Reviews

The first Matrix was full of lively characters, action, and enough plot to keep it moving. That's what The Matrix is all about.

Reloaded goes all Star Wars on us. Commanders and space cruisers and rebel forces, and oh yeah, dance parties. It completely lacks what made the first movie so great. It was a lot less fun, the whole first half was like watching C-SPAN, and the endless jargon inflated dialogue about choices and dreams and fate....oh my does it ever end?

I don't mind a further explanation into the life that surrounds the Matrix but don't make the whole movie about that. There's nothing wrong with paying a little attention to explanation. But Build on what gave The Matrix its good name. Reloaded goes completely away from that. I only hope that Revolutions doesn't take itself so seriously.

Everyone is crucifying the "cliffhanger" ending. I say the ending doesn't make a bit of difference if the movie that precedes it is good. 2.5 out of 4.

Oh hear all ye Shakesperians...the McBeth's art alive and well....and living in the small white trash town of Scotland, PA in 1975.

Every 3-4 years, a fresh and original film, that stands out from all the rest, is made. And not since Rushmore, w/Bill Murray, has a film with this much character and originality caught my attention so.

It won't get much attention because of its "Independent" status, but take a trip to the one theater it'll be playing at near you and check it out. It's such a nice change from the Academy Award-ridden, hollywood-poisoned movie industry with great characters, a great screenplay, a wonderful soundtrack, and an old concept (Macbeth) directed to perfection in modern times.

If this film were big budgeted, it would be cleaning house at the Academy Awards...don't argue with me, just see it and accept it.

4 stars.

Jaws, like The Godfather, spawned many copycat movies after it. It is unfortunate that The "Jaws" series only contains one good film, the original. I think that they should sell the original by itself and sell the rest of the half-assed Jaws films by themselves. Jaws is certainly one of the most incredible films of all time.

There are few movies that have chemistry of this magnitude. I can't imagine anyone else in the roles played by Scheider, Shaw and Dreyfuss. I think my favorite aspect of the movie was how it resembled Moby Dick in the modern era. You have your politicians worried about the town's economy, the young zealot from the oceanographic institute with all of his high tech gear, and mixed in with the new, you've got Captain Quint: an good old-fashioned fisherman whose got more trophies on his wall than Teddy Roosevelt.

This film has never gotten boring.

This movie serves its purpose, assuming you go in with the attitude that it's the Apes against the humans. Tim Burton's imagination makes the new Planet of the Apes a wonder to watch and look at. As with every Tim Burton film, there are certain things that aren't necessary...I could have taken or left the ending.

But there is plenty to like about this film, more likeable than not. The only major flaw with the film was casting Mark Wahlberg...and thank the almighty, that he doesn't have enough screen presence for us to even pay attention to what he's saying. I found myself sort of skipping over Wahlberg's part and paying more attention to the real stars of the movie...those damned dirty apes. Rick Baker will win an Oscar for his makeup...(you've done your job if the actors are unrecognizable). General Thade is a villain we can all love to hate and Tim Roth should be proud of the job he did in bringing this character to life. I was convinced of his genuine evil. Helena Bonham Carter and Michael Clarke Duncan were almost equally as convincing and I hope to see all 3 of them back in the next movie.

Tim Burton has gained my respect. He surprised me with Sleepy Hollow and has me back on his good list with Planet of the Apes. His storytelling abilities have improved and he's toned down the "unbelievable silliness" factor (IE Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Any of the Pee Wee movies). Instead of going nuts with how bizarre the characters can be, he redirects his talents into making you FEAR the Apes...as in Sleepy Hollow, you FEAR the Headless Horseman. So much that you're fascinated with how evil these villains are.

There's no need to talk about the genius of Danny Elfman's musical talents. He's been doing it for years and if anyone knows how to make even an average movie come to life, it is Elfman.

Kudos to Burton....a well done film, minus Marky Mark. He'll get it right next time.

You've got to admire a director who can take real life and keep it real on the big screen, and at the same time produce a wonderful, funny and touching film.

With The Tic Code, Gary Winick has done just that. This will be the most realistic movie about Tourette's Syndrome you will ever see. It totally hit home as I was constantly reminded of my childhood. Other kids laughing and making fun, and me feeling alienated because of my supposed abnormality. This movie does a great job in displaying people's ignorance about the subject. Those who have simply seen the episode of L.A. Law which featured a witness with severe Tourette's, don't know the story. If you see this movie, you'll be all the wiser, and you'll be treated to a great film at the same time.

This movie gets 4 stars.

