Reviews
Psycho (1998)
Methinks they doth protest too much!
Come on. Seriously. This movie is not intended for comparison to the original. I don't think anyone in their right minds would try to improve on a movie like "Psycho." But "Psycho" is not really 'required watching' for my generation, unlike other older movies such as "Grease" and "Star Wars." Gus van Sant wanted to make a movie with a newer cast, in color, and with special effects that would attract people who hadn't seen the first one. I had not seen the original when I saw Gus van Sant's; after seeing the newer, I immediately rented the older. Although I don't think it compares at all, it is not meant to. Vaughn is no Tony Perkins. Big deal. Kenneth Branagh was also no Laurence Olivier in "Hamlet", but did that make it a Razzie-worthy performance? I particularly liked William H. Macy as the detective; of course, I would watch William H. Macy in a film if he played a piece of cardboard. He doesn't hold a candle to Martin Balsam. So what? He wasn't meant to. So let's just lay off, okay?
Dark City (1998)
This film ennobles science fiction
Roger Ebert said about a movie, I can't remember which one but I think it was by Woody Allen, "This film ennobles comedy." 'Dark City' ennobles science fiction. It masters what some sci-fi films grasp (2001: A Space Odyssey, Brazil, 12 Monkeys) and some don't (Any Star Trek after #4, Godzilla, Independence Day): Science fiction isn't all about nifty FX and scary-looking aliens- although "Dark City" has both- it is about new images, strange sights, a rebuke of normality, or a way to retreat from the dullness of everyday life. "Dark City" fulfills that. Although there are some moments that really suck-- an alien delivers the awful pun "I have John Murdoch... in mind" and Keifer Sutherland's Strangelove-ian mad scientist isn't exactly brimming with witticisms either-- dialogue isn't really important here. If you want dialogue, go see something by Quentin Tarantino or David Mamet. There's more than one way to make a great film. The brilliant director, Alex Proyas, brought us "The Crow" in '95, and that was a good film. This is a great one. His next one will probably be a mind-blower.
The African Queen (1951)
Am I missing something?
I see this movie was number 16 on the AFI list. Why? Why did this movie, which essentially was a romance/adventure movie with good performances and some nice cinematography but little more, beat out 2001: A Space Odyssey and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest? Humphrey Bogart was good, but this was hardly his best performance; that would be Casablanca, the Maltese Falcon or Treasure of the Sierra Madre. There is not one scene in this movie, in my opinion, that could classify it as a great film. Okay, all the scenes are good, and I especially liked Katharine Hepburn's transformation from a mean old lady to a romantic character (she looked like she lost 20 years in 2 hours). But seriously, John Huston's best? Better than Sierra Madre? No way. Somebody please inform me on what made this such a great movie, and not just a good one.
Dead Man on Campus (1998)
Non-Start Laughter
The laughter never stops. This is because the laughter never starts. There is not a single halfway funny scene in this entire movie. There are a lot of scenes that try to be funny- as a matter of fact, just about every scene, but it never works. I think it might have been a little better if the acting hadn't sucked so much. The script was actually decent. But the actors and director blew it every time so it didn't matter. Maybe they could give the script a slight re-write, pick a new director and stars, and re-film. That's about the only way to turn this piece of junk into a successful film.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Not really that good of a movie
Saving Private Ryan's going to take a whole bunch of oscars and probably best picture, but it shouldn't. Okay, it may be a realistic portrayal of war and blah-blah, but let's look at it as a real MOVIE. Tom Hanks doesn't deserve any sort of oscar for this (he was good, but it's nothing Jim Carrey didn't do ten times better in The Truman Show). Matt Damon, let's face it, reeked. Jeremy Davies gave about the only oscar-caliber performance in the whole thing. Any movie that opens with a shot of an american flag can't be too original. It must have been done by fifty other movies. The script was pathetic, with some pretty dumb lines and not much of a story (if the script is even nominated for an oscar, it'll show how low the academy sinks to meet hype.) But every review of the movie gave it 5 out of 4 stars and so-on, and I'm starting to get the feeling this is one of those movies the media almost *forces* you to like, such as Titanic and Forrest Gump. I'm not saying it's not a decent movie. It is very realistic, and the cinematography, sound and art direction is great. Jeremy Davies should at least be nominated for something. And it's one of Spielberg's best directing efforts. But as for being the best war movie of all time.... to this day, nothing compares with Apocalypse Now. And if Saving Private Ryan wins over the Truman Show (heck, over Pleasantville) then there's something seriously wrong. But that's just my opinion.
