...these days is another matter. Any Given Sunday is a perfect example of a director who has been allowed to let his own sense of self-importance go to his head and how left unrestrained this leads to lengthy works of ego-massaging cinematic masturbation. At almost 3 hours long, Any Given Sunday soils the sheets on a number of levels and it is only due to the superb cast that it manages to hold our interest for any of its length. Stone has been obviously ... ...to a 2 minutes segment. Any Given Sunday is the same - but longer. Much, much longer. It opens as it means to go on, clenching its message up in a mailed fist and ramming it hard and deep down the audience's throats. a techno rock and hip-hop fusion sound track assaults you as you are presented with the grid-iron in mid game. Football is a battlefield, there is your message and Stone presents the opening scenes like the storming of the beaches at ...
wampyrii 19.10.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: Great performances, good look at American football Disadvantages: Inconsistent Script
...it seems very familiar. Any Given Sunday is Oliver Stone's 1999 take on the ruthless, dog eat dog world of American professional football. The title is taken from the blurb " Any Given Sunday, a legend will fall, and a hero will rise".
The movie centers on the rivalry between two fictional teams the Miami Sharks and Dallas Knights, two fictitious American football teams located in Miami and Dallas. Tony D' Amato( Al Pacino) , is the coach of the ... ...his views which say
On any given Sunday you're gonna win or you're gonna lose. The point is - can you win or lose like a man?
At the same time his unhappy personal life is reflected in this where he says
Now I can't do it for ya, I'm too old. I look around, I see these young faces and I think, I mean, I've made every wrong choice a middle-aged man can make. I've pissed away all my money, believe it or not. I chased off anyone who's ever loved ...
scorpionkingindia 12.12.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: Well filmed with tight plot and good performances - plenty of DVD extras too Disadvantages: Subject matter might not appeal to all
...the box! I reasoned that any film featuring Al Pacino, James Woods, Charlton Heston, Dennis Quaid, Matthew Modine and the delights of Cameron Diaz had to be pretty good, even though American Football held no particular attraction for me – and I wasn’t disappointed! The story centres on several figures, all of whom are involved with the Miami Sharks gridiron team: Pacino plays Tony D’Amato who has been head coach since time immemorial, ... ...owner of the team’s franchise, played by Cameron Diaz. He had enjoyed a special relationship when her father was in charge of the club but she is not as willing to tolerate his foibles, or the losing streak the team is on as the film gets underway... D’Amato pins his hopes squarely on the shoulders of star quarterback ‘Cap’ Rooney (Dennis Quaid), but he suffers a severe back injury in a crucial game, swiftly followed by his ...
Flodum 16.01.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: Storming cinematography, strong pace, great acting Disadvantages: might not like it as its about American Football, script a littel lacking compared to the other parts of the film
I was actually on holiday in Thailand when this first came out, there had been very little publicity in the UK so I hadn't heard anything about it. I saw that some of my favourite actors were involved, Pacino, Woods, Modine and it was about American Football so I thought why not. Was I disappointed ? No way.
Al Pacino is the intense and stressed out coach of this fictional Miami team. He's got the character nailed to a T as the divorced, old school ... ...ALOT especially in his final “feet and inches” pep speech in the playoffs. Not as memorable or as deep a character as we are used to seeing Pacino play but he still gives his all.
Dennis Quaid underplays his role as the All American veteran quarterback who gradually accepts that his body has betrayed him after suffering injury after injury during his career. But this works as he is not supposed to be a leading character.
Cameron Diaz ...
ultras67 02.11.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: Al Pacino Disadvantages: Too long; dubious soundtrack
...*** What was wrong with Any Given Sunday? ***
At 150 minutes, it’s too long. I think that it would have been possible to make a great movie with about 30 minutes lopped off it.
The soundtrack. To start with, it works well, tracks from people like Gary Glitter, Moby and FatBoy Slim complement the football action. But there are simply too many songs, most of which serve no real purpose – except perhaps to foster the audience’s interest ... ...What did I like about Any Given Sunday”? ***
The characterisation of the players, mostly black, is very good, and you get to understand what it is that drives them (off pitch as well as on). Also, the portrayal of race issues, even within the team, where there are some white guys who make the BNP look like pussycats, is realistic. This kind of conflict is presented as merely something that’s there, not a subplot that’s there to ...
rsmith 11.03.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: good plot, great acting, fab ending Disadvantages: not enough on field action, have to endure Willies vommiting
...neck!"
