Reviews

Fun,unchallenging, episodic fluff -- heavy on the Irish ethnicity -- easy to take. All-star cast finds plenty of good material to bring fun to awkwartd situations. Peter Riegert and Pamela Reed are standouts. This is one big cliche accompanied by 15 ancillary cliches, but who cares? Its all in good fun.

Magnificently staged, produced, and directed, this movie is a clinic in how to open up a play. The barely repressed homosexual love-hate relationship between the two main characters is amazing. The word play is extremely clever, but never too clever; the performances by the entire cast are outstanding. I've seen this film 10 times, and always want to watch it again as i pick up something new each time.

Bravo! This is a brilliantly original and captivating tale. It creates its own world and thoroughly believes it. Cameron Diaz is absolutely amazing in it, and Catherine Keenan's chemistry with her is sizzling. John Cryer makes a great anti-hero for the piece, and Malkovich himself is probably the only actor who cold pull it off. He should have won a special Oscar for this. And, what an astoundly perfect use of Orson Bean. I watched it 3 straight times, I was so enfatuated with this truly brilliant piece of work.

The ennui of touring the world has never been so painstakingly detailed. We get interesting insights into the music and interrelational politics of the young singing group but it goes on long after it has ceased entertaining its audience. Nevertheless, this representative time capsule is worth a glance.

The acting and the viewpoint had me riveted in my seat in the first half of this little potboiler, before it turns turgid and never recovers. The tennis scenes are well done. This is one of those movies that seems headed for greatness, but in the end disappoints the viewer.

James Edwards, LLoyd Bridges, Frank Lovejoy, Steve Brodie, and Jeff Corey all give outstanding performances in this powerful and moving story of handling life and death situations. With no false notes, this film probes all the characters' psychological profiles in order to tell its story. Perhaps one of the best war films ever made.

Flawless blending of cynicism, humor and tragedy, this re-enactment of a real-life murder in the south consciously downplays the real-life anti-semitism in the real murder of Mary Phagan case, but carry more of an emotional wallop than the Jack Lemmon made-for-TV docudrama -- although the latter is still good on its own terms. Lana Turner has an impressive screen debut as the murder victim. Gloria Dickson is very powerful as the defendant's wife, and Claude Rains is magnificent as the politically minded prosecutor, but Allyn Joslyn as the cynical, burnt out reporter steals the show. A truly excellent example of how historically based movies can be among the most memorable.

This is one of the best movies ever made, but because it's a kid's film, many forget it when great films are mentioned. The script is thoroughly original and is 100% true to its characters; the acting from top to bottom is faultless. The art direction is magnificent, the animation so creatively brilliant, and the original songs are terrific. The energy level has never been duplicated, and when have you ever seen a more memorable movie? A true masterpiece.

Someday, 50 years from now, cinema students will consider this the perfect time capsule for its era. Unrelenting cynicism, well-timed and told, passes for supreme wit. It represents an era where repeating curse words incessantly was considered the height of creativity, and being "hip" and repetitive was more important than telling a coherent story. Spacey is great, the other performers are mostly good, but Best Picture? No. 2 "all-time" (read last 5 year) among IMDB users. The bulk of these votes must represent users with no historical perspective on what a delightful experience truly good cinema can be.

I believe that Steven Spielberg has three objectives here: 1) to prove that war is REALLY hell; 2) to shine a spotlight on the veterans who gave and risked their lives defending our country at a time when patriotism meant something; and 3) to tell a poignant story. He succeeds in all 3, but only the third is what really interests me when seeing a movie. The other objectives lead to overdoing the gory aspects of things, and some uncharacteristically poor editing and confusing use of slow-motion. In fact much of the camerawork here seems to be uncharacteristically self-conscious for Spielberg. That being said, this still merits viewing -- it is quite memorable.

