CheerupSilver Very Cool!!!

Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Kidskycom It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Keira Brennan The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

Amy Adler In Manhattan, Eddie Fleming (Robert De Niro) is a well-known detective on the police force. He courts the press to shadow him at times and he views his minor fame as helpful to his job solving crimes. Nevertheless, his near constant media exposure is disturbing. Meanwhile, a top fire investigator, Jordy Warsaw (Edward Burns) prefers a low profile as he solves important arson cases. One fateful day, two immigrants, Oleg and Emil from Eastern Europe arrive at JFK. Although the one tells the airport's immigration officer that he came to "make movies like Frank Capra", that is not their main reason for their journey. They are criminals, newly released from prison, and are tracking down a former partner who made off with their part of the dough. All too soon, they find him and his wife in an old Lower East Side apartment building. The money has been spent on establishing a plumbing business. Oleg, the more out of control perp, brutally murders both of them, while Emil films it with a stolen camera. After the crime, they set the building on fire. This brings in both Eddie and Jordy, whose work habits clash. Yet, they soon join forces to stop the two evil ones and protect a witness, Daphne (Vera Farmiga) who saw the murder from her apartment doorway across the hall. All the while, a sleazy television show producer (Kelsey Grammar) wants to get the whole case on his second rate program, Top Story. How many folks will lose their lives before Oleg and Emil can be stopped? This VERY VIOLENT film has an intriguing story. There is indeed a fine line between a crime and excessive media coverage of a crime. More murders probably do get solved if the public is aware of its happening. Also, Burns is a most attractive, talented performer while De Niro can handle any role, anytime with great skill. With Farmiga, Charlize Theron, Grammar, Melina Kanakeredes and others on board, the cast is wonderful. But, a STRONG CAUTION to potential viewers. The violence in this film is horrific, when it happens, and there was truly no need for its excessive nature. Sometimes, its mitigated by special features the criminals' video camera has to distort the picture. But, not always. If there was not a great cast and a strong story line to consider, I would definitely not encourage ANYONE to view it. As it is, watch at your own discretion and use the fast forward button a lot. If its still too much for your mind to handle, just turn it off. Some movies have a good message but loses it in a cloud of objectionable material.

LeonLouisRicci Ultimately too Ugly for its own good. Yes, the Andy Warhol Proclamation is a Psychologically Ugly Thing that may Motivate many Disturbed Individuals to Commit Heinous Acts to acquire Their said 15 Minutes of Fame. But Wallowing in the Close-Ups and the Bile of this extremely Excessive Mocking Mirror, a Reflection of its own Satirical Target, may be too much for the Normal Psyche to endure.Robert De Niro, Edward Burns, and some Actors in Pre-Star Roles such as Vera Farmigo, Charlize Theron, and others Fade In and Out of this Over the Top display of a Media Gone Nuts, Exploiting Nutcases and Vile Criminals. There is a lot of Shaky Camera, doubly so, because the Cinematographer Shakes the Camera with Whip Pans and general Jitter, and the on screen Amateur Vidiot's Visuals are Shown to the Audience anytime He presses Record. It Gets to be an Overload on the Senses and distracts with Nauseating Regularity. The Movie is Sickening.It is Unappealing with its Ugly looking, sweaty Villains doing Nasty Things to Anyone who gets In Their way. Their Motivation is Disturbing and Focused on with Loving Tight Closeups sometimes Bathed in SFX for that Extra Gleam. It's basically Just One Unattractive Thing After Another happening until the Loud and Frenetic Ending that may or may not be Cathartic depending if You Buy into any of this.If You like Lurid and Loud, Shaky Camera, and Ultra-Violence, and have a Stomach of Steel, This One's might be for You. But have the Peptol-Bismol at the Ready.

Python Hyena 15 Minutes (2001): Dir: John Herzfeld / Cast: Robert De Niro, Edward Burns, Kelsey Grammar, Vera Farmiga, Karel Roden: Thriller where two psychotic killers commit murders via camcorder as if it was their 15 minutes of fame. They believe that the media will support them in their plea of insanity. Robert De Niro plays a celebrity cop who arrives upon crime sites with cameras trailing him. Edward Burns plays a rookie cop who believes that a woman on the scene is connected. Kelsey Grammar plays a talk show host hoping to make a name for himself filming De Niro's investigations. Great concept is well directed by John Herzfeld who plays this like a reality TV segment. De Niro does well as the celebrity cop investigating the crime. He is set to propose to his girlfriend before tragedy strikes. He is involved in a nonsense scene where he fights two guys while taped to a chair. Burns steals the film as the rookie cop pushed to the limits when someone close to him is murdered for entertainment. When made a concluding offer he answers with swift aggression. Grammar as the media host is a corrupt sort who learns rather bluntly that Burns cannot be bought. Vera Farmiga plays a witness whom the killers track down through escort services. Karel Roden and Oleg Taktarov are well cast as the criminals and they steal the film with their media frenzy and 15 minutes. Score: 9 / 10