I can appreciate REAL movies like this one. It had good acting, good symbolism and cinematography, and a good message. But I can't help but believe that this film was meant for the big screen (and possibly for DVD). I rented it on VHS..yes I'm a traditional one...and I had some trouble following it. I did pay attention and I listened as closely as possible (but still had trouble hearing the movie), and determined that I needed to see this movie on the big screen.

And yes, I thought this 2 hour and 27 minute piece of work was an INCREDIBLY AVERAGE MOVIE. I don't know what Hollywood or critics see in Steven Soderbergh. Erin Brockovich was another average to below average movie. It was too long and really didn't drive its message home. I've seen plenty of movies whose sole purpose was to drive a message home. I though Traffic did a good job of that but as an entire movie bringing all of its elements together, it really didn't cut it.

Hear ye, Hear ye! The Perfect Storm has landed. This film, directed by Wolfgang Peterson, who is slowly becoming one of my favorite directors (thanks to In the Line of Fire and Air Force One), has now got the market cornered on big action blockbusters. Anyone who proceeds to watch this film hoping to see top notch acting....please don't go to see it. It was a wonderful film which doesn't need to be criticized in that way and should be left alone.

People who said that there was no human interest in this film should have their head examined. OK, I will give you that Diane Lane over acted just a tad, and she was kind of annoying, but the movie minimized her appearance, so the fact that she was one of the weaker parts of the movie is cancelled out. I liked every single member of the crew on the Andrea Gail. Even Sully who at first was a real jerk. The key to a movie like this is that you must create likeable characters that the audience can root for to beat the storm. Peterson did that. Even though George Clooney was a bit like himself (which isn't usually good), he was casted beautifully as Captain Billy Tyne. The movie was exhausting, and emotionally involving and in my book, the movie has succeeded if that's the way you feel after watching it.

For what this movie was intended to do, and the level at which it accomplished its goal......I give The Perfect Storm....4 stars.

Question: Why would you watch this movie for any other reason than to get a brainless laugh?

Answer: I don't know! All of the would-be critics out there must learn to avoid movies like this because OF COURSE THEY WON'T LIKE IT! My advice to you would-be critics: Leave movies like this alone. It wasn't made to win an academy award and it wasn't made to make any sense. This is one of the funniest SNL skit movies I've ever seen because it made no sense, because it was stupid, and because of Molly Shannon. This movies was 20 times better than the pathetic "Night at the Roxbury." I found myself laughing a lot through "Superstar" which I was surprised at. The movie ended right before it became tired, and I must say that I was impressed by the storywriters because it is often hard to come up with an 80 minute movie from a 5 minute skit. "Wayne's World" probably did the best job when it came to coming up with material but Superstar did an admirable job.

Molly Shannon did a rather good job in bringing Mary Katherine Gallagher to the movie screen and the supporting characters were subtle and devious in their roles.

Overall this movie is completely ridiculous and unintelligent. But I enjoyed it because the movie knew that and ran with it. And as a bonus, it sufficed in entertaining. Would-be critics be damned.

There is nothing at all redeeming about this film. Overall, this movie was entertaining and contained some truly hilarious moments. But the one thing it was missing (and in a film like this who really cares), was backbone. American Pie had backbone and that is what made it a better film than Road Trip. But Road Trip was strictly created to entertain and make you laugh, and that it does for the most part. It has no real story behind it and it's rather inconsistent, but it's a lot of fun, and also, it's a summer movie. This isn't Academy Awards time and if you're looking for a fun brainless movie...Road Trip is the answer.

Get ready for a visually stunning movie that will touch your soul, make you cheer, and make you cringe all in one shot. When the royal highness isn't getting his hand kissed by the people, and when the camera doesn't pan above the Roman Coliseum, and when you aren't truly feeling involved in this simple but wonderful story of a brave general turned slave turned Gladiator, you are cringing every time a sword cuts into a man's flesh. Even the violence was visually stunning. This movie (and I won't give away too much), has a battle scene comparable to that of Saving Private Ryan's opening battle. Although not as long and drawn out, it brilliantly sets the tone for a movie 2 hours and 34 minutes in length which seems like and hour and a half when it's all done. Kudos on the casting job. Crowe delivers with a bang and he is proving once again that he belongs here. Give him a part and he will play it, much like the rest of the LA Confidential alumni. Gladiator is a film of potential epic proportion. But it won't become an epic unless people make it that way. It's a wonderful cinematic experience not to be missed by anyone who would appreciate a movie of this caliber.

