Any Given Sunday (Special Edition Director's Cut)

Amazon.com

Any Given Sunday, Oliver Stone's salute-cum-exposé of pro football, belabors some pretty obvious points for nigh onto three hours; but between the frenetic editing, the pounding rap-music beats, and several flashy performances, it's certainly never dull. Al Pacino, coach of the fictional Miami Sharks (the NFL declined involvement in this production), struggles with the most time-honored of sports movie dilemmas: what to do with the old friend who's past his prime and the young hotshot who could save the franchise but first has to learn what being a team player is all about. Comedian Jamie Foxx does a marvelous dramatic turn as the rookie quarterback whose ego and talent are equally impressive, while Pacino seems more at ease in Oliver Stone Land than any actor since regular James Woods (on hand as well as a sleazy team doctor). Prowling the sidelines, shouting spittle-flecked orders, seizing up in almost physical pain when a play goes the wrong way, Pacino is as unashamedly--and entertainingly--hyperbolic as Stone's whirling montages of boiling storm clouds, bloodthirsty fans, and players smashed into the mud. (Once again football, perhaps the most sophisticated of team sports, is viewed cinematically as a bunch of guys hitting each other in slow motion.) Unfortunately, all the self-conscious mythologizing and pumped-up macho posturing that Stone can muster doesn't conceal a clichéd, slapped-together script, whose few good ideas (mostly about race in America) jostle about with several hoary, terrible ones--including a too-literal analogy of football players as modern gladiators. (To drive the point home, Stone includes Charlton Heston--the aging Ben-Hur--in one of many star-powered cameos.) All in all, Any Given Sunday is never dull, but never very enjoyable, either. --Bruce Reid

Customer Reviews:

less than the sum of its parts.......2007-09-16

This movie has all the right pieces - memorable characters, hard-hitting action, a bit of philosophy and wisdom. But unfortunately, the bits just don't add up.

For some reason, it seems like the movie should've been able to thrive on just a few of these elements alone: Al Pacino and Camron Diaz play very memorable characters. Al Pacino is an old rugged loud-mouthed football coach, while Camron Diaz, the new team-owner, is a young and stylish, forward-looking businesswoman. The two actors are great, and when they're both on-screen, they have a sort of dissonance that has the potential to drive a great film. Their characters are further mirrored in the football team's old-timer and rookie stars. The old and the new are contrasted throughout the film, constantly shifting as the characters develop and the plot thickens. Add some intense football action, and how could you possibly go wrong?

Well, apparently you can go wrong. The film's pace is clunky and inconsistent. The football scenes are shot and edited with the sort of intensity that you might see in Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan when they're invading the beach. However, these scenes just never end, it's as if Stone is simply trying to top previous sports films by pushing the envelope just a bit more - more sound, crunching, blood, yelling, aching, quick cuts, claustrophobic close-ups. He even goes so far as to use tiger growls for the athletes' grunts, and to make the injuries just all the more gory. After a while it's simply a mess - like listening to heavy metal for hours, it might be heavy stuff, but eventually it all starts sounding the same.

In the end, the movie doesn't even really capture the excitement of football. I mean, he has animal noises coming out of players' mouths for godsake. Every now and then, a scene will address the strategy of the game. But overall, you never really see what makes Al Pacino such a great coach.

And this is why the movie never quite holds together. It's more concerned with the hyper-realism of its football games than with its character development. Ultimately, the style is innovative, but movies don't thrive on just style alone - it has to serve a larger purpose. The pacing is simply lousy; it's as if the speed of plot development in Any Given Sunday is inversely proportional to the speed of the camera-shots on the football field.

Overall the film simply has no vibe. Between the hyper-realism of the football scenes and the slow and pensive pace, the movie takes itself so seriously that you'd think you were watching a war-movie. But this is not from the characters being too devoted to the game; it's a result of poor choices when it came to screenwriting and editing.

Any Given Sunday.......2007-05-30

coach D'amato (pacino) speech is worth the money paid and the time spent. superb act by the greatest Al Pacino. superb job by Stone by putting together such an amazing cast.

Excellent movie.......2007-03-08

AL Pacino, Cameron Diaz, and Jamie Foxx are excellent in this movie. I love football flicks. this is in my top 5.

By far my favorite Oliver Stone film.......2007-02-19

Any Given Sunday is about the Miami Sharks football team and their struggle to make it to the top. The team is owned by Cameron Diaz, in quite possibly her fiercest role, as she takes no prisoners and is just as willing to hit her players as hire them. The coach is Al Pacino in a stereotypical Pacino role complete with scratchy voice, alcoholic tendencies, and volatile temper. Dennis Quaid plays the first-string quarterback who has spearheaded the team through so many good seasons that, even though he's injury plagued like Humpty Dumpty the team just keeps putting him back together again. When he's injured at the beginning of the season, the Sharks call out their second-string quarterback who is immediately injured too, and then they go to the bench for Willie Beamen (Jamie Foxx). Beamen is so used to warming the bench that he barely knows the plays they're calling and he gets nauseated the first time he steps on the field. Still, after a few games he finds his stride and becomes the team's golden boy--nausea or no. Eventually he gets a bit big for his britches and starts talking down the defense, putting more powder up his nose than on it, and thinking that he doesn't have to listen to the coach, which Pacino hates of course.