Armageddon (1998)
It stinks
I agree with most of the people who've commented, I think. I didn't read all of the 131 comments but after seeing this pathetic 3-hour long cliche trying to call itself a movie I think a lot of people who send in to review this bozo must have their heads on straight. They're about the only ones, though. Most people I know loved it. How can this piece of trash be the #1 grosser of the year? It was a standard by-the-numbers action flick. Take various lines and scenes "Independence Day", "Deep impact" "Alien" and anything made by Irwin Allen in the '70s and you get "Armageddon." Does this movie even want to be taken seriously? After half of the movie was over I accurately predicted that Bruce Willis would die, the earth would be saved, and Ben Affleck would return to his girlfriend. I don't think I've ever seen a more predictable movie than this (with the possible exception of "I Know What You Did Last Summer"). This movie also proved that no matter how many explosions a flick has, it can be boring. I actually fell asleep during the inane scene with the Russian on board the ship- and that one scene had more explosions than all of "Mission Impossible." Let's just say it's pretty depressing when the best part in a three-hour long movie is everyone getting together and singing "Leaving on a Jet Plane."
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
This slummer is a real bummer
A more appropriate title would have been "I Know What You'll Do in 15 Minutes". This is probably the most predictable movie I've ever seen. Even the "shocker" ending wasn't all that big of a surprise. Kevin Williamson should be ashamed of himself. After the great horror parody "Scream" he followed it up with this and Dawson's Crap--- I mean, "Creek." The script was so loaded with cliches I wouldn't be surprised if every single line in this movie could be found in other horror movies of past times. The basic plot involves two teenage boys and two teenage girls either A) making out or B) wandering around in skimpy clothing (girls only) while they are stalked by a killer or C) trying to figure out who the killer is and why he's gutting people like a fish or D) getting gutted like a fish. What is never brought up is the fact that nobody seems to notice a guy in a heavy raincoat walking around on the fourth of July. It would have been a much better movie if every actor and actress-- except the always great Anne Heche. I hear the sequel's out. My title: "I Don't Care What You Did Last Summer."
Truck Turner (1974)
One of the best blaxploitation movies ever made
After months of searching, I finally caught up with the Isaac Hayes blaxploitation hit Truck Turner. It's just not fair! This great action movie, Hayes' only lead role ever, is amazingly hard to find! I paid $15 to buy it at a Best Buy store, and I really got my money's worth. While I expected something along the lines of Shaft (and I wasn't disappointed there), I noticed a lot of similarities between this movie, made in 1974, and recent releases like L.A. Confidential and Jackie Brown! The plot: Hayes plays Mack "Truck" Turner, a former football star who was forced to retire due to an injury. Now he works as a bounty hunter with his partner Jerry (Alan Weeks is great!) When he kills his most recent target, a pimp named Gator, he's in trouble with Mack Daddy Harvard Blue and his vicious hoes, as well as a one-eyed assassin and a lot of other unpleasant characters! Isaac Hayes proves that he can act almost as good as he can sing! Nichelle Nicols of "Star Trek" gives the second-best performance in the movie as a hoe, Scatman Crothers is slick as Duke, the only pimp who backs Truck, and Annazette Chase is surprisingly good as Truck's lady! This one is a real classic. If you like Isaac Hayes, or "blaxploitation", and you find this movie somewhere, no matter how much it costs, buy it. It's worth it. **** out of ****