Reviews

I had to comment on this movie when I saw nobody else had. I used to watch this made for TV movie all the time as a kid. It's a very, how should I say, poorly done after school special - which only makes it more corny and entertaining. Gary Coleman, Ray Walston, Robert Guillome, June Allison, Mason Adams (the Smuckers jam and Cadbury Egg voice!) and Tootie from The Facts of Life TV series are all in it. My favorite part in the whole movie is when Mason Adams is in his backyard and Gary Coleman makes him fall off a wall onto his back! It's so bad that it's great. Anyways, the movie is what it is - an old made-for-TV movie that will never make it to video or DVD. But, if you manage to catch it on TV.....watch it!!!!

Pee Wee's Big Adventure is definitely one of my favorite movies from my childhood and I still would rank it in my Top 25. It is very simple in nature and the story is not complex. But the characters are so interesting and funny to watch.

The creative forces of Paul Reubens, Phil Hartman, Tim Burton and Danny Elfman make this movie work. The humor is childish at times, but it's also very adult-oriented in some instances. This is what makes this movie entertaining for all ages, though. Tim Burton's imagination and twisted, but sweet style shine, as well. The nightmare scene with the red dinosaur and the Large Marge scene are classic Burton! Danny Elfman's score is one of my favorite's and really captures the frantic and dizzying pace the movie moves at.

If you hate Pee-Wee Herman or Paul Reubens then this movie might not really be to your liking. But I have met a few people who still enjoyed it besides their disdain of him.

I use to watch this movie everyday as a child when my aunt taped it for me from cable back in summer of '86. Since I bought the DVD back in 2000 I have probably watched it at least 20 times. So it still has lasting appeal to this day.

I highly recommend Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. If you like Tim Burton you will love it. If you liked Pee-Wee Herman you will love it. If you like Danny Elfman you will definitely enjoy the score. And if you like crazy and outrageously unique movies that have a quirky touch you're in for a treat!

Return of the Jedi concludes Mr. Lucas' fantastic Star Wars trilogy. The movie is not as well though-out as the first two but it is still an amazing movie on it's own.

The directing and dialogue are also sometimes weak and forced. But the scenes with Vader and Luke are very intense. They make the movie worth watching to the final climactic duel. As such with the other movies, the action goes back and forth quite frequently. While this helped out the previous two films, this tends to hinder this one somewhat. Just as a scene is reaching it's peak it goes back to the 'Battle of Endor' and kind of slows down.

The music by John Williams is very good and some new themes introduced like The Emperor's theme and the Endor Battle are a joy to hear. The visuals in this one blow the first one out of the water. The Sarlacc and Jabba might seem kind of cheap by today's fake CG standards. But they actually have stood up well, even 20 years later. The battle scenes in space are still great to watch as well. The only sequence that seems dated is the Speederbike chase, but it still is fun to experience.

The only other complaint I have with this movie was the Ewoks were a little too cute and cuddly for my taste. I didn't like the ending too much, either. I don't always like happy endings and I felt this movie needed a darker tone to end it. But, that's just my opinion.

Aside from the sometimes somewhat cheesy dialogue and cutesy Ewoks, Return of the Jedi is an awesome movie that ends one of the best trilogies ever made.

Saw this movie at work after a few people mentioned how good and hard-hitting it was. Well, I thought it might be disturbing and powerful like Requiem For a Dream maybe. But, it was not. The movie could have easily been on TV as an afterschool special minus the cursing and the sex scenes. The acting was average and the overall story was just not good. It seemed to try and make a point every scene with loud music or with fast editing. Yes, the subject matter is a serious one but this movie didn't work at all. In short I didn't like the movie very much. It was too simple and seemed like it was more for 20-something's who need trendy music and typical MTV-like cinematography to grab their attention. I give it a thumbs down---2/10. Don't bother with this overhyped piece of garbage. Tried too hard and fell flat on it's face.

As with most movies, Waiting For Guffman was much more enjoyable after I saw it a second time. I constantly hear people raving about Guest's movies or completely bashing them. Well, I won't say this is a laugh-out loud comedy, because it's not. But, it is definitely a well-written and funny movie that looks into the lives of small midwest actors. I liked this movie for many small-but-great reasons. The subtle humor works perfectly and the acting is extremely good. The shots of everybody in the audience is so dead on! The best acting (IMO) occurs in the last 15 minutes or so. I have seen Spinal Tap once and tried to watch Best In Show and didn't really like them. But! Waiting For Guffman has made me a believer out of these comedies. True, they are not for everyone. I admit I love slapstick and raunchy humor (Naked Gun,Airplane!). But I also appreciate this movie as well. I hate saying this because so many others have said it, too. But, if you don't like this movie you probably aren't smart enough to. It's not an average movie-goers genre at all. It requires the viewer to actually pay attention and notice the little things. Case in point-the scenes with the orchestra would appear to be pointless to someone who doesn't get it. But those scenes are so good at mocking reality!! It took me awhile, but I can say I'm a fan of Guest's work now. And I have Waiting For Guffman to thank!