Any Given Sunday is fast-paced, hectic, and dramatic in the way that only Oliver Stone could make it. Cameron Diaz is my favorite character because she's so incredibly fierce that I can't believe she gets away with treating the people she does without any consequences. Jamie Foxx is perfect as the arrogant, cocky quarterback who of course can't be bothered to remember his humble days as a benchwarmer. One of the most hilarious moments of the film involves a commercial he films for MetRx complete with his own song, "My name is Willie (Beamen)," make sure to look out for it. Some of the supporting players include Lawrence Taylor as a defensive player who's been hit a few too many times, Ann-Margret as Diaz's liquored-up mother, and Lauren Holly as the first string quarterback's trophy wife who refuses to let her husband go down as a has-been. Overall, the cast is stellar and the direction is superb. Any Given Sunday is a must-see for anyone who enjoys sports movies that are fast-paced and dramatic without being sappy or overblown.

"Best Football Movie of All Time".......2007-01-14

Good Actors,Awesome Drama and "Smashmouth" Football Action. This is how a Football movie should be. Throughout the whole movie there wasen't a scene that u can't forget,Oliver Stone really QuaterBack this movie brilliantly. Highlighting the politics,medical issues and internal team chemistry problems that pretty much ALL NFL teams experience today,it's no doubt why american football is regarded as one of most extreme sports in the world.Not only on the field it's extreme but off it as well which Oiver Stone touches upon quite realistically.

There is also a second disc which has deleted scenes which were sadly left out of the movie,but luckily recovered and unedited a good addition.The BOTTOM Line I think is not only "Any given Sunday" is a qreat and relistic football movie these 2 DVD's are worth the money and the entertainment for a lifetime. "Where A LIFETIME away here"- Al Pacino shouted in the last play of the final game.

Al Pacino Collection (The Devil's Advocate/Dog Day Afternoon/Heat)

Average customer rating:

Perfect collection from one of the best actors ever
Al Pacino (The Great)

Al Pacino Collection (The Devil's Advocate/Dog Day Afternoon/Heat)
Starring: Penelope Allen , Sully Boyar , John Cazale , Beulah Garrick , and Carol Kane
Director: Sidney Lumet , Taylor Hackford , and Michael Mann
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004XMRZ
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Description

Collection includes "The Devil's Advocate", "Dog Day Afternoon" and "Heat".

Customer Reviews:

Perfect collection from one of the best actors ever.......2000-09-06

This is a perfect collection of Al Picino movies. Every one would recieve a 5 star rating from me. He is one of the greastest actors there ever was and on DVD the movies are better than ever. A must have for any fan of Al Picino.

5 Stars

Al Pacino (The Great).......2000-07-18

Al Pacino is great in these movies and the movies are so masterfully acted out. I believe that Al Pacino is one the best actors alive along with Robert DeNiro and in "Heat" they show that there chemistry on the screen together is untouchable by any other duo. The Devil's Advocate is a great movie because it shows another side to Al Pacino's acting ability.

Al Pacino Collection (Scarface/Carlito's Way/Scent Of A Woman/Sea Of Love)

Average customer rating:

"THE MAN"
Mostly Classic...
Great starter set
Al Pacino at his very best

Al Pacino Collection (Scarface/Carlito's Way/Scent Of A Woman/Sea Of Love)
Starring: Al Pacino , Ellen Barkin , John Goodman , Michael Rooker , and William Hickey
Director: Harold Becker , Martin Brest , and Brian De Palma
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00001WY7V
Release Date: 1999-11-02

Customer Reviews:

"THE MAN".......2003-01-24

If u want a hella lot of good movies then buy this set. Thats why i got because al is the man. So many good roles, not all as good as antonio montona, but by far my favorite actor. Even though he edged out DeNiro for the top spot, they both are good but the only way to show how good al is, is to get this collection......Just do it..............Forget about it

Mostly Classic..........2001-04-22

Yes it's a great starter's set..! But I wonder why so many of his great movies are not in boxed sets yet?!! This box set has 2 of his eighties and 2 of early ninties but there are so much good movies of his that need to be in a set as well.

If you love Al Pacino, you'll love buying his movies. And this box set happens to be a good start but don't think that it's enough there's so much left such as Heat and Devil's Advocate which are the MASTER PIECES of his acting career!

So it is good but not enough... something else, the DVD's included in this set are poor in extra's. It seems we can't have it all :-)

Great starter set.......2000-04-17

This is a great set for any Pacino fan. Hmm, it's a great set even if you're a general film fan! SCARFACE (arguably Al's best film performance) and CARLITO'S WAY will take you into the Latino crime scene. Al's Oscar-winning performance in SCENT OF A WOMAN will leave you screaming "hoo-ah!" for a week. Unfortunately, though, they included SEA OF LOVE rather than one of Al's better films such as Dog Day Afternoon or Serpico. And when's The Godfather coming out! All in all, though, this is a great starter set.

Al Pacino at his very best.......1999-12-02

This is an essential collection for every Al Pacino fan. In Carlito's Way and Scarface he does one of his best work ever. Then there is the performance that gave him his only Oscar so far in A Scent of a Woman. If you enjoy really good films with a good script and cast you should buy the Al Pacino collection.

Average customer rating:

Scarface / Laser Disc Collection

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Features:

Laser Disc Set
Letterbox Edition

ASIN: B000JM6468

Product Description

2 Laser Disc's. - Letter Box Edition. Al Pacino gives an unforgettable performance as Tony Montana, one of the most ruthless gangsters ever depicted on film. In this gripping crime epic inspired by the 1932 classics of the same title.

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The Godfather Collection [HD DVD]
Starring: Al Pacino , Robert Duvall , Diane Keaton , Robert De Niro , and John Cazale
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000NU2M6C

DVD:

DVD

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