Never will you see such a complex movie as much fun as this one. I've read other comments which have said that they aren't really sure why this movie is so contagiously enthralling, and I can't figure it out either. Maybe its because that rarely is such a stellar cast brought together where the chemistry is almost flawless. Or maybe its because the movie succeeds in having each character come into their own while they work perfectly together as a team. Whatever the reason, this movie is filled with great performances, many classic lines and performances, and a good mix of laughs and suspense to keep you interested the entire way through.

I wil have a website launching soon at www.favoritefilm.com where people can write about anything and everything to do with their favorite films, and this movie is already, rather high on the list.

Even though I sat in the front row for 2 hours and 20 minutes, this movie captivated me and I totally forgot that my neck was as stiff as a steel rail. This movie is one of the most refreshing and energetic pieces of work I've seen in a long while and The Talented Mr. Ripley is sure to at least see some nominations come Oscar time. Matt Damon, Jude Law for acting (and let's not forget about Gwynneth who also was great), the musical score, the direction (Mingella is sure to get a nomination), and of course the killing scenes (they won't be nominated, I just felt like putting that in). Mr. Hitchcock would be proud of this one. The movie's only flaw really, is that it is about 15-20 minutes too long but by then you're really not concerned. Mr. Ripley is a wonderful film and if you've got 2 and a half hours to spare, this is a good way to spend it.

Going into Fight Club, I knew it was going to be long, and I knew it would be a sensory overload type of experience. But you cannot tell me that David Fincher was looking to give the audience a messed up and chaotic experience simply because he thought it would be cool or different. Sadly, this IS what Fincher is thinking and to tell you the truth, it severely cripples the movie.

This movie is interesting but not in a good way. It goes a little too deep for a movie that's about guys looking to change their life by kicking each other's ass on a weekly basis. And what did SOAP and liposuction have to do with the real plot of this movie? If the narrator is fighting himself and talking to himself, why do we see him getting dragged across a floor by an invisible force? How does he shoot himself in the mouth and not die? All the crazies that cry symbolism, just hold on. By the end of the movie which was so unecessarily long, I don't even care about symbolism. All I care about is that I've wasted 140 minutes of my time with an incredibly depressing and dark piece of trash movie that I get nothing out of.

You can bet that I will follow the rules of Fight Club.....never talk about Fight Club....because it's not worth my time.

End of Story...I'm gone.

I went into this film, knowing it was 67 hours long (just under 3 hours in non-exaggerated terms) and hoping that it wasn't going to be another "critics only like it because it's Kubrick" type of movie, with lot's of symbolic weirdo bizzaro material that only Stanley Kubrick can deliver. I thought I would be shifting in my seat a billion times and getting restless halfway through the film. I think Kubrick is sporadic at best, with his films. I loved The Shining, and the first half of Full Metal Jacket, but I thought Dr. Strangelove was only OK, and 2001 was absolutely dreadful, with the exception of Hal9000.

But, I must say, that with Eyes Wide Shut, I was never restless, nor was I ever bored for one second, I was actually interested in all of the symbolism, and I only shifted in my seat a few times due to the fact the movie was rather long, but it didn't even seem like it. I give the utmost kudos for Mr. Kubrick for going out in style. It had all the elements that movies today do not such as good acting, great cinematography, a good story, good direction and oh yeah.....It's original.

If you are usually intrigued by Kubrick but don't love him, go see this one, because you will like it. If you are unintelligent and only like watching movies instead of getting into them, then don't waste your time. This movie is for people who will give movies a chance and not base their decision on whether it lives up to the hype. C'mon people. I mean, when has a movie ever lived up to the hype? I thank Mr. Kubrick for giving us a film worth the price of admission.

What constitutes horror? Many people say it's blood and guts (Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street and so on). Others say it's movies that mess with your mind (The Shining,), and others will say it's how much a movie startles you and makes you jump to the ceiling (can't think of one off hand).

But real horror, is the type we cannot see. It's the type that we leave to our imagination because we know that there could be any number of possibilites, and some of those can be so horrific, it gives you chills just thinking about it. As is the case with The Blair Witch Project. I saw the film in a packed movie theater and I've never seen a film captivate a group of people this big the way it did. I'm talking about that everyone in the place was dead freakin' silent. My heart was up into my throat by the time the movie ended. I didn't jump, I didn't get grossed out, I just thought about the movie for hours after seeing it, and didn't sleep well at all that night. Any horror movie that scares the living daylights out of me the way The Blair Witch Project did, is an absolute 10 in my book. It's like not wanting to ride the rollercoaster, and then riding it and then saying you want to go on again.