Cool Hand Luke is a great picture that demonstrates to us how a movie can be made simply. I love this movie for the fact that it doesn't try to lure you in with flashy effects or stylish editing. The characters in this movie are great to watch as they learn to like good ol' Luke. Even the chef and the security guards sympathize with him! The movie might be slow for those with a short attention span. But for movie fans looking for a nice and well though out drama, this movie shines. Paul Newman plays Luke like no other could, rascally and smug, yet oh-so likeable. George Kennedy does a good job as his big, bodyguard jailmate. And Strother Martin plays another great character as the prison chief. The acting gets a 9. Directing gets an 8. Cinematography and visuals get a nice 9. The story gets an 8. And the music gets an 8 as well. So, overall I give this movie a 9. ***A little trivia fact for Angelinos*** The music played when they are trying to pave the road as fast as they can was used for ABC's local Los Angeles affiliate ABC7 at the start of their Eyewitness News program back in the 1970's and 1980's.

Total Recall was a huge hit back in the summer of 1990 and it still is one of my favorite Arnold movies. I remember talking about it at school after everybody saw it. The directing is very ordinary but is also over-the-top and comical at times. That comes as no surprise since it is the same director who helmed "Robocop" and "Starship Troopers". If you're an Arnold fan then Total Recall will definitely keep you glued to the TV. I consider this movie as one of the last good action flicks that was made prior to 1990 (since it was filmed in 1989). It does not have good acting, but give it a break, hardly any action movies ever do. The music is very good and composed by the great Jerry Goldsmith. The story is average and unbelievably sloppy. I give 'Recall' a 5 for the directing. A 6 for the script. A 5 for the acting. An 8 for the visuals and set designs. And a 9 for the music and sound. Overall, it is a gets a 7.

I was going through old Beta tapes from my childhood one day and was disappointed that I could not find this movie. I read other comments and some people said the same exact thing I did. My copy was either taped over or thrown out, a blessing in disguise. I was glad to see Warner has the rights and actually sells it on Amazon! I will admit that if you did not watch this movie when it first aired on CBS back in christmas of '85 that you might not like it nearly as much as I did and still do. I honestly still know the songs even though I have not seen it since probably the late eighties. I was 7 years old when this first aired and my mom taped it for me and my sister. I even remember there was an electrical storm that night in Los Angeles so my copy had interference from the lightning! Anyways, I would watch this tape all the time as a youngster. I think I watched it at least 25 times as a kid. I have not seen the 1999 version that aired on NBC, but I don't think that one would be quite as memorable as this one was. The cast were all well known celebrities, most of whom have either passed on or are no longer considered to be popular any longer. I give the story a 9. The visual design of the make up, costumes and sets gets a 10. The music gets an 8. And the acting and directing a 7. I give this movie an 8 overall. I am going to wait and see if Warner will release this on DVD. They did release another childhood favorite of mine last year, the Hobbit.

Tim Burton never has disappointed me (with the small exception of Mars Attacks!). Batman, in my opinion, contains some of his best work to date. The way Gotham City is portrayed was so perfect. A cold, dark, gray and dreary city. Michael Keaton was a good choice as Batman and really pulls it off well. He may not have been a look-a-like for Bruce Wayne in the comic, but he made up for it with great acting. But the real prize is good ol' Jack! Whoa! What a performance!! Jack Nicholson is superb as the Joker. I would have to say the Joker is one of the all time best movie villains just behind Darth Vader. I still laugh in all of the Jokers' scenes and I've seen this movie at least 50 times! Kim Basinger was average as Vicki Vale. The rest of the cast was good as well. Danny Elfman is my favorite composer and this score was the one that really made me realize how wickedly twisted yet so surreal his work is. The main theme was so good they even kept using it in the trailers for the last 2 (which were stinkers). The story isn't that outstanding, but it's not trying to be. This was a movie based on a comic so it was suppose to be simple yet fun. If you love Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, Jack Nicholson or Michael Keaton I highly recommend Batman. All of the just mentioned people shine in this great action-packed comic adaption of Gotham's dark knight.

The first time I saw the trailer for Pearl Harbor, I thought-"WOW! This might be really good!" That is until I discovered Bay was directing it. I don't understand why so many people say they were disappointed. They seem just as surprised as the U.S. military was that morning of 12-7-41. This was a stinker and you could see it coming way before it hit. I am a little disappointed that this project was given to Mr. Bay. A historical story such as Pearl Harbor should be taken very seriously and not glorified with overdone special effects and a lame plot. I recommend this movie to you if you like over-the-top and melodramatic action movies (i.e. Armageddon). This movie was made for the casual movie-goer who doesn't mind a lame brain story and just wants to have a fun day watching a bad action movie. I do not recommend this movie if you want a moving or dramatic account of that fateful day and appreciate quality cinematic experiences. Because Pearl Harbor is definitely not. I really hate the fact that Disney invested so much into this bomb (pun not intended). In short, this movie was a complete and utter waste of good money and time. With the amount of money used this should have been a quality epic. And to think, Michael Bay and Touchstone are cashing in on this atrocity of a movie. A real shame.