Robert Young (no relation) gives on e of the most unimaginative directing efforts in the history of cinema. Fawcett is marvelous, and Woodard and Scarwid give her ample support, but they are undermined totally by all the directorial and production-related aspects. I loved this on the stage, and a bootlegged videotape of the production I saw would be infinitely superior to this. This is a movie that needed a female director and didn't get one.

This is really a TV-movie that happened to have been released theatrically. And when you look at it that way, it is quite charming. The veteran, over-the-hill cast has delicious ammunition to hurl at each other. Tony Curtis has the movie's best line, "Get me the coast." Taylor plays her Baby-Jane like part to the hilt in Grand Guignol fashion, and of course, Angela is impeccable as Jane Marple. Warning to the critics out there: this is not art, but it is enjoyable entertainment on its own terms.

Red Buttons is unbelievably riveting as the skid row detective in search of the truth with nothing to lose, not even his non-existent pride. The movie expertly mixes wit, pathos, mystery, and social commentary in a fast-paced classic film noir. The supporting cast play their parts to perfection, and the final solution is both satisfying and incalculable. A hidden gem.

Late 60's San Francisco is more than the backdrop, it's the fore-drop for this most remarkable 1967 TV-Movie. A haunting melange of establishment and counterculture, impeccably acted and scripted, this be one of the most cerebral movies ever made for TV. There's also no shortage of marvelous acting and character development.

Paul Scofield's performance is the most magnificent by a leading man in all of film history. Yes, the script by Robert Bolt is non-pareil, but having seem Heston give a credible performance, then reviewing the dimensions given the magnificent words by Scofields bearing, inflection, eyes, etc. He is Thomas More, and will always be Sir Thomas More. The supporting cast is all flawless. Watch for a young John Hurt as the defining character of the frailties of this world. Wendy Hiller, Susannah York, Nigel Davenport, Orson Welles, Robert Shaw and most especially Leo McKern. The entire movie is a clinic in acting with Scofield the eternal Nobel Prize winner.

More More is what I said after viewing his virtuoso performance, and Susannah York and Danielle Darrieux match him, exchange for exchange. Truer emotions were never shared on screen. This is an excellent directing effort by the underrated Gilbert, truly one of the all-time greats. The story never loses its originality or its delicate sense of balance. I have now seen this film four times, and each time I love it that much more.

Wryly directed understated film is an example of Alfred Werker's underrated genius at its best. Basehart is magnificent as a crook who gets in over his head. Scott Brady and Roy Roberts are equally good in their roles. And the redoubtable Whit Bissell is on hands for a key supporting role.

Chicago is the real star in this atmospheric Hathaway masterpiece. Stewart is perfect as the cynical reporter who gradually comes to believe in Conte's innocence. Conte is excellent as the blue-collar schmoe who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and John McIntire almost steals the film as a determined politico. One of the great "true crime" movies of all time.

Almost all of Hitchcock's films in the 1940's were masterpieces --- except for this turgid potboiler. Peck and Jourdan are totally wrong for their roles. And Laughton and Hitch were two all-time greats who simply could not work with each other. Coburn and Barrymore are the sole reasons for watching this overwrought conundrum.

This is a well-directed mystery. Dick Powell makes a surprisingly faithful Philip Marlowe, and Claire Trevor and Mike Mazurski are dynamite. The direction by Dmytryk is powerful and the atmosphere is perfect. The narration is just the right touch. All-around, this is a classic Hollywood mystery.

Suspense, great acting, great score, marvelous humour, and flawless pacing -- all of it right here. The cast is magnificent from top to bottom. Humour and suspense blend seamlessly. Every character, every note, every hint rings true. Not to be missed by anyone who likes Hitchcock, suspense, or good movies.

Ladd and Lake are certainly adequate in the leads, but Donlevy and Bendix steal our attention. Donlevy is perfection itself as the player who gets played, and Bendix is marvelously convincing as a sadistic thug. Ladd is suitably handsome and cynical, and the pace moves briskly enough for an entertaining movie.