Take dramamime before seeing it, or if not, just look away from the screen every so often because the herky-jerky home video style filming will make you a bit queasy. This movie deserves several mentions at the Academy Awards. If not, then chalk up another injustice in the film industry. If you happen to wait for home video to watch this, turn the lights off, and watch it by yourself. The full effect of this masterpiece will be felt all the more.

Director Doug Liman has proven to the public that he knows a thing or two about making movies. With "Go," he's proven that he knows how to go about taking an idea that's already been done, and creating something that wonderfully comes into its own.

I had no idea who Sarah Polley was before this movie. Now I want to see any movie she is in because her presence in this movie makes all the difference. She handles a drug deal with the utmost poise while everyone else around her goes nuts, she gets hit by a car and even makes into work the next day, and her slickness alone just brings the movie to another level. Although this movie bears some resemblence to Tarantino's masterpiece "Pulp Fiction," I think many will agree that Tarantino is envious of Liman and wishes he made this movie. If you'd like some entertainment and interesting plot twists, Do not pass "GO." Stick around and watch it.

A word for all who haven't seen The 6th Sense: You will not know anything about it unless you see it. The trailers really don't reveal anything.

Another word for all who haven't seen The 6th Sense: SEE IT, it is one of the best movies of the year to this point.

I really do hope that the Academy Awards give proper credit to Haley Osement by nominating him for best actor or best supporting actor (whatever category they think just as a long as they give it to him). This role was difficult and also, he's a kid. Kids aren't supposed to deliver this kind of an electrifying performance. And even if you don't want your spine to tingle with chills, and even if you don't want to see Bruce Willis in one of his best roles ever, and even if you don't want to see it because this kind of movie doesn't turn your button, I highly recommend just going to see it for Haley Osement. I promise you'll be glad you did.

The movie itself is a wonderful journey into the supernatural, brilliantly acted, with a great story and plot twists that will make you think about it for a long time after. James Newton Howard's musical score should also be up for a nomination. His music delivers exactly the tone that the movie needs in order to get it's point across and OH how it succeeds.

I give the movie ***1/2 stars. The price of admission well spent.

"Porky's" or "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," are two of the greatest movies of this caliber. American Pie, which does a great job in following suit, is one of the most refreshingly entertaining movies I've seen in the last several years. It contains many pranks as well as many schemes that backfire, and plenty of humor to get the politicians in an uproar. But I was very surprised at the fact that the movie carried many redeeming messages with it. IE, sex, although enjoyable and sometimes being the only goal of horny youngans, is not the most important thing in life, they only think it is. I know I'm not alone in my theory. Many of us were once horny teens who at the very least, THOUGHT about doing unspeakable things to simulate the act of sex. And if you laugh while watching this movie's depiction of this very point, put yourself into that category.

Movies about high school have been on the lame side for the last 5 or 6 years. American Pie will hopefully start a rebellion against the "She's All Thats" of the world. I say this because I get offended when directors portray high school as this adult world where everyone knows the score and seems to be so organized and on top of things (ie Dawson's Creek, Beverly Hills 90210). Myself, along with most of the other 440 people in my graduating class (as well as the rest of the country's high shcool population) didn't know anything, now looking back on it.

American Pie is a movie for anyone who was once a confused and curious teenager in high school, guys and girls alike. The bluntness of the humor may suggest it's only for men. DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE. Under all the bits and pranks, you will find an actual movie with loads of charm that is well worth your time.

My overall take on WWW is a good one. Whatever happened to a good old-fashioned piece of ENTERTAINMENT?

WILD WILD WEST is EXACTLY that. I was not wowed by the movie but it definitely sufficed as a fun and entertaining film. There are no brains needed, just eyes and ears. What the movie lacks in energy, it more than makes up for with goofiness, acting and sets. One of my only gripes about the movie is the casting of Will Smith and Selma Hayek. All the critics agreed that Will Smith (who didn't do such a bad job in the long run) was the energy and it was Kevin Kline and Kenneth Brannagh who were miscasted. I found that fact to be the complete opposite. If Smith even made an attempt to try and act like an army captain in the old west, the film would have been much better. But instead, he acts like he did in Men In Black (a film where being wise-assed and sarcastic was called for), or Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The movie reeked of the Old West, but Will Smith just didn't fit inside the mold (not because he is black but more due to the fact that he isn't able to act like i.e. Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp in "Tombstone," which is what this movie called for). My feeling is that Barry Sonnenfeld owes Will Smith a lifetime debt because of what Smith did for him in Men In Black, and that is, make Sonnenfeld a millionaire. One word for Salma Hayek, unnecessary. She added some eye-candy but ultimately was not needed.

