw this out of what one would expect in a "Friday the 13th" installment. Aside from this kooky idea, the film has some neat visual effects and is loaded with a heavy amount of gore. Just rent the unrated DVD and you'll see just how bloody this thing is. Along with the gore there is the typical premarital sex between some dumb teens, who ultimately get hacked to death (quite brutally I might add) by Jason one evening. The movie is enjoyable, fun horror if you don't take it seriously. But when it comes down to it, the removal of Jason's body (I suppose that's how you'd say it), this movie is yanked out of the series and doesn't seem to fit very well with the rest (much like "Jason X"). And the weird ending featuring Freddy Krueger's hand (which is now explained by "Freddy Vs. Jason") was a little far out there.Overall, if you're a fan of the series, you'll want to see this I'm sure. While it may not be very good, there is plenty of gore to offer and a few nice touches. But more than likely fans of this series will be disappointed with this movie. 4/10.
I saw this movie years ago and then watched it again the other evening. I really enjoyed it. A fun comedy with Streisand and Seagal a great team. She actually looked pretty for once in her life. Her figure was lovely and the one reviewer on this board who said she was fleshy should rethink his or her terminology. She looked fine. They are a mismatched pair who become a match by the film's end. She plays a hooker with theatrical ambitions and he wants to be a writer. They both have facades and veneers that melt by the movie's end. Very enjoyable and I also liked the character of Eleanor, her look was right out of the 1970's. Audiences will enjoy the wardrobe Barbra wears and she displays a marvelous talent for comedy. I was amazed at how pretty and sweet she appeared in some scenes. A fun movie. I recommend it.
Having spent some time in Russia from 1973 to 1995, I was relieved to find that the details of the everyday life in the Soviet Union presented in the film mostly counteracted the stereotypic quality of the harsh interrogator. I found the scenes of the interaction among the inhabitants living in the communal apartment to ring the truest. The ability of the Russians to suffer and celebrate at the kitchen table also seemed humanly authentic and prepared me to accept the Dr. Zhivago story line. I found myself questioning if I or my wife would give up the comfortable life the family had found at the end for the freedom of one of us separating.
I found this version of the movie inane. Even though the whole tragic mulatto concept is quite ridiculous, I find the 1959 version a much easier one to take. Whenever there has been a movie about a black person "passing" for white to enjoy a better life, the character is punished for being duplicitous. How primitive.
I can't help but think that Vxf111 is either joking, or (unfortunately) did not know who Sun Ra was before viewing the film. Yes, the film was certainly produced with a low budget, and it might not be of much interest to those who aren't fans of, or at least interested in, Sun Ra.Sun Ra maintained that he was from Saturn, although historical documents note that he was born Herman Blount (or Poole) in Birmingham, AL. Sun Ra was a first-rate pianist, arranger, and composer, and worked with Fletcher Henderson's orchestra. He formed his own big band, the Arkestra, during the 1950s in Chicago. This ensemble was completely unlike any other big band, as it incorporated elements of Egyptian mythology, science fiction, and other exotica and esoterica (those familiar with Earth, Wind, and Fire and Parliament-Funkadelic should take note). Sun Ra was also an early proponent of electronic instruments in jazz.The film "Space Is The Place" is part science fiction and part musical documentary. A comparison could also be made to the "blaxploitation" films of the 1970s. The story centers around Sun Ra's return to Earth after an extended absence, and focuses on his concern for the fate of humanity and African-Americans in particular. All of this is infused with his mythological outlook. This certainly makes Sun Ra an "interesting character" but he was very serious about what he did and what he said. If any of this makes you the least bit curious about Sun Ra then I would recommend the film, which is available on videocassette.
Someone else - who apparently didn't stay to the end of the film - has utterly slated "Almost an Angel". I, on the other hand, saw it to the end, and loved it. Terry Dean (Paul Hogan) is a small-time crook and electronics wizard who, as soon as he's let out of prison, proceeds to plan a bank robbery. But the best-laid plans... In this case, he gets beaten to it by an armed gang. And Terry takes a bullet for a child.In hospital, an experience convinces him that he has become an angel. On probation. (The viewer is left guessing until close to the very end whether it was merely a delirious near-death experience, or whether it was more.) Charlton Heston makes an excellent God-figure: and probation is a term that Terry understands.So, believing that he's an angel on probation, Terry is sent back to make a difference... and has to work out what sort of things "The Boss" approves of... Robbery? Maybe not. But what about robbery to feed the poor and hungry?We follow Terry as he learns - at times hilariously, at times deeply touchingly - to fulfil the terms of his probation... This is a tale about redemption - not merely Terry's, but those people with whom he becomes involved. It's a story about death, but most importantly, about life. It's the story about a man's relationship with "the Boss", and what faith is about. The film contains action, comedy, cops and robbers, tragedy and victory... No, it probably doesn't rank as One Of Ye Greatest Films In History. But it is a funny, touching, heart-warming, beautiful film, and I only wish that it were available somewhere on DVD. For personal preference... I score it a 10 out 10. And am keeping my fingers crossed that SOMEONE will decide to release it on DVD! Please, pretty please!?
sniff, sniff...what's that you smell? oh, look. it's a steaming pile of frightmare. this painfully inadequate attempt of a movie is truly terrible. usually, if a movie is really really awful...as bad as "ax 'em" (2002) per say, then i find something redeeming about the fact that it is absurdly lacking any quality that might suggest an iota of professionalism. however, unlike those gems, frightmare had a budget of more that 50 dollars. it has the quality of any made for tv movie (lights, a decent camera, etc), however the acting made me want to poke out my eyes in an oedipal act of anguish. and maybe the fact that it follows the plot to 'scream' so predictably, yet attempts to come off seriously, was what really got under my skin. it simply shouts mediocre louder than any movie i have ever seen.
Is it just me, or does this seem like a bad takeoff of Indiana Jones to anyone else? Exploring jungles..... looking for treasure..... near-death experiences..... sound familiar to anyone else? I just thought this was a cheesy, idiotic movie. At first, I thought it might be interesting, but after the rather hard-to-follow introduction, it just kept going down in my view. I find Indiana Jones much more satisfactory movies. They're easy to understand, have action that is a bit more believable (I said a bit more, not totally!!), and better actors. But then I may be a bit biased as I was forced to view this movie, I didn't watch it by choice. Just my views!!
For anyone who has ever been truly, painfully lonely and done really stupid things under the influence of alcohol just to gain a little affection and affirmation, this movie will be like looking in the mirror. I winced when Uma's character literally flung herself at a guy who is, like a recent book popular dating book says, is just not that into her. The pain on Uma's character's face is just too much to take sometimes. I've watched this film twice and even though the I knew what was going to happen, seeing it a second time was just as heart-wrenching and touching. Kudos to all the actors, especially Uma Thurman and Gena Rowlands. PLEASE see every Gena Rowlands movie ever made - you won't be disappointed. She is one of the finest actors of our time.
This portrayal of the oppression and discrimination that existed in Bosnia-Herz... is eye opening. Not only was the lead hated and oppressed because he was Muslim, but also he was further despised because he was gay. I would rate this movie even more important than America's Brokeback Mountain. I am openly stating that this is the best movie I have ever seen at Toronto's InsideOut Film Festival throughout it's 16 year run. Congratulations to this film's creators. You had me riveted to the screen from the moment the film opened. I am waiting to find out where I can purchase this movie on DVD to add it to my personal library.
Certain topics – in this case pedophilia – are very tricky when it comes to an adaptation on screen: it's very easy to go over the top and make something purely shocking; that's probably the biggest challenge, simply trying to portray the story without annihilating the audience. There are a few good examples of this, perhaps the "safe" ones: Brockeback Mountain, Philadelphia or Crash, seem to have found a balance between the delicacy of the topics and the need to take it to the audience in an effective, powerful, way.In Mysterious skin we're pushed deep into the lives of Neil (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Brian (Brady Corbet), two young men with a common background, although they don't know it. Neil is the great character of the picture, partly because it is he that goes on the strangest and more dangerous journey, or simply because of Levitt's performance: his strangeness in every aspect of life, without ever being numb or absent; the way he wears his clothes and his body, always hitching and always agitated; simply the look on his face, smart but lost. Throughout the movie we see the endless encounters that Neil has, going deeper in each one,and continuously loosing himself. It comes to a point where death seems to be near by.Maybe it's just a little over the top. Maybe there was no other way. I remember that - in quite a childish way - creeping back from the theater, towards ordinary life, seemed a relief: not having to deal with that weigh anymore, feeling slightly sick or oppressed by life, finally done with that journey under the skin
Just saw this "classic" on AMC and even though it's very hard to make me laugh, there are 2 EXTREMELY funny lines (won't spoil them for you) regarding things that are written in letters penned by the Carole Lombard character. I laughed out loud. After the movie was over I was still "playing" these lines in my head and laughing.That kind of humor is rare for a movie that's 60 years old-- I haven't seen/heard these jokes duplicated in a movie since.Definitely worth seeing. 7 out of 10.
In a scene that can only be described as a piece of virtuoistic movie-making: the past, present, and future of a vanquished people are conjured up by visual means with one unbroken pass of the camera. Late in the night, Don Plutarco(Angel Tavira) answers his grandson's question about returning home with a story that spans the breadth of time. It's a campfire tale not meant for roasting marshmallows; a homespun creation myth rendered by the elder which coincides with the sudden departure of the grandfather as the scene's focal point, when the camera tilts down, then passes slowly across an expanse of fire and grassland. Moving to the right, moving away from the human subjects, the distance between the disembodied voice and its physical source creates a spatial chasm that denotes fluid time, as the grandfather narrates about an epoch in the future which he might not live to see. The old man's expiration is represented by a tree, as the camera's ongoing verticality then turns towards the heavens, at the moon, which transforms Don Plutarco into a memory, a voice-over. From deep space, what transpires around the campfire(the smoke billowing off the ground has a prehistoric look) is the past, after all.Near the end of "El Violin", Don Plutarco tells the captain(Dagoberto Gama), "The music is over," and closes his violin case, at gunpoint. As he makes eye-contact with the captured resistance fighters(his son included) being escorted by force into a holding cell, the violinist realizes that he had become a collaborator for the enemy against his own volition. Earlier in the film, the Hidalgo men(Plutarco and Cenaro, played by Gerardo Taracena) perform as a guitar and violin combo to disinterested locals who ignore the third Hidalgo, Don Plutarco's grandson, in his approachment for spare change. Although the violinist helps the resistance in an auxiliary capacity, he's a performer first, who succumbs to the lure of a captive audience, as in the scene when the old man puts on an outdoor recital for the laxing soldiers. Even worse, Plutarco is delighted by the captain's purported love for music, perhaps reminding him of his own son, as both blood relative and blood-shedder both use wartime as an excuse to pursue this exalted abstract language of melodious sound. For awhile, the violinist forgets his agenda, and smiles, in the midst of their affable exchange. The two men clearly enjoy each other's company. The captain never suspects that Don Plutarco has political ties to the local militia.But lest the grandfather forget, the captain puts on his helmet before he takes leave, rupturing this temporality of common ground, propagated by the universal human need for art. With his military regalia completed by the finishing headgear, Don Plutarco's friend has the look of institutionalized murder, but he grants the old man permission to check on his crops; the cornstalk fortress that holds a secret stash of ammunition. To make room for the bullets, the old man removes his violin and lays it to rest in the pinebox crate. It's a fitting gesture, this burial, since the violin, once symbolizing the music of the tyrannized, now epitomizes the music of collusion. Don Plutarco realizes this, after the vanishing act in the cornfield(on his return trip to retrieve the violin), when the captain emerges from the compound with his stolen instrument in the autocrat's clutches. Through no fault of his own, the intelligence he acquired about the military's propsed ambush on the resistance fighters had arrived too late, but in spite of his innocence, Don Plutarco feels the weight of perceived traitorship bearing down on him, as his son and brothers-in-arms file past the disgraced musician. That's because his innocence has an egregious technicality; he had fiddled for the enemy, and liked it.
I was a bit disappointed in this movie, I guess my expectations had been built up a bit by what I'd heard and read about this film. It is a clever, well produced movie - no question. However, it is also quite slow, and has no real resolution. In the end, all I can say is that it feels like a waste - of a clever idea, of good writing, of a very talented cast - because nothing really happened. Worth a watch but not worth the 7.8 or so it's currently rated at. My vote: 7/10
Much better than I expected, especially for the paltry $500K it was suppose to cost.Compared to other movies without big dollars or big names, it was much better than those were.But the content was what I really enjoyed. I loved how they treated the subject. Neale Donald Walsch was surprisingly very good as the lead actor!The direction kept the movie fast paced and all of the plot elements were covered by the end. some of my friends wanted it to go on.I would have liked to have a bit more background on the Indigo children too.
Where to begin? When I first heard of Narnia I thought that it was an old movie that in a few weeks was going to be released on TV. That was probably on July, and some months later I thought that my theory was right, I mean, even I went to a store and saw like a DVD of Narnia (probably the novels or how they made the movie). When I went to see "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" I saw a poster of the Chronicles of Narnia, that it was going to be released on December 9.I like movies of witches, legends, imagination, adapted on novels, or like that. I expected much of this movie, I mean, the special effects of the commercials seemed great, it was like a war between the good guys vs. the bad guys, and after all I was right.Soon I saw the movie (don't ask how), and for my surprise I loved it, the characters had great acting skills, the story was freakin' great, I couldn't move from my seat, I had to see all the movie, the characters are amazing, man, you gotta see the movie if you want to understand me... GREAT MOVIE.
One minute in, I knew I was watching something wonderful. The scenes of the characters in phone booths lets us know immediately who they are and what they're about. We know Lionel Barrymore's dying; John Barrymore's up to something. Phone booths are supposed to be private, but we're allowed to eavesdrop on people's intimate conversations - it's thrilling, a great way to kick-start a film. By the time we entered the lobby, with that wonderful three and a half minute (I timed it!) elevated shot of everything that's going on, with the characters wandering in and out of the frame, hanging in the background, I was helplessly lost in the action. I literally said to myself: "this is great". A big goofy smile on my face, I watched the film get better and better.Every single performance, with the possible exception of Garbo, is flawless. A far cry from my opinion of him in Dinner At Eight, I thought Beery was very good, delivering a blustering, dominant performance, but sad, almost child-like, at times.Crawford (the first film of hers I've seen) was, at least to me, a revelation. I can't shake the image of her with that Baby Jane look, and I was surprised at how beautiful she was here. Her scheming is so subtle I hardly noticed it until the very end. Then I replayed her scenes in my mind and everything fit into place. Was she always this sassy? Garbo was possibly the weakest link. She was impressive, don't get me wrong, but there's something dated about her acting, something that just didn't sit right. I don't know, maybe she's too iconic. When she didn't have Barrymore to act with I felt she was lacking something.John Barrymore was excellent. I simply cannot fault anything this man does. He's now sharing my favourite actor spot with Brando.But Lionel Barrymore stole it. His turn as the dying, socially awkward geek living life for the first time is one of the best performances I've ever seen. Absolutely tragic. The scene immediately before he dances with Crawford made me cry. The guy was heart-breaking. From his mumbling complaints at the front desk, just trying to be heard, to his desperate search for his pocketbook, while the thief wrestles with his conscience, to his confrontation with Beery, he was note-perfect. His gesticulations, the movement of his eyes, the strained look on his face, everything screamed sadness, desperation, and dignity.The music was perfect. It seemed to almost never stop. Waltzes echoing the way the characters danced around each other, whether it's to steal pearls, bed stenographers, coax insecure ballerinas, or confront tyrannical bosses.The direction was often dizzying: The previously mentioned shot (and there were more than a few others) that seemed to go on forever; the shots looking down on the distant lobby far below, in all its deco glory.Not a frame is wasted. It's one of the very few films I'd be happy to see run an hour longer. It's snappy, fast-paced, glamorous, sexy, sophisticated, funny, and ultimately tragic.
We have seen hundreds of portrayals of the horrors of the Holocaust. This bittersweet romantic piece however, does not revolve around it, but keeps a balance between a sensitively depicted threesome of one beautiful woman, a restaurateur and a pianist-composer and the historical background which influenced it and eventually sealed its fate. The film also creates a rather fictitious legend around how the infamously harrowing hit song Gloomy Sunday conceived and left its mark not only on music history but also on demography.Gloomy Sunday is a very intelligent piece, co-production of Germany and Hungary with the best assets of the two diverse cinematic visionaries combined. It is realistic yet playful, bitter but hope-inducing. A good cast and nicely composed pictures are an extra value. Very well done. Get your handkerchiefs ready. It surely will move you.
The Beach is a good movie but it could have been better. The movie is in two parts, the first being about a quest for paradise and the second one being about the price of paradise. And while the first one is good, it is the second one which makes this movie worth seeing. It was made by the usual Danny Boyle-John Hodge team, but someone is missing: Ewan McGregor. McGregor would have been perfect as Richard, but instead, it is Leonardo DiCaprio who got the role. While DiCaprio is not a bad actor, he is not a good one either. He can't ruin a movie by himself, but he can't make it better. He is okay as Richard, and in the second half of the movie he is even good, but he still lacks charisma. And that lack of charisma is made even more evident in the scenes between him and Robert Carlyle, which gives an awesome performance in a small role. When both actors are on screen, DiCaprio disappears. Virginie Ledoyen was chosen because she is absolutely gorgeous, not because of her acting talent. Her performance as Françoise is barely okay. The rest of the cast is good. Tilda Swinton shows the obsession of her character very well. There is, as in any Boyle movie, an excellent soundtrack which includes such artists as Moby, Blur, The Chemical Brothers, UNKLE, Asian Dub Foundation, Underworld and New Order. Sadly, there is also a song by All Saints(another proof that this is Danny Boyle's most commercial movie yet). The photography is Oscar-worthy. As I said earlier, the second part of the movie is the best one. Also, the love story is not very well done and too predictable. But despite some flaws, this is still an interesting movie. I also believe it is better to have already seen Shallow Grave before seeing this one, as it tackles similar themes shown in a very different way. It is fun to see how Boyle includes them in is most commercial movie yet(and hopefully, ever).77%
This movie is really what the title says it is. At first I thought the title was bad, since it didn't say anything about the film, but in the end I realized it does.If you are looking for a normal story (you know, with a start, an end, a punchline) you are not going to find it in this anime. The animation is coarse, not like the classic Japanese animation, a bit like Tokyo Godfathers, but even more symbolic. So why is this film so great?Because of the feeling. Plot and animation separately don't make this great, but together they do. The moral of it all is that you must live your life to the fullest and enjoy everything life throws at you, since it is all you have. No one else is going to live your life or enjoy what you have.My thoughts are that this story is deeply personal to Robin Nishi and, even if a lot of the symbols in it can be singled out and understood, most of it you are left to guess. An argument for this is the torrent of animation sequences that don't make sense in the beginning of the movie, repeated at the end of the movie and suddenly making sense. I believe that is the greatest innovation of this anime.Bottom line: this is an art film. This time I mean it in a good sense :). Perhaps because it has a positive view on live and it is more accessible. Anyway, if you are ready for its message and are in the mood for a fun carpe diem story, you gotta see this. If you've enjoyed Tokyo Godfathers, then you will also like this movie.
When I saw this film at the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival it sounded like a lark and I knew I'd get to see Kevin smith, the producer, at the screening. I did but th film itself is offensive, poorly written, poorly acted and purely pointless.The film fails on pretty much every level. The main character is a clown yet the actor who plays him has no sense of comedic timing. The film's pacing and plot change gears so often and so poorly watching it is like riding with a student driver first learning on a standard transmission car.The subject matter of the film is far too dark to be treated comedicly. I'm not sure how long the film's rape scene actually is, maybe 10 minutes, but it felt like 30. And that's not even the most disturbing scene in the film. Yet 2 minutes later we are expected to laugh at silly trivial material. It doesn't work.Even the soundtrack is so loud and grating it's physically painful and, at the screening I was at, the director overrode the complaints of audience members demanding it be turned down. That's inexcusable. No film should ever attempt to /physically/ hurt its audience.In the end the film is forced to introduce ridiculous strings of coincidences in order to avoid a realistic response from its main character and allow a forced happy ending. It doesn't work, on any level, ever. The only positive thing I can say about writer/director/actor Bryan Johnson is that he saves the best, most realistic dialogue for the the character he plays himself. His character doesn't seem long he belongs in this movie but, then again, neither did anyone else, neither did I and neither do you.Vulgar is what it claims to be, I give it a 1 out 10 and I think I'd rather gauge my own eyes out than see it again.
They don't make 'em like this anymore. Based on Terry Southern's classic novel, CANDY is remarkable film featuring a swinging soundtrack, actors like Richard Burton and Marlon Brando spoofing themselves, and a fast-moving picaresque story that satirizes late 60s America (military, academia, Eastern religion, etc). Criticized upon release for lack of any coherent story, is one of the best films from that era. Advocating sexual freedom and experimentation, Candy is one fun movie with a funny script by Buck Henry and wild visuals, like a glass-bottom limousine and Brando's gurumobile. A must-see!****
... of movies like Predator, Alien, Jurassic Park, Rambo, Indiana Jones, etc ... ... and of bad script, terrible lines, lame acting, rubber ducks and aliens from "Alien", bad actors, stupid situations, idiotic characters and other stuff in the same category.oh and how the hell can you extract dna from goddamn BONES?? let's clone dinosaurs, shall we?and what IS that thing anyway? is it an alien? "ancient creature" ? I bet those things lived around Caesar or Cleopatra. did they keep them as pets? 'cause I want one then !so... Enjoy !
...but what a disappointment. The acting was superb. The cinematography was gorgeous. The stimulated sex, particularly the gay stuff, quite hot. However, the characters were totally unbelievable as everything was driven by plot line nothing by the characters. Surely to G-d this was not the first time Campbell Scott's character had stepped out on his wife so she must have known something was going on. He would have been clever enough to ensure she never found out. We are led to believe she is naive to the ways of the world and yet knows to how to find and hire a private detective and gather enough information to 'gaslight' another person so cleverly. This compassionate woman suddenly turns into a total freak? And the up and coming ('scuse the pun) screenwriter is supposed to be a man-of-the-world and yet believes his dead lover speaks to him in a computer chat room? The whole thing about the poisonous plants-gee, can you say "foreshadowing"? We rented the DVD and I left the room to do other things about half an hour before the end because I simply could not waste my time any longer.
I saw it in 1969 and will never forget it.The cast was a fine cross section of the best Pommie comedy actors of the period.The sight of Marty Feldman in a nurses uniform with Crossed Bandoliers of syringes was surpassed only by Harry Secombes ode to the Pin Up.Would love to get it on Video - Does anyone know how we can get it onto CD, Video, whatever.
Say what you want about Mel Gibson, but he knows how to make an authentically real statement about the human condition. The movie is about civilization and how smaller is better. There are some rain-forest dwelling American natives, somewhere in America where there are jaguars and monkeys. Then there are some "civilized" natives, with a huge society of nobles, serfs, slaves and sacrificial victims who get their hearts torn out and heads chopped off on top of a pyramid, for the appeasement of their gods and for the sake of controlling and entertaining the "citizens." Our noble small villagers of the forest are ultimately hunted down and enslaved by the more organized, and totally vicious, pyramid builders. This is a story of how one of these villagers deals with the horrific trials that his captors heap upon him. The whole movie is in an ancient native language, subtitled in English, and it lends an air of excruciating authenticity to the happenings. One gets the feeling of being a time traveler, as this 500-year-old world seems so real, with every detail of weaponry, cookware, clothing, jewelry, labor practices, buildings, village characters, and sacrificial ceremonies so obviously researched that it made me feel uncomfortably like I was involved in it all. We are constantly getting the crowd's point of view of all the empire's activities and abuse of its captives and underlings. There is a lot to look at here, from God's beautiful nature to man's nightmarish creations, so it deserves to be seen on a big screen.
**POSSIBLE MINOR PLOT SPOILERS** Superstar Rachel Marron (Whitney Houston) is receiving death threats and fears for her life. She hires a high-priced but excellent bodyguard Frank Farmer (Kevin Costner). They hate each other at first but naturally fall in love. Utterly predictable and a real mess. There are so many things wrong with this movie it's hard to know where to start. First off Costner's haircut is terrible! Seriously, it's so bad you look at it in amazement. I realize he did it because Steve McQueen was originally supposed to be in it--but that's still a stupid reason. The script is just lousy--full of terrible lines and the plot really doesn't make a lot of sense. The romantic sequences between Costner and Houston are so horribly written and acted that it's almost embarrassing. Purportedly Houston and Costner got along during the filming but they don't show any sparks on the screen. The acting doesn't help. Costner plays the movie with a blank expression on his face throughout (but that DOES fit his character). Houston is a very beautiful woman and a fantastic singer--but she can't act. A few times I was actually smirking at her terrible attempts at acting. An overblown overdone mess of a movie. Very dull too.Also if you're seeing this for the music don't bother. Houston sings four songs that all became hits (especially "I Will Always Love You") but you never hear the full versions of the songs in the movie! You might hear the beginning and middle but never the whole thing. Despite all this though audiences in 1992 loved it. It was a huge hit and was nominated for two Academy Awards (for the music). So, use your own judgment. Also Debbie Reynolds turns in a pointless cameo.
If I could rate this movie as a zero I would - but the lowest rating is a 1. This movie looks as if some high school kids broke into their AV department, stole some equipment and decided to make a movie. The DVD boxes these movies are getting displayed with are so much better. I used to look at DVD cases to see if it looked like a cheesy B-movie flick -this one didn't look like a bad one - I was wrong- it was pretty bad.If you are willing to waste an hour and a half of your life, do it watching paint dry instead of this.I just love the name of the production company though - Aeriola productions!
Do not, under any conditions, rent this reeking pile of dog-doo that purports to be a movie.My lady and I thought this disk might make for a steamy evening's diversion. After all, the box describes the movie as being all about passion, love, etc. Well, it was a big disappointment. The film can be summed up as having the rich plot of a soft-core porn film, without any of the sex. That's right. It is a scam. There are very few love scenes. Most of them are brief, and involve the main characters getting into an argument. The plot is dull, and the dialog is totally awful. The acting is about on par for a porn film, too.The only redeeming feature of this film is the fake parrot that appears in one of the dream sequences. A stuffed parrot is lying on its belly in a cage during two scenes. The thing is so fake, we both burst into laughter when the sound track included a parrot squawking. It might have been a dead parrot, but I think it was a doll.
To the people who hate this movie because it presents an unrealistic idea - please. Grow up. It's a movie. Do you hate Dragonball Z because it presents an unrealistic idea of aliens that are human-like in appearance and speak English? Your critiques are pitiful on their face.With that being said, "Indigo" is an entertaining movie with a good script that could have done with a bit more coherence. The direction felt somewhat like the movie was done for fun and not as a piece of art, which is both a good and a bad thing. The acting, while amateurish, actually works for the story that the movie presents. The scenario of the road trip is a comfortable one for movie watchers, and it works here. I think what I liked the best about the movie, though, is that it leads you to believe that it's going to end in a violent way and ends up not doing so. That disappoints a lot of people, but I think it was a perfect way to end the movie. And whether or not you believe in the whole "indigo child" thing, this movie is worth watching. I hope future projects from these filmmakers have tighter writing, though.
I can't believe that there are people out there who don't like this movie!! I've got to say that this is one of my favorite horror movies. I loved it from the first time I saw it. There are pretty good scare scenes, and some gruesome gore. For example, when Tina is cut in half, when Jim gets it in the neck with the fan blade, the blood coming from the faucet...etc. One freaky part is how the clown turns into Tina after she is dead, and comes to Susan. I can assure you that that would scare the hell out of me!!The ending was quite bizarre, and I wish they would have made a sequel, just so we'd know what happened with the doll and it's creepy nursery rhyme. I'm telling you, this movie gave me nightmares after watching it. That rhyme just sends chills up my spine.... This movie rocks.... definitely pick up a copy and watch it. How could anyone say it "shouldn't even be used as toilet paper"..... I guess they just don't appreciate a good cheezy 80's horror movie.
Rated R for Strong Language and Sexual Content.Hot Bubblegum is the third entry in the Isreali Lemon Popsicle series.There are nine films in the entire series.I have seen the first three because they are on youtube.Part of the fourth film is on youtube and the whole film should be up soon.Anyway Hot Bubblegum is not as good as Lemon Popsicle 1 or 2(which was the best one), but it is still a funny 1980's teen sex comedy with a good mix of drama and romance in it.My only problem with this film is Bobby and Benji are always friends even after the events of the first and second film.In those, they always fight and never become friends again, yet in the next sequel, they are best friends as if nothing has happened.Also Nicki from the first film(played by a different actress) returns.Benji and her date and talk as if none of the events of the first film happened.Also in the first film, she seemed like a nice girl, yet in this one she's a b**ch! The film has basically the same story, three friends in the 50's or early 60's keeping up with exams,girlfriends and all the other things that teens go through in high school.If you like teen comedies, then check out the lemon popsicle series.
Television,during the late 1950's and early 1960's,for those who may not remember it,was in shades of gray with the majority of the weekly variety-musical show,and the situation family comedies that come to mind. Along during that decade of early television,the usual mystery-detective/crime drama series was all over the place,but the one thing that dominated television---the TV western,with "Gunsmoke" and "Wagon Train" ruling the ratings charts. During the year of 1959,most of the television shows that were on the airwaves at that time were westerns,with the usual drama or family situation comedy or children's show that was the order of the day.In 1959,two astounding anthology series premiered that would change the face of television. One was "The Twilight Zone",which was hosted and narrated by Rod Serling whom also was responsible for writing some of the episodes. "The Twilight Zone" premiered in September of 1959 on CBS-TV. The other anthology series was the underrated and in its own right successful "One Step Beyond",which came in as a mid-season replacement,premiered on January 20,1959 on ABC-TV. Produced at the same time as "The Twilight Zone"(which was well-known and became very popular),the series "One Step Beyond" was a anthology series that fed the nation's growing interest in paranormal suspense in a different way. Hosted by John Newland,he had a much more stronger screen persona. Since the stories Newland introduced were supposedly true,his understated,scholarly approach was more appropriate,and there was no need for cleverly written lines and sardonic wit. The show really introduced audiences to the supernatural and unexplained phenomenon which was really unheard of for late-1950's TV.The production values on "One Step Beyond" were certainly on par with the average half-hour show of that time,since some of the stories kept the audiences' attention on sheer focus and a superior track record of consistent quality. And since they're were no spaceships,prehistoric monsters,or aliens no lame effects were used here. Created by Merwin Gerard and Produced by Collier Young(whom would later on become one of the producers of "Ironside"),and John Newland,the series ran for three seasons on ABC-TV from January 20,1959 until July 4, 1961 and ran for a half-hour producing 96 episodes,all in classic black and white. Not only did John Newland introduced us to the episode that followed not to mention being a congenial host,the series also employed the talents of performers who invested their material with conviction and authenticity to spare,from long-established character actors to at the time rising stars who were making their mark on their careers,such as: Christopher Lee,George Grizzard,Torin Thatcher,William Shatner, Alfred Ryder,Suzanne Pleshette, Pernell Roberts, Ross Martin, Patrick O'Neal, Elizabeth Montgomery,Edward Binns,Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn,Donald Pleasence,Paul Richards,Dick York,Jack Lord,Louise Fletcher, Barbara Bain,Barbara Eden,Robert Loggia,Claude Akins,and even Warren Beatty. Even Cloris Leachman and Mike Connors and also Peter Graves were guest stars in this series. Writers like Don M. Mankiewicz,along with Charles Beaumont,Larry Marcus and Collier Young.As for "based on actual events" aspect of the series,"based on actual claims" this was a series(one in these days is rarely seen) were based on something that actually or supposedly took place. Whether you believe these actually occurred or were the product of the supernatural or a more reasonable explanation,is beside the point. Best to judge for yourself. That they could happened,or that someone claimed as much,gives the series an extra shudder or chill factor that "Zone" can't duplicate. And just by watching these episodes were always recounted in intriguing and compelling manner. The was a grand series that nevertheless carved out its own niche as the best of the genre from the golden age of late 50's TV. It was a grand series that lasted for more than three seasons,ending on Independence Day of 1961 after more than 96 episodes.
How can a movie be so stupid, so unbelievably stupid, as to have Heather Thomas in a major role, then not give her more screen time??Can you tell I'm a fan of hers?I'm no fan of "Zapped!", though. Everyone's an idiot in this movie, and those who aren't end up looking stupid sooner or later. You see, Baio plays a high school nerd who gets special telepathic powers thanks to this concoction he makes up in chem class. With these powers, he can either make the world a better place by ending war, disease and famine... or just use it to rig ball games, roulette wheels and pop open Heather's blouse. Guess which road he takes?Come on, it's an '80s movie, dude!At least Baio and Aames worked well enough together here to star together in TV's "Charles in Charge" later on. As far as everything else goes: bad special effects, bad script, bad judgment to use old fogies like Baio as high school students, VERY BAD under-use of Heather Thomas. And bad use of Felice Schachter.Who's Felice Schachter?Exactly.Two stars. One for Heather, and an extra one just to give her moral support for this ordeal.It's okay, Heather. we're here for you.
Shrewd, resourceful and formidable old battleaxe Claire Marrable (superbly played to the icy hilt by Geraldine Page) loses both her husband and her affluent lifestyle. Ms. Marrable moves to Arizona, starts a pine tree garden, and begins bumping off her elderly housekeepers for their life savings so she can continue living high on the hog. Ms. Marrable meets her match in her new housekeeper Alice Dimmock (a terrific performance by the wondrous Ruth Gordon), a cheery, smart and resilient little firecracker who suspects that something is amiss. Director Lee H. Katzin and screenwriter Theodore Apstein expertly create a deliciously sinister atmosphere, relate the engrossing story at a steady pace, and top everything off with a wickedly funny sense of pitch-black humor. This movie further benefits from fine acting from an excellent cast: Page really sinks her teeth into her juicy evil old bat role, Gordon projects her usual winningly spunky charm as the endearingly feisty Ms. Dimmock, plus there are sturdy supporting contributions from Rosemary Forsyth as sweet young widow neighbor Harriet Vaughn, Robert Fuller as the dashing Mike Darrah, Mildred Dunnock as the timid Edna Tinsley, Joan Huntington as Ms. Marrable's bitchy niece Julia Lawson, and Peter Brandon as Julia's conniving stockbroker husband George. The very ending offers one doozy of a marvelously ironic surprise plot twist while the arid desert setting adds to the overall creepy tone. Joseph Biroc's lush, vibrant cinematography makes neat occasional elegant use of fades and dissolves. Gerald Fried's moody, shivery, string-laden score likewise hits the spooky spot. Best of all, it's a total treat to watch Page and Gordon bounce off each other as they engage in a deadly game of wit and wills. A hugely enjoyable fright feature.
This was nice, harmless fun for the most part. I got turned off right near the beginning of the film when the alien couple got a motel room and the wife was seen laughing out loud as she read the Bible: a typical Hollywood cheap shot.After that, however, it was fine and had some funny, outrageous scenes. However, I would definitely not call this movie "hilarious" as I had heard it described a number of times. I wouldn't get that carried away. However, it was decidedly entertaining all the way through, never boring and pretty tame profanity-wise. There were a number of sex remarks and innuendos, maybe to make up for the little profanity but by today's standards this was an inoffensive film.It's an hour-and-a-half of goofy humor played by the same people (Dan Achroyd, Jane Curtin, etc.) who made this couple famous on television.
The film's plot, script, and acting are only average, but the film is buoyed by some sizzling chemistry between Jolie and Banderas. Their sex scenes are extremely memorable, so make sure you get an un-edited version (unrated).Banderas plays a wealthy Cuban coffee farmer whose dedication to his trade has thus-far distracted him from the important business of finding a good wife. Using a matchmaker, he agrees to marry a woman from Connecticuit. He has been dishonest, however, in describing himself as a man of only average means. Banderas admits his dishonesty to his new wife (Jolie). However, it soon becomes clear that there is more to her than meets the eye, as well. Soon Banderas becomes so obsessed with Jolie that her lies destroy his entire life. He is well aware of what is happening every step of the way, but he doesn't care.So, this is an interesting movie for a few reasons. As stated above, the sex scenes are among the best ever filmed. It is also novel to see a film about a man who is actually obsessed about his own wife. I personally could identify with Banderas in his willingness to give up everything for woman he knows he cannot trust. Heck, it happens to the best of us.
There are some movies which make you smile and cry at the same time(I didn't cry). This movie is that sort of movie.The movie starts with an old man telling the old legend of Water Horse to a couple. The story relates to a boy, who lives with his mother and sister. The military just takes over their house during the war time, and the family is forced to live with them. This boy finds a small shining stone and brings it to his house and in the morning after the stone was brought, the stone is not there, instead there are pieces of it, and there in that room a small creature is present. This is the Water Horse. The child takes care of it without raising the suspicions of his mother, but the creature grows so huge in so small time that he is forced to drop it back in the ocean.The relationship between the creature and boy is shown well in the movie, covering all the emotional angles with panache. The direction is consistent. Although it may not blow your mind with excitement, it is a calm movie which makes one think of the nature of man. I would recommend it.
When 4 men follow a woman into redskin country to help rescue her husband they find trouble within their own ranks as well as having to face a deadly threat from the savages who claimed the land as their own. Only a fair western but it did carry a good finale as the rescuers fought their way across a ruggedly beautiful Mexican landscape.
A single woman and her 12-year old daughter (whose name is not revealed) lose their jobs when the Taliban shuts down the hospital they work at in Afghanistan. Needing to survive, the woman decides to disguise her daughter as a boy by cutting her hair off, putting her in men's clothing, and calling her Osama. Osama gets a job, but is soon taken away by the Taliban for military training with all the young boys in the village. This is beautifully filmed but extremely painful to watch. Most of the violence is off-screen, but there is still disturbing imagery in this very realistic film. It is incredibly suspenseful watching the lead character go through her days, hoping that her secret isn't found out. The lead actress, who was a panhandler before making this film, gives an exceptional performance and the look of sheer terror and pain never leaves her furrow-browed face. Osama is depressing and bleak, as a movie about the Taliban's violent oppression of women should be. My Rating: 9/10
As I have said previously French films can either be very good or like this one where the director seems more concerned with an esoteric format to produce what is in the end nothing.The film starts with potential but degenerates into a series of angst that the main character is attempting to resolve.This leads to a very disjointed movie where nothing of consequence happens and the viewer is left to employ some form of rational to begin to understand the story line. Experimental cinema has a place but to regard this movie as some form of new wave is a gross misunderstanding. I believe that there is a cult of film making and watching that "like the Emperors new clothes" permeates the industry where begin,middle and end are inconsequential and there more avant Gard they appear the more they are accepted.Techniques are fine but they must be employed within the frame work of a genuine story told in believable format with the enjoyment or compulsion of the watcher paramount.It is fine line between puerile rubbish and this type of film but an attempt to relate to the masters of previous successful productions would lead to far more success than this banal attempt to be modernistic and yet void of real incident.
The Two Mrs. Carrolls is a fine example of a film that could have been better. There are a number of very good elements in this film, but they serve only to highlight the enormous potential that it had and unfortunately didn't quite live up to.It begins as an odd little thriller, with Bogart's subdued, quiet nature made sinister by some frankly stifling atmospheric music. At first it almost seems as though the film follows a non-linear narrative; we find out later that this is not the case. What it is, however, is a complex and twisting little tale that gradually unravels itself until the climax.One problem is that there is an enormous amount of subtlety employed in its unravelling. In fact I would say there is a little too much subtlety, to the point where the details that are supposed to be underplayed to maximise the mystery and suspense do not seem to be underplayed at all, but rather they appear to have simply been ommitted. It's the same as watching a very badly edited film, where all of a sudden we jump to the next sequence in the story, without any explanation of why, or what has gone on in between. The difference is that in this case, the intermittent gaps are in the story rather than the action.The second little problem is with Bogart's character. He's the centre of this story, a mentally disturbed and jealous painter who, it would appear, murdered his first wife (the first Mrs. Carroll) in order to marry the second, played very well by the beautiful Barbara Stanwyck.But we're not really given any insight into his character until very late in the film. At first he appears to be just like your stereotypical artist; insular, unpleasant, cynical. But we know, or at least assume, that he has actual psychotic tendencies underneath that eccentric, but nonetheless ordinary exterior. We don't really see them though until the final twenty minutes of the film, and Bogart doesn't really get a chance to act until that point either. What this makes for is a thrilling and genuinely frightening conclusion to the film, but a rather dull experience for the rest of the time.That said, this film is worth seeing if only for that last twenty minutes. It's very interesting to see Bogart do insane, as it is to see Stanwyck do helpless damsel, after her stirling work as femme fatale in Wilder's Double Indemnity. And, as with so many good conclusions, it wouldn't actually work without the preceding 80 minutes.So all in all it is a film worth seeing. While there are occasional flaws which stop it from being better, they are definitely, although not overwhelmingly, outstripped by the positive elements of this exciting film-noir. **** / *****
My Brilliant Career is a simple and straightforward narrative skillfully told. You will never be required to sit on the edge of your seat, and half a bottle of port would do you nicely. The setting is mostly quaint -- often opulent and petulant -- in outback, and somewhat eccentric, Australia still inside the first one hundred years of white settlement.The story is about a young woman who is the daughter of a struggling rancher and who has a profound passion for the arts. "I'd like to be a pianist", she says with a burst of defiant emotion in a heated confrontation with her contemplative mother. In the end, though, she ends up becoming a writer, and what will torment her is the choice she will have to make.What she has to forfeit is a bright no-nonsense handsome young man. Two years after they had solemnly admitted their feelings for one another, they meet again. At this awkward moment her hands are covered in mud which, like God, stands between her and her lover. "… I've got to do it alone", she whispers to him guiltily. At this critical juncture it becomes manifestly clear that God, after all, is indeed a damnable thing. He alone can grant whatever talents we shall hope to have, and only on His terms we are obliged to direct our will.My Brilliant Career is one rare Australian motion picture that does not place emphasis on the scenery which, Australia being the dazzler that it is, is invariably tempting. Instead the interest is focused unabatedly, and without distraction, on the soul and substance of each and every character. It is this quality and discipline that imbued Gillian Armstrong's piece with the magical touch of durability shamefully scarce in Australian cinematography.
This movie is one of only two movies that I walked out of the theater before it was over (the other being cobra, another Stallone flick go figure). The story was bad the acting horrible I think they even burned the popcorn the night I went to see it. Anyone that liked this movie must have absolutely no taste when it comes to movies
Talking bout this great game bring tears to my eyes. This game and its continuations are so cool, that it freeze to the bones. Great Jokes. Great playibility. Fun. fun. fun. fun... Please, i know its an old game, but play it.
I saw this film at the New York festival last June and was impressed by the intensity of the narrative: with a small cast and a small budget Ms. Sinclair draws the viewer in and never lets you rest as the heroine has her life destroyed and then is thrust in a circumstance where she has to confront the monster who has made her life a living hell. It takes a side trip into ghost story that, while unexpected is right on in keeping it from being just a take on M.D.Game. Her low budget works for her in keeping things tight and paranoid, it never feels cheap, only focused. It is one of the best woman in jeopardy films Ihave ever seen.
I'm not sure why so many people are giving this film such a poor review. I thought the movie was suspenseful and thrilling. I loved Bai Ling and I thought Richard Gere did an excellent job acting in this film. Admittedly he did carry the film "on his shoulders" as another reviewer suggested, but I don't think that takes away from the movie at all. He was, afterall, the lead role.I've seen this movie a dozen or so times and my impression of it has never been bad. Again, I've always found this movie to be quite thrilling. And everyone I've shown it to has felt the same way.Anyway, I thought I should defend the film since so few are giving it its due credit.Check it out, rent it sometime. Maybe you'll see it's not so bad as everyone suggests. I easily rate this an 8/10.
Three likable leads (Susan Saint James, Jane Curtin, and Jessica Lange) are pretty much wasted in gloppy, colorless comedy about suburban housewives--put-upon and desperate!!--scheming to rob a shopping mall of its contest booty. Too few visual gags and a stale script rob this movie of its charm, with the actresses struggling not to look like caustic harpies. Robert Scheerer directs as if he were working for television, with a cramped budget that makes the whole thing look junky. Good supporting cast (Dabney Coleman, Richard Benjamin) is given little to do, and the ingenuity of the women is passed over for dumbed down slapstick and a T&A shot. *1/2 from ****
I have recently watched 'Kisna: The Warrior Poet' at the theater, and i must say these reviews i have read about are seriously garbage. Kisna is a beautiful love story, and is a great film altogether. Sure the acting staff wasn't as strong in the 'name power' of things, but WHO CARES....if u have actors that are not known, it doesn't matter as long as they do well. My advice to all of you that are reading this review after reading all others is to watch the movie, because i loved it, Antonia and Vivek are going places and after this movie you'll know itIt's just plain beautiful, just them looking into each other's eyes is sexy, just the kind of feeling you need in a love story, follow Kisna as he goes in the paths of 'Dharma' and 'Karma'....Though if one thing has failed in this movie it was the late Amresh Puri, his last film was no big phenom acting wise, but Kisna is a film to remember, and hey i didn't even think about falling asleep during the 3 hours it was on, or the songs, it is unforgettable, if you got a girl......take her to see Kisna, i think she'll love you for it ;)!
Like "Cry Havoc" (also made in 1943 but with a small cast and a modest set), this is a film about American Army nurses stranded on Corregidor, Philippines during the horrific time when General MacArthur was ordered to retreat to Australia. Both films are fascinating and moving because they were made during the War, before its outcome was known.The performances of the very large cast of "So Proudly We Hail" are uniformly good -- with the exception of Ms. Goddard, whose mannerisms are annoying. George Reeves gives the performance of his career and even the much-maligned Sonny Tufts turns in a subtle performance.The balance of violence and romance works; and commendable also is the script's restraint coupled with unexpected plot turns and un-clichéd character studies. It's long, yes, and occasionally strives to sound like a documentary, but it is never boring and one of its set-pieces, a patriotic speech made by the chaplain (Walter Abel), still resonates today, during another war.
Let me first say that after watching the pilot I agreed with the first poster; the show was awful, and I was ready to call it quits and free up space on my DVR. However (and fortunately for me), my parents enforced a Three Bite Rule at dinner when I was growing up; I adapted this into the "Three Show Rule" and sat down to the next two episodes of "Flash" with a virtuous, if heavy heart. The good news is that things got better.The show is still not great, but I gave it an 8/10 because it is now doing a good job at being exactly what it should be, a campy romp with clever dialog and just plain fun. We sit down to this show now with pleasure, and even choose it first over other shows like "Heroes" when we want something guaranteed to be light and fun. The acting has gotten better, but it's the writing that's really improved. It's as if the writers, having made it through the obligatory story setup and character introductions, are finally able to have fun with their work. And now, I am too.
Peck's third best movie. The supporting actors did flesh out the tension and struggle. The story line can be easily followed. The decisions made during the movie are predictable, but the realization that it is life and death struggle overwhelms the predictability.
When I first saw this film I was wondering if it would be a spoof of Chaplin's "Gold Rush." However it's totally different. Fields is excellent and the film has a very good moral! ;-) I love the very sad song he sings which doesn't seem to have a rhyme in it.One warning however, for DVD fans. The version I have was on a cheap DVD (along with "The Dentist" and "Golf Specialist"). Apparently, the company did a very bad job of porting the film over to digital because the soundtrack of every film is off by about 2 seconds. So the dialogue & sound effects are very mismatched. There is another company that puts out a DVD which is better quality but apparently while the overall quality is better, the version of "The Dentist" is censored & has cheezy music added in.
Alfred Hitchcock's "Stage Fright" is less well known than his other films of this era (the film was made in 1950). However, it's very entertaining and quite good, starring Marlene Dietrich, Jane Wyman, Michael Wilding, Richard Todd, Alistair Sim and Sybil Thorndike. Set in the atmosphere of London theater, Dietrich plays Charlotte, a stage star whose husband is murdered in their house. She begs her boyfriend Jonathan (Todd) to help her, as she is certain she will be accused. Worse, she had blood on her dress. Jonathan takes the dress and goes to Charlotte's home to get her another one. However, on the way out, the maid sees him. He panics, Charlotte panics, and Jonathan takes off with the aide of a young actress (Wyman) who's in love with him. She takes him to her father's (Sims) boat so he can hide out. She returns to London and finds out that indeed, Jonathan is the prime suspect. She meets a detective on the case named Smith (Wilding), and the two start falling for one another. He doesn't know that Eve is now living a double life -herself and that of Charlotte's dresser Doris in order to get information."Stage Fright" moves quickly, and the characters are wonderful. Dietrich is beautiful in her Dior outfits and as Charlotte, she is completely self-involved, calling "Doris" Elsie and every other name except Doris. She wants her widow's weeds cut lower in the front and plans on attending a garden party right after her husband's funeral. Wyman is very good, though she doesn't use an English accent. As Doris, though, she has a very serviceable Cockney. Michael Wilding is handsome and charming as Detective Smith, and Richard Todd as Jonathan is obsessed as well as frightened. Alistair Sim is hilarious as Eve's father, an excellent portrayal of an eccentric man, and Sybil Thorndike is very funny as Eve's airhead of a mother.Dietrich sings several numbers in her inimitable style, and a very young Pat Hitchcock plays a young actress friend of Eve's. All in all, a good movie. Not Hitchcock's best maybe, but certainly better (as far as I'm concerned) than "I Confess."
Supertrashy giallo with a porno twist? Nope, that makes it sound far too good - it's in no way a giallo, try super-bad and boring action/thriller with sad hardcore scenes and ugly performers... Kind of reminded me of some of Franco's worst 1980s films, but at least they have some kind of spirit and experimentation over them, this is just dull in every way. I can't imagine anyone getting a kick out of this piece of crap, even those who usually likes to explore the lower slums of Cinecitta. Couldn't even sit through the whole thing - avoid by all cost, unless you're a really anal completist who wants to check it off your list. What a sad way for Roberto Mauri to end his career - his not a well known Italian director but I like the other films i've seen from him, a Kommisar X, the trashy fun King of Kong Island, some westerns and adventure films.
This movie is about Manu, a young gay man, who moves to Paris. There he meets Adrien, an older man, also gay. Adrien is in love with Manu, who isn't interested in more than friendship. Adrien is also a good friend of a young woman, Sarah, who's just had a baby, and her husband, Mehdi. Sarah and Mehdi have an open relationship and are allowed to have affairs with others. Mehdi starts an affair with Manu. Like many other French movies, this one is told by a character, in voice-over; Sarah, who is writing Manu's life story. The story is about love in different ways, about being happy with who you are, and about the destroying struggle against AIDS.It is set in the 80's, when the world first heard about the disease. Nobody knew what it was. It's beautifully shown how these characters deal with it when AIDS hits them and the people they love. The movie's never really sad, because the director doesn't have the typical long, sad scenes with slow music and lots of tears; just like life, the movie keeps going.What also moved me in particular is the character of Julie, Manu's sister, played by Julie Depardieu. She doesn't have anyone in the world; no friends, no lover, just nobody, bu she manages life and isn't depressed about it; she's doing what she wants and loves, and that's enough for her. This movie tries to go against common belief in more than one way; you have the woman who doesn't have friends, but is still very happy, you have the woman who doesn't love her baby,... All these things aren't accepted by the public, but I think it's good to show that it can be different.Les Témoins isn't widely marketed, but is certainly worth watching, if you want to see how a not-hollywoodfilm, and a slow, human film can be great. André Techiné also may not ring any bells, but anyone who is interested in French film-making has to see something by him. I certainly recommend it.
I just saw Mind Game on YouTube after AMID in Cartoon Brew recommended it and I've gotta tell you: You have not and most likely will never see anything like it again! Initially seeming to be a tale about Nishi and his unrequited crush on Myon since childhood, this anime goes in all kaleidoscopic directions that leaves you breathless all the while. If you're tired of all the mostly cookie-cutter CGI features that have bombarded features for the past few years, and want something more unique in Japanese animation, Mind Game fits the bill perfectly! All the animation techniques that have ever existed seem to come into play here and the music score will take you on the wildest trip possible! So on that note, seek Mind Game on YouTube or wherever you can find it.
In 2001, this made for TV movie aired on Lifetime (naturally). It stars Harry Hamlin (from Clash of the Titans and LA Law fame) and his real life spouse Lisa Rinna as a couple dealing with sex addiction and how it is destroying the family. Cameron Thomas is a family man who is hiding a big secret- he's obsessed with sex. During the course of the movie, he shamelessly indulges in phone sex, picking up prostitutes and sex with strangers he just met at the airport. Now, in today's society, sex is everywhere. It's on television, it's in the movies, it's in the lyrics to songs. It's very hard to accept or believe that a love for sex is a major problem or a severe disorder. But it is. It's nymphomania and it's not good for you since anything in excess doses is not good for you- whether it's food consumption, drugs, alcohol etc. In the case of Cameron Thomas, he finds that his addiction to sex, pornography, etc, is destroying his marriage and even his life. Perhaps this is Lifetime's way of making a point about married men and sex addiction. It's ultimately more fatal and destructive for a married man to be addicted to sex while he is supporting a family. But I think it can also be argued that single men are in danger too. AIDS, and even if protection is used, the dehumanizing effect of sex, the detachment from any real feelings. The hardest part to watch is how distant the couple is getting. His selfishness, and it is selfish to be a sex addict while being married with kids, is consuming him and further tearing down the ties of family bond. He doesn't spend time with his son, or daughter, and he is neglecting his wife, who, if anything, ought to be the object of his obsession.Harry Hamlin makes a fine performance, getting so deeply into the character that one thinks maybe Harry Hamlin himself knows first hand about the problem. LOL He is married to Lisa Rinna, who plays his wife in the movie, and it was also their idea to present this film to other couples to enlighten them on the subject. They make a fine team, Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin and it's great to know Harry Hamlin is a faithful husband and great dad. Lifetime makes good films, really, but if it gets too over-dramatic its only to prove a point, this time being that sex addiction/nymphomania is just as bad as any major disease of the mind.
I must say that I love taking kids to see movies but majority of the time, the movies are over-wrought with violence and inappropriate behaviours for anyone under the age of 15! But this, Nanny McPhee, made me think differently. Emma Thompson is a wondrously talented woman and she proved it here again (along with Colin Firth, of course!) as she helped the distinctly intelligent yet naive Brown children turn their behaviours to the good. I saw several older ladies cry and many young children cheer throughout this extremely well done movie. Mary Poppins, watch out! This Nanny has got a few up on you! I implore all who are considering taking their child(ren) to this film to do so! It has many values that are lacking in films today. This movie might even make a child rethink his or her attitude towards their nannies! This is a movie we desperately needed! Good Show, Emma!
While the movie is pretty well acted, and the plot a great one, the film is simply too short. The plot runs with three different romances, deals wonderfully with unrequited love, and really shows how difficult it is for some men to deal with their homosexuality (though it seems that it was 'dealt' with just fine in the snow scene. I will never look at a snowball the same way again.) There is simply not enough time to really go into the characters or the plot, and when the movie was finished, I was wanting more. The characters are captivating and at the end of the ambush, when Yossi finally admits his love, I was crying. (Total of 2 tissues for the entire film) I wish there was some sort of prequel, since a sequel is def. out of the picture. Over all, it was well acted, well planned, but the execution could have used some work. I would still recommend it if this type of movie in general is your cup of tea. I especially loved all the Hebrew in it, and thought the subtitles were well done.
"The Unknown" returns to a theme common in many of Lon Chaney's films, that of a man hopelessly in love with a woman he can never have. Alonzo, the armless man is performing in a gypsy circus as a sharpshooter/knife thrower working with the lovely Nanon (Joan Crawford) as his assistant. He is of course in love with her. Rounding out the triangle is circus strong man Malabar (Norman Kerry) who is also in love with Nanon. Nanon it seems cannot bear to have a man's hands touch her (Joan Crawford?). Alonzo is not what he seems to be. It turns out that he is a fugitive on the run and it is revealed that he actually does have arms and has created the armless man to hide a deformity that would identify him as the criminal the police are seeking. And given that Nanon cannot stand for a man to touch her, she repels Malabar's advances and places her trust in Alonzo. Nanon's father, Zanzi (Nick DeRuiz) wants his daughter to stay away from Alonzo and confronts him on the issue one night. Zanzi discovers Alonzo's secret so Alonzo murders him. Alonzo then re-confirms his intention to marry Nanon. Alonzo's trusted friend Cojo (John George) points out to Alonzo that should he marry Nanon, she would surely discover that he has arms on their wedding night. So, Alonzo sure that Nanon will marry him, arranges to have his arms amputated. When Alonzo returns from his ordeal he discovers that Nanon has gotten over her fear of men's hands and now plans to marry Malabar. Alonzo devastated, plots his revenge. Chaney plays an unsympathetic character in this film, so much so that he doesn't evoke the usual audience pity that he had in other films. His scenes as the armless man are outstanding and the things he does with his feet are truly amazing. And he could express so much emotion with just his facial expressions. Crawford was just getting her career into going and went on to a lengthy career spanning over 40 years. Kerry had also appeared with Chaney in both "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1923) and "The Phantom of the Opera" (1925). The running time of the film varies depending on your sources. The version I saw runs about 50 minutes. The Citadel Book, "The Films of Joan Crawford" lists it at 65 minutes. IMDb lists running times of 61 and 49 minutes respectively. Despite the short running time it nevertheless presents a complete and riveting story. I would like to know what was cut out though.
This movie was so dark and creepy. It was perfect and the director was a genius. The scenes in it were so well-thought-out, and the costumes were fantastic. This all including the trueness of the plot. It said everything about what happened in Dracula's life. The Dark Prince is a must-see!
It's really no wonder because the portrayal of America and its culture is so one-sided in this movie. NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) who emigrated to the US many years ago are seen as being shallow and lacking morals, but their behavior is so exagerrated that it makes them hard to believe.America is portayed as a drug-infested (only true if you live in the ghetto) land where strange men constantly approach women on the streets and try to get them to have sex with them, and which permits men to rape their fiancees before they marry. And of course the old movie cliche rears its ugly head here: if you are successful and ambitious you cannot be a moral person.This would all be innocent enough as entertainment were it not for the fact that most people living in India get their information about America through movies such as these, and condemn the US as being immoral without ever having visited there or even met an American. These movies give the appearance of fact, when all they are is a thinly-disguised judgement.To be fair, most Indians don't understand American culture, and fear it even while it is embraced in cities like Bombay. To them, I'm sure it does appear to be a strange world indeed.Oh, and the movie itself? Anything with Shahrukh Khan in it sucks, in my opinion. Amrish Puri is the only one who comes across as having any depth here.
Just like Norm McDonald's last comedy, don't expect anything complex or high-brow. But expect tons of laughs! I was laughing from beginning to end! And Norm is assisted by Dave Chapelle, another one who's talented at his craft. There's no artistic merit to thoroughly discuss. All I have to say is it was funny, and I don't want to give away why it was funny. Just go see it! You won't get "screwed" like some smart-alecky people claim.
Screwed is a hilarious comedy about a chauffeur named Willard who has been working for the same rich woman, Miss. Virgina Crock, for over 15 years. When he over hears a conversation about her firing him, he and his best Rusty friend decide to kidnap Crocks lovable dog for ransom. Things go awry and Crock thinks that Willard is the one who is kidnapped. As Rusty and Willard find out, they decide to up the ransom and try to make Crock pay for her bad deeds while the two friends are being pursued by the police, having to pay a crazy mortician Grover to help them in the plan, and make fake notes and videos with the kidnapper saying he'll kill Willard if he doesn't get his five million! Now this film is great! Norm is perfect as Willard and Chapelle always cracks me up with Rusty's one liners. Great jokes from the whole cast Examples: "Well he seemed a lot more ferocious when he was alive." "Feroucious, he's an old midget!", "Sweet Jesus, we kidnapped a turd.", Rusty always hits a man with a desk lamp when he is scared, Aunt Mable, Grover the mortician, "A pair of cracker jack cuff links and one crappy pie!", etc. Examples over. Now do yourself a favor and go out to get a copy of Screwed. Screwed gets the big 8, not perfect but it is a hilarious romp. You'll love it, I did. Enjoy!
Take the secret agent / James Bond craze of the sixties, mix in some concepts from Sax Rohmer's female Fu Manchu femme fatale and stir in some absurdest twisted revisionism by director Franco - you have the man-hating lesbian Sumuru, or "The 7 Secrets of..." - better known as "The Girl From Rio" in the USA, recalling "That Man From Rio," which has nothing to do with this. Yes, this does take place in Brazil, we must give it that. Sumuru, or Sumitra as she's also referred to, is like an evil version of "Modesty Blaise," played here by actress Eaton with that familiar coy smile which most of us first became acquainted with in "Goldfinger." There are numerous close-up shots of her staring off camera, slowly opening her mouth, probably while watching something unpleasant (however, she is doubled in her key lesbian scene). She controls an entire army of female warriors, colorfully costumed, and rules a city called Femina or something (just outside Rio de Janeiro?). These concepts, which previously appeared in "The Million Eyes of Sumuru," sound terrific, but, despite some intriguing set design & visuals, it follows the same campy atmosphere of, for example, the very dated "Some Girls Do," which came out around the same time and which also featured a female army. At first glance, the sight of all these armed females, usually lined up in a row, catches one's interest, but, after 15 minutes or so, you realize there's nothing else there beyond just setting up the visual.The plot follows what seems like a secret agent, a male, arriving in Brazil with 10 million dollars. He catches the attention of the local crime lord (Sanders, hamming it up as an elderly Bond-type villain), who sends dark-suited thugs in bowler hats to accost him. This sets everything up for a 3-way conflict between the agent, the crime lord and the mysterious Sumuru (the crime lord wants Sumuru's secrets). Sumuru also keeps various prisoners in glass cages - maybe that's one of the secrets. This sounds exciting but there are problems which go beyond just a slow pace; there are many shots which could have used a lot of tightening: one shot of an arriving airplane, for example, stays on the craft as it settles to a near stop, as if this had never been captured on film before. There's a similar approach to a typical sunset, as if there's something unusual about it. The fight scenes are very substandard, as if the filmmakers had to use the first takes. To add some production value, there's a scene of the real Rio carnival about midway through. I'm guessing there were various budget problems, especially evident in the climactic battle, where fake sound effects and smoke cover up a lot of bogus action, such as the lack of even real-looking guns - it calls to mind those times when kids use plastic guns and pretend bullets are being fired, falling over unconvincingly. There are touches of sadism, such as torturing a character to get answers, and female nudity, an early depiction of such after some restrictions were lifted. But, mostly, you'll be rolling your eyes. Hero:3 Villains:5 Femme Fatales:5 Henchmen:4 Fights:3 Stunts/Chases:3 Gadgets:4 Auto:4 Locations:6 Pace:3 overall:4
"Titanic Town" is the real-life story of Bernie McPhelimy, a Belfast mother who was the driving force behind an anti-violence initiative of the 1970's. (The film draws its name from its city of location, where the "Titanic" was built at the Harland & Wolff shipyards.) Bernie is a witness to several military raids within both her neighborhood and her own home. The film shows how her feelings of indignancy are ignited and herself propelled--rather too quickly--into a spiral of Irish politics and intrigue. "Titanic Town" does an excellent job of demonstrating how one's own emotions, the news media and circumstantial events work to transform an ordinary individual into a national controversy. Performances by Julie Walters (as Bernie McPhelimy), newcomer Nuala O'Neill (as her daughter), and Ciaran McMenamin (as an IRA activist) are particularly well done. Strong supporting work is given by Ciaran Hinds, as Bernie's spent and sickly husband. Adeptly directed by Roger Michell ("Notting Hill"), "Titanic Town" may be somewhat dated from a topical standpoint, but its presentation of the Irish conflict in most human of terms makes it a more than worthy watch. It is a brave story, about a brave (if somewhat belligerent) people, which will elicit compassion, sympathy and respect from nearly any viewer.
Luis Buñuel's "The Phantom of Liberty" is definitely a thought-provoking film. His surrealist approach to film questions society's rules and customs. Though the scenes are quite bizarre, they still manage to feel "right." The way in which they question the social order of things is like a visual manifestation and elaboration of questions I have asked myself. The contradictions Buñuel proudly exhibits are fabulous. People have been brought up to think a certain way and expect certain things, and Buñuel's humorous defiance of our expectations makes one think about where our expectations come from, and how legitimate they really are. And yet, everything is done with a lot of fun. "The Phantom of Liberty" is like a philosophical discussion about life and individuality and independence of thought made into a movie. I really liked it because it truly made me think about why I am the way I am. It's a good movie to see. I definitely recommend it.
I love this film... you can't not do if you like any of Adam Sandler's. This film has a great cast who all play off each other brilliantly, especially Chris McDonald & the guy from Rocky & I can't believe it didn't do better in the cinema in England... in fact it might have only been on selected releae here 'cause I can't remember it coming out. Sandler is great in it & all you people that say he mumbles his lines, it's his style & it's that which attracts the audience to him because he seems so non threatening to the audience. This is a beautiful film & it demonstrates the ability of all the actors brilliantly... Adam Sandlers temper, Chris McDonalds snyde nature, the loveable grandma's loveableness. It seems kinda the actors as charicatures, but instead it's just good casting. This film is awesome... I think i've seen it about 80 times & i still haven't got tired of it.
Another of the lost RKO films shown on TCM this month.William Powell plays a playboy vaguely interested in Ann Harding, whose family crashed in the Depression. Harding is a woman who believes in marrying for love but gets pushed into trapping Powell into marriage (for his money).Nice little story with two top stars who have great chemistry together. And the story isn't as dour as it sounds.Lucille Browne is the odious sister. Henry Stephenson is the father. Lillian Bond is the gold digger. Kay Hammond is the friend. Reginald Owen is the butler.Nice little film.
I'm currently watching this movie as I write this. There are movies worse than this, there are movies that are made worse in terms of cinematography, direction and plot. However this is still so bad it deserves a 1. Its really really stupid. Embarrassingly stupid movie. I just cannot get over the stupid goth kid they have in this movie, his career must have went far. Wow, its so bad its hard to watch.The blood in this movie is really stupid fake blood, really stupid looking, just like all the actors. Whoever was responsible for the wardrobe in this movie was also an idiot. Of course all the actors in this 'film' did their best to have really stupid expressions the entire time. They did a marvelous job of being terrible actors. Of course Keri Lynn Pratt and bad to look at, I'd like to give her somethin, but thats beside the point, this movie sucks. Like titanic, Titanic sucked too.
What I remember most about this movie is that the whole family watched it and laughed their brains out. Oh come on now, you know that can't happen, but why not have a killer boob running the country or men fighting over sheep. Or what about that woman who can only be satisfied in strange places. If you have ever read the book, you know there is no correlation to this movie. Wonderful comedy that oozes the stupid stuff that makes old Woody Allen movies so hilarious. And then of course there is Tony Randall and the whole brain scene. So is there anything to that remark about girls from New York? Oh well, I'll have to add this movie to my collection so that I can chuckle every time I think of a killer boob.
This is a pretty good Western, from an expert in the field (Hathaway) – immeasurably aided by its star cast (Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward, Richard Widmark, Hugh Marlowe and Cameron Mitchell), a compelling plot line (three adventurers help a woman save her husband, trapped in a mine, then fight over her and the couple’s gold), the pleasant Widescreen photography (the format was still a new fad at the time), and a magnificent score (courtesy of the great Bernard Herrmann). Perhaps wisely, the script doesn’t overly stress the pretentiousness inherent in the film’s title. Incidentally, yet another contemporaneous Western pitting one woman among several desperate men in a remote landscape was THE NAKED SPUR (1953), one of the well-regarded series of Anthony Mann/James Stewart Westerns – as in that film, the central group here has to contend also with a horde of marauding Indians.Cooper, the nominal lead, had just had a career resurgence with his Oscar-winning performance in another genre outing – the classic HIGH NOON (1952); as I said in my review of YELLOW SKY (1948), which I’ve just watched, Widmark’s role here was kind of similar to the one he played in that earlier Western – though, by now, he had begun to stretch effectively from outright villain types. The two stars work well off each other: Cooper is laconic but experienced and essentially honest, while Widmark is cynical and opportunistic yet effortlessly charming; interestingly, Cooper was often paired with younger but equally tough men around this time – such as Anthony Quinn in BLOWING WILD (1953), Widmark here, Burt Lancaster in VERA CRUZ (1954) and Charlton Heston in THE WRECK OF THE MARY DEARE (1959).Mitchell’s brash and gullible character is pretty much a stock figure in this type of adventure: the scene where he’s provoked by Cooper into a confrontation, eventually exposing his innate cowardice, emerges as one of the film’s highlights. Marlowe and Hayward’s relationship, too, is typically lukewarm; the latter was one of the foremost dramatic actresses of the era, though she appeared in a fair number of action-oriented pictures. The supporting cast, then, includes only one prominent role for a Mexican – yet another member of the group who, in defiance of the Indian onslaught, expires in a hail of arrows – whereas young Rita Moreno’s saloon singer proves to be the only other female character in the film.P.S. I own a copy of the bare-bones R2 DVD of GARDEN OF EVIL; the upcoming R1 edition should be a SE and include an Audio Commentary – and, as far as I can tell, it’s only going to be available as part of a 3-Disc Collection also comprising two other classic Westerns from the Fox studio: THE GUNFIGHTER (1950; which I already own on R2 as well) and RAWHIDE (1951; not available elsewhere)...
This well written script was enhanced by the performances of Grant, Loy, Temple and Collins.Some may say the storyline is farfetched - but most movies are guilty of this crime. The movie is original in idea, but had the same formula and end results for the productions made back then (and a few right now).Highly Recommend this movie.
The latest installment of children's lit - turned movie is the weakest. The green-screen use is laughable: for example, when standing on a hilltop, next to an animal whose fur is blowing in the wind, we see a too-close shot of the children, whose improperly-lit hair is standing PERFECTLY still... on a hilltop. The CG backgrounds are not detailed and very plain (hill, trees, no movement).Also, these children could not act, I hate to say it. Emotions, no. Excitement, no. Holding a sword like a human being, no.The pacing was somehow both too slow AND too fast. There were plenty of dead-air moments that failed to create suspense (people in my theater were snoring, getting up a lot, getting restless), and slow-mo of poorly CG'd battle, but the storyline development (or total lack thereof) was skipped over, pushed ahead, and seemed to take a back seat to the action (as is the formula for modern CD-heavy kids movies).The gore in the animal cruelty of sacrificing the Lion in a strangely pagan-esquire midnight ritual (I somehow didn't picture it like that as a kid reading the book) was beyond a PG depiction, (despite the cut away for the stab, and lack of blood anywhere) and gratuitous, smacking of The Passion of the Christ... but I guess that's exactly what they were going for.I guess as long as a movie doesn't show blood, body parts, or swear words, it doesn't go over PG, despite graphic depictions of pagan sacrifice, animal abuse, creepy cyclops and other humanoids, large-scale warfare, stabbings, beatings, and such.I'm no prude, it is a children's book -- but reading topics is less intense than seeing them graphically depicted on a big-screen, enough for maybe a 13?The storyline is so very simple - find wonderland, set off human alarm, Savior sacrifices himself for you and resurrects, win war against evil Christmas-hating witch. 4 steps. 3 hours to tell? It just isn't as complex as LOTR or even the better Harry Potters. That's why the pacing felt so slow.Had the characters been rounded out (one can interpret a book when making it into a movie, but nobody told Disney this) - it might have been better. If Judas, I mean Edmund, had been explored -- why was he so impudent? Did he really have fantasies of being King? Did he learn a lesson, or just go on/off from traitor to Witch-fighter? Any of these could've been explored instead of the dead-air treatment I watched.
I didn't expect to like this movie - it seemed like the topic was too easily made into a simplistic 'hurt-emotion' and 'stand-up for yourself' type movie. After all, it was on the Lifetime channel and that is an often-used theme. However, the movie was much better than that and this surprised me.Basically, the story is about an attractive, popular high-school girl that undertakes a project to document what it's like to be fat. Of course, it's easy to predict the basics of the story, but there's more to the movie than just the basic plot element.The real value of this movie is that it doesn't try to be too preachy and shame everybody about having a reaction to 'fatness'. Instead, it explores many different angles and leaves you thinking about the many complex issues involved.The lead character is intelligent and grounded, so it's easy to become interested in her character and follow her as she is confronted with many different situations involving weight. These situations don't just involve her and various high-school cliques, but also her weight-recovering mother and chubby brother.The movie even acknowledges issues that relate to her judgments being affected by the fact that she can step out of the 'fat-suit' life at the end of the day. Because it's able to visit many such angles, the movie keeps a brisk pace and something is happening all the time.While the movie does have its flaws, it remains interesting. Sometimes there are no easy answers, but there's lots to think about. If you want to watch a movie that will leave you with a few interesting, self-reflecting ideas to ponder, this movie is a good choice.
After their grandfather is violently killed, three dysfunctional sisters and their friends take a vacation to the old man's hotel on the lake, a part of their inheritance. Once there, however, they're stalked down by a group of murderous psychopaths who have taken up residence in the grandfather's former home.With a plot reminiscent of a great '70s Italian slasher (like Bay of Blood, perhaps), I was very much looking forward to this. As usual, the poster was pretty cool, but I still didn't have my hopes set high. Lucky for me, with hopes set low, there's less room for them to fall when I'm inevitably disappointed. First off, the biggest flaw with the film: The acting. I just don't get it. There are thousands upon thousands of simultaneously talented and attractive actors/actresses in Hollywood and beyond that wouldn't refuse a role in a theatrically released horror flick with a $2.5 million budget. Instead, we get a reasonably attractive cast without enough talent to fill a proverbial thimble. The writing is terrible and unoriginal, and the dialogue is worsened with these actors. The setting, however, is absolutely beautiful at the southern California ranch in Santa Clarita. First-timer George Bessudo worked well with the film, creating some good suspense and utilizing some cringeworthy gore. Unfortunately, teamed with the amateurish script and embarrassing cast, it turned out to be a rather muddled mess. The script & acting cannot be made up for, and the majority of the film feels like a subpar combination of The Hills Have Eyes, Cabin by the Lake (remember that one?), and any lame teens-in-the-woods horror with Rob Zombie's Michael Myers as the killers. I'm left with just one question to ask: 'Where did the other $2.4 million go from the projected budget of $2.5 million? Booze & hookers? If so, I would've asked the latter to replace the current cast.Final verdict: 2.5/10. Dreadful!
It's smutty and rude but very funny :) The best way to see if this is for you - do you like American Pie, Road Trip, Dumb & Dummer as a bit of no brained fun? If so you will like this - although it would also help to have seen the original LOTR film. If you think its for you don't watch it in a place where you can't laugh out loud. You might pop!
I saw this movie when it was first released and didn't really care for it. Well, basically I was still in grade school and didn't care for anything that wasn't loaded with action or comedy. I gave this movie another try when it came on Cinemax and recorded it on tape. It's a very impressive film that's both suspenseful and romantic, without being over-the-top. The only thing that really bugged me was the soundtrack. My cousins upstairs bought the soundtrack and would listen to it constantly, so I'm pretty much tired of hearing every single one of those songs. Kevin Costner gives an engaging, charismatic performance. Whitney Houston is not a terrific actress, but she can pull of a dramatic line without making me burst into laughter. So I gotta give her a little bit of credit, being that this was her first performance. I've seen much worse. And it's nice to see Whitney looking very pretty, as opposed to now where she's destroying herself with drugs. And though the relationship was between a white man and a black woman, the film didn't get preachy about it. I just think Lawrence Kasdan (who wrote the script) should've just made Whitney's character a singer, since we never see her act in this film. We never see clips of her films. All we see her do is sing. So why not make her a singer and have the climax at the Grammy Awards? Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the film. It works well as both a love story and a thriller. And unlike most romantic films, the two characters don't constantly jump into bed together and the sex is left to the imagination. We actually feel some real chemistry, through dialogue and character development. My score: 7 (out of 10)
I am an NRI (non-resident Indian) living in the Philippines, and I could completely relate with the titular ABCD in the film. Though this film wasn't great.. (too many stereotypes: the "villain" with his side-kicks, the sometimes cliched love story).. and the scene where Salim was burqa-clad during the visit of Farah's parents seemed ripped off from many other Bollywood flicks. Yet this film is worth a watch, especially by NRI's, who are just as confused as Krishna aka Kris, or know another "American Desi" like him.
Perhaps hardcore Bunuel fans won't like El Bruto that much. It doesn't contain much of his surrealism. It is a lot like many of his other Mexican films: dark, melodramatic, brutal, and tragic. El Bruto is mostly a social melodrama, with a wealthy man trying to evict a group of poor residents from some slums that he owns. To intimidate these rebellious residents, he hires a giant thug, nicknamed El Bruto (the Brute, duh!). El Bruto is big and dumb and he follows orders well. But he's not a bad guy. He can be tough and mean, but, deep down, he's a gentle giant. Pedro Armendáriz is fantastic as the lead. The other major actors are as good. Katy Jurado, most famous for her role in Fred Zinnemann's High Noon from the same year, is much better in this film from her home country. The script is excellent, with some good (if a bit predictable) twists. I think that those who haven't "gotten" Bunuel yet might want to see this one. It's probably his most easily understood fim. It may not be exclusively Bunuelian, but El Bruto ranks with Luis' best films. 10/10.
What is and never should be is great insight into the character development of the two main protagonists. I love how the show talks about Dean's need for family stability; Sam and Dean's relationship is glued by their work; They are so different they complement each other. Dean's over confidence cause the show trouble, and his duty and honor is his salvation. Dean's life would be one of trouble if he never had the outlet of hunting. The monster is well done. The ending gives the reason for the mission, and create round characters out of Sam and Dean. 10 out of 10. Watch the summer rerun. What is and never should be is a fresh and different episode which build depth for the series.
I found the movie simply brilliant, and i must say i find weird that many people focus their attention on the war, which is not the key of the movie itself. In my opinion the war is roughly depicted because it is just a "place" within which the main story unfolds. The emphasis is on the characters, their unpredictable encounter and the situations that make possible for them to become friends and maybe even companions. There is a phrase said Smith taking back the grandma while the village keeps up with the party that somehow sums up the movie: "Such a good time. That's life.".Besides, i particularly appreciated the acting of the crazy girl, Hye-jeong Kang (which i already saw in Old Boy) which is also probably the best character. Watching the movie i found more than a similitude with two movies from Hayao Miyazaki: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (for the hidden village idea and the lantern-statues as well) and Mononoke Hime (for the wild boar scene, which by the way is one of the best of Dongmakgol, original and simply brilliant). Only later i realized it was mostly due to the music, which is in fact composed by Joe Hisaishi, who made the music for these Miyazaki movies too; once again, his work is superb.One thing i always wait for is a movie's ending scene (mostly cause i've seen too many movies ruined in the last part... A.I. for example), and i must say i loved this one, when we see why the young communist soldier had a flower too, and who gave him it. No special happy ending for the village or whatever, just a moment when all of them where together, 6 as the 6 butterflies that we saw flying away from the snow a few moments before. ;)
After the notorious splatter period and of course massively praised "Heavenly creatures" - his very first motion picture with a slightly more serious look and feel, the insane New Zealander Peter Jackson directed "Forgotten silver" with Costa Botes. So far it is definitely one of the most ingenious projects of his whole career."Forgotten silver" (just like Woody Allen's classic "Zelig") is filled with silly, senseless and absurd ideas and details to make it all sound a bit too suspicious to be actually true but not enough to make it completely unbelievable either. Actually I've seen real-life documentaries that are even harder to swallow than this. The big joke is that even if it sounds unbelievable it's a documentary and you have to believe it because documentaries always tells you the truth. If you can't trust a documentary then what is there left to trust in the world?So Peter Jackson once again did something highly forbidden and un-ethical and made a documentary that's only a one big, dirty lie. The dedication Jackson and Botes had just to tell a story of a fictional person is certainly something incredible and respectable. Swindle it may be, but nevertheless from the opening scene when Peter Jackson tells about his amazing discovery of Colin McKenzie's lost film footage to that last picture of McKenzie filming himself using a mirror "Forgotten silver" is a terrific and fascinating story and truly a first-rate documentary. 10/10.
One of the early serial killer flicks and it still packs a punch. Kurt Russell's Malcolm Anderson reminds me a lot of Darrin McGavin's Kolchak, the skeptical paranormal investigator from TV's "The Night Stalker", from their lousy taste in clothes to their hardheaded devotion to the truth as journalists. Kolchak stalked freaks & creeps and Anderson gets the experience in reverse, seriously wreaking havoc on his off-work romance with girlfriend Christine (Mariel Hemingway), a schoolteacher with strong values. Richard Jordan is suitably creepy in one of his last roles--really a variation on the local corporate slimeball he played in another made-in-FL minor classic, "A Flash Of Green"--as the killer. Andy Garcia is also quite likeable in the role he's best at: solid support work as a police detective pal of Russell's journalist who inadvertantly gets as much press as the glory-seeking villain. I've seen this picture several times and never tire of it. It's in that class of films with "Night Moves", "Flash of Green", maybe "House of Games" and "Blood & Wine": tough-guy thrillers with smart writing and heroes to boot.