romanorum1 This movie plot's premise is that people are captivated by celebrity, and will degrade themselves to get it. Didn't Andy Warhol declare that everyone will be famous for 15 minutes? At least he was supposed to say it, and folks do chase that elusive star status. So it is that two amoral Eastern Europeans, weaned on dumb tabloid TV shows exported to Europe, come to America thinking that the US is a land of opportunity for folks like them. In their deranged minds, they believe that "no one is responsible for what they do." The psychos assume that all they have to do is commit crimes, get them on tape, get captured, declare insanity, and rake in the dough that comes in through TV appearances and book rights. Simple enough . . .The two immigrants are criminals from Eastern Europe. The dominant one is as vile as one can imagine, a frightening Czech with contorted features and bulging eyes (Karel Roden = Emil Slovak). Slovak? Hmmm, why not Slovakian instead of Czech? Anyway, he is a psychotic murderer who enjoys his "work." The other, Oleg Taktarov (Oleg Razgul) is a none-too bright Russian who constantly and annoyingly takes videos of everything around him with his camcorder, which he stole in Times Square. They go to a NY apartment of a plumber "friend" to get their share of the loot that the "friend" and his wife were "holding" for them while the two depraved ones did serious jail time in the old country. Of course the money has been spent. Of course the couple will not survive. The murderers get it all on tape. But it does not help that a jittery redhead Czech woman, Daphne Handlova (Vera Varmiga), witnessed the whole thing and barely escapes on the fire escape into the city streets below. The psychopaths set fire to the place. On the crime scene is NY homicide detective Eddie Flemming (Robert De Niro). Flemming provides seedy Robert Hawkins (Kelsey Grammar), a Jerry Springer-like reality TV host ("Top Story"), information about his arrests to provide the show with the stories and eventual top ratings. Eddie's reward is publicity and folk-hero status. But it should be understood that in this film Eddie is not compromised by the relationship: He is a good and competent officer. His girl is attractive Nicolette Karas (Melina Kanakaredes). Hey, I'm glad they kept her a Greek in the flick. She has the essence and looks it. Nicolette is the lead crime reporter for "Top Stories," and we can ascertain how the two lovers help each others' careers along. Also on the crime scene is arson investigator Fire Marshal Jordy Warsaw (as Polish as one can get, Edward Burns), who has a partner, fireman Camello (Mike Camello, whose role is small). The Deputy Fire Marshal's name is Duffy. And there's Eddie's partner, a detective named Jackson. Notice all these ethnic surnames? Well, it is New York after all! Anyway, after an initial minor confrontation Flemming and Warsaw decide to work together as they realize that the arson masked a double murder. Remember, the killers are not yet ready to surrender. Now as terrified Daphne is an illegal immigrant she is afraid to come to the police for obvious reasons. And the thuggish ones have this knowledge, and they know her identity. They track her down to her place of work as a hair washer in a woman's beauty saloon. Daphne is threatened not to say anything, or else. Before that the two sociopaths murdered a prostitute who told them about Daphne's situation. After leaving the salon they are spotted on the streets by Flemming and Warsaw, who give chase. Emil and Oleg escape into vast Central Park, although the former takes a bullet in the foot.Daphne does cooperate with the police, and there are more taped murders, especially one in a surprising pivotal scene in the second half. The creeps want to sell the tapes to Hawkins for one million dollars. So the two lunatics hire themselves a lawyer as sleazy as they can get (Bruce Cutler). Cutler plans on pleading insanity for them by blaming the crimes on Emil's supposed abusive childhood. Oleg will be sent to a mental institution, where he will miraculously recover, be declared sane, and be released. The maniacs will then cash in on their "celebrity" status, like a movie deal, knowing that they cannot be tried again because of "double jeopardy." If the "plan" appears preposterous, well it is. Then the amateur director and the filmmaker quarrel, setting up the denouement.There are stretches here. I wondered long and hard about the possibility of a policeman and fireman teaming up for an obvious criminal investigation. And the conclusion surely has many coincidences. And before that the criminals' dream sort of comes true, doesn't it? Nevertheless, the movie does create tension, especially near the end. By then we are convinced that anything can happen in a movie that says that the media inculcates violence. But the film's cynical opinion is just as oppressive and brutal as the tabloid TV show it was supposedly against. Then again, maybe it's just a satire! One thing's for sure – subtle it isn't!Robert De Niro, a fine and respected actor who has won two Academy Awards for Best Actor ("The Godfather: Pt. II," 1974 and "Raging Bull," 1980), does very well with the role of a smart and eccentric NY detective. He shows signs of warmth, as when he takes time to write notes and practice proposing to his attractive girlfriend. Burns, rather bland (intentional?), is the opposite. Kanakaredes looks good and is competent as usual. Grammar, also a capable actor, does well with his part as a slimy TV host. But the best parts are those of the two unpredictable criminals themselves, who occupy much screen time. Karel Roden is just repellent. Would anyone want to be in the same room with this guy?