Promised Land
Reviews
Wuchak
**_Glum, arty drama about youths in the heart of the American West_** Three students from the class of ’85 in small town Utah go their separate ways: Hancock (Jason Gedrick) shoots for basketball stardom, but settles for being a cop; his girlfriend (Tracy Pollan) goes off to college to explore art and romantic possibilities; their meek friend Danny (Kiefer Sutherland) curiously quits school in pursuit of an ambiguous job while eventually choosing companionship with a reckless woman (Meg Ryan). When Danny returns home with his new girl it paves the way for a life-changing Christmas. "Promised Land" (1987) was the first movie to be commissioned by the Sundance Film Festival and, as such, is a true indie, costing $3 million in 1986 and written/directed by Michael Hoffman. It’s mostly an artistic coming-of-age drama and character study, yet mixed with a little road movie, crime thriller and bleak tragedy. It’s similar to the contemporaneous "Less than Zero" in both content and quality meshed with the locale of the original “Footloose” from three years prior. Like “Less than Zero,” it’s artsy and downbeat. While it’s almost on par with “Less,” it’s not even close to the excellence of “Footloose” in all-around entertainment or powerful themes, although it tries. On the positive side, the four cast members are convincing with Kiefer notable as the overly docile guy (the reverse of his iconic role in “The Lost Boys” from earlier the same year). It’s no wonder that he connects with Bev (Ryan) because she’s the express opposite and therefore possesses what Danny lacks. Speaking of Meg, she plays against type and is surprisingly effective. This rebukes Oliver Stone’s criticism that she wasn’t able to capture the counterculture vibe of the wild ’60’s in his “The Doors” four years later. If he wasn’t able to cull this out of her, it’s his fault. The character of Bev, while well-done by Meg, is a turn-off and the root-cause of what goes down. However, this is true-to-life and this story is supposedly based on a real one. We all know such foolish “free spirits” (they’re actually not free, but that’s another subject). The proceedings are hampered by a vague criticism of American ideals in the dynamic ’80s and the pro-gun stand of the Reagan administration. Hancock’s reaction at the rural firing range at the end is both awkward and laughable. The answer to what happens is simple: Don’t be a dumb fudge by threatening citizens with firearms and there isn’t a problem. The movie runs 1 hour, 42 minutes, and was shot in various areas of Utah, including Wendover and Provo, as well as Reno, Nevada. GRADE: C
kevin2019
"Promised Land" is based upon a true story, but it just isn't a particularly interesting enough one. It is truly nothing more than a sober and uninspiring recounting of the facts and at least the film makers have produced a serious minded dramatisation of some real events without succumbing to the temptation of somehow making it into a popcorn movie and insulting everyone involved in the incident being depicted. It is also hampered by the fact the running time is principally preoccupied with Danny and Beverly's 400 mile drive back to Danny's hometown of Ashville and you are certainly made to suffer through every single uneventful mile of this belaboured and particularly tedious journey which has been beautifully and lovingly filmed, although much like the rest of it you frequently find your patience being tested to the absolute breaking point.
Movie Recommendation
Return of the Killer Tomatoes!1988-04-22Crazy old Professor Gangreen has developed a way to make tomatoes look human for a second invasion.More...
Hateship Loveship2014-04-11A shy caretaker believes that the father of her teenage charge is falling in love with her, unaware that she is actually the victim of the girl's prank.More...
The Bishop Murder Case1929-12-31The murders start with the body of Robin. He is found with a arrow through the heart, but Vance deduces that the body was placed and not found where he was killed. The note found dealing with the murder was part of a nursery rhyme and signed by 'Bishop'. The only witness may have been Mrs. Drukker and Adolph, but they are not talking. As the murders progress, each one is accompanied by a nursery rhyme. It is up to Philo Vance to unravel the clues and unmask the identity of the murderer 'Bishop'.More...
The Godfather1972-03-14Spanning the years 1945 to 1955, a chronicle of the fictional Italian-American Corleone crime family. When organized crime family patriarch, Vito Corleone barely survives an attempt on his life, his youngest son, Michael steps in to take care of the would-be killers, launching a campaign of bloody revenge.More...