"Big Night" is a hearty, satisfying tale of two Italian brothers coming to America to make it big. Primo and Secondo have two very dissimilar ideals about food and business. The dichotomy that exists between the two brothers provides for both tension and humour and fuels this delightful tale.Shaloub, Tucci and Holm are all magnificent. Holm as the (literally) ass-biting rival restaurateur is absolutely hilarious. Shaloub and Tucci, two native Americans, were very convincing as Italian emigres. The women, Rosselini, Driver and Janney complement and flesh out the cast quite nicely.The film moved along at a nice pace, generously sprinkled with humour, passion and tension. The big dinner party scene is lively and will have you dancing in your seat. And the food they served -- I got full just watching it all.My one complaint with this film was the superfluous use of Italian. It's an AMERICAN film -- why must the brothers (and other cast members) arbitrarily slip into Italian conversations. It's not as if it served as a place for the characters to "secretly" discuss things -- just about everyone was Italian! I don't feel it served the film well at all. It did not add to it's authenticity -- instead it appeared to mimic a true foreign film.Other than that the film was pleasant and enjoyable! After watching "Big Night" you'll have a hankering for a big dish of just about anything Italian.
I really enjoyed this movie and have recommended it to many people. The acting was excellent, the writing wonderful, with believable, interesting characters and plotting. All in all, a first class production. I thought the director did a superb job giving enough location shots to make you swoon while allowing the actors do what they do so well. Plus the intrigue of wondering about the likelihood of all the events that transpired was provocative. If you're over 30 and have a single, adventurous bone in your body, not to mention a romantic one, you'll love this movie!
George S. Kauffman & Moss Hart's GEORGE WASHINGTON SLEPT HERE was one of Broadway's most successful comedies of the early 1940s, a bright and witty tale with a slightly Americana tone that World War II audiences found particularly appealing. The film version, sparked up by the completely unexpected chemistry of dry-humored Jack Benny and "Oomph Girl" Ann Sheridan, is every bit as charming.When New Yorkers Bill and Connie Fuller (Benny and Sheridan) are evicted from their apartment (their third change of address in less than a year), wife Connie decides what they need is a place in the country... and buys an incredibly dilapidated house where George Washington is said to have once slept. Needless to say, husband Bill is horrified--and keeps on being horrified as the price of renovation skyrockets.Benny was most popular when he played himself in roles tailored to his talents, but although this role is a bit atypical his talents are well suited to the constantly harried Bill Fuller--and he has remarkable rapport with co-star Ann Sheridan, an underestimated actress who shows tremendous flair for comedy as his determinedly optimistic wife. Both are well supported by a cast that includes Charles Coburn, Joyce Reynolds, and Percy Kilbride, and Hattie McDaniel (best remembered as Mammy in GONE WITH THE WIND) really shines as Hester, their long-suffering domestic who finds herself with a hole in the kitchen wall big enough for a horse to walk through--and one does! The pace is snappy, the script is witty, and every one is sure to have a good time. Recommended.Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer
Ashutosh Gowariker's "Jodhaa Akbar" is the most ambitious film to emerge from Bollywood's stables in quite a while. Based on the historical alliance between India's greatest Mughal emperor and a Rajput Hindu princess, Gowariker models his film on the Shakespearean mould of palace intrigue with its collection of warring power brokers, plotting princes, distant queen mothers, bitchy but loyal eunuchs, and concubines galore. It's also something of a gamble: Gowariker has never treaded the historical epic in his earlier features, especially one about India's first attempt at religious pluralism. The results are mixed but laudable, largely because the script adheres to the golden rule about bringing historical episodes to film: know the history, but print the legend.Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Pocahontas were all real people whose life stories have been told and retold in popular Hollywood films, each retelling adding and embellishing elements of the story which have helped the stories attain the status of pseudoreligious myth. India certainly has a rich history of quasi-historical legends: Anarkali, Heer-Ranjha, Umrao Jaan, Devdas, and now Jodhaa-Akbar.Let there be no doubt: this is not a documentary nor do the filmmakers make any overt attempt at a documentary characterization of Akbar. History tells us that he was a unique and even megalomaniacal emperor: he had many wives and untold numbers of concubines in a harem which (depending on which account you believe) included a few male lovers, invented his own religion in which he was divine, and held court with atheists, Jews, and Jesuits, a practice which would become decidedly less common with future emperors.Hrithik Roshan puts up what is probably his best performance as Akbar, though he is hindered by the sheer volume of activity making up the plot: an absent queen mother, sinister foster mother, devious brothers, and, above all, a reluctant wife, all demand his attention. Roshan is at his best when Akbar is wooing a banished Jodhaa and when he ventures off into his kingdom; in many ways, Akbar remains a symbol of tolerance and benign authoritarianism throughout—despite the fact that he is the one who sets much of the narrative's action into play, surprisingly few scenes give us insight into his inner workings; the opposite is true for Jodhaa.In the last decade since Aishwariya Rai was introduced to movie-going audiences, she has grown tremendously as an actress. "Jodhaa Akbar" is not her best work, but it offers ample evidence of her growth along the spectrum of Paro-type roles she has enacted since Bhansalli's "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" : Nandini of "HDDCS," Paro of "Devdas," the eponymous Umrao Jaan, and now Jodhaa are essentially different interpretations of the same feminine archetype: a Lady Beloved of the Legends, who, having been robbed of all agency because of her gender, comes to embody beauty, suffering, fidelity, and, of course, love.Nandini was a flighty romantic, Umrao Jaan a forlorn romantic, and Paro a languishing fool who settled for survival when love literally slashed her away. Jodhaa is decidedly not romantic, being that she is an emblem of her family's honor. She is given away as a peace offering to an emperor who demands alliance and submission only to find that he wants to become her ally in love.Rai plays Jodhaa as a torn victim, but she is not without her own inner steel: she sets her own conditions for marriage, challenges palace customs, and steps on more than few royal toes along the way, notably those of the unforgiving Maham Anga. She's not as wishy-washy as Paro or as flirty as Nandini, but she is undoubtedly cut from the same cloth. And speaking of cutting, she's first rate in the five-minute sword fight between Jodhaa and Akbar, a scene which goes from swordplay to foreplay.Rai is slated to play Anarkali opposite Ben Kingsley's Shah Jahan in an upcoming film and has yet another role as the pining courtesan in Bhansalli's next, "Bajirao Mastani." Normally, I would accuse her of self-typecasting, but it seems that filmmakers themselves are unwilling or unable to see her differently. Jag Mundhara did with "Provoked," extracting an emotionally naked performance from her which is without question her finest work to date. Will others be as daring to cast her in similar light? Probably not.The film works best when the narrative focuses on the interaction between its two leads who are more similar than they perhaps ought to be: both are icons of physical beauty, sexuality, and glamour, but thankfully this has been tampered down by Gowariker's interpretation of the characters. True, Akbar probably didn't have Roshan's sinewy physique, and Jodhaa (whose existence continues to be challenged in certain historical readings) probably couldn't write in Arabic and likely never set foot in a kitchen. But such considerations are immaterial when you're telling a love story.The other striking thing about the film is that for non-native Hindi and Urdu speakers, the dialogue is virtually incomprehensible without the subtitles. The old fashioned Urdu recitations are especially difficult to ascertain, though sometimes the subtitles only further your confusion. One line in "In Lamhon Ke Daman Mein" which is literally translated as "Beauty is imbibed in cherished blandishments." What??? Gowariker makes a valiant attempt at a film that is war epic, love story, and costume drama all in one, but never does "Jodhaa Akbar" approach the charm or finesse of "Lagaan." The main flaw with the film is that it is overly ambitious: Akbar may have been a polymath, but there's no way a single film could encompass all of his endeavors. Gowariker's script strays into too many quarters looking for the historical Akbar and ends up offering what is an unfortunately shallow characterization. Jodhaa, conversely, has less to occupy her and is more clearly defined.And so in the end it turns out that "Akbar the Great" is, in celluloid terms at least, "Akbar the Pretty Good."
This production was a well-done piece of work. Solid performances by all the cast, especially Cher and Quaid, flow throughout the film. There was sufficient suspense and mystery to keep my attention, and the attraction between Cher's and Quaid's characters adds another dimension to this quality movie. I was especially impressed by Cher's abilities and attractiveness in this suspense yarn; I should view more of her works. This film was entertaining and thoughtful, with a cohesive plot and very believable characters, set in the reality of the nation's Capitol. An 8 out of 10.
Note: This is probably the longest review I have ever written and it mostly deals with the source of controversy surrounding Natural Born Killers, so if you just want a brief summary of why this film is worth watching, skip to the end!I remember when Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers was released in 1994 and delivered a well-deserved kick up the arse to American audiences. Stone set out to criticize media for its mindless glorification of violence and criminals in the media and did so through a sharp satirical spectacle about two infamous killers-turned-idols, starring the "it" actors of the early 90s. Unsurprisingly, conservative American families were outraged—disgusted at what was presented to them and saw the film itself as a mindless glorification of violence and criminals as opposed to criticism. Indeed, they were so outraged that, when teen-fans left their Oklahoma home to go out east and shoot fellow Americans, parents blamed Natural Born Killers for having inspired the shootings. Oliver Stone was left with blood on his hands, while more murders were being linked to his masterpiece. Lawsuits were filed; cases were tried and reinstalled, until finally they were dismissed in Louisiana in 1998. The reason I bring this up again, after so many years, and so many more violent films later, is because Entertainment Weekly has published a list of The 25 Most Controversial Movies of All Time and Natural Born Killers is ranked as #8. Now, I don't want to knock Entertainment Weekly as they report on reality, but when a film like NBK gets a high ranking as 8, they should be called Entertainment, Weakly. My point is, rather, that this is a film that dealt with such an important, realistic issue that it should never have been controversial in the first place. So why was it?The reason for this high ranking, I assume, is the ending of the film. Instead of opting for your typical, clichéd cop-out in which the "good guys" win and the "bad guys" are punished, Stone lets Mickey and Mallory Knox—the glorified killers—get away with precisely everything and ride off in their car on the highway. This was what lead to a public outcry and what caused an anti-violence film like Natural Born Killers to be mistaken for a pro-violence advertisement. Firstly, it is my opinion that audiences who need everything to be carefully spelled out for them in a film in order to get the message and morals right are probably devoid of morals in the first place (no offense, Crash (2004)). So because Natural Born Killers did not have a perfect righteous ending with a "good guy" shaking his finger and telling you that this was unacceptable and having the bad guy repent their crime, some people took this as homage to serial killers. This fills me with concern for your average movie-goer. Secondly, Natural Born Killers shouldn't have inspired this much controversy because, while it often exaggerates to get its message across, it is realistic to the core—and why should realism be labeled controversial? Isn't it just the opposite? Having violence in a film is a realistic portrayal of the world today. Having media glorify violence is even more so, because that is what is happening. By making Mickey and Mallory Knox into infamous symbols ("If I were a mass murderer, I'd be Mickey and Mallory!" one worshipping teen tells the TV camera team), Stone is parodying reality. He is parodying the idea of media turning serial killers, like Jeffrey Dahmer, into celebrities. Dahmer was on the cover of new magazines more than once, for example. The prison interview with Mickey is based upon the Charles Manson interview with reporter Geraldo Rivera. The story told on "American Maniacs" about Mickey killing a cop after asking him for directions is taken almost verbatim from a story made up by J. Edgar Hoover in the 1930s about bank robbers Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker in an attempt to try to silence the couple's growing fan base. In other words, no one can argue that Natural Born Killers is not a realistic portrayal of the media's response to criminals.Now thirdly, it is my guess that the film struck a little too close to home when it opened and therefore attracted unfair criticism. It pointed to things that were too familiar with audiences. Take the famous sitcom scenes of Mallory's family, featuring hammy acting, clown-like sound effects and canned laughter. All the stylistic elements were present –it was just the content that was overblown; Mallory's father made lewd suggestions and it all culminated in a ruthless killing spree. Yet, somehow, it was still funny because it was so close to the average sitcom. This was Stone's intention. In prison, when Mickey is being interviewed on national TV, the film cuts to a simple black and white image of a typical American home. The family is sitting around watching the interview, glued to the television like mindless zombies—the very same people who hated this film. That's biting irony.So, controversial? I have watched Natural Born Killers many times and cannot see anything else than a satirical masterpiece. I also do not think that exaggerating images or scenarios is overkill – I think exaggerating morals and 'happy endings' to get a point across is overkill. Natural Born Killers had the perfect balance and was meant to be taken tongue-in-cheek. It doesn't glorify violence; it shows how desensitized the media and the public have become to it. And it does so with flair and fury. 9 out of 10
I got this movie after reading a review on digitallyobssessed.com and I have to say I was plesantly suprised - a low budget horror film that actually had a brain - this is not your average teens in a wood horror film - a lot of care has gone into the construction of the story line and it really keeps you hooked to the end - there are some nice sfx and a great atomsphere and bizzarley an acting turn by Uri Geller. Further unlike most low budget films these days it was actually shot on film rather than dv so it doesn't look like someone's home movie! Well worth a look - especially if you're after something a little bit fresher and more stimulating than a masked killer slicing and dicing people. Great score also!
MASK is the 1985 comedy-drama based on the true story of Rocky Dennis, a sensitive and highly intelligent teenager who, because of a debilitating disease, has a severely disfigured face that has made him an outcast outside of his family and the social circle surrounding them (basically a biker gang, who are savagely protective of Rocky). The film focuses primarily on Rocky's relationship with his mother Rusty (Cher), a free-spirited independent woman whose history of drug and alcohol abuse and sexual promiscuity has been such a concern to Rocky that it's sometimes hard to tell who's raising who in the Dennis household. The film is basically unfolds as a series of vignettes, highlighting the ups and downs of Rocky and Rusty's relationship, which seems to rise above everything else that happens in their lives. No matter what Rocky and Rusty go through, their love for each other rises above everything and makes all their fallacies fade to the background. Peter Bogdonovich's evocative direction is a big plus here, knowing where to mine the laughs and the tears and the film contains plenty of both. Cher gives the performance of her career as Rusty Dennis (even better than her Oscar winning turn in MOONSTRUCK) and an unrecognizable Eric Stoltz hits all the right notes as the soulful and intelligent Rocky. Sam Elliott is solid as Rusty's on-again, off-again boyfriend Gar and Laura Dern shines as a blind girl who Rocky falls for. Mention should also be made of Dennis Burkley as a slow-witted family friend and of Richard Dysart and the late Estelle Getty who register in one scene as Rusty's parents. Don't miss this lovely emotional drama that perfectly blends laughter and tears to maximum effect.
I've been intrigued by Thai Voodoo for the longest time, not that I would want to be on the receiving end of it, but it makes you wonder the amount of clout and (real?) ability of these medicine men who put hexes and curses on your behalf, for a small fee. And it always seem that what they do to you, from simple artifacts like a voodoo doll, can inflict so much pain onto your real self with just a simple needle poked on a right position on the straw doll.Art of the Devil 2 is not a sequel, in that it has no relation to the first (which I am now intrigued to watch as it stars Chai-Lai Angel Supaksorn Chaimongkol), although they deal with the same supernatural forces in Thai lore. It tells a story of a physically attractive model teacher, Ms Panor (Napakpapha Nakprasitte), and her group of students, one of whom she is a stepmother to. However, as with all misunderstandings, it stems off with what the eyes see and the ears here, and the mind believing. With black magic in the works, things are never what it seems, as the group of students revisit their teacher a few years after a tragic and shameful incident happened in school. Why, you'll never understand, but we need something to have them all put together to get something going.This movie has plenty of gory moments which offers some good scares, given the disgusting things that happen to the victims of the hex. If torture scenes in Syrianna and Hard Candy made you squirm in your seat, then your stomach is up for more churning, given the previous two films did it more psychologically and with off-camera scenes, whereas here you're not spared the visual details, leaving none to the imagination, even if certain shots might look cheap and unrealistic. The gore grips you right from the start, giving you a hint that if you can't stand what you've just seen in the first few minutes, you won't be better off for the rest of the movie.In an environment where almost everyone is not as innocent as they seem, keeping secrets close to their hearts, and the usage of black magic to achieve their individual desires and objectives commonplace, it perhaps served as a reminder not to dabble in the black arts, either as a practitioner or an end user, as there are always warnings of ill fate that befall upon them.Unlike the Sixth Sense with its slick execution, script and delivery, Art of the Devil 2 had a rather satisfactory ending, but with the final stroke of the pen in creating the finale, it presented itself with a major loophole that seemed to have glossed over what transpired earlier, which is a big no-no in trying to force audiences to accept the "new truth".However, if your intention is to get some scares, then this movie still delivers, if you'd be forgiving to the ending.
Robot Chicken is one of, if not the funniest show on television right now, and yet most people I know have never even heard of it. The show mocks everyone and everything. I think that because of it's relative obscurity on adult swim it's overshadowed by Family Guy and South Park(both of which I also love). Some of the skits are absolutely hysterical, especially the where are they now with Michael Moore and the Unsolved Murder Cases. Maybe these are funny to me because they use characters from my childhood that have all but been forgotten. Aside from the comedy aspect of the show which is actually the only aspect of it, is the staggering list of guest stars this show has. It is on par with the tonight show for the number and the status of the guest stars they produce. In summation do not overlook this show, especially if you can remember TV from the mid-80's to early 90's.
I nodded in agreement when it was mentioned a single photo taken during combat has the power to make or break a war. At a time when the war chest is drained and the battle seemed to be drawn out longer than expected, you need public support to cough out funds and make donations to the manufacturing of arms. In the dying days of WWII, that photo you see above, gave reason to galvanize the American public into making donations for that final push. Now think Abu Graib. Nuff said, on its adverse impact to the war machinery.For WWII movies, the Pacific theatre has arguably fewer number of films made by the West, especially those whose focus is on the ground troops, as compared to the European theatre, and possibly could be due to the availability of locales, as well as budget and (non) permission to film at the actual place. The Iwo Jima here is a substitute backdrop, not the real Iwo Jima with black beaches that you can see right after the end credits roll, as if in silent meditation of the soldiers on both sides who had given up their lives fighting for their cause.And the Battle of Iwo Jima had its historical significance given it's the first landing of Allied troops on Japanese soil, and one of the bloodiest yet with high casualties on both sides. It also opened up the American eyes to the tenacity of the Japanese troops and their relentless defence of the homeland from invasion, in a Digital Domain CGI-created massive naval beach landing. Those looking for recreated battle scenes will probably not be disappointed with the level of detail shown in Flags, like the weapons, and the infamous use of flamethrowers to smoke out hidden troops in bunkers.But this movie is not an all out action film. It's not a macro look at how the Allies secured their first foothold in Japanese soil. Rather, it takes a very personal look at the surviving men who hoisted the American flag over a prominent knoll in Iwo Jima. While there are countless of versions of the circumstances surrounding this lifting of a symbol, be it for morale boosting purpose, or politics, or for abstract ideals like hope, the definitive version as recounted in this story is actually quite ordinary, fueled by a mix of human desire for something monumental, as well as the listening to orders to a T.Told in a non linear fashion with flashbacks and voiceovers, it is extremely difficult that you'll be bored by the movie, unless your expectations have been set the wrong way. There is plenty of material and themes that the movie touched upon, although it can be argued that each doesn't necessarily have enough focus, issues like racism and prejudice. What makes this film compelling is the story of the survivors, being whisked back to the States to be part of propaganda to raise funds. Accuracy and accountability take the backseat against the hail of heroism, and it evolves very quickly into a media circus.Flags examines the lives of those in the photo who survived the battle, their reluctance to be called heroes, the demons that they faced while on the battlefield, the constant reminder to kill or be killed, the lies they have to tell to sell, and their sense of morality sacrificed for the lesser of two evils. Being soldiers, they have to do listen to orders, even if at the moment, it sounds absurd (I believe those who have been through service in the armed forces will agree on this). It is the conflict, and the need to lie through their teeth, which makes it all the more a sorrowful struggle, especially when you have to deny a fellow brother his moment of recognition, and denying his family the need for closure.And of course, we all know how fickle the press can be. On one hand they can praise you, on the other, someone's always looking at ways to demean and cast doubts. Flavours of the moment, potshots of controversy like whether the picture was staged, ring to mind that icons can never escape from the cynical eye. Politicians, rich businessmen and the military brass too are cast in none too positive light, as they get portrayed as men who like association with power, fame, and glory.Clint Eastwood again never ceases to amaze me. Here's the star of spaghetti westerns, Dirty Harry himself, who has aged but still showing no signs of slowing down. Like fine wine, he has started to show his talents in the films he makes, and award winning critically acclaimed ones too. But what I'm really pleasantly and thoroughly enjoyed, is the score that he wrote for Flags. It's restrained, yet powerful, kept simple in instrument, yet never lacking in grandeur. Being a filmmaker is one thing, but having contribute to a highly effective score complimenting the movie, is another. Not many can do that.Flags of Our Fathers is a must watch, and I'm already eagerly anticipating the companion movie, with viewpoints from the Japanese, fighting the same war, in Letters From Iwo Jima, and it should be equally powerful.
Jude Law plays Will, an architect who lives with Liv (Robin Wright Penn), a documentarian and her behaviorally challenged daughter. After a series of break-ins at his office, Will begins staking it out in order to find the culprit. This puts an extra strain on his already tenuous relationship with Liv. One night, he sees a young man breaking in. He shouts to him, and when the kid runs away, Will pursues him.Will follows the kid, Miro, to his apartment in a rundown area. At once he becomes entranced by Miro's mother Amira, an refugee from Serbia who works as a seamstress. Will invents reasons to keep coming back to see Amira. They soon begin an affair. He out of lust, boredom and a lack of intimacy at home. Amira has ulterior motives. She believes if she keeps sleeping with Will he won't turn in Miro.As Will grows closer to Amira, he begins to pull away from Liv. The tension and uneasiness grow until the spacious rooms of their posh townhouse are full of all the things they can't seem to say to each other.Anthony Minghella uses this setup to explore the issues of trust, love and honesty in the intertwining relationships of these characters. As always, he proves himself to be an intelligent and insightful writer. His story and characters are authentic and every emotion is real. He is also an outstanding director. He has an excellent sense of pace, tone, and the composition.The entire cast is fantastic. Jude Law gives his most mature and honest performance to date. Juliette Binoche's accent is superb and she finds the soul of Amira. Robin Wright Penn excels at playing emotionally distant women and she is able to communicate all of Liv's submerged emotions with small gestures or looks. Rafi Gavron, who plays Miro, despite this being his debut, holds his own among these seasoned pros.Benoit Delhomme's muted grey-tinged cinematography is drastically different than his golden sun burnished work in The Proposition, but no less beautiful. Walter Murch's editing is near flawless. Gabriel Yared has collaborated with Karl Hyde and Rick Smith to create a score that is rich and modern.
This 1936 film is a great film Classic with outstanding veteran actors who made this into a great dramatic story concerning Lady Helen Dudley Dearden, (Loretta Young) who tries to protect her husband from a past relationship with a young woman. Sir Alan Dearden (Franchot Tone) is an outstanding lawyer who is about to be chosen as Attorney General and his wife Lady Helen is being blackmailed by Hugh Lewis (Henry Daniell) with a bunch of love letters that Sir Alan had sent to this woman. The story gets quite involved with a man being accused of killing his wife and also another murder of a woman Sir Alan had an affair with. There is a very tricky ending to this film that you will not be able to figure out until the very ending of this film. Roland Young, (William "Bunny" Jeffers ) gave a great supporting role to this great film classic.
Lies is a story of two people who have a sexual obsession. That is the whole plot, in a nutshell. They don't come together for any other reason than to have all out, straight up, kinky, beat-each-other-up sex and they're not pretending there is any other reason. They glory in it, they obsess about it, they talk about their last encounter and look forward to the next one. The best thing about it is the way it draws you in and makes you watch just to find out - where will all this end? To all the reviewers who complained about the grapehic sex, so, why did you watch it? You can't see five minutes of this movie without getting the idea, so what were you doing? Tied to your chair, maybe? Couldn't get free to turn it off? Held at gunpoint? What a bunch of hypocritical goober heads.Neither of the protagonists is particularly attractive, not in the conventional way, and I didn't feel that anything was shown for pornographic purposes (although that would have been OK with me). It is simply an account of an intense sexual relationship, where the whole reason for being together is kinky sex, and this idea is followed through the film. You may not have any sympathy with the characters, or like them, or even be able to empathize at all; but you have to watch because you just know it is going to get more intense, and it does.Each time J and Y come together, the sex gets more intense, more brutal, kinkier and nastier. They beat each other unmercifully, finding ever more severe objects to whale on each other with. Sounds kinda fun, doesn't it? The intent, though, is to show such a relationship and show how it develops, where it can go, and how it could happen. It even goes one better by making J an older man, an artist who is very class sensitive and somewhat tormented. Y is a schoolgirl, and her motives are never completely clear, as they probably wouldn't be to someone her age in this relationship.I would never have watched this except for the reviews complaining about the graphic sex and violence. That got my interest quick, but then I was sucked in by the plot. I just had to know where this was going and predicted some big blow up at the end. I thought that possibly one would kill the other during a beating, or their families would intervene. Either way, I had to know what happened, and that, to me, is the best part of this movie.
Did anyone wonder why the trailer had no door? Must have been a creation of the prop department. Why in the world would anyone want the guy after fooling around with Mazie. The guy seems like a real jerk rather than a leading man. And that mustache does not help George Brent either. I thought it was real weak acting from pros than sure can do better. Stander and Donnely really stand out, and The girl that plays Mazie isn't too bad either. There are so many loose plot lines in this that it's hard to accept any of them. I like comedies from this period, but this one is a waste of time unless you are a BIG Jean Arthur fan. Columbia should have thrown the Three Stooges in for some serious plot twist.
Emmanuelle (1974) is one of the best soft core films ever made. Sylvia Kristel is perfect for the role Emmanuelle and the supporting cast is also good for a porn film. The sex sceanes are very erotic although 2 graphic rape sceanes might bother some. If you like soft core porn film, you definatly need to see this film. If you like hard core porn films, you should also see this film, it might change your mind about soft core.
An old woman sits alone in a castle like house and stares longingly at the window. After some beautiful images and music, she is killed by somebody strangling her with the rope. One of the most popular Mario Bava's movies, Bay of blood starts in this fashion with a lengthy strangling scene. There are much more violent murder scenes to look forward to in this movie so gore fans may not be disappointed. The twist here is that the killer of the old woman is revealed right at that time, bucking movie convention. Then at the same time, the killer is killed by another person! The Count also disappears after this murder.The scene then shifts to a man called Frank Ventura and his secretary(providing some interesting nudity!). He is supposedly keen on negotiating a contract to inherit the Bay owned by the Countess(now revealed to be the old woman who was killed). After this the scene then shifts to the other characters involved in this grisly tale, a man named Fossati and simone. Later it is also revealed that Fossati is married to a fortune teller named Anna fossati. Thus when suspicion shifts from character to character, as is the case with most giallo movies, there enter more characters in the form of a bunch of youngsters branching into more familiar slasher territory. Later, the daughter of the Count, Renata arrives at the Bay along with her husband Alberto to investigate the disappearance of her father. Revealing more about the movie may spoil the whole movie for those reading this blog.The most interesting fact about this movie is that it bucks the trend of most giallo movies in the sense that it doesn't have a fixed formula and the plot may be confusing to even seasoned giallo enthusiasts. The truth is many giallo/slasher fans may not be ready for the ending which is so innovative and somewhat absurd that this movie may not satisfy giallo/slasher fans who expect a straightforward giallo. This movie serves as the precursor to the American slasher movie genre and many slasher movies have adopted the atmosphere, the style of Bay of blood and some movies have even exactly copied some scenes of the movie. Also gore fans may also be satisfied by the violence which is incredible for a movie of the early 70's. It is quite fast paced so is quite accessible to most audiences.The cast features some seasoned actors like Luigi Pistilli and Claudine Auger. Claudine auger(as Renata), in particular, has impressed with her portrayal of a strong and single minded woman who dominates her husband, Alberto(Luigi Pistilli). The performances of Laura betti as the fortune teller who foresees doom and Leopoldo Trieste as her husband who dislikes Frank Ventura for attempting to damage the beauty of the bay, are also noteworthy. The score is also quite excellent giving a mysterious feel to the whole movie. So the atmosphere is not hindered because of a cheesy score as is the case of most giallos.One factor that places it in the elite list of giallos and horror movies in general is that it is also a fascinating character study and greed is a common factor throughout the movie. Almost all the characters are quite unlikeable so there are no heroes or people who we can root for. At the same time the characters don't seem like caricatures and thus they seem like real people who have been overcome by greed. The complex plot is also quite an achievement because at the end the pieces fall into place quite perfectly. But the ending seems somewhat of a rushed job but I feel it also has a symbolism.Finally this movie is a winner because of the existence of the standard giallo characteristics which will definitely please the giallo purists. Anna Marie Rosati, especially, is noticeable as one of the most beautiful women in a giallo movie ever. Unfortunately there is no full frontal nudity involving her! The need for such gratuitous nudity is satisfied by the four youngsters who travel to the Bay looking to have some fun. Gore fans may not be disappointed because of the existence of a scene where a character is sliced in the face. Also there is also another scene where two people are killed at once by a single spear when they are in bed together. The scenes are quite violent even for the 70s! As for me, I have watched the movie about 5 times and it has ended up on my top 5 list. This is one of the must see movies for giallo fans and horror fans in general.Rating : 10/10
I've been a Woody Allen fan since the 1970s, when I was about 20, and this gem is one of his absolute best. Sweet, nostalgic, fall-down funny, wistful, at times remarkably poignant and sad...this Allen film has it all and shows the director at the top of his form. I have a soft spot for Dianne Wiest and she's fabulous here as the marriage-hungry Aunt Bea, whose terrible luck at chasing matrimony makes you wish you could push your favorite unmarried cousin her way. Julie Kavner and Michael Tucker also shine as the main set of parents in the piece, Mom & Dad to Allen's childhood alter ego. I never had a family and relatives as neurotic and wild as this bunch in Brooklyn--but Allen almost makes me wish I had! Possibly his best work, and accessible to a wider audience than his usual showcases to angst.
This movie is great. An absolute ten. It could be considered somewhat boring the first part of the movie, but the only time I think of that is when I watch it with friends, and they say "isn't anything going to happen?"...you really should watch b-horror alone or with friends with the same taste. Anyway, the gore scenes in the movie are innovative and well executed. George Eastman is perfect as the beast. The music is awesome too, by the way.
"What Ever Happened To Aunt Alice?" is a fairly unknown, but amazing and amusing little thriller from the late 1960s that still holds up very well to this day. The story revolves around Claire Marrable (Geraldine Page), an older affluent widow who lives in a luxurious Tucson home located in the middle of the desert. After her husband's death, she discovers that he didn't leave her nearly as much as she thought he would have. So, Claire begins to hire housekeepers with no known or remaining family, and kills them to appropriate all of their savings for herself - but not before burying them in her beloved garden and promptly planting pine trees over the graves. After a close friend, Edna (Mildred Dunnock) goes to work for Ms. Marrable and mysteriously vanishes, Alice Dimmock (Ruth Gordon) signs up for the job to investigate, and ends up working for Ms. Marrable herself in an attempt to uncover what is going on at her remote desert estate.I was pleasantly surprised with how great this film was, and how it still, nearly forty years later, holds up well and is just as effective. Based upon a novel called "The Forbidden Garden", "What Ever Happened To Aunt Alice?" is a consistent and entertaining movie that is sadly little-know and/or long forgotten in modern days, which is really too bad because this is an excellent film. Produced by Robert Aldrich (who also produced "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane"), it's pretty easy to see where the derivative title originated. The film's storyline is wonderfully original, I haven't seen a movie like this ever. The only minor complaint I have with the story is the unnecessary love-subplot between Alice's nephew and Ms. Marrable's new neighbor. The problem with it is that it brings nothing new to the story - if all of those scenes had been removed, the film would have worked just as perfectly, and it wouldn't have slowed it down. Fortunately there isn't a whole lot of time spent developing this subplot, but even if there had been, the rest of the film is so good that it would be easily forgivable.The film has some really nice imagery and a great atmosphere as well, with an Arizona desert backdrop, and a lot of late '60s/early '70s set pieces and costumes. The entire movie had a really great feel to it. The score is frantic but effective as well, somewhat reminiscent of Bernard Herrman's work in "Psycho". The acting in this film is just about as good as it gets. Legendary actress Geraldine Page plays the diabolical Claire, and is completely flawless in her role. Everything about her character is perfected in her performance - her mannerisms, facial expressions, delivery - and, we can't forget about her eerie cackling. Ruth Gordon, fresh from winning an Oscar for her role in "Rosemary's Baby", plays the secondary protagonist - her character is empathetic and nice, but determined to find out what Claire has been doing to her housekeepers. She is also wonderful in her role. The rest of the cast is also good, but most of them aren't the big-name stars that these two leading ladies were. The film's ending is short but fitting, and while I felt it may have been lacking a bit, it's also forgivable when you take into consideration the rest of the film's quality.Overall, "What Ever Happened To Aunt Alice?" is an excellent late '60s horror/thriller that is definitely worth seeing. It's a little dated, but it holds up very well. The shock factor is nearly diminished for modern audiences, but this film is nonetheless very spooky and very enjoyable - it surprises me that more people haven't heard of this film. I have a feeling this movie is going to become a new favorite of mine. 10/10.
I figured how to reset my account just to give this movie 10. This movie is inspirational, and it shows that you should never give up. However, it also portrays the conditions and day-to-day struggle that the poor have to undergo, making you question equality in todays society. The acting is exceptional, especially Will Smith, who allows the audience feel every emotion that goes through his body be it sadness and desperation or sheer relief and "happyness". It's nice to see him move towards movies that raise issues in today's society and provide inspiration to the average person, however I hope he still does some action films :D.I would recommend this film to someone who wants to experience something real in society, instead of cliché violence and romance. Even with its serious nature, it is an entertaining film that keeps you hooked and hoping, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.10 out of 10. Good work Will Smith!
To be confessional, I didn't have the bar set high for this recent installment of "the comical bridges of the races" Bernie Mac-Ashton Kutcher product. Surprised as I was, "Guess Who" very much surpassed those expectations and worked throughly well as a hilarious comedy that attacks cultural differences with an irreverent, raunchy, and jovial punch. Simply put, here is a film that could have excelled with any number of premises, given the inimitable charisma and comic wit of Bernie Mac, who flat out carries the show on his own piercing, sarcastic own. Ashton Kutcher works well with what he is given, yet his character comes across as a trite, clumsy bumpkin to Mac's ferocious flare, and is merely the butt of every comedic catastrophe, rather than a multi-dimensional character who can hold a candle to thwarting his own preordained chagrin. Kutcher gets involved with "his other half", is initially terrified at meeting her father (he's better with moms), and all hilarity ensues when he and "the father with the bulging eyes and capricious temperament" get uncomfortably and frolically acquainted with one another, eventually realizing that maybe this relationship will require some self-depreciation and frenzy to eventually be accepted. To be certain, much of the comedy adheres to the "racial tension" theme, and there is of course plenty of the proverbial cultural clash that abounds- consummating with, you guessed it, a torrential family dinner scene in which Kutcher's "empowerment" eventually gets the best of him, but "Guess Who" isn't content to strictly deplore racial boundaries, as it also works effectively as a howlingly funny "meet the father from hell" scenario, succeeding solely on Mac's uncannily nimble charisma and wit, who has an aura about him that would make any future son-in-law shrink to his skin, or to a greater extent, be obliged to sleep and "spoon" with the man! Of course, while this is consistently amusing and funny, what we're mostly left with toward the end are the platitudes of mawkish sentimentality, of "rekindling the love we lost" that seem to always hobble the comedy of even the most outrageous of premises, as if the premise has been exhausted enough and becomes more of an "endearing love story" than a convivial comedy... Why is that? Anyhow, I would solidly recommend "Guess Who" for its cutting, raucous comedy and for Bernie Mac's spunky, fleeting charisma that really gives a convincing element to this otherwise wired premise. The laughing stock might not be constant throughout the film, yet there is just enough humor to enjoy and laugh yourself silly. After all, watching Bernie Mac popping a blood vessel over a basketball game, debasing a man's character for not being avid in sports, or keeping a cautious and close body near Kutcher's "nighttime affairs" is certainly worth the price of admission! *** out of ****
Danika (Marisa Tomei) is a thirty-five years old overprotective mother with a beautiful family composed by her successful husband Randy (Craig Bierko), two sons - the teenager Kurt (Kyle Gallner) and the little Brian (Ridge Canipe), and one teenager daughter - Lauren (Nicki Prian). Danika is disturbed and near a breakdown, having dark and terrifying nightmares and daydreams; distracted in her work and consequently committing mistakes; and under psychiatric treatment with Dr. Evelyn (Regina Hall). Her problem was originated when her husband cheated her with the nanny of their children, breaking her confidence on him. The lack of attention caused by her disturbed mind leads her family to a tragedy."Danika" is an impressive and challenging American dark movie showing the complexity of the human mind. My interpretation of the story is very simple: after finding her beloved husband cheating her with the nanny of their children, Danika becomes an insecure, stressed and overprotective mother, affecting her professional life. While in her treatment with Dr. Evelyn, she revives her innermost hidden fears about the lack of confidence in her husband. This situation is very clear when Randy tells that she cannot forget and forgive him, after the incident with the police. Danika insists on not having a maid to help her, and while having a daydream driving her car with her children, she does not pay attention in the traffic light and is hit by a school bus, killing her children, but surviving. When the reporter asks the paramedic if she would survive, the other man responds "yes", but asks "how could she live?". She asks for her children and her imagination sees her happy family together again. In the last scene, we see the reality, i.e., how she survived, deranged and homeless. I am a fan of Marisa Tomei, and in "Danika" she is simply brilliant. The promising director Ariel Vromen and the writer Joshua Leibner have great beginning of career in the cinema industry. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Danika"
Not since HAPPINESS has such a difficult subject been tackled head on! Without spoiling any of the film, I will just say that I was engrossed in the film, shocked at how far the director was able to go, and heartened by how many issues he was able to raise, and show so many possible effects of what the characters go through. There were so many situations in this film that I had never seen portrayed before, that this proves how much film-makers avoid so many issues.A familiar, likable cast are taken deep into dark territory. I enjoyed all the performances and believed the characters, even though I had seen all the actors before on TV. The music is just wonderful - from the guy behind The Cocteau Twins - it adds to the dreamlike/nightmarish quality of the film. It's unusual enough to add to the uniqueness of this film - it really is ground-breaking - and Robin Guthrie's music/The Cocteau Twins haven't been used before in movies (though you may have recognised Liz Fraser's vocals in the last Lord of the Rings soundtrack).This film impressed me the most in 2004 - I hope everyone gets a chance to see it!
Simply, this is one of the best documentaries I've seen on the art and science of making movies. This one is from the cinematographer's point of view and uses many excellent interviews along with miles of illustrative movie clips. I recommend this to anyone who has an interest in the creative process of filmmaking.
Much is written about The Grim Reaper. Immediately banned in a lot of countries, been heavily cut, hard to find an uncut version. Well, indeed, it's hard to find an uncut one, mostly they clock in at 88 minutes, my version was the double disc from Schriek Show. Clocking in at 91 minutes, even that it is written on the cover that it's 88 minutes, a mistake. So what can you expect from this much acclaimed flick. A good start, then a slow and a bit boring in between and it's only the last 15 minutes that makes it worth watching. It isn't gory at all, and the blood flows not very often. as said before, only the beginning on the beach is worth watching and of course the two scene's that have been removed from most versions who are in tact on the double disc, it's the removal of the fetus and the eating of his own intestines. It was never frightening and some effects are really poorly done as the head in the bucket and the death of the blind girl, when they zoom in on her you still can see her breath. Anyway, as the forums are saying, a must have if you are collecting video nasties or much spoken flicks. You've been warned.
It's not a good movie, that's for sure and I watched it at 2 am on hbo but there's something i really liked about it... i think it was the cartoons. the way they used the cartoons reminded me of 80s comedies, u know how they do the cartooning at the beginning credits in a lot of them? that just reminded me of, like, one crazy summer or something and it gave the film an overall atmosphere that i liked. its a pretty bad movie, story wise but theres something kinda cute about it. i think the cartooning redeemed it in my eyes, reminded of better times in teen romance comedy.
I saw this silent Hitchcock after seeing about twenty other Hitchcock, all the famous ones from the forties, fifties and sixties. I expected that without sound, not even Hitchcock could create suspense, but I was wrong.The Black Lodger's star Ivor Novello has a great appearance in this film and sure his scary way of looking adds up to the tension. The moment in which he looks out of a window, and a shadows in the form of a cross is over his face, is masterful.The Black Lodger was Hitchcock's third movie, and his first masterpiece, as I understand. Shortly afterwards he made Downhill, also with Novello, and a good movie too, especially the ending.
This film is set in the early days of television when all shows were filmed live before an audience. Young script writer Benjy Stone is asked to look after fading ,alchoholic ,swashbuckling film star Allan Swann who is appearing on the comedy show that Benjy writes for. Mark Linn Baker does a good job as Benjy but this film belongs solely to Peter O Toole who plays the alcoholic Allan Swann perfectly.This may well be because the role mirrored his own life in so many ways. This has to be the funniest film i have seen in ages.Scenes where Allan steals someones girlfriend in a restaurant,where he swings from a balcony on a fire hose and the final chaotic scene on stage involving gangsters and musketeers had me rolling around in stitches. This film had tender moments too.Allan Swann waiting in his car to see his daughter who he hadn't seen in years is one of the many moving scenes in this film. This film combines laughter with moments of contemplation perfectly and deserves 8/10
Based on the classic novel by CS Lewis, four London children are sent to a professor's country home in order for protection during World War II. There they find a magic wardrobe which leads to a mystical land called Narnia, which is being ruled by an evil witch. To defeat the witch, they must join forces with Aslan, the lion God of Narnia.I was slightly disappointed in what I saw of this film. It's good, yes, but it's not really all that fantastic, compared to the first films of "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter." I think Lewis deserves better. However, it's good enough to start off a franchise (hopefully). In this first film of probably many, we're introduced to four children, all uniquely different in a good way. It feels like you would want to spend a whole movie with, which is the first thing one must do before making the movie.The CGI effects were brilliant, along with the set designs, costumes, and action sequences. But no, this is not a rip-off of "Lord of the Rings" in any way, although it does in the trailer. Instead, the two films are completely different, both just seeming to have epic battle sequences, one which seems to have animals fighting. The magic is decent, I guess, although I hope they can expand a little more in the future.I found the film quite good because of the allegory behind it. The film obviously touches on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which is probably why this film was so successful during the winter season. Apart from that, I found the film quite long. The first act drags a bit and I thought they could've sped up the pace a lot better.The performance by Anna Popplewell, the youngest of the bunch, is quite...annoying. She seems like a rip-off of the character Hermione in the "Harry Potter" series. Apart from that, everyone else was fine. The best character in here is Tilda Swinton because her character is vicuous. I mean really vicious. I think she ranks up as one of the best villains in movies.I think the film is a decent start to the franchise. I hope the films would get better along the way, much like the "Harry Potter" films, as well as more magic that made people fall in love with "The Wizard of Oz." The look of the film is beautiful yes. It's a stunning achievement. Overall, it's a good film for the family, although it's a bit violent for a PG rating.
"Papillon" (pronounced "pap-e-yawn") is one of the most underrated films of the 1970s. Most critics attacked it on it's released, accusing it of being extremely overlong. That is unfortunate, because that is it's only major fault. Despite the rather silly casting of Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman as French criminals, they work surprisingly well together. Franklin J. Schaffner's direction is inspiring, as is most of the work he did while at the top of his game. He creates one of my favorite shots in film history (the short blow-dart sequence), and captures the isolation of McQueen perfectly.As for length issues, the native villager sequence runs too long (though the nudity will no doubt entertain some), and trimming of some earlier scenes may have helped. Still, "Papillon" remains one of the most gruelling and well-made prison dramas of all time.7.7 out of 10
This film is a big piece of garbage. I thought I was watching cutscenes to a video game. This movie is boring and is not realistic. No suspense at all. Why would they make this thing. This looks like what they show on the video monitors when you are in line for Star Tours at Disneyland.
For a lot of film fanatics "?" may be the modern-day equivalent of Pulp Fiction vs. Monty Python, and a contemporary indie masterpiece. Whether or not this sort of praise is warranted, "?" is still an all-around well-made film with pitch perfect casting, exceedingly memorable and quotable dialogue, and the sort of high quality not generally seen in a directors' duo debut.The film tells an interlocking tale that takes place in the underbelly of our culture. Its stylistic approach turns an ordinarily low-life, underachieving college grad, a charming mentally disabled teddy bear type, and what would normally be a repulsive sex toy for many, into a highly engaging, pseudo-intellectual dark comedy experience.Beyond the obvious portrayals of unflinching darkly comedic behavior, rapid-fire pop cultural and profanity-laced dialogue, there's an amazing depth to its plot/story. "?" is a one of a kind wild ride for the comedic senses and dark emotions, and truly an important piece of indie cinema.
I thought that this movie was great. I really feel that it was supposed to be a silly way of conveying the importance of immigrants in society. Though the setting was on a small scale, (the state of California rather than the entire U.S.) it shows the chaos of what could happen and that is just in California. However it was a little far fetched and didn't make sense in some places. I don't believe that the country as we know it would come to an end as the film portrays, but it would suffer some very painful consequences. I thought that overall it was a very good movie. The director, Sergio Arau, is known for his interesting artistic take on his films. This one is really no different. The overflowing glass and leaky water faucet was nice symbolism as well. Although this film is a comedy, it does a nice job of bringing across its serious underlying message. Through some of the fluff and nonsensical points this movie in the end makes its point. Also, the special features interviewing some of the Latino population and their points of view were also a really eye opening complement to the movie.
Don't know why you've given so low score to this movie.... eventhough it's for tv only i think it's one of the most serious movies of the new generation it deals with the most scary subject of our ages "EASY MONEY" I've just loved it...... give to "Big shot" a second shot plzc ya :D
" Cafe Americain" is definitely one of the best sitcoms I have ever watched. Hilarious and witty ; sometimes using culture difference as "spice". Too bad it only lasted one season ; I can't understand why while other sitcoms which were in lesser caliber can survive longer. Probably it turned out that this type of comedy was not for everybody's liking (and it affected its rating)?Anyhows, Fabiana and his boyfriend scenes are so memorable for me. It never failed to amuse me watching his over-jealous boyfriend screaming "I"ll kill you, I'll kill you two times!" Valerie Bertinelli was awesome. This serial is really fun to watch. It is indeed an underrated comedy show, IMHO. For those who haven't watched ; this sitcom is highly recommended.
Beware...spoilers ahead. Low budget...great film. Blood, gore and sex, what else could you ask for. The nail gun is an unusual tool for the genre. They made good use of it. I especially love the hearse. Nice touch. considering i have two of my own. Although the taped helmet is tacky is was a simple solution to hide the killers identity without labeling him without a distinct face...like Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees. I even love the cliché vengeance motive. All in all it is a cheesy movie; but isn't that the reason for movies... suspension of reality. Or total disregard for taste. Fortunately both are my cup of tea.
I remember watching Emmanuelle with all my friends when I was 13 years old and at the time it was so hot. Now years on and I still love it. Basically, it's definitely not for teenagers. (I know I was under aged when I watched it, so there's no point in pointing that out) But for anyone who's into older movies, Sylvia Kristel or sex, I so suggest you watch Emmanuelle. Granted the story hardly makes any sense and the picture looks a little pale, but my friends and I enjoy an evening watching it. The story is pretty much about an attractive young woman who seeks comfort in the arms of men she hardly knows. That's really the whole story, but my point in watching it is because the sex scenes are not bad at all. It'll give you ideas on what to do next to spark up your relationship.
Date Movie was a movie that I thought would turn out to be hilarious, but yet, it turned out to be incredibly stupid, senseless, and unfunny as possible!!!The only real funny part was at the starting when Alyson Hannigan was trying to be sexy,and that wasn't even all that funny.I think Date Movie was a useless piece of junk that should have never been made, because it hurt's the good name of spoof movies everywhere, basically meaning the Scary Movie series.I thought that Date Movie was one of the grossest, sloppiest movies ever as well.I mean, I can stand some gross humor, but this film went a little to far, and I am ashamed that the people in this film agreed to act in this nonsense, especially Alyson Hannigan.So I warn you, DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!It isn't worth spending money or time on.
Before I watched this movie I was actually excited on watching this comedy/documentary movie. However, I was led to a big time let down. I am a Mexican-American and I was thinking it was going to be a movie that jokes about our stereotypes, but it was not like that at all. It was based more on how "upper-class white" people heavily depended on the cheap work of illegal immigrants. The movie classified most immigrants of those who are very loyal and humble, and at the same time they appeared to be very weak with no character and their main purpose was to serve white people. Point is illegal immigrants are people and they do have feeling and are not just personal slaves. They do get mad and have other feelings. They also talk mess about their boss, like most people do, behind their backs. I felt that this movie did not give this illegal immigrants that chance to show that they are also people.Even though there is still a lot of racism out there, they showed most white people as racists whom are helpless without an illegal immigrant doing cheap labor. I am not white and it might be true, but white people are people, they can easily adapt to changes in their environment. There are some white people that do cheap labor not all white people are rich.One last thing that i strongly disagree with this movie is that what if there are not Mexicans around there is still a whole bunch of Central-Americans and South-Americans who are always classified as Mexicans. If you eliminate the illegal immigrant Mexican you still will have a lot of illegal immigrants of different places of this planet that will do that cheap labor work. Is not just the Mexican who is the cheap labor illegal immigrant in this nation. Finally, disregarding the rest, the movie was not funny, and I didn't even seem to get a chuckle at that. If you want to see a way better comedy movie about illegal immigrants I recommend you to watch Born in East L.A.
After seeing I Know Who Killed Me yesterday, surrounded by a New York/East Village crowd, I am getting pretty annoyed by the sadly anticipated reviews claiming to whoever might want to hear it that this movie is as much of a joke as Lindsay Lohan's latest "career" moves.Being familiar with miss Lohan's personal struggles much more than I am with her movies, I bought my ticket with a somewhat open-mind, even though after seeing the trailer (maybe the only bad element of the movie), I admit that I was basically expecting a teenage slasher movie. Obviously, so did the critics but they won't have the decency to review the movie for what it actually turned out to be.From the little promotion we got, we basically were told that this would be Lohan's first "adult" role as a leading lady. I guess the people waiting for a 20yo to play an "adult" are indeed going to be disappointed, but let's leave those thinking about the absurdity of their expectations. Lindsay Lohan actually offers "adults" viewers a respectable leading performance. Because here what the movie is: a campy, slightly trashy, cult comedy for young adults familiar with the cheap horror flicks from the 80's and critical of the American values of suburban loss.I read about how terrible the movie is because some genius knew who the killer was from the start. I read that the chills are laughable... Reviewers, guess what. You're not cleverer than the writers and director. However you might be one more prototype that movie studios rely on to produce pleasing blockbuster hits.I know Who Killed Me could be classified in the same category as movies like Grindhouse or TV's Twin Peaks. It has a permanent subtle humor about itself and what it depicts. Bored teenagers, immature parents, unqualified teachers and overpowered police... here is the bunch of characters you will get to know. The casting was well directed and miss Lohan does suck you in the movie with her well known attitude and an unsuspected self-cynical humor. She's a teen actress playing a stripper, she knows it sounds bad and it makes the movie good.The ending might be open to interpretation, like most interesting endings always are (Mulholland Drive, Basic Instinct, etc.) but who killed the poor girls won't matter much by the end of this movie. The psychological journey of Lohan's character is the central piece of the movie, and the foundations to it are its own comical elements.Of course, I referred to Lynch, Tarantino and Verhoeven (who interestingly enough suffered the same kind treatment after the camp classic Showgirls) but I would not go as far as saying that I Know Who Killed me has the same rare genius that will make it last through the years, but it absolutely delivered the cynical fun that comes out from somewhere in between utter stupidity and sharp wit.My little East Village crowd surprisingly was open-minded enough to clap the movie throughout the end credits. Of course I pleasantly joined the applause. I pretty much anticipate the movie to join the lot of "love them or hate them" flicks, so, just like the movie did, I will not take myself too seriously and just claim that: "I looooved it!"
Making her film debut, Bette Midler plays a singer loosely based on Janis Joplin. Midler does a very good job in the role, showing the woman making something of herself, but living a self-destructive life to the point where she ruins herself. A particularly eye-popping scene is when she struts through the men's room and the men get all freaked out and start jumping into the pool. You gotta wonder what's with those guys.Equally as good as Midler is Alan Bates as her manager and sometimes lover. "The Rose" is certainly a movie that I recommend, and I believe the director later directed Bette Midler in the equally interesting "For the Boys". Also starring Don Calfa and Doris Roberts.
I absolutely love this show. It is the only T.V. show that I will never miss because I love it so much. I love all the characters and I love all of the humor used in the show. Abby is my favorite character, she's not your ordinary person you would expect to work for NCIS and I love that. Gibbs is a great character too, he seems very cold on the outside but you can tell that deep inside he really cares about everyone on his team very deeply. The first time I watched this show I was flipping through the channels and it looked interesting so I watched it and I have been hooked on it ever since and have never missed an episode. I would recommend this anyone who enjoys any kind of crime shows.
I can accept that for some people Big Brother is addictive to watch, but unfortunately I am not one of those people. In fact,I can't stand this programme, if people like it that's fine, but as I believe in honesty, here's the bottom line... Down With Big Brother. I don't find it funny, quite the opposite, boring, tedious and a waste of time. And some of the contestants act disgracefully towards each other, if I had a choice of being a contestant on this programme and jumping out of a plane without a parachute,I'd know what I'd choose. The presenter Davina McCall is okay, but she can do so much better things with her life. Also most of the contestants have the likability of spinach and even worse in some cases, Big Brother does get my vote as having some of the most unlikeable characters on television. Even the theme tune I can't stand. Overall, a programme, like another reviewer summed up perfectly, that has limped past its sell by date, and should be taken off the air pronto. 1/10 Bethany Cox
To be honest, after hearing a few things about this film and that it's being compared to The Dirty Dozen, I was not surprised at how funny, light and enjoyable this film was. It starts off on a very light and 70's style mood type opening credit sequence with Sergio Leone western-style graphics and a theme song worthy of A Bridge Too Far. And it continues throughout to be a fun filled movie with likable characters and those good old war film shootouts with a guy shooting at a German and the German grabbing his gut and falling to the ground. Let's face it, we love that stuff.It also has a few twists to the plot and a few memorable scenes and lines, you seriously need to watch this if you're any kind of a movie buff.
Fake looking, horrible acting, weak directing and a disappointing killer/monster. Sounds like a typical '70's horror fare but difference is that this movie is just plain bad instead of entertaining like most other typical Brithish '70's horror movies. The story and the concept of the movie really aren't that bad. It however is ruined by the poorly over-the-top acting actors and the weak and at times just plain stupid directing from Jim O'Connolly. Also the fake looking sets and the pointless many sex- and nude scene's make this movie a poor entry in the horror genre. Lot's of horror fans of '70's movies will be disappointed by this also because it isn't really an entertaining one to watch. There is quite some blood and gore but that all is simply just not good enough to satisfying the average horror fan.Another disappointing aspect of the movie is the killer/monster of the movie. The suspense is build up well and the killer/monster isn't shown for a long time. However when he finally is shown it's a huge disappointment. He is incredibly stupid looking and even worse is the killer/monster at the ending who they for some odd reason gave a mask instead of just make-up. It was incredibly stupid and fake looking and just totally ruined the ending.It's a real shame because like I mentioned before the story had more than enough potential. The movie and its story however make some odd choices as the movie progresses and the acting and directing truly make this movie an even worser one to watch. Some of the ideas in the movie are good but one has the feeling that a different director would had handled this movie differently and would had made this a better one to watch for sure.Will not even the most hardened '70's horror fan like this movie? Hard to say. Perhaps, if he/she is able to appreciate some of the ideas and concept of the movie. They will probably still find some joy in it. But even they must come to the conclusion that this movie is a disappointing and just plain bad one.3/10
...and I saw both feardotcom and without a paddle in theaters.and i've watched the films of ed wood. and sat through many a roger corman classic. and generally rented every bad movie in the bowels of the video store. this is the single most painfully horrible movie i've ever seen. the only other thing i've watched in recent memory that was even close to this bad was six string samurai (I was so disappointed in that one). But, on the upside, you can use it as a torture device to annoy your friends. There's nothing like subjecting them to bad acting, a white guy masquerading as an "albino" black man, and just generally terrible movie-making. I first saw this film when I was 17. I'm now 23, and have yet to find anything to top it. The one and only reason I'm giving this two stars is because I like to torture people with it from time to time. Try it back to back with the Star Wars Holiday Special to rid your house of unwanted guests.
This film, unlike it's sequel, is a masterpiece. I grew up with this movie, It was one of my first theatre-going experiences as a child, This film unfortunately has never been given the credit it deserves. This film that has such a deep meaning to society has been all but forgotten. The animation is about the quality of that that Disney was turning out in the mid-80's, but the purpose behind the movie is what is so great, this movie that was concieved to sell toys actually conveys a sense of morality to its audience.The music is wonderful, John Sebastian and Carole King did a wonderful job. Before long, you'll find yourself singing along with the songs. The comical lines in this film are far better than those in the sequel, the humour is actually funny. Whether you're six years old or twenty-five, this is a very enjoyable movie, and hopefully it will reappear on video again soon, because a virtuous film like this should be readily available to everyone.
i can't believe it! this movie is worst than xXx, worst than Fast and Furious, worst than Gone in 60 Seconds!!! DO NOT SEE IT! I repeat: DO NOT SEE IT! See something else instead...even POKEMON is better than this bucket of crap!!! Bad acting, bad jokes, cliches....BAD! i give it a 0 out of 100.
I was very impressed with this piece. It was well written, exceptional character development, well directed and very well acted. I believed every character. This is one's a winner and I will watch it again.
i watched this movie and i HAAAVE TO SAY!! that people who haven't watched this movie should buy the DVD.the movie was GREAT 10/10 for me!!the songs were good!!the plot and the love triangle was good!!I wasn't really into Bollywood !! i didn't know who Salman khan and Preity Zinta were!! but i decided to watch the movie and i LOOVE IT!!i saw the movie and i started watching more Bollywood films !!WATCH IT! it's WOORTH WATTCHHING!!decide for yourself!! i thought it was great and you might like it to!!I LOOOOVE this movie SOO MUCH!!Salman and Preity are one of my most FAVOURITE COUPLE!!the story starts off with Salman wanting to become a singer. After a while though he decides things are not going very well he decides to leaves.UUNTILL he saves a young girl from DEATH!!her family is glad and thinks he is her husband!the young girl has a sister(Preity Zinta}!! i would explain the story more in depth but it's better if you watch it!!JUUST watch the movie!! is all i can say!
What a breath of fresh air. I enjoyed Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and this film's over-the-top storytelling reminded me of what I thought was lacking in that other film. There was much joy to be had. It really was a lot of fun and quite the breath of fresh air for children's movies since the slump between The Incredibles and now.The actors are perfectly cast. So often children can only distract from a movie with very few turning in believable performances. Not the case here.My only regret was the missed opportunity for the perfect tag-line...maybe they's take my idea for the DVD promotion..."You can't handle the tooth!"
Unlike the ancient notion that the moon is a mirror of the Earth's surface, modern space exploration and satellite imagery have revealed that the moon is a large cratered rock with the far side permanently turned away from the Earth. In Quebecois director Robert Lepage's film Far Side of the Moon, the moon's far side serves as a metaphor for the divide that separates two brothers, each with a different sexual orientation. Based on a one-man stage play by Mr. Lepage, it is both a history of man's exploration of the surface of the moon and the inner exploration of two individuals who are trying to put their life in order after the death of their mother (Anne-Marie Cadieux).Shot in fifteen days in digital video using dissolves and CGI, the film creates a dazzling confluence of reality and fantasy that moves effortlessly between past and present utilizing delightful, surreal effects that form a bridge between the Earth and the cosmos. Philippe looks at the window of a washing machine and sees the vastness of space, a trip into the stomach of a pregnant mother turns a fetus into a tiny astronaut connected to his craft, the stacking of bottles in a restaurant becomes the launching of a space mission, and a man walking on snow becomes an explorer on the moon. The two brothers, Philippe and André, are performed in a dual role by the director. Philippe is an unhappy dreamer with no relationship and no profession.He works as a telephone solicitor for the Montreal newspaper Le Soleil but is clearly distracted and makes personal calls to his ex-girlfriend (Céline Bonnier) and his brother that cause his employer consternation. His younger brother André, a gay man, is a weatherman for the local television station and maintains an ongoing relationship with Carl (Marco Poulin). More carefree than Philippe, he is preoccupied with disposing of his mother's possessions. Philippe is a perennial student who, at age forty, is still seeking approval for his Doctoral dissertation which argues that man's desire to explore space is built, not on discovering the mystery and wonder of the universe, but on his own narcissism - his act of self-projection.When Philippe's thesis is again rejected by his Doctoral committee, however, he seeks other avenues for recognition but they lead only to humiliation. He is treated rudely by guards when he wants to give a copy of his paper to former Russian cosmonaut Alexi Leonov; is thrown out of a late night bar for being loud and drunk; has an embarrassing meeting with Carl at a sauna, and when he receives an invitation to present his paper at a symposium in Moscow, ridiculously forgets to adjust his watch to local time and faces an empty theater. Finally given a chance to showcase his creative talent when he is accepted as a participant in a SETI project to collect home videos to send into space, he limits his film to showing his apartment while rambling about his life and his video lacks poetry or self awareness.As Philippe's life becomes increasingly dysfunctional, and his estrangement with André more pronounced, a suddenly discovered secret brings the two brothers together. Like the scarred far side of the moon, their lives have sustained repeated impacts which they have kept well hidden. Now that their scars are revealed, a huge burden has been lifted, and, with the aid of CGI, Philippe's weightless body can ascend into space. Far Side of the Moon is entertaining and highly imaginative and I would recommend it, yet there is little emotion in the film and, for all its transcendental motifs, I found it to be lacking a sense of the mystery and wonder of either outer or inner space.
SPOILER ALERT! This is one of the finest satiric cartoons ever made. I am convinced that South Park is the best show on TV (and the only excuse to turn on that disgusting Comedy Central [AKA The Beer and Sex Channel,]) but some people wonder if the movie is as good as the show. Take my word for it, it isn't. It's ten times better. In the movie, Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny see an R-rated film starring their favorite Canadian actors, Terrance and Philip. The movie is entitled Asses of Fire, and if I may quote Arthur Taussig, the title is the least offensive thing about it. In the opening scene of Asses of Fire, we discover why it was rated R. I won't give away one of the funniest parts of the movie, but I'll just say that I didn't know you could use that many obscenities in only three minutes. When the movie ends, the boys leave the theatre repeating all the words they've heard in the film. Not knowing what the words mean, they continue this behavior the next day at school. Their teacher sends them to the guidance counselor who subsequently calls their mothers. As those who watch the show may have guessed, Sheila Brosfloski, Kyle's mother, is outraged and begins a campaign to have the film banned.It's general pop-culture knowledge that Kenny McCormick is killed in nearly EVERY episode of South Park. One can naturally assume that his death in the movie would be the Kenny-death-to-end-all-Kenny-deaths. It is, but unlike his frequent deaths in the show, his death in the movie is a huge contributing factor to the plot. This may be a slight spoiler (if you can call the way in which Kenny dies a spoiler.) The boys end up seeing the movie again, and Kenny is killed while imitating something he saw in the film that may be too inappropriate say in this review. He is banished to Hell for skipping church to see the film, and we discover that Satan and Saddam Hussein are in a homosexual love affair. In this relationship, Satan is surprisingly warm and caring and wants to communicate with Saddam, but Saddam just wants sex. The conversations between these two characters throughout the film are hilarious. Meanwhile, back on Earth, Sheila Brosfloski's movement to have Terrance and Philip banned has spun out of control. Canada is blamed for all of the problems of America's youth, America is preparing to literally wage war against Canada, all Canadian-American citizens are sent to death-camps, and Terrance and Philip are scheduled to be executed. Back in Hell, Kenny listens to a conversation between Satan and Saddam. Bible readers know the seven signs of the end of the world. The fall of an empire, the coming of a comet, etc. We discover that when the blood of Terrance and Philip touches American soil, Satan and Saddam Hussein will ascend from Hell and rule the earth. It is now up to Stan, Kyle, and Cartman to save humanity from the horrors of every Christian's worst nightmare, and his boyfriend, George W. Bush's worst nightmare. This film is more than hilarious. I am convinced that Matt Stone and Trey Parker are the funniest individuals in America. This film is an animated musical, but parents beware, it doesn't bare the Disney family-friendly stamp of approval. The best songs in the film are "Up There," "I'm Super," "What Would Brian Boitano Do?," and the infamous "Blame Canada," which was nominated for an Oscar. The best voice jobs by the creators were Saddam Hussein (Matt Stone,) and Satan (Trey Parker.) I could watch this film twenty times every day and never tire of it. Caution: while this film is animated, it is certainly not for the kiddies. It is filled with vulgar language, but it is not gratuitous. The language used is the purpose of the film. The moral of the film is that no matter what words your children learn from a film, it is not the filmmaker's job to raise your child. It's an anti-censorship film. It is the up to the parent to put it into context and punish accordingly. I would recommend this film to everyone who is not easily offended or an extreme Christian, YOU WILL BE OFFENDED. If you're into satirical cartoons, or just want to see Canadians drop bombs on Alec Baldwin, South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut is a must-see.
Based on the James Ellroy novel "Blood on the Moon", James Woods is LAPD detective Lloyd Hopkins who discovers the terribly mutilated corpse of a young woman and immediately starts comparing the scene with previously unsolved murders. He becomes convinced a serial killer is at work here, preying on women for the last fifteen years. Soon, more gruesome murders occur and detective Hopkins becomes a target himself. Detective Hopkins is the kind of amoral sleazeball that makes Dirty Harry seem like a little angel in comparison. He's the kind of cop that blows your date away, leaves his partner to clear the mess and then asks the woman if she needs a ride home and have some fun.James Woods also co-produced with director James B. Harris, long time buddy of Stanley Kubrick and producer of THE KILLING (1957), PATHS OF GLORY 1958) and LOLITA (1962), who also wrote the script for this hard-edged cop thriller. I made the mistake expecting a really good film, mostly based on Woods' presence, the writings of James Ellroy, and Kubrick sidekick James B. Harris taking the directorial helm, but Harris hardly shines in that department. His direction is adequate, but not much more. Best to watch this as a gritty cop flick, trashy, cynical and sometimes a bit silly with plenty of misguided attempts at humor on account of leading man James Woods, always a plus, in any film. It's a reasonably well-executed cop thriller, but no classic. Expect an enjoyable slice of B-movie nonsense and you probably won't be disappointed.Camera Obscura --- 7/10
I found it very interesting that almost only Hungarian people wrote reviews on this film.About the film: IMO this is a typical French comedy, with lots of embarrassing and silly but funny situations and decent acting. Belmondo is in top form, the ladies are OK. If you like French comedies this is right up your street.What makes this movie unforgettable for many of my fellow citizens is the extremely high quality of the Hungarian dubbing. I mean, I watched this film with the original sound and i have to tell you I didn't get half of the pleasure than watching it with the Hungarian voices.( In Hungary films on TV are usually dubbed and the standard of voice acting in the country was top notch for years. It's slowly declining nowadays, though, I'm afraid.)Many Hungarians know the entire script by heart and it's always a good party thing if you quote a line from this film. To us it's just fun.Like I said earlier this might not be your cup of tea. However, just for the laughs you can watch it on a day when there's not much to do(I wish I had more of them). It's impossible not to -at least- smiley on the lovely character played by Belmondo.
McElwee has done many other similar works, some more deeply moving -- the one about his father the doctor, for instance. But this gives a great introduction to his "style" -- the guy who takes the camera everywhere and films his life, and not just in trivial ways -- ala web cams today. A tribute to women -- and women rate it much higher than men, as the imDb voting demographics show. This pre-dated the well-known and wildly successful "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" -- some would call it an outright steal or rip-off of "Sherman's March." As far as I know, McElwee had nothing to do with and is not credited in "Sex, Lies, and Videotape. "Sherman's March" clearly influenced "SL & V," to put things more mildly. SL&V has marketing written all over it, from the title to the stars (admittedly not as famous during the time of the shoot as now), and in its focus on sex and masturbation, particularly. "Sherman's March" has indie-film written all over it; it's not about stars, only indirectly about sex, and everyone plays themselves: it's a documentary. I liked all of that and it was a fresh approach when it first came out. Most such films are not done skillfully, thoughtfully, or edited well enough to make for excellent viewing. You may or may not like McElwee personally; he's a bit of an odd-ball, but a kindly one. His women friends are the focus here, however, and he wisely gets out of the way most of the time. Well worth your time.
I travelled alone to NZ via LA on 17th December returning on 8th January both ways as economy passenger. On the outward flight I was lucky enough to be upgraded to a better seat by the LHR lady who checked me in and was happy with everything. Don't expect to be super comfy in economy but this 'preferred seat' was great. On the return flight on checking in at Christchurch for the hop to Auckland (NZ 546 7/1/14 boarding 19.15) I asked the check in attendant if there was any chance of a better seat (mine was 55F one seat in from the aisle in the central row where I had not enough room to pick up something I had dropped on the floor). I was told in no uncertain terms that "I was lucky to have a seat as this flight is overbooked"! I was pretty annoyed. As I had 24hrs flying ahead of me I decided to remain calm and not react. Fortunately at LA (what a dive that is) I asked tentatively if there was any chance of a change of seat and the attendant was able to offer me a window seat 49A which was so much more comfortable I had room to move for which I was most grateful. Apart from the lady at Christchurch I have nothing but praise for the staff both ground and air.
I took my family to Benidorm which included my 2year old grandson. We were board onto the plane then the plane was "parked up" for 2.5 hours due to delays. No free refreshments were supplied so jet2 made a fortune as their on board prices are ridiculous. On the return flight which was we only had Euros so my wife used some of them and purchased 5 "charity scratch cards" the normal cost was £5 (£1 each) but as we were paying with Euros it would be 10 Euros which is a total rip off exchange rates (50p when the average is 70p) when questioned the staff attitude was a shrug and the answer its a poor exchange rate at the moment also these were sold near the end of the flight and any minor winnings could only be spent with Jet2.
We flew from London to Auckland business class and I was extremely impressed. The first leg to Seoul as in a 777 and we had flat beds that were excellent. On the second leg to Auckland we were in an older 747 and only had seats that went flat but at an angle and were much less comfortable. The food was excellent and the service from the FA's was good. A really pleasant surprise.
I recently has 2 horrible experiences with this airline on my DC-Istanbul-Mumbai and Mumbai-Istanbul-Chicago flights. On my flight from Washington DC-Istanbul I received sub standard service from one of the air hostesses. Even after 4 requests I did not get any headsets. I was served dinner late and without any bread. The air hostess plainly ignored my request for coffee. While coming back from Mumbai-Istanbul I had booked row 29 seats but when I checked in I was given row 46 boarding passes that were not window seats. For window seats she offered me row 53 inflight row 53 was indeed the last row and I couldn't do anything. The food quality was not at all good and asking a preferred (Vegetarian or Special) meal doesn't make any difference. I will never fly Turkish again.
Flew 777 Los Angeles non-stop to Tokyo. My problem was that I am considerably larger than the average Japanese and the seat although it would go full flat was cramped for me. The cabin was also kept too warm - but most of the Japanese passengers were cold!
Got evicted from my seat for being "too attached to my grandchildren". My husband and I took our family - 9 adults 4 children 2 infants-to Hawaii. We paid extra for the better seats for all of us and also for two exit row seats for my husband and myself. We were very pleased with the seats and the legroom for the price we paid. However While waiting an hour on the tarmac for the plane to take off I and many of the other passengers used that time to get up and stretch our legs. I talked to my family and helped entertain the grandkids. Upon returning to my seat the flight attendant told me that I had lost my chance to be in the exit row because I was "too attached to my grandchildren". I was incredulous but she was very firm. I had to switch seats with my son for the entire flight to Hawaii. So beware - if you are in the exit row - don't act like you like children.
Flight 538 DPS-MNL Sep 20. Flight 116 MNL-YVR Sep 20. Only one bad children's movie played from a screen in the middle of the plane at the beginning. No more movies for the rest of the 10 hrs. They ran out of the meal I wanted then forgot to give it to me so 30 minutes later I had to ask. They have no alcohol except bad wine and bad beer. For a 12 hour flight it was horrible. Delayed flight of course and a bad terminal in Manila. Not worth the money cause for a little bit more money you can get a normal international flight with actual service and entertainment.
It was about 82 degrees on the flight home tonight. FA's didn't seem to care about passenger comfort. Passengers were complaining about the air. Television at our seat was intermittently working. This airline needs an overhaul, sadly, just when I'm about to achieve status. 
Return flight from KL to ALA was in complete contrast to the previous flight down. On time crew very friendly and professional. Food and service was very good. After the debacle of the previous flight the agent in KL met me at the gate to again apologise. He had been very helpful previously. I also received an e-mail from the company's senior operations manager who went to lengths to apologise and explain. I do feel this is more than most airlines would do to follow up. This does give confidence that the airline is focussed on continuous improvement. The entertainment unit also had more movies loaded and this kept me fully occupied and well entertained for the flight. However suffice to say that the experience on the return journey was a good one with very good service and perfectly on time with the plane unloading from an air bridge on arrival making unloading of the 767 much more efficient.
Travelled back from Dublin to Leeds on a flight that was supposed to arrive at 17.30 on 31/3/15 but after 2 x attempts at trying to land in Leeds we were eventually diverted to Liverpool. This was due to strong winds and was a safety precaution fair enough I hear you say. This isn't really my gripe but the after care. The cabin crew told us that coaches were being laid on and would be a few minutes to arrive after around an already 1hr delay however when we went to the Ryan Air desk the representative advised she knew nothing about the 120+ passengers or any coaches! After being kept waiting she eventually told us that some coaches were being arranged what happened to the one that were a few minutes away? After a 3hr wait sat on a cold floor (no seating) the coaches turned up and we were face with a 1hr 45m journey to Leeds. When asked for tokens for water and a snack the rep advised everyone there weren't any tokens. Absolute terrible aftercare. Ryan Air: We've got your money now you are on your own. Never ever again.
Easy to book on the internet. Lovely cabin with leather seats and lots of room (because we were seated next to an exit). As much coffee as you wanted and paid snack service. Excellent Inflight Entertainment. Cabin crew a bit frosty at the beginning but after a while hearty and friendly!
My sister took the 10.10pm WJ412 flight on Aug 26 from YVR and her flight was delayed 35 mins. Next day my other sister and I took WJ412 at 10.10pm from YVR and again the flight was delayed half an hour. All three of us returned from YEG on Aug 31 on the 4.05pm WJ109 flight - delayed (again) - over 45 mins! We will never fly Westjet again. Part of the delay on Aug 31 was that someone was sitting in our seats - same seat# on Boarding Pass - turns out they had been on the previous flight and no-one bothered to check that they had the next (5pm) connecting flight to YVR and should have got off the plane! They didn't speak much English so it took 15 mins just to get them (4 people) off.
San Diego to Houston. Overall I found both flight crews to be professional. Pilots took time to describe trip/weather conditions and flight attendants were nice. On the return leg of the trip there was a medical emergency on board and the crew handled it well. Check-in and boarding were easy. Seating was comfortable. Paying for checked baggage was a check against them but this is minor IMHO.
EZY137 from Manchester to Belfast. This was my first time flying EasyJet since 2004 and I must say I was highly impressed. Can't fault them on anything. I dropped off my bag without any issues. I had a mobile boarding pass but the check in assistant printed me one nevertheless. It's nice that some go the extra mile. The crew on board were extremely friendly and welcoming. The flight left in good time and arrived 15 minutes early. An excellent and efficient service. I would certainly use EasyJet again.
We flew on the Dreamliner from Manchester to Cancun. We opted to upgrade to premium seating. The experience was well worth the money. Every aspect about the flight was all that was advertised. If only all flight experiences were like this.
HNL to LAX on Boeing 767. I booked a window seat but for reason that I can't understand (my english was poor!) the staff asked me to seat in the middle seat of main line of seats with two fat men on each side of me. It was terrible They pressured me all time I was sleepy the flight was full and I had nowhere to move to.
HEL-LPA return with A321. Booked flights 7 months earlier and reservation for 2 exit seats for extra charge from their call center was kept at check in. Generous legroom. Friendly attentive crew flight deck announcements and clean aircraft made 6 hrs flight more enjoyable for a leisure flight. Also our pre booked Holiday Meal on outbound flight was surprisingly tasty and hot and portions were more filling than we have had for this route with other carriers. Only minus was inbound flight meal which was bit tasteless perhaps due to LPA catering. Drinks for purchase but all in all flight with them (DK) offered more holiday feeling than our national carriers charter flight offers. Baggage came fast at LPA but in HEL it took more than 45min due to ground handling problems.
Seoul Incheon - London Heathrow 4/1/2015. The flight was delayed by almost an hour taking off and so we were late into London missed our slot and had to circle for another 20mins. The food was truly awful if it wasn't tasteless it was far too spicy. My main gripe was with the 'entertainment system'. On a 12 hr flight we had the choice of 6 films on a loop of 2hrs you would think that we would at least have had AVOD or a better choice than what we had. I only watched 2 films as nothing else appealed. I have travelled with Asiana before and was fairly satisfied but I am afraid the service is not what it was.
GIG-LIS-A330-200. An old ones (once Swissair). Seats are very new and very comfortable but inflight entertainment dates from last century. Note for an extremely friendly staff. Food was very pleasant however Portuguese selection of wines was poor. Portugal has much better wines that deserve to be served. No French Champagne. An acid Sparkling wine. Late take off on-time at arrival. Luggage very quick.
LHR-NRT-LHR round trip in economy. Every aspect of service excellent from check-in to disembarking. The cabin crew worked hard to meet passenger wishes and gave the impression that nothing was too much trouble. But the seating is dreadful. They were the most uncomfortable seats with the smallest pitch I can remember on a long-haul flight. My knees were firmly up against the seat in front and had I not been able to move to an empty exit row seat on each flight then the flights would have been unbearable. For this reason alone I would not fly with ANA again nor recommend them to anyone over 5'6" tall.
We flew Christchurch to KL return and KL to Kota Bharu return. We found them very good. All flights were on time. The service was good. The food and beverages were reasonably priced and tasty. I would recommend due to the good value.
Flew Edinburgh -Gdansk return. I didn't pre book seat but was allocated one free. This meant I could print off boarding passes at home for both legs of journey and with 10kg hand luggage (plus handbag) there was no queue to stand in at airport just straight to security. Fabulous! Liked the fact there was a priority boarding queue even though I wasn't in it. Boarding front and rear of plane. Very efficient. Flight on time. Plane clean and seemed plenty of room for everyone's luggage. The seat on the plane was one of the most comfortable I have encountered on a short haul carrier and I even managed to have a very relaxing shut eye. I have travelled with Thomas Cook several times recently and the flights were very uncomfortable. On outward leg of this journey I was at a window seat and was invisible to cabin crew however on return journey at aisle seat crew very pleasant and helpful. Overall very impressed excellent value for money and will sing Ryanair's praises to family and friends.
We flew London to Manila  the Manila - Korea leg was in a short haul Airbus with no entertainment. We couldn't book our inflight meals because of their seating policy they wanted to seat my wife and our two year old daughter away from me and every leg of the journey was delayed - total journey time on the return journey was nearly 31 hours!
RIX-ATH-RIX. Both flights on time good service and responsive cabin crew. Fast check-in in RIX check-in in ATH could be more faster. Good value for money if booked in advance.
I recently travelled on a Qantaslink dash 8 300 Mel-LST service and found the service remarkable. I was greeted in such a friendly manner legroom was excellent considering the size of aircraft and snack service and the complimentary wine was quite unexpected for a regional service and flight time just over an hour. I have also heard that LST dash services are being upgrade to Q400 services can anyone comfirm this?
Do not fly this airline unless you have no other choice. If you're looking at price, consider that you may have up to $100 in additional fees each way when you're comparing to other airlines if you're checking a bag. Pay attention to the fine print and the even finer print when you're thinking about checking or carrying on bags. This is hands down the worst experience I have had on an airline, and I'm not half done with my trip yet. I am sitting in the airport delayed 4 hours for my first and last Spirit Airlines flight (except for the flight home, which I unfortunately have to endure). 
JQ35 MEL-DPS on the 787 Dreamliner. Paid for the exit row well worth the money. A good service and a really nice comfortable aircraft I'm not sure why it's getting such bad feedback. As my first international Jetstar flight I was satisfied.
EWR-MUC 19/02/2013 LH413. My travel experience was great. From check-in to lounge and boarding it was very smooth and easy. The flight itself was relaxing food and drink was excellent and the staff very friendly. In the end we were even 30 minutes ahead of schedule. I wish flying would always be like this experience.