Conclusion
I think Any Given Sunday is won of the all-time greatest sports movies. Not only does it have a genuinely great cast and the acting is fantastic, but it explores some sides of American Football that not many people would know about, like illegal drug taking to enhance performance, physiotherapists who push players to play when perhaps they shouldn't because the pressure to win is so great and the ego's of some players. As I said ... ...gives is very memorable. Well worth purchasing on DVD. Director - Oliver Stone (Platoon, 1986, Natural Born Killers 1994 & World Trade Center 2006)
Producers - Richard Donner (The Goonies 1985, Conspiracy Theory 1997, )& Oliver Stone
Released - December 22nd 1999 (DVD 1st September 2000)
Runtime - 150 minutes
Thanks for reading. (also posted on Dooyoo under the same name) ...
beanie8844 27.08.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: Too much to list down here! Disadvantages: Pretty violent, typical oliver stone style!
UPDATED 18/01/01:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With Any Given Sunday, Oliver Stone has created the most hard-hitting, top-notch film about sports in recent years, with stylish direction and great performances all around. A movie with such versatile qualities, even for those who don't like sports, will take them on a high speed ride.
The prominent director decided to use the same style as he used in his previous, underappreciated films like Natural Born Killers ... ...says in the film: "On any given Sunday, you're gonna win or you're gonna lose. The point is: can you win or lose like a man?"
This film certainly is a winner, so if you like fast pace, highly tense movie, this one is for you. Put your helmet on, baby!
Nuff said about the film, the DVD is full packed with a lot extras as well. You've got loads of deleted/extended scenes, commentary from Oliver Stone and Jamie Foxx, music only track, Documentary ...
pakalang 13.12.2000 (06.04.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: Good football sequences. Disadvantages: Only the men seem to be filled with any kind of dimensions.
A mish-mash of three acts, this is an unsatisfying film. The universal theme of this film seems to be about the young taking over from the old. This is emphasised by the clashing of the new young female owner Christina Pagniacci (Cameron Diaz) of the fictional Miami Sharks versus the older current manager Tony D'Amato (Al Pacino)and the other rivalry between a hot up-and-coming star Willie Beamen (Jamie Foxx) who is threatening the fast-fading quarterback ... ...American football and for some this is a good diversion from the rest of the action which takes place mostly off the field but is mainly meaningless and serves little purpose but as to show off Stone’s directing ability. The montages that most of the action takes place in (whether verbal or physical) seemingly are pushed with a message delibrately pushed into the viewer’s face and the owmen in the film are strictly
one-dimensonal. The viewer never ...
the_fury 15.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: Al Pacino - another great performance Disadvantages: Stereotyped characters
...an important issue. In Any given sunday it appears that the central issue is the racial inequality in American football, with the majority of players being black, but the game controlled by white coaches and team owners. So to the story... the film casts Al Pacino as the weary 'over-the-hill' coach who is stereotypically cranky and stuck in the past until the predictably he sees the light. Whilst the role is perhaps a little constricting for an actor ... ...So is the end result any good? Well the film is certainly engrossing, the action in the actual games is occasionally frighteningly realistic, it does help if you have a rudimentary knowledge of American Football, as otherwise it may prove a little confusing. The performance of the actors is convincing and impressive in places, even if the characters are all fairly stereotyped. Perhaps the biggest fault is a continual display of lightening at many ...
Mercury 12.12.2000 (01.03.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: Breath-taking photography, kicking soundtrack and brilliant plot twist Disadvantages: Possibly too technical for some
"Any Given Sunday" is Oliver Stone's dipiction of the hard-hitting world of american football starring Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, James Woods, Jamie Foxx and Dennis Quaid, just to name a few of the all-star cast. The film follows the fortunes of the Miami Sharks through the last few months of a very tough season. After losing their star quarter-back Jack "cap" Rooney (Quaid) and also second choice quarter-back in the same game, coach Tony D'Amato entrusts ... ...After a less than perfect start, Beamen begins to shine, and is soon catapulted into mega-stardom being hailed as the best quarter-back in the game.
Despite this, the Sharks still sturggle to reach the all important big money play-offs, and with club director Christina Pagniacci (Diaz) breathing down D'Amato's neck for results, the pressure cooker atmosphere continues to rise until almost breaking point - where the film cleverly diffuses the situation ...
GazzaR 09.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: Strong performances, excellent musical accompaniment,Highly engrossing Disadvantages: Predictable, and sometimes ponderous narrative,Subject matter may put some people off
...considerable depth.
Was it any good?