Shutter Island2010-02-14World War II soldier-turned-U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels investigates the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane, but his efforts are compromised by troubling visions and a mysterious doctor.More...
Saw 3D2010-10-22As a deadly battle rages over Jigsaw's brutal legacy, a group of Jigsaw survivors gathers to seek the support of self-help guru and fellow survivor Bobby Dagen, a man whose own dark secrets unleash a new wave of terror.More...
The Amazing Spider-Man2012-06-23Peter Parker is an outcast high schooler abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.More...
The Avengers2012-04-25When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!More...
The Shawshank Redemption1994-09-23Imprisoned in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates -- including an older prisoner named Red -- for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.More...
The Man with the Golden Gun1974-12-04Cool government operative James Bond searches for a stolen invention that can turn the sun's heat into a destructive weapon. He soon crosses paths with the menacing Francisco Scaramanga, a hitman so skilled he has a seven-figure working fee. Bond then joins forces with the swimsuit-clad Mary Goodnight, and together they track Scaramanga to a Thai tropical isle hideout where the killer-for-hire lures the slick spy into a deadly maze for a final duel.More...
Tenet2020-08-22Armed with only one word - Tenet - and fighting for the survival of the entire world, the Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time.More...
Westworld1973-08-15Delos is a futuristic amusement park that features themed worlds populated by human-like androids. After two patrons have a run-in with a menacing gunslinger in West World, the androids at Delos all begin to malfunction, causing havoc throughout the park.More...
The Last Duel2021-10-13King Charles VI declares that Knight Jean de Carrouges settle his dispute with his squire, Jacques Le Gris, by challenging him to a duel.More...
19172019-12-25At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers.More...
Joker2019-10-01During the 1980s, a failed stand-up comedian is driven insane and turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City while becoming an infamous psychopathic crime figure.More...
Avengers: Endgame2019-04-24After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.More...
Good Morning, Vietnam1987-12-23A disk jockey goes to Vietnam to work for the Armed Forces Radio Service. While he becomes popular among the troops, his superiors disapprove of his humor.More...
Gladiator2000-05-04After the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, his devious son takes power and demotes Maximus, one of Rome's most capable generals who Marcus preferred. Eventually, Maximus is forced to become a gladiator and battle to the death against other men for the amusement of paying audiences.More...
Your Name.2016-08-26High schoolers Mitsuha and Taki are complete strangers living separate lives. But one night, they suddenly switch places. Mitsuha wakes up in Taki’s body, and he in hers. This bizarre occurrence continues to happen randomly, and the two must adjust their lives around each other.More...
Spider-Man: No Way Home2021-12-15Peter Parker is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.More...
Similar Movies
The Wedding in the Ha...
2023-02-09An aspiring fashion designer gets her chance to debut at a lavish Hamptons wedding where she is mistaken for a socialite and falls for a groomsman. Their love story could fall apart when she is exposed as a fraud.Bollywood/Hollywood
2002-10-25Rahul Seth is a dashing young millionaire who believes he is "western" enough to rebel against his mother and grandmother. They are not too keen about his Caucasian girlfriend Kimberly who, to make matters worse, is a pop star. Before you can say "karmic intervention," Kimberly dies in a freak accident and Rahul is devastated. Instead of allowing him to mourn in peace, Rahul's mother sees the opportunity she's been waiting for. She threatens to call off his sister's wedding unless he finds himself a "nice Indian girl." Rahul enlists the services of Sue, a fiercely independent escort whom he believes to be Hispanic, and therefore not "married" to the conventions taught to young Indian women. With a wink in her eye, Sue accepts the deal to pose as his Indian bride-to-be. She needs the money and having never been a fan of the typical Indian male, she feels her heart is safe. The charade begins....Short Sharp Shock
1998-10-15Gabriel, Bobby and Costa are old friends from Altona, a multicultural hood in Hamburg. Just out of prison, Gabriel wants to turn his back on crime, but the others continue to operate as petty criminals. Friendships are tested as the trio navigate a dark world of mafia bosses and deals gone wrong.Popular Music
2004-10-01Matti and Niila, growing up in the mid-sixties in the harsh and conservative environment of a Finnish-speaking part of Tornedalen in Swedish Laponia, close to the Finnish border. Their big dream is to become rock stars. In the present the now grown-up Matti feels guilt for the death of his drug-addicted rock star friend Niila.Sissi
1955-12-22The young Bavarian princess Elisabeth, who all call Sissi, goes with her mother and older sister Néné to Austria where Néné will be wed to an emperor named Franz Joseph, Yet unexpectedly Franz runs into Sissi while out fishing and they fall in love.Monsoon Wedding
2001-08-30A stressed father, a bride-to-be with a secret, a smitten event planner, and relatives from around the world create much ado about the preparations for an arranged marriage in India.7 Virgins
2005-10-14Tano is 16-years-old and is already sitting in jail. In 48 hours he’s a free man and off to the wedding of his brother. In the two days he recounts his neighborhood in a section of Sevilla.Once Were Warriors
1994-09-02A drama about a Maori family living in Auckland, New Zealand. Lee Tamahori tells the story of Beth Heke’s strong will to keep her family together during times of unemployment and abuse from her violent and alcoholic husband.The Party 2
1982-12-08A young French teenage girl after moving to a new city falls in love with a boy and is thinking of having sex with him because her girlfriends have already done it.The Wedding Party
2016-09-10Filmed in one continuous 119-minute shot, THE WEDDING PARTY tells the story of a groomsman who must navigate a slew of disasters and maintain order at his best friend's wedding reception.Woman Basketball Play...
1957-08-01Tian Zhenhua arrives in Shanghai to coach a local women's basketball team. Number 5 on the team, Xiaoje, excels at basketball but is unsure of whether to continue playing. As Tian gets to grips with training Xiaoje and the rest of the team, he reflects on his career as a star basketball player before the revolution.Not Here to Be Loved
2005-10-12Jean-Claude Delsart, a 50 years-old bailiff, with his worn-out smile and heart, abandoned a long time ago the idea that life could give him pleasures. Until the day, he dares to push the doors of a tango lesson...The Criminal Life of ...
1955-05-19A bizarre black comedy about a man whose overwhelming ambition in life is to be a renowned serial killer of women, and will stop at nothing to achieve it - but not everything goes according to plan...Saved by the Bell: We...
1994-10-07In this conclusion of the long running series it finally happens: Kelly and Zack will marry. Zack's parents are against the early commitment and Kelly's parents can't afford it, so only the gang travels to Las Vegas for the wedding. However, before the wedding can happen, they have to live through many adventures, including Zack losing his hard earned money, Kelly becoming jealous and Slater being chased by mobsters.You Again
2010-09-23History -- make that high school -- may repeat itself when Marni learns that Joanna, the mean girl from her past, is set to be her sister-in-law. Before the wedding bells toll, Marni must show her brother that a tiger doesn't change its stripes. On Marni's side is her mother, while Joanna's backed by her wealthy aunt.Kiss me Kismet
2006-03-30Götz, the owner of an record shop in Berlin, Kreuzberg, is in love with Aylin.But Aylin is espoused to an turkey doctor named Tarkan. Götz and Aylin are fallin in love and they want to get married. Their Plans first get strong restistance from the turkish parents-in-law and also from the mother of Götz named Helena. Götz converting to the Islam and tries to get a true turk to marry Aylin at the end. After serveral problems and twists they get finally married.Melvin and Howard
1980-09-19The story of hard-luck Melvin Dummar, who claimed to have received a will naming him an heir to the fortune of Howard Hughes. Inspired by real events.Slam Dunk Ernest
1995-06-20Ernest P. Worrell becomes a basketball star after an angel bearing an uncanny resemblance to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gives him a pair of magic sneakers.Polish Wedding
1998-01-16The film centers on a big Polish family. Jadzia is the mother and the ruler of the Pzoniak family (she has five children). Though she's happily married to Bolek, she is also having a long-time affair with Roman. Her young daughter Hala is having an affair with neighbour cop Russell and becomes pregnant by him. Russell is pressed hard to marry Hala.The Locket
1946-12-20A dark personal secret drives a young woman to use every man she encounters.