Flight VY 6206 August 10 from Florence to London: The flight was good but the airline didn't put any luggage onboard and we stood around for over an hour only to find out through another passenger what had happened.
I booked an Edinburgh to Perpignan flight with Air France and to my surprise I received no frequent flyer miles. Nothing in the documents I have printed indicate this and at GBP 376 it was not the cheapest option. Today I received an email saying they reward my loyalty and that "it always earns you more miles." Air France certainly needs to look at their service especially as with code sharing their clients have a chance to compare them with other carriers.
Flew TLV to SAW return. Short flights were on time and no frills as per the pricing but no surprises either. No free water in Gokcen so we were thirsty on the flight. Bags came promptly and no complaints about the airline. Third party ground staff in Istanbul had weak English but not a major issue. Plane was clean and modern.
I use Orient Thai regularly to shuttle between Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Standards of service always reliable with polite and attentive staff who speak good English. Even on this short hop passengers are always provided with a snack and a drink. Usually the cheapest option between the two cities only downside being that there are no flights between mid morning and mid afternoon.
Its all about the crew SYD-AUH-LHR EY455 - friendly efficient crew -long haul 14 hours to AUH and delayed out of SYD by an hour due to missing PAX. Good flight seat 35H. But this flight EY19 to LHR is like 'chalk and cheese' with a very unfriendly crew running out of food and disinterested in passengers why do the job?
The flight attendants on the flight from MEL to LAX couldn't have been more attentive efficient and professional. Same on the LAX to NY and LAX to MEL. Food was reasonable drinks were served regularly cups of water offered often and service was second to none. I had heard all manner of criticism about United beforehand however decided that given the effort by United to revamp the airline putting the 'Dreamliner' into service non-stop between MEL and LA it was only fair to give United a fair chance. United Airlines staff were nothing short of fantastic having arranged assistance for me on arrival at the various locations - in general over and above their call of duty.
I travelled from Bangalore to Paris via Colombo on 27th May 2014 and travelled back on 18th June 2014 with a short transit stay in Colombo on 19th June. The air travel was excellent though long and the staff were very friendly and courteous. The short transit stay arrangement at the beach hotel provided by you was also very good. Keep it up.
London Gatwick - Puerto Plata - return - Premium Cabin. Our return flights exceeded our expectations and we were really pleased. The plane - an elderly First Choice 767 - was in fairly good nick inside and the premium seats were comfortable and offered decent legroom. Inflight entertainment was a little clunky but worked fine. The food was really good and the service from the crews in both directions was friendly and efficient. No problems getting drinks when required. The only negative was the 45 minute queue for the day before check-in as only one agent was on. 2 more were found just as we got to the counter.
We have always found Jet2 flights to be excellent we have never had any problems with them. Not too happy with customer service but airport and flights we cannot fault the service we received my partner has a fracture in his back and we needed special assistance the service we received was 100% better than the flight we had with BA.
Mumbai to Kuala Lumpur return. Economy seat comfortable but after 2 hours legs get a bit uncomfortable as minimum space for feet. Food - we pre-booked vegetarian meal they gave us curry and small mineral water bottle. Food tasty but quantity of food very small. Recommend Air Asia and its very cheap.
Flew Melbourne to Bali in business class old plane before they introduce the new planes on the route. Food and drinks were excellent and better than the Qantas domestic offering however please don't scrimp on a proper desert. The current inflight entertainment was limited and I put it away once I looked at the content hopefully new planes have something better. Service was great from the Aussie and Thai crew.
Puerto Vallarta from Los Angeles. Its only a 3 hr flight. We paid full price First Class not upgrades. First Class it was not. Besides the 737-400 being old and tired my seat was broken both ways. Seat pitch is the tightest I've ever experienced it was impossible to get up with the seat in front reclined. Food was awful there were zero amenities and pre-flight beverage service was water. I had to wait behind coach passengers to use the lavatory both ways despite the announcements alerting passengers about the usage of the front lavatory. The one bright spot was the use of their Board Room Lounge at LAX. Its very nice wonderful staff and plenty of amenities. Alaska needs to upgrade their First Class or go ahead and rip out the four abreast seats up front.
Yangon to Heho via Nyaung U in February with Air Bagan very pleasant. Inflight experience good with clean cabins and nice and attentive crew. They served even on this short flight a little breakfast with cold-cuts and cold omelette which was ok. As the previous comment states the problem is rather the infrastructure on the ground. Everything is still very old fashioned with hand written tickets and passenger lists and baggage handled by hand or on trolleys pushed by man as well and power shortage even in public airport areas. Booked through local travel agent who kept us informed of flight changes so saved us the hassle to deal with airline ticket sales directly. As we were on a holiday it was a bizarre but entertaining experience and it felt like what airtravel must have been like 50 years ago.
My business partner and I flew Auckland/Queenstown on 20 May returning the next day. I don't normally comment on domestic flights but these two flights need recognition for the stellar service provided by Air New Zealand. It was two newish A320's either way and manned by some of the best staff I have encountered. We were Star Alliance Gold so had the options of seats in Row 1. Water tea/coffee and snacks were provided and a second cup was available for anyone that wanted. Well done Air New Zealand!
RIX-BCN flight. Business is not business. Meal was inedible. The stewardesses are friendly the company is an expensive cheap service company. The offers lack integrity and the overall client attitude is negative.
April 23 2015 fight 0605 Detroit MI to Fort Meyers FL. Worst flying experience I have experienced. Seats were very uncomfortable with no leg room whatsoever. My knees were literally pressing into the back of the seat in front of me. Unfortunately the passenger behind me had the same problem and I could feel their every movement as it translated into my lower back. I was almost embarrassed for the poor flight attendants as they attempted to hawk their wares pushing that little cart charging exorbitant fees costing three times as much for those purchased on the ground. Didn't see many takers. Being charged extra for seat placement was the final straw.
LHR-BKK. Wanted to try this service for ages but it was too many FF points to leave on the table however now they are in Star Alliance. Check in was a breeze skipped the lounge in favour of playing the piano that faces gate 23. Boarding was orderly and was shown to my window seat in the last row of Royal Laurel business class. Seat is spacious and appealing angled towards the windows. Pushed on time and took off to the west. Only complaint about the catering is that it did not include any Asian options. I had a nice steak for dinner and scrambled egg and bacon for breakfast but would have loved some nice Chinese food for dinner and pork and noodles in the morning. Crew could not have been more attentive coming by during meals and drinks every couple of minutes specifically to check if anything was needed / needed to be collected. Seat reclines full flat got some hours sleep under a very thick and comfortable duvet. Landed on time and after a very long walk immigration took only a few minutes. Priority tagged bag was one of the first on the carousel. Flawless performance from EVA my first time but not my last.
BEG-ATH JU512 A320. Very professional staff food is ok. We landed on time. I was pleased and will fly Air Serbia from now on.
My experience PEK-CAN on Mar 25 in Economy: If you are in economy do not expect good seat pitch and no entertaining at all on board on a A330-300 that I'm not sure if the color is Beige or use to be white and is ageing. Bring your drinks on board because they only offer Pepsi Seven Up and Water. Do not drink the coffee its horrible. The offer me dinner that I had to leave intact because it has very bad appearance for a western guy like me. I saw everyone eating it but not me. In my opinion they are following very close to UA were economy is just a Low cost carrier offer with very bad international and domestic service. Hopefully CA will react and will improve their economy service. Dragonair Hainan Airlines and China Southern offer a much better service in Economy.
BNE-SIN-HEL-BER and return in Y. BNE-SIN/SIN-BNE legs were code-shared Qantas flights. SIN-HEL/HEL-SIN operated by Finnair using "vintage" A340-300s which have the advantage of being relatively quiet. Flight to HEL used plane which had a newer cabin good seats with an OK IFE system (good screens but relatively small selection of content). Return flight to SIN on old plane uncomfortable seat cushions and tiny IFE monitors - but clean. I understand that Finnair will retire some of its A340s soon with the introduction of the A350 next year. This should greatly benefit their cabin product even in Y. Flights were mostly punctual and without incidents. Crew are professional and friendly. Meals were below the standards of most Asian and Middle-East carriers but edible. At the time of booking Finnair was the cheapest option. That being said it was good value for money carriers like Emirates or Singapore Airlines were both substantially more expensive. Stopover in HEL was thankfully short as it is an airport with very few options to spend time in.
Multiple trip with AE between SKG-FRA and MUC. Aircraft's were always clean service was fine food above average and quite good compared to other regular European airlines and the staff was always courteous and friendly. There were only couple times out of the last maybe 30 round trips the flight was delayed and that happened summertime when the European skies are congested. I have great respect for this airline and how nicely developed to become one of the best regional airlines of Europe.
FRA-WDH. Service is not great they are just doing their job that's it. The seats are of the old angle lie type still in good condition but nowhere near to the newest generation. The video system is a shame as not on demand and very limited choice. They started the movie before the meal was served my screen was out of order. I mentioned it but they could not or did not try anything to fix it.We chose Air Namibia only because of the direct flight. If you do not mind having connections fly with South African.
Looks like cheaper airfare but is not! Don't be fooled. Tons of add on expenses include: Baggage seats fare club membership government's cut security fee passenger facility fee segment fee and federal excise tax. I accidentally paid for 4 bags to check online and only needed to check 2.
CPH-AMS-LIM and return in November 2014. All flight were on time or a little below schedule and on all flights the staff were friendly and informal - a nice experience as usual. Food was OK nothing very fashionable and drink service as expected (although on return flight no vodka for Bloody Mary was available). IFE good especially - as expected - in audio rock music section which in KLM is among the best in the air. The only complaints are about the seating in B777-300ER. Formerly I have flew the 777-200 with 3x3x3 option and found that very comfortable. The 3x4x3 is not ideal. You could for a small fee get slightly more space for legs but not broader seats and the new arrangements are both narrow and hard. Paradoxically seats in the short-haul B737 are much better. But KLM offers in other aspects great service and often good prices.
Dubai - Colombo - Singapore - Colombo - Abu Dhabi. All flights on time with the usual warm service. Great down to earth food and drinks. Most flights had the lie-flat beds which was very comfortable. The only downside was the poor hotel provided during my long layover on the way back to AUH.
This report will be published as it is before I take my trip with GF (I will follow up with a review post trip). GF changed from a 3 class airline to a 2 class airline some four years or so. I am flying RUH-BAH-LHR-BAH-RUH on 24 Sept and 2 Oct. I have used miles to upgrade and after reviewing the config of the A332 have just called the call centre to request a seat on row 1 or 2 on the BAH-LHR-BAH sectors as these are 'lie flat'. I was told I could not as these are reserved for 'J' Class passengers only; hence still a 3 class airline! The scores shown are pre flight and my feelings/dealings with the GF staff thus far.
Flew LHR to SVO 27/3/15 returned 4/4/15. Outbound A321 return A330-300. Both trips were comfortable with cabin crew all very helpful and pleasant to a non Russian Speaker. We were in economy both ways. The plane was clean the toilets were fine and the food and drinks provided were good for airline food in our family experience. Overall a very pleasant experience No IFE on way out as small plane but lots on way back choice was good.
I booked business class seats for my daughter and elderly father to travel Sydney to Frankfurt via Taipei. They could not have been happier with the service provided including wheelchair assistance at Taipei and Frankfurt airports. Food very good but most impressive was the attention care and respect shown by staff towards my 88 year old father.
LIS-GIG. Old 330. Seat 1J. Worst IFE in Business Class than most of Economy Class existing on the market. Very rude staff who spent most of the 10hr flight laughing together. After the 1st drink they disappeared foe 1.5 hrs. Part of the menu was just not available and other options had so little quantities that they became unavailable. I could not find my headphones when requested to return them - I was accused of having stolen them. I flew more than 40 times on C class between Brazil and Portugal this was just the worst cabin crew I've faced.
PHL-LHR on B787 seat 10A World Traveller Plus. The entire front row of the World Traveller Plus cabin are bulkhead seats and are also used as bassinets for babies so if children are travelling it is unlikely to obtain a seat in this row. The seat is definitely an improvement on its predecessor and I managed to get over 4 hours sleep due to the recline leg extension and footrest. The meal service has also improved and now has the Club World main course served together with wine in a glass and metal cutlery and a printed menu. There is also a hot towel service and drinks served before take off but in plastic cups and non-alcoholic. The service was very good but the cabin was not completely full and seats 25 passengers at maximum capacity. The entertainment system is excellent as it is the new Thales equipment. The cabin is also cleaner brighter and quieter than 777-200 and 747 equivalents.
Usual easyJet flight - on time, reasonable refreshments available, pleasant staff, seats bit hard after a couple of hours.
Flew JU656 BEG-SVO on 8/1/14. Departure on time. 100% full even though SU had a flight leaving some 20-30 minutes prior to ours. Catering in business was fantastic worth trying "home-made meatballs and stuffed peppers" and Serbian made Chardonnay! Purser and cabin staff very communicative and pleasant. Overall great flight and product even for a red-eye.
I flew Iberia last April only because the price (about 80 Euros) between Lisbon and Madrid was lower than TAP Portugal Air Europa or Easyjet. I didn't have high expectations at all because I was tired of hearing very bad comments about the company. But during my round trip one hour on each leg things went ok. We embarked on an A321 on schedule and flights were very comfortable. The crew were a bit old but very professional. Iberia didn't serve any food on this 45 minutes flight between LIS-MAD and then between MAD-LIS. Terminal 4 in Barajas is very comfortable clean and organized. It was a good experience on Iberia considering the bad expectations and comments that I heard before my trip. I will chose Iberia again.
JFK-AMM-JFK. We had an infant and asked for a row with access to bassinet. At check-in we were told we had a bassinet seat and when we boarded we discovered that we did not have access to one. The crew were not helpful rude and even threatened to offload me and my family and void our tickets. Very poor experience.
Riyadh-Jeddah. Domestic flight on B777-200. Business class. Seat 1L. Very comfortable service. Check in business counter very fast. Lounge in Riyadh is basic. Onboard service very good for a 1.5hr flight. Seat comfortable angle lie-flat. Dedicated bus for boarding on both airports. Fast bag drop on arrival.
Horrible customer service. Price per ticket BGI-POS through SVD (1 stop) quoted in Barbados dollars yet charged in USD. Rushed boarding unfriendly lazy flight attendant who yelled at passengers no inflight service whatsoever. Dirty seats loud airplane (Dash-8) and hardly any announcements from the pilots. Very crude rude rushed and absolute most horrible service I've ever experienced.
My return flight CAN-PEK on April 2 was in First Class (business class seats) on board of a A330-200 that in my opinion it has a much better appearance overall. Seats were flat bed with amazing great service and options of food between Western and Asian food. I had the Lamb that was quite good they had Pepsi Max (I do prefer Coke Zero) good white wine the crew was always around looking that everything was fine covering your legs with the blanket and helping to put the sleepers before taking off. The crew has very good English on First Class and they are very friendly and professional. It was a good experience.
As long as this airline continues to have a monopoly over all travel to North Morocco it will continue to be poor with little incentive to improve its punctuality prices and customer service. The airline is extremely unreliable in my experience. Connecting flights are a bad idea on all 3 occasions that I have travelled to North Morocco (Tangier) on a connecting flight my experience has been negative. Most recently my flight from London to Casablanca was delayed 50 mins and so I missed the connecting flight (which allowed a 1.5 hr stop over) and was left at Casablanca airport from 11pm until 4am without food refreshments accommodation or a customer service representative to assist or provide answers/information.
Having travelled from Tel Aviv to Madrid and back for several years now and though I always preferred El-Al for this route Iberia pilots are very good. I have noticed an improvement in staff attitude in the past two flights (flight attendants used to be so impolite now it is mostly friendly) . English proficiency should be dramatically improved though. Food was also a little better on my last flights. If they carry on the good job I will definitely recommend Iberia.
In June 2009 I booked a trip from London to Cape Town (via Tripoli) with Afriqiyah Airways leaving on Christmas day for about £400 - a pretty good deal. However in September they decided to stop in Johannesburg instead and booked us a transfer from Johannesburg to Capetown. Alas on our way out after an unscheduled stop in Paris to pick up "a few passengers" and a 4-5 hour unexplained delay in Tripoli we missed the connecting flight and had to pay £200 each for new tickets - despite reassurances from Afriqiyah Airways in Tripoli that they had transferred us onto later flights. In the end we were travelling for over 24 hours. On the way back the travel documents we used to travel out were not accepted in Johannesburg airport and we had to call the UK from a mobile to get further details. Once again we got stuck in Tripoli airport for over ten hours due to snow at Gatwick. Tripoli airport is awful - it is one giant ashtray with disgusting toilets. Despite the lovely planes this was the worst airline experience I have had.
I fly regularly from Sao Paulo to Sydney so used some of the points accrued for a trip to New York. You can also use these points (OneWorld) on American Airlines and as such our flights were SAO-LIMA-NYC rather than AA's SAO-NYC direct. LAN recently purchased Brazil's TAM and they are yet to fully integrate their systems. This caused us a huge problem as we landed in Peru with 'tickets' from LAN (but no boarding passes) for a TAM flight to Sao Paulo. Had to wait 4 hours (with a 2 year old) before any TAM staff showed up. When TAM finally arrived they didn't have our booking and the flight was fully booked! 8 hours after landing and numerous discussions later LAN finally agreed to put us on the next available flight (4pm - Taca) rather than wait another 16 hours for the next LAN/TAM flight. A few more discussions had them give us a hotel room for the additional 8 hour wait as 'complimentary club lounge access' doesn't mean much to a 2 year old child! The whole exercise simply rammed home my previous experiences with LAN - the in-flight crew comfort and service is excellent but the support staff at airports and offices are inefficient rude and arrogant. Flying with LAN is fantastic as long as nothing ever goes wrong and you have no need to rely on crew other than those serving you in the air.
We recently flew from San Francisco to Manila and back (April-May 2015). We chose the airline from the reviews we read and the price. Having flown US airlines recently and being totally unsatisfied this was a breath of fresh air. The seats were comfortable the service was prompt and cordial and the price was fantastic. Connections were easy. United you could sure learn something from these people. The only fault was the beverage service. We got a little cup of wine with our meal then never saw the beverage service again. Another glass or 2 would have been nice. But the overall service was excellent and we definitely will fly EVA again as we travel annually overseas.
Very disappointed with Air Canada Rouge. I thought that after reading the negative reviews online before our travels it would surely not be that bad but alas our experience was as disappointing as the many previous reviews. If you are hoping that Rouge will 'get you into the mood' for your vacation then you should seriously think about choosing a different carrier. Flew YYZ to LAS on Nov 6th 2014 on a 767. Nothing has been updated on this aircraft except for the new thinner seats. Leg space is inadequate. The carpet looked like it had not been cleaned. Reading lights did not work and after asking two crew members why not the response was 'not sure'. The poor people in the rows ahead reading lights stayed on the entire flight and could not be turned off. Inflight movie and TV selection is very poor and only available on your mobile device otherwise $10 to rent an iPad. Being a proud Canadian this is not an airline that makes me proud at all. A Star Alliance member offering this product really? You can do better. I will certainly not book on Air Canada Rouge again.
We flew Istanbul to Bucharest having booked on-line. It was all that we'd want from a short flight - left on time arrived on time snack served no hassles or problems everything worked as it should. This is the only time I've flown Tarom.
London-Bandar Seri Begawan stop over Dubai then change to HKG. Boeing 777-200 not too old not dirty cabin crew friendly and service pretty good. Seat layout is very reasonable 3-3-3. Enough leg room food not very good but not too bad - but the total flight time is over 20 hrs.
Singapore-Helsinki. Seat was comfortable enough and food was decent. On outbound flight there was no air-con before the flight took off. On return flight there was no inflight entertainment at all. Pilot announced this once everyone was boarded - a perfunctory apology and that was it. With Finnair this flight left on-time but with no pre-announcement of electrical problems (lights didn't work either) - they seemed rather indifferent with the attitude - "you're on board the doors have closed so live with it". Seats more comfortable than Lufthansa but amenities / service not as good as SIA.
DMK-Phuket very pleasant journey with Nok Air. Flight on time comfortable and clean we were served a cup of water and hot sausage roll for free! The airfare is even cheaper than Air Asia!
I have avoided using Southwest in the past as I don't like lines pushing and shoving or unassigned seating. Nonetheless after hearing about SWA's Business Select Class I decided to give them a try. For about $60 more than the walk-up fare Business Select guarantees the passenger a boarding pass in the A1-A15 group thus being among the first to board. I was thrilled when I checked in online and received boarding pass A-1. The gate room seemed fairly empty and Southwest agents were hawking upgrades for $40 to anyone wanting to move up in the short boarding line. Upon boarding the aircraft I discovered that there were already 90 through passengers already on the airplane. Little overhead space available and mostly middle seats. Although the staff was affable and tried their best I found this to be an extremely uncomfortable way to travel and recommend strongly against wasting money for Business Select.
UL423/422 HKG-BKK return: This is one of my preferred airlines choice on business class flying this short route as their prices are often very competitive (between 350 USD to 500 USD) over 9 other airlines who are serving the same route but a much more inflated price. Srilankan airlines gives you 40kg luggage allowance and lounge access it doesn't get any better. Service is always attentive and smiles all the way food is very delicious and nicely presented which is one of their strong points. This route often use the flatbed which offers so much more luxury and comfort. Great leg room storage space large AVOD screen etc. Entertainment system is okay not the top of the top but passable. Duty free shopping is great often they have incredible promotions. Only one gripe is their chaotic boarding process in BKK business class passengers weren't given any priorities which to me was very disappointing. Other than that it remains one of my most favorite airlines. If the air fare is cheap (check their website) try it by all means you will be pleasantly surprised.
I flew in Economy from JFK to Ankara via Istanbul on April 24 2015 and returned on May 2. My overall experience was very positive: Turkish provides superb meals on transatlantic flights and even managed a satisfying mini-meal on the short Istanbul-Ankara flight. Cabin staff were abundant friendly and present on all four flights. Ticket counter and gate personnel had a somewhat severe affect but were nonetheless very helpful. Turkish B777's are fairly new (the oldest is less than 5 years old) clean and offer very good inflight entertainment. Lavatories seemed clean throughout the flight. Economy seating is quite cramped on Turkish B777's however but not to the point of discomfort. Ataturk Airport in Istanbul is better approached as an adventure rather than as a convenience: it is prone to delays chaotic lines and overheated spaces. Allow at least 2.5 hours to transfer between international and domestic flights there.
GOT-CPH-IAD. Both flights on time was accommodated to be able to sit next to my husband on the flight without problems. Rude personnel at baggage drop/check in and gate; however flight attendants were very nice. Comfortable flight but next time I will probably choose a different airline due to the attitude from my initial encounters with representatives.
Our family of 5 recently travelled from JNB to Cairo and then to JFK. As this was the first time any of us had flown Egyptair we were pleasantly surprised. The food was good - our only complaint was that we didn't have enough to drink (i.e. water or cold drinks). We had a 12 hour stop over in Cairo on our return flight and we were given a voucher for 2 x rooms in a hotel close to the airport plus a lunch voucher. We were able to face the Cairo-JNB leg of the trip after a shower and a nap.
LGW-ALC-LGW first time flying Norwegian and very impressed. Brand new Aircraft both ways jolly and friendly crews on both flights and the free wifi is a dream! Didn't sample anything from the BOB menus as we'd eaten at Weatherspoon's (avoid like the plague at Gatwick food was awful) but they were selling food and drink on board like hot cakes. I had a hand in a splint and the check-in staff were lovely even though we where late checking in making sure I had a seat where I wouldn't get bumped into. Ground handling at Gatwick far superior to Alicante waited ages for bags in Spain but nothing unusual in that! Would certainly recommend Norwegian to everyone!
On time departure for a very short flight from San Sebastian to Barcelona. Clean aircraft and friendly onboard crew. However after parking at Barcelona it was a 15 minute wait for steps. Baggage wait 50 minutes- which was longer than the flight. Missed ground connection as a result. Flight good - but ground handling at BCN abysmal.
My husband flies 4 times a month from Edmonton to Vancouver and Westjet is always late so he always chooses AC but now we are moving and the only direct option is Westjet. Today was his first flight with this airline in ages and it's already 45 minutes late. I'm really hoping a new carrier comes in locally.
Very disappointed with Etihad planes late on two occasions already and now waiting in a crummy business lounge in Athens with another late plane. They only give one hour's WIFi in what is supposed to be a business class lounge and the place is hot with second rate food and service and in appropriate seating design. Entertainment system was not working in my business class seat on the way over. First world problem I know but you pay a lot for these seats and they knew the seat had issues from previous flights but still put me in it. Just not good enough. Never flying them again.
Flown Malindo from KLIA2 to Don Mueng. The check-in agent at KLIA2 was terrible and unprofessional. I was shocked that the agent were more interested in staring at their iPhone than greeting their customers. Was traveling with another two companions and we checked-in together. However, our seats were different and once airborne, we were surprised that there were so many empty seats at towards the end of the plane. Inflight service was a different story altogether. The cockpit crew and the cabin crew really interacted with the passengers and were very friendly. Malindo has a PTV for each seat and they provided great IFE for a short flight.
Service, seats, leg room and entertainment was excellent. I read all reviews prior to travel and my family and I were nervous. I will go as far to say it had more leg room than Singapore Airlines. Flight UA804 met and exceeded expectations. Now onto New York from Tokyo.
Manchester - Stockholm and return. Great value for money modern aircraft friendly service. Could you need anything else on short haul flights - I don't think so. Flights on time Wi-Fi onboard too so time passed quickly easy check in at both airports. Far superior than other low-cost airlines. Definitely recommend this airline and will definitely use them again. Not sure what the long-haul service would be like but great for short hops across Europe.
QF09 from Melbourne to Dubai. This is the first time I have flown Qantas in a number of years and sadly the business class offering has not got any better. Despite being an A380 the seat was broken and was uncomfortable in the upright position. The cabin already looked worn and the side lockers frequently popped open. After the initial boarding drink it was 2.5 hours after take off when the meal was delivered and a second drink finally offered. However they did manage to have time to walk the isles offering duty free for purchase. Considering the flight didn't leave until 23.30 even small things such as socks were not available until approx an hour in to the flight which was quite frustrating for those wanting to get quickly in to the night time routine. The crew were abrupt to the point of being hostile. I can't think of a worse business class experience than Qantas. At least the next leg of the journey was with Emirates but that just highlights how poor the Qantas offering really is.
Me and my wife went on a trip from Lisbon to Ponta Delgada. Our experience was poor. For a 346 Euros (one-way) each person on a 2 hours flight a bad sandwich was served the flight attendants made a big effort on smiling and the planes are very old. The bad news is that they are the only airline that flies to S.Miguel.
I have never met a group of cabin crew so unwilling to help passengers. I though I was unlucky on my flight from London to Mumbai but the crew on the return trip were possibly worse. Clearly passengers are an inconvenience that should just go to sleep and not bother the crew. I was refused a coffee as we were an hour from landing (even though they still hadn't finished clearing from breakfast so it should have been a simple ask). Another major annoyance were the tannoy announcements all through the night telling us we were entering turbulence so should fasten our seatbelts. Most humane airlines mention at the start of a night flight that passengers should keep their belt visible so that they don't have to wake us. There were only 15 movies on offer of which only 2 or 3 are new releases. I won't go into details on the food I handed it back and got extra bread instead (though the guy was reluctant to even provide this). Hopefully never again.
MSP-KEF-FRA July 6th 2014. My husband and I and our two dogs were relocating to the Czech Republic Icelandair was the least expensive carrier for us to fly one way with our dogs in the hold. In MSP you check in with SunCountry - they were pleasant and helpful with the dogs reassured us that everything would be fine and they would be well cared for. Shortly after we arrived to the gate (about 3 minutes before boarding) we were called to the desk and told that our dogs were doing well and just loaded and ready to go and that we should board the plane. The plane itself was nice new clean and comfortable. Everyone had their own screen with hundreds of programming. We were given 2 bottles of water we brought sandwiches from home. Shortly after they came around with a beverage selection. About 30 minutes before landing in KEF we were given fresh orange juice. The flight in general was uneventful. We arrived to KEF went through passport control 5 open counters and not a soul in line it took all of 30 seconds and was very efficient. Found our gate used the restroom and then there was an announcement for us to go to the counter. We were told our dogs are on the ground and in good spirits. Our flight from KEF to FRA was just as pleasant as the first. We were given 1 bottle of water and shortly after take-off were also given fresh orange juice. There was personal screens for entertainment and once during the flight they went around with their beverage offerings. The flight was also uneventful. We arrived in Frankfurt and went to collect our dogs. They made our experiences very relaxing and reassured us every step of the way. I would definitely recommend them.
Very good staff and food. I booked a DO&CO Premium Cusine a la carte and it was extremly delecious! There is enough legroom for everyone (I think so). The plane was a little bit old, but inside it was very comfortable and clean seats, very good salon design.
Flew Gatwick - Madrid - Havana and return. Flights out to Havana were fine. Staff were friendly and helpful lots of information given out. The chicken meal on the Madrid - Havana flight was one of the best I have had. The breakfast from Havana - Madrid was not very nice a dried up roll and a thick slice of tasteless meat. The return flight Havana - Madrid was a total different experience. We had a very fed up male member of the cabin crew. All the other cabin crew were great. Firstly he was very scruffy worn out shoes a cardigan which covered up his name badge a shirt which did not fit into his trousers properly. We were sat 3 rows from the rear of the plane by the time he got to us he was obviously fed up as he didn't offer us the bread rolls or drinks. He also did not offer any drinks to the people on the two rows behind us or the one next to us. Whilst the other crew members were still collecting the finished meals and drinks he turned off the lights. The crew members on the other side of the plane were only half way through collecting. During "lights out" my friend went to the toilet and wanted to stand for a few minutes to stretch her legs he rudely told her to go and sit down and ushered her back to her seat. This is a 9 hour flight and you need to have a stretch when you are stuck in a seat for that long. Overall I was very happy with Air Europa and would fly with them again. It is a shame that this one member of the crew let the side down.
Return Vancouver - Manila return on Boeing777. Online booking got me a good seat in the front - not what I call the second class business class back one compartment same as on the Airbus 340. The 777 is not as new as I expected but much better than the tired old 340s. Seats are a bit complicated to figure out with all the controls. Pitch is excellent with lots of room and I had nobody beside me on both legs. This was good as there are no seat pockets to store books or any items. The 777 is better configured and has a nice AVOD system although the choices were somewhat limited in music and TV shows. On the return leg the system crashed at the half way point and never came back on. The 777 is about one hour faster than the 340 and makes the trip a bit faster which is a bonus. Food was okay and service very good and attentive. My last 340 flight last year the cabin crew disappeared after dinner service but on this flight they were always around. On time flights and spacious. Will travel again next year on the 777 for sure - good value.
I flew out of Hartford on December 10th. I told the flight attendant my TV was not working and my daughters audio was not working. There were other passengers on that flight having the same problem. They had to reset the system but it didn't help. The seats available to move to were not offered because they were extra room seats. It made for a long trip. It's just sad you pay so much money for this flight and you don't get full service.
Toronto to Athens May 26/13 - Checked in online a few hours before flight. No good seats left (our fault due to late check in) check in at airport went off fast and effortlessly. Older plane with no individual screens. Row 27 (middle) right at the washrooms. The meals (3 choices) and service were good. Seats were comfortable enough. Entertainment was fair. Return was the same style of plane (Row 24 window this time). No individual screens. Meals (3 choices) and service were good. My only complaint is Air Transat really should be using the newly configured planes for all the long haul flights over 6 hrs. It would make the very long flights more enjoyable.
IKA to IST and IST to Milan and return AMS to IST and IST to IKA in the last month. Seats was very small and uncomfortable. Food served onboard was very bad and I didn't eat anything. Not satisfied with this airline.
My wife and I flew to Madeira via Lisbon Dec 2011. I find there is no leg room on any flights and am disappointed with food provided. I would rather have the option to pay for something I like rather than be forced to accept food I am not interested in. We were confronted with a short connection in Lisbon there is no correct signage for transfer signs are confusing and difficult to understand. Security staff are rude unhelpful and inattentive connection staff provided little explanation of the processes we were simply dumped on a bus. My thoughts are how many other loyal customers TAP are loosing with this level of service TAP needs to up its game and provide a better level of service.
RUH-SIN and back. Outbound flight was March 20 and sadly SQ now stopped this flight. Check in was smooth and RUH was well RUH. SQ 455 left RUH at 11.55pm on time and arrived to SIN at around 1.25pm. The flight attendants are excellent. The food was great and the seat was very good! You could sleep comfortably (it wasn't a lie flat since it was on a A330) and the other positions were very comfortable. The IFE was up to date and entertaining. Everything was on time and arrival at Singapore was perfect. I arrived at T2 and it was empty with barely anyone else there. The flight back was also good (but more crowded) and it was on time and comfortable (but it was a day flight so I didn't sleep). I would recommend.
Tried for the first time. We flew roundtrip form Riyadh to Bangkok Business Class. The lounge in Riyadh was no too bad but very crowded. The flight was delayed from Riyadh to Bangkok but it was made up by the warm and friendly staff. The service was excellent and so was the food. On our return trip to Riyadh we enjoyed the Serendib Lounge. They have great food and service.
Prices are going up and reliability is going down. All International flights departing MNL last Saturday evening were late. No weather problems just late arrivals of aircraft. BKK was nearly 2.5 hrs late no flight information screens working in T3 and passengers were shuttled around like cattle between gates. I'd really like to know who gets these so called cheap GO Fares because it doesn't matter how far ahead you book nothing is available on the routes I fly. I'll continue to use Cebu because they offer good value for money no frills service but they need to work on reliability which has up to now been very good. If they went head-to- head with Air Asia they'd lose.
FRA-HKG. Departed from the "Z" section of the terminal which is a hike. Boarding handled efficiently though getting everyone to take their seats proved to be a challenge. This is one of the newer 747s and the Y class seats are very good: aside from a decent recline the front of the seat lifts a bit as you lean back taking pressure off your lower back. Meal and service were good and flight arrived early in HKG.
Dalaman to Manchester on 6/9/14. On arrival at the airport we were made aware of a 5 hour delay from other passengers - at no time did check in staff mention anything and we only had it confirmed by the published departure time on our boarding passes. We finally left Dalaman at 23.30 7 hours late! Some refreshments given at 18.00 but again no information. When the flight eventually left there were no apologies from staff and the only explanation given by the Captain was "technical difficulties". Onur air offer poor inflight service expensive goods and rude abrupt staff. I complained via their website using the email address provided for Customer Relations and also the email contact form. I have received no acknowledgement or reply to either. My advice is not to fly with Onur Air but spend a little extra and get a decent airline with proper customer values.
I just got off Jetstar Asia flight HKG to Singapore. The flight was delayed for 40 minutes upon departure and landed 35 minutes behind schedule with no reason given whatsoever. The captain could not even be bothered to speak to passengers but what really took the cake tonight was the apathy and oblivion of the cabin crew to the needs of passengers. I'd take Air Asia over Jetstar Asia any day of the week (unfortunately no direct flight between HKG and SIN yet)
Taken return flights from CGK-SYD flying economy class with load factor was only about 30-50% on each flight. The check-in process in CGK was very slow and the staff wasn't really enthusiast although I'm a gold frequent flyer card holder. Both flights were so far so great cabin crew were very friendly and attentive especially on the SYD- CGK sector. The meal were also very tasty even though the quantity was very small. The entertainment system was a little bit disappointing and not updated compared to other airlines. Overall very nice trip to fly with Garuda Indonesia as the service has continued to improve and the cabin crew do represent the company's missions.
New York-Maputo via JNB. I was surprised by the level of quality. The food from New York was lovely. On the return it was still good but a little disappointed with the choices. The cabin crew are good and they show concern towards the safety and comfort of passengers. The seat in economy class is comfortable and provides enough space for the feet. The entertainment system has a variety of choices. A pleasant flight.
Critical flaw - staff do absolutely nothing to enable best possible chance to make connecting flights. TK feeder flight late leaving Antalya late arriving IST bus 10 minutes around tarmac as no airbridge! No staff waiting to expedite transfers. I am a regular traveller and always every attempt is made to enable connections. It's basic. TK international flight also delayed so not leaving for one hour - staff just tore up my boarding pass rather than even attempting to get me on board! The implication was significant.
Early-morning Geneva-Brussels flight on A319. Comfortable slim line leather seats. Efficient and professional cabin crew. One complaint only: hot beverages unavailable due to water tank left empty because of extreme freezing temperatures in Geneva.
ISB-YYZ-KHI business class in July 2011. While the interior of the plane was aged the seats were very comfortable food passable and service quite good. The amenity kit and pajamas were a nice touch. No alcohol of course. For the price this is a good deal for business class. And you can't beat the timing into Toronto. Departure at 7:30 Am from Islamabad and arrival in YYZ at 1PM same day. There's no more direct route to travel between Islamabad and Toronto. From that point of view alone this flight is a good choice and worth considering particularly for Toronto bound passengers but you have to accept that this flight will not have the amenities that Emirates Etihad Qatar and other airlines that fly internationally in and out of Islamabad.
Do Not Fly Royal Jordanian. They are rude and do not care about customer service. I was travelling to Bahrain with three young children. Missed our flight in Chicago because of connecting delay - RJ's response was that it was not their fault their offer was to send us on our way 2 nights later with another night in Amman (no guarantee of hotel vouchers). Three nights in an airport are not a viable option with three young children. Now our 8 pieces of luggage apparently did not miss our flight - five have appeared in Bahrain via RJ but they say it is not their fault. It took me 4 days 3 nights and two sets of tickets (4 people) to make it to Bahrain and it looks like three suitcases full of clothing.You get what you pay for. Buyer be aware.
Travelled in Premium Economy on the Dreamliner on 15th May 2014 from Manchester to Puerto Vallarta Angel of the Skies on the way out and Alfie on the return. We were lucky enough to get seats 1G+J on both legs of the journey so had lots of legroom. The seat was comfortable as long as you only wanted to sit and relax but it was extremely uncomfortable for sleeping. The footrest is a complete waste of time and quite dangerous as it doesn't go up high enough and therefore pressure is on the lower leg which can't be good when you're flying for 11+ hours. The armrests were very shabby and quite loose the TV unit was also wobbly and dirty although it did work well and was responsive. Considering the plane is not very old it's starting to look quite worn and untidy it wasn't very clean on either journey. The crew on the outward journey were a bit miserable and not very forthcoming with drinks the return crew were much better although there was very little choice of drinks left and even less items to purchase onboard. Obviously we had no problems getting out of the seats in Row 1 and we couldn't guarantee getting those seats each time so unless the seats are changed I don't think I'd waste my money travelling in premium again in the future. It could be so good with just a few tweaks here and there overall ok but a little disappointed. The positive aspects were reduced jet lag very quiet and a great sense of space due to the height of the cabin.
Bristol - Tenerife - Bristol travelled in April on Boeing 757-200. Noticed that we had more legroom than previously and was informed on return journey that they have removed some seats in response to passenger comments and its not much more roomy. Plenty for a four hour flight but shame about the entertainment being switched off still. Food and drink reasonable and service excellent.
Cape Town to Johannesburg Lanseria on 03 Jan 2013. Flight was supposed to leave at 15.50. Received an SMS that the flight had been delayed to 18.00 then further delayed to 20.00. When I arrived at the airport to check in told that the flight was delayed until 00.45. No information coming out of the Kulula desk other than mixed reports. The only compensation we received was a meal voucher. Flight further delayed until 01.30 in the morning. The Kulula desk took our details and assured us there would be a taxi at the other end. When we arrived at Lanseria airport - no taxis in sight. When the 'shuttle' arrived it was a lone taxi driver. At no point did we receive any apology or plausible explanation. On top of that the 'quirky' in-flight announcements were not funny (not at 01.30 in the morning). I will never recommend this airline again.
I traveled to Colombo on Jan 2014 on AAX from KUL-CMB-KUL in economy class on A330. I have been traveling with AAX for more than 10m times. I can tell you that the services have improved food was surprisingly good tasty and fresh but little portions. FA were attentive and professional throughout the flight. The crew were very proud of their brand AAX which is good. On the both legs the flight landed on time and we were greeted on the aircraft with smiley faces. Cabin was clean new and seat was comfortable. Problems I encountered with LCCT Terminal: too crowded and chaotic but ground staffs managed it very well. Would definitely fly again with AAX.
Back on the same plane as the LGW-AMS leg and in the same seat.  Service was good and fast - polite cabin crew dressed in traditionally inspired uniform, seats decorated batik style and food was a choice between Indonesian or Western - with plenty of Bintang available. I was lucky and had three seats to myself. Crew didn't take away the spare pillows and blankets so I was left with a comfortable semi bed! Good range of international programming ranging from Chinese to Western to Indonesian on the VOD systems Enjoyable flight with this phoenix of an airline - strange to think it's gone from Indonesia airlines being banned in the EU to a 5 Star rated airline! Sandwiches and crips were available in the galley throughout the flight if you felt peckish - quite a nice touch!
CPH-VIE-TLV v.v. 1-6 Feb. Outbound: Uneventful smooth transfer in VIE. Homebound flights delayed due to WX at VIE (snow). A321 TLV-VIE seats non-reclinable as row in front of emergency exit however the neighbouring free seats made up for it. Hot meals on VIE-TLV-VIE legs were simple menus of good standard hardly seen in economy class of comparable carriers anymore! Staff always efficient and polite.
15 May 2015 KUL-SBW Boeing 737-800. Overall great experience flying with Malaysia Airlines. Fast check-in and helpful check-in staff. Reasonable selection of food and beverages in the Domestic Golden Lounge. Friendly and attentive lounge staff. Boarding was smooth. Quite lucky though to board the B737-800 with Boeing Sky Interior and personal AVOD. Left ahead schedule. Cabin crew were friendly and professional. The meals were nice although have some space for improvement. Would like to fly with Malaysia Airlines again in near future.
We just got back to Boston from Istanbul. The new non stop service from Boston to Istanbul is great. Very good seats in economy with 2-4-2 configurations. The food is good but the host and hostesses are looks like new to the trade. But they do take good care of you if asked. Understanding their English is a problem even the announcements by pilot were difficult to understand. The ground staff in Istanbul need to learn customer service. It feels like they are doing you a favor. Very curt replies and again very poor language skills. But overall I will take Turkish again from Boston. Such comfortable seating as compared to Emirates.
Windhoek-Cape Town Business. Good boarding perfectly on time. New A 319 with extremely comfortable Business- seats (2-2 configuration new seats with plenty of rooms). Breakfast was good flight attendants very attentive and checking on the passengers. On time arrival. Can't get better than this flight and price was reasonable.
LHR to Istanbul - excellent service on the outbound flight on what was a very busy flight. Cabin crew worked very hard and consistently. Good management on the ground and for boarding excellent cabin crew. T5 lounge ok but breakfast food soon ran out and rather slow in service.
LGW-VEN 17 July. If you wish to be treated like cattle and snapped at by the ground staff then choose EasyJet. Cabin Crew are OK but ground staff terrible. You can carry a sizeable trolley bag but if you have a laptop and briefcase they are not allowed even though the combined size and weight is half that of a trolley bag. Do not expect logic or intelligence to play a part.
DUB-CPH very old MD used on this route but comfortable seat with good leg room. Arrived into CPH a couple of minutes early despite strong crosswinds. 40 minute connection to Estonian Air flight to Tallinn no problem connecting gate information provided on a screen on disembarking in CPH which is a great help. Luggage arrived in Tallinn even with the tight connection.
Taipei To Guilin 1 May. The service was quite good as was the meal although it was quite small. There was no IFE which was a pity for an international flight of nearly 2 hours. The 737 was new and well maintained.
Boarded on time lovely welcome from the Belfast based crew. On time departure 25 minute flight time during which time drinks and refreshments were offered for sale. Arrived early. All very easy and very efficient. I booked in advance so the fare was low.
Southend to Maastricht return. After reading negative reviews I was apprehensive about flying with this airline - but should not have been. Both flights left on time arrived on time the staff were friendly and helpful the seats were comfortable and the price was good too. Will definitely fly this route and airline again I just hope enough people use it to make it cost effective running this service.
Flight 1914/1915 Sep 2014. Air Canada rouge is the worst experience I've had on an airline. I am a loyal Air Canada customer and have been flying with "status" for over 12 years and just recently flew Toronto-Barcelona in their "premium economy". The seats are incredibly hard close together and barely recline. The service is both minimal and terrible with undertrained staff who have to read the "directions" out of a book when they do the announcements. They barely served the economy customers at all and spent most of their time in the front. I will choose another airline rather than fly Rouge again.
Flew BNA-CLT-PVD. Overall I had good flights and didn't really experience any problems myself but the airplanes themselves are old and you can tell in the interior. Gogo wireless was a nice touch but it wasn't always reliable and was also a bit pricey - $17 for a day pass? The fact that they overbook bothers me. I saw families get bumped in CLT and didn't think that was a good business practice; only giving folks a $300 voucher for it isn't really helping their case though I suppose it's better than no voucher.
I currently live in London and I fly once a year to Reunion for holidays. I use to fly on Air France in classe Alize (Economy Plus) but recently I tried Air Austral for the first time in Classe Loisirs (Economy) and was far more satisfied with the level of customer care in terms of punctuality high food quality and friendly staff. As being part of the Air France Frequence Plus scheme the good news is I can get some qualifying miles and this code-share flight makes my life easy as I don't need to change airport - ie remaining in CDG and not going to Orly. So I would recommend Air Austral in terms of: Comfort: their B777 is modern the seats are more comfortable and you have more space to put your hand luggage in the compartments above your head. Food: even in Classe Loisirs you have a huge plateau and you are really spoilt. Customer care: excellent staff. They provide you with warm towels as you get on board and in the morning. They also pass through at night asking you if you want some water while everyone is asleep. Everything with a smile! Punctuality: both outbound and return flights left on time. Unfortunately I read that Air France will stop this code-share flight with Air Austral and I find this decision very sad. I wish everyone who is part of Frequence Plus loyalty scheme to convince Air France to come back to its decision as the CDG-RUN-CDG must not disappear. Air Austral is the getaway to Reunion via CDG for all European and worldwide customers and you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Air Austral we are getting better airline service to Reunion excellent staff quality and well-deserved comfort. I'm very happy about their level of professionalism and the image the airline portrays of Reunion Island.
PER-BKK on 28 Nov 2013. I had a 1 year old and a 3 year old in tow upon reaching the gate in Perth I was told that Thai does not allow boarding of kids first. I had specifically requested a Bassinet seat for my one year old but none were available which I took in good grace as it was a day flight was not too much of a problem. On my return on 8th December (night flight) we were given a bassinet seat upon take off I asked the flight attendant for the bassinet to be provided so that the baby can sleep. Was met with a flat out no saying the baby was too big for a bassinet. He is 9kgs and according to Thai's own website the cut off is 13kgs. I asked 3 other flight attendants and they all said the same thing. Whenever I have travelled Singapore Airlines or even Qantas this has never been the case. So disappointed with the service levels. Never again.
We acquired our tickets on May 2 2014 for travel on July 26th 2014 the flight to Charlottetown PEI was okay apart from being delayed leaving Edmonton International due to overbooking again. We received $50 per person off with 1 free meal each. Travel agent paid Air Canada for our meals however we never received them. I was told vouchers would be provided via Air Canada when our tickets were scanned but that never happened. On the return flight Aug 9 2014 from Montreal to Edmonton one of our assigned seats 33F had no television working so our son did not even have a TV screen to watch on the 4.5 hour flight back to Edmonton. This is the last flight we will take with Air Canada.
Sydney to Buenos Aires return. Plane out very old and needing internal maintenance. A couple of overhead locker taped up with do not use notices. The TV that I could see did not work. Didn't see the cabin staff smile once. Seats are tired and sagged. Food was good though I had taken bits to eat but the meal we got was good. No in flight services after the meal but drinks and snacks available. On the way back we were at the airport 23 hours before the flight (due to our connection) and requested a row of seats together. Couldn't check us in as check-in opened 3 hours before. When we checked in 3 hours before we were sat in different seats over the plane and told there were no available seats! Managed to get the children sat together and myself and my wife were in separate seats. On return the plane was in a slightly better shape a little newer. The TV was working but lost the red so some interesting colours for the films. Reasonable films and one channel in English. Food was again good. The cabin staff were great. All smiles and they came round every couple of hours with water/juice. Value for money was excellent.
Helsinki - Istanbul - Cape Town. Service and food in economy were great in modern day standards. Multi-course dinner with wine and spirits served even on the 3-hour Helsinki-Istanbul -flight. Seats were common narrow economy seats and not that comfortable for longer flights leg room quite poor. FA's were mostly bit robotic and busy but also friendly every now and then. Nice touch with the amenity kits and slippers on the long flight to South Africa. Good value for money.
Flew MAN-TFS a few weeks ago. On arrival we were informed of a 5 hour delay and received a mere £5 food voucher that could only be used in selected places-and it just and no more got me a meal deal. We were scheduled to leave at 14.55 and ended up leaving at 20.05 so delayed by over 5 hours. We were then herded onto the plane like cattle and once in the air bombarded every 10 mins with offers of food. The cabin crew were more interested in selling you something than your actual well being. On the return we were late taking off yet again by around half an hour. Be warned no Monarch Airlines flight ever takes off on time so never use them for a connecting flight or when you have to be somewhere prompt. Would certainly not recommend even after a 5 hour display with a distance over 3.500km they refused to cough up and pay compensation. Will certainly avoid Monarch in the future and would never recommend them.
Hamburg to Tashkent via Moscow and not impressed with Aeroflot. Plane interior was old and not very clean. Entertainment not existing on both flights. Inflight magazine only in Russian. Food was tasteless and choice of drinks is very limited (one drink on 3-4 hour flight and only choice between orange and tomato-juice and Cola or sprite. No alcoholic drinks served or sold. All in all a very disappointing experience!
Flight AZ7008 diverted to Malpensa airport instead of Linate due to weather problems. It is fine safety goes first. I do understand planes can be diverted and I really do not have a problem with that. What I do not understand is how a company as Alitalia has such bad service (actually no service) in such cases.…Nothing was arranged in Malepnsa nobody knew what is happening and the most shocking fact is when you find one of Alitalia's ground staff they turn around and tell you: I am going home! In this whole story none of Alitalia's staff said sorry once. The most disorganized airline!
Flew from Shanghai to Shenzhen on Friday evening. Boarding was efficient and the doors closed on time but that's when the trouble started. We sat on the tarmac for at least 30 minutes and were then told that we were waiting for traffic control clearance. Other announcements were made but they were so quiet that I could not hear what was said. After 1 hour the food came out while we were still waiting on the ground. The total delay was around 2 hours and 15 minutes before we finally departed. This delay more than doubled the journey time - very disappointing for what should be a simple domestic flight.
I flew from London Gatwick and was looking forward to my 1st time flying with Norwegian. The plane was comfortable and clean and I had pre ordered meals and was served not long after takeoff - not massively impressed with the meal but ok as far as plane food goes. It was a whole 8hrs before we were given anything else to eat and was very disappointed with my very small sandwich muffin and apple juice. There was no information of what other snacks were available as the order service on the TV screen was not working. I would recommend anyone flying with them to bring their own food.
LHR-DXB - Seats spacious and ICE entertainment system excellent with a wide selection to choose from and a very large screen. However most disappointing was the crew onboard as they were very rude and made us passengers seem like an inconvenience. I was expecting a lot more from an airline like emirates in terms of customer service onboard. The food was also quite poor even for economy class.
Rio to Toronto. It was very good value for money. Planes are clean and brand new cabin crew impressively attentive the food was ok. I chose Copa because of the low price compared to Air Canada. But now I know I can choose again for the quality and punctuality too.
LHR-WAR-KTW- LHR. Very old 737-500 but felt sturdy. Refreshments good. Cabin Staff very friendly and responsive. It was my first time on LOT and generally found it okay. Small Embraer jet to Katowice service was fine
Traveled today from Guangzhou via Bangkok to Cairo. Food in business was good and plenty. Cabin crew was okay apart from the purser. Seats were very bad. Only 45 degree angle at the most and not so much leg space. Sleeping hardly impossible. When front seat declined backwards you could not get out of your seat anymore. Price was cheap for this flight in business. But I recommend to invest maybe 300US$ more and book a better airline.
CDG-KEF KEF-IAD. CDG Icelandair check-in counters were a real mess hundreds of passengers queuing with only 3 incredibly slow agents. Luckily I was flying SAGA class and I stood for half an hour only. Business class Lounge at CDG 1 is worthless. Flight from CDG-KEF was good and comfortable the crew were friendly and hospitable. Food was very good entertainment excellent seats of old version but comfortable enough. KEF Airport arrival hall is a big mess with only 3 belts for almost 8 arrivals at the same time so you wait around 20 min. A huge supermarket is located in the Arrival area. KEF-IAD. Check in was fast and smooth with no problems SAGA class lounge was excellent food and drinks were both fine. Flight was comfortable and crew were nice. I enjoyed flying Icelandair and I will sure do that again in the near future.
CX 521 from Tokyo Narita to Hong Kong and CX 659 from Hong Kong to Singapore. Both trips were on the B777-300ER. Seats on these planes were so much better than the shell seats. They were the new ones used on the long haul routes. The touch screen PTVs were really sensitive which was good as compared to those on the old systems of the 777-300 and A330-300 as they hanged a couple of times when I used them. However not all was good. CX 521 was delayed for 2 hours because of bad weather at Hong Kong. We were only given a 500yen food voucher which was equivalent to 6 Singapore dollars. Anyway we were served coffee and tea from Tokyo to Hong Kong which really surprised me since they didn't do that for the Singapore to Hong Kong leg as well as the Hong Kong to Tokyo one. Service was a hit-and-miss affair but the staff were generally very polite with a few exceptions. The overnight "meals" offered on all Cathay Pacific regional red-eye flights: CX 659 was a red-eye flight and we were not offered any hot meals. We were only given a paper box which contained a muffin fruits a biscuit and an egg bun accompanied by a pack of lemon tea. I get that some passengers want to get some rest but they should have at least served hot meals to those who were awake. Nevertheless the flights were good because of the comfortable seats.
BOS-ALB-OGS. Leg #1 We were about 10 minutes late due to weather (Can't control mother nature). We more than made up for the delay by arriving a little bit early. We had a great tail wind. Leg #2 arrived 15 minutes early. I grew up with this airline and hope it continues on into the future.
We flew Frontier for the first time and it was definitely our last time. I've never heard of an airline that charges for carry on $50 a piece soft drinks $1.99 TV $5.99 and to top it all multiple delays. Customer Service was horrible. One of the check-in agents drove a lady into tears. It was horrible to watch. We also had problems getting seat assigned together but thank you to passengers who were kind enough to switch. Please beware If you book through a third party you will pay for your carry on.
HKG-MEL A330 Business. This is Qantas old business class product with only angled flat beds and a very old IFE system. The seat was quite comfortable in sitting / lounging mode and while the mattress topper made the seat more comfortable in bed mode the angled flat was still not very good for sleeping. The 2-2-2 configuration is also not great as I was in a window seat so getting to the aisle mid-flight in the dark was a bit of a challenge. Food and drink were both excellent and the service provided by the crew was faultless - naturally friendly and professionally efficient. The IFE is not good enough any more with barely any movies on offer and an old poor quality screen to view it on. The Qantas Club lounge in Hong Kong was very nice and not too busy. Overall Qantas do a good job making this old product reasonable however it does not come close to products on offer from competitors. I would recommend Qantas to others but only on their newer aircraft or after the current refit is complete on these aircraft.
Comfort plus is nearly worth the upgrade fee - seat is still poor but leg room is good. Baggage delayed by more than 48 hours with the most insincere of apologies from the online folks. The staff, however, were great.
Venice-Istanbul-Beirut. Venice-Istanbul: brand new A321 with individual screens and IFE plus a full hot meal provided (with a printed menu distributed). Broad selection of beverages even fresh orange juice available. That's amazing for a 2 hours and 15 min flight. Flight attendants: most of them very friendly and professional apart from a young girl who seemed not to care at all. Smooth and easy transfer at Istanbul airport which by the way is a total mess and way over-crowded. Istanbul-Beirut: full flight. Again new A321 but this time with very small individual screens with no IFE. Super friendly and professional cabin crew. A cold meal offered. Luggage did make it to Beirut without any issues. Overall very impressed with Turkish. Do look forward to flying back with them.
GA207 JOG-CGK. No delays the cabin was clean the FA were friendly the food was nice. One of the issues was the airport itself. The airport was over capacity so it took little bit longer in the check in counter.
My family and I flew United from Austin TX to Portland ME on June 30th. Or at least we tried to fly into Portland. We boarded our flight in Austin and arrived to Chicago with no problems. In Chicago we boarded our connecting flight but were told we were going to have to sit on the runway for a while because of the thunderstorms going on. About 30 minutes later we had to deplane for our safety. When we got off the plane we discovered numerous flights had been canceled due to weather. About 15 minutes later they got us back on the plane and told us we just had to fuel up and that they were going to get us to Portland that night. So then we waited out the weather for 6 hours and finally it was clear enough to take off at midnight. However one of the flight attendants timed out right when we were about to push back from the gate at midnight so they canceled it and told us to go wait in the customer service line to rebook. The line stretched over 10 gates and wasn't really helping any customers. Called customer service instead and was told there were no flights from Chicago to Portland until 3 days later and the best they could do for us was fly us to Hartford Connecticut - a 4 hour drive from Portland. Told our luggage would be sent to our destination Portland and would be waiting for us once we drove there. When we finally arrived in Portland at 6pm 24 hours after we were supposed to 3/4 bags hadn't even arrived. They have lost my family as customers.
AMS-BCN VY8301 3 April. Return BCN-AMS 6 April VY 8306. We flew Vueling before with not much issues. This time the checking via the website did not work website down all the time. The mobile app does hang as well. We were informed few days before the flight of half an hour delay. Then for the flight back from BCN to Amsterdam we experienced another 2 hours delay including an hour in the plane. Staff were rude and uninformed and refused to give their name. We arrived two and a half hours late. Customer service reply was sorry nothing we can do. The return flight was operated by an airline called Avion this was not mentioned anywhere on documents or communication Avion is even worse then Vueling in terms of staff and service. All in all appalling service.
PHL to Houston to Cancun but left PHL late since they had to replenish the oxygen. We kept being told we would arrive on time into Houston however we had lost our take-off slot. In Houston the doors opened 15 mins before the Cancun flight was supposed to take off. Being at the back of the plane it took some time to get out Ran through the airport to be told our seats had been given to standby passengers. We were given hotel and food vouchers but then they came up with the idea to fly us to Corzumel. Were told our luggage would be on that flight but it did not arrive and has still not be traced according to their website. Continental offered money for clothes but it far from ideal.
To and from LAX to Lima plus internal flights to Cusco and Puno/Juiliaco. Most flights not on time and only explanation was that there was congestion and problems with communications. Originally flight from LAX ran about 30 minutes late so unable to make next internal connection to Cusco. Told that flight already left even thought it was not scheduled for another 30 minutes+. Told to come back to the counter in 50 minutes then may be given a standby ticket to wait in another line with all our luggage. Offered vouchers for lunch - turned out the only option was at McDonalds and then only for two meal choices.
Dublin - Lanzarote 20 Dec return 03 Jan. I have travelled a lot with Aer Lingus and it seems they have moved away from the very low cost type of airline back to what they were. Was seated in row 2D adequate space (I'm 6ft 1). Crew very good as always and its nice to see the mature crew menders on board. I do have one gripe - Aer Lingus have a fantastic Deli/Pay Menu its a pity they never have any of the stock this is my 8th time since July with Aer Lingus where the stocks run out by the time the trolley hits row 2. I complained to the senior cabin crew member - she said agreed - that its always happening to them. Would still use them again no problem.
DOH-BKK-DOH-MAN-DOH-BKK. Flew from Doha to BKK on the A380. Booked business class but got an upgrade to 1st. (Been with Qatar Airways for several years). 1st Class is nice on the 380 but I'm not convinced of its value for money compared to regular business class. Food was 'so-so' although choice of beverages is excellent. Cabin crew were wonderful as always. Flew the A300-200 from Doha to Manchester (UK) business class and this plane is really showing its age now. Seats are not that comfortable for a 7 hr flight and again the food was only just adequate. I think they must have changed caterers because only a year or so ago the food was always excellent.
We traveled between July and September 2013. My friend travels with a portable kidney machine. I notified them of this fact when I made the reservation by computer. I was told he could bring the machine and another medical bag for free. When it was time to board the plane they took everybody  except the disabled persons first including children in strollers. I think a person with a kidney machine should trump a child with a stroller for boarding. When we got onto the plane I asked one on the flight attendants where we could store this somewhat heavy kidney machine. She promptly told us there was no room to store it other than the overhead bin. I told her I couldn't lift this machine over my head. Another flight attendant and the disabled person lifted it into the overhead. On the return trip we just decided to check it in. The woman at the check-in desk was very accommodating.
SIN-HKG-SIN. It is evident that Tiger had improved. Highly efficient cabin crew and flight was on-time for both sectors. Check-in wasn't a problem and I would definitely recommend Tiger given their efficiency and low fares.
Buenos Aires to Santiago on new 787. Nice cabin and great IFE but when all is said and done its just like being on any other aircraft (apart from electric window blinds which despite being fully dimmed still let a lot of sunlight in). Crew were pleasant snack and drinks served. Overall a good experience plus arrived 20 minutes early. Only negative both my British Airways Gold Baggage tags were missing when I reclaimed my baggage and it was obvious the cases had not been treated with much care.
Cologne-Funchal return economy Class. Holiday flight with hot breakfast (2 choices) and one extra drink round. Flight was on time and baggage was in at right time. Seats are narrow for a 4hr trip but ok. No AVOD but film was shown on overhead screens they charge for earphones. Plane a B737-800 in old colour. Return flight full and we had seats 2C/D. Also 2 hot meal choices and one extra drink turn. Baggage took ages in CGN but since flight was ahead of time no problem. Seats again narrow and do not recline much. Plane had new colour 737-800 again. On both flights crew were nice and did their best.
Very comfortable return flight to Hannover in Club Europe. The A319 appeared to be new good food for a short flight and very good value.
British Airways never fails to surprise. I find the business lounge in Geneva quite reasonable and on this last occasion was impressed with the manner in which the Lounge Manager handled a cranky passenger who was accusing him of destroying her favourite newspapers. Then, once on-board, I discovered that Business Class on some of BA's European routes have a seat-pitch that almost prevents gaining entry to the window seats! For those used to flying Qantas domestic economy in Australia think of a forward seat in economy with the middle seat kept empty: and that's it! On the other hand, service and food was excellent and the flight crew commentary was superb. BA have an excellent in-flight magazine.
I fly a lot and when I heard Allegiant was coming to Indianapolis I was very excited. That changed quickly. Be prepared for the following fees on top of the airfare: Between $15-$30 to choose your seat. That's each way not round trip. If you are flying with a family there is an extra $100 easy. $15 each way for a carry on bag. You can only bring a lap top bag for free. $15 to use a credit card when checking out. $50 for a checked bag. Online booking fee. $5 to print boarding pass if you do at the airport. All in all it was about $60 cheaper than Southwest for me to get to Tampa from IND. If they just rolled all those fees into the total price I would be happy. But they make you first decline a hotel rental car attractions trip protection. Then you have to go page by page with the fees. By the time I got hit with a $15 credit card fee I was exhausted. Also no place to put your Known Traveler Number. Be ready to wait on hold for over 30min for that. I'm afraid if I do it at the airport they will charge me another $10!
Flight Dublin to Istanbul. Couldn't have wished for any better crew very pleasant and helpful food was lovely and roomy for economy. I will definitely fly with TA again.
LHR to Madrid in Club Europe. Excellent service and excellent lunch - just wish the seats were roomier for the price.
Chiang Mai to Krabi. This is by no means a budget carrier due to their increasing prices. They were the only carrier to offer a direct flight less than two hours (avoiding BKK) but at a cost of almost £300 one way for two people. Thai Bangkok and Nokair all stopped at Bangkok. Nothing given for free on board no entertainment. You got to pay for luggage and I couldn't fathom out how not to pay for their insurance! Better and cheaper fares offered with main airline carriers. Although the flight was straightforward.
Fly Aberdeen to Norwich and back. Customer service is very poor they are not helpful. The seat's are worn and hard. Crew don't care for the passenger's. I will be flying BMI from now on about the same price but far better service.
Flew from Chicago to Delhi the leg room in the airplane was good but its a poorly maintained aircraft. The entire plane was dirty. One of the toilets were not working. The snacks were not served you had to walk to the back of the aircraft to find a sandwich and a drink. Horrible experience.
Singapore-Tokyo-Sapporo return. First flown on a B767 with special livery then on an A320 and back on a B737 and B767. On the first and last flight we sat behind business class. The seating was okay  inflight entertainment was good and food was delicious! The magazines are in Japanese and English.
Excellent flights to and from Prestwick to Palma. On time quick check in at Palma - stick to rules and no problems ever. Its the people who are the problem - 5 flights in 3years never a problem.
Aside from some of the worst service inflight El Al let my cat loose on the tarmac at Ben Gurion airport. When calling their lost and found call centre I was told by a representative that a lost suitcase has a higher priority than finding a family cat. Their actions display a lack of regard for life period. Unlike people in Israel those of us from the United States love and respect our family pets.
We flew from Ottawa to Hong Kong returned from Shanghai to Ottawa both via Vancouver. I paid extra for choice of preferred seats and while there was sufficient legroom the seats were so narrow as to make comfort and ultimately sleep impossible. The food was really nothing more than garbage with a choice of "gruel" or a slice of some sort of egg for breakfast. For dinner I chose the beef which was a very poor quality meat all fat and only 3 little pieces. I think next time I will pay more and try to fly with another carrier.
Outgoing route - London Heathrow to Casablanca (flight AT 801) Casablanca to Banjul (AT 557) 23rd July 2014 arriving 24th July. Return. Awful service. Entertainment? What entertainment? No radio inflight movie or children's entertainment packs have ever been evident on any of the RAM flights I have been on. Every flight I have taken we have ordered non-dairy vegetarian meals - but they never materialise. This last flight (yesterday) they tried to serve us a family of lifelong vegetarians chicken! The staff refused to believe that vegetarian meals had been ordered - even when I produced the tickets which clearly showed vegetarian non-dairy meals were specified for all 3 of us. Transfer times at Casablanca are woefully inadequate which has always results in our luggage getting a few days extra holiday time without me - and there is always a slight of hand which somehow negates any chance of remuneration. This is an awful airline.
Manchester-Doha-Melbourne 20th Feb 2015. First leg to Doha on A330-200 not fully booked I had aisle seat plenty of room for my legs (I'm six foot). My entertainment system froze halfway through the film I was watching so I ended up watching the screen on the next (empty) seat. Shiny screens so your reflection dominates a lot of what you watch. Food reasonable service seemed a little slow but overall a good first leg of the trip. There's only a 45 minute layover in Doha but they are well geared up for this and no trouble with missing luggage despite the gates being at opposite ends of the airport. Second leg to Melbourne on a 777-300ER almost full seats nowhere near as comfortable far less leg room. Better entertainment system than the Airbus matt screen so no reflection problems. Food probably slightly better but again seems to be a slow process. Overall however I arrived in Melbourne feeling fit and refreshed and would definitely take the same route again. Here's hoping for Airbus on the return journey.
EZE to GRU in business class on 330 Airbus. Seat recline worked intermittently and IFE had to be constantly rebooted so it was impossible to watch anything. No apologies from staff. No announcement made on arrival of the local time and we had a connecting flight and I hadn't noted that Brazil was an hour ahead of Argentina. Business lounges are not of the same standard as other Oneworld carriers. At GRU we changed planes 777-300 to LHR. Staff on this flight were more attentive and courteous. IFE worked but volume level at max was still too quiet. Breakfast order is taken in advance and nicely presented. Business seat was long enough for me but not for husband whose feet were trapped under the seat in front. I found the seat to be hard. Not bad quality for price paid.
Took flight 2009 from Las Vegas 10/33/2013. Told flight was delayed 30 minutes ended up being over an hour and a half. We were waiting on luggage to arrive from another flight. There were approx. 15-20 people trying to make connections in Austin and they were holding the plane for luggage. Usually great flights not this one. Will have to think twice before flying SW again.
Berlin to LHR. Used upgrade vouchers to upgrade to Business. Star Alliance Gold Member so could use Lufthansa First Class check-in and lounge. Only complaint is lounge is landside and long walk from gate but am sure this will change in the new BBI airport. Pleasant crew onboard with good full meal and drinks service (proper glasses cups and saucers). Only negative parked at domestic gate in Heathrow and had to de-plane via steps at back door so Business Class off last and onto bus to drive to immigration.
Milas/Bodrum to IST at the end of October. The airport at Milas seems relatively new. Check in staff pleasant and efficient. Lounge was good for a regional airport. Cabin crew very good.
PER-MRU-PER August 2012 - A330-200. Plane is fairly new on PER-MRU legs. Travelling with toddler (under 2) and 2 adults. Economy pretty standard config and seats small but relatively comfortable. Outbound at PER not allowed to use QF lounge even though I was QP. Plane quite empty. Had to wait for 1.5 hrs for Virgin arrival from Melbourne which had 40+pax on. Even with them the flight was about 70% loading. Gave us a row of 4 to us so we were able to lay the child down for a nap. Outbound was daytime flight and quite easy - IFE very basic. Food was ok (poor entree). Not a lot of drinks (hot cabin too) and service was too quick with them wanting to get everything out the way ASAP. Toddler given an infant meal (as she was on an infant ticket) and we were not allowed to get anything else as there was no other food loaded. Return - slightly more full but this time we were given a bulkhead. Pointless with a toddler but we did have a row of 4. Word of warning the bulkhead rows the arm rests do not lift up. Overnight flight but bulkhead was near toilet which was going all night - so impossible to get sleep. Also some annoying little blue light sits right above you so its not dark either. On SSR/MRU Airport second comments from Philip Loveder below. Airport cant cope with 3 x 747 and A330 leaving at the same time. Place was packed. No chairs nowhere to sit even on the floor. If you are on your own fine but with kids its hard work! Poor timing of scheduling of the flights left a bad feeling to what was an amazing holiday.
STN-LAS-STN. Outbound flight excellent. Good cabin crew and food was best we have had on an airline. Return flight delayed due to a member of staff calling in sick - a replacement had to be flown in from Los Angeles. Made me wonder what would have happened if the Los Angeles flight was not on the new roster! Flight home was also good. My concern with is the attitude to safety. I am used to British airlines who have a very strict policy with regards to safety but Maxjet did not ask passengers to be seated when the captain illuminated the seat belt sign. They also allowed an obviously inebriated passenger to sit in the exit seat which should not have been allowed.
DEL-LHR on Dreamliner. This was a good flight. Two full meals - a hot breakfast after take off and a full lunch service about 3 hours before arriving in London. The food was actually better in quality and quantity than on Lufthansa which I took last month where the lunch was little more than a snack. South Indian hot breakfast and western main lunch course were both delicious. Flat seats on Dreamliner very good and Caire amenity kits which have more goodies than European airlines. I feel that Air India are missing some details and professionalism to make them really world class. For example the movies are not the latest and the entertainment system not intuitive The chocolates after the meal are of mediocre quality the male cabin crews uniforms look dated but generally the long distance product is not bad. Modern aircraft good food polite service clean bathrooms. Only details to complain about.
Udon Thani to DMK. Flight was on time. The seat is comfortable and there was a snack service in flight. I think that snack is the bread that they can't use anymore in Auntie Anne. However the baggage arrived fast and the ticket price is not expensive. The in-flight service is better than Air Asia but Nok Air is more expensive and more comfortable.
Somebody needs to place a warning about SAAs practice to overbook flights. In my case we are a family of 4 and on a flight from Johannesburg to Windhoek we were held by staff at the check-in counter for 45 minutes to ensure that we could not reach the gate in time. Only when the gate was closed we got our boarding pass. Only after many hours of discussion with the transfer desk and the supervisor on duty we got the hotel voucher and a flight the following day. At the hotel we encountered many fellow passengers who were bumped from their flights to London and Frankfurt including families with small children.
JFK-LHR Upper Class. Cannot complain about the trip. Spent time at the lounges beforehand including having the meal and showers. Crew polite and helpful especially for 5 yo kid. Meal portions in plane small but not an issue for me. AVOD okay. Being able to lie flat for the transatlantic flight even for 3-4 hours appreciated. Refreshers lounge in T3 on arrival is a good idea to wash up before hitting the city.
Flew between Sydney and Uluru. The flights themselves were what you would expect from a budget airline. The check-in process however was a total shambles. At Sydney Airport there was just one long line for all their departures. Using the automated check-in machines was a waste of time - when we eventually reached the check-in desk the baggage tags we'd carefully put on were unceremoniously ripped off. We were still in the middle of the long line having arrived two hours before our scheduled departure time when we heard someone shouting our flight number. With great difficulty we managed to extricate ourselves and baggage from 'the maze'. Eventually we found the check-in desk where our flight number was being shouted. The check-in clerks were complaining to each other that they weren't being sent the right passengers. The return flight from Uluru wasn't much better despite being the only departure that afternoon. At the check-in they waited until all the passengers arrived before they very slowly began the process. Very galling to watch them sitting behind the check-in desks doing nothing while we all stood in line. Even when they did condescend to start work they seemed to believe that chatting between themselves was a higher priority than dealing with their customers. Value for money? I would want to be paid to experience that again.
Flew London City to Athens and return. The whole process was straightforward from arriving at the airport through to destination. Seat comfortable with adequate leg room and food has improved substantially since my last trip. Adequate time to interconnect without being too long and hence boring.
We flew to and from New Zealand on Dec 10 and Jan 16 on Fiji Airways. Service was competent food was palatable. We had excellent and friendly service in Auckland. The planes were reasonably comfortable especially if you got the two seats by the window. Flight attendants were friendly and as attentive as possible. Our sole problem was at the transit lounge in Fiji. While I'm assuming it's a temporary arrangement during construction it is cold depressing and a hard place to spend several hours. In addition the many repeat security searches seemed like overkill since we got off a Fiji plane were trapped in the concrete dungeon and then got on a Fji plane. Also a flight attendant on the plane from Auckland gave me a bottle of water as I de-planed which a security guard took away as we boarded our flight for LAX. Many people had bought water which was taken from them. This seems like a scam or at best a bad policy - passengers need to be warned if their drinks will be taken from them. There is plenty of room in the large dank lounge for signs to that effect. Would I fly Fiji again? Yes the flights were fine although I'd try to get a direct flight or a very short transit layover.
They were extremely helpful in putting us on an earlier flight to ensure we made our connection as well as retrieving our bags to ensure they made it to our destination with us. The cabin attendants were polite and gracious. Our seats were comfortable and roomy and made our 12 hour flight not just bearable but enjoyable. I would recommend for their professionalism and efficiency.
I flew LGW-IST-DAC and was rather surprised by the quality of Turkish Airlines. On my first flight I flew on a Boeing 737-800. Staff were polite and food was pretty good very happy that it was halal. Istanbul to Dhaka I flew on an Airbus A330-200 . Plane was clean standards were acceptable. They gave us all sorts of things like toothbrushes blindfolds and slippers etc for maximum comfort and gave the kids a Rubiks Cube and a blow up Turkish Airlines plane. Flight attendants were friendly some weren't. Entertainment was good a wide range of movies and music. Seats were comfortable with recline. There was a lot of legroom on the second flight. I look forward to flying on Turkish Airlines on my return trip.
BNE-CHC-BNE. What a difference a crew makes. BNE-CHC (NZ805) flight on 16 June was very empty but crew not very interested in working. As a VA Platinum member not offered the usual services (headphones express immigration etc) that normally would be offered. Seemed a challenge to even get a glass of wine (I was on a 'works' fare). While the in-flight manager was busy spending all of his time with 2 passengers not much care shown to the rest of us on the airplane. Return CHC-BNE (NZ804) on 20 June was a different story. Fantastic crew (2 in-flight managers so perhaps a check or training flight). Service was great attentive and friendly. Food good and drinks offered plentiful. This crew made all the difference in turning a bad experience outbound into a great experience inbound.
QR122 MXP-DOH QR1365 October 23/24. Qatar level of service food and seating well above average. Cannot fault them unless you ask for the moon. Flights on time staff attentive and polite. Purchased a discounted business class ticket yet extended my stay by 30 days with a small penalty of only 36 Euro!
KUL-CHC-KUL. Flights almost full but seats were fine and everything went as planned with no delays. No problems with seat comfort after the upgrade food service was good. The only minor complaint was the not so great handheld entertainment device only 7 movies and very limited TV shows.
Have just returned from a trip to Prague with Easyjet. We had my elderly mother with us who required a wheelchair for her to get about easier. We could not have been treated any better both at Manchester and Prague where the staff were excellent and very helpful.
ISB-HKK. Boarded on time but due to issues with luggage loading delayed 30 minutes but landed HKK on time. Staff very attentive and well mannered. Plane A310 which is almost 20 years old. Entertainment system still old TFT screens. Seating was very comfortable much better than the Cathy Pacific's A330 economy class arrangement. Overall very impressed.
BRU-PRG-BRU. Altogether very satisfied one flight with older 737 the other with new A319. Check in procedure was smooth and uncomplicated in both cases. The flight with A319 was very nice with inflight screens with maps. The flight with 737 was bit worse as it was an older plane. The food and drinks on both flights were quite well for nowadays standards on European flights. The crew both in plane and on ground very nice and helpful.
BKK-AMS B747 in the updated business class. Despite booking a specific seat and confirming it 3X I did not receive the seat. This was unacceptable and the airlines response was sorry too bad. Not the most intelligent way of treating a business class client. Check-in was disorganized and time consuming which was very odd for BKK because I have never experienced this at BKK. Part of the problem is that there is a scrum approach to check in. Boarding was equally disorganized and unusually unpleasant for business class on a BKK long haul. The plane departed late and arrived late but the Captain's honest explanation made it a non issue. The professionalism carried through to the on board service crew who were some of the most cheerful and efficient FAs I have experienced. Meals were disappointing as they were uninspiring and overly salty. Beverage selection was decent. The new seat left me with a sore back after 12 hours. KLM missed an opportunity to catch up with airlines such as Cathay EVA and ANA as the new seats are nothing special and still leaves KLM as a class below the aforementioned airlines. The amenity kit while nice looking was basic and again not as useful as Asian carriers no slippers were provided which is unusual on an Asian flight. Nor was I able to get a newspaper. First time on a long haul flight where newspapers were not available to me in the cabin. IFE was varied and ok although the map program is as bad as Air France's and not very informative. Overall it was a generic flight that got me where I had to go safely. The Dutch flight crew were excellent while the Air France/KLM ground crew in BKK were mediocre. I would not recommend KLM as a carrier on this route unless a direct flight to AMS was required as there are much better options available with the Asian carriers.
Short haul very basic, but excellent staff. Transfer in Frankfurt is quite a hassle, long distances to be walked. Crew on long haul flight were okay. Smiling seems an issue, but service is quick. Seating is pretty okay, both legs on refurbished A340-300 which is a really nice long haul aircraft, quiet and spacious. Quality of food more than decent. Drinks assortment not so good. All in all, good flights for a good price.
Travelling from Palma to Belfast International. Our flight was delayed by 2hrs 50mins. We were given vouchers to the value of 4.50 euros each. At check-in the girl told us we could spend them at the airport or onboard we decided to keep them for onboard. We ordered 2 coffees but the stewardess said she couldn't accept the vouchers and that they haven't been accepting them for the last 2 years. It states on the vouchers they could be spent onboard. It's obvious the ground staff have no idea.
I am a frequent business traveler and I will never fly Frontier again. Having to pay for carry on luggage is ridiculous. If they are trying to reduce the number of carry-ons then they should just allow 1 free checked bag. But that wasn't the most frustrating thing. Even though I checked a bag on line and had my printed receipt I had to re-check the bag at least he kiosk at Denver because I was told that was the only way they could print my baggage tag. If that's true then I'm going to fly an airline with the capability of printing their own baggage tags from this point on!
LGW-Malaga return Economy. Booked online so downloaded my boarding pass 24 hours before flight which with only hand luggage made things simple and fast at Gatwick. Plane was A320 clean tidy and staff were friendly and helpful. Onboard food and drinks were quite expensive seats surprisingly wide and comfortable flight took off and landed on time. Return flight was hampered by not being able to download my boarding pass so no fast track  I had to queue at Malaga for over 1 hr and the flight was delayed for 30 mins but because of tailwinds we arrived at Gatwick 10 mins early.
CNX-ICN-LAX round trip ticket. Taxi to airport involved in a bad accident. 2 hour Police delay caused me to miss my flight at CNX. Due to a long layover in ICN I was able to book a flight on another airline to ICN in time to catch my flight to LAX. Korean Air refused to allow me to check in. Said that since I missed my flight segment from CNX-ICN my paid ticket was cancelled. I had to pay an additional $1400 for a one-way ticket to LAX. KoreanAir also cancelled my return tickets from LAX- CNX which caused me to purchase an additional return ticket. "On a different airline of course". Korean Air refused to reimburse me for the round trip tickets they cancelled and kept the money. I had trip insurance for the flight but Korean Air refused to provide a statement that they did in fact cancel my tickets until after the insurance filing date had expired so I was unable to file an insurance claim. Korean Air caused me to pay the equivalent of 3 round-trip tickets. The customer service was terrible and their explanations changed with every coorespondence. Knowing that Korean Air can cancel paid tickets on any pretext and strand customers in a foreign country unless they purchase another ticket is a serious concern. I have flown Korean Air on several prior occasions and was always satisfied but I will never fly Korean Air again.
Flew on Jet Blue 1732 from Bermuda to JFK on Sunday 31/8/2014. Boarding was speedy well organised and efficient with everyone boarded and the plane doors closed 20 minutes ahead of schedule. The flight left Bermuda 15 minutes early and arrived into JFK 25 minutes early which impressed me a lot. Service provided by three polite smiling and delightful crew with drinks and snack run done fairly effortlessly and refills available and delivered with extra ice and a smile. An impressive service that I really rated.
I have nothing but praise for this great airline. Meals provided and drinks included. They have always left on time. They are great value for money. I have travelled from Edinburgh to Istanbul then onto Ercan North Cyprus. Would be good if there was not such a long wait between flights - 4.5 hours. Have just booked for April / May and see there is a new connection on the way back leaves Ercan at 9.45 and connects in Istanbul with only aN hour and a half change over.
Delays are pathogenic to Olympic Air. ATH-TIA left with 25 minutes delay. The plane was a Q400 new but uncomfortable and noisy - had a window seat which was not reclining and there was no window shutter. Newspapers were not offered lunch was not offered on a tray but a plastic box with sandwich and a confection. After drinks / coffee they gave us box with cookies. Return with A319 change of equipment was probably because there was still a problem of delays. The aircraft did not have a business class area. We were offered newspapers (in the old way manner left on the galley to be picked up) but this time food offered on a tray - tasteless and indifferent. I could not complain but the service was not remarkable. The hostesses were all girls (there is clearly a problem with men stewards) friendly and more than helpful.
CDG-TPE. Check in a breeze used Air France lounge in T1 - no decent Asian carrier should subject their passengers to such a low standard. Seat was the slanted kind of hard business class seats that get very uncomfortable after 4 hours. Could hardly get any sleep and there is nowhere to put things nor any privacy from your neighbor. The amenities were great. All their toilets are big and good for changing. The food is generous portion and tasted good. The cabin crew took the time to introduce the special Taiwanese delicacies to foreign passengers. The flight however is extremely long - a gruesome 13 hours. Would only recommend for service but would be a good product when they upgrade business class seats.
Took a Jet2 flight from Belfast on 20/01/2013 to Lanzarote but on the way back had to fly via Faro to refuel as they only use a 737. Lot of hassle and will not use again on this route. Crew were great but come on Jet put a 757 on this route.
Stansted to Ercan stopping for 45 minutes in Dalaman. Airline staff seemed a bit frosty. No smiling at customers. I had read the reviews about the airline before we travelled - they were pretty accurate. After allowing us one drink they didn't seem like they wanted to give anyone another. When tea and coffee came round they had run out of milk. Staff on the return seemed more relaxed and more approachable.
Our fight at YYZ was originally delayed 35 minutes. However when the plane never arrived it was bumped to a 1:25 minute delay. After everyone boarded the plane there was an additional 25 minute delay to upgrade the computer system with landing information about our destination. We were offered free $3 earphones for the inconvenience. I normally wouldn't write such a negative review based on one experience but this is after being silent for several similar past experiences.
Our travel experience was very good. Sun Country is not very recognized however our round trip from Fort Myers to Puerto Rico was very good. No delays and the flight attendants were friendly. Will travel with them again.
Trip from Gatwick to Sal Cape Verde. Due to take off at 1350 but sat on Gatwick airport Tarmac until 1600 whilst engineers tried to fix an unspecified 'minor fault' on our Boeing 757-200. This plane looks tatty and old clearly he safety warning system agrees. This review can only get worse. The pilot is waffling on about the unspecified problem.
I recently traveled to and from Bahrain using Gulf Air. I was up until 2 years ago a silver frequent flyer but because I had not visited there for a while I have dropped down to blue. The difference in flying this time compared to 2 years ago was incredible. I was really impressed with everything. Staff both on the ground and in the air were courteous friendly and helpful and on the return flight included two young newly trained stewardesses who were an absolute delight. The screens and seats have all been upgraded and the in flight entertainment was much improved. The food was also very good. I will definitely be flying with Gulf Air again.
Travelled CDG to BEG and return in late December and early January 2014. The plane was clean (A319) and very well presented with nice pillows on every seat. The crew were very happy to help and were smiling the whole time. You can see that they are new because at times they seemed a bit disorganized but overall they were excellent. The food brings this trip to a whole new level. While in other airlines you are lucky to get a pack of crackers here I got a hot meal. What a transformation from the old airline (JAT).
I flew business class from CGK-IST-AMS overall it was a great experience but unfortunately it was not very memorable. The seat itself was great and comfortable the cabin layout was modern and clean however I found out that the cabin crew seemed to be inconsistent. They did not really interact with the passengers less smiles and seemed to lack manners. On the other side indeed there were the dedicated cabin crew who were willing to care and serve the passengers. My verdict is THY is still great airline to fly but it is not really that consistent compared to other airlines.
I was travelling from Orlando to Anchorage with a connection in Houston and San Francisco. When we arrived at the airport our flight had already been delayed by an hour and half meaning that we would miss our Houston connection. I went immediately to the service counter to have it sorted out and they had already switched us to a Delta flight transferred our bags and arranged meal vouchers for us. I was surprised at this high level of service. All in all we arrived in Anchorage on our Delta flight only 10 minutes after we would have arrived on our originally booked flight. Our travel experience back to Orlando was a completely different matter however. After arriving at Anchorage airport and checking in I realized that I had been bumped from my originally booked aisle seat to a middle seat in the same row. After boarding I realized that the seat that I had originally booked remained open so I simply picked up my stuff and moved to the seat I had originally purchased. This was simply an annoyance and source of confusion rather than a true inconvenience. The flight itself was rather uneventful. We made it to San Francisco made our connection and waited to depart. And we waited. And waited. And waited. Initially we were told that we were waiting for some baggage from a connecting flight they presumably boarded the baggage and we began taxiing. After taxiing for a few minutes the captain came over the speaker and informed us that we had to return to the gate due to a "water leak". We then sat in the plane for 2.5 hours while multiple maintenance men stomped on and off the plane trying to locate the source of the leak. After sitting on the (hot) plane for about two hours I had already finished the bottle of water that I had brought on board. When I asked one of the flight attendants if I could get some water she told me that I couldn't have any water because the maintenance man was standing in front of the bottle. Is that the one and only bottle of water that United stocked on this particular flight? I wandered back to my seat and endured the additional thirty minutes of idle waiting. Finally the pilot came back over the speakers and informed us that the "water leak" was actually condensation from the coffee maker that the flight attendants failed to wipe up after the last use. Needless to say this made for some pretty incredulous passengers.
19 Nov 2013 AKL-SYD QF 144. 21 Nov 2013 SYD-DXB QF 1. 25 Nov 2013 DXB-LHR QF 1. 12 Jan 2014 LHR-DXB QF2. 14 Jan 2014 DXB-SYD QF2. 17 Jan 2014 SYD-AKL QF 143. I was really disappointed in the diabetic meals I received. They really weren't much different to the ordinary fare. Instead of being offered cheese and crackers like the "normal" people I was offered Anzac biscuits - high in sugar. Fresh fruit or cheese and crackers would have been far more appropriate. Won't be ordering these meals again but will have to pick and choose from what's offered on the ordinary folks menu!
CPT-JNB return. Cheapest fare of all domestic carriers and best carrier I have experienced on this route. Friendly and helpful staff at check in and on the flight plane modern and clean. Flights on time and return to CPT arrived 15 minutes early. If you haven't flown Mango before give them a try.
Sunday 24th November Manchester to Prague. LS887 from Manchester. Absolutely the worst website in class. The site is so slow it refreshes every simple change you make pushing the baggage at you - are you sure. Takes so long to book. I use it weekly unfortunately and if there was a realistic alternative I would not use them. Flights to Prague are a ridiculous price much cheaper to use Lufthansa but unfortunately it's not direct from Manchester. Some weeks are over £300 Lufthansa £211 better service better aircraft free hold luggage and free snack and drink. The only cheap thing about Jet2 is the service.
YSSY-YMML-YSSY. 07/06/2013 Flight VA898 10/06/2013 Flight VA883. B737/800. Aircraft in excellent condition. No IFE! What is this? Cabin crew very good. Drinks with credit card. VA have a lot of improving to do. Not a patch on Qantas but as good as Jetstar. Never again.
BL268 Jan 30. Flying from Phu Quoc to HCMC. Booked online. Cheap price with no problems. Nice check in nice plane on time nice crew.
We had to cancel our flight with CEBU one week before we traveled due to a work emergency and they charged us approx 50% fee to do so then would only refund the remaining 50% in travel credit which must be used in 90 days. This company is predatory we were very disappointed in their policy.
Travelled in Economy class from Delhi to Los Angeles on 24th. May2013 by CZ-3028/CZ-328. Indian Vegetarian meals provided did not include bread and one had to ask for it though butter was part of meal. There was no choice of alcohol. Further though I had booked seats 2 months in advance I was not given a choice of seats. There should be some consideration for Senior Citizens. I had asked for a wheelchair for my wife but was not provided for transfer at Guangzhou airport. Further there was no elevator for passengers arriving by CZ-3028 from Delhi to climb to 1st floor.
When the going gets tough Vueling doesnt want to know. Flight was cancelled due to French Air traffic control strike - not the airlines fault. The total disinterest and rudeness of the check in staff when trying to get help is not. Was brushed off to call various numbers all in Spain and all busy and all timed out. In the end no choice but to leave airport not knowing what was going on. A total lack of information unwillingness to try and give any advice shows that as cheap airlines go this one has scraped the bottom when it comes to customer care.
I am a Million Miler who flies business on long haul with AC. The angle pod seats were a great addition some time ago and provided business passengers with a feeling of value for money-true lay flats reasonable privacy etc. I cannot understand why AC would want to screw this all up with the new high density layouts in both business and economy-the business seats are resulting in mass complaints and mass desertions to other airlines. They downgraded their product to Hong Kong (in economy there are two or three fewer washrooms for 100 more passengers line ups a mile long the toilets are backing up as they are not designed for this volume of passengers. I have never in all my years heard more angry passengers than the Honk Kong to Vancouver AC passengers in any class. For a crass money grab on these routes AC is risking a big revenue loss to Japan airlines Cathay and other Asian airlines and on Europe runs to British Air and others even Lufthansa. This high density move is a complete disaster on the 777's and AC should reconsider. For those of us in the air a lot this change of equipment downgrade is a real choice maker.
I am from Brazil and live in the UK so use TAM almost every year. Although the service is reasonable there is always something to be desired. I book my flights well in advance leaving enough time for connections usually closer to the time they simply change the times making the connections rather challenging. In the last episode TAM changed the flight times in such a way that it left me with under 2 hours to connect. Anyone who has been to Brazil before will know that this is impractical as you need to go through immigration at the first international airport you land before proceeding to the domestic connection. We were stuck in long queues at immigration and long queues at the check-in desk to board the connection flight. TAM did absolutely nothing to prioritise us knowing we would be late. In fact TAM simply told us to remain in the queue and believe me everyone from that flight which needed to catch the onward flight "conveniently" missed the flight. We were then accommodated to the next flight which had a stop-over on the way and we left inside the aircraft parked by the gates for over two hours! In summary what was meant to be a very smooth flight turned out to be a nightmare with a total delay of 2.5 hours. Not great when you have toddlers with you!
I traveled to NY in December of 2013 and although the flight out was fine and on time the flight back was cancelled and no flights were available for several days I ended up purchasing a one way ticket from Southwest which was one counter down for a full fare and made it back that night. Spirit never offered a refund or any compensation for cancelling a flight and not accommodating Last night my daughter was supposed to fly back from Florida to Chicago her flight was first delayed then finally cancelled. Again the airline did not offer any help and the first flight available they offered was 3 days later! which is outrageous! We found another flight on Spirit with available seat but the airline refused to allow the use of that seat and at best after demanding to talk to a supervisor we were told that non are available for 2 hours (which is after the flight departs). Needless to say we are so disappointed with this airline that we will never recommend for anyone to fly with them.
Booked to leave FLL to BOS for travel assignment with a connection in Charlotte. At the gate I was told I would need to check my bag because the flight was very full. After boarding it was discovered that there was a malfunction. Whilst waiting we were told there was another malfunction and there would be a 90 minute delay. We were let off the plane and then re-boarded. Put on another flight this time connecting through PHL. Another delay but we did get to PHL and left FLL prior to the reported time of departure. Got to PHL to find out that there was another delay a gate change and the flight we were set to take was no longer even on the departure board. Told to check the monitors for flight changes. Ended up sitting in PHL for another 90 minutes and the gate was filthy. Upon getting to PHL at approximately 1.45am we were told that our bags never left PHL. It is now 2.58 and our bags just arrived. I have traveled extensively domestically and this is by far the worst airline I have flown.
MEL-WLG. A320. Very little personal space on board. You actually start to pray that the person in front of you doesn't recline their seat. You try to eat your meal and even lifting your hand to your mouth feels like a mission. Not impressed with this at all. This airline is starting to forget about what made them successful - good service good facilities and loyal customers. After 20 years of flying with them I've had enough and will now use other airlines for across the tasman.
I was disappointed with the business class seats. Fairly uncomfortable! I don't understand the whole concept of sticking your feet into a cubby hole under the seat in front you. There is no real leg support and as the seat doesn't lay flat you are always sliding. The armrests are also hard and elbows are sore at the end of a long flight. Even the Air France lounge at JFK was disappointing. Run down and staff not very good at cleaning. The lounge at CDG was better but still not great. Overall I would probably reserve with a different airline for my next trip as the value simply wasn't there.
I am unhappy that Air Asia's transfer to Don Muang airport has not improved any of their problems they had when they used to fly from Bangkok's main airport at Suvanabumhi. The delays are the same - from the check in counters to the flight departures. Last week I waited 1 hour in the check in line - unacceptable when they are only 1 of 3 small airlines using this airport. Then you have to take a bus from the check in gate to where the plane is located almost a kilometre away on the tarmac. Changing from Bangkok's main airport was supposed to improve all these things. Also transferring from Don Muang to Survanabumhi (where all the other airlines leave from) takes a long taxi ride of around 600 baht (incl. 3 tolls). It is just not worth using Air Asia in Thailand at all! Their website often goes down during your flight booking and there is never any response when you make a customer complaint. This airline makes changes to suit itself and save money but never makes changes for its customers.
Due to fly QF8006 Business to BNE via Dubai. No airline communication but Chauffeur rang to ask us if we knew anything about flight being cancelled. No. Rang Qantas who knew nothing and then Emirates who knew less (Codeshare). Eventually transpires mechanical problem with Airbus delay at least until 11.45 am (departure due 22.15 today). We need to get to BNE so suggest less attractive flight available (with seats and originally lower cost) from BHX or MAN. QF say Emirates unwilling to reroute us Emirates say unable to alter as only QF have the ability to do this! An hour spent on telephone to all corners of the globe and finally both QF and EK agreed they need to do something and we should wait. Number given for direct contact. No call from either airline but chauffeur rings us to ask if we know what is happening (No) and arranges to pick us up at 4.30 am to get to Heathrow. So arrive at least 13 hours late in Dubai means we miss connecting BNE flight (only one per day) and arrive at best 24 hours later than planned. An extra 24 hours travelling. Do you think we will use QF/EK again? Zero communication ability from airlines.
Boston to Los Angeles with my two boys. One has a peanut allergy and although I don't expect accommodation just for him I was surprised that I was basically ignored yet other airlines always provide a "buffer zone" as well as a peanut-free environment. We were not informed our seats did not recline. Having a medical implant in my neck and a head rest that couldn't be adjusted I was in pain. There were 3 empty seats behind us. My boys moved to them because they were so uncomfortable. I was about to join them but they were told by one of the flight attendants that they couldn't sit there. Apparently they each cost $129 more and I would need to pay $387 to have seats that reclined. The seats were empty but still given my situation I wasn't allowed to sit there with my boys who were very upset. What I cannot accept is the fact that a man in my row sneaked to the same row across the aisle and sat there the whole flight for no additional fee. In my 60 years of flying I have never encountered such a rude flight team. I will say the plane was upscale and clean but who cares when it severely lacks in humanity.
Outbound LHR-Dubai-Lagos. Strange routing through my booking agent to save money meant 15 hours in the air. LHR- Dubai in A380-aisle seat at back of cabin. Enough leg room food OK crew OK. Dubai-Lagos 777-300 ER cramped seats very hard very uncomfortable full plane. Airlines seem to have thrown out 2-4-2 seating in favour of skinny light weight seats-narrow aisles and lack of comfort. Food and crew OK. Return leg Lagos-Dubai 777-300-older plane still with cramped 3-4-3 seats. Aisle seat at back of plane gives a bit more leg room. Dubai- LHR return leg Airbus A380 seat 81 A-more leg room but armrest does not lift so you have little sideways room. Food - lamb was awful crew were good. All flights on time. No breakfast served on Lagos-Dubai leg due to turbulence-never heard that one before.
Quito to Porto Viejo. The plane was a new Embraer 170. TAME provides an excellent service on a level you could expect in Europe may be 10 years ago (and completely unknown in the US). There were beverages offered free of charge in the waiting area. The plane was very clean. Seating was a bit tight but perfectly enough for such a flight. The best thing was that there was an board service consisting of a sandwich and free drinks. The plane was on time and the flight attendants were friendly. Well done TAME.
Phnom Penh - KL - Bali on 20th Dec. Nice new Boeing plane very good inflight system with reasonable films polite crew clean plane. Food was fine given each leg was relatively short. Perfectly happy with Malaysian and will fly with them again.
My wife and I flew Vueling from Barcelona to Amsterdam on an A320-200 in July. I paid the extra 12 euros each for exit row seats as I am 6'4" and need the extra leg room. Online ticket purchase was easy including seat selection. Our flight was delayed because the plane was late but once it arrived we boarded quickly and arrived Amsterdam almost on time. The seats were fine for a 2 hour flight with the extra legroom. Flight attendants were efficient but not friendly. The plane was clean and in good repair and there was plenty of room in the overhead for our carry-ons. For about $120 each ow I thought it was a good value and would fly them again.
Prague to Edinburgh 15 Aug. Seated in seat 2f. Very narrow seats with little padding and quite hard. Very old Boeing 737-300 combi. Seats are on pallets and higher up than normal. Meant the window was almost at waist level. Every time someone walked past our row the seats bounced about. Aircraft was very noisy.
Travelled Gatwick to Montego Bay on a 747. Very disappointed with the quality of the premium economy cabin. The plane was clearly passed its 'sell by' date. It looked tired and old with an entertainment system that was difficult to see. On the outward leg the magazine rack was broken and although an engineer tried to solve the problem it was not usable and flapped about throughout the flight. On the return journey the arm rest containing the table was broken and separated from the chair. The stewardess was unable to get help and in the end used sticky tape to hold the arm rest in place. She was going to take the arm rest away and replace with a towel but our comments about basic safety and the need to make it safe led to the makeshift solution. Then there is the food which is probably the worst I have had flying premium economy. Is this a case of an airline flying a route with little competition and therefore setting the lowest possible tolerable standard? An old tired plane with average and below average service.
December 21 2013 flew Business Class SEA-PEK-BKK. Flew to SEA on American Airlines code share first class. Check-in with American was very busy and the luggage conveyor belt was broken at first class check-in. The agent knew nothing about Hainan but managed to check my bag through. Arrived in Seattle and went to the British Airlines Terraces lounge where I was told Hainan hasn't used the lounge for over 4 months and that their lounge was in the other terminal about twenty minute walk each way. The Hainan gate agent first said that she wouldn't recommend that I go to the lounge because of the distance but then wrote me out an invitation. The business seating on their A330 is 2-2-2 in two cabins. We were served snacks and non-alcoholic welcome drinks pre-departure. The seats are lay flat and they do make up the seats with pads sheets and a fluffy comforter. Additionally they offer pyjamas - nice touch. Although no menus were distributed and the English language skills of the flight attendants is very poor the food was good both Western and Asia selections. Beverage service and selection is extremely limited. It took over one hour after reaching cruising altitude before any beverages were served. The beverages on offer were extremely limited. One type of champagne white and red wine. No premium brands. Liquors were also extremely limited. Transfer in Beijing was horrible. Hainan ground agents told me that I had to clear immigration and customs and collect and recheck my check bag. While waiting a general service agent came up to me and in perfect English said that I should go to the departure counter as my bag would not be coming off. It was checked all the way through but Hainan agents are all too new to know this. The lounge on the website is not one that was offered. They only show the first class lounge and business class is contract hosted in a rather dated lounge. The only food on offer was soup or pastry and beverages were also limited. There was a shower facility with limited amenities. The A330 had the new staggered business class seating. Again no menus and the flight attendant English poor. No premium cocktails available only two types of beer one red wine and one white wine. No champagne. No Fast Track access provided. The fare was cheap but you get what you pay for. I will see if there is any difference with the return flight on the new Dreamliner.
My first time on Qantas, quite a pleasant flight, flight attendants were professional, comfort of the seat is fine with flat bed. Good entertainment program. Amenities offered are a bit simple but overall the experience was good. The only bad point is that the seat is very narrow seat for tall guys.
We flew to Cancun and back from Gatwick in August. Flight was on time the seat pitch huge (even my 6ft 2' boyfriend and leg room) and the cabin crew and flight deck crew were great. We have two rounds of drinks services on the way out one on the way back (which you have to pay for) one main meal (we opted for sausage and mash) which came with a roll crackers cheese and a hot drink. The snack was a scone with jam and clotted cream! Each seat had its own TV and there was a wide choice of entertainment. There is also a camera on the font of the plane so you can watch the whole flight from the flight decks point of view. We were kept informed by the pilot throughout the flight.
My experience - and certainly of some of the reviews I've read here - is that Virgin customer service is inconsistent. I've flown LHR to SFO and back 3 times now with Virgin. This time round on VS019 outward on Sept 22 the flight itself was fine but our stewardess came across like she hated her job. Curt abrupt and a "square peg in a round hole" I thought. I don't remember being offered a selection menu before but it all became pointless when only the vegetarian option was left. When I politely declined she said loudly "its pasta!" To avoid any issue I took it and upon opening it I found that whilst it may have been pasta when placed in the oven two weeks ago the gloopy mess in front of me certainly didn't qualify for that description. The rest of the food was fine though. The return flight VS020 yesterday (Oct 9th) or 8th if you're counting departure time - was probably the best flight I've had on Virgin. The staff were all bright cheerful and made you feel that they really wanted you on board. The only stressful part was checking in at SFO where a problem with a passenger's documents held everyone up but the lady who dealt with us was so pleasant you could feel the tension easing. Another plus was arriving an hour earlier than scheduled. One thing I don't understand. Coming back we had the seats in front of the two we had going out so they were to all intents and purposes identical. So why when we arrived at SFO did I almost need a wheelchair my legs hurt but coming home I felt great? Very odd.
Flew May 13/14 2014 ONT-DAL-DTW. This was the worst flight experience I've had. The plane in ONT was delayed 5 hours due to maintenance causing nearly everyone to miss their connecting flight out of DAL. We had to wait in line (I waited 1.5 hours) at ONT to get on a new connecting flight out of DAL. The seats on the plane out of ONT were tiny old creaky and uncomfortable and staff were disinterested and unfriendly. There was no "inflight entertainment" to speak of. The worst came however when we arrived at DAL. Immediately upon disembarking we were informed that "there are no hotel rooms left in Dallas". The customer service reps feebly tried to console people with Nature Valley granola bars and cheaply-made cots but everyone was in a mostly miserable mood. I and many others ended up trying to sleep on chairs through the night. Very few people got any sleep. Terrible experience all around. The last time I fly American.
My wife and I booked business class Jetstar from Brisbane to Denpasar. Business is little better than economy with the seats in front dropping back into our laps - very little room. Worse was the return flight which Jetstar cancelled a few hours before departure. The email told us to phone an Australian customer service number (our cost) and we were told we had been moved to business on Virgin the following afternoon. When we checked in at Virgin we were told Jetstar had downgraded us to economy. After much argument with the Jetstar representative at the airport where the only options offered were to fly to Perth or Sydney they magically found two business class seats on that night's flight direct to Brisbane. We had to sit around at the airport for 10 hours. This was the first and last time I will fly Jetstar. My advice to fellow travellers is never fly Jetstar. Their client service is appalling and I got less than no value from being a business class passenger.
Possibly the worst airline to fly internationally. Such a shame compared to other European and Asian airlines. Traveled on the ORD-MUN. Flight was delayed due to leakage in cargo. Apparently they found it after every one boarded the plane. Planes are ageing. Entertainment system kept rebooting automatically. Each reboot taking 5 minutes. Service was pathetic. FA's never tried to help. Beverage rounds were few and in between. Overall has been a very bad experience whenever I have flown United. Avoid it like plague.
As I write this my wife is trying to get home from Bali. They promoted their new direct flight from Melbourne to Bali late last year which we booked only to be told two days before departure that they never had authorisation for that route. As a result she had to travel through KL and this added an extra 8 hours to her trip. They promised that the issue of the direct flight would be fixed before her return trip and guess what. Another text two days before she returns home saying that she is going through KL again. Then the morning of coming home the Flight to KL was cancelled and she was put on an earlier flight meaning she had to leave her hotel in a mad rush at 4am to get to the airport. In total it will now take her 16 hours to get from Bali to Melbourne with this joke of a so called airline. Add to that the customer service is poor the planes are dirty and they promise things they have no intention of delivering. Never again.
Kuwait to Bahrain on new A320 . No PTVs but seat and legroom better than average and with a friendly crew made such a short flight a very pleasant experience. The snack box on this sector is adequate. I would fly GF again if it's on their newer equipment considering that Bahrain airport is a fairly easy airport to transit through.
Service was good provide travel kits headsets entertainment programs excellent but during boarding I was frustrated by rude attitude of flight attendants one flight attendant gave us instructions about emergency exits we set in front and two other crew came to me and asked me if I was instructed or not about emergency exit because I had small bag in my hands. She raised her voice was very aggressive didn't ask me but said firmly that I must change my seat. Then went away to business class returned with flight attendant-supervisor who said it was ok for me to keep my bag in my hands and was very sorry about this situation. I think the crew need more training (working with passengers and working in a team).
I flew business class on Air Canada Rouge on 2nd April back from Las Vegas and this was my first time flying with Rouge. I am baffled that Air Canada has their name associated with Rouge. Not impressed at all. No TVs and the ipads that were provided worked for about 15 minutes until they had technical difficulties. The seats are not as comfortable as a regular Air Canada flight.
CAI-BCN-CAI: Check in Process was fast and effective at CAI Airport business class cabin was nice with old fashioned seats but were ok and comfortable. The entertainment was good service was great delicious Egyptian and continental food. Lots of drinks offered. On arrival At BCN Airport the Luggage took almost 45 min to start coming I noticed that this is common at BCN airport. BCN-CAI flight was a nice one excellent service and food. At least the crew were smiling and welcoming.
As a regular traveller throughout the Pacific for over 30 years I have found the Aircalin services especially good. The check in service is excellent and friendly the staff helpful for those who don't speak French. The menus are always a surprise with generous meals and drinks presented in immaculate style. Their new planes are first class in comparison with the Qantas 767 Sunday afternoon flight from Noumea to Sydney where old planes (200 series) and grumpy staff generally bring you back to earth with all of the finesse of a smack in the face.
ROMA-ORD on a new A330. Flight on time and FA's professional. Individual inflight entertainment system with USB port at every seat. Great selection of movies and TV shoes. Overall great flight.
LHR to BKK return on Boeing 777Royal Laurel Business class. I normally fly with Thai but EVA offered a very competitive price so this was the first time I have flown with Eva Air and I was not disappointed in the least. Their 1x2x1 seating arrangement in my opinion rates amongst the best. Fully flat bed and generous space make for a very comfortable flight. I had window seats on both flights and you are virtually in a 'world of your own'. The food is good and well presented and you can choose from about eight options online prior to your flight. A good selection of drinks plus champagne is served regularly. I found the cabin crew very polite attentive and professional throughout the flights and they ensured the toilets were kept to an immaculate condition at all times. The entertainment offered was good and varied to suit most tastes with a generous sized screen. There is ample charging points for phones Ipads etc and good privacy reading lighting. Check in and boarding at both airports was quick and effortless and lounges at London and Bangkok were to a good standard. Overall I was very impressed with EVA's product and have already booked to fly with them again in a few months time.
Paid for allocated seats to Phuket at the cost of $150 received confirmation of these seats on boarding they just shrugged their shoulders and said the seats are already occupied. Not good enough spoke to customer service on our return and can not refund this is most unacceptable they have taken $150 from us and we did not receive what we paid for other then this service was good.
Flew BA256 from Delhi to Heathrow - usual BA issues which have been repeated here many times. Firstly the First cabin was not clean (at all) with debris on the floor food still in the seat - it's pretty pathetic when you have to spend 5 minutes cleaning your area when you board! The food - the food can only be described as truly awful! To be honest I would be complaining if I received this standard of food in economy - the starter was a watery oily leek and potato soup and for the main two small lamb chops overdone in gravy with 6 tiny potatoes that deflated when pierced with a fork. I did not bother with desert! Afternoon tea served up (probably) the worst patisserie I have ever had the displeasure of tasting - completely inedible. The cabin crew were good and pleasant however I was not offered any bottled water for a 10 hour flight. It would seem to me that BA are a budget airline trying to do luxury and failing horribly. Surely management cannot be happy with their current standards but I am struggling to see any level of improvement (I take at least 1 first class international flight every year). Have flown BA for 15 years will now be trying other airlines. The lounge (not run by BA but used by BA) at Delhi was very good indeed.
DME-LED-DME. Good value for money. Excellent option for those making connection in Domodedovo. First leg operated by Globus (subsidiary I guess). Even though it's only 1h flight a small snack has been provided (and newspapers in Russian). Clean new planes (B738 and A319). Big delay on way back but not the airlines' fault. Would use again.
SYD-DXB-LHR-DXB-SYD. Recently did a return London flight in Premium Economy on an A380. Managed to score an exit row seat on the trip over and had the back corner on the way back - both were good. Try and always get a window seat if you can - the extra storage bin on the side is really useful. I was very satisfied with all aspects - friendly crew decent food good wine and I really like the small cabin. After walking through the huge Business Class cabin the Prem Econ cabin feels more intimate and much quieter. I am a big broad guy at 6'2 & around 100kgs and found the seat quite comfy and wide enough. It does not go flat (or close to it) but I was comfortable enough. Doing this trip annually in Business Class - usually on Middle Eastern airlines - I was quite happy to save the $3k-$4k and still have the benefit of fast boarding/check-in and a nice relaxing trip without the excess of a limo to and from the airport etc that you really pay for. If you can get a good deal on this fare like I managed to it is definitely worthwhile and it is good to see Qantas at the top of their game again.
We were traveling to San Luis Potosi from Phoenix. Check in took 1.5 hours we got 5 seats two or 3 rows separated from each other (3 kids 47 and 10). We relied on the kindness of people on the plane to get all the seats together. For delays we lost the connection flight to SLP in Mexico City and we got a flight next day (18 hours later from our original). I asked for compensation for the hotel expenses We got nothing but the worst is that at the next day We just find out that local passengers got hotel expenses and we were international. I am going to use this airline.
All 4 flights were on time and Air Canada product shames every US carrier, especially in Economy. Every seat has free IFE which was adequate for SFO-YUL and YUL-LHR sectors, but it could be more extensive for longer flights in AC's network. Food was for purchase on North American flights and complementary food on the transatlantic flights was okay. The crew on all flights were very friendly, although I found the Montreal-based crews to be slightly warmer than their Vancouver-based colleagues. I would definitely fly with Air Canada again.
The service seating and cabin staff were very good on both legs of our flights from NZ to London late June 2013. The first flight from NZ to Guangzhou was on one of the older planes which unfortunately did not have the lay flat beds (only Z type) - passable but not as comfortable as the lie flat beds on the Guangzhou to London flight Food and refreshments were good to excellent We are looking forward to our return trip to NZ in 2 days time with China Southern which I feel sure will another happy experience.
THR-MHD-THR. Excellent service on A300-600. Well-stocked lounge in Tehran and business class check-in done by Mahan Air. Onboard 60-inch seat pitch and offered drinks and hot/cold towels. Both ways there a choice of delicious meal. Also very cheap at only £110 return in business.
This was my first flight on both Emirates and the A380. Neither lived up to the hype. Emirates is trying to build a reputation as a premium carrier with budget prices but ultimately they failed in some crucial areas. The food was sub-par especially on the HKG-DXB leg where it was downright inedible. Flight attendants were reasonably efficient but neither particularly friendly nor very welcoming. The layover in Dubai was simply too long at 4 hours but the A380 requires extra time for transfer which brings me to the second major issue with Emirates. The A380 is a cattle carrier I will never fly again. Emirates loves those planes because they can fill them up and maximize profits with sheer volume of passengers. There are inherent flaws like the lavatories behind the cockpit that have staircases leading to them. This causes unnecessary risks and inconvenience to passengers. Another problem of course is that moving that many passengers requires extra time and increases the risk of delays and other mishaps. After an 18 hour journey we had to wait for an infuriating hour at the baggage carousel in MUC. This experience was repeated by friends who traveled on the same route a few days later. Even efficient HKG couldn't move the baggage in an acceptable time frame. For me that was not only the first flight on Emirates and the A380; it was also the last.
Chisinau-Budapest round-trip. Both departures on time. Served breakfast on the way out and lunch inbound. Luggage transfer handled efficiently despite relatively short connection time in Budapest. SAAB 2000 plane offers plenty of legroom and is not so noisy compared to other prop planes. Friendly FA's and my favourite option for flights from Moldova to Europe.
KUL-CMB-DOH and back. I was impressed with the service upgraded A340s KUL-CMB really good. A330 from CMB-DOH and back not as good but compensated by onboard service. A330 needs a real upgrade. Meals a touch disappointing in the CMB-DOH leg of the flight. Price is extremely cheap compared with direct flights from KLIA.
Melbourne to Doha in Business class. 777-200LR. Staff were very friendly and attentive. The food was the best I've had in Business and a great anytime style menu. Seat was comfortable to sit in and the full lie flat beds were great. My wife and I both got a solid 8 hours sleep which is testament to the quality of the seat/bed. We were also provided with amenities pack and pyjamas which we made use of. Aircraft was modern and well looked after and flight smooth. I'd say its as good as if not better than Emirates business and considerably cheaper.
Recently my wife and I flew from Calgary to Honolulu with a change of planes in Vancouver. The flight from Calgary to Vancouver took the usual one hour or so. However our flight from Vancouver to Honolulu took an hour longer than I had experienced on past flights. I find it very annoying that despite the excess charges levied on us unfortunate travellers for baggage seat selection and no decent food we are forced to sit in uncomfortable conditions for another hour while the airline reduces speed to save on fuel!
April 26th CPH-YYZ. I fly to Europe or Asia every month. Status is Super Elite. I was excited to take my first Dreamliner flight. Get to the airport at 10am for a noon flight. While in the check-in line somebody mentions the flight is delayed - by 12 hours! No call no warning no SMS ahead of time. Terrible customer service. Only one SAS guy capable of handling re-bookings. It was painfully slow. The 4 out of 5 "Staff Service" is for the lone AC employee I saw who did her best to calm people in the line down. Even my Trip-It Pro app didn't get any update feeds from AC about this flight. Shameful! I was eventually re-booked through FRA arriving at YYZ six hours late.
BKK-BAH-LHR. I bought this flight from Bangkok International airport the day before departure I needed to get home fairly quickly so settled for this airline which was a bit of a mistake. The flight was a little late leaving but its rare to depart exactly on time. The plane was old and dirty and seats not very comfortable. I am a very tall guy so I must have extra leg room which they were more than happy to arrange - but there were plenty of spare seats so if your on the ball you can grab a whole row and lay across I was not so lucky the seats were quite narrow too. The food was terrible I couldn't eat half of it as its catered for middle-eastern people. Their prices are good and it shows - if you don't care about food and cleanliness then its fine but I wouldn't fly with them again if I had the choice. The staff were friendly but you rarely see them only to give you food and you don't get any free drinks only with a meal. Bahrain airport is nice and clean with shops and restaurants if you want to eat there (McDonalds etc). Overall a budget international airline.
BKK-PNH on A319 "Hiroshima" - carpets threadbare food terrible. Only use them due to time pressure otherwise I'd fly AirAsia save money.
Frontier seems to be doing their very best to consistently frustrate and anger the people who fly with them. My first experience I was stuck in Denver for 18 hours due to cancellations and delayed flights. Then when I requested another flight staff did absolutely nothing to help me switch my flight book a different flight or even refund my original ticket. They had me on the next available flight at 9.30 am the next morning (which would have been a 29 hour layover). I ended up just booking another ticket with another airline to fly to out. I understand weather causes delays but at least work with the travelers to accommodate them on different flights/airlines or give them hotel/food vouchers to help. It was ridiculous. The next experience (and hopefully the last) I had to fly on a different date than the date on my ticket. They tried to charge $450 dollars to change the date by two days even though I had just purchased the ticket a few hours earlier that day. They refused to refund the ticket (it would be issued as "credit" for a different ticket) and wanted to charge me an additional $75 dollars to cancel the ticket. The airline employers are extremely rude. The line was long the travelers were getting frustrated while the only two workers did everything in their power to take as long as they possibly could. They denied military checked bags (even though I had travel orders) because I had 3 of them and the girl was too lazy to tag them. I demanded to speak to a supervisor and was able to get them all checked for free. Will do everything in my power to not fly with this airline again. Even if I have to pay 50 bucks more for United it still comes out even since I don't have to pay $35 to bring a carryon.
HK Express PEN-HKG Flight was late arriving due to weather in Hong Kong so was delayed 1hr. Pilot made up time and was only 15 mins late. Food for purchase on board tasty but dried out due to the fact catering is from HK. Checked baggage charge 100 Malaysian Ringgit cash only. O/W fare was only $100 USD. Exit row seats available for purchase after take off.
Milan to Kuala Lumpur and return via Muscat. Outbound was fine very impressed by the value for money. Entertainment was good but all of us had headset which either didn't work or only worked from one ear. Had to change seats. Main meals were fine snacks pretty poor. Return flight a nightmare. First leg ok. Flight from Muscat delayed 13 hours. I understand it can happen my complaint is about the way ground staff treated us. No explanations lots of excuses. After 6 hours they drove us by bus to a desk (still inside the airport) where we were supposed to receive a temporary visa. We had to deal ourselves with the staff who didn't believe that we were told to leave the airport. Finally after one hour fighting with other passengers who also wanted a hotel room we managed to have that piece of paper and went to the bus to the hotel. The aircraft is nice but I don't recommend this company because if anything goes wrong they can't deal with it.
PER-KUL-NRT on A333. Service good flights on time food OK. IFE had a good selection though it did need a reboot on the first flight. Aircraft new and very clean seat not so comfortable though noticed this especially on the 2nd red-eye flight.
LHR-JNB. From Check-in to baggage collection SAA service was flawless. Air stewards friendly food was as good as airline food can get (mediocre) but not worse than any of SAA's competitors. Aircraft was clean and staff was generally friendlier than other airline staff. I will fly with them again.
LHR-BKK return. In comparison to other airlines (including Thai Airways) EVA economy class is 2-3 star at best. Temperature control in the cabin is almost non existent constantly shifting from freezing cold to very hot. Staff unhelpful and sullen food is inedible.
PER-SYD-NAN return. Given we booked with Qantas we had not realised the SYD-NAN leg was with Air Pacific under their codeshare agreement until it was too late too change. I can only reiterate what others have said. The food is a joke the IFE barely functions and the seats are very uncomfortable. The toilets were filthy the sinks did not drain and so on. Felt very sorry for people going all the way to or from LAX.
Booked The Gambia Experience as only company flying direct to The Gambia at this time of the year. I had never heard of the airline but had no problems with previous airlines the company used. Late departure going out and return. Lack of hand luggage space as they used it to store the food for the outbound and inbound flights, blankets and pillows. No in flight entertainment. Staff used front and rear rows for their breaks. Although seats slightly wider, a lot less leg room so bad the two men seated with me had their knees cramped against the seat in front. Food was acceptable. Would not travel with them again. I would rather fly non direct to Gambia than fly with this airline.
Just because they advertise a low airfare, doesn't mean you're getting a good deal. Read their policies and guidelines before you book. They charge anywhere from $26 to $100 for a carry-on bag. Seat requests are anywhere from $1 to $199. If you don't bring a boarding pass, they'll be happy to charge you $10 to print one for you. Want refreshments? Pay up. If you're overweight or extra tall, good luck in their "cozy" plane. However, you can save money by purchasing their $9 Club membership for $59.95 and $69.95 annually, and does not guarantee special fares. Used them once, won't use them again.
Good experience with Thomson Airways travelling on the Dreamliner. The cabin crew were professional polite and helpful. I'm a nervous flier and the flight deck crew made me feel safe with regular updates about the flight and timings etc. The plane food was tasty and the tea/coffee included with the meal was both welcome and a surprise as we thought we had to pay for all beverages. The only thing that didn't make it excellent was having to pay for snacks and drinks in between meals. Aside from that it was up there near Emirates on service and product (the best I've experienced). If only they hadn't marketed the food with the label "economy club". The complimentary daily mail on the way back was a nice touch as I was desperate to find out what was going on in the world. We flew economy so were surprised. The inflight entertainment was okay. A better selection of music and movies could improve this. Pleasantly surprised all in all and would definitely use them again.
Flew YEG-LHR (again). Great experience. It's not the luxury of the middle eastern or Asian airlines but the meals and wines are included unlike Icelandair and the cabin experience is far better than United. My first choice. The LHR terminal they use is now excellent.
I would not fly Air France again nor would I recommend the airline to anyone. I flew from Singapore to Paris and returned from Frankfurt through Paris back to Singapore. The meals served were not of high standards the length of the flight requires at least snacks to be offered as well as a meal.
As an addition to my review on 15 March BMI have now rescheduled my departing flight Man-FRA as well How on earth can anyone make plans if they do not stick to their schedules. I will avoid them from now on which means avoiding Heathrow.
I flew to Singapore from Sydney with Air Asia last week. I regret flying with AA. Pre-ordered meals were of very poor quality. There was a only very limited selection of food available for purchase - only peanuts chocolates and fizzy drinks. The flight was freezing cold and I had to pay money to rent a basic blanket. No credit cards are accepted on board. If you pay in dollars balance is paid in MYR- another rip off! There were 2 small children about 10 and 12 years travelling with their parents who changed their seats and moved near to a window just before we landed in KL to get a aerial view of KL. Many hot seats were unoccupied and were vacant throughout the flight and there was at most 20 min flight time left. The children were asked to return to their original seats by the flight attendant as they were not entitled to sit in "hot" seats. I thought the way they said was quite rude. The flight attendants speak little English. They are careless. I think what they sell as business class is probably as comfortable as Qantas Economy.
Returned from Cancun to Saskatoon on Flight TS 765 on January 3 2014. Flight was supposed to leave at 1620 and arrive at 2140. Flight was listed as being 50 minutes late when we checked in. Boarded about 1700. Was informed that there was a problem with one of the washrooms and that they were waiting for a truck to come. Then told tank was frozen and could not be unfrozen and the plane had only two working washrooms. Was told that flights under 4 hours could fly with 2 working washrooms but flights longer than 4 hours required 3 working washrooms. Had 2 working washrooms in the back and one in the front so there was 3 washrooms. Guess the one for the first class passengers is not to be used by economy passengers even in the event of unusual conditions so it doesn't count. The flight to Saskatoon was to take 5 hours. Transat then told us we were going to fly to Toronto (less than 4 hours) change crews then fly to Saskatoon. Left Cancun at 2030. Arrived in Toronto at 2400 and changed flight crews. Arrived Saskatoon at 0430. After arriving in Saskatoon was told that no gate was available. Had to wait another 90 minutes for a gate. Deplaned just after 0600. Now been on plane for over 12 hours. Waited 45 minutes for luggage then told equipment to unload luggage was broken. Plane would be taken to Regina luggage unloaded then delivered back to Saskatoon. Forms had to be filled out to get luggage delivered to our home. No Transat reps around. Total gong show! Passengers now becoming very vocal. Canada Immigration officials were the most helpful. Finally left airport at 0800. Luggage is to be delivered before 2400 this evening.
My wife and I went from YVR to GLA on 6 May 2014. We purchased options plus and I must say it was fantastic I would purchase it again. However on the return flight it was non existent everything great until we boarded the aircraft the service all stopped when I asked for a scotch - I was told it was $6.50. I said I had options plus and I was told not to cause a disturbance. I repeated myself again and was told the same. We were treated the same as the other passengers.
DOH-IST Airbus 330. Food and beverages very good staff attentive. The movie choices were disappointing - being very old for the current months entertainment suite.
Alaska Airlines is slightly better than other major U.S. carriers. Like the legacy carriers they have also done away with blankets entertainment and free coach food. Fortunately flight attendants were actually kind and I did find the seats to be noticeably more comfortable. Having a friendly smiling crew and a nice seat made quite a difference.
Booked Perth to Geraldton paid for overpriced ticket. Plane was delayed. Finally boarded only to be told we needed to unboard. After another one hour wait in the terminal they found another plane. Reboarded for flight to depart almost 2 hours late. Having just had facial surgery I had made a point of pre selecting a window seat so that my face was not next to another passenger in case it was knocked or bumped. However Virgin had now completed a seat swap from row 2 window (without asking) and I now found myself in the aisle in the very back row. The staff could not have cared less leg room cramped can not comment on food as I didn't eat but assume it offered no saving graces. Virgin I gave you a try but I will be returning to Qantas for all further flights.
It has taken me some time to recover from the awful experience of flying with Vietnam Airlines. We booked a multi-destination holiday which involved flying with this airline 5 times, both domestic and International. There were 8 people travelling together (including 2 toddlers). The customer service is shockingly bad, both at check in and on board. The staff on board treated us terribly. Dished out food and drink to us as if we were in a prison, one even nudged me on the shoulder with the tea tray he was carrying. When I asked (several times) for a sandwich for my 3 year old, I got a tuna and cheese sandwich, loosely wrapped in cling film, which looked like it had been home made from a kids lunch box and had enjoyed many hours of sitting in warm air. Suffice to say, I did not deem it safe to feed to my daughter. Picture attached! I cannot express how awful these flights, bar one (we did one business class flight), were. The entertainment system was very out of date with bad pictures and a very small selection of movies and games. I understand that flying economy means that we may not enjoy many of the frills offered by more premium seats, as I often use budget airlines, but this is on a another level! Even service offered on airlines such as Ryanair and Easyjet far exceeds that received from Vietnam's national airline. What a bad representation of Vietnam. I will never fly with this airline again, even if it means paying more to use an alternative carrier. I even wrote to the airline to report my experience and am still waiting for a response after two months. Perhaps they employ the same stewards to deal with complaints. Pay that bit extra and avoid the nightmare of Vietnam Airlines.
I booked 2 seats in economy with KLM - Cape Town to Luxembourg return. I choose certain seats and paid a premium of about R5000 and my tickets reflected the seats in which I wanted to sit. On checking in at Cape Town my wife and I were placed in different seats well apart from each other. I complained and it was rectified. On return the same thing happened and I was told to check at Amsterdam to have the situation corrected. Again we were in different seats and not what we had paid for and apart from each other. The lady at the KLM counter said she was sorry but could not do anything. I had to upgrade at a cost of R25000 so that my wife and I could sit together. They shift you about no matter what you pay for and then say sorry. Thereby spoiling my holiday!
Sarajevo-Frankfurt via Ljubljana. I loved flying with them. Very small airline but a functional one. Crew friendly on board nothing special regarding entertainment or service. But flight duration's were short too so nothing to complain about. What I loved the most was a fast transit process in Ljubljana since its small airport and immigration was very fast. Would choose them again on my future trips.
BOG-MEX MEX-CUN CUN-MEX MEX-GDL GDL-MEX MEX-BOG. I booked a multi-city including 2 international flights and several domestic flights I can say that the only good thing about Aeromexico is their business lounge. Onboard the aircraft its a complete nightmare service is the worst I have had seats are dated and not comfortable inflight entertainment is poor and food is awful. I would strongly advise against flying with them.
Travelled to Entebbe via Cairo return. 3 of my 4 trips delayed by at least 90 mins to 2 hrs. The excuse on the first occasion was that we were waiting for a First Class passenger. One of my bags delayed for 2 days when I arrived in Entebbe. I also booked a vegetarian meal no problem here but all 4 hot meals were the same rice and grilled vegetables. The service on the flights staff and transfer through Cairo were fine. But generally the planes particularly on the Entebbe legs were cramped and poor quality compared to others on that route.
Singapore-Perth. Except for the price the flight was not pleasant. The purser was rude with a passenger and her junior crew. The other crew seemed frustrated working with her. The seat was good for a low cost airline and the legroom was just ok. You can also sit on the emergency exits for 30SGD.
Birmingham AL to Orlando FL on Oct. 2 2013. Flight number 243. Southwest has fallen into the cattle service crowd. Not only nothing special here their cute casual personality now falls short and is boring. Non service oriented on the plane and even worse in re-shuffling flight schedules for maximum load making paying customers wait in airports because their original flight get canceled. A value no longer all the best I'm flying with someone who cares about my loyalty.
This was the worst flying experience I have had. I felt like I was sitting on top of the person next to me - and I am a relatively small person! I had no leg room whatsoever and my seat did not recline. How do you expect to sleep on a 5 hour red eye without even a slightly reclining seat! I even have a reclining seat when I take a $25 bus from NYC to Washington DC! They call yourself the "most affordable airline" yet you charge for everything. $30 for a checked bag!? $18 for a seat. I will never fly them again.
London to Istanbul and return - Economy Class. The seats were leather and comfortable staff polite beautiful service. Food was delicious and the Drinks served was nice. I always liked BA's wine selection and they proved it again. There were no individual TV's but they did play a movie on both the flights so that killed time. Boeing 767 flight have enough leg space. A happy on time flight with good service. Always satisfied with BA.
I will definitely not fly with Air Canada again. Had a previous bad experience with them and thought maybe give them another chance. Wife and I flew out of Paris from CDG. Boarded aircraft along with other 398 passengers and waited for over an hour for the plane to depart. No apologies nor explanations other than a brief P.A. about waiting for one late baggage. Plane arrived at Montreal one hour late and all passengers were not allowed to disembark due to some medical problem with one single person with another further delay of 20 minutes or so. We rushed to baggage claim to retrieve the check-ins then to an Air Canada connections kiosk. The clerk was extremely slow and seemed unsure how to process the transfer and became irritated when told that we were in a hurry to catch the 4 pm connector in 45 mins. She eventually told us that she would be placing us on a 8 pm connector instead. She became even more irate when asked for an explanation and merely told us to move on and just place the luggage on the conveyor. Another agent then came over and demanded us not to place the luggage on the conveyor as the flight was not until 8 pm and we were required to lug them around until further notice. While waiting for the connector - we spoke with a supervisor at an Air Can ticket counter and she explained that all passengers must be checked in 1 hour to departure hence we were placed on an 8 pm connector. At no time did any Air Canada staff members offer any apologies or help to alleviate the problem.
Return trip from Newark to Toronto. This was our fourth flight in as many weeks on Porter and we are both VIP Porter members. Booked on the 6.15 but our business in NYC finished earlier than expected we arrived at Newark to get on the earlier 4pm flight. We were then told we had to wait over 3 hours as we had booked firm fare. We sat for 3 hours and watched the half empty 4pm leave before boarding our nearly full 6.15.
FRA-CPH-FRA. Both legs on old-fashioned MD 80 cabin a bit worn but nevertheless clean and comfortable for the relatively short flight. Service very friendly and charming. Drinks included food for sale. Very good value for the money.
London Heathrow to Baghdad with a 4 hour layover in Cairo. I was surprised by the quality I was expecting terrible service and an out of date plane however I had an good check-in experience and the flight itself on one of Egyptair's newer Boeing 777-300 planes was excellent. While IFE did not have the range of programs that some airlines offer it offered far more of a range than some. The food was good enough service was easily available and the cabin crew polite and helpful. The only drawback was no alcohol available. The flight to Baghdad left early and was more than half empty so there was plenty of room to stretch out.
After paying to go premium Economy we did not get any extra service. We had to use the economy toilets quite away back in the plane. We have always flown with Qantas before and the cabin crew pay a lot of attention to you even though you are Premium Economy. They came round with water and snacks. We only saw the cabin crew when we first got on the 4 planes (Heathrow to Hong Kong-Hong Kong to Brisbane and returning again) and other than for meals.
Travelled in Business Class Guangzhou to Sydney the seats are comfortable good range of movies to select food and drinks very good and good service.
I fly LHR-DEL-DAC every month. In the Air Jet are very good: seats service food on-time flights and staff are all a very good standard. On the ground Jet are a disaster - don't ever bother trying to make contact or get any sense out of staff and as for the air-miles dept the Jet Privilege office has non-existent service.
Persuaded to travel Pegasus Airlines to Ercan North Cyprus. There was to be a 40 minute stopover at Istanbul which turned out to be 2 1/4 hours. We paid extra for our seats as my wife is disabled and requires an aisle seat and pre-board pre-board apparently means half way through normal boarding! When we eventually got on board we found a Turkish man sitting in my wife's seat and he would not move when my wife said to the flight attendant that he could stay there if he paid her the £30 she had paid for the seat he practically ran to another seat. All the luggage on the plane was offloaded at Istanbul it was then supposedly sorted into two groups one group for those leaving the plane and one for those passengers flying on to Ercan and then the additional luggage of the passengers joining the plane at Istanbul for Ercan. All very well in theory but I am reliably informed that luggage very often goes astray. Coming home was even worse no representative at Ercan 1 1/2 Hours queuing at check in no seats for waiting no disabled assistance. Never again will we fly Pegasus or go through Ercan. Larnaca with a 45 min transfer is for us flying with Atlas Monarch Thomas Cook or any airline other than Pegasus.
I travelled to Darwin last Wednesday night and returned to Brisbane on the red eye flight this morning. The crew on both flights were excellent they were so helpful and went out of their way to help me. I am a mature age lady who required assistance in both directions and have flown with many airlines I can say this airline is number one and will be the only airline I fly with in the future.
MI 654 on SIN to HAN on March 11th. Pros: flight was on time food was okay. Service was good. Some choice of magazines. Cons: no personal in-flight entertainment only on overhead monitor w/o tune. I use my own airline headphones but tune was off so we could not hear anything. SilkAir as daughter company to Singapore Airlines but cant earn mileage for Star Alliance.
SGN-ICN-IAD: immaculate 777s on both legs. Lots of leg room and recline good AVOD. Ground staff in SGN was excellent with an easy transfer through ICN. Lots of leg room and recline. FAs were professional & helpful. They were also stylishly turned out which matters. I do miss the Korean entrees that this excellent airline used to offer.
I flew with Monarch on the 25th for the first time. Flight was supposed to be in the early morning hours from Larnaca to Gatwick. After waiting in a very long queue for a long time we were informed that the flight was cancelled. The next flight was in the evening and so I lost a whole day from my holidays. What a disappointment. It was quite uncomfortable in the plane we were not even offered a soft drink. Not exactly the perfect hospitality! Airhostesses seemed cold in their behaviour don't remember them smiling at all. My ticket was not cheap.
Myself and my wife have travelled extensively throughout Asia and Europe. We are halfway through a 2 week Business class trip to numerous destinations in Vietnam. We were booked to travel to Danang from Hanoi yesterday. Due to a typhoon flights were delayed. NO-one at Vietnam airlines would advise us if they would be rescheduling flights. No communication to passengers no notices. Nothing to let us know what was happening. We waited for 6 hours at the airport. We after repeated requests were rescheduled to first available flight the next day 30 hours after our flight was postponed. We left the airport to get a hotel room for the night at 8.40pm. Friends of ours who could not afford to stay in a hotel decided to stay at the airport. They were put on an "unscheduled flight" 20 mins after we left the airport. We are extremely upset with Vietnam Airlines They told us that no flights would be leaving until after 2am and that we had to rebook with first available seats (business or coach) which were 9pm the following night. How can it be that we are told there is no seats and no flights yet our friends (coach travellers) are at the destination and we are still sitting here waiting for "the only flight available"? Vietnam airlines seriously lack communication skills integrity and respect to the passengers. I would advise anyone wishing to travel with Vietnam Airlines to seriously think about another airline. The most disappointing experience we have had with any airline.
I flew with Brussels from GVA via BRU to DKR and thereon from PNR via BRU to GVA. I have to admit that this was a very pleasant experience. The inflight personnel were very polite and helpful ready to attend to any request. The only question that they were unable to answer on my flight from PNR to GVA via BRU was which city would organize the Olympics of 2020 since I was flying back on that exact date. Having flown with SQ/LH/AF/TK/LX I would rate them equal to SQ business class.
We have used TAP many times over the years to fly from London to Brazil via Lisbon. In June we made such a trip. On arriving at Lisbon from London Gatwick we were informed by TAP that the Lisbon - Recife flight was cancelled. No proper explanation Was given. We were stuck in Lisbon for (at least the night). Our flight from Lisbon to Recife eventually left the following morning (over 12 hours late). We effectively lost a day of our trip to Brazil. Return journey - having queued at Recife airport for more than 2 hours I was informed that my return flight to Lisbon was to be delayed by around 7 hours (it should have taken off at 11pm on the Friday evening - instead it was not going to take off before 6am the following morning). This meant that I would miss my connection from Lisbon which was on a Saturday at lunchtime. TAP's representatives told me they could not guarantee an alternative flight to London until the following Tuesday! TAP's eventual "solution" to the problem was to put me on a flight to RIO the following morning. I would then have to wait in Rio for 10 hours before taking a flight to London (Heathrow instead of Gatwick where I was supposed to arrive). I eventually arrived in London (at the wrong airport) a full day late. In my opinion appalling customer service. I do not recommend that you fly with TAP.
BUE to MVD so very short flight. Excellent service very friendly staff. Even got a snack in a handy plastic bag to reuse at security next time - nice idea. On return from Montevideo arrived to check in and was offered a seat on a flight leaving one hour earlier. So great experience. Only negative was very complicated booking process. Booked online but then had to call the office here in France to make payment. Not possible either online or through Buenos Aires call centre. Very strange.
LGW-TFS-LGW seat pitch and comfort were good. The snack was perfectly adequate but the bar service was diabolical. My husband asked for a beer which was bordering on warm. I asked for a Bacardi and diet coke was advised had run out of Bacardi (bearing in mind we were one of the first to be served). I settled for a white wine which was tepid had to add ice to it. Further into the flight my husband asked for a second beer he was told that they had to save the beers for the return flight. Our crew were all slightly older they were obviously very experienced to the point of doing everything automatically but not actually listening to the passengers. On our return flight we received almost the same service only allowed one can of beer and no Bacardi. Very disappointing we wanted to relax and celebrate our anniversary with an inflight drink. The return crew were slightly more attentive but the good old BA customer service was missing.
FCO-AOI-FCO and FCO-PSA-FCO. The flights to and from Ancona operated with an A319 instead of ATR-72 as scheduled which was too big for such a short route and in fact it was quite empty. On the flights to Pisa Alitalia uses Etihad Regional's ATR-72 that's a very nice and comfortable little aircraft appropriate for this route. Cabin crew professional the food service is pretty much the same used on European flights.
We booked Norwegian back in February to fly from LAX to Nice via Copenhagen on May 15 returning June 7. One reason we chose the carrier was for the Dreamliner service on the 10 hour flight to Europe and we decided after adding on all the extra charges to take the plunge and go for the Premium seats. I can't really say how bad 'Norwegian Air' was as we never flew them except for the leg from Copenhagen to Nice. Instead of the Dreamliner we ended up on a Portuguese charter 777 run by Euro Atlantic Airways. We got nothing the antiquated system on this plane didn't work. When was the last time you had an ashtray in your armrest? The food was inedible - even for airline food. The crew were on the verge of hostile and the seats were worn and uncomfortable. You couldn't even get a pillow! On our return flight we had the same experience (except the crew were a bit friendlier). I would never recommend this carrier.
HKG-BKK-HKG and HKG-KOJ-HKG. It give me a very good impressions. Cabin very clean and new the flight attendants are polite. The food is delicious
SYD-PVG-LAX. SYD-PVG leg on an A330 - seemed quite new. Flight Attendants aren't overly friendly and quite concise and to the point. Food was okay not overly pleasing. PVG-LAX on an A340. Seemed similar in generation of the A330. Flight Attendants were more friendly on this flight. Some meals were poor quality. Return flight LAX-PVG was extremely similar however meal quality was significantly improved. Return flight PVG-SYD was extremely full due to a ticketing malfunction. Food was quite poor.
SIN-MES-SIN. Excellent service both ways. Staff courteous and efficient - surprised to be addressed by name by cabin crew. Never got this treatment from the crew on my SQ SIN-CGK-SIN flight the following day.
I flew from Newport News Virginia to L.A. with a connecting flight in Charlotte. The plane left Newport News about half an hour late and so it looked like I would miss my connecting flight. But I ran all the way from gate E to B9. I arrived at the gate to see that the plane was still taxied and attached to that little bridge walkway to board the plane. It looked like I made it but when I tried to give my boarding pass to the lady she very coldly told me I was too late. I tried to plead my case in a calm and rational way but was told that the next flight was in an hour. It was actually in 2 hours and when I called her out on it she just smirked.
LHR-JFK via Dublin. Lounge access at Heathrow and very nice lounge in Dublin - impressive airport. Flight from LHR-DUB was very full and uncomfortable. Flight from DUB was in new and very clean A330 - only 10 passengers in business class. Excellent service and very impressed with the food quality. Seat was comfortable and spacious. All in all a good experience - would not like an overnight flight as the seat was not at all comfortable for sleeping - angled type and impossible to get comfortable in that position - also a bigger pillow than the regular economy version would have been appreciated.
My new husband and I decided to take the 5hr flight to Scotland (Honeymoon vacation) because it was the cheapest by far. We had done several 5hr flights before and thought we would be fine. I have never seen a people that so openly made it apparent they hate Americans. It started after the flight took off and I asked the attendant for a drink of water. She sneered at me nodded and I never got the drink. When the food car came by she went past us. At first I thought it was just us but then I noticed they ignored three other American couples. Halfway through the flight two small children started playing in the isle. I thought they would stop it but no. And when i asked them to make it stop because the children were kicking peoples seats the attendant just gave me this bored look and said something to the children in Icelandic. Sure the seats were really small and cramped and the food and entertainment were ok but that is to be expected.
On a recent flight DEN-LAS we were charged $75.00 each as we flew on a flight standby earlier than our scheduled fight. Three other people we knew travelling the same flight also earlier (Standby) were not charged the $75 fee. We currently (my wife and I) have over 60000 miles with Continental although we are not Elite status. None of the three other people we knew on the flight were "Elite" status either although they were not charged? I've written a formal complaint to Continental Airlines and have not heard back from them it's been two weeks now since the written complaint.
My wife and I flew 3 legs on TACA Santiago to LAX. Each crew was great the flights were comfortable and on time planes clean and the business class food was decent. At the beginning of our trip we flew a highly rated domestic airline but found TACA to be superior.
Sydney-Taipei-Heathrow. This airline was cheapest by a long shot and suggested by the travel agent. Seating was adequate. Inflight entertainment pretty good as was food. The staff at check in and on board were lovely and extremely polite and helpful. Would definitely fly with again the only downside is the route - 14.5 hours from Taipei to Heathrow and the amount of time spent waiting at Taipei airport for connecting flights as Taipei airport is probably not the best place to waste 6 hours. Take a good book and a packed lunch.
Flew IAD-KEF-LHR in Saga class. IAD check in was ok long time to wait until somebody turned up. A sign to say what time check in would open would be great. Flights and crews fantastic friendly chatty and attentive. Food excellent and I will never hesitate to fly Icelandair again. Saga lounge in KEF is excellent and the Virgin lounge in IAD is very comfy with great staff.
LHR-LIS-CMN-LIS-LHR. Each leg was late by up to 90 min with no explanation. Except London all planes were parked on the apron rather than at the gate which led to additional delays. Food was ok. Would only use again if I had no regard to my time.
Wife and I flew roundtrip from Seattle to Frankfurt. Ticket price was attractive. Flight attendants were fine from Seattle to Reykjavik. From there on and on return trip they were distant impatient and too busy to care about requests for water pillows or blankets. Asked one male attendant for water he told me to wait until service starts in 15 mins then grudgingly gave me a cup of water because I insisted. On return flight two flight attendants told me to "wait a minute" before hearing my requests but never returned to hear them. Seats were tight bottom cushion thin and hard - had to use pillows for cushion. Flights were delayed as a rule. Reykjavik airport arrival customs setup etc are a nightmare especially when our flight arrived late and we just made connecting flight on last call. This was our first and last trip using Icelandair.
I flew PER-SIN on a 777 and SIN-SUB on A330 last month. Good points: punctual comfortable seats great food great IFE (when you get the chance to use it). Bad points: On these aircraft types at least Singapore Airlines aircraft don't have individual air vents and it can become incredibly stuffy especially on the 777 where the cabin temperature was too hot - not the first time I have had this problem. Also the Surabaya flight was about 2hrs 15min which should have been enough to take in a 90 minute movie; but they didn't turn on Krisworld until about 30 minutes after pushback then 70 min later they collected the headsets and said they would be turning it off. In fact Krisworld kept running for another 30 minutes and was only turned off 15 minutes before landing. Had I known this I could have continued to watch the movie with subtitles - I think this was very poorly managed. Why can't they have IFE throughout the flight? - Qantas manages it.
AI143 from CDG to DEL. Departure on time. 787 service with IFE in economy although with limited choice. Choice of 3 entrees (Fish Chicken Vegetarian). Nice and very efficient cabin crew. Overall a good night flight.
TIP-ATH. A very comfortable flight on leather seats on new CRJ-900. Breakfast well served with a generous portion. Service went smoothly and efficiently crew were English speaking. Plane interior clean. Flight left on time and seemingly no worries about cent for cent baggage weight checking. All in all a very pleasant experience.
Our flight was reserved as part of a AAA vacation package to Cancun Mexico. Had we known about the lack of free non-alcoholic beverages not being able to recline the seats and being wedged into a seat like a sardine I would have not flown with Spirit Airlines! Luckily our hotel had a working computer and printer for the boarding passes. Otherwise we would have had to pay at the airport for not having boarding tickets. And why did we pay to be in an early boarding group for the entire round-trip if our boarding group and the next boarding group were called to board at the same time? This happened at both legs to our destination and both legs from our destination! Luggage cost: Spirit charges $40 for a 40 lbs suitcase at the time of on-line check-in $50 for additional suitcases. We had three suitcases. Yes it's a bit cheaper if paying for suitcases at the time of reservation which we could not do because we booked through AAA. The cost per suitcase is even more for heavier suitcases and if paid for at the airport. Last I checked most other airlines accept up to 50 lbs per suitcase for about $25. By the way some airlines allow up to 70 lbs per suitcase for international flights. We and several other passengers almost missed the connecting flight from Fort Lauderdale to Baltimore. We flew in from Cancun picked up our luggage to take through customs and then followed the signs to the location for re-checking the luggage. No one was at the re-check location all of us had to go upstairs and re-check our baggage at the regular ticket counter. Having said all this the prices aren't that much cheaper and after all the nickel and diming the cost is nearly the same as other airlines. We rather pay a bit more up-front and have more leg room free water/soda recline our seats not worry about being able to print boarding passes at our hotel and have an agent on-site for luggage re-checking after going through international customs.
Flew Chennai Jaipur and return. Efficient service good value and organization from a cut price carrier. New clean aircraft friendly staff. Only problem was that out first booking had not actually been confirmed despite us having a booking number. I received nothing from Indigo to tell me this and I missed the small print on my booking. With an 30 minutes to spare a very helpful groundstaff person went to a lot of trouble to get us new bookings and got us the last seats on our flight. Brickbats for not providing better info re the not confirmed booking (we still don't know why) but kudos to the staff member who helped us in Chennai airport.
FRA-TRN in economy. Air Dolomiti is one of the best regional airlines around. excellent legroom and service.
Recently travelled to Bangkok from Kuala Lumpur. KUL-BKK was codeshare with Thai Airways so I had a chance to compare with Malaysia Airlines. BKK-KUL was operated on a B737-800. The seat pitch of this particular B737-800 was only 30' which was extremely tight! Like many reviews here it was way too tight even for a 2 hours flight. I am 178cm and I found some difficulties to sit comfortably on that seat for even 1 hour! Cant imagine how could they use this configuration as in LCC. They really need to do something on this! Cabin crews were slightly inorganic but efficient and generally responded well to requests though at times without a smile! The meal service was somehow pathetic: a small noodles with a small kitkat bar and a bite-size banana cake and all were quite tasteless. IFE option was substantially less compared to their Medium-Long haul flights: only a few movies and TV series. In comparison Thai Airways was far more comfortable as the seat pitch was at 34' and it offered a full meal service with a smile too! What a shame that I feel MH could do so much more!
Toronto to Shanghai return via Beijing. Travel dates supposed to be 17/06/2013 - 29/06/13. Departing plane was late and cost me my Shanghai Connection and one night. Return flight from Shanghai to Beijing was delayed 8 hours and cost me connection to Toronto on the 29. Incredibly they could not put me up on another connecting flight until July 3! To get this I had to stand in a 2.5 hr queue. I found the food on Hainan better than average legroom below average (I am 6'1"). My flight over had good movie selection but annoyingly bad sound. The plane was too hot.
MEL-KUL-MEL I have flown Air Asia many times within Asia and decided to give Air Asia X a go. My wife and I picked up tickets for A$400 return each very reasonable. A bit disappointed when we left 2 hrs late as someone was aboard in Melbourne with out a ticket and the FA had to count all PAX several times. Captain made up time and we landed 45 mins late. The seats are great if you are of a small build but I found the seats cramped. Nil inflight entertainment Inflight meals were standard airline food. I would fly AirAsiaX again if the price was right.
LUN-LLW in Economy. Adequate for a 1 hr trip. FA were friendly; there was a quick distribution of nuts and drinks; and PTVs. I've always found that you when you ask for a canned drink you get given two of them - a small touch that I've always liked.
Even though Aerolineas Argentinas has received too many complaints from customers recently my flight from Sao Paulo Brazil to Buenos Aires Argentina on March 1 2014 in Premium Economy Class was great and I have no complaints. The flight was on schedule the flight crew were polite and helpful. Aerolineas Argentinas' premium economy class is the same as most US companies' domestic first class. The seats are J seats very comfortable and the food in this class was also a great sandwich yoghurt and a chocolate muffin. Compared to service in the same route provided by Brazilian companies I have flown and comparing also the price Aerolineas Argentinas Premium Economy class is far better in service and mainly in seat comfort!
Sydney to Chicago (one stop in Seoul) with my wife on Asiana Airlines in business class. We found the check in staff lounge staff and cabin crew to be in a completely different league to other airlines. The professional and respectful service is so consistent across the board. Seats were excellent (more so on the Quadra Smartium to Chicago) fine dining was impeccable inflight entertainment abundant and service was the best we've experienced. An excellent premium class service and flights exceeded our five star expectations.
Just back from a skiing holiday in Bulgaria flew with Bulgaria Air. Very bad experience. Cabin crew were the grumpiest I have ever experienced - did not smile once during the whole flight. The plane was extremely old and had no logo on it at all. No room in seats completely squashed. On the return flight to Belfast I found a three foot long piece of plastic lying on the ground under my feet! Take off and landing extremely poor - never again.. Felt unsafe during the whole flight cabin crew have no english.
Flew business class with my wife from BHX to IST. Comfortable enough on both legs but late departures on each flight. Cabin crew were good to excellent though service rather grudging and not as attentive as my experiences with Emirates. Aircraft cabin littered on both legs. Food identical on both legs for vegetarians - disappointing. Biggest problems on return leg was hopelessly disorganised ground staff: chaotic hectic and not at all relaxed or smooth as one would expect in business class.
We travelled to Birmingham to Malaga return on an A321. The check in was easy and flight left on time for both trips plane was clean and seats and legroom no less comfortable than on any other short flight I have taken. The flight attendants were pleasant and helpful and although we had not ordered food it looked appetising when others were eating it.
Flew return Heathrow to Bangkok both flights took off within 5 mins of appointed time and arrived just a little early flew premium economy seats were very comfortable with plenty of leg room service was excellent both ways especially on the day time flight plenty of drinks offered during all of the flight food was good certainly not the worse I have ever had on a flight. Inflight entertainment was excellent good selection of films watched 4 films on return leg. Airline was recommended by our travel agent glad he did as it was smooth and hassle free would certainly recommend.
CCS-PMV-GND (B732 and ATR42) Good service at the airport and on-board with Conviasa. Check-in staff could use some cheering up pleasantly surprised when offered a snack box on the PMV-GND flight flight attendants well dressed and good looking but was a little disappointed with the condition of the aircraft interior on the PMV-GND flight. I would be glad to fly on Conviasa again on the future.
LGW to CMB via MLE and return Sept/Oct 2014. As a British Citizen you desperately want to like BA but they do make it very difficult to do so. The recent documentary "A Very British Airline" whetted our appetite that perhaps a commitment to service may have returned to BA particularly in the long-haul premium cabins. Sadly on all the legs the cabin service was totally indifferent without any effort to do more than the bare minimum. Attendants chewing gum no smiles everything was all too much effort. The only time the crew showed any animation was when talking to each other. Adequate is about the best description but it could have been so much better without any cost except a bit of effort.
BNE-HIR-BNE. BNE connection is operated by Strategic Airlines. Service BNE-HIR-BNE excellent like a party on board with plenty of food and endless drinks. Luggage allowance flexible. Punctuality quite good. Domestic no service on board - had only one cancellation (due to puncture on remote Island of Gizo). However hotel and care quickly provided until next morning. Small aircraft on domestic routes noisy.
Bangkok - Siem Reap Bangkok - Phuket return on both legs. Service between BKK and Siem Reap is fantastic crew able to perform a full service on such a short flight. Everything runs smoothly and delivers a professional experience. The lounge is Bangkok is a definite plus for this airline. Aircraft seems to be in decent conditions. You can find cheaper flights I think but have not tested the quality of service of the competitors.
I flew Singapore to Sydney with them recently and it was the most horrible flying experience. At the boarding gate the staff were just so disorganised in getting the passengers on board that we had to wait for almost an hour before we got on. The plane was an old and tired 747-400 which had the dirtiest cabin I have seen. There was a stale smell lingering in the premium economy cabin. The seats were old worn out and lumpy despite being in premium economy. The inflight entertainment was a joke. The video quality was mediocre and the noise cancelling headphones were not working for most of the flight. The food was some strange fried rice which was bland. The crew were unfriendly they didn't serve drinks once throughout the flight. The worst part were the toilets smelly with a toilet bowl and sink choked with toilet paper. Overall I will never fly British Airways again unless I don't have any choice.
I flew from Frankfurt to Tashkent and from Tashkent to Urumqi. These are out of the way airports but the service from Tashkent to Urumqi was fine. The counter at Frankfurt was very ill equipped to handle all the passengers and needs to be improved but overall the flights were fine. The inflight staff was very good.
We flew from Washington DC to Doha then on to Perth. We had a wonderful flight. Staff were extremely professional and made the time in the air fly by would recommend Qatar Airways to anybody.
Went to DUB via ORD. Great experience! Helpful Customer Service. We arrived 1.5 hours early to DUB and on- time back to ORD. First Rate Movies and decent food.
HEL-CKG in business class. The VOD system had too be reset half-a-dozen times before it worked (3 hours). Unfortunately the same system controls the power to the seat so for 1/3 of the flight (3 hours) I could not alter my seat position. When it eventually started working I discovered the seat was one of the old angled designs which was dreadfully uncomfortable to sleep on. The movie selection on the VOD system when it eventually worked was pretty poor - most of the movies were years old "classics" and I'd seen them all before. There was no power at the seat for my laptop for the entire flight. The food was mediocre - they seem to fous on quantity over quality there was little choice (a choice of three rice dishes) the food arrived still in its foil. The worst thing about this trip was the worst seat I have ever tried to sleep on (even worse than the concrete Lufthansa J-class seats) combined with poorly timed flights (departs afternoon lands 11pm UK time / 7am China time). When combined it seemed to conspire at maximising jet lag and tiredness.
The outbound flight to Bangkok was fitted with the new entertainment system and seats. A wide range of fairly recent movies to chose from. The seats were comfortable and had a lot of legroom. The food was a bit of a dissapointment. The chicken salad I chose was bland. The return flight was for some reason on one of the older A330s and did not have the new entertainment system. However it was a night time flight and I slept most of the time so it did not make much of a difference. 
Travelled from DPS to BKK via KUL. Flew on 777 and 737. Good clean planes but what stood out was the service from the flight attendants. They were very friendly and the service was excellent. All in all it was a great experience.
SFO to MNL Roundtrip. Flying to Manila the sinks in the lavatory was clogged and dirty water was overflowing. The security tape around the toilet had peeled off. The service was substandard. When processing through Manila Airport to return back to SFO three security check points failed to detect two bottles of water bottle of gel lighters and a small pocket knife I used while fishing. The flight back was substandard - 14 hours of no entertainment because both our screens wouldn't work. The flight attendants didn't care and their subsequent customer service support was very poor.
Flew out to Las Vegas on flt 245 leaving Chicago 05/30 and returned on flt 356 out of Las Vegas on 06/03. Well I signed on here to complain about my flight to Vegas but it looks like I'm preaching to the choir. It's nice to know we get just what we pay for in this case one notch up from nothing. Rude flight attendant's little or no service.
The flight times from Birmingham to Barcelona worked out along with the cost of the flights and having recently seen Ryanair's marketing campaign to make themselves more customer friendly we felt it was time to try them again. I made the mistake of not checking in online which I realised was against company policy and by the time I had tried to do this the two hour curfew was on and I couldn't do it. This meant checking in at the airport for the sum of £70 per head (£140 in total) for myself and my wife. I completely understand the argument of a web based airline and would expect to have to pay extra for the privilege but those sort of charges are punitive and unfortunately destroy the more customer focused marketing approach Ryanair are trying - a shame!
I fly AAX open jaw on the KUL-PER and MEL-KUL routes. Business class is a couple hundred dollars more than full service airlines but I get the chance to buy up to 40 kg of sporting goods extra baggage for a paltry amount (as compared to full-service airlines. I don't need the excessive amounts of food and drink served on regular Business class full-service flights. Mind you I miss the lounge access now that the Red carpet service has ended in KUL.
VIE-AMS- SFO return. We booked (my Wife and me) a Delta Ticket all flights operated by KLM which provides an overall good trip experience. Everything very good on board! Friendly Staff acceptable seating good catering. But both directions long haul flights the seats reserved during booking process were not any more reserved during check in. On AMS SFO it was a minor issue because of availability and assignment of two other seats located together. On the return it was worse. Assignment was 15 rows between the seats. To solve the topic found out during internet checkin I wanted to use the customer service hotline during check in which was not available by phone despite of 20 minute Queuing at the phone. The other communication methods offered by KLM (facebook communicator were not accessible from my mobile device using for internet check in). I solved the problem afterwards by myself finding close seats and negotiating with other passengers. All checked luggage from VIE to SFO delayed for one day because of baggage transfer problems in AMS despite of on time arrival of the aircraft VIE-AMS.
I have just flown American from London to Miami with a connection to Cancun. The flight AA 57 due to leave at 9.45 am from London was delayed by 1hr 35 minutes with no apology or explanation as to why. The delay coupled with a customs shambles in Miami meant we missed our connection. The Express tickets (red ones) were a complete waste of time we just joined the queue with everybody else and the lady at the next baggage check in was totally disinterested and dismissive. I am frequent flyer an this was booked via BA and was a very poor customer experience. I will avoid American at all costs in future.
FRA-DYU-FRA. I was a little dubious about this airline but both flights were on time and in a new 737-900 aircraft. FRA-DYU was six hours had a basic dinner and soft drink service (no alcohol) and sandwich before arrival. Crew passed out thick blankets but no pillows. No IFE either. DYU-FRA left at 3 am Tajik time no food service on an overnight flight. I would fly again because of convenience it's hard to get to Dushanbe.
Heathrow - Brunei (via Dubai) - Manila and Manila - Brunei - Heathrow (via Dubai). For the price I paid was impressed with this Airline. Food was good as was the service. Cant remember a more comfortable seat in Economy. Entertainment was a little ancient but not an issue for me. The short stop in Dubai was a little chaotic and can imagine passengers roaming around the airport trying to find their way back to the flight. I think the planes are a little old but again no issue for me. All in all quite impressed.