----------------
I thoroughly enjoyed it although its length might annoy people who prefer greater action. At no point did my interest tail off, and I was captivated by a film which was well-produced,well-directed and well acted. It failed to garner as much box-office success as I think it deserved but is certainly a better film on an American football related theme than last year's 'The Hurricane'.All in all, ... ...REVIEW
Oliver Stone ventures into the world of sports with this piece follwoing the tribulations of the Miami Sharks and their head coach, played by Al Pacino. As the film begins, his ageing quarterback ( Dennis Quaid) is knocked out of the game, and although his inexperienced replacement ( Jamie Foxx) does well enough, it is insufficient to prevent the Sharks being beaten.
The film then follows Stone's habitual pattern of the prinipal being forced ...
bwsr2 28.12.2000 (11.09.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: true emotive brilliance and close up action, feelings are immense Disadvantages: none
"On any given sunday, a legend will fall, and on any given sunday, a hero will rise." The very phrase that really made the trailer stand out from any others that were there, and is simply enough to give you a whole idea of what the film is about, and where it is going. This is one amazing film, and although i am not american myself, i still find that it is one of the best. A great line up of actors and actresses, hold the fort in this masterpiece ... ...impressive talent of Cameron Diaz, to hold her own as the owner of a top american football team, who just aren't producing at the minute. Then there is the brilliance of Al Pacino, a true master, to take the managerial job of the team, who is finding that some things just don't work, and is losing control of life and the team. On top of this, there are appearances from the lesser know Jamie Foxx, who plays the "hero", and delivers a fantastic performance, ...
eskimo 15.01.2001 (16.01.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: good action, moderate acting Disadvantages: for NFL fans only.
...my part I greatly enjoyed any given sunday, but is it for everyone? I dont think so,Pacino's acting was not up to his usual good standard it seemed that all his role called for was for him to shout at lots of people, cameron diaz was o.k though. the rest of the supporting actors (James Woods, Dennis Quaid, LL Cool J) were very good considering that for most of them there role's involved little more than hitting people hard and being hit hard.
The ... ...field were excellent, the tension and excitement were from start to finish, but unless you're a die hard fan of american football then I dont think you'll stick with it long enough to enjoy the tension, it will also help if you have at least a basic understanding of the rules of American Football otherwise you may miss some of the drama whilst trying to work out what everyone on the field is shouting about.
As far as the DVD version is concerned ...
mike999 01.12.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: Genius and Al Pacino Disadvantages: No sequel
...of crisps. Of course, any movie with Al Pacino in it is going to be good. He had a huge influence on the movie as the representation of the ‘old’ NFL. Cameron Diaz makes a good job of playing the owner of the team. Dennis Quaid was typically good as the older player and LL Cool J was sparkling.
The one problem with this movie is that the NFL did not endorse it, thus there was no appearance of some of the NFL’s big teams and their players. I don’t ...
chrisc559 22.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Advantages: Slick, edge-of-seat drama with great direction and acting. Disadvantages: The usual subtlety of a sledgehammer from Stone.
Oliver Stone sets aside his conspiracy theories on war and politics and effectively shines a spotlight on a different kind of battlefield to come up with the most commerical and entertaining film of his career. Al Pacino heads an all-star cast (including Cameron Diaz, James Woods and Dennis Quaid - great to see him back in action after a decade of consistently AWFUL movies) as the battered, yet wise and resilient coach of a struggling Miami football ... ...but ruthless, ballbuster team owner Diaz. Epic in both feel and length (which sprints along thanks to Stone's potent mix of raw camera work and hip-hop soundtrack) allows much of the cast plenty of room, with comedian Jamie Foxx holding his own with the big boys in a star-making performance as the hotdog player with a bad case of ego. With an intelligent script and a perfect cast, Stone creates the most realistic looking sports movie since Raging ...
Barney_Tabasco 09.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Any Given Sunday (Director's Cut) (DVD)
Oliver Stone'sAny Given Sundayis a massive 150-minute American football drama which, for ... more
all its ferocity and cynicism, is as soft-centred and clichéd as anyRocky-style underdogs-make-good crowd-pleaser. The Miami Sharks have lost three games in a row ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Oliver Stone'sAny Given Sundayis a massive 150-minute American football drama which, for ... more
all its ferocity and cynicism, is as soft-centred and clichéd as anyRocky-style underdogs-make-good crowd-pleaser. The Miami Sharks have lost three games in a row ...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Life is a contact sport and football is life when three-time Academy Award-winning ... more
filmmaker Oliver Stone and a dynamic acting ensemble explore the fortunes of the Miami Sharks in 'Any Given Sunday'. At the 50-yard line of this gridiron cosmos is Al P...
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Director's Cut, containing previously unseen footage. Life is a contact sport and football ... more
is life when three-time Academy Award winning filmmaker Oliver Stone and a dynamic acting ensemble explore the fortunes of the Miami Sharks in 'Any Given Sunday'...
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Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands