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Reviews
Backdraft (1991)
One of my tope ten movies of all time
There are a few movies that I can virtually watch over and over... This is one of them.
De Niro, Baldwin, Sutherland, Russel, Glenn... a whole array of top notch actors and a story that is breathtaking. I actually cannot find anything bad to say about this movie, so my only recommendation is watch it. Oh and by the way... The soundtrack is great as well.
My favorite scene... "Let me go Bull! -You go, we go !"
The Score (2001)
Bobby D, Ed N - good; Marlon B - average
Spoiler comment - Do not read last paragraph
De Niro and Norton are good but not great in the movie. Marlon Brando's performance was somewhat of a disappointment. The plot creates some excitement especially in the middle part of the movie. Worth purchasing on DVD.
The key scene (switching of the scepter) can however be anticipated. The way De Niro's character opens the safe however bears a big goof: A flow of water through a sprinkler system produces a mechanical alarm to go off that cannot be disabled electronically.
Vertical Limit (2000)
Goofical Limit
Yesssss... Interesting movie. I really liked it despite tons and tons of goofs (see list).
I had not seen any movie of this genre in quite a while so my jugement may have been a little distorted. However at the time I saw it I was really excited about it.
The plot is rather straightforward. No big surprises (although rather cheesy ending with Wick cutting the rope) as the excitement level takes the viewer on a rollercoaster ride. One thing that bothered me is the passage of time. The viewer cannot place the action within the rescuer's time frame.
Actors do a fine job although O'Donnell looks more like he just came out of a college dorm than back from a mountain.
Worth purchasing on DVD, if only to show your buddies the goofs frame-by-frame. :-)
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Good plot - amateurish production
Funny, but not really worth purchasing on DVD.
Well I anticipated something else. All in all the movie has a amateurish feel about it. Certain scenes let a 80's B-movie ambient shine through. If this was done intentionally it did not work.
The plot however is rather good. Somehow you can anticipate the crescendo scene at the end but it builds up nicely.
The actors did a decent job although I personally did not know any of them beforehand.
Worth watching, then bury it at the bottom of the stack.
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)
Could have been worse
I liked the "Blair Witch project" but was never fanatic about it. However I can imagine if you are a die-hard fan you may be offended by this flick. It actually tries to make fun of the "die-harders", which got a chuckle out of me.
It's not even a good movie. The good part of the DVD - version: you get the soundtrack with it. And the soundtrack is rather decent.
But other than that... The plot is rather thin, without surprises. The acting is thin as well (especially the so-called Burkittsville residents). The best thing about the movie: It's over after 90 minutes.
Summary: Not worth purchasing.
Boiler Room (2000)
Close, but no cigar
If you are expecting a second "Wallstreet" forget it. The movie has not much to do with the subject matter in the first place. It tries to portray a get-rich-quick scheme and one of the player's ethical problems with it. Tied to a family-crisis (a rather rotten father-son relationship) this makes for an all-in-all boring flick.
Some highlights are the acting and the cars (which you don't see enough of) and the very good camera work.
Summary: Promises a lot, starts of good but then it trails off. Medium worth.
The Fugitive (1993)
One of the best movies ever
Great movie, great plot, great acting, great special effects.
Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones were an excellent casting choice. Ford is brilliant and Jones is at an all-time best.
Worth purchasing on DVD with a great soundtrack. I watched it for the n-th time and am still not tired of it.
Tapeheads (1988)
Amusing if nothing else
It's not a bad movie but not worth buying it on DVD (as I did). Funny at times but you somewhat get drawn automatically towards a happy ending.
The DVD version had quite a bad soundtrack (with the exception of the music score).
Reminded me of Weird Al's "UHF" (who b.t.w. makes a cameo in this flick) but less hilarious.
Good for one run, then bury it at the bottom of the stack.
Ödipussi (1988)
German's don't do comedy... well think again
A beer commercial in the States once said "German's don't do comedy, they do beer" Well Loriot (Vico von Bülow) proves to be the exception (and sad to say to ONLY exception). As a die-hard Loriot-fan I may have a biased point of view, but Loriot's 1 - 2 punch with "Ödipussi" and "Pappa ante portas" are the best German comedy movies ever.
Loriot's humor is at times very dry, but being so very hilarious. If you think about making fun of subtle German stereotypes (being organised for example) you will understand Loriot's approach to humor and will be hit full-force by the effect. Sadly if you do not master German you will loose a lot of it.
A must have for every comedy fan.
Punishment Park (1971)
Spoiler comment (Do not read on if you have not seen the movie)
Good movie. If you want to scare the living daylight out of someone tell them that it is a documentary. "What happened to all the hippies and anti-war activists that were arrested in the US during the late 60's and 70's ? Well here's a doc that was banned in the US just because it showed what happened." They will believe you (I did). It took me about 20 minutes before I realised that I was looking at actors (some of them were actually quite bad actors).
All in all quite an interesting movie that did exactly the same thing as Blair Witch Project did 30 years later, i.e. portray fiction as documentary.