LHR via MCT to Mumbai return. Good: leg room entertainment some in-flight staff. Poor: airline staff at Muscat were disorganised and unfriendly. Ground staff member at Heathrow was friendly but told us he'd given us emergency exit seats for the flight (my co-passenger is 6ft 4) and this turned out to be completely untrue. Had the feeling that if anything went wrong e.g. in-flight entertainment stopped working you'd be on your own. Food was poor. Delayed twice by one hour each time. No explanation for one delay the other was because the plane was 'waiting for important papers' for an hour once we had boarded. Muscat airport is small for a stopover but new airport is under construction.
We traveled with a 15 month old child from Amsterdam to Guangzhou to Auckland and vice versa. The crew were very friendly and took good care of us. You can't keep a small child in its seat all the time on a flight of over 12 hours so I spent a lot of time in the back of the plane with him. The crew was very nice to us and provided a nice "playgound" as well as (mostly healthy) food and drinks for my kid. This made our flights as well as the flights of other passengers a lot easier.
Flight 318 FCO (Rome) to CDG (Paris) January 26 2014. Flight departed and arrived on time seat somewhat uncomfortable not much in the way of a complimentary snack or beverage (tiny bag of bread sticks juice). The twin-engined Airbus was new and clean the FAs courteous and competent. I'd fly Alitalia on a short trip again.
Returning from Paphos airport was chaos huge queues. When finally reaching check in I was informed my bag was too soft and directed to the special bag queue. My bag has travelled with me for over 15 years and was never deemed too soft. The staff that were there were either rude or of no help.
Flew the Dash 8 -400 service from Melbourne to Adelaide over the weekend. I really like the Dash 8 aircraft and enjoy Qantaslink's service. The aircraft was approximately 30% full on today's flight. The Cabin Manager was very engaging and always smiling whilst her offsider had that bad QF attitude that their famous for. We were served a small refreshment (which came in a small box consisting of feta cheese crackers some chocolate and mints) and a beer. The journey over to Adelaide was generally a good one and will continue to use QF for this Dash 8 service.
Return flight to from London to KL via Doha. 3 of the 4 aircraft's were modern and clean with great in-flight entertainment (all newish A330s) and very good food. Last flight (Doha to London) was awful. Old A330 very smelly not especially clean and rubbish in-flight entertainment. A real disappointment but would not put me off flying Qatar again as generally excellent. Doha airport isn't as bad as everyone says but the busses to and from the terminal do take forever and aren't particularly well air conditioned.
Royal Jordanian Flight RJ166 Istanbul to Amman. Seats were comfortable. Limited meal choice. Quality of meal was fair not exceptional. Staff were obliging but not overly friendly. No alcohol (wine) offered with meal service.
Have had issues with two previous flights on Icelandair but continued to book with them as their sales are generally good. Have finally decided however that you get what you pay for. I will never fly this miserable airline again. Major delays when flying to Europe due to their strike. This is unacceptable. They had plenty of advance warning and could easily have planned ahead. (And I was flying on a "non strike" day.) When British Airways went on strike several years ago management actually worked as flight attendants to prevent interruption to their service. That is customer service and Icelandair should pay attention. No one at the Icelandair customer service kiosks (in any airport) seems to know what's up. Relatives attempting to monitor flights cannot get necessary information online due to poor computer software services. Poor seating onboard. Miserable food service. The only thing of value is their inflight entertainment service. In the future I will fly another airline regardless of where I am going even if the cost is double.
I travelled with my quadriplegic nephew to Kunming China and our experience on the ground at the airports Kunming and Guangzhou were the worst in all of my travels. My nephew is just under 2 meters tall in Kunming the wheelchair China Southern provided to get my nephew from the check in desk to the aircraft was too small for him to fit in so he was allowed to use his chair to the door of the aircraft we had to carry him onboard and as he is so tall this was extremely difficult. When we got him onto the aircraft the airline staff said they could not check his wheelchair all the way to Sydney we would have to claim the chair in our transit airport Guangzhou and then re check it in to Sydney. After trying to argue the point for 1 hour and delaying the flight we had to agree as I feared they would not allow us to fly. In Guangzhou we had one of the staff help us again we had to carry my nephew off the aircraft put him into a wheelchair that he didn't fit in. The airport was so hot and we had to rush so much to find the chair at baggage collection go and check the chair in to Sydney and instead of the chair being taken by staff and put on the aircraft we had to wheel the chair with us all the way on to the aircraft and then the staff there put it into the luggage area. The flight was delayed because of us again. I would never travel with them again.
Travelled Manchester to Tenerife South on 26th July returned 10th August. Paid££25 each way for extra legroom in the most uncomfortable seats I have ever had the displeasure to travel in. Due to the trays in the armrests it made the seats excruciatingly narrow and painful to sit in. Had an empty seat next to me so swapped with my wife who was 12 rows back with my son. Son initially sat with her but was told by the cabin crew to move as my son had not paid for the extra legroom. When my wife sat there upset at having to sit on her own the cabin crew made half hearted attempts to strike up a conversation with her. For the flight back I decided to tough it out but ended up twisted in the seat for most of the journey and perched on the front edge of the seat with my knees and head resting on the wall in front of me for the rest. Narrowness of seats not made known at time of booking or I would not have bothered with paying the extra. A300 plane used Hips still hurt 3 days later I appreciate I am of a larger build but then so are most people who want extra legroom and to not be warned about the possible discomfort is very poor customer service.
Dubai to Jeddah with a connecting flight to Tabuk to Riyadh and Damman and finally back to Dubai. The whole trip was just a disaster with canceled tickets even with confirmed tickets in my hand. No explanation. Terrible service at the check in desk with not even an excuse - don't even know what customer service is.
I was on a trip with my 5 year old son from NY to AL. We arrived at the gate of our connecting flight in Charlotte NC just as they were closing the gate although we were there 10 min prior to takeoff. I explained that we were flying down for a funeral which we would miss if we were delayed. The gate attendant told me I was 30 seconds late and not getting on the flight. My return flight was delayed 1.5 hours and the connecting return flight sat on the runway for 45 minutes. It appears that exceptions to delay are only made when it is to benefit their company and not for their paying customers. I will never again fly US Airways!
Brussels-Kiev-Brussels Business Class: no delay seats OK friendly FA's. Better pass on the food and get a gin and tonic as local champagne is warm (FA explained the bottle is too large to get in the fridge) and wines are of canteen level. Management is clearly not interested in offering a little extra to business class passengers but you will sit in a lonely peace.
Flights Munich - Gatwick - Munich. Crews on both flights very professional sweet and helpful. Purser of the flight to Gatwick even helped me outside the Airport to find my National Express Coach. Great Airline (it's been my first trip with Easyjet).
MU 5030 was to depart Bali (DPS) at 3.40am on July 22 and arrive Shanghai (PVG) at 9.45am. Without notifying anyone the flight departed at 7.10am. MU5030 left Bali at 7.00am and arrived at 1.15pm in Shanghai July 22nd. I missed my scheduled flight to Los Angeles MU 583 as it departed at 1.00pm. About 20 perturbed travelers that missed their connecting flights all stood around for nearly 1.5 hrs waiting for a van ride to a hotel. My next days flight on 23 July went smoothly departed Shanghai at 1.00pm and landed in Los Angeles at 10.30. This business class flight to Bali and back to LA was about $4200. The next least expensive was about $1000 more. You get what you pay for.
Etihad First Class JFK to Abu Dhabi on Jet Airways airplane. Am Gold Elite with Etihad. Only 2 people in F and not a great experience. Would not pay the same money on Jet as in Etihad. Boarding was chaos. No special announcement or queue for Business/First or Gold / Gold Elite members. Got on board no one came to see me and introduce themselves. Alone for several minutes. On board chef was very good though. Seats were rubbish. Scratched rugged not the glamour you see in Etihad's videos and on their site. Not leather but cloth. Things broken. Not a good experience. Food was 95% Indian I like Indian food but there must be more choice and variety. Service was not First Class. Un-attentive not engaging. Had to keep asking for them to clear plates provide drink etc.. Would not recommend the morning flight on Etihad/Jet Airways.
I was on two flights: from Phoenix to Sioux falls SD and back. My flight to Sioux Falls was delayed 3 hours because of an attendant who called in sick and no one was available. My return flight #123 was delayed when the plane would not start. It was delayed and delayed and delayed. Each for an hour or two. Finally at 9.35 pm my 1.34 flight was cancelled. Although I was housed overnight at a local hotel even that was a challenge. I had flown 2 times before with no trouble but that was a few years back. I cannot trust arrival or return any more. My co-workers wife had a similar experience just yesterday.
I fly this airline regularly between Yellowknife and Edmonton. Staff is generally friendly and the complimentary food service is a nice touch but generally inedible. Unfortunately they have the tendency to change your seats without notice and you will not find out until check-in time. Much of the reason for this change is that if they notice a flight is only half booked they use half of the plane for cargo which eliminates the first 6 rows of seats. Thus when booking on Canadian North make sure you book the back row of seats (between 10-16) and you likely won't have to worry about your seat being changed. Prepare to be packed in like sardines on most Canadian North flights though. Seat pitch/width is standard.
Had an excellent Business class return flight COK-CMB-MCT on 29 November 2013. COK-CMB sector with a new A320 with IFE and CMB-MCT an old A320 which has no IFE but provided an IPad. Seats not fully reclining but very comfortable. Crew very polite attentive and pleasing and full of energy to serve the passengers with their warm welcome. Choice of tasty food and quality beverages but no amenity kit provided on the CMB-MCT night flight. Cabin and Toilet very clean and tidy. On time performance. Announcement from the Cockpit were clear and audible. COK Business Lounge (Earth Lounge) very average but at CMB the Serendib Lounge is well maintained food is adequately stocked but good selection of beverages. Lounge toilets are spotlessly clean and well maintained at CMB. Only one charging point for laptop Wifi connection. Other internet available are either very slow or cannot access. Apart from minor points overall an excellent experience with SriLankan airlines and will fly again.
Several day return flights DUB-LHR and DUB-MAN. Quite expensive in most cases as booked quite late but were either not much more expensive than Ryanair or less when you factor in that you would have to pay for priority boarding with Ryanair whereas can book a seat for free on Aer Lingus. But there's no comparison between the two. Very good experience and T2 at Dublin is a fantastic improvement on T1. AL have just launched a new Sky Cafe menu that looks tempting and very well presented although it is a bit misleading to be presenting the full Irish breakfast on bone china when it actually comes in a silver foil tray! Cabin crew without exception very professional and friendly although when I was standing at the back of the cabin waiting to disembark at Manchester it was a bit sad to hear two of them complaining about their jobs. It's not the same as it used to be. But given the choice I would choose AL over any of their competitors out of Dublin.
We flew with China Southern last year, and were very satisfied, so decided to use them again this year. The service has improved in terms of food and cabin service. It was good last year, and is now better. The cabin staff were very welcoming, attentive,  and very pleasant. Also very helpful when I inadvertently lost my glasses case down inside the seat. The food selection was good, and options available also good - we could not fault the service. I would recommend China Southern Business Class value for money as best en route over others flying on this route, and we have flown to Europe with most of the major carriers. Only problem was the entertainment audio connection was broken for my husband. 
Posted fares are deceptive and your actual fare may double. We flew Clark to Singapore connecting to Jakarta. There is a fee to connect fuel surcharge security charge web admin fee luggage $50 aviation levy and seat selection fee for each leg. My original trip was 14000 peso but I ended up paying 30500. You can take PAL or Garuda for the same price. There needs to be transparency in pricing and their advertising is deceptive. Aircraft was half full but you are not allowed to move to a seat with more space. I had middle seal in the last row with passengers on both sides. In spite of empty seats forward I was not allowed to move. Hand carry baggage was on the floor blocking egress as the overheads were jammed full. I kept briefcase at my feet.
I flew China Eastern on a recent trip between Melbourne and China. The seats are very uncomfortable they are skinny and hard with little leg room. I am 6'2" tall and requested an exit aisle seat for extra leg room which they accommodated however they said there was no way one of my travel companions could sit with me and the 5 people from my group were seated at the other end of the plane from me. This would be fine if all the exit aisle seats and other seats around me weren't empty once we were fully boarded! The food was acceptable and there were regular drinks offered their English style breakfast was odd to say the least I would opt for the Asian style were I to travel with them again. The service on the flight was friendly and welcoming. The TV on any of the flights didn't work for me either there was no sound or the screen wouldn't stay up or it just wouldn't turn on. Not on a single flight did it work. It did work for some of my travel companions and they tell me they were able to watch some recent movies and TV shows with a selection of English Indian Chinese and Japanese shows to choose from. I can't really comment on the quality however as I was never able to access it. All in all it is a budget airline and you get what you pay for but it was much better quality than I expected for the bargain price we paid.
Travelled SYD to KL on 2 Sep 2014. Usually go to Singapore and Connect to KL but needed the fastest route and this was it. Always travel Business class so did not know what to expect on Air AsiaX. Departed on time new plane clean and modern design. Toilet also very clean and flight attendants were very young and helpful. Seat was quite good and when folded out in to an angled flat bed it was comfortable and you could get some sleep which I needed. Just be aware that the word Business begins and ends with that angled bed no other part of the flight resembles a Business Class flight. This cost me a quarter of what I normally pay and if you work it all out yes it was better value. We arrived in KL on time and the trip was pleasant and smooth - no complaints.
Flew from Manchester to Marsa Alam and back. No entertainment on the plane. Very cramped for 5.5 hours. On the way back sold out of food when they got to me only had snack box and soup no bread. The cabin crew were great despite the problems they had to deal with.
Dismal service on almost all 4 flights during a 2 week period. Singapore - Hong Kong business class with a 16 month old infant - the baby food meal was served after the adults were served so despite my requests my child got his food after 30min of smelling and observing everyone else eating - the meal was suitable for 3 month olds so of course he was tired and no longer interested. Hong Kong - Johannesburg: Cathay lounge personnel were very unhelpful I requested assistance from the lounge to boarding gate and was told I could get assistance an hour before boarding but not after that as they would be "too busy" so what do I pay a business class ticket for? The inflight meal for my son was served cold! By the time it was warmed up my son was asleep! Johannesburg - Hong Kong despite my carrying a child no one was there or offered to put my hand luggage away for me the meal for my child was once again cold I asked for an extra pillow it never came and staff just seemed to be 'short staffed' or too busy to care. Flight was delayed an hour resulting in my missing my connecting flight to Singapore. Hong Kong - Singapore: 3 hours and a very unhappy toddler later we boarded for Singapore. I had to put my bags away myself and had baby food not fit for my child. The inflight manager did try and offered a kids meal pasta dish and made regular attempts to make sure we were all right. I have flown many times before with all 3 of my children with Singapore Airlines and received far better service in business class. I pay a business class fare expecting a business class service. This was nowhere near the case with Cathay. Extremely disappointing - I cannot in good conscience recommend this airline on these legs to anyone and am very disappointed as I had previously held Cathay Pacific is such high esteem.
EDI-CGN and CGN-MUC. I have always rated them as one of the best low cost airlines especially now that they allocate seats. However they don't have their own staff an EDI and the handling company can be hit or miss. There is no bag drop so even if you've checked in online you're still going have to join the regular queue. Having checked in on line and eventually dropped our bags my wife and I were sitting in our allocated seats onboard - 10E and F when another passenger appeared with a boarding pass for seat 10F. After a few minutes a stewardess arrived with a computer printout showing us in seats 15A and B. Since these weren't extra leg-room seats for which we'd paid we flatly refused to move. Eventually the stewardess backed down and the other passenger was seated elsewhere. The flight itself was fine and the 'Happy Picnic' was tasty and good value. Travelling on from CGN to MUC a few days later we checked in by machine at the airport and dropped our luggage at the fast bag drop which really was fast. The whole process lasted under 5 mins. Again the flight was fine although air traffic restrictions led to a delay of about 25 mins.
Flew ZRH-KEF-ZRH in May with Icelandair in Economy saver class and paid £379.55 incl. taxes. Flights were on time and boarding quick and easy. No meal or inflight entertainment on board due my selected fare however water tea and coffee were offered. Flight Attendants very friendly and helpful. Overall both journeys were pleasant and would fly with them again.
Flight was on time - no trouble with check-in or out. We got food and headphones/movie included without charge and pillow etc. Got from A to B in good time. Staff warm and attentive. Our drop-down TV was broken but kids could move to aisle seat to see another one.
Melbourne to Bangkok via Brunei. Both sectors departed and arrived on time. Both aircraft clean and comfortable. Very good service from flight attendants. Only 4 in Business Class so almost one to one service. No alcohol served but BYO not a problem in moderation. Excellent English from Cabin Crew. No priority passes for immigration in Bangkok. Excellent value for money.
Spirit offers very low fares and all you need to do is understand what you are getting for that very low fair nothing but the flight. When I pay $110.00 for a return flight across the country (Detroit to Fort Lauderdale) I am willing to pay extra if required but some planning ahead means you can avoid most fees. Our plane was new I upgraded to an exit row seat for $25.00 more we left on time and my luggage arrived what more do you expect for such a low cost? Better then some other airlines I have used. For the people who complain about paying for a carry on or no free drink plan ahead and purchase your luggage online when booking for a reduced rate factor in the cost when comparing flights or fly with someone else. The entire Spirit business model is you pay for everything you have no one to blame but yourself if you didn't realize this until you got on the plane. I am happy to pay $110.00 and go without a free can of pop and not use the overhead bin!
4 flights with them in June round trip from HKG-JFK on A380 and HKG-LAX-GRU on A380 and 77W. May not have the best inflight entertainment the best meals in the industry or the best amenity kit for economy class yet the friendliness of the crews and the seat pitch stand out. Crews are cheerful attentive and charming. Their service level is consistent. Important to point out that they keep the cabin clean and are very organized when handling special meals or assistance to elderly or children. I deduct one mark for inflight meal as the portion was too small. There are snacks between meals (do not receive any on LAX-GRU though). I hope Korean Air can improve its meal quality and distribute menu in the flights.
Arrived in Vienna on time. When I got off the plane I was told my daughters stroller would be waiting by the door. It wasn't there. Asked a staff member at the door but he wasn't interested in helping. Once everyone deboarded I asked the cabin crew to help. They went to check and found my stroller, I ran to catch my connection but by this time it was already boarding. I had to go through the customs and security. The staff didn't care that I could miss my flight. They wanted to check baby food, in the end I told them to keep it so I could run to the gate. The electronic departure board said my flight was boarding. When I finally got to the gate I was two minutes late! No call for me and no final boarding sign. Staff very unhelpful. The next flight was in 9 hours but they didn't attempt to help at all. No effort to try and help. Staff at the service desk were just as unfriendly. Were blaming the airport for allowing such a short connection time. Apparently they get lots of travellers every day who miss their connections. I will not fly with Austrian Airlines again if I can help it!
DFW to Boston on Sunday June 29. Flight 254. Will never fly this airline again! As mentioned previously they charge you for everything. You are not getting a good deal with this airline the prices are very deceiving! I was shocked when the airline was going to charge me $25 at check in because my luggage was 45 lbs. I told them that I am under the max capacity. Well at Spirit 40lbs is their max for weight. What can a person pack for under 40lbs? In addition the plane was dirty. The leather on the seats was fading which gave the aircraft a dirty feel. I'm so used to flying Southwest and will continue with Southwest.
Flew from LAX to Haneda (12/22/2013) and from Narita to LAX (12/29/2013). Flights were on time in fact earlier than scheduled. Flight attendants were very courteous not typical of attendants of United States airlines. The online check in and baggage drop center that takes baggage more than 3 hours before flight time make travel a breeze.
An eight hour wait at Changi airport I assume because it's more important to Qantas to fill their plane to capacity than it is to schedule enough services to avoid excessive waiting times. The inflight service was awful. I'm a vegetarian so get meals served before other passengers and I can only assume this is a crime on Qantas flights. On Flight QF52 from Changi on Saturday 20/09/2014 I got my meal slapped in front of me about an hour into the flight and then the tray sat there for around two hours whilst everyone else was served and their trays collected. I would guess I was probably the last passenger to have their tray taken away. By the time one of the stewardesses took the tray I had back pain and was cramped from being trapped in one position for so long. Likewise I got my breakfast shoved at me before everyone else too and what a breakfast - a stale croissant and a sachet of awful tasting marmalade. I was given only a spoon with which to slice my stale croissant and spread the marmalade and when I requested a knife and a sachet of butter I was grudgingly given the knife but butter was obviously out of the question. Personally I think passengers seated near babies should be given a decent discount because it's simply unfair to be forced to spend long flights being prevented from sleep by crying babies. I first flew with Qantas about 10 years ago and swore never again back then but my travel agent talked me into giving them another go. Never again!
Cannot believe how poor the service has become. We have using Sunwing to fly to Puerto Plata for years. In November we were delayed at the POP airport for 5 hours. They gave each of us a $10 food voucher for a particular restaurant. The food was terrible. We recently travelled to Puerto Plata at the beginning of April. We specifically booked the flight which arrived at our hotel by noon. Three weeks before departure Sunwing advised us that the flight times had changed and we were being re-routed to POP via Jamaica. So a 4 hour flight turned into 7 hours and we arrived after dinner at the hotel. Unfortunately before departure I became ill with extreme nausea and a fever. During the flight my husband asked the stewardess for a cold cloth as I was about to pass out. Her only help was to inquire if I had breathing problems. My husband had to go to the washroom to get the cloth. It was a 7 hour flight from hell.
SYD-PVG in economy. Not what I was expecting. Previous MU flights have been on newish planes with tight legroom and no individual IFE. This flight was on a brand-new A330. There were very big individual TV screens with a great user interface and very clear screens. The choice of films wasn't huge but it was varied and it was easy to find something good. The headphones aren't great - you'll need a two-pin adapter to use your own ones. There was lots of legroom and the seats were the type that slide forward to recline. This is really important on a flight into China as people recline as far as they can; the person in front of me reclined all the way but this did not impinge on my space. Food was OK - not spectacular but better than I expected. Service was friendly and not intrusive: I find some airlines are too insistent on disturbing me to offer me things I don't want but this did not happen on MU.
Stuck in Belize for 7 hours because the plane did not leave Houston. No further explanation on the matter except that the plane never left. The United staff that rescheduled our connecting flights was extremely rude and not helpful at all. It almost seemed as if she was taking joy in the fact that we were all stranded there. Then every passenger was forced to stay the night in Houston. My flight was supposed to be the first flight out of Houston leaving at 7am so I get to the airport at 5.30 am to find out that now it doesn't leave until 9:00. Every single staff me member I've encountered or asked for help from is miserable and rude. This was a one time thing but I will never ever fly United again. It's been the worst airline experience of my entire life and I've flown hundreds of times.
TK66M IST-SIN on 31/8/14 - The THY lounge at Istanbul Airport whilst impressive was very busy and noisy. It is not a place to relax. Already the lounge is starting to show signs of wear and tear despite opening only recently. The entry gates were mostly broken and barricaded off. On this visit the hot food had all but disappeared which was disappointing prior to taking a 1am flight to Singapore. Flight was OK cabin crew not very interested in passengers and disappeared for most of the flight. The flat beds on this aircraft seemed quite hard and was difficult to get comfortable and to sleep. The English spoken by the captain and flight attendants was below average for an international airline. Passengers were also wandering around the cabin whilst the aircraft was taxiing without any intervention from cabin crew.
Business class #124 Chicago to Dublin very clean and new-feeling Airbus 330-300 fine staff very thoughtful and professional. The seat is very comfortable Recarro sport-type does not go fully flat but is very nice in all other conformations. Even though Aer Lingus doesn't match up with the fabulous seating/bedding of major liners they exceed the US carriers in other ways. We saved about $1500 versus those carriers and I felt it was a fine bargain. I'd fly them again for sure.
FRA-SVO-OVB. New and spotless A320 plane. Comfortable seats and decent food on both legs. Colleagues had warned me about SVO but found Terminal D in SVO to be first class: very efficient good signage good services. Both planes late by 30 mins but that's about the only negative thing I can say. All in all a good value for money.
LAX-ICN-TAS-ICN-SFO. Outbound economy return in business. Travelling with an infant on this route is difficult but Asiana made it much easier with attentive service good food for the baby bassinets and good food for us. IFE excellent with programming on demand. First time going to TAS that we did not have to use a bus to get to the terminal. We had to gate check our stroller but at the Tashkent airport you need to pick it up at the baggage claim so we had to carry our baby until then which if you are familiar with the speed (or lack thereof) of the customs officials at TAS you know that it is not a small feat. The return was nice in business but even though we gate checked the stroller at TAS and told them we needed it at ICN they sent it through to the baggage claim. Luckily the ICN staff were wonderful and retrieved it for us quickly. Return was in the new Quadra business lie-flat seats which were comfortable for us but I can see how they might be too narrow for people with a larger build. Also strangely enough the business class bassinets are more narrow compared to the economy class ones. Nice amenity kit with L'Occitane products excellent food and service. I had the Korean options for all meals and I highly recommend it.
Flew BHX-SIN-BHX on 757-200 in row 20 outbound and row 25 inbound. Far too cramped and claustrophobic for a 6 hour flight. Impossible to get comfortable in the seat or walk down the aisle without tripping over someone's foot and hitting someone's knee or elbow. I'm 5'2" and small and I had trouble moving around. There was no entertainment of any description which just isn't good enough for a flight that long. The food wasn't great but edible and if you wanted to drink anything with the meal you had to buy it. The crew was a mixture of those who seemed to enjoy their job and others who would rather have been elsewhere. They ran out of most duty free items on the inbound journey. I wouldn't choose to fly with Thomson again unless they invest more in their ageing fleet and inflight entertainment.
Flt LX180 from Zurich to Bangkok on 31/5/13. It was one of the best flights we have had in a long time and we travel a lot. Aircraft was clean and very well maintained the staff were friendly and efficient and always ready to help. The FA responsible for our section was excellent and nothing was too much trouble. The best bit was when we got off the aircraft in Bangkok the Captain was there thanking all the passengers.
Been flying from London Stansted to Murcia for a few years now and I must say that if you comply with all their rules everything should be fine we have not had any trouble always on time staff nearly always friendly enough flight number FR8027 and FR8028.
HEL-RIX. I wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. There are several optional extras to pay for including checked luggage advance seat reservation food etc. but the service was excellent. Check-in was simple with no wait at all boarding prompt and efficient and in-flight food service quick and efficient too. My seat had decent leg room. The cabin crew were warm and polite and disembarkation and luggage collection fast.
HKG-SIN-KUL. Older plane a bit dirty. IFE on the blink. Need to get newer planes for these flight segments. Staff experience was great without complaints. Used FF but difficult to get seats and the airline surcharges were high paying like a coach seat. Had to use all FF as they were expiring and not renewable.
We have been stuck in Oslo for five days and they have not offered any kind of assistance. We asked for food tokens or a drink we were told no and then received the most feeble sorry I have ever heard. Every airline is supposed to present a document to you showing you your rights which was not carried out by staff. As soon as we complained in any way we were met with a blank expression and a repetitive "no" to all our questions. I cannot describe how awful our treatment has been by this low cost airline.
BWI-LHR-ORY on a Boeing 767-300 in Y+ and an Airbus A320 in Y. Luckily this was a refurbished 767-300 so the aircraft interior looked new. The seats were quite wide and there was plenty of legroom which I need as I am tall. We were offered a choice between water or orange juice as a pre-departure beverage and wine was served in proper glassware. The meal was a slightly more upmarket version of the World Traveler dinner so I was a bit disappointed with that (I was hoping to get more food). Although the IFE is rather dated in comparison to the entertainment on BA's newer planes the audio quality was much better on this particular aircraft. Cabin crew were professional and polite and most importantly I was able to get about 3-4 hours of sleep! Connection in Heathrow was a bit of a nightmare since security seems to be constantly saturated and we had to be bussed from the 767. Flight to Orly was full and I can't comment on it much since I slept.
PRG-RIX-KBP. Probably one of our worst experiences. When we got to the Prague airport we were told that we had to pay 150 euros for 3 checked bags (none were overweight) and our boarding passes which apparently we were supposed to print out before if we didn't want to be charged (which we didn't know about). We took the bus to the Bombardier Q400 and we boarded without many problems and sat into the small seats. We were absolutely baffled when we found out that we had to PAY for everything on-board not even a glass of water or juice was free. We then landed and spent the next 4 hours in Riga where we exchanged 20 US dollars for Lats so that we could buy something to drink and eat. We were able to only buy 6 small water bottles and 4 snacks for those 20 dollars. The second flight to Kiev had the same circumstances and again would have to pay for a small drink. This time we were on an old Boeing 737-300 which had larger seats. Flight attendants are non existent throughout all flights. Never flying Air Baltic again.
CAI-BEY-CAI. Ground handling in Cairo and Beirut were extremely unprofessional. Flights left on time with average service.
My family flew out with Ryanair to Fuerteventura. From my experience the flight cabin crew and departure and landing was just as good as any other airline we've used. We printed out our boarding passes and check all our luggage was correctly weighted. Had no problems or issues. I would not hesitate to book a flight with Ryanair again. The only complain I had was that the food prices on flight were expensive.
I flew in January from Heathrow to Kiruna. I found staff at check-in helpful and friendly. The cabin crew were lovely too. The flight took off on time and landed on time. Baggage collection point was swift. I have no complaints at all and will use the airline again. Next time I will avoid the on board sandwich though and buy a snack before takeoff.
My partner and I flew to Bali recently we have flown with Garuda many times and we travel to Bali every couple of years now. The service is excellent both in economy and Business class. The service is great and the staff are always very helpful. This allows us to have an enjoyable trip my partner is 6 ft 2 in height and he had an comfortable flight. I recommend Garuda.
Delay of more than 12 hours. Rude and unhelpful staff in Moscow lack of any kind of information post service inexistent. On the way back from MAD to BKK first flight got delayed 2.5 hours so when we arrive in SVO connection to BKK had already departed. Instead of giving us a hotel they gave us a boarding pass to Seoul! We arrived to Seoul without any idea of what to do next nobody say anything to us no information. There they gave us a boarding pass to BKK with Korean airlines for 6 hours later. Arrive into Bangkok with more than 12 hours delay they inform us that our bags were still in Moscow. The worst customer service.
MCT-SLL 3 Aug WY905. SLL-MCT 5 Aug WY916. I travelled with my wife and 1 year old baby. The staff were very friendly food was good for the short trip and they were very helpful with my child. Seats were spacious and comfortable for economy seating especially on the SLL-MCT sector. They offered baby food. The baggage was quick and no problems at all. I see that this airline is improving.
I flew to Inhambane from JNB flight was re-directed via Vilankulos without notifying any passengers. Sat on the tarmac for a couple of hours without any information being relayed to passengers. Missed arranged lift from Inhambane to Tofu as a result. On return flight from Inhambane to JNB my suitcase never reached Jhb and to-date no communication has been forthcoming. I have phoned repeatedly and emailed the JNB LAM offices as well as BIDAIR and have to stress that I am not sure whose service is worse. Eventually after losing my patience and being downright demanding to staff I was emailed claim forms. Is this what we almost always must expect from Africa? How very sad that people just do not give a damn and why the hell do these entities operate when the owners/directors and staff just do not really care or look after what is a just essentially a service industry. Do they not realise that the customers are paying their salaries and bonuses? I will make sure that I never fly LAM again and pass this on to as many poor unsuspecting people out there as possible.
Awful start to our long awaited holiday. 3 hour delay at Gatwick with very little apology and no complimentary drinks or anything onboard by way of an apology. 3 hour delay again on our return flight from Antalya. Leg room is atrocious on Thomas Cook planes. Will never fly Thomas Cook again.
A new fifth freedom (operating between two points outside an airlines home country) carrier on the trunk route from Singapore to Bangkok served by Boeing 767-300ER - an interesting and exotic way to get between these two cities. Cannot be booked on ET’s own site but codeshares with SQ and others and pops up on travel aggregator sites. Perhaps the difficulty in booking explained why there was only 40 people onboard despite the kind hospitality of the Ethiopian crew the tasty meal and the excellent flight times (BKK to SIN is 1425-1815 and SIN-BKK is 2245-0005+1). No entertainment to speak of although loud and diverse (military techno ethnic one after another!) played loudly during boarding taxi takeoff and climb (endearing rather than annoying). We arrived twenty minutes early into Suvunabhumi and my bags were on the carousel before I got there despite no lines at immigration. Will look out for this flight again.
We booked months in advance but Ethiopian cancelled that flight at the last-minute and charged an exorbitant last-minute fare to change to the next scheduled flight. They showed no interest in retrieving the luggage that they'd jettisoned nor in forwarding it to our hotel once they did arrive. Desk staff were reluctant to seat the two of us together preferring us to each sit between strangers. Ordered vegetarian meals were not provided. Avoid this outfit if possible. Cabin staff helpful and went out of their way to to provide alternative meals.
I flew from Berlin Tegel (TXL) to Sofia (SOF) and return (A320 and A319 respectively). Water bottles were put on the seat before take-off. The service included a small sandwich (nothing fancy but the taste was ok) a piece of chocolate tea/coffee and a soft drink beer or vine. The staff was quite friendly and I felt welcomed on board. Both flights had a delay of around 15 minutes which is perfectly normal. The only drawback was that both planes were old and the seats rather worn. But overall I had a pleasant experience and will fly with Bulgaria Air again.
London - Amman. Late again - this route's punctuality is not good. Food barely edible. In flight entertainment one programme fits all drop-down screens are just not acceptable. Cabin staff OK.
MEL-HKG-HND-HKG-BKK-HKG-NRT-HKG-MEL. Flown CX all around Asia in the past 3.5 weeks and experienced all their fleet from the shell seat to the new seats found the new seats to be nice and wide but also hard under the legs. Shell seat well what were they thinking? All flights were delayed upwards of 30+ minutes that's right all! Crew well they make the airline and most of them couldn't be found after service was complete. The 747 I flew on needed some seat repairs as there were parts missing or taped over and the cleanliness was not exactly great. I didn't appreciate the fact that my table on a few flights was filthy. I do however like the fact that they fly to HND and that makes them a much better option than QF. Meal portions very small but overall ok. I'll give them a second go.
First time flyer with Etihad Airways and last time. Flight EY461 Melbourne to Abu Dhabi economy. Can't expect too much but my wife and I feel short changed. Mad rush through Abu Dhabi airport queues all over the place just made our flight to London. Not enough staff in economy class 2 sometimes 3. Too long to get served. Hot refresher towels 2 hours into the flight. Meals too small in plastic trays. All seemed to be an exercise in cost cutting. Staff very indifferent to service and comfort. Return flight EY32 Paris to Abu Dhabi an hour and a half late leaving. Another mad rush to make flight at Abu Dhabi airport and then waited for over an hour in the aircraft before taxiing to take off to return to Melbourne.
LHR-TBS-LHR. The check-in agent in T1 was friendly and dealt with my request promptly. As I boarded the aircraft the crew manager gave a warm welcome and set the tone for all the crew who were very pleasant. The food presentation was original and reading the wine guide gave a sense of the personality of the buyers. The flight arrived early and by the time I cleared immigration my bag was waiting for me. On the return journey the Tiblisi customer service staff were also very friendly and I was pleased to see it was the same crew as on the outbound journey. Excellent on-board service and the flight arrived into London 30 minutes ahead of schedule. I only had to wait 5 minutes for my bag to arrive.
Flew from Oslo to Bangkok on 16/11/2013 and returned 5/12/2013 without any problems. A pleasure to fly with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
I recently flew SCL-EZE-SCL economy class. Relatively new 777-300. Good flights average legroom and recline. Cabin crew attentive and polite all the time. Personal IFE system standard and requires some maintenance. Both flights were at meal times food was good but very poor only a sandwich and soft drinks.
Flew from Auckland to Nadi in late July on an A320. Flight left on time and arrived in Nadi earlier due to a tail wind. We had a works ticket which meant we got a meal which I was very impressed with. Never knew airline food could be so good. Flight attendants as always very friendly. My only complaint is the seating of this plane. It is very squashed and the seats seemed very uncomfortable. I had difficulty eating my meal as I was in the centre seat and just really had no room for my arms. The seat was so uncomfortable that I had a slight back ache in my lower back. A terrible plane really. Would avoid a A320 in the future if I could.
April 11-18 Toronto to Holguin Cuba. Flight WG388/WG389. Outbound flight was 10 minutes ahead of schedule and inbound flight was 20 minutes ahead of schedule. Service was good. The crew worked very hard to make sure you enjoyed their service. Along with free wine and hot meal. Very happy with them if schedule is OK will definitely fly with them again!
Flight on time, row 1 - Friendly staff and very attentive, tasting 3 course meal and wines. Only complaint, please change the welcome and inflight “sparkling Greek wine” to real champagne. Star Alliance priority bags arrived promptly at baggage carousel Heathrow.
We paid regular fare thinking we would be flying from Toronto to Venice on Air Canada but were on Air Canada Rouge. We will never fly with Air Canada Rouge again the plane was very old there was no entertainment we had to buy our wine and the seats were extremely cramped. We were very disappointed as international flights are usually very pleasant not with Air Canada Rouge.
FCO to LHR return. All flights on time cabin crew professional and polite food ok but no inflight entertainment system available (doesn't matter on a 2 hours flight). Will definitely fly them again.
LHR-BKK-HKG-BKK-LHR. Flew on 747 on all segments. Updated seats on all legs except HKG-BKK. New business seats on 747 have good IFE screens but are still angled lie flat. It seems bizarre that Thai decided not to install fully flat seats meaning that the new seats are not a significant improvement. Food mediocre to poor in lounges and onboard. Pre-ordered Thai food ex-BKK was of a higher standard than rest of food. Good service.
Writing this on behalf of my 87yr old mother who had flown to the UK on a 6 wk trip to see family. Aegean had been informed she required a wheelchair and we received confirmation it was booked both ways. From Rhodes to London they had no details regarding the chair and had to rush around looking for one. Apart from that initial problem my mother informed me everything was fine however on the day of her return Aegean decided to go on strike thankfully they messaged although it was 10 'o' clock at night. I tried desperately to get through eventually they put her on the following day again with confirmation of the wheelchair. London section was fine she tells me and the staff were quite attentive but on landing at Rhodes I waited outside and to my disgust saw my poor mother dragging a 20kg suitcase behind her carrying a coat and her handbag! Not one staff member offered to help she even had to ask a member of the public to lift her case from the conveyor belt.
TUN-ALG in the new 737-800NG (Business Class) a very good trip no delay good meat (champagne before take off). On time at Algiers clean cabin a very large seat and big space not like Air France or Alitalia in Business Class.
HKG-HEL Economy. Very basic when in the air not half as good as BA or CX. Correct but not very friendly crew a basic service and Ok seats. Checking in at HEL airport always seems to be a hassle long lines and very slow staff. Not cheap either. Will give them a miss until they offer a premium economy service.
Seoul to San Francisco on 777 aircraft. Almost everything from check-in to landing was excellent. My baggage was tagged as priority due to the rather tight connection. My only criticism would be that the quality of food was not what I remembered it to be as well as it being redundant with the tiring ssambbap and steak option. Overall Asiana is still great value for money and my loyalty remains.
SIN-DEL return. Singapore to Delhi was horrible. Seats were not reclining and very uncomfortable. They had little leg space. There was no IFE SIN to DEL. Staff friendly from SIN to DEL but on return journey it was exactly opposite. Food was good warm and tasty.
STN to KUL return on the new lie flat seats - on the outward leg the seat was broken although they offered to refund the cost of the outward leg. Return journey was comfortable. Disappointed with the portable e-player though. I feel the content could be better than a couple of films and several tacky US comedies. On the return journey I watched films on my laptop. Pre-booked food quality was OK but everything else had to be paid for although prices were reasonable. The lack of entertainment on board is the main drawback for AirAsia X although the new premium seats are as good as many full fare carriers and using Stansted rather than Heathrow a definite bonus.
London Gatwick to Edinburgh International and back on the same day. Generally ok flight from Gatwick to Edinburgh was late by 3 minutes however the flight back was delayed 30 minutes. However staff were helpful and friendly in getting information to passengers. Despite having little leg room the seats were comfortable and fine for a short flight. Food was ok. I gave a zero for Inflight Entertainment because there was none. The price was fantastic at least £20 cheaper than British Airways (on an equivalent flight). In general a good experience. don't expect them to be on time or to be as good as the more pricier companies but for a short flight (anything less than 3 hours) you really can't go wrong.
Flew GA364 SUB-KOE transit at Lombok Intl Airport. The Flight was smooth no delay and service foods flight attendants and seats in Economy class were great. Toilet was clean. Will Fly again with Garuda Indonesia.
This was my very first flight taken for a business matter. Without knowing what to expect being so inexperienced I prepared for the worst. Thinking this would be a delayed or cancelled flight resulting in a late arrival. I experienced a small delay before take off yet arrived at JFK on time. The flight attendants were polite and went out of their way to accommodate passengers. The flight crew kept passengers up to date on weather and arrival times. All equipment functioned properly and my luggage was promptly returned. JetBlue Airlines is certainly worth the money.
First and last time. The planes still have signs on the overhead bins in Slavic. To depart we were delayed 4.5 hours. Toilet problem. Like no one noticed that on the return flight the night before? They wait until the morning to fix it. No space for your legs or even to rest your arms. The TV screen popping out of the ceiling are the size of my cell phone. Seats were dirty and decorated with chewing gum. Staff going were not organized coming back a bit better. If you look at the trip over all and the extras you are dishing out for seat selection larger seats and all you may as well travel with a classier airline!
Flew MAN-CDG-HAV return. The only problem was CDG see airport review. I will use this airline again but only for direct flights not via CDG.
I will never fly Sunwing again. Currently I am sitting on a plane on the Tarmac in Toronto. I have been here 2 hours (it was supposed to be at most a 60 min stop for fuel). I was supposed to fly home to Saskatoon direct from Cuba but apparently due to wind that was not possible. This of course after I am awake all night waiting for a delayed plane. Sunwing is terrible at communicating delays with their customers. We were unable to obtain info in Cuba as to what was going on the customer care center was not answering. Finally a fellow traveller called Saskatoon to find out what was going on. It was then we learned we would be re-routed - something Sunwing kept denying once we got to the airport in Cuba. I can understand delays related to weather but a delay related to an airlines greed and tight schedule is totally inappropriate. Also inappropriate is the airlines failure to communicate with their customers.
SEN-BCN-LGW. First time with Easyjet and very impressed. Outward everything ran like clockwork-flight left and arrived early. Pre boards etc all carefully looked after. On the return got caught up in heavy delays caused the 'big storm' in SE England. My return was amended to Gatwick with no charge - just a smile - and pax handling at a very busy airport with lots of delays very well handled. I was a refugee from the now defunct BA flt LCY/BCN and very happy to use them again. Only comment would be the fare was the same as BA (one checked bag and booked a seat number) and seat pitch a tad tight but bearable. Will use again.
Bangkok to Tel Aviv. After the friendly attentive Thai service from Melbourne to Bangkok El Al was a stark contrast. The security at Bangkok was excessive. I appreciate the need for tight security but only non-Jewish/Israelis were cross-examined. The guy doing the questioning was rude. I was made to wait for about half an hour then taken to a downstairs room - with no explanation of what was happening. My bags and shoes were taken into a separate room for inspection. I felt the entire time that I was a criminal. Onboard the flight was totally packed and the FA's did the bare minimum. I didn't get my vegetarian meal - but luckily the breakfast meal was vegetarian (kosher) and quite tasty. I will avoid flying EL AL at all costs in the future.
SQ A380 SIN-SYD biz class. Young slightly disorganised flight crew (seats and entertainment systems we all like and know about) so this is about to very evident cost cutting by SIA as demonstrated by poor meal service offered. Had ordered Sushi via "Book the Cook" and as per inflight menu entree was a cold crab salad. 2 cold dishes that took well on 2 hours to get to my table for dinner. Sushi for biz class was rather disappointing but only until this experience was topped by the "continental breakfast": 2 slices each of papaya and pomelo accompanied by a small roll/danish pastry with butter and choice of jam tea or coffee - no second offering and plates couldn't be cleared fast enough. Would have thought you already saved enough on that sub-standard Bollinger being served.
Brisbane to Santo and back in August 2012. Flight slightly delayed due to 'missing spare part'. Service on board very good and smiling good food good beverage selection. Same applies to return flight although it was slightly scary to see that your luggage does not get x-rayed in Santo: a smiley woman asks you to open your bag and performs a visual check. Would travel again as friendly and efficient and reasonable prices.
CDG-MOW-OVB. Upgraded to business class. Compared with Air France Aeroflot offers a great service in business class with a small gift and more choice of meals. Easy transfer at MOW. Flew an A320 with a good seat. No difficulties to sleep. Back in a IL96 nice 4 hr flight with a consistent breakfast (two choices). Crew sometimes rude but overall friendly. Lounge in MOW very quiet not many people attending. MOW-CDG on time again good service good (hot) meal and nice crew. Very good value for the money.
CDG-NRT. B777-300. Old config. 2x3x2. Old Business Class seats very outdated narrow and hard below LH STD of the same type for instance. Fabulous service as usual. Wines and Champagne are not nice. It has to be said once more. We noticed that 95% of pax are Japanese and probably do not pay attention to that point. But these beverages are below acceptable. Champagne is cheap type no charm wines even worse. New Star alliance at CDG is nice but food - what food ? No food! Unacceptable.
KBP-RIX. Check in agent at Kiev very polite. Air Baltic seem to be concerned about the hand luggage limits as every passenger's one piece of luggage was affixed with a "Cabin Baggage" tag. Boarded the Boeing 737-500 via bus not a very pleasant way to board a flight but out with Air Baltic's control. Very limited space on board for hand baggage the cab=in crew member's suggestion of putting it under our seat was a bit naive since both my friend and I were too tall to fit our feet under the seats with any bags there. Eventually managed to stow our small bags under the middle seat in front as it remained unoccupied. The crew were actually friendly but strict enough with certain passengers who broke the rules (standing up whilst taxiing etc) that they reassured you of your safety. Arrived in Riga on schedule most passengers were connecting elsewhere but for the rest of us the luggage arrived very quickly. I'd definitely fly Air Baltic again as they are very good value for money if you book early enough.
I had 4 flights with JU the route was BUD-BEG-ATH-BEG-BUD. I must say that I was totally satisfied with the airline. As I was reading the reviews here before my trip I was a little bit worried whether it was worth booking with Air Serbia but in the end I had no doubts that the airline made a huge improvement in order to provide a satisfying service for the passengers. The flights between Budapest and Belgrade were operated with ATR 72 aircraft's which were quite uncomfortable but it was alright for that 1 hr 5 mins of flight time. The surprising thing was that a little paper bag with a sandwich and a bottle of water was provided and they also served coffee and tea onboard. Belgrade Airport was okay however the WiFi was didn't work for me. The flights between Belgrade and Athens were operated with an Airbus A319. The seats were as comfortable as onboard of Lufthansa and it beats Finnair in comfort and onboard service. Another paper bag was provided during the flight with a fine sandwich cookie and a bottle of water. We could also ask from a wide range of beverages coke juices beer and wines. The 1 hr 15 mins flight was smooth in both ways. The crew was extremely helpful and nice thus I can say that the impact of Etihad Airways is clearly visible! If you are willing to travel to the Balkans or to Southern Europe don't hesitate to choose Air Serbia it's totally worth its price. (Which was even the cheapest option in case of my Budapest-Athens trip).
LA800 26 Apr SYD to AKL. Airline food reached a new low when I flew from Sydney to Auckland. Stale panini type bread enclosing ham and cheese. When I complained about it I was told it came from New Zealand. Why and when? The flight originated in Sydney so should have the bread and baked that day. This tasted at least two or three days old. What are they thinking? They are competing with Emirates on the same route. On the way back I flew with the latter. There could not have been a bigger contrast. I will not fly with this airline again if I have a choice on this route because of the food alone.
Auckland to London via San Francisco and at the Auckland check-in they initially charged me 400$ for two extra bags definitely higher than other companies. Furthermore before going through the security they checked the carry on luggage weight so I had to go back to the check-in and pay 250$ for 7Kg excess of my trolley. In total they charged us 650$ (ridiculous). Staff at Auckland check-in were completely unqualified because they did not know how to deal with extra bags and they took the original copy of the excess baggage charges so at San Francisco airport British airways charged us other 250$.
MUM-DEL. Excellent service - paid Rs300 for the front row which if you're my size is worth it! Inflight food is on a pay basis nothing special but it's good size portions and not bonkers expensive. Great inflight crew cheerful and engaging brand new planes. My first choice now for domestic Indian flights.
DUB-NAP. Was expecting very poor standards of both safety and comfort from this airline but was surprised. Flight at 5.00 am and the FA's were refreshed and alert. Pre flight safety procedures were clear and as high a standard as any other 3 star airline. The seats were quite hard and leg room was limited but the flight was made pleasant by friendly FA's. In flight catering was poor considering it was a four hour flight. We were handed almost frozen sandwiches and a juice box. Baggage collection was mayhem. All in all the flight was fair and would fly Adria again - but the airline does not compare to other 3 star airlines such as Aer Lingus and KLM.
Flew with Jetstar from MEL to BNE using a price match fare which was booked quickly by the polite Jetstar agent over the phone. Ground staff at MEL airport were polite and assisted with checking our two bags (under my name) onto the flight. The flight attendants boarding the flight at the gate were extremely rude yelling at passengers to move forward in the long queue. Once onboard the service was better and the crew were quite friendly at times offering to retrieve bags from the overhead compartment. One of my bags didn't arrive in Brisbane - which is curious because it was checked in at the same time as the other bag. I was told that it didn't make it onto the flight and that they would only be able to send it by courier the next day. Overall you get what you pay for but I wouldn't travel with Jetstar on a flight longer than 2.5 hours.
Just returned from Amsterdam via Dubai on Emirates/Qantas code share. A Qantas ticket/Emirates plane and in late on 7th October. The staff who attended us seemed inexperienced inattentive delays with meals and served very close to landing. The two attendants seemed confused as to who had ordered what. Seemed like an economy service which is a shame given the cost for business class and as a frequent overseas traveller. Also a rude response from a male cabin attendant when waiting for the toilet some 3O minutes before landing as he was about to close/clean it? Could have redirected appropriately. Disappointing given flight over with Emirates had been excellent. Shame to experience uneven services!
BNE-HVB-BNE in Dash 8 300 and Q400 aircraft excellent flights. I would happily fly QantasLink all around Australia if I could. Superb service for short flights which were on-time despite poor weather. Excellent wine (free) on these short flights. Often the best service on Qantas family of airlines is the smaller internal flights with young and enthusiastic staff of QantasLink - they have an entirely better attitude compared with many of their long-serving senior colleagues on the long-haul services of Qantas.
First time have flown with Ryanair it was to Gran Canaria. Boarding cards easy to print out and able to pre book seats both ways. Plane was clean and plenty of leg room. Staff were very helpful during the flight. All in all will use Ryanair again. One thing the flight supervisors on both flights spoke far too fast it may be a small thing but very hard to understand.
Phuket to Abu Dhabi. Business Class. Check-in was chaotic but this is the airport's fault not Etihad. Was asked to come to front of queue as I'm Gold Elite. Flight was fine - seats are leather. Staff is just ok. Nothing special or memorable.
I was supposed to fly on flight 9W117 from LHR to HYD via Mumbai. The flight was cancelled due to technical problems with the aircraft. Such things are entirely understandable. But right from the way this information was delivered to the way the 300+ dislodged passengers were handled was simply appalling. Those with kids and the elderly were not looked after well. Those who kicked up a lot of fuss were given seats in the next flight. After waiting for 4 hrs on a queue I have been re-routed with BA and I will be attending the conference two days late with having to request a reschedule of my talk. My bag was not given back to me! The treatment I have received so far by the BA staff is simply excellent. Never again Jet Airways!
Ground crew at both ends were pleasant and accommodating. We used Web Check-in going and coming. This was fast and easy and we did not have to stand in any lines. Seats are comfortable the food good although a little spicy. There was real cutlery - not plastic! The flight crew was friendly and attentive. There was a wide selection of movies and TV programs to choose from. The plane was very clean when we boarded - each seat had a pillow and blanket. This was one of the most pleasant experiences I have had in flying for several years. It was also the only direct flight from Toronto to Brussels - and the least expensive.
I booked 3 full fare flights to Cabo San Lucas on line at aircanada.com. Air Canada changed my direct flight from Cabo to Toronto twice prior to my departure. The first change had me stopping in Houston for a layover and then on to Toronto. Clearly not what I paid for. Shortly after that flight was changed routing me through San Francisco on a 'red eye' that had me arriving home Monday morning at 5.55am. I was to arrive home on Sunday evening but finally arrived home on Tuesday morning at 10am after they had handed me off to United who simply overbooked my flight. I contacted Air Canada for assistance from Mexico three times but they simply weren't interested. I truly wish there was real competition in the Canadian Airline industry so that I could avoid Air Canada in the future.
Our recent return flight from Honolulu was lacking to say the least. My son and his wife who were honeymooning were seated separately. My son who is quadriplegic was lifted into the aisle seat then a stranger placed in the adjacent window seat which meant the woman would have to repeatedly climb over him to her seat. My son and his wife were travelling with a 16 month old who was a delight throughout the flight. When the steward came through with the meagre sandwich offering we asked for a sandwich for the baby to which she replied 'I will have to see if there are any left'. The baby had no seat but they were charged $300 anyway. Would you not expect a sandwich for that? Especially when there is no food for sale custom laws make it very difficult to bring your own and there are many hours between meals. So mean spirited it took the aloha out of our trip.
Perth - Gatwick Jan 17 returning Feb 11 business class. This is a quality service with really good times and connections. The seat to and from Perth-Jakarta is a basic business recliner on the 737. We thought the connection in Jakarta would be tight but it was all fine with no rush or hassle apart from the rude Dutch businessmen going home. The cabin staff handled them well. The 777 ER from Jakarta leaves at 01.00 for a 13-14 hour trip to Schiphol. The cabin setup is excellent with solo window seats alternate couples together in the middle or two seats separated. We were together in the middle. The seats mattresses and bedding were as good as Qatar on the same routes - really comfortable but without the pyjamas. The full flat bed was a bit like the Qatar 787 layout and might be a bit tight for anyone over 180cm. Food and drink is good but anyone with any brain is not flying business for this. Equally the lounges are basic at both Gatwick and Jakarta but very acceptable. Business class is about being able to sleep in a comfortable flat bed. They excel. The connections on the way back are also excellent with a close connection in Jakarta and arrival in Perth at 1930. Garuda have certainly set a new standard for this route. Highly recommended.
QF142 AKL-SYD and QF42 SYD-CGK in economy. Got an exit row seat for the AKL-SYD leg very comfortable and spacious. B737 in great condition. Breakfast was great entertainment was good. SYD-CGK leg was unsatisfactory. A330 uncomfortable seat limited entertainment and unresponsive PTV. Horrible lunch but refreshments were good. Cabin crew were attentive in both flights.
Travelled between Toronto-Lahore-|Toronto. The ground crew at the airline counter displayed attitude and lacked any courtesy. The food quality on the way to Lahore was just acceptable. On return to Toronto the food portions were not even enough to feed a 6 year old. Also the breakfast was served one hour after takeoff and then no food until next 8 hours. That too was not enough. There was no food/snack/beverage for next 7 hours. 70% of Pakistanis living in North America drink coffee. Coffee was not available for economy class. No more PIA. There are better choices available now.
Just flew in this morning on their new service from Luton to Dubai and being a Silverjet first timer I have to say I had a great flight. Being 6ft and of large build I have yet to be able to sleep for anything more than 20mins or so on a flight imagine my delight at having slept for 5.30hrs. The ground crew at Luton very friendly and professional and crew a delight. I think the toilets on board could do with some modernising as they do not reflect the feel of the rest of the plane. Silverjet for me is way to go now when flying London-Dubai and vice versa.
Flew return from Heathrow to Koln on the 15th and 17th October and both flights left a very good impression. On the flight out of Heathrow the ground staff advised about a 10/15 minute delay due to the late arrival of the inbound flight once seated the captain advised that he would make up time and we would still be able to arrive on time which we did so all was good. The inflight service was good and efficient as one would expect from a German based company. The seats in the Smart section were comfortable and had plenty of leg room. The ground staff in the UK were efficient however one of the check staff in Koln was rather much too strict in not letting us check in at her desk even though we were the only ones checking in at the time. As seasoned long haul travellers overall Germanwings as a low cost carrier have left a very good impression on my 2 colleagues and myself and I am sure that we will use and recommend this carrier again and again.
We boarded in Brussels (20-01-13) and sat in the chilly cabin for 5.5 hrs and waited before we finally departed. No free drinks or food served and very little information was given about the reason for the long delay. Once we landed in Copenhagen we were not informed that no ones luggage had been loaded onto the plane. Naturally everybody went to retrieve their luggage at the pickup area with the official information saying that our luggage would be arriving on the belts shortly. Everybody ended up waiting almost another 2 hours for their luggage to arrive with another plane with no official information given about the reason. So in conclusion: Brussels Airlines is poorly managed even down to the most basic services. I would much rather pay a bit more for my plane ticket next time around to avoid using Brussels Airline.
RNO-DEN-RNO. All went well. On time except for return flight in which they held the plane 15 minutes for some connecting passengers that were on their way. We were kept informed. Crew were pleasant on all flights. The captain stood by the exit and said his thank you as we all exited. Baggage arrived safely except mine was covered in snow in Denver.
Johannesburg to Harare return. Outward flight on time - rather old 737-but clean. Cabin crew efficient lunch time flight so we were offered chicken or alternative lunch which was acceptable. Return flight left Harare on time 737 again and a light snack with drinks. Again cabin crew efficient and information from the flight deck along the route. Arrived on time-good experience overall.
BKK to LHR. Arrived fairly early and was whisked through check in security and escorted to the fab First class lounge in 10mins flat. Escorted to the plane and my seat. Very pleased to see the new First class semi suites which are very comfortable for sitting and sleeping. Service prompt and food quickly served to maximise sleep. Arrived on time and despite a busy T3 bags delivered quickly.
HKG-BKK. It was quite a pleasant trip from Hong Kong although delayed an hour. They served nice food for breakfast and juice or water or fizzy drink. It was an old but clean 767-300 aircraft. The pilots were nice and apologised for delay. BKK-HKG. Delayed 3 hrs 30 mins it was an old Japanese 767-300 again and the food they served for dinner was chicken with rice orange pudding butter cake and peanuts and a drink. Recommend this airline.
AC8886 I flew from Edmonton to Newfoundland. My flight from Edmonton was delayed 55 minutes the lady at the ticket desk did not even check in my son so that caused a hassle when I went to get on the plane. When I got to Halifax the plane was delayed 3.5 hours. I had 2 cranky boys under 3 years old everything was closed at the airport they gave me a $10 meal voucher and were very rude about it. I do not recommend this airline.
Flew Scoot flight TZ7 from Perth to Singapore on 23/06/14. The aircraft was Goin'Scootin the crew were very fast to serve food and were very friendly. The captain however made announcements far too softly. We did not choose our seats and got super seats for free which have more legroom compared to the blue seats. However the seat was not cushioned and was quite hard the flight was quite bumpy so we did not feel relaxed at all. The food served onboard was very expensive but was needed for a 5hr flight. The boarding at Perth was terrible no queues staff not trained.
ADD-IAD-ADD and ADD-NBI. I found it an enjoyable flight full of inflight services. Crews are very co-operative and providing all the necessary support when requested. There was enough information as to the status of the flight once it took off.
I flew with Air Canada Rouge in January on business from Toronto to Sarasota and was seated in the standard cabin. Although the flight itself was pleasant enough the seats were very close together and cramped. If given the choice I would not choose to fly with them again.
Heathrow–Sharm el Sheikh Economy Class. Overnight flight in a full A320 economy cabin. Tried to check-in online without success nevertheless check-in was quick and efficiently. Flight on time. Cabin was very hot - it was not a comfortable flight. No personal IFE small screens – one for every third or fourth row these were difficult to view and with the cabin noise difficult to hear. Reasonable hot meal served shortly after departure and beverages shortly before arrival. Cabin crew were efficient. Sharm el Sheikh–Cairo–Heathrow Economy Class. Again unable to check-in online. Short 45 mins flight to Cairo on half full A320. Beverage service only. Cairo–Heathrow on 777 in exit row seat. Reasonable hot meal served and personal IFE adequate for the short 4.5 hour journey. Again I found the cabin crew friendly and helpful.
Prague via Brussels to Lisbon. We had bought our tickets several months before the trip. During that time the flights were changed at least 5 times. New departure was worse and worse. We chose the flight only because of the time of departure. From both noon or afternoon departures they changed to the first morning flights which was after 6 am from Prague for example. We did not agree they offered us to return money only or to take their stupid early flights. On time when they offered us to return money for tickets the price was about 100% higher. This is the only airline where staff do not say good morning and good-bye to passengers.
We flew LHR-Shanghai-Melbourne return having chosen the airline due to a good price and a desire to stopover in Shanghai. We were a little apprehensive having read some negative reviews but found our experience with them quite satisfying. The cabin crew were very obliging and helpful and there was surprisingly good leg room. We were able to get an emergency exit aisle seat on two of the sectors without having to pay extra - this was a nice bonus! The seats were adequately comfortable. As for the inflight entertainment there is not as much variety as you may get from more well known airlines but there was enough variety to keep your interest. On the way back we had a 7 hour delay due to an issue with the plane. Although this was annoying we were given meal vouchers to use at Melbourne Airport - the value of these was more then enough for two of us to have two really nice meals! Also when we arrived in Shanghai we were given compensation there as well. Having been delayed before on other airlines it was refreshing to receive adequate compensation as this has not always been offered in the past so it was very pleasing to see how well they dealt with the situation. All in all China Eastern offer good value for money and are worth trying out. The important thing is not to expect an Emirates or Singapore Airlines experience - you are paying about half the price so it won't be to that level. However what you get for the price is very good.
Rynair is a luxury comparing to Wizz Air. They will charge you for every thing, no customer focus whatsoever! Staff were rude and unhelpful. We fly for business all the time and made a massive mistake booking with them. We would rather pay a bit more but feel like we are being looked after or even fly to Modlin airport and pick the hire car from there. 
JFK to Fort Myers. Staff were helpful and friendly. Stewardesses were courteous. Inflight TVs are great. Also the first bag free check in makes sense. A great experience especially when traveling with two young children.
BSB-LIS-ROM and ROM-LIS-GRU last month in economy. All flights no exceptions were delayed one connection was missed and we were denied boarding even though there was still time available. This airline is disorganized and what they do best is to exempt themselves from any responsibility whatsoever in delays - they're never to blame! In some flights the temperature was unacceptably cold and despite requests (including from other passengers) flight attendants did not raise the temperature. Value for money is not acceptable and I will never choose this airline again.
I have not used Aer Lingus for many years because of cost. I recently went from Dublin to New York. Outward journey perfect. Return another matter. I could not book a seat and at JFK I was the very first in line I was handed a boarding card not having been asked if I would like an aisle seat or otherwise. I did ask for the same seat I had on the outward journey if it was available. I was told it was not and handed the boarding card within 10 seconds. The impression I I got was that the lady at the desk did not even look. It will be a while before I use Aer Lingus again.
FAO-LIS. Operated by Portugalia. Very old E145. 35 min flight. Bus messy boarding. Leather seats. No service at all on board. Not even water.
Flew from Vienna to Astana on July 29. The plane was small it had no in-flight entertainment system. It took more than an hour after take-off before anyone got a drink. The food was terrible (no choice for anyone just penne with tomato sauce and a "dessert" that I can only imagine to have melted ice cream). The staff were unfriendly. Not to be repeated: I will try to avoid Austrian from now on.
SkyWest does not honor American Express/Delta free baggage deals. They are the only carrier in and out of some destinations like West Yellowstone. As a result even if you get your free checked bag from your original departure location/Delta flight you won't get it on the way home. The SkyWest ticket counter employee at West Yellowstone actually thought it was funny. She laughed at me when I complained. This was a "Delta" flight operated by SkyWest.
MUC-SKG on 17th of Dec. One-way. New A320 with new style of seats quite uncomfortable though. Friendly and nice crew. A hot meal was served in this short flight and drinks. However passengers didn't obey at all to the new cabin baggage rules causing space problems and minor delays and the crew did nothing about it. Rules should be more strictly enforced.
San Jose to Tokyo Narita on new Dreamliner Business Class. Seat comfort was first rate plenty of room and great access to the aisle. IFE was very good service was amazing. Food was too salty for me otherwise a great flight.
DCA to Jackson Hole Wyoming. Flights to Denver and one to Jackson Hole were on time. New clean Airbus 319s. Friendly and helpful crew. Return flight from Jackson Hole left about 40 minutes late due to weather but they held connecting flight in Denver and arrival in DCA only 10 minutes late. Excellent experience.
I flew 3 times aboard Bangkok Airways during a recent trip to Thailand. I was very impressed by the quality of its service. The service aboard is good staff professional and polite. They provide us with a really good meal even on 1-hour flights and they have a lounge at BKK Airport for the customers in transit which was very appreciated when we were waiting between our interconnecting flights via Chiang Mai. There we could enjoy a complimentary buffet coffee juices and Internet. It was very pleasant! Our flights were always on time.
First class from PDX to LAX. On time good seat comfortable and plenty of space. Easy check in and boarding. Early arrival. Inflight food and beverages woeful. Very limited beverages and my choice of red wine not available. No food apart from a 1/2oz bag of crisps or peanuts. For a two-hour flight something more substantial should be available in First. And nothing else even available for purchase. Staff on board ok. Disappointing apart from the seat comfort and space. I had bought a discounted First class ticket otherwise not worth it. And no access to Delta lounge for First pax unless paid for ($50) or a regular card holder for this service.
ZRH-CDG flight CDG-ZRH business trip in Economy - both flights on time and web check-in worked perfectly and saved a lot of time as travelled only with hand luggage. Both flights uneventful and short (50min). First Outbound flight nearly full but received a good service from the SWISS staff. Coffee and croissant ok but nothing special. Flight back to Zurich a (very) small sandwich was served and (complimentary) alcohol was served (Beer wine etc)! Great little chocolates as always. Seats good - but if you have the possibility to have a seat within a empty row go for it as comfort is substantially better. No IFE but necessary as short flight. All in all very good experience and good European product.
We flew as a family of 4 from Shanghai to Hong Kong and then the following week from Hong Kong to Beijing and we were happy with the flights. The website was good and easy to use when making the booking. However I couldn't see anything about the luggage allowance. It turns out economy passengers are allowed 2 pieces of luggage - so our 5 suitcases between 4 was fine. The check-in was easy - with no queues at either check-in. The plane was modern with individual entertainment. We watched recent films on each flight. We were fed a meal on each flight which whilst not exciting - was fine and the staff were pleasant and helpful. The prices are similar to European 'cheap' airlines and yet the flights service and comfort are all much better here. Would absolutely recommend if you need to use this airline.
My partner and I flew with them from London to Rio de Janeiro. The service provided by the crew was very bad they were very rude and food was the worst quality food I have had from an airline. My seat was broken and the answer I got was there is nothing they could do. I don't recommend the airline at all I regret to not paying £100 more to fly British airways.
MXP-ATH Jul 15th. A321 aircraft new and comfortable and large legroom. We had a hot meal something that I've seen just on LR flights. Flight on time and efficient crew. ATH-HER Jul 17th. A320 aircraft. Very short domestic flight but more stressful than the previous one. The plane was very crowded and the boarding chaotic. As the flight was just 30 mins long we were served in a rush remarkable that the crew managed to serve 150 people is a short time. In general I'd fly them again.
Flew from Xiamen to Hong Kong on two occasion and was delayed twice. Consequently missed my connecting flight back to Penang. Although the alternative flight arrangements were fine I still would not recommend flying with Dragonair especially if you are on a tight schedule.
ATH-HER-ATH connecting to Swiss ZRH-ATH-ZRH. Short 50 min flight on a A321. Flight completely full however the friendly crew managed to serve the whole plane drinks and peanuts. Very comfortable seats sufficient legroom. All in all very enjoyable. Would choose Aegean again.
IST-GVA-IST. No problems except the utterly uncomfortable seats and the heat in the airplane. Although it is a short flight sitting 3+ hours in the their A320 seats is a torture the pitch must have been adjusted by the millimetre to squeeze in one or two more rows. Seats are hard and although I am of average height my knees toughed the front seat. The crew were as previously experienced on THY dull and not particularly friendly. Smiles are rare unfortunately. I do sometimes take this flight as it is the only direct connection between GVA and IST the option is with LX via ZRH but although it takes more time flying with Swiss is way more comfortable and you have a friendly crew.
Flying with Air China 737-800 from Beijing to Guangzhou. 3 hour flight was delayed 90 minutes. I was sat in the very uncomfortable seat for almost 4 hours. Flight attendants were patient with passengers that needed to transit at Guangzhou. The overhead TV was boring and in mandarin (maybe cause by domestic flight). The vegetarian food was too salty but okay for economy class. Will not recommend.
Flew NBO-AMS B777-300 business class and NBO-JNB-NBO Dreamliner / B737-800 business class during last month. The JNB sectors with a 1-year old baby and all flights a true pleasure. Brand new aircraft on all sectors; particularly impressed with the B787 and B737-800. Excellent service by the cabin crew particularly on the sectors traveling with baby - very helpful. New Pride lounge at NBO is world-class in terms of design and finishes. Food on-board and in the NBO lounge remains somewhat mediocre the rest is tip-top.
Second Journey to Tokyo from Copenhagen with SK0983. Unfortunately there was a 2 hour delay but there was good flight information and journey took only 10 hours from Copenhagen to Tokyo. Good Entertainment selection and Food was a great improvement from last journey 3 months ago. Staff always professional and helpful. I have travelled With SAS the last 30 years I must say all in all that I have always experienced good service and flights With SAS.
I flew from Milan to Berlin round-trip and have to say that after several bad experiences with Air Berlin this time they were over the point. I booked the flight from Malpensa to Tegel and some weeks later they changed the airport from Malpensa to Linate which is further from where I live. This was just the beginning. On the flight back from Tegel to Linate although I was at the check in desk on time (70 mins in advance) they told me that I could not fly because the flight was overbooked! This was the evening flight and they offered me the chance to fly the next morning instead. They offered me another alternative to fly to Linate via Dusseldorf. So I went back to the Air Berlin desk where they gave me a new boarding pass. After finally arriving at Linate 3 hours later than initially planned what completed the disaster is that my luggage did not arrive. Never again.
BKK-KUL return on A330-300 - what a beautiful aircraft! First flight ever on RJ and looked forward to this new experience. Turned out to be a disappointment although the aircraft was modern with good IFE. The meal was bad both ways and their service by a Thai crew disappointing. The Jordanian head stewardess on KUL-BKK sector was superb though. Other reviews suggest RJ to be very good on long-haul but this intra-Asian sector turned out to be a disappointment. The hardware is there but they are way behind MH or TG.
Great service fair price very attentive crew very convenient and time saving Antwerp airport to LCY + return.
As per the previous comment we also booked our flight to Sydney from the Sunshine Coast and paid for accommodation and return flights with another airline. We were sent no text or email and booked in over the net. On arrival at the airport we were told all flights with Tiger from the Sunshine Coast were cancelled. We could change our flights to Tues - but they could not guarantee the flight would not also be cancelled. We will never ever make this mistake again!
TLV-KOS Island Greece-TLV. Full B757-300 each way. 1 hour 20 minutes ride. Crew very efficient in distributing a chocolate muffin and a glass of water to all 270 passengers. Then they sat down in their crew rest seats which where in row 3 smack between passengers and enjoyed a full hot breakfast. You would expect them to eat discreetly in their Galley. They then sold duty free which has great deals. On this portion of the trip it seemed like passengers were unwelcome. On the return flight the crew were more dedicated to service. Again duty free sales. All announcements friendly and clear good Hebrew and English. Nothing amazing nothing horrible. They just went through the motions.
ZRH-IST on April 29th - plane still had the March Inflight magazine service on a 3 hours flight came once and what was served was a vacuum packed chocolate bun with an expiry Sep. Not far away from a low cost carrier.
I booked a London to Tokyo flight via Moscow as it was the cheapest fare and the journey time was good. We booked vegetarian meals and confirmed these via the booking agent Opodo. However when checking in it became apparent we had no vegetarian meal. The stewards on the first leg were great and rustled up a vegetarian meal for us they were good and I started to wonder what all the bad reviews were about. However during the next leg it was obvious - the staff never smiled and were not helpful with our vegetarian request. The inflight entertainment was not great a few new movies - it was a laugh to see movies from the 70's though. The return leg was not great we didn't even bother asking about the vegetarian meal as I couldn't face the stern expression on the steward. It was not a pleasant journey. Aeroflot is much cheaper than other airline and I would recommend it as it did the trick we arrived safely. So if you are happy to forego smiling staff have a passion for old Russian films and do not want vegetarian food you will love Aeroflot!
June 14 KMG to BKK. Flight was on time only about half full or less. Flight attendants were polite and friendly. Food was acceptable given the only 2-hour flight. Because the airport was newly built and there were not many international flight out from KMG the international section of the airport was very spacious. Overall it was a good experience.
London Heathrow to Zagreb return in economy. Used the BA app to check in at both airports. Both flights on time. I found the crew were friendly and got the job done. They appeared to enjoy their work. The flight back from Zagreb was almost completely full - but the crew were good and ensured that everyone was catered for.
Booked flight from Bodrum to Newcastle in Jan2012 to fly on the 9th Oct from Bodrum to Newcastle . When we arrived at Bodrum airport in plenty of time to check in we were informed by an airport representative the flight had gone earlier in the day. We were never informed by Jet2 that the flight time had been changed. We then had to purchase other tickets with another airline as Jet2 only fly once a week to Bodrum.
I work for a very large International corporation with hundreds of employees working in Afghanistan. At this time the company uses KAM Airlines but this airline loses passenger's baggage on a regular basis. When our company has a new group of employees set to fly from Dubai to Kabul on KAM Airlines we always have to leave one company representative behind in Dubai for a couple of days to retrieve all of the baggage that has been lost.
Paris-Abu Dhabi-Melbourne first class. Paris to AUH no staff in first class cabin spoke French. Service was haphazard at best. Sink in main bathroom was blocked and this reported to crew. The same aircraft serviced the AUH-Melbourne sector. The sink was still blocked. This airline has some excellent staff however the standards are extremely uneven and one is left with the impression that training could be improved.
LHR-HEL-BKK return Business Class. Normally I travel direct to Asia so I was dubious about transfering in Helsinki but no worries. The lounge is bright and comfortable. BA Silver card holders get free drinks and food (also pre flight dining). I used the Spa (cost €40) - surprised to have to pay as I thought it was free for business travellers but worth every penny. A330 is spacious with mood lighting. Very attentive service delicious Scandinavian food and wine and the seat went flat. There are a number of single seats in cabin which I would have liked but was unsuccessful at checkin - should have been online earlier! Return leg I was convinced the 30mins connection time would mean a lost bag but my case was first off in London. . My one criticism would be the inflight entertainment system - choice is limited and bland and the blanket was too heavy and hot.
Returned early this morning from my flight Redmond to Seattle to Anchorage on Alaska in First. (upgraded). This flight was fine once we got into the air. Our plane had an issue or two which prevented an on time takeoff. We were about 70 minutes delayed but the crew did a fine job keeping everyone informed and did their usual fine job for the passengers. Paul was our employee in first and did an outstanding job great humor and fantastic work ethic. Even though we were late getting home to the Greatland nobody on board (from what I saw) griped about it. We were just glad to be back home.
Abysmal. Where do I start? 1) This is their "Luxury Class" airline? I'd like to see their definition of "luxury" because while mine might include massages and such having my backside massaged for five hours by the knees of the tall guy in the seat behind mine (through the cheap seat) isn't what I had in mind. 2) Service? For one they don't actually have much service other than basic drinks and bad food (must be purchased). The flight attendants are really young. The outbound crew spent most of the time in the back bitching about their schedulers and how horrid it is to work for the airline. 3) Comfort? I'm short. Just shy of 5'2". I've been on amusement park rides that lock me in less securely than I was on my "rouge" flights. Seriously. When the person in front of my reclined I was locked in for hours and didn't even have access to my items on the floor in front of me. 4) Flight options? Surprise! The only non-stop flight to my destination was on rouge. Cheap seats for an expensive flight. (Even more expensive because I was using a previously unused ticket that first required a 90 min wait to even talk to an AC rep and then required a $235 surcharge to change and included a loss of several hundred $ that I think could have been used towards Business Class for at least one direction.) Worse customer service ever. In short never again. This is a hypocritical "hip" new service that is best avoided at all cost. What an embarrassment. I will avoid Air Canada - and Air Canada rouge - at all costs.
KTM-HKG Business Class. Arriving at the airport we were faced with huge lines to get in as all baagage had to be x-rayed prior to check in. No agent present at the business class check in counter so my wife and I proceeded to the economy check in. Only one person in front. The agent was friendly and soon gave us our boarding passes with the Economy Class name crossed out and Business Class written by hand - nice. Flight was delayed due to late arrival of aircraft - not an unusual occurrence with Royal Nepal - most people are just thankful the flight's not cancelled. Flight departed an hour and a half late though we arrived just 20 minutes past our scheduled arrival time. On board there were 2 FA for the 9 people sitting up front (including 2 relief pilots). Meals were fine and service was friendly. No inflight entertainment - only international news magazines and newspapers were available. FAs came around frequently to check if everything was ok. Overall an ok experience - the staff usually try their best but are let down by shoddy management ageing planes and poor infrastructure at the airport.
MAD-LHR A320 check in and fast track in just 5 min business lounge nice with plenty of food drinks wifi. Boarding on time nice FA. Plane a bit old seat not very comfortable. Very nice hot breakfast. arrival on time T5.
I'm used to fly with the french national airline because I'm a top-tier Frequence Plus cardholder but I have decided to try Air Austral on a trip from Reunion Island to Paris return in Business Class (they call it Club Austral). I have not been disappointed. The onboard crew was extremely helpful and smiley from boarding to disembarking. The seat which can recline 140 degrees -almost flat bed - is very comfortable good width and pitch. The food is tasty and includes a creole dish accompanied with spicy condiments and an interesting variety of wines. Even the bread is warm unlike other airlines I'm used to travel with. I have been especially impressed by the quality of the service on board and this from the FA to the captain. Good work.
MEL to KUL then onto Cebu and back to MEL then KUL to Cebu. A disaster at check in as the computer failed. Arrived at airport at 4.30am still standing in the same spot 2 hours later. Sent to the wrong boarding gate finally got on the plane and flight attendants very blasé about the delay. MEL to KUL and back with very boring food. Check in at MEL airport took forever arrived at 10.30 pm for the flight didn't get through check in until midnight. After this experience never again.
I discovered that they have upped their price for checked baggage and now charge $1.99 for inflight sodas. I then missed my connecting flight due to an error on the counter attendant's part and was charged an additional $50 to change to the next flight. When I calmly explained the situation I was told that I was the only person to miss the flight. She rudely dismissed my further request for a supervisor and demanded payment unless I was "no longer interested in reaching my final destination." My traveling is not yet over and I have already encountered further issues with this airline just in one day. I shudder to think what my return trip will be like. Throughout this ordeal I have encountered the same attitude with each Frontier representative. The customer service is absolutely atrocious the employees do not seem to care and I have found that Frontier does not uphold the typical customer service mantra that "The Customer is Always Right."
Travelled on LHE-DOH-MAN flight in economy class. LHE-DOH was with 777-ER and had comfortable seats but DOH-MAN was A330 an old model with really congested seats. Not only this but inflight crew were not helpful. Food quality is just enough but most of all I found Doha airport really dis-satisfactory. The transit terminal and arrivals are served with buses and that makes transit very painful especially if travelling with kids. I am not impressed with Qatar Airways.
Perth to Singapore - Scootbiz. Overall a good product check in very efficient through dedicated Biz desk young man was very friendly and professional he also mentioned we could board the plane as soon as boarding begins. Unfortunately no option to purchase Business Lounge Access at Perth. Boarding was efficient with a call to all Scoot biz to board at the start excellent much improved on last time. Boarded the cabin to realise there were only 4 people of the 32 seat occupied in the Biz section as always we were greeted warmly when boarding the plane. Drink orders were taken before take off and we were allowed any drink on their menu something not offered on our previous trip so improving all the time opted for Singapore slings we were told we would get these after take off. As with Biz we were provided with a small sealed cup of water like you get in economy take off was earlier than expected which I was impressed with. It was about 30 minutes after we took off when we were provided with our pre ordered meal not bad with small can of pringles and a bottle of pre mixed Singapore sling with a cup of ice overall good for budget maybe disappointing for any other service. Once again we were unable to use the entertainment system this time using a tablet instead of a laptop but once again no luck. We rarely saw the cabin staff and they did not come out and give us the code to access the entertainment. Scoot need to look at this as I don't think I'm the only one to have this issue. My favourite part of the experience is the seat its like premium economy comfortable with 38 inch leg room and 20inch width great for a 5 hour flight. Overall its a Premium economy cabin with a budget service.
GOA-BCN. Good flight average service tickets a little too expensive. New aircraft new panels over our heads were attached with tape.
We had a very comfortable flight from Marseilles to Rome via Barcelona. The flight from MRS-BCN pulling into the same terminal we needed to be 90 minutes later to fly to Rome. That took away a great deal of stress trying to find our way around a foreign airport. The flights were good the staff excellent and should I ever have the opportunity to fly Vueling again I will jump at the chance.
KE123 Incheon to Brisbane 12 Jan 2015. Generous leg room. Gluten free meals good cabin crew helpful and kind. Toilets clean. Cabin crew work extremely hard were always giving out juice and water and helping when needed. Very good option for Australia to Europe and back with connections and free stopover they offer.
Flew Barcelona to Tangier. Turned up at BCN airport 3 hours prior to the scheduled flight time. Check in desks were abandoned. About 1 hour before boarding there was still no one at check in. A number of passengers phoned the airline to find out what was going on only to be told the flight had been cancelled. No notifications were provided to any of the passengers and the flight was rescheduled to the following day. Not even the information boards in the airport reflected that the flight was cancelled. I had to go back to my hotel and come back the following day only to find the flight times had been changed twice. When I did eventually get on the plane the interior was in a pitiful state and the flight staff were appalling. Never again.
Hong Kong to London in World. It was on the A380 - first time aboard and must say I was impressed. A much better experience than the Emirates A380. Great mood lighting large windows. Nice to have a number of small cabins on both decks. Friendly service from the crew.
Istanbul-Stansted return by Anadolu Jet- low cost carrier of Turkish Airlines. Both flights were on time. Plane was a tired 738 but for the money I paid for ( 250 Euros) during Eid it really didn't matter. Leg space is narrow but if you get front seats you could get a few extra inches. Complimentary food and snacks were served during the flight which is a plus since low cost carriers hardly do that anymore. Crew were friendly and pilots kept us informed. No inflight entertainment but again for the value of the ticket it didn't matter that much.
AMS- CGK 16 August 2012. Smooth and enjoyable flight. Flight was full in economy and quite empty in Executive class. Flight attendants were attentive and genuine. Although I think the meals served had small portions for a long haul flight.
Flew Thai Smile from Bangkok to Macau and back. Nothing to smile about considering its an International sector. Seats good for Thai"s anyone above 5'7 will find it very difficult to sit in. Food comes in a plastic bag - a bottle of water a small pudding a tiny sandwich. In spite of clear weather in Macau a day after Typhoon Usagi spared the area flight came in 3 hours late and further delay to land as only one runway operational in BKK - another 40 minutes late missed my connection to Krabi rude staff at airport refused to change my ticket to the next mornings flight until I complained. Sat at the airport for 14 hours. Thai Smile in the Land of Smiles for once didnt make me Smile! Never again.
Heathrow to Malta and back to Gatwick economy class. Flight just under an hour late leaving Heathrow due to the French air traffic strike but on time leaving Malta on return. Free Maltese newspapers given out on boarding and hot meal served which was basic but edible. Free soft drinks and alcoholic ones charged at £2.50. Inflight programmes shown on overhead screens but no headphones give out. Overall quite basic and could be improved considerably with little extras but still better then many other full service carriers.
OAK - HOU round trip 73Fs both ways and I was in Seat 5F going and 4F on the return. Evolve Interior not bad and my only complaint is a lack of power ports. Cute cookies. Staff not at all bad. Only real complaint was that outbound flight was delayed but they made up for the delay in the air so even though I literally ran through HOU I did pick up my rental car before they closed for the day.
KIX-FRA-MXP. Despite the longest security check at Osaka Kansai that I remember once onboard the flight was very good. Both flights on time good comfort on the 747-400 and kind flight staff. Transfer at FRA a bit long but overall ok. Good IFE quality choice fairly good.
CGK-YOG. On time flight and had a user friendly inflight entertainment system. Seat was comfortable but a bit cramped.
September 20th - first flight: ABQ to Denver and Flight 2 Denver to Seattle WA. Both flights were delayed. The boarding process was chaotic the boarding by zones served no purpose: we had to wait in line before boarding for at least half hour because passengers struggled to find a spot to store their carryon luggage and struggling to get to their seats causing heavy traffic in the aisle. Attendants seemed to be as confused as us not knowing what to do. I and other passengers had to check in their carryon as all the overhead compartments were full. The check- in agent did not seem to know what to do either. Finally arriving in Denver I headed to the customer service to make sure my carry-on would get to my final destination when I arrived at the counter the three employees who were not helping anyone literally ignored me for some time and then finally a rude employee did not really help me out but sent me to another gate in order to receive service. Second flight was delayed due to refuel process. Paying for entertainment may be justified but paying for non alcoholic beverages is not acceptable. I will definitely not fly with this airline ever again.
London-Beirut return. Day before travel received a call saying that the outbound flight had been cancelled. Was re-booked on a later flight thereby causing us to lose our first evening in Beirut. But at least we were upgraded to Business Class. 48 hours before the return flight I received an email from BMI saying the Beirut-London flight had been cancelled. At this time I was in northern Iraq on a mobile phone. It was very difficult dealing with a call centre in - I think - India. Initially they insisted that it had not been confirmed that the flight had been cancelled - despite the earlier email! At length they re-booked us on an earlier flight. As a result we lost a day in Beirut. On checking in for the earlier flight I asked for an upgrade by way of compensation. This was refused. The check-in girl claimed (falsely I believe) that upgrades could only be done from London! This was the first time I'd used this airline - and it will be the last time. It seems to cancel its flights rather routinely giving passengers almost no time to make alternative arrangements. And it seems not to care about the disruption its cancellations cause to passengers' travel/holiday plans.
The domestic flights departed on schedule despite rather chaotic airports and ATRs were well kept and the crew friendly. ADD- IAD flight in Business also very nice and attendants was thoughtful and efficient. The seat in B777 but has fewer position adjustment than some others and took a bit of fiddling to get right but was comfortable. The food was tasty and served real style. The lounge in ADD is far too small for the evening traffic and by about 21.30 there was standing room only. The fact that we arrived in IAD almost 2 hours late was never mentioned.
Travelled to Cancun on TOM186 Dreamliner plane excellent service on board dreadful food inedible unlimited drinks a joke one drink served on a 10+ hour flight. Flight attendants very unhelpful on return flight but then Thomsons have had your money and your holiday is finished as far as they are concerned. I suggest that Thomsons look at the on-board service forget free drinks and go back to selling them and get new food suppliers.
It's Canada's answer to Europe's Ryanair. They're making a few extra bucks by cramming more very uncomfortable seats onto an Airbus 319. The "entertainment" streaming which replaces the usual video screens is a joke unless you enjoy watching endless commercials and the lamest movies on the market. My biggest problem is that Air Canada on certain routes no longer gives you a choice between a regular flight and "budget" Rouge. Fortunately we were flying Vancouver to Palm Springs ( only 2.5 - 3 hours). Pity the fools who are on long haul Rouge flights. I'd be tearing my hair out! The high school kids who were pretending to be flight attendants were enthusiastic and doing their best but as mentioned in another comment are they prepared for an emergency situation.
Manchester UK - Philadelphia - New York. Totally satisfied great food modern inflight entertainment crew was nice flight delayed by 90 mins - did not bother me. People at the desk in Philadelphia very helpful. Was worried about this trip after reading only negative reviews but I must say I was very pleased. I fly the US - EU route every month (always a different airline though). I would definitely recommend US Airways.
Fly Air Mauritius once a year and the service keeps going down. Leg room is very poor seat material is old and dirty entertainment equipment is old. On our last flight my wife pressed the service button after 10 mins no one came. She had to go to the back of the plane where all the attendants were too busy having a chat to ask for a bottle of water.
First leg from Harrisburg to O'Hare was delayed by 2 hours due to weather, causing me to miss my connection in Chicago. Total door-to-door travel time for this flight was about 14 hours. All staff was courteous, pleasant and efficient. WiFi entertainment system that streams TV and movies over tablets worked well, and provided lots of options. No problem finding my flights. The planes are so packed (this is industry wide, not just United) there's no flexibility in the system for weather delays. This also makes them uncomfortable. When I got annoyed enough that I tried three times to upgrade to Premium Economy hoping to score an empty center seat, United's App steadfastly refused to take my money, so I stayed wedged back in the back of the plane. Would I recommend United? Yes. They're no worse than any other carrier.  The benefit of United though, is you can get their service at more locations than just about any other airline. Using the smaller, regional airports like Harrisburg saves a lot of airport headaches - that's what gives United the leg up over other carriers for me.
We travelled to Cancun on 3rd January 2013. Flight took a couple of hours longer due to headwind which made an uncomfortable flight even more unpleasant. The seat I had pre-booked at extra cost would not fully recline so sleeping for part of the journey to recover from an early start was impossible. The inflight entertainment is limited you are encouraged to pay an extra £10 to be able to watch films at a time convenient to you. The inflight food is meagre. If you want water it is to be paid for. On long haul flights surely this should be free. Inflight staff spend most of their time selling food and drink and other payable options. After spending 8 hours on this flight we were then told that we would have to complete customs immigrations forms for Mexican customs but they didn't have any on board. Later we were told that someone would bring them out to the plane when we landed and given to us on debarkation. However they had run out/ We were then told we could get them in the customs hall. Arrived in the customs area to overcrowded chaos. They managed to locate some forms for us and we then had to try to complete them whilst we were walking in the queue. Another passenger in the queue told us they had the same trouble last year! I always considered Thomson to be a good company to book with. Not anymore.
Paris CDG to Singapore (via Doha) Economy on QR 38 (A346) and QR 938 (B77L). Boarding was fast at CDG and flight left on time. Service on this flight was excellent - crew brought drinks regularly meals were served as soon as flight departed Paris and snack was give before landing at Doha and always a smile on the faces of the crew as they went around the cabin. There was leg space and seat width on the A346 but luckily for me the flight was not full and I had a whole row to myself. IFEs were older but nevertheless selection of movies were good. Extremely smooth landing at Doha before scheduled arrival time transfer to the terminal took about 10 minutes but once inside was able to connect to my next flight to Singapore with time to spare (I had a 1 hour 25 minute transit). QR 938 to Singapore on newer B77L flight was even emptier than the last so another row to myself as well. Seats wider on this aircraft with lots of legroom. Service was excellent once again towels and sweets passed around drinks came regularly breakfast served after takeoff and snack served before arrival in Singapore. Flight landed ahead of time. I would certainly recommend Qatar Airways and look forward to flying them again on my next trip - the airline is really going places especially with the new Hamad Airport set to open its doors within the next year or so.
13th December from Heathrow T2 to Vienna via Cologne. Really good crew and comfortable cabin for such a short flight. Transfer in Cologne/Bonn was easy and Germanwings agents very good. From Cologne to Vienna the flight was not so busy and seats were free. Another good crew and great flight. As you should expect in flight beverages not cheap. However the 3 fare types - basic: no free refreshments hand luggage only smart: checked bag included free refreshments (sandwich 2 drinks) best: different cabin checked bag unlimited free refreshments - is a good effective system. Cheap fares good airline will use again.
I recently made a lightening trip to and from New Zealand to attend my mother's funeral. I did get rather confused at Heathrow and ground staff at Heathrow were extremely helpful they must have notified ground staff at Abu Dhabi as someone was there to meet me take me through security on to a lovely lounge and escort me back later to the aeroplane. This also occurred on my return trip when I touched down at Abu Dhabi on Fri 24 April. I will use Etihad when possible in the future.
AMS-CPT-AMS. All in all a good flight. Friendly flight attendants good food and onboard entertainment.
NZ - Nadi - NZ. Food was terrible on both flights. Pay for up to date entertainment on full fare flight - not on! Check in at Nadi 6 counters open only 3 staffed and telling us flight will be closed and over 100 passengers will be left behind. Flight to Sydney had 11 counters open. Flying again with AP in a few months with children already paid or would not be flying with them again.
Flew Perth - KL (return). Both flights were good, nothing remarkable or special. Seats were fine, legroom somewhat tight but there was good recline. Food was good by airline standards. IFE is a bit of a let down compared to Cathay - touchscreen was often unresponsive (although can be circumvent by using the remote), choice of movies was healthy, but limited - although there were some that did catch my eye. Cabin crew were courteous and professional except for one time where I noticed a cabin crew instructing a passenger on how to use infant seatbelts during the screening of the safety video. Other than that, I'm a satisfied customer.
Johannesburg from London. Fairly easy to book and good at check-in. Food served on London-Nairobi trip was awful - the local Ugali was served. This is not something you serve unless fresh and especially not on an airline. We were delayed disembarking in Nairobi we waited on the tarmac for the buses to take us to the terminal! Worse was that it was a cold night. Would not recommend this airline in its current state. It needs urgent and drastic overhaul.
The quality of the airline has deteriorated badly. My first connection BOM-DEL was delayed with prior intimation which was fine. I reached DEL at the eleventh hour when the boarding for PAR had already begun. I met the worst ground staff at DEL airport who don't even know how to behave with a passenger and behave as if doing a big favour. I was not attended by any transit desk people and when contacted the AI staff asked me to run behind people on transit to other destinations that was just so cheap. Next thing was the annoying security check which took nearly 30 minutes with a quick immigration for transit passengers. The flight was quite empty and quite comfortable, with friendly cabin crew. But the flight was mostly full of foreigners and the announcement was missing in French and the really fast Indian English was really sad for the French people who kept asking me to translate what they meant. Arrival in Paris was very smooth. I wouldn't mind flying with AI but I would never ever fly via DEL airport again in my life except for my return flight and I would not mind shelling out some extra chunks for this matter. The ticket was the cheapest even at the last minute.
Flew MAS on 1st September Penang to Kuala Lumpur and then Kuala Lumpur to Kuching. Price was reasonable and cheaper than AirAsia surprisingly. Check-in was alright. Food was nice. Only peanut and fruit juice were served on flight from Penang to KL but I think it's sufficient for a short flight. Took only 25 minutes for the flight to fly from Penang to KL. I noticed they no longer produce their own peanut butter it's now supplied by a Malaysian company unrelated to MAS. The only complaint on this flight was the extremely rough landing. Flight from KL to Kuching was nice. Flight attendants were nice. Choice of food was either frittata or nasi lemak. Frittata was not served hot sadly and the potato wedges were soggy. Besides that I have no other complaints. MAS may be going through a difficult time but it is coping well in my opinion. I'll definitely fly MAS again.
Kunming to Haikou and was pleasantly surprised by this airline!. I have flown many times in China and I had the best flight ever with Hainan Airlines. New plane B737-800 very friendly cabin attendants who could speak good English and tasty food. Will definitely use them again. Everything began with check-in (long lines at check-in) where a friendly young man took my luggage and checked me in as I was the only foreigner on the flight. I felt a bit guilty! For the first time on a Chinese airline friendly and smiling FAs. The other Chinese airlines can learn a thing from Hainan airlines!
Flew ZB286 London Gatwick to Tenerife on 2nd February 2015. Flight on time. Excellent unobtrusive service from cabin crew. The best thing about Monarch now is the new slimline seating. They are comfortable enough for a 4 hour flight and would be OK for longer flights. The fixed angle of seat back is good (a compromise between fully upright and reclined) so there are no hassles with the passenger in front depriving you of your legroom. I am 6ft 3ins and there were a full 2 inches spare in front of my knees so I could sit comfortably and there is space for your tablet in the seat back in front. This is such an improvement on other budget airlines.
Departure was 1.5 hrs late - it was announced that the pilot had called in sick and head office in Toronto mistakenly did not replace him! Nothing was offered to passengers to compensate for the delay. The plane felt older with outdated overhead viewing screens static sound seating space is small and uncomfortable no place in seat back to tuck your things and food was of poor quality. The 'extras' - wee bit of champagne (only on the way over) warm/hot towel and chocolate mint - were not enough to impress. Staff on the return flight were out more and much friendlier than on the way over. Sunwing (Nexus) reps. were at the airport to assist although there was initially some confusion and they were available friendly and helpful at the resort.
Cancelled flight from Cebu to Narita and didn't tell the passengers until after 8 hours waiting in the terminal. Never offered any compensation. Plane left the following day like nothing happened and everything was normal. A truly non-caring airline towards customers.
YYZ-YYC-YLW-YYZ. Pros: on-time departure from Toronto and Kelowna friendly and efficient check-in staff friendly inflight service onboard satellite TV. Cons: 4 hour connection delay in Calgary (apparently due to light snow but no explanation from the airline) very slow baggage delivery on arrival in Toronto (45 minutes). Our skis arrived on the oversize belt in 15 minutes then our bags arrived a half an hour later. Very aggravating.
SEA-KEF B757-200 in Business class. Icelandair use the British Airways lounge at SeaTac. The seats onboard were wide and comfortable but are not flat bed. The flight attendants were engaging and outstanding service. The food was nice.
I was flew premium economy from Gatwick to St. Lucia but on the way back we got upgraded to upper class. It was very nice and new with new lighting colours and various patterns across the cabin. The seats were very new and modern and the bed was comfy. My suggestion is that these seats are only on the A330-300 but to give everyone this modern even more luxury experience I think it should be released across the whole fleet (not A320). The seats and the bar. This would give the airline an outlook on the modern perspective of Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class and luxury flying.
Budapest-Bangkok roundtrip via Doha Hamad International Airport. BUD-DOH with A-321, DOH-BKK with Boeing777 ER, for 2 adult, 1 child and 2 infant the whole trip costs 1706 USD on economy class. The ground services and cabin staff was perfect, the inflight entertainment system worked well, food and the drinks was fine. There was not delays, the check in counters opened 3 hours before the flight. I would be flying with pleasure with them again. I can recommend them.
777 SYD-NRT and 787 HND-PEK. Food was good but not fabulous on both legs IFE was good but other carriers have a much broader selection. Where JAL truly stands out is customer service. From the moment the boarding pass is scanned at the gate to the exit onto the jetway one gets the impression that these employees care about superior service. How refreshing after the take-it-or-leave-it attitude on most US- based carriers! 787 was a nice experience with the oversized windows which darken at the touch of a button and the ride is slightly quieter than other aircraft's but cannot see that the individual passenger experience is greatly improved. My only criticism of JAL is that the cabin is kept a little warmer than I would like as others have commented - still it wasn't bad enough to deter me from flying them again.
MEL-SIN - 777-300ER. The flight was ok but the service was amazing! The food was good the seat was good. It was a red-eye flight that was 7hrs and only 1:30hrs of sleep - it took 2:30hrs for dinner and 2hrs for breakfast. I would recommend that Singapore Airlines should do short meal services for red-eye flights.
Blue Islands flights from Cambridge to St Helier Jersey. These flights operate on Saturdays only during the summer months and are so convenient for East Anglian holiday makers. The flight of 50 minutes was comfortable and efficient in the ATR 42. The ease of travel made us feel we had slipped back 3 decades to a time when air travel was much more pleasurable. On board there were complimentary non alcoholic drinks. There was a modest and welcoming lounge with complimentary drinks and biscuits on our departure from Jersey airport.
We booked tickets from Gold Coast to Bangkok. First flight was 5 hours late meaning we missed our connection in Singapore. Even though we'd booked this as one return flight Scoot considered these to be separate flights therefore the missed connection was our problem not theirs so we had to book a new trip with Tiger to Bangkok as well as losing our prepaid accommodation and having to pay for a night in Singapore. Very little communication or explanation from Scoot no offer of any compensation or even a complimentary bottle of water. Promise of a $30 scoot voucher that never arrived. On our flight home via Singapore from Bangkok our flight was three hours delayed. From Singapore home it was delayed a two hours that turned into about four. My expectations are never very high for a budget flight but no matter how cheap it isn't worth this service.
NRT-TPE-HKT. Connecting in Taipei was a 3 hour wait but the last call for boarding was 30 min before boarding time. We were rushed to the gate to be met with a huge line and a 20 min wait. Meals were mediocre and they waited nearly 1 hour to clear away trays. Having to wait so long before going to sleep was very uncomfortable.
EZE-SCL and SCL-GIG with stopover in GRU. All flights on time aircraft clean and crew friendly. Seating was tight and legroom was just ok for segments of 2-3 hours. Service consisted of sandwiches and free drinks including beer and wine. Overall a good experience. Also contacted customer service once via email and got reply within 24 hours.
I was notified by DragonAir via SMS that my flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong (KA893) was cancelled while I was in a taxi on my way to Shanghai Pudong Airport at 5pm on 26 June 2014. When I arrived at the airport at around 5.30pm the DragonAir check-in counters were chaotic with hundreds queuing. The reason for the cancelled flight was - "Traffic Flow Control". Dragonair staff walked around and distributed coupons to get dinner in nearby restaurants. They asked us to come back at 7.00 to check the latest status. Came back at 7pm and waited for another 30 minutes and get the reply that I should come back at 8pm. I come back at 8pm but got the vague answer that all flights were cancelled. Staff asked travelers to come back at 9pm to check status. From 8.30pm the check-in area was absolutely chaotic. Because I needed to travel to Hong Kong urgently I booked another flight from Shanghai Pudong to Shenzhen. I was lucky that I booked onto China Eastern (MU5367).
Last month traveled with my husband and daughter. We had a connecting flight from Dallas to Chicago which was delayed twice finally they boarded us and brought us back to the gate due the weather and was told flight would be delayed an hour but later it was canceled and next flight offered was not until two days later. No accommodation was offered and crew at the desk had no idea what they were doing. I paid $1100 dollars to take A flight back to Chicago with A different airline. Worst airline and customer service I have ever had.
Flew with my 7 year old son from ADL to LHR direct. Experience with faults and the airports excellent too. The staff remembered our small requests and returned throughout the flight to say that they had not forgotten. My son's request from the standard adult menu was given first. Our seats were comfortable and the plane clean. The food was good but meat a bit tough the Asian option was better. I have flown Adelaide to London frequently and this trip was the best by far. From check-in through to meeting my family at Arrivals I could not find fault. It's a long flight but I felt the better for it (and family commented on it too!) at the end due to it being so easy. Singapore Airlines really are the best for economy long haul.
Turkmenistan Airlines is the worst airline I have ever travelled with. Flight attendants all Russian and Uzbek don't speak or understand English or Punjabi. They are rude whenever customers ask for help with their suitcases or hand luggage. The food is not nice drinks are served loads - every 1.5 hours. Entertainment poor very poor bring your own books magazines and iPods/MP3s. All they have is a screen showing you where you are in the world. The safety manuals are in Russian. If you were travelling to India you would want films music and games.
Original ticket booked in economy class. Upgraded to Business class on JFK to VIE route. Quick check-in, nice Lufthansa Business Class Lounge at JFK. Boarding delayed due bad weather over JFK and chaos it created at the airport. Once we boarded we were kept on the tarmac for 2 hours. Flight crew regularly updated us of the progress, and cabin crew offered soft drinks. Finally airborne almost 3hrs late. Amazing catering by DO&CO, crew kind and polite. Slept for few hours, seat was ok to sit or relax, to sleep it was a bit hard. Also temperature was rather high - woken up for breakfast which was delicious. We landed in Vienna about 2.5hr late. Would recommend Austrian Airlines.
Flew to Cancun in early December from NYC. To return to NYC we arrived at the airport in Cancun more than 2 hours before flight to find the United service desks in complete chaos. The line to check in stretched the entire length of the airport. No one was sure if they were on the right line as the signage was very confusing. No other airline had such problems. Very stressful and unpleasant. Will not fly United to Cancun again.
TAP are charging shockingly high business class prices on their route from Lisbon to Sao Tome. The flight time via Acra is almost 7 hours and in my ignorance and bearing in mind we paid more than £2000 per seat I thought I would get something approaching reasonable seats and service. TAP are using A320's on the route in European configuration. This means that business has little or no more leg room the only benefit being that the middle row of three is not filled. They maintain that the seats are wider but on both our flights were not. This may be OK for a 2 hour business class route in Europe but not on a long haul flight like this at the prices that are being charged. The service was lacklustre and staff seemed to have little interest, the food was OK but inadequate for such a long flight and I arrived at the end of the SAO-LIS tired, hungry and feeling that I had been badly ripped off. I appreciate that an aircraft the size of an A320 is ideal for this route but there is no reason why TAP cannot invest in re-configuring the aircraft into a more suitable layout. BA for example use the same aircraft on a 5 hours plus run to Beirut yet have proper business class sleep seats at the front of the aircraft. If they really cannot do this then charge a small supplement but do not con passengers into thinking they are getting good comfort and service. This is one of the worst airline experiences in relation to value I have had and frankly would have rather flown Ryanair. From the moment we checked in in Lisbon the approach was lackluster. It just got worse from there.
I flew TAM from Sao Paulo-Bogota in Executive Class. It took 2 hrs after take off to receive something to drink/eat and there are only 12 seats in Executive class in an Airbus 320 for a 6 hr flight. Only drinks available was wine beer or Whisky nothing else. You had to choose the food  desert drink all at the same time. I fly Business Class a lot and I could not really understand this.
NCL-DXB-DAC-DXB-NCL. Departed from NCL on newest 777-300ER with newest ICE system flight very full but experience was overall pleasant. Catering from NCL is generally always good there was nothing to complain about and staff were efficient and generally good if not over-friendly. Flight from DXB-DAC was on time and again very full on older 777-200 with older ICE system. Cabin Crew on this sector were excellent however and even checked in on my mother who had been upgraded to Business Class for us. Toilets in ridiculous state given 4 hour flight but again due to clientele rather than crews fault. Return was on Christmas Eve and surprisingly busy flight from DAC-DXB. Return flight is always over-timed by an hour - meant we didn't get on to the plane until an hour after arriving at the gate. Flight was on newer 777-200ER with newest ICE system. Cabin service was efficient and brusque if not necessarily very friendly and inflight catering was ok. Arrival into Dubai was early and the airport was very quiet - we had a wait of more than 4 hours for connection to NCL - so collected our complimentary food vouchers from transfer desk. DXB-NCL unusually on 3 class 777-300ER with newest ICE system. Cabin Crew were unusually mostly British due to a lot returning home for Christmas break. Catering was disappointing with choice particularly breakfast offering but otherwise pleasant. Arrival into NCL was late and held on tarmac for rather unusual amount of time before being parked at remote stand and bussed to terminal. Baggage out promptly. Would use again based on this experience - the sector DAC is never an easy one and on the whole Emirates made the experience rather more tolerable than it can be and the price was incredible value for money especially long-haul from a regional UK destination.
My family flew round trip from Rockford IL to Punta Gorda FL over the 2013 holidays. Our trip to Punta Gorda went very well. I am blind and one of the flight attendants came up to me as soon as I got seated with my family and offered me a personal safety briefing which I gladly accepted. The seats on the airplane (a Boeing MD80) weren't that comfortable and did not recline and there was no hot coffee available for purchase. The crew were professional and we got from point A to point B safely. On our return trip we were diverted at the last minute to Moline (2 hours away by car) because of freezing rain in Rockford. According to what passengers were told later we were unable to land in Rockford because there was a plane stopped on the runway and there was not sufficient room for us to land safely. On our arrival at the diversion airport the flight attendant working the forward cabin went through the usual post-flight announcements even going so far as to tell passengers not to smoke until they were outside the terminal to claim our luggage at the baggage claim area and how to book future travel on Allegiant. Upon our arrival at the gate we were informed—that in addition to the weather in Rockford our plane had a mechanical problem. Passengers were sent into the airport and told that further information would be provided to them when it became available. The flight attendant showed no sympathy. The Allegiant representative at Moline was wonderful. There was little information available about when—or even if—the plane would be repaired and sent back to Rockford. As we were leaving the airport the gate agent announced that the plane had been fixed and that anyone wishing to go to Rockford should go back to the boarding area. The real issue for me was the lack of professionalism from the crew on our return flight. I might have been willing to overlook the diversion and mechanical problems if the crew had been sympathetic calm and professional. But everything on the return flight added up to a never-again” experience.
Flight 600 from Atlanta to Dallas July 16th and Flight 877 from Dallas to Atlanta on July 18th. I even question why there is a place to write a review on such an unbelievably classless company. The worst travel experience. The flight was delayed 3 hrs in arriving to our gate. The flight was delayed 1 hr after boarding. The flight was delayed yet again at the destination gate. On the flight the flight attendants were very crude and borderline confrontational to paying customers. When I asked for a cup of water the flight attendant responded "No way this is Spirit Air where you don't get anything for free!" I understand the principal of a discount airline is to pass down the savings to the customer however to do so at the expense of professionalism is certainly not worth the savings. This was my first and certainly last flight with Spirt Airlines. Take heed and do not fly Spirit airlines.
JNB-BKK-JNB. Flight out from Johannesburg very pleasant crew friendly and food an improvement from previous flights I took on Thai. Return flight crew seemed to be doing passengers a favor by being there. Food at best can be described as mediocre even for economy standards. Overall very standard airline.
I was on BA 835 from Dublin to LHR on 25th July 2014 which left Dublin at 13.05 and my travel plans were such that I had sufficient time to connect with my flight from LHR to Hong Kong. On leaving Dublin the pilot opined that it was a good day to fly! On reaching LHR we were informed that due to thunderstorms we were to be diverted to Gatwick and were running out of fuel. In summary we sat on the tarmac at Gatwick for over two hours with only scant updates as to when we would be taking off for LHR and the temperature inside the cabin became oppressive which added to the misery. On reaching LHR BA staff were in my opinion ineffectual with a 'sorry and shrug of the shoulders' and with no real assistance for those passengers on connecting flights. I was lucky as I managed to get on my flight to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific but with only moments to spare after a dash to terminal 3. Whilst I understand the volatility of the weather the real point of my review is that BA appears to have abandoned the basics of customer service and this is clearly reflected in BA's absence in the top 10 airline ratings. Could do a lot better!
JOG-CGK. GA217. Early boarding brand new aircraft with Boeing sky interior comfortable seat and large seat pitch. Friendly FA and the food and beverages weren't bad. Landing on-time at CGK. But sat about 35mins. On the aircraft due to crowded airport. Overall the flight was excellent but very disappointing airport.
Flew round trip from Singapore to Krabi delayed on tarmac for an hour on SIN-Krabi leg without any notification from pilot on return leg was delayed by 5 hours. On previous trips have faced similar delays consistently. Granted its a LCC but would choose Jetstar over Tiger any day.
If you like to have decent leg room on a flight think before booking with this airline. Also, we did not know it was an indirect flight home until we arrived in Skiathos.
The check in system in Toronto does not work, more so when multiple flight are departing to UK within hours of each other. I requested to be fast forwarded as after waiting in huge queue I was within 45 mins of take off. I was eventually granted my wish, but when I got to customs I was met with another huge queue. By the time I got through security my name was being called for the flight which I almost missed. Due to lateness checking in my suitcase it has gone missing. I suggest seperate check in desks for UK destinations up untill flight departures
Reno-Denver-Chicago-Louisville. All flights on time. Late check-in at Reno (my fault) and the ground staff helped to rush me through and make the flight all with a positive attitude and was greeted upon boarding the plane. Each flight was about 85% full so not packed in. Leg room was just fine on the A320 B757 and EMB175. All attendants pleasant with just enough drink runs on each flight. All beverages were free including spirits. This was in economy! Arrived on time in Louisville more than happy with my day flying across country on three different flights. Plus my luggage made it. Maybe I am just lucky but United always seems to work out great for me. Used my air miles so this round trip only cost me $10.
I recently flew on the A380 with Emirates on 3 flights between London and Bangkok via Dubai the 4th being a codeshare with Qantas. I had much higher hopes of Emirates than Qantas based on reputation alone. We booked row 52 extra leg room but as per seat guru near to the galley which may prove 'bothersome'. On our first flight with Qantas this was not the case at all and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the service. However bothersome was a massive understatement for the Emirates flights though the only reason for this was the poor quality of the crew. My partner accurately described them as 'a bunch of arrogant teenagers on a school trip'. They were rude to passengers they spent large amounts of the flight stuffing their faces with the food they hadn't finished serving to passengers and having loud conversations about their drunken escapades from the previous night. They didn't concentrate enough to realise they were spilling drinks on people and didn't worry about anyone hearing their squabbles about who was to blame for a complaint when an aisle was missed for food. On one particular occasion 30 mins before landing the announcement to prepare for landing was made and before it had even been spoken in English one of the crew shoved my TV and said ' put that down'. When I responded saying he needn't be so rude I was not met with an apology I was met with 'It wasn't rude'. All in all a terrible experience and I will be going out my way regardless of any additional cost to not fly with Emirates again.
Short flight of about an hour from Beinjing to Pyongyang you get a comfortable seat and every manner of food and drink - food is not 5 star but it's not bad and more than you can eat. There's reading material (P'yang times) and flight attendants are reasonably helpful and polite. Aircraft are old Soviet ones but there is ample room. The lavs are impeccable.
Came back from Chicago on Monday Dec 29. Was a great flight arrived into Orlando 10 minutes early the crew were friendly. Would take Frontier again.
Horrible. On return flight from Florence to Gatwick the check-in seemed to be taking ages. We realised that everyone was being told that they hadn't paid for luggage to go into the hold - news to us. We were all charged 15 euros per suitcase even though there had been no charge on the way out. This caused a lot of anger and distress. When I got home I checked my booking and it said first suitcase was free. Now beginning the long process of claiming back my money. Never again.
MUC-DXB-JNB - Very good experience. Great A380 and Boeing 777 clean bright and colourful inside good seats. Wonderful entertainment on flights. Great food and drinks. For veggie very good meals (asiatic and lacto-ovo). Nice the idea of the menu printed for each passenger and the stickers to put on seat to remind staff to wake you up if fallen asleep during meals time! A sweet fragrance applied to the cabin before departure pleasant! The service quick and complete. Crew members very helpful smiles in each circumstance and well-instructed. Toilets often cleaned up. We had a great sleep with the little lights on the top of the cabin and awoke with soft orange pink lights in the early morning.
I hear all sorts of complaints with Allegiant Air online and my personal experiences with this airline have all be very positive. Besides getting the best fare, I only end up paying for what I want. All employees I've had contact with have been pleasant, helpful and courteous. No, you don't get a free bag, a free carry-on, a free soda or any other complimentary items. If you want them you pay for it. I'd always been a fan of Southwest, due to their renegade ways in bringing down the cost of flights, but Allegiant has beaten them at their own game. While I'd be willing to put up with some issue for the sort of savings I get from this carrier, but as of this date, I have no complaints with Allegiant Air.
I use AB several times throughout the summer between FRA and Spain. No matter what the flight is always jammed packed with screaming babies and out of control children. Best tip is to avoid any seat toward the front where they tend to sit. It can be unbearable and airlines need to address this problem soon. Cabin crew are usually good and cabin service is fine.
AMS-FCO-AMS. Cabin crew friendly and catering was really nice with two fresh sandwiches (morning flight) and coffee etc for free. However there wasn't in flight entertainment because it took only 2hours. I would fly KLM again as Schiphol is my home airport.
BKK-PVG. Had window seat but middle seat unoccupied so I got to stretch out. Cabin crew spoke little English but were friendly. Chicken with rice and veggies acceptable Economy airline food.
FRA-DTW and DTW-FRA LH 442 and LH 443. Food: It would be great to have the availability of both food choices when sitting at the back of the plane. I'm sure the person sitting in the first rows of economy class didn't pay more than the person in the back and should have the availability to choose between foods. Seat Comfort: The seatmap shown during the self check-in was not the same as found on the plane. In the seatmap during check-in it was shown that there was no other seat to my right. I ended up sitting in the middle seat.
Flew IAD-AMM and return from Malta to IAD in November. Flew Business Class round trip. Can't say enough good about the flights as everything from check in to landing went on-time smooth with excellent service both on the ground and in-flight. Considering that I saved over $1000 per person on this routing compared to BA LH and any of the domestic carriers - their in-flight service was far superior to the other transatlantic carriers I've flown over the past 25+ years. Would compare their service to Cathay Pacific. The meal service was outstanding. I've never had meals of this quality before on any airline in First or Business Class. You have to experience it to believe it. Great value for the price I paid and the wonderful service received. Any future business I have going that way - I'm sure to fly Turkish again.
We travelled Gold Coast to Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong back to Penang then Kuala Lumpur returning home to Gold Coast. Overall the flight and service was very surprising. We ensured that all meals and baggage was pre-booked flights were fantastic staff very friendly and planes were better than expected. Gold Coast to Kuala Lumpar was delayed 4hrs due to weather all passengers provided with Drink and meal vouchers. Considering this is budget airline this service was very unexpected and much appreciated. Seats are a little small however found them not too bad.
Using the award ticket so it's my first time flying TG on long-haul economy. Turned out the B747 in service has had a refurbished entertainment system. The legroom was spacious surprising given they usually refurbish the aircraft to an often more crammed design. The service was good but mostly impressed by the quality of meal. Serving a little bit small for the entree but was very tasty. Staffs were very attentive and always offered drinks throughout the flight. The lavatories on the aircraft showed their age but didn't pose as a problem. Overall very satisfied and definitely was an improvement.
2 June 2013 Johannesburg to Paris CDG AF 995. Don't go to the toilet while breakfast is being served because you will not get any. Even though I was travelling Business Class I was told that I could not have my meal as I was not seated when service on. I have travelled on many Business class flights and have never been told this. I was only away for about 5 minutes. My husband had not even started his meal. Air France can learn so much from the Eastern airlines. Singapore Air Emirates Thai! I will never fly Air France again.
IST-HKG. I am afraid Turkish Airlines is slipping. The check in and immigration lines at the Istanbul airport are lengthy and bureaucratic. I was pleased with the overnight travel kit. The food was average but the drinks were plentiful. There were films TV series and music selections but the choices were limited and dated. The touch screens cannot be fully navigated from the remote so the passenger behind me was pecking at my seat repeatedly. The plane was dated and rather warm. No one was using their blankets. Finally the service was rushed and English and Chinese were limited. The English announcements were comical.
I paid for an upgrade on my flight from Manchester to Toronto. My wife and I fly this route frequently with Transat. This is simple. The service level in the mini business section (only 12 seats) was excellent. Given the very reasonable cost it was superb value. The service and comfort cannot be compared to business class in the top airlines but the value for money compared to others is remarkable. The business class section has recently been completely refitted and is very comfortable. Two months ago I travelled on the upper deck of a 747 with BA London to Dallas and the service today was much better than the flag carrier.
I really don't know how to express my dissatisfaction with United. I buy business class and get dumped into economy. No explanation nothing. Trite meaningless apologies are given. That's it. On my return trip the flight attendants were not very attentive in business. Once beverages were served at the beginning of the flight they disappear for the rest of the flight. The dinner meal for a 5.5 hour flight in business is a joke. A small plate of antipasto? That's an appetizer. The customer care program definitely needs improvement. Non responsive and when they do respond they ignore my complaint but do dwell on how great United is and they sincerely hope my next flight will be a good experience. United advertising is good unfortunately they only talk the talk. United has yet to learn how to walk the talk. United just frustrates me to no end.
Flew round trip from Trenton to Raleigh for $89. The flight was on time and coming home I was actually late to my plane and they waited an extra couple minutes to allow me to board. Would definitely use them again. Prices are unbeatable. Complaints are from those expecting a commercial airline. This is a discount airline and you get what you pay for. Our family uses Frontier for business as well and have never had an issue.
A few years ago I used to fly with FlyBe quite regularly on the Aberdeen - Birmingham route but changed carrier after prolonged delays became the standard practice. I have recently been forced to use them on a couple of routes where there was no reasonable alternative. However it appears that the standard practice of delays of several hours is still prevalent. I am a very regular airline passenger and have flown on various airlines around the world and have never experienced such consistently bad service from any competitor. Avoid using FlyBe at all costs. For journeys not requiring you to cross a body of water walking might actually be quicker. Terrible service. Whilst I can accept that this is an economy airline it is still overpriced for service even if you attatc no value at all to your time.
Flew from Heathrow to San Francisco on May 1st with BA. What a disappointment! I had to pay over £120 to sit next to my husband having already paid for the flight. Then we couldn't access the entertainment for over 90 minutes at the start of the flight due to some technical problem and again later in the flight it went off for about 60 minutes presumably due to the same problem. Our first meal was served more or less straight away and it was OK typical airline fare but there was then over 7 hour wait for the next meal which was laughably called afternoon tea one piece of bread cut into quarters with chicken and a scone with cream and butter. Four hours after the main meal they ran out of snacks and when my husband went in search of something to eat they gave him two packs of nuts and said they were for the return journey! Don't they stock up before picking up the next passengers? Luckily my husband always carries chocolate bars with him as he is diabetic but heaven knows what might have happened had he needed food from the staff. Before half way two of the toilets went out of service so there were some queues. Would I fly BA again certainly not long haul although unfortunately I have to return to Heathrow with them from Boston today.
Booked over 6 months in advance for our tickets from Singapore to Koh Samui. This was the first flight with Silk Air and possibly the last. Food was very ordinary on the flight to Samui. We didn't eat it. Flight was okay apart from that but return flight was very poor. Despite booking together and being husband and wife we were placed in separate seats to make matters worse at the rear near the toilets. Admittedly it was a busy flight but the staff didn't seem to care. 'It's only a 1.5 hour flight' was the response when I asked if we could move to seats together. The food was better than on the way over but we felt like we were travelling with a very average budget airline even though we paid a premium price. Will avoid travelling with Silk Air again.
What can I say about easyjet other than it does exactly what it says on the tin! Great airline easy to use and if flying anywhere in Europe always use easyjet. We flew Bristol to Alicante in October and as with all our previous easyjet flights we were on time clean aircraft comfortable and the cabin crew are as good as Virgin Atlantic. Obviously as a "no frill's" airline you don't get "free food" or films etc but that said you don't pay for it either and if you want to eat there is good choice on board and for a couple of hours you don't need much anyway. Basically if we are flying to Europe we always fly easyjet.
VIE-LHR short delay in departure for de-icing 2 drink rounds and a muffin check-in - bag drop packed but didn't wait long slightly delayed through traffic over London waited 25 min at the baggage belt in Heathrow on arrival.
VN51 Saigon to Gatwick 12/04/2014. Old aircraft and very dirty inside - tray table ingrained with dirt ceiling splashed with food food splashed on side wall floor dirty seat pocket had debris inside toilet not cleaned and sink area dirty. Safety video shown before everyone seated and very little safety checking done prior to take-off and landing. One 300ml bottle of water given out on a 13hr flight small orange juice obtained from passing cabin crew but the tray wizzed down the aisle so fast we nearly missed it. It was very hot in the cabin throughout the journey. No bar service prior to supper. Food poor. Two internal flights with this airline were delayed for up to 4 hours.
Just returned to Edinburgh today on QR027 from Doha on Dreamliner. As this is a day flight leaving at 7.30am which is why we booked it does anyone know why every single window blind was put in to blackout mode after breakfast was served (not done by the passengers) and the cabin lights dimmed? Stayed this way throughout flight couldn't even see what the FA was serving us unless you put reading light on. If I wanted the ambience of a night flight I would have booked one! Just wondered if it is Qatar Airways policy to do this even on daytime flights. We were in economy 12 E & F. More legroom on short haul 737s very cramped very disappointed passenger!
We did not even get a Hello or Goodbye when boarding and deplaning! We were tricked into paying an extra £35 for a standard cabin bag when they claimed it was too big. Many passengers with standard cabin bags were forced to pay they were making a fortune. When we got on the plane were told there were no seats unless we paid extra for a long seat I said we were not paying and were entitled to a seat so after moaning about it we were told we could sit in the long seats for free. We were herded like sheep all over the airport. Same on return flight no seat on plane unless we paid extra same again suddenly they found us a seat only someone under 5ft tall could manage in that seat it was awful. It was all about trying to make us pay extras for food drinks  priority boarding bigger seats check in baggage there was no customer service at all.
Abu Dhabi to London on 29th April 2014. We flew a Boeing 777-300ER A6-ETN. The seats were very narrow and made you feel claustrophobic due to the 3-4-3 configuration however the comfort of the seat was good the seats also looked very attractive. The aisles were very narrow and small. The value for money was great the legroom was decent and the staff service was average. My mother asked for headphones 3 times until someone bothered to fulfil her request. She asked for water a several times and a Air Hostess looked annoyed and gave her a whole bottle. Their attitude needs some sorting out. The food and beverages were great and the IFE was very good too!
Sunday 21st June, Shanghai to Mexico City Premier Class. Old aircraft with no Inflight Entertainment this situation bother me so much. There was also a complete lack of interest shown by the cabin crew in their jobs. Very disappointing. The flying experience was not be very good on Premier Class after I bought an upgrade from  economy class. 
Cozumel to Houston - uneventful. Houston to Seattle - terrible. The temperature in the cabin was at least 90 degrees they did not announce any failure of the air conditioning it came on a few minutes prior to landing and cooled the plane slightly. Came through twice with beverage cart on a 4 hour flight. When leaving the plane I complained to a flight assistant that the temperature was too hot she responded with "oh I know". Baggage claim was announced to go to Carousel 14 and was eventually delivered to #9. Our bags were found standing in the middle of the floor on Carousel 9 and our 6th bag found on carousel 8.
Flew BRU-VIE-BRU. I saw no difference between Brussels Airlines and a low-cost. Not even water offered. Old planes. Staff acting as if they were not there. Chaotic boarding in VIE. No mileage accrual with the lowest fare.
Returned to Los Angeles from Seoul on the weekend after Thanksgiving. Wait time to check in and board was minimal. Business lounge was nicely refurbished and expanded since the last time I visited in April. I was greeted personally once on board by one of the cabin crew which I thought was a nice touch. Food was decent for coach and drink runs were abundant. The cons to the flight was that the 772 used to fly this route is seriously starting to show its age. AVOD carried a wide enough selection of films but was not the most state of the art touch screen ones you find on newer planes. Baggage was already on the carousel by the time I cleared immigration but it didn't mean much as I was met by a colossal line to clear customs due to the poor facilities at LA airport. Overall this airline is a good airline that provides bang for your buck although they do start to get monotonous when you fly with them for a while.
Came from London to New York last night Sep 15 2003. My husband and I always travel very light - only hand luggage. We couldn't print our boarding passes ahead of time because we were not at home so they sent as through check in. The only woman at the counter wanted to weigh hand luggage and as they were 1 kg over 10 kg limit she wanted us to pay or throw away some of our belongings. We came with this luggage without problems. We will never travel Virgin Airlines again.
Last week we went from Brussels to Barcelona and back with Ryanair. Unfortunately my husbands wallet was stolen on our last evening in Barcelona. The police told us that Ryanair could be difficult regarding missing ID. The desk employee however was very understanding and it took all of 30 seconds to place a phone call to Dublin and get the go-ahead. Two stamps later no extra charge and we were on the flight without any problems. Just thought that I should add this positive review to the complaints this airline gets.
CPH-LGW-CPH same day. Obama in CPH and snowstorm in GB caused major delays in both directions. The inflight crew were friendly and efficient. Lunch provided on the flight over and drinks on return free of charge to compensate for delays. The problem with these new airlines (in comparison to established ones) is when something goes wrong - for example major delays - because there is no representation at the airports to advise passengers. Called the airline to provide this as feedback. "I know" was the reply by the agent. Why doesn't Norwegian do something about it then?
Syracuse to Fort Lauderdale 4/17/15. Fort Lauderdale to Syracuse 4/20/15. Both flights delayed about 40 minutes but was probably due to congestion on runway in fort Lauderdale which delayed arrival in Syracuse. Bought seats 3 months earlier because it was getting old having to drive to Buffalo to get a direct flight. Read their instructions carefully so we knew to check one large piece of luggage and 2 personal items to stow under seat. Paid for two seats in aisle's 10 (flight to Ft Lauderdale) two seats in aisle 11 on return flight. Also paid a little extra for my window seat. All add on fees are stated clearly when you book the flight. Since we booked 3 months in advance and it was not a special holiday weekend we got a good price. With travel insurance the total cost for 2 round trip tickets was $540. The planes may be older but the one we flew was recently refurbished. It is spartan and if the flight was longer my back and bad hip would have paid the price. The leg room is fine (I'm 5'6) and the seats are large enough. They could use a bit more cushioning so maybe next time I bring a cushion. The seats do not recline which is a negative unless the person in front of you would have caused a problem if he or she wanted to. The staff was friendly but you can only buy beverages (no coffee) or calorie galore little snacks (purchase by credit card only) for a modest cost. Bring on board your own food and the problem is solved. They deliver what they advertise. A modest cost direct flight. You won't get stuck with a connecting flight or have to drive to a city with a direct flight. There are no surprises if you read the material. Is a free carry on item cheaper when the total cost is higher. Obviously my opinion would be altered if the delays are endemic and since the planes are old I can imagine the frustration of sitting at an airport for hours awaiting a replacement to arrive. Other interesting titbits. They load the plane from front to back and they keep the boarding pass at the gate (so remember your seat assignment). I was pleased overall. If I want more comfort a different airline might be in order. After all Buffalo is a nice city to visit and fly in and out of (if the thruway is open).
Both flights (DEL-CCU, CCU-DAC) departed on time and arrived early. The meals / snacks were reasonable and seats relatively comfortable for economy. It was a bit of shambles when we landed in Kolkata as the plane was going on to Port Blair so they then had to check each ticket (in the pouring rain) to make sure no one on the continuing flight was mistakenly getting off. Overall a pleasant experience.
Flew from Melbourne to Singapore and back. Boeing 777-300 on MEL-SIN had one of the oldest IFE screens I have ever seen on SIA (flying since 2010). Priority meal for other passengers around me meant I had to wait for ages for a meal. SIN to MEL was a brand new A330-300 and had nice IFE and dinner served on board was the best I have had inflight. Serving dinner in the late night and keeping lights on meant there is no way you can sleep properly. I will still fly SIA because of their hospitality and cabin comfort.
BRU-DOH-CCU and back. Flights food and service were more or less ok they took us to the destination with a minor delay. What bothered us was: Half of the plane was very hot and the other half was freezing (same thing happened last year). That each of us including a 2-year old baby were assigned seats in an entirely different location. The entertainment systems often had some minor faults (kept fast forwarding movies if one put their arm on the armrest some buttons did not work at all). Will try a different route next time if possible.
Recent return Perth - Singapore - (Munich) - Manchester economy. All flights on time exit seats on all flights good food and drinks as required. Excellent / helpful staff. What more could you really ask good old fashioned economy long may it continue. The 777's are showing age somewhat.
DXB-DUB - Business class out and Y class back. Gold Member. The experience is a mixed bag outward in Biz pick up on time. Flight on time lounge is to me nothing but an upgrade from the main terminal with free food and drink. Staff all look over stretched and it is not in comparison to other leading airlines where you can have a quiet zone to work. Its over crowded  busy and too open meaning that all sounds travel. Flight fine very full. Staff did their job but lacked any interaction skills. Return in Y again flight over booked their policy of 3x4x3 seating on the 777 is just too tight. ICE as ever was good and staff were not attentive pressed the call button numerous time  they walked past me. Vanished for over 2-3 hours mid flight. Food on both legs was terrible had ordered a low cholesterol meal with low fat. Both times a salad with lettuce and tomato no dressing and fish in biz class was actually burnt so bad to was like plastic. I asked for an alternative and they had Biriyani. You get better in Y class on Saudia for a 1.5 hour flight. In Y class on return chicken breast that you could put through a window and white rice inedible. Its a pity Qatar don't start entering this route as I would gladly fly them in future. Emirates are expanding at a fast track rate but seem to be loosing the edge when maintaining standards.
LBA-LHR. Checked in on-line and boarding pass on my phone so no need to encounter check-in. Fast track was average track and the lounge was busy with people going to the sunnier climes having paid for access. Food selection poor. Hot food limited to a self-toasted teacake. Gate near the lounge and quick boarding. We were in 01D and E but the friendly purser said 01F was free so we had the front row to ourselves. Early departure and swift climb. Service was excellent. The Purser addressed us by name offered us (several) drinks and a choice of snacks (crisps nuts or biscuits) (twice) on this short flight.
AC1752 July 31 2014 and AC1753 Aug 7 2014. I have never been so disappointed by an airline! I paid what I thought was business class and found it to be cattle class. Nothing and I mean nothing provided. I will avoid Air Canada vacations if this is their primary carrier! I now have to book a trip to San Diego . Last time it was air Canada and it was business class. Now they dump it to Rouge and they have the nerve to call this business class? Same price without any service. They should be ashamed to call this anything but cattle air. Bring drinks and real food with you! Just fly with them once and you will see!
Frankfurt to Panama (via Santo Domingo). Great refurbished B767 with nice interior. Nice seats but there is not enough legroom (I am 1.90m tall). Nice food (dinner breakfast snack) good drink selection (many alcoholic drink are not free of charge in eco class). Nice crew. Considering that is Condor low cost carrier (I paid a Zagreb-Lima ticket 404€) I shouldnt complain so much about poor legroom a little bit disabled entertainment programme (you have to pay to watch movies) etc. I dont like that when you buy a ticket they put extra cost for paying with a credit card they should involve that cost in the price of ticket. Also I think that the stop in S.Domingo should be no longer then 1.30h. Staying in the middle of the night on almost empty airport is so boring. All in all I really recommend Condor and will use their service again if they offer these low cost prices.
July 31st stuck at airport. Flight has been delayed. From all the reviews I have read this is apparently a reoccurring issue with this airline. Allegiant need to get their act together. They charge for everything so don't think you are saving money because you are not. You can fly better airlines and save yourself the stress.
My husband and I flew from Los Angeles to Zurich changed plane to Venice on September 1 2014. Then we both flew again Swiss Airlines from Rome to Zurich changed plane to Los Angeles on September 17 2014. We booked Swiss after reading rave reviews and we paid a higher fare than other airlines. This was absolutely disappointing. 1) Meals were horrible - lousy and tasteless pasta cold and hard chocolate brioche for breakfast. Calzone was hot but no substance inside - a big lump of dough. Green tea? Nope! You have to be in first class in order to have green tea - as I was told by the FA! 2) Seats are narrow with no cushion at all. 3) Outdated entertainment onboard. 4) No boarding organization from Zurich to Venice or Rome to Zurich. People tried to jam the boarding gate. Once you boarded you have to wait a long long time for people who sit in the front to get settle before you can reach your seat in the back. 5) FA with rude demeanour from Los Angeles to Zurich. We have flown Air Canada American Airlines British Airways Cathy Pacific Airlines numerous times. This was our first time and will be the last time with Swiss because it was the most disappointing and uncomfortable flights.
It's always a pleasure flying with Lufthansa. The flight LH 490 was ready on time for departure and the crew aboard welcomed all with a smile. The aircraft was new and cleanliness in the cabin was satisfactory. This time there was no aerobridge and the boarding was via bus. This added to a bit of inconvenience to some passengers. The new Airbus cabin storage is comparatively small and passengers had to struggle finding a place to put their carry on luggage. Overall the food and beverages selection was good. I would highly recommend this flight to my family and friends.
Friday night flight from Glasgow to London Gatwick. We arrived at 18.00 for the flight as we had to drive in from northern Scotland. Flight was supposed to depart at 21.20 and land at 22.45 after which we would get some sleep in a hotel and fly out to Tenerife at 05.50 the next morning. At check-in we were advised of a delay of 1 hour 38 minutes with no explanation but the agent told us to keep watching the board as easyJet would try to push the flight forward. The opposite happened. Our scheduled departure time went past 23.00 00.00 and 01.00. Eventually a fellow passenger told us that refreshment vouchers were being handed out at the gate but no announcements were being made to that effect. Staff at the airport were visibly annoyed at the situation. There were no easyJet representatives to speak to only gate staff. When they finally did appear they told us that the delay to the inbound flight was due to severe thunderstorms in Gatwick earlier on in the day but every flight before and after it had already left Gatwick so clearly something else was wrong. They eventually told us that the aircraft was now fully boarded in Gatwick and was awaiting one more crew member they would inform us of its departure. The aircraft landed at 01.50 and we were called forward for boarding immediately leaving us standing for 10 minutes - not what we wanted having been awake since 05.00 the previous morning. Boarded just after 02.00 and took off at 02.25. The captain explained that the delay was due to thunderstorms but in addition the aircraft had technical problems forcing a replacement aircraft to be found and a new crew also had to be sourced. We were in the last row of the aircraft which had no window and was cramped due to the tapering in of the fuselage at the rear. This in addition to the annoying racket the cabin crew were making in the galley made sleep almost impossible. It was 03.45 by the time we disembarked in Gatwick check in for our next flight was already open. To our horror the aircraft parked at the South terminal (replacement aircraft had next flight from there) meaning that passengers and baggage had to be taken over to the North terminal where the flight was destined. Fortunately baggage arrived quickly which was a huge relief because we had to change back to the South terminal in time for our next flight where we finally arrived absolutely exhausted at 04.15. To top it all off easyJet sent us an email saying that the delay was due to adverse weather alone and so we are not entitled to compensation.
Travelled from Athens-Rome then to Paris and London over a 3 week period. The cabin was clean and staff were attentive polite and well presented. I will travel with them again in the future true value for money.
April 27 2013 we took an A330 Airbus from Dublin to Orlando direct. The food was the best I have had on an airline. All flight attendants were cheerful and courteous. The only complaint is that at Dublin airport our boarding passes stated that the gate closed at 10.55 am even though our flight did not leave until 12.40 pm. I do not appreciate being given misleading information like that even if the airline is only doing it to get the slackers to show up on time. I say leave them a couple of times when they are late and they will learn to be on time and not cause the rest of us to show up at the gate only to sit for almost two more hours after already spending two hours going through security and customs! Also the seat cushions on the plane are getting too compressed to have a comfortable trip lasting 9 hours. The seat cushions should be replaced with new ones.
PNH to REP. Only a short hop but great little carrier with new aircraft pleasant service and good quality snack.
Economy class SYD LAX return. Staff friendly and generally attentive. Food fine with at least three choices for dinner. Water bottle given out at beginning of flight. On flight to LA was offered a snack at some point between dinner and breakfast (but not on return flight). If you want water later you need to get it yourself at 'snack bar' - no bottles thought pour water into a cup. A bit slow in picking up trays after meals. In flight selection great. Good selection of movies.
Trip from SFO-ICN- SIN beginning of February 2015. Very good professional Service from Stewardesses and from Purser. Pleasant environment throughout the long 15 hour flight. Asian Airlines know how to treat Customers. The Staff was extremely polite and respective. I will return.
Bangkok to Phuket return as normal with this airline. Flights on time and excellent service at check in and during flight. Good snack and quick baggage return at both ends. I would say to anyone travelling in Thailand if Nok Air fly the route then fly them. Seat selection and luggage allowance (15 kilo) free and fares are nearly always the best.
BKK-CDG w/a change in Doha and CDG-BKK. This is the 2nd time I have flown w/ Qatar this year and each leg the service is friendly and efficient and the Food is really good. Not to mention their on-time departures. The seats have sufficient space even reclines (well for me at least at 5'7"). They have great selection of food and entertainment and if your lucky enough for an overnight flight a great pouch consisting of socks eye-mask and toothbrush. Anytime you ask for help or are served the flight attendants have a smile. For the money - this is by far my favorite airline.
Traveled from Vienna to Bangkok. New seats but uncomfortable. Good size TV screen. Food portion was too small and instead of breakfast just one dry sandwich was just a joke. Will never fly again with such a terrible airline. Another jaw dropping fact was when lady next to me asked me to get her drink because she was feeling ill. I went to the back of the plane to report it and was only given drink for her and smile and they didn't bother to go and check on her.
08-10-14 NR-TAMS - Reconfigured Business Class. The seat was very comfortable to sit and sleep. That is all I can say about the journey. The inflight entertainment selection were poor compare to its partners. The food in business class was disgusting and poor choice of options. It is shame to see KLM invest so much on seating to woo premium customer but cannot deliver on the basic.
Travelled recently to Ecuador and Galapagos from New York City (JFK). Took Aerogal for seven total legs. The airline was cheapest by far compared to other airlines. Not a single leg departed on time and departure lateness varied from 30mins to 2.5hrs. This was a big deal when my group missed its first connection from Guayaquil to Quito and we had to wait several hours for the next plane. Only one baggage mishap - baggage for some of our group members came with a later plane meaning we had to wait in the airport an additional two hours after that first two hour delay. Staff in GYE or UIO was not very responsive to or concerned about this situation. Would fly again - only because it's half-priced compared to the other guys.
Nice to have Boeing 787 on this short flight instead of usual old 737. However the seats in Economy are very narrow with quite limited legroom. If you are over 180cm/6 ft tall, you may find it very uncomfortable. LOT has a food for purchase in Economy, but selection is quite good (sandwiches, salads, snacks, hot meals), and soft and alcoholic drinks. Eveything is cheap, and for large sandwich, beer and coffee I paid 28 PLN, which is 6 Euro/9 USD. Water and chocolate wafer is for free. Good IFE with around 40 movies and many tv shows. The only downpoint of this flight was some cabin crew. Some were nice and smiling, some looked very grumpy, with basic English skills or not talkative at all, answering with "no", "yes" only. Sometimes the word "please" would be apreciated. Generally, good flight, but some cabin crew must remember who pays their salaries and treat us with respect.
Travelled Economy LHR-MIA and return in February 2015 on board a 747. Good check-in both sides quick efficient and friendly.No longer supply sparkling wine with a meal. Who on earth is providing their in flight meals it was appalling. Do the management actually try it. I know that to many a £500+ return is not big money but surely it is not beyond their wit to provide the passenger with something edible. The cabin crew were as always delightful. I think we will give them a miss for a while in the hope of some improvement.
Flew with GA334 on 16 July. Bad luck for me, I got Boeing 738 without IFE. Crew served hot meal, although the flight under 2 hours. It was pleasant flight.
Flight from East Midlands to Larnaca in Cyprus was on time for both legs. However this was probably the most uncomfortable flight I have ever experienced - poor legroom a hard and non-adjustable seat no headrest no storage in the seatback in front. This was a relatively modern aircraft - a Boeing 737-800. Do bear in mind that you are confined in this seat for over 4.5 hours to Cyprus and that's just the flying time! Staff were too busy trying to sell snacks drinks and duty free to attend to the filthy toilets - they even ran out of loo paper after an hour of flight. The final straw was flying in and out of East Midlands: Jet2 clearly use the cheapest most inefficient ground staff as to wait for well over 20 minutes for a bus to the terminal followed by over an hour to get the luggage after landing at 00.45 in the morning. The fact that there is only one other aircraft to unload smacks of inefficiency. The Jet2 staff on hand in the baggage hall were utterly useless and unable to communicate. Jet2 and East Midlands Airport - definitely never again.
Two Business Class seats to and from Colombo. Outward was fine but the return leg from was very poor with no attention to our needs between lunch and dinner. Ringing the service bell had no effect. Eventually I had to walk to the service area to request tea where I found staff sitting and having a chat. Toilets weren't up to much either.
Spirit Airlines is nothing but a rip off organization with excessive carry-on baggage fees of $45 per flight and arbitrary changes to the schedule which include 12 hours of flight time and three or more stops. I'll never use this airline again.
Flew the A380. Boarding was very efficiënt and shortly after take off drinks and meals were served. So there was enough time to sleep for the remaining flight time. I decided to get a last drink in the lounge. There I had a wonderful reception by the crew, who were nice to chat and pamper for the rest of the remaining flight. I did not sleep a wink, but had my best flight experience ever! Qatar Airways serves an outstanding business class product with incredible good seats and the lounge on the A380 as an absolute extra, but at the end of the day it are the people who are working for Qatar, who make it a 6 star rating.
CDG-DOH-DWC flown April 16th. CDG-DOH was overall a good flight however check-in at CDG was very chaotic and police control was a mess. Other big black point: the "Icare" lounge at CDG 1 with no showers nor private toilets. Equipment was an A340-600 which was pretty dirty. A real shame. The saving grace was the good service on-board. For a change transfer at DOH was a breeze and Oryx Lounge was really appreciable. DOH-DWC: messy flight with rude and unprofessional Moroccan hostesses only Chef de Cabine did her best. DWC Al Maktoum airport seems to be a big joke.
Feb 23rd 2013 3 of us flew from Ottawa to Punta Cana. I paid premium for the bigger seats I had the bulkhead seat which when there was a queue for the toilet passengers would get in between me and the bulkhead. When I complained I was scorned by the flight crew they told me that they had a right to be there. The crew were also apparently bilingual the girl reading the pre-flight instructions could barely make it with the French part. This was also called the champagne flight the champagne cup is the size of a pill tumbler.
Disappointment! This is my second time flying with Arik and service seems to have got worse. When I first travelled with Arik from NY to Lagos the television did not work on my flight there was a very nasty flight attendant and when returning from Lagos to NY the televisions did not work again so I was stuck on an 11 hour flight with children that cried most of the flight. Attendants were much more pleasant. Now my flight has been delayed for the third time tonight by Arik without any explanations! No one seems to care about customers. I wish them the best and hope they improve but as for me this will be my last time flying with them!
GA448 Surabaya-Kupang business class Oct 24 2014. Being the only passenger in J class I must say I was fully pampered during this flight the FAs were nice and very much care of whatever I needed. The service was the usual top notch business class service even in this domestic route and even beer was served which exceeded my thought because Garuda usually doesn't serve any alcoholic drinks in domestic sector. I got Sky Priority benefits to board the aircraft first and when arriving in Kupang there was one person who specially escorted me to arrival gate. A wonderful experience.
JFK to Zurich - economy. Most uncomfortable seating ever. I am only 5 ft 4 and 130 lbs but was in pain and claustrophobic. Narrow seats on top of it so you are nearly sitting on your neighbor. When seat in front reclines it is nearly on your lap. Makes eating drinking or watching movie difficult. Only good thing was choice of movies. Will avoid in future.
JNB-AUH-BKK-AUH-JNB. I don't expect a personal service in economy class but just observing the crew I got the impression that they do not want to be there. Food is inedible. I have travelled on many airlines but Etihad's food is by far the worst. If I could rate the food 0 out of 10 I would. AUH-JNB flight on an old Jet Airways aircraft .The only reason I travel Etihad is because I always seem to find the cheapest fare. I would not recommend otherwise. This was my 8th trip with them and I can only say that they are consistently bad!
SIN-HAN on A330. Older style but comfortable seats with good pitch. Food tasty staff helpful. IFE disaster and no apologies for its absence. Seemed to be on older aircraft with tatty carpet and missing or broken panels. VN has a way to go to catch up with other Asian carriers but they have good prices.
Dalaman from Gatwick return. Only had a short 15 minute delay on return. Planes clean leg room okay and staff were fine. We were travelling with a 3 year old so was dreading long delays but had no problems. Took our own food and drink on both journeys (bought return flight stuff from resort as airport is expensive). Announcements on the planes were in English with a heavy Turkish accent so we couldn't understand them.
Short flight HAN to LPQ. Sparkling ATR77 with charming and helpful attendants. A tasty snack served.
Traveled SHJ-COK-SHJ last month. I have selected this flight because the holiday season started and IX was the cheapest available from UAE to Kochi. After my disastrous trip by Air India last month on the same sector I was not expecting much from IX but I should admit that I was surprised. Nice and clean aircraft with enough legroom polite cabin crew who were attending the passengers with a smile and on time take off and landing was part of the surprise package. And all these were for half the price of the next available airline.
Flight CA174 SYD-PEK 21 July. A Business Class trip with nothing good to remember. Seat: inadequate for sleeping. Inflight entertainment system: practically non-existent. Food: chose the western menu - bland left me with questions about what it was consisted of breakfast (served almost 3 hours before touch down) inedible. Flight attendants: elementary to non-existent English expressionless never smiling robotic disappeared when finished serving dinner. Lavatory conditions: mediocre. Flight announcements after deafening three gongs: long loud most of them meaningless - again trying to understand the English language no information from the cockpit. Duvet and Pillow: without any packing left me wondering about sanitation. The only nice touch: the Occitane amenity kit. A Star-Alliance member? Come on let us be serious. Certainly will avoid flying with them in the future and surely can not recommend them.
I have to say no stars for this airline. So called 'customer service' hung up on me once then when my son called them back they hung up on him too. I signed up for text alerts on my phone but they did not advise me (even after we traveled 3 hours with a rental car for the second leg of our trip to Knoxville airport). After checking in we found out that the flight was cancelled for mechanical reasons for possibly 1-2 days. We ended up renting another car and drove 15 hours reaching home after 4am. What a way to end a vacation! I have to admit they did eventually refund the money because I refused the $100 vouchers they offered. Did not need the vouchers because now I intend to pay full price for a major air carrier. Just so you know because they are not a major carrier they do not make other arrangements for you and if you find a flight you can get on you re paying for it again.
My family and I were flying from the US to Kenya via Addis Ababa. The layover in Addis Ababa was terrible: long lines through security; long lines waiting for our tickets to be printed crowded poor communication for travelers that were waiting for connection flights and generally poor technical service. Long story short we almost missed our flight. The aircraft was literally waiting for us to board. Our tickets had not been printed out. One of the airline ticket collector had to leave their post and quickly write out our names on sheets of ticket paper. Other than that the aircraft ride was good. Shaky worn out seats but relatively comfortable. We had been given the front-most seats closest to the exit. The best part of it all was the food! Honestly I felt that going through all that hassle and to get to eat what the kind and demure hostesses gave us was worth it. Well cooked unfrozen good filling tasty organic food!
Last week I flew MEL-DPS-MEL. The seats were comfortable with plenty of leg room. The catering was excellent and served in a timely manner throughout the flight. A TV screen in every single seat the movie selection was limited but current and entertaining. I was impressed with Garuda.
Singapore to Sydney on June 16 the 1.45am flight. We booked bizclass and were very disappointed. The seats were most uncomfortable and the cabin was extremely cold for a night flight having not flown with Scoot before we didn't get any blankets or pillows so we were unable to sleep. For bizclass we got small water and pringles and a soft drink plus our ordered meal at 8am in the morning. We did not feel we got value for money. The ground staff were good but the plane cabin crew were hidden most of the time.
Flew Rouge from YVR to LAX. Unfriendly cabin crew cramped seats and horrible service staff made this the worst experience I've had flying in a long time. I've heard of road rage but this almost gave me the first case of flight rage. Avoid them at all costs don't even think about them for transatlantic or flights >3 hours.
My husband and I purchased a one way ticket on BahamasAir as we were returning on a friend's private plane. We arrived at the airport 2 hours prior to departure time and waited 1 hour 15 minutes to check in. Before we were issued our boarding passes (as there is no online or curbside checkin) we were informed that we must purchase a return ticket in order to be allowed on board. Not having any choice we purchased two refundable tickets at a cost of almost $600. We were informed that we can cancel the flight as soon as we land in the Bahamas and they would charge us a $15/ticket cancellation fee. Additionally our flight was an hour late with the board at the gate never indicating the time change. The crew on board gave us sporadic departure instructions - some after we were in the air (ie. turn off all electronic devices and my seat was broke! A couple of days into our vacation I spent a significant amount of time trying to call both the local and toll free number for BahamasAir. I kept getting disconnected or a fast busy tone - for two days straight. We finally went to the concierge of our hotel and pleaded for his assistance. He encountered the same problem but was finally able to reach the Customer Service Department. Once I got on the phone with the rep she tried to connect with the Reservations department and she could not get through as well. After explaining our situation they finally connected me with someone who was able to accept our cancellation (they did not even have a cancellation number to provide). Needless to say we lost a good 1/2 day of precious vacation time for which BahamasAir wants $30 in fees and 6-8 weeks to return our money. I read the complaints about BahamasAir before I booked. Since the main complaint was flights departing late but I figured a small delay would be no big deal since we weren't on a time schedule. I also like to give small businesses a chance when possible. We never imagined that this complaint would be nothing compared to everything else we experienced. On a positive note we all got to the Bahamas safely and they gave us a mint on our way out of the plane. I chalked this experience up to "lesson learned" - I just wanted to send out a warning to all of you out there considering this airline.
Myself and my daughter received a one up upgrade to Business from Premium Economy San Francisco to Auckland 14th February. We were delighted about this however we soon wished we had stayed in Premium Economy as the cabin crew were extremely unfriendly and gave the impression that it was beneath them to attend to us. They rushed the meal service and hardly spoke to anyone and as for a smile forget it! The only upside to the upgrade was the lie flat bed  I am pleased that we didn't pay full price for this appalling service. Next time we will be staying in Premium Economy which was excellent.
31 Oct Dep LHR - 1 Nov Arr MAA via CMB. Both legs A330 - decent seat pitch with foot rest. Good food and plenty of drinks. Good attention by cabin crew considering me and my wife travelling with twin infants. On time departure from LHR and connection to MAA from CMB on time. Entertainment needs overhauling but not an issue considering night flight and travelling with infants. Otherwise both legs were enjoyable. Excellent landings in thunder storms at CMB/MAA. Will fly Sri Lankan again.
HND-CTS return. Check-in were helpful - didn't depart on time. Didn't expect much but to our luck on a new 737. Interior/lighting was very good a/c was clean and a good crew. They don't really speak English so that could be a potential error. Catering was pay per piece. Would fly them again.
BGI-KIN-BGI web checkin disabled. Airport checkin efficient. Planes clean comfortable for short haul. BGI-KIN food and beverage run staff efficient and friendly; food decent for short haul. Return flight had stop at Antigua - exit row so plenty of room. Food and beverage from KIN to Antigua - impressive for 1:55 flight. Antigua to BGI less than hour so no run however staff present in cabin and providing beverages to passengers who asked.
NRT to CGK. Service was above my expectations. Food tasted really good with superb presentation. Baggage claim was long but probably its CGK baggage handling system's fault. Return CGK to HND. Everything went perfectly. Overall I'm really pleased with ANA. One improvement could be IFE organization as they list same movie multiple times with different subtitles.
Flight departed an hour late from AUH which is very common. Ran to gate in IST to try to get connection, and reached gate 2 minutes after it closed (20 minutes before flight). I am shocked they knew about the delay and did not wait a few minutes, rather wait 5 hours for the next connection. Customer service desk were rude, and refused to provide food vouchers, and spoke in Turkish. Cabin crew were also unpleasant. 739 IFE better than A332.
Just completed GMP-HND-GMP for the long Buddha's Birthday holiday in Korea. Despite many negative reviews of 787 seat space I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of legroom I had at 5'11" and 250 lbs (180 cm 115 kg). I had enough space between my knees and the seat and could extend my legs full under the seat in front of me. I had both middle and window seats. The cabin felt spacious with its large windows and overhead bin design that created the feeling of high ceilings. The automatic "no shade" window shade buttons were very effective with 9am clear sunny skies. The AVOD was new and well designed and had a large selection of movies but the flight was short so there wasn't time to finish anything. ANA boards lightning fast. Our flight from HND-GMP boarded 15 minutes late but we still pushed back on time! Airplane food normally receives nothing but bad reviews but I was quite pleased with the meal service (under two hour flight so it was all on one tray). The vegetables fish and noodles all tasted fresh and were well arranged. The snack mix is the best. Crispy salty and crunchy! They also had unique drink offerings - Kabosu juice (sweet and tart) as well as their own black tea.
Flew with SilkAir recently from SG to Penang on 7 June and back on 9 June. It was my first time flying with them and I was very disappointed. Really bad experience. Firstly the flight on the 7th was delayed for an hour and no announcements were being made leaving me and my family very puzzled. Next there was a lack in variety for the in-flight meals. The chicken pie served on the return flight was terrible as there was a burnt taste. Drinks wise they only serve water orange juice and tea. The last point was on the flight attendants. As the regional wing of Singapore Airlines I was utterly surprised at their dressing. They looked so sloppy in their uniforms with unkempt hair. However they still portrayed excellent service qualities such as being polite and attentive to address customers' needs.
Transavia's baggage-checking equipment broke and delayed many from checking into their flights. When finally fixed my group were given 2 options: leave luggage in Paris or don't get on the flight. No offer to see the luggage through to the next destination and no concern for this group's (primarily elderly) ability to reach their next destination. They could not leave their luggage and were stranded in a foreign country's airport. $1,000+ later flights have been purchased but not before this company declares they are free from blame even though it was their equipment that delayed over 100 people. Will never use them again.
On a flight from Grand Forks North Dakota to Sanford Florida this past December 2013 my flight was canceled. We sat on the tarmac for an hour while they figured out what was wrong and another 30 minutes locating the part and trying it again. Finally they determine they could not fix it. Well the next day they had it fixed. However they determined the plane was too cold for the passengers so we had to wait for them to warm it up. Once they warmed it up they determine the water was frozen in lavatories. So the only guy working had to get several pitchers of hot water to try to unfreeze the sinks but to no avail. Finally he said to use the hand wipes so we boarded and finally took off. I had bought the trip-flex and used it to change/extend my return flight since I was delayed a day. However you can't change it online you have to call in. Well it seems that this cheap airline is cheap in labor and maintenance.
This is the most unorganized air line I have ever flown. They lost both of our checked bags going to our destination. Try as they would they never managed to get those bags to us. At one point they told us our bags were being shipped UPS. I told them I called UPS and they had no record of any such shipment; I asked RAM to give me the confirmation number so I could call UPS back - RAM hung up on me. Then on the way back we checked in one bag and yes they lost that one too. For our boarding on the way back they called for general boarding and everyone hoarded around the door in one big general mass. So then they decided to let families on board first - it was chaos because everyone was already jammed together. People were trying to squeeze through babies being squashed children crying. One couple complained profusely that it doesn't make any sense to call for general boarding and then limit it to only families. The RAM attendant responded that it wasn't his job to "organize you people". Really? And if it isn't their job to organize boarding it really makes me wonder about other things. There were so many more signs of disorganization it is truly unbelievable.
On flight from Austin TX to Manchester UK on 12/21/14 - paid for the additional leg room which could be better but was ok however the seats are the most uncomfortable seats ever. The more leg room you get the narrower the seat gets! 8 hrs in a cramped seat is ridiculous. My husband and I had seats 15a & b and left the armrest up between us to give us room for our arms the passenger in seat c I am thankful to say did the same thing. Seriously removing rows of seats to gain additional leg room is one thing but reducing seat widths to cram in more seats is in my opinion the most ridiculous idea they ever had. The staff were not the best and a little on the rude side. I have flown AA every time I had flown to the UK but I am considering a different airline for future trips due to the seats mainly. The captain did a great job - the entire flight was smooth.
I fly regularly (4 times a month) from Perth to several regional destinations in WA. I always fly with Qantas on these sectors and have to say they have their good and bad points. The good points are planes always on time (never had a flight delay longer than 5 mins) food is quite good and IFE on the 737-800 quite good for domestic travel. The bad points; seats in economy are possibly the most cramped and un-comfortable of any airline I have ever flown with even the newer 737-800 aircraft have a very tired and old look and feel inside some of FA's seem to just go through the motions and boarding at Perth Airport is just a cattle stampede but that is not all down to Qantas. On a side note the few times I have upgraded to Business Class it has been a wonderful flying experience and one of the best regional domestic business class offerings. Far better than what the Americans call 'First Class' on their domestic routes. Overall a pass mark for Qantas just.
June 26 2014. One-way KUL-DPS in Economy class. Check-in at KLIA 2 was swift but I did check-in online the day before as well. Long lines at Immigration counters. Reminded me of Bali. Boarding call followed on time and our flight left KUL 10 minutes late but we arrived on-time in Bali. Overall nice flight experience. 32 inch seat pitch was comfortable for a tall person like me. Seat reclines and comes with in-seat entertainment. Even offers an USB connection which usually is only available in Business Class. Free meal service was only crackers and water. Other meals and drinks were available for a charge. Would book Malindo Air again.
Flew Sunwing out of Calgary to Cuba on Dec 24/2013. Arrived at airport 5am for 7am flight to be told that the flight was delayed 2 hours due to "crew rest". Get on plane at 9am only to have to evacuate due to mechanical failure. Plane had to be hauled away for inspection hauled away with our luggage on board. Each hour that passed no updates. Finally told that they had to get a new plane. More time passes with no announcements. Finally hear after several hours that they are getting a plane in Saskatoon out of the hangar they will get the Saskatoon passengers and bring them to Calgary so we can all just fly out of Calgary to Cuba. Plane finally arrives but sits at gate nobody getting off. Advised of crew change. More hours pass. Advised that there is a "catering issue beyond our control". More time passes. Finally get on the plane Saskatoon passengers have been suck on the plane for 2 hours without any service only warm water not allowed to deplane. Get on plane advised no audio/visual sorry (terrific for the 5.5 hour flight ahead). Lunch consisted of a bad slice of re-heated pizza in tin foil. We had upgraded to Elite Plus. Seats did not recline and the "champagne service" consisted of a tiny sample cup glass of bad champagne. All in we were 12 hours in Calgary airport. During this ridiculous delay Sunwing handed out $5.00 lunch vouchers which doesn't even buy you barely a coffee. Once on the plane they handed out $75.00 vouchers for your next Sunwing flight. Nobody was bothering taking these vouchers. We were scheduled to arrive into Cuba Dec 24 at 4:30 p.m. instead after the 12 hour delay and a 90 minute bus ride we ended up arriving to the resort at 3am! Ridiculous and horrible service and airline. Never again.