I can admit this movie isn't a jewel in movie making. But there's so much beautiful cinematography and campy fun that it really is a treat. The amount of characters in this film is a plus. I just wish they could have explored more of them a bit. I thought Mr. Beatty did a fine job as the square-jawed detective. He was a bit too serious maybe, but overall he pulls it off. Madonna was born for this role. I don't think anyone could have played Breathless as convincingly as she did. Al Pacino--his rendition of Big Boy is utterly amazing. He's the villain, yet I found myself rooting for Big Boy just as much, maybe even more so, than Dick Tracy. The cinematography in this movie is simply astonishing. The way colors were used and so effectively used is really a marvel to behold. The music was perfect as well. Kudos to Mr Elfman for making the movie feel like a gangster film with a comic touch. I saw this movie in the theater when I was only 12. I can remember thinking how cool the makeup was and could only imagine how fun it must have been to be a part of making this movie. I'm very surprised this movie only gets a middle-of-the-road 5. I recommend this movie for 6 good reasons. 1-If you like Warren Beatty 2-If you enjoy a good ol' fashioned gangster movie 3-If you can appreciate good, campy fun 4-Have any appreciation for cinematography and excellent use of cameras and colors 5-Are a fan of Danny Elfman (This is one of his best scores!) 6-Are a huuuge fan of Al Pacino Only a few things stunk about this movie The actor who played the Kid was a little annoying. And I didn't really care for Tess at all one bit. Overall, I give this movie a very high 7. Don't expect a groundbreaking experience. But, if given a chance, I think most people will enjoy it.

The original Star Wars was a great movie in it's own right, but the sequel blew that out of the water!! Empire was and still is, so far, the best Star Wars installment to grace our big screens. The plot line was superb and really made for a hell of a ride for us to enjoy. The character development in this movie, from Han to Leia, Luke to Vader, Lando to Han, etc. was perfect. The special effects were taken to a all new level of intensity (the Hoth battle is still one of the best battle sequences ever--real or not). And John Williams' score is phenomenal.

It is very rare for any movie to make this claim, but Empire is one of the few sequels that out shines its predecessor. I think one of the reasons I also like Empire so much is the fact that it gave the Star Wars universe a much more grittier and darker tone. Darth Vader really became one of cinemas greatest bad guys in this. And Boba Fett was quite the bad ass mercenary/bounty hunter.

Another reason I believe Empire is so much more popular and better than the rest of the trilogy is due to the fact it has a very emotional side to it. This gives the viewer a chance to become more closely involved with all the characters. I strongly recommend Empire for anyone that enjoys movies that make you cheer for the good guys, jeer for the bad guys (or cheer, I still love Vader!!) and gives you an overall great movie experience. Empire is definitely a classic of our time.

I can still remember watching this movie everyday over and over again with the same level of enthusiasm. This was the movie that made me realize as a 5 year old that movies could be pretty damn cool. The story of Star Wars was very easy to follow even as a kid. The special effects were groundbreaking for that time (I might add they still hold up well to this era of CG visuals). John William's score is still one of my all time favorites and really was the first sci-fi movie to use orchestrated composed music that was completely original. That brings my next point about Star Wars, I never considered it being an actual sci-fi movie. It may take place in space, but the story and characters made it more of an adventure that just happened to be in another galaxy.

I don't think another movie will ever capture the imagination as much as Star Wars did for me. This is one of those movies that I will with-out-a-doubt want to view with my children. It's rare for movies to appeal to kids and adults the way this movie does. The first installment was simpler, yes. It was not as advanced, yes. The story wasnt as interesting as Empire, yes. BUT!! Star Wars is still my personal favorite in the original trilogy. (And Darth Vader is still one of the greatest vilains in movie history)

I made the mistake going into the theater thinking this movie would give me the same enjoyment as the original trilogy. Sadly, this is definitely not the case. My first thought after seeing Phantom Menace was one of confusion. I wanted to make myself believe that I had in fact thought it to be spectacular and engrossing. But I soon realized that I felt a feeling of great disappointment to say the least. For one, the characters are not even nearly as likeable or as original as Luke, Han or Vader were. The story was very mixed-up feeling and kind of had me thinking "what the heck is going on" throughout the film. I can't deny the fact that the visuals are very nice, but---this was the first movie that I actually wished they had used regular models in some scenes. The CG sometimes feel just that--computer made and very unlifelike. Even the music, was a little disappointing (John Williams has only done this once before, the very poor score for Lost World made me wonder if he had lost his touch). WARNING!!!--The character Jar Jar is by far, the worst example of a character in a movie created so the kids would have something to laugh at. He is annoying, adds nothing to the story and basically is a tag-along that does not belong anywhere in this movie. I'm still hoping his role in the next installment is a small one--very small. I actually have two ratings for this movie----on it's own, I'll give it a 5. But---if you want to compare and include this with the original trilogy, it receives a very low 3.