So much negativity, but let me wind down by saying Kevin Kline was terrific, and his gadgets were great. If you like 007, you will definitely get a kick out of his gadgets and oh, the disguises too. Saving the best for last, Kenneth Brannagh was this movie's shining light. For those of you younger folks not familiar with him, he is an accomplished BRITISH actor. He carries a Louisiana accent with him the entire film and doesn't shed it once. You'd think he was southern he was so good.

I'm a huge fan of modern movies which re-create the Old West, because it seems not so hard to do, but so hard to do WELL, and Sonnenfeld should be proud of himself for those accomplishments. For those of you expecting non-stop action you will be disappointed. This is not an action flick, but rather a spaghetti western with some cool twists. So, turn your brains off, ignore the critics completely and have some fun.

Having been a crazy Mike Myers fan since his days on SNL, I was very happy to see him come out with another movie besides Wayne's World, which in my mind was an SNL skit and lost its flare long ago. The only other movie to his credit before AP: IMOM, was "So I Married An Axe Murderer," and if you haven't seen that one, I highly recommend it, if you like Mike Myers.

Back to the business at hand, AP2 was about as good a sequel as sequels get. It's one of the few movies that goes completely overboard without losing its way. I'm not here to give a summary of the film so I'll just tell you my favorite parts. Mini-me: the crew member who came up with this character should be commended for his genius. I thought Dr. Evil was funny, but a mini Dr. Evil??? I'm laughing myself silly right now as I type.

Fat Bastard: If you haven't seen "Axe Murderer" see it, because there is a similar character in that movie in which every scene he is in, is practically an attention getter. Fat Bastard's best scene (no, not the stool sample/coffee scene), but the scene where he walks into Austin's Pad disguised as a UPS man. The sight of him in a UPS uniform makes you howl so loud you destroy the hearing of the person sitting next to you.

Mike Myers: Probably the most underrated and talented actor/entertainer in the industry today. His days as a restricted skit performer are over. With AP2 he has arrived.

On a scale of 1-10, AP2 gets a 10 (if I could go higher, I would), because it was made for no other reason than to entertain, and oh my how it accomplishes that feat with flying colors.

George Lucas is an evil genius. For 16 years, my vision of Star Wars has been Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia, Chewbacca and all the rest. I will admit that when I saw The Phantom Menace, I was a little confused by it, but I nonetheless, enjoyed the movie. I saw it once more and came out with the following feeling: THIS MOVIE IS GREAT! But I had to see it twice in order to understand the fact that this is our new Star Wars trilogy. Lucas is laughing at this fact all the way to the bank. My advice, is that if you're a big SW fan, go see the movie once more. I promise, most of you will see the movie in an entirely different perspective. You've seen it once and you now know what to expect. I found that the unfolding of the story was rather intriguing and I'm dying to know how things unfold in the next 2 episodes.

The movie itself is an enjoybale 2 hours at the theater, highly worthy of being called a Star Wars flick. And who are these people getting all over Jar Jar Binks? He wasn't my favorite character in the movie but he certainly (if you can call a computer image a "he")pulls his weight more than admirably. Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor do wonderful jobs as the cool handed jedis. If Darth Maul was in one or two more scenes, the full effect of his presence definitely would have been felt, but it was felt, that much is certain. And Natalie Portman, oh Natalie Portman. She was born to play a queen. It will be a shame when she drops from the storyline.

With this in mind, stop the bickering and just enjoy the movie. If you look for the bad, you will become angry and as Master Yoda says "Anger leads to hate, and hate.....leads to suffering!"

The Bad News Bears should be required viewing for parents with kids currently in little league.

This is a movie mainly about cheering for the underdog, which we all like to do. But this film gets more than it bargains for. It is by far the most true to life movies about baseball on the little league level. The emotions of the kids and parents on and off the field, the vulgarities, and especially the way the parents take the fun out of playing baseball by putting enormous pressure on their kids, are all wonderfully portrayed here. Not to brag, but I was a little leaguer myself for several years, and I feel like an authority on the subject. I'm here to tell you that this movie nails it. My favorite aspect of the film, is how it deals with teamwork. You might not have the most skilled players, but if a team sticks together, they can work wonders.

And let's not forget the great performances by Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal and Vic Morrow. My favorite character in this movie though, was Tanner Boyle, the shortstop. He could practically be every kid I ever played on a little league team with. The next film where they play in the Astrodome was almost as good as the original, but don't waste your time with the one where they go to Japan.