For this short 100 min flight from Mendoza to Buenos Aires the economy seat on the 737-700 had plenty leg room and they even served a small lunch box which impressed me. Just beware that row 6 which was behind me has no window. I would not want to be in that seat!
DTW-MDW-GSP. Paid extra $10 to get early/priority check-in. Still ended up with boarding numbers in the high 20s. Managed to get one front row and one exit row seat for the first flight and two exit row seats for the second flight. At DTW there were lots of passengers in wheelchairs and a woeful lack of airline personnel available to take them onboard so boarding took a while. Flight into GSP not only took off on time but arrived 30 mins early. It is not always the cheapest option especially if you are adding the $10 earlybird check-in fee but in this case it worked out fine. Still not sure if I like their boarding system since it results in our standing up longer than with other airlines.
EIN-BUD-EIN trip. Good steady flights which were on time only the flight to Budapest was slightly delayed because of military traffic inbound for Eindhoven. Cabin crew was good legroom was sufficient for 2 hours but for longer flights to cramped. We choose Wizzair because of it's good price and for the money was worth it.
It began in Vietnam in Da Nang. I went online to see the flight status and it was unavailable. We called through and found the flight that was scheduled for a 5.15 pm departure had been delayed. Because the status was unavailable online we were not able to book a late checkout with our hotel. We made our way to Da Nang airport booked a single room so we could have somewhere to wait until 10pm for our re-scheduled check-in for a 12.50am flight. Arrived at the airport at 10pm to find it was not flying until after 2.00 am the plane arrived around 2.45 we arrived in Saigon just before 3.45pm. The flight crew looked exhausted and their safety demonstration was poorly demonstrated. The food was inedible and the captain made no attempt to communicate with the passengers regarding the delay. This was the worst flight experience I have had and the first time with JetStar.
I have done several long haul flights with Etihad. I am satisfied with most aspects of their service. However on my last trip I waited 90 minutes in a very slow moving queue to check my luggage in at Sydney and another 90 minutes on the return journey waiting to check in at CDG Paris. I wonder if the airline is cost cutting with check in staff. Then there is the issue of the queue at Abu Dhabi. After alighting the aircraft it is necessary to stand amid a slowly moving sea of humanity all awaiting a re-scanning of hand luggage. On my last trip this wait took over an hour. After a fourteen hour flight it sure takes some stamina. I am thinking of changing airlines.
Frankfurt to Sofia return. The ground staff in Frankfurt and Sofia were very helpful and gave us the seats we requested. The flight to Sofia was a smaller plane and unmarked but it was clean and comfortable. We received a sandwich and dessert and drink selection offered was good. On return we flew a 737 and the leg room was very tight but luckily it was not a full flight and we were able to move around. We had a packed lunch with sandwich and cake and the same nice selection of drinks. The crew seemed courteous and responsive to requests. We left and arrived on time and we had no baggage problems on either end. All in all it was a good experience and I would fly Bulgarian Air again.
LHR-BKK return in Business (Premium Laurel) Class. Full cabins on both outward and return journeys but good layout meant did not feel crowded. B777 aircraft in both cases seemed virtually brand new with comfortable seat albeit not quite managing flat-bed status. All meals of good quality served efficiently and with charm by young female crew coping well with some extensive turbulence. Check-in at both LHR and BKK was speedy and use of EVA's own lounge in BKK and the American Airlines lounge at LHR T3 made the journeys an enjoyable experience all round. Most importantly an excellent value product at £1500 for the part-flexible return ticket.
Milano Malpensa to Bahrain in Economy and Business on the return to Italy. Both cabins very clean crew extremely professional good seats in Economy - I could easily sleep. Old but comfortable seats in Business. Good quality of food in both cabins and entertainment with several movies (in Italian too) music and video games. I would fly again.
I flew from Richmond to Fort Myers by way of Atlanta. I was boarded and the problems began. Plane was supposed to leave at 4.25. After 30 minutes of waiting they told the passengers that an outside compartment was stuck open. Had to call maintenance in. Over an hour delay we took off. I asked flight attendant about my transfer in Atlanta she snipped back check at the gate. Got to the gate to find out my connecting plane was already boarding. Went to board and was told my ticket was not good. Got out of line and went to try to resolve this issue. They had changed my flight to the next day. Finally got it straight. Asked about luggage they said no problem it would be on the plane with me. I was the last to board and a day later still no luggage. Very disappointed.
Sydney-Auckland-Christchurch on 777-200 Business Premier and A320 on domestic leg. Lounge in Sydney very busy but as usual good selection off food and drink. Priority boarding was fast and efficient; Flight was excellent with great service from the crew. Have done Tasman sector a few times and food is the same great selection of high quality NZ wines. The 777-200 was showing signs of wear and tear. Staff service was friendly and was a great flight from Sydney. Auckland to Sydney was on a Tasman configured A320 lounge in Auckland was good with a good selection of breakfast and coffee from their Barista services. Flight was quick and was impressed that one crew member had remembered me from previous flights. Onetime and excellent service.
Booked and paid for flights in Feb 2012 with TAP as advertised as "golf Friendly" with no surcharge for carrying golf clubs. Today I found out by visiting the web site that I will be charged 20 euros each way to carry my clubs when I fly tomorrow. Most airlines add additional charges from a date with those booking pre said date deemed not to be charged increase not TAP they just add charges with out even informing you.
Economy Bangkok to Fukuoka via Shanghai on 22 May return 1 June. All flights new aircraft B777 BKK-PVG and B737 PVK-FUK. All flights arrived on time and service was excellent. This is the fourth time I have flown on China Eastern and this trip was typical of my previous experiences.
DEL-NRT-SJC and back. DEL-NRT leg was Boeing 767 while NRT-SJC was Dreamliner 787. The latter is an experience by itself. Windows can be made from transparent to translucent to near opaque by touch of a button located on the window seat. Cabin luggage storage capacity is great and still designed to give a greater sense of space within the aircraft. Lavatories are worth mentioning. The door opening is more convenient and don't have to be pushed like older aircraft. Basin is wider hand motion sensitive and self-draining. Toilet seat is also motion activated for closure and flush. Overall journey in the Dreamliner is less tiring than older aircraft. Cabin crew and staff exemplary. Very courteous always smiling and ready to help. They are always around even when the lights have been dimmed pay prompt attention to any requests pick up anything lying on the floor or elsewhere and cleanliness level is great. Highly recommend flying by this airline.
Everything was horrible. Dedicated check-in at CMN airport completely chaotic no enforcement of cabin luggage restrictions (business class overhead bins already stuffed when I boarded the plane) cabin interior both old and dirty service limited to an absolute minimum.
We had 9 hour delay at Gatwick with only explanation as 'operational difficulties' The flight then went to Havana instead of our destination which was Holguin we then had to get internal flight. The food was worst we ever had on flight no films and the individual lights did not work so when cabin lights dimmed we couldn't even read. The toilets were not kept clean and ran out of soap and paper towels. If you have the choice please use another airline we certainly will never fly with them again.
Flew a 777 Adelaide-Dubai-Istanbul - Reasonable service but very slow. The A380 return flight Amsterdam-Dubai - service was shocking. We had finished our entrée and were still waiting for a glass of wine! We had finished our main course and were still waiting for a glass of wine. I will never fly Emirates again. We went Emirates because they fly direct from Adelaide and they were a ONE WORLD affiliate but next time we go overseas (Europe in June 2015) we will go to Sydney or Melbourne and fly Qantas!
Colombo to Kuwait. Cabin crew helpful and attentive to requests. Fleet is very old and needs refurbishment. IFE is not up to standard. Seating is uncomfortable. High cabin noise inside. Flight delays.
Return flight JFK-BOG business class. Awful dirty DL Skyclub at terminal 4 wherein all drinks and food have to be paid for except for mediocre house wines warm domestic beers and yes popcorn. Flight left 30 minutes late. Rude disinterested crew barely greeted the boarding passengers. Same ancient 757 with fairly comfortable lie flat seating. Were served an awful breakfast at midnight instead of dinner with no explanations. Then crew gathered in the front galley screaming and laughing bothering paying J class passengers that were trying to sleep. One of the pilots occupied seat 1A beside me without even saying hello. Unbelievable. Finally the crew forgot customs forms to entry BOG they didn't even knew they existed so we had to get them upon arrival. Luggage arrived one hour after arrival. Never again.
ATH-TUN-ATH A319 the aircraft configure with all economy class. Check in on both directions fine. The cabin was fine and aircraft seem to be in shape. We had a hot meal with a choice of drinks. The service was very good and crew was fine for a short flight. Our return flight to Athens we had a good breakfast. Overall I was satisfied.
DUS-IST-KUL and return in Economy. DUS-IST and IST-DUS by A320/321. Very crowded and the cabin crew didn't bring discipline into boarding deboarding and inflight behavior. All natural chaos with people standing/talking while fasten seatbelt-sign was shown passengers with much more than 1 piece of (bulky) hand luggage children without seats pax standing up just after touching the runway - nobody seems to care. Experienced cabin crew checked seat belts with loud and clear announcements from the flight deck - in Turkish and English. In addition: excellent catering (outgoing IST) by DoCo. Overall: certainly one of the better competitors in the skies - still a lot to improve.
SQ947 and SQ378 Aug 19 2014. DPS-SIN and SIN-MXP. Nice flights attendants were perfect meal ok too many uninteresting movies.
Manchester - Atlanta - Quito - August 2014. Flew Delta for the first time in about a decade and was very impressed. Transatlantic flew an old but recently refurbished 767-2 which was clean and comfortable. Was fortunate to get an exit row seat meaning I had lots of leg room and being 6'3 this was a blessing! Seats were a little hard but no more so than other airlines. Entertainment system was very good lots of options and food and drinks were served regularly. Cabin crew were very friendly and always happy to help. Flight departed on time and arrived early in ATL. ATL-QUI - very old 757-2 and desperately needed refurbing. Seats were worn out no entertainment overhead TVs existed but not used and cabin crew were less friendly. Drinks only served once on a 5 hour flight and food was very poor in comparison to the other flight. Standard American airline for me very good transatlantic but domestic/South America used tired fleet and much less effort made. Will certainly use again if I need to fly transatlantic as was an excellent experience but still much to improve on the other side of the pond.
22nd Dec. Huge Ice storm delaying operations out of Toronto Pearson airport. Any other airline had delay information posted on the screen and vouchers for passengers to purchase food inside the terminal. Sunwing had nothing the agents knew nothing. Flying on 513 to Cancun. We find out after 2 hours of sitting on the aircraft that we had been offloaded and our suitcase was not onboard. I inquired to the agent about my luggage if they could load it on since we had 2 more hrs to wait they said yes and I was reassured that it had been placed back on. Passengers had been waiting for more than 4hrs with not one drinks service. I had to tell the crew to turn the lights from bright to low. Since it was a new 737-800 the CSM had no clue how to operate the system. Sandwiches shouldn't of been served after such a long delay. They were soggy cold and the paper was stuck to them. Arrive at destination no luggage. Return flight same thing delay 2hrs no APU closed door stuffy cabin with a more pro- active crew that instantly did a water service. I would rather pay the 100$ more to fly any other airline. Landed in Toronto to be parked at a bridge that did not work.
Used Korean air's B777-300ER. ICN-SYD. Used Business class comfortable large seats and great crew service. It was really quiet. Lots of food selection to choose from but the steak was a little bit small. Also a large entertainment system.
Orlando Florida (MCO) - London Gatwick (LGW). Wed Aug 27 return Sun Sep 7. We paid over 150 dollars more for our seats and didn't even get a choice of what we wanted for our meal. In addition the inflight entertainment didn't work on our return trip.
Flew from Gatwick to Puerto Plata (TOM096) on 3/8/2014 on the "Dreamliner" more like nightmare liner. Plane was dirty with water dripping onto my friend food disgusting was supposed to be some kind of chicken and pasta in a tomato sauce was so dry and hard I think we were all served food left over from the week before. Staff well all I will say is if you hate your job that much then do something else. Pilot unable to land first time lots of panicking going on but not one word from pilot or flight attendants to let us know what was going on (quick message after from the "spare pilot" (yes that was his words). Return flight (TOM097) on 17/8/2014 was a completely different experience clean plane friendly happy flight staff and edible food. Please be aware you are offered no tea or coffee refills so the only free drinks you get are the ones you get with your meal. we travelled economy class and the seating is more spacious than normal.
Edinburgh to Newark. Newark to Orlando. The only good things about this flight was the legroom and punctuality of all flight sectors even with storms in New York we were not delayed. Food was awful and not enough for a long haul flight with only a croissant for breakfast. Your own TV did not have a great choice of movies. I would class Continental as a budget airline and not a great one at that. Improve food and movie choice and they would be better. Do not choose row 14 in their 757s or 737s seats don't recline.
BRU-ZRH-LUG-ZRH-BRU. All 4 legs in Avro and Saab planes from different Swiss codeshare airlines - C class - I am delighted to fly Swiss. Good check in - vile lounge in BRU though using SN Star alliance which has become a joke and always packed. Once on board it is good even for small equipment and short flights they are probably the best. Have never tried them in Y class must admit. Zurich airport in a breeze. Will recommend and fly them again. In fact flying 1st class intercontinental in a couple of weeks.
Frankfurt to Mauritius and back last week. First we booked a non-stop flight the ticket said that too but in fact the plane - after already delayed for over an hour - stopped in Geneva and we had to go out there and wait for another hour. The plane was old  legroom in was poor due to the IFE Box mentioned in other reviews. The staff was friendly but never there. I've hardly seen them during the flight and helped myself for drinks (so far there were drinks). Only the food was ok and the entertainment program was nice.
Frontier is no different from other US based airlines. Same lower quality interiors, comfort, poorer service and lack of respect for economy class passengers. Frontier goes a step forward and uses the following tactics to foster its revenues: 1) Bait and switch schedules. 2) Nickel and dime everything from seat selection, food, beverages, and carry on bags. My family booked a flight back in January for a journey in April. We thought we got a good price and a schedule that fit our needs. Few weeks later we were contacted by our travel agent to inform us that Frontier had canceled the return flight. We were offered the following choices: 1) Go on a flight the following day - Frontier would not compensate for any added expenses. 2) Cancel for no charge and rebook on another airline for an additional $400, because tickets prices had increased in the interim. We were pretty much forced to go with option 1. Also, while doing an online check-in the Frontier system pretty much "confuses" you into paying unnecessary fees. We had the foresight to skip that process during seat selection, whereby it automatically assigned us a seat without additional fees. We were not so lucky as it suckered us to pay cabin baggage fees that no one bothered to check at the gates and smarter passengers had avoided. Essentially the system threatens you will be charged more at the gate and that you are better of paying online. I'd take my chances at the gate. 
16 March 2015 flight 1306 Luton-Warsaw. 20 March 2015 flight 1305. Terrible experience. Priority boarding is a waste of money as they ignore it and treat you like cattle Seat room is the worst I have ever experienced. Seat backs were heavily damaged by previous customers trying to get legs in or frustrated by lack of space. Do not fly with these people. Dreadful.
Flights to and from Punta Delgada 2.5 hr delay outbound should have merited some explanation/apology from ground staff at Gatwick. New plane was comfortable and flight crew friendly and efficient. A shame then that ground handling at Manchester was so awful. Given that this is a weekly flight there should be a better system for dealing with transit passengers.
Waited 65 min for bag drop at Florence - after only one check in desk for premium and economy for the first half hour (from 90 min before flight WX 280). Suitcase was damaged en route from LCY to Florence. Service on board is minimal - tea, coffee water and a small snack, but pleasant crew. It was overpriced at £340 return. The return flight was 55 min late leaving which the crew had the cheek to blame on security queues - nonsense! Then the push-back tug broke down. Safety rules breached by allowing window blinds to be closed at takeoff. 
QF2 Heathrow via Dubai to Sydney. Paid a lot for an exit seat but not worth it as on the aisle near the hatch which the crew use to go to their rest station my feet were continually bumped as they queue up to enter the light just in side the door was annoying and the door banged every time so forget any rest. Surprised at the poor quality of food curry or lamb stew on Dubai leg the curry AGAIN or macaroni cheese on Sydney leg. Breakfast was a muffin so arrived in Dubai hungry had to buy breakfast from pain quotidien which was best meal on the trip! Crew were very ordinary. All in all not as good a flight as Thai gave us on same trip 3 months ago. So unless my return flight is much better will use another airline in future.
MUC-KEF KEF-MUC: Superb value! Both flights were on time. Enough legroom and very good seating. Great IFE with a broad variety of movies music and information about Iceland. Spotless plane. Everything perfect except that you have to pay for the food and quality of the food was OK but nothing special.
LHR-HEL return. Aircraft an ex SAS MD90. Aircraft and cabin interior was clean and tidy although a little dated seat pitch was good. Flight attendants friendly and information from the flight crew was good. Only tea coffee is free on board - food has to be purchased. Flight to HEL was on time return to LHR was one hour late. Overall no major complaints and good value for money. Usual good Scandinavian hospitality.
Just learnt from an online check-in that my flight tomorrow from BCN to NCE was cancelled without them notifying me. They were not at all interested nor apologetic when I phoned for an explanation. I paid more to travel with them over the cheaper alternatives to avoid this situation. Such a short flight but it has cost me over 2K so far in re-routing around their failure. An email from them could have avoided so much trouble.
My wife daughter and myself flew with Cubana to Cayo Largo the last week of Feb 2015. On both trips to and from the plane was pretty much on time well prepared staff were friendly enough and conducted themselves in a professional manner. Considering what we paid for our holiday we were surprised that we got a meal on both flights and it was quite enjoyable. Not the best airline in the world by any means but the flight was smooth. I have nothing negative to say about Cubana at all and as far as their planes the ones used for trips from Ontario to Cuba during the winter months are an Avion wet lease which are in partnership with Thompson so no worries as to who maintains and looks after the fleet of planes. If you decide to take Cubana you can also get good deals we got great savings with a "half off" tax sale they had.
Flight LH419 Dulles Intl - Frankfurt Intl 25/3/2014. As I am part of the Miles & More programme I prefer to fly Lufthansa. On my last flight I was looked after well the flight left on time and landed early and I was able to choose a seat with extra leg room which is important for me.
Stansted - Istanbul Return. Very short check in at STN - agent seemed surprised at our relative lack of luggage perhaps understandable given that 20kg free allowance was included in the ticket price. Chaos at the other desks as Turkish families seemed to be trying to take huge amounts of luggage with them. Flight was around 45 minutes late but kept well informed with regular announcements. Aircraft clean and fresh but legroom very tight. Great funny safety demo video. Crew friendly if a little slow at service. Prices on board were very high - even higher than Ryanair. SAW airport in Istanbul offers limited transport connections into the city but was a much larger airport than expected. Return journey much the same hand baggage limits strictly applied and slightly more chaos at check in. Again crew seemed very genuine and friendly but slow at serving meals and snacks. Flight only 25 minutes late this time.
BA1326 Heathrow to Newcastle 22/4/15. Checked in at T5 by an agent who should train some of the others. Very welcoming instantly struck up a conversation with me this person was a credit to the company and a much needed one. The good experience ended there. Punctuality reared it's ugly head once more. I've recorded this repeatedly. Departure was delayed 45 minutes. Not the end of the world but an inconvenience which happens so regularly I can pretty much count on it. It's a shame BA can't address these issues and get flights operating to schedule the majority of the time as other airlines are well able to. Once on board BA is like a tale of two airlines. Some crews are excellent others just lack professionalism and behave rather strangely at times. Possibly this may stem from the two tier or mixed fleet system. But whatever the issue may be crew quality and service is inconsistent. When we landed at Newcastle a crew member announced that the flight was only 30 minutes behind schedule! Well marvellous not in my opinion. Having just flown around the world on another airline which was able to operate twelve out of thirteen flights either on time or ahead of schedule I have to say that I remain generally unimpressed.
I flew with Spirit Airlines this past week for the first time. I was extremely nervous from the reviews. I was traveling with kids and I only was going to Florida for 4 nights. I was prepared and read up on all reviews and read the Spirit website so I had knowledge of everything. There would be no surprises. I realize now that everyone who complained did not read the website. I printed boarding passes at home so I would not be charged at airport. Went straight to gate. I packed light so no bags were checked so no cost. Have a bag with the correct dimensions. Boarded on time and landed early. The food on plane was not that expensive I looked at menu but didn't buy. Bought stuff for plane already. Its not a super fancy plane my seat reclined. I'm 5'7" and the legroom isn't there really but I had the flight pick my seats on website at no cost and luckily we were still put together. Like they mention on website you get what you pay for. Had a great experience returning also. I will fly with them again if the price is right! IAH to FLL direct!
I booked a flight LED-DME-PKC and back. When I arrived to the airport there was a huge lane and I almost missed my flight as check-in was as fast as 1 person per 15 minutes and the staff was unfriendly and was not speaking English at all. During the first flight one cracker and that's it staff unfriendly as well. Transfer on DME quite ok but during the 85 hour flight there was no entertainment as the screens were not working. Food was surprisingly above average but the staff was not speaking English again. Flight back was really terrible no entertainment and as there was light outside you could not sleep either. The food this time was disgusting and cold and staff (again) not speaking English. After arrival (1 hour late) my connecting flight was supposed to leave in 50 minutes. When I came to the gate which was switched 3 times until I've finally got to the right one the flight was for unknown reasons delayed 30 minutes.
Toronto to Beijing. Seat legroom was minimal cabin interior was dirty and shabby. My seat table and the one of my neighbor was filthy with food and other matter from previous use. One of the washroom sinks was broken so there was no means of washing your hands. AV system kept shutting down. Overall it was a very unpleasant experience and my last with this airline. Pay a little more and get some basic comfort.
I am a platinum member and travel frequently - mainly between Gold Coast to Melb return and Byron - Sydney - Gold Coast - although I travelled to NT / Adelaide too. Last year I took approximately 50 flights with Virgin. I mostly travel in economy (row 3) but did manage about 8-10 upgrades into business class. I would say out of 50 flights 45 were good if not great. I would say only 5 caused problems - I had one cancelled (but put on the next flight) and a few staff members over the year that perhaps shouldn't have a job. The vast majority of staff are very good - friendly professional and seem to enjoy their jobs. So my experience has been very positive (I do think it helps when you are platinum / gold).
We had a really good flight with a very nice and obliging crew! Food was very good also the entertainment program and the seats. We will always fly with AA again!
London to Tbilisi to Zurich. Cheap fare is the only reason you would choose to fly with Pegasus but if Tbilisi or Beirut is your final destination I would choose similarly priced Air Baltic via Riga any day. Avoid at all costs a long layover at SAW as mentioned in earlier review! I've vowed never to fly Pegasus again and even found myself claiming Ryanair is better. I always sit on the back row - on 2 sectors TBS-SAW and SAW-ZRH someone was smoking onboard and crew didn't bother - both times turned a blind eye? Passengers up and about while the plane was still on the runway in Tbilisi and again in Istanbul on return - again crew didn't bother. All in all pretty chaotic. What they do seem to get right is the friendliness of the cabin crew - chatty and generally helpful. Onboard food ok (avoid hot breakfast) and by booking them ahead you get served first and it works out much cheaper. On all 4 sectors there was a problem with paying for my drinks with a credit card but eventually they somehow managed it - otherwise my flight on Christmas Day would be pretty gloomy. Great onboard tv's with aircraft location which you don't usually get on a budget airline. Safety demo featuring children whilst fun means that no one bothers watching it after first 30 seconds (probably doesn't help no crew are present in the aisle either when it's running). Last sector SAW to ZRH was operated by Tailwind Airlines in old 737-400.
March 4 2014 - we returned from trip to Las Vegas on Allegiant it was a 2 day delay going down and a 5 hour delay on the return. I have never had such bad service. Do not be fooled by the cheap prices they don't care about the passengers and are only there for the money. Our vacation was ruined as we lost 2 days of our trip. When we finally got on board after waiting over 40 hours they would not even pay for our drinks.
Smooth faultless 2 hour flight with Ryanair from CCF to JLA friendly cabin crew more importantly on time. Pretty much what you'd expect from Ryanair really.
SYD-AKL. I was booked in business class on a late afternoon flight. I was informed by the airline that there had been a change and the flight no longer offered business class. Instead I was offered something called World Deluxe Service which is ridiculous and expensive for what it is. Basically it is a fully economy A320 aircraft where the first two rows only use two of the three seats. Essentially someone sits in 1A and 1C but they don't sell 1B. You also get lounge access and the onboard economy meal. I actually had to argue with the booking agent that I was entitled to money back. I had to explain that I had purchased a business class ticket (for myself wife and son) and now that they no longer provided me with business class they actually owed me money. Eventually they relented. The aircraft was absolutely disgusting. It was ancient (or looked ancient). My family was in 1A 1C and 1D (no one was in 1F or in row two at all). There was no divider wall in front of row one so I had to privilege of basically sitting in the galley for three hours watching the flight attendants work. My son was seated in 1C but I had to move him because "he was too young for an exit row". Since when is row one an exit row? We were sitting opposite two flight attendants. Wouldn't they operate the door in an emergency? Where they expecting my 9 year old to do it? Air New Zealand's seat selection system is the worst. It is time for the IT department to let you pick specific seats for each passenger instead of picking a block of seats for you. The seats on this aircraft had perhaps a millimetre of recline. It was one of the most uncomfortable flights I have never been on. The entertainment system worked poorly and my son's did not work at all. The only positive is that the Air New Zealand staff are perhaps the nicest people anywhere. I have never had anything but truly outstanding service from the cabin crew on all of my flights with them over the years and this flight was no exception.
Route: Heathrow - Toronto First Class daytime flight. Check-in / security: The former was smooth friendly and efficient. The latter was very poor on the basis that BA make no special provision for security with F class passengers either at their own hub (Heathrow Terminal 5) or any destination. F class passengers are not escorted which I consider to be a significant shortfall when clearing immigration and boarding flights. Lounge: Flagship lounge (Concorde Room) is quiet elegant reasonably well staffed and conveniently located after security. Good food in civilised portions served in the restaurant and a good selection of wines. IFE and Amenities: The TV is fairly decent even on the refurbed 747s. Comfortable seats / beds with decent bedding and PJs. Good leg room which I notice at 6'2". Practical sized amenity kit which is fairly well stocked. Food: Decent food and well presented. Selection is sufficient but no special options available pre-boarding. Crew: Generally affable crew who were professional. Not the fastest of service in comparison to other F products. Crew and captain introduced themselves to a number of passengers which sits between those airlines where all passengers are chatted with and those who don't. I would say BA have the right approach in that crew seem to visually assess whether a passenger looks like they would invite a social conversation - rather than imposing it anyway.
ICN-LAX return in first class on 747. Fantastic lie flat seats in spacious individual pods which offered comfort and privacy. Cabin crew were the most conscientious I've encountered providing personalized service. Food menu was terrific and presentation and serving excellent. Wine choices impressive. Duvets provided and seats very comfortable in bed configuration. Great lounge at Incheon and staff service consistently high. Highly recommended.
Uncomfortable seats, only a couple of millimeters of padding, if at all. There is also a metal rod at the front edge of the seat which is raised, pressing against the back of the knees. We have informed the crew about the seats every time yet the problem persists, in fact it has got worse. Crew can get snappy, even rude at times, particularly if you ask for what you paid for. Eg: They sometimes put other passengers in the most expensive seats for which you paid (among the first 6 seats), asking you to choose another seat and accept a refund or leave it, without apologising for the inconvenience, yet insisting that they followed procedure and good conduct. If only it was cheap but, it's far from it most of the time.
Flew from Sydney to Penang via KL then Penang to KL KL to Miri Miri to Kuching Kuching to KL and then on to Singapore. Both ground and air crews were excellent extremely helpful and kind with our elderly parents with mobility issues. Check in at all airports was quick and efficient. Arrival at KL LCCT was a shock did not expect to have to walk the long distance from the tarmac to the terminal building in the hot blazing sun. Most airports would have a bus to transport the passengers to the terminal building. Not a good first impression of KL. Will certainly fly AirAsia again.
Flew the DUB-ORD route. I was disappointed with the movie selection offered by the in-flight entertainment. Compared to Delta there were far fewer movies to choose from and they were not current titles. Expect ones you've already seen 5 years ago. The hot meal was the usual chicken or beef options and was nothing to write home about. The pre-landing snack was a flapjack. They give you a knife and fork to eat it bizarrely. I guess this airline just loves wasting money. The armrests between seats do not go all the way up to prevent passengers lying down on a row of four. Annoying if you want to catch a quick nap. Overall I was disappointed with the flight given how much Aer Lingus charge for a one-way. I'll try another airline for the return journey.
My husband and I flew upper class from London to Los Angeles. The flight was full so we were not expecting everything to be perfect. The flight attendants seemed preoccupied with themselves and if you called them they were very abrupt and short. So I decided not to bother them but waited to see if they came around to offer a drink which was twice when they served lunch and tea. The food was served in rations. The cheese tray came around but before I knew it it was over. Staff hardly smiled and left most of our empty cups behind. The toilets were dirty and by the end of the flight I actually felt relieved to leave the aircraft . For what you pay I don't think it's a good service.
Edinburgh to Faro both ways on time the plane was clean and the cabin staff excellent. My problem started when we came out to the foyer of Faro airport and there was no rep to tell us where to find the transfer coaches and then we spotted this small wooden sentry box stuck away in the corner with a dim light on the top where we eventually were told where to go. I have travelled abroad 60 times all over the world and this is the worst customer service I have had.
Chicago-Delhi-Bangalore. Aircraft from ORD-DEL was a Boeing 777-300 majestic look from outside but once you get in the flight you get to see a few unpolished areas seats are ok not great. Decent leg room. Cabin crew don't smile much and have to be called a thousand times to attend your request. Choice of inflight entertainment was limited with a lot of ancient Hindi movies and English movies. Food was good. The ticket price was sky high because I booked it 3 days in advance but the service I got was below mediocre. Once you arrive in Delhi having to collect my checked in bags and to check in again is a complete hassle.
STN-LAS-STN. Overall a very pleasant experience. STN check-in is quick and the Fast-track through security a bonus. The lounge at the boarding gate is a little small. Aside from that it offers all the standard biz-class trimmings. On time departures in both directions we also well received. The 767 cabin is bright and spacious. The website 'tour' of it doesn't do it justice. The seats are very comfortable enabling a comfortable nap but they do not recline to horizontal. On board service is good and the food quality fine although the menu could have a little more variety. This is a better product than the various premium economy services available and I would use them again.
Flew Westjet a couple of times last year: YYZ-YEG and YYZ-YVR (return flights). I selected the Plus section over the regular economy and the modest extra cost was worth it for the additional value. The seat pitch is better than the back of the plane and all the usual nickel and dime extras are free (checked bags seat selection food). By the time you add up all the extras you would be hit with you can actually come out ahead. Throw in priority boarding and you get a much better experience than regular economy. I had occasion to compare this service with AC Rouge Premium YYZ-MCO and I have to say that Rouge was far better in terms of meals and to some extent service. The cost premium for Rouge however was far higher than the Westjet Plus so I guess you get what you pay for. For longer flights within Canada Westjet Plus will be my preferred option especially when compared to AC's J class which is prohibitively expensive.
Sanford to Rickenbacker flight 614 on 7/10/14 and the return trip from Rickenbacker to Sanford flight 615 on 7/17/14. Horrible experience. Twice to the flight line and twice unable to takeoff due to equipment problems. Finally they subbed another plane. Our flight was over 6 hours late. Dirty plane diaper contents under seat in front of us. Old noted silicone caulk around and on emergency hatches. I have to add mouthy rude sarcastic staff.
CAI-SSH A320. Extensive security upon boarding. On this flight staff actually smiled. IFE screens did not work on the entire left side so no possibility to follow security instructions. Aircraft seemed clean but old and warn. Drinks offered very quick and then no sight of staff until you disembark. Many passengers onboard used their tablets and mobile phones during take off and landing - staff took no notice.
LHR-DFW-XNA AA51 transatlantic then American Eagle. I had avoided American Airlines transatlantic for years but thought to give the "new" American a try. Boeing 777-300ER already showing wear and tear in First Class. Cabin was dirty and food was inedible. Also the logic of serving lunch/dinner on an 09.30 flight utterly defeats me. Why not serve lovely breakfast? Crew was keen to get meal service over and disappear for the remainder of the flight. Flight diverted to IAH due to low fuel / weather but almost no announcements from flight deck. On American Eagle flight attendant was rude and not professionally dressed; She wore a crumpled uniform and believe it or not Dutch-style clogs. Overall it is so sad that there is no sophistication nor manner / culture at the "new" American Airlines. Travel on American Airlines is nowhere close to a First Class experience. This is a desperately poor airline but there isn't much choice across the pond sadly. Avoid this carrier if you can.
Flew SYD-PEK-LHR 25/12/2014 and returned LHR-PEK-SYD 15/1/2015. Great flights comfortable seats pleasant staff and ample enjoyable meals. I happened upon cheap flights for the festive period so was not expecting too much especially after reading negative reviews. How wrong I was to presume. The return flight was much fuller than the outward flight however on both legs boarding and feedings were performed with a minimum of fuss. Longest wait was for an over packed young couple at Heathrow followed by a wait time for take off at Beijing. Hardly anything to complain about. Will most definitely be recommending to friends and looking at their website for flights in future. Breaking the Sydney to London journey at Beijing is just about 1/2 way - a great plan.
Jetstar "Star Class" is not worth it. Flew to Honolulu with Jetstar for holidays the tickets were not cheap but I think it was more premium economy at business class prices. No priority boarding. No priority baggage first off and last to get baggage. The all Thai cabin crew did not seem to have been well trained they were very friendly but the service was slow and haphazard. Some meals came out fast others really slow to arrive dessert of ice cream was liquid when it finally arrived. Food would be classed as average for economy on most airlines definately not what I would call "business class". Seats were not that comfortable and had lacked in legroom the seat in front hit my knees when reclined. Inflight entertainment of iPad took an hour to come out after departure and there was no place to hang it it was in my lap while I ate meal over the top of it. Not exactly classy. It was three times the price of an economy ticket and definitely not worth it. I am one very unhappy customer and will never fly Jetstar again.
Booked the flight one day before with a very good offer. Online Check-in was not great as no seat selection possible (may be due to the fact that you will be redirected to the LH online check-In). Reserved for the LIS-ZRH flight online a window seat against additional charge, however this was not considered at Check-In and they offered me a middle seat!! Flight was late out of LIS, just 20 minutes for the transfer to MUC, but baggage made it. Crews generally friendly, cold snack (nothing worth to write about it) served on the longer routes. On the LIS-ZRH route we had the retrofitted A320 with 37 rows : very cramped and especially the toillets in the rear are small! Airline recommended especially with the smooth transfer at ZRH airpot
New Delhi to Srinagar and back. While in the past I have had reservations about flying Air India I found their overall performance better than I had previously anticipated and expected. There are two newer perks with flying Air India. The first is the new Terminal 3 at New Delhi which is modern efficient and clean a huge improvement over the previous Delhi airport. Flying in an out is a breeze with the newer terminal offering a large selection of amenities. The second is the membership of Air India with the Star Alliance making earning frequent flier points possible. The DEL-SXR sector was served by an older A320 - comfortable seats in one class configuration with no special amenities in an older layout. Service consisted of hot beverages with biscuits - not exemplary but adequate for a short flight. Srinagar had been affected by floods at the time of my departure so the Air India staff graciously allowed us to leave the city three days before our scheduled departure. The plane was a A330 with modern seats offering excellent legroom with tasty refreshments. The aircraft sported a modern looking interior with restrooms under the main cabin - something I had not seen before - with no inflight entertainment but perfectly adequate for a short flight. Air India may be one of the more underrated airlines out there. Despite its financial difficulties their inflight product has improved markedly over the years and their Star Alliance membership and modern hub in Delhi makes them attractive to fly with both on short haul and long haul flights. My expectations were low but I was more than satisfied and I would consider flying with them again.
BUD-IST-KIX (Istanbul-Osaka) and return. Short range A320 and B737-800 were a bit tighter seated but the A332 on IST-KIX and back was very spacious. We took row 32 or so (do your online check-in 24 hrs in advance) where config is only 2x3x2 - legroom was great. Seat comfort for my 90 kgs also acceptable but a bit high armrests. Food was plentiful and excellent in quality with metal cutlery (long gone since the '90-s from most fights unfortunately) even trilingual menu cards were provided on all legs with 2 choices on the long range ones. Both long ranges being (mostly) night fights cabin attendants got all window blinds closed after service so all pax could sleep rather well - even on the backwards leg where plane was 90% loaded. Cabin crew were very attentive and thorough - what I rate the most is that they checked all seat belts and seat tray window blind etc. before landing and got everything arranged right. Toilets were kept clean in the aft cabin all the way through free beverages and snack stocks were kept available constantly. Inflight entertainment runs (obviously) on some Android old op.sys tablets integrated into seat backs and mine was stuck somehow though but did not ask for assistance. Flights were punctual (no delays) and crew were smiling.
We booked for a flight to Seattle Washington last April 5 2015. After boarding crew told us that there will be a delay because the plane has some mechanical problems. We waited for almost 2 hours before they decided to deplane us. They told us to rebook our flight we got a flight thru Alaska Airlines at 3.40pm (originally our flight is 6.15am). We spent more or less an hour in the line for all passengers have to rebook their flight. They didn't give us anything for our inconvenience or for messing up our schedule.
Kuala Lumpur - Ho Chi Minh. My family and I took a 2 hour flight to Ho Chi Minh for our Christmas vacation on the latest Boeing 737-800 plane. However the flight was not pleasant at all. The plane had poor ventilation and it was an afternoon flight and as the sun shone through the cabin it made the cabin very stuffy and warm. Meal on board had 2 varieties for Economy Class a chicken and a fish. The stewardess attitude does not even reflect what MAS to claim "Best Cabin Crew" or "Malaysian Hospitality". She barely smiled. Disappointed.
MDW-GDL. The crew were always available and glad to assist female pilot was constantly making announcements of weather conditions on our route and reminding us to enjoy the flight. Being a 4 hour trip I was not surprised there was no food but the snacks offered were sufficient I even asked for a second round. The in flight entertainment was fine. Volaris is my airline of choice they always depart on time and usually arrive 10-15 minutes early to whatever the destination is. They constantly have very good promotions on their webpage. I recommend it.
Traveled to Fiji and back. I won't hesitate to say that was my worst ever flight experience. Aircraft didn't had built in entertainment system for 6 hour flight from Melbourne to Nadi. Aircraft's seats were very small and aircraft lavatory was too small. I would say it was my most uncomfortable 11 hours of my life.
Traveled BKK-CMB-BKK Business Class on Thai Smile it was like traveling in a shoe box. The most uncomfortable airline I have ever traveled for a 3.5 flight which felt like 6 hours. The stewardesses did their best but the seats were absolutely unacceptable for business class. There were not enough overhead space for the luggage whereby we had to store our luggage in the empty seat between the seats in Business class. Never again Thai Smile. If anyone is ever intending to travel on Thai Smile be prepared for the worst.
First time Air Transat and I was pleased. The option+ for extra leg room food 1 small bottle of sparkling wine a headset and a blanket sheet is worth it for $60 and you know where you will be seated. A330 great plane.
We flew from Birmingham to Barbados on 6.2.15 on the Dream Maker. It was a brilliant start to our P&O cruise. I didn't know that we would be flying on the Dreamliner. An excellent aircraft very spacious light airy and clean. We didn't have any jet lag going down to Barbados or when arriving home. The cabin crew going down to Barbados were brilliant very friendly attentive and welcoming. Coming home the cabin crew were not interested in the slightest. No welcome no smiles no conversation no nothing. Meal was just banged onto the table and they walked on. Food going down was very good food coming home very poor. A crew member did a collection on the way home for charity. A lot of us had money ready but the crew member didn't even stop she just kept on walking. We would definitely fly on a Dreamliner again the aircraft can't be faulted. The Customer Service for some crew members is definitely well below the standard expected.
Return flight London City to Glasgow on Embraer E170. Crew very friendly. A personal greeting was given at the door by the purser. Lovely aircraft very new and comfortable.
CPH-VIE-SKP return. Boarding from CPH was disorganized and messy. Flight staff seemed stiff and uncomfortable snack onboard was a muffin. At Vienna the new airport is very big and everything doesn't seem to work smoothly yet. Flight to Skopje on an older Fokker 100 had friendlier staff however we were offered an apple or a biscuit. Flights went smoothly and on time and pilots are good. But this can not make up for a poor service. Austrian has had a degradation since the last time I flew with them and in the near future I will choose another airline for my East European flight.
SYD-SCL business class 747 with new seating arrangement with seats designed for the A380. Had an emergency exit row window seat upstairs which seemed to me to be the best on the aircraft. Ample storage space around the seat. The only drawbacks of the new layout are that you need to climb over your neighbour to get out at night from the other window seats and the overall metallic grey colour scheme is decidedly dismal and depressing. The flight was punctual and the cabin service of a very high standard indeed. Lunch was excellent with even a desert wine available. An excellent flight overall.
I took the flight TFS to CGN yesterday 14.20h. The seats were unacceptable. I have pain everywhere my husband as well. This was my third flight with Norwegian the first one was excellent the second one ok but this one!
TS 429 from CDG Paris on August 28th 12.55 pm to YVR Vancouver BC. You get what you pay for. Cheaper tickets mean rude check in staff dismissive service on board not treated very well by staff members. That about says it all. One word of warning - be prepared to try to stuff your carry on baggage into the size control check apparatus in Paris CDG. I will never again use this company if paying a little more money means people will be treated with respect then Lufthansa will get my business.
JQ926 BNE-CNS. The flight had no entertainment which I knew so I just brought my own food on the plane for my entertainment and to eat. The flight with your own entertainment is great.
Excellent trip in Boeing 777-200. Flight delayed 45 Minutes. Request for certain seat was accommodated and the flight was only half full resulting in several empty seats given options for sleep. Service good and 2-3 hot meals were served (dinner hot snacks breakfast). Staff hard working and professional. A true 5 star airline with a genuine economy class product.
HKG-TPE-JFK first time using this airline I was very impressed with their service in general. The Lounge in HKG was nice the one in Taipei was even nicer. Flight attendants were very attentive and friendly. Excellent food very comfortable seats. I will definitely use this airline again and recommend it.
I am completely appalled at the way my last trip with WestJet to Las Vegas ex Calgary went. My flight ex Calgary was delayed 1 hr due to mechanical problems which caused me to miss my planned events. Our return flight on 25th Nov was again delayed 9 hrs due to a mechanical problem - which again caused me to miss planned events in Calgary These delays were totally unacceptable and a $10 voucher seems rather small. I will be travelling again in the new year in the USA and I doubt I can trust the condition of the WestJet aircraft.
Flew last night with KLM from Chicago to Amsterdam in business class. This was the old business class in a 747 must be one of the last planes they have not converted the crew said it would be done in 6 weeks and I feel pity for anyone who has to fly this plane in the next 6 weeks. KLM old business class product is the worst in the industry outdated and very uncomfortable seats. On top of this as they are phasing them out they apparently also do not keep up maintenance. My chair power and motor to recline we're not working. I am staying away from any flight where they have the old business class the value for money is not acceptable.
Economy class London to Manila return via Bangkok with Kuwait Airways. The flight was comparable with some more expensive airlines on this route and staff were pleasant and polite. The flight was reasonably punctual and onboard food pretty standard and plentiful. It should be noted that there is very little to do and see at Kuwait airport but during a transit stay of four to five hours we were given free food and did find some reasonable toilets (they are few and far between). Overall this flight was excellent value for money and I would travel with them again.
Paris to Abu Dhabi - July 3 2013 and back on July 27 2013. Flying with Jet Airways from Paris to India we had a stop to Abu Dhabi so that the long flight was endorsed by Etihad partnership. Such a great company in economy class! We were well placed close to the window great seat comfort plane quite new great stewards service. My headphone wasn't working and the hostess gave me a new one within 5 mins with apologies. Good food and good vegetarian food. Good choice of entertainment. Flight was quiet. Cabin was not cold at all and we were glad for such good comfort.
Quickly loosing respect for this airline who seem to find or create loopholes to punish passengers for any kind of loyalty. I have status (Star Alliance Gold) and have issues every time I fly - from check-in staff being rude and to lying about seat availability for windows / exit rows on flights that have empty seats in both categories when you actually squeeze into your assigned middle seat and the limits for when food is free / paid for never seems to include delays on the tarmac - even when they are 5-6 hours long. They changed the rules last year to achieve status and after it was achieved... they changed the rules and benefits again so upgrades that were free in January cost $1000 for Europe flights in February - it's like they have no respect for passengers.
Arrecife (Lanzarote) to Glasgow on a Boeing 757-300. We had booked extra legroom seats which I've noticed are much more generous than those on the 757-200 which is a smaller plane. Flight left on time cabin crew were friendly & helpful pilot kept us informed and all in all it was a pretty good flight. My only gripe is with the miserable 5kg hand-luggage allowance policy. Even Ryanair (allow more)!
Ft Lauderdale FL to Greenville SC. 12/04/14. Flight on time. Clean aircraft. Pleasant flight attendants. Have flown Allegiant many times and have never had any problems.
We will never fly with this airline again. Flight out of Moline Il was delayed for an hour because the airplane wasn't there. We finally get a plane and find out from the flight attendant the delay was caused because there was no ramp at their last stop. The pilots did an awesome job getting us to Dallas on time. But then we sat for over an hour waiting to get to a gate. By this time everyone's connecting flights should have left. But we run across the Dallas airport and find out our connecting flight is delayed as well. Seems we didn't have a crew. What a joke. Never again.
YYZ-FCO-IST. We flew with Boeing 777-200 from Toronto to Rome. We had a delay of half an hour. The airplane was decent. The cabin crew were not friendly. I ordered vegetarian meal and it was awful. I have flown this route before and the meal was the same for both flights. They never change the menu! The personal entertainment system was terrible. It had very limited variety of songs and movies. Also it did not work for about 2 hours. The snack was good and it was prepared specially for vegetarians. The seats were okay. When we landed to FCO the ground crew were rude and raised their voice to us just because we stopped for a minute to take out our boarding passes. From Rome to Istanbul the seats were uncomfortable. We had a delay of half an hour. The snack was good but it was very small. Overall I will totally not recommend this route because of the delays and the little leg-room.
SYD-ICN-MAD. I always fly Korean Air. However the standards seem to be slipping a little bit and the price of fares have gone up. The food is a bit hit and miss and there is only usually one choice available. They also don't offer apple juice on flights? I've noticed the planes are starting to look a bit shabby and not matching competitor airlines. Flight from Sydney was on a very noisy and old A330 with masking tape holding some of the overhead lockers together. Seat covers tatty old purple blankets and aircraft didn't feel clean. I've also noticed the crew aren't quite as pleasant as they used to be particularly in meal service time. In the past the Cabin Manager used to monitor the service in economy but they do not do this now. Used to offer a drinks service every half hour (juices and water) between meals. However on both legs of my journey I was so dehydrated and had to ask for a glass of water. Korean also used to be tempting as they offered a free stopover in Seoul however they have changed flight schedules to avoid doing this. After the meal time the cabin lights were fully lit for 2 hours while staff tried to flog the carts of duty free. Sleeping was impossible as they no longer provide an eye mask. They also do not take good care of their frequent flyers. I was charged 100 euros for having 23 kgs instead of 20 kgs. This in spite of being a 'Morning Calm Member'. The toilets were also looking quite dirty on both legs of the journey whereas three years ago they were immaculate. They also do not welcome frequent flyers on board or offer them meals first as other airlines do. Also for a night time flight it is a safety regulation to dim the cabin lights however the cabin manager did not do this. All in all I've noticed a decline in standards in the past 3 years. Will continue to fly with them and hope they try to improve their standard so it is on par to the service they used to offer. I choose them because they are not the most glamorous but for their consistency (which seems to be declining slightly).
New York (JFK) to Copenhagen (round-trip) July 2014. This route (JFK-CPH) is contracted out to EuroAtlantic Airways and uses a Boeing 777 with a friendly and efficient Portuguese crew. The airplane has leather seats older headrest entertainment screens (including a navigation channel) bring your own earbuds blanket/sweater pillow and hand sanitizer. The price you pay includes a 22 pound carry-on bag any checked baggage has an extra charge. JFK-CPH - Norwegian Air uses the generic check-in counter and generic agents at the far-end (southern side) of Terminal 1 at JFK. You only need your passport to check-in. The agents didn't seem too concerned with weight limits. The plane loaded from rear to front at the gate. No pillows blankets or earbuds. Everyone got a free dinner (tasty) and a skimpy pour of free wine. Everyone got a free box breakfast also. Many drinks were offered during the flight. Since they didn't give out blankets the plane was kept uncomfortably warm. Overhead storage filled quickly. CPH-JFK - Norwegian uses it's own employees at the Copenhagen check-in counter. Only a passport was needed to receive a boarding pass. Checked baggage was weighed. Carry-on bags were never weighed. Only two generic employees at the gate: one allowed entry to a secured seating area at the gate after checking passports and boarding passes; the second allowed everyone to board at once and collected boarding passes. Boarding went smoother than the rear-first boarding at JFK. Everyone got a free dinner (tasty) and a free large pour of wine and a free box breakfast. Many drinks were offered during the flight. No blankets pillows or earbuds. The plane was kept at a comfortable temperature. Lots of room in overhead storage. I purchased the Norwegian package that included a reserved seat a meal and one checked bag (44 pounds/ 20 kilos). If you arrive three hours prior to the flight you'll be the first to choose from the unreserved seats since everyone got free meals there was no need to pay for it and a checked bag can be purchased separately. I would not have flown Norwegian Air if I had a connecting flight and I would think twice before I took a flight within Europe with them.
First trip on Air Canada Rouge Cancun - Toronto October 26. Was interested to see how this new airline looks up close and was surprised at how awful the FA uniforms look in person. The colours are not flattering to any skin or hair colour the bowler hats are ridiculous and they just look downright cheap. The skinny hairbands don't help either. The FA's are very young and void of personality they have no senior co-workers to emulate and it shows. They look lost. They hardly spoke to the passengers and I heard one passenger comment as we left the aircraft that was the quietest flight crew they ever experienced. The aircraft is bare bones the bulkhead doesn't even go up to the ceiling so you are constantly looking into the galley. The seating is so tight a 29 inch pitch it should be illegal in the name of safety. Got off the flight and on to an Air Canada mainline flight to Vancouver. What a difference! The FA's may be older but they look experienced professional and confident and seem to be enjoying their jobs. I guess it's true you get what you pay for and Rouge is paying peanuts to these kids. The airfare was no bargain either so in future will avoid Rouge at all costs.
Guernsey to Paris return via Jersey last weekend. Outbound flights and connections went well with great cabin service including champagne lager tea coffee and good quality rolls and snacks. Return flight was disappointing. An elderly aircraft really showing its age. In fact the seats in the row in front of us were a completely different style to the rest! The air conditioning didn't work which was unfortunate on such a hot day particularly as we had to sit in the plane on the tarmac at Paris for around 25 mins. Some of the no-smoking signs didn't illuminate - not a problem but reinforced the impression of a rather shabby plane. Very cheerful cabin crew. Arrived in Jersey for our connecting flight to Guernsey only to be told it had been cancelled - it was a bank holiday Monday and apparently they never operate that flight on bank holidays and we should never have been able to book it through their website! So what should have been a one hour connection at Jersey turned into 2.5 hours. Again not a huge problem but for an airline that pitches itself as something above the norm it was a bit disappointing. Fares were good value and flight times to and from Paris were convenient (aside from the delay on the return).
My wife and I returned to Boston on Saturday from my son's wedding in New Orleans. I had booked Delta to and from New Orleans changing at Atlanta. On the way down a problem emerged. My wife generally signs everything Patti instead of Patricia. I had made the reservation for her for Patti as I always do. A TSA guy decided to make an issue of the difference between Patti (on the boarding pass) and Patricia (on her license) and sent her back to the Delta counter. They changed the boarding pass and all was well. We reached the airport in plenty of time Saturday morning in NO and tried to get everything done at curbside check-in. I got my boarding pass but the machine refused to give out hers. The guy checked the bag and turned us over to a Delta guy walking the floor inside. He put us in a large line for "special problems." Since at this time there was about an hour before boarding we weren't worried. However Delta was woefully understaffed the line moved with glacial speed. With about 20 minutes to departure my wife told me to board to make sure at least one of us got home and I did. Meanwhile I was in touch with my wife via cell she had finally reached the end of the line. They told her she was too late to make the plane. They told her she would be on the next flight to Atlanta and there was 20 minutes between its landing and our Boston flight departing so she might make it. Her seat of course had been given away. It turned out the name confusion was an issue again. I will never fly Delta again if I can possibly avoid it.
We flew Helsinki-Istanbul-Kigali and Mombasa-Istanbul-Helsinki recently. The online booking and check-in was easy the website is very user friendly (no OLCI at Mombasa though). The planes on HEL-IST-HEL were Airbus equipment one older and one new with state-of-the-art entertainment system. The older one had only overhead screens showing flight tracking only. The seats were a bit cramped could have more legroom. On African sectors brand new B 737-900ER were used. These planes are very comfortable leather seats with good legroom and big seatback screens with latest movies. I must say that they were nicest on-aisle planes I ever flown with. On all sectors the meal and drink service was very good cannot remember when I last could select my meals from menu card in economy class. The cabin service was professional and friendly. Some lack of cabin discipline though people were allowed to walk around and tray tables were used immediately after take-off. All flights arrived on-time and bags delivered. As all flights were normal I cannot comment how the problem situations are handled. For us the round- trip was perfect and I have no hesitation to use Turkish again.
Toronto to Sao Miguel Aug 28 and return Sept 18. New alliance with West Jet helps immensely with baggage handling from Edmonton. Service by ground and in-flight staff is excellent and fully bilingual. Pleasant hard working and highly professional. Meal okay but beverage service with wines and coffee is excellent. Seats are short for a tall person and seats are closer together compared to West Jet. Cabins clean and no apparent repairs needed. Older cabin features. For the money paid for the round trip flight this was a great value.
HEL-SVO return. Online checkin from Helsinki and easy baggage drop. E-mail to remind me of my flight and destination details. HEL-SVO clean Airbus319. SVO-HEL new Embraer190. Flights were on time. Both ways had excellent cabin service. Tasty sandwiches and crew friendly and efficient. For me flying with Finnair is always very good experience.
Tel Aviv to Bucharest. The airconditioning stopped working after about 50 minutes and the pilot decided to go back to Tel Aviv. They kept us on the plane with no info for about an hour and then told us to get off plane. There was no Tarom rep at airport and they didn't give us any info. When a rep finally came she said they still didn't know anything. After about 4 hours they gave out vouchers for food - just as we were getting food- they said come quickly back to airplane. We boarded and then sat in plane for another hour. We landed in Bucharest at 0400 instead of 2250 the night before. There was no Tarom rep at airport to help us and I have received no reply after 3 weeks from a letter I sent to customer service. All the flight attendants and ground crew were unfriendly and unhelpful.
We were very impressed the best flight we have had. From arriving at Newcastle Airport checking in which was a pleasure seeing smiling faces and so quickly. The plane was much better very comfortable plenty of room. Cabin crew excellent nothing too much trouble. When arriving a Faro your staff waiting straight away to get us forwarded to our Hotel. Returning to Newcastle first class again. Will always use Jet2 now.
Moscow to Ulan-Ude in economy on a Boeing 737. The plane interior was clean and in good shape the dinner was edible staff polite and reasonably efficient. Seat pitch is tight for the tallish (me 185 cms). But the whole experience was better than I'd expected from an off-brand carrier.
I had never booked with Spirit previously. I flew home from Dallas to Cleveland only because American canceled my flight due to weather. Spirit was the only option to get me home without spending two days in the airport. I only wish that I had another option actually any option would have been better. Their "e-tickets" cannot be scanned by TSA agents. The counter staff were absolutely the worst I have ever encountered. Worst customer service.
LAX-PHL October 2013. Hawaiian Air booked our flight since they don't fly to Philadelphia they did the leg LAX- PHL on Virgin America. We upgraded and paid I believe an extra $129 for the one way upgrade for a flight that would be 5 hours and a little more. This was one of the best things we spent money on we got to pick the very first row after first class its separated by a see through partition. We also got more leg space early boarding lots of entertainment to pick from. Prior to the flight spoke to several CSR on the phone and everyone I spoke to was very nice and professional. Since we upgraded we got unlimited food and drinks you just order on the screen in front and its delivered to your seat in a timely manner. The selections were very good. The flight attendants were pleasant.
YYC to YVR - Cancelled multiple flights on 02/16/2015 with no explanation. Then 600 people flooded customer service to rebook so everyone was stuck in that line up for multiple hours while WestJet only put 4 people behind the kiosks to help. After multiple hours with no updates being given out to the lines people standing in them - the desk offered $15 food voucher and a flight the next day at 11am - clearly not looking at my itinerary as my return flight left YVR that morning at 10am - Competency level = 0. Call center not helpful - managed to rebook me only 8 hours later than original flight so I had to cancel entirely due to an event I was hosting in YVR w/ over 60 participants. Highly suggest not flying WJ for various reasons.
VS20 flight from London Heathrow to San Francisco and back. We never got a chance to choose our seats (not during booking or before check in or at check in). Seats and leg room is tight. Found it even tighter (claustrophobic even upstairs). Food (especially breakfast) is a joke. Staff are not trying to help at all. Poor service. All the money must go into these fancy commercials. Worst part: Virgin lost one of our suitcases and it took them 9 days to send it. Worst customer service. Will not fly again.
Blackpool to Lanzarote 19/06/13. Outbound flight was fine on time all went well. Return flight started by being given a letter in Lanzarote saying a stop at Faro will be needed to top up fuel. They were still trying to sell hot drinks on the descent into Faro. Left on the tarmac in Portugal for 55 mins with cabin temps of over 85c and not even offered a drink I had 2 buy 4 bottles of water. They did not have enough food for passengers people left without.
I flew from Austin TX to Portland OR changing both ways in Denver CO. On all 4 planes the aisles were so narrow that it was difficult to even enter the plane. The planes seem to have been changed from 5-seat rows to 6-seat rows and additional rows added. This meant that the seats were so close together that the experience was like being a sardine in a can. When the stewards were passing out drinks on one flight they parked the cart by my row and served the whole plane from there. When the passenger in front of me lowered their seat they were in my lap. Never again will I fly Frontier.
LH457. The plane itself was modern with attractive entertainment system. Plenty of room for carry-on baggage improved seats in economy class interesting dim lighting during "sleep" time. However Los Angeles airport is missing information for passengers making it very difficult to find the proper terminal and gate even for advanced travelers especially for those who change their travel from domestic flight to the international one.
Mar 16 RJ183 BKK-AMM. Mar 19 RJ117 AMM-CDG. Apr 12 RJ118 CDG-AMM. Apr 13 RJ182 AMM-BKK. Flights onboard A330 A320 and A340 in crown class. Happy with seat comfort on all flights and attention of the female crew. Food on all flights was fine except it would be nice to have wine on the main meal carts rather than it arriving 10 minutes later. Could improve service. On return flight from Paris had a 4 hour stopover in Amman the lounge has a basic to say the least food selection. No call or special queue for crown class (as in Paris and BKK) which was a letdown after the long stopover.
December 2012 round trip between Madison WI and Washington DC. The planes were up-to-date and the seats very comfortable. The service was superb at check-in gate and through the flight. Crew were organized and friendly. A nice touch was the raising of the cabin lights during beverage service. Many food items were available for sale. We didn't buy any but liked that there were options. Flights were comfortable and calm.
FLL-CMH. the latest US start-up airline that is embracing the very low cost/high restriction fare - ala carte pricing for checked bags and everything for sale onboard model. My morning flight left Ft. Lauderdale on time and arrived in Columbus a few minutes early. I had checked in online and needed no assistance as i was not checking a bag. The friendly flight attendants offered a sales catalog after boarding and customers had a large selection of food and drink items as well as duty-free type personal items (jewelry/perfumes) also for sale. My return flight was delayed on landing and then reported a problem with the pilot's radio which was a surprise given that the airline operates a brand-new fleet of narrow body Airbus. Finally after a delay of more than 4 hours we boarded another aircraft that had arrived late from another city and finally made it home by 2:15 a.m. On this flight all entree items were sold out and only snack items were available to eat. Customers were not offered any sort of compensation for the delayed flight just apologies from the airport and inflight crew.
SYD-ICN-SYD. Both legs on ageing planes with angle lie flat seats and no AVOD. Daytime flight SYD-ICN very quiet cabin lunch rushed out very soon after 0930 departure and as cabin was so quiet was over very quickly. Cabin then plunged into darkness so not conducive to work. Tea served before arrival no offer of alcoholic drinks. ICN-SYD thought business lounge was awful. Granted it's being renovated but don't see how that justifies plastic tableware one choice of wine shockingly bad food. Cabin was full so service not nearly as good. Food quality fair at best. Again a bit surprised to be offered a juice before breakfast service but no refill.
Winnipeg-Cancun/Cancun-Winnipeg. Flight was excellent the food was good and fresh! Both flights were exactly on time! The crew were decent and good enough! The movies they showed were both pretty good and the seats were excellent! Will fly Sunwing again!
Flew Sydney to Hobart for a Christmas break. Flights were cheap to buy and they turned out to both be on time so no complaints. Legroom is a bit cramped but for a two hour flight it's reasonable.
A very smooth and competent trip from Lisbon to London Gatwick. Nice to have bigger seats than Easyjet and a free sandwich/drink too!
Flew many times before on the YUL-LAS one way flight in economy and since they changed to Rouge just before this trip back in April 2014 I thought it was probably to satisfy a high demand for one way flights to LAS thus explaining the switch to a bigger plane. However simply converting an old 767 plane into a "low cost carrier" for which the price was still the same as the previous 737 plane I just can't say it was worth the upgrade to business class. OK the seats are fine and so was the space but to take away the personal in flight screen and all of the electrical outlets to be replaced with wifi and BYO Device? I wonder how many people got enough battery for 5 hours. Even though the tablet was included in business class oh my lord the lack of entertainment choices! There was virtually nothing! As much as the food rather disappointing but ok. My mimosa didn't have any alcohol and breakfast was as good as any economy food. Nice try AC to pass off a new low cost carrier by simply keeping all of the profits. Good thing people take notice into the type of aircraft they're paying for.
We travelled Brisbane to Auckland on 10th of February and were surprisingly upgraded to business class as the flight was overbooked. Our choice was to fly with a free bag each and we were initially given the very worst seats on the aircraft the two right at the back by the toilets. Only Air New Zealand charges $30 to choose a seat so the upgrade was appreciated. However during the meal I was told my choice was no available and that as an upgrade I did not count. I was offered the choice of two other meals but did not want either of them and settled for another starter. Flying this airline is not what it was it used to be a great experience now the on board staff don't really care what happens. This was once a pleasure to fly but now it is a relief to get off the plane and really nowadays we only fly with them for the points and they are very careful to book you on a non points earning ticket. Small wonder they are making a profit.
EY20 28th November and EY17 on 3rd Nov 2013. Would definitely fly them again everything was immaculate the crew at LHR/AUH and on the aircraft and the aircraft itself. I was sat in coral economy and had more legroom than any carrier I've been on in that class the IFE system was great brilliant selection of TV Films Music games and more. 3 choices of main meal in economy as well as snack service and obviously drinks. You may pay a little more but the service and the airline itself is definitely worth it.
London to Costa Rica via Newark. Check in was quick and efficient. flight to Newark left on time and we landed 20 minutes early. The 777 was clean well equipped and comfortable. In Flight service excellent and food and drinks plentiful and good including the ice cream and caramel that was very impressive. Transit through Newark was somewhat long but that is nothing to do with the airline. Flight Newark to Costa Rica was on time. Aircraft was a 737 of some age but the seat was fine and the crew excellent again. Food and drinks again good for a short haul flight. So my experience of United was a good experience and well worth trying as the tickets are good value and extremely competitive against other carriers.
LAX to Beijing to Hong Kong and back to LAX. The staff is mean to you if you are a westerner. The food is terrible - it reminds me of the food you would get on airlines in the 1990s. With every meal they would give you a tea cup but not offer you any tea so the cup just gets in the way while you are eating. The inflight entertainment is very poor some of them don't work at all and sometimes you don't even get any. The staff English skills are lacking terribly to the point that they might as well just speak to you in Chinese. I cannot stress enough how mean they are they are to westerners.
I did some flights with Aigle Azur on Paris - Hassi Messaoud route (Algeria for those who are not familiar). This flight has only one type of customer: oil & gas people. I have found the service as fair overall crew friendliness and meals are actually in good category (crew friendlier then Air France). It's a pity Aigle Azur does not have baggage transfer handling agreement at CDG which means that each time we transit at CDG to / from other airlines we need to go through the immigration to recover our luggage no automatic transfer between Aigle Azur and other airlines at CDG (leading to LOSS of luggage at CDG for those not in the know such as in my case). I hope they could one day operate inside Algeria (the company owner is Algerian - French) since with the local monopoly by Air Algerie the service is non existent.
On March 2 2014 we flew back from Puerto Vallarta on Air Canada Rouge (flight A/C 1819). Was it a good experience? No. It was an awful experience. Rouge makes us see red. The seats in the plane were so crammed up that we felt that we were in a can of sardines One of us is 1 m 90 tall Consequently his knees were stuck in the seat in front of him with no way of stretching his legs. Many passengers with mobility issues had a hard time getting out of their seat (e.g: to go to the washroom). Rouge is a poor service and shame on Air Canada for offering it. It shows disrespect to the clientele. We’d rather pay more money to get a better service and have more space. We expect a better service.
I flew to Portland OR from NYC via Denver. Outbound trip was great. On the way back on DEN-LGA leg of the journey the pilot made an emergency landing in Indianapolis. The next 16 hours is a case study in trying to buy off customers for poor quality service. Instead of having enough people on the ground to service the accommodation of 150+ passengers the airline effectively paid the passengers to struggle through the limited resources available on the ground in Indianapolis to assist them. I ended up sleeping the night in a cold airport lounge and slogged through multiple re-scheduling of the continuation of my trip from Indianapolis to NYC. I tore up the $400 airline voucher I got for the inconvenience.
Flew Bali to Perth on Jetstar. I had used Qantas FF points to book a "Rewards" flight and ended up on Jetstar as Qantas does not fly internationally out of Perth. Go figure. I paid for front row seats so had lots of legroom. I got the legroom and that's it. The seat was hard as a rock and I duidnt want to recline as I would have suffocated the poor passenger behind me. The staff completely disinterested and no service offered. The best I can say is we arrived home safely. We will never fly Jetstar again. Air Asia is far better.
HKG-HEL-TXL return. Excellent value for money. Lie flat seat comfortable food wine list and cabin crew service excellent. Transit in HEL is a breeze and both their Schengen and Via Spa lounges are very good. Once AY start operating aircraft with their new seats ex HKG I'll be a convert.
ARN-MUC 17 Dec one-way. Full flight on a A320. Service was a bit rushed. Everything was commenced in the first 20 minutes and then nothing only if you ask for it. A small sandwich was served and drinks. Crew were friendly and nice. A standard intra-european flight.
Economy Comfort YYZ-KEF-HEL. Very satisfied with Icelandair. Flight left Toronto slightly late due to passenger problems which made for a tight connection in KEF. You have to go through security and immigration in KEF so I only had a few minutes before boarding the onward flight to Helsinki. Both flights were clean comfortable and with great service from a professional and efficient crew. On arrival in Helsinki I discovered that my suitcase had not made the onward flight. A good test is how airlines perform when things go wrong and I was given an overnight kit at the airport kept up to date on the bag's progress which was delivered to my hotel the following day.
My mother 85 years of age travelled on 22/12/2013 from Dublin to East Midlands. I had requested wheelchair assistance she received the utmost care and attention from the moment she arrived at Dublin airport to collection at Nottingham. My sincere thanks to Ryanair and to their kind staff that tended my mother throughout.
Hong Kong-Taichung on 737-800 and Taipei-Hong Kong on 747-400. Outbound flight to Taichung in central Taiwen which is very convenient for those who need to go to this area instead of flying to Taipei or Kaoshiung. Evening flight of 1.15hr duration warm meal was served beverages only tea and coffee though. Crew did not smile just did their job. Aircraft spotlessly clean. Return flight on 747-400 same flight duration also warm meal served this time with wine/beer/soft drinks. Very attentive FAs who interacted well with the passengers and smiled a lot. Lots of information from the flight deck too. Overall a very nice experience where else do you get a warm meal on such a short flight in Economy. Definitely recommendable and looking forward to using them again.
Flew from Edinburgh to Murcia and return. Both outward and return flights were good. Found the ground staff at both Edinburgh and Murcia to be friendly and helpful - made us welcome and provided help when needed. Boarding was handled very well - onboard the crew were cheery and hard working - refreshments were not over-priced. Both outward and return flights were punctual. First time with Jet2 and will certainly consider them again if timings and dates suit.
Dep YYZ 1 September 2014 to CUN Dep CUN 11 September 2014 to YYZ Premium rouge 2A outbound and 2C inbound. After reading the horror stories about Rouge I approached these flights with some trepidation. With the exception of the A319 seating in Premium Rouge service was on par with the former business class. Meal selection and inflight service was up to par. The only issue I had was trying to use my own IPad the selection on the Rouge iPads was far superior. I do however object with paying business class for Premium rouge when other airlines only charge less for similar service and seats. Would I fly with them again? Yes.
My original flight was scheduled to depart Fort Lauderdale FL on 6/8/14 at 1.45pm. The flight was delayed until 4.15. All of a sudden at 2.45 the entire flight was cancelled with no explanation. Allegiant would not help us with hotel arrangements transportation or meal vouchers. We were forced to pay for a taxi hotel and meals until the flight was rescheduled for the next day.
28 March and 12 April I flew PK 786 LHR-ISB and PK 785 ISB-LHR and it is one of the most awful experiences I have had. The plane was so filthy it beggars belief the inflight entertainment broken on both legs and the staff non fussed. The seats were grubby worrn out and dirty the seat pockets seemed to have a years worth of accumulated dirt inside even the walls of the plane were dirty. The attitude of the staff was extremely poor a stewardess decided to "clean" trash off the floor by pushing it under my wifes seat with her foot. She even seemed quite shocked that my wife did not find this amusing. Earlier in the flight I had asked the same stewardess to send someone to clean my tray as it was filthy of course no one came and she seemed shocked at my suggestion. Should be avoided at all costs!
I loved flying Aegean Air from Rome to Athens in May 2011. Check in was a breeze. The food was warm and good even had dessert. Staff was courteous and helpful. After flying EasyJet for most parts of my 2 week European backpacking trip flying Aegean was a treat.
Flew from Jamaica on a Boeing 767 good headroom pleasant crew but horrible placing of the 'press for service button' on the armrest meant constant and irritable sounds of sometimes very loud multiple alarms going off. Even the crew were upset and they had to put up with it going and coming! If you can fly a different airplane I will definitely avoid the 767s.
Recently completed a round trip on SFO-HKG-MAA sector in Premium Economy. Outbound was on 777 and return on 747. Outbound we managed to get front row seats which were extremely comfortable roomy. Return we had two seats in the front and two in back but we swapped with fellow passengers so all four of us sat in the last row. The front row seats had much less room than 777. If you want front row seats make sure you get the side rows and not the center. In 777 it makes no difference as there is a ton of room in both center and side row seats. Food is not bad for Indian vegetarian. Toiletry bag is of inferior quality compared to Emirates Economy and SQ economy. CX offers the shortest connection to MAA from west coast. Flying time of roughly 13 hours to HKG and 12 hours return to SFO. HKG to MAA and return is roughly 5 hours. Service is pretty decent although SQ rates higher IMHO. Premium Economy is worth if you get front row seats otherwise not sure unless you are unable to fit comfortably in Economy seats.
I was on a return flight from Vienna to Washington DC. On the flight there was a family who were not parenting their two toddlers at all. The 2 year old little girl even wandered into one of the rest rooms and pinched her fingers in the door and the parents had the nerve to yell at passengers nearby. When I had been stepped on enough by the two wandering toddlers I complained to a stewardess and she just shrugged and told me it would be better if I dealt with it myself! I will never fly this airline again!
Flying Vueling is more or less a disaster. I flew them 8 times in the last 3 weeks (mostly ZRH-BCN-LPA) and no flight was on time. I always purchase the tickets online and did not receive a confirmation 3 times in the last few weeks so I had to go to the ticket counter at the airport. Yesterday (BCN-LPA) we had a delay of 79 minutes without any explanation as to why with no apology. Service is often quite unfriendly very shocking indeed that cabin crew are often unable to speak English fluently. Vueling flies with AB A320 - not very comfortable but at least quite new.
LHR-DUB. 2040 flight delayed to 2200. Previous flight had been cancelled. Little information from bored and tired-looking staff. Aircraft clean and tidy. Cabin crew a mix - some hard working but inexperienced older crew member was attitudinal and invisible for most of the flight. Only real plus is no charge for hold luggage.
KUL-CGK-KUL. Excellent flight. The trip was smooth. As I am tall I always like to ask for the aisle seat or the emergency seats. I always get my request. 3 times/day schedules which suits me fine. The airline leaves from KLIA proper not from the low cost terminal in Malaysia.
KL 1131 / 1128 AMS-CPH and CPH-AMS. 23/12 and 26/12. Although I'm a Flying Blue member I do travel with other airlines so I think I can assess KLM position to other benchmarks. I am actually quite satisfied with KLM. Service is above average too often it's the passenger being rude. Food is ok not better not worse it's an airplane after all. Personally I think KLM is ahead of many competitors when it comes to online check in and self-service luggage drop-off (at least at their home-base AMS) it's far more advanced and smooth than most airlines. Although my last flight was in a 737 without entertainment I know that their entire long-haul fleet now has proper personal entertainment systems so that's good. They were a bit late on their 747s though. I will use them in the future. It's important to distinguish what you can attribute to an airline and what to an airport or worse your own behavior.
Booked early and paid $11.95 each for 6 of us to fly Pisa-Hahn. Pre-paid the bags, checked in online and printed the boarding passes before hand. My first Ryanair experience as we are Canadians, and it was fantastic! All staff were pleasant, procedures were efficient couldn't have gone smoother. Flight itself was better than expected, clean, comfortable, safe, and on time.  I'm 5'9, my son is 6'1 and we had enough legroom. Flying with them again in a week.
London to Nairobi - excellent flight good service comfortable seat decent leg room (I am 5'10") food could be better good entertainment system. I would happily use them again. Onward to Mombassa also fine delayed coming back at Mombassa - not airlines fault - but connection held and most of time made up and free refreshments when delayed so overall did well despite difficulties.
SIN-FRA on A380 upper deck emergency exit seats 71 H&K. Note these seats have no overhead storage as they are full of first aid equipment so try to get on early as you will struggle to find space. Initial start to flight was not good with a 1 hour delay and later finding out that the TV screen did not lock into place. What happened next was nothing short of amazing and should be a lesson in customer service (Emirates I hope you read this as SIA economy is better than your Business Class). Leading stewardess managed to tape the screen in place and I was able to use for the rest of the flight with juts a minor inconvenience. I was offered the chance to move but declined as my wife and I wanted the extra leg room. Service was fantastic thought out the flight which staff coming around with drinks and snacks often (we were not singled out) We were given a voucher to use on duty free which we used straight away to buy a honeymoon present. On hearing this the leading FA said she had a surprise for us and later came back with a congratulatory gift of a slice of cake and 2 glasses of Dom Perignon from First Class. This was the best experience I had on a flight regardless of class. The last four flights on SIA have been very good and consistent it is also nice to see that the staff are allowed to let their personality shine through.
Flying from Kosice-Prague-Athens. The airplane from Kosice-Prague was a very small ATR42 but very new with leather seats and very clean. service very good for 1.15 hr flight and staff very friendly. Flight from Prague-Athens was crowded. The plane was excellent A320 new with flight information during the whole flight. Very different from the Boeing 737-500 4 months ago on the same route with the same airline. The service to Athens was poor and the staff just okay.
Our flight was scheduled to leave from Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) on January 8 2015 at 2.35pm. First no announcements were made until past departure time. Once the announcements finally came they merely mentioned as a side note that our flight was canceled and that we should proceed to the counter for rebooking. After waiting in line for another half hour they booked us on a 5:30 PM flight which however will only leave at 8pm because (as usual) other delays. This flight was now going to Kalibo which is another 2 hour bus travel away from Caticlan. That flight was delayed AGAIN and departed only at 9.30pm. We landed in Kalibo at 10.30pm and arrived at our hotel at around 1am. All other airlines left on time so it definitely wasn't an issue with the Airport.
Flew Biz Class on flight #625 LIM-SCL seat 2K. Seat was not comfortable no foot rest and space between rows was tight. Plane was clean. Food was good. Flight attendants were great.
PBI-YYZ-YOW on the Tuesday after March break. Both flights on time first on an A321 and the second on an embraer e-190. Both aircraft clean with an excellent choice of IFE for regional flights. The crews were professional if a little aloof; seat comfort and legroom was as good as it gets in economy. Air Canada is a solid airline and (at least regionally) does not deserve their bad reputation.
Qatar-Seychelles QR703 1 Aug 2013. Doha-Melbourne. QR30. 2 Aug and returned departing 25 August QR31 to Doha and 27 Aug QR702 to Seychelles. While in general we were satisfied with the flights there are a number of issues I would like to raise: 1) We were seated in row 24 on QR30 about halfway down economy. When the meal trolley came we were told instead of the 3 meal options only one was still available. 2) When I asked for a glass of wine I was told it would be brought later. It arrived after my meal was finished. 3) On the return leg my wife who has a bladder problem asked if the trolley could be moved to allow her out. She was told she would have to wait until the attendants had finished and were ready to move on. 4) QR31 25 August was heavily booked. When the lights were brightened after approximately 10 hours there was naturally a rush for the toilets. The number provided on the 777 is in my opinion inadequate. Long queues soon formed.
TNA-SHA on quite new and very clean 737-800. Seats were comfortable and emergency row legroom was very good. Service on the 1 hour 20 minute flight was very good cabin staff quite friendly and had good English skills. A hot meal and snack was served on the flight and 2 serves of drinks. Very good value for money on time.
Flew from Sydney to Denpasar with Virgin and will never fly with them again. Reason plane was a 737 800 seats extremely uncomfortable no leg room for entertainment we had to watch movies on our phones. This plane is good for 3 hour trips not 6 hour trips.
Airport used was the old Manila Domestic Airport dubbed the Terminal 4 and confuses you of a newer terminal but in fact it's an old terminal with no jetbridges and there is very poor ventilation. Zest Air is a disaster for Air Asia because it cannot be a part of the best budget airline in the world. Their airport staff in Manila are not friendly. Seat of your choice cost PhP100 even on check-in which is free-of-charge on other airlines. Their aircraft's are old and the painting is filthy (dirty) and the seat covers are torn and dirty. The cabin smells and the air conditioning is very poor. The plane I was on had several defective lights throughout the cabin making it darker. The flight attendants were friendly though but still the whole experience was a nightmare. I will never fly this airline again.
FRA-HND. 3 year old B777-300ER with great interior. Night departure from FRA. Flight full. The seat had nice pitch though no recline only the lower part moves 2 inches in front. Great dinner I took the Japanese. Very good IFE. The best part was the cabin crew they were there all night long serving green tea and other refreshments. Great smile great mood. They even offered me advise on a Tokyo tour.
ZRH-LAX in economy. Boarding was on time but flight left with 45 minutes delay. Plane was a very old A340 worn out miserable seats. I had 23D which offers extra legroom but the seat is very narrow due to the remote being on the side taking about 1 inch from the seat width. Tray was broken and did not come out. Several panels were loose as well. Remote for the entertainment system was worn out and I needed 10 or more tries to get to the movie I wanted. Flight attendants were unfriendly they were hardly visible. When I asked for a Coke I was told had to come to the galley in the back to pick it up. Food was very bad. Arrival delay also 45 minutes. One of the most miserable transatlantic flights I have had in years. I will endure the flight back but then look for alternatives in my future travel.
QF15 BNE-LAX with an onward connection to SEA with AS on Friday the 14th March onboard a B747-400. The overall experience was above satisfactory on this 13 hour transpacific flight. The service was that of what you would expect from a full-service carrier starting from the ground at BNE. Excellent seat designs and seat pitch. The Economy Class food was a choice from three and these were premium selections and were considerate towards passengers with special dietary needs such as vegetarian. Premium selection of alcohol wine and soft drinks and with every hour the cabin crew did drink rounds. A snack bar was provided for passengers at the rear of the aircraft. The In-Flight Entertainment had ample choice of videos but their audio selections weren't as great as Virgin Airline's RED. Cabin crew were polite and civilized towards passengers. However I was scrutinizing the tiny details that would have made the flight truly exceptional compared to its competitors. The check-in personnel at BNE could not fully advise me on the cutoff time to drop bags with its codeshare partner Alaska Airlines. Qantas did not play any cabin music during boarding which would have set the ambience. No amenity kits were handed out for Economy PAX. The toilets were kept clean but had only basic toiletries (hand soap). No in-seat power for your electronic devices. Some TV channels on the IFE did not stream and there were no onboard internet. There was also a slight inconsistency with the service by the cabin crew when some rows were offered alcoholic drinks while other rows were simply asked what would they like to drink. Overall though it was a great flight.
Flew Santiago - Rio then Sao Paulo-Santiago-Auckland in economy. All ok Santiago-Rio. Plane took off from Sao Paulo then had to go back due to a never-identified 'system' problem. Circled for 2 hours stuck on tarmac and hour then in the terminal then back on plane then cancelled. Ended up in shabby hotels at 2am in middle of Sao Paulo. Disorganised rebooking. Ordinary service back. Communication poor. Food ordinary Staff not well trained. Would be reluctant to go with LAN again.
The only thing that was right was the time schedule. Seats were too close to one another I am only 165 cm tall and I barely had 3 cm left between my knees and the seat in front of me. Food was mediocre and the friendliness of the staff could be better. The seats with more space cost 50 euro per person per flight so were almost empty. The staff refused to allow taller passengers to take these seats unless they paid the full 50 euros. No more Air Malta for us!
SEA-PEK-CAN roundtrip. Hard not to recommend Hainan in light of the price difference between Hainan and other airlines. However the aisles are narrow. For the SEA-PEK flight (Airbus A330-200) legroom was tight. Seats are not well padded and by the end of each trip I could hardly sit still. The big thing to be aware of though is the transfer process in Beijing. Upon arrival in Beijing we had to deplane by walking down 2 flights of stairs board a shuttle bus to the terminal up another couple of flights of stairs claim your checked bags go through immigration walk 15-20 minutes to a different terminal check in for the next flight and recheck your bags then go to the gate and wait for the flight. My experience flying to China is limited but I think this process is more convoluted than with other airlines. There were 2 meals on the 11 hour flights across the Pacific and one on the in-country flight and they were all good. Beverage service leaves something to be desired. On the long flight I think we were offered drinks only 4 times and each time using very small cups. The seatback video system has a decent array of choices but is very glitchy and can be difficult to use. Headphones are a little uncomfortable and use the Asian double-plug connection so single- plug US headphones will not work properly. The crew were good though not as consistently present in the aisles as on other airlines and spoke English well. On my return trip I found myself I'd probably try to use a US airline for the US-to-China flight but in reality due to the fact that Hainan is $200 to $400 cheaper than the next least expensive option I'd probably opt for Hainan again.
Departure procedures from Heathrow were very slow. The flight to Frankfurt was delayed, with no explanation offfered. No seating was available at the gate. It was a mater of just wait and don't block the passageway. No information was given on board about the connecting flights. No effort was made to fast track passengers to make connecting flights. Enroute to the gate to get the Johannesburg flight we were informed by other passengers that the flight had left. Again there were no announcements. No Lufthansa representative was assigned to deal with passengers that were stranded. The group was split as some passengers did not have visas to enter Germany. After much walking and asking random people what to do, we found a service desk with staff willing to assist. This was also stressful as it was late and everyone was going off shift. The airport was near deserted except for the confused and stressed passengers, some of whom were travelling with small children. We were given a taxi, hotel and meal vouchers for the overnight stay. We had no luggage so a change of clothes and toiletries were an issue. We have been re-routed via Lagos with a 6 hour layover. 
I was really looking forward to flying with Virgin but as most things these days the adverts are nothing like the real thing. I booked a Premium Economy seat from London to Johannesburg as I was told it had more leg room I am 6 ft 3 tall so why were my knees jammed against the seat in front for 11 hours? My seat was broken and kept reclining by itself. I was advised by a member of the crew to email in to ask for a better seat for my return flight I did this 9 days ago and I still haven't had a reply. On the return flight I had a seat with a TV screen that was so bad I could hardly see the picture the staff kept leaving the galley curtain open so the lights kept waking me up I mentioned this but was given a look as if to say "are you mad?" no apology and no effort to close the curtain.
The flight AI301 scheduled at 7am of 14th May never left Melbourne because of an engine problem. They rescheduled us on a 2pm Thai flight on route Melbourne-Bangkok-Delhi. I got to Delhi at 3am instead of 6pm, when I booked the tickets through the Melbourne office they guaranteed me the transit hotel because my connection was more than 17 hours. When I got to Delhi a rude company attendant told me that they don't give this kind of service so I spent more than 10 hours on the airport. No way to speak with someone from the company during all this time. Air India never again - saved $300 compare with Emirates but a big mistake. Complain to the company and still waiting for an answer.
I flew Air India YYZ-DEL in First Class. The seat was very comfortable - I had no trouble getting to sleep. The in-flight entertainment was also good - very nice choice of movies and TV shows. The cabin crew were very attentive and responded quickly to every need of mine. The meal which they served with great pride looked and tasted excellent. The only downside was the lounge - poor quality compared to the rest of the experience The aircraft looked very modern and clean. Flight was on time. I would not hesitate to fly AI again.
Boeing 777 configuration was 3-4-3 in economy class. The flight was almost completely full in Economy class not sure about Business or First class. Seat was comfortable legroom was okay and had a foot rest and a normal size PTV. Oddly enough the jack for the head set was straight in front instead of in the armrest. They had big pillows and blanket at every seat. I was seated towards the back in row 32; last row was 38 on TAAG’s 777. The seat also had the “winged” headrest to make for easier sleeping. Candy (honey) was given out - a nice gesture. Fairly soon after take off dinner was served. During dinner the crew came around again with a second round of drinks including wine. The crew in general was a bit reserved but friendly. There was the new mood lighting but only in F and C class. I tried their inflight entertainment system which is AVOD and it was okay. Water was offered once during the flight by the flight attendants. Breakfast was served about 1.5 hours before arrival and was very small; smallest I have ever seen but very good. To sum it up TAAG was a very pleasant surprise having heard of horror stories and also since they don’t have a functioning website. TAAG was just as modern comfortable as European carriers and it was a great experience.
I've just embarked my daughter in Calgary for flight to Frankfurt DE 3095. Arrived at Calgary 2 hours before departure and found a long line for check-in. We had tried to check online but the site didn't work. Spent 1 hr in line when we finally reached the desk the luggage exceed the weight by 2 kilos. We asked the attendant to leave us few minutes to take out something from luggage but after 5 minute she came and told us that they need to close the check-in and if we haven't finish we must pay $130. So we had to pay. I was in touch with my daughter close to plane taking-off and the flight was delayed 10 minutes. I don't understand why the check-in was closed early. My daughter told that space between seats was very tight and front seat didn't had a monitor as for a long flight. I am expecting her landing in Frankfurt and I will come back with more information.
Travelled recently Auckland-Guangzhou-London return. While this trip was very competitively priced and we were quite happy with the level of seat/bed comfort we were disappointed with the English language skills of the cabin crew who were very willing to be of service but often simply couldn't understand us. The meals were interesting and generous in quantity but there was virtually no choice of alcohol with our dinner and it wasn't offered until we asked. There also seemed to be no comprehension of a simple western breakfast: muesli yoghurt fruit and a hot cup of tea or coffee. But our biggest complaint was that on the leg from Guangzhou to Auckland the business class cabin was full of men who coughed burped snored sniffed and hoiked into their napkins to the extent that even with ear plugs firmly in place we could not sleep. Dreadful.
As an American who has flown Norwegian from Fort Lauderdale to Copenhagen and from Budapest to Copenhagen I can say the no frills carrier is clean comfortable and safe. Norwegian offers a sane alternative to the overpriced U.S. carriers flying to Europe. Delta American et. al. have failed to pass on fuel savings reduce fares or do anything to help U.S. flying consumers.
SGN-DAD on B737-400. Flight delayed 2 hours (advised in advance) but the airport departure board didn't display revised details - the flight simply disappeared from the board after the original departure time which was disconcerting. Aircraft in good condition but seat pitch tight - 29 inches old style bulky seats re-upholstered in grey leather wouldn't be any fun on a longer flight. Hot food ran out after 6 rows not very good considering this was now a lunchtime flight. We got from A to B in one piece but there is room for improvement.
Travelled with VA as the final leg of an Etihad booked return flight between Sydney and Dublin. The difference between the Etihad flights and the VA flight is immense! Upon boarding the staff are cheery relaxed and friendly. All of your amenities a blanket and a bottle of water are waiting at your seat and they immediately walk through the cabin before take off asking if anyone needed anything else. The plane was comfortable nicely lit temperature was fine food was delicious and the staff passed through the cabin regularly with drinks. There was a small snacks section at the rear of the cabin with plentiful snacks drinks and a water tap. The entertainment system wasn't as vast as Etihad's in terms of choice but everything else about the flight was so pleasant that it really didn't matter. Highly recommend Virgin Australia and the only shame is that they have partnered with Etihad and I will absolutely not fly with Etihad again.
Short domestic flight CA1832 from Shanghai to Beijing on a A330 was great. On time. Brand new aircraft comfortable seats in economy class on board service with warm meal (even with the choice of two different ones) and good choice of non-alcoholic beverages. Cabin crew very attentive and worked as a well-trained team. As a LH frequent traveller I had never experienced such high level of service on some of the European flights. Simply great experience. Will definitely use them on a next trip from Europe to China.
Paris CDG - Tokyo HND. Everything went smooth from check-in to landing. The one-year old service from Paris to downtown-located Haneda airport is extremely convenient. Moreover the new Int'l terminal at Haneda is state-of-the-art and very clean. The cabin was quite old but the service and the IFE were excellent. The system is very smooth and quick and offers plenty of contents. The food was great and the large choice of drinks was refreshing. No delay great service great product friendly fares.
Very pleasant flights LED-AMS-MAD and back. The good things started from picking up the tickets at KLM offices in St.Pete the staff were very polite and well trained. On-time boarding without any problem. Friendly crew comfortable seats and rather good meal. The only one disappointment was no entertainment on-board at all. Ready to repeat the experience again.
Boston to Norfolk via Baltimore early morning. Boston to Baltimore fine but probably only because the flight was nearly empty and I could sleep. Legroom better than on other legacy carriers. Baltimore to Norfolk a horror. A very loud stewardess with a grating Southern accent spent the whole flight on the PA yelling about seatbelts how no drinks would be served due to turbulence (there was no turbulence) how no one could get out of his seat due to turbulence (there was no turbulence) how cute all the screaming babies onboard were and lastly in signature creepy Americana how there were soldiers or something onboard so to give them a loud round of applause for their service. So loud applause and the obnoxious loud flight crew prevented me from getting any sleep on the flight. I understand Southwest has a particular style - a kitsch-laden obnoxious style. It's not for me. At least the bags were free.
After a wonderful flight on a B777-300ER this was a bit of a downgrade I must admit, smaller seats and awful quality VOD.  However food and drink service was solid. Cabin crew a little less friendly than the previous flight and facilities more dated, but more than tolerable. Good selection of drinks - spirits and champagne in economy again. Far from the worst but not the best.
BKK-ICN-LAX. Business Class. Absolutely inferior hard product (seat) compared with competition offerings. This old 777 had Business class seats that would only angle recline (not 180' lie flat). The seats were narrow seat back bolsters were malfunctioning and overall caution material was hard and uncomfortable for such a long flight. The cabin was kept uncomfortably warm for the entire flight despite requests to lower the temp. The food and beverage offered was average. IFE was ok. Service was good not great. Quite frankly there are many better choices for Business Class between LAX and BKK. Cathay is much better and more convenient too.
Toronto to Montreal. The check-in was simple and waiting lounge was amazing with comfy chairs free drinks and snacks as well as free internet. The plane seats were leather and wide free snack and alcoholic drinks also a plus.This was definitely a great experience and I would definitely fly Porter again!
Use this airline approx 50 times a year seems as though approx 80% of my flights have been delayed normally Belfast to Newcastle. Good enough service when your flying but appalling delays almost every trip.
SYD-NOU return. What a disappointment-after reading some of the good reviews I was looking forward to the trip. The check in at SYD was a disaster-4 economy desks with only one manned until they could find one more as the economy queue got longer and longer Also the outward journey was delayed by 45 minutes with little explanation . Once onboard the cabin crew were condescending if you spoke no French and the food was stale. The PTV was ok on the A330 but I returned on the A320 which only had limited audio. This flight was also late. There was hardly any legroom and to top it all off the bags didn't arrive at the carousel until at least 40 minutes later.
I booked a round-trip flight from LAX to Saigon last October. The flight from LAX was delayed 2 hours. Before landing in Taipei for a connecting flight to Saigon the flight Captain announced Connecting flight to be 12.30pm instead of 10.30am as scheduled. After we landed there were no China Airlines staff members to be found. Our group of passengers finally stumbled upon a security officer who directed us to China Airlines' counter on a separate floor. Long lines and only 2 overworked employees helping us to get the connecting flight. Contrary to the flight crew announcements the connecting flight was scheduled at 2.30pm not 12.30 as announced. Adding insult to the injury China Airlines gave us a meal ticket in Taiwanese Dollars worth about $3USD not even enough for a hamburger. Due to this poor service I would never fly China again.
Flew Toronto to Gatwick January 24 return on 31 January. Both ways very good flight. Outbound aircraft had the mood lights that's the plus point. My reading light was on all the way so the crew offer me an eye shade. Food and entertainment ok for 6 plus hours. Return same as excellent crew offered extra food and soft drinks. Value for the money paid only $640.
Beijing-Xiamen definitely not the brand-new B737 I was expecting but a fairly old B737-400. Excellent crew food okay and very speedy service. First domestic flight in China and Hainan Airlines was a good choice although I was hoping for more after reading they were a five star airline.
Cancelled flights (Houston-Detroit) for reportedly bad weather condition (no cancellation on Delta and American on the same route by the same time). Some customers had to stay for 2 days waiting for their flight. People left alone in their misery without help. The flight was actually good and the crew as well, although they had a 16 hours day behind. Due to the unreliability I will not pursue to take flight with Spirit. Whatever I heard from colleagues was similar stories. Rather rise the air fare a little bit but get your customers to their destinations. 
Auckland to London business class. I'm more than pleased for the price I paid it was a lot cheaper than other airlines. I had a flat bed which once I had eaten the 7 course meal which was very good  I got my pillow and quilt and slept for 8 hours in comfort. Flight attendants were very friendly and helpful. The only downside was the inflight entertainment not much in English.
On December 12 my husband and I flew out of Dulles-Washington DC to Vienna on an 8 hour and 20 minute trip. Flight 9822. We were warmly greeted upon boarding then promptly given menus to select our dinner and breakfast. There were two chefs in full attire as well as a sommelier to assist us. The flight crew were excellent throughout our journey catering to all needs and exceeding expectations. The entertainment screen was wonderful with a vast selection. Our seats fully reclined to a bed and the blankets and pillow allowed for a comfortable sleep. Meals were excellent and beautifully presented. Return flight #9821 surpassed outgoing flight flights very smooth.
Flight from Gatwick to Holguin was smooth and I was impressed with the food and legroom on the plane. However our next flight with them was a different story. We were flying to Havana at the crack of dawn and were informed there would be a stop off - after only 15 minutes in the air we arrived at another airport and had to disembark before we took off for Havana. If I thought that flight was bad I was in for a shock regarding the last flight home. 4 hours before we were due to leave to the airport we were told our flight was going to be delayed 11 hours. Returning to our hotel room we were told that it was delayed yet again but didn't have any idea for how long. Waited overnight to find out that another 18 hours delay was expected. When we finally got the airport there was a further 4 hour delay! So altogether a 33 hour delay which resulted in us missing our connecting flight back to Scotland and an overnight stay in Gatwick. Flight home also consisted of ham and cheese twice and no inflight entertainment and filthy toilets Will never fly them again.
I recently started using TAAG more regularly especially flying to South Africa the aircraft's are fresh clean and new the staff friendly and professional. The airlines services are excellent from online booking to early check-ins in Luanda. There are still areas with room for improvement such as the inflight entertainment choice and catering presentation on Business class. These two issues tackled TAAG will be providing a world class service that can compete with the best in the African continent and globally.
Delays. If you want to get to where you want to be in time do not take this airline. Rude customer service staff. Being threatened by staff: "you take this flight or I tear off the ticket now". They did not help to solve problems that they cause (connecting flights checked bags and so on) and with that kind of attitude I will not take this airline again.
Flew back from Dublin to Orlando on a less than satisfactory airplane (previously used by Iberia Airlines). The plane was very cramped with seats very close to the seats in front the width of the seats were very narrow! My seat didn't recline at all. It was loose and broken. The staff were rude and inefficient etc.. All this hell on an 8.5 hour journey at least.
This was the first time I flew with Spirit. We flew to Fort Lauderdale from Niagara on Feb 25 with no issues. Everything went smoothly. However on the way back on Mar 3 the flight got cancelled due to bad weather after several delays. We were lucky enough to get another flight 2 days later (due to me running to the ticket counter once the fight was cancelled) but some people couldn't get a flight until Mar 9 and 10. Thankfully we had a place to stay for another 2 days. When we returned to the airport on Mar 5 everything went really smoothly. Flight was on time and we had an excellent counter service rep who was friendly and pleasant. We were on flight 416 and all the staff were so friendly and welcoming. Additional comments: Leg room was too tight. I'm 5'8" and my knees were right up against the seat in front of me. Headrest didn't have the flaps that turned in so was very difficult for try and rest if you are in the middle seat. But for the price and for a flight under 3 hrs it's manageable.
10/17/2013 flight 94 and flight 667. 10/24/2013 flight 668 and flight 93. A great trip except for the seats. Probably wouldn't have been a problem if it wasn't such a long flight. But other than this it was very good. I can't say enough good things about the flight attendants. They were excellent always smiling and very attentive. I would gladly recommend.
Flew from Mumbai to Chennai on February 23rd 2012. Enjoyed the experience and was impressed with the service and the inflight magazine.
EK412 SYD-AKL 08.45 7 October 2014. A380-800. Very comfortable and extremely on time. The inflight entertainment was good so you don't care about anything else. Time went really fast because you are comfortable.
WDH-FRA with my wife. Big mess to reconfirm the flights in WDH (computer breakdown) incompetent employees not willing to help. Checkin OK and quick very lousy lounge at WDH no priority boarding chaotic "rush" to the aircraft. Aircraft standing there the whole day and no traffic but able to depart 30 mins late. Worst cabin service ever experienced no meal choice available slow and incompetent staff. My wife went to the galley to ask gently for something to drink together with the meal the chief FA came to our seats and scold us "you have to be patient we have other things to do". Were treated like disobedient pupils no need to say after meal there was no more service and entertainment system at my seat was defective. Rude wake-up in the middle of the night 2.5 hours before landing for what they call a breakfast. Incredible and a great pity for the wonderful and friendly country of Namibia next time we fly again SAA despite of having to fly via JNB. We traveled last time in 2006 with Air Namibia and things have turned from good average to lousy.
We enjoyed our trip from Washington to Copenhagen and back on SAS in July 2013. Despite seeing a number of poor reviews online we found the ground and cabin service to be both professional and pleasant. The notion that the Danes never smile is just nonsense. Went through their online system to upgrade our outward flight and it worked fine. Were unexpectedly upgraded on return.
SXF-ARN one way flight. Excellent flight nice and friendly crew prices ok. It was a short flight but still there was some inflight entertainment. Definitely recommended.
Perth to Geraldton. Trapped on the ground at Perth for 50 mins - not Qantas' fault as Perth is so busy nowadays. FA's served water and managed to do some work while waiting. Captain kept all informed on PA. Seems to be plenty of legroom even for me at 187cm. Qantaslink 717 services in WA are by Cobham and of a very high standard. Cabin staff are uniformly excellent. The Geraldton service is by Dash 8-400. Did the return on Skywest - they've taken to using F-100 jets to replace the F-50 turboprop when available. This makes for a very quick trip. Couldn't fault either carrier but glad QF has arrived to give some competition.
LGW-KUL. Managed to obtain promotion fare which was too good to pass up even once I had paid for extras like food entertainment and baggage. Very positive experience. I was impressed with the service but disappointed to learn that the flight stops running next week. My aircraft was about one third full even at those prices.
DFW-IAH-LHR return. Decent flight on small jet (operated by Colgan Air) to IAH. Got to board early with the United credit card which was great. IAH-LHR was on a new B-777 still in Continental livery. Clean and comfortable and no one next to me so I got two seats for the price of one! LHR-IAH was on a United B-777 and it was just as good. Only complaint was a lot of young children but another empty seat next to me. Food was pretty abysmal on the way back but it's a legacy American carrier so sort of expected. Basically 1.5 meals total each way. Overall what I expected for the price that I paid.
China Eastern Airlines from Delhi to Los Angeles and back for the first time. Had asked for wheelchair assistance got it on all legs of the journey except Los Angeles to Shanghai. Got a wheelchair on arrival in Shanghai took me to the transfer desk to validate onward journey to Delhi and then said walk past security check. Very poor quality food same meal served for Lunch and dinner.
January 2014 - AF 347 Montreal - CDG and AF 342 from CDG to Montreal in business. Experienced the usual insult again by the AF staff. If you are not French you don't count at AF even if you do your best to address the staff in French. Big difference with the friendliness shown by the staff a sister company KLM. Seats are OK but I don't understand that when AF overhauled their business class some years ago they didn't go for flat beds (even not on the brand new A380). Food is OK although why is the bread always stale?
LHR-JNB-LHR. Check in process very quick and through to lounge. Heathrow Star Alliance lounge very poor - dark lighting hard seats - felt like a waiting room at a train station. Very professional cabin crew nice choice of food and excellent wines on offer. Film choice very limited and not on a par with other carriers. Flight made up time and arrived on schedule. As one of the first flights virtually no queue at immigration and bags through quickly. Return flight also on time. Very professional "old school" CSD who personally came round the cabin shaking passengers hands and thanking them for flying SAA - a nice touch. Food and drinks very nice again. Found the lie flat seats a little hard and restrictive width wise. All in all a positive experience.
I can say nothing beyond the miserable seats. The seat backs don't recline at all. The seat itself moves forward. That may be fine if your 5'5" or so but at 6'3" it's a disaster. My knees are already touching the seat back in front so when seat moves forward to recline what are you supposed to do with your legs. Unbelievably poor design. Makes sleeping impossible as head never gets back far enough. Never again I hope. Just another addition to the misery that flying has become.
I flew from Frankfurt to Istanbul-Sabiha Gökcen (SAW) and back on B737-800. Both flights started on time and were excellent with good efficient service. Food was above average and tasty. IFE was poor only overhead screens. Great value for money. For both flights I paid 142 EUR. Overall I highly recommend Turkish!
ZRH-MAD-BOG in Business and had an overall good trip experience. Very attentive and friendly staff on all legs food quite tasty on the leg out of MAD less so on the way back and good wine selection. Letdown were planes and IFE indeed require upgrade and are not on par with other European long-haul products. Good lounges in Madrid.
Flew from HRE-LHR via NBO in economy the HRE-NBO-HRE sector was on the E190 cabin was clean cabin crew were friendly and attentive. NBO-LHR was on the B777-2 seats were not that comfortable could not sleep. LHR-NBO flight got delayed by over an hour. Disappointed arriving at HRE to find out one bag was lost only to arrive 2 days later.
Flight from Edmonton was delayed by 2 hours - was informed of this at the check in desk which is fine. Connecting flight out of Keflavik was delayed by an additional 2 hours because we waited for about a third of the plane to board all at once 1.5 hrs after everyone else got on. Pinned the issue on airport strikes and refused to acknowledge poor organization which seems like the likely culprit. Customer service took a very long time to reply to emails and offered no compensation for missed flight out of final destination.
I'm not normally one to whine but here goes. LHR-CDG at 0725 on a Tuesday morning via the dreaded gate A10. Plenty of "Fast Track" signage and we fast trackers were herded through the checkpoint onto a bus where we waited until we were joined by all the other passengers! Outstanding! Flight OK (fairly grubby ex BD A320) but the pointlessness of a non fast Fast Track amused me no end.
PER-SIN on B772 older aircraft with reduced entertainment selection. Seats were hard and in need of re-padding. Staff were friendly and genuine with a sense of humor. Also nice to see that they don't tell you every time that there is turbulence to sit down fasten seat belts etc once when it occurred was fine the rest of the time they assumed we listened. The last time I flew this leg the announcement was made 20 times. Good flight departed 15 min late arrived 15 min early.
Oct 17th Manchester NH to La Guardia NY flight 6269. Then missed flight 1875 La Guardia NY to Tampa Fl. Just recently flew Delta delayed in taking off then was in a holding pattern due to air traffic and missed connecting flight due to this. Wasn't able to get another flight for 8 hours or so. Will not fly Delta again.
Royal Laurel class Jan 25 SFO to TPE and Feb 1 TPE to JFK. Excellent seats arranged in 1-2-1 layout. Outstanding flight attendants. They were accommodating courteous and professional. Lavatories were cleaned after each passenger. Food was adequate. Great wine selection. Will definitely fly them again.
SU2584 SU262 and SU271. Out April 4th back April 17th. Preferably I would never use Aeroflot again - expensive queues at every stage slow miserable long faced staff videos on board out of date food poor.
Very good flight, nice to be offered a hot meal on the ARN-ATH leg with complimentary drinks (two rounds), nice and rather spacious seats and legroom on the ARN-ATH leg, On the ATH-JTK / JTK-ATH Leg they used a A321 with cramped max tight config so almost no legroom, but it is a very short flight so it was ok, only a small snack, no drinks but I dont think they would have time to serve on this short flight. ATH-ARN was again great legroom and also served a hot breakfast. For what we pay it is great value, far better than many other competing airlines, the planes are also new and clean. Only drawback is that there is no entertainment provided on the 3 hr flight, why not show a movie?
Recently flew from LAX to San Salvador and then on to Lima Peru. I thought the flight down was much better than the flight coming back. Got a special rate which was nice. Staff were excellent on my first flight and very helpful. Food was good as I am a vegetarian so requested special meal which was pasta salad and a roll. Seats were very comfortable. Plane was on time and I had a short layover in San Salvador. The flight coming back was different. Food was a ravioli dish but it was too hot to eat and covered with too much cheese. I didn't eat it. Movie was a film which I had already seen. Had a 5 hour stopover in San Salvador and tried to get on an earlier flight. Was told that a change to the earlier flight would cost me a change fee and I did not want to do that so waited the 5 hours in San Salvador for the later flight. I would consider a flight again with this airline as overall I was very satisfied.
Being the first time flying with QantasLink, I was eager to see how standards compared with big brother Qantas. Airport Check In and security was all smooth through Brisbane. It was once I stepped on board that I noticed me and my colleague had the worst seats possible on the plane. Row 25 (back row near the toilets) and seats E and F which had no width and felt almost prison like. In addition to this the Boeing 717 has tail mounted engines which made the flight quite noisy - especially when trying to talk or listen to the cabin crew. Would recommend people sitting in rows 20 and forward to avoid this issue. Inflight services by Cabin Crew were excellent. Great breakfast options and Drinks. Cabin Crew were constantly looking to top up water. No IFE made the 3 and bit hour journey drag on - considering we had read that iPads were offered on this aircraft? I think for the money paid for these tickets some IFE needs to be offered. Aircraft arrived slightly late which was confusing as we took off early - but the delay was not an issue. Modern interior on board and as usual and great experience with Qantas on their regional carrier - Qantaslink
Flew Air Canada Rouge from Montreal to Orlando and then Orlando back to Toronto. The staff were young but very professional and friendly. Very impressed. The complementary drinks were as excepted and I hate airplane food so I was very happy no one included myself was buying any. Both flights I was able to get preferred economy seats at no charge (once at airline kiosk and once at the gate) Had exit row seats both flights and i have never had so much leg room and recline in economy. It is worth paying extra for preferred economy because the back of the plane looked like a sardine jar! Overall extremely satisfied! My only complaint is that you can watch entertainment with the android app which is so stupid as far more people have android than apple!
BKK-PNH though a short flight we were provided with a delicious meal complete with complimentary wine (in Economy Class!). The flight attendants did not hesitate to provide you with more than one drink. They were very generous and let us finish our food even though the plane was already landing. I personally was amazed at the service - in the US you would expect orange juice and peanuts.
LX17 April 21 Seats 39 G/F. Worst atlantic flight ever! I had made reservations for J/K seats we found ourselves packed into narrow and unpleasant G/F seats. The very same happened on flight LX16! The food on LX17 was just bad. The cabin temperature was far too cool even 2 blankets did not help and the cabin crew could not do anything about it.
Flew Belfast to Tenerife and back 26/9/14 and 1/10/14. Long story short extremely uncomfortable seats very narrow aisles meaning your shoulder gets bumped by everyone walking past plus irritating condescending sales pitches by the cabin crew which go on for far too long through tinny speakers at too high a volume. Flew Easyjet to Malta the previous month - such a difference. You can relax on Easyjet because there's no hassle. A Jet2 flight is basically an assault on the senses. Very poor.
LH430 FRA-ORD Jan 20 2014 New 747-8. Seat comfort is inferior to most other airlines on this segment. Loyalty customer treatment (especially in regards to complimentary upgrades) is unacceptable seems non-existent all the way up to Senator (incl.) and might become real only with HON which is super exclusive. Food quality is average and staff attention in economy is also just average. Staff attention visibly improves from business class onwards. Inflight entertainment is a bad joke especially in economy as well as in any 'old' business or first class seat. Tiny monitors that are often defective. Fairly small movie selection. This is way behind the other airlines that LH wants to compete with. Economy seats in the new 747-8 are ok but seat comfort in the first economy aisle seat right behind business class is impacted by staff continuously pushing the blinds against the passengers legs.
Leeds to Dusseldorf on 3rd July 6pm convenient departure time. I was not looking forward to the automatically allocated middle seat however the flight was not full and had the row to myself. The ticket cost was unbeatably low. There was a very rowdy group of passengers on the flight and the crew did put in a great effort to keep the situation under control. The catering is reasonably prices and of a good quality. The aircraft was an older version a Boeing 737-300 which was just fine for this 1 hour route but I'm unsure if I'd be willing to fly longer routes onboard due to a fairly small seat pitch. However overall the flight was hassle free and very good. I am planning to fly the same route with Jet2 again soon.
BA206 from Miami to LHR on upper deck dinner took over 3 hours to complete. 2 staff obviously not sufficient. Very old 747 TV screens going from colour to B&W frustrating as had more than enough time to watch a couple of movies while dinner was not served.
I flew with their national subsidiary Aserca Airlines from CCS-PZO-CCS. The morning flight was on time with an old DC-9-31 plane. The service was plain; they offered only beverages or water. The return flight was in the afternoon and they had 2 hours delay. The aggravating thing was that; when we were boarding on the plane at 8:30 p.m. the airport screens of the departures appearing the flight departed at 6:30 p.m. They are a joke.
Flew Birmingham to Jersey. 45 min delay going out but were not told about this delay. They had all the passengers at the gate waiting to board the info. board said boarding in 5 mins. This went on for over 30 mins. On return trip from Jersey 5 mins before we were due to board info board informed us that the flight was delayed by over an hour. Emailed CEO next day who gave a prompt reply but it was the usual spiel "technical difficulties" had caused the delays. Spent more time in airports than actually in the air.
2 round-trip flights between NYC and Casablanca within the past 3 months and every time the conditions haven't been clean. When I asked for the filthy bathroom to be cleaned the staff acted like it wasn't their job. They take out water bottles prior to flight but then don't provide enough water on the plane. On some planes the seats don't recline. The ear phones don't always work.
JQ 29 MEL-BKK Business Class. Boarding: There was a business class first call. However despite 2 doors economy marched through the business cabin. It is an economy airline. No great fuss and we were up and away. On the plane: After some tine refreshments were served and cleared. Up in the air: Orders taken for meals and immigration cards out and with no great rush a hot towel arrived. Cruising: Drink served and soon the meal which was pretty good appeared. Cheese and wafers and fruit and a glass of lovely Rutherglen muscadelle were great. Inflight service: Once "service" is over staff become very scarce and those who are about do not overtly seek eye contact. However a walk into the galley is greeted warmly and efficiently for any small request. Inflight crew: The captain and second were good on announcements and I look forward to having them up front again. The cabin crew were efficient and courteous but you felt that was the extent of the service offering. I was sitting next to an off duty staff member and was not greeted with a hello or any form of inquiry as to my flight for the duration of the flight. I suppose that is what separates the great airlines from the good airlines? If you love your product or just go to work is demonstrated by behaviours not platitudes of company jingles. Overall: Great plane and cabin and faultless service for most part. For the money Royal B and China E and Air Asia are strong competitors but there is a certain Aussy feel good on board especially with the majority Thai staff. In summary: Not a pretender a solid contender but could be be a class leader.
LH431. Whenever I fly between Germany and the US I try to fly Lufthansa. Even if one feels that Lufthansa cuts cost it is still better than flying one of the American airlines who typically use old airplanes don't even offer wine or beer any longer and have terrible food. Lufthansa finally uses upgraded planes between Chicago and Frankfurt which they didn't for quite a while (no idea why). However the seat comfort (no lumbar support at all) and especially the space between Economy class seats definitely declined or respectively shrunk within the last 7 years. It's a pain to get into these Economy class seats if one is just little bit taller not to mention having a careless passenger upfront of you who rams his seat into your knees without hesitation. The service at Lufthansa is always excellent and I always enjoyed that! Also the food is good and they still offer wine and beer.
Flex LAX-PTY-LIM and return with an infant on lap. Got a mix of older and newer planes for the different legs the newer planes were decent with individual entertainment system but when asking for the infant seat belt and life west we have on all other airlines we taken with our infant (KLM Norwegian SAS) we where told COPA does not supply these. Choose to purchase seat for the infant for the return trip using our FAA approved car seat. When installing the seat the seat belt was not long enough to buckle when asking for the extension seat belt the buckle of the extension seatbelt did not fit the one of the original seat belt had to fasten the carseat using the latch system of the car seat around the back of the seat luckily it was long enough to do this. Definitely not the safest airline to fly with infants or toddlers or for anyone else needing an extension seat belt. Service was frequent and staff was friendly both food quality was the poorest airplane food I have experienced. Would definitely not recommend this airline to anyone traveling with an infant or toddler.
We booked BMI and Singapore Airlines to fly to Singapore and onward to Perth. Just been told BMI cancelled our morning flight from ABZ to Heathrow and they will deign to let us fly the day before at no extra cost for the flight. They have messed up our hotel bookings and Air Asia flights to Penang. We are receiving no compensation and are considerably out of pocket. Do not use BMI from regional airports if you are making onward international flights.
I have used Smartwings more than 5 times in the past two years since they began flying. Only one flight was NOT delayed either way. One flight was delayed only one way and the other three were delayed - a long time each way. I am currently writing this from Venice where we were meant to spend 4 days including lunch on Thursday in Venice. Unfortunately once again the flight was delayed - by 4 hours. In the end we didn't take of until 5pm which meant we lost a day in Venice because of Smartwings. Our compensation: 110Kc for food at the airport. This was of course better than Paris last year which was supposed to depart at 8pm on Sunday. In the end it didn't depart until 2am!! We'll see HOW MUCH tomorrow's return flight is delayed but I can say I am thoroughly fed up with Smartwings' lack of any sense of punctuality. To those who claim they had positive experiences I challenge you to fly with them more than once.
LBA-BCN return. Another generally positive trip with this airline: elderly but clean and reasonably comfortable plane; friendly crew; punctual both ways. The only let-down is the peddling of overpriced food drinks and so- called 'duty free' goods.
TLV-FRA and back. From Tel Aviv on Boeing 737-800 and returning from Frankfurt on a Boeing 737-700 aircraft. Cabin staff fine although looked sullen when I asked for some water. Legroom was fine. Overhead screen poor quality but good entertainment with no selection. Food was really good even on the return flight there were special Passover kosher rolls (kosher meals are served on all EL Al flights). Bathrooms kept cleaned entire flights. Boarding both Tel Aviv and Frankfurt was fast. Flights were on April this year I heard they improved since. Overall would travel El Al again.
Three return flights Berlin to Kiev Boryspol in three months. Quality consistent and quite high. Planes mostly on time (give or take 20 minutes) B737-500 or 800 on this route. Very good onboard service including hot meal and bar service. The downside is that they do not offer newspaper other than their inflight magazine or any kind of entertainment so bring your own mp 3 player or a good book with you.
Customer Service is a 0. Two weeks ahead of a long planned trip they made a schedule change that only gave us 45 minutes in Seoul to make our connection to Bali. This not being allowed by them they wanted to put us on a much later flight that would have caused us to miss a day in Bali. After 3 days (9 hours documented) with the agent and Korean Air they basically would not move our tickets up because they would have to upgrade a 50 minute flight segment to first class because there was only one economy seat left. They take the requirement literally that all they have to do is put you on the next available flight with no consideration for your needs. We had to take a refund pay $700 more and we are not even sure we are on the same flight because they advertised two flights at almost the same time on the same plane. Having traveled I have never been treated so poorly.
As this was a United issued ticket I could not preselect seat line nor check in. Could not change seat at airports so was place in the middle seat of 777. Very uncomfortable for a 9 hr flight from VIE to IAD. Pandemonium at the VIE gate. One agent trying to check passports for 300 passengers blocking the main corridor as they would not let checked passenger's into the boarding area. No signage to inform passengers of what the lines were for boarding time or zones. The seats in the 777 are very uncomfortable. In the middle seats your legs have to straddle the pillar of the seat in front and there is no room for any carry on bags. There is limited recline. 9 hours of torture difficult to sleep.
Flew from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Check in at Cape Town unable to check luggage through to Sydney. Plane left 50 minutes late and had to wait 35 minutes for luggage in Johannesburg causing me to miss flight to Sydney. Ground staff and SAA help desk at Jo'burg all offered a "I do not care attitude". No help received or even offered. Last time I fly South African Airways.
Flew LGW-LPA return via Madrid. Got all of their types E195 LGW-MAD A332 MAD-LPA and return B738 MAD-LGW. The service was OK all flights on time. English announcements were very hard to understand except on LPA-MAD leg the crew on MAD-LGW leg were surprisingly poor in their English skills could not understand a request from the person sitting next to me for a tea with milk. This does not cause a particular issue though it is a Spanish Airline. The 738/E195 were far more comfortable than the A332's - I'm 6'2" and rather thought those A332's were only specified for Europe flying - reading reviews apparently not. I'd avoid them long haul if there's a chance of getting one. But to be very positive their fares were spectacular. They were a clear £100 cheaper with luggage than any of Ryanair EasyJet or Norwegian and £150 cheaper than Iberia. Check in was easy everywhere. Connections were good. Flights were very well timed 10.00 departures both ways. Madrid makes for a longer journey than direct but that does not really bother me as long as I can arrive a decent hour which I did. I would definitely use them again for flying in Europe.
We flew from Osaka to Vancouver on Rouge's new service. After reading all the negativity about this carrier I really did wonder if we had done the right thing. I'm happy to report that I need not have fretted I am 5'9" and fitted into an economy seat without any problem. The service was acceptable and the cabin crew young and attentive. The dinner was ok but the portion could have been bigger! Only soft drinks offered. Breakfast was a bit of a joke. A fruit yoghurt and a breakfast sandwich. Entertainment is shown on an app downloaded to your ipad prior to take-off. The app didn't download on to my samsung tablet. Flight ran pretty much to time and the journey on this 767 was a lot more comfortable than i had expected it would be. We have several flights between USA and Canada coming up and it will be interesting to see how they stand up to the negative comments.
FNC-LIS-FNC. There is a recurring issue when flying with this airline which is the cabin crew. More than usual they are flying with ‘minimum cabin crew’ which actually means you won't get served any meal whatsoever. Not even a cup of water don't mind asking. Cabin crew more than surly seems absent minded and just don't care about passengers. I'm a frequent flyer and I always get the feeling I'm a burden to them. Low cost carriers offer much better product. Unfortunately for some routes they got the exclusive monopoly. Don't mind complaining too they won't read or reply.
Recently flew this airline transatlantic route from Dublin to Chicago. The experience was awful! The plane itself was so outdated and old fashioned. It had the screens that dropped down from the ceiling! However on the outward bound flight the crew announced they were not working. So I had a seven hour flight with no film . The crew all wore different uniforms which made them look shabby and unprofessional. I am used to flying European airlines like BA and Aer Lingus whose planes all have the modern personal screens etc and whose cabin crew look smart and professional. My advice is stay well away from AA. I will never again use this airline.
Checking in was totally disorganised. It took us almost half an hour to check in. We were waiting in line only to be told to shift to another line after wasting 20 minutes. Check in clerks need more training to be more efficient. Flight was delayed one hour after boarding due to late loading of cargo.
I choose this route so I could fly the A350. The first sector was cramped on the B787 but the service and entertainment onboard was up to the usual standard for Qatar Airways. Once onboard the A350 the leg room and width of the seat was obvious. I was able to stretch out, without irritating my neighbour. The food portions in economy have shrunk but they're enough to keep you going on both these sectors which are just over 7 hours each. The entertainment system on the A350 is also superior to all the others in their fleet.
Flight Subang to Penang on 20th April was on time and crew were friendly even though flight was full. The last flight I took before this departed early in the morning and it was a rush about 6-7 flights departing with around 5 mins gap. The airport needs to add more gates and improve signage to the aircraft. Firefly staff did the best they could and even managed a quick smile. The latest flight took place mid morning and it was not as hectic on departure as the early morning one. Departure from Penang was ok gate was far from the counters and one level down but the aircraft is right in front of the gate! If you are travelling ex-Penang don't go to the gate too early as there is absolutely nothing down there. Prices seem to be lower than before. I remember thinking that the fares were high when I flew them last year but the last few trips were around the $100 (ringgit not USD) mark which is OK.
Bangkok-Doha-Cairo and back. All in all a very pleasant and civilized experience. Reservation and online check in and seat selection a breeze. At the airport very pleasant staff and my online check in had me bypass a rather huge line at the regular check in as I only needed a baggage drop off. The colour coding of Qatar Airways and the airport is great. The check-in was handled in Bangkok perfectly with rows as well as seats navigated from the left 1 and 2 doors. This resulted in a very speedy and no stress boarding of a fully booked huge airliner. Staff were great with a personal service but without the over-cheesy attitude of another Middle Eastern airline. The food was good and the staff ran every 30-45 minutes with drink rounds. Connection was short and the airport OK. Flight to Cairo was good and the staff had to work double to control passengers that simply ignore every and each announcement from standing while landing etc. The return flight was good but certain points ruined the perfect first impression. Check in was closed but the screens were on and staff at economy check in with a large crowd. The boarding was terrible but I guess I can attest to the less than friendly Cairo terminal 1 holding gates that is barely enough for a small plane but not a 100% booked 777-300. It was a bit of chaos and people standing everywhere. Very claustrophobic. I would suggest Qatar to change its check in counters from the very tight side of T1 as there was no space whatsoever and to request 2 gates since at the moment of waiting to be bussed to the plane it was a less than 1 star experience. Otherwise the flights were on time food great and staff consistent. Definitely will recommend and I believe that the new airport in Qatar is desperately needed. The transfer was very easy and rather pleasant but the terminal was a bit too basic. So 7/10 just for not being able to handle check in and boarding as elegantly as in Bangkok. Qatar should look into it.
MSP-KEF-CPH and back. Impressed with the space and legroom in Economy Class. We also liked the multiple entertainment options at each individual seat. The flight attendants were friendly and helpful and welcomed us with blankets and pillows as we boarded the plane. The only negative was the fact that we were served only drinks (no complementary food) but we were told this in advance so we prepared by bringing our own snacks. There was food for purchase and all items were reasonably priced and tasty. KEF is an easy airport to navigate and their passport control was quick and efficient to move us through processing during a short layover. We will definitely fly with Icelandair again and since they have recently opened some new gateways in the U.S. and Europe we will definitely be considering these options on our next international trip.
First time to the Philippines. BKK-CRK-BKK 20 - 25 June with Tiger/Seair and was satisfied. Both ways were on time smooth boarding. Cabin staff seemed friendly. Seats were ok for a budget airline. Seat selection and board me first (seat 26A) was a bargain. I would definitely use Seair BKK-CRK-BKK again.
Flight PR502 SIN-MNL. Inbound Aircraft had a sight delay other than that fantastic for the boarding welcome by the crew and the service received. Inflight meal was fantastic paid additional 20SGD for the Front Row extra legroom. This seat offered as forward seating choice economy seat. IFE needs some work though overhead screens are too old for the current generation and instead all seats should be equipped with IFE'S. Will fly them again.
Brisbane-Portavila and then Portavila-Sydney economy class. Excellent service good recline of seat in economy nice inflight reading material. All in all a superb service.
Both flights on time landing and taking off. Terminal D at Boryspil is getting better but still not enamoured by the bus connection from plane to terminal. Seats are a bit close together but expected on a low cost airline. I am tall but my knees were not as cramped as on some other flights I just get an aisle seat so I can stretch! Crew nice and friendly I have used UIA to Boryspil and Donetsk 15 times in the last 2 years. Only major problem I had was the handling crew in Donetsk who wrecked my case but as with other problems with this airline it's the service handlers that caused the problems not the airline itself.
SQ 917 (Manila to Singapore) and SQ 918 (Singapore to Manila). March 9 2015 (SQ 917) and March 11 2015 (SQ 918). Singapore Airline's service is more impressive than the last airline I took before. I got this flight 50% off from its original price from a promo so when they go on sale Singapore Airlines is more than value for your money. Even if they aren't on sale they are reasonably priced with the service and freebies they give. They have free- flowing drinks their food is impressively close to a fine dining experience and their staff is very friendly and approachable. Their inflight entertainment is good but the seat's legroom is a bit cramped.
JFK to CCU and back in Air India and I was in for a pleasant surprise. The aircraft a Boeing 777-300ER was clean the seat was reasonably comfortable. The food was good they offered Indian veg and non-veg and one continental platter. The crew would only offer you veg or non-veg one has to poke the crew and only then they would tell you of the continental option. The JFK-DEL flight arrived almost 70 minutes ahead of schedule. Once we deplaned there were Air India ground staff to help us connect to the onward domestic flights. The domestic flight was an Airbus A320. The flight was clean although surprisingly I found the crew more helpful and courteous than the international leg. It was on time as well and we landed at CCU a full 7 minutes before time. No surprises during the return flights as well. Luggage was delivered quickly on all occasions. The airline have certainly improved since the last time I traveled with them. However there are rooms for improvement in staff behavior and in-flight entertainment.
BRU-DUB-BRU. Flights were full on both ways and since it is a LCC service on European routes completely uneventful. They exaggerate their selling experience onboard which seems like you are in the middle of a snack- bar/shopping mall: the aisle got too busy with attendants moving about with their trollies. A bit annoying when you want to relax. However I do like the Irishness of the experience with the welcoming words in Gaelic and the green/shamrock colours everywhere. It gave me Ireland before landing in Ireland. And the flight attendants were very courteous and worked hard.
Return flight scheduled for Curacao to Charlotte first delayed and after six hours told it was cancelled due to mechanical problems. Two more hours before taken to a hotel Insel said they would call with flight rescheduling however as expected they never called. Finally got my travel agent to reschedule through Insel on USAir Insel said they'd send a taxi to get us although this never arrived.
Flew Phuket to Chiang Mai and got dinged nearly $60 CAD ($55 US) for a 20 kg bag. When I picked myself up off the floor I asked the desk person if I could avoid this sticker shock on my return flight. Told to go to the website check in online and 'pre-register' my bag online. The savings would be 'significant'. So today I did just that. Only problem - when it came to registering the bag the website froze me out - even after multiple attempts. Simply couldn't register the bag let alone pay a lower fee for it. When we got to the airport I explained the situation. We had checked in online so it was clear I wasn't pulling anyone's leg about trying to get things done on the website. But the check in person gave me the cow in a pasture stare and charged me full freight for the bag again. I explained again it wasn't my fault - I'd tried to do what her colleague had recommended - but their website wasn't working. I then told my story to the person who took my money. Same look. So watch out! Bag charges are exorbitant and going online to lessen the charge brings no joy.
Having just flown American Airlines for the first time from JFK to London Heathrow I can honestly say AA are a contender for the worlds worst airline. From the state of the plane to the poor quality of the food to a laughable 1970's entertainment system all compounded by a disinterested flight crew. As a regular intercontinental traveller used to flying airlines such as Emirates Singapore Qatar etc I was truly shocked by how bad AA really are. What made it funny was reading the CEO's editorial in the inflight magazine his goal of being the worlds best carrier is a long way off.
Gatwick-Naples returning Barcelona-Gatwick. Excellent flights as usual. Especially loved the stylish and comfortable interiors of the refitted A319 on the Naples run. Both flights left late but it didn't seem to seriously affect arrival time. Only complaint is the food/drinks service sandwich is not to my taste and I now refuse them - but other passengers seem pleased. Should offer an alternative such as crisps or nuts to go with wine.
PBH-CCU CCU-PBH Y class. Check in staff at Paro very helpful friendly smiling. Cabin crew similarly accommodating and friendly. Clean cabin decent space for Y class. Light refreshments and sandwiches (veg or non-veg) served on this short 50-minute segment. Every flight has been spot on time (or slightly early). Good announcements from cockpit to point out Himalayan peaks when near Paro. Competitive prices. A good alternative in/out of Bhutan from Drukair.
KUL-BKI-KUL (transit in LBU and MYY on the way back). Pleasant experience in all sectors. Good food generous portion. Aircraft clean crews very attentive and helpful. No hotels for transit passengers (more than 6hrs). MH should look on this matter as other major airlines do provide accommodation for transit customers.
Flew economy class on airbus 330-200 to Madrid from Vancouver. Both flights departed on time. The food was pretty good on both flights and staff was friendly and helpful. The entertainment wasn't so good. The TV screens are small and on my way to Madrid the system did not work well. Overall a good experience and I plan to use them again.
Had two short-haul flights with them last week: CGK-JOG (GA208) and back 2 days later on board (GA217). Both legs served by fairly new B738 with acceptable comfort and attentive service carried out by smiling and professional crew. Flights on time and check-in took less than 10minutes both in Jakarta and Yogjakarta. Would surely fly them again for domestic flights in Indonesia in the future and probably would also give them a chance for a long-haul trip.
Shenzhen-Shanghahi Hongqiao. Flight was delayed for 1.5 hrs because of aircraft late arrival and air traffic control terrible service bad food and very simple soft drinks were served. Flight arrived at the T1 of Hongqiao airport while Shanghai Airlines used bus to send us to T2 to claim the baggage.
London Gatwick-Ponta Delgada Sao Miguel Azores. The outward flight departed on time Airbus A320 aircraft looked in an excellent condition very clean and looked brand new. Flying time 3hrs 40 mins very smooth flight with no turbulence. The crew were very friendly and helpful. A passenger was unwell during the flight and the stewardess was very caring bringing extra drinks cold towels and checked how she was feeling every so often. The flight was approximately three quarters full. The small complimentary baguette tasted nicer than it looked and there was a chocolate bar with tea and coffee. In addition to this there was two rounds of soft drinks water apple juice orange juice etc all complimentary. Alcoholic drinks were available for a charge. The outbound flight was direct but the return flight was via Manchester. The flight left on time just after 1pm and we arrived in Manchester 10 mins early. Flight was very smooth with the same complimentary drinks and sandwiches as the outbound flight. Cabin crew were friendly and very professional. When we landed in Manchester Airport there was some confusion. We knew before hand that we had to disembark the aircraft at Manchester. Some of the passengers were unaware of this and the crew only mentioned that the Gatwick passengers had to disembark when we landed. When the cabin doors opened all of the passengers for Manchester and Gatwick stood up and the crew announced that the Gatwick passengers should sit down to let the Manchester passengers disembark first. If the crew told us this before hand it would have made life much easier. The Gatwick passengers eventually disembarked (with lots of moans and groans) and the passengers were given an in transit boarding card. Gatwick passengers had to take all of their hand luggage to the security check point have the bags scanned and then board the same plane back to Gatwick. The whole process was ridiculous but apparently this is due to UK immigration not SATAs fault. We departed Manchester on the same aircraft 1hr later for the 35 mins flight to Gatwick. We arrived in Gatwick over 20 mins early. Overall very impressed with SATA. Modern aircraft excellent timekeeping with a friendly and professional crew. I will definitely fly with them again.
AC 849 LHR to YYZ. June 13 2014. Seat 50K. Do not pay the extra $90 for this seat. It is a terrible seat the only benefit being it has legroom. Everything else about it is uncomfortable from being scrunched into the corner to no window to tray table and TV being in the side of the seat thus narrowing it. Armrests do not lift. It is by the galley and the washrooms so lots of traffic. Staff were indifferent rushed and not overly friendly. Food was the usual economy stodge loads of carbs not much else. I had the chicken which comprised a dried out 2 inch piece of chicken instant mashed potato and 2 tiny broccoli florets so overcooked as to be almost unrecognizable. Dinner tray included a rock hard roll no butter and unidentifiable salad offering. I used to think no airline could be worse than Air Transat but have now found a worthy replacement.
My husband and I had the best experience flying on the brand new A380 from Sydney to Dallas on October 2nd 2014. It was quiet and very spacious. We caught 10 flights in 5 weeks all business class (as we are both middle aged) and even our return flight on the Qantas 747 from Tokyo was great too. All our flights with other airlines were really very good but the Qantas planes and the Qantas staff shone the brightest. All meals were excellent. We also loved being able to sit in the bar and chat with fellow passengers in the A380.
ICN-PEK-HKG and back to ICN in economy. All flights on widebody A330 except PEK-HKG on narrow A321. All of the planes were of different quality. Some had new seats some had old seats some had seatback entertainment on demand (others on loop). Planes showed a little age but nothing worrisome. Onboard product varied greatly. Many delays due to ATC in Beijing. That meant maybe 30 mins to 1 hr of just waiting to take off for a gate you name it. The cabin crew and pilots did their best to keep everyone informed though. The cabin crew was polite and welcoming. As they were short flights I never had to ask for anything. They spoke basic English but oddly on ICN-PEK and return only one attendant spoke Korean over the PA only (pax about 50/49 Chinese/Korean and 1% Westerner). Airline food is not supposed to be gourmet in economy but Air China's food was completely inedible. Dry noodles that stuck together no sauce no flavor just horrible. Normally I can eat all of my food but I definitely just left it untouched. All flights were short (under 3 hours) so the seat was comfortable and didn't cause any problems. AVOD selection was limited to perhaps one or two recent western movies some really old western movies and lots and lots of Chinese selections. The price was right for this trip (500 USD) at peak vacation time in Korea. We only had one layover in PEK on the return to ICN. It was quick and painless. I'd fly Air China again.
First Class is an expensive joke. An ageing fleet makes for poor seats and amenities. Food is poor - both legs of our first class trip brought the reality that only some in first class are allowed to order from the menu. For both legs we were given food that was unwanted and in fact inedible.
Nov 2012 SYD-CLARK PH. Plane was new and clean and we left on time. Service was excellent and the food was well priced and good quality. Aisles are narrow and seats not made for anyone above average size. Plane arrived on time. No entertainment but was great value for the money.
AMS-ALA-AMS. Not only was the plane nicely refurbished and the staff extremely friendly it was the food that did the trick. Having flown mainly American carriers KLM's food was delicious. Especially going to Kazakhstan (so leaving Amsterdam) the food and all the choices there are was magnificent. Furthermore the lavatories were clean there was enough legroom the entertainment system had a good variety of American and non-American shows. and basically unlimited. Altogether a very pleasant experience.
Departure from Montreal scheduled at 20.00 delayed at registration for 22.30. Midnight at embarking door, flight was cancelled without any kind of explanation, no option on another flight. We were asked to pick up our luggage, we were given a phone number but no human assistance, no voucher, no advice. The only hotel we could find at 1.00 am was the Marriott). We are elderly women foreigners without contact in Montreal. Next morning we learn by email (assuming you can read your mail abroad) that a plane will board at 17.00- no apology and no explanation. Arrival in Geneva with 20 hour delay. No assistance from Air Canada, nobody to help and direct us to a so called "reasonable hotel".
Dec 31st 2013 me and my family went on a vacation trip to Aruba thinking it would be a very relaxing time and it was until the return to Toronto. Because of weather conditions the plane that was scheduled to go to Aruba to pick up and bring back the passengers from flight 2699 never arrived Tuesday Jan 7th 2014. After an entire day trying to call and get an answer from the airline finally with got to speak with somebody from Westjet who only said that there would not be a rescue flight later that week but passengers had to wait until Tuesday Jan 14th 2014 to get our fight back home but they were not responsible for any expenses until that day. In my case we had to take a flight Aruba-Curacao and Curacao-Trinidad and Trinidad-Toronto with all the expenses it caused in airplane tickets meals and hotel. Please be very careful if buying tickets from this company.
May 5 return from Phoenix. What's the value proposition for the customer. I still can't get an answer. We just spent 10 hours in the Phoenix spirit because of a Rouge malfunction with the plane coming from Toronto. Because it's Rouge and not Air Canada they had to wait for a Rouge plane coming from San Diego. We got this great service. Poor legroom and no inflight entertainment and at the same normal Air Canada fare. I'm a long time super elite. Westjet will be flying Toronto - Phoenix. Why wouldn't I fly that way in the future. I am so so disappointed.
BOM-PNQ and TRV-BOM in Economy. All flights on time. Very efficient and friendly check-in and on-board service. On the TRV-BOM flight tasty warm meal was served.
FOR-GIG-FOR all in economy class (A320). Seating cramped but no worse than most economy class seats these days. The snack served each way on this 3.5 hour flight was perhaps the most environmentally unfriendly food service I've seen: a large plastic tray wrapped in plastic containing a very small packet of a couple of small crackers another packet (plastic wrapped) with a small cake and a small toil-wrapped cube of cheese). Much more plastic than used to be used when the airline served hot foil-wrapped ham and cheese sandwiches. A child became ill on the flight when we landed people started to disembark then were told to re-board the plane until a health official came on board. In-flight entertainment consisted of overhead monitors every few rows with volume that could be heard by almost no one. Flight back was less eventful. Just the same plastic-enclosed snack.
Having chosen this airline based on reviews here and the competitive price of a return ticket from London to Melbourne I was not disappointed. Service by flight attendants was top-notch even in the dead of night. The Boeing 777s might not be the latest but they are still up to the task; the seats were comfortable and the IFE was perfectly adequate. As previous reviews have pointed out Brunei airport can't presently be compared with Singapore or even Kuala Lumpur but as the cabin crew pointed out on landing there on both the outbound and return legs the airport is undergoing substantial renovation so there's hope for a better layover experience. My only slight gripe was that only one meal was served on the outbound leg from Brunei to Melbourne - lunch - with no snacks or other food served before landing which seemed a bit stingy given the length of the flight. That said the food served was generally excellent - tasty and better than other airline food I've eaten in the past! Boarding at Brunei on the return leg from there to Dubai was a little chaotic but this might have been the fault of the airport rather than the airline. The 2 stop itinerary - Dubai and Brunei - actually suited me quite well as I hate being cooped up in a plane for hours on end. Given the great level of customer service on board and the competitive pricing this airline has a lot to recommend it.
Our flight from Bilbao to Barcelona was delayed and then cancelled. We were standing around for hours not knowing what to do and hearing different stories eg no more flights to Barcelona that day etc. No one working for Vueling came up to us to tell us what to do so we had to split up and queue up for the Vueling information desk and also Vueling check in queue in case we could get another ticket. They are the cons but pros are that they were very accommodating for us all who were stranded and we stayed at a 4 star hotel in Bilbao that night followed by a new flight the next morning!
NAN-LAX return. Fares were very cheap for this you can't expect much but the seat even though old recliners were comfortable and spacious. IFE was very old (10 channel) loop. Food was fair. Lounge in NAN quite good and lounge in LAX needed improving. A good alternative to travelling the other major carriers in Business from SYD- LAX.
WAW to MSQ. I was surprised to find my Belavia flight more comfortable than my LOT and United flights. My flight was delayed an hour but this was fine by me. The staff were nice and the food was OK.
Flew with AF from Amsterdam to CDG transfer by bus to Orly then on to Guadeloupe PTP. Overall experience was disappointing. However I arrived on time and I had plenty of legroom due to the seat (10J). But the onboard service was nearly inexistent no response whatsoever after ringing the attendant button. Entertainment system crashed every 5 minutes. No drinks offered only with the distribution of (mediocre) food. Orly airport staff were slow rude and unfriendly.
Flew on 12/24/13 from SYR to PHL to GSP - worst experience due to USAir's inability to publish a flight schedule with connections that could be met and PHL HUB employees not having enough knowledge of alternative airports and airlines. Additionally all personnel I spoke with at PHL or on the phone looking for assistance were very very rude.
Porto via Lisbon to Casablanca in May 2013. The 19 seater plane (Beechcraft 1900) was overbooked and I was selected to stay aground but told so only after all other passengers had boarded. No possibility therefore to find any candidates among other passengers willing to take compensation and stay an additional night in LIS. Poor communication from handling officers and ground staff made for frustrated feelings and a spoiled trip.
Bucharest - Barcelona - Aalborg. Both my flights were absolutely event-free and quite pleasant! We took off on time (a minor 10 min delay from Barcelona as they had to unload luggage for a couple of passengers that missed the flight). Both take-offs and landings were smooth. Food on board was fair-priced I ordered a menu with a sandwich 0.5l drink (coke) and a snack (Pringles) and it all cost 8.50 euro. For a low-cost airline I think the service and flight was very good. The only reason I'm not rating it as great is because they did nothing outstanding. The only inconvenience was the checked-in luggage policy: regardless of how many bags you bring the weight limit is for the sum of all your bags and it's only 23 kg. Unfortunately I found out about this after paying 34 euro for a second bag (for 2 flight segments) and did not get a refund after deciding to bring just one bag. So pay attention to this aspect! If your checked luggage exceeds the 23 kg allowed you'll pay 12 euro / kilo.
I had a combined round-trip ticket flying American from Tulsa to Denver then Frontier to Minneapolis; coming back was the reverse Frontier out of Minneapolis then American to Tulsa. It was ticketed through American. Flying to Minneapolis was fine because I didn't really have to interact with checking in at Frontier. However the return was horrible. I arrived at the airport later than I planned but still had a half hour before takeoff when I tried to check in at the Frontier counter. The attendant wouldn't let me check in because he said I wouldn't make it in time. I had a half hour but he wouldn't even let me try. I asked if there was anything he could do and he said no. Other airlines have been known to call the gate tell them the passenger was on the way and ask them to hold the plane. But not Frontier. He was also unwilling to help me get on a later flight because "it's ticketed through American let them help you". I went to the American desk. They were very friendly and tried to help. However it would cost $150 to change my ticket and fly from Minneapolis with them so they suggested I go back to the Frontier desk and ask them to sign my ticket over to American. The attendant would not help me and rudely said it was my fault because I was late. But he finally said they could put me on standby on the next plane which would leave 4 hours later but said it was full so my chances weren't good. I went back to American and paid my $150. From now on I will pay a little more to deal with a friendly helpful person.
Shanghai Pudong-Tokyo Narita on old B767-300ER return on A330-300 both on time check-in/boarding very efficient lounge at Pudong Airport run by China Eastern which is always bad nothing to eat and over-crowded. Inflight food and drinks good considering it's a 2hr regional flight crew very polite and friendly. AVOD is amazing with lots latest movies.
Very bad flight from MIL to Mauritius via CDG. Poor service seat pitch the smallest I have experienced on a long haul flight. Never again.
As part of a One World American Airlines codeshare with Malaysia Airlines my family and I traveled on AA from West Palm Beach (B737-800) Chicago (B767-300 winglet) London 2 Jan and was completely satisfied despite the delays due to weather in Chicago. 3.5 hours delay in West Palm Beach and another 2.5 hours delay in Chicago. Both flight were packed. The super friendly hospitality of their Cabin Crew made the journey pleasant. The breakfast prior to landing in London was made up of just one tiny croissant and a small cup of yoghurt. Their aircraft's are old and their IFE very ancient. Do not have a high expectation and you will be fine.
Flight from SYD to AKL and back. On a 737-800 plane. Left late in the evening and arrived AKL just before midnight. AKL to SYD back with Emirates. I have to say as much complaints you can have about Qantas I actually found their inflight service comparable if not better than most Asian Carriers. The flight attendants onboard were New Zealanders and their service was top notched! They offered a few rounds of drinks to all passengers and even remembered requested drinks. I normally will hesitate to fly with Qantas especially with their inflexible rules with ticketing however I feel the need to support our national carrier. Nevertheless I had a great experience with them having flown twice this year and if their ticketing and contact center can improve it will be a bonus to all.
AMS-FCO. I'm not impressed by Alitalia. I tried many airlines of the last months but this was my worst experience. Poor seat comfort. The crew came only once with water and coffee. They were very rude and were completely not interested in the passengers. Plane was old but the flight was on time.
Flight back from Colombo to Frankfurt 5th January 2014 we arrived at the airport 3 hours before departure. Check-in at all counters was very slow We waited more than 1 hour and when it was out turn we were told the flight was over booked and there were no seats for us! We got the information about 1 hour before departure. On our flight to Frankfurt there were 8 people on standby and the flight to London and to Sydney was over booked. We finally got a plane at 2 am to London and arrived in Frankfurt the late afternoon instead of 5 am.
Only a short flight from Birmingham UK to Amsterdam. Slept most of the way but woke up to a free sandwich which I didn't expect on such a short flight. Would recommend this airline. Flight was KL1420. Plane had a modern feel to it.
January 1st Denver to Dallas Dallas to Wichita Falls. 5 hour delay in Dallas then canceled our flight. Told us no flights until Sunday/Monday refused to pay for food hotel rental and wouldn't give us our luggage. Ended up paying for my own hotel and splitting a rental with 3 other passengers. Luggage still in Dallas with no eta to get to me. 3 different calls to make a claim on luggage all three have said different information messed up my address each time and can't tell me why it wasn't delivered on next flight. Zero customer service. I will never fly AA again. I'll drive to Dallas and pay 3x as much to park my car to fly with anyone else.
I flew LAN on Feb 14 from JFK to MVD via SCL. Flight was scheduled to depart at 8pm. However it snowed (not heavily) that afternoon. Arrived at JFK with plenty of time. Flight shown on departure board as being on time. I was at the gate at 7pm and the flight still showed on time however there was an Air Berlin plane at our gate. According to the agent the flight was still leaving on time even though the plane was not there. We finally left the gate at about 10pm and had to wait to be de-iced. Took off at 11pm. Plane was a Dreamliner and other than the having little room between seats was great. Food service on LAN was much better than on American which I usually use to go to MVD. Flight attendants were young enthusiastic and had good rapport with the passengers. Dinner was a choice of beef or pasta and I chose the beef which was quite good. LAN still uses regular cutlery for meal service (no plastic ware) and glass for wine (no plastic cup). Breakfast was also a choice of two different meals cheese sandwich or eggs and sausage which I chose. The eggs and sausage came in s ceramic dish. Far cry from American's minuscule continental breakfast. Arriving at SCL all transit passengers went to transit area LAN had already printed boarding passes for connecting flights and also provided voucher for food while waiting for the connection. I don't think that any US carrier would do that nowadays. Flight from SCL to MVD was on A320 which was more comfortable than seating on Dreamliner. LAN offered snack service (sandwich and beverage) on 2.5 hour flight which most US carriers do not do any more. Return from MVD to SCL was also on A320 boarding pass issued at MVD showed Gate 5 however departure board showed Gate 4 (which was correct gate). Again LAN offered snack service to SCL. SCL to NYC was a nightmare. We were scheduled to leave at 11pm but did not depart until midnight. The plane was full with families with children onboard many of whom cried screamed at night. Perhaps airlines should keep a stock of pacifiers on board. After take off dinner was served and again the offerings were much better than American's. We were scheduled to land at 8am at JFK as we began our approach and landing gear and flaps were down the captain announced that JFK had just been closed due to weather conditions and we would go to Newark instead. Landed at Newark at 9.30am and waited for an hour on taxiway for gate to be made available. Disembarked at 10.30 and by 11 was through passport control. Then we had to wait for 90 minutes for the luggage to start coming onto the carousel. Left the airport at 1pm. LAN had no one there for assistance except some of the flight attendants who did no have that much information. LAN was great in the air but terrible on the ground.
Flew GA 0434 from Lombok to Pekanbaru stop over in Jakarta. On time departure smooth airplane clean and nice foods as always and what a wonderful service from FA and also ground staff.
Probably the most awful flying experience I have ever had. Complete chaos at check in and ended up being bumped off flight we were promised compensation but no one could tell us who was to provide this compensation. The 6 hour delay at JNB International with 3 children under 4 was an experience I could have done without. The hostesses were I am sure quite funny but at that stage I was in no mood to laugh and found their flippancy annoying and somehow insulting considering the 8 tortuous hours we had just spent because of that airline. Still waiting for their "feedback department" to get back to me 2 months later. My advice is to arrive really early because when it goes wrong its not all fun and games.
Got a wonderful cheap fare from London City to Florence £56 each way! London City a delight to travel through except when your flight is badly delayed which sadly ours was. No announcements made to tell anyone what was happening 2 hour delay shown on the departure board popped up at boarding time. Actually a BA fan but this was handled very badly. No information or assistance. Then when we boarded we were delayed by another hour thankfully once on board the cabin crew and pilots were great at communicating and almost made up for the bad handling by ground staff. Great hot breakfast and drinks served on board on the way out. The return flight was on time and again a lovely crew and a very acceptable snack and drink service. Excellent value compared to the "low cost" carriers no extra charges for bags etc allowed and free drinks if you wanted them. Apart from the delay outbound a wonderful trip. Would have been a 10/10 had we left on time.
Vienna-Dubai-Manila and return in Business all on B777. Emirates is decent 4-star airline. The night flight out of Vienna was as one would expect - quick dinner service (good meal but nothing special) friendly staff (always addressed me with my name) but seats are far too narrow for business class because Emirates squeezes a middle seat into the centre row. On arrival in Dubai we were bussed to the gate (out of 4 arrivals/take-offs 3 were from bus gates and the bus ride takes quite a while). The business lounge was a disappointment. It is fairly large as it stretches across almost the whole first floor of the terminal but it is rather narrow and dull it overlooks the shopping concourse below (noise) there are showers but they are tiny. Strangely I had to ask for a non- alcoholic beverage at the bar as only juice and water are freely supplied but all hard drinks are self-serve. The onward flight to Manila was on a noticeably older 777 in a two-class configuration. The staff performance on this flight was outstanding. On the return flight one of only two washrooms for C-class broke which lead to queues. The plane was spotless and new but cabin crew performance was below par. Coats and jackets were handed back some 30 to 40 minutes before landing some pax had to keep them over their knees as the adjoining seat was occupied. Drinks and snacks were taken away all of a sudden without warning due to landing (still some 30 minutes away). Generally I would recommend them although I still prefer Qatar or Turkish when travelling into Asia.
Flight Tom1454 ex Edinburgh to Lanzarote 02/05/13. Booked in at 04.45 for a 07.10 departure-advised 3 hour delay. Departure board at 09.00 advised flight now cancelled. At least 15 minutes to be advised by tanoy - "collect luggage from baggage hall2. 30/40 minutes later we were being bussed to Glasgow for a 14.30 departure - no sign of any Thomson Staff. At Glasgow 1 hr 15 mins to be rebooked in again at check in. After going through security check in for a second time went for a bite to eat with our "£8 food vouchers". Went to the departure gate to find that the flight was now departing at 15.30. Gate staff gave the impression that they were being put out. Boarded the plane to find that our seats were not the extra leg room seats that we had paid for at time of booking but just normal row seating. Cabin manager did not want to know when approached for an answer/solution her overall attitude left a great deal to be desired. Pilot announced to passengers "please do not take out all our frustrations out on the cabin crew". Arrive 8.5 hours late in Lanzarote. I find it unbelievable that passengers/customers that can and are treated in this way especially not from a major airline like Thomson.
HKG-KHH-HKG. Throughout the flight even though offering a satisfying meal of noodles it was absolutely boring. There is no entertainment device except a magazine with lots of advertisements. There is nothing to do except sleep. Nevertheless the seats are quite comfortable if you ignore the reclining problem. Overall it is far from satisfactory.
PEK-FNJ New TU204 seats relatively comfortable service friendly meal standard economy meal. Pyongyang Times and Korea Today newspapers which keep first-time DPRK visitor busy for the flight.
SFO-AKL 777-300 Economy. Got a decent deal on an airfare but was a bit worried about the reports of the 3-4-3 configuration in Air New Zealand economy. It is very tight and this is magnified on a long flight. For me no amount of service compensated for the feeling of being jammed in like sheep. Clearly the bottom line is the only thing that matters. What was once one of the best economy classes in the sky has literally devolved into sardine class. In the future I would take longer routing to avoid Air New Zealand.
We have flown with Allegiant before and found it not too bad. We recently flew to Sanford FL February 28 to March 10 and I have to say I will think long and hard before flying with them again. I can understand charging for seat changes if they put you at the back and you want to be at the front - but when you book as a couple and want to fly as a couple (husband and wife - same last names) and they don't even sit you together - I have issues. They put you all over the plane so you have to pay the extra fee to sit together. There was a vacant seat beside my husband on the flight. Also you have to pay for boarding passes now. I have to say the flights are not filled like they use to be and I can see why.
My wife and I were checking in our luggage  for our flight from Hamburg to Geneva when a person who identified himself as the “enforcer” (his term) approached us and informed me that I had to also check in my carry-on. This was a surprise since  it was below Germanwings allowable size.  The enforcer instructed the ticket agent to weigh my carry-on. Unfortunately, it did exceed the 8kg weight limit. My only option was to remove excess weight, which I did. I removed clothing and gifts until I reached the 8 kg limit and placed them in the garbage pail provided by the ticket agent. I believe in following rules, but they need to be clearly indicated and consistently applied. This experience was in itself unpleasant. We checked in an extra piece of luggage and had to go to another agent to pay a 75 euro surcharge. However, we were informed that the surcharge would be 150 Euros for 2 pieces of luggage. The 2 agents communicated by phone and eventually discovered that we had erroneously been charged for an extra suitcase. 
Flew CGK-PLM in economy class. Cabin crew attentive and helpful. Cabin clean and neat seat pitch was very good and lavatory clean. Aircraft was flawless but unfortunately no AVOD at this short hop. Punctual. Will definitely fly them again on my next trip to SIN.
AI 301 3 Feb 2014. Flew MEL-DEL. Chose Air India as it has a direct connection Delhi-Chandigarh. A friend was raving about the new Dreamliner. End up disappointed. Nothing special other than the fancy lighting on its windows and interior. The remote did not work thank goodness for touch screen TV. Food choice was either veg or non veg only both Indian cuisine. Portion was small ended up asking for a snack 3 hours after lunch was served. Cabin was messy by end of flight too many children on board unfortunately. Good points: Cabin staff were attentive to requests. The female crew uniforms are an old style definitely need a modern design. Also ground support staff were very good to ensure elders all received wheelchair support.
SKG to HER. Flight was on time! The plane an A320 Airbus was new and clean inside/out. Cabin crew was pleasant and caring the on board service was good even though the flight was just 1 hour. Seats were comfortable and you have the option to check in online! I have flown many times domestic and abroad and am always satisfied.
AMS-CAI-KUL BKK-CAI-AMS. The worst and most unprofessional experience I have ever had on an airline. A330 and B777 have very tired interiors toilets are not cleaned during the flight. Although food is hardly ever amazing this time it was really bad (specially BKK-CAI section). Drinks only offered during the meal service at other times you can try to get 1 glass of water at the galley it feels like asking for a big favour. During the landing the family friends and EgyptAir crew start taking out their phones already and calling. Flight crew on duty sitting across or close do not say a word.
I was on flight ET 701 scheduled to depart Heathrow for Addis on Oct 6 with immediate connection to Entebbe. In the boarding lounge before 8pm. We remained there for 6 hours until the flight was finally cancelled long after the airport had effectively closed for the night and all other flights had long since departed. Initially we received the 30-minute updates that ET promises. The almost-new Boeing 787 Dreamliner needed a spare computer part which arrived after 4 hours and then apparently it needed another part. I can accept that this was not the fault of ET but staff management of passengers and information was extremely poor - information updates had stopped after 2-3 hours rumours flew around because the one valiant ET staff member dealing with PAX was apparently instructed not to make further general announcements "for fear of a passenger revolt" - indeed they sent for the police and 4 officers remained with us for several hours! After a short night in a hotel arranged by ET we boarded the flight at midday next day - and then spent 2 hours sitting on plane apparently because they had forgotten to order a fresh supply of meals for the flight. So we reached Addis at midnight and spent another short night in a hotel there awaiting next day's connection. Summary - almost 48 hours from check-in at LHR to EBB with inadequate information. ET ground staff in London and the local agents clearly need training in handling unexpected problems and in communication passengers would be much less angry if adequate announcements are made and attempts at rebooking on alternative flights are handled in an orderly manner rather than priority being given to those who push hardest or make the most noise - I felt especially sorry for the 2 women carrying small children who received no attention at all in London.
SQ 321-31/3/14 SQ 297- 1/4/14 SQ 298 - 17/4/14 SQ 308 - 18/4/14. Just returned from a trip to New Zealand and was very impressed with the level of service and efficiency. I would have no hesitation in travelling with Singapore Airline again or in recommending them to others.
EZE-SCL. Economy. LAN expect you to be at the airport 3 hours before departure for international flights. They are not joking. Passengers like me who had already checked-in and printed their boarding cards were made to wait outside the cordoned off check-in area. We were admitted after airport security complained about the queue getting in the way of other passengers. After 50 minutes waiting it was my turn but the agent just held his hand up and got out his mobile phone. He was still chatting after I had finished leaving my bags with another agent. Boarded in strict priority of cabin class frequent flyer status and row numbers - then all got on to the same bus! Cabin crew too busy having coffee to check the boarding cards. Crew surly with no smiles or good-byes. Usual economy class type snack. Arrived on time with fairly quick bag return. My experience on this flight was that LAN staff are all well turned out check-in areas and aircraft are clean and appear almost new but just scratch the surface and you may find a very different airline to the first impression.
Flight from Arrecife to Glasgow airport on January 6th 2014. Several weeks prior to flight the times were changed meaning a later arrival at Glasgow on the return flight. At Arrecife the plane began to taxi to the runway then stopped. The captain announced a small technical fault. The plane was directed back to the stand and engineers called. As it could not be fixed it was finally decided to return to Glasgow flying low in the hope the fuel would last the journey otherwise we would have to land and refuel at Manchester. The arrival at Glasgow was just under 3 hours late meaning we did not get home until almost 2am. On the flight from Arrecife we were sitting in the plane for over 2.5 hours before take off and only the children were given water. The adults had to pay for drinks including water. They also ran out of food. I would now rather fly from Scotland to Gatwick and then onward with a different airline as Jet2 seem plagued by technical faults and have spoiled the end of three holidays for us. They are not a cheap airline and they are uninterested in the welfare of their passengers.
We (5 people) travelled from GEG to DEN on 08/03/12. I was travelling with my disabled daughter in a wheelchair. During reservation I had already informed them that my daughter is in a wheelchair and cannot walk. We checked in online and after going through security arrived at gate C32. After the gate agent arrived I reminded her that we need an aisle chair. She said that as per 'normal' Frontier procedure when travelling with a wheelchair passenger I should have checked in at the counter and not online. I never saw this instruction on their website. She also mentioned that they can deny us boarding for not doing that. I did complain about this to the airline and they rewarded me the with a whopping $25 certificate per passenger that can only be used for 'future' travel on this customer un-friendly airline. Frontier provides only complementary beverage no food.
An A310 Islamabad to Leeds Bradford. Pre departure was smooth. Seats angled lie-flat and comfortable. Flight attendants were very helpful food good. Only negative point was that IFE was poor. PTV's only showed the map as well as only 4 other movie/channel options. I would recommend it as you get an excellent value for money.
HND-BKK-SYD in first class. Told on the overnight HND-BKK flight that there was no turn-down service offered which was surprising given that it was a 5.5 hour flight that departed at midnight. The F cabin on the leased Jet Airways 77W was scuffed and worn but seat was comfortable enough. I didn't eat anything on this service other than some fruit before descent. The requisite golf-buggy was waiting for me on arrival at BKK but it was irritating to have to be security-screened in the middle of my transfer to the lounge and again when heading back to the gates. Ground services were good water pressure in the showers of the F lounge were pathetic. BKK-SYD on a 747-400. This model is geriatric now and the 10 F cabin whilst better than the dreaded 14 F setup that has now gone is still outdated and far from the best. Crew friendly and polite but rushed through breakfast prior to closing all the shades in the cabin for 5 hours and rushing through dinner prior to landing. Requests to slow down went unneeded. Note that 4/10 F seats were occupied so one can hardly apply the "full cabin" excuse. My seat malfunctioned on 747 and it was a pretty ordinary pair of flights. Crews on both services seemed to be in a hurry to get us dealt-with which is not acceptable in J let alone F. Disappointed and won't fly Thai again.
This is the 4th Easyjet flight this year flew Gatwick to Las Palmas - no problems except they ran out of some of the hot food on the return flight. We had Special Boarding so no queues anywhere.
This is the 4th Easyjet flight this year flew Gatwick to Las Palmas - no problems except they ran out of some of the hot food on the return flight. We had Special Boarding so no queues anywhere.